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Topic: Pets

Belle L ★, Conversation Topics

conv-top-pets

Warm-up

In this lesson, your tutor will help you go over this topic: Animal & Pets. First, go over the following vocabulary and expressions with your tutor. Read the word/expression and definition out loud, and your tutor will go over anything you do not understand. Practice creating a sentence or two to make sure you know how to use the word/expression properly.

Vocabulary/ Expressions

Veterinarian (vet) a person who looks after sick and hurt animals
litter box a tray that has special absorbent sand, designed as a place for cats to pee or poop
leash the rope or other material used to stop an animal running away, normally a dog (same as lead)
stray (noun) an animal that is lost or has no home
e.g. There are tons of strays, mostly cats, around my neighborhood.
pet sitter someone who is hired to take care of pet animals, especially when the owners are away from home
fetch to go after and bring something back
e.g. We throw a blue rubber stick and our dog fetches it.
breed the specific type of animal
e.g. There are many different breeds of dog, such as golden retriever and poodle.
Purr the sound a cat makes when it is happy
Treats special food for an animal
Wag to move a tail from side to side

Conversation

Use the following questions as a guideline to form an interesting conversation with your tutor. Feel free to diverge from these suggestions if anything interesting comes up.

  1. Do you have any pets? If you don’t have a pet, why not?
  2. What is your pet’s name? How did you choose this name?
  3. Describe your relationship with your pet.
  4. Do you ever talk to your pet? If so, what do you say?
  5. Are you a dog person or a cat person? Why do you prefer one over the other?
  6. Do you think animals have thoughts and feelings? Why do you think so?
  7. Do you think animals have souls? Why or why not?
  8. Do you know someone who own an unusual pet?
  9. What do you think about people spending a lot of money on their pets?
  10. George Bernard Shaw said, “Animals are my friends…and I don’t eat my friends.”  Do you agree? Share your thoughts with your Cambly tutor!

Wrap-up

Go over any new expressions or vocabulary that you learned today.

Topic: Extended Family

Belle L ★, Conversation Topics

large family group portrait outdoor in nature at beautiful summer day

Warm-up

In this lesson, your tutor will help you go over this topic: Extended Family. First, go over the following vocabulary and expressions with your tutor. Read the word/expression and definition out loud, and your tutor will go over anything you do not understand. Practice creating a sentence or two to make sure you know how to use the word/expression properly.

Vocabulary/ Expressions

Immediate family Your immediate family includes your mother, father, sisters, brothers, husband/wife, and children.
Extended family extended family includes anyone who is related by blood or by marriage in the family.
…on mom’s side You can specify which grandparents you mean by saying whose “side” they are on.
e.g. My grandmother on my mom’s side lives in the US.
Great-grandparents Your grandparents’ parents are your great-grandparents. You might also have great-uncles and great-aunts. These are your parents’ aunts and uncles. You can keep adding “great-” for each generation.
e.g. My great-great-great-grandfather fought in the Civil War.
Related by blood Your immediate family (except your spouse) is related by blood.
Uncle/Aunt In English, we usually call someone “aunt” and “uncle” whether they are related by blood or by marriage. In some families, kids also call their parents’ close friends “Aunt” or “Uncle.”
Distant relatives We also count other distant relatives as cousins, e.g. your cousin’s cousin.
Second cousin A second cousin is one of your parents’ cousins’ children. And a third cousin is one of your grandparents’ cousins’ children.
Second-cousin-once-removed You can even talk about a “second cousin once removed”, which is a complicated relationship that many English speakers have heard of, but only a few of us understand.
In-laws Your husband or wife’s family are your in-laws. You call members of your spouse’s family “mother-in-law”, “brother-in-law“, and so on. But that is usually limited only to immediate family.

Conversation

Use the following questions as a guideline to form an interesting conversation with your tutor. Feel free to diverge from these suggestions if anything interesting comes up.

  1. Who is in your immediate family?
  2. What are your parents like?
  3. Do you look more like your mother or your father?
  4. Are your parents strict? What about your grandparents?
  5. What do you and your family like to do together?
  6. Do you get along well with your family?
  7. Do you like going to family gatherings? Why or why not?
  8. How often do you see your parents? How about your extended family?
  9. What is the best and worst thing about your family or extended family?
  10. How important are strong family ties to you? Are strong family ties more or less important than close friendships?

Wrap-up

Go over any new expressions or vocabulary that you learned today.

Topic: Advice

Belle L ★, Conversation Topics

conv-top-advice

Warm-up

In this lesson, your tutor will help you go over this topic: Advice. First, go over the following vocabulary and expressions with your tutor. Read the word/expression and definition out loud, and your tutor will go over anything you do not understand. Practice creating a sentence or two to make sure you know how to use the word/expression properly.

Vocabulary/ Expressions

If I were… If I were you, I would travel around the world.
My advice is… My advice is to exercise every day.
I think you should… I think you should study more.
How about…? How about making dinner together?
Why don’t…? Why don’t you go out with your friends?
You should… You should try the chicken.
… works for me. Taking notes works for me.
You better… You better say you are sorry.
In that case, I would… In that case, I would call the doctor.
Make sure you… Make sure you set your alarm.

Conversation

Use the following questions as a guideline to form an interesting conversation with your tutor. Feel free to diverge from these suggestions if anything interesting comes up.

  1. I want to quit smoking. What should I do?
  2. I won the lottery. What should I do?
  3. I want to lose at least 15kg. What should I do?
  4. I found a wallet with $5,000 in it. Should I spend it?
  5. I hate working. What should I do?
  6. I feel sad. What should I do?
  7. I had a big fight with my best friend. What should I do?
  8. I am always late. What should I do?
  9. I keep losing my car key. What should I do?
  10. My boyfriend always wants to be with me. What should I do?

Wrap-up

Go over any new expressions or vocabulary that you learned today.