Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and exercises for English for University

The Evolving Music Business Landscape

Many people have assumed that the music business today is something completely new. Two decades ago, there was no YouTube, Facebook, eBay, or iTunes Store. A decade from now, the industry will be very different than it is today, and everyone who is looking for a career in music needs to learn to adapt and embrace the trends shaping the future of the music business.

Technology's Impact on the Music Industry

Has Technology Fundamentally Altered the Music Industry?

The question we must answer: Has the music industry been fundamentally altered by the impact of technology and social media?

Shifting Listening Habits and Industry Focus

Music has changed in many ways throughout the years. Listening to music ten years...

English Language Practice: Core Skills Development

1. Understanding Quantifiers: Everyone, Everybody, Nobody, No One

• a) Football Fan Preferences

  Question: So you and your brother like to watch football, right?

  Answer: Yeah, actually no one in my family is a football fan.

• b) Country Music Tastes

  Question: Do you and your friend like country music?

  Answer: Not really. Nobody in my class listens to country.

• c) Connie's Dancing Ability

  Question: Connie's a wonderful dancer.

  Answer: That's true. No one can dance like she does.

• d) Summer Swimming Enjoyment

  Question: I love to swim in the summer.

  Answer: Yeah, me too. Almost everybody enjoys swimming in hot weather.

2. Completing Conversations with Correct Verb Forms

• a) Musical Instruments & Singing

  Question:

Essential English Vocabulary for Advanced Learners

• Diagnosis, Circulation, Burglar, Demolition, Spotless, Congested, Affluent, Attempt, Live, Buzz, Voice, Trap, Housing, Urban, Rough, Good deed, Full, Small.
• Standards, Officer, Appalling, Thrilled, Inflation, Condition, Rep (Representative/Reputation), Scheme, Abolish, Abolition, Fraudulent, Heavy, Stereotype, Bemused, Steep, Assume, Commerce, Soak, Increase, Struck, Work, Get, Rip, Tackle.
• Close-knit, Heavy, Long, Quick, Verbal, Diverse, Central, False, Running elite, Safety pin, Power drill, Latest craze, Corruption, Punishment, Evasion, Happen, Commit, Protect, Attempt, Carry, Rant, Cynic, Incompetent, Amicable, Annul, Trashed, Instigate, Chronic, Shoulder, Award, File, Throw, Drift, Pay, Has,

Crafting Supporting Details for Paragraphs

Once you have written and are happy with your topic sentence, you can start to fill in the rest of your paragraph. This is where the detailed, well-structured notes you wrote earlier will come in handy. Make sure that your paragraph is coherent, which means that it is easy to read and understand, that each sentence connects with the next, and that everything flows nicely as a whole. To achieve this, try to write clear, simple sentences that express exactly what you want to say.

Using Transition Words Effectively

• Link each sentence with transition words which form a bridge between one sentence and the next. Transition words can help you compare and contrast, show sequence, show cause and effect, highlight

The Emperor's New Clothes: A Tale of Vanity

The Weavers' Deception

An emperor was so fond of new clothes that he spent all his time in his wardrobe. One day, two weavers arrived, claiming they could manufacture very special clothes. The unique property of this fabric was that it was invisible to anyone who was unfit for their job. The emperor ordered the clothes immediately, as he wanted to find out who in his kingdom was unfit for their position. However, the weavers simply took the gold thread and silk given to them and put it all in their knapsacks while pretending to work at their empty looms. They were given the title of "Gentlemen Weavers."

The Royal Inspection

First, the king sent his faithful old minister to see the clothes. The minister...

Key English Question Words and Sentence Structures

Who - Quién
How - Cómo
How long? - Cuánto tiempo
How old? - Qué edad
Whose - De quién
When - Cuándo
Whom? - A quién

Relative Clauses

Who, Which, Whose, Where, Whom

Conditionals

0 - If + Present Simple, Present Simple
1 - If + Present Simple, Future Simple (will/won't + infinitive)
2 - If + Past Simple, Conditional Simple (would + infinitive)
3 - If + Past Perfect (had + past participle), Conditional Perfect (would have + past participle)

Discussing Advantages and Disadvantages

In this essay, I am going to talk about… because I believe it is one of the most important problems in our modern society, and we must try to face it.

The spectacle of reality, it is fair to comment on the most

Blow away

Impress somebody a lot.

Break down

Stop working because something has broken.

Build up

Create or develop something.

Call off

Cancel something.

Carry on

Continue doing something.

Catch up

Meet up or find out the latest news.

Catch up with

Reach somebody who is ahead.

Check in

Go to a desk at an airport or hotel to say you have arrived.

Check out

Visit somewhere or find out more information about it.

Chill out

Spend time relaxing.

Come across

Find something by chance.

Come up with

Think of or suggest an idea or a plan.

Count on

Be confident you can depend on someone or something.

Cut down on

Reduce the size, amount, or number of something.

Deal with

Solve a problem or do something necessary.

Dress up

Put on special clothes.

End up

Be in a situation or place you did

Verb Tenses

Present Continuous vs. Present Simple

1. I'm angry with William. I am not talking / don't talk to him.

2. Listen! My sister is singing / sings in the shower.

3. This cheese tastes / is tasting strange.

4. Are you thinking / Do you think Ann is pretty?

5. Laura is walking / walks to school every day.

Past Simple vs. Past Continuous

1. The sun SETS (set) in the west.

2. Please don't disturb me. I AM STUDYING (study).

3. I still DON’T KNOW (not know) the answer.

4. DO YOU ALWAYS GO (you / always /go) to the cinema on Friday nights?

5. We HAVE (have) a picnic next Sunday.

Present Simple vs. Present Continuous

6. How much DOES THIS PARCEL WEIGH (this parcel / weigh)?

7. Ms Rivers is busy at the moment. She IS TEACHING (teach).

8. Now I REMEMBER (remember)...

A.K. Ramanujan (1923–1993)

Born in Mysore, India, A.K. Ramanujan grew up immersed in the diverse languages that later informed his life’s work as a poet, translator, and linguist. He spoke Kannada in the streets, Tamil with his mother, and English with his father. He was educated at Mysore University and Deccan College; he later traveled to Indiana University for graduate studies and taught at the University of Chicago starting in 1961. He was a recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship, and in 1976, the Indian government honored him with the Padma Shri for distinguished service to the nation.

Poetic Philosophy and Influence

Ramanujan affirmed that “cultural traditions in India are indissolubly plural and often conflicting.” His poetry embodies...

Comprehensive List of English Irregular Verbs

Mastering English grammar requires a solid understanding of irregular verbs. Use this reference table to improve your conjugation skills.