I M P R O V I N G Y O U R E N G L I S H
TEACHER: Adriana R. Guerrero
In fact, there are many things that you can do to get better your English. You need to use a language well: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Here are some ways you can improve.
 |
READING TIPS |
1. New words. What happens if you don’t know a word in a reading text?
- you can understand the text even if you don’t know all the words
- look at the word. Is it similar to a word in your language?
- look at the other words in the sentence, and think about the new word. Can you guess the meaning?
2. Reading for specific information. The exercise ask you to find information about the photos in the text.
- There are four photos. Find the part of the text that tells you about each one.
- Look for key words in the text. In the exercise for example, the key words are clothes and colours.
3. Answering questions
- If the questioin asks When...?, the answer is a date or time.
- If it asks Where...?, the answer is a place.
- /If it asks Why...?, the answer isa reason (Because...)
| LISTENING TIPS |
 |
1. Before you listen.
- Look at the pictures with the text. What is the topic of the text?
- Read the text before you listen.
- Try to guess the missing words. Write your ideas in pencil in the text.
- What type of word is it? Is it the name of a thing or a person? Is it a verb (is – are – go – like – listen ...) Is it an adjective (popular – cheap – wonderful...)
2. Choosing the correct picture.
- Before you listen, read the questions. What information do they ask for ?
- Study the pictures. Look for the differences between them.
- now listen. You hear the recordings twice.
| WRITING TIPS |
 |
1. Don’t always repeat names in your writing – use pronouns. For example.
Mateo is 15. He lives in Rome. Mateo’s sister is Sonia and his brother is.......
2. Listing things.
Look at how you write lists of words.
I like apples, oranges and grapes- I want some eggs, some onions, a lettuce and some cheese.
Notice the commas (,) and the use of “and” before the last thing in the list.
3. Planning your writing
Before you write to Jennifer, make notes about the things you want to say to her. Orginise your ideas under these headings:
General ideas, Friends, School work, Keeping old friends, Making new friends, …
4. Writing a postcard
- Start with Dear ......................................,
- Here are some endings you can use: all the best, Love, Lots of love, Love from.
You should make every effort possible to find somebody to speak with. If your teacher asks you a question, take the opportunity to answer. Try to say as much as possible. If your teacher asks you to speak in pairs or groups with other students, try to say as much as possible. Don't worry about your mistakes. Just speak!
FALSE FRIENDS OR COGNATES
 |
Taken from Internet. By:
Lenny Delgado G. |
Se denominan false friends (falsos amigos) o cognates (cognados) a las palabras que por escribirse de la misma forma (o parecida) en español son confundidas, pero que en realidad en inglés significan otra cosa. Por ejemplo, "conductor " en inglés no significa conductor, sino que se refiere al director de la orquesta o al cobrador que se encuentra en los autobuses. Aquí se encuentra una lista de los cognados o “false friends” más conocidos.
abstract: resumen (y no abstracto)
actual: real, efectivo (y no actual, que se dice current)
actually: en realidad (y no actualmente)
advice: consejos (y no aviso)
agenda: orden del día (y no agenda, que se dice diary)
application: solicitud
carpet: alfombra (y no carpeta)
conductor: director de orquesta o cobrador (y no conductor, que se dice driver)
crime: delito (crimen se dice murder)
deception: engaño (y no decepción, que se dice disappointment)
diversion: desviación (y no diversión, que se dice fun)
dramatic: drástico, espectacular
embarrassed: avergonzado/a (y no embarazada, que se dice pregnant)
eventual: definitivo (y no eventual, que se dice casual, incidental)
eventually: finalmente, tarde o temprano (y no eventualmente que se dice by chance, possibly)
form: formulario (y no forma, que se dice shape)
funeral: entierro (y no funeral, que se dice memorial service)
gracious: cortés (y no gracioso, que se dice funny)
to ignore: hacer caso omiso (y no ignorar, que se dice not know)
large: grande (y no largo, que se dice long)
lecture: conferencia (y no lectura, que se dice reading)
library: biblioteca (y no librería, que se dice bookshop)
media: medios (y no media, que se dice sock)
misery: tristeza (y no miseria, que se dice poverty)
notice: nota, anuncio (y no noticia, que se dice a piece of news)
occurrence: aparición (y no ocurrencia, que se dice absurd idea)
policy: política (y no policía, que se dice police)
regular: habitual, normal
to realize: darse cuenta (y no realizar, que se dice make)
sensible: sensitivo (y no sensible, que se dice sensitive)
sensitive: sensible (y no sensitivo, que se dice sensible)
success: éxito (y no suceso, que se dice event)
to traduce: calumniar (y no traducir, que se dice translate)
