#153: English Idioms: Color

English Idioms: Color

Colors are also used in idiomatic expressions. The infographic below has 8 catchy phrases for you to learn.

Examples:

a)   My grandma had a green thumb. Her garden was incredibly beautiful.

b)   If you want to construct a house, there is a lot of red tape that needs to be filled out.

#152: English Idioms: School

English Idioms: School

While being in school, you probably had a partner who was a bookworm. And no wonder you also had a classmate who was the copycat during exam time. Did you ever skip a class? If you did, but if you were the teacher’s pet, you never ran into trouble …

Now, continue with this narrative with the idioms below.

#151: English Idioms: Love

English Idioms: Love

Hey, Idioms Lovers! Take a look at the following idioms connected to love and relationships.

Ask your partners questions like this.

a)   Have you ever gone on a double date?

b)   Are your parents a match made in heaven?

c)   Has your actual relation even been on the rocks?

d)   Have you experienced some puppy love?

Go ahead and ask some more questions.

#150: English Idioms: Music

English Idioms: Music

-      How do you like the elevator music played in supermarkets? Do you really like it?

-      Have you ever met people who speak like a broken record? Well, I have.

Explore more idioms connected to music in the infographic below.

#149: My Feelings from A-Z

My Feelings from A-Z

How are you feeling today?

-Are you feeling bewildered?

-Perhaps you are feeling queasy?

-Overjoyed?

#148: British Vs. American

British Vs. American

As part of your language learning, sometimes it’s necessary to learn how British or American people call certain things.

As it happens in our first language (Spanish), depending on the country you are visiting, they may call things differently.

Take a look at the following infographic.

#147: Rain Vocabulary and Expressions

Rain Vocabulary and Expressions

All of us use different ways to talk about the rain and the kind of way in which it’s raining outside.

How would you translate these examples into your own first language?

English	It’s drizzling.
Costa Rican Spanish	Están cayendo pelillos de gato.
English	It’s bucketing down.
Costa Rican Spanish	Está cayendo un baldazo.

Now it is your turn to think of how to translate the others.

#146: What's the weather like? Using 'may', 'might' and 'could'

What's the Weather Like? Using 'may´and 'could'

Taken form

Grammar Reference

‘Might’, ‘may’ and ‘could’ for possibility

Meaning and use

We use might + verb, may + verb or could + verb to talk about the possibility of something in the present or the future, when we are making a guess about a present situation, or we aren’t sure if something will happen in the future.
I might go to the exhibition at the Tate this afternoon. (future)
He’s travelling in Eastern Europe. He may be in Ukraine by now. (present)
We could have some problems later this year. (future) 
There is almost no difference in meaning between might, may and could.
We use might not/mightn’t and may not to talk about negative possibility. We don’t usually use a contraction for may not. We cannot use could not/couldn’t for possibility in the same way as might not and may not (see Take note below).
We might not move into the new offices until the New Year.
Our client may not agree with our suggestions.

Form
We use might/may/could + infinitive without ‘to’ or might not/mightn’t/may not + infinitive without ‘to’. They are the same for all persons (I, you, he, she, etc.).
Positive
They are warning that storms could hit most of the country later today.
There might be some delays on the railways as a result.
Negative
Many people may not be able to get to work at all.
It mightn’t affect us as badly as they say.

Question
It is possible to ask questions with Might/May/Could + subject + infinitive without ‘to’, but it is more common to form a question with Do you think + subject + might/may/could + infinitive without ‘to’.
Do you think he might/may/could be in Ukraine by now?
(Might/May/Could he be in Ukraine by now?)

Take note: couldn’t
We don’t use couldn’t in the same way as might not/mightn’t/may not. ‘Couldn’t’ means that something is impossible.
WRONG: I think there couldn’t be any trains today, so I’m going by bus.
CORRECT: I think there mightn’t be any trains today, so I’m going by bus.

Take note: ‘might’, ‘may’ and ‘could’ for permission
Might, may and could for permission are different from might, may and could for possibility. For permission with might, may and could, the question form is Might/May/Could I + infinitive without ‘to’. Might for permission is very formal.
Could/May/Might I come with you to the exhibition?

Spoken EnglishMight, may and could are modal verbs. When we say modal verbs, we usually say them quicklyhout emphasis. We don’t pronounce the ‘t’ or ‘d’ in might and could or the ‘t’ at the end of mightn’t and couldn’t.
They might get here late.
We mightn’t watch the whole film.
It couldn’t be Pete you saw because he’s in Greece.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/course/lower-intermediate/unit-16/tab/grammar?ocid=socialflow_twitter

#145: Frequent Collocations for “Do” and “Make”

Frequent Collocations for “Do” and “Make”

Collocations are words that always come together. If you speak Spanish, these words become a problem. For this reason this is a good infographic to remember the right collocations.

Example:

I need to do some business in Bahamas next week. If we sell our products in Bahamas, we can make some good money. For that reason we must do our best to make a good profit with the Bahamian market.

#144: Animal Body Parts

Animal Body Parts

Some time ago we published an entry on animal parts. Here you have some extra vocabulary to learn.

1)   Horses don’t have feet; they have hooves.

2)   Cats don’t have feet either; they have paws, and in each paw they have claws.

3)   Several animals have scales, such as fishes, lizards, or snakes.

A Lizard

#143: Tools

Tools

Can you imagine yourself living in the United States, or in any other English-speaking country? And what would you do if you needed to get some tools from your local hardware store?

Well, it’s about time for you to continue developing your vocabulary with this illustrated group of words.

#142: Illness, Disease

Illness, Disease

Hi!

Here you have a nice group of words connected to feeling sick.

Review this list of vocabulary and practice with it.

#141: Antonyms or Opposite Words

Antonyms or Opposite Words

Knowing synonyms is important, so you don’t have to repeat the same words over and over again. However, opposite words are also necessary.

Here you have a nice infographic to learn or to review some useful vocabulary.

#140: Useful Cooking Verbs

Useful Cooking Verbs

Are you into cooking?

Well, even if you don’t like to cook, it is important that you know the vocabulary included in the infographic below.

#139: Expressing Frustration

Expressing Frustration

There are many ways of expressing one’s frustration, but this depends on the situation, who are talking to, and the level of formality.

Formal	I can’t stand being caught in traffic.
	Being caught in traffic annoys me.
Colloquial	Being caught in traffic bugs me.
	Being caught in traffic gets on my nerves.
Slang	It pisses me off when I am caught in traffic.
	Being caught in traffic pisses me off.

Now, be careful when you use slang expressions in the wrong place and context.

#138: Descriptive Words

Descriptive Words

How many times we simply use the same words instead of using synonyms.

Instead of saying:	The Empire State Building is very large.
Why don’t you say …?	The Empire State Building is gigantic.
Instead of saying:	The atmosphere in this house feels sad.
Why don’t you say …?	The atmosphere in this house feels gloomy.
Instead of saying:	Her presentation was very good.
Why don’t you say …?	Her presentation was remarkable.

Here you have more words to use!

#137: Office Supplies Vocabulary

Office Supplies Vocabulary

If you work in an office, or if you have a fully-equipped desk at home where you study and do your homework, here you have some very practical vocabulary to review or learn.

-How many of these objects to you have on your desk?

-Do you have a hole puncher in a desk drawer?

-How about a pencil sharpener or dossier?

#136: Types of Hair

Types of Hair

When you need to describe someone, you usually describe a person’s hair in terms of color and fringe, or in terms of type or length.

Take a look at the following example:

	Color	Blonde
	Type	Straight
	Length	Short
	Fringe	On the left side

Now, describe your hair!

#135: Vocabulary: Berry & Stone Fruits

Vocabulary: Berry & Stone Fruits

How often do you eat fruit? Perhaps you do it often, but when was the last time you ate juicy* alkenjis, something you can now get in your local farmer’s market*, or a ripe*, delicious nectarine?

The infographic below has lots of more fruity examples for you to explore.

*juicy = full of juice; oranges are usually very juicy.

*farmer’s market = the place in your community where farmer’s come to sell their products

*ripe = ready to be eaten; when a banana is not ripe, it is green; when it is ripe, its color is yellow

#134: Verbs with Prepositions

Verbs with Prepositions

Take a look at the following infographic. There are many verbs in English that always come together with a preposition.

Examples	a)	I agree with you 100%.
	b)	I look forward to seeing you again soon.
	c)	Please concentrate on the test.

#133: Cooking Utensils

Cooking Utensils

Here you have a nice infographic with cooking utensils, so you can talk about your cooking and recipes

#132: Some More about Prepositions

Some More about Prepositions

Hi! Here you have some more information regarding prepositions of place.

#131: Parts of Animals

Parts of Animals

Sometimes when you are talking about animals or pets you have at home, you don’t have some vocabulary to describe them. Take a look at these words.

#130: Telling Time

Telling Time

Here you have a nice infographic for practicing what time it is.

Example:

A: What time is it?

B: It’s a quarter past four. (4:15)

A: Thanks!

#129: 12 Phrases Using “Do”

12 Phrases Using “Do”

Do you have trouble making the difference between “do” and “make?” Well, here you have some great examples for “do.”

#128: My Day / Routine Activities

My Day / Routine Activities

What are your daily routines? Do you do something similar to what this boy does?

#127: Body Parts

Body Parts

Mi Teacher del Centro also posts materials for our youngest students. Here you have a nice exercise for children who are learning colors and parts of the body.

#126: Past Simple Tense Practice

Past Simple Tense Practice

The following a good practice for you to test your understanding of regular and irregular verbs in English. Classify them and then check your answers.

#125: Body Parts Crossword Puzzle

Body Parts Crossword Puzzle

Match the words to the correct pictures and complete the crossword. Then find a secret message.

#124: Conditional Sentences (First tType)

Conditional Sentences (First Type)

Here you have an exercise with 24 situations you must complete with the first conditional. Complete the exercise; the first one has been done for you.

Here you have the exercise to download and the answers as well.

#123: Common Phrasal Verbs with "OUT"

Common Phrasal Verb with “OUT”

Have you ever acted out in a play or sketch?

Have you ever gone out for dinner in another country?

Have you hanged out with friends after class?

These are just a few questions you can ask using phrasal verbs with OUT.

Take a look at the following chart with more examples?

#122: Types of Dinner in the UK

Types of Dinner in the UK

People eat a lot of different things for dinner. In the UK (United Kingdom) it is common to see people eating the dishes included in the picture below for dinner.

How similar is your dinner to these dishes?

#121: Adjectives and Adverbs

Adjectives and Adverbs

Oftentimes students, whose first language is Spanish, confuse the use of an adjective when an adverb is actually needed. The infographic below will help you understand this better.

Example 1

Los niños juegan bonito.

The kids play nice.

nicely

Example 2

La pareja baila muy bonito.

The couple dances beautiful.

beautifully

#120: Common Rules for Capital Letter Usage

Common Rules for Capital Letter Use

Hi! Sometimes we forget to use capital letters, and here you are provided with common rules to capitalize in English.

Exs.	The Internet is one of the most important inventions in recent history.
	Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, and Jews peacefully live in many

#119: Adberbs of Frequency

Adverbs of Frequency

Adverbs of frequency are used to indicate how often you do certain activities.

	How often do you eat vegetables?
	-	We always eat vegetables for lunch.	100%
	-	We sometimes eat vegetables for dinner.	50%
	-	We never eat vegetables for breakfast.	0%

By means of this infographic, you can explore the adverbs of frequency much more in depth.