Lay or Lie?

Lay /leɪ/  (lay/laid/laid)  laying
lay (sth) vtr : place horizontally    He usually lays plans on the table. 
                      produce                    Hens lay eggs.
                      set, prepare              Lay the table please. Dinner is ready.

Lie  /laɪ/ (lie/lay/lain)  lying 

Lie (vi):        recline                     If I lie on the sofa, I'll fall asleep. 

                     be buried                His body lies in that cemetery.

                     be situated             Her house lies in the valley.

 Lie  /laɪ/ (lie/lied/lied)  lying

Lie (vi):      not tell the truth      She lied to me; she said she was in Paris and I saw her in the park.

What do you do? Jobs and Occupations

 

Click here for  a list of different Professions and an explanation of what each person does in that profession.

Activities

Professions. Multiple Choice

Hangman

Lots of activities to have fun 

Mr. Probz - Waves [Robin Schulz Remix] (Lyrics)

Crystal Fighters LYRICS - Plage w/ *LYRICS*

Should e-mails open with Dear, Hi or Hey? (From BBC Learning English)

Skills practice - reading and vocabulary

Do you know how to begin an e-mail? What do you normally write at the beginning of a letter? Read this article about ways of beginning e-mails and letters. While you read look at the words in bold and try to guess their meanings. Look at the context (the words before and after the words in bold) to help you guess.
When you have finished reading, check your guesses by playing the definition game at the bottom of the page.

Read the text

Should e-mails open with Dear, Hi or Hey?

It's time people stopped using the word 'Dear…' to start work e-mails. That's according to Giselle Barry, a woman who works in the United States Congress. She surprised lots of people by starting an email to a group of journalists with the words 'Hey, folks.'
Ms Barry thinks 'Dear' is too intimate and makes it sound like you have a personal relationship with the person you are writing to.
It seems she's not alone. E-mail and the internet have changed the rules about how to write. In the past, there was no choice, but now you can see e-mails from people starting with 'hello', 'hi' and even 'hey'.
The American newspaper, the Wall Street Journal, wrote 'Across the internet, the use of 'dear' is going…'
But not everyone is as relaxed about this as Ms Barry. Etiquette expert Jean Broke-Smith says, 'I'm fed up with people writing 'Hi Jean' when they've never met me.'
'If you're sending a business e-mail you should begin 'Dear...' - like a letter. You are presenting yourself. Politeness and etiquette are essential.
How about you? Do you think that the internet has made the language you use less formal? Is that a good or a bad thing? How important is it to be polite?
Note: this article is based on an original story written by James Morgan from BBC News.
So, did you understand the words in bold?

Try the definition game to see
The comprehension challenge

World Languages Map

Click on the map and learn about the different languages.

Do the quiz: European Day of Languages

Interactive Book. Clothes and accesories

Ckick here to do the activities (Didipages)

Interactive Book: Physical Description

Click here to do the activities (Didipages)

Interactive Book. Comparative Forms

Click here to do the activities (Didipages)

Physical Description: hair and eyes

Activities 

1. hair

2. Hairstyles

3. Describing People 

4. Who is it?

Have got: video with exercises

Short video to practise the uses and formation of the verb "have got". There are some exercises included so that you can practise. Have fun!


Click here

Some Office Routines

Answer incoming calls
screen calls ( decide whether to transfer or not)
take messages
distribute the incoming mail
file documets
keep a log (record)
keep track of (keep informed/ watch carefully)
order supplies
prepare a presentation
receive visitors
schedule meetings
search the internet
send a fax, e-mails
show someone around
take minutes (a written record of a meeting)
type agendas, letters
update a mailing list

Spelling Rules

Be polite!

TO BE or HAVE GOT?

                   

WRONG                                                        RIGHT
I have got 12 years old                        I am 12 years old
She has got hungry                              She is hungry

Activities

Exercise 1

Exercise 2

Click here for further practice

Who or Whom?

Grammarly.com

If you’re like most English speakers, you know that there’s a difference between who and whom, but you aren’t sure what that difference is. We’re here to help.

Who should be used to refer to the subject of a sentence.
Whom should be used to refer to the object of a sentence.

When in doubt, try this simple trick: If you can replace the word with ‘he’ or ‘she,’ use who. If you can replace it with ‘him’ or ‘her,’ use whom.

Here are two examples:

Who ate my sandwich? (Did he eat my sandwich? Did she eat my sandwich?)
Whom should I talk to about labeling food in the refrigerator? (Should I talk to him? Should I talk to her?)


                 Who vs. Whom: It’s Not as Complicated as You Might Think by Kimberly Joki • September 11, 2014

Stationery & Office Supplies

Office

Pets

Animals

Webquest: the UK

  A WEBQUEST

The United Kingdom

General Information

Maps and countries

Click on the above* link* and write the name of the countries* under the corresponding map*.

1.    2.    3.     

    ..................................       ..................................        .....................................

4.    5.    6. .

   ...................................        ..................................       ..................................

Great-Britain

Click on the above link and write the names of the 3 countries composing Great-Britain (GB).

- ................................................................

- ................................................................

- ................................................................

The United Kingdom

Click on the above link and answer the questions.

a) What are the names of the four countries composing the United Kingdom (UK) ?

- ................................................................

- ................................................................

- ................................................................

- ................................................................

b) What is the official name of the UK ? .......................................................................................

c) What is the nationality of the people* from the UK ? ................................................................

Capital Cities

 Click on the above link and write the names of the capital cities*.

a) What is the capital city of England ? .............................................................................

b) What is the capital city of Northern Ireland ? ................................................................

c) What is the capital city of Scotland ? ............................................................................

d) What is the capital city of Wales ? ................................................................................

e) What is the capital city of the UK ? ...............................................................................

The National Anthem

 Click on the above link and answer the question.

What is the name of the National Anthem* ? .....................................................................

The Flags

 Click on the above link and answer the questions.

a) What is the name of the flag* of the UK ? .....................................................................

b) Look at the flags.

       - Write the name of the corresponding country.

       - Write the name of the corresponding patron saint* (St).

          1.                                                   2.    

country : ..........................................                              country : .........................................

patron saint : ..................................                          patron saint : .....................................

           3.                                                  4.    

country : ..........................................                              country : .........................................

patron saint : ..................................                          patron saint : ..................................... 

c) What country is not represented on the UK flag ? .....................................................

The Emblems

 Click on the above link and answer the questions.

a) Look at the emblems*.

       - Write the name of the corresponding flower*.

       - Write the name of the corresponding country.

           1.                                                        2.    

emblem : ........................................                             emblem : ...........................................

country : ..........................................                             country : .............................................

           3.                                                        4. 

emblem : ........................................                             emblem : ...........................................

country : ..........................................                             country : .............................................

The Currency

Click on the above link and answer the questions.

a) Tick the symbol corresponding to the British currency*.

$                                  £                        €

b) What is the name of The British currency ? ................................................................

The Royal Family

Click on the above link and answer the questions.

a) What is the exact name of the Queen ? ...........................................................................

b) What is her surname ? .......................................................................................................

c) How old is she ? ..................................................................................................................

d) Where does she live ? ........................................................................................................

London

a) Find* the following* facts* about London. Click on the following links.

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/london/facts.htm

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/multiculture.html

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/london/transport.htm

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/london/thames.htm

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/history.html

1. Population (number of inhabitants*): .....................................................................................................................

2. Superficy (in square* miles): .................................................................................................................................

3. number of languages spoken* :  .............................................................................................................................

4. Name  two ethnic communities : ...........................................................................................................................

5. London is made up of two ancient* cities which are now joined together :

- The business* and financial district is called ............................................................................................................

- Parliament and Buckingham Palace are located in ...................................................................................................

8. What's the name of the main* river ? ......................................................................................................................

 9. What's the other name of the underground* ? .....................................................................

 10. When did it open ?  ........................................................................................................

b) London monuments

Click on the above link and write the names of the monuments..

        

1.    2.    3.    4.

    ........................       ........................................................       ..........................................     ........................

5.    6.    7. 

    .....................................................................        ...........................................       ................................................    

           

Past Simple vs. Past Continuous

Pastsimplevspastcontinuous 130312134942-phpapp01 from Carmen Zarco

Practice

Present Simple vs. Present Continuous

Presentsimple vs presentcontinuous por Monica Saenz from MkSteff

European Day of Languages 2014

On 26th September we celebrate the European Day of Languages, a day to celebrate languages and language learning.
Check the official website to find more about facts and fun related to this special occasion here.

Office Equipment

1. Tape (dispenser)
 2. Paper clip holder
 3. Ruler
 4. Paper clips
 5. Pushpins
 6. Bulldog clip
 7. Scissors
 8. Correction Fluid (white-out)
 9. Pencil sharpener
10. Calculator
11. Stapler
12. Staples
13. Pen
14. Pencil
15. Eraser (= rubber)                                                    
16. Highlighter
17. Hole-punch
18. Rubber bands (elastic bands)

Learn more words and their definitions....

How the world's most famous logos were born. ( Mark Sinclair)

From CND to Coca-Cola: how the world's most famous logos were born

A dignified penguin, a drunk rubber man, a tree of life and a brain tonic for curing feelings of constant dread … here are the fascinating stories behind classic logos.

Michelin

... the Michelin brothers – Édouard and André, of Clermont-Ferrand in France – attended the Lyon Universal Exposition. Legend has it that on seeing a pile of tyres on the Michelin stand, Edouard said to his brother: ‘Look, with arms and legs, it would make a man.’

An early Coca-Cola advertisement. Image courtesy Laurence King

Coca-Cola 

In 1886, the fledgling drinks company’s book-keeper Frank Mason Robinson penned the first version of the now legendary script, but it wasn’t registered as a trademark until January 1893. Back then, its lettering style was loosely applied; it was only in 1903 that it became the form used today.
Robinson arrived in Atlanta in 1885, where he met Dr John Pemberton, an experimental pharmacist known for concocting outlandish compounds. In May 1886, the manufacture of what would become known as Coca-Cola began. It was a syrup version of Pemberton’s older French Wine Coca product, which included fluid extracts of “coca” (cocaine) and “kola” (caffeine [from the kola nut]), plus sugar to make a formula that would later be carbonated. It was intended as a “brain tonic” that would increase intellectual capacity and cure headaches.

Read more  
in the guardian.com

Music on TV. Horse With No Name (America)

Stative verbs

Stative verbs are verbs that show a state and not an action.They do not take the -ing form.

For Example:

I like ice cream. (Never "I am liking...")

I know a lot of English words. (Never "I am knowing...")

Now I understand what you mean.

The baby weighs ten kilos now.

You can group verbs that show a state in the following ways:

Senses	feel, see, sound, hear, smell, taste
Thoughts	believe, consider, depend, doubt, forget, guess, hope, imagine, know, prefer, realise, remember, suppose, think, mean
Emotions	dislike, like, need, hate, love, want, wish, fear
Relationships and possession	belong to, depend on, own, have, possess, owe
States	appear, seem, look
Measurements	cost, measure, equal, weigh

Some stative verbs have continuous forms but with a difference in meaning

STATE	ACTION
She thinks she’s very pretty. (opinion)	He’s thinking about it (considering)
What does it taste like? (flavour)	He’s tasting the soup. (to see if it’s good)
We have a dog. (own, possess)	We’re having dinner (eating)
The silk feels soft. ( it has a soft texture)	She’s feeling the dog’s fur (touching)
Do you see what I mean? (understand) I see the moon.  (involuntary action)	We’re seeing Jack on Monday (meeting)
It smells of burnt bread. (it has the smell)	She’s smelling the flowers.
I love good films. (like in general)	I’m loving the film (enjoying specifically)
It looks as if it’s going to rain. (appears)	He’s looking at me
This isn’t heavy. It doesn’t weigh a lot.	He’s weighing the baby on the scales.
The child is naughty. (character)	The child is being naughty.  (misbehaving)
The jeans fit her perfectly. (right size)	We’re fitting the carpet on the floor.(laying)

Now check what you've learnt.
 Do the activities

Exercise 1

Exercise 2 

Exercise 3 

Exercise 4 

Exercise 5 

Exercise 6