Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for English

Essential English Irregular Verbs

Here's a list of common irregular verbs in English, with their base form, past simple, and past participle, along with a Spanish translation.

• Be - Was/Were - Been - Ser, Estar
• Beat - Beat - Beaten - Golpear
• Become - Became - Become - Llegar a ser
• Begin - Began - Begun - Empezar
• Bend - Bent - Bent - Doblar
• Bet - Bet - Bet - Apostar
• Bite - Bit - Bitten - Morder
• Bleed - Bled - Bled - Sangrar
• Blow - Blew - Blown - Soplar
• Break - Broke - Broken - Romper
• Bring - Brought - Brought - Traer
• Build - Built - Built - Construir
• Burn - Burnt/Burned - Burnt/Burned - Quemar
• Burst - Burst - Burst - Reventar, Estallar
• Buy - Bought - Bought - Comprar
• Catch - Caught - Caught - Coger
• Choose - Chose - Chosen - Elegir
• Come - Came - Come - Venir
• Cost

Verb Tenses Exercises

Past Perfect Tense

1. Last night I couldn't get in because I had forgotten my keys.
2. I was exhausted because I had studied too much.
3. When their mum came home last night, the children had eaten their dinner.
4. By the time we got to the cinema, the film had started, so we missed the beginning.
5. When we arrived in Ireland, the airline company had lost our luggage.
6. I saw Paris for the first time last night. I hadn't seen it before.
7. I thought I had met this girl before.

Future Simple, "Be Going To", Present Continuous, and Present Simple

1. Look at those black clouds. It is going to rain.
2. It's hot in here! I will open the windows.
3. I don't think I will go out tonight. I'm too tired.
4. What time does the film start?
5. My appointment with the doctor is tomorrow.

Mastering English Irregular Verbs

This comprehensive list provides common irregular verbs in English, including their base form, past simple, past participle, and Spanish translation. It's an excellent resource for learners looking to solidify their understanding of English verb conjugation.

• Be: was/were, been (ser, estar)
• Beat: beat, beaten (golpear)
• Become: became, become (llegar a ser, convertirse)
• Begin: began, begun (empezar)
• Bend: bent, bent (doblarse)
• Bet: bet, bet (apostar)
• Bite: bit, bitten (morder)
• Bleed: bled, bled (sangrar)
• Blow: blew, blown (soplar)
• Break: broke, broken (romper)
• Bring: brought, brought (traer)
• Build: built, built (construir)
• Catch: caught, caught (coger)
• Choose: chose, chosen (elegir)
• Come: came, come (venir)
• Cost: cost, cost (

The Concept of Alter Egos in Poe's Short Stories

In Edgar Allan Poe's short stories, the concept of alter egos often appears. Minister D., a character in"The Purloined Letter" serves as the criminal counterpart to Dupin, a detective who typically operates within the law.

Dupin's Recognition of the Similarity

Dupin acknowledges the resemblance between himself and Minister D., referring to him as"that monstrum horrendum, an unprincipled man of genius" He delights in outwitting the Minister in a battle of intellect.

The Fake Letter and the Greek Mythological Reference

In a fake letter left for Minister D., Dupin includes a quote about the Greek brothers Atreus and Thyestes. Thyestes's adultery with Atreus's wife leads to Atreus's revenge, in which... Continue reading "Minister D.: Dupin's Equal in Understanding the Human Mind" »

Oscar Wilde's Biography

Oscar Wilde was born in Dublin on 16 October 1854. His mother, Jane, was a successful poet and journalist, and his father was a leading ear and eye surgeon. He was educated in Portora Royal School in Dublin and Magdalene College, Oxford. While at Magdalene, he won the 1878 Prize for his poem 'Ravenna'. After graduating, he moved to London to establish a literary career. He married Constance Lloyd in 1884, and they had two sons. Wilde's marriage ended in 1893, and he began an affair with Lord Alfred Douglas, which led to his downfall. He died in 1900.

Lord Arthur Savile's Crime

The story begins at a party where a palmist predicts that Lord Arthur is destined to commit murder. Arthur attempts to fulfill this prophecy but... Continue reading "Oscar Wilde: Life, Love, and Literary Career" »

Techniques in Handling People

1. Don’t criticize, condemn or complain.
2. Give honest and sincere appreciation.
3. Arouse in the other person an eager want.

Six ways to make people like you

1. Become genuinely interested in other people.
2. Smile.
3. Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.
4. Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.
5. Talk in terms of the other person’s interests.
6. Make the other person feel important – and do it sincerely.

Win people to your way of thinking

1. The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it.
2. Show respect for the other person’s opinions. Never say, “You’re wrong.”
3. If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically.
4. Begin in a friendly way.

T.S. ELIOT:

Modernism (poetry) → The Waste Land: The Burial of the Dead (1922).

VIRGINIA WOOLF:

Modernism (fiction) → A Room of One's Own (1929), Lappin & Lapinova (1944), Kew Gardens (1919).

PHILIP LARKIN:

Fiction from the 1950s onwards (The Movement) → The Explosion (1974), This Be the Verse (1971).

SAMUEL BECKETT:

Modernism (Theatre of the Absurd) → Waiting for Godot (1955).

GEORGE ORWELL:

Fiction in the 1940s → Nineteen Eighty Four (1949).

TED HUGHES:

Contemporary Poetry → Pike (1960), There Came a Day.

SEAMUS HEANEY:

Contemporary Poetry → Punishment (1966).

SALMAN RUSHDIE:

Postcolonialism (fiction) → The Prophet's Hair (1994).

NADIME GORDIMER:

Postcolonialism (fiction) → The Moment Before the Gun Went Off (1991).

V.S. NAIPAUL:

Postcolonialism... Continue reading "Modernist Literature and Poetry: Key Figures and Movements" »

Defining and Non-Defining Relative Clauses

Types of Sentences with Relative Pronouns

1. Defining Clauses

   These clauses provide essential information and cannot be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence. For example: "Ximon is one of the students who got sick."

   In defining clauses, the relative pronoun can be omitted if it is the object of the verb (not the subject).

2. Non-Defining Clauses

   These clauses provide extra information and can be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence. For example: "Ximon, who got sick, is a good student."

Relative Pronouns and Prepositions

1. Informal Style

   The relative pronoun comes before the preposition. For example: "The person who I spoke to..."

2. Formal Style

   The preposition comes before the relative

Analyzing Alex's Emotional Turmoil

Q2: The writer evokes an emotional response to the storm by using the past participle verb, 'tangled.' This verb carries connotations of entrapment and immobility caused by the storm. The reader witnesses Alex’s physical and emotional turmoil. The storm's impact on Alex highlights its power and dominance.

Alex's Internal Conflict

Q3: The text centers on Alex Cold, revealing him from two perspectives. Initially, he's alone, waking from a nightmare where his mother is taken by 'an enormous black bird.' Later, the focus shifts to Alex with his family at breakfast. His sharp response to his sister's comment, 'Momma's going to die,' connects the two scenes. The fear from the nightmare manifests in his breakfast... Continue reading "Analyzing Alex's Emotional Turmoil and Literary Techniques" »

Common Irregular Verbs: English and Spanish

Verb Conjugation

This is a list of common irregular verbs in English with their Spanish translations. Each verb includes the infinitive, past simple, past participle, and translation.

• Awake - Awoke - Awoken - Despertarse
• Be - Was / Were - Been - Ser / Estar
• Beat - Beat - Beaten - Golpear
• Become - Became - Become - Llegar a Ser
• Begin - Began - Begun - Empezar
• Break - Broke - Broken - Romper
• Bring - Brought - Brought - Llevar
• Build - Built - Built - Construir
• Burn - Burnt - Burnt - Quemar
• Buy - Bought - Bought - Comprar
• Catch - Caught - Caught - Coger
• Come - Came - Come - Venir
• Cost - Cost - Cost - Costar
• Cut - Cut - Cut - Cortar
• Choose - Chose - Chosen - Elegir
• Do - Did - Done - Hacer
• Draw - Drew - Drawn - Dibujar
• Dream