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

The 1980s: Culture, Trends, and Historical Context

The 1980s were a vibrant era, often remembered for its distinctive culture and significant global events. It was a time of unique fashion, groundbreaking music, and notable historical shifts.

Fashion and Lifestyle in the Eighties

People embraced a bold and colorful aesthetic. Fashion often featured very wide t-shirts, trousers, and skirts, alongside clothing in bright hues like red, blue, and pink. This period was characterized by a sense of fun and experimentation in personal style.

Music Icons and Genres

In the world of music, Hip Hop, Rap, and especially Rock were immensely popular. Michael Jackson stood out as the most popular singer of the decade, leaving an indelible mark on music history... Continue reading "1980s Culture & Essential English Grammar Review" »

Essential Vocabulary: Relationships & Emotions

• ask out: Invitar a salir
• over the hill: Ir cuesta abajo
• attach: Poner, colocar
• bend over backwards: Hacer lo imposible
• breath: Aliento
• breathe: Respirar
• breathless: Sin aliento
• forgive: Perdonar
• cheer up: Levantar el ánimo a
• come between: Interponerse entre
• commit: Comprometerse
• couple: Pareja
• deserve: Merecer
• drift apart: Distanciarse
• drive away: Asustar
• envious: Envidioso
• drop by: Pasar por
• fall out: Enfadarse
• fate: Destino
• go mad over: Perder la cabeza por
• get it over with: Quitarse algo de encima
• gossip: Chismorreo
• hang out: Pasar el rato (Nota: 'Colgar el teléfono' es 'hang up')
• head over heels: Locamente enamorado
• hear from: Tener noticias de
• hear out: Escuchar (hasta el final)
• help out: Ayudar
• hold a grudge:

English Connectors and Transition Words

1. Addition

• In addition to / Besides / Moreover / Furthermore / What's more = ademas de
• As well as = asi como
• Apart from = aparte de
• Except = excepto

2. Contrast

• In spite of / Despite = a pesar de
• Although / Even though = aunque / incluso aunque
• Even if = incluso si
• While / Whereas = mientras
• However / Nevertheless = sin embargo / de todas formas
• On the contrary = por el contrario
• On one hand / On the other hand = por un lado / por otro lado

3. Cause and Reason

• Because of / Due to / Owing to = debido a
• Thanks to = gracias a
• As a result of = como consecuencia de
• Because (Becuase) / Since / As / Seeing that = pq / puesto que, ya que

4. Result

• As a result / Consequently / As a consequence = por ello / como consecuencia
• Therefore

Reported Speech: Tense Transformations

Understanding how tenses change when converting direct speech to reported speech is crucial for accurate and effective communication. This document provides a clear breakdown of these transformations.

Essential English Vocabulary: Clothes and Accessories

• Cardigan: chaqueta fina
• Skirt: falda
• Boots: botas
• Coat: abrigo
• Suit: traje
• Flip-flops: chanclas
• Dress: vestido
• Sweater: jersey
• Sandals: sandalias
• Jacket: chaqueta
• Top: camiseta / top
• Shoes: zapatos
• Jeans: vaqueros
• Tracksuit: chándal
• Trainers: bambas / zapatillas
• Shirt: camisa
• Trousers: pantalones
• Belt: cinturón
• Shorts: pantalones cortos
• T-shirt: camiseta
• Cap: gorra
• Hat: gorro / sombrero
• Leggings: leggings
• Gloves: guantes
• Scarf: bufanda
• Socks: calcetines
• Tie: corbata
• Tights: medias
• Bracelet: pulsera
• Earrings: pendientes
• Necklace: collar
• Ring: anillo

Describing People and Actions

Physical Appearance

What do they look like? (Descripción física)

Example: She has curly, brown hair.

Clothing and Current Actions

What are they wearing?... Continue reading "English Vocabulary for Clothes and Basic Grammar" »

Essential English Irregular Verbs Reference

This comprehensive table provides the infinitive, past simple, and past participle forms for 60+ common irregular English verbs, along with their corresponding Spanish translations. Use this resource to improve your conjugation accuracy and vocabulary.

Irregular Verbs List (A-Z)

Was/Were Going To

Affirmative Sentences

To form the affirmative, use the correct form of 'to be' followed by 'going to' and a verb.

Subject + was/were + going to + verb + rest of the sentence.

Example: They were going to dance at a party.

Negative Sentences

To form the negative, negate the verb 'to be'.

Subject + wasn't/weren't + going to + verb + rest of the sentence.

Example: They weren't going to dance at a party.

Interrogative Sentences

To form a question, invert the verb 'to be' and the subject.

Was/were + subject + going to + verb + rest of the sentence?

Example: Were they going to dance at a party?

Hope and Wish

The word 'wish' is often used to talk about unreal situations.

Example: I wish I had more money. (I don't have much money)

'Hope' is used in... Continue reading "English Grammar Guide: Was/Were Going To, Hope/Wish, Adjectives, and Relative Clauses" »

Minutes: Page 35

Visitor Management

BG opened the meeting by reminding attendees that visitor numbers are strictly monitored. She stated that the number of ship passengers, the duration of their stay, and sites visited are recorded meticulously. She also pointed out that each ship receives a compulsory site schedule from the park, and visitors are not allowed free access to sensitive sites.

Sustainable Tourism Concerns

LC acknowledged that this scheme had been beneficial but felt that there should be an annual limit to the number of tourists. He warned that the present situation was unsustainable and urged the meeting to take action to protect the islands from further degradation. JB confirmed that this was indeed the case and was worried about... Continue reading "Sustainable Tourism and Visitor Management in the Galapagos Islands" »

Direct Speech Fundamentals

Direct speech involves quoting the exact words spoken, enclosed in quotation marks.

• Dr. Ames wrote, “Negative emotions are harmful and cause illness.”
• He continued, “But Cousins hasn’t proved anything.”
• Cousins said, “Laughter cured me.”
• We wrote, “He isn’t practicing laughter yoga.”
• She claimed, “We were telling the truth.”
• Doctors admitted, “We’ve learned from Cousins’s article.”
• He told her, “I’ll check to see how you’re feeling later.”
• Pam told us, “I can’t understand what happened.”
• He told me, “You have to see this funny movie.”
• The nurse told the little girl, “You must rest.”

Indirect Speech Transformation

Indirect speech (or reported speech) conveys what was said without... Continue reading "Mastering Reported Speech and English Humor Vocabulary" »

English Grammar: Verb Tenses

Present Simple: Habits and Routines

• Used to express habitual actions or permanent situations.
• Verb + -s (for third person singular).

Present Continuous: Ongoing or Temporary Actions

• Indicates actions happening at the moment of speaking.
• To be + verb + -ing.

Past Simple: Completed Past Actions

• Verb + -ed or irregular verb (V2).
• Used with did...? and didn't.
• Describes finished actions.
• Common time expressions: last..., a month ago, yesterday, when, once, in 2011.
• Example: She died in 1916.

Past Continuous: Actions in Progress in the Past

• Describes actions in progress at a specific time in the past.
• Was/Were + verb + -ing.
• Indicates unfinished actions.
• Common time expressions: while, as, yesterday at 9 AM.
• Example: The phone rang when