English in Madrid

Source: Wikipedia    to add - /əd/ Add a pinch of salt to enhance the flavor of the dish. to bake - /beɪk/ She baked a batch of cookies for the bake sale. to beat - /biːt/ Beat the eggs until they form stiff peaks for the meringue. to blend - /blend/ Blend the ingredients until smooth to make a creamy soup. to boil - /bɔɪl/ Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente. to chill - /tʃɪl/ Chill the dessert in the refrigerator for at least two hours before serving. to chop - /tʃɒp/ Chop the vegetables finely for the salad. to cool - /kuːl/ Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting. to cover - /ˈkʌv.ər/ Cover the pot with a lid and let it simmer for 20 minutes. to crush - /krʌʃ/ Crush the garlic cloves with a garlic press for a stronger flavor. to cut (into strips) - /kʌt/ Cut the chicken breast into strips for the stir-fry. to defrost - /diːˈfrɒst/ Defrost the frozen vegetables in the microwave before cooking. to dice - /daɪs/ Dice the onions finely for the salsa. to f...

Wear , take and carry can be translated as llevar in Spanish so they are often confused. Source:  engin akyurt on Unsplash We wear clothes, jewellery, etc ie we have them on our bodies. I don't have to wear a suit to work on Fridays. I don't like wearing glasses so I often use contact lenses. What are you going to wear to the party on Saturday? Source:  Clem Onojeghuo on Unsplash Take  has different meanings. One of them is to move something or someone from one place to another. She takes her children to school every morning. I didn't take my umbrella with me today and I got soaked. He took them to a nice restaurant. Source: Jordan Koons on Unsplash Carry  is similar in meaning to "take" - transporting something from one place to another but it has a more limited use. You usually use your hands and emphasis is more on the weight. Can you carry the suitcase, please? It's too heavy for me. If I have too much to drink, you'll ha...

Image Source : localfitness.com.au  abs - a bench - to enrol (at a gym) - an exercise bike - to be fit - to get fit - to keep fit - an instructor - a leotard - lockers - to lose weight - a mat - muscles - muscley - to be out of breath - personal trainer - push ups - a rope - a rowing machine - a running machine - to be in good shape - to get in shape - to stay in shape - sit ups - stamina - (to be / to feel ) sore all over - (to do) stretching - sweat (n) - to sweat - a towel - a tracksuit - tracksuit bottoms - to train - trainers - a treadmill - to warm up - (to lift / to do) weights - to work out - a workout - to do yoga (pilates, spinning, step) - Translate the following sentences:   1. Se necesita mucho aguante para hacer spinning.   2. Entrena almenos tres veces por semana.   3. ¿Cuántas flexiones puedes hacer?   4. Pregúntale al monitor si no sabes qúe...

Not so long ago, if someone asked me "What's up?", I might have replied - "Nothing. I'm just tired that's all." "What's up?" meant "what's the matter?" You would ask the question to someone who looked sad or seemed in a bad mood . Image generated by Chat GPT Nowadays, for many people, it's a way of saying "hi" or asking "how are you?". I suppose, like many expressions, it is an import from America. It's the second use that gets on my nerves . Do you remember Bugs Bunny chewing a carrot and then saying "What's up, Doc?"? I suppose in this case it was like "What's the matter?", because Elmer Fudd (Elmer Gruñon) was always grumpy . And I imagine the instant messaging application that everyone seems to have - WhatsApp, is a play on words. In this case - it'd be "Hi! How are you?".

A: "I 'm sorry. I made a mistake. It won't happen again" B: The King said that he was sorry and he had made a mistake. He also said that it wouldn't happen again. C:  The King apologized for go ing on a safari trip during a financial crisis. He admitted mak ing a mistake. He promised not to do it again. A is a quote from the King. See more posts on quotes here . B is an example of reported speech. See more posts on reported speech here . C is an example of reporting verbs/verb patterns. See more posts on reporting verbs  here . Don't forget that you can find related labels at the end of every post. If you want further practice on reported speech or verb patterns, click on the labels below this post.

Consider the following sentences : 1. I am waiting for my student. 2. I expect he'll arrive shortly. 3. I hope he hasn't forgotten. 4. I'm looking forward to my next class. It should be fun. Source: Michał Parzuchowski on Unsplash to wait - to pass time (inactively) until something happens. e.g. I am waiting for my student (to arrive). e.g. He's been waiting for an operation for 4 months. Source: Erik Mclean on Unsplash to expect - to think sth will happen or sb will arrive; to see sth as probable or likely e.g. I expect he'll arrive shortly (he normally phones to say if he's going to be late). e.g. She's expecting a phone call from her brother (he said he'd phone today). Source:  Ron Smith on Unsplash to hope - to want something to happen; an emotional desire e.g. I hope he hasn't forgotten about the lesson (I'll be annoyed if he has). e.g. I hope (that) I'll pass the exam (I'll be disappointed if I d...

Image source King of Spain faces calls to abdicate after elephant hunt The 74-year-old monarch has faced a barrage of criticism over his extravagant lifestyle at a time when Spaniards are suffering harsh austerity measures in a nation mired in economic crisis. Left wing leaders called for greater transparency of Royal accounts and one even suggested it may be time for the once popular monarch to give up his throne. Source: Daily Telegraph Vocabulary : to face calls - to injure - amid - a barrage of criticism - harsh (adj) - to be mired in stg - duty (n) - a branch (of a party) - to call for stg - to set an example - hardship (n) - a lack of stg - across the board - a breakdown of its accounts - in light of stg - to sum up the feeling - to be discharged from hospital -