Unidad #1

A time to remember
Past tense
There are two tenses in English – past and present. The past tense in English is used: to talk about the past

to talk about hypotheses – things that are imagined rather than true.

for politeness.

There are four past tense forms in English:

Tense Form

Past simple: I worked

Past continuous: I was working

Past perfect: I had worked

Past perfect continuous: I had been working

We use these forms:

 to talk about the past:

 He worked at McDonald’s. He had worked there since July.
 He was working at McDonald’s. He had been working since July.

to refer to the present or future in conditions:

He could get a new job if he really tried.

If Jack was playing, they would probably win.

and hypotheses:

It might be dangerous. Suppose they got lost.

I would always help someone who really needed help.

and wishes:

I wish it wasn’t so cold.

In conditions, hypotheses and wishes, if we want to talk about the past, we always use the past perfect:

I would have helped him if he had asked.

It was very dangerous, what if you had got lost?

I wish I hadn’t spent so much money last month.

We can use the past forms to talk about the present in a few polite expressions:

Excuse me, I was wondering if this was the train for York.

I just hoped you would be able to help me.

Used to
We use used to when we refer to things in the past which are no longer true. It can refer to repeated actions or to a state or
situation:

He used to play football for the local team, but he’s too old now.

That white house over there used to belong to my family. (It belonged to my family in the past, but not any more.)

Warning:

In statements, the form used to do not change. We do not use the verb be before it. It always refers to past time:

We used to go to the seaside every summer when I was a kid.

Not: We are used to go … or We use to go … or We were used to go …

Negative: didn’t use to

The negative of used to is most commonly didn’t use(d) to. Sometimes we write it with a final -d, sometimes not. Both forms are
common, but many people consider the form with the final -d to be incorrect, and you should not use it in exams:

It didn’t use to be so crowded in the shops as it is nowadays.

I didn’t used to like broccoli when I was younger, but I love it now. (Don’t use this form in exams.)

In very formal styles, we can use the negative form used not to:

She used not to live as poorly as she does now.

 Unidad #2

Caught in the rush

Adverbs of quantity
What are adverbs of quantity in English?

Adverbs of quantity in English indicate the quantity of an action. They are usually placed after the verb and before the adjectives
and other adverbs. These adverbs are different from the adverbs of degree, because these adverbs express the amount of the
action and the adverbs of degree express intensity of the action.

Adverbs of quantity examples:

 He did not study enough for his exam.

 You talk too much.
 They are so nice.
 It is almost full.

With count nouns

There are too many cars.

There should be fewer cars.

We need more subway lines.

There aren’t enough buses.

With noncount nouns

There is too much traffic.

There should be less pollution.

We need more public transportation.

There isn’t enough parking.

Indirect and direct questions
The direct questions are the “normal” questions we can ask friends, family and people we know well.

The indirect questions are a little more formal and educated. We use the when we talk to a person we do not know
way well or in professional situations, and their form is a bit different.
Common questions
When it comes to the interview process, research and preparation for the interview can often times determine your chances of
making it to the next step. One of the best ways to get ready for a job interview is to practice your responses to any and all
interview questions – even the downright weird.

To help you get started, Glassdoor sifted through tens of thousands of interview reviews to find out some of the most common
interview questions candidates get asked during recent interviews. So, if you have a job interview lined up, practice in front of a
mirror or ask a friend or family member to listen to your answers to the following questions so you’ll be ready to put your best
foot forward.
 Unidad #3
Time for a change
Grammar focus
Evaluations and comparisons
Evaluations with adjectives

Apartments aren’t big enough for families.

Apartments are too small for pets.

Comparisons with adjectives

Houses aren’t as convenient as apartments.

Houses are just as convenient as apartments.

Evaluations with nouns

Apartments don’t have enough parking spaces.

Houses cost too much money.

Comparisons with nouns

Apartments have just as many rooms as houses.

Apartments don’t have as much privacy as houses.

Use wish
Wishes about the present or future

Wish + (that) + past simple:

We can use 'wish' to talk about something that we would like to be different in the present or the future. It's used for things which
are impossible or very unlikely.

 I wish that I had a big house (I don't have a big house, but it's a nice idea!).
 I wish that we didn't need to work today (we do need to work today, unfortunately).
 I wish that you lived close by (you don't live close by).
 I wish that John wasn't busy tomorrow* (he is busy, unfortunately).

(*In formal writing, you will see 'were' instead of 'was' after wish. This is correct, but it's also fine to use 'was', in the same way as
with the second conditional.

 'I wish I were rich' or 'I wish I was rich'.)

We also use 'wish' with 'could' to talk about things in the present or

future that we would like to be different.

In this situation, 'could' is the past simple of 'can'.

 Unidad #4
I’ve never heard of that!

Simple past and present perfect

You must always use the Present perfect when the time of an action is not important or not specified.

You must always use the Simple past when details about the time or place that an action occurred are given or requested.

For example:

There is also a difference in attitude between the two tenses, which is often an important factor in choosing which tense to use.
Sequence adverbs
We use the sequence adverbs "first", "next", "then" and "finally" to describe the order in which two or more actions happen.

Example:

How to make an omelet

"First, I break the eggs." Then, "I heat the butter in a pan." Next, "I add the eggs." Finally, "I eat the omelette with toast."

Shape

A comma is used after "first", "next", "then" and "finally" when they enter the phrase describing the action.

 "first": for an action that occurs before others. We can also use "first" at the end of the sentence.

-"I have a lot of work to do. First, I will make a cup of tea."

-"I will make a cup of tea first."

 "next" and "then" can be used both for an action that happens after another action, but it is usually used:

- "next": for an action that occurs immediately after another action, or as soon as possible.

You can also use "next" at the end of the sentence.

-"I went to Bolivia on holiday." Next ", I want to go to Brazil."

-"I'm eating breakfast now. I will clean the kitchen" next "."

-"then": for an action that occurs after another action if it is not immediate. You can use "and then" without a
comma.

-"Sarah is doing her degree. Then, she wants to be a lawyer."

-Sarah will probably not be a lawyer immediately after she gets her degree.

-"They went shopping in the morning and then they went to the zoo."

-We do not know if they went to the zoo immediately after they went shopping.

 "finally": for the action that occurs at the end, after others, or after a long time. You can use "finally" before the verb
without a comma.

-"I worked all evening." Finally, I went to bed at 11pm. "

-"I worked all evening and I finally went to bed at 11pm."

-"After five years, I finally sold the house."