Famous Eurovision Songs

Last night, millions of fans around the world followed the Eurovision Song Contest. It is not easy to convince the audience in only three minutes, but from time to time we listen to some songs that go beyond the boundaries of the festival and become hits. In this post, I suggest that you try writing the lyrics of the most popular ones sung in English and leave your results in your comments as usual.

Duncan Laurence- Arcade

Mans Zelmerlow- Heroes

Lorren- Euphoria

Abba- Waterloo

Top 10 Must Visit American Cities

If you are learning English, you may visit the USA some day. It´s a huge country with lots of interesting places to visit and things to do. Click on the video below to check the Top 10 List suggested there and then answer the questions below in your comments as usual.

1. Some of the cities receive other names or nicknames. Which are the other names for Chicago, Las Vegas, Miami, New York and Los Angeles?
2. Which cities should you visit if you are interested in architecture and history?
3. Why should you go to Chicago if you like sports?
4. Where should you go if you like amusement parks? And for gambling?
5. Which city should music fans visit?
6. Name 5 places to visit in San Francisco.
7. Which city would you like to visit? Explain your reasons.

Book Day

World Book Day is a day to encourage reading, celebrated every year on 23rd April. On this date, people in Spain commemorate the death anniversary of Miguel de Cervantes whereas in England, it is the birth and death anniversary of William Shakespeare.
Reading in a foreign language can be tough at the beginning, but it will help you a lot with your vocabulary, grammar and your pronunciation if it is an audiobook. Try the links below and enjoy your reading choice. Remember to leave in your comments what you liked / didn't like about the story and if you picked up new vocabulary and structures.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

The Black Cat

Extract from Robison Crusoe

Extract from Alice in Wonderland

Extract from Dracula

Writing: Tips to improve your essays

If you want to improve your writing skills, I highly recommend you to click on the link below and read the 11 Tips that are provided in it.

11 Tips to improve your writing

Some writing examples to get good ideas from are:

A For and Against Essay

A Formal E-mail

A story

An Opinion essay

A Magazine article

Pancake Day

Tomorrow British people will be celebrating Pancake Day 2019. What is it about? What is the story behind this festival? Is it always on the same date? What happens in Olney? What's the meaning of Shrove Tuesday? Click on the video below to find the answers to these questions and then leave them in your comments. Happy Pancake Day!

National Tooth Fairy Day

Did you know that today is  National Tooth Fairy Day? Have you got a "tooth fairy" in your country or is it a "tooth mouse"? Click on the link below to find out more about this tradition and leave the answers to the questions in your comments.

Video: History of the Tooth Fairy

1. When are children told about the Tooth Fairy?
2. What happens when children are around ten?
3. What is the Tooth Fairy like? Explain about three imaginative descriptions.
4. In which three countries is there a Tooth Mouse?
5. What did people do with their teeth in Medieval times?
6. Why do parents still follow this tradition?

Project: She's my influencer

As you know, every 8th March  International Women's Day is celebrated. In this post, I'm going to ask you to write a short presentation about a woman who is a model for you. She may be a famous singer, actress, journalist, scientist, businesswoman, sportswoman or housewife. You choose, but remember to include a picture, details about her life and the reasons why she is an inspiration for you. You can use mine as an example:

Her name is Isabel Gemio. She is a  TV presenter and radio journalist. She was born in Extremadura in 1961. She became very popular because she presented the TV shows " Sorpresa, Sorpresa" and " Hay una carta para tí".
 In 2017, she received the Ondas Award for her career on the radio. She has got two children and the oldest, called Diego, has got a rare illness. In 2008, she set up a Foundation to help more people who suffer from rare illnesses. I admire her because she is using her fame to help people in need.

Listening: What's in a name?

Have you got a rare name? Has it got another meaning? Were you named after a family member?
Click on the link below to listen to two people talking about unusual names and common trends when giving names to babies. Which one did you like the most? And the least? Remember to do the "True and False" and the "Fill in the gaps" exercises. Leave the answers to these questions and your results in a comment as usual!

Listening: What's in a name?

All About Ireland

This term we'll be reading this book. It explains the country's history and culture apart from myths, legends and other Irish traditions. You'll get to know about famous writers like Oscar Wilde and James Joyce. I hope you'll enjoy reading it and you should start by downloading the Website activities you'll find if you click on the link below.

All About Ireland- Website activities

The Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution started in the 18th century in Britain. It mostly affected the economic activity in the western world, but it was also a time of great inventions and scientific discoveries. It changed people's lives drastically, but not always for good. In order to learn more about this important period watch the video and click on the links below.

After watching the video, answer these questions:
1. Which invention marked the beginning of the Industrial Revolution? Who perfected it?
2. What happened to the artisans during this period?
3. How did transport and trade change in Europe?
4. What was the bourgeoisie?
5. Why were there conflicts at the factories?
6. How were the workers' labour conditions improved?

Click on the link below to learn more about this historical period and then try the Test:

1.  Revision: Everyday Life in the Industrial Era
2,  Test: Everyday life in the Industrial Era

Geography lesson

In this post I want you to click on the video below and undestand at last the difference between England, Great Britain and the United Kingdom. Take some time to watch it and answer the questions below in your comments.

1. Are the woman and the man from the same nation?
2. Is Northern Ireland part of the United Kingdom?
3. What four nations belong to the United Kingdom?
4. What is called Great Britain?
5. Which nations have got a local parliament?

Speaking: Take a seat, make a friend

After waching the video above, choose seven of the topics suggested to discuss them in pairs or in groups of three people. Make a video and send it to your teacher.

1. Something you've never done.
2. Share three things on your bucket list.
3. Describe the first time you fell in love.
4. Talk about someone who inspires you.
5. Talk about the experience that changed your life.
6. Create a secret handshake.
7. Talk about the best memory from your childhood.
8. Recommend a TV series, a book, a film or a YouTube channel and explain your reasons.
9. Talk about your fears and describe your scariest experience.
10. Talk about your favourite celebration or festival. Explain why it's special for you.

Living English 1

Hello everyone and welcome back to the high school! This year we'll be using a new book for the 1st year of Bachillerato. I hope you like and learn a lot from it! If you want to practise what you have learnt in the classroom, I highly recommend you to follow the link below and download the Websites Activities that you'll find when you click on the blue words Bachillerato 1 Activities.

Living English 1- Website Activities

Pamplona Bull Running

Every July thousands of people visit the town of Pamplona in the north of Spain to enjoy the most popular summer festival. In this post I suggest you reading some interesting facts to know more about its history and then leave the answers to these questions in your comments.

Running of the Bulls

1. When is San Fermín's Day? Why is it celebrated in summer and since when?
2. Which American writer wrote about this festival in one of his novels?
3. During the running of the bulls there are five rockets, what do they mean?
4. How many people have been seriously injured so far? Did any of them die?
5. Can women run in front of the bulls?

Eurovision

Tonight lots of European we'll be watching the Eurovision Song Contest, but how much do you know about it? Are there any rules? When and why did it start? Click on the link below to discover these answers and then do the after-reading activities and answer the discussion questions. Leave them in your comments!

Eurovision Song Contest

Writing : My Super Hero

In this post I suggest you to write a short story ( 100- 120 words) about an invented super hero! Remember to give him / her a name, a super power costume and to answer these questions:

1. What's his / her story? Has s/he got a secret life?
2. What are his/her superpowers? What can s/he do? How does s/he do it?
3. What does s/he like doing in his/her free time? What does s/he dislike doing?
4. What's his/her slogan?
5. Why is s/he famous?

Traditional British Food

Today I want to you to watch these two videos about traditional British meals and answer the questions below. I hope you won't get too hungry! Remember to leave your answers in your comments!

1. What do they usually have for breakfast?
2. What take-away restaurants appear in the videos?
3. What does a Sunday Roast consist of?
4. What is a typical dessert?
5. What do you eat if you are a vegetarian?
6. Apart from the Sunday Roast and Fish and Chips, what other traditional dishes are mentioned?

Past tenses: Past Simple, Past Continuous and Past Perfect

Here we are again dealing with past tenses. I recommend you to do these exercises after you have practised the previous posts: 1. Past Simple: Irregular verbs  and 2. Past Simple vs Past Continuous.

In the links below, you'll find exercises about the Past Simple, the Past Continuous and the Past Perfect, leave your results in your comments as usual.

1. Past Simple vs Past Perfect

2. Past simple, Past perfect or Past continuous

3. Song: Last kiss

More than songs

In this post I suggest you to click on the links below where you'll find some songs with very meaningful messages. I hope you like them and leave the results of the exercises in your comments.

Song: My name is Luka
Song:We are the world
Song: Where is the love?
Song: Imagine

New Year's Resolutions

Happy New Year 2018! Have you thought about your new year's resolutions? Any of them related to how to improve your English learning? Click on the link below to discover how a group of friends faces the New Year. Do the tasks provided and leave your results in your comments as usual.

New Year's Resolutions