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

Characters of The Importance of Being Earnest

John "Jack" Worthing

Jack is the play's protagonist and most sympathetic character. He was found in a handbag on a railway line and feels less at home in aristocratic society than does Algernon. He lives in the country but has invented a wicked brother named "Ernest" whose scrapes require Jack's attendance in the city.

Algernon Moncrieff

Algernon, Jack's foil, is a hedonist who has created a friend named Bunbury. Bunbury's status as a permanent invalid allows Algernon to leave the city whenever he pleases. He believes this activity, Bunburying, is necessary, especially if one is going to get married—something he vows never to do.

Lady Bracknell

Lady Bracknell is the play's antagonist, blocking both... Continue reading "Oscar Wilde's Earnest: Character Insights" »

Choosing the Right Portable Hard Drive

When selecting a portable hard drive, it's essential to consider your specific storage needs. Here's a comparison of two popular models:

Available Portable Hard Drive Models

• Iomega eGO Portable Hard Drive: Offers a substantial 160 gigabytes (GB) of storage capacity.
• Edge DiskGO Mini Portable Hard Drive: Provides 12 gigabytes (GB) of storage capacity.

Comparing Iomega eGO and Edge DiskGO

The choice between these drives depends on your intended use:

• The Iomega eGO is ideal for mobile professionals, offering ample space to back up an entire PC.
• The Edge DiskGO is ultra-lightweight, making it perfect for easily transporting personal files such as photos, music, and data documents.

Portable Hard Drive Pricing

• Iomega

... Continue reading "Selecting Portable Hard Drives & Understanding CD/DVD Differences" »

Anne Frank's Early Life

Anne Frank was born on June 12, 1929, in Frankfurt, Germany, to a Jewish family. In 1933, her parents moved to Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Fleeing Germany and Hiding

During World War II, the family hid to avoid the Nazis. They left their home and moved to a shelter in the offices of her father's company. It was not a comfortable place, but they had to adapt as it became their new home.

Anne's Life in Hiding

Age and Emotions

Anne was 13 years old. She wrote about the feelings of others, expressing her discomfort and eventual feelings of love.

Protecting from the Nazis

To protect themselves from the Nazis, Anne and her family hid in an apartment where they could not make any noise to avoid being caught.

Anne's Diary

Anne believed that... Continue reading "Anne Frank: Life, Diary, and the Holocaust" »

The Manager,
17 Manor Drive, Castletown, Co. Longford. June 14th, 2008

Jeans World,
Castletown, Co. Longford.

Dear Sir/Madam,

On Friday, June 9th, I bought a pair of Levi jeans in your shop. When I took the jeans home, I noticed two buttons were missing. I went back to the shop with the receipt and asked the shop assistant to exchange the jeans for a pair that were not damaged. She refused. She said the jeans were perfect when they were sold and said they had been damaged since leaving the shop. A quick look would have shown that buttons had never been sewn on and that it was most likely a fault that had happened in the factory.

I insist on my rights as a consumer and wish for an exchange or my money back. Please contact me at the above address as... Continue reading "Jeans Complaint, Job Application & Internet Shopping" »

A Kiss Before Dying

Key Events and Clues

1. A home that… CARAVAN
2. Be sick: THROW UP
3. After taking the pills: PAIN
4. He read the books: PAIN
5. All around the room: GELATIN CAPSULES
6. If he didn’t marry: SUSPICIOUS
7. The young man dropped: (Left Blank)
8. ''We have to go…: BIRTH CERTIFICATE
9. Personal FILES
10. A lawyer. A person: ATTORNEY

Questions and Answers

1. What do you know about Dorothy’s mother?

   She was married to Dorothy's father when Dorothy was born, but eight years later, her father realized that she was with another man. He broke up with her. She was ill when she was with Leo, but after he broke up with her, she died.

2. What is the relationship between the book La Casa de las Flores Negras and Dorothy’s suicide note?

   Bud told Dorothy that he didn’t know how to

... Continue reading "A Kiss Before Dying: Unraveling a Murder Mystery" »

English Grammar

Verb Tenses

Past Tense Transformations

• Present Simple (eats/eat) → Past Simple (ate)
• Don't/Doesn't → Didn't
• Present Continuous (am, is, are + v ing) → Past Continuous (was, were + v ing)
• Past Simple (-ed or irregular) → Past Perfect (had + past participle)
• Present Perfect (have, has + past participle) → Past Perfect
• Past Perfect (had + past participle) → Past Perfect
• Past Continuous (was, were + v ing) → Past Perfect Continuous (had + been + v ing)
• Present Perfect Continuous → Past Perfect Continuous
• Past Perfect Continuous → Past Perfect Continuous
• Future: Will + infinitive → Would + infinitive
• Can → Could + infinitive
• Must/Have to → Had to + infinitive
• May → Might + infinitive

Changes in Reported Speech

• Now → Then
• Today

... Continue reading "English Grammar and Vocabulary Guide" »

Reported Speech

Types of Reported Speech

Yes/No Questions

Structure: S + reporting verb + if/whether + S + past tense verb

Example: He asked if he was late.

Wh- Questions

Structure: S + reporting verb + wh-word + S + past tense verb

Example: He asked where he had left his keys.

Orders and Requests

Structure: S + reporting verb + object + (not) + to + infinitive

Note: Use "told" for orders.

Example: He told me to be quiet.

Suggestions

Structure 1: S + suggest (tense) + (not) + verb-ing

Structure 2: S + suggest + that + S + should + infinitive

Example: She suggested going for a walk.

Reporting Verbs

Verbs followed by "to + infinitive"

Examples: agree, offer, refuse, promise, threaten

Example: We agreed not to buy a car.

Additional verbs with object: advise, invite,... Continue reading "Reported Speech: A Comprehensive Guide with Examples" »

Complete the sentences with the verbs below in Past Simple:

walk, enjoy, like, watch, travel, finish, listen

1. Lucy liked her birthday presents.
2. Last weekend I walked in the mountains for 2 hours.
3. We enjoyed the party very much.
4. Ken listened to his favorite CD yesterday.
5. My sister studied Maths for an exam.
6. They traveled to the USA in 2003.
7. Dad washed his car last weekend.
8. The film finished at 11:30.

Write the sentences in negative:

1. Lucy didn't like her birthday presents.
2. Last weekend I didn't walk in the mountains for 2 hours.
3. We didn't enjoy the party very much.
4. Ken didn't listen to his favorite CD yesterday.
5. My sister didn't study months for German.
6. They didn't travel to the USA in 2003.
7. Dad didn't wash his car last weekend.
8. The film didn't finish at 11:30.

... Continue reading "English Past Tense, 'Used To,' and Present Continuous" »

Distinctive Feature Theory

Distinctive Feature Theory challenges Phoneme Theory (PT) by focusing on the features that compose phonemes, rather than the phonemes themselves. This approach questions the validity of the phoneme concept, arguing that speech is not simply a series of discrete sounds.

Natural Class: A set of sounds sharing phonetic features, affected by the same environment, and having the same effect on surrounding sounds.

Major Class Features

• Vowels: [+SYLLABIC], [+SONORANT], [-CONSONANTAL] - form the syllable nucleus.
• Glides: [-SYLLABIC], [+SONORANT], [-CONSONANTAL].
• Sonorant Consonants (nasals and liquids): [+/-SYLLABIC], [+SONORANT], [+CONSONANTAL].
• Obstruents: [-SYLLABIC], [-SONORANT], [+CONSONANTAL].

Consonant Features

• Voice: [+/-VOICE]

... Continue reading "Phonetics and Phonology: Distinctive Features and Vowel Sounds" »

Orden of adjectives: O(opinion), S(size), SH(shape), A(age), C(colour), O(origin).
____________________________________________________
FUTURE:
-Will: Predictions, opinions, spontaneous, decisions.
-Be going to: plans for the future, intention of future, predictions with evidence.
-Present continuous: Arrangements(preparativos), dates(fechas).
-Future continuous: S+WILL+BE+GERUND. Finished action in the future.
-Future perfect: S+WILL+HAVE+PAST PART. Completed action in the future
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Such...that / So...that:
Such + (a/an [singular]) + adjective + noun + that
It was such a cramped street that we couldn't walk.
So + adjective + that
The street was so cramped that we couldn't walk.

Conditional sentences:

First... Continue reading "Orden of adjectives, future, conditional sentences and wishes and regrets in English" »