Greta Thunberg's speech at the UN

Differences between Christmas in Britain and in the USA

Earth Day Doodle

Watch this video (without or with subtitles) and try to answer the following questions:

SOME QUESTIONS:

• Can you say something about Jane Goodall's childhood?
• How did Jane feel one day at Gombe National Park?
• What is her message to all of us?

Vancouver Riots

READ ABOUT IT:

• The Globe and Mail
• Vancouver Sun

WATCH THIS VIDEO:

 


Now it's your turn to try and explain what happened.

Environment

SOME QUESTIONS:

• Do you think this idea is feasible? Why?
• What will the most important problems be?
• Can you think of any other good ideas to keep our environment cleaner?

Reported Speech

GENERAL RULES FOR REPORTED SPEECH

• Tenses change from present to past (if we are talking about what somebody said in the past):
  • “I am 15.” ⇨ He said he was 15.
  • “We have a problem.”⇨ They said they had a problem.
  • “I can swim.” ⇨ She said that she could swim.
  • “She comes by bus.” ⇨ He said that she came by bus.
  • “Your sister doesn’t like pizza.” ⇨ She said that my sister didn’t like pizza.
  • “You are looking through the window.” ⇨ He said that I was looking through the window.
  • “They will probably fail.” ⇨ She said that they would probably fail.
  • “My mother saw a mouse.” ⇨ She said that her mother had seen a mouse.
• Personal pronouns change (if somebody is telling
  what somebody else has said before):
  
  • “I am 15.” ⇨ He said he was 15.
  • “My mother saw a mouse.” ⇨ She said that her mother had seen a mouse.
  • “We saw you at the cinema.” ⇨ They said that they had seen me at the cinema.
• Place and time complements have to be adapted to the new context:
• He came here.” ⇨ They said that he had gone there. 
• “It’s raining today” ⇨ Jake said that it was raining then / yesterday.
• “I saw you last week.” ⇨ She said that she had seen me the week before.

STATEMENTS

• Tell and say are common reporting verbs. (Tell is used before an indirect object.):
• She said that she liked pizza.
• My mother told me to go with her.
• Everyone said that the lesson was very difficult.
• He told his friends about my illness.

• Other verbs can be used: know, promise, insist, warn...
• That can be omitted after say:
• She said that she liked pizza. ⇨She said she liked pizza.
• They knew that he liked her. ⇨They knew she liked her.

QUESTIONS

• Typical reporting verbs are: ask, wonder, want to know.
• He wanted to know the opening times of the museum.
• She wondered how old my mother was.
• Subject always comes before the verb:
• She asked me how old I was.
• If the question is answered with yes or no, if should be introduced before the indirect question:
• My sister asked if you wanted to come with us.
• I wondered if she was watching the programme on TV.
• If the questions cannot be answered with yes or no, and usually begins with how / when / what / where  / who / how old... you keep this element in the reported speech and don't add if:
• He asked me "What is your name? " ⇒ He asked me what my name was.
• My mother asked me: "What time did you arrive?" ⇒ My mother asked me what time I had arrived.
• Gina asked: "When will you come tomorrow?" ⇒ Gina asked when I would come / go the following day.

• We use ask / tell + object + (not) + to + infinitive to say what people want(ed) us to do:

• “Please, open the window.” ⇨ She asked us to open the window.

• “Tidy your room.” ⇨ My father told me to tidy my room.

• “Don’t smoke here.” ⇨ My aunt asked me not to smoke in her car.

ONLINE EXERCISES

HAVE OTHER TEACHERS HELP YOU UNDERSTAND REPORTED SPEECH

Reported Speech 4 ESO from IES - Junta de Andalucia

IS YOUR BOYFRIEND/GIRLFRIEND A SLOB?

EXERCISES:

statements

• Englisch Hilfen 1 - sentences
• Englisch Hilfen 2 - sentences
• Englisch Hilfen 3 - sentences
• Englisch Hilfen 4 - pronouns
• Englisch Hilfen 5 - time phrases
• My English pages - sentences
• British Council
• Ego4You - sentences
• Perfect English - sentences

questions

• Englisch Hilfen 1 - questions
• Englisch Hilfen 2 - questions
• Ego4Youe -  questions
• Ego4You - questions 2
• Perfect English - simple questions
• Perfect English - more difficult questions

imperatives

• Englisch Hilfen 1 - commands
• Englisch Hilfen 2 - commands

At the railway station

At the station from Ana Arias Castro

1st and 2nd type conditional sentences

1st and 2nd type conditional sentences

ZERO TYPE CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

MEANING& USE

The zero conditional is used to make statements about the real world, and often refers to general truths, such as scientific facts. In these sentences, the time is the present or always and the situation is real and possible.

• If you heat water, it boils.
• Water boils if you heat it.
• When you heat ice, it melts.
• Ice melts when you heat it.
• If it snows, the grass gets white.
• The grass gets white if it snows.
• When it rains, the grass gets wet.
• The grass gets wet when it rains.

FORM

We can make a zero conditional sentence with two present simple verbs (one in the 'if clause' and one in the 'main clause'):

If/when/unless + present simple, .... present simple.

EXERCISES

• Perfect English

1ST TYPE CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

MEANING & USE
The first conditional is also called the "real" conditional because it is used for real, or possible, situations. These situations take place if a certain condition is met.

In the first conditional we can salso use unless, which means "if... not". In other words, "... unless he hurries up" could also be written, "... if he doesn't hurry up."

1st type conditional sentence

• If it rains, we will stay at home.
• He will arrive late unless he hurries up.
• Sophie will buy a new car, if she gets her raise.

FORM
The first conditional is formed by the use of the present simple in the if clause followed by a comma and a future simple verb (will + infinitive) in the result clause. You can also put the result clause first without using a comma between the clauses.

• If he finishes on time, we will go to the movies.

OR

• We will go to the movies if he finishes on time.

EXERCISES

• exercise 1- Ego4you
• exercise 2- Ego4you
• exercise 3- Englisch Hilfen: statements
• exercise 4- Englisch Hilfen: negatives
• exercise 5- Englisch Hilfen: mixed
• exercise 6- Englisch Hilfen: mixed-two blanks
• exercise 7- ESL Partyland
• exercise 8- Isabel Pérez matching exercise
• exercise 9- English Exercises
• exercise 10- First English
• exercise 11- English Grammar
• exercise 12: Perfect English

This sheet contains a summary of first, second and third type conditional sentences.

2nd TYPE CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

MEANING

2nd type conditional sentence

The second conditional is used to talk about situations or actions in the present or future which are not likely to happen or are imaginary, hypothetical or impossible.

• If I were a rich woman, I would travel around the world. I think it is very unlikely that I will be rich. However, in this unlikely condition, I will travel around the world.
• If I weren't / wasn't watching TV now, I would be playing tennis. I am watching TV, but I am imagining an alternative activity I would be doing if I wasn't watching TV
• If you had a bigger dog, your house would be protected. You don't have a big dog, but I am imagining how protected you would be if you had one.
• If I were an alien, I would be able to travel around the universe. It is impossible for me to be an alien. However, I am imagining what I would do in this situation.
• We would go to Paris this summer if we passed all our subjects. That is our plan but, unfortunatelly,  we know we are not going to pass all our subjects.

FORM

If + past simple + conditional (would)

Conditional (would) + if + past simple

Verb be is usually were for all subjects; was (1st & 3rd person) is colloquial.

SONGS

If I were a rich man (Fiddler in the Roof-movie)

If today was your last day (Nickleback)

If I were a boy (Beyonce)

EXERCISES

- from Isabel Pérez

- Englisch-hilfen.de 1

- Englisch-hilfen.de 2

- Englisch-hilfen.de 3

- Englisch-hilfen.de 4

- Englisch-hilfen.de 5
- Perfect English Grammar

- Malted ESO-4 unit 7 (Gwineth and the Wizard)

FIRST AND SECOND TYPE CONDITIONALS

• Exercise 1: unit 5 in your text book
• Exercise 2: write the correct verb forms (1st & 2nd type conditionals)
• Exercise 3: Englisch Hilfen
• Exercise 4: Englisch Hilfen
• Exercise 5: Ego4you
• Exercise 6: Ego4you
• Exercise 7: Ego4you-with auxiliary verbs
• Exercise 8. First English
• Exercise 9: English for you
• Exercise 10: ESL lounge
• Exercise 11: Edu GE
• Exercise 12: Speak Speak
• Exercise 13: English exercises
• Exercise 14: English Area

Shopping for clothes

VIDEOS:

   

Shopping for clothes from Ana Arias Castro

Shopping for clothes 3-4 from Ana Arias Castro

Christmas Day in the First World War

SOME COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS:

• The soldiers sing a song. What song is it? What is the language(s) of the song?
• This video depicts a truce. What do you think this word means?
• This is a commercial (an advert for TV). Can you explain why, while it is a commercial for a supermarket (Sainsbury's) it does not speak about the products, offers or shops? 
• What did you like about this commercial?

Videos about conditional sentences

1st and 2nd type conditional sentences

All types (1st, 2nd and 3rd type)

Conditional sentences in English

ZERO TYPE CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

MEANING& USE

The zero conditional is used to make statements about the real world, and often refers to general truths, such as scientific facts. In these sentences, the time is the present or always and the situation is real and possible.

• If you heat water, it boils.
• Water boils if you heat it.
• When you heat ice, it melts.
• Ice melts when you heat it.
• If it snows, the grass gets white.
• The grass gets white if it snows.
• When it rains, the grass gets wet.
• The grass gets wet when it rains.

FORM

We can make a zero conditional sentence with two present simple verbs (one in the 'if clause' and one in the 'main clause'):

If/when/unless + present simple, .... present simple.

EXERCISES

• Perfect English

1ST TYPE CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

MEANING & USE
The first conditional is also called the "real" conditional because it is used for real, or possible, situations. These situations take place if a certain condition is met.

In the first conditional we can salso use unless, which means "if... not". In other words, "... unless he hurries up" could also be written, "... if he doesn't hurry up."

1st type conditional sentence

• If it rains, we will stay at home.
• He will arrive late unless he hurries up.
• Sophie will buy a new car, if she gets her raise.

FORM
The first conditional is formed by the use of the present simple in the if clause followed by a comma and a future simple verb (will + infinitive) in the result clause. You can also put the result clause first without using a comma between the clauses.

• If he finishes on time, we will go to the movies.

OR

• We will go to the movies if he finishes on time.

EXERCISES

• exercise 1- Ego4you
• exercise 2- Ego4you
• exercise 3- Englisch Hilfen: statements
• exercise 4- Englisch Hilfen: negatives
• exercise 5- Englisch Hilfen: mixed
• exercise 6- Englisch Hilfen: mixed-two blanks
• exercise 7- ESL Partyland
• exercise 8- Isabel Pérez matching exercise
• exercise 9- English Exercises
• exercise 10- First English
• exercise 11- English Grammar
• exercise 12: Perfect English

This sheet contains a summary of first, second and third type conditional sentences.

2nd TYPE CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

MEANING

2nd type conditional sentence

The second conditional is used to talk about situations or actions in the present or future which are not likely to happen or are imaginary, hypothetical or impossible.

• If I were a rich woman, I would travel around the world. I think it is very unlikely that I will be rich. However, in this unlikely condition, I will travel around the world.
• If I weren't / wasn't watching TV now, I would be playing tennis. I am watching TV, but I am imagining an alternative activity I would be doing if I wasn't watching TV
• If you had a bigger dog, your house would be protected. You don't have a big dog, but I am imagining how protected you would be if you had one.
• If I were an alien, I would be able to travel around the universe. It is impossible for me to be an alien. However, I am imagining what I would do in this situation.
• We would go to Paris this summer if we passed all our subjects. That is our plan but, unfortunatelly,  we know we are not going to pass all our subjects.

FORM

If + past simple + conditional (would)

Conditional (would) + if + past simple

Verb be is usually were for all subjects; was (1st & 3rd person) is colloquial.

SONGS

If I were a rich man (Fiddler in the Roof-movie)

If today was your last day (Nickleback)

If I were a boy (Beyonce)

EXERCISES

- from Isabel Pérez

- Englisch-hilfen.de 1

- Englisch-hilfen.de 2

- Englisch-hilfen.de 3

- Englisch-hilfen.de 4

- Englisch-hilfen.de 5
- Perfect English Grammar

- Malted ESO-4 unit 7 (Gwineth and the Wizard)

FIRST AND SECOND TYPE CONDITIONALS

• Exercise 1: unit 5 in your text book
• Exercise 2: write the correct verb forms (1st & 2nd type conditionals)
• Exercise 3: Englisch Hilfen
• Exercise 4: Englisch Hilfen
• Exercise 5: Ego4you
• Exercise 6: Ego4you
• Exercise 7: Ego4you-with auxiliary verbs
• Exercise 8. First English
• Exercise 9: English for you
• Exercise 10: ESL lounge
• Exercise 11: Edu GE
• Exercise 12: Speak Speak
• Exercise 13: English exercises
• Exercise 14: English Area

3RD TYPE CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

MEANING

The first conditional and second conditionals tell us about the future. With the third conditional we refer to the past. We speak about a condition in the past that did not happen. That is why there is no possibility for this condition. The third conditional is also like a dream, but with no possibility of the dream coming true.

• If I had travelled to Italy I would have visited Luca. But I have not travelled to Italy and, therefore, I have not visited Luca.
• If you had got a good mark, would you have complained to the teacher? but your mark was bad, so we don't know for sure what you would have done.
• What would you have done if it had snowed last weekend? but it didn't snow.
• I wouldn't have called if I had known that she wasn't home. but I knew so I called

FORM

If + past perfect  // would have + past participle

Past participle // if + past perfect

EXERCISES

• Englisch Hilfen: statements 1
• Englisch Hilfen: negatives 1
• Englisch Hilfen: mixed
• Englisch Hilfen: mixed with negations
• Englisch Hilfen: easy conditionals
• Englisch Hilfen: medium conditionals

SONGS:

ALL TYPES OF CONDITIONALS

• All types- Englisch Hilfen
• All types 2 - Englisch Hilfen
• All types - Speak Speak
• All types - Speak Speak 2
• All types - First English
• All types - E-grammar

Bac 1 conditional sentences from Ana Arias Castro

New Year's Day

The New Year is widely celebrated in countries that share our calendar and, thus, start the New Year on the 1st of January every year.

In English-speaking countries most people sing "Auld Lang Syne" as the new year begins. This poem was composed by Scottish poet Robert Burns and was made popular by Scottish immigrants in Canada.

In the USA probably the most famous tradition is the dropping of the New Year ball in Times Square, New York City, at 11:59 P.M. Thousands of people watch the ball make its one-minute descent, arriving exactly at midnight. The tradition first began in 1907. 

There are other common traditions all over the world:

New Year's Resolutions: It is believed that the Babylonians were the first to make New Year's resolutions, and people all over the world have been breaking them ever since. The early Christians believed the first day of the new year should be spent reflecting on past mistakes and resolving to improve oneself in the new year.

Fireworks: Noisemaking and fireworks on New Year's eve is believed to have originated in ancient times, when noise and fire were thought to dispel evil spirits and bring good luck. The Chinese are credited with inventing fireworks and use them to spectacular effect in their New Year's celebrations.

Read More:

• About traditions in many different countries
• Infoplease

Christmas stories

DIGITAL STORY OF THE NATIVITY

BAD CHRISTMAS PRESENTS

Ed Sheeran's "Perfect"

1. Listen to the song. What have you understood?
1. What type of song is it? Love? Absence? A poem?
2. Who loves who?
3. Have they been in love for a long time?
2. Some vocabulary before you listen a second time:
1. follow one's lead: follow someone
2. the someone: the person
3. to give up: to leave, to quit, to abandon
4. to own: to have
5. barefoot: with no shoes, with nothing on one's feet
6. to look a mess: to look horrible
7. to whisper: to speak in a low voice
8. underneath: under
9. to share: to have the same
10. of our own: our
11. against all odds: in spite of all likelihood against one; even if it didn't seem probable
12. to deserve: to be worthy of
13. to have faith in something: to believe something
3. Listen again and try to answer these questions:
1. What do we know about their past?
2. What do we know about their future?

LYRICS:

I found a love for me

Darling, just dive right in and follow my lead

Well, I found a girl, beautiful and sweet

Oh, I never knew you were the someone waiting for me

'Cause we were just kids when we fell in love

Not knowing what it was

I will not give you up this time

But darling, just kiss me slow

Your heart is all I own

And in your eyes you're holding mine

Baby, I'm dancing in the dark

With you between my arms

Barefoot on the grass

Listening to our favourite song

When you said you looked a mess

I whispered underneath my breath

But you heard it,

Darling, you look perfect tonight

Well, I found a woman, stronger than anyone I know

She shares my dreams, I hope that someday I'll share her home

I found a love to carry more than just my secrets

To carry love, to carry children of our own

We are still kids but we're so in love

Fighting against all odds

I know we'll be alright this time

Darling, just hold my hand

Be my girl, I'll be your man

I see my future in your eyes

Baby, I'm dancing in the dark

With you between my arms

Barefoot on the grass

Listening to our favourite song

When I saw you in that dress

Looking so beautiful

I don't deserve this

Darling, you look perfect tonight

Baby, I'm dancing in the dark

With you between my arms

Barefoot on the grass

Listening to our favourite song

I have faith in what I see

Now I know I have met an angel in person

And she looks perfect

I don't deserve this

You look perfect tonight

British and American money

Some vocabulary about money:

This presentation by Taylor shows the different coins and bills used in the USA:

Moneymaterials from Ana Arias Castro

And this other video and presentation will tell you about British money:

British currency from Ludivina

More about physical description

Irish ball sports explained

HURLING


CAMOGIE


GAELIC FOOTBALL

How to use idioms

Weather idioms