Common Stories That Are Told in Movies Over and Over Again

March 23, 2022 Post a Comment

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What you will larn:

• Why learn English language with films?
• v tips to larn English through movies
• Top 10 best films for learning English language
• Acquire English language with short films
• How to talk virtually movies in English language

Why learn English language with films?

Watching films is a lot more fun than studying with a textbook! Information technology can also be simply as useful. Here is why sitting downwards with a movie in English language will improve your fluency:

REAL English – Textbooks are great for learning vocabulary or grammar, but zilch is better than listening to real native English. By watching British and American films, you lot tin heed to native English actors speaking the language in a natural way. This will help you acquire modern English and sound more like a native speaker in terms of vocabulary and style.

Better PRONUNCIATION – Sometimes it can be hard to know how an English word is pronounced. Hearing native speakers in movies will teach you the correct mode to say things. Dialogues in films also provide good examples of how sounds in words alter in continued speech.

LIVE CONTEXT – When you learn a word, it can exist difficult to remember what it ways or how to apply it. In films, words are used every bit function of a story and this context helps you to learn and remember them more effectively.

NATIVE ACCENTS – Beyond Britain and America there are many unlike accents used to speak English language. When watching films, you will hear many regional accents being used and this will help you to empathize them better. Textbooks seldom provide information about English accents.

EXPLORE CULTURE – You can acquire about the culture backside the language when you spotter movies in English. Language and civilisation are closely connected. Why non study both at the same time by watching original films?

5 tips to learn English through movies

Merely choose interesting films!
This sounds obvious, simply the well-nigh important thing when using films to study English language is to picket movies y'all will savor. If you choose a wearisome film, then you may lose involvement and pay less attention to the language it uses! To find interesting films by genre, championship, actor/actress or appointment of release, you can visit IMDB.
Avert movies that are likewise difficult
When you lot are watching a film in English, information technology is of import that you understand enough to follow the storyline. Try to choose a moving-picture show that suits your current level of English. If you are a beginner, you may desire to start with simple cartoons or children's films, like Toy Story. On the other hand, if you lot understand 99% of the dialogue between characters in a movie, it may exist as well easy for you lot.
Aim to understand lxx% or more than
When learning English language with films, you should aim to understand the general meaning and not every single word. Do not worry if you miss some words or phrases or do not understand the emphasis of a character in a movie. You can pause or rewind the motion picture sometimes and write downward new vocabulary, just avoid doing this too often. Recollect that watching movies should be fun!
Repeat your favourite lines!
If you hear a line that you actually like, write it down and repeat it! If you say information technology aloud, you are more likely to remember it. Sometimes, y'all will hear phrases that sound cool and are used in everyday English in the UK or America. Textbooks do not usually teach these informal expressions, but picture show practise!

With VLC player (or a similar video actor) you can watch movies with delayed subtitles in English language. If yous set a delay of 2 seconds, you tin endeavor to sympathize by listening commencement and then confirm what you have heard by reading the subtitles just after.

Use subtitles in the right style
When you are watching a motion-picture show in English, information technology is a good idea to turn the subtitles on. With nearly video players you can do this via the settings tab. On YouTube, printing the 'CC' button in the lesser right corner so select 'English language subtitles'. If you really similar a movie, perhaps effort watching it once with subtitles and and so again without. Avoid subtitles in your own language.

Tiptop 10 all-time films for learning English

With so much choice out there, it can be hard to know which movies to use when learning English! Cheque out this superlative-10 list of classics that includes films in unlike genres. For each pic, at that place is a description of the plot (story), an extract from the pic with an explanation of the language used, and a trailer showing a brusque prune of the moving picture. Allow'southward take a look!

Toy Story (1995)

Animated films like Toy Story are a great way to improve your English. They are usually aimed at children, which ways the vocabulary is simple. However, Toy Story has been written so that information technology is fun for adults too. It even includes some subtle developed humour that kids might not sympathise!

Toy Story is 1 of the most successful movies of all fourth dimension, starring Tom Hanks every bit the voice of the main character Woody. There are three Toy Story movies, all of which are activeness packed, colourful masterpieces about the 'secret life' of toys that come alive when there is nobody around. In the first film, Woody meets a new toy, Fizz. All of the movies focus on friends Woody and Buzz as they go through various adventures together.

Woody: Hey! Who moved my doodle pad way over here?

Rex: ROAR!

Woody: Hey, how ya doin', Male monarch?

Rex: Were you scared? Tell me honestly.

Woody: I was shut to being scared that time.

Rex: I'm going for fearsome here, but I just don't experience it! I think I'm only coming off equally annoying.

One of the reasons Toy Story is such a proficient film to help y'all learn English language is because it is really fun. In this scene, a dinosaur toy called Rex tries to scare Woody.

Lots of American slang is used in Toy Story. From the excerpt, you tin come across the phrase 'doodle pad', which is a toy that you can describe on. 'Doodle' is a funny word for casually drawing. Woody also says 'How ya doin'?'. He is a cowboy toy, so he often uses very American phrases like this one, which means 'How are y'all?'.

From the extract, you can meet how Toy Story uses quite simple language; making it perfect if you are trying to ameliorate your English with movies. Information technology does utilise some longer words, though, such equally 'fearsome', which means something that is frightening or scary. You would expect a dinosaur to be 'fearsome', only instead Rex is just annoying!

The King'south Speech (2010)

What improve style to learn English than with the King of England?

When the Rex's Speech came out in 2010 it immediately became ane of the biggest films of the year, starring Colin Firth as King George VI. The film follows King George as he tries to overcome a stutter before his commencement wartime radio broadcast. A 'stutter' is a speech problem when a person talks with repeated sounds or words.

This is a great movie to meliorate your British pronunciation because the whole film focuses on how to speak English correctly.

King George VI: Listen to me. Mind to me!
Lionel Logue: Listen to you? By what right?
King George Vi: By divine right, if yous must. I am your Rex.
Lionel Logue: No yous're not. You told me then yourself. You said you didn't want it. Why should I waste my fourth dimension listening?
King George VI: Because I have a right to exist heard! I have a vocalisation!
Lionel Logue: Yeah, you do. You accept such perseverance, Bertie. Yous're the bravest human being I know. You'll make a bloody skilful King.

In this extract, Male monarch George is talking to his speech therapist, Lionel. A speech communication therapist is somebody who helps you lot speak correctly if you have problems with your pronunciation. You tin run into that Lionel calls King George 'Bertie'. This is a nickname. These are oft shorter forms of the person'southward kickoff name, but they can likewise be invented based on someone's appearance or behaviour. Nicknames are mutual among friends in the U.k. and America.

The language in The King'south Speech is more complicated than in Toy Story. For instance, you tin see the phrase 'divine right'. 'Divine' ways godlike or holy, and so 'divine right' means that God has given the Rex the task of leading England.

Every bit this is a film for adults, there is also some potent linguistic communication (swearing). In this extract, Lionel uses the word 'bloody', a swear word used to emphasise something. Today, 'encarmine' is normally used, but in the time the film is ready it would have been considered very rude.

Harry Potter (2001-2011)

Harry Potter is 1 of England's greatest national treasures. Everyone loves it!

The movies are nearly Harry Potter, a wizard, and all of his magical adventures. The Harry Potter films are a must-see if you lot are learning English! All of the main characters get to a magic school called Hogwarts. The wizarding world of Harry Potter has its own animals and history, and it uses language from bones English to magical words made upwards past author J.Chiliad. Rowling. Some of these nonsense words are even used past fans! For example, 'muggle', which is an insult significant 'someone who cannot perform magic'.

There are viii Harry Potter films which are based on the seven books by J.K. Rowling, but it is best to start with the first (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer'southward Stone).

Harry Potter: Excuse me, who are yous?

Hagrid: Rubeus Hagrid, keeper of keys and grounds at Hogwarts. Of course, you'll know all about Hogwarts.

Harry Potter: Sorry, no.

Hagrid: No? Blimey, Harry. Didn't you always wonder where your mum and dad learned it all?

Harry Potter: Learnt what?

Hagrid: You lot're a wizard, Harry!

This famous scene is in the first motion picture, and information technology is the moment when Harry finds out that he is a magician. You might have noticed that in this extract Hagrid says 'learned', whereas Harry uses the word 'learnt'. Both 'learned' and 'learnt' mean the same thing here. They are both the past tense of the word 'learn' and it is okay to use either. 'Learnt' is the original British English grade, but 'learned' is preferred in American English.

Hagrid uses the discussion 'blimey', which is a British slang give-and-take used to limited surprise. In this scene, he is shocked that Harry has never heard of Hogwarts.

Hagrid likewise says that he is the 'keeper of keys and grounds at Hogwarts'. This means he is a 'groundskeeper', or somebody who takes care of the state. In the motion-picture show, Hagrid is played by famous Scottish actor Robbie Coltrane.

If you lot like the actor Robbie Coltrane, effort watching some of this other movies! These include: Nuns on the Run (1990), Golden Center (1995), and Message in a Bottle (1999).

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

If y'all desire to watch a classic film in English, attempt The Shawshank Redemption. Many people see it as one of the best films ever made and information technology is famous for its "twist ending" (unexpected finale).

The Shawshank Redemption is based on a book by Stephen King, and it tells the story of a white, educated man who has been sentenced to life in prison for murder. Over twenty years, he makes friends with a black prisoner called Crimson, who is played by Morgan Freeman.

Parole hearing: Ellis Boyd Redding, your files say you've served forty years of a life sentence. Do you feel yous've been rehabilitated?

Red: Rehabilitated? Well, now let me come across. You know, I don't have any thought what that means.

Parole hearing: Well, it means that you're gear up to re-join society…

Red: I know what you call up it means, sonny. To me, it'due south merely a made-up word. A politician's word, so young fellas similar yourself can vesture a adjust and tie and have a job. What do y'all actually want to know? Am I sorry for what I did?

As you lot might expect from a motion picture about a prison house, in that location is lots of legal language in The Shawshank Redemption. In this scene, Blood-red is at a 'parole hearing', which is an official coming together to determine whether a prisoner should exist released early on or not.

Observe the word 'rehabilitated'. This is often used to describe people who have recovered from a drug addiction. It means you have been helped back to normal life after something bad, such equally a serious disease or time in prison.

This motion-picture show also uses a lot of American slang. In this excerpt, Red calls a prison official 'sonny'. This is an informal word for 'son', but can be used to address a person when you are underlining your superior historic period (and wisdom) or when looking down on them.

The Graduate (1967)

For fans of film, The Graduate is a must-see. Many people say it is i of the most important movies ever made due to its utilise of camera work. It also has one of the most famous endings in film history.

Starring Dustin Hoffman, The Graduate is not but a brilliant movie, it besides has a fantastic soundtrack. All of the music was written by Simon and Garfunkel. Released in 1967, The Graduate tells the story of a swain who has an affair with a wife, and then falls in love with her daughter.

Benjamin: For god's sake, Mrs Robinson. Here nosotros are. You got me into your business firm. Yous give me a drinkable. You put on music. Now you outset opening up your personal life to me and telling me your hubby won't be home for hours.

Mrs Robinson: So?

Benjamin: Mrs Robinson, you're trying to seduce me.

Mrs Robinson: Huh?

In this scene, Mrs Robinson, a family friend of the master character Benjamin, has taken him back to her house. He feels like she is trying to 'seduce' him, which means to try to sleep with someone. He says 'for god'due south sake', which is an breezy style of showing anger or stupor. This expression is a little rude in English.

Mrs Robinson says 'huh?'. People say 'huh' all the time in English. It is a colloquial way of saying 'what?'.

Dustin Hoffman is a earth famous actor now, only The Graduate was his first big film. When he went to his casting interview, the producer thought he was a window cleaner! Staying in character, Dustin Hoffman actually cleaned a window for him.

Honey Actually (2003)

Beloved Actually is a 'rom-com', which is short for 'romantic comedy'. A lot of people watch this film in the wintertime considering it is a Christmas film.

This movie looks at eight different stories set in London, all of which are nearly love. This means that information technology is proficient to assistance you lot acquire English accents as at that place are lots of characters, including Liam Neeson with an Irish accent.

If you are a fan of romantic films, Beloved Actually is a great choice to aid you learn English.

Sam: There's this big concert at the cease of term and Joanna's in it. And I thought, peradventure if I was in the ring and played absolutely superbly, in that location'south a run a risk that she might actually fall in love with me. What exercise you lot think?

Daniel: I retrieve information technology's brilliant! I think it's stellar! Apart from the one, obvious, tiny little baby piffling hiccup.

Sam: That I don't play a musical instrument.

In this excerpt, Sam is hoping to make Joanna "fall in love" with him. If y'all "fall in beloved" with someone, information technology means you are crazy almost them and honey them very much.

Daniel says that this plan is 'stellar', which means perfect or first-class. He then says, nonetheless, that at that place is a 'tiny hiccup'. A 'hiccup' in this context means a 'problem'. The problem with the plan is that Sam cannot play a musical instrument at all. This is actually a very big trouble! When Daniel says it is a "tiny, piffling, babe fiddling hiccup" he is being sarcastic. Brits are famous for this type of humour and information technology forms an of import part of UK culture.

Forrest Gump (1994)

Forrest Gump's unabridged life is shown in this moving picture. Played by Tom Hanks, Forrest is a kind but slow man. 'Slow' in this context means that he is non very intelligent. Without realising it, Forrest takes function in some of import moments in history, such as the Vietnam State of war, and teaching Elvis Presley how to dance!

Information technology is a charming and funny film. One of the reasons it is a good film for learning English is because Forrest Gump talks very slowly, meaning he is like shooting fish in a barrel to sympathise.

Dorothy Harris: Are you coming along?

Forrest Gump: Mama said not to exist taking rides from strangers.

Dorothy Harris: This is the charabanc to school.

Forrest Gump: I'm Forrest, Forrest Gump.

Dorothy Harris: I'k Dorothy Harris.

Forrest Gump: Well, now we ain't strangers anymore!

In this scene, Forrest is going to school for the first time. He is not sure if he should get onto the school bus because he has never met the bus driver before.

Forrest says 'mama', which is a kid's word for 'mother'. His 'mama' told him not to 'accept rides' from strangers, which means 'arrive the car with'. He takes this to mean he should not become on the bus. In Britain and America, parents often tell their children not to talk to strangers because it can be dangerous.

Throughout the flick, Forrest Gump uses a lot of American slang, so this movie is cracking for more than advanced learners too. In this extract, he says the word 'own't', which is a brusque form of 'are not'. This contraction is often used by Americans and you will hear information technology in many US movies and English language songs.

Pulp Fiction (1994)

Lurid Fiction is a 'Tarantino movie', which means it was directed by Quentin Tarantino – one of the virtually famous directors of all time. His films are loved for being artistic, unusual and violent.

Pulp Fiction follows the stories of several criminals in America, from the view of the criminals themselves. Many consider this film to be a modern cinematic masterpiece. It is likewise a good film to improve your English language because it has many funny and interesting dialogues between its characters. Try watching this moving-picture show with subtitles, break it from fourth dimension to fourth dimension and write down whatsoever new slang expressions you detect! If you desire to know the meaning of a slang term, you tin await it upwards on Urbandictionary.com!

Mia: Don't you hate that?

Vincent: What?

Mia: Uncomfortable silences. Why do we feel information technology's necessary to yak about bullshit in order to be comfortable?

Vincent: I don't know. That's a good question.

In this extract, Mia uses two common American slang words: 'bullshit' and 'yak'. 'Bullshit' is a swear give-and-take unremarkably used to mean something is stupid or not true. The word 'yak' literally ways a type of big, hairy cow! However, in this context it means chatter or talk a lot about aught important. If you say somebody is 'yakking away' it ways they will not terminate talking! Nosotros can besides phone call them a 'chatterbox'.

The Theory of Everything (2014)

The Theory of Everything is a 'biopic', which means it tells the truthful story of somebody's life, usually someone famous. This English movie tells the story of Stephen Hawking, 1 of the most famous scientists in the globe. It focuses on his relationship with Jane Wilde and his illness, which paralysed him. Being 'paralysed' means Hawking cannot walk and is in a wheelchair.

1 reason why The Theory of Everything is a good film to help you acquire English language is that its characters take very clear British accents. Parts of the movie are fix at Cambridge University, one of the about well-known bookish institutions in England. Many of the characters speak 'the Queen's'. This means upper-course or "posh" English, which is clear and right.

Eddie Redmayne'due south acting in the Theory of Everything was then good that Stephen Hawking said information technology sometimes felt like he was watching himself on screen!

When Stephen Hawking becomes paralysed he has to use a machine to assistance him speak, which means he talks slower. This makes the film easier to understand for learners of English because the main character does not speak too rapidly.

Jane Hawking: What about you? What are you?

Stephen Hawking: Cosmologist. I'thousand a cosmologist.

Jane Hawking: What is that?

Stephen Hawking: It is a kind of religion for intelligent atheists!

This is the scene where Stephen Hawking first meets his future wife. You can see from the excerpt that this movie uses quite difficult English language words. It is a expert film to watch if yous already speak English well and want to push yourself further.

The words in this scene are very scientific. Hawking says he is a 'cosmologist', which ways he studies the beginning of the universe. He says this is a 'religion for intelligent atheists'. This ways information technology is like a organized religion for clever people who practice not believe in god. The Theory of Everything is too a neat movie to watch if y'all want to learn more scientific vocabulary in English.

Submarine (2010)

Submarine is an independent film, which means information technology was not made in a big movie studio. Movies like this are sometimes called 'indie films'. This 1 was a very successful contained film and won several awards.

Submarine is a "coming-of-historic period" film fix in Wales, which means it is a moving-picture show nearly teens growing up. This is a adept film to watch if you want to hear different regional accents in English language.

The main character, Oliver Tate, is 15 years old and the pic shows him struggling to abound upwardly. It is a very funny moving-picture show, which also deals with adult themes such as love and sickness.

Oliver Tate: Ask me how deep the ocean is.

Jordana Bevan: Shut upwardly.

Oliver Tate: Come up on, just ask me.

Jordana Bevan: Why?

Oliver Tate: 'Cause I know the reply.

Jordana Bevan: Oh! Do you?

Oliver Tate: Yes, I exercise.

Jordana Bevan: How deep is the ocean?

Oliver Tate: I'm non gonna say.

Jordana Bevan: I'thou anxious.

Oliver Tate: The ocean is vi miles deep.

Submarine was praised for existence brave and direct. Oliver Tate is an awkward character. In this extract, he is talking to somebody he loves and he should be serious, merely instead he is asking her if she knows how deep the ocean is. This makes the situation funny!

As you lot can run across from this scene, lots of slang is used in this film. Jordana tells Oliver to 'shut up', which is a rude way of saying 'be tranquillity' or 'stop talking'. In the extract, Oliver uses informal short forms like ''cause' (because) and 'gonna' (going to). These are very normally used by native speakers in everyday conversation.

One of the reasons Submarine was such a popular hitting in the UK is that the soundtrack was written by Alex Turner of the famous Sheffield ring Arctic Monkeys. It'south well worth a listen!

Jordana says that she is 'anxious'. This means she is very sorry or 'overcome with grief'. Information technology is often used to describe how people experience after the break-up of a relationship. However, in this particular context, Jordana is being sarcastic.

Learn English with short films

If sitting through a full pic in English seems besides difficult, then it might be a adept idea for yous to start by watching short films. There are many short films in English language, which can range from just a few minutes long to about one-half an hour.

Shortoftheweek.com uploads new English brusque films every calendar week. There are thousands of films in categories, such as horror and blitheness. Try watching a few of these short movies to improve your listening and vocabulary skills.

At that place are also many short films on YouTube. To detect them, try searching for a phrase similar: 'brusk films in English'.

Try watching Alone – a short motion-picture show that has won awards for Best Cinematography. This piece is just 6 minutes long and only has one character. This means that it is unproblematic and quite easy to sympathise for anyone learning English.

Alone is a postal service-apocalyptic pic. This ways that information technology is nigh the earth after the end of our civilisation. In that location is just one person left on Globe, and this picture show follows him while he speaks about what information technology is similar to exist the "sole survivor".

I had that dream again, when everything was normal. People working, people laughing. Years ago when it was all, well…before it all went to hell.

You can see from the extract that this film does non use complex language. It is good for remembering everyday English language words, such every bit 'working' and 'laughing'. The phrase 'before it all went to hell' is American slang, meaning 'earlier everything went wrong'.

How to talk about movies in English

Talking about movies in English language can be disruptive. For one thing, at that place are unlike words for every type of film! Here are some of the genres of films in English language:

Movie genre	What information technology ways	Examples
Rom-com	'Romantic comedy'	There'south Something About Mary, Just Go With It
'Whodunnit'	Curt for 'who has washed it?' These films are about a offense, and the audience has to effort to guess who did the law-breaking	Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie
Sci-fi	'Scientific discipline fiction' – films about robots, aliens or the future	Star Wars, Star Trek
Horror	Movies that are scary	Dracula, Frankenstein, It
Action	Films with lots of action – about heroes, guns and adventure	Die Hard, Taken, The Nighttime Knight
Comedy	Movies that attempt to make you laugh	Anchorman, Airplane!, Hot Fuzz
Documentary	Films that investigate something in real life	The March of the Penguins, Grizzly Homo
Mockumentary	A mock or joke documentary. This is similar a documentary, merely it is about something that does not actually exist.	Spinal Tap, Borat
Animation	Cartoon films	Toy Story, The King of beasts King

As well as different types of films, which are called genres, there are some other words that are often used to talk virtually movies. Hither are a few of the most common, with examples:

Cast – all of the actors and actresses in a film
'Harry Potter had a really good bandage.'

Grapheme – one of the people in a motion picture
'Hermione was my favourite grapheme in Harry Potter.'

Plot/Storyline – the story of a moving picture
'Shawshank Redemption has a vivid plot!'

Scene – a small function of a film with one location and one group of characters
'My favourite scene from Pulp Fiction is the one in the diner.'

Cinema (slang: the pictures) – a place you go to scout movies 'on the big screen'
'Exercise y'all fancy going to the movie theatre/pictures this night?'

Cheesy/corny – describes a moving-picture show that is clichéd, too predictable or in poor gustation
'Jaws is just a cheesy flick with a rubber shark!'

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can have anywhere. Click here to go a copy. (Download)

James Firby
— Staff Writer.

Craig Forst1973