Learn British English

Feb 16

Learn British English Verbs Free (video): “look for” and “search (for)”

This is a Learn British English Free lesson in which Chris explains the difference between “look for” and “search (for)”.

Look for – more natural, common and informal (always with “for”)

“I can’t find my car keys.” “Let’s look for them then”.

“What are you looking for?”

Search (for) – more formal (e.g. police)

“The police are urgently searching for the suspect.”

“The police were searching the area last night.” (verb without “for”)

“The police conducted a thorough search of the property.” (noun)

Via YouTube:

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Feb 13

Learn British English Free: Imperial Units of Weight (visual)

Please see below the imperial units commonly used in the UK to talk about weight.

We often use ounces to describe amounts of ingredients in recipes. We use pounds and stone for describing our own weight. Tons measure very heavy things:

Imperial Units Weight JPEG

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Feb 10

Free English Grammar Lesson (video): Double Negatives with examples

This is a Learn British English Free (YouTube) lesson where Chris explains not to use double negatives in English and how to avoid it with examples:

“I don’t know nothing.” – WRONG

“I don’t know anything.” – CORRECT

“He didn’t see no-one like that in the pub.” – WRONG

“He didn’t see anyone like that in the pub.” – CORRECT

“We don’t have no spuds left in the kitchen!” – WRONG

“We don’t have any spuds left in the kitchen!” – CORRECT

“I don’t want no tea, thank you.” – WRONG

“I don’t want any tea, thank you.” – GRAMMATICALLY CORRECT BUT STILL WRONG

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Feb 09

Imperial Units of Volume

Please see below for British imperial units of volume.

The pint measurement (pronounced /paɪnt/) is very important because we use it to measure drinks in pubs.

Gallons are used to talk about the fuel consumption of vehicles:

Imperial Units Volume JPEG

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Feb 05

Learn British English Free (video): “Grand” and “Smashing” (Key Vocabulary)

This is a Learn British English Free lesson in which Chris explains the British use of words “grand” and “smashing” with examples.

Grand = £1,000

“My motorbike set me back four grand.” (no “s” in the plural)

“He’s on 28 grand a year.”

Grand = very good; fine

“How are you?” “I’m grand, thank you.”

“Would you like some milk and sugar in your tea?” “Aye – that would be grand, ta.”

Grand = smashing = very positive adjective / exclamation:

Smashing! (before a noun or standing alone)

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Feb 01

Learn British English Free (video): “Phub” and “Phubbing” slang

Chris explains slang term “phub”: to ignore (snub) someone by using your phone. Phone + snub = phub. Free English lesson. “I took her to a fancy restaurant but she phubbed me all evening.” “I took her to a fancy restaurant but she spent the whole evening phubbing me.” “Phubbing isn’t the best social activity.” (noun)

“Phubbing” in the Cambridge Dictionary online.

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Jan 26

“Flowers on the Railings” poem – poetry reading

“Flowers on the Railings” – January 2020. Written by Peter Fearnley. Found by Sharon Green (mother of Rebecca Green) in Sheffield, England. Read by Chris on Learn British English Free on YouTube.

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