ENJOY...

Did you know Halloween originates from the 2,000 year-old Celtic festival of Samhain. The word “Samhain” comes from the Old Irish language meaning “end of summer”. The Pagan Irish worshipped the natural cycle of life with emphasis on the changing of the seasons. They believed that on Samhain, the veil between this world and the next was at its weakest and the spirits of dead ancestors could pass through.

Video "THRILLER", Michael Jackson:

The Celts wore costumes (probably animal heads and skins) to disguise themselves as evil spirits to avoid a spectral kidnapping by the genuine harmful spirits who were out prowling. Huge bonfires were lit to help guide the friendly spirits.

The change of Samhain into Halloween came about in the 7th century, when Christianity declared All Saints’ Day or All-hallows for 1 November. This made the night before it All-hallows Eve, which changed over the years to Halloween.
+ info on Halloween.

Video "THRILLER", Michael Jackson:

PETS

PLAYING WITH TIME AGAIN

Once again, we'll be changing the hour, on this occasion one hour backwards to adapt to winter. Here's a video that shows how night and day follow each other in winter throughout Europe.

For more info on daylight saving time, click to a previous post HERE.

Video:

'-ED': REGULAR PAST, PRONUNCIATION & SPELLING

Two simple charts to remind you about the basics on pronunciation and spelling of regular simple pasts ending in '-ED'.

For more complete info on the pronunciation of '-ED', click to previous post HERE.

Video lesson:

'ON TIME' vs 'IN TIME'

SIMPLE PRESENT vs SIMPLE PAST TENSES

A basic chart to distinguish structures between the simple present and the simple past tenses.

FORMAL LETTERS

Here's a layout of the structure of a formal letter.

More on writing letters HERE.

HALLOWEEN 2016 @ BIBLIODIESTE

This week, we'll be celebrating Halloween at our school library.

From today, you can visit "EXPO-SAMAIN", an exhibition of Celtic legends, thriller, scary, mystery books and films.

On Friday 28th November and to celebrate our long Halloween week-end, there will be storytelling sessions in English and Galician for First Cycle ESO students as follows:

1st ESO groups:

This year's American lecturer Laura Oxenreiter will introduce our students to the origin of the Halloween traditions in English and will also tell the traditional American story "THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW" at our library following this timetable:

1ºESO-B at the second session at 9:20h

1ºESO-D at the third session at 10:30h

1ºESO-A at the fourth session at 11:20h

1ºESO-C at the sixth session at 13:20h

2nd ESO groups:

They will hear the story "A LOBA" taken from Víctor Docampo's book "CANDO PETAN NA PORTA" read by different students from our school at the drawing classroom according to the following timetable:

2ºESO-C at the first session at 8:30h (Told by Ana Amigo)

2ºESO-D at the second session at 9:20h (Laura Fernández)

2ºESO-B at the third session at 10:30h (Miguel Alcalde)

2ºESO-A at fourth hour at 11:20 (Ana García)

Galician version of this post @ ArquivosDoTrasno.

PHRASAL VERBS WITH 'LOOK'

SPELLING -ING FORMS

Here are the spelling rules for -ING forms.

LANDSCAPES: COUNTRYSIDE, CITY & MOUNTAIN VOCABULARY

DESCRIBING THINGS IN PICTURES

Link to vocabulary of PLACES.

SPEAKING PRACTICE 1ºESO

Complete the bubbles with what you think these people are saying in English in the classroom. Use expressions from these previous posts:

- SPEAKING ENGLISH IN THE ENGLISH CLASS

- SPEAKING ENGLISH IN THE ENGLISH CLASS (&2)

- 

PLAYING CHESS

Just in case you want to play a game of chess, here's the vocabulary in English.

BOB DYLAN: NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE 2016

So Bob Dylan is the 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature "for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition". He must be the only Nobel Prize in Literature that sings... and also has an Oscar, a Prince of Asturias award, ten Grammies and a Pulitzer. Congratulations!

Video TOP 10 Bob Dylan's songs:



Galician version of this post @ ArquivosDoTrasno.

THE SENSES

PRESENT PERFECT USAGE

Chart with all the uses of the Present Perfect

THE QUEEN DATA

Brought to you by Anglotopia.net – British Travel & Culture Blog

BEING POLITE

Sometimes when speaking, British people don't like to be very direct, so they use different ways to sound more polite. In red what would sound more informal, in green how to sound more polite.

COLLOCATIONS WITH 'HAVE', & 'TAKE'

Another chart with common collocations with the verbs HAVE & TAKE.

Link here to exclusive posts on collocations with: HAVE, & TAKE, respectively.

SIMPLE vs CONTINUOUS TENSES

By this chart-diagram you can see the difference in concept between SIMPLE & CONTINUOUS tenses, either referred to Present, Past of Future.

'TH' SOUND TO DISAPPEAR FROM ENGLISH LANGUAGE?

Linguists are stating that the English 'th' is to disappear by the year 2066 due to the influence of multiculturalism. They say it's likely to be replaced by 'f', 'd', or 'v' sounds, so:

- mother will be pronounced 'muvver' 

- thick > 'fick'

Link to the article about it @ "The Telegraph":

'Th' sound to vanish from English language by 2066

ENGLISH VERB TENSES SUMMARY CHARTS

Some charts with clear basic ideas about English verb tenses.

WAYS OF COOKING

Some charts to see the different ways of cooking.

For more about cooking on previous post MASTERCHEF.

ACTORS & ACTRESSES: CAN YOU GUESS THEIR NAMES?

Some fun for today.

Take a look at this chart.

Can you complete all the actors & actresses names?

- Nicolas...

- Kevin...

- Bruce...

- Denzel...

- Elijah...

- Halle...

- John...

- Megan...

- Jeff...

- Matt...

- Russell...

- Keanu...

- Steven....

- Sharon...

- Gary...

- ... Li

- Harrison...

- Bruce...

-  Anthony...

- Johnny...

- Jack...

- Betty...

- Joaquin...

- Morgan...

- Michael J. ...

- Brad...

- ... Williams

- Sean...

- Glen...

- Vin...

- Robert...

- Benicio del...

- Jean...

- ... Gooding Jr.

- Wynona...

- Chris...

- Jackie...

- Antonio...

Can you name them all?

Have a try...