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A billboard in Manchester telling people to stay at home.

Understanding Grammar: Exceptional Circumstances

Understanding Grammar: Exceptional Circumstances

In this week's Premier Skills English Podcast, Jack and Rich talk about life under lockdown in the UK and Spain and two people who are doing exceptional things. The language focus is on the word except and how it can be used in different ways. In this week's task, we want you to tell us about life at home in your country at the moment and tell us about someone who has done something exceptional. Don't forget to listen to the end of the podcast because we have a new football phrase for you to guess.

Transcript

If the listening was a bit difficult, you can listen again and read the transcript at the same time.
Read and listen at the same time.

Understanding Grammar: Exceptional Circumstances
Introduction 

Jack: Hello my name’s Jack

Rich: and I’m Rich and welcome to this week’s Premier Skills English podcast. 

Jack: Where we talk about football and help you with your English.

Rich: In this week’s roleplay, we’re going to be talking about how our lives have changed recently. 

Jack: At the moment, many of us are doing things in very different ways to what we are used to and in this podcast, I’m going to talk about what I’m doing differently in the UK. 

Rich: And I’m going to talk about things that are being done differently in Spain.

Jack: We are also going to talk about some other people who have been doing some amazing things recently. 

Rich: We’re going to focus on both grammar and vocabulary this week as we’re going to look at one keyword and how it is used in different ways.

Jack: The word we are looking at is except.

Rich: And your task this week will be to tell us what changes have recently taken place in your country and to tell us about someone who has done something amazing or exceptional in your country.

Jack: If you’re listening to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or any other podcast platform, you should also check out our website.

Rich: That’s because on the Premier Skills English website you’ll also find the transcript, examples and activities to help you understand the language, a task for you to do and a community of friendly listeners to interact with, in our comments section.

Jack: And that includes Rich and me - we’re always around to answer questions and join the discussions.

Rich: A lot to get through today and before we get into all that we need to look back at last week’s football phrase.

Last week’s Football Phrase 

Jack: If you didn’t hear our football phrase last week we’re going to give you one more chance to guess now. 

Rich: The phrase was *** ** ***. When a match is described as *** ** *** it means that both teams are attacking a lot and the play is moving from one side of the pitch to the other. *** ** *** matches are usually exciting to watch, have lots of attacking play and lots of goals.

Jack: We’ll give you the correct answer at the end of the show when we give you a new football phrase. 

Rich: The first listener to get it right last week was Sabanoleg from Ukraine. Congratulations Sabanoleg - you were the quickest for a second week in a row.

Jack: A big well done to Marco from Mexico who was just a few minutes behind Sabanoleg, Luibomyr also from Ukraine and Elghoul from Algeria who all got the right answer last week.

Rich: Remember we’ll have a new football phrase for you to guess at the end of the show.

Introduction to Roleplay

Jack: In this section, you’re going to hear a roleplay. I decide to give Rich a Skype call to see how life is going under lockdown.  

Rich: Jack and I speak about lockdown in the UK, where Jack lives, and lockdown in Spain, where I live. We speak about what life is like in general and what life is like in our houses.

Jack: While you listen we have two questions for you to answer:

Rich: The first question is: Is there a difference between lockdown in Spain and the UK?

Jack: And the second question is: Is there a difference between what’s going on in my house and what’s going on at Rich’s house?

Roleplay

(Skype call)

Jack: Morning, Rich.  I haven’t spoken to you for a while so I thought I’d check in - give you a call and see how things are going in lockdown - Spanish style. Is that someone screaming?

Rich: Playing. Not screaming. Hold on. Boys! Dad’s on a call - quiet!

Jack: Everything OK?

Rich: Yeah - everything is quite relaxed here except for not being able to go out, of course.

Jack: It’s the same here - we can’t go out except when we go to the supermarket, for our daily exercise, or to go to work if you can’t work from home.

Rich: That’s one more exception than here. We can’t go out to do exercise.

Jack: We go out for a walk every day, except when it’s raining. Is that the dog barking?

Rich: Oh, yeah. She needs to go out for a walk. That’s another exception. We can’t go out except to do those things and to take the dog for a daily walk. How’s homeschooling going?

Jack: We’ve done science and art this morning. I think the kids enjoy having mum and dad as their teachers. I’m enjoying it too except for maths - they have this new method and I can’t quite get my head around it yet.

Rich: Yeah, yeah I think I have this homeschooling thing under control.

Alex: Dad? Can we have another cartoon?

Jack: What was that?

Rich: Er … we’re just doing science too. There are some great science cartoons.

Jack: So nobody has been outside for, what is it, six weeks now?

Rich: Nobody except me. I do the shopping and take the dog.

Jack: We’re all in the same boat I suppose but it’s especially tough for children at the moment, except if they have a garden.

Rich: We’re lucky, it’s much tougher for those that live in flats in the city.

Jack: I’ve heard that kids are going to be allowed out next week.

Rich: Yes, at last! I’ll be able to add more PE to our homeschooling timetable.

Alex: Dad! I love Garfield. Can I watch another?

Jack: Garfield? The cat?

Rich: These are exceptional circumstances, Jack!

Language Focus 1

Rich: Before the roleplay, we asked you two questions.

Jack: The first question was: Is there a difference between lockdown in Spain and the UK?

Rich: Well, in lots of countries at the moment there are rules about when you can leave the house and for what reasons you can leave the house.

Jack: In the UK, you can’t leave the house except ... to go to work, if you can’t work from home, to go shopping for essential things like food, and to do some daily exercise.

Rich: In Spain, you can’t leave the house except ...  to go to work, if you can’t work from home or to go shopping for essential things like food. 

Jack: There are some other exceptions, but the main difference is that in the UK, at the moment, you can go out and do some daily exercise but in Spain you can’t.

Rich: We also asked you about what was going on in our houses at the moment. Now, remember this is a roleplay and it may not reflect the truth 100%!

Jack: I’m sure it doesn’t, Rich! Yes, the second question was: Is there a difference between what’s going on in my house and what’s going on at Rich’s house?

Rich: Well, it appears that things are much calmer in Jack’s house. His children are enjoying being educated at home and they go out for calm, relaxed daily walks. 

Jack: In Rich’s house, the kids are screaming, the dog is barking and everyone seems to be watching cartoons all day.

Rich: You just caught me at a bad moment!


Jack: Let’s take a look at some of the language we used in the roleplay. Our main focus this week is on the word except and the different ways it can be used.

Rich: We used except a lot in the roleplay. Except generally means not including or excluding. 

Jack: In the roleplay, I said that I was enjoying homeschooling except for maths. This means that I’m enjoying teaching all subjects but not maths.

Rich: Here except is being used as a preposition and it’s followed by a noun. Here are a few examples:

Jack: I like all sports except for snooker because it’s so boring.

Rich: I’ve invited everyone to my birthday party except my uncle who’s on holiday.

Jack: Except for pineapple, I’d have anything on a pizza.

Rich: In each of these examples except is followed by a noun - maths, snooker, my uncle and pineapple.

Jack: In some of the examples, we are using just except and in others we are using except for. 

Rich: When we use except followed by a noun we can use either except or except for and there is no difference in meaning. 

Jack: We can also use except either at the beginning of the sentence or in the middle. I like all sports except snooker or except snooker, I like all sports.

Rich: Except and except for are used in a very similar way to apart from.  Listen to these sentences that have exactly the same meaning.

Jack: I’d have anything on a pizza except for pineapple.

Jack: I’d have anything on a pizza apart from pineapple.

Rich: There is one difference, however, except only can mean excluding but apart from can also mean including. Listen to this example:

Jack: Apart from football, I also enjoy playing tennis and badminton.

Rich: Here apart from means including so it’s not possible to use except.


Jack: Except can also be used as a conjunction. A conjunction is used to connect two parts of a sentence together.

Rich: Listen to these example sentences: 

Jack: I’d love to have a slice of your pizza, except I can’t stand pineapple on pizza.

Rich: We go out for a walk every day, except when it’s raining.

Jack: It’s especially tough for children at the moment, except if they have a garden.

Rich: In these examples except is being used as a conjunction and is followed by a clause or an adverbial phrase.


Jack: We also used the word except to create nouns and adjectives in the roleplay.

Rich: We used the noun ‘exception’ a few times in the roleplay. An exception is something that is not included in a general rule or law. 

Jack: We were talking about not being allowed out of the house except for some specific reasons. These reasons are exceptions to this general rule.

Rich: One exception is going to the supermarket. Another exception might be going to work.

Jack: An exception in the UK is going out for daily exercise.

Rich: At the end of the roleplay, I said that we are living through exceptional circumstances. The adjective form of except is exceptional and it has two meanings.

Jack: The first meaning is very unusual. The circumstances of our lives - the way we are living at the moment is very unusual - they are exceptional.

Rich: The other meaning of exceptional is unusually good. We use exceptional to describe something or someone that is so good we don’t see it very often.

Jack: We could describe footballers like Alan Shearer or Thierry Henry as exceptional or amazing goals as exceptional. We don’t see players or goals like these very often in our lives. 

Rich: We might even use the adverb exceptionally. We might say ‘she played exceptionally well today’.

Jack: We are also seeing normal people do exceptional things at the moment. Did you hear about Captain Tom Moore?

Rich: Oh yes. He’s the old man, isn’t he? How old is he again?

Jack: He’s 99 years old and has been raising money for charity by completing laps of his back garden. He’s raised over 20 million pounds for the National Health Service.

Rich: That can definitely be described as exceptional.

Jack: Are there any similar things in Spain?

Rich: Yes, like in the UK, lots of people are doing truly exceptional things. There was one story this week about a taxi driver who has been driving hundreds of patients for free with coronavirus to hospital in his taxi.

Jack: We are seeing some truly exceptional acts of courage and kindness at the moment.

Pronunciation

Rich: Before we move on to this week’s task we thought it might be worth looking at two words that are sometimes confused.

Jack: The first word is the one we have been looking at in this podcast: except.

Rich: The other word is one that sounds exactly the same: accept but we spell it differently. It’s spelt a c c e p t.

Jack: Here are two example sentences:

Rich: I’d love to accept your invitation.

Rich: I love everything about you, except the music you like.

Jack: The words sound the same accept and except. They are homophones - two words that sound the same but are often written differently.

Rich: We don’t usually confuse the meanings though because accept with an a is usually a verb whereas except with an e is usually a preposition or a conjunction.

Jack: We’ve got a little task for you. We’re going to say three words that are homophones and we want you to write the alternatives for each in the comments section on the Premier Skills English website.

Rich: Our three homophones are: 

TASK

Rich: We have two tasks for you to do this week. The first is to tell us about the exceptional circumstances there might be right now in your country.

Jack: Are you allowed out? What are the exceptions? Can you go out to walk the dog? Can you go to work?

Rich: Our second task this week is to tell us about someone who has done something exceptional recently. We told you about 99-year-old Captain Tom Moore and the taxi driver in Spain who has been driving coronavirus patients to hospital in Madrid for free.

Jack: Is there a similar story that you could share about someone in your country. Why is what she or he has done exceptional?

Rich: Try to use except in your answers and experiment with any new language you may have learned recently.

Jack: Write all your answers in the comments section on the Premier Skills English website or on Apple Podcasts if that’s where you listen to us.

Football Phrase

Jack: It’s your turn with this week’s football phrase, Rich.

Rich: OK, here we go. I think it’s quite difficult. This week’s football phrase is to **** ********* *** ** *** ***. The phrase means to find an answer to something or fix something at the last moment; very often when you are under pressure. A team that is losing might **** victory or a win *** ** *** *** by scoring in the last few minutes after it looked like they would draw or lose. The victory or win is often surprising or not expected.

Jack: That’s quite difficult. I've also heard this phrase with hat. You can **** * ******** *** ** *** *** hat. 

Rich: Let’s see who can get it right. Before we leave you we also need to tell you last week’s football phrase. The answer was end to end.

Jack: Right, that’s all we have time for this week! Don’t forget to write your answers to our questions and make a guess at our football phrase in the comments below. If you get it right, we’ll announce your name on next week’s show. 

Rich: If you have any questions or comments or suggestions for the podcast or anything football or English related, you can leave them on the website in the comments section, on social media, on apple podcasts or you can email us at premierskills@britishcouncil.org.
 
Jack: Bye for now and enjoy your football!

Vocabulary

How much did you understand?

Here is the vocabulary you saw at the top of this page and how Rich and Jack used it in the roleplay. Do you know the words in bold?

I thought I’d check in - give you a call and see how things are going in lockdown - Spanish style.

I’m enjoying homeschooling except for maths - they have this new method and I can’t quite get my head round it yet.

Dad? Can we have another cartoon?

We’re all in the same boat I suppose but it’s especially tough for children at the moment.

These are exceptional circumstances, Jack!

Listen to the roleplay again to hear how Rich and Jack used these words and phrases.

Does this timetable look like what Jack or Rich has in their house?

Language

Except (for) + Noun

In the roleplay, Rich and Jack used many examples of except. One way we can use except (for) is before a noun. Have a look at the sentences below and check you understand how except is being used: 

I think the kids enjoy having mum and dad as their teachers. I’m enjoying it too except for maths.

I like all sports except for snooker because it’s so boring.

I’ve invited everyone to my birthday party except my uncle who’s on holiday.

Except for pineapple, I’d have anything on a pizza.

In the first three examples above, you could move the clause with except to the beginning of the sentence so it's similar instructors to the fourth example. It's also possible to use either except or except for in all of the examples without changing the meaning

Jack says he likes all sports except for snooker.

Language

Except + Clause

We also often use except followed by a main clause or adverbial phrase. In these cases, except is usually a conjunction rather than a preposition and we don't usually use for. Have a look at the sentences below and check you understand how except is being used:

I’d love to have a slice of your pizza, except I can’t stand pineapple on pizza.

We go out for a walk everyday, except when it’s raining.

It’s especially tough for children at the moment, except if they have a garden.

Except often comes before conjunctions such as if, when and that. The third of those is often optional.

Jack goes out for a family walk every day, except when it's raining.

Language

Exceptional, Exceptionally and Exceptions

Rich and Jack also used except in their adjective, adverb and noun forms in the roleplay. Take a look at these sentences from the roleplay and the words in bold. Which is a noun? Which is an adjective? Which is an adverb?

That’s one more exception than here. We can’t go out to do exercise.

These are exceptional circumstances, Jack!

She played exceptionally well today.

We are seeing normal people do exceptional things at the moment.

Exceptional has two meanings:

Exceptional = very unusual

Exceptional = unusually good

Thierry Henry was an exceptional player.

Activity 2

Activity 2: Can you complete the sentences?
Can you write the correct word?

Quiz

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Task

Exceptional Circumstances

Captain Tom Moore has raised nearly £30 million for the health service in the UK after setting himself the challenge of walking 100 laps of his garden before his 100th birthday.

In this week's podcast, Jack and Rich told you about life where they live at the moment and two exceptional things that people have done where they live. We want you to to do the same:

  • Task one: Tell us about the exceptional circumstances there might be right now in your country. Are you allowed out? What are the exceptions? Can you go out to walk the dog? Can you go to work?
  • Task two: Tell us about someone who has done something exceptional recently. Jack and Rich told you about 99-year-old Captain Tom Moore and the taxi driver in Spain who has been driving coronavirus patients to the hospital in Madrid. Is there a similar story that you could share about someone in your country. Why is what she or he has done exceptional?
  • Language Challenge: Jack and Rich set a language challenge connected to homophones. What were the three homophones? Can you write them in the comments section?

Try to use except in your answers and experiment with any new language you may have learned recently.

Write all your answers in the comments section below and don't forget to make a guess at this week's football phrase!

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Comments

hsn's picture
hsn
07/10/2020
TR
5527
points

TASK 1:
During the period of the lockdown dates in Turkey between March and June we were allowed to go shopping or walking or daily exercising except week-end. The officiers more than 60 years old were being accepted not to go work. In july people weren't not allowed to go out without putting the mask on their face. All the rules were being strictly applied at the beginning. After month of the June it has been loosened .

TASK 2:
An “İmam” means the muslim worshiper who leads the recitation of prayer in mosque. He is in charge in the one of the mosque in İstanbul which is the biggest city of Turkey . He allocated one part of mosque and started a charity program. He collected foods except money from volunteers for poor people. He is an amazing man.


hsn's picture
hsn
07/10/2020 19:08
Turkey
Tottenham Hotspur
5527

TASK 1:
During the period of the lockdown dates in Turkey between March and June we were allowed to go shopping or walking or daily exercising except week-end. The officiers more than 60 years old were being accepted not to go work. In july people weren't not allowed to go out without putting the mask on their face. All the rules were being strictly applied at the beginning. After month of the June it has been loosened .

TASK 2:
An “İmam” means the muslim worshiper who leads the recitation of prayer in mosque. He is in charge in the one of the mosque in İstanbul which is the biggest city of Turkey . He allocated one part of mosque and started a charity program. He collected foods except money from volunteers for poor people. He is an amazing man.

mobeckham's picture
mobeckham
16/06/2020
TR
6510
points

I think this week's football phrase is ( pull out of the bag )


mobeckham's picture
mobeckham
16/06/2020 12:44
Turkey
Manchester United
6510

I think this week's football phrase is ( pull out of the bag )

mobeckham's picture
mobeckham
16/06/2020
TR
6510
points

Language Challenge :
1. Dear is an adjective
example : I love you dear daughter.
Deer is a noun ( animal )
example : Deer have wide horns like branches.
2. Whole is an adjective
example : I spent the whole weekend relaxing.
Hall is a noun
example : Children play in the school sports hall.
3. There is an adverb
example : There's someone waiting for you.
Their is a determiner
example : She asked for their address.
They're is short for ( they are )
example : They're so kind & lovely.


mobeckham's picture
mobeckham
16/06/2020 12:41
Turkey
Manchester United
6510

Language Challenge :
1. Dear is an adjective
example : I love you dear daughter.
Deer is a noun ( animal )
example : Deer have wide horns like branches.
2. Whole is an adjective
example : I spent the whole weekend relaxing.
Hall is a noun
example : Children play in the school sports hall.
3. There is an adverb
example : There's someone waiting for you.
Their is a determiner
example : She asked for their address.
They're is short for ( they are )
example : They're so kind & lovely.

mobeckham's picture
mobeckham
16/06/2020
TR
6510
points

Task one :
We are not allowed to go out except for supermarkets and bakeries.
We can do outdoor exercises everyday except for the weekends.
We can travel from one city to another except for public transport.
We must work from home except for the key workers.

Task two :
The mayor of the city , Mr Tunç Soyer , noticed that they are some problems of people getting out without masks and the public find it hard to get masks easily so he gave the green light to set up automatic machines , like the ones you can get biscuits and cans by using coins , down the underground that provide masks in packets as you can get one packet weekly except for ones who don't hold Izmir cards. It's a wonderful idea to organise people and help them to maintain social distancing in queues and find their masks easily and for free.


mobeckham's picture
mobeckham
16/06/2020 12:21
Turkey
Manchester United
6510

Task one :
We are not allowed to go out except for supermarkets and bakeries.
We can do outdoor exercises everyday except for the weekends.
We can travel from one city to another except for public transport.
We must work from home except for the key workers.

Task two :
The mayor of the city , Mr Tunç Soyer , noticed that they are some problems of people getting out without masks and the public find it hard to get masks easily so he gave the green light to set up automatic machines , like the ones you can get biscuits and cans by using coins , down the underground that provide masks in packets as you can get one packet weekly except for ones who don't hold Izmir cards. It's a wonderful idea to organise people and help them to maintain social distancing in queues and find their masks easily and for free.

Johan®7's picture
Johan®7
28/04/2020
CO
65
points

I've really liked and enjoyed this time at home since it has given me the suitable moment-space of sharing with my family except for those days when they are all bad-humoured and we can't out to breath and take pure air . It also has given me time to study and sink more deep into English.

We are all in the same boat so I know lots of people have made the same.


Johan®7's picture
Johan®7
28/04/2020 00:36
Colombia
Arsenal
65

I've really liked and enjoyed this time at home since it has given me the suitable moment-space of sharing with my family except for those days when they are all bad-humoured and we can't out to breath and take pure air . It also has given me time to study and sink more deep into English.

We are all in the same boat so I know lots of people have made the same.

Johan®7's picture
Johan®7
28/04/2020
CO
65
points

And Industrial Engineer at Public Distrital University during this quarentine. He performed his tesis vía online through zoom. An exceptional aim.


Johan®7's picture
Johan®7
28/04/2020 00:21
Colombia
Arsenal
65

And Industrial Engineer at Public Distrital University during this quarentine. He performed his tesis vía online through zoom. An exceptional aim.

Johan®7's picture
Johan®7
28/04/2020
CO
65
points

I live in Bogotá, Colombia. Here, there might have been some excepcional circumstances like in the rest of the world. People had to change their way of doing things by working and studyin from home. Others haven't been able of working since their work-place are a high-risked plot of being contaminated by corona virus. Like in other countries, jus there are some excepcional key workers outside, whose that are working in the supermarkets, in the hospitals, ambulance's drivers, the police officers taking control of the city, the people in charge of the government and the common grocerie stores around the neighborhoods. Drug stores as well. We are allowed out to buy the escential things for home like food, pills If needed, go to the ATM, go to the bank, but only one person per family is allowed to except If it is a blind person or a very older one. At the moment are some exceptions like going out to a walk the dog for fifteen minutes and doing exercise. This last was included yesterday. Of course, this change on daily routine has brought an exceptional loss, dicrease or fall in the economy of informal workers. I'm trying to get a a job from my home as call agent, that's what I'm studying with this exceptional Premier skills English podcast. I'm very pleased you share such an excellent program with us.

There is a woman who is 89 year-old. She has been one of the older people of being cured of coronavirus. An exceptional new for all people who are scared becouse of the virus. Except for this new and other related to, there haven't been more exceptional people. It may be my brother who has been able of graduated from university and has beco


Johan®7's picture
Johan®7
28/04/2020 00:18
Colombia
Arsenal
65

I live in Bogotá, Colombia. Here, there might have been some excepcional circumstances like in the rest of the world. People had to change their way of doing things by working and studyin from home. Others haven't been able of working since their work-place are a high-risked plot of being contaminated by corona virus. Like in other countries, jus there are some excepcional key workers outside, whose that are working in the supermarkets, in the hospitals, ambulance's drivers, the police officers taking control of the city, the people in charge of the government and the common grocerie stores around the neighborhoods. Drug stores as well. We are allowed out to buy the escential things for home like food, pills If needed, go to the ATM, go to the bank, but only one person per family is allowed to except If it is a blind person or a very older one. At the moment are some exceptions like going out to a walk the dog for fifteen minutes and doing exercise. This last was included yesterday. Of course, this change on daily routine has brought an exceptional loss, dicrease or fall in the economy of informal workers. I'm trying to get a a job from my home as call agent, that's what I'm studying with this exceptional Premier skills English podcast. I'm very pleased you share such an excellent program with us.

There is a woman who is 89 year-old. She has been one of the older people of being cured of coronavirus. An exceptional new for all people who are scared becouse of the virus. Except for this new and other related to, there haven't been more exceptional people. It may be my brother who has been able of graduated from university and has beco

elghoul's picture
elghoul
27/04/2020
DZ
3988
points

football phrase guess,

make a turnaround out to an ice win.


elghoul's picture
elghoul
27/04/2020 14:01
Algeria
Manchester City
3988

football phrase guess,

make a turnaround out to an ice win.

elghoul's picture
elghoul
26/04/2020
DZ
3988
points

Homophones

Dear and dire

Whole and all

Their and there 


elghoul's picture
elghoul
26/04/2020 15:39
Algeria
Manchester City
3988

Homophones

Dear and dire

Whole and all

Their and there 

elghoul's picture
elghoul
26/04/2020
DZ
3988
points

Right now there are curfews in different regions. Public transport has stopped. During these exceptional circumstances 50 % of public workers should stay at home except for local essential purchases. Physical distancing is the general rule since lockdowns are declared. Schools are also closed and no date given for coming backs to classrooms. Some TV and online courses are given. Charities and government revenues try to help unresourced households.

General practioners and hospital staff like doctors and nurses are doing exceptional efforts to make public health systeme efficient although there are lack of protective means and equipment.


elghoul's picture
elghoul
26/04/2020 14:00
Algeria
Manchester City
3988

Right now there are curfews in different regions. Public transport has stopped. During these exceptional circumstances 50 % of public workers should stay at home except for local essential purchases. Physical distancing is the general rule since lockdowns are declared. Schools are also closed and no date given for coming backs to classrooms. Some TV and online courses are given. Charities and government revenues try to help unresourced households.

General practioners and hospital staff like doctors and nurses are doing exceptional efforts to make public health systeme efficient although there are lack of protective means and equipment.

wsanta's picture
wsanta
25/04/2020
AR
5086
points

I think the work of the doctors is exceptional. People look out their windows to clap in gratitude to them every day at 9 p.m. Also the volunteers who prepare popular pots to feed the most needy.


wsanta's picture
wsanta
25/04/2020 04:18
Argentina
Leeds United
5086

I think the work of the doctors is exceptional. People look out their windows to clap in gratitude to them every day at 9 p.m. Also the volunteers who prepare popular pots to feed the most needy.

Rich's picture
Rich
27/04/2020
ES
594
points

In Spain, we clap at 8 p.m. Maybe we go to bed earlier here!!!


Rich's picture
Rich
27/04/2020 08:19
Spain
Liverpool
594

In Spain, we clap at 8 p.m. Maybe we go to bed earlier here!!!

wsanta's picture
wsanta
25/04/2020
AR
5086
points

Here is like Spain except that next week the children will not be able to go out. My daughter receives homework by email three times a week and she has to connect to Zoom with her teacher once a week. My son says that he has already done his homework but when I enter his room he is always listening to Arctic Monkeys.


wsanta's picture
wsanta
25/04/2020 04:08
Argentina
Leeds United
5086

Here is like Spain except that next week the children will not be able to go out. My daughter receives homework by email three times a week and she has to connect to Zoom with her teacher once a week. My son says that he has already done his homework but when I enter his room he is always listening to Arctic Monkeys.

Rich's picture
Rich
27/04/2020
ES
594
points

Maybe his homework is about the Arctic Monkeys?!!! They are from my hometown in the UK and one of my favourite songs is called 'Mardy Bum'. Maybe you could set your son a homework challenge: What does that phrase mean and where is it used?


Rich's picture
Rich
27/04/2020 08:19
Spain
Liverpool
594

Maybe his homework is about the Arctic Monkeys?!!! They are from my hometown in the UK and one of my favourite songs is called 'Mardy Bum'. Maybe you could set your son a homework challenge: What does that phrase mean and where is it used?

wsanta's picture
wsanta
30/04/2020
AR
5086
points

Ha ha ha, hi Rich. I guess it means establish a dare. But I have no idea where to use it, maybe to challenge someone.


wsanta's picture
wsanta
30/04/2020 04:21
Argentina
Leeds United
5086

Ha ha ha, hi Rich. I guess it means establish a dare. But I have no idea where to use it, maybe to challenge someone.

Vic
24/04/2020
MX
817
points

ask one: Tell us about the exceptional circumstances there might be right now in your country. Are you allowed out? What are the exceptions? Can you go out to walk the dog? Can you go to work?

In my country we are in third stage of quarentine or called in Mexico self isolation, almost people stay at home, but no everybody can stay at home, many people has to go out, maybe for achieve some money for the essential spends or becuase they are health workers.

The only situations that you can go out its for buy food or medical emergnecy, its important stay at home.

In this moment many palces are closed, for this reason isn´t allowed stay in the streets or go to work, actually I am working from home, and its allowed wander with the dog, but only aroud your neighborhhod.

Well, I think the health workers are doing an exceptional effort for care us and save the sick, all respect for them.

three homophones are:

dairy-dear
hall-home
dad-that-

Was my best effort.. sorry!


Vic
24/04/2020 23:54
Mexico
Liverpool
817

ask one: Tell us about the exceptional circumstances there might be right now in your country. Are you allowed out? What are the exceptions? Can you go out to walk the dog? Can you go to work?

In my country we are in third stage of quarentine or called in Mexico self isolation, almost people stay at home, but no everybody can stay at home, many people has to go out, maybe for achieve some money for the essential spends or becuase they are health workers.

The only situations that you can go out its for buy food or medical emergnecy, its important stay at home.

In this moment many palces are closed, for this reason isn´t allowed stay in the streets or go to work, actually I am working from home, and its allowed wander with the dog, but only aroud your neighborhhod.

Well, I think the health workers are doing an exceptional effort for care us and save the sick, all respect for them.

three homophones are:

dairy-dear
hall-home
dad-that-

Was my best effort.. sorry!

Rich's picture
Rich
27/04/2020
ES
594
points

Yes, health workers are definitely doing exceptional work right now!

You might want to listen to the homophones again. Remember that the words need to sound exactly the same.

Rich - The Premier Skills English Team


Rich's picture
Rich
27/04/2020 08:21
Spain
Liverpool
594

Yes, health workers are definitely doing exceptional work right now!

You might want to listen to the homophones again. Remember that the words need to sound exactly the same.

Rich - The Premier Skills English Team

Liubomyr's picture
Liubomyr
24/04/2020
UA
4408
points

I think that the phrase is to '**** ********* *** ** *** ***'.


Liubomyr's picture
Liubomyr
24/04/2020 16:26
Ukraine
Watford
4408

I think that the phrase is to '**** ********* *** ** *** ***'.

Marco Zapien's picture
Marco Zapien
24/04/2020
MX
79
points

I can only think on: **** ********* *** ** *** blue/hat.


Marco Zapien's picture
Marco Zapien
24/04/2020 16:23
Mexico
Wolverhampton Wanderers
79

I can only think on: **** ********* *** ** *** blue/hat.

Rich's picture
Rich
24/04/2020
ES
594
points

So close! Do you want to have another guess?


Rich's picture
Rich
24/04/2020 16:26
Spain
Liverpool
594

So close! Do you want to have another guess?

Marco Zapien's picture
Marco Zapien
24/04/2020
MX
79
points

Oh really? maybe is: **** ********* *** ** *** ***


Marco Zapien's picture
Marco Zapien
24/04/2020 19:59
Mexico
Wolverhampton Wanderers
79

Oh really? maybe is: **** ********* *** ** *** ***

Leaderboard

Top Scorers
RankNameScore
1mobeckham6510
2Alex_from_Ukraine6281
3hsn5527
4wsanta5086
5kwesimanifest4768
6Liubomyr4408
7elghoul3988
8assemjuve3705
9aragorn19863557
10Gergő Nagy3396
Country ranking
RankNameScore
1Colombia71478
2Ukraine33314
3Spain28340
4Serbia27294
5Brazil23992
6Albania20578
7Vietnam19954
8Turkey19874
9Macedonia19074
10Bosnia and Herzegovina16333
Club ranking
RankNameScore
1Manchester United142084
2Liverpool110402
3Chelsea88740
4Arsenal85759
5Manchester City57132
6Tottenham Hotspur19173
7Newcastle United10478
8West Ham United7460
9AFC Bournemouth4530
10Crystal Palace4245

Level

3
Average: 3 (1 vote)

Goals

Skills: Listening

Grammar: Using except as a preposition and conjunction

Vocabulary: Word Formation

Task 1: Tell us about life at home in your country 

Task 2: Tell us about someone who has done something exceptional