Learning irregular verbs

RESOURCES:
- Lists with pictures, translation and examples in Sherton English
- Quiz 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
- Drill exercises 1, 2, 3, 4.
- Online flashcards to memorize verbs (5 levels)
- The fastest way to learn (18 groups)
- Verbbusters (6 levels)
- Fill in the blanks 1, 2.
- Pronunciation 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.
- ESL Quiz 1, 2, 3, 4.
- Games: matching, crossword, memory game, Evelyn's chat board
- Software: list viewer, IrrTrainer

Image from englishlessons4free.com

Happy Halloween!!

Halloween

Halloween, or Hallowe’en, is an international holiday celebrated on October 31. Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, ghost tours, bonfires, costume parties, visiting haunted attractions, carving Jack-o'-lanterns, reading scary stories and watching horror movies. Irish immigrants carried versions of the tradition to North America in the nineteenth century. Halloween is celebrated in several countries of the Western world, most commonly in the United States, Canada, Ireland, Puerto Rico, Japan, New Zealand, United Kingdom and occasionally in parts of Australia. (From Wikipedia)

- History
- Halloween in Spain
- Pumpkin carving stencils
- Virtual Haunted House
- Vocabulary
- Vocabulary with pronunciation
- Vocabulary with pictures and activity
- Matching game
- Quiz

- Games: Haunted House, Costumes
- Listen and paint

- Gap-fill
- Quiz 2

- Carve your own pumpkin

Song lyrics | Halloween lyrics

--->ANSWER THE QUESTIONS: (http://iteslj.org/questions/)
- What day of the month is halloween?
- Why is halloween celebrated?
- Can you explain the history of halloween?
- How is halloween celebrated in your country?
- Do you believe in ghosts?
- What makes you afraid of ghosts?
- What are some of the symbols of halloween?
- What kind of costume are you going to wear to the halloween party?
- Are you still eating halloween candy?
- Why do you like to celebrate Halloween?

Barack Obama

Not so long ago, most people had never heard of Barack Obama. That changed in 2004, though. He gave a powerful keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention in the summer of 2004. He then became a US Senator in November of that year with 70% of the vote. And in February, 2007, on a cold wintry day, he announced his decision to become the next President of the United States. His struggle with Hillary Clinton, who wanted to become the first female President, captured the attention of the world. Obama grew up in Hawaii, but has spent his adult life in the continental United States. He was educated at Columbia University in New York, then at Harvard Law School in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Both schools are at the top of the US education system. Some opponents have called him elite because of this, but he grew up in a single-parent household. His mother worked and raised two children while she was studying at university. Obama grew up humbly.
Barak Obama has become the first black nominee of a major US political party. He also happens to be the first black American in US history with a real chance to become the next President. During his time in politics, he has created legislation on climate change, nuclear terrorism, and better support for soldiers returning from war. He has opposed the war in Iraq since the start. He also wants to reduce the number of nuclear weapons in the US, put an end to research on a missile-defense shield, and lead the world through diplomacy and morality.
Everyone now has the same question on their lips. Will Barak Obama become the 44th President of the United States? Many political diehards feel the election has become his to lose. In other words, all eyes are on him, and a major gaffe could give John McCain victory.
What do you think? Will he become the next President of the United States?

- Listen to the article.

- Answer the questions:
1. When and where did people begin to hear about Barack Obama?
2. When did Obama announce that he wanted to become the next US President?
3. What does the article say about Hillary Clinton?
4. Where did Obama grow up?
5. The article mentions Obama responsible for two firsts. What are they?
6. According to the article, what does he support?
7. What is the question on everyone's lips?

- Vote for me: Do you have big ideas to change things? Would you like to change your school? Who is the best candidate for change? Give your ideas for change (lesson times, books, teachers, homework, attendance.

Source: www.headsupenglish.com

Summer time ends

Summer time ends in Europe this weekend when clocks go back an hour.

YOU HAVE 3 MINUTES TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS
1. Are you wearing a watch?
2. If so, how accurate is it?
3. How do you usually check the time?
4. Are you usually on time when you meet people?
5. In a 24-hour period, how much time do you usually spend doing these things?
------a. sleeping b. studying c. working d. eating e. travelling f. relaxing -----
6. What’s your favourite time?
7. What time did you get up this morning?
8. If you could travel in time, would you prefer to travel to the future or the past?
9. How much time do you think it takes to boil an egg?
10. Have you ever travelled from one time zone to another?
11. Do you ever phone friends in another timezone? Has it ever been a problem?
12. Do you think the idea of a single Internet time is good?

- Changing the clocks in the UK

Source: http://www.its-teachers.com/activities/its101/06_time_zones.asp (Elvira's contribution)

USED TO

USED TO

- For something that happened regularly in the past but no longer happens:

Affirmative: I used to smoke a lot.
Negative: I didn't use to smoke a lot.
Interrogative: Did you use to smoke a lot?

- For something that was true but no longer is.

There used to be a disco in this town but now there isn't.

*Activities:
- Matching
- Correct order
- Lesson in Spanish

*For comments: Write down an invention and how the world has changed with it.
----> Example: People used to count with abacuses, but now we have calculators.


Image from cartoonstock.com

WRITING: My last holiday

We have talked today about our last holidays and here you have more useful questions to write your story:



Where did you go for your last vacation?
Did people speak English there?
Did you have any problems? How did you resolve them?
How did you get there?
How long did it take to get there?
How long did you stay there?
How much money did you spend?
How much luggage did you take?
What did you do there?
What did you see in each place?
What kind of food did you eat?
What souvenirs did you buy?
What was the activity you enjoyed the most, and why?
What was the weather/food/scenery like?
What were the people/restaurants/scenic spots like?
Where did you stay? Did you stay in a hotel? Did the room overlook the sea? Did you have a nice view from your room?
Who did you travel with?

Image from bravo.net

Translation (Unit 1)

1º Bachillerato - Unit 1

1. Pareces triste. ¿En qué estás pensando?
2. Odio cuando mis padres me obligan a limpiar mi habitación.
3. Fue difícil entenderla por culpa de su acento escocés.
4. Van a tener una fiesta el próximo sábado por la noche( present continuous).
5. Este pastel sabe delicioso.
6. Puedes entrar. No está hablando por teléfono en este momento.
7. Estoy deseando visitar Gales (use” look forward”).
8. John está aburrido de su trabajo. Quiere hacer algo diferente.
9. Mis hijos son tan valientes…¡No tienen miedo a nada!
10. ¡Date prisa! Por ahí viene nuestro autobús.
11. Escuchar música clásica es una forma de relajarse.
12. Acuérdate de traer tu pasaporte.
13. Recuerdo haberte comprado un cuaderno nuevo la semana pasada.
14. ¿Están tus padres orgullosos de ti? Creo que sí.
15. Nuestra profesora no nos deja usar el diccionario en clase.
16. A mi cuñado no le importa fregar.
17. ¿Están acostumbrados tus alumnos a viajar al extranjero? No.
18. Estamos pensando en irnos de vacaciones a Grecia.
19. Estás agotado. Deja de trabajar los fines de semana.
20. ¿Con qué frecuencia sales con tus amigos? Una vez a la semana.

Pepa's contribution

Translation (Unit 1)

1º E.S.O. - Unit 1

Translate into English the following sentences:

1. ¿Puedes deletrear tu nombre?
2. Brian y Claire son amigos.
3. ¿Cuál es tu número de teléfono?
4. Tom tiene un teléfono rojo.
5. ¿Cuándo es tu cumpleaños?
6. Mi día de la semana favorito es el domingo.
7. Alejandro Sanz es mi cantante favorito.
8. Somos japoneses.
9. ¿Eres tú escocés?
10. Ella es italiana.
11. El alemán es muy difícil.
12. Lisa y Pat tienen una casa en York.
13. Andy tiene una mochila azul.
14. Soy de Portugal.
15. ¿De dónde es Pamela?
16. Ellos no son españoles.
17. ¿Tiene tu padre un coche negro? No.
18. Sally tiene una bici. Su bici es rosa.
19. Nuestra familia está en Brighton.
20. ¿Cuántos hermanos y hermanas tienes?

Pepa's contribution

Translation (Introduction)

1º E.S.O. - Introduction

Translate into English the following sentences:

1. ¡Hola! Soy Tom.
2. Este es mi amigo Steve.
3. Peter tiene 12 años.
4. ¿Cómo te llamas?
5. Nancy es estudiante.
6. ¿Quién es ese chico?
7. Siéntate, por favor.
8. Por favor, cállate.
9. ¿Dónde están las niñas?
10. ¿Dónde está tu cuaderno?
11. Mi asignatura favorita es Historia.
12. ¡Encantado de conocerte!
13. No habléis en clase.
14. No escribas en tu libro, por favor.
15. Hoy es lunes, 1 de enero de 2008.
16. Lucy tiene 14 años.
17. Inglés es los martes, miércoles y jueves.
18. Mi cumpleaños es en agosto.
19. Escucha y repite.
20. Nosotras somos profesoras.

Translation (Unit 1)

4º E.S.O. - UNIT 1

Translate the following sentences into English:

1. Mi hermana tenía miedo de los ratones cuando era pequeña.

2. ¿Qué sucedió ayer? ¿Nevó? ¿Hizo frío?

3. Cuando mi madre era joven, solía ponerse vestidos largos.

4. ¿Cuándo compraste este MP3? Lo compré hace tres semanas.

5. ¿Hiciste la tarea en la biblioteca? Sí. Peter me ayudó.

6. ¿Fuiste de compras el sábado pasado? No, no tuve tiempo.

7. Laura no nos llamó porque no sabía nuestro número de teléfono.

8. Pagué la cuenta, me puse el abrigo y me fui a casa.

9. Mary and Jenny solían salir juntas cuando eran más jóvenes.

10. ¿Por qué llegó tan tarde la profesora? Porque perdió el autobús.

11. ¿A qué hora empezó la reunión? ¿Lo sabes?

12. No nos compramos aquel coche de segunda mano porque no nos gustó.

13. ¿Cuándo y dónde naciste? Nací en Alemania en 1975.

14. ¿Disfrutaron tus suegros de la fiesta? Sí.

15. Jugamos al béisbol y perdimos. No tuvimos suerte.

16. ¿Por qué no fuiste a la discoteca anoche? Porque estaba muy cansada.

17. ¿Cuánto te costó ese bolso? ¿Fue caro?

18. Me quedé en casa ayer porque no hizo buen tiempo.

19. ¿Cuántos años tenía tu abuela cuando murió? Tenía 102 años.

20. Mi hermana se acostó temprano porque tenía un dolor de cabeza terrible.

Translation (Introduction unit)

LOST IN TRANSLATION?

WEEKLY, WE WILL UPLOAD SOME SENTENCES TO BE TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH. THEY WILL BE CORRECTED IN CLASS WITH YOUR TEACHER OR YOU CAN SEE THE SOLUTIONS NEXT WEEK IN THIS SITE.

4º E.S.O. - Introduction

Translate the following sentences into English:

1. ¿Cómo se llama tu madre? Se llama Angie.
2. ¿Cuántos años tienen tus abuelos? Los dos tienen 72 años.
3. ¿De dónde es tu compañero de clase? Es de Suiza.
4. ¿Cuántos hijos tiene el profesor de matemáticas? Creo que tiene un hijo y dos hijas.
5. ¿Qué hora es? Son las doce menos cuarto de la noche(p.m.)¿Es tarde para telefonear a John?
6. ¿Tienes hambre? No, pero tengo mucha sed.
7. ¿Estás seguro de que te gusta el Latín? Sí, me encanta.
8. ¿A qué se dedica ese hombre? Es albañil.
9. ¿A qué hora te levantas los fines de semana? Alrededor de las diez.
10. ¿Trabajan tus padres en este hospital? No.
11. ¿Os gustan las películas de ciencia ficción? No, preferimos las películas del oeste.
12. ¿Con qué frecuencia te lavas el pelo? Dos veces a la semana.
13. ¿Desayunas en casa o en el trabajo? Suelo desayunar en casa.
14. ¿Qué estás leyendo? ¿Es interesante? ¿Puedo echar un vistazo?
15. ¡Mira!. Está lloviendo y hace mucho frio.
16. ¿Qué haces ahora?¿Estás estudiando inglés?¿Quieres que te ayude?
17. ¿Por qué están de pie? ¿No hay suficientes sillas?
18. ¿Dónde va Luis? ¿Por qué corre? ¿Tiene prisa?
19. Llevas puesta una camisa muy mona.
20. ¿A quién estáis esperando? Estamos esperando al cirujano.

HSM 3: Senior Year

Only in Theaters October 24th!

PLOT: Now high school seniors, Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez are facing the prospect of being separated from each other as they go off in different directions when graduating from East High. Joined by the rest of their Wildcat friends, including Sharpay Evans, Ryan Evans, Chad Danforth, and Taylor McKessie they stage an elaborate spring musical reflecting their experiences, hopes and fears about the future.

Lyrics | Now Or Never lyrics

Zac stars as handsome and popular basketball captain Troy Bolton, who discovers a new love after singing with Gabriella Montez at a New Year’s party. Zac started acting when he was eleven years old. Zac won two Teen Choice awards for his role in High School Musical. He was born on October 18th in San Luis Obispo, California. In his spare time, Zac enjoys surfing, skating, playing video games and hanging out with his friends. He plays the piano and is also learning to play the guitar. Zac lives in Los Angeles with his parents, younger brother Dylan, two dogs and a cat.

Vanessa stars as shy, studious Gabriella Montez whose life changes completely after meeting Troy Bolton at a New Year’s Eve party.

Vanessa won a Teen Choice award for her role as Gabriella. Vanessa was born on December 14th in Salinas, California. She lived in several different cities, including Oregon and Southern California. Her mother is Filipino, Chinese and Latina and her father is a mix of Irish and Native American. Vanessa loves shopping, and she also enjoys spending time with friends, going to the cinema, dancing and singing. She lives in Los Angeles with her parents and her 11 year-old sister, Stella.

- Travel set (pdf)

- Official web page

- Trailer

- Wikipedia

Feng Shui

Feng Shui and the Singapore Flyer

Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese custom. It claims a connection between heaven and earth, both of which directly influence a person's positive energy. Masters of the Feng Shui believe that the energy affects prosperity, particularly health, wealth, and personal relationships. It also determines favorable places for homes, burial sites, agriculture, and so on. It's now spread outside China, and it's often used to decide the best arrangement for furniture in homes. Feng Shui even affects building design. One such example is Singapore's observation wheel, the Singapore Flyer.

The Singapore Flyer is forty-two storeys tall and is the world's largest Ferris wheel. It has twenty-eight air-conditioned cars, each of which can hold twenty-eight passengers. The cars face the business district as they rise, and then face the sea and beaches as they descend. But Feng Shui experts realized that the counter-clockwise rotation of the wheel stole good fortune from the city. The Flyer went against the sun and sent that energy out to sea.
Rather than laugh at and dismiss the Feng Shui masters, the chairman of the Flyer considered the recommendations.
Singapore may be a very modern city, but many traditional values and beliefs still hold sway. As a result, it mattered less that the changes cost six figures (the exact amount remains undisclosed). The chairman justified the cost, comparing the change to putting together the perfect ending to a movie.
Many other structures in Asia have had large amounts of money spent in order to tap into the energy. A skyscraper that looked like a giant candle had a pool constructed on the roof because water puts out fire. Another building was redesigned for a large square hole in the middle, which would then follow the rules of Feng Shui. The wheel, as of August 4th, now rotates clockwise. It brings good fortune to the whole of Singapore.

Text from www.headsupenglish.com

FOR COMMENTS: Did you like this article? What is Feng Shui? Do you believe in Feng Shui?

For further information:

Wikipedia
Reading comprehension
Feng Shui and Your Love Life (prepositions)

Feng Shui lesson - Upper-intermediate (pdf)

Past Simple

1) USE: to talk about actions or situations in the past.

- Action finished in the past (single or repeated). -----------> I had a party yesterday.
- Series of completed actions in the past. ------------> First I had a party, then I went out with my friends.
- Habits in the past. ----------> I studied English when I was a child.
- To interrupt an action which was in progress in the past (Past continuous). --------------> We were eating the cake when Paul arrived.

2) FORM:
- Affirmative: a) regular verbs-- infinitive + ed---> worked b) irregular verbs-- see list---> go/went

-Negative: did not (didn't) + infinitive ---> I didn't work / She didn't go

-Interrogative: did + subject + infinitive...? ---> Did you work? / Did she go?

3) TIME EXPRESSIONS: yesterday, in 2005, last night/week/ month, a week/month ago

4) SPELLING:
* -e ---> +d_______________________________________________ love--->loved
* vowel + y ---> + ed ________________________________________ play--->played
* consonant + y ---> -y changes to -i + ed _________________________study---> studied
* short, stressed vowel+ consonant ---> double consonant + ed _______stop--->stopped

5) Pronunciation of -ed

6) Activities:
- Matching - Crossword - Quiz - Quiznet - Game - Fill in the blanks - Final -ed pronunciation - Song: Yesterday (The Beatles)

7) Further information:
- Explanation in Spanish and activities.
- Wikilearning

8) Writing a "silly story":

One day while I was laughing in the kitchen a happy car fell through the roof.
It immediately jumped on the table and knocked over the pencil. Then it ran out
the door into the bathroom and ran a box off the chair. It then knocked a glass
of water off the coffee table. After 10 minutes of chasing the car through the
house I finally caught it and put it outside. It quickly climbed the nearest
flower.

-----> Create your own silly story.

Image from britishcouncil.org

All Time Greatest Songs (Pepa's Top Ten)

1) Yesterday - The Beatles -

2) Bohemiam Rhapsody - Queen -

3) Don´t look back in anger - Oasis -

4) Satisfaction - Rolling Stones -

5) Wish you were here - Pink Floyd -

6) Every breath you take - The Police -

7) Eye in the sky - Alan Parson´s Project -

8) Highway to Hell - AC/DC -

9) Hotel California - The Eagles -

10) Blowing in the wind - Bob Dylan -




Listen, read and vote in The Top Tens

Pepa's Contribution

Children's Book Week

Children’s Book Week (6 –12 October)

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Dr. Seuss was an American children's author. He wrote popular books, such as The Cat in the Hat and Green Eggs and Ham. When he wrote The Cat in the Hat, he could use only 225 words from a word list.

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Activity 1: Can you write six sentences using only the following words? (You can repeat the same word more than once)

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and - mouse - do - house - he - him - in - did - looked - was - on - said - saw - sit - that - the - there - to - I - me - what - you - at - why

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Activity 2: complete the text: http://www.its-english.com/artsmedia/books/ex7.asp

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

For further information:

- Wikipedia

- Biography (pdf)

- Seussville

- The Cat in the Hat (excerpt by Amazon Online Reader)

- 10 Facts about Dr Seuss

Image from creativityforkids.com

Elvira's contribution (IT'S Magazine)

Is English easy? (Pronunciation practice)

- ELEMENTARY LEVEL

*En español:
Tres brujas miran tres relojes Swatch. ¿Qué bruja mira qué reloj?

*En inglés:
Three witches watch three Swatch watches. Which witch watch which Swatch watch?

- ADVANCED LEVEL

*En español:
Tres brujas 'travestis' miran los botones de tres relojes Swatch. ¿Qué bruja travesti mira los botones de qué reloj Swatch?

*En inglés:
Three switched witches watch three Swatch watch switches. Which switched witch watch which Swatch watch switch?

- PROFICIENCY LEVEL

*En español:
Tres brujas suecas transexuales miran los botones de tres relojes 'Swatch' suizos. ¿Qué bruja sueca transexual mira a qué botón de qué reloj 'Swatch' suizo?

*En inglés:
Three Swedish switched witches watch three Swiss Swatch watch switches. Which Swedish switched witch watch which Swiss Swatch watch switch?

Ana's contribution

(Image from solostocks)

Colours

LEMONS ARE NOT RED

AND TO NAME BUT JUST A FEW

Adjective order

Specially for my students in 4º E.S.O. C, practise a litte bit, please.

- Information in Spanish

- Information in English and exercises

- Matching

- Quiz

- Sentences order

- Game

- Space game

Chart by ccc.commnet.edu

Good Girl Gone Bad

This week we are going to listen to Rihanna's Good Girl Gone Bad which is also the title for her third studio album.

Song lyrics | Good Girl Gone Bad lyrics

Further information:
wikipedia
Rihanna's official webpage
Activities for Rihanna's Umbrella
Karaoke- Unfaithful

Elementary lessons 2

Chapter 2: have, family, questions, a/an, colours, shapes, adjectives order...

Elementary English Lessons 1-10 - Upload a Document to Scribd

Countries and nationalities

ACTIVITIES

- Crossword (BBC Learning English)

- Quiz (a4esl)

- Matching (Madridteacher.com)

- European Children

Elementary lessons 1

For those students who need some help, here you have some elementary lessons to revise important items.

Chapter 1: to be, jobs, the alphabet, numbers, nationalities, adjectives, the weather...

Elementary English Lessons 1-10 - Upload a Document to Scribd

S.O.S.

Thanks to English is all around (visit this blog, it's

just perfect), I have discovered a new widget, a fantastic widget for watching videos and lyrics in the blog. And our first song is...

S.O.S. by Jonas Brothers

Song lyrics | S.o.s. lyrics