English Lessons with

Blackadder
A course for Upper-Intermediate Students by David Nicholls

A new approach to learning English, this is a series of lessons based on the episodes of the hit
UK TV show Blackadder. Lessons include grammar explanations, exercises, vocabulary tasks
and discussion questions. They are ideal for self-study and classroom use.

Blackadder the Third

Dish and dishonesty
Comprehension:
1) What important political event has just taken place?
2) Who is eligible to vote in the UK at this time?
3) Who are the 3 enemies of the state, according to William Pitt?
4) Is Prince George worried about the vote that will strike him from the civil list?
5) What is Blackadders plan to save George from bankruptcy?
6) What happens to Lord Buxomley?
7) What is a rotten borough?
8) How many voters live in the Dunny on the world constituency?
9) Why does Blackadder need 1000?
10) What crimes does Blackadder make up some crimes on Baldricks application form?
11) What would Baldrick do if Blackadder gave him a million pounds?
12) Who is the returning officer (vote counter), and why?
13) How many people voted for Baldrick?
14) Who does Blackadder suggest as a suitable candidate to appoint as a lord?
15) Who did Prince George appoint as a Lord?

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A general election
rotten
Eligible (to vote)
A tory
A lunatic
fair
A toff
A pleb
A slob
A policy
An ace
A judge
A toddler
disgraceful

Very expensive
Honest and just
A process of voting
A posh/upper class person
A common person
Suitable and qualified
A member of the conservative party
A lazy and messy person
A political plan or strategy
The best card in the pack which can mean
1 or 11 in pontoon
A man who makes decisions in court about
punishments
Corrupt or spoilt
A teenager
dangerous

An adolescent
treacherous
priceless

shameful
A child between 1 and 3
A madman

Now use the words in the left column in the following sentences (in the correct forms)
I intend to destroy that utter ____, the prince of Wales.
There are ____ at the top, ____ at the bottom, and me in the middle making a fat pile of cash.
This man may just be the ____ up our sleeve.
You could appoint him a high court ____
Our slogan will be a ____ candidate for a ____ borough
I think its ____ that we have to win this election, because we paid for this seat.
Get out you nauseating ____ !
These are ____ times!
Ive just broken a ____ turnip

Grammar

PRESENT PERFECT

We use this tense with unfinished periods, and with past actions which have present results.
This year alone he HAS SPENT 15 000 on banqueting.
A major crisis HAS ARISEN in your affairs.
PAST SIMPLE
We use this tense of we know when an action happened, or if it has finished and has no relation
to the present.
Past simple or present perfect?
1) I ____ ____ out of socks again. I cant find any! (run out of)
2) How long ____ you ____ in this borough? (live)
3) I ____ Baldrick the Lord, yesterday. (make)
4) I ____ just ____ a priceless turnip (break)
5) On one occasion he entered the House of Commons and ____ ____ in the speakers chair
(pass out)

Discussion Questions
1) Who do you think should be eligible to vote?
2) What legislation has recently been introduced in Russia? Are you against any of it?
3) Do you ever run out of socks? What do you regularly run out of?
4) If you were an MP, what would your minimum bribe level be?
5) We have a House of Commons and a House of Lords, in our political system. Do you also
have two houses in Russian Politics?

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Answers
1) A General Election
2) Virtually no one.
3) Napolean Bonapart (the evil dictator), his old Geography master, and the utter slob, the
Prince of Wales.
4) Not at first. He doesnt understand that they want to bankrupt him.
5) The Politicians are equally split (divided) on whether to strike the Prince from the civil
list. So he plans to bribe one tory politician by appointing him a high court judge.
6) He dies
7) It was a borough (voting district) with very few voters living there, so they could be easily
bribed to vote for the peer who would pass it on to his son.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotten_and_pocket_boroughs
8) 1
9) To buy the land of the constituency Dunny on the world.and even though its a
tuppence ha'penny kind of place, there are many other expenses also like window tax,
food for the animals
10) Fraud and sexual deviance (hes going to be an MP )
11) He would buy a turnip in the countryside
12) Because he is a substitute for the previous returning officer, who brutally stabbed himself
while shaving.
13) 16472
14) Someone in his service who has done good work against the evil Pitt
15) Baldrick.

A general election
rotten
Eligible (to vote)
A tory
A lunatic
fair
A toff
A pleb
A slob
A policy
An ace
A judge
A toddler

A process of voting
Corrupt or spoilt
Suitable and qualified to vote
A member of the conservative party
A madman
Honest and just
A posh / upper class person
A common person
A lazy and messy person
A political plan or strategy
The best card in the pack which can mean
1 or 11 in pontoon
A man who makes decisions in court about
punishments
A child between 1 and 3

disgraceful
An adolescent
treacherous
priceless

shameful
A teenager
dangerous
Very expensive

I intend to destroy that utter slob, the prince of Wales.

There are toffs at the top, plebs at the bottom, and me in the middle making a fat pile of cash.
This man may just be the ace up our sleeve.
You could appoint him a high court judge
Our slogan will be a rotten candidate for a rotten borough
I think its disgraceful that we have to win this election, because we paid for this seat.
Get out you nauseating adolescent !
These are treacherous times!
Ive just broken a priceless turnip

1) I have run out of socks again. I cant find any! (run out of)
2) How long have you lived in this borough? (live)
3) I made Baldrick the Lord, yesterday. (make)
4) I have just broken a priceless turnip (break)
5) On one occasion he entered the House of Commons and passed out in the speakers chair
(pass out)

Blackadder the Third

Ink and Incapability
Comprehension:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)

How will Prince George improve his mind?

What did Blackadder send to Dr Johnson?
Has Blackadder got some personal against Dr Johnson?
What book did Dr Johnson write?
How does Blackadder make fun of Dr Johnson?
Which book does Dr Johnson say is even better than the dictionary?
What does Baldrick do with The Dictionary?
Does Dr Johnson have a copy of the dictionary?
How do they define a?

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A masterpiece
pointless
renowned
valuable
A pseudonym
A plot
A patron
A syllable
A manuscript
cunning
A flaw
A quiz

famous
A different name which you give yourself
The story of a novel or film
Without reason or purpose
A papery thing tied up with string
crafty
A competition
A work of art
Worth a lot of money
A sponsor
A part of speech
A mistake

Now use the words in the left column in the following sentences (in the correct forms)
Dr Johnson wrote the ____ masterpiece which became the first dictionary.
Blackadder uses the ____ Gertrude Perkins.
I think I can see the ____ in this plan.
I won a prize last night in the ____
I have a ____ plan
Baldrick, what have you done with the ____ ?

Grammar

Unreal conditionals

2) If + Past / Would + infinitive

3) If + past perfect / would + have + 3rd
If only I had thought of saying that.
How clever it would have been if Id said Oh bugger off!
Put verbs in correct form
1) If anyone ____ the dictionary, I ____ off his head with my bare hands and feed it to the cat
(lose/tear).
2) I wish I ____ a writer (be)
3) If I ____ Prince George, I ____ Blackadder. (be/sack)
4) I ____ a detective story if I ____ a writer (write/be)

Discussion Questions
1) Who do you think is the cleverest man in Russian history? And the greatest writer?
2) Who is the best female Russian writer?
3) Would you like to write a novel? What would it be about?
4) Do you have a favourite dictionary?

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Answers
1) He will become best friends with the cleverest person in England, Dr Samuel Johnson
2) He sent him his novel
3) Yes he has sent him his novel, and unfortunately he has even written back to refuse to
publish it.
4) The dictionary
5) He uses words which dont exist so that he thinks he has missed some words out in his
dictionary.
6) Edmund A butlers tale. Blackadders book! He has read it!
7) He puts it on the fire.
8) No, he doesnt.
9) Impersonal pronoun (NOT TRUE!) and doesnt really mean anything.

Dr Johnson wrote the renowned masterpiece which became the first dictionary.

Blackadder uses the pseudonym Gertrude Perkins.

I think I can see the flaw in this plan.
I won a prize last night in the quiz
I have a cunning plan
Baldrick, what have you done with the manuscript ?

1) If anyone lost the dictionary, I would tear off his head with my bare hands and feed it to the
cat (lose/tear).
2) I wish I were a writer (be)
3) If I had been (were) Prince George, I would have sacked Blackadder. (be/sack)
4) I would write a detective story if I were a writer (write/be)

Blackadder the Third

Nob and Nobility
Comprehension:
1) Why are so many French nobles in London?
2) Why does the mouse bite Baldrick on the behind?
3) Why is Baldrick wearing a fake boil?
4) What kind of bet do the French nobles make with Blackadder?
5) Why cant the French nobles go with Blackadder?
6) Why does Blackadder show Baldricks clothes to Prince George?
7) How will Blackadder win his bet?
8) What has happened to the ambassador?
9) What crime are they arrested for?
10) What kind of pills does Frou Frou give the boys?
11) Who turns up in their prison cell? And what happens?
12) What story does Blackadder tell the Prince, in the end?
13) Who is also the Scarlet Pimpernel? What happens to him?

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A boil

Very dirty

To pop over
Treason

A challenge between two people, with

money for the winner
To turn s.t on

To put s.o off

To physically abuse and cause pain

A bet

A type of pimple or spot

To stick s.t on

To visit someone or somewhere

filthy

To appear or arrive

To blush

Strange or odd

peculiar

Crime of betraying your country

To turn up

To dissuade or discourage

To torture

sick

queasy

To go red in the face

dishonour

dishonesty

deceit

Shame or disgrace

Now use the words in the left column in the following sentences (in the correct forms)
Baldrick, why are you wearing a fake ____ ?
I decided to ____ ____ my friends house for a cup of tea.
Blackadder made a ____ with the French, that he could rescue an aristocrat.
____ the kettle ___ Baldrick.
The food here is ____ !
Guy Fawkes was arrested for ____ and executed.
Even if he did ____ ____ , the guards would be woken by the scraping noise of his massive
swollen head.
What if I stay for the first few minutes, and leave if Im feeling ____ ?
The symptoms of the suicide pills are extremely ____
Its a story of heroism which I ____ from telling myself

Grammar

Past continuous, Past simple, Present perfect

Use this tense for unfinished past moments (was doing)

Use this tense for finished past moments (did)
Use this tense for unfinished periods (have done / have been doing)

Did the men on the field of Agincourt die in vain?

Was the man who burned Joan of Arc simply wasting good matches?
1) When ____ Balrick _____ his trousers? (change)
2) He ____ never ____ his trousers. (change)
3) The Greeks ____ it Pandoras box. (call)
4) Frou Frou ____ when Baldrick and Blackadder ____ in the caf (eat, come)
5) How long ____ you ____ in Moscow? (live)
6) We _____ wars with France for many years (have)

Discussion Questions
What is the stereotype of a French aristocrat, in Russia?
What are your thoughts about heroes from French history, like Napoleon, or the Scarlet
Pimpernel, or Joan of Arc?
Which famous French people do you like? Why?
Have you made any bets recently?
What kind of French food have you tried? Do you like it?
Are there any Russian historical heroes who you admire?

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Answers
1) Because of the Scarlet Pimpernel
2) The abused are always kicked downwards. Blackadder kicked the cat, the cat jumped on
the mouse and the mouse bit Baldrick on the bottom.
3) To express his admiration for the Scarlet Pimpernel
4) They bet him a thousand guineas that he cant go to France, rescue an aristocrat, and
present him at the French embassy ball.
5) His father has just died, and so he must go to the funeral
6) To put him off going to France.
7) He will use his brain. They will hide at their house (in the kitchen) for a week, and then
pay a French noble from the caf to come with them to the embassy.
8) He has been murdered and turned into pate by the evil revolutionaries.
9) Attempting to pervert revolutionary justice.
10) Suicide pills
11) The Scarlet Pimpernel turns up (it is one of the French nobles from the start), and
Blackadder poisons him with a suicide pill.
12) They were struck by a tidal wave at Dover, had to swim to France, then they were
captured taken to Paris, condemned to death, and hung from the Bastilleetcetc..
13) The other French noble. He tries to tell Prince George about Blackadders dishonesty, but
gets poisoned like his friend, by Blackadder.

A boil

Very dirty

To pop over

To visit someone or somewhere

Treason

Crime of betraying your country

To put s.o off

To dissuade or discourage

A bet
To stick s.t on

A challenge between two people, with

money for the winner
To turn s.t on

filthy

Very dirty

To blush

To go red in the face

peculiar

Strange or odd

To turn up

To arrive or appear

To torture

To physically abuse and cause pain

queasy

To go red in the face

dishonour

Shame or disgrace

deceit

dishonesty

Baldrick, why are you wearing a fake boil?

I decided to pop over my friends house for a cup of tea.
Blackadder made a bet with the French, that he could rescue an aristocrat.
Stick the kettle on Baldrick.
The food here is filthy!
Guy Fawkes was arrested for treason and executed.
Even if he did turn up, the guards would be woken by the scraping noise of his massive swollen
head.
What if I stay for the first few minutes, and leave if Im feeling queasy?
The symptoms of the suicide pills are extremely peculiar.
Its a story of heroism which I blush from telling myself.

1) When did Balrick change his trousers? (change)

2) He has never changed his trousers. (change)
3) The Greeks called it Pandoras box. (call)
4) Frou Frou was eating when Baldrick and Blackadder came into the caf (eat, come)
5) How long have you been living in Moscow? (live)
6) We have had (or have been having) wars with France for many years (have)

Blackadder the Third

Sense and Senility
Comprehension:
1) Why doesnt Blackadder like the theatre?
2) Who does George think the anarchist was trying to kill?
3) Why are they living in dangerous times, according to Blackadder?
4) What plan does George have?
5) Why do the actors change their minds, and agree to Blackadders proposal?
6) How do we know that the actors are very superstitious?
7) What do they suggest that the Prince practice doing, before he gives his speech?
8) Why does Blackadder decide to leave and where does he go?
9) Why does Baldrick get scared?
10) Why are the actors arrested?

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A play

To be connected to

A suspicion

To become stressed or annoyed about s.t

To be/have something to do with

To be tired of

Oppressed masses

A recital of a performance

To be/get worked up about s.t

Someone who betrays his country

disease

A dramatic work

To overthrow

An illness

To be fed up with

An intuition or doubt

sensitive

To put s.t on / turn s.t on

thick

To make a noise like a lion

To pop in

The mistreated lower classes

A rehearsal

Sympathetic and receptive

To stick s.t on

To abolish and overcome

Traitors

To blow up

To explode

stupid

To roar

To drop by

Now use the words in the left column in the following sentences (in the correct forms) which
were in this episode.
There are tremendous rumblings in Prussia, although that might ____ ____ ____ ____ with the
sausages
My ____ were first aroused by his use of the words Death to the stupid Prince!
Tell me about these oppressed masses. What are they so ____ ____ about?
The working man is poised to ____ us.
Im ____ ____ ____ you treating me like I am a bit thick (a thicky)
All my actors ____ ____ on their way to rehearsal.
I thought they just ____ ____ a silly hat and got drunk.
All great orators ____ before commencing their speeches.

Grammar

Gerunds, infinitives, to + infinitive

Gerunds = after prepositions, as subject, after some verbs

Infinitives = after all modal verbs, make/let/help
to + infinitive = after adjectives, in order to, after some verbs

Finish the job later Baldrick!

The ____? Or the ____ strangled? (clean) (be)
Are you sure you want these people ____? (stay)
We are used to ____ in this position (stand)
He had better ____ ! (watch out)
All great orators roar before ____ their speeches. (commence)
There was a plot ____ the Prince (kill)
They must ____ arrested, brutally tortured, and executed. (be)
I was hoping you might ____ the title role (play)

Discussion Questions
What do you think about the American and French revolutions? Why did they happen? What
were the consequences of these events?
What about the Russian revolution?
Do you believe that some wealth must be redistributed? How?
Do you often go the theatre? Do you have any favourite plays or actors?
Can you tell me about any plots to kill historical figures?

www.skype-lessons.com
Answers
1) Because he doesnt like the actors, and he has to go to with Prince George who doesnt
understand that its not real.
2) He thinks Blackadder was the target.
3) Because these are revolutionary times, with revolutions in America and France.
4) He wants two actors to teach him how to use his voice, before he makes a sensitive
speech at his Fathers birthday.
5) Because they want to work with the Prince, for the prestige.
6) Because they believe that the word Macbeth will bring them bad luck if anyone says it,
and so they must do a little ritual to exorcise the bad spirits.
7) He must practice his roar.
8) The Prince insulted him, and so he left to get a job for Napoleon in Sardinia.
9) He hears the actors rehearsing their play, and thinks they are really plotting to kill the
Prince.
10) They are arrested as traitors for their plot to kill the Prince.

A play

A dramatic work

A suspicion

An intuition or doubt

To be/have something to do with

To be connected to

Oppressed masses

The mistreated lower classes

To be/get worked up about s.t

To become stressed or annoyed about s.t

disease

An illness

To overthrow

To abolish or overcome

To be fed up with

To be tired of

sensitive

Sympathetic and receptive

thick

Stupid

To pop in

To drop by

A rehearsal

A recital of a performance

To stick s.t on

To put s.t on / turn s.t on

Traitors

Someone who betrays their country

To explode

To blow up

To roar

To make a noise like a lion

There are tremendous rumblings in Prussia, although that might have something to do with the
sausages
My suspicions were first aroused by his use of the words Death to the stupid Prince!
Tell me about these oppressed masses. What are they so worked up about?
The working man is poised to overthrow us.
Im fed up with you treating me like I am a bit thick (a thicky)
All my actors pop in on their way to rehearsal.
I thought they just stuck on a silly hat and got drunk.
All great orators roar before commencing their speeches.

Finish the job later Baldrick!

The cleaning? Or the being strangled? (clean) (be)
Are you sure you want these people to stay? (stay)
We are used to standing in this position (stand)
He had better watch out! (watch out)
All great orators roar before commencing their speeches. (commence)
There was a plot to kill the Prince (kill)
They must be arrested, brutally tortured, and executed. (be)
I was hoping you might play the title role (play)

Blackadder
Amy and Amiability
Comprehension:
1) Why is Blackadder upset?
2) What solution does Baldrick suggest?
3) Why is the Shadow only half way to becoming the next Robin Hood?
4) How does Blackadder think he will solve his money problems?
5) What does Blackadder suggest that the Prince do to solve his own money problems?
6) Why has the newspaper got a large hole in it?
7) What happens when the Prince serenades Amy?
8) Why does Blackadder call the wedding off?
9) Why cant Blackadder find a horse?
10) Why does Blackadder kiss Baldrick?
11) Who is The Shadow?
12) How does George find 10 000 pounds?
13) Whats Blackadders plan for getting his money back?

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Match the columns

A highwayman
(stony) broke
a drawback
Tax

(adj) having little or no money

A criminal on horseback who robbed
people in carriages
An unmarried man
A disadvantage

A bachelor

Money paid to the government

Stare at s.t

Throw up

A rumour

Look at something for a long time

Vomit

gossip

Disaster

rogue

scoundrel

A precious stone

A jewel

crisis

The loot
Untie / tie up

Attach someone to something with

rope/string
Money given in return for some good deed

A reward

The (stolen) treasure/money

Tip off (the authorities)

A person who helps another criminal

An accomplice

Report s.o to the authorities

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1) Want to do (+ to + infinitive) promise, threaten, offer
2) Tell s.o to do (object + to + infinitive) ask, warn, advise, order, persuade
3) Congratulate s.o on doing (object + preposition + gerund) accuse s.o (of), thank s.o (for),
praise s.o (for)
4) Avoid doing (+ gerund) deny, admit, regret, suggest, recommend
5) Insist on doing (+ preposition + gerund) apologise for,
6) Say that (+ that + clause) promise, insist, suggest, deny, admit, regret
7) Tell s.o that assure, persuade, convince, warn, advise (NOT ask)
Put the following sentences into reported speech, using the reporting verbs.
Why dont you become a highwayman?
Baldrick suggested
Im rotten stinking stony broke
The prince admitted
Then theres only one solution youll have to marry
Blackadder advised
Oh that is a lie! The Prince has fine manners
Blackadder insisted
Never ask for directions in Wales, Baldrick
Blackadder warned
No, there is no-one here. It was just the wind
Blackadder denied

Youre so brave
Amy praised
Father, you did nothing to defend my honour!
Lady Cheapside accused

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Grammar
Second conditional If + past / would + infinitive
We use this form to speak about hypothetical situations in the present
If we were the last 3 humans on Earth, Id be trying to start a family with Baldrick.
Thrid conditional If + had 3rd / would + have + 3rd form
We use this form to speak about hypothetical past actions and their past consequences
Finish the following sentences about the show with your own ideas using 2 nd and 3rd conditional.
If the Prince hadnt played cards
If Blackadder had found a horse
If Baldrick were more intelligent
If Amys father was wealthy
If the Prince hadnt found the biscuit barrel

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Answers
Hes in serious debt.
He suggests becoming a highwayman.
He steals from the rich, but he hasnt got round to giving it to the poor.
He will ask the Prince (his employer)
He suggests that he marries someone wealthy
Baldrick has cut out the picture of The Shadow because he is a fan.
Blackadder pretends to be George (in order to stop him ruining his chances of marriage)
and then beats George up after Amy asks him to hit the imposter.
8) He finds out that Amy and her father are poor.
9) Prince Georges horse has been injured in an accident, his own horse has been eaten, and
its a very bad time of year to hire a horse for a number of different reasons (which
Baldrick lists. Listen carefully!)
10) Because Baldrick complains that he has been carrying him for so long and not even had a
kiss!
11) Amy
12) It was the reward money which Blackadder got for tipping off the authorities about the
Shadow. He found it in the biscuit barrel
13) A game of cards.
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)

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A highwayman
(stony) broke
a drawback
Tax
A bachelor

A criminal on horseback who robbed

people in carriages
(adj) having little or no money
A disadvantage
Money paid to the government
An unmarried man

Stare at s.t

Look at something for a long time

A rumour

gossip

Vomit

Throw up

Disaster

crisis

scoundrel

rogue

A jewel

A precious stone

The loot

The (stole) treasure or money

Untie / tie up
A reward

Attach someone to something with

rope/string
Money given in return for some good deed

Tip off (the authorities)

Report s.o to the authorities

An accomplice

A person who helps another criminal

Reporting Verbs
Suggested becoming
Admitted being
Advised the Prince to marry
Insisted that the Prince had fine manners
Warned Baldrick never to ask for directions
Denied anyone being there (or denied that anyone was there)
Amy praised Blackadder for being brave
Accused her father of not defending her honour

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Conditionals
Suggested answers
He wouldnt have lost his money
Baldrick wouldnt have got so tired
He would have a better job
The prince would marry her
Blackadder wouldnt have suggested playing cards

Blackadder the Third

Duel and Duality
Comprehension:
1) Why doesnt Blackadder want to talk to Baldrick?
2) Why did Baldrick fail to win the village idiot contest?
3) Which Scottish man gave Baldrick a message for Blackadder?
4) Why has George been out all night?
5) Why is Georges life now in danger?
6) What is Baldricks idea?
7) What does Blackadder decide that he would be delighted to die on the Princes behalf?
8) Why do Blackadder and the Prince swap (exchange) clothes?
9) Why do the Prince and Wellington hit the Prince?
10) Why does Blackadder tell Wellington that while duelling, I tend to put on my lucky wig
and fake accent?
11) What does Blackadder ask for, to go through with the duel?
12) How does Blackadder plan to win the duel?

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To turn up
To stand up to s.o

To mistreat/abuse (especially physically,

but not only)
To get rid of s.o

To be the spitting image of s.o

tiring

To flee

To arrive / appear

ravishing

A mask

misery

To confront / challenge s.o

To throw s.o out

Woe and despair

A disguise

To look identical to s.o

To look forward to

gorgeous

tiresome

To wait in anticipation of..

To bully

To run away

appalling

To target

touching

Shocking, awful

To aim

Honestly

Frankly

Heart-warming

Now use the words in the left column in the following sentences (in the correct forms) which
were in this episode.
I hate it when McAdder ____ ____.
My Mother told me to ____ ____ ____ homicidal maniacs.
McAdder is the ____ ____ ____ Blackadder.
Prince George spent the night with two ____ young ladies.
Life is a valley of woe filled with pain, ____ , hunger and despair.
Very well Baldrick. We shall hear you out and then ____ you ____
Maybe this disgusting creature is some sort of blessing in ____
Im ____ ____ ____ your impending death.
Oh no, here comes that ____ servant.
Tell me, do you ever stop ____ and shouting at the lower orders?
Ive heard that conditions in your army are ____.
Ready, ____, fire!

Grammar

Past modals of deduction

Might/could/may + have + 3rd (50/50)

must have + 3rd (definitely happened)
cant have + 3rd (definitely didnt happen)
Make logical deductions
The Duke wanted to kill the prince.
Blackadder decided to accept the Princes offer of fighting the duel
The coffee shop was a mess and 3 men lay dead.
Wellington didnt recognise that the Prince was actually Blackadder.
McAdder didnt want to fight the Prince
Discussion Questions
Have you ever been to Scotland? What stereotypes do you have of the place?
Which famous Russians have been involved in duelling?
How reliable are portraits for showing us the appearance of historical figures?
Do you know the Duke of Wellington? What do you think of Napolean?

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Answers
1)
2)
3)
4)

If he had wanted to talk to a vegetable he would have bought one at the market.
He turned up. The other guy was such an idiot that he forgot to.
Blackadders cousin McAdder.
He spent the night with 2 ravishing ladies who were the nieces of the Duke of
Wellington.
5) Wellington is very protective of his relatives. He has challenged the Prince to a duel
because of his actions.
6) Someone could fight the duel instead of the Prince, perhaps even Blackadder.
7) He realises that McAdder could fight the duel instead of himself.
8) Because Wellington is on his way to the Princes house and he must think that
Blackadder is the Prince.
9) Because he sits in their presence.
10) Because McAdder will fight the duel for him.
11) He asks for everything. The money, the castles and some French porn.
12) Kick him in the nuts (balls) and then set fire to the building.

To turn up

To arrive / appear

To stand up to s.o

To confront / challenge s.o

To be the spitting image of s.o

To look identical to s.o

To flee

To run away

ravishing

gorgeous

misery

Woe and despair

To throw s.o out

To get rid of s.o

A disguise

A mask

To look forward to

To wait in anticipation of..

tiresome

tiring

To bully
appalling

To mistreat/abuse (especially physically,

but not only)
Shocking, awful

touching

Heart-warming

To aim

To target

Frankly

Heart-warming

I hate it when McAdder turns up.

My Mother told me to stand up to homicidal maniacs.

McAdder is the spitting image of Blackadder.

Prince George spent the night with two ravishing young ladies.
Life is a valley of woe filled with pain, misery, hunger and despair.
Very well Baldrick. We shall hear you out and then throw you out.
Maybe this disgusting creature is some sort of blessing in disguise
Im looking forward to your impending death.
Oh no, here comes that tiresome servant.
Tell me, do you ever stop bullying and shouting at the lower orders?
Ive heard that conditions in your army are appalling.
Ready, aim, fire!

Grammar
Suggested answers
He must have made him angry.
He might have wanted the reward.
McAdder must have been there earlier.
Wellington cant have met the Prince before.
He might have understood that it was dangerous