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

Present Simple, Past Simple, and Future with Will

Present Continuous and Past Continuous

Irregular Verbs

1. August gets hearing aids in this section. How does he feel about them in the beginning and towards the end of pages in this section?

In the beginning, August didn’t want to wear them, but when the doctor turned them on, he stopped hearing the noise of the ocean that lived inside his head, and he began to hear perfectly. In his ears, there was quiet. In the end, he was very happy to take them.

2. Daisy is August’s dog, who has been sick for a while. Why hasn’t August noticed this?

Because his parents had hidden it from him; they didn’t want to worry him. She had been throwing up, and his mother had taken her to the vet three times in the last two months, but August didn’t know she was sick.

3. Miranda and Via used to be friends. Why

Vocabulary for Adventurers

Describing Adventures

• Awesome: increíble
• Book a session: reservar una sesión
• Breathtaking: impresionante
• Go trekking: hacer excursiones
• Make a reservation: hacer una reserva
• Make one's way: dirigirse
• Mountainous: montañoso
• Overcome fear: superar el miedo
• Risky: arriesgado
• Scenery: paisaje
• Steep: escarpado
• Stunt: acrobacia
• Trail: camino
• Unforgettable: inolvidable
• Wild: salvaje

Being Adventurous

• Adventurous: aventurero/a
• Brave: valiente
• Challenging: reto
• Face danger: afrontar el peligro
• Fit: en forma
• Give someone a thrill: entusiasmar
• Hurt oneself: hacerse daño
• Lose one's way: perderse
• Rescue (noun): rescate
• Rescue (verb): rescatar
• Run out of: quedarse sin
• Seriously injured: gravemente herido/a
• Set off: salir
• Survival skills: técnicas de supervivencia
• Survive:

An Unsettling Encounter

The novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde begins with a lawyer, Mr. Utterson, taking a walk with his friend and relative, Mr. Enfield. They walk past a mysterious door, prompting Mr. Enfield to recount a disturbing incident: a brutal man knocked down a little girl, drawing the ire of onlookers. The man offered a substantial payment, disappearing through the door only to return with a large check drawn from Dr. Jekyll’s bank account. The perpetrator was none other than Mr. Hyde.

The Lawyer's Growing Suspicion

Mr. Utterson, who serves as Dr. Jekyll’s lawyer, discovers a peculiar clause in Jekyll’s will: in the event of Jekyll’s death or disappearance, his entire estate is to be bequeathed to Mr. Hyde.... Continue reading "Jekyll and Hyde: The Dual Nature Unveiled" »

When I was on the train yesterday, I heard someone say this: “Someone left their bag on the train.”

Can you find anything wrong with the sentence?

If you looked in a traditional English grammar book, you would learn that the sentence should be, “Someone left his bag on the train.” The rule is to use the singular pronoun “he” when the gender of a person is not known.

But, if you asked native English speakers if there is something wrong with the sentence, many would probably answer no.

The pronoun “their” is generally plural. The speaker was talking about just one person. However, American English speakers use “their” and “they” as singular pronouns all the time in spoken English. They use it when the gender of a person is... Continue reading "The Evolution of 'They': A Singular Pronoun's Journey" »

The Cognitive Power of Handwriting

I believe that our brains develop strong connections through writing on paper. One significant benefit is the improvement of our memory.

Handwriting Boosts Memory and Retention

Scientific Evidence on Note-Taking

Scientific surveys point out how taking notes help students to recall new information more easily and clarify their ideas. It also benefits learning new languages (Pinola, 2011).

The Reticular Activating System (RAS)

From a more scientific perspective, there is a stimulation of the Reticular Activating System (RAS). The RAS acts as a filter, allowing us to prioritize the information we are writing, making it easier to retain later (Pinola, 2011).

Similarly, a recent study showed that students who write by... Continue reading "The Science of Handwriting: Boosting Memory and Brain Development" »

Mastering Travel English: Vocabulary and Grammar Exercises

1. Label the Forms of Transport

• A: Canoe
• B: Motorbike
• C: Camel
• D: Donkey
• E: Gondola

2. Fill in the Correct Noun

(Note: There is one extra noun you do not need to use.)

1. Last week I fell asleep on the bus and I missed my Stop!
2. There was a terrible Delay this morning and I was late for work.
3. The people were standing on the Platform waiting for the train.
4. He says that he walks to work because he can’t afford the bus Fare!
5. When the woman in the ticket office asked what my Destination was, I told her it was London.

3. Complete the Sentences with the Correct Verb

(Note: There is one extra verb you do not need to use.)

My sister (1) Got off the bus, walked a few meters, then (2) Fell and hurt her knee. She... Continue reading "Transport Vocabulary and English Grammar Practice" »