Back to our beloved routines, our high life!

 

 

 

  Here's September and that means that we go back to our beloved routines, in which we also rest because holidays can be also stressful. It is time to meet our friends at school and be ready for higher goals in life.

 

Therefore, going back to school may look like heavy lifting (see meaning of the expression below), but it is not. It is just a piece of cake (By the way, how would you translate this last expression in Spanish > check in the note below).

 

The English We Speak: Heavy lifting (BBC Learning English)

 

 

Here are some activities for you to do:

• Learning English from the News:   UN: Rising sea levels disaster for all  (BBC Learning English)  
  

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

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

• A listening exercise for you to do:   Meet a real Willy Wonka  (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

 

 

 

 Here's my musical hint for September and our return to school:  Back in the high life by Steve Winwood. 

Listen and try to fill in the gaps... 

It _ _ _ _   _ _ seem to me that my life ran on  _ _ _    _ _ _
And I (5 words) ________________________ just to make the good parts last
But when you're born to run it's so hard to just  _ _ _   _ _ _ _
So don't be _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  to see me back in that bright part of town

I'll be back in the high life again
(5 words) ___________________________ one time will open up again
I'll be back in the high life again
(5 words) ___________________________  me once will smile and take me in

And I'll _ _ _ _ _   _ _ _    _ _ _ _ _   with one hand free
Let the world back into me and on I'll be a sight to see
Back in the high life again

You used to be the best to make life be life to me
And I hope that you're still out there and you're like you used to be
We'll have ourselves a time
_____________________________________________
And we'll let the good times come in
And we won't stop 'til we're done

We'll be back in the high life again

Then sing along with this version with the lyrics and check!

English with Lucy  >>>   How to read ALL NUMBERS in English - BIG NUMBERS, Decimals, Dates, Fractions, Phones, Ordinals   

 

 

 

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

Stories in English to improve your listening skills:   Abraham Lincoln  

 

 

 

US Open - Huge shocks in the US Open 2024: Djokovic OUT!  , Álcaraz OUT!  , Musetti OUT! ,  Korda OUT!  ....

 

 

 

 

 

 Note: a piece of cake = pan comido

Superlatives and wishing

It is Christmas time and it is time to wish everybody the best. Let's revise then what we know about wishing and the superlatives:

SUPERLATIVES  (click here for further information)  >>>

1. Remember the difference between  'oldest' and 'eldest' (remember: an elderly lady). Although both of them are possible to use for relatives, it is better to say 'My eldest brother works as a civil engineer in New Zealand'.
2. Remember the difference between the  RELATIVE SUPERLATIVE , that is, a superlative used regarding a specific group (for instance: "He is the tallest boy in the class"), and the  ABSOLUTE SUPERLATIVE meaning 'very' and which does not make reference to any specific group (for example: "The book you lent me was most interesting.")    
3. Finally, after superlatives we use in with places (the longest river in the world) and of for a period of time (the happiest day of my life)

WISHES AND REGRETS  (click here for further information)  >>>

- 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).

And you can also visit this blog: MY ENGLISH CLASS for more details.

Listening exercise to do: Christmas kindness (BBC Learning English - 6 Minute English)

LINGOHACK: Episode 151223 / 23 Dec 2015  >>>  Expressions presented: confront, reinforces & stepping down.