The clay season has just started... in Montecarlo!

 

Without Rafa Nadal on court, but with Number 1 Carlitos Álcaraz, the clay season in tennis started a few weeks ago and this is the moment for our Spanish tennis players. The first big tournament has been held in Montecarlo, but the winner this time has been the Italian Jannik Sinner.

 

Tennis Legends Explain How TERRIFYING Rafael Nadal Was  

 

 

Meanwhile, matters in the world still remain unsolved. Talks in Pakistan has not been very successful, war doesn't find an end, innocent people keep being killed and the economic crisis is becoming a reality. At least we have some good news from space mission Artemis II returning home safely from their trek around the Moon.

 

 

Artemis crew home safely after completing historic mission to the Moon (BBC News)

Artemis II crew speak out at welcome home event: ‘Earth was this lifeboat hanging in the universe’ (The Guardian)

Artemis II splashes down in Pacific after historic moon trip (DW)

 

 

Learning English from the News:   'God's influencer': First millennial saint named  (BBC Learning English)  

 

 

 

New section in BBC Learning English... EASY ENGLISH CONVERSATIONS:    What is in your town?  &   What do you do every day?   

 

 

Quick English Lessons:   How to use ARRIVE with 'IN' & 'AT'  /  5 ways to build your vocabulary (BBC Learning English) 

 

  Here's my musical hint for today:    Missing you by John Waite. And here's a version with the lyrics for you to sing along.

 

 

 

Here are some more activities for my students:

• English in a Minute:  5 phrasal verbs for SAY  (BBC Learning English)

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  The English We Speak: Yap  (BBC Learning English) 

• Office English:  Giving advice without sounding rude  (BBC Learning English) 

• Listening exercise for you to do:   The future of food  (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

     

 

 

 

Real Easy English >>>   Talking about CREATIVITY  (BBC Learning English) 

 

Here are some activities for my students:

• in 1º ESO...  

REVISION EXERCISES        

Exercise on the MODALS: CAN , MUST & SHOULD    

 

SOLUTIONS TO THE EXERCISES IN THE PREVIOUS POST:

1. Do we study English at school.   We don't study German at school.

2. Is Tom Cruise American? He isn't from Brazil.

3. Does James like playing football? He doesn't like English at all. 

4. Has my mother got a big car? She hasn't got a motorbike.

5. Are we studying English? We aren't studying German.

6. Do trains go faster than motorbikes? Trains don't go faster than a Ferrari.

7. Have we got a new French teacher? We haven't got a new English teacher.

8. Does Albert have cereals for breakfast? He doesn't have any tea.

9. Are you listening to the radio? I'm not  watching TV.

10. Do they read Sinbad? They don't read Braveheart.

27.  1. Where does Mrs Wagner work?  2. Does George like fast cars?  3. What is the girl eating?   4. What does your wife usually have for breakfast?

28. My proposal:  My mother is working in hospital, my father is driving to Granada and my little brother is still sleeping.

This afternoon my mother is going to buy a new folder for me, my father is going to order some pizza for dinner and my little brother is going to play with his toys.

29.  1. Penny played the guitar a lot when she  was young.  2. Last summer we took lots of photos.  3. We watched a very interesting  programme last night.  4. William Shakespeare wrote many famous plays.

30. 1. Beethoven didn't write drama; he wrote music.   2. We didn't see fire; we only saw some smoke.    3. Greek philosopher Socrates didn't live in Rome; he lived in Athens.

 

• in 2º ESO... Exercise on the Future Simple. 

 

Possible answers:  Do exercise 2 on page 95.

a. Did they catch the criminal? Why were they chasing the criminal? What happened when the earthquake began?

b. What did the criminal steal?   How fast could the criminal run?

c. Why did the criminal fall? Was he hurt?

d. What time did the criminal enter the house? How much did he steal from the house?

e. How much did the computers and mobile phones cost?  Why did he steal their jewellery?

f. When did the witness call the police?  Was the witness nervous or afraid? 

 

 

• in 4º ESO... Exercises on the PASSIVE VOICE:

PASSIVE VOICE

PASSIVE VOICE. Rewrite these sentences into the PASSIVE VOICE:

1. Bakers make bread from flour.

2. They offered Jane a wonderful job.

3. Somebody has sent me a strange letter.

4. Alexander Bell invented the telephone.

5. A woman was training the guard dogs.

6. People of all ages can play Trivial Pursuit.

7. People sell fresh eggs in Vélez Benaudalla.

8. She has packed the books.

9. Someone types letters for my boss.

10. Israeli troops have attacked the town several times since the beginning of the war.

 

 

How to Remember English Vocabulary Permanently | Please watch this video...

 

 

 

 

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

Learning English with Disney's  HOPPERS  

 

 

 

 

Tennis:  Álcaraz vs Bublik  - vs Vacherot & Sinner vs Zverev in the semi-finals  - and this time Sinner was the winner in Montecarlo 2026

 

Never do it for the plot... at least in my class!

  

You should never do anything for the plot in the English class, or any classes at all. You have to be consistent in your efforts. This is no card game!Your future depends on it.

 

The English We Speak: Do it for the plot (BBC Learning English)

I agree there are times in life you have to do it for the plot even if you fail or have some negative consequences. In a relationship when you fancy someone, you have to make one step forward even if you are not 100% sure. When you are playing a match and you are losing, there's a moment when you have to do it for the plot and you may be lucky and win against the odds. That's the way to face a challenge.

 

 

 Here's my musical hint for today:  Drops of Jupiter by the group Train. And now here's a version with the lyrics for you to sing along.

Here are some activities for my students:

in 1º ESO  on Asking and giving directions    1  2  3  4  and many more activities      

in 3º ESO on  JUST / ALREADY / YET    1   and more exercises  

 

Road towards success in the new PAU (Selectivity exam)

 

Rephrase/Rewrite these sentences by using another suitable structure:

181. The film is not as good as the novel.  - The novel

182. The hairdresser cut my hair last week.  - I

183. “Let’s go to the cinema on Tuesday”, said Mary.     - Mary suggested

184. What a pity the weather was so bad last weekend.    - I wish

185. I haven’t seen a good film for ages.   - It’s

186. John bought a new Rolls Royce .   - ?

187. I visited a village yesterday but I did not like it.    - I

188. He knows how to play golf.   - He

189. It’s ages since I last visited Russia.   - I

190. You won’t understand the problem if you don’t listen carefully.   - Unless

 

Solution to the exercises in the previous post

 

Rephrasing

 

171. (Conditionals)   - If he had revised for the test, he wouldn’t have failed.

172. (Have sth. Done)  - She has her eyes tested every year by the ophthalmologist.

173. (Relative clauses)  - The Da Vinci Code, which was written by Dan Brown, is a best-seller.

174. (Question)    - Who goes swimming twice a week?

175. (Wish)   - I wish I had remembered your birthday.

176. (Reported speech)   - He ordered us not to make so much noise.

177. (Causal connector)   - The children stayed up late because it was Friday.

178. (Verbal tenses / Superlative)  - This is the first time I have read such an interesting book. / This is the most interesting book I’ve ever read.

179. (Conditionals)   - Unless you hurry up, you won’t get tickets for the concert.

180. (Question)   - When do you have to wear a uniform?

 

Here are some activities for you to do:

• Office English:   Saying NO  (BBC Learning English) 
  

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  The Pronunciation Lounge: Where to pause naturally in English  (BBC Learning English)  

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

• A listening exercise for you to do:   Healthy meals on a budget  (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English) 

And with regard to Trump's tariffs, he certainly did it for the plot:

• World leaders criticise Trump tariffs as 'major blow' (BBC News)
• Macron calls Trump’s tariffs ‘brutal and unfounded’ and warns France could suspend US investments – as it happened (The Guardian)
• Trump tariffs: How could Europe retaliate as trade war breaks out (The Independent)
• ‘Inflation Day Rather Than Liberation Day’: How the World Is Reacting to Trump’s Latest Tariffs (Time)

 

Lucy talking about 15 everyday phrases  for you to show off!!!

 

 

 

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

Learn English with SHREK -   Donkey meets Shrek   

 

 

Monte Carlo 2025 - Day 2   , Day 3  , 

 Álcaraz in the Semi-finals (vs. Davidovich) and the FINAL against Musetti!!!

 

 

What can you do with your eyes closed?

 

 What can you do with your eyes closed? You can probably move around your house with your eyes closed and I can't think about many other things you can do, so for me it is incredible how blind people can sort out all difficulties in life.

 

Memory recall 'better when eyes shut' (BBC News)

I remember there was a good basketball player called Steve Trumbo  ( Gigantes  ), who used to score his free throws with his eyes closed and he was quite good. 

 

 

There have other players like Michael Jordan who have done it as a kind of a challenge, but not on a refular basis.

 

I'm afraid you must keep your eyes (and ears) wide open when you are learning English.

Learn English with TOP GUN: MAVERICK | Tom Cruise

 

 

 

 

Some activities for you to do: 

• The English We Speak: to be at a loss  (BBC Learning English)
  

• A listening exercise for you to do: What's the point of museums?  (BBC Learning English) 

• English in a Minute: How to use 'COMPLETE'  (BBC Learning English)

• News Review:  Life on Pacific garbage patch  (BBC Learning English)

 

   

Here's my musical hint for today: Eyes Closed by Ed Sheeran. Here's a version with the lyrics for you to sing along!!

 

 

 

Tennis: Andrey Rublev vs Holger Rune For The Title! 🏆 | Monte Carlo 2023 Final Highlights   

Pas le prince, le roi de Montecarlo est Nadal!!!

Latest news: Nadal beats Thiem for 5th Madrid Title 2017

 

Back to clay court, Rafa Nadal is once again here  >>>>>

• Rafael Nadal beats Albert Ramos-Viñolas to win 10th Monte Carlo Masters (The Guardian)

• Monte Carlo Masters: Rafael Nadal beats Albert Ramos-Vinolas for record 10th title (BBC)

And this was when he was just 16!!!!! (This is how all began: interesting documentary)

and 17 against Federer!!!

Listening exercise to do: Why do we sigh? (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English) 

 

REVISION EXERCISE  CLICK HERE for further practice in my site.

Rewrite these sentences using a different structure by saying the same (sometimes the beginnings of your sentences are given):

1. My brother had the habit of playing handball when he was at school.
2. Melissa has planned to go to Malaysia next summer.
3. She has already booked her flights for the 2^nd June.
4. Astronomers do not write horoscopes. Horoscopes....
5. People say Cervantes was buried in a monastery in Madrid. Cervantes...
6. I tried very hard in the exam, but I didn’t pass. I did...
7. Who normally buys the food in your family? Who does...?
8. I don’t know what you have chosen. I don’t know your...
9. Takeshi got up late, so he was very late for work. If...
10. Ricky said: “I want to buy new plants for my garden”. Ricky said that...
11. The hotel receptionist: “Shall I get you a taxi?”. The hotel receptionist...
12. The customer: “I’m sorry. I have left all my luggage up in my room”. The customer....
13. She invited me to come with her. She: “....”
14. It’s important to go to the film premiere. We...
15. It’s advisable to hire bodyguards. You...
16. It’s necessary to watch people carefully. You...
17. My parents want to hire someone to repair the roof this summer. My parents are...
18. It’s not safe to go out on your own at night. You...
19. It is not necessary to leave yet. The limousine hasn’t arrived yet. You...
20. Perhaps I’ll go to Los Angeles this summer. I.....

 

The king of clay is back!!! (part 2)

Nadal wins at Monte Carlo for the 9th time!!!! (It is his 28th Master 1000 equalizing Djokovic in his 100th final) and his 9th Conde de Godó equalizing the Argentinian Guillermo Vilas as the player with the highest number of tournements on clay court ever.

He has just defeated Gaël Monfils in the final 7-5, 5-7, 6-0 in a really tough match.

CONGRATULATIONS, RAFA!!!

 

Le match en direct (L'Équipe) 

 

Rafael Nadal sees off Gaël Monfils to win Monte Carlo Masters final (The Guardian)

The clay season is just awaiting!!!!