To those it may concern: the importance of the blog

Well, in fact when I came up with the blog stuff I really imagined people could participate with suggestions, more ideas to the site and collaboration of any kind we could have it provided. Unfortunately that's what's not happening here. Well, anyway, I won't give up the idea of spreading some of my experience as a teacher to students, curious people, other teachers and even native speakers, why not ??

Other posts will come and I'll work hard on the divulgation, but will never quit this project for you...

'For those about to learn English !! We salute you !!'


Teacher Fábio Pires

Collocations

Well, after a while I'm returning to post something else on this blog. A teacher's life isn't easy, we work hard and like the Beatles' song 'I've been working like a dog'. Finding interesting topics to write about isn't easy either. So, let's go: one of these days teaching collocations it came to me the idea of helping you by mentioning this here.


Collocations are phrases with the combination of a verb and a noun in which both words make a clear sense. A useful tip when you want to write a text (messages, memos, emails etc). A good example would be 'make money'.


In Portuguese we have the same expressions like 'fazer dinheiro', 'ter uma oportunidade', 'romper barreiras', 'desobedecer a lei' etc. That's exactly what I'm talking about, it's the fact that we have to use the correct combinations. Let's see some of them:



Take: a break, time, a bus, a taxi, a back seat (when you choose not to be responsible for sth. ina company or organization)

Make: a decision, your own way, something happen, money, way, a mistake

Do: an activity, a lesson, your best, something different, the housework (dusting, the dishes, the vacuuming, the cleaning in the bathroom etc)

Break: the law, the news, into pieces, the ice, down barriers (promote understanding between two different opinions)


Check these combinations and try to make examples when you make your comments below. Enjoy and have fun.


Teacher Fábio Pires

How do you study English ??Improve your English with these tips.Check here.

There are may ways to study English.Students ask me how we should study the language and as a result (1) learn more vocabulary, listening and/or improve speaking.Well, in fact, that's not an easy question to answer.Many students find it difficult when they have to improve their skills (2).The point is persistence: you don't need to study one or two hours everyday, but fifteen minutes of good study might be effective (3).Do you like music ??If so, listen to one of your favourite songs and try to write one or two lines from it.This can take some time, it doesn't matter.Be convinced that you listen and rewind your cd player as many times you need.It's short activity, but effective to your ears.That's what you need.Don't you always complain you can't understand what you listen ?Try this activity everyday and in some days you will feel some difference the next time you listen to someone in a film or a song on the radio, for example.Don't forget to correct what you write from the song with the lyrics (or words) of your favourite tune (4).Get this from the internet or from your cd.


If you want to comprehend a text read some articles from a magazine or book: choose a short article from 'Speak Up' for example, a pocket book of your preference or any article from the internet.You can check newspapers (New York Times, The Herald Tribune, Washington Post), radio stations like 'Voice of America' (in this case they have articles narrated by their jornalists, just click on the top right signs) which is excellent or BBC group (in this case BBC has an online English course for you).You should read the article without any checking the vocabulary, as many times as you want, when you feel you could get the most out of it (5) go to the dictionary and check the terms that you couldn't understand first.Don't forget to underline words or expressions from the text before.After you have checked it read the text again with your recent discoveries.You don't need to read a long article or the article completely.Go step by step with your studies.You have your rhythm.You have your own way of studying.


After you do these activities I'm posting here please tell us what your results are.Remember: be persistent and you will reach to the point.Be confident !!


Check the links I'm indicating on the sidebar.They will be very helpful to you.

I wish you all the best this week and may God bless you on these days.


Glossary:

(1)as a result: em resultado disso

(2)skills: habilidades

(3)effective: eficaz

(4)tune: canção, música

(5)out of it: disso


Teacher Fábio Pires

Our first tip: How to ask indirect questions in English

In English if you want to ask a question the process is very known and common with the use of the traditional auxiliaries 'Do', 'Does', 'Did', 'Will', 'Would', 'Can', 'Could' etc.Follow this example:

Do you know Marion ? (or)

Does she drive to work everyday ? (or)

Did your father buy a new house last year ?


But the fact is, if you want to ask different questions using other words meaning the same idea you have a possibility.This is called 'indirect questions':

In this question: Where is Rachel ?

You can have: Do you know where Rachel is ?

In this case we are using the form 'Do you know...?' together with the original sentence showed first.This means you have more than one option to express yourself, like in Portuguese:

a.'Onde estão os banheiros ?', in English we have: 'Where are the toilets ?'

b.'Você pode me dizer onde estão os banheiros ?' (more formal), in English the same way happens: 'Can you tell me where the toilets are ?'

Note that the verb in the first sentence moves to the end of the second sentece when you use 'Do you know...' or 'Can you tell me...?'

Some links for exercises will be given here.Just check the sidebar of your blog and you'll find suggestions of books and their respective chapters, links on the net that show exactly the topic we are showing in the post.So, enjoy it and have fun !!


Teacher Fábio Pires

How did English 'happen' in your life ?

Lots of people have different reasons when they start learning the language: professional reasons, personal taste in music, news or films, parents' advice etc.In your case what has influenced you on speaking English ??In my case I've always loved watching cartoons and when I was a kid I tried to write down (1) all the words in English that were showed to me.Reading those words and trying to comprehend them was never an easy task.I got the translation from the very own cartoon narrators and wrote them on a piece of paper, trying to memorise them in the future.This made me more confident in my skills and motivated to learn a new language.So, starting a course in a language school was just a consequence.And you ??Could you tell us how you took up (2) English language ??What about your past experiences ??



*In some texts the meaning (in English) of some vocabulary will be shown here, as a glossary, in this case we have:

(1) write down means 'to write something on a piece of paper so you do not forget it'.

(2) took up (present, 'take up') means 'to start doing a particular job or activity'



Teacher Fábio Pires

The start of a new tool for you - Use your English

This is the first post of 'Use your English': a project which was born from a teacher's good will, that in collaboration with other professionals, will bring you some help on how to improve, change and increase the quality of your English.Every week we'll bring you news, articles, tips, vocabulary, exercises, songs and our experience of teaching this nice and attractive language that has conquered the whole world.British, American and some Australian English will be considered in our blog as well as curiosities, people's experiences and some history involving these sub-divisions of the language.We invite you students, teachers, native speakers, foreigners of all languages and professionals in general who are interested in learning Shakespeare's language.Be welcome !!


Teacher Fábio Pires