A matter of common sense, not of intelligence!!

 

How smart are you? If you are really smart and you are a student, you should not use any of these AI apps because they don't develop your skills.

 

 

Learning English from the News: DeepSeek: Chinese AI app shocks tech world (BBC Learning English)

 

Here are some articles for you to read about the issue:

• Who is behind DeepSeek and how did it achieve its AI ‘Sputnik moment’? (The Guardian)

• DeepSeek: Cheap AI model shakes up tech industry (DW)

• DeepSeek: The Chinese AI app that has the world talking (BBC News)
  

• We tried out DeepSeek. It worked well, until we asked it about Tiananmen Square and Taiwan (The Guardian)

Real Easy English: Where I live (BBC Learning English)

Either DeepSeek or ChatGPT (On the road to PERFECTION!!) make amazing projects, but they also make dummy students, so the use of these ICT tools is not sensible at all!!

 

Can 'ancient' be considered an extreme adjective? I don't see it myself, but it can be in contexts like these: "in the old times" (en los viejos tiempos) //  "in ancient times" ( en tiempos ancestrales). 

Here are some links for you to check and come to a conclusion: EXTREME ADJECTIVES  1  2  3  4 

      

Here are some activities for my students:

in 1º ESO about the Present Simple vs Present Continuous  1  2 

in 3º ESO about the EXTREME ADJECTIVES  1  

 

 

 Here's my musical hint and my piece of advice for today: Got to be real by Cheryl Lynn and here's a video with the lyrics for you to sing along. Don't be a fake, please!

 

Road towards success in the new PAU (Selectivity exam)

 

Rephrase/Rewrite these sentences by using another suitable structure:

 

71. The mechanic is going to repair her car next week. (Have sth. Done)

72. What a pity I didn’t have time to see you last week. (Wish)

73. This story will shock you. (Passive)

74. Will you post this letter for me, please? (Gerund/Infinitive)

75. If you don’t review your notes tonight, you won’t do well tomorrow. (Conditionals)

76. “How much money have you put into the account?” they asked. (Reported Speech)

77. I’m sorry I can’t speak French perfectly. (Wish)

78. The next plane leaves at 9.45 p.m. . (Question)

79. You should post these letters. (Passive)

80. Although she was ill, she visited other countries. (Contrast Connector)

 

 

Solution to the exercises in the previous post

 

Rephrasing

 

61.  I would like to have been invited.

62.  My house is being painted now.

63.  I wish I had got a car.

64.  The teacher told me to wait for him outside.

65.  She sent off an application form , because she needed a job.

66.  How long does it take you to get there?

67.  She hasn’t written a poem for two years.

68.  Smoking is forbidden here.

69.  Unless the tickets arrive, we won’t be able to go.

70. I wonder where my keys are.

Here are some activities for you to do:

• English in a Minute:   Verbs to use with RESEARCH  (BBC Learning English) 
  

• 
  

  Learning English from the News: DeepSeek: Chinese AI app shocks tech world  (BBC Learning English)
  

• My song, my home. Video: Bailey in St Yves  (BBC Learning English)
  

• A listening exercise for you to do:   Becoming a musician  (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

   

   

 

 

Quizz:   Spot the error    (BBC Learning

English)

 

What is an AI anyway? | Mustafa Suleyman | TED Talk

Lucy talking about advanced ways to describe the weather.

 

 

 

 

"All work and no play makes Jack/Jill a dull boy/girl"

Learn English with... 7 Best TV Series to Learn English in 2025

 

 

Nadal vs Djokovic 2013 Men's semi-final Full Match | Roland-Garros

 

1,1 K

 

 

We keep struggling and this blog has already reached the magical number of 1,100 posts trying always to provide our students and many other visitors from around the world with updated input and exercises to improve their English.     

      

It was almost 14 years ago, on 11^th March, 2011, when nobody could have believed that this digital trek, along with my students, could last so long. More than 30,000 comments and over 1,111,111 visits! This is only due to the consistency in our efforts, both the teacher and his students. 

 

Why do we say K for thousand? Watch the explanation... 

 

 

And, as I say regarding consistency, in one of my most popular posts ever... Victory belongs to the most tenacious

 

 Here's my musical hint for today: Never Gonna Stop by Rick Astley and here's a version with the lyrics for you to sing along.

 

Road towards success in the new PAU (Selectivity exam)

 

Rephrase/Rewrite these sentences by using another suitable structure:

 

61. I was not invited and I am sorry about that.    - I would like to

62. I am having my house painted now.   - My house

63. I’m sorry I haven’t got a car.   - I wish

64. The teacher said to me “Wait for me outside”.     - The teacher told me

65. She needed a job, so she sent off an application form.    - She sent off an application form

66. It takes me two hours to get there.    - ?

67. The last time she wrote a poem was two years ago.    - She

68. You must not smoke in here.   - Smoking

69. If the tickets don’t arrive, we won’t be able to go.    - Unless

70. Where are my keys?    I wonder

 

 

Solution to the exercises in the previous post

 

Rephrasing

 

51. She’s having the windows mended.

52. It’s not as good as I thought it would be.

53. She told us not to be late.

54. If she had studied hard for the exam, she wouldn’t have made a lot of mistakes.

55. His jokes are better than hers.

56. We may be together soon.

57. English is spoken all over the world.

58. I wish I had told him everything.

59. Fiona , who is my boss, is smiling in the picture.

60. Although it was very hot, she was wearing her winter clothes.

Here are some activities for my students:

in 1º ESO about the PRESENT CONTINUOUS 2

in 3º ESO about the DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSES 3 ,  4  

 

Here are some activities for you to do:

• English in a Minute:   Verbs to use with 'car'  (BBC Learning English)
  

• 
  

  

  The English We Speak: You can't go wrong with  (BBC Learning English)
  

• Learn English from the News: 7,000 steps can reduce risk of depression  (BBC Learning English)
  

• A listening exercise for you to do:   How babies learn to talk  (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

   

   

 

 

English Grammar Quizz:   39 + English Grammar Questions     

 

English with Lucy: 25 Smart Sentences for Daily Use in English Conversation to improve your English conversation skills.

 

 

 

"All work and no play makes Jack/Jill a dull boy/girl"

Learn English with  Will Smith

 

 

And talking about consistency....

Rafael Nadal  King Kong   , Never Give Up  1   2 

 

 

An underappreciated inspirational quality-consistency | Shubhra Chaturvedi | TEDxKatra

 

People wish they had a home by the sea

 

Loads of people wish they had a home by the sea and we are so lucky that we already live in Salobreña, by the sea (the Mediterranean Sea)! Therefore, we can concentrate all our efforts in other things such as improving our English.

 

Real Easy English: Talking about your house (BBC Learning English)

We are in the middle of the school year and we should have everything under control by now so that we could set new and higher goals! Yes, I know this is a non-stopping race and that is why I burst into laughs when someone says how easy the life of students and teachers is.

 

The English We Speak: By the book (BBC Learning English) 

 

 

 

And talking about people wishing, do you happen to know the Cinderella story? Here's the trailer of the remake they talk about in our textbook...

 

A Cinderella Story (2004) Official Trailer

 

 

 

 

Here are some activities for my students:

in 1º ESO about the PRESENT CONTINUOUS 1

in 3º ESO about the DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSES 1 ,  2  

 

 

 Here's my musical hint for today: Home by the Sea by the group Genesis and here are the lyrics for you to sing along.

 

Road towards success in the new PAU (Selectivity exam)

 

Rephrase/Rewrite these sentences by using another suitable structure:

 

51. She’s getting someone to mend the windows. (Have sth. Done)  She's having...

52. I thought it would be better than that. (Comparatives)  It's not...

53. Mary said to us “Don’t be late.” (Reported Speech)  She told...

54. She made a lot of mistakes because she didn’t study hard for the exam. (Conditionals)  If she...

55. Her jokes are not as good as his. (Comparatives)  His jokes...

56. It is possible that we’ll be together soon. (Modal Verbs)  We...

57. People speak English all over the world. (Passive)   English....

58. I am sorry I didn’t tell him everything. (Wish)  I wish...

59. Fiona is smiling in the picture. She is my boss. (Relative Clauses)   Fiona...

60. Despite the fact that it was very hot, she was wearing her winter clothes. (Contrast Clauses)  Although...

 

 

Solution to the exercises in the previous post

 

Rephrasing

 

41. Beth stopped smoking last December.

42. My new neighbours have got a baby whose name is Wendy.

43. Despite being over seventy, Orson continued to cycle to work every day.

44. It is eight years since I read a play by George Bernard Shaw.

45. Sharon’s mother recommended going out in the afternoon.

46. The fireman was able to rescue the child from the burning house.

47. The suspects aren’t obliged to say anything by the police.

48. How old is your grandfather?

49. It is years since she enjoyed herself so much.

50. I’m really looking forward to going to the theatre tomorrow.

 

Here are some activities for you to do:

• English in a Minute:   Verbs to use with PAPER  (BBC Learning English)
  

• 
  

  Learning English from the News: Trump returns to power  (BBC Learning English)

• My song, my home. Podcast: Bailey in St Yves  (BBC Learning English)
  

• A listening exercise for you to do:   How the world learned to love fast food  (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

   

   

 

 

Quizz:   Fill the gap    (BBC Learning English)

 

English with Lucy  >>>  25 Advanced English Grammar Test Practice Questions With Answers & Explanations - C1

 

 

 

"All work and no play makes Jack/Jill a dull boy/girl"

Learn English with Disney - Billie Eilish  

 

 

 

Pirate Nadal was a MONSTER! (Extremely rare footage)