Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and exercises for English for Secondary education

Reporting Verbs

Some common reporting verbs include:

• admit
• agree
• announce
• ask
• complain
• explain
• invite
• offer
• promise
• refuse
• tell
• warn

Direct Speech - Reported Speech

When changing from direct speech to reported speech, several changes occur:

Time Expressions

• now - then
• today - that day
• tomorrow - the next day/the following day
• yesterday - the day before/the previous day
• last year - the year before/the previous year
• five years ago - five years before
• next week - the next week/the following week

Pronouns

• I - he/she
• you - I/she/he/we/they
• we - they
• me - him/her
• you - me/him/her/us/them
• us - them
• my - his/her
• your - my/his/her/our/their
• our - their

Tense Changes

Present Simple - Past Simple

"I fancy you" - He told me that he fancied me.

Present Continuous - Past Continuous

"I'm going...

Mastering Irregular Verbs

Understanding Irregular Verbs in English

Irregular verbs are verbs that don't follow the standard rules for verb conjugation in the past simple and past participle forms. Mastering these verbs is crucial for fluency in English. This comprehensive list provides a quick reference for common irregular verbs.

• Be - Was/Were - Been (Ser/Estar)
• Become - Became - Become (Llegar a ser)
• Begin - Began - Begun (Empezar)
• Bite - Bit - Bitten (Morder)
• Blow - Blew - Blown (Soplar)
• Break - Broke - Broken (Romper)
• Bring - Brought - Brought (Llevar)
• Build - Built - Built (Construir)
• Buy - Bought - Bought (Comprar)
• Catch - Caught - Caught (Coger)
• Choose - Chose - Chosen (Elegir)
• Come - Came - Come (Venir)
• Cost - Cost - Cost (Costar)
• Cut - Cut - Cut (

A Deep Dive into The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

I thoroughly enjoyed this adventure. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, a well-known classic by Mark Twain, is suitable for all audiences. Its engaging narrative, which chronicles the life and escapades of a young boy, makes it an accessible and captivating read for anyone interested in timeless American literature.

This book also powerfully illustrates the essential role of strong friendships in overcoming difficult moments, such as poverty and adversity. It's a testament to resilience and the bonds that sustain us.

Key Themes and Enduring Lessons

• The importance of friendship and loyalty.
• The transition from childhood innocence to maturity.
• The allure of adventure and freedom.
• Critiques of societal norms and

Treaty 3

Lazarus lives with a squire, a low-level, impoverished noble. The squire strives to maintain a false image of wealth and respectability. Lazarus, pitying his master's pretensions, often feeds him.

Lazarus symbolizes reality, unconcerned with public opinion. The squire, in contrast, represents appearance, a proud and arrogant person who lies to conceal his poverty.

With no food in the house, the squire pretends he has eaten too much and goes out, picking his teeth. Lazarus begs in the streets due to hunger. When the squire learns this, he begs himself to avoid damaging his honor and to let people know that Lazarus is his servant.

One morning, an elderly man demands rent. The squire promises payment that afternoon, then goes to the square....

Direct Speech vs. Reported Speech

Direct Speech

• Present Simple
• Present Continuous
• Present Perfect Simple (have + past participle)
• Past Simple
• CAN
• WILL
• MUST/HAVE TO
• MAY

Reported Speech

• Past Simple
• Past Continuous
• Past Perfect (had + past participle)
• Past Perfect
• COULD
• WOULD
• HAD TO
• MIGHT

Examples:

• "Are you feeling well?" He asked me if I was feeling well.

Changes in Adverbs and Time Expressions:

• THIS becomes THAT
• HERE becomes THERE
• TODAY becomes THAT DAY
• YESTERDAY becomes THE DAY BEFORE
• TOMORROW becomes THE FOLLOWING DAY
• TONIGHT becomes THAT NIGHT
• TOMORROW MORNING becomes THE FOLLOWING MORNING
• YESTERDAY AFTERNOON becomes THE PREVIOUS AFTERNOON
• NEXT WEEK/MONTH/YEAR becomes THE FOLLOWING WEEK/MONTH/YEAR
• LAST WEEK/MONTH/YEAR becomes THE PREVIOUS WEEK/MONTH/YEAR
• A WEEK/MONTH/YEAR

The Ring's History and Curse

1. The deacons deposited the ring in the glass case of a fashionable jeweler.
2. The Earl of Essex was imprisoned in the Tower of London.
3. The red glow of the diamond symbolizes the presence of the evil spirit within the ring.
4. The Countess of Shrewsbury came to visit the Earl, pretending to be his friend, but actually wanting to get revenge on him for some past slight.
5. The ring was stolen from the Earl's tomb by Cromwell's soldiers when they desecrated the church and robbed the vaults many years after his death.
6. After crossing the Atlantic, the ring ended up being thrown into the contribution box of a church in New England.
7. The ring brought sorrow, deceit, and misfortune to all who possessed it due to the evil spirit dwelling

Idioms with "Come"

Comes easily – not be difficult

Comes across – seems

Came off – happen successfully

Came across – find by chance

Coming down with – start feeling ill

Come along – arrive

Come under – experiencing something bad

Come up – a problem arises

Came up – an opportunity becomes available

Come to mind - occurred to me

Came first – win/be the most important

Comes across – seems

When it comes – on the subject of

How come? - why?

Idioms with "Take"

Take care of – look after

Taken to – started to like

Take them on board – accept them

Take time out – stop and rest

Taken on – agreed to

Take it from me – believe me

Take your time - don’t rush

Take note of – pay attention

Take things personally – be offended

Take your mind

Life in Sagunto: A Personal Story

Hi, my name is Laura, and I'm from Spain. I'm a nanny. I'm single and I don't have children. I live in Sagunto. It's a big town, about 30 kilometers from Valencia. It's a nice town. There are a lot of parks, and there is a good cinema. In my free time, I like to go to the beach or go to the cinema. I like to play football with my dog. What are you going to do this summer? Do you have any plans? We're going to go on holiday to Galicia. It's very beautiful there. Write to me and tell me about your life. Best wishes, Laura.

A Typical Sunday

Last Sunday, I got up at 9 o'clock in the morning. I had a cup of milk and watched TV. Then, I made breakfast. I had cereals. I never have a big breakfast on Sunday. In the afternoon,...

Understanding Comparisons and Figures of Speech

In comparison, there are two terms: the compared element (which can be a noun, adjective, verb, etc.) and the comparison itself, including the nexus that binds them. Comparisons can express:

• Superiority: "The superior court is greater than the tent."
• Equality: "She is as sympathetic as her mother."
• Inferiority: "He is less ready than I am."
• Lexicalized Comparisons: These are common comparisons in language, such as "strong as an oak" or "tall as a steeple."

Figurative Language

Figurative language uses comparisons and other devices to create meaning beyond the literal. Some examples include:

• Metaphor: A substitution of an actual element for a figurative one, based on similarity.
• Euphemism: Replacing a word

Unit 7: Conditional Sentences

Exercise 1: Correct the Sentences

1. If it weren't so hot, we'd play outside.
2. If he didn't watch so much TV, he wouldn't be so tired.
3. Would you be surprised if you didn't pass that test?
4. I'd speak better English if I spent more time in England.
5. If my mum won, she wouldn't give up her job.
6. If you found a wallet with money in it, would you take it to the police?

Exercise 2: Complete the Sentences

1. If I didn't have any money, I'd borrow some from my dad.
2. If we didn't have so much homework, we would go to the cinema.
3. My parents wouldn't be happy if I lost my house key.
4. If you spent more money on clothes, you'd look much better.
5. He would help you if you asked him nicely.
6. You wouldn't feel so tired if you didn't go to bed so late.

Exercise