How to React to Bad Christmas Gifts

8 Gift Idioms

Gift Idioms

Christmas Idioms

When Luck is on your Side

Idioms to Learn

Festive words and their origins (By Pearson)

The festive season is coming, bringing with it certain words we only hear at this time of year. But have you ever wondered where these words come from or what they actually mean? 

Let’s have a look.

/k/ Pronunciation & Spelling

Make the Most of Christmas and Keep Your English Sharp

Keep Learning with Daily Posts—Even During the Holidays

Before anything else, a quick reminder: we will continue publishing new posts every single day, just as usual. So even during the Xmas break, you’ll always find something fresh to read, practise, and enjoy.

When on holiday, many of us try to find a little extra time in our day. This is the perfect moment to revisit the blog and make steady progress in our C1 and C2 English learning. Regular revision is key to maintaining the level, catching up with any content you may have missed, and strengthening those skills that still feel a bit weaker.

Remember that the blog is designed to make this easy. You can use the labels to explore posts by topic—grammar, vocabulary, writing, listening,  exam practice, pronunciation, idioms, and more. If you prefer something faster and more specific, simply type the exact point you want to revise into the “Search This Blog” bar. Whether it’s a phrasal verb, a collocation, a tricky structure, or an activity you enjoyed, you’ll find it instantly.

Take advantage of this quieter time of year to review, practise, and stay connected with the language. Little by little, consistent exposure will make a huge difference in your fluency and confidence.

Thank you for visiting the blog and for trusting it as part of your learning journey. Your dedication truly makes this space worthwhile.

Xmas Quiz 2024 EOI IGUALADA XMAS AROUND THE WORLD

Play this KAHOOT!

How many right answers did you get?

EL PAÍS (News in English)

Strangulation through oil

Dear readers,

What began three months ago as an ambitious anti-drug operation has mutated into a “total blockade” against sanctioned cargo ships attempting to enter or leave Venezuela. (...)

Back in the U.S., we spoke by phone with sick migrants being held at the Krome detention center in Florida. The conditions they described include a lack of medical attention for people with serious health issues and ill-treatment by guards. (...)

We hope you enjoy this selection of stories from EL PAÍS USA Edition.

You can also read:

• The new Democratic resistance against Trump
• The arguments for an anti-Trump revolution
• ‘We are dying’: Cuba sinks into a health crisis amid medicine shortages and misdiagnosis
• ‘Controlling AI is the challenge of our time’
• The life of a delivery driver in China: ‘Many people don’t know how an order can arrive at their home in just one day’
• Can cheese protect brain health? This is what the science says
• Six guidelines for keeping your brain young (and aging better)
• Not all insomnia is the same: Study identifies five subtypes and paves the way for personalized treatment
• Daytime, headphones, no booze involved: How a generation is saying ‘no’ to club parties

Murcia Today (News from here)

Murcia top winter spot for UK, German and Dutch travellers

Half of Murcia homes still face winter without heating

Murcia records its three warmest years since records began

Christmas gatherings could drive flu cases in Spain even higher warn experts

The story behind the image on Spain's Christmas lottery tickets this year

Doctors' strike put on hold after breakthrough talks with health ministry

International Migrants Day (Yesterday)

UNESCO

UN

European Paliament

Text to think about the topic

Written Mediation Activity

CONTEXT: You have an English-speaking friend who is writing an article about Spanish Education. She has come across this informative sheet and would like to know the meaning of some of the words that do not seem to be very clear in meaning for her: Docente, Baremo, Guardia, Muface, Nómina, Oposición and Sexenio.

TASK: Email your friend trying to explain to her the meanings of at least FIVE of these words, using about 125 words.

KEY HERE

Children, violence and vulnerability 2025 Mental health and experiences of violence

The Youth Endowment Fund (YEF) surveyed nearly 11,000 children aged 13–17 in England and Wales to hear directly about their experiences of violence. The findings are being shared across several reports, each exploring a different theme. This third report focuses on mental health and experiences of violence. 

Non-Gradable Adjectives

14 Motivating Synonyms for ...

 ... WORK. 

C2 Advanced Vocabulary (by Lucy)

Oxymoron (3)

December Mock exams Timetable for groups E & G

 C1 Tu. 16th: 

E Writing [16.00-17.30] & Listening [17.45- 18.30] --> (135')

G Writing [18.45-20.15] & Listening [20.15-21.00] --> (135')

       Thur. 18th: 

E Reading [16.00-17.30] & Writ. Mediation [17.45- 18.05] --> (110')

G Reading [19.00-20.30] & Writ. Mediation [20.35-20.55] --> (110')

C2 Wed. 17th: Writing [9:30-11:00] & Listening [11:15-12:00] --> (135')

       Mon. 22nd: Reading [9:30-11:00] & Writ. Mediation [11:15-11:35] --> (110')

EOI CT Christmas Program (with some changes)

C1 Prepositions: Use and Practice

Revise Prepositions: 

presentation

Practice:

- a. verbs + prepositions
- b. adjective +prepositions
- c. noun + prepositions
- d. prepositional phrases

Thanks Asun (CT EOI teacher)!!!

C1 35 Common Mistakes (By Lucy)

35 Common Mistakes

Campaña recogida alimentos

Phrasals for Opening

EL PAÍS News in English

The invisible history of Afro-America

Dear readers,

This week we feature a special about the Afro-descendant communities of Latin America and the Caribbean, where there are 150 million people who identify as Afro-descendant and have shaped the countries of the region, but whose histories have been erased or reduced to stereotypes.

Back in the U.S., President Trump continued his crusade to deport as many immigrants as possible, whether legally in the country or not. "Being a legal resident in the US is being a second-class citizen," says a permanent resident who had her naturalization interview suddenly cancelled.

Other articles include a look back at when Ukraine's Zelenskiy played the president in the TV series 'Servant of the People,' and the real story of Belle da Costa, an early 20th-century figure who concealed her origins and went on to lead New York's famous Morgan Library for over two decades.

We hope you enjoy this selection from EL PAÍS USA Edition.

You can also read:

• The destructive storm of climate change is looming over Asia
• A Nobel Peace Prize against authoritarianism
• Time for an EU Declaration of Independence
• Why gossip isn’t as toxic as you might think: It can also be used for good
• ‘Why do I watch it if I hate all the characters?’: Nine shows people love to criticize but can’t stop watching
• The BBC is no exception: Far-right forces are targeting European public broadcasters

Murcia Today (News from here)

Murcia residential golf resorts are back in a big way, but is it all good news?

Spain proposes bumping up the minimum wage in 2026

ChatGPT now edits photos and PDFs for free --Photoshop inside your chat

Spain's public health leans heavily on private hands

Sample TESTS

We're already in December and, as you know, we'll be having mid-year tests next week. Have a look at some exam samples HERE (CARM). Look for ejemplos de pruebas de certificación inglés. You should start with any of these. You have a number of samples to choose. 

Remember Practice Makes Perfect!

Syllable Division

Find more info and examples about syllable division HERE.

Teatro Multilingüe

At the Assembly Hall!!!

World Arab Day

🌿 Eco-School Multilingual Project: Natural Corners of the Region of Murcia

As part of our Eco-School initiative, students from levels C1 and C2 are invited to participate in a collaborative multilingual project titled “Rincones Naturales de la Región de Murcia.”

This activity combines language learning with environmental awareness by helping students discover and present some of the most beautiful natural spots in our region.

🎯 What is the project about?

Each participating student will receive:

• A short text in the selected language (English for you).

• An AI-generated audio recording of that text, so they can practise pronunciation and intonation before recording their own version.

• Students will then simply record themselves at home reading the text aloud (using their mobile phone) and email the audio file.

🙋 Want to join?

Students who wish to participate only need to send me a confirmation email with the following message:

"Yes, I am participating in the 'Rincones Naturales' project."

We hope to gather around 11 enthusiastic participants to bring this project to life.

Reduplicatives (2)

Reduplicatives (pdf format)

C1 Work / Jobs Vocab & Listening

From: High Level Listening

Naturally Spoken English Practice

Commuting to Work

Work Vocabulary Part 1. 

Do at least one of the following at home: Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

Transcript (of all 5 parts) Highlight new voc. ONLY LOOK AT IT AFTER LISTENING!

 Perks                                             

 Work Environment

 Working Conditions                     

 Maternity Leave
 Paid Holiday / Vacation   

 Job Satisfaction
 Manual Work / Labor      

 Full / Part Time
 Temporary / Seasonal Work   

 Volunteer work, etc.

Toxic Employees

Phrasal Verbs (daily use)

C2 Future-Ready Skills

Work in pairs and decide which are your 2 strongest skills in each category of these Future-Ready Skills. Give reasons.

Etymolgy

Etymology is the study of the origin and historical development of words. It traces a word's history, showing how its meaning, spelling, and pronunciation have changed over time and through different languages. It is a subfield of linguistics that reveals how words are connected to one another and how they have evolved.

C1 Adjective + Preposition (Revision)

Do this test 

(and make NO mistake)

You can correct it on line

Positive and Negative Work & Attitude Styles

Open Lessons with Jatin, English Language Assistant

Reduplicatives (1)

EL PAÍS News

The Mexican town where migrants disappear

Dear readers,

This week we travel to Chiapas, in southern Mexico, where EL PAÍS has identified three mass disappearances of migrants between September and December 2024 with the same pattern. In a territory marked by battles between organized crime groups, all signs point to human trafficking.

In another blow for migrants, Florida is launching an operation to arrest and deport parents and guardians of unaccompanied migrant children, under the guise of checking on the safety of their family situation.

As the Russia-Ukraine war grinds on without any major progress on a peace deal, Kaja Kallas, former PM of Estonia and now the EU’s foreign policy chief, explains why the Kremlin is merely pretending to negotiate.

In lighter news, we take a look back at 50 years of the all-girl rock band The Runaways, and examine why anonymous philanthropy is a thing of the past.

We hope you enjoy this selection of stories from El PAÍS USA Edition.

You can also read:

• The cost of living and housing in China is forcing young people to move out of megacities
• Organized crime is strangling Latin AmericaWhat’s the harm in a ‘like’? This is how ‘micro-cheating’ works on your cell phone
• Sabrina Carpenter, Céline Dion and other artists who have refused to allow their work to be used by the Trump administrationPrograms like ChatGPT can change the opinion of one in four voters
• Helpless in the face of the worst animal pandemic in history: African swine fever breaks out in Spain with no vaccine in sight
• Over a million descendants of Spaniards have applied for citizenship, overwhelming consulates

MURCIA TODAY (News from here)

Spain moves forward with smoking ban on bar and restaurant terraces

Masks made mandatory in Murcia hospitals and health centres

Cartagena's Vía Verde to be revamped for safer smoother walking and cycling

Murcia wants to cull wild boar to prevent spread of swine fever

Flu cases swamp emergency rooms across Spain

Work - Life Balance

                  Work-Life Balance

What do you do to achieve it?

We'll be talking about this next week. Check your Aula Virtual