Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Teacher training

English Grammar: Conditionals

First Conditional

The first conditional expresses a possible future condition, describing situations or connections between events that are likely to happen. It is used to refer to possible results and actions.

Structure: If + present simple + will + infinitive (without to) / imperative

Example: If he invites me, I will go to the party.

Second Conditional

The second conditional expresses an unreal present or future condition, describing situations that are unlikely to happen. The verb in the past tense does not refer to the past, but rather to a condition that does not exist in reality.

Structure: If + past simple + would/could/might + infinitive (without to)

Example: If I had money, I would buy an ice cream.

Third Conditional

The...

Assessing Written Expression: Product and Process

Evaluating the Written Product

The evaluation of the written product is a standard technique for testing students. To ensure the assessment is valid and reliable, consider the following logical elements:

• Objectives: Define the specific skills to be assessed. Written expression involves a diverse range of cognitive, procedural, and attitudinal factors.
• Test and Text Type: Once objectives are set, select the appropriate exercise. Drafting a complete text remains the most valid and comprehensive technique for evaluating expression.
• Success Criteria and Scoring Scales: Before testing, design clear success criteria and a scoring scale. Success criteria define the linguistic or communicative aspects required

Food and Meals Vocabulary

Food Categories

• Dairy products: butter, cream, semi-skimmed milk
• Fruit: avocado, cherry, peach, plum
• Meat, fish, and seafood: cod, lamb, prawn, tuna, turkey
• Sweets and bakery products: muffin, pancake, pie
• Vegetables: sweetcorn, olive, carrot, lettuce, pea
• Others: oil, rice

Meals

• canteen
• dessert
• dish
• fast food
• main course
• packed lunch
• school meal
• starter
• vending machine
• snack

Describing Food

• baked
• boiled
• fattening
• fresh
• fried
• juicy
• salty
• spicy
• stale (rancio)
• tasty
• fresh
• processed
• raw
• fried
• frozen
• roast
• rotten (podrido)

Education and Study Vocabulary

Study Subjects

• architecture
• art
• biology
• business studies
• chemistry
• citizenship
• computing
• design and technology
• drama
• engineering
• English
• geography
• history
• law
• literature
• marketing
• maths
• music
• philosophy
• media studies
• medicine
• politics

English Grammar Reference Table

This table provides a clear comparison of essential English grammatical structures and their Spanish equivalents.

Unit 7A: Ups and Downs

• Doctorate: Doctorado
• Make a go of it: Tener éxito con algo
• Trial separation: Tiempo de separación (de pareja usualmente)
• Falling-out: Pelea
• Inherited: Heredado
• To come to terms with it: Asimilar/aceptar algo
• Make a clean break: Borrón y cuenta nueva
• Native: Nativo
• Relocated: Reubicado
• Golden anniversary: Bodas de oro
• Get-together: Junta
• Tie the knot: Dar el siguiente paso/casarse
• Flew the nest: Dejar el nido
• Arrived: Llegar/nacer
• Premature: Prematuro

Unit 7B: Talking About the News

• Causes outrage: Causa escándalo
• Causes controversy: Causa controversia
• Triggers violence: Desencadena violencia
• Riots: Revueltas
• Election: Elección
• Is widely welcomed: Es ampliamente bienvenido
• Creates excitement: Crea emoción
• Leads to resignations: Lleva a

Pros and Cons of Inflation

• Pros:
  • Higher resale value of assets: Beneficial for owners of tangible assets like real estate or metals (gold/silver).
  • Reduced value of debts: As currency purchasing power decreases, borrowers repay debts with money of lower real value.
  • Encourages spending: Optimal inflation levels incentivize consumers to spend and invest rather than hoard cash.
• Cons:
  • Loss of purchasing power: Rising prices erode consumer buying capacity.
  • Fall in savings: When inflation exceeds interest rates, the real value of savings shrinks.
  • Price disparity: Inflation does not affect all prices simultaneously, causing market imbalances.

Importance of Spain Joining the European Union

Before 1986, Spain was largely isolated with a low level of development....

Understanding English Clause Structures

Relative Clauses

• Adnominal Relative Clauses

  These clauses depend on and refer back to a noun. They can be restrictive (e.g., 'The house that I bought is small,' where 'that' functions as a direct object) or non-restrictive (e.g., 'John, who is my brother, is tall'). Their syntactic function is to modify the noun, acting as the antecedent.

• Nominal Relative Clauses

  These clauses have no explicit antecedent; the relative pronoun acts like a noun (e.g., 'What I bought was a house').

• Sentential Relative Clauses

  In these clauses, the antecedent is a whole clause, with the relative pronoun referring back to the entire preceding clause.

Complement Clauses

Complement clauses function as complements of larger constructions....

Essential Workplace Vocabulary

• The deadline is tomorrow, not a day later.
• The perks include a company car.
• He first started working here as a clerk.
• That’s nonsense; it’s just not true.
• She’s been promoted to a new position.
• I’m not a slave; I don’t work for free.
• This week I’m working the early shift.
• I need help; this task requires teamwork.

Defining Relative Clauses

1. The manager whom staff didn’t like was fired. (Defining)

2. I don’t want to think about the time when I was unhappy in my job. (Defining)

Common Relative Pronouns

Which, who, who, whose, where, of which, whom, whose, with.

Formal vs. Informal Relative Clauses

Example 1: Storage

• Relative clause: This is my locker in which I store all my books.
• Formal: This is my locker in which

Forestry and Environmental Careers

• Forester: Assessing forest health, planning timber harvests, implementing conservation strategies, and acting as a guardian of forests.
• Environmental Consultant: Advising clients on land management, recommending conservation measures, evaluating ecological systems, and ensuring compliance with environmental regulations.
• Wildlife Biologist: Studying the relationship between forest ecosystems and wildlife, monitoring populations, assessing habitat quality, and developing conservation strategies.
• Forest Ranger: Enforcing regulations, preventing wildfires, educating the public about responsible forest usage, and ensuring the preservation of forests.
• Urban Forester: Planning and maintaining urban forests to promote

ZERO CONDITIONAL

If + Present Simple + Present Simple

USE a general truth or fact

FIRST CONDITIONAL

If / Unless + Present Simple + will + base form of verb

USE an action that is likely to happen in the future. If the economy improves, unemployment will end.

SECOND CONDITIONAL

If / Unless + Past Simple + would + base form of verb

USE a hypothetical or imaginary situation in the present or future.

THIRD CONDITIONAL

If + Past Perfect Simple + would have + past participle

USE an impossible or unfulfilled situation in the past

Passive Voice

Present Simple: am / is / are + past participle

Millions of birds are killed by cats every year.

Past Simple: was / were + past participle

Dinosaurs were wiped out more than 65 million years ago.

Future Simple: will be + past