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

The Art of Storytelling: From Idea to Draft

Humans are natural storytellers. However, when it comes to writing a compelling story, you may feel stumped, even if you possess a vivid imagination and countless great ideas. The goal is to create something original, not a cliché! To write a successful story, you must first get inspired, then develop your content, and finally, revise your work until you have crafted the best narrative possible. If you want to write a good short story, follow these simple steps:

Finding Inspiration: Observing the World Around You

To write a compelling story, whether short or long, you must keep your eyes and ears open at all times. Listen to the world and allow it to inspire you! This constant observation will reveal... Continue reading "Mastering Storytelling: Finding Inspiration for Creative Writing" »

Tourism Trends and Insights

Bird-watching Tourism

Experts estimate that avi-tourism (bird-watching) is a fast-growing sector of nature tourism.

Luxury Travel

If you can afford to pay a starting price of £125,000, this is the experience for you.

Spiritual Retreats

Spiritual retreats may be religious or not but usually include meditation techniques.

Tourism Leakage

When money proceeding from tourism leaves a country, it's called leakage.

Cultural Tourism in Europe

Experts predict that cultural tourism will increase in Europe over the next fifteen years since the number of travelers over 55 will grow steadily.

The Malaga Film Festival

The Malaga Film Festival has been going for more than ten years, but it has not yet reached the same international reputation.... Continue reading "Tourism and Hospitality: A Comprehensive Guide" »

Conditionals

First Conditional: Possible Situations

If + Present Simple, Subject + Will + Verb (infinitive)

Example: If I go tomorrow, I'll see Mary. -> Si voy mañana, veré a Mary.

Second Conditional: Imaginary Situations

If + Past Simple, Subject + Would + Verb (infinitive)

Example: If I won the lottery, I'd buy a car. -> Si ganara la lotería, me compraría un coche.

Third Conditional: Imaginary Situations in the Past

If + Past Perfect, Subject + Would + have (always have) + Verb (past participle)

Example: If I had studied more, I would have passed the exam. -> Si yo hubiera estudiado más, habría aprobado el examen.

Reported Speech

• Present Simple: We eat food --> She said they ate food.
• Past Simple: We ate food --> She said that they

Irregular English Verb Conjugation Table (L-W)

This reference table provides the principal forms for a selection of common irregular verbs, starting from 'L' through 'W'. Use this list to quickly check the Infinitive, Past Simple, Past Participle, and 3rd Person Singular Present forms.

Essential Phrasal Verbs for Communication

Get Away (from)

Definition: To leave or escape from a person or place, often when it is difficult to do this.

• Example: We walked to the next beach to get away from the crowds.

Be/Get Carried Away

Definition: To be overcome by one’s feelings (excitement, emotion, etc.).

• Example: She was/got carried away by the excitement.

Throw Out

Definition: To get rid of by throwing or by force (expulsar, echar; rechazar).

• Example: He was thrown out of the meeting.

Bring Something In

Definition: To introduce something new such as a product or a law.

• Example: New safety regulations have been brought in.

Stand Up To (Confront)

Definition: To show resistance to; to confront someone bravely.

• Example: He stood up to the bigger boys

Advertising Vocabulary

Types of Advertising:

• Billboards (cartell/valla publicitària)
• Celebrity endorsements (promoció feta per famosos)
• Covert adverts (publicitat subliminar)
• Direct mail (correu)
• Junk mail (correu brossa)
• Email and spam
• Magazine/newspaper ads (revistes/diaris amb anuncis)
• Radio/TV commercials (anunci ràdio/tele)
• Sponsoring of events
• Text messages
• Website ads: pop-ups

Adjectives to Describe Ads:

Amusing (divertit/graciós), attractive, clever (intel·ligent), dramatic, dull (avorrit), emotional, funny, humorous, sexist, shocking (impactant), silly (tonto), tasteless (soso), unusual, weird (raro).

Product Categories:

• Clothes and accessories: gloves, jewellery, trainers
• Electronic goods: hi-fi system, sat-nav, tablet computer, phone
• Health and

School and University Vocabulary

Subjects:

• Art
• Biology
• Business Studies
• Chemistry
• Drama
• Engineering
• English
• Geography
• History
• ICT
• Law
• Literature
• Maths
• Media Studies
• Medicine
• Music
• Physical Education (PE)
• Physics
• Psychology

Words connected with school & uni:

Certificate, cheat, coursework, essay, fail, grade, mark, pass, resit, term, timetable.

Noun Suffixes: -er, -or, -ist, -ian, -ee

Director, electrician, employer/employee, historian, instructor, journalist, lecturer, photographer, physicist, professor, scientist, technician, trainee.

Grammar: Modal Verbs

General rules for modals

An infinitive without to follows a modal verb. Example: Sam should go to the doctor.

Modal verbs do not take -s in the 3rd person singular. Example: He must go to school.

Modal verbs do not... Continue reading "School and University Vocabulary with Modal Verbs & Conditionals" »

Past Simple of Regular Verbs

Example: (not cook) didn't cook

• Visit - visited
• Live - lived
• Try - tried
• Stop - stopped

Sports Vocabulary

• A game: Football, baseball, soccer
• B match: Tennis, ping-pong, boxing
• C race: Swimming

Irregular Verbs

• Sit - sat
• Win - won
• Leave - left
• Lose - lost
• Beat - beat
• Throw - threw
• Catch - caught
• Ride - rode

My father (left)

Who (won)

Mike is... (lost)

Tony (threw)

My brother (rode)

Somebody (sat)

Comparative Forms

Regular

• Cheap - cheaper
• Strange - stranger
• Big - bigger
• Happy - happier
• Popular - more popular

Irregular

• Good - better
• Bad - worse
• Far - farther/further

Vocabulary

• Singer
• Artist
• Photographer
• Waiter
• Journalist
• Actor
• Musician
• Graphic Designer
• Pilot

Superlative Forms

Daisy Miller: Chapter 4 Analysis

Winterbourne's Denial and Daisy's Inscrutability

As Daisy’s friendship with Giovanelli intensifies, particularly after Mrs. Walker’s party, Winterbourne is in the unpleasant position of having to wonder about the exact nature of the relationship between Daisy and Giovanelli. Winterbourne has many theories, but he never confronts the possibility that he himself has feelings for Daisy. He always couches his interest in her relationship with Giovanelli in terms of concern for her reputation.

Nevertheless, there seems to be evidence to suggest that Daisy is more interested in Winterbourne than she is in Giovanelli. Besides her praise of Giovanelli’s voice and musicianship, she pays no attention to his performance... Continue reading "Winterbourne's Moral Conflict and Jealousy in Daisy Miller Chapter 4" »

Countries and Nationalities

England - English

Denmark - Danish

Finland - Finnish

Poland - Polish

Spain - Spanish

Sweden - Swedish

Turkey - Turkish

Scotland - Scottish

Ireland - Irish

China - Chinese

Japan - Japanese

Portugal - Portuguese

Lebanon - Lebanese

French - French

Greece - Greek

Netherlands - Dutch

Switzerland - Swiss

Thailand - Thai

New Zealand - Kiwi

Pakistan - Pakistani

Czech Republic - Czech

Israel - Israeli

Iraq - Iraqi

Cyprus - Cypriot

Oman - Omani

Philippines - Filipino

Possessive Pronouns

• I = my
• You = your
• He = his
• She = her
• It = its
• We = our
• They = their

Family Members

• Aunt - tia
• Uncle - tio
• Cousin - Primo/a
• Daughter - Hija
• Son - Hijo
• Sister - Hermana
• Brother - hermano
• Mother - madre
• Father - padre
• Grandfather - abuelo
• Grandmother - abuela
• Niece - sobrino
• Nephew - sobrina
• Wife