Blog Session 8 >> Talk Review

This week we are taking a look at the TED website: http://www.ted.com/.

You have to visit it, watch Sir Ken Robinson's talk "Do Schools Kill Creativity" , and then write a 150 words review.

Blog Session 6 >> The Best in Your Area

First: If you corrected blog post 4 and have questions for me about any revisions, talk with me today.

Then: Complete the following post assignment.

In your opinion, who is the best in your field?

Tell me what you think.

Say:

Who she/he is,
What she/he has done,
Why you like her/him.

Explain what makes her/him the best.

Please find some examples of her/his work in images and post them too.

About 150 words please.

Symbol Key and Correction Post-due May 18

Hey, everyone. Below is the key for the symbols I used to mark your blog post #4. Using this key, plus the notes you took in class today, please make your corrections and publish them in a *new post*!!

Correction post due: May 18

Use this opportunity to win some extra points for your blog grade. I will grade this correction like the other usual posts: 2pts for complete, 1 pt for partial completion, and 0 pts for not doing anything.


Symbol Meaning Example

S Incorrect Spelling *I recieved your letter.
W.O Wrong Word Order *We know well this city.
T Wrong Tense *If he will come it will be to late.
C Concord - Subject and Verb do not agree *Two policemen has come.
WF Wrong Form *That table is our.
S/P Singular or plural problem *We need more informations.
λ Something Missing *They said λ was wrong.
( ) Something is not necessary *It was too much difficult.
?M Meaning is not clear *Come and rest with us for a week.
NA Use not appropriate *He requested me to sit down.
P Punctuation *Whats your name.
WE Wrong expression * For one side
WW Wrong word * Where do you guard the dishes?
SS Sentence Structure * (See your class notes!)
L Capitalization * i was in santiago.

Post 5: Your Career

To begin, let´s look at two important English language issues that everyone should review. Go to the website Big Dog´s Grammar by clicking here. Read the short lesson on parallel structure and then take the self-quiz. We will discuss our results in class.

Then, go on to review pronoun antecedent agreement. The first part of the lesson is very obvious, but the part on "nobody," "everybody," etc. and sexism is important. Once again, take the self-quiz.

Today's Post:
- Why are you studying this career?
- What do professionals in your area contribute to society?
- What tools will a professional in your area need to have in the future?
- What is your favourite subject?
- Include this and more in your answer.
- 150 words minimum please.

Blog Post 4

Read any comments on your blog and respond appropriately. Be sure that you have been following directions on your blogposts so that you receive full credit for each post!

Next, visit the Plataforma website and login to your account. Go to the activities and do activity 2 and 3 under "Important Days and Dates." Write the answers to the questions to activity 3 on your blog.

Finally, start a new blog entry for today's post:

Write about a photograph you like.

Say:

Who took it
What it shows
When it was taken
Why you like it

Include any other information you think is important.
Write at least 150 words.

Add comments to at least 3 of your classmates’ blogs

Blog Post 3

Before writing your blog post today, let's review a little grammar:

Comparing Gerunds and Infinitives

The difference in the form of gerunds and infinitives is quite clear just from comparing the following lists:

• Gerunds: swimming, hoping, telling, eating, dreaming
• Infinitives: to swim, to hope, to tell, to eat, to dream

Their functions, however, overlap. Gerunds always function as nouns, but infinitives often also serve as nouns. Deciding which to use can be confusing in many situations, especially for people whose first language is not English.

Confusion between gerunds and infinitives occurs primarily in cases in which one or the other functions as the direct object in a sentence. In English some verbs take gerunds as verbal direct objects exclusively while other verbs take only infinitives and still others can take either. Many such verbs are listed below, organized according to which kind of verbal direct object they take.

Verbs that take only infinitives as verbal direct objects

agree	decide	expect	hesitate
learn	need	promise	neglect
hope	want	plan	attempt
propose	intend	pretend

Examples:

I hope to go on a vacation soon.
(not: I hope going on a vacation soon.*)

He promised to go on a diet.
(not: He promised going on a diet. *)

They agreed to sign the treaty.
(not: They agreed signing the treaty.*)

Because she was nervous, she hesitated to speak.
(not: Because she was nervous, she hesitated speaking.*)

They will attempt to resuscitate the victim
(not: They will attempt resuscitating the victim.*)

Verbs that take only gerunds as verbal direct objects

deny	risk	delay	consider
can't help	keep	give up	be fond of
finish	quit	put off	practice
postpone	tolerate	suggest	stop (quit)
regret	enjoy	keep (on)	dislike
admit	avoid	recall	mind
miss	detest	appreciate	recommend
get/be through	get/be tired of	get/be accustomed to	get/be used to

Examples:

They always avoid drinking before driving.
(not: They always avoid to drink before driving.*)

I recall asking her that question.
(not: I recall to ask her that question.*)

She put off buying a new jacket.
(not: She put off to buy a new jacket.*)

Mr. Allen enjoys cooking.
(not: Mr. Allen enjoys to cook.*)

Charles keeps calling her.
(not: Charles keeps to call her.*)

Now go to http://esl.about.com/library/quiz/bl_verbform2.htm and test yourself with the quiz.

For today:

1. Write about a career-related web site you enjoy visiting (150 words).

You should:

- provide a link
- say how you found the site
- say how often you visit the site
- use at least one gerund form and one infinitive form--make them bold!

and explain why you like the site.

Add comments to at least 3 of your classmates’ blogs

Blog Post 3

Before writing your blog post today, let's review a little grammar:

Comparing Gerunds and Infinitives

The difference in the form of gerunds and infinitives is quite clear just from comparing the following lists:

• Gerunds: swimming, hoping, telling, eating, dreaming
• Infinitives: to swim, to hope, to tell, to eat, to dream

Their functions, however, overlap. Gerunds always function as nouns, but infinitives often also serve as nouns. Deciding which to use can be confusing in many situations, especially for people whose first language is not English.

Confusion between gerunds and infinitives occurs primarily in cases in which one or the other functions as the direct object in a sentence. In English some verbs take gerunds as verbal direct objects exclusively while other verbs take only infinitives and still others can take either. Many such verbs are listed below, organized according to which kind of verbal direct object they take.

Verbs that take only infinitives as verbal direct objects

agree	decide	expect	hesitate
learn	need	promise	neglect
hope	want	plan	attempt
propose	intend	pretend

Examples:

I hope to go on a vacation soon.
(not: I hope going on a vacation soon.*)

He promised to go on a diet.
(not: He promised going on a diet. *)

They agreed to sign the treaty.
(not: They agreed signing the treaty.*)

Because she was nervous, she hesitated to speak.
(not: Because she was nervous, she hesitated speaking.*)

They will attempt to resuscitate the victim
(not: They will attempt resuscitating the victim.*)

Verbs that take only gerunds as verbal direct objects

deny	risk	delay	consider
can't help	keep	give up	be fond of
finish	quit	put off	practice
postpone	tolerate	suggest	stop (quit)
regret	enjoy	keep (on)	dislike
admit	avoid	recall	mind
miss	detest	appreciate	recommend
get/be through	get/be tired of	get/be accustomed to	get/be used to

Examples:

They always avoid drinking before driving.
(not: They always avoid to drink before driving.*)

I recall asking her that question.
(not: I recall to ask her that question.*)

She put off buying a new jacket.
(not: She put off to buy a new jacket.*)

Mr. Allen enjoys cooking.
(not: Mr. Allen enjoys to cook.*)

Charles keeps calling her.
(not: Charles keeps to call her.*)

Now go to http://esl.about.com/library/quiz/bl_verbform2.htm and test yourself with the quiz.

For today:

1. Write about a career-related web site you enjoy visiting (150 words).

You should:

- provide a link
- say how you found the site
- say how often you visit the site
- use at least one gerund form and one infinitive form--make them bold!

and explain why you like the site.

Add comments to at least 3 of your classmates’ blogs