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Speaking English Course A
Lesson A4
Travelling
Click and listen to each sentence as many times as you like
Say each sentence as many times as you like
Practise saying each sentence until it sounds right
On The Plane
Hi! I'm Jackie. I travelled with my friends by coach to London airport and arrived at ten o'clock in the morning. Our plane was due to leave at eleven thirty. We took our luggage over to the check-in desk to be weighed. The lady checked our passports and gave us our boarding cards. We had time for a quick snack before boarding the plane. We had the meal during the flight, then we started watching a film but I fell asleep before the end. We arrived in Toronto at five thirty in the evening but of course it was only eleven thirty in the morning Canadian time.
Now try to answer these questions.
1. At what time did they arrive at the airport?Now Listen to the answers and repeat them out loud.2. Why did they take their luggage over to the check-in desk?
3. What did they have time for before boarding the plane?
4. Why did Jackie not see all of the film?
5. If it is six o'clock in London, what time will it be in Toronto?
1. They arrived at the airport at ten o'clock in the morning.2. They took their luggage over to the check-in desk to be weighed.
3. They had time for a quick snack.
4. Jackie did not see all of the film because she fell asleep.
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Useful Phrases
ten o'clock in the morning |
By Boat
My name is Andy. When we were in Sorrento in Italy, we travelled by boat to the Isle of Capri. The sea was very choppy and the waves made the boat bob up and down. It's unusual for me to be seasick, but I was this time, so when I arrived in Capri I was glad to get off the boat. I went to the nearest café and had a brandy to settle my stomach. We enjoyed our short stay on the island and by the time we were ready to go back to the boat, the weather was much calmer.
Now try to answer these questions.
1. How did they travel to Capri?Now listen to the answers and repeat them out loud.2. Was the sea calm or choppy?
3. What was Andy suffering from?
4. What did he do when he got off the boat?
5. What was the weather like on the way back?
1. They travelled by boat to Capri.3. Andy was suffering from seasickness.
4. He went to the nearest café and had a brandy.
5. On the way back, the weather was much calmer.
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Useful Phrases
travelled by boat |
Taking a Train
We took a train from Paris to Biarritz in the south of France. I think it took about seventeen hours. We booked our tickets in Paris. The man at the booking office was very helpful and pointed to the platform where our train was standing. It was difficult to get on the train because we were carrying our huge backpacks. My friend Sam and I had bought some delicious French cheese, some crusty bread and some fruit for the journey. We were glad to sit down in the train and relax after our travels around the north of France.
Answer these questions.
Question 1. Where were they going to on the train?Now listen to the answers and repeat them out loud.Question 2. How long was the journey?
Question 3. Where did they book their tickets?
Question 4. Why was it difficult for them to get on the train?
Question 5. What food had they bought for the journey?
1. They were going to Biarritz on the train.2. The journey took about seventeen hours.
3. They booked their tickets in Paris.
4. It was difficult for them to get on the train because they were carrying huge backpacks.
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Useful Phrases
to take a train |
By Car
We've checked the tyres and the oil in the engine and now we're going to fill up with petrol (gas). We've bought a new map so that we can plan our route. We're going to drive through France to Belgium and then into Germany. With a bit of luck we will arrive in Cologne in about nine hours time, allowing for some short stops. We have put most of our luggage in the boot (trunk) of the car and also some on the roof rack.(Note: American versions of words are given in brackets).
Now try to answer these questions.
1. What did they check before going on their journey?Did you get the answers correct?2. What did they buy so that they could plan their route?
3. What three countries will they drive in?
Now Listen to the answers and repeat them out loud.
1. They checked the tyres and the oil before going on their journey.2. They bought a new map so that they could plan their route.
3. They will drive in France, Belgium and Germany.
4. It will take about nine hours to get to Cologne.
5. Most of the luggage went in the boot (or trunk).
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Useful Phrases
we've checked the tyres |
Forms of The Verb "to be".
You probably know about the verb "to be" and its different forms "am", "are" and "is", but let's remind ourselves.
I am fluent in English.
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|
| I am | we are |
| you are | you are |
| he is | they are |
| she is | they are |
If you are talking to one person you say "you are".We use the verb "to be" with present participle words ending in "-ing".If you are talking to several people you say "you are".
If you are talking about one person you say "he is" if he is a man or "she is" if she is a woman.
If you are talking about several people, whether they are men or women, you say "they are".
Say each of these sentences:-
He is sitting. He is sitting on the floor.They are going. They are going to town.
You are writing. You are writing a letter.
She is driving. She is driving to work.
We are watching. We are watching a film.
Singular and Plural
Many words can be made plural simply by adding "s".But there are some irregular plurals.
For example Singular Plural chair chairs table tables tree trees car cars bag bags
For example, some add "es":-
Some ending in "y" change the "y" to "i" before adding "es":-
Singular Plural potato potatoes tomato tomatoes
Some change in other ways:-
Singular Plural country countries factory factories
And some don't change at all:-
Singular Plural child children man men woman women goose geese knife knives wolf wolves
Say these over and over and try to remember them.
Singular Plural sheep sheep deer deer
If a noun owns something we add 's .
For example:-Say the following, using apostrophe "s"."The man's bicycle" means the bicycle that belongs to the man.
The ticket belonging to the man.Did you say them correctly?The boots belonging to the boy.
The passport belonging to the girl.
The luggage belonging to my friend.
The seat belonging to the passenger.
Now say these, using apostrophe "s":-The boy's boots.
The uniform belonging to the steward.The engine belonging to the plane.
The seat belonging to the driver.
The cabin belonging to the ship.
The lemonade belonging to the children.
Now listen to them being said correctly.
The plane's engine.
Stress and Pronunciation
Practise saying the following words with the correct pronunciation and stress.
Place the emphasis on that part of the word which is THIS colour.
Be careful of differences between spelling and speech.
The letters in yellow are silent.
airport boarding cards eleven thirty luggage watched stomach island weather calmer roofrack tyres countries difficult delicious
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Course A End of Lesson A4 |
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