Are you an April Fool?
Are you an April Fool?
In this week's Premier Skills English podcast, Rich and Jack talk about the latest news from the Premier League and have some surprising news for next season. The language focus this week is on the difference between adjectives that end in -ed (excited) and adjectives which end in -ing (exciting). Jack and Rich also talk about April 1st which is a day, in the UK, when strange things often happen! We also have a new football phrase for you to guess. Enjoy!
Vocabulary
How much did you understand?
In the podcast, Rich and Jack used some words and phrases that might be new for you. You can see two examples here:
Can you imagine thousands of Spurs fans sitting in the Arsenal stands?
Teams will be able to choose between the traditional right-footed football and the new left-footed football.
There were a few more tricky words in the podcast. Can you remember all of them? Try the activity below, then, listen to the podcast again to hear how we used the words in context. This can really help with understanding.
Activity 1
Language
Adjectives
In this week's podcast, Rich and Jack used lots of adjectives. Many of the adjectives they used can be used with an -ing or -ed ending. Take a look at this sentence from the podcast:
It's a very surprising decision. I am absolutely stunned!
There are many adjectives that can finish with both -ed and -ing. Here are some of the more common ones. Do you know all of them?
| amusing | amused |
| annoyed | annoying |
| bored | boring |
| confused | confusing |
| disappointed | disappointing |
| excited | exciting |
| frightened | frightening |
| interested | interesting |
| shocked | shocking |
| stunned | stunning |
| surprised | surprising |
| tired | tiring |
Language
When do we use -ing and when do we use -ed?
You can see from the table above that there are many adjectives which can end with -ed and -ing adjectives. But, when do we use -ed and when do we use -ing? Look at this example from the podcast:
The film was so boring! The characters were boring. The action was boring and the story was boring. I was so bored!
You can see that the first four examples use an -ing adjective but the final example uses an -ed adjective. We use -ing adjectives to describe something that causes an emotion and we use -ed adjectives to describe the emotion we feel. So, the film, the characters, the action and the story were the boring things that made me feel bored. Let's look at another example:
I wasn't interested in football when I was younger, but my dad took me to a match when I was 9 years old and it was really exciting. The players were amazing!
In the example above there are three more adjectives. The first is 'interested' and describes how I was feeling. We use -ed for this. The second is 'exciting' and describes how the match made me feel excited. We use -ing for this. The final adjective is 'amazing' and this describes the players. I was amazed by the players. We also use -ing for this. In the activity below practise this area by looking at some more examples and choosing the right answer.
Activity 2
Do you know when to use -ing and -ed adjectives? Can you think of some example sentences? Let us know in the comments section below.
Transcript
Rich: Hi Jack. Big news. Did you see it?
Jack: What are you talking about, Rich?
Rich: The Premier League news. Next season the goals are going to be bigger and teams will get bonus points for scoring 3 or more goals in a match.
Jack: Really wow! That’s going to change things. There will be lots more goals.
Rich: The matches will be like basketball. It will finish like Liverpool 88-72 Everton.
Jack: Not sure the goalkeepers will be very happy. I’m going to find out more about this...right, let’s get on with this week’s podcast.
Welcome
Rich: Hello my name’s Rich
Jack: and I’m Jack
Rich: and welcome to this week’s Premier Skills English podcast
Jack: Where we talk about football and help you with your English.
Jack: What’s happening this week, Rich?
Rich: In this week’s show, we’re going to talk about the latest in the Premier League and this week’s language focus is looking at different types of adjective. (participle adjectives sounds naff).
Jack: But first, let’s look at the Premier League headlines.
Headlines
.
Rich: Premier League plan sunroofs at all stadiums.
Jack: All Premier League stadiums will have sunroofs installed next season. Players and fans have complained that they often have problems with the sun getting in their eyes. When the sun is out, the roofs will close in less than 30 seconds and leave players and fans in the dark. All Premier League sunroofs will be installed by April 1st 2017.
Rich: New left footed football in production.
Jack: From next April, Premier League teams will be able to choose from the traditional right-footed football and the new left-footed version. The home team will be able to choose which ball to use and it will definitely help those teams with lots of left-footed players in their squad.
Rich: Spurs to share stadiums with Arsenal.
Jack: Next season Tottenham's stadium will be redeveloped and for one season only the two North London rivals will share Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium. The only change to the Emirates will be a giant cockerel that will be installed at the main entrance.
Rich: Wow! What do you think to that, Jack? Tottenham playing home matches at Arsenal’s stadium.
Jack: I can’t believe it. It’s very surprising. I’m absolutely stunned.
Rich: The cockerel is, if you didn’t know, the bird that you can see on Tottenham’s badge.
Jack: To be honest, Rich, I don’t think the cockerel will last five minutes.
Topic Focus
Rich: Do you think anybody noticed?
Jack: Not sure.
Rich: Shall we tell everybody?
Jack: Yes, I think we’d better say something.
Rich: OK, well, our headlines this week were not exactly true.
Jack: Not exactly, true. They aren’t true at all! They are jokes or maybe a better description is a hoax.
Rich: A hoax is when you say or do something to make other people believe that is true.
Jack: That’s not very nice really, is it?
Rich: Not normally, no. But on one special day every year everybody tries to play jokes on each other. Friends, families, newspapers, football clubs
Jack: And that day is April 1st and in the UK it’s called April Fools’ Day.
Rich: A fool is a person who is not very clever or acts in a silly way and if you fall for an April Fools’ trick or joke, someone will say ahhhhhh ‘April Fools’!’
Jack: Our headlines this week were all April Fools’ jokes or hoaxes that Premier League clubs have played in the past.
Rich: So, there aren’t going to be sunroofs at Premier League stadiums?
Jack: Nope
Rich: There‘s no such thing as a left-footed football?
Jack: No, don’t be silly!
Rich: And Tottenham aren’t going to share stadiums with Arsenal?
Jack: No, they’re not. I’m quite happy about that!
Rich: I’m actually a little disappointed. It would have been amazing to see your face when you saw thousands of Spurs fans sitting in the Arsenal stands.
Jack: I’m sure you would have had a good laugh. Well, the last laugh might be on you because Everton are moving stadiums soon, aren’t they? They might move into Anfield for a bit!
Rich: I think we’ll finish the conversation there.
Language Focus
Jack: In the last section Rich said that he was disappointed about Spurs not moving to Arsenal’s stadium. And, I said, that I wasn’t just surprised I said that I was stunned.
Rich: Disappointed, surprised and stunned. Disappointed means to be sad because something didn’t happen like you wanted it to happen. You might say that you are disappointed with the score or the result of a match. Surprised describes how you feel when you didn’t expect something to happen and stunned is like surprised but it’s stronger. I was stunned when Leicester won the Premier League last season.
Jack: That’s right but there’s something else, too. There’s something that these three adjectives have in common. There’s something similar about all three of them.
Rich: Yes, of course, all these adjectives end in -ed. Disappointed, surprised and stunned.
Jack: Yes, and what’s interesting about these three adjectives is that they can also end in -ing.
Rich: Yes, for example, I could say that I am stunning and surprising.
Jack: but in the end a bit disappointing.
Rich: Yeah, yeah. Very amusing. Let’s go back to the adjectives when they end with -ed. Disappointed, surprised and stunned.
Jack; We use adjectives which end in -ed to describe people’s emotions. Rich was disappointed that Spurs weren’t moving to Arsenal and I was stunned by Tottenham’s surprising decision to move stadiums when I thought it was true.
Rich: But when we use these adjectives when they end in -ing they describe something that causes the emotion. So, it was disappointing that it was an April Fools’ joke and not really going to happen.
Jack: And there are lots of adjectives like this. A film could be amazing, boring, interesting, amusing, confusing, exciting, frightening and more.
Rich: When you watch a frightening film, you feel frightened. If you watch a boring match, you feel bored. The -ing adjective describes something that causes the -ed adjective.
Jack: But, you can describe people using -ing adjectives, too. Rich said earlier that he was stunning and surprising. This means that he makes people stunned and surprised. Rich - sometimes you can be surprising but I’m not sure about stunning! I think you might have been using another meaning of stunning, there!
Rich: OK, I’ll stay with surprising. Anyway, we’ve got a few activities and some more information on the podcast page under this podcast.
Can you work out this week’s football phrase?
Rich: Have you got a football phrase for us this week?
Jack: Jack: Yes, I have, but first, last week’s football phrase. The phrase was ‘to get through’ and in a football context it means to progress to the next round of a competition. For example, Leicester have got through to the quarter-finals of the Champions LEague for the first time.
Rich: Well done to Liubomyr and Numrut from Ukraine, Kwesimanifest from Ghana, Ahmed Adam Mamado from Sudan, Mon from Egypt, and Shobonenok from Russia. All of you got the right answer! What’s this week’s phrase, Jack?
Jack: This week’s football phrase is a **** ****. When a team takes the field, each team has a formation, sometimes a team plays with two strikers and five in midfield and three at the back. Or maybe they just play one striker up front. This week’s football phrase describes the defence. When a team uses four defenders we often call them the **** ****. The **** **** usually has two centre backs and two full backs.
Rich: A difficult phrase. This system is very common in England but Chelsea don’t play with a **** ****, they play with three at the back.
Jack: And it’s working for them, too. Chelsea could go 13 points clear at the top of the table this weekend!
Rich: Oh, by the way, Jack, April Fools’ - the Premier League are not changing the size of the goals and there will be no bonus points next season.
Jack: No, basketball style scores in the Premier League. I didn’t believe you for one minute! Right, that’s all we have time for this week.
Rich: Don’t forget to write your answers to our questions and make a guess at our football phrase in the comments below.
Jack: Bye for now and enjoy your football!
Quiz
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What do you think?
In this week’s podcast, Jack and Rich tried to fool you and then spoke about -ed and -ing adjectives.
-
Did you know about April Fools' Day? Is there a similar day in your country?
-
Have you ever been fooled? Have you ever fooled anyone else? How?
-
Can you tell us about a boring/exciting football moment? Tell us why you were bored or excited!
Remember to write your guess at this week's football phrase and the questions above in the comments section below.
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Comments
23/07/2021
points
What do you think?
1-A day to make people laugh. It's also a tradition in my country.
2-I’ve been fooled so much times-:) I fooled my friends rarely.Giving them news or information which they don’t expect to hear.
3-I’m bored when the game is played in the centre zone of the pitch horizontally. End-up end matches are exciting. More movements more excitement.
Phrase
• I always feel bored when listening a boring speech of a politician which includes lots of future related promises.
P.S.
• Instead of installing sunroof, fans could have been distributed paper made sun protect glasses-:) As it is made before 3D movies.
• A midfielder who participate team's counter-attacks and make contribution to the defence as a center back. It might be economical line-up of squad.
23/07/2021 12:18
Tottenham Hotspur
5555
What do you think?
1-A day to make people laugh. It's also a tradition in my country.
2-I’ve been fooled so much times-:) I fooled my friends rarely.Giving them news or information which they don’t expect to hear.
3-I’m bored when the game is played in the centre zone of the pitch horizontally. End-up end matches are exciting. More movements more excitement.
Phrase
• I always feel bored when listening a boring speech of a politician which includes lots of future related promises.
P.S.
• Instead of installing sunroof, fans could have been distributed paper made sun protect glasses-:) As it is made before 3D movies.
• A midfielder who participate team's counter-attacks and make contribution to the defence as a center back. It might be economical line-up of squad.
17/05/2020
points
I think this week's football phrase is ( full defence )
17/05/2020 12:25
Manchester United
6536
I think this week's football phrase is ( full defence )
17/05/2020
points
An exciting football moment is when your team is winning or your favourite player scores a wonderful goal.
I was excited because my team will win and my player will shine.
A boring football moment when teams play defensively or when the game ends 0-0.
I was bored because I love to see goals and chances.
17/05/2020 12:23
Manchester United
6536
An exciting football moment is when your team is winning or your favourite player scores a wonderful goal.
I was excited because my team will win and my player will shine.
A boring football moment when teams play defensively or when the game ends 0-0.
I was bored because I love to see goals and chances.
17/05/2020
points
Yes I have been fooled by my British friend , Andrew Simes , once when he told us that some retired players are going to play with us this evening and I will choose the first 14 players to write down their names
Then after a couple of hours when about 20 players registered their names , he sent a laughing emoji with a comment of April Fool :))))
I have never fooled anyone honestly because I think it's a bit silly
17/05/2020 12:20
Manchester United
6536
Yes I have been fooled by my British friend , Andrew Simes , once when he told us that some retired players are going to play with us this evening and I will choose the first 14 players to write down their names
Then after a couple of hours when about 20 players registered their names , he sent a laughing emoji with a comment of April Fool :))))
I have never fooled anyone honestly because I think it's a bit silly
17/05/2020
points
April Fool's Day is known here in Turkey and back in Egypt too when I was young and it's exactly the same on April 1st
17/05/2020 12:17
Manchester United
6536
April Fool's Day is known here in Turkey and back in Egypt too when I was young and it's exactly the same on April 1st
10/07/2017
points
Actually in one match i have been bored and excited in the game,that match was Liverpool and Dortmund when Liverpool defeated Dortmund,In the first half i was bored and in the second half i was excited after Liverpool scored the forth goal.
10/07/2017 11:11
Liverpool
3705
Actually in one match i have been bored and excited in the game,that match was Liverpool and Dortmund when Liverpool defeated Dortmund,In the first half i was bored and in the second half i was excited after Liverpool scored the forth goal.
10/07/2017
points
Yes i have been,but i do not like this day.
10/07/2017 11:06
Liverpool
3705
Yes i have been,but i do not like this day.
10/07/2017
points
Yes I know about, there is the same thing in my country.
10/07/2017 11:05
Liverpool
3705
Yes I know about, there is the same thing in my country.
16/04/2017
points
rhank you
16/04/2017 01:53
Chelsea
160
rhank you
11/04/2017
points
Correct-me
It was very nice to learn about April 1st. I've to thought that this data was remebered only in Brazil. But it's a internacional date, and much countries the people make jokes in this day.
I don't know the phrase.
11/04/2017 02:34
Arsenal
663
Correct-me
It was very nice to learn about April 1st. I've to thought that this data was remebered only in Brazil. But it's a internacional date, and much countries the people make jokes in this day.
I don't know the phrase.
04/04/2017
points
Hearing Chelsea's match report on April fool's day got me giving my self a pinch just to be sure its the right results i was hearing. Hahaha
04/04/2017 07:14
Manchester United
4779
Hearing Chelsea's match report on April fool's day got me giving my self a pinch just to be sure its the right results i was hearing. Hahaha
03/04/2017
points
I am really impressed with the new UI of the Premier Skills English page. Navigation is much more easier. It looks more like the FPL. Great work lads.
03/04/2017 15:08
Manchester United
4779
I am really impressed with the new UI of the Premier Skills English page. Navigation is much more easier. It looks more like the FPL. Great work lads.
03/04/2017
points
Cheers, Kwesimanifest! We're glad you like it!
03/04/2017 16:35
Liverpool
594
Cheers, Kwesimanifest! We're glad you like it!
03/04/2017
points
Correct me
I know about April 1. It is very popular day in our country. Everyone try to joke on someone else. It is very amusing day. I like it.
03/04/2017 13:59
Chelsea
241
Correct me
I know about April 1. It is very popular day in our country. Everyone try to joke on someone else. It is very amusing day. I like it.
03/04/2017
points
Hi Emil
I didn't know April Fool's Day took place in Russia. It's much more international than I had previously thought. Have a look at tyour message below. Which word do you think should go in the gaps?
I know about April 1. It is __ very popular day in our country. Everyone tries to play __ joke on someone else. It is __ very amusing day. I like it.
Hope that helps.
Rich - The Premier Skills English Team
03/04/2017 14:37
Liverpool
594
Hi Emil
I didn't know April Fool's Day took place in Russia. It's much more international than I had previously thought. Have a look at tyour message below. Which word do you think should go in the gaps?
I know about April 1. It is __ very popular day in our country. Everyone tries to play __ joke on someone else. It is __ very amusing day. I like it.
Hope that helps.
Rich - The Premier Skills English Team
03/04/2017
points
I remember going to a friend's house when he had just woken up and not brushed his teeth yet on April fool's day, my friend whom i knew liked biscuits with either chocolate or vanilla icing in it got a serving from me, a biscuit which he did not hesitate to munch on. He realized it was lace with a white toothpaste at a time he had a mixture in his mouth. You can imagine that right... ahh!! he said and a gentle response of April fool was my answer
03/04/2017 09:43
Manchester United
4779
I remember going to a friend's house when he had just woken up and not brushed his teeth yet on April fool's day, my friend whom i knew liked biscuits with either chocolate or vanilla icing in it got a serving from me, a biscuit which he did not hesitate to munch on. He realized it was lace with a white toothpaste at a time he had a mixture in his mouth. You can imagine that right... ahh!! he said and a gentle response of April fool was my answer
03/04/2017
points
I hope he saw the funny side!
03/04/2017 09:47
Liverpool
594
I hope he saw the funny side!
03/04/2017
points
April fool day is widely observed in my country. It serves as a day to pull pranks on friends and family even though some might be on the extreme side.
On this day you really want to check on an information given twice or thrice to be very sure you are not being pranked.
03/04/2017 09:39
Manchester United
4779
April fool day is widely observed in my country. It serves as a day to pull pranks on friends and family even though some might be on the extreme side.
On this day you really want to check on an information given twice or thrice to be very sure you are not being pranked.
03/04/2017
points
I like this word 'prank'. It can be used to describe hoaxes or tricks but the meaning is that it's meant as a joke. Of course, 'pranks' can go wrong and you often see the phrase 'a prank that went wrong' when, like you say, some people take the joke bit too far!
03/04/2017 09:46
Liverpool
594
I like this word 'prank'. It can be used to describe hoaxes or tricks but the meaning is that it's meant as a joke. Of course, 'pranks' can go wrong and you often see the phrase 'a prank that went wrong' when, like you say, some people take the joke bit too far!
03/04/2017
points
That's right Rich
03/04/2017 10:04
Manchester United
4779
That's right Rich
03/04/2017
points
This week's phrase is **** ****
03/04/2017 09:37
Manchester United
4779
This week's phrase is **** ****
02/04/2017
points
It seems that my first attempt was unsuccessful so I'll try once again.
This week's phrase is '**** ****'.
02/04/2017 10:11
Liverpool
140
It seems that my first attempt was unsuccessful so I'll try once again.
This week's phrase is '**** ****'.
01/04/2017
points
Football phrase , backward defence.
01/04/2017 20:29
Manchester City
3988
Football phrase , backward defence.
01/04/2017
points
1.French newspapers use to make hoax on April Fool's Day. This time they published the false information about Laurent Blanc driving the national team. I have been disapointed when I understand the joke purpose.
2.In workplaces we used to make jokes on April first. Often we put a drawed fish on someone else back.
3.I am exciting seeing the Foxies winning all their matches with the new manager.
01/04/2017 20:28
Manchester City
3988
1.French newspapers use to make hoax on April Fool's Day. This time they published the false information about Laurent Blanc driving the national team. I have been disapointed when I understand the joke purpose.
2.In workplaces we used to make jokes on April first. Often we put a drawed fish on someone else back.
3.I am exciting seeing the Foxies winning all their matches with the new manager.
01/04/2017
points
correct me
Hello!
I know about April Fools' Day because we have the same day in Ukraine.
Most exciting thing in the recent days was that I correctly predicted winner of the Merseyside Derby :)
I think this week's phrase is a 'flat four'.
01/04/2017 19:17
Liverpool
140
correct me
Hello!
I know about April Fools' Day because we have the same day in Ukraine.
Most exciting thing in the recent days was that I correctly predicted winner of the Merseyside Derby :)
I think this week's phrase is a 'flat four'.
03/04/2017
points
Hi Numrut
There isn't much to correct here but you have to be careful when it's necessary to use an article (the, a , an) or not. I've highlighted the differences below. Can you tell me why you need to use the definitite article in thes places in your answer?
The most exciting thing in
therecent days was that I correctly predicted the winner of the Merseyside Derby :)PS - I saw that you predicted a 2-1 win for Liverpool. It was much easier than that :)
Rich - The Premier Skills English Team
03/04/2017 08:09
Liverpool
594
Hi Numrut
There isn't much to correct here but you have to be careful when it's necessary to use an article (the, a , an) or not. I've highlighted the differences below. Can you tell me why you need to use the definitite article in thes places in your answer?
The most exciting thing in
therecent days was that I correctly predicted the winner of the Merseyside Derby :)PS - I saw that you predicted a 2-1 win for Liverpool. It was much easier than that :)
Rich - The Premier Skills English Team
01/04/2017
points
According to the plans of some football a**. in the near future I wouldn't be surprised at all if all of this were true. Some of them sugest limited number of fouls, suspension of the offsides etc. which is, I have to notice that, really silly. World Cup should be focused on the quality, not the quantity. More than ever I enjoy non league football now. Anyway, I've been fooled few times on the April Fools' Day which is not the case anymore:-)
01/04/2017 15:21
Arsenal
3557
According to the plans of some football a**. in the near future I wouldn't be surprised at all if all of this were true. Some of them sugest limited number of fouls, suspension of the offsides etc. which is, I have to notice that, really silly. World Cup should be focused on the quality, not the quantity. More than ever I enjoy non league football now. Anyway, I've been fooled few times on the April Fools' Day which is not the case anymore:-)
01/04/2017
points
My last attempt to guess the phrase: it's a '**** ****'
01/04/2017 06:09
Watford
4417
My last attempt to guess the phrase: it's a '**** ****'
01/04/2017
points
Third time lucky!
01/04/2017 07:50
Liverpool
594
Third time lucky!
31/03/2017
points
This week's phrase is flat **** **** or diamond back.
31/03/2017 21:22
Arsenal
1449
This week's phrase is flat **** **** or diamond back.
31/03/2017
points
Well done, Emir! You've got the right answer and even expanded on it! Is there a difference between a flat **** **** and a **** ****? Is there a difference in the name of the defence if you play with wing backs or full backs? Does it change to 3-4-3 from 4-4-2? I think in the UK a diamond formation is related to the midfield. Do you mean using a sweeper? I think they might say diamond defense (defence with a 's') in the US but I'm not sure.
Rich - The Premier Skills English Team
31/03/2017 22:10
Liverpool
594
Well done, Emir! You've got the right answer and even expanded on it! Is there a difference between a flat **** **** and a **** ****? Is there a difference in the name of the defence if you play with wing backs or full backs? Does it change to 3-4-3 from 4-4-2? I think in the UK a diamond formation is related to the midfield. Do you mean using a sweeper? I think they might say diamond defense (defence with a 's') in the US but I'm not sure.
Rich - The Premier Skills English Team
31/03/2017
points
i think is **** ****
31/03/2017 20:04
Liverpool
2903
i think is **** ****
31/03/2017
points
Well done Ahmed! You're first with the right answer this week!
31/03/2017 22:01
Liverpool
594
Well done Ahmed! You're first with the right answer this week!
31/03/2017
points
my second attempt: the phrase is a 'flat back'
31/03/2017 19:54
Watford
4417
my second attempt: the phrase is a 'flat back'
31/03/2017
points
Still not quite there, Liubomyr!
31/03/2017 22:00
Liverpool
594
Still not quite there, Liubomyr!
31/03/2017
points
Nearly but not quite, Liubomyr! I think it's the first that you haven't got for quite a long time!
Rich - The Premier Skills English Team
31/03/2017 16:53
Liverpool
594
Nearly but not quite, Liubomyr! I think it's the first that you haven't got for quite a long time!
Rich - The Premier Skills English Team
31/03/2017
points
I think that the phrase is a ‘back line’
31/03/2017 16:33
Watford
4417
I think that the phrase is a ‘back line’