Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal

The "Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal" is a website where you can see a daily comic strip, just for fun.

http://www.smbc-comics.com/

Enjoy!

Parts of the body

Some parts of the body:

arm: brazo
ear: oreja
eye: ojo
face: cara
finger: dedo
hair: pelo
hand: mano
head: cabeza
lip: labio
mouth: boca
neck: cuello
nose: nariz
shoulder: hombro
stomach: estómago
back: espalda
foot: pie
knee: rodilla
leg: pierna
brain: cerebro
heart: corazón
teeth: dientes
tooth: dientes
toes: dedos del pie
big toe: dedo gordo del pie
thumb: pulgar de la mano
tongue: lengua

Past Perfect

 

Positive		Negative
I	'd seen the film before.	I	hadn't seen the film before.
You		You
He		He
She		She
It		It
We		We
They		They
Contractions: I'd = I had I hadn't = I had not

Questions			Positive answer			Positive answer
Had	I	seen it before?	Yes,	I	had.	No,	I	hadn't.
	You			You			You
	He			He			He
	She			She			She
	We			We			We
	They			They			They

(Pluscuamperfecto = había...)

Use the past perfect when you are already talking about the past, and want to talk about an earlier past action.
When I woke up the garden was all white. It had snowed in the night.

Make the past perfect with had / hadn't + past participle.

The past perfect is the same for all persons.

!!!!
Be careful: I'd can be I had or I would.

So, neither + auxiliaries

Use So do I / Neither do I, etc. to say that you have something in common with somebody.
I love football. So do I.

Use So + auxiliary + I with positive sentences.
I'm happy. So am I.

Use Neither + auxiliary + I with negative sentences.
I'm not hungry. Neither am I.

The auxiliary you use depends on the tense.
I love basketball. So do I.
I didn't like the film. Neither did I.
I can run. So can I.
I wasn't very happy. Neither was I.
I've been to Germany. So have I.
I wouldn't like to go to the disco. Neither would I.

Word order of phrasal verbs

Phrasal Verb = Verb + Particle (preposition or adverb)


1 Some phrasal verb don't have an object. 
Come in and sit down. What time do you get up?.

2 Some phrasal verbs have an object and are separable.
With these verbs you can put the particle before or after the object.
Put on your suit. Put your suit on.
When the object is a pronoun it always goes between the verb and particle.
Here's your suit. Put it on.

3 Some phrasal verbs have an object and are inseparable.
I'm looking for my pencils.
With these phrasal verbs, the verb (look) and the particle (for) are never separate.

Now, two webs with a lot of phrasal verbs and their meaning.
- http://www.ompersonal.com.ar/omphrasal/contenidotematico.htm
- http://www.mansioningles.com/gram54.htm

Quantifiers

Too, too much, too many (demasiado, mucho, etc.) :

Use too, too much, too many to say "more than is good".
Use too + an adjective: I don't want to go out. I'm too tired.
Use too much + UNCOUNTABLE nouns: I have too much work.
Use too many + COUNTABLE nouns: I eat too many cakes and sweets.


Enough (bastante, suficiente):

Use enough before a noun to mean "all that is necessary": I don't drink enought water.
Use enough after an adjective: This dress isn't big enough.


A little, a few (un poco) :

Use a little / very little and a few / very few to talk about small quantities.
Use a little / very little with UNCOUNTABLE nouns: I drink very little coffee.
Use a few / very few with COUNTABLE nouns: Can you buy a few bananas?

The times they are a-changing - Bob Dylan

Something, anything, nothing, etc.

Something, anything, nothing, etc.
	Positive	Questions and Negative verb	Short Negative Answer
people	somebody, someone	anybody, anyone	nobody, no one
things	something	anything	nothing
places	somewhere	anywhere	nowhere

Use some*** when you don't say exactly who, what or where.
Somebody broke the window.

Use any*** in questions or with a negative verb.
I didn't do anything last night.

Use no*** in short negative answer or in a sentecne (with a positive verb.
Who's in the bathroom? Nobody. Nobody's in the bathoom.

Somebody, nobody, etc. are the same as Someone, no one, etc.

Passive : be + past participle

Present
Positive		Negative		Questions
Rissotto is made with rice.		It isn't made with rice.		Is it made with rice?
These offices are cleaned every morning.		They aren't cleaned on Sundays.		Are they cleaned on Saturdays?
Past
Positive		Negative		Questions
Guernica was painted by Picasso.		It wans't painted by Miró.		When was it painted?
The pyramids were built by the Egyptians.		They weren't built by the Romans.		Why were they built?

You can often say things in two ways, in the active or in the passive.
Picasso painted Guernica. (active) / Guernica was pianted by Picasso. (passive)

In the active sentence, the focus is more on the person.
In the passive sentence, the focus is more on the painting.

You can also use the passive when it's not know or not important who does or did the action. My car was stolen last week. ( I don't know who stole it)

Present passive - am/is/are + the past participle.
Past passive - was/were + the past participle.

Use by to say who did the action.

Used to / Didn't use to

(solía / no solía) (pasado)
 

Positive		Negative
I	used to wear glasses.	I	didn't use to wear glasses.
You		You
He		He
She		She
It		It
We		We
They		They

 

Questions			Positive			Negative
Did	I	use to wear glasses?	Yes,	I	did.	No,	I	didn't.
	you			you			you
	he			he			he
	she			she			she
	we			we			we
	they			they			they

Use used to / didn't use to + infinitive for things that happened repeatedly or over a long period of time in the past, but are usually not true now, for example for things which happened when you were a child.

You can also use the Past Simple here. I had a long hair when I was a child.

!!!!
Used to only exists in the past. Don't use use to for the present habits.
Use the present simple + usually. I usually cook in the evenings.

Cover letter

Incluyo en esta entrada una página donde explican cómo redactar una carta de presentación en inglés, para optar a un puesto de trabajo. Incluyen consejos según las variantes de carta que creáis os va mejor.

http://www.ingleslaboral.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=34&Itemid=31

Present Perfect or Past Simple (2)?

Use the Present Perfect + how long?, for, and since to talk about a period of time from the past until now.
How long have you been married? I've been married for 10 years. (= I'm married now)

Use the Past Simple + how long? and for to talk about a finished period of time in the past.
How long was the married? He was married for two years. (=He's not married now)

!!!!
Don't use since with the Past Simple. He was Prime Minister since 1998.
You have to use from... to. He was Prime Minister from 1999 to 2003.

Present Perfect + for & since

Use the present perfect + for(durante) & since(desde) to talk about actions and states wich started in the past and are still true now.

Where do you live now? In London.
How long have you lived there? I've lived there since 1990.

Where do you study? I study in the University.
How long have you studied there? I've studied there for three yers.

Use How long? to ask the questions about the duration of an action or a state.

Use SINCE with the beginning of a period of time.
Use FOR + a period of time.

!!!!!
You dan't use Present Simple here. How long do you live here? I live in London since 1980.

Download subtitles

Decent website to download files to subtitle a quite big number of movies.
http://www.mysubtitles.com/subtitles

Do you know any website more? Just write it inside "comments" :)

Charles Chaplin-The great dictator-Final Speech

Should / Shouldn't (advice)

Use should / shouldn't + infinitive to give somebody advice (consejo) or say what you think is the right think to do.
You should cut your hair. = I think it would be a good idea.

Should / shouldn't + infinitive is the same for all persons.

You can use ought to / ought not to (es más formal) instead of should / shouldn't.

May / Might + Infinitive (possibility)

Use may / might  and may not/might not + infinitive to talk about a future possibility.
It might / may rain. = It's possible that it will rain.

Might / may  (not) is the same for all persons (I, she, we, you, ...).

Might not / may not aren't usually contracted.

Películas Speak up

Existen películas Speak Up, las cuales vienen en pack dvd-libro. ¿Y qué hay dentro del libro?
- Créditos de la película.
- Argumento de la película.
- Director (carrera, etc.)
- Actores (carrera, etc.)
- Aspectos importantes de la película y datos varios.
- Glosario y guía de diálogos.
- Ejercicios.

http://www.rbarevistas.com/speakup.php?sub=4
Esta es la página web de la revista, donde se puede ver la palícula del mes.

http://sinera.diba.cat/search~S171*cat?/tSpeak+Up/tspeak+up/-3%2C-1%2C0%2CB/exact&FF=tspeak+up&1%2C207%2C
Esta es la página web de la red de bibliotecas de Barcelona, con la búsqueda hecha de la colección "Speak up" y donde se ve el listado de películas (unas 200). Todas con sus respectivos libros.
* Si se pierde la búsqueda, volved a hacerla entrando en este link: http://sinera.diba.cat/

Un saludo!

First vs. Second Conditional

Compare the first and the second conditional:

- Use the first conditional for possible future situations.
If I have time tomorrow, I'll help you. (=maybe I will have time)

- Use the second conditional for improbable / impossible or hypothetical situations.
If I had time tomorrow, I'd help you. (=I won't have time.)

Second conditional: if+past, would+infinitive

Use if + past, would + infinitive to talk about an improbable / impossible or hypothetical future situation and its consequence.
If a bear attacked me, I'd run away. (I'm imagining this situation. It's very improbable.)
If I didn't have children, I wouldn't live in the country.
Would you take the manager's job if they offered it to you?

Would / Wouldn't is the same for all persons.

The contractions are would-'d and would not-wouldn't.

The if phrase can come first or second. If I saw a bear, I'd run. I'd run if I saw a bear.

Remember with can, use could + infinitive, not would can. If I had a car, we could drive there.

!! With the verb BE you can use were (instead(en lugar) of was) after I and he/she/it.
Use were (not was) in the expression If I were you... We often use this expression for advice.

First conditional: if+present, will+infinitive

Use if + present, will + infinitive to talk about a possible future situation and its consequence.
If I miss the bus, I'll get a taxi.
She won't be angry if you tell her the secret.
What will you do if it rains?

The if clause can come first or second. I'll come if you like, or, If you like, I'll come.

!! You can also use the imperative or can.
If you miss the bus, get a taxi.
If you miss the bus, you can get a taxi.

Expressing movement: go, etc. + preposition

To express movement use a verb of movement, for example go, come, run, walk, etc. and a preposition of movement (up, down, etc.)

Be careful with in/into and out/out of.
Use into / out of + noun, but if there isn't a noun just use in or out.
Come into the bath room. Come in.
He went out of the living room. He went out.

Changing Times - Iwan Rheon

Magazines in English

Dos enlaces de dos revistas en Inglés para aprender Inlgés:

http://www.rbarevistas.com/speakup.php - SPEAK UP
http://www.thinkinenglish.net/index.htm - THINK IN ENGLISH

Have to, Must

 

Have to / Don't have to
Positive	She has to get up at 8.00 every week.
	You have to drive on the right in Spain.
Negative	We don't have wear a uniform at this University.
	He doesn't have to work on Mondays.
Question	Do I have to buy a dictionary?
	Does he have to study tomorrow?
Don't contract have or has !!!!

Use have to + infinitive to talk about rules and obligations, or to say something is necessary.
Use don't have to + infinitive to say there is no obligation, or something is not necessary.
Use do/does to make questions and negatives.

 

Must / Mustn't
Positive	You must do your homework tonight.
	She must tidy her room before she goes out.
Negative	You mustn't drink in class.
	They mustn't leave their bags there.

Use must + infinitive to talk about rules and obligations:
You must turn off your mobile phones before coming into class.
Must/mustn't are the same for all the persons. It is not often used in questions.
Use musn't + infinitive to say something is prohibited.
You mustn't smoke here.
You can use mustn't or can't to talk about rules.
You can't park here.

!!!!
- The small difference between Must and Have is that we normally use have to for a general obligation (a rule at work or law). We normally use must when the speaker imposes the obligation (for example the teacher to students or parents to childrens).

- Mustn't and Have to have completely different meanings.
You mustn't go = You can't go, it's prohibited.
You don't have to go = You can go if you want, but it's not obligatory/necessary.

Y aquí unos ejercicios para practicar:
http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verbs-modals-have-to-must-not-quiz.htm

British Council

http://www.britishcouncil.org/

Página web de British Council. Como la propia página escribe, este organismo pretender conecta a UK con el mundo y viceversa. El British Council es el cuerpo que se encarga o que trabaja para la relación internacional cultural del Reino Unido.

Los temas que trata se dividen en cuatro grandes grupos:
- Learning: Apartado que trata sobretodo el conocimiento de la lengua inglesa.
- Arts: Sección dedicada al talento creativo británico y a la unión de miles de artistas e instituciones culturales ligadas con UK.
- Science: Parte encargada de las relaciones entre científicos e investigadores de todo el mundo, y la puesta en común e intercambio de ideas y conocimiento.
- Society: Encargada de obtener confianza y compromiso en aspectos sociales a través del entendimiento mutuo de valores y roles de ciudadanos, goviernos y red mundial de la sociedad civil.

To+infinitive/verb+ing = Some more uses

- Start can be used with both the infinitive / verb+ing with no real difference in meaning.
It started raining./It started to rain.
Start+ing is more common when we talk about a habit or a longer activity.
I started working here in 2005.

- Try and Remember (to+infinitive) can also be used +ing but the meaning is different.
Why don't you try doing yoga? = experiment with something.
Do you remember meeting him last year? = Remember something after it happened.

- After Make and Let use the infinitive without to.
Singing makes me feel bad.
My parents don't let me go out in weekends.

Verb+ing

Use verb+ing
- some verbs (enjoy, finish, go on, hate, like, love, (don't) mind, spend (time), start, stop, ...) (parecen verbos referentes a sentimientos o pensamientos, ver comparación con to+Infinitive)
- as the subject of a sentence: Smoking is bad for you.
- after prepositions: He left without saying goodbye.

(remember the Spelling rules for the -ing forms)

To + Infinitive

TO + INFINITIVE:

Use to+infinitive after:
- Some verbs (decide, forget, help, hope, learn, need, offer, plan, pretend, promise, remember, start, try, want, would like, ...) (parecen verbos referentes a acciones, ver comparación con Infinitive+ing)
- Adjectives.(It's easy to find a job. Nice to meet you.)

The negative infinitive is not to+verb.


INFINITIVE PURPOSE:

Use to+infinitive to say why you do something.
Why did you go to the disco? To meet new people.