Christmas and New Year Vocabulary

Click here to learn some vocabulary about Christmas.

Now do a Quiz to check that you have learnt the vocabulary.

Christmas in Britain

Listen to the story about Christmas in Britain and do the quiz





www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/newsaboutbritain/2009/01/090121_nab_advent.shtml

Amy Grant Winter Wonderland

Schwa/ə/

Schwa is the name for the most common sound in English. It is a weak, unstressed sound and it occurs in many words. It is often the sound in grammar words such as articles and prepositions.


Getting the schwa sound correct is a good way of making your pronunciation more accurate and natural.

Listen to some examples

Click on the sound and you'll also watch a video about this sound

Jackson Browne Stay

People stay just a little bit longer


We want to play -- just a little bit longer

Now the promoter don’t mind

And the union don’t mind

If we take a little time

And we leave it all behind and sing

One more song--

I want you to stay just a little bit longer
Please, please
Say you will

I can talk about music

Useful vocabulary and expressions to describe how you feel about the different

Kinds of music.
Reggae, rock, pop, hip hop, country and western, rap, folk, blues, jazz, salsa, swing, disco, heavy metal, Latin music, classical music


Positive expression you can use when you like the type of music:
It’s got a good beat/ it’s catchy/ It’s nice and relaxing/ It’s good to dance to/ It’s got loads of energy/ It’s got a nice tune/ It’s pretty mellow/ I like the baseline, the drums, the vocals/ the horns. She’s got a good voice.

Negative expression you can use when you don't like it:
It’s a bit boring/ it’s a bit repetitive, it’s got no tune/ It’s rubbish/ It’s a bit too fast, loud, slow, weird for me. I don’t really like her voice.

What kind of music cheers you up? helps you relax?, evokes particular memories?, would you find it hard to live without? bores you?, gets on your nerves? you can't stand?

Talk about the following.
- What kind of music you like.
- Your favourite band/singer at the moment.
- If you have a special song or piece of music that reminds you of someone/something.
- The kind of music you like to listen to if you’re feeling a bit down/in a romantic mood/when you want to relax/ just before going to sleep.
- If you’ve got a big music collection. Your all-time favourite album. Your favourite track.
- Any kind of music you don’t like and why.
- If you go out to hear live music. Where you go and what kind of music.
- The last time you went to a gig/concert. Who you saw. What it was like.
- If you like dancing. The kind of music you like to dance to. Where you go dancing.
- If you can play any musical instrument. What? How long? And if you are any good.

From iPods to Music Downloads

What kinds of music do you enjoy? Who are some of your favorite artists and why do you like their music? When do you usually listen to music?

 Read about this topic and pay attention to the following expressions:

• I really enjoy listening to ......
• It helps me relax and takes my mind away from other cares of the day.
• Personally, I really like ........ music
• There are several stations on the radio that play this type of music.
• Some of the lyrics to these songs are inspirational and moving.
• Occasionally, I listen to .....
• I can't stand heavy metal or rap music.
• When I'm on the road, I either tune my radio to a favorite station, or I listen to     music on my MP3 player.
• I've downloaded hundreds of songs to my player, so it's easy to search and play my favorite music.



What kind of music do you like to listen to?

Listen to different people talking about the kind of music they like listening to.

Pop and Jazz Music

Listen to another eslpodcast about music.

Omission of the article "the"

Omission of "the"

Recommended Grammar

Imagine - John Lennon

Prepositions -time-place (postion, direction)

Prepositions of place

AT       IN            ON

More prepositions

Prepositions of time

Listening exercises



Interactive exercises page. On this page you find a selection of listening comprehension

A Story Behind a Photograph

Posted on April 10, 2008 by Thomas Hawk  thomashawk.com/.../story-behind-photograph.html

I took this photo on the Burnside Bridge in Portland. The Burnside Bridge is one of the areas of Portland where homeless people congregate. There are a few homeless shelters there and lots of homeless people hang out just underneath the bridge. I was up shooting the bridge at night

While I was shooting I was wearing headphones and listening to music on my iPhone. As I was walking across the bridge this man, this beautiful man, approached me saying something while I had my headphones on.

I did not remove my headphones. Instead I said back to the man that I didn’t have any money. I said this to the man without having heard what he was asking me. I could tell from his expression that he was annoyed by my response. At this point I took my headphones off to hear what he was saying.

What the man said to me was that he didn’t want my money. That he was not asking me for money, that he was asking me if I would take his photograph. I was very embarrassed.

After shooting the man I thanked him and he thanked me.

Full story here

The Watergate scandal

I feel fine The Beatles

Past tenses

Don't forget that you can also revise and do exercises about the Past tense in these other entries in the blog by clicking on the pictures.

Questions with Did (Review)

You can revise questions with did if you click here

Irregular Verbs

Describing a picture

Complete the labels with the correct prepositions: in, on, at.

In the foreground; in the background; in the right-hand corner
On the left; on the right
At the top; at the bottom, at the back; at the front.

Read the description and complete the text with in,on or at.

_______(1) this picture I can see a bay._____ (2) the left there is a small sandy beach. _____(3) the background I can see some sheep and a small building on the hillside. It's a beautiful sunny day, with just a few clouds in the sky and the water is very calm. There aren't many people on the beach. Someone is standing _____(4) the left and a couple ___ (5) the middle of the picture are walking by the sea. I think it would be nice to have a holiday here because it all looks very peaceful and relaxing.

1. in    2. On   3. In   4. on  t. in

This activity is from Premium B1 level. Editorial Pearson Longman

Immigration and Customs

Listen to the conversation and answer the questions.

My favourite holiday is Halloween

Watch Joe talking about his favourite holiday.

Who/which/where

Click here to do some exercises with the relatives who, which or where

Present Simple or Continuous exercises 2

Click here to do some exercises with the present simple and present continuous

Illness

When you're ill, you can describe your symptoms (changes in your body which show that you're ill) Click here and find out

At the Doctor's. BBC Learning English

As part of this week's focus on health, we're looking at English that you might use when you visit the doctor.
What should you say to the doctor when you don't feel well?
Listen to the conversations 

I've got a terrible stomachache

Listen  and practise the dialogue . At a doctor. I have a terrible stomachache.

At the doctor's vocabulary

Click here to revise and learn some vocabulary. It's very useful in case you need to go to the doctor's because you're not feeling well.

Cloverdale" Feeling ill"

What's wrong with him?
Do you think he should go to the doctor?

Hairstyles

Practise words to help you describe hairstyles. It's a listening game
Click here

Household Chores

Buddhi and Todd discuss who does what in their families.

Listen and answer and note down who does what in the house.

what's your true sign?

Do the questionnaire

ESL Podcast 421 – Internet Dating

Listen to a podcast about Internet dating

Someone like you. Van Morrison

The flatmates episode 1,2, Getting to know each other

Tim and Helen are at the airport to meet Michal. But something's not quite right.


Tim welcomes Michal to the flat. Alice suggests a way Michal can improve his English.

Tallking about your family, friends and travelling

Listen to someone talking about family, friends and travelling. Let's see how much you can understand. Then try to speak about yourself.

Dating

Listen to six people describe the type of person they would like to date.

Introducing yourself

Introducing yourself

Introducing yourself and other people.

Listen to the podcast just about three minutes, only sections 1 and 2.

Note down why Zara wants to meet Angelina Jolie.

It's your turn now.

Which person would you like to meet dead or alive?

Explain why.

Vowels, diphthongs,consonants.

1 Vowels
2 Diphthongs
3 Consonants
4 More consonants
Pronunciation 5050
Stress Monsters

EVERYDAY ENGLISH

At the airport
Directions 1
Hello and goodbye
In a cafe
On the phone
Social expressions

At the doctor's
Booking a hotel room
Buying things
Social expressions
Telephoning

Audio Phrase Bank
File 1 Asking for a drink
File 2 Checking in
File 3 Buying a coffee
File 4 Buying clothes
File 5 Buying a present
File 6 Asking for directions
File 7 Ordering a meal
File 8 Checking out

File 1 At immigration
File 2 Calling reception
File 3 Problems with a meal
File 4 Asking for information
File 5 Taking something back
File 6 Asking for medicine
File 7 Buying tickets
File 8 Making phone calls

The coursebook /New English File Pre-intermediate Online

Learn more English here with interactive exercises, useful downloads, games, and weblinks. Practise your grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, listening, and reading, and have some fun too.

Grammar
Vocabulary
Pronunciation
Practical English
Text Builder
Weblinks
Games
Help

REVISION BASIC LEVEL 1

Grammar
Vocabulary
Pronunciation
Practical English
Audio Words
Text Builder
Weblinks
Games
Help

New Headway Elementary

Grammar
Vocabulary
Test Builder
Games
Everyday English
Help

Shakira - "Waka Waka" with Lyrics - FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010

FIFA World Cup 2010 Official Theme Song: Wavin' Flag By K'Naan + Lyrics

Off to see her friends

Kate talks about a long trip she has planned. Listen to her and do the exercises

Centros Net/

Para ver las notas o cualquier otro información podemos acceder a Centros Net.

Pinchando en la foto se puede ver toda la información y como acceder a vuestro expediente.

Sample exam June 2007-2008 Aragón

Click here if you can test yourself doing the sample exam of 2007-2008. Be careful when you choose the exam because you will have Basic and Intermediate level. Choose the basic level. The Intermediate is a bit difficult for you.

should/must/have to

should/must/have to
Exercises

Monologues 1

Click here and you will find some topics to practise the oral test.

Sample exam

You will find an English exam of the basic level here. You can practise listening, reading and writing. It is a sample exam of the School of languages of Pamplona.

Should/shouldn't ( to give advice)

To advise (verb)

advice (noun)

You should give up smoking

Exercises

Learning a foreign language

The story behind a photo

Going to exercises

http://www.members.iinet.net.au/~adelegc/grammar/going_to/going_to.html

The Present Simple

They read a lot. He reads a lot.
I/you/we/they read a lot. He/she/(it) reads a lot.
Spelling
-es after -s -ss,- sh,-ch, finish- finishes, -watch-watches
-x fix-fixes and -o do- does, go- goes
Verbs ending in a consonant + y, drop the -y - study -studies, try- tries

Pronunciation
In the present simple the suffix of the third person singular is pronounced
/s/ when the verb ends in a /f/, /k/, /p/ or /t/sound e.g laughs, drinks, sleeps, hates
/iz/ when the verb ends in a /s/, /ʃ/, /tʃ/, /dʒ/ sound e.g. misses, wishes, matches, arranges, rises
/z/ when the verb ends in any other sound e.g. dreams, stays, begins, stands, saves.

Practice: Third person "s" - Pronunciation
http://www.better-english.com/easier/thirdpers.htm

We use the present simple for things that are true in general, or for things that happen sometimes or all the time.
e.g I like big cities. He works very hard. Water boils at 100 degrees centigrade.
With frequency adverbs: never, hardly ever, rarely, sometimes, often, usually, always.

http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/adjectives_adverbs/adverbs_of_frequency.htm
http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/adjectives_adverbs/adverbs_of_frequency1.htm


With adverbial phrases: once/ twice/ three times a week/month/year, very often
in the /morning/afternoon/evening On Sundays/ Tuesdays etc. in summer/winter etc

Exercises with the present tense

http://members.iinet.net.au/~adelegc/grammar/present_simple/pres_simple3.html
http://members.iinet.net.au/~adelegc/grammar/present_simple/pres_simple4.html

Present simple Negative:
I/you/we/they don't watch TV very often. He/ she/it doesn't watch TV very often.

http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/tenses/simple_present_negation_sentences.htm

Present simple questions
do I/you/we/they watch TV? does he/she/it watch TV?
Word order do/does subject infinitive ?

http://members.iinet.net.au/~adelegc/grammar/present_simple/pres_sim_quests1.html

wh- questions
where do your parents live? where does she live?
How often do you go to the cinema? How often does she go to the cinema?

http://members.iinet.net.au/~adelegc/grammar/present_simple/pres_sim_quests2.html

A person you know well

Getting to know each other

A person you know well

Holidays

Music

Talking about yourself