B2.1 - Relative clauses

There are two types of relative clauses, defining and non-defining. Let's have a look on both:

• DEFINING (especificativas in Spanish): they help to identify or remark the noun which is referring to; e.g. That's the person who works with me at school.

• NON-DEFINING (explicativas): these go between commas and it's just an explanation or a comment about the noun; e.g. The tall girl, who works with me at school, plays basket.

If you need further explanation you may use these links: this is the first one but you can use this other

Once you are sure how to use them, let's practise qith these exercises:

• exercise 1    exercise 2    exercise 3     exercises 4

Remember we use this kind of sentences very often:

• The person I admire most is ...
• Something that I can't stand is ...
• A screwdriver is a tool you use to fix screws or repair things
• A place where I used to go was ...
• I've lived in Meco, which is a village near Alcala, for almost 20 years
• I can't speak French, which is a pity as I go to Paris quite often

Here have you a listening exercise about Reading Festival: click here

See you in class!

B2.1 - Unit 9: Entretainment

There are many ways of getting entretainment, but according to the textbook these are the most typical ones:

• Sports: places to practise sports, click here and this is the video about the two Ronnies playing squash.
• Cinema and TV: apart from movies, agood way of spending some time laughi like this vieong is just watching videos like this one.
• Music: we've seen in class how much songs can help you to learn English like this video with examples of passive voice.
• Hobbies: reading, travelling, going out, cooking, etc. Here there is a link with vocabulary about different topics so click here to see if your favourite is included.

About grammar, we are dealing with passive voice. There are hundreds of links but remember to include these specific issues:

• To have / get something done
• I was told to be here at 9
• I was given the job in the end ( passive with double object, click here)
• It is generally believed that ...
• She was born ... but she was brought up in ...
• Peter was made to walk after the operation

B2.1 - SO & SUCH

As a general idea, you can summarize this grammar point in this way:

• SO + adjective/adverb : She's so nice but she speaks so quickly
• SUCH + noun (with or without modifiers) : She's such a nice girl

If you want or need further explanation, go to this link: click here. This is another one.

To practise and to revise this point, go to this exercise. But here are there some more:

• exercise 1    exercise 2     exercise 3

B2.1 - Adjectives ending in -ed and -ing

Oral practise: use -ing or -ed on these topics like in the example (exercise taken from this page)

Remember: …ing adjectives make you feel …ed

For instance: I think the film was boring. I felt bored when I watched the film. Because it was such a boring film, I was bored the whole time. Check out our grammar point on adjectives ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS

1. Tell us about a time that you felt really relieved
2. When was the last time that you felt offended?
3. What do you find really boring?
4. Have you ever felt petrified by something?
5. What makes you determined to be successful?
6. Do you often feel tense at high school?
7. What seems thrilling to you?
8. Are you a sympathetic person?
9. Are you interested in language learning?
10. What do you find very amusing?

B2.1 - Personality & Advertising (unit 4)

If you want to speak about these topics, you'll need to use some specific vocabulary. These links are related to how to deal with an oral exam so have a look:

• Advertising: click here
• Personality and character: click here
• Other topics of the same kind: click here

About tag questions, here is there the exercise we did in class: click here; but there are many more like these ones: exercise 1      exercise 2    

B2.1 - Telling Stories

In class we've been working with telling stories. Remember the chart I gave you:

• STRUCTURE: 
• introduction: give details about the setting (when, where, who was there...)
• what happened: keep in mind that the readers don't know anything about the story and you should their guide. Don't leave anything for granted.
• ending the story or a kind of conclusion

• GRAMMAR CHARACTERISTICS:
• use past tenses principally (simple, continuous, perfect, perfect continuous) in active and passive if possible
• you may use direct and indirect speech (remember introductory verbs followed by -ing or infinitive: suggest, warn, remind, etc.)

• VOCABULARY:
• variety of sequence connectors: first / then / after ... / later / when / before / finally / in the end
• other connectors: so / as / although / because / not only ... but ... / so - such ... that / however, / in order to / so as to / ...., though / if / as soos as / unless 
• this links could help you: click here
• use of adjectives and adverbs

For having models (literary samples) go to this page: click here

B2.1 - The use of the article in English

This link is related to how to use articles in English: click here.
Apart from that, what we saw in class is that in general the articles must be used in this way:

• THE = the definite article is like a determiner so it's used as THIS or THESE; e.g. Have you seen the new car (this new car)? 
• A/AN = the indefinite aeticle has the meaning of ONE so it goes with countable nouns in singular and it can be taken as an example; e.g. I have a car  but  A car is faster than a bike

You should keep in mind that the use of articles is sometimes very different from Spanish as we never use article when it's referred to a general meaning: I love animals

There are many uses  but the best way to learn how to use articles is by practising so here are there some exercises to work on the grammar point; and remember that some of them have a grammar reference as well:

• exercise 1     exercise 2 (a list of exercises)    exercise 3     exercise 4 (filling the gaps)

Geographical nous are more difficult so practise with these exercises: exercise 1   exercise 2

I hope you won't have more problems with articles.

B2.1 - Modals of ability

In lesson 4A we've dealt with this sort of modals and this is a video that explained it (in a "funny" way I must say!): click here. Then you could work with these exercises:

• exercise 1     exercise 2     exercise 3

Apart from the modals CAN / COULD / TO BE ABLE/UNABLE TO, there are verbs which can be used instead as they have a similar meaning: MANAGE TO+ infinitive and SUCCEED IN+-ing and also *TO BE CAPABLE OF+ -ing (a bit weird). These verbs should be used when you are succeesful by doing the action, when you are very likely to do it. See the examples below:

• This morning I managed to start my car despite the cold
• I had a job interview and I succeeded in getting the post

Do this exercise to practise these two verbs and check the meaning: click here