English in Madrid

Look at the following examples that express hopes, plans and so on for the New Year. Then write some of your own ideas for the year ahead. Hopes: I hope (that) I 'll have more free time to do sport. I hope to visit my uncle in London this year. I haven't seen him for years. I wouldn't mind chang ing job. I'm not happy with the one I have. I 'd love to set up my own business but I don't know if I have the determination to succeed. I 'd like to go to the theatre more. I only went once last year.   Resolutions / promises: I 'll try to go to the gym three times a week. I won't drink so much.                               (See post on will for promises, offers... ) Future plans / arrangements: I 'm going to get married in May. I 'm hav ing my summer holidays in September this year....

A social networking site for ''beautiful people'' has been hit by a ''Shrek'' virus which allowed tens of thousands of ''ugly'' applicants to sign up. Members of BeautifulPeople.com must traditionally pass a strict '' rating '' stage where existing users vote on whether someone is attractive enough to be accepted into the online community. But this screening process was brought down last month, allowing anyone to join, regardless of their looks. Owners today apologised to more than 30,000 ''unfortunate'' people who were ''wrongly admitted'' to the site and subsequently banished . Source: Daily Telegraph What do you think of this website and the people who want to join it? How do you think the people who were kicked out feel? Would you ever try to join such a club? Don't you think it is all just a publicity stunt?   Vocabulary : to s___ __ - to become invol...

QUEEN ASKED: * MAY  WE DIG UP HENRY VIII? THE Queen is to be asked for permission to exhume the body of Henry VIII in a bid to prove that a rare ­disease caused his ferocious temper and * may have driven him to have two of his six wives executed . American researchers Catrina ­Whitley and Kyra Kramer believe that Henry had “Kell-positive” blood, and ­suffered from the related genetic ­disease McLeod’s syndrome. Dr Whitley, a bioarchaeologist, said: “This * could  vindicate Henry in history. Knowing he was mentally ill offers a different explanation for why Henry, who was greatly loved as a young prince, became a ­tyrant in ­later life.” Henry, who died in 1547 at the age of 55, is buried under the floor of St George’s Chapel, in Windsor ­Castle. Permission to unearth his remains and take hair and bone samples for DNA tests * must have royal approval. Dr Whitley added: “McLeod’s ­syndrome causes muscle weakness and even schizophrenic behaviour. It usually r...

We use should to ask for and give advice: What should I buy Caron for her birthday? Should I phone him or just send him an e-mail? You should visit the museum if you have time. You shouldn't wear jeans. They usually dress very smartly there. We can make the advice less direct by using: I think you should apologise to him. I don't think you should accept the job. Should + Verb means that Verb-ing is a good thing to do: something that is right or desirable (but is probably not doneat the moment). I should phone my parents every week. (but I don't) The government should change the law. (but they haven't done it yet) I think teachers should get a pay rise . (but they haven't got one yet) Shouldn't + Verb means that something isn't right. I shouldn't shout at the kids. (but I do) You shouldn't speak Spanish in class. (but you do) My boss shouldn't expect us to finish late so often. (but he does) To express past time...

Source; Pexels ( SHVETS production) Try to get into the habit of using might  to talk about possibilities . It's like saying maybe. It's also often used in conditional sentences. A: What are you doing for your holidays this year? B: We might go to the States. A: Are you going out tonight? B: No, I might stay in for a change. I might not go to work tomorrow. I don't feel very well. You might regret agree ing to do it. You should think about it carefully. She might come with us tomorrow. Do you mind? A: Where's David? B: He might still be at work. Spain are very strong at the moment. They might win the World Cup. It might not be the most exciting place in the world but I like it. His ex-girlfriend might be coming as well tonight. You should take an umbrella. It might be raining when you get there. Be careful! You might fall . He's got fair hair and blue eyes. He might be English. If it's sunny , we might go to the count...

Source:  Franzi Meyer on Unsplash I used to be a really fussy eater as a child. I wouldn't eat anything. I didn't use to eat much fruit and vegetables: strawberries, tomatoes, onions, broccoli, mushrooms, sweetcorn and so on were a definite no! I 'd only eat oranges that didn't have seeds . I did, however, love cabbage and brussel sprouts; which is quite unusual for a child. I would only have butter on toast when it was melted and I would pick out the orange- rind from the marmalade. I am still as fussy now as I was then, when it comes to meat and fish. I won't eat anything that has bone, fat or blood in it. If it looks like the animal , I won't touch it. ( Update : I have turned vegetarian since this post was written.) I used to have a computer called a ZX Spectrum. I think I got it when I was around 12 years old. I used to play a lot of computer games but my favourite was one called Horace and the Spiders. Children nowadays have Wii...