Song: Holding out for a hero

Holding out for a hero

Bonnie Tyler

I WISH...

Would you like things to be different? Then, MAKE A WISH.... and remember...
1. when  we make a wish about the present,  we use 

If only / I wish + simple past

Example:

If only I knew how to use a computer. (I don’t know how to use a computer and I would like to learn how to use it) 

I wish I spoke Italian. (I don't speak Italian) 

Now listen to Avril Lavigne, enjoy the song and sing along

2. To express a wish about the past (usually regretting something):

If only / I wish + past perfect

Example:

If only I had woken up early. (I didn't wake up early and I missed my bus.) 

I wish I hadn't eaten so much. (I ate a lot.) 

3. When you wish that SOMEONE ELSE would do something (you are usually impatient, or you complain about something you don't like / annoys you):

I wish / if only + would + verb

Example:

I wish you wouldn't arrive so late all the time (I'm annoyed because you always come late and I want you to arrive on time) 

I wish it would stop raining. (I'm impatient because it is raining and I want to go outside.)

Finally, to practise a little, go here. to better-english.com, myenglishpages.com... In busyteacher you'll find some sentences and their answers below (please, don't look at them until you've done them first). 
Tolearnenglish has exercises for present wishes, regrets, and past situations, and more...

Used to

USED TO/GET USED TO/BE USED TO

Hello again!
I hope this presentation we saw in class can help you remember the different ways we have in English to express HABITS.
USED_TO
->To do some exercises click here, here, and here. It gives you the chance to practise and correct yourself. Have a go!

INFINITIVE OR GERUND?

If you want to practise this grammar point and have some fun meanwhile, why don't you play battleships here? This is another online game from ESL Fun Grammar Games and this other one from englishmedialab.
For exercises, visit ego4u.
Finally you can do some of these tests, if you like: 1, 2, 3, 4.
These three tutorials might also help: 1 -2 -3.

This video shows you parts of songs where the infinitive and gerund are used ;-)

IMPROVING YOUR LISTENING

Would you like to improve your listening without too much effort? 

OK, here's something really awesome: if your browser is Mozilla Firefox, you can download a complement or extension called "Download helper" (absolutely free, as usual). Once installed, it will enable you to download any audio you hear, including podcasts!!!

Whenever there's something playing (or downloadable), these three little balls will start moving in your task bar. Just click on the icon and download the podcast. Try with this podcast from VOANEWS.COM (about learning with songs) or this other one from 6 Minute English  from the BBC: "Tea Drinking in the UK". Just play the "listen" button and watch the icon move, then just save it! If you want to read the script, it's on the right of the page.

A second option for you to practise your listening and your pronunciation, is to listen to songs. Where? You can either go to Youtube (and look for the songs with lyrics) or to goear.com , where some of the songs include the lyrics, like this one which I particularly like, Only Girl (In The World) by Rihanna. 

A third option is to install iTunes in your computer. It allows you to subscribe to your favourite podcasts and it downloads everything for you automatically every time you open it. There are losts of great podcasts you can subscribe to for free. You can download it from this page.

Now all you have to do is keep your podcasts in your iPod or MP3 player and listen to them while you're enjoying a walk along the beach, for example. Nice, isn't it? Enjoy! Please let me know if this helps you.

CONDITIONALS

Hi

This is the presentation I used in class to revise CONDITIONAL SENTENCES. 

Conditionals 0 1 2 3
And don't forget to have a look at previous entries in this blog (grammar section) that revise this grammar point, they'll help you practise it.

This is beyoncé's video "If I Were A Boy", a great song and a wonderful example of the second conditional. You can also listen to the songs in the NB2 blog here and here.



 Now the question is... What would you do if you were... God? Please leave your ideas in a comment below!

Mamma Mia

Do you remember the trailer of "Mamma Mia" we saw in class? Watch it at your own pace here, and answer the questions on the photocopy.

We also talked of catchy tunes. This is my latest, I just can't get it out of my head! Sick of love! I hope you enjoy it and sing along!

UNIT 3A: Car Stories

Here are a few exercises from Unit 3A. You can practice the narrative past tenses by clicking here. To practise the vocabulary for cars and driving, click here. And to try to reconstruct the two texts about 'Bad Car Journeys', click here.

And finally, if you want to sing along to the song by Madness, 'Driving in My Car', then here is the video of this fun band from the '80s singing this hit.

Fame

Well, if you want fame, you'll have to practise... so here's the song!

The Winner Takes It All

If you are too shy to sing along in class, or just want to sing the song again, here is 'The Winner Takes It All' with photos of Abba.

There's a Girl in every Port

Do you recognise this place? This is a song from the film 'Wonderful Life' (1964) with the British singer Cliff Richard (he who sang 'Congratulations' in Eurovision). It was filmed in Las Palmas in Santa Catalina and Ciudad Alta in 1963. Enjoy it!