Happy Summer!!

The school year is now over. Lots of work lies behind and now the time has come to enjoy a well-deserved rest. It has been a great pleasure to work with you this year. We have all learnt so many things that will be of great use in our lives. Thanks for your contribution and enthusiasm. I'll be looking forward to seeing you back again in September. Till then, all the best.

I will not update this blog during the summer as often as I have done during the school year. However don't forget to pay us a visit once in a while.

Relative clauses

Here's a bit of grammar to help you understand the use of relative clauses. And here you will find more information about relative clauses and lots of exercises and tests for further practice. Good luck!

Cycling for food

I just loved the title of this recording: "Cycling for food." Any good guess what it might be about? Let me give you a clue: it's a new Danish scheme which has to do with cycling, food and energy...

Well, if you give in, I'll tell you that it is the title of a 6 minute recording from the BBC. A very interesting initiative although I wonder if I'd be hungry after so much pedaling!! If you need help with the script, you'll find it here. Have fun!

Made in Spain

The Passive voice is a very important issue in English language. Maybe Spanish speakers are not aware of its importance because we don't use it that much in our own language; instead we use other structures which are more appropriate or popular. When we turn to English though, we must learn to appreciate what a useful structure the passive voice is and how many things we can express with it.

Basically speaking we use the active voice when want to put the stress on the subject of a sentence -I bought a new T-shirt yesterday. And we opt for the passive when the focus is on the action itself and we don't know or don't care about who or what performed that action -My car was stolen last night.

Click here you will find some notes explaining some aspects of the use of the passive voice in English. For further practice and more exercises use this link.

She refused to tell me what Mary had told her...

Reported speech means using our own words to report what another person has told us. Reported speech is so important in English first because we use it all the time and second, because it allows us to choose the most appropriate words in order to be as faithful as possible to the original message.

You can find a few grammar tips and exercises here. For further exercises click here.

Here a couple of tutorial videos to illustrate different aspects of the use of Reported Speech. The first one is focussed on the forms, and the second one deals with the use of "say" and "tell" among other things. I think they can be quite useful.

Shopping

If I needed to buy some meat, where should I go? Choose the right shop for each item. Test yourself with the following crossword.

International Day of the Book

April 23rd was declared as International Day of the Book by UNESCO in 1995. This day marks the nearly simultaneous deaths of Miguel de Cervantes and William Shakespeare, the two giants of literary history, on April 23, 1616.

This celebration of books, literature and music draws its inspiration from a Catalan tradition, the Festival of the Rose.

I liked what Natalia Crespo wrote on her blog about this day; I think it describes very accurately what we all have felt one time or another while reading a book.

We cannot finish this post without referring to one of the most beautiful Shakespeare's sonnets. Read sonnet 18, Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Or maybe you'd rather listen to it.

Have a Happy Book Day.

PS. I found this video and thought it was very funny and clever. It makes us all look a bit ridiculous with so much "high technology". Sorry I couldn't find it in English.

Eyjafjallajökull volcano erupts

The eruption of Eyjafjallajökull volcano in southern Iceland is causing a world crisis due to the cancellation of thousands of flights leaving from or arriving at northern and central Europe.

We want to say a special hello to our schoolmates who were on their way to Ireland on a school trip yesterday and had to come back home straight from the boarding gate of Málaga airport after their flight was cancelled due to the volcanic ash cloud. What a pity!! We are so sorry for you, folks!!

If you want to read further about this event which has collapsed most European airports, take a look at today's Guardian. When you really need to travel in these circumstances, you must be creative to find peculiar -and perhaps expensive- solutions like British comedian John Cleese, who took a $5,100 taxi rice from Oslo to Brussels after becoming stranded in Europe's volcanic ash travel crisis.

I've found this video of the eruption taken from the air.

CV and cover letter

If you are considering or planning to make an application for a job with an English speaking company you will probably need to get familiar with the terms: CV, resume, cover letter, application letter, etc. Here's a link where you can check the definitions of these terms.

Here are some more interesting hints and examples to help you write a good cover letter.

English or British?

How much do we really know about the UK? If you still feel uncertain about the following terms: British, English, United Kingdom, Great Britain, England, etc, take a few minutes to complete this crossword from BBC Learning English, I'm sure you'll enjoy it. After that you can read these notes I prepared for you.

Have a nice weekend!

April come she will

It has always been one of my favourite songs by Simon and Garfunkel. I still quite often find myself humming the tune or singing the words. It's hard to describe what I feel when I hear this song, but it's a feeling I like and I long for. So many emotions described in just a few lines. Art Garfunkel said about this song: "I consider it one of the sweetest poems about time." Here are the lyrics:

April, come she will

When streams are ripe and swell with rain;

May, she will stay,

Resting in my arms again.

June, she'll change her tune,

In restless walks she'll prowl the night;

July, she will fly

And give no warning to her flight.

August, die she must,

The autumn winds blow chilly and cold;

September, I'll remember.

A love once new has now grown old.

Now, close your eyes and enjoy the song:

Gerund or infinitive?

To be or not to be? Or shall we better say "to be or being?" One of the most common difficulties for foreign learners of English is when to choose an infinitive or a gerund; and it is not an easy choice indeed. In these notes I have prepared for you you will find lots of information to help you make a correct choice. However the best way is to practise and listen to your inner voice advising you whether to opt for an infinitive or a gerund. If you want to practise a bit more click here.

On the Internet you can find lots of useful materials illustrating the use of gerund vs infinitive. I found this video quite useful and clear. Have a look at it.

April Fools' Day

April Fools' Day is celebrated on April 1st. On This day you play hoaxes or other practical jokes on other people to make them look silly or stupid. It's an old tradition of a dubious origin. In the wikipedia you can find a list of some well known pranks which in the last few years appeared on radio, TV, magazines, papers and the Internet; some of them are really curious and funny.

Here is a video with some easy ideas you can use to tease your friends. Which one is your favourite?

By the way don't forget that this year's Easter holidays will last three weeks instead of one!!

A warning to our students visiting the Guinness Storehouse on your next visit to Dublin: have a look at the transformation I suffered after a few pints of Guinness!!

Getting old

How old is "old"? Is there anything we can do to avoid getting old? What factors does getting old depend on? Why are people so reluctant to accept they're getting old? Which country has the highest life expectancy? This and much more in this 6-minute listening from BBC. If you want to have a look at the script click here.

Once you have finished maybe you want to share with us your attitude towards ageing: which is for you the best and the worst about getting old?

Climbing trees can be a lot of fun

I'm sure we have all climbed a tree some time or other in our childhood. The excitement of being high above the ground, the feeling of the breathtaking view from the top, the risk of the height... But some people have gone much further and have ended up making a hobby, even a sport out of this 'childish activity'. Competitive tree climbing for adults is becoming popular across the world and nowadays there are even tree climbing championships.

The BBC has dedicated a couple of their programmes "6 Minute English" to tree climbing. In session 1 you will learn a lot of new vocabulary about the world of trees. In session 2 you will find out about the tallest and oldest trees in the world and also about what is like to spend the night up on a tree.

Give it a go (I mean to the listening, not the climbing), you'll enjoy yourself very much. (Remember you can download the transcripts if you have any difficulties understanding the recordings).

Spring is here again

Spring is just round the corner... when does spring officially start this year?

One of the annual consequences of the arrival of spring is the changing of time, the so called Summer Daylight Saving. Every year, the last Sunday in March we set our clocks one hour forward, remember: "Spring forward, fall back." So in spring, an hour forward, in autumn or fall we go an hour back. Pay a visit to this pretty website to find more information.

Listen to this podcast explaining the origins of the tradition. Is everybody happy with this decision? What did the Romans use to do way back in the old times? Here you can read the transcript of the recording if you have any doubts.

After listening to the podcast watch this BBC video about the possibility of having BST (British Summer Time) all year round, is it a popular idea?

Why not share with us what spring means to you?

Saint Patrick's Day

On March 17th Irish people all over the world celebrate St Patrick's Day (Patron Saint of Ireland). Here you can find information about St Patrick's Day 2010.

Our dear friend Ana, from Estepona, has sent us a PPS with plenty of interesting things about this special day. Enjoy it.

And of course a video, this time recommended by our colleague Tim, a true Irishman. Hard to follow? Have a look at the lyrics here. Don't forget to pay a visit to Tim's blog where you'll find the "real Irish thing". (Thanks Tim. Happy St Patrick's Day! We'll miss last year's concert!)

The prodigal son

Definitely one of the most beautiful passages I've ever read. The compassionate love of a father towards his lost son. The parable of the prodigal son breaks through time and religions. A breathtaking story of forgiveness in this modern world which makes us pay for every single mistake we make.

If you want to analyze this writing in depth click here.

International Women's Day 2010

International Women's Day is celebrated on March 8th. Visit the official website for this annual event and read about the programme for this year 2010.

This link will take you to the Message from Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO on the occasion of International Women's Day.

In the video below you will find some impressive facts about the importance of women's role in the world today.

What do you think about this celebration? Post a comment with your opinion. What does WFP stand for? Do you know about their activities?

The Press

I found this really interesting website from where you can have access to nearly any newspaper in the world. You can try different English speaking countries (Spanish papers too).

We know reading newspapers in a foreign language can be quite difficult, but why not give it a try? You can browse through one of them and maybe find an article worthwhile sharing with classmates. Come on! Have a go!

Special restaurant

Where is the strangest place you've ever eaten a meal?

A new restaurant has opened in Britain. Find out what is so special about it. What's the name of the restaurant? Can anyone visit it? Who are the waiters and chefs working there? Do you think you would like to have dinner at this new restaurant? Leave a comment after listening to this interesting BBC recording.

Quantifiers

What are quantifiers?

Like articles, quantifiers are words that precede and modify nouns. They tell us how many or how much. Selecting the correct quantifier depends on the distinction between Count and Non-Count Nouns. See a representative list of quantifiers.

Click here to read a bit more about quantifiers and do some exercises.

And a quick video

Practise your English with lyrics

I've just learnt about a new website Lyricstraining.com where you can practise your English using song lyrics. It's interactive and quite amusing. You can choose the level of difficulty too. Have a go at it, I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Make sure you read the instructions (help) before you use it. Choose your level and go. Click here to try an example.

No, no regrets

To express regret means to feel sorry or repentant about something you have done that you wish you had not done or you shouldn't have done or about something you haven't done that you now feel you should/could have done. I guess we all have things we regret if we look back in our lives, don't we?

We can see examples of regret in a context in this beautiful song by Elvis Presley: "Always on my mind".

Chinese New Year's Day

Apart from St Valentine's day, February 14th 2010 is the first day of the Chinese new year, the year of the Tiger. The Chinese New Year day is always the second new moon after the winter solstice and therefore it changes from one year to another.

According to Chinese tradition, parents give their children clean, fresh banknotes at the start of the new year in order to bring them good luck. What happens when there is shortage of new bank notes or they are difficult to find?... it's time for a new business opportunity... read more here.

For pizza lovers

How much of a pizza lover are you? I just came across this report on Naples pizza. It's good news for pizza lovers. Have a look at it. You can read the report, listen to it and check the vocabulary. Nice and short exercise. Don't miss it!

Leave a comment on the blog about your favourite kind of restaurant when you eat out.

Places where people live

If you could choose would you prefer to live in a penthouse in fifth avenue, NY or in a picturesque cottage in the English countryside? Throughout history people have lived in many places, some more comfortable, luxurious or expensive than others. Here you have a nice exercise about places where people live and adjectives that you could use to describe those places. Have a go at it and send your teacher a short composition explaining where you would choose to live if you could and why.

Saint Valentine's Day

Saint Valentine's Day is celebrated on 14 February, but how much do you know about the origin of this celebration? You can read and answer the questions about this text.

Feb 14 can be a wonderful day to fall in love -why not?, or at least to try. If you don't happen to be an expert, here you are given a few hints to help you to say 'I love you' with a guarantee of success. (Don't take it too seriously).

I found this cute song and I'm sure our classmate Juana Mari will love it.

Conditional clauses. Type II

Today we'll have a look at Conditional Clauses Type II, the so-called hypothetical conditions, because:

• a. we don't expect the action in the if-clause to take place Ex: "If all the wars stopped, the world would be a much better place to live in." (unlikely to happen?)
• b. the supposition in the if-clause is contrary to known facts or very unlikely to happen. Ex: "If I could fly I wouldn't have to spend money on buses." (contrary to known facts -people don't fly).

Type II conditionals are mainly used to make hypothesis, express wishes and give advice. Again, for more information on grammar and usage of this type of conditional sentences read these notes and visit this tutorial.

A couple of other useful links to conditional exercises: Type II, grammar 4U on line.

And, as usual, I have a song for you. Let's go back to the sixties with Peter, Paul and Mary's "If I had a hammer" (lyrics)

Conditional clauses. Type I

Conditional clauses are quite a difficult issue in English -they're also quite difficult to master in our own language and very often we hear people using the wrong tenses.

I have prepared some notes to help you get a clear idea of how conditional clauses work, the tenses we must use and the functions we can express with them.

We usually refer to Conditional clauses Type I as "Open condition" because we view the condition expressed in the if clause as something likely to happen. Ex: "If the weather is nice tomorrow, we'll go to the beach."

As you will see when you read the notes, we use this type of conditionals to express: general and particular cause-effect, advice, threat, offer, comments, etc...

Here you will find some exercises to practise Conditional clauses Type I

And yet another link dealing with grammar and exercises on Type I conditional clauses.

Good luck!

And now a little present: a beautiful poem called "If" by 1907 Literature Nobel Prize winner, Rudyard Kipling. Click here to read several translations of the poem If into Spanish; you can choose your favourite. And now, are you ready now to watch this magnificent video by George Horne? He has some excellent works, maybe you want to take a minute to see some of the things he does.

Cold weather... wonderful time in Paris

I had never seen Paris in the snow. It's freezing cold, but it's just as beautiful as ever. I'm having a wonderful time with my family -specially with my little grandson, Leo. From Paris a thought for my students in Spain. See you very soon.

International Day of Peace and Non-Violence

Spanish schools tend to celebrate the International Day for Peace on January 30th, the day of Mahatma Gandhi's death.

Many other countries and also the UN, celebrate this day on March 21st. The date is not so important as long as we take the opportunity to reflect about the meaning of peace and what we can do in order to achieve it.

Peace One Day has a website full of ideas and initiatives to bring peace to the world. It is worth paying a visit (watch video Peace one day in 60 seconds). Jeremy Gilley, founder and chairman of Peace One Day brought up the idea to fix in the calendar one day of ceasefire and peace. That day ended up being Sept 21st. In the following video he explains how he did it.

If you feel like reading a bit more about War and Peace in Art, here is an interesting article.

Colour idioms with The Teacher

"The Teacher" from the BBC is going to help us today to become familiar with some "colour idioms". Have a look at this video explaining some idioms connected with colour green:

• To have green fingers
• The grass is always greener on the other side
• To be green with envy

And this one about colour gold:

• As good as gold
• A heart of gold
• Worth its weight in gold

Have fun.

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)