lunes, 15 de diciembre de 2014

EXÀMENES DE ENERO



NIVEL INTERMEDIO 1, 
GRUPO NI1A (TURNO DE MAÑANA):

MIERCOLES 14 Y LUNES 19 DE ENERO, PRUEBAS ESCRITAS.

MIERCOLES  21 Y LUNES 26, EXÁMENES ORALES.

lunes, 24 de noviembre de 2014

MUST, HAVE TO, SHOULD (OBLIGATION)



Modal Verbs of Obligation

We can use have to + infinitive, must + infinitive and should + infinitive to express obligation (something you have to do).
PresentPositiveNegative
have to /
don’t have to
strong obligation (possibly from outside)
  • Children have to go to school.
(sometimes ‘have got to’)
no obligation
  • I don’t have to work on Sundays.

  • You don’t have to eat anything you don’t like.
must / mustn’t strong obligation (possibly based on the speaker’s opinion)
  • I must study today.
negative obligation
  • You mustn’t smoke here.
should / shouldn’t mild obligation or advice
  • You should save some money.
mild negative obligation or advice
  • You shouldn’t smoke so much.
Be careful about the difference between mustn't and don't have to!
Mustn't
means it's not allowed, or it's a bad idea:
  • You mustn't eat so much chocolate, you'll be sick
Don't have to means you don't need to do something, but it's fine if you want to do it:
  • I don't have to get up early at the weekend
    (of course, if I want to get up early, that's fine, but I can stay in bed if I want
PastPositiveNegative
had to / didn’t have to obligation in the past
  • I had to go to wear a school uniform when I was a child.
no obligation in the past
  • We didn’t have to go to school on Saturdays.
must*changes to 'had to'-
should have + pp / shouldn’t have + pp a past action which didn’t happen: the advice / regret is too late
  • You should have gone to bed earlier, now you have missed the train.
a past action which didn’t happen: the advice / regret is too late
  • You shouldn’t have taken that job., it was a bad idea.

* Remember ‘must have done’ is a modal verb of deduction or speculation, not obligation in the past. For example: Julie must have left. Her coat’s not here.



EXERCISE ONE
EXERCISE TWO
EXERCISE THREE

miércoles, 5 de noviembre de 2014

COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE ADJECTIVES





Forming Comparative and Superlative Adjectives. from eflnet.com

One-syllable adjectives.

Form the comparative and superlative forms of a one-syllable adjective by adding –er for the comparative form and –est for the superlative.
One-Syllable Adjective Comparative Form Superlative Form
tall taller tallest
old older oldest
long longer longest
  • Mary is taller than Max.
  • Mary is the tallest of all the students.
  • Max is older than John.
  • Of the three students, Max is the oldest.
  • My hair is longer than your hair.
  • Max's story is the longest story I've ever heard.
If the one-syllable adjective ends with an e, just add –r for the comparative form and –st for the superlative form.
One-Syllable Adjective with Final -e Comparative Form Superlative Form
large larger largest
wise wiser wisest
  • Mary's car is larger than Max's car.
  • Mary's house is the largest of all the houses on the block.
  • Max is wiser than his brother.
  • Max is the wisest person I know.
If the one-syllable adjective ends with a single consonant with a vowel before it, double the consonant and add –er for the comparative form; and double the consonant and add –est for the superlative form.
One-Syllable Adjective Ending with a Single Consonant with a Single Vowel before It Comparative Form Superlative Form
big bigger biggest
thin thinner thinnest
fat fatter fattest
  • My dog is the biggest of all the dogs in the neighborhood.
  • Max is thinner than John.
  • Of all the students in the class, Max is the thinnest.
  • My mother is fatter than your mother.
  • Mary is the fattest person I've ever
  • My dog is bigger than your dog.

Two-syllable adjectives.

With most two-syllable adjectives, you form the comparative with more and the superlative with most.
Two-Syllable Adjective Comparative Form Superlative Form
peaceful more peaceful most peaceful
pleasant more pleasant most pleasant
careful more careful most careful
thoughtful more thoughtful most thoughtful
  • This morning is more peaceful than yesterday morning.
  • Max's house in the mountains is the most peaceful in the world.
  • Max is more careful than Mike.
  • Of all the taxi drivers, Jack is the most careful.
  • Jill is more thoughtful than your sister.
  • Mary is the most thoughtful person I've ever met.
If the two-syllable adjectives ends with –y, change the y to i and add –er for the comparative form. For the superlative form change the y to i and add –est.
Two-Syllable Adjective Ending with -y Comparative Form Superlative Form
happy happier happiest
angry angrier angriest
busy busier busiest
  • John is happier today than he was yesterday.
  • John is the happiest boy in the world.
  • Max is angrier than Mary.
  • Of all of John's victims, Max is the angriest.
  • Mary is busier than Max.
  • Mary is the busiest person I've ever met.
Two-syllable adjectives ending in –er, -le, or –ow take –er and –est to form the comparative and superlative forms.
Two-Syllable Adjective Ending with -er, -le, or -ow Comparative Form Superlative Form
narrow narrower narrowest
gentle gentler gentlest
  • The roads in this town are narrower than the roads in the city.
  • This road is the narrowest of all the roads in California.
  • Big dogs are gentler than small dogs.
  • Of all the dogs in the world, English Mastiffs are the gentlest.

Adjectives with three or more syllables.

For adjectives with three syllables or more, you form the comparative with more and the superlative with most.
Adjective with Three or More Syllables Comparative Form Superlative Form
generous more generous most generous
important more important most important
intelligent more intelligent most intelligent
  • John is more generous than Jack.
  • John is the most generous of all the people I know.
  • Health is more important than money.
  • Of all the people I know, Max is the most important.
  • Women are more intelligent than men.
  • Mary is the most intelligent person I've ever met.

Exceptions.

Irregular adjectives.
Irregular Adjective Comparative Form Superlative Form
good better best
bad worse worst
far farther farthest
little less least
many more most
  • Italian food is better than American food.
  • My dog is the best dog in the world.
  • My mother's cooking is worse than your mother's cooking.
  • Of all the students in the class, Max is the worst.
Two-syllable adjectives that follow two rules. These adjectives can be used with -er and -est and with more and most.
Two-Syllable Adjective Comparative Form Superlative Form
clever cleverer cleverest
clever more clever most clever
gentle gentler gentlest
gentle more gentle most gentle
friendly friendlier friendliest
friendly more friendly most friendly
quiet quieter quietest
quiet more quiet most quiet
simple simpler simplest
simple more simple most simple

lunes, 27 de octubre de 2014

PRESENT PERFECT



Present Perfect by www.englishpage.com

FORM

[has/have + past participle]
Examples:
  • You have seen that movie many times.
  • Have you seen that movie many times?
  • You have not seen that movie many times.
Complete List of Present Perfect Forms

USE 1 Unspecified Time Before Now


We use the Present Perfect to say that an action happened at an unspecified time before now. The exact time is not important. You CANNOT use the Present Perfect with specific time expressions such as: yesterday, one year ago, last week, when I was a child, when I lived in Japan, at that moment, that day, one day, etc. We CAN use the Present Perfect with unspecific expressions such as: ever, never, once, many times, several times, before, so far, already, yet, etc.
Examples:
  • I have seen that movie twenty times.
  • I think I have met him once before.
  • There have been many earthquakes in California.
  • People have traveled to the Moon.
  • People have not traveled to Mars.
  • Have you read the book yet?
  • Nobody has ever climbed that mountain.
  • A: Has there ever been a war in the United States?
    B: Yes, there has been a war in the United States.

How Do You Actually Use the Present Perfect?

The concept of "unspecified time" can be very confusing to English learners. It is best to associate Present Perfect with the following topics:

TOPIC 1 Experience

You can use the Present Perfect to describe your experience. It is like saying, "I have the experience of..." You can also use this tense to say that you have never had a certain experience. The Present Perfect is NOT used to describe a specific event.
Examples:
  • I have been to France. This sentence means that you have had the experience of being in France. Maybe you have been there once, or several times.
  • I have been to France three times. You can add the number of times at the end of the sentence.
  • I have never been to France. This sentence means that you have not had the experience of going to France.
  • I think I have seen that movie before.
  • He has never traveled by train.
  • Joan has studied two foreign languages.
  • A: Have you ever met him?
    B: No, I have not met him.

TOPIC 2 Change Over Time

We often use the Present Perfect to talk about change that has happened over a period of time.
Examples:
  • You have grown since the last time I saw you.
  • The government has become more interested in arts education.
  • Japanese has become one of the most popular courses at the university since the Asian studies program was established.
  • My English has really improved since I moved to Australia.

TOPIC 3 Accomplishments

We often use the Present Perfect to list the accomplishments of individuals and humanity. You cannot mention a specific time.
Examples:
  • Man has walked on the Moon.
  • Our son has learned how to read.
  • Doctors have cured many deadly diseases.
  • Scientists have split the atom.

TOPIC 4 An Uncompleted Action You Are Expecting

We often use the Present Perfect to say that an action which we expected has not happened. Using the Present Perfect suggests that we are still waiting for the action to happen.
Examples:
  • James has not finished his homework yet.
  • Susan hasn't mastered Japanese, but she can communicate.
  • Bill has still not arrived.
  • The rain hasn't stopped.
EXERCISE ONE
EXERCISE TWO
EXERCISE THREE

jueves, 16 de octubre de 2014

SIMPLE PAST & PRESENT PERFECT





1) Use (from Englishpage.com)

Present Perfect Simple Past
Result of an action in the past is important in the present   action finished in the past
Recently completed actions   series of completed actions in the past

Actions beginning in the past and still continuing   together with the Past Progressive/Continuous - The Simple Past interrupted an action which was in progress in the past.
together with lately, recently, yet

2) Signal words

Present Perfect Simple Past
just, yet, never, already, ever, so far, up to now, recently, since, for yesterday, last week, a month ago, in 2002

3) Form

Present Perfect Simple Past
have/has + past participle regular verbs: infinitive + ed
irregular verbs:

2nd column of the table of the irregular verbs

4) Examples

Present Perfect Simple Past
4-1 Affirmative sentences
I have played football.
I've played football.
I played football.
You have played football.
You've played football.
You played football.
He has played football.
He's played football.
He played football.

Present Perfect           Simple Past
4-2 Negative sentences
I have not played football.
I've not played football.
I haven't played football.
I did not play football.
I didn't play football.
You have not played football.
You've not played football.
You haven't played football.
You did not play football.
You didn't play football.
He has not played football.
He's not played football.
He hasn't played football.
He did not play football.
He didn't play football.

Present Perfect Simple Past
4-3 Questions
Have I played football? Did I play football?
Have you played football? Did you play football?
Has he played football? Did he play football?

5) Spelling (both tenses)

stopped (Double the consonant after a short vowel.)
loved (one -e at the end of the word -> Leave out the -e and add -d.)
worried (consonant before -y ->Change to -ie.)


 EXERCISE ONE
EXERCISE TWO
EXERCISE THREE




lunes, 6 de octubre de 2014

FUTURE TENSES

Future tenses

There are several different ways in English that you can talk about the future. This page is an introduction to the most important ones:


Predictions/statements of fact


The auxiliary verb will is used in making predictions or simple statements of fact about the future.
  • The sun will rise at 6.30 tomorrow.
  • Lunch break today will be 10 minutes longer than usual.
  • In the year 2050 all students will have their own computers in school.
  • If you help me, I will help you.
  • Do you think she will come soon?
  • You won't pass your exams if you don't start working harder.
  • I know my parents won't let me go to the party.
  • Will it snow for Christmas?
  • I know she's sick, but will she be back in school tomorrow?

Intentions

The auxiliary verb going to is used in talking about intentions. (An intention is a plan for the future that you have already thought about.)
  • We're going to buy a new car next month.
  • I'm going to work in a bank when I leave school.
  • In the new year I'm going to stop eating so much junk.
  • He's not going to go to the dance. He's got too much work.
  • I'm not going to watch TV until my science project is finished.
  • Are you going to play basketball after school?
  • What are you going to have for lunch today?
Note: going to is often used in the past tense to talk about an unfulfilled intention. Examples: I was going to study for my grammar test, but I had no time. / He was going to call you, but he couldn't find his mobile phone. / My grandmother was going to visit us, but she fell and broke her arm.

Arrangements

The present continuous tense is used in talking about arrangements. (An arrangement is is a plan for the future that you have already thought about and discussed with someone else.)
  • I'm meeting my mother at the airport tomorrow.
  • Our grandparents are visiting us this Christmas.
  • Sorry, I can't stay after school today; I'm playing tennis with Jun-Sik.
  • My sister's going to the dentist tomorrow.
  • I'm not returning home for the holidays, so I can come to your party after all!
  • Are you doing anything on Sunday morning?
  • Do you know if he is going to the dance with Maiko next week?

Scheduled events

The present simple tense is usually used to refer to future events that are scheduled (and outside of our control).
  • Hurry up! The train departs in 10 minutes.
  • I leave Frankfurt at 5 o'clock in the morning and arrive in New York
  • at midnight the next day.
  • She has an appointment with the headmaster after school today.
  • There's no need to hurry. The train doesn't leave for another 30 minutes.
  • When does the meeting begin?
  •  
  • EXERCISE ONE
  • EXERCISE TWO 
  • EXERCISE THREE  

miércoles, 1 de octubre de 2014

PAST PERFECT



Past Perfect

FORM

[had + past participle]
Examples:
  • You had studied English before you moved to New York.
  • Had you studied English before you moved to New York?
  • You had not studied English before you moved to New York.

USE 1 Completed Action Before Something in the Past

The Past Perfect expresses the idea that something occurred before another action in the past. It can also show that something happened before a specific time in the past.
Examples:

  • I had never seen such a beautiful beach before I went to Kauai.
  • I did not have any money because I had lost my wallet.
  • Tony knew Istanbul so well because he had visited the city several times.
  • Had Susan ever studied Thai before she moved to Thailand?
  • She only understood the movie because she had read the book.
  • Kristine had never been to an opera before last night.
  • We were not able to get a hotel room because we had not booked in advance.
  • A: Had you ever visited the U.S. before your trip in 2006?
    B: Yes, I had been to the U.S. once before.
  •  
  •  
  • EXERCISE ONE

lunes, 29 de septiembre de 2014

PAST SIMPLE AND CONTINUOUS




Simple Past (FROM ENGLISHPAGE.COM)


FORM

[VERB+ed] or irregular verbs

Examples:
  • You called Debbie.
  • Did you call Debbie?
  • You did not call Debbie.
Complete List of Simple Past Forms

USE 1 Completed Action in the Past


Use the Simple Past to express the idea that an action started and finished at a specific time in the past. Sometimes, the speaker may not actually mention the specific time, but they do have one specific time in mind.

Examples:
  • I saw a movie yesterday.
  • I didn't see a play yesterday.
  • Last year, I traveled to Japan.
  • Last year, I didn't travel to Korea.

USE 2 A Series of Completed Actions


We use the Simple Past to list a series of completed actions in the past. These actions happen 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on.

Examples:
  • I finished work, walked to the beach, and found a nice place to swim.
  • He arrived from the airport at 8:00, checked into the hotel at 9:00, and met the others at 10:00.
  • Did you add flour, pour in the milk, and then add the eggs?

USE 3 Duration in Past


The Simple Past can be used with a duration which starts and stops in the past. A duration is a longer action often indicated by expressions such as: for two years, for five minutes, all day, all year, etc.

Examples:
  • I lived in Brazil for two years.
  • Shauna studied Japanese for five years.
  • They sat at the beach all day.

USE 4 Habits in the Past


The Simple Past can also be used to describe a habit which stopped in the past. It can have the same meaning as "used to." To make it clear that we are talking about a habit, we often add expressions such as: always, often, usually, never, when I was a child, when I was younger, etc.

Examples:
  • I studied French when I was a child.
  • He played the violin.
  • He didn't play the piano.

USE 5 Past Facts or Generalizations


The Simple Past can also be used to describe past facts or generalizations which are no longer true. As in USE 4 above, this use of the Simple Past is quite similar to the expression "used to."

Examples:
  • She was shy as a child, but now she is very outgoing.
  • He didn't like tomatoes before.
  • Did you live in Texas when you were a kid?
  • People paid much more to make cell phone calls in the past.

IMPORTANT When-Clauses Happen First

Clauses are groups of words which have meaning but are often not complete sentences. Some clauses begin with the word "when" such as "when I dropped my pen..." or "when class began..." These clauses are called when-clauses, and they are very important. The examples below contain when-clauses.

Examples:
  • When I paid her one dollar, she answered my question.
  • She answered my question when I paid her one dollar.
When-clauses are important because they always happen first when both clauses are in the Simple Past. Both of the examples above mean the same thing: first, I paid her one dollar, and then, she answered my question. It is not important whether "when I paid her one dollar" is at the beginning of the sentence or at the end of the sentence. However, the example below has a different meaning. First, she answered my question, and then, I paid her one dollar.

Example:
  • I paid her one dollar when she answered my question.

ADVERB PLACEMENT

The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.

Examples:
  • You just called Debbie.
  • Did you just call Debbie?

ACTIVE / PASSIVE


Examples:

  • Tom repaired the car. Active
  • The car was repaired by Tom. Passive

Past Continuous


FORM

[was/were + present participle]

Examples:
  • You were studying when she called.
  • Were you studying when she called?
  • You were not studying when she called.
Complete List of Past Continuous Forms

USE 1 Interrupted Action in the Past


Use the Past Continuous to indicate that a longer action in the past was interrupted. The interruption is usually a shorter action in the Simple Past. Remember this can be a real interruption or just an interruption in time.

Examples:
  • I was watching TV when she called.
  • When the phone rang, she was writing a letter.
  • While we were having the picnic, it started to rain.
  • What were you doing when the earthquake started?
  • I was listening to my iPod, so I didn't hear the fire alarm.

USE 2 Specific Time as an Interruption


In USE 1, described above, the Past Continuous is interrupted by a shorter action in the Simple Past. However, you can also use a specific time as an interruption.

Examples:
  • Last night at 6 PM, I was eating dinner.
  • At midnight, we were still driving through the desert.
  • Yesterday at this time, I was sitting at my desk at work.

IMPORTANT

In the Simple Past, a specific time is used to show when an action began or finished. In the Past Continuous, a specific time only interrupts the action.

Examples:

  • Last night at 6 PM, I ate dinner. I started eating at 6 PM.
  • Last night at 6 PM, I was eating dinner. I started earlier; and at 6 PM, I was in the process of eating dinner.



EXERCISE ONE
EXERCISE TWO