Yolanda's blog

We use not only X but also Y in formal contexts : The war caused not only destruction and death but also generations of hatred between the two communities. The car not only is economical but also feels good to drive. This investigation is not only one that is continuing and worldwide but also one that we expect to continue for quite some time. We can sometimes leave out also: I identified with Denzel Washington not only as an actor but as a person. To add emphasis, we can use not only at the beginning of a clause. When we do this, we invert the subject and the verb: Not only was it raining all day at the wedding but also the band was late. Not only will they paint the outside of the house but also the inside. When there is no auxiliary verb or main verb be, we use do, does, did: Not only did she forget my birthday, but she also didn’t even apologise for forgetting it.

Obama’s huge new immigration plan, explained

On Wednesday, 19th at Cisneros Primary School,  THE    POCKET OXFORD THEATRE COMPANY are going to perform this play. You can watch this summary to get an idea of what the story is about.

Data are or data is? The Wall Street Journal has just published this blog post , in which it finally decides to move away from data "are", saying: Most style guides and dictionaries have come to accept the use of the noun data with either singular or plural verbs, and we hereby join the majority. As usage has evolved from the word's origin as the Latin plural of datum, singular verbs now are often used to refer to collections of information: Little data is available to support the conclusions. Otherwise, generally continue to use the plural: Data are still being collected. Here's the root of the matter: strictly-speaking, data is a plural term. Ie, if we're following the rules of grammar, we shouldn't write "the data is" or "the data shows" but instead "the data are" or "the data show". The Oxford English dictionary defines it like this : In Latin, data is the plural of datum and, historically and in s...

Telephoning in English includes learning a number of special phrases, as well as focusing on listening skills. Some of the most important phrases include how to answer the phone: Hello, this is Ken Brighton 0987654 The first example response is in American English and the second is in British English. As you can see there are differences in both forms. The telephone articles include both British and American English as well as phrases that are common to both forms. In American English, we answer the phone stating "This is ..." In British English, it's common to answer the phone by stating the telephone number. The phrase "This is ..." is used only on the telephone to substitute the phrase "My name is ..." which is not used to answer the telephone. READ MORE...

Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States of America commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, family reunions, and political speeches and ceremonies, in addition to various other public and private events celebrating the history, government, and traditions of the United States. Independence Day is the National Day of the United States.

Franz Ferdinand, aged 51, was heir to the Austro-Hungarian empire .  He was married to Sophie Chotek von Chotvoka and had three children. Franz Ferdinand was, however, very unpopular because he had made it clear that once he became Emperor he would make changes. Franz Ferdinand decided to visit Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovnia, to make an inspection of the Austro-Hungarian troops there. The inspection was scheduled for 28th June 1914. It was planned that Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie would be met at the station and taken by car to the City Hall where they would have lunch before going to inspect the troops. A Serbian terrorist group, called The Black Hand, had decided that the Archduke should be assassinated and the planned visit provided the ideal opportunity. Seven young men who had been trained in bomb throwing and marksmanship were stationed along the route that Franz Ferdinand's car would follow from the City Hall to the inspection. The first two t...

Senator Fulbright envisioned an educational and cultural exchange program that would connect people and encourage them to learn about each others' cultures and values - that vision became the Fulbright Program. READ MORE If you want to know more about application procedures:  http://fulbright.es/

Researchers are looking into what laughter can do for our health. More than a form of communication, laughter helps people thrive. Some folks take that to heart and gather for "laughter yoga." TRANSCRIPT:   Dr. Alex Eingorn, Laughter Yoga Leader and Chiropractor
We need to get back to the natural, built in mechanisms that we have for self preservation and health. Laughter is one of them. Debra Corwin, Laughter Yoga Leader
Laughter Yoga is a way for people to use laughter without telling jokes and being able to get the laughter to help them feel better.  The interesting thing is that it helps ease pain, it can ease depression, it's a way to move and get into your inner child and it's a lot of fun. And adults don't remember necessarily how to have fun. Dr. Michael Miller, Director, Center for Preventative Cardiology - University of Maryland Medical Center The bottom line of our research is that laughter not only makes us feel good but it has a direct effect on ou...

Dear Class, The year is coming to an end... It has been a great year and I want you to know that I have enjoyed every moment. You've kept me busy, and it's been great fun. I hope you feel the same and that you will take what you have learned this year and build on it as you continue your studies. Good luck with your exams. Thank you for everything. Yolanda

Dear Kayla, Thank you for being an excellent conversation assistant! We know teachers like you are not easy to find. We appreciate your time, your patience and your smile. Good luck! Your students have left some messages for you. (Click on the Comments section) Mon-Wed 17:00 Mon-Wed 20:00 Tue-Thu 18:00

This is a very good video activity from this blog   http://mythatsenglish.blogspot.com.es/  . You can find more video activities there. You also have the transcript to check your answers. Today we celebrate in Spain and in some other European countries Labour [ Labor  in American English] Day. The same holiday is observed in the US on the first Monday in September. 1 What was imposed in the work place in Canada and US in the 19th century? 2 Why was 1872 important for unions? 3 Why was September 5th chosen to celebrate a workers parade in New York City? 4 What activities did workers do on September 5th 1882 in Reservoir Park? 5 What did workers have to choose when the parade was moved to the first Monday in September? 6 What happened in 1887? 7 What happened in 1894? 8 What three things happened in the second half of the 20th century? 9 What significance does Labour Day have in US today? TRANSCRIPT The Industrial Revolution modernized the United States and Canada duri...

This is a list of business vocabulary related to hiring, firing and human resources. fire To terminate the employment contract of (an employee), especially for cause (such as misconduct or poor performance). Synonyms of fire are:  dismiss ,  make someone redundant, give the sack, give the axe,  sack. get the sack To be dismissed from employment.Synonyms of get the sack are:  get the chop ,  get the boot , get the elbow . lay off To dismiss (workers) from employment, e.g. at a time of low business volume, often with a severance  (see below) package resign To quit (a job or position). I am resigning in protest of the unfair treatment of our employees. retire To withdraw from one's occupation, business, or office; stop working. give notice To announce one's intent to leave a job; to inform an employer that one is leaving. He gave notice yesterday that he'll leave in two weeks. notice period A period of time before which an employee...

Samuel L. Jackson took a Los Angeles entertainment reporter to task Monday after the reporter appeared to confuse the actor for Laurence Fishburne. Actors Samuel L. Jackson, left, and Laurence Fishburne "You're as crazy as the people on Twitter. I'm not Laurence Fishburne!" Jackson said during a live TV interview. "We don't all look alike. We may be all black and famous, but we all don't look alike. You're busted." The outburst momentarily stunned CNN affiliate KTLA's Sam Rubin , who had asked Jackson what the reaction was to his Super Bowl commercial. "What Super Bowl commercial?" Jackson replied. Rubin looked off camera, confused. He immediately owned up to the mistake, but Jackson dug in. "You're the entertainment reporter for this station and you don't know the difference between me and Laurence Fishburne? That must be a very short line for your job outside there," he said. Rubin apologized repeatedly, at one ...

Question: Shouldn't  your  be changed to  you  in the sentence  Sarah was surprised at your leaving early ? Answer: In the example  your  is correct. Your is the possessive form of  you  and acts as the subject of the gerund  leaving . In formal writing , when we want to show who or what is doing the action in a gerund (called the  subject   of the gerund ), we use the possessive form of a personal noun or pronoun in front of the gerund: Gord's   winning  the contest gives us all a reason to celebrate. Natalie objected to  my borrowing  her hockey stick. Your leaving  early was a wise decision. In informal writing , there is a trend toward dropping the possessive before a gerund. We often use a simple noun or an object pronoun instead: We celebrated  Gord  winning the contest. Natalie objected to  me  borrowing her notes. Also, the possessive form may be important f...

Mothering Sunday, sometimes known as Mother's Day, is held on the fourth Sunday of Lent. It is exactly three weeks before Easter Sunday and usually falls in the second half of March or the beginning of April. Traditionally, people visited the church where they were baptized. Mothering Sunday is now a celebration of motherhood. People visit and take gifts to their mothers and grandmothers. READ MORE...

It’s spring time, and apart from blooming daffodils and gambolling lambs this means one thing: the low-level hum of worry as the general population tries to remember when the damn clocks change. So, to save all that mental wear and tear, here goes nothing: the clocks will go forward one hour on March 30th, a Sunday that also happens to be Mother’s Day. British Summer Time always begins on the last Sunday of March and ends on the last Sunday of October. READ MORE...

Dear Cecil: This question seems like such an obvious candidate for your column that someone must have asked it before. But on the chance no one has, here goes: what does "OK" stand for, and where does the expression come from? I've heard a lot of different explanations over the years. — Norm, Chicago Cecil replies: Yeah, and it's about time I got things cleared up. Despite the fact that the origin of OK was conclusively established decades ago, few etymological dictionaries, even recent ones, give it accurately. On the contrary, some persist in giving equal time to explanations that have been discredited for decades.   READ MORE...