Apuntes de inglés/English notes

Blog destinado a recopilar el máximo de apuntes de inglés e intentar ordenarlos de la manera más útil posible...

Blog destined to compile as much English notes and trying to order by the most useful way possible...

By Raül Montejano Gutiérrez; Twitter @raulmontejanogu

sábado, 31 de marzo de 2012

Curriculum Vitae 2.0

Some links to make more interesting your CV...

http://cvgram.me/
http://re.vu/
http://vizualize.me/
http://kinzaa.com/

Personality

affectionate: cariñoso, afectuoso
aggressive: agresivo
ambitious: ambicioso
bossy: mandón
charming: encantador
competitive: competitivo
independent: independiente
jealous: celoso
manipulative: manipulador
moody: malhumorado
reliable: de fiar
funny: divertido
selfish: egoísta
sensible: sensible
sensitive: sensible
sociable: sociable
spoilt/spoiled: mimado
extrovert: extrovertido
self-confident: seguro de sí mismo
hard-working: trabajador
stupid: tonto
mean: tacaño, mezquino
talkative: hablador
clever: inteligente
generous: generoso
insecure: inseguro
lazy: vago
quiet: tranquilo
shy: tímido
friendly: amistoso
honest: honesto
imaginative: imaginativo
serious: serio
happy/glad: contento
kind: amable
organized: organizado
patient: paciente
responsible: responsable
tidy: ordenado

jueves, 22 de marzo de 2012

Phrasal verbs... more

This is a video from http://inventingstars.wordpress.com/ where we can see more information about the world of Phrasal Verbs", mainly about "keep up" :p . Also you can link with more information about any kind of English Video Lessons http://www.engvid.com/

Very nice video, veeeery funny and very good information! ;)

http://www.engvid.com/phrasal-verbs-in-english/

Enjoy it!!!

Food

Some words about food field:

to eat: comer
to cook: cocinar
unhealthy: insano
diet: dieta
carbohydrates: carbohidratos
take-away: comida "para llevar"
fast food: comida rápida
heat up: calentar
frozen: congelado
breakfast: desayuno
lunch: comida/almuerzo
rice: arroz
fish: pescado
vegetables: vegetales
soup: sopa
dinner: cena
bowl: bol
toast: tostada
wholemeal bread: pan integral
meals: comidas(platos, menús, ...)
dish: plato
beef: carne (de vaca)
stew: estofado
cheese: queso
salad: ensalada
portions: porciones
eat out: comer fuera (de casa)
butter: mantequilla
honey: miel
jam: mermelada
ham: jamón
biscuits: galletas
proper meal: menú apropiado o adecuado
sweet: dulce
ready-prepared or prepared and ready: "listo"
oil: aceite
flour: harina
brown flour: "harina integral"
tomatoes: tomates
onions: cebollas
coffee: café
milk: leche
low-fat: baja en grasa
home-made: hecho en casa
fruit: fruta
snack: aperitivo, snack
chicken: pollo
egg: huevo
potatoes: patatas
steak: filete
rare: poco hecho
medium: medio (al punto)
well done: bien hecho
grilled: a la parrilla
boiled: hervido
butcher: carnicero
juice: zumo
spoon: cuchara
sugar: azúcar
knife: cuchillo
fork: tenedor
salmon: salmón
sausages: salchichas
lettuce: lechuga
yoghurt: yogur
menu: menu
dessert: postre
seafood: comida "marina"
fresh: fresco
fried: frito
duck: pato
roast: tostado, a la brasa
hot: caliente
tuna: atún
prawn (largelangostino;
(mediumcamaróngamba
(small) quisquilla
nutritionist: nutricionista
tea: te
cake: pastel
to drink: beber
sandwich: sándwich, bocadillo
to crave: ansiar
protein: proteina
beans: judía
peach: melocotón
strawberry: fresa
raw: crudo
spicy: picante
chips: patatas fritas "astilladas"
plate: plato
glass: vaso
main courses: platos principales
napkin: servilleta
salt: sal
pepper: pimienta
starters: entrantes
baked: "cocido al horno"

martes, 20 de marzo de 2012

Phrasal verbs

Group 1: no object - verb and particle can't be separated.
Come one! Hurry up! We're late.
The plane took off two hours late.

Group 2: with object - verb and particle can't be separated.
I'm looking for my phone.
I look after the baby.
I don't get on with my sister.

Group 3: with object - verb and particle can be separated.
Please switch off your phone. Please switch your phone off. Please switch it off.
They've set up a new company. They've set a new company up. They've set it up.


A phrasal verb is a verb combined with a particle (= an adverb or preposition).
Sometimes the meaning of the phrasal verb is obvius form the verb and the particle. (ex. sit down)
Sometimes the meaning is not obvius. (ex. give up smoking = stop smoking).
In group 3, where the verb and particle con be separated, if the object is a pronoun, it must go between the verb and particle. (ex. switch it off)

!!!!
Sometimes a phrasal verbs has more than one meaning.
The plane took off. (despegar)
He took off his shoes. (quitarse)

jueves, 15 de marzo de 2012

Question tags, Indirect questions

Question tags


Positive verb, negative tag Negative verb, positive tag
It's cold today, isn't it? She isn't here today, is she?
You're Polish, aren't you? You aren't happy, are you?
They live in Ankara, don't they? They don't smoke, do they?
The match finishes at 8.00, doesn't it? She doesn't eat meat, does she?
She worked in a bank, didn't she? You didn't like the film, did you?
We've met before, haven't we? She hasn't been to Rome before, has she?
You'll be OK, won't you? You won't tell anyone, will you?


Question tags are often used to check something you already think is true.
To form a question tag use:
the correct auxiliary verb.
a pronoun
a negative tag if the sentences is positive, ans a positive tag if the sentence is negative.


Indirect questions


Direct question Indirect question
Where's the bank? Could you tell me where the bank is?
What time do the shops close? Do you know what time the shops close?
Is there a bus stop near here? Do you know if there's a bus stop near here?
Does this train go to Victoria? Could you tell me if this train goes to Victoria?


To make a question more polite we often begin Could you tell me...? or Do you know...? The word order changes to subject + verb. Do you know where the bus station is?
If the question begins with an auxiliary verb, add if after Could you tell me...?/Do you know...?
We also use this structure after Can you remember...?

Third Conditional

Third Conditional sentences:
If + had + past participle, would + have + past participle.

Use third conditional sentences to talk about a hypothetical/imaginary situation in the past (which didn't happen) and its consequence.
Compare:
Yesterday, I got up late and missed my bus. (= the real situation)
If I hadn't got up late yesterday, I wouldn't have missed my bus. (= the hypothetical/imaginary situation)
To make a third conditional, use if + past perfect and would + have + past participle.
The contraction of had is 'd.
You wouldn't have been late if you'd got up earlier.

martes, 13 de marzo de 2012

Relative clauses

Defining relative clauses.

To give important information about a person, place, or thing use a relative clause (= a relative pronoun + subject + verb).

Use the relative pronouns
Who for people
Which for things
Where for places
Whose to mean of who/of which.

You can use that instead of who or which.

Who, which, and that can be omitted when the verbs in the main clause and the relative clause have a different subject.
He's the man I met on the plane. (The subject of met is I, so it's not necessary to put who.)


Non-defining relative clauses.

If a relative clause gives extra, non-essential information (the sentences makes sense without it), you must put it between commas (or a comma and a full stop).
This painting, which was painted in 1860, is worth 2000 euros.

In these clauses, you can't leave out the relative pronoun (who, which, etc.)
Burford, where my brother was born, is a beautiful town.

In these clauses, you can't use that instead of who/which.

The passive: be + past participle

We often use the passive when it's not clear or important who does an action.
My bike has been stolen (= Somebody has stolen my bike. I don't know who.)

If you want to say who did the action, use by.
Death in Venice was directed by Visconti.

Reported speech: Commands


Direct speech Reported speech
Go away. She told him to go away.
Don't worry. The doctor told me not to worry.
Can/could you help me? I asked the shop assitant to help me.


To report an imperative or request, use told or asked + person + the infinitive with to.
To report a negative imperative, use a negative infinitive.

!!!!
You can't use said in these sentences.

sábado, 10 de marzo de 2012

Exercises

Now, one website more to do exercises for learn English, about vocabulary, grammar and others.


http://www.englishexercises.org/

Reported speech: Statements and questions


Direct statements Reported statements
I like shopping. She said (that) she liked shopping.
I'm going tomorrow. He told her he was going the next day.
I'll always love you. He said he would always love me.
I passed the exam! She told him she had passed the exam.
I've forgotten my keys. He said he had forgotten his keys.
I can't come. She said she couldn't come.
I may be late. He said she might be late.
I must go. She said she had to go.


Tenses usually change like this:
present - past
will - would
past simple / present perfect - past perfect
Some modal verbs change:
can - could
may - might
must - had to


Direct questions Reported questions
Are you married? She asked him if he was married.
Did she phone? He asked me whether she had phoned.
What's your name? I asked him what his name was.
Where do you live? They asked me where I lived.


!!!!!
Must - had to ----------- Mustn't - mustn't

You usually have to change the pronouns.
I like... --- She said she like...
Using that after said and told is optional.
If you report what someone said on a different day or in a different place, some time and place words change
tomorrow - the next day
here - there
this - that

!!!!!
After said don't use a person or object pronoun.
He said he was tired. NOT He said me...
After told you must use a person or pronoun.
He told me he was tired. NOT He told he was...

When you report a question, the tenses change as in reported statements.
When a question begins with a verb (not a question word), add if (or whether).
You also have to change the word order to subject + verb, and not use do/did.

viernes, 9 de marzo de 2012

Arctic Monkeys - Suck it and see


Gerunds and infinitives

Use the gerund (verb+ing)
After prepositions and phrasal verbs. She's given up smoking.
As the subject of a sentences. Eating out is quite cheap here.
After some verbs (ex. hate, spend, don't mind). I don't mind getting up early.

Use infinitive (+ to)
After adjectives. My flat is easy to find.
To express a reason or purpose. He's saving money to buy a new car.
After some verbs. (ex. want, need, learn). She's never learn to drive.

Use the infinitive (without to)
After most model and auxiliary verbs. I can't drive. We must hurry.
After make and let. My parents don't let me go out.

Gerunds and infinitives form the negative with not. not to be, not being.
More verbs take the infinitive than the gerund.
These common verbs can take either the gerund or infinitive with no difference in meaning: begin, continue, prefer, start.

!!!!!!
These verbs can take a gerund or infinitive but the meaning is different:
Try to be on time = make an effort to be on time.
Try doing yoga = do it to see if you like it.
Remember to phone him = don't forget to do it.
I remember meeting him years ago = I have a memory of it.