VOA · Everyday Grammar
Advanced · C1learner speed6:162024-02-22public domain
Everyday Grammar digs into one grammar topic per episode — verb tenses, prepositions, sentence patterns — with plenty of spoken examples. Because you are listening to language about language, it doubles as grammar review while you train your ears.
Hit "Start dictation practice" — all 6 minutes are already sliced into sentences, so practice starts immediately. No wait.
Expect longer sentences and richer vocabulary — replay freely, and slow the speed if a sentence runs away from you.
Switch to Dictation mode, type each sentence, and get a word-by-word diff with your accuracy score.
01In a recent lesson, we asked our readers and listeners to write to us about what is popular in their country.
02In today's lesson, we will explore some of what was written to us.
03Our audience will be the guides of our imaginative tour of cultures around the world.
04We will learn about English grammar on the way.
05Let's start with a message from a friend in Turkey.
06Greetings from Turkey.
07I am Furkan.
08I think Kivanç Tatlituk is a popular in Turkey because the whole country knows him.
09Furkan wrote a very clear message.
10Our main suggestion is to remove a couple of words and add a little more explanation.
11We can take out the words, I think.
12We can also remove the part about, the whole country knows him.
13When we say someone is popular, we can assume that many or most people in a place know about the person.
14You could also explain a little more deeply why Kivanç Tatlituk is popular.
15For example, you might say he is handsome, talented, and so on.
16So, you might update the message to something like this.
17Kivanç Tatlituk is popular in Turkey because he is handsome, talented, and wealthy.
18Now let's examine part of a message from Gorka in Venezuela.
19Gorka says this about baseball, a popular sport in the country.
20This sport is practiced by people of all ages and in all the states of the country.
21There are many baseball schools, some of them sponsored by American baseball organizations.
22Every year, more than 100 Venezuelan baseball players go to USA to play in the MLB or other related leagues.
23Not surprisingly, these players inspire younger baseball players to follow their steps.
24Gorka wrote an excellent description.
25Our main suggestion is to pay careful attention to short words.
26Instead of that, we can use than, as in more than 100 Venezuelan baseball players.
27And we want to add the in front of USA like this.
28Every year, more than 100 Venezuelan baseball players go to the USA to play in the MLB or other related leagues.
29A final word about the last sentence from Gorka.
30While it is correct to say, follow their steps, in this situation, we often say, follow in their footsteps.
31We use follow in their footsteps when someone does something before us and we follow what they did.
32For example, if your father is a doctor and you become a doctor, you could say that you are following in your father's footsteps.
33Now let's turn to Japan.
34An unnamed reader sent us this note about a popular food.
35Most popular food in Japan is ramen.
36I think because ramen has huge kinds of taste.
37The message is clear and to the point.
38Once again, we need to pay special attention to short words and remove a few other words.
39We need to include the word the at the beginning of the message, as in...
40While the meaning of huge kinds of taste is understandable, we might instead use different structures to express the same idea.
41For example, English speakers might say that the taste is complex, bold, or rich.
42We might update the entire message to something like this.
43The most popular food in Japan is ramen because it has a rich, complex taste.
44Finally, Rafael from Spain writes to us.
45He notes that he does not like the most popular sport, soccer.
46Rafael ends his message with the following.
47Since I don't like soccer, I feel a little weirdo.
48But not as much as you, John, who are in love with grammar.
49Thank you very much for your teaching, John.
50See you soon.
51Rafael wrote a very light-hearted, humorous message.
52The main correction needed is to add the word like after the verb feel and remove the word little.
53So, the statement could become, Since I don't like soccer, I feel like a weirdo.
54A quick note about the term weirdo.
55We often use it in a negative or disapproving way.
56So, you should be careful about using it.
57If you choose to use the term, Make sure that the person it is directed at understands that you are not being serious.
58Rafael's message, for example, clearly used the word in a joking manner.
59Still, his point is correct.
60I am a grammar weirdo.
61And that's Everyday Grammar.
62I'm John Russell.
// transcribed with Whisper AI — reading it is easy; catching it by ear is the skill
Practice it by ear
