Premier Skills English Podcast 5
Premier Skills English Podcast 5
Arsenal won the 2015 FA Cup after beating Aston Villa 4-0 in the final, so this week Jack and Rich are going to take a look back at the match. They also speak about different types of adjectives and how to use them.
How much did you understand?
Jack: Hello and welcome to our new Premier Skills English podcast.
Rich: Hi everyone! In this week’s podcast we’re going to look back at the FA Cup final and talk about how to use different types of adjectives.
Jack: Did you see the cup final on Saturday, Rich? Arsenal were fantastic!
Rich: Yes, they were very good, Jack.
Jack: Very good? They were more than very good. They were absolutely sensational.
Rich: Absolutely sensational... come on, you’re going to have to explain that. What does that mean?
Jack: Sensational is like fantastic, we use it to describe something that is very, very good or exciting.
Rich: But we can’t say very fantastic or very sensational, can we Jack?
Jack: No, we can’t Rich. Fantastic or sensational are what we call extreme adjectives.
Rich: What are they?
Jack: Well, they are special strong adjectives so the adjective fantastic for example means very, very, very, very good. Can you think of another example to help explain this?
Rich: What about tired? A player is tired at half-time, he’s very tired after full-time but if a match goes to extra-time he’s absolutely exhausted.
Jack: So you can be tired or very tired but exhausted is an extreme adjective so you can’t be very exhausted..
Rich: And tired is a gradable adjective so we use words like very or a little bit to change how strong the adjective tired is. But with extreme adjectives we only use words like absolutely or really.
Jack: That’s right, Rich. So we can say Theo Walcott’s goal was very, very good or Alexis Sanchez’s goal was absolutely stunning.
Rich: They were both good goals, but Sanchez’s was one of the best ever Cup final goals!
Jack: Yes, so I used an extreme adjective to describe that one.
Rich: So instead of saying, Arsenal were very, very, very, very good I can say Arsenal were absolutely sensational.
Jack: Yes, but you can’t say it like that, you need to think about how you say it - you need to think about your pronunciation. You say it like absolutely sensational.
Rich: Maybe I should try a different sentence. I would love it if Liverpool won the Premier League next season it would be absolutely fantastic.
Jack: See, that’s much better.
Rich: Right, this week’s challenge for listeners is to find some extreme adjectives.
Jack: Can you tell us the extreme adjectives for something that is very, funny, very hot and very big.
Rich: Write your answers in the comments section below and see if you can be the first with the right answers.
Jack: Well that’s all for now. Thanks for listening.
Rich: If you’re listening to this on itunes or elsewhere, come back to Premier Skills English for some language activities, a quiz and lots more. You can find us at www.britishcouncil.org/premierskillsenglish
Jack: Don’t forget if you sign in, you can score points to see if you can get your club, your country and your name to the top of our leaderboard.
Rich: Bye for now and enjoy your football.
Quiz
Please login to take this quiz.
What do you think?
Did you watch the Cup final? What adjectives can you use to describe the match, the teams or the players?
Do you know the extreme adjectives that you can use instead of:
-
very, very big
-
very, very funny
-
very, very hot
Let us know your answers in the comments section below.
Leave a comment
Log in to leave a comment
Comments
24/12/2020
points
I didn't watch the match, but of course, I am happy with the result. Arsenal is my favorite team in the Premier league
very, very big = huge
very, very funny = hilarious
very, very hot = boiling
24/12/2020 01:57
Arsenal
124
I didn't watch the match, but of course, I am happy with the result. Arsenal is my favorite team in the Premier league
very, very big = huge
very, very funny = hilarious
very, very hot = boiling
24/12/2020
points
Huge
Hilarious
Boiling
24/12/2020 01:50
Arsenal
124
Huge
Hilarious
Boiling
20/09/2020
points
massive
comical
red-hot
20/09/2020 23:11
Liverpool
6577
massive
comical
red-hot
02/05/2020
points
Regarding very , very big we can say
Huge or enormous or gigantic
very , very funny
Sarcastic or hilarious
very , very hot
boiling or summery or tropical
02/05/2020 00:40
Manchester United
6539
Regarding very , very big we can say
Huge or enormous or gigantic
very , very funny
Sarcastic or hilarious
very , very hot
boiling or summery or tropical
29/03/2020
points
very big:huge
very funny:hilarious
very hot:piping hot
29/03/2020 12:55
Chelsea
37
very big:huge
very funny:hilarious
very hot:piping hot
28/06/2019
points
Hi guys,
sorry I didn't so this match. Maybe the upcoming one.
I think about theses similar word for :
very, very big : enormous
very, very funny : uproarious
very, very hot : torrid
Is it correct ?
Cheers
28/06/2019 05:34
Chelsea
24
Hi guys,
sorry I didn't so this match. Maybe the upcoming one.
I think about theses similar word for :
very, very big : enormous
very, very funny : uproarious
very, very hot : torrid
Is it correct ?
Cheers
28/06/2019
points
Hi Emerick,
Thanks for your comment. Maybe you want to listen to our most recent podcast. You can find them all here: https://premierskillsenglish.britishcouncil.org/skills/listen/podcasts
The vocabulary: enormous is correct but 'scorching or boiling' is better for very hot and 'hilarious' for very funny.
It's scorching in France at the moment, isn't it?
Hope that helps!
Rich - The Premier Skills English Team
28/06/2019 08:51
Liverpool
594
Hi Emerick,
Thanks for your comment. Maybe you want to listen to our most recent podcast. You can find them all here: https://premierskillsenglish.britishcouncil.org/skills/listen/podcasts
The vocabulary: enormous is correct but 'scorching or boiling' is better for very hot and 'hilarious' for very funny.
It's scorching in France at the moment, isn't it?
Hope that helps!
Rich - The Premier Skills English Team
27/02/2019
points
Did you watch the Cup final? Yes, I did. The match was really fantastic, the teams played a very good game and the players were absolutely brilliant.
Huge/ Hilarious / Boiling
27/02/2019 16:56
Arsenal
112
Did you watch the Cup final? Yes, I did. The match was really fantastic, the teams played a very good game and the players were absolutely brilliant.
Huge/ Hilarious / Boiling
09/03/2017
points
very, very big - huge, giant, gigantic, enormous
very, very funny - hilarious
very, very hot - boiling
09/03/2017 17:57
Arsenal
386
very, very big - huge, giant, gigantic, enormous
very, very funny - hilarious
very, very hot - boiling
19/11/2016
points
I think Alexis Sanchez is an awesome player, Arsenal made a great work when they decided to select him!!
19/11/2016 23:07
Liverpool
72
I think Alexis Sanchez is an awesome player, Arsenal made a great work when they decided to select him!!
29/06/2016
points
the hotest
29/06/2016 15:28
Manchester City
1734
the hotest
29/06/2016
points
the bigest
29/06/2016 15:27
Manchester City
1734
the bigest
11/06/2016
points
Very, very big------hugely
Very,very funny-------hilariously
Very, very hot-------- high temperature
11/06/2016 07:53
Manchester United
4779
Very, very big------hugely
Very,very funny-------hilariously
Very, very hot-------- high temperature
11/06/2016
points
The arsenal team looked committed
11/06/2016 06:41
Manchester United
4779
The arsenal team looked committed
11/06/2016
points
The arsenal team looked committed
11/06/2016 06:32
Manchester United
4779
The arsenal team looked committed
11/06/2016
points
Very, very big------hugely
Very,very funny-------hilariously
Very, very hot-------- high temperature
11/06/2016 06:30
Manchester United
4779
Very, very big------hugely
Very,very funny-------hilariously
Very, very hot-------- high temperature
11/06/2016
points
I did
11/06/2016 06:06
Manchester United
4779
I did
04/04/2016
points
I did not watch a lot of it.
04/04/2016 20:46
Liverpool
3705
I did not watch a lot of it.
08/03/2016
points
instead of very big,huge
instead of,very funny,side splitting
instead of very hot,boiling
08/03/2016 07:40
Leicester City
1761
instead of very big,huge
instead of,very funny,side splitting
instead of very hot,boiling
11/01/2016
points
I am sorry, I did not see the match, but about the Rich comments, I suppose that was very exciting.
11/01/2016 22:00
Manchester United
53
I am sorry, I did not see the match, but about the Rich comments, I suppose that was very exciting.
30/12/2015
points
Winning a prize is an absolutely fantastic event in one's life! Isn't it?
Please Rich, Jack, I don't understand what's wrong with "absolutely sensational". you already used it in the beginning of conversation. It's better to say "absolutely fantastic" because it's lighter in pronunciation ?
[Rich: So instead of saying, Arsenal were very, very, very, very good I can say Arsenal were absolutely sensational.
Jack: Yes, but you can’t say it like that, you need to think about how you say it - you need to think about your pronunciation. You say it like absolutely sensational.
Rich: Maybe I should try a different sentence. I would love it if Liverpool won the Premier League next season it would be absolutely fantastic.]
30/12/2015 16:17
Newcastle United
3189
Winning a prize is an absolutely fantastic event in one's life! Isn't it?
Please Rich, Jack, I don't understand what's wrong with "absolutely sensational". you already used it in the beginning of conversation. It's better to say "absolutely fantastic" because it's lighter in pronunciation ?
[Rich: So instead of saying, Arsenal were very, very, very, very good I can say Arsenal were absolutely sensational.
Jack: Yes, but you can’t say it like that, you need to think about how you say it - you need to think about your pronunciation. You say it like absolutely sensational.
Rich: Maybe I should try a different sentence. I would love it if Liverpool won the Premier League next season it would be absolutely fantastic.]
31/12/2015
points
Hi Haydi
There's nothing wrong with 'absolutely sensational' - it's a great phrase. However, it's really emphatic; it's really strong and so you shoudl only use it when you are excited about something. That's why the pronunciation is tricky. If you don't get the energy right, it can sound like you are joking.
Thanks
Jack
31/12/2015 11:36
Arsenal
560
Hi Haydi
There's nothing wrong with 'absolutely sensational' - it's a great phrase. However, it's really emphatic; it's really strong and so you shoudl only use it when you are excited about something. That's why the pronunciation is tricky. If you don't get the energy right, it can sound like you are joking.
Thanks
Jack
03/01/2016
points
ok! I get! thank you
03/01/2016 22:23
Newcastle United
3189
ok! I get! thank you
04/01/2016
points
Hi Haydi, 'I get it!' is a great informal phrase to use instead of 'I understand'
04/01/2016 11:43
Liverpool
594
Hi Haydi, 'I get it!' is a great informal phrase to use instead of 'I understand'
04/01/2016
points
Thank you Rich ! Happy new year 2016
04/01/2016 15:58
Newcastle United
3189
Thank you Rich ! Happy new year 2016
16/11/2015
points
It was awesome
16/11/2015 14:03
Arsenal
2320
It was awesome
09/11/2015
points
Arsenal were apsolutely amazing in the fa cup final.
09/11/2015 18:43
Liverpool
46
Arsenal were apsolutely amazing in the fa cup final.
23/10/2015
points
Very good.
23/10/2015 00:05
Chelsea
1339
Very good.
15/10/2015
points
wounderful
15/10/2015 22:56
Chelsea
160
wounderful
14/10/2015
points
Huge is extreme to big
Ridiculous for funny
Crazy perhaps for hot?
14/10/2015 16:57
Manchester City
3988
Huge is extreme to big
Ridiculous for funny
Crazy perhaps for hot?
20/09/2015
points
I saw the fa cup , I'm a Chelsea fan , they were absolutely awful , maybe because the weather was very hot .
20/09/2015 14:08
Chelsea
1814
I saw the fa cup , I'm a Chelsea fan , they were absolutely awful , maybe because the weather was very hot .
18/09/2015
points
huge helirours dinamyque
18/09/2015 14:31
Tottenham Hotspur
241
huge helirours dinamyque
02/06/2015
points
I was watched goals and highlights from FA Cup final.
I can say that Arsenal was absolutly amazing and Aston Vila was absolutly horrible.
very, very big- huge, giant, gigantic, enormous
very, very funny- hilarious
very, very hot- boiling
To be honest, I don't solve this problem alone, I look for help on the internet (I think that researching is the good way to study).
I found something that confused me: 1.) '' The adverbs a bit, very, really, extremely and quite can all be used with gradable adjectives (http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/quick-grammar/adjectives-grada...),
2.) But with extreme adjectives we only use words like absolutely or really. (Rich in this podcast).
Akcent is on the adverb really.
02/06/2015 22:37
West Ham United
538
I was watched goals and highlights from FA Cup final.
I can say that Arsenal was absolutly amazing and Aston Vila was absolutly horrible.
very, very big- huge, giant, gigantic, enormous
very, very funny- hilarious
very, very hot- boiling
To be honest, I don't solve this problem alone, I look for help on the internet (I think that researching is the good way to study).
I found something that confused me: 1.) '' The adverbs a bit, very, really, extremely and quite can all be used with gradable adjectives (http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/quick-grammar/adjectives-grada...),
2.) But with extreme adjectives we only use words like absolutely or really. (Rich in this podcast).
Akcent is on the adverb really.
04/06/2015
points
Hi Rema - This is a great answer. You have done an absolutely brilliant job! Rich and I are big fans of using the internet to find out information and the LearnEnglish website's grammar section is really fantastic.
Thanks for your comment.
Jack
04/06/2015 09:09
Arsenal
560
Hi Rema - This is a great answer. You have done an absolutely brilliant job! Rich and I are big fans of using the internet to find out information and the LearnEnglish website's grammar section is really fantastic.
Thanks for your comment.
Jack
08/05/2016
points
Yes, all the four sections of the website (learnenglish.britishcouncil.org) are useful even the kids one! There are many treasures there, especially for those who make their debut in learning English at old age. It’s really a big effort to build such a site web.
08/05/2016 22:32
Newcastle United
3189
Yes, all the four sections of the website (learnenglish.britishcouncil.org) are useful even the kids one! There are many treasures there, especially for those who make their debut in learning English at old age. It’s really a big effort to build such a site web.
04/06/2015
points
Thanks for answer Jack.
You used extreme adjectiv brilliant with adverb absolutely to describe my word.
I can use one extreme adjectiv to say something- You and Rich done an absolutely excellent job with this website.
If you can continue with this grammar lessons inside every topic (just a little, something similar like this podcast) that would be great.
04/06/2015 12:02
West Ham United
538
Thanks for answer Jack.
You used extreme adjectiv brilliant with adverb absolutely to describe my word.
I can use one extreme adjectiv to say something- You and Rich done an absolutely excellent job with this website.
If you can continue with this grammar lessons inside every topic (just a little, something similar like this podcast) that would be great.