Week 6 - telephone and letter.

• Write a letter to a friend telling him/her, among other things, what you are doing to improve your English when you are not in class. Use phrasal verbs in your letter.

Dear Cloe,

I am studying English everyday to improve it. I love doing exercises in a book, because they are very interesting. Also, you can watch films in English and you can also read some news in the newspapers, in magazines or on Internet. One activity, which you can do, is related to foreign people as an English family. You can practise your English with them twice a week.

I feel proud of me due to the amazing effort that I am doing. I will cheer up when I will obtain my good marks in the English exam. I am sure that you can do the same as me, so you can get better in English and pass your exams.

I'm sorry I have stopped here, I have got to continue with my exercises and I want to watch a film of Harry Potter on Internet in English.

Love,

Inma.

• Look for links on the Internet showing how to write correct letters and publish those links in your blog.

https://letterpile.com/correspondence/Examples-of-how-to-write-informal-letters-in-English-Personal

http://www.rubenvalero.com/english/content/cae-informal-letteremail

• Add any other thing you have done this week to improve and consolidate your English.

I was speaking with two girls of England on Monday night because there is a place where you can speak and drink some beers in Murcia. 

Week 5 - Work and job conditions

What would happen if our work was our worst nightmare? 

If our work was our worst nightmare, I could have my worst time of my life. You choose to study a career to have a good job which you can be calm and enjoy it. For that, a work which you don't enjoy due to the bosses or what you have to do there, it could be a nightmare for your life. Moreover, I would be in a bad mood all day, without wanting to go to work and there would come a time when I would leave there.

Write a text describing your worst job. Upload pictures if you find them, or a drawing on your own of that particular job.

I was working in a restaurant for the summer where I worked as a waitress. I had always worked as a barman and I like this job, but it is not the same than a waitress.

I enjoyed there thanks to the customers and the boss was a good person, but the cookers and some of the waitresses were a little stupid and they made me work while they were eating or resting. Moreover, nobody gave me some food because I started to work at 7 pm and they eat at 6 pm. So, I did not eat anything at 1 am when I finished my work and I arrived at my home.

Apart from that, I did not have any day off in two months and I had only one day. So, every single day of June and July, I was working. Finally, the worst of this job was the tips. People tipped for waiters and cookers, but another partner and I did not receive a tip at all the time we were working there.

Ask your grandparents or any the relative over 65 about job conditions when they were young and discuss pros and cons.

In the 60s and 70s, working life was governed by different rules. There was a growth in the enterprises due to the ending of the Second World War II. So, there were pros and cons about job conditions.

Several pros were that the responsibilities were individual; the contracts lived on most of the life; people have to be a good employer; they also have to demonstrate their abilities to improve working life; motivation, satisfaction and personal needs were the aspects that they get when they worked at these years.

On the other hand, there also were some cons like, there was an established hour where the day started and finished at an exact time; they earned a bit of money not as nowadays; of course, the right of women was less important than men, women had far less economic power. 


This week, I was listening to the radio and I was doing some exercises of the grammar book in use.

WEEK 4 - ADVICE AND MODAL VERBS

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2017/aug/16/how-to-manage-your-finances-at-university

Students who’ve failed to get their funding sorted out in time pose a regular start-of-term challenge for Rob Ellis, financial information support adviser at Swansea University and chair of the National Association of Student Money Advisers. 

“Often they apply and think that’s it,” he says. “They don’t have a letter back and by the time they get to university they find out they were meant to supply more information.”

For students securing a place through clearing, this can mean details of their new course – which will need to be sent through to Student Finance (for students in England) as soon as possible. Confirmation of any changes to the amount you’re eligible for – if you’ll now be studying in London, for example – will follow. Finance is released once students enrol and are physically present at the university.

Next September, students at English universities will pay tuition fees of up to £9,250 a year and receive loans to cover the fees, paid directly to their institution. They’ll also be eligible for means-tested maintenance loans, paid directly into their bank accounts at the start of each term.

But to secure the loans they must first apply to the student finance body relevant to the part of the UK they’re from. Loan arrangements differ for different regions of the UK, but students funded by Student Finance England will be due to start repaying the loans once they’re earning more than £21,000, from the April after they stop the course.

Meanwhile, they’ll need to budget. “The first term is a long term to last on one payment, so don’t do the obvious thing of wasting the loan in the first month,” advises Fergus Macphee, 22, now in his third year at Manchester University after gaining a place through clearing to study drama and film. “Christmas is expensive, and if you run out of cash you will be totally miserable in the run up to January.”

His other piece of advice is to remember when rent payments come out of your bank account “so you don’t end up owing estate agents a lot of money”.

Different universities and cities will involve different living costs and you should be able to get some idea of what these are likely to be by checking out the various institutions’ websites.

It is important to find out what most students there actually spend, rather than what you could get away with spending, in theory, if you never went out or celebrated your friends’ birthdays, and managed to secure a bargain place to live.

One of the disadvantages of getting a place through clearing is that you can miss out on the most sought-after accommodation, which may be cheaper or closer to the institution, so it’s important to sort this out as soon as possible.

It’s also a good idea to think about whether or not you will need a part-time job, says Ellis. Again, the best jobs – particularly those on campus – are often snapped up early.

The financial support individual students receive can vary significantly because of means-testing and because some parents are much more generous – or better off – than others, so realistic prioritising is essential.

“Students have to manage money to have a good experience,” says Ellis. “If they spend aimlessly they cannot afford to spend on what they enjoy.”

MODAL VERBS:

http://www.photocopiables.com/sites/default/files/modal-verbs_reading_comprehension_0.pdf

Maggie: Hi Tom, have you finished your homework? 

Tom: Oh hi Maggie. No, I haven’t. 

Maggie: The deadline is tomorrow you know so you have to submit it tomorrow.

Tom: I can’t make it. I haven’t even started it yet. Can we hand it in next week? -> In this sentence, "can" means ability. The ability to do it the deadline or the ability to hand it in next week. 

Maggie: I don’t know. You’ll have to ask Mrs. Robinson about that. I think you must finish it by tomorrow. She probably won’t accept projects after tomorrow. -> "Must" expresses obligation since the activity has to be sent or handed tomorrow. 

Tom: I’ve had so many other things to do. I couldn’t even start it. I don’t know what to do. -> "Couldn't" means ability in the past. He couldn't do the exercise. 

Maggie: Don’t worry. I’ll help you. It’s not very difficult. I finished it in one day. 

Tom: Really? Great! 

Maggie: First, you should read the article that Mrs. Robinson gave us. It’s about the Mohican Civilization. Then, you have to design a poster for a play about them – the Mohicans – for the theatre. -> "Should" means a recommendation of doing something, so in this sentence, Maggie recommends to read the article to Tom. Another modal verb is "have to". In this example, it functions as the necessity of designing the poster. 

Tom: Yeah I know but it looks a bit difficult… 

Maggie: Not at all. You don’t have to make the poster from scratch and it doesn’t have to be a work of art. There are lots of templates on the internet. You can just use one of those designs to make your own poster. -> "Don't have to" means that you are not obliged to make the poster. "Can" means possibility in this sentence. You have the possibility to use one of those designs. 

Tom: Well, I think I can do it. What title shall I use? Can you help me? -> "Can" suggests the ability to do something or helping somebody. 

Maggie: Yeah, I can give you some suggestions but you mustn’t use the same title as anyone else in our class. You have to create your own title. -> "Can" shows us the possibility to give you some suggestions. "Mustn't" expresses the ban of using the same title. "Have to" expresses the necessity. 

Tom: Okay, I can come up with something I guess. -> "Can" means the possibility to come up with. 

Maggie: Alright?

Tom: Yeah, I’ve got to go now and make a start on it. I’ll follow the project guidelines like you said. Thanks, Maggie. 

Maggie: No problem. Good luck! 

ACTIVITIES WHICH I HAVE DONE.

- Watching films in the original score. One of them was Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. 

- Reading newspapers such as the guardian. 

- Listening to the radio sometimes in English when I drive. 

- Doing exercises taken from "Advance grammar in use"

WEEK 3 - PUBLIC EYE.

Today, I am going to talk about public eye. I would regret to be in the public eye because you do not have to give explanations for your behaviour if you want to do something. It should be disturbing to not have privacy since famous people are constantly followed by camera crews and journalists. Moreover, reporters could cause problems when they are very persistent. I think that it could be a lack of respect when reporters insist so much on recording or taking photos to celebrities.  

This photo shows us that we could have a good time with our friends without being annoyed by reporters in our university's party.

This image represents one day of tourism in Strasbourg. As we are not famous people, we could relax and enjoy the city without people which are following us. People, who had paparazzi all the time, could be so calm.  

ERASMUS LIFE.

Laura is a person who is very shy but at the same time very talkative. I really knew her at this stage of my life where I really needed her. She has always been a working girl in every aspect. She was very supportive to me and will always be the shy, sweet and funny girl I found there.

I met Emilie there in Strasbourg, at first glance she seems a bit shy, but she is just the opposite. She is an extroverted, cheerful girl who always has some plan proposed to spend the afternoon or evening. Of course, a studious and generous girl.

Myriam is a very caring girl, she is always giving you kisses and hugs. She is always worried about you. In addition, she is also a very talkative girl and a bit crazy girl. Although she is not a very studious person, she is hardworking and she always tries to do her best.

Mercedes was the person who was with me through thick and thin. She started and ended the Erasmus beside me. I can say of her that she has a big heart, she is a very polite and a generous person. Although, she is a bit darling she is modest. 

Nazli was the last friend that I met in Strasbourg. She was a great find. She is a good, optimist and organized person. She seems a bit shy but finally, she is an outgoing person. Although, she is a very calm person. 

This image is the Roman Coliseum. I would like to see Italy because it is one of the cities of Europe which I have not yet been able to visit. I would love to see its streets, its museums, its monuments, its people, its culture, its food, everything seems nice to me there. I hope to visit soon.

Burma is the country represent in this image. This country is one of the countries that my father and I have always wanted to go. Three years ago, I was in Thailand and it was the best country of all that I visited, but I suppose it would be for the fact of being the first Asian country. That is why Burma knows that I will love it as much as Thailand and I am looking forward to visiting it.

SHORT TEXT

Anyone's dream is to have money so if I had enough money, I bought me a house. Then, I would love to go around the world with my whole family and with some friends where I would spend a whole year. I would also decide on having a good time in each country and meeting new people of different cultures. Although it would have a comparison between cultures and people, we are very friendly and outgoing people. So, we do not have any problem with people who have other nationalities. 

WEEK 1 - WRITING

I introduce myself because it is my first blog entry. I am Inmaculada and I live in San Javier. I am 22 years old and I love English due to that, I am studying this degree. Today, I am going to talk about writing.

I started creating a blog three years ago in a subject of the degree. It makes me better at writing and I believes that having a blog is very important to improve our English and our communicative skills. Another technique is to review grammar books where we could find some common mistakes or doubts about English, for example, one of this book is called "Advanced Grammar in Use". It is full of exercises and solutions that help you to correct every single mistake and to learn.

Another method is reading. When you read a book or a newspaper, you can see some different methods of writing, different syntax or words that you have never seen. It is fundamental to read something each day.

Finally, we can look up several websites where you can find examples of writing or exercises. For instance, http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish, this web will help you listening some videos and reading the dialogues. Another website which I use is https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/. There, I can do some exercises to practice my English.