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

Game of Thrones: A Battle for Power

Game of Thrones is a fantasy TV series which has attracted millions of fans. Set in an unknown time in the past on the continent of Westeros and the surrounding islands, it tells the story of the fight to be the ruler of Westeros. There are three main families in this fight: the Starks, the Lannisters and the Targaryens.

As the series progresses, we follow the stories of the main contenders for the throne. Throughout most of the series, it is Cersei Lannister who actually rules Westeros. However, Jon Snow, a member of the Stark family, slowly gains power in the north, while Daenerys Targaryen develops from a weak young girl to a powerful leader of armies in the south. None of them has an easy job gaining power... Continue reading "Game of Thrones: A Thrilling Fantasy Epic" »

Medieval Women

The Role of Women in Society

Women in the Middle Ages were often seen as property within marriage contracts, used for trade and economic gain. The Church viewed them with suspicion, portraying them as temptresses and untrustworthy figures.

However, women also held active roles in society, particularly as femmes soles. These were women who managed businesses, such as butchers, chandlers, net makers, and spinsters. They also participated in the economy through "bye-industries" like brewing ale, sewing, and selling clothes.

While guilds generally excluded women, widows and daughters of guildsmen were sometimes allowed to run businesses. A notable example is the Wife of Bath from Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, an independent and sexually... Continue reading "Medieval Women & The Legend of King Arthur" »

Grammar

Modal Verbs

Winston Smith's Childhood and Family Trauma

1. How did Winston spend long afternoons as a child? Scrounging for scraps of food from garbage bins, rubbish heaps, and a road where trucks sometimes dropped bits of cattle feed.
2. What sudden change came over Winston’s mother after his father’s disappearance? Winston’s mother suddenly became “completely spiritless,” going about her work very slowly and apparently waiting for something to happen.
3. What is the “never-mentioned thing that was about to happen”? It was Winston’s mother’s arrest.
4. What did Winston take from his younger sister? A portion of chocolate.
5. What are Reclamation Centers? They are colonies for homeless children, established after the civil war.
6. Why does Winston believe his

1º Future possibility / if + pres Simp / Future simple - imperative / I’ll be late if I don't’ hurry - If you are tired go to bed - You can have a sandwich if you want something to eat.

2º Imaginary or hypothetical situation in the present or future - Giving advice. / If + Past Simp / Would + base form - could ¬ might + base form / If he tried harder, he would do better at school - If he won the lottery, we could buy a car. - If I were you, I would invite Tom to the party.

3º Situation in the past which is over and cannot be changed / If + Past Perfect Simple / Would + have + Past participle - Could ¬ might + have + past participle / If I had woken up on time, I wouldn't have been late for school. - We might have visited you if we had

The Viral Sensation of Ariana Grande's 'Thank U, Next'

Ariana Grande's hit song 'Thank U, Next' has become a cultural phenomenon, spawning numerous memes and trends across social media platforms. The song's lyrics, which detail Grande's experiences with past relationships and exes, struck a chord with listeners and sparked a wave of creativity.

'One Taught Me Love, One Taught Me Patience, and One Taught Me Pain'

One of the most popular memes emerged from the pre-chorus lyrics: 'One taught me love, one taught me patience, and one taught me pain.' Twitter users began sharing three images representing individuals or characters who taught them these valuable lessons, often using pop culture references for a humorous twist.

Examples and Variations

• The

VOCABULARY

REPORTED SPEECH

TENSE CHANGES

‘I love Thai food.’ → She said she loved Thai food.

‘They had already eaten when their dad arrived.’ → She said that they had already eaten when theid dad arrived. (past perfect doesn’t... Continue reading "Mastering Reported Speech & Essential Vocabulary" »

NTRO:

Hi X, How are things? Sorry to be so slow getting back to you but…--I was afraid that you were worried about your trip.-- What a great news, I'm glad to hear … that you're coming to Spain.

PARRA1:

In your letter mentioned…?—Well, if I were you..since…--besides, why you don’t…?—As well as that, you also wondered about…--I think you really should… because this way…

PARRA 3:

Anyway, I´ll be delighted to pay you a visit, count me!-- Let me know when it suits u so I can plan ahead—Final: well that's all 4 now, I hope this was helpful-------Dear Alex, / Many thanks for your message. It was great to hear from you! The first thing I want to say is that I completely agree with you about friends. I see some of mine almost every... Continue reading "Applying for a Position and Catching Up with a Friend in Spain" »

Section 1: Statement Analysis

1

• 1-F
• 2-F, many problems
• 3-F, incomes
• 4-F, locked up
• 5-F, poor
• 6-F, kill
• 7-T
• 8-F, shady campaign (Corrected 'chenty campagne')
• 9-T
• 10-F, rude
• 11-F, confusing
• 12-F, arena (Corrected 'rena')
• 13-F, brilliant

Section 2: Phrasal Verbs

1. Called off
2. Showing off
3. Lived up to
4. Put on (Corrected 'putted on')
5. Took off (Corrected 'tooks off')
6. Came down on
7. Looks up to
8. Keep at

Section 3: Vocabulary and Definitions

1. Anything that increases your chances or helps you a lot to achieve your goals.
2. That is worked.
3. It’s referred to the situation when everyone is watching closely. (Corrected 'refeved' and grammar)
4. The action of making someone else responsible for one of your duties.
5. It’s referred to people who achieve results really quickly.
6. Anyone who starts a fad.

Comparative and Superlative Adjectives

Forming Comparative Adjectives

The comparative form of an adjective is used to compare two things.

Rules for Forming Comparative Adjectives

• One syllable adjectives: Add "-er" (e.g., faster, bigger).
• One syllable adjectives ending in consonant-vowel-consonant: Double the final consonant and add "-er" (e.g., sad - sadder).
• One or two syllable adjectives: Add "-ier" (e.g., easy - easier).
• Two or more syllable adjectives: Use "more" before the adjective (e.g., expensive - more expensive).
• Irregular adjectives: These adjectives have unique comparative forms (e.g., good - better, bad - worse).

Forming Superlative Adjectives

The superlative form of an adjective is used to compare three or more things.

Rules for Forming