Used To

We use ‘used to’ to talk about things that happened in the past – actions or states (PAST HABITS) – that no longer happen now.

Affirmative: Used to + infinitive

• Tom used to smoke a lot 5 years ago.
• There used to be a great restaurant here, but it closed a few years ago.

Negative: didn’t use to + infinitive

Mary didn’t use to like vegetables when she was a little child.

Interrogative: Did you use to + infinitive …?

Did he use to be thinner when he was younger?

There is no present tense equivalent of ‘used to’. To talk about present habits we use the present simple and an adverb of frequency (usually, always, often, never, etc.)

I usually study at the library. 

You can practise the "USED TO" structure with this song:

"Did they use to talk?"

We Don't Talk Anymore  by Charlie Puth (feat. Selena Gomez)

Chorus 1. Fill in the gaps

[Charlie Puth:]

We don't talk anymore, we don't talk anymore
We don't talk anymore, like we .......... to do
We don't love anymore
What was all of it ..........?
Oh, we don't talk anymore, like we .......... to do

Order the sentences

I wish I would have known that wasn't me
I just heard you found the one you've been looking
Why I can't move on
Cause even after all this time I still wonder
Just the way you did so easily
You've been looking for

Chorus 2. Cross out the odd word

Don't wanna to know
What kind of dress you're wearing on tonight
If he's holding onto you so very tight
The way that I did before
I overdosed it
Should've known your love was not a game
Now that I can't get you out of my brain
Oh, it's just such a shame
That we don't talk anymore

Chorus 1

Fill in the gaps

[Selena Gomez:]

I just .......... you're lying next to somebody
Who knows how to love you .......... me
There must be a good reason that you're ..........
Every now and .......... I think you
Might want me to come show up at your ..........
But I'm just too .......... that I'll be wrong

Don't wanna ..........
If you're looking .......... her eyes
If she's holding onto you so .......... the way I did before
I overdosed
Should've known your love was a ..........
Now I can't get you out of my ..........
Oh, it's such a shame

[Charlie Puth & Selena Gomez:]

That we don't talk anymore (We don't, we don't)
We don't talk anymore (We don't, we don't)
We don't talk anymore, like we .......... to do
We don't love anymore (We don't, we don't)
What was all of it for? (We don't, we don't)
Oh, we don't talk anymore, like we .......... to do

Like we .......... to do

Chorus 2

Some more practice here and here. 

Allergy Season

How much do you know about allergies? Test your medical IQ by doing the quiz below:

Allergies Quiz


Why do we get allergies? Understanding what causes them and how your body reacts to an allergen is important.




Discuss these questions in groups:

1. Describe your nose and eyes when you suffer from an allergy.

2. What do antibodies normally do?

3. What does the inmune system make antibodies do in cases of allergy?

4. What is the name of the antibody produced by the immune system in allergic people?

5. Is allergy-causing-pollen in big flowers? Why?

6. Which is one of the chemicals that causes reactions?

7. Why do we get the sensation of itchy nose?

8. When is there more pollen floating around, in the morning or in the afternoon?

Answers:

1. You've got a runny nose and puffy (swollen) eyes.
2. Fight and recognize germs.
3. Recognize harmless things such as pollen or animal dander.
4. Immunoglobin E.
5. No, it isn't. Because it's too heavy to go airborne.
6. Histamine.
7. Because histamine can activate the receptor on nerves.
8. Early in the morning.


Some Tips for Allergy Season



Do you usually do any of them? Do you find them useful?



3 Natural Allergy Remedies



Have you tried any?



10 Rather Strange Allergies



How many did you know? Does any of them seem fake?

Reported speech with songs

Reported Orders

When someone tells you very directly to do something. For example:

• Direct speech: "Sit down!"

We use 'told me + to + infinitive'

• Reported speech: She told me to sit down.

To report a negative order, use 'not':

• Direct speech: "Don't shout."
• Reported speech: She told me not to shout.

Direct Order	Reported Order
“Go to bed!”	He told the child to go to bed.
“Don't worry!”	He told her not to worry.
“Be on time!”	He told me to be on time.
“Don't smoke!	He told us not to smoke.

Reported Requests

If someone asks you to do something (in a polite way)? For example:

• Direct speech: "Close the window, please"
• Or: "Could you close the window please?"
• Or: "Would you mind closing the window please?"

All of these requests mean the same thing, so we don't need to report every word when we tell another person about it. We simply use 'asked me + to + infinitive':

• Reported speech: She asked me to close the window.

To report a negative request, use 'not':

• Direct speech: "Please don't be late."
• Reported speech: She asked us not to be late.

Here are a few more examples: 

Direct Request	Reported Request
“Please help me”.	She asked me to help her.
“Please don't smoke”.	She asked me not to smoke.
“Could you bring my book tonight?”	She asked me to bring her book that night.
“Could you pass the milk, please?”	She asked me to pass the milk.
“Would you mind coming early tomorrow?”	She asked me to come early the next day.

Let's practise with the lyrics of these songs:

"7 Years"  -LUKAS GRAHAM                                     

Once I was seven years old, my mama told me,

"Go make yourself some friends or you'll be lonely."

Once I was seven years old

It was a big big world, but we thought we were bigger

Pushing each other to the limits, we were learning quicker

By eleven smoking herb and drinking burning liquor

Never rich so we were out to make that steady figure

Once I was eleven years old, my daddy told me,

"Go get yourself a wife or you'll be lonely."

Once I was eleven years old

I always had that dream, like my daddy before me

So I started writing songs, I started writing stories

Something about that glory just always seemed to bore me

'Cause only those I really love will ever really know me

Once I was twenty years old, my story got told

Before the morning sun, when life was lonely

Once I was twenty years old

(Lukas Graham!)

I only see my goals, I don't believe in failure

'Cause I know the smallest voices, they can make it major

I got my boys with me, at least those in favor

And if we don't meet before I leave, I hope I'll see you later

Once I was twenty years old, my story got told

I was writing about everything I saw before me

Once I was twenty years old

Soon we'll be thirty years old, our songs have been sold

We've traveled around the world and we're still roaming

Soon we'll be thirty years old

I'm still learning about life

My woman brought children for me

So I can sing them all my songs

And I can tell them stories

Most of my boys are with me

Some are still out seeking glory

And some I had to leave behind

My brother, I'm still sorry

Soon I'll be sixty years old, my daddy got sixty-one

Remember life, and then your life becomes a better one

I made a man so happy when I wrote a letter once

I hope my children come and visit once or twice a month

Soon I'll be sixty years old, will I think the world is cold

Or will I have a lot of children who can warm me?

Soon I'll be sixty years old

Soon I'll be sixty years old, will I think the world is cold

Or will I have a lot of children who can warm me?

Soon I'll be sixty years old

Once I was seven years old, my mama told me,

"Go make yourself some friends or you'll be lonely."

Once I was seven years old

Once I was seven years old

"The Nights" - AVICII

   

                                       

Hey, once upon a younger year

When all our shadows disappeared

The animals inside came out to play

Hey, went face to face with all our fears

Learned our lessons through the tears

Made memories we knew would never fade

One day my father—he told me,

"Son, don't let it slip away."

He took me in his arms, I heard him say,

"When you get older

Your wild heart will live for younger days

Think of me if ever you're afraid."

He said, "One day you'll leave this world behind

So live a life you will remember."

My father told me when I was just a child

These are the nights that never die

My father told me

[Instrumental]

When thunder clouds start pouring down

Light a fire they can't put out

Carve your name into those shining stars

He said, "Go venture far beyond these shores.

Don't forsake this life of yours.

I'll guide you home no matter where you are."

One day my father—he told me,

"Son, don't let it slip away."

When I was just a kid I heard him say,

"When you get older

Your wild heart will live for younger days

Think of me if ever you're afraid."

He said, "One day you'll leave this world behind

So live a life you will remember."

My father told me when I was just a child

These are the nights that never die

My father told me

These are the nights that never die

My father told me

Hey, hey

The Statue of Liberty

As we are dealing with Art, today we are going to learn about the history of this beautiful sculpture. How many questions can you answer before watching the video?

The Statue of Liberty

1-      What was the reason why France gave this statue to the USA?

2-      Who was the sculptor commissioned to design the statue?

3-      What part of the statue had to be financed by the USA?

4-      Where and when was the statue completed?

5-      When was the pedestal finished?

6-      How was the statue transported?

7-      How long did it take to reassemble the statue on her pedestal in the USA?

8-      When was the Statue of Liberty declared a National Monument?

9-      What does this statue represent besides friendship?

10-   Which goddess does the statue represent?

11-   How many points has the crown got and what do they represent?

12-   Which date is written on the stone tablet in her left hand and why?

13-   What is the flaming torch in her right hand covered in?

14-   What is the statue covered in?

15-   How many tons does the statue weigh?

16-   How high is the statue without the pedestal?

17-   How many people visit the Statue of Liberty every year?

18-   Why was the poem inside the statue written?

19-   How old is the Statue of Liberty?

20-   The Statue of Liberty is considered  a World Heritage Site. What does that  mean?

Would you rather...?

Talking about hypothetical situations.
These kids ages 3 to 11 play "Would You Rather". Listen and see if they have anything to teach us.






In this video, taken from Jamie Keddie's site, Lessonstream.org, James and Jess decide which would be better: to spend a month in prison or two years alone on a desert island. 




Now, it's your turn to talk. Do you agree or disagree with James and Jess? Give reasons for your answers. 

Let's discuss similar questions proposed by Jamie Keddie:

• Would you rather be able to speak English like a native English speaker, or speak 12 other languages at elementary level?
• Would you rather walk to work naked or eat a sheep’s eye ball?
• Would you rather be the world’s best singer or the world’s best dancer?
• Would you rather be able to fly or make yourself invisible?

As we have just heard in the video, when talking about hypothetical situations, we can use these expressions below:

• I would … / I’d …
• I wouldn’t …
• Would you … ?
• You would have to …
• You would be able to … / You could …
• Second conditional structures (e.g. If I had enough books, I would choose a desert island.)

Video transcript

Jamie: Would you rather spend a month in prison or two years alone on a desert island?

James: Oh, a month in prison, definitely.

Jess: Why?

James: Because, a month in prison, you have company for a start. It’s only a month long and you get adequate care taken of you. A desert island, you’re left alone. You don’t have that.

Jess: But that’s kind of fun.

James: Well, it’s fun if you have, you know, adequate resources.

Jess: If I had enough books, I would definitely choose a desert island.

James: What about water and food?

Jess: Well, yeah. As in like ... hmm ... yeah, I wouldn’t be very good at that.

James: Plus, you have to think suncream ... you know ... you get books in prison.

Jess: Then I’ll sit in the shade. I don’t know. Hmm ...

James: What would be the problem for prison for you?

Jess: It would just be a bit grim. Like at least if you were on a nice island, it would be nice and scenic.

James: Yeah. And you’d feel like a free person.

Jess: It’d be like ... it’d be like a holiday. But then you wouldn’t see anyone for two years and probably go crazy.

James: Two years is quite a long time ...

Jess: Yeah

James: Whereas one month is ...

Jess: Maybe I’d pick prison as well.

James: Yeah

Jess: You’d also get really ripped because you’d probably ...

James: ... you’d work out all the time.

Jess: Yeah

James: Yeah, that’s true.

Jess: Really ripped and really intelligent.

James: Yeah. Well, you’ve only got a month.

Jess: And you could write your memoirs.

James: You’ve only got a month, Jess.

Jess: Oh yeah

 

 

Write a narrative

Write a narrative for the story of Sarah and Juan. First, watch the video and then, write all the facts in the Past Simple tense. After that, organize the ideas with sentences using the Past Perfect and the Past Simple tenses. Connect your ideas with the following words: when, by the time, after, before and because.

"Can't Help Falling In Love" - Elvis Presley (Cover by Haley Reinhart)

Wise men say

Only fools rush in

But I can't help falling in love with you

Shall I stay

Would it be a sin

If I can't help falling in love with you

Like a river flows

Surely to the sea

Darling so it goes

Some things are meant to be

Take my hand,

Take my whole life too

For I can't help falling in love with you

Like a river flows

Surely to the sea

Darling so it goes

Some things are meant to be

Take my hand,

Take my whole life too

For I can't help falling in love with you

For I can't help falling in love with you

Merry Christmas

"Half The World Away" (Oasis - Aurora's cover)

I would like to leave this city
This old town don't smell too pretty and
I can feel the warning signs running around my mind
And when I leave this island
I book myself into a soul asylum
I can feel the warning signs running around my mind

So here I go
I'm still scratching around in the same old hole
My body feels young but my mind is very old
So what do you say?
You can't give me the dreams that are mine anyway
You're half the world away
You're half the world away

And when I leave this planet
You know I'd stay but I just can't stand it and
I can feel the warning signs running around my mind
And if I can leave this spirit
I'll find me a hole and I'll live in it
I can feel the warning signs running around my mind

So here I go
I'm still scratching around in the same old hole
My body feels young but my mind is very old
So what do you say?
You can't give me the dreams that are mine anyway
You're half the world away
You're half the world away

You're half the world away
I've been lost, I've been found
But I don't feel down
You're half the world away
I've been lost, I've been found
But I don't feel down
I don't feel down

 "Real Love" (John Lennon)

All my little plans and schemes
Lost like some forgotten dream
Seems like all I really was doing
Was waiting for you

Just like little girls and boys
Playing with their little toys
Seems like all they really were doing
Was waiting for you

Don't need to be alone
No need to be alone

It's real love
It's real, yes it's real love
It's real

From this moment on I know
Exactly where my life will go
Seems that all I really was doing
Was waiting for love

Don't need to be afraid
No need to be afraid

It's real love
It's real, yes it's real love
It's real

Thought I'd been in love before,
But in my heart I wanted more
Seems like all I really was doing
Was waiting for you

Don't need to be alone
No need to be alone

It's real love
Yes it's real, yes it's real love
It's real, yes it's real love...