Dee’s English Lessons

Resumption episode after the 3months lock down due to COVID-19 resurgence in Shanghai.Sharing the experience of life under lock down in Shanghai.   

Wrapping up series on Job Hunting: Reviewing previous parts discussed. Last part: Questions interviewees can and can't ask interviewers:

1. Does your company have branches in other parts of the city, in other cities, in …

Series on Job Hunting continues... Part 3: Challenging interview questions. Case questions: What's your salary expectation? This is what we pay for this position, is that okay for you? 

Series on Job Hunting continues: Part 3: Common challenging interview questions: 

Case questions: 

Why did you leave your previous company?

Why do you want to leave your current job?

Why do you think our company is …

Series on Job Hunting continues: Part 3. Typical job interview questions to prepare for. Typical question 2: What are your strengths and weaknesses? Discussing some more examples of strengths and weaknesses.

Strengths: …

Series on Job Hunting continues: Part three: Preparing to answer typical interview questions. Standard question 2. What are your strengths and weaknesses? 

To prepare for this question, work with a friend who knows you …

Series on Job Interviews continues: Part 3: Answering actual interview questions: Typical interview questions.

1. Tell me about yourself. Using the three-dimensional approach to answer.

Series on Job Hunting continues. Third part: Preparing for Job Interview. Knowing your CV. Knowing the company you intend to work for. Knowing what kind of interview it is. Hide your desperation for the job.

Series on Job Hunting continues. Second part: Editing, polishing and proofreading a CV. Things you should do and things you shouldn't do. …

Series on Job hunting continues: Second part: Updating your CV. Editing the key parts of your CV: Personal Summary, Personal Information, Work Experience, Education, Other skills.

Series on Job Hunting continues: Second part of Understanding Job Ads. 7. Understanding and making good use of the contact information found on a job ad. 8. Company background check. 9. Pay / Benefits. 10. Job scams and …

New series continued: Understanding Job ads: Part 1. Things to pay attention to when reading job ads:

1. Date of posting 2. Deadlines for applications. 3. Is it a specific position or a general call? 4. Job description: …

Introducing a New series: English for interviews. Understanding job ads. Preparing a CV and cover letter. Preparing for interviews. Ask and answering questions correctly at interviews. 

Special guest speaker Natasha V. Broodie talks about herself, her book Give Me Tea, Please, her book tour and tips for language learners. Her book is available on Amazon. Just type her name or the title of the book. 

Answering questions from listeners: How to improve vocabulary and online lessons.

Welcoming new listeners to the platform.

Things you should do and shouldn't do on the eve of the day of your test and just moments before your test.

How to build your confidence and improve your reading skills.

Recommended reading series:

Common Core Standards Series

Smart Reading

by

Wayne Everett

Final tips on IELTS reading and end of series on IELTS.

Series on IELTS continues: Introducing the reading test format. How to get sample reading materials and practice reading with timing.

IELTS series continues: Focus on listening. The score range from 4 to 9. Making good use of the time given to read the questions very well in order to easily spot answers in the audio.

Series on IELTS continues: Introducing the listening section. Format of the listening test and mistakes to avoid.

Series on IELTS continues. Wrapping up discussions on Writing Tasks 1 & 2. Reviewing essential tips.

Series on IELTS continues. Focus on IELTS Task 2 Writing. Making an essay plan. 5-paragraph essay style recommended. Focus on the kind of content you can prepare and make good use of in task two essay writing.

1. …

Series on IELTS continues. Focus on Task 2 writing. Introducing major differences between Task 1 and Task 2 writing. Slight differences between Task 2 Academic writing and General Training.

Series on IELTS continues: Focus on 6 details that matter:

1. Minimum number of words required.

2. Clear handwriting

3. Using capital letters properly.

4. Avoiding short forms and contractions.

5. Proper punctuation.

6. …

Series on IELTS continued: Focus on Writing; Introducing Task 1 writing for General Training IELTS. Three kinds of letters to prepare for.

Series on IELTS continued. Focus on Task 1 writing (Academic IELTS). Discussing the standard 4-paragraph structure of writing about a diagram. Introduction, Overview, Details1, Details2. 

Series on IELTS continues. Wrapping up discussions on the speaking part of the test. Introducing the writing part of the test. Task 1 and Task 2 writing preview.

Series on IELTS continued. Focus on Part 3 speaking. Looking at examples of questions and how they relate to a part 2 topic on electronic items. How to give your opinion on something and justify with examples.

Series on IELTS continued. Focus on Speaking Part 3. Discussing the general nature of part 3 questions and key talking points to prepare about …

Series on IELTS continued: Focus on Part 2 Speaking. Looking at some examples of Part 2 speaking topics. 

1. Describing a present 

2. Describing an …

IELTS series continued. Focus on Part 2 speaking. Discussing the format of part 2 questions and suggestions on how to approach the topics. Few examples mentioned for illustration.

Series on IELTS continuation: Focus on part 1 speaking. Talking about favorites, personality, job / school, hometown, likes and dislikes, childhood, …

Series on IELTS continues. Focus on Part 1 speaking. Discussing two common key part one questions: Are you a student or you are working? What do you …

Series on IELTS continues: Discussing the speaking test. The formats of the three parts of the speaking test and the differences in question styles.

Presenting details about the formats of Academic IELTS, General Training and Life Skills. Sections, content and duration.

Introducing a new series: IELTS - a standardized English language test for persons who intend to prove their English language proficiency. General introduction to IELTS. Basic facts.

Wrapping up the series on Social ills, wrapping up the year, new year greetings and statistics on listeners to the podcast.

Series on social ills continues: Focus: Addictions. Definition and variations of the word. An addict. To be addicted to...

Examples of 10 top common addictions, quoting from Camino Recovery website.

1. Coffee 2. Tobacco …

Series on social ills continues...Case study: Stigma - Stereotype - Prejudice. Definitions and common examples.

Series on social ills continues: New case study: Embezzlement (noun) To embezzle (verb). Definition and examples of embezzlement.

Series on social ills: Topic of focus: Bribery and Corruption. Letters from three listeners. Discussing bribery and corruption in details focusing on the case of corporate hospitality. When can it be considered bribery?

Ongoing series on social ills: Introducing a new sub topic: Bribery and Corruption. Definition and examples.

Series on social ills: Topic: Discrimination. Discussing two types of discrimination: Physical appearance (Height, weight, special bodily features) and disability discrimination.

Series on social ills continues: Topic: Discrimination: Focus: Discussing Social status discrimination, workplace discrimination and age discrimination with specific examples.

Series on social ills continues. Case study: Discrimination:  Racial, gender and religious discrimination.

Teachers Day. Beginning a new series: Title: Social ills. What are social ills? Bad habits that make our society bad. Introducing the first social ill - Discrimination (Noun), Discriminatory (adjective) and to …

Wrapping up the series on frequently misused English words. Correction of the last quiz from episode 136.

Recommended further reading on Homonyms, Homophones and Homographs at the website ThoughtCo. Click here to go to …

Series on frequently misused words continues: Case study: Flour / Flower / Floor / Flaw

Quiz: Four sentences for practice.

Series on frequently misused words continues. 

Answers to the quiz from the previous episode.

1. There are good students in our class.

2. They're happy.

3. Let's go to their class.

4. I dare you to go there.

5. Don't …

Focus on frequently misused English words. Case study: The pronunciation of the words: there / their / they're / dare / tear. 

A quiz of 5 sentences to test the understanding of the words.

Series on frequently misused English words continues. Answers and explanations of the quiz in Episode 132.

Vocabulary comprehension series continues: Filling out blanks in 10 sentences with the words: Lice, laying, lay, lies, lying, lie, lied

Series on frequently misused words continues with an introduction of a new set of words: The verb To lie (To tell lies), To lie (To lie down) and the verb To lay (To put something down). Attention on the words 'lice' …

Vocabulary focus on frequently misused words. Correction of words used in the quiz in Episode 129.

Introducing a new series: Commonly misused words. Homophones, Homographs, Synonyms, Antonyms.

Case study:

 Live / leave / leaf

Lives / leaves / life

Lived / lift

Closing the series on COVID-19 vocabulary. Learning 3 expressions used when sympathizing: "I am very sorry for your loss." "Accept my sympathy." …

Vocabulary: More words and expressions discussed within the context of COVID-19. 

Conspiracy => conspirator => conspiracy theory => …

More COVID-19 vocabulary discussions. Case studies: Clusters, community spread and incubation period.

Continuing the series on COVID-19 vocabulary and expressions. Describing a curve as used in describing the COVID-19 curve. The curve rises, reaches …

Coronavirus vocabulary series continued: A closer look at the acronym PPE and 5 most needed PPE items.

More discussions on frequently used vocabulary related to the global pandemic Coronavirus or COVID-19: A closer look at the verb To carry and its …

Further discussions on COVID-19 related vocabulary. Social distancing / Panic buying / travel restrictions.

Mini series about COVID-19 continues. Discussing relevant vocabulary and expressions.

More discussions about the Coronavirus outbreak with special focus on the words: epidemic, pandemic, contagious, virus, antivirus, vaccine, viral and how usage.

Discussing the corona virus and other meanings.

Focus on grammar: Using the verbs "wish" and "want" to express a desire. "Wish" in polite desires with the expectations of a yes or no answer. "Want" …

Grammar focus: What are the differences in the use of the verbs "To wish" and "To hope"? Discussing the contexts in which the two verbs are used to express the desire for something to happen.

Grammar point: Using the word "wish" as a noun and a verb. Sending wishes during festivals. Wishing people well. Wish / wishes (3rd person singular). …

New Year 2020 first show. A recap of what happened on the show in 2019. Statistics on the number of listeners, which countries have the greatest numbers of listeners, which podcast platforms listeners use and major …

Reading Comprehension series: Story: Laughter is the best medicine. A clever boy tricks a grumpy king into laughing and saves the kingdom from sadness.

English Reading Comprehension practice: Story: The Fox and the Crane. A cunning fox invites the friend the Crane to dinner but serves soup on flat plates so the crane can't enjoy it. After that the Crane plays the same …

English reading comprehension series: Story: Time is valuable. A boy called Anthony is lazy and likes to postpone things and that causes him to miss a great opportunity to attend a circus. Moral: Don't always postpone …

English reading comprehension series: Story: Keep your eyes open. An old Lion pretends to be ill and eat up animals coming to check in on him but a …

English Reading Comprehension series continues with a new story: Never be ungrateful. Two travelers seek shelter under a tree on a hot day but one of …

English reading series: Case story: Nobody believes a liar. A mischievous boy suffers the effects of his own lie after fooling his fellow villagers …

English reading comprehension series: Story: The Fox and The Goat. A foolish goat gets deceived into a well by a fox. Moral from the story: Look …

English Reading Comprehension Series: Case Story: The Miser: A man who decided to hide his lump of gold in a hole and visit it every day until he …

English reading comprehension series: Story: The thief and his mother. A story that teaches parents to correct bad habits their children have in their childhood or else they will keep the bad habits even when they grow …

English reading comprehension series: Story: A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing. Moral of the story: Evil plans beget evil.

Reading comprehension series: Case study: The Farmer and his Sons.. Moral; "United we stand, divided we fall."

English Reading Comprehension series: As You Sow, So Shall You Reap. Moral: Evil Begets Evil.

Reading series: Story: The Wind and The Sun. An old fable with the moral: Brute force can't achieve what gentleness can.

Introduction to a new series: Story Reading for Children: Talking about the importance of reading in the process of learning English as a second language. 

The special episode of the podcast Dee's English Lessons with guests ESL teachers in the studio. Lost of jokes and teaching tips for ESL teachers.

Introducing English Riddles and Jokes as a way to improve English language skills. Example of a joke: Student standing on a lost dollar bill who goes …

End of the series on English expressions: Review of the main themes, differences between English idioms and English Expressions. English Expressions as a public speaking skill. Introducing the next episode about jokes …

English expressions: Theme: Perfections and imperfections: 1. Practice makes perfect. 2. If you try and fail try again. 3. If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail. 4. If you want something done right, you have to …

English expressions relating to life sacrifices and smart decisions: 1. Two wrongs don't make a right. 2. The pen is mightier than the sword. 3. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. 4. There is no such thing …

English Expressions: Examples of expressions relating to friendship and best friends: 1. A friend to all is a friend to none. 2. False friends are worse than open enemies. 3. Keep your friends close but your enemies …

English expressions: Sayings about hope from some great people: 1. However long the night, the dawn will break. 2. The darkest hours are just before dawn. 3. where there's life, there's hope. 4. Only in the darkness can …

English expressions: Sayings about caution: Examples: 1. Be careful what you wish for. 2. Eggs have no business dancing with stones.3. People who …

English Sayings: Sayings about caution, prudence, carefulness. 1. Look before you leap. 2. Measure a thousand times, cut once. 3. Penny wise, pound …

English expressions: Sayings about success: 1. Determination is the key to success. 2. Practice makes perfect. 3. As you make your bed so shall you lie on it. 4. You reap what you sow. 

English Expressions: Sayings that have to do with teamwork and unity: 1. United we stand, divided we fall. 2. Unity is strength. 3. Many hands make light work. 4. One hand cannot tie a bundle. 5. The more the merrier.

English proverbs: 1. A wolf in sheep skin. 2. A green snake in the green grass. 3. A beautiful apple but rotten inside. 

English Proverbs: 1. Don't judge a book by its cover. 2. The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

Introducing a new series: English sayings / expressions / proverbs. What are the differences between idioms and proverbs? Examples.

English idioms: Focus on School Idioms: Examples: To be of the old school. A school of thought. To teach someone a lesson. To learn a lesson. A …

English idioms: Love idioms: Examples discussed: Puppy love. Blind date. Love at first sight. To fall for someone. To break up.

English Idioms: Category: Water idioms. Examples: To be in deep water / To be in hot water. To feel like a fish out of the water. To test the waters. To keep one's head above water. My mouth waters. 

English idioms: Number idioms: Case studies: Back to square one / One in a million / The number one / 101.

English idioms: Weather idioms. 4 case studies: To feel under the weather / A storm in a teacup / To chase rainbows / a cold day in hell.

English idioms: Parts of the body idioms: 4 case studies: To get cold feet. To give someone a cold shoulder. Get of my back. Something to cost an arm …

English idioms: Color idioms: Examples: Once in a blue moon. The green light.  A red flag.

English idioms: Fruit idioms: Case study: Cherry. To cherry pick something. The cherry on the cake.

English idioms: Fruit idioms: Case studies: A bad apple. Comparing apples and oranges. The apple of one's eye.

English Idioms: Birds in idioms: Case study: The goose: 1. "To have goose bumps." 2. "To cook someone's goose." 3. "To kill the goose that lays …

English Idioms: Idioms with birds: 1. As free as a bird. 2. Birds of a feather flock together. 3. To go on a wild goose chase.

English idioms: Animal idioms: Horses: Hold your horses. You are beating a dead horse. Explanations and examples.

English idioms: Animal idioms: Case study: Fish or cut the bait. Explaining the word "bait" as used in business English.

English idioms: Focus: Animal idioms. Case study: The lion's share. Explanation with examples.

English idioms. Animal idioms: Case study: The elephant in the room. Explanation and examples.

English animal idioms: Case study: A cat in gloves catches no mice. Explanation and examples.

Introducing idioms. Category 1: Animal Idioms. It's raining cats and dogs. Guest on the show: Teacher Pepsy.

Introducing a new series - Idioms. Background information relating to the upcoming series. 

10 Connectives for illustrating (for example, for instance, in other words, to show that, such as, so as to, in the case of, as an illustration, a case in point, to put it clearly). Special Chinese New Year song.

10 Cause and effect connectives (Because, so, therefore, thus, consequently, as a result, since, for that reason, hence, thereupon).

10 Connectives for comparing (as well as, the two, both, similarly, likewise, in the same way, equally, like, just as, also).

Connectives for showing contrast between two persons, things, places etc. (but, unlike, contrary to, in contrast, whereas, meanwhile, while, on the other hand, conversely. as opposed to).

Discussing connectives: 9 words used to emphasize points (above all, in particular, notably, specifically, more importantly, indeed, especially, …

Discussing connectives: 7 words used to add ideas to an initial main idea (and, also, in addition, further, furthermore, as well as, and then).

Discussing connectives: 10 Words used for sequencing (Firstly, secondly, initially, then, next, afterwards, finally, subsequently, eventually, previously).

Introducing a new series: Connectives, linking words, with the examples of "unlike" "contrary to" "meanwhile" "whereas"

Sending out Christmas greetings, sharing Christmas songs and welcoming student Taliow from Tianjin on the show.

Commenting on feedback from listeners and announcing the coming up of a new series from the next episode.

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Another word that helps you make conditional sentences: "Unless" using the word "unless" in the same way as "if".

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Conditional Sentences - Type 3. The Past Perfect Simple tense agrees with would + have + verb in the past participle.

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The Conditional Sentence type 2. Tenses involved: The simple past tense + would + verb in the infinitive form.

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Conditional sentences: First agreement in tenses. The Simple Present Tense agrees with The Future Simple Tense.

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English Tenses. A recap of the 12 tenses studied. Reviewing the couple pattern of the tenses.

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English Tenses. Tense number 12 (The Future Perfect Continuous Tense, explaining the three tenses implied, an example and its context).

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English Tenses. Tense number 11 (The Future Perfect Simple Tense, its structure and context of usage).

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English Tenses. Tense number 10. (The Future Continuous Tense, the structure, examples and context).

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English Tenses. Tense number 9 (The Future Simple Tense, structure, using 'will' and 'shall', context and examples).

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English Tenses. Tense number 8. (The Past Perfect Continuous Tense, context, structure and examples).

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English tenses. Tense number 7. (The Past Perfect Simple Tense. Explanation, usage, sentence structure and examples).

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English tenses, tense number 6. (The Present Perfect Continuous Tense, how it is used, structure and examples).

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Tense number 5. (The Present Perfect Simple Tense. Explanation, usage, sentence structure and examples).

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Tense number 4 (The Past Continuous Tense, explanation, structure and how it is used).

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Tense number 3. (The Simple Past Tense. Explanation, regular and irregular verbs).

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Tense number 2. The Present Continuous Tense (Explanation with examples and variations).

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Tense number 1. The Simple Present Tense (Explanation with examples and variations.

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Understanding English tenses (general introduction to tenses. The present, the past and the future).

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Writing tips for English learners (A recap of all the writing tips that have been discussed in previous episodes).

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Writing tips for English learners (Practicing writing on your own and looking out for grammatical mistakes)

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Writing tips for English learners (Considering the purpose of each paragraph you write and positioning it correctly).

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Writing tips for English learners (Kinds of paragraphs: Descriptive, explanatory, persuasive and narrative paragraphs).

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Writing tips for English learners (writing a paragraph: parts of a paragraph with examples).

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Writing tips for English learners (Reviewing simple sentence structures, introducing compound and complex sentences).

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Writing tips for English learners(Different kinds of sentences, declarative, imperative, interrogative and exclamatory sentences).

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Writing tips for English learners (Basic sentence structure and how to expand).

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Writing tips for English learners (Handwriting, spellings, punctuation, capital letters and minor letters).

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Listening tips for English learners (recommended materials for listening).

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Listening tips for English Learners (Slow speed materials for beginners, group listening and listening game).

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Listening tips for English learners (listening for details using interrogative pronouns).

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Listening tips for English learners (Playing English audio files in the background throughout the day).

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Listening tips for English learners (Detecting English accents).

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Reading tips for English learners (group reading and book review websites).

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Reading tips for English learners (group reading and illustrations).

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Reading tips for English learners (paragraphs and reading aloud)

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Reading tips for English learners (reading with highlighters)

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Reading tips for English learners (techniques of reading).

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English reading tips for advanced learners (materials to look out for).

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Reading tips for intermediate English learners (What materials should you read)?

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Reading tips for beginners (what materials should you read?).

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Vocabulary learning tips for advanced learners (reviewing and wrapping up).

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Vocabulary learning tips for advanced learners (Slang words and phrases).

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Vocabulary learning tips for advanced learners (Proverbs / sayings).

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Vocabulary learning tips for advanced learners (Figures of speech - metaphors and similes).

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Vocabulary learning tips for advanced learners (recommendations on how to learn phrasal verbs and other idioms).

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Vocabulary learning tips for advanced learners (Idioms & phrasal verbs).

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Vocabulary learning tips for advanced learners (American English Vs British English vocabulary).

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English vocabulary learning tips for advanced learners (homophones and homographs).

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English Vocabulary learning tips for advanced learners. (Synonyms and antonyms).

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Answering Joana Cheng’s question about an English sentence that contains the 8parts of speech.

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Reviewing vocabulary learning tips for intermediate learners; a continuation of episode 007.

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English vocabulary learning tip for intermediate learners

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For beginners learning new words and expressions in English.

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Summarizing spoken English learning tips.

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For adults looking for ways to practice speaking English, here are some examples of things you can do. Don’t be shy!

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This is how you practice your spoken English (Part 2).

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Practicing spoken English (Part 1).

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Greetings from Dee. Welcoming everyone on board.

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