14/12/2011

Transport & Travel+ Comparative Adjectives

VOCABULARY


To revise and extend what we are studying in unit 2C...
  • Click HERE to practice vocabulary and pronunciation


  • Click HERE and do a listening activity... 


  •  Comparatives & Superalatives
Joan is more attractive than Susan
This is the best day of my life.
She felt even worse when she saw him
·  I think Rob is happier now than a year ago.

·        New York is the most exciting city in the world.
·         His biggest desire is to meet Angelina Jolie.
·         Charles is probably the tidiest person I know.


  • What's the comparative of these adjectives? First, think, then, check!
  • interesting
  • weak
  • funny
  • important
  • careful
  • bad
  • big
  • far
  • small
  • polluted
  • boring
  • angry
  • good

  • Further Practice on Comparatives & Superlatives HERE!  

10/11/2011

both/neither/either

Both indicates two out of two ('ambos' in Spanish).

Neither indicates zero out of two (ninguno de los dos).

Either indicates one out of a group of two (cualquiera  de los dos).

These words can be used in the following ways.

Both can be used with a plural noun. Either and Neither are used with singular nouns.

Both students can take the test.   (Ambos estudiantes pueden hacer el examen.)
Neither student can take the test.   (Ninguno de los estudiantes puede hacer el examen.)
Either student can take the test.   (Uno/culaquiera de los dos estudiantes puede hacer el examen.)

Both can be used with two nouns connected with and. Both Jack and John live in Chicago.

Neither can be used with two nouns connected with nor. Neither Jack nor John live in Chicago.

Either can be used with two nouns connected with or. Either Jack or John lives in Chicago.
NOTICE:  I don't like either  John or Jack>>> I like neither of them = I don't like either of them.


You can use these words with the preposition "of" before plural nouns or object pronouns.

Both of them can do it.
Either of them can do it
Neither of them can do it.

Now click HERE for further practice.

04/11/2011

This week...

This week we have introduced
the future .

Remember we can talk about the future in English with different verb forms , going to- will- present continuous, shall.

Click HERE to study and practice further.

Need some LISTENING PRACTICE?
Visit this PAGE.
(When you are there Click on this image to listen!

31/10/2011

Is it Halloween or All Saint's Eve?

Tonight is Halloweeen... One of the most expected days for children, especially in US and Britain, together with Christmas Day. But it's not a public holiday, so everyone today is at work or school as it should be! But tonight is Halloween, no matter what!


Now, Don’t be fooled by the promotion of Halloween being a fun, candy-filled holiday with cute kids in adorable costumes, Halloween haunts go a lot deeper than that.A true Halloween “haunted house” will make you scream like you’ve never screamed before and will send your blood pressure racing...


Read about the origins and traditions of this festivity  HERE


Enjoy the video! And happy Halloween to everyone!






KEY TO Reading (Spooky Trivia & Spooky Superstitions)

1 death   2 candles   3 bonfire    4 sweets    5 spirit   6 path    7 window   8 shoulder    9 dead    10  floor

Happy Halloween!!!

23/10/2011

PAST TENSES


Hi!
In Unit 1B we are studying how to tell a story in English by using the appropriate past tenses, that is, past simple, past continuous or past perfect...


Please, IMPROVE YOUR PRONUNCIATION for REGULAR PAST verbs
Listen and repeat.


20/10/2011

NI1- Unit 1A-Recipes

Look at this RECIPE written by a NI1 student.

If you did not come to class when we studied recipes, you can write one in the comments section (link) below.

Rec Eta

Thanks a lot, Joan !


And now how to make a delicious English Trifle!

08/04/2011

So do I/ Neither do I...

                      DISAGREEING

I’ve been to Mexico >>> I haven’t. What’s  it like?
I like eating snails>>>I don’t. I think they are disgusting
I didn’t watch TV last night.>>> I did. I saw a great comedy film
I am a fan of George Clooney  >>>I am not. I prefer John Malkovich
I can’t relax easily >>> I can. Have you tried doing yoga?



AGREEING

I’ve been to Mexico >>> So have I.
I like eating snails>> So do I.
I didn’t watch TV last night.>>> Neither did I.
I am a fan of George Clooney  >>>So am I.
I can’t relax easily >>> Neither can I.
ALSO: 
My car needs cleaning >> So does mine.
You shouldn't arrive late >>Neither should you!


FOR Further practice
Click HERE and HERE

;-)

29/03/2011

Listening... UNIT 4B





Listen and do an activity about RENTING A HOUSE.
This is related to the topic we 've been studying in unit 4B.

Click here.

If you go down the page you'll find more extra activities on Vocabulary and grammar to practise...

23/03/2011

OPINION ESSAY

If you'd like to share your opinion essay with your classmates. >You can paste it in the comments to this post!

REMEMBER the rubric:
"What's better, State or Private Schools?"

(180-200words)








NICE WEEKENED!

19/03/2011

If & Future Time Clauses

 In class this week we have been working on the use of these clauses to refer to the future. (Unit 4A)

Open the PowerPoint Presentation to revise!

 

future time clauses


16/03/2011

March 17th ---A Day to Celebrate!

On March 17th they celebrate Saint Patrick, the patron saint of IRELAND* 
 
Here you have a few activities to know about it...




>> Listen and watch the funny video below and  do  the activity: Click here to see or print it.
 


*Find more about Saint Patrick holiday and traditions HERE!

KEY to activity.(omit reading...)

.I hope you enjoy it and improve your English and knowledge of Irish Culture!                                  Dulce
............................................................................................................................................

03/03/2011

Reading Practice- unit 4



Matching. Read the text and fill in the gaps with the sentences in the appropriate place. There are two sentences which do not fit anywhere.

A
We  could wear a regular pair of jeans with no holes in them
2
B
The reason for this is because of all the social issues going with students.

C
My opinion on having to wear uniforms in public schools has changed.

D
There are several reasons public schools should require uniforms

E
Many schools do have a policy covering the wearing of school clothing.

F
Another reason uniforms wouldn’t be that bad in public schools is because of how others like to dress to impress

G
Uniforms can reduce the incidents of bullying and theft

H
Wearing a uniform in schools doesn’t mean that the uniform has to be a professional style.


Public School Uniforms*

 .

With the years, _____1______I came from a school where I had to wear a uniform. But it was something basic where we had to wear khaki pants with a blue polo shirt. We didn’t have to wear khaki pants all the time, but when we went on field trips it was compulsory to wear them. On a regular day of school,___2____. But we always had to wear a blue polo shirt. But on the first day of each month we had a dress down day. Dress down day didn’t mean that we could wear whatever we wanted, it just meant that we could wear what we wanted as long as it wasn’t trashy or slutty looking.
There were some days when I really wanted to wear what I wanted to, but I wasn’t able to. It was things like that, which I really didn’t like about uniforms. But, when you really think about having to wear a uniform in public schools, it isn’t that bad. 
.
____3_____Public schools could make the uniforms more casual, just khaki or black pants with a certain colored shirt, or if some schools chose to wear their colors, they could wear simple pants with the colors of their school for their shirts. Such as if your school colors were blue and white, they could wear a pair of jeans with a plain blue or white shirt. Uniforms don’t have to be something over dramatic. 

.
______4_________. Girls, for example would wear something really short and/or a really revealing top. The boy would take it the wrong way, and that would make the girl seem like a trashy person. Also, for boys, wearing a uniform would keep you out of having the need to be cooler than another individual. Wearing uniforms allows students to get to know how to dress appropriately. 

.
________5_______.   School uniforms are one of several strategies being used in state schools to restore order in the classroom and safety in the school. In addition to encouraging students to concentrate on learning, rather than on what to wear, uniforms can be social equalizers that promote peer acceptances, as well as school spirit and school pride.   
.
School uniforms make it easier for students not to worry about what the latest fashion style is and if what they are wearing is going to make them stand out.   This will also stop gangs from flashing their colors and standing out within the school grounds.   Even though the gang members know who belongs to what gang and might not minimize the fights that occur on the school grounds; they are still somewhat controlled by what they wear.   This helps the school by not having daily battles regarding what is appropriate or not for school. 

 .
 ________6________.   If everyone is wearing the same clothes how can you pick on them?   Why steal shoes or clothing from their lockers if everyone has the same shoes or clothing? 
.
*REMEMBER: 'public' is state school in USA

TEXT Source: OPPapers.com

 

ANSWERS?

Guess where!!



24/02/2011

British Schools -Listening Practice

 
These days we are studying the language of Schools and Education in class. Here you have some further and useful practice.

Enjoy!

Early years =  Kindergarten (KG), Early childhood education, Nursery school, Pre-school 4 or 5 and younger. Kindergarten is ages 4/5
Primary = Elementary Approximately ages 4-11
Key stage 1  (KS1) = Early elementary Approximately ages 5-8
Key stage 2 (KS2) = Upper elementary Approximately ages 9-11
Secondary  = Middle and high school Approximately ages 12-18.
A level Advanced Placement Tests taken at the end of high school/secondary school usually for university bound students
GCSE = O-level, Junior Certificate Tests taken at 16 by UK and international students
Further education = Upper high school Ages 16-18

Education in Britain

The General Certificate of Education or GCE is an academic qualification that examination boards in the United Kingdom confer to students.
In the past the GCE traditionally comprised two levels: the Ordinary Level (O Level) and the Advanced Level (A Level). More recently examination boards also offer an intermediate third GCE level, the Advanced Subsidiary Level (AS Level)
O level: Formal name Ordinary level  (O level maths)
  • ·      a pass in a particular subject at O level  ‘He has eight O levels’
  • ·         basic level of the General Certificate of Education, now replaced by GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education, -similar to our ‘ESO’)


Now...Watch this interesting and easy-to-understand video. Then listen ONLY and complete the gaps in the text below.
-

_________________________________________________________________________________

At the very beginning the presenter asks if you go to school on _____1____ and if you  wear a ___2___.
 Most children ___3___ school at the age of 5. Then at 11 they have to go to ___4___ until the age of 16, when they take their GCSE ___5___.
After these, about ___6___ of students leave school and the others stay  for two more years and take A level exams or ___7___ level examinations.
Then 20% of them go to university and 20% go to another kind of education and ___8___...
Most schools are ___9___ i.e. for both boys and girls.
On average there are  __10__ students in a Primary School class and ___11___ in a Secondary School class.
 .
The presenter goes to six different classes: 1st is a ____12___ class; 2nd ___13__, 3rd ___14___, 4th ____15___, 5th ____16___ and 6th ___17___
 .
Other subjects are Information technology, ___18___, ____19____English___20___, and Religion.
.
At lunchtime there is a break of an hour. Some students stay at school and have their lunch in the school___21___. After school they do different activities...

Schools like Eton are ___22___. Some of them are also ___23___schools…

_______________________________________________________________________

Answers in comment #1

21/02/2011

Computer Vocabulary

Hi there!
Last week we studied a bit of computer vocabulary in class.

So this post is for you to revise and extend that vocabulary. 

Read, do the activities and enjoy the video!
Have a nice week!
See you in class!!!

Dulce

PC = Personal Computer

Anti-virus software - A program that finds and removes viruses from a computer.
Backup - A copy of files on a PC's hard disk. A backup is used in case the hard disk file(s) are erased or damaged.
Bit, bytes - A bit is the smallest piece of information that computers use. For simplicity, a PC uses bits in groups of 8 called bytes (8 bits = 1 byte).
Browser, to browse - A browser is a program like Netscape or Internet Explorer. You use it to view or browse the Internet.
Bug - A (small) defect or fault in a program.
CD-ROM - A disk for storing computer information. It looks like an audio CD.
CPU - Central Processing Unit. This is a PC's heart or 'brains'.
Driver - A small program that tells a PC how a peripheral works.
Electronic mail (email, e-mail) - Messages sent from one computer to another. You can see email on the screen or print it out.
Folder (directory) - A sub-division of a computer's hard disk into which you put files.
Font - A particular sort of lettering (on the screen or on paper). Arial is a font. Times New Roman is another.
Graphics card - The equipment inside a computer that creates the image on the screen.
Hard disk - The main disk inside a computer used for storing programs and information. It is hard because it is metal.
Icon - A small image or picture on a computer screen that is a symbol for folders, disks, peripherals, programs etc.
Internet - International network of computers that you connect to by telephone line. Two popular services of the Internet are the World Wide Web and electronic mail.


Memory - Memory is for the temporary storing of information while a computer is being used. See RAM, ROM and Cache.



Modem - Equipment connected to a computer for sending/receiving digital information by telephone line. You need a modem to connect to the Internet, to send electronic mail and to fax.
Operating System - The basic software that manages a computer.

PC card - A device that is the same size as a thick credit card, for plugging into a slot on notebook computers. You can buy memory, modems and hard disks as PC cards.
Peripheral - Any equipment that is connected externally to a computer. For example, printers, scanners and modems are peripherals.
Pixel - The image that you see on the screen is made of thousands of tiny dots, points or pixels.
Program Software that operates a PC and does various things, such as writing text (word-processing program), keeping accounts (accounts program) and drawing pictures (graphics program).
RAM, ROM - Two types of memory. RAM (Random Access Memory) is the main memory used while the PC is working. RAM is temporary. ROM (Read Only Memory) is for information needed by the PC and cannot be changed.
Resolution - The number of dots or pixels per inch (sometimes per centimetre) used to create the screen image.
Scanner - Equipment for converting paper documents to electronic documents that can be used by a computer.


World Wide Web, WWW, the Web - WWW are initials that stand for World Wide Web. The Web is one of the services available on the Internet. It lets you access millions of pages through a system of links. Because it is 'world-wide', it was originally called the World Wide Web or WWW.



USEFUL LINKS TO PRACTICE. Click on:
Activity #1
Activity #2

10/02/2011

Improve your Writing Skill (I)



NOTE: 
At Intermediate level in EOI you are asked to write two tasks at the exams.

A short one of about 100 words, and a longer one of about 170-200 words.
-
Today I am giving you only some writing examples of writing types we’ve already seen in class together with a book review.

In the next post you’ll get the rest you need to know.


Types of writing

Notes (apologizing, excusing, thanking, etc), blog comments and short messages…
Giving instructions (how to get to a place, a cooking recipe, how a machine works, etc)
Postcards.
• Informal or friendly letters or emails.
Formal letters or emails ( applying for a job, complaining about a bad service, etc)
Descriptive compositions (about people, places, objects…).
Stories or narrative compositions (about real or imaginary events).
Discursive essays (Opinion essays or ‘for and against’ essays).
Reports ( about news; Reviews about a book, a film, a restaurant, etc).


-
BASIC IDEAS

***Before you start to write any type of composition:

 Think about the topic.
.
 Make a list of the main points and ideas.
.
 Think of the vocabulary you can use.
.
 Think of examples to back up your points.

***After you finish writing, check:

That the format is correct ( an email is different from an opinion essay or a book review).
.
That all you have been asked to write about is included in your composition.
.
That you have separated paragraphs, when you present a new idea or point.
.
That you have linked your ideas using the correct linking words (and, also, but, On the other hand, therefore, although, after that, when,  so, before…)
.
That you have left margin.
.
That you have no spelling mistakes and the punctuation is correct.
.
That you have not made grammar mistakes (verb tenses, prepositions, correct use of modal verbs, articles, etc)
.
That you’ve made a wide use of the vocabulary studied, especially that which is related to the topic.
.
That your ideas follow a logical order.
.
That it is easy to understand by anybody (especially the teacher), because it’s clean and clear.



PRACTICE

If you need some extra practice, why don’t you try one of these?

a) Your friend has sent you an email, telling you she cannot go out with you tonight because she has a terrible stomachache.
Write back and give her some advice:
- Greet her.
- Feel sorry for her.
- Tell her what to eat, do and what not to.
- Close pleasantly.
(180 words)

b) Write a review of a book you’ve read recently. (About 180 words)

c) Your best friend is living in Switzerland and has sent you a beautiful silver watch for your birthday!
Send him/her a thank you note. (About 90 words)

See Document below for more tips and examples 

You can write your compositions and put them in the comments to this post, if you don’t, please, write saying you’ve read this post and give your opinion about it, or anything!




HAVE A NICE WEEKEND!


WRITING (I)                                                            

04/02/2011

MODAL VERBS.... Revision


Modal Verbs

can
could
may
might
will
would
must
shall
should
ought to
 
Modals are different from normal verbs:
1: They don't use an 's' for the third person singular.
2: They make questions by inversion ('she can go' becomes 'can she go?')
3: They are followed directly by the infinitive of another verb (without 'to')

-

Permission

We can use verbs such as 'can', 'could' and 'may' to ask for and give permission. We also use modal verbs to say something is not allowed.

For example:
  • Could I leave early today, please?
  • You may not use the car tonight.
  • Can we swim in the lake?

Deduction

First, they can be used when we want to say how sure we are that something happened / is happening / will happen. We often call these 'modals of deduction' or 'speculation' or 'certainty' or 'probability'.

For example:
  • It's snowing, so it must be very cold outside.
  • I don't know where John is. He might have missed the train.
  • This bill can't be right. £200 for two cups of coffee!

Ability & Possibility


We use 'can' and 'could' to talk about a skill or ability in the present or the past

For example:
  • She can speak six languages.
  • My grandfather could play golf very well
  • I can't drive.
  • * For other verb tenses we use BE ABLE TO
  • I have never been able to play a musical instrument.
  • She won’t be able to finish her work on time. 
  • I'd like to be able to fly...

Obligation and Advice

We can use verbs such as 'must' or 'should' to say when something is necessary or unnecessary, or to give advice.

For example:
  • Children must do their homework.
  • We have to wear a uniform at work.
  • You should stop smoking.

No obligation or necessity:

·         We don’t have to go to class tomorrow. It’s Saturday.
·         She doesn’t have to cook at home. Her husband does it!
-
Present
Positive
Negative
have to /
don’t have to
strong obligation (possibly from outside)
  • Children have to go to school.
(sometimes ‘have got to’)
no obligation
  • I don’t have to work on Sundays.

  • You don’t have to eat anything you don’t like.
must / mustn’t
strong obligation (possibly based on the speaker’s opinion)
  • I must study today.
negative obligation
  • You mustn’t smoke here.
should / shouldn’t
mild obligation or advice
  • You should save some money.
mild negative obligation or advice
  • You shouldn’t smoke so much.
-


________________________________________________________Dulce