English Grammar and Vocabulary: Used To, Would, Phrasal Verbs, Describing People and Films

Remember that "used to" is only for past states or actions that no longer occur now. We cannot use it for things that are still happening now.

We can use "would" to talk about repeated past actions.

• Every Saturday I would go on a long bike ride.

Just, Already, Yet, Since and For

Just: recently can mean only a few moments ago or in a very recent past.

Already: appears in affirmative sentences and indicates that the action has already been completed.

Yet: used in questions, to ask whether the action has been carried out or not, and in negatives to say that the action has not yet happened.

Since: indicates the specific moment when that action started.

For: expresses the duration of an activity; we can say the amount of time that it has been going on.

Describing Hair

Ginger: pelirrojo

Auburn: castaño rojizo

Dyed: teñido

Spiky: puntiagudo

Kinky: rizado

Dreadlocks: rastas

Braids/plaits: trenzas

Cornrows: trenzas africanas

Bald: calvo

Bony: escuálido

Heavy: pesado

Chubby: regordete

Describing Skin, Face and Features

Tanned: moreno/bronceado

Spots/pimples: granos

Mole: lunar

Beard: barba

Sideburns: patillas

Goatee: barba de chivo

Slanted eyes: ojos rasgados

Narrowed: estrechado

Hazel: color avellana

Thick: grueso

Flat: plana

Hooked: ganchuda

More Physical Features and Family Terms

Wide mouth: boca ancha

Pointed chin: barbilla en punta

High cheekbones: pómulos altos

Toddler: niño entre 12 y 36 meses

Groom: novio (matrimonio)

Bride: novia (matrimonio)

Widow(er): viudo(a)

Split up/break up: separarse

Flatmate: compañero de piso

Personality and Lifestyle Adjectives

Scruffy: desaliñado

Messy: sucio/desordenado

Skinny: flaco

Outgoing: extrovertido

Fun-loving: fiestero

Lazy: perezoso

Pretend to: fingir

Warm: agradable

Sympathetic: compasivo

Steal: robar

Fancy: lujoso

Waste of time: pérdida de tiempo

Have a lie-in: quedarse tumbado en la cama

Make the most: sacar el mayor partido

Take it easy: tomárselo con calma

Restful: relajante

Stay up late: quedarse despierto hasta tarde

Films and Television

Action-adventure film

Crime film

Period drama: películas de época (antigua)

Realistic drama

Thriller: novela o película de suspense

War film: película de guerra

Be about: tratar de

Be a big fan of: ser un fan de

Be set: ambientarse

Plot: trama

Well/badly written: bien o mal escrito

Normal and Strong Adjectives

Attractive/Stunning: atractivo/maravilloso

Bad/Terrible: malo/terrible

Boring/Mind-numbing: aburrido/que adormece la mente

Frightening/Terrifying: espantoso/aterrador

Funny/Hilarious: divertido/hilarante

Good/Fantastic: bueno/fantástico

Interesting/Fascinating: interesante/fascinante

Surprising/Shocking: sorprendente/impactante

Intensifying Adverbs

Absolutely, quite, really, totally, very

Phrasal Verbs

Blow away: arrancar

Come up with: idear

Count on: contar con

End up: acabar

Find out: descubrir

Go on: continuar

Help out: ayudar a

Look forward to: esperar con ilusión

Put up with: aguantar

Start out: comenzar

Think about: pensar sobre

Turn into: volverse

Get into: meterse en

Make up: inventar

Pass on: transmitir

Put off: aplazar

Walk out: salir

Literature and Reading

Author: autor

Characterization: caracterización

Graphic novel: novela gráfica

Literature: literatura

Screenwriter: guionista

Sequel: continuación

Moving: emocionante

Unputdownable: imposible de dejar

Well acted: bien actuado

Be well worth: valer la pena

Come across as: dar la impresión de

Give a miss: saltarse, no ir a

Laugh out of: reírse de

Make it big: triunfar a lo grande

Move to tears: hacer llorar

Take place in: tener lugar en

The Environment

Depend on: depender de

Die out: extinguirse

Starve: morir de hambre

Throw away: tirar a la basura

Waste: desperdiciar

Destroy: destruir

Harm: dañar

Climate change: cambio climático

Endangered species: especies en peligro

Genetic engineering: ingeniería genética

Ozone layer: capa de ozono

Renewable energy: energía renovable

Rubbish dump: basurero

Carbon footprint: huella de carbono

Traffic fumes: humos de tráfico

Notice: darse cuenta

Noun Suffixes

Able → ability

Build → building

Congratulate → congratulations

Cycle → cycling

Decide → decision

Enjoy → enjoyment

Govern → government

Inconvenient → inconvenience

Inform → information

Peaceful → peacefulness

Pollute → pollution

Unhappy → unhappiness

Nouns

Threat: amenaza (verb: amenazar)

Storm: tormenta

Flood: inundación (verb: inundar)

Hurricane: huracán

Drought: sequía

Unfair: injusto

Wasteful: antieconómico

Phrasal Verbs and Idioms for Environmental Issues

Cut down on: reducir

Deal with: tratar con

Face up to: hacer frente a

Run out: agotarse, quedarse sin

Stand up for: defender

Idioms and Expressions

Do my/your bit: hacer mi/tu parte

Knock-on effect: efecto dominó

Raise awareness: sensibilizar

Take action: tomar medidas

Make a difference: marcar la diferencia