UNIDAD 51

 

BE ABLE TO: expresa la capacidad de hacer algo y a diferencia de can y could se puede usar junto con los modales, tiempos perfectos y to-infinitive.

They will be able to do it.       Ellos podrán hacerlo.

He should be able to correct his error.       Él debería ser capaz de corregir su error.

I would like to be able to speak French.       Me gustaría poder hablar francés.

I’ve never been able to understand her.       Nunca he podido comprenderla.

I’m sorry, I won’t be able to come tomorrow.       Lo siento, no podré venir mañana.

 

USED TO: se usa para hablar de cosas que ocurrieron repetidamente en el pasado pero ya no, o de situaciones que se mantuvieron solo en el pasado.

My family used to be rich.       Mi familia solía ser rica.

I used to see her every day.       Solía verla todos los días.

 

Ejercicio 1

Usar be able to o used to donde corresponda:

      1      I know he will ......... help us.

      2      I ......... live at 75 Montt Street.

      3      Susan ......... be shy.

      4      You’ll ......... walk again soon.

      5      He won’t ......... speak Chinese.

      6      He ......... play the violin when he was younger.

      7      You should ......... do this, it’s easy.

      8      Where did you ......... live?

      9      The doctor might ......... see you this afternoon.

  10      We might ......... make some money together.

  11      You may ......... remember what that means.

  12      You may ......... solve the problem by yourself.

  13      I ......... have nightmares when I was a child.

  14      I ......... spend a lot of time in pubs.

  15      I ......... drink tea with milk.

  16      We would ......... answer your questions.

  17      He doubted he would ......... return to a normal life.

  18      I’ve ......... swim since I was five.

  19      He hasn’t ......... finish his work yet.

  20      I ......... travel by train to Edinburgh.

  21      I ......... have the same problem.

  22      Through our health clinics, we have ......... treat thousands of people.

  23      Most children seem to ......... adapt to kindergarten.

  24      It’s always good to ......... have some fun.

  25      Did you ......... pray more when you were younger?

  26      Did you ......... wear a wig?

  27      She ......... be fat but now she weighs only 55 kilos.

 

BE ALLOWED TO: se usa para reportar permiso en vez de can y could en acciones específicas del pasado y cuando se requiere de to-infinitive, pasado o presente perfecto.

I have been allowed to go out.       Se me permitió salir.

She was allowed to go to the party.       Ella pudo ir a la fiesta.

I was allowed to stay up late last night.       Pude quedarme en pie hasta tarde anoche.

 

BE ABOUT TO: se usa para decir que se está en el momento de hacer algo.

We were about to have lunch when we heard a noise.       Estábamos por almorzar cuando escuchamos un ruido.

I was about to pay when the owner of the club came out.       Iba a pagar cuando el dueño del club salió.

 

Ejercicio 2

Usar be allowed to o was/were about to donde corresponda:

      1      He ......... watch TV yesterday.

      2      When Alice saw what ......... happen, she began to scream.

      3      I ......... redecorate the living room.

      4      She ......... stay with her daughter.

      5      They have ......... leave the country.

      6      I ......... take a shower when the phone rang.

      7      She ......... jump when she saw her husband at the balcony.

      8      Two prisoners have ......... return home.

      9      They have ......... continue their studies.

  10      Foreign banks have ......... open branches in China.

  11      I was aware that something unusual ......... take place.

  12      He would like to ......... work in the UK.

  13      Children like to ......... break the rules.

  14      She ......... leave when he arrived.

 

UNIDAD 52

 

PREGUNTAS NEGATIVAS

Se usan para hacer sugerencias, críticas, mostrar sorpresa o persuadir a alguien de hacer algo.

Don’t you have any money left?       ¿No te queda nada de dinero?

Doesn’t she want to come with us?       ¿No quiere venir con nosotros?

Couldn’t you leave work early?       ¿No podrías salir del trabajo temprano?

 

Ejercicio 1

Ordenar las siguientes preguntas:

      1      Aren’t feeling you well? .....................

      2      Isn’t here Mr. Smith? .....................

      3      get my didn’t you letter? .....................

      4      at the didn’t concert I see you last night? .....................

      5      do can’t you it faster? .....................

      6      you can’t see I that love you? .....................

      7      Couldn’t stay you awake? .....................

      8      Shouldn’t your you change profession? .....................

      9      prepare for the shouldn’t you future? .....................

  10      Haven’t been you there before? .....................

  11      Haven’t finished you yet? .....................

  12      didn’t you why tell me that? .....................

  13      Why didn’t return the you money? .....................

  14      Why we can’t go by car? .....................

 

COMPARATIVOS DOBLES

La construcción the + comparativo + cláusula, the + comparativo + cláusula nos indica que el proceso de cambio de una acción irá modificando también a otra acción.

The more you study, the more you learn.       Mientras más estudias, más aprendes.

The longer she stays with her family, the better.       Mientras más tiempo se queda con su familia, mejor.

 

Ejercicio 2

Unir cada oración con su más adecuado complemento.

 

      1      The more you practice

     A      the earlier we will get there.

      2      The younger you feel

      B      the younger you look.

      3      The higher you climb

     C      the farther you see.

      4      The sooner we leave

     D      the bigger the effort.

      5      The more you eat

      E      the better you will play.

      6      The faster you burn calories

      F      the fatter you get.

      7      The more exercise you do

     G      the thinner you get.

      8      The bigger the challenge

     H      the faster you lose weight.

 

La construcción more and more, less and less o comparativo + and + comparativo nos indica que la característica presentada se encuentra aumentando o disminuyendo en intensidad.

She is less and less careful.       Ella es cada vez menos cuidadosa.

Astronomers can see smaller and smaller moons.       Los astrónomos pueden ver lunas cada vez más pequeñas.

 

Ejercicio 3

Usar las siguientes expresiones donde sea más adecuado de acuerdo al contexto:

more and more   bigger and bigger   easier and easier   warmer and warmer   heavier and heavier  

 

      1      His stomach is getting ...............

      2      In the future, it will be .............. for teachers to find the information they need.

      3      He is able to lift .............. weights.

      4      Students in our country are becoming .............. independent.

      5      He wants to know .............. about other countries.

      6      The earth is getting ...............

Respuestas