"I'm walking away"

 

Are you? I am not. I have never chickened out and I will always stay by your side on this tough road of learning, although that is something I sometimes hear from some of my students. 

 

 

 

 Here's my musical hint for today:  Walking away by Craig David. And here's a version with the lyrics for you to sing along.

 

By the way, I wish you the best for the New Year. 2026 is another step in our lives and we must begin the best we can. Have you got any New Year's resolutions for 2026?

 

 

 

New Year's celebrations around the world | DW news 

Happy New Year Live! 🎆 London Fireworks 2026 🔴 (BBC News)

 

 

New Year’s Eve celebrations around the world (The Guardian)

 

 

Real Easy English:   Talking about laughing  (BBC Learning English)

 

 

The Reading Room:   Can we trust technology in sport?  (BBC Learning English) 

 

 

  

 

Learning English Grammar ('a/an', 'the' & 'zero article'...):   The great outdoors  (BBC Learning English) 

 

Here are some more activities for my students:

• Listening exercise for you to do:   How are influencers affecting politics?  (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English) 
  

• 
  

  Learning English from the News: First treasure recovered from $20bn sunken ship  (BBC Learning English)  

  
  

• The Listening Room: Michelin-starred chef's lobster bisque and foie gras heading to space  (BBC Learning English) 

• English in a Minute: Phrases with BABY  (BBC Learning English) 

    

 

Work in the future:   How can we stay cyber safe?  (BBC Learning English)

 

English with Lucy: Stop making these mistakes!!!    

   

 

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

Learn English with    Emily in Paris    

 

 

This Irish Christmas Tradition Will Steal Your Heart | Dance, Little Wren    

 

 

 

You'd better watch out and be nice!!

 

 

 

And you'd better believe your English teacher when he was once with Santa Claus at his house on the North Pole in the way from Rovanemi to Kemijärvi in the Finnish Lapland. He actually cycled from Rovaniemi to Kemijärvi crossing the Arctic Circle and watching loads of reindeer in the forests nearby!

 

Learn to talk about Christmas!!! (BBC Learning English) 

 

Do you know why on the Finnish cars you've got an SF plate?? (See solution at the bottom of this post)

 

Finland: The Arctic Wonderland (Lapland Road Trip)

Christmas: Santa Claus Village 🦌🎅🎄 Rovaniemi Lapland Finland Arctic Circle home of Father Christmas

Santa Claus presents: Welcome to Rovaniemi, my official hometown in Lapland, Finland

 

Christmas Trivia Quiz for you to do!!! 

 

 

 

 Here's my musical hint for the coming Christmas:  Santa Claus is coming to town by Ella Fitzgerald. And it is a version with the lyrics for you to sing along.

 

 

 

 

The English We Speak:   Duck out  (BBC Learning English)

 

 

 

Learning English from the News:   Deadly fires in Hong Kong investigated  (BBC Learning English)

 

 

Hong Kong holds election as city reels from deadly fire  (DW)

Learning English Grammar (Past Perfect tense with adverbs):   Learning to cook  (BBC Learning English) 

Here are some more activities for my students:

• Listening exercise for you to do:   How are influencers affecting politics?  (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English) 
  

• 
  

  The London Letter Challenge: Episode 9: Another challenge  (BBC Learning English) 

  
  

• Work in the future: How can we stay cyber safe?  (BBC Learning English) 

• English in a Minute: Phrases with BONE  (BBC Learning English) 

 

 

English with Lucy: 5 highly common mistakes in English    

 

  

Real Easy English - Talking about watching sports (BBC Learning English)

 

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

Learn English with   Now You See Me    

 

 

Football legend Garrincha  | FIFA Classic player

 

 

 

Solution the question above: in the Finnish cars you've got an SF because S stands for Suomi and F for Finland. Suomi is the land of the people in the Lapland. 

 

Sad Christmas

Can we all say that Christmas is always a time for happiness and joy? Actually, this year is rather Sad Christmas with all the consequences of the fast floods in Valencia or Letur in Albacete, with all those people without homes, vehicles... without anything, but mud.

 

In addition we have conflicts and wars everywhere. There are close friends or relatives who are no longer with us. Shouldn't we perhaps stop for a minute and think about all this instead of only having selfish dreams?

 

My little contribution is to help my students to make an effort in order to achieve their dreams and goals in life, become happy and try to change this world, this state of things and work for better living conditions for everyone.

 

Learn about the topic: Christmas  

 

 Here's my two musical hints for today: Pipes of Peace by Paul McCartney (lyrics) and Somewhere over the Rainbow by Ray Charles (lyrics).

 

 

 

 

Road towards success in the new PAU (Selectivity exam).....

 

Modals rephrasing

 

SIMPLE MODALS I ⭐ 

1.   It’s possible that Jane will visit Switzerland next year. (could) 

2.   I’m thinking about taking Spanish lessons. (may) 

3.   I’m sure they’ll be home by now. (must) 

4.   James definitely isn’t eighteen yet! (can’t) 

5.   It’s possible the weather will be sunny tomorrow. (might) 

6.   I'm sure she's at home. (must) 

7.   I know that isn't Janet-She's in America. (can’t) 

8.   I'm sure she thinks I'm stupid. (must) 

9.   I bet I look silly in this coat. (must) 

10.  They're always buying new cars. I'm certain they have a lot of money. (must) 

11.  I'm sure he's not a teacher. He's too well dressed. (can’t) 

12.  You're an architect? I'm sure that's an interesting job. (must) 

13.  I'm sure you're not serious. I know you're joking. (must) 

14.  I'm sure he's got another woman. He keeps coming home late. (must) 

15.  This water is possibly dangerous. (could) 

16.  Politics is sometimes really boring. (can)

 

 

Solution to the exercises in the previous post

 

 

Rephrasing

11. He tried to speak in English.    12.  Where did you spend your holidays?

13. This is the man whose job is very dangerous.    14. I’ve had my television repaired (by the engineer)

15. She stopped going to French lessons.   16. I wish I hadn’t hit the dog on the head.

17. You are better at English than me.    18. Who knew where the thief was hidden?

19. Unless your friend comes before ten, he will miss the train.

20. As it was raining, the children stayed at home.

Here are some activities for you to do:

• Real Easy English:   Talking about HEALTH  (BBC Learning English)
  

• 
  

  Conditionals with Georgie: Mixed Conditionals 2  (BBC Learning English)

• Business jargon: Jargon about ideas  (BBC Learning English)

• A listening exercise for you to do:   Having acne  (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

   

   

 

 

Quizz: Fill the gap (BBC Learning English)

 

 

 

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

Learn English with English podcast for learning English  Talk about daily routine

 

 

Would it have been possible if it hadn't been Nadal?

 Rafael Nadal the movie   

We are almost done, here's the final sprint...

 

We all wish...

 

 

We all wish there were no wars in the world! We all have good wishes at this time of the year for our family, friends, country... the world in general! Health, peace, joy, gifts for everybody... 

 

What are your wishes for these Christmas holidays and for the new year?

 

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens:  1  ,  2  ,  3  ,  4   &  5  

 

 

Here are some articles for you to read about Christmas:

• Christmas sport gift guide: Olympic gear, running tech and a load of balls (The Guardian)
  

• Christmas Eve: Hottest since 1997 after 15.3C recorded near Heathrow (BBC News)

 

 

Here are some activities for you to do:

• Learn   10 easy English words about KITCHEN 

    (BBC Learning English)
  

• Listening exercise for you to do:  Learning lessons from the Moon   (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)
  

• English in a Minute: Different meanings of MAJOR  (BBC Learning English)
  

• The English We Speak:   Light up like a Christmas Tree  (BBC Learning English)

 

   

Here's my musical hint for today:   Shake Up Christmas by Train, and here's a version with the lyrics.

 

 

 
 

 

NO ACTIVITIES FOR MY STUDENTS, TIME TO HAVE A BREAK!!!!  😍😍😍😍😍😍

 

 

English with Lucy teaches us 10 Christmas phrasal verbs to bear in mind.

 

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

 Learn English with:  Mariah Carey and Christmas music