English Language Learning: Vocabulary and Relative Clauses

Essential English Vocabulary

City and Construction Terms

• Skyscraper: rascacielos
• Concrete: hormigón
• Office block: bloque de oficinas
• Bridge: puente
• Iron: hierro
• Steel: acero
• Stone: piedra
• Glass: cristal
• Storey: piso/planta
• Tear down: derribar
• Engineer: ingeniero
• Support: soporte/apoyo
• Spacious: espacioso

Urban Locations and Housing

• In the city centre: en el centro de la ciudad
• Main street: calle principal
• Car parks: aparcamientos
• Movie theater / Mall: cine / centro comercial
• Store: tienda
• Lift / Elevator: ascensor
• First floor / Ground floor: primera planta / planta baja
• Pavement / Sidewalk: acera
• Yard / Garden: patio / jardín
• Apartment / Flat: apartamento / piso

Nature and Leisure

• Shore: costa
• Spare: de repuesto
• Source: fuente
• Ruler: gobernante/regla
• Huge: enorme
• Resort: complejo turístico
• Bare: desnudo/vacío
• Surface: superficie
• Reached for: alcanzar
• Breathtaking: impresionante
• Running out: agotarse
• Leisure: ocio
• Major: principal
• Luxury: lujo

English Grammar Rules

Adjective Order

When using multiple adjectives, follow this order: Opinion, Size, Age, Shape, Colour, Origin, Material.

Negative Prefixes

Use these prefixes to create opposite meanings:

• il- if the word starts with l (e.g., logical - illogical)
• im- if the word starts with p (e.g., possible - impossible)
• ir- if the word starts with r (e.g., relevant - irrelevant)

Relative Clauses

Defining Relative Clauses

These provide essential information about a person, place, or thing.

• Persons: who, that (e.g., The woman that I saw...)
• Things: which, that
• Possessions: whose
• Place: where
• Time: when

Example: La mujer que vi ayer con un sombrero rojo era la tía de Juan.

Non-Defining Relative Clauses

These provide extra, non-essential information and are separated by commas.

• Persons: who
• Things: which
• Possessions: whose
• Place: where
• Time: when

Example: Pedro, que estaba leyendo una novela en clase, fue expulsado.

Linking Words and Connectors

Addition

Also, and, as well as, in addition, furthermore, moreover, what's more.

Contrast and Comparison

But, however, nevertheless, in spite of, despite, besides, while, on the one hand, on the other hand, although, even though.

Additional Vocabulary

• Advantage: ventaja
• Fair: justo
• Convenient: conveniente
• Cosy: acogedor
• Lifelong: de por vida
• Pick up: recoger
• A dream come true: un sueño hecho realidad
• Short of: falto de
• Hectic: ajetreado
• Claimed: reclamado
• Owner: dueño
• Fee: cuota/tasa
• Rent: alquiler
• Long for: anhelar
• Customer: cliente
• Club: club
• Habitat: hábitat
• In captivity: en cautiverio
• Breed: criar/raza
• Tame: domesticar
• Cages: jaulas
• Wild: salvaje
• Predators: depredadores