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Hello everyone and welcome back to Learn English podcast, the place where learning English feels simple and fun. I'm Gwen.
Hi Gwen. And hello to all our amazing listeners. It's wonderful to join you again today. How are you doing?
I'm doing really well, Leo. I'm so excited about our new episode. And you?
I'm feeling great. I always look forward to helping people improve their English. It's such an enjoyable thing to do.
Yes, it is. And today we have something special for you.
We'll practice an easy conversation for beginners.
That's right. We'll start by listening to a short dialogue. It's a simple chat between two friends, Grace and William.
Exactly. So, listen carefully. Don't worry if you miss something. Just relax and listen.
After the dialogue, Leo and I will discuss it together. We'll check the vocabulary and the sentences.
We'll make everything very clear and simple. Just a relaxed talk about it.
Yes. And we'll also give examples to make it easier to understand.
It's going to be fun. Before we begin, please help our channel grow.
Yes. Subscribe to Learn English podcast. Give this episode a like if you're ready to learn
And share it with your friends. Remember, sharing is caring. All right, Gwen, are you ready?
I'm more than ready. Let's listen to Grace and William.
Grace and William's Conversation
Grace: Hi, William. How are you today?
William: Hi, Grace. I'm good, thank you. How are you?
Grace: I'm great. I finished my work early today, so I feel relaxed.
William: That's nice. It has been a busy week for me.
Grace: Yes, it has. By the way, are you free this Sunday?
William: I think so. I don't have any plans. Why do you ask?
Grace: I want to go to the cinema. There's a new movie. Do you like movies?
William: I love movies. That's a very good idea, Grace.
Grace:Great. We can watch the film together. Do you like action movies?
William: Yes, I do. Action movies are my favorite. What movie do you want to see?
Grace: There is a new superhero film. People say it is really exciting.
William:Sounds fun. I like superhero films. Who is the main actor?
Grace: It's Chris Evans. He is very popular.
William: Oh, yes. I like him. Okay, let's watch it. What time should we go?
Grace:How about 3:00 p.m. on Sunday?
William:That works for me. Should we buy the tickets online or at the cinema?
Grace: I can buy them online. It's easier. Can you bring some popcorn money?
William:Of course. I can buy popcorn and drinks. Is that okay?
Grace:Perfect. Maybe you can also get some candy.
William:Good idea. I will bring some chocolate, too.
Grace:Thank you, William. This will be a very nice movie day.
William:I agree. Which cinema should we go to?
Grace: Let's go to City Center Cinema. It's not far.
William: Okay. 3:00 p.m. at City Center Cinema. I'll be there.
Grace:Excellent. I'm very excited for our movie on Sunday.
William:Me, too. It will be a fun day. See you on Sunday.
And that was the conversation. A very nice chat between Grace and William.
Yes, very friendly and simple. I liked it.
Analyzing the Conversation
So, let's talk about it. Okay. The conversation starts with Grace saying, "Hi William, how are you today?"
Ah, the classic question, "how are you?" This is a very common way to start a conversation.
It is. It's friendly and polite.
And William answers, "Hi Grace, I'm good, thank you. How are you?"
He is polite, too. He says, "thank you". And he asks Grace the same question. That's very important in a conversation.
Yes, exactly. And Grace says, "I'm great. I finished my work early today, so I feel relaxed."
She is more than good. She is great. And she gives a reason. She finished work early. That's a good way to keep the conversation interesting.
Yes. And the word relaxed is useful. It means calm and not stressed. For example, I feel relaxed on holiday.
That's right. Then William says, "That's nice. It has been a busy week for me."
"That's nice" is a polite reply. And "it has been a busy week" uses present perfect. It means the whole week up until now has been busy.
Yes, very natural English. After that, Grace says, "Yes, it has. By the way, are you free this Sunday?"
"Yes, it has" is a short way to agree. And "by the way" is a nice phrase to change the topic.
That's a great point.
And then she asks, "Are you free this Sunday?" What does free mean here?
Here, free means not busy, no plans, you have time. Exactly.
So, Grace is checking if William has time on Sunday.
And William answers, "I think so. I don't have any plans. Why do you ask?""I think so" is a soft yes. He's not 100% sure, but mostly sure. And "I don't have any plans" means nothing is scheduled.
Yes. Then he says, "Why do you ask?" That's a polite way to ask the reason. It's softer than just why.
I agree. Then Grace explains. She says, "I want to go to the cinema. There's a new movie. Do you like movies?" A clear sentence. She says what she wants and then gives a reason. "There's a new film." Finally, she asks about William's interest.
Yes. "Do you like movies?" is a direct question and very useful before making plans.
And William gives a strong positive answer. He says, "I love movies. That's a very good idea, Grace." He doesn't just like them, he loves them. And he praises Grace's suggestion.
That makes the plan feel exciting. And that was the conversation. A very nice chat between Grace and William. Yes, very friendly and simple. I liked it. So, let's continue.
Making Plans and Suggestions
Okay. Grace continues with her words. "Great. We can watch the film together. Do you like action movies?"
The word great shows excitement. But let's look at "Do you like action movies?" What does action movies mean? It doesn't mean movies that make you do actions. It means films with fighting, running, fast cars, exciting things happening.
Exactly. And William answers, "Yes, I do. Action movies are my favorite. What movie do you want to see?" Here, "are my favorite". What does that mean? It doesn't mean only one favorite. It means the type he likes the most. For example, ice cream is my favorite dessert.
Yes. And then he asks, "What movie do you want to see?" A very natural follow-up question. Then Grace says, "There is a new superhero film. People say it is really exciting."
Now, superhero film, what does that mean? It doesn't mean a hero in real life. It means characters with superpowers like Superman or Spider-Man. And exciting. Be careful. It doesn't mean happy. It means something makes you feel full of energy, maybe even nervous in a good way.
That's true. And William says, "Sounds fun. I like superhero films. Who is the main actor?" What does "Sounds fun" mean? It doesn't mean he can hear something. Here "sounds" means it seems or it looks like. So "sounds fun" equals "that seems fun". Good point. Then Grace answers, "It's Chris Evans. He is very popular."
Popular? What does it mean? It doesn't mean he is famous only in movies. It means many people know him and like him. A singer can be popular. A teacher can be popular, not just actors.
Yes. Then William says, "Oh yes, I like him. Okay, let's watch it. What time should we go?" Here, "let's". What does it mean? It's short for let us, but it doesn't mean allow us. It means I suggest we do this together. For example, "Let's eat lunch. Let's play football."
Exactly.
Then Grace says, "How about 3:00 p.m. on Sunday?" What does "How about" mean? Well, it's used to make a suggestion. "How about pizza for dinner? How about meeting tomorrow?"
Yes. And William answers, "That works for me. Should we buy the tickets online or at the cinema?" Here? "That works for me." Does it mean he is working? No, it means that is okay for me. I agree with that plan. It's another way to say "that's fine." and then "buy the tickets online or at the cinema."Online equals on the internet. At the cinema equals directly at the place. Simple, clear, and practical.
Discussing Details and Confirming
"I can buy them online." Does it mean she has to buy them now? It means she offers, she is willing to buy the tickets on the internet. Online equals using a computer or phone. And then she says, "It's easier." Easier than what? Easier than going to the cinema and waiting in line. So she explains her choice. Then "can you bring some popcorn money?"
It doesn't mean William should only bring coins. It means William should be ready to pay for popcorn when they go. This is a polite request. And William answers, "Of course, I can buy popcorn and drinks. Is that okay?""Of course." Does it mean a classroom course? No. Here it means yes, definitely. No problem. Very strong agreement.
Then "I can buy popcorn and drinks." This is William's offer. He is helping with the plan. And then he asks, "Is that okay? Why?" Because he wants to be polite. He is checking if Grace agrees with his choice.
Then Grace says, "Perfect. Maybe you can also get some candy.""Perfect." What does it mean? It doesn't mean without any mistakes like in school grammar. Here it means that's great. I like that idea. And "maybe you can also get some candy." Notice the word maybe. It doesn't mean she is not sure. It's a soft suggestion. She's not ordering William. She's giving him another idea.
And William accepts. He says, "Good idea. I will bring some chocolate, too.""Good idea" is a way to agree. It shows he likes Grace's suggestion. Then, "I will bring some chocolate, too." Does it mean he already has chocolate? No. It means he plans to bring it on Sunday. Will here is for the future.
Then Grace says, "Thank you, William. This will be a very nice movie day.""Thank you." Simple but important. Always polite to say thanks when someone helps. And "this will be a very nice movie day." Why will? because it's not now? She's talking about the future. She is sure it's going to be fun. And William replies, "I agree. Which cinema should we go to?""I agree." What does it mean? It means he thinks the same as Grace. Then "which cinema should we go to?" Here should means asking for advice, not obligation. He is asking Grace to choose the best cinema.
Then Grace says, "Let's go to City Center Cinema. It's not far.""Let's go." Does it mean asking for permission? No. "Let's" means I suggest we do this together. And "it's not far" is another reason. She explains why that cinema is a good choice.
And William repeats, "Okay, 3:00 p.m. at City Center Cinema. I'll be there." Why does he repeat? To confirm. This avoids something not clear. Everyone knows the exact time and place. And "I'll be there," short for "I will be there." A promise.
Then Grace says, "Excellent. I'm very excited for our movie on Sunday.""Excellent." Here it means very good. Great news. And "I'm very excited" means she is looking forward to it. Be careful. Excited doesn't mean nervous. It means happy and full of energy about something in the future.
And William agrees. He says, "Me too. It will be a fun day. See you on Sunday.""Me too" is a short way to say I feel the same. Very natural. And "See you on Sunday." What does it mean? It doesn't mean literally look at you. It means I will meet you on Sunday. It's a friendly way to say goodbye when you know when you will meet the person again.
So, that was a fun conversation, right, Leo? I think many of our listeners also like going to the cinema.
Yes, definitely. Going to the cinema is one of the most common weekend plans. And what I liked about Grace and William's talk was how polite they were to each other.
True. For example, when Grace said, "Can you bring some popcorn money?" That was a very polite request. She didn't say, You must bring money. She asked nicely.
Exactly. And William answered, "Of course." That shows strong agreement, but in a friendly way. Not just yes, but yes with energy.
Right. And I also noticed how they used suggestions. "How about 3:00 p.m.?" That's a soft and natural way to offer a time. It's not too direct.
Yes. And when William said "that works for me," I like that. Some learners think works is only about jobs or homework. But here it means that's okay for me.
Good point. And repeating the plan at the end. "3:00 p.m. at City Center Cinema. I'll be there." That was very smart. It's a simple way to make sure no one forgets.
I agree. So, Gwen, let me ask you, when was the last time you went to the cinema?
Oh, good question. I think about 2 weeks ago. I watched a comedy. It was so funny. What about you?
For me, maybe one month ago, I saw an action movie. A lot of car chases and explosions. Very exciting. Sounds like William would enjoy that, too. He said action movies are his favorite.
Yes. And it shows that even a short dialogue can include so many useful phrases. Greetings, asking about plans, making suggestions, and confirming details.
Exactly. That's why we love practicing these simple conversations. They are short but full of real life English.
Your Practice Time
So listeners, now it's your turn. What do you usually say when you make plans with your friends? Do you ask, "Are you free?" or "Maybe, do you want to?"
And tell us, "What kind of movies do you like? Action, comedy, romance, or maybe horror." Write your answers in the comments. It's a great way to practice your writing.
Yes, we want to hear from you. And remember, even small comments are good English practice.
That's right. Keep practicing and don't worry if your sentences are not perfect. Step by step, you will improve. We believe in you.
And just like Grace and William, you can use simple English to make real plans with friends.
Exactly. And now we will listen to the conversation between William and Grace one more time. But this time a little faster to help you practice your listening skills.
Yes. Listen carefully. Don't worry if you don't catch every single word. The more you practice, the more you will understand. Are you ready? Let's listen to William and Grace again at a faster speed.
Grace and William's Conversation (Faster)
Grace: Hi William, how are you today?
William: Hi Grace. I'm good, thank you. How are you?
Grace: I'm great. I finished my work early today, so I feel relaxed.
William: That's nice. It has been a busy week for me.
Grace: Yes, it has. By the way, are you free this Sunday?
William: I think so. I don't have any plans. Why do you ask?
Grace: I want to go to the cinema. There's a new movie. Do you like movies?
William: I love movies. That's a very good idea, Grace.
Grace: Great. We can watch the film together. Do you like action movies?
William: Yes, I do. Action movies are my favorite. What movie do you want to see?
Grace: There is a new superhero film. People say it is really exciting.
William: Sounds fun. I like superhero films. Who is the main actor?
Grace: It's Chris Evans. He is very popular.
William: Oh, yes. I like him. Okay, let's watch it. What time should we go?
Grace: How about 3:00 p.m. on Sunday?
William: That works for me. Should we buy the tickets online or at the cinema?
Grace: I can buy them online. It's easier. Can you bring some popcorn money?
William: Of course. I can buy popcorn and drinks. Is that okay?
Grace: Perfect. Maybe you can also get some candy.
William: Good idea. I will bring some chocolate, too.
Grace: Thank you, William. This will be a very nice movie day.
William: I agree. Which cinema should we go to?
Grace: Let's go to City Center Cinema. It's not far.
William: Okay. 3:00 p.m. at City Center Cinema. I'll be there.
Grace: Excellent. I'm very excited for our movie on Sunday.
William: Me, too. It will be a fun day. See you on Sunday.
And there it was again. I hope it was easier to understand this time.
Yes, practice is very important. Listening helps your English a lot.
That's true. Now we are at the end of today's episode. We had fun.
Yes, we did. We love helping you learn English. You are doing a good job. Please keep practicing and don't forget to support our channel. If you like this episode, please subscribe and share it with your friends who are learning English, too.
We have a question for you. Do you like going to the cinema? What kind of movies do you like?
Nice question. I can't wait to read your answers. Writing in English is good practice.
Yes, very good. So, leave us a comment. We want to hear from you.
Thank you for listening. I'm Leo and I'm Gwen. Until next time, keep learning and have fun.
And remember to take care of yourself. Bye everyone. See you soon.