How to sound like a native speaker that is another question!
Today we are going to learn how to pronounce -ed endings, one of the most difficult things Spanish speakers find when approaching verbs pronunciation in English.
Before we get into any set of boring rules, let´s watch this video on how to practise the pronunciation of -ED endings with 12 famous songs:
Let´s watch a quick video to make sure you understood:
Need some more practice? Try pronouncing these verbs in the video:
How about practising connected speech? That is the way native speakers link words to speak more efficiently and pronounce sentences with rhythm and intonation:
Would you like to learn the amazing secret of English rhythm?!! Listen to Jade Joddle (a speaking skills coach) explain a few tricks!
Let´s learn a few more tricks! Perfect English! - Speak faster and more naturally with connected speech:
Phrasal verbs are usually two-word phrases consisting of verb + adverb or verb + preposition
Phrasal verbs help us sound more natural in English as they are used in everyday conversation. Sometimes they can be a bit of a nightmare, specially when we need to learn how to use them in an appropriate context!
GET is one of the most commonly used verbs with a preposition. Check out this video to see how many of these expressions you already know!!
Native speakers very often use phrasal verbs when they want to express their mood and feelings. Let´s listen to Emma explaining verbs for when you get angry:
Would you like to learn some of the most common verbs used when travelling? Emma explains some of them in this very useful video:
We are going to read a story and find examples of phrasal verbs with very different meanings:
Looking up Peter in Seatle:
Last week I was in Seattle and I remembered that my friend Peter had recently moved there. I looked up his name in the telephone book, called, but got the answering machine. Luckily, I finally found him at work. He was looking at a picture on his desk, and I swear he looked like the famous actor Harrison Ford! I know Peter looked up to Harrison Ford, but I was a little surprised to see that he had become a look-alike! I said 'Look lively!' and he raised his eyes and looked me up and down. 'Hello! if it isn't my old friend Ken!', Peter said. With that, he got up, looked me up and down and shook my hand.
I must admit, Peter didn't look his age in the slightest. In fact, he looked as if he was ten years older! I looked him straight in the eye and said, "Well, I was in town and thought I'd look in on you to see how you're doing in Seattle. How have you been?" Peter responded that he was fine, but that he was also on the look out for a new cat. Looking over at the picture, I noticed that it was of a cat. "Yes, he sighed, I didn't really look after my first cat very well. It ran away." "I'm sorry to hear that", I said.
We talked for a while and decided to go out for a coffee. We were at a Starbucks when a beautiful woman walked into the Cafe. Peter quickly looked the other way. "Who's she?", I asked. "Nobody, just someone who looks down their nose at me." Just then somebody shouted "Look out!" Peter jumped up and pushed the woman hard. At first, she looked daggers at him. Then, realizing what had happened, she noticed that because Peter had been looking lively, she hadn't slipped on a ice coffee drink that was all over the floor. I'm glad I looked Peter up, it certainly was an interesting day...
Phrasal Verbs with 'Look'
Finding Someone or Something Look up
1) look for information in a reference book I looked up his name in the telephone book, called, but got the answering machine.
2) to find someone I'm glad I looked Peter up, it certainly was an interesting day.
Look in on someone
visit someone at their home or place of work, check up on someone I was in town and thought I'd look in on you to see how you're doing in Seattle.
Be on the look out for
Trying to find something or someone, interested in purchasing something
Look up to someone
respect or admire someone I know Peter looked up to Harrison Ford.
Look someone up and down
Examine someone carefully, look at someone very carefully, often with disdain With that, he got up, looked me up and down and shook my hand.
Look someone straight in the eye
Look at someone with seriousness I looked him straight in the eye...
Expressions of Looking at People or Things Look over at
To look in the direction of something Looking over at the picture, I noticed that it was of a cat.
Look the other way
Look away from something that you see, not notice something on purpose Peter quickly looked the other way.
Look down your nose on / at someone
Feel superior to someone ...someone who looks down their nose at me.
Look daggers at someone
Look with hatred or intense dislike at someone At first, she looked daggers at him.
Look after
Take care of something or someone I didn't really look after my first cat very well. It ran away.
Appearances Look like
Be similar in physical appearance ... he looked like the famous actor Harrison Ford! Look your age
Appear to be your actual age (someone can look older, or younger than their age) I must admit, Peter didn't look his age in the slightest.
Warnings Look out!
Be careful Look out! Look lively!
Pay attention ...she noticed that because Peter had been looking lively, she hadn't slipped on a ice coffee drink...
TOP 10 PHRASAL VERBS THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR FLUENCY IN ENGLISH FROM GO NATURAL ENGLISH:
Let´s start by learning some basic political vocabulary with Adam:
In English it is just polite to ask the other person or people you are with, if it is OK to talk about politics. Watch this video by Gabby from "Go Natural English" to understand some basic concepts:
Let´s now watch a short video on how US elections work:
We are going to focus on the pronunciation of some of the key words we have seen. Watch this video by "Go Natural English" to get some tips on pronunciation:
Follow this link to learn more about the role of "swing states" in the election
Larry Ferlazzo is a Education specialists who suggests in his blog different resources to work the issue of the day after the American Presidential Election. Have a look and discuss how useful they could be in a class in the USA or in any other classroom where English is taught.
This is the link to his blog that I strongly recommend!
In this entry we will listen and study in detail some of the most famous songs by Bob Dylan as a way to appreciate English language through music and learn new vocabulary and expessions.
But first of all let´s debate: Did he, in your opinion, deserve a Nobel Prize?
Bob Dylan has won the 2016 Nobel prize in literature, says the permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy, Sara Danius. Announcing the award she says Dylan ‘created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition’. He is the first songwriter to win the award and the first American to win since Toni Morrison in 1993.
Read this article published in The Guardian newspaper where you can find the lyrics of some of his most famous songs.
The New York Times also published a whole lesson plan about Bob Dylan. Follow the link to complete the activities.
LIKE A ROLLING STONE
This song was released as a single in 1965 and then included on the album Higway 61 Revisited in the same year. It lasts over six minutes and it´s probably Dylan´s most influential song- in 2004, Rolling Stones magazine declared "Rolling Stones" the greatest song of all times, "No other pop song has so thoroughly challenged and transformed the comercial laws and artistic convections of its time" (www.tuneintoenglish.com)
Let´s start by introducing ourselves and saying at least one reason why you want to do this course:
I want to speak English!!
Conversation questions:
Should everyone learn English?
Why are you studying English?
In your experience, what studying methods are
most effective for you?
What accent do you find easiest to understand?
Are English movies in your country shown with
subtitles or are they dubbed?
If you could speak English perfectly, how would
your life change? Watch this video by Professor David Crystal talking about the future of English as a language and be prepared to have a discussion afterwards:
Will English continue to be the global language that it is now?
Follow this link to discuss some quotes about why learning languages. They are the words of very influential people who bring forward some of the best reasons to learn a language.
These quotes remind us of how languages open up our minds to a variety of opportunities in diferrent cultures and countries.
So, what is your reason?
Let´s now listen to a new video where professor David Crystal talks about "World Englishes". What does he mean by that?
We have travelled around the world in the previous topic and now we are going to learn how to speak in English about foods, eating and foods from the world!
- What did you have for breakfast this morning? - Do you always have time to eat what you want for breakfast? - Has what you eat for breakfast changed over the years? - What do you do while having breakfast? - Do you watch "breakfast televisión"? - Do you prefer to eat breakfast alone or with other people? - Do you ever eat breakfast in a restaurant or canteen? - Is the breakfast you usually eat healthy? - How often do you skip breakfast or have it on the go? -Can you eat "lunch-style food" or "dinner-style food" for breakfast? -What do you think of breakfast at hotels? -What is the origin of the word breakfast?
Watch Emma from EngVid to remember what a phrasal verb is and how native speakers use them to talk about food:
Now that you are familiar with a wide range of food vocabulary, listen to the words and sounds of this fantastic lesson by Rob from BBC Learning English.
Listen to Rob in his kitchen preparing a fry-up. See if you can hear what ingredients he uses and also what words he uses that include sounds that are similar to the noises the words refer to. These words are examples of onomatopoeia. There are 16 to listen out for.
Is your stomach rumbling? Are you ready to learn more Eating vocabulary?
Ready to look at some recipes from around the world?
Follow this link to BBC Good Food to discover wonderful food from around the world.
Watch this video to learn approriate language and expessions to make a holiday reservation:
Learn how to write a travel blog and start writing your own!
What are the best cities in the world?
Watch this travel guide about Arizona and answer the questions:
Now watch this Rio de Janeiro travel guide and make a list of the most popular tourist attractions
What if your holiday doesn´t go as well as you thought it would?
Then you can always write a letter of complaint!
British people are "experts" when it comes to complaining. There is a citizens advice website
where you can find samples and templates to complaint about anything!
Follow this link to look at some examples and then write your own letter of complaint.
To be polite when speaking English is a very important aspect of the language.
In this lesson we are going to learn some ways to sound less direct and more polite when speaking English:
This is a very useful video to learn how to sound less direct when speaking English:
You may be interested in learning polite expressions in English to refer to several every-day-life situations. Here are some examples of how to use "soft language":
Would you like to learn some expessions to speak politely at work? Then follow the link to this great lesson by BBC Learning English: English at work.
English is very rich in idioms and expressions of all kinds.
In this topic, we are going to learn about some of the most famous ones and this will help us sound more like a native speaker!
Let´s begin with some funny idioms without getting stressed out!
In the following video from ESL English Academy, Faby talks about idiomatic expessions for every day conversations with friends. Remember: this time they are slang or colloquial expressions, not to be used at work or in a more formal context!
You can also listen to Valen from EngVid, explaining 10 very common expessions in English:
Follow this link to learn some more expressions and idioms from BBC Learning English, the English we speak.
How about learning a great idiom from Shakespeare´s times:
Speaking on the phone is one of the most "tricky" tasks for most people learning English or wanting to improve their English skills.
I this entry I will help you become familiar with some of the most frequent expressions used to talk on the phone, especially in a profesional context, where you need to use appropriate formal language.
Let´s begin by learning some of the most common expressions in this very useful video:
You may also want to remember these top telephone tips that are explained in the following video.
To sump up, these are some of the most important tips:
1) Don´t be direct: use expessions such as "may I", "could I" or "I would like".
2) Practice before you have to make an important call.
3) Be careful when spelling key words.
4) Numbers are important. Make sure you pronounce them correctly.
5) Ask for clarification if you don´t understand.
6) Memorise key expressions.
7) Differentiate formal and informal language.
8) Smile!
Let´s now look at some useful telephone phrases in this video:
We all know about the impact of technology and social media in our lives. But first let´s ask ourselves a few questions:
CAN YOU LIVE WITHOUT YOUR MOBILE PHONE?
How often do you look at your mobile phone during the day?
How often do you charge your phone?
How often do you send WhatsApp messages to your friends and people you know?
How long does it take you to look at your mobile phone after you wake up?
Can you think of any other questions you would ask yourself or other people about the use of mobile phones?
Another important question for debate:Should mobile phones be allowed in lessons?
Think of three reasons for and against allowing the use of mobile phones in lessons:
3 Reasons for
3 Reasons against
Let´s now think about internet safety. Watch this video to help you remember some of the risks!!
Some more statistics to discuss:
Let´s now read an article and watch a video to get the most relevant information about how, according to a survey, half of teenagers are addicted to their smartphones: nbcnews
How addicted are you to social networks? do you use Twitter? Want to know more about the "peculiar" use some people make of Twitter?
Connected but alone? Sherry Turkle asks this questions in one of her TED TALKS: As we expect more from technology, do we expect less from each other? Please watch this very intesting talk and discuss the arguments she brings forward:
Earth Day is an annual event, celebrated on April 22nd, on which day events worldwide are held to demonstrate support for environmental protection. It was first celebrated in 1970, and is now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network, and celebrated in more than 193 countries each year.
In our lesson today we are going to discuss environmental issues. To begin with this topic, we are going to read two environmental articles that appeared in a newspaper and are very different :
- "Accidental leak of insecticide at Boxbridge Vale"
- "Council toxic blunder poisons local wildlife"
Compare the language used in both articles and discuss how it is different in each of them.
Please discuss:
- The different words and phrases that were used to discuss the same issue.
- Talk about the purpose of each text.
- What are the most probable audiences for these articles?
Our next activity is to write an article about an environmental issue in our town or village. You may want to write it from the council´s point of view of you may want to play the role of an environmental activist!
Listen to the message in this great song by Michael Jackson and complete the lyrics
Are you up for another TED TALK? If you thought our last TED TALK was interesting, you will love this one by scientist Johan Rockstrom "Let the environment guide our development":
In present times we have quick and easy access to pieces of news everywhere. Very often we notice how different newspapers cover the same story differently depending on who their readers are and what those readers believe.
A TRADITIONAL TALE?
In this lesson you will listen to "The True Story of The Three Little Pigs". But.....is this a traditional tale?
A) In pairs, make a list of what parts of the story are different from the traditional tale and what parts of the story are the same.
B) In this retelling of the traditional tale, the autor changes the point of view of the story:
- How does he do that?
- Do you sympathize with the pigs or the wolf?
- Are you convinced by the wolf´s versión of the story? Does he seem trustworthy? Why? Why not?
Today we are going to learn how to make the perfect cup of tea (according to British people anyway)
The British have drunk tea for 350 years! The first tea came from China and later from India. In the North of England "What´s for tea?" means "What´s for dinner?" This is because people drank tea with their meal. Even today this is a very popular costume.
You need:
A kettle for boiling the water
A teapot big enough for four cups
Three teaspoons of tea or three teabags
Two tea cups, teaspoons and saucers
A jug of cold milk
Watch this video to learn how to make the perfect cup of tea!
Now let´s read this article from The Telegraph to learn more things about tea and the British
"The milk-first school can bring forward some
fairly strong arguments, but I maintain that my own argument is unanswerable.
"This is that, by putting the tea in first and
stirring as one pours, one can exactly regulate the amount of milk whereas one
is liable to put in too much milk if one does it the other way round." -
George Orwell
English afternoon tea etiquette:
The art of making tea sandwiches!
Did you know that a lot of idioms in English contain the word tea?
Try to guess the meaning of some of the most famous ones:
"It is not my cup of tea" "A storm in a teakettle" "A storm in a teacup" "Not for all the tea in China" "It´s a tea party" "Weak tea"
They are all very well explained in this video from BBC Learning:
Welcome back! After the Easter break we are back to our English course and and new term!
In our last lesson we discussed images and stereotypes about teenagers. Now is time to discuss some assumptions and generalisations that people usually make about us teachers.
As we all know, sometimes we could be labelled because of the type of job that we do.
I would like you to think about the following questions:
- Can you think of some adjectives or phrases that are commonly used to stereotype teachers?
- Which label do you think applies to you as an individual?
- Which one describes you best?
- Do you think teachers have a positive or negative reputation in our society today? Why do you think that is?
- Are you judged or expected to behave in a certain way because of how you look, your age, your profession or your genre?
Listen to this beautiful song and think about its message:
"Reality" is a song written by Lost Frequencies, Janieck Devy and Radboud Miedema. This song was at number 1 on the singles charts in over ten countries and ruled the European airplay charts for 9 consecutive weeks.
Now let´s debate: Do you download music from the internet or do you buy music in a records shop?
First things first!! After a great round of introductions last Wednesday, we came across the expression "small talk". Watch this video and complete the quizz to learn more about the important art of talking and small talk!
Welcome to the blog! This is a space to upload activities, videos and any interesting material that can help you keep your English up to date.
Please feel free to post comments and engage in the activities.
Learning English is fun!
Do you know what "beaking the ice" means in English?
Try to think of some examples in different contexts and then let´s break the ice by discussing these questions about your job and your expectations for this course.
Why learning a language? There are many answers to this question, but what is yours? Read these quotes about languages and choose your favourite.
