HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

Click here to watch a video about the history of Valentine's Day and do a comprehension activity.

LISTENING: A love story: To R.P. Salazar, with Love

1 You’re going to hear a true story, a love story. It starts with a small mistake and two very similar email addresses. Read the extracts from the story and try to put them in the correct order. Then watch and listen to check your ideas. 

  

A And so I forwarded it, I wrote a little message 

B And so I got on my knee and asked you to marry me. 

C Get to work, first thing I do is turn on my email, and I discovered this one. I didn’t know who it was from. 

D I would stay up late at night, which was your morning and we would chat. 

E I finalized my plans to visit the U.S. 

F My co-worker sent you that email by mistake. 

G So began a chain of emails. 

H They now all tell us, “You’re perfect for each other. You found the right match!” 

2 Listen again and decide if the following statements are TRUE or FALSE, or if the information is NOT GIVEN.

1 Rubin lived in Bangkok, Thailand. 

2 Rubin found out what Rachel looked like by mistake. 

3 Rubin asked Rachel to come and visit him in the US. 

4 Rachel kept her travel plans a secret. 

5 Rubin kept Rachel’s visit a secret. 

6 Rubin proposed after less than a week together. 

7 Rachel was completely surprised by the proposal. 

8 Rubin’s parents didn’t approve at first. 

3a VOCABULARY Look at these different ‘slang’ examples of ‘like’ from the story and match them with the uses. Two examples have the same use. 

1 And I was like, ‘Here’s another R.P. Salazar.’
2 It was like “Wow, she’s really beautiful.
3 ..we would chat for like four or five hours.
4 We were, like, dancing one night and…

A A way of introducing direct speech
B A ‘filler’ or hesitation.
C A way of emphasizing or drawing attention to something.

b What other uses of ‘like’ do you know? Look at the examples below and explain the use of ‘like’. 

1 I knew immediately that I liked her.
2 Ruben found out what Rachel looked like
3 Would you like to go out with me?
4 It’s kind of like sending a letter in a bottle.

4a GRAMMAR. Which use of ‘would’ means the same as ‘used to’? 
I would stay up late at night, which was your morning and we would chat for like four or five hours.

You’re foolish to go halfway across the world to meet some strange guy you have not met. That would be crazy.”

b What is the difference in use between ‘would’ and ‘used to’ when talking about past habits? Change ‘used to’ for ‘would’ where possible. 

1 Rachel used to live in Bangkok, but now she lives in Waco.
2 Ruben used to wonder if he would ever meet the right girl.
3 Rachel used to like receiving emails from Ruben.
4 Ruben used to miss Rachel when he wasn’t chatting with her.
5 Rachel used to look forward to their daily chats.
6 Ruben used to stay up late to talk to Rachel.

Check your answers here.

This great activity has been taken from www.elt-resourceful.com


A love song. Cupid by Amy Winehouse

Watch the video and try to fill in the gaps. Check your answers in "comments".

CUPID

[Chorus]
Cupid
Draw back your _____________(1)
And let your _____________(2) flow
Straight to my lover's ____________(3)
For me, _____________(4) but me

Cupid
Please hear my _____________(5)
And let your arrow _____________(6)
Straight to my lover's _____________(7)
For me

[Verse 1]
I don't want to _____________(8) you
But I'm in distress
There's _____________(9) of me losing
All my _____________(10)
For, I love a man
Who doesn't know I _____________(11)
And this you can _____________(12), so

[Chorus]

[Verse 2]
Now, if your arrow makes
His love _____________(13) for me
I swear I'm going to love him
'til _____________(14)
I know that 'tween the both of us
His heart we can _____________(15)
Cupid, help me if you _____________(16)

[Chorus]


Click here to see old posts about the same topic.