ivan The Greatest

Do you want to know if you are good at English...

2012-01-09T22:17:00.000+01:00

Just go to the link, follow the instructions and depending on how you feel like after it or just looking yourself at the mirror and see how you react will give you an idea of your level of English.

Come on!
http://www.thepoke.co.uk/2011/12/23/english-pronunciation/

Say vs. Tell. What difference do they make?

2012-01-09T08:15:00.003+01:00

As I always like to tell you the difference between or among confusing words, today I'm going to introduce you the difference between "say vs. tell". Actually, I'll just find it, AS ALWAYS, interesting the way @FluencyMC does it so I'm going to paste here one of his brilliant lessons on youtube.

Enjoy it!

UNDER CONSTRUCTION DUE TO LINKING PROBLEMS! Sorry for that!

In any case, until I'll be able to solve it, check the link below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_sPIimk87E

Basics (9): Degrees of the Adjective: Comparative and Superlative forms.

2012-01-08T16:58:00.000+01:00

I thought of writing myself the explanation on the Degrees of the Adjectives (Comparative and Superlative forms), but I came across on the net with such a fantastic web page which tells you how it works exactly as I would have told you. So please, visit the web page and read it.

I also really recommend you to do the activities there are at the end of the explanations.

Source: http://www.eflnet.com/tutorials/adjcompsup.php

Enjoy it!

"As vs. Like vs. Such as vs. As if". The difference you want to know.

2011-12-24T13:01:00.000+01:00

Let's start with 'AS vs. LIKE'.
We can use both to say things are similar.

1. LIKE (similarity)
Like can be a preposition.
1.1 Use of LIKE.
We use Like, not As, before a noun or pronoun to talk about similarity.
Then: like + noun / pronoun / noun phrase
Examples:
· My sister looks like me. But we cannot say 'My sister looks as me.'
· Like their parents, they are vegetarians.
We can use very, quite and other adverbs of degree before like.
· He's very like his father.
We can use like to give examples:
· In small towns like York...

2. AS (similarity)
As is a conjunction.
2.1 Use of AS.
We use As before a clause (subordinate element), and before an expression beginning with a preopistion.
Then: as + clause or as + prepositional phrase
Examples:
· Nobody knows her as I do.
· On Thursdays, as on Tuesdays, the session is at 8:30.

3. Informal use of LIKE
In nowadays English, some people in informal speech tend to use LIKE as a conjunction instead of AS.
· Nobody loves you like I do. (informal) / · Nobody loves you as I do. (standard)

4. Function or role
As is used to say what function or role a person or thing has. In this case, as is a preposition used before a noun.
· He worked as a waiter for two years.
· People don't tend to use a knife as a screwdriver.
· A crocodile starts life as an egg.

Like is used to express what function or role a person or a things is similar to or has similar features or attitudes. Compare the meanings:
· As your brother, I must warn you to be careful. (In this case 'as your brother' means 'I am your brother'.)
· Like your brother, I must warn you to be careful. (In this case 'like your brother' means 'I am not your brother, but he and I have similar attitudes.)

5. AS IF
As if, as well as as though, is used to say what a situation seems like. It (/they) refers to something we think may be true.
· It looks as if/though it's going to rain.
· It sounds as if/though John's going to change his job.
It/they can also be used to talk about things which we know are not true.
· I feel as if/though I'm dying.
· She was acting as if/though she was in charge.

5.1 Like meaning 'as if/though'
Like is often used in the same way as 'as if/though', especially in an informal style. It mainly happens in US English, although it can also appear in Br.E due to the influence of mass media.
· It seems like it's gonna rain.
· He sat there smiling like it was his birthday.

6. SUCH AS
Such as is mainly used to introduce examples, as like can also be used to.
· The doctor told me not to eat fatty foods such as / like bacon or hamburgers.

Source: Swan, Michael. Practical English Usage. 2005. Oxford. OUP. 2009

Shrinking and Linking: Stress and Word Order in the English Language.

2011-12-07T18:23:00.001+01:00

Source: ColloLearn youtube channel.

Say, Tell, Explain and Speak. Problems?

2011-12-07T18:06:00.001+01:00

I found myself in such a situation where students don't know what the right verb to use is.
Thinking about it, and doing some research I come up with this explanation.

We use "say" basically to produce a certain message not address to any specific person unless we use the preposition "to" + the listener. E.g.: He says he likes her whispers.
We use "tell" to address a message to a specific listener/s. E.g.: She told us she used to be a diva.
We use "explain" to communicate a specific message to a certain person or persons. E.g.: The teacher explained why we use "do" in English as an auxiliary for the Present Simple.
We use "speak" to refer to languages, or when we use it as a synonym of "tell" as direct message. E.g. (1) They speak several languages. (2) I'm speaking to them, not to you.

NOTICE: "Tell" is the only verb of these four which doesn't use the preposition "TO" before the Object.

Source: http://www.grammar-cat.com/practice/verbs/say_tell_explain_speak.htm

Housework Vocabulary

2011-11-28T21:51:00.001+01:00

Broom --> To Sweep

Mop --> To Wash (the floor)

Examples:
Take that mop a wash all the swept floor. If the floor is not swept, use the broom first to sweep it.

Dustpan

Floor Washing Bucket

When a cold knocks on your door...

2011-11-28T21:39:00.001+01:00

... snots or bogeys running out of your nose. Hence, you might well have a runny nose or a snotty nose.

I was about to add some pictures, but I thought they may be a bit disgusting. So I let you do some research on the topic.

Enjoy it!

List of verbs and prepositions that commonly appear together.

2011-11-28T05:04:00.001+01:00

I came across with such a list which may help you out. Please, take a look at it and hope you find it useful.

Enjoy it!

http://www.falibo.com/video/1274/Verb-and-Preposition-Collocations

Source: www.falibo.com through Fluency MC.

Basics (8): Will vs. Going to

2011-11-24T07:13:00.001+01:00

Do you have problems when deciding which one to use. Have a look at this video and I hope you have no doubts. Enjoy it!

"Presenting Perfectly" by Fluency MC.

2011-11-15T07:05:00.001+01:00

In this video you'll see how to use the Present Perfect, basically, in all its forms. Hope you enjoy it and thanks to Fluency MC for that... again!

Specially vs. Especially

2011-10-03T09:26:00.000+02:00

Today's grammar entry: 'Specially vs. Especially'.
http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=1789

The world is not ready for a non-stop growing economy.

2011-08-29T12:57:00.001+02:00

This is an entry to show who world shouldn't be but how it is.

Make sure you see all the videos to get the whole idea.

Rap is in the air. Use it to learn English!

2011-08-29T12:52:00.000+02:00

You know every now and then I use music as a tool to teach English. For me it's a basic tool. Well, for some teacher is even more basic. That is the case of "Fluency MC". Check his songs on youtube, and his space on facebook.

At least, you'll learn some irregular verbs for sure!

Enjoy it!

https://www.facebook.com/FluencyMC

Catalan and Spanish useful dictionaries.

2011-08-29T12:36:00.001+02:00

There are some dictionaries who aren't online, but they are the most useful ones in the world precisely if you're Catalan or Spanish speaker. As culture has no limits, please, feel free to go to any of your bookshops and have a look at them. I recommend them as one of the most useful tools you should have on your desks.

Els verbs conjugats. Joan Baptista Xuriguera.
Los verbos castellanos conjugados. Joan Baptista Xuriguera.

Modal Auxiliary Verbs (2)

2011-04-12T19:52:00.000+02:00

Checking a doubt on a modal auxiliary form I've found out on the net this great document.

Document on Modal Auxiliary Verbs.

Make use of it and enjoy it!

'd rather vs. 'd better

2011-04-12T11:34:00.000+02:00

The difference is "would rather" against "had better".

Check the following link for a better explanation.

BBC World Wide link.

Basics (7): Passive Voice. How to do it.

2011-03-20T18:33:00.000+01:00

In this post I don't mean to tell you the difference between the Passive Voice and the Active Voice. I don't even mean to tell you how the Passive Voice works but I just mean to tell you how to do the Passive Voice Verb Tenses structures so you don't make a mess of all of it.

As I've learnt to do it, you must do some sort of addition. No, I'm not going to do mathematics but I'm going to apply some of the knowledge of it to help you out.

Well then, let's do it!

Grid with some Verb Tenses in the Passive Voice.

Basics (6): Irregular Verbs Grouping.

2011-03-20T16:56:00.000+01:00

Check the web page I'm linking below so you can have an idea of how to group the IRREGULAR VERBS to make easier studying them.

Hope you enjoy it!

English-Zone (Irregular Verbs Grouping)

Basics (5): Connectors.

2011-03-20T16:38:00.000+01:00

Here's an image of my own materials collected while I was studying either at secondary school or at university.

In this case, the files on this post are on Connectors. Use them when WRITING and SPEAKING.

Hope you enjoy it!

Basics (4): Some Notes on Adjective Degrees (Comparative and Superlative)

2011-03-20T15:45:00.000+01:00

Here's an image of my own materials collected while I was studying either at secondary school or at university.

In this case, the file I leave you here some notes on the degrees of the Adjective. The Comparative and the Superlative.

Hope you enjoy it!

Basics (3): Adjective Order before Nouns.

2011-03-20T15:42:00.000+01:00

Here's an image of my own materials collected while I was studying either at secondary school or at university.

In this case, the file I leave you here is a summary on Adjective Order before Nouns.

Hope you enjoy it!

Basics (2): Modal Auxiliary Verbs Summary.

2011-03-20T15:40:00.001+01:00

Here's an image of my own materials collected while I was studying either at secondary school or at university.

In this case, the file I leave you here is a very short summary on Modal Auxiliary Verbs.

Hope you enjoy it!

Basics (1): Verb Tenses.

2011-03-20T15:30:00.000+01:00

Here's an image of my own materials collected while I was studying either at secondary school or at university.

In this case, the file I leave you here is a very short summary about Verb Tenses.

Hope you enjoy it!

Let's write a song.

2011-02-14T07:08:00.000+01:00

Using this two videos, one with lyrics and the other one with no lyrics, we're going to try and make our own song.

Let's work in pairs or in groups of three. Use a dictionary if you need it. Try to use monosyllables. The more words with more than one syllable the less mark you will have. Sometimes you won't be able to avoid them. No worries, use them.

The video with lyrics and voice included:

The video without lyrics or voice:

Hope you enjoy the activity.

Vocabulary about hair style.

2010-09-18T22:33:00.000+02:00

Enlargements: extensions.
Dreadlocks: rastes.
Beaded: Cabells amb boletes de colors.
Plait (Brit.E.) / Braid (A.E.): Trena
Tuft: ble de cabell.
Highlights / Streaks: metxes (cabell decolorat)
Fringe: serrell.

Some summer extra knowledge.

2010-07-09T13:16:00.003+02:00

The Making of the Union Jack. (The flag of the UK)

- Click on the flag, please!-

Comments. How to do it.

2010-04-15T19:04:00.000+02:00

When you start commenting, please take into account the following ways of doing it:
1. Agreeing: If you want to agree or disagree. Start you comment with: I agree... or I don't agree... then say why you agree or why you disagree.
2. Adding: You can also give extra information on your classmate's post. When you start your comment, use: also, apart from that, I also can say that...
3. Like or dislike: If there is a post where you can give another point of view or if you want to say something on your classmate's post, comment on it using: I also like it because... or I don't like it because...

Well, if you really know what you want to say, do it on your own way.

IMPORTANT: Comments must be, at least, 2 lines long for 1st ESO. At least, 5 lines long for 3rd ESO. And more than 6 lines long for 4th ESO.

Enjoy it!

Shopping Dialogue Help

2009-05-04T17:12:00.000+02:00

Hello kids,
The 'Shopping Dialogue' activity consists of:
1- Write a dialogue between 2 people. Use this vocabulary. (link)
2- Bring the dialogue to the next A hour class, so I can correct them and give them back to you on Friday.
3- Do a recording with a videocamara.
4- Next B Hour class, we'll watch the videos.

Hope you enjoy this activity.

Famous handicapped people.

2009-01-23T08:50:00.000+01:00

These are other options apart from the typical ones for you to work on them.
Robert M. Hensel
Helen Keller
Beethoven
Rick Hansen
Terry Fox
Richard Pryor
Theodore Roosevelt
Stephen Hawkings
Christopher Reeves
Marlee Matlin
Heather Mills
Aaron Neville
Muhammad Ali
Michael J. Fox
Lou Ferrigano
Zsa Zsa Gabor

I recommend you to have a look at Mohammad Ali. He's been a very active civil right movement activist apart from having a life full of great quotes and of being a very famous boxer.
Mohammad Ali on the Wikipedia

Rhyming Words Exercise

2008-04-22T15:14:00.000+02:00

Here you have a link to a virtual rhyming words programme. Hope you enjoy it!

Adjectives Order in a Noun Phrase

2008-04-20T09:35:00.000+02:00

Well, then. After confusing yourselves thousands of times in class, I've decided to leave you here the some web pages with the right order of adjectives in a noun phrase plus some activities for you to practise them. Hope you enjoy!
Link1
Link2

Perfect Modals

2008-04-20T09:19:00.001+02:00

There you go! This is the grid I showed you last Friday. Hope you enjoy it!
Link

Just in case you'd like to practise the Perfect Modals, you can find some extra exercises in the following links:
Link 1
Link 2

Activity Resources 01

2008-04-15T15:19:00.000+02:00

Here we have some activities for you to learn a bit more enjoying it at the same time.
Web link
Hope you enjoy it!

Let me introduce myself!

2008-04-04T16:19:00.000+02:00

Hello!
This is ivan.
I've created that blog to help you out with any possible doubts you have.
Please, do a proper use of it.
Thank you!