TIME EXPRESSIONS

Past	Present	Future
yesterday	today	tomorrow
last week	this week	next week
an hour ago	now	in an hour
recently	as we speak	soon
a long time ago	these days	way off in the future
in the past	nowadays	eventually
this morning	at this time	later this evening

Using time expressions with the correct verb tense will improve your English: - Last week I went to the movies. (past tense. ) - This week I'm working early in the morning. (present continous tense to describe the entire week) - Next week I'm going to take a trip to California. (the "going to" future)

Using time expressions with the correct verb tense will improve your English: - Last week I went to the movies. (past tense. ) - This week I'm working early in the morning. (present continous tense to describe the entire week) - Next week I'm going to take a trip to California. (the "going to" future)

FOLLOW THE LINK: AND PRACTICE THEM.
http://www.learnamericanenglishonline.com/Red%20Level/R16%20Expressions%20of%20Time.html

READING: A TYPICAL ENGLISH WEDDING

 A typical English Wedding
Once a couple decide to get engaged they prepare their wedding. In England the couple usually spend from 6 months - 2 years engaged. When the couple get engaged they sometimes have a party to celebrate. This party is a small party with family and close friends.
Most weddings are hard and stressful to organize. There is always the problem of who to invite, where to get married, how much to spend, where to buy the dress, what food to eat, etc. When everything is decided the one thing to look forward to is - The Wedding Day.
Most weddings take place in the summer, in the morning or early afternoon. 80% of weddings are in churches.
In the church, the family of the bride sit one side of the church and the family of the groom on the other side. It is usual for the fiancé to be at the church first. He waits at the alter of the church for his fiancée to arrive. It is a tradition for the bride to arrive with her father and her bridesmaids.
When they enter the church the wedding march sounds and the bride with her father walk slowly down the aisle with the bridesmaids following. During the ceremony the bride and groom say their vowels and the rings are exchanged. The groom then kisses the bride. They are now husband and wife.
After the ceremony, wedding photos are taken and then everyone goes onto the reception. The reception is usually in a hotel or restaurant. The family and the friends of the bride and groom all have lunch together. After the meal, there is a party - a Disco, where more friends of the couple arrive to celebrate with the new married couple.
At the end of the evening the bride and groom leave the party to go on their honeymoon. Everyone says goodbye to them and the party continues until all of the food and drink is consumed!

READING: LADY DI: PRINCESS OF WALES

Lady Di - Princess of Wales
Her early life
Diana Frances Spencer was born in Norfolk. At 16, she went to a school in Switzerland where she became fluent in French and an expert skier.
In 1979, Diana decided that she wanted to get a job in London. Her father found her an apartment in Kensington where she lived with three friends. She found a job as a teacher in a kindergarten in South London.
Her later life
In July 1980, Diana Spencer went on her first date with the Prince of Wales. Shortly after the first date they decided to get married.
The wedding took place at St. Paul's Cathedral on July 29th 1981. On June 21st 1982, Diana's first child, William was born. Princess Diana did not want to leave her son alone one minute and so she took him everywhere with her.
She carried on with her life - helping the unfortunate. She visited the sick and the homeless all over the world. She had a particular interest in children and AIDS victims. She became an idol to millions of people. It seemed that the whole world was in love with her.
Two years after the birth of William, Prince Harry was born (15th September 1984). However, Diana did not stop working, in fact, she took on more and more engagements to help charities.
In December of 1992 Diana and Charles announced that they were separating and in August 1996 they got divorced. Diana started a new romance with Dodi Fayed. It was the 31st August 1997 when Diana aged 36 was killed with Dodi in a horrific car crash in Paris.

READING: COCA COLA

Coca Cola is drunk all over the world. 1.6 billion gallons are sold every year, in over one hundred and sixty countries.
The drink was invented by Dr John Pemberton in Atlanta, on 8th May 1886, and it was given the name Coca Cola by his partner, Frank Robinson. Frank Robinson suggested the name 'Coca-Cola' because both words named two ingredients found in the drink. They are the cola leaf and the kola nut.
In the first year, only nine drinks a day were sold. It was originally called a 'brain and nerve tonic' in Chemists. It was one of the thousands of exotic medicines sold in the 1800's that actually contained cocaine.
In 1888 the business was bought by a man, Asa Candler and the first factory was opened in Dallas, Texas in 1895. Coca Cola is still made there.
'Diet Coke' has been made since 1982, and it's now the world's most popular brand of diet soft drinks.
It is certain that Coca Cola and Diet Coke will be drunk far into the twentieth century.

TALKING ABOUT FUTURE IN ENGLISH

There are many ways of talking about the future in English. Which way you choose depends on how you see the future. Is the future event planned or unplanned, a schedule, or a prediction?

Making predictions in English

You can use both will and going to to make predictions.
For example, "I think the Labour party will lose the next election." Or "I think the Labour party are going to lose the next election."
If you can make a prediction based on what you see now, we use going to.
For example, "You're driving too fast, you're going to hit the car in front!"

Future plans and arrangements

If something has already been planned, use going to with the verb, or the Present Continuous tense.
"I'm going to take my exams next month."
"He's visiting a client on Tuesday."

Unplanned future

When we decide to do something at the moment of speaking, we use will.
"The phone's ringing – I'll answer it."
(You only answer the phone when it starts ringing.)

Future schedules

When we want to talk about a schedule, we use the Present Simple tense.
"The plane leaves in half an hour – we'd better hurry."
"Next week I fly to Italy, then on Tuesday, I'm in Spain."

Events in progress at a time in the future

To talk about something that will be in progress at a time in the future, use will be doing.
"For example, "This time next week, I'll be sitting on a plane."
We can also use this form to make polite requests.
"Will you be using the car tomorrow?"
(If you won't, can I use it?)

Events that will be completed by a time in the future

If you want to say that something will be completed by a time in the future, use will have done.
"I'll have finished the report by this afternoon."

Final tip

Many learners of English overuse will and going to. Try using all the different future forms so that you become more confident.

HOW TO GET FLUENCY

Hi.   How's it going?  What are you doing?  How is your English study?

 

Today I want to talk a little about "fluency".  

What is fluency?   Fluency is the ability to speak (and understand) English quickly and easily... WITHOUT translation.   In fact, you speak and understand instantly.  

Fluency is your goal.

**There Is Only One Way To Get Fluency

The research is clear-- there is only ONE way to get fluency.  You must have a lot of understandable repetitive listening.  That is the ONLY way.

Both of those words are important--  Understandable and Repetitive.
If you don't understand, you learn nothing.  You will not improve.


**Understanding is Only Half The Formula

Understanding is not enough.  You must also have a lot of repetition.  If you hear a new word only once, you will soon forget it.  

You must hear new words and new grammar many many times before you
will understand them instantly.

That's why you must listen to the Mini-Stories, the Vocab Lessons,
The Point-of-View Stories, and the Audio articles many times. 

 

You should listen to every lesson at least 30 times.  

After 6-8 months, your speaking is faster and better. It happens automatically.   You don't need to think. 

Good luck and take care,