Wickedly Wonderful Words (6-10)

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6️⃣ HANDY (adjective) - useful or helpful - something that makes life easier (🇪🇸 útil) / easy to reach or kept nearby  (🇪🇸 a mano) -- To have something handy means to keep it close in case you need it (🇪🇸 tener algo a mano) / good at fixing, making, or doing practical tasks (🇪🇸 ser manitas)

🌞 This app is really handy for learning new vocabulary.

🌞 It’s always handy to have a notebook in your bag.

🌞 Keep a bottle of water handy during class.

🌞 He’s pretty handy about the house. He can fix most things.


💻 What’s the handiest app or website for your studies or anything else?

✈️ What object do you always like to have handy when you travel? 

 👜 Do you usually keep anything handy in your bag or desk? What?

👨‍🔧 Are you a handy person? What things can you fix or make yourself?

👨‍🏫 Imagine you’re a teacher — what would you keep handy in the classroom? 


 

Bárbara: I like keep a kleenex handy.



Graham: I like to keep a Kleenex handy.  For when you are watching a tearjerker?

Bárbara: I like to have a Kleenex handy? 👍

For snot children?

Graham: Snotty children. Don't lawyers like to keep a box of tissues for their clients handy? Especially for when they discover the total fee. haha

Bárbara: I wish it was the case.

Graham: I believe you, thousands wouldn't.



7️⃣ REPORT (verb)

- to give information about something (to tell someone officially) 

- to describe something you have seen, heard, or found out

🇪🇸 informar / denunciar (to give information, to report a problem)


🌞 The students reported the problem to the teacher.

→ Los estudiantes informaron del problema al profesor.

🌞 He reported the stolen car to the police.

→ Él denunció el coche robado a la policía.

🌞 Several people reported seeing a strange light in the sky.

→ Varias personas informaron haber visto una luz extraña en el cielo.

🌞 She reported her neighbour for making too much noise.

→ “Ella denunció a su vecino por hacer demasiado ruido.”

🌞 She works as a journalist and reports on international news.

→ Ella trabaja como periodista e informa sobre noticias internacionales.


🏢 Have you ever had to report a problem at school or work? What happened?

📰 Imagine you are a journalist. What kind of news would you like to report on?

🆘 If you saw something dangerous, would you immediately report it? Why or why not?

👮 In Spain, who do people usually report crimes to?


Juanmi: Hi!

• Yes, I usually report problems, particularly with the computer system at work. The IT team fix always these kind of things.

• ⁠I would like to report on adverting because it’s the only task that I can offer something useful for others.

• ⁠Yes if I saw something dangerous I would have report it immediately. This it could protect or help other people of accidents.

• ⁠People normally report crimes calling 112,

Graham: Before reporting a problem, I might try to sort it out myself or give the colleague whose responsibility it is a chance. I try not to get people into trouble.

• Yes, I usually report problems, particularly with the computer system at work. The IT team always fixes these kind of things.

• ⁠I would like to report on advertising because it’s the only subject that I can offer something useful for others.

• ⁠Yes if I saw something dangerous, I would report it immediately. This could protect others or; prevent accidents.

• ⁠People normally report crimes by calling 112 (even for minor offences?)


José: I would like report that all wars (Ukraine, Palestine, Africa and so on) have ended definitely and that there are not dictatorships where the dictator murder people.

I had a problem at work when my boss ordered me to do an illegal thing, I told him that I am not going to do it and, then, he fired me. I went away and I reported it the company, but didn't happen anything.

If I saw anything dangerous, I report about it inmediately because it's compulsory to report. When there was a crime if you don't report and don't give help to people, you commit a crime for this.

Who must persecute the crimes in Spain they are Public Prosecutors and Police, especialy.

Graham: I would like to report / I wish I could report that all wars (Ukraine, Palestine, Africa and so on) have ended for good / permanently and that there are no longer dictatorships in which the dictator murders people. (I take it that you are referring to leaders like Kim Jong Un, Assad, the Taliban, Hamas etc.)

Definitivamente - definitely, without a doubt (sin duda) / for good, permanently (para siempre)

I had a problem at work when my boss ordered me to do something illegal. I told him that I wasn't going to do it and then;he fired me. I left and I reported it to the company, but they didn't do anything about it.

If I saw something dangerous, I would report it immediately because it's compulsory to report such things. When a crime is committed, if you don't report it or don't give help to people, you will be committing a crime.

Those who prosecute crimes are the State Prosecutor and the Police.

prosecute (🇪🇸 procesar a) / persecute (🇪🇸 perseguir, oprimir)



8️⃣ BLAME (verb / noun) 

- to say that someone is responsible for something bad. 🇪🇸 culpar

- responsibility for a mistake or bad situation. 🇪🇸 culpa

🔗 Common Collocations with BLAME

Verb patterns:

blame someone for something 🇪🇸 culpar a alguien de algo

blame something on someone 🇪🇸 echar la culpa de algo a alguien

Noun phrases:

take the blame 🇪🇸 asumir la culpa

put the blame on someone 🇪🇸 echar la culpa a alguien

get the blame 🇪🇸 llevarse la culpa / cargar con la culpa (often unfairly)


🌞 Don’t blame me if you fail the exam!

🇪🇸 ¡No me culpes si suspendes el examen!

🌞She blamed the accident on the bad weather.

🇪🇸 Ella echó la culpa del accidente al mal tiempo.

🌞 They blamed him for breaking the window.

🇪🇸 Lo culparon de romper la ventana.

🌞 Nobody wanted to take the blame for the mistake.

🇪🇸 Nadie quería asumir la culpa por el error.

🌞 It’s easy to put the blame on others instead of accepting responsibility.

🇪🇸 Es fácil echar la culpa a otros en lugar de aceptar la responsabilidad.

🌞 I always get the blame, even when it’s not my fault.

🇪🇸 Siempre me llevo la culpa, aunque no sea mi culpa.

🌞 The teacher made a mistake, but the students got the blame. 

🇪🇸 El profesor cometió un error, pero los estudiantes se llevaron la culpa.


 

Make example sentences of your own.


 

Source: You Tube (The Jacksons) Key Words Blame Boogie jacksons)

Source: You Tube (Polina Figłowska) Key Words: Hayworth Put Blame Mame

Juanmi: Let’s go! You have a YouTube’s profile 🥸, you’re are becoming a tech guy, it’s a joke 😝👏

Graham: I can surprise people from time to time. 

You might say I'm a bit of a dark horse.


José: Putting the blame on someone it's a Spanish exercise, nobody gets the blame, it's always of the rest.

My wife blames for staining a wall on me, but I take the blame for don't arguing.

People blame the government for this situation but they forget that they voted it.

Graham: Putting the blame on someone is a Spanish habit. Nobody gets the blame, it's always someone else's fault.

My wife blames me for staining a wall. I take the blame so as not to argue.

... but they forget that they voted for it.  (Yes, the previous government's time in office was a bed of roses)


José: I'm sorry. I didn't want to wound sensibilities. It was a general example.

Graham: I didn't want to hurt your feelings. 🤔  I wonder what you mean. I take it you are referring to your third example. I've discovered this much, your examples are rarely general. For most, you are making a point. haha

José: In any case, sorry again.

I'm henpecked.

Graham: Nothing to be sorry for. Really. 

Men and Women Differences

José: This post is funny. I like it. When men and women "play"in this way we may enjoy it, if they do it with mutual respect.

Graham: I would get into trouble when I used material like this in class. In today's world, there is no difference in character between men and women.

José: It would be very long. 😕


Augusto: Pepito failed math. He blames the teacher, because he says he has a grudge against him.

Graham: Or: Pepito blamed the teacher for failing maths (🇬🇧) math (🇺🇸)

I think it'd be strange for the teacher to have a grudge against the teacher. Maybe the teacher was picking on the pupil.


Helena: I cant put the blame on my English teacher for not being able to get the hang on that language.

It is not easy to take the blame for our own limitations.

Graham: ... for not being able to get the hang of the language. (It's just so easy to put the blame on the  teacher. Mind you, sometimes it is deserved.

It is not easy to take the blame for our own limitations. (Best to give an example for thicko here to understand what you mean)

Helena: Tkyouuuuuu


9️⃣ EVENTUALLY 

- after some time; in the end, especially after a delay, difficulty, or a long wait. 

🇪🇸 finalmente / al final / con el tiempo


🌞 It took a while, but we eventually found the restaurant.

→ Tardamos un rato, pero finalmente encontramos el restaurante.

🌞 Don’t worry — you’ll eventually get used to living in another country.

→ No te preocupes — con el tiempo te acostumbrarás a vivir en otro país.

🌞 She eventually forgave him for what happened.

→  Al final lo perdonó por lo que pasó.

🌞 He studied for years and eventually became a doctor.

→ Estudió durante años y finalmente se convirtió en médico.

🌞 The rain stopped eventually, and we went outside.

→ La lluvia finalmente paró y salimos afuera.

⚠️ Eventually ≠ Eventualmente

⚠️ Eventualmente means possibly or maybe.


🌈 What’s something you hope will happen eventually in your life? 

⏳Have you ever waited a long time for something that eventually happened? 

💪 Do you think hard work eventually pays off? Why or why not? 

👣 Use eventually in a sentence about your English learning journey. 

🔜 Make a sentence contrasting soon and eventually.


Augusto: Eventually, my dog got a fly.

Graham: 🐶🪰 You mean to say he caught one in his mouth after many attempts?

Augusto: Yes, okey.

Augusto: Eventually , I was able to finish reading the Bible..

Graham: I'm sure it would be worth reading.


Helena: Eventually Graham will be able to make his students improve their English level. 😍

Graham: I'm like a Duracell battery. I just keep on going.


José: Working always compensates, sooner or later, life pays off eventually, but working hard I don't know if eventually compensates so much because of the stress. 

I would like to go to Scotland but not to learn English, but to enjoy speaking in English when I learnt well eventually.

I think, eventually, that a French writer said that working was less bored than have a good time..

Graham: ... I don't know if working hard pays off as much ...

I would like to go to Scotland, not to learn English but to enjoy speaking in English when I eventually get the hang of it.

I think it was a French writer who said that in the end working was less boring than having a good time.

Graham: What's the difference between in the end and eventually?

José: I don't know it. You are the teacher.

Graham: Look at the examples and hazard a guess.

José: Okay

Graham: Did you sleep on it?

José: As you know, I'm a youngster. I have just woken, I have a shower and I'm tired.

José: After sleeping on it, I was all day looking for the difference  between "in the end" and "eventually" all day, but I have failed.

Nevertheless, I have remember the movies which end with "the end".

Therefore, the end is the final final part of an event or situation,  while eventually is referred refers to so really long jobs or circumstances, that is, a lot of movies (Hollywood).

What do you seem? What do you think?

Graham: You are absolutely right about films nowadays - they seem never-ending. 

🌞 In the end focuses more on the final outcome (often contrasts with earlier expectations or possibilities) whereas with eventually the focus is on the time (something will happen later after delays or obstacles).

🌞 After many attempts, she eventually passed her driving test

🌞 Don’t worry, they’ll eventually understand.

🌞 It took a while, but we eventually found the right house.

Eventually = Sometime later, after a while.

ES finalmente / con el tiempo / al final / a la larga

She decided not to go in the end.

We argued for hours, but in the end we agreed.

In the end, it didn’t matter what he said.

In the end = As a conclusion, finally, after considering everything.

ES al final / finalmente / a fin de cuentas



1️⃣0️⃣ to ENTITLE (sb to sth) -  to give someone the right to sth ES dar derecho de algo

🌞 This membership entitles you to free entry to the museum.

/ BE ENTITLED (to sth) - to have the right to receive or do something — either legally, officially, or because you deserve it. ES tener derecho a algo

🌞 Employees are entitled to two weeks of vacation per year.

🌞 I am entitled to an explanation at the very least.

👀⚠️

ENTITLED - feeling you deserve special treatment → Describes a person who believes they deserve more than others or special privileges. ES creerse con derecho a / ser arrogante o con privilegios

🌞He acts so entitled, as if the rules don’t apply to him.

🌞Some people feel entitled to success without working for it.


⚖️ What benefits are workers in Spain entitled to?

🌍 What are you entitled to as a citizen of Spain?

💼 What rights does your job entitle you to?

      Do you think people today act more entitled than in the past? Why or why not?

     Have you ever met someone who seemed entitled? What did they do?


Graham: Here's a story and a conversation in a workplace which includes the first ten highlighted words (Wickedly Wonderful Words 1-5):

📘 Short Story

The heat in the small mountain town was almost unbearable, but Maya refused to let that be another setback. She adjusted her backpack with a shrug and continued walking, listening to the soft hum of insects hidden in the pines.

She had never wanted the spotlight, yet here she was—local reporters waiting at the trail’s end so she could report her findings to the environmental council. Someone had sabotaged the river sensors, and although some tried to blame her for the faulty readings, the truth was finally emerging.

Her multi-tool, always handy, had helped her repair the last device, and eventually she reached the clearing where the officials waited. She wasn’t sure she was entitled to any praise—she only wanted the data to protect the valley.

But as she stepped forward, the cameras flickering like fireflies, she realised that sometimes even those who avoid attention can’t dodge the limelight forever.


💼 Workplace Conversation

Liam: Sighs “This workload is becoming almost unbearable. Yesterday’s server crash was a huge setback.”

Ava: “Tell me about it. I just gave a shrug when IT said they ‘might look at it later.’ The whole office could hear that awful hum coming from the server room.”

Liam: “And now we’re suddenly in the spotlight because management thinks it was our team’s fault.”

Ava: “Yeah, apparently someone decided to report the issue to HR before even asking us what happened.”

Liam: “So now we get the blame, even though we’re the ones who kept everything running with nothing but a handy old backup drive.”

Ava: “It’s fine. Eventually, the truth will come out. They can’t blame us forever.”

Liam: “You’d think we’d at least be entitled to an apology… but knowing this place, we’re probably not entitled to anything except more work.”

Ava: Laughs “Accurate.”


Do you remember them all?


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