Exams

Here are a few images I found out about exams and studying. Do you agree with them?

And this is us, the teachers!

Words, words!

In this section I will include funny, new or original words.

The first one:  What is a hotspot?

Is this a hotspot?

Or this one?

Well, THIS is a HOTSPOT

 

Tea bags after tea

I found this curious video on tea bags. You may not like tea, but it is just amazing. Watch and comment.

Happy Andalusía's day

Happy Andalusía's day 

https://theenglishcam.wordpress.com/category/misc/andalusia-day/

(‘DÍA DE ANDALUCÍA‘ IN SPANISH) COMMEMORATES THE REFERENDUM FOR ANDALUCIA TO BECOME AN AUTONOMOUS COMMUNITY WITHIN SPAIN, WHICH WAS HELD ON FEBRUARY 28, 1980. SO THIS YEAR THE 33TH ANNIVERSARY OF THEIR STATUTE OF AUTONOMY IS HONOURED.

Andalusia is internationally renowned for its impressive natural beauty, but also for the warm and hospitable character of local people. This is why everyone is more than welcome to come in and join the festivities. The question is: how do they celebrate Andalusia Day?

Film Ratings

Here's an image to understand film ratings and when we should watch a film or not depending on its rating and our age

http://www.mpaa.org/film-ratings/

Relative clauses and crocodiles.

I have always thought that learning is easier with song. Here's one page about relative clauses.... And a song with a cocodile. What does the animal refer to? Any ideas? Comments welcome!

http://marysenglishblog.com/2013/09/22/a-song-with-relative-clauses-present-simple-tense-present-continuous-tense-present-perfect-continuous-tense/

Why is this crocodile in the music video? I don’t know! What do YOU think?

          Songs are often short stories about a singer’s life. They usually use every-day language to describe the past, present, and/or future and so are valuable learning tools for students of English. The following song, Counting Stars, by One Republic is one such example. I’m not sure what they are singing about, but we can still examine some of the lines in the song and work out why those tenses have been used. (If you are interested in reading opinions on the meaning of this song, check out this site:)http://songmeanings.com/songs/view/3530822107859452557/)

* I suggest that, before you look at the Relative Clauses in the song, you refer to my post on Relative Clauses dated  July 24, 2013

** Grammar used in the song is explained below the lyrics.

Grammar is highlighted in these colours:    Present Perfect Continuous Tense Present Simple Tense       Present Continuous Tense     Relative Clauses

Here is a link to the Youtube video:  Song: Counting Stars by One Republic

[Chorus]

Lately I’ve been, I’ve been losing sleep,

Dreaming about the things that we could be.

But baby I’ve been, I’ve been praying hard;

Said no more counting dollars.

We’ll be counting stars.

Yeah, we’ll be counting stars.

[Verse 1]

I see this life like a swinging vine

Swing my heart across the line.

In my face is flashing signs.

Seek it out and ye shall find.

Old, but I’m not that old.

Young, but I’m not that bold.

And I don’t think the world is sold.

I’m just doing what we’re told.

I feel something so right but (I’m)

doing the wrong thing.

I feel something so wrong but (I’m)

doing the right thing.

I could lie, could lie, could lie.

Everything that kills me makes me feel alive.

Ryan Tedder from ONE REPUBLIC

[Chorus] x 2

[Verse 2]

I feel the love and I feel it burn,

Down this river every turn.

Hope is a four letter word.

Make that money.

Watch it burn.

Old, but I’m not that old.

Young, but I’m not that bold.

And I don’t think the world is sold.

I’m just doing what we’retold.                            

And I feel something so wrong but (I’m)

doing the right thing.

I could lie, could lie, could lie.

Everything that drowns me makes me want to fly.

[Chorus] x 2

[Bridge 4x:]

Take that money.

Watch it burn.

Sink in the river the lessons I learned.

Everything that kills me makes me feel alive.

[Chorus] x 2

[Outro 4x:]

Take that money.

Watch it burn.

Sink in the river the lessons I learned.

 

* Present Perfect Continuous Tense

The song begins with Ryan Tedder singing “Lately I’ve been losing sleep.” This is a great introduction to his story. He uses Present Perfect Continuous Tense (have been losing) to describe an action that started in the past and has continued up to now. He has “… been dreaming about the things that we could be.” He has “… been praying hard”. It’s because of these recent actions that he is thinking about his life now and in the future.

These actions started in the past, but Past Simple Tense cannot be used because Past Simple Tense is only used for actions that started in the past and finished in the past. However, the losing sleep, the dreaming, and the praying, have not finished. To give information about the past and the present in one clause, we use Present Perfect Tense, or (as in this song) Present Perfect Continuous Tense when we want to make it clear that the action has been continuous and will probably continue.

* Present Simple Tense  * Present Continuous Tense

The singer describes his life. He uses Present Simple Tense because he is telling us about how things are, their state. He tells us how he feels, he gives opinions, and he gives advice:

       I see this life …

       … I’m not that old.

       I don’t think the world is sold.

       I feel something so wrong …

       Take that money.

       Watch it burn.

He uses Present Continuous Tense : I’m just doing what we’re told, because it’s an action in progress now,  at this time in his life. This is also true when he  sings that he’s “doingthe wrong thing” and that he’s “doing the right thing“.

* Relative Clauses

I see this life like a swinging vine.

I’ve been dreaming about the things that we could be.

Everything that kills me makes me feel alive.

Everything that drowns me makes me want to fly.

Sink in the river the lessons I learned.

** Refer to my post on Relative Clauses date  Posted on July 24, 2013

The Relative Clauses in the song relate, or refer to, “the things” he is dreaming about; “everything” and “the lessons”. Take out the Relative Clause and an Independent Clause remains:

I see this life.

       I’ve been dreaming about the things.

       Everything makes me feel alive.

       Everything makes me want to fly.

       Sink in the river the lessons. (This sentence has unusual word order. This often happens in songs because the song-writer needs to fit the rhythm of the song. In normal spoken language, you would say: Sink the lessons in the river./Sink the lessons I’ve learned in the river.)

The Relative Clauses are included because they relate to, or define something in the Independent Clause. They are vital for meaning.

- He doesn’t just see “life”, but life which is “like a swinging vine“.

- He hasn’t just been dreaming about “things”, but “things that we could be”.

- “Everything” doesn’t make him feel alive”; only “Everything that kills me”.

-“Everything” doesn’t make him want to fly”, only “Everything that drowns me”.

- He’s not suggesting that ALL lessons should “sink in the river”, just “the lessons I learned”.

Because the Relative Clauses define something and can’t be left out without changing the meaning, we call them DEFINING Relative Clauses.

For more information on Relative Clauses, refer to my post on Relative Clauses date  Posted on July 24, 2013 The post features a song by SHAKIRA containing Relative Clauses.  Another post links you to a song by SHANIA TWAIN containing Relative Clauses.

 I hope that you enjoy this wonderful song. The music is dynamic, the singer’s voice is fantastic and the language is colourful and powerful. Listen and learn and have fun!

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Capital letters, apostrophes.

Here's some good information about the use of capital letters and apostrophes in English. Very useful for your compositions.
The rules for the use of capital letters and apostrophes English note grammar english When do we Use Capital Letters? When do we Use Apostrophes?

The rules for the use of capital letters and apostrophes

When do we Use Capital Letters?

When do we Use Apostrophes?

Shake it off!

Shake it off by Taylor Swift.

Hi everybody! It's time to start thinking about our video, so, please, start shaking it off! I'm more than happy to listen to your ideas and suggestions.

Welcome Aboard

Enjoy this video! Welcome to the blog.