Session 47
September 27, 2026 · Intermediate → B2
- Friendly, not a friend: the villa story & crossing the line
- a difficult relative at work
- family, gratitude & small gestures
1 Corrections
How you said it, the natural version, and why. These are your own sentences.
How you said it
They will ask my why you give your brother special treatment.
The natural version
They will ask me why I give my brother special treatment.
Object pronoun me. And keep the speaker the same: I give my brother...
How you said it
I thought that they need this holiday.
The natural version
I thought that they needed this holiday.
After a past verb (thought), the next verb usually moves to the past too.
How you said it
...without telling my mother and take her blessing.
The natural version
...without telling my mother or getting her blessing.
After without, use -ing: without telling, without getting.
How you said it
I paid twenty years of my life in this hospital.
The natural version
I gave / spent twenty years of my life in this hospital.
We give or spend years of our life, not "pay" them.
How you said it
It's kind from you to treat them as friends.
The natural version
It's kind of you to treat them as friends.
The pattern is It's kind / nice / generous of + person.
How you said it
You came as a strange doctor.
The natural version
You came as a stranger (an outsider).
strange = unusual (adjective); a stranger = a person you don't know (noun).
How you said it
The situation of the operations room was very messy.
The natural version
The operating room was very messy.
It's the operating room (or operating theater). No need for "the situation of."
How you said it
He took all advantage of the hospital.
The natural version
He took full advantage of the hospital.
The fixed phrase is take full advantage of.
How you said it
They begin to deal as you are a real friend.
The natural version
They begin to treat you as if you were a real friend.
For something that isn't true, use as if + past. And we treat people; we deal with problems.
1b Already right
These needed no correction at all.
Yes, it was that bad. / It wasn't that big of a deal.
Perfect — natural use of that + adjective for emphasis.
2 Grammar tips
treat vs deal with
treat people (in a certain way); deal with problems or people you must handle.
Treat staff with respect. · I had to deal with the fight.
as if + past (unreal)
Use as if + past when something only seems true.
He talks to me as if he were my brother.
without + -ing
After a preposition, use the -ing form.
He did it without asking me.
It's + adjective + of + person
Use of (not "from") to judge someone's action.
It's kind of you to help. · It was nice of him to invite us.
Adjective + preposition
Learn them together: grateful for, jealous of, upset with/about.
I'm grateful for my parents. · Are you upset with me?
that + adjective (emphasis)
that = "so / to that degree", often in questions and negatives.
Was it that bad? · It wasn't that big of a deal.
3 New words and phrases
4 Pronunciation
- ·existenceThe "x" sounds like "gz"; stress on ZIS.
- ·gestureThe "g" sounds like "j"; stress the first syllable.
5 Practice sentences
01You should be friendly with your colleagues, but not their friend.
02There is a barrier between the director and the employees, and it protects both sides.
03I rented a villa for my staff because I felt they needed a holiday.
04Some of them took advantage of my kindness and crossed the line.
05They dropped the titles and were disrespectful to the doctors.
06Was it that bad? Yes, it was that bad.
07It's kind of you to treat them as friends, but they must respect your position.
08He's impulsive and has extreme reactions to small problems.
09You don't have a share, so you don't get special treatment.
10My youngest brother is a little spoiled; he's my mother's favorite.
11Small gestures mean a lot, and I'm grateful for my parents.
12It's always the same pattern — how about we try something different instead?
6 Model sentences
Read these out loud three times.
Be friendly with your staff, but keep a barrier so they respect your position.
I invited my employees to a villa, but some of them took full advantage of it.
It wasn't that big of a deal at first, but later it became a real problem.
He treats the hospital as if it were his own home, without asking anyone.
I gave twenty years of my life to this hospital, and I took a big risk.
My shareholders will ask me why I give my brother special treatment.
Mothers find it hard to be fair, and brothers easily get jealous.
Small gestures show how grateful you are for someone's existence.
7 Mini-dialogue
- A
How was the trip to the villa with your staff?
- B
Good at first, but some of them crossed the line.
- A
Really? Was it that bad?
- B
Yes, it was that bad. They dropped the titles and were disrespectful to the doctors.
- A
It was kind of you to invite them, though.
- B
Thanks. But I learned that you can be friendly without being a friend.
- A
So next time?
- B
A team-building activity, yes — but with a clear barrier.
Read A, say B's line yourself, then check.
8 Homework
- Writing: Tell the villa story in 6 sentences, using rent, take advantage of, cross the line, and drop the titles.
- Grammar: Write 3 sentences with "It's kind / nice / generous of you to..." and 2 questions with "that + adjective" (e.g., "Was it that bad?").
- strange vs stranger: Write one sentence with each word.
- Adjective + preposition: Write sentences with grateful for, jealous of, and upset with.
- Vocabulary: Describe a difficult colleague using impulsive, stubborn, troublemaker, and attitude.
- Speaking: Say these out loud three times each and record yourself — impulsive, cardiologist, authority, existence, gesture.
9 Self-check
Today I told the villa story and explained the difference between being friendly and being a friend. I can now talk about barriers, crossing the line, and people who take advantage of kindness.
I need to remember: "It's kind of you" (not "from you"), "a stranger" is a person but "strange" is an adjective, and we "give" years of our life, not "pay" them.
I enjoyed the family vocabulary — spoiled, my mother's favorite, jealous, grateful, and small gestures. Short phrases like "Good on you!", "Poor you!" and "Was it that bad?" are very useful.