Conversation Group: The Questions to Get the Conversation Going

1. When was the last time you laughed your head off?
2. On a scale of 1-10, how do you rate your conversational skill with the opposite sex? Explain.
3. What was the last book that you read?
4. Who is the most annoying celebrity? Why?
5. Have you ever had a problem on Facebook?
6. What is your favorite season? Why?
7. What subjects were you bad at school?
8. Do you like listening and telling jokes?
9. What would be some of the issues that would concern you about emigrating?
10. Do you think our lives have been improved by the Internet?
11. Which machines do you think make our lives easier
12. In your opinion, what is the greatest technological invention? Why? Can you explain the history of Halloween? (Demential Engel)
13. Do you like to watch horror movies? (Demential Engel)
14. Have you ever been to a concert? (Demential Engel)
15. Do you think that people from different cultures react to music in different ways? (Fernanda)
16. What is your favorite proverb? (Fernanda)
17. When was the last time you forgot where something important was? (Fernanda)
18. Is it important to keep your house very clean or do you feel more comfortable with a bit of an 'organized chaos'? (Andi Hernando)
19. Are there any rules in your house that make peoples' lives easier? (Andi Hernando)
20. When do you go to a party? (Flor)
21. Did your class in high school go on a trip together? (Flor)
22. Do you suffer from nightmares? Can you remember any specific nightmare? (Mica)
23. What do you think of hunting? Would you eat an animal that you killed yourself? (Mica)
24. Can you think of some reason why people don't keep dogs or cats? (Mica)
25. If a book has been made into a movie, which do you prefer to do first, see the movie or read the book? Why? (Mica)
26. Do you think modern technology reduces or increases stress? Why?
27. How often do you buy things on the Internet?
28. How will science change the world in the next 100 years?
29. What jobs are deemed as appropriate for men but inappropriate for women?
30. Are you good at saving money?
31. I gained a lot of weight in last few years. I want to lose at least 10kg. What should I do?
32. In most countries the legal retirement age for men is five years older than for women, even though women live longer than men on average. Why do you think this is?
33. Have you ever experienced an earthquake?
34. Do you think the Internet can be helpful in a disaster?
35. What can you do to help handicapped people?
36. Is getting angry an effective way of dealing with problems?
37. After you graduate do you want to live in your hometown? Why or why not?
38. What are the main attractions in your hometown?
39. If you could change one thing in your hometown, what would you change and why?
40. Do you think it is more important to make a lot of money or to enjoy your job?
41. What is your proudest accomplishment so far this year?
42. Do you like heavy metal bands like Megadeath, Marilyn Manson, and so on?
43. What do you think of manufactured bands? Can you name any?
44. What radio station do you usually listen to?
45. What is your best memory of childhood?
46. What are your best memories from high school?
47. Do you like being busy?
48. What is your proudest accomplishment so far this year?
49. What radio station do you usually listen to?
50. What is the funniest advertisement you have seen? Describe it.
51. Is there truth in advertising?
52. What animals are you afraid of? (...scared of?)
53. What is one of your favorite animals?
54. What aspects of life in the city would you complain about?
55. Which cities would you like to visit in your home country?
56. What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of living in a city?
57. Do you think English is a difficult language to learn?
58. How often do you practice your English?
59. How do you use the Internet to learn English?
60. Would you prefer to live in a really old historical city, or a really new modern city?
61. Do you like to watch cartoons?
62. What did you watch on TV yesterday?
63. When do you usually listen to the radio?
64. What are some of the good movies you have seen?
65. What do you do in your spare time?
66. Who do you think is the funniest comedian?
67. Do you think the future will be better or worse for your grandchildren? In what ways?
68. Do you think the Earth will become overpopulated? Will there be any forests left?
69. Have you ever broken a bone?
70. Have you ever seen a car accident?
71. Why is it necessary to advertise?
72. When out walking or shopping in the city, do you accept advertising fliers or free samples that are offered to you?
73. What kinds of ads do you like and why? What makes a good ad?
74. Can you name some endangered species?
75. What would you do to improve some aspects of your city?
76. Which country is the best place to study English?
77. Have you spent much time talking to a native-english speaker?
78. What are the positive and negative effects of technology in the future?
79. Will robots replace humans?
80. Have you ever fallen or stumbled in front of others.
81. Have you ever had a Deja Vu experience?
82. Do you think there are too many ads in television? Why/why not?
83. Do you think that ads create a desire for more and more material possessions?
84. What animals are symbols of your country?
85. Could there be another world war in the future? How can we prevent a world war from happening?
86. Have you ever fainted?
87. Do you think birth order makes a difference in your personality?
88. Who is the all-time greatest athlete in world?
89. If you were given a choice between being given great wisdom or great wealth, which would you choose?
90. If you woke up suddenly because your house was on fire, which three things would you save as you ran outside?
91. When was the last time you played a sport?
92. When was the last time you watched a soccer match?
93. If you could travel back in time, where would you go?
94. What is the greatest movie from the past year?

5) Verbo Have got (tener)

Para hablar de posesión en Inglés el verbo usado es have got o simplemente have. En ambos casos el significado no cambia. En español, este verbo se traduce como tener.

Formas del verbo have got en el tiempo presente

Ejercicios
1) ............... he ............... a watch? Yes, he ................
2) ............... it ............... four legs? No, it ...............
3) ............... she ............... a pint T-shirt? Yes, she .................
4) ............... we ............... big feet? No, you ...............
5) ............... they ............... computer games? Yes, they ................
6) ............... he ............... a fast car? No, he ................

7) She ............... an apple.
8) Carlos ............... got a red car.
9) we got an umbrella?
10) They ............... a book
11) Carlos and Juan ............... got some coffee
12) Fernando ............... not got any water
13) The dog ............... a bone
14) ............... the children got any pencils?
15) ............... Mary ............... any books?
16) ............... Mary and Carlos got any salad?
17) Peter ............... a dog. It ............... a long tail.
18) We ............... a new car. It is in the garage.
19) How many friends ............... you? I ............... a lot of friends.
20) Sheila ............... beautiful eyes.
21) They ............... two brothers and two sisters.
22) I ............... a dictionary for you.
23) What ............... Susan ............... in her bag? She ............... a new mobile phone.
24) Jane ............... a daughter and a son.
25) Can you tell me the time? I ............... a watch.
26) ............... you ............... a computer at home? No, I ...............
27) Larry ............... a mobile phone.
28) They are very busy at work. They ............... time.
29) ............... Mark ............... a new girlfriend? Yes, he ...............
30) ............... they ............... a pet? Yes, they
31) Jane ............... a dictionary? No, she ...............
32) your mother ............... blue eyes? Yes, she ...............

33) ............... a police-station near the hospital?
34) ............... not any milk in the bottle.
35) ............... any bananas in the basket?
36) ............... not any coffee in the cup.
37) ............... trees in the park?
38) He ............... a pet.
39) It ............... many pages.
40) They ............... many plants.

4) There is & There are (Verbo haber)

Las construcciones there is y there are se usan para hablar sobre la existencia de lago; para expresar que HAY algo en algun lugar.

There is y there are son usados para hablar en el presente: There is a pen on the desk (hay una lapicera en el escritorio).

Si se quiere expresar algo del pasado se usa there was y there were: There was a pen on the desk (había una lapicera en el escritorio).

Estas estructuras están formadas por la palabra there y por cualquiera de las formas del verbo to be excepto am. De este modo, para formar el negativo y el interrogativo el procedimiento es el mismo que con el verbo to be:
There is not a pen on the desk
Is there a pen on the desk?

Some, any y a/an

SOME cuando se usa con there be significa algo de o algunos/as y se usa SOLAMENTE en oraciones afirmativas:
There's some food in the fridge (Hay algo de comida en la heladera)
There are some photos in the box (Hay algunas fotos en la caja)

ANY cuando se usa con there be significa algo de, nada o ninguno/a y se usa solo en oraciones interrogativas y negativas.
Is there any food in the fridge? (¿Hay algo de comida en la heladera?).
There isn't any food in the fridge (No hay nada de comida en la heladera).
There aren't any photos in the box (No hay ninguna foto en la caja).

A/AN significa un/una. A se usa cuando precede a una consonante: There's a book (Hay un libro) y AN cuando precede a una vocal: There's an orange (Hay una naranja)

Ejercicios

Colocar la forma correcta del verbo to be después de there y elegir la alternativa apropiada.
1) ............... same/any/a/an carpets on the floor.
2) ............... same/any/a/an window on the right.
3) ............... same/any/a/an chairs around the table.
4) ............... same/any/a/an children in the classroom.
5) ............... same/any/a/an bike near the play corner.
6) ............... same/any/a/an easel next to the sand tray.
7) ............... same/any/a/an books on the shelf.
8) ............... same/any/a/an water in the water tray.
9) ............... same/any/a/an crayons near the window.
10) ............... same/any/a/an 5 red cushions on the floor.
11) ............... same/any/a/an painting on the easel.
12) ............... same/any/a/an big window in the play corner.
13) ............... same/any/a/an toys on the table.

There is? There are? Is there? Are there?
14) ............... a pencil.
15) ............... a dozen cars.
16) ............... not an apple.
17) ............... a pen?
18) ............... milk.
19) ............... not time.
20) ............... sugar?
21) ............... two cars.
22) ............... many people?
23) ............... many cars in the street.
24) ............... a picture on the wall.
25) ............... many trees in the forest.
26) ............... a cat under the table.
27) ............... seven apples in the fridge.
28) ............... a dog in the house.
29) ............... a monkey on the tree.
30) ............... many rooms in my house.
31) ............... many girls in your class?
32) ............... not any butter in te fridge.
33) ............... a police-station near the hospital?
34) ............... not any milk in the bottle.
35) ............... any bananas in the basket?
36) ............... not any coffee in the cup.
37) ............... trees in the park?

Responder con la forma de there apropiada
38) Are there any shirts in Kim's room? -> Yes, ............... shirts in Kim's room.
39) Is there a glass of water in Kim's room? -> No, ................
40) Are there any skirts in Kim's room? -> Yes, ............... skirts in Kim's room.
41) Are there any plates in Rita's kitchen? -> Yes, ............... plates in Rita's kitchen.
42) Are there any forks in Rita's kitchen? -> No, ............... any forks in Rita's kitchen.
43) Are there any dolls in Kim's room? -> Yes, ............... dolls in Kim's room.
44) Are there any cups of tea in Rita's kitchen? -> Yes, ............... cups of tea on Rita's kitchen.
45) Is there a TV in Kim's room? -> No, ............... one in Kim's room..
46) Is there a glass of milk in Kim's room? -> Yes, ............... a glass of milk in Kim's room.
47)  Are there any cupboards in Rita's kitchen? -> Yes, ............... cupboards in Rita's kitchen.

3) Possessive adjectives (Adjetivos posesivos)

Los adjetivos posesivos (possessive adjectives) en inglés, al igual que en español, describen a quién o a qué algo pertenece. Por ejemplo, cuando una persona dice my house (mi casa) con la palabra my esa persona indica que la casa le pertenece.  De este mismo modo, algo puede pertenecer a una cosa como cuando hablamos, por ejemplo, de Argentina y decimos its capital city is Bs. As.  (su capital es Bs. As.)

Existe una adjetivo posesivo por cada pronombre personal:

Ejercicios
1) I am a teacher. You are ......... student.
2) You are a student. I am ......... teacher.
3) He is playing a guitar. It is ......... guitar.
4) This is a woman. ......... hair is red.
5) This is a cat. It is eating ......... food.
6) We are eating ......... lunch.
7) You are students. You are in ......... classroom.
8) What ......... your name?
9) Do you like ......... job?
10) You work here, and ......... wife works here too.
11) Can you give me ......... opinion about this?
12) Bill washes ......... car every day.
13) Jack lives here with ......... parents.
14) He is painting ......... house.
15) He wants to sell ......... car.
16) She is sad because ......... teachers are very strict.
17) We are studying Japan and ......... culture.
18) New York is famous for ......... exciting nightlife.
19) The Earth is ......... planet.
20) You are my parents and I am ......... son.
21) We don't want to spend all ......... money.
22) We live with ......... parents.
23) Grandparents usually love ......... grandchildren.
24) Most Americans love ......... cars.
25) I’m Marcus and this is ......... garden.
26) My mother’s Susan and this is ......... hat.
27) They are Robert and Adam and this is ......... bedroom.
28) These are my teachers. ......... names are Paul and Rita.
29) I’m Sophy and this is ......... dog, Aladin.
30) Where is (I) ......... book?
31) She goes to school with (she) ......... brother.
32) (You) ......... laptop is very expensive.
33) (He) ......... favorite hobby is tennis.
34) We want to see (it) historical monuments.
35) Leila likes (she) ......... dog.
36) (It) ......... name is Bobby.
37) I like singing. ......... mother sings with me.
38) François and Alain are French. ......... family are from France.
39) Mary likes ......... grandmother. She often visits her.
40) Nancy is from England and ......... husband is from Australia.

2) To be (Verbo ser o estar)

Al ser el verbo más importante del Inglés, el dominio del verbo to be constituye la base para construir gran parte de las estructuras del Inglés. Su traducción al Español corresponde a los verbos ser y estar. Dependiendo del sentido de la frase, podemos deducir de cuál de estas dos traducciones es la que se está usando.

Verbo SER: I am English (Soy inglés)
Verbo ESTAR: I am in England (Estoy en Inglaterra)

Además del traducirse como estos verbos, to be a veces equivale a tener cuando se dice la edad:

I am 15 years old (Tengo 15 años)

o cuando se expresan sensaciones, como frio, habre, etc.

I am hungry (Tengo habre)
I am cold (Tengo frio)

Por último, "to be" puede significar hacer cuando se habla del tiempo:

It is windy (Hace viendo)
It is cold (Hace frio)

Formas del verbo to be en tiempo presente

El presente del to be tiene tres formas AM, IS y ARE y el uso de cada una de ellas depende del pronombre que las acompañe.

Formas del verbo to be en tiempo pasado

Ejercicios
1) These bags ......... heavy.
2) I ......... an engineer.
3) My wife ......... a nurse.
4) This house ......... not very expensibe
5) My books ......... on the table.
6) ......... you a good teacher?

7) Hi! I ......... Pow.
8) I ......... 103 years old.
9) I ......... got three hands and three legs.
10) My nose ......... very big. I have got two eyes.
11) One eye ......... small and the other ......... big.
12) They ......... my best friends: Fify and Mud.
13) Fify ......... 102 years old.
14) She ......... pink and pretty.
15) Mud ......... 104 years old.
16) He ......... orange and funny.
17) He has got six legs and four arms.
18) His nose ......... very big and he has got five eyes!

19) It ......... cold today.
20) I ......... at home now.
21) They ......... Korean.
22) There ......... a pen on the desk.
23) My name ......... Nikita.
24) We ......... from Ukraine.
25) That ......... right.
26) I ......... OK, thanks.
27) Clara and Steve ......... married.
28) She ......... an English teacher.

29) ......... you the new student?
30) Yes, I .........
31) Leila and Nancy ......... students.
32) Nancy ......... Australian .
33) My sister and I ......... students.
34) The girls ......... tired.
35) The moon ......... beautiful.
36) The tea ......... delicious.
37) Nadia and Leila ......... friends.
38) The newspaper ......... cheap.

39) The car ......... black.
40) Dan ......... happy.
41) Lissa ......... tall.
42) The movie ......... funny.
43) Lissa and Martha ......... nice.
44) My mother ......... in the kitchen.
45) The pupils ......... not at school today.
46) Maria's grandmother ......... from Brazil.
47) I ......... a football fan.
48) It ......... Sunday today.
49) They ......... in the car.
50) His pencil case ......... at home.

Verbo to be en tiempo pasado (WAS o WERE)
55) I ......... tired yesterday.
56) You ......... happy yesterday.
57) We ......... busy last week.
58) They ......... popular last year.
59) She ......... angry this morning.
60) It ......... cold last night.

Ordenar las palabras
61) I am old. twenty-five years
............................................................
62) from are We Venezuela.
............................................................
63) name My is Anton
............................................................
64) is John engineer. an
............................................................
65) kids The in the are garden
............................................................

Preguntas
66) ......... Jane and Alice sisters?
67) ......... this car yours?
68) ......... I in your way?
68) ......... Maria John's sister?
70) ......... you twenty-five years old?
71) ......... the Smiths divorced?
72) ......... this your new bicycle?

Todos los ejercicios anteriores están en presente simple (a excepción de los de pasado), ahora, vamos a practicar con oraciones en presente continuo.
73) Ricardo, John and I ......... watching a movie.
74) My mother and father ......... cooking dinner.
75) Rachel ......... driving to school.
76) Nikkos and Billy ......... playing at the park.
77) The students ......... studying English.
78) My best friend ......... coming to my house.
79) The dogs  ......... barking.
80) My car  ......... not working.

1) Personal pronouns (Pronombres personales)

Los pronombres personales en Inglés son los siguientes

El sujeto de una oración es la persona o cosa que lleva a cabo la acción del verbo o del cual se habla. 
My house is green.
Mary drives her car every morning.
John and Lily love music.
Smith and I like playing soccer.

Los pronombres en posición de sujeto son usados para reemplazar estas personas o cosas.
It is green.
She drives her car every morning.
They love music.
We like playing soccer.

Ejercicios
1) (Joe, Scott, and Bob) ......... went to New York.
2) (My aunt) ......... likes to watch movies.
3) (Nick and I) ......... have a many dogs.
4) (My neighbour's car) ......... has a noisy engine.
5) (The old lady) ......... walks very slowly.
6) (The notebook) ......... contains lots of files.
7) (The pens and pencils) ......... belong to my brother.
8) (Your uncle) ......... works for a company.
9) (Your mother) ......... lives in a house in the country.
10) (The green apple) ......... is tasty.
11) (The oranges) ......... are on sale.
12) (Sally and Jeff) ......... rode on a roller coaster yesterday.
13) (You and I) ......... study French.
14) (Timothy Johnson) ......... wrote a book about space travel.
16) (Tokio) ......... is the capital city of Japan.
17) (Melanie and Susan) ......... are friends.
18) (My friend, Susannah) ......... was the best student in the class.
19) (Your grandmother) ......... knows how to cook.
20) (Our cousin) ......... graduated from high school.

21) Marta y ella .........
22) Marta y Juan .........
23) Marto y yo .........
24) Usted y yo .........
25) Sancho .........
26) Tú y yo .........
27) Luisa y Marisela .........
28) Tú, tú y tú .........
29) Mariana .........
30) Los estudiantes .........
31) La chica y el chico .........
32) La clase y yo .........
33) La clase y usted .........
34) Tú y ella .........
35) Los policias .........
36) El novio .........
37) La amiga .........
38) You, my friend .........
39) The dog .........
40) The city .........