Manuel's First Sunday Lunch.. and as it's now Tuesday, some good examples of the past simple.

Let me introduce you to Manuel

and 

a 

Traditional English Sunday Roast.

On Sunday, Manuel (my student), and I, enjoyed a traditional British Sunday Lunch

( enjoyed = past simple - used for an action that started and finished in the past).

We enjoyed it on Sunday

The past simple often ends in ...ed ( regular verbs)

We talked about our families

We laughed at a joke

However some verbs are irregular and do not end in .....ed

What did we  eat?

( eat is an irregular verb)

We ate 

roast beef with yorkshire puddings

roast potatoes and roast parsnips

cabbage, carrots and peas

horseradish sauce and gravy

I roasted some beef and yorkshire puddings

I roasted some potatoes and parsnips, with a little bit of cumin.

I boiled some vegetables

I made some gravy

( made is the past simple of 'make'  - irregular verb)

I served it onto a dish

and took lots of photos

( took is the past simple of 'take'  - irregular verb)

What did we drink ?

( drink is an irregular verb)

We drank some wine.

Drank is the past simple of 'drink'

What didn't we do?

We use did for past simple negatives and questions.

Did you cook chicken on Sunday?

No,  I  didn't, I cooked beef.

What did you do on Sunday?

Using the Present Continuous for future Meaning

I am doing ( present continuous )

She is teaching
She isn't cooking

It's sunny
It isn't raining

They're eating
They aren't working.

The present continuous is:

am / is / are  + / eating / running / working etc

I        am  (not)         - ing

he

she     is  (not)           - ing

it

we

you     are (not)         - ing

they

Something is happening now

The students aren't horse riding, they're bowling.

Look at Marta, she's learning to spin.

Claire is waiting with the paparazzi for Bono (U2) to leave the Royal Crescent Hotel in Bath.

Present Continuous for a future meaning

This is my diary for the week.

Today is Saturday. I am going to Wells with Manuel.

On Sunday I am teaching and if it's not raining, I will be gardening in the afternoon.

On Monday I am going to the dentist.

On Thursday I am visiting my mother.

On Saturday I am seeing my sister and going to the Mulberry shop. 

In all these examples, I have already decided to do these things.

I am doing something (tomorrow ) = I have already decided and arranged to do it.

What are you doing today ?  - Not What do you do today.

Today I am going to Wells with Manuel. We are going to look around the Cathedral and the Farmer' Market and eating at either The Old Spot, Goodfellows or The Swan Hotel at lunch time.

Images of Wells

The Farmer's market and Europe's oldest street, ( according to the town crier).

 The Penniless Porch, (where it's ok to beg!)

Wells Cathedral and the Cathedral green.

Visiting Priest's Row with Yvonne, a German student from Cologne .

The Bishop's Palace

Playing crocquet on the lawn in front of the Bishop's Palace.

How are you spending your Saturday ?

Diary of a Homestay Tutor.

Today is Manuel's first whole day with me, and I always imagine myself in the student's situation on that first day.


Imagine, so wanting to learn something, so really needing to, that you would actually pay to live with your teacher, in their home, with their family.......


....and we've all watched 'Wife  Swop'!!


Perhaps, for me, the first few days are some of the most exciting of the job. 


The house has been cleaned to within an inch of it's life, the garden too, all the paperwork is up to date and the next job is the 'meet and greet' at the airport. 


Have any of you stood at arrivals with some one's name on a piece of paper ?


'Please not them, please not them', goes through your head, as you watch the slow, steady flow, of suntanned Ryan Air holiday makers, burnt to a crisp, still wearing the 'Lads on Tour' Tee shirt, kissing their welcoming girlfriends, winking and high fiving their mates....'What goes on tour , stays on tour, aye Davie'..... 


And then, suddenly, quite unexpectedly, a face pops up.... 'Carol ?' and kisses you on both cheeks, rather hesitantly, as they know we Brits don't like it......


..and I feel a hugely pleasant sigh of relief.. " Yes this is going to be good!', and I must add here, I have always had really wonderful students. Nice people, hardworking, respectful and friendly.


Anyway, back to Manuel..... half way to the airport, I fumble my hand over the passenger seat, checking for the 'Meet and Greet' sign, (my logo of a spotty mug full of pencils  and crayons, with his name underneath), it's not there.I check and check and check again, it's not in the car. O.K. not a problem, I will go to the airport, get some paper and write his name on it.


Drive into short stay car park, check purse for debit card....all good...


Park car, take ticket, put ticket in pocket, note where car left....all cool


Walk into airport...plane has landed 15 minutes early...


Panic...its midnight...everywhere is shut...I need to get a meet and greet sign sorted. People are pouring out of arrivals, everywhere is closed, I see a desk with a uniformed worker turning all her stuff off. " Help', I begged, 'do you have a piece of paper I can have to write some one's name on?" She hands me a 'note it' , a 2 by 2 sticky Post it and a green highlighter that has seen better days.


So stand with the 'post it' and wait for someone to come to me. 


By the time we get home, have a sandwich and glass of chilled Cava and a quick tour of the house its 2 am Madrid time. 


On the first day, I make an exception, breakfast is at 9, and  lessons start at 9.30, after that, breakfast is at 8 and lessons begin at 8.30.


Manuel has requested 30 hours of English lessons a week, this is 6 hours a day, with the weekends free, but as I have other teaching commitments on Wednesday afternoon and Friday morning, we will have lessons on Sundays as well and Manuel will have some free time during the week.


The first two lessons consist of completing a range of assessments in grammar and vocabulary and in the four skills, reading, listening, speaking and writing, then we complete an in depth needs analysis and from that, we develop the (flexible),course programme.


On the first day, after lessons, I usually take students for a walk around Street, we visit Clarks Village and the Tourist Information Centre.I point out other places of interest including, the swimming pool, the Shoe Museum, Strode Theatre, the bus stops for Glastonbury  Wells and Bath, the local pubs - The Bear Inn, Mullions and 'Spoons' and the best Indian Restaurant in Somerset, Saffron. 


We usually have to get a front door key cut, as they tend to leave with the student!


By the time we arrive home we are getting hungry, and there's nothing better than the smell of something delicious coming from the kitchen as you step into the house.


English Lesson


Vocabulary associated with cooking


Slow Cooked Brisket of Beef


This is a wonderfully tasty dish that needs little preparation, cooks itself slowly during the day, leaving plenty of time for lessons and excursions.

Peel some mushrooms

Peel some shallots

Slice the tops off some Chantenel carrots 

Get some garlic cloves and fresh thyme.

And a nice peice of Brisket from your local butcher

Heat up a small amount of hot oil in a casserole dish
Brown the Brisket all over by placing it in the casserole dish.

Remove the Brisket and put all the vegetables in the casserole dish.

Add some wine

Add more wine

Season well with salt and pepper

Bring to the boil, then add the Brisket

Put the lid on the casserole dish

Place in a low oven!!
Low heat !

Close the oven door and forget about it

For about six hours

Take it out of the oven

And serve it with some fresh vegetables and a potato or two.