Practical English: Vocabulary & Reported Speech

Enhance your English proficiency with this comprehensive resource covering essential vocabulary and fundamental grammar rules.

Boost Your English Vocabulary

Expand your English lexicon with practical terms covering various aspects of daily life, from personal wellbeing to global issues.

Fitness & Wellbeing Terminology

Slang:

Jerga

Cut off:

Se corta

Signed up:

Estar apuntado

Take part:

Participar

Wellbeing:

Bienestar

Drop out:

Abandonar

Sporty:

Deportista

Get through:

Llegar

Teammates:

Compañeros de equipo

Cheer:

Animar

Balanced:

Equilibrado

Set a goal:

Establecer una meta

Positive focus:

Enfoque positivo

Enrol:

Inscribirse

Get your heart rate up:

Acelerar tu ritmo cardíaco

Get in shape:

Ponerse en forma

Keep-fit:

Mantenerse en forma

Immunity:

Inmunidad

Take up:

Ocupar / Empezar (una actividad)

Training:

Adiestramiento / Entrenamiento

Stretch:

Estiramiento

Cut out:

Cortar / Eliminar

Be mindful:

Ser consciente

Gain perspective:

Ganar perspectiva

Take care of:

Ocuparse de

Rested:

Descansado

Take a power nap:

Tomar una siesta reparadora

Browse:

Ojear

Shopping & Consumerism Terms

Charity shops:

Tiendas de caridad

Brands:

Marcas

Purchases:

Compras

Ripped off:

Estafado

Refund:

Reembolso

Try out:

Probar (sin ser ropa)

Exchange:

Cambio

Tries on:

Probarse (ropa)

Bargains:

Gangas

Sweatshop:

Taller de explotación laboral

Social & Environmental Issues Vocabulary

Gender:

Género

Segregation:

Separación

Healthcare system:

Sistema sanitario

Wealth:

Riqueza

Citizens:

Ciudadanos

Animal rights:

Derechos de los animales

Mental health issues:

Problemas de salud mental

Neighbourhood:

Vecindario

Welfare state:

Estado de bienestar

Break down:

Averiarse

Carbon footprint:

Huella de carbono

Disposed of:

Eliminado

Dumped:

Arrojado

Landfill sites:

Vertederos

Packaging:

Embalaje

Mastering Reported Speech

Learn how to transform direct speech into indirect speech with these essential rules and examples.

Tense Changes in Reported Speech

When reporting what someone said, the verb tense often shifts. Here's how:

• Present Simple → Past Simple
  • Direct: "I don't have my tools here."
  • Reported: He said that he didn't have his tools there.
• Present Continuous → Past Continuous
  • Direct: "I am not planting sunflowers this season."
  • Reported: She told me that she wasn't planting sunflowers that season.
• Past Simple → Past Perfect
  • Direct: "I left my husband yesterday."
  • Reported: She said she had left her husband the day before.
• Present Perfect → Past Perfect
  • Direct: "I haven't seen you before."
  • Reported: He said he hadn't seen me before.
• Can → Could
  • Direct: "I can move cars with my eyes."
  • Reported: She said she could move cars with her eyes.
• Will → Would
  • Direct: "I will travel to Mars next month."
  • Reported: She said she would travel to Mars the following month.
• Must → Had to
  • Direct: "We must look for humans today."
  • Reported: He said they had to look for humans that day.

Common Adverb Changes in Reported Speech

Time and place adverbs also change when converting from direct to reported speech:

• Now: Then
• Today: That day
• Tonight: That night
• This morning: That morning
• Last week: The week before
• Two days ago: Two days earlier
• Tomorrow: The next day / The following day