 |
 |
 |
 |
Abidemi |
Rory |
What can you do?
Abidemi and Rory talk about things they can do, like cooking, and things they cannot do well.
Rory: So Abidemi, let's talk about abilities. Can you cook?
Abidemi: Yes, and no. I can cook a little bit, the basic stuff but I really like to eat but I don't experiment too much. So no, I'm not a great cook, but I can cook. I cook to survive. What about you, Rory? Can you cook?
Rory: Yeah, I can. I really like cooking. I love cooking Italian food. I also love baking. So I can bake cakes and cookies and bread, stuff like that.
Abidemi: Okay.
Rory: How about singing? Can you sing?
Abidemi: I think I can sing. Yes, I enjoy singing. I love singing. I sing a lot in church, so I can sing. What about you? Can you sing?
Rory: I can't sing at all. Like even when I go to karaoke, I'm too embarrassed to pick up the microphone.
Abidemi: Oh, it's too bad. What about you, Rory, can you play – okay, can you play an instrument?
Rory: I can't. No. I'd love to be able to play an instrument but I can't play anything. How about you? Can you play an instrument?
Abidemi: No, I can't. I really wish that I had learned something when I was younger. But I say I can play my voice. Ha, ha.
Rory: That's nice.
Abidemi: What about juggling? Can you juggle, Rory?
Rory: Yeah, I can juggle. I can juggle with three balls and I can almost juggle with four.
Abidemi: Wow.
Rory: Like I can do it for about 10 seconds. Yeah.
Abidemi: I can't juggle at all. So please teach me. It's always something that I've always wanted – I wanted to learn.
Rory: Okay. Can you speak three languages?
Abidemi: Yes. I think I can speak three languages.
Rory: Which ones?
Abidemi: I think English is my best language but I also speak Yoruba, a Nigerian language, and I speak French as well. Yes.
And you?
Rory: Well, I can speak English and I can speak some Czech. I lived in the Czech Republic for six years.
Abidemi: Wow.
Rory: And I can also speak a little bit of French but it's very rusty.
Abidemi: Okay. Maybe next time we'll have this conversation in French then.
Rory: Okay.
experiment
I don't experiment too much.
When you experiment, you try new way of doing something. Notice the following:
- He likes to experiment in the kitchen.
- I usually wear the same clothes. I don't experiment much.
not --- at all
I can't sing at all.
We use "not at all" to show we have no ability at something. Notice the following:
- I cannot cook at all.
- My mom is good at dancing, but me? Not at all.
would love to be able to
I'd love to be able to play an instrument
When you would love to be able to do something, you wish you could do it. Notice the following:
- I would love to be able to sing.
- We would love to (be able to) go, but we can't.
as well
I speak French as well.
'As well' means the same as 'also' or 'too.' Notice the following:
- I work and go to school as well.
- He knows Bob, and he knows Mary as well.
some
I can speak some Czech.
Here, some means a little bit, or not much. Notice the following:
- I know some Mandarin, but not much.
- I know some people here.
rusty
My French is very rusty.
When you are rusty at something, you need practice to regain your skill. Notice the following:
- My computers skills are rusty these days.
- I speak Chinese but it is rusty.
Vocabulary Quiz
as well • some • rusty
Related Lessons
Other Lessons
About the Teacher / Creator
Hello, and welcome to elllo. My name is Todd Beuckens. I've been an ESL teacher for 25 years. I created elllo to provide teachers and students free audio lessons and learning materials not usually found in commercial textbooks.
Contact Me Here
