At present I am focussed on the cognitive and cultural study of the phrasal verbs trying to link both the literal and metaphorical meaning. There is an underlying mental image that permeates the different linguistic expressions that come from our daily contact with reality and is the base to understand and master the meaning of the constructions with particles. This approach is helping students to understand and extend the use of these verbs without the effort of memorising every sense of the Phrasal verb.
E-MAIL perezrull@gmail.com
MORE ABOUT ME
Catedrático de inglés IES. Doctor en Filosofía y Letras en Ministerio de Educación
Trabajó como lector en la Universidad de Bristol. Desde 1978 en el I.E.S Al-Andalus, de Almeria. En el curso 1999-2000 trabaja en Madison (Wisconsin) y durante 2003-2009 en educación en el exterior, como Jefe del Departamento de Inglés del Vicente Cañadas Blanch de Londres, Ministerio de Educación de España.
Your diet directly affects your appearance and the condition of your hair, skin and nails will all reflect your lifestyle. For instance, a couple of late nights will quickly show on your face in the form of puffy eyes and pale, blotchy skin. A few early nights, however, and you’ll have a clear, glowing complexion. Express
The University of Montreal findings highlight concerns that the increasing use of antidepressant drugs could be having a detrimental effect on patients and their childre. DailyMail
Reducing sugar - without counting calories or losing weight - lowered blood pressure and cholesterol and improved liver function, a study by the University of California found. READ MORE
Se acaba de hacer pública la convocatoria de más de 100 plazas para profesores de Secundaria y licenciados que quieran trabajar como profesores visitantes impartiendo clases en español enEstados Unidos y Canadá durante el curso 2014-2015. El número total de plazas es de 315 pero hay muchas para maestros en EEUU y Canadá.
Can you buy me some fruit like apples or pomegranate?
Why the above sentence is wrong?
Use of "like" in the above sentence mistakenly suggests that the speaker does not want apples or pomegranate, but rather some other fruit that is similar to apples or watermelon.
"Like" means "similar to", and "such as" means "for example".
Can you buy me some fruit like apples or watermelon?
This sentence implies that the speaker does NOT want apples or watermelon; instead, he prefers some fruit similar to apples and watermelon.
Correct - Can you buy me some fruit such as apples or watermelon?apples and watermelon are examples of the type of fruit we want. -
"Like" is more informal and commonly used to emulate the spoken language, while "such as" is better to be used in the written language because it is more formal.
Furthermore, "such as" is more indicated to introduce a list of elements at least three elements that have something in common
Parece que vuelven las vacas gordas. O al menos eso es lo que nos transmiten desde el Gobierno. ¿Será que se acercan elecciones? En cualquier caso, el hecho es que el secretario de Estado de Educación, Formación Profesional y Universidades,Marcial Marín, ha anunciado que gracias al aumento del 50 al 100% la tasa de reposición del profesorado, las comunidades autónomas podrán convocar el próximo año (2016) hasta un total de 13.000 nuevas plazas de docentes de Primaria y Secundaria.
Learning to relax your facial muscles. Since your face is close to your brain, learning to relax your face can have a massive impact on how you feel overall.
Literal and non-literal meanings There are hundreds of phrasal verbs in English. Some of them have a literal meaning, which means that the meaning can be guessed from the words themselves. Some phrasal verbs have a non-literal meaning, which means it is much more difficult to guess the meaning, unless the context is very clear. An example is given below.
He looked up and saw the plane overhead. (Here the meanings of the verb and ‘up’ have not changed – the meaning of the phrasal verb is literal).
He looked up all the words he didn’t know in his new dictionary. (Here the meaning has changed. ‘Look up’ means to seek information in a reference book.
Activity 1: Literal or non-literal? Look at the phrasal verbs in the sentences below. Decide if they are literal (L) or non-literal (NL).
1. He ran out of the building to catch the bus.
2. We’ve run out of bread. Shall I go to the shops?
3. She looked through the window to see if he was home.
4. She put her books on the desk.
5. The police are looking into who committed the crime.
6. She put the television on to watch the weather.
7. Would you mind looking through my work to check if it’s correct?
8. I looked into his room but couldn’t find him.
9. Can you go over the instructions again please?
10. The ball went over the wall into neighbour’s garden.
(To be) happy as a sandboy;happy as Larry; happy as a cloud= más contento que unas pascuas.
Flabbergasted = quedarse pasmado
(To be) as thick as two short planks = no tener dos dedos de frente
Happy as a clam at high water= feliz como una perdiz (esta es la versión norteamericana, que utiliza la imagen de una almeja feliz cuando sube la marea).
Make my day! = dame una alegría; a ver si me vas a dar el día. (Se suele utilizar en imperativo y en pasado, así como, en tono irónico.
Easy peasy = está chupado
Feast today, famine tomorrow = pan para hoy, hambre para mañana
(To be) fit as a fiddle; (to be) fit as a butcher’s dog = (estar) como un roble
(To be) as right as rain = (estar) como si tal cosa; encontrarse perfectamente
Caught redhanded = cogerlo con las manos en la masa
Chatterbox = hablar por los codos
To find one’s feet = habituarse, adaptarse
To show (someone) the ropes = poner al corriente; enseñar lo básico; poner al día
By a whisker = por los pelos
Cry one’s eyes out = llorar a lagrima viva
To call it quits = quedar en paz (se deja de pelear)
To get even = ajustar cuentas; desquitarse
To bite the bullet = pasar por el aro
Die is cast = la suerte está echada
We’re quits; we’re even = estamos en paz
Don’t get mad, get even = la venganza es un plato que se sirve frío
Work your socks off = trabajar a destajo
Buy on apples, sell on cheese = no me lo des con queso
I smell a rat = aquí hay gato encerrado
You’re putting me on = me estás tomando el pelo
Beat round the bush = marear la perdiz
Every man for himself = sálvese quien pueda
To take something with a pinch of salt = no creerse algo a pies juntillas
Close to home; close to de bone; near to the bone = demasiado personal; subido de tono; pasarse de la raya
Are you for real? = ¿me tomas el pelo?
Fancy that! = ¡mira por dónde!
What’s the big deal? = ¿pasa algo? ¿cuál es el problema? (es una forma agresiva de preguntar “qué sucede” y se oye en las películas de gángsters.
To hit the nail on the head; spot on = dar en el clavo; acertar
Top ut one’s finger on something = dar con el quid de la cuestión; dar en el clavo
Barking up the wrong tree = ¡vas fino!, lo llevas claro, errar el tiro
I wouldn’t know about that = yo no estaría tan seguro
To knoch something on the head = dar al traste con algo; echar algo por tierra
Not in a month of Sundays = ni por asomo; ni por casualidad
Top ut one’s thinking cap = meditar algo
To sit on the fence = no tomar partido; mirar los toros desde la barrera, no pronunciarse
To not settle for less = no contentarse con menos
Has the cat got your tongue? = ¿se te ha comido la lengua el gato?
To throw the book at somebody = castigar con todo el peso de la ley; empapelar
In all likelihood = con toda probabilidad; lo más seguro es…
One man’s meat is another man’s poison = para gustos, los colores; sobre gustos no hay nada escrito
Acid test = prueba de fuego
Fly off the handle = perder los nervios
A storm in a teacup (versión británica) ; a tempest in a teapot (versión norteamericana) = una tormenta en un vaso de agua
To be a wallflower = ser la fea del baile; ser un marginado; ser un sujeta-columnas
All dressed up and nowhere to go = dar plantón; dejar a alguien plantado
Daylight robbery = robo a mano armada
Run an errand = hacer un recado
To paint the town red = irse de juerga; armar la de San Quintín; arrasar
To let the cat out of the bag = irse de la lengua; descubrir el pastel
To keep sth under your hat = no decir ni palabra de algo; no decir ni pío
Jump for joy = saltar de alegría
Have a cheek = tener mucho morro
Mind your own business = no te metas donde no te importa
A brisk walk of just 25 minutes a day can add up to seven years to your life, health experts said.Physical activity can help reduce your risk of heart disease. It can also help you control your weight, reduce blood pressure and improve your mental health. A British Heart Foundation spokesman. Read More
A study from Uppsala University, Sweden found that missing even a single night's kip could have more serious implications than previously thought as it could alter DNA molecules and also change our cellular clocks. Read More
"There were no differences in any of the mental or physical health outcomes that we measured, regardless of the amount or frequency of marijuana used during adolescence." READ MORE
Green tea may help kick-start cycles of cancerous cell death while leaving healthy ones alone, scientists have claimed.
A compound found in the tea called epigallocatechin-3-gallate – or EGCG – could trigger a process of destroying malignant cells, researchers at Penn State’s Center for Plant and Mushroom Foods for Health have found. The Independent
“The secret to happiness and peace is letting every situation be what it is, instead of what you think it should be, and making the best of it.” ~ Unknown
EURO leaders have reached an agreement with Greece over the foundations of a crucial bailout deal to prevent the broke country crashing out the single currency. Read more
1.It’s a piece of cake.
2. It’s a cinch.
3. It’s a breeze.
4. Anyone can do it.
5. There’s nothing to it.
6. It’s hard.
7. It’s a bit tricky.
8. It’s really tough.
9. It’s not a walk in the park.
10. It’s very demanding.
(= it takes a lot of time and energy)
Of course, peanuts are not really nuts - they are legumes since they grow in bushes, unlike tree nuts, but who cares if they help us to live longer at an affordable price?
Scientists at the University of Maryland found people who ate more fermented foods suffered fewer symptoms of social anxiety, including dreading meeting strangers and talking on the phone. READ MORE
A survey of 92 dermatology clinics in the UK found a 200 per cent rise in adults seeking treatment. The majority, like sufferer Cameron Diaz, are women and aged over 35. MailOnline
A new report by Foodbank has revealed that an average three students per classroom come to school hungry, with government school kids three times more likely to skip breakfast. Mailonline
Cancer cells 'go to sleep' and avoid the effects of treatment, only to 'wake up' years later and trigger the disease's return, scientists at The Institute of Cancer Research in London have discovered. Read more
JUST 30 minutes of exercise six days a week is enough to cut the risk of an early death by 40 per cent, a study shows.Those who regularly engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity lived five years longer, on average, than sedentary people.“At any stage of life, being physically active carries profound health benefits, makes us feel happier, with less illness, and living a longer life. I wish I could give it to all my patients on a prescription.” Express
Those who consumed 500ml daily for eight weeks noticed an eight per cent improvement in the ability to process thoughts, retrieve memories and learn new information. Read more
Holding the breath triggers blood vessels in the lungs to send signals to the brain to dampen the nervous system, lowering sensitivity to pain, researchers from the University of Jaén found. Dailymail
Hello students! Today I’m going to teach you some business English “buzzwords” – informal expressions that you might hear at work or in a professional context.
You’re a creative person, and you try to push the envelope at your company. Topush the envelope means to move beyond the limits of what is normally done, to innovate and go into new areas.
Maybe you want to cause a paradigm shift in your company or industry. That’s a radical change in fundamental beliefs or theory.
Your innovative ideas might get some pushback at the company – pushback is opposition or resistance to an initiative.
Some of your co-workers might tell you, “Don’t make waves” or “Don’t rock the boat” – that means, don’t do anything to disturb the current situation.
Unfortunately, your company is having a budget crunch/squeeze – there is not enough money to do everything that is necessary or planned.
The company needs to streamline its operations – that means to improve efficiency by simplifying things. The company decides to lay off some of its employees, and you lose your job.
Then you decide to start your own company. You’ll have to do it on a shoestring budget – using very little money.
Maybe you pitch your business idea to investors. To pitch an idea means you try to convince someone to invest in or support it.
But nobody’s interested in investing, so you’ll have to bootstrap – do it with your own work and resources, without outside help.
Luckily, you find a business partner who’s on the same wavelength – the two of you have views that are similar; you are thinking and working in the same direction.
And together, you manage to put the company on the map. That means to make something known to the public or famous.
You decide to reinvest the lion’s share of your profit back into improving your products. The lion’s share is the majority, the largest part.
And as a result, your products are world-class – that means of the highest quality.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this little story and learned some business English vocabulary along the way!
If you want to improve your practical skills in Business English, my Business English course will help you learn phrases for meetings, presentations, interacting at work, and much more
How a glass of red wine every night could cut risk of diabetes.
Red wine contains a wonder antioxidant called resveratrol which mops up chemicals responsible for causing blood clots, the primary cause of coronary disease. READ MORE
Researchers say caffeine in the drink could halve levels of beta amyloid, a protein fragment which can form plaques in nerve cells that are thought to trigger the disease. Read More
SNORERS could suffer from Alzheimer's a decade earlier than those who don't, according to new medical research. We need to increase the awareness that sleep disorders can increase the risk for cognitive impairment and possibly for Alzheimer’s. Professor Ricardo Osorio
FIVE simple lifestyle changes can help you live longer and boost your wellbeing – no matter how old you are, as Eleni Kyriacou reports: Stop smoking, Tackle diabetes, Overhaul your diet, Be more active, Get cholesterol in check Express
Your diet directly affects your appearance and the condition of your hair, skin and nails will all reflect your lifestyle. For instance, a couple of late nights will quickly show on your face in the form of puffy eyes and pale, blotchy skin. A few early nights, however, and you’ll have a clear, glowing complexion.
The University of Montreal findings highlight concerns that the increasing use of antidepressant drugs could be having a detrimental effect on patients and their childre.
Reducing sugar - without counting calories or losing weight - lowered blood pressure and cholesterol and improved liver function, a study by the University of California found. READ MORE
"There were no differences in any of the mental or physical health outcomes that we measured, regardless of the amount or frequency of marijuana used during adolescence." READ MORE
Green tea may help kick-start cycles of cancerous cell death while leaving healthy ones alone, scientists have claimed.
Of course, peanuts are not really nuts - they are legumes since they grow in bushes, unlike tree nuts, but who cares if they help us to live longer at an affordable price?
Fast food can make you depressed, less able to control your emotions - and cutting them out could improve your mood, new research suggests. Read More
A new report by Foodbank has revealed that an average three students per classroom come to school hungry, with government school kids three times more likely to skip breakfast. Mailonline
Cancer cells 'go to sleep' and avoid the effects of treatment, only to 'wake up' years later and trigger the disease's return, scientists at The Institute of Cancer Research in London have discovered. Read more
Holding the breath triggers blood vessels in the lungs to send signals to the brain to dampen the nervous system, lowering sensitivity to pain, researchers from the University of Jaén found. Dailymail
How a glass of red wine every night could cut risk of diabetes.
