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

Airport

The place you go when you want to travel by plane to another city

Bakery

You can buy fresh bread and cakes here

Bank

You deposit or withdraw/take out your money here. You can cash a cheque

Bookstore

A place where you can buy books and magazines

Bus Station

The place you go when you want to travel by bus to another city

Butcher's

They sell fresh meat

Café

You can buy a cup of coffee and cakes or sandwiches

Church

A religious place of worship

Court

The place where they have trials and law cases. A judge works here

Craft Market

A place that sells typical products of a region/country

Department Store

A large store that sells clothes, household appliances, etc. in sections

Cinema/Movies

You can see the latest movies here. Many people eat popcorn while they're... Continue reading "Essential Places in a City: From Airports to Zoos" »

English Verb Tenses: Active vs. Passive

Present Simple

• Active: cleans
• Passive: is cleaned

Present Continuous

• Active: is writing
• Passive: is being written

Simple Past

• Active: repaired
• Passive: was repaired

Past Continuous

• Active: was helping
• Passive: was being helped

Present Perfect

• Active: have visited
• Passive: has been visited

Present Perfect Continuous

• Active: have been doing
• Passive: has been being done

Past Perfect

• Active: had repaired
• Passive: had been repaired

Past Perfect Continuous

• Active: had been preparing
• Passive: had been being prepared

Simple Future (Will)

• Active: will finish
• Passive: will be finished

Simple Future (Be Going To)

• Active: is going to make
• Passive: is going to be made

Future Continuous (Will)

• Active: will be washing
• Passive: will be being washed

Future

A Letter of Disappointment

Regarding "Young People Are Lazy and Impolite"

Dear Editor,

I was disappointed to read your article on the 9th of February, "Young People Are Lazy and Impolite". I'm tired of reading false stories that all young people are uncaring, lazy, or impolite when this is not true.

I am a person who studies and works at the same time. I also care about my family and friends. I consider myself a responsible girl. Moreover, in my free time, I like to have fun and go out with my friends.

Furthermore, all of my friends study or work, and they are concerned about their future.

In summary, not all young people are lazy and rude. What's happening is that people classify all young people without knowing them personally.

Yours faithfully,... Continue reading "Letters to the Editor: A Compilation" »

The Deadly Scrabble Match

A Hot Sunday Afternoon

This story details a couple playing Scrabble in their home on a hot Sunday afternoon. The husband, who harbors deep hatred for his wife, uses the game for a different, malicious purpose.

The Game Begins

The husband has a bad habit of chewing on the tiles. He starts chewing the letter 'U'.

• The husband plays the word BEGIN.
• The wife plays JINXED.

He plays the word WARMER, approaching the window.

• The wife plays SWEATIER.

The husband is getting sweatier; he needs water. He plays HUMID (with the 'U' he chewed).

• The woman plays FAN. She rises to fill the kettle and turn on the air conditioning.

The husband plays ZAPS, and the wife receives an electric shock.

• The woman plays READY.
• He plays CHEATING.
• But she chooses

Key English Grammar and Vocabulary Topics

Generic Pronouns

Pronouns used to refer to people in general:

• You: Refers to people in general.
• One: A formal way to refer to people in general.
• We: A general reference that includes the reader or listener.
• They: Refers to other people in general or people in authority.
• They/Their/Them: Used to refer to a single person who may be male or female, as an alternative to he/she.

Narrative Tenses

Tenses used for storytelling:

• Simple Past: e.g., -ed, was, went.
• Past Continuous: e.g., was/were + -ing.
• Past Perfect: e.g., had gone, had saved, had given.
• Past Perfect Continuous: e.g., had been walking, had been waiting.

Expressing Past Habits

• Used to + Infinitive: For past actions and states that are no longer true.
• Would +

Samuel Johnson: A Literary Luminary

Early Life and Education

Samuel Johnson was born in Staffordshire on September 18, 1709. His father was a bookseller. Johnson attended Lichfield Grammar School and briefly studied at Oxford University, but financial constraints forced him to leave.

Literary Career

Unable to secure teaching work, Johnson embarked on a writing career. In 1737, he moved to London and struggled to support himself through journalism, covering a wide range of topics. Gradually, he gained literary recognition.

'Dictionary of the English Language'

In 1747, a group of printers commissioned Johnson to compile his monumental 'Dictionary of the English Language'. Published in 1755, it became the most significant dictionary of its time, with... Continue reading "Samuel Johnson: Literary Giant and Author of 'Rasselas'" »

Unit 1 Vocabulary

• Mood: humor
• Tough: dur
• Approach: enfocament
• All the rage: full rabia
• Remain: romandre
• Accurate: exactitud
• Firm: empresa
• Trigger: desencadenar

• Mouth-watering: feraigua
• Scent: olor
• Weird: extrany
• Nasty: feo
• Purchase: adquirir
• Take advantage of: agafar avantage

• Started out: començar
• Start over: tornar
• Startup: muntar
• Set off: provocar
• Setback: endererir
• Brings back: recordar
• Bring along: emportar

• Bitter: =
• Tasty: sabroso
• Bright: luminos
• Pale: palit
• Pleasant: agradable
• Disgusting: disgust
• Faint: debil
• Deafening: ensortidor
• Smooth: blando
• Rough: rocos

• Odour: pudor
• Savoury: amgust adj
• Stink: pudor
• Flavour: amgust nom
• Rhythm: ritme
• Whisper: shui-shui
• Stare: mirar fijament
• Patter: patro
• Stroke: trazo

Unit 2 Vocabulary

• Referee: arbit
• Overheard: sobreescuchado
• Flee: huir
• Buried:

Important Quotations Explained in Death of a Salesman

1. "And when I saw that, I realized that selling was the greatest career a man could want. ’Cause what could be more satisfying than to be able to go, at the age of eighty-four, into twenty or thirty different cities, and pick up a phone, and be remembered and loved and helped by so many different people?"

Willy poses this question to Howard Wagner in Act II, in Howard’s office. He is discussing how he decided to become a salesman after meeting Dave Singleman, the mythic salesman who died the noble “death of a salesman” that Willy himself covets. His admiration of Singleman’s prolonged success illustrates his obsession with being well-liked. He fathoms having people “remember”... Continue reading "Key Quotes in Death of a Salesman: Analysis" »

Missing Words

Each question has one word missing:

1. Where do you come from?
2. Where and when were you born?
3. Do you live in a house or a flat?
4. Why are you studying English?
5. Which foreign countries have you been to?
6. What did you do yesterday evening?
7. What are you going to do after this lesson?

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Mexican life is so hard.
• Can you walk slowly, please?
• Real Madrid is playing badly.
• Please, listen carefully.

Much (Uncountable) and Many (Countable)

• How much soda do we have left?
• How many students do you know?
• I have much money in the bank.
• How many children are there in the classroom?
• How much time do we have left?

Should and Shouldn't

• I've got a sore throat, so I should drink water.
• I've got the flu, so I shouldn't go to school.
• I've got diarrhea, so I