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Abilities and Talents: A London Street Interview

About This Lesson

In this listening exercise, we'll practice understanding natural English conversations about abilities and talents. You'll learn vocabulary for talking about what you can and can't do, and practice using modal verbs.

Learning Objectives:

  • Understand authentic English conversations about abilities
  • Learn vocabulary for describing skills and limitations
  • Practice modal verbs (can, can't, cannot) and adverbs

Pre-Listening Task

Match the words with their definitions:
Childhood
Definitely
Probably
Depend on
I guess
Used when you are not completely sure about something
The time when you are a child
Without any doubt; certainly
Used to say that something is likely to happen or be true
To be influenced or decided by something

Listening Task

A. Fill in the gaps with the words you hear.

A = Agata C = Catherine J = Jerry L = Lara S = Sian

S: Hi, I'm Sian from BBC Learning English. I'm going to ask people on the streets of London about their appearance and personality, hobbies, likes and dislikes, idols, countries and many other things. London is a huge and exciting city. Nearly ten million people live here, and even more visit it every year from all over the world. Let's see what they tell me.

Can you swim one kilometre?

C: I swim one kilometre, but I can swim about metres.

A: I can't one kilometre.

L: I think I can swim one kilometre, on where it is. I can swim one kilometre in a pool, but I I can't in the .

Can you stay under water for one minute?

L: I haven't tried it in a while but I think I can't under water minute. I can stay under water for thirty seconds.

C: I can't stay under water for minute. I can stay under water for thirty seconds.

Can you dance?

J: I dance.

A: I can dance.

L: I can dance sometimes, but I definitely sing.

Can you jump three metres?

C: I jump three metres. I can about thirty centimetres.

Can you speak three languages?

L: I can speak languages. I can't speak , for example.

J: I speak three languages.

B. Who says what? Write the correct name (Agata, Catherine, Jerry, Lara, Sian).
Statement Who?
Can swim about fifty meters but not one kilometer
Can swim one kilometer only in a swimming pool
Can dance but definitely can't sing
Can jump only about thirty centimeters
Can speak three languages but not Chinese

Post-Listening Task

Answer the questions about the people in the video.
What is the main difference between swimming in a pool and in the ocean according to Lara?
How long can Catherine probably stay under water?
What two activities can Lara do sometimes but not others?

Grammar Focus: Modal Verbs and Adverbs

Notice how the speakers use modal verbs like can, can't, cannot and adverbs like definitely, probably, sometimes to express ability and certainty.

Examples from the interview:

  • "I can't swim one kilometre" (definite inability)
  • "I can probably stay under water for about thirty seconds" (uncertain ability)
  • "I definitely can't sing" (certain inability)
  • "I can dance sometimes" (occasional ability)

Try It Yourself

Think for a second and write three sentences about your abilities using different modal verbs and adverbs

Translation

Translate into English: