Daily Writing Practice

Essay:

A Day in the Life of a Snail.

Daily Vocabulary Practice

 Good morning, guys!!!

Can you call out the names of animals that fall into the following categories:

Farm animals, Pets, and Wild animals?

Daily Writing Practice

 Hello guys!!

Think of the advantages and disadvantages of having a holiday in space. What are the good things about going on holiday into space? How would we benefit? What are some of the problems we could face? What would stop us from going on a holiday in space?

Daily Writing Practice

 Hello guys!!

Write a letter to your friend (in another classroom) about the things in  (describing) their classroom.

Paste your text in the comments below. Thank you!

Possession rules

 Good evening, guys!! Here is one of the most confusing rules of possessive.  Add your examples in the comments below.

1. Form the possessive singular of nouns by adding 's.

Follow this rule whatever the final consonant. Thus write,

Charles's friend

Burns's poems

the witch's malice

This is the usage of the United States Government Printing Office and the Oxford University Press.

Exceptions are the possessive of ancient proper names in -es and -is, the possessive Jesus', and such forms as for conscience' sake, for righteousness' sake. But such forms as Achilles' heel, Moses' laws, Isis' temple are commonly replaced by

the heel of Achilles

the laws of Moses

the temple of Isis

The pronominal possessives hers, its, theirs, yours, and oneself have no apostrophe.

                                                               from "The Elements of Style" by William Strunk

Articles in English (Your Reflections)

 Hello guys,

I'd like to share some opinions on articles and looking forward to receiving your opinion on the same topic.

So, ARTICLES

... article usage in English is complex and, in many instances, arbitrary. There are several different uses for each article, articles are often omitted, and there are dialectal differences in the use of articles.

                                                                                        (Brinton & Brinton, 2010, p.123)

... the English article system ... appears to be virtually impermeable to instruction.

                                                                                        (Gass & Selinker, 2008, p. 383)

What is your opinion about article system in English?

Word family - employ

employ - employer - employee - employment - employable

1. The shoe-factory is the largest ______in this area.
2. Mexican law prohibits ______ of children under 14.
3. The training scheme aims to make people more______.
4. The firm has 450 ______.
5. The police had to ______ force to enter the house.

MAKE VS DO

Make 
dinner
an appointment
the bed
a complaint
a decision
a promise
a difference
an effort
a mistake
an excuse
friends
a phone call
a plan
money
Do
exercise
a crossword
somebody a favour
research
the ironing
the shopping
an exam
the washing up
the cooking
your homework
the housework
the cleaning
nothing
sport

Don't get bored at home!!!)))

Here is the list:
https://chatterpack.net/blogs/blog/list-of-online-resources-for-anyone-who-is-isolated-at-home?fbclid=IwAR2XHGZtgLpoBi3jvtRFMtl585tK1WZfnUVfmugRUgEarIjPwOcet9_ueqw

Reading: A Birthday at the Light House

Good day my dear English learners! Happy holidays! Hope everyone is doing great. )))
I have a book to share with you today:
http://www.childrenslibrary.org/icdl/BookPage?bookid=robbirt_00200017&pnum1=1&twoPage=false&route=simple_0_0_0_English_11&size=0&fullscreen=false&lang=English&ilang=English
Enjoy during your holidays!!!!

Preposition practice

Good evening,my dear English learners! Here is the collection of preposition links. Enjoy!!!)))
http://www.better-english.com/grammar/prepositions.htm
http://www.aitech.ac.jp/~iteslj/quizzes/0101/es-prepositions.html
http://www.englishpage.com/prepositions/prepositions.ht
http://www.eslpdf.com/esl_prepositions.html 
http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises_list/alle_grammar.htm 
http://www.quia.com/tq/126698.html
http://www.quia.com/jg/73573.html
 http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/594/01/
http://www.better-english.com/grammar/timepreps.htm
http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/200/grammar/prepo.htm http://esl.about.com/library/grammar/blgr_prep1.htm
http://elc.polyu.edu.hk/CiLL/eap/
http://moodle.citylit.ac.uk/moodle/file.php/1/Study%20skills%20work%20sheets/gramm ar/intermediate/Microsoft%20Word%20%204.17%20Prepositions%20with%20nouns,%20adjectives%20and%20verbs.pdf
http://www.evt.edunet.tn/depinteg/projetstic/secondaire/projets/anglais/intasks/prep9.htm
http://elc.polyu.edu.hk/CILL/eap/2004/u2/pg34preps.htm
http://www.learn4good.com/languages/evrd_grammar/adjectives_prepos.htm
http://esl.about.com/library/grammar/blgr_prep5.htm
http://esl.about.com/library/quiz/blgrquiz_prep7.htm
http://elc.polyu.edu.hk/CiLL/eap/2004/u2/pg34ex3prepositional%20phrases.htm
http://collegewriting.org/index.php/revision/editing/editstrings-of-prepositional-phrases
http://www.uefap.com/writing/feature/complex.htm
http://www.bestessaytips.com/improve_writing_style.php
http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/style/wordiness.html

One Thousand Dollars - O. Henry

Find definitions for the following words BEFORE reading:
codicil, foolishly, pendant, housekeeper, cheerfully, saloon, careless, germ, wisely, necklace, clause, formally, polite, taxi, ward, awkward, severely, privately, deposit, disturb, ambitious, cab, calm, diamond, generous, envelope, elevator, happiness, sum, sidewalk.
Read the story and answer the questions below it.

One Thousand Dollars
"One thousand dollars," repeated Lawyer Tolman. "And here is the money." His voice was formal and distant. 
Young Gillian laughed as he touched the small package of money. "It's such an awkward amount," he said to the lawyer. "With ten thousand dollars you can really have fun. Even fifty dollars are less of a problem." 
"You heard your uncle's will," continued Lawyer Tolman. "Did you listen carefully? Remember that you must tell us exactly HOW you spend the $1,000, as soon as you spend it. It is best that you write a list for us. These were Mr Gillian's last wishes." 
"Of course I will," said the young man politely. "Perhaps I'll need a secretary to help me write the list." 
Gillian put the small package of money into his coat pocket and went to his club. At his club he looked for Old Bryson, who was forty years old and calm. He was reading a book and took off his glasses when he saw Gillian. 
"Wake up, Old Bryson," said Gillian. "I have a funny story to tell you." 
"Why don't you tell it to someone else," said Old Bryson. "You know I hate your stories." 
"This one is better than usual," said Gillian. "It's sad and funny. My uncle left me one thousand dollars in his will. Now what can a man do with a thousand dollars?" 
"I thought your uncle was a very rich man with about half a million dollars," said Old Bryson, showing very little interest. 
"He was," said Gilllian happily. "That's why it's so funny. He left one part of his money to the scientist who will discover a new germ. And the other part to build a hospital that will destroy the germ! Then the butler and the housekeeper got a special ring and $10 each. And I got $1,000." 
"You have plenty of money to spend," said Old Bryson. 
"Oh yes, plenty," said Gilllian. "My uncle was very generous with me." 
"Are there any other heirs?" asked Old Bryson. 
"None, except for Miss Hayden, a ward of my uncle who lived in his house. She's a quiet girl, the daughter of one of his friends. Now tell me, Old Bryson, what can a man do with a thousand dollars." 
Old Bryson cleaned his glasses and smiled. Gillian knew that when Old Bryson smiled he was going to be very offensive. 
"A thousand dollars can be a lot of money or very little money," he said. "A man can buy a home with it and be very happy. You can buy milk for one hundred babies for three months and save their lives. It can give an ambitious boy an education. A man can buy a real Corot painting, You can also live well in a New Hampshire town for two years. But you, Bobby Gillian, can do only one thing. You can buy Miss Lotta Lauriere a diamond pendant with the thousand dollars." 
"Thanks," said Gillian. "I knew you could solve the problem." 
Gillian phoned for a taxi. He said to the driver, "Please take me to the Columbine Theater." 
Miss Lotta Lauriere was getting ready for her performance. When she saw Gillian she said, "What is it, Bobby? I have a performance in two minutes." 
"This won't take two minutes. Would you like a little pendant? I can spend a thousand dollars on it." 
"Oh, all right," said Miss Lauriere. "Where is my hat? Bobby, did you see the necklace Della Stacey was wearing the other night? It cost two thousand two hundred dollars at Tiffany's but, all right..." 
"Miss Lauriere, you're on stage in a minute!" cried the manager of the theater. 
Gillian returned to his taxi. "What can a man do with one thousand dollars?" he asked the driver. 
"Open a saloon," said the driver immediately. "I know a perfect place for a saloon, where I could make lots of money and..." 
"Please drive until I tell you to stop," said Gillian. 
They drove down Broadway and Gillian saw a blind man on the sidewalk. He was sitting on a chair and selling pencils, Gillian got out of the taxi and stood in front of him. 
"Excuse me," he said. "But what can you do with a thousand dollars?" 
"You just got out of the taxi, didn't you?" asked the blind man. 
"Yes, I did," said Gillian. 
"I think you're a gentleman, if you ride a taxi during the day. Take a look at this, please." 
He took a small book from his coat pocket and gave it to Gillian. Gillian opened it and saw that it was a bank deposit book. It showed a sum of $1,785. Gillian returned the bank deposit book and got into the cab. 
"I forgot something," he said. "Drive to the law offices of Tolman and Sharp." 
Lawyer Tolman looked at him severely through his glasses. 
"Excuse me," said Gillian cheerfully. "May I ask you a question? Did my uncle leave Miss Hayden anything besides the ring and the ten dollars?" 
"Nothing," said Mr Tolman. 
"Thank you very much, sir," said Gillian and he returned to his taxi. He gave the driver the address of his late uncle's home. 
Miss Hayden was writing letters in the library. She was small and thin, and she wore black clothes. But she had lovely eyes. Gillian entered and said, "I was at the lawyer's office and he found an additional clause to my uncle's will. It seems that he left you one thousand dollars. Mr Tolman asked me to bring you this money. Here it is. Please count it to see if it's right. Gillian put the money near her hand on the desk. 
Miss Hayden's face turned white, "Oh!" she said and again, "Oh!" 
Gillian turned and looked out of the window. 
"I think you know that I love you," Gillian said. 
"I am sorry," said Miss Hayden, taking her money. 
"Then, there is no hope?" asked Gillian. 
"I am sorry," she said again. 
"May I write a note?" asked Gillian with a smile. He sat down at the big library table. She gave him some paper and a pen. 
Gillian wrote: 
Paid by Robert Gillian, $1,000 to the best and dearest woman in the world, for all the happiness she brings to people. 
Gillian put his note into an envelope and went away. His taxi stopped again at the law offices of Tolman and Sharp. 
"I spent the thousand dollars," he said happily, "and I am here to tell you exactly how I spent them." He threw the white envelope on the lawyer's table. 
Mr Tolman did not touch the envelope and went to a door and called his partner, Mr Sharp. Together they opened the big safe. They took out a large envelope and slowly opened it. 
"Mr Gillian," Mr Tolman said formally, "there is a codicil to your uncle's will. He gave it to us privately. It can be opened only after you spend the thousand dollars. This is what it says: 
Dear Robert, 
Spend the thousand dollars wisely and carefully and you will receive $50,000 in bonds. Spend the money carelessly and foolishly, as you did in the past, and the $50,000 in bonds will go to Miriam Hayden, my ward. 
Your uncle, Septimas Gillian 

"Now, Mr Sharp and I will examine your note and then decide." 
Mr Tolman put out his hand to take the note, but Gillian was quicker. He took it and tore it into little pieces and put them in his pocket. 
"Oh, it's all right," he said smiling. "I don't want to disturb you with this. I lost the thousand dollars at the horse races. Good day to you, gentlemen." 
Tolman and Sharp looked at each other and shook their heads. Gillian left and whistled happily as he waited for the elevator.
Questions:
1. What do you think about Miss Lauriere?
2. What do you think about taxi driver's idea of spending $1,000?
3. What do you think about blind man's way of saving money?
4. What do you think about Gillian's idea of spending money?
5. What have you done for those who you love? Have you ever expected anything back?

FREE English Test

Good morning, my dear English learners!
If you have some free time, test your English! I took a short version, which takes 15 minutes, and shared on FB. Plan to take a 50 minute test a bit later and print the certificate for my CV))).Please share your experience below in comments. Here is the link:
 https://www.efset.org/free-english-test/

Why beginning but not listenning?

Good afternoon,my dear English learners!
There was a question about double consonants at the end of English verbs.

Begin has its stress on the final syllable (beGIN) but listen (LIS-en) has its stress on the first syllable. If the verb ends in the pattern consonant-vowel-consonant, the final consonant is doubled in the case of verbs like refer and occur and begin where the stress is on the final syllable (referrer, referring, referred, occurrence, occurred, beginning), or one syllable words (big -> bigger, sin -> sinner) but not in the case of verbs like listen or broker (listened, listener, brokered, etc.), where the stress is non-final.

Interesting pronunciation: hour

Good afternoon,my dear English learners!
There is a song for you today. Listen and pay attention to the pronunciation of the word "hour". Interesting,right?
Here is the link:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oINGHbRxOPw&list=RDoINGHbRxOPw&index=1