HOW TO USE A DICTIONARY IN 8 STEPS

There are more than one million of words in the English language and a dictionary has usually this number but native speakers know only about 60.000 of those words. Since a dictionary may be a useful tool for people who are learning a foreign language you should take advantage of it to improve your language skills besides helping you with the spelling and meaning of words. Most dictionary have useful expressions or everyday language sections that are also an important feature for non-native speakers.

I'm going to give you some steps that you must follow to do of your english dictionary a useful tool.

STEP 1  

Buy (get)  a quality dictionary. If you don't own a good dictionary, consider buying one during sale time in local stores. It's a good idea to upgrade your dictionary every now,  so that you can have access to the latest words that are added to the dictionary.  If you prefer and if you have a smart phone you can consider download a on-line or off-line dictionary application.

TEST REVIEW (6°)

Hi, guys!

Here you have some links to practice the topics that are going to be included in the upcoming final test, for this third term.

Click and go to these pages, practice vocabulary and grammar structures given in Unit 3 from your textbooks.

VOCABULARY

VOCABULARY 2 

GRAMMAR  

GRAMMAR 2  

PREPOSITIONS  

GOOD LUCK!

I USED TO PLAY (5°)

USED TO + A VERB

Use this expression to indicate actions that happened in the past and don't happen anymore in the present. Watch the video, review the examples and practice the structure.

ICFES TEST TIPS

This Sunday  August 25th,  eleventh graders are going to present the Icfes Exam and maybe they need some tips in order to be relaxed and confident about their performance.

Here, some tips to take into account:

- Be sure to know well the place in which you are going to present the test. If needed, go there a day before and recognize the place.

- Do not study a few hours before the test. This can be harmful and it can make you confused.

- Do not go out the night before and go to bed early.

- Follow all the instructions given in the classroom you are and get concentrate in every question you answer.

- Easy questions may be done at first and  let the difficult ones to the end  so you can spend more time in solving them.

- Do not take so long with some hard questions. Remember, there is a time for each section and you can not waste so much time.

- Be confident of your knowledgement and abilities.

GOOD LUCK!

-

SIMPLE PAST REVIEW FOR THE TEST (7°)

Hi, guys!

Take advantange for the upcoming final test by practicing exercises on the simple past. Remember to differenciate the past of the verb to BE (was / were) and the past form for regular verbs in  affirmative, negative and questions.

Next,  click on the links below and practice.

No. 1

No. 2

No. 3

No. 4

YOUR FAVORITE SINGER OR BAND (9°)

WRITING ACTIVITY:

Make a short paragraph to talk about your favorite singer or band. Be sure to use the simple past and the present perfect (and words as NEVER, YET, ALREADY) in your sentences. Write about his/her type of music, prizes, songs, places that he/she has visited, etc.

Follow thew example:

"My favorite singer is Beyoncé.  She was in the band Destiny's Child before, but now she sings alone. She has sung all in many European countries: She has already won 16 Grammy awards!"

PRESENT PERFECT VS. PAST SIMPLE (10°)

Watch this video and practice the usage of both tenses for our upcoming quiz.

Remember that Simple Pastt refers to actions that have occurred in a specific time in the past and it is finish or over. Use Present Perfect to express actions that don't have or mention a specific time in the past.

FOURTH TIP FOR ENGLISH SKILLS

Read an English Language Newspaper:

 If you live in a country that doesn't speak English as its first language, it's still possible to get English language newspapers or  magazines and, in most places, they're not expensive. Buy an English language newspaper at least once a week and read a few of the articles. I  suggest that you read the first page, scan the business section and then look at the lifestyles section. This will give them a quick overview of what's going on in the world while getting close to real language about important national and international news, business, and culture topics. Make a list of  the vocabulary and phrases you don't understand and either ask an expert, look them up in a dictionary or on the internet, or ask a friend. The only way you will improve your English vocabulary is to be constantly exposed to new vocabulary. Reading an English newspaper now and again is a great way to do it.

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO NEXT WEEKEND? (8°)

ORAL PAIR WORK:

Ask for, make and respond to suggestions using the the model conversation and the clues below.

A: What do you want to do tonight?

B: How about going to the movies?

A: I don´t know. I don´t feel like it.

B: Well, why don´t we watch a DVD?

A: Good idea!

Now, use these situations to make a similar conversation:

GET A PIZZA        GO FOR A WALK        LISTEN TO MUSIC

THIRD TIP FOR YOUR ENGLISH SKILLS

Here, one more tip to improve your English skills. 

Read English Books:

 Some students read at least one book a month in English.Try to get  books that are fun, about pop culture and easy to read (a teenage level is very good for many EFL/ESL students). So books like the "Gossip girl" series, "Harry Potter" or The "Twilight Saga" series are great for learning new English vocabulary. The language they use is quite simple, but they also use a lot of slang terms. Write down every word or phrase you don't understand while  reading the book then, ask somebody or look them up  what they mean and write down the meaning in a special notebook.

So, read English language books. If you're not sure what books are good, ask one expert and tell him or her you're looking for a book for teenagers.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS IN PAST (7°)

REGULAR VERBS IN PAST :  AFFIRMATIVE FORM

Remember the rules to conjugate regular verbs into affirmative and click on the following links to practice them.

EXERCISES ON AFFIRMATIVE PAST

REGULAR VERBS IN PAST

WHERE ARE THINGS IN YOUR ROOM? (6°)

WRITING ACTIVITY: Take a picture of your room or draw it and make sentences describing where your things are. Use prepositions of place given in lesson 3C of your books. You can post them as a comment or take them to the class.

Example: 

"In my room, my desk is in front of my bed. My bed is next to the night table. 

There are posters. They are on the wall... "

SUPERLATIVES (5º)

We have studied COMPARATIVES in a previous unit. Now, pay special attention to the SUPERLATIVES formation for adjectiveS.

Practice making superlative sentences.

PAIR WORK (9°)

Work with a partner, complete the following chart and report the answers using the correct form of the Present Perfect tense and the expressions NEVER, ALREADY, YET

HAVE YOU EVER…	YOU	YOUR PARTNER
Seen a ghost?	√	X
been to Bogotá?
riden a horse?
read a Science book?
written poetries?
Copied in an exam?

REPORT:

"I have already seen a ghost but Mary hasn´t seen one yet.".