EDUCATION AND SCHOOLS IN BRITAIN

Watch the video below to learn about education and schools in Britain. It's good listening practice as well as you can revise your vocabulary and learn about the differences with our system.


SCHOOLS IN BRITAIN (click on the subtitles option on the player if you need it)

TIME CLAUSES

It is possible to use other words instead of if in first conditional sentences:

 

When:  When the “condition” will definitely happen in the future.

Look at the difference between these two sentences:

• If I see Sam, I’ll give him your message. (I’m not sure if I will see him or not)
• When I see Sam, I’ll give him your message. (I will definitely see Sam)

As soon as: To emphasize immediacy.

• My feet hurt! As soon as I get home, I’m going to take off these high heels.
• As soon as we have enough money saved, we’ll take a vacation to Costa Rica. We can’t wait!
• I’ll respond to your e-mail as soon as I can.

Unless: Substitute for “if not.”

• You won’t lose any weight unless you start eating healthier food.
  = You won’t lose any weight if you don’t start eating healthier food.
• I’m not going to dance unless somebody invites me.
  = I’m not going to dance if somebody doesn’t invite me.
• Unless there’s an emergency at work, I’ll be home on time.
  = If there’s not an emergency at work, I’ll be home on time.

- Exercise 1

- Exercise 2

Go to 'Grammar' to get the explanation as a document

FIRST CONDITIONAL

Revise the first conditional and the time clauses with this powerpoint


Now let's practise the first conditional with these exercises

- Exercise 1
- Exercise 2
- Exercise 3
- Exercise 4
- Exercise 5

WORLD BOOK DAY

As you well know, on 23 April, World Book Day is celebrated all over the world. In 1995 UNESCO decided that the World Book and Copyright Day would be celebrated on 23 April, as the date is the anniversary of the death of Miguel de Cervantes and William Shakespeare, probably the two most aclaimed writers in the world. In a historical coincidence, Cervantes and Shakespeare died on the same date, 23 April 1616.

In Spain this is a day to encourage reading and the enjoyment of literature. Due to this COVID-19 thing, this year it will be different. Neither we will go out to get that book we want as a gift for a beloved one or just for ourselves nor others will do it for us. However, we can still enjoy reading something new without having to leave home. For that, here you have our school magazine, SABIR, on his new edition, which includes the 12 Greek Mythology stories and an African one that you wrote.

Hot off the press, take it as a present from our school on this day and as an invitation to experience the world of letters in a different way.

By Clicking on the top right corner, it will open on an external window. Would you like to have it? Then, get it as a PDF document.

Enjoy!!!

REVISE&CHECK

As you well know, each two units, there's a section in your book called "Revise and check". So we have Revise and Check for units 1-2, for units 3-4, for units 5-6 ... Once, you asked me about this section and I told you not to worry, that one day we would use it. Well, with all this coronavirus thing, we can't use it in the way I had planned. However, we can do it in a different way.

Since I know you are going through everything we have studied so far, why don't you use it on your own? You already have the exercises on your book, so you can do them, and if you go to Exam Practice, you will find the key and the videos needed to work on your own.

Come on, let's go for it! Even in the distance, on a computer, we can do it!!!

MODAL VERBS OF DEDUCTION explained

Although we had already gone through how to express deduction in English, here you have an intertactive presentation for you to review and consolidate what you already have studied. Remember to click on the interactive buttons for more accurate info.

PASSIVE VERB FORMS

You still have some problems with the form of the different verb tenses in active and in passive. Let's review the passive verb forms with this interactive presentation. Click on the + icons for examples of the different verb tenses.

If you also want to review the active verb forms, click HERE.

PRONUNCIATION OF -ED, REGULAR VERBS

You have shown problems when it comes to pronounce the past of regular verbs. To pronounce the past simple of the regular verbs we have to have in mind that it is the sound which is important, not the letter or the spelling. So, how do we pronounce the past of the regular verbs? Remember: in three different ways.

- When the verb ends in sound /t/ or /d/ ------> /id/

- When the verb ends in an unvoiced sound (/p/,/f/,/s/,/sh/,/ch/,/k/ -----> the final sound is /t/

- When the verb ends in a voiced sound (the rest) ------> /d/

	/d/		/t/		/id/
	lived		worked		waited
	arrived		stopped		hated
	played		asked		ended

Now watch the video below to learn and listen to the different sounds of the past of the regular verbs.




Time for you to practise. Next time you have to send a recording to your teacher, pay attention to regular verbs in the past or perfect tenses. Come on, don't be shy, you can do it!!!!! Remember that theory without practice is nothing.

HAPPY EASTER!!!

THE PASSIVE

Passive voice is formed by…

Subject + finite form of to be + Past Participle

When rewriting active sentences in passive voice, note the following:

Peter builds a house (active)

A house is built by Peter (passive)

Remember passive voice is used when the focus is on the action. Who or what is performing the action is not important ot not known. In the example My bike was stolen, the focus is on the fact that my bike was stolen. I do not know who did it.

Sometimes a statement in passive is more polite than active voice, as the following example shows, A mistake was made. In this case, I focus on the fact that a mistake was made, but I do not blame anyone (e.g. You made a mistake.).

As always, you can go to 'Grammar' to see, download and/or print a document on the passive voice plus an overview on the active/passive 

And now, time to practise!!!!

Exercise 1

Exercise 2

Exercise 3

Exercise 4(A page with lots of practice!!!)

Exercise 5

Exercise 6(A game)

THE PASSIVE

A BIT OF HUMOUR!

I just thought a bit of humour at the situation we are living these days would be a bit healing. I hope you have fun with this song. Let's start the week with a smile. Let's not lose our sense of humour!

DESCRIBING PEOPLE

Watch these two videos to learn how to describe people. Not only you'll practise listening and grammar but also you'll learn vocabulary.

Video 1



Video 2

HOW TO FORM VERB TENSES

During our last online session you said you have problems when you have to form the different verb tenses, you said you find it confusing. OK, let's see if this presentation helps! It's interactive, so click on +info to get a more detailed explanation. You can also go through the presentation from the index menu.