HOW / WHAT

HOW

1.- Used for general opinion on something.

2.- Asking about general health.

3.- About preferences relating to food and drink.

EX:  How was your journey?

        How is your brother?

       How do you like your coffee?


WHAT

1.- When you are asking about general opinion with:

      What...... LIKE?

2.- For details with  What .... LIKE / HATE about...?
     
      EX: What do you like about the job? 

3.- About the consequenses  of something with WHAT IF...?
  
      EX: What if your plan doesn't work?

4.- About the naming of something in the question.

      EX: What is it called?

MODAL VERBS WITH PASSIVES

1.-  ACTIVE :

SHOULD / COULD / MIGHT / OUGHT TO...   + BARE INFINITIVE

EX: You should tell John.


PASSIVE:

SHOULD / COULD / MIGHT / OUGHT TO...   + BE + PAST PARTICIPLE

EX: John should BE told.



2.- ACTIVE:

SHOULD / COULD / MIGHT / OUGHT TO...   + HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE 

EX: You should HAVE told John.


PASSIVE:

SHOULD / COULD / MIGHT / OUGHT TO...   + HAVE + BEEN + PAST PARTICIPLE 

EX: John should HAVE BEEN told.



3.-  ACTIVE:

SHOULD / COULD / MIGHT / OUGHT TO...   + HAVE + BEEN + VERB ing

EX: You should have been TELLING John while I ....


PASSIVE:

SHOULD / COULD / MIGHT / OUGHT TO...   + HAVE + BEEN + BEING + PAST PARTICIPLE 

EX: John should have been BEING told while I.....

THE

Uses of "THE"

1.- To talk about something in particular
   
      EX: The window

2.- The same

3.-  There is only one of a particular thing.

       EX: The sun / the moon / the world / the sky / the sea / the country

4.- The police / the fire bridage / the army

5.- The top / the end / the middle / the left

6.- To play the piano / the guitar (musical instruments)

7.- The radio

8.- The internet

9.- The + plural names

      EX: The Netherlands / The Alpes

10.- Name of oceans / seas / rivers / canals

       EX: The Atlantic Ocean / The Amazon

11.- Name of hotels / museums / theatres / cinemas

       EX: The Science Museum / The National Theatre

12.- The + name + of

        EX: THE Museum OF Modern Art / THE Tower OF London

13.- The North, The South, etc.

14.- Used for things that has already mentioned.

15.- When is understandable from the context which thing or person we mean.

PREPOSITIONS AND TIME

AT  8 o'clock
      10.30 hrs
      midnight, etc
      the weekend
      night
      Christmas  (But, ON Christmas day)
      at the end of
      at the moment



ON  Sunday (s)
        26 April
        New year's day
        Monday morning, Tuesday afternoon, etc.
        


IN  April
      2013
      Summer
      the morning, afternoon, etc.
      five minutes
      a few days
      six weeks 
      two years

FEW

1.- A FEW  + PLURAL NOUNS

     EX: A FEW cats.


2.- FEW without A. --> Nearly nothing

      EX: There were  FEW people in the theater. (Nearly empty)

             You make VERY FEW mistakes.

            * I have a few friends                    ≠                      I have few friends

           (I have some friends  :)  )                                    (Nearly no friends  :(  )

LITTLE

1.- A LITTLE + COUNTABLE

     EX: A little time

            A little water

2.- LITTLE without  A: Nearly no or nearly nothing.

     EX: There was LITTLE food in the fridge.

             He eats very LITTLE.


      * They have A LITTLE money.                 ≠                They have LITTLE money. 
         

             (They have some money :) )                                    (Nearly no money.  :(  )

HAVE

HAVE  -->  a shower / a bath
                   breakfast / lunch / dinner 
                   a meal / a sandwich /, etc.
                   a cup of tea / a glass of milk
                   something to eat / drink
                   a rest / a holiday / a party
                   a nice time / a good trip / fun
                   a walk / a swim / a game
                   a dream / an accident
                   a baby / a look at something

MAKE

1.- MAKE = Produce / create

EX: She is making coffee
       He has made a cake
       They make umbrellas


2.- Make a mistake
                an appointment
                a phone call
                a list
                a noise
                a bed  

3.-  Make a film     ≠   Take a photo / picture

DO

1.- Used for general actions

EX: What do you do? = What's your job?

2.-  DO  an exam / a test / a course / homework
              housework
              somebody a favour
              an exercise

3.- DO  the shopping
             the washing
             the washing-up
             the ironing
             the cooking, etc.

VERBS OF THE SENSES

1.-  CAN  --> HEAR / SEE / SMELL / FEEL / TASTE

a.)  When something happens in the present, but not during continuous tenses.

I can smell gas.

b.) Hear / See : You can use them in continuous tense.

I've been hearing good things about you recently

I'm seeing James tonight.

2.-  HEAR / SEE + INFINITIVE / GERUND

a.)  Hear / See + Object + Gerund

When an action is in progress or it's a repeated action.

EX: I heard the girl playing Chopin.


3.- a.)  LOOK / FEEL / SMELL / SOUND / TASTE + ADJECTIVE

           EX: That smells delicious.

     b.)  LOOK / FEEL / SMELL / SOUND / TASTE + LIKE + NOUN

           EX: It sounds like thunder.

     c.) LOOK / FEEL / SMELL / SOUND / TASTE +  AS IF / AS THOUGH + CLAUSE

          EX: She looked as if / as though she had been crying.

     d.) SMELL / TASTE OF  ≠ SMELL / TASTE  LIKE

          EX: It tastes of garlic (It has the taste)

          EX: It tastes like garlic ( It is similar to garlic.)


4.-  SEEM ≠ LOOK

      a.) SEEM + ADJECTIVE. Seem does not use the continuous tense.

           EX: You seem worried.

      b.) SEEM + INFINITIVE

           EX: You seem to be a little down.

      c.) LIKE + NOUN 

           EX: It seemed like a good idea.


      d.) SEEMS + AS IF / AS THOUGH + VERB PHRASE

           EX: It seems as if / as though every time I clean the car it rains.

VERBS and PREPOSITIONS

Hear ABOUT

Know ABOUT

Talk someone ABOUT

Speak someone ABOUT

Think ABOUT

Look AFTER

Regard .... AS / WITH

Be AT

Stay AT

Do sth AT home

Differentiate BETWEEN

Arrive  IN  (Country or town: Arrive in Paris)  Arrive AT other places

Culminate IN / WITH

Specialise IN

I WAS born IN  (Not I'm born...)

Where WERE you BORN?

Detract FROM

Ask someone FOR

Thank someone FOR

Mistake ... FOR

Sorry FOR  (I feel sorry FOR them)

Wait FOR

Base ... ON / UPON

Depend ON

Inflict ... ON

Nice / kind OF  (It was kind OF you to help us)

Think OF

Adhere  TO

Agree TO   (Agree to differ, agree to that suggestion)

Aspire TO

Attribute ... TO

Belong TO

Come  TO

Get  TO   --> a place, get to the hotel, get to Paris.

Happen TO

Listen  TO

Married TO

Nice / kind TO  (He is very nice TO me)

Return TO

Speak TO

Talk TO

Walk TO

Incline TO / TOWARDS

Equate ...  WITH

Agree WITH

NO PREPOSITIONS

Go

Come

Walk   -->    HOME

Arrive

Get

Call

Email

Phone

Text

PHRASAL VERBS

BARGE IN: interferir, molestar, intervenir groseramente.

BELT OUT: Cantar a voz en grito

BLOW AWAY: Volar; deslumbrar a alguien, arrasar; liquidar.

BREAK DOWN: Stop working

CAST ASIDE: Desechar, tirar a un lado.

CARRY ON: Continue

CHILL OUT: Relajarse

DAWNED ON: Ocurrirse, darse cuenta.

DRAG ON: Hacerse eterno

FALL OVER: Lose your balance

GET ALONG: be together without problems

GET ON: Manage (in a job, school or exam)

GO OFF: Explode / Ring the alarm

HAVE IT IN FOR: Tener entre ojos

JAZZ UP: Darle vida, realzar, dar un toque de color.

KEEP ON = Continue

LOOK OUT = WATCH OUT

LOOK OVER: Inspeccionar; perdonar; pasar por alto.

LOOK UP: Buscar

PIG OUT: Comer excesivamente

PUT sth AWAY: Put in the place where you usually keep it.

PUT OUT: Apagar

TAKE BACK: Tomar de vuelta / arrepentirse

TUG AT: Jalar, tirar de.

WRING OUT: Escurrir

PREPOSITIONS AND PLACES

AT  the bus stop / the door / the traffic lights / her desk

       the top / bottom / end   of...

       home / work / school / university / college 

       the station / the airport / Lisa's house

       the doctor's / the hair dresser's

       a concert / a party / a football match

IN    a room / a shop / a car / the water

        a garden / a town / the city center / country

        bed / hospital  / the sky  / the world 

        a newspaper / a book / a photo / a picture / a car / a taxi

        the middle of

ON  a shelf / a plate / a balcony / the floor 

        a wall / a door / the ceiling

        a horse / a bicycle / a (the) motorbike

        a bus / a train / a plane / a ship 

        the ground floor / the first floor 

        the way to... / the way home 

        those trees 

        there is a stamp on the envelope 

Other uses:

AT  the age of...

      kms and hours

      degrees

BY    car / bus / plane / bike...

ON   foot

         holiday / television / the radio / the phone / fire / time    

ORDER OF ADJECTIVES

1.- Opinion

2.- Size / Physical quality / Shape / Age

3.- Colour

4.- Participle Adjectives

5.- Origin

6.- Material

7.- Type

8.- Purpose

-----------------------

     NOUN

THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE

THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE

1.-    Charle'S  friends

        the witch'S malice

        for conscience' sake

        one'S rights

        somebody else'S umbrella

-) For singular nouns:
    
        Tom'S car

-) For irregular plurals

       Women'S liberation

-) For regular plurals:

        Girls' shoes
        Companies' difficulties

2.-   COMMA

DATES  and  ,

February to July , 1992 

April 6 , 1986

Wednesday , November 14 , 1992

6 April 1988

The abbreviations etc. , ie. , and e.g. , the abbreviations for academic degrees, and titles that follow a name are parenthetic and should be punctuated accordingly.

Letters, packages, etc. , should go here. 

Horace Fulsome,  Phd. , presided.

Rachel Simonds, Attorney.

The reverend Harry, S. J. 

3.-  ;  SEMICOLON

a.) If two or more clauses grammatically  complete and not joined by a conjunction are to form a single compound sentence, the proper mark of punctuation is a SEMICOLON.

EX:

It is nearly half past five ; we can't reach town before dark.

b.) If a conjunction is inserted, the proper mark is a comma. 

EX:

Mary's works are entertaining, for they are full of engaging ideas. 

c.) If the second clause is preceded by an adverb, such as accordingly, besides, then, therefore, or thus, and not by a conjunction, the semicolon is still required. 

EX:

I had never been in the place before; besides, it was dark as a tomb.

d.) However, therefore, hence, nevertheless, meanwhile and consequently require  ; before them when they are used to join 2 sentences together. 

4.- Do NOT use periods for commas

EX:

Again and again he called out. No reply.

5.- Join 2 independent clauses with a colon if the second interprets or amplifies the first.  

EX:

But even so, there was a directness and dispatch about animal burial : there was no .. in parlor, no wreath or spray.

6.- a.) The use of a SINGULAR verb form in a relative clause following "one of..." when the relative is the subject

EX:

One of those people who IS never ready on time.

b.)  Use a singular verb form after each, either, everyone, everybody, neither, nobody, someone.

EX:

Everybody think he HAS a unique sense of humor.

Although both clocks strike cheerfully, neither KEEPS good time.

c.) A compound subject formed of two or more nouns joined by AND almost always requires a plural verb. 

EX:

The warlus and the carpenter WERE walking close at hand.

d.) The contents of a Book is SINGULAR.

7.- The reader is dissastified with being told only what is not, the reader wishes to be told what is.

8.- Omit needless words

Vigorous writing is concise

9.-  Express coordinate ideas in similar form.

Some words require a particular preposition in certain idiomatic uses. When such words are joined in a compund construction, all the appropiate prepositions must be included, unless they are the same.

III.-  FORM

- When they occur in dialogue, most dates and numbers are best spelled out.

a.) I arrived home on August ninth.

b.) In the year 1990, I turned twenty-one.

c.) Read chapter twelve.

- Quotations:

Mark Twain says,  "A classic is...   ."

When a quotation is followed by an attribute phrase, the comma is enclosed within the quotation marks.

"I can't attend, " She said.

IV.-  WORDS

All right: Everything is correct

Allright: well...

Altogether: entirely, totally.

Disinterested:  Impartial

Uninterested: Bored

Divided INTO pieces

Etc. =  and other things  / and the rest  / and so forth.

Farther  = distance

Further = time on quantity word, amount, abstract matters.

However: when however comes first, it means  "in whatever way"  or "to whatever extent"  

As regard: the same thing

Imply: Suggest

Infer: conclude, deduce.

IN: Location or condition

INTO: Movement or change of condition

Inside of : In less than

Owing to: because of

Due to: caused by

LIE  --> Lay  / Lain / Lying

LAY --> Laid / Laid / Laying

Less : Quantity

EX: His troubles are LESS than mine

(His troubles are not so great as mine)

Fewer: Number

EX: His troubles are FEWER than mine

(His troubles are not so numerous as mine)

MEMENTO:

Acuérdate

Detenerse a discurrir con particular atención y estudio lo que  le importa.

Parte de la misa donde se conmemora los fieles y los vivos.

NOR

He can not eat OR sleep.

He can NEITHER eat NOR sleep.

He can not eat NOR can he sleep.

Presently: in a short /  while / soon   OR'

                 currently

SHALL: formal writting  First person

WILL: Formal writing for SECOND and THIRD person.

Like:  similar to

Such as:  precede an example

Medium is singular

Media is plural

GET

GET

GET a bus / a train / a taxi

GET married / dressed / lost

EX:

So we got lost.

GET + adj = Become

EX:

Get hungry

Get cold

GET to a place = Arrive

EX:

Get to work

Get here / there

Get home

CAR

Get IN

Get OUT

BUS / TRAIN  / PLANE

Get ON

Get OFF

GO

Go TO sleep

GO home

GO ON: Holiday / a trip / tour / a cruise / strike

GO FOR:  a walk / a run / a swim / a drink / a meal

GO + VING for many sports and shopping.

EX:

They have GONE sailing