English Key | jlastras.com

Nanotechnology: What Will It Mean?

Publicado por Teresa y Alfonso

Me ha parecido interesante compartir un artículo que nos han enviado en la empresa porque da una visión general sobre el grado de avance de este tipo de tecnologías que siempre oímos hablar de ellas como de “las cosas que me han dicho que van a pasar” y hace ya años que forma parte de nuestra realidad, al menos en cuanto a investigación.

Y por otro lado porque está en inglés y así contribuimos a la práctica de esta lengua con la que me codeo desde hace años y, sin embargo, todavía no hemos llegado a una “relación con derecho a roce…”. ¡Vamos, que no acabo de enterarme del inglés…! (He puesto en negrita las palabras que he tenido que ir a buscar al diccionario…, si os pasa como a mi, podeis hacer este ejercicio también…). Es un poquito largo… ¡paciencia… y al toro..!

No os lo perdáis es de Ralph C. Merkle y lo tenéis disponible en este enlace http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/archive/1494/3

English Quiz Solution - 10 Phrasal Verbs referring to Work

Publicado por jlastras

Here you have the solution for the English Quiz - 10 Phrasal Verbs referring to Work

V1 - D5
V2 - D8
V3 - D10
V4 - D1
V5 - D2
V6 - D6
V7 - D9
V8 - D3
V9 - D7
V10 - D4

English Quiz - 10 Phrasal Verbs referring to Work

Publicado por jlastras

Try to match phrasal verbs (V codes) with the correct definitions (D codes) .

Phrasal Verbs
V1. To catch up with (somebody or something)
V2. To get through (something)
V3. To hand (something) in
V4. To Take (something) down
V5. To get down to doing (something)
V6. To keep up with (someone or something)
V7. To go through (something)
V8. To scrape through (something)
V9. To put (something) off
V10. To fall behind with (something)

Definitions
D1. To record in writting what someone is saying
D2. To start work on something
D3. To pass an exam with a very low grade
D4. To be behind with something, not at the expected level
D5. To reach the same standard or position as someone else
D6. To remain at the same standard or position as someone else
D7. To postpone, to decide to do it later
D8. To pass an exam or test
D9. To check that something is correct, to examine something
D10. To give something to somebody

I will post the solution next week.

Presentation Tips

Publicado por jlastras

This post includes some tips and ideas to do presentations in english. These tips are classified by groups based on the parts and structure of a presentation.

Probably presentations in english are much less formal nowadays than years ago. Most of people use and prefer an relatively informal approach in the presentations.

You will find below certain structure and sentences that you should use in order to do presentations properly.

Introducing yourself

My name is Javier Lastras. I am responsible for IT in my organization.
As you know I am in charge of IT.
I am the new Financial Director.

Introducing a Topic / Stating the purpose os your presentation

This morning I am going to talk about …
Today I would like to describe …
This afternoon I would like to introduce …
What I want to do is to state …
What I want to do this morning is to get across …

The aim of my presentation is …
The goal of my presentation is …
The target of my presentation is …
The purpose of my presentation is …

I have divided my presentation in five main parts.
First I would like to give and overview of …
Second I will move focus on …
Third I will deal with …
Then I will move on to …
and finally I will consider …

Referring to questions

If you don’t mind we will leave questions till the end.
There will be plenty of time for questions at the end.
If you don’t mind we will leave questions till the coffee break.

Do not hesitate to ask me questions.
Feel free to interrupt me if there is anything you do not understand.

Introducing a section

So let start with …
Now let’s move on to …
Let’s turn our attention to …
this leads me to my third point.

Referring backwards and forwards

As I mentioned earlier …
I will say more about this later.
I would like to go back to something …
We will come back to the …
Going back to something I said earlier …

Checking understanding

Are there any questions?
Do you need any further information?

Usual introduction to slides, graphs, etc.

This slide shows …
If you look this slide you may see …
This graph shows …
What is interesting in this slide is …
If you look at this graph you take a look …
This photo shows …
I would like to draw your attention to …

Dealing with questions

That is a good point.
I am glad to ask me this question.
Can I get back to you later?
To be honest I am not really the person to answer this question.

Concluding

That concludes my talk.
If you have any questions I will do my best to answer them.
That brings me to the end of my presentation.
If there are no more questions we should stop here.
If you have any questions I will be pleased to answer them.

Do and Make

Publicado por jlastras

Do for general activity
When we talk about a general activity but do not say what it is, we can use do:

I want to do something
What are you doing this evening?
What can we do?
Do it now!

Do for work
We usually use do to talk about work:

What do you do? (What is your job?)
Who does your shopping?
I don’t want to do any work today
I hate doing the washing up
Have you done your homework?

Note that we sometimes do is used to replace another more exact verb (but the only way to have the meaning is from the situation). This use is very informal.

Do the lawn (cut/mow? sow? the lawn)
Do my room (tidy? paint? my room)
Do the car (wash? paint? repair? the car)

MAKE

Make for construction
Make often expresses the idea of construction or creation:

I’ll make a cake for Anthony’s birthday
This car was made in France
Did you make this table yourself?

Remember that we usually use make for products or goods that are manufactured, like labels “Made in Spain” or “Made in the USA” on products.

Now compare:

Do the shopping. (We don’t create anything. We just go for an activity.)
Make a cake. (We create something.)

See some sentences using both and sometimes with specific meanings:

You must do your best and make the best of a bad job
Trams have been done away in England (have been removed)
Do me a favour, will you, and make an effort to get here on time
We haven´t a proper spare bed; can you make do with a camp bed?

10 English Sayings

Publicado por jlastras

Here you can find some sayings translated to english:

Trata a los demás como quieras que te traten a ti - Do as you would be done by
No hay peor sordo que el que no quiere oir - None so deaf as those who won’t ear
No hay atajo sin trabajo - No gain without pain
A caballo regalado no le mires el diente - Never look a gift horse in the mouth
No dejes para mañana lo que puedas hacer hoy - Never put off till tomorrow what you can today
De tal palo tal astilla - Like father, like son - Stick of the old block
Vive y deja vivir - Live and let live
Después de la tormenta viene la calma - After storm comes a calm
No hay mal que por bien no venga - Every cloud has a silver lining
El que tiene boca se equivoca - Even Homer sometimes nods

Passive voice in English

Publicado por jlastras

The passive voice in English is typically used when we are interested in the object or when we do not know who caused the action. We can only form a passive sentence from an active sentence when there is an object in the active sentence.

Passive Form: To be + Past Participle or Aux + Past Participle

Example: The butter is kept here.

There are other uses of passive …

When it is not necessary to mention the doer of the action as it is obvious who he is / was /will be
When we do not know, or do not know excatly, or have forgotten who did the action
When the subject of the active verb would be “people” (typically verbs like think, belive, say, understand, suspect, suppose, etc.)
When the subject of the active sentence would be the indefinite pronoun ONE
When we are more interested in the action that the person who does it

Here you have some examples of each use …

The rubbish has not been collected - The streets are swept every day
The minister was murdered - My car has been moved - You will be met at the station - I have been told that …
He is suspected of receiving stolen goods (people suspect of …) - They are supposed to be living in New York (people suppose that they are living …)
This sort of advertisment is seen everywhere (One sees this sort of advertisment everywhere)
The house next door has been bought (by Mr Jones) - A new public library is been built

Passive Form: To get + Past Participle

There are uses of passive with to get instead of to be …

When the action is unexpected
When achive something which has been built up before
When achive something facing dificulty

Here you have some examples of each use …

When he picked up the phone we got cut off
She got elected
She worked 20 hour per day and finally she got admitted

Causative Passive Form: To get/To have + Something + Past Participle (by someone)

There are uses of causative passive with to get or to have …

When the subject in someway is responsible for what happened but did no do it
For misfortunes or unfortunate experiences
When we arrange someone to do something for us

Here you have some examples …

He got his leg broken - I got my car washed and the oil changed
My car got broken
She goes to the Hospital and has her blood presure taken - I went to the bank to have my cheque cashed

If clauses, conditional sentences

Publicado por jlastras

There are three types of conditional sentences in the english grammar.

The sentences have two parts, the If Clause and the Main Clause. Depending on the types the tenses used in the clauses are diferent, let see the types and some examples.

TYPE I Grammar Rules

IF CLAUSE	MAIN CLAUSE
Simple Present	will-future or shall-future or infinitive or Modal + infinitive or Simple Present (for general truth)

TYPE I Examples

· If I study, I will pass the exams
· If you see John tonight, tell him to e-mail me
· If Ben gets up early he can catch the bus
· I will pass the exams if I study
· I have hung out the clothes. It is lovely and sunny, if it stays like this they shall be dry in two hours
· If you heat water up to 100 degrees it boils

TYPE II Grammar Rules

IF CLAUSE	MAIN CLAUSE
Simple Past	would + infinitive or should + infinitive or could + infinitive or might + infinitive

TYPE II Examples

· If I studied, I would pass the exams
· If I studied, I could pass the exams
· If I studied, I might pass the exams
· I would pass the exams if I studied
· French is essential in this job. All the telephonists speak it. If they did not know french they would not understand half the callers.

TYPE III Grammar Rules

IF CLAUSE	MAIN CLAUSE
Past Perfect	would + have + past participle or should + have + past participle or could + have + past participle or might + have + past participle

TYPE III Examples

· If I had studied, I would have passed the exams
· If I had studied, I could have passed the exams
· If I had studied, I might have passed the exams
· I would have passed the exams if I had studied
· He looked so small and weak that nobody asked him to do anything. If he had looked strong he would have been expected to dig all day like everyone else.
· We had a lot of trouble putting the tent up. If it had not been perhaps it would not have been quite so dificult.

English Quiz Solution - a/an, the or no article

Publicado por jlastras

As promised below you will find the sentences completed of the English Quiz a/an, the or - (no article).

I met a man called James last week. He’s a dentist, and he lives in the street next to mine.
Jane’s is very interested in education. She’d like to be an university teacher.
We prefer classical music to pop music. We often listen to concerts on the radio.
Jim’s mother doesn’t let him go to the school alone because she thinks the roads near his school are too dangerous.
When I was at the university I used to play the guitar in a group.
I think dogs make better pets than cats. When you come home from work they’re always pleased to see you.
Carol’s got a maths exam on monday morning. She hates maths.
Would you like to have dinner with us next week?

I will post the solution next week.

Modal Verbs and its meanings

Publicado por jlastras

Let’s remember modal verbs and its meanings. We will see diferent uses with different meanings; permission, ability, certainty and possibility.

CAN

Permission • What can I do for you?
Ability • He is so good at learning foreigner languages he can perfectly speak Swedish after a 3-month stay in Stockholm.
Certainty • His mother loves him so much he can obtain whatever he wants without even speaking a word.

COULD

Permission • Could you please hand me that pair of scissors?
Possibility • There could be the remote possibility that we will wil the game.

MAY

Permission • May the children have another slice of cake, please?
Possibility • We may go out and have a dinner after Christmas.

MIGHT

Possibility • He might be the murderer but we don’t have enough evidences.

SHALL/WILL

Permission • Shall I read it aloud? • Will you please be so kind as to close the door?
Certainty • I shall repair it in a flash • The doctors said that the car accident casualties will pick up very soon.

SHOULD/WOULD

Permission • Should I close the window • Would you please leave these documents on my desk?
Possibility • We should be able to stop working at 5 p.m. today • You would get on very well with him if he’s really the nice person he seems to be.

TO BE ABLE TO

Permission • May I be able to be forgiven for what I have done?
Possibility • The President may be able to meet the journalists after the conference.

MUST

Certainty • He must be arriving in few minutes.

OUGHT TO

Certainty • I think that you ought to take into consideration this opportunity.

USED TO

Certainty • I used to work in an Italian fashion company based in Milan.

TO BE USED TO

Ability • I’m used to playing guitar every night not to get out of practice.

Below you can find a summary table with the meanings and verbs

	permission	ability	certainty	possibility
CAN	Yes	Yes	Yes
COULD	Yes	Yes
MAY	Yes	Yes
MIGHT				Yes
SHALL/WILL	Yes		Yes
SHOULD/WOULD	Yes			Yes
TO BE ABLE TO	Yes			Yes
MUST			Yes
OUGHT TO			Yes
USED TO			Yes
TO BE USED TO		Yes