The English Crowd

Say "Hello" to the World!!

2009-11-01T16:18:00.000-08:00

World Hello Day takes place in November.

This day is an opportunity to celebrate world language learning. And the celebration does not have to stop with the November celebration. You who speak another language can teach others how to say "hello" "peace" or "welcome." This to foster appreciation of world languages and cultures and builds positive self esteem.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

2009-10-30T17:07:00.000-07:00

Ghosts, witches, jack-o-lanterns, black cats, and skeletons are all symbols of the holiday known as Halloween. Celebrated in the United States on October 31, it has become a festival where children dress in costumes and visit neighbors to ask for treats.

What are you up to on this Halloween? Parties, customs, festivals, trick-or-treating, whatever you try I wish you have a great Halloween and enjoy it to the full!

Try unscramble this words related to Halloween and keep learning.

Cheers!

Halloween Word Scramble

eslonekt ..............................
nkpumip ..............................
itpaer ..............................
tikrc ro rtate ..............................
mvaerpi ..............................
cwith ..............................
arcsy ..............................
wearroccs ..............................
somtern ..............................
msak ..............................
nnktecojlraa ..............................
aehdntu ..............................
agsvre ..............................
stgho ..............................
smetuoc ..............................
ymcraeet ..............................
ndayc ..............................
obomr ..............................
boldo ..............................
astb ..............................
rseidp ..............................
ummym ..............................

Cockney?! What the heck...

2009-01-16T14:47:00.000-08:00

The phenomenon of Cockney Rhyming Slang (or Rabbit) is a code of speaking in which a common word can be replaced by the whole or abbreviated form of a well-known phrase which rhymes with that word.

So stairs becomes "apples and pears"). The second word is then often dropped entirely ("I'm going up the apples"), meaning that the association of the original word to the rhyming phrase is not obvious to the uninitiated. For example: "Sherman" for an American (Sherman tank = Yank).

Cockney Rhyming Slang is an ever evolving language. Recently notified additions include:

Becks and Posh – nosh

Bristol & West – chest

Trevor Sinclair – nightmare

Uncle Ted – bed

No ‘ope – soap

Chevy Chase - face

Jack Jones - alone

Jimi Hendrix - appendix

Adam and eve - believe

Albert hall - ball - as in got in me albert halls

Britney spears - beers

ewan mcgreggor - begger

lilley and skinner - beginner

clark kent - bent

dick van dike - bike

ronald riches - bitches

lionel richie - bitchy

right said fred - bread

georgie best/east and west - breasts

coles and coke - broke

andy mcnabs - crabs

jam jar - car

lemon barley - charlie

tick tock - clock

pork chop - cop

lemon and lime - crime

mother hubbard - cupboard

ruby murray - curry

bacon and eggs - leggs

barney rubble - trouble (hence... teyve had a barny)

bricks and mortar - daughter

brown bread - dead

mince pies - eyes

giraffe - laugh

cash and carried - married

Toby jug - mug

half inch - pinch (steal)

lucy locket - pocket

clickety click - 66

dicky bird - word

donkeys ears - years

Now, cheese check this out:

http://www.cockneyrhymingslang.co.uk/

And here look for cockney rhiming slang translator:

http://www.whoohoo.co.uk

Hope you enjoyed every bird and clock ya soon!!

:**

TONGUE TWISTERS!!!

2008-11-04T15:47:00.000-08:00

Hello one and all!!
Here I am, back in the payroll!
Here are some cool English Tongue Twisters, have fun ! (repeat them a few times)
May all the best come your way.

A good cook could cook as much cookies as a good cook who could cook cookies

I saw a saw that could out saw any other saw I ever saw.

I wish to wish the wish you wish to wish, but if you wish the wish the witch wishes, I won't wish the wish you wish to wish.

Betty bought butter but the butter was bitter, so Betty bought better butter to make the bitter butter better.

A sailor went to sea To see, what he could see. And all he could see Was sea, See?

SHE SELLS SEA SHELLS ON THE SEA SHORE ,BUT THE SEA SHELLS THAT SHE SELLS,ON THE SEA SHORE ARE NOT THE REAL ONES!

A skunk sat on a stump. The stump thought the skunk stunk. the skunk thought the stump stunk . What stunk the skunk or the stump?

The owner of the inside inn was inside his inside inn with his inside outside his inside inn.

If you notice this notice, you will notice that this notice is not worth noticing.

Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear, Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair, FuzzyWuzzy wasn't very fuzzy... was he???

How many cans can a canner can, if a canner can can cans?A canner can can as many cans as a canner can, if a canner can can cans.

How much wood could a wood chopper chop, if a wood chopper could chop wood?

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, if Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, wheres the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?

I thought a thought. But the thought I thought wasn't the thoughtI thought I thought.

Liked?
Here´s one more:

If you tell Tom to tell a tongue-twister his tongue will be twisted as tongue-twister twists tongues.

See you!!

Diving into English!!

2008-05-28T12:06:00.001-07:00

Hello everyone!
I'd like to thank all those who have visited the blog, and commented about the songs and doubts concerning it. I'm glad you enjoyed it!
So, let's learn more today with these two selected songs. If your problem is lack of vocabulary, here's a great chance to improve your fluence in communication. There are some words in bold which have some synonyms presented , to increase your vocabulary.
It's only up to you... Ready?

Here we go again:

BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER
Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel

When you're weary
Feeling small
When tears are in your eyes
I will dry them all

I'm on your side

When times get rough
And friends just can't be found
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down

When you're down and out
When you're on the street
When evening falls so hard
I will comfort you

I'll take your part
When darkness comes
And pain is all around
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down

Sail on Silver Girl,
Sail on by
Your time has come to shine
All your dreams are on their way

See how they shine
If you need a friend
I'm sailing right behind
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind

------

weary - tired; exhausted
troubled - with difficulties; problems; worries
hard - difficult; severe
way - rote; direction; path; trail

------

KISS ME

Sixpence None the Richer

Kiss me out of the bearded barley

Nightly, beside the green, green grass

Swing, swing, swing the spinning step

You wear those shoes and I will wear that dress.

Oh, kiss me beneath the milky twilight

Lead me out on the moonlit floor

Lift your open hand

Strike up the band and make the fireflies dance

Silver moon's sparkling

So kiss me

Kiss me down by the broken tree house

Swing me upon its hanging tire

Bring, bring, bring your flowered hat

We'll take the trail marked on your father's map

------
house - farmhouse; roadhouse; terraced house; semi-detached house; detached house
trail - path; rote; direction; way

------

ONE MORE SONG...

2008-05-14T18:42:00.000-07:00

Hello everybody!! What's up?
Today I'd like to share a new song with you, and ask your suggestions about songs you'd like to see here in the blog, ok? Feel free!
This one today is pretty easy regarding vocabulary, but try going further than just listening and singing along.
Try to figure ou what's the message about, take it to your classes, discuss and debate the topic, use this material to explore as much as you can the language.
It might give you some work but it'll be a wonderful experince to those who really want to achieve a proficiency in the English language.
So... let's practice some more!
Hope you enjoy it.

WIRE
(Third Day)

Turn on the spotlight, strike up the band
Everyone's looking my way
They came to see the excitement firsthand
And hear all that I've got to say

Oh, it makes me wonder
What if I slip, will they catch me
Or watch me fall?

I am walking on a wire
I tiptoe in through the fire
Never looking down to see that
I am walking on a wire
The pressure's getting higher
But I don't look around

Everyone roots for the winner
The others well maybe next time
Your time at the top only lasts fifteen minutes
Then they just leave you behind

Oh, it makes me wonder
What if I slip, will they catch me
Or watch me fall?

I am walking on a wire
I tiptoe in through the fire
Never looking down to see that
I am walking on a wire
The pressure's getting higher
But I don't look around
It's so far to the ground

Will they catch me if I fall
Will they catch me if I fall

What if I slip, will they catch me
Or watch me fall?

I am walking on a wire
I tiptoe in through the fire
Never looking down to see that
I am walking on a wire
The pressure's getting higher
But I don't look around
It's so far to the ground
I'm never looking down

PRACTICE YOUR ENGLISH THROUGH SONGS!!

2008-05-05T12:45:00.000-07:00

Hello dudes!!!!

Well, this is mainly for students:
We teachers are always concerned about how students are developing the language out of classroom.
As it's important to improve all the skills (writing, reading, listening and speaking) while you're learning a new language, what's more pleasurable than studying through music?
For that reason, I'll be weekly posting here some previously selected songs to be worked on, including the lyrics as well as the videos.
And then, what to do?
First, listen to the song and try to sing along without reading the lyrics.
After that, listen to it again and, this time, read the lyrics.
All right, write it down the way you understand and afterwards compare it to the "real" lyrics.
Ok, now you're ready to sing it as many times as you want.
Hope you enjoy this activity with the songs and feel free to comment and make questions.

Here we go:

MEANT TO LIVE
(SWITCHFOOT)

Fumbling his confidence
And wondering why the world has passed him by
Hoping that he's bent for more than arguments
And failed attempts to fly, fly

[Chorus]
We were meant to live for so much more
Have we lost ourselves?
Somewhere we live inside
Somewhere we live inside
We were meant to live for so much more
Have we lost ourselves?
Somewhere we live inside

Dreaming about Providence
And whether mice or men have second tries
Maybe we've been livin with our eyes half open
Maybe we're bent and broken, broken

[Chorus]

We want more than this world's got to offer
We want more than this world's got to offer
We want more than the wars of our fathers
And everything inside screams for second life, yeah

We were meant to live for so much more
Have we lost ourselves?
We were meant to live for so much more
Have we lost ourselves?
We were meant to live for so much more
Have we lost ourselves?
We were meant to live
We were meant to live

THE SPACE BETWEEN
(DAVE MATTHEWS BAND)

You cannot quit me so quickly
There's no hope in you for me
No corner you could squeeze me
But I got all the time for you, love

The Space Between
The tears we cry
Is the laughter keeps us coming back for more
The Space Between
The wicked lies we tell
And hope to keep safe from the pain

But will I hold you again?
These fickle, fuddled words confuse me
Like 'Will it rain today?'
Waste the hours with talking, talking
These twisted games we're playing

We're strange allies
With warring hearts
What wild-eyed beast you be
The Space Between
The wicked lies we tell
And hope to keep safe from the pain

Will I hold you again?
Will I hold...

Look at us spinning out in
The madness of a roller coaster
You know you went off like a devil
In a church in the middle of a crowded room
All we can do, my love
Is hope we don't take this ship down

The Space Between
Where you're smiling high
Is where you'll find me if I get to go
The Space Between
The bullets in our firefight
Is where I'll be hiding, waiting for you
The rain that falls
Splash in your heart
Ran like sadness down the window into...
The Space Between
Our wicked lies
Is where we hope to keep safe from pain

Take my hand
'Cause we're walking out of here
Oh, right out of here
Love is all we need here

The Space Between
What's wrong and right
Is where you'll find me hiding, waiting for you
The Space Between
Your heart and mine
Is the space we'll fill with time
The Space Between...

TALKING ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE

2008-04-08T13:07:00.000-07:00

Hello people!!

Do you get on well with other people??
How about parents - in-law, neighbours, boss and so one?!
Here are some useful expressions to use with them, along with the meanings:

We get on well with each other. (We have a friendly relationship.)

We don’t get on. (We don’t have a friendly relationship.)

He gets on my nerves. (I find him irritating.)

We get on like a house on fire. (We have a lot in common and really enjoy each other’s company.)

We are like chalk and cheese. (We are completely different.)

We are like two peas in the pod. (We are really alike.)

We have fallen out. (We have had an argument.)

We have made up. (We had an argument but now we are friends again.)

I take after my father. (I have his personality or features.)

Wanna chat??!!

2008-03-26T11:47:00.000-07:00

Here are some common computer abreviations:

AFAIK - As Far As I Know
AFK - Away From Keyboard
AKA - Also Known As
ASAP - As Soon As Possible
BRB - Be Right Back
BTW - By The Way
FAQ - Frequently Asked Question
FYI - For Your Information
IMHO - In My Humble Opinion
IMNSHO - In My Not So Humble Opinion
IMO - In My Opinion
IRL - In Real Life
JFYI - Just For Your Information
LMAO - Laughing My Arse Off
LOL - Laugh(ing) Out Loud
ROFL - Rolling On Floor Laughing
ROTF - Rolling On The Floor
ROTFL - Rolling On The Floor Laughing
ROTFLMAO - Rolling On The Floor Laughing My Arse Off
ROTFLOL - Rolled on the Floor Laughing Out Loud
RTFM - Read The F***ing Manual (or Message)
RTM - Read The Manual (or Message)
WTH - What The Heck (Hell)
WYSIWYG - What you see is what you get

"We don't need no education... Yes, you do, you've just used the double negative!"

2008-03-17T19:45:00.000-07:00

Hey buddies, here it is... my blog! Yup, for all of us who has, somehow, already been in a tricky situation because of English or has been in need to find a different and interesting material for classes.
So, teachers, students and whoever else is up to, I'll be posting here ideas for classes, news, hints, links and everything that has something to do with English.
Liked the picture above? Can you believe it? We gotta do something, right?
Read, comment, give your ideas and suggestions, let's save the world from the "embromation" and share a truly, fast, and funny English, yuhuuu!!
That's all folks!!

All right, just out of curiosity, take a look at a part of the original Pink Floyd song about education (Another Brik on the Wall - part II).

"We don't need no education (1)
We don't need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teachers leave them kids alone
Hey! Teacher! Leave them kids alone (2)!
All in all it's just another brik in the wall.
All in all you're just another brik in the wall."
.
.
.

Glossary
(1) correct - "we don't need any education" or "we need no education"
(2) correct - "leave those kids alone"