Transport

How do you like to get around? By bicycle? By bus? Walking? Or by train? Have a look at these videos and try to copy the pronunciation by singing along!

Queen: Bicycle Race

The Wheels on the Bus

 

This is Puss in Boots' version of "These Boots are made for Walking"

This is an episode of a British children's TV programme about a talking train - Thomas the Tank Engine

Regional Accents in the U.K.

If you travel to the U.K., you will hear many different accents. This is more than just a difference between Scotland, England, Northern Ireland and Wales. There are many different accents from region to region. Here is a video displaying quite a few of the main accents in each region:

Below is comedian Jimmy Carr teaching Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek to do 2 English accents - Scouse (the accent from Liverpool) and Geordie (the accent from Newcastle):

Proverb of the Day

Every week I will be posting a proverb, idiom or phrase which is commonly used in Britain. Some will be strange, some will have interesting stories behind them, but all will be useful in understanding conversational English.

Here's your first proverb: The pen is mightier than the sword.

In seventeenth-century England, the government prohibited free speech in newspapers. If you spoke ill of the government, you were punished, but people continued to publish their disagreeable ideas. The original meaning of this expression is that written ideas can't be stopped by physical punishment. However, today, this expression is mainly used to mean that written ideas are more persuasive than violence.

Happy New Year Everyone!

2015 has arrived. Let this be your year for learning English! We can start with a Scottish song which is traditionally sung by everyone in Britain at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Day - 'Auld Lang Syne' (For the Sake of Old Times). Sing along!

How to Have a British Christmas!

This is a funny introduction to British Christmas traditions in relation to American traditions. Find out about how we celebrate Christmas!

Christmas Traditions Around the World

Have a look at how Christmas is celebrated in different countries. There's a lot of variety and Spain is mentioned!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/15790210

'The Snowman'

This is a thirty-minute animation. It is a lovely story about a little boy and his creation - The Snowman. This is a very famous and beloved story in the U.K. and is shown on T.V. every Christmas. It's perfect for nursery and younger primary school children. Enjoy the film!