A Harvard linguist reveals the most misused words in English

• Adverse means "detrimental." It does not mean "averse" or "disinclined." Correct: "There were adverse effects." / "I'm not averse to doing that."
• Appraise means to "ascertain the value of." It does not mean to "apprise" or to "inform." Correct: "I appraised the jewels." / "I apprised him of the situation."
• Beg the question means that a statement assumes the truth of what it should be proving; it does not mean to "raise the question." Correct: "When I asked the dealer why I should pay more for the German car, he said I would be getting 'German quality,' but that just begs the question."
• Bemused means "bewildered." It does not mean "amused." Correct: "The unnecessarily complex plot left me bemused." / "The silly comedy amused me."
• Cliché is a noun, not an adjective. The adjective is clichéd. Correct: "Shakespeare used a lot of clichés." / "The plot was so clichéd."
• Data is a plural count noun not, standardly speaking, a mass noun. [Note: "Data is rarely used as a plural today, just as candelabra and agenda long ago ceased to be plurals," Pinker writes. "But I still like it."] Correct: "This datum supports the theory, but many of the other data refute it."
• Depreciate means to "decrease in value." It does not mean to "deprecate" or to "disparage." Correct: "My car has depreciated a lot over the years." / "She deprecated his efforts."
• Disinterested means "unbiased." It does not mean "uninterested." Correct: "The dispute should be resolved by a disinterested judge." / "Why are you so uninterested in my story?"
• Enormity refers to extreme evil. It does not mean "enormousness." [Note: It is acceptable to use it to mean a deplorable enormousness.] Correct: "The enormity of the terrorist bombing brought bystanders to tears." / "The enormousness of the homework assignment required several hours of work."
• Hone means to "sharpen." It does not mean to "home in on" or "to converge upon." Correct: "She honed her writing skills." / "We're homing in on a solution."
• Hung means "suspended." It does not mean "suspended from the neck until dead." Correct: "I hung the picture on my wall." / "The prisoner was hanged."
• Ironic means "uncannily incongruent." It does not mean "inconvenient" or "unfortunate." Correct: "It was ironic that I forgot my textbook on human memory." / "It was unfortunate that I forgot my textbook the night before the quiz."
• Nonplussed means "stunned" or "bewildered." It does not mean "bored" or "unimpressed." Correct: "The market crash left the experts nonplussed." / "His market pitch left the investors unimpressed."
• Parameter refers to a variable. It not mean "boundary condition" or "limit." Correct: "The forecast is based on parameters like inflation and interest rates." / "We need to work within budgetary limits."
• Phenomena is a plural count noun — not a mass noun. Correct: "The phenomenon was intriguing, but it was only one of many phenomena gathered by the telescope."
• Shrunk, sprung, stunk, and sunk are past participles--not words in the past tense. Correct: "I've shrunk my shirt." / "I shrank my shirt."
• Simplistic means "naively or overly simple." It does not mean "simple" or "pleasingly simple." Correct: "His simplistic answer suggested he wasn't familiar with the material." / "She liked the chair's simple look."
• Verbal means "in linguistic form." It does not mean "oral" or "spoken." Correct: "Visual memories last longer than verbal ones."
• Effect means "influence"; to effect means "to put into effect"; to affect means either "to influence" or "to fake." Correct: "They had a big effect on my style." / "The law effected changes at the school." / "They affected my style." / "He affected an air of sophistication to impress her parents."
• Lie (intransitive: lies, lay, has lain) means to "recline"; lay (transitive: lays, laid, has laid) means to "set down"; lie (intransitive: lies, lied, has lied) means to "fib." Correct: "He lies on the couch all day." / "He lays a book upon the table." / "He lies about what he does."

Create, Don't Replicate

Music

What Engineers At Facebook, Pinterest,

Snapchat, Airbnb, And Spotify Listen To While Coding.

For developers, a good soundtrack can be as crucial to productivity 
as Red Bull or coffee. But what's playing through all those headphones?
We asked engineers at Facebook, Spotify, Snapchat, Airbnb,
and Pinterest to tell us what music has been fueling their latest projects
—they even made us playlists.

The Facebook Paper Team's Playlist:  http://rd.io/x/QEgSL8d_sg/ 
The Pinterest Team's Playlist:              http://rd.io/x/QEgSL8d-cA/ 
The Snapchat Team's Playlist:             http://rd.io/x/QEgSL8d-hw/ 
AirBnB's Playlist:                                  http://rd.io/x/QEgSL8d9bQ/
Every Day I'm Nerdin':                          http://rd.io/x/QEgSL8d9Kg/
Soud cloud:                                          http://soundcloud.com/skulltubes/
Beat Service:                                        https://soundcloud.com/beat_service
Get to work:                                          http://www.getworkdonemusic.com/#
Music to code by                                  http://mtcb.pwop.com/

TOEFL

Toefl vocabulary

http://www.toeflvocabulary.com/

https://toefl.magoosh.com

Another great for free

http://www.testden.com/

How to take notes during the test

https://www.notefull.com/content.php?pgID=434

The other great link
http://www.grammarbank.com/toefl-grammar-test.html

Conditional clauses

ZERO CONDITIONAL (the result is ALWAYS true)
you can use other connectors: if, when, as soon as, as long as, providing, provided that
If clause: simple present
Result clause: simple present

- If you drop an object, it falls.
- If you drink a whole bottle of whisky, you get drunk.
- If you stand under the rain, you get wet.


-- It's used a lot with the imperative mode:
Call me when you finish.
On Windoes O.S. press Ctrl+A if you want to select all the elements on an active window.
Let Liz know if you need to do extra hours.

Connectors
if, when, unless, as soons as, as long as (en tanto), providing (~ as long as)

- Restart your PC when you see this message.
- Send me a message if you nee credit.
- You can log on the system as long as you have a user's name and pass.
- If you freeze water, it turn into ice.
- Install this App providing you know how to use it.
- Dont't call me if I'm at work unless you want me to get mad at you.


Uses
Users manual (action -> result / problem -> sol)
Troubleshoot guide
Text boxes

* FIRST CONDITIONAL (result is ONLY possible / "Present real")
if clause: simple present
result clause: will future
-- More specific than the zero conditional

- If I don't finish my task today, I'll have to come here on weekend
("have to" if it's not up to you)
- If I can't find more info about the product, I'll ask for help
- I'll let you know if I have a problem
- I'll email Liz if my PC breaks
- I'll go out tonight if I can get some money
- My mom will prepare my favourite dish if I'm nice to her

Uses: Planning meeting, Scrum meeting


SECOND CONDITIONAL (result is improbable)
"Present unreal"
if clause: simple past
result clause: would, could, might (not) may


englishclub.com
subjunctive = same verb form for all subject pronouns

If I were (informally was) you, I wouldnt wear that dress -- I were
-- I suggested "she" buy a new dress -- she buy (structure: suggest / demand)

I would be happier if I had my own car

for sale (en venta) vs on sale (en oferta)


THIRD CONDITIONAL (result is imposible, and even if we could go back to past, it's not sure we can change it)
if clause: past perfect (have + verb (past participle))
result clause: would, could, might --> aux have + verb (past participle)

If I had bought a present for my girlfriend on her birthday, she woudlnt have got angry with me (angry with/ mad at).
If I hadn't taken a taxi this morning I would have got here late.
If I hadn't got into my brother's room without knocking the door, I would't have seen him kissing his girlfiriend.


MIXED CONDITIONAL -- feedback, retrospectives, scrum meeting ** -- to don't make the same mistake again
-- llorar sobre la leche derramada
if clause: third cond
result clause: second cond -- affect the present situation

- If I had bought a present for my girlfriend on her birthday, she wouldn't BE angry with me.
- If I had called my dat last night, I wouldn't be in trouble.
- If I had washed my clothes last weekend, I would have something to wear now.
- If I hadn't gone swimming yesterday, I would't have a cold now.


KEY: FORESEE (PREVER)
+ Don't worry, anticipate.


EXERCISE

* If I don't improve my C++ skills it won't be as productive as I can be in the project.
* If the team don't get used to think in English, we all will have problems in our job interview.
* I'll eat chicken If I don't get out early for lunch.
* If things go the same way as now, Evo will win the elections again.


MORE ON 1st CONDITIONAL
There is/are/exists
There will be/was/were

What will happen if there are more cars in the world?
What will happen if there are more people in the world?

- What will we do if Romulo adds new people in the team?
- What will we do if Romulo moves people in the team?
- What will you do if the C++ exam is due for Friday?
- What will happen if there isn't a new president?
- What will you do with your first paycheck?


+ Don't worry, anticipate.


SECOND CONDITIONAL
- What WOULD you do if you didn't have to work?

-- No limits on questions
-- 'could' can be used in the if clause and result clause

- What would you do if the president invited you for working with him?

- What would you do to improve your neighborhood? -- if you had the opportunity
- What would you do if there was a flood or another natural disaster?

- If you could have a superpower, what would it (that) be?

(Answering)
- If there were a flood... (correct IN THIS CONTEXT (conditional clauses)-- subjuntive)
- If there was a flood... (informal)

- How would your neighbors react if there were a flood?


- What would you do to improve public transport?


TO DO: Think about the things that you'd never do.


CAUSATIVE HAVE -- things you don't do by yourself
Have + something + verb (past participle)
e.g. Do you do your nails, or do you have your nails done?
e.g. I have my car serviced twice a year.
e.g. I have my hair cut once a month

CAUSATIVE VERB (allow, ask, want, convince, beg, ...)
Verb + object pronoun / proper noun + infinitive
e.g. I don't allow my brother to use my laptop.
e.g. I asked my husband to buy a new lamp.
e.g. I want my girlfriend to go on a date with me tonight.
e.g. I convinced Roberto to buy me a sandwich.
e.g. We begged our trainer to give us more time.

OTHER CAUSATIVE VERBS: make and let + verb (base form, not infinitive)
e.g. I don't let my brother use my laptop.
e.g. My mom makes me water the garden (at least) three times a month.


THIRD CONDITIONAL
"Past unreal": result is imposible, and even if we could go back to past, it's not sure we can change it
if clause: past perfect (ave  had + verb (past participle))
result clause: would, could, might --> ave have + verb (past participle)


- If I had studied more, I would have passed the test.
- If I had got(ten) up earlier, I would't have missed the bus.
- If I had not watched so much TV on weekend, I would't have had headache.
- If we had had a test yesterday, we'd have been busy.

If you had studied another career, what would you have studied?


CROSS-CULTURAL STUDIES
* Low-context -- Full honesty
- "No" means "no".
- Time: To have things done on time instead to wait for better results.
- Individualistic cultures
* No explanations unless they are demanded.


* High-context
- "No" could be "yes".
e.g. It's "almost" ready.
e.g. It's "ready" but...
e.g. "Done"
e.g. "5 minutes"
- Interdependant cultures


THIRD CONDITIONAL
- If I had had a meeting with my manager last week, I would have shown him/her my progress.

- If fixing my computer hadn't taken so much time, I would have more time for studying.
- If I had had a higher grade on my test, I would't be this worried.  // mixed conditional (would 'be')
- If we had finished our tasks, we would't HAVE HAD to come on weekend.

Notes

Prepossessions.
Estoy enteresado de mejorar mi ingles.
I'm interested in improving my English.

Me gusta mucho el deporte.
I'm keen on playin spotrs.

Me dan mucho miedo las arannaz.
I'm afraid of spiders.

Me paresco mucho a mi hermana.
I'm very similar to my sister

Soy muy diferente de mi hermano
I'm very different from my brother.

A ella se le da muy bien escuchar pero no se le da hablar.
She is relly good at listening  but she isn't good at speaking

Mi madre esta muy orgullosa de mi.
My mother is very proud of me.

Me encanta la musica.
I'm passionate about music.

depende del tiempo.
It depends on the weather.

Estoy preocupado saber de mi entrevista de trabajo.
I'm worried about my job interview.

Tu crees en fantasmas??
Do you believe in glosts?


https://www.notefull.com/


-If we were acquaintances and you posted something funny on Facebook I’d “like” it. If we were friends, I’d “like” it and compliment you.

-If we were acquaintances and your car got a flat while you were driving it, I’d probably stay in the car playing angry birds on my iphone while you changed the tire. If we were friends I’d be in the shit with you.

-unreachable, inalcanzable:

Creativity.

Creativity is the ability to come up with ideas. Basically any ideas. They can be new,
they can have been used before in another context, and they can be copied and ad-
apted from a directly competing device.

Creativity is merely the ability to create an idea, without necessarily tak-
ing into account whether the idea covers any user need or can be implemented with
currently available technology. Creativity itself will hence rarely make your product
successful. Innovation is also needed.

Innovation

Throughout the history of mobile phones and devices, there have been a large
number of failed innovations where technology has been sold as the next great
thing...



Successful user experience innovation will make your consumer say “wow.” It will
make your consumer smile, or it will make your consumer think, “This is clever,” or
“What a positive surprise.” Success will only happen, however, if the user sees your
solution, product, or service as relevant. Without need, there is no success.

The five main characteristics of a successful user experience innovation.

Relevance indicates that the user experience innovation you create is covering a real
or latent need of the end users.

Positive Feelings, a successful user experience innovation makes the user feel happy, satisfied, confi-dent, comfortable, or positively surprised, and it may even give the user a wow ex-
perience with your product. Ideally, you want your users to love your product and
the experience it gives.
......................................................................................................................................................

So one could argue that innovation is in conflict with good user experience.
However, I disagree with this. Instead I believe that user experience will become the
key tool for most innovation in the future.

user experience will be (and already is) the main
tool for innovation for devices, web pages, software programs, shopping experi-
ences, and basically any other experience you can think of.


BLAME ( Culpar a alquien de algo )

Vengarse de alguien
To get your own back on someone

Voy a vengarme de ti.
I'm going to get my own back on you.

Terner la impresion
To get the impression

Tengo la impresion de q no le gusta la comida inglesa
I get the impression he doesn't like English food.

Meterse en lios.
To get in() trouble.

Nunca me meti en lios en el colegio
I never got in trouble at school

Yo siempre me meti en lios por pegarle.
I always to get in trouble for fighting.

Poner de los nervios.
To get on someone nerves.

El perro de mi vesino me esta poniendo nervioso.
My  neighbor's dog is really getting on my nerves!.

M'etete en tus asuntos, metete en tu vida
Get a life!!

Se realista
Get real!.

Nunca vas a poder comprar ese coche tan caro.
Get real! you're never going to be able to afford that car.

Apartate!
Get out the way

Conseguir contactar con alguien.
To get hold of someone.


Errores comunes de los espanos

Everyone/everybody is happy. correct
People are happy. olso is ok.

No quiero nada
I don't want nothing : error 2 negativas
I don't want anything

------------------------------------------------------
So to speach, por asi decirlo
------------------------------------------------------
Real English
A: How you doing?
B: Yeah, I'm pretty good.
A: How about you??
B: Yeah, I'm all right

I agree with you

Error	Ejemplo	Cómo se arregla
·  Utilizar “your” por “su” de él, ella, o ellas. Se produce porque en inglés hay 5 formas de decir “su” (your, its, her, his, their) y en español una: “su” de usted, ella, él, ellos/ellos	Incorrect: decir: “Yourhouse,” (tu casa) en lugar de “His house”. (la casa de él). Correct: -His house	Repitiendo en voz alta frases con los pronombres posesivos His/Her/Their/Its Ejemplo: -Her house- Su casa de ella -His house- Su casa de él. -Their house- Su casa de ellos/ellas. Con “Your” (tu/su casa) no hace falta pues no se suelen cometer errores
· Decir People is, en lugar de People are · Se produce porque en español “gente” essingular.	Incorrect: -People is funny. La gente es divertida/graciosa. Correct: -People ARE funny.	Repetir hasta el agotamiento “People are”. People are good People are bad People are busy
·  Decir “I’m agree” en lugar de “I agree” ·  Se produce porque en español decimos “Estoy de acuerdo” y lo traducimos.	Incorrect: -I’m agree with you. Estoy de acuerdo contigo Correct: -I agree with you.	Repetir: -I agree with you -I agree with him -I agree with her
·  Utilizar “do” para la tercera persona en presente al preguntar, negar y afirme. ·  Se produce porque no se ha practicado lo suficiente con “does”.	Incorrect: -He do his homework everyday. Él hace los deberes todos los días. Correct: -He DOES his homework everyday	Repetir frases con does. -Does she live here? -Where does he work? -No, he doesn’t work here. -He does his homework everyday.
·  Olvidar la “s” en los verbos en tercera persona del presente. ·  Se produce porque no se practica suficiente	Incorrect: -She live here. Ella vive aquí. Correct: -She liveS here.	Repetir frases con verbos en tercera persona (he/she/it) en presente. -She works here. -He lives in Spain -She studies English.
· Utilizar para la tercera persona (he, she, it)“have”, en lugar de“has” en presente afirmativo o en el present perfect. · Se produce porque no se ha practicado lo suficiente el uso de“has” para la tercera persona.	Incorrect: - He have a pen- Él tiene un bolígrafo. -She have done it. Ella lo ha hecho. Correct: - He has a pen. -She has done.	Practicar diciendo en voz alta oraciones con She/he/ it HAS Y She/he/it HAS + verbo en participio pasado. Ejemplos: -He has a house. Él tiene una casa. -She has come. Ella ha venido. -It has worked. Ha funcionado.
·  Decir “I haven’t” para decir “no tengo”. Nota: Este es solo un error en inglés americano. En inglés británico esta estructura se acepta. ·  Se produce porque se hace una traducción literal de “no tengo”.	Incorrect:  - I haven’t a car. No tengo coche. Correct: I don’t have a car.	Practicar la negación de “have” con “Don’t” y “Doesn’t” -I don’t have a car. -She doesn’t have a pen. -They don’t have time.
·     Confundir “say” con“tell” y poner “it” donde no corresponde. ·  Se produce porque en español la distinción entre “decir” y “contar” no coincide con la del inglés.	Incorrect:   -I say him Le dije Correct: -       I told him -       I said it to him. Regla general: “Tell” es para decir algo largo.  “Say” es para decir una sola cosa. Además, “say” and “tell” van junto determinadas expresiones. Ejemplos: Tell a story (contar una historia) tell the time (decir la hora), tell a joke (contar un chiste), tell the truth (decir la verdad). Say a word (decir una palabra) , say your name (decir un nombre).	Practicar en voz alta muchas frases con “say” y “tell”. Ejemplos: -Tell me- Dímelo Say to him- Díselo a él. -Don’t say it. No lo digas. Say your name- Di tu nombre. -He told me the story.Él me contó la historia.
·  Confundir “story” con “history”. ·  Se produce porque en español la palabra “historia” significa “cuenta” y también historia.	Incorrect: -He told me a history. Él me contó una historia. Correct: -He told me a story.	La palabra “history” se usa principalmente para hablar de la “historia” como asignatura, no para referirse a un relato, cuento o narración. Como “history” es utilizada con menos frecuencia, en caso de duda, es preferible usar “story”.