Gomaespuminglish IX

Verbs followed by Gerunds or Infinitives

When two verbs appear together in a sentence, the first verb determines if the second verb will be in the gerund form (-ing form) or the infinitive form (to+base form). But, how do we know if a verb is followed by the gerund or the infinitive? The only way is to memorize which verbs are followed by gerunds and which are followed by infinitives.

If you click on this link, you'll find a very useful classification of verbs requiring gerunds, infinitives or both: Pearson-Longman.

Once you've read it through, you can practise here.

Infinitive / Gerund:
Infinitive or Gerund • Exercise 2 Level: lower intermediate
Infinitive or Gerund • Exercise 2 Level: intermediate
Infinitive or Gerund • Exercise 2 • Exercise 3 Level: upper intermediate
Infinitive and/or Ing-Form Level: upper intermediate

Tests on Infinitive and Gerund:
Level 1 • Level 2 • Level 3 • Level 4

For more information and activities, click on this link: EnglishClub.com
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International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is observed annually on 21 March. On that day, in 1960, police opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration in Sharpeville, South Africa, against the apartheid "pass laws". Proclaiming the Day in 1966, the United Nations General Assembly called on the international community to redouble its efforts to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination. (Source: Wikipedia).

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Listening and speaking practice

A colleague at school has told me about this site today: http://www.acapela.tv/. Here you'll find different characters which change the text you type into speech. It can be used as a greeting card or as a way of practising your language skills.

I have left a message for you here:
http://www.acapela.tv/Easter-1-bcd63538c5899
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Saint Patrick's Day 2009

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Today thousands of people around the world celebrate Saint Patrick's Day. Although Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, it is a celebration that has spread to many countries all over the world.

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People wear green clothes, eat traditional Irish food or take shamrocks with them. There are parades, dance performances and fireworks display.

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For more information on this special day, click here. This site (Kaboose) contains links to Saint Patrick's crafts, games, history, activities, recipes, riddles and jokes, etc. You can't miss it if you are keen on Saint Patrick's Day!

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Sláinte!!!

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Saint Patrick's Day 2008 in English is all around!

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I have just found a very interesting lesson on Saint Patrick's Day. Enjoy it!

As or Like?

AS can be:

- a preposition meaning in the capacity of / in the function of like in the sentence:
She works as a teacher.

- but it is usually a conjunction of manner and goes therefore followed by a verb form, for example:
When in Rome do as Romans do.

- It also appears in comparative structures:
Peter is as tall as a my brother.

- In the group such as it means like:
There are different ways of travelling such as (=like) walking, flying or driving.

LIKE

Is a preposition and goes therefore followed by a noun. It expresses similarity:
She feels like a rolling stone (=in the same way as)
It was like a dream (=similar to)

Like is a preposition and is therefore followed by pronouns in the object form.
They said they didn't want people like me in that group.

It can also be followed by a verb, in the -ing form
There's nothing like fishing from a boat.

In fact, when we want to ask about the description of something we use:
WHAT IS something LIKE ? which is quite different from
HOW is something /someone ? where we become interested in personal state, etc.

Source: http://english.baladre.org/sedaviwebfront/asliketheory.htm

Online quiz: As or Like?

Spanish explanation and examples.

More Spanish explanations: I and II.

As or like? Matching exercise.

As or Like Quiz.

International Women's Day

Each year around the world, International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8. Hundreds of events occur not just on this day but throughout March to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women. Organisations, governments and women's groups around the world choose different themes each year that reflect global and local gender issues. This year's theme is "Women and men united to end violence against women and girls". Source and more information: http://www.internationalwomensday.com/

My students have contributed to this day by means of a series of projects about women's work in the different fields.

The first International Women's Day was celebrated in 1911. For more information, click here.

To read about some GENDER FACTS, click here. These are only some examples:

Networking ...
Women use 20,000 words a day while men only use 7,000

Business / Finance ...

Women spend more time researching before they invest than men do

Work ...
Women do two-thirds of the world's work but receive only 10% of the world's income

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Our trip to Gibraltar

Yesterday we went to Gibraltar on a school trip and all I have to say is that it was fantastic! We spent a great time there despite the weather. Luckily, it did not rain, but the wind was really strong. We went to Europa Point, we visited Saint Michael's caves and we stopped at the Apes' Den. An ape jumped onto my shoulders and I took a nice picture! Then we had free time to have lunch and go shopping.

My students' behaviour was very good and I want to congratulate them. If we have the chance, we will repeat the trip next year.

The solutions to the Gymkhana are the following:

1. Apes.
2. British.
3. Chocolate.
4. Duty.
5. Europa.
6. Frontier.
7. Governor.
8. Hindu Temple.
9. India.
10. John Galiano.
11. King’s Chapel.
12. La Línea de la Concepción.
13. Mediterranean.
14. National.
15. Ocean.
16. Pound.
17. Queensway.
18. Rock.
19. Saint Michael.
20. Trafalgar.
21. Utrecht.
22. Victoria Stadium.
23. Winston Churchill Avenue.
24. Phone box.
25. Yacht.
26. Zoo.

How many answers did you get right? Which was the most difficult question for you? Did you practise your English while doing the Gymkhana? I hope so.
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School trip to Gibraltar

Next week we are going to Gibraltar on a school trip. You know that you will have to work in groups and do a special Gymkhana during the visit. It will be really funny and it will give you the opportunity to be in direct contact with British people. You are encouraged to speak English with them and ask questions to complete your task.

Some questions are very easy but some others involve a deeper knowledge on Gibraltar. For this reason, you may want to have some information prior to the trip. I provide a series of links for you to start investigating:

Government of Gibraltar
Gibraltar: Wikipedia
Gibraltar: Tourism

Finally, when I was looking for a nice picture to show you Gibraltar's monkeys, I found something that made me feel really sad and terrified. It is a piece of news that announces that there has been and there is going to be a monkeys' cull (slaughter). They say that two of them have already been given lethal injections and vets have been ordered to kill another 23. The reason can be that some of these monkeys have vandalised hotel rooms and have run amok on a beach. (Click here and here for the news).

I am an animal lover and I consider that killing should be the last measure to take. These monkeys can be taken to a diffent place, a zoo for example, if they do not fit in The Rock anymore. I hope there is a better solution for this problem.
Look at these pictures, aren't they cute?

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My office

We all spend a lot of time at work and want our work environment to be nice. Where do I work and what is it like?

Find out by doing these four exercises:

Exercise 1: Match the words with the definitions.

Exercise 2: Click on the expressions you hear.
Exercise 3: Mix and match the expressions. Listen and check.
Exercise 4: Complete the script, then listen and check your answers.

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