Premier Skills English Podcast 6
Premier Skills English Podcast 6
The Copa America, which is the main international tournament for national teams in South America, kicks off this week. Chile are the hosts and Argentina are the favourites, but which team will finish on top? Jack and Rich make their predictions and talk about the language of prediction in this Premier Skills English Podcast.
How much did you understand?
Sometimes Jack and Rich used 'going to' and sometimes 'will' to make predictions about the future. Listen again and complete the sentences.
Jack: Hello my name’s Jack and welcome to this week’s Premier Skills English podcast.
Rich: Hi everyone. I’m Rich and every week we talk about football and help you with your English.
Jack: So, what’s happening this week, Rich? The Premier League season is over so all the players must be on their holidays, right?
Rich: Yes, the Premier League season is over but Premier League players are not on the beach yet.
Jack: Why not? What are they doing?
Rich: They’re playing for their national teams. There are lots of international matches over the next two weeks and the biggest tournament in South America starts this week.
Jack: Of course, the Copa America.
Rich: So, in this week’s podcast we’re going to talk about the Copa America and have a look at some phrases we use to predict things in the future.
Jack: Which Premier League players are going to play in the Copa America, Rich?
Rich: Some of the biggest Premier League stars are going to be there! Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero and Man Utd’s Angel Di Maria are going to play for Argentina, Chile’s Alexis Sanchez is going to play for Chile.
Jack: I think Sanchez is going to be the star of the tournament! Anybody else?
Rich: Radamel Falcao is going to be in attack for Colombia, West Ham’s Enner Valencia will be up front for Ecuador, and Liverpool's Philippe Coutinho and Chelsea’s Willian are going to be in midfield for Brazil!
Jack: That’s an amazing list.
Rich: Yes, eight of the twelve teams are going to have Premier League players in action and more than half of Premier League clubs will have players in the competition.
Jack: And who do you think will win, Rich?
Rich: It’s a difficult tournament to predict, do you know which team has won the Copa America the most times?
Jack: Brazil?
Rich: No
Jack: errr. Argentina?
Rich: Wrong again. It’s Uruguay who have won it 15 times.
Jack: So, who do you think will win? I think it will be Argentina.
Rich: Argentina are the favourites. Most people think they will win, but Brazil will be one of the main challengers too.
Jack: So do you think Argentina will win?
Rich: No, actually, I think Chile will win. Chile’s the host and is definitely a dark horse.
Jack: A dark horse? What are you talking about Rich?
Rich: A dark horse is a team or player in a competition that surprises everyone by winning. A good example would be Greece in 2004.
Jack: Yes, I remember. Greece won the European Championships - it was a big surprise. Everybody thought Germany, Italy or Portugal would win. So Greece was the dark horse.
Rich: Right, this week’s challenge for listeners is to tell us a football prediction.
Jack: Yes, tell us something that you think will happen in the next few weeks and months. Who will win the Copa America, which players will your team buy?
Rich: Write your answers in the comments section below and see if you can be the first with your prediction .
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?
Are you going to watch the Copa America? Who do you think will win? Which Premier League players are going to play well?
Can you make predictions using 'going to' or 'will' for:
-
the best player in the tournament
-
the top goalscorer
-
a new player for a Premier League team
Let us know your answers in the comments section below.
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Comments
24/12/2020
points
I didn't follow the whole tournament, but I watched the final on TV at the very end of the match. It was 0-0 until the extra time ended. Then the winner should be decided by a penalty shootout. I rooted for Chile to be the winner and fortunately, they did. It was a big disappointment for Argentina since they were the favorite and Messi was expected to be the man of the match. However, Messi and his team couldn't manage the huge pressure on their shoulders. Even, he failed to score a goal in the penalty shootout. Sometimes, being a huge favorite is not always better. Or it might be the host factor and the supporter factor in the stadium that made the Chilean players to be more motivated.
I don't like to make a prediction. I just love making a wish and hope my favorite will win. However, if I have to make a prediction, I think Liverpool is going to be the winner of the Premier League again. Maybe Mohamed Salah will be the top scorer. Let's see. Nobody knows the future.
By the way, Rich's prediction was accurate when he thought that Chile would win the tournament. Great.
24/12/2020 02:53
Arsenal
124
I didn't follow the whole tournament, but I watched the final on TV at the very end of the match. It was 0-0 until the extra time ended. Then the winner should be decided by a penalty shootout. I rooted for Chile to be the winner and fortunately, they did. It was a big disappointment for Argentina since they were the favorite and Messi was expected to be the man of the match. However, Messi and his team couldn't manage the huge pressure on their shoulders. Even, he failed to score a goal in the penalty shootout. Sometimes, being a huge favorite is not always better. Or it might be the host factor and the supporter factor in the stadium that made the Chilean players to be more motivated.
I don't like to make a prediction. I just love making a wish and hope my favorite will win. However, if I have to make a prediction, I think Liverpool is going to be the winner of the Premier League again. Maybe Mohamed Salah will be the top scorer. Let's see. Nobody knows the future.
By the way, Rich's prediction was accurate when he thought that Chile would win the tournament. Great.
02/05/2020
points
Definately I like to watch the national teams tournaments although I find them less exciting than club competitions :)
Best player : Alexis Sanchez
Top Scorer : Lionel Messi
New player for a PL team : Pablo Dybala
02/05/2020 22:55
Manchester United
6524
Definately I like to watch the national teams tournaments although I find them less exciting than club competitions :)
Best player : Alexis Sanchez
Top Scorer : Lionel Messi
New player for a PL team : Pablo Dybala
10/03/2020
points
Good prediction!!!
Chile was amazing!
10/03/2020 23:54
Arsenal
663
Good prediction!!!
Chile was amazing!
12/01/2020
points
Good prediction Rich!!!
Chile won and Alexis Sánchez was de best player.
Was amazing!
12/01/2020 06:19
Manchester United
32
Good prediction Rich!!!
Chile won and Alexis Sánchez was de best player.
Was amazing!
01/03/2019
points
Yes, I am going to watch the Copa America. I agree, Chile is a dark horse. I think Chile will win the tournament and Alexis is going to be the best player. I hope Falcao and Aguero will play a sensational Copa America and Falcao will be the top goalscorer. I think after the tournament more Colombian players will sign for PL teams.
01/03/2019 16:43
Arsenal
112
Yes, I am going to watch the Copa America. I agree, Chile is a dark horse. I think Chile will win the tournament and Alexis is going to be the best player. I hope Falcao and Aguero will play a sensational Copa America and Falcao will be the top goalscorer. I think after the tournament more Colombian players will sign for PL teams.
02/08/2016
points
yes i saw the copa america
02/08/2016 12:48
Liverpool
962
yes i saw the copa america
29/06/2016
points
that's it
29/06/2016 15:22
Manchester City
1734
that's it
29/06/2016
points
yes
29/06/2016 15:21
Manchester City
1734
yes
11/06/2016
points
The best player in the tournament is sanchez
The top goal scorer is Messi
11/06/2016 08:01
Manchester United
4779
The best player in the tournament is sanchez
The top goal scorer is Messi
11/06/2016
points
Kun Arguero played well
11/06/2016 07:58
Manchester United
4779
Kun Arguero played well
11/06/2016
points
Honestly I wanted Argentina to win but Chile pulled a surprise
11/06/2016 07:56
Manchester United
4779
Honestly I wanted Argentina to win but Chile pulled a surprise
11/06/2016
points
Yes I watched
11/06/2016 07:55
Manchester United
4779
Yes I watched
04/04/2016
points
Yes i do,Alexis Sanchez.
04/04/2016 20:47
Liverpool
3705
Yes i do,Alexis Sanchez.
08/03/2016
points
I think Sergio Aguero will be the top goalscorer
08/03/2016 07:29
Leicester City
1761
I think Sergio Aguero will be the top goalscorer
09/02/2016
points
Good prediction Rich
09/02/2016 23:49
Arsenal
738
Good prediction Rich
03/01/2016
points
Nothing new in this podcast! I already know the difference between 'will' and 'going to', same for 'dark horse', I learned a course about idioms containing animals names. But I discover that Rich can pronounce the "g" in Spanish way. I learned Spanish for two years in secondary school, but I forget it, just I can distinguish it compared to Italian and Portuguese!
03/01/2016 22:48
Newcastle United
3189
Nothing new in this podcast! I already know the difference between 'will' and 'going to', same for 'dark horse', I learned a course about idioms containing animals names. But I discover that Rich can pronounce the "g" in Spanish way. I learned Spanish for two years in secondary school, but I forget it, just I can distinguish it compared to Italian and Portuguese!
16/11/2015
points
Chile was brilliant!
16/11/2015 14:14
Arsenal
2320
Chile was brilliant!
09/11/2015
points
the best player of the tournament will be Sergio Aguero, the top goalscorer is going to be Sergio Aguero
09/11/2015 18:50
Liverpool
46
the best player of the tournament will be Sergio Aguero, the top goalscorer is going to be Sergio Aguero
05/11/2015
points
Chile won the cup as Rich predicted! Congrats!
05/11/2015 08:00
Manchester City
813
Chile won the cup as Rich predicted! Congrats!
05/11/2015
points
Thanks for reminding me, I'm not often right with my predictions :)
05/11/2015 08:39
Liverpool
594
Thanks for reminding me, I'm not often right with my predictions :)
08/05/2016
points
Rich, You need to replace the adverb of frequency ‘often’ by ‘sometimes or ‘rarely’ ;)
08/05/2016 22:37
Newcastle United
3189
Rich, You need to replace the adverb of frequency ‘often’ by ‘sometimes or ‘rarely’ ;)
15/10/2015
points
chelie
15/10/2015 22:19
Chelsea
160
chelie
20/09/2015
points
The best player is going to be Lionel messi and I think he will be the goal scorer .
I have heard a flying rumor says falcoa will join Chelsea this season after cola America
20/09/2015 13:57
Chelsea
1814
The best player is going to be Lionel messi and I think he will be the goal scorer .
I have heard a flying rumor says falcoa will join Chelsea this season after cola America
18/09/2015
points
messi
18/09/2015 14:35
Tottenham Hotspur
241
messi
12/09/2015
points
In Brazil its easy to predict which team will win the national championship. Corinthians always pay the matches referees. It is happening again this year...
12/09/2015 19:25
Chelsea
44
In Brazil its easy to predict which team will win the national championship. Corinthians always pay the matches referees. It is happening again this year...
28/08/2015
points
I thing alexis will be the best player
s.aguero is going to the top goal score
28/08/2015 14:56
Manchester United
0
I thing alexis will be the best player
s.aguero is going to the top goal score
21/06/2015
points
I'm watching the Copa América everyday and even though I root for my home team Bolivia, the Chileans seem like the ones that will take the cup this time around.
21/06/2015 05:19
Chelsea
0
I'm watching the Copa América everyday and even though I root for my home team Bolivia, the Chileans seem like the ones that will take the cup this time around.