Hello, welcome back to Practicing English and today's a B2 podcast.
I'm going to look at B2 linking words.
Yes, B2 linking words.
Yesterday I did linking words as well, or conjunctions as they're called correctly.
And yesterday it was a B1 level conjunction session.
And today I'm going to look at some B2 linkers or conjunctions.
First of all, I should say that there are many more at B1 level, because these are words which are used fairly commonly.
And, as you probably know, that B1 language is more frequent than B2 language, and that is why it's considered easier.
It makes sense, I suppose, for the learner that those words which are used more, they're going to be used more in conversation and when you read something and therefore they're easier to learn.
Words which are less frequent are going to be more difficult to learn because we don't use them so much and we don't hear them so much or read them so much.
And those are going to be B2 or C1 or C2 as they get less frequent.
Anyway, the words I'm going to give you today are for B2 conjunctions.
And you may think, first of all, well, they seem quite simple words.
But what I'm going to talk about is the less frequent use of these words, which makes them B2.
I'll read you a nice text which will illustrate these conjunctions.
And then I'll unpack it and we'll have a look at each one of them.
OK, so here we go.
Hello and welcome to Practicing English.
My name is Mike Bilbre and these are podcasts for students of English at B1 or B2 levels.
For transcripts, please go to practicingenglish.com.
Would you like to see my books for learning B1 and B2 level English?
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Check it out today.
Right, so I'll read you the text first of all.
And what I'll do, I'll emphasize those conjunctions, which are B2 in this text.
There aren't that many.
In fact, I'm going to tell you what they are before I start, to make it easier for you to listen out for them.
And they are though, when, whereas, while, or, now, provided that, once, and where.
Okay, so here we go with the text.
It's called City Life and...
Country life compared.
Do you prefer the city or do you prefer to live in the country?
Many people wonder whether they would be happier living in the city or in the countryside.
City life offers a fast rhythm and many opportunities, and it can be exciting, though it often feels crowded and noisy.
Some people imagine that they would enjoy the peace of rural areas when in fact they admit they enjoy the crowds and the lively lifestyle a city provides.
Life in the countryside is usually quieter, whereas cities are full of cultural events, restaurants and shops.
You can find something to do at almost any hour in a big city, while other people may find the constant activity just too chaotic.
On the other hand, country life gives you space to breathe or at least more contact with nature than you would normally have in a city.
Moving from one place to the other can completely change your routine.
Now that many people can work remotely, living outside the city has become easier.
You may enjoy a healthier lifestyle, provided that you don't mind longer distances to services and entertainment.
Some people say they would choose the countryside if they had grown up in a big city.
Others prefer the city, once they have tried living in a small village, discovering they miss the energy and convenience that urban life provides,
The best choice depends on the stage where you are in your life and what you value most.
Right, that's the text.
I hope you heard the conjunctions. that I used there.
And I'm now going to unpack that text and we're going to have a look at the meaning of those conjunctions.
The first one was, though.
City life offers a fast rhythm and many opportunities, and it can be exciting, though it often feels crowded and noisy.
So, but it often feels crowded and noisy.
It can be exciting, but it also feels crowded and noisy.
Though, although, it feels crowded and noisy.
Now, listen to this next one, when.
Some people imagine that they would enjoy the peace of rural areas.
When, in fact, they admit they enjoy the crowds and the lively lifestyle a city provides.
So this Use of when here well, I've actually put in there as well, in fact, but I could have taken that out, because when and in fact really are quite synonymous.
They have a very similar meaning.
So it says some people imagine they would enjoy the peace of rural areas, when they admit they enjoy the crowds and lively lifestyle of the city.
So it means really here, like in fact, it's contradicting something that you've said previously.
And that is the use of when at a B2 level.
Listen to these other examples which I have written down here.
He says he hasn't got any money when in fact he's got thousands in the bank.
He says he hasn't got any money. when in fact he's got thousands in the bank.
Okay, so I'm contradicting what was originally said.
Here's another one.
I don't understand how he can say that everything's fine when it's obviously not.
When it's obviously not.
So again, I'm contradicting the fact that everything's fine because it isn't.
The next one.
This is a common one for those students who are practicing for the first certificate, B2 Cambridge exam.
Speaking, part one, where you have to compare two pictures.
Whereas, whereas.
So that's one that we use at B2 level to compare two things.
Life in the countryside is usually quieter, whereas cities are are full of cultural events, restaurants and shops.
Whereas, so it's a nice way of comparing two situations.
In fact, there's another one which is very similar, which is while.
So I could use while.
Life in the countryside is usually quieter.
While cities are full of cultural events.
So while and whereas have a similar meaning, or they can have a similar meaning, because while in this text actually means something slightly different.
Listen to the sentence.
You can find something to do at almost any hour in a big city, while other people may find the constant activity just too chaotic.
So the meaning here is more like although, Or despite the fact that.
Listen to this other example which I've written down here.
While I fully understand your point of view, I do also have some sympathy with John's.
John's point of view.
While I fully understand.
So, despite the fact that I understand your point of view, although I understand your point of view, So while can have that meaning as well.
The next one is or.
Now, or can be used to change or correct something that you've just said.
So in the text, it says, on the other hand, country life gives you space to breathe, or at least more contact with nature.
So what you're doing, you're Coming down a little bit from what you originally said by using or.
It's a bit like the word well.
W-E-L-L.
Well, yeah, and we say something which perhaps wasn't so enthusiastic as what we just said.
Examples needed.
Here they are.
He told me all the truth.
Well, most of it.
He told me all the truth, or most of it, or most of it.
So first of all, I say, he told me all the truth.
And then I come down, I climb down, we say, and I say, well, or most of it.
Here's another one.
Things have been going quite well recently, or they were until a couple of days ago.
Things have been going quite well recently, or they were until a couple of days ago.
So they were going very well.
And then I climb down and I'm not so enthusiastic.
Next one is now.
This now is often followed with or followed by that.
In the text, it says moving from one place to the other can completely change your routines.
Now that people can work remotely, living outside the city has become easier.
Now that.
So here it means as a result of a new situation.
Here's another example.
Now that I've got a car, I can visit my grandmother more often.
Now that I've got a car, I can visit my grandmother more often.
You should help more in the house.
Now you're older.
You're 14 now.
You should help more in the house.
Now you are older.
So it's talking about the result of a new situation.
You're older and so you should help in the house.
Next one is provided that.
You may enjoy a healthier lifestyle, provided that you don't mind longer distances to services and entertainment.
So that's living in the countryside.
Provided that, which means if or only if.
So you may enjoy a healthier lifestyle if you don't mind longer distances to services and entertainment.
Provided.
That just, I suppose, gives more emphasis on the idea that it's important to realize okay, you have a healthier lifestyle in the countryside, but whoa, wait a minute, you've got a longer way to go to go out for a drink with friends or even, you know, to find a decent supermarket.
Next one is once.
And the meaning of once here is as soon as.
Some people say they would choose the countryside if they had grown up in a big city.
Others prefer the city once they have tried living in a small village.
Others prefer the city as soon as they've tried living in a small village.
Once they have tried living in a small village.
Well, darling, I've just got a promotion at work.
Oh, I'm Really pleased that I'm going to get some more money.
And I promise you darling, once I get my first new paycheck more money I'm going to take you out to dinner.
Once I get my paycheck with more money, I'm going to take you out to dinner as soon as.
The last one we're going to look at is where.
So where is used when we're talking about a particular stage that you're at in a process or activity?
In the text.
It says the best choice depends on the stage where you are in your life and what you value most.
Here's another example.
I've reached the stage where I just don't care anymore.
I'm just fed up with everything.
I've reached the stage where I just don't care anymore.
Those are the ones I wanted to share with you today.
I'll leave the texts, the examples and also the text that I wrote to you City Life compared to Country Life in the show notes of your app, so you can have a look at them there and digest them a little better than perhaps, listening to me.
That's all from me for today.
I'll be back with you again Next week.
Goodbye for now.
Well, I thought that was a bit complicated, Mike.
I'm sure most of your listeners switched off before they got to the end.
Oh, really?
You think so?
