IES Cantabria. Learning English. (Santander)

Friday, 9 October 2026

Focousing on the past

Past Simple, Past Progressive Games

https://www.gamestolearnenglish.com/past-tense-game/

Past simple

We use the past simple to talk about past events in chronological order, i.e. for a story’s main events.

When she opened the door, she pretended we weren’t there and went to her room.
He called me and told me to go, but he wasn’t there when I arrived.

We also use the past simple to talk about past habits or past states.

We often went to the bar for a drink before dinner.
He really liked sport and was very fit.

Past continuous

We use the past continuous to set the scene in a story.

Last night, I was walking home listening to my iPod when…
The sun was shining, and lots of tourists were lying on the beach. Suddenly…

We use the past continuous for actions in progress in the past or longer actions interrupted by shorter actions in the past simple.

After dinner, I went into the living room and saw that she was crying.
When she opened the door, we were talking about her.

Past perfect simple

We use the past perfect simple to talk about an earlier past: events which happened before the main event.

Earlier single events

We use the past perfect simple to talk about earlier events and experiences or single actions completed earlier in the past.

When she opened the door, he had already left.
I realised that I had been there before.
When I met her, I had never been in a serious relationship.
He noticed I had cleaned the car. It was smooth and shiny.

We use the past perfect simple (and not continuous) to say how much or how many we had done of something earlier in the past.

We had driven 500 miles, and we needed some rest.
How many hours had he slept when you woke him up?

Duration from earlier in the past (stative verbs)

We use the past perfect simple with stative verbs to talk about states or situations that had started earlier in the past. We often use how long, for or since, always, etc.

The day Anne died, they had been married for 48 years.
The day I left, I had been in England for exactly four years.
She told me she had always hated her sister.

Past perfect continuous

Duration from earlier in the past (dynamic verbs)

We use the past perfect continuous with dynamic verbs to talk about longer continuous actions that started earlier in the past than the main events of the story.

I was furious. I had been waiting for him in the cold, and he didn’t call to say he’d be late.
We had been driving for less than an hour when the car broke down.

Repeated actions from earlier in the past (dynamic verbs)

We use the past perfect continuous with dynamic verbs to talk about repeated actions from earlier in the past.

I couldn’t believe it. She had been writing a letter every day for over a year.

Monday, 5 October 2026

Housing crisis.

Coversation questions. Warm-up:

It is said an average person lives in 11 homes in their lifetime. What is your number?
If money was not a problem, where would you live and what kind of house would you have?
Making housing more accessible would help reduce…
What share of a household budget do you think is spent on average on housing?
Why has the price of housing risen so dramatically in the last decade?
What share of a household budget is spent on housing in low-income households?
In many countries, a large share of young people is still living with their parents. Is Spain one of these countries? Justify your answer
Is giving homeless people homes more effective and sensible than making them stay in shelters or on the street?
How much is Airbnb affecting the housing market in cities where rent is on the rise?
What can be done about rising homelessness in big cities?
Does it make sense to encourage homeownership through tax policies?
Should housing policy be more balanced, supporting rental housing and homeownership on a more equal footing?

Time to listen:

Vocabulary:

affordable home
low-income housing
budget
low -income households
mortgage
tenants
landlords
overburdened with housing costs
homeowners
social housing
to make a down payment
disposable income
average price
to evict /eviction
homelessness
rising home prices
overcrowding and under occupations
real state bubble
subsidized
housing issues
cohousing
utility bills
to downsize
squatting/squatters
to rehabilitate /rehab, rehabilitation

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm2kej47095no

Tens of thousands of people have protested across Spain calling for greater protections for tenants after the government failed to pass emergency housing legislation.

About 50 marches took place on Saturday in cities including Madrid, Valencia and Barcelona. "There is a lot of anger in the streets," a spokesperson for the Valencia Tenants' Union said. Clashes have taken place between some protesters and police in the city. It is calling for a general strike over the housing crisis.

Getty Images About a dozen small tents are pitched in a concrete square in the centre of Madrid. It is raining and people walk around the tens with umbrellas. — An encampment has been set up for days by protesters at Puerta del Sol in Madrid

Wednesday, 30 September 2026

Linkers, connectors. (Discourse markers)

LINKERS/CONNECTORS PRACTICE:

Linking words, an interactive worksheet by Teacher_FRM
liveworksheets.com

https://www.liveworksheets.com/worksheet/en/english-second-language-esl/445415

EXPRESSING CONTRAST (LINKERS OF CONTRAST)

ALTHOUGH

Although I was feeling depressed, I went to the party.

DESPITE

Despite the rain, I went to the party.

Despite feeling depressed, I went to the party.

IN SPITE OF

In spite of the rain, I went to the party.

In spite of feeling depressed, I went to the party.

EVEN IF

I will go to the party, even if I feel depressed.

WHEREAS

Adults can make their own decisions, whereas teenagers have to do what other people tell them.

HOWEVER

Mike is a very good singer. However, he can’t play any instruments.

IN CONTRAST

BUT

Their music is very good. But, their lyrics are not very interesting.

ON THE ONE HAND….. ON THE OTHER HAND

On the one hand, they are extremely rich. But on the other hand, they have lots of debts.

EXPRESSING PURPOSE (LINKERS OF PURPOSE)

We use linkers of purpose to introduce reasons:

SO (THAT)

I have brought a microphone so that the audience will be able to hear us.

IN ORDER TO

We need to register with the council in order to vote.

I am phoning to ask information about the event.

SO AS TO

We all need to vote so as to express our opinions.

Tuesday, 29 September 2026

U2 50 anniversary- Listening

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm9w4042yklko

Exactly 50 years after they formed, U2 returned to Dublin to play a gig at the school where they met.

"We've escaped from the lab," declared Bono, as the quartet took to a stage in the playground. "How's the experiment working for you?"

The pupils of Mount Temple Comprehensive may not have been born when U2 were the world’s biggest band, but they gave them a hero's welcome, waving signs that said, "I love U2", "It's a beautiful day - no school", and, "Bono, my mum says hi!"

The group treated them to a career-spanning set that included hits like I Will Follow, Vertigo and With Or Without You, as well as their latest single, Silencio.

As they played, teachers pulled down pupils who’d climbed on their classmates' shoulders, before getting swept up in the moment and dancing along themselves.

As he looked out from the same stage where U2 made their debut in 1976, Bono became emotional.

"Thanks for, er… Yeah... I didn't… Wow," said the frontman, temporarily lost for words.

U2 were all pupils at Mount Temple Comprehensive School in the mid-1970s

https://en.islcollective.com/english-esl-powerpoints/reading-comprehension/general-reading-comprehension/celebrities-famous-people/u2-ppt/37405

Is it getting better?Or do you feel the _________?Will it make it easier on you now?You got someone to___________

You say, one love, one lifeWhen it's one need in the nightOne love, we get to share itLeaves you baby if you ___________ for it

Did I disappoint you?Or leave a bad taste in __________?You act like you never had loveAnd you want me to ____________

Well it's too late tonightTo drag the past out into the lightWe're one but we're not the sameWe get to carry each other, carry each otherOne!

Have you come here for ____________?Have you come to raise the _____________?Have you come here to play Jesus?To the lepers in your _______________

Did I ask too much? More than a lotYou gave me nothin' now it's all I gotWe're one but we're not the sameWell we hurt each other then we do it again

You say love is a __________, love a higher __________Love is a _________, love the higher ____________You ask me to __________ but then you make me ____________And I can't be holdin' on to what you gotWhen all you got is ______________

One love, one bloodOne life, you got to do what you shouldOne life, with each otherSisters, brothers

One life but we're not the sameWe get to carry each other, carry each otherOneOne

Monday, 21 September 2026

Mediation.

How to do the Written Mediation?

Tips
- READ the instructions well: What's my role? To whom do I need to write? What about? Why? To what effect? How? What is the context?...
- Identify and select the relevant information.
- Use your own words, paraphrase (do not just copy from the text you are given), expand the information (explain, comment, clarify), connect ideas (compare and contrast, exemplify, relate to what you know), talk about the intentions, nuances and connotations of the text.
- Take into account the audience you are writing to and the context and adapt the discourse appropriately: formal / informal.

Wednesday, 16 September 2026

Migration, a hot debate

Food for thought:

1. The story

Around 70,000 migrants swam around the border from Morocco into Ceuta, part of Spain, which has a population of 80,000. Spanish authorities said almost all those who reached the enclave have now returned. At least 72 migrants died attempting the journey. Many EU leaders called for an urgent meeting, asking for the end of policies that could encourage illegal migration. But Spain says that as Ceuta is not part of mainland Spain, there was never a security threat to other EU countries.

The Ceuta migration crisis reached an unprecedented flashpoint, profoundly shifting Spanish public opinion and driving the European Union toward aggressively tighter border policies. A questionnaire examining opinion and context surrounding this crisis can be structured around the following factual pillars and recent polling insights.

The Context: The Late July/August Border Surge. A massive influx overwhelmed the Spanish autonomous city of Ceuta on the North African coast.

The Trigger: Human smuggling networks exploited and misrepresented a June Spanish Supreme Court ruling regarding "hot returns" at sea, falsely spreading rumors on social media (WhatsApp and Facebook) that the border was open. The Scale: Over the course of a single overnight period, an estimated 49,000 to 60,000 people crossed or attempted to cross into Ceuta by swimming or breaching border walls. By August, total estimates climbed over 70,000.

The Fall-out: Spain quickly deployed its military, installed floating barriers, and swiftly returned over 70,000 migrants to Morocco. Politically, a massive internal scandal emerged in September when declassified National Intelligence Center (CNI) documents revealed that Spanish authorities had advanced warnings of the WhatsApp "call to assault" the border, leading to political finger-pointing and high-profile resignations.

2. Current Public Opinion Dynamics

Recent demoscopic data—including a comprehensive national 40dB opinion poll and the state-run September CIS Barometer—highlights a significant shift in public sentiment:Blame and Bilateral Friction: 89% of Spaniards blame Morocco for either orchestrating or allowing the mass crossing. Concurrently, an NC Report poll showed that 77% of Spaniards now view Morocco as an "enemy" or a hostile neighbor due to the crisis.Disapproval of Government Management: Close to 72% of respondents criticize the Spanish government’s handling, with the vast majority rating Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's response as "bad" or "very bad" and too slow.Border Security over Humanitarian Concerns: The public mood has hardened significantly; 7 out of 10 Spaniards now prioritize tighter border controls over the protection of vulnerable migrants, and 82% support increasing physical fences and surveillance.Political Shifts: The crisis has fueled a surge for Spain’s right-wing opposition. For the first time this legislature, the combined voting intentions for the conservative Partido Popular (PP) and right-wing Vox surpassed the 50% mark in 40dB's polling. Furthermore, 27% of respondents name Vox as the political force most capable of handling immigration.The EU Stance: On the European level, 22 out of 27 EU member states have united to demand the European Commission further harden external border policies, floating controversial ideas such as the temporary suspension of asylum processing during large-scale border emergencies.

3. Questionnaire :

Module A: Perception of Responsibility

Do you believe the mass crossing was an orchestrated geopolitical maneuver by Morocco or an organic humanitarian event?
To what degree do you believe the Moroccan government is responsible for the migration surge in Ceuta? (None / A little / Significant / Absolute)
How do you evaluate the role played by social media platforms (WhatsApp, Facebook) in fueling the crisis?

Module B:Government Evaluation

How would you rate the Spanish central government's response to the situation? (Excellent / Adequate / Slow / Very Bad)
Do you agree or disagree with the deployment of the Spanish military and the implementation of floating maritime barriers in Ceuta?
In light of declassified intelligence warnings, do you believe the political fallout and subsequent resignations were handled appropriately?

Module C: Policy Preferences (The Humanitarian vs. Security Trade-off)

When managing Spain’s borders, which should be the primary objective?
Strengthening border fences, surveillance, and immediate returns.
Assuring humanitarian aid, processing asylum claims, and protecting vulnerable groups.
Do you support the European Union's proposal to allow member states to temporarily suspend the processing of asylum applications during sudden, mass border crossings?

Module D: Broad Societal Impact

How has the recent crisis in Ceuta affected your view of Spain's bilateral relationship with Morocco? (Improved / Unchanged / Worsened)
Which Spanish political party do you believe is best equipped to handle irregular migration moving forward?

News headlines

Runaway online rumors sparked frantic rush by migrants to the Spanish territory of Ceuta
AP News

How Spain's migrant crisis created a political storm - whipped up by social media
BBC News

EU ministers to back Spain as Ceuta crisis pushes migration up the agenda
Politico

Imagine you were moving to a new country. What would be the most important factors to take into consideration? Put these in order of importance:

Cinemas/theatres/concert halls
Good flats/houses
Good transport systems
Good schools/hospitals/universities
Presence of family/friends
Safe streets Parks/green areas
Free press and media
Democratic system/equality
Language • Culture
Other???

Which of these things would most make you want to leave your home city or country?

Unemployment
Poor housing and services
Poverty
Famine
War/unsafe social situation
No job prospects for your skills/qualifications
Government persecution
Discrimination Climate
Geographical location
Other??

Reference websites:

Monday, 7 September 2026

Welcome. Course 2026-27

1st Bach. Year 2026-27

La Segunda Lengua Extranjera en la etapa de Bachillerato tiene como objetivo principal la adquisición de la competencia comunicativa en la lengua extranjera, de modo que permita al alumnado comprender, expresarse e interactuar en dicha lengua con eficacia, fluidez y corrección, así como el enriquecimiento y la expansión de su conciencia intercultural.

Specific competences:

Understanding and interpreting texts (oral and written)
Text production (oral and written)
Active interaction and co-production (oral and written)
Language mediation (oral and written)
Linguistic repertoire and plurilinguism
Diversity awareness (linguistic, cultural and artistic). Critical assessment

Criteria for evaluation.

Based on the specific competences and the development of the different skills: Listening, Reading, Speaking, Writing, Interaction (oral and written) and mediation (oral and written). Homework, tasks, attitude and participation.

Essential/key knowledge:

Communication
Plurilinguism and language reflection
Intercultural awareness

Student Book and Workbook

Table of Contents

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAF22W0MTAU [http://bit.ly/VeganEconomy]

European Parliament Ambassador School