Enhance Your English Writing: Key Phrases, Verbs, and Vocabulary

Enhance Your English Writing

PARA REDACCIÓN: To begin with, I would like to say that this is a controversial matter, and it is very difficult to give just one point of view. In fact, if we asked people what they thought about it, we would find a lot of different ideas. On the one hand, we can say that ____ has many advantages, for example: ___. However, on the other hand, we can also find some disadvantages, such as: ___. From my point of view:

IMPORTANTE:

• According to
• Instead (use this in its place)
• However (sin embargo)
• Whereas (mientras que)
• Since/For
• Although (aunque)
• In spite of (a pesar de)
• In fact (de hecho)
• Furthermore (además)

Verbs That Confuse

• Realized: to become aware of something; Noticed: something you see or hear.
• Raise: to lift an object; Rise: to get up.
• Argue: to disagree; Discuss: to talk about something.
• Avoid: to keep away from; Prevent: more general.
• Remind: to cause someone to remember; Remember: to recall.
• Hope: for the future; Expecting: anticipating.
• Mind: personal; Matter: more general.
• Looks: to resemble; Seemed: to appear to be.

RATHER AND BETTER

Change should -> ‘d better, and prefer to ‘d rather.

Senses

She looks tired. // He looks like his father. // She looks as if she’s been crying.

Gerunds and Infinitives

ING

Admit, avoid, can't help, can’t stand, carry on, deny, enjoy, fancy, finish, give up, keep on, imagine, involve, mind, miss, postpone, practice, risk, stop, suggest.

TO

Agree, appear, be able to, can’t afford, can’t wait, decide, happen, have, help, learn, manage, offer, plan, pretend, promise, refuse, seem, teach, tend, want, would like, threaten.

Reporting Verbs

TO + INFINITIVE: Agree, offer, refuse to do, promise, threaten.

PERSON + TO + INF: Advise, ask, convince somebody, encourage to do, invite, persuade, remind, tell, warn.

ING: Apologize for, accuse sb of, admit, blame sb for, deny, insist on, recommend, regret, suggest.

Personality Adjectives

Confused, shocked, grateful, relieved, disappointed, homesick, lonely, nervous, glad, offended, devastated, delighted, exhausted, thrilled, terrified, furious, astonished, desperate, and miserable.

Body Words

Hip: cadera; Waist: cintura; Liver: hígado; Kidneys: riñones.

Odd Things

Winked (guiñar), Chew (masticar), Hugged (abrazar), Scratch (rascar), Kneel down (agacharse), Frowned (forehead), Yawned (bostezar), Point (señalar).