Wednesday, December 18, 2019

C1 - An example of oral mediation

This is the oral mediation about how to be healthy I showed you: go to this link . Pay attention to what we saw in class about this:

  • how to start your speech (who you are addressing is essential)
  • be aware of the task and check whether you are asked to give advice/your opinion or not
  • don't look at the piece of paper too often, just a quick glance to avoid getting lost
  • you should do it with enough time: introduction, explanation and conclusion in 2-3 minutes
How to practise on your own: do this exercise and record yourself with your mobile to check the time, the topic, your fluency and entonation and the coherence of your discuss.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I'll see you on Wednesday, 8th January. Have fun!

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Revision of Relative Clauses

This is the link I showed you in class explaning defining and non-defining relative clauses. There are plenty of grammar explanations if you surf on the internet. The most important thing is to use it in your speech better than to do lots of exerises but if you want to practise with exercises that's a good idea as well.

For C1 level, this is the link we watched about multi-words verbs: click here

C1 - Revision: Reporting Verbs

As this grammar point is so arid I think the best way is learning by doing as many exercises as possible, so let's practise with some of them:

Thursday, December 5, 2019

B2.1 - Conditional sentences

In lessong 4B we deal with conditionals. In class we saw all the types and we insist on using the name rather than the number of conditional:
  • zero or general conditional: if you have a problem you call an expert
  • first or probable/possible conditional: if you have a problem, will you call me?
  • second or improbable/hypothetical conditional: if you had a problem, you could call me
  • third or impossible conditional (a regret or complaint about past events): if you had had a problem, you should have called me so you didn't have it.
If you want a good summary, you should visit this blog: click here

Here you are some exercises to practise with the connectors:
Apart from IF, WHETHER and UNLESS, there are some other connectors such as AS LONG AS, PROVIDING, PROVIDED THAT, SUPPOSING etc. If you want to know a bit more about these connectors, you should use this link and you can practise with these exercises:

Hope it helps!


Tuesday, December 3, 2019

That's English! - Module 7 - unit 10: Superstitions and Fears

Not all the superstitions are the same in all the countries; there are differences but what they have in common is that they are true for many people. Let's start with the general questions:
  • Do you have a lucky number, clothes or an object you feel more confident with? Do you believe in lucky objects? Give reasons for your answer.
  • Are you a supersitious person? Do you have lucky charms you use before important events such as exams, job interviews, sports events and so on?
  • Do you think Spanish people are supersititious? Is it a problem of nationality, age, religion or sex? Compare different groups of people according to supersitions: Italian or Spanish versus British or Geman people, a youngster and an elderly person, for a wedding or for an exam...
  • What's the difference between a fear and a phobia? Think about some examples.
  • Do you suffer from any phobias? Is there anything you can't beat or you really hate? Do you know anybody who suffers from ones: spiders, bees, dogs or eating fish, kidney, etc?
  • Were you afraid of anything when you where a little child? Do you still have it?
  • Do you have any scary story that happened to you? 
Activity 1
In p.102 there is a gramar point about describing repeated and typical behaviour. You should use WILL for the present and WOULD for the past, like in these examples:
  • An actor won't wear yellow clothes during a performance because it means bad luck
  • Pelé would kiss the ground every time he won a match
Using this model try to think about some activities for you:
  • getting up in the morning  -  going to school as a child - playing with my brothers/sisters - something you used to do before an exam - something you do on Sunday
Activity 2
In p.105 there are some proverbs. Choose one o those or pick up one from the ones given below and try to explain it to your mate (taken from this site):
  • "Two wrongs don't make a right."
  • "The pen is mightier than the sword."
  • "When in Rome, do as the Romans."
  • "No man is an island."
  • "People who live in glass houses should not throw stones."
  • "Better late than never."
Activity 3
Here is a video about superstitions: click here for the video. After watching it, discuss with your partner the following questions:
 Which of these superstitions are similar to those in your country?
 Which are different?
 What are the things that are considered unlucky?
 What are the things that are considered lucky?
 Do you think that there is truth behind superstitions?

Activity 4
What about you? Discuss with your partner if you are a superstious person and why you think so. Compare your attitude with the one when you were younger. Have you changed a lot? In wahat sense? Give reasons for your answers.

Activity 5
Some people think they are going to be lucky and they'll be able to change their life. Here you have a video about luck: click here
What do you think this story is about? Would you do something like that? Why/why not?

Activity 6
This is another video with a programme talking about luck: click here

See you in class and... Good luck with your exams! Next lesson is a revision and we'll have the final exam of module 7 after Christmas holidays so you should start studying.

REMEMBER WE DON'T HAVE CLASS ON THE 5TH OF DECEMBER BECAUSE WE HAVE RECUPERATION EXAMS. However,we have class on the 12th and 19th of December 2019.
We'll practise with this last lesson and with exercises for the exam in class.

A Cover Letter (B2-C1)

Although it's not very frequent to be asked to write a covering lettre, you're likely to have one in the final exam so pay attention to what you should do or what you should include. This link will help you but you should search for models on the internet. Just in case here are you some videos:

  • this video is practical and short: click here  (B2)
  • this video is a rather professional one but interesting; a bit long, perhaps. (C1)
  • this one is quite long but it shows exemples and he speaks very clearly (B2-C1)

You already have the writing exercise (an article) I've asked you for next week, but a cover letter is a kind of wrriting which is very useful for your future as it goes along your CV and many times it's even more important than a resume, so have a look whenever you can and try to practise when you are more free. Maybe during Christmas time!

Sunday, December 1, 2019

How to write an article (B2-C1)

Writing an article is a very common piece of writing for EOI's exams so let's practise with it. This entry is for both levels (B2.1 and C1) as you may be asked to write an article in the exam.

But first of all, we need to know how to write an article, the parts we can distinguish and the way to organise it. To help you I think you can use these links or tools:
  • a useful video about writing an article
  • a guide to write articles by
  • this entry of a blog about articles in the exams of EOI's for B2 and C1; it's in Spanish but it's quite clear and with examples.
The topics you may use for writing an article could be one of these:
  • the use of technology   or    some devices I can't live without
  • how we could be more eco-friendly    or    the climate change
  • traffic in your town    or     public transport in your town
  • a turning point in your life   or  what I'd like to change in my lifestyle
The task you should do is to write an article about one of the previous topics. Pay attention to the organisation of the article and what kind of article you are using. This time we'll work with opinion articles so you can watch this short video to see how to do it and then write the composition bearing in mind the task as it follows:
  • B2.1 : 150-175 words
  • C1: 200-225 words 
Remember to reread and check your piece  of writing before giving it to me for marking.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

That's English! - Module 7 - Unit 9: Science Fiction

Let's talk about the future and imagine how many posibilities there will be in 20 years time or so. As we do in every lesson, let's start with the general questions to discuss with your partner:
  • In what ways will life be different by the end of the 21st century? Pay attention to different aspects such as transport, communication, city life, medicine and health, education and so on.
  • Do you think life exists on other planets? What would that life be like? Should we reserch on that to check if we are alone in the universe or is it a waste of money and time? Should we keep on such search?
  • What changes will you see in Spain in 50 years time? Take into account social, economical and physical changes, especially in everyday life.
  • Do you think technology will help us in the future or will it be a drawback for humans? Give reasons and/or examples for your answer.

Activity 1
Discuss with your partner about your future in  10 years time about the following topics:

       Family     Work/studies     Travelling     A flat/a house     Where you'll be living

Try to use all the future tenses with sentences such as: In 3 years time I'll have finished my degree at university and I'll be looking for a good job in a big company. I'll try to find a new house and by the end of 2019 I'll be living on my own.

Activity 2
What are your feelings about the future? Are you hopeful or scared about future? Talk about the dangers and the advantages of using technolgy. What will change in our future?. Make predictions using WILL and then we'll compare your feelings and your predictions with the rest of the class.

Activity 3
This is a listening comprehension exercise about homes in the future: click here. What's your opinion? Would you  like to live in such houses? Do you prefer your current house? Why/ Why not?

Activity 4
This is a link with cards to speak about future. You'll see different forms and tenses to express future. Work with your partner with these cards and pay attention to the tense you use each time. Click here

Activity 5
Imagine you are a fortune teller. Predict or guess what is going to happen to your mate in a short term, in 5 years time, in 10 years time... To help you with your task, you can use this video.

FUTURE TENSES
About grammar, this unit deals with future tenses. This is a video to see how to use present simple, continuous, going to and will; it's quite simple but it's useful to start with. If you need more practise here are you some useful links: this is a good exercise or you can do this one with all the tenses. This one is quite long and you also have this link to grammar explanation or this one here.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

C1- Unit 4B - Tongue Twisters

This kind of games is very common in English, especially for children. Here have you got some examples to practise your pronunciation:
Have fun!

Friday, November 22, 2019

B2.1 - Freeganism

This is the video we saw in class: click here. However, there are plenty of them on the internet but with many different levels. Have a look here:

  • An exercise with different options about Freeganism: click here
  • Advanced level: The food-waste rebel (C1)
  • Another video of a family in favour of Freganism: click here

Cinema in Original Version in Alcalá

If you are fond of movies in original version, you're lucky because you have two good options in Alcalá as you can see below:
  • Cineforum at Teatro Salón Cervantes, where you can see films on Wednesday and Thursday. There are 2 sessions: at 18.30h and at 21.00h. The information is here
  • Films in original version at Cuadernillos Cinema: here is it the link

Thursday, November 21, 2019

C1 - Listening Tests for Practising

Thanks to a coleague I've come across this webpage to practice with listening comprehension. You can use it right here but I'l also include it in the Useful Links section on the right side of this very blog. I'm quite sure you'll find it very handy.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

That's English! - Module 7 - Unit 8: Crime

As usual, we'll start with general questions about this topic. Here you are some questions to work on with your partner(s):
  • What are the main crimes in your town/country? Have you ever been a victim of one of those? If so, explain what happened to you.
  • Do you think prison is an effetive form of punishment? What other forms of punishment do you know?
  • Do you think cybercrime is a big problem in Spain? What about downloading? Is it a crime?
  • Are there any measures to be taken to avoid or reduce the crime rate in our society: more severe laws, more or longer punishment, more help for people who are at risk of exclusion, educational measures...?
Activity 1

Imagine you have been burglared and a police officer comes to your house. Have a role play in which you are the victim and your partner is the police officer. Give as many details as possible about what you've been robded. Then change roles and in this occasion you are the police officer and you've been mugged in the street or pickpocketed when you where on the bus. Ask questions to get details. what happened, when, where, what items you were stolen and so on.

Activity 2

Think about a detective story, novel or film you've seen recently and tell the story to your mate. If you don't remember one, try to make up a detective story about a famous detective such as Sherlock Holmes, Hercules Poirot, Agatha Christie's strories and so on.

Activity 3

Here you have some listening exercises to practise:
  • a short exercise about crime: click here
  • this is a funny video about a crime: click here
  • this is a very easy listening about a "perfet crime": click here
  • this is a short text with audio including some words about crime and punishment: click here
  • this a very long one but it's divided in 4 exercises: click here
Activity 4
About grammar this unit deals with non-defining relative clauses, which are the ones in which the relative pronoun can't be replaced by THAT. They are like an explanation and they go between commas (as if it were a comment or an added explanation). Here you are an exercise to see the difference between defining and non-defining relative clauses: click here.

Let's practise with this. This game is called Taboo and you can't say the word in your card or very clear clues. Describe the object or the person you have in your card so you should use WHO, WHICH or THAT, like in this example:
  • a screwdriver: it's a tool (which/that) you use to fix two things together. You need a screw, which is a piece of metal similar to a nail, but you also need another piece with a hole in the middle (something similar to a little ring) to fix it. - destornillador
REMEMBER: When THAT / WHICH / WHO are not the subject of the subordinate clause, it can be elicited or removed from the sentence; e.g. It's a kind of tool (that) people use to cut something or to peel fruit, vegetables or so ( a knife).


Activity 5
To work with vocabulary of crime and punishment, here are you some exercises to practise:
This is an entry on a blog about this topic; it has some videos and vocabulary: click here


Activity 6
To finish with, remember you use passive voice while talking about this topic (reviewing this grammar point from previous lessons). Let's see some examples by ansering these questions:
  • Have you ever been stolen on a bus or on the train? What were you stolen? Did you reported the theft? What happened in the end?
  • Has your house ever been burglared? What happened? What were you stolen?
  • Have you ever been mugged in the street? What happened? Were you hurt?

Thursday, November 14, 2019

European Union News

I've been sent some information about grants and some help for European people. The link I've been given is this:

I hope this will be helpful for you.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

C1 - Cleft Sentences

I think this is a bit confusing grammar point so I've found these links to help you:

  • this short video is a good starting point although it's a bit simple
  • this is a BBC Learning entry: click here
  • this exercise it`s really useful and also this one
  • this example might give you a clue about how to use cleft sentences

C1 - Environmental Issues

This is a really recurrent topic and very actual. You have plenty of chances to be asked about this topic either in speaking or wrting parts of the exam. Here are you some material to work with:
If you want to read something about Environment, this link of The Independent is quite interesting. There is a similar one in the BBC and another one in The Gardian.

That's English! - Module 7 - Unit 7: Help the World (B1.2)

This is a very humanitarian topic as it deals with NGO's and organisations focused on helping people or the planet. Let's start with the general questions:
  • What are the main charities or NGO's in Spain? Do you support any of them? Why/why not?
  • Do you think these charity organisations are necessary? Try to find pros and cons.
  • Have you ever worked as a volunteer? What about the experience? If not, why haven't you done it? Would you like to join an NGO? Which one or what about?
  • Have you ever taken part into an event to raise money? What was the experience like? How did you feel? Would you do it again?
  • What do you think about famous people who give their support or their image to raise money for these organisations? Do you agree? Do you think it's just marketing?
Activity 1
Some people think that charity is not the solution of a problem and it makes the problem last longer. What's your opinion? Discuss this with your partner and try to find different aspects of this topic.

Activity 2
About grammar, we are going to work with the construction I wish + past simple and If only + past simple. They are used to express wishes and desires for the future so choose some of the below suggestions and tell your partner(s) about them:
  • to buy a new car    to have a better/bigger house      to live abroad      to go on a luxury trip   
  • to speak other languages     to win a lot of money      to get a gap year at work/your studies
Activity 3
The other structure is with past perfect tenses (If only/I wish + past perferct) and it is used for regrests or complaints as it is referrred to the past not to the future as the previous one. Use the same examples but use them as if you were upset because you didn't do those things at the right time.

Exercises:  exercise 1       exercise 2       a list of exercises here 


Activity 4
Here you are a listening comprenhension about charity. Do the exercise and then comment about what you have just heard. Click here

Activity 5
Some charities are more popular and have more supporters than others. Discuss with your mate about raising money for homeless people, children with problms or for unsheltered animals. Try to give reasons for your answer.



Monday, November 11, 2019

B2.1 - Revision of prepositions

In Unit 3B we're working with prepositions while describing a photograph.  This video could help you with a short revision of prepositons of place and movement: click here. If you want to practise with this grammar point you should do some exercises like these:

Friday, November 8, 2019

How to write a review

As we've already seen some short films so I'd like you to write a review about one of them; maybe you could chouse the one you liked most. Don't do it too long, just 150-175 words as a short writing.
Nevertheless,  and in case you haven't been able to attend the session of ALCINE, you could do the write a review of a book or a film you've enjoyed lately.
To help you how to do it, there are plenty of links to see what you need to do it properly. This is the list of possible links:
  • Writing a review for FCE: click here. At the end of this page you have some task to work with. Choose one of them or do it with the short films we've already seen in ALCINE.
  • This link has an example of a book so it might be useful: click here
  • This is a summary on how to write a film review, useful sentences and an example: click here
I hope this information will be useful but you might find some more on the internet.

ALCINE Festival 2019

On the 8th November we saw some short films. This material is what I've found about them on the internet. Let's have a look:
  • 73 Cows by Alex Lockwood: this is the film and this is a conversation with the farmer; click here
  • Roughhouse by J. Hodgson: some info here and this is the trailer
  • Take Your Partners by Siri Rodnes: an interview with the director and the actress and the oficial trailer
  • Work by Aneil Karia: this is the link for the film
As the speaker who introduced the films said at the theatre, what they have in common is how important it is to make decisions and how these decisions or choices affect to our lives.
Next week we'll speak about them in class. I hope you enjoyed the films but you must admit how actual the topics are, anyway.
Thank you for coming and for the lovely talk after the cinema. See you in class!

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

The Next versus Next, the Last versus Last


The Next versus Next / The Last versus Last
POSITION (with article) TIME (no article)
The next (like the following in a list) Next as a time reference of future
Examples:
The next time I had a problem I asked for help
I'll be the next person
Examples:
The last time I saw him was yesterday
I'll be the last one
The last (at the end of a list) Last as a time reference of past
Examples:
The last week of the term we'll have an exam
Examples:
Last Friday I went to Paris

This exercise will help you to distinguish the difference: click here. If you need more practice, click here

Monday, November 4, 2019

That's English! - Module 7 - Unit 6: Films

The topic of this week is really appealing, isn't it? Films (or movies as Americans call them,) is one of the most typical entretainment for everybody all over the world.

As usual, let's start with some questions taken from your textbook (exercise 11, p.62):
  • What kind of films do you enjoy the most? Why?
  • What is the last film you've seen? What was it about? Did you enjoy it?
  • Who is your favourite film star? Why? What was the last film starred by the actor you saw?
  • Are there any kind of films you can't stand? Why?
  • Do you follow any film festival? Do you usually see films rewarded with an Oscar, a BAFTA, a Lion of Venice or any other award? Are these festivals necessary?
  • Do you know anything about ALCINE Festival in Alcalá de Henares? Have you ever been to?
  • Do you like short films or animation films?
  • What do you do to choose the film to see? Do you read film reviews? Do you ask anybody about the film?
  • Do you prefer watching films on television, a DVD at home or going to the cinema? Explain the main differences in your opinion.  
Activity 1
Talk to your partner about the main differences between European or Spanish films and American ones. Explain which ones you prefer and give reasons for your answer.

Activity 2
Revise the vocabulary of this lesson and try to find a definition with your own words of these terms:
  • blockbuster - dubbed films - feature - length - selected for screening - to release - indie films
Activity 3
Here you are a listening comprenhension exercise with an ordinary conversation about movies; click here. This other exercise is about inviting someone to the cinema; click here. Both are a good example to practise with your partner later. 

Activity 4
About grammar, we deal with an important point: passive voice. Remember it's much more usual in English than in Spanish and it has the function of impersonal forms in our language. Here you have a link with a long explanation and exercises at the end: click here. You should use it in your writing but also in your speaking as it is very usual. Rephrase these sentences using passive tenses to see how frequent it is in English:
  • Someone stole my movile yesterday
  • Many people say American films are much better than Europeans
  • Somebody gave me this packet for you
  • Someone told me you have a new job
  • They opened a new exhibition about Picasso
Activity 5
To practise for the exam, here you are an exercise of gap filling. The topic is different but you can find many examples of passive voice; click here.

Hope to see you in class!

C1 - How to Write a Proposal

It'son page a possibility as a writing exercise in the exam. We did it in speaking on page 8 so let's have a look as a writing paper. You may go to this link (the one used in class) but there are plenty of them on the internet. Remember you can also use the samples given by the British Council like this one.

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

B2.1 - Past tenses

Verbs in past tenses can be regular and irregular. The regular ones have a common ending -ED which can be pronounced in different ways /d/, /t/ or /id/.
The irregular verbs have different ways of being formed but I usually recommend to learn them by patterns, as you can see in this link.

Ley's see the different ways of learning/reviewing irregular past:
  • using the first letter: "Irregular verbs starting with... L" (much better if you do it as a competition with your mate, partner or a friend!)
  • using topics: verbs conneted with money (spend / buy / get / steal / lose / pay); with schooling (learn, teach, read, write, speak, do...); with daily activities  (eat, drink, sleep, have, take, go, wear...) or senses (hear, see, feel, smell) and so on.
  • according to the pattern: A-A-AA-B-BA-B-C or A-B-A (remember the photocopy I gave you in class) Here you are a video which explains the groups and it gives you the principal verbs as examples, and then this link with a list of verbs grouped by pattern.
Another problem is the rules of spelling. To review them, click here.

Just in case you lose the photocopy I gave you in class, here you are a traditional list (in alphabetical order) with the meaning in Spanish: click here or here (mind the phonetics in this last link!)

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

31st October: Halloween

Hi,there!
I wanted to give you some activities for this day so let's have a look to these links:
Resultado de imagen de halloween images free
  • Some explanation about Halloween: click here
  • This link is about spooky stories, especially for children: click here
  • But there are short stories for adults as well: click here
  • Typical funny jokes for children: click here
  • Why not some music? Ghost Story by Cold play: click here
  • A video about Halloween in the UK: click here
  • This other easy video is about vocabulary: click here
  • Another video with a really different perspective: click here
                                             HAPPY HALLOWEEN!



Monday, October 28, 2019

C1 - Unit 2D: Comparisons

Although it seems to be something we've already seen hundreds of times, we should use it in a more accurate way. Here there are some examples to practise:
If you want to practise with idioms of AS ..... AS, here are you some examples:
If you are interested in idioms in general you can do these exercises: 

And for exercises on obbreviations on texting in English you have these examples:  exercise 1   exercise 2 exercise 3

Sunday, October 27, 2019

That's English! - Module 7 - Unit 5: Social Classes (B1.2)

Althouhg this topic seems to be a bit difficult, we should deal with it and it has many possibilities. We are living in a society which has specific characteristics. Let's start with the general questions on this lesson:
  • What does a social class mean to you? If you had to choose, which social class is yours?
  • Are there events, sports or places that are popular with a particular social class in Spain? (For example: football, basketball, bullfighting, cinema, theatre...)
  • What kind of discriminations are there in our country? Compare this situation with other countries such as the USA, the UK, France, Germany...
  • What struggles for rights do you remember? Some ideas: against segregation, equal rights between men and women, to get a welfare state (estado del bienestar), compulsory education, healthcare for everybody, sexual discrimination, etc.
Activity 1
What makes a person change their social status: education, money, popularity and success...? Discuss with your partner and try to get an agreement on the topic.

Some people think that education or going to university is one of the best ways to change your social class to belong to upper classes. Here you are a listening comprenhension about Education. After doing it, let's talk about how important it is to rise in society. This is the exercise

Activity 2
Here are you a lot of questions related to discrimination. Discuss with your partner about some of them. Adapted from http://iteslj.org/questions/discrimination.html

  • Have you ever been discriminated against? What happened to you? What was your reaction? Have you ever discriminated against anybody?

  • Why do you think discrimination exists? Why do people discriminate?  What could you do to reduce discrimination?  What would you do to cope with discrimination? Why do we treat people differently? Is discriminating against a certain group of people ever justified? What do you think about quota or possitive discrimination?

  • Do you think males and females are equal?  Do men earn more than women? Why?
  • What king of sexual discrimination do you know? 

  • Why is it that when children are small,they discriminate against other people that are not the same size and color as they are? Is discrimination something natural? Are our children going to live in a less discriminated world? 

Activity 3
Some people say that trade unions are going to disappear in a short term. Do you agree? What are the main consequences of that fact? Discuss with your partner but you can also use this reading comprehension exercise: click here 

Activity 4
About grammar, this lesson deals with connectors. Here you are  a good explanation with an exercise at the end. Click here

Activity 5
You can practise some listening comprehension about this topic but the level is B2 not B1. This video is about Working Women in Lesotho: click here

Monday, October 21, 2019

C1 - How to write a cover lettre

This entre is to show you some examples of cover letter for a writing exams of English. If you need a real cover letter you should go to specific links that could give you a hint of how to pass the ATS control (Applicant Tracking System)
If you surf on the internet you'll find cover letters next to applying for a job letters. They're not the same but this is just a revision of formal letters in a way so you can use these examples:
  • The example in the British Council: click here
  • An example of formal lettre applying for a job for CAE with comments: click here
  • This is a C1 for EOI: click here
Hope this post will help you.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

That's English! - Module 7 - Unit 4: Modern Family

This unit is about family and how this has changed in the last decades. Let's start with the topic with general questions to discuss in class:
  • What changes have you seen in families since the 1950's?
  • Which of these changes is the most remarkable and why?
  • What are the main problems of being a single parent? Are there any advantages?
  • What is the "boomerang generation" (described in your textbook, p.43)? Could you guess other reasons for coming back your parents' home?
  • Compare your parents' family and the new models of family. What are the main challenges for "modern families"?
  • What is the usual family in Spain? Are there any other kinds of families?
Modern Family is a very famous TV series and here you are an interview with the principal stars. They answer their audience's questions  about their characters but also about family and many other subjects in a humorous way: click here for the video. Try to do it directly and then use the subtitles.

About grammar, there is a reference to reminding things and promising. Let's use it in oral practice with these exercises:

Activity 1
Work with your partner and think of all the things a person should do in your house to keep it in good conditions until you come back from holiday. Tell aloud these actions using:
    • Don't forget to...       Remember to...       Let me remind you to....   Could  you …..?
You can watch this video to see the meaning and use of these verbs: click here

Activity 2
On p.42 you have a revision of making suggestions and how to accept or refuse them. Let's work on this point by doing exercise 8 on that page and then we'll make some suggestions for these situations related below. Before starting talking you may watch this video about suggestions:
  • Your friend wants  to go on holiday for a week but she/he doesn't know where to go yet ( to the beach, a city break, a cottage in the country...)
  • It's your friend's birthday and you want to prepare something special for him/her (eating out, cinema, a surprise party...)
  • It's your father's or mother's birthday and you don't know what to buy as a present: a book, a jumper, a cd, a voucher for a department store..
Activity 3
On p.43 there is a current topic about living at your parents' home. Discuss with your partner about this and tell your own experience. Think about pros and cons of living with them: money, independance, rules, personal life, etc.

Activity 4
As usual, here are you an exercise of listening (filling the gaps). It's not difficult but it's a help for getting used to doing this kind of exercises for the oral and written exams. Click here

Activity 5
Here you are another listening about raising children. We'll do it in class and then we'll share our opinion on the topic. The exercise is here

In the final exam of this module you'll find an exercise of filling the gaps in the reading test. Here you have a link with two examples to practise this kind of exercise: click here

Hope this post is useful for you and see you in class!

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

That's English! - Module 7 - Unit 3: The Older Generation (B1.2)

Introduction
This lesson deals with the topic of elderly people, which is pretty actual. As usual, we'll do some activities to practise oral skills in class.

General questions
  • Do we take care of our elderly people? What measures can be taken to make them feel confortable in our society?
  • Would you live with your parents when they were unable to do it alone? Give reasons for your answer
  • Have you ever lived with an eledrly person? If so, what about your experience. If not, what problems would you face by sharing your home with them?
  • What are the main problems that elderly people must face? Think about money, health, relationships, etc.
  • Would you like to live a long life? Would you mind being an elderly person?
  • Is there anything you can do to get older in good conditions? Explain what and give reasons for your answer.

Activity 1
Discuss with your partner what means to be part of the older generation. Use the questions below:
How old should you be to consider yourself an elderly person? What means to be old? Do you know elderly people? What do they say? How do they feel? Are there any places where they prefer to live?

Activity 2
Try to work out what advantages and disadvantages you can find about being old. Share your ideas with your partner. Speak about elderly people in your country. What are their popular pastimes, their hobbies? Do they travel a lot? Where do they go? Do they help their children? How do they do it?

Activity 3
Read these statements with your mate and say what you think about that. Give reasons for your answers or the pros and cons of each sentence:
  • Younger people don't respect the older generation or they should do it at least.
  • Elderly people should be looked after by their own family.
  • When you get older you can't do many things. You should accept it.
  • You are as old as you feel. You can do whatever you like, no matter your age.
Activity 4
Have elderly changed a lot in the last 50 years? In what way? Think of your grandparents' life and elderly people nowadays. What are the main differences between them?

Activity 5
Let's practise with the third conditional, also called "impossible conditional". You use them as a complaint or a regret about a past event. Here you are a link with some third conditional sentences to finish: click here. You can do it alone (at home) or with your partner (in class).
  • Regrets from your past: If I'd studied/practised more, I'd have got better grades/qualifications
  • You missed your frined's birthday party. Think about possible sentences such as: If I'd been able to go, I would have met Peter's new girlfriend
  • Complaints: use the 3rd conditional to finish the following sentences sentences
    • If I'd known you were coming...
    • I would have told you the truth if ...
    • If I'd had the money...
* Although this is the gammar point for this unit, we'll revise second conditional, that is, improbable conditional: If I knew you were coming...

Activity 6
In this unit it's explainded how to pronounce perfect conditionals and perfect modals (page 35, exercises 3 and 4). To help you with this, here you are a video with an explanation and examples on this: click here. The other video we'll see in class is this: click here

If you are interested in this topic about elderly people and aging here you are an article from the BBC: click here

Listening practice

Listen to this podcast about Aging Population from BBC Learnin English. Besides, here are you an exercise of multiple choice from ESL: click here; and this one is another post (take the fast option).

REMEMBER: The more you practise listening skills, the better you'll do it in the exam; but also you'll be able to speak much better if you do listening exercises regularly.

Don't forget to bring your compositions next week!

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

B2.1 - Unit 2B: Present simple and present continuos

This is a difficult issue for Spanish speakers as we have the same tenses in our language but we don't use them in the same way, especially when we use present continuous for future actions like Tomorrow I'm having dinner with Susan.

These videos may help you to revise this grammar point:
Some exercises you could do are these: exercise 1   exercise 2   exercise 3  exercise 4    a list of exercises to choose.

Pay attention to the verbs which are dynamic or static (which are not usually used in progressive forms) and the spelling of the -ING form (when to double the consonant and ending in -Y). As I told you in class, I'd rather speak about permanent actions (habitual present o present simple) or temporary actions (present continuous)


VERB
PRES. SIMPLE  (permanent actions)
PRES. CONTINUOUS (temporary actions)
HAVE
I´ve got/have a car (possession)
I’m having a shower (taking)
THINK
She thinks he’s nice (opinion)
We’re thinking of going away next (planning)
SEE
I see quite well (sense)
I’m seeing Peter (meeting)
FEEL
I feel sorry for you (habitual feelings)
I’m feeling sick (getting)

If you need more help, please let me know in class. See you!

Monday, October 14, 2019

C1 - Verbs followed by infinitive and/or gerund

In this lesson we'll have to practise with this grammar issue. You can find thousands of lists of these Verbs and I recommend learning them by doing exercises but also by hearing in mind useful exemples.

The other difficulty is to remember that TO may be a preposition as well so in those cases TO is followed by gerund as in the example of the book and some more:
  • I don't get round to phoning you yesterday
  • I look forward to seeing you soon
  • My sister objected to spending more money on that
This is a link which shows you this problem: click here

To finish with, remember that many verbs followed by gerund and infinitive are related to indirect speech: 
  • Followed by gerund: suggest, recommend, propose, admit, deny, etc.
  • Followed by infinitive: accept, promise, agree, revise, offer, etc.
Just in case you need some help, you can have this list and do these exercises to practise a bit:
See yuo in class!

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

That's English! - Module 7 - Unit 2: Good science, bad ethics? (B1.2)

Introduction
In this unit we are going to speak about how development can be something good or something to be aware of. About grammar, we'll see purpose clauses. Besides, there is a review of connectors and how to use them to join and connect all the ideas expressed in a text.

General Questions
  • Do you think there is a "good science" and a "bad science"? Give reasons for your answer
  • Do governments and/or society should set boundaries to science? Which ones?
  • Can you think of a dilemma connected to science or medicine, such as the use of stem cells, palliative cares, who is worth being save or what to do with terminal ill people?
  • Taking drugs should be legalized? Under what conditions or in what cases drugs might be allowed?
  • What technical advances would you like to see in the future? Explaqin how those improvements would affect our lives.

Activity 1
Which advances mentioned below do you think are more necessary? Discuss with your partner and give reasons for your answer.
  • Advances in biotechnology, especially the use of stem cells.
  • Safer, faster transportation
  • Improvements in information technology: is it a necessity or an addiction?
  • The use of IT: new devices and how to use them
  • Space travel, as the last frontier and even as a touristic destination
Activity 2
The use of purpose is very usual in spoken English. Let's work with some examples. Find some sentences which express the meaning given below:
  • To say the use or purpose of something:  A hammer is a tool for .... (-ING); a camera is something you use to .... (INFINITIVE); an umbrella is something people use so that they ...... (followed by A SENTENCE); we use medicines in order not to ..... (INFINITIVE)
  • To say the reason for doing something: I started doing exercise to feel better. The doctor told me to do it little by little in order to avoid health problems. I trained more and more so that I could take part into a competition. I did it hard for geting the first price.
Try to do the same with your partner. Share your examples. This link will give you some examples as well: click here.

If you want to see a good summary of how to express purpose, go to this link. At the end of this page you've got a chart about purpose.

Activity 3 (use of conditional sentences)
In this unit there is a review of zero conditional or general truth conditional sentences (if-clause with present simple and main clause with present simple as well). Let's work with second conditionals or hypothetical/conditional sentence (simple conditional - simple past). Here you are some questions to work with your partner:
  • What happens when you want to lose weight?  If you need to be slimmer you can do exercise; if I were overweight, I'd try to eat less
  • What can you do to learn a language?
  • Professional athletes need to take drugs to boost their performance.
Activity 4 (listening comprenhension)
Listening comprenhension exercise. You'll here some news about cloned animals. Fill in the blanks with a missing word. Click here
This other exercise is very useful to review passive voice. Although it is not in this unit I think it'll be a good help to refresh your grammar with this exercise: click here

Activity 5

See you in class!

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

10th October: Erasmus Day

I guess you've seen some posters and photographs about Erasmus programmes and projects. You know that our school is involved in an Erasmus KA-1 project called Retos, which deals with Blended Learning, Mediation and Level C1-C2. You can read about it on the posters exhibited on each floor of the school.

We joined the event promoted by the EU all around Europe and if you go to the web page of the Erasmus Day you'll see this:



Let me remind you that there is a contest among all of you who want to share your opinion about being European or your experience about Erasmus projects. If you take part in it, you're likely to win a 20-euro cheque to spend on books. The rules for the contest are at the hall of the school and on our web page. Join us and good luck!

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

B2.1 - Lost properties

Here you can see the videos we watched in class:
  • the short animation film: click here
  • the one about the lost property office in London: click here

C1 - Starting to prepare de exams: Mediation

This is very clear explanation of what mediation is and it gives you a sample to show you how to do it. Let's start with this: click here. Comunidad Castilla-La Mancha has this link about mediation but remember we use other charts for assessment.

If you want to know how it's measured, here is it a summary of the chart we usually use as examiners: click here

Tuesday, October 1, 2019

B2.1 - Unit 1B: Comparatives and superlatives

We've already seen this grammar point in class, but I want you to do some more exercises to practise so here are there some:
  • Filling the gaps: click here 
  • Using the pronoun one as well: click here
In the class we also saw expressions with double comparative such as The sooner, the better or The more, the merrier. If you need further explanation about this grammar point, go to this link (although it's a bit thick for your level). After checking the grammar, do these exercises to practise a bit more: first click here and then do this one and this other exercise.

Another use for the double comparative is just emphatic like in this sentence: she has more and more friends so she´s happier and happier

Apart from comparing qualities, we may compare quantities. In that case we use:
  • MUCH / LITTLE / LESS / THE LEAST for uncountable (singular) nouns: much sugar, little money, less effort
  • MANY / FEW / FEWER / THE FEWEST for countable (plural) nouns: many people, few books, fewer pens
We may need some practise with less and fewer so here are you some exercises: exercise 1,  exercise 2,  exercise 3, exercise 4, exercise 5; for useing much and many you can go to: exercise 1, exercise 2, exercise 3, exercise 4.


Monday, September 30, 2019

C1 - Use of neither/nor, either/or and so

In class we worked with Neither do I and So do I. Let's do this activity connected to banking and money to practise this grammar point and to increase specific vocabulary:

Extra Activity
We are going to practise with SO and NEITHER and the vocabulary related to banking. Try to find 5 sentences to make your mate say a comment agreeing or disagreeing such as the ones you can see in these examples:
  • I prefer to use my credit card to pay in cash when I travel  ----  So do I
  • I've never been in the red in my account  ----  Neither have I
  • I've never applied for a loan  ----  I have but I haven't paid it back yet
  • I can manage to pay my monthly statements  ----  So can I
  • I never use an ATM  when I go abroad   ----   I do, especially if I need cash
  • I'm rarely broke   ----  So am I but I'm always short of money I've never been in debt
VOCABULARY:
(MAKE) PROFIT     WITHDRAWS      ATM     TO DEPOSIT MONEY     STATEMENT     INSTALLMENTS       TO CHARGE A FEE       TO PAY OFF       IN DEBT     TO BE BROKE     TO OWE   

Neither / nor explanation: click here and this is a video you can use as well.


Sunday, September 29, 2019

That's English! - Module 7 - lesson 1: Our planet (B1.2)

Introduction
This unit is focused on improving your vocabulary in order to be more accurate when you describe a place, especially about geographical features. Let's start with this vocabulary and here you can find some exercises to do:
  • an easy exercise to stat with: click here
  • a list of exercises: click here
General Questions
Work with your partner and answer these questions. Give as many details as possible:
  • Where were you born? What was it like?
  • Describe the best place you've ver been to. Be precise and descriptive.
  • Tell us an anecdote that happened to you or a friend of yours while staying abroad or in another city.
  • Do you prefer to live in the countryside or in a city? Why?
  • To get relaxed do you go to the country or to the seaside? Why? 
  • Describe the most beautiful landscape you've ever seen.
  • What city in the world is your favourite? Why?

Activity 1
To start with here are you a listening exercise about Canada. Pay attention the way they describe the country and the use of adjectives. Do the exercise here

Activity 2
Work with your partner(s) and describe a place you've visited and say why you like it. Try to be as precise as possible and use the vocaburay you've learnt about geographical features. Don't forget to use adjectives to express your emotions in your description such as:
amazing - spectacular - gorgeous - lively - incredible - breath-taking - vast - peculiar - outstanding -unspoilt - unique - impressive - awesome - astonishing - bustling

This is a good example of a description of  a well-known place: Paris. To do the listening comprenhension, click here and then use it as a model for your own descriptions.

If you want to know more adjectives related to nature, there is an exercise to help you: click here

Activity 3
This listening exercise is very easy but it's a good exemple to see what you could do to describe your own country. First, do this exercise (click here) and now try to expalin to your mate(s) the geographical features and climate of Spain/your country or a place you know well.

Activity 4
In your textbook, in page 9 exercise 6 you are asked to describe the place you grew up. Besides, tell us how much or little that place has changed. When your mate is working, make questions to get more details and make the conversation more lively. Use questions such as:
  • Where is it exactly and how long did you stay there?
  • Have you ever come back there? If so, what feelings did you have? If not, why not?
  • What kind of memories do you have related to that place? What did you like most and least about your birth place?

Activity 5
Work with your partner(s) to explain the main differences between the north and the south of Spain, or between the coast and the plateau in our country. Then we'll share your opinion aloud.

Activity 6
According to what you've read on your textbook, choose what place of the world you'd like to visit and what place you couldn't go to or you wouldn't stand going to. Give reasons for your choice.

Here you are an example. If you want to know more about Australia, go to this video.

Hope these  activities have been useful. See you in class next\ week!

Welcome to That's English! - NB1.2: module 7 and 8

Great to see you again and welcome to the newcomers! My name is Pilar Álvarez and  I'll be your teacher during this school year.

From now onwards we'll be working with a lesson every week . You should have seen the lesson before coming to class, especially the grammar points and the vocabulary in order to practise. This blog is for all the students of module 7 and 8 and here I'll show you what we're going to work in class: activities, grammar exercises, videos, extra material...

These activities, especially the ones for practising speaking skills, are the base for the oral exam you'll have at the end of each module. You may prepare this exam with the general questions and the exercises given in the blog.

It is also very important to bring your composition of the unir we'll work un class every single week as I'll be able to give you feed-back to improve it. You can take any exercises about writing from the textbook or from the general questions given or suggested on the book. Be constant  and do the composition every week and you'll see your progress.

You know that it's not compulsory to come to class, but it'll be very useful and it's the best way to practise your speaking, to solve your doubts, to get in contact with other mates and so on. We expect you'll attend class as much as possible to improve your English.

To finish with, remember you should check the web page to be informed about the exams, holidays, any changes and what lesson we're having. This blog is only for learning purpous.

Thank you for your attention and hope to see you in class!

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

C1 - Environmental Issues

On September, 22 we celebrated the World Car-Free Day and there were different demonstrations headed by youngsters and teenagers. In lesson 1B we're dealing with age; this is a good example that it's not a matter of age to be aware of the major problems of our planet. This is a video of Greta Thumberg and her fight against gobal warming and it's amazing how a teenager can manage to tell the truth to the rulers of the world: click here

Monday, September 23, 2019

C1- Improving your writing

On the British Council page for teenagers you can find this section for improving your writing: click here with different kinds of pieces of writing. To start with and as a revision, you can see what they have about a for and against essay: click here and pay attention to the exercises you find there.
In class, we've been working orally with this kind of topic when we were speaking about advantages and disadvantages of a certain age: childhood - teenager age - personhood - elderly age.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

B2.1 - Unit 1A: Names - Pronouns and possessives

In this lesson we`ve been working with names and how much they can interfere in your life. This is a listening comprehesion about the topic: click here

The grammar point in this lesson is a revision of pronouns in English. To start wirh, let's see if you can find the mistakes in these sentences:
  • My sister and me are fond of football
  • I don't like theirs children too much
  • I never go with they
  • She´s a friend of him
  • "Who is it?" "It's I" (Pay attention to the use of IT for people when you don't know the sex yet)
To be sure about the right pronoun or possessive is very important, as you can see in this example:
  • Look at him (at Jonh)    but    Look at his (at John´s car, for example)   
  • Look at her  but    Look at hers (this is NOT plural but the possessive pronoun)
A student in the class asked me the difference to use TO or FOR with complements. When you use TO is just direction while FOR is for purpose or instead of that person. To see this go to this link.

To finish with this is a video about the pronunciation of personal pronouns; it's American English but you can practise with it. And this other video about how to choose a name for a business, to work with the vocabulary of this lesson.



Sunday, September 15, 2019

B2.1 - Leisure activities

We've been working about what you do in your free time and we saw you should keep in mind the typical questions which could help you to speak about it:
  • what you do
  • when you do it / how often
  • where you do it
  • if you do it alone or with other people
  • when you started doing it
  • why you do it
Although it's a very simple topic, it's very frequent to talk about this, especially when you meet people or when you introduce yourself.

Here are there some listening exercises to practise and to take ideas:
  • Leisure activities: click here
  • Activites to do on a ship: this one
  • to hang out: click here

C1 - unit 1A: Uses of YET

In this lesson we've seen the use of YET in two sentences from the extracs of p.7:
  • Alternating between Elisavyeta's and Pavel's competing YET complementary perspectives...
  • Together we were earning around $100,000 and YET it just got frittered away in cabs and restaurants.
As you can see, YET can be used as:
  • an adverb
  • to discuss an additional idea
  • to give emphasis
  • as a conjunction
To see how to use it go to this link, or to this one. This last link is just to see good examples in which YET is used as a conjunction: click here.

To sum up, YET is an adverb that means the action is not finished or it's in progress ("todavía", "aún"). But as a conjunction the meaning is similar to "however" ("y aún así"). With superlatives the translation should be "hasta ahora".




Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Starting the New School Year!

Welcome to the new school year 2019-2020. Here are we to go on with English. This year there will be some changes but we'll be able to solve the problems we could have, you'll see.

The levels I teach are B2.1 and C1 so most of the activities will be oriented to these groups. Nevertheless, I'll include other levels if necessary.

To start with, let's see what these levels imply according to the CEFR:
  • B2.1: the reference is B2, but this will be the level you'll have when you finish B2.2
  • C1
It may help to check your own level if you try to do these tests:
  • This is a test to know your level by Cambridge
  • Another test: click here
  • Or this one
See you in class!

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Greetings from York!

Hi, everybody!
I'm in York, a beautiful city in the north of England. I'm in a course about intercultural communication but I also have time to do some sightseeing.
If you want to know what I'm doing here you can go to the blog we have at the school web page to follow what we do day by day referred to the Erasmus+ grant for our KA-1 project. It's in Spanish because It is for the while school. Just in case, this is the link.
Try to go on with your English practice. A little every day is a lot when you come back to class in September.
See you, guys (*_*).