Holiday Links to Watch to Laugh and Cry

Im glad that were still here. We all survived the Maya prophecy about the end of the world!

Another year in which to learn more and better English is just around the corner. Because so many people around the world are celebrating the holidays now, we might as well watch some holiday shows.

Last year as well, I recommended you some holiday shows to watch, and I think it could be a good idea for a tradition.

I dont know any better than that around Christmas and New Year, you watch a lot of TV because there are better programmes on than usual. And second, what else can you do when you spend forced time with family and the weather outside is often lousy?

Another holiday habit, which I think is good, is to allow for a little reflection. Whilst relaxing at home, I like to think about where I am now, where do I want to go to in the new year, and why is everything so hard. You know what I mean. The idea is to be not too hard on yourself. Bear in mind that good resolutions mostly dont work; thats been proven! Only constant work will get you anywhere in life. That counts for learning English too. Only when you read and use English regularly, will you really get great English.

Wonderlane

My YouTube Holiday recommendations, which may also be quite good for your English:

Not especially for Christmas but Stephen Fry is always interesting whatever comes out of his mouth, and he must be one of the best and most accomplished speakers in English around today. This talk is called: What I wish I had known when I was 18. http://www.openculture.com/2010/05/stephen_fry_what_i_wish_i_had_known_w hen_i_was_18.html

Mr Beans Christmas: See how Mr Bean tries to prepare an obscenely big turkey for a festive meal with his girlfriend, and instead gets it on his head: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFgLrWiNHFc Or watch the full-length special: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCZhwuBvjco (Be sure to have a tissue at hand for the devastating ending!)

Not especially Christmassy either, but I dont know a better time for this heady mixture of shock, childishness, philosophy and fun. Sarah Silverman speaks about the special connection with her mum, dying people and specks in the universe. Cute or offensive? You decide: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ci5p1OdVLAc

If youve got the stomach for a full-length movie but one that is really worth it, here is the Christmas classic Its a Wonderful Life. The movie tells about a man (played by James Stewart) who is depressed because his whole life has been spent sacrificing himself for others: http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=wl0BWUsAYyY

Silent Night is a moving story about the Christmas Truce in 1914, during the First World War. Just for the holiday, the Germans and British armies which were bogged down in Flanders Field stopped blowing each other to pieces. It is told by the late Walter Cronkite, a well-known journalist and newsreader. The music accompanying the story is gorgeous and for this you definitely need your tissue box again! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGdwbzrPHos

In The Forgotten Toys, adorable grumpy Teddy Bear and Annie, a perky ragdoll, find themselves in the bin after they got thrown away after Christmas. And thus starts their quest for new children who will love them. With the voices brilliantly done by Bob Hoskins and Joanna Lumley. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsu2iYD-fZ8

Funny clip. From Blake Shelton's Not So Family Christmas, Blake and Larry the Cable Guy go hunting and accidentally shoot Rudolph the Reindeer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfekHvlOMEQ

After watching all these videos you may feel slightly queasy about the holidays, and about Christmas in particular, but I assure you thats quite normal.

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Want to see more holiday links and learn more English? Sign up as a friend of English with a Smile on Facebook! You can post comments, ask questions, find funny cartoons, read articles and poems and watch videos. Go to this page and click on Like: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/English-With-A-Smile/156695134413971 Every 100th fan who joins us will receive a surprise.

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Adjective or Adverb?

An adjective describes a noun. Nouns are words that denote things, people, concepts etc. Examples of nouns are: tree, pianist, teapot, man, woman, telephone, luck, happiness, etc. So an adjective is the word that describes this thing, person or concept. Often, the adjective will come before the noun, but it can also be after a form of the verb to be. Examples: The green tree. Green is the adjective. The tree is green. Green is an adjective. Another example: The pianist is good. She is a good pianist.

Good is the adjective in both sentences. Another example: He felt insane happiness. His happiness was insane. Insane is the adjective in both sentences.

Dawn Ellner

So to recap, if you want to say something about a noun, you need an adjective.

Adverbs

If you want to say something about an adjective or a verb (an action word), you use an adverb. Adverb means about a verb (in Latin). Examples: The tree is very green.

very is an adverb. It says something about green, which is an adjective. The tree is fantastically green. Same thing. fantastically is an adverb, describing green. He dances well. well is an adverb, describing dances. (Well is the adverb of the adjective good. Theyre often confused.) She writes beautifully. beautifully is an adverb, because it describes writes.

Note: adverbs are often written with ly at the end. But not always!

Now try the following Exercise. There are a few tricky questions in there. Well talk about them next time.

Exercise

Choose the adjective or adverb in each sentence (between brackets).

1 I drink my coffee ____________ (black/blackly). 2 That student did her assignment __________ (bad/badly). 3 He did a ____________ (fantastic/fantastically) job. 4 Im afraid you didnt spell my name on the card _____________ (proper/properly). 5 I woke up too ____________ (late/lately) to give you a call before I left the house.

6 This fish has been baked too _________ (short/shortly). 7 Hes been reading __________ (intensive/intensively) for the past two hours. 8 You must look on this subject __________ (positive/positively). 9 The busses in the background of the recording are _________ (clear/clearly) audible. 10 Her qualifications for the job were _________ (good/well) proven. 11 I like it that the cushions on the sofa are so ________ (soft/softly). 12 I think that womens hair can never be too __________ (long/longly).

Answers will be given in the next newsletter.