Tired or tiring? Crossword

There is an important group of pairs of adjectives in English ending in -ed or -ing. Their correct use is confusing for many students. In this crossword you can practise some of them. Good luck!

Haiti devastated by massive earthquake

Last January 12th the Caribbean country of Haiti was struck by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake. This is how the BBC reported this terrible event the following day.

A week later the government has reported more than 100,000 deaths, and thousands of people are still missing. Relief teams and aid are arriving from all over the world but there are terrible problems of organization and infrastructure to reach the victims.

The CNN is covering the disaster in full detail.

We want to express our solidarity with the people and the nation of Haiti.

And tomorrow... THEATRE

Our class is going to the theatre tomorrow. We're going to watch "Pygmalion" a classical play by George Bernard Shaw. If you want to find out a bit more about the company which is going to perform, click here. I hope we all enjoy the show and have a good time. See you there!

If you wish to have a look at the script of the play, here it is.

Clauses of Cause and Reason

Some days ago we talked about "purpose clauses" (they answer the question "what for?") and today we want to talk about "clauses of cause and reason" (they answer the question "why?").

If we look carefully we will realize that they are two different concepts. Broadly speaking we could say that the "purpose" looks ahead and generally has to do with ourselves, with our personal intentions or objectives, while the "reason" usually looks back and often has to do with other people's impositions upon us. Some people mix them and when you ask "why?" they answer... "in order to..." or when you ask "what for?" they come up with "because..."

The Beatles have an appropriate song to illustrate this question: "Tell me why" (lyrics)

And of course they also have a song to illustrate the answer: "Because" (lyrics)

Happy New Year 2010

A New Year is knocking at the door. Let's let it in. Every new year comes full of blessings if we only open our hearts to appreciate them. 

Singing the Auld Lang Syne at the stroke of midnight has become a tradition in English-speaking countries and others. If you want to learn more about this tradition, read here.

Hogmanay is the name given to the celebrations of the New Year in Scotland. It is a very exciting celebration especially in Edinburgh. Read more about it. 

Adjective Word Order

Have you ever wondered why we say "a tall basketball player" and not "a basketball tall player", or "an expensive gold watch" instead of "a gold expensive watch"?
The order of the adjectives is important in English and it is not an easy topic for Spanish students.
As a general rule we know that most adjectives are used in front of the noun (not after it as in Spanish), and we also know that the basic order of the adjectives is this: qualitative adjectives, colours and classifying adjectives.
If you want to learn a bit more let me tell you that when I was a boy I had a mnemonic sentence which helped me to remember the order of the adjectives: "Very Soon a Slow Old Train Should Come From My Province". Have a look at these notes I have prepared for you and you'll see what I mean.
When you are ready have a go at these exercises.

Merry Christmas

"Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord"  (Luke 2,11)

Still another rainy day. It just feels like being at home, warm and cosy, sharing dinner with the ones we love. After all that's what Christmas is about, isn't it?

On this special day I'd like to thank you all: my students and the people who have visited this blog in these two months, and have taken the trouble to leave their comments. Needless to say how much I'm enjoying sharing this blog with you all. My only intention is to help us all to improve our knowledge of this beautiful and interesting language that English is. 

I hope you keep visiting it in the future and sharing your opinions and comments with all of us. Thank you... and MERRY CHRISTMAS! 
Jess has just sent us this wonderful video she wants to share with all of us. Thanks, Jess! 

The Twelve Days of Christmas

Well, one more year we can say that Christmas is just round the corner.

Time to have a look at what people do these days in the British Isles. Read a bit and see if you can spot any significant differences with Christmas celebration in Spain?

If you think you know EVERYTHING about Christmas, you're wrong. If not try this Christmas Quiz.

One of the most popular Christmas song of all times is "The Twelve Days of Christmas" but do you know what days they refer to?

Modals ...and IV: shall, will and would

We finish our brief study of modals today with shall, will and would. Although there are many functions and notions expressed with these three modals, they are best known by the following ones:

• Will is traditionally associated with the future and also with making requests.
• Shall, usually associated with making suggestions and offers of help, has several other uses, most of them considered old fashioned or too formal.
• Would is the reference par excellence for conditionals and also the equivalent of will in the past and reported speech.

You probably want to practise a bit now. Visit this web.

Human Rights Day

Dec 10th is probably one of the most remarkable dates for human kind. On Dec 10th, 1948, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights at the Palais de Chaillot in Paris.

According to the Guinness Book of Records, the UDHR is the "most translated document" in the world. If you have not read the Declaration yet, maybe today is the day. Have a go and you will be impressed. Decide which article is in your opinion the most important one.

Watch this video produced by the Human Rights Action Centre.

Modals III: may, might

May and might are usually associated with probability and possibility (present and past), although they can also express many other notions such as permission, suggestions, etc. In most cases they can be interchangeable, although might tends to sound a bit more formal than may. Some people also say that the probability or possibility expressed with might is more remote than that with may.

Here you will find some exercises combining different modals. Gook luck!

By the way, are you familiar with the expression "pigs might fly"? Have a look at this video by The Teacher (BBC Learning English) and you'll see.

29th anniversary of John Lennon's death

On Dec 8th, it will be 29 years since John Lennnon was shot outside his apartment in the Dakota Building in New York where he lived with his wife Yoko Ono. This is how the BBC reported the shooting.

Nearly 30 years after his death, John Lennon is still a symbol for old and young generations. Pay a visit to his official website supported by his wife Yoko.

If you feel like reading a bit more about John Lennon's life and work go on to the wikipedia.

And now, time to listen to one of his masterpieces: Imagine.

Modals. Crossword

You can practise the use of modals with this crossword. Fill in the blanks with the most appropriate modal verb. You can also use be able to and have to.

Remember we do not use blank spaces or apostrophes in the crosswords.

Good luck!

Modals II: must, have to, should, ought to

Must and have to are particularly important to express: obligation, necessity, prohibition (in negative), positive deduction, etc. The correct use of them is not very easy...

• Must and have to are used in affirmative to express obligation; must is often associated with an inner feeling of duty or personal or specific obligation on the part of the speaker (I must go now) whereas have to represents "the law", it usually refers to general rules, external obligations or impositions (You have to wear the helmet). Apart from this different connotation, must and have to are quite interchangeable in the present and future. In the past only have to is used.
• In the negative mustn't is used to express prohibition whereas have to refers to lack of obligation, something quite different.
• Should and ought to are mainly used give advice or refer to "moral" obligation or manners.

Our friend Ana Flores has sent us a pps showing the use of these modals. Have a look at it, it's very clear.

Also have a go at this video explaining the use and conjugation of have to and must.

Advent Calendar

Talking about calendars, have you ever heard of Advent Calendars? An Advent Calendar is a special calendar which is used to count or celebrate the days of Advent in anticipation of Christmas. Some calendars are strictly religious whereas others are secular in content.

Today most advent calendars are made for children. Many take the form of a large rectangular card with many "windows", one of which is opened every day during Advent. In less elaborate calendars, each window opens to reveal an image, a poem, or part of a story such as the Nativity story itself. More elaborate calendars have a small gift concealed in each window, such as a toy or a chocolate item. (Wikipedia)

Would you like to read about the history of the Advent Calendar?

Well, here is a little challenge for you. Visit this very interesting Advent Calendar from Woodlans Junior School and see if you can answer the questions they ask you about how Christmas is celebrated in different countries. Remember you can only answer one question each day. No cheating!!