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

English Connectors and Transition Words

Addition and Contrast

• And: Y
• In addition (to): Además (de)
• Furthermore(,): Además (,)
• Moreover: Además (,); lo que es más…
• What’s more: Además (,); lo que es más…
• Besides: Además
• Also: También (tras Sujeto)
• Too: También (final de frase)
• As well as…: Así como…
• But: Pero
• However: Sin embargo
• Nevertheless, : Sin embargo
• Yet: Sin embargo
• Still: Aún así
• Although: Aunque
• Even though: Aunque
• Even if: Incluso si…
• In spite of: A pesar de
• Despite: A pesar de

Comparison and Contrast

• On the one hand: Por un(a) lado/parte
• On the other hand: Por otro(a) lado/parte
• In contrast: Por el contrario…
• It can also be argued that…: También se puede decir que…
• While…: Mientras que…

Cause and Effect

• Because: Porque
• Because

Connectors of Addition

• And: y
• Secondly: En segundo lugar
• Then / Next: Después / Luego
• Also / Too: También
• As well as: Además de
• Moreover / Furthermore: Además / Es más
• In fact / As a matter of fact: De hecho
• Actually: En realidad / De hecho
• Anyway: En cualquier caso / De todas formas
• Besides: Además / Aparte
• By the way: A propósito / Por cierto
• In other words: En otras palabras
• That is to say: O sea / Es decir
• In addition: Además
• Such as: Como / Por ejemplo
• Like: Como / Por ejemplo
• Above all: Sobre todo
• Or rather: O / O mejor

Adversative Connectors

• But: Pero
• However: Sin embargo
• Nonetheless / Nevertheless: No obstante
• Yet / Even so: Sin embargo / Aun así
• Still: De todas maneras
• Instead: En lugar de
• Whereas / While: Mientras que
• On the contrary: Al contrario
• On

English Verb Tenses: Structure and Usage

Present Tenses Comparison

This section details the structure (Affirmative, Negative, Interrogative) and common time expressions for the main present tenses.

Present Simple

• Affirmative (A): Base form (e.g., play).
• Negative (N): don't play / doesn't play.
• Interrogative (I): Does he + Base Verb Form?
• Keywords: every day, on Sundays, always, often, never.

Present Continuous

• Affirmative (A): to be (am/is/are) + V-ing (e.g., are listening).
• Negative (N): aren't / isn't + V-ing.
• Interrogative (I): Are they + V-ing?
• Keywords: now, right now, at the moment.

Present Perfect Simple

• Structure: Use have or has + Past Participle (V3).
• Negative (N): haven't / hasn't + V3.
• Verb Forms:
  • If the verb is regular, use the -ed form.
  • If the

English Verb Tenses: Usage & Keywords

Present Simple Tense

• Usage: Routines, habits, facts.
• Example: Juego (I play)

Present Continuous Tense

• Usage: Actions happening now, at the moment, this week, currently.
• Keywords: Now, at the moment, this week, currently, next month (for future arrangements).
• Note: Stative verbs (e.g., verbs of liking, feeling, knowing) are generally not used in continuous tenses.
• Example: Estoy jugando (I am playing)

Present Perfect Tense

• Usage: Actions completed at an unspecified time, or actions that started in the past and continue to the present. Often specifies duration.
• Keywords: Yet, already, just, since, ever, always, never, once, twice, times.
• Note: Since is often used with verbs of feeling to indicate duration.
• Example:

Unit 4: Purpose and Action Phrases

• Claro sentido de la finalidad: A clear sense of purpose
• Ser aconsejable: Be to your advantage to
• Ser inútil para: Be useless at
• Resultar útil: Come in useful
• Con una finalidad: For a purpose
• Hacer un buen uso de: Make good use of
• Propósito de vida: Purpose in life
• Ponerte en desventaja: Put you at a disadvantage
• Entender el porqué: See the point of
• No tener mucho sentido: Seem a bit pointless
• Sacar el máximo partido: Take full advantage of
• Llega un momento en la vida: There comes a point in life
• Cubrir las espaldas: Cover your back
• Hincar codos: Get your head down
• Tener estómago para: Have the stomach for
• Vigilar a: Keep an eye on
• Fustigarse: Kick yourself
• Abalanzarse: Leap in
• Echar una mano: Lend a hand
• Antes de correr

Essential English Vocabulary and Grammar

Phrasal Verbs and Idioms for Finance

Vocabulary related to money, spending, and saving:

• Take out (money) → Sacar/Extraer dinero
• Cost an arm and a leg → Cuesta un riñón (Muy caro)
• Snap up a bargain → Comprar un chollo (Una ganga muy buena)
• Spend a fortune on → Gastarse un dineral en
• Throw money down the drain → Desperdiciar dinero / Tirar el dinero
• Tighten your belt → Apretar el cinturón (Reducir gastos)
• Come to → Llegar a una conclusión / Suma total de una cantidad
• Chip in → Aportar / Contribuir con dinero
• Cut down on → Reducir / Reducir el consumo de algo
• Get by → Arreglárselas / Sobrevivir / Pasar
• Pay back → Reembolsar / Devolver dinero
• Rip off → Timar / Estafar / Robar
• Run out of →

Idiomatic Expressions

• Be fond of - tener cariño a
• Be in the doghouse - estar castigado
• Be over the moon - estar encantado
• Be sick of - estar harto de
• Be down in the dumps - estar depre
• Have something/nothing in common - tener algo/nada en común
• Me time - tiempo para mí
• Keep your cool - mantener la calma
• Lose your head - perder la cabeza
• Love at first sight - amor a primera vista
• Through thick and thin - en lo bueno y en lo malo
• (Feel) Under the weather - no encontrarse bien

Relationship Verbs

• Ask someone out - invitar a salir
• Be in a relationship - tener una relación con
• Break up with - romper con
• Flirt - tontear con alguien
• Get married to - casarse con
• Get on well with - llevarse bien con
• Get over - superar (e.g., con el tiempo la olvidó)
• Get to know - llegar

Past vs. Present: Using "There Was/Were"

Twelve years ago, there were several trees. There weren't stores in front of the clock. There were a lot of people around. There weren't uncomfortable wooden benches.

Let's compare the past and present using "There was" / "There wasn't":

• There was a cool view around the square.
• There wasn't any Play Queen Desserts store near the clock.
• There was a big amount of tea.

Rules for "There Was" / "There Were"

Positive Forms

• I/He/She/It: was
• You/We/They: were

Negative Forms

• I/He/She/It: wasn't (was not)
• You/We/They: weren't (were not)

Interrogative Forms

• Was (I/She/He/It)...?
• Were (You/We/They)...?

Short Answers

• Positive: Yes, I was. Yes, you were. Yes, he/she/it was. Yes, we were. Yes, they were.
• Negative: No, I wasn't. No,

Dominando Verbos Frasales Esenciales

Los verbos frasales son combinaciones de un verbo y una preposición o adverbio, que juntos adquieren un significado diferente al de sus palabras individuales. Aquí tienes una lista de verbos frasales comunes con su significado en español:

• Break up: Romper con alguien
• Fall out: Caerse (o discutir con alguien)
• Get on with: Llevarse bien con alguien
• Get over: Recuperarse de un bache o superar algo
• Get together: Reunirse
• Make up: Maquillarse (o reconciliarse)
• Stand up: Levantarse
• Take after: Parecerse (mentalmente o en personalidad)
• Dress up: Disfrazarse o vestirse elegantemente
• Pay for: Pagar por algo
• Put on: Ponerse (ropa, etc.)
• Take off: Quitarse (ropa, etc.)
• Try on: Probarse (ropa)
• Break into: Entrar a la fuerza
• Log

English Language Practice: Unit Exams with Solutions

Unit 1: Foundational English Concepts

I. Personal Information

1. A: What's your marital status?
   B: I’m single.
2. A: Hello, I'm Rosa.
   B: What's your name?
3. A: Nice to meet you.
   B: Nice to meet you, too.
4. My name is Catherine.
   Please call me Cathy.
5. A: What's your name?
   B: It’s Maria Contreras.

II. Greetings and Farewells

6. A: Hello, Carol.
   B: Hi, Robert. Good to see you.
7. A: Things are fine. And you?
   B: Pretty good.
8. A: Bye Carol, see you later.
   B: See you around.

III. The English Alphabet

9. A: Good morning, Miss Kate.
   B: Good morning, Mr. Smith. How are you today?
10. A: I’m very well, thank you.
    B: Quite all right, thank you.
11. VICTORIA (V-I-C-T-O-R-I-A)
12. SANTIAGO (S-A-N-T-I-A-G-O)
13. ADRIANA (A-D-R-I-A-N-A)
14. READ (R-E-A-D)