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

Reported Speech

Reported speech, also known as indirect speech, is used to convey what someone else said without directly quoting them. The tense of the verb usually shifts back in time.

Statements

Direct: "Many customers have requested puppy's breath," he explained.
Reported: He explained that many customers had requested puppy's breath.

Questions

Direct: "Can you create nasty smells?" they asked Fred.
Reported: They asked Fred if he could create nasty smells.

Direct: "What perfume are you buying today?" Laura asked me.
Reported: Laura asked me what perfume I was buying that day.

Orders

Direct: "Turn on the aroma generator," the boss told her.
Reported: Her boss told her to turn on the aroma generator.

Direct: "Don't tell anyone my secret formula,"... Continue reading "Key English Grammar Rules for Effective Communication" »

English Grammar Transformation Exercises

1. That's the girl Susanne and Lisa were talking about. Susanne, who was talking with Lisa about a girl, is her friend.
2. Why were you left out of the team? Why were you left out of the team?
3. Melanie's wedding invitations were made by a graphic designer. Melanie had her wedding invitations made by a graphic designer.
4. They're building a new stadium outside the town centre. A new stadium is being built outside the town centre.
5. Laura won her third championship. Her achievements are astounding. Laura, whose achievements are astounding, won her third championship.
6. The spot is perfect. Greg chose it. The spot that Greg chose is perfect.
7. You shouldn't leave the equipment here. The equipment shouldn't be left here.
8. He talked

Mastering English Grammar and Vocabulary

Grammar and Sentence Practice

1. Peter was looking forward to escaping from Auschwitz with Mary.
2. In spite of women having a professional life, they still have to do most of the housework.
3. Peter and Mary were given two different books in the afternoon.
4. He isn't attracted by the wages and the working conditions.
5. Mary has pushed the table into the corner.
6. Mary, whose purse has been stolen, was very upset.
7. If Peter tried harder, he could find a job.
8. If he hadn't arrived so late, he would have seen the famous writer.
9. Mary doesn't mind working hard for the organization.
10. The teacher asked the students to stop those attacks.
11. They used to live in peace when they were children.
12. Unless you return my trainers, I will tell the teacher.

Irregular Verbs List (1–70)

This comprehensive list presents 70 essential irregular verbs. Study the four principal forms (Base Form, Past Simple, Past Participle, and Present Participle) alongside their Spanish meanings to improve your fluency.

1. sweep – swept – swept – sweeping – barrer
2. drink – drank – drunk – drinking – beber
3. ride – rode – ridden – riding – cabalgar/montar
4. fall – fell – fallen – falling – caer
5. sing – sang – sung – singing – cantar
6. set – set – set – setting – colocar
7. eat – ate – eaten – eating – comer
8. buy – bought – bought – buying – comprar
9. meet – met – met – meeting – conocer (gente)
10. know – knew – known – knowing – conocer (saber)
11. get – got – gotten

Listening Exercise 1

• Speaker 1: Keeping in touch with my family.
• Speaker 2: Visiting other places and trying new food.
• Speaker 3: Watching someone in my family win.
• Speaker 4: Spending time in the backyard.
• Speaker 5: Going on vacation with my family.

Listening Exercise 2

Interview 1

• 1. Jin-Joo has worked in the movie industry: Since he was 22 years old.
• 2. His first dog's name is: Monty.

Interview 2

• 3. The cat café opened: Two years ago.

Interview 3

• 4. Fei moved to Taiwan: Four years ago.

Interview 4

• 5. The man has been a police officer: Ten years.
• 6. Three years ago, the man became a: Police dog handler.

Interview 5

• 7. The man has been on vacation at Wrightsville Beach: Only for two days.

Vocabulary Definitions and Terms

Here is a list of English words with their Spanish translations and related terms:

• ATTEND: asistir
• ACHIEVE: lograr, conseguir
• PAY ATTENTION: prestar atención
• ENCOURAGE: animar
• DISRUPT: interrumpir
• REVISE: repasar
• ACCEPT: aceptar
• ALLOW: permitir
• APPEAR: aparecer
• BEG: rogar, pedir
• MISS: echar de menos, perder algo
• CURRICULUM: currículo, plan de estudios
• SUBJECT: asignatura
• DISCIPLINE: disciplina
• ASSIGNMENT: trabajo, tarea
• COMPULSORY: obligatorio
• STRESSED: estresado
• STRICT: estricto
• SECURE: seguro, confiado
• SUPPORT: apoyo
• SENSE OF BELONGING: sensación, sentimiento de pertenencia
• DEGREE: título universitario
• INCOME: salario, sueldo
• STEP: paso
• STRUGGLE: esfuerzo
• ACCOMPLISHMENT: logro, éxito
• AID: ayuda
• DELIGHTED: contento, encantado
• REMARKABLE:

Topic 1: Travel and Experiences

Vocabulary

• 1. Nature & Travel: 1) Vegetation, 2) Fauna, 3) Mouth-watering, 4) Accommodation, 5) Exotic.
• 2. Airport Terms: 1) Check-in, 2) Departure lounge, 3) Boarding gate, 4) Boarding passes, 5) Cabin, 6) Carry-on luggage, 7) Connection, 8) Aircraft, 9) Customs, 10) Arrivals.
• 3. Phrasal Verbs: 1) Run into, 2) Checked out, 3) Stay out, 4) Fill up, 5) Check in, 6) Getting around.

Grammar

• 1. Tenses: 1) Have never liked, 2) Go, 3) Is skiing, 4) Have you ever posted, 5) Have been looking for.
• 5. Narrative Tenses: 1) Was travelling, met, had visited; 2) Arrived, had gone, was sleeping; 3) Have never been, left, was feeling; 4) Were sightseeing, stole, had left.
• 6. Future Forms: 1) Will, 2) Leaves, 3) Going to, 4) Doesn'

Letter to a Friend About a Trip

From: [Your Name]

To: [Friend’s Name]

Subject: My Trip to Canada

Hi [Friend’s Name],

How are you? I have amazing news! I’m going to Canada for three weeks to study English!

I’ll be arriving on January 15th and staying at a student residence close to the school. My course has 20 lessons a week, and I’ll take morning classes. In the afternoons, I plan to join some activities, like city tours and maybe trying fun things like ice skating. I also want to explore and enjoy Canadian food. It’s going to be so exciting!

I hope you’re doing well. Do you think I should pack anything special for the trip? Let me know!

Take care,

[Your Name]

Family Vacation in La Serena, Chile

I went on vacation in February with my family... Continue reading "Canada Trip & Family Vacation: Travel Stories & Johnny Depp Bio" »

Relative Clauses: Key Usage

• Who / That: People
• Which / That: Things
• Where: Places
• When: Times
• Whose: Possession

Example: Arguiñano, where I celebrated my event, is a great restaurant (extra information).

Defining Clauses

She is the girl who I met in N.Y.; She is the girl whose father…; She is the girl that…

Non-Defining Clauses (Extra Information)

These complement another sentence and are set off by commas.

Modal Verbs: Functions and Usage

• Ability in the Past: (was/were) Be able to; Could
• Advice: Should
• Obligation: Must; Have to
• Lack of Obligation: Don’t have to
• Certainty: True (Must) / Impossible (Can’t)
• Possibility: May; Might; Could
• Polite Request: Would you...?
• Prohibition: Mustn't
• Permission: Can I...?; May I...?; Could I...?

Modals in the Past: Modal

Passive Voice & Quantifiers

Passive Voice

• do → is done
• is doing → is being done
• did → was done
• was doing → was being done
• have done → has been done
• had done → had been done
• will do → will be done
• is going to do → is going to be done

Quantifiers

• Large: a lot of, much (uncountable), many (countable), plenty of
• Small: a few (countable), little (uncountable)
• More or less: too big, too many, enough
• Zero: any, no

Relative Clauses

• that → who/which (ese/que)
• who → people (quien)
• which → things/animal (cual)
• where → places (dónde)
• whose → mean possession (cuyo)

Modals

must have → el conductor se debería haber perdido

might/may have → se debe haber comprado una casa nueva

could have → podrías haber evitado el accidente

should have → debería... Continue reading "Mastering English Grammar: Passive Voice, Clauses & Conditionals" »