Notes, abstracts, papers, exams and problems of English

IDIOMS:

Throw the towel in = gave up (tirar la toalla)

The ball’s in your court = it’s your turn to act (te toca mover ficha)

Hitting below the belt = cruel (un golpe bajo)

Learn the ropes = understand how things work (pillar el tranquillo)

Had a head start = started before the others ( salir en cabeza)

VERBS COLLOCATIONS:

Win (guanyar): a medal, a prize, a match, an argument, a competition, a war

Raise (pujar): an issue, a question, a helicopter, a salary, a flag, a building

Set (coleccionar): a precedent, a table, a record, an alarm, a date

Take up: a sport, photography

Join: a club, friends for lunch

Overcome: a problem, an illness

Fail: an exam, an audition

rise = subir
raise = aumento
bite = mordedura
beat = golpear

PRESENT PERFECT: 

+ HAVE / HAS 

The characters are Mr. Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Mortimer, and Dr. John Watson. They talk about the Baskerville Papers.

Dr. Mortimer's Revelation

Dr. Mortimer took out a scroll and read it. It was about a legend about the curse of the Baskerville. Later, he took out the newspaper where it was covered the death of Sir Charles Baskerville, the owner of the mansion, and said that he had died for a cause of love.

Investigation Begins

Mortimer tells Holmes and Watson that Mr. Charles stayed in part of a while, since there were cigarettes. Holmes asks him what he needed from his service, which was to ask what to do with Sir Henry, who was the heir of Mr. Charles. Sherlock thinks to do for 24 hours and tells his assistant, Watson, that Mr. Charles was running... Continue reading "The Hound of the Baskervilles Summary and Analysis" »

important announcements from
THE READING CLUB!
sessions
Who wants to disconnect from reality for a while? We are trying to push a couple reading sessions through the week for new members on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We'll meet at the local library at 6 p.M.
Social events.
We are excited to announce that the club is hosting a fair for all members soon in the city park. It is a tradition of the club in which the people who attend can exchange literary interests and take a walk while buying books and other objects related to this world. Remember to bring your membership cards
Visit for Collen Hoover
All members are invited to a special event next Friday with romance writer Collen Hoover, who is coming to talk to us about her early writing. Collen will... Continue reading "Absolutismo" »

Present Simple (Yo voy)

He/She/It - goes (Do/Does?)

Habit or routine, general truth

• Always
• Usually
• Generally
• Regularly
• At night
• In the morning
• Every week

Present Continuous (Estoy jugando)

am/is/are + -ING

Action which is happening now, temporary action

• Now
• Right now
• At the moment
• Today
• This month
• Next day

Past Simple (Caminé)

-ED / 2nd col. (Did?)

Completed action in the past

• Yesterday
• Last week
• A year ago
• In 2007
• When

Past Continuous (Estaba estudiando)

was/were + -ING

An incomplete action in progress in the past

• Last night/week
• When
• While
• As

Present Perfect Simple (He trabajado)

have/has + -ED/2nd col.

An action that began in the past and continues until the present

• Ever
• Never
• Already
• Just
• Yet
• Recently
• For
• Since
• In recent years

Past Perfect Simple (Yo había llegado)

Had + -ED

A completed... Continue reading "English Verb Tenses Cheat Sheet" »

English Vocabulary and Grammar

Phrasal Verbs and Vocabulary

Breathtaking (asombroso), look into, look out for (tener cuidado), flock (birds), herd (elephants), pack (dogs), pride (lion), school (dolphin), troop (monkey), dam (manada), once you've done it. Come across (cruzar), get away (irse), get off (bajar), see off (despedir), set off (activar), speed up, stop over, take off (despegar), blizzard (ventisca), breeze (brisa), drizzle (llovizna), frost, gale (vendaval), hailstorm, mist (niebla), sleet (aguanieve), score, be in a league of their own, neck and neck, no match for, get off to a good start, put up a good fight, be about to (a punto de).

Agree, complain (quejarse), reply, amateur (aficionado), newcomer, script (guion), sketch, spotlight,... Continue reading "English Vocabulary and Grammar: Key Concepts" »

1. Business Card

BLACK'S FASHIONS

Thomas Ward

Managing Director

35 Queen's Lane, Greendale, England

Office tel: 666666 7777777

Mobile: 333 4444 55555

E-mail: [email protected]

2. Email Introducing Yourself

To: All Employees

From: Naroa Belisón

Subject: Nice to Meet You

Hello everyone,

My name is Jenny Adams, and I am the new administrative assistant. I'm 21 years old and I'm originally from Cornwall. My previous job was with an engineering company near London. I'm looking forward to meeting you all and working with you.

Best wishes,

Jenny.

3. Email Providing Directions to a Meeting

To: Mr. Johnston

From: Naroa Belisón

Subject: Meeting - 23rd September

Dear Mr. Johnston,

I'd like to confirm our meeting on 23rd September in our offices.

The offices are situated... Continue reading "Professional Correspondence Examples: Business Cards, Emails & Faxes" »

Present Perfect

Sujeto + has/have + participio + complemento

"Has" se usa para he, she, it

"Have" se usa para I, you, we, they

Participio

Yet:

Today people's thinking about racism has developed much more unlike a few years Ago. +But There is still a lot left for all people to realize that we are the same.

++A few years ago white people hated them for the fact That they saw them inferior, and especially black women much more, until they Reached the point where some places could not go or for example, black women Couldn’t go to women's toilets white.++At Least these very strong things have changed today, but there is still much to Change since racism hasn’t yet disappeared.+Since Many times I have seen the street as some people distanced themselves from Those people just because of their skin color.++ In Conclusion, today people still have a closed mind.People must realize that... Continue reading "formulacio" »

Common Irregular Verbs

Irregular verbs in English do not follow the typical pattern of adding '-ed' for the past tense and past participle. Here is a list of some common irregular verbs:

• Be: was/were (past), been (past participle)
• Become: became, become
• Begin: began, begun
• Blow: blew, blown
• Break: broke, broken
• Bring: brought, brought
• Broadcast: broadcast, broadcast
• Build: built, built
• Buy: bought, bought
• Catch: caught, caught
• Choose: chose, chosen
• Come: came, come
• Cost: cost, cost
• Do: did, done
• Draw: drew, drawn
• Drink: drank, drunk
• Drive: drove, driven
• Eat: ate, eaten
• Fall: fell, fallen
• Feed: fed, fed
• Feel: felt, felt
• Fight: fought, fought
• Find: found, found
• Fly: flew, flown
• Forget: forgot, forgotten
• Freeze: froze, frozen
• Get: got, got (or gotten in American English)