Intermediate Too

Signs

2012-02-18T10:32:00.000Z

For those who missed it!

Have a Happy Carnival Week!

See you again on Monday 27th.

A Different Day at School

2012-02-09T20:44:00.001Z

15th & 16th February

NOTE: This is not holiday time yet.
This is by us all and for us all!

HELLO everyone! Next week we'll have two days to enjoy learning in a different way, while we are having more fun than is usual :-)

On Wednesday and Thursday there will be several activities : competitions, Trivia quizzes, karaoke, cinema, workshops,theatre , musicals, dance, contests and tasting the best cakes from YOU, students!... and more!

COMPETITIONS/ CONTESTS

1. BOOKMARKERS: please bring them to the school before Wednesday
Don't forget to write your name and group at the back.

2. WHO is WHO? Teachers photos from yesteryears.

3. POEMS: write a poem in 60-80 words (image attached)...

4. MINISAGAS: write a complete story in

EXACTLY 50 words. People

will vote the best ones during the week. Give it

to your teacher before Wednesday too!
-

5. CAKES: have yours ready for Thursday at

5.30 p.m. Remember to email your teacher the

recipe in English. We'll give a booklet with all the recipes to

everybody who participates!

PRIZES will be given to the best three in all categories.

There will also be prizes for those who just take part in the events!

You'll get further information on Monday.

Relative Clauses

2012-02-06T16:23:00.000Z

Relative clauses

View more PowerPoint from Carmenramirezgonzalez

The PASSIVE Voice and Movie Time

2012-01-30T12:40:00.003Z

These days we are looking at the passive voice in class, and at the vocabulary of the CINEMA.
Please, have a look at the powerpoint presentation below.
For further practice, Click HERE.

For revision and extension on the cinema. Click HERE and HERE (Reading)

Some Listening Practice HERE!

Passive Voice

See more presentations by torrestorres | Upload your own PowerPoint presentations

_______________________________________________________________
NOW YOU WORK.
In the comments ask three questions using the passive for your partners to answer. ANSWERS must be full sentences. See example in comments 1 and 2.
:-)

Writing Revision and Tips

2012-01-11T15:29:00.005Z

NOTE:

At Intermediate level in EOI you are asked to write two tasks at the exams.

A short one of about 100 words, and a longer one of about 170-200 words.
-

A few things you must remember when writing:

Types of writing

• Notes (apologizing, excusing, thanking, etc), blog comments and short messages…

• Giving instructions (how to get to a place, a cooking recipe, how a machine works, etc)

• Postcards.

• Informal or friendly letters or emails.

• Formal letters or emails ( applying for a job, complaining about a bad service, etc)

• Descriptive compositions (about people, places, objects…).

• Stories or narrative compositions (about real or imaginary events).

• Discursive essays (Opinion essays or ‘for and against’ essays).

• Reports ( about news; Reviews about a book, a film, a restaurant, etc).

BASIC IDEAS

***Before you start to write any type of composition:

 Think about the topic.

 Make a list of the main points and ideas.

 Think of the vocabulary you can use.

 Think of examples to back up your points.

***After you finish writing, check:

• That the format is correct ( an email is different from an opinion essay or a book review).

• That all you have been asked to write about is included in your composition.
.

• That you have separated paragraphs, when you present a new idea or point.

• That you have linked your ideas using the correct linking words (and, also, but, On the other hand, therefore, although, after that, when, so, before…)

• That you have left margin.

• That you have no spelling mistakes and the punctuation is correct.

• That you have not made grammar mistakes (verb tenses, prepositions, correct use of modal verbs, articles, etc)

• That you’ve made a wide use of the vocabulary studied, especially that which is related to the topic.

• That your ideas follow a logical order.

• That it is easy to understand by anybody (especially the teacher), because it’s clean and clear.

See Document below for more tips and examples 

WRITING (I)

Click below and see explanations with examples on how to write an OPINION ESSAYopiinionessays

Publish at Scribd or explore others: writing

6A- Reported Speech (2) & Listening

2011-12-22T13:04:00.005Z

We report requests and commands by using told /ask + person/pronoun + infinitive:

'Stay where you are!', my mom said.

My mom told me to say where I was.

'Don't touch this mobile', he told Sarah.

He told Sarah not to touch that mobile.

"Could you cook dinner?" he asked Sue.

He asked Sue to cook dinner.

"Fran, would you please call a taxi?" she asked.

She asked Fran to call a taxi.

"Please listen everyone," the announcer said.

The announcer asked everyone to listen.

WE use "ask" (not "tell") as the reporting verb if there is a "please" in the command.

*Do some practice on reporting commands > HERE
*LISTENING practice on Fashion HERE!

6A- Reported Speech (1)

2011-12-12T19:49:00.000Z

MARY: What are you going to do this evening?

JANE: I’m going to the new pub.

MARY: Where is that pub?

JANE: It is near here.

MARY: Do you like it?

JANE: I love it. I went yesterday too. …

MARY: What’s so special about it?

JANE: I’ve met a nice guy

MARY: And?

JANE: And I think I’ll go tomorrow again.

Last Friday, I talked to Jane and I asked her what she was going to do that evening.

She told me that she was going to the new pub. So I asked where that pub was and she said it was near there…

I asked her if she liked it and she told me she loved it and that she had been there the day before too!

Then I asked her what was so special about it and she said she had met a nice guy and that she thought she would go the following day again… and ....she didn’t even invite ME!

In NI2 we are studying the indirect or reported speech. Click on the activities below to do some practice:

1. ONE

2. TWO

3. THREE

4. FOUR
Visit THIS PAGE and practice as much as you LIKE!

***********************************************************************

Improve Your Writing Skill

2011-12-06T14:41:00.019Z

Types of writing

• Notes (apologizing, excusing, thanking, etc), blog comments and short messages…

• Giving instructions (how to get to a place, a cooking recipe, how a machine works, etc)

• Postcards.

• Informal or friendly letters or emails.

• Formal letters or emails ( applying for a job, complaining about a bad service, etc)

• Descriptive compositions (about people, places, objects…).

• Stories or narrative compositions (about real or imaginary events).

• Discursive essays (Opinion essays or ‘for and against’ essays).

• Reports ( about news; Reviews about a book, a film, a restaurant, etc).

BASIC IDEAS

***Before you start to write any type of composition:

Think about the topic.

Make a list of the main points and ideas.

Think of the vocabulary you can use.

Think of examples to back up your points.

***After you finish writing, check:

• That the format is correct ( an email is different from an opinion essay or a book review).

• That all you have been asked to write about is included in your composition.
.

• That you have separated paragraphs, when you present a new idea or point.

• That you have linked your ideas using the correct linking words (and, also, but, On the other hand, therefore, although, after that, when, so, before…)

• That you have left margin.

• That you have no spelling mistakes and that the punctuation is correct.

• That you have not made grammar mistakes (verb tenses, prepositions, correct use of modal verbs, articles, etc)

• That you’ve made a wide use of the vocabulary studied, especially that which is related to the topic.

• That your ideas follow a logical order.

• That it is easy to understand by anybody (especially the teacher), because it’s clean and clear. :-)

This week we'll be looking at FORMAL LETTERS and OPINION ESSAYS.

This is a WRITING STRATEGY:

How do we write a covering letter?
Applying for a job...

And a few clues to write a...

Formal letter

View more presentations from dursitarosales.

A Song by 'Iris'

2011-12-04T23:24:00.008Z

It Generates :

We all dine
Then we all die.
The light shines,
Then we all try to stay away.

Like all along,
Our darker days
Are still to come.
Like all along...

The unseen
Is closing fast.
What was clean,
Destroyed by things that never last.

Been bound for dust
Can't tell the life
That's still to come
From all it never was

It generates your life
It generates your low (x3)

It found a way inside
It left a gaping hole (x3)

It generates your life
It generates your low (x3)

It found a way inside
It left a gaping hole (x3)

Let us sound the alarm
Let a warning rage
'Fore it's gone
And you leave another body.
________________________

I must admit I love this song, despite the lack of sense it apparently has...

What do you get to understand?

Hope you are all enjoying this loooong weekend :-)

KEY to homework

2011-11-28T12:35:00.000Z

Vocabulary: Work and employment.

Last Wednesday you were given some HOMEWORK on vocabulary to revise and extend the language of “Job & Employment”. After you have made the exercises by yourself, check here for possible mistakes.

Any questions? In class!!!

Key to Work and Employment exercises

1. Asking about someone’s job: 1C 2A 3B

2. Areas of Work: 1E   2C   3F 4B   5A 6D
3. Office Jobs: 1C   2B   3A 4D
4. Factory: 1D   2E   3A 4C 5B
5. Manual Jobs: 1E   2D    3C   4A   5B
6. Professions: 1H   2G   3E   4F   5D   6C   7A    8B
7. Emergency Services:
1 sailor    2 firefighter    3 paramedic   4 soldier   5 pilot   6 police officer

(2^nd PAGE)

1. Looking for a Job:

1 section 2 qualifications 3 CV 4 application 5interview 6 experience

2. Applying for a job: 1 found 2 applied for 3 go into 4 filled in/ sent it off 5 offered

3. Job advertisements:

CLEANER: requires, rates

ACCOUNTS: position, salary

SALES ASSISTANT: applicant, experience, training, apply

NURSE: temporary, leave

6. Unemployment: 1 was sacked 2 be made redundant 3 unemployed

7. Two word jobs:

lorry driver, shop assistant, window cleaner, bank clerk, driving instructor, taxi driver, traffic warden, security guard, social worker, estate agent.
.
..
.

Work and Employment

2011-11-23T12:07:00.003Z

All these words are related to WORK. Check what they mean

General

a regular job

commuter

employee

employer

He took a job as a waiter.

job

occupation

profession

to earn one's living

to run a firm

trade

What do you do for a living?

worker

Application

application

application form

apprentice, trainee

CV (curriculum vitae)

job interview

to apply for a job

training

training course

vacancy

Unemployment

period of notice
to be on sick leave

to be unemployed
to be out of work
to be on the dole

to fire somebody
to sack somebody

to dismiss somebody

to hand in one's notice
to resign
to quit

unemployment

unemployment benefit, dole money

Working hours, pay

a full-time job

a part-time job

continued payment of wages

flexitime

pay slip

salary

to get a rise
wages

to work in shifts

to work overtime

wage cut

All you need to know about WORK is HERE!

Men & Women// Women & Men

2011-11-16T13:52:00.004Z

Here I give you a pair of videos which show once more how different we are, ...or aren't we?

Click to watch a sequence of the sitcom Friends.
Click to watch a commercial.

More FUN HERE & HERE

NOW... My question is, ' Are we SO different?' What do YOU think?
:-)

..........................................................................................

The A/An & Zero Article

2011-11-11T20:22:00.018Z

If you translate into Spanish, do we use articles to say these?

When do we use THE and when do we omit it ?

Visit this LINK and do the exercise!

Once upon a time a boy met a girl in the centre of the city.

They had an ice cream together, and then they went to the cinema to see a film. The film was called Eleven Years.

Click HERE to see Powerpoint presentation

______________

Now enjoy this song by Oasis

Happy Weekend!
:-)

Seven Billion

2011-11-01T11:46:00.005Z

In Spain we say we are now seven thousand million people in the world. In English the common thing to say is SEVEN BILLION- Well that really sounds like a lot!
And it is a LOT anyway!

Each and every one of us is ONE of those over 7,000,000,000 people.

Watch this interesting video about one of the most interesting pieces of news so far this week!

NOW- Would you like to see how the world population grows on the second? Go HERE.
.
.
.

Your Opinion About Halloween

2011-10-31T12:02:00.003Z

YES! Today is Halloween but it's also All Saint's Eve. What do you celebrate?
How do you celebrate this night? Do you wear costumes? Do you enjoy spooky stories?

If you want to know more about the History of Halloween visit this PAGE

If you want to watch an example of short scary movie, watch this:

What's your opinion about Halloween?

Please, leave a comment telling us!
.
.
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Are you Stressed?

2011-10-23T11:27:00.005+01:00

Watch and listen to this interesting video about STRESS, then do the test below and find out about your own stress level.

Notice that you can watch the video with subtitles, clicking in the icon 'CC.'

Click HERE to do the test :-)

Please, leave a comment.

Infinitive or -ING?

2011-10-20T17:22:00.003+01:00

I really love doing nothing

Remember the general rules:

WE use the -ing form

After certain Verbs

After preposition

When the verb is the subject of the dentece

We use the infinitive:

After certain verbs

After adjectives

For reason or purpose

See the following links

FOR:

Verbs followed by INFINITIVE
Verbs followed by -ING
Verbs Followed by Gerunds OR Infinitives (Different Meaning)*

FURTHER PRACTICE

1. Do they enjoy_____ (read) ?
2. Sorry for ______(be) so late. I overslept!
3. I don't mind _____ (help) in the house.
4. It was stupid _________(run): the train had left.
5. She's always dreamt of ________(have) a house by the seaside .
6. ___________(not/have) a mobile phone nowadays is old-fashiones.
7. What about________ (ask) our teacher?
8. We stopped_________ (talk) when the teacher entered the room.
9. Please, keep__________ (tell) us what happened yesterday.
10. She promised_________ (help) me with the essay.
11. They would prefer ________(fly) to England.
12. Will you be able________ (speak) English fluently next year?
13. She left without _________(say) good-bye.
14. He persuaded her________ (buy) another washing-machine.
15. Susan bought the car _________(give) it to her daughter for her birthday ?

Answers will be seen in Comment 1 :-)

Agreeing and disagreeing

2011-10-20T17:20:00.002+01:00

DISAGREEING

I’ve been to Mexico >>> I haven’t. What’s it like?

I like eating snails>>>I don’t. I think they are disgusting

I didn’t watch TV last night.>>> I did. I saw a great comedy film

I am a fan of George Clooney >>>I am not. I prefer John Malkovich

I can’t relax easily >>> I can. Have you tried doing yoga?

AGREEING

I’ve been to Mexico >>> So have I.

I like eating snails>> So do I.

I didn’t watch TV last night.>>> Neither did I.

I am a fan of George Clooney >>>So am I.

I can’t relax easily >>> Neither can I.
ALSO:
My car needs cleaning >> So does mine.
You shouldn't arrive late >>Neither should you!

Showing surprise (Echo questions)

I've been to Brazil twice. -Have you?
My parents have never travelled. -Havent't they?
Susie is ill. -Is she?
We are eaing out tonight. -Are you?
This is my first class. -Is it?
I can't swim. -Can't you?

FOR Further practice

Click HERE and HERE

;-)

Quality or Quantity

2011-10-20T17:16:00.000+01:00

Little /few

REMEMBER
A little/ very little/ too little + uncountable nouns (water, oxygen, rice, sport, money, honey, coffee wood, food, weather, love, happiness, etc)
We have very little sugar.
We practise too little sport
We’ve got a little time

A few/very few/ too few + countable nouns ( people, carrots, chairs, animals, flowers, vegetables, euros, minutes, etc)
There are too few people who speak German.
We could see only a few trees in the park.
Very few children don’t like computer games.

Too, too much, too many, enough

Too +adjective This exercise is too easy. I arrived too late. He's too young to drive. He's too weak to lift it.

Too much + uncountable noun Too many + countable nouns

There is too much shadow. There are too many people.

Adjective> enough He isn't old enough to drive. He isn't strong enough to lift it.

Enough> noun There aren't enough chairs. There isn't enough light.

ACTIVITY ONE>> Complete the sentences with too, too much, too many, enough.

1. Kevin is always at home. He doesn't go out
2. I don't like the weather in Galicia . There is rain.
3. You are always tired. I think you work hard .
4. You drink coffee and tea. It's not good for you.
5. I can't wait for them. I haven't got time.
6. There was nowhere to sit on the beach. There were people
7. Real Madrid didn't play well. They made mistakes
8. I don't like the weather in Scotland. It's cold
9. Hey, friends, did you have to eat? Yes, thank you
10. You don't eat fruit, you should eat some more.

a lot of, lots of, plenty of, a large amount of, a great deal of/ large number of

Compare:

Plenty of shops open on Sunday mornings. (NOT Plenty shops …)
Many shops open on Sunday mornings. (NOT Many of shops …)
There is not a lot of rice left. (NOT There is not a lot rice left.)
There is not much rice left. (NOT There is not much of rice left.)

A lot of and lots of

These are rather informal. There is not much difference between a lot of and lots of. They are both used mainly before singular uncountable and plural nouns, and before pronouns. When a lot of/lots of is used before a plural subject, the verb is plural.

A lot of my friends live abroad.
Lots of time is needed to learn a language.

Plenty of

Plenty of means ‘enough and more’. It is used before singular uncountable and plural nouns.

There is plenty of time.
Plenty of shops accept credit cards.

A large amount of, a great deal of and a large number of

These expressions are rather formal. A large amount of and a great deal of are generally used before uncountable nouns.

She has spent a great deal of time in Europe.

A large number of is used before plural nouns. The following verb is plural.

A large number of issues still need to be addressed.

Activity TWO>> Choose the best italic word from each sentence :

-We haven’t got much / many money these days.
-I’ve got a few / a little fruit and a lot of / many vegetables .
-They don’t seem to have much / many free time these days.
-He has only read a few / a little chapters of that new book, but he likes it.
A : Does he show much / many interest in sports ?
B : Yes, a lot / a lot of .
-There aren’t many / much buildings and traffic problems in that place, so there is no / any stress there.

-Don’t worry, we still have too much/plenty of time

-A large number/ a great deal of people are losing their jobs

A : How many/how much water is there left?

B: Any/None

ANSWERS to activities IN CONMMENT 1

Listening

2010-08-16T19:42:00.001+01:00

While you listen do the exercise below

Misterduncan

Pronunciation - ED

2010-08-16T19:39:00.002+01:00

IMPROVE YOUR PRONUNCIATION
Listen and repeat.

Reading- Barack Obama

2010-08-16T19:32:00.004+01:00

An interesting text about President Obama's life and career.

Click HERE to do the activity.

____________________________________________

DO & MAKE

2010-07-25T12:23:00.003+01:00

It's often so easy to confuse these two verbs which in Spanish mean exactly the same!

It's with the use of language that we get to learn it.

So here you have some practice to start... Enjoy yourself... Do your best!

do make

See more presentations by sweeterdulce | Upload your own PowerPoint presentations

New blog for Students

2010-07-22T10:08:00.001+01:00