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Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Origins of St. Patrick’s Day and today's celebrations

Fun facts about St. Patrick's Day

• Despite being the patron saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick is believed to have been born in Great Britain.
• The colour green did not become associated with St. Patrick’s Day until the 18th century.
• St. Patrick’s Day is a national holiday in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
• It is estimated that more than 30 million Americans have Irish ancestry.
• Saint Patrick is said to have used a shamrock as a metaphor for the Holy Trinity during his teachings.
• Foods associated with St. Patrick’s Day include corned beef, cabbage and potatoes.
• Although the holiday is associated with Ireland, the largest St. Patrick’s Day parade is held in New York.
• Pubs in Ireland were actually closed on St. Patrick’s Day until the 1970s!

St. Patrick’s Day Vocabulary

Whether you are out and about on St. Patrick’s Day, or simply learning about the holiday in preparation, you are likely to encounter some unfamiliar words along the way. In order to help you out, we have compiled a quick St. Patrick’s Day vocabulary guide, featuring some of the most common words associated with the celebration.

Shamrock – three-leaf clover, which is used as a symbol of Ireland.

Emerald Isle – nickname for Ireland, coined by the poet William Drennan.

Leprechaun – small mythical creature with magical powers, associated with Ireland.

Fiddle – another name for a violin, featured heavily in traditional Irish music.

Four-leaf Clover – a four-leaf variant of the clover, often viewed as a good luck charm.

St. Paddy’s Day – an informal name for St. Patrick’s Day.

Irish Tricolour – name given to the national flag of Ireland.

Pot of Gold – an imaginary reward, associated with leprechauns and said to be found at the end of a rainbow.

Guinness – a brand of Irish dry stout, which is the most popular alcoholic drink in Ireland.

Shillelagh – a weapon, similar to a club, featured heavily in Irish folklore.

Simple future: will and won't

Simple Future has two different forms in English: "will" and "be going to" Although these two forms refer to a specific time in the future, they often express two different meanings. 

Will future expresses a spontaneous decision, an assumption with regard to the future or an action in the future that cannot be influenced.

Form of will 

	positive	negative	question
No differences	I will speak.	I will not speak.	Will I speak?

Use of will 

§                          a spontaneous decision

Example: Wait, I will help you.

§                          an opinion, hope, uncertainty or assumption regarding the future

Example: He will probably come back tomorrow.

§                          a promise

Example: I will not watch TV tonight.

§                          an action in the future that cannot be influenced

Example: It will rain tomorrow.

§                          conditional clauses type I

Example: If I arrive late, I will call you.

Signal Words

§                          in a year, next …, tomorrow

§                         Supposition:  I think, probably, perhaps

Exercises 

§                          Positive sentences

§                          Negative sentences

§                          Questions in will Future 

§                          Mixed exercise

Tests

§                          Future I Simple will: Level 1 • Level 2 • Level 3

Parts of the body

Click the picture below to get some practice. 

How to write a thank-you note

Past continuous games

Lost property

Genre(s): Mystery

In a Lost Property Office a kind old man is working behind the desk. Every day an old lady comes into this office looking for something she has lost...

• Create your own story with the title ‘Lost Property’.
• Write some narration to accompany the story.
• Imagine a new room in the Lost Property Office that the couple explore together and describe what happens there.
• Retell the story from the man’s or the lady’s point of view.
• Choose one of the rooms that the couple enter and describe the setting.
• Pause the video at different points and describe how the man and lady are feeling. How do their emotions change throughout the story?
• Choose one of the keys shown at 2:09 and imagine what is behind the door that it opens.
• Why does the lady return every day with a picture of something that she has lost?
• At one point, the lady looks for a letter. Read some of the examples hanging on the lines and then write a letter from the lady to the man (or vice versa)?
• If you could ask the characters some questions, what would you like to know? How might they respond?
• Read the synopsis on the official site. Could you write your own synopsis for this story?