Watch two useful videos
the Whiteboard
Monday, June 1, 2026
Sunday, May 31, 2026
Titanic
Discuss
1. Have you been on a cruise anywhere? Where did you go? What activities did you do on the cruise?
2. Have you ever been sailing on a yacht. Did you get seasick?
3. Does your country have a navy? Do you know anyone in the navy?
4. Can you row a boat? Can you use a kayak?
5. Does your country have any long rivers that you can take a boat across or on?
6. Have you ever been on a jetboat?
7. Do you think you'll ever own a boat of any kind?
8. Can you surf or windsurf?
9. Are you more afraid of flying or travelling by ship?
10. If you could go in a submarine, would you?
Shipwreck or film?
Shipwreck
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Movie
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historical inaccuracy
edit funnels captain
wreckage flares SS California realistic
portrayal audience love story director
distress signal lifeboat below deck escape
scene climactic scene to showcase Hollywood special effects star
third-class flooding perished
boarding character fictional
survivor iceberg acclaimed
script cast passengers tragedy
rescue searchlights impact
vessel collision depict
Check
survivor
iceberg
impact
vessel
collision
passengers
tragedy
rescue
searchlights
funnels
captain
wreckage
flares
SS California
distress signal
lifeboat
below deck
third-class
flooding
perished
boarding
character
fictional
depict
escape
scene
climactic scene
realistic
portrayal
audience
love story
director
to showcase
Hollywood
historical inaccuracy
edit
acclaimed
script
cast
special effects
star
1. The band played as the ship sank
2. Jack Dawson and Rose DeWitt Bukater
3. Use of flashlights during the search for survivors
4. How the iceberg sank the ship
5. The ship splitting in two
6. Rescue by the RMS Carpathia
7. Insufficient number of lifeboats
8. First Officer William Murdoch’s actions
9. Elderly couple refusing to leave and dying together
10. Class discrimination with the lifeboats
1. The band played as the ship sank (True)
One of the most dramatic and heroic moments in the movie is
when the ship’s band continues to play as the Titanic sinks.
Surprisingly, this actually happened. Survivors of the real RMS Titanic have
confirmed that the band played in an effort to calm passengers, even amidst the
chaos of the sinking. They played until the very end, with the belief that the
last song performed was “Nearer, My God, to Thee.” It was a touching and tragic
display of dedication.
2. Jack Dawson and Rose DeWitt Bukater (False)
Love stories often add depth to movies, and Titanic is no
exception. However, the characters of Jack and Rose were entirely fictional
creations by James Cameron. While their sacrifices for each other may mirror
real events involving passengers on board, their presence on the ship was
purely fictional. The evidence, such as a third-class passenger casually
entering the first-class dining area, points to their fictional nature. Though
it’s worth noting that there was a Joseph Dawson on the ship, it was merely a
coincidence.
3. Use of flashlights during the search for survivors
(False)
The scene depicting crew members using flashlights to search
for survivors in the freezing ocean is memorable but historically inaccurate.
Flashlights were not employed during the Titanic’s search and rescue efforts in
1912 since they had only recently been invented and were not commonly used at
the time. James Cameron himself has acknowledged this inaccuracy, admitting
that it was added for convenience in the scene. Other historical inaccuracies,
like Jack’s modern handcuffs, can also be found in the movie.
4. How the iceberg sank the ship (True)
It is widely known that the Titanic sank due to colliding
with an iceberg. The movie’s depiction of the iceberg’s impact is remarkably
accurate. Director James Cameron meticulously studied the wreck of the Titanic
and survivors’ accounts, ensuring that the calm before the collision, the
collision itself, and the ensuing chaos were depicted realistically. The size
and impact force of the iceberg were faithfully recreated, making these crucial
moments in the film as believable as possible.
5. The ship splitting in two (True)
The climactic scene in Titanic showcases passengers
desperately clinging to the ship as it rises out of the water, breaks in half,
and sinks. While it was initially believed that the Titanic sank as one intact
vessel, subsequent studies of the wreckage revealed that it indeed split
between the second and third funnels. As water flooded one side of the ship due
to the iceberg damage, the other side lifted out of the water, eventually
breaking off. The movie’s portrayal aligns with this historical discovery.
6. Rescue by the RMS Carpathia (True) When the
Titanic crew realized they were in trouble, they fired flares and sent out
distress signals, as shown in the film. The RMS Carpathia promptly responded
and arrived at the scene approximately four hours later to aid in the rescue
efforts. However, omitted from the movie was the fact that another ship, the SS
California, was much closer but failed to respond to the distress calls. The
radio operator had turned off the ship’s radio, and the captain chose to ignore
the Titanic’s distress rockets. Official inquiries concluded that this inaction
led to a greater loss of life. Although James Cameron filmed this sequence, he
ultimately removed it for a cleaner narrative.
7. Insufficient number of lifeboats (True) In the
movie, we witness passengers frantically attempting to board the limited number
of lifeboats to escape the sinking Titanic. This accurately reflects the
reality. The Titanic carried enough lifeboats to accommodate 1,178 people,
which was approximately one-third of the ship’s total capacity. Shockingly,
this number exceeded the legal requirement.
8. First Officer William Murdoch’s actions (False) While
Titanic features a few fictional villains, First Officer William Murdoch, who
is portrayed as angrily dismissing and shooting passengers before turning the
gun on himself, is based on a real character. However, Murdoch was far from a
villain. In reality, he was hailed as a hero for his actions, helping fill
approximately ten lifeboats with passengers before losing his own life in the
disaster. James Cameron admitted to taking creative liberties when depicting
Murdoch’s story, although he portrayed the Titanic’s captain, Smith, as a hero.
The captain’s fate, as seen in the film, remains disputed.
9. Elderly couple refusing to leave and dying together
(True) One memorable scene in Titanic portrays an elderly couple embracing
each other on their bed as water floods their room. This scene is inspired by
the heartwarming story of Isidor and Ida Straus. In accordance with the “women
and children first” protocol, Ida was offered a seat on a lifeboat but refused
to leave her husband’s side. Although the movie does not depict it, Isidor
reportedly declined a place beside her, insisting that women and children go
first. As Ida’s maid boarded a lifeboat, Ida selflessly gave her fur coat to
keep her warm. The couple was last seen arm in arm on the ship’s deck, and they
perished together.
10. Class discrimination with the lifeboats (False) Contrary
to the movie’s portrayal, there was no class discrimination when it came to
loading passengers onto lifeboats. When the severity of the situation became
apparent, the crew’s priority was to evacuate as many people as possible,
regardless of their wealth or class. Women and children were given priority
during the boarding process. The scene depicting third-class passengers being
locked below deck is entirely fictional. The crew’s focus was solely on saving
lives, without discrimination based on class.
Wednesday, May 27, 2026
The English we speak
totwigtomoochth
eflipsidetothro
wyourtoysoutoft
hepramontheflyt
hatsonyoumakesm
yskincrawlanuph
illtaskturnover
anewleaffindyou
rgroovesecondna
turetaketheplun
gepeaksandtroug
hsheavylifting
stompingground
toclutchatstraw
soffthecuffdoth
etrickinonit
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1. To twig
2. To mooch
4. To throw your toys out of the pram
5. On the fly
10. Find your groove
11. Second nature
Conversation
The phrase:
The meaning of the phrase:
Register: formal / informal / neutral
Part of speech: noun / verb / adjective / adverb
Synonyms:
Situations used:
Examples of usage:
_______________________________________________________________________
Write an example of your own:
_______________________________________________________________________
1. Have you ever had one of those moments when it suddenly 'twigs' for you, and everything makes sense? What was it about?
2. Have you mooched around anywhere recently? Where? What did you find?
3. What's the good side of being from your country? What's the flip side?
4. Do you sometimes throw your toys out of the pram? What makes you get that angry?
5. What kinds of things do you like to do 'on the fly' instead of planning them?
6. Have you ever been in a situation where someone said, 'That's on you'? We're they right?
7. What’s something that always makes your skin crawl, no matter how many times you see it?
8. What’s been the most challenging 'uphill task' you've ever faced, and how did you manage to get through it?
9. Have you ever had a moment where you felt the need to 'turn over a new leaf'? What motivated that change?
10. At what point did you 'find your groove' in New Zealand? Are you still trying to?
11. What’s something that you can do without thinking about it, because it’s become second nature to you?
1. To tw___ (finally understand)
2. To m___ch (walk around)
3. The _____ side (the opposite perspective)
4. To _____ your toys out of the _____ (lose your cool)
5. ____ the fly (without planning)
6. T_____ on you (it’s your fault)
7. Makes my _____ crawl (you absolutely hate it)
8. An ______ task (it’s not easy)
9. Turn ____ a new ____ (to make a big change in your life)
10. _____ your groove (to start to feel comfortable and
confident about something)
11. ________ nature (it’s pretty easy for you to do)
Some more!
1. What’s the biggest plunge you’ve ever taken that ended up
being totally worth it?
2. How do you handle those peaks and troughs in life,
especially when things feel like they’re at their lowest?
3. Have you ever been part of a project or job where it was
you who had to do most of the “heavy lifting”?
4. Do you have a particular place or area that always feels
like your stomping ground, where you’re just so comfortable?
5. Have you ever been in a situation where you felt like you
were clutching at straws, trying anything to make things work?
6. Do you prefer to make decisions on the spot, or do you
like to plan things out ahead of time?
7. What’s a quick fix or solution that you’ve found always
does the trick when you’re feeling unfocused.
8. Is there ever a time when you felt left out of something,
like you weren’t "in on it" with the group?
9. Have you ever experienced something that seemed like a
million to one chance but actually happened? What was that like?
Here is the clean Kahoot quiz version (20 questions) with no answers marked, no bold text, and no icons.
Kahoot Quiz: The English We Speak Phrases
1
What does “bite the bullet” mean?
A. Avoid a problem
B. Face something difficult bravely
C. Celebrate success
D. Ask for help
2
If someone says “my bad”, what do they mean?
A. Your fault
B. My mistake
C. I am angry
D. I am confused
3
“Wing it” means…
A. Fly somewhere
B. Improvise without preparation
C. Ask for help
D. Follow instructions
4
If something is “a walk in the park”, it is…
A. Boring
B. Dangerous
C. Very easy
D. Expensive
5
“Out of the loop” means…
A. In trouble
B. Not informed about something
C. Very busy
D. Very tired
6
“Step on it!” means…
A. Walk carefully
B. Stop immediately
C. Hurry up
D. Drive slowly
7
If someone is “salty”, they are…
A. Hungry
B. Annoyed or bitter
C. Very happy
D. Very tired
8
“Spill the tea” means…
A. Make tea
B. Drink tea
C. Tell gossip or secrets
D. Break something
9
“Take one for the team” means…
A. Join a sports team
B. Sacrifice for others
C. Win a competition
D. Quit a group
10
“Let sleeping dogs lie” means…
A. Wake animals
B. Avoid restarting an old problem
C. Take a nap
D. Ignore animals
11
“Flexing” means…
A. Exercising
B. Showing off
C. Working hard
D. Helping someone
12
If you “have a go”, you…
A. Leave quickly
B. Try something
C. Buy something
D. Break something
13
“Down in the dumps” means…
A. Very sick
B. Very sad
C. Angry
D. Busy
14
“Bang on about something” means…
A. Hit something
B. Talk about something too much
C. Forget something
D. Break something
15
If you “rub it in”, you…
A. Clean something
B. Help someone
C. Remind someone of their mistake
D. Fix something
16
“Low-key” means…
A. Loud
B. Obvious
C. Quiet or slightly
D. Serious
17
If someone is “bone idle”, they are…
A. Very smart
B. Extremely lazy
C. Very strong
D. Very tired
18
A “whizz-kid” is…
A. A naughty child
B. A very talented young person
C. A funny person
D. A slow learner
19
“Put someone on the map” means…
A. Show directions
B. Make someone famous
C. Help someone travel
D. Give someone a job
20
“A sting in the tail” means…
A. A painful injury
B. A surprising unpleasant ending
C. A happy ending
D. A long story
Monday, May 25, 2026
Asking a Favour
Polite & Formal
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Could you possibly…?
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Would you mind (doing)…?
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I was wondering if you could…
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I’d really appreciate it if you could…
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Would it be too much trouble to…?
Friendly & Neutral
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Can you do me a favour?
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Can I ask you a favour?
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Could you help me with…?
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Would you be able to…?
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Do you think you could…?
Casual
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Hey, can you give me a hand?
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Any chance you could…?
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Mind helping me out?
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Could you lend me a hand?
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Can you help me out with…?
Noelia: Paul, ____ _____ _____ ____ ______? I need a favour.
Paul: I'm ___ ____ ______, but sure, what ___ I help
you _____?
Noelia: So, you know the branding job for Active
Arctic?
Paul: Of course. It was so good to finally finish
that project. It went on and on and on …
Noelia: Yeah, so … look, I'm _____ ______ _____ _____,
but they want some more changes made.
Paul: Seriously? I've already rewritten that copy, I
don't know, like, 20 times?
Noelia: I know. I'm ____ _____. ____ you ____ _____
to work on it this afternoon?
Paul: Well, ____ _____ _____ _____ ____ _____ _____,
Noelia. I'm finishing the Moosh Monkey social media campaign and they're
expecting it by the end of the day.
Noelia: I'd forgotten about that. ___ _____ _____
_____ you could work late tonight?
Paul: Sorry, Noelia. I ____ ____ ____ _____ ____ ____
_____.
Noelia: ______?
Paul: I'm taking my niece to the cinema for her
birthday. It's been planned for ages.
Noelia: OK. Well, then ____ _____ _____ _____ _____
tomorrow? I'll make it up to you!
Paul: OK. How?
Noelia: _____ your _____.
Paul: An extra day's holiday?
Noelia: Can you get in for 5 a.m.?
Paul: 7 a.m.
Noelia: 6 a.m.
Paul: _____.
Role-Play: Asking for a Favour
Instructions
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Work in pairs – Student A and Student B.
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One person asks for a favour, the other responds.
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Use at least two different phrases from the “Useful Phrases” box.
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Swap roles after each scenario.
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Add polite thanks and responses.
Useful Phrases – Asking
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Could you possibly…?
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Would you mind…?
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I was wondering if you could…
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I’d really appreciate it if you could…
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Would it be too much trouble to…?
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Can you do me a favour?
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Can I ask you a favour?
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Could you help me with…?
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Any chance you could…?
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Could you lend me a hand?
Useful Phrases – Responding
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Sure, no problem.
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Of course.
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I’d be happy to.
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Sorry, I can’t right now.
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I’m afraid I’m busy, but maybe later.
Scenarios
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Moving furniture – You need help lifting a table into another room.
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Borrowing something – You want to borrow your friend’s laptop for a few hours.
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Giving a ride – You need a lift to the train station.
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Covering a shift – You ask your colleague to work for you on Friday.
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Helping with homework – You ask a classmate to explain a difficult exercise.
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Taking care of a pet – You need someone to feed your cat while you’re away.
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Shopping help – You ask a friend to go to the supermarket with you.
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Technology help – You want someone to help you set up your new phone.
Example
A: Can I ask you a favour?
B: Sure, what is it?
A: Would you mind helping me carry this box upstairs?
B: No problem. Where to?
Match the three stages of asking for a favour with the phrases.
1. Set the Stage
2. Give a Reason
3. Provide an Escape Clause
A) “If you can’t help out, I
completely understand, but I thought I’d ask.”
B) “something really unexpected
has happened”
C) “I have a favour to ask you”
Consider the following:
A) Anthony, can you please cover
for me at the client dinner tonight, I’m not going to be able to break away
from the office?
B) Anthony, I have a favor to ask
you… by any chance could you cover for me at the client dinner tonight? I’m not
going to be able to break away from the office.
Quickly after making your request,
be sure to add the following:
I completely _________ if you
can’t make it; I _____ it’s a busy week for everyone.
I’d love an introduction to
Katherine, but if you don’t feel ________ passing along her information for any
reason that’s _____. I don’t _____ to create an uncomfortable situation for
you.
Role plays:
1. Your child refuses to tidy up
their room.
2. You need someone to give you a
ride to the airport at 4a.m.
3. You've got a heavy couch that
you need to move from one house to another. Your friend has a van.
4. You're going away for a week
and need someone to feed your cat.
5. You have a great neighbour and
you're good friends, but lately he's been using his barbeque every night and
the smoke comes into your house if you have the windows open.
6. Someone you know is starting a
new job at a company you want to work for. You've sent them your CV twice, but
they've never replied. You want to ask them to recommend you for an interview.
Flattery
Bribery
Threatening
Flirtation
Charm
Pleading
Begging
Demanding
Blackmail
A polite request
Asking for a favour which is granted
Peter: Hi Anna. I've got a f________ to ask.
Would you m____ cooking dinner tonight? I'm kind of busy.
Anna: Sure, Peter. What w_____ you like for dinner?
Peter: Could I tr______ you to make some pasta?
Anna: That s_____s good. Let's have pasta. Which type of sauce
should I make?
Peter: W____ it be too m____ trouble to make a four cheese sauce?
Anna: No, that's easy. Yum. Good idea.
Peter: Thanks Anna. That really h__ps me out.
Anna: No pr_______.
Mark: Hey, could you please help me w____ the
homework?
Susan: I'd be gl___ to help out. What s____s to be the problem?
Mark: I don't get this equation. Would you ____d explaining it to me?
Susan: No pr______. It's difficult!
Mark: Yeah, I know. Thanks a lot.
Susan: Don't w_____ about it.
Asking for a favour which is refused
Employee: Hello, Mr. Smith. C____ I ask you a
question?
Boss: S__, w____ do you need?
Employee: Would it be t__ much trouble f__ you to l__ me come in at
10 tomorrow morning?
Boss: Oh, that's a little d_______.
Employee: Yes, I know it's last moment, b___ I have to go to the
dentist.
Boss: I'm afraid I can't let you come in late tomorrow. We r_____
need you at the meeting.
Employee: OK, I just th____ I'd ask. I'll get a different
appointment.
Boss: Thanks, I appr_____ it.
Brother: Hey. W_____ you mind letting me watch my show?
Sister: Sorry, but I c____ do that.
Brother: Why n___?
Sister: I'm watching my favorite show now.
Brother: B___ I'm going to miss my favourite game show!
Sister: Watch it online. Don't bo_____ me.
Part 2 - Use your "Pākehā" Voice
Language:
to mute (turn the sound off)
you owe me (I'm doing you a favour)
Lickity-split (very quickly, very soon)
Pakeha (Non-Maori, usually English speaking, NZer)
all good (it's alright)
Watch and answer these questions:
1. What problem are the flatmates having?
2. What excuse does the person on the phone give for failing to activate the broadband?
3. What does Paul do for a living?
4. What is a Pakeha voice and why do you need to use it?
5. How does Joan manage to get Caleb to send someone over immediately?
6. What do Caleb and his friend say after the call is over?
Watch:
Get you a pakeha voice
Discuss:
Why do we need to use different 'voices' for different situations?
Language focus: kiwi English / politeness and assertiveness / formal and casual
1. Come on ____! This is the fourth time I've called and it's ____ _______ stupid!"
2. ___ ______ we failed to connect you ____, but _________ no one was home when we came to the _______.
3. Hi ______ Caleb ___ _____ _____? We're just having a little bit of a _____________ about our connection and I'm hoping that you could _____ us ____.
4. Yes, it ____ no one was home when we came to the address.
5. ____ and ____ both know that that's not true, and we ____ call on Wednesday, _____. So if we don't _____ this out now, I think you and I going to have a _____ ____ of a problem.
6. Well, ___ don't want that. So ____ about I put you on our priority list for an appointment.
7. Will tomorrow at 10am _____ for you?
8. No it ______ actually. I'm ______ that's not good enough.
9. How about I _____ ____ ________ with a technician and ____ someone out to your place, lickety-split - in the next, ___, 60 minutes?
10. That _____ be wonderful.
11. Once _____, thank you ___ much for your help, Caleb.
12. Hey ___ a problem. Sorry for ____ ______________.
Part 3 Advertising
2. What other things might be influencing their life choices?
3. What feelings are evoked through the ad? How does the ad try to speak to group of people it is targeting?
Sunday, May 24, 2026
How Wolves Change Rivers
When wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park in the United States after being absent nearly 70 years, the most remarkable "trophic cascade" occurred. What is a trophic cascade and how exactly do wolves change rivers? George Monbiot explains.
What does it eat?
Wolf
Antelope
Fox
Bear
Beaver
Raven
Song bird
Bald eagle
Muskrat
Mice
Elk
Deer
Salmon
Coyote
Learn 12 words:
12 terms
Watch:
How Wolves Change Rivers
Fill in the gaps and then check:
Look through the text and underline or highlight examples of
Past perfect simple
Comparatives and Superlatives

