Homework

Write a note to a friend or acquaintance asking for several favors. Explain why you need help.

Example
I´m taking my boss out to dinner on Saturday and I want to make a good impression. Would you mind if I borrowed your car? I promise to drive very carefully. I also wonder if you´d mind lending me your red bow tie. Let me know, thanks.

You can write two of those notes.

I have been getting confused with this group lately, because every time the group of students is different.

Anyway, yesterday we did a lot of listening during the class. We listened to some telephone conversations. Somebody was calling all her friends to ask them for different favours, like borrowing a suitcase, a digital camera or a car.

We have been learning how to make requests. We can do it in different ways, depending on who we are talking to. The way we make a request may be more or less formal. We can say:

Can you....?
Is it OK if I...?
Could you...?
Do you mind if I...?
Would you mind if I ...?
Would it be OK if...?
Would you mind letting me...?
I wonder is I could...
I was wondering if you´d mind ...

We can also ask somebody else to request something from another person for us. In this case we would be reporting a request.

Could you ask Jeff if I could borrow his helmet?

Could you ask Jeff to pick me up at 5:00 p.m.?


Or we ask somebody to give a message for us

Could you please tell Jeff that I am unable to go to the party?

Or ask somebody a question through somebody else:

Could you please ask Jeff what kind of oil he wants me to buy?

Notice the word that is not in bold in each sentence. Those are different ways to introduce different types of clauses.

For homework

Make 10 questions like the ones above. Make sure you use all the different types of questions you see in the example.

Homework for next Monday

Write a paragraph about your childhood: try to use all the past tenses we have studied.

Example

I went to school for the first time when I was five years old and learned how to read and write. It was a small private school in the neighborhood for both boys and girls. My parents were planning to send me the year after  to the nun school where my grandmother had studied but at the end I was not admitted so I stayed at home for the whole year playing on my own. It was a most unusual year but I loved it.

Today students answered a few more How to questions, we also repeated one they had answered last Monday and I was pleased to see they could remember all the terms that were required to do it clearly.

We listened to two different stories, one about an accident when some workers were digging a tunnel for a new underground line and another one about 3 children who had disppeared and had been found well 3 days later. Students had to write questions for some given answers and correct some mistaken sentences about the first listening.

This is a link to a Miami newspaper. Check the world news, find one that you find interesting. Tell us about it. You need to open the news menu and click on world.

Every week is different. Yesterday Edu and Manuel were in class. Edu read his story: it was about Arquimedes, quite interesting.

We did Ex. 2 on page 28, New Headway. It was a bit complicated but quite intersting: students had to connect 3 or 4 sentences and make them into one, changing the verb tenses appropriately.

We were also talking about news and learning ways to react to news.

For the students that did not come yesterday:

You may search for an interesting piece of news and tell us about it in the next lesson. To make it easier for yourself you can try to find it in a digital newspaper in English. Yesterday we were reading about the mayor of Toronto.

I am a bit confused, I thought I had published those exercises yesterday but now I don´t see them.
I apologize. I only published them for the morning group.

I see that it has been a while since I wrote anything here. Anyway, I´m glad I had 4 students yesterday. I must say that it has been a little chaotic lately. I was sick, Cristina was sick, Edu had a lot of exams...

Monday we started working on a new unit. The main grammar point is the past tenses. I am sure you have studied those tenses before, but every time you do it you should refine your use of them a little further.

We are studying the Past Simple, the Past Continuous and the Past Perfect. If we tell a story that happened to us in the past we´ll probably need to use all of them. 

Here is the exercise you need to complete for homework:

Complete the sentences for situations in the past. Decide which tense you need to use.

1. Yesterday, a plumber (come)  to our house.normal narrative past form → simple past

2. He (have)  to repair our washing machine that (break)  down a few days before.1st space: normal narrative past form → simple past|2nd space: looking back to something that had happened earlier → past perfect simple

3. Before he (ring)  at my door, he (look)  for a parking space for about ten minutes.1st space: normal narrative past form → simple past|2nd space: looking back to something that had happened earlier → past perfect simple

4. While the plumber (repair)  the washing machine, I (watch)  the news.simultaneous actions → past progressive

5. Suddenly, I (realise)  that they (show)  our street on TV.second action was already taking place when the first action began|1st space → simple past|2nd space: past progressive

6. The reporter (say)  that a car (crash)  into a stop sign just before reaching the crossroads.1st space: normal narrative form → simple past (say is generally only used in the simple form)|2nd space: looking back to something that had happened earlier → past perfect simple

7. While I (listen)  carefully to what (happen) , someone (knock)  at my door.1st space: emphasising the action's progression → past progressive|2nd space: looking back to something that had happened earlier → past perfect simple|3rd space: shorter action that started while another action was already taking place → simple past (past progressive would sound as if the person had been knocking on the door the whole time)

8. I (open)  the door and (see)  a police officer standing there.normal narrative past form → simple past

9. He (ask)  for the plumber.normal narrative past form → simple past

10.  As it (turn)  out, it (be)  our plumber’s car that (roll)  down the street.1st space: normal narrative past form → simple past|2nd space: condition in the past (after all, it was still his car) → simple past|3rd space: looking back to something that had happened earlier → past perfect simple

11.  In his haste, the plumber (forget)  to set the handbrake.looking back to something that had happened earlier → past perfect simple

You may need to use the Past Perfect Continuous too.

And some more:

1) We (walk) _______ _______ by the bakery when the smell of fresh cinnamon 

 rolls (reach) ____________ our noses. 

2) Dr. Lee (treat) _______ ________ her patient when she (get) ________ a 

 signal from her pager. 

3) Annie and Lilly (climb) _______ _______ trees when Annie (fall) 

____________ and (break) ________ her arm. 

4) While Christopher (dig) _______ _______ a hole in the sand, a 

crab (crawl) ____________ out. 

5) They (sit) _______ _______ on the park bench when the fountain suddenly (light) 

____________ up. 

6) David (ride) _______ _______ his motorcycle on the dirt road when it (hit) 

 ________ a dangerous bump. 

7) Mr. Walker (earn) _______ _______ more than anyone else in his division when 

 he (retire)__________ last year. 

8) The lost dog (wear) _______ _______ his collar when the children (find) 

 ____________ him. 

9) Marcella (hope) _______ _______ to buy a yacht; instead she (buy) __________a 

 small fishing boat. 

10) Nick (water) _______ _______ the plants in the garden when a groundhog 

You may also make a list of any words that are new for you.

And the fairy tale, don´t forget the fairy tale¡

Yesterday  we started the class reviewing "be used to" and "get used to"by answering some questions. Then students had to tell a story they had read and a classmate had to retell it.

 Later we were listening to a recording of some news: some new words and expressions we should remember from it are: get in touch, shelter, trapped, break in the system, rescue, ordinary clothes (or something else)

Enjoy your free time.

Before I forget, this is the link to the the recording we listened to in our class. Listening

We started the lesson practicing dates. Students said the dates of their relatives´ birthdays.

Students read their homework: things they are used to or are getting used to, etc.
Students practiced the expressions be used to and get used to. When they are followed by an action, it has to be in the ing form of the verb.

We were listening to the recording af an interview to somebody who has moved back to the USA.after living in Spain for a long time. Students said what they had understood.

For homework remember to write three true and three false sentences about yourself using these adjectives: terrified, fascinated, excited, disappointed, fond, sick.

If you have the chance to listen to the recording again, please answer these questions.

How long was the person interviewed living in Spain?

What kind of things does he mention when he talks about things he found much cheaper in the States?

That´s for now. I´´ll think of more questions.

Yesterday must have been a good day to stay at home because several  students were missing. There was only one at the beginning of the lesson so we were doing some conversation.  We practiced  a very importan question: What´s your child like? It is a good accassion to remind everybody of how useful this construction is: What  is/are + subject + like? Like in this case is a preposition and not a verb. We use this construction to ask for descriptions.

Later on students were practicing be used to and get used to: when they are followed by an action, then it has to be in the ing form of the verb. Students found thi exercise a little difficult so I told them they could repeat it as homework and that way they would have more time to think about it. Missing students can also work on it.

This is the exercise: write something that you...

are used to doing during the week
don´t think you´ll ever get used to
will have to get used to in the future
would find it impossible to get used to
were´t used to do it at one time, but you are now
are getting used to at the  moment.

Also students are supposed to write 2 sentences with each one of this adjectives: aware, fond, disappointed and shocked. I think. Remember to use the right prepositions.

Also, the difference between being used to and getting used to. Before you are used to something, you must get used to it.The verb get in this case is similar to become and it has a connotation of process, of passing from one state to another.

We started the lesson naming things we do every day, i.e. I check my email everyday orI wash my hands every day.

Students read homework:  life habits they have changed in the last five years.

We studied some adjectives and the prepositions they are used with:

Terrified of  or by

Fascinated by or with

Excited about, by or at

Satisfied with or by

Shocked by or at

Disappointed in, by or with

impressed by, with or at

aware of 

famous for 

fond of 

sure about or of

sick of

We also studied: be used to as in  I´m not used to getting up so early. Remember we always use the verb in its ing form after used to.

The difference between being used to and getting used to is that the latter means the process between not being used to something and being used to something. But that is the meaning of get.

Students read aloud  Letter from abroad and questions about it were asked. They learned words and expressions like rush hour, pedestrian, cop, adjust.

Homework

5 questions about the text we read in the lesson.

Things you have had to get used when you have started something new in your life, like going to university or starting to work.

Things you would find really difficult to get used to if you moved to another country.

We started our class with a drill. Students had to say that they believed or that they didn´t believe a given statement and repeat the sentence they had just heard making the necessary adjustments.

We reviewed verb tenses used for present and past habits. Students read their homework exercises.

Reminder: when talking about past habits we don´t usually  use the form would + infinitive with state verbs. Same thing applies to the form will + infinitive when we are talking about present habits, it sis not used with state verbs.

Since Halloween is next Thursday and students fel like doing something fun we answered a questionnaire to find out who was a real witch. Students learned a few words, like warts, toads, lizards, broom, graveyard.

Frequency adverbs we studied: rarely, seldom, frequently, occasionally, every now and again, most of the time, every so often, more often than not, once in a while.  

Homework:
Write sentences camparing the way you used to live 5 or 10 years ago with the way you live now. Consider points like:

sleeping habits, free time activities, time with friends and family, sport and exercise, work or study, taste in music/films/TV programmes, places you have lived, annoying habits.

Our lesson today:

For warming up students practiced the question How do you make a living? 

The topic today was eating habits. We listened to Cassy and Ted talk about their current eating habits, and also about the way they have changed the way they eat or  not since they were children or teenagers. Their attitudes were quite different.
We talked about food in general and  nutrients in different foods. 
Students answered questions about the listening.

Words and expressions that were learned : low fat diet, high fat diet, change one´s mind, label, jar, jam,

Grammar 

A different way of using the Present Continuous tense: we use it together with "always" to talk about present habits and repeated actions that annoy us or happen too often.

We use the Future Simple tense or will + infinitive to talk about repeated or typical behaviour. 

Talking about past habits: used to + infinitive  and would + infinitive.

Homework

Exercises 4 & 5 page 17 Face to Face.

The Top 10 Healthy Foods Check this link.

In our lesson today we started by saying something we had done on the weekend. Another student had to reply with and echo question and make a follow up question or comment. Example: I was having dinner with some relatives. Were you? And how was it?

We continued talking about jobs, said what they are about and compared them. The summer jobs mentioned were: baby-sitter, dance instructor, hiking trail guide, museum assistant, chef´s assistant, park ranger, dog walker, and telephone operator.

Read the text Strategies for Keeping your Job and answered some comprehension questions.

Homework:
Write 4 sentences including the expression to be likely.

And for writing: choose an unusual job you would like to do. Make a list of the disadvantages and disadvantages of th ejob. Then write 2 paragraphs about it. In the 1st one describe the advantages, in the 2nd one the disadvantages.

Example:
Working as a Tv journalist would be a fascinating job. You would get to travel all over the world to cover improtant events. In addition, you would meet many famous people, and ...
On the other hand, being a TV journalist could be difficult. You could be in dangerous situations. For example,....

Our lesson today.

We continue working on the career topic. After the warming up, which we did repeating Monday´s questions: What does a mechanic do?, what does a dentist do? and answering them with simple questions in the Pr. Simple.
Students read homework.
We practised a dialogue. Students read it and then practiced it without looking at the text.

Grammar: gerund phrases as subjects and objects; Being, doing and working before different professions and activities.
Comparisons: better paid, worse paid, as much as, as adjective as.

Homework
Choosing 4 different jobs or careers, comparing 3 things: hours, pay and other qualities of that particular job.

Here is the link I mentioned in our class. You can check some of the classified ads in the Accounting & Finance or Legal/Paralegal sections. Choose a couple of them and answer the following questions:

1. What does the advertising company do?

2. What responsabilities does the position involve?

3 What requirements must candidates meet?

See you on Wednesday.

Today we talked about professions and careers.

We were practicing simple questions like: What does a mechanic do? A mechanic fixes cars.

We learned some new adjectives to describe work or jobs or activities related to a job: challenging, rewarding, nerve-racking, fascinating, exciting, awful.
We were using gerund phrases as subjects or objects in a sentence, i.e. working on a movie set must be very challenging.

We read a dialogue which we´ll practice next day.
Since we were talking about jobs we are considering and don´t actually have we used the forms: would be, could be, must be.

Expressions to remember from our first lesson:

so far
that´s it
What does he/she look like?
It has advantages over
Nearly or almost