Have something done (causative have)

Watch this video if you need help to understand the "Causative have" (or "have something done"). Explanations are given in Spanish.

Passive Voice & Causative Passive. (Bachillerato)

Hello, everyone!
These are some exercises that will help you get some extra practise on the passive voice and the passive causative.
Passive Voice.

• Transforming the active into the passive voice, here.
  
• Transforming the passive into the active voice, here.
  
• Transforming the passive into the passive, start with the suggested word, here.
  
• Questions in the passive voice - 1, here.
  
• Questions in the passive voice - 2, here.
  
• Different tenses for the passive voice, here.
  
• Double object: active into passive (start with the suggested word), here.
  
• Double object: active into passive (start with Indirect object), here.
  
• Passive voice, different tenses, here. (difficult)
  

Causative Passive.

• Causative have / get, here. (easy)
  
• Causative have / get, here. (medium)
  
• Causative have / get, here. (easy)
  
  
  

Modal Verbs: Ability. Advice, Necessity and Obligation. Possibility and Certainty.

Hi, everyone! We're going to revise the form and use of modal verbs.

Form.

The first thing we have to know is the type of modal verbs there are:

Pure modals	Semi-modals
can	be able to
could
may	have better
might
must	have to
shall
should
ought to
will
would
need ***	need to

*** need is a special verb since as a modal it is almost always negative such as you needn't come to work tomorrow
The pure modals are used just exactly as the auxiliary verbs in the sentence word order.

Subject	Modal / Auxiliary	Verb	Object	Manner, place and time
You	shouldn't	be	so stressed	for driving
You	needn't	drive		to school
I	can	give	you	a lift

Their main difference is that pure modals are invariable forms, that is, we can't use them in the past or future forms.
Instead, the semi-modals can be used in the past, future and the rest of tenses too.

Use.

For understanding the meaning and use of the modal verbs we can establish different uses: ability; advice, necessity, and obligation; possibility and certainty.

Ability

We express ability by means of the modals can and could and the semi-modal be able to.
Here a presentation to learn more about the modals of ability:

Modals - Ability from thelecturette.com

Exercises:

• http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/modal-verbs-of-ability-exercise-1.html
  
• http://usefulenglish.ru/grammar/modal-verbs-exercise-one
  
• http://www.learnenglish-online.com/grammar/modals/tests/modalability.html
  

Advice, necessity, and obligation

For expressing advice we have the modals:

• should and ought to (ought to isn't usually used in the negative and interrogative form) to express advice.
  
• need to to express necessity (only in the affirmative form).
  
• needn't (without to) and the don't/doesn't have to are used to make clear there's no need to do something.
  
• must and have to express obligation.
  
• mustn't for expressing prohibition (obligation of not doing)
  

For more information, you can watch these presentations

• Advice
  

Advice, should, shouldn't, ought to, had better, and had better not from Online English Courses

Exercises:

http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/330/grammar/330-modals-advice1.htm

• Necessity
  

Modals of necessity from UTPL UTPL

Exercises:

http://usefulenglish.ru/grammar/modal-verbs-exercise-three

• Obligation
  

Modals for obligation and prohibition from David Mainwood

Exercises.

http://www.autoenglish.org/modalverbs/ModalsObligation.htm

Possibility and certainty

The modal verbs we use to express possibility and certainty are may, might, can, could, must

• to express possibility in the present or the future we may (may not), might (mightn't) and could.
  
• To express logical deduction we use must (in the affirmative form) or can't (in the negative form).
  
• When we are sure something is true we use must.
  
• When we are sure something is impossible we use can't.
  

Modals of Possibility and Certainty from David Mainwood

Exercises:

http://speakspeak.com/english-grammar-exercises/intermediate/intermediate-grammar-exercise-modal-verbs-for-present-probability-must-cant-could-may-might

Reported Speech (Revision and Exercises)

Hi, there!

It's time to revise "Reported speech". The basic idea is that you use 'Reported Speech' (or estilo indirecto in Spanish) for telling what other people told.

Here is a video you should watch because it offers many examples of tense shift.

You could practise the reported speech with the following exercises.

• Mixed Tense Reported Statement Exercise
• Present Simple Reported Yes/No Question Exercise
• Present Simple Reported Wh Question Exercise
• Mixed Tense Reported Question Exercise
• Reported Requests and Orders Exercise
• Reported Speech Mixed Exercise 1 (difficult)
• Reported Speech Mixed Exercise 2 (difficult) 

Here's a bunch of exercises to practise reporting verbs.

• Reporting verbs exercises 1.
• Reporting verbs exercises 2.
• Reporting verbs exercises 3. 

Verb + Object + to infinitive

Hi, guys!
In this video you'll learn about a construction in English which is a bit complex for us, native Spanish speakers: VERB + OBJECT + TO INFINITIVE.
Watch this video for examples and explaination, it'll only take 2 minutes:

Now, you'll realise that this structure could substitued by a that-clause where the subject is what we call here the "object":
I want you to study harder.
I want that you study harder.

Then, the closest structure in Spanish is  a Proposición subordinada sustantiva.
Quiero que estudies más.
This is a list of common verbs followed by OBJECT + TO INFINITIVE:
Verbs followed by an object and the to-infinitive

advise allow ask beg cause choose	command convince enable encourage expect force	hire instruct invite need order permit	persuade prepare promise remind require tell	threaten urge want warn wish would like

And here are some exercises for you to practise:

• http://speakspeak.com/english-grammar-exercises/intermediate/verb-object-to-infinitive
• http://www.fiestaesl.com/verbobj.html

Present perfect simple vs Past simple.

Hi, class!
In this video-lesson you'll learn the differences in use (usage) between the present perfect simple tense and the past simple tense.
If you're already familiar with the form of them you can skip until minute 2,05.
To review the lesson, you can follow these steps:

1. Watch the full video (or skip to the usage part)
2. When you feel you don't understand a concept. Rewind the video and play it again up to the point you didn't understood.
3. Take notes and make a diagram in a time-line with examples of present perfect and past simple.
4. Write questions about difficult aspects. We'll discuss on them in class.

Present tenses for advanced learners!

Hi,
If you think you know everything about present tenses, perhaps you should watch the following videos about ALL their uses.
Present Simple
Please, skip the 2 first minutes if you know how to form the present simple tense.

Did you remember all these uses of the present simple tense?
- Using the present simple to talk about regular actions.
- How to talk about general truths, states and situations using the present simple.
- How to describe long-lasting situations with the present simple.
- Using verbs of sensing, feeling, thinking or speaking with the present simple.
- How to use the present simple to tell jokes or stories in conversational English.
- Using the present simple in commentary, e.g. for a sports match.
- Using the present simple to talk about future schedules.

Present Continuous
Again, if you know how to form the present continuous you can skip the first minute and half (1.30 minutes).

 As you can see, apart from using the present continuous for expressing:
- that an action is going on
- or an arragement in the future,
you can also use it for expressing:
- disgusting repetition with the adequate adverb

Writing: A Description of a Place - 1 Bachillerato

Hi, students!
Here you're going to post your writing exercise.
Remember you're going to write a description of a place.
Here you can find descriptions that two girls of your same age did when they were studying Bachillerato:
https://inglesventurarodriguez.wordpress.com/2013/01/17/description-of-a-place-bachillerato/

How to prepare a Reading Performance: Strong words

Para preparar el examen de lectura en voz alta (Reading Performance) debes conocer cuáles son las palabras claves que te ayudarán a llevar el ritmo de las frases.
Es fácil detectar esas palabras cuando leemos porque son aquellas que más significado les dan a la frase. Como ya sabemos esas palabras en inglés las hemos llamado "Strong Words" y son principalmente los sustantivos, los adjetivos y los verbos principales. También pueden ser las expresiones de tiempo y las palabras interrogativas en las preguntas.
Sin embargo cuando escuchamos esas palabras en una lengua que no es la nuestra nos cuesta más trabajo identificarlas. Al hablar en inglés las "strong words" son las que le dan el ritmo a la frase, es decir le dan una musicalidad. Eso es lo que debes intentar hacer cuando leas en voz alta, es decir, pronunciar bien las "strong words" para llevar la música de la frase.
Parece difícil pero no lo es tanto. Hay un truco para aprender a hacer esto escuchando canciones. Las canciones de rap son las que más marcan el ritmo con las "strong words" pero suelen ser muy rápidas.
Para comenzar a practicar te aconsejo que empieces por una más lenta y conocida, como "Don't Worry, Be Happy"

• 1. Escucha la canción. Aquí tienes una versión bastante graciosa

•  2. Vuelve a escucharla pero ahora lee la letra e intenta detectar cuáles son los golpes de voz más fuertes en cada línea. Aquí tienes una web en la que puedes leer la letra http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/bobbymcferrin/dontworrybehappy.html . 
• 3. Cuando empieces a escuchar te darás cuenta de que las palabras débiles "Weak words" también se pronuncian, pero menos fuerte que las que llevan el ritmo. Aquí tienes las "Strong words" de las primeras líneas:

Here's a little song I wrote
You might want to sing it note for note
Don't worry, be happy

• 4. Practica con toda la canción y reconocerás el ritmo que lleva.

Cuando leas en el examen tendrás que haber trabajado en casa la pronunciación de las "strong words", y haber escuchado el audio de la lectura para aprender a llevar el ritmo.
Good Luck

Passive Voice

When do we use the passive? We use the passive in the following cases:

Case 1: The thing done is more important than the doer.

         e.g. A new supermarket was opened in our district last week.

Case 2: Both the thing done and the doer are important.

         e.g. Algeria was colonized by the French.

Case 3: The doer is unknown.

        e.g. A lot of articles are stolen in the supermarket every day.

Case 4: We don't want to mention the doer.

         e.g. I was told that you had broken my glasses.

Here you've got some exercises:

• http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=516
• http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=520
• http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=3685

Comparatives: (not) as... as; so that / such that

(NOT) AS... AS
Una forma de comparar dos cosas es diciendo en qué se parecen con "AS... AS", o en qué se diferencian "(NOT) AS... AS".

• "My trainers are as trendy as yours" (My trainers are trendy / Your trainers are trendy)
• "Cristiano is not as good as Messi" (Messi is better than Cristiano)

Aquí tienes algunos ejercicios para practicar

• http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/adjectives_adverbs/adjectives_comparison_as_as.htm
• http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/adjectives-adverbs/adjectives/exercises?02
• http://www.tinyteflteacher.co.uk/learning-english/grammar/exercises/as-as-adjectives.html

SO / SUCH

Si queremos enfatizar la cualidad expresada por un adjetivo añadiéndole una frase, utilizaremos "so ... that ..."

• "Gwyneth Paltrow is so beautiful that everybody looks at her"

Si lo que queremos enfatizar es una cualidad de un sustantivo con un adjetivo utilizaremos "such a ... that..."

• "Gwyneth Paltrow is such a beutiful actress that everybody looks at her".

Normalmente so... that y such ... that nos sirven para unir una causa y su consecuencia.

• "Gwyneth's performance was so good in Shakespeare in Love that she won an Oscar"
• "Gwyneth did such a good performance in Shakespeare in Love that she won an Oscar in 1999".

Aquí tienes algunos ejercicios para practicar:

• http://www.englishpage.com/minitutorials/sosuchexercise.htm
• http://www.tolearnenglish.com/exercises/exercise-english-2/exercise-english-49749.php
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/radio/specials/177_gramchallenge11/page2.shtml
• http://www.usingenglish.com/quizzes/236.html