Class Notes - 08/01/26

* Class 18/02/28 (80 min, 1/2 makeup for Jan. 26)

most / least common
profit/loss - to profit/to lose
auction and bids
relatives (parents, brothers and sisters (siblings) cousins, etc)
no idea = no clue
the last drop/the last straw
bundle, a package, all together
start afresh/anew

* Class 14/02/28 (80 min, 1/2 makeup for Jan. 26)

in hindsight, an expression from the shop dialogue: considering what happened, looking or thinking back at the facts
to through up to vomit/through away to discard
If I weren't drunk
buskers = street musicians
wobbly shaky, unstable
to get engaged/engagement
fiancè (man) /fiancèe the woman, later, groom and bride(groom) on the wedding day.
I work downtown, I live downtown, I'm going downtown, I'm downtown, I go downtown (no preposition!)
Go through a shop to work
I checked the price
Chain (tchein)
purse - a woman's bag
leather = couro
I could afford, to afford (to have the money be able to pay for or buy something,
book cover, hard cover book, book sleeve

* Class 07/02/28 (80 min, 1/2 makeup for Jan. 26)

work as a beaver or a bee
trickle like water from a faucet (torneira)
look for is to try to find something
find - found - found
buy - bought - bought
use something, an object, a cream, lipstick
wear clothes, jewels
scam (golpe), scammer (golpista)
memento - A reminder of past events
travel souvenirs
made of (the real matter)
made from (raw material)
detached person: detached person is someone who is emotionally distant, objective, or uninvolved.
through something out - jogar fora
If (or when) life give you lemons, make a lemonade

* Class 01/02/28 (80 min, 1/2 makeup for Jan. 26)

??? no notes

* Class 31/01/28 (80 min, 1/2 makeup for Jan. 26)

to patronize/look down on sb (oposite: to look up to sb = show admiration, respect)
be bossy, to boss sb around
bank sales goals
a loan, get a loan, make a loan, ask for a loan from a bank
to wake up/to be awake
to mix sth up African

Verbs followed by to or -ing

1) Remember

remember to + verb = not forget an obligation
“Remember to lock the door.”
remember + -ing = recall a past action
“I remember locking the door.”

2) Forget

forget to + verb = fail to do something
“I forgot to call her.”
forget + -ing = have no memory of a past action (often unusual)
“I’ll never forget meeting him.”

3) Stop

stop to + verb = pause one action in order to do another
“He stopped to smoke.”
stop + -ing = quit an activity
“He stopped smoking.”

4) Try

try to + verb = make an effort, attempt
“I tried to explain.”
try + -ing = experiment, see what happens
“Try restarting the computer.”

5) Regret

regret to + verb = formal announcement of bad news
“We regret to inform you…”
regret + -ing = feel sorry about a past action
“I regret saying that.”

6) Mean

mean to + verb = intend
“I meant to text you.”
mean + -ing = involve, result in
“This means working weekends.”

7) Go on

go on to + verb = change activity / move to the next step
“She went on to explain the rules.”
go on + -ing = continue the same activity
“He went on talking.”

8) Need

need to + verb = obligation (active meaning)
“You need to rest.”
need + -ing = passive meaning (= need to be done)
“The car needs washing.”

9) Dread

dread to + verb = fear what is about to happen
“I dread to think what he’ll say.”
dread + -ing = hate the idea of an activity
“I dread waking up early.”

10) Like / Love / Hate (meaning shift is subtle but real)

like/love/hate to + verb = preference, often about habits or choices
“I like to work alone.”
like/love/hate + -ing = enjoyment or dislike of the activity itself
“I like working alone.”

Quick pattern summary

to + verb → intention, decision, future-oriented, one-off action
-ing → experience, memory, process, ongoing or general activity

If you want, I can add colloquial-only examples, minimal pairs, or IPA

Exercise

I stopped ___ (talk) to check my phone.
I stopped ___ (talk) to him after the argument.
I remember ___ (lock) the door this morning.
Remember ___ (lock) the door when you leave.
She tried ___ (explain), but no one listened.
She tried ___ (restart) the app, and it worked.
I’ll never forget ___ (meet) her for the first time.
Don’t forget ___ (send) the email.
We regret ___ (say) that your request was denied.
I regret ___ (say) that during the meeting.
He went on ___ (complain) for hours.
After the intro, she went on ___ (present) the data.
This job means ___ (work) late sometimes.
I meant ___ (call) you yesterday.
The car needs ___ (wash).
You need ___ (wash) the car today.

Idioms:

“Some days you just want to disappear.”
Closest and most neutral.
“Some days you feel like vanishing.”
Slightly more expressive, still idiomatic.
“Some days you just want to drop off the radar.”
Clear idiom: stop being seen or contacted.
“Some days you just want to make yourself scarce.”
Idiomatic, conversational, often used humorously.
“Some days you just want to hide from the world.”
Common, emotional, not literal.

More colloquial / spoken:

“Some days you just want to be invisible.”
“Some days you’re like, ‘I’m done, I’m out.’”

* Class 22/01/26

“Make yourself scarce”

Meaning

To leave, stay away, or avoid being present, often deliberately.

Typical uses
To avoid trouble or conflict
To give others space
To stop being a nuisance
To disappear temporarily (not permanently)

Tone

Informal to semi-formal
Can be polite, neutral, or slightly sharp, depending on context
Often said half-jokingly, but can be firm

Examples

“You should make yourself scarce before the boss gets here.”
“I’ll make myself scarce and let you talk.”
“When things got tense, he made himself scarce.”

What it does not mean

Not permanent (unlike cut someone off)
Not necessarily emotional
Not dramatic or hostile by default

Related idioms

keep a low profile
lay low
stay out of the way
disappear for a bit

Hint: dica, hint at: insinuar

HINT — noun

1. Suggestion / indirect clue

Something said lightly so the listener figures it out themselves.

“She dropped a hint that she wants to move.”
“That was a pretty obvious hint.”

2. Small sign or trace

A slight amount of something.

“There’s a hint of sarcasm in his voice.”
“I tasted a hint of garlic.”

3. Guidance without giving the answer

Common in teaching or problem-solving.

“Can you give me a hint?”
“The teacher gave us a hint but not the solution.”

HINT — verb

1. To suggest indirectly

To imply something without stating it openly.

“He hinted that he might quit.”
“She was hinting about wanting help.”

2. To subtly warn or advise

Often diplomatic or cautious.

“I hinted that this might be a bad idea.”
“They hinted at possible consequences.”

3. To communicate without confrontation

Used when avoiding directness.

“I tried hinting, but he didn’t get it.”
“She hinted instead of saying it outright.”

Contrast in structure

Form	Pattern	Example
Noun	drop a hint	“She dropped a hint.”
Noun	a hint of + noun	“A hint of irony.”
Verb	hint that + clause	“He hinted that he knew.”
Verb	hint at + noun	“She hinted at a problem.”

Informal vs neutral

Informal: “That was a hint, by the way.”
Neutral: “He hinted at dissatisfaction.”

Quick summary

Noun: the thing (clue, trace, suggestion)
Verb: the action (implying, suggesting indirectly)

cut someone off x cut someone out

“Cut someone off” vs. “Cut someone out” (in this context)

Cut someone off

Focus: stopping contact and interaction
Meaning: you end communication (calls, messages, seeing them)
Nuance: practical, behavioral; emphasizes access
Common in speech

Examples

“I cut him off after he lied to me.”
“She cut off all contact with her family.”

Cut someone out

Focus: removing someone from your life or inner circle
Meaning: exclusion from your personal world, decisions, emotions
Nuance: more emotional and symbolic; implies erasing their role
Slightly less common, more expressive

Examples

“I cut her out of my life completely.”
“After the betrayal, he was cut out.”

Key contrast

Aspect	Cut off	Cut out
Emphasis	Communication	Belonging / presence
Tone	Direct, practical	Strong, emotional
Usage	Very common	Less frequent, more dramatic
Implied finality	High	Very high

Rule of thumb

Use cut off when talking about ending contact.
Use cut out when talking about removing someone’s place in your life.

They often overlap, but “cut out” feels more personal and definitive.

* Class 14/01/26

1. cockroach, that disgusting flying insect
1. pavement/sidewalk (Hollywood's sidewalk of fame)
2. lizard
3. gecko (a lizard that makes a click in India and elsewhere)
4. guava
5. storage
6. throw (past threw-thrown) up/vomit
7. pa('ei)triot
8. claim/make a claim (what you want to get when you move an action)
9. lawsuit or action
10. move an action
11. sentence, final sentence,
Stress patterns
optimistic
/ˌɒp.tɪˈmɪs.tɪk/ (UK)
/ˌɑːp.təˈmɪs.tɪk/ (US)
Stress: op-ti-MIS-tic

pessimistic
/ˌpes.ɪˈmɪs.tɪk/
Stress: pes-si-MIS-tic

* Class 12/01/26

acquaintance: a person you know, but not as close as a friend.

Sayings and transcriptions

a) Charity begins at home.
/ˈtʃɛrɪɾi bəˈɡɪnz ə(t)ˈhoʊm/

b) Birds of a feather flock together.
/bɝːdz əv ə ˈfɛðɚ flɑk təˈɡɛðɚ/

c) Blood is thicker than water.
/blʌdz ˈθɪkɚ ðən ˈwɔɾɚ/

d) Home is where the heart is.
/ˈhoʊmz ˈwɛr ðə ˈhɑrɾɪz/

e) Two’s company, three’s a crowd.
/tuz ˈkʌmpəni, θriz ə ˈkraʊd/

f) One good turn deserves another.
/wʌn ɡʊd tɝn dɪˈzɝvz əˈnʌðɚ/

British English

t͡ʃˈaɹɪti bɪɡˈɪnz ˈat hˈə͡ʊm.
bˈɜːdz ˈɒv ˈe͡ɪ fˈɛðə flˈɒk təɡˈɛðə.
blˈʌd ˈɪz θˈɪkə ðˈɐn wˈɔːtə.
hˈə͡ʊm ˈɪz wˈe͡ə ðˈə hˈɑːt ˈɪz.
tˈuː’ˈɛs kˈʌmpəni, θɹˈiː’ˈɛs ˈe͡ɪ kɹˈa͡ʊd.
wˈɒn ɡˈʊd tˈɜːn dɪzˈɜːvz ɐnˈʌðə.

* Class 08/01/26

(from) all over a place
it took me a lot of time / I spent a lot of time reading/on it/doing it
scenery
book-to-screen adaptation
Our friendship is 4 years old/ we've been friends for 4 years now*
all of (ev) them
a huge distance
to drive, fly instead of go by car/by plane

*Other ways to say this:

We’ve been friends for four years.
Our friendship goes back four years.
Four years of friendship and counting.
Our friendship is four years strong.
We’re celebrating four years of friendship.

* Class 06/01/26

come over = come to a place, one's place, visit
both are married, both of them are married
a 5-minute walk
hearing at court with a judge and perception x audition (as an actor, musician, etc)
I(ai)'dentical
my father's eyes
franchise, like Hot and Cold
Ex(gz)act(ly) it makes a syllable with the a

* Class 15/12/25

1. Difference between whether and if

Both if and whether are used to introduce indirect questions and express uncertainty, but they are not always interchangeable.

Rule of thumb
if → informal, common in speech, focuses on condition or possibility (open answer)
whether → more formal/precise, focuses on a choice between alternatives (with options)

2. When IF is used

2.1 Indirect yes/no questions (informal)

Used after verbs like ask, know, wonder, see, find out.

I don’t know if he’s coming.
She asked if I was ready.

➡️ Here, whether is also possible, but if is more natural in everyday speech.

2.2 Conditional meaning (ONLY if, never whether)

When the meaning is “on condition that”, you must use if.

I’ll go if it stops raining.
You can borrow the car if you’re careful.

❌ I’ll go whether it stops raining. → wrong meaning

3. When WHETHER is required

3.1 Explicit alternatives (A or B)

When the sentence presents a clear choice, use whether.

I don’t know whether to stay or leave.
She asked whether it was Monday or Tuesday.

❌ I don’t know if to stay or leave. (incorrect)

3.2 After prepositions

After a preposition, only whether is correct.

We talked about whether he should resign.
There’s doubt over whether the plan will work.

❌ about if / over if

3.3 Before infinitives (to + verb)

I can’t decide whether to call her.
They discussed whether to postpone the meeting.

❌ if to call her

3.4 Formal or academic style

In writing, whether is preferred for clarity and precision.

The study examines whether the treatment is effective.
It is unclear whether the data is reliable.

4. When IF and WHETHER are both possible

In indirect questions without alternatives, both work.

I don’t know if / whether he understands.
She’s checking if / whether the store is open.

Difference is mainly style, not meaning:

if → more conversational
whether → more formal

5. Quick comparison table

Situation	Correct choice
Condition	if only
Indirect yes/no question	if / whether
With “or” alternatives	whether only
After a preposition	whether only
Before infinitive	whether only
Formal writing	preferably whether

6. Common learner mistakes

❌ I don’t know if to go.
✅ I don’t know whether to go.

❌ They discussed if he should leave.
✅ They discussed whether he should leave.

❌ Tell me whether you want it or not. (actually correct)
✅ Tell me whether you want it or not.
ℹ️ “or not” strongly favors whether

7. Exercises

Exercise 1 – Choose if or whether

I’m not sure ___ she received the email.
He asked ___ we were ready to leave.
They’re debating ___ to cancel the trip.
Call me ___ you have time.
We talked about ___ the price was fair.
I don’t care ___ he agrees or not.

Exercise 2 – Correct the sentences

I don’t know if to accept the offer.
She wondered if she should stay or leave.
There’s a discussion about if the rule is valid.

8. Answer key

Exercise 1

if / whether
if / whether
whether
if
whether
whether

Exercise 2

I don’t know whether to accept the offer.
She wondered whether she should stay or leave.
There’s a discussion about whether the rule is valid.

9. Final takeaway

Use if for conditions and everyday indirect questions.
Use whether for choices, formal contexts, after prepositions, and before infinitives.
When in doubt in writing, whether is the safer option.

Another five clothing-related expressions (meanings and examples)

fit like a glove
Meaning: Fit perfectly.
Example: The new jacket fits like a glove.

roll up one’s sleeves
Meaning: Prepare to work hard or deal with something seriously.
Example: We need to roll up our sleeves and finish this project.

wear the trousers
Meaning: Be the person in control or making decisions (often in a relationship).
Example: Everyone knows she wears the trousers at home.

tighten one’s bootstraps
Meaning: Become more self-reliant (confident); cope with difficulty through personal effort.
Example: He tightened his bootstraps and rebuilt the business.

hat in hand
Meaning: Acting humbly or apologetically, often when asking for something.
Example: He went to his manager hat in hand to ask for another chance.

* Class 10/12/25

bald (al = ó). Make sure to pronounce an L, no a U sound.
loud (au) = in a loud voice
listen x hear Ex. I have a hearing problem (perception, sense) / Listen to this song (pay attention to it), Listen to me, listen to what I say). On the phone: I can't hear you. There's too much noise.

* Class 09/12/25

Information(NO s): uncountable, always singular.
Graduated from high school
Teachers vs. professors (this has a PhD)
Oldest/youngest vs. newest/latest
Trauma /au = ó/ ( // indicates pronunciation)
She has a 20-year career. / She has 20 years of experience. (more idiomatic)
Music(No s): uncountable, always singular. Pieces of music for the plural (Like Mozart's)
Pen name: a writer's pseudonym

* Class 04/12/25

Mummy: mother or a body embalmed and dried and wrapped for burial (as in ancient Egypt)
Culture
Pyramid
Not really
-ed pronunciation
thick/heavy/strong accent
automatic /au = ó/
'Curious /iu/
´recently
´'package tour
'exam > pronunciation of stressed and unstressed /x/ syllable
exemple /gz/, extra /ks/, extraordinary, extraction
'structure
to look up a word in the dictionary, a phone book, etc.
one person / three people

Some au /ó/ words:

audio

audience

autumn

author

automatic

autonomy

audit

August

auction

auburn

I was in doubt and mispronuncing Frankstein:

Correct pronunciation: Frankenstein = /ˈfræŋkənstaɪn/

Colloquial English IPA: ˈfræŋkənstaɪn

Breakdown:

fran- → /fræŋ/ (like “frang”)
-ken- → /kən/ (schwa, reduced)
-stein → /staɪn/ (rhymes with “fine”)

* Class - 02/12/25

1. Beijing Olympics

Date: August 8 – August 24, 2008
The 2008 Summer Olympics were held in Beijing, China. It was a spectacular event known for its impressive opening ceremony and the dominance of athletes like Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt.

2. Death of Princess Diana

Date: August 31, 1997
Princess Diana, the Princess of Wales, tragically died in a car crash in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris. Her death shocked the world and led to an outpouring of grief.

3. First Moon Landing

Date: July 20, 1969
The Apollo 11 mission successfully landed astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the Moon. Armstrong famously said, "That's one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind." This historic event marked humanity’s first step on another celestial body.

4. Millennium Celebrations

Date: December 31, 1999 – January 1, 2000
The turn of the millennium was celebrated worldwide with grand parties, fireworks, and events, marking the end of the 20th century and the start of the 21st century. People were particularly excited about the "Y2K bug" (which turned out to be less problematic than anticipated).

These events span several decades and represent a mix of groundbreaking achievements, tragic moments, and global celebrations.

In Defense of First Impressions

First impressions are crucial because they create lasting frameworks through which we interpret subsequent interactions. Research shows that people form judgments about trustworthiness, competence, and likability within seconds of meeting someone, and these initial assessments often prove remarkably accurate. For instance, a job candidate who arrives late and disheveled to an interview may never recover from that poor first impression, regardless of their qualifications. Similarly, a business that presents a polished, professional website immediately establishes credibility with potential customers, while a poorly designed site drives visitors away before they explore the actual products or services offered.

Against the Primacy of First Impressions

First impressions can be dangerously misleading and perpetuate unfair biases based on superficial factors like appearance, accent, or nervousness. Many remarkable relationships and opportunities would never develop if we relied solely on initial encounters—consider the shy, awkward person at a party who becomes your most loyal friend, or the professor whose intimidating first lecture gives way to inspiring mentorship. History is filled with examples of figures like Abraham Lincoln, whose gangly appearance and high-pitched voice initially worked against him, yet who became one of history's most eloquent leaders. Judging people primarily on first impressions privileges those with social polish over those with genuine substance, and denies us the chance to discover depth that only reveals itself over time.

LJS Traduções e Curso de Inglês - Level Up English Course