1. Don’t use an with own.

Sue needs her own room. (NOT Sue needs an own room.)
I’d like a phone line of my own. (NOT … an own phone line.)

2. Use or rather to correct yourself.

She’s German – or rather, Austrian. (NOT She’s German – or better, Austrian.)
I’ll see you on Friday – or rather, Saturday.

3. Use the simple present – play(s), rain(s) etc – to talk about habits and repeated actions.

I play tennis every Saturday. (NOT I am playing tennis every Saturday.)
It usually rains a lot in November.

4. Use will …, not the present, for offers and promises.

I’ll cook you supper this evening. (NOT I cook you supper this evening.)
I promise I’ll phone you tomorrow. (NOT I promise I phone you tomorrow.)

5. Don’t drop prepositions with passive verbs.

I don’t like to be shouted at. (NOT I don’t like to be shouted.)
This needs to be thought about some more. (NOT This needs to be thought some more.)

6. Don’t use a present tense after It’s time.

It’s time you went home. (NOT It’s time you go home.)
It’s time we invited Bill and Sonia. (NOT It’s time we invite Bill and Sonia.)

7. Use was/were born to give dates of birth.

I was born in 1975. (NOT I am born in 1975.)
Shakespeare was born in 1564.

8. Police, children, men, women are plural nouns.

The police are looking for him. (NOT The police is looking for him.)
I called the police, but they were too busy to come.

9. Don’t use the to talk about things in general.

Books are expensive. (NOT The books are expensive.)
I love music. (NOT I love the music.)

10. Use had better, not have better.

I think you’d better see the doctor. (NOT I think you have better see the doctor.)
We’d better ask John to help us.

11. Use the present progressive – am playing, is raining etc – to talk about things that are continuing at the time of speaking.

I’m playing very badly today. (NOT I play very badly today.)
Look! It’s raining! (NOT Look! It rains!)

12. Use for with a period of time. Use since with the beginning of the period.

for the last two hours = since 9 o’clock
for three days = since Monday
for five years = since I left school
I’ve been learning English for five years. (NOT I’ve been learning English since three years.)
We’ve been waiting for ages, since eight o’clock.

13. Don’t separate the verb from the object.

14. Don’t use the present perfect – have/has seen, have/has gone etc – with words that name a finished time.

I saw him yesterday. (NOT I have seen him yesterday.)
They went to Greece last summer. (NOT They have gone … last summer.)

15. English (the language) normally has no article.

You speak very good English. (NOT You speak a very good English.)

16. After look forward to, be/ get used to we use -ing, not an infinitive.

I look forward to seeing you. (NOT I look forward to see you.)
We’re looking forward to going on holiday. (NOT … to go on holiday.)

17. Information, news, advice are uncountable nouns.

Can you give me some information? (NOT Can you give me an information?)
I got a lot of information from the Internet. (NOT I got a lot of informations from the Internet.)

18. Use -ing forms after prepositions.

I drove there without stopping. (NOT I drove there without to stop.)
Wash your hands before eating. (NOT Wash your hands before to eat.)

19. Use this/these, not that/those, for things that are close.

Come here and look at this paper. (NOT Come here and look at that paper.)
How long have you been in this country? (NOT How long have you been in that country?)

20. Use a plural noun after one and a half.

We waited one and a half hours. (NOT We waited one and a half hour.)
A mile is about one and a half kilometres. (NOT A mile is about one and a half kilometre.)

21. Use the present perfect, not the present, to say how long things have been going on.

I‘ve been waiting since 10 o’clock. (NOT I’m waiting since 10 o’clock.)
We’ve lived here for nine years. (NOT We live here for nine years.).

22. The majority is normally plural.

Some people are interested, but the majority don’t care. (NOT … but the majority doesn’t care.)
The majority of these people are very poor. (NOT The majority of these people is very poor.)

23. Use too much/many before (adjective +) noun; use too before an adjective with no noun. Use very + adjective (+ noun)

There’s too much noise. (not there is very noise)
I bought too much red paint.
Those shoes are too expensive. (NOT Those shoes are too much expensive.)

24. Use that, not what, after all.

I’ve told you all that I know. (NOT I’ve told you all what I know.)
He gave her all that he had.

25. Don’t say according to me to give your opinion.

I think it’s a good film. (NOT According to me, it’s a good film.)
In my opinion, you’re making a serious mistake. (NOT According to me, you’re making a serious mistake.)

26. Don’t ask about possibilities with May you …? etc.

Do you think you’ll go camping this summer? (NOT May you go camping this summer?)
Is Joan likely to be here tomorrow? (NOT May Joan be here tomorrow?)
or more details, see Practical English Usage 3rd Edition page 339.

27. Use who, not which, for people in relative structures.

The woman who lives upstairs is from Thailand. (NOT The woman which lives upstairs is from Thailand.)
I don’t like people who shout all the time. (NOT I don’t like people which shout all the time.)

28. Use for, not during, to say `how long’.

We waited for six hours. (NOT We waited during six hours.)
He was ill for three weeks. (NOT He was ill during three weeks.)

29. Use to …, not for …, to say why you do something.

I came here to study English. (NOT I came here for study English.)
She telephoned me to explain the problem. (NOT She telephoned me for explain the problem.)

30. Use reflexives (myself etc) when the object is the same as the subject.

I looked at myself in the mirror. (NOT I looked at me in the mirror.)
Why are you talking to yourself? (NOT Why are you talking to you?)

31. Use a present tense to talk about the future after when, until, as soon as, after, before etc.

I’ll phone you when I arrive. (NOT I’ll phone you when I will arrive.)
Let’s wait until it gets dark. (NOT Let’s wait until it will get dark.)
We’ll start as soon as Mary arrives. (NOT We’ll start as soon as Mary will arrive.)

32. Before most abstract nouns, we use great, not big.

I have great respect for her ideas. (NOT I have big respect for her ideas.)
We had great difficulty in understanding him. (NOT We had big difficulty in understanding him.)

33. Don’t use the with a superlative when you are not comparing one person or thing with another.

Compare:

• She’s the nicest of the three teachers.
• She’s nicest when she’s working with small children.
• This is the best wine I’ve got.
• This wine is best when it’s three or four years old.

34. Put enough after, not before, adjectives.

This soup isn’t hot enough. (NOT This soup isn’t enough hot.)
She’s old enough to walk to school by herself.

35. Don’t use a structure with that … after want or would like.

My parents want me to go to university. (NOT My parents want that I go to university.)
I’d like everybody to leave. (NOT I’d like that everybody leaves.)

36. After link verbs like be, seem, feel, look, smell, sound, taste, we use adjectives, not adverbs.

I feel happy today. (NOT I feel happily today.)
This soup tastes strange. (NOT This soup tastes strangely.)

37. Use than after comparatives.

My mother is three years older than my father. (NOT My mother is three years older that/as my father.)
Petrol is more expensive than diesel.

38. In questions, put the subject immediately after the auxiliary verb.

Where are the President and his family staying? (NOT Where are staying the President and his family?)
Have all the guests arrived? (NOT Have arrived all the guests?)

39. Used to has no present.

I play tennis at weekends. (NOT I use to play tennis at weekends.)
Where do you usually have lunch? (NOT Where do you use to have lunch?)
40. Use through, not along, for periods of time.

All through the centuries, there have been wars. (NOT All along the centuries, there have been wars.)

41. Use can’t, not mustn’t, to say that something is logically impossible.

It can’t be the postman at the door. It’s only 7 o’clock. (NOT It mustn’t be the postman at the door. It’s only 7 o’clock.)
If A is bigger than B, and B is bigger than C, then C can’t be bigger than A. (NOT … then C mustn’t be bigger than A.)

42. Use the present perfect with This is the first time … etc.

This is the first time I’ve been here. (NOT This is the first time I’m here.)
This is the fifth cup of coffee I’ve drunk today. (NOT This is the fifth cup of coffee I drink today.)

43. Use be, not have, to give people’s ages.

My sister is 15 (years old). (NOT My sister has 15 years.)

44. Use between, not among, to talk about position in relation to several clearly separate people or things.

Switzerland is between France, Austria, Germany and Italy. (NOT Switzerland is among France, Austria, Germany and Italy.)
The bottle rolled between the wheels of the car.

45. We don’t normally use the before abbreviations that are pronounced like words (‘acronyms’).

My cousin works for NATO. (NOT My cousin works for the NATO.)
The money was given by UNESCO. (NOT … by the UNESCO.)

46. Everybody, somebody, nobody are singular words.

Everybody was late. (NOT Everybody were late.)
Is everybody ready? (NOT Are everybody ready?)

47. Use any, not some, in negative sentences.

She hasn’t got any money. (NOT She hasn’t got some money.)
I didn’t see anybody. (NOT I didn’t see somebody.)

48. Use interested for feelings; use interesting for the things that interest people. The same goes for bored/boring, excited/exciting etc.

I’m interested in history. (NOT I’m interesting in history.)
History is interesting.
I’m bored in the maths lessons. (NOT I’m boring in the maths lessons.)
I think maths is boring.

49. Use by, not until/till, to mean ‘not later than’.

Can you mend this by Tuesday? (NOT Can you mend this until Tuesday?)
I’ll finish the book by tonight. (NOT I’ll finish the book till tonight.)

50. Use like, not as, to give examples.

I prefer warm countries, like Spain. (NOT I prefer warm countries, as Spain.)
I eat a lot of meat, like beef or lamb.

51. Use whether, not if, after prepositions.

We talked about whether it was ready. (NOT We talked about if it was ready.)
It’s a question of whether we have enough time. (NOT It’s a question of if we have enough time.

52. Use the present progressive passive, not the simple present passive, to talk about things that are going on just around now.

Our flat is being decorated this week. (NOT Our flat is decorated this week.)
Your bill is just being prepared, sir. (NOT Your bill is just prepared, sir.)

53. We don’t normally use must to talk about the past.

I had to see the dentist yesterday. (NOT I must see the dentist yesterday.)
When I left school, young men had to do military service. (NOT When I left school, young men must do military service.)

54. When you put two nouns together, be careful to get the right order.

I like eating milk chocolate. (NOT I like eating chocolate milk.)
What’s your phone number? (NOT What’s your number phone?)

55. Use the whole of, not whole, before the name of a place.

The whole of Paris was celebrating. (NOT Whole Paris was celebrating.)
He knows the whole of South America very well. (NOT He knows whole South America very well.)

56. We don’t normally use progressive forms of believe.

I don’t believe him. (NOT I’m not believing him.)
Do you believe what she says? (NOT Are you believing what she says?)

57. Don’t use in front of to mean ‘facing’ or ‘opposite’.

She sat down facing me and looked into my eyes. (NOT She sat down in front of me and looked into my eyes.)
There’s a hotel opposite our house. (NOT There’s a hotel in front of our house.)

58. Use it, not I, he, she etc to identify people.

(on the phone): Hello. It’s Alan Williams speaking. ((NOT Hello. I’m Alan Williams.)
‘Who’s that?’ ‘It’s John.’ (NOT Who’s that?’ ‘He’s John.’)

59. People (meaning ‘persons’) is a plural word.

The people in this town are very friendly. (NOT The people in this town is very friendly.)
Who are those people? (NOT Who is that people?)

60. Use although or but, but not both together.

Although it was late, she went out.
It was late, but she went out.
(BUT NOT Although it was late, but she went out.)

61. With if, we normally use the present to talk about the future.

If I have time, I’ll phone you. (NOT If I’ll have time, I’ll phone you.)
I’ll be surprised if she answers my letter. (NOT I’ll be surprised if she’ll answer my letter.)

62. Use almost, not nearly, to say that one thing is very like another.

She is almost a sister to me. (NOT She is nearly a sister to me.)
I almost wish I had stayed at home. (NOT I nearly wish I had stayed at home.)

63. If you don’t do something any more, you stop doing it.

The doctor told me to stop smoking. (NOT The doctor told me to stop to smoke.)
I’m going to stop working so hard. (NOT I’m going to stop to work so hard.)

64. A singular countable noun must normally have a determiner
(e.g. a/an, the, my, that).

She broke a/the/that/my window. (NOT She broke window.)
Where is the station? (NOT Where is station?)

65. We don’t often use would in subordinate clauses; instead, we use past tenses.

Would you follow me wherever I went? (NOT Would you follow me wherever I would go?)
I would tell you if I knew. (NOT I would tell you if I would know.)

66. With when, use the past perfect to make it clear that one thing finished before another started.

When I had written my letters, I did some gardening. (NOT When I wrote my letters, I did some gardening.)
When he had cleaned the windows, he stopped for a cup of tea. (NOT When he cleaned the windows, he stopped for a cup of tea.)

67. Don’t use can to talk about the chance that something will happen.

It may/might/could rain this evening. (NOT It can rain this evening.)
I think Jane may/might/could come tomorrow. (NOT I think Jane can come tomorrow.)

68. Don’t use an infinitive after think.

I’m thinking of changing my job. (NOT I’m thinking to change my job.)
Are you thinking of going home this weekend? (NOT Are you thinking to go home this weekend?)

69. Use a singular noun after every.

I play tennis every Wednesday. (NOT I play tennis every Wednesdays.)
He wrote to every child in the village. (NOT He wrote to every children …)

70. When you say what somebody’s job is, use a/an.

My sister is a photographer. (NOT My sister is photographer.)
I’m studying to be an engineer. (NOT I’m studying to be engineer.)

71. Use at last, not finally, as an exclamation.

At last! Where have you been? (NOT Finally! Where have you been?)
She’s written to me. At last!

72. Get can mean ‘become’, but not before nouns.

It’s getting cold.
It’s getting to be winter.
(BUT NOT It’s getting winter.)

73. Don’t use negative questions in polite requests or enquiries.

Could you help me, please? (NOT Couldn’t you help me, please?)
You haven’t seen John, have you? (NOT Haven’t you seen John?)

74. One negative word is usually enough.

She looked, but she didn’t see anything. (NOT She looked, but she didn’t see nothing.)
I have never heard of him. (NOT I haven’t never heard of him.)

75. Much and many are unusual in affirmative sentences (except in a very formal style).

He has a lot / plenty of money. (NOT He has much money.)
My father has travelled to lots of countries. (More natural than My father has travelled to many countries.)

76. Don’t use since to talk about the future.

I’ll be home from three o’clock. (NOT I’ll be home since three o’clock.)
The shop will be closed for two weeks from Monday. (NOT The shop will be closed for two weeks since Monday.)

77. Singular fraction + plural noun: use a plural verb.

A third of the students are from abroad. (NOT A third of the students is from abroad.)
A quarter of the trees have been cut down.

78. You listen to something.

She never listens to me. (NOT She never listens me.)
Listen to this! (NOT Listen this!)

79. Don’t use the past progressive for past habits.

When I was 20 I smoked / I used to smoke. (NOT When I was 20 I was smoking.)
I played / I used to play a lot of football at school. (NOT I was playing a lot of football at school.)

80. Don’t use most of directly before a noun.

Most of these people agree with me.
Most people agree with me.
(BUT NOT Most of people agree with me.)

81. In ‘unreal’ conditions with if, use would, not will.

If I knew the price, I would tell you. (NOT If I knew the price, I will tell you.)
It would be better if he told the truth. (NOT It will be better if he told the truth.)

82. Don’t use later with an expression of time to talk about the future.

I’ll see you later.
I’ll see you in a few days.
(BUT NOT I’ll see you a few days later.)

83. Don’t use in case to mean ‘if’.

Compare:
I’ll take an umbrella in case it rains. (= ‘… because it might rain.’)
I’ll open the umbrella if it rains. (NOT I’ll open the umbrella in case it rains.)

84. Use so before an adjective, but not before adjective + noun.

I love this country – it’s so beautiful. (NOT I love this so beautiful country.)
Thanks for your help. That was so kind of you. (NOT Thanks for your so kind help.)

85. Only use unless to mean ‘except if’.

Compare:
I’ll see you tomorrow unless I have to work.
I’ll be really upset if I don’t pass the exam. (NOT I’ll be really upset unless I pass the exam.)

86. Use be with adjectives, not have with nouns, to talk about physical sensations like cold, hunger, thirst etc.

I am thirsty. (NOT I have thirst.)
We are cold in this house. (NOT We have cold in this house.)

87. Don’t use to-infinitives after can, could, will, would, may, might, shall, should or must.

I can swim. (NOT I can to swim.)
Must you make so much noise? (NOT Must you to make so much noise?)

88. Use not, not no, to make sentences negative.

I’m not asleep. (NOT I’m no asleep.)
We are open on Saturdays, but not on Sundays. (NOT … but no on Sundays.)

89. We don’t usually use present tenses after past reporting verbs.

She told me she had a headache. (NOT She told me she has a headache.)
I asked him what he wanted. (NOT | asked him what he wants.)

90. Use to after married, engaged.

He’s married to a doctor. (NOT He’s married with a doctor.)
My sister is engaged to a computer engineer. (NOT My sister is engaged with a computer engineer.)

91. Use which, not what, to refer back to a whole sentence.

She passed her exam, which surprised everybody. (NOT She passed her exam, what surprised everybody.)
My father has just climbed Mont Blanc, which is pretty good for a man of 75. (NOT … what is pretty good for a man of 75.)

92. Don’t use the with society when it has a general meaning.

We all have to live in society. (NOT We all have to live in the society.)
Rousseau said that society makes people evil. (NOT Rousseau said that the society makes people evil.)

93. Use a to-infinitive after want.

I want to go home. (NOT I want go home.)
The children want to stay up late. (NOT The children want stay up late.)

94. Use make, not do, with mistake.

I have made a mistake. (NOT I have done a mistake.)
You can’t speak a language without making mistakes. (NOT … without doing mistakes.)

95. Don’t repeat a relative pronoun with another pronoun.

There’s the man that I work for. (NOT There’s the man that I work for him.)
She saw a doctor who sent her to hospital. (NOT She saw a doctor who he sent her to hospital.)

96. After a superlative, use in with a place expression.

Which is the biggest city in the world? (NOT Which is the biggest city of the world?)
This is the best restaurant in the city. (NOT This is the best restaurant of the city.)
.

97. You explain and suggest something to somebody.

Please explain to me what you want. (NOT Please explain me what you want.)
Can you suggest a good restaurant to us? (NOT Can you suggest us a good restaurant?)

98. Work is an uncountable noun.

I’m looking for work. (NOT I’m looking for a work.)
My brother has found a new job. (NOT My brother has found a new work.)

99. Be careful of the word order in negative infinitives.

It’s important not to work too hard. (NOT It’s important to not work too hard.)
I asked her not to make so much noise.

100. Possessives replace articles.

We stayed in John’s house at the weekend. (NOT We stayed in the John’s house at the weekend.)
She’s been studying Britain’s foreign policy since 1980. (NOT She’s been studying the Britain’s foreign policy since 1980.)

101. Adjectives have no plural -s.

There are different opinions on this topic. (not *differents opinions)

102. Use the + adjective to make plural nouns

The rich,  the poor, the blind= rich people, poor people, blind people

A year ago, when I took office in the midst of the worst recession since the Great Depression, I promised you two things. The first was that there would be better days ahead. And the second was that the road to recovery would be long, and sometimes bumpy.

That was brought home again yesterday. We learned that in November, our economy saw its first month of job gains in nearly two years – but last month, we lost more than we gained. Now, we know that no single month makes a trend, and job losses for the final quarter of 2009 were one-tenth what they were in the first quarter. But until we see a trend of good, sustainable job creation, we will be relentless in our efforts to put America back to work.

That task goes even deeper than replacing the seven million jobs that have been lost over the past two years. We need to rebuild our economy in such a way that our families can feel a measure of security again. Too many of the folks I’ve talked with this year, and whose stories I read in letters at night, tell me that they’ve known their own private recessions since long before economists declared one – and they’ll still feel the recession long after economists have declared it over.

That’s because, for decades, Washington avoided doing what was right in favor of doing what was easy. And the result was an economy where some made out well, but the middle class too often took a beating.

Over the past decade, the income of the average household actually declined, and we lost as many jobs as we created. Hardworking folks who did everything right suddenly found themselves forced to downscale their dreams because of economic factors beyond their control. We’re talking about simple dreams. American dreams. A good job with a good wage. A secure and dignified retirement. Stable health care so you don’t go broke just because you get sick. The chance to give our kids a better shot than we got.

That’s why, as we begin to emerge from this crisis, we will not return to the complacency that helped cause it. Even as we focus on putting America back to work today, we’re building a new foundation for our economy to create the good, lasting jobs and shared prosperity of tomorrow.

We’re making historic investments in science and in a clean energy economy that will generate and keep the jobs and industries of the future right here in America.

We’re reforming our education system, so that our kids are fully prepared to compete with workers anywhere in the world and win the race for the 21st century.

We’re fixing our broken health insurance system that’s crushing families, eating away at workers’ take-home pay, and nailing small businesses with double-digit premium increases.

And that’s what I’d like to focus on for a minute. After a long and thorough debate, we are on the verge of passing health insurance reform that will finally offer Americans the security of knowing they’ll have quality, affordable health care whether they lose their job, change jobs, move, or get sick. The worst practices of the insurance industry will be banned forever. And costs will finally come down for families, businesses, and our government.

Now, it’ll take a few years to fully implement these reforms in a responsible way. But what every American should know is that once I sign health insurance reform into law, there are dozens of protections and benefits that will take effect this year.

Uninsured Americans with a pre-existing illness or condition will finally be able to purchase coverage they can afford.

Children with pre-existing conditions will no longer be refused coverage, and young adults will be able to stay on their parents’ policy until they’re 26 or 27 years old.

Small business owners who can’t afford to cover their employees will be immediately offered tax credits to purchase coverage.

Early retirees who receive coverage from their employers will see their coverage protected and their premiums go down.

Seniors who fall into the coverage gap known as the donut hole will receive discounts of up to 50 percent on their prescriptions as we begin to close that gap altogether.

And every patient’s choice of doctor will be protected, along with access to emergency care.

Here’s what else will happen within the first year. Insurance plans will be required to offer free preventive care to their customers – so that we can start catching preventable illnesses and diseases on the front end. They’ll no longer be allowed to impose restrictive annual limits on the amount of coverage you receive or lifetime limits on the amount of benefits you receive. They’ll be prohibited from dropping your coverage when you get sick and need it most. And there will be a new, independent appeals process for anyone who feels they were unfairly denied a claim by their insurance company.

In short, once I sign health insurance reform into law, doctors and patients will have more control over their health care decisions, and insurance company bureaucrats will have less. All told, these changes represent the most sweeping reforms and toughest restrictions on insurance companies that this country has ever known. That’s how we’ll make 2010 a healthier and more secure year for every American – for those who have health insurance, and those who don’t.

We enter a new decade, now, with new perils – but we’re going to meet them. It’s also a time of tremendous promise – and we’re going to seize it. We will rebuild the American Dream for our middle class and put the American economy on a stronger footing for the future. And this year, I am as hopeful and as confident as ever that we’re going to rise to this moment the same way that generations of Americans always have: as one nation, and one people. Thanks for listening.

SOURCE: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/weekly-address-president-obama-outlines-benefits-health-reform-take-effect-year

Opción 1:

Read the text and the instructions to the questions very carefully:

Answer all the questions in English.

If you do not get legally married, the law will almost never treat you as if you were, no matter how long you live with someone. If it is a choice between marrying someone or living with them long-term, then marriage wins when it comes to financial security, especially for women. It may be the twenty-first century, but it is still women who earn less, stay at home more and generally look after any children. They are usually financially weaker when a relationship ends.

If you are married, both partners normally have a right to a share of the marital home and its contents, whether they have contributed financially or not. A spouse who has been left, especially with children, may get it all. An ex-spouse may be entitled to personal maintenance, quite apart from any other maintenance paid for the children, plus the right to a share of the other’s pension fund. An unmarried  partner has no such rights.

Widows and widowers also get more financial protection from the law than live-in partners. If you die without a will, your widow or widower will automatically inherit – a lover will not, and a spouse has the right to challenge a will if they or any children are not provided for. And, married or not, there exists a strange concept in law called .joint and several liability., whereby, as far as debt is concerned, what’s hers is his and what’s his is hers. In other words, you both owe all the money.

Suppose you buy a TV and DVD player costing £1,000. You take out a loan over two years. Then, love being love, one of you decides to move out and stops paying the bills, but takes the TV and  DVD. Who has to pay the debt? The finance company can sue either of you, no matter who actually has possession of the property. And if you are the one left behind, you are easier to find. One way out is to choose who buys what. Take it in turns so you know exactly who owns what.

Questions

1. Write a summary of the text in English, including the most important points, using your own words  whenever possible (maximum 50 words, 1 point)

 2. Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given here ( 1 point: 0,25 points  each)

a) consider                                                                  c) part

b) for a long time                                                       d) money lent

3. Complete the second sentence of each pair so that it has the same meaning as the first one (2 points:

0.5 points each).

a )Widows and widowers get more financial protection from the law than live-in partners.

The law …

b) It may be the twenty-first century, but it is still women who earn less.

Women still …

c) An unmarried  partner has no such rights.

A partner…

d) The finance company can sue either of you.

Either…

4. Answer the following questions in your own words. The information must be taken from the text

(2 points: 1 point each):

a) In what ways is a woman with children better protected if she is married ?

b) Why is it dangerous to buy something together with your unmarried partner ?

5. Do you agree with the arguments given in the text ? Why / Why not ? (Approximately 120

words) (3 points).

1. FORM:                             present of have+ past participle

Examples:

You have seen that film many times / She has seen that film many times

Have you seen that film many times?/ Has she seen that film many times?

You have not seen that film many times. / She has not seen that film many times

1. b.      USE: We use the present perfect to express
   1. 1.       Recent past with present result – the action is finished but it has an influence on the present, it puts emphasis on the result, and it always suggests a relationship between present time and past time.

Examples:

I’ve had breakfast( implies that I did so very recently)

She has just arrived from London

She has already arrived from London

Has she arrived from London yet? / She hasn’t arrived from London yet

She has recently arrived from London

She has arrived from London today/this week/ this morning

Time expressions:

Just ð before the main verb in affirmative sentences

 Already  ð before the main verb in affirmative sentences

Yet ð at the end in interrogative and negative sentences

recently, lately ð before the main verb or at the end  in affirmative sentences

today/these days

this morning/ week/month/year…

1. 2.       Actions or situations that started in the past and continue up to the present- The action or the period of time has not finished.

Examples:

I have studied at this school for five years (I came five years ago and I’m still studying here)

I have studied at this school since 2003 (I came in 2003 and I’m still studying here)

She has written 18 e-mails so far this morning (She may have finished writing e-mails but we are still in this morning)

He hasn’t appeared on TV before now /up till now/ up to the present

Time expressions:

For + period of time ð I have lived here for eight years

Since+ point of timeð I have lived here since 2000 / I have lived here since I was seven

So far/before now/ up till now / up to now/ up to the present

1. 3.       Past experiences without a specific time reference to the past -actions that have taken place once, never or several times before the moment of speaking

Examples:

Have you ever been to Australia?                                   I have never been to Australia

She has always worked hard                                           She has attended classes regularly

I have been to Australia twice/several times             He has often visited his grandparents

Time expressions:

Everð questions

Neverð affirmative

Frequency adverbs: always/regularly/often / frequently…

Once, twice, three times…, several times/ It’s the first time

REPHRASING

Present Perfect and Past Simple:

1. I haven’t seen Alice for ages = It’s ages since I last saw Alice ( SINCE + PAST SIMPLE)
2. 2.       She started to teach 13 years ago = She has taught for 13 years
3. 3.       We last visited Rome three years ago = We haven’t visited Rome for three years
4. It’s 3 months since she last phoned me = The last time she phoned me was three months ago ( LAST TIME + PAST SIMPLE)
5. Peter has never heard classical music before = It’s the first time Peter has heard classical music (FIRST TIME + PRESENT PERFECT)
6. 6.       This is the silliest joke I have ever heard = I have never heard such a silly joke before
7. 7.       I arrived in London last week and I’m still here = I have been in London for a week.
8. 8.       When did you meet Antonio? = How long have you known Antonio?

Practice:

1. When did you meet Antonio? = How long…
2. I arrived in London last week and I’m still here = I have…
3. This is the most ridiculous idea I’ve heard = I haven
4. Rocío has dinner at eight o’clock, and it’s 9 o’clock now = Rocío…
5. I started teaching twenty years ago = I have…
6. Virginia was at the party two minutes ago, but she is no longer here = Virginia has…
7. My baby hasn’t learnt to tell the time, and he is already six = My baby, six, hasn’t…
8. My baby has learnt to tell the time, and he is only four = My baby, four, has…
9. I haven’t seen a worst film before = This is…
10. Gasol’s romance with basketball began at the age of five = Gasol has loved basketball …
11. Frank lost his job three months ago = Frank has been…
12. The man who murdered JFK is still free = The Police haven’t..
13. This is my second visit to Hungary = This is the second time…
14. Mary started learning French five years ago = Mary has…
15. After I arrived here, I started to feel better = I have…
16. It’s over twenty years since we got married = We have…
17. The last time they saw each other was in 1994 = They haven’t …
18. The last time I ice-skated was ten years ago = I haven’t …
19. I haven’t seen a worst film before = This is …
20. It’s a long time since I last went to a football match = I haven’t …
21. She started writing this book two years ago = She has …
22. They last wrote me 20 years ago = They haven’t …
23. She  bought this car 2 months ago = She has …
24. She hasn’t worked for 3 years = It’s …
25. Mary hasn’t swum for years = It’s …
26. Peter hasn’t shown me his house for 15 years = It’s …
27. They haven’t visited us for ages = It’s …
28. It’s three years since I last ran a marathon = I haven’t …
29. It’s ages since she last won an Oscar = She hasn’t …
30. It’s years since they swept the house for the last time = They haven’t …
31. It’s 15 years since he lit his last cigarette = He hasn’t …
32. It’s 14 years since she lent me her car for the last time = She hasn’t …
33. It’s years since I last took a holiday = The last time …
34. I haven’t seen Peter for a long time = The last time …
35. He has never behaved like this before = It’s the first time …
36. I haven’t talked to George for 4 days = It’s …
37. I have never seen a more beautiful girl = She is …

1. Novedades na proba de inglés das PAAU:

Introduciranse os seguintes trocos na proba de inglés das PAAU do curso 2009 / 2010:

1. O punto da proba de audición quedará dentro dos dez puntos, facendo así un total de dez puntos en lugar dos once actuáis.
2. Reducirase a puntuación do resto das preguntas da maneira seguinte:
a) No 1. O resumo (máximo 50 palabras) = 1 punto (actualmente 1.5)
b) No 2. “Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given here” 0,25 x 4 = 1 punto (Actualmente é: “Explain in English the meaning of the following expressions as used in the text”)
c) No 3. Como agora (0,5 x 4 = 2 puntos)
d) No 4. Como agora “Answer the following questions in your own words” (2 x 1 = 2 puntos)
e) No 5. Elevarase o número de palabras de “approximately 100 words” a “approximately 120 words”. (3 puntos)
f) No 6. Proba de audición (1 punto)
 
PUNTUACIÓN: 1 + 1 + 2 + 2 + 3 + 1 = 10

2. A continuación, algúns erros comúns suliñados polos corretores en probas recentes:

* = incorrecto

1. Concord S/Pl.; *people is; *too much marriages; *others causes; *it are going to; *women is. (confusion de “other” e “another”)

2. Verb tenses and verb forms: *you will married; *they thinked; *I’m worry; *people have did bungee jumping; *jumping isn’t been; *he don’t (en vex de “didn’t” cuando es pasado). Misuse or non-use of present perfect tense in writing.

3. False friends and words confused: how / like / as /; make / do; fly / flight; sure / secure / safe; sing / sign; couple / pair / partner; other / another; lose / loose; marry / marriage / married; notice / news / new; live / life; dead / died / death; pass / spend; fall / fail; success / exit / event; more / a lot (of) / very / much / many, eg *“very people”; try / prove; ancient / old.

4. Articles (usually generic use): *the divorce / *the women / *the secrets of the life. *(the) next / last week etc.

5. Plural forms: *womens / *childrens / *mans.

6. Comparatives: *more .. that…; *the same that / than …; *more old / young; confusion between comparative and superlative forms.

7. Possessives and reflexives: confusion between and wrong use of “his” / “its” / “her” / “hers” / “their” / “theirs” / *“themself” / *”theirselves”.

8. Misspelt words: *nervious; *wich; *whith; *decission; *exciteing; *recibe, *practique; especially frequent the missing out of the second consonant when needed in English (*acording to; *apearance).

9. Invented words: *determinate / observate / descuidate; *deportist; *magnific; *miedous; *afortunate; *detallist; *comprensive; *actuate; *convivence; *they have fracased; *to supperate the problem; *equivocated; *families are compost of; *insupportable.

10. Invented expressions: *year a year / *day a day / *to have 20 years / *in the actually / *you are reason; *it likes me; *he born / borned; *I am agree.

11. Subject / verb are reversed, or the subject is simply not present: *many think is dangerous; *are right; *is important.

12. Adjectives: adjectives in plural (*differents families; *certains prototypes; *biologicals feelings) and placed after the noun (*a country very important).

13. Prepositions after verbs: *think in; *insist in; *become in.

14. Modal verb groups: *must can; *must to…; *will keeping; *they will can to go; *he can has; *it will must be perfect; *I am will waiting; *to can.

15. Interrogatives: *You went? *You can fly? *Who they are? *Was there the plane? *How do you are?

16. Catenative verb structures: *I want that you will be happy; *I want that you know; *I went for see; *due to more young people prefer; *she decided to don’t do it.

17. Punctuation: Absence of commas and full stops, also confusion about where to put one and the other.

18. Relative clauses often formed badly. Confusion between “that”, “what” é “which”.

Os membros do Grupo de Traballo de Inglés son:

Alan Floyd Moore, Cristina Larkin Galiñanes, Víctor Aragonés Herrero; Víctor García Plata, Mónica Álvarez González; Juan Carlos Varela Vázquez, María José Robelo Pardo; Xabier San Isidro.

Proba de audición (exemplo)
(Students will have the following two pages in front of them, the rubric, which will be almost or exactly the same as the following, and the multiple choice questions).

Listening Test (1 point)
In this interview with singer David Bowie you are going to hear some new words. Read and listen to them. Make sure you know what they mean.
Wrestling = loita libre / lucha libre
Half-brother / half-sister = medio irmán / irmá / hermanastro/a
Risk = risco / riesgo

Here is the beginning of the interview.
Interviewer: Lets’ talk about your background. As a teenager, you went around London’s West End clubs. Is it true that your father owned a wrestling club?
David Bowie: Yeah, at one time. It’s part of my family mythology. His father died and left him a lot of money. Some of it he put into a London club for wrestlers in Soho. Then he went into the army and when he came out he started working for a charity organization, and stayed there for the rest of his life.
Here is an example of a question:
What did David Bowie’s father do with the money he inherited?
He gave it to the army.
He started a wrestling club.
He gave it to a charity organisation.

The correct answer is: “He started a wrestling club”.

Ready? Now read the rest of the questions and alternative answers before listening to the interview. (2-minute pause)

Now listen to the rest of the interview. You will hear it three times. Write the correct answer in your exam notebook (cuadernillo). Write the complete answer, not just a letter. You must not write more than one answer for each question.

(Tapescript)

Now you will hear the text again.

(Tapescript)

Now you will hear the text for the last time.

(Tapescript)

That is the end of the Listening test. Write your answers in your examination notebook (cuadernillo) if you have not already done so. Then you can go on with the rest of the examination.

Questions
1. David Bowie’s relationship with his mother …
Has got better over the years.
Has got worse.
Finished when he was twenty years old.

2. The last time he saw his half-sister was…
When he was living in Africa.
A short time after he left London.
When he was twelve.

3. His half-sister Annette …
Went to another country to get married.
Always lived at home.
Has a good relationship with him.

4. The first “mods” …
Used makeup and generally wore expensive suits.
Never wore lipstick, eyeshadow or powder.
Didn’t exist when Bowie was 16 years old.

5. Which of the following did he NOT consider doing when he was thinking about his future job?
Being a musician
Working in a travel agent’s.
Painting.

6. His opinion of the film “The Man Who Fell to Earth” is that
He never acted in a worse film.
It was a great film.
It was a poor science fiction film compared with more modern ones.

7. Where did he recover from the emotional problems related to his fame?
Berlin.
London.
Los Angeles.

8. Which of the following is true, according to Bowie?
Berliners often go to art galleries.
Berliners do not usually care about the family.
Berliners want a society where people care about others.

9. Which is true?
His son makes him feel that the future is more important.
For him, there is no point in living in the future, in spite of his son.
Thinking about his son’s future makes him feel angry.

10. According to David Bowie …
Life is about sex and risk and relationships.
Life is about sex and risk and rock ‘n roll.
Life is all about sex and risk.

TAPESCRIPT

Interviewer: Were you very close to your parents when you were a kid?
David Bowie: My father died when I was about twenty years old. As I got older I got more support from him. He bought me my first saxophone. I was not particularly close to my mother, but I’ve got closer to her over the years. I think you become more sympathetic to the problems of your parents the older you get.

Interviewer: Tell me about your adolescence.
David Bowie: I had the usual desire to break with home and parents. I have a half brother and a half sister, but I have not been close to them, because they’ve never lived at home. I lost contact with my half-sister Annette when I was twelve – that was the last time I saw her. She was quite a lot older than me and went to Africa to get married.

Interviewer: At the start of your career you spent a lot of time around the clubs in London. What was that like in the 1960s?
David Bowie: At the time (I was sixteen years old) it was during the time of the “mods”. They called themselves “modernists”, which reduced itself to the “mods”. The first mods usually wore expensive suits and makeup was an important part of it: lipstick, eye-shadow and face powder. At that time I thought of being a musician, as I had the saxophone and played it quite well, but also of acting and painting. I spent a lot of time painting, though I didn’t have that much talent.

Interviewer: What was the first film acting you’ve done that you felt was good? And how did you react to fame when it happened?
David Bowie: I suppose “The Man Who Fell To Earth” was the film I acted best in. I really thought it was a great movie. And I think now it’s even better than I did then. It’s a great science fiction film -especially in relation to a lot of the films that are out at the moment.
The idea of fame was an obsession-until it happened. I moved to Los Angeles and my whole life was transformed into this strange fantasy world of mythological characters. It took the first two years in Berlin to really clean my system, especially emotionally.
Fortunately, I was able to pull out of the crisis with the help of two or three friends who either came to Berlin with me or were in Berlin. Most Berliners are people who want good, strong family ties and a society where people care for each other. That’s why I was attracted to that city after Los Angeles, which is the opposite of that. Berlin was my clinic; it brought me back in touch with people. Berliners are interested in how art means something on the streets, not just the galleries.
As I came out of that bad period, I became more conscious of my son and the responsibilities I have. My son keeps telling me there is a tomorrow, there is a future. I think it’s very important for young people to be angry. I think it is part of being young. But I think that passes, and then you change to another viewpoint in life, and the future becomes very important.

Interviewer: Keith Richards has said that rock ‘n’ roll is about two things: sex and risk.
David Bowie: Life is about sex and risk but that doesn’t mean that’s all that life is. I think he’s right that they will always be a strong element of it, but they’re merely a starting point. I think that a life of sex and risk can be very satisfying but I would say relationships are, too.

REWRITING MODALS