Characteristics of Drama English Writing Online Tutorpace

Characteristics of Drama English Writing Online Tutorpace Characteristics of Drama Four parts of literary genre are fiction, nonfiction, poetry and drama. Out of the four only drama is acted on a stage and the flow of the story depends on the action and dialogue carried out and spoken by the live actors. Ancient Greeks were masters in writing and enacting drama on the stage. Strangely, there were no actresses and young boys played the role of women on the stage. It would be difficult to appreciate characteristics of a drama without learning in depth about the main elements of the drama. The features of a drama though differ in importance from play to play have a common thread as well. The literary elements of drama are: 1. Characters 2. Dialogue 3. Plot 4. Setting 5. Stage Directions 6. Theme 1. The place of Characters in a play: A play revolves round the characters in the drama, characters in a play a crucial role that makes a play good or bad. There are many categories of characters. 1) Major characters are important to the narration of a play, e.g. Hamlet in the play of the same name 2) Flat characters are only minor characters and generally have one or two traits. They are used as a contrast to the main character. 3) Round: A round character has many traits, but the audience see only side and a round character can grow or change in the duration of a play. 4) Minor: These are a necessity in a play, but their roles are no very important, for are used to reinforce the importance of main character or form a background to action taking place. There are different kinds of characters Protagonist:Protagonist plays a central role in the drama and sets the sequence action into motion. For example, the protagonist in Shakespeares play Macbeth is also called Macbeth and the whole action revolves round him. Antagonist:Antagonist is an antihero or a bad character who opposes the protagonist. Iago in Shakespeares play Othello is a typical antagonist who opposes the protagonist all the time. Foil:A foil is a unique character in the drama, his personal characteristics are in stark contrast with other characters, usually protagonist and form a background against which we come to know more about the characteristics of the other players. In Shakespeares drama Julius Caesar, Cassius is the foil to Caesar. Confidant:A confidant in a drama is usually a friend or an old servant who listens to the protagonist and gives him suitable advice. Confidant is also a means of revealing the thoughts and intended actions of the protagonist to the viewers, but not to other actors in the drama. Stock characters:These characters play a very light role as group members, who displays a particular kind of trait and appear multiple times in the drama. Example: A joker or a serving person. 2. Dialogues are means to convey feelings or action :Dialogues are spoken by the actors in a drama and are main vehicle to convey feelings and personalities of the characters. Writers take great care to write dialogues to suit the action and the part played by a specific character. Unlike other visual genre where other means are available to the writer, dialogues in a play are used to portray the true nature of a particular character because there is a limited space in a play for action. They also help in the forward movement of a plot. There are many types of dialogues: 1) Dialogues spoken within a group or between two people 2) Soliloquy, which is a sort of monologue by a single character to show his feelings and thoughts. 3) Sometimes characters speak directly to the members of the audience excluding the other individuals who are present at the time in the play. This type of dialogue is called Aside. 3. The Plot :The storyline or a plot is the device that helps in the narration of a story. The plot unravels in a sequential order; usually the main characters are introduced first to make the audience to become aware and anticipate the way the story is going to develop. Next comes the conflict; this is the most crucial part of a play as it shows how the characters face the difficulties. Resolution of a conflict in a play is known as the climax. The main parts of a plot are: 1) Introduction 2) Conflict 3) Resolution of the conflict or climax. 4. The setting :Unlike other genre setting plays a very limited part in a drama because due to logistical difficulties it is difficult to show to the audience the place where the action is taking. Usually the setting is usually a painted backdrop or subtle lightings to depict the night, day or seasons. Passing of time is shown by the change in the appearance of the characters; they walk with slow steps or display grey hair to portray old age. Different types of costumes are used as s setting to show profession of characters. Sometimes items are used to portray a particular time in history or life of the character. These are called props. Setting is also the first thing the audience notices and it is generally used to create a specific atmosphere. 5. Stage directions :The author of a play uses stage directions for various purposes. On one hand they are used to guide the movements of the characters, the use of props on the stage, on the other hand they are used to create a certain atmosphere during the play. Stage directions also help the audience to understand what is happening. The writer sometimes, embeds the stage direction, often in brackets, giving direction to the acts how to move or use props. The writer also gives directions to the actors display a particular body language to convey a particular feeling, enter and exit to create the mood. Example: In Shakespeares play King Lear lays his on the sword to show anger when he speaks this dialogue, O, vassal! Miscreant! 6. Theme is message in the play :Theme is the main idea of the play. It is the message that the writer is trying to convey to the audience. Sometimes the theme is universal and timeless, for example some of the themes conveyed in Shakespeares plays are universal, good, and evil, love of power, hate, or jealousy. These themes are repeated again in many genres. Theme and plot are two elements that are inter-twined and need to correlate with one other. Generally themes revolve round three types of conflict: 1. between two people 2. between a human and super power like God and destiny 3. between individual and his inner being or conscience Structure Drama throughout the ages has followed the structure laid down by the ancient Greeks. Eventually, traditional drama was divided into five distinct parts in the Sixteenth Century based on the Greek structure. These five segments are introduction or exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and conclusion or denouement. Introduction /exposition:The theme, the plot and the characters of a play are generally introduced in the exposition (introduction). The type of conflict is sometimes also introduced in the beginning of the play. The key to the action that is likely to follow are shown in the glimpses of the past of a character or the conflict faced by many characters. Rising action:Rising action characterizes the movement of the plot into conflicts or introduction of a number of minor plots. In this part the writer tries to create several feelings in the audience, some apprehension and a desire to watch what is likely to come next and perception of high anticipation. Climax:The climax is most intense part of a play. It is very intensive, interesting and is the pinnacle of dramatic display. It is the point where the action becomes inevitable, and the play takes a decisive turn, becomes either a comedy or a tragedy. Falling Action:The fourth segment shows the play is heading towards conclusion, conflicts are settled, action is decisive and it becomes apparent that the play is going to end soon. Conclusion:Conclusion is also called denouement. It is final stage of the drama, things come to an end all difficulties are resolved, problems/conflicts are solved, and one can discern easily whether the play is a comedy or a tragedy.

What Was It Like in the Tudor Period

What Was It Like in the Tudor Period Living in Tudor Times: How You Would Have Lived ChaptersReligion and Church in Tudor EnglandClass in Tudor HistoryGoing to War in Tudor and Elizabethan EnglandWhat Did People in Tudor England Do for Work?What You’d Do for Fun in the Tudor EraFood in the Sixteenth CenturyThe Tudor dynasty is one of the most exciting and well-known periods in English history, featuring all sorts of political and social turmoil, intrigue in the royal court, and a variety of wars, dramas, executions, and controversies.But whilst we still, as a country, hold a fascination for this grisly and gruesome period, our attention generally stays with the kings and queens themselves, from Henry VII and King Henry VIII through to Edward VI, Queen Mary I, and Queen Elizabeth I of England. At school, and in everyday conversations about the Tudor era, rarely do we look beyond to see what the normal people would have been doing.Yet, to focus only on the Tudor monarchs is to miss some of the most fascinating parts of the era â€" and it is to overlook the effects of the actions of the monarchs themselves.So, whilst you can find plenty of information about the monarchs in our article on the lives of the Tudor kings and queens â€" and in our piece, Who Were the Tudors? â€" we’ll be looking here at what it was like to be you in the Tudor age.Whilst it is incredibly fun to imagine, we can assure you: you’ll probably prefer to be alive right where you are now. Let’s take a look! MarkHistory Teacher 5.00 (3) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JohnHistory Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarjotteHistory Teacher 5.00 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ErinHistory Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ChantelleHistory Teacher 5.00 (2) £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AndriyHistory Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PeterHistory Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SerenaHistory Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsReligion and Church in Tudor EnglandLet’s start with one of the most well-known aspects of the Tudor era: the religion.As you’ll know, the Tudor monarchy were fairly concerned about religion. However, throughout the period, different monarchs and their heirs couldn’t quite agree on what sort of religion they wanted in the country at the time.Roman Catholicism â€" with its power in the papacy in Rome â€" and, after the Reformation, ‘Protestantism’ were the two major religious forces in Europe at the time. However, Protestantism was never really a unified way of thinking. There were many protestantisms, almost as many as there were protestants themselves.Generally, Protestant thought suggested that anyone could read the Bible â€" which was probably not you, because you probably couldn’t read â€" and that there should be some differences to the Church service.If Henry VIII of England broke with papal power to set up the Church of England â€" a move continued by his s on, King Edward VI â€" Mary I, or ‘Bloody Mary’, Edward’s half-sister, desperately wanted to return England to Roman Catholicism. Lots of political violence followed (which means violence against you), and it wasn’t until Elizabeth that compromise was found.What all these religious changes would have meant for you is complicated. If you were particularly committed to one side or the other, and you were quite an important person, you may well have been executed â€" depending upon which monarch reigned whilst you were alive.Otherwise, it would have meant that you would have had merely to stop paying tax to Rome, but pay increased taxes to the monarchy. Great!Discover awesome facts about the Tudor period! One of the monasteries that suffered under Henry VIIIClass in Tudor HistoryMuch more than these days, a lot of what you were able to do in Tudor England was determined by your class, or your general position in the social hierarchy.The Different ClassesTo put it quite simply, there were four main classes in Tudor England: the Nobility, the Gentry, the Yeomanry, and the Poor. These were fairly fixed categories â€" and your place in each one would determine the things you were allowed to wear, eat, do, and, really, even think.As the House of Tudor was in the early modern period, which came at the latter end of the feudal period, you still find reference in this age to the Great Chain of Being, an idea of a hierarchy that stretched from God, through angels, to kings, noblemen, and down to the poor, and ultimately to animals. By basing hierarchy on theological terms, the poor were less likely to resent their position in life.Being a NobleAs a noble, you didn’t have a bad life â€" parti cularly if you came from an ancient family like the Howards, the family of the Dukedom of Norfolk, or the Earldom of Pembroke. You could be sure to wield a fair amount of influence in the Tudor court and have plenty of cash from the people on your land. Your position, however, was dependent on the favour of the king.Not all people who held influence over the king were born into nobility, however. Look at Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII’s most important advisor. He was the son of a blacksmith and brewer â€" and look where he ended up!The Poor in Tudor EnglandIf you were poor, you were obliged to work â€" and to work hard. If you were unemployed and you went looking for work, you’d end up in a fairly unpleasant position. With one offence, you’d be whipped; with a second, you’d have an ear cut off. If a third time you were caught as a ‘vagabond’, you’d be executed.As about a third of people lived in poverty, it wasn’t great to be poor, particularly during times of famine an d economic decline. The best you could expect was alms â€" or charity â€" from the rich.Generally, as a poor person during the Tudor period, you would go to fight when you were told to. Elizabeth I (1533-1603) Queen of England and Ireland from 1558, last Tudor monarch. Version of the Armada portrait attributed to George Gower c1588. (Photo by: Photo 12/UIG via Getty Images)What Did People in Tudor England Do for Work?Working, in the Tudor times, was another thing that was entirely dependent upon your class and upon your geographical place.Again, if you were a noble, you’d be fairly free from anything strictly called ‘work’. The chances are that you were born into land from which you earned your money, taking part of the produce directly created by the poor peasants working on your land.If you were lucky, as a poor person, you would be a peasant who would rent the land off the nobleman. ‘Lucky’ is a bit of a stretch, because, really, you’d be working all day for all of your life. But at least you would have a stable life (and we saw above what would happen if you didn’t get work).If you lived in the city, however, things were a little different. Maybe y ou would work in the textile industry, or, if you were of a higher sort of class, you’d be a clerk or a professional: a solicitor, a doctor, or another such trade.What You’d Do for Fun in the Tudor EraFor many people, ‘fun’ wasn’t really a thing that happened. There wasn’t really such a thing as leisure time, with labour laws being absent and with people living generally at a subsistence level.Sundays, however, being the Lord’s day, were generally days of rest. You’d go to church, for sure, but afterwards you could play a bit of sport, see travelling musicians, or dance.In London, you could attend the theatre whether you were rich or poor â€" and see plays by the likes of Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe.If you were a noble person, much of life was leisure time. You could have private musicians, you might write poetry, go hunting, or even play tennis. Shakespeare was one of the great Tudor artists. Image from the Independent.Food in the Sixteenth CenturyOf course, the food that you would eat was dependent entirely on class too. And, if you were poor, you wouldn’t eat very well â€" and there may have been times of the year, or particular times of hardship, in which you didn’t eat very much at all.Pottage was the general dish for the poor, a soup or stew of vegetables and oats. Bread and cheese were staples too â€" alongside whichever vegetables you could get your hands on.Of course, things were different for the rich, who could afford to employ cooks and who could afford much more extravagant foods. Meat was always on the menu.Most importantly, all foods were eaten seasonally. There would be no chance of anything else â€" shipping foods from all over the world, as we do now â€" as there was simply no chance of keeping it fresh!Find out more about the Tudor period!

Looking After Your Voice

Looking After Your Voice Ten Tips for Taking Care of Your Voice Chapters1. Warm Up Your Voice before Singing2. Sleeping Well to Sing Better3. A Good Posture4. Exercise Regularly5. Don’t Smoke6. Rest Your Vocal Cords7. Protect Your Voice from the Cold8. Don’t Speak9. Stop Singing if Your Airways Are Inflamed10. Consult a Speech Pathologist or ENT Specialist“The only thing better than singing is more singing.” - Ella FitzgeraldWhether you’re a singing teacher or a singer performing in a show, you need to avoid vocal fatigue, sore throats, voice loss, and inflammation.  Most people will sing from time to time and it tends to be the younger generation who sing more often.Whether it’s in your car, bathroom, or around the house, lots of people enjoy singing.  Your voice is an instrument and you need to take care of it. Vocal health is hugely important for singers as damage to the vocal folds can lead to hoarseness and other vocal disorders.In this article, we’ve got 10 tips to help you look after it. TraceySinging Teacher 4.92 (13) £25/ h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PortiaSinging Teacher 4.91 (11) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolaSinging Teacher 5.00 (11) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JazzSinging Teacher 5.00 (6) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PerrineSinging Teacher 5.00 (3) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TiemSinging Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TomSinging Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MiriamSinging Teacher 5.00 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors1. Warm Up Your Voice before SingingYour vocal cords include muscle tissue and the cricothyroid muscle. The latter is used to tense your vocal cords. To sing well, you need to warm up your vocal cords. (Source: TeeFarm)Like any muscle, you need to tense it to use it and it’s recommended that you warm it up before you do so that you don’t strain it.You also need a good lung capacity and vocal endurance to get the most out of your voice.  Preparing your voice is a way to avoid vocal injury.How?Start by singing quietly and doing vocal exercises and ranges before singing more powerfully. Warming up will also help you alleviate stress and stage fright before getting on stage.After all, singing involves a good degree of physical exertion.Find out more about looking after your voice.2. Sleeping Well to Sing BetterYou mightn’t think of it, but fatigue is your voice’s worst enemy.  Sleeping well is important for your energy levels and resting your voice. Sleep also allows you to renew your voice through rest.Poor sleep can lead to feeling hoarse, inflammation, dysphonia, or even voice loss.  If you lose your voice following a viral infection, a good night's sleep can help you get better.When we sleep, we don’t use our voices. The night  is an important time for singers as it’s when your vocal cords regenerate.3. A Good PostureYou need a good posture if you want a good vocal technique and voice. Stand up straight and lift your chin to open the airways. To sing well, you need to be standing up straight, not sitting or slouching. (Source: langll)A good posture can also help you to relax. Singing while tense won’t help you get a good tone out of your voice.  You need to work on the relationship between your body and your voice.  You also need to find the optimum vocal comfort.We recommend using abdominal breathing, tensing your stomach as you breathe out and relaxing it as you breathe in.  Sing standing up with your legs straight first. Then, sing sitting down with your back straight.Then sing lying on your back.Can you see how singing while standing up is much easier?The best position for singers is as follows:Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.Unlock your knees.Ensure your pelvis is in line with your spinal column.Lower your shoulders and relax your arms with your hands apart.Tension in the body affects your vocal cords.Do your best to avoid vocal cord injury.4. Exercise RegularlyExercising comes with many benefits for the human body and limits the risk of disease.Regularly exercising can help improve your breathing. Additionally, a  singer who regularly exercises will also have more endurance.During physical exercise, you’ll consume oxygen and expel carbon dioxide as your blood provides muscles with oxygen which they use when burning energy.Healthy lungs have a higher capacity, allowing them to hold more oxygen.This means a singer won’t have as much shortness of breath when singing. TraceySinging Teacher 4.92 (13) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PortiaSinging Teacher 4.91 (11) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolaSinging Teacher 5.00 (11) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JazzSinging Teacher 5.00 (6) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PerrineSinging Teacher 5.00 (3) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TiemSinging Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TomSinging Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MiriamSinging Teacher 5.00 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors5. Don’t SmokeWe could have put this tip first since whether you’re a singer or not, you probably shouldn’t smoke.  There are plenty of illnesses that are caused by smoking including cancers and respiratory problems.There are many benefits to quitting smoking, too:Opening the airways.Reducing the risk of throat cancers.Reducing the risk of irritated vocal cords.Reducing the risk of cancer in the lymph nodes, polyps, nodules, etc.The same could be said of alcohol as well. Additionally, you should drink at least 2 litres of water per day.Here are some singing lessons that may be useful to you.6. Rest Your Vocal CordsAfter having sung a lot, such as during a concert, or spoke a lot (if you’re a teacher, for example), it’s recommended that you rest your voice. To rest your voice, you just need to stop singing or talking. (Source: MabelAmber)A speech pathologist or ENT specialist will probably recommend it, too.Hoarseness can lead to muscular tension in the abdomen and lead to disrupted breathing. It can also cause problems around the shoulders and collar bones.  This will cause you to strain your voice as you try to sing, leading to an alteration in your voice. If you regularly strain your voice, you can damage your voice.  This is why vocal timbre changes; your voice is made by vibrating vocal cords in the larynx.A loss of voice, known as aphonia, is due to a vocal cord malfunction.  Aphonia is caused by injured vocal cords. In the event of hoarseness, it’s recommended that you stop singing completely and rest your voice.Make sure you look after your voice!7. Protect Your Voice from the ColdThe changing of the seasons is harmful to your vocal cords.  This is why you should consider wearing a scarf during winter, to protect your larynx f rom the cold.You can end up with laryngitis, a sore throat, fever, or bronchitis for a few days.  While these infections are pretty harmless, they’re not ideal the night before a concert.You might want to drink some herbal tea, lemon juice, honey, or take some eucalyptus lozenges. Your doctor may suggest antibiotics if the infection is bad.8. Don’t SpeakSilence is sometimes the best solution for a bad voice.  It’s not the easiest thing to do, but you want to use your vocal cords as little as possible while they heal.You might only be able to do this on your days off, especially if you need to speak during work.  However, this is one of the quickest and easiest ways to heal your voice.9. Stop Singing if Your Airways Are InflamedDon’t think that you can take some anti-inflammatory medicine and keep singing.  If you’ve got a sore throat or laryngitis, you need to stop singing immediately.There are four main parts to your airways: the nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx, and the bro nchial tree. If you’ve any inflammation for over 7 days, you must stop singing immediately while it heals.If you keep singing, you’ll strain your voice and damage your vocal cords.Find out about singing lessons Glasgow.10. Consult a Speech Pathologist or ENT SpecialistIf you have any long-lasting problems with your voice, you should see a speech pathologist or ENT specialist. They can help diagnose any issues and have a look at your throat. In some cases, you'll need to see a medical professional. (Source: drshohmelian)Similarly, they’re the first ones to spot any grave illnesses (such as tumours, etc.).  Women are four times as likely as men to suffer from problems with their voices.  So when you sing, make sure you take care of your precious voice.If you want to work on your voice and improve your singing, you might want to consider getting a vocal coach or private tutor on Superprof. They can help you improve your singing, take care of your voice, and provide bespoke singing tuition. There are three main types of tutorials on offer and each one comes with several advantages and disadvantages.Face-to-face private tutorials are just between you and your tutor. The sessions will be tailored to you, your needs, and your strengths and weaknesses. Of course, since the tutor will be dedicating a lot of time to you and your tutorials as well as tailoring them to your needs, this type of tutorial tends to be the most costly . However, it's also the most cost-effective.Discover the best singing lessons online here.Thanks to the internet, webcams, and video conferencing software, you can also get online tutorials. Again, these tutorials are just between you and the tutor with the main difference being that you're not in the same room. With fewer travel expenses and the ability to schedule more tutorials each week, the tutor can charge a more competitive rate for these tutorials.Finally, there are group tutorials. These are more like your traditional classes with several students and one teacher. The cost of the tutor's time is shared between all the students in the class so you can expect to pay less per hour for these tutorials. Unfortunately, this means the tutor can't spend as much time focusing on you and your singing.

French Grammar Rules Distinguishing Between Imparfait and Passé Composé

French Grammar Rules Distinguishing Between Imparfait and Passé Composé Megan L. French grammar guru  Carol Beth L.  is back on the blog with this guide to the  passé composé,  the  imparfait, and when you should use each of them If youve been studying French grammar long enough, you may know that French has two different forms of the past tense: the passé composé (composed past) and the imparfait (imperfect). It is sometimes difficult for those who have just learned them to distinguish between situations that require the passé composé and situations that warrant the imparfait. There are patterns, however, that can help you tell when to use each one. Generally speaking, the passé composé is used for things that happened only once in the past, and that happened at a specific time, not over a duration of time. If you want to talk about the one and only French lesson last happened last Thursday, for example, then you doubly know that you should use the passé composé. It happened at a specific point time (last Thursday), and there was only one such lesson on that particular Thursday. So you might say: Jai eu mon cours de francais jeudi dernier. I had my French class last Thursday. If your teacher asks you if you did your homework, then you probably also both know which homework that was, and either youve done it or not. If you did do it, you hopefully only had to do it once. So if youve done it, youd probably say: Oui, jai fait mes devoirs. Les voici! Yes, I did my homework. Here it is! A side note in this example: “devoirs,” or homework, is plural in French while the English version is singular. As a result, even though it may seem odd to us English-speakers, it is correct to use the plural possessive pronoun “mes” and the plural object pronoun (and under some other circumstances plural article) “les.” Or, you might hear your less diligent doppleganger say: Euh, alors, mon chien a mangé mes devoirs. Ahhh, well, my dog ate my homework. The imparfait, on the other hand, is usually used under different circumstances. The first common situation is a repeated action in the past. Au lycée, je faisais mes devoirs tous les jours. In high school, I did my homework every day. Aux années soixante, il visitait la France tous les ans. During the 60s, he visited France every year. The second common situation is when one enduring event or action is happening, and something else happens during the first one. In this case, the surrounding, more long-term event takes the imparfait, and the interrupting event takes the passé composé. In this sort of situation, the event that is conjugated using the imparfait might under other circumstances require the passé composé â€" sometimes even in an adjacent sentence. Mais cest vrai, jai fait mes devoirs hier soir. Pendant que je faisais mes devoirs, mon chat a sauté sur la table et a marche sur mon travail. But its true, I did my homework last night. While I was doing my homework, my cat jumped on the table and walked on my work. Pendant que nous dinions, ma mere a appelé. While we were eating dinner, my mother called. Lets look at a few examples and see if you can tell whether to use the imperfect tense or the passé composé. 1) Lannée dernière, je (j) __________________ (visiter) la France. Last year, I visited France. 2) Pendant que je (j) __________________ (être) en France, je (j) __________________ (rencontrer) une vieille amie. While I was in France, I met an old friend. 3) Quand nous __________________ (être) petits, nous __________________ (jouer) sur le meme equipe de football. When we were little, we played on the same soccer team. 4) Pendant notre séjour, nous __________________ (voyager) a Strasbourg, une petite ville alsacienne a la frontière allemande. During our stay, we travelled to Strasbourg, a small Alsacien town on the German border. 5) Pendant que nous __________________ (rester) a Strasbourg, nous __________________ (visiter) la Musée dAlsace. During our stay in Strasbourg, we visited the Museum of Alsace. How do you think you did? Here are some answers to check yourself: 1) ai visité (passé composé) 2) étais (imparfait); ai rencontré (passé composé) 3) étions (imparfait); jouions (imparfait) 4) avons voyagé (passé composé); 5) restions (imparfait); avons visité (passé composé) How well did you do? If you missed some of them, dont be discouraged. Keep looking for examples and practice using them. While there are general rules you can use to figure out which one is appropriate, it takes time to internalize the logic of a new language. Remember to keep it fun and enjoy studying French! For more help learning French grammar, study with a private tutor. Tutors are available to work with you in-person or online via Skype depending on your location. Search for your French tutor now! Carol Beth L. teaches  French lessons in San Francisco, CA. She has her Masters in French language education from the Sorbonne University in Paris and has been teaching since 2009.  Learn more about Carol Beth here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo via Wikimedia Commons

Take a deep breath... its exam season!

Take a deep breath... it's exam season! Are you feeling stressed by the amount of revision or exams you have? Or do you tend to panic just before going into an exam? Mindfulness and breathing techniques can help you enter your body and mind into a state of calm, helping you to relax and focus.  By simply focusing on nothing but breathing in and out for one minute you can slow down your heart rate calming your nerves and overworked mind. You can practice these easy techniques sitting or standing, eyes open or closed or even as you’re walking in to the exam hall. Easy Breathing By simply focusing on nothing but breathing in and out for one minute you can slow down your heart rate calming your nerves and overworked mind. Here’s how in 4 easy steps: Inhale through your nose gently for two seconds. Hold your breath in for one second. Breathe out through your mouth slowly for four seconds. Repeat for one minute (or longer if you like) and you should feel a difference in your mood! If the 2-1-4 count feels too short, try to lengthen your breaths slightly. As long as you breathe out longer than you breathe in you’ll feel the calming benefit! Top Tip During your breathing, if you find yourself distracted by worrying, try counting each breath, count “one” to yourself as you exhale. The next time you exhale, count “two,” and so on up to “five.” Then begin a new cycle, counting “one” on the next exhalation. This will help you focus and become more mindful. Mindful Moments: Taking a mindful moment can help you concentrate and focus, it will also strengthen your immune system and helps to switch your nervous system out of flight/fight mode and into a relaxed aware state. Repeat this exercise every now and then to deliberately bring your awareness to what is happening in the present moment and to build your resilience to deal with exam anxiety and general pressures around this time of the academic year by cultivating mindfulness in this way. Pause what you are doing for a moment and take one or two deep breaths to help bring you into the present moment. Look around you, and silently name three things that you see in your immediate vicinity Now opening to the sounds around you, silently note and name three things that you can hear right now Bringing your attention to your body, silently name three sensations that you can feel in this moment (maybe warmth, tingling, contraction, coolness….) Bringing your attention to smell and taste, what do you notice in your immediate awareness when you bring your attention to these senses- lightly name what you experience. Mindful advice for parents and tutors: As we enter the exam season, when kids get stressed about exams, teachers get stressed about kids not living up to expectations and parents getting stressed about trying not to nag too much about revision, it's important to stay calm and positive. Andy Cope is a happiness expert, author and founder of training company The Art of Brilliance.  He offers the following advice for parents and tutors in the lead up to exam season The 8:1 Ratio Nagging, punishment and pointing out what's wrong means kids will learn to stick to what they know to be safe which, over time, leads to a fixed mindset (example, ‘I'm rubbish at maths. I'll never be able to learn it').  If you mix in a healthy dose of positive reinforcement you will be rewarded. One of the most effective things a parent/ tutor can do is to use a positivity/negativity ratio of about 8:1.  It may seem a lot and it can be difficult to get it right, but try to catch your child/ pupil doing things well.  Notice the little things and tell them. Celebrate Achievements better: How we behave in a moment of success makes a huge difference.  Parents should aim to be ‘actively constructive', that means celebrating success with genuine enthusiasm. Your active constructive response means they know you're proud. The message is they're proud and you're proud. The result is that everyone feels great and your child will want to repeat that behaviour. Praise for effort rather than talent The advice from positive psychology is that if your child accomplishes something, try to avoid saying things like, ‘Well done, you are such a little genius!' But rather, ‘Well done, you put the effort in and got the reward.' We hope you find these tips helpful! If you need a tutor for the upcoming exam season, you can choose from 1000s of tutors on Tutorfair by clicking here.

Heart Kicks Off Volunteer Drive For 2015-16 School Year

Heart Kicks Off Volunteer Drive For 2015-16 School Year Heart Kicks Off Volunteer Drive For 2015-16 School Year Heart Kicks Off Volunteer Drive For 2015-16 School Year August 3, 2015 We have officially kicked off our volunteer drive  for the 2015-16 school year and we asking for the community’s support! The goal is to recruit volunteers to be tutors for 350 students by Sept. 17. “Volunteers are Heart’s ‘heart,’ delivering critical skills and confidence to elementary students who need extra help,” said Emily Elliott, executive director of Heart Math Tutoring. “We look forward to growing our dedicated volunteer base to impact the lives of more students in our community.” Adds Elliott, “Math does not have to be a strong subject for volunteers who all follow a structured curriculum that features hands-on activities and math games. Heart provides a fun way to build relationships with students while delivering academic skills crucial to their success.” Heart volunteers commit to weekly tutoring sessions that last either 30 minutes or one hour and can team up with friends, family and colleagues to be “partner tutors.” A Heart staff person is on site at all times to make sure tutors have what they need. Volunteer opportunities are available at the following schools and times: Billingsville Leadership Academy: Monday-Thursday, 8-9 a.m.; 9:15-10:15 a.m.; 1:45-2:45 p.m. Highland Renaissance Academy: Monday-Thursday, 11:15 a.m.-1:15 p.m. Montclaire Elementary: Monday-Thursday, 7:45-8:45 a.m.; 12:45-1:45 p.m. Piney Grove Elementary: Monday-Thursday, 8-9 a.m.; 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Sedgefield Elementary: Monday-Thursday, 7:45-8:45 a.m.; 1:45-2:45 p.m. Westerly Hills Academy: Tuesday-Friday, 8:30-10:30 a.m. Winterfield Elementary: Monday-Thursday, 7:45-8:45 a.m.; 12:25-1:25 p.m. For more information about becoming a Heart tutor, call 704-931-3209 or email outeerttrn. To sign up online, visit http://hearttutoring.org/become-a-volunteer/. Read the full press release here.

4 Places to Look for Retail Jobs This Holiday Season

4 Places to Look for Retail Jobs This Holiday Season pexels.com USPS USPS can be a great place to work during the holiday season! They have a large variety of different jobs you can work from driving to customer service to mail handlers. According to Monster, they hire around 40,000 seasonal workers each year so you have a great chance to be hired when they are looking to hire so many new employees. Bryan, a driver for USPS, said, “The nice thing is that everybody likes to receive a gift. So, when their package arrives, they’re just glowing, they’re happy to see you, and it’s a nice feeling to know that this person wants me to come to see them and deliver their package.” HoneyBaked Ham Do not underestimate the power of ham, especially around the holiday season. Hundreds of thousands of hams are ordered from this company each year, if not millions, and it takes a lot of hands on deck in order to accommodate such a large number of orders. Monster reports that they hire up to 12,000 seasonal workers each year. And working there might be a really great stepping stone for you as the company is really focused on not just giving employees a job but tailoring their experience so that they really get something out of it. As their website says, “Part of our great culture is nurturing an environment where our associates can develop in their strength areas and grow in their personal and professional development. We have many career success stories where hourly field associates have gone on to multi-until and corporate leadership positions. We are looking for talented individuals to join our team.” pexels.com Amazon Last holiday season, Amazon hired more than 120,000 seasonal workers. 120,000 workers! That is a huge amount of seasonal workers, so there is no reason that you should not try and slip your application in to be considered for such a large pool of jobs. All you need to be eligible for such a position is to be over the age of 18 and have a high school diploma, GED, or another equivalent. The majority of college students should fit the criteria, so you are already halfway there! Amazon also usually hires in the following states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. In a press release, Mike Roth, Amazon Vice President of Global Customer Fulfillment said, “Last year alone,  more than 14,000  seasonal employees  stayed on in regular, full-time positions after the holidays  and we expect to increase that number this year,” so you have a pretty good chance of retaining such a position if you want to! Target Target is a staple shopping stop for many college students, so why not work for a store and company you adore? In 2016, they hired more than 75,000 workers to work the holiday season. Last year, this is what the company’s chief stores officer, Janna Potts, had to say: “The Target team is famous for serving up exceptional shopping experiences. We can’t wait to welcome new seasonal team members on board to help us make the holidays extra bright for our guests. And new this year, all of our 1,800 stores will host dedicated hiring events in October, meeting with thousands of prospective candidates in just 48 hours.” These events will likely be springing up soon this fall too, so keep an eye out for that!

How to maximise your GCSE maths result

How to maximise your GCSE maths result Maximising your GCSE maths result is essential not only for access to A-Levels but also for university and beyond. While revision is fundamental, so too are several other elements, and it's these that will make all the difference between a low and high mark. You have to have a positive maths mindset Having a positive maths mindset is everything when it comes to maximising your results. If you feel you are innately bad at maths or you don't have a maths brain, then you need to work on changing your view. Nothing will hinder your grade more than having negative thoughts about your ability. Thankfully maths is a subject that rewards hard work. Which means if you revise, practice, and get the support you need (speak to your teacher or a maths tutor) you will get better at it. You need to be practising daily to get ahead Maths revision has to be about more than revising your notes. The practice is critical here, because, unlike other subjects, you need more than a good memory to do well in maths. Past papers are your ticket to practising and a better mark. Start by trying examination questions and papers but ultimately work towards doing these papers in timed conditions. Try to work through them without referring to a revision guide or your notes, as the whole point is to see how much you can remember. With each past paper you do, you are potentially increasing your grade by a small percentage. Also, get into the practice of checking your answers and looking for mistakes that will cost you marks. If you do this every time you do a practice paper, you will become adept at finding these in your actual GCSE paper. Past papers will also help you to identify your areas of weaknesses. Keep a list of these areas handy and practise them over and over until you know them as it's these weaknesses that will stop you from attaining the highest mark possible. You need to revise the whole maths specification Math is a cumulative subject so you can't miss any of the building blocks or you will have gaps that will cost you marks. This means, learn your basic arithmetic to help you will pick up the more advanced concepts. As ever, it's all too easy to work to your strengths, thinking these will make up for the areas you are weak in. However, you need to know how to do it all, so ask for help if you need it. To ensure you cover everything, list every single topic from your maths specification and do practice questions until you feel confident about the topic and sub-topic. Then tick it off your list and move on. Above all remember, it's never too late to tackle concepts you don't understand. A teacher or a maths tutor can help here and potentially help you raise your grade significantly, so do seek them out. If you're looking for more revision tips, look at our blog posts on the Top GCSE Maths Resources and How to pass maths GCSE.