10 Most Difficult Words to Pronounce in English

1.- Comfortable   /ˈkʌmftəb^əl/
 
2.- Walk    /wɔːk/
     Work   /wɜːk/

3.- Restaurant      /ˈrɛstəˌrɒŋ/

4.- Clothes      /kləʊðz/

5.- Island     /ˈaɪlənd/

6.- Dangerous     /ˈdeɪndʒərəs/

7.- Analysis      /əˈnælɪsɪs/

8.- Vegetable     /ˈvɛdʒtəb^əl/

9.- Tooth     /tuːθ/
     Teeth      /tiːθ/

10.- Asked      /ɑːskt/

1.- These shoes are super comfortable

2.- I work for Google      I walk to school every day

3.- What's your favourite restaurant?

4.- How often do you buy new clothes?

5.- The hotel is on the island

6.- I asked the teacher to explain the lesson

7.- Let's look at the analysis

8.- I love vegetables

9.-  You've got really nice teeth

10.- Have you asked him yet?

The last weekend

I'm going to an English academy to improve my language skills.

In today class we talked about our last weekend.

The theme was “Let's talk about the past”.

For me it was a little difficult to speak about the special hike that gathered more than 1100 people in the small village of Ayerbe.

A lot of not very usual words to describe the event.

I was a member of the small organizing group.

I was in charge of the web and, specially, the sign up control.

Walkers could sign up to the event by Internet o by phone.

Most of them made it via Internet.

The hike event was called “3ª Caminata en la flor del almendro”. How to translate it? Probably: “Third walk in the almond blossom”.

It was a very sunny day. A little cold at the beginning of the morning, but then, the sun was shining without any cloud in the sky.

There were two posibilities:

- The big walk: 25 km from Ayerbe to near Loarre and way back.

- The short walk: 12 km from Ayerbe to “La Sarda” and way back.
Both circular walks.

The first one, started at 8:30 a.m. and the second one at 10:00 a.m.

In the big itinerary ther were two supply points to provide walkers with food and all kinds of drinks. In the short walk, only one in the middle of the tour.

Then, all the participants took lunch together.

There was a beautiful image: more than 1100 people eating togheter.

At the end, the helpers picked up and fixed everything in a moment.

In the field, as soon as the last walker passed, one helper was gathering all the things and garbage.

The field was left in better condition than before the event.

I believe that there are few villages capable of organizing an event of these dimensions.

We are already in the countdown for the next: “Fourth walk in the almond blosoom”. It will be on February 24, 2019.

---

How to say?

Avituallamientos. Puestos de avituallamiento.
Supply points?

Fideuá.
Dish whose main ingredient are noodles, which are cooked with other ingredients such as fish, seafood, etc.
It's similar to 'paella' changing  the rice by fat noodles.

Cruz Roja
The Red Cross 

Protección Civil
Civil Protection, Civilian Protection

Guardia Civil
Civil Guard

Chorizo
Spicy pork sausage

Salchichón
Sausage?

Catering
Catering

Mandarina
Mandarin, tangerine

Lechuga
Lettuce  /ˈlɛtɪs/

Melocotón en almíbar
Peaches in syrup

Termo
Thermos
A brand name for a special container that keeps drinks hot or cold 

Almazara
Olive press, olive mill


Other words

Raffle  /ˈræf^əl/
An activity in which people buy tickets with different numbers, some of which are later chosen to win prizes, that is organized in order to make money for a good social purpose. 

Twin
Either of two children born to the same mother on the same occasion

Fee
An amount of money paid for a particular piece of work or for a particular right or service 

Soft drink
A cold, usually sweet, drink that does not contain alcohol

Deaf  /dɛf/
Unable to hear, either completely or partly

'Used to' and 'Would'

Original website.

Will
Hello, and welcome to today’s Grammar Gameshow! I’m your host, Will! But I won’t! And of course let’s not forget Leslie, our all-knowing voice in the sky.
Leslie
Hello everyone!
Will
Tonight we’re going to ask you three questions about…
Leslie
Used to and Would! Those useful words for talking about past habits.
Will
OK! Now, let’s meet our contestants!
Mike
Hi everyone. I’m Mike!
Will
And contestant number two?
Jay
Hi, Will. I’m Jay!
Will
Welcome back, Mike! OK! Let’s get going. And don’t forget you can play along at home too. Ok. Our first question is a quick-fire question, so fingers on the buzzers. Which verb form follows used to or would?
Jay
A verb with no 'to'?
Will
Leslie?
Leslie
Good job, Jay. You are correct. After using used to or would, we use a bare infinitive verb. That’s a verb with no 'to', for example: "I used to go every day". "I would go every day".
Will
Jay, you get two points. Now for our second question - and this is multiple choice. Look at these four sentences. One of them is incorrect. Which one is it, and why?
a)         I used to go running every day.
b)         I would go running every day.
c)         I used to be shorter.
d)         I would be shorter.
Jay
I used to go running every day?
Will
No. I’m sorry that’s not right. I can give you another try.
Jay
B! I would go running every day.
Will
Oh…this is awkward. Wrong again. Care to try a third time?
Jay
Errrrr…C? I used to be shorter.
Will
No. Three strikes, and you’re out I’m afraid. Mike, why don’t you give it a try?
Mike
Ok. D! I would be shorter.
Will
Is the right answer! And why?
Mike
Because he chose the other three answers?
Will
Right again! Leslie?
Leslie
Yep. D is incorrect because used to and would talk about past habits. But unlike used to, would can only talk about actions, not states. 'Be' is a state, so it is incorrect!
Will
Well done! 2 points for you! Alright…on to our third and last question. How does used to change when used as a positive, negative and question?
Mike
Errrmm…it’s the D! In the positive used to has a D, but in the negative and the question, we change the spelling , so no D.
Will
And how does this affect the pronunciation?
Mike
Errmmm…..it doesn’t?
Will
Leslie?
Leslie
Perfectly right again. When used to is put into the negative or a question, it changes spelling and loses a D. However, this does not affect its pronunciation. For example: I used to dance. I didn’t use to dance. Did you use to dance?
Will
We all used to dance, Leslie….we all did….Well done! 1 point for you! Well that brings us to the end of today’s Grammar Gameshow. Let’s count out the points. And the winner is…. Mike with 58 points. Well done! Here’s what you’ve won!
Leslie
A pot of jam!
Will
Fantastic! Spread the love. And how did you do at home? We’ll see you again next week, where you can play for an even bigger prize. And Jay? You had some good answers, but it just wasn’t meant to be.
Jay
Yes. I certainly…
Will
Bring forth the lions. It looks like we’ll need another contestant. Thanks for joining us. Say goodbye Leslie.
Leslie
Goodbye Leslie!
Will
See you again next time!

---

And now the test:

---

The solutions:

Question tags

1.- You speak Italian, don't you?

2.-  You don't know how to drive, do you?

3.- Mary likes spicy food, doesn't she?

4.- German isn't easy, is it?

5.- It's snowning in England, isn't it?

6.- You aren't Irish, are you?

7.- Last week yo were in London,  weren't you?

8.- He had to go home, didn't he?

9.- Sandra said she would come, didn't she?

10.- We're going to the party, aren't we?

11.- I can eat in class, can't I?

12.- Grandma can't have salt, can she?

13.- She has a baby, doesn't she?

14.- She has had a baby, hasn't she?

15.- You've been in Japan, haven't you?

16.- They've come from the Berlin office, haven't they?

17.- You won't tell anybody my secret, will you?

18.- I would never hurt you, would I?

19.- I should call my mother, shouldn't I?

Special cases
1.- Con ‘I am’, siempre se usa la question tag ‘aren’t I?

I am the best student in the class, aren’t I?

2.- Con el imperativo siempre se usa ‘will you’, tanto si la oración tiene sentido positivo o negativo.

Pass me that pen, will you?

Don’t be late, will you?

3.- Con la expresión ‘Let’s’, siempre se usa el question tag ‘shall we’:

Let’s have lunch, shall we?

Let’s not argue, shall we?

4.- Con ‘there is’ y ‘there are’, la question tag se forma usando ‘there’ en lugar de un pronombre:

There isn’t any bread left, is there?

There is plenty of time, isn’t there?

Never Again

'Never again!' Florida shooting survivors confront lawmakers; protests gain steam nationwide.

Florida high school students demand change to gun laws at boisterous rally.

Para todos los que vivimos en #USA🇺🇸 y tenemos hijos en las escuelas 🙏🏼
Por mis hijos, por los tuyos, por los de otros, por nuestras familias.#PorLaVidaDeNuestrosHijos#MarchForOurLifes #NeverAgain pic.twitter.com/8ctWWRWtdD

— Gianmarco (@gianmarcomusica) 21 de febrero de 2018

#NeverAgain

The killing of a sacred deer

It is the last movie that I saw.

The film follows a cardiac surgeon (Farrell) who secretly befriends a teenage boy (Keoghan) with a connection to his past. He introduces the boy to his family, who begin to fall mysteriously ill.

Steven Murphy, a skilled cardiothoracic surgeon, finishes an open heart surgery, and later goes to a diner where he meets a teenage boy named Martin. The precise nature of their relationship is unexplained. Afterward, Steven returns home to his wife, Anna, and their children, Kim and Bob. The next day, Steven reveals his connection to Martin, claiming he is a schoolmate of Kim's, when Martin unexpectedly comes to speak with Steven at the hospital. Steven later privately tells Anna that Martin's father died in a car accident ten years earlier, and that he has taken an interest in the boy to help him grieve. At Steven's suggestion, Martin comes to the Murphy household for dinner; Kim seems particularly taken with him. Martin returns the favor by inviting Steven to his mother's home for dinner. After the meal, Steven attempts to leave, but Martin insists he stay and watch a movie with them. Martin leaves halfway through the film, and his mother makes a sexual advance on Steven, who quickly rebuffs her and goes home. Over the next few days, Martin's demands on Steven's time grow increasingly frequent and desperate, but Steven does not reply. One morning Bob awakens and finds he cannot feel his legs—he has become paralyzed. Steven and Anna rush him to the hospital, where a full neurological examination reveals that nothing is physically wrong. Though he briefly recovers, Bob remains unable to walk. While the elder Murphys tend to Bob, Kim meets with Martin for a date. The next morning, Martin visits Bob in the hospital and demands that Steven speak to him in private. The two retreat to the cafeteria, where Martin reveals the truth: his father did not die immediately, as Steven told his wife, but during surgery that Steven himself performed after the crash. Steven failed to save Martin's father, and the boy bluntly tells Steven that he blames the surgeon for the death. He further explains that, to "balance" the act of destroying a family, Steven must kill one of the members of his own. Martin goes on to explain that he has placed a curse upon the Murphys that will gradually kill them through a series of stages unless Steven makes his choice and murders one of them; the paralysis is the first of these four stages. Steven attempts to dismiss these seemingly wild claims, but later finds that Bob is refusing food—this is the second stage of Martin's curse. Kim later loses the use of her legs during a choir practice and also will not eat. Kim receives a phone call from Martin at the hospital. During the conversation, Kim abruptly regains the use of her legs, only to lose mobility again when the connection is broken. This seems to convince Anna of Martin's power, and she travels to his home to directly ask why she and her children must suffer for Steven's mistakes. The unrepentant Martin cannot answer, simply remarking that "it's the only thing I can think of that's close to justice". Anna, further suspecting that her formerly alcoholic husband may have imbibed on the day of the operation, speaks to Steven's anesthesiologist, who reveals that Steven did in fact have a few drinks that morning, with Anna sexually gratifying him as payment for the information. At Anna's insistence, the children are transported to their home, where they are continually fed through a nasogastric tube. Anna and Steven fight over the situation, with Steven refusing to believe that anything supernatural is happening. That night, he kidnaps Martin and binds him to a chair in the basement, brutally beating him and demanding that he undo his hold on the children. Martin remains unflappable, warning Steven that time is running out. Martin's presence only exacerbates the tension in the household: Kim and Bob argue with each other over who their father will choose; Steven tries to gather information to make the decision; and Anna claims that killing one of the children is clearly the only option, as they can have another. Kim attempts to save herself by traveling to the basement to see Martin, demanding that he free her again so that they may run away together. Her strategy fails and she tries to escape herself by crawling through the neighborhood. Steven and Anna save her. The next morning, Anna releases Martin while Steven sleeps, pointing out that holding him captive was of no use. Later that day, Bob begins bleeding from the eyes—the final stage of the curse before death. Rather than choose, Steven binds Kim, Bob, and Anna to chairs in the living room, covers their heads, and pulls a black woolen mask over his own face. He next loads a rifle, spins uncontrollably, and fires. The first two shots miss, but the third pierces Bob's heart and kills him. Some time later, the family visits the same diner where Steven previously met with Martin. As they sit in silence, Martin enters and stares at them; he and the family briefly lock eyes and Kim begins eating before they stand and leave. Martin gazes after them as they walk through the door.

Gerunds and infinitives

GERUND

#1 After prepositions the gerund is used:
I'm afraid of flying
He's interested in studying English

#2 After certain verbs:

finish	mind	fancy	love	enjoy
like	dislike	hate	stop

I love skiing
I hate eating carrots
I dislike running
I fancy eating chicken tonight

#3 When the verb is the subject:
Learning English is not easy
Drinking wine is a pleasure
Sleeping on this sofa is very uncomfortable

INFINITIVE

#4 After adjectives the infinitive is used:
This book is difficult to read
This sofa is uncomfortable to sleep on

#5 After some verbs:

want	decide	seem	need	plan
teach	threaten	learn	promise

I would like to go to Ibiza this summer
I would love to do bungee jumping
I plan to study English this summer
I need to buy some shoes
He taught me to skate

#6 When on purpose or intention to do something:
I went to Peru to visit my friend
I went to the library to study maths
Phillip went to the beach to get a tan

INFINITIVE WITHOUT 'TO'

#7 After modal verbs is used the infinitive without to:

can	could	may	might	will
shall	should	ought to	must/have to	would

Yo should go to the doctor
I can cook very well

#8 After verbs as let or make:
My father didn't let me go to the party
My mother made me clean my room

Examples:
I fancy going to the theatre tonight
Reading helps you learn English
She decided not to go to the party
You shouldn't eat before going to bed
It is difficult to stop eating chocolate




#1 (after prepositions)

Thank you for teaching us English
These scissors are for cutting paper
This lessons is about using gerunds
He left without saying good bye
Tommy dreams of having a bicycle
He is good at playing soccer
I'm tired of arguing with you
I'm not using to getting up early
He is happy about being chosen
Are you interested in buying a new home?
We are excited about going on a trip
He was famous for making people laugh
Who is responsible for answering the phone?
I'm worried about taking the test
I'm looking forward to meeting you
We ended up going out to eat
I wouldn't think of leaving you
We're going to see about buying a car
I have to give up smoking
He insisted on helping

#2 (some verbs)

admit	deny	dislike	enjoy	finish
involve	keep	mind	miss	postpone
resist	risk	fancy	hate	love

I dislike flying
Do you enjoy playing cards?
I finished checking your homework
The job involves cooking and cleaning
He kept working despite being sick
I don't mind working late
I miss having a garden
They had to postpone opening the new store
I couldn't resist buying it
You risk losing everythink
He admitted breaking the window
He denied taking the money
We don't regret selling the house

#3 When the verb is the subject

Fishing is my favorite pastime
Swimming is good execise

#4 After adjectives the infinitive is used:

My house is easy to find
This food is ready to eat
He looks very happy to be here
I am pleased to meet you

#5 After some verbs

agree	be able	dedide	expect	hope
learn	need	offer	plan	pretend
promise	see	wait	want	would like

He agreed to help
Will you be able to go?
Let me know what you decide to do
They expect to finish early
I hope to see you soon
When did you learn to play the piano?
I need to use the bathroom
That man offered to buy the house
We plan to study tonight
I pretended to like the food
He promised to return
The children seem to be happy
I can't wait to see you
We want to go to Europe
We would like to go in the spring
I would have liked to have there

Theese verbs are followed by infinitive but they need a complement

allow	advice	cause	convince	encourage
force	hire	invite	order	remind
teach	tell

My parents allowed me to go
We advised them to sell the house
An excess of rain can cause the river to rise
We convinced them to stay
I encouraged her to study for the test
They forced me to sign the contract
They hired some men to help
She invited me to attend the ceremony
They ordered us to leave the area
Remind me to buy bread
I will teach you to dance
Tell them to wait for me

#6 When on purpose or intention to do something:

I am saving money to buy a car
They pay me to walk their dog
I called you to ask about the test
He went to the store to get some milk

#8 After verbs as let or make:

They made us wait for an hour
We let the dog sleep in the house
They helped us move

#9 Wath, see, hear

We watched the plane take off
I saw him catch the ball
Have you hear her sing


#9 Negative of gerund

I'm worried about not having a job
I enjoy not working on Sundays

#10 Leisure

Let's go swimming
He went fishing
We are going camping

#11 t's not the same:
- Try to take this medecine. Even though it tastes so bad
- Try taking this medicine. It could cure you

- He stopped to call her. He stop what he was doing to call her
- He stopped calling her. He can't stand her

- I quit to spend more time at home. Now I can stay more at home
- I quit spending so much time at work. Now I don't work so much

Learning English

I think it was 1991 when I started to study English for the first time in my life. At school I had studied French but only when I was 35 I got in contact with English.
It was the oficial courses of That's English. I hadn't to go to the school building. We studied at home and with the support of the television programs and the old videotapes.
I passed the three courses and then I went to one of the oficial schools of languages to study the next course. I had to go to Madrid twice a week from 45 km far away. It was some tired experience. I passed the 4th course after doing it in two years. Then in 1998 I passed (with a C) de First Certificate in English from Cambridge University.
From then on, I haven't touch English. I had forgotten all. I hardly can remember the words, the gramatical rules... that I, more or less, had learnt twenty years ago.
Now, I'm retired and I've decided return to study English.
I go twice a week to YouTalk, a language academy here in Huesca.
The YouTalk method consider that speaking is the only way to learn a language.
I think so. And I know that "practice makes perfect".
So I am practicing all day.
I hope to learn and to improve my speaking and listening skills.

Most common English proverbs

1.- Don't bite the hand that feeds you.
2.- Beggars can't be choosers.
3.- Actions speak louder than words.
4.- Practice makes perfect.
5.- All good things must come to an end.
6.- If you can't beat them, join them.
7.- Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
8.- Honesty is the best policy.
9.- Two heads are better than one.
10.- Don't put all of yours eggs in one basket.

Morning routines

Get up
Lie in
Wake up
Get out the bed
Run down the stairs
Sort out
Fix up
Chop up
Throw in
Cook up
Switch on
Catch up with
Jump in the shower
Get ready for
Hop on
Get on
Get to
On time
I get to (do something)
Get out of the house
Get some fresh air
Get some food in

Phonetic Chart explained

Vowels:

seat green tree	sit grin fish	good foot pull	food rule shoe

head beat said	teacher observer about	girl nurse earth	walk door four

had lamb apple	cup love money	heart dark fast	hot stop want

Diphthongs:

year beer ear	they bathe way
pure tourist cure	joy noise choice	joke vote throw
chair where there	thigh dice my	vow lounge out

Consonants:

pull stop apple	bet about beer	tree stop want	door food said	teacher chair choice	joke joy lounge	walk dark cup	grin green girl
four food fish	observer vow vote	earth thigh throw	they there bathe	stop sit fast	observer noise president	shoe fish sure	casual neasure pleasure
money lamb my	grin green nurse	sing english drank	hot head heart	pull love rule	rule grin tree	want way where	year yes yellow