dilluns, 28 d’octubre del 2013

diumenge, 27 d’octubre del 2013

dimecres, 23 d’octubre del 2013

Making Toasts



Intro            

You’re at a wedding, and it’s your turn to make a toast. You stand up, heart pounding and hands shaking. Why are you so nervous? These are close friends and family. No need to worry. They will love you no matter what you say. But when you open your mouth, nothing comes out!

It can be scary to deliver a speech in front of a group of people. What if you mess up? What if your phone rings? There’s a lot to think about. You have to pay attention to what you’re wearing, what you’re saying, and if you have food stuck in your teeth. Being under pressure and in the limelight is not for everyone.

Find out if Mason is ready for the challenge in this English lesson about speaking in public.


Dialogue: Reading and listenning

  • Mason: Amanda, my best friend is getting married soon, and I’m going to have to make a pretty epic toast.
  • Amanda: I am so envious right now. That is the best job to have at a wedding!
  • Mason: Really?
  • Amanda: It really is.
  • Mason: I’m a little nervous about it. I’ve got to worry about the timing. Is it a long toast or a short toast? Do I deliver it funny or serious? Do I get sappy?
  • Amanda: It’s really the only opportunity for someone other than the bride or groom to steal the limelight. Go for it!
  • Mason: Now I can see why you like it.
  • Amanda: Do you know your audience?
  • Mason: I know my friend, so I can assume the kind of people he’d like to have there.
  • Amanda: Just make sure it’s appropriate. Read the crowd. Little bit of humor. Don’t bring up exes.
  • Mason: OK, that’s a good one.
  • Amanda: Huge faux pas. Do you feel under pressure, or are you kind of chill about it?
  • Mason: I feel... I’m definitely under pressure, but this is helping. What’s the one thing, if I don’t remember anything else, this is the tip?
  • Amanda: Don’t write it. Go off the cuff.
  • Mason: Bold move, madam.


Discussion

Mason has been asked to make a toast at his friend’s wedding. He knows it’s important, so he feels a little nervous. He hasn’t decided if he wants to have fun with it or take it more seriously. Mason asks Amanda for advice and she has quite a lot to say on the subject!

Amanda definitely has experience with making toasts. In fact, she thinks it’s the best responsibility to have at a wedding. Amanda tells Mason to pay attention to hisaudience. She suggests being funny and not talking about past relationships. Above everything else, Amanda says that Mason should be off the cuff and talk without reading a speech. To her, that’s what makes a toast great.

Have you ever given a toast in front of a big audience? How did it make you feel? Do you have advice for someone who needs to give a toast?


Grammar Point

Imperative Form

Amanda gives Mason a lot of advice, like “Read the crowd” and “Don’t bring up exes.” She uses the imperative form.

You can use the imperative form to give an order, a warning, or some advice. “Stop!” “Come here!” and “Look out!” are all examples of the imperative form.

To form the imperative, use the infinitive form of the verb without “to.” To make a negative imperative, put “do not” or “don’t” in front of the verb, as in, “Don’t touch that!”

The imperative is formed the same for all subjects (you, he, we, they), but you can include yourself in the imperative by adding “Let’s,” as in, “Let’s go for a swim.”

If you want to be more polite when using an imperative, just add “please.” For example, “Please leave me alone. I’m trying to learn English!”

Which is correct, “Give me a ride home,” or, “Can you give me a ride home”?


Quiz

  1. Why does Amanda think that making toasts is great?
  2. What is Amanda’s big piece of advice for Mason?
  3. Making rude jokes is an example of a __.
  4. Which sentence is not in the imperative form?

divendres, 4 d’octubre del 2013

CONVERSATIONS

Para practicar inglés... Con subtítulos :))

Lo más útil son las conversaciones de las chicas...


ALL TENSES

Este vídeo es un resumen de TODOS los tiempos verbales, cómo y cuándo se utilizan y porqué... 




Y aquí tenemos el vídeo de ejercicios que le corresponden...



IMPORTANTE: No te preocupes si te parece algo complicado... Soy consciente de que este tema es largo y denso, pero lo vamos a trabajar poco a poco, y verás cómo lo conseguimos, ok?
Ánimo nena, tú puedes con esto y con más! :)