Clàudia Centellas Gutiérrez

Alternative assessment

English for teaching purposes 1A

ENGLISH LEARNING JOURNAL

Saturday, February 18th

Today, as I always do on weekends, I’ve watched two episodes of Brooklyn 99. Since I didn’t learn
anything new, I watched three videos on YouTube called, “Learn English with Brooklyn 99.” 1 Hence, I
practice some listening and, afterwards, I incorporate some vocabulary in order to use them on the
speaking or writing or to understand them whenever someone uses them. One of the most
surprising expressions I learnt while watching one of the videos was the idiom “To lose one’s edge”2,
because I’ve never heard it before, and, as far as I am concerned, it’s useful for the speaking,
especially if it’s informal. It means “to no longer have the skills or ability to be as successful as
before.” (Teacher Meysam, 2021.) It is true that I’m familiar with some of the words I wrote down,
because I heard them before in other series, yet I prefer writing them down to remember their
meaning and use them if necessary.

Sunday, February 19th

Since yesterday, I learnt new grammar with YouTube videos, I decided to watch another one from
the channel “Learning English with TV Series”. This one was from the Modern Family’s series. The
word that impressed me the most was “coffin”, since I’ve never heard it before. I’ve discovered its
meaning is “a long, narrow box, typically of wood, in which a corpse (dead body) is buried or
cremated.” (Learn English with TV Series, 2020.) Another of the words I didn’t know was shed, and
the video made a clear explanation to understand what it is: “A small building, usually made of
wood, used for storing things.” (Learn English with TV Series, 2020.)3

Monday, February 20

On the way to University, I’ve brought one book in English called Matilda. While I was reading it, I
was searching for the words I didn’t understand, and I wrote them down. Since one of my main
difficulties with the process of learning English is the Use of English, I thought I could use one of my
hobbies –reading– for learning more grammar. Although it’s not the first time I’m doing it, because I
already read some books in English, such as To Kill a Mockingbird, I thought I could buy this book in
English and improve my skills in the reading part of the exam that we will do in June. Not only it
helps me on the reading part, but also it helps me with my speaking and writing, since I can
incorporate all the vocabulary to my speech or pieces of work, respectively. I’ve learnt a lot of
words, yet my favourite ones are glance up, nitwit, briskly, rapturously, glaze and glare at 4. Besides,
one day I was thinking if there was any way to call your own children in one word -without the
gender (daughter or son)-, and with the book, I discovered there is indeed a word to refer to them:

1
See webgraphy to watch the three videos.
2
Watch annex 1 to see more words I learnt.
3
To see the rest of the words I’ve learnt with the video see annex 2.
4
See annex 3 to see its meanings and to discover more new vocabulary I wrote down.
offspring. Therefore, this was one of the most impressive words when I read the book today,
because I answered my question.

Tuesday, February 21

As yesterday, today I continued reading Matilda, while I was on the bus. I’ve learnt a lot of words,
yet my favourite ones are leap up, shriek, grave, outrageous, grinning, mull over, own up and
awestruck. Not only are my favourites because I didn’t know them, but also because I truly believe I
can use them in different contexts and are handy, especially for the speaking part 5. Additionally, the
adjectives awestruck and outrageous are so different to what we are used to hear, wherefore it is a
great opportunity to incorporate them into my speech.

Thursday, February 23

I’ve finished reading Matilda!! On the last chapter, I was able to understand most of the book
without searching for new words. Nevertheless, I learnt some new concepts, such us longing or
dreadfully6. They mean unfulfilled desire and terrible extent, respectively.

Friday, February 24

Modern family:

Nick: To make a small cut in a surface or an edge, can be a noun or a verb.

Plausibility: The ability to appear possible, or believable (credibility). There is a difference between
possible and plausible. Possible means that something may happen, whereas plausible refers to an
explanations, argument or statement (that these make sense and could be true.)

Wait for the other shoe to drop: To wait for an expected and inevitable event to occur.

Wipe: To clean or dry something by rubbing its surface, normally with a washcloth, sponge, etc.

Go in strong: To begin something in a powerful and energetic way; with conviction.

Hold our ground: To be determined not to lose or give up a fight, your opinion, etc. In the face of
opposition.

Saturday, February 25

Interview Brooklyn

Sunday, February 26

Little Woman film

5
See annex 4 to see its meanings and to discover more new vocabulary I wrote down.
6
See annex 5 to see its meanings and to discover more new vocabulary I wrote down.
Monday, February 27

Turtle boy

Tuesday, February 28

I downloaded a sample paper from advanced level, and I practice the Use of English. I did part 1, part
2, part 3 and part 4. Since it’s the part where I have more stuck, I decided to practice it. While doing
the different exercises I realized I have to pay more attention to what the text is saying in order to
get to know which word I need to use, or which is the correct answer.

Wednesday, March 1

Turtle boy

Thursday, March 2

Practice level C1 (reading, use of English)

Friday, March 3

Gilmore Girls

Saturday, March 4

The big bang theory

Sunday, March 5

Friends

WEBGRAPHY

Learn English with TV Series. (2020, February 25). Learn English with Brooklyn 99 [Intermediate
Level]. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSL2yqFxmfg&t=1178s

Teacher Meysam. (2021, February 21). Learn English with TV Series (Brooklyn Nine-Nine). [Video].
YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQuP6uLCQ50&t=8s

Learn English with Lonar. (2020, February 25). Learn English with Brooklyn Nine-Nine — Hello and
Goodbye, New Captain! [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kDbfgQ8o8Y
Learn English with TV Series. (2020, March 24). Learn English for the Supermarket with Modern
Family. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xV-GT84xzE8&t=1127s

English Language Learning –Crow English. (2022, June 13). Learn English with TV series /modern
family. Improve Spoken English Now. Talk like a native speaker! [Video]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYkdZ4RfT3A

ANNEXES

ANNEX 1

WORD MEANING
Brick wall Be like talking to a brick wall, not be listened to. Example: You don’t like
answering questions. Talking to you is like talking to a brick wall.
Locked in Prevent from leaving.
Trapped in A situation in which people lie in wait to make a surprise attack.

Break him/her To destroy or defeat that person.

Go at (someone) Attack someone with great intensity
Short and sweet Surprisingly short in a way that is pleasing.
Suave Having a pleasant and charming manner that may not be sincere.
Chubby (Especially of children) Fat cheecks in a pleasant and attractive way.
Ever since Continually or often from a past time until now.
To lose one’s edge To no longer have the skills or ability to be as successful as before.
Jumpy Nervous and worried, especially because you’re frightened or guilty.
The real deal Someone or something that is very good and has all the qualities that
people say they have.
Go by To pass, in space or time.
Stutter To speak, especially the first part of the word, with difficulty, for example,
pausing it before saying it or repeating it several times.
Strick that Forget what the person already said.

ANNEX 2

WORD MEANING
Come down For something to become less in amount, level or price.
Pop out Make an out by hitting a pop fly that is caught.
Snob Socially pretentious person. You disapprove them, because they think they are
too good or fine to be involved in with a lower social class.
Discern To see, recognize or understand the difference between things or ideas.
Hick Is an informal way to call a person who lives in the countryside.
Roll your eyes To move your wyes around in circle.
Coffin Is a long, narrow box, typically of wood, which a corpse (dead body) is buried or
cremated.
Shed A small building, usually made of wood, used for storing things.
Flatbed A type of truck with a flat area at the back with no roof or sides.
ANNEX 3

WORD MEANING
Stuck up Snobbish (informal)= pijo/a
Piffle Nonsense talk (informal)= estupideces
Snapped break with noise
Twerp foolish or stupid person
Glance up Look briefly upwards= Levantar la vista
Nitwit Idiot, stupid person
Offspring Your own children
Sought Searched for
Peer out Peek from inside or indoors= Mirar desde adentro
Briskly Quickly or brusquely
Rapturously Ecstatically= Intensamente
Gaze Stare, look
Glare at Look angrily at (someone)
Daft Question an act saying it is silly, illogical
Buried Put (something) under the earth= Enterrar
Sloppiness Careless workmanship (informal)= Chapucería
Bunch up Gather into tight group= Amontonarse
Burst in Enter suddenly and forcefully (informal)= Irrumpir
Wrap up Cover, envelop
Gutsy Courageous, daring (Informal)
Hatched out Be hatched from an egg=Salir del cascarón

ANNEX 4

WORD MEANING
Leap up Jump to your feet= Levantarse de golpe
Willing to Agree freely to= Estar dispuesto a
Skulduggery Deceit= Trampas
Limb An arm or leg of a person or animal= Extremidades
Blemish Imperfection
Culprit Person who caused a problem = culpable
Crusaders Activist
Flung out Thrown wide open= Expulsado
Sailing out To move fast or effortlessly
Ruddy Damned, bloody= Maldito/a
Shriek Scream
Grave Serious
Glued to Dependent person
Quivering Trembling motion
Blancmange Type of pudding
Saunter away To walk in a slow and relaxed way
Overstuffed Full to bursting = atiborrado (de cosas) o atestado/a (de personas)
Outrageous Offensive, shocking.
Grinning Smiling= Sonriente
Marched off Remove (somebody) with authority= Destruir a
Chirruped Make high-pitched sound = Chirriar
Swot Study intensively (informal)
Mull over Ponder, consider = Reflexionar o sospechar
Admittedly In truth, I confess= Cierto es que, ciertamente o verdaderamente
Wriggle Twist, writhe = Retorcerse
Chop off Sever = Cortar
Dashed off To make a quick visit to someone or some place.
Trashed around To move from side to side in a violent or uncontrolled way.
Swell up Become enlarged = Hincharse, inflamarse.
Dust off To remove dust, dirt, etc. from somebody/something.
Bane Source of annoyance= Pesadilla
Own up Confess to (someone) = Reconocer
Flashing out To force a person or animal to leave a place where they are hiding
Stirred Mix= Remover, mezclar.
Awestruck Amazed= Fascinado
Gathered up Collect

ANNEX 5

WORD MEANING
Gush (Of wate, blood) = Chorro
Steam up Become obscured by vapour= Empeñarse
Bowed over Owered; bent forward; curved= Inclinarse
Glimmer Light= Destello
Longing Unfulfilled desire= Nostalgia
Dreadfully To a terrible extent= Terriblemente
Stiffly Not freely or easily
Hunched up Leaning forwards with your shoulders raised and your head down, often because
you are cold, ill, or unhappy
Pluck up Get brave= Envalentonarse
Wiped out Exhausted
Dozed off Fall asleep (informal)

ANNEX 6

ANNEX 7

ANNEX 8

ANNEX 9
ANNEX 10

Learn English With Modern Family | Speaking On Skype

Friends:

"The Test" | Learn English with Friends

English Phone Conversation | How to Have a Fluent Conversation with FRIENDS

The big bang theory:

Learn English with The Big Bang Theory

Penny Explains Sex to Sheldon! | Learn English with The Big Bang Theory
Gilmore girls:

Learn English with Gilmore Girls (adjectives)

Learn English with Gilmore Girls (phrases)