Essential English Grammar Foundations

Articles and Quantifiers

• A/An: uno/a
• Any: alguno/a
• Some: algunos/as
• The: la/el

Key Question Words

• How many: cuántos
• How much: cuánto cuesta (or quantity)
• How often: con qué frecuencia
• How far: hasta dónde
• How long: cuánto tiempo

Verb Tenses: Past Simple

Structure of the Past Simple Tense

• Affirmative (A): Subject + Verb in past (irregular or -ed form) + Complement.
• Negative (N): Subject + didn't / did not + Main Verb (base form) + Complement.
• Interrogative (I): Did + Subject + Main Verb (base form) + Complement + ?

Usage

Used to talk about actions that happened in the past and are finished.

Comparative Note

Used to describe an action finished at a specific time before now.

Verb Tenses: Past Continuous

Structure of the Past

TRANSITION WORDS - ANSWERS

REASONS

• The film star wore dark glasses SO NOBODY recognized him.
• You should take your car to the mechanic BECAUSE it may break down.
• The trains didn’t operate DUE TO a heavy snowfall
• She was imprisoned SINCE her accomplice made a full confession to the police.
• The thief didn’t want to leave any fingerprints SO he wore gloves.
• The show was cancelled BECAUSE OF her illness.
• The judge didn’t send him to jail DUE TO HIS YOUTH.
• The five-cent coin looks very Canadian SINCE it has a picture of a beaver on it.

CONTRAST

• ALTHOUGH The book is very long, I’m going to try to read it before next week.
• DESPITE THE FACT THAT HE CAUSED the problem, she’s the one who solved it.
• EVEN THOUGH Volkswagen cars are cheap, they last a long

Here is a list of common irregular English verbs, their past tense, past participle, and Spanish translation:

• be / was-were / been / ser, estar
• beat / beaten / golpear
• become / became / become / llegar a ser
• begin / began / begun / empezar
• bend / bent / bent / doblar
• bet / bet / bet / apostar
• bleed / bled / bled / sangrar
• blow / blew / blown / soplar
• break / broke / broken / romper
• bring / brought / traer
• build / built / construir
• burn / burnt / burned / quemar
• buy / bought / comprar
• catch / caught / coger
• choose / chose / chosen / elegir
• come / came / come / venir
• cost / cost / costar
• cut / cut / cortar
• dig / dug / cavar
• do / did / done / hacer
• draw / drew / drawn / dibujar
• dream / dreamt / dreamed / soñar
• drink / drank / drunk / beber
• drive / drove / driven / conducir
• eat

Marriage in American Literature

Marriage is one of the most prominent themes portrayed in some American literary works, and there are different conceptions of the issue.

Washington Irving

In Rip Van Winkle, the protagonist sees marriage as a punishment and a source of unhappiness. Rip Van Winkle is depicted as a humble person who helps everyone that needs him and who has no evilness inside. However, his relationship with his wife is different. In fact, when he wakes up and finds out that 20 years have passed and also that everyone he knows has disappeared, Rip feels sad, but not for the loss of Dame Van Winkle.

Anne Bradstreet

In Letter to my Loving Husband, there is a different approach to marriage. The poem is a praise to her husband, whom she... Continue reading "Marriage in American Literature: A Deep Dive" »

Improve Your English: Common Errors and Corrections

Vocabulary and Usage

Vocabulary: environmentally friendly, amount, wipe out, harmful, cut down, pollution. hurt/damaged, spend/devote, achieve/reach, forbidden/banned, holiday place/resort, honest and open/frank, live on/inhabit, bring up/raise.

Correcting Common Grammatical Errors

It's extremely dangerous to ski here. We should go down the hill and ski near the hotel. Remember, it's a secret between us.

You mustn't tell a word to anyone. Joe looks really excited today. He must have passed his driving test.

Look at your eyes, they are so red. I know, I have been crying all afternoon because I had an argument with my boyfriend.

Emma will have to go out early next Saturday because she will have to... Continue reading "Boost Your English: Common Mistakes and Corrections" »

Calm down:                      aching muscules:

1. Complete the Sentences with the Right Option (1.5p)

My Son the Fanatic

Parvez, a Pakistani immigrant living in England, works as a taxi driver and has assimilated to Western ways of life. His son, Ali, seems to have embraced the lifestyle of his British peers. Parvez, however, grows increasingly suspicious of his son as he notices apparent changes in Ali's behavior.

Parvez's Worries and Confidantes

The taxi driver discusses his worries with colleagues and with Bettina, a prostitute who has become Parvez's friend. Their relationship develops into an extra-marital affair within the film.

Crushed Dreams and a Son's Revelation

All of Parvez's dreams of success in England, including a happy wedding and a safe job in accountancy for Ali, crumble when his son confesses his disgust at his father's neglect... Continue reading "My Son the Fanatic: Cultural Clash and Identity" »

Christmas in Barcelona: A Family Celebration

Naples Street, October 12th, 2014

Dear Anna,

How is England at this time of the year? It is a pity that you could not come to Barcelona this Christmas. Christmas is very special for me, as all of my family comes to the city to celebrate. My favorite part is when, in the morning of the 25th of December, we open our Christmas presents and then, after lunch, take the dogs out for a walk. It's fun and quite enjoyable! We play and joke around all day long. When the day is over, we are exhausted but, at the same time, it makes us very happy. I hope you are able to come next year so that we can have a lot of fun together.

Write soon,

Cristina.

Television's Impact: Education, Entertainment, & Concerns

The Global