Learn English with ANNE with AN E — Anne Confronts Billy

Added: 2026-05-25

[00:00:00]Oh, yeah, global citizens. I'm Ksenia, your real life English fluency coach.

[00:00:04][music] And today we're back with a new lesson with the amazing Netflix show Anne [music] with an E.

[00:00:11]If you've never seen the series, it follows Anne Shirley, an intelligent, imaginative girl who isn't afraid to speak her mind. That is to express her thoughts honestly, even if it gets her into trouble. In the scene we'll learn with, we're at a fun school party where music, dancing, and young romance fill the air. So, things started to go wrong when a romantic encounter between two students, Josie and Billy, becomes more serious. Josie doesn't want to keep going, but Billy ignores her and forces the situation.

[00:00:46]Then later, he spreads rumors telling a different version of what happened, which damages [music] her reputation.

[00:00:54]As gossip spreads, people are quick to judge her rather than question him.

[00:01:00]Something that actually reflects the way women were often treated back in the day and still today.

[00:01:06]So, when Anne realizes [music] what's really happened, she refuses to stay silent and decides to [music] confront Billy, defending what she knows is right. Let's watch the first part of the clip with subtitles and then we'll learn all the advanced words in it.

[00:01:27]>> [applause] [cheering] >> I was going to go over How dare you?

[00:01:42]Come to beg for a kiss, too? Beg? That's not what happened and you know it. How dare you spread nasty rumors about my friend?

[00:01:50]>> You weren't there.

[00:01:52]You don't know what you're talking about.

[00:01:53]>> I have eyes and I I see that she is devastated. You shouldn't have touched her, Billy.

[00:02:00]Well, I guess she regrets having no morals.

[00:02:09]Josie.

[00:02:20]>> [music] >> Is it really so bad? They're practically engaged.

[00:02:25]>> Billy had no right, regardless.

[00:02:28]>> None of us saw what happened. Besides, Josie's always been ill-bred. Remember how she forced us to play that kissing game?

[00:02:34]>> is fine when there's consent, isn't it?

[00:02:37]>> They were unchaperoned. Remember when Lavender Lewis was caught doing some matrimonial sampling with Stephen Mills?

[00:02:44]No one would marry her after that. She had to move to Winnipeg.

[00:02:53]As you're seeing today's lesson is packed with advanced expressions. And to help you not only learn the most useful ones, but also remember them forever, I want to give you, as a gift, [music] access to the smart flashcards from this lesson for free. You can practice with them in our app by clicking the link below. Thousands of learners, [music] just like you, are already doing this and actually getting more fluent every day while having fun. Make sure to give it a try if you want to level up your English from intermediate to advanced.

[00:03:29]Okay, so let's start learning with this expression Anne used in the beginning of the clip.

[00:03:35]How dare you?

[00:03:37]This is a strong expression used to show you're deeply offended by someone's [music] actions. It's like saying, "What gives you the right to do that?" or "I can't believe you had the nerve to do [music] that." That's another a expression, by the way. See this other example of how natives use how dare you.

[00:03:56]How dare you show your back TO ME?

[00:03:58]YAY!

[00:03:59]WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? How dare you try to ruin my moment?

[00:04:03]>> your moment. Let's see what exactly Anne [music] is talking about. Come to beg for a kiss, too? Beg? That's not what happened, and you know it. How dare you spread nasty rumors about my friend?

[00:04:16]>> A rumor is information that spreads from person to person that may or may not be true. Like there are magazines that all they do is spread rumors [music] about celebrities. So Anne said Billy is spreading nasty rumors about Jersey.

[00:04:32]Nasty means unpleasant, like a nasty comment is mean. Nasty weather is terrible. A nasty person isn't kind. You weren't there.

[00:04:43]You don't know what you're talking about.

[00:04:45]>> eyes, and I can see that she's devastated. If someone is devastated, they're completely destroyed emotionally. They're not just sad, they're crushed, heartbroken [music] by what happened. Yeah, and then she was devastated when he broke up with her last summer.

[00:05:00]I thought she dumped him for Shayne Oman. You shouldn't have touched her, Billy.

[00:05:05]Well, I guess she regrets having loose morals.

[00:05:09]If a person is said to have loose morals, in the context seen here, it means people think their behavior is inappropriate in a sexual way. Like maybe they dress in ways that show too much skin, or they've been dating too many people. At the time period this show is set, [music] the late 1800s, women were expected to be extremely careful about their behavior and dress around [music] men. And this phrase was used to criticize any woman who broke those strict rules.

[00:05:40]But as we know, Billy is lying about the situation. He wants to make her look bad to cover up what he actually did and punish her for rejecting him. Okay, now let's look at the advanced vocabulary Anne and her friends use when talking about this event [music] the next day in the classroom. They're really so bad. They're practically engaged.

[00:06:01]>> Well, Billy had no right regardless.

[00:06:04]When two people are engaged, they've agreed to marry and usually wear an engagement ring. We could say these people are fiancés.

[00:06:13]Anne is saying what Billy did was wrong regardless of the fact they were engaged. The word regardless here means it doesn't matter [music] that they were engaged. Other similar words you may hear are nevertheless, nevertheless, or a simpler expression in any case.

[00:06:32]Here are some examples of how natives use these expressions. Honestly, the very idea that a woman should marry any Tom, Dick, or Harry, regardless of her own feelings, is simply prehistoric.

[00:06:45]And I'm about 3 years late in telling you this, but nevertheless, I need to say it. None of us saw what happened.

[00:06:51]Besides, Josie's always been ill-bred.

[00:06:53]Remember how she forced us to play that kissing game? What is Jane suggesting by calling Josie ill-bred?

[00:06:59]Josie comes from a poor family.

[00:07:01]Josie wasn't raised with proper manners.

[00:07:04]Josie's physically unattractive.

[00:07:14]Ill-bred is an insult suggesting someone wasn't taught how to behave properly.

[00:07:20]Let's break down the word. Bred comes from the verb breed, which literally means to raise >> [music] >> animals, which probably makes it sound even more insulting. Ill means badly or poorly. So, ill-bred [music] literally means badly raised, like your parents didn't teach you proper manners or behavior. Now, pay attention to this word. It's central to discussions about behavior and respecting the other person in romantic contexts. Remember how she forced us to play that kissing game?

[00:07:48]>> is fine when there's consent. Isn't it?

[00:07:51]Consent >> [music] >> means permission, especially situations involving physical contact. When you give consent, you're saying yes, freely and willingly. I invite you now, Nancy, to declare before God and his church your consent to become George's wife.

[00:08:11]And the way Diana said these words A kiss is fine when there's consent. Isn't it? Isn't it? is a good example of advanced pronunciation in a really basic phrase we hear all the time. Do you hear exactly what she's doing?

[00:08:26]Basically, the T in isn't gets dropped and the word links to it, so the phrase sounds like isn't it?

[00:08:34]Isn't it? Give it a try. Repeat after Diana. A kiss is fine when there's consent. Isn't it? Isn't it?

[00:08:44]This is a really common pattern of connected speech, which is the way natives reduce, cut, and link words together when they speak. We'll practice some more with other examples later. For now, let's keep going with the scene. A kiss is fine when there's consent. Isn't it?

[00:08:59]>> They were unchaperoned.

[00:09:01]This is a really advanced word, but one you can certainly use here in the context of kids and school. A chaperone is an adult who supervises young people, especially in social situations, like a teacher who chaperones students on a field trip.

[00:09:17]And if you remember The Lion King, Zazu was Simba and Nala's chaperone when they were cubs.

[00:09:24]In historical context, like the one we see here, [music] unmarried young people, especially women, weren't supposed to be alone together unchaperoned. Remember when Lavender Lewis was caught doing some matrimonial sampling with Stephen Mills, no one would marry her after that. She had to move to Winnipeg.

[00:09:43]Matrimonial means related to marriage, like matrimonial law refers to laws about marriage. And sampling means trying or testing something. As in American supermarkets, people often can sample featured products. Matrimonial sampling is an indirect way to talk about romantic or physical contact before marriage, like trying out or sampling what married life would be like. Seems like Tilly is inventing this expression here, but [music] it's the kind of phrase people used when they were too uncomfortable to talk about kissing directly back in the day. And by the way, are you like me and sometimes you just can't remember new expressions soon after learning them?

[00:10:30]Yeah.

[00:10:31]I thought so.

[00:10:32]That's why it's so important to review the words you are learning today. I know this not only from my own experience learning English, but also because we've taught millions of English learners just like you.

[00:10:45]And that's what led us to create the perfect solution. A set of flashcards for this lesson with Danny and Annie that is available for free on our app, and these will help you remember the new words from this lesson forever. And the reason this works is that [music] we put the science and the right technology behind it. Basically, the app knows the exact expressions you've learned from our lessons just when you're about to forget one. We bring it back to you to practice. All you need is 10-15 minutes daily for more natural English speaking. Super easy.

[00:11:24]Just click the link in the description below to try the RealLife app right now for free and start getting a bit more fluent every day. Okay, now let's watch the rest of the scene with Anne's passionate defense of what's right.

[00:11:41]>> [music] >> Josie's reputation is ruined. Why isn't Billy's? He was heedless and disrespectful. Josie has every right to be upset.

[00:11:53]So, I suppose we should get to work. Is it more important to talk about who had the biggest cabbage than to discuss issues which concern an entire gender?

[00:12:01]What's your hurry?

[00:12:02]Need to catch a train to Charlottetown?

[00:12:05]You don't need a crystal BALL TO SEE THAT JOSIE PYE HAS BEEN WRONGED.

[00:12:09]>> [laughter] >> Do you want to write about the balloon?

[00:12:14]Or >> I'll write about the fancy works. Quilts are the only thing more Josie's reputation is ruined. Your reputation is what people think of you, your public image. When someone's reputation is ruined, people think badly of them, and their good name is destroyed. This [music] is a good collocation to look at. The word reputation often goes together with the verb ruin.

[00:12:42]We also use it with other things, ruin your chances, ruin a surprise. [music] So, Anne is asking why Billy's reputation wasn't ruined at all. Let's hear what she's arguing. Josie's reputation is ruined. Why isn't Billy's?

[00:12:57]He was heedless and disrespectful. Josie has every right to be upset.

[00:13:01]Heedless is a formal word meaning careless or [music] paying no attention to consequences or others' feelings.

[00:13:09]Why does it always happen to me?

[00:13:12]Because you're a heedless child. And impulsive. He was heedless and disrespectful. Josie has every right to be upset.

[00:13:19]When you say someone [music] has every right to feel or act a certain way, you're defending their position and saying "What they're doing is completely acceptable and valid." [music] Josie has every right to fire me. He doesn't like me.

[00:13:37]And he has every right to feel that way.

[00:13:38]And this is another great phrase for practicing pronunciation. Listen again.

[00:13:42]Josie has every right to be upset.

[00:13:45]Josie has every right to be upset.

[00:13:49]Do you understand everything that's going on here? If you apply the same patterns to your own speech, you'll notice you'll be able to speak a lot more fluently, and your ear will be more attuned, or prepared, [music] to understand natives. Let's break this down. First, hasn't every got linked.

[00:14:08]That sounds like has every.

[00:14:10]has every.

[00:14:12]Then right and two get linked as we merge the two T sounds.

[00:14:16]>> [music] >> right to right to Finally, the letter T in the word upset becomes a glottal stop. To make this [music] sound, you simply block the flow of air coming through your throat, like upset.

[00:14:31]upset Here's the entire line.

[00:14:34]has every right to be upset has every right to be upset Josie has every right to be upset.

[00:14:42]Josie has every right to be upset.

[00:14:50]So, I suppose we should get to work. I suppose means I guess, or I assume. You use it to show some agreement, often when you're not super excited or committed to something. Like I suppose you're right. I suppose we could do that. Or just I suppose so.

[00:15:09]Gilbert used it here trying to redirect the conversation back to school work.

[00:15:13]Let's see how Anne reacts. Is it more important to talk about who had the biggest cabbage than to discuss issues which concern an entire gender?

[00:15:21]When something concerns a group of people, it affects them or is important to them.

[00:15:27]As this is a matter which concerns the whole school, the entire student body will be present.

[00:15:34]That's my concern. On the contrary, according to you, this concerns the whole world. And says the issue concerns an entire gender, meaning it affects all women, not just Josie. It's about how women in general are treated unfairly.

[00:15:48]What's your hurry?

[00:15:50]Need to catch a train to Charlottetown?

[00:15:52]When you're in a hurry, you need to do something fast because time is limited.

[00:15:56][music] So, what's your hurry means why are you rushing? You can say it when someone is trying to leave too quickly, especially if you think they're avoiding something.

[00:16:06]You don't need a crystal ball TO SEE THAT JOSIE PYE HAS BEEN WRONGED.

[00:16:10]This is a crystal ball, a glass [music] sphere that some people use to see the future, as they say. When you say figuratively, you don't need a crystal ball, you mean something is obvious.

[00:16:22][music] It's clear to anyone paying attention. When someone has been wronged, they've been treated unjustly.

[00:16:29]Someone did something bad to them and they're the victim. In fact, I have been wronged [music] by someone I thought was a friend. The women behind me all feel that they have been wronged by you.

[00:16:41]All right, nice job. Now, we'll move on to the final and most important step of the lesson.

[00:16:47]We're going to take everything you've just learned, the new vocabulary, the advanced pronunciation, and put it into practice. You'll watch all the scenes again this time without any subtitles and answer some quiz questions.

[00:17:02]Are you ready?

[00:17:03]>> [laughter] >> Let's do this.

[00:17:16]Are you ready to >> I was going to go over and How dare you?

[00:17:27]Come to beg for a kiss, too? Beg? That's not what happened, and you know it. How dare you spread nasty rumors about my friend?

[00:17:35]>> You weren't there.

[00:17:37]You don't know what you're talking about.

[00:17:39]>> eyes, and I can see that she is devastated. What does the word devastated emphasize about Josie?

[00:17:45]>> [music] >> She's a bit upset about the rumors.

[00:17:48]She's completely broken emotionally.

[00:17:51]She's angry and seeking revenge.

[00:18:01]You shouldn't have touched her, Billy.

[00:18:05]Well, I guess she regrets having loose morals.

[00:18:14]Josie.

[00:18:23]>> [music] >> It isn't really so bad. They're practically engaged.

[00:18:30]>> Were. Billy had no right, regardless.

[00:18:33]>> None of What's another word Anne could have used here instead of regardless?

[00:18:47]None of us saw what happened. Besides, Josie's always been ill-bred. Remember how she forced us to play that kissing game?

[00:18:53]>> is fine when there's consent, isn't it?

[00:18:56]>> They were unchaperoned. Ruby mentions they were unchaperoned.

[00:19:00]What is she suggesting?

[00:19:02]Josie's partly to blame for being alone with Billy.

[00:19:07]Josie and Billy were not engaged. Billy can't be blamed without proof.

[00:19:20]Remember when Lavender Lewis was caught doing some matrimonial sampling with Stephen Mills? No one would marry her after that. She had to move to Winnipeg.

[00:19:29]Josie's reputation is ruined. Why isn't Billy's? He was heedless and disrespectful. Josie has every right to be upset.

[00:19:37]So, I suppose we should get to work. Is it more important to talk about who has the biggest cabbage than to discuss issues which concern an entire gender?

[00:19:45]What does concern mean here?

[00:19:47]It worries all women? It affects all women?

[00:19:52]All women are talking about it?

[00:20:02]What's your hurry?

[00:20:03]Need to catch a train to Charlottetown?

[00:20:05]You don't need a crystal ball TO SEE THAT JOSIE PYE HAS BEEN WRONGED. If you've been wronged, what does that mean?

[00:20:19]You were treated unfairly. You're the victim.

[00:20:26]Do you want to write about the balloon?

[00:20:29]Or >> I'll write about the fancy works. Quilts are women's Oh, yeah, amazing job, guys. Now, if you are new to this channel, you should know that every single week we make new lessons just like this one with celebrities, movies, TV series to help you understand fast speaking natives without getting lost, without missing the jokes, and without subtitles. So, if that sounds like something you want to be able to do, hit the subscribe button and the bell down below so you never miss any of our new lessons. Remember to go and practice what you learned today in the RealLife English app. You'll find a special link right in the description below that will take you straight to this lesson over there.

[00:21:14]Goodbye.

[00:21:19]Miranda, about last night, I have I need the new Harry Potter book for the twins.

[00:21:24]Okay. Okay, I'll go down to Barnes & Noble right now. Did you fall down and smack your little head on the pavement?

[00:21:32]Not that I can recall. We have all the published Harry Potter books. Twins want to know what happens next.

[00:21:40]You want the unpublished manuscript.