FROM BUCKINGHAM PALACE TO HOGWARTS

Queen Elizabeth II

Yesterday, The Holmes were revising several aspects of grammar: Pronouns, Connectors, Verb Tenses, Vocabulary, The Passive… it was an intensive day.

More information: Possessive Pronouns

The family is enjoying these last days together. Next March, 8 to commemorate the Women’s Day, the English sessions will finish.

More information: Subject & Object Pronouns

Meanwhile, they continue visiting the most important London’s sights. Today, the family has received the visit of four men from Liverpool. They have been singing their hits. After, the family has gone to Buckingham Palace where an old lady, near 90, had met them to have tea and eat British cookies. It has been an interesting afternoon.

Finally, they have gone to Platform 9 ¾ in King’s Cross Station where they've taken their tickets to travel to Hogwarts where Harry and his friends are waiting for them.

 Dark times lie ahead of us and there will be a time 

when we must choose between what is easy and what is right.

Albus Dumbledore

BUILDING CITIES: PAST IS FUTURE

James Bond

Tonight, The Holmes are in the theatre watching The Phantom of The Opera. They’re excited and they’re enjoying the show.

This morning, the family has received the visit of a mysterious man called Bond, James Bond, who has offered his service to them. The family has been grateful with him but they needn’t anyone because M. Carmen is a great professional and it’s enough.

They continue working with their English classes and they’ve revised The Passive and some connectors. They’ve worked with long and difficult texts to practise in better conditions thinking in their future PET exam.

More information: PET Listening

More information: PET Reading

More information: PET Writing

More information: PET Speaking 

Finally, they’ve studied Third Conditional and they’ve talked about Ildefons Cerdà, a very important engineer who created “L’Eixample” in Barcelona a very beautiful design plenty of octagonal groups of houses which remind the ancient Roman cities with Cardum and Decumanum.

More information: Third Conditional Exercises 

More information: Because/Because of Exercises

Great effects do not always arise from great causes. Small causes especially when they provide mutual support and assistance, often manage to produce effects of the greatest significance, as much within the physical as in the moral order. The challenge, in such cases, lies in finding and identifying there small causes and knowing how to give them the importance they deserve. This cannot be impoverished but is always the product of time, observation, and study.

Ildefons Cerdà, The Five Bases of the General Theory of Urbanization

THE HOLMES, BRITISH STYLE

Leo Messi

The Holmes have been continuing their visit to London. They’ve been in the British Museum; climbed Tower Bridge and gone to the Tower of London. They have driven by bus and by taxi and they’ve sailed through the Thames.

They are intensive days and they are taking profit of everything when they visit these emblematic places.

Yesterday, the family went to the Emirates Stadium to watch a football match between Arsenal and FC Barcelona. The Grandma was very happy with the final score and to celebrate it, she invited all the family to drink and dance in a private party in 221B, Baker Street where they were talking about Past Perfect and sharks, playing to guess characters and remembering Rosa’s TV appearances.

More information: Past Perfect Exercises

Today, the family has continued its English classes studying some passive forms and practising with a PET exam example.

More information: The Passive

Tomorrow, they are going to read another chapter of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol and continue with passive forms.

More information: PET Samples

Arsenal, we're on your side
Our love we can not hide
Our hearts are open wide
To cheer you along the way

THE TUBE: HISTORICAL SUBWAY

The Holmes in Tower Bridge, London

Yesterday, The Holmes reviewed Second Conditional, Past Simple, Past Continuous, Adverbs of Manner and Prepositions. They took The Tube and travelled round London visiting the most important places. They also read a little more about Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.

Moreover, they received new manuals to work PET Exam and practise Phrasal Verbs.

On Thursday, they had visited London Eye where they took lots of photos and they continued practising Social English and Present Perfect Continuous.

More information: Urban Dictionary

Today, they’ve visited Tower Bridge and British Museum where they’ve enjoyed Art and History.

 The Tube's Quotes

ENJOY LONDON!

The English language is like London: proudly barbaric yet deeply civilised, too, common yet royal, vulgar yet processional, sacred yet profane.

Stephen Fry

Today, The Holmes have reviewed Present Perfect and its clues: already, just and yet. They have been working hard with Social English and some exercises of vocabulary.

More information: Already, Just, Still & Yet Exercises

For other hand, the family is still in London visiting the city. Today, they have visited M&M’s store, Camden, Portobello and Notting Hill.

The Grandma has reunited with her family again after staying some hours unlocked in a phone box in the middle of Leicester Square and she has been talking with them about London, Paris and New York City.

Tomorrow, the family is going to get on The Tube and travel around the city and surroundings. Rosa wants to visit Saint Paul's Cathedral meanwhile Carmen wants to visit The Museum of the Order of Saint John, an interesting order from Malta.

Rita Hayworth used to say, 

"They go to bed with Gilda; they wake up with me" 

Anna Scott

VISITING SHERLOCK HOLMES' HOMETOWN

Sherlock Holmes & Dr. Watson

Today, The Holmes have arrived to the United Kingdom. They are in London enjoying the city and its monuments. This morning, they’ve visited The Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, London's Eye and Westminster Abbey. It has been an incredible experience. 

Later, they’ve reviewed some English grammar with Present Perfect and its clues For and Since.

More information: Present Perfect Simple Exercises

Tomorrow, they’re going to continue their trip in the city of their ancestor. They’re preparing a visit to Scotland Yard to commemorate their famous family member.

More information: For vs. Since Exercises

The man who can dominate a London dinner-table
can dominate the world.

Oscar Wilde

HOLMES... WE ARE THE DREAM!

Good Luck, Holmes!

Last Saturday, The Holmes stayed in Belgium. They participated in the Eurovision Song Contest where they won the first prize with the song “Idiot” played by Geni & Núria Holmes.

Before this, on Friday, they had visited Lîdje and Brugge in the Flemish Belgium where they had been reviewing English, in that case, Second Conditional, Past Simple and Prepositions of Time. Moreover, all the family decided to play Bingo and Poker and talked about ancient languages.

More information: Dictionaries on line (Spanish spoken)

On Sunday, The Grandma had an introspective day and decided to do nothing except thinking and thinking while the rest of the family was visiting museums and important buildings. Manoli Holmes saw how her dream became real visiting Hercule, the famous detective, while Rosa Holmes was having tea with Audrey, an actress who she admires a lot. The rest of the family were visiting some cafés and eating chocolate without stopping, while Carmen and Asun Holmes were remembering old times in the High School with an incredible teacher: Maria Mercè.

More information: Second Conditional Exercises

Today, The Holmes have continued their English classes reviewing Second Conditional, Modal Verbs, Present Simple and Relative Pronouns (Whose). It has been a hard day for the most part of the members of this wonderful family but they’ve done a great work, like always.

More information: Prepositions of Time Exercises 

Tomorrow, they’re going to study Perfect Tenses and they are going to walk around London to discover this fantastic city hometown of Peter Pan, Mary Poppins and Harry Potter.

We are the dream.

 Muriel Casals i Couturier