Verb patterns II

Some verbs can be followed by an -ing or an infinitive. Sometimes the meaning changes and sometimes it doesn't. Click here to read an explanation.

These are the examples we saw in class:

Try  (to do or doing? 😉) an exercise  here and another one here.

Now have some fun with Tina Charles and some 70s music! Pay attention to the use of infinitives and gerunds in the song.

Gerund or infinitive?

To be or being? THAT is the question!

Click here to read an explanation on the BBC Learning page. There are also some activities that you can try.

Do some exercises here, here, here and here.

You can also try this page or  this one with lots of resources.

Oscar's Fake restaurant

Well, it turns out that the story about the fake Oscar's Restaurant was not made up! It really happened. Read all about it here.

Exam practice News and Shopaholics

Click here to download the listening exercise and here for the audio.

Click here for the reading about shopaholics.

Reported commands and requests

The teacher told us to be quiet.

Learn how to report commands and requests. Click here.

Now try some exercises here and here. You can also download the class exercises here.

Say or tell?

Check out this link to learn how to use SAY and TELL.

Now, listen to the song and fill in the gaps with the words in the box:

TELL (X5)

SAID (X6)

ASK

SPEAK

Come up to meet you, ____________ you I'm sorry
You don't know how lovely you are

I had to find you
___________ you I need you
___________ you I set you apart

___________ me your secrets
And ____________ me your questions
Oh, let's go back to the start

Running in circles
Coming up tails
Heads on a science apart

Nobody ________ it was easy
It's such a shame for us to part
Nobody ________ it was easy
No one ever________ it would be this hard

Oh, take me back to the start

I was just guessing
At numbers and figures
Pulling the puzzles apart

Questions of science
Science and progress
Do not __________ as loud as my heart

_________ me you love me
Come back and haunt me
Oh, and I rush to the start

Running in circles
Chasing our tails
Coming back as we are

Nobody __________ it was easy
Oh, it's such a shame for us to part
Nobody __________ it was easy
No one ever _________ it would be so hard

I'm going back to the start

Oh [x4]

Now listen and check

How is the word “said” pronounced?

How to pronounce the letter "H"

Watch the video and practise the pronunciation of the sound /h/:



Which of these words have a silent "h"?

HONEST	BOUGHT	HEAR	HEIR	BEHIND
HOLIDAY	WHALE	WHOLE	WHOSE	HOUR
WHO	VEHICLE	HONOUR	HOT	HIGH
HAPPEN	BEHIND	TAUGHT	EXHIBITION	HEAR
HORRIBLE	HEADLINE	HASN’T	EIGHT	HUGE

 Now practise with the following sentences:

1.   Harry has a hole in his hat.

2.   I’m having a horrible holiday here.

3.   The hotel is huge and high up the hill.

4.   You’ll hurt Hillary’s heart!

5.   I’m hungry, horrified and exhausted.

6.   He was hiding behind the high bushes.

Finding news

Watch the BBC video about finding news stories again.

Click here to download the exercises.

March 17th

This week we have been talking about the news and learning how to use reported speech. If you weren't in class on Wednesday/Thursday, it would be advisable to watch the videos and try some exercises to make sure you understand how to do it.

Homework for the weekend is the handout I gave you in class (sorry, I can't upload that one)

Happy weekend!

Reported speech

Watch this video to learn how to report statements:



And this one for reported questions:




And now try some exercises: click here, here and here. I think that should be enough!

The news

How do you read your news? Listen to the podcast here (this is the full podcast) and try the exercise again here. If you want to listen to more 6 minute English episodes, click here. Highly recommended.

Click here to learn and practise the vocabulary.

PUC Andalucía - exam practice

If you want to download  the exam practice from Andalucia, click on the links below. Warning: it's not easy!

• reading     
• listening   
• audio 
• answer key

Describing houses

A modest house

Click here to learn and practise vocabulary to describe houses.

Modal verbs of deduction

Watch the video to learn how to express certainty with modal verbs.


Now you can do some exercises here, here, here and here.

Composition: recommending a city DEADLINE EXTENDED

I recommend visiting London

Sorry, I forgot to post this. The deadline for this composition HAS BEEN EXTENDED to March 8th.






Quick reminder: recommend a city you know well.

Write 4/5 paragraphs:
1. Location: where is it? How can you go there? Why do you know this place?
2/3/4: describe the city. Choose two or three aspects that you like about it and use one paragraph to describe each of them.
5: Recommendation: why do you recommend this place? Who do you recommend it for?