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

Verb To Be: Present Simple

The verb "to be" is fundamental in English. Here's its present simple form:

Adverbs of Frequency

These words describe how often something happens:

• 0%: Never
• 20%: Rarely
• 50%: Sometimes
• 70%: Often
• 90%: Usually
• 100%: Always

Family Members

Here are some common family words in English and Spanish:

• Aunt - Tía
• Brother - Hermano
• Children - Niño (Note: "Children" is plural. The singular is "Child")
• Cousin - Primo/a
• Daughter - Hija
• Father

Relative Clauses

Defining vs. Non-Defining

• **Defining relative clauses** (no commas): Provide essential information to identify the noun.
• **Non-defining relative clauses** (commas): Add extra, non-essential information.

Types of Relative Clauses

• People: *who* and *that*
• Things: *which* and *that*
• Places: *where*
• Times: *when*
• Possession: *whose*

Formal vs. Informal Structure

• **Formal:** The preposition precedes the relative pronoun, and *whom* is used instead of *who*.
• **Informal:** The preposition follows the verb.

Connectors

• **Addition:** *also*, *in addition*, *as well as*, *besides*
• **Contrast:** *but*, *however*, *although*, *while*, *even though*
• **Others:** *in conclusion*, *it is important to*, *in my opinion*

Verb Tenses and Forms

• **Stative verbs**

Vocabulary

• Accent - acento
• Citizenship - nacionalidad
• Demand - exigir, requerir
• Law - ley
• Citizens - ciudadano
• Force - obligar
• Government - gobierno
• Proposal - propuesta
• Prove - demostrar
• Typical - típico
• Trendy - de moda
• Quiet - tranquilo
• Noisy - ruidoso
• Appearance - aspecto físico
• Painful - doloroso
• Hardship - problema
• Aware - consciente
• Light-skinned - piel clara
• Tease - burlarse
• Lucky break - suerte
• Pretty curly - bonito rizado
• Good looking - guapo

Text Analysis

Redefining British Culture

True or False:

1. True (lines 1-2)
2. False (lines 5-6)
3. True (lines 8, 9, 10)
4. False (lines 11)
5. False (lines 14)

Inner Beauty: Can We Really See It?

1. People sometimes judge others based on their physical appearance.
2. 1. b
   2. a
3. 1. She experienced being judged.
   2. Because of how she looked.
   3. He is able to see

Essential Business & Marketing Terms (English-Spanish)

• Advertising Hype: despliegue publicitario
• Awareness: conciencia
• Challenger: competidor
• Endorsement: persona conocida (que apoya un producto)
• Launch: lanzamiento
• Leader: líder
• Placement: productos usados en películas (emplazamiento)
• Raise: elevar
• Range: gama
• Reliable: de confianza
• Segment: sector
• Share: cuota de mercado
• Stretching: extensión (de marca)
• Timeless: atemporal
• Upmarket: de lujo

Key Phrasal Verbs for Business Communication

• Be taken aback: sorprenderse
• Take off: crecer rápidamente
• Take on: emplear, asumir
• Take out: disponer, sacar
• Take over: tomar el control

Powerful Business Idioms & Their Meanings

• A level playing field: competencia leal
• A major player: persona importante, actor principal
• Ahead

Environmental Vocabulary

Smoke

Humo

Landfill

Vertedero

Toxic Waste

Residuos Tóxicos

Litter

Basura

Oil Spill

Chapapote

Exhaust Fumes

Tubos de Escape

Land Pollution

Tierra Contaminada

Pollutants

Contaminantes

Rubbish

Basura

Chemicals

Productos Químicos

Ecological Disaster

Desastre Ecológico

Deforestation

Deforestación

Damage

Dañar

Care About

Preocuparse

Harm

Dañar / Perjudicar

English Future Tenses

Future Simple

Affirmative

Subject + will + base form of the verb

Negative

Subject + will not / won't + base form of the verb

Interrogative

Will + subject + base form of the verb?

Uses

• To make predictions or announce future facts.
• To talk about a scheduled event.
• To express a sudden decision, something decided while speaking.

Be Going To

Affirmative

Subject + to be + going to + base form... Continue reading "Barcelona's Urban Dynamics: Language and Environmental Insights" »

Future Tenses in English Grammar

Understanding how to express future actions and predictions is crucial in English. Here's a breakdown of key future forms:

Future Continuous (Will be + -ing)

• Usage: Actions in progress at a specific time, duration, or interval in the future.
• Keywords: this time tomorrow, at 5 PM, for two hours, then.

Future Perfect (Will have + Past Participle)

• Usage: Actions completed before a specific moment in the future.
• Keywords: by this time, by then, by tomorrow, future adverb + perfect adverb.

Predictions and Certainty

Expressing predictions often involves specific verbs and adverbs:

• Verbs: think, believe, suppose, hope, know.
• Adverbs/Phrases: I'm sure, perhaps, probably, definitely.

Understanding English Modal Verbs

Modal verbs... Continue reading "English Grammar Essentials: Tenses, Modals, and Passive Voice" »

Mastering English: Time, Word Building, and Connectors

Time Vocabulary and Expressions

Verbs related to time:

• Give: dar
• Have: tener
• Kill: matar
• Make up for: compensar
• Run out of: quedarse sin
• Save: guardar
• Spare: sobrante
• Take: tomar
• Take up: absorber
• Waste: perder

Prepositions of Time:

• At: en
• Before: antes
• By: por
• For: para
• From: desde
• In: dentro de
• Off: apagado
• On: sobre
• To: a

Common Time Expressions:

• With time to spare: con tiempo de sobra
• The whole time: todo el tiempo
• Time's up: se acabó el tiempo
• Short of time: poco tiempo
• I've got time on my hands: tengo el tiempo en mis manos
• For the time being: siendo por el momento
• A question of time: una cuestión de tiempo
• A long time ago: hace mucho tiempo
• There isn't much time left: no queda mucho tiempo
• The time next week:

Introduction: hacer introducción general del tema, Ej: Some people claim/believe/say (algunas personas afirman/creen/dicen), It is sometimes said (a veces se dice) Arguments in favor: damos argumentos de lo que apoyemos (poner unos cuantos) Ej: Let me start by saying (déjame empezar diciendo), On the one hand (por un lado). Arguments against: si no es lo que defiendes poner pocos Ej: On the other hand...(por otra parte), Secondly (en segundo lugar) Conclusion: poner tu opinión Ej: In conclusión (en conclusion).EXPRESSIONS: However (sin embargo), still (todavia) though (aunque), that (que) while (mientras que) In fact (de hecho) actually (actualmente) owing to (debido a) bebidas (además). INTRODUCCIÓN: Las personas suelen estar acostumbradas

The Sophists: Masters of Rhetoric and Philosophy in Antiquity

The Sophists in Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire

The Sophists were a specific type of teacher in both Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. Many Sophists specialized in using the tools of philosophy and rhetoric, although other Sophists taught subjects such as music, athletics, and mathematics. In general, they claimed to teach areté ("excellence" or "virtue"), predominantly to young statesmen and nobility.

The early Sophists' practice of charging money for education and providing wisdom only to those who could pay led to condemnations, notably by Socrates. Despite these criticisms, many Sophists flourished in later periods, especially during the era of Roman history known as the... Continue reading "Sophists: Teachers of Ancient Greece and Rome" »