English Vocabulary and Grammar: Units 7A and 7B

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 renuncias
• A contributing factor: Un factor contribuyente
• Expose a cover-up: Destapar un encubrimiento
• Get through to the semi-finals: Pasar a las semifinales
• Impose tariffs: Imponer tarifas
• A major breakthrough: Un avance importante
• Massive coverage: Cobertura masiva
• An offensive comment: Un comentario ofensivo
• Withdraw from the treaty: Retirarse del tratado

Adding Comments Using Must and Can't

We often use must and can’t to comment on what we are hearing.

A: I can’t even remember all their names.
B: That must get awkward.
A: Hopefully, she’ll stop this time.
B: Well, it can’t be easy.

• Use MUST to suggest the idea in our comment is very likely.
• Use CAN’T to suggest the idea in our comment is very unlikely.
• To comment on the present, use MUST or CAN’T + infinitive without TO.
• To comment on the past, use MUST or CAN’T + HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE.
• We generally respond to these comments as if they were questions.
• We don’t usually repeat the modal verb in the comment; we say something about the real situation.

A: That must have been nice.
B: Yes, it was.

Second, Third, and Mixed Conditionals

Second conditionals usually refer to the present, and third conditionals refer to the past. Mixed conditionals use parts of second and third conditionals together in the same sentence.

We often use past forms in the if-clauses of conditional sentences to talk about imagined situations or actions.

1. Past Simple in the If-Clause

Past simple forms in the if-clause refer to the present: If there weren’t constant news updates.

2. Past Perfect in the If-Clause

Past perfect forms refer to the past: If scientists hadn’t needed to share information.

3. Main Clause Structure

The other half of the sentence usually contains would, might, or could to refer to the imagined situation.

4. Referring to the Present

WOULD/MIGHT/COULD + verb/be + -ING refers to the present:

• Society would be very different today.
• We couldn’t communicate in the way we do now.
• We might not be discussing this if…

5. Referring to the Past

WOULD’VE/MIGHT’VE/COULD’VE + past participle refers to the past:

• …it wouldn’t have happened.
• …they might not have invented.

We often refer only to the consequence because the situation is clear and doesn’t need re-stating.

Ex: Safety regulations should’ve been better. The fire might not have happened then and we wouldn’t be having this inquiry now.