Fechas y Tiempos/ Dates and Times

Writing Dates and Times

Rule: The following examples apply when using dates: (Las siguientes ejemplos aplican con el uso de las fechas.)
The meeting is scheduled for June 30.
The meeting is scheduled for the 30th of June.
We have had tricks played on us on April 1.
The 1st of April puts some people on edge.

Rule: When expressing decades, you may spell them out and lowercase them. (Cuando uses las décadas, puedes deletrearlas en minúscula.)
Example: During the eighties and nineties, the United States economy grew.

Rule: Whether you express decades using incomplete or complete numerals, do not use an apostrophe between the year and the s. When using an incomplete numeral, use an apostrophe to replace the first two numbers. (Cuando expresas décadas usando numerales completas o incompletas, no usas un apostrofo entre el año y el s de plural. Cuando usas un numeral incompleto, usa un apostrofo para reponer los primeros dos números.)
Correct: (Correctos)
During the ’80s, the world’s economy grew.
During the 1980s, the world’s economy grew.
Incorrect: (No correctos)
During the ‘80’s, the world’s economy grew.
During the 1980’s, the world’s economy grew.

Rule: Spell out the time of day in text even with half and quarter hours. With o’clock, the number is always spelled out. (Escribe la hora del día en texto aun con media horas. Con “o’clock”, el numero siempre se deletrea.)
Examples:
She gets up at four thirty before the baby wakes up.
The baby wakes up at five o’clock in the morning.

Rule: Use numerals with the time of day when exact times are being emphasized. (Usa números con la hora del día cuando la hora esta enfatizado.)
Examples:
Her flight leaves at 6:22 a.m.
Please arrive by 12:30 p.m. sharp.

Rule: Use noon and midnight rather than 12:00 a.m. or 12:00 p.m. (Usar “medio-día” y “media-noche” en vez de 12:00 a.m. o 12:00 p.m.) Note: You may use AM and PM rather than a.m. and p.m. (Puedes usar AM y PM en vez de a.m. y p.m.)

Rule: The dash may be used between numbers or dates to indicate to and and. (Puedes usar el guión entre los números o las fechas para indicar “a” e “y”.
His chapter covered from 1860-1868.
My appointment was scheduled from 12:15—1:15.

Rule: The comma is not used in years…. I was born in 1933. (La coma no se usa en años)

Rule: In American English the day and the month are reversed. (En Inglés de USA, el día y mes están al revés).
October 31, 2011 or 10/31/11. And spoken: October 5, 2004 - October (the) fifth, two thousand and four.

Words often confused

WORDS  OFTEN  CONFUSED   Use your dictionary to complete the sentences using the correct meaning of the words. Notice the difference in Pronunciation. 

Palabras que frecuentemente se confunden.  Usa el diccionario para completar las oraciones con la palabra y significado correcta.  Nota la diferencia en pronunciación.

1.  through / though/ thought / thorough

You must finish your work even ………………………. You are tired.

We must give the house a ………………………… cleaning.

The dog dashed ………………….the gate and down the road.

Betty ……………………………….. she had the right answer, but she was not sure.  

2. bought/ brought

The buyer went to Caracas and …………………………… clothes for the new store.

I ………………….. my book with me so that I could read.

3. accept/ except/ expect

I did not …………… you to eat all of the cake.

I will give you the book if you will …………….. it.

Everyone ………………… Terry has work to finish. 

Negativos- Negative Sentences

NEGATIVE SENTENCES:

In English you may only use one negative word in a single clause.  The error is called the “double negative.” The two negative expressions give the clause an affirmative meaning:  Nobody did nothing means Everybody did something.  Use an affirmative verb with negative expressions…. We didn’t see anybody / We saw nobody.

Examples:

Wrong- I haven’t seen no one.  Correct: I haven’t seen anyone. I have seen no one.

Wrong- I haven’t done nothing wrong.  Correct: I haven’t done anything wrong. I have done nothing wrong.

Wrong-  We don’t have not school today.  Correct:  We don’t have school today.  We have no school today.

Wrong- Didn’t Ann say she couldn’t find nobody?  Correct: Didn’t Ann say she couldn’t find anybody?  Didn’t Ann say she could find nobody?

Wrong- I haven’t but a dollar.  Correct: I have but a dollar. I haven’t more than a dollar.

Wrong- We didn’t have hardly any food left.   Correct: We had hardly any food left.  We didn’t have any food left.

Practice:  Write sentences using the following words correctly, without using double negatives:  hardly, nothing, but, wouldn’t, barely, scarcely, no, never. 

En Ingles solamente puedes usar una palabra negativa en una clausula. El error se llama  “doble negativo”.. y las dos expresiones negativas dan a la clausula un contexto positivo.  “Nadie hizo nada” tiene el significado de “Alguien hizo algo.” Usa un verbo positivo con expresiones negativas.  No vimos a alguien/  Vimos a nadie.   (En Español no tiene significado pero así se dice en Ingles.)