0:00 If your English is at a B2C C1 level
0:04 and you're wondering what it really takes to move towards C2,
0:10 this lesson is for you.
0:12 This is the perfect place to begin.
0:14 Today, we are going to review some of the core skills
0:17 and grammar from the C1 level
0:20 and take a look at what is needed in the C2 level.
0:24 We'll look at words
0:25 that seem simple but carry far more complex meanings
0:31 when used in the right way.
0:33 This lesson is all about giving you a clear idea of what to expect
0:38 as you take that next step.
0:41 And speaking of next steps,
0:43 I am just about to launch my most advanced program ever.
0:48 I've already launched the B1, B2, and C1 Beautiful British English programs.
0:55 Naturally, it's time for the Beautiful British English C2 program.
1:01 It's launching in January 2026.
1:04 Join the waiting list to be the first to know about the launch of
1:08 the C2 program,
1:10 and you'll also get today's PDF ebook for free.
1:15 The link is in the description box
1:17 or you can scan the QR code there.
1:20 You join the mailing list,
1:21 the PDF will arrive directly in your inbox
1:24 and you'll automatically join the C2 program waiting list.
1:28 Now, take your time, enjoy the lesson,
1:30 and start getting excited about what's to come.
1:36 Before we get into answering how are you,
1:39 let's talk about some different ways to ask this question.
1:43 There are a lot and there's nothing wrong with how are you?
1:46 It's appropriate in pretty much any situation.
1:50 But if you're trying to reach a C1 level in English,
1:53 you need to add some more variety.
1:55 So, let's see more ways to ask this question.
1:58 You could ask, "How's it going?
2:01 How are you doing?"
2:03 or "How have you been?"
2:05 Did you notice the contractions?
2:07 How are often becomes how with the schwa at the end.
2:12 How are you?
2:14 And how have becomes have.
2:17 How have you'll also hear this pronounced as one syllable.
2:21 How how have you been?
2:24 Other common questions you'll often hear are how's life or how's life treating you?
2:30 You'll also hear how are things or how's things.
2:36 Now, how's things isn't grammatically correct because things is plural,
2:43 but we say it a lot.
2:45 These phrases just mean how are you or what's been happening in your life.
2:51 You might also ask been up to much.
2:54 This is more a question about what you've been doing.
2:57 Notice the ellipsus in that sentence.
3:00 We know who the subject is, so we can omit have you.
3:04 You'll also hear you've been up to much with just have emitted.
3:10 You'll hear been pronounced with the long e sound
3:15 and been with the short i sound.
3:19 Been up to much.
3:20 Been up to much.
3:22 Another informal way to ask how are you is all right.
3:26 All right.
3:27 This is very British.
3:29 We're going to talk about responding in more detail in a moment,
3:32 but the response to all right can simply be all right.
3:37 It can be a greeting similar to hi.
3:40 All right.
3:40 All right.
3:42 What's up can also be used
3:44 as an informal greeting with people you know well.
3:47 And you'll often hear it pronounced what's up.
3:50 It can be shortened to sup.
3:53 Asking what's up can also be interpreted
3:56 as what's wrong when not used
3:59 as a greeting.
4:00 For example, what's up?
4:02 You don't look your usual self.
4:04 Now, on the other end of the spectrum in terms of formality,
4:08 we have how do you do?
4:12 Now, this is very formal and quite old-fashioned.
4:15 It's actually a greeting
4:17 and we use it
4:17 when we meet someone for the first time.
4:20 You can respond with the same words.
4:23 I'm Lucy Simkins.
4:24 How do you do?
4:26 How do you do?
4:27 I'm Mark Wright.
4:28 Note that you're not very likely to hear this in everyday conversation anymore.
4:32 Okay, now we've covered a lot of ways to ask how are you.
4:36 Let's talk about how to respond to how are you.
4:39 First, we need to talk about something that can confuse English learners.
4:44 Sometimes when we ask someone how they are or how things are going,
4:50 we don't really want an answer.
4:53 We call this fhatic communication.
4:56 This is language used for social communication rather than to give information
5:01 or ask questions that require an answer.
5:05 It can be really difficult to recognize fatic communication when you're learning English.
5:10 You need to rely on context to know how to respond.
5:14 For example, if you're at a conference
5:17 and you meet a business associate you've only met once before,
5:22 they might ask, "How's it going?"
5:24 But they most likely won't expect a detailed answer.
5:28 An appropriate response would be, "Fine, thanks you."
5:32 You're not really exchanging any information.
5:35 But if you bump into a close friend and they ask the same question,
5:40 they probably really want to know.
5:42 You might respond with, "Not bad, thanks.
5:44 Actually, I just got a bit of good news."
5:47 Blah, blah, blah blah blah.
5:48 Usually, we answer fairly positively when someone asks how we are.
5:52 Unless we're sure they want to hear about our troubles.
5:55 Okay, we'll start with three of the most common ways to respond.
5:59 We have I'm fine, thanks.
6:02 I'm well, thanks.
6:04 And this one is a little more formal
6:06 and we often use it to refer to our health rather than giving a
6:10 general answer.
6:12 And I'm good, thanks.
6:15 People sometimes say I'm good isn't correct, but it's very widely used.
6:21 I use it.
6:22 It's just considered a bit less formal than I'm fine.
6:25 You'll also often hear these sentences without I'm.
6:29 Fine, thanks.
6:30 Good, thanks.
6:31 This is another example of ellipsis.
6:35 It's obvious who we're referring to.
6:37 You will also hear people answer questions like how's it going?
6:41 Or how have you been with yeah, good, thanks.
6:46 Now, these aren't yes or no questions,
6:49 but yeah is a really common filler word,
6:52 and it's a way to quickly acknowledge the question.
6:55 Finally, you will also hear I'm doing well
6:59 or I'm doing great
7:01 and I'm doing good.
7:04 Now, doing good is not grammatically correct here,
7:09 but we use it all the time.
7:11 Technically, if you are doing good,
7:14 you are doing something positive like giving to charity or volunteering.
7:19 I volunteer at the shelter because I enjoy doing good.
7:23 Now, you might be aware that British people tend to be quite understated.
7:28 So, slightly more nuanced responses include pretty good, not bad, or not too bad.
7:37 Yet another very common response is can't complain.
7:41 This is the same as I'm all right.
7:45 In the UK, particularly in the north, you might also hear mustn't grumble.
7:51 Grumble means complain.
7:53 An example, how are things?
7:55 >> Yeah, mustn't grumble.
7:57 >> You'll also hear people say hanging in there and getting by.
8:01 These phrases mean that you're surviving
8:03 and so you're fine
8:05 and they are obviously used humorously.
8:07 >> How's it going?
8:08 >> I'm hanging in there.
8:10 You can also use them more seriously
8:12 if you're going through a challenging time
8:14 and you want to answer honestly,
8:16 but your tone of voice will be different.
8:18 Uh, hanging in there.
8:21 >> Another classic understated response is same old or same old, same old,
8:28 meaning that nothing or not much has changed in your life since the last
8:32 time you spoke with
8:33 that person.
8:34 This is a great response to how's life or been up to much.
8:39 Now, after you've responded, you'll probably ask the other person how they are.
8:44 And we very often simply ask you or yourself.
8:49 For example, h same old you or not bad thanks yourself.
8:56 Now using yourself like this isn't entirely grammatically correct but again it's very common.
9:03 You might also ask how are things on your end
9:06 or how are things at your end.
9:08 This is more informal.
9:10 Now, for our final section,
9:11 we're going to talk about how to give a more honest answer
9:15 when you're not doing too well.
9:17 A common response is been better or been better to be honest.
9:23 These sentences also contain an example of ellipsis.
9:27 I've is emitted.
9:29 We can also simply say, oh, you know, and then continue with more details.
9:35 For example, >> how's it going?
9:38 Oh, you know, Alan's not well again.
9:40 You might also say, it hasn't been the easiest week or month.
9:45 It hasn't been the easiest is a bit softer than saying,
9:49 it's been the hardest or worst week or month.
9:53 You can also say it's been some day
9:56 and this means I've had a rough day.
10:00 And finally, when you're not feeling well,
10:02 you might say bit under the weather. or an informal very British one.
10:08 Not too clever.
10:09 Okay, let's actually end on a positive note.
10:12 One of the most positive ways to answer how are you is never been
10:17 better or just never better.
10:20 So, I now have a question for you.
10:23 How are you?
10:25 Choose one of the phrases in this video
10:27 and respond in the comments giving context
10:30 if you wish.
10:34 Have you ever felt awkward when it comes to introducing yourself?
10:40 Maybe you look online for a video on how to introduce yourself,
10:44 but it's at a very basic level.
10:46 I mean, introducing yourself in another language is one of the first things they
10:51 teach you.
10:52 But how do we introduce ourselves at an advanced level of English?
10:57 Let's say C1 or even C2.
10:59 I'm going to help you today.
11:01 I'm going to train you to introduce yourself in English in a very natural
11:05 advanced way.
11:06 I'm going to give you lots of options,
11:09 so they will definitely apply to you in your situation.
11:12 Introductions are so important.
11:14 I want to help you get it right.
11:16 Let's get started with the lesson.
11:18 So, in this lesson, you're going to listen to two dialogues.
11:21 The first one is going to be fairly simple.
11:24 You'll hear two people introducing themselves at a cheese convention.
11:29 This is my dad's dream situation.
11:32 Later in the video, you'll hear a much more advanced version.
11:37 >> Hi, I'm Alex.
11:38 Nice to meet you, >> Claire.
11:40 Nice to meet you, too.
11:41 >> What are you doing here?
11:42 >> I sell cheese.
11:44 You?
11:45 >> I'm with the marketing team.
11:47 >> Now, I want to make this clear.
11:49 There is nothing wrong with that exchange.
11:52 In fact, I've had hundreds of conversations like that.
11:55 But today, we're focusing on C1 or advanced English.
11:59 So, let's learn some more advanced phrases.
12:02 So, how do you begin?
12:04 You could say, "I don't think we've been introduced."
12:08 Or, "I'm not sure we've met before."
12:10 You can use these phrases
12:12 if you're fairly sure
12:13 that you haven't met the person before.
12:15 They're just polite introductory phrases.
12:18 If you want to introduce someone else, you might say,
12:21 "I'd like to introduce my colleague, Carlson Chang."
12:25 This is more formal.
12:26 A less formal way to do this would be, "Have you met Julie?
12:30 She's a mate from school."
12:32 Okay.
12:32 When you introduce yourself, you need to share your name.
12:35 That's probably the most important thing.
12:37 It's fine to just say, "I'm Lucy."
12:40 But you could expand a little,
12:42 especially if you use a shortened version of your name
12:46 or you have a nickname.
12:47 Here are some phrases to use.
12:49 I'm Magdalena, but most people call me Magda.
12:53 Or my name's Roberto, but I usually go by Beetto.
12:57 I go by means I use this name.
13:00 Or please call me Patty.
13:02 It's short for Patricia. or a longer, more advanced one.
13:07 Bartholomew is my given name, but only my grandmother calls me that.
13:12 I've always felt more like a Bart.
13:14 You could also inject a little humor.
13:16 I respond to William or Will, but never Bill.
13:20 Now, let's say you know you have a mutual connection with someone.
13:24 You could say, "I'm a friend or colleague of Kos."
13:28 You might add, "She speaks very highly of you."
13:31 This means that Ko says very nice things about you
13:34 and this is a very flattering thing to say
13:36 when you first meet someone.
13:38 Nearly everyone loves a compliment.
13:40 Another common phrase is I've heard a lot about you
13:43 and the most common responses are all good I hope
13:48 or should I be worried
13:50 or don't believe a word of it.
13:53 You could also say it's good to put a face to the name.
13:57 This means it's good to finally see the person whose name I've heard many
14:02 times.
14:02 Now, let's say you might have met someone before but don't remember clearly.
14:07 You can say, "I think our paths have crossed before."
14:11 This phrase is perfect
14:13 when you vaguely recognize someone
14:15 but aren't entirely sure where from.
14:18 When you cross paths with someone or your paths cross,
14:23 it means you've met by chance at some point.
14:26 If you're in a similar social or professional circle, you could say,
14:31 "We must move in the same circles."
14:34 And if you're surprised that you haven't met sooner, you might add,
14:38 "I can't believe we haven't crossed paths before."
14:41 So, next, you might want to ask someone where they're from.
14:44 You could say, "Are you from around here?"
14:47 And some different ways to answer, "Yep, Portsmouth, born and bred."
14:52 Or, "Yep, I was born and raised just around the corner."
14:55 These phrases mean you were born and grew up in a place.
14:59 Here are some more.
15:00 Originally, but I've moved around a lot.
15:03 I'm based in Milan at the moment.
15:05 Or I grew up here,
15:06 but I've been living in Belfast for the past few years.
15:10 Or you could say, nope, just passing through.
15:13 To pass through means to stop in a place for a short time before
15:17 going somewhere else.
15:18 Now, let's say you want to introduce yourself to someone at an event.
15:22 You could ask, "Why are you here?
15:25 But that is very direct.
15:26 So here are some alternatives.
15:29 What brings you here today?
15:31 What brings you to this part of the world?
15:34 What brings you to the conference today?
15:37 You might add business or pleasure.
15:39 For example, what brings you to the World Coffee Championships today?
15:44 Business or pleasure.
15:45 And the answer could be business.
15:48 I'm with beans, beans, beans.
15:50 Or oh, purely pleasure.
15:52 I'm a bit of a caffeine addict.
15:54 Did you hear that additional detail?
15:56 I'm a bit of a caffeine addict.
15:58 We often add something about our likes, interests, and hobbies when we're introducing ourselves.
16:04 I'm a bit of a is a common expression used to soften a statement
16:08 about ourselves.
16:10 It suggests we have a certain trait or interest,
16:13 but in a more casual or modest way.
16:16 For example, I'm a bit of a foodie.
16:19 You might also say, "I guess you could say,
16:22 I'm a bit of a bookworm."
16:24 Or, "I consider myself a bit of a language geek."
16:27 You'll often hear people refer to themselves as a geek,
16:31 but I don't recommend calling someone else that.
16:34 You could also say
16:34 that you have or have got a soft spot for something
16:39 or someone.
16:40 It means I like it or I like them.
16:43 For example, I've got a soft spot for stray cats
16:47 and now I have seven at home.
16:49 Or I've always had a soft spot for cheesy8s music.
16:54 Okay, are you ready for a more advanced dialogue?
16:57 Now, you're not just going to listen.
17:00 There are some gaps in this dialogue,
17:02 so you need to complete the phrases as we go.
17:05 >> Hi, I don't think we've been introduced.
17:07 I'm Alexandra, but I usually bite Alex.
17:12 What do you think?
17:14 Go.
17:15 I go by Alex.
17:17 All right, let's continue.
17:18 >> Nice to meet you.
17:19 I'm Claire.
17:20 So, what you here today?
17:24 >> Brings.
17:25 Did you get that one?
17:26 >> I'm with the marketing team organizing this event.
17:29 What about you?
17:30 Business or?
17:33 >> Business or pleasure?
17:36 >> Bit of both.
17:37 I'm here on holiday, but I sell cheese back in London,
17:41 so I thought I'd pop in.
17:43 >> You know, I think our have crossed before, actually.
17:47 Were you at the Cheddar Together conference in Melbourne?
17:50 >> What about that one?
17:51 Paths.
17:52 Our paths have crossed before.
17:55 >> Yeah, I was.
17:56 We must move in the same.
17:59 So, are you a bit of a cheese addict, too?
18:02 >> Yeah, you could say that.
18:03 They move in the same circles.
18:11 What is the ultimate goal in English?
18:14 For most, it's this, the C1 level.
18:18 Why?
18:19 Well, it's the advanced level of English.
18:21 But C1 means having the freedom to express yourself.
18:25 It's the level where you can smoothly transition from giving an important presentation to
18:32 cracking jokes with your friends.
18:34 We hear so much about C1 English, but what does C1 actually mean?
18:40 And what grammar do you need to know to reach an advanced level in
18:45 English?
18:46 In this video, I am going to teach you about all the grammar you
18:50 need for C1 level English.
18:53 We'll start with something that's usually new for C1 students, participle clauses.
19:00 We use participle clauses to make sentences more concise.
19:03 They are also a great way to add some variation
19:06 and complexity to your sentence structure,
19:09 which is important at C1.
19:11 Here are a few examples.
19:13 Frustrated by the lack of progress, the CEO called an emergency meeting.
19:18 A longer version could be
19:20 because he was feeling frustrated by the lack of progress
19:24 or having signed the contract,
19:26 we went out to celebrate.
19:28 A slightly longer version here could be after we had signed the contract.
19:32 You'll also need to look at some of the more advanced uses of relative
19:36 clauses and how to use apposition at C1.
19:40 What is apposition?
19:42 Well, it looks like this.
19:44 Notice the two noun clauses next to each other referring to the same thing.
19:49 The new training program, a vital component of our employee development strategy,
19:54 will launch in April.
19:56 Let's move on to the next topic, conditional structures.
19:59 By the time you get to C1,
20:01 you should be familiar with the 0 to3 conditionals.
20:05 You'll probably have already learned about mixed conditionals, too,
20:08 although using those accurately usually takes practice.
20:12 At C1, you're ready to dive into more advanced structures like these.
20:17 Were we to invest in the company, we would be taking a huge risk.
20:21 C1 students will also know the subtle difference between were we to invest
20:26 and if we invested.
20:28 Or another example, suppose we were to expand into the Korean market.
20:34 How would that impact our operations?
20:37 Notice the semicolon between the clauses when we begin with suppose.
20:42 Using punctuation accurately in more advanced structures will help you get to C1.
20:47 Moving along, our next topic is the passive voice.
20:52 Again, you should already know about the basic rules, but at C1,
20:56 you'll learn how to use more advanced structures like using ing forms in the
21:01 passive.
21:02 For example, the issue lies in the funds not having been allocated correctly.
21:08 Not having been allocated is a passive ing form.
21:12 And you'll be introduced to impersonal passive structures.
21:16 For example, it is thought
21:18 that the company will announce a new product line soon.
21:21 Okay.
21:22 The next thing we're looking at is hedging.
21:25 Nothing to do with gardening.
21:27 Hedging is when you soften your message,
21:30 making it sound less forceful or less certain.
21:35 You might do this in order to be polite
21:37 or to avoid being seen
21:39 as arrogant or to express ideas
21:42 that you're not sure are accurate.
21:44 It's very useful.
21:45 In addition to other structures, we often use modal verbs like may, might,
21:49 and could combined with hedging adverbs like potentially or conceivably.
21:56 This really takes your language to a C1 level, like in this sentence.
22:01 Opening an office in that region could potentially lead to lucrative partnerships,
22:07 polite and professional.
22:09 At C1, you'll learn about some of the more advanced uses of modals.
22:14 For example, you'll learn the difference between you might have told me
22:18 that the meeting had been cancelled
22:20 and you might have told me
22:21 that the meeting had been cancelled.
22:23 So, the first one means maybe you did.
22:25 I can't remember.
22:27 And the second one means you should have told me.
22:31 The sentences are identical.
22:33 In speech, the tone of voice would be different, but in writing,
22:36 you'd have to work out the meaning from the context.
22:39 Okay, onto the next grammar points.
22:42 Cleft sentences and inversion.
22:44 They're my favorites, and my students love learning these structures, too.
22:48 Both are used for emphasis.
22:51 We'll start with cleft sentences.
22:53 With this structure, we take one message and we split it into two,
22:57 emphasizing a certain part by putting it in a separate clause.
23:01 They often begin with it.
23:03 For example, it's effective time management
23:06 that sets top performing employees apart from the rest of the team.
23:10 You'll see similar structures beginning with what and all.
23:14 And now on to inversion.
23:16 You actually saw an example of this earlier in the video in the conditional
23:20 section in the sentence.
23:22 Were we to invest?
23:23 The normal subject verb order in a statement is inverted to were we.
23:29 At C1, you'll learn to use inversion in several ways.
23:34 For example, after negative adverbials.
23:37 Rarely does an opportunity like this arise in such a saturated market.
23:43 Sounds so fancy, doesn't it?
23:44 And after other words and phrases like so and such.
23:49 So successful was the marketing campaign that sales doubled within a month.
23:53 I think those sentences just sound so beautiful and advanced.
23:57 Okay, we're moving on to the next point now, linking words.
24:00 At C1, you need to be able to produce extended,
24:04 detailed texts that are well structured and easy to follow.
24:08 One way to do this is by using linking words.
24:11 You'll have learned a lot of the linking words you need by the time
24:15 you reach B2 in English. words like nevertheless
24:19 and furthermore.
24:20 The key at C1 is revising linking words and ensuring you're using them effectively.
24:26 But there's always time to pick up some more advanced words
24:30 and phrases like much
24:32 as and notwithstanding.
24:35 I've put a couple of examples using those words in the PDF,
24:38 so don't forget to download that.
24:40 Okay, we have two more topics to go.
24:42 The next is comparative and superlative structures.
24:46 You'll already know a lot by the time you reach C1,
24:49 but at an advanced level, you'll add in structures.
24:53 The faster we finish, the sooner we can leave.
24:56 We're on our last topic, and we haven't talked about tenses yet,
25:00 and I haven't forgotten about them.
25:02 You should already be a fairly confident user of a variety of tenses by
25:07 the time you reach C1.
25:08 At the advanced level,
25:10 it's about practice and getting truly comfortable employing the right tense in different situations.
25:17 A C1 course will also teach you some of the more advanced uses of
25:21 tenses,
25:22 like using the present tense when narrating a story that happened in the past.
25:28 For example, so I'm in the middle of preparing a big presentation
25:32 and suddenly my laptop crashes.
25:35 It makes it sound more dramatic.
25:37 and you'll learn some expressions
25:38 that refer to the near future,
25:40 such as be on the verge of.
25:43 The company is on the verge of making a big announcement.
25:46 Okay, there you have it.
25:48 That is all of the grammar that you need for advanced C1 level English.
25:56 Now, do you think that you know these words?
26:02 Well, think again because these very simple beginner words actually have really advanced meanings.
26:11 And in today's lesson,
26:13 I'm going to teach you the advanced meanings of all of these super basic
26:18 words.
26:19 Let's begin. 10 basic words with advanced meanings.
26:23 First, I'll show you a word and an image that represents its basic meaning.
26:29 Then I'll give you a sentence using the word in a more advanced way
26:34 and you'll have a moment to try to work out the meaning from the
26:38 context.
26:39 At the end, we will have a quiz to see how much you remember.
26:42 Number one, clock.
26:45 This is probably the first thing
26:48 that comes to mind
26:49 when you hear the word clock,
26:51 but do you know its advanced meaning when we use it as a verb?
26:56 Here's an example in a sentence.
26:59 I clocked Tim leaving the meeting early, but I didn't say anything.
27:04 We use clock as a verb, especially in informal British English, to mean notice.
27:12 I noticed Tim leaving the meeting early.
27:16 Number two, table.
27:19 I imagine we all know this meaning of the word table,
27:23 but what does it mean when used as a verb?
27:26 Here's an example.
27:27 The teachers union tabled a list of demands regarding working conditions and pay.
27:33 Well, in British English, if you table something like a proposal, an idea,
27:38 or a document, you formally present it for discussion.
27:42 I imagine people sitting around a table in a meeting
27:45 and putting an idea on the table.
27:48 It makes sense, right?
27:50 Well, be careful because to table has the opposite meaning in North American English.
27:59 It means to postpone or suspend the discussion of something.
28:04 For example, let's table that proposal for now.
28:08 We have more important matters to deal with.
28:10 So now I imagine someone pushing a piece of paper to the side of
28:15 the table and leaving it for later.
28:17 I guess they both make sense.
28:19 Be careful with the verb.
28:20 Number three, toast.
28:23 A great breakfast food.
28:25 Here's a sentence with one of its more advanced meanings.
28:28 If mom finds out we broke the TV, we're toast.
28:33 I love this idiomatic expression.
28:35 Did you figure out what it means from the context?
28:38 Well, when we use toast with a person and the verb to be,
28:43 it means that person is in serious trouble. deleted that important file.
28:49 You're toast.
28:51 Jim missed the penalty.
28:53 He's toast.
28:55 The teacher found out we copied during the exam.
28:58 We're all toast.
28:59 Now, we usually use this expression in a humorous and light-hearted way.
29:04 There are more advanced meanings of toast.
29:06 I've included them in the PDF guide.
29:08 Now, for number four, we have another breakfast staple, milk.
29:13 I'm sure you agree it's a fairly basic word in this context,
29:17 but here it is in a sentence with its advanced meaning.
29:20 He's really milking that ankle injury for all it's worth.
29:24 He hasn't done any housework for months.
29:28 So, if you milk something,
29:30 you try to get as much advantage from a situation as possible.
29:34 We often use it to talk about someone trying to gain sympathy, money,
29:39 or attention from a situation, sometimes dishonestly.
29:43 For example, those scammers milked me of every penny I had.
29:48 Number five, here is a bottle.
29:52 But did you know there's an advanced meaning, too?
29:55 What does it mean in this sentence?
29:57 It takes a lot of bottle to stand up to bullies.
30:01 In British English, we can use bottle to refer to courage or confidence.
30:07 You'll often see it in the structure to have the bottle to do something.
30:12 For example, I don't have the bottle to ask him out on a date.
30:17 I don't have enough courage or confidence to do this.
30:20 A synonym in this context is nerve.
30:23 I don't have the nerve to ask him out on a date.
30:26 Now, it's time for a quiz to test you on the first half of
30:29 the lesson.
30:30 Do you have the bottle to give it a go?
30:33 Here are the five words we've seen so far.
30:36 Clock, table, toast, milk, and bottle.
30:39 Can you match these basic words with their advanced meanings?
30:44 We have courage or confidence, notice, be in big trouble, formally discuss,
30:50 and get advantage of a situation.
30:53 Pause the video and match them.
31:00 Okay.
31:00 Did you manage to match them?
31:02 We have clock to notice.
31:06 Table to formally discuss or postpone if you're in North America.
31:11 Toast to be in big trouble.
31:13 Milk to gain advantage from something.
31:17 And bottle meaning courage or confidence.
31:20 Let me know your scores in the comments.
31:22 Right, let's move on to our next five basic words with advanced meanings.
31:26 Number six is sleep.
31:29 I need to sleep more.
31:31 I need to get more sleep.
31:32 This is a very common basic word
31:34 that we can use
31:35 as a noun and a verb,
31:36 but it has an interesting advanced meaning when used as a noun.
31:40 Here's an example.
31:42 You've got a bit of sleep in the corner of your eye.
31:46 Did you guess the meaning from the context?
31:48 Sleep is the stuff
31:50 that can form in the corners of your eyes after you've been sleeping.
31:54 The gunk.
31:56 And yeah, you should definitely tell someone if they have sleep in their eye.
31:59 Number seven, this is a brush.
32:02 But do you know a more advanced meaning of this word?
32:05 Here's an example.
32:07 Sally had a brush with death
32:09 when a tree branch fell just inches from where she was standing.
32:13 We use the phrase a brush with something to say
32:17 that we almost experienced something,
32:20 usually something bad.
32:21 Sally had a brush with death means that she nearly died.
32:26 We often talk about a brush with danger or a brush with disaster.
32:31 You might have also heard the phrase a brush with the law.
32:35 For example, I had a brush with the law
32:39 when I was caught shoplifting in my early teens.
32:42 In this case, a brush with the law means
32:45 that the encounter with the legal system was brief
32:48 or minor.
32:49 I didn't get into serious trouble with the police.
32:51 Okay, number eight.
32:52 This is a good one.
32:54 Game.
32:55 We all know about video games and board games,
32:58 but what does game mean in this sentence?
33:00 First, Liz completely ignores me, and then suddenly she's all friendly.
33:05 What's her game?
33:06 In British English, we can ask what's his, her,
33:10 or anybody's game when we want to know the real reason someone is behaving
33:14 the way they are.
33:16 It's like saying, "Hm, I'm suspicious as to why Liz is suddenly being friendly.
33:22 What is her true motive?
33:24 And a bonus point
33:25 if you can tell me what it means in this sentence
33:28 when used as an adjective.
33:30 I love Pippa.
33:32 She's game for anything.
33:33 To be game for something means to be willing to do it,
33:37 especially if we're talking about something new, exciting, or potentially dangerous.
33:42 An example, we need a volunteer to feed the lions.
33:45 Who's game?
33:46 Now, that's quite funny
33:47 because game also means wild animals
33:51 that people hunt for sport
33:53 or food.
33:54 So, you could be asking here, who's food for the lions?
33:57 That's an example of word play.
33:59 Okay, we're on to the last two now.
34:01 We have the basic word sport, as in football and tennis.
34:05 But it can also be used
34:06 as a verb with a much more advanced meaning.
34:09 Can you figure out the meaning from the context?
34:13 He showed up to the party sporting a brand new pair of designer sunglasses.
34:18 Yep.
34:19 We can use sport as a verb with the meaning of wear.
34:22 And we use it when a person wears or displays something very proudly,
34:27 perhaps even in a way that is showing off a little, like you're boasting.
34:31 You're sporting your new designer clothes.
34:34 And finally, number 10.
34:36 This is a school.
34:37 But what does it mean in this sentence?
34:40 I snapped a load of pictures of a huge school of fish
34:44 when I was scuba diving.
34:46 School can be used as a collective noun for a group of fish.
34:50 And we can also use it with other sea animals swimming together like whales
34:53 and dolphins,
34:54 but pod is a more common collocation for them.
34:58 Okay, it's time for your final quiz to see how much you remember.
35:01 Today, we're going to mix it with some pronunciation practice.
35:04 Here's a short text.
35:06 I'm going to read it out loud.
35:07 I want you to replace the highlighted words with one of the words from
35:12 the top of the screen.
35:14 Those are bottle, sporting, milking, toast, or clocked.
35:21 Are you ready?
35:22 Speak along with me to practice.
35:24 I noticed Dan sneaking out of the office at 300 p.m. wearing a huge
35:30 smile on his face.
35:31 Third time this week.
35:33 If the boss finds out, he's in big trouble.
35:36 I'd never have the courage to do anything like that.
35:39 But somehow Dan always gets away with it.
35:42 And he's been gaining advantage for that back injury.
35:46 You know, he hasn't lifted a single box for months.
35:54 Okay.
35:55 You should have.
35:56 I clocked Dan sneaking out sporting a huge smile on his face.
36:02 Yep.
36:03 We don't just sport clothes.
36:04 We can sport a facial expression, a smile.
36:07 If the boss finds out, he's toast.
36:10 I'd never have the bottle to do something like that.
36:14 And he's been milking that back injury.
36:20 Right?
36:20 If you know and can use these 15 incredibly advanced English words and phrases,
36:28 then you are working towards the C2 level of English.
36:33 This is the maximum level of English.
36:36 Today's lesson is going to be seriously advanced.
36:39 We're going to go through the 15 words
36:41 and phrases in the form of a quiz.
36:44 So, grab a pen and share your score at the end.
36:48 Lots of the questions are multiplechoice questions.
36:51 Let's get started with the lesson.
36:53 Number one, the kids keep hassling us to get a dog.
36:58 Does the verb hassle mean a to repeatedly annoy somebody often by asking them
37:04 to do something many times
37:06 or b to hurry
37:08 or rush somebody?
37:14 The correct definition is a to repeatedly annoy somebody.
37:20 You'll often see the structure to hassle somebody to do something like we have
37:25 in the example sentence
37:26 or to hassle somebody for something.
37:30 For example, the kids keep hassling us for a dog.
37:34 Number two, look at this sentence.
37:36 Let's just get the main bullet points down for now.
37:39 We can flesh out the ideas later.
37:41 Does the phrasal verb to flesh out mean a to add more detail
37:47 or information to something
37:49 or b let people know about something?
37:58 The correct answer is a again to add more detail or information to something.
38:03 We often talk about fleshing out ideas, details, and plans.
38:08 Three.
38:09 Take a look at this sentence.
38:10 Her excuse about the dog eating her homework just doesn't hold water.
38:17 Does the idiom not hold water mean a not believable
38:21 or convincing or b not creative
38:24 or inventive enough?
38:31 The answer is a again I'm noticing a trend here.
38:35 Not believable or convincing.
38:37 So, if something doesn't hold water, it's not believable or convincing.
38:42 We often use it with the nouns excuse, statement, and argument.
38:47 Number four, take a look at this sentence.
38:50 That 12-hour flight has left my body clock totally out of kilter.
38:55 Does this idiom mean a experiencing jet lag for the first time
39:01 or b not working properly
39:03 or in its usual state?
39:09 The correct answer is B.
39:12 Finally, a B.
39:13 It means not working properly or in its usual state.
39:17 We can also use this idiom to mean
39:18 that two things do not agree
39:20 or match each other.
39:22 For example, the government's policy is out of kilter with public opinion.
39:26 And notice the preposition there, out of kilter with something.
39:30 Okay, the last question in this first round, number five.
39:35 Have a look at the sentence.
39:37 She was trying to help, but her suggestions just muddied the waters.
39:41 Does the idiom to muddy the waters mean A to make a simple situation
39:47 more complicated and less clear than it was before
39:52 or B to bring hidden problems to the surface?
40:00 A to make a simple situation more complicated
40:04 and less clear than it was before.
40:06 I love how visual this idiom is.
40:08 If you muddy the waters,
40:10 you add mud to water and make it less transparent, less clear.
40:15 You can muddy the waters both intentionally and unintentionally.
40:20 Notice how we use the plural muddy the waters.
40:24 We can also say muddy the issue.
40:26 Okay, that brings us to the end of round one.
40:29 How many have you got right out of five so far?
40:32 Keep a note of your score
40:33 so that you can let me know in the comments.
40:35 Okay, now it's time for round two and we are increasing the difficulty.
40:40 This round you will get a gapped sentence with three possible answers.
40:46 You ready?
40:47 Number six.
40:48 What phrase best completes this sentence?
40:50 Let's just split the bill four ways.
40:53 It's not worth over a few pounds.
40:57 Is it a quibbling, b niggling, or c quivering?
41:07 The correct answer is quibbling.
41:10 Can you guess the meaning from the context?
41:13 It means to argue or complain about small unimportant details.
41:18 We quibble over or about something.
41:21 It's often a number or an amount.
41:23 Question seven.
41:24 Which word best completes this sentence?
41:27 The twins exchanged glances across the dinner table
41:32 which made their parents suspicious they were up to no good.
41:35 Is it A fussy, B fertive, or C frail?
41:47 It is B fertive.
41:50 This is a gorgeous adjective used to describe suspicious or secretive behavior.
41:56 It collocates strongly with the nouns glance and look.
42:00 Number eight.
42:01 Which word completes this sentence?
42:03 I don't find the prospect of camping in a field for a week in
42:07 this terrible weather particularly.
42:11 What is it?
42:12 A alluring, buding, or c enduring?
42:23 It is a alluring.
42:26 This means attractive or exciting.
42:29 A less formal alternative that would work well in this sentence is appealing.
42:34 I don't find the idea of camping in the rain appealing.
42:38 Alluring collocates strongly with words like prospect and offer.
42:42 But we also use it to talk about a person's attractiveness.
42:45 For example, an alluring smile, scent, or voice.
42:49 Number nine.
42:50 Which word best completes this sentence?
42:53 The last question completely me.
42:57 I didn't have a clue how to answer.
42:59 Is it a flattered, b duped, or c flumxed?
43:14 It is c flumxed.
43:14 Oh, such a good word.
43:16 To flumx somebody means to confuse somebody
43:19 so much that they don't know what to do
43:21 or say.
43:21 We also say to leave someone or be left flamed.
43:27 For example, that last question left me completely flammaxed
43:32 or I was left utterly flammoxed by the packet instructions.
43:36 Okay, last word in this multiplechoice round number 10.
43:40 Which word best completes this sentence?
43:43 Don't listen to her.
43:44 What she's saying is a load of old what is it?
43:49 A rigmarole, b hogwash, or c pragmatism.
43:57 Three gorgeous words.
43:58 I'll talk about them more in the PDF.
44:05 The correct answer is B.
44:08 Hogwash.
44:09 Not to be confused with Hogwarts.
44:11 Have you heard this word before?
44:13 It's an informal noun for an idea or talk that is stupid.
44:17 Nonsense and rubbish have similar meanings in this context.
44:22 It collocates well with the adjectives absolute, complete, and pure.
44:27 Okay, so that brings us to the end of round two of three.
44:31 How are you doing so far?
44:32 Honestly, I'd give yourself a big pat on the back
44:36 if you've even managed to get a quarter of these ridiculously advanced words.
44:41 It's time for our final round.
44:43 I'll show you the word with an example sentence
44:45 and I'll pause to see
44:46 if you can come up with the meaning.
44:48 This round is going to be very challenging.
44:51 Are you ready?
44:53 Number 11.
45:00 Tantamount.
45:00 Tantamount.
45:00 Leaving your dog at home alone all day is tantamount to cruelty.
45:09 We always use this adjective in the structure tantamount to something.
45:14 It is generally used to say
45:15 that something has the same
45:17 or almost the same effect
45:19 as something bad.
45:21 An example, copying another student's work is tantamount to stealing.
45:25 Copying another student's work is equivalent or nearly equivalent to stealing.
45:30 Number 12.
45:32 Strenuous.
45:36 Strenuous.
45:36 The doctor advised me to refrain from any strenuous exercise in the weeks after
45:41 my operation.
45:47 If something is strenuous, it requires a lot of effort and energy.
45:52 For example, strenuous exercise, activity, or work.
45:56 We can also use it more figuratively to mean determined.
45:59 For example, the company is making strenuous efforts to cut its carbon emissions.
46:05 Propagate.
46:08 Propagate.
46:09 The internet has made it easier than ever to propagate misinformation.
46:19 Okay, here's another word with a couple of meanings.
46:22 In this context, to propagate means to spread.
46:26 It's often used with nouns like message, agenda, or an ideology.
46:31 It often has a negative connotation to describe the spread of hateful ideas, beliefs,
46:37 and lies.
46:38 The second meaning is much more positive.
46:42 Have you ever had a go at propagating your plants?
46:46 This is when you take cutings from a parent plant to grow new plants.
46:50 For example, you can easily propagate pus by cutting the stem
46:54 and placing it in water.
46:55 Okay, our penultimate word now, shoddy.
47:01 Shoddy.
47:02 The builder did such a shoddy job installing the kitchen cabinets,
47:07 half of them didn't close properly.
47:14 This means poor quality work done carelessly, badly, or cheaply.
47:20 If we describe goods as shoddy,
47:22 they're made with lowquality materials or have been badly or carelessly made.
47:27 Okay, time for our final C2 word of the lesson.
47:30 I love this word.
47:32 It's very fun.
47:33 It is nefarious.
47:37 Nefarious.
47:38 It was a nefarious scheme designed to trick people into giving up their bank
47:41 details.
47:47 Nefarious means morally bad, evil, or wicked.
47:51 We can use it to describe criminal acts.
47:55 Okay, there you have it.
47:56 15 C2 level words and phrases.
48:03 Hello lovely students and welcome back to English with Lucy.
48:07 Are you tired of using basic verbs like walk, jump and climb?
48:14 Today I am going to help you upgrade your English by increasing your vocabulary
48:21 to talk about movement with some C2 level words.
48:26 This is the highest level of English.
48:29 So you can stop saying I walked slowly and start saying I plotted along.
48:38 You'll also be able to replace climb with clamber.
48:43 Now if this seems too advanced for you, don't leave.
48:47 I promise I will explain all the words clearly
48:50 and give you easy to remember examples.
48:53 So stay with me.
48:55 This video is going to be especially important for you
48:58 if you want to improve your creative writing.
49:01 The C2 level of English is all about nuance
49:04 and using precise verbs to explain exactly what we mean.
49:10 We will start with some advanced ways to say to walk slowly.
49:15 Our first word is to meaning to walk in a slow relaxed way.
49:23 For example, we ambleled through the village enjoying the quiet streets and fresh air.
49:31 Now, notice the use of through after amble.
49:36 Amble through.
49:37 To amble, like many of the verbs we're looking at,
49:41 should be followed by an adverb or a preposition.
49:45 Along, down, and over also work well.
49:51 A similar one is to mosy.
49:55 This is a lovely word.
49:56 It means to walk or move slowly in a relaxed way,
50:02 often with no special purpose in mind.
50:05 It's quite informal.
50:06 An example, we're going to mosy into town later to look around.
50:10 And in casual speech, we might say mosy on down or mosy on over.
50:17 I'll mosy on down sometime in the afternoon.
50:20 Next, to saunter.
50:23 If you saunter, you tend to look confident or relaxed.
50:28 A verb with almost the opposite meaning is to slink.
50:34 And this means to move slowly, but it's also to move quietly,
50:38 often as if you're trying not to be noticed or because you feel guilty.
50:43 This is an irregular verb.
50:45 The verb forms are slink, slunk, slunk.
50:49 I love saying that.
50:50 It's satisfying.
50:51 Slink, slunk, slunk.
50:52 She slunk out of the room after her boss told her off.
50:56 Or Carrie often slinks off to get coffee when she should be working.
51:02 Next, we have to trudge.
51:04 To trudge, another great word.
51:06 It reminds me of fudge.
51:08 I must be hungry.
51:09 To trudge.
51:10 This means to move slowly with heavy steps. often because you're carrying something heavy,
51:16 it's difficult to walk, or you're tired.
51:20 For example, we trudged home through the snow after a long day.
51:25 You often trudge through mud or snow.
51:28 A near synonym is to plot.
51:31 And this is to walk with slow, heavy steps.
51:34 You might be tired
51:35 or it might be very difficult to walk
51:37 because of the environment.
51:38 He plotted through the mud, his boots sinking in every step.
51:43 We can also use plaud figuratively, meaning to work or do something slowly,
51:50 especially something boring or difficult.
51:53 For example, if I ask, how are you doing with the report?
51:57 You might say, "Ah, plotting along.
52:00 I'm working slowly.
52:02 I'm making slow progress."
52:04 All right.
52:04 Our final one for moving slowly is to dawdle.
52:08 To dawdle.
52:09 I don't know if I'm in a particularly good mood,
52:11 but I think all of these words have been
52:13 so beautiful and satisfying to say to dawdle.
52:18 Can you guess what this word means from the sentence?
52:22 My children always dawdle on school days, often making us late.
52:27 It means to move or do something slowly in a way that wastes time.
52:33 If you dawdle, it takes you more time than necessary to do something.
52:38 If you don't want to go to school, you might dawdle over breakfast.
52:42 You might take ages to eat it.
52:45 Then you would dawdle over brushing your teeth and then simply dawdle along.
52:51 That's walking slowly.
52:52 Now, let's think.
52:54 If you were late to a meeting,
52:56 would you saunter or slink in or would you scurry in?
53:02 That's a great word.
53:03 Let's move on to ways to describe moving quickly.
53:07 Starting with scurry.
53:09 To scurry means to walk with small quick steps,
53:13 often because you are in a hurry or you're frightened.
53:18 For example, she scured into the meeting room hoping no one had noticed she
53:23 was late.
53:23 We often say that small animals like mice, rats, and ants scurry.
53:29 He jumped up on the chair
53:31 when he saw the mouse scurrying across the floor.
53:34 A very similar verb is to scuttle.
53:37 Scuttle.
53:38 Again, it's moving with short quick steps
53:41 and it tends to be
53:42 when you want to escape,
53:44 are afraid, or don't want anyone to see you.
53:48 Again, it's often used for small animals or insects.
53:52 A rat scuttled across the floor and disappeared under the fridge.
53:56 And another one we use to talk about animal movements is to dart.
54:02 This means to move suddenly and quickly in a particular direction.
54:07 You know what a dart is?
54:09 The small pointed object we throw at a dart board during a game of
54:15 darts.
54:16 Probably easier if I show you a picture.
54:17 Well, an animal or human could dart in a particular direction.
54:21 Some examples.
54:23 A squirrel darted across my path.
54:25 We can also use it for human movement.
54:27 Amber darted forward and pulled her son away from the road.
54:32 We have a similar word now to lunge
54:36 and this means to make a sudden strong forward movement often to attack
54:42 or grab something.
54:44 My brother lunged across the table to grab the last slice of pizza.
54:48 Our final verb in our move quickly category is to hurdle. to hurle
54:55 and this means to move very quickly
54:57 and usually it's in one direction.
55:00 My dog always hurtles towards me when I get back from a holiday.
55:05 Sometimes it can be in a dangerous way.
55:08 I think it implies a lack of control.
55:11 For example, the car hurtled around the corner and narrowly avoided hitting a tree.
55:16 Now, let's have a quick fire round of five verbs to finish off.
55:22 Stop. always saying jump and start saying vault instead.
55:30 If you vault, you jump over something using your hands
55:35 or a pole for support.
55:37 Carrie vaulted over the fence and retrieved the ball.
55:41 Next, you don't always need to hike.
55:45 You can always ramble.
55:48 This means to walk for pleasure, particularly in the countryside.
55:52 And to ramble is more common in British English than in American English.
55:57 I spent the afternoon rambling across the hills.
56:01 Now instead of saying climb all the time, what about trying clamber?
56:07 This means to climb up, down, or across something with difficulty.
56:13 Usually you clamber with your hands and feet.
56:16 For example, we clambered over the rocks to reach the seashore.
56:21 Or whenever I clamber up a ladder,
56:24 I cling on and fight my fear of heights.
56:28 Okay, how about if you walk purposefully?
56:32 Well, that's already quite advanced with purposefully, but to stride is even better.
56:39 It means to walk with long confident steps in a particular direction.
56:45 And this is an irregular verb.
56:47 And the past tense is not strided.
56:50 It's stroed.
56:52 The past participle is technically striden,
56:57 but I could probably count on one hand the amount of times I've heard
57:02 it used in perfect tenses.
57:04 An example, he stroed across the stage and began his presentation.
57:09 And finally, I've got another alternative for walk confidently.
57:14 It's to sache.
57:16 What an elegant word to sache.
57:19 If you sache, you walk confidently in a way
57:22 that is intended to attract attention.
57:25 We might say that models sache down a catwalk.
57:30 If anyone watches RuPaul,
57:31 you might have heard the phrase sache away when a contestant is eliminated,
57:37 encouraging them to exit confidently.
57:40 Another example, he sacheted over to the dance floor enjoying the attention.
57:45 That's very high level.
57:46 Okay, lovely students, it's not quite the end.
57:49 It's time for a little quiz.
57:51 Let's see if you can remember what you've learned from this lesson.
57:54 Keep score as we go.
57:56 There are five questions in total.
57:58 Number one, which verb means to move quickly?
58:01 Is it to saunter, to scurry, or to amble?
58:10 It is to scurry.
58:13 This is moving with short quick steps.
58:16 Saunter and amble both mean to walk slowly.
58:19 Two.
58:21 Which is the odd one out here?
58:22 To plaude, to hurtle, or to scuttle.
58:30 It's to plot.
58:32 This means to walk slowly.
58:33 The other two mean to move quickly.
58:36 Number three.
58:37 Choose the best option to complete this sentence here.
58:42 I up the slope on all fours.
58:47 Is it vaulted, rambled, or clambered?
58:58 Clambered fits best as this means to climb using your hands and feet.
59:03 So, you're clambering on all fours.
59:05 That's a good term for using both your hands and feet to move.
59:08 You're on all fours.
59:09 To vault means to jump over
59:11 and to ramble means to walk across the countryside.
59:15 Number four, choose the best option for this sentence.
59:19 We up the hill carrying our suitcases.
59:24 Is it lunged, trudged, or mosied?
59:33 It's trudged.
59:35 To trudge means to walk slowly and with difficulty,
59:39 often because you're carrying something heavy.
59:41 To lunge is to make a sudden movement forward.
59:44 And to mosy means to move slowly.
59:47 And finally, your last one, number five,
59:49 replace walked confidently with a verb from the video.
59:55 She walked confidently into the room.
60:03 So you could have sacheted, stroed, or saunted.
60:09 All mean to walk confidently.
60:10 And remember to sache is to walk in a way you want to be
60:15 noticed.
60:15 To stride is to walk with long confident steps.
60:19 And to saunter is to walk in a relaxed but confident way.
