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

Conditional Sentences in English

If I finish early, I will call you.

She will know the answer if she tries to understand.

If I were a star, I would help the needy.

He would buy a house if he had a job.

She would be happy if she married him.

If he had been careful, he would not have had that terrible accident.

I would have passed the exam if I had worked hard.

Her father would not have died if he had gone to the doctor.

They have had lots of homework in mathematics recently.

Questions and Observations

• How much time do you need to finish the work?
• There are too many students in the library.
• Have you visited any foreign countries?
• Although he's very ill, he hasn't taken any medicine.
• Few people know as much about linguistics as John does.
• They say little knowledge

Common Phrasal Verbs with Examples

Challenges and Solutions

Cope with: I'm finding it hard to cope with all the work I've got at the moment. I'm so stressed.

Back up: I always back up my important photos onto a pen drive in case I lose the original.

Public Demands and Cancellations

Calling for: The public are calling for (demanding) new elections as soon as possible.

Called off: Unfortunately, the concert was called off (cancelled) because the band were ill.

Past Habits and Clutter

Come round: He always used to come round (visit) to my house after school when we were kids.

Cluttered up: The front of his car is so cluttered up (filled untidily) with MacDonald's boxes that you can't see the floor.

Discoveries and Missed Opportunities

Came across: I came

Dependent Prepositions

Verb + Preposition

insisted on, consist of, concentrate on, took revenge on, criticized for, translate into, specializes in, apologize for, blamed for, accused of, borrow from, lend to, succeeded in, aimed at, named after, rely on, divide into, complain to/about

Noun + Preposition

solution to, reason for, difficulty in, need for, increase in, intention of, investigation into, protest about, respect for, point in, hope of, report on, lack of, reputation for, attitude to

Verb + Preposition Examples

Offer him the job: take him on
He's doing well = taking on
Started work here = took up this
Be the new director = take over as a director
Handle = deal with
Did = carried out

Missing Prepositions

1. Do you admire ... for?
2. What do you worry about?

The passage which I have randomly chosen belongs to Arthur Miller’s play All My Sons, published in 1947. It is a realistic drama about ordinary people struggling with the universal issues of grief, war, and the loss of idealism, apart from having the theme of the American Dream.

The American Dream is the idea that in the United States anyone, regardless of their background, can become rich and successful through hard work and an entrepreneurial spirit. The protagonist of All My Sons, Joe, is an uneducated man from a low social background who has become wealthy and successful, but at a great price. His determination to make money and keep his factory producing has led to the deaths of twenty-one men. Joe did what he did for the sake of his... Continue reading "The American Dream and Tragedy in Arthur Miller's All My Sons" »

Day 1: Arrival in Brussels & City Highlights

Your package tour begins with a trip to Brussels, Belgium. The journey will last three days. On the first day, upon landing and arriving at the hotel, you'll unpack and head to breakfast. Afterward, embark on a walking tour of Brussels, taking in the city's most emblematic sites. A lunch break will be followed by continuing the route through the city.

Day 2: Bruges & Ghent Excursion

Rise early for a quick breakfast and catch a train to Bruges. Enjoy the tranquility of the city in the early hours as you explore its charming streets. Lunch will be at a restaurant in Bruges. Afterward, take the train to Ghent. A guided tour awaits, including a visit to the impressive castle. Conclude the day with... Continue reading "3-Day Belgium Itinerary: Brussels, Bruges, Ghent & Antwerp" »

Sam and Dave Discuss New Year's Eve

Sam: So, New Year's Eve was bad because my girlfriend got hit by a driver and...

Eve: That's terrible!

Sandra and Francisco Discuss Messaging Apps

Sandra: Have you ever used WhatsApp?

Franco: Yes, I really like it because it's cheaper than texting.

Ingrid and Roger Discuss Phone Calls

Ingrid: Nowadays, people use regular phones less than mobile.

Roger: You're right. That's because cell phones are more convenient.

John Tries to Contact Dana

Dana: Hi, sweetie!

John: Hey, guess what! Dana? I can't hear you! We have a bad connection.

Adam and Ted's Interrupted Conversation

Adam: Guess what! I passed all... Hold on a sec...

Ted: Wow! Oh, sorry. Hold on. Where were we? Someone's at the door.

Jake and Finn Discuss Past Experiences

Jake:

Daily Activities for Fitness

Exercise can come from everyday activities such as housework, gardening, and walking to the shops. Taking the stairs, stretching, dancing, playing with children, and walking everywhere all build fitness and burn kilojoules. An active lifestyle is key to good health and weight management.

To stay healthy, we need to be active every day in as many ways as possible. Being active in small ways throughout the day can make a big difference. Short bouts of 10 minutes can be beneficial when they add up to 30 minutes on most days of the week. You can plan physical activity by going to the gym or playing sports. There are many everyday activities that provide opportunities to be active and improve health.

Make a habit of walking... Continue reading "Daily Activities for Health and Fitness" »

Shut down: Cerrar. - It stops operating (business or large piece of equipment).

Get away with: Zafarse de la cárcel, librarse.- Succeed in avoiding punishment for something.

Show up: Aparecer.- Arrive somewhere in order to join a group of people, especially late or unexpectedly.

Turn out:- Be known or discovered finally and surprisingly.

Hold onto: Conservar.- Keep smth you have.

Turn up: Aparecer.- Find unexpectedly smth you have been looking for.

Arrest: Arrestar.- When the police take someone away to ask them about a crime that they might have committed.

Kidnap: Secuestrar.- To take a person away illegally by force usually in order to demand money in exchange for realizing them.

Witness: Testigo.- To see something happen, especially a crime.

Hijack:... Continue reading "Common English Phrases and Vocabulary" »

Summer Adventures in Spain

By Paul Alonso, a student from Granada, Spain

My last holidays were my longest holidays, and I think that I learnt how to spend the time. I enjoyed a lot with my friends and my family, and I met new people too, because I was in different places during the summer, and I wanted to meet people everywhere.

Calpe: Beach Days and Nightlife

The first place I visited was Calpe, a town in Alicante, because I was invited for some days by a friend who has a house there. I went with some friends, and we just spent five days there, but it was enough time to want to come back next summer! We stayed on the beach for hours in the mornings, just lying and asleep, taking enough energy for the rest of the day and for the night! At night,... Continue reading "Summer Adventures in Spain: Calpe, Salou, and Madrid" »