English Life with Benjamin Chat

Use these two expressions to sound more advanced when speaking English: 😬 to bite the bullet = to do something unpleasant or uncomfortable, but necessary ✂️ to cut corners = to do something poorly by saving time / saving money

These words are very easy to confuse due to their similar spelling! Here is the difference: 🙋🏼‍♂️ raise = needs an object (you raise something) 🌅 rise = no object needed (something rises by itself)

It’s phrasal verbs time again! I know how much you love them 😉 💡 clear up = clarify 📋 run through = review quickly ✅ follow up = to check in / do something after a previous action / conversation Do you want to learn more phrasal verbs?

5 phrasal verbs with ‘set’ 🔧 set up = to arrange or organise something 🚀 set off = to begin a journey 🔄 set back = to be delayed by something 🕰️ set in = to start and likely continue something 🎯 set out =to start an activity or goal with a clear plan Now, can you give me an example sentence using one of these phrasal verbs?

You probably know what “scratch” means… but do you know how many different ways we actually use it in English? 🫣 Check out these examples: 🫳 to scratch your skin = to rub / scrape your skin using fingernails / an object because it’s itchy 🗡️ a scratch = a small cut / damage 🚫 to scratch something = to remove it 😫 to scratch a win = to barely win And here are a few useful idioms: to start from scratch, to be up to scratch / up to par, and toscratch the surface Can you think of another word like this?

5 phrasal verbs with ‘set’ 🔧 set up = to arrange or organise something 🚀 set off = to begin a journey 🔄 set back = to be delayed by something 🕰️ set in = to start and likely continue something 🎯 set out =to start an activity or goal with a clear plan Now, can you give me an example sentence using one of these phrasal verbs?

The English language can be quite predictable sometimes... especially when adding a prefix or suffix creates the exact opposite meaning. Think: comfortable → uncomfortable, predictable → unpredictable (😉), happy → unhappy, useful → useless, relevant → irrelevant… you get the gist, right? Well… unfortunately, this “rule” of adding a prefix to form the opposite doesn’t always apply. Let me give you an example: “engrossed.” Some people might confuse it with “gross” (meaning disgusting) and immediately connect it to “engrossed” (which actually means “to be completely absorbed”). Some other examples: - part (= a piece of something) → depart (= to leave a place) - form (= the shape of something) → inform (= to tell someone something) Can you give me an example sentence using the word “engrossed”?

Although Benjamin was a far more consummate player, he was so engrossed in performing the technique right that it set his speed back and I managed to snatch a win.

Phrasal verbs are notoriously tricky for many English learners because their meanings are often non-literal… This means that learners (like you) can’t really guess them from the individual words. But they’re extremely common in everyday English, which makes it important to at least be able to understand them. I always recommend learning them in groups. You can categorise them in different ways, whether it is by topic, same verb with different prepositions, different verbs with the same preposition, etc. So, here are today’s phrasal verbs: ⭐️ to narrow something down = to reduce the number of options ⭐️ to skimp on something = to use too little / be cheap about something ⭐️ to fork out = to pay a lot of money (often unwillingly) And here’s a little bonus phrase: ⭐️ don’t sweat it = don’t worry about it Is there something new you’ve learned this week?

These words are very easy to confuse due to their similar spelling! Here is the difference: 🌟 especially = to emphasise something as more important or notable (e.g. I love all animals, especially elephants) 🎯 specially = for a specific purpose or person (e.g. The shoes were made specially for me)

Two words that look quite similar… but are actually used in very different ways 🫣 1. to evoke = to bring a feeling / memory / image / emotion to mind (e.g. That old song evokes so many memories from my childhood) 👉 Think of something coming up from within you 2. to elicit = to get or draw a response / reaction / answer / information from someone (e.g. The teacher tried to elicit some answers from the students) 👉 Think of pulling something out of someone A simple way to remember the difference: 🧠 evoke = something comes to mind 🗣️ elicit = you get something from someone Can you write a sentence using either elicit or evoke?

If you want to work on your British pronunciation, sometimes it’s the small details that make the biggest difference. Of course, there isn’t just one British accent. You’ve got Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish and a whole range of English accents too… and even within London, pronunciation can vary massively 👀 But this is how I (being from London) pronounce the word “opportunities”: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Dcd9m47hZgR/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsi=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== And, please don’t worry about trying to sound “British” overnight. The goal is to become more comfortable with the sounds, rhythm and pronunciation patterns you hear 😌 Which British accent do you like the most?

There’s something quite fun about learning English through a recipe… because you can pick up so much useful everyday vocabulary without it feeling like a vocabulary lesson 😆 So, if you’re making an apple crumble, here are some words and expressions worth knowing: 🍎 to peel = to remove the skin from fruit / vegetables ✨ to sprinkle (over) = to scatter small amounts of something over a surface 🥛 to pour over = to make a liquid flow over something 🥣 to toss = to mix something by lifting & turning it 🍽️ to spread out = to distribute something over a larger area evenly 🛒 to pick up = to buy / get something 📚 to pick up = to learn something (often naturally / without specifically studying it) So you might pick up some new vocabulary simply by watching a cooking video… Now I’m curious… what’s a typical dessert from your country?

One thing I really love about my English classes is that I often forget I’m actually teaching a class 😆 We cover so many different things. Sometimes it feels like life advice, sometimes we’re talking about how to tackle different challenges, and sometimes it genuinely feels a little bit like a therapy session 😂 And a lot of laughter, of course. That goes without saying! But honestly, I think that forgetting you’re in an English class is one of the best things that can happen when you’re learning. Because when you’re not constantly thinking about your grammar, second-guessing every sentence or worrying about whether you’re saying something “correctly”, you actually give yourself the space to speak. And that’s when the fluency starts to come out naturally 😌 Maybe that’s one of the things I love most about our classes. You come to learn English, but for a little while, you just forget that you’re learning English

Sometimes two English words can look completely different on paper… but when you say them out loud, the difference can be surprisingly subtle 😅 Today’s pronunciation challenge is all about the difference between the /əʊ/ and /ɔː/ sounds in British English 🇬🇧 Check out this video to hear me say these different words: 🗣️ bold - bald 🗣️ cold - called 🗣️ sold - salt 🗣️ walk - woke 🗣️ coat - caught 🗣️ fold - fault Some of these can be particularly tricky because the vowel sounds are very close, especially when you’re listening to someone speaking quickly. And remember, pronunciation can vary depending on the speaker’s accent, so you may hear these words pronounced differently around the UK and in other English-speaking countries. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DcoM3UOBp0D/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsi=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

One little word… and suddenly you’ve got a whole collection of expressions 😆 Here are some expressions with the word “bear” 🐻 🙏 bear with me = be patient with me (e.g. Bear with me for a moment while I finish writing this message) 😩 can’t bear something = can’t tolerate / endure something (e.g. I can’t bear this heat!) 😤 bear a grudge = continue to feel angry / resentful towards someone (e.g. There’s no point bearing a grudge over something that happened years ago) 😣 bear the weight of something = carry / endure something difficult (e.g. She’s been bearing the weight of that decision for years) And now it’s your turn… Can you think of another expression with “bear”?

Quick reminder for speaking English: breathe. You don’t need to talk at 2x speed. You don’t need to drop an idiom every five seconds. And you definitely don’t need to impress anyone. Fluency isn’t about sounding fancy. It’s about being clear, calm, and actually making sense. Even native speakers pause, restart, and think mid-sentence all the time. Yes, phrasal verbs and idioms matter, but you are not a bad speaker for not using them constantly. So slow down, take a breath, and say what you want to say. And if someone interrupts you, rushes you, or “corrects” you just to feel clever, that’s their problem. Not an English problem 😌

5 phrasal verbs related to mood, energy & wellbeing: 🧹 brush off = to casually dismiss something negative e.g. She brushed off the criticism like it meant nothing. 🔗 tap into = to connect with or make use of a resource or feeling e.g. I try to tap into my creativity by meditating each morning. 🔙 bounce back = to recover quickly from hardship or negativity e.g. Even after the failure, he bounced back stronger than before. 🙂‍↕️ kick in = to begin to take effect (often emotions or substances) e.g. The calming effect of the tea kicked in after about 15 minutes. 🔋 recharge from = to restore energy or strength through a specific source e.g. I recharge from spending quiet time in nature. Can you add any new phrasal verbs to the list? 🤔

“Bucketing it down”, “chucking it down”, or just “raining heavily”. All of these work when it’s… well… absolutely pouring! 😆🌧️ But if the rain is light, you’d say “it’s spitting”, similar to “drizzling”. What’s the weather like where you are today? Is it chucking it down ☔️ or is the sky clear? ☀️

Advanced English phrases that feel illegal to know 😉 ✨ I’m not fussed = I don’t mind ✨ He’s all over the place = disorganised ✨ Let’s play it by ear = let’s decide later Use these and sound like a native 😎 Want a part 2 with even more sneaky native phrases?

I was recently asked about what I did for a living and I didn’t know what to say: teacher, content creator, business owner? It’s a combination 😂 but this made me think about my job and I wanted to share 3 things I really enjoy about teaching: 1. The conversations I have with my students. If you have ever been to one of my classes, you know that we talk about everything and laugh a lot! It truly makes me enjoy every class and each is different from the others. 2. Learning from others. It’s incredible how much I have learnt about my student’s cultures, traditions and even perspectives on things! I’m always learning something new in my classes 🤩 3. Seeing my students‘ confidence grow and their progress improve. There’s nothing more rewarding than watching a once-shy student start speaking more and more in English and expressing themselves naturally. What do you do for a living and what is something you really like about it? It can be anything 😌

What helps you get off on the right foot? For me, it’s movement! Ideally, I’d smash out a full workout at the gym or go for a run, but even a quick walk in the fresh air does the trick and really sets me up for the day! But I won’t lie to you… some mornings I drag my feet and would much rather stay in bed 😴 What helps me in those moments is remembering how I feel after moving my body, it always lifts my mood and helps me hit the ground running! And, of course, it gives me the perfect excuse to grab a coffee afterwards 🤪 How about you? Do you prefer to exercise in the morning or are you more of a “snooze button champion”? 😂 English expressions you learned today: ✅ get off on the right foot = to start something well / in a positive way ⚡ smash out = to do something with a lot of energy / effort ✔️ does the trick = to be effective / solve a problem ☀️ set me up for the day = to prepare me well for the day ahead 😩 drag my feet = to be slow / reluctant to do something 🕺🏼 lift my mood = to make me feel happier / more positive 🚀 hit the ground running = to start something with energy / enthusiasm

I know how much you love idioms, so today let’s have a look at 3 advanced English idioms that are connected to the following topic: effort and perseverance 💪 give it your best shot = to try your hardest at something e.g. She gave it her best shot in the interview and got the job 🏅 go the extra mile = to put in more effort than expected e.g. She always goes the extra mile to help her students ✅get your act together = to start working in a more organised / efficient way e.g. He really needs to get his act together if he wants to finish the project on time Was any of them new to you?

How NOT to be rude in the UK: Scenario 1: Someone is in your way ❌ Move out of the way ✅ Say “Would you mind moving to the side, please?” or “Could you please move to the side? Scenario 2: You are running late ❌ Not letting the other person know ✅ Just call or message to give a quick heads-up (Brits really value punctuality) Scenario 3: You want to decline an offer ❌ “Nope.” ✅ “I have something else going on. Maybe next time” (“no” or “nope” can be too direct and come across as rude) Scenario 4: You want to join a conversation ❌ Just butting in ✅ Wait for the right moment and ask if it’s okay to share your thoughts

Can I Use "Take a Rain Check" to decline an offer?