Australia Network - English Bites - Series 7 - Episode 13: Welcome students

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Episode 13: Welcome students

Transcript

We'll give you some useful spelling tips and explain the expression 'laid back'.

We are right here in the heart of beautiful Melbourne. We are Australia's student capital. We want to welcome our students in the very heart of our city.

Melbourne is proud of 140 ethnic communities. Now, those communities send their children here and then you add to it you know the word of mouth so we are a wonderful and popular.

He said 'those communities send their children here'.

Their children. Because the children belong to the communities he uses the possessive adjective their, which is spelled t-h-e-i-r.

Now listen for another "they're"

I mean , It's very easy to make friend here. They're so kind, they're so, It's so great to be in Australia.

He speaks quickly. He said I mean , It's very easy to make friend here. They're so kind, they're so, It's so great to be in Australia. Listen again:

I mean , It's very easy to make friend here. They're so kind, they're so, It's so great to be in Australia.

They're so kind - here they're is short for they are - they are so kind, so it's spelled t-h-e-y-'-r-e.

They are kind. They're kind. If there is not used as a contraction like this or as a possessive adjective like 'their children', it is spelled t-h-e-r-e - it's over there.

How would you spell 'your' in the next clip?

People are very helpful. You're here, you're one of us so we're gunna help you out.

You spell it y-o-u-'-r-e. It's short for you are. He said You're here, you're one of us.

But if you use 'your' as a possessive adjective - your children - it's spelled y-o-u-r.

So how would you spell your in the next clip?

I want to get your accent, like Australian accent is really cool, I want it.

Your accent. The accent belonging to Australians, so it's spelled y-o-u-r.

Now listen for the expression 'laid back'

I think Melbourne's a great place , like it's quite similar to Singapore, the city and it's just a bit laid back.

We'll let her explain what laid back means:

And it's just a bit laid back, which is nice and relaxed.

Laid back means relaxed and casual.

So we've seen that there are 2 ways of spelling your - the possessive adjective form your city and the contraction of you are - you're a student. The 3 ways of spelling there are the possessive adjective their - their car, the contraction they're - they are studying, they're studying, and t-h-e-r-e for all other forms - there are 3 spellings.

We'll finish with the views of a passionate Melbourne councillor:

Don't be afraid. It's a very warm and welcoming city. It is everybody's home. It's the best city in the world to study.

English Bites is an informative and entertaining way to improve your knowledge of the English language.

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