martes, 5 de enero de 2016

30th January

1. Review:

                  -Exercise: Correct the mistakes (http://www.esl-lounge.com/level1b/lev1berrcorr.php).
               
                  -Exercise: Choose the correct tense in its positive, negative or interrogative form (http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/present-simple-present-continuous-1.html).

                  -Exercise: Put the frecuency adverb in the correct place (http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=6422).

                  -Exercise: Decide whether the words belong to Cardinal or Ordinal numbers (http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/numbers/index.php).

2. Listening exercise: World of movies (http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/listening/1L1-world-of-movies.php).

3. Vocabulary exercise: Parts of the house & furniture (http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=20).

4. Object pronouns (http://www.inglestotal.com/object-pronouns-pronombres-de-objeto-en-ingles-lesson-12/).

5. Comparative and superlative structures (http://www.edufind.com/es/english-grammar/comparative-and-superlative/).

6. Exercises on comparative and superlative (http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=6009).

January 2nd, 2016

1.     Auxiliaries:  CAN/ CAN’T

Can is an auxiliary verb, a modal auxiliary verb. We use can to:

  1. Talk about possibility and ability:
We use can to talk about what is possible, what we are able or free to do:
  • She can drive a car.
  • John can speak Spanish.
  • cannot hear you. (I can't hear you.)
  • Can you hear me?
Normally, we use can for the present. But it is possible to use can when we make present decisions about future ability.
  1. Can you help me with my homework? (present)
  2. Sorry. I'm busy today. But I can help you tomorrow. (future)

  1. Make requests:
We often use can in a question to ask somebody to do something. This is not a real question - we do not really want to know if the person is able to do something, we want them to do it! The use of can in this way is informal (mainly between friends and family):
  • Can you make a cup of coffee, please.
  • Can you put the TV on.
  • Can you come here a minute.
  • Can you be quiet!

  1. Ask for or give permission:
We sometimes use can to ask or give permission for something:
  1. Can I smoke in this room?
  2. You can't smoke here, but you can smoke in the garden.
(Note that we also use could, may, might for permission. The use of can for permission is informal.)

Structure of can
The basic structure for can is:
subject
+
auxiliary verb
can
+
main verb
The main verb is always the bare infinitive (infinitive without to).
subject
auxiliary verb
can
main verb

+
I
can
play
tennis.
-
He
cannot
play
tennis.
can't
?
Can
you
play
tennis?

Notice that:
  • Can is invariable. There is only one form: can
  • The main verb is always the bare infinitive.

Test you knowledge: Exercise on CAN










2.     Hobbies: likes and dislikes

®     To talk about your likes and dislikes, you can use these expressions:


Expressing likes:

I like…                                  I love...
I adore…                             I ‘m crazy about…
I’m mad about…              I enjoy…



Expressing dislikes:

I don’t like…                      I dislike...
I hate…                                I can’t stand…

Things to remember about likes and dislikes:

1. When these expressions are followed by a verb, the latter is put in the -ing form.
Examples:
"I like listening to music."
"I hate wearing sunglasses."
I like
VERB+ING
I detest
I don't mind
2. Note that" very much" & " a lot" always come after the things you like.
Examples:
 "I like basketball very much/a lot. NOT" I like very much/a lot basketball."
3. Be careful when you use "I don't mind..."
Examples:
"Do you mind playing football?"
"No, I don't mind."(Although it's in a negative form, it means that it's ok for me. I neither love it nor hate it.)

Dialogue:

Steve is at home. His girlfriend comes in...Notice how they express their likes and dislikes
Steve:
Hello, darling. Do you fancy watching a film tonight?
Girlfriend:
Oh, no thanks, I don't really feel like watching a film tonight. How about going out instead.
Steve:
OK. Do you feel like going to the theater?
Girlfriend:
Oh, no. I hate it. Do you like eating at the new Chinese restaurant?
Steve:
I don't mind. The Chinese cuisine is alright.
Girlfriend:
Well I really love it. Let's go.

a. Exercise: Tell me about yourself. What do you like to do and what don’t you like doing?