English Vocabulary and Grammar Guide for Everyday Situations
Everyday Vocabulary
Common Mishaps
Tripping over: ensopegar / Slipping: relliscar / Burns: cremada / Choking: ennuegament / Burnt down: incendiar-se, cremar-se
Catch fire: començar a cremar, calar-se foc / Faulty: defectuós/osa / Lifeguard: socorrista / Drown: ofegar-se / Strength: força / Knock them over: tombar, fer caure
Shallow: poc profund/a / Sprain: esquinç, torçada / Collide: topar, xocar, col·lidir / To ensure: garantir, assegurar(-se)
Distracted: distret/a, distreure’s / Crash: accident / Safety feature: dispositiu, sistema de seguretat
Concerned about: preocupat/ada / Take control: prendre el control / Defunct: en des-ús / Measures: mesures / Worldwide: arreu del món / Shuts down: apagar(-se), desconnectar(-se); tallar / Debris: restes, residues
Grabbed: agafar / Putting (smth/smone) in danger: posar en perill / At stake: en joc / Watch your step / one’s step: anar amb compte, vigilar. / Touch-and-go: incert/a, crític/a / Be on the safe side: per precaució, per si de cas
Run the risk: córrer el risc / Out of danger: fora de perill / In safe hands: fora de perill, en bones mans / Close call: d’un pél, de poc (“anar d’un pèl”) / At your own risk: sota la pròpia responsabilitat, a compte i risc d’algú.
Health and Fitness
Work out/ Keep fit / In good shape / Balance: equilibri
Sports
Role model / Drills: rutina d’exercicis / Teammates / Championships / Runners-up: segon, subcampió / Awards: premi / Defeating: derrotar, vèncer / Striking / strike: colpejar, pegar / Opponent / Setback: contratemps / Ranks (first place..) / Surpassing: exceed, be greater than → superar
Astounding: surprisingly impressive or notable → impressionant, increible / Feats: an achievement that requires great courage, skill or strength → assoliment / To leap: jump or spring a long way → saltar / Uncertain: incert / Sacred place: lloc sagrat / Taken off: començar a tenir èxit, posar-se de moda / Work your way up: escalar llocs
Asset: a useful or valuable thing or person → avantatge / Made it: tenir èxit / Out of bounds: fora del terreny de joc / Under pressure: sota pressió / In the lead: al capdavant / Out of place: incòmode, fora de lloc / Equipment / Uniforms / Learn the ropes: learn how a particular task is done. → aprendre a fer la feina
Idioms
‘the ball’s in your court’ → moure fitxa, toca a algú fer el pas següent
‘moving the goalposts’: unfairly alter the conditions or rules of a procedure during its course. → canviar els plans, canviar d’idea
‘jumping the gun’: act before the predetermined time → precipitar-se
‘keep my head above water’: to avoid financial failure while having money problems. → donar a l’abast
‘roll with the punches’: adapt oneself to adverse circumstances → adaptar-se a les circumstàncies.
Essential Grammar
Conditional Sentences
Zero Conditional
Structure: if/when/unless + present simple, present simple/modal infinitive without to
Example: You can’t participate unless you apply for it.
Use: To express general facts or situations that take place if the condition is carried out.
First Conditional
Structure: if/unless + present simple, future simple/modal infinitive without to/imperative
Examples:
- If you study harder, you will pass the exam.
- If she takes you for granted, ignore her.
Use: To express that something will happen if the condition takes place.
Second Conditional
Structure: if/unless + past simple, would/could/might + infinitive without to
Example: If Sarah had the money, she would buy a house.
Use: To express a hypothetical situation.
Note: With the verb ‘to be’, ‘were’ is always used. (e.g., If I were you, I would forget that guy.)
Third Conditional
Structure: if/unless + past perfect simple, would/could/might + have + past participle
Example: If they hadn’t gone to the same school, they wouldn’t have met.
Use: To express a condition of something in the past.
Wish/If Only
Structure: Wish/if only + past simple
Examples:
- I wish I had the power to put an end to violence.
- If only that band performed in London.
Use: Refers to a present situation that the speaker is unhappy about.
Structure: Wish/if only + past perfect simple
Examples:
- I wish he hadn’t got into trouble.
- If only we had thought this through.
Use: Expresses regret about a past action or situation.
Structure: Wish/if only + could / would + base form
Examples:
- She wishes she could participate in the race.
- If only Rhett would find a cure for Alzheimer’s.
Use: Expresses a desire for something to happen in the future.
Passive Transformations
Certain verbs in English (offer, give, buy, send) accept two passive transformations when there are two objects (complements).
Example:
The teacher gives Albert a pen ➝ A pen is given to Albert by the teacher / Albert/He is given a pen by the teacher.
The Causative
When somebody does something for somebody else, a causative can be used.
(have/get something done // have/get + direct object + participle (-ed, 3rd.c)) //I have my eyes tested by he optician
The impersonal passive we use the verbs (know, say, except, believe, consider,report, think) with the impersonal passive construction (It + verb to be conjugated + past participle of the verbs above + that + clause) /It is expected that the pandemic will finish in April /// (Subject + verb to be + past participle + to + infinitive ) /The pandemic is expected to be finished in April