GRAMMAR LESSON FOUR: Past continuous

Hi everyone!

Today's grammar post is the Past continuous, for those of you who want to have a look at it. So here it goes, past continuous:


We use the past continuous to indicate that a longer action in the past was interrupted. The interruption is usually a shorter action in the simple past. Remember this can be a real interruption or just an interruption in time. Examples:


I was watching TV when she called.
When the phone rang, she was writing a letter.
While we were having the picnic, it started to rain.
What were you doing when the earthquake started?
I was listening to my iPod, so I didn't hear the fire alarm.
You were not listening to me when I told you to turn the oven off.
While John was sleeping last night, someone stole his car.
Sammy was waiting for us when we got off the plane.
While I was writing the email, the computer suddenly went off.
A: What were you doing when you broke your leg?
B: I was snowboarding.



The past continuous is interrupted by a shorter action in the simple past. However, you can also use a specific time as an interruption. Examples:


Last night at 6 PM, I was eating dinner.
At midnight, we were still driving through the desert.
Yesterday at this time, I was sitting at my desk at work.


It's important to know that in the past continuous, a specific time only interrupts the action, it doesn't indicate the moment when it started or when it finished. Examples:


Last night at 6 PM, I ate dinner. (I started eating at 6 PM.)
Last night at 6 PM, I was eating dinner. (I started earlier; and at 6 PM, I was in the process of eating dinner.)

In affirmative, it is formed with the past of the verb "To be" and the gerund form (-ING ending) of the principal verb. Examples:

I was watching TV when she called.
While we were having the picnic, it started to rain.
While I was writing the email, the computer suddenly went off.
Sammy was waiting for us when we got off the plane.
When the phone rang, she was writing a letter.

In negative, we use the negative form of the verb "To do" in past tense and the gerund (-ING ending) of the principal verb. Examples:


I wasn't watching TV when she called.
We were't having lunch yesterday at 3:00 PM
Sammy wasn't waiting for us when we got off the plane.
When the phone rang, she wasn't writing a letter.


The interrogative is formed using the verb "To do" in its past tense at the beginning of the question and the principal verb in gerund (-ING ending). Examples:

Was I watching TV when she called?
Were we having lunch yesterday at 3:00 PM?
Was Sammy waiting for us when we got off the plane?
When the phone rang, Was she writing a letter?

Parallel actions

When you use the past continuous with two actions in the same sentence, it expresses the idea that both actions were happening at the same time. The actions are parallel. Examples:

I was studying while he was making dinner.
While Ellen was reading, Tim was watching television.
Were you listening while he was talking?
I wasn't paying attention while I was writing the letter, so I made several mistakes.
What were you doing while you were waiting?
Thomas wasn't working, and I wasn't working either.
They were eating dinner, discussing their plans, and having a good time.

Let's see the use of the past continuous with some videos:

Suburgatory, Episode 1x02: I'M STUCK, SAVE YOURSELF!

TESSA
It took me a couple of weeks,

but I finally found my favorite things
to do in suburbs:

Sleep

GEORGE

Tessa, what're you doing?

Let's go before she gets here.

TESSA

She's still watering?

GEORGE

Still watering

Why didn't you set an alarm?
TESSA
I kept hitting snooze
I was having the most amazing
dream about Manhattan
GEORGE
Yeah? What was so amazing?

TESSA

We were still living there

GEORGE

I can't take it anymore...

Sheila's constant invitations
to dinner every single morning.

I'm running out of

creative ways to say no

TESSA

Have you tried running her over

with your car? That's creative.

GEORGE

Oh, no. Hose is off.

She's coming, she's coming!

TESSA

My backpack!

It's upstairs!

GEORGE

No time! Go! Go

Go, go, go, go, go, go.

I'm stuck.

Save yourself. Go!

TESSA

No, dad.

I won't leave you

GEORGE

Tessa, go, just go.

SHEILA

Well, hiya, neighbor!

Dinner tonight?

Here we have the past simple in BOLD:

TESSA (0:02)
It took me a couple of weeks,
but I finally found my favorite things
to do in suburbs:

Sleep

GEORGE (0:17)

Still watering

Why didn't you set an alarm?
TESSA
I kept hitting snooze

And the past continuous is UNDERLINED:

TESSA (0:20)
I kept hitting snooze
I was having the most amazing
dream about Manhattan
GEORGE
Yeah? What was so amazing?

TESSA

We were still living there

Here the actions are cut but the fact she was awakened, so she's not still dreaming about NYC. "She was having the most amazing dream about Manhattan when she was awakened" would be the complete sentence, an action cutting another action that was lasting in the time.

Easy A Clip: HIT THE BOOKS


RHIANNON
Let's just face it,
there is not such things
as a sexy George, alright?
George is not a sexy name.
George is what you name
your teddy bear
not the name you wanna
scream out during climax.
MR. GRIFFITH
And by that, I assume you mean?
OLIVE
The stable and self-perpetuating
end stage in the evolution
of a plant community.
RHIANNON
Right.
OLIVE
Why, what were you thinking?
MR. GRIFFITH
The same. But I don't say it out loud
lest someone get the wrong idea.
I think you know innuendo
is attached to everything these days.
RHIANNON
Innuendo? What...?
Whatever do you mean?
MR. GRIFFITH
Rhiannon, Olive, go hit the books.
They don't hit back.
Also, hugs not drugs.
Mess with the bull, get the horns.
And any other cliches
you can come up with.
OLIVE
Bye, Mr. Griffith.
RHIANNON
Bye.
OLIVE
Watch your mouth.
RHIANNON
Sorry.

Hope you like it and see you soon!

GRAMMAR LESSON THREE: Simple past

Hi everyone!

For those of you who have already learnt the first two grammar posts, here it comes the third one, the simple past:

The simple past is used to talk about actions that started and finished at a specific time in the past. Sometimes, the speaker may not actually mention the specific time, but they do have one specific time in mind.Examples:

I saw a movie yesterday.
I didn't see a play yesterday.
Last year, I traveled to Japan.
Last year, I didn't travel to Korea.
Did you have dinner last night?
She washed her car.
He didn't wash his car.

Simple past   

In affirmative form, it is formed with the past of the verb used. In regular verbs, the past is done placing an -ED ending at the end of the word, as in: walked, danced, jumped, washed, stayed... Even though, not only are there regular verbs, but also irregular verbs. Those ones don´t have an specific rule and you have to learn them. Here is the whole list. Examples:

I lived in California for many years
He traveled to the UK last week
It rained last weekend
She broke her arm that afternoon
They brought us a pizza for dinner last Saturday night
He bought his new jacket at the new clothing store.

In negative form, the verb "To do" (irregular) is placed before the principal verb as an auxiliary in its past tense "Did" and the principal verb is used in present tense. Examples:


I didn't live in California for many years
He didn't travel to the UK last week
It didn't rain last weekend
She didn't break her arm that afternoon
They didn't bring us a pizza for dinner last Saturday night
He didn't buy his new jacket at the new clothing store.

In the interrogative form, the auxiliary verb "To do" in its past tense "Did" is used at the beginning of the question, being the principal verb used in present tense. Examples:

Did I live in California for many years?
Didn´t he travel to the UK last week?
Did it rain last weekend?
Didn't she break her arm that afternoon?
Did they bring us a pizza for dinner last Saturday night?


Series of completed actions using simple past

We use the Simple Past to list a series of completed actions in the past. These actions happen 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on.Examples:


I finished work, walked to the beach, and found a nice place to swim.
He arrived from the airport at 8:00, checked into the hotel at 9:00, and met the others at 10:00.
Did you add flour, pour in the milk, and then add the eggs?


Let's see its use with some examples:

Modern Family, Emmy awards ceremony: LILY IS A MONSTER

ED O'NEILL
It may sound corny, but our show really is like a family
JULIE BOWEN
Yeah, it's crazy how much I adore everyone in this cast
JESSE TYLER FERGUSON
Oh, really? everyone?
AUBREY ANDERSON-EMMONS
What's going on here?
SOFIA VERGARA
Nothing
AUBREY ANDERSON-EMMONS
I know it's not a table read because all of you showed up
ERIC STONESTREET
She's a monster

AUBREY ANDERSON-EMMONS
Shouldn't you get to make up?
JULIE BOWEN
Honey, I just came from make up
AUBREY ANDERSON-EMMONS
Oh, really? Yikes!

AUBREY ANDERSON-EMMONS
Ty, they are ready for ya!
TY BURREL
Thanks honey!
Hey, what's up?
ARIEL WINTER
Ty! Are you OK?
SARAH HYLAND
You're sick
AUBREY ANDERSON-EMMONS
You're next!

SOFIA VERGARA
Oh, Aubrey, you look so pretty today
AUBREY ANDERSON-EMMONS
Can somebody tell me what the heck she's saying?

JESSE TYLER FERGUSON
I'm sorry. Can we cut?
Aubrey, I can hear you chewing, what are you eating?
AUBREY ANDERSON-EMMONS
Chicken Sandwich with two pickles
JESSE TYLER FERGUSON
Wait a minute. Did you get that where I think you got it?
AUBREY ANDERSON-EMMONS
Yup. This is what I’m going to eat at my wedding. What are you going to eat at your wedding?

ED O'NEILL
We've replaced Lily before, no one will notice
STRANGER
I don't know, I think you're underestimating the audience
ED O'NEILL
Please, they think I'm married to Sofia Vergara! They'll buy anything!
STRANGER
I'm a middle aged man and, quite frankly, this whole thing seems a little bit racist. I'm in
AUBREY ANDERSON-EMMONS
They're ready for you!
ED O'NEILL
Yeah! See you on Monday, Lily
STRANGER
I like the sound of that!

So here we have the simple present UNDERLINED and, remember, it is used to express an action that happened in a specific time in the past, it can be five minutes ago, five hours ago or five years ago, but it's an action that is already finished. Examples:

AUBREY ANDERSON-EMMONS (0:22)
Shouldn't you get to make up?
JULIE BOWEN
Honey, I just came from make up


JESSE TYLER FERGUSON (1:00)
Wait a minute. Did you get that where I think you got it?

Suburgatory, Episode 1x01: ARE YOU CALLING MY BRA UGLY?

DALIA

That's so lame your mom died, beyotch.

TESSA

My mom, heh, didn't die. She's just gone.    

DALIA

So you became a lesbian to get back at her.

TESSA

What?

DALLAS

Tessa? If you need any help

or you have any questions or you feel lost

or unattractive in any way just let me know.

TESSA
I know why we're doing all this. It´s because your mom feels sorry for me.
DALIA
No. It's because my mom wants to screw your dad.

TESSA

Doesn't your mom screw your dad?

DALIA

Heh, no.

DALLAS
The suspense is killing me. I'm dying to see how cute you girls look.
DALIA
I'm buying* this
DALLAS
Oh, my godness, Tessa. Look at you. That is a keeper. That top is just off to the chizzy, is it not?
This is going* straight to the register.
Oh dear Lord, Who did this to you?
TESSA
This? I ordered it from a sporting-goods catalogue.
What's the problem?
DALLAS
Well, it's downright orthopedic. It's like a giant ACE bandage.
Like something a burn victim would wear.

TESSA

Are you calling my bra ugly?

DALLAS

Yes, honey, I am because it is ugly. And I would love to find one for you

that isn't. Along with a nice heterosexual dress shoe.

I put again the same video example, because, as you can see, in just one video we can find a whole variety of tenses: simple present, present continuous, simple past... Examples of simple past:

DALIA

That's so lame your mom died, beyotch.(0:09)

TESSA

My mom, heh, didn't die. She's just gone.

DALIA

So you became a lesbian to get back at her.

TESSA

What?

TESSA (1:01)
This? I ordered it from a sporting-goods catalogue.
What's the problem?


Easy A Clip: FULLY SUPPORTIVE 

OLIVE'S MOM
That boy from yesterday just dropped this off for you
OLIVE
Well, put it in the pile of gifts from my other suitors
OLIVE'S MOM
He seems like a nice kid, he seems a little incredibly gay...
OLIVE
Dyed in the wool homosexual, that boy is.
OLIVE'S MOM
I just want you to know your father and I are totally supportive. We love you no matter what the sexual orientation of your opposite sex sex partner...
OLIVE
We are not dating, mom.
OLIVE'S MOM
..and don't worry about not making us grandparents. Although we were kind of hoping you'd get "knocked up" so we'd have a second shot at raising kids, really do it right this time.
OLIVE
Bye now...
OLIVE'S MOM
You know I dated a homosexual once. For a long time actually... a "long" time...
OLIVE
Dear god, dear lord, tell me you did not marry and have children with him
OLIVE'S MOM
No.
OLIVE'S MOM
No, no. Your father is as straight as they come. A little too straight, if you know what I mean, girlfriend.
OLIVE
I don't...
Can you shut the door please?
OK, doors right over there..

So here we have the simple present UNDERLINED again. Examples:

OLIVE'S MOM (0:02)

That boy from yesterday just dropped this off* for you

OLIVE'S MOM (0:37)
You know I dated a homosexual once. For a long time actually... a "long" time...
OLIVE
Dear god, dear lord, tell me you did not marry and have children with him...

*"To drop off" is a phrasal verb or phrasal preposition, in this case with the same meaning as "To leave" or "To drop".

Hope you like it and see you soon!


Don't understand it? Click here!

TV SERIES THREE: Modern Family

Hi everyone!


Today's show is a comedy that has been running now for four season and looks like it's going to be here for a while. It's one the america's most watched comedies, watched by more than ten millions people. It's about the life of three "typical" american families, and their everyday stories. Here is a brief synopsis:

"When the Pritchett-Delgado-Dunphy family agrees to be interviewed by a documentary crew, they have no idea just how much they're about to reveal about themselves. Family patriarch Jay Pritchett met the stunning Colombian Gloria Delgado when she bartended in a bikini at the pool party he threw for himself the day his wife left him. Now Jay and Gloria are married and Jay tries hard to keep up with his much younger and hotter wife and her passionate teenage son, Manny. Jay's daughter, Claire, is having a hard time raising her own family. Her husband Phil is great, except for the fact that he thinks he's "down" with their teenage kids, much to their embarrassment. Claire's brother Mitchell and his enthusiastic partner Cameron have just adopted Lily, a precious little baby girl from Vietnam. But when everyone gets together, things are bound to get awkward. Especially after Claire and Mitchell hilariously bag on everyone else in the family while they change the baby's diaper. Oops! Too bad they forgot about Lily's baby monitor.

But that's the thing about family: no matter how badly you behave, hopefully they'll forgive... or maybe even forget. In the tradition of The Office, this engaging new comedy offers a 'mockumentary' view into the complicated, messy, loving life of a modern day super-extended family. Steven Levitan (Just Shoot Me) and Christopher Lloyd (Frasier) invite you into the sometimes warm and sometimes twisted embrace of someone else's family." 

And here is the trailer:

ABC is now airing season four of the show, and the show has left us some very, very funny moments, with Gloria (Sofia Vergara) in some of them. Here is a video of some of her mispronunciations while speaking English:

Hope you like it!


Don't understand it? Click here!

GRAMMAR TIP: Have got/Have

Hi everyone!

I wanted to make a short grammar tip about a very interesting mistake that a lot of people make. It is the difference between "HAVE GOT" and "HAVE" in the simple present, and the truth is, there is practically no difference when we use them in simple present. But there is a big mistake in the way people use it. So here it is, grammar tip of the day, "Have got/Have":

The phrases “has got” and “have got” are somewhat informal and are often contracted, as in “He’s got” and “They’ve got.” Although this expression has long been criticized as an unnecessary substitution for the verb “to have,” it is perfectly idiomatic. It simply adds emphasis. In American English, “have got” is an intensive form of “have”. For example, if I say, “I’ve got a really big TV,” I’m placing more emphasis on my possession of the TV than if I say, “I have a really big TV.” If you say you haven’t got any money, you’re stressing the fact that you’re broke. Note that you can use “has got” or “have got” only in the present tense. If you want to talk in the past tense about your enormous TV, you would say, “I had a really big TV.” instead of "I had got a really big TV".

Simple present: "Have" and "Have got"

The verbs "To have" or "Have got" mean possession, that something belongs to you. Example:

I have a beautiful house
They have got so many friends
We have a new computer
She has got a blue car
He has a lot of movies

Some synonyms are:  own, possess...

They can also indicate duty, responsibility. Examples:

You have to clean the house
I have got to go to school everyday
She has to work 6 days a week
We have got to do our homework this afternoon

In affirmative, negative and interrogative, "To have" is used as any other verb. Examples:

We have a new computer
I don't have a beautiful house
Does she have to work 6 days a week? No, she doesn't.

But for "Have got", we have to make a little change.

In affirmative form, we use it as a normal verb. Examples:

We have got to do our homework this afternoon
She has got a blue car
I have got to go to school everyday
They have got so many friends

But in negative form, instead of placing the verb "To do" as an auxiliary,  we change "Have got" to make the negative. So instead of "I don´t have got a house", it would be "I haven't got a house". Examples:


We haven't got to do our homework this afternoon
She hasn't got a blue car
I haven't got to go to school everyday
They haven't got so many friends

In interrogative form, instead of using the verb "To do", we place "have" at the beginning of the question. Examples:


Have we got to do our homework this afternoon?
Hasn't she got a blue car?
Have I got to go to school everyday?
Haven't they got so many friends?



Saying, "have got" is a little stronger than saying, "must" . So if I’m running late, I might tell my friend, "I have got to go now," with the emphasis on the word “got.” When we’re speaking to friends, we might leave out the "have", as in "I got to go now" We might even say, “I gotta go now.” These two are considered colloquial English and you shouldn’t write these two sentences in a formal English essay. You can use "must" or "have to" instead.

How often you use "have got” instead of “have” depends on where you’re from. In American speech, "the form without ‘got’ is used more than in the UK", so in other words, Americans tend to say, “have” and the British tend to say, “have got.” For example, in Britain, you’re more likely to hear the question “Have you got this book in stock?” whereas in America, “Do you have this book in stock?” would be more common. As I’ve said, it’s perfectly fine to say, “have got” if you’re in America, though it is less formal than plain old “have.” Even less formal than “have got”—and probably considered objectionable by most grammarians—is simply “got” by itself. But “He got” is a very, very colloquial way of saying, “he has.”

Let's see it with some examples:


Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street: HAVE A LITTLE PRIEST


MRS. LOVETT
That's all very well, but what we gonna do about him?

SWEENEY TODD
Later on when it's dark, we'll take it to some secret place and bury him

LOVETT
Oh yeah. Of course we could do that. I don't 'spose he's got any relatives gonna come pokin' 'round lookin' for him.
Seems a downright shame...

TODD
Shame?

LOVETT
Seems an awful waste...
Such a nice, plump frame
Wot's 'is name has...
Had...
Has
Nor it can't be traced...
Bus'ness needs a lift,
Debts to be erased...
Think of it as thrift,
As a gift,
If you get my drift
Seems an awful waste...
I mean, with the price of meat
What it is,
When you get it,
If you get it...

TODD
Ah!

LOVETT
Good, you got it!

Take, for instance, Mrs. Mooney and her pie shop!
Bus'ness never better using only pussycats and toast!
Now a pussy's good for maybe six or seven at the most!
And I'm sure they can't compare as far as taste!


TODD
Mrs. Lovett, what a charming notion

LOVETT
Well, it does seem a waste...

TODD
Eminently practical
And yet appropriate as always!

LOVETT
Think about it...

TODD
Mrs. Lovett, how I've lived
Without you all these years, I'll never know!
How delectable!
Also undetectable!

LOVETT
Lots of other gentlemen'll
Soon be comin' for a shave,
Won't they?
Think of
All them
Pies!

TODD
How choice!
How
Rare!
For what's the sound of the world out there?

LOVETT
What, Mr. Todd?
What, Mr. Todd?
What is that sound?

TODD
Those crunching noises pervading the air!

LOVETT
Yes, Mr. Todd!
Yes, Mr. Todd!
Yes, all around!

TODD
It's man devouring man, my dear!

BOTH:
Then who are we to deny it in here?

TODD
These are desperate times,
Mrs. Lovett, and desperate measures are called for!

LOVETT
Here we are, now! Hot out of the oven!

TODD
What is that?

LOVETT:
It's priest. Have a little priest.

TODD
Is it really good?

LOVETT
Sir, it's too good, at least!
Then again, they don't commit sins of the flesh,
So it's pretty fresh.

TODD
Awful lot of fat.

LOVETT
Only where it sat.

TODD
Haven't you got poet, or something like that?

LOVETT
No, y'see, the trouble with poet is
'Ow do you know it's deceased?
Try the priest!

Lawyer's rather nice.

TODD
If it's for a price.

LOVETT
Order something else, though, to follow,
Since no one should swallow it twice!

TODD
Anything that's lean?

LOVETT
Well, then, if you're British and loyal,
You might enjoy Royal Marine!
Anyway, it's clean.
Though of course, it tastes of wherever it's been!

TODD
Is that squire, on the fire?

LOVETT
Mercy no, sir, look closer,
You'll notice it's grocer!

TODD
Looks thicker,
More like vicar!

LOVETT
No, it has to be grocer --
It's green!

TODD
The history of the world, my love --

LOVETT
Save a lot of graves,
Do a lot of relatives favors!

TODD
Is those below serving those up above!

LOVETT
Ev'rybody shaves,
So there should be plenty of flavors!

TODD
How gratifying for once to know

BOTH
That those above will serve those down below!

TODD
What is that?

LOVETT
It's fop.
Finest in the shop.
And we have some shepherd's pie peppered
With actual shepherd on top!
And I've just begun --
Here's the politician, so oily
It's served with a doily,
Have one!

TODD
Put it on a bun.
Well, you never know if it's going to run!

LOVETT
Try the friar,
Fried, it's drier!

TODD
No, the clergy is really
Too coarse and too mealy!


LOVETT
Then actor,
It's compacter!

TODD
Ah but always arrives overdone!
I'll come again when you have judge on the menu!

Have charity towards the world, my pet!

LOVETT
Yes, yes, I know, my love!

TODD
We'll take the customers that we can get!

LOVETT
High-born and low, my love!

TODD
We'll not discriminate great from small!
No, we'll serve anyone,
We'll serve anyone

BOTH
And to anyone
At All!


Amy Walker: DO YOU HAVE AN ACCENT?


AMY WALKER
Hello, I'm Amy Walker from third man news. Obviously I've had some vocal training to enable me to sound like I'm from nowhere. But today, we're gonna go find some people who are from somewhere, or at least, sound like they are from somewhere?
May I have your name?
MAN

Sherman
AMY WALKER
And where are you from Sherman?
MAN
I live in Nashville
AMY WALKER
So, Do you have an accent?
MAN
No
WOMAN
Well, I never though we did, but I remember one time visiting our relatives in Texas and they told me I had a terrible accent.
...
AMY WALKER (1:05)
Do you have any favourite accents?



Hope you've liked it!

ACCENT TRAINING ONE: American Accent by Amy Walker

Hi everyone!

Today I'm here with the first accent post of the blog. For those of you interested in reducing, changing or getting rid of your accent, it may help. Today's accent is American, but there are lots of different accents and I will try to post an accent training for most of them. So here it is, american accent training post:


First of all, we need to know what an accent is:

"An accent is the way of pronunciation of a speaker with shared characteristic of a certain locality within the community. It is a manner of pronunciation peculiar to a particular individual, location, or nation. An accent may identify the locality in which its speakers reside , the socio-economic status of its speakers, their ethnicity, their caste or social class, their first language (when speaking a second language imperfectly), and so on."

If your first language is English, you're lucky! It will be easier for you to change or transform your accent into another one. But if your first language is not English, and you want to change your accent, don't get desperate! It can be done, though it will take more time an patience. If English is not your mother tongue, it has to be an obsession for you if you want to reduce your accent, you have to watch movies, pause them, listen carefully, repeat and try to do it as much as you can, you better like it or you will probably give up! 

That's why this blog can help you with it. Go to a video that you like in the blog, watch it and read the script, repeat, try to match the melody and rhythm of the speakers, try to say the words the same way. It takes a lot of time, but if you really are into it, you can get it.

The american actress Amy Walker has done an american accent training an she uploaded it on the internet. We should be very grateful with her for taking the time to do it and to share it with us for free. You can find more videos and information about this great actress in her website www.amywalkeronline.com and in her blog www.21accents.com.

This is the worksheet we are going to work with in this accent training.

Here is a short introduction:

American accent training by Amy Walker: intro to the series

Before starting with the training, we better warm up! This is the warm up video, I highly recommend that you do it before the training because it helps to put you in the mood to start and it's fun too! Here it goes, Warm up video:

American accent training by Amy Walker, Part one: Vowels

One of the most important parts of an accent are the vowels. Watch how she does it, how she pronounces, listen carefully, repeat, pause and enjoy, you'll probably have to do it a lot of times!

American accent training by Amy Walker, Part two: Consonants and letter combinations and omissions

Also consonants are very important when trying to change your accent, be carefully and practice all of them, as many times as you want.

American accent training by Amy Walker, Part three: The melody

The melody is also very important when trying to reduce or change your accent, match it if you can and remember, repeating is the key!

American accent training by Amy Walker, Part four: The rhythm

And after the melody, here it comes the rhythm. Are you talking too fast? One of the biggest problems for foreign speakers of English is that they speed it up a little too much. But don't worry, you will get there by following her instructions.

American accent training by Amy Walker, Part five: The vibe

How does it feel to be American? To sound American (or any other accent) you have to BE American, you have to believe it, you want to be comfortable speaking with your new acquired accent so we can believe you sound American (or any other accent you're trying to acquire).

Well done you! You got it! 
You made it through all five part of the Standard American Accent tutorial, now Amy Walker has made a video specially for you:

American accent training by Amy Walker, Bonus: Different American accents

Hope you liked it! See you soon!

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GRAMMAR LESSON TWO: Simple present

Hi everyone,

So today's grammar lesson is the simple present (also called present simple). After the first grammar lesson which I hope most of you already know, here it comes the second one. So here it is, simple present lesson:

When to use the simple present

The simple present expresses an action in the present taking place once, never or several times. It is also used for actions that take place one after another and for actions that are set by a timetable or schedule.It can also be something a person often forgets or usually does not do.


Examples:

I play tennis.
She does not play tennis.
Does he play tennis?
The train leaves every morning at 8 AM.
The train does not leave at 9 AM.
When does the train usually leave?
She always forgets her purse.
He never forgets his wallet.
Every twelve months, the Earth circles the Sun.
Does the Sun circle the Earth?



The affirmative form of the simple present is just formed by the verb in present tense, but it changes depending on the person we're talking about. For I/You/We/They the verb stays without modification, but for She/He/It an -S ending is added to the word. Examples:

They go to school everyday.
He likes ice cream very much.
We have a lot of work today.
I live in London, but my parents don´t.
She cries* every time she fails a test..

*There are times when instead of just an -S at the end of the word, we will have to add an -ES, as in finishes, cries, tries, goes, does, etc... Examples:

She goes to the beach once a week.
He tries to train at least one hour per day.
She always finishes early.

The negative form of the simple present uses the verb "To do" as an auxiliary verb, and it also changes depending on the person we are talking about. So it is "do not" or "don't" for I/You/We/They and "does not" or "doesn't" for She/He/It. Examples:

They don't go to school everyday.
He doesn't like ice cream.
We do not have a lot of work today.
I don't live in London, but my parents do.
She does not cry every time she fails an test.
She doesn't go to the beach once a week.
He does not try to train at least one hour per day.
She doesn't always finish early.


In the interrogative form of the simple present, the verb "To do" is placed as an auxiliary verb at the beginning of the question, and it changes depending on the person we are talking about. So it is "Do" or "Don't" for I/You/We/They and "Does" or "Doesn't" for She/He/It. You use "Do/Does" for affirmative questions and "Don't/Doesn't" for negatives. Examples:

Do they go to school everyday? Affirmative question
Doesn't he like ice cream? Negative question
Do we have a lot of homework today? Affirmative question
Don't we live in London?  Negative question
Does she cry every time she fails a test? Affirmative question
Does she go to the beach once a week? Affirmative question
Doesn't he try to train at least one hour per day? Negative question
Does she always finish early? Affirmative question

For the answer of the questions, we use the auxiliary used in the question. You answer in an affirmative way by saying "Yes, I/You/We/They do" or "Yes, She/He/It does" and in a negative way by saying "No, I/You/We/They don't" or "No, She/He/It doesn't"

Do they go to school everyday? Yes, they do.
Don't we live in London? No, we don't.
Doesn't he try to train at least one hour per day? Yes, he does.

*Remember the -S endings at the end of the verb with She/He/It are always taken away in negative and interrogative forms. So it it wouldn't be "She doesn't always finishes early", but "She doesn't always finish early" and it would be "Does she buy fruits once a week?" instead of "Does she buys fruits once a week?".

Also, we occasionally use the simple present to talk about scheduled events in the near future. This is most commonly done when talking about public transportation, but it can be used with other scheduled events as well. Examples:

The train leaves tonight at 6 PM.

The bus does not arrive at 11 AM, it arrives at 11 PM.

When do we board the plane?

The party starts at 8 o'clock.

When does class begin tomorrow?

Let's see some examples of how to use the simple present in conversations:

Suburgatory, Episode 1x01: ARE YOU CALLING MY BRA UGLY?

DALIA

That's so lame your mom died, beyotch.

TESSA

My mom, heh, didn't die. She's just gone.

DALIA

So you became a lesbian to get back at her.

TESSA

What?

DALLAS

Tessa? If you need any help

or you have any questions or you feel lost

or unattractive in any way just let me know.

TESSA
I know why we're doing all this. It´s because your mom feels sorry for me.
DALIA
No. It's because my mom wants to screw your dad.

TESSA

Doesn't your mom screw your dad?

DALIA

Heh, no.

DALLAS
The suspense is killing me. I'm dying to see how cute you girls look.
DALIA
I'm buying* this
DALLAS
Oh, my godness, Tessa. Look at you. That is a keeper. That top is just off to the chizzy, is it not?
This is going* straight to the register.
Oh dear Lord, Who did this to you?
TESSA
This? I ordered it from a sporting-goods catalogue.
What's the problem?
DALLAS
Well, it's downright orthopedic. It's like a giant ACE bandage.
Like something a burn victim would wear.

TESSA

Are you calling my bra ugly?

DALLAS

Yes, honey, I am because it is ugly. And I would love to find one for you

that isn't. Along with a nice heterosexual dress shoe.

I wanted to put the same video just so you can see how it is all mixed and there is no just one tense in a conversation, but almost all of them.

Let's have a short explanation:

Present simple used as an action happening in the present but not lasting in an exact period of time, UNDERLINED:

DALLAS

Tessa? If you need any help

or you have any questions or you feel lost

or unattractive in any way just let me know. (0:19)

TESSA
I know why we're doing all this. It´s because your mom feels sorry for me.
DALIA
No. It's because my mom wants to screw your dad.

TESSA

Doesn't your mom screw your dad?

DALIA

Heh, no*. (0:29)

*Even when it is not grammatically correct to answer a question with a yes or a no without the auxiliary used to make the question, it is informal and used by everyone in English. So Dalia says "no" instead of "no, she doesn't" because it's SPOKEN ENGLISH, it's a language and it's used different ways, but if you're going for more formal, like an English test, or an essay or something serious, the questions always have to be answered with the auxiliary used in the question. For example, in the question "Does she believe it?" the answer would formally be "Yes, she does" or "No, she doesn't". but informally, you could say "yes" or "no" and there would be no problem!

Suburgatory, Episode 1x08: SO NOW WE DON'T SIT DOWN?

DALLAS
So now we don't sit down?
TESSA
No, we don't sit down,
'cause we have places to go.

DALLAS

And yet we don't hail a cab?

TESSA
No, we don't hail a cab.
As we walk, we fold, drip, and bite.
DALLAS
Oh, that's just filthy.
Is that part of it?
TESSA
That lying son of a....
BOTH
Bitch!

Here you can find again some examples of the simple present. Although here the questions are made as informal questions, changing the question form, as in:


DALLAS
So now we don't sit down? (0:01)

DALLAS

And yet we don't hail a cab? (0:05)

So here, instead of going "So now, don't we sit down?", the question is made with the affirmative form "So now we don't sit down?" but that's very, very informal and I don't recommend you to use it until you reach a high level of English. You can use it in informal situations but never use it in a test or an essay, because it can be seen as wrong.

Hope you like it and see you soon!

Don't understand it? Click here!

TV SERIES TWO: The Walking Dead

Hi there again!

As normally on Sunday is the day when this TV show is aired, I wanted to make the second TV Series post. Since the first episode was released on October 31, 2010, The Walking Dead has become a worldwide phenomenon. With its last emission the past Sunday, it beat its best mark and some of the audience records for a cable series, including the most-watched basic cable drama telecast in history. Here is a short synopsis:

"Based on the comic book series of the same name, The Walking Dead tells the story of a small group of survivors living in the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse. Most of the story takes place in the Atlanta metropolitan area and then the surrounding countryside of northern Georgia, as the survivors search for a safe haven away from the shuffling hordes of predatory "walkers", who devour any living thing they catch, and whose bite is infectious to humans. The plot is focused primarily on the dilemmas the group faces as they struggle to balance their humanity with their survival against the zombie horde, and later, how they cope with members' being killed and deal with other human survivors they encounter, many of whom are dangerous and predatory themselves.

The group is led by Rick Grimes, who was a sheriff's deputy before the zombie outbreak. At every turn they are faced with the horror of the walking zombies, the changing dynamic of their group, and hostility from the scattered remains of a struggling human populace who are focused on their own survival now that the structures of society have collapsed."

And here is the trailer:

Now AMC is in the middle of airing the season three and it's getting more and more interesting with each episode! Here is the trailer for the third season of the show:




Hope you like it!

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GRAMMAR LESSON ONE: Verb "To Be" and Present Continuous

Hi everyone!

So here we are, with the first grammar lesson of the blog. Though I didn't want to post grammar when I first thought about writing a blog, I think it's useful for all of us to have a look at it through videos and some examples. So here we go, the verb "To Be":


The verb “To be” is said to be the most changing verb of the English language, constantly changing form, sometimes without much of a discernible pattern. Considering that we use it a lot, it is really too bad that the verb “To be” has to be the most irregular, slippery verb in the language.

Depending on the tense you're trying to form, you will find it different ways:

Present Tense
I am	We are
You are	You are
He/She/It is	They are

Past Tense
I was	We were
You were	You were
He/She/It was	They were

Perfect Form (past participle) I have been, etc.

Progressive Form (present participle) I am being, etc.

It is also used to say what you are, what you do, where you are from, etc.... Example:

I am an architect
She is a doctor
We are all students
They are not from here
He is a happy person

Simple Questions:

We create simple yes/no questions by inverting the order of subject and the “To be” verb.

Is your brother taller than you?

Am I bothering you?

Were they embarrassed by the comedian?

The verb “To be” most frequently works in conjunction with another verb: “He is playing the piano,” “She will be arriving this afternoon.” Occasionally, though, the verb will stand by itself, alone, in a sentence. This is especially true in simple, brief answers to questions.

“Who's going to the movies with me?”

“I am”

“Who's responsible for this mess in the bathroom?”

“She is.”

The verb "To be" gets paired with another verb in gerund (-ING ending) to make the Present continuous.

Present Continuous

It's used to make statements of something that is happening at the moment. Example:

I am studying right now, I cannot go out

They are sleeping upstairs, so don't bother them

She wants to go with her friends, but she is cleaning the house.

In an affirmative form, the verb "To be" is followed by a verb in gerund (-ING ending). Example:

She is having a coffee at the coffee shop as usual

We are driving fast because we're running a bit late

They are teaching us English, so we should pay attention

I'm reading this book now, but I'm not* really into it

In a negative form, the verb "To be" appears as "am not" or "I'm not" for I, "is not" or "isn't" for He/She/It and "are not" or "aren't" for You/We/They. Examples:

She is not having a coffee at the coffee shop as usual, that's* weird

We aren't driving fast because we have plenty of time

They are not teaching us English, it´s* math class now

I'm not reading this book now, I got tired of it

In an interrogative form, the verb "To be" is at the beginning of the question, followed by the subject and the verb in gerund (-ING ending). Example:

Is she having a coffee at the coffee shop as usual?

Are we driving fast because we don't have time?

Aren't they teaching us English?

*You find here a verb "To be" out of a Present continuous.

Let's see some examples of how to use it in a normal situation:

Suburgatory, Episode 1x01: ARE YOU CALLING MY BRA UGLY?

DALIA

That's so lame your mom died, beyotch.

TESSA

My mom, heh, didn't die. She's just gone.

DALIA

So you became a lesbian to get back at her.

TESSA

What?

DALLAS

Tessa? If you need any help

or you have any questions or you feel lost

or unattractive in any way just let me know.

TESSA
I know why we're doing all this. It´s because your mom feels sorry for me.
DALIA
No. It's because my mom wants to screw your dad.

TESSA

Doesn't your mom screw your dad?

DALIA

Heh, no.

DALLAS
The suspense is killing me. I'm dying to see how cute you girls look.
DALIA
I'm buying* this
DALLAS
Oh, my godness, Tessa. Look at you. That is a keeper. That top is just off to the chizzy, is it not?
This is going* straight to the register.
Oh dear Lord, Who did this to you?
TESSA
This? I ordered it from a sporting-goods catalogue.
What's the problem?
DALLAS
Well, it's downright orthopedic. It's like a giant ACE bandage.
Like something a burn victim would wear.

TESSA

Are you calling my bra ugly?

DALLAS

Yes, honey, I am because it is ugly. And I would love to find one for you

that isn't. Along with a nice heterosexual dress shoe.

So after the video, let's explain what we have:

Verb "To be" as a normal verb. It is marked with BOLD. As in:

DALIA

That's so lame your mom died, beyotch. (0:09)

DALLAS
Oh, my godness, Tessa. Look at you. That is a keeper. That top is just off to the chizzy, is it not? (0:44)

DALLAS

Yes, honey, I am because it is ugly. And I would love to find one for you

that isn't. (1:15)

Present continuous is underlined, and don't forget it is used to express an action happening now. As in:

TESSA
I know why we're doing all this. It´s because your mom feels sorry for me. (0:27)
DALLAS
The suspense is killing me. I'm dying to see how cute you girls look. (0:39)

TESSA

Are you calling my bra ugly? (1:13)

DALLAS
Yes, honey, I am because it is ugly.(1:15)

There are a couple of sentences marked with a * because there, the Present continuous is used as future. As in:

DALIA
I'm buying* this (0:43)
DALLAS
This is going* straight to the register. (0:52)


Also, I've crossed off the lines that were not necessary for this grammar explanation, because I thought it´d be better to just concentrate on that part.

Hope you've liked it and see you soon!

Don't understand it? Click here!