Hi, I'm Georgiana and I'm back with a new episode of the Speak English Now podcast, the podcast that helps you speak English fluently, with no grammar and no textbooks.
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Before we start, get the transcript.
Visit speakenglishpodcast.com slash podcast.
Okay, let's start.
Today, I want to tell you about a book that I really love.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.
To be honest, it's one of my all-time favorite stories.
It's warm, emotional, and full of life.
I've listened to the audiobook version, and what makes it extra special is that it's a full casting recording.
That means that each character has a different voice.
It's not just one person reading the book.
It sounds more like a movie.
And it really brings the story to life.
And every year, I watch the 1994 movie adaptation.
Yes, the one with Winona Ryder as Jo.
It's my favorite version.
I know there's a new one, but the 1994 film just feels cozy and nostalgic and I never get tired of it.
It has that warm, comforting feeling that makes you want to slow down and dream a little.
But don't worry.
You don't need to read the whole book today.
I'll tell you a short story based on Joe's dream of becoming a writer.
And after that, I'll tell you the same story again, but in different verb tenses.
This is what I call a point-of-view story.
And it's the best way to practice English without thinking about grammar rules.
Let's start.
This lovely novel tells the story of four sisters navigating the challenges of adolescence and adulthood during the American Civil War.
We'll explore their unique personalities, personal struggles and the values the story highlights, such as perseverance, growth and the strength of family bonds.
Little Women follows the lives of four sisters, Meg, Joe, Beth, and Amy March.
They live with their devoted mother, Marmee, while their father serves in the war.
Although the family doesn't have much money, Their home is full of love, creativity and moral lessons.
Each sister is distinctly different.
Joe is bold, intelligent, and determined to become a successful writer.
Meg, the eldest, is mature and dreams of romance and domestic life.
Beth is gentle, selfless and deeply compassionate.
And Amy is artistic, ambitious and concerned with status and beauty.
The novel follows the journey as they grow up, face personal and family hardships and pursue their dreams.
As they mature, Each sister must make difficult choices and confront the realities of life, love and identity.
A key theme is personal development.
The sisters' dreams evolve as they encounter success, failure, love and loss.
But through it all, their strong bond as sisters gives them strength, comfort and a deep sense of connection.
Let's continue with a point of view story.
I will tell you the same story, but in different points of view.
This will help you practice grammar in a natural way.
You can find more about this method in my premium courses.
SpeakEnglishPodcast.com to get my premium courses.
They are designed for learning by listening.
Let's listen to the story in the past tense.
Joe was a girl with a wild imagination.
She loved writing stories.
Funny stories, strange stories. even scary stories with ghosts, goblins, and magical hats.
Every morning she made herself a big cup of tea, grabbed her pen and sat by the window at her tiny desk.
She wrote and wrote until her hand got tired, but she didn't mind.
She loved every second.
Jo dreamed of becoming a famous writer.
She imagined people lining up outside bookstores to buy her books.
She imagined signing autographs and hearing people say, Wow, Jo March is amazing.
But there was a problem.
The publisher said no.
One said, too strange.
Another said, too long.
And one even wrote back, too many goblins.
Jo felt disappointed, but only for about five minutes.
Then she stood up, stretched and said, no one can stop me, not even a thousand goblins.
So she kept writing.
She wrote under the bed.
She wrote on the stairs.
And then, one rainy afternoon, she opened the letter.
Her eyes got big and screamed, Yes!
A magazine wanted to publish her story.
She jumped, she danced, and she almost stepped on her cat whiskers.
She ran to her sisters and shouted, They said yes!
Her sisters hugged her, clapped, and made a hot cocoa to celebrate.
That night, Jo fell asleep with ink on her hands and a story in her heart.
Now let's tell the same story again, but in the future tense.
Everything will stay the same, but we'll talk about it as if it's going to happen.
Jo will be a girl with a wild imagination.
She will love writing stories, funny stories, strange stories and scary stories with ghosts, goblins and magical hats.
Every morning she will make a big cup of tea, grab her pen and sit at her tiny desk near the window.
She will write and write until her hand gets tired, but she won't mind.
She will enjoy every second.
Jo will dream of becoming a famous writer.
She will imagine long lines at bookstores and people asking for her autograph.
But there will be a problem.
The publishers will say no.
One will say, too strange.
Another will say, too long.
And one will say, too many goblins.
Jo will feel disappointed, but only for five minutes.
She will stand up, stretch, and say, No one will stop me, not even a thousand goblins.
So she will keep riding.
She will ride under the bed.
She will ride on the stairs.
And then, one rainy afternoon, she will open a letter.
Her eyes will get big.
She will scream, Yes!
A magazine will want to publish her story.
She will jump, dance, and almost step on her cat.
She will run to her sisters and shout, They said yes!
Her sisters will hug her and make hot cocoa to celebrate.
That night, Jo will fall asleep with ink in her hands and a story in her heart.
Great!
Let's stop for a second and think.
We told the same story twice, right?
First in the past tense, Joe did all those things.
Then in the future tense, Joe will do all those things.
Everything else stayed the same.
Same words, same ideas, but the verb tense changed.
That's what the point-of-view story does.
It trains your brain to understand grammar without studying rules.
You learn by listening, by repeating, and by imagining the story in different time frames.
And the best part, you don't need to memorize anything.
You just listen to the story again and again, and you'll start thinking in English naturally.
And if you want to practice more, get my premium courses at speakenglishpodcast.com.
I'll see you next week.
Bye-bye.
