Aprende ingles con inglespodcast de La Mansión del Inglés-Learn English Free
Lecciones para aprender y mejorar tú inglés. English lessons to improve your grammar, vocabulary and listening skills.

Las notas del episodio

Feedback/News: Merry Christmas! What are you doing for Christmas this year?

Reza's going to Belfast to spend Christmas with his family.

 

Question from Mara from Valencia: "What's the difference between other and another?" (singular/plural)

 

Gramática:  other, another, others

This is another episode. There are 9 others. There are 9 other episodes.

another + single countable noun  (Can I have another beer?)

other + plural countable nouns (There are other episodes)

There are 9 others (no noun)

Craig also does other work (other + uncountable noun)

He has other jobs

 

Vocabulary Corner:

December 24th - Christmas Eve

December 25th - Christmas Day

Boxing Day = el 26 de diciembre, día festivo en Gran Bretaña

January 1st - New Year's Day

December 31st - New Year's Eve

January 6th - The day of the (three) Kings, or "Epiphany"

wrapping paper = papel de envolver/papel de regalo

¡Feliz Navidad!  - Happy Christmas! / Merry Christmas!

¡Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo!  - Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

¡Felices fiestas! - Season's greetings! Happy holidays!

Salud! - Cheers! ("Slancha" in Ireland)

 

Phrasal verb: wrap up (not RAP!)

to wrap up presents (envolver, empaquetar). People wrap up presents at Christmas time.

To wrap up a deal (to complete, conclude a deal etc). This podcast wraps up the year.

Don't get too wrapped up in work (absorbed, involved)

Wrap up warm, it's cold outside (abrigarse). Wrap up well in the winter when it's cold.

 

Para estudiar los phrasal verbs, recomendamos el cd de Mike Hardinge: http://www.mansioningles.com/otrosproductos/phrasal/phrasal_verbs.htm

 

Pronunciación: In English, we do not say each syllable with the same force or strength. In one word, we accentuate ONE syllable. We say one syllable very loudly (car, hotel, important) and all the other syllables very quietly.

For example: photograph, photographer and photographic.

Do they sound the same? How many syllables do they have? Where's the stress in each word?

photograph (DA de de)

photographer (de DA de de)

photographic (de de DA de)

 

Hay más practica con el estres de las palabras aquí: http://www.mansioningles.com/cursointer/cursointer14_7.htm

 

Reza's Top Tip: Watch DVDs in English.

1) Watch in English with English subtitles (original version). Pause and take notes.

2) Watch again with English sound and with Spanish subtitles.

3) Watch again with English sound and English subtitles but don't stop it.

 

Let's wrap up this episode Reza! Give us a Christmas gift - go to iTunes and give us some stars (estrellas) y un corto resumen en iTunes.

 

Si quieres mandarnos un comentario sobre este podcast o una pregunta sobre el inglés, puedes ponerse en contacto con Reza a belfastreza@gmail.com y a con Craig a mansionteachers@yahoo.es.

 

 

Direct download: AIRC_010_final_cut.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 4:00pm CET

Las notas del episodio

 

Feedback/News: A question from Jóse in Madrid, Spain "¿Cómo puedo preguntar sobre el tiempo en inglés?" - The weather/La clima - What's the weather like? What's the ______ like? (hotel, food, party, new phone like?) What was the flight like? What was your weekend like? What was it like?

 

Gramática:  Verb collocations (verb + adj./noun)

Craig liked Argentina (el verbo 'to like' en el pasado)

What's Argentina like? (¿Cómo es?)

Does Buenos Aires looks like Paris? (se parece)

What does it feel like? - It feels like Paris.

Does it smell like Paris? - It smells like Buenos Aires.

 

Pronunciación: /i/ and /i:/

/i/ - hit, sit

/i:/ - me, three

 

hit / heat

ship / sheep

sit / seat

whip / weep

sh*t / sheet

 

Phrasal verb: take up

I'll take you up on that! (say yes, agree) - tomar/aceptar el reto

Craig will take Reza up on his chess challenge, and on his offer to have a meal at his flat.

Nelso Mandela took up the fight against racism.

To take up a hobby/sport - Are you taking up anything in the new year?

Reza's friend has recently taken up jogging (not footing!!)

Reza is thinking of taking up aerobics.

Bob took up his new role as director (to accept a role or task)

To take up time (ocupar tiempo)

Take up trousers, to take up clothes (to make shorter)

Aquí hay una lista de los verbos compuestos (phrasal verbs): http://www.mansioningles.com/gram54.htm

 

Vocabulary Corner: Work - trabajo:

What's the difference between work and job?

Job is a noun. Work is a verb and a noun. When work is a noun, it's usually uncountable: I have two jobs. I have a lot of work.

Reza has a lot of work. He has three jobs.

Career is a false friend. - You study a degree or a subject at university.

You begin your career when you start working.

Reza has changed his careers. He used to be a musician.

You boss sacks you (if you're a bad employee. - to get the sack / to be fired, to get fired. Reza got the sack in East Berlin. He got the sack from selling newspapers.

to resign from your job (you decide to leave) / to hand in your notice or resignation (tell your employer in advance that you are going to leave.

to be made redundant - redundancy money. Many people in Spain are being made redundant at the moment.

to retire at the retirement age - to get a pension from the state (a state pension). You can also get a private pension.

Puedes estudiar más sobre el tema de work en nuestro curso intermedio: http://www.mansioningles.com/cursointer/cursointer21_1.htm

 

Reza's Top Tip: Brainstorm collocations.

DRIVE - to drive a car, bus, taxi etc.

to drive someone mad / crazy

Reza's mum drives him up the walls (in Belfast) or up the wall (in London). She drives him mad, she drives him crazy.

She drives him round the bend

to drive a point home

to drive a hard bargain - He drove a hard bargain

to drive under the influence (of alcohol or drugs)

 

STONE - a stepping stone - I see this job as a stepping stone to reach my goal

a stepping stone in a river

The Rolling Stones

A rolling stone - "a rolling stone gathers no moss" (musgo)

A stones throw away. It's a stones throw away from here.

To leave no stone unturned - The police left no stone unturned.

To sink like a stone

a headstone (lápida mortuoria, piedra sepulcral)

 

The music in this podcast is by Pitx. The track is called See You Later - licensed by creative commons under a by-nc license at ccmixter.org.

 

 

Si quieres mandarnos un comentario sobre este podcast o una pregunta sobre la gramática, la pronunciación or el vocabulario de inglés, Mandenos un email a mansionteachers@yahoo.es (Craig) o belfastreza@gmail.com (Reza).

Direct download: AIRC_009_final_cut.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 3:00pm CET

Could / couldn't, collocations with 'have', pronunciation: consonants and vowels, phrasal verb 'to set up' - AIRC8

LAS NOTAS DEL EPISODIO

 

Gramática:  Could and Couldn't

I could swim when I was young.(habilidad en el pasado) - podia

Tomorrow we could swim in the sea.(condicional) - podría

Craig can't play a musical instrument (now)

Craig couldn't play a musical instrument when he was younger (past)

Craig, could/can I ask you a question? (permission)

Estudia más sobre los verbos modales aquí: http://www.mansioningles.com/cursointer/cursointer20_6.htm

 

Pronunciación: consonantes + vocales

"Have a" cuando un vocal va después de un consonante en inglés, los sonidos se juntan. "Have a cup of tea" - "have a cuppa", "have a coffee", "have a can of beer"

"Got to get a lot of it".

 

Phrasal verb: to set up

to set up a tent, to set up equipment (montar)

to set up a meeting (arrange, organize)

to set up a business, an organization, a foundation, a charity (fundar, montar)

to set up a person (to trick them - hacer trampas, engañar) "The murderer set me up", "It was a set up".

 

Vocabulay Corner: collocations with HAVE 

"to have fun", "to have a ball, (fun v funny) - a funny joke, a funny film, a funny person (gracioso) - a fun person (divertido) to have a good time

To have st in common with so What do we have in common? Craig and Reza have jazz music and houseproud mothers in common.

To have time (to do things) What would you like to have more time to do? Reza doesn't have time to surf the Internet.

Reza has a new phone. He's got (he has got) a new phone.

 

Reza's Top Tip: Use polite language with strangers 

"Where's the bus staion?" (direct) - "Could you tell me where the bus station is?" (indirect and more polite)

"Do you like paella?" - "Can you tell me if you like paella?"

"Can I smoke? - Do you mind if I smoke?"

"Would you mind telling me where the bus station is?"

"I'd like to know where the bus station is?"

"I wonder if you wouldn't mind telling me where the bus station is?"

 

The music in this podcast is by Pitx. The track is called See You Later - licensed by creative commons under a by-nc license at ccmixter.org.

 

Si quieres mandarnos un comentario sobre este podcast o una pregunta sobre la gramática, la pronunciación or el vocabulario de inglés, Mandenos un email a mansionteachers@yahoo.es.

Direct download: AIRC_008_final_cut.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 8:58am CET

Las notas del episodio

 

Let's get cracking! = ¡Vamos a empezar!

 

Gramática:  Can / can't

Can I ask you a question?

You can speak Spanish. Reza can speak a bit of Valencian.

Can you play any musical instruments? - Yes, I can.

Can, like could, should, would, may etc son modal verbs (verbos modales).

El can se puede emplear para hablar de la habilidad y también para pedir las cosas "Can I have....?)

Can I have a biscuit? Can I have a cup ñof tea? Can I help you?

 

John can be quite cold sometimes. (possibility)

It can be wet in Valncia sometimes. (possibility)

This postcard can't be from Bob. (impossibility)

 

Practicar el 'can' para pedir las cosas aquí: http://www.mansioningles.com/nc_lec04_3.htm

 

Vocabulay Corner: Clothes

Reza is wearing jeans and a very nice striped short. Craig is wearing nice linen shorts.

trousers (UK) / pants (US). pants (UK) / shorts (US), waistcoat (UK) / vest (US), panties (US) / knickers (UK), tights (UK) / pantyhose (US), 

to wear (llevar puesto) "He's wearing a blue coat" / to put on clothes / to get dressed / To take off clothes (quitar la ropa)

training shoes (UK) / sneakers (US) - zapatillas deportivas

 

Practicar el vocabulario de la ropa en inglés aquí: http://www.mansioningles.com/nc_lec15_2.htm

Hay una lista de ropa en nuestra seccion de vocabulario: http://www.mansioningles.com/vocabulario10.htm 

 

Phrasal verb: to set off

SET has many uses in English. Set off means: to begin a journey - "We set off at 6 o'clock."

to set off also means to activate something: "I set off the alarm." "Young children sometimes set off car alarms in the street."

Set off can also mean to start an emotion. "The picture sets her off crying."

Set off also means (destacarse) "The white background really sets off the person in the picture."

 

Pronunciación: clothes /cloves/, a suit /soot/ - traje = suit (noun) "it suits you" (Te va bien)

"It fits you" (it's the correct size) - Does this fit me?

tracksuit (chandal), slippers - "Where are my slippers?", (a pair of) shoes - high-heeled shoes, striped (con rayas), blouse - "Your a big girl's blouse!" (You're too soft). 

 

Reza's Top Tip: use the negative (adj/adverb) to be indirect/polite

"Well, it isn't the best thing I've seen", "It doesn't look that great." "I've seen you looking better."

"It wouldn't be my first choice.", "It's not bad."

The music in this podcast is by Pitx. The track is called See You Later - licensed by creative commons under a by-nc license at ccmixter.org.

 

Si quieres mandarnos un comentario sobre este podcast o una pregunta sobre la gramática, la pronunciación or el vocabulario de inglés, Mandenos un email a mansionteachers@yahoo.es.

Direct download: AIRC_007_final_cut.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 10:34am CET