NB1, NI!: HEALTH

VOCABULARY ON PARTS OF THE BODY
VOCABULARY ON HEALTH AND HEALTHCARE
PHRASES MATCHING

NB1, NI1: Telephone conversations

When you are a caller
-- Hello?-- Is that John?-- Can I speak to John? -- May I speak to John?

When you are a receiver
-- This is John speaking, who's that? -- Who's speaking please?-- Who's calling please?

When you ask the caller to wait
-- One moment please.-- Just a minute please.-- Hold on please.-- Hang on please

When you ask the caller to leave messages
-- Can you leave the message?-- Can I take your message?-- Would you like to leave a message?-- Would you like him/her to call you back?

When calling the wrong number
-- I'm afraid you got the wrong number-- Sorry, I think you reach the wrong number

When asking the receiver to transfer the line
-- Can I have extension 1234 please?-- Could you please transfer the line to Mr. John please?

When finish talking
-- Nice talking to you-- Talk to you later

SOME PRACTICE:
MAKING AN APPOINTMENT
TAKING A MESSAGE
ORDERING A PIZZA

NI1: Practice with questions tags

Follow this link to do an exercise with question tags.

NI1: Students' recommendations of websites.

Vanesa's recommendation:
http://www.okmagazine.com
Here you can be informed about the life of stars and learn English at the same time. This woman magazine has articles and videos of famous people and you can practice your English level and be a really gossip girl. You can participate by adding comments at the forum.

Micaela's:
http://lang-8.com/
This website focuses on writing in a foreign language. Native speakers will correct your writing and you caould perhaps help others learn Spanish.

Marta's:
http://www.englishtown.es/online/home.aspx
This website is a course where you can go forward through the different levels. You can find guide on grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation... and stuff like that, which helps you improve. This is a chat too, so you can talk with people from other countries.

http://www.quia.com
If you want to relax but not to stop studying English, you can use this website with a lot of interesting games. You will have fun and learn at a time.

Carmen's:
http://dailyesl.com/
It is organized by topics, and each topic has exercises, listenings, grammar, vocabulary, etc, and it is very easy to use.

http://www.esl-lab.com/
It is a website for practicing listening skills, also organized by levels.

Ángela's:
http://iwannagothere.com/
It's a blog. If you want to travel somewhere, but you are not really sure, perhaps you might know people's previous experiences.

http://www.gettyimages.es
If you need to do a photo-montage for a presentation or project in your job, to obtain the best results, what I would do is to visit this site. Here you'll find the best characters, with very good resolution, to impress your boss or customers.

Óscar's:
http://edition.cnn.com/studentnews/
Everyday, this page offers you a ten-minute video free of advertisements summarizing the current news. The presenter speaks very clearly in very understandable English. Likewise, you can read the transcripts in English as you watch the videos.

http://www.ted.com/
In this page, you can find a lot of interesting conferences in English about all kind of topics. I think that watching these videos is a good opportunity to practice English listening and learning a lot of things throught the interesting experiences that all kind of people tell in these conferences.

http://www.livestation.com/
This page offers the possibility of downloading an application that allows you to watch several free online channels in English, like BBC News, Al Jazeera, RT, Euronews, etc...

Excellently done! Thanks everyone for your recommendations. Sorry I just could select a few...

NB1: Possessive 's

If you follow this link, you'll read some explanation on the possessive 's.
And here you can do some practice on possessive 's and possessive pronouns.

NI1: Use of the articles a/an, the, or no article

For those who are still hesitating, here is a grammar explanation of when to use and when no to use each of the articles in English.
And here you have an interesting video about it. And here is some practice.

NB1: Practice with like and would like to

Click here to do an exercise in which you have to put the words in order to make sentences containing the structures:
LIKE + VERB-ing
WOULD LIKE TO + VERB (in infinitive)

NI1: Listening THE PHONE CALL

Here you have a Listening, in which a friend of yours is asking for a few favours... (Easy!) And here is another listening in which a man describes Middle Eastern Food. Listen and clcik on the image you think he's describing. (Intermediate!)

NB1: How much How many

Click on HOW MUCH HOW MANY to do some practice on when to use each of them.

NB1: Food vocabulary

Here you have a memory game to practice vocabulary related to FOOD. Have fun!

NI1: Infinitives and gerunds

Follow this link to Grammar explanations and exercises on INFINITIVES AND GERUNDS...

Keys to past simple or present perfect exercise

Click here to get the keys on the previous exercise related to the use of past simple or present perfect.

NI1: Reported Speech

If you follow this link, you'll watch a video to extend the explanation of Reported Speech related to IMPERATIVES.
And here, you'll be able to do some practice on reported speech, commands and questions.

NB1: Present Continuous Grammar and Exercises

This week we learnt the form and uses of Present Continuous. Click here to do some practice!

NI1: Listening Skills. A customer making a request in a shop

Here you have a listening exercise about a man in a shop making a request. PLEASE, click on the arrows to see if you have answered correctly AFTER you have listened to the whole conversation.

NB1-There is / There are exercises

Click on the following links to do exercises on THERE IS AND THERE ARE:
Grammar and excercise
There is or There are?
There is or It is?
In affirmative, negative and interrogative

NB1: Vocabulary about clothes and parts of the body

Click here to do three exercises related to clothes and parts of the body. The keys are included below.

NI1: Past simple or present perfect?

Click here to do an exercise on past simple and present perfect tenses.

Tips and ideas on the best ways to learn English faster

How To Learn English

1. You are like a new baby
Babies learn their language slowly.
First they learn to listen.
Then they learn to talk.
Finally, they can read and write.

2. Listen to English every day
Listen to English radio.
Watch English TV.
Go to English movies.
Use online lessons.

3. Make an English/ESL (English as a Second Language) friend
Make up conversations.
Practise dialogues.
Use beginner textbooks.

4. Read English stories
Start with children's storybooks.
Try ESL readers.
Read advertisements, signs and labels.
Try EnglishClub.com for Young Learners.

5. Write down new words
Start a vocabulary (new word) notebook.
Write words in alphabetical order (A...B...C...).
Make example sentences.
Always use an English-English dictionary first.

6. Keep an English diary
Start with one sentence.
How do you feel?
How is the weather?
What did you do today?
Write another sentence tomorrow.

7. Visit an English speaking country
Learn English more quickly.
Stay with an English family.
Hear native speakers talk.
Have a fun experience

NI1: Listening Dictations

This is a site for dictations, which I think are quite useful to practice the listening skills.
http://www.englishclub.com/listening/dictations-m-appointments.htm
The main page with the list of topics is here:
http://www.englishclub.com/listening/dictations-medium.htm

NB1: Listening DICTATIONS

Hi guys! I found a nice web site and I thought you may like it. It's about Dictations. The link below takes you to Short Dictations of Numbers and Letters:
http://www.englishclub.com/listening/dictations-s-numbers-letters.htm
You have to click A to listen at a normal speed, then click B and you liten at a slow speed, then write in C what you heard, click D to listen again and make corrections, and click E (Show) to check.
But also, for those of you who feel more confident, there are other topics for you to practice here:
http://www.englishclub.com/listening/dictations-short.htm

NI1, NB1: Interesting web sites

Hi guys!
I don't have time to check these links, but one of my ex-students suggested them, so could you check them out and see if they're worth it?
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar
http://www.agendaweb.org
http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/index.html

Another good site is
http://www.livemocha.com
here you improve your English by practicing with other foreign people, and in return you must show your language to those people.

NI1: Reading about 'Depeche Mode'

In the following link you'll find a text about the 1980's group, and some questions to answer:

http://www.saberingles.com.ar/reading/depeche-mode.html

And afterwards, you may like to enjoy their music, with 'Enjoy the silence'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyipPXE3Ijw

NB1: Listening Practice

Hi guys! I hope you enjoy this listening activity. Just scroll down, click on play and select the right option. Then press on 'Final score' to check... Nice week ahead!
http://www.esl-lab.com/family1/fam1.htm

NI1: Medieval helpdesk: an introduction to the book

Have a laugh!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFAWR6hzZek

NB1: Reading Comprehension

Read the text and answer the questions about the English Language
http://www.saberingles.com.ar/reading/english.html

NI1: Listening Practice

Things always go wrong...
http://www.ompersonal.com.ar/omlisten2/advanced/unit01a.htm
http://www.ompersonal.com.ar/omlisten2/advanced/unit01b.htm
http://www.ompersonal.com.ar/omlisten2/advanced/unit01c.htm

NB1: Listening practice

Practice simple past of be and a couple more of verbs.
Click on play, roll down, and answer the "Assignment"
http://www.ompersonal.com.ar/omlisten2/elementary/unit1.htm

NI1: TRAIN YOUR NORTH AMERICAN ACCENT "Online shopping"

This link will take you to a site in which you can listen to a specific. This example is North American accent. You can also select on the left the topic you'd like to listen to.
http://www.trainyouraccent.com/a-online-shopping.htm

NI1: PISTAS PARA LA 1ª TAREA DE EE

Para la primera tarea de EE, os resultará útil visitar la siguiente página, en la que viene claramente explicado el formato de una carta formal, por si alguien no lo tiene claro.

http://www.usingenglish.com/resources/letter-writing.html

Y aquí tenéis un ejemplo del lenguaje usado en una carta formal. Espero que no reproduzcais literalmente el contenido de esta carta en vuestras composiciones!!!

Example of Formal Letter - English Course Assignment - Letter to TVs Survivor Programme

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing with regard to your advertisement requesting of volunteers to take part in the next edition of your survivor programme, which I have been watching for the last three seasons.

I do not usually tend to fight for things I do not believe deeply in. This is why I am applying for this programme, because I truly think of myself as the kind of person you are looking for in order to give once again the programme the excitement and addiction it has achieved through the years. Since I have always travelled to the poorest areas of the planet where your security relies only on your own survival skills, I feel capable of adapting to the conditions set on your programme, even to the TV cameras. Although I am an adventurous person who will never be afraid of your risky games - at least none has scared me to the point that I would hesitate to participate in the reality show - I always avoid risking my groups security. It is always important to stop and think of your actions and evaluate the possible consequences, specially when, as in your programme, you are not alone and decisions must be taken for the whole group. Because I think this is not only a survivor programme but a situation where people have to learn to trust their group partners because those who isolate themselves tend to lose in the rivalry for survival. Being sociable is the strongest characteristic I have to be chosen from all the contestants.

Referring to the three things I would be allowed to take, I would like to take a family photograph which means much to me and gives me energy when depressed, a jack-knife because I think it may be quite useful for everyone in many cases and, finally, a pen and a diary in order to narrate everything that happens daily.

I am looking forward to hearing from you and am available for interview whenever you might request it.

Yours faithfully

Student Writer

NI1: TAREAS DE EXPRESIÓN ESCRITA Y ORAL

This is the list of written and spoken activities that I expect you to prepare in the next weeks:

EXPRESIÓN ESCRITA

16/02Your son/daughter wants to study in Oxford University. Visit http://www.ox.ac.uk/ and get information about the Admissions, Divisions, Colleges, etc. Write a letter to the Head of Studies of the Department he/she wants to enter, telling him about the qualities of your son/daughter ad why they should accept him/her.

9/03You want to rent one room in your house to a native speaker of English living in Murcia, so you can practice the language with him/her. Visit http://www.spareroom.co.uk/flatshare/flatshare-detail-flat-share/0/1616932/ and find examples of house adverts. Write an advert for your room.

30/03Design pamphlets to make people aware of the dangers of global warming. Visit http://www.fightglobalwarming.com/dangers.cfm and get information on the topic.

13/04Visit the following sites to find information on nursing homes.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/nursinghomes.html (Explanation of what a nursing home is)

http://www.ucarewecare.com (Directory for nursing homes in the UK)

Then, write a letter to an English friend who is thinking of putting his/her elder father/mother into a nursing home. Add factual information as well as your opinion about the advantages and disadvantages of a couple of nursing homes of your choice.

4/05Write recommendations for 3 websites that you think your classmates should know, because you find them really useful and interesting. Visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/radio/specials/1212_how_to_instruct/page5.shtml to find useful language related to making recommendations.

EXPRESIÓN ORAL

2/03Give a presentation on a product that you want to sell. It can be either real or imaginary.

23/03Choose a film you would like to watch at the EOI and make a presentation to try to convince your classmates so that they vote for your choice. It should be a film connected with sports and / or free time activities.

6/04Visit http://dating.about.com/od/meetingpeople/Meeting_People.htm and find tips on how to meet new people. Prepare a presentation to show your partners the best ways of introducing yourself, and the best places to meet people.

11/05Prepare a presentation on your next holidays. Say where you’re planning to go, who with, the activities you’re going to do there, and any other aspect you may think is interesting. Try to persuade some classmates so they join you.