Common Mistakes

a) El imperativo es el único tiempo verbal en inglés que no tiene sujeto.

• Don’t talk to me that way!

• Please, try to understand.

b) En las oraciones de relativo, el pronombre relativo puede hacer función de sujeto; si es así, no puede haber otro.

• This church, which is very old, it was built in 1243.

DOBLE SUJETO

Incorrect: The dog it is barking. Correct: The dog is barking. / It is barking.

Incorrect: Learning English it's very difficult. Correct: Learning English is very difficult,

Another + singular countable nouns:

• “I need another book for my research.”

• “Let’s meet another day.”

Other + plural and uncountable nouns:

• “I need other books for my research.”

• “We need other information to complete the report.”

1.- Verbo sustantivado/Sujeto: Winning is not important; Playing is what matters.

2.- Go + Actividades (esp) sports: Go jogging, go swimming, go fishing; go sightseeing 

3.- Después de preposición: I went to the airport after driving Jenny home. (Ver 6) 

4.- Después de ciertos verbos y expresiones:

• Feel like + Ving: Tener ganas. I feel like going for a walk.

• I can’t help + Ving: no puedo evitar.- I can’t help getting angry when you`re late 

• It’s no good + Ving: It’s no use trying. There’s nothing that can be done.

• Like/ Stop/ Avoid/ Hate / Go on, Mind, enjoy, etc + Ving

El verbo "help" puede ir seguido de infinitivo sin "to" o infinitivo con "to". Ambas formas son correctas e intercambiables. El infinitivo sin to (bare infinitive) es más común en lenguaje informal y el otro en lenguaje formal.

Bare Infinitive

• “She helped me clean the house.”

• “They helped us find the way.”

To-Infinitive

• “She helped me to clean the house.”

• “They helped us to find the way.”

No puede haber dos negativas en la misma oración.

• I didn’t see anybody.

• I didn’t see nobody (doble negación)

• I saw nobody.

• I haven’t never been to China

• I have never been to China

The use of definite and indefinite articles can be tricky. Examples:

• Incorrect: “I have car.” Correct: “I have a car.”

• Incorrect: “The information is helpful.” Correct: “Information is helpful.”

When you use “by + ing,” you are explaining the method or process used to achieve a result.

• “She improved her English by practicing every day.”

• “You can save money by cooking at home instead of eating out.”

• “He lost weight by exercising regularly.”

• “They solved the problem by working together.”

• “She commutes to work by riding her bike.”

Toda negativa e interrogativa necesita un auxiliar. 

Excepción: Oraciones interrogativas cuando el sujeto es el pronombre interrogativo (who, what)

• She didn’t take the bus.

• Albert shouldn’t do that.

• Where did you go on Monday?

• Who brought the milk? (who=sujeto)

• What happened? (what=sujeto)

Los adjetivos en inglés nunca llevan la “-s” del plural y van delante del sustantivo.

• I  made important decisions. NOT: I made importants decisions.

• She took the easiest way out.

“A/an” son determinantes en singular (un/una). ¡No pueden preceder a formas plurales! Para decir un@s o algun@s utilizamos “some /a few” 

• I had an interesting conversation

• I met some good friends in Italy.

La estructura en inglés es más rígida.

• Afirmativa: Sujeto + Verbo + Complementos + Adv. (C.C)

• Negativa: Sujeto + Auxiliar + Verbo + Complementos + Adv. 

• Interrogativa: (Pron Interr) + Auxiliar + Verbo + Complementos + Adv.

Después de preposición (of, in, at, by, on, etc.) o like, hate, enjoy el verbo va en gerundio (-ing) 

• I’m tired of  waiting for them

El determinante the se omite cuando hablamos de cosas en general; también delante de nombres propios.

• We like the sport; we like the sports

• I haven’t taken the Sarah’s book

We use "the" with:

Specific Items:

• “The book on the table is mine.” (a specific book)

Unique Items:

• “The sun is shining.” (there is only one sun)

Previously Mentioned Items:

• “I saw a dog. The dog was friendly.” (refers to the previously mentioned dog)

Superlatives:

• “She is the best student.” (only one best student)

Geographical Names:

• “The Amazon River is long.” (specific river)

Omitting “The” When Needed:

• Incorrect: “Sun is shining.”

• Correct: “The sun is shining.”

Using “The” with General Nouns:

• Incorrect: “The dogs are friendly.” (when talking about dogs in general)

• Correct: “Dogs are friendly.”

Using “The” with Proper Nouns:

Incorrect: “The Maria is here.”

Correct: “Maria is here.”

Practice Examples:

Incorrect: “I like the music.” Correct: “I like music.” (general statement)

Incorrect: “She is the doctor.” Correct: “She is a doctor.” (one of many doctors)

Las formas personales hay, había, habrá, etc. se construyen con There + la forma correcta del verbo “to be” (there is/are; there was/were, there will be...). 

• There is*a cat in the living room. (hay)

• There are*two cats in the kitchen. (hay)

• There was a castle in the woods. (Había)

• There will be less water in the future. (Habrá)

*En inglés se hace distinción entre el singular y el plural. En español utilizamos la misma forma indistintamente: hay un gato/hay dos gatos.

Después de preposición no puede aparecer un pronombre personal (I, he, she, it, we, you, they), pues éstos sólo pueden tener función de sujeto.

• I want to be with her (I want to be with she).

• I want to know more about them (I want to know more about they)

Si estás hablando del pasado, lo normal es que uses tiempos verbales en pasado.

No cambies de tiempo verbal en las frases. Si lo haces asegúrate de que es lo que quieres.

• • “I saw a book; I think that the book was interesting”

Los adverbios de frecuencia y palabras como still (todavía) y also (también) se colocan entre el sujeto y el verbo. 

EXCEPCIÓN: Van detrás cuando hay un auxiliar o con el verbo “to be”.

•     We always meet on Christmas Day

•     People still believe the hell exists

•     I also agree with that opinion.

•     Laura is still in town.

•     I have never seen such a nice lady

•     We can also take the 2:10 a.m train

Cuando coinciden varios adverbios en la oración el orden normal es: modo + lugar + Tiempo

• She was sitting comfortably1 on his chair2 yesterday3.

SINGULAR: this (este/a/o) ; that (ese/a, aquel/la)

PLURAL: these (estos/as), those (esos/as,  aquellos/as)

• This car belongs to the president

• These people are really friendly.

• I don’t agree at all with that girl.

• Have you ever met those men?

Verbos Modales (can, must, should...):

• Van seguidos de infinitivo sin to

• No llevan – s en la 3ª persona del singular

• Son auxiliares.

• No tienen todos los tiempos verbales.

No tienen significado completo, necesitan de un verbo léxico, al que añaden un matiz en términos de actitud del hablante. 

• We should try it again

• He can swim very well

• May I go to the toilet, please?

He will can get there in time > He will be able to get here in time. 

El pronombre relativo that no puede aparecer en oraciones explicativas (es decir, cuando la oración de relativo va entre comas)

• Mary, that is 18, can already vote.

• Mary, who is18, can already vote.

Much (incontable) # many (contables en plural)

• They don’t have much time left

• There aren’t many cars here.