Modal verbs

On a previous unit, we worked with something called modal verbs. Modal verbs are words that we use to express many things in English. We can use them to express Possibility, permission, prohibition and many other things. In here, you can find a small explanation of some of the most common ones.

Here’s a list of the modal verbs in English:

can         could     may       might    will

would   must      shall       should  ought to

Modals are different from normal verbs:

1: They don’t use an ‘s’ for the third person singular.

2: They make questions by inversion (‘she can go’ becomes ‘can she go?’).

3: They are followed directly by the infinitive of another verb (without ‘to’).

Probability:

First, they can be used when we want to say how sure we are that something happened / is happening / will happen. We often call these ‘modals of deduction’ or ‘speculation’ or ‘certainty’ or ‘probability’.

For example:

• It’s snowing, so it must be very cold outside.
• 
• I don’t know where John is. He could have missed the train. 
• This bill can’t be right. £200 for two cups of coffee! 

Ability

We use ‘can’ and ‘could’ to talk about a skill or ability.

For example:

• She can speak six languages.
• My grandfather could play golf very well. 
• I can’t drive. 

Obligation and Advice

We can use verbs such as ‘must’ or ‘should’ to say when something is necessary or unnecessary, or to give advice.

For example:

• Children must do their homework.
• We have to wear a uniform at work.
• You should stop smoking.

Permission

We can use verbs such as ‘can’, ‘could’ and ‘may’ to ask for and give permission. We also use modal verbs to say something is not allowed.

For example:

• Could I leave early today, please?
• You may not use the car tonight.
• Can we swim in the lake?

Habits

We can use ‘will’ and ‘would’ to talk about habits or things we usually do, or did in the past.

• For example:
• When I lived in Italy, we would often eat in the restaurant next to my flat.
• John will always be late!

As you can probably see from this, modal verbs have many uses and sometimes it can be very complicated to know which ones are used for what in certain situations. Like everything you will get the hang of them with practice and study.

Taken and adapted from: http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/modal-verbs.html

Verb patterns

On a class from unit 5, you looked at verb patterns. For some people this can be a very complicated topic. It is actually quite simple. Verb patterns are basically like math rules that tell us how a verb interacts with other verb. The same way 2+2=4, certain verbs are followed by another verb that should ALWAYS have the same ending. In here, you can see more information about it.

Here are examples of some of the patterns:

Verb + to + verb:

These verbs all use this pattern: want, hope, decide, agree.

• I want to work with Dr. Laver.
• Tim hopes to leave the stockroom soon.
• Helen decided to go out with Michal.
• Alice might agree to change wards.

Verb + verb + ing:

These verbs all use this pattern: enjoy, mind, consider.

• I enjoy working on the emergency ward.
• Alice doesn’t mind working with children.
• Tim is considering changing his job.

Verb + preposition + verb +ing

These verbs all use this pattern: specialize, think.

• He specializes in helping children.
• Michal is thinking about cooking dinner.

Verb + object + verb:

These verbs all use this pattern: let, make.

• Dad let me keep the cat.
• She made me say sorry.

Verbs with two patterns and different meanings:

These verbs have two possible patterns, and there is a difference in meaning between the patterns: like, hate, regret.

• I like to swim every day = I think it is a good idea to do this
• I like swimming every day = I enjoy the activity. It gives me pleasure
• I hate to tell you this = I am sorry to tell you this
• I hate flying = I do not like this activity
• I regret to tell you this – I am sorry to tell you this
• I regret leaving London – I left London in the past, and I am sorry that I did that.

I hope that from this short explanation, you can see that verb patterns are not rocket science. You can achieve a full mastering of this topic with practice. You will get to a point where these patterns will come out naturally from you without having to think of them over and over. Don’t forget: practice makes perfect.

Taken and adapted from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/flatmates/episode30/languagepoint.shtml

Will and going to

As you can remember from the classes you have already seen, we use GOING TO and WILL to express the future. However, in some occasions it can be tricky for some to differentiate when to use either one in which occasions. That is why in this blog you will find some information to help you with this.

Will

To give or ask for information or facts about the future. 

• Her parents will be here in about an hour.
• All her friends will come to her wedding.

For plans or decisions made at the time of speaking. 

• «We need some paper for the photocopier.» «Okay, I’ll go and get some.»
• «What would you like to eat?» «I’ll have a pizza please.»

To make predictions about the future. 

• I think it will rain tomorrow.
• Al Pacino will win the award for Best Actor.
• Do you think Brazil will win the World Cup?

To make predictions about the present. 

• Don’t phone her now, she’ll be busy.

To offer to do something. 

• I’ll take you to the airport tomorrow.
• That suitcase looks heavy, I’ll carry it for you.

To agree to do something. 

• Okay, I’ll come with you.

To promise to do something. 

• I promise I won’t tell anyone you broke the window.

To make requests (or give orders). 

• Will you open the door for me please?
• Will you marry me?
• Will you shut up please?

To refuse to do something or talk about refusals. 

• No, I won’t cook your dinner, you can cook it yourself.
• I’ve asked him but he won’t do it.

Going to

For plans or decisions made before speaking. 

• Is John coming home soon? – Yes, I’m going to meet him at the airport tomorrow.
• I’m going to watch TV in a minute, because my favorite program is on.

As you can see will has many uses and going to only has one. The key to using them correctly is analyzing the situation and choosing the one that corresponds to it. You can achieve this with practice. At first you will make many mistakes but don’t worry it is completely normal, it will take some time to get used to them.

Taken and adapted from: http://www.eslbase.com/grammar/will-going-to

Vincent Van Gogh

Vincent Van Gogh was a very famous painter. A lot of people do not know that he had a very troubled and complicated life. I can tell you his whole biography and name you all his painting, but I think it is better if you learn a little more about his life.

Vincent van Gogh was born on March, 30th 1853 in a village in the southern Netherlands, to Theodorus van Gogh, a minister of the Dutch Reformed Church and Anna Cornelia Carbentus. Vincent’s sister described him as a serious and introspective child.

In 1860 Vincent began attending the Zundert village school. He remained there for only one year, and then continued his education in his home with his sister Anna, until he was sent away to boarding school in 1864. In 1866 he began attending middle school in Tilburg, where he was given his first instruction in drawing.

Van Gogh spent his young adult life working for art dealers. He also took an interest in the vocation of his father, and became a missionary worker in an impoverished mining region in Belgium in 1879. In the following year Vincent took the suggestion of his brother Theo, and decided to become a painter. After several years of study he completed his first major work, The Potato Eaters (1885).

In the beginning, van Gogh limited his color pallet to dark colors. When he encountered Impressionism and Neo-Impressionism in Paris his style changed, incorporating brighter colors and developing a painterly style that was uniquely recognizable. Van Gogh worked hard, and produced more than 2,000 paintings, drawings and sketches in the last ten years of his life. His best-known works were created in the last two years, a time in which he suffered from mental illness which eventually led to his suicide.

Vincent van Gogh died on July 29, 1890, having produced some of the best known and most expensive works of art in the world today. His painting The Starry Night (1869) has become one of the most celebrated art masterpieces of all time. He painted it while at a mental hospital. Van Gogh pioneered the art movement that came to be known as Expressionism, and dramatically influenced the art of the 20th century, and specifically the Fauves (The Wild Beasts) and German Expressionists.

There are many more interesting things about Van Gogh´s life. He is most known because he cut of a piece of his ear. Even though he was not famous in his time, nowadays he is one of the most famous painters in history, and some of his paintings are worth over $10, 000,000 dollars!

Taken and adapted from: http://makingartfun.com/htm/f-maf-art-library/van-gogh-biography.htm

Improvising

Some movies have the most classic and chilling scenes I could possibly imagine. I was very surprised to know that some of these scenes were not originally written and were actually a work of improvisation right on the set. Here are some of the most shocking ones.

Zoolander (2001)

Director – Ben Stiller

In this scene involving former hand model J.P. Prewitt (David Duchovny) and the dimwitted male model Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller), Prewitt – a conspiracy theorist – explains how the fashion industry has been behind every high profile political assassination of the last hundred years.

Zoolander asks, «Why male models?» Prewitt answers with a lengthy explanation, after which Zoolander responds again, «Why male models?» Stiller forgot his original line and just repeated his previous line instead. This prompted Duchovny to ad-lib his response «Are you kidding? I just told you like

The scene ends up reinforcing the movie’s narrative of the brainless male model stereotype and Stiller turned a gaffe into one of the funniest parts of the film.

The Godfather (1972)

Director – Francis Ford Coppola

Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) is more than the cold-hearted head of a powerful Italian mob family. That trait shows when he sentences a man to be beaten as retaliation for the beating of another man’s daughter – all while gently stroking a cat.

Thing is, the cat was never part of the original script. Some reports say that Coppola plopped the feline into Brando’s lap just before filming began. Other reports say Brando found «il gatto» roaming around the set, picked him and gave him an offer he couldn’t refuse (heh).

The Dark Knight (2008)

Director – Christopher Nolan

Originally, the Joker (Heath Ledger) was supposed to walk down the street while the explosion at the hospital began, get on the school bus during the scripted pause, and the bus would drive away while the explosion finished.

However, Ledger stopped walking during the pause and in a moment of improvisation began fidgeting with the remote detonator in a very Joker-esque manner – bringing a slight amount of dark humor to what would have just been a serious scene.

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Director – Jonathan Demme

The famous «hssssss» sound made by Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) during his story about eating a liver with «fava beans and a nice Chianti» to FBI agent Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) wasn’t in the original script.

Apparently it was something Hopkins did during rehearsals to creep out Foster – and Demme decided leaving it in was the best way to creep out his audience too.

As you can see from this article, some scenes that we just love were not written. They are to blame on the amazing actors who get so involved in their roles and manage to do amazing things. Next time you see a movie with a great scene, check out who was really behind it.

Taken and adapted from: http://screenrant.com/greatest-unscripted-movie-scenes/?utm_source=zergnet.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=zergnet_63980

Winning an Oscar

Every single year, movie fans go absolutely crazy when it is time to see the Oscar´s. There are always expectations and wonders around who the winners might be. However, not many people know how the winners are actually selected of what rules exist for a movie to participate. In here, you can find a small article that gives us some extra information on that.

Since 2004, Academy Award nomination results have been announced to the public in late January. Prior to that, the results were announced in early February.

Voters

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), a professional honorary organization, maintains a voting membership of 5,783 as of 2012.

Academy membership is divided into different branches, with each representing a different discipline in film production. Actors constitute the largest voting bloc, numbering 1,311 members (22 percent) of the Academy’s composition. Votes have been certified by the auditing firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (and its predecessor Price Waterhouse) for the past 73 annual awards ceremonies.

All AMPAS members must be invited to join by the Board of Governors, on behalf of Academy Branch Executive Committees. Membership eligibility may be achieved by a competitive nomination or a member may submit a name based on other significant contribution to the field of motion pictures.

New membership proposals are considered annually. The Academy does not publicly disclose its membership, although as recently as 2007 press releases have announced the names of those who have been invited to join. The 2007 release also stated that it has just under 6,000 voting members. While the membership had been growing, stricter policies have kept its size steady since then.

In May 2011, the Academy sent a letter advising its 6,000 or so voting members that an online system for Oscar voting will be implemented in 2013.

Rules

According to Rules 2 and 3 of the official Academy Awards Rules, a film must open in the previous calendar year, from midnight at the start of 1 January to midnight at the end of 31 December, in Los Angeles County, California, to qualify (except for the Best Foreign Language Film). For example, the 2009 Best Picture winner, The Hurt Locker, was actually first released in 2008, but did not qualify for the 2008 awards as it did not play its Oscar-qualifying run in Los Angeles until mid-2009, thus qualifying for the 2009 awards.

Rule 2 states that a film must be feature-length, defined as a minimum of 40 minutes, except for short subject awards, and it must exist either on a 35 mm or 70 mm film print or in 24 frame/s or 48 frame/s progressive scan digital cinema format with native resolution not less than 1280×720.

Producers must submit an Official Screen Credits online form before the deadline; in case it is not submitted by the defined deadline, the film will be ineligible for Academy Awards in any year. The form includes the production credits for all related categories. Then, each form is checked and put in a Reminder List of Eligible Releases.

In late December ballots and copies of the Reminder List of Eligible Releases are mailed to around 6000 active members. For most categories, members from each of the branches vote to determine the nominees only in their respective categories (i.e. only directors vote for directors, writers for writers, actors for actors, etc.). There are some exceptions in the case of certain categories, like Foreign Film, Documentary and Animated Feature Film, in which movies are selected by special screening committees made up of members from all branches. In the special case of Best Picture, all voting members are eligible to select the nominees for that category. Foreign films must include English subtitles, and each country can submit only one film per year.

The members of the various branches nominate those in their respective fields, while all members may submit nominees for Best Picture. The winners are then determined by a second round of voting in which all members are then allowed to vote in most categories, including Best Picture.

As you can see, winning an Oscar is really a big deal because a lot of people need to vote for you. Not for nothing it is considered the most prestigious award in the movie business.

Taken and adapted from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_Award

Great Movies

Every single year a bunch of good movies come out. Of course it is impossible for people to see every single nmovie that comes out every year. In today´s blog you will find 4 of the most expected movies for the year 2012.

1.- THE DARK NIGHT RISES

Christopher Nolan is making what’s almost certain to be his last ever Batman movie, while also looking to prove that it’s possible to make a comic book threequel that doesn’t dip in quality. He’s got his regular cast back – Christian Bale, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine – and recruited Tom Hardy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Anne Hathaway too, in a film that promises to close this chapter of Bruce Wayne’s story.

The film has been shot very much in the open, with the Internet creaking under the weight of set videos and photos from observers. And inevitably, it’s led to a cauldron of hype that’s almost impossible to live up to.

Yet Nolan might. The Dark Knight built terrifically well on the excellent Batman Begins, and The Dark Knight Rises is set to try a few different things again. The stories to date have been ambitious, the execution excellent, and Nolan’s Batman movies will be resident in top ten comic book movie lists for many years to come. The Dark Knight Rises? It has the potential to top them all. May Nolan not be away from comic book movies for long…

2.- THE HOBBIT

It’s almost surreal that The Hobbit movies are finally happening. First, Peter Jackson and New Line were at loggerheads. Then MGM’s bank balance cost the films another year or so. Then, Guillermo del Toro dropped out. And finally – finally – Peter Jackson got cameras rolling on the two films earlier this year.

The first of them, An Unexpected Journey, makes it into cinemas at the end of 2012, nine years after the release of Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King. It’s testament to how many interesting films are heading our way in 2012 that this ranks fourth in the list, but don’t let that fool you: The Hobbit is a flat-out must see from where we’re sitting.

To have Peter Jackson back in Middle Earth is proof that there is some justice in the world. That’s he recruited so many of the talented people who brought Lord Of The Rings to the screen could also provide a vital constistency. The even better news? There’s another Hobbit film the year after.

3.- WRECK IT RALPH

The distribution side of Disney is releasing three major animated films next year, each of which looks strong in its own right. The one we’ve left off this list is Pixar’s Brave, which we think will be strong, but it’s so under wraps, it’s hard to get too enthused just yet (the trailer didn’t do it too many favours, either).

It’s Wreck-It Ralph, then, that might emerge as the CG-animated film of choice for next year. The basic outline is lovely: an old, 8-bit computer game character finds himself in the modern world. Visually, straight away, that opens up an abundance of possibilities, and also, it’s Disney trying something just a little different. And it’s a bold move to wrap an entire mainstream animated feature around videogame characters.

If there’s one thing tempering our enthusiasm, it would be that this might end up being a fairly routine adventure in very different clothes. However, we suspect there’s something quite brilliant at work here. Rich Moore is making his feature directorial debut here, but his background – The Simpsons, Futurama, The Critic – certainly suggests that tonally, Wreck-It Ralph might just have the goods to marry up to its inspired concept.

4.- TAKEN 2

uc Besson told us earlier in the year that once the second Taken movie was out, we wouldn’t be getting a third. The story would be done, and Liam Neeson’s particular set of skills would be retired. All the more reason, then, to look forward to the return of Bryan Mills.

This time, we’re told that some idiot decides to kidnap Neeson’s character, which should make for a solid 90 minutes of action and backside kicking. Maggie Grace is returning, and the cast is rounded out by Famke Janssen and Rade Serbedzija, amongst others.

The point of worry is that Olivier Megaton is directing. We’ve yet to see evidence that he can pull together a full, three-act compelling action movie. While Columbiana and Transporter 3 had moments, neither is a film that particularly stands out. Perhaps Taken 2 will give him his moment. At the very least, he’s got the small matter of Liam Neeson in his corner…

Have you seen any of these movies? Nowadays we know that most of these movies were very good and even won awards for their production. So if you haven´t seen one of them, maybe you should think about them on your next Sunday night.

Taken and adapted from: http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/1161014/the_top_25_mustsee_movies_of_2012.html#ixzz2dOmhYQcl

Addictions

I have told you over and over during the unit the unit that a shopaholic person is someone who is an addict to shopping. Maybe some of you don’t think of this as a real addictions but it is. In this blog, you are going to find 3 short stories of persons who were addicted to shopping.

PERSON 1.- I Have A Terrible Addiction

I am addicted to shopping. It doesn’t matter if it’s online or in the store I have to shop. I have come to the realization that it makes me feel good and I like surprising my kids and my husband with new stuff. See, I never shop for myself just my family or my home. Just last night I had to admit to my husband that I almost maxed out a credit card (with a $12K limit) and I promised I wouldn’t use it. He was so hurt I pained me to see what I had done. Nobody in my family thinks this is an addiction. «Why don’t you just stop?» they ask. Don’t they think I would if I could? I’m bipolar and manic depressive and have had this problem ever since I remember. I hope you all can lend me support and ideas for what I can do to stop this destructive behavior.

PERSON 2.- Shopping. Not Just For Fun Anymore.

Shopping used to be something I would do to spend time with my momma. Not so much anymore. It’s become out of control. Coping with emotions is not my forte, and shopping has become one of those coping mechanisms. I am twenty years old and in college, and my credit has gone to sh***. My credit card bills are beyond what I can pay. I have to keep clothes at my boyfriend’s house because I keep buying them, and have run out of room to keep them. When I’m anxious, I shop. When I’m angry, I shop. When I’m sad, I shop. Bored, shop. I can’t say no! I see something I like, and I have anxiety attacks when I try to tell myself I need to walk away from it. I can’t not buy it. I find myself going on shopping binges, where I don’t look at price tags. I buy everything I pick up, regardless of if I like it or not. I can easily spend over six hundred dollars at a time. My credit card is about maxed out. I try to hide all my new things from friends and family. I’m out of control.

PERSON 3.- Shop-a-Sadness

I am a compulsive shopper, and it is so detrimental to mental healthiness. I wish I could make myself stop, but every time I see something unique I want to own it immediately. I am always looking out for that one-of-a-kind set me apart items.  I crave the, «OOH, where did you get that? That is so awesome!» or the, «You are the only person who could ever pull that off! So cute!»  Compulsive shopping has always been an issue for me impacting every aspect of my life. I am not prioritizing my bills. I am not saving for my child’s college fund. I am living paycheck to paycheck, and I shouldn’t be! My anxiety is mounting because I keep getting further behind. I am afraid to ever check my bank account because I know I have overspent. The notification of Insufficient funds is like a hangover when you realize all of the drunk texts from the night before that you want to take back, but you cant.

As you can see, people´s lives get deeply affected by this addiction just like with any other. Again I urge you to look for help if you think you may be a shopaholic or think someone around you is.

Taken from: http://www.experienceproject.com/stories/Am-A-Shopaholic/2714434

http://www.experienceproject.com/stories/Am-A-Shopaholic/2707737

http://www.experienceproject.com/stories/Am-A-Shopaholic/2552909

Adverbs

This class we are going to work with something called adverbs of manner. Intead of just throwing you to the class, I found a small useful explanation that might help you get a general idea before looking into them with more detail.

Adverbs describe the time when something happens, the place where something happens or how something happens. They tell us more about verbs. We can ask these questions:

Question                                                                                   Answer          Type

When? yesterday, today, now, later…                                adverbs of time

Where here, there, everywhere, home, away, …            adverbs of place

How?    slowly, happily, well…                                                adverbs of manner

Adverbs of Manner

Tom is a careful driver.

Here, careful is an adjective and gives more information about what kind of driver Tom is. Adjectives usually follow the verb “to be” and come before a noun.

How can we make adverbs?

Usually, we make adverbs by adding “ly” to the end of an adjective.

Example:

nice arrrow to the right nicely

Sometimes, we must change the “y” at the end of the adjective and add “ily” to make the adverb.

Example:

heavy arrrow to the right heavily

Be careful! Some adjectives end in “ly” and are NOT adverbs.

Example:

She is a lovely woman.

Be careful! There are some very common exceptions!!

“Good” is an adjective.

Your pronunciation is very good.

“Well” is an adverb.

You speak very well.

The words “fast,” “late,” and “hard” are adjectives and adverbs.

Adjective                                                                      Adverb

Mary was a fast runner in high school.              Mary could run very fast.        (not fastly)

The bus was late.                                                    The bus arrived late today.     (not lately*)

John is a hard worker.                                           John works hard every day.    (not hardly**)

As you can see, adverbs of manner are not so complicated, they can be tricky but once you get the hang of them, you will see that they are not complicated. During the class, you will do some more exercises and look at some more information to identify them easily.

Taken and adapted from: http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/330/grammar/advman.htm

Buying something deadly

Shopping is something extremely common. We buy something almost every day of our lives it can be something as simple as a pack of gum or something as big as a car. Either way we always buying. However, there is something that not a lot of people buy and even though it is a little creepy, we should all get one. I am talking about a funerary plan. In here, you can read a small article that has some information on why and how we should do this.

How funerals are arranged

Most funerals are arranged through a funeral director. Find one who belongs to one of the professional associations, such as the National Association of Funeral Directors – NAFD or the Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors – SAIF. These associations have codes of practice and complaints procedures. Some local authorities also run their own funeral services by arrangement with a local firm of funeral directors.

Arranging a funeral yourself

You can arrange a funeral without a funeral director.  If you want to do this, the Natural Death Centre or Cemeteries and Crematorium department of your local authority can offer help and guidance.

Dealing with funeral costs

If you arrange the funeral with a funeral director, you’re responsible for the costs. You should ask to see a price list before choosing a funeral, or explain how much you have to spend and see what services are possible.  Not all funeral directors are clear about their prices. But  funeral directors who belong to a trade association should make this information  available as part of their code of practice.

Getting a written estimate

Once you’ve chosen the funeral, you should be given a written estimate giving a breakdown of all of the costs involved.  Ask for one if it’s not provided.

If you want to compare costs, you can contact other funeral directors, or ask someone else to help you with this.

Services provided by funeral directors

A basic funeral is likely to include:

• a plain lined coffin
• transport of the body of the person who has died to the funeral director’s premises, usually up to ten miles from wherever the death occurred
• The care of the person who has died until the funeral. This will include washing and dressing the person who has died and laying the body out, but will not include embalming
• providing a hearse to take the body to the nearest crematorium or burial ground
• providing the necessary people to carry the coffin
• making all other necessary arrangements, for example, getting the required forms.
• Other services funeral directors could provide, or which you may want to sort out elsewhere are:
• flowers
• a more expensive coffin and fittings
• press notices
• a medical certificate required for cremation, and any doctor’s fees for signing this
• an organist
• fees for religious services
• a burial or crematorium fee. The burial fee will usually include the costs of preparing the grave
• extra cars
• embalming
• extra services by the funeral director, for example, use of the Chapel of Rest, transport from the mortuary, or special viewing arrangements
• the cost of journeys of more than ten miles to the funeral director’s premises
• a memorial
• catering arrangements
• stationery.
• Signing a contract

You may need to sign a contract with the funeral director. Make sure you read it carefully and ask the funeral director about anything you don’t understand.

Some of this information varies from country to country but at the end, funerals every where can be quite expensive. That is why next time you think about buying something, you should really consider buying a funerary plan.

Taken and adapted from: http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/consumer_e/consumer_professional_and_financial_services_e/consumer_funeral_services_e/arranging_a_funeral.htm