New semester, new courses!

First of all, just to say hello and welcome to the new Lab 2 and ESP courses! Welcome back to some of you and welcome to new students.
As I said I try to keep my blog up to date as regards lessons done and am always delighted to get comments!!!!
By the way let me remind you of the change to the timetable, ESP on Thursdays is now from 14-15, while LAB 2 Is from 15-17. Both lessons are in Room 6a.

ESP

The first unit dealt with describing pictures - in particualr we looked at Vermeer's "Woman Holding A Balance" , see Textbook Pages 11, 12 and 13 (not techniques). You should be able to describe any kind of painting using prepositions like (at the top, bottom, on the right etc. ot phrases like in the foreground, in the top lefthand corner etc. )
For a more detailed description of a painting you could use the following table; (remember if you like you can write it up and hand it in!)


The link for the DE CHIRICO painting is http://www.tate.org.uk/imap/imap2/pages/dechirico.html

Check Vermeer out on

http://www.nga.gov/feature/vermeer/symbols1.shtm
DESCRIBING A PAINTING

The title of the painting is _____________________________________________________.
The name of the artist is _____________________________________________________.
It was painted in (year) ______________.
Style of painting: landscape ( ) portrait ( ) subject ( ) self-portrait ( ) other: __________.
Kind of painting ( oil ( ) watercolour ( ) charcoal ( ) etc)
Do you like this painting? Yes ( ) No ( )
If yes, why? If no, why not?
What can you see in the painting? (There is/are , prepositions, in the foreground etc. )
What colours has the artist used?
Describe what is going on in the painting: (present progressive)
Symbolism?
How does the painting make you feel? Why?
Find out when and where the artist lived, and write down three interesting facts about them:
Describe the painting in five words:


GRAMMAR POINTS

PRESENT SIMPLE AND PRESENT PROGRESSIVE TENSES
TEXTBOOK : 16 /17
ESSENTIAL ENGLISH : UNITS 4, 5 6, 7, 8 , 9



LAB 2


We have looked at the following grammar points
PRESENT SIMPLE
1) TO TALK ABOUT FACTS (THINGS THAT ARE ALWAYS TRUE)
She lives in London.
2) HABITS AND ACTIONS
She gets up at 6 am every day.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS
1) ACTIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING AT THE MOMENT OF SPEAKING
The students are listening to the teacher.
2) TEMPORARY SITUATIONS AND ACTIVITIES
I’m living in Madrid. (temporary) Cp I LIVE IN LONDON (permanent)(depends how we see the action)



STATIVE V. DYNAMIC VERBS.

STATIVE VERBS are only used in the simple form; they describe emotions, opinions, the senses and states that do not change.
I love you (NOT I’m loving you!)

Common stative verbs page 14
Agree appear be believe belong etc.

MOST VERBS CAN BE USED IN BOTH THE SIMPLE AND CONTINUOUS FORMS, (DYNAMIC VERBS)
It often rains in March. It’s raining.

Some verbs can be both stative and dynamic but have different meanings:

What do you think of John? (opinion)

What are you doing? I’m thinking!

SUBJECT AND OBJECT QUESTIONS

USUAL WORD ORDER FOR QUESTIONS

QUESTION WORD AUXILIARY SUBJECT INFINITIVE
WHERE DO YOU COME FROM?
WHAT DOES HE LIKE DOING IN HIS FREE TIME?
Where Are You From?


SUBJECT QUESTIONS

Who, what, which, how many can sometimes by the subject of the question and do NOT need an auxiliary verb.

Subject verb
Who painted the Mona Lisa?
How many students remember this rule?
What Happened?


NB

If the question word is the OBJECT = normal w.o. and aux (do, does, did)


Qword AUXILIARY SUBJECT INFINITIVE
What does HE do?


We also looked at expressions like "consider myself, "think of myself, I would describe myself as "

Topics : Liars, Britishness!

text book - pages 6 -11 workbook p4 1a ex. 1, 7, 8
p5 1B ex. 1,2,3, 4, 5

Essential grammar : present simple /continuous Units 4, 5, 6, 7. 8, 9
NB 9C brief description of stative verbs

Subject questions Unit 47.


See you all on Tuesday!

SAllyD