Wednesday, 29 January 2020

Wrting about travellIng and modals

Sample essays:

Currently, travelling has become much easier than in the past. People are travelling from one place to another place due to a variety of factors such as globalisation. Travelling makes us learn about various cultures and it helps in promoting the travel industry.
Globalisation is one of the main reasons for the increase in travelling. Nowadays, people are travelling for several reasons, such as education, business and recreation. Globalisation has opened up the boundaries of the countries and provided ample opportunities. It is through globalisation that we are now able to expand our scopes of horizon across other nations. For instance, it is seen that students are applying to international colleges for further studies, this is mainly because of globalisation and it is noticed that there are more students enrolling for international studies than in the past.
There are many benefits that we get while travelling. One of the merits is that we learn about many different cultures and this actually assists us in making our bonds with other nations stronger. We also learn to respect the culture and values of other nations. As a result, it opens up the scope for any kind of support from the international countries. Furthermore, travelling has an impact on the growth of the travel industry. The travel industry is one of the major contributors of the GDP for many countries and regions, such as Singapore, Malaysia and the Middle East. Besides, it creates many employment opportunities for the people, thus improving the lifestyle of the country.
In conclusion, globalisation is one of the major reasons for the increase in travelling. From my point of view, travelling provides understanding the culture of many countries and it also increases the growth of the travel industry.
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Travelling in group with a tour guide is the best way to travel.
Nowadays, people have their own preferences about how to travel. Some people prefer to travel alone while others prefer to travel in groups with tour guide. I agree that it is the greatest way to travel as a group with a tour guide for several reasons.
First, a tour guide will let people know about the places they will visit and show the best places. Tour guides are specially trained about the local history and significance of all the places at the region. In many occasions, people travelling alone do not know the places to visit and so waste a lot of time trying to find something valuable to see. In addition, tour guides know things about a certain place that are not generally mentioned in books or brochures. Thus, guided tours are the best way in terms of sightseeing in a short time.
Second, travelling in a group can ensure safety. Many parts of the world are quite dangerous to travel alone. There are often people with evil intention waiting to do harm to tourists. For example, when one of my friends once backpacked across Europe by herself, she got in trouble because a homeless person took her passport and wallet. She had to call the embassy and deal with the situation. In the end she was not able to finish her trip, which could have been a once in a lifetime opportunity for her to spend such quality time with herself. When travelling with tour guides, they can protect their group members from this kind of dangerous situation.
In conclusion, although some people might agree that travelling as a group with a tour guide is not the best idea, I strongly agree with the idea that travelling in the group with the guide is the best decision in terms of great information and safety.
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Is it better to go on holiday with family, friends, or alone?
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There are very few people in the world who do not like going on holiday. Almost everybody likes to relax, to visit new places and see new things. Holidays are obviously great ways to do this but, before booking a trip, we all have to decide with whom to travel – is it better with family, with friends, or alone?
Holidays with family can be hard work and there can be many arguments. One friend told me that both she and her sister were in tears after arguing on holiday … before their flight had even taken off. Not everybody in the family wants to do the same things. In my own family, Dad always wants to go to a museum, Mum and sister want to shop, and I want to go to a coffee shop. Alone. The majority rules and we end up shopping. Travelling with family can be very cheap or even free, though, if parents pay.
Holidays with friends are not usually as cheap but money always plays an important role. It is normal for everyone to have different budgets and there needs to be a lot of compromise, from where you stay to where you eat. This inevitably causes problems. Nonetheless, travelling with friends can be incredible fun. When on holiday with friends you do different things than you do with family. It is also good for learning more about your friends, and sharing experiences together. Even though we spend a lot of time with our friends, travelling with them is different and a way to strengthen a friendship.
When choosing with whom to travel, there is another option: alone. Travelling alone has advantages over travelling with other people. For example, you do not have to compromise on money issues. You can choose what you want to do and it can also be a good opportunity to meet new people, especially when staying in hostels. Of course, travelling alone is not always good. It can be lonely and, sometimes, dull with no one to talk to. And, when at the bus station or airport, there is nobody to look after your suitcase when you want to go to the bathroom.
Personally, I prefer travelling alone because there are fewer arguments. Of course, sometimes I like holidays with other people. That way, there is always someone to talk to.

Monday, 20 January 2020

Writing. Opinion Essay. Space exploration

https://debatewise.org/debates/137-space-exploration-is-a-waste-of-money/



According to some people, the government should not spend money on space exploration. I agree with this view. In my opinion, there are other areas that need public spending. Also, space exploration is not crucial for the development of a country.
Of course, there are some benefits to investing in space research. It helps us to learn more about the universe we are a part of. Besides, there is a possibility that some space missions may find life on other planets. We may also be able to find other inhabitable planets. Since, population growth is leading to a resource crunch on planet earth, finding another planet that can sustain life is in the larger interest of the whole humanity.
On the other hand, there is no guarantee that we will find another planet that we can colonize. It is a mere possibility and it may take hundreds or thousands of years before we actually manage to achieve it. Hence, spending public money on such projects is unlikely to offer much in return at the moment. What’s more, there are several other pressing needs on earth that need immediate resolution. For example, millions of people still do not have access to potable water or education. Even today, thousands of people die in war and conflicts almost every day. It is foolish to spend money on space programmes before addressing these issues. Actually, making our planet more livable is much better than finding another planet to live in.
In conclusion, although outer space exploration projects help us to learn more about the universe, these projects are not crucial for the development of a country. Moreover, public money should be spent on more pressing issues like healthcare and education because they directly impact the public.

Indefinite pronouns.

Indefinite pronouns

Download this lesson in PDF here.

Words like 'something', 'everywhere', 'anybody' and 'no-one' are indefinite pronouns. We use them for people, things and places.

People: somebody* / anybody* / nobody* / everybody*
Things: something / anything / nothing / everything
Places: somewhere / anywhere / nowhere / everywhere

*We can use anybody or anyone - the meaning is the same. It's also true for someone, no-one and everyone.

These are singular words, so we use a singular verb with them.
  • Does anybody want cake?
  • Everybody loves the new puppy.
However, we can use 'they / them / their'.
  • Anybody who wants cake should pass their plate.
  • Nobody brought their bag.
We can use these words on their own for a short answer.
  • A: What do you want to eat? B: Nothing!
We can use them at the beginning of a sentence as the subject or as the object of a sentence.
  • Nothing was done.
  • She did nothing.
Some- and any- We have already talked about how to use some and any. (See here if you need to review.)

We use someone / somebody / something / somewhere in the same way as some and we use anyone / anybody / anything / anywhere in the same way as any.

We use somebody / something / somewhere mainly in positive sentences.
  • We can find somebody who can help.
  • There's something in the bag.
  • Let's go somewhere this weekend.
We use anybody / anything / anywhere in the same way, but for questions and negative sentences.
  • I can't find anybody who can help.
  • Is there anything in the bag?
  • We didn't go anywhere this weekend.
We also use anybody / anything / anywhere with sentences that have a negative feeling.
  • There is hardly anybody here.
  • She ate hardly anything.
  • We spent the weekend at home without going anywhere.
We can use somebody / something / somewhere in questions when they are offers or requests or when we think the answer is yes.
  • Are you looking for something? (= I think you're looking for something.)
  • Would you like something to eat?
We often use anybody / anything / anywhere after 'if'.
  • If anybody would like a coffee, tell me now!
  • If anything is wrong, you need to phone the reception.
  • If there's anywhere that you don't want to go, please send me an email.
We also use anybody / anything / anywhere with the meaning 'it doesn't matter who / which / where'.
  • Anybody can do this.
  • I'd like to go anywhere! I just don't want to be here!
  • She was so hungry that she ate anything.
No- Nobody = not anybody. Nothing = not anything. Nowhere = not anywhere.
  • I don't know anyone who's coming = I know nobody who's coming.
  • There isn't anything here = there's nothing here.
  • She doesn't want to go anywhere = she wants to go nowhere.
Usually the sentence with 'no' is stronger and more emphatic.

We don't usually use a negative verb with nobody / nothing / nowhere. Sometimes you hear this but it's not standard English.
  • NOT: I don't know nobody.
Every- Everybody = all the people. Everything = all the things. Everywhere = all the places. These can be used in positive sentences, negative sentences and questions.
  • I think that she has been everywhere in Europe.
  • He doesn't know everything.
  • Do you know everybody here?
Try an exercise about the indefinite pronouns here.



Thursday, 16 January 2020

Writing- Opinion. Languages

https://prezi.com/aioumohicjam/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-learning-a-second-language/

It is clear that learning a foreign language brings children several advantages. However, learning a foreign language requires attention, perseverance, time and work. Besides, some scientists say it may also have some drawbacks.
Firstly, most of experts agree on the fact that young children learn a language faster as they are enthusiastic to explore and learn new things. In addition, they pick up the pronuciation better and enjoy copying and learning through games. Secondly, nowadays, foreign languages are just as impotant as maths. What is more, learning a foreign helps students have better education and job opportunities.
On the other hand, it is said that learning languages increases work for parents and this effort adds extra academic load. We should also consider the fact that children need to concentrate on learning their mother tongue rather than learning a foreign language, sometimes missing their own cultural identity. Furthermore, learning a new language at an early age may be confusing and a waste of time. As a result, this learning could even delay the development of the child’s first language.

In conclusion, studies show that there are many advantages to learn a foreign language. Nevertheless, in my opinion, we have to consider pros and cons of learning at a very young age. I  strongly feel languages always open doors, but, from my point of view, they should be learned once the first language has been developed.

Euroepan countries. Project.

Member countries of the EU

ALPHABETICAL ORDER