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

Direct Speech vs. Reported Speech

Direct Speech

• Present Simple
• Present Continuous
• Present Perfect Simple (have + past participle)
• Past Simple
• CAN
• WILL
• MUST/HAVE TO
• MAY

Reported Speech

• Past Simple
• Past Continuous
• Past Perfect (had + past participle)
• Past Perfect
• COULD
• WOULD
• HAD TO
• MIGHT

Examples:

• "Are you feeling well?" He asked me if I was feeling well.

Changes in Adverbs and Time Expressions:

• THIS becomes THAT
• HERE becomes THERE
• TODAY becomes THAT DAY
• YESTERDAY becomes THE DAY BEFORE
• TOMORROW becomes THE FOLLOWING DAY
• TONIGHT becomes THAT NIGHT
• TOMORROW MORNING becomes THE FOLLOWING MORNING
• YESTERDAY AFTERNOON becomes THE PREVIOUS AFTERNOON
• NEXT WEEK/MONTH/YEAR becomes THE FOLLOWING WEEK/MONTH/YEAR
• LAST WEEK/MONTH/YEAR becomes THE PREVIOUS WEEK/MONTH/YEAR
• A WEEK/MONTH/YEAR

Inversion with Negative & Limiting Adverbials

This grammatical structure involves placing a negative or limiting adverbial at the beginning of a sentence, followed by an inversion of the subject and auxiliary verb. The typical pattern is: Negative/Limiting Adverbial + Auxiliary Verb (e.g., have, do, is, be) + Subject + Main Verb.

Illustrative Examples

• We only very rarely go to the cinema these days.

  Only very rarely do we go to the cinema these days.

• I have never seen such a terrible performance of Hamlet before.

  Never before have I seen such a terrible performance of Hamlet.

• I very rarely study at night.

  Very rarely do I study at night.

• I will never agree to those terms.

  Under no circumstances will I agree to those terms.

• Amy had not enjoyed herself

Social Media: A Balancing Act

Social networks like Twitter and Facebook have become integral parts of our lives. They offer numerous advantages, such as connecting with new people, staying updated on current events, and engaging in discussions. However, it's crucial to use them responsibly and be mindful of potential drawbacks like privacy concerns and excessive time consumption.

Advantages of Social Media

• Connecting with new people and making friends
• Staying informed about current events and news
• Engaging in discussions and sharing opinions
• Entertainment and leisure

Disadvantages of Social Media

• Potential for addiction and excessive time spent online
• Privacy concerns and data security

In conclusion, social media platforms can be valuable tools for communication... Continue reading "Exploring Travel, Pets, and Social Media: A Personal Perspective" »

Foil Characters in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

Robert Walton and the Creature both contribute significantly to Victor Frankenstein’s character. They function as strong foil characters in the novel. A foil character is a minor character whose situation or actions parallel those of a major character, and by contrast, clarify certain elements of the major character. Walton plays a role that both parallels and contrasts with Victor in many ways, yet it appears that Robert Walton is the more effective foil for Victor Frankenstein.

Robert Walton: A Powerful Foil to Victor Frankenstein

Parallels in Ambition and Discovery

Walton’s letters to his sister at the beginning of the story foreshadow the feelings and motivations that Frankenstein experiences... Continue reading "Analyzing Foil Characters in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein" »

2a 3b 4b 5c 6a 7a 8b 9c 10b 11c 12b 13c 14a 15c 16b 17c 18a 19a 20b 21c 22a 23d 24c 25a 4- 1 I can’t come to the brunch, 2 you shouldn’t leave a child unsupervised, 3 you must sign up to take the course, 4 I can’t study and work at the same time, 5 you don’t have to book in advance, 6 you must be there on time, 7 you don’t have to read all those books, 8 you can’t swim here, 9 you can’t drive over the speed limit as it’s against the law, 10 you should spend more time with her 5- 1- I should have studied more, 2 he must have finished the exercise, 3 they didn’t need to have reserved the tickets, 4 Ridley Scott can’t have directed this film, 5 you should have written as many words as possible, 6 you shouldn’t have gone to... Continue reading "English Grammar Exercises and Examples" »

Mastering Irregular Verbs in English

Understanding Irregular Verbs

Irregular verbs in English do not follow the standard pattern of adding -ed or -d to form the past simple and past participle. Instead, they have unique forms that must be memorized. This list provides a comprehensive overview of common irregular verbs, along with their base form, past simple, past participle, and Spanish translation.

Common Irregular Verbs

• Be (Was / Were) Been Ser / Estar
• Become (Became) Become Llegar a Ser
• Begin (Began) Begun Empezar
• Bite (Bit) Bitten Morder
• Bleed (Bled) Bled Sangrar
• Blow (Blew) Blown Soplar
• Break (Broke) Broken Romper
• Bring (Brought) Brought Traer Llevar
• Build (Built) Built Edificar
• Buy (Bought) Bought Comprar
• Catch (Caught) Caught Coger
• Come (Came) Come

Disastrous Vacation

Last winter, my family and I drove to Cazorla. As we were arriving, it began to snow. The car stopped because there was so much snow, so we called a tow truck and arrived at the hotel. Two days later, it was sunny, and we went hiking. Later, we lost our way, but another family helped us. When we got back to the hotel, the dining room was closed, and we had to go to a restaurant. The next day, we tried to leave for Cordoba, but the car wouldn't start. We called the tow truck again and finally arrived in Cordoba.

The Best Holiday

Last holiday, I went to the beach. After checking in, the first thing I did was get a massage at the hotel spa. Then, I took a shower and went to the beach. I was resting on the sand when I suddenly... Continue reading "Travel Mishaps and Wonders: Cazorla, Beach Getaway, and Paris Charm" »

     We discuss the issue of globalization. Today day live in a totally globalized world, which means that, this meant that all countries of the world are communicated between either through the economy, culture or government. But we can find arguments for of and against globalization.
     On the one hand, for of globalization we have some arguments. Thanks to this, countries can grow economically through the international market. In addition they can also help each other on issues such as health and technology.

   On the other hand, we have other arguments against. Countries with more capital and technological advances are governing international level, and this leads to conflicts between powers. 

  In my opinion, I believe that