ESL FREAK : marzo 2015

31 mar 2015

Gossip time

Oh! Com'on! Don't look at me like that!

I know you were eager to see our statistics posted!

Don't you like to know how many visitors we've had so far? Or where they are from...

There is no harm in a little gossip...

Don't you think?

Here we go!

It's pretty amazing to see how the number of international visitors is increasing every week!

Hello friends in the distance! Thanks for paying us a visit! Just so you know, you are always welcomed to our humble blog!

But (if you excuse me) the big THANK YOU goes to my students, who untiringly read every single post of this blog (and surprisingly ask for more). You've made this possible.

5,000 visits, we've almost got you!

Curiosity killed the cat

I'm sure that you've already heard this quote more than once in your life.

It is an idiom used to warn someone against prying into your affairs.

Let's analyse an example:

Jill: Where did you get all that money?

Jane: Curiosity kill the cat.

More examples here: The free dictionary: Curiosity Killed the cat

According to this idiom, being curious can get you into trouble.

However, I love when my students feel curious. Curious enough to ask smart question (you hear me guys, SMART questions).

Fortunately, this year I've got a bunch of these students (lucky me, right?).

Their innate curiosity helps us to create a fantastic atmosphere in class, and we can all learn more about the world.

You know, I'm an ESL FREAK but that does not mean that I'm only interested in that specific field of knowledge.

So... just so you know, after Easter I'm officially starting a new section in this our blog.

Feeling curious now?

Keep posted!

Optional cumulative exercises

Hello everyone!

It's been a while since I last posted anything here, but... I was exhausted. I was as tired as this poor pup.

(Did you notice the use of the comparative? hehehe)

Believe me, It's not an overstatement when I tell you that this was exactly my face when I finally handed out all your marks!

And now I'm enjoying my well-deserved holidays (and so are most of you).

All in all, I'm happy with the final results.

But (there is always a but), some of you were not as successful as the major part of the class and fail. This post is especially dedicated to those students who are taking resits after Easter.

I hope you are revising your notes and studying, guys!

And in order to help you with that task, I've brought you a bunch of new online materials!

Verb Tense Final Test

Past tenses, Present Perfect, Past Perfect

(both documents are in .pdf format)

Past tenses, Present Perfect and Past Perfect (ANSWER KEY)

Mixed tenses in English. Several exercises

Keep posted, I'll be uploading more exercises!

30 mar 2015

Ayudas para un curso intensivo de inmersión lingüística en inglés

Hello!

Are you there?

Today I'm bringing you fantastic news! Hope you read this post, as it contains valuable information regarding summer grants!

Espero que hayáis introducido vuestro correo electrónico en la esquina superior derecha y así estéis siempre al tanto de las novedades del blog. De no ser así, me temo que a más de uno se os pasará el plazo para solicitar esta ayuda.

Os dejo a continuación el documento oficial de la convocatoria:

Ayudas para curso intensivo de inmersión lingüística en inglés

Descripción:

Los beneficiarios asistirán a un curso intensivo de inmersión lingüística en inglés de una semana de duración, en distintos puntos de España, conviviendo y realizando actividades en régimen de internado con personal angloparlante nativo de países de lengua inglesa.

Destinatarios:

Alumnos becarios, que cumplan los requisitos establecidos.

Requisitos:

Haber nacido entre el 1 de enero de 1995 y el 31 de diciembre de 1998.

Tener la condición de becario, en el curso 2014/15, de la convocatoria general de becas del Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte conforme a la Resolución de 28 de julio de 2014 de la Secretaría de Estado de Educación, Formación Profesional y Universidades por la que se convocan becas para los alumnos de niveles postobligatorios de la enseñanza.

Estar matriculado en el curso 2014/2015 en:

Bachillerato

Enseñanzas profesionales de música y danza

Grado medio de Formación Profesional

Grado medio de artes plásticas y diseño

Grado medio de enseñanzas deportivas

Enseñanzas de idiomas de nivel intermedio o avanzado

Tener aprobado totalmente el curso inmediatamente anterior y haber obtenido en dicho curso una nota final mínima de 7,00 puntos en la asignatura de inglés.

Tendrán preferencia los solicitantes que hayan obtenido una puntuación superior

Dotación:

La ayuda cubre todos los gastos de enseñanza, material, manutención y alojamiento, aunque el alumno seleccionado debe abonar 100 € a la empresa.

Plazo de presentación

Desde: 17 de marzo de 2015

Hasta: 09 de abril de 2015

¿Cómo realizarlo?:

A través de la página web del Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte mediante formulario on-line.

PÁGINA DE ACCESO AL FORMULARIO ON LINE

17 mar 2015

Comparatives and Superlatives ANSWER KEY

Here's the answer key to the following exercise:

ANSWER KEY:

1. strong

2. highest

3. taller/ less tall

4. funnier/ less funny

5. largest

6. better

7. more talkative/ less talkative

8. worst

9. beautiful

10. heavier/ less heavy

11. better looking

12. best

13. quiet

14. better

15. intelligent

16. longest

17. fast

18. warm

19. well

20. intelligent

I HATE SPRING

I know, I know, spring hasn't started yet but...

Here's my confession: I HATE SPRING. Period.

Do you want to know why?

Well, let me show you...

When springtime is around the corner I can feel it. Honestly, people, my whole body can feel it. Do you want to know the symptoms?

Symptom # 1: ITCHY EYES

That means no contacts for me during this season

Symptom #2: SNEEZING.

Gross.

And last, but not least, Symptom # 3: A RUNNY NOSE

Oh... you don't know how a runny nose looks like?

Let me show you....

Or even better (wicked smile)

All in all, you can picture me like this (without the robe, of course, you all know that I'm more glamourous than that)

See you tomorrow in class.

Question Tags

Hello everybody!
How are you doing? Busy, I guess...

As promised, you've got below some theory and practise regarding QUESTION TAGS. Hope you find it useful!

Source: Mann, M. & Taylore-Knowles, S., Destination B1. Ed. Macmillan Education, 2008

ANSWER KEY. EVERYTHING FOR ESO (page 36, exercises 5 and 6)

Exercise 5.
1. It's very cold today, isn't it?
2. We don't speak French, do we?
3. I'm a good student, aren't I?
4. Steve likes reading, doesn't he?
5. They went to New York last summer, didn't they?
6. Someone's broken the window, haven't they?

Exercise 6.

1. Phil's lived here for two years, hasn't he?
2. John and Kate will come for dinner, won't they?
3. There's a dog at the door, isn't there?
4. Jane isn't happy, is she?
5. Nobody's coming tonight, are they?
6. Charles likes tennis a lot, doesn't he?

15 mar 2015

More listening resources (KET for schools)

This post is for those students in my group who worry about their listening exams.

I've brought you some extra materials (although you might remember some of them from class) so you can practise at home.

Click on the links to download the exam papers.

Be patient, as it might take a while (it is a complete exam: audio + pdf + answer key).

KET (for schools) Exam papers + audio + answer key

See you in class!

RECAPACICLA

En Andalucía se generan 1,2 kg de residus domiciliarios por habitante y día. De esta cantidad un alto porcentaje podría ser reciclado por la población, evitando así que su destino fuera un vertedero. Al reciclar se evita que se generen impactos negativos sobre el medio ambiente y que se consuman las materias primas que se necesitarán para producir nuevos envases de plástico y vidrio.

Es imprescindible asumir que separando los residuos de manera correcta se está ayudando directamente a la mejora del medio ambiente a corto y largo plazo. Aunque se están consiguiendo avances importantes en cuanto a la reutilización y reciclado, la tasa de reposición de residuos en vertedero sigue siendo elevada.

A continuación, os muestro los vídeos que hemos trabajado en clase:

El formulario que algunos de vosotros habéis solicitado a través de vuestros comentarios es el que figura a continuación. Recordad que el código de centro es el que vuestro profesor os facilitó en clase.

Cuestionario: Investigando los residuos de mi casa

14 mar 2015

Relative Pronouns and Relative Clauses

Below you can find the handout I gave you in class PLUS the answer key.

Click on the following link to download it.

And remember, if you have any doubts, leave a comment or ask me in class.

Relative Clauses + ANSWER KEY

And the following are some links to several exercises online dealing with relative pronouns and relative clauses:

Forming Relative clauses

Relative Pronouns (fill-in-the gaps)

Relative Pronouns (Fill-in-the gaps)

Relative Clauses: Fill-in-the gaps

Relative Pronouns: Subject Pronouns or Object Pronouns?

Relative Clauses: a test

Upcoming...

This evening I'm going to upload a new post dealing with Relative Pronouns and Relative Clauses.

Keep posted.

Comparatives and superlatives (online exercises)

Morning!
How are you doing? Studying?
(hehehe---> picture my wicked smile here)

Well, I hope so or next week you'll be like....

I told you I would upload some resources dealing with comparatives and superlatives in order to avoid the following "situation" next week:

Soooo, here they are. Just baked for you!

Click on the links to be directed to the webpages:

Comparatives and Superlatives Quiz

Comparatives and Superlatives (complete the sentences)

Comparatives and Superlatives (Choose the correct option)

Comparatives and Superlatives (Quiz)

Keep posted, I'll try to upload later this evening more materials dealing with this topic! (although they'll be in .pdf format).

12 mar 2015

Have you ever thought...?

how 4,000 domino pieces looked like?

Have you ever thought how 4,000 balloons released into the air looked like?

Have you ever thought how 4,000 sky lanterns looked like?

Well, neither have I.

Annnnnnd...

I could have never imagined this blog reaching 4,000 visits and yet.... Here we are!

We're growing bigger and bigger guys, and thanks to y'all!

And, because these news are HUGE, I'm introducing a new gadget!

Have you found it?

It's below the visitors counter, on the right part of the screen.

So, don't be shy, submit your email address and you will be the first to know about the new posts!

And I believe this would be your face when you receive these emails (a teacher can dream...)

11 mar 2015

Good games for reviewing vocabulary

Hiya!

I know that you all love playing with your fancy smartphones and tablets. I also know that you use them whenever and wherever you can... (except for the high school, RIGHT?)