Looks like rain

The sky was dark and angry to the east, but the sun was still high in the west and shone brightly on the side of our neighbours’ house. However, there was only one thing that sky meant, rain.

In our English conversation class we try and cover a variety of different aspects of English; we always have a little grammar section because the students like to have some concrete examples and explanations, we sometimes watch videos, look at the transcripts and then read them in groups, and we also play games to get people involved.

We also have a focus on everyday conversation which anyone might meet just out and about, waiting at a bus stop, in a queue, talking to a person at a check-out, and one of the most frequent topics of casual conversation is the weather. We look at common phrases and expressions, and the rather more relaxed and casual use of language in these social situations, and suggest ways of responding even if the standard of language is at a fairly basic level.

I’m not sure if weather is such a popular topic in other countries, and sometimes the students do look slightly baffled as we try and explain the British obsession with it… But we always have fun and there is always a good example to be had just by looking through the window!