Real English series: Giving directions

In our Real English video series we deal with the topic of giving street directions, a practical grammar and vocabulary point which is difficult to grasp, both from the perspective of the person giving directions and from that of the listener, both in our own mother tongue and, let alone, in English.

It is a fairly short video where the person asking for street directions keeps repeating the same question:

Excuse me, can/could you tell me the way to XXXXX, please?

The answers are fairly straightforward and to the point, and the people giving street directions use the imperative most of the times:

Just go up there and turn left.
Straight up to the traffic lights and then turn left at the traffic lights.
Go down to XXXX and turn left, that’s XXXXX.
It’s just along here and your first on the left.
Up to the lights, and it’s the road on the left.
The cathedral is straight down here.
Straight up the road.
That way!

The video gives us the opportunity to revise how to thank someone:

Lovely. 
Thanks / Thanks a lot / Thank you / Thank you very much.

And how to apoligise if we don't know something:

Sorry? Where?
Sorry, I can’t speak English.
I’m sorry, I don’t know, sorry.
I’m afraid I don’t know the way, I’m a stranger here myself.



Drop by the Real English site to watch the same video with subtitles and to do some interactive activities based on the video above.

This blog features a fairly similar video, Around the town, in the Vodcast Series, although this one is a bit more complicated for learners in the Basic level.

Penelope and Monica Cruz on TV ad for Nintendo

Students, especially those at an elementary level (Básico 1 and Básico 2) are going to love this ad.

To begin with, it features two well-known Spanish actresses speaking English. Next, the language they use is within their grasp. Finally the clip help us to revise/learn some very interesting language:

• Use of the imperative in English: Just the verb form, with no auxiliary or pronoun.
• Use of the structure Let's + verb to make suggestions.
• Expressions to give someone encouragement: Come on, my friend! You can do it! Good boy!
• Use of the expression Really! to show surprise and to show someone we're reacting to what they're telling us.
• Thanking people and how to react when someone says Thank you! You're welcome!

You can read the transcript below. 




Oh Mario! Let’s go. Good boy. Come on my friend, you can do it, get the coin, get the coin, run, run.  Oh no! No! No! No!
Sister, you need the champion to help you reach the million.
Meemememe
Let’s play together.
You want me to remind who’s the big sister. The last one who loses the bet. Remember.
Really?
Really! Really!
Ah ha ha
Come on come on come on, save me today please.
Ok, ok.
Ok, thank you
You’re welcome.
Move, move away, away
Who’s the champion now?
Luigi.
No!
You know what you have to do?
Ok, bring it on. Let’s go.
Buongiorno, can I have a mushroom please?

Online TPR excercises

Henny Jellema’s Online TPR (Total Physical Response) Exercises give us the chance to practise commands in English through reading and listening.

However, as he cautions, 'all the actions in the exercises below should have been physically DONE  first.  It has no sense to let a student  click-click-click with a computer mouse without experience of the physical action.  For a student the exercises should not be a surprise of something new, but a surprise of recognition!'

All in all the site is ideal for Básico 1 and Básico 2 (elementary) students who are working on commands (imperative forms), as it allows them to reinforce this structure through the skills of listening and reading while consolidating basic everyday vocabulary.

Great site.

H/T to Larry Ferlazzo.

Fasten Seatbelts!

Fasten Seat Belts is a web created by the European Commission within the programme Life Long Learning aimed at helping travellers to learn the cultural norms of the places they plan to visit, either in Europe or in Asia. You can search for videos by country or by theme (table manners, bar customs, etc). It also offers a small explanation about the origin.

Self-study activity:

a) For Básico 1 and Básico 2 students.

Go over some of the videos and later on write down some of the norms you have read about. In doing so you will have to use the imperative.

b) For Intermedio 1 and Intermedio 2 students.

Go over some of the videos and rephrase the information using must (to express obligation) or mustn't (to express prohibition).

H/T to Free Technology for Teachers.

Office parties

Through Julia, from Author Steam, I have come across this timely presentation about the don'ts at Christmas office parties.

Christmas office parties are really not in fashion in Spain, but you never know how helpful this advice will be one day. In the meantime, revise the negative imperative.

Should the presentation not come up straightaway, click on the title right below here, please.

Things you should not do at office party

More PowerPoint presentations from stainly

Internet safety

Beautiful online presentation by some US primary-school students about the hazards the internet poses and the precautions we should take. Just read their posts and enjoy them while you revise the imperative in English.

How to use a GPS

Self-study activity:
Watch this video clip in which someone explains how to use a Tomtom One Satellite Navigation system. Then answer the questions that follow. The listening activities are divided into three parts.



1) Counter: 0:00-1:30 -Watch and put these instructions in the correct order.

a. push address
b. touch the screen to bring up the main menu
c. push the button at the top
d. press postcode
e. hold it until the screen lights up.

2) Counter: 1:30-2:50 -Answer these questions.

a. What postcode does he enter?
b. Which route option does he choose?
c. How long will the journey take?
d. How far does he have to travel

3) Counter: 2:50-3:25 -Complete the instruction the voice gives.

At the end of the road...
Then take the...

Key:
1) a 4 b 3 c 1 d 5 e 2
2) a DY81TA b fastest c 7 minutes d 2.4 miles
3) At the end of the road... turn right; Then take the... second right
 
You can read the transcript of the video here.

This activity is adapted from It's Magazines issue 113

Mr Bean goes out to lunch

Self-study activity:
Watch this famous clip by Mr Bean and number the different kinds of foods and drinks as they appear. Look up the words you don't know.

coffee      bread      meat      black pepper    tea       cake       fish      
salt      beer      lettuce      pasta      garlic      milk      tomato      rice     
butter      coke      cucumber      omelette      mayonnaise



Now make instructions on How to make a sandwich according to Mr Bean. You may wish to include these verbs:

to cut; to cry; to pour; to shake; to wash; to put; to boil; to kill; to spread;to add; to open

Remember that English uses the imperative to give instructions. To show the order of the instructions, use the following adverbs: First, then, next, after that, finally.

Example:
First cut the bread with the scissors.
Then spread butter on the bread with a credit card.
Next wash the lettuce and shake it with a sock before putting it on the bread.

Now write similar instructions about how to make your favourite sandwich.

This activity was shown to me by the teacher José Mª Zarranz.

Breathe in

Self-study activity: Watch this video and answer the questions that follow.



1. Where's the man?
2. What is he thinking about?
3. What was the weather like today?
4. Why didn’t he buy any sugar?
5. What’s he going to do after class?

Note down some examples of affirmative and negative imperatives that you can hear and watch in the clip.

Listen to the yoga teacher’s voice and follow her instructions. Then describe what you saw and who you
met in the wood. What did the person say?

Discuss with a friend, relative or classmate: How do you usually relax? Where do you feel most relaxed?

Key: 1 at a relaxation class 2 sugar 3 rainy 4 he didn't pass the supermarket 5 go to the supermarket


Close your eyes. Breathe in. Breathe out. Relax. Stop thinking about sugar. Think of all the different things you did... Now imagine you walk out of this room. Look around you. Follow the path. Look up at the trees. Smell the flowers. Listen to the sounds of the birds. Don’t forget to buy some sugar. Remember what the person says and then return through the wood. Open your eyes.

You can read the script here.

This activity is adapted from Global Pre-intermediate, Macmillan Publishers