Despite / In spite of / Although / Even though

Dear All,
since this is something many of you seem to have problems with, here's a link to some "despite / in spite of" exercises to help you understand and form correct sentences using these prepositions.
Then you can also check another link to the conjunctions "although / even though / even if"

Happy Valentine's! - All Shook Up

Blogger betrayed me last weekend, because they didn't publish my programmed entries... A bit late to post this now, but anyway...

How do you feel when you're in love? Do any of the things Elvis mentions in the song happen to you? You can leave your comments with more being-in-love signals

Ruth and Idgie

Warning: this video may not be suitable for delicate sensibilities (like my partner's) ;-)

Listen to this video about Idgie and Ruth and decide whether the sentences below are true or false. The answers are in the comments:

1. The cat (Ruth) and the dog (Idgie) were found in a trash can

2. The dog shares everything she gets with the cat

3. The cat protects the dog against other dogs

4. At the centre, they're waiting for somebody to adopt Ruth and Idgie

5. Customers wanted to buy Ruth and Idgie to give them as Christmas gifts

Relax after your exams!

Video Contest

Dear All,

Click to enlarge

here's the poster for the video contest I told you about. Have you started thinking about your individual or group proposals?

Narcissus and Cupid

Hi there!
Here's a short by La Tramoya acting company, the only exception I make to publish in Spanish in this blog ;-)

Congratulations, Almudena, on the great job you do!
You can see these fabulous actors at the Plot Point theatre. Check their programme!

Verb patterns

Hi!

Here's a Michael Jordan quote with interesting verb patterns:

want + object + to infinitive
wish + subject + would + infinitive
make + object + bare infinitive

Key to the Cloze "Body Image"

And here's the key to the cloze I gave you as homework:

1. shown; 2. going; 4. Similarly; 5. higher; 6. concerned; 7. which; 8. compulsive; 10. lack; 11. from; 12. enough; 13. least; 14. on; 15. spokesperson; 16. believed; 17. another's; 18. growing; 19. shape; 20. average; 21. males; 22. while; 24. over; 25. than.

(I'm sorry, I must've been hungry and ate some numbers... ;-) There were only 22 gaps, then...)

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

Morning!

Here's the video of the pilot episode of the series based on the booked we've read. It's almost two hours long, but I guess you can watch it as you would watch any other movie over the weekend ;-) You're going to enjoy it, since you'll recognise many moments.

And here's the complete interview that we partly listened to:

Past modals Songs

This weekend's songs are... 

My favourite Moloko song:

Some of you will already know there's no place to go
This is the modern man, as good as I am
Here in the heart of the sun my memory melts
Swellegant, elephant pain, he never forgets
Should've been a beautiful thing
Could've been a beautiful thing

Pull over to the side of the road, let the bold be bold
Luxury at a low introductory price, now wouldn't that be nice?
A happy little family puts you in a trance meanwhile back at the ranch
Insatiable hand-held flexible friend, why not give him a chance?
Could've been a beautiful thing
Should've been, could've been a beautiful thing

Promises of pleasure mesmerised, but how far can we get?
At least here in the eye of the storm I won't get my hairdo wet
Some of you have already foreseen yourself undone
Some of you seem to believe you've only just begun
Try a little perjury, get rich quick
My eyes are bigger than my belly is, and it makes me sick
Attitude, so much to prove, should've been a beautiful thing
Some of you will already know, and I'm still wondering
Should've been a beautiful thing
Could've been a beautiful thing
I could've been, should've been, could've been a beautiful thing
Could've been a beautiful thing
Should've been, would've been a beautiful thing

(How we love to disguise)

One more for the "Should've"form:

How many things did the guy do wrong?

Now, another one where the lady is certain that she loved the guy, and we've heard it sooooo many times on the radio, we're also sure it was love ;-)

This song opens a new section in the blog I already told you about. It's the section called "From guachi guachi to real English", a section dedicated to those old songs you've been singing for ages, not knowing what you were saying. It's high time you knew, don't you think?