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#2641 Something challenging. It's not about reading in your first sitting either Joyce or Thomas Pynchon, but finding something that you feel as it's teaching you something.
Fact is, everyone hates when they're been taught. You just have to find that thing that makes you entertained while still teaching you English. Can't provide titles, it's all up to you.
#2641 I'm currently reading harry potter. You can get much more used to the grammar reading it straight off and learn a lot of new vocabulary in addition. Besides, it is an easy reading if you've got intermediate level or so. It may result a bit difficult at the beginning but you'll soon get used to it as soon as you get the meaning of the main expression that the author uses.
#2642 You're right!, I started with the Harry potter books like #2643, I hate when hagrid speaks, it's very difficult for me understand what the hell is saying xD
#2641 Books are good to get reading comprehension and vocabulary, but it might be a bit harder to get into the habit. And it depends on your language level to pick the titles (or your will to read a book, that was my case 
). If you have an e-book it's pretty useful to look for a word's definition with the integrated dictionary in English (I got a Kindle 2 years ago and I can count with my hand the books I have read in any other language but English since then). That's quite important, even if it's somehow common sense, to look for the definitions in English rather than the translation.
#2643 Harry Potter are really good to start with because the story is pretty easy to understand and you probably know what happens more or less, which also helps.
#2631 Perhaps you already got what he says, but to me it sounds like "one kind of vandalism". I'm not sure if that even has any sense though, but I believe that's a k sound.
#2647 In general, all books for children or youngsters are pretty useful for that, because the vocabulary and the structures used are much more simple and easier than in adult's books. In fact, when my students ask me what to do to improve their reading comprehension, I recommend them this kind of books.
Another very good option is to practise with Oxford or Penguin books, which are divided into five or six categories or levels from 1 to 6 regarding their degree of dificulty, and they even include the text recorded in CDs, so you can improve your listening skills as well.
Hi, good nights, i'm currently learning english in a privated academy since October.
I'm going to the academy three hours a week and i'm noticing improvement, apart of going to the academy I'm reading some smalls books like "Foreigner in New York" or "Island for sale". I also read some tecnology news of BBC and listen to some radio channels.
What else recommend me for my learning? Thanks you very much and happy christmas.
#2650 Well I started learning from online games, not to say it took several years to show results. Recommendations? Whatever is in English may work. You can watch a video from youtube and replay it until you understand everything, or as everyone recommends, whatching TVshows in OV helps you to get used to the language.
Also, first of all, I'd like to give you some advices. You mustn't translate the expressions from Spanish literally. You must think in English to speak it. It's something that I don't even do, it's not that easy, I guess it becomes easier the more you know about a language.
But what I mean is stuff like:
-Good nights = Good night/Good evening.
-smalls -> All adjectives are spelled in singular (small books, red cars, etc)
-What else do you recommend me[...]?
-Instead of "apart", in this case you may use "besides".
I might be mistaken in something I try to correct you, though. As I always say: I just have a medium-low level, so I'm constantly aware of being wrong, but I hope this helps you.
#2650 How are you doing with listening and speaking? The best way to get good at it is to find someone to speak with in English quite often. If it's in class try to have improvised conversations, out of the book, because even if it's not much, you will make the sentence structures by yourself and, little by little, you will get used to it.
Guys, one question. What do you think of the "In Use" Cambridge books? Long time ago, in High School, I had "Intermediate Grammar In Use" but it's not useful anymore. I liked the book and I thought of finding the advanced level, but I'm not sure if it would be better to get one of vocabulary or something else... Any recommendations? I'm around C1 level.
#2650 and #2651 About "apart of", in this case, either it is correct to use "besides", or to use "apart", but it is apart from, not "apart of". For example: "apart from going to the academy, I'm watching TV shows", or "besides going to the academy, I'm watching TV shows".
#2651 Yet your level seems to be quite good (at least "medium-high" ), I'll tell you that the word "advice" is already in plural. The equivalent singular for this word is "piece of advice", whereas "advice" is its plural form. So that, "advices" is not the plural, but "advice". The other corrections that you've made are correct, and your level is not so low; in fact, I dare to say that you have at least a B2 
.
#2652 I think Cambridge books are pretty useful, but you have to find the level that fits you best. I have a Cambridge book of exercises whose level is Advance (C1), and it contains "use of English", "grammar", "vocabulary", which I find very good if you want to learn, to practise and to fix your C1. I have a copy of it in PDF in my computer, if you want, I can send it to you 
.
#2653 So that's why "apart of" sounded so weird to me.
Thank you for the correction about the "advice" word! I've been wrong my whole life :_ Then again, thanks for the compliment, although I still don't believe I have a good enough level xD I know I make a lot of mistakes and I usually have a lot of doubts, so most of the time I have to search for clarifications about some expressions in google (for example, I've just done it with "most of the time/most of times" ). Also, I'm a self-critical bastard.
But it's cool because this way (one correcting one another, something that I'm not used to xD) helps way more than learning by yourself. So xoxoxo
8 días después
Hey, could you help me translating the following sentence?
"Considerando que, conforme a las disposiciones y circunstancias prevenidas por la legislación vigente"
I don't feel very confident translating this 
Thanks!
#2656:
A friend of mine (English native) suggested me the following:
"In consideration to and according with the dispositions and preventive circumstances of the present laws.."
But it doesn't seem correct to me, maybe because she speaks Spanish but not legal Spanish, so.. xD
Taking into account that , in compliance with circumstances and regulations foreseen by current legislation
That would be my phrasing , but I am uncertain of the translation of "que"
#2655 It's not mine, but I just found this in WR (Maybe you already read it):
http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=364688
Hi folks! I'm currently preparing for the B2 exam and, by now, the only weak spot I think I got is the oral part, I'm pretty average with the talking and I'd been told that you got to talk for like 10 minutes or so without interruptions, plus the discuss part with other mate. I'm freaking scared
#2659 That's not true, you don't have to talk for 10 minutes without interruptions. You get shown pictures and you are asked questions about the pictures. For example, when I did the C2, they showed me a picture of a virgin beach and another one where there was a hotel complex on it and they asked me what the difference was, which one was better, way, etc etc. I also got asked about my opinion on love, family and friendship.
If you need any help, I'm happy to do so. I have the C2, CELTA, and I'm British hahaha
#2663 Excuse my minor error, I've corrected it. Thank you for letting me know
#2660 I hope that's true hahaha, it would be much easier for me to keep the conversation.
In the exams my teacher's giving me from past years you are asked to give your opinion about a specific topic, but that's all, no more questions, perhaps(and I hope) the examiners will ask me more questions about that topic as they'll see I'm going out of ideas hahaha. Thanks for the help, much appreciated.
Just curiosity, what's CELTA?
#2661 CELTA is Certificate in English Teaching to Adults (Cambridge). It´s a month intensive course and at the end you become a qualified English teacher, but you need to be a native speaker to be able to apply.
#2660 Didn't you miss something between 'If you need any help,' and 'and happy to do so' or am I the one missing something?
Hi guys, I just recently found this thread, which seems pretty interesting to me since im looking forward to improving my english level. If I make any "big" mistake just let me know, please.
In order to do so Im planning to start reading some interesting book in english. Since Im still engaged in my choice, I would like to ask those who have read "Hyperion (Dan Simmons)" if it is a good choice or it may be too difficult for me to catch the global sense of the novel (regarding I have a B2 english level) due to the possible amount of complicated words which are commonly used in sciencie-fiction books. ¿Whats your personal experiencie with this kind of novels? ¿Is it hard to understand or you can manage to deduce the meaning by its context? Thanks
#2665 Thanks
#2666 Your reading skills must be pretty high... I will probably give it a try since it will worth for sure despite how hard it is at the beginning. I Hope I can at least enjoy the reading despite my lack of vocabulary, not spending more time on reading the dictionary than the book itself XD
#2664 Following your request, and for your own good, you say "looking forward to improving my english level.
Hope you don´t mind me saying 
#2664 Just few minor mistakes, like "I'm" instead of "Im" and that the symbol "¿" is only used in Spanish Welcome to the thread!
Regarding the book, I haven't read "Hyperion" and I don't know about the kind of vocabulary it has, so I'm not sure if I'll help. But few years ago I started reading "A Wise Man's Fear" (2nd book of "The Kingkiller Chronicle", by Patrick Rothfuss) and it was really hard to carry on at the beginning, I had to rely on the dictionary a lot. When I finished it I started with "A Song Of Ice And Fire" novels and the first book was awfully hard as well, but when I started the 3rd one I realized it was pretty easy.
This was like 3 years ago and now I only read in English if I can, and my reading comprehension improved a lot (though I still suck at speaking XD). I think I was around the B2/C1 level (I have never taken any official exam so I don't really know).
#2664 At the beginning maybe you'll spend more time in the dictionary, at least I did for the first 20-40 chapters of the book. But if you have patience it will pay off!
Interesting documentary about the upcoming eco-cities of the future:
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20121012-the-city-of-the-future
I'm doing a kind of exchange with Sweden this year and I've been asked to write some sort of introduction letter. The problem is that I've been given nearly no information about what the hell I'm supposed to write (I don't even know if my letter is going to be read by the Swedish teacher or by the pupils!) so I'm trying to do something "standard" but I've never done it before, not even in Spanish, so It would be grateful if you could give me some advice.
This is what I've written so far, I'm going to write more right now, perhaps about why I like Sweden, so maybe I'll update later, but I want to post it now so you have more time to help me.
"Hello,
I'm Fulanico de Tal, but people often call me just Fule. I'm sixteen. As you already know I live in Menganocity although I was born in Fulanotown.
My interests include music, reading and video-games. I really love metal, especially (but not only) those bands from Spain or Scandinavia such as Sabaton, HammerFall, Mägo de Oz or Sonata Arctica. I play the bass as well. About books, I like epic fantasy and I'm starting to read science-fiction sagas. I like all kind of video-games."
One of my biggest concerns is that I'm afraid of writting a letter too informal for the teacher but too formal for the pupils.
#2669 Did you chose Sweden for any reason or is this some kind of established program only with them? Because you could put as well "why Sweden", and something related to your homecountry, with few lines, such as differences you expect or I don't know... I'm not really good at those things, sorry.
How much time will you be there by the way?
