Learn English with Music!

Posted on April 19, 2013 by mhardy3222

Good news everyone! Did you know that you can learn SO MUCH English just by listening to songs? And if you want to improve your speaking and pronunciation, just sing while you’re listening. Try these songs: I Have to Say I Love You in a Song by Jim Croce and I Wonder by Rodriguez: I can’t find a Youtube video with the lyrics (words) for the Rodriguez song, so I’ve written them below.

Song: I Wonder by Rodriguez

I wonder how many times you’ve been had,
And I wonder how many plans have gone bad.
I wonder how many times you had sex
And I wonder; do you know who’ll be next?
I wonder, I wonder, wonder I do.

I wonder about the love you can’t find
And I wonder about the loneliness that’s mine.
I wonder how much going have you got.
And I wonder about your friends that are not.
I wonder, I wonder, wonder I do.

I wonder about the tears in children’s eyes
And I wonder about the soldier that dies.
I wonder; will this hatred ever end?
I wonder and worry my friend.
I wonder, I wonder, wonder don’t you?

I wonder how many times you been had
And I wonder how many dreams have gone bad.
I wonder how many times you had sex.
And I wonder; do you know who’ll be next?
I wonder, I wonder, wonder I do.

If you can remember the song then you will remember: the Grammar, the Vocabulary, and the Pronunciation. How good is that? Try it. If you don’t like these songs, just listen to songs you like and get the lyrics from Google.

For more modern songs: Don’t You Worry by Swedish House Mafia, or Stay by Rihanna.

Posted in Elementary (Level 2), Intermediate (Level 4), Listening, Pre-Intermediate (Level 3), Songs | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Conditionals: First

Posted on April 17, 2013 by mhardy3222

This week I’m teaching First Conditional to my Pre-Intermediate class. My student Majed has gone back to U.A.E. for two weeks so this is a good time to write about First Conditionals so he can read this blog and keep up.

If Majed reads this, he will learn something. If he does the tests on the sites I recommend, his English will improve.
We use the First Conditional structure for future possibilities and their possible results, so we use two clauses.

The rule is: IF + PRESENT Tense, WILL (or CAN or MIGHT) + BASE Verb
eg. If I miss the bus, I’ll get a taxi.
If I want to get fit, I can go to a gym.
If it’s raining when I finish work, I might buy an umbrella.

We can often change the order of the clauses:

eg. I’ll get a taxi if I miss the bus.
I can go to a gym if I want to get fit,
I might buy an umbrella if it’s raining when I finish work.

Click here for a A Song with First Conditional, Imperatives, and Collocations

Test yourself with this online exercise.

Now try this online exercise. It’s a little more difficult.

Click here for Conditionals: Second

Posted in Grammar, Pre-Intermediate (Level 3) | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Gerunds & Infinitives

Posted on April 15, 2013 by mhardy3222

Last week I taught my Pre-intermediate class about Gerunds and Infinitives. Gerunds are usually nouns but they are different from other nouns because they are made from verbs. Infinitives are the names of verbs: TO + BASE VERB. For example: to be, to have, to go, to look, to swim. When you look up a verb in a dictionary, it is the Base form that is listed first. Infinitives and Base verbs have no tense.

In the sentence, “I was swimming last night for two hours”, “swimming” is a participle – part of the verb “was swimming”.

In the sentence, “I love swimming”, “swimming” is a noun. It is the object of “love”. An object is a noun.

It is important to know when to use Gerunds after verbs and when to use Infinitives after verbs. Some verbs can be followed by a Gerund or an Infinitive: I love going out on Saturday nights with my friends. I love to go out on Saturday nights with my friends.

Other verbs cannot be followed by an Infinitive. If you want to follow the verb with another verb, you have to change it into a Gerund: I finished cleaning the house at 10pm. I enjoy going out with my friends. Of course, you can follow ‘finished’ and ‘enjoy’ with nouns: I finished my homework after dinner. I enjoy funny movies.

Other verbs cannot be followed by a Gerund: Rou decided to study English in Australia. She is planning to continue her studies in Taiwan.

There is no easy rule to help you know if a verb is followed by a Gerund or an Infinitive. You just have to learn them like new vocabulary. Online exercises are a good way to practise and remember.

Follow this link to http://www.englishpage.com/gerunds/infinitive_list.htm to see a list of verbs followed by Infinitives. This link will take you to verbs followed by Gerunds: http://www.englishpage.com/gerunds/gerund_list.htm

For more information and practice exercises go to http://www.englishpage.com/gerunds/part_1.htm

Posted in Grammar, Intermediate (Level 4), Pre-Intermediate (Level 3) | 2 Comments

Food & Drinks Vocabulary: nouns, verbs, adjectives and how to use this vocabulary

Posted on April 13, 2013 by mhardy3222

I would like to take you to a site which is wonderful for English students. You can always find help at this site for English Vocabulary.

http://esl.about.com/od/vocabularyreference/a/Food-Vocabulary.htm

Posted in Intermediate (Level 4), Pre-Intermediate (Level 3), Vocabulary | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Food & Drinks Vocabulary for Beginners

Posted on April 13, 2013 by mhardy3222

Have fun and learn new food & drinks words with pictures. Go to this site. http://www.manythings.org/lulu/g1.html#

Posted in Beginner (Level 1), Elementary (Level 2), Vocabulary | Leave a comment

A Song containing Relative Clauses: #2

Posted on April 11, 2013 by mhardy3222

Shania Twain sings a song called “You’re Still The One” which has several Relative Clauses in the chorus. (See also Shakira, and One Republic.) Links below: one link is the official music video, and the other link has lyrics only, so that you can sing while you’re listening.

Because she sings the chorus three times, you hear the Relative Clauses a lot! If you enjoy listening to this song, you will find it very helpful. Remember the song and you remember the grammar! Sing the song while listening and your pronunciation will also improve. Too easy!

Here is the Chorus with the Relative Clauses in bold:

shaniatwain

Shania Twain

(You’re still the one.)
You’re still the one I run to;
The one that I belong to.
You’re still the one I want for life.
(You’re still the one.)
You’re still the one that I love;
The only one I dream of.
You’re still the one I kiss good night.

Did you notice that in two lines of the Chorus, the Relative Clause Pronoun that is included and in four lines it has been omitted? That’s okay. A relative pronoun can be omitted [removed] when it is the object of the relative clause. It has been included in two lines to fit the rhythm of the song, but grammatically it is optional. Note also the Prepositions at the end of three sentences: … run to… belong to. …dream of. These cannot be omitted.

VIDEO WITHOUT LYRICS:

VIDEO WITH LYRICS:

* You can also link to other posts about Songs with Relative Clauses by Shakira and One Republic and Adele.

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Posted in Grammar, Intermediate (Level 4), Listening, Relative Clauses, Songs | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Relative Clauses: #1

Posted on April 9, 2013 by mhardy3222

I’ve found a summary of Relative Clauses online which provides excellent revision for English students who are having difficulty with them. (Did you notice that there were two Relative Clauses in the previous sentence?)

Even students who understand the rules should revise them now and then so that they don’t forget! This site provides clear examples of different types of Relative Clauses and several tests so you can check your knowledge.

Practise using Relative Clauses by singing songs by Shania Twain and Shakira.

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Posted in Grammar, Intermediate (Level 4), Relative Clauses, Upper Intermediate (Level 5) | Tagged | Leave a comment

Present Continuous Tense – Mini Tutorial (especially for my lovely student Corina)

Posted on April 8, 2013 by mhardy3222

* Many languages have only one Present Tense when in English we use two: Present Simple Tense and Present Continuous Tense.

We use Present Continuous to describe actions or situations that are happening or continuing now. For example, you are reading this blog. If someone asks you what you are doing now, you could answer, “I’m reading Mary’s English Blog”. Perhaps someone is cooking dinner for you while you are studying English? Present Continuous also describes temporary situations. Are you working part-time while you are studying?

♦ Watch this Mr Bean cartoon for typical use of Present Continuous:

Present Continuous for future plans and arrangements:

We also use Present Continuous for future plans and arrangements. For example, “What are you going to do after you finish reading this blog?” I could also ask, “What are you doing after you finish reading this blog?”

BE verb (am, is, are) + GOING TO + BASE VERB (eg, have, travel, be) is always future:
I am going to travel around Australia. = Future
We are going to have a party. = Future

Present Continuous needs a future reference or it’s just now:
I’m going home. = Now
I’m going home at 3.30pm. = Future
We’re having a party. = Now
We’re having a party on Saturday. = Future

Test yourself with this online quiz.

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Posted in Grammar, Pre-Intermediate (Level 3), Videos | Leave a comment

Vocabulary & Pronunciation

Posted on April 7, 2013 by mhardy3222

Watch this video and learn ANIMAL vocabulary. After you watch the video, click on http://www.manythings.org/lulu/

Link for video http://www.manythings.org/b/e/2720/

Posted in Beginner (Level 1), Elementary (Level 2), Listening, Speaking & Pronunciation, Vocabulary | Leave a comment

Sports Vocabulary

Posted on April 6, 2013 by mhardy3222

Use pictures to help you remember vocabulary. Just go to www.google.com.au and click-on Images. Have a look at these Olympic Games Sport Icons. Don’t translate the sport names into your language. It is easier to remember the English words if you remember the pictures. Really!

Posted in Elementary (Level 2), Grammar, Pre-Intermediate (Level 3), Vocabulary | Tagged | Leave a comment