English Recordings

What time is it?: How to say the time
By Liz Walter

Talking about time is a very basic skill, but one that can often cause problems, especially if your main language thinks about time in a different way.

Firstly, if you want to know the time, what question do you need to ask? Well, if you are sure that the person you are asking knows the answer, you can simply say: What time is it? or What’s the time? (this is less common in US English). However, if you are not sure if they know, for example if you want to ask a stranger on a train or in the street, you can say: Excuse me, do you have the time, please? or (in UK English) Have you got the time, please?

There are of course, various methods of telling the time: the 24-hour clock, the 12-hour clock and the old-fashioned way, using a round clock with hands. In general, we only tend to use the 24-hour clock system for timetables (UK) / schedules (US). For instance, we can say that a train leaves at 20:15 twenty fifteen. In the US, use of the 24-hour clock even for timetables is not common.

In more general speech, many of us move between a 12-hour clock and the more old-fashioned system we use for clocks with hands.

With both systems, we say o’clock for whole hours: 3:00 three o’clock. With the 12-hour clock, we may say the numbers for other times: 3:23 three twenty-three / 7:45 seven forty-five.

However, it is also common to convert 12-hour times into their old-fashioned equivalents, especially for units of 15 or 30 minutes, for example saying half past five for 5:30 (half past is much less common in US English). Be aware that – unlike some other languages such as German – we relate half hours to the hour before, not the next hour.

There are some other differences between UK and US English. For instance, for 4:15, both say four fifteen; both could also say (a) quarter past four but this is less common for Americans, and Americans more frequently say (a) quarter after four. Just to make things more complicated, for 8:45, both can say eight forty-five or (a) quarter to nine; Americans can also say (a) quarter of nine, but this is less common.

For times between one and twenty-nine minutes after the hour, UK English uses past and US English after (although past is also sometimes used in US English). So 5:20 is five twenty (UK and US), twenty past five (mostly UK) or twenty after five (US).

And for times between thirty-one and fifty-nine minutes after the hour, UK and US English use to and US English sometimes uses of. So 7:40 is seven forty or twenty to eight (UK and US), or twenty of eight (US).

In formal contexts, we use a.m. and p.m. to specify whether a time is before or after midday (mostly UK) / noon (mostly US): 4:00 four a.m. (note that you shouldn’t say ‘o’clock’ with these abbreviations). In more informal speech, we say, e.g., four o’clock in the morning/afternoon, seven o’clock in the evening or eleven thirty at night.

And while we’re on the subject of time, did you know that ‘time’ is the most commonly used noun in English? Next month I’ll be looking at some common phrases containing this word.

On cloud nine: Idioms and phrasal verbs to express happiness
By Liz Walter

My last post was all about sadness, so it is good to turn to a more cheerful subject: happiness.

Let’s start with the phrase I’ve used in the title: on cloud nine. Nobody really knows the origins of this phrase – one theory is that it refers to the cumulonimbus cloud that was number nine in the ‘International Cloud Atlas’ and rises higher than all other clouds, while another relates to one of the stages of enlightenment in Buddhist thought. Still, it’s enough to know that if you are on cloud nine, you are extremely happy. In fact, you are in seventh heaven (from the belief in some religions that there are seven levels of heaven, the seventh being the highest).

Several other happiness idioms rely on the metaphorical idea of being in a very high place. We can say that we are walking/floating on air, on top of the world or over the moon. Similarly, something that makes you feel happier is said to lift your spirits.

Moving away from height metaphors, In British and Australian English, we can say (rather sweetly, I always think) that someone in a generally happy mood is full of the joys of spring. If you are extremely pleased about something that has happened, you can say that you can’t believe your luck. In British English, we also say that we are thrilled to bits.

If someone has been sad but becomes more cheerful, we say that they cheer up or perk up. Something that brightens up your day makes you feel happier, and if you revel in a situation or an activity, you get great pleasure from it.

There are several rather strange similes connected with happiness: Brits and Australians are as happy as Larry or as happy as a sandboy and Americans are as happy as a clam. It is thought that ‘Larry’ is the undefeated boxer Larry Foley (1849-1917), and that ‘sandboys’ were youths whose job was to deliver sand for the floors of inns, and who were ‘happy’ because they were often rewarded with alcohol! The American version is probably a shortening of ‘as happy as a clam at high tide’, i.e. when no longer exposed to predators. All of these phrases are slightly old-fashioned now.

If someone is happy in an enthusiastic and lively way, we can say they are like a dog with two tails, and if they have a self-satisfied air, they are like the cat that got the cream. More crudely, if someone looks completely comfortable and happy in a situation, they are like a pig in muck.

Do let me know if you can think of any other nice happiness phrases, or any interesting ones from your own language.

It broke my heart: Idioms and phrasal verbs to express sadness
By Liz Walter

‘When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions.’ So said Claudius in Shakespeare’s Hamlet. As a general rule, grief and sadness are more interesting to writers and poets than happiness, and there are many fine descriptions in literature. However, in this post, I want to focus on language that we use in everyday speech.

Firstly, it is obviously very important to use phrases that are suitable for the level of trauma involved. You might describe someone as down in the dumps or down in the mouth if, for instance, they did badly in a job interview or failed an exam. Similarly, the phrase out of sorts is used mainly for someone who is usually cheerful, but simply seems a bit glum at the moment. However, if the sadness is caused by something serious like a bereavement (= when someone dies), those phrases would sound too trivial.

For that kind of situation, we could say that they are broken-hearted or completely grief-stricken. In British English, we talk about people being knocked sideways or knocked for six in order to emphasize their shock and pain. If someone is extremely upset about something, we can say they have taken it hard.

An informal but emphatic phrase, which seems to have become much more common recently, is to say that someone is in bits. Strangely enough, it doesn’t have any negative connotation, whereas if you say that someone has gone/fallen to pieces or fallen apart, it can sound slightly judgmental, as if they are failing to cope with what has happened.

A continuing bad situation can get you down or cast a shadow over everything, while if you feel as if you are carrying sadness inside you, you might describe yourself as having a heavy heart. We often talk about doing something with a heavy heart when we are forced into an action that makes us sad. If something makes you feel as though you want to cry, we say that it brings a lump to your throat, and if you well up, tears come into your eyes, and you might even burst into tears.

However, as sad as life can be, we don’t like people who mope around (= act in a miserable way) or wallow in their sadness (= make no effort to recover, as if they are enjoying it). If we are brave (or rude) enough, we might ask them to pull themselves together (= act in a more sensible way).

And lastly, in case this post has left you feeling dejected, forlorn, glum, miserable or wretched – look out for my next post which will be all about happiness!

The Internet & Travel

Topic: People today often use the internet to learn about the culture of other countries. This means that it is not that important to travel to those countries. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Model answer:

The fact that many people today use the internet to experience other countries means that it is no longer as important to actually travel to those nations. In my opinion, though travel has its benefits, this is largely true.

Proponents of travel often claim that real life experience trumps virtual experience. Compare, for instance, the recent Google Museum project which catalogues collections from famous museums in high resolution photos available to anyone with internet access. This is no doubt a positive development but it pales in comparison to the experience of walking through the Louvre and seeing the brushstrokes up close, going on a guided tour, and talking with other museum-goers. This holds true for a variety of experiences that are enhanced by being physically present in the moment.

Although there are good reasons to continue to travel on occasion, the internet allows people to access the majority of the experience remotely. The most salient example of this is the ubiquity of YouTube for internet users around the world. A child from an impoverished background, who still has internet access, probably cannot travel to other countries but they can watch travel documentaries, vlogs, and archived television shows that show cultures around the world. The makers of these videos not only bring their experience but also aggregate the most noteworthy events and individuals that even the most adventurous traveller would have difficulty finding the time to locate.

To conclude, travelling still plays a role in life but the internet has largely replaced its primary importance in life. There will come a time when the virtual world too fully overcomes the physical but for the moment it is still beneficial.

Education and Crime

Topic: The most common solution for criminal behaviour is prison but many believe education is a better method. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Model answer:

Many feel that instead of locking up criminals, we could better reduce crime by tackling systemic problems in our educational systems. In my opinion, although education is important, deterrence remains the primary inhibitor of criminality.

Many see education as a better remedy as it holds long-term promise. The main cause of crime is poverty and that can be linked directly to education. Take for example countries with strong educational systems. In Singapore, which has one of the most well-regarded school systems in the world, the majority of graduates can find well-paid jobs and the crime rate is consequently among the lowest globally. There is no cause to commit a crime if you have enough money to provide for yourself and your family.

Despite the clear results education can bring about, deterrence remains the main reason why people do not commit crimes. If there was no threat of prison, people would feel free to steal, murder or commit whatever crime they choose. A good example of the effect of prison on crime is in countries with strict, mandatory sentencing guidelines. Many Southeast Asian countries have imposed severe sentences on drug related crimes to successfully curb drug trafficking and distribution. There is no substitute for the clear-cut logic engendered by the threat of prison.

To sum up, despite the admitted benefits of education, the deterring effect of prison prevents most crime. Countries ought to invest in sustainable solutions such as education and economic reform while not neglecting the irreplaceable role of incarceration.

Ideal Society

Topic: People have historically attempted to achieve a perfect society. However, it is difficult to decide what a perfect society would be like. What would be the most important element of an ideal society? What can normal people do to make society more perfect?

Model answer:

The best way to improve our society is a topic of understandable concern for all governments and citizens. In my opinion, the key to this is increased tolerance of difference and people can take the individual step of examining their own beliefs in order to not pass ingrained prejudices on to the next generation.

The most momentous shifts in society in the last centuries have involved progress related to tolerance of different types of people. The original pilgrims left England to found new colonies in order to have religious freedom to worship as they wish. Racism and slavery in the 19th century is a direct result of considering one group of people separate. The most recent example is the movement to be more accepting of a variety of sexualities. These have all made society more perfect and their evolution and nascent spread throughout the world will allow the greatest number of people to enjoy a full range of freedom and opportunity.

To achieve the more open society mentioned above, individuals can closely evaluate their beliefs and try to impart more tolerant values to the younger generation. A good example of this can be seen in the embrace of gay marriage by many in the last decade. In the 20th century, it was political suicide to support gay marriage. However, people began to question the rationale for denying this basic human right. Now most schools and parents teach their children about alternative lifestyles and it is much more common to see LGBT couples in popular culture. This is one step towards a utopian, inclusive society free of prejudice.

In conclusion, the movement to accept more diverse elements of society is already underway. With continued effort, it is reasonable to expect a generally positive attitude towards all people in the coming years, though this progressivism will vary widely from country to country.

Medical Testing

Topic: Some people say that it is acceptable to test medicine intended for people on animals. Others, however, believe that it is not right to use animals in this research. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Model answer:

Many believe that using animals for scientific testing purposes is fundamentally immoral, while others see it as a necessary evil. In my opinion, even though it is decidedly unethical, the overall impact on human progress justifies its continuance.

Detractors of animal testing often point out that animals have rights. We would never condone this type of testing on a human, even with one with a low IQ and it follows that we should treat animals with some measure of respect. The strongest argument supporting this is the level of cruelty involved in animal testing. Many drugs that are tested on animals have painful side-effects and the test subjects may die slow, painful deaths. This is undeniably unjustifiable regarding testing in non-essential medical fields such as cosmetics.

Despite the moral quagmire detailed above, I believe animal testing does enough to advance medical testing to warrant its use. Some cursory research will reveal the importance of animal testing in fields such as diabetic medicine, cancer research, experimental surgery, and stem cells. Testing insulin for diabetics on dogs may be the most well-known example of this kind of impactful research. Many other advances in medicine often attributed to animal testing have saved countless human lives to an extent that would be impossible if researchers were working under the moral constraints of human test subjects.

In conclusion, animal testing is the best way to make breakthroughs in medicine and should be strongly encouraged. Governments should work with medical institutions to implement more medical testing on animals across the board.

Changing Jobs

Topic: The job market today is very competitive and it is best to choose a career or field of study early in order to get a good job later in life. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Model answer:

Today’s hyper-competitive job market encourages parents and educators to push specialization at increasingly earlier ages. Although choosing a career early on is a safe option, it will not produce the best results in my opinion.

The reason that opting in to a career from an early age has become so prevalent is that it affords people a sense of security that is at least somewhat justified. In Vietnam, the vast majority of High School graduates are pushed early by their parents into safe fields like finance and the sciences. There are a number of hard skills required for these fields such as good mathematical acumen, industriousness, and logical thinking. If students start to learn these skills at a very young age or beginning in High School then they will have a head start on their peers that can continue through university into the job market. This is the theory that guides specialization.

It is difficult to dispute the above logic, however, recent research has shown that having a breadth of knowledge and experience is a much better predictor of future success. A recent book by David Epstein titled ‘Range’ debunked the commonly held belief that early specialization is safer. In fact, the majority of leaders in their fields experimented with a large number of subject areas and professions before settling on one. The early specialisers were the exceptions and are therefore a poor model to imitate. The core argument of that book is that experience in multiple fields helps you to make connections and learn a diverse range of skills that you can later bring to bear on your chosen profession.

In conclusion, having a range of experience is more important than locking yourself into a field of study early in order to enhance later career options. Universities ought to make a shift to adopt some of the principles of liberal arts schools to better prepare graduates for an uncertain future world economy.

My Family’s Weekend

I like weekend because I have a lot of free time with my mom and dad. My mom often cooks a lot of delicious food for us. She can make cakes, pizzas and potato chips. My dad likes reading stories to me and I like it, too. We often watch films at home. But sometimes we go to the cinema when we have more time. I like my weekends so much. I love my mom and dad best.

Tony's dream

I had a strange dream last night. In my dream, I lost my bike so I didn’t have to go to school. Then, I flew to the moon. I became a fireman. I danced in the supermarket. And I talked to a spider.

Then I saw my mum and dad on the street. They moved to a new flat on the 18th floor. The flat had a swimming pool. In the living room, there was a cat and a dog on the sofa. They sang a song to welcome us. We were very happy.