Level Up English - English with Michael

Underrated = not fully appreciated by people / better than most people think

Can you share a place where you live that you think is underrated?

“Me and John went…” ❌

👉 Subject vs object mistake

Quick trick 👇
Remove the other person

“Me went…” ❌
So it should be:

✔️ John and I went

Also sounds more natural 👍

💬 Do you usually say “me and…” or “I and…”?

“I didn’t do nothing” ❌

👉 This is a double negative

It can sound natural in very casual English
But in standard English, it’s incorrect

✔️ I didn’t do anything
✔️ I did nothing

Only one negative needed 👍

💬 Have you heard this in movies or music?

Ever noticed rules aren’t always fair?

👉 Double standard
a rule that is applied differently to different people

A child cries 😢 → comfort
An adult cries 😅 → “don’t be a baby”

Same situation
Different reaction

💬 Have you experienced a double standard?

Want to reduce screen time? Try this 👇

📍 Keep your phone away from your bed
📍 Have a “phone spot” in your home
📍 Don’t use it while walking

Simple habits
Big impact

💬 Which one would you try first?

Using your phone late at night?

It might feel harmless…
But it adds up over time

👉 Take a toll
to have a negative effect over time

Bad sleep → low energy → worse mood

💬 Has phone use taken a toll on your sleep?

Ever had a moment that made you stop and stare?

👉 Awe-inspiring
something so amazing that it fills you with wonder

For me, it was lying under the stars
Watching satellites and shooting stars 🌠

Sometimes one small moment can spark a lifelong interest.

💬 What’s the most awe-inspiring thing you’ve ever seen?

Some learners say
“I want to understand every accent in English.”

Honestly… even native speakers struggle sometimes 😅

Scottish, Irish, regional accents…
They can be difficult even for people from the UK.

Don’t panic if you don’t understand everything.

💬 Which English accent is hardest for you?

👉 Past perfect
talks about something that happened before another past event

Example
“We got lost because we had never been there before.”

It’s great for explaining experience and background in stories.

💬 Do you feel confident using the past perfect?

If someone sends you too much money… what would you do? 👀

👉 Plausible deniability
having a believable way to deny responsibility

If there’s no proof you knew about it
You can deny it

Believable
But maybe not honest 😅

Would you return the money or keep it?

Giving advice without sounding bossy?

👉 You might want to…
a soft, polite way to suggest something

“You might want to try again.”
“You might want to be honest.”

It sounds gentle
Not forceful

Do you prefer direct advice or softer suggestions?

Podcasts create intimacy

👉 Intimacy
a feeling of closeness and personal connection

It’s not just information
It feels like someone is talking directly to you

That’s the magic of podcasting 🎙️

👉 Do podcasts feel more personal than other content to you?