Grammar Reference

Unit 4 B: Fascinating! And how do they feel about that?

Especificando lo que I’m (very / really) interested

 XPRESAR DESCONOCIMIENTO Y
E nos interesa in...
PEDIR ACLARACIONES
A: I’m very interested in this new smartphone they are
• Para
 expresar que se ignora algo totalmente se pueden talking about.
utilizar las siguientes expresiones: B: Are you?

I / he / she / we... have / has no idea

I / he / she / we... haven’t / hasn’t a clue
I / he / she / we... don’t / doesn’t know
A: ‘Who’s your Internet provider?’
B: ‘I have no idea. My son takes care of all that.’
A: ‘Do your parents know you are sharing their photos
online?’
B: ‘No. They haven’t a clue.’
A: ‘What’s your IP address?’
B: ‘I don’t know. Let me check.’
• Estas
 expresiones también pueden ir seguidas de una
oración con la misma estructura que si estuviera en
estilo indirecto (afirmativa, negativa o interrogativa).
She had no idea that she could take her computer to a
repair shop to have it fixed.
We didn’t have a clue that our friends were not
receiving our emails.
A: ‘How much do you pay for your Internet connection?’
B: ‘To be honest, I have no idea how much it costs.’
I didn’t know that you could tether your computer to
a smartphone. That’s practical!
She doesn’t know that she doesn’t have to share her
personal details if she doesn’t want to.
My parents don’t know what I do when I am online.
• P
 ara confirmar la información que se nos ha dado o
pedir más aclaraciones, se pueden utilizar las siguientes
expresiones:
Let me get this clear.
Can you tell me whether... + frase* ?
What exactly do you mean (by + sustantivo / -ing)?
*estructura interrogativa indirecta.
A: You can download the documents and pay online.
B: Let me get this clear. Are you telling me I don’t need
to go to your office and register in person? And what
exactly do you mean by paying online? Can you tell
me whether it is still possible to pay by bank transfer?
A: I don’t like it when websites use cookies.
B: What exactly do you mean by ‘cookies’?
EXPRESAR ADMIRACIÓN Y RECHAZO
Para reaccionar positiva o negativamente ante algo se
pueden usar exclamaciones con how y what.
How + adjetivo
‘He’s written a book.’
‘How interesting!
‘My son has broken his arm.’
‘How horrible!’
What a/an (+ adjetivo) + nombre singular
What a wonderful day!
What a horrible story!
What (+ adjetivo) + nombre plural / incontable
What big boys!
What delicious bread!
What terrible students!
What horrible news!
PETICIONES Y ÓRDENES EN ESTILO
INDIRECTO
• Para expresar en estilo indirecto peticiones u órdenes,
podemos usar los verbos ask y tell con las siguientes
estructuras:
sujeto + ask / tell + pronombre + to + infinitivo
sujeto + ask / tell + pronombre + not to + infinitivo
‘Can you teach me how to use my new computer?’ He
asked me to teach him how to use his new computer.
‘Please, write your username and password.’ They
asked / told me to write my username and password.
‘Don’t reveal your password to anyone.’ They told
me / asked me not to reveal my password to anyone.
Como se ve en los ejemplos, ask sirve para transmitir
tanto preguntas como peticiones. Cuando se habla de
peticiones, ask suena más suave que tell, que implica
que el mensaje original es una orden.

EXPRESAR INTERÉS
• Las
 siguientes expresiones se pueden utilizar para
mostrar interés:

Reaccionando con Really?

sorpresa ante lo que se Fascinating!
nos dice Is that so?

A: I’ve found a new app to monitor what my children

do online.
B: Really?
A: Yes, you can get a list of the sites they visit and even
block sites you don’t like.
B: Is that so?
A: Absolutely, it’s really useful and it’s also free. I also
have an app to locate their mobile phones so I always
know where they are.