Tuesday, 31 March 2015

English Perfect Tenses








Retrieved from:
https://www.facebook.com/EnglishIF/photos/pb.384707561542391.-2207520000.1427855260./1004033519609789/?type=3&theater
on March 31, 2015

English Continuous Tenses







Retrieved from: 
https://www.facebook.com/EnglishIF/photos/pb.384707561542391.-2207520000.1427855260./1004033549609786/?type=3&theater
on March 31, 2015

English Simple Tenses




Retrieved from: 
https://www.facebook.com/EnglishIF/photos/pcb.1004033792943095/1004033512943123/?type=1&theater
on March 31, 2015


Difference between Do and Make

MAKE is associated with creation (producing, constructing, creating or building something new, plans or decisions). We use MAKE with food, drinks, meals.
Examples: 

  • I've just made a cake.
  • Can you tell me how much ten and ten make?
  • The dress you are wearing seems to be made for you.
DO is associated with completion (about work, jobs, tasks, activities in general without being specific). They do not produce any physical object. We sometimes use DO to replace a verb when the meaning is clear or obvious. This is more common in informal spoken English. 
Examples: 
  • I must do the shopping.
  • You must do your exercise again. 
List of standard expressions that take the verb DO and MAKE




Retrieved from: 
http://languagelearningbase.com/87095/difference-between-do-and-make
on March 31, 2015

English Modal Verbs

Modal verbs are auxiliary verbs that can only be used with a main verb, they cannot be the main verb. It is used to express modality, that is likelyhood, ability, permission, and obligation.
Examples:
                Can I go to the party?
                Could you read when you were two years old?
                



Retrieved from: 
http://languagelearningbase.com/85188/english-modal-verbs
on March 31, 2015

Some common verbs in English



Retrieved from: 
https://www.facebook.com/EnglishIF/photos/a.384715731541574.98999.384707561542391/1014090848604056/?type=1&permPage=1 (English is fun)
on March 31, 2015

American slang expressions and their equivalents in British English




Retrieved from: 
http://languagelearningbase.com/79483/american-slang-expression-their-equivalents-british-english
on March 31, 2015

Idioms used in everyday English



Retrieved from:
http://languagelearningbase.com/87116/idioms-used-in-everyday-english
on March 31, 2015

Words and phrases we owe to William Shakespeare



Retrieved from:
http://languagelearningbase.com/87121/words-and-phrases-we-owe-to-william-shakespeare
on March 31, 2015

Wh- questions




Retrieved from:
http://languagelearningbase.com/81614/wh-questions-question-words
on March 31, 2015

Prepositions after adjectives




Retrieved from:
http://languagelearningbase.com/82944/prepositions-after-adjectives
on March 31, 2015

Past Simple Vs Present Perfect



Retrieved from:
http://languagelearningbase.com/85221/past-simple-vs-present-perfect
on March 31, 2015

Idioms with feet



Retrieved from:
http://languagelearningbase.com/87142/idioms-with-feet
on March 31, 2015

History of Easter

Easter, which celebrates Jesus Christ's resurrection from the dead, is Christianity's most important holiday. It has been called a moveable feast because it does not fall on a set date every year, as most holidays do. Instead, Christian churches in the West celebrate Easter on the first Sunday following the full moon after the vernal equinox on March 21. Therefore, Easter is observed anywhere between March 22 and April 25 every year. 
The exact origins of this religious feast day's name are unknown. Some sources claim the word Easter is derived from Eostre, a Teutonic goddess of spring and fertility. Other accounts trace Easter to the Latin term hebdormada alba, or white week, an ancient reference to Easter week and the white clothing donned by people who were baptized during that time. Through a translation error, the term later appeared as esostarum in Old High German, which eventually became Easter in English. In Spanish, Easter is known as Pascua; in French, Paques. These words are derived from the Greek and Latin Pascha or Pasch, for Passover. Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection occurred after he went to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover, the Jewish festival commemorating the ancient Israelites' exodus from slavery in Egypt. Pascha eventually came to mean Easter.
Easter is really an entire season of the Christian church year, as opposed to a single-day observance. Lent, the 40-day period leading up to Easter Sunday, is a time of reflection and penance and represents the 40 days that Jesus spent alone in the wilderness before starting his ministry, a time in which Christians believe he survived various temptations by the devil. The day before Lent, known as Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday, is a last hurrah of food and fun before the fasting begins. The week preceding Easter is called Holly Week and includes Maundy Thursday, which commemorates Jesus' last supper with his disciples; Good Friday, which honors the day of his crucifixion, and Holy Saturday, which focuses on the transition between the crucifixion and resurrection.
In addition to Easter's religious significance, it also has a commercial side, as evidenced by the mounds of jelly beans and marshmallows chicks that appear in the stores each spring. As with Christmas, over the centuries various folks customs and pagan traditions, including Easter eggs, bunnies, baskets and candy, have become a standard part of this holy holiday. 

Retrieved from:
www.history.com/topics/holiday/history-of-easter
on March 31, 2015

April Fools' Day - The History of the Fools

April Fools' Day, also called All Fools' Day, is celebrated every April 1st in the United States. While it is not officially recognized as a holiday, many celebrate by pranking, or pulling practical jokes on, their colleagues or by organizing larger-scale hoaxes.

As April Fools' is celebrated in different ways throughout the world, it is unknown exactly how the tradition originated. Some cultures saw it as the first day of spring, celebrating with general merriment and feasting, and certain calendars may consider it the first day of the year. One theory for the terming of an April Fool was that some refused to follow these calendars that recognized April 1st as the first day of the year, which resulted in being called an April Fool.

There are a few other theories as to precursors to the holiday tradition. Hilaria, a Roman festival, which celebrated Cybele, an Anatolian goddess, was celebrated around March 25th. The Feast of Fools was a term given to many medieval festivals celebrated during the fifth-sixteenth centuries in Europe, but particularly at the end of December. These celebrations developed a tradition of practical jokes, especially when observed in Spain.


However, the tradition of practical jokes had been well established by 1632, when legend states that the Duke of Lorraine and his wife escaped a prison at Nantes by dressing as peasants, walking right out the front gate. When the guards were alerted to the escape, they laughed at what they thought was an April Fools' prank. One of the first April Fools' pranks occurred in 1698, when citizens of London were tricked into attending the lion-washing ceremony at the Tower of London, a ceremony that did not actually exist.

Retrieved from:
http://www.wilstar.com/holidays/aprilfool.htm
on March 31, 2015

Welcome to English at SML UCV's blog!

This blog was specially designed for you to learn different things related to the English language and culture, and for you to practice the language. We encourage you to take advantage of the resources available and enjoy learning!