{"id":429,"date":"2024-06-19T11:43:58","date_gmt":"2024-06-19T02:43:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nicksenglish.com\/blog\/?p=429"},"modified":"2024-06-19T11:48:13","modified_gmt":"2024-06-19T02:48:13","slug":"english-tea-time-20-chopping-and-changing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nicksenglish.com\/blog\/2024\/06\/19\/english-tea-time-20-chopping-and-changing\/","title":{"rendered":"English Tea Time #20 – My brother was here!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Hello there! First of all, I’m sorry for going AWOL<\/strong><\/em> (“A-woll”, A<\/strong>bsent W<\/strong>itho<\/strong>ut L<\/strong>eave, disappearing) recently. My brother, Mark, was visiting me in Japan and we had a very busy schedule. We went hiking, visited an aquarium, a castle, shopping centres, an amusement park, a public bath and a lot of restaurants! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Exploring<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mark and I in the Utsukushigahara Highlands.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was interesting talking to my brother. He’s obviously <\/em><\/strong>(clearly) a native English speaker, yet he uses simple vocabulary and expressions, and he even talks quite slowly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s a good reminder that you don’t need to use difficult words or speak quickly to speak fluent English. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

British English<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here are some common phrases that my brother used repeatedly:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Sorry! Oh, sorry! I apologise! <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Cool, cool.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. I don’t know.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Well, that’s good then.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. How much is it?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. At the end of the day,… <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  7. Oh god! <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  8. Nick, Nick, are you awake? \ud83d\ude02<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Number 6 is an interesting one. It means “when everything is considered…<\/em>” Here’s an example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Nick: What do you want to see next, the castle or the shrine?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Mark: Oh, I don’t mind really. At the end of the day<\/strong>, I’m just happy to be in Japan!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    New Worksheets and Videos<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Before I finish my cup of tea, I want to show you what I’ve made since the last newsletter:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Videos:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n