Category: A2-B1

New Zealand Set to Ban Cigarettes

New Zealand will ban the sale of tobacco to its next generation, hoping to eventually phase out smoking.

People born after 2008 will not be able to buy cigarettes or tobacco products in their lifetime. The new law is expected to be in place in 2022. New Zealand’s Health Minister is resolved to ensure that young people never start smoking. They are determined to achieve a national goal of reducing its national smoking rate from 13% to 5% by 2025 and eventually to zero.

The government also introduced major tobacco controls, including cutting down where cigarettes can be sold. The number of shops authorized to sell cigarettes will be drastically reduced to under 500 from about 8,000 now. The move is part of a crackdown on smoking announced by New Zealand’s health ministry on Thursday.

New Zealand’s health ministry says smoking causes one in four cancers and remains the leading cause of preventable death for its population.

In 2017 the country adopted vaping — smoking e-cigarettes that produce a vapor that also delivers nicotine — as a pathway to help smokers quit tobacco. It has become more popular among younger generations. Health authorities warn that vaping is not harmless. Researchers have found hazardous, carcinogenic agents in e-cigarette liquids as well.

Adapted from this article.

Now that you’ve had a listen, let’s put your knowledge to the test:

Definition Match:

Combine the following words with their meaning.


New Zealand Set to Ban Cigarettes Quiz

True of false?

Comparatives and Superlatives

In today’s blog post we are going to learn all about comparative adjectives! Learning about comparative adjectives is really important so that you can describe things or people in relation to others. Oftentimes, when we take an adjective and make it a comparative adjective, we add on + ER to the end of the word.
For example: “I am tall” would become “I am taller than my sister”!
“My car is big” would become “my car is bigger than your car”.
The formula is:

Noun (subject) + verb + comparative adjective + than + noun (object).

However, maybe you have noticed that not all adjectives can be transformed into comparative adjectives by simply adding on ER. If a word is long, (typically more than two syllables but not always), we have to add the word more to make it a comparative adjective.

For example : This coat is more expensive than that coat!
My happiness is more important to me than my wealth.

The formula for long words is:

Noun (subject) + verb + more + adjective + than + noun (object).

But what if we want to transform an adjective into a superlative? To do this we often add on EST to the end of an adjective to transform it into a superlative form.

For example: My grandma is the oldest in the family.
I am the tallest in the class!

However, just as before a separate rule comes for adjectives that are particularly long. For these words we need to add on the word MOST.

For example: This test is the most difficult test that you can take.
She is so kind, she is the most supportive teacher I have ever had.

Comparatives and Superlatives quiz

Let’s put it to the test! Try and transform these adjectives into comparative and superlatives adjectives:

Adverbs of degree/intensity and Time Expressions

Welcome to the Scrambled Eggs blog! Here you can find many different resources with which you can learn English. For today’s blog, we are going to talk about adverbs of degree/intensity and also time expressions. Both of these are very helpful in mastering the English language, so let’s get started!

Adverbs of Degree/Intensity:

Adverbs of degree or intensity modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs to show the level or extent of an action, quality, or condition. They answer questions like “how much” or “to what extent.”:

Here are some examples:

  1. A little
  2. Very well
  3. Quite well
  4. At allBut how do we use them? Let’s take a look!
  1. “A little” is used to express a small amount or degree of something. For example: “He speaks a little English.”
  2. “Very well” is used to indicate a high degree of proficiency or success in doing something. For example: “She plays the piano very well.”
  3. “Quite well” is used to show a reasonably high level of proficiency or ability. For example: “They danced quite well at the party.”
  4. “At all” is used in negative sentences or questions to emphasize the absence of something. For example: “I don’t like spicy food at all.” / “Did you enjoy the movie at all?”

Time Expressions:

Time expressions are words or phrases that indicate when an action takes place. They help to establish the timeframe or duration of an event or situation.

Here are some examples:

  1. Every few days
  2. Once a year
  3. Once a month
  4. Every day

Now, let’s see how we can use them!

“Every few days” means something happens with a regular frequency but not every day. For example: “He goes to the gym every few days.”

“Once a year” means something happens once in a year, annually. For example: “We have a family reunion once a year.”

“Once a month” means something happens once in a month, monthly. For example: “They meet for dinner once a month.”

“Every day” means something happens each day, daily. For example: “I drink a glass of water every day.”

Now it is your turn to practice using these adverbs and time expressions!

Frequency adverbs quiz

Now it is your turn to practice using these adverbs of frequency. Choose the correct option: