The Last Classes of December 2013

Wednesday 18^th December

Our last class of the year!

We had a look at modal verbs, again, with a summary of their different uses.

After that we talked about our plans for Christmas and you tried to do a “Winter Quiz”.

Of course, you didn’t need to have all the answers. It was mostly for fun and out of curiosity.

It surprised me you hadn`t heard before that Father Christmas used to wear green clothes. It was in a Coca-Cola commercial when he was first seen in his red clothes.

Interesting to know that the Christmas tree which stands in Trafalgar Square is a present from Norway to thank the British people for their help in the Second World War.

Or that in Scotland, giving a piece of coal as a present on New Year’s Day, means good luck.

And what about the origin of “Boxing Day”, the public holiday on 26^th December?

I’m sure you learnt some new things.

I gave you some homework but I expect you to relax and enjoy your holidays.

Charge your batteries because we’ll see again in 2014.

Merry Christmas and Happy new Year!!!

The Twelve Days of Christmas

I hope you enjoy this typical Christmas carol!

Wednesday 11^th December

Actually, we didn’t read about Steve Jobs, but we worked on modal verbs, didn’t we?

Modal Verbs can express:

ability	He can’t ski.
advice	You should stop smoking.
obligation	You must stop at the crossroads.
	You must see the film.
permission	Can I go to the party?
probability	He must be rich.
	It might rain.
	It’ll be a good party.
willingness	I’ll help you.
unwillingness	I won’t help you.

·         If I were you, I’d swallow my pride and forgive and forget.

Why don’t you swallow your pride…

·         Never! I refuse to.

I won’t

·         You’ll have no choice in the end. You won’t be able to ignore each other forever. You’ll have to in the end. You can’t ignore…

·         Maybe I’ll forgive him but I’ll never be able to forget.

I may forgive him but I won’t forget.

·         Surely it’s possible to talk it over and work something out. You have to for the sake of the children.

It must be possible to … You must, for the sake ….

·         Oh dear! I just don’t know what to do for the best.

We also have some related verbs:

ability	manage to / be able to
advice	had better / Why don’t you
obligation	have (got)to be required to
permission	be allowed to
probability	be bound to be supposed to be likely to
willingness	promise to
unwillingness	refuse to