USED TO / WOULD/ BE

USED TO

USO/ USE:

Usamos el verbo modal “used to” para indicar algo que ocurría o sucedía en el pasado de manera habitual. También, se utiliza para algo que antes era verdad pero ya no lo es. Como con los otros verbos modales, “used to” está seguido por la forma base del verbo (el infinitivo sin “to”).

We use the modal verb "used" to indicate something that happened or happened in the past in a habitual way. Also, it is used for something that was previously true but it is not. As with the other modal verbs, "used for" is followed by the base form of the verb (the infinitive without "a").

FORMA/ SHAPE:

Sujeto + “used to” + verbo…

Subject + "used to" + verb ...

EJEMPLO/ EXAMPLE:

·         We used to go to the beach every summer when I was young.

(Cuando era joven solíamos ir a la playa cada verano.)

·         He used to smoke a pack of cigarettes a day, but he quit last year.

(Solía fumar un paquete de cigarrillos al día, pero lo dejó el año pasado.)

·         I used to like mushrooms, but not anymore.

(Antes me gustaban las setas, pero ya no.)

WOULD

USO/ USE:

'Would' es el pasado de will en algunos casos y verbo auxiliar en otros. Convierte en potencial al verbo que le sigue y va seguido del verbo en forma base.

'Would' is the past of will in some cases and auxiliary verb in others. It converts in potential the verb that follows it and is followed by the verb in base form.

FORMA/ SHAPE:

sujeto+´would +complemento

subject +'would + complement

EJEMPLO/ EXAMPLE:

·         I would somke

yo fumaba

·         I  would run

yo corria

·         I would dance

Yo bailaba

BE

USO/ USE:

Hace referencia a hábitos que están sucediendo en el presente o en el pasado.

It refers to habits that are happening in the present or in the past

FORMA/ SHAPE:

BE+´ALWAYS + ING

EJEMPLO/ EXAMPLE:

·         YOU ARE ALWAYS TALKING IN CLASS

TU SIEMPRE ESTAS HABLANDO EN CLASE.

·         YOU WERE ALWAYS EATING IN CLASS.

TU SIEMPRE ESTABAS COMIENDO EN CLASE.

DOUBLE /REPEATED COMPARATIVES

DOUBLE / REPEATED COMPARATIVES

DOUBLE COMPARATIVES

USO/USE:

Las comparaciones dobles describen un proceso de causa y efecto. Además, se escriben como una oración con una coma que separa la causa y el efecto.

Double comparatives describe a cause and effect process. Also, they are written as a sentence with a comma separating the cause and the effect.

FORMA/ SHAPE:

La estructura para usarlos es la siguiente:

The structure to use them is the following:

[The + comparative form] + (subject) + (verb), [the + comparative form] + (subject) + (verb)]

EJEMPLO/ EXAMPLE:

·        The more education women get, the later they marry.

·        The less children studied, the more slowly they learned.

EJERCICIOS / EXERCISES:

Llene los espacios en blanco con la forma correcta de las palabras a continuación:

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the words below:

better loud hot probable small better more rich big

less happy merry late safe fast cheap more hard

1)      The  you study for these exams, the  you will do.

2)      She doesn't really like vodka, so the  a bottle you find, the  it will be for us.

3)      My neighbour is driving me mad! It seems that the  it is at night, the  he plays his music!

4)      He spent a year in India and loves spicy food. The  the food is, the  he likes it.

5)      Of course you can come to the party. The  the  .

6)      She will be really angry about that vase being broken! The  she knows about it, the  .

7)      He has 6 large dogs to protect his house. The  the dog, the  he feels.

8)      Earning money has always been the thing that pleases him most. The  he becomes, the  he is.

9)      You must drive slower in built up areas. The  you drive in the city, the  it is that you will have an accident.

REPEATED COMPARATIVES

USO/USE:

En inglés existen los llamados repeated comparatives o comparativos repetidos. Se trata de una estructura que usamos para indicar que algo está cambiando (aumentando o disminuyendo). Veamos cómo se forman. 

In English there are so-called repeated comparative or repeated comparatives. It is a structure used to indicate that something is changing (increasing or decreasing). Let's see how they are formed.

FORMA/ SHAPE:

Se usan dos estructuras para indicar que algo aumenta: .... er and ..... er  y  more and more ..... que suelen aparecer con los verbos get y become.  

1) …er and ....er (cada vez más / más y más) 

Se utiliza con los adjetivos / adverbios cortos que ya explicamos en el post adjetivos comparativos. Añadimos -er al adjetivo para formar el adjetivo comparativo, a continuación la conjunción and y después, repetimos de nuevo el adjetivo comparativo → bigger and bigger, fatter and fatter, faster and faster

2) more and more .... (cada vez más / más y más) 

Esta estructura se utiliza con:

Adjetivos largos o con adverbios. Basta con escribir more and more y añadir a continuación el adjetivo o el adverbio → more and more beautiful, more and more exciting

Two structures are used to indicate that something increases: ... er and ..... er and more and more ..... that usually appear with the verbs get and become.

1)    ... er and .... er (more and more / more and more)

 It is used with the adjectives / short adverbs that we already explained in the post comparative adjectives. We add -er to the adjective to form the comparative adjective, then the conjunction, and then repeat the comparative adjective → bigger and bigger, fatter and fatter, faster and faster

 2) more and more .... (more and more / more and more)

This structure is used with: Adjectives long or with adverbs. Just write more and more and then add the adjective or adverb → more and more beautiful, more and more exciting

EJEMPLO/ EXAMPLE:

·        Ella se está acercando cada vez más a su madre.

·        She is getting closer and closer of her mother.

·        Se está volviendo cada vez más difícil.

·        It’s becoming more and more difficult.

·        Él va cada vez más despacio.

·        He is going more and more slowly.

EJERCICIOS/ EXERCISES:

Llene los espacios en blanco como en los ejemplos arriba:

Fill the blanks as in the examples above:

1)   He gets  (boring). I can’t listen to him any longer.

2)   I didn’t like this book at first, but it’s getting  (interesting).

3)   My daughter’s English results are getting  (bad).

4)   The boss will be angry with you. You arrive  (late) at work.

5)   In spring the weather gets  (warm).

6)   It’s time you tidied your room. It’s getting  (messy).

7)   Food is getting  (expensive).

8)   I think TV programs are getting  (violent).

9)   I find it  (difficult) to see him.

10)   She’s getting over her operation. She feels  (good).

STATIVE/ DYNAMIC VERBS

Uso/Use:

Los State verbs o Stative verbs son verbos relacionados con el pensamiento, las sensaciones o los sentidos que expresan estados más que acciones o actividades. Por este motivo, se suelen usar con los tiempos verbales simples (como el presente simple o el presente perfecto simple) y no con los continuos.

State verbs or Stative verbs are verbs related to thought, sensations or senses that express states rather than actions or activities. For this reason, they are often used with simple verb tenses (such as the present simple or the present perfect simple) and not with the continuous ones.

Forma/ Shape:

Pueden ser agrupados en varias, como:

1.    Verbos de Estado: Expresan opinión.

agree, think, believe, disagree, feel, doubt, depend, understand, know, mean, remember, seem, look (=seem), mind, suppose, guess, appear, matter, concern, realise

2. Verbos sobre Gustos

like, dislike, prefer, love, hate.

3. Verbos sobre Posesión

have, possess, belong, own, owe, lack, include, involve

4. Verbos que expresan Características de algo

weigh, measure, consist, contain

5. Verbos que expresan Necesidad

need, want, wish, deserve…

6. Verbos relacionados con la percepción

sound, hear, taste, see, smell,  imagine, recognise, satisfy

They can be grouped into several, such as:

1. State Verbs: Express opinion.

agree, think, believe, disagree, feel, doubt, depend, understand, know, mean, remember, seem, look (= seem), mind, suppose, guess, appear, matter, concern, realize

2. Verbs about Tastes

 like, dislike, prefer, love, hate.

3. Verbs about Possession

 have, possess, belong, own, owe, lack, include, involve

4. Verbs that express Characteristics of something

weigh, measure, consist, contain

5. Verbs that express Need

 need, want, wish, deserve ...

6. Verbs related to perception

sound, hear, taste, see, smell, imagine, recognize, satisfy

Ejemplo/ example:

I´m thinking about my summer vacations.

Estaba pensando en mis vacaciones de verano.

He´s seeing the doctor tonight.

El está viendo al doctor esta noche.

She´s having dinner with a friend.

Ella está tomando la cena con un(a) amigo(a).

Mom´s tasting the soup to see if it´s ready.

Mamá está probando la sopa para ver si está lista.

Why are you looking at me?

¿Por qué estás mirándome?

Ejercicios/ Exercises:

Choose the present simple or present continuous. This exercise includes the verbs see, think, have, be, and taste, which are sometimes stative.

Elija el presente simple o presente continuo. Este ejercicio incluye los verbos ver, pensar, tener, ser y saborear, que a veces son estativos.

1.       My husband _____ (always/taste) the food while I'm cooking! It's very annoying.

2.      She_______ (have) a bath every evening.

3.      Luke___ (see) the doctor now.

4.      He____ (have) a party next weekend.

5.      This coffee____ (not/taste) right.

DYNAMIC VERBS

Uso/ Use:

En la gramática inglesa un "verbo dinámico" significa que el verbo describe una acción en vez de un estado. Los verbos dinámicos a veces se llaman "action verbs" ("verbos de acción").

In English grammar a "dynamic verb" means that the verb describes an action instead of a state. Dynamic verbs are sometimes called "action verbs".

Forma/ Shape:

Sujeto+ verbo dinamico + complement

Subject + verb dynamic + complement

Ejemplo/ Exercise:

·         "I can't talk right now, I'm eating dinner."
("No puedo hablar ahora, estoy cenando.")

·         "Sorry, I'm out of breath because I've been running."
("Perdón, estoy sin aliento porque he estado corriendo.")

·         "I didn't steal the necklace! I was sleeping when someone broke into the shop!"
("¡No robé el collar! ¡Estaba durmiendo cuando alguien entró en la tienda a la fuerza!" 

     Ejercicios/ Exercises:

Decide si los verbos de las siguientes oraciones son dinámicos o estáticos.

Decide if the verbs of the following sentences are dynamic or static.

1 Helen likes reading historic novels.       static verb dinamic verb

2 My mother played with the baby.         static verb dinamic verb

3 I'm thinking about buying a car.         static verb dinamic verb

4 We feel he's angry with us.          dinamic verb static verb

5 He walk two hours every day.          dinamic verb static verb