Advertising

It is not only products that can be advertised, sometimes it can even be a sport. (Topic: My favourite or my least favourite advertisment; Straightforward Intermediate, Unit 5)

An ad for a nose gel, which "attacks, before it (a virus) has a chance to spread and develop".
Or as it says, attack is the best form of defence.

Past tenses (Intermediate)

Past simple and past perfect - grammar explained + exercises and tests bellow.

Past simple and past continuous - exercises

Present perfect or past simple? (Intermediate)

Try this short online exercise - it is very similar to those we have done in Unit 2.

http://www.englishtenseswithcartoons.com/pages/exercises/PastSimplevsPresentPerfect1.php

Unusual journeys

Two follow-up videos for 2AB/Straightforward Intermediate Unit 2.



Apparently, this somewhat controversial video has not been accepted among some Slovaks with great enthusiasm (see - or rather not - the steamed comments on youtube :) ). The author, Michael Palin, is an excellent British comedian and writer known for his rude humour, so consider this and be merciful to him :)

Having talked about unusual journeys and giving up your job to do something more exciting, here is Matt Harding's story in Slovak, video included. Via gobl.blog.sme.sk  Absolutely gripping.

Compensation culture

Additional reading to the topic we have covered in Straightforward Intermediate book, Unit 12B. (3C students)

It brings the comments from the UK public. As the text is quite long, you can try to read at least some of the comments. They are very interesting personal experiences. Here are a few of my favourites:

"During a trip to San Francisco earlier in the year, I was astounded to read a notice in a shop door saying 'Caution - there is a glass pane in this door'..."

"My son broke his arm falling from a swing in a local park. People told me I could get £5,000 in compensation. But my view was - if everyone does that, how are we going to be able to afford swings?"

"Service providers in this country got away for years with shoddy services because there was most definitely a "one-mustn't grumble" culture..."

More on http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3582766.stm

"Have something done" (Intermediate Students)

(Not only) for Class 3C - Straightforward Intermediate, Unit 11.

Not sure how to use the structure "have something done" (Causative) correctly? Here's a link to some very nice online interactive exercises by Caroline and Pearson Brown on englishgrammarsecrets.com

Click for a short introduction to the topic.
You'll find 5 exercises bellow the text.