A street map

Let's have some practice...
How can I get to Maria Inmaculada school ?
1. Stephen
2. Molly
3. Dennis
4. Julia
5. Charlotte

MAP

Excuse me...

These are real cases in which somebody is asking for directions (Excuse me, could you tell me the way to...?).
Watch the video. It's got two parts, the second one is the same as the first one but with subtitles.

Real English video

How can I get to...?

You know how to ASK for directions, but what happens when an English speaker asks YOU for directions. Give only basic directions with short phrases. Do the best that you can.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN AS YOU READ

• Questions you may hear:

How can I get to Denia?
How do I get to Main Street?
Where is the closest gas station?
Can you tell me where the community centre is?
I’m looking for Jane Street. 
Are you from around here?

• If you know the way…

Use basic English to offer directions. Short phrases are best. Speak slowly and use very careful pronunciation. Spell out a word if necessary.

The easiest way is to…
The quickest way is to…
The best way is to…

go + direction (right, left, down, up, through)
take + road name
turn + right/left
stay on + road name for + distance or time

Examples: 
The easiest way is to go right on Commercial Avenue.
The quickest way is to take Road Number 1.
The best way is to turn right on Main Street.
Stay on Route 1 for about ten minutes.

• Use transitions

Separate each part or leg of the route with a transition.

after that
then
next
when you get to…go…
finally

• Offer ballpark figures of time or length of travel

Some people feel better knowing how long it will take to get from A to B.

It’s just around the corner (not far).
It’s not far.
It’s a bit of a way. (it takes a while)
It’s about a five minute walk.
It’s about a twenty minute bus ride.

• Use landmarks

Tell the person what to watch for.

You will see a large clock on the right.
You will pass a gas station.
It’s across from the blue church.

• More useful language

It’s on + street name
It’s opposite
It’s near
It’s around the corner

• Offer warnings 

Stay in the right lane.
It’s a very busy road.
It’s a big hill. (if they are walking or on a bike)
It might be overcrowded.

• Repeat yourself

If YOU repeat the directions again, the other person will feel more confident. Repeat important details including street names and turns. You can also ask the other person to repeat the directions back to you.

• Clarify

Make sure that the other person understood your directions. Say: “Did you get all that?”

• If you don’t know the way…

Don’t guess! Don’t just shake your head and walk away. Use one of these phrases:
I’m sorry, I’m not from here.
I’m afraid I can’t help you.
Sorry I don’t know my way around here.

• Offer another solution 

If you cannot make yourself understood...
You could ask the bus driver.
Ask the front desk clerk.
Follow me. I’ll show you the way.
Do you want me to draw you a map?

A documentary

Click on the link: Listen and watch.
The History of Chemistry

Then answer the questions in the QUICK TEST 2

If you want to know more about... click on the picture.

4. Present & Past Tenses

You may need some practice with verb tenses. It's not only how it is formed but when it is used. Clic on the following links.
HWI: Present Simple or Continuous 1
HWI: Present Simple or Continuous 2
HWI: Past Simple or Continuous
HWI: Past Simple or Past Perfect
HWI: Present Perfect
HWUI: Past Simple or Present Perfect

4. Listening for B-levels

• Listening Comprehension Activity A: A shopping trip

Pre-listening activity A
Listening Activity A
Post-listening activity 1A
Post-listening activity 2A

• Listening Comprehension Activity B: Traffic

Pre-listening activity A
Listening Activity B
Post-listening activity 1B
Post-listening activity 2B

4. Presente Simple o Habitual...

Unidad 3: Inglés para principiantes.PHOTOCOPIES
HWB: Present Simple 1
HWB: Present Simple 2
HWB: Present Simple
HWB: Questions & answers

2. A few tips to learn about pronunciation...

Listen and Watch
You can get some practice with the phonemic chart in the Listening Area.

After you listen, answer the questions in the QUICK TEST

The let's have some practice with vowels and diphtongs: MY TELEPHONE NUMBER

3. The traveller's alphabet

Here you are a number of very common expressions on travelling:

1. Passport, please.
2. Have you got anything to declare? (Customs)
3. Open your bags.
4. What have you got in these parcels?
5. Where’s the ticket office?
6. A ticket to London, please
7. Is there a special fare for children?
8. What quay does the ship sail from?
9. We are about to take off.
10. Have you got any pills against seasickness?
11. The train for Newhaven leaves from platform no. 4
12. This brief-case is not mine.
13. My car has broken down.
14. The clutch doesn’t work.
15. Here is my insurance cover.
16. I’d like to hire/rent a car.
17. I’d like a reservation for the first flight to New York.
18. We’ll land in ten minutes.
19. Fasten your belts, please.
20. How much is it? It’s $12
21. I have booked a room
22. Half board or full board?
23. Is breakfast included?
24. Send up my luggage, please.
25. How long will you stay?
26. It’s been a pleasant trip.

Buying things (LC)
At the Tourist Office (LC)
Transport Quiz (VC)
Holiday Collocations (VC)
Collocations: Test (VC)
Where should I have my Christmas dinner if I love London traditional dishes? I can afford it. (RC)

2. Gramática y más para empezar...

Here you are a few activities for beginners:

1. Headway Beginners: Present Simple "to be" (GR)
2. HWB: am /are / is (GR)
3. HWB: Questions & answers 1 (GR)
4. HWB: Questions & answers 2 (GR)
5. HWB: Test (GR)
6. HWB: Numbers (VC)
7. HWB: A Wordsearch (VC)
8. HWB: Personal Questions (LC/RC)
9. HWB: At a party (LC/SP)
10. Go to Useful Links on your right and click on The Happy Verby Gang. Then get into the Present Continuous Guy and read carefully about him. Do the exercises and correct them. Then write down the things you do not understand and ask your teacher.
11. Inglés para principiantes (Beginners): Temas 1 y 2

2. Para entender INGLÉS…

Has de tener en cuenta que los nativos casi siempre contraen al hablar, a menos que quieran enfatizar, e incluso contraen en casos que no se puede contraer en la escritura medianamente formal. Por ejemplo, además de decir

He'll (He will), She'll (She will), I'll (I will), etc.

Dicen It'll (It will), That'll (That will), What'll (What will)

Por ejemplo,

Do you think it'll rain? (¿crees que lloverá?)

What'll you do if the police stop you?

Lo mismo pasa con el auxiliar have:

I would have done that. (Lo habría hecho.) se puede convertir en I would've done that. o incluso en I “wudda” done that.

La forma negativa puede salir igual de breve: I “wuddna” done that. (No lo habría hecho.)

En las preguntas también se acorta el sonido de los auxiliares do/does/did. Por ejemplo, en lugar de decir What does he do?  a veces se dice Whats he do?

En preguntas de este tipo muchas veces tampoco pronuncian la h de he, y la frase se distorsiona aun más: Whatsi do?

Cuando el auxiliar did aparece antes del pronombre you a veces pronunciamos el fonéma  que corresponde al sonido de la j en inglés: What did you do? puede convertirse en What'dja do?

Muchas palabras débiles (átonas) pronuncian sus vocales como una schwa (nº12) y las preposiciones son un claro ejemplo de ello. Por ejemplo la preposición to  se pronuncia de esta forma apagada y,  además, se suele juntar con la palabra que le precede. Las combinaciones siguientes son muy comunes.

going to > gonna / want to > wanna / got to > gotta

Por ejemplo,

I'm gonna go. (I'm going to go.)

Whaddaya wanna do? (What do you want to do?)

We gotta go. (We've got to go.)

No te comas la cabeza y pienses que no podrás mejorar tu inglés si no eres capaz de pronunciar estas contracciones.  El acostumbrarse a este tipo de expresiones es más importante para mejorar tu capacidad de entendimiento (listening) que para mejorar tu producción oral (speaking).