Introduction
Neil and Georgie have a real conversation in easy English about what they do to stay healthy. Learn to talk about your healthy and unhealthy habits.
Vocabulary
healthy diet
eating food that is good for you
advice
opinions about what you should do
sweet tooth
a liking for sweet foods
sweet treat
something sugary that you enjoy, such as a doughnut
Language tip:
Use soon to talk about something that will happen in a short amount time
- I will eat a healthy diet soon.
Use still to talk about something that is continue
- I know I should eat a healthy diet, but I still enjoy a sweet treat.
Transcript
Neil
Hello, welcome to Real Easy English. In this podcast, we have real conversations in easy English to help you learn. I’m Neil.
Georgie
And I’m Georgie. Visit our website to find all the vocabulary from this episode and a free transcript.
Neil
Hi, Georgie. How are you doing this week? Are you feeling healthy?
Georgie
Today I’m feeling healthy. I had a healthy lunch. But this weekend I ate a lot of chocolate. And this week we’re talking about our healthy or not so healthy habits.
Neil
OK. Well, let’s get started.
Georgie
Neil, what do you do to stay healthy?
Neil
Well, I try to eat well so that means not eating too much, and not eating too much fat or salt or sugar. But that’s what I try to do, not always what I do.
Georgie
It’s really difficult, for me especially, it’s difficult not to eat too much sugar. I love a sweet treat.
Neil
Have you got a sweet tooth?
Georgie
I do have a sweet tooth. So maybe we should explain ‘a sweet treat‘, which is anything that is sugary like a pastry or a doughnut or something chocolate. And a sweet tooth, Neil. What’s a sweet tooth?
Neil
Well, if someone has a sweet tooth it means they like sweet things, like you.
Georgie
Yes, I have a sweet tooth, definitely.
Neil
So, Georgie, you like sweet things. But what do you do to be healthy?
Georgie
OK, yes, I do eat a lot of sweet treats, but to stay healthy I am very good at walking to places. So instead of taking public transport or driving, I like walking and that’s… I think that’s good for you, isn’t it?
Neil
Yeah, walking’s good, or riding a bike.
Georgie
I’m not very good at riding a bike. It’s too scary in London, it feels too dangerous.
Neil
What do you think you could be better at when it comes to your health?
Georgie
Yes, well as we know, I eat a lot of chocolate. So I could be better having a healthy diet, eating less chocolate and eating more vegetables. What about you, Neil, what could you be better at?
Neil
I think I could probably get more sleep, actually. Sleep is very important for your health, and I never seem to sleep enough.
Georgie
No, you’re always tired. You’re always complaining about not sleeping enough.
Neil
So, Georgie, are you going to change your health habits soon?
Georgie
OK, yes, I will. I’ll change my habits soon. Let’s start next week.
Neil
Next week? Why not tomorrow?
Georgie
Because I don’t want to! Give me a bit more time.
Neil
OK.
Georgie
When are you going to change your habits? Soon?
Neil
Well, I would like to sleep for many months. But it’s not going to happen. I will still be waking up too early, I’m sure. But maybe I should drink less coffee, go to bed earlier and spend less time on a screen.
Georgie
Yep, that sounds like a good plan.
Neil
So, Georgie. We know all the advice for staying healthy. Do you find it hard, though, to stay healthy?
Georgie
Yes, I do find it difficult because we know the advice, we shouldn’t eat too much sugar, but I still want my sweet treat at the end of the day. It makes me happy!
Neil
Well, if it makes you happy, it’s probably healthy.
Georgie
Yeah!
OK, let’s look again at some of the language we heard during the conversation.
We had healthy diet, food that is good for you.
Neil
Advice, opinions about what you should do. For example, to stay healthy, you should ride a bike to work.
Georgie
We heard soon, used to describe something that will happen in a short amount of time. For example, I’m going on holiday soon. Next week.
Neil
And still, used to describe something that is continuing. For example, you still like chocolate, even though it’s unhealthy.
Georgie
We learned sweet treat, something sugary that you enjoy.
Neil
And we heard sweet tooth. If you have a sweet tooth, you like sweet food.
Georgie
That’s it for this episode of Real Easy English. Visit our website for more programmes to help with your English: bbclearningenglish.com
Neil
And next time we’ll talk about our plans for the future.
Georgie
See you, then. Bye.
Neil
Goodbye.