Think English Bogota

08/07/2013

VOCABULARY: PERDER
In Spanish the word "perder" is very useful; you can use it in many different sentences. However, in English we need to use three different words with three separate meanings! Many students have problems choosing how to translate it:

•to miss something - you arrive late and something has gone/finished
•to lose something: you don't know where it is (location)
•to fail something: you get a low result in a test/exam and you do not pass

(Now you know how we feel with to be = ser/estar!)

PRACTICE!
Choose the best options in each of these sentences and check in the comments for the correct answers! (no cheating )

1. I missed / lost / failed my bus this morning because I had missed / lost / failed my keys.
2. I need to pass the exam! If I miss / lose / fail it then I won't get my visa.
3. I have missed / lost / failed my dictionary - do you know where it is?
4. I'm sorry teacher, I had to miss / lose / fail class yesterday because of an important meeting. Can you tell me what the homework was please - I don't want to miss / lose / fail the course!

28/06/2013

READING + NARRATIVE TENSES

This fascinating and inspiring account of how a French photographer managed to escape from the Taliban in Afghanistan uses a variety of past tenses very well.

Look for examples of the PAST SIMPLE, the PAST CONTINUOUS, the PAST PERFECT SIMPLE, the PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS and the THIRD CONDITIONAL.

The aid worker Pierre Borghi spent four months shackled in a hole, a prisoner of the Taliban, until one night he made a daring escape...

27/06/2013

VOCABULARY: SWEET vs ???

What's the opposite of "sweet"? Is it "salty" or "salt"? No! Only when we're talking about popcorn.

"Salt" is one of the five flavours (the others are sweet, sour, bitter and umami).

So, what's the real opposite of sweet? SAVOURY! "Savoury" is the adjective that describes any food which is not sweet, for example: meat, chips, vegetables, potatoes, soups, etc...

PRACTICE

In the comments below, tell me what your favourite SWEET dish is, and what your favourite SAVOURY dish is.

24/06/2013

READING & VOCABULARY

What exactly is "democracy"? This article from the Economist explains what it is and what it isn't:

“BUT I’ve won three elections!” Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s embattled prime minister, growls at his critics. On the face of it, his case is compelling:...

22/06/2013

Do you like exams? No? Me neither! But asking your mother to take your exams for you is a little extreme...!

Police question 52-year-old who reportedly sneaked into Paris exam centre to sit three-hour English Baccalauréat test

17/06/2013

VOCABULARY: CONCENTRATE / CONCENTRATED / CONCENTRATING

Do you like CONCENTRATED orange juice? (Of course not, it's horrible!) Are you CONCENTRATING on your English studies? (Of course you are, you're good students!) Why are these two adjectives so different when they have the same root?

to CONCENTRATE (regular)
1) to focus your mental energy on something (eg: Please be quiet! I need to concentrate!). NB: to concentrate ON sth!
2) to reduce something to its most important parts by removing the extra (eg: to take the water out of orange juice is to concentrate the orange juice)

This is why the two adjectives are so different: it's because the root verb has two meanings!

CONCENTRATED = it has been reduced by removing the extra parts

CONCENTRATING = focussing your mental energy ON something

PRACTICE:
Can you put the correct form of the word into the gaps below? Put your answers in the comments!

1) It was very difficult to _____ in the exam because I could hear there were builders outside being very noisy!
2) Sorry, I wasn't _____ - could you explain that again?
3) "Distilling" alcohol is the correct name we give to the process of _____ it.
4) Vodka is distilled, or _____, alcohol.
5) I can't _____ on my homework because I'm thinking about my job interview tomorrow!
6) What are you reading? It must be difficult because you look like you're _____ very hard!

07/06/2013

VOCABULARY: LIKE vs IS LIKE

What do you like? What are you like? And what is the difference?

LIKE = to enjoy something, to receive happiness from something. Eg: I like eating chocolate, I like listening to salsa music, and I don't like doing homework.

BE LIKE = to be similar to. Eg: British people are like Americans - we all speak English. Dogs are like people - they can understand us when we talk. I am like my father - we both enjoy science fiction.

PRACTICE
Answer these questions in the comments below!

1) What do you like eating for breakfast?
2) Who are you like in your family? Why?
3) What do cats like? (look at the photo for the 'correct' answer!)
4) What are cats like?

05/06/2013

BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM
Or should we say "dress like Beckham"?

What should David Beckham do now that he is retired? Let me know your suggestions in the comments below!

Is a move into fashion on the cards? And what might his label be like? Robb Young sorts through the wardrobe to discover the essence of Brand Beckham.

31/05/2013

VOCABULARY: PROBLEM vs TROUBLE

Are you having trouble with your English pronunciation? Is the spelling causing you problems? Well, today I'm not going to help you with that… But I am going to explain the difference between "trouble" and "problem"!


PROBLEM (countable) (usually quite specific):
- a (mostly specific) situation / person / thing which needs attention or that I need help with
Eg: to have a health problem (high blood pressure, arthritis, etc), to have a problem with your printer (it won't print, it only prints blue, etc), the government is working on the problem of ____ (unemployment, poverty, crime, etc).
- a question in mathematics
Eg: What is 7 times 6?
*common use*
We often say "No problem" (or "No probs" = very informal) to answer a request. Eg: "Can we change the time of the meeting on Friday?" "Sure, no problem." = "Yes".
We often say "It was no problem (at all)" when someone thanks us for something (like "You're welcome.")
If someone is complaining about something trivial/not important, then we can say it is a "first world problem" (see picture)

TROUBLE (usually a general meaning):
- a situation in which you experience something bad, usually because of a mistake/"crime" - uncountable
Eg: to get into trouble (with your teacher for not doing your homework), to be in trouble (with your boss because you arrived late), to be in trouble in the desert because you don't have enough water, etc
- general problems or difficulties - countable
Eg: to have trouble (with a form, with a book) because it is complicated/difficult to understand
My car is having engine trouble - it won't start.
My troubles will be over as soon as I get paid.
My back is giving me trouble - it hurts when I pick things up.
*common use*
We often say "It was no trouble (at all)" when someone thanks us for something (like "You're welcome.")
We never say "I have a trouble," but we can say "to cause trouble" or "to give me trouble."

PRACTICE:
Can you fill the gaps in the sentences below with the correct noun? Trouble or problem? Pay attention to singular and plural

1) Teacher - I have a __________ - I can't come to class on Tuesday!
2) "Can you give me a lift to the shopping centre? I don't want to get the transmilenio…"
"Of course! No __________!"
3) When my parents found out that I needed to repeat 8th grade, I was in big __________.
4) The low number of voters is a serious __________ in this country. We'll never elect a good government like this!
5) I'm having ________ stopping - I think the brakes only bicycle need to be replaced.
6) Thanks to the student who requested this clarification - it was no __________ at all! ;)

(Yes, some of the gaps can be filled with either with no change in meaning - look carefully at the collocations/articles to help you!)

29/05/2013

VOCABULARY: LISTEN vs. HEAR

Testing testing, one two three.... Can you hear me? Are you listening? What is the difference?

LISTEN (regular: listen / listened / listened)
= to pay attention to a sound. We listen to music, to the radio, to other people... You should always listen to your teacher!

HEAR (irregular: hear / heard / heard)
= to notice a sound / be able to listen. We use this for general ability, and for gossip ("Did you hear about..._?")

PRACTICE
Can you complete these sentences with the correct form of either HEAR or LISTEN? Put your answers in the comments below!

1) Did you __________ the news about Ricky Martin? He's gay!
2) What type of music do you enjoy _________ to when you're at a party?
3) I was home alone and I __________ a noise from the garden... After that I was too scared to sleep!
4) ___________ to me when I'm talking to you! You're so rude!
5) You should always __________ to the advice other people give you, but you should never feel obliged to follow it!
6) I haven't ___________ from Ana Maria in ages. Do you know if she got the job?

27/05/2013

VOCABULARY + READING

What is the name for a day when you do not work? Here are a couple:

- the weekend (obviously!)
- a bank holiday (UK) / a public holiday (USA) = a day when your government says that you do not have to work
- a day off (general name, for any reason)

What are you going to do on your next day off? Tell me in the comments!

BBC correspondents around the world compare public holidays