Verb Tenses - Exercises (3rd Secondary)

FILL IN WITH THE CORRECT VERBAL TENSE.

a)    When Sarah (be) …………… fifteen years old she (leave) ……….

school without any qualifications. However, she (be) …………… very 

ambitious and she (want) …………… to work in the fashion industry. Luckily 

she (find) ...…...... a good job inmediately as an assistant in a small 

fashion company. While she (work) …..…….......…… there, she (decide)

…………… to go to evening classes to get a qualification in business 

studies. When she (finish) …….............she (promote) .........................

Since 2000 she (do) …….........……… the same job and now she (want)

 …………… a change in her life.

b)    Jane (find) ………a new job at last! She (be) …………… very 

happy about it but the problem (be) …………… that she (have) …………… 

to travel a lot.  She (try) …………… to find a solution during the last week, 

and she (decide). …….. to talk to her future boss to solve the problem. After

 an hour the man (accept) …………to pay the transport so Jane (can) ………

 take the job and start inmediately. At present she (work) …………… as an

 assistant in a beautiful office and the salary (be) …………. much better.

c)  Sarah Thompson (win) …………… $3 million on the national lottery

 in November 1997. During that night, while she (wait) ……………for her 

husband to come from a soccer match, she (have) …………… a party with 

all her friends and neighbours. However, some months later she (not be)

 ……………very excited because she (spend) ......…………,… most of

 thetime worrying what to do with the money and wondering how the

 neighbours (react) ……………to her family. Although the prize (help)

 ………. her to pay some debts, she (think) …………… that she (be) 

.....................happier before winning the lottery and now she (have)

 …………… new troubles to deal with.

Night walk

Night walk with a soft warm breeze. So beautiful...

What´s the most beautiful place you´ve ever been to?

Have you got a favourite place? 

Steal my girl

To Marta, freshly baked out from the oven.

Love you so much...

Thought of the Day

Before my English classes start, one of the students in each group, in alphabetical order every day, is responsible for writing a motivational quote on the blackboard.

We discuss the meaning and learn a lot, not only about vocabulary, but also about ourselves. They really like it, and if I ever forget, they always remind me!!  :)

I must say that sometimes they really surprise me...

Saturn - Sleeping at last

Light carries on endlessly, even after death...

Quiz

The National Wallace Monument  on the Abbey Craig, a hill near Stirling, in Scotland, commemorates Sir William Wallace, also known as Braveheart, the Scottish hero.

In 1296, when Edward I of England invaded Scotland, the Scottish Wars of Independence began. William Wallace fought against the English army and became very popular. On 11th september, 1297, the Scots defeated the English army at the Battle of Stirling Bridge. However, after defeated at the Battle of Falkirk in 1298, Wallace was betrayed, captured and  cruelly killed, becoming a symbol for Scotland and Freedom.

If you visit the Wallace Monument,

you´ll climb a spiral staircase that takes you to the top of the tower and see wonderful views of the Ochil Hills and the Forth Valley.

By the way, do you know how many steps this spiral staricase has?

Waiting for your anwers :)

Telephone conversations - 2nd A.P.T.

Hablar por teléfono en inglés puede ser una tarea complicada, pero es sin duda habitual en el mundo del inglés comercial. Hay siempre unas frases y expresiones básicas que podemos aprender y pueden salvarnos de algún que otro apuro.

Vamos con ello?

• Good morning/ afternoon / evening  (Buenos días/Buenas tardes/noches

• This is X, from X company  (Soy X, de la empresa X)

• Hello, this is X (Hola, soy X)

• Good morning, X speaking. (Buenos días, le habla X)

• Can/Could I please speak to X? (¿Puedo hablar con X?)

• I would like to speak to X (Me gustaría hablar con X)

• Is X available? (Está X disponible/libre?)

• Is it possible to speak to X? (¿Es posible hablar con X?

• I need to speak to X (Necesito hablar con X)

• I´m afraid he is out/away/on the phone   (me temo que ha salido/está de viaje/ está al teléfono)

• May I leave a message, please? (¿Puedo dejar un mensaje?)

• May I take a message? (¿Le doy algún mensaje?)

• Do you know when he/she will be available?

         (¿Sabe cuándo estará disponible?)

• Do you know when he/she will return to the office/home? (¿Sabe cuando volverá a la oficina?)

• I will call back latter/in an hour/tomorrow. (Llamaré más tarde/en una hora/mañana)

• Please tell him X called, and I will call later/call again. (Dígale que ha llamado X y que llamaré después otra vez)

• Please tell him/her to call me back. (Dígale que me llame, por favor)

• Can I leave my telephone number? My phone number is.XXX (¿Puedo dejarle mi teléfono? Es XXX?

• Where/How can I reach him/her? (¿Dónde/Cómo puedo encontrarle?)

• What is her/his mobile phone number/Cell phone number? (¿Cuál es su móvil?)

• May I send you a fax? (¿Puedo mandar un fax?)

• What is your fax number? (¿Cuál es el numero de fax?)

• Did you receive my fax? (¿Recibieron mi fax?)

• I sent a fax to X, did he/she receive it? (Envié un fax a X, ¿lo recibieron?)

• The number is busy. (La línea está ocupada)

• Hold on  (No cuelgue)

• I´ll put you through (Le paso)

• I sorry can't hear you/understand you. (Lo siento, no le oigo/no le entiendo)

• Who am I speaking to? (¿Con quién hablo?)

• Who is calling? (¿Quién llama?)

• Please connect me to X (Por favor, páseme con X)

      Useful phrasal verbs when telephoning:

Warriors

In response to a suggestion...and because I also love Imagine Dragons.
Thanks, S. L. (4th A Secondary)!!!!!!

 WARRIORS

   As a child you would wait, 

   And watch from far away, 

   But you always knew that you’d be the 

   One to work while they all play. 

   In youth, you'd lay awake at night and scheme 

   Of all the things that you would change, 

   But it was just a dream. 

   Here we are don’t turn away, now 
   We are the Warriors that built this town. 
   Here we are don’t turn away, now 
   We are the Warriors that built this town from dust. 
  The time will come when you will have to rise 
  Above the best and prove yourself 

  Your spirit never dies 

  Farewell, I’ve gone to take my throne above 
  But don’t weep for me, cause this will be the labor of my love. 
  Here we are don’t turn away, now 
  We are the Warriors that built this town.

  Here we are don’t turn away, now 

  We are the Warriors that built this town. 

  From Dust 

  Here we are don’t turn away, now 
  We are the Warriors that built this town. 
  Here we are don’t turn away, now 
  We are the Warriors that built this town. 

  From Dust.

A Pink World

October 11th was declared International Day of the Girl Child by the UN in 2011. Every year, since then, International Day of the Girl is an opportunity for the whole world to come together  and advocate for girls’ rights around the world,  fighting against their devaluation and neglect. 

On this day, several monuments  and landmarks around the world are lit up in pink to raise awareness of the importance of girls´ rights.

http://plan-espana.org/

http://plan-international.org/?set_language=en

Rainy morning

"The rain in Spain is mainly in the plain", repeated  Eliza Doolittle in the film "My Fair Lady", trying to break her Cockney accent with speech exercises.

Do you want to see the rain in Seville? Have a look. Seville, today 10th of October,  8 a.m. 

Chaos, flooded roads and  traffic jams everywhere. Two hours and a half to drive my daily fifteen-minute journey to work. However it was not better by bus...

By the way, let´s learn some idioms related to the rain.

• To rain cats and dogs:  llover a cántaros.

What an awful weather! it´s raining cats and dogs.

• To rain on (somebody´s) parade :  aguar la fiesta.

  I was looking forward to going out with my friends but my mum rained on my parade when she  told me   I  couldn’t.

• (as) right as rain: fresco como una rosa 

I feel really exhausted now,  but I’m sure I’ll be as right as rain after some sleep. 

• When it rains, it pours  /  it never rains but it pours:  las desgracias nunca vienen solas.

Janet´s  mother died, then she got fire after a serious disease.  It never rains but it pours!

• To  take a raincheck:  dejarlo para otro momento.

John:  Do you fancy playing tennis tommorrow?

Steve:  I’ll take a raincheck. I have an exam next Monday. 

• To save for a rainy day: ahorrar para los tiempos de vacas flacas.

I’m not going to spend my money on a new car, I’ll save it for a rainy day.

My recovery

Spending some of your time with good friends is always comforting. No matter how hard the day has been, problems get smaller with an afternoon tea and some laughs. 

James Arthur "Recovery"

5th October: Teacher´s Day

Teacher´s Report Card

Patience A+

Commitment A+

Dedication A+

Inspiration A+

If I lose myself

An energy charge to start the weekend after a long week.

If I  lose myself  tonight, it' ll be by your side, that' s sure...

Goodnight :)

I stared up at the sun 
Thought of all the people, 

places and things I’ve loved 

You can feel the light start to tremble 

Washing what you know out to sea 

You can see your life out of the window, tonight 

If I lose myself tonight 

It’ll be by your side 

If I lose myself tonight (x2)

I woke up with the sun 

Thought of all the people, places and things I’ve loved 

You can feel the light start to tremble

Washing what you know out to sea

You can see your life out of the window, tonight

If I lose myself tonight

It’ll be by your side

If I lose myself tonight (x2)

If I lose myself tonight

It’ll be you and I

Lose myself tonight

"Wish You Were Here" (Pink Floyd)

Perhaps you, my students,  don´t know who Pink Floyd are (too young perhaps?), but believe me if I say that they are one of the best bands ever. 

Born in England in the sixties, Pink Floyd mixed music with psychedelia and social criticism, all in one. Perhaps you are familiar with the album The Wall, which appeared in the eighties, am I right?

I have received a suggestion from a visitor to post an entry with one of their songs, and here it is.

"Wish you were here", a great song for great moments.

Waiting for your ideas!!!

OJALÁ QUE ESTUVIERAS AQUÍ

Así que crees que sabes distinguír

el cielo del infierno

El cielo azul del dolor

¿Sabes distinguír un campo verde

de un frío rail de acero?

¿Una sonrisa de un velo?

¿Crees que puedes distinguír?

¿Consiguieron hacerte cambiar

tus héroes por fantasmas?

¿Cenizas ardientes por árboles?

¿Aire caliente por una brisa fresca?

¿Frío comfort por un cambio?

Y ¿cambiaste

un papel principal en la guerra

por un papel protagonista en una jaula?

Ojalá,ojalá que estuvieras aquí.

Sólo éramos dos almas perdidas

nadando en una pecera

año tras año

Corriendo siempre por

el mismo camino

¿Qué hemos encontrado?

Los mismos miedos de siempre

Ojalá que estuvieras aquí.