English Levels

miércoles, 17 de noviembre de 2010

Prepositions of Time

A preposition links (una preposición une) nouns, pronouns and phrases to other words in a sentence. The word or phrase that the preposition introduces is called the object of the preposition.
A preposition usually indicates the temporal, spatial or logical relationship (relación lógica o con el espacio) of its object (de su objeto) to the rest of the sentence (con el resto de la oración) as in the following examples:
The book is on the table. (sobre)
The book is beneath the table. (abajo, debajo)
The book is leaning against the table. (contra)
The book is beside the table. (al lado, junto a)
She held the book over the table. (sobre)
She read the book during class. (durante)
In each of the preceding sentences, a preposition locates (una preposición localiza o ubica al noun -book-) the noun "book" in space or in time. (en el espacio o tiempo)

http://www.uottawa.ca/academic/arts/writcent/hypergrammar/preposit.html




IN
Use 'in' months and years and periods of time:
  • in January
  • in 1978
  • in the twenties
Use 'in' a period of time in the future:
  • in a few weeks
  • in a couple of days


AT
Use 'at' with precise time:
  • at six o'clock
  • at 10.30
  • at two p.m.


ON
Use 'on' with days of the week:
  • on Monday
  • on Fridays
Use 'on' with specific calendar days:
  • on Christmas day
  • on October 22nd


IMPORTANT NOTES
in the morning / afternoon / evening - at night
We say in the morning, afternoon or evening BUT we say 'at night'



 
Test Your Understanding
Now that you have studied the use of in / at / on - prepositions of time and date, try the follow-up quiz to test your understanding.

Prepositions of Time and Date Quiz (ejercicios con preposiciones de tiempo)
Excercises using Prep. of Time


http://esl.about.com/od/grammarintermediate/a/prepositions_of_time.htm

lunes, 15 de noviembre de 2010

Adverbs of Frequency

An adverb can modify a verb, an adjective, another adverb, a phrase, or a clause. An adverb indicates manner, time, place, cause, or degree and answers questions such as "how," "when," "where," "how much".

  
 Adverbs that Reflect How Often

Use adverbs of frequency to say how often you do something. Adverbs of frequency are often used with the present simple because they indicate repeated or routine activities. (puedes usar adverbios de frecuencia para decir qué tan seguido -qué tan a menudo- haces algo. Los adverbios de frecuencia son comúnmente usados con el presente simple porque indica repeticiones o actividades rutinarias)
For example, They often go out for dinner.
Adverbs of frequency include (algunos de los adverbios de frecuencia son:
    • always -siempre /'olgüeys/
    • usually -usualmente /'yushualy/
    • often -seguido, a menudo /'ofen/
    • sometimes -algunas veces /'somtaims/
    • occasionally -ocasionalmente /a'keishnali/
    • seldom -pocas veces /seldm/
    • rarely -raramente /'rerli/
    • never -nunca
If the sentence has one verb (e.g. no auxiliary verb) put the adverb in the middle of the sentence after the subject and before the verb.(si la oración tiene un verbo -no verbo auxiliar- colocar el adverbio en medio de la oración, después del sujeto y antes del verbo)
Examples
Tom usually goes to work by car.
Janet never flies. She always goes by bus. 


Adverbs of frequency come after the verb 'be': (los adverbios de frecuencia vienen después del verbo 'To Be')
Examples
I am never late for work.
Peter is often at school. 


If the sentence has more than one verb (e.g. auxiliary verb), put the adverb of frequency before the main verb. (si la oración tiene más de un verbo -inclusive verbo auxiliar- colocar el adverbio de frecuencia antes del verbo principal)
Examples
I can never remember anything!
They have often visited Rome.


When using adverbs of frequency in the question or negative form, put the adverb of frequency before the main verb. (cuando se usen adverbios de frecuencia en preguntas u oraciones negativas, colocar el adverbio de frecuencia antes del verbo principal)
Examples
She doesn't often visit Europe.
Do you usually get up early?


If there are more adverbs at the end of a sentence,
the word order is normally:
(si hay más adverbios al final de la oración, el orden de las palabras es normalmente:)

Manner - Place - Time

Peter sang the song happily in the bathroom yesterday evening.

puedes identificar fácilmente el tipo de adverbio haciéndote las preguntas:
  • ¿de qué forma o manera?¿cómo?--> happily --> Manner
  • ¿dónde?--> in the bathroom --> Place
  • ¿cuándo? --> yesterday evening --> Time


 

-ing endings

Be careful with some words when adding -ing to the infinitive. (Ser cuidadoso con algunas palabras al momento de agregar -ing al infinitivo del verbo)

1) consonant after a short, stressed vowel at the end of the word (consonante después de una corta y remarcada pronunciación al final de la palabra)


Double the consonant. (escribir doble consonante)
sit – he is sitting
put - he is putting


If the consonant is not stressed, we do not double it: (si la consonante no se pronuncia fuerte, no se repite la consonante)
benefit - benefiting (Here we stress the first 'e', not the 'i'.)

In British English we double one -l at the end of the word: (en inglés británico se escribe doble consonante al final de la palabra)
travel - travelling


2) one -e at the end of the word (una -e al final de la palabra)

Leave out the -e. (se elimina la  -e)
write – he is writing
take – he is taking

BUT:
double –e: add -ing (si tiene doble -e, agregar -ing)
see – he is seeing

3) verbs ending in -ie (verbos terminados en -ie)

Change 'ie' to 'y'. (cambiar -ie por -y)
lie - he is lying

4) verbs ending in -c (verbos terminados en -c)

Change 'c' to 'ck' (cambiar -c por -ck)
picnic - he is picnicking