Such fun!

Check out this clip from the very funny Miranda! Miranda is trying very hard to think of an excuse to give her mother in order not to go to a Pride and Prejudice themed party! How much can you understand?

How to: talk about your job

Use these phrases to talk about your job:

My job involves + NOUN or GERUND
My involves (a lot of) travel.
My job involves talking to people from all over the world.

I'm involved IN + NOUN
I'm involved in different projects.

It consists of + NOUN
It consists of administration and office management.

I deal with + NOUN
I deal with people from all over Europe.
I deal with the admin work.

I'm responsible for + NOUN
I'm responsible for a team of 8 people.

Word of the week: MISS

Miss means

*to fail to see:

"Perhaps I'm missing the point"
*to fail to catch
"I missed the train so I had to get a later one".
*to fail to attend
"I missed the English lesson"
*to feel or suffer from the lack of something
"I miss my friends from home".

We often use it with transport, appointments and opportunities.

Be careful!
We don't say:

He misses concentration >>> we say: He lacks concentration 

I miss the skills needed for the job >>> we say: I lack the skills needed for the job

Lack is used to say that someone or something hasn't got something.

Be careful! 

We don't say:

He lost the train >>> we say: He missed the train

Lose means not to have any more and we use it with money or objects

I lost my wallet.

The company lost lots of money in the merger.

How to be friendly in an email

Here are some tricks you can use to sound informal and friendly in email:


Use a suitable greeting and sign-off

• Dear James
• Hello Sarah
• Hi there John
• All the best
• Many thanks
• Kind regards
• Best wishes

You can omit (leave out) I, I'm and It's

• Can't make the party next week (Instead of: I can't ...)
• Not sure if you got my last email.
• Will call you this afternoon.
• Great news about the new contract!
• Had a terrible day at work yesterday.

You can omit the verb clause and in most cases that:

• Great presentation!
• Update tomorrow.
• Just to let you know (...) I'm thinking about the offer.
• Sorry to hear (...) you can't make the dinner party.

English radio in Italy? (or Chile.. or Thailand ... or Russia!)

Following on from the LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN article, we'd like to suggest something specific you can listen to ... English radio! 


Whether you live in Italy, Russia or Argentina, and as long as you have fast internet access, you can listen to digital live radio - free of charge.


We personally love BBC radio 6 music - it's perfect if you like alternative,  iconic and groundbreaking music of the past 40 years and it is a great chance to listen to live interviews, the news and current music and book reviews. 


For the more serious among you, check out the BBC World Service for international news, analysis and information which also includes sport with audio, video and forums. 


Enjoy!