Powerful Podcasts for English Fluency | Episode 13

Summary

In this English lesson, Marco and Erica teach viewers how to describe someone's appearance using natural, everyday phrases. They cover vocabulary like 'good-looking', 'quite tall', and 'in his early 30s', offering tips on how to express height, age, and attractiveness in real English. The lesson also explains phrases such as 'I heard' to share information, 'fill me in' to ask for details, and 'career path' to talk about someone's job trajectory. The conversation provides valuable language skills for talking about people in both informal and formal contexts.

Takeaways

• 😀 Describing someone's appearance: Use 'good-looking' as a natural, informal way to say someone is attractive.
• 😀 Height can be described using terms like 'quite tall' (very tall), 'sort of tall' (slightly tall), etc.
• 😀 When talking about height in the U.S., use feet and inches (e.g., 6'1'), but other countries may use centimeters or meters.
• 😀 Age can be described with terms like 'early 30s' (30-33), 'mid-30s' (34-36), and 'late 30s' (37-39).
• 😀 'Hot' is an informal, somewhat impolite way to describe someone very attractive, usually used among friends.
• 😀 'Fill me in' means 'tell me the details,' often used to ask for more information about something.
• 😀 'Heard' is used to report information you've received, but aren't sure if it's true (e.g., 'I heard you're dating a new guy').
• 😀 A 'career path' is a plan or progression of jobs within a profession throughout one's career, indicating future growth.
• 😀 The phrase 'I heard you were on a date' implies sharing information you don't fully know to be true.
• 😀 When describing someone's career, mentioning their role and future prospects (e.g., 'junior investment banker') highlights their potential.

Q & A

What is the main topic of this lesson?

The main topic of the lesson is how to describe someone's appearance and career in English, focusing on useful phrases for elementary learners.

What is the phrase 'I heard' used for in the dialogue?

'I heard' is used to express second-hand information or gossip, meaning you know something but are not sure if it's true. For example, 'I heard you were dating a new guy.'

What does 'fill me in' mean?

'Fill me in' means to provide someone with details or information about something, such as 'Can you fill me in on what happened?'

What is a 'career path'?

A 'career path' refers to the progression or plan of someone's professional career, including the jobs and steps they take over time. For example, 'David has a great career path ahead of him.'

How is 'good-looking' used in the dialogue?

'Good-looking' is used to describe someone who is attractive or handsome. In the dialogue, Irene says, 'He’s really good-looking,' referring to her date, David.

What does 'quite tall' mean?

'Quite tall' means someone is taller than average but not extremely tall. It's a mild way to describe someone's height.

What is the difference between 'early 30s' and 'mid 30s'?

'Early 30s' refers to ages between 30 and 33, while 'mid 30s' refers to ages between 34 and 36. This helps to describe a person's age range more generally without using an exact number.

Why is the phrase 'hot' used in the dialogue?

'Hot' is an informal way of saying someone is very attractive, but it can also be a bit flirtatious or impolite if used directly. For example, 'He sounds hot' is a casual compliment.

What cultural difference is mentioned regarding describing height?

The video highlights that in English-speaking countries like the U.S. and Canada, height is usually given in feet and inches, while in other countries, meters and centimeters are used. For example, '6'1' in feet equals about 180 cm.

How do you describe someone's age if they are in their 40s or 50s?

You can use phrases like 'early 40s,' 'mid 40s,' or 'late 40s' to describe someone’s age without being specific. This can be applied similarly to other age ranges like 30s, 50s, etc.