miércoles, 10 de diciembre de 2014

REPORTED SPEECH KEY

Last update for today. Here you have the reported speech key for the last page of the photocopies.

If you have any doubt, please don't hesitate and ask me any question you may find.


R.S. KEY


See you in class.

Ana.

REVISION OF TENSES AND VERB FORMS KEY

As I told you today in class, here you have the key for the revision of tenses and verb forms:


KEY



See you in class.

Ana

SPEECH FOR THE SECOND TERM.

Show and tell is a common expression about showing an audience something and telling them about it. In the United Kingdom, North America and Australia, it is a common classroom activity. It is used to teach the skills of public speaking.  For example, a child will bring an item from home and will explain to the class why they chose that particular item, where they got it, and other relevant information.

You must do it en class individually, following the next dates:
22/01: Bruno, Raquel, Sergio and Sandra.
26/01: Marta, Marc and Celia.
28/01: Soukaina, Mariana and Javier.

See you in class.

Ana.

The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time - Part II (Second Term)

Here you have the guide for the second part of the Reading Book you have to read this Christmas.

I will tell you the date for the exam (and the optional handing of these questions) in class.

QUESTIONS ON THE BOOK

See you in class.

Ana.


P.S.: please, comment to know that you have got the information. Thanks in advance.

Rephrasing tenses keys.

Better late than never  ;)

REPHRASING TENSES KEY



See you in class.

Ana.

miércoles, 12 de noviembre de 2014

Unit 2 KEY



As I told you in class, HERE you have the key for Unit 2 - Workbook.

Don't doubt to ask any question you may have.

See you in class. Feel free to comment.

Ana

martes, 28 de octubre de 2014

THE VERB "GET"


EXAMS FOR THE FIRST TERM

HERE YOU HAVE THE EXAMS WE WILL HAVE IN THE FIRST TERM (AS ALREADY TOLD IN CLASS)



Wednesday 19th  November 2014: Grammar and Vocabulary Tests.

Thursday 20th November 2014: The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time Test.

Monday 24th November 2014:  PAU Test.


See you in class. Feel free to comment.

Ana

lunes, 20 de octubre de 2014

Sample Compositions by you own peers.

Celia M.

Art is something that only few people can appreciate. It's so difficult to understand all the art and beauty of a picture. But even so, people who don't know art care about a good painting.
That's why the most famous paintings should be in the museums where everybody can see them.
In my opinion, this would have advantages and disadvantages. The main benefit would be that people without resources could visit the museums and see the pictures. But, on the other hand, the main disadvantage would be that artists would earn less moeny and probably their art works would be exposed to the vandalism.
In conclusion, I think that the benefits of the artworks to a common museum are more important than the disadvantages that they could have.

Raquel C.

I think art is something that everyone should be able to enjoy.
Some famous paintings belong to private collections and no one can see them. Those paintings, in my opinion, should be exposed at museums or art galleries, so everyone can appreciate art.
On the one hand, this is an advantage because we can enjoy or be inspired by very important artists; but, on the other hand, sometimes prices of museums are too expensive, so that some people can't visit them.
I know it is very difficult to get that painting owners sell their pictures, but maybe they can lend their paintings to some museums once a year.

lunes, 13 de octubre de 2014

jueves, 9 de octubre de 2014

EXPRESSIONS AND COLLOCATIONS WITH "HEART"

affair of the heart
(love affair, romantic involvement) asuntos del corazón
at heart
(in essence)  en el fondo
(in consideration) en mente
at the heart of [sth]
(at the centre [sth]) en el fondo
beating heart
corazón palpitante
bleeding heart
figurative, pejorative (person: liberal)  sensiblero
break [sb]'s heart
figurative (make [sb] sad)  (figurado)    romperme el alma
figurative (end relationship)  (terminar relación)   romper el corazón / dejar / terminar
broken heart
figurative (grief at end of romance)  corazón roto
 by heart
(from memory)    de memoria
 change of heart
(reversal of an attitude or feeling)  cambiar de actitud / cambiar la idea sobre alguien o algo
close to your heart
(cherished by you)  llevar en el corazón
(formal)  preciado, caro adj
cold heart
figurative (lack of compassion) desalmado / corazón de piedra / no tener corazón
cross my heart and hope to die
infantile (promise)   lo juro/que me caiga muerto
cry one's heart out
figurative (weep bitterly)   llorar desconsoladamente
deep down in his heart
(his conscience)   en su fuero interno /en el fondo
from the heart
(sincerely)  de corazón
have a heart
informal, figurative (be compassionate)  ser compasivo
have a heart of gold
figurative (be kind, generous)  (figurado)   corazón de oro
heart of stone
figurative (lack of compassion) corazón de piedra
heart-stopping
vertiginoso
heart-to-heart talk
(sincere, frank discussion)  hablar con el corazón en la mano / charla seria
heart-warming
alentador / reconfortante
heavy heart
(feeling of great sadness or regret)  gran tristeza
know [sth] by heart / know [sth] off by heart
(have memorized) saberse de memoria, saber de memoria
(be completely familiar with)  (coloquial) conocer al dedillo, conocerse al dedillo loc verb
 (coloquial) conocer como la palma de la mano, conocerse como la palma de la mano / conocer de memoria
large heart
figurative (generous nature) corazón de oro /todo corazón
learn by heart
(memorize)  memorizar
lonely heart
figurative (single person)  (figurado) corazón solitario
not for the faint of heart / not for the fainthearted
(shocking, frightening, or intense)  (coloquial)  no apto para cardíacos
open one's heart
 (find or show compassion) abrir el corazón
pour your heart out /pour out your heart (to [sb])

figurative (confide in [sb])  (desahogarse, figurado) abrir tu corazón  / desahogarse con

Used to / Be used to / Get Used to



1. Used to shows that a particular thing always happened or was true in the past, but  it no longer happens or is no longer true now.  (solía)
Examples:
David used to live in Madrid.
She used to exercise every morning, but since she had that terrible accident she doesn't exercise anymore.
Why don't you come and see me like you used to?
Forms of used to
Here are the interrogative, affirmative and negative forms of used to
Did you use to exercise regularly?
Yes, I used to go jogging nearly every day.
No, I didn't use to exercise on a regular basis.

2. Be used to is used to say that something is normal, not unusual. (estar acostumbrado)
Examples:
I'm used to living alone.
Don't worry, John is used to driving for long hours. He has worked as a professional driver for 20 years.

3.Get used to shows that something is in the process of becoming normal. (acostumbrarse a)
Examples:
He doesn't like that small town, but he'll get used to it.
She found the heels too high, but she got used to them.
Since the divorce, she has become very sad. But I think she'll get used to her new life.
I got used to living in Canada in spite of the cold weather.

NOTE: Get used to and be used to are followed by either a noun or a gerund.
Examples:
I got used to the noise
I'm used to the cold weather    
I got used to waking up early
I'm used to working late at night


EXERCISES ON LINE

http://www.autoenglish.org/modalverbs/gr.used.i.htm

http://www.usingenglish.com/quizzes/115.html


See you in class. Feel free to comment.

Ana.

Key for "-ing form or infinitive?" worksheet

1)      To catch / to get / getting
2)      Locking
3)      Of touching / being
4)      To sell
5)      Go / swimming / going
6)      Spending / arguing
7)      Giving / going t olive
8)      Renting
9)      Telling / talking
10)   Start / filling
11)   Seeing
12)   To take / take / cutting
13)   Giving
14)   Talking
15)   To convince / managing /helping
16)   Travelling / standing / queueing / waiting / to go
17)   To come / go / to climb / making
18)   Reading
19)   To carry
20)   Sleeping / to carry
21)   -------------------------
22)   To come / listening / to listen / talking
23)   To leave / to put
24)   Park / to park
25)   Buying  /shopping
26)   To see / to find / buy
27)   Turn / working
28)   Keeping / to fill
29)   Going / to come
30)   Going / to come
31)   Go / fishing / coming
32)   To study / sending
33)   To start / raining
34)   Letting / keeping / to sell
35)   Lying
36)   Spending / living / thinking (to think) / selling / returning
37)   To hear / seeing / to bring
38)   Writing / showing
39)   Swim / swimming / going
40)   Doing
41)   Asking
42)   Telling
43)   To be able to speak
44)   To give
45)   To get
46)   To save / to buy
47)   Putting / smelling
48)   Not to think

miércoles, 8 de octubre de 2014

USEFUL VOCABULARY FOR UNIT 1: TALK

TALK as a phrasal verb

TALK STH DOWN = hablar de forma paternalista.
TALK SB DOWN FROM DOING STH (dissuade) = hacer cambiar de opinión.
TALK DOWN TO (SB)= hablar con altanería.
TALK (SB) INTO (STH) (persuade) = convencer.
TALK OF = (discuss) hablar de // (speak about) hablar sobre.
TALK ON = exponer, disertar sobre.
TALK (SB) OUT FO (STH) (dissuade) disuadir.
TALK (SB) OUT OF DOING (STH) = disuadir // convencer a alguien de que (no) haga algo.
TALK OVER = hablar por encima // hablar sobre algo // pisar (figurativo).
TALK (SB) THROUGH = explicar en detalle.
TALK TO = (speak to) hablar a alguien // (scold) regañar.
TALK UP = hablar más alto // levantar la voz // hablar claro.
TALK (STH) UP (STH)= ensalzar // poner por las nubes.
TALK WITH (discuss) = hablar con.
TALK (SB) ROUND= llegar a convencer a alguien.


I hope you find it useful.

See you in class. Feel free to comment.

Ana.

Phrasal Verbs


What is a Phrasal Verb?
A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb and preposition, a verb and an adverb, or a verb with both an adverb and a preposition.
A phrasal verb has a meaning which is different from the original verb.
The adverb or preposition that follows the verb are sometimes called a particle. The particle changes the meaning of the phrasal verb in idiomatic ways.
They are also known as ‘compound verbs’, ‘verb-adverb combinations’, ‘verb-particle constructions", “two-part words/verbs’ and ‘three-part words/verbs’ (depending on the number of words).
!Note - Some linguists differentiate between phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs, while others assume them to be part of one and the same construction, as both types are phrasal in nature. So, unless you want to become a linguist, don't worry about it.
Literal usage
Many verbs in English can be combined with an adverb or a preposition, a phrasal verb used in a literal sense with a preposition is easy to understand.
  • "He walked across the square.
Verb and adverb constructions are also easy to understand when used literally.
  • "She opened the shutters and looked outside."
  • "When he heard the crash, he looked up."
An adverb in a literal phrasal verb modifies the verb it is attached to, and a preposition links the subject to the verb.
Idiomatic usage
It is, however, the figurative or idiomatic application in everyday speech which makes phrasal verbs so important:
  • "I hope you will get over your operation quickly."
The literal meaning of “to get over”, in the sense of “to climb over something to get to the other side”, is not relevant here. Here "get over" means "recover from" or "feel better".
Transitive and intransitive phrasal verbs
Phrasal verbs also differ in their transitivity or intransitivity in the same way as normal verbs do. A transitive verb always has an object.
For example:-
  • “Many people walked across the bridge.”
"Across" in this sentence is the preposition to "the bridge".
An intransitive verb does not have an object.
For example:-
  • “When I entered the room he looked up.”
"Up" here is an adverb, and does not have an object.
Separable or inseparable phrasal verbs
A further way of considering phrasal verbs is whether they are separable or inseparable. In inseparable verbs, the object comes after the particle.
For example:-
  • "She got on the bus ."
  • "On weekdays, we look after our grandchildren."
Separable verbs have several ways of separating verb, particle and object. Usually, the object comes between verb and particle.
For example:-
  • "She looked up the word in her dictionary."
  • "She looked it up in her dictionary."
However, with some separable verbs, the object can come before or after the particle.
For example:-
  • "Switch the light off."
  • "Switch off the light."
  • "Switch it off."
Note - There is usually no way of telling whether they are separable, inseparable, transitive or intransitive. In most cases you have to get a feel for them


- See more at: http://www.learnenglish.de/grammar/verbphrasaltext.html#sthash.PrVme5Sd.dpuf

domingo, 5 de octubre de 2014

Word formation: Prefixes and Suffixes.

If you want to revise and widen your vocabulary, you can start by having some notions on the English word formation. In the following links you will find two lists on prefixation and suffixation. You will see the possible meaning they give to a noun, adjective, verb... and if they change their part of the speech or not.

I hope you find them useful


PREFIXATON

SUFFIXATION


See you in class and feel free to comment.

Ana.

miércoles, 1 de octubre de 2014

lunes, 22 de septiembre de 2014

UNIT 0

 
 
THEORY
 
 
 
 
 
 
EXERCISES
 
 
 


See you in class.

Ana.

Assessment and evaluation + Bibliography

Here  you have the criteria for assessment and evaluation and the bibliography you will need for the course
 
 
 
See you in class.
 
Ana.

Welcome!!!

Welcome. I hope you enjoy and find useful this litlle space I'm going to develop in order to help you to feel that English is easier than you thought.

See you in class

Ana.