Weeks 1-5

A. Objectives
We'll discuss what you wish to accomplish by taking these English courses and any particular topics you would like me to integrate into this course.


B. Building a profile
The rules are very easy for this exercise and they are as follows:

1. You have to go up to the board and write down the answers to all of you questions. Make sure to categorize them
2. You have 20 minutes to ask questions.  Any question that you would typically ask someone to learn more about them.  They can be professional or personal in nature
3. Be creative when asking questions.
4. Let me know when you have finished asking question by saying something like: That's all the questions that I have for now.  This helps me know you a little bit better.

C. Your profession and your role in the company

You'll prepare a short speech describing your profession, your job and the company that you work for. You'll need to do the speech for two different target audiences: a group of professionals not involved in your industry and a group of school children between the ages of 9-11 years old.

D. Describing a picture and developing a story

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C. How and when to use the Present Perfect Tense?

This tense is called the present perfect tense. There is always a connection with the past and with the present and its use is based on whether it deals with a finished or unfinished action and whether the time in the past is specified or not.

1. Unfinished Actions

We use this tense when we want to talk about unfinished actions that started in the past and continue to the present. Usually we use it to say 'how long' an action or state has continued with 'since' and 'for' I've known Karen since 1994. She's lived in London for three years. 2. Completed Actions without a specific time I've gone there already I've seen it a: Life experience (we don't say when the experience happened, just sometime in the past) I have been to Tokyo. She has lived in Germany. They have visited Paris three times. We have never seen that film. Have you ever read 'War and Peace'? b: A finished action with a result in the present (focus on result) I've lost my keys (so I can't get into my house). She's hurt her leg (so she can't play tennis today). They've missed the bus (so they will be late). I've cooked dinner (so you should come and eat). c: With an unfinished time word (this month, this week, today, in the last year) I have not gone to that restaurant yet. She's drunk three cups of coffee today. This week, they've gone skiing three times already. Note: We can't use the present perfect with a finished time word: I've seen him yesterday. D. Exercises: Past Simple or Present Perfect 1)Change the verb into the correct form of the past simple or present perfect 1) Last night I  (lose) my keys – I had to call my flatmate to let me in.. 2) I  (lose) my keys - can you help me look for them?. 3) I  (visit) Paris three times.. 4) Last year I  (visit) Paris.. 5) I  (know) my great grandmother for a few years - she died when I was eight... 6) I  (know) Julie for three years - we still meet once a month... 7) I  (play) Hockey since I was a child - I'm pretty good!.. 8) She  (play) hockey at school but she didn't like it.. 9) Sorry, I  (miss) the bus - I'm going to be late.. 10) I  (miss) the bus and then I  (miss) the aeroplane as well!... 11) Last month I  (go) to Scotland.. 12) I'm sorry, John isn't here now. He  (go) to the shops.. 13) We  (finish) this room last week.. 14) I  (finish) my exams finally - I'm so happy!.. 15) Yesterday, I  (go) to the library, the post office and the supermarket... 16) I  (go) to the supermarket three times this week.. 17) She  (live) in London since 1994.. 18) She  (live) in London when she was a child.. 19) I  (drink) three cups of coffee today.. 20) I  (drink) three cups of coffee yesterday.. 2) Choose the past simple or the present perfect tense: 1) I  (never/go) to Vienna.. 2) My great great grandfather  (have) five sisters.. 3) He  (live) in Manila for a year when he was a student.. 4) Oh no! I  (lose) my wallet!.. 5)  (you/see) Julie today??. 6) At the weekend, they  (play) football, then they  (go) to a restaurant... 7) I  (read) six books this week.. 8) Amy  (live) in Portugal when she was young.. 9) She  (visit) her grandmother last month.. 10) The Vandals  (invade) Rome in the year 455.. 11) She  (live) in seven different countries, so she knows a lot about different cultures.. 12) I  (go) to the cinema last night.. 13) Ow! I  (cut) my finger!.. 14)  (you/see) 'The King's Speech'?. 15) John  (never/understand) the present perfect.. 16) She  (break) her leg the day before her exam.. 17) We  (see) Oliver yesterday.. 18) He  (be) here all morning.. 19) King Henry the Eighth of England  (have) six wives. E. Have you learned this yet? The uses of YET, ALREADY and STILL Open the following link and we'll go over the main uses of these adverbs: http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammarchallenge/pdfs/gc_31_still_yet_already_explanation.pdf Here is a short multiple choice quiz to evaluate your knowledge about these adverbs: 1: I haven't _____ done my homework  still yet again 2: Although he treated her badly, she ______ loves him.  still yet again 3: I only arrived here last week, and I haven't _____ met all the people.  still yet always 4: He told me once, then he told me the same thing ______ .  still already again 5: I've been trying this for hours, and I _____ can't get the right answers.  still yet again 6: Have you ______ not found out how to do it?  still yet already F. Tell me something about yourself... List 3 beautiful/exotic places (countries, cities, regions, etc) that you want to visit but that you haven't yet (hint: use yet) List 3 memorable activities that you have done in the past (hint: use already) List 3 things that you plan to do but that you may not have started or you may have started but not finished (hint: use still)

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G. Paper Catalogs: Is it environmentally responsible for company to send them to people

I am sure you have asked yourself within the last 10 years, why are companies still sending paper catalogs to people and companies in today's highly internet connected society. Well, listen to the following podcast and you may here the answer according to US retailer experts.

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H. Freedom of Speech - a subject worth debating

Read the following article and reference below the meaning of some of the words used.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/page/ct-france-terrorism-free-hate-speech-perspec-0121-20150120-column.html

Do you agree or disagree on the argument proposed by the journalist? Are we less safe when the government subjectively selects when and how to alter the true exercise of freedom of speech?


Vocabulary:

1. skewed: verb

- suddenly change direction or position.

"the car had skewed across the track"

2. - make biased or distorted in a way that is regarded as inaccurate, unfair, or misleading.

   "the curriculum is skewed towards the practical subjects"

1. re·gret·ta·bly adverb

—used to say that something is disappointing or regrettable

: to an extent that causes disappointment or regret

2. in·fringe verb

: to do something that does not obey or follow (a rule, law, etc.) ( chiefly US )

: to wrongly limit or restrict (something, such as another person's rights)

3. take down verb

:  to lower without removing <took down his pants>

:  to pull to pieces <take down a building>

:  disassemble <take a rifle down>

4. err verb

: to make a mistake