The World Economic Forum forecasts that by 2020, creativity will be in the top three most important skills for future jobs. This is particularly relevant for younger people who will be entering the world of work soon. BBC Learning English's very creative scriptwriter Rob and Neil discuss what it takes to be creative - and they also teach you related vocabulary.
Feifei's not happy that she's got to make more tea for the team, but it's best for her not to make a fuss - and to let sleeping dogs lie. Find out what this phrase means in this programme.
You know those people who walk around staring at their smartphones - even if it puts them and others in danger? Well, there's a word for them – it comes from German, but people are now starting to use it in English. Join Neil and Feifei as she walks into a door to teach you this cutting-edge word..
Some people seem to enjoy reminding you of your bad fortune. In this programme Neil tries to make Feifei feel bad about being stuck in the office on a beautiful day, but he's the one who ends up in pain. Find out why and learn a new expression in this episode of The English We Speak.
It's good to get fit and healthy - and that's what Feifei and her work colleagues are trying to do. They've been discussing a new 'healthy working policy' but Neil has missed out. Where was he when this was being discussed? Feifei says he's 'out of the loop'. Listen to this programme to find out what that means.
What has presenting this programme got to do with Feifei's hands? When Neil says she's 'an old hand' at doing it, is he insulting her - or is he paying her a compliment? Listen and find out if she gets to present the programme standing on her head!
Feifei is suffering after a late night out. She had a great time but will she learn from her suffering? Neil has some words of wisdom, but does it mean she'll have to go back to the classroom? All will be revealed in this programme.
Feifei opens her purse to illustrate a phrase that has more than one meaning. She's ready to explain using a phrase that describes trivial and insignificant things – and it won't cost you a penny!
Feifei is worried that Neil's plumber has attacked him. He's certainly bled him dry, but why is there no need to go to hospital? Listen to this programme and all will become clear. You'll also learn the meaning of another strange English phrase.
Callum
Today’s programme is all about the future perfect verb form.
Finn
Yes, by the end of this programme, you will have learnt how and when to use this form.
Callum
So there was our first example: you will have learnt...
Finn
You’ll hear lots more examples in the programme…
Callum
And we’ll have a quiz. Now, we usually use the future perfect to talk about an event that we predict or expect to happen or finish before a particular time in the future. Listen to this example from Feifei.
Feifei By the time Christine arrives, we’ll have had dinner.
Callum
So we’ll have had, that’s we will have had - in the future perfect tells us that we will finish dinner before Christine gets back. We might be having dinner right up to just before she returns or we might finish it an hour before …
Finn
… but in any case, we will finish before she arrives.
Callum
We are using the future perfect to make a prediction about the future. Here are some more examples.
Feifei This time next year, I will have finished my course. Sales will have increased by 20 per cent by next January. By 2020 the city’s population will have doubled.
Finn
Now we usually use a time phrase with the future perfect, often with by or in. Let’s hear examples with by again:
Feifei Sales will have increased by 20 per cent by next January. By 2020 the city’s population will have doubled.
Finn
And here are some more examples with a by time phrase.
Feifei By the summer I’ll have finished all my exams. We’ll have moved house by Christmas.
Callum
So we had by next January, by 2020, by the summer and by Christmas. We can also say by the winter… by the end of the week…
Finn
…by next month or next year… by this time next week…
Callum
In fact you can pretty well use by… with any future date, month, season or special day.
Finn
Very special day. Another time expression with by we can use with the future perfect is by the time that…plus a subject and verb. Listen to the example we had earlier, and check out the tense.
Feifei By the time Christine arrives, we’ll have had dinner.
Callum
It’s the present simple - arrives.
Callum
When we use in for a time phrase with the future perfect, we can use it with a day, a month, a date, a time period. Here are some examples.
Feifei In fifty years' time, sea levels will have risen by several centimetres. In June I’ll have been unemployed for five months. In 2050, I believe robots will have replaced sales assistants in shops.
Finn
As well as for future plans and predictions, we can also use the future perfect to talk about what we believe or imagine has or hasn’t happened at the moment of speaking…
Callum
…or in other words, to make educated guesses in the present about the past. Here are some examples.
Feifei There’s no point in calling Judy. She’ll have left by now. Let’s hurry! The film won’t have started yet. If he’s on schedule, Tom will have arrived in Bangkok yesterday.
Callum
So we assume that Judy has already left….
Finn
And the film hasn’t started...
Callum
And Tom has arrived in Bangkok.
Finn
Now, to form the future perfect we use subject plus will or won’t plus have and the past participle of the main verb.
Feifei By the summer I’ll have finished all my exams. The film won’t have started yet.
Finn
Notice that we usually use short forms, so it’s I’ll, he’ll, they’ll and so on; and will not becomes won’t.
Callum
For questions, it’s will or won’t plus subject plus have plus the past participle.
Feifei Will you have finished reading all the reports by this afternoon?
IDENT
6 Minute Grammar from BBC Learning English.
Finn
We're talking about the future perfect verb form.
Callum
So, to recap, we use the future perfect to predict events that will have happened before a particular time in the future…
Finn
…and to make educated guesses about things happening around now and even in the past.
Callum
And we usually use short forms.
Finn
So, it’s time for our quiz. Which is correct?
Number one.
a) By 2060, scientists will have found a cure for cancer.
b) By 2060, scientists will found a cure for cancer.
Callum
It’s a) By 2060, scientists will have found a cure for cancer.
Finn
I hope so, now
Number 2.
a) Jackie won’t have woken up yet. It’s too early.
b) Jackie won’t have wake up yet. It’s too early.
Callum
It’s a) Jackie won’t have woken up yet. It’s too early.
Finn
Finally,
Number three.
a) Will have you done all your work by two?
b) Will you have done all your work by two?
Callum
And the answer is b) Will you have done all your work by two?
Finn
That’s correct and it’s the end of the show. There's lots more about this on our website at bbclearningenglish.com. Join us again for more 6 Minute Grammar soon.
Rob
In today's programme we're talking about the past simple and the past continuous tenses…
Emma
Yes, we'll look at when we use each tense...
Rob
We'll show you how to form the positive, negative and question forms of each one…
Emma
And as usual, we'll finish with a quiz.
Rob
And first, here's a quick reminder of the past simple. Hello Finn.
Finn
Hello Rob.
Rob
Could you give us an example please?
Finn Last night I saw the film 'Titanic'.
Rob
Ooh Titanic, what a movie! Finn saw it last night. So, we use the past simple for completed actions in the past.
Emma
And we had the past simple of the verb see, which is the irregular form saw.
Rob
And as we know, you just have to learn the irregular verbs.
Emma
But the good news is that lots of verbs are regular, and to make them into the past simple, you just add e and d to the infinitive, like this:
Finn Hundreds of passengers jumped into the sea.
Rob Jump - jumped. Simple. To make past simple negatives, we add didn't to the infinitive, like this:
Finn Sandra Bullock didn't win an Oscar for Gravity.
Rob
Now let's look at past simple questions. Emma, did you see the news last night?
Emma Yes, I did.
Rob
So, for the question, it's: did plusthe subject plus the infinitive.
Emma
And the short answers are: Yes plus subject plus did: Yes, I did.
Rob
Or: No plus subject plus didn't: No, I didn't. Emma
So that's the past simple for completed actions in the past.
Rob
Now, to talk about past activities, we can use the past continuous. Here's an example:
Finn I was watching a movie on TV. It was raining. We were feeling very bored.
Emma
Now, we can use the past continuous to talk about an activity that was already happening when something else happened, like this:
Finn Dad was cooking dinner when the police arrived. The children were watching TV when the officers came into the living room.
Rob
Ooh the police! Very dramatic! Yes, think about one activity interrupting the other - the activity that was already happening is in the past continuous - Dad was cooking dinner...
Emma
And the activity that interrupted it is in the past simple: the police arrived.
Rob
So you can put the past simple and continuous together to talk about activities and actions that happened one on top of another.
Emma
Remember those examples everyone - I'm going to test you later!
Rob
OK. To make the past continuous, it's was or were plus an i-n-g verb.
Finn Dad was cooking dinner. The children were watching TV.
Rob
Now to make the negative past continuous, you just put wasn't or weren't in front of the -ing verb, like this:
Finn The baby wasn't sleeping. The children weren't playing games.
Rob Wasn't sleeping and weren't playing. Wasn't and weren't are short forms of was not and were not.
Emma
Now for past continuous questions, it's was or were, with the subject plus an i-n-g verb. And I'm going to demonstrate this by testing you on the examples we had before. Rob, was Mum cooking dinner?
Rob No, she wasn't: Dad was cooking dinner.
Emma
That's correct: well done. Were the children playing games?
Rob No, they weren't.
Emma
Correct, well done again!
Rob
For past continuous short answers it's: Yes plus subject plus was, or: No plus subject plus wasn't.
IDENT
You're listening to BBC Learning English dot com.
Emma
Right, time for a quiz. I'm going to say a sentence and you have to choose the right verb form to go in the gap. Ready? OK.
Number 1. When the phone rang, we ____ a film. Is it
a) watched or
b) were watching? When the phone rang, we ____ a film.
Rob
It's b) When the phone rang, we were watching a film.
Emma
Good, number 2. Cate Blanchett _____ an Oscar for Best Actress. Is it
a) was winning or
b) won? Cate Blanchett _____ an Oscar for Best Actress.
Rob
It's b) Cate Blanchett won an Oscar for Best Actress.
Emma
And here's the final question. Ready? When the police _____, Dad was cooking dinner. Is it
a) arrived
b) were arriving? When the police _____, Dad was cooking dinner.
Rob When the police arrived, Dad was cooking dinner.
Good old dad. Still cooking that dinner. What a hero! Emma
So, well done if you got those right. And don't forget there's lots more about tenses on our website at http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/. Join us again for more 6 Minute Grammar.
Rob enjoys living in the country and working in the city. Is he enjoying 'the best of both worlds'? Feifei might have some news that could change his mind. Learn more about this English phrase in The English We Speak.
Feifei
Hey Rob, how are you enjoying your new life in the countryside?
Rob
It's great Feifei. When I get home at night, I get to smell the fresh air and look out on green fields. Yes, the country life is for me.
Feifei
But come on Rob, you must miss the bright lights and the excitement of living in the city?
Rob
I get that by coming to work right here in the centre of London. I have a great night out and then slip off to the peace and quiet of the country. Perfect!
Feifei
Perfect? I don't think so – the countryside is too quiet. The city is the only place for me.
Rob
No way. I've got the best of both worlds - excitement in the city, relaxation in the country.
Feifei The best of the both worlds – you think you get the advantages of two very different things at the same time.
Rob
Yes that's right. Let's hear some examples of the phrase 'the best of both worlds' in action…
Examples
Working part-time means I get the best of both worlds: time with the kids and a steady income.
Our hotel is by the beach and just a short train ride away from the city, so we get the best of both worlds.
We get the best of both worlds with our new car: excellent fuel efficiency and great acceleration and speed.
Feifei
So the phrase 'the best of both worlds' means you have the benefits of two different things and none of the disadvantages. But surely Rob there must be some negative things about living in the country?
Rob
Such as?
Feifei
No shops, no pubs or clubs, having a long commute to work every day.
Rob
I can cope – and anyway, commuting by train is fine – time to relax and shake off the stress of the city.
Feifei
Maybe not today Rob.
Rob
Why?
Feifei
My news feed says there's been a major signal failure – all trains to your village are cancelled!
Rob
Cancelled? Grrr. So I can't get home! Err, any chance I could sleep on your sofa tonight?
Feifei
Ha, so maybe it's not always possible to have the best of BOTH worlds Rob?
An art studio with no brushes or paint.
Mbongeni Buthelezi uses strips of plastic melted and glued to the canvas for his portraits.
When the South African studied art he couldn’t afford to buy expensive materials. So he found an alternative and now produces this unique kind of art.
He collects plastic bags from the streets around his Johannesburg studio and has turned recycling into an art form.
Vocabulary
melted made soft or made into a liquid canvas thick and strong cotton cloth that artists paint on with oil paints afford have enough money unique (here) unusual and not made anywhere else recycling using waste materials again
Will
Hello, and welcome to today’s Grammar
Gameshow! I’m your host, Will! But I won’t! And of course let’s not
forget Leslie, our all-knowing voice in the sky. Leslie Hello everyone! Will Tonight we’re going to ask you three questions about… Leslie Used to and Would! Those useful words for talking about past habits. Will OK! Now, let’s meet our contestants! Mike Hi everyone. I’m Mike! Will
And contestant number two? Jay Hi, Will. I’m Jay! Will Welcome back, Mike! OK! Let’s get going.
And don’t forget you can play along at home too. Ok. Our first question
is a quick-fire question, so fingers on the buzzers. Which verb form
follows used to or would? Jay
A verb with no 'to'? Will Leslie? Leslie Good job, Jay. You are correct. After
using used to or would, we use a bare infinitive verb. That’s a verb
with no 'to', for example: "I used to go every day". "I would go every day". Will Jay, you get two points. Now for our second
question - and this is multiple choice. Look at these four sentences.
One of them is incorrect. Which one is it, and why?
a) I used to go running every day.
b) I would go running every day.
c) I used to be shorter.
d) I would be shorter. Jay I used to go running every day? Will No. I’m sorry that’s not right. I can give you another try. Jay B! I would go running every day. Will Oh…this is awkward. Wrong again. Care to try a third time? Jay Errrrr…C? I used to be shorter. Will No. Three strikes, and you’re out I’m afraid. Mike, why don’t you give it a try? Mike Ok. D! I would be shorter. Will Is the right answer! And why? Mike Because he chose the other three answers? Will Right again! Leslie? Leslie
Yep. D is incorrect because used to and
would talk about past habits. But unlike used to, would can only talk
about actions, not states. 'Be' is a state, so it is incorrect! Will Well done! 2 points for you! Alright…on to
our third and last question. How does used to change when used as a
positive, negative and question? Mike Errrmm…it’s the D! In the positive used to has a D, but in the negative and the question, we change the spelling , so no D. Will And how does this affect the pronunciation? Mike Errmmm…..it doesn’t? Will Leslie? Leslie Perfectly right again. When used to is
put into the negative or a question, it changes spelling and loses a D.
However, this does not affect its pronunciation. For example: I used to
dance. I didn’t use to dance. Did you use to dance? Will We all used to dance, Leslie….we all
did….Well done! 1 point for you! Well that brings us to the end of
today’s Grammar Gameshow. Let’s count out the points. And the winner
is…. Mike with 58 points. Well done! Here’s what you’ve won! Leslie A pot of jam! Will Fantastic! Spread the love. And how did you
do at home? We’ll see you again next week, where you can play for an
even bigger prize. And Jay? You had some good answers, but it just
wasn’t meant to be. Jay Yes. I certainly… Will Bring forth the lions. It looks like we’ll need another contestant. Thanks for joining us. Say goodbye Leslie. Leslie Goodbye Leslie! Will See you again next time!
