For or During?

'During' denotes a general period of time....For example..I played the guitar during my lunch time which could be for 20 mins or 1 hour.

'For' denotes a specific period of time. For example I played the guitar for 30 mins.

Covering Letter

Correcting your covering letters I've found that most of you used the greeting and closing formula given in the book. It's good you use sentences that you know are correct because after all, in this type of letters, we tend to use set expressions. But I've found this sample letter with a few more example you can use, may you have to write a cover letter in real life.

http://www.ncirl.ie/dynamic/File/Cover%20Letter%20Handout%20Amended%20Links.pdf

Se pilla antes a un mentiroso que a un cojo

"The truth will out" o "Lies have short legs"

Tag Questions - Is he not?

Here is a full explanation on tag questions, or question tags as they call it in the book.
http://www.eflnet.com/tutorials/tagquestions.php

Aguardiente

People were asking the other day the translation for "aguardiente". I'm no alcohol expert, but it seems to me that countries that traditionally make this drink are Spanish speaking countries. In this thread some people say aguardiente, some people say "firewater" would be understood, and they also talk about moon-shine, but I'm not sure it's made with the same ingredents because I'd say they don't grow them in England or the US due to the weather. I know of an illegal homemade drink in Ireland, made out of potatoes, called Poitín in Gaelic and anglicised as Potcheen. People would drink a glass of this drink, they'd get drunk out of their faces, sleep, and the following morning they'd drink water and get drunk again. That's how strong it was.
http://www.wordreference.com/es/en/translation.asp?spen=aguardiente

Computer (repair) technician

I've found this wiki defining Computer repair technician, which seems to that it could be the person who repairs computers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_repair_technician

Using Adjectives when Writing

In both Intermediate 1 and 2, we're looking at adjectives in the current unit. Even though we're learning different grammar and vocabulary, it's important to bear in main their practical use and how many possibilities they give us. Englisg people, when writing, use adjectives a lot. Here is a video that may give you ideas for your writings.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxYhbR3FpL8

was to (to be to meaning visit 2)

http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=132224

To be to meaning visit

This is what I've found so far on the prepositions to say that you've visited a place, answering somebody's question. I hope I'll find something else
http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=309962&langid=5

Meaning of "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"

Yesterday, we're listening to this song in class. At the bottom of this page you have different comments on the meaning of the song
http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/36831/

Stative verbs 2

It looks like you're very interested about this topic. This blog has a long explanation. I recommend this blog, not only on this topic, but it's really good in general. Hope it helps.
http://menuaingles.blogspot.com/2009/05/que-son-los-stative-verbs.html

Gradable and Non-gradable adjectives

In case my explanation wasn't really enough, I've found this one that looks simple and clear.

Let’s look at gradable and non-gradable adjectives in turn briefly, then at the issue of adverbs. For those students you mention who need rules, here come the rules…

Gradable adjectives Many adjectives describe qualities that can be measured in degrees, such as size, beauty, age, etc. These adjectives are often called gradable adjectives, because they can be used in comparative or superlative forms, or with grading adverbs such as very or extremely, to show that a person or thing has more or less of a particular quality. The following are some examples of common gradable adjectives used with grading adverbs:

Don’t talk to Jenny, she’s very angry.

Sorry, I can’t stop, I’m extremely busy.

I’m worried about Tom, he’s dreadfully unhappy.

This is a very important matter.

That slice of cake is rather big.

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Non-gradable adjectives
Some adjectives describe qualities that are completely present or completely absent. They do not occur in comparative and superlative forms, and cannot be used with adverbs such as very or extremely, because we don’t usually imagine degrees of more or less of the quality being described. They are referred to as non-gradable adjectives. Non-gradable adjectives do sometimes occur with non-grading adverbs such as completely which emphasize the extent of the quality, e.g.:

The questions were completely impossible.

The food was absolutely superb.

Adjectives which identify something as belonging to a particular type, sometimes referred to as classifying adjectives, are also non-gradable, cf:

a chemical reaction. = an extremely chemical reaction

an indoor pool = a very indoor pool

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Gradable and non-gradable
Note that, sometimes, confusion arises because some adjectives have both gradable and non-gradable senses with similar meanings e.g.:

She sounded slightly foreign.

He’s advising on foreign policy.

 In the first example, foreign is gradable because it refers to a measurable quality, whereas in the second, foreign is non-gradable because it refers to a particular type (of policy).

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Which adverb to use?
As a rule of thumb, the common grading adverbs extremely, very, rather, slightly and a bit, which emphasize degrees of a particular quality, don’t usually occur with non-gradable adjectives, since non-gradable adjectives identify a particular type or an absolute quality. Compare the following examples with non-gradable and gradable adjectives:

non-gradable	gradable
This food is extremely superb.	This food is extremely tasty.
I found a very Roman coin.	I found a very shiny coin.

On the other hand, common non-grading adverbs such as completely, totally and absolutely, which emphasize absolute qualities, do not usually occur with gradable adjectives, since gradable adjectives describe qualities which can be measured in degrees. Compare the following examples with gradable and non-gradable adjectives:

gradable	non-gradable
This book is absolutely excellent.	This book is absolutely interesting.
The exercise was completely impossible.	The exercise was completely difficult.

One further important thing to remember is that the commonly used adverb really, and the adverbs fairly and pretty (an informal variant of fairly) are regularly used with both gradable and non gradable adjectives, e.g.:

It’s a really difficult/impossible exercise.

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Extreme sports

Yesterday we're talking about extreme sports in Int 1. Here you have a link where you can find all sports considered extreme. If you don't know what one is, you can click on it and it gives you the explanation. Would you do any of them?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extreme_sport

Ted Talks

This is the link to the web page where I took the Listening we did on Friday in the Intermediate II classes
http://www.ted.com/talks

"echar una cana al aire"

According to the thread I've found, "echar una cana al aire" doesn't necessarily mean that you are unfaithful. From that point of view, letting your hair down or having a fling have the same meaning. To my mind, "echar una cana al aire" has the connotation of being unfaithful, in which case, it means "having an affair". Have a look at the three threads on the topic at the end of the page, in the forums. I'd personally go for the third one:
http://www.wordreference.com/es/en/translation.asp?spen=echar%20una%20cana%20al%20aire

Although, Though and However

I wasn't happy enough with the explanation given for the use of these connectors, so here you are:

You use these words to show contrast between two clauses or two sentences. You can use ALTHOUGH and (EVEN) THOUGH at the beginning of a sentences or a clause that has a verb:

Although/Though/Even though everyone played well, we lost the game.
We lost the game although/though/even though everyone played well.

HOWEVER can mean the same as although, but is more formal. It is separated by a comma and usually begins or ends a sentence:

Everyone played well. However, we still lost the game./ We still lost the game, however.

THOUGH is used more in speaking and often comes at the end of a sentence, but ALTHOUGH cannot come at the end of a sentence:

We still lost the game, though.

ALTHOUGH, THOUGH (or, in formal context, albeit) can come before an adjective, adverb or adverbial phrase:

His first acting role, (al)though/albeit small, was a great success.


http://www.usingenglish.com/quizzes/89.html

More Information about frequency adverbs

Sometimes it's impossible to give the exact same explanation in two class of the same level. Yesterday I tried to correct somebody using frequency adverbs. This student was following the rules we had seen in class, but there was something that was not said in that group and that's why I didn't succeed in explaining why her sentences wasn't possible. So here you have further explanation on the topic. Don't forget checking out the link to inversion of word order for emphasis. Besides, I highly recommend this website.
http://www.englishtenseswithcartoons.com/adverbs_of_frequency_position

First Certificate of English

This would be an Upper-Intermediate level, but some of you may want to aim to this level.
Exams

And more practice

http://www.mansioningles.com/

More exercises

http://www.ego4u.com/

Practice

For those who think they need more practice
http://www.agendaweb.org/

Words in the News

This is a web by the BBC, with graded listenings. The add useful language and expressions
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/wordsinthenews/

Steve Jobs Died

http://www.independent.co.uk/

Services of general interest

As requested by one of the students, it's always interesting for everybody
http://ec.europa.eu/services_general_interest/index_en.htm

To have a laugh

The other day, we saw in the Intermediate I class, the expression "to have a laugh". We said that it means "to have fun/a good time", but you can also use it meaning "pulling somebody's leg" but not with a bad intention, just for fun, or for the craic, as Irish people would say. Here is a link for further explanation on the topic.
http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=1149790

Stative verbs

Further information on stative verbs.
http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/stative-verbs.html

The blog is still under construcction. Apologies for any inconvenience caused

Unemployment vocabulary

We've been dealing with Millionaires, but it'd be important to have a look at the other side of the coin
http://www.learnenglishfeelgood.com/vocabulary/unemployment-vocabulary-esl1.html

Perhaps you had better

Somebody asked the other day whether it was possible to say "perhaps you had better + verb". Apparently there's this memorable quote, as they call it, from the film The Curse of Frankenstein that goes: "Perhaps you better start from the beginning." Here I attach the link to the trailer. I haven't seen the film myself; it looks a bit sick though, don't you think?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ON71xzKGujY

mileurista

I was asked about the translation of "mileurista" into English. Here is a link to a dictionary, and I think the different forum discussions down below are very revealing of how English native speakers see the concept

Wild Young Hearts

Here you have the song we were listening to in the last intermediate I class. You have the lyrics so that you can sing along!!!!!