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

Mastering English Vocabulary and Essay Writing

Essential Irregular Verbs for English Learners

• Become: Llegar a ser (become/became/become)
• Mean: Querer decir (mean/meant/meant)
• Begin: Empezar (begin/began/begun)
• Break: Romper (break/broke/broken)
• Bring: Traer (bring/brought/brought)
• Burst: Reventar/Estallar (burst/burst/burst)
• Choose: Elegir (choose/chose/chosen)
• Forget: Olvidar (forget/forgot/forgotten)
• Learn: Aprender (learn/learnt/learnt)
• Let: Permitir (let/let/let)
• Lose: Perder (lose/lost/lost)
• Ring: Llamar (ring/rang/rung)
• Say: Decir (say/said/said)
• Show: Mostrar (show/showed/shown)
• Shut: Cerrar (shut/shut/shut)
• Take: Coger (take/took/taken)
• Teach: Enseñar (teach/taught/taught)
• Encourage: Animar (regular verb)

Common English Connectors and Transition Words

• First

Personality Adjectives (English and Spanish)

• Ambitious (ambicioso)
• Bossy (mandón)
• Communicative (comunicativo)
• Considerate (considerado)
• Faithful (fiel)
• Honest (honesto)
• Imaginative (imaginativo)
• Jealous (celoso)
• Logical (lógico)
• Mature (maduro)
• Organized (organizado)
• Patient (paciente)
• Possessive (posesivo)
• Reasonable (razonable)
• Responsible (responsable)
• Selfish (egoísta)
• Sensitive (sensible)
• Sociable (sociable)
• Tidy (ordenado)
• Vain (vano)

Extreme Adjectives (Standard vs. Intense)

Adjectives

English Grammar Essentials

Modal Verbs and Semi-Modals

• Semi-Modals:
  • Have to (tener que): Expresses obligation.
  • Be able to (ser capaz de): Expresses ability.
• Modal Verbs:
  • Ability: Can / Could (podría, pude) / Will be able to (será capaz de).
  • Advice: Should (debería), Ought to (debería).
    • Present and Future: Should / Ought to.
    • Past (3rd form): Should have + past participle (deberías haber...).
  • Possibility:
    • Present: May (puede que...).
    • Future: Might (podría).
    • Past (3rd form): Might have + past participle (podría haber...).
  • Obligation:
    • Present and Future: Must (debes).
    • Present and Future: Have to (tienes que).

Verbs Followed by TO + Infinitive

Used after verbs expressing:

• Mental Actions: plan, forget, manage, agree, learn, promise, prepare, need, hope, decide,

Reported Speech

Conditionals

Passive Voice

English Verb Tenses: Structure & Usage

Present Simple

• Affirmative: Subject + main verb (base form).
• Negative: Subject + auxiliary verb "to do" + not + main verb (base form).
• Interrogative: Auxiliary verb "To do" + subject + main verb (base form)?

Present Continuous

• Affirmative: Subject + auxiliary verb "to be" + main verb (-ing form).
• Negative: Subject + auxiliary verb "to be" + not + main verb (-ing form).
• Interrogative: Auxiliary verb "To be" + subject + main verb (-ing form)?

Past Simple

• Affirmative: Subject + main verb (-ed or irregular past form).
• Negative: Subject + wasn't/weren't (for verb "to be") OR Subject + auxiliary verb "did" + not + main verb (base form).
• Interrogative: Auxiliary verb "Was" / "Were" + subject? (for verb "to be") OR Auxiliary

Parson's Pleasure

The story that I enjoyed most was 'Parson's Pleasure' because the story is about an antique dealer. I like the world of antiques, old cars and houses, and old things. It is also funny because the man, to avoid suspicion, parks his car out of sight and dresses as a parson. I also like the method that the man uses to persuade the owners. On one occasion, Boggis finds a particularly valuable commode at a farm. The farmer, Rummins, although initially suspicious, thinks that it is a good price for a worthless piece of furniture. Finally, the farmer is persuaded by Boggis, thinking that Boggis will only use it as firewood.

The Open Window

Framton Nuttel, a young man greatly concerned with his health, reluctantly accepts his doctor'... Continue reading "Roald Dahl's Parson's Pleasure: Summary & Analysis" »

English Verb Tenses: Forms and Usage

This section provides a concise reference for forming common English verb tenses, including positive, negative, and interrogative structures.

Present Simple

• Positive: Base verb (add -s for third person singular)
• Negative: don't / doesn't + base verb
• Interrogative: Do / Does + subject + base verb?

Present Continuous

• Positive: am / is / are + verb-ing
• Negative: am not / isn't / aren't + verb-ing
• Interrogative: Am / Is / Are + subject + verb-ing?

Past Simple

• Positive: Verb-ed (regular verbs) / 2nd column (irregular verbs)
• Negative: didn't + base verb
• Interrogative: Did + subject + base verb?

Past Continuous

• Positive: was / were + verb-ing
• Negative: wasn't / weren't + verb-ing
• Interrogative: Was / Were + subject + verb-ing?

Present

Common English Irregular Verbs

Indirect Questions (IF without Interrogation)

Direct: How many offices does your company have?

Indirect: Can you tell me how many offices your company has?

Direct: Who is the marketing manager?

Indirect: I'd like to know who the marketing manager is.

Direct: Where did you buy your laptop?

Indirect: Can you tell me where you bought your laptop?

Direct: Is there a conference room in the building?

Indirect: Can you tell me if there is a conference room in the building?

Direct: Does Peter come to his office in the afternoons?

Indirect: I'd like to know if Peter comes to his office in the afternoons.

Direct: Have you studied English before?

Indirect: Can you tell me if you have studied English before?

Direct: Why didn't John call me last night?

Indirect: Can... Continue reading "Mastering Indirect Questions, Time Expressions, and Passive Voice" »

Love Story: English Summary

The story is about a couple, Jennifer Cavilleri and Oliver Barrett. They meet at university and fall in love. Their romance continues, and they meet their parents. Oliver’s parents are rich, and Jennifer’s father is poor, but Oliver doesn’t mind. The couple wants to marry, but Oliver’s father doesn’t accept it, and they fight. Finally, they get married.

Three years later, they live together in a humble flat because Oliver’s father doesn’t give them money as before. They work hard; she is a teacher, and he is a lawyer. Then, they move to New York. They want to have children, but they can’t because Jenny is very sick. Finally, she dies when she is 24. Oliver is very sad and sees his father in the hospital.... Continue reading "Love Story: Plot Summary and Reader Review" »