resources for learning and teaching English
English Level: B1 (Intermediate) / B2 (upper-intermediate)
Telling simple jokes in English is a fun and surprisingly effective way to improve your English speaking skills.
If you really want to take your English to another level, choose two of your favourites, memorise them and tell them to anyone who will listen 😉
Here are 5 simple jokes to get you started. Just one thing, it might be a good idea to only tell the last one to your friends and when nobody is eating, LOL!
Hey nature lovers! I’m so excited to finally share this with you!
Recently my good friend Alberto Alonso kindly invited me to join him for another episode of FYI Inglés. This time we chatted about the world of insects. What a fascinating and vast subject!
I had a high old time over the summer researching, dipping into a whole host of books, videos and podcasts. I learned so much and my mind was blown so many times I can’t tell you!
Aside from the contribution of bees as pollinators I had no idea how much bugs do to keep our amazing planet running.Listen to the episode to find out why these often misunderstood little creatures are so massively important.
Hope you enjoy it as much as we did putting it together! And if you do like it, please make sure to share and tell your friends and family to have a listen. Cheers!
English Level: Upper Intermediate (B2) , Advanced (C1)
Add suitable question tags.
1. No-one has seen my phone, __________?
2. That was such a great holiday, __________?
3. She never stops talking, __________?
4. Let’s finish this tomorrow, __________?
5. Don’t tell her, __________?
6. Everything seems different, __________?
7. There’s no chance we’ll win the league, __________?
8. Surely somebody can help us, __________?
9. He must have missed the bus, __________?
10. I’m worrying too much, __________?
11. This is where we are staying, __________?
12. Don’t go to bed very late, __________?
13. Everyone’s talking about it, __________?
14. You’ve never liked him, __________?
15. It’s no good, __________?
16. Phone me tomorrow, __________?
ANSWERS
1. No-one has seen my phone, HAVE THEY?
2. That was such a great holiday, WASN’T IT?
3. She never stops talking, DOES SHE?
4. Let’s finish this tomorrow, SHALL WE?
5. Don’t tell her, WILL YOU?
6. Everything seems different, DOESN’T IT?
7. There’s no chance we’ll win the league, IS THERE?
8. Surely somebody can help us, CAN’T THEY?
9. He must have missed the bus, MUSTN’T HE?
10. I’m worrying too much, AREN’T I?
11. This is where we are staying, ISN’T IT?
12. Don’t go to bed very late, WILL YOU?
13. Everyone’s talking about it, AREN’T THEY?
14. Phone me tomorrow, WILL YOU?
14. You’ve never liked him, HAVE YOU?
15. It’s no good, IS IT?
16. Phone me tomorrow, WILL YOU? (or, CAN YOU? COULD YOU? WOULD YOU?)
More advanced grammar exercises
Advanced Question Tags (1)
Verb Training 8 – Advanced Irregular Verbs (Verb Drills)
Scroll down for the answer!
And if you like my website, I would appreciate it so much if you told your friends or students who are learning English about it. Spread the word!
Full list of Quick Vocabulary Quizzes
CONVERSATION QUESTIONS for practising speaking and writing
ALL grammar exercises
ANSWER: Pan
.
.
Printable PDF coming soon!
The following exercise is very helpful in pinpointing gaps in knowledge, especially before an exam.
Change the following sentences to the present perfect (use the short form where possible)
1. We deal with a similar situation.
2. The tennis player undergoes knee surgery.
3. The hotel lies empty for twenty years.
4. We never beat this team.
5. They let us down again.
6. We draw up a list.
7. A new study shows that ….
8. The investigation leads to several arrests.
9. The footballer tears her Achilles tendon.
10. They dig up the road to lay the new cables.
11. The suspects flee.
12. He sticks with his exercise routine for six months.
13. She spills some coffee on her new notebook.
14. The director casts Karl in the lead role.
15. Your phone rings several times.
16. They tread on her plants.
17. They set a date for their wedding.
18. She strives to make a positive impactThe firefighters fight bravely.
19. They seek advice from several experts.
20. He swears under oath.
21. The firefighters fight bravely.
22. The river bursts its banks.
23. I sweep the floor.
24. We feed the dogs.
25. Her parents forbid her to go to the concert.
1. We’ve dealt with a similar situation.
2. The tennis player’s undergone knee surgery.
3. The hotel’s lain empty for twenty years.
4. We’ve never beaten this team.
5. They’ve let us down again.
6. We’ve drawn up a list.
7. A new study’s shown that ….
8. The investigation’s led to several arrests.
9. The footballer’s torn her Achilles tendon.
10. They’ve dug up the road to lay the new cables.
11. The suspects have fled.
12. He’s stuck with his exercise routine for six months.
13. She’s spilled/spilt some coffee on her new notebook.
14. The director’s cast Karl in the lead role.
15. Your phone’s rung several times.
16. They’ve trodden on her plants.
17. They’ve set a date for their wedding.
18. She’s strived/striven to make a positive impact
19. They’ve sought advice from several experts.
20. He’s sworn under oath.
21. The firefighters have fought bravely.
22. The river’s burst its banks.
23. I’ve swept the floor.
24. We’ve fed the dogs.
25. Her parents have forbidden her to go to the concert.
More Verb Drills
Verb Training 1: Present Perfect Simple (Positive) B1 / B2
Verb Training 2: Different Tenses (Elementary/Pre-Intermediate)
Verb Training 3: Past Simple (Elementary/Pre-Intermediate)
Verb Training 4: Present Continuous
Verb Training 5: Past Simple Questions
Verb Training 6: Mixed Tenses
Verb Training 7: Advanced Irregular Verbs
Other Grammar Exercises
Prepositions of Place Exercise 1 Exercise 2
Prepositions of time Exercise 1 Exercise 2
Present simple or present continuous? Exercise 1
Present perfect continuous Exercise 1
Present perfect simple vs present perfect continuous Exercise 1
Question Tags, Basic Exercise 1
Question Tags, Advanced Exercise 1 Exercise 2
Reflexive pronouns – On my/your own vs. by myself / yourself, etc Exercise 1
Full List of Exercises
Scroll down for the answers!
And if you like my website, I would appreciate it so much if you told your friends or students who are learning English about it. Spread the word!
Full list of Quick Vocabulary Quizzes
CONVERSATION QUESTIONS for practising speaking and writing
ALL grammar exercises
ANSWERS: 1) heron 2) magpie 3) bee-eater 4) kestrel 5) spoonbill
Do you have any of these birds where you live? What bird would you love to see in real life?
.
.
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B1 Level / Intermediate English
HAD BETTER
Would you like to review the grammar explanation first?
Complete these sentences using had better and the following verbs:
not arrive book call not miss pay put on return not wear
1. You ________ those books to the library soon or you’ll get a fine.
2. She ________ late again or she’ll get the sack.
3. You ________ your electricity bill today or they’ll cut you off.
4. It’s a formal occasion so you ________ jeans.
5. That restaurant’s very popular and it’s Saturday night. We ________ a table.
6. You ________ the train or you’ll be late for your interview.
7. You ________ a coat. It’s freezing outside.
8. I think we ________ David a taxi. He has had a lot to drink and he should go home.
Future Perfect Exercise 1
Answers
1. had better return
2. had better not arrive
3. had better pay
4. had better not wear
5. had better book
6. had better not miss
7. had better put on
8. had better call
Words starting with CH-
Can you complete all these words which start with the letters CH-? Each line represents a letter.
1. Halloumi, cheddar and manchego are all kinds of ch_ _ _ _.
2. Even though the spring afternoons are warm it can get quite ch_ _ _ _ once the sun goes down.
3. Children under five can visit the museum free of ch_ _ _ _. They don’t have to pay.
4. To get in shape for the summer Stella set herself the ch_ _ _ _ _g_ of walking 3km a day for a month.
5. The sound of birds singing at dawn is called the dawn ch_r_ _.
6. Ch_ _ _m_ _ _ tea is one of the world’s favourite herbal teas. It is said to help with digestion and sleep.
7. I cut the pineapple into ch_ _ks and put some on the top of my pizza.
8. Ch_ _ _ l _ _n_ are lizards. They are well-known for their rotating eyes, their very long and lightning-fast tongues and their ability to change colour.
9. There are lots of lovely cafés and restaurants in the town. You are really spoilt for ch_ _c_.
10. Karl is trying to learn five languages all at the same time but he is really struggling. I think he has bitten off more than he can ch_ _.
There are lots more vocabulary exercises and other resources here on my website for learning or teaching English, so please have a look around!
Full list of vocabulary exercises
Full list of grammar exercises
Answers:
Check out my 3 accounts on Twitter!
Twitter is a wonderful platform for improving languages and getting to know other language learners. Come and say hi!
EnglishSmarts B1/B2
DazzleEnglish B2/C1
150phrasalverbs – to learn and review 150 must-know English phrasal verbs
Answers
1. cheese
2. chilly
3. charge
4. challenge
5. chorus
6. chamomile
7. chunks
8. chameleons
9. choice
10. chew
Which of these sentences are grammatically incorrect? Correct the mistakes. There may be more than one mistake in a sentence. Scroll down for the answers.
1. I have a seventy-page report to read this weekend.
2. Someone told you, didn’t he?
3. Naomi isn’t Canadian and either am I.
4. It didn’t take me long to get used to wear contact lenses.
5. Can you tell me what is the problem?
6. “Were there any emails for me?” – “No, any at all.”
7. It was the best film I’d never seen.
8. We ought to have told her the truth.
Remember, dear English learner – it is okay to make mistakes. Your English doesn’t have to be faultless.
Mistakes are an essential part of the language-learning process – we make progress by learning from them.
However, to communicate effectively (and to pass official exams!), you do need a certain level of accuracy. I hope these short exercises, which focus on the most common errors, will help you in this regard.
More Spot the Grammar Mistakes exercises
Answers
1. ✔️
2. Someone told you, didn’t they?
3. Naomi isn’t Canadian and neither am I.
4. It didn’t take me long to get used to wearing contact lenses.
5. Can you tell me what the problem is?
6. “Were there any emails for me?” – “No, none at all.”
7. It was the best film I’d ever seen.
8. ✔️
MY BEST GRAMMAR TIP!
When looking up grammar explanations I REALLY recommend doing it in your own language rather than in English. It will save you a lot of time and energy – it is a lot less effort for your brain if you read explanations that are written in your native language.
I know that traditionally English grammar is explained in English but there is no rule that you have to do it that way.
Try it and let me know. I bet you will find the process a lot smoother and quicker in the long run, especially when it comes to more complicated grammatical areas.
Here are just some of the free Grammar Exercises you will find here on Recipes for English.
Present simple or present continuous? Exercise 1
Present perfect continuous Exercise 1
Present perfect simple vs present perfect continuous Exercise 1
Question Tags, Basic Exercise 1
Question Tags, Advanced Exercise 1 Exercise 2
Reflexive pronouns – On my/your own vs. by myself / yourself, etc Exercise 1
Reflexive vs Reciprocal pronouns (myself, yourself, etc / each other) Exercise 1
Practice makes progress! 💪
𝑭𝑶𝑳𝑳𝑶𝑾 𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒏 📌 𝑷𝑰𝑵𝑻𝑬𝑹𝑬𝑺𝑻!
It can really help you improve your pronunciation if you know the phonetic symbols and the sounds they represent. You don’t need to worry about learning to write them just to recognise them.
Can you decipher these 10 tennis-related words?
Check out the Main Quick Pronunciation Exercises page with the full list of exercises and links to useful pronunciation pages.
Click on a topic for a list of conversation questions you can use in class or a language exchange.
Answers
1. clay
2. racket
3. forehand
4. ace
5. fault
6. umpire
7. deuce
8. advantage
9. tie-break
10. tournament
First of all, I just want to say that I feel that this is one of those grammar points that is often neglected in the classroom.
However, if you want to speak good English, you need to know the future continuous tense (or future progressive). This tense appears regularly in English. Therefore, it’s worth investing a wee bit of your time to learning how and when to use it.
Thankfully it’s pretty simple to construct – you don’t have to worry about conjugating it for each person. You are using ‘will be’ or ‘won’t be’ whether it’s first person singular, third person plural or whatever.
Subject + WILL + BE + verb-ING
Positive: I will be having lunch outside. / I‘ll be having lunch outside.
Negative: You will not be having lunch outside. / You won’t be having…
Question: Will you be having lunch outside?
Scroll down to the bottom for a top study tip!
Grammar Explanation
1. We use the future continuous to express an action in progress at a certain time in the future. It is very often used with phrases like ‘this time tomorrow’ or ‘this time next week’
However, the actual time isn’t always expressed but it is implied.
This time tomorrow we’ll be flying to Japan.
I hope your operation goes well. I’ll be thinking of you.
2. Another use of the future continuous is to talk about things we believe could be happening now.
Don’t phone her right now. She’ll be having lunch.
“Where’s Josh?” – “I think I saw him in the conference room. He’ll be getting his presentation ready.”
3. It is also used as a more polite or indirect way to ask about plans.
Will you be joining us for dinner tomorrow?
(At a hotel) How will you be paying, sir?
Let’s practice, shall we?
Exercise
Add the correct form of the future continuous and scroll down for the answers.
1. Have a great birthday. I’m sorry we can’t be there but we __________ of you. (think)
2. This time tomorrow George __________ his driving test. (take)
3. You can have the computer this afternoon if you like. I __________ it. (not / use)
4. The team’s plane _________ in Barcelona right about now. (land)
5. “What __________ this time next year, Lizzy?” (you / do)
– “I hope I __________ and __________ in Canada.” (live; work)
6. I wouldn’t ring Sean right now. He __________ poker and you know how he hates to be interrupted. (play)
7. Karen has just called me. She __________ us for lunch tomorrow as she has to go to Milan. (not / join)
8. __________ your parents when you’re in Istanbul? (you / visit)
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Which of these sentences are grammatically incorrect? Correct the mistakes. There may be more than one mistake in a sentence. Scroll down for the answers.
1. I don’t know the people which live next door.
2. Do you want that I phone you later?
3. I’ve no idea why it happened.
4. You can’t wear that jacket at the interview. It’s not enough smart.
5. I can’t remember what she said!
6. Do you know Gordon? He’s a good friend of us.
7. We enjoyed our walk on the beach in spite the cold.
More Find the Grammar Mistakes exercises
Here are just some of the free Grammar Exercises you will find here on Recipes for English.
Present simple or present continuous? Exercise 1
Present perfect continuous Exercise 1
Present perfect simple vs present perfect continuous Exercise 1
Question Tags, Basic Exercise 1
Question Tags, Advanced Exercise 1 Exercise 2
Reflexive pronouns – On my/your own vs. by myself / yourself, etc Exercise 1
Reflexive vs Reciprocal pronouns (myself, yourself, etc / each other) Exercise 1
ANSWERS
1. I don’t know the people WHO live next door. (or: THAT)
2. Do you WANT ME TO PHONE you later?
3. ✅
4. You can’t wear that jacket at the interview. It’s not SMART ENOUGH.
5. ✅
6. Do you know Gordon? He’s a good friend of OURS.
7. We enjoyed our walk on the beach IN SPITE OF the cold.
Remember, dear English learner – it is okay to make mistakes. Mistakes are an essential part of the language-learning process, but we need to learn from them!
Practice makes progress! 💪
𝑭𝑶𝑳𝑳𝑶𝑾 𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒏 📌 𝑷𝑰𝑵𝑻𝑬𝑹𝑬𝑺𝑻!
What’s the missing word? (The same word fits all the gaps). Answers by DM *only* to @EnglishSmarts on Twitter.
If I’m not following you, ask me for a follow first please. 😉
🔹 to be invisible to the naked _____
🔹 to clap ______s on someone/something
🔹 out of the corner of your _____
Follow me on 📌 Pinterest too!
GRAMMAR Exercises
VOCABULARY Exercises
IDIOMS Exercises
SUPPORT ME and my website – it doesn’t cost a thing!
If you enjoy my quizzes, I would love it if you could Like and Retweet and Share with your friends, family and colleagues.
This only takes a millisecond and boosts my visibility on social media, meaning more people can find my content.
Or even better, tell them to follow me and to visit my website! 😺 And…..in addition to @EnglishSmarts I have two other accounts on Twitter, which is a great platform for practising writing English. Come and say hello!
@150phrasalverbs: – learn and review 150 really common multi-word verbs
@DazzleEnglish: – for advanced vocabulary
You can also follow me on Instagram!
What’s the missing word? (The same word fits all the gaps). Answers by DM *only* to @EnglishSmarts on Twitter.
If I’m not following you, ask me for a follow first please. 😉
🔹 to _____ the boards
🔹 to _____ water
🔹 to _____ lightly
Follow me on 📌 Pinterest too!
GRAMMAR Exercises
VOCABULARY Exercises
IDIOMS Exercises
SUPPORT ME and my website – it doesn’t cost a thing!
If you enjoy my quizzes, I would love it if you could Like and Retweet and Share with your friends, family and colleagues.
This only takes a millisecond and boosts my visibility on social media, meaning more people can find my content.
Or even better, tell them to follow me and to visit my website! 😺 And…..in addition to @EnglishSmarts I have two other accounts on Twitter, which is a great platform for practising writing English. Come and say hello!
@150phrasalverbs: – learn and review 150 really common multi-word verbs
@DazzleEnglish: – for advanced vocabulary
You can also follow me on Instagram!
Level: Upper Intermediate (B2) , Advanced (C1)
Add suitable question tags.
1. Phew! That’s a relief, __________?
2. Hey! Someone has been using my computer, __________?
3. We seldom eat out nowadays, __________?
4. I’m such a fool, __________?
5. Everyone likes Italian food, __________?
6. Don’t watch too much TV, __________?
7. Nobody was expecting her to win, __________?
8. This is ridiculous, __________?
9. There’s no point carrying on, __________?
10. He barely speaks English, __________?
11. That was a stupid thing to do, __________?
12. Clean this mess up right now, __________?
13. You’ve never liked her boyfriend, __________?
14. Hi! Lovely day, __________?
Answers
1. isn’t it
2. haven’t they
3. do we
4. aren’t I
5. don’t they
6. will you
7. were they
8. isn’t it
9. is there
10. does he
11. wasn’t it
12. will you
13. have you
14. isn’t it
Advanced Question Tags (1)
Have something done Exercise 1
Indirect Questions Exercise 1
Linking words (despite, however, etc) Exercise 1 Exercise 2
Verbs + Prepositions Exercise 1 Exercise 2
Exercises on Idioms
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Complete the idioms with a part of the body
Scroll down for the answers and meanings! 😊👇🏼
😻 Hey there! If you enjoy my vocabulary quizzes I would be SO grateful if you could share them on social media and with other English learners, or tell others to come and visit my website.
Full list of Quick Vocabulary Quizzes
Key Word Transformation (1)
Key Word Transformation (2)
Key Word Transformation (3)
CONVERSATION QUESTIONS for practising speaking and writing
Adjectives ending in -ed and -ing Exercise 1 Exercise 2
Adjectives vs Adverbs Exercise 1
Adjectives + Prepositions Exercise 1, Exercise 2
Adjectives + Prepositions – Exercise 3: In and Out of Love
Articles, Definite and Indefinite Exercise 1
Conditionals, First and Second Exercise 1
Conditionals, Third Exercise 1 Exercise 2
Few, a few, little, a little Exercise 1
ALL grammar exercises
Answers:
1. to be caught with your HAND in the cookie jar (to be caught stealing or doing something else dishonest)
2. to have egg on your FACE (look foolish because of something you did or said)
3. to wait on someone hand and FOOT (to tend to someone’s every need. Often used ironically)
4. to rack your BRAIN (to try very hard to remember something or to come up with an idea)
Which is the odd one out and why?
Scroll down for the answer! 😊👇🏼
😻 Hey there! If you enjoy my vocabulary quizzes I would be SO grateful if you could share them on social media and with other English learners, or tell others to come and visit my website.
Despite my best efforts, I am struggling to get my English content and my website seen these days with all the competition out there. By sharing them other students or teachers can find my free resources.
Moreover, it helps keep me motivated to creating more resources for you! Sharing is caring! 💚🐝
Full list of Quick Vocabulary Quizzes
Key Word Transformation (1)
Key Word Transformation (2)
Key Word Transformation (3)
QUIZ YOUR ENGLISH! Vocabulary Worksheets (handy for extra homework)
Worksheet 1
Worksheet 2
Worksheet 3
Worksheet 4
Worksheet 5
Answer: gallop (the fastest pace of a horse). The others are associated with babies.
What is the missing word? The same word fits all 3 gaps. Scroll down for the answer 😊👇🏼
🐝💚 If you enjoy my vocabulary quizzes I would be so grateful if you could share them on social media and with other English learners.
Despite my efforts, I am struggling to get my English content and my website seen these days with all the competition out there. By sharing them other students or teachers can find my free resources.
Moreover, it helps keep me motivated to creating more resources for you! Sharing is caring! 💚🐝
Full list of Quick Vocabulary Quizzes
Key Word Transformation (1)
Key Word Transformation (2)
Key Word Transformation (3)
QUIZ YOUR ENGLISH! Vocabulary Worksheets (handy for extra homework)
Worksheet 1
Worksheet 2
Worksheet 3
Worksheet 4
Worksheet 5
Answer: RAN
GENTLE GIRAFFES
A) FUN FACTS
Fill the gaps with the following words:
brain calves grasp lethal pattern predators resemblance saliva spread swallow trait twigs
Each giraffe has a unique a) ____________ of spots just like humans have distinct fingerprints.
The second part of their scientific name ‘giraffa camelopardalis’ originated from their
b) ____________ to a camel crossed with a leopard.
Just the neck of a giraffe is taller than most humans at about 2m. In order for the blood to be pumped all the way up to the c) ____________ , the giraffe has very high blood pressure, double that of humans.
Giraffes can comfortably walk at 15km/h and when they run they can reach speeds of up to 55km/h.
Giraffes have a rather curious way of walking: both legs on one side of the body move forward together and then the legs on the other side. This is a d) ____________ shared by cats and camels.
Since they are such large animals giraffes need a lot of fuel so they spend most of the day eating. They eat around 30kg of food a day – acacia leaves, e) ____________, fruits and flowers.
Like cows they are ruminants – their stomach has four compartments. They chew their food, f) ____________ it and then they regurgitate it (= bring the food back up into the mouth) to chew it again.
Giraffes produce a sticky g) ____________ which helps protect them from any thorns they might swallow when eating.
Despite their size, giraffes only need to drink water every few days which is fortunate as drinking from a watering hole is quite tricky because they have to h) ____________ out their front legs so that they can reach down to the water. Giraffes are also able to get water from the vegetation they eat.
Not only do giraffes have extremely long necks and legs but they also have a seriously long tongue – around 50cm. Their tongue is prehensile which means it is able to dexterously i) ____________ leaves and buds and pull them off.
Giraffes get by on very little sleep, just a couple of hours a day. They tend to sleep standing up as lying down makes them very vulnerable to j) ____________. They take short naps, sometimes lasting only 5 minutes!
Giraffes have a gestation period of about 15 months and they give birth standing up. The k) ____________ are already around 1.8m tall and are able to stand within an hour of being born!
Not known for being aggressive creatures they can defend themselves, however, with an extremely powerful kick which can be l) ____________.
B) Idioms with NECK
Underline the correct word to complete the expression.
Answers
A) a) pattern b) resemblance c) brain d) trait e) twigs f) swallow g) saliva h) spread i) grasp j) predators k) calves l) lethal
B) 1) up to my neck (with a huge amount) 2) a crick in my neck (a stiff or painful neck) 3) break my neck (=hurt myself badly) 4) in your neck of the woods (in your area, where you live/work) 5) a pain in the neck (= really annoying)
Nature Vocabulary and Idioms Worksheets
Beautiful Bees
Fascinating Sharks
Splendid Sloths
Speaking Skills: Conversation Questions
What is the missing word? The same word fits all 3 gaps. Scroll down for the answer 😊👇🏼
🐝💚 If you enjoy my vocabulary quizzes I would be so grateful if you could share them on social media and with other English learners.
Despite my efforts, I am struggling to get my English content and my website seen these days with all the competition out there. By sharing them other students or teachers can find my free resources.
Moreover, it helps keep me motivated to creating more resources for you! Sharing is caring! 💚🐝
Key Word Transformation (1)
Key Word Transformation (2)
Key Word Transformation (3)
QUIZ YOUR ENGLISH! Vocabulary Worksheets (handy for extra homework)
Worksheet 1
Worksheet 2
Worksheet 3
Worksheet 4
Worksheet 5
Answer: BET
Bees are fascinating creatures and hugely important pollinators. Next time you nibble on an almond or bite into an apple, you might want to say a quiet thank you to these industrious little marvels of nature. Bees are one of nature’s finest examples of teamwork.
Photo by Dustin Humes at Unsplash
A) FUN FACTS ABOUT BEES
Fill the gaps with the following words:
estimated, key, fans, species, gathering, mate, teaspoon, raccoons, duties, intruders, lay
There are around 20,000 a) ____________ of bee in the world but only eight are honey bees.
The queen bee’s sole job is to b) ____________ and c) ____________ eggs. She can produce as many as 1,500 to 2,000 eggs a day.
The worker bees are female and make up most of the colony. They have many d) ____________, such as keeping the hive clean, feeding the young and the queen, e) ____________ pollen and nectar from flowering plants, and they help to make honey.
Worker bees have another duty: to guard the hive or colony from f) ____________ like wasps, bears or g) ____________. They position themselves at the entrance, a bit like bouncers!
The drones are the male bees – their life is a little more leisurely – they have one h) ____________ role and that is to breed with a queen.
Only the female bees, the workers and the queen, are armed with a stinger.
When the hive gets too hot, the worker bees bring water and they’ll use their wings as i) ____________ to cool things down.
Once a bee has finished foraging (=collecting food) it takes a direct route back to the colony, hence the expression ‘to make a beeline’.
In her lifetime a honey bee will only make about a twelfth of a j) ____________ of honey.
It’s k) ____________ that just to make half a kilo of honey, bees have to visit around two million flowers, totalling about 90,000 air miles!
Now, go look online and find another interesting piece of trivia about bees and share it with your fellow students or a friend or study buddy (or you can tell me on my EnglishSmarts Twitter).
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
B) BEE IDIOMS
Oh no! These idioms have got mixed up! Can you BEE a dear 😜, and put the words in italics in the right place?
1. As soon as we asked for volunteers to help clean up after the party, everyone made a buzz for the door.
2. Alice has a bee in her beeline about cars driving too fast down her street. She keeps phoning the council about it but she says they haven’t done a thing about it.
3. That guy at the bar was really annoying me. I told him to beeswax off.
4. “Sam says you kissed someone at the party. Who was it? Come on, tell me!” – “No, it’s none of your bonnet.”
If you still need convincing that bees are amazing and intelligent creatures, check out this cool video where bees perfect their ball skills and then teach other bees how to do it! Bees are the bee’s knees, LOL!
ANSWERS
A)
a) species
b) mate
c) lay
d) duties
e) gathering
f) intruders
g) raccoons
h) key
i) fans
j) teaspoon
k) estimated
B)
1. As soon as we asked for volunteers to help clean up after the party, everyone made a beeline (=went directly) for the door.
2. Alice has a bee in her bonnet (= she’s obsessed) about cars driving too fast down her street. She keeps phoning the council about it but she says they haven’t done a thing about it.
3. That guy at the bar was really annoying me. I told him to buzz off (= go away (impolite))
4. “Sam says you kissed someone at the party. Who was it? Come on, tell me!” – “No, it’s none of your beeswax.” (= it’s none of your business, it’s not your concern (impolite))
Photo by Andy Holmes at Unsplash.com
I love Idioms (1) – Body Parts
I love Idioms (2) – Animals
Idioms with Make (1)
Idioms with Make (2)
Idioms with Keep
Scroll down for the answer! 👇🏼
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Key Word Transformation (1)
Key Word Transformation (2)
Key Word Transformation (3)
QUIZ YOUR ENGLISH! Vocabulary Worksheets (handy for extra homework)
Worksheet 1
Worksheet 2
Worksheet 3
Worksheet 4
Worksheet 5
Answer: SEA OTTER. All the other animals have spines. 🦔
Add a suitable phrasal verb in the correct form.
blow out, carry out, let out, pass out, run out, throw out, try out, turn out
1. It was so hot in the office that I thought I was going to ______ _____.
2. Do you want to come with me and _____ _____ that new Zumba class?
3. If you aren’t going to wear these clothes any more you should _____ them _____. I can take them to the charity shop for you.
4. There are no more chocolate biscuits; we’ve _____ ______.
5. The dogs want to go out into the garden. Shall I _____ them _____?
6. The museum was closed for a few days while they ________ _______ repairs on the roof.
7. I had dreaded going to the party but it _____ ______ to be a lot of fun.
8. Everyone clapped and cheered as the birthday girl _______ _______ the candles on her birthday cake.
Scroll down for the answers 😎
.
.
.
.
.
.
Answers
1. pass out
2. try out
3. throw out
4. run out
5. let out
6. carried out
7. turned out
8. blew out
QUIZ YOUR ENGLISH! – VOCABULARY WORKSHEETS
What’s the missing word? It’s 5 letters. Scroll down for the answer! 👇🏼
Key Word Transformation (1)
Key Word Transformation (2)
QUIZ YOUR ENGLISH! Vocabulary Worksheets (handy for extra homework)
Worksheet 1
Worksheet 2
Worksheet 3
Worksheet 4
Worksheet 5
Grow your English 🌹 with lots more FREE VOCABULARY exercises!
Answer: DREAM
What dream would you love to see come true this year?
Ignore the number of dotted lines, it’s supposed to be a solid, uninterrupted line 😣 Here’s the answer 😊
QUIZ YOUR ENGLISH! Vocabulary Worksheets (handy for extra homework)
Worksheet 1
Worksheet 2
Worksheet 3
Worksheet 4
Grow your English 🌹 with lots more FREE VOCABULARY exercises!
Write your answer in the comments below!
Check your answers
Grow your English with lots more FREE VOCABULARY exercises! 🌻
A. General Vocabulary
Fill in the gaps. All the words begin with the letters MA– and an extra letter has also been given.
1. Jack lives in Los Angeles ma_ _ _ y. (= mostly)
2. Cats and humans are ma_ _ _ l _, whereas snakes and crocodiles are reptiles.
3. Wearing a seatbelt is ma_ d _ _ _ _ _. It’s the law.
4. Thank you so much for all your help. I don’t know how I would have ma_ _ g _ _ without you.
5. It’s ma_ _ _ l _ _ _ _ what technology can do these days. (=amazing)
B. Idioms: Parts of the body
Choose the correct word to complete the idiom.
1. When you do an online class, make sure you have everything you need at _____ (= nearby) so you don’t have to get up. (chest, finger, hand)
2. I’m sorry I bit your _____ off earlier. I was a bit stressed about my job interview. (hand, head, heart)
3. Julian decided to set up his own business because he was tired of working his _____ to the bone for someone else for so little pay. (fingers, shoulders, teeth)
4. We caught the train by the _____ of our teeth. If we’d arrived a minute later we would have missed it. (hair, gum, skin)
C. Practical English
Choose the right response.
1. “I can’t make the party on Friday night. I have to work the whole weekend.” – “__________”
a) Oh, poor you!
b) Oh, what pity!
2. “Somebody’s just rung the doorbell. Can you answer it?” – “__________”
a) Yes, I go.
b) Yes, I’ll go.
3. “There you go. I’ve fixed your computer.” – “__________”
a) “Thanks so much! I owe you one.
b) Thanks a thousand! You’re the best.”
Answers
A. 1. mainly 2. mammals 3. mandatory 4. managed 5 marvellous
B. 1. hand 2. head 3. fingers 4. skin
C. 1. a) 2. b) 3 a)
A. General Vocabulary
Fill in the gaps. All the words begin with the letters AN– and an extra letter has also been given.
1. Amy and Leonard are celebrating their 50th wedding an_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ y this Saturday.
2. Cinzia isn’t an_ t _ _ _ _ like her sister. She is far more outgoing.
3. John isn’t playing basketball at the moment as he has sprained his an_ l _.
4. The money was donated by someone who wishes to remain an_ n _ _ _ _ s.
5. Deer, moose and caribou have an_ l _ _ _ .
B. Idioms
Choose the correct verb to complete the idioms.
1. “I’m not usually one to _____ my own trumpet but I think I’m a pretty good cook,” said Julia. (blow, push, turn)
2. You’re a bit tense about the meeting tomorrow. Why don’t you go for a run and _____ off some steam? (break, go, let)
3. The children are _____ under my feet. Do you mind taking them to the park so that I can get on with making lunch? (getting, going, running)
4. We _____ the house upside down trying to find Ben’s football shoes but we couldn’t find them anywhere. (lifted, ran, turned)
C. Practical English
Choose the correct response.
1. “Shall I carry that for you?” – “No, don’t worry. _______________”
a) I can do. b) I can manage.
2. “Can you lend me your pen?” – “_______________.”
a) Yes, here you are. b) Yes, here you have it.
3. “Do you know how to do this?” – “_______________.”
a) Sorry, I have no idea. b) Sorry, I don’t have idea.
Answers
A. 1. anniversary 2. anything 3. ankle 4. anonymous 5. antlers.
B. 1. blow 2. let 3. getting 4. turned
C. 1. b) 2. a) 3. a)
Quiz Your English! (2) 😻 New! 😻
It’s time to put your animal expertise to the test, my dear English students! The answers are at the bottom of the page.
1. The fastest creature in the animal kingdom is a bird, the ________.
(a) common swift
(b) frigate bird
(c) great horned owl
(d) peregrine falcon
2. A baby kangaroo is known as a ________.
(a) jill
(b) jim
(c) joey
(d) jonny
3. Which snake isn’t native to the British Isles?
(a) adder
(b) grass
(c) rattlesnake
(d) smooth
4. Which mythical creature is Scotland’s national animal?
(a) unicorn
(b) griffin
(c) phoenix
(d) dragon
5. Which of the big cats can’t roar?
(a) jaguar
(b) cheetah
(c) leopard
(d) tiger
6. Which of these isn’t a species of shark?
(a) bottlenose
(b) cookiecutter
(c) goblin
(d) leopard
7. Which of these animals spends most of its life in a tree?
(a) otter
(b) walrus
(c) sloth
(d) meerkat
8. Which of these won’t you find in a honey bee colony?
a) a slacker
b) a worker
(c) a queen
(d) a drone
Answers
1. (d) peregrine falcon (they can dive at over 320km/h!)
2. (c) joey (click here for 5 Amazing Kangaroo Joey Facts)
3. (c) rattlesnake (native to the Americas)
4. (a) unicorn (click here for 10 Magical Facts about Unicorns)
5. (b) cheetah (it can purr though!)
6. (a) bottlenose (it’s a dolphin species)
7. (c) sloth (they are much safer up in the trees!)
8. (a) slacker (a slacker is an informal word for a person who is lazy and doesn’t do all the work they should)
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English Speaking Skills: Conversation Questions
Add a suitable phrasal verb in the correct form. There is one extra verb.
come across come down with come off come over come to
come up come up with
1. We need to __________ a cheaper solution to the problem.
2. Last night some friends __________ to our place and we had pizza and watched a movie.
3. I was shocked when I saw that our hotel bill had __________ almost five hundred pounds.
4. I’m going to have to cancel our meeting. I’m afraid something urgent has __________.
5. The four of us were planning a trip to Australia but in the end it didn’t __________ .
6. As I was looking through an old diary of mine, I __________ some of photos of my grandmother that I’d completely forgotten about.
Answers
1. come up with
2. came over
3. come to
4. come up
5. come off
6. came across
NATURE VOCABULARY WORKSHEET PRINTABLES
Improve your English vocabulary and reading skills while learning about nature!
These printable PDF worksheets can be used for self-study or in the ESL/EFL classroom.
Each worksheet contains a fun facts gap fill and an idioms exercise.
It can really help you improve your pronunciation if you know the phonetic symbols and the sounds they represent. You don’t need to worry about learning to write them just to recognise them.
If you do some of my Quick Pronunciation Exercises, you’ll pick them up in no time, plus you’ll see that you gain a better awareness about how words are pronounced. This will not only improve your pronunciation but your listening skills too. If you don’t know how a particular word is pronounced then it is very likely then that when you hear it, you don’t recognise it.
Remember too that it’s not just about the sounds that make up the word but also which syllable is stressed. The stress is on the syllable after the apostrophe (‘).
Can you ‘decipher’ these 10 words related to Work?
Check out the main Quick Pronunciation Exercises page with the full list of exercises and links to very useful pronunciation videos.
Answers
1. career
2. salary
3. personnel
4. vacancy
5. qualifications
6. course
7. promotion
8. employer
Full List of Grammar Exercises on Recipes for English
Test your Idioms
Test your Vocabulary
Test Your Phrasal Verbs
Put the sentences into the third conditional. Scroll down to the bottom for the answers.
eg. If I had known it was her birthday, I would have bought her something.
Exercise 1
1. If you _______________ (not / bring) your phone to class, the teacher _______________ (not / confiscate) it.
2. If Jake _______________ (invite) me to his birthday party, I _______________ (invite) him to mine.
3. I _______________ (not / be) late for the meeting if I _______________ (not / spill) coffee all over my laptop.
4. If you _______________ (not / remind) me about the parents’ meeting I’m sure I _______________ (forget).
5. You _______________ (catch) the bus if you _______________ (run) a little faster.
6. If we _______________ (have) more time in San Francisco, we _______________ (do) some sightseeing.
7. If Valentina _______________ (study) a bit for her history exam, she _______________ (get) a higher mark.
8. I _______________ something to eat (have), if I _______________ (be) hungry.
Exercise 2
1. If you _______________ (smile) for the photo, you _______________ (look) much nicer.
2. I _______________ (not / notice) my dress was torn if you _______________ (not / tell) me.
3. If Elsa _______________ (not / send) me a text message, I _______________ (not / know) the meeting had been called off.
4. I _______________ (be) thrilled if I _______________ (win) the bet. I _______________ (buy) a new games console with the money.
5. Don’t be mad! I swear I _______________ (call) you if my battery _______________ (not / run out).
6. If you _______________ (keep) your voice down, the teacher _______________ (not / hear) you.
7. What _______________ (you / do) if it _______________ (rain)? _______________ (you / cancel) the barbecue?
More grammar exercises
Conditionals, First and Second Exercise 1
Conditionals, Third Exercise 1 Exercise 2
Few, a few, little, a little Exercise 1
For, since, ago Exercise 1
Future Continuous Exercise 1
Full List of Grammar Exercises
Answers
Exercise 1
Exercise 2
Complete the sentences with these prepositions:
for, in, of, on, to, with
Answers
1. on
2. of
3. for
4. of
5. in
6. to
7. to
8. of
9. on; of
10. with
11. for
12. of
13. to
14. with
15. for
VOCABULARY WORKSHEETS
Quiz Your English! (1)
Quiz Your English! (2)
Quiz Your English! (3)
Quiz Your English! (4)
There are lots more resources here for studying and teaching English as a foreign language so why don’t you take a look around! Click on the Menu at the top of the screen.
Approximate level: A2, B1 English learners
Complete the sentences with a question tag.
Answers
1. isn’t it
2. haven’t you
3. did he
4. isn’t it
5. won’t she
6. weren’t they
7. does he
8. hasn’t he
9. does she
10. can’t we
11. don’t we
12. aren’t they
13. could she
14. isn’t it
15. were we
16. has she
17. didn’t he
18. can we
19. isn’t it
20. won’t you
21. am I
Full list of English grammar exercises
Choose the correct alternative in brackets.
1. “I just can’t get the lid of this jar. It seems to be stuck.” – “Here, let me take a _____ at it.” (stab, stand, steal)
2. “Do you want to join us for a coffee?” – “Sorry, I’ll have to take a _____ check. Maybe tomorrow?” (moon, rain, sun)
3. I think Enrique has taken a _____ to Megan. He can’t take his eyes off her. (fancy, heart, like)
4. “Come to the cinema with us. It’ll take your _____ off your problems for a while.” (brain, head, mind)
5. Richard exaggerates quite a bit so I’d take what he says with a _____ of salt, if I were you. (pinch, spoon, taste)
6. In the end Michael decided to take the _____ and move to Australia. (biscuit, plunge, sky)
7. Are you peckish? There’s chocolate cake, doughnuts, banana nut muffins… Take your _____. (choosing, election, pick)
Answers
1. stab
2. rain
3. fancy
4. mind
5. pinch
6. plunge
7. pick
Would you like to do some more English Idioms Exercises?
Test your English vocabulary with these one-page PDF worksheets.
They can be used for self-study, for homework, for fast finishers, etc.
Quiz Your English (1)
Quiz Your English (2)
Quiz Your English (3)
Quiz Your English (4)
Test your English grammar (50+ exercises)
Download the PDF version: Verb Patterns – Gerund or Infinitive (1)
Add the gerund or infinitive form (with or without “to”) of the verb in brackets.
Answers
1. to carry 2. babysitting; to get 3. sitting 4. to adopt 5. taking; to walk 6. studying; to pass 7. to touch 8. interrupting 9. to live 10. borrow 11. Eating 12. hiking; relaxing 13. to get 14. paying 15. to come 16. getting ahead
Would you like to practise VERB PATTERNS some more?
Verb Patterns (2): Gerund or Infinitive? (Special cases: Forget / Remember / Stop / Need)
Verb Patterns (3): Gerund or Infinitive?
Verb Patterns (4): Gerund or Infinitive?
Verb Patterns (5): Verb + Object + Infinitive
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Spot the Mistakes, Exercises 1-3 Printable PDF
SPOT THE MISTAKES (1)
Which of these sentences are grammatically incorrect? Correct the mistakes.
1. Catherine doesn’t really like living on her own.
2. I think is true.
3. Gary’s married to a nurse.
4. They found the book boring.
5. She left without say goodbye.
6. I’m not used to drink such strong coffee.
7. Can you tell me where is it?
N E W !!! Conversation Questions: FRIENDS and FAMILY
Answers
More Spot the Mistakes exercises
ENGLISH WRITING SKILLS
Find the Spelling Mistakes (1)
Find the Spelling Mistakes (2)
Find the Spelling Mistakes (3)
NATURE WORKSHEETS (Fun facts and idioms)
Beautiful Bees
Gentle Giraffes
Fascinating Sharks
Splendid Sloths
Precious Pangolins
NEW! Key Word Transformation (First Certificate practice)
Exercise 1
Exercise 2
Exercise 3
QUIZ YOUR ENGLISH – Free Vocabulary Worksheets:
