No pain, No gain: febrero 2015

sábado, 28 de febrero de 2015

10 Idiomatic phrases you should know....

“My boss hit the ceiling when I told him I’d lost the documents.”

The idiomatic expression “hit the ceiling” means to get very angry and upset. Other expressions for sudden anger include “go ballistic” and “blow a fuse.”

“I’m dying to see the new movie.”

“Dying to” + verb means you want to do something very much. It does not mean you are literally going to die.

“Going to the World Cup Final was a dream come true.“

If something is “a dream come true,” it means it was an experience that you really wanted it to happen – and then it happened.

“My heart sank when I saw my test grade – I got a 54.”

This expression means that you started to feel sad, disappointed, or discouraged.

“We were on pins and needles waiting to hear if we won the contest.”

If someone is “on pins and needles,” it means they are anxious and in suspense, usually waiting to know some important information.

“I’m kicking myself for not booking the flight yesterday – the price just went up $200.”

If you do something you regret (you wish you had acted differently), you can say “I’m kicking myself for… (the action)” After this expression, we use the -ING form of the verb.

“I was shaking like a leaf after I heard an explosion on the train.”

We can say someone is shaking like a leaf if they are extremely afraid or nervous.

“I’m pumped about the concert this weekend – it’s gonna be awesome!”

If you are pumped, it means you are very excited for something (usually something in the future that you are really looking forward to).

“I was floored by all the help we received after our son was in a serious accident.”

To be “floored” means surprised and/or overwhelmed (usually in a good way).

“It drives me up the wall when people answer their cell phones in English class.”

“Drives me up the wall” is an idiomatic expression that means it makes you annoyed. Other expressions for annoying situations include “drives me crazy” or “drives me nuts.”

Hero of the day: Alberto Bueno (Rayo Vallecano)

Alberto Bueno Calvo (born 20 March 1988) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Rayo Vallecano. He mainly operates as a second striker, but can also appear as a left winger.

Club career

Real Madrid

Born in Madrid, Bueno was a product of Real Madrid's youth system, and he started playing for the Juvenil team, scoring 37 goals in 37 matches. The following season he progressed to Real Madrid Castilla, playing 31 games in the second division.

In August 2007, Real Madrid signed Bueno on a professional contract with the first team. He was called up to the pre-season training under coach Bernd Schuster, teaming up in a friendly with FC Lokomotiv Moscow where he was substituted at half-time by another cantera player, Javier Balboa.

On 11 November 2008, due to many injuries to the main squad, Bueno was given his official debut, in a Copa del Rey home contest against Real Unión (third level): within minutes of his entry, fifteen minutes into the second half, he scored in a 4–3 final win, but Real Madrid suffered a shock exit from the competition (6–6 aggregate). Eleven days later he made his La Liga debut, as a late substitute (for Raúl) in a 1–0 home win against Recreativo de Huelva.

Valladolid

On 15 July 2009 Real Valladolid purchased Bueno on a five-year deal, with Real Madrid having an option to rebuy in the first two. During his first season he was used intermittently, as the Castile and León side also suffered top flight relegation.

On 30 August 2010, English club Derby County announced that Bueno was a guest at the Rams' 2–2 draw against Queens Park Rangers, and that a loan deal was very close to being completed in time for the close of the transfer window. It was revealed the following day that the player signed on a season-long loan.

After making his debut as a substitute in a 0–1 home loss against Sheffield United, and his first start in a 0–2 defeat at Hull City, Bueno helped spark a run of six unbeaten matches, as Derby earned 14 points from a possible 18 – after just one win in the first four games – earning praise from first-team coach Gary Crosby, who said: "Alberto is a natural footballer – his awareness, his touch and his ability are outstanding at times."

Playing as one of three support strikers in Derby's 4–2–3–1 formation, Bueno grabbed his first goals for the club with a brace against Crystal Palace, and followed it up with the second in a 3–0 win over Preston North End, earning the Man of the match award in both games. His form was such he was linked with a move to Premier League side Wigan Athletic, but Derby dismissed the link, stating "There is no clause in the loan agreement which allows (Bueno) to leave during the January transfer window."

After a promising start, Bueno, and the team as a whole, faded throughout the rest of the campaign, winning just four of twenty-six league games and dropping from fourth in the table to 19th. He contributed with just two goals in the final seven months of the campaign, in defeats against Ipswich Town and Norwich City, and at the end of the season Clough stated himself "unsure" over the player's future, saying his signature was "not a priority".

Bueno subsequently returned to Valladolid, scoring seven goals in 32 games to help it return to the top flight after two years.

International career

Bueno was part of the under-19 national team which won the 2006 UEFA European Championship. He was the top scorer of the competition with five goals, with another Castilla product, Juan Mata, adding four.

Subsequently, he represented the nation at the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada.

Honours

Spain U19

UEFA European Under-19 Championship: 2006

Ain't: Contraction of am+not

Some of you asked me what "Ain't" means. It's quite easy. I have looked for information and I think you may understand and appreciate it. Thank you very much and be safe out there!

"Ain't is a contraction for am not, is not, are not, has not, and have not in the common English language. In some dialects ain't is also used as a contraction of do not, does not, and did not.
The development of ain't for the various forms of to be not, to have not, and to do not occurred independently, at different times. The usage of ain't for the forms of to be not was established by the mid-1700s, and for the forms of to have not by the early 1800s.

Ain't is commonly used by many speakers in oral or informal settings, especially in certain regions and dialects. Its usage is often highly stigmatized, and it may be used as a marker of socio-economic or regional status or education level. Its use is generally considered non-standard by dictionaries and style guides except when used for rhetorical effect, and it is rarely found in formal written works."

jueves, 26 de febrero de 2015

Interesting game to practise irregular and regular verbs : Infinitive, Past simple and participle...
100% Free!!!!
http://www.macmillandictionary.com/verb_wheel/

miércoles, 25 de febrero de 2015

More grammar exercises: Más ejercicios de gramatica

These links are very useful. Check them out! Enjoy them!

http://www.first-english.org/english_learning/english_tenses/simple_present/a_simple_present_exercises.htm

http://www.first-english.org/english_learning/english_tenses/simple_past/a_simple_past_exercises.htm

These exercises are online. You can complete them and correct them completely online.

Tenses Review: Repaso de tiempos verbales

PRESENT SIMPLE	Acción habitual o permanente: I GO to school every day
PRESENT CONTINUOUS	Acción que ocurre ahora o últimamente: She IS SINGING an old song Acción futura concertada (con alguien): I am meeting Paul tonight
PAST SIMPLE	Acción pasada definida en el tiempo: Bob WENT to the office last monday

martes, 24 de febrero de 2015

Frase del día: 24.02.2015

Spanish: "Tú no estás loco, eres gilipollas"

English: "You are not crazy/mad, you are an asshole"

A/An VS The: Review

ARTICULO DETERMINADO O DEFINIDO

(de, dí)

the

el, la, los, las

El inglés tiene una sola forma de artículo determinado: the man, el hombre; the girls, las chicas.

1. Este artículo no se contrae con ninguna preposición: The door of the hall, la puerta del vestíbulo.
2. Su pronunciación presenta diferencias:

a) Antes de consonante se pronuncia de: the lamp, la lámpara (de lámp)
b) Antes de vocal se pronuncia di: the enemy, el enemigo (di énemi)

3. Se omite:

a) Con sustantivos contables en plural cuando se habla en sentido general: I love flowers and birds, amo las flores y los pájaros; Elephants can't fly, los elefantes no vuelan; Boys like to play soccer, a los muchachos les gusta jugar fútbol.

b) Con sustantivos incontables que se refieren a una comida (I like cheese, me gusta el queso), música (I like tango, me gusta el tango), juegos (I like chess, me gusta el ajedrez), deportes (Soccer is very popular, el fútbol es muy popular), materiales (Glass is transparent, el vidrio es transparente), etc.

c) Con las partes del cuerpo y los objetos de uso personal. En su lugar se utilizan los adjetivos posesivos (my, your, his, her, its, our, your, their): Give me your hand, dame la mano; He put his tie on, se puso la corbata; He lost his glasses, perdió los anteojos.

d) Delante de los nombres de las estaciones del año y los días de la semana: Winter in Bariloche is wonderful, el invierno en Bariloche es fantástico; I am giving a party next Sunday, doy una fiesta el domingo próximo.

e) Delante de nombres abstractos: Life is beautiful, la vida es hermosa (pero, en cambio: The life of Napoleon, la vida de Napoleón).

f) Con nombres propios y títulos seguidos de nombres: King Louis, el rey Luis; Queen Elizabeth II, La Reina Isabel II.

g) No llevan artículo tampoco los nombres de las estaciones, idiomas, fiestas (tomados en sentido general) y deportes: I like Spring, me gusta la primavera; I speak Spanish, hablo el castellano; I like Christmas, me gusta la Navidad; Can you play tennis? ¿Sabes jugar al tenis?

4. No se omite, por ejemplo, cuando un sustantivo propio se presenta precedido por el artículo the, porque el mismo se usa con carácter de sustantivo común: He is the Leonardo of today, es el Leonardo de hoy.
Cuando una persona se convierte en famosa --adquiriendo de ese modo jerarquía internacional-- (como ocurre con los grandes cantantes, pintores, etc.) suele usarse su nombre como parámetro para otra persona aún no tan famosa.

En ese sentido, puede decirse por ejemplo, This singer is the Sinatra of Mexico, este cantante es el Sinatra de Mexico, para referirse a que dicho cantante tiene tan buena voz como la del afamado Frank Sinatra. Y en ese caso, como ocurre en español, el artículo THE no se omite en inglés.

ARTICULO INDETERMINADO O INDEFINIDO

(e, en)

a - an

uno, una

El inglés tiene una sola forma de artículo indeterminado: a book, un libro; a table, una mesa.

1. Adopta la forma an delante de palabras que empiezan con sonido vocálico: an apple, una manzana; an orange, una naranja.

2. Existen, no obstante, palabras que empezando con vocal piden el artículo a por presentar esa vocal un sonido semivocálico: a University, una universidad; a European magazine, una revista europea.

3. Existen 4 palabras que comienzan con h muda y llevan el artículo an: an hour, una hora; an heir, un heredero; an honour, un honor; an honest boy, un muchacho honesto. Para los derivados de estas 4 palabras se aplica la misma regla.

4. El plural o, si se quiere, la idea de varios, se expresa con los indefinidos some y any: I see some books, veo unos libros.

5. En general, se corresponde el uso del artículo indeterminado en inglés y en castellano. Sin embargo, hay casos en que el castellano lo omite y el inglés no, como en nombres de religión, nacionalidad y profesión: Helen is a catholic, Elena es católica; George is an Englishman, Jorge es inglés; Charles is a doctor, Carlos es doctor.