Let's Learn English: marzo 2015

lunes, 30 de marzo de 2015

Question Tags

USES:
- We use a negative tag after an affirmative statement when we expect an affirmative answer.

You are American, aren't you?

- We use an affirmative tag after a negative statement when we expect a negative answer.

You can't speak Chinese, can you?

NOTE: After I am it is used "aren't I?"

FORM:

We use the auxiliary verb + subject auxiliary verb + NOT + subject

*The auxiliary verb depends on the time tense used. If the tag is negative we use the negative form of the auxiliary verb*

NOTE: Everyone, someone, no one, everybody, somebody, nobody use a plural verb and they in question tags.

Links to exercises:

Question tags 1

Question tags 2

Question tags 3

USES:
- To express dissatisfaction wit a present or past condition that we CAN'T change.
- For a condition that we hope it will change in the present.

FORM:

- Regrets about present: I wish / If only + Vpast

- Regrets about past: I wish / If only + HAD + Vparticiple

- Hopes for a change: I wish / If only + WOULD + Infinitive

Links to exercises:
Exercise 1
Exercise 2
Exercise 3

OTHER WAYS TO SAY "IF"

Even if = to show the result is true whether the condition is true or not.
Unless = "If not"
As long as
Providing
Provided that = "Only if"
On condition
With/without = "If you get/have" / "If you don't get/have"
In case = "If by some chance happens"
Depending on = Two possible conditions with two possible results.
Only if = There is only one condition needed to make it true.

Conditional Sentences

CONDICIÓN , RESULTADO

IF , PRINCIPAL

ZERO CONDITIONAL:

USE: To talk about situations that are ALWAYS true. Natural laws.

FORM: IF + Present simple , Present simple

If you heat water to 100º, it boils.

FIRST CONDITIONAL:

USE: To refer to situations possible in the future.

FORM: IF + Present simple , Future simple / Might / Could

If I finish all my homework, I will go to the cinema.

SECOND CONDITIONAL:

USE: To talk about situations that are improbable refering to present or future. Imaginary situations.

FORM: IF + Past simple , Would + infinitive

If I had a million pounds, I would travel around the world.

THIRD CONDITIONAL:

USE: To talk about situations that would have happened in the past with an imaginary result. Impossible situations.

FORM: IF + Past perfect , Would + Past perfect

If I had gone out on Saturday, I would have been tired on Sunday.

Links to exercises:
Conditional Type 1
Conditional Type 2
Conditional Type 3
Conditional Mix 1
Conditional Mix 2
Conditional Mix 3
Conditional Mix 4
Conditional Complex Test

Have / Get something done

USES:
It is used to indicate that another person have done something for us.

FORM:

To have + Complement + Vparticiple

EXAMPLE:

We had our blood pressure checked by the nurse.

FORM:

To get + Complement + Vparticiple

EXAMPLE:
I got my bike fixed by the bike shop manager.

Links to exercises:
Have something done 1
Have something done 2
Have something done 3
Have something done 4

Passive Voice

USES:
- We use the passive voice when the action is more important than the subject who did it.
- When the author is obvious or unknown.
- When the complement is more important than the subject.

NOTES:
- If we want to say the author we add BY at the end of the sentence followed by who did it.
- There are direct passives where the direct object becomes the subject: A box was sent to me by John.
- There are indirect passives where the indirect object becomes the subject: I was sent a box by John.

FORM:

Subject + To be (same tense as active sentence) + V participle

IMPERSONAL PASSIVE SENTENCES

USES:

- In place of active sentences with "generalized" subject: people, world...

- When we don't need or want to mention a subject: It.

- With verbs such as believe, say, expect, think, know...

FORM:

Generalized Subject + To be (same tense as active sentence) + V participle

Links to exercises:

Direct / Indirect Passive Voice

Used / Be Used / Get Used

USES:
* Used to: Express a past routine or pattern.
* Be used to: Express when somebody is accustomed to something. It is a psychological statement.
* Get used to: Express when somebody turns accustomed to something. It is a process.

FORM:

*Used to: Past tense USED TO + INFINITIVE

*Be used to: BE (conjugado en el tiempo correspondiente) + USED TO + NOUN/-ING

*Get used to: GET (conjugado en el tiempo correspondiente) + USED TO + NOUN/-ING

EXAMPLES:
I used to smoke cigarettes; now I smoke pipe.
He used to drink beer; now he drinks wine.
I am used to noise. I can sleep anyway.
I am used to working at night.
They will soon get used to driving on the left.

Links to exercises:
Be used to - exercise 1
Used to - exercise 1
Mix 1
Mix 2
Mix 3

Relative Clauses

USES:
They give us aditional information about something already mentioned.
There are two types:

DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSES (ESPECIFICATIVAS)

USE: It gives neccessary information about the person, thing or place talking about. It is needed information and it doesn't have commas.

- We can omit the pronoun when it refers to a complement.

- We CAN'T omit the pronoun when it refers to the subject.

WHO / THAT / WHOM : people *whom = formal*

WHICH / THAT : things

WHOSE : possesion

WHERE : place

WHEN : time

EXAMPLES:

She is the person who gave us the DVD.

He is the person to whom I spoke / He is the person who I spoke to.

We stayed with a family whose house is next to the hospital.

This is the place where we first met. (WHERE can be omitted)

Christmas is a time when we are all together.

An iPod is a device which plays digital files.

NON-DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSES (EXPLICATIVAS)

USE: It gives extra information but not vital for understanding. It has commas. THAT is not used here.

EXAMPLES:
My friend Maria, who is very good at english, is from Madrid.
The house was built in 1864, which makes it the oldest house in our town.

OTHER RELATIVES CLAUSES

USE: To say "no matter....", show ignorance about what we are talking or express "The one..."

WHOEVER : people
WHICHEVER / WHATEVER : things
WHEREVER : place
WHENEVER : time
HOWEVER : how

Links to exercises:

Relatives 1

Relatives 2

Relatives 3

Relatives 4

Defining or Non-defining

miércoles, 25 de marzo de 2015

Reflexive Pronouns

USE:
- When the subject and object in a sentence are the same person.

POSITIONS:
- As direct objects: I see myself in the mirror.
- As indirect objects: I taught myself to play the guitar.
- For emphasis: I built this bookcase myself.

PRONOUNS:
Myself - Yo mismo / Me / A mí.
Yourself - Tú mismo / Te / A ti.
Himself - Él mismo / Se / A él.
Herself - Ella misma / Se / A ella.
Itself - Ello mismo / Se / A ello.
Ourselves - Nosotros mismos / Nos / A nosotros.
Yourselves - Vosotros mismos / Se / A vosotros.
Themselves - Ellos mismos / Se / A ellos.

Links to exercises:
Reflexive pronouns 1
Reflexive pronouns 2

Adverbs of Frequency

USES:

They are used to say how often an action is done.

POSITION:

They go AFTER the verb to be but BEFORE other verbs.

ADVERBS:

Always - Siempre

Usually - Normalmente

Often - A menudo/Frecuentemente

Generally - Generalmente

Sometimes - A veces

Rarely - Rara vez

Seldom - Pocas veces

Hardly ever - Casi nunca

Never - Nunca

Links to exercises:

Adverbs 1

Adverbs 2

Adverbs 3

Tense Chart

Future Perfect Continuous

USES:
- To show cause and effect.
- To say that something is going to continue until the next future action: for.

2 FORMS:

- AFFIRMATIVE: Subject + Will have been + Verb -ing
I will have been living in Italy for 4 years by the time I finish my studies.

  Subject + Be (present) going to have been + Verb -ing
I am going to have been living in Italy for 4 years by the time you finish your studies.

- NEGATIVE: Subject + Will not have been + Verb -ing   *Will not have = Won't have*
I won't have been living in Italy for 4 years by the time I finish my studies.

Subject + Be not (present) going to have been + Verb -ing
I am not going to have been living in Italy for 4 years by the time you finish your studies.

- QUESTION: Will  + Subject + Have been + Verb -ing + Complements?
Will you have been living in Italy for 4 years by the time you finish your studies?

Be (present) + Subject + Going to have been + Verb -ing + Complements?
Are you going to have been living in Italy for 4 years by the time you finish your studies?

Links to exercises:
Future perfect continuous 1
Future prefect continuous 2
Future perfect continuous 3

Future Perfect

USES:
- To talk about actions that have already finished before the next action in the future: by.
- To show that something will continue until the next future action: before.

2 FORMS:

- AFFIRMATIVE: Subject + Will have + Verb participle
I will have ended the basketball match by 8pm.

Subject + Be (present) going to have + Verb participle
I am going to have ended the basketball match by 8pm.

- NEGATIVE: Subject + Will not have + Verb participle   *Will not have = Won't have*
I won't have ended the basketball match by 7pm.

Subject + Be not (present) going to have + Verb participle
I am not going to have ended the basketball match by 8pm.

- QUESTION: Will  + Subject + Have + Verb participle + Complements?
Will you have ended basketball before 8?

Be (present) + Subject + Going to have + Verb participle + Complements?
Are you going to have ended basketball before 8?

Links to exercises:
Future perfect 1
Future perfect 2
Future perfect 3
Future prefect 4

Future Continuous

USES:
- To talk about actions which will take place in the future at the moment we refer.

FORM:

- AFFIRMATIVE: Subject + Will be + Verb -ing
I will be playing basketball at 8pm.

- NEGATIVE: Subject + Will not be + Verb -ing *Will not be = Won't be*
I won't be working as a journalist.

- QUESTION: Will + Subject + Be + Verb -ing + Complements?
Will you be playing tennis at 8?

Links to exercises:
Future continuous 1
Future continuous 2
Future continuous 3
Future continuous 4

Future Simple

WILL Vs BE GOING TO

WILL

USES:
- To talk about promises.
- Spontaneous things.
- Predictions.

FORM:

- AFFIRMATIVE: Will + Verb infinitive I will open the door.

- NEGATIVE: Will not + verb infinitve I won't open the window. *Will not = Won't*

- QUESTION: Will + Subject + Verb infinitive + Complements? Will you play tennis?

WILL is the auxiliary verb.

BE GOING TO

USES:
- To talk about planned actions.
- When something shows what will happen.

FORM:

- AFFIRMATIVE: Subject + Be (present) going to + Verb infinitive
I am going to travel to Mexico next summer.

- NEGATIVE: Subject + Be not (present) going to + Verb infinitive
I am not going to travel to London.

- QUESTION: Be (present) + Subject + Going to + Verb infinitive + Complements?
Are you going to travel to L.A?

TO BE (present) is the auxiliary verb.

Links to exercises:

Past Perfect Continuous

USES:
- To talk about something that started in the past and continued up until another time in the past.
- Before another action in the past, to show cause and effect.

FORM:

- AFFIRMATIVE: Had been + Verb -ing
I had been playing basketball.

- NEGATIVE: Had not been + Verb -ing
I hadn't been playing football.

- QUESTION: Had + Subject + Been + Verb -ing + Complements?
Had you been playing tennis?

HAD is the auxiliary verb.

Links to exercises:

Past perfect continuous 1

Past Perfect

USES:
- To show which of the two past events happened first.
- To report past events.

FORM:

- AFFIRMATIVE: Had + Verb in participle
I had played basketball.

- NEGATIVE: Had not + verb in participle I hadn't played football.

- QUESTION: Had + Subject + Verb participle + Complements? Had you played tennis?

HAD is the auxiliary verb.

Links to exercises:

Past Continuous

USES:
- To talk about actions happening at the same time: while.
- To talk about interrupted actions: when.
- To talk about actions that started in the past and had certain duration.

FORM:

- AFFIRMATIVE: Be (in past) + Verb -ing
I was playing basketball.

- NEGATIVE: Be not (in past) + Verb -ing I wasn't playing football.

- QUESTION: Be (in past) + Subject + Verb -ing + Complements? Were you playing tennis?

TO BE is the auxiliary verb.

Links to exercises:

Regular Verbs

There are three different ways to pronounce the final –ed of regular verbs in past simple: /-t/, /-d/ and /-ɪd/. The pronunciation depends on the final sound of the verb in the base form.

After unvoiced/voiceless sounds such as /p/, /f/, /s/, /k/, /ʃ/, and /ʃt/ the final -ed is pronounced like /t/ as in the word cat. Note that the -e remains silent.

After voiced sounds such as /b/, /g/, /v/, /z/, /ʓ/, /dʓ/, /m/, /n/, /ŋ/, /l/, /đ/, /r/ and vowel sounds the final –ed sound is pronounced like /d/ as in good. Note that the –e remains silent.

For verbs ending in /d/ and /t/ the final -ed is pronounced /Id/ as in the final two letters of the word did. Note here that the -e is not silent and this final /-ed/sound adds another syllable to the end of the verb.

Regular Verbs Pronunciation (Click to video)

Irregular verbs

83 MOST USED IRREGULAR VERBS:

https://englishforgeniuses.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/lista-de-verbos-irregulares-en-inglecc81s.pdf

Links to list:
Irregular verbs 1
Irregular verbs 2
Irregular verbs 3
Irregular verbs 4
Irregular verbs 5
Irregular verbs 6
Irregular verbs 7
Irregular verbs 8
Irregular verbs 9
Irregular verbs 10
Irregular verbs 11
Irregular verbs 12
Irregular verbs 13
Irregular verbs 14
Irregular verbs 15
Irregular verbs 16
Irregular verbs 17
Irregular verbs 18
Irregular verbs 19

Links to exercises:
Irregular verbs exercise 1
Irregular verbs exercise 2
Irregular verbs exercise 3
Irregular verbs exercise 4
Irregular verbs exercise 5
Irregular verbs exercise 6
Irregular verbs exercise 7

Link to video:
Irregular verbs YOUTUBE

Past Simple

USES:
- To talk about actions that happened in the past and now they are finished.
- Facts in sequence.

FORM:

- AFFIRMATIVE: Verb in past *Regular verbs add -ed* *Irregular verbs: Click to see*
I played basketball yesterday.

- NEGATIVE: Did not + verb in infinitve I didn't play football.

- QUESTION: Did + Subject + Verb infinitive + Complements? Did you play tennis?

DID is the auxiliary verb.

Links to exercises:

Present Perfect Continuous

USES:
- To say how long for unfinished actions which started in the past and continue to the present.
- Actions which have just stopped and have a result.

FORM:

- AFFIRMATIVE: Have been + Verb -ing *Third person singular use has*
I have been playing basketball. She has been playing basketball.

- NEGATIVE: Have not been + Verb -ing *Third person singular use has*
I haven't been playing football. She hasn't been playing football.

- QUESTION: Have/Has + Subject + Been + Verb -ing + Complements?
Have you been playing tennis? Has she been playing tennis?

TO HAVE (present) is the auxiliary verb.

Links to exercises:

Present perfect continuous 1

Present perfect continuous 2

Present perfect continuous 3

Present Perfect

USES:
- To talk about ongoing actions that began in the past and are still going on: FOR, SINCE.
- To talk about recently completed actions: JUST.
- To talk about actions in the same period of time.

FORM:

- AFFIRMATIVE: Have + Verb in participle *Third person singular use has*
I have played basketball since highschool. She has played basketball since highschool.

- NEGATIVE: Have not + verb in participle I haven't played.
Has not + verb in participle She hasn't play football.

- QUESTION: Have + Subject + Verb infinitive + Complements? Have you ever played tennis?
Has + Subject + Verb infinitive + Complements? Has she ever played tennis?

TO HAVE is the auxiliary verb.

FOR Vs SINCE

FOR: To talk about a period of time: We have lived in this house for 3 months.

SINCE: To say when the action began: We have lived in this house since February.

JUST / ALREADY / YET

JUST: For something that happened a very short time ago: We have just finished our homework.

ALREADY: For something that happened before now - often a surprised: We have already get the house.

YET: For something that has not happened and questions: Mom hasn´t come back yet.

Links to exercises:
Present perfect 1
Present perfect 2
Present perfect 3
Present perfect 4
Present perfect 5
Present perfect 6

Present Continuous

USES:
- To talk about actions ocurring while talking.
- Confirmed future plans. Completely sure and near in time.
- With expressions like: Now, Listen, At the moment...

FORM:

- AFFIRMATIVE: To be (present) + Verb -ing
I am playing basketball at the moment. She is playing basketball at the moment.

- NEGATIVE: Be not (present) + Verb -ing I am not playing football.

- QUESTION: Be (present) + Subject + Verb -ing + Complements? Are you playing tennis?

TO BE (present) is the auxiliary verb.

Links to exercises:

Present continuous 1
Present continuous 2
Present continuous 3
Present continuous 4
Present continuous 5
Present continuous 6
Present continuous 7

Present Simple

USES:
- To talk about habits or routines.
- Timetables and permanent statements (for future).
- Natural laws.
- With STATE VERBS: like, love, hate, know, be, want, have, understand.
- With ADVERBS OF FREQUENCY: never, sometimes, often, usually, always. (Click to see)

FORM:

- AFFIRMATIVE: Verb in present *Third person singular adds -s, -es.*
I play basketball every day. She plays basketball every day.

- NEGATIVE: Do not + verb in infinitve I don't play football.
Does not + verb in infinitive She doesn't play football.

- QUESTION: Do + Subject + Verb infinitive + Complements? Do you play tennis?
Does + Subject + Verb infinitive + Complements? Does she play tennis?

TO DO is the auxiliary verb.

Links to exercises:
Present simple 1
Present simple 2
Present simple 3
Present simple 4
Present simple 5
Present simple 6
Present simple 7

Months and Days

VOCABULARY

MONTHS OF THE YEAR

January - Enero

February - Febrero

March - Marzo

April - Abril

May - Mayo

June - Junio

July - Julio

August - Agosto

September - Septiembre

October - Octubre

November - Noviembre

December - Diciembre

VIDEO

DAYS OF THE WEEK

Monday - Lunes

Tuesday - Martes

Wednesday - Miércoles

Thursday - Jueves

Friday - Viernes

Saturday - Sábado

Sunday - Domingo

VIDEO

martes, 24 de marzo de 2015

Demonstratives

USE:

To determinate the position of the objects.

In English there is only two positions possible: NEAR (cerca) or FAR (lejos).

Ordinal Numbers

VOCABULARY

Los números ordinales se usan para indicar el orden de las cosas.

Para crear los números ordinales sólo debemos añadir "th" al número cardinal.

EXCEPTIONS:

One - First

Two - Second

Three - Third

Five - Fifth

Eight - Eighth

Nine - Ninth

Twelve - Twelfth

En los números ordinales compuestos sólo se escribe en forma ordinal la última figura.

EJEMPLO:

Four hundred and twenty-one -- Four hundred and twenty-first

Si queremos escribir los números ordinales con cifra, escribiremos el número cardinal seguido de las dos últimas letras de cómo se escribe en ordinal.

EXAMPLES:

First - 1st

Second - 2nd

Third - 3rd

Twenty-sixth - 26th

Hundred and ten - 110th

Ordinal numbers(Click para ver el vídeo)

Cardinal Numbers

VOCABULARY

One - Uno (1)

Two - Dos (2)

Three - Tres (3)

Four - Cuatro (4)

Five - Cinco (5)

Six - Seis (6)

Seven - Siete (7)

Eight - Ocho (8)

Nine - Nueve (9)

Ten - Diez (10)

Eleven - Once (11)

Twelve - Doce (12)

Thirteen - Trece (13)

Fourteen - Catorce (14)

Fifteen - Quince (15)

Sixteen - Dieciséis (16)

Seventeen - Diecisiete (17)

Eighteen - Dieciocho (18)

Nineteen - Diecinueve (19)

Los números a partir del 20 son números regulares, es decir, no varían.

Twenty - Veinte (20)

Twenty-One - Veintiuno (21)

Twenty-Two - Veintidós (22)

Twenty-Three - Veintitrés (23)

.....

Twenty-Nine - Veintinueve (29)

Y así hasta el 30 que continúa igual hasta 100.

Thirty - Treinta (30)

Forty - Cuarenta (40)

Fifty - Cincuenta (50)

Sixty - Sesenta (60)

Seventy - Setenta (70)

Eighty - Ochenta (80)

Ninety - Noventa (90)

A partir del 100 se añade "and" y las decenas regulares. Así hasta 1000.

One hundred - Cien (100)

One hundred and one - Ciento uno (101)

.....

One hundred and twelve - Ciento doce (112)

.....

One hundred and forty - Ciento cuarenta (140)

.....

Two hundred - Doscientos (200)

Three hundred - Trescientos (300)

.....

Nine hundred - Novecientos (900)

One thousand - Mil (1000)

EJEMPLOS:

One hundred and eighty- one - Ciento ochenta y uno (181)

One thousand, two hundred and fifty-four - Mil doscientos cincuenta y cuatro (1254)

Sixty-Five - Sesenta y cinco (65)

Five hundred and sixty-seven - Quinientos sesenta y siete (567)

The Big Numbers (Click para ver el vídeo)

Colours

VOCABULARY

Claro - Light

Oscuro - Dark

Acerado - Steelblue

Amarillo - Yellow

Añil - Indigo

Azul - Blue

Azul cobalto - Cobalt blue

Azul marino - Navy blue

Azul verdoso (Aguamarina) - Aquamarine

Beige - Beige

Berenjena - Eggplant/Blue Violet

Blanco - White

Castaño - Chesnut

Carmesí - Crimson

Carne - Flesh

Celeste - Sky blue

Ciruela - Plum

Coral - Coral

Crema - Bisque

Cyan - Cyan

Dorado - Gold

Fucsia - Fuchsia/Deep pink

Granate - Maroon

Gris - Grey (UK)/ Gray (US)

Lavanda - Lavender

Magenta - Magenta

Marfil - Ivory

Marrón - Brown

Morado - Purple

Naranja - Orange

Negro - Black

Ocre - Ochre

Pajizo - Cornsilk

Plateado - Silver

Rojo - Red

Rojo pasión/Escarlata - Scarlet

Rosa - Pink

Salmón - Salmon

Sepia - Sepia

Siena - Sienna

Turquesa - Turquoise

Verde - Green

Verde lima - Lime

Verde oliva - Olive

Verde azulado - Teal

Verde amarillento - Chartreuse

Verde musgo - Moss green

Violeta - Violet

Colours (Click to video)

martes, 17 de marzo de 2015

Phonetic

La fonética es una parte esencial de un idioma. No basta con saber muchas palabras, hay que saber cómo pronunciarlas.

En este post te ofrecemos la tabla de signos fonéticos. Si pinchas en el enlace podrás escuchar los diferentes sonidos para aprender a distinguirlos y pronunciarlos así como ejemplos de palabras con dichos fonemas.

Y como siempre, una pequeña "worksheet" para que ejercites esos nuevos conocimientos.

Phonemic Chart (British Council) (Click para escuchar)

lunes, 16 de marzo de 2015

St Patrick's Day

Saint Patrick's Day

Saint Patrick's Day, colloquially St. Paddy's Day or simply Paddy's Day, is an annual feast day that celebrates Saint Patrick (AD 387–493), the most commonly recognised of the patron saints of Ireland, and is generally celebrated on 17 March. The day is a national holiday of Ireland, a bank holiday in Northern Ireland and a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland. In United Kingdom (excluding Northern Ireland), Australia, New Zealand and Montserrat it is widely celebrated, while in the United States it is a public holiday. St. Patrick's feast day was placed on the universal liturgical calendar in the Catholic Church due to the influence of the Waterford-born Franciscan scholar Luke Wadding in the early part of the 17th century, although the feast day was celebrated in the local Irish church from a much earlier date. St. Patrick's Day is a holy day of obligation for Roman Catholics in Ireland. The feast day usually falls during Lent. The church calendar avoids the observance of saints' feasts during certain solemnities, moving the saint's day to a time outside those periods. St. Patrick's Day is very occasionally affected by this requirement. Thus when 17th of March falls during Holy Week, as in 1940 when St. Patrick's Day was observed on 3 April in order to avoid it coinciding with Palm Sunday, and again in 2008, having been observed on 15 March. St. Patrick's Day will not fall within Holy Week again until 2160 - when it will fall on the Monday before Easter.

Who is St. Patrick?

St. Patrick was born as Maewyn Succat during the fourth century in Britain. His parents were very wealthy. His father was also a Christian deacon for tax incentive reasons. When Maewyn was about sixteen his family and their home was attacked by Irish raiders. Maewyn was kidnapped and forced to become a slave working as a shepherd in County Mayo in Ireland. It was during his time as a slave that he turned to God. He had a dream one night to escape the next day and travel back home to Britain. The next day he did just that and travelled the 200 miles back home to Britain. Once he returned, Maewyn had another religious dream. An angel told him to become a missionary and spread Christianity back in Ireland. He then spent the next fifteen years training to become a priest and chose Patrick as his Christian Saint name. In 432 AD he went back to Ireland as a priest. He tried to convert the Irish people from a Pagan polytheistic religion that worshipped the sun and the moon to Christianity. He also created and taught at many schools along Ireland's west coast. One of his teaching methods included using the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity (the father, the son, and the Holy Spirit) to the Irish people. After nearly thirty years of teaching and spreading God's word he died on March 17th 461 AD. Soon after his death the country of Ireland decided to remember his death with a day of his own and thus St. Patrick's Day was born.

Wearing of green

Originally the color associated with St. Patrick was blue, not green. However over the years the colour green and its association with St. Patrick's day grew. Green ribbons and shamrocks were worn in celebration of St Patrick's Day as early as the 17th century. He is said to have used the shamrock, a three-leaved plant, to explain the Holy Trinity to the pre-Christian Irish, and the wearing and display of shamrocks and shamrock-inspired designs have become a ubiquitous feature of the day. Then in 1798 in hopes of making a political statement Irish soldiers wore full green uniforms on March 17th in hopes of catching attention with their unusual fashion gimmick. The phrase "the wearing of the green", meaning to wear a shamrock on one's clothing, derives from the song of the same name.

Trinity : Grade 4

Os presento unas preguntas tipo para el examen oficial GESE de Trinity College para el nivel 4.

Como recomendación personal os dejo un enlace a una empresa de extraescolares que trabaja dicho tipo de examen, además de otras actividades:

http://www.activa.org/servicios/activa-idiomas/

El examen consta de una conversación general y la presentación de un topic o tema, del interés del alumno. En total el examen es de 10 minutos de duración. Aquí tenéis un enlace con un archivo que os puede ayudar con el vocabulario necesario y ejemplos de materiales prácticos, sacados de la propia web oficial de TRINITY COLLEGE.

http://www.trinitycollege.com/resource/?id=5649

Hello!.......
Good morning/ afternoon!...............
How are you?.............
Can I have your topic form, please? (Questions about topic).
Where did you go for holidays last year?
What’s the job of your father?
Where does your mother work?
What do you like doing in summer?
Please, tell me what did you do last weekend.
What are some of the differences between England and Spain?
Let’s look the picture.
What are these people going to do?
What do you like doing on the beach?
What’s your favourite hobby?
How often do you practise it?
Thank you very much. Nice to meet you. Good bye.

MORE QUESTIONS:
What’s this?
Have you got any pet? What’s the name of your dog/cat…?
What was the weather like yesterday?
Do you like listening to music? Which kind of music?
What’s your father’s job? What does your mother do?
What are you going to do next summer?
How often do you buy new clothes?
What do you like about your hobby? I collect postcards of places I visit. Do you collect anything?
Do you like reading?What sort of books do you like?
Do you like going to the cinema? What sort of films do you like?
When was the last time you went to the cinema?
Where’s your favourite place to go on holiday?
Where does an engineer / dentist / footballer/ teacher / lawyer work?

AQUÍ ESTÁ EL TOPIC FORM DEL QUE SE HABLA EN LA ENTREVISTA. ES LA PARTE A ENTREGAR EN EL EXAMEN SOBRE EL TEMA QUE VAMOS A DESARROLLAR EN ESTE NIVEL.

ALGUNOS VÍDEOS DE LOS EXÁMENES (Click en el título):

Trinity College London Grade 4