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

English Grammar Essentials

Modal Verbs:

• Necessity: have to, must, need to.
• Prohibition: mustn’t, not be allowed to, can’t.
• Lack of Necessity: don’t have to, don’t need to.
• Permission: can, be allowed to.

Questions: Must you? Can you? Do you have to? Are you allowed?

Rules are things you have to do and you mustn’t do. Conventions are things you don’t have to do, but are advisable and expected.

Colour Idioms

• In the red (owes money)
• See red (is angry)
• White goods (appliances)
• Out of the blue (unexpected)
• Blue sky thinking (new and good ideas)
• Green light (start something)
• Black Monday (market crash)
• In the black (has more than it owes)
• Grey area (a situation that is not clear)

Common Prefixes

Negative Prefixes

• un-: unusual, unhappy, unlucky, unknown,

1. Passive Voice

1. This book was sent to me yesterday by Jack.
2. Facebook is used by millions of people.
3. Two new schools will be built in my town next year.
4. It is accepted by people that wind power has lots of advantages.
5. A new smartphone is going to be released next year by the technology company.

2. Reflexive Pronouns

1. John designed the app himself.
2. Helen and Emma like to test one another on science facts because it helps them remember.
3. I'm going to buy myself a new dress.
4. The children can't go to the cinema by themselves.
5. We built a garden shed by ourselves.

3. Third Conditional

1. What would you have bought if you had won the lottery?
2. Do you feel tired when you don't do enough exercise?
3. We wouldn't have met in that café and got chatting if I hadn't moved from

Words and Their Meanings

• Abdicate: To renounce, resign, or quit.
• Trivial: Unimportant or small.
• Rustic: Relating to the countryside; rural.
• Ostentation: Flashiness, showiness, or display.
• Impertinent: Rude or disrespectful.
• Pernicious: Malicious or evil.
• Chagrin: Embarrassment or humiliation.
• Flummox: To confuse.
• Enigma: A mystery or riddle.
• Chronometer: A timepiece or watch.

Key Facts from *The King's Speech*

Who was King George V?

David and Albert's father, the King of England during World War I.

Countries in the British Empire

England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, India, Canada, Australia, and Hong Kong.

What is a book that holds a person's daily thoughts?

A diary.

What did doctors tell King George VI to do to relax?

They advised him to smoke.

King George

Irregular Verbs in English

This is a comprehensive list of irregular verbs in English, presented in a clear and easy-to-read format. Each verb is listed with its base form, past simple tense, and past participle.

Base Form - Past Simple - Past Participle

Dear Mr John,

English Vocabulary and Grammar Practice

Vocabulary & Phrasal Verbs

1. Got the sack
2. Call off
3. Controversial
4. Rose
5. Prevent
6. Convicted
7. Apologise
8. Stuck
9. Odd
10. Appeal
11. Approve of
12. Keeps track

Verb Tense Examples

1. Used to play / broke / haven’t been able
2. Have been interviewed / was selected
3. Won’t have finished
4. Would you have said / were insulted
5. Have had / taken
6. Hasn’t written / changed / hear / will get
7. Broke / couldn’t have braked

Sentence Correction Exercises

1. Sam, whose father is an artist, is a very good piano player.
2. I am visiting the small village which has a very nice museum.
3. If I had been more careful, I wouldn't have broken my sister's new toy.
4. Unless you have a ticket, you cannot get into the theatre.
5. If I had brought a map, I wouldn't have gotten lost in the mountains.

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" »

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" »