December 12, 2011

6A- Reported Speech (1)





MARY: What are you going to do this evening?

JANE: I’m going to the new pub.

MARY: Where is that pub?

JANE: It is near here.

MARY: Do you like it?

JANE: I love it. I went yesterday too. …

MARY: What’s so special about it?

JANE: I’ve met a nice guy

MARY: And?

JANE: And I think I’ll go tomorrow again.




Last Friday, I talked to Jane and I asked her what she was going to do that evening.
She told me that she was going to the new pub. So I asked where that pub was and she said it was near there…
I asked her if she liked it and she told me she loved it and that she had been there the day before too!
Then I asked her what was so special about it and she said she had met a nice guy and that she thought she would go the following day again… and ....she didn’t even invite ME!


In NI2 we are studying the indirect or reported speech. Click on the activities below to do some practice:
4. FOUR
Visit THIS PAGE and practice as much as you LIKE!

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December 4, 2011

A Song by 'Iris'

It Generates :

We all dine
Then we all die.
The light shines,
Then we all try to stay away.

Like all along,
Our darker days
Are still to come.

It generates your life
It generates your low
It found a way inside
It left a gaping hole
Let us sound the alarm
Let a warning rage
'Fore it's gone
And you leave another body.

The unseen
Is closing fast.
What was clean,
Destroyed by things that never last.

Been bound for dust
Can't tell the life
That's still to come
From all it never was

It generates your life
It generates your low
It found a way inside
It left a gaping hole
Let us sound the alarm
Let a warning rage
'Fore it's gone
And you leave another bo
We all dine
Then we all die.
The light shines,
Then we all try to stay away.

Like all along,
Our darker days
Are still to come.
Like all along...


The unseen
Is closing fast.
What was clean,
Destroyed by things that never last.

Been bound for dust
Can't tell the life
That's still to come
From all it never was

It generates your life
It generates your low
(x3)


It found a way inside
It left a gaping hole (x3)


It generates your life
It generates your low (x3)
It found a way inside
It left a gaping hole (x3)

Let us sound the alarm
Let a warning rage
'Fore it's gone
And you leave another body.

________________________

I must admit I love this song, despite the lack of sense it apparently has...

What do you get to understand?

Hope you are all enjoying this loooong weekend :-)


November 28, 2011

KEY to homework

Vocabulary: Work and employment.

Last Wednesday you were given some HOMEWORK on vocabulary to revise and extend the language of “Job & Employment”. After you have made the exercises by yourself, check here for possible mistakes.

Any questions? In class!!!


Key to Work and Employment exercises

1. Asking about someone’s job: 1C   2A   3B

2. Areas of Work: 1E   2C   3F  4B   5A  6D
3. Office Jobs: 1C   2B   3A  4D
4. Factory:  1D   2E   3A  4C  5B
5.  Manual Jobs:  1E   2D    3C   4A   5B
6. Professions: 1H   2G   3E   4F   5D   6C   7A    8B
7. Emergency Services:
1 sailor    2 firefighter    3 paramedic   4 soldier   5 pilot   6 police officer

(2nd PAGE)


1. Looking for a Job:

1 section  2 qualifications   3 CV    4 application    5interview   6 experience

2. Applying for a job: 1 found   2 applied for   3 go into   4 filled in/ sent it off     5 offered

3. Job advertisements:

CLEANER:  requires, rates

ACCOUNTS: position, salary

SALES ASSISTANT: applicant, experience, training, apply

NURSE: temporary, leave

6. Unemployment: 1 was sacked   2 be made redundant    3 unemployed

7. Two word jobs:

lorry driver, shop assistant, window cleaner, bank clerk, driving instructor, taxi driver, traffic warden, security guard, social worker, estate agent.
.
..
.

November 23, 2011

Work and Employment

All these words are related to WORK. Check what they mean
General
a regular job
commuter
employee
employer
He took a job as a waiter.
job
occupation
profession
to earn one's living
to run a firm
trade
What do you do for a living?
worker

Application
application
application form
apprentice, trainee
CV (curriculum vitae)
job interview
to apply for a job
training
training course
vacancy

Unemployment
period of notice
to be on sick leave
to be unemployed
to be out of work
to be on the dole
to fire somebody
to sack somebody
to dismiss somebody
to hand in one's notice
to resign
to quit
unemployment
unemployment benefit, dole money

Working hours, pay
a full-time job
a part-time job
continued payment of wages
flexitime
pay slip
salary
to get a rise
wages
to work in shifts
to work overtime
wage cut

-
 
All you need to know about WORK  is HERE!

November 16, 2011

Men & Women// Women & Men


Here I give you a pair of videos which show once more how different we are, ...or aren't we?

Click to watch a sequence of the sitcom Friends.
Click to watch a commercial.


More FUN HERE & HERE


NOW... My question is,  ' Are we SO different?' What do YOU think?
:-)


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November 11, 2011

The A/An & Zero Article

If you translate into Spanish, do we use articles to say these?



When do we use THE and when do we omit it ?

Visit this LINK and do the exercise!


Once upon a time a boy met a girl in the centre of the city.
They had an ice cream together, and then they went to the cinema to see a film. The film was called Eleven Years.

Click HERE to see Powerpoint presentation

______________

Now enjoy this song by Oasis


Happy Weekend!
:-)

October 31, 2011

Your Opinion About Halloween

YES! Today is Halloween but it's also All Saint's Eve. What do you celebrate?
How do you celebrate this night? Do you wear costumes? Do you enjoy spooky stories?


If you want to know more about the History of Halloween visit this PAGE

If you want to watch an example of short scary movie, watch this:



What's your opinion about Halloween?

Please, leave a comment telling us!
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.
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October 23, 2011

Are you Stressed?

Watch and listen to this interesting video about STRESS, then do the test below and find out about your own stress level.



Notice that you can watch the video with subtitles, clicking in the icon 'CC.'

Click HERE to do the test :-)

Please,  leave a comment.

October 20, 2011

Infinitive or -ING?

I really love doing nothing
Remember the general rules:


WE use the -ing form

After certain Verbs

After preposition

When the verb is the subject of the dentece

We use the infinitive:

After certain verbs

After adjectives

For reason or purpose


See the following links

FOR:

Verbs followed by INFINITIVE
Verbs followed by -ING
Verbs Followed by Gerunds OR Infinitives (Different Meaning)*


FURTHER PRACTICE

1. Do they enjoy_____ (read) ?
2. Sorry for ______(be) so late. I overslept!
3. I don't mind _____ (help) in the house.
4. It was stupid _________(run): the train had left.
5. She's always dreamt of ________(have) a house by the seaside .
6. ___________(not/have) a mobile phone nowadays is old-fashiones.
7. What about________ (ask) our teacher?
8. We stopped_________ (talk) when the teacher entered the room.
9. Please, keep__________ (tell) us what happened yesterday.
10. She promised_________ (help) me with the essay.
11. They would prefer ________(fly) to England.
12. Will you be able________ (speak) English fluently next year?
13. She left without _________(say) good-bye.
14. He persuaded her________ (buy) another washing-machine.
15. Susan bought the car _________(give) it to her daughter for her birthday ?

Answers will be seen in Comment 1 :-)

Agreeing and disagreeing

                      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! 

 Showing surprise (Echo questions)

I've been to Brazil twice. -Have you?
My parents have never travelled. -Havent't they?
Susie is ill. -Is she?
We are eaing out tonight. -Are you?
This is my first class. -Is it?
I can't swim. -Can't you?


FOR Further practice
Click HERE and HERE

;-)

Quality or Quantity

Little /few

REMEMBER
A little/ very little/ too little + uncountable nouns (water, oxygen, rice, sport, money, honey, coffee wood, food, weather, love, happiness, etc)
We have very little sugar.
We practise too little sport
We’ve got a little time

A few/very few/ too few + countable nouns ( people, carrots, chairs, animals, flowers, vegetables, euros, minutes, etc)
There are too few people who speak German.
We could see only a few trees in the park.
Very few children don’t like computer games.

 Too, too much, too many, enough

Too +adjective     This exercise is too easy.  I arrived too late.  He's too young to drive. He's too weak to lift it.


Too much + uncountable noun
   Too many + countable nouns
There is too much shadow. There are too many people.

 
Adjective> enough  
 He isn't old enough to drive.  He isn't strong enough to lift it.
Enough> noun     There aren't enough chairs.   There isn't enough light.


ACTIVITY ONE>> Complete the sentences with too, too much, too many, enough.
1. Kevin is always at home. He doesn't go out
2. I don't like the weather in
Galicia . There is rain.
3. You are always tired. I think you work hard .
4. You drink coffee and tea. It's not good for you.
5. I can't wait for them. I haven't got time.
6. There was nowhere to sit on the beach. There were people
7. Real
Madrid didn't play well. They made mistakes
8. I don't like the weather in
Scotland. It's cold
9. Hey, friends, did you have to eat? Yes, thank you
10. You don't eat fruit, you should eat some more.

a lot of, lots of, plenty of, a large amount of, a great deal of/ large number of

Compare:
  • Plenty of shops open on Sunday mornings. (NOT Plenty shops …)
  • Many shops open on Sunday mornings. (NOT Many of shops …)
  • There is not a lot of rice left. (NOT There is not a lot rice left.)
  • There is not much rice left. (NOT There is not much of rice left.)
A lot of and lots of
These are rather informal. There is not much difference between a lot of and lots of. They are both used mainly before singular uncountable and plural nouns, and before pronouns. When a lot of/lots of is used before a plural subject, the verb is plural.
  • A lot of my friends live abroad.
  • Lots of time is needed to learn a language.
Plenty of
Plenty of means ‘enough and more’. It is used before singular uncountable and plural nouns.
  • There is plenty of time.
  • Plenty of shops accept credit cards.
A large amount of, a great deal of and a large number of
These expressions are rather formal. A large amount of and a great deal of are generally used before uncountable nouns.
  • She has spent a great deal of time in Europe.
A large number of is used before plural nouns. The following verb is plural.
  • A large number of issues still need to be addressed.



Activity TWO>>  Choose the best italic word from each sentence :
-We haven’t got much / many money these days.
-I’ve got a few / a little fruit and a lot of / many vegetables .
-They don’t seem to have much / many free time these days.
-He has only read a few / a little chapters of that new book, but he likes it.
A : Does he show much / many interest in sports ?
B : Yes, a lot / a lot of .
-There aren’t many / much buildings and traffic problems in that place, so there is no / any stress there.
-Don’t worry, we still have too much/plenty of time
-A large number/ a great deal of people are losing their jobs
A : How many/how much water is there left?
B: Any/None



ANSWERS to activities IN CONMMENT 1

Questions without Auxiliaries

Questions without auxiliary from torrepacheco