Valentine’s Day Traditions

Language & Culture - Fill the Gaps Activity

Complete the text with one of the two options given :

Valentine's Day originated in Rome but is celebrated in 1)..... (several/ lots) countries nowadays. After New Year's Day, it is the most celebrated holiday 2)..... (in / on) Earth.

This is the day for sweethearts to express their love for each other with 3)...... (inusual /unusual) gestures. Everybody 4)..... (send/sends) cards, called “Valentines”, with romantic or sweet messages and it is common to send or receive a card unsigned from a secret 5)..... (admiror/ admirer).

6)..... (Another/ Other) tradition on this day is that men usually buy chocolates and give red roses to their girlfriends, wives or significant others. Couples 7)..... (must / may) also go to a restaurant for a nice dinner or plan something else romantic.

Many people 8)..... (thinks/think) that this holiday is very commercial with companies that encourage the public to buy 9)..... (more and more / more or less) every year. However a positive aspect is that in recent times the festival has become  much 10)..... (large/larger) and not exclusive for lovers. People 11)..... (give/take) the opportunity this day, to wish ‘Happy Valentine's Day' to anyone they love or appreciate: father, mother, teachers, siblings, friends, co-workers or just anyone special to 12)..... (them/him).

At schools, red and pink hearts decorate classrooms. Children make or buy cards to give to their friends, and often have poems written 13)..... (in/on) them. One common poem is “Roses are red, violet are blue, sugar is sweet and so are you.”

                                                                               

Most consider this a fun day. Sending a Valentine’s card or gift can be a good ice-breaker if there is 14)..... (no one/ someone) special you wanted to meet...

Answers here!

Totally Extreme and Completely Absolute!

Grammar activity – Non-gradable adjectives

Adjectives describe qualities or characteristics of nouns: small, curious, important, etc.  To give extra intensity, grade or impact, we can add an adverb before: very small, totally curious, really important, etc.

The problem is that the combination is NOT arbitrary

• Some adjectives can vary in intensity. For example: “hot” and “cold”. We can say “it’s very hot” or “it’s very cold”.  The adjective hot and cold are gradable.

• Other adjectives cannot vary in intensity or grade because they are:
1. extremes (for example: freezing, unique, horrible)
2. absolutes (for example: dead, red, wrong)

Extreme or absolute adjectives are often lonely!

Extreme and absolute adjectives cannot be used with adverbs like VERY, EXTREMELY, RATHER, etc. :  “The dog was very dead”  is incorrect.
Often these are used alone:  It was freezing outside. The dog was dead.    

Some extreme/absolute adjectives: alive, awful, black, boiling, certain, correct, dead, enormous, environmental, excellent, freezing, furious, gigantic, huge, impossible, miniscule, mortal, perfect, pregnant, principal, ridiculous, right, superb, terrible, terrified, unique, unknown, white, whole, wrong.

Extreme Adverb + Extreme/Absolute Adjective 
However, an extreme adjective is not entirely lonely! It can be used with "extreme adverbs", for example:
ABSOLUTELY –  TOTALLY – COMPLETELY
Here are some example sentences with this combination:

• Her attitude was absolutely awful.
• The story is totally unique.
• It is completely true.

*Others: entirely, exclusively, fully, largely, nearly, perfectly, practically, primarily, utterly.

Regular & Extreme/Absolute Adjectives

Regular Adjective	Extreme Adjective
angry	furious
bad	awful, terrible, horrible
big	huge, gigantic, giant
clean	spotless
cold	freezing
crowded	packed
dirty	filthy
funny	hilarious
good	wonderful, fantastic, excellent
hot	boiling
hungry	starving
interesting	fascinating
old	ancient
pretty	gorgeous
scary	terrifying
small	tiny
surprising	astounding
tired	exhausted
ugly	hideous

Exercise: Complete the sentences with the correct choice.

1          I am ... exhausted today.      (a little – totally – very)

2          My cat is ... white. (extremely – completely – very )

3          The water is ... delicious to swim.  (slightly – totally – very )

4          Your work is ... excellent.     (very - absolutely – almost)

5          That movie is ... great!         ( very– absolutely – extremely )

6          People were ... terrified by the news. (completely – very – extremely )

7          I am reading a ... good book.         (completely – nearly – extremely )

8          The baby is ... gorgeous.     (rather - absolutely – very )

9          It's ... freezing outside. (totally – very –      slightly)

10       That dress was ... ridiculous. (very – completely – a little)

Answers here!

Can, Could & Be Able To

Grammar & Discussion Activity

These 3 modal verbs show ability in English. The point is if we are describing an ability that was used many times, or something that was done just once.

   Can is used to talk about ability in the present.
      I can swim well.

   Could is used to talk about ability in the past.
      I could swim well when I was younger.

   Be able to is used...

1) to emphasize a specific ability in the present or past (could has no particular emphasis). Remember to conjugate the verb TO BE!

       I am able to swim well. - Present

       I was able to swim well when I was younger.  - Past

And, 2)  to talk about an objective reached at a specific moment.
      I was able to swim 5 laps at the club swimming pool on Saturday. 

(In this case, speaking about a specific event, COULD is not used.)

 

The Future has just one version WILL BE ABLE TO

       I hope I will be able to swim well at the competition next week.

Conversation Practice

What can you do specially well?  What are you not able  to do at all? Can you describe a time in the past when you were able to solve a tough situation? Could you speak another language 10 years ago? Were you able to swim, ride a bike, rollerblade, ski or ride a horse when you were a child?

Exercise : Expressing Ability

Complete the sentences with: CAN- COULD- BE ABLE TO

1. My sister wears glasses because she ______________see very well.

2. Jason wasn't at home when I called but I ______________ contact him on facebook.

3. I know I promised, but I ______________ help you move out next weekend.

4. I’m not sure... If a small animal suddenly crossed the road I think that I  ______________ not stop just in time.

5. Ask the teacher about your problem. She ______________  help you.

6. My uncle has travelled a lot all his life. He ______________  speak five languages.

7. My roomate was feeling sick yesterday. He ______________ eat anything.

8. I used to run 5 kilometers but I  ______________  do it now.

9.  ______________ you help me tomorrow with my homework?

10. Speak up, please! I ______________hear what you are saying.

11. I ______________ read a short story but I ______________  to read a novel.

12. Lenny ______________  drive so he has to take the bus.

13. Whenever my bike broke in the past,  I ______________ repair it myself.

14. When we went into the apartment, we ______________  smell gas.

15. When I was 16, I was a fast swimmer. I  ______________ swim

200 metres in 20’’.

Answers here!

UP, The Movie - The What's Up Issue

Video Activity - Prepositions

1.Pre-watching discussion.

What was your personality like when you were a kid? Were you shy? Adventurous? Intrepid? Were you good at making friends? How did you make friends? What games did you enjoy playing with your friends or alone? What were some embarrassing situations when you were a child? Did you ever blush or feel embarrased?

2.Watch the movie segment and order the events below.

A)She takes off her helmet and her hair frizzes out in all directions.

B)A girl’s voice comes from a dilapidated house.

C)Ellie jumps out the window and Carl rests his head on his balloon.

D)Carl screams and he lets go of his balloon

E) Carl puts on his goggles, starts forward... and falls through the floor.

F)Ellie shows him a book and Carl has a thought about his toy dirigible.

G)The two kids hunker under a blanket tent with a flashlight.  

H)She removes a homemade grape soda cap pin from her shirt and pins it on Carl.

I) The lost blue balloon floats into Carl’s room and Ellie’s head pops up from outside the open window.

J)An ambulance speeds up, with its siren blaring.

K)Carl sees a girl with a flight helmet and goggles.

L)Carl is in bed, reading a book by flashlight, his arm in a cast.

1 :	2 :	3 :	4 :	5 :
6 :	7 :	8 :	9:	10:
11 :	12 :

3.Provide the missing prepositions in the script. Then watch again and check your work.

to    towards   out(2)   in    down    at   off    for   on 

Ellie:Adventure is out there! Look (1)...........! Mount Rushmore! Hard to starboard. Must get the Spirit of Adventure over Mount Rushmore...   Hold together old girl. How're my dogs doing? Ruff ruff!  All engines ahead full! Let's take her up to 26,000 feet! Rudders eighteen degrees (2)................ the south. ...It's a beautiful day, winds out of the east (3).................. ten knots.  Visibility... unlimited. Enter the weather in the logbook! Oh! There's something (4)................. there! I will bring it back for science. Awwww, it's a puppy! No time! A storm! Lightning! Hail!           What are you doing!?! Don't you know this is an exclusive club? Only explorers get in here.  Not just any kid (5)......................  the street with a helmet and a pair of goggles. Do you think you got what it takes? Well, do you?!? Alright, you're in. Welcome aboard. What's wrong? Can't you talk? Hey, I don't bite. You and me, we're (6).....................  a club now. I saw where your balloon went.  Come on, let's go get it! My name's Ellie.    There it is.  Well, go ahead. Go (7).....................    Carl: Ow!! Ellie:Thought you might need a little cheerin' up. I got somethin' to                       show ya! I am about (8)....................... let you see something I have never shown to another human being. Ever. In my life. You'll have to swear you will not tell anyone. Cross your heart. Do it! My Adventure Book! You know him.  Charles Muntz, explorer. When I get  big, I'm going where he's going: South America. It's like America... but south.  Wanna know where I'm gonna live? "Paradise Falls, a land lost in time." I ripped this right out of  a library book. I'm gonna move my clubhouse there, and park it right next to the  falls. Who knows what lives up  there? And once I get there... Well, I'm saving these pages (9)................... all the adventures I'm gonna have. Only... I just don't know how I'm gonna get to Paradise Falls. That's it! You can take us there in a blimp! Swear you'll take us. Cross your heart! Cross it! Cross your heart. Good. You promised. No backing (10).................. Well, see you tomorrow kid!   Bye. "Adventure is out there!!" You know, you don't talk very much. I like you.  Carl: Wow.

         

Answers here!

Adjectives ending in ED and ING - The Readers' Issue 2

Do you sometimes get confused about adjectives ending in '-ing' or '-ed'? Today we're working on the topic, read on!

-ing adjectives are used to describe things or permanent characteristics or conditions: 'The movie was boring.'

-ed adjectives are used to describe our feelings or transitory conditions: 'I was very bored.'

More adjectives with two versions are:

Amazed / amazing Amused / amusing Annoyed / annoying Bored / boring Charmed / charming Confused / confusing Depressed / depressing Disappointed / disappointing Embarrassed / embarrassing Excited / exciting Exhausted / exhausting

Fascinated / fascinating Frightened / frightening Frustrated / frustrating Interested / interesting Puzzled / puzzling Relaxed / relaxing Satisfied / satisfying Shocked / shocking Terrified / terrifying Tired / tiring Thrilled / thrilling

Practice

What is the right adjective? The one ending in ING or in ED?

1.The book you lent me was so .......... that I couldn't finish it!

Boring      bored

2.I felt .......... by the school choir last night at the theatre.

Fascinating      fascinated

3.I went to bed early last night because I really was ..........

Tiring      tired

4.The new assistant looks .......... in the project.

Interesting      interested

5.Tom is .......... by the present we gave him for his birthday.

Amazing      amazed

6.The political speech was so.......... We hated it.

Shocking      shocked

7.The news about the fire must be .......... for the villages around.

    Frightening    frightened

8.I failed my exam and I feel very .......... .

Depressing      depressed

9.Going to a very crowded place is not .......... for me.

Amusing     amused 

     10. I've had a very .... weekend. I went to the beach with a few friends.

Exciting      excited

Answers here!

Mistakes We Make! - The Readers' Issue 2

 Read the following transcript from a suspect's confession and correct the 5 mistakes.

“Me and John were at an hotel not doing nothing, when we seen four men two of them whom done it.”

Watch the advertisement clip and check your work.

A special policeman interrogates a suspect and seriously questions the man's statements.

Answers here!

What Are Narrative Tenses? - The Books Issue

Narrative tenses are the verb tenses that we use to talk about past events and to tell stories. They are used to make an anecdote more interesting. They are:

·        Past Continuous: to introduce the context of a story or an event in the story.

·        Past Simple: to describe the main events in the story.

·        Past Perfect : to go back in the past to previous events.

Example of narrative tenses in use: 

“When Rob opened the door he noticed the window curtains were blowing. He entered very slowly, looked carefully around the room as he walked in. Clearly someone else had been there.”

• Exercise: Complete the following fragment of Lewis Carroll’s “Alice's Adventures in Wonderland”, with one tense from the box.

thought      -    was beginning   -   had    -  could  -      was reading had peeped   -  ran       -       made  -        was considering

CHAPTER I. Down the Rabbit-Hole

Alice ..............................to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do: once or twice she ................................ into the book her sister.................................., but it ...........................no pictures or conversations in it, 'and what is the use of a book,' ....................................Alice 'without pictures or conversation?'

So she ............................... in her own mind (as well as she..................................., for the hot day ......................................her feel very sleepy and stupid), whether the pleasure of making a daisy-chain would be worth the trouble of getting up and picking the daisies, when suddenly a White Rabbit with pink eyes .....................................close by her.

Find this and other classic books on Project Gutenberg Website

Answers here!