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

Puerto Rico: Island Highlights

(Exercise Note: b a d a)

• Old San Juan: A historic district located at the "northwest triangle" of the islet of San Juan.
• El Yunque National Forest: A tropical rainforest in northeastern Puerto Rico.
• Coquí: The common name for several species of small frogs native to Puerto Rico.

Spanish Food and Meals

(Exercise Note: b d c a)

Common Meal Combinations

• Comen cereales con leche y huevo con pan. (They eat cereal with milk and eggs with bread.)
• Comen sándwiches de jamón y queso con fruta. (They eat ham and cheese sandwiches with fruit.)
• Comen pizza y hamburguesas. (They eat pizza and hamburgers.)

Essential Spanish Vocabulary

Question Words

• ¿Dónde? (Where?)
• ¿Qué? (What?)
• ¿Cómo? (How?)
• ¿Por qué? (Why?)

Common Verbs

• Beber (to

Environment and Conservation

• Destroy: Destruir
• Dump: Tirar algo
• Poison: Veneno
• Pollute: Contaminar
• Preserve: Conservar
• Protect: Proteger
• Recycle: Reciclar
• Reduce: Reducir
• Reuse: Reusar
• Save: Salvar
• Throw away: Tirar

Characteristics and Features

• Automatic: Automatismo
• Convenient: Conveniente
• Efficient: Eficiente
• Fixed: Fijo
• Heavy: Pesado
• High-quality: Alta calidad
• Impractical: No práctico
• Inconvenient: Inconveniente
• Inefficient: Ineficiente
• Light: Ligero
• Low-quality: Baja calidad
• Manual: Manual
• Portable: Portátil
• Practical: Práctico
• Reliable: Fiable
• Time-consuming: Consumir tiempo
• Time-saving: Ahorrar tiempo
• Unreliable: No es fiable
• Useful: Útil
• Useless: Inservible

Accessories and Jewelry

• Accessory: Accesorio
• Belt: Cinturón
• Earring: Pendiente
• Handbag: Bolso
• Necklace: Collar
• Ring:

English Grammar Essentials

Verb Tenses

• Present Simple: He, she, it + s. (e.g., "I don't play...", "Do you play...?")
• Present Continuous: I am playing / You aren't playing / Is he playing?
• Past Simple: Uses "didn't" and -ed or 2nd column irregular verbs.
• Past Continuous: I was eating / We weren't eating.
• Present Perfect: I have/has + 3rd column or -ed. (e.g., "She has walked", "Have you walked?")
• Future Forms: "Will" (will/won't) and "Going to" (e.g., "I'm going to eat", "She is going to eat", "Am I going to eat?")

Adverbs and Quantifiers

• Yet: Used for "todavía" or "ya", always at the end of the sentence.
• Already: Used for "ya" (always in affirmative sentences).
• Ever: Used for "alguna vez".
• How much / Much: Used for uncountable nouns.
• How many / Many: Used

Career Vocabulary

• apply for a job -> aplicar a un trabajo / solicitar un trabajo
• claim benefits -> reclamar beneficios
• do a course -> hacer un curso
• do a degree -> obtener un título universitario
• do an assignment -> hacer una tarea / hacer un encargo
• do business -> hacer negocios
• do your homework -> hacer los deberes
• drop out (of university) -> abandonar la universidad
• get a job -> conseguir un trabajo
• get fired -> ser despedido
• get good/bad grades -> obtener buenas/malas calificaciones
• get paid -> recibir el pago / ser pagado
• get promoted -> ser ascendido
• graduate from university -> graduarse de la universidad
• leave school -> dejar la escuela
• pass an exam -> pasar un examen
• pass with flying colours -> aprobar

Past Simple:

Cuando ha terminado la acción en el pasado.
Con -ed los regulares. (No pondrá con how long)
Regulares:
+ I stayed with friends.
- I didn't stay in a hotel.
? Did you stay for the weekend?
Yes, I did. - No, I didn't.

Present Perfect:

I have finished my homework. Have/has + verbo -ed
She has cleaned the kitchen. Have/has + verbo en irregular ej: has done
He hasn't done the washing up.
Has she turned off her phone? No, she hasn't.
Es la experiencia. Algo que paso en el pasado y sigue aún (no ha terminado). No importa cuando ocurrió. ''How long...''

Present Perfect + for or since:

Casi siempre adverbio de tiempo.
-For: periodo de tiempo (2 weeks, 10 years, a long time...)
ej: I have had this car for three months.
-Since: Comienza un periodo... Continue reading "English Grammar Review" »

Using 'Wish' in English

• Present Wishes: Use 'wish' + Past Simple to talk about present situations you'd like to be different.
• Using 'Could' with 'Wish': Use 'wish' + 'could' to express desire for a different ability or possibility in the present.
• Past Regrets: Use 'wish' + Past Perfect (had + participle) to talk about things you regret from the past.
• Complaints/Annoyance (Present): Use 'wish' / 'if only' + subject + 'would' + infinitive (not 'I' or 'we') to complain about a present situation or someone's behaviour.
• Future Wishes: Use 'wish' / 'if only' + subject + 'would' + infinitive (often about changing someone's behavior or a future event).
• Expressing Regret: Use 'regret' + -ing form for past actions you wish you hadn't done.

It's Time & Would

Introduction: Some people claim that young people should obtain their driving license as soon as possible. In my country, the minimum age to drive is 18. Getting a driving license when turning 20 presents both advantages and disadvantages.

Arguments in Favor of Driving at 20

Let me start by saying that one significant advantage is the increased independence. On the one hand, being able to drive allows young adults to commute to university or work without depending on their parents for transportation. Furthermore, at age 20, individuals are generally more mature and better equipped to handle the responsibility associated with owning and operating a car.

Arguments Against Driving at 20

On the other hand, there are considerable disadvantages. For... Continue reading "Driving Age 20: Pros and Cons of Early Licensing" »

Honesty, Deception & Beliefs

• Be economical: ser económico
• Bluntly: francamente
• Deny: negar
• Fake: falso
• Fall for sth: caer en (algo, un engaño)
• Gossip: chismes / cotillear
• Hoax: engaño / bulo
• Make up: maquillarse / inventar
• Own up: confesar
• Pigs might fly: Cuando las ranas críen pelo / Ni de coña (expresión idiomática de imposibilidad)
• Pretend: fingir
• Tell tales: contar cuentos / chismorrear
• Two-time: engañar (a la pareja)
• White lie: mentira piadosa
• Back up: reforzar / apoyar / hacer copia de seguridad
• Cover up: ocultar / encubrir
• Point out: señalar / indicar
• Tamper with: manipular / alterar
• Agnostic: agnóstico
• Atheist: ateo
• Be convinced: estar convencido
• Believe in: creer en
• Condemn: condenar
• Condone: condonar / aprobar / pasar por alto (algo malo)
• Disapprove:

English Vocabulary Essentials

Crime and Justice Vocabulary

• arrest: arresto
• break the law: romper la ley
• commit a crime: cometer un crimen
• get away with (something): salirse con la suya
• get carried away: dejarse llevar
• give a sentence: dictar una sentencia
• go to court: ir al juzgado
• go to prison: ir a prisión
• pay a fine: pagar una multa
• punish: castigar
• spend time in prison: pasar tiempo en prisión
• treat fairly: tratar justamente

Key Nouns in Crime and Justice

• criminal: criminal
• judge: juez
• offender: delincuente
• victim: víctima
• witness: testigo

Noun Suffixes

Learn how to form nouns from verbs and other words:

• Assist → assistance
• Contaminate → contamination
• Discover → discovery
• Disturb → disturbance
• Enquire → enquiry
• Establish → establishment
• Examine →

Essential Phrases for Essays

Argumento (Argument)

1st Paragraph:

• In the first place = En primer lugar
• First of all = Antes que nada
• To start with = Para empezar
• At first sight = A primera vista

2nd Paragraph:

• Secondly = En Segundo lugar
• In the second place = En segundo lugar

3rd Paragraph:

• Finally = Por ultimo
• Lastly = Por ultimo
• In conclusion = Para concluir

Opinión (Opinion)

• In my opinion = En mi opinión
• In my point of view = En mi opinión
• From my point of view = Desde mi punto de vista
• Personally = Personalmente
• As far as I'm concerned = Por lo que a mí respecta

Contraste (Contrast)

• However = Sin embargo
• Nevertheless = No obstante
• On the one hand...on the other hand = Por una parte…otra parte
• Although = Aunque
• In spite of = A pesar de

Expresar Hechos (Expressing