Hi, there!

Sorry I haven't updated the blog in a while, but it's been a very busy week. So, where are we? We are learning more about the present perfect simple with already, just and yet. We also learnt more verb collocations about work and adjectives and phrases about personality.

Extra grammar:
Present perfect+already,just,yet (1)
Present perfect+already,just,yet (2)
Present perfect+already, just, still, yet

Extra vocabulary:
Personality adjectives
Appearance and personality adjectives game

Extra listening:
Personality traits (multiple choice quiz) / What are you like? (with transcript)
Good qualities (multiple choice quiz) / Good qualities (with transcript)
Best quality (multiple choice quiz+transcript)
Worst quality (multiple choice quiz+transcript)
Signs from the Stars (multiple choice quiz) / Signs of the Stars (with transcript)

And finally I told you to write 3 sentences describing the most important qualities needed to do your own jobs and explaining why for homework. Use the words and phrases in the horoscope on p 71 of your Student's book. For example, I think that "Good teachers have a lot of patience because students often ask teachers to explain the lesson over and over again".

Have a nice weekend!

Published by Mariluz en 4:50 PM Comments

Hi, there!

Well, Easter holidays are round the corner and I guess you are packing your luggage for your trip to the beach or thinking about staying at home and relax. I thought it would be interesting for you to tell us what you are planning to do at Easter or whether there are any traditional activities you are going to take part in, or any special food you are going to eat, etc..... You can use the comments to do so or write a new post if you are one of the contributors to the blog. I am waiting for you to drop a line or two......don't be lazy! ;-)

And now, let's get down to business: yesterday we basically talked about your coffee drinking habits and learnt how to form superlatives. Here you can find more exercises to work on them:
Superlatives (1)
Superlatives (2)
Game

Now, watch this video and complete the sentences below:

(See transcript here)

Extra listening:
Do you prefer coffee or tea? (with video)
Coffee song

And that's all for now, folks! Enjoy your Easter holidays and mind your English!!!

Published by Mariluz en 7:55 PM Comments

Hi, guys!

As I promised you, here is the exam that you did in February with the answer keys and transcripts of the audio files. You can download the files to your computer by right-clicking your mouse and choosing "Guardar destino como" on each one:

Comprensión lectora
Comprensión oral
Claves (CL y CO)
Audio 1, Transcript 1
Audio 2, Transcript 2
Audio 3, Transcript 3
Expresión escrita
Expresión oral

And remember that tomorrow we'll have an ordinary class, not the usual Friday oral practice, ok? See you then!

Published by Mariluz en 2:32 PM Comments

Hi, guys!

Yesterday we practised a True/False listening exercise with three real conversations, and you told me they were really difficult to understand. Well, here you have the possibility of listening to them over and over again until you get to understand them: (see transcripts here)

Conversation 1:

Download it from here (right-click --botón derecho del ratón-- and  choose 'guardar destino/enlace como')

Conversation 2:

Download it from here (right-click --botón derecho del ratón-- and  choose 'guardar destino/enlace como')

Conversation 3:

Download it from here (right-click --botón derecho del ratón-- and  choose 'guardar destino/enlace como')

I also told you to practise the writing task with this worksheet, which includes the answer key to the exercises.

Finally, we started unit 5 by studying how to talk about plans in English. Now, watch this funny video:


Exercises about the video here: 1, 2, 3

Extra grammar work:
Going to/present continuous 1
Going to/present continuous 2 
  
Extra listening:
What are your plans for tonight?

For homework tomorrow, please do ex. 2 and 3, p 46 of your Student's book and the exercises on this worksheet. And remember that tomorrow is the last day to hand in or send your formal e-mail!

Cheers!

Published by Mariluz en 6:21 PM Comments

Hi, guys!

Well, yesterday we learnt some more vocabulary about dating, and we listened to two phone calls and also learnt how to make invitations and suggestions. This is particularly important because it's usually included in the oral exam tasks. Check the following web where you can practise these questions and responses by listening to a short explanation with examples and answering a quiz at the bottom of every page:

Asking someone out

(See transcript here)


 Informal invitations
(See transcript here)


Polite invitations
(See transcript here)


Declining invitations 
(See transcript here)

Remember to do exercises 3, p 42, and 4, p 43, from the Functional Language section and exercises 2 and 3, p 43, from the Grammar section, for homework tomorrow. I also asked you to do exercises a and b of this worksheet. Exercise c is your next assignment. You must choose ONE of the advertisements and write a formal e-mail asking for information. Please, hand it in or send it as an attachment (DOUBLE SPACE) to my e-mail before February, 10th.

Extra listenings:

What makes a good date? (with video)
When is the first time you fell in love? (with video)

Finally, if you want to revise unit 4, download these files:

Unit test 4
Unit test 4 (answer key)

You can also do the Review test of unit 4 on page 151 of your Student's book and check your answers here.

Bye, see you tomorrow!

Published by Mariluz en 6:29 PM Comments

Hi, everyone!

After a very busy week, I can finally write a new post on our blog. During the last classes we worked on the past tenses (past simple and progressive, used to) and vocabulary about education. For next week I told you to do the exercises on these pdf worksheets for homework.

Extra practice:
Past progressive (1)
Past progressive (2)
Past simple or progressive (sentences)

 Answer Key

Past simple or progressive (text)
Answer Key

We also read about some embarrassing situations at school. I told you to think about an embarrassing experience that happened to you or someone you know and write about 80-100 words describing the situation. Download the plan in pdf and read it before writing your story. This will be your next assignment due December, 2. 

Extra listening:
Embarrassing moments in high school
(Read the transcript after doing the exercises)

Used to:



Read the transcript after watching the video.

Have a nice weekend!

Published by Mariluz en 5:22 PM Comments

Hi, there!

Yesterday we practised Task 2 of the oral exam and I could see that you have a lot of problems when you try to make questions. This is a difficult point, even for intermediate students, so the best thing you can do is more drilling (machacar). Download these question-making exercises in pdf and do them at home. (answer key)

To see more examples of the exam tasks that are used in the EOIs of Madrid, check the following site:

Oral task 1

Oral task 2

Writing task 1

Writing task 2

Finally, try practising conversations with robots. To use the site, study the conversations first by reading and listening to them several times, type in your question, and then click the SAY button or hit the ENTER key on your keyboard, and the robot will reply with its computer voice. If your computer has speech recognition software installed, such as Dragon Naturally Speaking, you can speak into your microphone instead of typing your questions. Have fun!

Published by Mariluz en 12:41 PM Comments

Hi, how're you doing?

Well, yesterday we finished unit 1 learning how to make phone calls. We practised how to say phone numbers and how to take and leave phone messages. Then we did some pairwork telephone roleplays.  Finally we learnt how to write an informal e-mail and I gave the first writing assignment for you this year. Do the final task: choose one of the situations to write an e-mail and send it to my personal e-mail address or use the blank "e-mail page" given and hand it in to me before the end of 16th November.

To revise this unit, I recommend that you download the following test and do it at home. You can also download the key to check your answers.

Now, watch this video to practise saying phone numbers:

 Do this listening comprehension exercise about the video.

Download this worksheet and write down information from phone conversations:

Published by Mariluz en 12:47 PM Comments