Wednesday, December 11, 2013

SOME, ANY, NO & EVERY COMPOUNDS


meaning
usage
some
algo, algunos
1. Afirmative sentences
2. Interrogative sentences when they mean
    invitation or when an affirmative answer
    is expected
someone
alguien
somebody
alguien
something
algo
somewhere
en algún sitio
any
algo, algunos, ningún
1. Interrogative sentences
2. Negative sentences (to have a negative
    meaning “any” has to follow “not”)
3. Affirmative sentences meaning “cualquier”
anyone
alguien, nadie
anybody
alguien, nadie
anything
algo, nada
anywhere
en algún (ningún) sitio
no
ningún

1. Affirmative or interrogative sentences,
    to which they confer a negative meaning.
2. Mainly used as subjects.
no one
nadie
nobody
nadie
nothing
nada
none
ninguno (para cosas)
nowhere
en ninguna parte
every
todos, cada


Affirmative, negative or interrogative sentences
everyone
todos
everybody
todo el mundo
everything
todas las cosas
everywhere
en todas partes

ADVERS

Adverbs are words that modify
  • verb (He drove slowly. — How did he drive?)
  • an adjective (He drove a very fast car. — How fast was his car?)
  • another adverb (She moved quite slowly down the aisle. — How slowly did she move?)
As we will see, adverbs often tell when, where, why, or under what conditions something happens or happened. Adverbs frequently end in -ly; however, many words and phrases not ending in -ly serve an adverbial function and an -ly ending is not a guarantee that a word is an adverb. The words lovely, lonely, motherly, friendly, neighborly, for instance, are adjectives:
  • That lovely woman lives in a friendly neighborhood.
If a group of words containing a subject and verb acts as an adverb (modifying the verb of a sentence), it is called an Adverb Clause:
  • When this class is over, we're going to the movies.
When a group of words not containing a subject and verb acts as an adverb, it is called an adverbial phrasePrepositional phrases frequently have adverbial functions (telling place and time, modifying the verb):
  • He went to the movies.
  • She works on holidays.
  • They lived in Canada during the war.
And Infinitive phrases can act as adverbs (usually telling why):
  • She hurried to the mainland to see her brother.
  • The senator ran to catch the bus.
But there are other kinds of adverbial phrases:
  • He calls his mother as often as possible.

.
Adverbs can modify adjectives, but an adjective cannot modify an adverb. Thus we would say that "the students showed a really wonderful attitude" and that "the students showed a wonderfully casual attitude" and that "my professor is really tall, but not "He ran real fast."
Like adjectives, adverbs can have comparative and superlative forms to show degree.
  • Walk faster if you want to keep up with me.
  • The student who reads fastest will finish first.
We often use more and mostless and least to show degree with adverbs:
  • With sneakers on, she could move more quickly among the patients.
  • The flowers were the most beautifully arranged creations I've ever seen.
  • She worked less confidently after her accident.
  • That was the least skillfully done performance I've seen in years.
The as — as construction can be used to create adverbs that express sameness or equality: "He can't run as fast as his sister."
A handful of adverbs have two forms, one that ends in -ly and one that doesn't. In certain cases, the two forms have different meanings:
  • He arrived late.
  • Lately, he couldn't seem to be on time for anything.
In most cases, however, the form without the -ly ending should be reserved for casual situations:
  • She certainly drives slow in that old Buick of hers.
  • He did wrong by her.
  • He spoke sharp, quick, and to the point.
Adverbs often function as intensifiers, conveying a greater or lesser emphasis to something. Intensifiers are said to have three different functions: they can emphasize, amplify, or downtone. Here are some examples:
  • Emphasizers:
    • really don't believe him.
    • He literally wrecked his mother's car.
    • She simply ignored me.
    • They're going to be late, for sure.
  • Amplifiers:
    • The teacher completely rejected her proposal.
    • absolutely refuse to attend any more faculty meetings.
    • They heartily endorsed the new restaurant.
    • so wanted to go with them.
    • We know this city well.
  • Downtoners:
    • kind of like this college.
    • Joe sort of felt betrayed by his sister.
    • His mother mildly disapproved his actions.
    • We can improve on this to some extent.
    • The boss almost quit after that.
    • The school was all but ruined by the storm.
Adverbs (as well as adjectives) in their various degrees can be accompanied by premodifiers:
  • She runs very fast.
  • We're going to run out of material all the faster

This issue is addressed in the section on degrees in adjectives.

Past Progressive - Use

1) actions were in progress at special time in the past

Peter was reading a book yesterday evening.

2) two actions were happening at the same time (the actions do not influence each other)

Anne was writing a letter while Steve was reading the New York Times.

3) together with the Simple Past

While we were sitting at the breakfast table, the telephone rang.

4) repeated actions irritating the speaker (with always, constantly, forever)

Andrew was always coming late.

Past Progressive - Signal words

while

Past Progressive - Form

to be (was, were) + infinitive + -ing

Past Progressive - Examples

Affirmative sentences:

was playing football.You were playing football.

Negative sentences:

was not playing football.
I was't playing football.
You were not playing football.
You weren't playing football.

Questions:

Was I playing football?Were you playing football?

Saturday, November 9, 2013

English Vocabulary

Airplane - Avión
Bus - Autobús
Helicopter - Heliportero
Car - Carro
Tren subterráneo - Subway train
Globo - Air balloon
Traficc - Trafico
Rascacielos - Skyscraper
Edificios - Buildings
Mall - Centro comercial
Estufa - Stove
Refrigerator - Refrigerador
Washdishes - Lava platos
Vacuum - Aspiradora
Jacket - Saco
Ring - Anillo
Earrings - Aretes
Bell Pants - Pantalones acampanados
Boots - Botas

USED TO

(Usted to + verb)

Example:
  • used to go to the beach every day.
It is better not to use "used to" in questions or negative forms; however, this is sometimes done in informal spoken English. It is better to ask questions and create negative sentences using Simple Past.
Use 1 habit in the past
"Used to" expresses the idea that something was an old habit that stopped in the past. It indicates that something was often repeated in the past, but it is not usually done now.
Examples:
  • Jerry used to study English.
  • Sam and Mary used to go to Mexico in the summer.
  • used to start work at 9 o'clock.
  • Christine used to eat meat, but now she is a vegetarian.

USE 2 Past Facts and Generalizations

"Used to" can also be used to talk about past facts or generalizations which are no longer true.
Examples:
  • used to live in Paris.
  • Sarah used to be fat, but now she is thin.
  • George used to be the best student in class, but now Lena is the best.
  • Oranges used to cost very little in Florida, but now they are quite expensive.

"Used to" vs. Simple Past

Both Simple Past and "Used to" can be used to describe past habits, past facts and past generalizations; however, "used to" is preferred when emphasizing these forms of past repetition in positive sentences. On the other hand, when asking questions or making negative sentences, Simple Past is preferred.
Examples:
  • You used to play the piano.
  • Did you play the piano when you were young?
  • You did not play the piano when you were young.

ACTIVE / PASSIVE

Examples:
  • Jerry used to pay the bills. Active
  • The bills used to be paid by Jerry. Passive

EXERCISES AND RELATED TOPICS

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

WILL

We use will for:

  • On-the-spot decisions: I´m tire. I´ll take a nap.

  • Predictions based on what we know:
          You´ll lose weight with this workout.

  • Promises, offers, theats, hopes:
           I promise you´ll feel better right away.

NOTE: After time words (while, before, after, until, when, if, etc.) we don´t use will. We use the simple present. I´ll call you when I reach Brazil. (NOT: wen I will reach)BUT When will he call? (question word)


Simple Present

We use the simple present for:

  • Facts: the sun rises in the east. It doesn´t rises in the west.

  • Habits/routines: Astronauts usually sleep 8 hours a day after a 16-hour. They take sponge baths daily. Do they exercise regulary? Yes, they do.

  • Timetables: The space moseum opens at 9 pm every weekday.

SPELLING RULES
  • Most verbs + -s I sleeps - he sleeps
  • verbs in .ss, -sh,-x,-o, + -es I miss - he misses
  • consonant + -ies I study - he studies
  • vowel + y + -s I play - he plays

Conditional

0 CONDITIONAL
If(conditional,=cause) + simple present + present (effect)
Example: If you go, i go.

If/Clause|Main Clause.
If/When + Simple present + Simple present

If/When you heat water, it boils.
Use: to express a general truth or scientisfic fact. In this type conditional, we can use when instead of if.
When the if-clause precedes the main clause, we can use a comma to separate the two clauses. Compare:
If you heat water, it boils. Water bouls if you heat it.


1st CONDITIONAL
f(conditional=Cause)+ do or doesn't(present)+ future.
Example: If i work tomorrow i will see my boss.

If + simple present -->will + base form of main verb.
If we keep cutting down trees, animals will lose their habitat.
Use: To talk about a possible situation in the present or future.
Animals will lose their habitat if we keep cutting down trees.
Note: Unless=If not.
Compare the examples
Unless we stop cutting down trees, animals will lose their habitats.
If we don't stop cutting down trees,....