¿Sabes que significan las siguientes palabras?

street                       road                             

cross                        turn                        

go straight              traffic lights              

right                        take the bus          

left                           go around            

¿Como contestas estas preguntas correctamente?

Do you have lunch at noon?

Are you with your family at New Year?

Do you have classes on Saturdays?

Do you go to sleep late at night?

Do you go out on Sundays?

PREPOSITIONS OF TIME

Preposition	Time	Example
At Use at with times	at 12:00	Brad usually eats lunch at 12:00.
Other common expressions with at	at night	They often go out at night.
	at Christmas (during a period of time around Christmas, for example, December 23rd-28th)	We visit our family and friends at Christmas.
	at the age of...	I moved to California at the age of two.
On Use on with dates and days	on January 18th	Pedro's birthday is on January 18th.
	on Saturday evenings	We usually stay go out on Saturday evenings.
	on Christmas day (on December 25th)	We have a special meal on Christmas day.
In Use in + a period of time = a time in the future	in a few minutes	The bus will be leaving in a few minutes.
	in five weeks also: in five weeks' time	I learned to ride a bicycle in five weeks. We will start summer vacation in five weeks' time.
Use in for longer periods of time	in the 1960s	The astronauts explored the moon in the 1960s.
	in the 20th century	Automobiles and airplanes became very popular in the 20th century.
	in December	In December, you will study less.
	in 2010	The Winter Olympics were held in Vancouver in 2010.

taken from: http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/490/grammar/prepositions-time-in-at-on.htm

SIMPLE PRESENT VERBS IN THIRD PERSON

1ST PERSON       3RD PERSON

I help                   he helps

I watch              she watches

I do                      he does

I say                     he says

I try                      she tries

I walk                  he walks

I play                   he plays

I have                 she has

I pass                   he passes

I push                  he pushes

THE SIMPLE PRESENT

The simple present tense is one of the most common tenses in English. This page will explain the rules for forming the tense with regular verbs.

1. Forming the simple present tense

There are only two basic forms for the simple present tense; one ends with -s and the other doesn't. Here are the rules, using the example verb "sing":

Subject	Verb Form	Example
I	simple form	I sing
You	simple form	You sing
He	simple form + S	He sings
She	simple form + S	She sings
It	simple form + S	It sings
We	simple form	We sing
They	simple form	They sing

2. -s or -es ?

With most verbs, the third person singular form is created simply by adding -S. However, with some verbs, you need to add -ES or change the ending a little. Here are the rules:

Verb ending in...	How to make the 3rd person singular	Example
s	Add -ES	He passes
z	Add -ES	She waltzes
sh	Add -ES	She wishes
ch	Add -ES	He watches
x	Add -ES	She mixes
o	Add -ES	He goes
consonant + y	Change Y to I, then add -ES	It flies
[anything else]	Add -S	He sings

taken from: http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/330/grammar/pres.htm

SHORT ADJECTIVES

                          COMPARATIVES           SUPERLATIVES

Small               smaller than              the  smallest

                                                   

Big                   bigger  than             the  biggest

Tall                  taller  than                 the  tallest

Fast                faster  than               the  fastest

Smart             smarter  than            the   smartest

Short              shorter  than             the  shortest

Slow               slower  than              the  slowest

LONG ADJECTIVES

                           COMPARATIVES                    SUPERLATIVE

dangerous      more  dangerous  than          the  most  dangerous

Useful             more  useful  than                 the  most  useful

Intelligent      more  intelligent  than          the  most  intelligent

Beautiful        more  beautiful  than            the  most  beautiful 

Expensive      more  expensive  than           the  most  expensive

Colorful          more  colorful  than              the  most  colorful

MODAL AUXILIARIES

Modal Auxiliaries

The modal auxiliaries (or modals) include the following:

can, could, may, might, must, should, will, would, . . .

---

Modals are always followed by the simple form of a verb or auxiliary verb.

---

Modals are always the same form no matter what the subject is.

---

In standard American English, a predicate verb phrase cannot contain more than one modal.

correct

He will be able to go.

not correct

* He will can go.

---

Below are example sentences containing the modal may and the verb go. Notice that the form of the modal does not change. Also notice that the base form of a verb or auxiliary verb always follows the modal.

I may go.

You may go.

He may go.

It may go.

We may go.

They may go.

He may have gone.

They may have gone.

He may be going.

They may be going.

He may have been going.

They may have been going.

---

Modals and related verb phrases add meanings to verbs. Below are some of those meanings:

Ability/Availability

future: will be able to

present: can, am/is/are able to

past: could, was/were able to

Requests

present/future: can, could, will, would

Permission

future: will be allowed to

present/future: may, can, could, am/is/are allowed to

past: could, was/were allowed to

Possibility

present/future: may, might, could

past: may have, might have, could have

Impossibility

present/future: couldn’t, can’t

past: couldn’t have

Advisability

present/future: should, ought to, had better

past: should have, ought to have, had better have

Expectation

present/future: should, ought to

past: should have, ought to have

Necessity

future: will have to

present/future: must, have to, has to

past: had to

Lack of Necessity

future: won’t have to

present/future: don’t have to, doesn’t have to

past: didn’t have to

Prohibition

present/future: must not, may not, cannot

past: could not

Logical Deduction (=Probability)

present: must, have to, has to

past: must have, have to have, has to have

---

SOCIAL MODALS
The choice of modal depends partly on the social situation.

We often use formal language with strangers (people we don’t know) and superiors (people with some power over us such as our employers, doctors, and teachers).

We often use informal language with our equals (our friends and family) and subordinates (people we have some power over such as our employees or children).

General requests (present and/or future):

Will you help me? (Informal Are you willing?)
Would you help me (Formal Are you willing?)
Can you help me? (Informal Are you able?)
Could you help me (Formal Are you able?)

Requests for permission (present and/or future):

May I leave the room? (Formal)
Might I leave the room? (Formal rarely used)
Could I leave the room? (Less formal
Can I leave the room? (Informal)

Expressing suggestions, advice, warnings, necessity (present and/or future):
The choice of modal depends partly on the urgency of the message or the authority of the speaker/writer or both.

Suggestions:
You could see the doctor.
You might see the doctor.

Advice:
You should see the doctor.
You ought to see the doctor.

Warning/strong advice:
You had better see the doctor.

Strong advice/necessity:
You have to see the doctor.
You have got to see the doctor.
You must see the doctor.

No choice:
You will see the doctor.

---

MODALS OF BELIEF (beliefs about present time)
The choice of modal depends partly on what the speaker or writer believes.

Someone is knocking at the door.

That could be Fred.
That might be Fred.

= It’s possible. I’m less than 50% sure.

That may be Fred.

= It’s possible. I’m less than 60% sure.

That should be Fred.
That ought to be Fred.

= I’m expecting Fred and I think he’s here.

That must be Fred.
That has to be Fred.
That has got to be Fred.

= It’s probably Fred. I have a good reason to believe it is Fred.

That will be Fred.

= I believe it is Fred. I’m about 99% sure.

That can’t be Mary.
That couldn’t be Mary.

= It’s impossible. I’m about 99% sure.

That is Fred.

= I know it’s Fred. I’m 100% sure.

---

MODALS OF BELIEF (beliefs about past time)
The choice of modal depends partly on what the speaker or writer believes.

Someone was knocking at the door.

That could have been Fred.
That might have been Fred.

= It’s possible. I’m less than 50% sure.

That may have been Fred.

= It’s possible. I’m less than 60% sure.

That must have been Fred.
That has to have been Fred.
That has got to have been Fred.

= It was probably Fred. I have a good reason to believe it was Fred.

That couldn’t have been Mary.

= It’s impossible. I’m about 99% sure.

That was Fred.

= I know it was Fred. I’m 100% sure.

---

MODALS OF BELIEF (beliefs about future time) The choice of modal depends partly on what the speaker or writer believes.

What will the weather be like tomorrow?

It could rain tomorrow.
It might rain tomorrow.

= It’s possible. I’m less than 50% sure.

It may rain tomorrow.

= It’s possible. I’m less than 60% sure.

It should rain tomorrow.
It ought to rain tomorrow.

= I expect it will rain.

It will rain tomorrow.

= I believe it is going to rain. I’m about 99% sure.

It couldn’t snow tomorrow.

= It’s impossible. I’m about 99% sure.

SHE WILL BE LOVED- MAROON 5

Movie maker video editing tutorial

FUTURE TIME

PRACTICE IRREGULAR VERBS

PRESENT PROGRESSIVE (CONTINUOUS)

FORM

[am/is/are + present participle]

Examples:

• You are watching TV.
• Are you watching TV?
• You are not watching TV

Use the Present Continuous with Normal Verbs to express the idea that something is happening now, at this very moment. It can also be used to show that something is not happening now.

Examples:

• You are learning English now.
• You are not swimming now.
• Are you sleeping?
• I am sitting.
• I am not standing.
• Is he sitting or standing?
• They are reading their books.
• They are not watching television.
• What are you doing?
• Why aren't you doing your homework?

PRESENT PERFECT

FORM

[has/have + past participle]

Examples:

• You have seen that movie many times.
• Have you seen that movie many times?
• You have not seen that movie many times

We use the Present Perfect to say that an action happened at an unspecified time before now. The exact time is not important. You CANNOT use the Present Perfect with specific time expressions such as: yesterday, one year ago, last week, when I was a child, when I lived in Japan, at that moment, that day, one day, etc. We CAN use the Present Perfect with unspecific expressions such as: ever, never, once, many times, several times, before, so far, already, yet, etc.

Examples:

• I have seen that movie twenty times.
• I think I have met him once before.
• There have been many earthquakes in California.
• People have traveled to the Moon.
• People have not traveled to Mars.
• Have you read the book yet?
• Nobody has ever climbed that mountain.
• A: Has there ever been a war in the United States?
  B: Yes, there has been a war in the United States.

SIMPLE PAST

FORM

[VERB+ed] or irregular verbs

Examples:

• You called Debbie.
• Did you call Debbie?
• You did not call Debbie.

Use the Simple Past to express the idea that an action started and finished at a specific time in the past. Sometimes, the speaker may not actually mention the specific time, but they do have one specific time in mind.

Examples:

• I saw a movie yesterday.
• I didn't see a play yesterday.
• Last year, I traveled to Japan.
• Last year, I didn't travel to Korea.
• Did you have dinner last night?
• She washed her car.
• He didn't wash his car.

SIMPLE PRESENT

FORM

[VERB] + s/es in third person

Examples:

• You speak English.
• Do you speak English?
• You do not speak English

Use the Simple Present to express the idea that an action is repeated or usual. The action can be a habit, a hobby, a daily event, a scheduled event or something that often happens. It can also be something a person often forgets or usually does not do.

Examples:

• I play tennis.
• She does not play tennis.
• Does he play tennis?
• The train leaves every morning at 8 AM.
• The train does not leave at 9 AM.
• When does the train usually leave?
• She always forgets her purse.
• He never forgets his wallet.
• Every twelve months, the Earth circles the Sun.
• Does the Sun circle the Earth?

LEARN ENGLISH WITH TONGUE TWISTERS

YouTube in the Classroom!

By Kenneth Beare, About.com Guide

Now that a growing majority of Internet users have broadband, YouTube and other video clip sites (Google Video, Revver, etc.) have become very popular - especially with young adults. These sites also provide English learners and classes with a new tool to improve listening skills. The real advantage to these sites - at least from a language learning point of view - is that they offer authentic examples of everyday English used by everyday people. Of course, this is the challenge as well. Students may enjoy watching these clips, but poor sound quality, pronunciation and slang can make these short videos even more difficult to understand. On the other hand, students are attracted to the "real life" nature of these videos. By creating context for these short videos you can help your students explore a world of online English learning possibilities.
 
Aim: Improve listening skills
 
Activity: Sharing YouTube videos
 
Level: Intermediate to advanced
 
Outline:

• At the end of one of your classes, decide on a particular topic that your class would enjoy. You can do this as a poll, take suggestions or choose a topic on your own that fits in well with your curriculum.
• Before the next lesson begins, go to YouTube and search for short videos on the topic your class has chosen. Once you have found appropriate videos, save the urls in your browser. If you do not have an Internet connection in class, go to Keepvid. This site allows you to download the video to your computer which you can later use in class.
• Watch the video a few times and create a difficult vocabulary guide. Write a short introduction to the videos you will watch. The more context you provide the better your students will understand the videos they are about to watch. Include both the short introduction and difficult vocabulary list on a class handout. Make sure to include the url (web page address) of the YouTube video.
• Create a short quiz based on the videos.
• Hand out the introduction sheets and go through the introduction and difficult vocabulary list to make sure everyone understands.
• Watch the videos together as a class. If you have a computer lab this will work better as students can pair up and watch videos repeatedly. Students can then work on the quiz sheet in small groups or in pairs.
• Most likely, your videos will be amusing and students will want to watch many more. This is to be encouraged! If possible, give students 20 minutes or so at the computers to explore YouTube.
• For homework: In groups of four to five students, students should find a short video of their own to present to the class. Ask them to provide a short introduction, difficult vocabulary list and follow-up quiz modeled on the worksheet you have created for your class. Remind students to include the url (web page address) of the YouTube video.
• Have students exchange worksheets with another group and complete the exercise. Students can then compare notes on the videos they have watched.

USING MUSIC TO TEACH ENGLISH

Music in the ESL Classroom

By Kenneth Beare, About.com Guide

The use of music in the classroom can make the entire learning process more enjoyable and can stimulate "right" brain learning. Six years ago researchers reported that people scored better on a standard IQ test after listening to Mozart. Other tests soon followed: Rats raised on Mozart run through mazes faster and more accurately. People with Alzheimer's disease function more normally if they listen to Mozart and the music even reduces the severity of epileptic seizures. Just think of all the times you have used music to help you study for tests, think clearly about something, relax from daily stress, etc. If you think about it, using music in the ESL EFL classroom is a pretty logical thing to do considering how helpful it can be to the learning process. Setting the scene Musically Using music to introduce an exercise is a great way to activate vocabulary and get students thinking in the right direction. Take a piece of music or song which you associate with a certain activity or place ("New York, New York" sung by Frank Sinatra) and play the first 30 seconds of the piece. You will be surprised at how quickly associations come to students' minds - many more than if you introduced the lesson by saying, "Today we are going to talk about New York City". A wonderful example of this can be found in any broadcast of "Morning Edition" by National Public Radio. Each story is ended with a selection of music which in some way relates to that story. This music is repeated after a commercial and before the next story. In this way, listeners are subtly encouraged to reflect on the story they have just heard. "Headway Intermediate", a popular EFL student's book published by Oxford Press, gives another great example of setting the scene musically. Every extended listening is preceded and followed by a short snippet of related music - usually the beginning bars and the final tones of a given piece. These little touches do wonders to add atmosphere to an otherwise familiar classroom setting. Using Music Selectively To Enhance Concentration The most important point to remember when using music to accompany learning is that it be an aid to learning and not a distraction. Let me give an example, if your class is doing a grammar exercise and you want to use some music in the background to help students concentrate, choose music which employs regular periods (repeated phrases and patterns) - something like Hayden or Mozart, maybe Bach. Choosing abrasive, disharmonic music will distract students while their brains try to make sense of the disharmony. Choosing something melodic which employs musical patterns will not distract. Not only will this type of music not distract, the regular patterns of the music also help to underline the repetetive nature of grammar. Another example of using music selectively would be written descriptive exercises in which students need to use their imaginations. You can set the scene musically which will help stimulate their imagination. Let's say students need to describe their life as young children. Ravel's "Mother Goose Suite" playing softly in the background will help them return to those simpler times through its sweet harmonies and simple structures. Listening to Shostokovitch, on the other hand, would put them right off! Here are some suggestions for appropriate music for different activities:

• Grammar - Mozart, Haydn, Bach, Handel, Vivaldi
• Imagination exercises (descriptive writing, speaking) - Ravel, Debussy, Satie
• Current Situation, News in the World - Rap (for inner cities and their problems), Ethnic Music from the discussed countries (you would be surprised at how many people quickly associate the type of music with a part of the world)
• Making Future Plans - Fun upbeat jazz ("Take Five" by Dave Brubeck)
• Discussing "Serious" issues - the "serious" Germans: Beethoven, Brahms - even Mahler if you are adventurous!

Use your imagination and you will quickly find that your students will be using their imaginations to improve their English - usually without being aware of it.

Present Perfect

FORM

[has/have + past participle]

Examples:

• You have seen that movie many times      (affirmative form)
• Man has walked on the Moon.
• Our son has learned how to read.

• Have you seen that movie many times?     (question form)

• You have not seen that movie many times   (negative form)

• Joan has studied two foreign languages.
• A: Have you ever met him?
  B: No, I have not met him.