Exam practice - Official Language School in Vigo

Hi everyone!

Here I leave you with a link to the Official Language School in Vigo. There you can download the exams corresponding to levels Basic (A2), Intermediate (B1) and Advanced (B2).

Certification exams EOI Vigo

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Exam Practice - Official Language School in Murcia

Hi there!

Today I post a link to the Official Language School in Murcia. There you can download the exams corresponding to levels Basic (A2), Intermediate (B1) and Advanced Level 2 (B2).

Way to go!! :)

Certification exams EOI Murcia

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Exam Practice - Official Language Schools in Aragón

Hi again!

Today I post a link to the Official Language Schools in Aragón. There you can download the exams corresponding to levels Basic (A2) and Intermediate (B1).

I hope you do well!

Certification exams EOI Aragón

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Exam Practice - Official Language Schools in the Basque Country

Hello again!!

Here I leave you with the link to the Official Language Schools in the Basque Country. There you can download the exams corresponding to levels Basic (A2), Intermediate (B1) and Advanced Level 2 (B2).

Good luck!

Certification exams EOI Basque Country

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Exam practice - Official Language Schools in Madrid

Hi again!

Today I post a link to the Official Language Schools in Madrid. There you can download the exams corresponding to levels Basic (A2), Intermediate (B1) and Advanced Level 2 (B2).

I wish you the best of luck!

Certification exams EOI Madrid

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Videos with useful phrases according to your level!

Hi there!

Today I wanted to share with you a very useful section within the Inside Out website. It contains videos with useful phrases categorised into different levels: pre-intermediate, intermediate and upper-intermediate.

Here you  have the first video of the series. Scroll down and continue watching more videos which correspond to your level. I'm sure you can all understand a lot!

I also take advantage of this entry to recommend you another incredibly useful website to do listening at home (audio this time, not video, I'm afraid). It is listed in the resources I recommend for listening (make sure you check that section! --> resources online > skills > listening).

The website is www.esl-lab.com, and all the listenings are divided into different levels. You can choose the type of activity you want (open questions; multiple-choice questions or filling the gaps), and you have the transcription as well. Very useful!! :)

I hope you start using these websites!

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The present perfect and typically related words (ever, never; for, since; just, yet, already)

Hi everyone!

Today we're going to focus on the present perfect tense and, more specifically, several words that are typically associated with it -although in future years you will see that they can be used in other tenses as well!

First of all, let us very quickly revise when we use the present perfect, especially in contrast with the past simple:

To cut a long story short (en resumidas cuentas), use the present perfect:

• For life experiences (they are finished, they happened in the past, but I don't know when)

It is in this context that we typically use ever and never:

Have you ever swum with dolphins?; Have you ever tried bungee-jumping? 

I've never eaten Viatnamese food.

If you want to practise a little bit, complete this information about Loch Ness.

• For actions that started in the past and still continue now.

It is in this context that we typically use the words for and since.

If you would like to have more information about for and since, click for a detailed explanation with plenty of examples that you can also listen to. If what you need is practice, click below:

• Brief explanation + multiple choice: for or since?
• For and since quiz
• For or since with cultural information
• More practice!

Finally, there are three other words that are normally used in the present perfect: just, already and yet. Read the information below to understand their meaning and their position in the sentence.

• We use just for something that has very recently happened (acabar de). We place it in the middle of the sentence, between have and the participle:

I've just learnt how to use for and since.

I've just been to the supermarket.

• We use already in affirmative sentences to mean 'sooner than expected'. We generally place it between have and the participle, but it can also appear at the end of the sentence:

I've already finished reading Dracula / I've finished reading Dracula already.

I've already been to London three times / I've been to London three times already.

• We use yet in negative and interrogative sentences. We place it at the end of the sentence:

I haven't started Sherlock Holmes yet.

Have you been to England yet?

• BUT remember: we can also use already in questions when we expect a positive answer

Have you already started revising for the exam?

And now comes the practice!

• Just, already and yet in context
• Just, yet and already: position in the sentence
• Choose the most suitable word: just, already or yet?

To finish today's entry, here you have two websites to practise some of the grammar we have seen already :)

• Revise the present simple and continuous.
• Revise the past simple and continuous.

Remember that revising is even more important than studying something for the first time! :)

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When do I use capital letters?

The rules for using capital letters are different between languages, so here you have the rules for English!

Would you like to practise a little bit? Try this exercise on capital letters. If you want something a bit more difficult, try this exercise to revise the rules for capitalization!

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Exam Practice A2 level (I)

Hi!

The exams are coming closer and I wanted to give you some exam practice to get ready!

These exams are all taken from the Key English Test from Cambridge, which roughly corresponds to a level A2:

READING

• Reading Part 1: signs and short texts
• Reading Part 2: gapped sentences
• Reading Part 3:multiple choice questions
• Reading Part 4: long text with multiple choice questions
• Reading Part 5: text with multiple choice gaps

LISTENING

• Listening Part 1: pictures with multiple choice questions
• Listening Part 2: longer recording and matching
• Listening Part 3: multiple choice
• Listening Part 4: fill in a form
• Listening Part 5: fill in a form

Good luck! :)

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Improve your conversations in English!

Hi everyone!

Today we're going to focus on speaking and, more specifically, on interaction!

As you know, a language is, above all, a vehicle to communicate with other people. That means that we need to know phrases to express our opinion and ask for theirs, agree or disagree with what they say, ask them to repeat, show interest, etc.

Knowing how to interact is an essential part of our speaking skills in a foreign language. Responding to what other people say and being able to engage them in conversation is of paramount importance. However, explicit training on this issue is sometimes overlooked (pasado por alto) in our language classrooms...

For this reason I have done a compilation of useful phrases that you can use at different levels. Start using them in your conversations in class and you'll see how little by little your communication becomes a lot more natural and fluent!

If you find this useful, please feel to share on your social networks!

Basic Levels 1 and 2

Interactive Language - Basic Level

Intermediate Level

Interactive Language - Intermediate Level

Advanced Levels 1 and 2

Interactive Language - Advanced Level by AnaBueno_LearnEnglish

C1

Interactive Language - C1 by AnaBueno_LearnEnglish

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History of Halloween; pumpkin carving

Hello everyone!

Today is Halloween and I want all of you to be ready! :) To start with, do you know where the tradition comes from? Here you have a powerpoint presentation with the history of this festivity!

History of Halloween

On the presentation they also talk of the jack-o'-lantern! Originally, it was made of turnip, but now it is made with pumpkins! Have you ever tried pumpkin carving? It's not difficult! All you need is a pumpkin, a knife, a big spoon and a pen!

Watch the video below to see how to do it!

Basically, all you need to do is:

1) Remove the top of the pumpkin with the knife. 

2) Take out all the seeds with a spoon. 

3) Then draw a face on the pumpkin and cut it with a knife!

4) Finally, put a candle inside!

Click for some pumpkin carving ideas!!

So... are you going to make a pumpkin this year?? :)

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Job or work?

Hi everyone,

When we talk about jobs and professions you always have the same doubt... is it job or work??

Well, I hope this explanation helps you!

In BBC Learning English there is a section called "Ask about English". There an Italian student called Giuliana asks the same question: what's the difference between work and job? Click to listen to Gareth Rees answer; you have the transcription at the bottom of the page!

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Comparatives and superlatives

Hello everyone!

Today I write about comparatives and superlatives!

Here I leave you with a powerpoint presentation with the basics of how you form comparatives and superlatives in English. I hope you find it useful!

Comparatives and superlatives from Ana Bueno Amaro

How do we choose between adjective + -er/-est or more/the most? It depends on the number of syllables!

• Suffix -er/-est: for 1 syllable adjectives, and 2 syllable adjectives that end in -y (for example, happy, easy).

• More / the most: for the rest of adjectives.

Here you have a few examples of the different types of comparatives:

+

-

=

If you need to revise a little bit, here you have an explanation in Spanish. Finally, to practise a little bit, do this exercise on comparatives and superlatives (you can select 4 levels of difficulty). And here you have a text about London and another one about Los Angeles, with a grammar exercise at the end.

Enjoy!

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"Near" or "nearby"...?

Hi there!

Today I'm going to talk about the difference between the words near and nearby. Their meaning is very similar; the difference is how they are used in the sentence.

NEAR can be a preposition or an adverb. As a preposition, it is followed by a complement:

I live near the museum; There is a supermarket near here.

As an adverb, near appears at the end of the sentence:

The next bus stop is quite near.

She's getting nervous because her wedding is very near!

NEARBY, on the contrary, is an adjective, and it can appear before and after a noun.

There is a nearby church.

The nearby town is famous for its wine.

There is a park nearby.

Nearby can also appear "alone", but it is still an adjective: the shop is nearby/very expensive. Or an adverb! I live nearby (= I live near here)

Finally, here I post a video of a teacher explaining all this (remember that you can activate the subtitles!):

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Love at first sight!

Hello!

I hope you're having a nice day! :) Today we're going to talk about love and relationships! Do you know any expressions? Below you have many! (Remember that "sb" means someone/somebody).

Read the expressions and check a dictionary (for example, www.wordreference.com) if there is any word you don't know. Be very careful with the pronunciation of engaged; listen to it in the dictionary and repeat :)

Now, imagine a "normal" relationship. In what order would things happen?

I would suggest something like this...!

You meet someone for the first time. It was love at first sight! Then you go on a date. You like each other a lot and so you start going out together. After some time, you fall in love, but then you can have arguments and you finally break up... :( However, you get back together again, and you get engaged! You get married and you are happy ever after!

Is your story similar to mine? Please, share it with us in a comment below! :)

Finally, here you have a listening about a girl going on her first date. Click here www.esl-lab.com and listen to it twice; try to answer the questions and then check the transcription. You also have the explanation of some new vocabulary!

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Vocabulary "in town"; giving directions

Good afternoon!

Last week we talked about monuments and we learnt some vocabulary related with places in a town. Here you have some of them:

Then we worked with a map and we learnt how to give directions.

Can you remember other expressions? Revise them and their pronunciation with this exercise about giving directions. I'm sure you'll like it!

Then do your own dialogue here!

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Negative prefixes; why men & women can't be friends

Hi everyone,

On Wednesday we worked with negative prefixes (prefixes to form opposite words). These prefixes can be a bit difficult because there is no rule that tells us which prefix we have to use. For example, is it inexpensive or inexpensive?

That means that we have to learn them by heart...!

Here you have the most common negative prefixes, with some examples:

Dis- 

Un-

In-

Il- (always used with words that begin with <l>)

Im- (always used with words that begin with <p>)

Ir- (always used with words that begin with <r>)

You can revise this a little bit more on this link from BBC World Service. If what you want is practise, here you have a matching exercise and a multiple choice exercise. (Note that the adjective "satisfied" can have to opposites: "unsatisfied" and "dissatisfied").

Now, changing topic...! The day we saw negative prefixes in class we also discussed some issues about family and friends, and someone asked if you believed that boys and girls could be friends, and just friends.

Well, I've found a video recorded at Utah State University about this topic ("Why men and women cannot be friends"). It's in English with subtitles in Spanish, so check it out! I'm sure you'll find it very funny :)

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Some pronunciation practice

Hi again!

Do you remember that at the end of unit 1 we saw the differences between the sounds /æ/ and /a:/? Well, here you have two videos to revise those sounds, and practise with some words!

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Work conditions; must / have to / don't have to / mustn't

Hi everyone!

How was your weekend? I hope you enjoyed it, although the weather wasn't too good!

In this entry I post a summary of what we did last week, and also some extra material you might find interesting.

On Monday we did a little bit of revision and we also started Unit 3 talking about jobs. We did an activity where you had to write a job for every letter of the alphabet. Some letters were a bit difficult, but you almost (casi) completed all the alphabet! :) We also learnt some expressions such as flexible working hours, opportunities for promotion, sick pay, holiday pay, etc. Make sure you learn them!

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Past simple & past continuous; Halloween

Hello everyone,

In the previous entry I posted some information to revise Unit 1. Here I do the same with Unit 2!

In this unit we have talked about fast food, first meetings, love and relationships, stories and how to start and finish a conversation!

About grammar, we revised how to form the past simple and the past continuous, and when we use them. Be very careful with the pronunciation of the -ed past. The rule "PoKaSH FiCHaS Te Doy" can help!

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