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Agreeing and disagreeing

September 23rd, 2007 by Jonathan Davila

Improving your English vocabulary is not as difficult as you think. You just need to become familiar with useful English words, phrases and expressions. This post will help you with telling someone that you agree or disagree with their opinion.

Agreeing

“I think you’re right.”
“I agree with you.”

Strong agreement

“I couldn’t agree with you more.”
“You’re absolutely right.”
“I agree entirely.”
“I totally agree.”

Agreeing in part

“I agree with you up to a point, but…”
“That’s quite true, but…”
“I agree with you in principle, but…”

Disagreeing

“I’m not sure I agree with you.”
“(I’m afraid) I don’t agree.”
“(I’m afraid) I disagree.”
“(I’m afraid) I can’t agree with you.”
“(I’m afraid) I don’t share your opinion.”

Note that when you disagree with someone, you can often sound more polite by using a phrase such as “I’m afraid…”

Disagreeing strongly

“I don’t agree at all.”
“I totally disagree.”
“I couldn’t agree with you less.”

Agreement & Disagreement

September 19th, 2007 by Jonathan Davila

disagreement2.jpg

A: In my opinion income taxes are too high.

B: I agree with you.


A: I think alcohol is just as bad as marijuana.

B: Well, I don’t know about that.


A: The ads encourage children to eat junk food.

B: I can’t go along with you on that point.


A: Do you agree with my opinion?

B: Yes, I do.


A: Do you think this will work out?

B: I doubt it.


A: I think all we have to do now is cut down on our expenses.

B:  I agree with you.


A: Let me get down to the main business.

B: Okay.


A: Are you for or against this plan?

B: I’m for it.

 

Activities:

 

1) Practice with a partner.

 

2) New vocabulary and expressions

Past Continuous

September 17th, 2007 by Jonathan Davila

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnZJpPM9YxM]

Conversation Questions- Accidents at Home

September 13th, 2007 by Jonathan Davila

You can practice this with your classmates, friends and family. Enjoy !!!!!!

  • What is the most dangerous thing in your home? How can it be made less dangerous?
  • What is the most dangerous thing in your home for a child? How can it be made less dangerous?
  • What is the most dangerous thing in your home for an elderly person? How can it be made less dangerous?
  • What dangers can be found in the kitchen that can cause accidents?
  • What can be done to prevent kitchen accidents?
  • What can a parent do to childproof a kitchen?
  • What dangers can be found in bathrooms that can cause accidents?
  • What can be done to prevent bathroom accidents?
  • What can a parent do to childproof a bathroom?
  • What dangers can be found outside the home in the yard that can cause accidents?
  • What can be done to prevent yard accidents?
  • What can a parent do to childproof the yard?
  • What other dangers can be found in a home in bedrooms, laundry rooms, garages, and living areas?
  • What can be done throughout the house to prevent accidents?
  • What can a parent do to childproof the different rooms of the home?
  • Where at home would you put your first aid kit? What would you have in it?
  • Where are these items found in a house, why could they be dangerous, to whom could they be dangerous, and what could someone do to lessen the danger they present?
    • hot pan/pot
    • hot curling iron
    • knife
    • window
    • iron
    • medicines
    • gasoline
    • pool
    • insecticides
    • natural gas
    • balcony
    • toilets
    • staircase
    • stove/oven
    • stool/ladder
    • yard tools
    • fireplace
    • cellar /attic
    • bathtub
    • bad dog
    • tall pieces of furniture
    • swing set / playground
    • very clean glass sliding door
    • electronic equipment
    • cleaning supplies
    • lake/retention pond
    • loose carpet on slippery tile floor
    • glass table or sharp edged table
    • hairdryer
    • bric-a-brac
  • What do you need to do if…
    • you cut your finger preparing food?
    • you fall down and can not move a limb?
    • your child drinks a poisonous liquid? (discuss syrup of ipecac)
    • the toilet is flooding the bathroom?
    • a pan on the stove is on fire?
    • a neighbor’s dog is growling at you?
    • our child falls off a chair and is bleeding?

    Thanks to Susan N. Hughes who suggested this topic and contributed the first 40 questions in January 2005. iteslj.org

Say or Tell?

September 13th, 2007 by Jonathan Davila

Say and tell have similar meanings. They both mean to communicate verbally with someone. But we often use them in different ways,The simple way to think of say and tell is:

  • You say something
  • You tell someone something

You say something

You tell someone something

Manuel said that he was sick.

Manuel told Jessica that he was Sick.

Carlos says you have a new car.

Carlos tells me you have a new car.

Sara said: “I love you.”

Sara told Rick that she loved him.

But, of course, it is not always so easy. Here are a few rules to help you.

Personal object
We usually follow tell with a personal object (the person that we are speaking to). We usually use say without a personal object:

  • She told me that she loved John.
  • She said that she loved John.
  • He told everybody that he had to leave.
  • He said that he had to leave.

Say “to someone”
With say, we sometimes use “to someone”:

  • He said to me that he was tired.
  • Sara said to Ram that he had done very well.
  • Anthony said to her, “I hope you come soon.”
  • “I’d like to sleep,” she said to him quietly.

Accident - Speaking practice

September 11th, 2007 by Jonathan Davila

A: Can you help me? My car has run into a ditch.

B: Oh, you’re bleeding a lot. I’ll phone for an ambulance.


A: Police Department.

B: Hello. A gun fight is going on here in the Owl Cafe.


A: What’s wrong?

B: I’ve got to report a car missing.


A: Police Operator 117. (you can use your country emergency phone numbers)

B: I want to report a fire.

A:  Where is it?

BMcLeod factory on Meridian Street. ( use known places )


A: He’s absolutely boiling!

B: Bring him right into the examining room.


A: How did it happen anyway?

B:  I was checking the city map at the corner and I slipped and fell.

 

A: What’s going on?

B: I’m not sure, but there seems to have been a traffic accident.

 

Activities:

 

1) Practice with a partner.

 

2) New vocabulary and expressions

 

 

Diga NO al Español cuando estudia Inglés.

September 10th, 2007 by Jonathan Davila

¡Profesor! , ¡Tradúzcame esto al español! Por favor. Dice el estudiante. ¡Profesor! ¿Puede traducirnos esta canción al español?

El profesor le dice a toda la clase: “El próximo domingo me traen traducida esta lectura al Español”

¿Cuál es el problema? Primero, preguntémonos. ¿Estamos estudiando para ser traductores o es que queremos hablar Ingles? No podemos depender de un idioma para aprender otro. Cuando nosotros comenzamos a hablar nuestra lengua materna, verdad que no necesitábamos antes haber estudiado otro idioma, ósea no dependíamos de otro, para aprenderla.

Lo mismo pasa ahora, en muchas escuelas los profesores de Ingles yerran al dar la clase de Ingles en Español. ¿Pueden creerlo?

Yo soy de los que opinan fuertemente que para aprender un nuevo idioma, como el Ingles. No deberíamos depender todo el tiempo de nuestra lengua materna. Es un grave error. ¿Por qué?

Bueno, ¿Qué pasa si con el pasar de los años, seguimos pensando en términos de nuestra lengua materna, antes de proferir algo en Ingles?

¡Estaríamos dependiendo siempre de ella y no debe ser así!

Saludos y disculpas por escribir esto en Español. Sigamos con el Ingles.

Japanese Learning English - LOL

September 8th, 2007 by Jonathan Davila

[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=0W1VY4b9IQQ]

A fly in my soup!

September 5th, 2007 by Jonathan Davila

A man asked for a meal in a restaurant. The waiter brought the food and put it on the table. After a moment, the man called the waiter and said:

“Waiter! Waiter! There’s a fly in my soup!”

“Please don’t speak so loudly, sir,” said the waiter, “or everyone will want one.”

A quick one

September 5th, 2007 by Jonathan Davila

A: Shall I tell you the joke about the butter?

B: You’d better not. I might spread it.