sábado, 26 de agosto de 2017

The subjunctive


The subjunctive is a verb form which expresses possible, unreal, imaginary or desirable situations. We see it most often in conditionals and wishes.

We also find it in sentences that start with:It + be + an adjective:

It is important that you go as soon as possible

It’s essential that he see a doctor

It’s crucial that they leave the building

It’s best that you not be at the meeting

These sentences are very formal. Notice that the form of the subjunctive is almost always the same as the form of the infinitive (except for be).

The other place we can find a subjunctive is with verbs like recommend and suggest:

I suggest that you be there on time

I recommend that he not drink so much again

Learn more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/course/upper-intermediate/unit-20/session-1

Video: http://youtu.be/LkxwmoJZwtk

http://sites.google.com/site/hablemosandletstalk

Infinitive of purpose

A to-infinitive can be used to express purpose:

I'm calling to place an order for delivery.
Diya went to the door to open it.
To pass this test, you need to achieve a score of 60% or more.

In order and so as can be used before a to-infinitive for emphasis in more formal styles:

He took a book with him in order to have something to read on the train.
The parties started negotiations so as to reach an agreement as soon as possible.
In order to attract a wider audience, we need to rethink our marketing strategy.

The negative is always in order not + to-infinitive or so as not + to-infinitive:

He tiptoed through the hall so as not to be heard.
In order not to lose time, we must act at once.



The infinitive of purpose can only be used if the doer of the action expressed by the infinitive is the same as the subject of the main clause. If the subjects are different, we can use so + that-clause with the present simple tense or with the modal verbs may, can, will, might, could or would:

Jerry works hard so that his family has everything they need.
I'll leave the door open so that you can come in.
Tina gave me a shopping list so that I wouldn't forget anything.

In order + that-clause is also possible in this case; however, it is more formal and less common. In the that-clause, we can use the modal verbs may, shall, might or should:

Our company does everything in order that all complaints may be dealt with fairly and effectively.

With come and go, we can use the infinitive of purpose with the verb in any present or past tense or with the gerund form of the verb:

I'm just coming to help.
We went to talk to a lawyer.
Have you thought of going to see a doctor?

But if come and go are used as infinitives or as imperatives, we use and instead of to:

I must go and check the heater.
He will come and dance with you.
Go and fetch a glass.


viernes, 25 de agosto de 2017

Relative clauses I



Defining relative clauses

These provide essential information about the antecedent, so the sentence would be incomplete without them.

The pronouns who (people), which (things) and that (people
and things) can be omitted if they do not function as the
subject. Whose (possession) cannot be omitted or replaced.

She is the girl (who / that) I met in England.
(Ella es la chica a la que conocí en Inglaterra.)
I did not get the e-mail (which / that) you sent.
(No recibí el correo electrónico que mandaste.)
This is the blog whose author is unknown.
(Este es el “blog” cuyo autor es desconocido.)

When (time) and where (place) are relative adverbs.
When can be omitted or replaced by that. Where cannot be
replaced by that and it can only be omitted in a few cases.

I’ll never forget the day (when / that) I met her.
(Nunca olvidaré el día en que la conocí.)
I visited the area where all the trendy shops are.
(Visité la zona donde están todas las tiendas de moda.)

If a preposition is related to the relative pronoun or adverb, this is omitted and the preposition is located after the verb.

The boy (who / that) I talked to was nervous.
(El chico con el que hablé estaba nervioso.)

Non-defining relative clauses

These add information about the antecedent and they go between commas. They are introduced by who, which, when, where and whose (never by that), which cannot be omitted. They are not common in spoken English because they are very formal.

Jack, who is English, works for a French firm.
(Jack, que es inglés, trabaja para una empresa francesa.)

https://blogdeletstalk.blogspot.com/2023/10/relative-clauses.html

http://sites.google.com/site/hablemosandletstalk

lunes, 7 de agosto de 2017

martes, 11 de julio de 2017

TO BE and TO HAVE GOT

THE VERB “TO BE”

Podemos distinguir tres formas: afirmativa, negativa e interrogativa.
El verbo “to be” generalmente se traduce por ser/estar, pero a veces también por tener o hacer:

Definiciones y hechos generales
Glasgow is in Scotland
(Glasgow está en Escocia)
Sentimientos
We are very happy
(Estamos/somos muy felices)
Estados
I'm hungry and he is thirsty
(Tengo hambre y el tiene sed)
Profesiones y nacionalidades
My brother is a lawyer
(Mi hermanos es abogado)
Precios
How much is it? It's 3 euros
(Cuánto es?
Son 3 euros)
Medidas
It's 10 metres long
Mide 10 metros
Edad
She is fourteen years old
(Ella tiene catorce años)
Tiempo atmosférico
It's hot and sunny today, but tomorrow it will be cold.
(Hace calor y hace sol hoy, pero mañana hará frío)




El verbo “to be” también se utiliza en combinación con “there” :
There is + sustantivo singular
There are + sustantivo plural
Esta construcción equivale a nuestra expresión impersonal “HAY”:

         There is a book on the table (Hay un libro sobre la mesa)
         There are two books on the table (Hay dos libros sobre la mesa)






THE VERB “HAVE GOT”
El verbo "have got" significa tener. Expresa lo que poseemos o las características de alguien o algo cuando lo describimos: 
She's got long straight dark hair (Ella tiene el pelo largo, liso y oscuro)

He's got big green eyes (Él tiene los ojos grandes y verdes / grandes ojos verdes)




lunes, 26 de junio de 2017

Verano 2017

Y entonces, llegó el verano.

Felicidades a los que habéis aprobado: buen trabajo.

A los que tenéis algo pendiente para septiembre mucho ánimo para seguir esforzándoos. Si necesitáis ayuda, ya sabéis: hablamos.



Por aquí me encontraréis, trasteando con los míos.



domingo, 11 de junio de 2017

Present simple

El presente simple tiene la misma forma que el infinitivo, sin “to”, pero en la tercera persona singular añadimos “s” o “es”.

Afirmativa:   Sujeto + verbo en infinitivo (forma base) ó +s/ es en la tercera persona singular: he, she, it

Example: I go to the beach every summer
She goes to the beach every summer
He cleans his room every day

Negativa:        
Sujeto + do not / don’t  + verbo su forma base
Sujeto + does not / doesn’t + verbo su forma base

Interrogativa:    
Do + Sujeto + verbo su forma base +?
Does + Sujeto + verbo su forma base +? 

La respuesta corta es siempre con do/does, don't/doesn't:
 Do you like it? Yes, I do / No, I don't
Does she go to school? Yes, she does /No, she doesn't



Recuerda:
Cuando utilizamos el verbo auxiliar does en interrogativa o en negativa, ya el verbo principal no lleva “s”

Si el verbo principal es “do”, al ponerlo en interrogativa y negativa también utilizamos el auxiliar “do”: 
                       I do my homework in the afternoon
                       He doesn’t do his homework in the aftenoon
                       Does she do her homework in the afternoon?

Aprende y repasa aquí las reglas de ortografía.

Usamos el presente simple para:
1-               acciones que ocurren habitualmente:        
I get up at 6.30 every morning
2-     expresar opiniones:    I like flowers
3-     verdades generales:   The sun rises in the East
4-     Definiciones:     A teacher is someone who teaches

También se usa para expresar el future (Schedules). 

El presente simple se suele utilizar con ciertas expresiones de tiempo:
- Frequency adverbs (always, usually, often, sometimes, seldom, never...). Recuerda que los adverbios de frecuencia se colocan delante de todos los verbos y detrás del verbo To be:

                       I always work in the morning.
                       I am always on time for work.

- Expressions of time that mean habit:   
  • combinaciones con every: everyday, every year, every afternoon, etc...
  • el número de veces que hacemos algo:  
    • once, 
    • twice, 
    • three times, four times, etc... 

Nota que cualquiera de estas expresiones las podemos combinar: 
        once a week (una vez a la semana)
        twice a year (dos veces al año)
        three times a month (tres veces al mes). 

jueves, 8 de junio de 2017

Plurals. Determiners and quantifiers

Plurals

We usually form the plural by adding -s to the singular of the noun. But, there are some other rules you must bear in mind:


Determiners and quantifiers

Countable and Uncountable Nouns. 

Tanto en español como en inglés, hemos de distinguir entre sustantivos contables e incontables.

a. En inglés, los contables son aquellos sustantivos que tienen una forma singular y otra plural y podemos anteponerles un numeral. Generalmente, son sustantivos que designan objetos, personas o animales: pencil/pencils, person/people, lion/lions, etc. Con los contables en singular solemos utilizar el artículo a/an, que es sólo singular; y con los contables en plural podemos utilizar some o any

Ejemplo:
There is a person in the classroom / There are some people in the classroom
There isn’t a lion in the zoo. / There aren’t any lions in the zoo.

b. En inglés, los sustantivos incontables son aquellos que sólo tienen una forma singular y no se les puede anteponer un numeral. Generalmente son sustantivos que designan sustancias (honey, sugar), líquidos (water, milk), materiales (wood, iron), cualidades o conceptos abstractos (faith, hope). Cuando estos sustantivos funcionan como sujeto de la oración, el verbo debe ser siempre 3ª persona singular
Money is the problem.

Con los sustantivos incontables NUNCA podemos utilizar a/an, pero sí podemos utilizar some o any.

Ejemplo:
There is some butter in the fridge but there isn’t any jam.

Hay algunos sustantivos incontables que se pueden usar en ocasiones como contables: some coffee /a coffee (una taza de café); some paper/a paper(un periódico); some hair/a hair (un pelo). Algunos otros los podemos hacer contables anteponiendo alguna unidad de medida: some milk/two bottles of milksome bread/ a loaf of bread.

El artículo the puede usarse tanto con contables como con incontables.

Determiners and Quantifiers:

a, an , some, any, much, many, a lot, a lot of.

a/an: este artículo es sólo singular y se utiliza sólo con sustantivos contables en singular: a pen, a ruler.

 some/any: Estos adjetivos hablan de cantidad en forma indefinida y pueden usarse con los contables en plural y con los incontables.  Some en oraciones afirmativas (casi siempre), y any en oraciones interrogativas y negativas:
There is some tea in the kitchen                   
 There are some books on the table
Is there any cheese in the fridge?                 
Are there any apples in the basket?
There isn’t any money in my pocket.            
There aren’t any coins in my pocket.

much/many: Estos adjetivos de cantidad también indefinida se usan: much con incontables y many con contables, generalmente en oraciones interrogativas y negativas.

How much milk is there?       There isn’t much

How many....?
¿Cuántos/as.....?
Con nombres contables en plural
How many chairs are there?
¿Cuántas sillas hay?
How much...?
¿Cuánto/a....?
- Con nombres no contables.
How much flour is there?
¿Cuánta harina hay?

- Cuando va con el verbo to be sirve para preguntar el precio de una cosa:
How much is it?
¿Cuánto es?

a lot of / a lot: Es también un indefinido de cantidad que puede usarse con contables e incontables:
Have you got many friends?
Yes, I have a lot.                    
Yes, I have a lot of friends.

Is there a lot of noise?
                   Yes, there is a lot.                      
Yes, there is a lot of noise.




lunes, 22 de mayo de 2017

Doubling consonants

Some verbs double the final consonant and some do not. 
Are you feeling confused about it? 
Then, keep reading:

Words ending with a Consonant-Vowel-Consonant Pattern

One-syllable words:
ED = If the word ends in a CVC pattern, it gets a double consonant + ED. 
ING = If the word ends in a CVC pattern, it gets a double consonant + ING. 
Examples:
ED = RUB > rubbed, STOP > stopped
ING = HOP > hopping, SIT > sitting

BUT

Words ending in w,x,y do not follow this rule, simply add ED, or ING
Examples: snow > snowed, box > boxing, play > playing

Two-syllable words:
ED = If the stress is on the first syllable, the word only gets one consonant + ED.
ING = If the stress is on the first syllable, the word only gets one consonant + ING.

Examples:
visit > visited, open > opened
happen > happening, enter > entering

ED = If the stress is on the second syllable, the word gets a double consonant + ED.
ING = If the stress is on the second syllable, the word gets a double consonant + ING.

Examples:
refer > referred, admit > admitted
begin > beginning, permit > permitting

Words ending in E
ED = If the word ends in E, simply add ED
ING = If the word ends in E, drop the E, add ING

Examples:
ED = smile > smiled, fine > fined
ING = dance > dancing, skate > skating

Words ending in Y
Consonant + Y
ED = If the word ends in Y, and has a consonant before it, change the Y to I and add ED.
ING = If the word ends in Y, and has a consonant before it, simply add ING.

Examples:
ED = study > studied, marry > married
ING = carry > carrying, reply > replying

Vowel + Y
ED = If the word ends in Y, and has a vowel before it, simply add ED.
ING = If the word ends in Y, and has a vowel before it, simply add ING.

Examples:
ED = play > played, stay > stayed
ING = enjoy > enjoying, stray > straying


Adverbs of manner




http://sites.google.com/site/hablemosandletstalk

viernes, 19 de mayo de 2017

Fotografía matemática


Si os interesa la fotografía matemática, quizá queráis echarle un ojo al trabajo de los compañeros guardeses:
"Sil-metría" : Tamara Rodríguez.
"cosx = sen x - 1" : Marco Patiño.
"O pequeno é ao grande como o grande é a todo": Alejandro Baz.

La votación está abierta hasta el 31 de Mayo

http://ochoupindixital.blogspot.com.es/2017/05/concurso-de-fotografia-matematica.html