What is SMALL TALK ?

In most English-speaking countries, it is normal and necessary to make "small talk" in certain situations.

Small talk is a casual form of conversation that "breaks the ice" or fills an awkward silence between people. Even though you may feel shy using your second language, it is sometimes considered rude to say nothing. Just as there are certain times when small talk is appropriate, there are also certain topics that people often discuss during these moments.

SPEAK SMOOTHLY WITHOUT FILLER WORDS / HABLAR INGLÉS DE MANERA CORRECTA SIN MULETILLAS

This useful video helps us to speak clearly and smoothly in English.

Some of The commonest phrasal verbs in English

These are some of the commonest phrasal verbs in English add them to your spoken English to sound more natural in English!!

Bring up – means to mention something. You can tell your colleague, for example: “They didn’t bring up any of our suggestions in the meeting”.

Carry on – this phrasal verb is very similar to “go on”. Just like “go on” it means “to continue” but it’s usually used in phrases like “Let’s carry on” or “You can carry on without me”.

Chase up – a very handy way of saying “to find, to seek out”. For instance, you’ve been assigned a particular task, but some necessary files are missing. You can say “I’ll chase up those files” meaning you’ll go and see where those files are. You can also chase up a person – “I’ll chase up Frank because I need his help with homework and no-one else has an idea how to do it!”

Come across – to find something by chance or to encounter something unexpectedly. If you found an interesting article online and you’re telling your friend about it, you can say: “You know, I came across this article online where they’ve done research on…”

Come up with – this is a very useful phrasal verb if you usually find it hard to describe the fact when someone has told you about a new plan or a good idea. You might be struggling with phrases like – “He created a good plan” or “She produced a brand new solution” or even – “I devised a new idea on how to…” Native English speakers would simply say “She came up with a brand new solution” so you can start using this phrasal verb!

Fall apart – describes when something falls into pieces. Let’s say you’re wrapping an awkward package and you’re struggling with it. You can say “The whole thing just keeps falling apart, I can’t wrap it; can you help me?” This is another phrasal verb foreigners don’t normally use and if you start using it on similar occasions you’ll find it much easier to describe the situation!

Get along – means to have a good relationship with someone. You can say “Do you get along with Mary from the accounting?” if you want to ask that person if he/she is in good terms with Mary. Another sample sentence - “I don’t get along with Mark, I didn’t like him from the very first day I met him!”

Get away with – means to avoid being punished for not having done something or for breaching rules. A typical phrase you can start using right away is “Did you think you can get away with this?” if you’ve caught someone having done something you’re very unhappy about.

Get over – if you can’t accept something that’s happened in your life and you can’t stop thinking about it, you can say - “It’s very hard for me to get over it.” And if you want to lift someone’s spirits and say that it’s not such a big deal after all, you can say: “Common, get over it, it’s not as bad as it looks!”

Give up – use this phrasal verb when speaking about resolution you’ve stopped pursuing or expectations that are most likely to remain unfulfilled. “I gave up my New Year’s diet; I just couldn’t stick to it.” “I’ve given up hope of getting a better job.”

Go on! – This is a typical way of telling someone to begin a particular action or resume doing something. If you can’t wait on someone to start telling an interesting story, you’d exclaim in excitement – “Go on, go on!” You can also use “go on” if you, for instance, are writing down figures your co-worker is calling out for you. Every time you’re ready to put the next figure down you can use the phrasal verb “go on” to let your partner know that he can call out the next figure.

Hold on! – Literally “hold on” means to hold on to something. Most common use of this phrasal verb, however, is when you want to tell someone to stop doing something or to wait until you’re ready to proceed with the initial action. Foreigners usually use “Stop!” and “Wait!” instead; “hold on” is more natural in spoken English.

Look after – means “to take care of” and is used a lot in communications between supervisors and employees at work. Typically your boss would ask you “Can you look after this order for me?” So if you want to sound more natural and friendly, don’t say things like “I’m responsible for this customer”. “I’m looking after this customer” is the best way of putting it.

Look up – to find something in a phone book, on the Internet or any other reference media. This is a very handy phrasal verb to use in sentences like “Can you look up their address on the Net?”

Make out – to recognize, to distinguish details of something. “I just couldn’t make out what she was saying!” – you can say a phrase like this if the person in question spoke too fast, or with a distinct accent, or too quiet. Another sample sentence – “I can’t make out these details; can you help me with this, please?”

Pull over – if you drive a car, you can use this phrasal verb to describe an action of driving to the side of the road in order to stop. Typical application of this phrasal verb – “Can you pull over at the next petrol station?” Foreigners would most likely say “to stop at…” so if you start using “pull over” you’ll sound more natural when speaking English!

Put down – simply means “to write down.” “Hold on, I’ll put it down, let me just find a piece of paper!”

Put off – this is an informal way of saying “to postpone”, “to do later”. “I don’t want to clean my house today, I’ll put it off till tomorrow” would be a perfect example of this phrasal verb in use.

Turn up – means to arrive. You can inquire about your friend by asking “Has Michael turned up today?” if you haven’t seen him and you’re wondering if he’s come to work or school today at all.

Watch out! – you can use this phrasal verb if something endangers someone else’s safety and you want to bring that person’s attention to that object or activity. Foreigners usually use unarticulated sounds instead – like “Ahh!” or “Ohh!” simply because on occasions when a super-fast reaction is needed they can’t think of a fitting word or phrase to say.

This is the spanish translation for the verbs / A continuación se muestra la traducción al español de estos 20 verbos compuestos:

Bring up - plantear / sacar un tema

Carry on - continuar

Chase up - hacer un seguimiento

Come across - dar con / encontrase con

Come up with - proponer una idea o solución

Fall apart - desbaratar / venir abajo

Get along - llevarse bien con

Get away with - salir impune

Get over - recuperarse de / superar

Give up - darse por vencido

Go on - continuar

Hold on - decir a alguien que espere o pare

Look after - cuidar a / ocuparse de

Look up - buscar

Make out - entender / distinguir

Pull over - hacerse a un lado / detenerse

Put down - anotar / apuntar

Put off - aplazar

Turn up - acudir / presentarse / asistir

Watch out! - ¡Cuidado!

Source: aprenderinglésonline.

HOW TO USE THE PASSIVE VOICE IN ENGLISH (VIDEO EXPLANATION)

HOW TO SPEAK ENGLISH BETTER BY SPEAKING SLOWER - VIDEO-

THIS IS AN USEFUL VIDEO ABOUT IMPROVING YOUR COMMUNICATION IN ENGLISH!!
IF YOU SPEAK VERY FAST , YOU DON'T PRONOUNCE ALL THE SOUNDS.
I'M BEGINNING TO SPEAK SLOWER !!

Difficult topics and tips in your Speaking Test / Temas difíciles para preparar tu examen oral de Inglés

1. Describe a typical dish from your country:
You should say:

- What it looks like
- What it tastes like
- When people usually eat it
And say if you like it or
2. Describe something you often eat
You should say:
- What it looks and tastes like
- When you usually eat it
- What you usually eat it with
And say if you think it is healthy to often eat that thing, and why

3. Describe a food you really like:
You should say:
- Why you like it
- If most people you know also like it
- How you prefer to eat it
And say if you have always liked this food or not

4. Talk about a job you have done or would like to do in the future
You should say:
-Why you chose that job
- What the good things about that job are
- What the difficulties of doing that job are
And describe how it is different to other jobs

5. Talk about something to do to help the environment
You should mention:
- What you do
- How often you do it
- Why you do it
And say how that thing helps the environment

6. Describe your typical day when you are working or studying
You should say:
- What things you do
- How long you spend doing those things
- What the most difficult thing you have to do is
And say if you usually enjoy those days or not, and why

7.Talk about a hobby you have:
You should say:
- How often you do it
- Who you do it with
- What equipment is needed

8.Describe an ecological problem in your country:
You should say:
- What the problem is
- Why it happens
- How it can be solved
And say if you think it will be solved in the near future or not, and why

9.Describe a TV programme that you like
You should say:
-What kind of programme it is
- What you like about it
- How you first became interested in that programme
And say how that programme is different from other TV programmes that you like
And say why you enjoy doing that thing

10. Describe a film you saw which made an impression on you.
You should say:
What film and what type of film it is
When you saw it
What your favourite part of the film is
And explain why it made an impression on you

11.Talk about something you are reading at the moment or have read recently
You should say:
- How and why you got it
- How long you have been reading it
- If you would like to read something else by the same writer
And say what kind of person might like to read the same thing

12.Describe a famous painting or photo you have seen or know about
You should say:
- What it shows
- What is unusual about it
- Why it is famous
And say if you would like to hang this picture in your house or not, and why

phrase of the Day

Phrase Of The Day

(Something) galore

Function: We use this expression to indicate a huge quantity of something - normally very positive.

Example 1: A: Where do you recommend for leather handbags?
B: They've got handbags galore in 'Accessorize' in the centre.
A: Right. I'll try there.

Example 2: A: How was your birthday?
B: I got presents galore! I was really spoilt by everyone.

Prepositions--Some common Mistakes

Question Tags ( oral practice)

Getting to know you

Question Tags

(This Speaking and writing activity is used to promote the use of question tags in class. I have observed that there aren't many speaking activities to practice the question tags, so I have made this one to help you. The ativity has been used in 4 ESO level (15 yrs old students), it was very funny and practical, I hope you like it)

Choose a person from your class.

Complete the sentences with information that you think is true,

e.g. ‘Your name is Juan…’

Now complete the second part of the sentence with a question tag,

e.g. ‘Your name is Juan, isn’t it?’

1. Your name is __________, __________ ?

2. You are from __________, __________ ?

3. You have been in this class for __________, __________ ?

4. You have __________ brothers and sisters, __________?

5. You think English is __________, __________ ?

6. You are interested in __________, __________ ?

7. Outside the class, you __________, __________ ?

8. In the future, you plan to __________, __________ ?

9. You spent your last holidays in __________, __________ ?

10. This evening, you are going to __________, __________ ?

Now ask the questions and see if your ideas are right.

Game: Guess my word (3-4 ESO)

GUESS MY WORD
Level: Beginner/Intermediate
Age: 12-14
Subject: Vocabulary

Before starting, write word on different Post-it notes. They may be related to recent vocabulary, or to a themed vocabulary. For example: bus, car, truck, etc. or apple, banana, orange, etc.
Stick a note on each of the student's forehead. They will love this part!
Then, at turns, each student comes to the front of the class and the others have to give clues so that the student in the front can guess his/her own word.
A variation to this games is that each student has to ask the rest of the class yes/no questions until he guesses what's written on his/her own tag.

CONVERSATION TOPICS (3 & 4 ESO)

We have compiled a list of conversation topics to make your students speak. They are presented in questions, just to motivate your students or to make them react. Be sure to use topics according to the age and knowledge of your students.

Topic: Clothes

Do you like buying new clothes? Where do you go?
What kind of clothes do you prefer?
What kind of clothes do you wear to play sports / to go out with friends / to go to school?
Do you wear a hat, a cap, sunglasses, jewelry? When?
Are clothes expensive in your city?
What is your favourite colour? Why?
Do you dress differently according to your mood?
Should men wear earrings?
Would you buy secondhand clothes? Why?
Are high-heels shoes good or bad for the health?
Is fashion important?
You can obtain topic vocabulary here.

Topic: Music

What kind of music do you like?
Do you have many CDs / MP3s? Which one is your favourite? How often do you listen to them?
Do you like classical music? Why?
Do you prefer to listen to the radio?
Can you dance? Where do you go? With whom? How often?

Who is your favourite band/singer?
Do you like musicals?
Have you ever been to a concert? Where? When?
What kind of music is popular in your country?
Do you think that MP3s are good or bad for the music industry? Should them be banned?
What was the last CD you bought? When?
Can music help to calm down a stressed person? How?
What do you think of karaoke?
Do you play any instrument?

Topic: Travel

Do you like travelling?
Why do people travel?
Where have you been? Have you ever been abroad?
What was your best trip?
Do you travel with your family, with friends or alone?
Do you prefer to travel by bus, plane, train or car?
Have you ever got lost? Why?
Do you like to go camping?
Where would you like to go next?
What do you do for the holidays?
Where did you go last year?
Do you prefer a budget hotel or a first-class hotel? Why?
Is travelling expensive in your country?
If you had $100,000 where would you go for your holidays?
You can obtain topic vocabulary here.


Topic: Sports

What is your favourite sport? How often do you play? With whom? Where?
Do you prefer watching sports on TV?
Have you ever played golf / rugby / baseball?
What sport is popular in your country?
Are you interested in sports from other countries? Which ones?
Can you swim?
What is the most dangerous sport?
Do you go to a gym club? How often?
Would you like to learn a new sport? Which one?
What is your favourite team? Are you a real fan? Do you often go to the stadium?
Do you play sports at school?
Can women play boxing / soccer / football?

Topic: Television

What kind of TV shows you like/don't like?
How long do you spend watching TV? Do you think it's too much?
When do you watch TV?
Is TV educational or not?
If you were the station manager, what show would you add/remove?
Do you like/watch commercials?
Do you use the remote too much?
Do you think that TV makes people lazy?
Do you like reality shows? Why?
Can you learn something watching TV?


Topic: Cinema

What is your favourite movie/actor/actress?
What kind of movies do you prefer?
What was the last movie you saw? With whom? When? Where?
Do you prefer to watch movies at home or at the cinema? Why?
Do you often rent movies?
Would you like to be in a movie? Why?
Do you like romantic movies? Why?
Do you prefer action or comedy movies?
Do you read the subtitles?
Is it expensive to go to the cinema?

Topic: Famous people
Why is somebody famous?
What are the pros and cons of being a celebrity?
Have you ever seen a celebrity? Who? Where? When?
Are you a member of any fan club?
Who is your favourite star? Would you like to see him/her in person? What would you tell him/her?
What do you think of papparazzi?

Debates in the Classroom

STRATEGY OF THE WEEK



Debates in the Classroom

Description
There's no debate about it! Debates are a great tool for engaging students and livening up classroom curriculum. Using debates in the classroom can help students grasp essential critical thinking and presentation skills. Among the skills classroom debates can foster are abstract thinking, citizenship and etiquette, clarity, organization, persuasion, public speaking, research, and teamwork and cooperation. And that's just the beginning!

Learn More About Using Debates in the Classroom
The following Education World articles and lessons provide a great starting point for using debates in the classroom:

It's Up for Debate
Debates are a staple of middle and high school social studies classes. But have you ever thought about using debates at the lower grades -- or in math class? Education World offers five debate strategies and extra lessons for students of all ages. The following five lessons can be found in this article:

Stage a Debate: A Primer for Teachers (Lincoln-Douglas Debate Format)
Adapt the standard debate format; plus ten strategies for engaging students in debate.
Role Play Debate
Students assume the roles of various stakeholders in debates on issues of high interest.
Using Fairy Tales to Debate Ethics
Three fairy tales challenge students to think about honesty, right and wrong, and other questions of ethics.

Four Corners Debate
A debate strategy gets kids thinking and moving. Debate topics included for all grades.

Inner Circle, Outer Circle Debate Strategy
The inner/outer circle debate strategy emphasizes listening to others' views and writing an opinion essay.

Classroom Debate Resource Page
This special Education World resources highlights the best resources for debate rules; debate rubrics for student assessment; debate topics for classroom use; more debate lesson plans; and fun debate strategies.

Topics for debates:

'They Just Come and Go' -- A Debate About the White House
Students select a president, read about his life and accomplishments as a leader, and then design a monument in his honor. They learn about life in the White House and debate one of five issues related to the presidency.
Human Nature: Good or Evil?
Stage a debate or write an essay in response to the question: Is human nature inherently good or inherently evil?
It's Up for Debate: WWII Issues
Students work in teams to explore a variety of issues related to World War II, review the decisions that were made at the time, and debate the correctness of those decisions.
In Your Opinion: Are Athletes Heroes?
Students participate in a classroom debate about athletes as heroes.