Useful vocabulary that you have to use in Advanced Level.

Personal Identification, Physical Aspect, Character, Personality
Home, Neighbourhood, City
Daily Life Activities, Work, Career
Leisure Time, Sports, Hobbies, Arts, Media
Travel & Transport
Relationships, Humans and Society
Health
Education
Shopping, Trade
Food
Law, Politics, Banks
Language, Information, Communication
Weather, Nature and Environment
IT (Information Technologies) and Science

Animal idioms and some more on different fields( business, time, money, body....and so on..)

Animal idioms

Some more popular idioms on different semantic fields

Great site to learn idioms, phrasal verbs, colloquial stuff used by native speakers  (I did recommend it to you a few months ago,.. just in case you can't find it.)

A Buzzword? You said what? Find out for yourself...

 

A buzzword is a word or phrase that becomes very popular for a period of time. It may be a technical term and may have little meaning, being simply used to impress others. Buzzwords often originate in jargon, acronyms, or neologisms. (Wikipedia)

BuzzWords

Sites to practise English online and language exchange meet-ups in pubs in Valencia

ORAL PRACTICE…

Oral test time is coming and I know many of you are getting nervous. So here are some ways to improve your speaking skills.

If you have the time and the energy to go to a real live Language Exchange meeting in Valencia –

CLICK HERE TO FIND A “TANDEM” (classified by day of the week)

If, on the other hand, you would rather chat online, then 

CLICK HERE TO SEE A LIST OF ONLINE CONVERSATION EXCHANGE WEBSITES

I HOPE THIS IS OF INTEREST TO YOU.  

CHEER UP – YOU ARE ALMOST THERE!!!

Some extra work on CLEFT SENTENCES (IT/WHAT CLAUSES)

   BBC Ask about English  (A more detailed explanation  of cleft sentences)
Exercise 1  Exercise 2 Exercise 3

DIALOGUE CARDS for practice

Hi everyone,
Here's some dialogue cards for you to start getting  some practice. Also you have some  TIPS to do well in the dialogue as well as  the CRITERIA used by examiners in Certificacion in Valencian Community last year.

Card 1A
Card 1B

Card 2A
Card 2B

Card 3A
Card 3B

Card 4A
Card 4B

Card 5A
Card 5B

Card 6A
Card 6B

Card 7A
Card 7B

Card 8A
Card 8B

Card 9A
Card 9B

Some ORAL EXAM FEEDBACK

Here is some advice on how to improve your performance during role plays:

1.-Read the rubric well and get into the character you are playing. Take a pen and make a note of keywords.If it says you and your partner this is a euphemism for a couple. So act as a member of a couple even if it is the first time in your life you see the person in front of you. Get into your role.

 
2.-Start the conversation by stating what the situation is, so that is clear you both understand what you are doing eg. As you know we have just had a medical check up and my results were terrible, so my doctor has recommended a change in lifestyle so I was thinking….

3.-Make sure you interact and ask questions eg What is your opinion on this point? or How do you feel about living in the outskirsts? etc, make comments Hummm quite an interesting idea! or Hum I hadn´t looked at it that way etc and of course take turns don´t take over the whole conversation and react to what the other person is saying: Do you really believe that? or Great I never thought about 
that! etc
4. Don´t talk about all your points at once, but state one and explain or justify your opinion. Illustrate with an example: I have been considering taking up dancing , I did salsa lessons once  and found it really therapeutic, exercising to music. You should try it.

5.-The points in the card are only a guidance you can think outside the box and add other arguments and suggestions.
 
6.- Don´t make the most terrible mistakes:

I am agree or the people is

or else…

Here you can see the criteria we followed last year when we marked your exam.
Take a look so you can see what examiners are looking for.

APRIL FOOL'S DAY

Yesterday was April 1st, (APRIL FOOL'S DAY), and this is a special day in most English-speaking countries.Here you have a videclip with  a bit of history on  this festivity.

Here I am presenting you with a videoclip about some of the typical jokes or pranks  people can make this day. Hope you like it!! and I hope you don't play one like this on me!!

COMMON COLLOQUIAL BRITISH EXPRESSIONS!!

Hey there!

 Pretty sure you've heard some expressions like the ones below now and again.
Check how many of these British expressions you already know and try to remember at least 7 new ones which you think you might use.

HOMOPHONES links!

 HOMOPHONES can be tricky at times as you have seen in the exercise we've done in class. For that reason, here's some more links on them  for you to work on:
Ex 1 Ex 2 Ex 3 Ex 4    Ex 5 Ex 6

Unit 6:TRAVEL & TOURISM

1)Some VOCABULARY on both topics.

Travel and tourism  
More Travel expressions

2)FACTS on TRAVELLING:

• French exchange students get lost in Ipswich - after being given Australian map - 02 February 2012
  "A group of French schoolchildren on an exchange trip to Suffolk became hopelessly lost after discovering that the maps they had downloaded were for Ipswich in Australia..."
  (telegraph.co.uk)
•   Many holidaying Brits refuse to eat local nosh
  "47% even claim they would rather eat in well-known burger and fast-food restaurants than sampling some of the more exotic delicacies...
  36% of Brits also expect all foreign people to speak fluent English, and yet half would never consider trying to speak the local language themselves in an attempt to communicate..."
  (newslite.tv)

3) VIDEO (SPACE TOURISM)
 Would you fancy spending some time like 10 years in MARS as part of an Astronomy project?
Find out what this 24-year-old says about it.
 This woman is in the running for a one-way trip to Mars - VIDEO - 13 February 2015
"The 24-year-old, who's doing a PHD in astronomy and space at the University of Birmingham,
is one of the Britons shortlisted for the Mars One mission...
If she gets through the latest round she'll spend the next 10 years training for the project.
It aims to send teams of four to the red planet every two years from 2025 until 40 people are living there."
(BBC)

Some EXTRA HOMEWORK!!

Hi guys!

I just forgot to tell you the other day... literally it slipped my mind.
anyway, I just wanted to give you some extra homework for next week.

1) Do the READING right at the end of unit 5.
2) Do the REVISE & CHECK from unit 5.

3) Some PREFIXES links:
MEANINGS OF PREFIXES

 LOTS HERE 
A lot of them with exercises to put them into practice.

St PATRICK'S DAY

Hey there!

This is Fallas' Time but in a couple of days will be  St Patrick's Day, the Patron Saint of Ireland.

Watch a video   on St Patrick's Day  and answer these  questions    about the video.

 

Elvira Lindo's podcast on the English language: What's going on with Spaniards when it comes to learning languages?

 Hi guys,
Interesting analyisis on why Spaniards struggle with the English language

Elvira Lindo's podcast: "¿qué nos pasa con el Inglés a los españoles?"

Michelle Obama's speech on the power of Education in 2013.

HI everyone!

This a great speech given by M. Obama on the importance of education. It's interesting not only by the use of some educaction-related vocabulary she makes use of throughout the speech, but also by the use of stress on some words she wants to highlight. Besides, eye contact with the audience, and body language is something to take note.

Unit 5A: PERMISSION, OBLIGATION AND NECESSITY( grammar)

Hi guys,

Here's a new worksheet to get a bit of more practice in the use of the grammar items that we are dealing with in this unit.

Permission, Obligation and necessity
Remember NOT to do the activation section below.
Answer key

Old wives' tales that will freak you out

 Hi guys,
 More old wives' tales
Hope you don't get scared stiff after reading them.
Enjoy them!

Unit 5C: Grammar on Gerund-Infinitve

 Hi guys,

A bit of extra practice on verbs and expressions that take gerund or infinitive(to).
Just do the first two activities. You don't have to do the matching exercise under "ACTIVATION" if you don't want to.

Worksheet
Answer Key

TED.com: "How chilhood trauma affects health across a lifetime"

Hi guys,
As usual ,TED.com present us a very interesting talk by a prestigious  U.S. doctor.  How  trauma at an early stage is likely to affect our whole lives.
Hope you enjoy it!!

A short video on Complimentary and alternative Medicine

Hi everyone,
Here's  a short interview to an alternative medicine expert.

The top five weirdest addictions!!

Hi guys!
You may think these addictions are  bizarre or these people might be going over the top a bit.Actually, this is very true!!
Find out  for yourself.!!

Hope you enjoy and don't feel put off by it!

Extra practice on MIXED CONDITIONALS

Hi everyone,
here's a couple of  worksheets to get a bit of more practice on MIXED CONDITIONALS.
Hope it can be of great help to you all.

extra practice 1
(  short explanation + answer key)

extra practice 2


         

4B: INFINITIVE or GERUND? ANSWER KEY

Hi guys,

  This is the ANSWER KEY for the worksheet on INFINITIVE  or GERUND I posted a couple of days ago.

a) 

2 to take   3 to be offended  4 Correct   5  for Jack to attend
6  you to feel  7 Correct  8 for our children to go  9 Correct

b)

2 to retake   3 do   4 taking  5 being able   6  stopping   7 using
8 to leave   9 not to arrive 10 to get

Vocabulary:Phones, smart phones, whatsapp, twitter...

Hi everyone,

Some vocabulary below and some useful questions to put it into practice.

Phone-related vocabulary

A top-up card: tarjeta recargable
Call rate: tarifa de llamada telefónica.
Telemarketing, Telesales: ventas por teléfono.
Personal organiser: agenda personal.
rechargeable batteries: pilas recargables.
Mobile operators: operadoras telefónicas.
Switchboard: centralita.
call waiting: llamada en espera
Contacts / phone book: guía
Contract / pay-as-you-go: de contrato/prepago
Desvío de llamada: call forwarding.
Establecimiento de llamada: connection fee.
Flat rate: tarifa plana.
flip phone: móvil que se abre levantando la tapa
Hands-free set / kit: manos libres
Hash key: almohadilla.
Inbox: Buzón de entrada
Keypad: teclado numérico
Keys / buttons: teclas
landline / home phone: teléfono filjo
Larga distancia: long-distance call.
“Long-distance phoning centre”: locutorio
llamada urbana: local call.
Menu: menú
Missed call: llamada perdida.
Mobile phone / cell phone (handset): móvil.
to run out of minutes; not to have any minutes on one’s mobile phone; to run out of credit to call.
Outbox: buzón de salida
Phone charger: cargador de batería
ring tone: tono de llamada

Service provider: operadora telefónica; compañía telefónica (Orange, Movistar, etc.)

slide phone: móvil que se abre deslizando la tapa.
There’s no signal / reception: no hay cobertura
To be cutting out / breaking up: se va el sonido, la voz; se corta la conversación.
to dial: marcar
to hang up: colgar
to jailbreak / to unlock a mobile phone: liberar un móvil.
To give sb a bell: dar un toque
To top up: recargar el teléfono

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------

SOME QUESTIONS TO TALK AND DISCUSS ABOUT

1. How many mobile phones are there in your family?

2. What factors may affect you most in buying a mobile phone: its function, its design, its price, others?
3. How important are the following factors in choosing a mobile phone operator?

• Network coverage.
• Price.
• Family’s operator.
• Reliability.
• Others.

4. Do you use pre-paid cards or do you have a long term contract?
5. Are mobiles easy to use? Are they useful? What do use your mobile mainly for?
6. Do we make a good use of mobiles? What benefits can derive from using a mobile phone? What problems have you ever experienced in your use of mobile phones?
7. Are there any circumstances or situations when you cannot stand mobiles ringing?
8. What do you think of people speaking on their mobiles at the cinema? On the bus? At the bus stop?
9. What is the funniest ring tone you have ever heard?
10. Do you know how to add phone numbers, write and read text messages, send them and erase them?
11. How often do you use  WHATSAPP ,  TWITTER, INSTAGRAM(texts on a mobile)?
12. Do you use voice mail?
13. Are mobile phone calls cheap or expensive?
14. Do you restrict (or try to restrict) your mobile phone use and spending?
15. What do you think of the fact that when you phone someone abroad on your mobile, the person at the other end will have to pay half the call?
16. Do you think landline phones (home phones) may one day disappear?
17. Why is it so difficult for older people to learn how to use mobiles?

4B: A bit of grammar to brush up on!!

Hi guys,

Here's a  worksheet     for you to get some extra practice on the Grammar point seen in class this week. ( Gerund/ Infinitive).
the last bit at the bottom of the worksheet(Activation section), don't do it please.

BE MY VALENTINE!!!

       

Another globalised tradition, Valentine’s Day, is here along with romantic paraphernalia to suit all tastes from naff to sophisticated. Some people disregard this celebration and some revel in it. How do you feel about it?

Humour plays its part too. Some people have written really funny love messages. Click here to read some of them.

Check this one: The gardener inspired by the vegetable world and a love for playful phonetics.
Music and poetry are also ingredients of this date. Some poets, however, have fled from stereotypes and produced some brilliant poetry like Carol Ann Duffy, Britain’s current poet laureate, in her poem Valentine.

Valentine by Carol Ann Duffy

Not a red rose or a satin heart.

I give you an onion.
It is a moon wrapped in brown paper.
It promises light
like the careful undressing of love.

Here.
It will blind you with tears
like a lover.
It will make your reflection
a wobbling photo of grief.

I am trying to be truthful.

Not a cute card or a kissogram.

I give you an onion.
Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips,
possessive and faithful
as we are,
for as long as we are.

Take it.
Its platinum loops shrink to a wedding-ring,
if you like.

Lethal.
Its scent will cling to your fingers,
cling to your knife.

Click here for the video version. As regards songs, there is such an array of love songs that is difficult to choose but this one never fails to move one’s feelings. 

  

Mind you, love songs can also be funny

  

Have you got a favourite love poem or song? Send them in

FROM MONOLOGUE TO DIALOGUE!!!

 Hi everyone!
Time has come! Let's switch to  CERTIFICACION mode!

 The oral exam has two parts: a monologue and a dialogue. You will be able to prepare your parts for about 10 minutes or so in a classroom. You can jot down some thoughts as well but remember you won’t be able to read your notes during the exam. I have mentioned the basics of  what you will be expected  to do in the exam, monologues in particular.However, as it easy to panic about speaking another language I will give you a few more hints. You are not the only ones who have self doubts, check this video



 You see, you speak English  as well as those guys, just be confident and well prepared.

For the monologue, plan some good lines of introduction to impress the examiners and set a relaxed atmosphere, humour is always a good ice breaker but don’ overdo it,  ie:

"My job is to talk to you, and your job is to listen. If you finish first, please let me know."

You have by now been using  in the different pair work or group activities  a lot of excellent structures to negotiate your way in an oral exam, tidy up your notes and come up with a list of good sentences to use:

I would like to point out …Let me start by stating the current state of affairs/status quo….If you don´t mind me saying so,……If I may interrupt …If I may change  the subject…If you can keep a secret…If you see what I mean…If I understand you correctly…Having said that, let’s move on to another side 

of the argument …

 In last year's blog those of you who were with me  in 1st Adv were exposed to a wide variety of structures to use in the oral exams(monologue). This year   not only you'll have to deal with monologues but also prepare dialogues. For this reason,  I've just made a compilation of LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS from the BBC series that I'm certain that  they will be of great help to you all.

The BBC has a great series called How to…? where they go through the language needed in different communicative situations:

How to …. discuss: making suggestions, making a point, disagreeing, expressing uncertainty, ….

How to … instructions, explanations & advice: asking for and giving directions, showing understanding when you are listening to explanations, ….

How to …. good news, bad news: congratulating someone on good news, responding to someone’s bad news, …

How to … conversation: extending a conversation, closing topics, talking about things you like, …

How to … requests, offers & invitations: asking for permission to do something, inviting someone in an informal context, making polite invitations, …

How to … complaints, apologies & excuses: making a complaint, saying sorry, accepting an apology, pointing out the positive …

How to … hello & goodbye : greeting friends, greeting people in more formal situations, introducing people, small talk and follow-up conversations, saying goodbye,…

And if you want to improve your pronunciation follow this advice and check out this good blog from a nice Spanish woman, Iciar, living in London who gives tips on how to get rid of the Spanish accent.

Let’s get talking!

MONOLOGUE & DIALOGUE TIME!!

Hi guys!

Time has come  to get serious about certificacion exams, right?


To begin with, here's a hand-out with  the most common TOPICS  for monologues that have appeared in the last couple of years in Certificacion exams.

In the coming days I will be making a few more post with tips for monologue and dialogue preparation.

Movie segment from the film "THE OMEN"

Hi guys,

Here's a short  segment from the film "THE OMEN".

Watch it   first, and then do the  grammar activity on INVERSION.

Finally, I would like you to  reflect on  the questions at the bottom of the worksheet  to hold a debate next day in class.






Worksheet

Have a laugh with ANNOYING ORANGES

Hi guys!!

Good read!!

Hi guys,

Two books I'd like to recommend for those of you   who are a  bit of a "bookworm" and enjoy reading.. The first one on the left might a bit hard to read due to colloquialisms, but anyway, if you think you are brave enough to do it... go for it.
The second one on the right hand side was a Number 1 bestseller at the time in 1995 and  it's about a neurotic record collector and his failed relationships. This is a lot easier to read and being written by  worldwide acclaimed N. Hornby won't disappoint you!!

In any case, whether you decide to read one or the other, do have fun!!

3C: Some more stuff on MONEY: Idioms, sayings, phrasal verbs...and questions to start off a debate!!

Hi guys,

here's some more for you to take in

Let’s talk about money 

3C: Video on AFFLUENZA.

 

Are teenagers suffering from AFFLUENZA these days?  Great ironic video on that. Find out for yourself on the link below.
Is Teenage AFFLUENZA spreading fast?

3C: Money -related expression links.

 Hi everybody,


Here's some links on money to give some extra practice!!

easy quiz     quiz 2

slang money expressions    phrasal verbs about money(quiz at the bottom after explanations)               list of money idioms   more money idioms( with example sentences)

Ororo.tv ( An interesting website to watch films and tv series online with subtitles)

Hi guys,

Great website I've found where you can watch loads of tv series and films in English and with subtitles in it as well. It's worth having it bookmarked on your favourite browser!!

http://ororo.tv/en