Defining and non-defining relative clauses

During the second week of April, we began to learn a new topic: defining and non-defining relative clauses.

In order to give a accurate definition of this topic, I looked it on internet and I found the next definitions on Cambridge Dictionaries Online website:

Defining  relative clauses. 

"We use defining relative clauses to give essential information about someone or something – information that we need in order to understand what or who is being referred to. A defining relative clause usually comes immediately after the noun it describes."

Non-Defining  relative clauses. 

"We use non-defining relative clauses to give extra information about the person or thing. It is not necessary information. We don’t need it to understand who or what is being referred to."

Teacher gave us these 4 examples 

1) His wife, who is a lawyer, is filing for divorce

2) His wife who is a lawyer is filling for divorce 

3) The students, who passed the exam, had a party

4) The students who passed the exam had a party 

We can notice that in examples 1 and 3 there are comas. The use of comas is similar to use parenthesis and are used for give an extra information that we can eliminate. So, an easy way to distinguish non-defining relative clauses is using comas.

On the other hand, in the examples 2 and 4 we didn't use comas, because we're defining the subject of a universe of subjects. I.e. defining relative clauses don't use comas (or parenthesis).

We had to give an example and this was my example:

"My laboratory partners who are studying a Master's degree have a lot of courses as part of their program"

In this example, I'm defining only my laboratory partners who are stydying a Master's degree. It means I have more partners who, for example, are studying a PhD degree. 

Later, we learned that we can use a relative pronoun to introduce a defining relative clause

Where -  For places

Who - For persons

That - For someone

Whose - correlation of possesive

Which - for objects 

A review of some issues

In this time, I'm going to write something we reviewed during the first week of April, i.e from April 4th to  April 8th.


During this time, we continued learning about the correct use of present perfect simple and present perfect continuous. It's always important to be reviewing the last issues, because is in this way that we can make knowledge.


I remembered that we had to work in teams to give some examples for this two tenses. My team gave these 3 examples:

Present perfect continuous

1) I' ve been training for next marathon (we emphasize the process)

2) I've been studying for my English test

Present perfect simple

3) I've walked for two hours today 

In particular, for the use of the present perfect continuous we said what kind of music we had been listening. For this exercise, somebody ask "What kind of music have you been listening to? and other person answered "I've been listening to..."

In my case, I answered "I've been listening to The Cure" and I shared a song of them, a classic rock "Boys don't cry"

Finally, teacher gave us a tip for the correct use of "since" and "ago". He told us that those words aren't used at the same time. This tip was because a lot of us combined these two words in a same sentence. 

Back to my blog!!

Hello everybody, I'm so sorry for my long absence after the last post. But don't be afraid, I have a lot of things to write about my progress in learning English. 

Fortunately, I always try to make notes about what is seen in classes :)

This time, I write something about the week from  March 28° to April 1°, i.e the last week of the third month of the year. 

Use of "where about" 

In that week, teacher gave us some information about how to use this phrase. Specifically, this phrase can be used in two context:

   a)  When we want to know about the ubication of some place, i. e. we want to know where exactly something happens

             For example:  "where about in Mexico City do you live?

     b) When we want to know the location of a person, in other words, where a person is

              For example: Whereabout will be Waldo?

Later, we learned about the use of the expresión "got used to + verb-ing". 


This expression is used when we want to talk about actions we begin to do again, i.e in order to start my regular routine. In that time, teacher asked us to write 3 examples where we use got used to, in these are my examples:


1) I got used to traveling by subway with a lot of people again

2) I got used to feelin stressed and under pressure with posgrade activities again

3) I got used to sleeping a few hours again

Finally, I would like to mention some new words to my vocabulary

to pamper --> I understand that is like to be gentile with someone

board games --> games like Monopoly

Jealous --> 2 meanings a) Typical behavior : a jealous gay  b) incidental: I'm jealous = I wish it were me

Hi everybody!

In this time, I would like to write something about that I have learned during the last week of classes, i.e. March 14° - march 18° and also during the subsequent week corresponding to holidays period.

At CELE courses

In my class of English, we reviewed the use of present perfect simple and present perfect continuous.

Present perfect simple

The present perfect simple is used when we want to emphasize the results of a proccess and/or for experiences. I have searched more information on internet about the use of present perfect simple and I found that the present perfect simple is used for things where there is a connection between the past and the present. For example:

- He has written 16 books

In that example, we are emphasizing the result, i.e. the 16 books written by him.

Present perfect continuous

It is used when we want to emphasize a proccess or an action. Let's take a look for an example:

- I've been reading that book you lent me.

In this ocassion, we are focusing on the action: reading. It doesn't matter what is the result, the main is the action.


A one more note is that Present perfect simple usually is used with adverbs like "ever" and "never"



New words were added to my vocabulary and I would like to share some of them:

- Mock --> laugh of somebody or something
- Embarrazed --> to be shy
- Persistent rude --> pushy rude
- To be obnoxious --> to be a difficult person



Well, that was I learned at CELE, but now I would like to share some tissues I was studying during the holidays period.

I have been using the Doulingo app and a new one: Memrise (disponible on Android and iOS devices)

Duolingo

During holidays, I studied the Restaurante module



I learned some useful phrases. I share the pictures:

   



Later, I completed the module "Friends", which is present continuous

  



Finally, I completed 3/4 parts of the module "Present"

     

After all, I level up to level 3 and now I have 1% of fluidity in English :)

 

Memrise

Basically, with this app I have been learning words in English to improve my vocabulary. I started the Course "1000 words of intermediate level". I put some pictures of this learning

A slightly delayed publication!!

Oops!! I know that I had to post a publication last week and I didn't do. The reason was that I had a exam of molecular biology in my class and I was told that that teacher make them very complicated. I'm so sorry for that!! So, my duty is publish it, although a week later.

I would like to write something about my publication in Lang8 website the week corresponding to march 7th - 13 th.

In that post, I wrote something about my experience at game between America vs Cruz Azul in the Aztec stadium the last February 20th.

I received suggestions from only one person and I believe that in general there were a bit of corrections for my text.

My major problems were with the use of the word "in". I consider my problem is that  I translate spanish expressions to English, so I have to stop from do that. I would like to share a picture of that error in Lang 8.



Another errors were with the use of adverbs, in special with the use of "often" in place of  "many times" and the correct position of "very early" in a sentence.



So, in general that were some of my corrections in lang8. I have to read something with the correct use of "In" and adverbs.



I would like to write something about I learned in the same week in CELE course. We were working with the expresion "used to", which is used to refer actions, believes, etc etc with the particularity that they all were in the past and not for present.

Also when you try to talk about a person custom, you have to use "subject + verb to be + used to +  verb in present continuous". For example;

- I am used to putting chili in all my food
  Subject:                                      I
  Verb to be:                                am
                                                 used to
  verb in
  present continuous:                  putting


Finally, I would like to share something  new words, pronunciations and new phases in my vocabulary learned in the same week:

- museum --> in Spanish is said "m-I-U-s-i-u-m"
- Patron saint of _____ people --> to refer some saints
- attitude --> is used with a negative connotation
- whereby you want --> in Spanish is "cuando quieras"
- Instead --> in place of something
- cubblestone --> street made of stones
- sipping --> drinking something taking our time
- guest/problem/etc + magnet --> when you atract such things very often
- bribe --> in Spanish is "mordida" in a context of corruption
- fine --> pay
- blathering --> talking with no sense

What did I learn this week?

Well, I write some things I have learned during this last week in my English classes at CELE and with the Duolingo app
CELE classes

During this last week, we are learning about how to use the phrase "Used to". I learned that this expresion is used when you are trying to say something you do in the past but not for present.
You can refer to actions, or something with the verb to be, or something you believe. All class had to make a presentation with things that we used to do, to be or to believe.

In my case, I put three pictures of me with the sentences "I used to swimm with a little help of a swimmer", "I used to participate in school festivals" and "I used to drive toy cars".

By other hand, I would like to put some new words to my vocabulary that I've learned.

New Vocabulary:

- Leap --> jumping ahead
- as means of --> in order to
- to devise --> to invent
- decided on --> To chose
- featuring --> presenting
- crash in --> to stay in another place different to my house
- ordeal --> difficult experience


Duolingo

One of the module I have practiced in this week was "Determinantes". This module was about the conjugantions "THAT", "THIS", "THESE" and "THOSE". I only remembered the meaning of "that" and "this" but no the "these" and "those" meaning. So I put some pictures of my exercises.

Hi everybody!!

Well, today I decide to write something about three apps that I have been using during this last week for my English learning. Before, I have to mention that these apps are for iOS and I don't know if these apps are for Android devices too.

1. Duolingo

                                        
This app is so great!!First of all, you have to decide what kind of schedule you want to do. You can see in the image (I'm so sorry but the horrible screenshoot I made) the time options: 5, 10, 15 or 20 minutes a day, of course I choose the intensive mode of 20 minutes ;).
                                                         
After that, you can answer a trial test to obtain a general view of your English level. The app is so easy to explore, you can work in your listening, writing, speaking and reading skills in English language. I don't want to make this review so long, so I'll only put some pictures of this app waiting you enjoy it very soon!!
         

2.  Babbel

                                 
This app is very nice!! I consider it very similar to Doulingo because you have to answer different kind of excercises, so at the end you're improving your four basics skills in English language. Obviously, the interface of this app it's different from Duolingo, I mean this app has an interface more conservative (Duolingo is more colorful), but it's a very interesting option!!

                                                    

3. Wibbu
                                            

Finally, this app is very different from the other two. This app is based in a more dynamic way of learning because it's a game!!! You have to follow the adventures of a little girl, so in her travel you can speak with others character and play different kinds of minigames. At the end you're learning English!!

                                                            


So, these have been the Apps that I have used to develop my English skills. That are good Apps and they're free, so I hope you can enjoy it!!