King Arthur Legends: Knights, Camelot, and Excalibur
King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table
The Original Text
The legends of King Arthur belong to the oral tradition. They were put in writing by Geoffrey of Monmouth in 1136. In the Middle Ages, French writers like Chrétien de Troyes also wrote about them. In 1470, Sir Thomas Malory wrote a long book in English called The Death of Arthur.
Summary
King Arthur and his knights are Britain’s greatest legendary figures.
Chapter 1
With the help of Merlin’s magic, King Uther marries the beautiful Igraine
Read MoreDon Quixote’s Adventures: A Summary of Key Chapters
Don Quixote: Key Chapter Summaries
Chapter 1: Alonso Quijano is introduced as a man of about 50 years old, of modest means, with a robust constitution, an early riser, and a great lover of hunting. He enjoyed novels of chivalry, with Feliciano de Silva being his favorite author. His obsession with these novels grew so intense that he decided to become a knight. He cleaned and prepared old weapons for use, renamed himself Don Quixote, and named his horse Rocinante. He also sought a lady to dedicate
Read MoreBritish Slang Dictionary: Common English Expressions & Definitions
British Slang: A Quick Reference
Here’s a handy list of common British slang terms and their meanings:
- Big-headed: Arrogant
- Soppy: Cheesy (empalagoso)
- Duck tape: Cinta aislante (Duct tape)
- Ticking: What the clock does
- Bother: Annoy
- Overtake: Adelantar
- Rehearse: To practice for something
- Slurp: To drink making noise
- Shiver: Tremble, shake
- Peaky: Sick, ill
- Mug someone: Atracar a alguien
- Frown: Fruncir el ceño, hacer un mal gesto
- Guts: Las tripas. I feel it in my guts (Tengo un presentimiento)
- Sink: Lavabo
- Snob /
Present and Future Tenses in English
1. The Present Progressive (Present Continuous)
This form usually refers to a situation that began before the moment of speaking, continues at, around, and after the present moment, into the future, and is of limited duration:
I am writing these notes on the future. (At this moment).
2. BE + going to
BE + going to refers to a future situation for which there is present evidence. In the previous example, the present evidence is the black clouds.
3. The Present Simple
The present simple is frequently used
Read MoreMastering English: Passive Voice, Modals, and More
Passive Voice Exercises
B. Write sentences in the passive voice.
- The wheel / invent / thousands of years ago.
The wheel was invented thousands of years ago. - In the old days / use / candles / to see in the dark.
In the old days, candles were used to see in the dark. - In the past / cook / food / over fires.
In the past, food was cooked over fires. - The Italians / make / the first pizzas.
The first pizzas were made by the Italians. - Bicycles / use / before cars.
Bicycles were used before cars.
Passive Voice
Read MoreMastering English Grammar: Used To, Pronouns, Gerunds, Conditionals
Mastering Key English Grammar Concepts
Used To: Past Habits and States
The structure ‘used to + verb’ expresses a state, a habit, or an action that was repeated in the past, long ago.
Example: I used to live in Madrid. Now I live in New York.
Relative Pronouns: Connecting Ideas
Uses: Relative pronouns indicate the person, object, or place the idea refers to. They provide essential information without which the sentence would be incomplete.
Examples:
- The girl who won the competition was very happy.
- There’