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I'm no longer teaching in Canada so this blog will not be updated anymore!
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UppInt A: Conditional Structures

EVEN IF/ONLY IF/UNLESS:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/learnit/learnitv122.shtml
http://www.grammar-quizzes.com/9-7.html
http://esl.about.com/od/grammaradvanced/a/adverb_clauses_3.htm

UppInt A: Phrasal Verb: GO

to go out
1.to leave your house, especially in order to enjoy yourself
"Let's go out tonight!"

2. to have a romantic relationship with someone
"Tina used to go out with my brother."
"They've been going out for two years now."

3. Fire/Light- to stop burning or shining
"The lights suddenly went out."

to go over s.t. -to review/examine s.t.
"Before the test, she went over her notes."

to go through s.t.- to experience a difficult or unpleasant situation, feeling etc
"He's going through a divorce at the moment."
"She went through a lot last year and she was quite upset."


to go through
1- Law:  if a law goes through, or goes through Parliament, it is officially accepted
"The smoking ban in public places went through without any opposition."

2-Deal/agreement- if a deal or agreement goes through, it is officially accepted and agreed

"After months of negotiation, the deal finally went through."


3-Read/Discuss- to read or discuss something in order to make sure it is correct 
"We'll go through the details of the contract tomorrow."

4-Search-  to search something in order to find something in particular
"John went through his pockets looking for the keys."

to go through with s.t. - to do something you had promised or planned to do, even though it causes problems or you are no longer sure you want to do it
"I had no choice but to go through with it."

to go under -if a business goes under, it has to stop operating because of financial problems
"After only a few months, the business Rob started went under."

to go off- if an alarm goes off, it makes a noise to warn you about something
"The fire alarm went off at 3am."

IntUpp D: Describing people: character- Answers

38.1
1.clever- half-witted
2. extroverted-introverted
3. rude-courteous
4. cruel- kind-hearted
5. generous- tight-fisted
6. unsociable- gregarious

38.2
1. likes
2. likes
3. likes
4.dislikes
5. dislikes
6. dislikes
7. dislikes
8. likes

38.3
1. Di's very stingy
2. Molly's usually brusque/blunt.
3. Liz is quite unprincipled.
4. Sam can be assertive.
5. Dick's quite assertive.
6. I find Dave self-assured.
7. Don't you think  Jim's inquiring?
9. Jill is peculiar

38.4
1. sociable
2. pessimistic
3. assertive
4. inquisitive
5. extravagant
6. argumentative
7. sensitive

38.6
1.self-confident, self-centered, self-indulgent
2.bad-tempered. good-tempered, quick-tempered
3. narrow minded, single-minded, open-minded

IntUppD: Used To vs. Would

USED TO/WOULD

Adapted from Michael Swan’s Practical English Usage

Used to= past habits and states which are now finished

                I used to eat McDonald’s for lunch every day.

-refers to things that happened at an earlier stage of one’s life and are now finished. The situation has now changed.  Used to is not used to say what happened at a past time, how long it took or how many times it happened.

NOT I used to work very hard last month.  I worked very hard last month

NOT I used to live in California for three years.  I lived in California for three years

NOT  I used to go to Spain three times last year.  I went to Spain three times last year.

Would = regularly repeated actions in the past, in the same way as used to

When we were young, we would/used to go skating every winter.

When I was a baby, my mother would/used to sing me to sleep.

*BUT only used to can refer to past states

I used to have a lot of model cars. NOT       I would have a lot of model cars.

He used to be really skinny.                             NOT       He would be really skinny.

*we use used to NOT would to talk about regular and important habitual behaviour

               

Roberto used to play a lot of tennis.              NOT       Roberto would play a lot of tennis.

He used to smoke.                                              NOT       He would smoke.

IntUppD: Describing one's character

Today in class, we talked about how to describe s.o's personality and character and the positive (+) and (-) connotation that each word can carry. It is important to know which words have a positive (+) or a negative (-) connotation.  For example, we discussed the difference between ARROGANT (COCKY) & CONFIDENT.  Here are some more resources to help you expand your expand your vocabulary




 

"What is he/she like?"

A short list of personality adjectives
http://www.esolcourses.com/content/exercises/grammar/adjectives/personality/words-for-describing-personality.html






ALSO: (Describing physical characteristics)

"What does he/she look like?"

-Here is a website that talks about describing a person's physical appearance
 http://justmesuzanne.hubpages.com/hub/ESL-Describing-a-Person
-A short list of physical appearance adjectives
http://www.esolcourses.com/content/exercises/grammar/adjectives/appearance/vocab1.html

UppInt A: Wishes/Regrets-Notes

WISHES/REGRETS

WISH + Simple Past/Past continuous/could/would – Wish for the present/future (want to change a situation)

-I wish I had more free time (don’t)

-I wish I could buy a car (I don’t have enough $)

-I wish it would stop raining in Vancouver

-I wish I were sleeping right now instead of learning grammar.

 

WISH + Past perfect (had + past participle) – regret about the past

I wish I hadn’t drunk so much last night = I regret drinking so much last night

I wish I had been able to go outside yesterday .

Mixed Conditional: If I hadn’t drunk so much last night, I wouldn’t have a hangover now. 

If only – strong wish or regret (emphasis) - often used without a result clause

If only I hadn’t drunk so much last night!

If only I had more money!

Bus. Eng: Opening a can of worms

http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/open+a+can+of+worms

Bus. Eng: Cool videos related to the environment

This website has various videos related to environmental concerns.
http://www.storyofstuff.org/ If you go to the website, you can watch the videos with subtitles.

Varities of English

Cool parody of Beauty and the Beast!

UppInt A: JLo & Conditionals

1) Watch the following 1999 JLo video "If you had my love" and pay attention to the conditionals that she uses...

2) Look up the lyrics and compare your answers: http://www.lyricsmania.com/if_you_had_my_love_lyrics_jennifer_lopez.html

UppInt A: Shopping Addiction

Today we will watch a video that deals with shopping addiction.



1)VOCABULARY: Before you watch, please look up the following words that will come up in the video. Follow the links to the dictionary to find a definition

-The urge to splurge

-For many Americans, shopping is a chore

-The act of shopping is a quick fix

-You get a rush when you buy something

-That’s a red flag that you could have a problem 

2) WATCH: Watch the video and answer the questions below


 1) What are some indicators that you are a shopaholic?
 2) What statistic is provided about the power of advertising?
 3) What makes up the equation of financial trouble
 4) What does this mean: "If you eat enough lobster, it tastes like soap."?
 5) What are the steps to resolving your financial crisis?

IntUpp D: TH pronunciation

This funny and popular commerical for Berlitz language school shows you the difficulty and "life-saving'"  importance of 'TH' pronunication. Enjoy!

 

UppInt A: Conditionals!

EXTRA CONDITIONALS PRACTICE
http://www.englishpage.com/conditional/conditionalintro.html
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/conditional-sentences
http://www.usingenglish.com/articles/english-conditionals-an-introduction.html
http://www.grammar-quizzes.com/conditionsum.html

Meaning of the “If clause”	Verb Form in the “If clause”	Verb Form in the “Result Clause”	Examples
0 Conditional (FACTUAL): Always true in the present	Simple present	Simple present	If I have enough time, I write to my parents every week.
1st Conditional (FUTURE): True in the future	Simple present	Will/be going to	If I have enough time tomorrow, I will write to my parents.
2nd Conditional (HYPOTHETICAL): Untrue in the present/future	Simple past	Would + base form	If I had enough time now, I would write to my parents.
3rd Conditional (HYPOTHETICAL IN THE PAST): Untrue in the past	Past perfect	Would have + past participle	If I had had enough time, I would have written to my parents yesterday.
Mixed Conditional (HYPOTHETICAL PRESENT as a result of HYPOTHETICAL PAST): Untrue in the past/present	Past perfect (PAST) Simple past (PRESENT)	Would + base form Would + be + ING (PRESENT) Would + have + past participle (PAST)	If I had finished all my work, I would be writing to my parents now. If I hadn’t drunk that last beer, I wouldn’t be hungover now. If I spoke Spanish, I would have gotten the job.

My Blackberry Is Not Working!

IntUppD/ UppInt A: Phrasal Verb: CALL (me maybe)

 to call s.o back - to return a phone call, for example because they were not at home or busy when you phoned last time
"He's not here right now. Do you want to call back in an hour?" 

to call s.o up -to call/phone s.o.
"I'll call you up tomorrow and we'll set up a time to meet."

to call in

1-(sick) to phone work/school to tell them you are absent due to sickness.
"Jane just called in sick, so someone has to fill in for her."
 
2- to phone a radio or television show to give your opinion or to ask a question
"Over 2000 viewers called in to the station with complaints."

to call s.t. off - to decide that a planned event will not take place
"The wedding has been called off because the couple broke up."  
  
to call s.t. out -to say something loudly
"She called out my name."


to call s.o out on s.t.-to point out s.o.'s mistake/bad behaviour, to let s.o. know that you know about their bad behaviour and your negative opinion about this behaviour
"I thought I could get away with going to work late, but my boss finally called me out on it. "
"My mother called me out on lying to her."
"Jane's friends called her out on not breaking up with her cheating boyfriend."

Follow LONDON 2012!

http://www.ctvolympics.ca/
http://www.london2012.com/

 

Fireworks!

 http://hondacelebrationoflight.com/

UppInt A: Future Time Clauses Answers

1-Discover the grammar
1.b
2.a
3.b
4.a
5.b
6.b
7.b
8.b
9.b
10.b

3-What's next?
2. They're going to move to a larger apartment as soon as Jeff get a raise.
3. After they move to a larger apartment, they're going to have a baby.
4. Sandy will get a part-time job after they have they have their first child.
5. When their child is two, Sandy will go back to work full-time.
6. Sandy will work full-time while Jeff goes to school./
Jess will go to school while Sandy works full-time.
7. Jeff will find another job when he graduates

4-Editing
Graduation is next month! I need to make some plans now because when exams start, I won't have any free time. What am I going to do when I finish school? My roommate is going to take a vacation before she looks for a job. I can't do that because I need to earn some money soon. I think that after I graduate, I am going to take a word processing class. As soon as I learn word processing, I will look for a job as a bilingual office assistant. It's hard to find full-time jobs, though. Part-time jobs are easier to find. Maybe I'll take a part-time job after I find a good full-time one. Or maybe I'll take a workshop in making decisions before I do anything!

Bus. Eng: 46 Verb + Preposition Answers

Exercise 1
2. believe in
3. wait for.
4. lead to
5. depend on
6. know about
7. suffer from
8. approve of

Exercise 2
2. with
3. of
4. about
5. for
6. about
7. into
8. for
9. on
10. from
11. in
12. on

Exercise 3
2. to/about
3. from
4. of
5. of
6. with/about
7. from
8. in
9. for
10. to/about
11. at
12. for

Exercise 4
2. belong to
3. listen to
4. explain to
5. agreed with
6. apply for
7. rely on
8. apologized for
9. Remind about
10. hoping for
11. heard from
12. comply with
13. insist on
14. qualify for

Exercise 5
2. with
3. about
4. from
5. for
6. in
7. for
8. against
9. from
10. from
11. for
12. for
13. on
14. on
15. to
16. for
17. from
18. about
19. of
20. from
21. in
22. of

Save up your $$$

Bus Eng: Reading ' 7 Secrets of Peak Performance'- Answers

Please check your answers to the reading  'Seven secrets of peak performance'. If you have any other questions, please let me know. 

Vocabulary 
1. eager (21)
2. idle (10)
3. peak (2)
4. followed suit (17)
5. skills (10)
6. on the other hand (19)
7. instead (12)
8. task (18)

Comprehension Questions
A./1. F - They're peak performers because they have learned to be so.
2. F- They can learn to become peak performers.
3. T
4. T
5. F- They've become what they are because they do what they like
6. T
7. T
8. T
9. F- Other factors, such as not taking risks and being a perfectionist, can also keep you from being a peak performer.
10. T

UppInt A: Answers- Unit 10/11

Please check your answers to the exercises below once you've finished. If you have any further questions, please let me know. 

UNIT 10- Present simple and present continuous for the future

10.1
1. get (fixed event; will get is also possible)
2. will look after (less routine arrangement)
3. rains (with 'in case')
4. will give out (less routine arrangement)
5. goes (fixed event; 'will go' is also possible)
6. starts (fixed event; ' will start' is also possible)
7. stops (with 'provided')
8. will miss (prediction)
10. lend (with 'unless')
11. plays (fixed event; will play' is also possible)
12. will accept (prediction)
13. want (with 'supposing')
14. read (with 'by the time')

10.2
1.c (prediction perhaps based on opinion, experience or present evidence). 'will leave' and 'is going to leave' have a similar meaning here.
2. a  (planned future event.) ' I'm going to buy' suggests an intention without a definite arrangement; I'm buying suggests a definite arrangement- perhaps the speaker has bought the car and is simply picking it up next week
3.  b/c  (offer; decision made at moment of speaking)
4. a (planned future event). 'I'm going to drive' suggests a personal intention; 'I'm driving' suggests a more definite arrangement- perhaps the speaker has been told to go there by their employer
5. c (permanent future situation). ' will cut' and 'is going to cut' have a similar meaning here.
6. b/c (promise; decision made at time of speaking)
7.a (planned future event). As the present continuous for the future suggests a definite arrangement, using 'I am serving lunch' in this context suggests ' ...and I am not changing what I plan to do', perhaps showing some irritation or annoyance.
8. c (no control over predicted event). 'will starve' and 'are going to starve' have a similar meaning here. However as, 'will' is often used to talk about future facts, it may express more certainty in this context.

10.3
1/ 1. is joining
2. will like/are going to like
3. is coming/comes
4.will give

2/ 1. is/are sacking
2. close
3.are building
4. will see

UNIT 11- Future continuous and future perfect (continuous)

11.1
1.  a. will be leaving (will leave also possible) b. will leave
2. a. Will you be working (will you work is also possible)
3. a. won't be using ('won't use' is also possible) b. won't use
4. a. will give b. will be giving (will give is also possible)
5. a. won't move b. will be moving (will move is also possible)

11.2
2. If the company is making a profit by the end of the year then we will have achieved the objective we set ourselves when we took over.
3. In two years' time Morneau will have been acting for 50 years, and shows no sign of retiring from the theatre. (will have acted is also possible)
4. I am confident that I will have finished the report before the end of the week.
5. This book on Proust is really difficult. On Saturday I will have been reading it for a month, and I'm still only half way.
6. Whether I've finished the report or not, by 9 o'clock, I will have been working for 12 hours without a break and I'm going home (will have worked is also possible0
7. As delegates who arrived early will have been discovering, there have been some late changes to the conference programme. (will have discovered is also possible) 

11.3
1.will have closed
2. will be enjoying
3. will be leaving
4. will be arriving
5. will have been
6. will have been planning
7. won't be spending
8. will be keeping
9. will all be going

IntUpp D/UppInt A: Phrasal Verb: Fall

to fall behind- to go more slowly than other people so that they gradually move further ahead of you
"Hurry up, you're falling behind!" 
"Because I missed one whole week of school, I fell behind."  

to fall for s.o. - to start to love s.o  (to fall head over heels for s.o)
"When I first saw her, I fell for her."

to fall for s.t. -to be tricked into believing something that is not true:
"Don't fall for anything he says. He's a liar."
"I'm not going to fall for your tricks. I'm too smart."


to fall through- if an agreement, plan, sale etc falls through, it is not completed successfully: 
"At the last minute, our vacation plans fell through because my husband had to work." 

to fall out with s.o.- to have a fight with s.o
"We had a falling-out."
"We fell out with each other about 5 years ago."

to fall apart 
1-to break into pieces
"The book was so old  that when I picked it up, it fell apart."

2- if an organization, system, relationship etc falls apart, it stops being effective or successful
"I realized our relationship was slowly falling apart."
"If we don't come up with a plan soon, this company is going to fall apart."

3-world/life: if someone's world or life falls apart, something very bad and serious happens which changes their life
"When Maria broke up with me, my world fell apart."
"My life is falling apart!"

to fall back:  if soldiers fall back, they move back because they are being attacked = to retreat
"Fall back! We're being attacked!" 

to fall back into s.t.- to go back to doing something or behaving in a way which you did before
"He behaved well for a few weeks, but he fell back into his old habits." 


to fall back on s.o/s.t.- to use something or depend on someone's help when dealing with a difficult situation, especially after other methods have failed
"She really needs you. She has no one else to fall back on."
"Since my first plan failed, I have to fall back on plan B"


to fall off: if part of something falls off, it becomes separated from the main part
"One of my buttons fell off."
"This poster keeps falling off the wall. I need stronger tape."

UppInt A: Future

http://esl.about.com/library/quiz/blgrquiz_futureforms.htm
http://esl.about.com/od/grammarstructures/a/future_forms.htm
http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verbs-m_future.htm

IntUpp D/ UppInt A: Phrasal Verb: FILL

to fill s.t out/in - to complete/write all the information on a document, form etc.
"Can you help me fill out this visa application?"
"If you want to apply for this position, you will need to fill this form in."

to fill s.t. up- to make full; to put as much as can be held in a container
"Where can I fill up my water bottle?"
"I need to fill up my car. Is there a gas station close by?"

to fill oneself up with/on s.t - to eat so much food that you can't eat any more.
"Don't fill yourself up on cookies, we eating dinner soon!"
"You'd better fill yourself up before we leave. We're not stopping for lunch."

to fill in for s.o- to substitute for s.o/ to do s.o's job for them because they are absent
"Because your teacher is sick today, I'm going to fill in for him."
"I'm injured and cannot play. Someone will have to fill in for me."

to fill s.o in on s.t.- to tell s.o about recent events, especially because they have been away from a place
"I missed 3 days of school, so could you fill me in on everything that happened?" 
"The boss wants you to fill him in before the meeting."

IntUpp D: Answers- Take

3. 1. took place, took forever
2. put a stop
3. take offense
4. taken my advice
5. take responsibility
6. putting pressure
7. didn't take notice
8. take them for granted


4. 1. Take your time- There's no need to hurry.
    2. The party's on the 21st. Put it on your calendar
    3. Their relationship will never last.- Take my word for it. I know these things.
    4. I told her a joke about the French and it turned out that she was French.- Whoops! you really put your foot in your mouth, didn't you?
   5. Take it easy- Calm down. There's no need to panic.
   6. Put yourself in my shoes- What would you do?
   7. You always take things too personally- No one's out to get you.

UppInt D: Answers- p. 75/76

Articles

1-1. a
2. the
3. the
4. a
5. x, a, the
6. the
7.a, x
8. the, x
9. x, the, x, the

2- 1.a
2. the
3. a
4. x
5. the
6. the
7. a
8. a
9. the
10. x
11. the
12. the
13. the
14. a
15. x
16. x
17. x
18. a
19. the
20. the
21. an
22. the
23. the
24. the

Determiners

1- 1. everything
2. everything
3. all
4. every
5. all
6. all
7. everything
8. all
9. every
10. everybody 


2- 1. all/none
2. either/both
3. both/neither
4. every
5. no/every
6. every
7. each
8. either/both
9. neither
10. either
11. both/either
12. each

Demonstratives

3- 1.These
2. This
3.That/This
4. those
5.that
6. that
7. this
8.these
9. this
10. this
11. that
12. this
13.that
14. those
15. that

Bus. Eng: Resumes

"Why should I hire you?"

A résumé is a concise summary of information that will interest an employer. Along with a cover letter and possible application form, a resume is part of your initial contact with a potential employer. Therefore, it is vital to make a good first impression. The purpose of a resume is to get you an interview. Imagine how many resumes an employer has to go through...You want to make sure yours stands out in the crowd.

A resume is a document that will never be complete and should be constantly changing as you gain more experience. Also, it should be modified for each distinct job you apply for.  Sometimes a resume can also be used to apply to universities, scholarships and volunteer work, as it is a summary of your skills and work history.

As there are many variations of resumes, each specific field of work may have a preferred type. You must be knowledgeable of what is the standard format and style of your field of work. There are specific guidelines that you must follow to meet the standards of a Canadian style resume, but there are also ample opportunities to spruce up your resume with your own style and organization
 
A short recap of what we talked about today in regards to resumes...

SAMPLE HEADINGS:

►Objective
►Summary of Qualifications
►Education
►Credentials/Skills
►Employment/Work Experience
►Volunteer/Extracurricular Experience 
►Interests
►References

YES!

Current and up-to-date contact information
Keep it positive ☺

1-2 pages, white paper
In reverse chronological order (most recent experience first)
Point form/bullet points to highlight knowledge, skills and experience
Emphasize transferable skill instead of simply giving a job description
Use bold, underline, italics to emphasize, highlight and organize
Proofread! Beware of spelling and grammar mistakes
Consistent and organized
Focus on accomplishments, credentials and qualifications

NO!

X  Acronyms, slang, short forms or jargon people might not be familiar with
X  Picture, age, marital status, immigration status, religion, race, height/weight, sex, SIN #,
X  The word 'RESUME' on the top
X  Fancy fonts
X  Irrelevant information
X  Paragraphs/complete sentences
X  Lying!




Suggestions: 
-Pay attention to specific language that we use on resumes to describe our transferable skills and traits
-Know your audience that you are writing to (Adapting resume to job applied for)
-Look up sample resumes in books and online. If you see something you like, steal it and adapt it to your taste!
-If you put it on your resume, make sure you can defend/talk about what you put down during your interview
 
Additional advice: 
http://www.bcjobs.ca/re/career-advice/resume-advice
https://careers.sso.queensu.ca/student/map/resumesAndInterviews/resumeCVFormatContentAndExamples.htm
http://www.youth.gc.ca/eng/topics/jobs/resume.shtml

To help you with your own resume, it is a good idea to take a look at sample resumes and get used to the type of language/organizational styles that is used.
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/sampleresumes/a/sampleresume2.htm
or simply google: "sample resume" + the specific type of job you are applying for

Also, I stumbled across an interesting site where you can purchase (not cheap!) very artsy/stylish resumes...an interesting business venture. These types of resumes may only be suitable for certain industries depending on the company culture. It certainty wouldn't work for every job you apply for.
http://loftresumes.com/

IntUpp D/UppInt A: ED pronunciation

A video recap of what we talked about today. At the end, he gives a good activity for you to practice...

 
Extra Explanations & Practice:
http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/pronunciation1/index.php
http://www.englishclub.com/pronunciation/-ed.htm
http://eolf.univ-fcomte.fr/uploads/ressources/pronunciation/01_-ed_endings/01_ed.htm

IntUpp D: Proverbs

"Don't cry over spilt milk."                "Don't put all your eggs in one basket."

http://www.englishdaily626.com/proverbs.php/proverbs.php?001
http://a4esl.org/q/h/9801/lk-proverbs.html
http://a4esl.org/q/j/ck/ma-proverbs.html

Bus. Eng: Positive Spin- Vocabulary

If you think you….	Then say this to your employer
Too compulsive: Your friends think you're nuts because everything in your locker is in alphabetical order.	I have strong organization skills and an ability to plan ahead. I always do a thorough job.
Too argumentative: You always tell people exactly what you think and feel - even if it's about them?	I'm very confident and deal with issues directly. I enjoy taking on a challenge.
Too lazy: You always start essays the night before they're due. If there's a reason not to do something you'll find it.	I can work with short deadlines and under pressure.
Too loud: When you talk, people can't help but hear you - you love being the centre of attention.	I'm enthusiastic and outgoing. I interact easily with groups.
Too stubborn: You hate to back down and don't like to admit when you're wrong.	I'm persistent. I always carry a project through to the end.
Too talkative: No one can get a word in when you're in the conversation - you are the conversation!	I'm articulate and enjoy public speaking. I'm persuasive and present my ideas well.
Too weird: You dance to a different beat and do things your own way.	I'm innovative and can always offer a fresh perspective. I enjoy taking the initiative.
Too indifferent: You never seem to have a strong opinion and just can't get excited about anything.	I'm adaptable and can be counted on to stay calm in stressful situations.
Too sensitive: You take everything to heart.	I'm a caring, perceptive person with strong people skills and a desire to please others.
Too serious: Everything is important. You never seem to relax.	I'm a careful and reliable person. I'm good at considering all the options.
Too extreme: You always overreact - every event in your life seems to be out of a soap opera.	I'm imaginative. My creativity leads to good ideas.
Too shy: Meeting new people makes you really nervous - you end up doing most things alone.	I'm self-motivated. I work well independently and need little supervision.