OM News # 103 - Delivered to 45550 subscribers

ISSN 1668-4877   May 1, 2005

Hi everybody. Today we are bringing two interesting grammars with activities (the answers in our next newsletter). We hope to launch our brand new OM LISTENING Audio CD by next Saturday 7!! And -last but not least- if our portal is really useful for you, please RATE US by CLICKING HERE. See you on May 15.
Hola todas/os. Hoy traemos dos interesantes gramáticas con actividades prácticas (las respuestas en el próximo boletín). ¡¡Esperamos lanzar OM LISTENING, nuestro flamante CD de audio para el próximo Sábado 7!! Finalmente -y no por ello menos importante- si nuestro portal te resulta útil, CALIFICANOS AQUI. Nos vemos el 15 de Mayo.

MAYO 2005: TU OPORTUNIDAD PARA APRENDER INGLES!! Ahora también puedes pagar con tu tarjeta de crédito. Pulsa aquí...

ABOUT NEGATIVE QUESTIONS
We use negative questions to show surprise, in exclamations and when we expect the listener to agree with us.
Utilizamos la preguntas negativas para demostrar sorpresa, en exclamaciones y cuando esperamos que quien nos escucha esté de acuerdo con nosotros.

1. TO SHOW SURPRISE:
Didn't you hear the bell? I rang it four times.
2. IN EXCLAMATIONS:
Doesn't that house look beautiful! (= that house looks really beautiful)
3. WHEN WE EXPECT THE LISTENER TO AGREE WITH US:
"Haven't we met somewhere before?" "Yes, I think we have."

NOTICE THE MEANING OF YES AND NO IN ANSWERS TO NEGATIVE QUESTIONS:
Didn't Roberto pass his exams?
Yes. (= Yes, he passed them.)
No. (= No, he didn't pass them.)

NOTICE THE WORD ORDER IN NEGATIVE QUSTIONS WITH WHY...?:
Why didn't you lock the door? (not why you didn't lock)
Why don't we go out to Harley's restaurant? (not why we don't go)
Why can't you help me? (not why you can't help me)
Why wasn't Claudia invited to the party? (not why Claudia wasn't)

MAKE NEGATIVE QUESTIONS. EACH TIME YOU ARE SURPRISED.
Example: "We won't see Ann tonight." "Oh! (she/not/come to the party tonight?)"
Your answer: Isn't she coming to the party tonight?

1. "I hope we don't meet Monica tonight." "Why? (you / not / like her?)"
    ?

2. "I'll have to borrow some money." "Why? (you / not / have / any?)"
    ?

3. "Don't go and see that new movie." "Why? (it / not / be / good?)"
    ?

CORRECT ANSWERS WILL BE PUBLISHED IN OUR OM NEWS # 104

MAKE NEGATIVE QUESTIONS WITH "WHY...?"
Example: (I didn't lock the door last night.)
Your answer: Why didn't you lock the door last night?

1. (I don't like George.)
    Why ?

2. (Daniela wasn't at work today.)
    Why ?

3. (I'm not ready yet.)
    Why ?

4. (Elena doesn't eat fruit.)
    Why ?

5. (Ruben can't come to the meeting.) 
    Why ?

ABOUT HYPOTHETICAL SITUATIONS
When you want to express a hypothetical situation (a supposition), that is far from the real situation you must use WERE instead of WAS. Of course, it implies a wish of being so... but it isn't. In IF sentences -and also after WISH- we always use WERE instead of WAS.
Se utiliza WERE en lugar de WAS cuando se expresan situaciones hipotéticas (suposiciones), es decir alejadas o diferentes de la situación real. Desde ya implica el deseo de que así fuera... pero no lo es. En las oraciones IF (condicionales) -y también después de WISH- siempre usamos WERE en lugar de WAS.

SOME EXAMPLES:
If I WERE you, I wouldn't buy that coat. (... but I am not you)
I would go out if it WERE NOT raining. (... but it is raining)
I wish my bedroom WERE larger. (... but it's so small !!)  
I wish it WERE warm. (... but it's winter and I hate cold weather)

FOR EACH SENTENCE WRITE A HYPOTHETICAL COMMENT.
Example: "We won't see Ann tonight." "Oh! (she/not/come to the party tonight?)"
Your answer: Isn't she coming to the party tonight?

1. I'm not going to buy that book because it's expensive.
    But if that book  .
    (Pero si ese libro no fuese caro, lo compraría).

2. I am living in New York (and I hate this city).
    I wish  .
    (Ojalá no estuviese viviendo en Nueva York).

3. I'm not lying on a Cuban beach (and it's horrible to be in this office).
    I wish  .
    (Ojalá estuviese tendido en una playa cubana).

CORRECT ANSWERS WILL BE PUBLISHED IN OUR OM NEWS # 104