Prueba

Listen to the audio about my future plans. Now do the same for you. Record yourself. Use the audio script below to help you prepare


I’m really looking forward to tonight because one of my friends is having a party and all my friends are going. I’m going to get ready in a few minutes, but I don’t know what I’m going to wear yet.

Then tomorrow, I’m meeting my dad and we’re going shopping for a present for my mom. It’s her birthday next weekend, and we’re having dinner in a really expensive restaurant on Saturday night. It’ll be nice to have all the family together.

I’ve started thinking about my holiday, too. It’s in eight weeks, but I’m going to book the flights soon and my friend Carlos is booking the hotel. We’re going to Croatia. The weather in July is usually good – hot and dry – so I’m going to take lots of sunscreen. We’re going to spend all our time sunbathing and going clubbing. I can’t wait!

I know I won’t want to come back to work after that. Actually, I’m a bit bored at work so maybe I’ll start looking for a new job soon. Or even go back to college. It’ll be expensive, but I’m sure it’ll help me get a better job in the end.

Now take the audio Quiz 13 and record your self!

How to Pronounce the TH Sound

How do you pronounce "three, thirsty, or those" ? Please watch this video to improve your TH pronunciation!

Acquiring Vocabulary

Hi. I found this article in the New York Times about ways to learn new vocabulary. Hope you find it useful!

12 Ways to Learn Vocabulary With The New York Times

Gerunds and Infinitives

Gerunds and Infinitives as Objects

Mike likes dogs             What does Mike like? Dogs. Dogs is the object of the sentence.

Mike speaks English     What does Mike speak? English. English is the object of the sentence.

What's an Object? The object of a sentence is the noun ( in this case Dogs and English) or noun clause (a group of words that act together as a noun) that receive the action of a verb. More examples:

Mike likes eating         What does Mike like? Eating is the object of the sentence

Mike wants to read     What does Mike want? To read is the object of the sentence

In the previous sentences we used Eating and To save, that is a gerund and an infinitive, as the objects of a sentence. A gerund is a form that is derived from a verb but that functions as a noun. It ends with -ing. Playing, Walking, Running, Cooking. An infinitive consists of the word to followed by a verb. It also works as a noun. To play, to walk, to run, to cook. 

Both gerunds and infinitives functions as nouns and can be the object of a sentence. Check the examples:

Natalia likes pizza    Pizza is a regular noun that functions as the object in this sentence

Natalia likes swimming            
What does Natalia like?  Here the gerund "swimming" is also a noun and the object of the sentence


Natalia likes to run                
And here the infinitive "to  run" is also a noun and the object

Group One (verb + gerund)
 -Some verbs can only be followed by a gerund (such as: enjoy, don't mind, dislike, quit, suggest, avoid, can't stand, discuss, feel like). Examples:
 My father dislikes going to El Paso 
Your girlfriend enjoys watching movies
I don't mind waking up at 5am each day

The sentence "My father dislikes to go to El Paso" is incorrect. You must use a gerund after these verbs: admit, avoid, can't stand, discuss, don't mind, dislike, enjoy, feel like, give up, practice, quit, suggest, among others. 

Group Two (verb + infinitive)
-Some verbs can only be followed by an infinitive (such as: agree, be sure, choose, decide, want, hope, learn, plan, wish, would like). Examples:
My mother hopes to save money  
I want to go to Oaxaca
I learned to play the piano when I was a child


The sentence "My mother hopes saving money" is incorrect. You must use an infinitive after these specific verbs: agree, be sure, choose, decide, expect, hope, learn, plan, promise, want, wish, would like, among others. 

Group Three (verb + gerund or infinitive)
 -Some verbs can be followed by either a gerund or an infinitive (love, hate, like, prefer, start, continue, begin).
I hate waking up early              I hate to wake up early                         
She loves dancing                     She loves to dance
Tom likes watching movies       Tom likes to watch movies

                            -Note: Form the negative of a gerund or an infinitive with "not"
I hope not to be late
She likes not working on weekends

I'm sorry to say that there's no rule to know which verbs are followed by a gerund or an infinitive. You have to memorize their correct use with practice.

Please watch this video:

Now test yourself!