English 4 French

#3 Comm Pro: Visio and phone calls

Welcome back to podcasts with English for French. I’m Alison, and today we are looking at how to tackle a huge part of modern work life: navigating phone and video calls with confidence, clarity, and professionalism.

Whether you are jumping on a Zoom call, answering a phone call from a client, or dealing with technical glitches, knowing the right phrases will help you sound natural and authoritative.

 First we are going to look at how to master Virtual & Phone Communication

1. Opening the Call (The Right First Impression)

On the Phone

When answering an incoming work call, state your name and company immediately. When making a call, introduce yourself and state your purpose clearly.

• Answering:
  • "Good morning,English for French , this is Alison How may I help you?"
  • "Hello, John Smith speaking."
• Calling :
  • "Hello, this is Alison from English for French. I'm calling about your lessons with us.”
  • "Hi John, do you have a quick moment to speak?" informal

On a Video Call (Visio)

Video calls are slightly more informal at the start while people join, but you should transition to business smoothly.

• Small Talk & Tech Check:
  • "Good morning everyone. Can you all hear and see me clearly?"
  • "Let’s wait another minute or two for everyone to join us."
• Starting the Agenda:
  • "Alright, now that everyone is here, let’s get started."
  • "The goal of today’s call is to cover [Topic A] and outline next steps for [Topic B]."

 Asking for Help & Offering Assistance

Collaborative calls require polite, indirect requests that maintain professional etiquette.

Asking for Help (Polite Requests)

• Clarification: "Could you expand on that last point? I want to make sure I got everything."
• Technical Help: "Could someone share their screen? My presentation file isn't loading."
• Task Support: "Would you mind sending over the updated report after the meeting?"

Offering Help

• "Would you like me to take notes and send around a summary afterwards?"
• "I can help look into that issue if you’d like."
• "Let me know if you need a hand with the presentation."

Handling Technical Issues & Interruptions Gracefully

Technical glitches happen to everyone—the key is to address them calmly without panicking.

• Mute Issues: "Sorry about that, I was on mute!"
• Audio/Video Lag: "You’re cutting out a bit. Could you repeat that last sentence?"
• Screen Sharing: "Can everyone see my screen okay?"
• Managing Cross-Talk (Video Calls): "Sorry, go ahead, Alison. I’ll speak after you."

 Closing the Call Professionally

Never end a call abruptly. Wrap up with clear action items, appreciation, and a formal sign-off.

• Summarizing Action Items: "So to summarize, I will draft the email and Laura will review the budget."
• Final Check: "Does anyone have any final questions before we wrap up?"
• Thanking & Goodbye:
  • "Thank you for your time today, everyone. Have a great rest of your day!"
  • "Thanks for calling, Lucas]. Talk to you soon. Goodbye !"
  •  

⚠️ Common Pitfalls: Errors to Avoid

❌ Common Mistake	Why It Causes Problems	✅ What to Say/Do Instead
Saying "Sorry,Who are you?" when answering a call.	Sounds rude and demanding.	"May I ask who is calling, please?"
Saying "I don't understand you, speak louder."	Blames the speaker directly.	"Could you speak up a little, please? The line is faint."
Leaving long silences while looking for files.	Leaves the listener wondering if the line died.	"Bear with me for one second while I pull up that file..."
Ending with just "Bye!" on a formal client call.	Too abrupt for formal business settings.	"Thank you for your time. Have a great day!"
Talking over someone on video.	Causes audio distortion on platforms like Zoom/Teams.	Pause, raise your virtual hand, or write in the chat: "Go ahead, Jane ."

 Interactive Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Script Rewrite

Rewrite these informal or awkward phrases into professional English.

1. Informal: "What do you want?"

👉 Professional: __________________________________________________

1. Informal: "Wait a minute, I can't find the page."

👉 Professional: __________________________________________________

1. Informal: "Your mic is broken, I hear nothing."

👉 Professional: __________________________________________________

1. Informal: "I'm hanging up now."

👉 Professional: __________________________________________________

Exercise 2: Fill in the Blanks

Fill in the missing words using vocabulary from today's lesson:

(Words: mute, summarize, hand, expand, join in)

1. "Let's wait another minute for Sarah to ____________ on the call."
2. "Could you ____________ on that idea? I'd love to hear more details."
3. "Sorry, I didn't realize I was on ____________!"
4. "I can give you a ____________ with that report if you're busy."
5. "Before we finish, let me quickly ____________ our key action items."

Exercise 3: Matching Scenarios to Phrases

Match the scenario on the left (1–4) with the most appropriate professional phrase on the right (A–D).

Scenario	Professional Phrase
1. A colleague is speaking, but you cannot hear them.	A. "Let’s park that topic for now and circle back to it next week."
2. The meeting is running long, and you need to discuss another topic later.	B. "You’re on mute, [Name]—we can’t hear you."
3. You want to introduce your team member to present a section.	C. "Before we close, let’s quickly assign action items for each task."
4. You want to ensure everyone leaves the call knowing their tasks.	D. "I’ll pass the mic over to Sarah to walk us through the design updates."

Exercise 4: Spot the Error & Fix It

Identify the error in each line of dialogue and rewrite it professionally.

1. Dialogue: "Hey! Can you show your screen now?"

👉 Fix: __________________________________________________

1. Dialogue: "Stop talking, I can't hear the client."

👉 Fix: __________________________________________________

1. Dialogue: "I will close the call now because time is out."

👉 Fix: __________________________________________________

Role play Scenario:

I am Arthur Pendelton, a project manager at Apex Logistics. I am calling you, my primary point of contact at your company, to get an urgent status update on the software integration project we started last month.

(Phone rings...)

Arthur: "Good morning! This is Arthur Pendelton calling from Apex Logistics. I'm calling to check in on the status of our software integration project. Do you have a quick moment to speak?"

 

That’s all for today at English for French podcasts. I hope you enjoyed it. You can find the answers to the exercises below. See you again soon and keep practicing.

Cheers

 

 

 

 

Exercise 1: Script Rewrite Answer Key

1. Informal: "What do you want?"

👉 Professional: "How may I help you today?" or "Could you let me know what you're calling regarding?"

• Why: "What do you want?" sounds aggressive and dismissive in English business culture. Rephrasing it into a polite offer of assistance maintains professional courtesy.

Informal: "Wait a minute, I can't find the page."

👉 Professional: "Please bear with me for just a moment while I pull up that page." or "One moment, please—let me locate that document for you."

• Why: Phrases like "bear with me" signal to the listener that you are actively working to fix the delay, preventing awkward silence on the call.

Informal: "Your mic is broken, I hear nothing."

👉 Professional: "I'm having a little trouble hearing you. Could you check if your microphone is unmuted?" or "Your audio seems to be dropping out—could you repeat that last part?"

• Why: Direct statements like "your mic is broken" can feel accusatory. Framing the issue as a neutral technical glitch ("I'm having trouble hearing you") is much more polite.

Informal: "I'm hanging up now."

👉 Professional: "Thank you for your time today. I’ll let you go now—have a great rest of your day!" or "Thanks for the update. Talk to you soon. Goodbye!"

• Why: "Hanging up" is too abrupt and transactional. Professional closings always express appreciation before wrapping up.

Exercise 2: Fill in the Blanks Answer Key

1. "Let's wait another minute for Sarah to join in the call."

• Explanation: "Join in " is an extremely common phrasal verb in business contexts meaning to join a phone or video conference call.

"Could you expand on that idea? I'd love to hear more details."

• Explanation: To "expand on" something means to elaborate or provide more depth about a point already mentioned.

"Sorry, I didn't realize I was on mute!"

• Explanation: Being "on mute" is the standard phrase used when your microphone audio is switched off during a video or audio call.

"I can give you a hand with that report if you're busy."

• Explanation: "Give a hand" (or "need a hand") is a natural idiom used to offer or request assistance in a collaborative work environment.

"Before we finish, let me quickly summarize our key action items."

• Explanation: "Summarize" means to outline the main points or responsibilities before concluding a call.

 

Here is the complete answer key and explanations for Exercises 3 and 4!

Exercise 3: Matching Scenarios to Phrases Answer Key

• 1 — B
  • Scenario: A colleague is speaking, but you cannot hear them.
  • Phrase: "You’re on mute, [Name]—we can’t hear you."
  • Explanation: Pointing out that someone is on mute quickly solves the most common audio issue in video calls without interrupting the flow of the presentation.
• 2 — A
  • Scenario: The meeting is running long, and you need to discuss another topic later.
  • Phrase: "Let’s park that topic for now and circle back to it next week."
  • Explanation: "To park a topic" means to save a non-urgent discussion for a future time so the team stays focused on the current agenda.
• 3 — D
  • Scenario: You want to introduce your team member to present a section.
  • Phrase: "I’ll pass the mic over to Sarah to walk us through the design updates."
  • Explanation: "Passing the mic" (or "handing over") is a smooth transition phrase used to delegate the presentation to a colleague.
• 4 — C
  • Scenario: You want to ensure everyone leaves the call knowing their tasks.
  • Phrase: "Before we close, let’s quickly assign action items for each task."
  • Explanation: Establishing clear "action items" ensures everyone understands their specific responsibilities after the call ends.

Exercise 4: Spot the Error & Fix It Answer Key

1. Original: "Hey! Can you show your screen now?"

👉 Professional Fix: "Could you share your screen with us when you're ready?" or "Would you mind pulling up your screen?"

• Explanation: In English business contexts, "show your screen" sounds overly informal or direct. "Share your screen" is the standard term, paired with "Could you..." or "Would you mind..." for politeness.

Original: "Stop talking, I can't hear the client."

👉 Professional Fix: "Could everyone please hold on a second? I'm having trouble hearing the client." or "May I ask everyone to mute their mics for a moment so we can hear [Client Name]?"

• Explanation: Telling colleagues to "stop talking" is sharp and blunt. Addressing the entire group politely or focusing on mic etiquette maintains a professional environment.

Original: "I will close the call now because time is out."

👉 Professional Fix: "I see we’ve run out of time, so let’s wrap things up here." or "Since we’ve reached the end of our scheduled time, let's wrap up."

• Explanation: "Time is out" is a literal translation error from languages like German or French. In English, we say "we've run out of time" or "we've reached the end of our time."

 

#10 Possessive adjectives

Hi, I’m Alison. Welcome back to podcasts with English for French. Today we are looking at an important concept in English grammar: Possessive Adjectives.

When you want to say something belongs to you, to me, or to someone else, you use possessive adjectives. The verb 'belong' means that something is 'owned' by you. For example: "This is my phone" or "Where is your bag?" This is her son, she is her daughter.

The difference between these possessive adjectives and those in French is that we apply them depending on the possessor and not the thing that is possessed

My car/my cars

His car/his cars

Their cat/their cats

The possessive adjectives are invariable, no plural form.

Quand vous avez quelque chose qui vous appartient ou qui appartient à quelqu’un d'autre, on utilise les adjectifs possessifs. En français c’est le mon , ma , mes etc. sauf qu’en anglais l’adjectif possessif est accordé avec la personne a qui l’objet appartient et n’est pas accordé avec l’objet)

Let's break it down together!

1. What Are Possessive Adjectives?

In English, possessive adjectives are small words used before a noun to show ownership or relationship. They tell us who owns or possesses something.

To use them correctly, you must pair each possessive adjective with its matching subject pronoun:

• I → My: You use my when talking about things that belong to yourself.
• You → Your: You use your when talking directly to another person about something they own.
• He → His: Use his for a male person (a man, boy, or male name like John).
• She → Her: Use her for a female person (a woman, girl, or female name like Sarah).
• It → Its: Use its for an object, animal, or thing when gender isn't specified.
• We → Our: Use our when something belongs to a group that includes you.
• They → Their: Use their when something belongs to a group of other people (not including you).

Important Rule: Always Place Before the Noun

In English, the possessive adjective always sits directly in front of the noun it describes. It never changes whether the noun is singular or plural!

• Correct : My book / My books
• Incorrect: ~~Mys books~~ or ~~Book my~~

Quick Reference Table

Subject Pronoun	Possessive Adjective	Example Sentence
I	My	This is my cat.
You	Your	What is your name?
He	His	His car is red.
She	Her	Her dress is blue.
It	Its	The dog eats its food.
We	Our	Welcome to our house.
They	Their	Their children are happy.

2. Examples in Action

Listen carefully to how these words sound in everyday conversations:

• My: "I love my family."
• Your: "Is this your jacket?"
• His: "David is brushing his teeth."
• Her: "Sarah is reading her book."
• Its: "Look at that bird! Its wings are yellow."
• Our: "We love our English class!"
• Their: "Tom and Emma are calling their parents."

                   Tip: Be careful with it's vs. its!

• It's (with an apostrophe) means It is. (Example: It's cold today.)
• Its (without an apostrophe) shows possession. (Example: The cat drinks its milk.)

• That’s all for today’s podcast with me, Alison, at English for French. I hope you enjoyed it
• You will find below an exercise, but also remember the best way to learn is to use the language, so try using these possessives. This is my podcast; you are listening on your computer! Keep practicing every day, and soon these words will feel totally natural. Have fun.
• Cheers !

3. Practice Exercise

Now it's time to test your memory! Fill in the blanks with the correct possessive adjective (my, your, his, her, its, our, their).

1. I have a book. This is _______ book.
2. She has a bicycle. _______ bicycle is green.
3. John has a phone. _______ phone is new.
4. We live in a big house. _______ house has three bedrooms.
5. They are doing _______ homework together.
6. What is _______ favourite movie? (asking you)

Answer Key

1. my (I have a book. This is my book.)
2. her (She has a bicycle. Her bicycle is green.)
3. his (John has a phone. His phone is new.)
4. our (We live in a big house. Our house has three bedrooms.)
5. their (They are doing their homework together.)
6. your (What is your favorite movie?)

 

#2 Professional Communication: Writing business emails

Welcome back to podcasts with English for French. I’m Alison, and today we are talking about a skill that causes a lot of stress: writing business emails. If you are at this level, you already know your grammar—but you might struggle with the tone. Is your email too friendly? Is it too cold? Let’s find some solutions to that today."

The main idea behind writing a good professional email is being clear, not clever!

When writing at this level, you might feel tempted to use long, complicated sentences to sound smart. Don't. Modern business communication values clarity above everything else. A perfect email is one that can be read and understood in less than 30 seconds. Use short sentences and get straight to the point.

One has to find the subtle difference between being friendly and being professional; there is a fine line between them.

Tone is how your voice sounds in writing. In English, a cold email can sound rude, but an overly friendly email can sound unprofessional.

The golden rule is to be polite, helpful, and objective. Try to avoid using exclamation marks (!) to show excitement—it can look childish. Use full stops instead.

Always avoid caps lock (LIKE THIS), which looks like shouting.

In British English, we often use softening and indirectness to avoid sounding aggressive or too abrupt.

If you are writing specifically for British colleagues or clients, the culture relies heavily on indirectness and politeness markers.

Compare these different styles:

• Direct (American style): "Send me the report by 5 PM."
• Indirect (British style): "Would it be possible to receive the report by 5 PM?"
• Softening your requests: Use modal verbs like could, would, and should. Instead of saying "I want," say "I would appreciate."
• Understatement: British speakers often minimize problems. If a situation is a disaster, a British client might write, "We have a slight hitch," or "This is not ideal."

 

 Quick Vocabulary Note: British vs. American Spelling

Keep an eye on your spelling settings! If you are focusing on British English, look out for these common changes:

British English (UK)	American English (US)
Apologise / Organise	Apologize / Organize
Behaviour / Colour	Behavior / Color
Programme	Program

 

Now let’s look at how to structure your business email

Every clear business email follows five simple steps. Let's look at the anatomy of a standard message.

Section	Purpose	Example
1. The Greeting	Set the right tone immediately.	Dear Sir,Madam ,Dear Mr. Davis, or Hi Sarah,
2. The Opening	State why you are writing clearly.	I am writing to update you on...
3. The Core Message	Give the main information or request.	Could you please review the attached document?
4. The Next Step	Call to action or closing thought.	I look forward to hearing from you.
5. The Sign-off	Professional goodbye + your name.	Yours faithfully/sincerely, or Best regards, [Your Name]

 

 

If you start your mail with Dear Sir, Madam, you should finish in business mails with “Yours faithfully”; if, however, you know the name of the person you are writing to, then one can use Dear Mr. Jones and finish with “Yours sincerely”. Both are formal, so you may wish to use Kind regards” instead.

Note that Ms. in front of a name indicates a woman who is either unmarried or does not wish to use her married title.

Let’s check the formal vs informal vocabulary.

Using the wrong word can completely change how your colleague or client perceives you. Here is a handy synonym guide to help you choose the right tone.

Informal Word / Phrase	Formal Business Equivalent
Ask for	Request
Get	Receive
Help	Assist / Assistance
Need	Require
Tell	Inform
Sorry!	We apologize for any inconvenience caused.
I think...	In my opinion, / It appears that...
Let me know	Please inform me / Kindly advise
Fix	Resolve
But	However,

 

Let's look at how to rewrite a messy, overly casual email into something sharp and professional.

Here is an example of a casual email which would not be used with clients, unless you know them on a personal level.

Hey Tom, sorry for the delay. I need the budget report ASAP because I'm trying to fix the project plan. Send it to me when you can. Thanks, Alex.

Always avoid acronyms like asap and fyi except in internal emails or to people you know well.

The following example is for a professional mail but to someone you have already communicated with:

Dear Tom,

Please accept my apologies for the delay in getting back to you. I am currently updating our project plan and require the latest budget report to finalize it. Could you please send the document at your earliest convenience?

Thank you for your assistance.

Best regards,

Alex

So let’s practice, the answers can be found at the end of this podcast:

Try to rewrite these sentences using the formal/informal table above.

• Exercise 1: Rewrite this sentence to a client: "Hey, I got your email. I'll help you fix the problem."
• Exercise 2: Fill in the blank with a formal word: "Should you ________ further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me."

That’s all for today's podcast with me, Alison, at English for French! Remember, when in doubt, keep it simple, clear, and slightly more formal than you think it needs to be.

 I hope you enjoyed this podcast, and I’ll see you soon.

Cheers

 

The answers to our exercises are as follows

• Exercise 1: "Thank you for your email. I will assist you in resolving the issue."
• Exercise 2: require

 

Podcast: #1 Comm Pro- Introductions

 

Pitching Yourself, Your Job, and Your Company: The Art of the English Introduction

Welcome back to podcasts with English for French ! I’m Alison, and in today’s podcast, we are diving deep into one of the most frequent—yet undeniably nerve-wracking—moments in your professional life: introducing yourself, your role, and your company.

Whether you are hitting "send" on an introductory email, picking up the phone to speak with a prospective client, or stepping up to the podium for a major presentation, the words you choose dictate how you are perceived. In British English culture, hitting the right tone is an art form. Overdo the formality in a casual setting, and you risk seeming aloof; be too casual in a high-stakes environment, and you might be viewed as unprofessional.

Today, we will break down how to introduce your professional self across three core mediums: Emails, Phone Calls, and Presentations. For each, we will explore the Informal, Polite/Standard, and Formal registers of British English. Then, we will wrap up with an expanded synonym exercise to lock in your learning.

Here we go..

1. Written Introductions: The Email Inbox

In the UK corporate world, email introductions are often your first point of contact. Tone is notoriously difficult to read in writing, so your choice of vocabulary does the heavy work.

Informal (Internal Slack/Teams or close colleagues)

• The context is reaching out to a peer in a different department or a new team member joining your workspace.
• Example:

"Hi Mark, hope you’re having a good week. Just a quick one to introduce myself—I’m Sarah and I’ve just taken over the mobile app side of things here at TechSprint. We’re a small start-up making productivity tools for remote teams. I am looking forward to working with you! Cheers, Sarah."

Polite / Standard (External clients or cross-departmental heads)

• The context is emailing a new supplier or reaching out to a manager you haven't met.
• Example:

"Dear Mark, I hope this email finds you well. My name is Sarah Jennings, and I work as a Software Engineer at TechSprint. We specialize in digital productivity solutions designed for remote workforces. I am reaching out to introduce myself as your main point of contact for our upcoming project. It is a pleasure to connect with you. Kind regards, Sarah."

Formal (High-stakes pitches or corporate cold outreach)

• The context is introducing your company to a major enterprise stakeholder or a C-suite executive.
• Example:

"Dear Mr. Davies, I trust you are well. Allow me to introduce myself; my name is Sarah Jennings. I hold the position of Senior Software Engineer at TechSprint, an enterprise dedicated to pioneering advanced productivity software for distributed organizations. I am writing to formally introduce our services to your department. I welcome the opportunity to discuss how we might assist you. Yours sincerely, Sarah Jennings."

2. Spoken Introductions: The Phone or Video Call

British phone etiquette relies heavily on vocal warmth and pacing. While emails allow you to edit, phone calls require you to adapt on your feet.

Informal (A casual 1-on-1 Zoom or internal catch-up)

• The context is :An informal onboarding chat with a colleague.
• Example:

"Morning! I'm Sarah, by the way. I handle the software engineering side of things here. Basically, I spend my days building our mobile apps and fixing bugs. I’m with TechSprint—we’re a fresh start-up doing remote work tools. Great to finally put a face to the name!"

Polite / Standard (A scheduled discovery call with a prospect)

• The context is: A first meeting with a potential client on Microsoft Teams.
• Example:

"Hello everyone, thank you for jumping on the call. My name is Sarah Jennings. I am a Software Engineer at TechSprint. Our company develops bespoke productivity tools for remote teams to help them collaborate more effectively. It is a pleasure to meet you all virtually today."

Formal (An official briefing or intake call with external legal/finance)

• The context is: A formal teleconference representing your organization to institutional partners.
• Example:

"Good afternoon. Thank you for your time today. For those I have not yet met, my name is Sarah Jennings. I serve as the Senior Software Engineer at TechSprint. We are an established provider of enterprise-grade productivity software for distributed workforces. I look forward to our discussion today."

3. Broadcast Introductions: The Presentation

Stepping up to present—whether to 5 people in a boardroom or 500 in an auditorium—demands distinct framing. Here, your introduction sets the expectations for the entire session.

Informal (A Friday afternoon internal show-and-tell)

• The context is: Sharing a quick update with your immediate company department.
• Example:

"Hi guys, thanks for coming. For anyone who doesn't know me, I'm Sarah. I look after the mobile app development here at TechSprint. Today, I'm going to give you a quick look at what we've been working on to make remote work a bit easier. Let's dive in."

Polite / Standard (A webinar or a regional industry meetup)

• The context is:  Presenting to a mixed audience of peers and external professionals.
• Example:

"Good morning, everyone. Thank you for being here. My name is Sarah Jennings, and I work as a Software Engineer at TechSprint. For those unfamiliar with our work, TechSprint creates digital solutions aimed at optimizing remote team performance. Today, I would like to share some insights into our development process."

Formal (A keynote speech or a vital pitch to the Board of Directors)

• The context is: Addressing the executive board or speaking at a major corporate summit.
• Example:

"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. May I take this opportunity to introduce myself; my name is Sarah Jennings. I hold the position of Senior Software Engineer at TechSprint. Our organization is dedicated to pioneering next-generation software architecture for distributed workforces globally. It is a privilege to address you today as we review our strategic technological roadmap."

Your Turn: The Expanded Synonym & Register Exercise

Now that you've seen how these introductions shift across different channels, let's test your ability to upgrade and adapt vocabulary.

Below are ten sentences or phrases. Try to transition them across the different tones of formality using British English professional standards.

Part A: Complete the Table

Fill in the missing blanks in your mind (or on a notepad) before checking the answers below.

Informal (Casual)	Polite (Standard Business)	Formal (Boardroom/Executive)
1. Just a quick one to say hi.	I am writing to introduce myself.	How would you say this formally?
2. I handle the tech side.	I am responsible for our technology.	How would you say this formally?
3. We make remote work tools.	We design productivity software.	How would you say this formally?
4. A fresh start-up...	A growing business...	How would you say this formally?
5. Let's dive in.	Let us begin the presentation.	How would you say this formally?

Part B: Multiple Choice Challenge

Choose the phrase that best fits a Formal British English Presentation:

6. To start your speech, which sounds most appropriate?

• a) Right, let's get the ball rolling.
• b) Good morning. If I may have your attention, please.
• c) Hi everyone, thanks for showing up.

7. When explaining your company's market position:

• a) We are a massive player in the software space.
• b) We are a well-known company making apps.
• c) We are a leading enterprise specializing in software architecture.

So ,it is not always easy to get the tone right when introducing yourself or your company , role or job, but these guidelines should help.

I hope you have enjoyed this podcast, with me, Alison, at English for French.

The answers to the questions can be found below.

 

🎯 The Answer Key

Part A Answers:

1. Formal Option: "Allow me to introduce myself." or "I am writing to formally introduce our organization."
2. Formal Option: "My remit encompasses our technological infrastructure." (Note: "Remit" is highly favored in British corporate environments to signify scope of responsibility.)
3. Formal Option: "We pioneer advanced architectural solutions for distributed workforces."
4. Formal Option: "An emerging enterprise..." or "An agile, high-growth organization..."
5. Formal Option: "With your permission, I shall commence the briefing."

Part B Answers:

1. b) "Good morning. If I may have your attention, please." is excellent for a formal presentation. (a is too informal; c is polite but a bit too casual for a strict boardroom).
2. c) "We are a leading enterprise specializing in software architecture." provides the precision, weight, and elevated vocabulary expected in formal British commerce.

Summary Checklist for Your Next Introduction:

• Emails: Check your sign-offs (Cheers vs. Kind regards vs. Yours sincerely).
• Phone Calls: Avoid dropping your pronouns (Say "My name is..." rather than just barking your name).
• Presentations: Frame your role by what you oversee, not just what you do.

 

#9 A1-QUESTION WORDS

Part 1: Visual Mind Map & Meaning Guide.   Source : MAHIJ

Hi, I’m Alison. Welcome back to podcasts with English for French.

Remember that each question word targets a completely different type of information. 

Part 2: Examples for Formula 1 (The "Be" Verb)

Let's look at a large collection of sentences using our first pattern. Remember the rule for states, locations, and identities:

Question Word + Am/Is/Are + Subject + Extra Info

Talking About People & Identities

• Who + is + your English teacher?  Qui est ton professeur?
• Who + are + those people near the door?  Qui sont les gens près de la porte ?
• What + is + your brother's job? Qu’est-ce que le travail de ton frère ?
• Who + is + the manager of this shop? Qui est le manager de ce magasin ?

Talking About Locations & Objects

• Where + is + my blue pen?  Où est mon stylo bleu ?
• Where + are + the car keys? Où sont les clés de la voiture ?
• What + is + on the kitchen table? Qu’est-ce que c’est sur la table de la cuisine ?
• Where + is + the nearest train station? Où est la gare la plus proche ?

Talking About Times & Reasons

• When + is + the English exam? Quand est ton examen anglais ?
• When + is + your favorite TV show on? Quand est ton emission préfèré sur la télévision ?
• Why + are + you + tired today? Pourquoi es-tu fatigue aujourd’hui ?
• Why + is + the window + open? Pourquoi est la fenêtre ouverte ?

Part 3: Examples for Formula 2 (Action Verbs with Do/Does)

Now let's look at sentences that use action words like live, want, buy, go, work, or study. Remember, you must use do or does right after the question word!

Question Word + Do/Does + Subject + Action Verb (Base Form)

Everyday Habits (Using "Do" for I / You / We / They)

• Where + do + you + live? Où habites-tu?
• What + do + you + eat for breakfast? Qu’est ce que tu manges pour le petit déjeuner ?
• When + do + they + start work every day? A quelle heure commencent-ils au travail tous les jopurs ?
• How + do + you + spell your last name? Comment épellez-vous votre nom de famille ?
• What time + do + we + meet tomorrow? A quelle heure on se retrouve demain ?
• Why + do + you + study English? Pourquoi étudiez-vous l’anglais?

Routines of Others (Using "Does" for He / She / It)

• Where + does + he + work? (Not works) Où travailles-t-il ?
• What + does + she + want to drink? (Not wants) Qu’est-ce qu’elle voudrais boire ?
• How + does + your father + go to the office? (Not goes)   Comment ton père se rend-il au bureau ?
• When + does + the supermarket + close? (Not closes) À quelle heure ferme le supermarché ?
• What time + does + the bus + arrive? À quelle heure arrive le bus ?
• Why + does + he + drive a big truck? •    Pourquoi conduit-il un gros camion ?

 

Part 4: The Ultimate Question & Answer Table

To help you see how these sentences flow in real conversations, here is a large table matching common A1 questions directly with their answers. Notice how the structure of the question guides the answer!

Question Word	Real-Life Question Sentence	Real-Life Answer Sentence
What	"What is your favorite color?"	"My favorite color is blue."
What	"What do you do on Saturdays?"	"I play football with my friends."
Where	"Where are my shoes?"	"Your shoes are under the bed."
Where	"Where do you buy fresh bread?"	"I buy bread at the bakery down the street."
When	"When is the soccer match?"	"The match is on Sunday afternoon."
When	"When do you visit your family?"	"I visit my family in December."
Who	"Who is that girl in the red jacket?"	"That girl is my sister, Marie."
Who	"Who do you eat dinner with?"	"I eat dinner with my mother”
Why	"Why are you drinking water?"	"Because I am very thirsty."
Why	"Why does she walk to school?"	"Because she does not have a bicycle."
How	"How is the weather in London today?"	"The weather is rainy and cold."
How	"How do they cook this delicious chicken?"	"They cook it in a hot oven for one hour."

Your Final Takeaway Challenge

We went through more than thirty example sentences today! Pick just three questions from this lesson that you find useful. Write them down on a piece of paper or save them in your phone. Keep writing sentences until the structure feels natural and spontaneous (Continuez de pratiquer en écrivant jusqu’à que ça devient naturel et un automatisme, l’écriture est très important dans l’apprentissage d’une langue

I hope you enjoyed this podcast with me, Alison. See you soon at English for French podcasts. Keep practicing.

Cheers

 

#8 A1-ADVERBS OF FREQUENCY

Hi, I am Alison and welcome back to podcasts with English for French, helping you to learn English, we are taking a look at Adverbs of Frequency—those important words we use to talk about how often we do things.

Using examples and explanations, I am going to help you understand adverbs using a list of phrases you can use in your daily life.

Understanding the Frequency Scale

To understand these words, think of them as a scale from 100% of the time down to 0% of the time. (pour comprendre on peut utilizer un système de pourcentage ).Look at the chart above to visualize the scale, and let's go through the big list of examples below. I have categorized them by Daily Routines, Food & Drink, and Hobbies & Sports so you can see them in action.

Frequency	Word	Category: Daily Routines	Category: Food & Drink	Category: Hobbies & Sports
100%	Always	"I always wash my hands."	"You always drink warm milk."	"He always plays tennis."
90%	Usually	"She usually walks to school."	"We usually eat salad for lunch."	"They usually watch comedies."
70%	Often	"They often wake up early."	"I often bake fresh cookies."	"You often go to the beach."
50%	Sometimes	"We sometimes take the bus."	"He sometimes cooks dinner."	"She sometimes paints pictures."
10%	Rarely	"He rarely cleans his bedroom."	"They rarely drink soda."	"I rarely play video games."
0%	Never	"I never lose my cell phone."	"She never eats meat."	"We never go skiing."

Sentence Structure: The Two Strict Rules

Now, let's look at exactly where to place these words in a sentence. This is very important because the rule changes based on the type of verb you use.(Nous allons voir où on place ces mots dans une phrase.)

Rule 1: Action Verbs (Word goes BEFORE the verb)

When you use a normal action verb—like eat, drink, walk, read, buy, or sleep—the frequency adverb must sit before that action.

• I + always + brush my teeth before bed.
• My brother + usually + drives a red car.
• We + often + visit our grandparents.
• They + sometimes + listen to podcasts.
• She + rarely + forgets her homework.
• You + never + wear a hat.

Rule 2: The "Be" Verb (the adverb goes AFTER the verb)

When you use the verb to be—am, is, or are—to describe a state or a feeling, the frequency word must sit after that verb.

• I am + always + happy to help you.
• He is + usually + tired after work.
• The library is + often + quiet.
• We are + sometimes + late for breakfast.
• They are + rarely + sad on weekends.
• You are + never + alone in class.

Let's Review a Few More Examples!

To make sure you really have this down, let's look at a few common mistakes and how to fix them:

• Incorrect: She goes usually to the gym. Correct: She + usually + goes to the gym. (Rule 1)
• Incorrect: I always am on time. Correct: I am + always + on time. (Rule 2)

Try creating your own sentences using this exact structure today. Think of one thing you always do, one thing you sometimes do, and one thing you never do.

I hope you enjoyed listening to this podcast, with me , Alison , here at English for French. Keep practicing out loud, and I will see you next time

Cheers

 #7 A1- PRESENT SIMPLE

Hi, my name is Alison, welcome back to podcasts with English for French. Today, we are talking about an essential part of English grammar, the Present Simple Tense. We use this tense to describe things and people, our habits, general truths, permanent situations (where we work or live, for example), and facts. (Aujourd’hui on va parler du présent simple. On utilise ce temps pour décrire des choses et des gens, nos habitudes, les vérités générales, des situations permanentes, où on travaille, ou où on habite , et des faits.

Now, it is not as simple as its name suggests; it has a few little rules that every language learner should know. Today, we’re going to learn its three forms —positive statements, negative statements, and questions—plus, we'll look at the spelling rules that you need to know for pronunciation and writing.(Nous allons regarder les 3 formes, positive, négative et interrogative, et les règles à suivre pour bien prononcer et écrire ).

Here we go.

I: The Positive (The Rule of the 'S')

Let’s start with the basics. We use the Present Simple to talk about habits, routines, or things that are generally true. For example, "I drink tea every morning" or "Water boils at 100 degrees."

For most people—I, you, we, they—the verb stays completely normal; we call this the base verb or “BV”. You just say the verb with no conjugation necessary. On utilise pour ces pronoms la base verbale ou le verbe non conjugué.

• "I live in New York." (Verb ‘to live’)
• "They play tennis on weekends. (Verb ’to play’)

But here comes the rules. When we talk about a third person—he, she, or it—the verb needs to be conjugated . We have to add an -s, -es, or -ies to the end. Missing that 's' is the number one mistake a lot of learners make, so try to train your ear to listen for it!

Now, you don't always just add the letter "S" onto the end of every verb. Spelling in English has its exceptions. Let’s break down the three official spelling rules for third-person verbs:

• Rule 1: The Standard "S"

For about 80% of English verbs, just add a regular -s.

• • Walk becomes Walks ➔ "He walks to work every day."
  • Speak becomes Speaks ➔ "She speaks fluent Japanese."

 

• Rule 2: The Hissing Sounds & O (Add "-es")

If a verb ends in a sound that sounds like a hiss, a buzz, or a pop—specifically -ch, -sh, -x, -ss, -z,ou-o, we add -es instead. This adds an extra syllable (-iz) to make it easy to pronounce. (Si le verbe finit par ces lettres on doit ajouter le -es qu’on prononce -iz).

• • Watch becomes Watches ➔ "He watches his favorite show on Tuesdays."
  • Wash becomes Washes ➔ "She washes her car on weekends."
  • Go becomes Goes ➔ "She goes to the gym at 6 AM."
• Rule 3: The Consonant + Y  (Change to "-ies")

Look closely at the letter right before a final -y. If it is a consonant (like d, l, r), the "Y" turns into an -ies.

• • Study becomes Studies ➔ "He studies English."
  • Fly becomes Flies ➔ "The bird flies south for winter."

⚠️ If there is a vowel (a, e, i, o, u) before the "Y", this rule does not apply! Just add a normal 's'. For example, play becomes plays ("He plays soccer") and buy becomes buys.

Act II: The Negative

Alright, making things negative. (Maintenant le negative)

In English, we can't just throw the word "not" directly onto a normal verb. We can't say, "I not live in New York." That sounds really bad to a native speaker. Instead, we have to call in a helper, also known as an auxiliary verb. That helper is do.(Pour conjuguer le présent simple au négatif, on a besoin d’une aide : les auxiliaires ; vous les avez également en français !)

To make a sentence negative, we combine do + not to get do not (or the contraction don't).

• "I don't like mushrooms."
• "We don't wake up early on Sundays."

But what happens to our third-person (he, she, it)? Well, that 'S' we just talked about is going to be added to the auxiliary , we conjugate auxiliaries in English not verbs , so much easier.! So do becomes does, and when we add "not", we get does not (or doesn't).

Because the 's' is already on the auxiliary, the main verb goes back to its normal form or base verb, verbs are lazy in English; the auxiliaries do all the work!. (Alors, pour la troisième personne, le ‘s’ ne s’ajoute plus au verbe, car on va utiliser (comme en français) un auxiliaire , qui, lui, va prendre le ‘s’ et la négation, et le verbe qui est paresseux en anglais retourne à sa forme de base verbale , non conjuguée.)

 Look at how this changes:

• "She doesn't like mushrooms." (Not: "She doesn't likes")
• "He doesn't wake up early." (Not: "He doesn't wakes")

Act III: Asking Questions

Finally, let’s talk about questions. To ask a question in the Present Simple, we use that exact same auxiliary, do or does, but we move it to the very front of the sentence.

The formula is simple: Auxiliary (Do/Does) + Subject + Main Verb?

Let's look at the standard subjects first:

• "Do you speak Spanish?"
• "Do they travel often?"

And for he, she, it, we use our friend does. Just like in the negative form, the main verb stays completely in its base form because does is already doing all the work.

• "Does she speak Spanish?"
• "Does it take a long time?"

The Cheat Sheet

So to conclude, let’s look at a complete table using a few different verbs so you can see all the rules in action.

Subject Type	Form	Default Verb (Work)	Hissing/-O Verb (Go)	Consonant + Y Verb (Study)
I / You / We / They	Positive Negative Question	I work here. I don't work here. Do you work here?	They go out. They don't go out. Do they go out?	We study English. We don't study English. Do we study English?
He / She / It	Positive Negative Question	She works here. She doesn't work here. Does she work here?	He goes out. He doesn't go out. Does he go out?	It studies data analysis. It doesn't study data analysis. Does it study data analysis.?

 

Sum up: The main verb only changes its ending in positive sentences for he/she/it. In negatives and questions, the auxiliary (does/doesn't) does the work, and the main verb stays in its base form, lazy form!! (Pour conclure, le verbe principal ne change que pour la troisième personne, he, she, it , en phrases positives  et pour la négation et les questions on utilise les auxiliaires « do et does » (He, she, it) et le verbe retourne en forme de base , paresseux !)

That’s all for today. Keep practicing, use the table to make sentences and questions. The Present Simple! You've seen it in all its forms, from spoken speech to written spelling. Go out there, practice using it in a conversation today, and listen out for those third-person rules

I hope you have enjoyed this podcast with me, Alison, at English for French. See you soon.

Cheers

#23 B1/2 ADDITIONAL COLLOCATIONS

 

Hi, and welcome back to podcasts with English for French. I’m Alison, and today we are looking into collocations.

At the B2 level, you already know thousands of nouns. You know words like attention, cold, time, and promise. But are you pairing them with the correct verbs? Often, intermediate learners translate directly from their native language, leading to phrases that sound just a little bit "off" to a native ear, for example, to do a mistake instead of to make a mistake, or to pass time instead of to spend time. Today, we are mastering six essential verbs that are very useful in phrases and in collocations: pay, catch, waste, win, give, and keep. Let's break them down.

Collocations, as you probably already know, are two or more words that are used together at the same time to mean something specific, and if you use the wrong verb, it can sound odd.

 Pay, Catch, and Waste: Let’s start with three verbs that frequently show up in both professional settings and daily life.

1. PAY (Attention / A compliment) The Nuance: In many languages, you "make" attention or "give" a compliment. In English, attention and compliments are things you pay.

Examples:

"You need to pay attention to the road signs while driving.

 By the way, I loved your presentation earlier—everyone was paying you compliments about it."

1. CATCH (Someone's eye / A glimpse) The Nuance: Beyond catching a ball or catching a bus, catch is used for a sudden visual connection. If you look at someone and they look back at the exact same time, you catch their eye. If you see something for just a split second, you catch a glimpse of it.

Examples:

 "I tried to catch the waiter's eye to ask for the bill, but he was too busy.

I only caught a glimpse of him before he disappeared into the kitchen."

1. WASTE (Time / Breath) The Nuance: We all know about wasting money, but at B2, you should also use waste for communication and effort. If talking to someone is useless because they won't listen, you are wasting your breath.

Example:

 "Don't waste your time trying to convince him to change his mind; you're just wasting your breath."

Win, Give, and Keep: Now, let's move on to our next three verbs: win, give, and keep. These are crucial for describing relationships, respect, and trust.

1. WIN (An argument)The Nuance: You don't "gain" an argument, you win it. More importantly, abstract things like professional admiration aren't just given to you—you have to win someone over to your point of view.

Example:

"She didn't just win the argument during the debate; she also managed to win the entire committee over to her point of view."

1. GIVE (A hand / Someone a lift) The Nuance: Give is incredibly versatile. In casual or workplace English, if you help someone with a physical task (like carrying boxes), you give them a hand. If you drive them somewhere so they don't have to take the bus, you give them a lift (or a ride).

Examples:

"If you're struggling with those heavy files, I can give you a hand.

 I can also give you a lift home after work if your car is still in the garage."

1. KEEP (In touch / An open mind) The Nuance: Keep is all about continuity. To maintain a relationship with someone, you keep in touch. When approaching a new, strange idea without judging it too quickly, you keep an open mind.

Examples:

 "Even though we moved to different cities, we still keep in touch.

It’s important to keep an open mind when experiencing a new culture."

Let’s bring all six of these together into a natural workplace scenario. Listen to how these verbs flow together smoothly:

"When I started my new job, I made sure to pay attention to how the senior staff operated. I wanted to win their respect early on. My manager was great—she always kept an open mind when I suggested new ideas. Yesterday, I caught a glimpse of our quarterly targets and realized we were behind. Instead of wasting my breath complaining, I asked a colleague to give me a hand with the data so we could fix it. We worked late, but we stayed motivated."

Notice how none of those sentences felt robotic? That is the power of verb collocations. They connect your thoughts seamlessly.

So, your practice for today is to take the verBS I use next and use them in some sentences, try to use as many as possible in natural, fluid English, and try to spot them in the next English article you read or TV show you watch.

I hope you enjoyed this podcast, keep practicing and see you soon at podcasts with English for French.

Cheers

 

 

 

#4 A1 ALPHABET AND NUMBERS

Hi, my name is Alison. Welcome back to podcasts at English for French. Today’s podcast is all about the alphabet and numbers. Today, we are going to learn the basic pronunciation and also how to spell your name and mail addresses without being misunderstood.

In English, there are 26 letters. We have vowels (A, E, I, O, U) and consonants (all the other letters). Let’s listen to how they sound and look at an example for each one.

A to G

• A is for Apple. “I am eating an apple.”
• B is for Boy. “The boy is happy.”
• C is for Cat. “My cat is sleeping.”
• D is for Dog. “I love my dog.”
• E is for Egg. “An egg for breakfast.”
• F is for Fish. “The fish is in the water.”
• G is for Green. “The grass is green.”

H to N

• H is for House. “This is my house.”
• I is for Ice cream. “I like chocolate ice cream!”
• J is for Jacket. “Wear a jacket. It is cold.”
• K is for Key. “Where is my key?”
• L is for Lemon. “A lemon is yellow.”
• M is for Milk. “Drink some milk.”
• N is for Name. “My name is Emma.”

O to T

• O is for Orange. “Orange is a delicious fruit.”
• P is for Pen. “Write with a blue pen.”
• Q is for Quiet. “Please be quiet in the library.”
• R is for Red. “The apple is red.”
• S is for Sun. “The sun is hot today.”
• T is for Teacher. “She is my English teacher.”

U to Z

• U is for Umbrella. “Take an umbrella. It is raining.”
• V is for Vegetables. “Vegetables are good for you.”
• W is for Water. “Can I have a glass of water, please?”
• X is for Xylophone (or X-ray!).
• Y is for Yellow. “The sun is yellow.”
• Z is for Zebra. “Look at the zebra at the zoo.”

Practice saying these letters every day. You can spell your own name to practice! For example, my name is A L I S O N (Entraînez vous en épelant vos noms, emils etc)

To avoid being misunderstood the letters of the alphabet have “code names”, you may know some of them already.

So for example to spell my name I would say ( pour épeler mon prénom et nom je dirais) :

A for Alpha

L for Lima

I for India

S for Sierra

O for Oscar

N for November

If it is difficult to remember, you can make your own code names, keep it simple; animals, fruit, days of the week, months of the year.(Vous pourriez faire votre propre code des lettres, gardez le simple , les animaux, fruits, jours et mois)

A for apple

L for lemon

I for Ice cream

S for Sunday

O for orange

N for Never

This will mean less mistakes especially on the telephone. (Vous aurez moins de problèmes de compréhension surtout au téléphone)

Try with your mail address

Here’s mine, listen carefully:

alison@english4french.com

Note that the @ is “at” and the point is “dot”in mail addresses and websites.

Part 2: Numbers (1 to 10 and More)

Now, let’s move to numbers. Numbers are everywhere. We use them for age, prices, and phone numbers.’ (Nous utilisons les chiffres pour l’âge, les prix, et les numéros de téléphone)

Let’s count from 1 to 10 together:

Number	Word	Example
1	One	I have one sister.
2	Two	She has two cats.
3	Three	There are three books on the table.
4	Four	A car has four wheels.
5	Five	I have five fingers on my hand.
6	Six	The class starts at six o'clock.
7	Seven	There are seven days in a week.
8	Eight	He is eight years old.
9	Nine	The bus arrives in nine minutes.
10	Ten	I have ten toes.

Big Numbers (10 to 100)

When you know 1 to 10, the big numbers are easy!

 

• 11 = Eleven
• 12= Twelve
• 13 = Thirteen
• 14 = Fourteen
• 15 = fifteen
• 16 = sixteen
• 17 = Seventeen
• 18 = Eighteen
• 19 = nineteen
• Be careful of the pronunciation of the numbers with “teen” so as not to confuse them with the units of ten (20, 30 etc). Faites attention à la pronunciation de 13 à 19.
• 20 = Twenty ("I am twenty years old.")
• 21 = Twenty-one , twenty-two, twenty-three etc
• 30 = Thirty ("The book costs thirty pounds.")
• 40 = Forty
• 50 = Fifty
• 60 = Sixty
• 70 = Seventy
• 80 = Eighty
• 90 = Ninety
• 100 = One hundred ("There are one hundred people here!")

Now, how do we use letters and numbers together? Let’s listen to a short conversation.

Conversation at a Hotel:

Receptionist: Hello! What is your name?

Guest: My name is John.

Receptionist: How do you spell your last name?

Guest: It is S - M - I - T - H.

Receptionist: Can I have a phone number, please?

Guest: Yes, it’s 07 65 43 91 28

Receptionist: Thank you, Mr. Smith. Your room number is 405 (Four-zero-five). Here is your key!

Guest: Thank you!

Note that in phone numbers in English , each number is said as a single digit ( chaque numéro est dit comme chiffre individuel.)

That is all for today's episode! You now know the alphabet and basic numbers in English. Practice spelling your name and counting things in your room.

Cheers

 

 

#5 A1 Comparatives

 

Hello, and welcome back to podcasts at English for French. I’m Alison and today’s podcast is all about comparatives ( aujourd’hui on va regarder comment utiliser des comparatifs en anglais).We use comparatives all the time so they can be very useful.

"Comparative" comes from the verb to compare. We use comparatives when we look at two things—it could be two people, two cities, two cars, or two days of the week—and we describe the differences between them.

Short Words (1 Syllable)

Let’s start with the most common. In English, we categorize our adjectives by how long they are—specifically, by how many syllables, or vowel sounds, they have.

When an adjective is short like tall, fast, small, or cold, the rule is easy. We take that short adjective, and we add -er directly onto the end of it. Then, to connect it to the second object, we use the word than (spelled t-h-a-n).

The Structure: Adjective + -er + than

Let's listen to how this sounds in natural, everyday conversation:

• Tall - Taller: Imagine you are standing next to your friend. You look up at him. You can say, "My friend is taller than me."
• Fast - Faster: Think about transport. A train travels quickly, but an airplane is incredible. "An airplane is faster than a train."
• Old - Older: My brother is older than me

 The "CVC" Spelling Rule

Now, let's pause for a quick written tip. When you are writing these down, look closely at short words like big, hot, or sad. These words end in a specific pattern: a Consonant, a Vowel, and another Consonant (CVC).

When a one-syllable word does this, we must double that very last letter before we add our -er( there are exceptions with vowel sounds like slow). Let's listen to how they sound.

• Big - Bigger: (spelled b-i-g-g-e-r). "An elephant is bigger than a cat."
• Hot - Hotter: (spelled h-o-t-t-e-r). "The desert is hotter than the mountains."

So..Short word? Just add -er and than. Donc pour les adjectifs d’un syllable on ajoute –« er » et le mot « than » (et si le mot finit par consonne, voyelle, consonne on double la dernière consonne.)

The "Y" Words (2 Syllables)

So here’s the rule for words ending in Y with 2 syllables, words we use for example to describe feelings and traits, like happy, heavy, easy, or friendly.

. When we want to make a comparison, we drop the -y completely, replace it with an -i, and then add our comparative -er.

Let's break these down with some clear examples so you can hear the rhythm:

• Happy- Happier: (spelled h-a-p-p-i-e-r). Imagine your friend had a bad week last week, but today they are smiling. You can say, "She looks much happier than she did yesterday."
• Heavy - Heavier: Think about packing for a vacation. You lift your suitcase, and then you lift your small backpack. "The suitcase is heavier than the backpack."
• Easy-Easier: Maybe you tried learning a language before, but English is better for you. You might say, "This grammar lesson is easier than the one I did last week."

Notice how the rhythm changes slightly, but the ending sound is exactly the same as our short words. Happier than, heavier than, easier than.

The Long Words (2 or More Syllables)

Now the third group. What do we do when an adjective is long a, 2 or more syllables? Words like beautiful, expensive, interesting, and comfortable.

English speakers prefer a smooth vocal flow, so we do not change the long adjective at all. The adjective doesn’t change, but we place a word right in front of it: the word more or less. Pour garder la musicalité de l’anglais nous ne changeons pas les adjectifs longs et on ajoute « more » / plus ou « less » / moins et après l’adjectif on ajoute comme pour tous les comparatifs, « than ».

The Structure: More/less + Adjective + than

Let's listen to how this sounds when we put it into full sentences:

• Expensive- More expensive: Think about shopping. You see a beautiful dress and a t-shirt. "The dress is more expensive than the t-shirt."
• Beautiful-More beautiful: Imagine travelling. You are standing on a hill looking at a sunset over the ocean. You might think, "The countryside is more beautiful than the city."
• Interesting- More interesting: Think about books or movies. "In my opinion, the book is always more interesting than the movie adaptation."

So, for long words, remember the golden rule: Don't change the word.

 (Irregular Comparatives)

Irregular adjectives. These are words that don’t follow the rules. They don't take an "-er", and they don't use the word "more." Les comparatifs irréguliers ne suivent pas les règles .

For A1 level, there are really only three irregulars that you need to know because you will use them often.

Good

The word good does not become "gooder". Instead, it transforms into the word better. Le mot “good “ , bien , devient le mot better , mieux.

• Let's think about food. You go to a restaurant, and the food is okay. But then you go home and eat your mother's cooking. You would say, "My mother's cooking is better than this restaurant."
• Or "My English pronunciation today is better than it was last month."

Bad

The word bad does not become "badder". It transforms into the word worse (spelled w-o-r-s-e).Le mot “bad” , mauvais deviant “worse”, pire .

• Think about the weather. Yesterday it was raining, but today it is raining and cold. "The weather today is worse than yesterday."
• Or think about being stuck in traffic. "The morning traffic is always worse than the evening traffic."

Far

The word far becomes further, not more far, le mot “far” devient further , plus loin.

• London is further away than

 

Now that we have seen all four categories, let’s take a moment to review.

When you want to compare two things, ask yourself just one question: How long is the word?

Adjective Type	Base Word	Comparative Form	Example Sentence
Short  (1 Syllable) CVC	Fast Hot	Faster than Hotter than	"A car is faster than a bicycle." Provence is hotter than London
2 Syllables)Ends in "Y"	Easy	Easier than	"Learning English is easier than learning Mandarin”
Long (2+ Syllables)	Comfortable	More (or less) comfortable than	"The sofa is more(or less) comfortable than the wooden chair."
Irregular	Good / Bad/Far	Better than Worse than Further than	"A sunny day is better than a rainy day."

 

Today, I want you to try a little exercise. Look at the things around you right now. Look at your phone, your shoes, your cup of coffee, or the weather outside your window. Try to make just two or three sentences in your head, comparing them. Pour vous entrainer, regardez autour de vous, essayez de comparer des choses simples, faites des phrases.

Is your coffee colder than it was five minutes ago? Is this podcast more difficult than last lesson’s podcast?  The more you practice, the more natural it will become.

 Everyday, your English is better than it was yesterday. Tous les jours, votre anglais est mieux que c’était hier.

Thank you for listening. I hope you enjoyed this podcast. See you soon at podcasts with Alison at English for French. Keep practicing

Cheers