ESL Grammar: Simpe Present

Forming Simple Present

Affirmative 

Subject  +  verb

Example: He eats chocolate

Negative

Subject  +  auxiliary verb  +  not  +  verb

Example: She does not drive to school.

Question

Auxiliary verb  +  subject  +  verb

Example: Do they study Spanish?

Uses of Simple Present

1. For repeated or regular actions in the present time period. I drive my car to work. She sleeps eight hours a day.

2. For facts. A dog has four legs. We come from Jamaica. The President of Mexico lives in Mexico City.

3. For habits. They wake up early everyday. Jimmy brushes his teeth everyday. We travel every summer.

Simple Present Conversation Questions

1. What is your morning routine?

2. Is teenage pregnancy a problem in your country ?

3. Do a lot of people study Spanish in your home country?

4. Who do you usually text on the phone?

5. Where are some places you like to visit in your city?

6. How do you relax after a stressful day?

Fun in the Miami Design District

When people think of Miami they probably think of South Beach because it is the area with the most popular beaches, clubs and also the most tourists. However, there is another area that is equally exciting named Miami Design District.

The transformation of the Miami Design District from being an area with tenantless buildings to a world class community was started in the 1980's by Craig Robins. The Miami born and raised man wanted to re-establish this forgotten part of Miami to the heights of its former glory days when it was common to see the nations's top designers. So, Craig Robins used his real estate development company Darca, to bring a rebirth of the district's culture and commerce.


Today, the Miami Design District boasts brand name stores such as Gucci, Prada, Dolce and Gabbana and other luxury stores. Culturally, the area hosts one of the most important displays of international artwork during the first week of December called Art Basel. Overall, the Miami Design District brings tourists and locals alike great experiences on a day to day basis.

Museum

The Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) is a lively museum in the Miami Design District that was established in 2017. The building itself was designed by Aranguen & Gallegos architects and was constructed to mimic a "Magic Box", with its bright and geometric shape and texture. The museum stands three stories tall and has 20,000 square feet of gallery space. The museum houses special exhibitions, permanent collections and also sculptures in the garden behind the building.

The artwork in the ICA varies from new talent to very well known artists. For example, Sterling Ruby is a distinguished American artist who works in a large variety of media such as ceramics, paintings, sculptures, drawings, collages, videos and textiles. Sterling's artwork on display at the museum showed his ability to connect art with the larger story of society. Overall, the art exhibited at the museum was well crafted and thought provoking.

Film and Photography

The Miami Design District is designed in a very captivating way. Walking along 40th street  one can see a giant sculpture of an intimidating sumo wrestler, which is presented by the Markowiz Fine Art company. Across  39th street there is a huge dome with fiberglass spheres popping out named the Fly's Eye Dome, created by Buckminster Fuller. These unique pieces of art and details of the architectural design make the Miami Design District very alluring.

Due to this many Miami filmmakers and photographers enjoy capturing moments there for their work. A personal example was when my director in my film class decided to shoot at the location. We filmed a very intimate scene with an amateur male actor and a professional actress who works for the television network, Telemundo. Even though we were shooting a student film the project had a very professional look because of the ambiance and background of the Miami Design District.

Shopping

As mentioned previously, the Miami Design District is filled with luxury clothing and accessory stores.  Gucci, an Italian clothing store,  sells regular T shirts with their logo on them for over $150 USD. Louis Vuitton, another Italian clothing store, sells jackets and sweatshirts for over $1,000 USD. Keeping up to date with the latest fashion and most prestigious clothing stores can cost an arm and a leg.

The reason why you see so many people in this area flaunting their chic tastes and fashion nova looks is because a majority of them are very wealthy. If they are locals living near the Miami Design District than they would have to be making a minimum of a least $77,000 USD a year due to the calculations of regular living costs in Miami. Also there are many tourists with either deep pockets or who have been saving their earnings, waiting to spend it in Miami.

ESL Grammar: Future Progressive

Forming Future Progressive 

Affirmative

Subject.  +  will be  +  present participle

Example: I will be traveling to Jamaica.

Negative

Subject.  +  will  +  not  +  be   +  present participle

Example: She will not be coming to the parade.

Question 

Will  +  subject  +  be  +  present participle

Example: Will they be helping us host the party?

Uses of Future Progressive

1. The future progressive tense is used to describe an action in the future that overlaps another shorter action or time. She will be cooking, when her husband arrives home. At 3 pm, I will be teaching. 

2. The future progressive tense is used to describe an action in the future that happens only over a period of time. She will be guiding Sarah today. We will be painting from 3-5 tomorrow.

Future Progressive Exercises

Instructions: Fill in the blank with the verb given in the future progressive tense. 

1. I _____ (to eat) Vietnamese food for lunch.
2. Lola ______ (to help) her husband prepare for the dinner.
3. They _____ (to chase) after the criminal once they identify him.
4. We ______ (to go) to an exclusive all white party.
5. Jimmy _______ ( to emerge) victorious after tonight's game.

Instructions: Make the sentence negative.

1. She will be ending my whole career.
2. They will be drinking orange juice until the morning.
3. If my wife allows it, I will be golfing tomorrow with my friends.

Instructions: Ask your teacher a question with future progressive tense. 

1. to examine
2. to spy
3. to eat

Future Progressive Conversation Questions 

1. What will you be doing after you finish this Cambly conversation? 

2.  When will you be using English outside of class?

3. Where will you be spending your time next weekend?

4. Who will you be eating lunch with tomorrow?

5. At 3 pm tomorrow, what will you be doing?

6. Will you be reading any new books or magazines soon?

ESL Grammar: Simple Future

Forms of Simple Future 

Affirmative 

Subject  +   will   +   base verb

Example: I will eat rice tomorrow.

Negative 

Subject   +  will +  not  +   base verb

Example: Jessica will not marry Arthur.

Question 

Will   +   subject   +   base verb

Example: Will you buy a TV for Christmas?

Uses of Simple Future 

1. Use the simple future tense to predict the future. The sun will rise at 6:55 tomorrow. I think the next president of the United States will be Asian. 

2. Use the simple future tense in situations of a promise, request, refusals or offers. I will help you clean the house. He will not go the park with her. Will you lift the box for me? 

3. Use the simple future in sentences with a conditional feeling. If it doesn't rain tomorrow, they will go to the beach. Let's arrive early. That will give us time to relax

Simple Future Exercises 

Instructions: Fill in the blank with the verb give in the simple future tense.  

1. They _______ (to go ) to the store.
2. She ______ (to study) Italian next year.
3. We _____ (to jog) tomorrow.
4. He ______ (to improve) his behavior in the class.
5. I _____ (to design) a new type of doll tomorrow.

Instructions: Make the sentence negative.

1. They will go to the store, if it rains.
2. We will attempt to rob the bank tomorrow.
3. I will ask Lana for her phone number.

Instructions: Ask your teacher a question using the simple future tense. 

1. to date
2. to fly
3. to feel

Simple Future Conversation Questions 

1. Will crime increase or decrease in your country over the next ten years?

2. How will you use English in the future?

3. What country will you live in two years from now?

4. Will marijuana be legalized in your country?

5. When will you go to the beach ?

6. Will the divorce rate in your country increase or decrease over the next ten years?

ESL Vocabulary Exercise: Importance of Corporate Culture

ESL Vocabulary: Importance of Corporate Culture

Instructions: Choose the correct vocabulary word to fill in the missing blank. Some words may be used more than once. 

1. _______  culture encompasses values and behaviors that contribute to a unique social and psychological environment of a business. (A. Enticing, B. Inclusive, C. Corporate, D. Character)

2. In that time he has worked as a car salesman, automobile financial officer, and a _________ financing officer. (A. inclusive, B. mortgage, C. overwork, D. character) 

3. They try to set a culture that is more _______ to their employees. (A. enticing, B. character, C. overwork, D. assess) 

4. Keeping people ______ is important. (A. character, B. corporate, C. engaged, D. assess) 

5. To _______ a company's culture from the outside looking in would be difficult. (A. character, B. inclusive, C. overwork, D. assess) 

6. Today's culture is more about being _______ which includes everyone having their voices heard, different ethnicity groups in the office and different political affiliations. ( A. inclusive, B. enticing, C. character, D. overwork)


Vocabulary Word Bank

1. Corporate - adjective- a large company or group
2. Mortgage - noun - a legal agreement by which a bank or other creditor lends money at interest in exchange of the debtor's property; with the condition that the title becomes void after the payment of the debt
3. Enticing - adjective - attractive or tempting; alluring
4. Engaged - verb -  occupy, attract or involve someone's interest or attention
5. Overwork - verb - exhaust with too much work
6. Character - noun - the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual
7. Assess - verb - evaluate or estimate the nature, the ability or the quality of something or someone
8. Inclusive - adjective - not excluding any section of the society or any party involved in something

ESL Grammar: Present Perfect vs Past Perfect

Present Perfect vs Past Perfect

The present perfect is used to describe an action that began in the past and is completed in the present or may continue into the present.  She has finished her homework. They have started the project.

The past perfect is used to describe an action that began and was completed before another past action occurred. Paul tried to hide the vase because he had broken it. She ran out the store because she had stolen a necklace.

The Difference 

The difference between the present perfect and the past perfect is between the ending points of the two tenses. The present perfect will end or refer to the present. The past perfect will end or refer to a point in the past.

Present Perfect vs Past Perfect Quiz 

Instructions: Choose the correct answer A or B. 

1. _______ Brazilian food.
A. I had never had. B. I have never had.

2. She failed the test because she ______.
A. had not studied. B. hasn't studied.

3. We _______ the new English teacher yet.
A. hadn't met. B. haven't met.

4. ________ Brazilian food until my trip to Rio last month.
A. I had never had. B. I have never had.

5. They couldn't drive home because _______ their keys in the car.
A. they had locked. B. they have locked

6. By the end of the night, John _______ everyone at the party.
A. had talked. B. has talked.

7. Don't get the floor dirty, my mother ________ the house.
A. had just cleaned. B. has just cleaned the house.

8. You are working late again?! _______ overtime everyday this week.
A. You had worked. B. You have worked.

9. When I opened the refrigerator, I discovered someone _______ the last piece of cake.
A. had eaten. B. has eaten.

10. I had a great time on my date with Henry last week; but he ________ me since.
A. hadn't called. B. hasn't called 

ESL Vocabulary (Importance of Corporate Culture)

ESL Vocabulary (Importance of Corporate Culture)

1. Corporate - adjective - a large company or group

2. Mortgage - noun-  a legal agreement by which a bank or other creditor lends money at interest in exchange of the debtor's property, with the condition that the title becomes void after the payment of the debt

3. Enticing - adjective  - attractive or tempting, alluring

4. Engaged - verb - occupy, attract or involve someone's interest or attention

5. Overwork - verb - exhaust with too much work

6. Character - noun - the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual

7. Assess - verb - evaluate or estimate the nature, the ability, or the quality of something or someone

8. Inclusive - adjective - not excluding any section of the society or any party involved in something

ESL Grammar: How Much and How Many

 How Much/ How Many Exercise 

Instructions: Fill in the blank space with either How much, How many, much or many. 

1. ______ sugar have we got?

2. ______ money do we need to buy the cake?

3. ______ paws does a dog have? 

4. I try not to drink too ____ soda.

5. He likes girls who have _____ tattos.

6. _____ boyfriends has she had in the last year?

ESL Grammar Conversation Exercise 

1. How many tall people are in your family?

2. How much rice do you eat daily?

3. How many children do most families have in your country?

4. How much do you love traveling?

5. How much money does it cost to rent a decent single bedroom apartment in your city?

6. How many times do you use English in a week?

ESL Vocabulary (The Best Volleyball Team in Olympic History)

ESL Vocabulary (The Best Team in Olympic History)

1. Dominant - adjective-  most important, powerful or influential

2. Overcome - verb - succeed in dealing with a problem or difficulty

3. Ally - noun - a state formally cooperating with another for a military or other purpose

4. Resonate - verb - an idea or action that meets with someone's agreement

5. Amicable - adjective - people having a spirit of friendliness; without serious disagreement

6. Adversity - noun - difficulties; misfortune

7. Feat - noun - an achievement that requires great courage, skill or strength

ESL Grammar: Past Perfect

Forms of Past Perfect

Affirmative

Subject   +   auxiliary verb   +   past participle

Ex: I had gone to the store

Negative

Subject   +   auxiliary verb   +   not    +    past participle

Ex: She had not eaten breakfast

Question 

Auxiliary Verb   +   subject   +   past participle

Ex: Had they walked to the park?

Uses of Past Perfect 

1. The past perfect tense expresses an action in the past before another action in the past. When we arrived, the train had left. We met Martha, before she had started university. 

2. An action that started in the past and continued up until the point of another past action or time. When he graduated, he had been in Miami for 4 years. On the 4th of December, I had been on the volleyball for two years. 

3. To talk about unreal or imaginary things in the past. I wish I had not gone to bed so late. If I had known you needed money, I would have helped you.

Past Perfect Exercises 

Instructions: Choose the correct sentence(s) 

1) A. I have started school. B. I had started school.
Which sentence (s) is correct?
2) A. He hads gone to Miami. She had flown to Thailand.
Which sentence (s) is correct?
3) A. They had dreamed of being professional athletes. B. We had hated the new teacher.
Which sentence (s) is correct?

Instructions: Make the sentence negative 

1. I had believed everything she said.
2. She had lied to me over and over again.
3. I had drunk a lot of Corona because of the relationship.

Instructions: Ask your teacher a questions with past perfect. 

1. to study
2. to dream
3. to go

ESL Conversation Questions

1. What had you done before you called on Cambly?

2. What profession had you dreamed of doing when you were a child? 

3. Had you ever taken English classes in a language academy before you used Cambly?

4. Who had you talked to before you ate lunch today?

5. If you had perfected English as a teenager, what language would you be studying now?

6. If you had chosen to study abroad for high school, in which country would you have studied?

ESL Vocabulary Exercise (Interview with Vero)

ESL Vocabulary Exercise (Interview with Vero) 

Instructions: Choose the correct vocabulary word to fill in the missing blank. Some words may be used more than once. 

1. In the news social media tends to be  ________ as an addictive, brainwashing and ______ place on the internet that wastes people's time. (A. stigmatized B. enormous C. vain D. juxtaposed) 

2. The amount of articles expounding on the negative effects of social media _______ to the positive ones are ______. (A. enormous B. remote. C. persevering D. juxtaposed) 

3. When I was a teenager I hated my city, I considered it as a _______ place in the middle of nowhere. (A. stigmatize B. remote C. out of the blue D. gastronomy)

4. So I could say firstly I was an English student and then I became a Spanish/English teacher _______. (A. gastronomy B. vain C.  out of the blue D. enormous) 

5. I think the key to learning a second language is having a good attitude, _________ in the learning process and studying as much as your brain allows you. ( A. persevering B. vain C. remote. D. stigmatized) 

6. The second thing I like about Spanish culture is the ________. (A. enormous B. out of the blue. C. gastronomy D. vain ) 

Vocabulary Bank

1. Stigmatize - verb - describe as worth of disgrace or great disapproval

2. Vain - adjective-  producing no results; useless

3. Juxtaposed - verb - place or deal with close together for contrasting effect

4. Enormous - adjective - very large in size, quantity or extent

5. Out of the Blue - idiom - without warning, unexpectedly

6. Remote - adjective -  situated far from the main centers of population distant

7. Gastronomy - noun -  the practice or art of choosing, cooking and eating good food

8. Persevering - adjective - continue in a course of action even in the face of difficulty 

Importance of Corporate Culture: Interview with Carlos Carter

Corporate culture encompasses values and behaviors that contribute to a unique social and psychological environment of a business. Understanding the intricacies of corporate culture takes years of experience in a work setting. Fortunately I have the pleasure of being able to talk to an established salesman. My father, Carlos Carter, has been working in sales for over 30 years. In that time he has worked as a car salesman, automobile financing officer and a mortgage financing officer. He sold 40 cars in a month which is still a record in Olathe, Kansas. Currently, he is in the top 15 of 70 loan officers in his current position. My father has the years of experience needed to understand the details of corporate culture.

Why is corporate culture important to a company?

That's a good question. In today's society everyone has to be politically correct and a company wants to develop a culture that is suiting and fitting for what the CEO wants. They are trying to set a culture of togetherness, unity, people moving in the right direction.

Companies are finding out that people like each other and are more apt to have more fun when they come into work and they become as a result more productive. They try to set a culture so that it is more enticing to their employees. They want to have a good, happy and  motivating culture at work.

So you are saying that employers want to create a good culture to keep people happy at work to get better results.

Right. Keeping people engaged is important. Sometimes people will work in a job longer even though they are not making as much money because the culture is right for them. Corporate culture is important in today's society.

When you see a company that has a good culture what are some of the values that you see?

For example, there are some employers no matter what the holidays may be they might overwork their employees. Some employers allow their employees to take off. Some employers promote more family values and atmosphere instead of everyone just individually working.

Some employers emphasize production over culture. There are a lot of little things that may go into an employee wanting to stay at a particular place. Another example, some employers may allow games at the workplace and have a game room. Culture is very important in today's world versus production of the past.

 Back when I was younger everyone wanted to be more productive driven. If you are productive we don't care about how your character is. Now companies are built on character and being a good employee at work. In that way the employee's values are taken into consideration.

Do you think corporate culture will change or always remain the same?

I think it is going to change and evolve with the times as the millennials come up. You know what, I found out today I was talking with a customer who is from California and he told me that he had a child. And I'm like ok that's great and he began to tell me that he has been off for four weeks of work.

So, not only does the wife get off, but also that man got off as well. So that seems very unique to me. So the culture will evolve as the millennials come up. Coming from the older times 70's and 80's I never heard of a man being off for four to five weeks for the birth of a new child. So yes the culture will continue to evolve to meet the employee's needs.

How would you assess company culture? 

To assess a company's culture from the outside looking in would be difficult. Outside of just assessing the happiness of employees coming in to work and seeing less turnover. The turnover would not be as rampant. You have to look at a particular industry to determine if a company has a higher turnover rate compared to other companies.

If the turnover rate is high then maybe the culture there may not be as productive or enticing to employees. It's hard to assess a company's culture other than looking at the turnover ratio or maybe looking over the upper management and see what they are emphasizing.

My last question for you about corporate culture is do you think a company should have a stated set of cultural values. Why or Why not? 

Well, I think that it is very important in today's society. Like I said, employees are looking for not only the monetary gain, but also the type of culture that may fit their character. So, companies should be upfront about their culture or set of values. So an employee can see what they are singing up for.

Today's culture is more about being inclusive which includes everyone having their voices heard, different ethnicity groups in the office and also different political affiliations. Even though you shouldn't really get into the political arena at work.

But as far as including everybody that's what employees are looking for. So to answer your question, yes, companies should state their culture and goals right up front. So there won't be any type of misunderstanding  or misconceptions for any particular employee.

ESL Conversation Questions: Gender Roles

ESL Conversation Questions: Gender Roles 

1. What is misogyny? 

2. Why do you think some men disrespect women? 

3. Does your country have a patriarchal society? 

4.  Are men better than women at some professions? 

5. Is it ok for men to wear pink in your country? 

6.  Is it common for women to participate in sporting activities in your country? 

7. Should professional male and female athletes receive equal pay?  

ESL Grammar: Present Perfect Continuous

Forming the Present Perfect Continuous 
 
Affirmative

Subject   +   auxiliary verb   +  auxillary verb +  ing verb

Example: I have been teaching for three hours.

Negative 

Subject   +   auxiliary verb +   not   +   auxiliary verb   +   ing verb

Example: She has not been working at the company for the past two weeks.

Question

Auxiliary verb   +   subject   +   auxiliary verb   + ing verb

Example: Have they been dating for a long time?

Uses of Present Perfect Continuous 

1. We use the present perfect continuous tense to show that something started in the past and has continued up until now. She has been talking for the two hours with Sam. We have been having issues with this car since Tuesday.

2. You can use the present perfect continuous without a duration. However, without the duration the tense has a more general meaning of "lately". I have been feeling really tired. You have been exercising lately. 

Present Perfect Continuous Exercises

Instructions: Fill in the blank with the verb given in the present perfect continuous tense. 

1. I _____ ____ _____ (to travel) to many different countries in Africa.
2. They ____ _____ _____ (to run) in the park lately.
3. He _____ _____ _____ (to call) Jessica a lot recently
4. We _____ ______ ______ (to study) French for two years.
5. She _____ _____ _______ (to eat) potatoes every night for a week now.

Instructions : Make the sentence negative 

1. They have been filming this movie for the past two years.
2. She has been feeling sick.
3. He has been working on his conversation skills recently.

Instructions: Ask your teacher a question with the verbs given in the present perfect continuous tense. 

1. to feel
2. to edit
3. to learn

ESL Conversation Questions with Present Perfect Continuous 

1. Have you been eating at any good restaurants in your city that you would recommend?

2. What kind of movies or TV shows have you been watching lately?

3. How have you been feeling about your English?

4. Have you been watching the news lately?

5. Have you been making progress on some of your endeavors?

6. What music have you been listening to recently?

ESL Vocabulary Exercise

ESL Vocabulary Exercise 

Instructions: Match the vocabulary word with the correct definition. 

A. Glamorous                                                          1. causing one to feel unsettled or                                                                                                               uncomfortable 

B. Pier                                                                      2. the action or state of being unfaithful to 

                                                                                      a spouse or other sexual partner 

C. Disconcerting                                                      3. continue in a course of action even in 

                                                                                     the face of difficulty 

D. Revenue                                                              4. attractive or exciting quality that makes                                                                                               people or things seem special 

E. Vices                                                                    5. income, amount of money you make

F. Ferocious                                                              6. savagely fierce, cruel, violent 

G. Infidelity                                                               7. a platform supported on pillars leading 

                                                                                      out form the shore onto a body of 

                                                                                      water, used  as a landing stage for boats

H. Agonizing                                                             8. describe as worth of disgrace or great                                                                                                   disapproval 

I. Stigmatize                                                               9. causing great physical or mental pain 

J. Persevering                                                             10. immoral or wicked behavior 

ESL Listening: The Best Volleyball Team In Olympic History

Cuba women's volleyball team, nicknamed Las Morenas Del Caribe, which translates to the brown women of the Caribbean, used to be one of the most dominant teams in Olympic history. They beat a Unified Europe team in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics , China in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and Russia in the 2000 Australia Olympics. Players such as Regla Bell, Regla Torres, Mireya Luis and Marlenis Costa played on each winning team throughout the 90's.

In a recent interview, captain of the 2000 Olympic team Regla Torres had this to say about the team's motivation for winning, "Some people might not understand it, but those living in Cuba in those difficult years can understand it very well. The people needed some sort of joy -- that was our motivation at the time." The difficulties of Cuba that Regla Torres is referring to pushes their amazing athletic accomplishment even further because of the adversities they had to overcome in Cuba.

Cuba, an island country in the Caribbean 90 miles south of Florida, went through a very difficult time during the 90's called the "Periodo Especial" which translates into the Special Period. The Soviet Union, Cuba's main ally and trade partner, disintegrated in 1991. This caused a chain reaction within Cuba that led to a lack of basic resources such as toiletries, medicine, food, fuel for transportation, electricity and many other basic necessities. These shortages were caused in part to the fall of the Soviet Union, but also because the United States had a firm economic blockade against the island.

Even though the "Special Period" was crippling Cuba, Fidel Castro, the president of Cuba, supported Cuba women's volleyball team and made sure they had sufficient provisions to train and prepare for their competitions. The victories the volleyball team obtained gave a suffering people a sense of joy, pride and hope for their country. The crisis in Cuba continued throughout the 90's until 2000 when Vladimir Putin re-established amicable trade relations with Cuba.

When I first learned about the incredible feat that Cuba women's volleyball team achieved I was amazed. But there have been several teams in sports who have achieved amazing feats such as the Los Angeles Lakers three peat, New York Yankees 27 championship rings, Real Madrid winning three consecutive Champions League and several other examples.

However, I emotionally connected to Las Morenas Del Caribe because of their ability to overcome the very high obstacles that stood around them. The joy on their face and the tears from their eyes after winning their third gold medal against Russia resonated because winning went beyond the sport of volleyball, but was a shining example of excellence for the people of Cuba and also people of African descent around the world.

ESL Listening: Inspiring Afro Peruvian Activist

Maria Elena Moyano Delgado was an Afro Peruvian social activist who fought for the rights of the people in her community of Villa El Salvador. During some of the most politically  violent times of Peru's modern history at the age of 25 in 1984 she was elected president of the Popular Federation of  Women  of  Villa El Salvador. This organization created projects to generate income for families to provide food for children and improve basic education. Before she was leading a women's federation Maria grew up in an impoverished situation, but as a high school student she did very well. Her excellence in the classroom allowed her to get a scholarship to attend university.

However after two years she decided to leave because of her desire to peacefully help lead movements to uplift her community. Unfortunately a violent Peruvian terroist group named The Shining Path believed it was necessary to use violence in order to change the chaotic world of Peru at that time. Their views contradicted those of Maria's and so on February 15th, 1992, they brutally assassinated her by shooting her in the head and blowing up her body in front of her two children.

I remember asking my friend from Peru who was the most inspirational leader that she looked up to and she told me Maria Elena Moyano Delgado. I had never heard of her before so inquisitively I searched the internet about her and very quickly found out about her story. At that moment when I learned all that she sacrificed for the community and how she was barbarically assassinated I really wanted to cry . Even though she was murdered 28 years ago the emotional and spiritual impact of her life and what she stood for still resonates on the earth today.

The images I have seen of her reminds me of an angel enwrapped in human form. She had skin like light brown sugar and her afro was dark brown. Her smile looked warm inviting and genuine which is what I imagine her personality was like as well. There have been many famous social workers and fighters of justice who have met an untimely death. However the murdering of Maria Moyano affected me differently in many ways.

To see such a strong beautiful Afro Latina woman stand up fight for her community is inspiring. Especially when you consider the fact that if she wanted to do well for herself she was on a path of individual success because of her accomplishments and scholarships in the classroom. Her decision to stay within the community and more importantly empower it is what makes her death so sad to me and is very relatable to a recent death of a leader in the African American community, Nipsey Hussle.

Like Moyano, Hussle didn't need to stay in the community, but wanted to because of his desire to empower it. These type of stories are what really get me down because as a black person who doesn't have the biggest following it's so important to support and uplift those members of the community that reach a place of influence and decide to shine their light on important matters and issues within the black community. Maria Elena Moyano Delgado didn't have a long life but her impact and her spirit to help others will continue to live on forever.

ESL Grammar Quiz (South Beach Fun in Miami)

ESL Grammar Quiz (South Beach Fun  in Miami)

Instructions: Read each pair of sentences and decide which sentence is correct. Explain why the incorrect sentence is wrong. 

A) 1. There are several different beaches in Miami.
     2.  There is several different beaches in Miami.

B) 1. He was successful in growing crops
     2. He was success in growing crops.

C) 1. There are a lot of different physical activities to participate in.
     2. There are a lot of different physical activities in which to participate.

D) 1. The Wellness Park has placed different tools such as pull up bars, weights and other things for tourist to use.
     2. The Wellness Park have placed different tools such as pull up bars, weights and other things for tourist to use.

E) 1. South Pointe Park Pier opened in October 25th, 1985, and became the nineteenth public park in Miami Beach.
     2. South Pointe Park Pier opened on October 25th, 1985, and became the nineteenth public park in Miami Beach.

ESL Conversation Questions (Leadership)

1. What is your definition of a leader?

2. Who are the first leaders that come to your mind?

3. What are the qualities of a bad leader?

4. Do you like accepting leadership roles?

5. What are some of the difficulties of being a leader?

6. Are some people natural leaders and other people natural followers?

ESL Grammar: Relative Pronouns

Uses of Relative Pronouns

A relative pronoun is used to connect a clause or phrase to a noun or pronoun. The clause modifies or describes the noun.

List of Relative Pronouns

Who

Whom

That

Which

Whoever

Whomever

Whichever

Relative Pronoun Exercises

Instructions: Fill in the blank with the correct relative pronoun

1. The festival, _______ lasted all day, ended with a banquet. ( A. That B. Who. C Which D. What)

2. I am looking for someone _______  can watch my dog while I go on my vacation. ( A. That. B What. C. Which. D. Who)

3. The police needed details ______ could help identify the robber. ( A. What B. Whoever C. That. D Which)

4. I'd like to take you to a cafe _____ serves excellent coffee. ( A. That  B. Whichever. C Who D. Which )

5. The clubhouse, in ______ the dance was held, housed about 200 people. ( A. That B. Which. C. Who. D. What)


Instructions: Create a sentence using the relative pronoun and the noun given. 

1. woman/who

2. mall/that

3. party/which

ESL Vocabulary (Living In The Dominican Republic)

ESL  Vocabulary (Living in the Dominican Republic)

1. Agriculture - growing crops and/or raising animals

2. Paradise - an ideal place or state ; heaven

3. Allure - quality of being powerfully and mysteriously attractive or fascinating

4. Hardships - severe suffering or privation

5. Sporadic - occurring at irregular intervals or only in a few places; scattered or isolated.

6. Homicide - unlawful killing of one person by another; murder

7. Take for granted - fail to properly appreciate (someone or something), especially as a result of overfamiliarity

ESL Conversation Questions (Living in the Dominican Republic)

ESL Conversations (Living in the Dominican Republic)

1. What is your country's main export?

2. What are some of your country's most popular tourist attractions?

3. In your opinion, how do people feel about immigrants living in your country? 

4. What are some hardships people face in your country that the average tourist may not know about?

5. In your opinion what are some of the root reasons for these problems?

6. Which city would you recommend for a foreigner to live in in your country?

ESL Vocabulary (Importance of Small Business)

ESL Vocabulary (Importance of Small Business)

1. Bazaar - a marketplace or street where goods and services are exchanged or sold

2. Time to Time - occasionally; sometimes; once in a while

3. Corporations - a form of business operation that declares the business as a separate, legal entity guided by a group of officers also known as board of directors.

4. Legitimacy - conforming to the rules or the law

5. Generates - cause (something, especially an emotion or situation) to come about or arise.

6. Rely- depend on with full trust or confidence

7. Determine - ascertain or establish exactly, typically as a result of research or calculation 

ESL Conversation Questions (Importance of Small Business)

ESL Conversation Questions

1. What is small business?  How would you define a small business?

2. Why are small businesses important?

3. Do you feel that large corporations are more important to your country's economy than small businesses?

4. What type of small business would you want to start?

5. What are some of the challenges of starting a small business in your country?

6. Do you prefer shopping at large or small businessess? 

Miami's Bazaar: The Importance of Small Business

Once every year Miami holds an event in the neighborhood of Opa Locka called the Opa Locka Bazaar which allows small businesses to display their products in front of potential customers. This event is important because from time to time these small operations need assistance in gaining more clientele. The government in Miami understand this, which is why recently the mayor of Miami, Francis Suarez, won the 2019 Partner America Small Business Award. In his acceptance speech he said, " They (small businesses) are the backbone of this community. As a government we have to make it easier for them to be successful. We have to get out of their way."

This attitude towards small businesses is important because in Miami there are over 82,000 small businesses that employ a little over 53 percent of the city's workforce. Even smaller than small businesses are microbusinessess, which is defined by having fewer than 10 employees, and this sector makes up 81.3 percent of businesses in Miami. Unlike most of America, small businesses actually have a bigger impact on the community than large corporations. This is why it is necessary to understand how a small business is defined and the national importance of this community.

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) a small business is determined by the amount of employees and the annual sales receipt. The amount of employees that classifies a small business is dependent upon the industry. For example the merchant wholesalers with a maximum of 100 employees is a small business, drilling companies with 500 employees is a small business and manufacturers with 1,000 employees or less is also considered a small business.

The annual revenue also determines the legitimacy of a business as small. Companies with average annual sales receipts between $750,000 and $5,500,000 fit into the category of a small business. However there are some industries such as janitorial services, security and patrol providers, staffing companies and others that gross more than the aforementioned range and the SBA still considers them as a small business.

Small businesses are the engine to the U.S. economy because of the workforce it generates. America is home to more than 28 million small businesses that employs over 57 million workers. When you combine small businesses owners and employees that is an overall community of nearly 85 million people, who rely on the success of small businesses.

In the private sector workforce,  small businesses create the majority of jobs. Between 1993 and 2013, U.S. small businesses accounted for almost two-thirds of the net new jobs, nearly 11.8 million new career opportunities. Unlike big businesses who typically replace retiring employees, small businesses are usually expanding in American communities. Without successful small businesses in American communities, the economy would turn on itself and there would be catastrophic consequences.

ESL Grammar: Simple Past vs Past Progressive

Forming the Simple Past (regular verbs) 

Affirmative  

Subject +  -ed verb

Example: I worked yesterday.  


Negative  

Subject + auxiliary verb + not + base verb 

Example: I did not drink water.

Question

Auxiliary verb + subject + base verb

Example: Did you finish the paper?


 Simple Past  vs Past Progressive

The simple past is used to describe an action that started and finished in the past.

The past progressive is used to describe an action that happened in the past, but for a period of time.

Example: While I was eating, my hot wife called.

Simple Past Exercises

Instructions: Fill in the blank with the verb given in the past simple tense. 

1. He ______ (to lose) the game.
2. They _______ (to run) to the volleyball.
3. We ______ (to fall) on the ice.
4. You ______ (to beat) the opposition.
5. I _______ (to grow) my basketball skills.

Instructions: Fill in the blank with given verb using the simple past or past progressive tense.

1. I dropped a cup while I ______ (to wash) the dishes.
2. John and Bill were washing the car when they _____ (to see) their friend Yani.
3. Tony came to see me while I _____ (to do) my homework.
4. The children _____ (to play) when their father left for work.
5. When Melissa was driving she _______ (to notice) an animal on the road.

Instructions: Ask your teacher a question with the given verb in the simple past. 

1. to play
2. to swim
3. to write

Simple Past Conversation Questions 

1. Who did you see yesterday?

2. Why did you decide to use Cambly instead of another online English application?

3. Was adolescence a fun or difficult time for you? (What is one of your favorite memories of your adolescence?) 

4. Where did you go yesterday?

5. How often did you go to parties during your university or high school years?

6. Did you date anyone during high school?

Living in the Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is a Caribbean country that resides on the island of the Hisponola and borders Haiti. This Spanish speaking country's economy relies heavily on the industries of agriculture and tourism. The main export from the Dominican Republic is cocoa, coffee, sugar, tobacco and several others. In 2018 alone, there were approximately 6.5 million tourists that visited the country that has a population of nearly 10.77 million people. There are many scenic beaches in the country's capital. Fortunately, six years ago, fresh out of high school, I got the opportunity to live in the Dominican Republic. I learned the positives of the country and also some of the uncomfortable realities as well.

The reason some people call Dominican Republic a paradise is because of the spectacular views people can enjoy on the beaches. The country is literally 9,784,847 square kilometers smaller than the United States, so anywhere a tourist stays they are relatively close to a beach. Tourists that visit the island for a short time usually interact with Dominicans who are very friendly, talkative and helpful. Dominican Republic is a country known for people who are very sociable and never shy away from a conversation.

 Also another component that adds to the allure of an island of paradise is the external beauty of the people. Dominican Republic has had two winners in the major international beauty pageants such as Miss Universe and Miss World. From the beautiful women, to the amazing beaches and even the sociable spirit, Dominican Republic seems like a paradise, but if you leave the tourist resorts it's easy to see some of the hardships that plague the island.

 Most people from developed countries in western culture may take for granted some of the basic necessities that a majority of the people in the Dominican Republic lack. For example, hot water and running water for the the bathroom or kitchen sink is not always available and the electricity for lights and internet can be sporadic.

The reason these necessities are not always met is because of the poverty that engulfs the country. According to the World Bank, 74% of Dominicans do not have access to clean water and 1 out of every 3 people live in poverty. The symptoms of these issues can be seen in the criminal activity of the country. The Dominican Republic was listed in 2017 as the tenth highest leader in the homicide rate for a country by the World Health Organization.

Even though there are many issues in the Dominican Republic I still would recommend the country as a destination for expatriates to live in. The beauty of the island and the people surpass the basic hardships from which the island suffers. Criminal activity in the country is undeniable, but is also avoidable by choosing to live in more secure cities and neighborhoods. When I look back at my time in the Dominican Republic the positive memories far outweigh dealing with some of the realities of the island.