Writing strategies: Learn it!!!!!!!!!

A) BASIC WRITING SKILLS

When we write a composition, it is not enough to have good ideas or persuasive arguments.
It is important to express them correctly.

Word order: Subject + Verb + Object + Complements (manner place time)
I found the book easily at the library yesterday

Notes:
1. Time expressions can come at the beginning or at the end of a sentence.
2. Don´t separate the verb from its object.
3. Frequency adverbs (often, always, never) often come before the main verb.
4. If a sentence has a direct object and an indirect object, we often place the indirect
object first: "She wrote him a letter" ( "She wrote a letter to him", is possible).
5. Adjectives come before the noun and they have no plural form.

Subject-verb agreement: The subject and the verb must agree in number. For example, when the subject is singular, the verb must also be singular:
"She sings well"

Some nouns are always followed by a singular verb (everything, news, furniture, information ...)
Some nouns are followed by a plural verb (people, children, police, trousers ...)


B) WRITING A COMPOSITION

A good composition has three elements: an introduction, a body and a conclusion.
It should also flow from sentence to sentence and connect the ideas in a clear and logical
way. There are several ways to achieve this:

· Repeat key nouns throughout the composition.
· Use pronouns to refer back to key nouns
· Arrange the sentences in a logical order and use linking words to indicate the order ( first,
second, then, later, next, since, then, finally)

A good composition should have a strong opening which attracts the readers´ attention and makes them to read more. A few good ways of opening your composition include:

· A question
· A surprising statistic or fact
· A personal address to the reader
· A provocative statement (not too provocative!)

Certain words or expressions are often used to indicate the conclusion of a piece of writing:
In conclusion, lastly, finally, to sum up, in short ...

C) CONNECTORS

Below is a chart of words and expressions commonly used to connect ideas or show
relationships.

1. Contrast or opposing ideas: although, while, in spite of, but, however.

2. Comparison: like, similarly, both, just, as + adjective + as.

3. Reason, cause and effect: because, since, as, so that, in order that.

4. Time and sequence: when, while, first of all, secondly, finally.

5. Result and consequences: therefore, thus, as a result of.

6. Addition and example: moreover, in addition, for instance, such as.

Un argentino en Toronto...buenisisisisimo...

Hi chic@s, despues de la tensión de los examenes y antes de los sustos que estan por venir...;P, unas risas...Es el diario de un argentino que se muda a Toronto, es muy bueno, igual algunos lo habéis oido ya...
Por cierto, sabéis que se ve desde la torre más alta de Toronto?? jejejeje...

Don't let your head rule your heart...what do you think?

Do you think we should let all our emotions run free or think twice? When your head tells you stop! and your heart tells you go!, what do you do?

“The heart has reasons that reason does not understand.” Jacques Benigne B.

“One of the hardest things in life is having words in your heart that you can't utter.” James Earl Jones

How do you feel today?

This is good music (in my opinion...)

"Nobody said it was easy..."

What is the "American Dream"?

The term “American Dream” is used in a number of ways, but essentially the American Dream is an idea which suggests that all people can succeed through hard work, and that all people have the potential to live happy, successful lives. Many people have expanded upon or refined the definition of the American Dream, and this concept has also been subject to a fair amount of criticism. Many people believe that the structure of American society belies the idealistic goal of the American Dream, pointing to examples of inequality rooted in class, race, and ethnic origin which suggest that the American Dream is not attainable for all.

The idea of an American Dream is older than the United States, dating back to the 1600s, when people began to come up with all sorts of hopes and aspirations for the new and largely unexplored continent. Many of these dreams focused on owning land and establishing prosperous businesses which would theoretically generate happiness, and some people also incorporated ideals of religious freedom into their American Dreams. During the Great Depression, several people wrote about an American Dream, codifying the concept and entrenching it in American society.


For people who believe in the American dream, anything is attainable through hard work. The concept plays on the idea that American is a classless society, although it is obviously not, as any honest examination of the United States will reveal. The idealistic vision of the American Dream also assumes that people are not discriminated against on the basis of race, religion, gender, and national origin, another thing which is unfortunately not true in the United States.

Critics of the American dream also point out that many versions of the dream equate prosperity with happiness, and that happiness may not always be that simple. These critics suggest that the American Dream may always remain tantalizingly out of reach for some Americans, making it more like a cruel joke than a genuine dream.

People with a more skeptical view of the American Dream sometimes say that the American Dream represents the possibility of living better than your parents did, and a desire among parents for their children to lead happy lives. This is especially true in the immigrant community, as many immigrants have come from extremely difficult circumstances.


Some one who manages to achieve his or her version of the American Dream may be said to be “living the dream,” and everyone has a unique interpretation of what the American Dream might be. Fundamentally, the American Dream is about hope and the potential for change, and one could argue that people who enact change in some way, even a small way, are living the dream.

Spanish touching songs...

Extra-pratice exam.

Hii!, Here you are some activities to practice for the test. Best do it once you have studied the grammar rules and vocabulary (It will be more effective...).
See u tomorrow!
extra-p4

extra-p 4Answers

St. Patrick's day (March 17th)

Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. A patron saint takes special care of a country or group. Saint Patrick was a caring person and did many nice things for the people of Ireland. Saint Patrick was born in 385 and died around the year 460. That is over 1,500 years ago. Saint Patrick died on March 17th.
March 17th is the day Saint Patrick's Day is celebrated. People march in parades and marching bands play. Corned beef and cabbage is a favourite meal on Saint Patrick's Day. Many people wear green on this day. Green is an Irish colour because of a few reasons. The first reason is because the green shamrock leaf is a symbol of Saint Patrick and Ireland. The Irish say a shamrock brings good luck. The second reason is because Ireland is called the "Emerald Isle" with lots of green pastures. The third reason is because the people of Ireland would burn green leaves to spread over their land to make their soil richer.
There are legends that go along with Saint Patrick's Day. A popular legend is about the leprechaun. Leprechauns are tiny people dressed in green and they collect pots of gold. The legend says that if you catch a leprechaun, he will lead you, following the rainbow to the end, to his pot of gold.
The first Saint Patrick's Day celebration in the United States was in 1737. This day is now celebrated all over the world. Some people sing songs and dance to celebrate. The Irish dance is called the "jig". A popular song is "The Wearin' of the Green".
The Irish are very thankful on this day because Saint Patrick taught them to read and write. The Irish read and write because generations passed their knowledge on to other generations.

In this day, try to find a Leprechaun and he will lead you to your desired treasure!
You can listen above to one of the most beautiful traditional Irish song ever, it is Celtic music. It is instrumental, listen to, relax and enjoy...Happy St. Patrick's day and good luck ;)!

Wild nature: Ireland!

For those who come with me in this travel...this is Ireland. I'm sure we'll enjoy the experience very much. I'm very excited to share this experience with all of you :).
Have a nice weekend!
P.D. Pleaseee, aquellos que falten por hacer ingreso y entregarme el recibo o darme el dinero, buscadme el lunes a mi o a María Pozo. Yo a segunda hora estaré de guardia en el aula de convivencia.

Everybody has a romantic side, don't you think so?

I have to confess...although I speak and understand English quite a lot, obviously Spanish songs touch the heart much more just because that is our mother tongue. In this sense, somebody told me some time ago that I am the most Mexican Spanish he has ever known. I like the mexican food, people, culture, and music (alejandro fernandez, camila, sin bandera, luis miguel...I love mariachi!)...despite corny, I sometimes listen to and enjoy it ;P

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNk2HRe7iaY&feature=related