iFriendly tour Kayaking and bird watching

Ratanui, Kayaking and bird watching...

Ratanui, Kayaking, bird watching and home grown mussels! (That's right, mussells grown on an underwater farm...)

Ratanui Lodge...  (A.k.a Ratatui lodge, which is what I kept calling it!)
http://ratanuilodge.com/

So far the most luxurious place iFriendly has stayed in so far...

A short walk across the road to the nearest beach and a short drive to Golden Bay Kayak, where you are greeted in the Kiwi way (super friendly way) and given instructions on how to manoeuver the kayak, given a spray skirt (this is the coolest most useful invention I have seen in the world of Kayaking) which is essentially a skirt. it grips on to kayak preventing you from getting wet or burnt by the sun.. GENIUS!

We steered around the coves, between the rocks and got some superb shots of the birds and seals in the area. Shag birds and sea gulls were the predominant and we saw two seals enjoying the sun.  They do smell a bit, but that is because they are in the sea a long time and because they eat octopus, which they tear apart... leaving the leftovers to rot in the sun... Nice!

In the evening we checked out a place just outside of Takaka, called the Mussel inn... Delicious big fat juicy mussels.. Yummy!

http://www.musselinn.co.nz/









Homework: 

B1/ B2/ C1 Write a letter to a friend describing a place you have been recently ...
Include an interesting fact about the place.
Advise your friend to visit the place, suggest what they should do whist they are there.

B1 - 70 words

B2/ C1 200 -250 words. For extra reading, click on the links in the texts.

How to use the word 'NO' in English - All levels

"NO"

When do we use the word 'no'? Well, not as often as you would think!

For a start it isn't considered polite in English to say 'No' as an answer to a question... you will usually hear locals say.. "Not really" or "I don't think so" or "I'd rather not"or "No thank you."

'No' can be used to compare  "The weather is no better today than it was yesterday."

'Any" or 'No' different
"This place is no different from any other place I've lived... why is it so expensive?"

'No good' or 'No use'
"The film was no good" "This computer is no use. Its so slow!"

Other examples with 'No'

No doubt; "I have no doubt in my mind... you will pass your exams."

No longer; "I no longer feel the need to go out as often as I used to."

No matter who; "No matter who knocks on the door... do not let them in!"

No more;  "No more sweets for you young man! Your teeth will rot!"

No need for; "There is no need for all this fuss, I'll be fine once I've had a good night's sleep."

No problem; "I'll sort it out for you... No problem!"

iFriendly will be touring New Zealand and Australia for the entire month of January 2015.

The puzzling world of idioms -Part 5 C1 +

Expressing anger...

Anger is a powerful emotion, it has the potential to take over your mind and body and transform you into a real life Hulk! http://marvel.com/comics/issue/52750/thanos_vs_hulk_2014_1
Anger is ugly, it affects you, and others who have had the misfortune to be around when it strikes... Although, from the outside, looking back on all the times I've seen others get angry, it does look rather funny.  And I'm sure if I saw myself have a kind of tantrum, it would look rather silly...

Idioms to express anger

To blow a gasket; This is part of a car engine, which is compressed, the gasket seals in the internal combustion. If the gasket blows then you could probably imagine the size of the explosion!
Example: "Your boyfriend blew a complete gasket when I told him what we did... I'm not going near him again when he gets angry!"
What does a gasket look like? Click on the link.
http://www.renault4.co.uk/gordini-head-gasket.htm

To have a conniption fit; This has to be my favourite one. I like using this to describe my own situations. Example: "I almost had a conniption fit when I found out they had in fact, robbed me blind!" A fit, can also be used on its own to describe an angry episode or even an epileptic fit (I do hope you don't suffer from epilepsy).

Vocabulary

tantrum; (noun) to become very angry and unreasonable.

seals in; (phrasal verb) to close with, lock in.

Further study...

Do you know any angry idioms? What are they?

Have a go at describing an angry person you know or even yourself when you are angry.  Can you do this in English?

Would you like to improve your listening and speaking skills in English? If so, I am offering online classes... Why don't you try a class? The first one is free! Please contact Lisa lis.j.grant@gmail.com.

The puzzling world of idioms and Expressions - Part 2 - B2 +

Food, we love it... For most of us it's a huge part of our everyday lives.  How many of you plan your meals at the beginning of the week, so that there's a delicious meal to look forward to everyday? I certainly do!

Here are some expressions that we like to use when talking about food...

Fill your boots

I love this expression because you can almost imagine literally filling your boots with your favourite stew...

It really means to have as much of something as you want, to do something to the full.  You can use this expression of many other things too, not just food.

Example:
Fran and Paul are at a buffet, Fran can't believe how much food there is!

Fran: "I'm so hungry shall we tuck in?"
Paul: "Go on Fran, fill your boots!"

Here are some expression that mention food, but they don't refer to it...

A piece of cake:  (Easy)  This report was a piece of cake!

Spill the beans: (Tell a secret)  I'll tried not to spill the beans, but I couldn't help it! Sorry.

Small potatoes: (unimportant) We don't need to worry about those people, they are small potatoes.

Sugar coat it: Gloss over bad information.  Please tell me the whole truth and don't sugar coat it.

Go bananas: To go crazy. Make sure you tidy your room, your mum is gonna go bananas when she sees this mess!

Do you know any other expression related to food?
Why don't you share your favourites with us?
Could you share some expression with us in your language?

Vocabulary

tuck in; (phrasal verb) eat heartily, devour, consume, to gobble up.

gloss over; (phrasal verb) to cover up something.

Would you like to improve your listening and speaking skills in English? If so, I am offering online classes... Why don't you try a class? The first one is free! Please contact Lisa lis.j.grant@gmail.com.

How to make the perfect Risotto!

B1 + level - Intermediate

How to make a perfect Risotto... For two.

I have it on good authority, that I make a pretty good Risotto!

Before you start prepare a litre of chicken stock with boiling water, this is to add little by little to the risotto as you cook it.

First I pour in a glug of olive oil into the pan, with some finely chopped garlic approximately 3 cloves of garlic.

Then I add a cup of rice, coat the rice in olive oil and stir well to make sure all the rice has been coated. Then I add half a glass of cheap white wine and stir well until wine has almost evaporated.

Start adding the stock bit by bit, whilst constantly stirring on a high heat.

When you have used up all the stock, and the rice is 'al dente'. (this is when the rice is not quite done).

Take the risotto off the hob. Season with salt and black pepper.

Take a packet of grated cheese, preferably with a mix of 4 cheeses and add as much as you like to the risotto and stir.

Then add some Gorgonzola, and stir in. Don't let it melt completely, this way you will be able to taste the Gorgonzola cheese.

Dish out and add a dollop of mushroom pate and grate a generous amount of Parmesan cheese on top and serve.

A nice glass of chilled white wine would go nicely with this dish. I recommend a glass of Ruedo ( Spanish white wine).

Bon appetite!

What are your favourite recipes?
Why don't you try to describe a recipe in English?

Vocabulary - The relevant definition of words in the text.

stock; (noun) liquid made by cooking bones, meat, fish or vegetables slowly in water.

glug; (noun) an amount of liquid poured from a bottle.

chop; (verb) cut (something) into pieces with repeated sharp blows of an axe or knife.

coat; (verb) (cooking definition) to cover with a 'coating' can be wet or dry.

evaporate; (verb) turn from liquid to vapour

melt; (melt) make or become liquified by heating.

dollop; (noun) a large shapeless mass of something, especially soft food.

For English classes on Skype, email Lisa: lis.j.grant@gmail.com.  Skype name: friendlyteacher14

Subtle culture differences.... B2 +

Subtle culture differences... 

Comparing Spanish and English customs and cultures 

I've lived in both countries throughout my childhood and adult life. You could say that I have adopted both culture and customs alike. I believe I have kept the best of both... But have I? Why don't you be the judge of that? 

I like to have a cup of tea and a biscuit at around 5 pm (tea time). Friends laugh at me and say "ooh Lisa, you're so English." or "You can take the girl out of England, but you can't take England out of the girl." I have met and worked with people who have lived in Spain for over 20 years, and have remained British to the core! Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's a bad thing. Why should people change just because they move to another country? This is a good question, and I shall address this in my next blog.

I'm so terribly polite all the time... "Would you mind passing me the salt, please." "Thank you, your so kind..." ok well, maybe I don't bother with the  "your so kind" bit. 

In Spanish I would simply say "pass the salt" or even "the salt" accompanied by a small hand gesture to indicate the salt. Obviously it would be said in a polite tone, but without the need for any airs or graces. And I do accept this. However, the only thing that makes me feel a little uncomfortable is when someone says "give me!" (dame) in English, this sounds somewhat rude to me.

Another thing which baffles me is why can't we say a flat "No" in Britain. We say, "not really" or "maybe not, eh" or we come up with a million excuses why it's not convenient to do something. Here in Spain I can just say "no" without the need to excuse myself. I have said this many times, Spain has taught me to say no. And I'm grateful for it. As I feel less pressured, less stressed as a result. 

There are many more culture differences to explore... I'll keep you posted.

What differences have you found when travelling abroad?
Do you have an experiences to share?

For more information about online classes, contact Lisa by email lis.j.grant@gmail.com or skype friendlyteacher14. 

Odd but somewhat funny collective nouns - C2 proficiency English

A few of the best collective nouns

 For English classes via Skype, Contact Lisa by email lis.j.grant@gmail.com or Whatsapp 0034
645424237.   

From a murder of crows to a misbelief of painters, Chloe Rhodes investigates the intriguing origins of her favourite collective nouns

A damning of jurors

This collective noun provides a window on to British history. Before the 13th century the old feudal system of justice prevailed, under which anyone accused of a crime could be charged, tried and sentenced by the lord of the manor. When King John signed the Magna Carta in 1215, he enshrined in law the right to a trial by jury. A "damning" verdict was one that found the plaintiff guilty of the crimes they were charged with. The word comes from the old French word dampner, from the Latin damnāre, meaning to injure or condemn, and in the middle ages it implied that your crimes made you worthy of eternal damnation.

An incredulity of cuckolds

Like most collective nouns, this one is 15th century in origin and shows how much of a game the invention of such terms had become by the mid-1400s. The word "cuckold" comes from the habit of the female cuckoo bird putting her eggs into other birds' nests, and can be applied to any male unwittingly raising a rival's offspring. The term sheds light on attitudes towards female sexuality and morality. This group of husbands is incredulous to discover that their wives have been unfaithful to them. It's not a "fury of cuckolds", or "a weeping" or "a shamefulness", they're not in despair – they're either in denial or they're in the dark.

A murder of crows

While most terms for groups of birds are linked to their song or habitat, this one has its roots in medieval folklore. With their dark feathers and jet-black eyes, crows were regarded by 15th-century peasants as messengers of the devil or witches in disguise. They were suspected of having prophetic powers, and the appearance of a crow on the roof of a house was taken as an omen that someone inside would soon die. There are also accounts of the birds living up to their murderous name by enacting something known as a crow parliament (kråkriksdag in Swedish), during which up to 500 birds are said to gather together before suddenly setting on one of their number and tearing it to pieces.

A misbelief of painters

We're talking artists here, rather than decorators, and, in particular, painters of portraits. One aim of medieval portraiture was to present the sitter as they hoped to be remembered after their death. Artists, like poets, were dependent on wealthy patrons for their living, so portrait painters had to strike a balance between truth and flattery. Shoulders could be broadened, eyes brightened, paunches flattened and foreheads heightened. Misbelief meant an erroneous belief, rather than an inability or refusal to believe, so the painter's job was to conjure misbelief in those who viewed his work; to create the illusion of beauty even where he found none.

A parliament of owls

This group name has its origins in the 1950s children's classic The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis and is a reference to Chaucer's allegorical poem "The Parliament of Fowls", in which all the birds of the Earth gather together to find a mate. Lewis adapts the title of Chaucer's poem to describe a council of owls who meet at night to discuss the affairs of Narnia. The huge international success of Lewis's books – they've sold more 100m copies in 47 languages – means that the term has become far more widely known than most of the traditional collective nouns and is now recognised by dictionary compliers as the "correct" term for a group of owls.

A promise of tapsters

"Tapster" is now obsolete but can be translated as barman or barmaid – whoever is in charge of the "tap". The tapster's "promise" is something we're all familiar with: that slight inclination of the chin, subtle nod or lift of the eyebrow that says: "You're next". But can it be trusted? There's never been a better embodiment of a false promise than the tapster's. In As You Like It, Celia and Rosalind make the point perfectly in their discussion about the promises of love with the damning line: "… the oath of a lover is no stronger than the word of a tapster."

Source: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/sep/19/ten-best-collective-nouns

Vocabulary Builder 

feudal; (adj) according to, resembling or absurdly outdated or old fashioned.
prevailed; (verb, past tense) prove more powerful or superior.
enshrined; (verb) place in an appropriate receptacle, preserve in a form that it will be protected and respected.
incredulous; (adj) (of a person or their manner) unwilling or unable to believe something.
paunches; (noun) a large protruding belly, (verb) disembowel (an animal).
erroneous; (adj) wrong, incorrect.
conjure; (verb) cause to appear by magical ritual.
allegorical; (adj) constituting or containing allegory. Synonyms; symbolic, metaphorical.

Questions for students

Do you have any collective nouns in your language?
Can you think of any others?
Tell us about your favourite collective noun. 
  
 For English classes via Skype, Contact Lisa by email lis.j.grant@gmail.com or Whatsapp 0034
645424237.