DIFFERENCE BETWEEN "KNOW" AND "MEET" WITH AMIGOS INGLESES

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USES OF EVER

CREATED BY VALANGLIA

 

Ever is an adverb that you can use in the following cases:

Ever: at any time

Questions

We use ever in questions:

Has he ever scored a goal before? (at any time in his life)

Do you ever dream about winning the lottery?

Have you ever heard of The Ivy restaurant?

Negatives

We can use not … ever in negatives, but never is more common than not ever:

Laurie doesn’t ever call me at weekends. or Laurie never calls me …

We haven’t ever had a problem with noise in the neighbourhood before or We’ve never had a problem with noise …

We use ever in negative statements with words like no one, nobody and hardly:

No one ever told me what had happened.

I have hardly ever eaten Vietnamese food.

Ever after if

We can use ever immediately after if or in mid position (between the subject and the main verb, or after the modal verb or first auxiliary verb, or after main verb be):

If ever you move house, I’d advise you to get a good removal company.

If you ever go to Edinburgh, make sure to visit the Art Gallery.

If I had ever wanted to stay in Manchester, they would have made me very welcome, I’m sure.

Ever so and ever such

We use ever before so and such to add emphasis:

I feel ever so cold.

He was ever such a kind man.

Ever since

We use ever before since to emphasise that something has been true from the beginning of a specific period of time:

Ever since we met, we have been such great friends.

Mrs Leech doesn’t go for walks on her own ever since she fell.

As … as ever

We can use ever with the comparative form as … as …. This shows a permanent characteristic of someone or something:

A: How is work?

B: Don’t ask! It’s as busy as ever.

They’ve built a new road around the city but traffic is as bad as ever.

Ever meaning ‘always’

In more formal situations, we can use ever with adjectives to mean ‘always’:

The company cannot sustain ever-decreasing profits.

Jones was ever available to help the family.

NOTE: In a less formal context we can use ever as never to emphasize about a situation that never happened to us before, when using superlatives:

Yesterday's was the best party ever.

That man was the worst client ever to come to our shop.
 

Partially based on: dictionary.cambridge.org

 

PIENSA EN OTRO IDIOMA Y ACERTARÁS

Piensa en otro idioma y acertarás

Por: Javier Salas (EL PAIS)

Tomar decisiones en una lengua distinta de la materna lleva a conclusiones más reflexivas.

      Una traductora trabaja durante un pleno del Parlamento Europeo. PIETRO NAJ-OLEARI PE-EP

"¿En qué idioma te lo tengo que decir para que me hagas caso?". Esta frase que miles de madres han lanzado contra sus hijos está, en el fondo, cargada de verdad (como todas las cosas que dicen las madres). Porque una serie de trabajos científicos recientes está dando forma a una realidad sorprendente: pensamos y decidimos de distinta forma si procesamos la información en otro idioma que no sea el materno.

 

Aunque entendamos igual de bien la idea o el problema, al hacerlo en una segunda lengua el resultado será más reflexivo; menos emocional, más orientado a obtener un resultado útil. En otro idioma, nos centramos menos en nuestra primera respuesta emocional, crece la tolerancia al riesgo y se maximiza el interés por el beneficio "Beneficia al pensamiento deliberativo; te hace pensar dos veces las cosas", asegura Albert Costa, uno de los mayores expertos en bilingüismo gracias a sus investigaciones en la Universidad Pompeu Fabra.

 

Empezó sus estudios en este campo con el dilema del tranvía: ¿tirarías a una persona a la vía para que con su muerte salve la vida de otras cinco personas? El conflicto moral que nos supone empujar a esa víctima solitaria se desvanece en muchas personas cuando se lo plantean en un idioma que no es el materno. Las personas que sacrificarían a esa persona en virtud del bien común pasan de ser el 20% de la muestra hasta casi la mitad. Únicamente porque procesan el dilema en un idioma aprendido después del materno. 

 

Muchos otros trabajos han confirmado estos resultados: en un idioma extranjero nos llevamos menos por lo emocional y nos centramos en el resultado más eficiente. Somos menos moralistas y más utilitaristas.

 

Siempre se trata de sujetos que manejan con soltura el otro idioma y se ha probado en español, inglés, italiano, alemán... el habla concreta no parece influir. "Beneficia al pensamiento deliberativo; te hace pensar dos veces las cosas", asegura Albert Costa Costa acaba de publicar un artículo junto a unos colegas en una revista especializada (Trends in Cognitive Sciences) en el que repasa algunos de los resultados más llamativos de este campo de investigación y en el que tratan de explicar los motivos. En otro idioma, no solo nos centramos menos en nuestra primera respuesta emocional en dilemas morales. Además, crece la tolerancia al riesgo por ejemplo al planear un viaje o al aceptar una novedad biotecnológica: se maximiza el interés por el beneficio. Y nos ofenden menos los insultos.

 

También este mes se ha publicado una investigación de la especialista Janet Geipel, de la Universidad de Trento, en el que proponían dos situaciones en las que las intenciones morales entran en conflicto con el resultado obtenido. Por ejemplo, alguien entrega una chaqueta a mendigo para que se caliente pero termina recibiendo una paliza porque otros creen que la ha robado. Por otro lado, la historia de una pareja que decide adoptar a una niña discapacitada para poder cobrar las ayudas estatales o la idea de una empresa de donar a la caridad para mejorar sus beneficios.

 

Al plantear estos escenarios en el idioma extranjero, los sujetos estudiados valoraron mucho más el resultado obtenido (malo en el primer caso, bueno en el segundo) que la ética de las intenciones. El conflicto moral que nos supone empujar a esa víctima solitaria se desvanece en muchas personas cuando se lo plantean en un idioma que no es el materno Geipel había publicado el año pasado otro estudio en el que proponía situaciones con cierta carga de tabú social: un hombre que cocina y prueba la carne de su perro muerto, alguien que trocea una bandera de su país para limpiar un váter, una pareja de hermanos que deciden mantener una relación sexual. Los sujetos debían evaluar del 0 al 10 la maldad del acto. Quienes los leyeron en su segundo idioma otorgaron de media un punto menos de incorrección moral a estas acciones.

 

No están claros los motivos concretos de este cambio de conducta, de esta doble personalidad lingüística. Costa sugiere un ramillete de razones que estarían interconectadas entre sí: "Por un lado, otro idioma obliga a pensar despacio. "Por un lado, otro idioma obliga a pensar despacio. Además, entendemos que lo emocional está más ligado a la primera lengua que aprendemos", sugiere Costa Como explica el premio Nobel Daniel Kahneman, nuestro cerebro contaría con un Sistema 1, que se dedica a las respuestas intuitivas, más veloces y eficaces pero lastradas por sesgos, y un Sistema 2, que se ocupa de las respuestas que exigen reflexión.

 

En nuestro idioma natural, saltaría con más facilidad el Sistema 1 a gestionar el problema; el esfuerzo adicional de usar otro idioma despertaría al Sistema 2, más perezoso pero más juicioso. Así se explicaría ese porcentaje de personas que aparcan sesgos como la aversión al riesgo, los reparos morales, etc.

 

Tanto Geipel como Costa suelen mencionar en sus trabajos la situación que se da en escenarios como Naciones Unidas o la Unión Europea, en la que buena parte de sus miembros toman decisiones en una lengua que no es la materna. "Y en multinacionales, en la ciencia, en numerosos ámbitos hay gente trabajando en inglés aunque no es su primer idioma", señala Costa, que está trabajando en aplicaciones para este hallazgo. Por ejemplo, en negociaciones en las que se requiere que los actores aparquen sus emociones y sus pegas personales. Quizá sería una buena idea proponer sesiones en inglés en el Congreso de los Diputados.

Autor: Javier Salas

Artículo extraído de: elpais.com

 

SEPTEMBER RESOLUTIONS

Source: http://www.themix.org.uk/

 

Start a new season with an optimistic approach and a fresh set of resolutions.

September isn't just the end of summer - it's an opportunity for a new start.

Summer is always a big thing. During the summer build-up we go on diets, attempt to shape up, try on last year’s clothes and decide we still need a little more work. Now that summer’s coming to an end, we tend to lose steam. But why give up the optimism?
 

Resolutions are usually made at New Year’s or before the summer, but in some ways the chances of sticking to them are stacked against you. Why? Because you’ll only compare yourself with others, whether you like it or not, and when your mates start to fail it’s too easy to justify following in their footsteps. And New Year’s is so loaded with expectation that one slip-up feels like an earth-shattering disaster.

 

Seasonal resolutions

So what about post-summer resolutions you can make and work towards on your own terms? For a lot of us winter means greyness and the overwhelming temptation to stay in bed. The idea of giving your life an overhaul seems out of the question. But think about it, there’s a lot less pressure and plenty of time to decide on things you really think you can achieve.
 

The fact is, human beings are creatures of habit, and even though making big changes can ultimately be very positive, doing something different is always scary. Changing set patterns and routines means that you have to step out of your comfort zone. What’s important to remember is that change is sometimes necessary, as long as it’s not just on a whim.

 

First steps

Write down a list of all the things you’d like to do or change, even if some are impossible. Now pick the task that’s most important to you, and possible to achieve. Break it down into smaller tasks and set some deadlines for it. For example, if you’ve decided that you want to go travelling around the world for a year you’ll need to work out how long it’ll take you to save up, who you want to go with, what areas you want to visit, and what vaccinations and insurance you need.

 

Dealing with changes

Deciding to do something different can give you a big boost. But sooner or later, the hard work sets in, and you might feel that you just can’t be bothered. If you’ve broken down your tasks into smaller sections, you can aim for certain milestones and reward yourself accordingly. If you’re the type of person who loses motivation easily, make your rewards bigger at the beginning to get your enthusiasm going. Or if you are too easily satisfied, save the better rewards for the end.

Tips:

• Don’t try to do everything at once: too many people decide that they want to go on a diet, join a gym, give up smoking, change their job, and find a new partner all in one go. That just isn’t going to happen all at once, and you’re only making your goals more difficult to achieve. Big changes take time, and quick fixes can backfire, leaving you feeling disheartened or even like a failure.
• Prepare yourself: there’s no point deciding to quit smoking if you’re hoarding just-in-case ciggies under the mattress. The greater the temptation, the quicker you’ll screw up. And you don’t want to keep reminding yourself of what you’ve given up!
• Focus on the immediate: think about getting through the next minute, hour or day. Imagining a lifetime without alcohol/cigarettes/chocolate just won’t help. And the further you get, the easier it will become!

Giving things up

Giving up anything that’s played an important part in your life is going to be hard. There are bound to be times when your resolve threatens to cave in, even once you think the worst is over. If you’re giving up something tangible, like smoking, save the money you would otherwise have spent. It soon builds up, and after the first tough month you can treat yourself to something with all the money you’ve kept back.

 

Be optimistic

Don’t lose sight of the fact that masses of people have been in your position, and gone on to conquer their bad habits. The key is to set yourself up with strategies for overcoming those inevitable moments of weakness, from talking things through with a mate to taking up an activity that’ll keep you occupied.

 

Good luck!

Picture of a sunset by volunteer photographer Sarah Barrett

 

ENCONTRADO EN: www.themix.org.uk

UK PUBLIC EXPRESSING DIFFERENT OPINIONS ON BREXIT (WITH SUBTITLES)

A TRAVÉS DE: www.youtube.com/ODN

LEARNING AT THE BEACH WITH AMIGOS INGLESES (BEACH VOCABULARY)

A TRAVÉS DE: www.youtube.com/amigosingleses

4 EASY TIPS ON...

CREATED BY VALANGLIA

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A TRAVÉS DE: www.youtube.com/engvidenglish

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN "NO" AND "NOT"

CREATED BY VALANGLIA

The word no never precedes: a, an, at, in, the, any, much, many, enough.

No is used:

• as an exclamation.
• as an adjective before singular and plural nouns.

Not is used:

• as an adverb to make a sentence negative. 
• to make an adjective or adverb negative.
• in short replies with a number of verbs.

Examples:

• We have no money in the bank now.
• We do not have any money in the bank now.

• There are no books in the bookcase.
• There are no English books in the bookcase.
• There are not any books in the bookcase.

• Do you like coffee? No, I don't.
• Didn't you finish it? No, I didn't.

• Don't you want this? Not at all.
• Won't you be mad at us? Not in the least.
• Aren't you going to go? Not right now.
• Who took my book? Not me.

ADAPTADO DESDE: languagelearningbase.com

IMPROVING YOUR SPEAKING II: LEARN TO TALK ABOUT YOUR FREE TIME AND HOBBIES

CREATED BY VALANGLIA

Summer is coming and there are plenty of leisure activities we can practice and talk about. Here are some ways to talk and ask about general hobbies, interests and favourite sports in English.

When you want to get someone to know you well or if you want to know someone better, you can always talk and ask about your hobbies and interests:

Saying what you like

like + noun / ing form
I like tennis / I like playing tennis

love + noun / ing form
He loves football / He loves watching football

be keen on + noun / ing form
She's keen on the cinema / going to the cinema

enjoy + noun / ing form
We enjoy sports / playing sports

Remember: I like (+ ing / noun) is for general likes.
I like going to the cinema.

I'd like + verb is for a specific occasion:
I'd like to go to the cinema next weekend.

Adding emphasis:

You can add "very much" at the end of the sentence.

I like tennis.
I like tennis very much.

You can add "at all" to a negative sentence if you don't like something.

I don't like cricket.
I don't like cricket at all.

Talking about your hobby

Use adverbs of frequency (always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, never, etc) or another phrase to talk about how often or when you do your hobby.

I only watch football at the weekends.

I go to the gym four times a week.

I don't often have time to socialise with friends.

You can say why you like your hobby by describing it with an -ing adjective.

I like swimming because it's relaxing.

Watching football is exciting.

It's interesting to surf the net.

Example conversations

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I spend a lot of time going to discos with my friends.

Are you keen on sports?
Yes, I love playing tennis in summer.

Are you a sports fan?
Not really. I prefer relaxing with friends in a restaurant.

Do you like going to restaurants?
Not much. I prefer cooking at home.

Typical hobbies

These hobbies are popular with British people:

Watching television
Visiting friends
Entertaining friends (when friends come to your house for dinner, etc)
Listening to music
Reading books
Going to the pub
Going to a restaurant
Gardening
Going for a drive
Going for a walk
DIY (doing DIY = doing home-improvement activities)
Photography / Taking photographs
Surfing the net

Typical sports

Here is some vocabulary for different sports:

Ball games

Football
Rugby
Cricket
Tennis
Squash
Hockey
Baseball
Basketball
Volleyball

Martial arts

Judo
Karate
Kickboxing
Boxing

Extreme sports

Paragliding
Rock climbing
Caving
Mountaineering

Water sports

Swimming
Diving
Sailing
Canoeing
Windsurfing

Other activities

Jogging
Keeping fit
Horse-riding
Hiking
Skateboarding
Gymnastics
Athletics

Using play, do and go

When we talk about our hobbies, we can use the verbs play, do, or go:

My sister plays tennis every weekend.
My brother likes doing DIY.
I go swimming three times a week.

Play + sport / game
play football / play video games / play chess

Do + hobby / individual sport
do DIY, do judo

Go + activity
go swimming, go fishing

Questions you can ask

What do you like doing?
What sort of hobbies do you have?
What do you get up to in your free time?

How to reply

In my free time I…
When I have some spare time I…
When I get the time, I…
I relax by (watching TV)

I'm interested in (+ noun / gerund)
I'm keen on (+ noun / gerund)
I'm into (+ noun / gerund)
I enjoy (+ noun / gerund)

You can add "really" or "quite" after "I'm…" for emphasis.
"I'm really keen on football."

Giving a longer reply

You can add more details about your hobbies and interests:

I like arts and crafts. I'm a creative / practical person, and like doing things with my hands.

I'm an outgoing person, and like socialising / hanging out with friends.

I enjoy being physically active, and spend a lot of time playing sports and team games.

Saying why you like your hobby

You can also explain why you spend time on your hobby to make the conversation longer and more interesting.

I really enjoy going to the gym because

…it keeps me fit.
…it gets me out of the house, you know!
…it's sociable. I've met lots of new people.
…it gives me something interesting to do with my time.
…it's not very expensive, and anyone can do it!

More words that you can use to describe your hobbies:
creative
fascinating
practical
cheap
enjoyable
relaxing
different
unusual

Like doing vs like to do

We use like + gerund (ing form) to talk about general likes:
I like fishing.

We use like + infinitive to talk about more specific likes:
I like to go fishing at the weekend.

CLICK HERE FOR AN INTERACTIVE EXERCISE ON THIS TOPIC: 

http://www.english-at-home.com/lessons/speaking-exercise-hobbies

ADAPTADO DESDE: www.english-at-home.com