Personal Writing Samples: Celebrations, Travel, and Stories
Birthday Celebration
Last weekend, I celebrated my birthday with my friends and family. My house was decorated with colorful balloons and a big banner that said “Happy Birthday.” The party started at 5 in the afternoon. We ate pizza, chocolate cake, and some tasty snacks. Everyone sang “Happy Birthday,” and I blew out the candles. After eating, we played fun games like limbo and guessing the movie. We were laughing the whole time. I also got many gifts, including a backpack and some books.
Advanced English Grammar Practice: Conditionals and Rephrasing
Section 1: Grammar Exercises
1. Fill in the Blanks
- If I were in your situation, I WOULD TELL (tell) him the truth.
- There is SUCH a long queue for tickets that we won’t be able to get any.
- I won’t forgive you UNLESS you apologize. If you don’t, there’s nothing to be done.
- Helen is thinking about INVESTING (invest) all her money in a new house.
- The mountaineers who were lost in the snow WERE FOUND (find) yesterday.
- Anthony, WHOSE son is my classmate, can play chess very well.
- Nobody can concentrate here
Essential English Grammar: Verbs, Modals, and Structures
The Verb “To Be” in the Past Simple: Was / Were
Affirmative and Negative Forms
| Subject | Affirmative | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| I | was | wasn’t |
| You | were | weren’t |
| He/She/It | was | wasn’t |
| We/You/They | were | weren’t |
Questions
Structure: Was/Were + Subject
- Was I?
- Were You?
- Was He/She/It?
- Were We/You/They?
Existential Sentences: There Was / There Were
| Form | Singular Example | Plural Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | There was a concert. | There were ten people. |
| Negative | There wasn’t a concert. | There weren’t any people. |
The Imperative Form
Affirmative Commands
- Make a fire!
- Help me!
Negative
Read MoreReading Comprehension Exercises: Global Talent and Life Stories
Reading 1: The World Has Talent
1. Where are the people on the show from?
2. What is Pati’s talent?
3. How many judges are on the show?
Where is Pati, the 80-year-old salsa dancer, from?
What type of people participate in “The World Has Talent”?
Cold air pool atpl
The City or the Countryside
Nerea: Hey Silvia, I was thinking… why don’t we go to the city this weekend? There’s always so much to do — we could go shopping, eat in a nice restaurant, visit a museum, or just walk around and explore. We’d never get bored!
Nerea: But in the countryside there’s nothing to do! I love the energy of the city — concerts, exhibitions, street markets… there’s always something happening.
Nerea: I mean, that does sound kind of nice. Lately I’ve been tired
Read MoreEnglish Vocabulary and Reported Speech Rules
English Vocabulary Equivalents
- To achieve = lograr / conseguir / ganar
- Foolish = tonto / estúpido
- Tricky = complicado / difícil
- Weak ≠ Strong = débil ≠ fuerte
- Consistent ≠ Constant = coherente ≠ constante
- To broadcast = To air = emitir / transmitir
- To strengthen = Make / become stronger = fortalecer / hacerse más fuerte
- To emphasise = To highlight = enfatizar / resaltar
- To reinforce / support = Bolster = reforzar / apoyar
- To depend on = Rely on = depender de / confiar en
- To focus on = Centered