EXÁMENES DE MAYO

LOS EXÁMENES DE MAYO PARA EL 

GRUPO NA1A 

(TURNO DE NOCHE) SERÁN LOS DÍAS:

LUNES 21 Y MIÉRCOLES 23 LAS PARTES ESCRITAS.

LUNES 28 LOS ORALES.

TYPES OF WRITING.

CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW TO LEARN ABOUT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF WRITING IN ENGLISH:

1) ESSAY WRITING

2) HOW TO WRITE A REPORT

3) AN OPINION ESSAY

4) FOR AND AGAINST ESSAY:

For And Against Essay

View more PowerPoint from Anabel Ponce

ESSAY ESAMPLES. CLICK HERE

WORLD BOOK DAY

CLICK ON THE LITTLE PRINCE PICTURE TO READ THE BOOK IN ENGLISH.

HAVE SOMETHING DONE

 

Have something done

If you 'have something done', you get somebody else to do something for you.

• I'm going to have my hair cut.
• She's having her house redecorated.
• I'm having a copy of the report sent to you

In informal English, we can replace 'have' by 'get'.

• We're getting a new telephone system installed.
• They will be getting the system repaired as quickly as they can.
• I got the bill sent direct to the company.

We can also use 'have/got something done' in situations where something bad has happened to people or their possessions. This is not something they wanted to happen.

• John had all his money stolen from his hotel bedroom.
• We had our car damaged by a falling tree.
• I got my nose broken playing rugby. 
•  
• EXERCISE 1
• EXERCISE 2 
• EXERCISE 3
• EXERCISE 4

"LIKE " versus "SUCH AS"

“Like” Versus “Such As”

Should you write, “Chuck enjoys desserts such as brownies, cheesecake, and macaroons” or “Chuck enjoys desserts like brownies, cheesecake, and macaroons”? Either is acceptable to many grammarians and veteran writers, but let’s look at why using “such as” is better in this instance.

When Should You Use “Such As” Instead of “Like”?

Note that the second example suggests a comparison (like brownies…), whereas the first example implies inclusion (such as brownies…), and that’s precisely what is meant. In other words, many consider likeness as not being the thing itself. When you say “desserts like brownies,” you're implying that you don't enjoy brownies themselves, but instead enjoy a different dessert similar to brownies. It's a subtle difference, but one to be aware of.

Here are a few more examples:

Brad laughs when he hears words such as “flabbergasted,” “rutabaga,” and “hornswoggle.” (The “such as” tells us that “flabbergasted,” “rutabaga,” and “hornswoggle” are included in the list of words that make Brad laugh.)

Characters like Cinderella, Dracula, and Frankenstein continue to appear in movies and novels. (The “like” tells us characters that are comparable to Cinderella, Dracula, and Frankenstein continue to appear in movies and novels.)

Jill would love to travel to several European cities such as London, Florence, and Athens. (The “such as” tells us these are specific cities Jill wants to see.)

Doctor Coughlin dreads seeing patients like Mrs. Carbuncle. (The “like” tells us there are other patients as difficult as Mrs. Carbuncle and Doctor Coughlin doesn't enjoy seeing them either.)

And in the following case, the sentence is OK either way, depending on the intended meaning:

A zombie like Zeke should be small and sneaky.

A zombie such as Zeke should be small and sneaky.

Divided Opinion on “Like” Versus “Such As”

Why do you think there are mixed views regarding the usage of our words in question? Some language experts, such as Patricia O’Connor (the author of Woe Is I), state that “'like' sounds better” because “'such as' has a more formal air” (1). I both disagree and agree with her. To my ear, “such as” sounds better in the sentence about Chuck’s favorite desserts: Chuck enjoys desserts such as brownies, cheesecake, and macaroons. However, I do agree that “such as” does sometimes have a more formal air to it, but I don't find that air stifling.

 ON-LINE EXERCISE - CLICK HERE.

 

 

THE PASSIVE VOICE.

Use of Passive

Passive voice is used when the focus is on the action. It is not important or not known, however, who or what is performing the action.

Example: My bike was stolen.

In the example above, the focus is on the fact that my bike was stolen. I do not know, however, who did it.

Sometimes a statement in passive is more polite than active voice, as the following example shows:

Example: A mistake was made.

In this case, I focus on the fact that a mistake was made, but I do not blame anyone (e.g. You have made a mistake.).

Form of Passive

Subject + finite form of to be + Past Participle (3rd column of irregular verbs)

Example: A letter was written.

When rewriting active sentences in passive voice, note the following:

• the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence
• the finite form of the verb is changed (to be + past participle)
• the subject of the active sentence becomes the object of the passive sentence (or is dropped)

Examples of Passive Level: lower intermediate

Tense		Subject	Verb	Object
Simple Present	Active:	Rita	writes	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	is written	by Rita.
Simple Past	Active:	Rita	wrote	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	was written	by Rita.
Present Perfect	Active:	Rita	has written	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	has been written	by Rita.
Future I	Active:	Rita	will write	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	will be written	by Rita.
Hilfsverben	Active:	Rita	can write	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	can be written	by Rita.

Examples of Passive Level: upper intermediate

Tense		Subject	Verb	Object
Present Progressive	Active:	Rita	is writing	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	is being written	by Rita.
Past Progressive	Active:	Rita	was writing	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	was being written	by Rita.
Past Perfect	Active:	Rita	had written	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	had been written	by Rita.
Future II	Active:	Rita	will have written	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	will have been written	by Rita.
Conditional I	Active:	Rita	would write	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	would be written	by Rita.
Conditional II	Active:	Rita	would have written	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	would have been written	by Rita.

Passive Sentences with Two Objects Level: intermediate

Rewriting an active sentence with two objects in passive voice means that one of the two objects becomes the subject, the other one remains an object. Which object to transform into a subject depends on what you want to put the focus on.

	Subject	Verb	Object 1	Object 2
Active:	Rita	wrote	a letter	to me.
Passive:	A letter	was written	to me	by Rita.
Passive:	I	was written	a letter	by Rita.

.

As you can see in the examples, adding by Rita does not sound very elegant. That’s why it is usually dropped.

Personal and Impersonal Passive

Personal Passive simply means that the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence. So every verb that needs an object (transitive verb) can form a personal passive.

Example: They build houses. – Houses are built.

Verbs without an object (intransitive verb) normally cannot form a personal passive sentence (as there is no object that can become the subject of the passive sentence). If you want to use an intransitive verb in passive voice, you need an impersonal construction – therefore this passive is called Impersonal Passive.

Example: he says – it is said

Impersonal Passive is not as common in English as in some other languages (e.g. German, Latin). In English, Impersonal Passive is only possible with verbs of perception (e. g. say, think, know).

Example: They say that women live longer than men. – It is said that women live longer than men.

Although Impersonal Passive is possible here, Personal Passive is more common.

Example: They say that women live longer than men. – Women are said to live longer than men.

The subject of the subordinate clause (women) goes to the beginning of the sentence; the verb of perception is put into passive voice. The rest of the sentence is added using an infinitive construction with 'to' (certain auxiliary verbs and that are dropped).

Sometimes the term Personal Passive is used in English lessons if the indirect object of an active sentence is to become the subject of the passive sentence.

EXERCISE 1

EXERCISE 2

EXERCISE 3

EXERCISE 4

EXERCISE 5

TITANIC. THE CENTENARY

CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE STORY OF THE TITANIC, ONE OF MANKIND´S MOST REMARKABLE FEATS OF ENGINEERING:

Building Titanic: An Interactive Timeline

New theory of How Titanic Sank

April 10th, the Maiden Voyage starts....

WISH & SHOULD HAVE

Form and meaning

Wishes about the present and future

1. We use wish + PAST SIMPLE to express that we want a situation in the present (or future) to be different.
   • I wish I spoke Italian. (I don't speak Italian.)
   • I wish I had a big car. (I don't have a big car.)
   • I wish I was on a beach. (I'm in the office.)
     Future: I wish it was the weekend tomorrow. (It's only Thursday tomorrow.)
2. We use wish +PAST CONTINUOUS to express that we want to be doing a different action in the present (or future).
   • I wish I was lying on a beach now. (I'm sitting in the office.)
   • I wish it wasn't raining. (It is raining.)
   • I wish you weren't leaving tomorrow. (You are leaving tomorrow.)

Wishes about the past

1. We use wish + PAST PERFECT to express a regret, or that we want a situation in the past to be different.
   • I wish I hadn't eaten so much. (I ate a lot.)
   • I wish they'd come on holiday with us. (They didn't come on holiday with us.)
   • I wish I had studied harder at school. (I was lazy at school.)

Wish + would

1. We use wish + would + bare infinitive to express impatience, annoyance or dissatisfaction with a present action.
   • I wish you would stop smoking. (You are smoking at the moment and it is annoying me.)
   • I wish it would stop raining. (I'm impatient because it is raining and I want to go outside.)
   • I wish she'd be quiet. (I am annoyed because she is speaking.)

Wish and hope

1. To simply express that you want something to happen in the future (not talking about wanting an action or situation to be different, and not talking about impatience or annoyance) we use hope, not wish.
   • I hope it's sunny tomorrow.
     NOT I wish it was sunny tomorrow.
   • I hope she passes her exam next week.
     NOT I wish she were passing her exam next week.
   • I hope the plane doesn't crash tomorrow.
     NOT I wish the plane wouldn't crash tomorrow.

Wish and want

1. We can use wish + infinitive or wish + object + infinitive to mean want in a formal situation.
   • I wish to leave now. (+ infinitive)
   • I wish to speak to your supervisor please. (+ infinitive)
   • I do not wish my name to appear on the list. (+ object + infinitive)

Wish in fixed expressions

1. We can use I/We wish you in fixed expressions.
   • I wish you a happy birthday.
   • We wish you good luck in your new job.

EXERCISES, CLICK ON THE LINKS TO DO THE EXERCISES:

EXERCISE 1

EXERCISE 2

EXERCISE 3

EXERCISE 4

Should have

We can use 'should have' to talk about past events that did not happen.

• I should have let her know what was happening but I forgot.
• He should have sent everybody a reminder by email.
• They should have remembered that their guests don't eat pork.

We can also use 'should have' to speculate about events that may or may not have happened.

• She should have got the letter this morning. I expect she'll give us a call about it later.
• He should have arrived at his office by now. Let's try ringing him.
• They should have all read that first email by this stage. It's time to send the next one.

We can use ' should not have' to speculate negatively about what may or may not have happened.

• She shouldn't have left work yet. I'll call her office.
• He shouldn't have boarded his plane yet. We can probably still get hold of him.
• They shouldn't have sent the report off for printing yet. There is still time to make changes.

We can also use 'should not have' to regret past actions.

• I shouldn't have shouted at you. I apologise.
• We shouldn't have left the office so late. We should have anticipated this bad traffic.
• They shouldn't have sacked him. He was the most creative person on their team.

EXERCISE 1

EXERCISE 2

EXERCISE 3

EXERCISE 4