Four sources for audio and video streams

Here you can have access to the NPR of the NYC region.  It could be useful if you want to improve your listening comprehension of American English.  You can listen to the live FM broadcast or go to their show archives.  I personally like Radiolab, Selected Shorts and Fresh Air among the shows they air.

Here you can have access to the BBC website, which also airs on the WNYC in the mornings Brussels time.  It could be useful to improve your listening comprehension of British English.  They also have links under "Learning English", where you can find numerous tools for learners of English as a second language.

Here you can have access to the audio and video streams on The Economist website.  This again is a good source for improving British English listening comprehension.

Here you can have access to TED which is a good source for numerous talks on a very wide range of topics.  Most talks are given by Americans and Canadians, but there are also other speakers of different nationalities, including some British.

Coversation exchange

Here you can have access to the Conversation Exchange website.

Linking words

The first and second parts of the documents on linking words are hereby available.  You can also find the key for the exercises here.  As you do the exercises, please remember the following three types of linking words we have identified:

• Linking words that connect two parts of the same sentence as in the following example: We only have one week off for Easter, so we will be staying in Brussels.
• Linking words that connect two separate sentences as in the following four examples, which are different ways of saying the same thing:

1. We only have one week off for Easter.  Therefore, we will be staying in Brussels.
2. We only have one week off for Easter; therefore, we will be staying in Brussels.
3. We only have one week off for Easter.  We will, therefore, be staying in Brussels.
4. We only have one week off for Easter; we will, therefore, be staying in Brussels.

• Linking words that are covered under both the first and second types as in the four following examples:

1. Besides giving his friend a lift after work, he helped her with her grocery shopping.
2. He helped his friend with her grocery shopping, besides giving her a lift after work.
3. I am afraid I am not allowed to help you with that question.  Besides, I do not know the answer myself.
4. I am afraid I am not allowed to help you with that question; besides, I do not know the answer myself.

Note that the meaning of the word 'besides'  in the first two examples is different from its meaning in the last two examples.

In all these examples, please pay special attention to the punctuation.

Reported speech

I am hereby providing some documents on reported speech as well as object and subject questions with the key for the exercises from English Grammar in Use: Intermediate by Raymond Murphy.  More  exercises on reported speech along with the key are also made available.

Here you can also find more information on subject, object, verb, tense, time and location modifications in reported speech and indirect speech. (Business Grammar Builder by Paul Emmerson)