Present perfect extra exercises

Hello everyone,

here are some extra activities for this long weekend. Answer key is included.
Enjoy.
Present perfect extra exercises

The Cliffs of Dooneen. A beautiful ballad for St. Patrick's Day.

Hello everyone! Here is another beautiful tune from Irish folk music. It's called The Cliffs of Dooneen and it was made popular by Planxty and Christy Moore (a song by him was posted on the blog some time ago).

The words were originally written by a man called Jack McAuliffe born about 1886, however, what you can hear in Planxty's cover is an adaptation.

County Kerry is in Munster, one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the south.

The scenery of the cliffs is spectacular.

Take a view o'er the mountains, fine sights you'll see there...

It's a nice place to be on a fine summer's day...

Click on this link to watch a live performance of Planxty and enjoy this beautiful and evocative song. I hope you like it.

Erin Go Bragh!

THE CLIFFS OF DOONEEN- Planxty

You may travel far far from your own native home

Far away o'er the mountains, far away o'er the foam

But of all the fine places that I've ever seen

There's none to compare with the cliffs of Dooneen.

Take a view o'er the mountains, fine sights you'll see there

You'll see the high rocky mountains on the west coast of Clare

The towns of Kilkee and Kilrush can be seen

From the high Rocky slopes of the Cliffs of Dooneen.

It's a nice place to be on a fine summer's day

Watching all the wild flowers that ne'er do decay

And the hare and the lofty pheasants are plain to be seen

Making homes for their young round the cliffs of Dooneen.

Fare thee well to Dooneen, Fare thee well for a while

And to all the fine people I'm leaving behind

To the streams and the meadows where late I have been

And the high rocky slopes of the Cliffs of Dooneen.

You may travel for far from your own native home

Far away o'er the mountains, far away o'er the foam

But of all the fine places that l've ever seen

There's none to compare with the Cliffs of Dooneen.

St Patrick's Day 2012 The Wild Rover

More songs for St. Patrick's Day.

This one is another must in any pub. It's called The Wild Rover. This song is very popular in Ireland but actually it comes from Scotland. It is considered a drinking song. However, in its origins it was used by the Temperance movement: a kind of  social group in the 19th century that criticized excesive alcohol use and put pressure on the government to promote an anti-alcohol legislation or prohibition of alcohol.

With the past of time, the song became an anthem among beer and whiskey drinkers. Its popularity spread throughout Britain, Ireland and America via Irish immigrants.

Today, the song is used by Blackburn Rovers football fans in England with the words adapted to suit the team in question.

Being a classic, it has been sung by many folk bands worldwide and it's frequently used to put an end to live shows.

We'll hear two versions: one by the Blarney Lads and the other by The Dubliners. The first one is accompanied by beautiful pictures from Ireland. The second one was recorded live in 2007.Which one do you like best?

Now that you've heard the song you can try singing along with this Karaoke version.

Here are the words and my Spanish translation. Notice there may be changes  according to the version because this is a folk song and every singer does their own variations.

St Patrick's Day 2012 (Mush-a ring dum-a do dum-a da!!!)

Hello everyone!

On March 17 we're going to celebrate Ireland's National Day, St Patrick's Day. A very important festival to Irish people in Ireland and those expatriate living abroad.
One of the most exciting things about Irish culture is music and on this day, thousands of Irish people worldwide meet in the pub singing to the sound of traditional Irish folk music.
How about preparing for the occasion with some great music?

One of the greatest Irish folk bands of all time are The Dubliners. Their repertoire is massive, yet one of their most popular tunes is the folk classic Whiskey in the jar.
This video shows a live performance from 2007. The Dubliners are alive and kicking and the audience is having a real good time!



You can download the lyrics from this link: Whiskey in the jar lyrics.

If you prefer, you can watch this video in case you feel like singing along as if you were in a karaoke.



I also found some good stuff on youtube especially for those having trouble with this quick song (I hope you are not a little tipsy by now). Below, there's a brilliant translated video to make things easier:

Whiskey in the jar (Spanish subtitled). (Video opens on a different window)

Such a popular song was made into a lot of versions. One of the most popular ones was by Metallica and you can watch how Dubliners go crazy when the song begins.



I hope you enjoy this post. In the meantime:

SLAINTE!!!!!

What's still going on 40 years later?

LYRICS
Mother, mother
There's too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother
There's far too many of you dying
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today - Ya

Father, father
We don't need to escalate
You see, war is not the answer
For only love can conquer hate
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today

Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
Talk to me, so you can see
Oh, what's going on
What's going on
Ya, what's going on
Ah, what's going on

In the mean time
Right on, baby
Right on
Right on

Father, father, everybody thinks we're wrong
Oh, but who are they to judge us
Simply because our hair is long
Oh, you know we've got to find a way
To bring some understanding here today
Oh

Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
Talk to me
So you can see
What's going on
Ya, what's going on
Tell me what's going on
I'll tell you what's going on - Uh
Right on baby
Right on baby 

Present Perfect (English 2, 4) How long? For, since, ago.

Hi everyone!

This post contains two new files with more activities about the present perfect simple.
Remember to read the Spanish instructions first and then, do the activities on the following page.

We'll check your answers next week.


How long have you…?

For, since, ago.

Enjoy a really chilly weekend.

Present Perfect (English 2, 4)

Hi everyone!

This week we're starting unit 7. It's about the present perfect and how to talk about personal experiences.
Please try these grammar activities to gain more confidence on how to use this tense.

I hope you enjoy the activities.

See you in class.

Checking in for flights.

Hi everyone!
Are you already familiar with the basic vocabulary about flying?
Do you enjoy tennis, as well?
If so, here's a TV commercial about how flight information can be displayed along with the latest events during Wimbledon Tournament.
Great idea to keep passengers entertained during the long hours in the departure lounge.
I hope you enjoy it.

The digital story of the nativity.

 Google maps, Wikipedia, Facebook, I-phones. Imagine Nativity in the 21st century.


Merry happy Christmas again.

Past Simple activities for Christmas holidays.

Hi everyone!

Merry Christmas to all. I hope you're having a great time on these holidays. You know, back to school day looks very far from now, but believe me, we'll be seeing each other very soon. So, how about some activities to practice between Christmas presents, sweets and songs.

Click on the links below to get the exercises. I hope you enjoy them.

Past simple negatives and questions.
Irregular verbs lists.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Past Simple introduction (English 2, English 4, Nivel 2)

Hello again.

This week we are studying the past simple in class. How about some extra activities to work during Christmas holiday? I hope you enjoy them and I wish you happy Christmas.

Past simple 1 explanation
Past simple 1 exercises

Was-were + -ing activities. The past continuous (English 2, English 4, Nivel 2)

Hello everybody!

Here are some was were activities for you to practice.
I hope everybody can see them.

Click on this link for an explanation:  past continuous explanation
Click here for the exercises: past continuous exercises

Remember you can do the activities from your computer screen or you can print them and get a paper copy.
See you soon!

Present Continuous (English 1)

Hello!
Here are some Present Continuous activities.
This is homework for next week. Remember! There's no class. :-(((

Click on 1st year-Elementary/Grammar/Present continuous.


STUDY to remember the rules.

Do the exercises

EXERCISE 1 Affirmatives. Full forms. (Formas completas).
EXERCISE 2 Affirmatives. Short forms. (Formas contraídas).

EXERCISE 3 Negatives. Full forms.
EXERCISE 4 Negatives. Short forms.

EXERCISE 5 Questions (1). Use initial capital letters (Mayúscula inicial)
EXERCISE 6 Questions (2).

EXERCISE 7 Complete the conversation.
EXERCISE 8 Finish the postcard. (Termina la postal)

After the exercises you can translate the postcard in EXERCISE 8 and put a comment on the blog.
All the best, Juan.

Salud y República (All Groups).

Here is a special video to celebrate Spanish Republic Anniversary.

It features Christy Moore, one of the greatest Irish folk singers of all time. The song is called Viva la Quinta  Brigada. It's Christy's tribute to the Irish men who came to Spain in support of the legitimate Republican  Government against  Franco and the fascists' aggression.

I heard this song for the first time at a pub in Dublin. I was there with a group of students from Getafe    on our trip to Ireland. The musicians  dedicated it to the Spanish people who were there at the time. 

Let us remember them tonight and every single day of our lives.

VIVA LA QUINTA BRIGADA BY CHRISTY MOORE


Ten years before I saw the light of morning
A comradeship of heroes was laid
From every corner of the world came sailing
The Fifth International Brigade

They came to stand beside the Spanish people
To try and stem the rising fascist tide
Franco's allies were the powerful and wealthy
Frank Ryan's men came from the other side

Even the olives were bleeding
As the battle for Madrid it thundered on
Truth and love against the force of evil
Brotherhood against the fascist clan

CHORUS

Viva la Quinta Brigada
"No Pasaran", the pledge that made them fight
"Adelante" is the cry around the hillside
Let us all remember them tonight

Bob Hilliard was a Church of Ireland pastor
Form Killarney across the Pyrenees he came
From Derry came a brave young Christian Brother
Side by side they fought and died in Spain

Tommy Woods age seventeen died in Cordoba
With Na Fianna he learned to hold his gun
From Dublin to the Villa del Rio
Where he fought and died beneath the blazing sun

CHORUS

Many Irishmen heard the call of Franco
Joined Hitler and Mussolini too
Propaganda from the pulpit and newspapers
Helped O'Duffy to enlist his crew

The word came from Maynooth, "support the Nazis"
The men of cloth failed again
When the Bishops blessed the Blueshirts in Dun Laoghaire
As they sailed beneath the swastika to Spain

CHORUS

This song is a tribute to Frank Ryan
Kit Conway and Dinny Coady too
Peter Daly, Charlie Regan and Hugh Bonar
Though many died I can but name a few

Danny Boyle, Blaser-Brown and Charlie Donnelly
Liam Tumilson and Jim Straney from the Falls
Jack Nalty, Tommy Patton and Frank Conroy
Jim Foley, Tony Fox and Dick O'Neill

CHORUS

More lyrics: http://www.lyricsmania.com/viva_la_quinta_brigada_lyrics_christy_moore.html
All about Christy Moore: http://www.musictory.com/music/Christy+Moore

How to celebrate St. Patrick's Day (according to Americans)

Here is a video about St Patrick's Day. Answer these questions before watching it:

1. When do Irish people celebrate this day?
2. Who was St. Patrick?
3. What's St. Patrick's favourite colour?

After watching the video: answer this questions and submit them to the blog:

1. What are the main ingredients to celebrate this day?
2. What American festival is compared to St. Patrick's Day in Ireland?
3. What's the name of Ireland's national sport? What is it like?
4. What can you do if you find a four-leaf clover?
5. How many people in America claim to be of Irish descent? What's the population of Ireland today?

To be going to exercises. (English3, English2, Nivel2)

Hello again!

Here you have some easy activities to make sentences with to be going to.

• POSITIVE SENTENCES.
• NEGATIVE SENTENCES.
• QUESTIONS.

Now do this:

• MIXED SENTENCES.

Click on Check answers after the exercise. You have 3 options:
a) Mark wrong answers. (Marca las respuestas incorrectas).
b) Replace wrong by correct answers. (Reemplaza las respuestas incorrectas).
c) Show all correct answers. (Muestra las respuestas correctas).

Finally, you can translate the sentences in the last activity and send them to the blog. Click on comentarios below and write your answers. Don't forget to put your name in it.

Are you going to do it or not?

See you soon!

A for and against composition.(Ciclos)

Hello you guys from ciclos!

It's good to see you again. Well, I only saw three of you today in class but I hope to see you all back next Tuesday.
As I told you in class, here is a file with some directions about writing a for and against composition. Very typical at Selectividad or Acceso a Ciclos Tests.
It's all about writing about the advantages or disadvantages of something. For example life in the city/in the country.
Please take a look at the pdf file. Get a printed copy of it and write your composition. (Life in the city).
Send your work by clicking on comentarios and I'll check out your compositions.

See you on Tuesday.

for and against composition

irregular verbs game. (English2, English3, Nivel 2, Ciclos)

Hi everybody!
Here is Speedword. A game to practice past tenses of irregular verbs. It has 10 verbs in each game. You must spell the past form of one verb. Time is important, you have 10 seconds for each verb. Click on letters to spell out the correct form.
Good luck!

IRREGULAR VERBS 1

IRREGULAR VERBS 2

IRREGULAR VERBS 3

IRREGULAR VERBS 4

IRREGULAR VERBS 5

Present Simple and present continuous activities (English 1) (Nivel 2)

Hi everybody!
Here are some activities to work on present tenses.
I hope you do well!

After the activities write a description  of a person's daily routine, for example a friend, someone from your family. Use the first activity as a model. Include the times.
Click on comentarios below to do the composition.

Can you play a musical instrument? Can you cook? What else can you do? (English 1)

Here is a video with an interview to different people. Watch it and answer the questions below. Click on "see how you did" to check your answers.

After the exercise click on how you did button. Your score appears with %. Can you send your result to me? Click on comentarios to see your result.
Thank you!