← Unit 1

Aussie English

G’day, mate! – How Australians speak

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Watch the video

  1. Watch the TV interview with Daniel from Australia.
  2. Think and tell your partner: What happened? 🤔
  3. Listen carefully: Which words or phrases sound different from the English you know?

Task 1 · What happened? Put the story in order

Use ▲ and ▼ to put the events in the right order. Then check.

Task 2 · True, false or not in the video?

Task 3 · Informal English from the video

Match the informal words from the video with their meaning in standard English. Some are typically Australian (mate, bloke, jocks, undies) – others are informal English that you also hear in Britain or the USA (nah, he goes, forty-odd).

Correct: 0 / 0

🇦🇺 Life Down Under – what are Australians like?

  • Laid-back and friendly: Australians are usually relaxed and easy-going. Their favourite answer is “No worries!” – and they talk to strangers in the shop or at the bus stop.
  • Informal: People use first names, even with their boss or teacher. Everybody is a mate, and many words get short: arvo (afternoon), brekkie (breakfast), barbie (barbecue).
  • Mateship: Helping your friends and your community is very important – just like Daniel did.
  • Outdoor life: Most Australians live near the coast. They love the beach, surfing, swimming, sport (cricket, footy, rugby) and a barbie with friends in the park.
  • Humour: Australians love jokes and like to tease their friends. They don’t take themselves too seriously – and they don’t like show-offs.
  • A mix of cultures: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have lived there for more than 60,000 years. Today almost one in three Australians was born in another country.

Task 4 · Tell it in standard English

Daniel tells his story in very informal English. Like many Australians in casual speech, he even uses the present perfect to tell a story (I’ve walked out the front, I’ve seen the car). In standard English – and always in your written work – we use the simple past for stories. Write the sentences in standard English.

Task 5 · Did you get the joke?

The TV presenters make a few jokes. Do you understand them?

Correct: 0 / 0

🎲 Aussie word dice

Roll the dice: you get three Aussie words. Use all three while you talk about your card! Choose your level – the red one is really hard. 😉

🎬 Extra: Film your own interview!

⭐ Optional – if you like!

  1. Work with a partner: one of you is the TV reporter, the other one is the driver, Daniel’s wife, the policeman, the shop owner – or another person from the story.
  2. Plan your interview: 4–5 questions and answers. Use at least three Aussie words – roll the dice!
  3. Film it with a phone or tablet (about 1–2 minutes). Please keep your real clothes on! 😉
  4. Share your video with the class and tell everyone what you found out about Aussie English.

🔒 Only film people who agree to it, and only share the video in class.