Adjectives ending in -ED or -ING

 As I explained in class about these adjectives, when you use -ED the meaning is a bit "passive" or you feel the consequences or result of the action, while when you use -ING adjectives they are "active" and you focus on the action itself.

We have something similar in Spanish, when we say "interesante" (interesting) and "interesado" (interested) or some more like "amante/amado" or "estresante/estresado". The problem is that in English this kind of adjectives are much more frequent and we don't have a similar adjective in Spanish, like "boring" or "tiring" (aburriente? and cansante?)

Compare these two sentences:

• She's a loving mother : she loves her children very much, so it's an active meaning, based on the action itself more than in the result.   
• She's a loved mother : she's loved by her children so the meaning is passive; she receives the consequences, the result of the action, not the actor of the action.

If you need further explanation, you may go to the this link of the British Council.

Here you are some exercises:

• exercise 1  (from Perfect English)      exercise 2  ( a list of exercises from agendaweb)       exercise 3  (from Test English)      exercise 4  (quite long but interesting)
• some other exercises to parctise just in case: exercise 1       exercise 2

I hope it'll be useful but remember to use these forms in spoken language as well so try to use these questions/topics to check how usual they are. Practise with some other mates or friends:

• What hobbies are you interested in? What hobbies do you find interesting? Why?
• Describe a thrilling activity you like doing.
• What are the most boring programmes on Spanish TV channels? Give reasons. And the most amusing ones?
• Tell me/us the most exciting place you've ever been to.
• Do you get tired/bored/excited easily? What for?

Keep in touch!

Contractions

 Contractions or no contractions? That is the question

We use a contraction in informal English and especially when we speak. To mark that there’s something missing in the sentence, we use the apostrophe (‘). We CANNOT use contractions with principal verbs but just with auxiliaries, as you can see in these examples:

• I’ve got a car (right)    but    I’ve a car (wrong)  I have a car (right)

• We’ve got to go (right)     but    We’ve to go (wrong)   We have to go (right)

• They’d like to go with us    but   You had to be careful (right)   You’d to be careful (wrong).

As usual, the only exception is with the verb TO BE because it’s principal and auxiliary at the same time (remember the negative and the interrogative forms of that verb) but when the verb “to be” is in a short answer, it can’t be contracted either:

• Aren’t they British? Yes, they are. They’re from Bristol.

The main problem with contractions is to know which verb is the one you’ve used and that’s easy if you pay attention to the following verbal form. Let’s see some examples:

• He’d like to go   (WOULD as it’s followed by infinitive without TO)

• He’d been busy   (HAD because it’s with a past participle; compare it with He’d BE busy)

• He’d have been busy   (WOULD as it’s a perfect infinitive: have been not has been)

• He’d better stay at home   (HAD, a special modal verb, also followed by infinitive without TO)

There are some contractions which are so frequent that it's difficult or weird (or even impossible like “o’clock”) to find them without being contracted. These are some examples but there are some more:

• Let’s…  You’d better…   I’d rather…   If you don’t mind…  What’s wrong/the matter?   I’d love to.

But there are some occasions where contractions are not used, no matter if they’re right or wrong; the principal rules are these:

• very formal/academic writing: I cannot accept that    or   Let us explain that issue further

• to give emphasis: I do not like that shirt (as when you say I do like it)

• in positive short answers: Yes, I am     but    No, I’m not.

• very old fashioned forms, especially in negative: shan’t    oughtn’t   mightn’t

If you need more explanations or you’d like to know more about this matter, you can visit these pages or links:

• Cambridge dictionary

• How to use contractions

• Grammarly (very short but clear)

• Contractions in spoken English (very specific and long)

To sum up, use contractions as much as possible, especially when you speak, because it sounds more natural; however, take into account that if you’re writing something formal or if you want to be emphatic, don’t use contractions.

Unit 1B: Use of Auxiliaries, Double Compartive and Compound Adjectives

 This lesson has a lot of grammar so let's try to see it as something useful and not as dull as you may think.

The Use of Auxiliaries

This part of the lesson is connected to how to use auxiliaries in tag questions, echo questions, by using "so" and "neither" or as an emphatic form of the verb.

• I took this document from a really good blog (Mey English Class B2): go to this link
• You can use this exercise to practise the use of auxiliaries: click here

Double Comparative

As I've already told you in class you should review the rules for compartive forms and its spelling.  If you want, you can use this video: click here. Remember double compartive form is quite common and you can also find it in usual idioms such as: The sooner, the better  or   The more, the merrier. Once you've seen in your text book how to use them you can do this exercise to practise more: click here.

Another way of using double compartive is by saying both comparatives with AND, as you can see in the example: You need more and more  practice if you want to speak better  or  There were more and more people around the street artist.

Compound Adjectives

To explain this grammar point we should know what a "false participle" is. We form new adjectives by adding -ED to the end of a noun like in  this example: an aged woman. But the most common ones are those which are formed by two words: bad-tempered, left-handed or big-headed . Besides, there are some other endings for these compound adjectives, like real past/present participles: well-behaved, well-known or good-looking. If you think it's clear, do this exercise: click here. Once you finish with it, use the dictionary if you have any doubt about the exact meaning ot hese adjectives.

Exercises to Prepare B2

I've found by chance this blog to prepare exams of B2. Although it's suppose to be a higher level I think it might be useful to work with; if you find it too difficult, look for the posts of B1. The purpose of this post is to give you exercises to practise English using the format of exam in order to get familiar with it, as it's just practice.
On the other hand, if you feel challenging to have a try with C1, go ahead; but remember there are many differences among CCAA in Spain and also in other institutions which provide exams. As an example, notice that B2 is considered "inglés avanzado" while in Comunidad de Madrid it's the end of intermediate leve.
The examples shown here are taken from previous exams so you might have already done them but the way they are presented is very useful, that is, by skills, although mediation is not included.
The link I´m talking about is this: B2
in Idiomium they also have other links for more practice also by skills:

• listening B2
• reading B2
• writing B2 but also it's useful this entry "tipos de writing"
• speaking B2
• B2 / FCE exams

As usual, let me tell you you should use this practice in chunks, that is, in little portions and paying attention to your weaknesses.

B2.1 - B1.2 (That's English!)

While correcting your compositions, I've realised you've got plenty of problems with prepositions. This post is a summary of the one you've got in Google Classroom but just in case you've got problems to see it there, I'll give you this summary.
I know it's really difficult to use prepositions properly but the best way to get familiar with them is by doing exercises and practising. But once you've done it writing, make the exercise "personal"; let me give you an example: if you go to this link, you'll see how to use IN, ON and AT for place and time. Once you've seen it, think of sentences you can say about yourself such as:

• I was born IN Madrid
• My birthday is ON the 23rd of August
• My husband's birthday is IN May
• I always have dinner AT home ON Christmas Day
• I didn't go away AT Christmas

So you should practise with these exercises and then revise them ORALLY and try to say sentences as the ones given above. But instead of giving you just isolated exercises, I think it's better if you go to these links and you'll find a variety of examples of preposition exercises, that is, after verbs, after adjectives, before gerunds, etc.

• Perfect English
• Hilfen

Hope it'll be useful!

B2.1 - Using Past Perfect

PAST PERFECT TENSE

This is a summary of this tense and its uses:

Form	SUBJECT	HAD	PAST PARTICIPLE	REST OF THE SENTENCE
Affirmative	My friend	had	finished	her homework when I arrived
Negative	She	hadn’t	got	dressed yet
Interrogative (inversion)	Hadn’t	she	had	enough time before my arrival?

Uses

It's the tense used when an action happened BEFORE another past action, so both are usually related, that is, past simple and past perfect normally go together:

• Before I arrived home I realised I hadn’t  bought some fruit for dinner

It's very common in TIME complex sentences with before / after / when:

• After she had left the room, Peter started talking about her

It's a perfect tense so it’s frequently used with these adverbs: ALREADY / YET / JUST / EVER / NEVER

• It had just started raining when we took the car

You’ll find it in specific sentences when using:

1. Reported speech: He said he hadn’t seen her before
2. Impossible or 3rd conditional: If I had known you were coming I would have prepared something special for dinner
3. Regrets or complaints in the past: I wish/ If only I had spoken to her

To practise with this grammar point you can do these exercises: exercise 1 exercise 2 exercise 3
exercise 4    exercise 5    exercise 6 

Remember you have more information in Google Classroom. Take care and keep on working.

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

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:

• this simple one
• this is a comparison between present simple and continuous

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!

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!

B2.1 - Contrast connectors

In our textbook, lesson 9D you've got contrast connectors; have a look this useful link (shown in class): click here.
If you need exercises, there are some below:

• exercise 1        exercise 2          exercise 3 (cause and contrast)     
• exercise 4: an entry of a blog + practise

B2.1 - Environment

To see the vocabulary, here are some links to help you:

• This one is in English and the translation into Spanish: click here
• These others are more examples of lists of words connected to the topic: here or here
• This link has other pages with different topics related to environment: here
• If you prefer images, here are some videos about the topic: here (very visual), here (a typical class) or here

These videos also give you an idea about how much we should take care of our planet:

• This about plastic: click here
• Mother Nature: click here
• About global warming: click here

B2.1 - Word formation

We are going to work a little bit with word formation so to deal with this grammar topic here you are some links to help you:

• typical suffixes in English: click here
• adjectives to make nouns and verbs (long - length): click here and here is the one we saw in class; or go to this video to listen to the explanation

I include here the use of WHETHER: here you are the video we saw in class and this is a grammar link to read about this topic and to this one to see examples.

See you in class!