VOCABULARY TO EXPRESS FEELINGS

Here a selection of charts with vocabulary to express feelings:

1) ANGER

2) FEAR

3) HAPPINESS

NEGATIVE & QUESTION FORMATION IN ENGLISH

Two charts to show you the structures of negative sentences and questions in English. Remember that in English you need AUXILIARY VERBS to make negative sentences and questions. Each auxiliary verb is different depending on the VERB TENSE the sentence is. Check below in each chart with the auxiliary verb forms of each verb tense and the examples.

1) NEGATIVES

2) QUESTIONS

More about making questions HERE.

PADDINGTON

There's a new film with London as the background. The adventures of a bear that came all the way from the jungle in Peru to London to find a home and get his new name after one of London's famous railway stations: Paddington.

All about this character Paddington:
- at its website.
- Paddington Bear, a brief story.

The video trailers of the film:

THE (5) VERB TENSES MIND MAP

Here's a mind map for you to distinguish 5 basic English verb tenses and their time reference.

8 RESOLUTIONS TO IMPROVE YOUR ENGLISH THIS YEAR

Welcome back! Here eight resolutions to improve your English learning in 2015.

+ info Motivating to learn English

PREPOSITIONS OF PLACE & DIRECTION

Check on prepostions to express place and direction with these two charts.

WORD CLIPPING & PORTMANTEAU WORDS

Shortened forms of words like automobile (auto), examination (exam), mathematics (math),common in conversation and informal writing, are usually used in their entirety in formal contexts. These shortened words are called clippings.

Sometimes a clipping drives out its longer original and becomes a standard word in its own right.

Back-Clipping - When back-clipping occurs, the beginning of the word is retained. 

Fore-clipping - When fore-clipping occurs, the end of the word is retained. 

Back-and-Fore-Clipping - When back-and-fore-clipping occurs, the middle of the word is retained. 

Here are some examples:

To end this post, here's a joke, which could be actually right, don't you think?

TINY LONDON

Here's a nice video of a tiny (=very small) London.

NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS

We all propose to change our lives every January, 1st, but we don't always succeed with them. They are our New Year's resolutions.

Video:

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015, WITH ALL OUR BEST WISHES!

PHRASAL VERBS FOR NEW YEAR'S EVE

Today a list of phrasal verbs useful for New Year's Eve.

SURPRISING CURIOSITIES OF BRITISH HISTORY

"I NEVER KNEW THAT ABOUT BRITAIN" is a British TV programme series which explores surprising aspects of British history. Here's an episode in the series which answers the following questions:

- WHERE IS THE CENTRE OF LONDON?

- WHY DO THE BRITISH DRIVE ON THE LEFT?

- WHO INVENTED TRAFFIC LIGHTS?

PREPOSITIONS OF MOVEMENT

With this chart you can check on the meanings of the prepositions showing MOVEMENT.

CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR'S DINNERS 2.0

26th DECEMBER: BOXING DAY/St. STEPHEN'S

Today is BOXING DAY or St. Stephen's Day in Great Britain. It's also an important day in Ireland, Catalonia... Here's some information about it from the Wikipedia.

Boxing Day is traditionally the day following Christmas Day, when servants and tradesmen would receive gifts from their superiors.

The exact etymology of the term "boxing" is unclear. There are several competing theories, none of which is definitive. The European tradition, which has long included giving money and other gifts to those who were needy and in service positions, has been dated to the Middle Ages, but the exact origin is unknown. It may come from a custom in the late Roman/early Christian era, wherein metal boxes placed outside churches were used to collect special offerings tied to the Feast of Saint Stephen^] which in the Western Church falls on the same day as Boxing Day.

In Britain, it was a custom for tradesmen to collect "Christmas boxes" of money or presents on the first weekday after Christmas as thanks for good service throughout the year. This custom is linked to an older English tradition: Since they would have to wait on their masters on Christmas Day, the servants of the wealthy were allowed the next day to visit their families. The employers would give each servant a box to take home containing gifts and bonuses, and sometimes leftover food.

St. Stephen's Day, or the Feast of St. Stephen, is a Christian saint's day celebrated on 26 December in the Western Church and 27 December in the Eastern Church. Many Eastern Orthodox churches adhere to the Julian calendar and mark St. Stephen's Day on 27 December according to that calendar, which places it on 9 January of the Julian calendar used in secular contexts. It commemorates St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr. It is an official public holiday in Austria, Balearic Islands, Catalonia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Montenegro, Norway, Denmark, Estonia, Sweden, Finland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Poland. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

SOME FACTS ABOUT THE NIGHT SANTA CLAUS / FATHER CHRISTMAS WORKS SO HARD

50 WAYS TO TAKE A BREAK

Now that we're on holidays, here are some ideas of what to do and how to take a break, doing something different than usual.

MORE ON PREPOSITIONS (2)

PASS THE SALT!

There's a time and a place for each and everything. And when we're eating, we shouldn't be typing. Have a look at this video, does it sound familiar? Remember for the following special Christmas dinner meetings... 

Video "PASS THE SALT":