Structures for Giving Advice

November 5, 2025November 5, 2025 teacherjulietaLeave a comment

We give advice when we tell someone what is a good idea or a bad idea.

In English, we can give advice in different ways:

should / shouldn’t
If I were you, I’d…
could (soft suggestion)
ought to (strong or formal advice)

1. SHOULD / SHOULDN’T

We use should to say something is a good idea.
We use shouldn’t to say something is a bad idea.

Type	Structure	Example	Meaning
Positive	Subject + should + base verb	You should drink more water.	Good idea
Negative	Subject + shouldn’t + base verb	You shouldn’t stay up so late.	Bad idea
Question	Should + subject + base verb?	Should I talk to him?	Asking for advice

More examples:

You should take a break.
You shouldn’t ignore your health.
Should I call the doctor?

Grammar tip: Use the base form after should / shouldn’t.
✔ You should go.
✘ You should to go.

2. IF I WERE YOU, I’D…

We use this to give polite, indirect advice.
It means: This is what I would do in your situation.

Type	Structure	Example	Use / Meaning

Positive

If I were you, I’d + base verb

If I were you, I’d change jobs.

Friendly suggestion

Negative

If I were you, I wouldn’t + base verb

If I were you, I wouldn’t wait.

Friendly warning

More examples:

If I were you, I’d talk to her.
If I were you, I’d save some money.
If I were you, I wouldn’t buy it now.

3. COULD (Soft Advice)

We use could to give a suggestion, not strong advice.

Type	Structure	Example	Meaning
Suggestion	You could + base verb	You could try meditation.	A possible option
Extra option	You could also + base verb	You could also ask a friend.	Another idea

More examples:

You could get help online.
You could take a break this weekend.
You could also email customer service.

4. OUGHT TO

Ought to is similar to should, but sounds stronger or more formal.

Type	Structure	Example	Meaning
Positive	You ought to + base verb	You ought to apologise.	Strong advice
Negative	You ought not to + base verb	You ought not to lie.	Strong warning

More examples:

You ought to take this seriously.
You ought to tell the truth.
You ought not to ignore the doctor.

🔍 Compare the Four Forms

Meaning	Softer	Stronger
Polite suggestion	You could talk to her.	—
Friendly advice	You should talk to her.	You ought to talk to her.
Empathetic advice	If I were you, I’d talk to her.	—

✅ Use could for options
✅ Use should for normal advice
✅ Use ought to for strong advice
✅ Use If I were you… to sound kind and personal

💬 PRONUNCIATION TIP

Word / phrase	Natural pronunciation	Notes
should	/ʃʊd/ → “shud”	“o” and “l” are silent
shouldn’t	/ˈʃʊdənt/ → “shu-duhnt”	“t” is very soft
could	/kʊd/ → “kud”	“l” is silent
ought to	/ˈɔːtə/ → “aw-tuh”	“gh” is silent, “to” sounds like “tuh”

Practice saying:

You should rest.
You shouldn’t worry.
You could try again.
You ought to be more careful.

Other ways to ask for and give advice

Advice

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📅 Present Continuous for Future Arrangements

November 5, 2025November 5, 2025 teacherjulietaLeave a comment

Many students know the present continuous for actions happening now:

I’m studying English right now.

But we also use it to talk about future plans, when something is already decided or arranged.

Let’s see the difference 👇

Present Continuous – Actions Happening Now

We use the present continuous to talk about things that are in progress at this moment.

Structure:
Subject + be (am / is / are) + verb-ing

Examples:

I’m reading this blog right now.
She’s studying for her test at the moment.
They’re having lunch today.

Think:

“It’s happening right now. I can see it or it’s in progress.”

Time words: now, right now, at the moment, today

Present Continuous – Future Arrangements

We also use the present continuous to talk about the future, but only for fixed plans.
These are things that are already organized with a time, place, or person.

Structure:
Subject + be (am / is / are) + verb-ing

Examples:

I’m meeting my friend tomorrow.
She’s seeing the dentist on Friday.
We’re flying to Toronto next week.

Think:

“It’s in my calendar = it’s arranged.”

Time words: tomorrow, next week, on Friday, this weekend

Compare: “Now” vs. “Future Plan”

Situation	Example	Form	Meaning
Action happening now	I’m studying English right now.	am / is / are + verb-ing	In progress at this moment
Future arrangement	I’m studying English tomorrow morning.	am / is / are + verb-ing	Fixed plan (already decided)

Tip:
If you use a future time word, people know you’re talking about a plan, not something happening now.

Remember

Use	Time Words	Example	Meaning
Action happening now	now, at the moment, today	I’m watching TV right now.	Current action
Future arrangement	tomorrow, next week, on Friday	I’m watching a movie tomorrow.	Fixed plan

If you can put it on your calendar 📅 → use present continuous for arrangements.
If you can see it happening right now 👀 → it’s present continuous for actions.

Let’s Practice!

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Speaking

Second Conditional: Grammar Review

November 4, 2025November 4, 2025 teacherjulietaLeave a comment

What You MUST Know Before Using the Second Conditional

To use the second conditional correctly and confidently, you need to be comfortable with past simple form. The if-clause always uses the past simple, even though we’re talking about an unreal present or future situation.

Here’s a quick review of the essential conjugations:

1. Past Simple – Regular Verbs

Base Verb	Past Simple	Example
work	worked	If I worked from home, I’d be happier.
play	played	If she played an instrument, she’d join a band.
want	wanted	If they wanted a pet, they would adopt one.

📌 Rule: + –ed (or –d after e)

2. Past Simple – Irregular Verbs

(These forms must be memorized—no “–ed” rule!)

Base Verb	Past Simple	Example
go	went	If I went to Japan, I’d eat sushi every day.
have	had	If he had more time, he’d read more books.
see	saw	If we saw a ghost, we’d run away.
take	took	If she took the job, she’d move to Toronto.

📌 Tip: Students should review the Top 20–30 irregular verbs to feel confident.

Irregular verbs

3. Past Simple – Negative Form

Structure	Example
didn’t + base verb	If I didn’t have online classes, I’d sleep longer.
	If he didn’t live in a busy city, he’d have less stress.

📌 Use didn’t + base verb (NOT “didn’t went / didn’t saw”).

4. Verb BE in Unreal Conditionals

“were” for ALL subjects

❗️Verb Be Simple past REAL	✅ Verb Be Preferred in Second Conditional
I was	If I were
He/ She/ It was	If he/she/ it were*
You/ We/ They were	If you/ we/ they were

📌 In second conditional, “were” is used with I / he / she / it (not just “you / we / they”).
“If I were…” is more natural in written and formal English.

*NOTE: with he, she and it we can use was (instead of were) in informal speaking.

Example: If she was here, she’d know what to do

Difference between if I was and if I were

🧠 Quick Summary

Part of Sentence	Grammar Needed
If + past simple	regular ✅ irregular ✅ didn’t ✅ WERE ✅
Would/ Could + base verb	no conjugation changes

✅ If I knew the answer, I would tell you.
✅ If she didn’t live so far away, she would visit more often.
✅ If he were a doctor, he would help people every day.

Let’s Practice!

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🔮Future with I think… will

November 3, 2025 teacherjulietaLeave a comment

We use will to talk about what we believe or expect will happen in the future.
Predictions are our ideas or opinions about the future, not facts.

How to Make Predictions

✅ Use: will + base form of the verb

Examples:

It’ll be more difficult to find a good job.
We’ll travel more in the future.

We often add I think to show it’s our personal opinion:

I think we’ll be healthier.
I think people will live longer.

🗣️ In spoken English, will is usually shortened to ’ll.

I think we’ll have robots at home.

❌ How to Make Negative Predictions

To say something won’t happen, use won’t (= will not).

In the future, we won’t have so many problems.

You can also say I don’t think + will:

I don’t think we’ll work as much.
I don’t think it’ll rain tomorrow.

🧠 Quick Grammar Guide

Structure / Question	Example	Use / Meaning
will + base verb	We’ll study online.	To say something will happen in the future
won’t + base verb	We won’t drive petrol cars.	To say something won’t happen in the future
I think + will + base verb	I think people will live longer.	To give your opinion about the future
I don’t think + will + base verb	I don’t think it’ll rain.	To give a negative opinion about the future
Do you think …? → Short answers	Do you think it will rain tomorrow?	✅ Positive: I think so. / I hope so. ❌ Negative: I don’t think so. / I hope not.
Meaning of short answers	–	I think so → I believe it will happen I don’t think so → I believe it won’t happen I hope so → I want it to happen I hope not → I don’t want it to happen

💡 Tip:

Use “I think so” / “I don’t think so” to give your opinion.
Use “I hope so” / “I hope not” to express your wish.
These short answers are easy to use with any question starting with Do you think …?

Let’s Practice

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Talking about Quantity

November 2, 2025 teacherjulietaLeave a comment

💡 What Are Quantifiers?

Quantifiers tell us how much or how many of something there is.
We use them before nouns to describe quantity, a large amount, a small amount, or none.

Examples:

There are many books in my room.
There isn’t much sugar in the jar.

🍎 Countable and Uncountable Nouns

Noun Type	Description	Examples
Countable nouns	You can count them (1, 2, 3…)	apples, chairs, people, cars
Uncountable nouns	You can’t count them individually	water, money, time, rice

Quantifiers

🚦 Too Much, Too Many, Too Little, Too Few

We use these expressions to say there is more or less than necessary.

Expression	Used With	Meaning	Example
too much	uncountable nouns	more than needed	There is too much noise.
too many	countable nouns	more than needed	There are too many people in the room.
too little	uncountable nouns	not enough	I have too little time to rest.
too few	countable nouns	not enough	There are too few buses today.

Tips:

“Too much” and “too many” show an excess.
“Too little” and “too few” show a lack.

🟰 Enough + Noun

We use enough + noun to say that we have the right amount of something -> not too little and not too much.

It shows sufficiency. It means the quantity is adequate for what we need.

Structure	Example	Meaning
enough + countable noun	We have enough chairs for everyone.	The number of chairs is correct.
enough + uncountable noun	There isn’t enough water to fill the pool.	The amount of water is not sufficient.

More Examples

Do we have enough food for everyone?
There isn’t enough space in the classroom.
I don’t have enough money to buy that jacket.
We have enough time to finish the project.

Tips:

Use enough before the noun, and don’t add a or an after it.

❌ an enough time
✅ enough time

Let’s Practice

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Speaking

BOARD GAME

Advice

October 30, 2025 teacherjulieta1 Comment

💡 What Is “Advice”?

We give advice to tell people what is a good idea or a bad idea.
You can give advice in two ways:

with should / shouldn’t
with imperatives

🌟 SHOULD

We use should to say something is a good idea.
We use shouldn’t to say something is a bad idea.

Type	Structure	Example	Meaning
✅ Positive	Subject + should + base form	You should practice English every day.	It’s a good idea.
❌ Negative	Subject + shouldn’t + base form	You shouldn’t use ChatGPT in the exam.	It’s not a good idea.
❓ Question	Should + subject + base form	Should I study today?	Asking for advice.

More examples:

You should eat more vegetables.
You shouldn’t go to bed too late.
Should I call my teacher?

Tip:
After should / shouldn’t, use the base form of the verb (no to).

❌ You should to go → ✅ You should go

💪 IMPERATIVES

We can also give advice using imperatives — the base form of the verb.
Imperatives sound more direct, like instructions.

Type	Structure	Example	Meaning
✅ Positive	Base form + (rest of sentence)	Work hard!	A direct suggestion.
❌ Negative	Don’t / Never + base form	Don’t lie to your parents.	A warning
✅❌ With adverbs	Always/ Never + base form	Always be kind! Never lie!	Strong advice.

More examples:

Practice English every day.
Be on time.
Don’t forget your homework.
Never give up.

Tip: Imperatives don’t use “you.”

❌ You study hard. → ✅ Study hard.

🔍 Compare: Should vs Imperative

Meaning	Softer	Stronger
Give friendly advice	You should eat healthy food.	—
Give clear instructions	—	Eat healthy food.

✅ Use should / shouldn’t for friendly or polite advice.
✅ Use imperatives for strong or direct advice.

💬 PRONUNCIATION TIP

Many learners read should and shouldn’t incorrectly. Let’s see how we say them naturally in English:

We write	We say	Notes
should	/ʃʊd/ → “shud”	The o and l are silent. one syllable
shouldn’t	/ˈʃʊ dənt/ → “shu-duhnt”	The o and l are silent. The t is very soft or sometimes not pronounced. two syllables

❌ Not: “shoold” or “chould” or “shouwu”
✅ Say: “shud”

Try repeating:

I should study today.
You shouldn’t stay up late.

Tip: Practice saying both words quickly and smoothly. They often connect naturally in sentences!

Let’s Practice

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Speaking

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Ask for and Give Opinions

October 30, 2025 teacherjulietaLeave a comment

What Does “Give an Opinion” Mean? 💬🤔

To give an opinion means to say what you think or feel about something.
We often give opinions about movies, books, music, food, or experiences in daily life.

When you ask for an opinion, you want to know what someone else thinks.

For example:

“What did you think of the movie?” (You ask for an opinion.)
“I really enjoyed it. It was amazing!” (You give your opinion.)

Giving and asking for opinions helps you share ideas, agree or disagree politely, and have real conversations in English! 😊

How to Ask for and Give Opinions 🗣️💭

Here are useful and natural expressions to help you ask for and share your thoughts politely.

Situation	Phrases to Use	Example
Asking for opinions	– What did you think of it? – Did you like/enjoy it? – How was it? – Was it good?	“How was the restaurant?” 🍽️
Giving a positive opinion	– I really enjoyed it. – It was amazing! – Best film/book I’ve seen in ages. – I thought he/she was really good.	“I really enjoyed it. The food was delicious!” 😋
Giving a negative opinion	– I thought it was awful / terrible. – It’s not my kind of thing. – I found it a bit boring. – I was a bit disappointed.	“It’s not my kind of thing. I don’t like horror movies.” 😬
Giving a neutral opinion	– It was OK, I guess. – It’s good, but not her best.	“It was OK, but a bit long.” 😐

Example Conversations 🗨️🎭

Conversation 1: Talking about a Movie 🎬
A: What did you think of the new Spider-Man movie?
B: I really enjoyed it! The action scenes were great.

Conversation 2: Talking about a Book 📚
A: Did you enjoy the book?
B: It was OK, I guess. A little boring in the middle.

Conversation 3: Talking about a Concert 🎵
A: How was the concert last night?
B: To be honest, I was a bit disappointed. The sound wasn’t very good.

Let’s practice

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Speaking

Make Plans to Meet

October 29, 2025October 30, 2025 teacherjulietaLeave a comment

How to Invite Someone

When you want to make a plan with a friend, you can use these friendly expressions 👇

💡 Useful Phrase	💬 Meaning	🧠 Example
Would you like to come?	A polite way to invite	Would you like to come to my party? 🎉
Do you want to meet up (this Friday)?	A friendly invitation	Do you want to meet up after class? ☕
Do you want to join us?	Include someone in a plan	We’re having dinner tonight. Do you want to join us? 🍽️

🗣 Tip:
“Would you like to…?” is more polite than “Do you want to…?”

How to Respond to Invitations

When someone invites you, you can accept or refuse politely:

💡 Response	💬 Use it when…	🧠 Example
I’d love to! ❤️	You’re happy to join	“Do you want to come?” → “I’d love to!”
Yes, that sounds great/fun! 😄	You agree with the plan	“Let’s go to the park.” → “That sounds great!”
I don’t think I can, sorry. 🙁	You can’t join (polite)	“Sorry, I don’t think I can.”
I’m sorry I can’t, I’m busy. 📅	You already have plans	“I’m sorry I can’t. I’m working that day.”

Organising When and Where to Meet

Once you both agree, you need to arrange the details, time and place!

💡 Phrase	💬 Meaning	🧠 Example
Where / What time shall we meet?	Ask for details	“Where shall we meet?” / “What time shall we meet?”
Shall we meet (at ten / at the park)?	Suggest a place or time	“Shall we meet at the café at 5?”
Let’s meet (in front of / at…)	Confirm a plan	“Let’s meet in front of the cinema at 7.” 🎬

🗣 Tip:
We often use present continuous to talk about these future plans:

I’m meeting my friends at 7.
We’re having dinner on Friday.

Responding to Suggestions

When your friend suggests something, you can agree or hesitate politely:

💡 Phrase	💬 Meaning	🧠 Example
That’s a good idea! 👍	You like the suggestion	“Let’s go for pizza.” → “That’s a good idea!”
I’m not sure about that. 🤔	You’re not completely happy with the plan	“How about the zoo?” → “I’m not sure about that.”

🗣️ Conversation Example

A: What are you doing this Saturday?
B: Not much. Why?
A: Would you like to come to the food festival?
B: I’d love to!
A: Great! Shall we meet in front of the station at 12?
B: Sounds good! See you there!

Quick Summary

🧠 Function	💬 Phrases	💡 Example
Inviting people	Would you like to…? / Do you want to meet up?	Would you like to come this Friday?
Accepting	I’d love to! / That sounds great!	Yes, that sounds fun!
Refusing politely	I’m sorry, I can’t. / I’m busy.	I don’t think I can, sorry.
Arranging	Shall we meet at…? / Let’s meet at…?	Let’s meet at 6.
Responding to suggestions	That’s a good idea! / I’m not sure about that.	That’s a good idea!

Let’s Practice

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Speaking

Practice 1

Flip a card.
Student A ->Complete the question/ sentence.
Student B -> Answer the question/ keep up with the conversation

Let’s Practice Speaking

October 29, 2025 teacherjulietaLeave a comment

Roll the dice
Open the box
Read the question
Practice your speaking with your classmates

Difference between look like and be like

October 27, 2025October 27, 2025 teacherjulietaLeave a comment

Talking About People

When we talk about people, we usually describe two things:

What we talk about	Example
Appearance (how they look)	She is young. / He looks tired.
Personality (what they’re like inside)	She is funny. / He is friendly.

To describe people, we often use two important verbs:
👉 verb “be” (am / is / are)
👉 verb “look”

Verb BE to describe people

We use be (am / is / are) to describe who someone is and what they are like.

Structure	Subject + be + adjective / noun
Examples	I am tall. / She is friendly. / They are students.

🟢 Use BE + adjective for personality or appearance:

She is beautiful.
He is kind.
They are young.

🟢 Use BE + noun to say what someone is:

She is a teacher.
He is my friend.

💡Remember:

Subject	Verb be
I	am
You / We / They	are
He / She / It	is

Verb LOOK to describe people

We use look to describe what we see. For example, someone’s or something’s appearance.
It’s about what we think when we see them.

“You look happy!” means: I think you are happy because of your face.

Look + adjective (appearance)

We use look + adjective to say how someone or something appears.

Structure	Subject + look + adjective
Examples	You look tired. / She looks happy. / It looks expensive.

✅ We use adjectives such as: happy, tired, young, old, angry, beautiful.

🟢 Meaning: You’re describing how someone seems — not what you know for sure.

You look tired. (= I think you are tired.)
You are tired. (= I know you are tired.)

Look like + noun (similar appearance)

We use look like + noun to say who or what someone or something resembles.

Structure	Subject + look like + noun
Examples	She looks like her mother. / He looks like a teacher. / It looks like a nice restaurant.

✅ We use nouns like: a student, your brother, my dad, a movie star, a new phone.

🟢 Meaning: They have a similar appearance.

You look like your brother. (= You and your brother have similar faces.)
It looks like a new car. (= It seems to be new.)

Verb BE LIKE to describe people (personality)

We use be like to ask about personality. What kind of person someone is.

Structure	What + be + person + like?
Examples	What is your teacher like? / He’s funny and kind.

🟢 Meaning: It’s not about looks. It’s about character or behavior.

What is your best friend like? → She’s friendly and helpful.
What is your city like? → It’s big and exciting.

Quick Comparison

Expression	What it means	Example
look + adjective	How someone appears	You look tired.
look like + noun	Who/what someone resembles	She looks like her sister.
be like	What someone’s personality is	What is he like? He’s nice.

Let’s Practice

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Speaking

Flip a card.
Look at the picture.
Describe the appearance of the person.