BEING A TEACHER IS A DIFFICULT TASK NOWADAYS, SO I DECIDED TO FOLLOW THIS PIECE OF ADVICE BY BRUCE LEE:
Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.
Taking advantage that we are analysing some aspects of the comparatives, superlatives and so on in the level of 4º ESO, here are some notes to study (for further information about the issue have a look into NOTES ON GRAMMATICAL ISSUES - 2º Bachillerato):
COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES
We use more....for adverbs that end in -ly: more slowly, more quietly
You can use -er or more... with some two-syllable
adjectives, especially: quiet, clever, narrow, shallow, simple
In which famous film have you seen this proverb? What does it mean?
Nowadays, students have to go to school in the afternoon and then in the afternoon they may have to go to private classes, to the music school or official language school in Motril, do some sport, do loads of homework, study... and yes, they also have to chat with their friends, keep their social networks updated and even slepp. This is just a restless life, but what can we do?
Apart from the proverb, my piece of advice would be to make the most of any experience or activity you have to do, so for example if you are in class, you have to be 100% attentive to all what teachers say and do as much as you can.
LINGOHACK: Episode 160113
/ 13 Jan 2016 >>> Expressions presented: vowed, partisan, bold ambition, census & iconic.
However, stress is not only an issue that affects students, here are some cases of people working under stress:
LATEST NEWS (18th January, 2016) >>> The Agency has told me not to pay anything for the luggage check-in as Ryanair has no fixed fees. They are charging different prices in other flights for each piece of luggage, even depending on the outward flight or the return flight.
Hi,
In our next meeting on Monday, 18th January, we will talk about these issues (please, inform your parents):
1.-
Remind your parents the 3 places where they can find information about our study trip, read the diary or have a look at the photos:: site- study trip to the British Isles, blog- Study trip to the British Isles and in Spanish Viaje de estudios-Información para padres.
2.- The final price for the flight, also counting the flights for Mr Gallardo, is 249€ per student.
3.-
If a suitcase is going to be carried, the student will have to pay 40€ extra for a 15kg suitcase and 60€ for a 20kg suitcase return (ida y vuelta).
4. Therefore by the end of January, you must have done the second payment, which is 155€ for the remaining amount to pay for the course +
249€ for the flight tickets, that is, a total of 404€, apart from the suitcase check-in, in case the student carries one.
By the way, remember that this includes our one-day trip to Galway (25€) once we are in Dublin.
5.-
Finally, there is only the coach that takes us to Malaga airport to pay left. We are still bargaining for better deals, but it will probably be around 14€ return (that is to say, taking us from the school to Malaga airport on 14th March and collecting us and bringing us home on 20th March).
6.-
One final remark about the trip, please remember once again your parents to let me know by email or arranging an appointment with me if they have any further questions or doubts.
JUST TWO MONTHS TO GO!!!!!
By the way, those students who still have to hand in their Identity Cards or passports must do it as soon as they can.
Hand luggage >> Each passenger can carry a hand piece of luggage on board not heavier than 10 kg, measuring 55 cm x 40 cm x 20
cm at the most, and a small bag no bigger than 35 x 20 x 20 cm.
Suitcases to check in:
For a 15kg suitcase you have to pay 40€ return and for a 20
kg suitcase 60€ return.
Here's an incredible story to read about: FAR FROM HOME
Can you make a summary of the story or film?
By the way, here are some interesting notes about the CONDITIONAL SENTENCES, If only... & I wish... (for further information visit my site):
CONDITIONAL SENTENCES
To begin with, we have to
differentiate between the 'IF-CLAUSE' and the 'MAIN CLAUSE'. If we put
the IF CLAUSE first, you have to put a comma after it.
If we put the IF CLAUSE first, you have to put a comma after it. (You have to put a comma after it if we put the...)
IF CLAUSE MAIN CLAUSE
- There are three main types of conditional sentences:
REAL CONDITIONALS.- You are based on a real situation.
HYPOTHETICAL CONDITIONALS.- You are based on a hypothetical (NOT IMPOSSIBLE) situation.
IMPOSSIBLE or UNREAL CONDITIONALS.- You are based on past facts that cannot be changed at all.
REMEMBER THAT IN THE IF-CLAUSE WE DON'T USUALLY HAVE EITHER 'WILL' OR 'WOULD', WHICH IS A SIMILAR CASE TO THE TIME CLAUSES.
1. REAL CONDITIONALS
They are based on a real situation, so the main clause depends on the if-clause.
If + PRESENT SIMPLE......>>> Future Simple (we will have a barbecue in the garden)
If it is sunny,...>>> Modal verb (we can have a barbecue in the garden, we must moan the lawn)
>>> Imperative (come to my house and we will have a barbecue in the garden)
ZERO CONDITIONALS
They are used when we refer to physical laws, rules..... If + PRESENT SIMPLE... >>> PRESENT SIMPLE
Example: Water freezes if it reaches a temperature of 0º C.
Exception number 1
You
can have a real conditional in the past. They can be confused with the
hypothetical conditionals, but they can be easily recognized when we
translate them into Spanish as they don't use the subjunctive in the
if-clause. The main clause is usually in the interrogative form.
Example: You had a car accident and someone tells you: 'If you could't drive, why did you take your father's car?'
2. HYPOTHETICAL CONDITIONALS
They
are based on a hypothetical situation, which may seem in many cases
impossible, so you have to be careful. Just imagine the case of Pau
Gasol when he was 4 and said: "I would play in the LA Lakers and the
Chicago Bulls if I played in the NBA).
SITUATION: It is raining and the weather forecast is not very optimistic, so it is not very likely that it is sunny.
If + PAST SIMPLE......>>> Conditional Simple (we would have a barbecue in the garden)
If it were (was) sunny,...>>> MIGHT & COULD are also possible
'WERE' used to be the only possible form in the if-clause, although nowadays both forms (was, were) are possible.
3. IMPOSSIBLE or UNREAL CONDITIONALS
They are based on impossible situations which we cannot change at all.
SITUATION: Kennedy was murdered.
If + PAST PERFECT......>>> CONDITIONAL PERFECT
If John Fitzgerald had not been murdered, he would have been a great president.
Exception number 2
Combination
of a past fact that cannot be changed and a quality that you don't
have, but that you could have (it is still not impossible)
Example: I would have been a Science teacher if I were better at Physics.
Exception number 3
Combination of a past fact whose effects are still permanent.
Example: If you hadn't drunk so much last night, you wouldn't have a hangover now.
OTHER CONDITIONALS
- UNLESS (= if not) a menos que I will give a party for my birthday unless I am ill.
-
AS LONG AS / PROVIDING (PROVIDED) THAT (= only if) con la condición
de que, siempre que, siempre y cuando, en tanto, mientras
I will help you with your English homework as long as / providing that you listen to my explanations
WISHES AND REGRETS
- wishes for change in the present (I wish + PAST SIMPLE / PAST CONTINUOUS)
I wish I were rich / we were spending our holidays in Honolulu this year.
-
regrets about something in the past (I wish + PAST PERFECT)
I wish At Madrid had defeated Real Madrid in the Champions League Final in 2014.
-
complaints about a thing or situation and that you would like it to change in the future.
I wish my students would listen to me (Actually they don't do it, but I would like them to do it).
Here's a similar structure, although it is a bit stronger:
- If only... (si al menos) to express a strong wish that things could be different. It may be used for past, present and future unreal situations.
We use if only + past verb forms to talk about a wish for the present:
If only he could speak English properly. (he can't, but he wishes he could)
If only there was some snow to ski.
Remember we can use were instead of was in more formal situations:
If only I were (was) in the Alps (when our protagonist was back in Uganda).
To talk about a wish for the future or to show a contrast between how things are and how we would like them to be, we use if only + would + infinitive without to:
If only all the students would follow the teachers' advice.
If only it would rain more during the spring.
We use if only + past perfect to talk about a wish to change something that has already happened:
If only Benitez had kept his position as Real Madrid coach. (but he didn't.)
If only Andrea had come to Chester. (but she didn't come.)
And here's a song to listen to (If only by Dove Cameron):
Here comes January (a bitter pill to swallow, do we have the same expression in Spanish?). Back to our daily routines, but this time it is the start of a new year, time for resolutions, time to think about the future. So let's begin revising the FUTURE TENSES (remember you can have a loot at all the tenses and their uses in my site):
Present Continuous
Future arrangements as part of your agenda (We have already bought the flights for Dublin, so we are flying there from Malaga airport on 14th March)
Future Simple
Abstract future (One day the Man will travel to Mars and live there.)
making general predictions or giving opinions about the future. (I hope I will win the lottery one day. I think she will visit us next summer).
Decisions taken at this very moment. ('Someone is knocking at the door.' 'Don't move. I'll open the door). TO MAKE A POLITE OFFER. You can also use SHALLto makea polite offer ('Shall I open the door for you?')
TO MAKE A POLITE REQUEST with WILL ('Will you open the door for me, please?). If you want to sound politer, you will use WOULD (Would you open the door for me, please? Would you be so kind...? Would you mind opening...?)
TO MAKE A SUGGESTION with SHALL ('Shall we go to the cinema this evening?)
GOING TO Future
Predictions based on evidence. (Look at those clouds! I think it is going to rain this afternoon).
Personal plans and intentions (They are going to spend their winter holidays in the Alps). When these plans and intentions are shared with other people, they become arrangements and then we use the present continuous.
Future Continuous
Actions that will be in progress at a certain time in the future. (Tomorrow morning at this time I will be lying on the beach next to my girlfriend).
Formal arrangements, especially used by tour guides (On Wednesday we will be flying to Copenhagen and then we will be visiting the Lofoten Islands at the weekend).
Future Perfect
Actions or events that will be completed by a specific time in the future, often used with the time expression BY THE TIME (para cuando). (I will have written the composition by the time you arrive home).
to be about to do sth
It is similar to the GOING TO future, but it mainly has a time meaning >> La película estaba a punto de empezar (The film was about to start when the TV set broke down).
to be to do sth
It has a similar meaning of EXTERNAL OBLIGATION to the modal verb HAVE TO in some cases and in others it has got a time meaning(You are to watch That's English every morning).
So tell me about your plans, arrangements, resolutions, hopes...
And now what do you think about this issue: Will Obama ever pass a US gun law (News report) in the United States?
