USED TO / WOULD (PAST HABITS)

lesson + activities

Spanish

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INFORMAL CONTRACTIONS (SPOKEN ENGLISH) + VIDEO

These kind of words are short forms of other words that people use when speaking casually. They are not exactly slang, but they are a little like slang.

VIDEO

https://www.eslbuzz.com/what-you-need-to-know-about-contractions-in-english/

ARTICLES: A/AN, THE, -

For further information click here

COVID-19: SCHOOLS

BUSINESS WRITING. Words and Phrases You No Longer Need

When you need to be understood, write clearly, and avoid the following: 

Hedging (being less direct)

Hedging  words  can make your writing less powerful. For example:

• Slightly

I’m slightly annoyed by Kate’s repeated tardiness.

• Sort of, Kind of

Their plan was kind of short-sighted.

• Rather, somewhat

The play was rather interesting.

• Quite

His car is quite fast.

• Probably

We should probably wait to send that email until we have final approval.

• As a rule

As a rule, Cats prefer to sleep in warm, comfortable places.

Prepositional Phrases

Some prepositional phrases not only add clutter but sound overly formal and stuffy:

• With regard to / In reference to

I’m writing in reference to about Jimmy’s latest report card.

• As to whether

She inquired as to whether asked whether they would have enough silverware for the party.

• At all times

Look both ways at all times before proceeding through an intersection.

• In terms of

She’s good in terms of writing. She’s a good writer.

• In the event of

Please give 24-hours notice in the event of a cancellation to cancel.

• In the process of

We’re in the process of moving next week.

Jargon

Business writing is notoriously loaded with jargon. We believe these phrases add formality and professionalism. And yet, our communication is more clear and direct without the filler words and phrases.

• Due to the fact that / In fact

Due to the fact that there was a snowstorm Because of the snowstorm, they were closed for the day.

• Definitely

I would definitely like to attend the meeting.

• Has the ability to

She has the ability to can make great contributions to the program.

• I believe / In my opinion

I believe We can make that happen.

• Needless to say

Needless to say, James excelled at his job.

• It’s important to note that

It’s important to note that Business communication should be clear and concise.

Taken from Grammarly

EVERYTHING WILL BE OK

 

MIXED TENSES

Choose the correct form of the verb for each sentence. 

1 After Jonathan _________________ his degree, she intends to work in an office. 

                           will finish – will have finished – finishes – is finishing 

2 Lola looked down to discover a snake at her feet. When she saw it, she ______________.                             screamed – was screaming – had screamed - screams 

3 I borrowed four books on gardening the last time I _________________ to the library. 

                           go – went – had gone – have gone 

4 By the time I go to bed tonight I _________________ my work for the day 

                          will finish – have finished – will have finished - finish 

5 Mark Twain _________________ up in a small town in Mississippi. 

                          was growing up – had grown up – grew up – has grown up 

6 When my parents ______________ tomorrow, they will see our new baby for the first time. 

                          will arrive – arrive – will have arrived – arrived 

7 Until you learn how to take a break, you _________________ your ability to speak English.                           haven’t improved – aren’t improving – don’t improve – won’t improve 

8 My grandfather _________________ in an airplane before, so this is his first time. never                               flies – had never flown – has never flown – never flew 

9 I _________________ in this city since I was a small child. 

                        have been living – am living – had been living – lived 

10 While I _________________ TV last night a small mouse ran across the room. 

                        watched – have watched – watch – was watching 

11 Jane isn’t here yet. I _________________ since noon but there is no sign of her. 

                         have waited – am writing – wait – have been waiting 

12 By the time my brother finally graduated from high school, he _________________ seven different schools. 

                        attended – was attending – had attended – had been attending 

13 On June 20th I returned home. I _________________ for almost two years. 

                       was away -have been away – am away – had been away 

14 When I got to the party, many people _________________. 

  were already dancing – already danced – had already danced – have already danced.

15 Before I started the car, all of the passengers _________________ their seat belts. 

                        will buckle – will have buckled – had buckled – buckle 

16 Right now we _________________ a heatwave. It’s been so hot for almost a week. 

                        have – have had – have been having – are having 

17 When I go and see the doctor this afternoon I ________ him to take a look at my throat.                        will ask – asked – will have asked – ask 

18 I sent you the money almost a week ago but I still _________________ any confirmation.                       hadn’t received – didn’t receive – haven’t received – am not receiving 

19 After they _________________ the race the celebrations began. 

                     won – have won -win – had won 

20 Our football team _________________ a football match until last season, when the new coach came. 

                     never wins – has never won – had never won – never won 

21 I _________________ all the questions correctly since I began the course. 

                    had answered – have been answering – have answered – answered 

22 It’s against the law to kill whales. They _________________ extinct. 

                   have become – become – became – are becoming 

23 Jim, why don’t you take some time off. You _____________ ____ too hard lately. 

                    are working – were working – had been working – have been working 

24 Next month I have a week’s vacation. I _____________ on going on a trip to the Rockies.                     am planning – have planned – will plan -will be planning 

25 I’ll be right with you as soon as I _________________ my keys. 

                   will find – found – find – will have found 

ANSWERS: 

FUNCIONAMENT AULES.EDU.GVA.ES

A For and Against Essay

Click on the link to do the activities
A for and against essay

CONDITIONAL SENTENCES IN SONGS -ZERO, 1ST, 2ND /3RD

MIND THE MISTAKES 3RD CONDITIONAL

ESSAY WRITING

Greta Thunberg & Sir David Attenborough

Greta's father has said he thought it was "a bad idea" for his daughter to take to the "front line" of the battle against climate change.

Millions of people have been inspired to join the 16-year-old in raising awareness of environmental issues.

But Svante Thunberg told the BBC he was "not supportive" of his daughter skipping school for the climate strike.

Mr. Thunberg said Greta was much happier since becoming an activist - but that he worries about the "hate" she faces......

                                                                                           BBC NEWS    30 December 2019

  Read and watch the video

READING COMPREHENSION: PERSONALITIES

What the Way You Walk Reveals About Your Personality

A particular study carried out in 2017, by Caleb Backe, a health and wellness expert, shared and compared the walking speed and styles with personality traits.

Read the text and do the activities.

A. The following categories distinguish how your walking style reveals your personality. Match them with the pictures.

Example: 1-A

1. THE EXECUTIVE

If you’re an executive, you normally walk very quickly with fast and focused strides. You walk with confidence with your head up and tend to be absorbed in your thoughts. You may easily bump into others. You’re goal-oriented and are great problem solvers, however, you can also come off as unfriendly and intense.

2. THE CORRECTOR

If you’re a corrector, you usually walk by taking small steps while hunched over. You also avoid making eye contact with those around you. This is because correctors are normally quite introverted and shy. They tend to be on guard before they make any strong or genuine connections.

3. THE POLITICIAN

If you're a politician, you often walk with liveliness with your head held high, chest forward, and shoulders back. You desire acknowledgment and appreciation. You also enjoy challenges and learning about new experiences but can get bored easily. You're a confident speaker and enjoy engaging with people.

4. THE WORRIER

If you're a worrier, you tend to walk very slowly and cautiously. You typically make short strides but may drag your feet. Worriers generally keep their eyes on the ground and seem unsettled. Worriers tend to be introverted and thoughtful, but they can also seem vulnerable and fearful.

5. THE CHILLER

Chillers are the easy-going type of walkers. They usually walk at a slow to medium pace with their body loose and their posture relaxed. Their gestures tend to be small and sometimes they can get caught up in an internal dialogue. If you're a chiller, you tend to focus on others more than your own tasks and might seem lost while walking. You're very calm and intuitive but can also appear to be a slacker and easily influenced.

6. THE SHOWBOAT

If you're a showboat, you tend to walk very confidently and with intent. You sway your arms and hips in an exaggerated way and enjoy attracting attention from everyone. If you find yourself in this group, your head is usually held high, your shoulders are back, and you're more focused on yourself. Showboats can come off as self-absorbed and unreliable with commanding and charismatic personality traits.

7. THE SUPPORTER

If you're a supporter, you tend to walk in medium-paced, confident strides. Supporters are also cooperative team players and good listeners who speak thoughtfully and value unity and relationships. They're helpful, loyal, and dependable.

A simple phone call from their loved ones can easily brighten their day. Similar to Politicians, they like gestures, making eye contact, and interacting with people while walking.

8. THE SHORT STRIDER

If you're a short strider, you usually take short strides and are more likely to be a self-centered and undemanding individual. However, for women, short strides might be due to aches in the calves and hamstrings or it could even be a sign of an emerging hip problem.

9. THE ARM CROSSER

If you're an arm crosser, it usually indicates that you prefer to be alone or even live alone. Walking while crossing your arms also signifies vulnerability. Communication experts highlight that crossing your arms while walking is dangerous, especially at night, since it could send a signal that you're weak and can be easy prey for attackers. 

10. THE STOMPER

If you find your walking style to be more of a stomp, you just might be a stomper. Stompers' walking style can signal anger, frustration, and persistence. But sometimes, walking with a stomp could mean your body is trying to send a signal to your brain. This can be due to the limbs' positioning and is usually a result of the loss of sensation in the limbs.

11. THE MULTITASKER

If you tend to be able to multitask and walk simultaneously, you're a multitasking type of walker. It's also quite unique and creative since this kind of person is imaginative as they walk. They can handle a number of things all at once, often answering a call, directing someone, and even crossing the road all at the same time. If you belong to this group of people, you're brave and a problem solver. You're always keen on helping your friends in need.

A

B

D

 

C

F

E

G

H

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J

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B. VOCABULARY

Match the words with their definitions and translations

Example

English	Definition	Spanish
1.wellness n	1. (physical and mental    health)	1. bienestar nm

2. traits                        footstep                                         reconocimiento

3. stride                       curved shoulders                           arrastrar

4. bump into               characteristic                                  darse contra

5. hunched                  recognition                                     ritmo

6. acknowledgment      leg tendon                                     rasgos

7. drag                         a lazy person                                 zancada

8. pace                        pull along the ground                     entusiasta

9, slacker                    enthusiastic                                    encorvado 10. hamstring              speed                                             tendón 11. keen                      collide with                                     holgazán                                                                                                                                                             https://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp C. SPEAKING/WRITING What does your walking style say about you?                                                                                                   Adapted from Bright Side ANSWERS

2019: GOOD NEWS (Reading/Speaking activity)

Enough of All the Bad News. 

Here Are Some Things That Prove 2019 Was an Excellent Year

• 
  

  - The Netherlands planted the roofs of 316 bus stops with flowers, especially for bees.

• - The humpback whale population, which was on the verge of extinction in the 50s of the last century, has been recovered almost completely. There used to be only 450 of them, now their population is somewhere near 25,000.

• - NASA satellites have recorded that the world is much greener now than 20 years ago.

• - The Vet Friends Foundation organization finds owners among lonely war veterans for old homeless dogs and covers all the medical expenses for the animals themselves. Both the vets and the dogs become happier.
• 
  - Norway decided to not drill oil wells in the Lofoten Islands (the oil reserves there are estimated at approximately $60 billion) in order to preserve the local ecosystem.
• - Daytime disco-parties are arranged in Seoul, South Korea for people over 65, to help them cope with dementia and loneliness.
• - 20 African countries are taking part in the construction of the Great Green Wall in order to stop the desertification of Africa. About 32 million hectares of land have already been restored. After the completion of the wall, the barrier of trees and plants will stretch for 5,000 miles, occupy 100 million hectares, and be visible from space.
• 
  - Tribal ruler Theresa Kachindamoto has managed to terminate with the marriages of 3,500 child brides and help the girls finish their schooling.
• - You can pay subway fare with plastic bottles in Rome — one ride costs 30 bottles. Within the first month after the start of this program, about 100,000 bottles were collected.
• - The European Parliament introduced an amendment to the European Union law that prohibits the selling and manufacturing of disposable plastic items.
• - California has passed a law against animal cruelty, which prohibits the sale and purchase of natural fur products.
• - The government of Costa Rica has launched a campaign banning selfies with wild animals.
• - Unusual canal cruises have become popular in Amsterdam: not only can tourists enjoy sightseeing, but they can also collect trash from the water with hoop-like nets. About 146,000 plastic bottles have already been collected.
• - The Nobel Prize in medicine was awarded for the study of the reaction of body cells to the amount of oxygen they are exposed to. This is a revolution in oncology: instead of chemotherapy, which affects the whole body, it will be possible to affect only the tumor cells, depriving them of oxygen, and hence of the possibility to grow.
• 
  - Scientists have created food for cats that stops their fur from triggering an allergic reaction in humans.
• - The Netherlands became the first country in the world without stray dogs.
• - In 2019, 40 countries banned using wild animals in circuses.
• Which one is your favourite?
• What was the greatest event in your life in 2019?                                                                       https://brightside.me/
• Vocabulary
• roof 
• on the verge of 
• drill
•  cope with 
• fare
• amendment
• disposable
• depriving
• pass a law
•  hence
• triggering
• stray (dog)

Black Friday and Buy Nothing Day. Reading (B1)

Black Friday & Buy Nothing Day

British Council

Irregular Plurals

Past perfect (HAD DONE), examples in movies and TV shows| Hollywood English

Past Perfect Continuous. Examples in Songs

Present Perfect Continuous Vs Present Perfect Simple. Form and Usage