One of the first things you have to learn in English is which form of the verb 'to be' you have to use with which personal pronoun. By the end of the first year most students of English manage to master this grammar at least in Simple Present and in Simple Past. The problem (as always:) is with the native speakers. In some dialects they seem to make a mess about the whole thing. Watch this video to understand my point better. (lyrics of the song here)
As far as I know, this 'you is' conjugation is an example for African-American dialect from the first part of the last century and you shouldn't use it any more unless you are an actor playing a role in a prohibition-era film. But still it's there, they say it, they even sing it. What if my students find it??? *_~
Monday, 29 March 2010
Wednesday, 24 March 2010
Water on Earth
March 22nd has been internationally observed as World Water Day since 1992. I would like to make a slightly belated contribution to this important day by sharing this beautiful video with you. It is from a "Planet Earth" episode titled "Fresh Water". "Planet Earth" is a BBC nature documentary series narrated by David Attenborough. In this video you will see and hear about: the birth of rivers, a breathtakingly beautiful waterfall, tough little creatures who use 'safety lines' in rapid currents and a giant, scary-looking salamander lurking in the dark. Enjoy!
If you need it you can read the script for this video here.
If you need it you can read the script for this video here.
Wednesday, 17 March 2010
Saint Patrick's Day
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Today is an important day for Irish people all over the world. It is the day of Saint Patrick, who is the most recognized patron saint of Ireland. Saint Patrick was a Christian missionary, whose life and evangelising journey to Ireland became a legend. He was said to use the shamrock (or clover) as a symbol of the Holy Trinity. As a result, now the shamrock and the colour green are both worn to symbolize this legacy on Saint Patrick's Day. However, the day has become more than just celebrating an important figure; it is a general celebration of everything that is Irish. Do this simple quiz below to revise or develop your knowledge about Ireland and the Irish.
Thursday, 11 March 2010
A remarkable English-speaking animal
In the following situation comedy sketch from "Fawlty Towers", Manuel, the Spanish waiter, is cleaning up the reception of the hotel while trying to engage in an easy-going conversation with the Major. However, the conversation is somewhat hampered by the giant moose-head that has been left on the reception desk.
If you need the script of the video click here.
Have you ever tried learning English or any other language from a book? How did it go?
If you need the script of the video click here.
Have you ever tried learning English or any other language from a book? How did it go?
Sunday, 7 March 2010
The spring puzzle
Here is the new picture puzzle that you've all been waiting for so eagerly:) The clue is in the title.
Guess, guess. I think it's not too difficult.
Guess, guess. I think it's not too difficult.
Thursday, 4 March 2010
Words often confused
Well, this new post is not a puzzle. For a change, I decided to blog about a real EFL topic: words that can be confused. However, if you don't feel like practising vocabulary, never mind, come back this Sunday for the new puzzle.
There are some words in English that resemble other words simply too much. The difference in meaning is usually not proportional to the small difference in the form. One or two letters can make or break a sentence. For example, speaking of an 'economic car' would not make too much sense, whereas an 'economical car' actually means something: a car which is cheap to operate and maintain. Word pairs such as lie-lay , beside-besides , affect-effect or desert-dessert should be familiar to all foreign learners of English above intermediate level. But there are other traps similar to these. In fact, there are lots and lots of words in English that can be confused, and some of them are occasionally mixed up even by native speakers. There is a very handy site, where you can spend some time on improving or testing your knowledge about these words. The thing that I especially like about this site is that the verbs are tested in all (or at least several) of their various forms.
And if you are still here you surely deserve this nice dessert:
(picture from here)
There are some words in English that resemble other words simply too much. The difference in meaning is usually not proportional to the small difference in the form. One or two letters can make or break a sentence. For example, speaking of an 'economic car' would not make too much sense, whereas an 'economical car' actually means something: a car which is cheap to operate and maintain. Word pairs such as lie-lay , beside-besides , affect-effect or desert-dessert should be familiar to all foreign learners of English above intermediate level. But there are other traps similar to these. In fact, there are lots and lots of words in English that can be confused, and some of them are occasionally mixed up even by native speakers. There is a very handy site, where you can spend some time on improving or testing your knowledge about these words. The thing that I especially like about this site is that the verbs are tested in all (or at least several) of their various forms.
And if you are still here you surely deserve this nice dessert:
(picture from here)
