THE SPEAKOUT 2nd EDITION STUDY BOOSTER FOR

SPANISH-SPEAKING LEARNERS OF ENGLISH

How can I become more confident in English? Why arent I making faster progress? When will I be
able to move up to the next level? Every language learner wants to know the secret to making the
fastest progress in the shortest possible time. So what does the perfect learner need to do to get
ahead? The answer is practise, practise, practise.
The Speakout 2ndEdition Advanced Study Booster for Spanish-speaking learners of English gives
you all the practice you need to help you get the most out of your English language course. With
a focus on the particular challenges that Spanish-speaking learners of English face, the Study
Booster complements the material in the accompanying Students Book and Workbook and is
divided into five main sections which provide extra exercises to help you improve your grammar,
vocabulary, pronunciation, writing, reading and listening. You can work through the different
sections in sequence, or just focus on the areas that you find particularly difficult.
All the answers to the exercises are provided in the key at the back of the book so you can check
your own work. You dont have to do every exercise in the Study Booster to successfully complete
the course, but remember that the more you do, the faster youll progress!

CONTENTS

Common challenges for Spanish-speaking learners of English 37

Grammar 34
Vocabulary 45
Pronunciation 56
Writing 67

Speakout 2nd Edition Advanced Extra exercises 8

Grammar Extra 827
Vocabulary Extra 2857
Pronunciation Extra 5867
Reading and Listening Extra 6887
Writing Extra 8897

Answer keys 98117

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 COMMON CHALLENGES FOR SPANISH-SPEAKING LEARNERS
OF ENGLISH
GRAMMAR
Word Order
The most usual word order in English is subject + verb +
object and this tends to be more rigid than in Spanish
where we can start statements with the object. However,
word order does change in some more complex structures
in English, for example inversion for emphasis or cle favoritas. My husband bought me some daffodils, which
sentences, and this can cause problems for Spanish
students.
Pocas veces he visto cuadros tan bonitos. Seldom have I
seen such beautiful paintings.
Fue a mi hermana a quien viste ayer, no a m. It was my
sister you saw yesterday, not me.
The order of adjectives in noun phrases when there is more
than one adjective is also fixed in English and it can be
difficult for students to know which adjective to put first.
Era una bella mujer irlandesa de ojos grises. She was a
beautiful, grey-eyed, Irish woman.
Grammar Extra Unit 3.1 Exercise 1; Unit 4.1 Exercises 1
and 2; Unit 7.1 Exercise 2; Unit 10.1 Exercises 1 and 2.
Verbs followed by ing or infinitive
In English some verbs are followed by the -ing form of the
verb and some by the infinitive. This can be a problem for
students because there is no rule.
Mencion que iba a salir el sbado. He mentioned going
out on Saturday.
Se ofreci a ayudarme a hacer la cena. She offered to help
me cook dinner.
Some verbs can take either the infinitive or gerund but their
meaning may change.
Acurdate de volver a dejar las llaves en la mesa.
Remember to put the keys back on the table.
Me acuerdo de haber vuelto a dejar las llaves en la mesa.
I remember putting the keys back on the table.
Grammar Extra Unit 2.2 Exercises 1 and 2.
Participle Clauses
Participle clauses can cause difficulties for Spanish students
because the structure isnt always the same in English. For
example, in English the present participle is used aer
prepositions while in Spanish we use the infinitive.
Despus de hablar con su madre, decidi dejar su trabajo.
Aer talking to her mother, she decided to quit her job.
Al or la alarma, salieron del edificio. On hearing the alarm
they le the building.
Grammar Extra Unit 7.2 Exercises 1 and 2.
Relative clauses
In English, some relative clauses dont require the use of a
relative pronoun where Spanish does. Also note that in
non-defining relative clauses we cannot use the pronoun
that, which can be very confusing for Spanish students. In
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these clauses, we must use the pronoun who for people and
which for inanimate objects, whereas in Spanish we can use
que in both cases.
Termin el cuadro en el que haba estado trabajando durante
ms de un ao. He finished the painting (which/that) he had
been working on for over a year.
Mi marido me compr narcisos, que son mis flores
are my favourite flowers. NOT My husband bought me
daffodils, that are my favourite flowers.
Grammar Extra Unit 3.2 Exercises 1 and 2.
The passive voice
The passive voice is used more frequently in English than in
Spanish. One reason is that there is no English expression
equivalent to se hace, se vendi, etc. Consequently, the
passive voice is used in these cases.
Se ha rodado una pelcula interesante sobre los Beatles. An
interesting film has been made about the Beatles.
Grammar Extra Unit 5.2 Exercise 1.
Causative verbs
In English, to talk about something someone did for
someone else they use a causative verb, have or get. This
structure can be difficult for Spanish students because there
is no equivalent in Spanish.
Voy a cortarme el pelo maana. Im going to get my hair cut
tomorrow. NOT Im going to cut my hair tomorrow. (unless you
do it yourself)
Arregl mi coche la semana pasada. I had my car repaired
last week. NOT I repaired my car last week.
Grammar Extra Unit 5.2 Exercise 2.
Concession
Using linkers to show concession or contrast in speaking
and writing can be difficult for Spanish students because
they can be followed by grammatical structures which are
different from those used in Spanish.
A pesar de lo mucho que me gusta correr, no soy muy
rpido. Much as I enjoy running, Im not very fast!
Suspend el examen a pesar de estudiar muchsimo. I failed
my exam despite studying really hard.
Grammar Extra Unit 6.2 Exercises 1 and 2.
Simple, progressive and future tenses
Although English has simple, progressive, perfect and
future tenses as we do in Spanish, the use of these tenses
is not always identical in the two languages. For example, in
Spanish the present simple can be used for an action which
is taking place at this moment but in English we use the
present continuous.
Vaya! Llueve mucho! Wow! Its raining a lot! NOT Wow! It
rains a lot!
11/25/16 6:21 PM
 Also, in Spanish the present simple can refer to the future
when English uses will or going to.
Nos vemos maana. Ill see you tomorrow.
El ao que viene me jubilo. Im going to retire next year.
In Spanish the present continuous can be used for activities
that started in the past and continue in the present but in
English the present perfect continuous is used for these
activities.
Cunto tiempo llevas viviendo aqu? How long have you
been living here? NOT How long are you living here?
Grammar Extra Unit 1.1 Exercises 1, 2 and 3; Unit 6
Exercises 1 and 2; Unit 8 Exercises 1 and 2.
Modal verbs
Spanish speakers oen have problems with modal verbs.
For example, there is a tendency to use can incorrectly with
the function of deduction or interpreting evidence but in
English the verbs commonly used are may, might or could.
Sarah tiene bolsas en los ojos, puede que est cansada.
Sarahs got bags under her eyes, she may/might/could be tired.
NOT Sarahs got bags under her eyes, she can be tired.
Also, the difference between have to and must is oen
confusing for Spanish speakers as both can express tener
que hacer algo. English uses the verb must to impose an
obligation and have to to speak about an obligation.
Greg, tienes que tomar la medicina. Greg, you must take the
medicine.
Los bomberos se tienen que arriesgar todos los das.
Firemen have to take risks every day.
Grammar Extra Unit 1.3 Exercises 1 and 2; Unit 5.1
Exercises 1 and 2.
Past simple and Present Perfect
Spanish students are oen confused about when to use
the past simple and present perfect. One important reason
for this is that in Spanish the present perfect is compatible
with expressions of finished time, e.g. hace media hora and
is oen used to refer to the recent past. In English, however,
it is important to distinguish between a finished action
(past simple), an indefinite time in the past (present perfect)
and speaking about an action that started in the past and
continues in the present (present perfect).
He terminado de trabajar hace media hora. I finished work
half an hour ago. NOT I have finished work half an hour ago.
He trabajado mucho esta maana, pero esta tarde no he
hecho casi nada. I worked really hard this morning, but this
aernoon Ive hardly done anything. NOT Ive worked really
hard this morning but this aernoon Ive hardly done anything.
Grammar Extra Unit 4.2 Exercises 1 and 2.
VOCABULARY
Idioms and sayings
English idioms and sayings can be difficult for Spanish
students because they are fixed expressions with meanings
that are not usually obvious. Sometimes, the context can
help us to understand the meaning.
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Estbamos intentando mantenerlo en secreto pero Mike se
fue de la lengua. We were trying to keep it a secret but Mike
ended up spilling the beans!
John nunca dice lo que piensa, siempre mira los toros desde la
barrera. John never says what he thinks, he always sits on
the fence.
Vocabulary Extra Unit 1 Exercises 4 and 5; Unit 2
Exercises 1, 2 and 6; Unit 5 Exercises 1 and 2; Unit 7
Exercises 4 and 5; Unit 8 Exercises 2 and 3.
Collocations
Collocations are combinations of words which are frequently
used by native speakers. Its important to use the correct
collocation in order to sound as natural as possible and
demonstrate mastery of English.
Se produjeron muchos accidentes debido a la lluvia intensa.
There were a lot of accidents due to the heavy rain.
Hay una pequea posibilidad de que Jane apruebe su/el
examen. Theres a slim chance that Jane will pass her exam.
Vocabulary Extra Unit 2 Exercises 4 and 5; Unit 4
Exercises 1 and 2; Unit 6 Exercises 4 and 5; Unit 7 Exercise 1;
Unit 10 Exercises 1, 4 and 5.
Prefixes
English and Spanish prefixes do not correspond exactly,
which oen results in students making mistakes.
Rieron a los nios por su mal comportamiento.
The children were told off for their misbehaviour. NOT
malbehaviour
Qued completamente irreconocible despus de la ciruga
esttica. She was completely unrecognisable aer her
cosmetic surgery. NOT irrecognisable
Vocabulary Extra Unit 3 Exercises 4, 5, 7, 8 and 9.
Prepositional Phrases
Prepositional phrases in English and Spanish do not
correspond exactly and this can be a challenge for Spanish
students.
Se dirigi hacia el centro de la ciudad. He set off in the
direction of the town centre.
No pudieron tomar una decisin hasta que todos estuvieron
de acuerdo. They couldnt make a decision until everyone
was in agreement.
Vocabulary Extra Unit 5 Exercises 7, 8 and 9; Unit 6
Exercises 2 and 3; Unit 7 Exercises 7, 8 and 9; Unit 9
Exercises 7, 8 and 9.
Multi-word verbs (phrasal verbs)
Phrasal verbs can be difficult to learn because their meaning
is oen very difficult for Spanish speakers to guess, although
the context oen helps the meaning to be understood.
No puedo cenar contigo, me ha surgido algo en el trabajo. I
cant have dinner with you this evening, somethings come up
at work.
No s cmo puedes soportar a tu jefe! I dont know how you
can put up with your boss!
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 Vocabulary Extra Unit 1 Exercises 7, 8 and 9; Unit 2
Exercises 7, 8 and 9; Unit 4 Exercises 7, 8 and 9; Unit 5
Exercises 4, 5, 7, 8 and 9; Unit 6 Exercises 7, 8 and 9; Unit 9
Exercises 2 and 3; Unit 10 Exercises 7, 8 and 9.
Suffixes
English and Spanish suffixes do not correspond exactly,
which oen results in students making mistakes.
La foto era engaosa, el hotel era completamente diferente
en la realidad. The photo was deceptive; the hotel looked
completely different in real life.
Trabaja para una organizacin benfica. He works for a
charitable organisation.
Vocabulary Extra Unit 7 Exercises 2 and 3.
Verbs with multiple meanings
Some verbs, for example make, keep, take and set have
multiple meanings in English which cannot always be
directly translated into Spanish. Consequently, these verbs
can cause lots of confusion among Spanish speakers.
El manual de instrucciones no tiene sentido! The instruction
manual doesnt make sense!
Andaba tan rpido que no le poda seguir el ritmo. She was
walking so fast I couldnt keep up with her!
Vocabulary Extra Unit 1 Exercises 7, 8 and 9; Unit 2
Exercises 7, 8 and 9; Unit 4 Exercises 7, 8 and 9; Unit 7
Exercises 7, 8 and 9; Unit 8 Exercises 7, 8 and 9; Unit 10
Exercises 7, 8 and 9.
Words with similar meanings (synonyms)
English has a lot of words with similar meanings and it
can be difficult for Spanish students to learn them, and
sometimes to know which one to use in the correct context
in terms of collocation or semantic precision, especially at
advanced level when it is important to use a wide range of
vocabulary.
Puedes echarme una mano para mover el armario? Es muy
complicado! Can you give me a hand to move this wardrobe
its really cumbersome/awkward!
Me sent muy incmodo cuando me pregunt cunto ganaba.
I felt really cumbersome awkward when she asked me how
much I earned.
Vocabulary Extra Unit 10 Exercises 2 and 3.
Time expressions
Some expressions to talk about time are different in
English and Spanish. Spanish speakers should be aware
of inappropriate expressions and incorrect or literal
translations.
Desde el principio estaba claro que su matrimonio no iba a
durar. It was clear from the outset that their marriage
wasnt going to last.
Estar trabajando en este proyecto por ahora. Ill be working
on this project for the foreseeable future.
Vocabulary Extra Unit 6 Exercise 1; Unit 8 Exercises 1 and 6.
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Compound adjectives
In English it is possible to form compound adjectives in a
way that we cannot in Spanish.
Los planos del arquitecto para el nuevo centro comercial son
demasiado ambiciosos. The architects plans for the new
shopping centre are over-ambitious.
Sus consejos son bien intencionados aunque a veces ella es un
poco condescendiente. Her advice is well-meaning even if
shes a bit patronising at times.
Vocabulary Extra Unit 3 Exercise 3; Unit 9 Exercise 3; Unit 9
Exercise 1.
PRONUNCIATION
Weak forms in auxiliary verbs
While in Spanish vowels are always pronounced in the same
way, in English auxiliary verbs are oen pronounced with a
weak vowel form, // or //. This can make listening difficult
for Spanish speakers and make speaking sound unnatural.
El ao que viene por estas fechas, habr terminado todos los
exmenes. By this time next year, Ill have /v/ finished all
my exams.
Iba a estudiar medicina, pero he cambiado de opinin. I was
/wz/ going to study medicine but I changed my mind.
Pronunciation Extra Unit 1 Exercises 1A and B, 2A and B,
3A and B; Unit 6 Exercises 1A and B, 2A, B and C. Unit 10
Exercise 3A.
Silent letters
English has got a higher number of silent letters than
Spanish; these letters can cause lots of pronunciation
mistakes.
Le ped al banco una hipoteca para comprar una casa. I
asked the bank for a mortgage /md/ to buy my house.
(silent t)
Mi hijo se niega a comer ningn tipo de verdura. My son
refuses to eat any vegetables /vedtblz/. (silent e)
Pronunciation Extra Unit 9 Exercises 1A, B and C, 2A and B.
Linking in connected speech
In connected speech when one word ends in a consonant
and the next word begins with a vowel, they oen link
together and sound like one word. This can cause difficulties
for Spanish students both in understanding connected
speech and in producing natural sounding speech
themselves.
Su nueva empresa ha tenido mucho xito en el ltimo ao.
Their new business has really takenoff in the last year.
Todos los nios dijeron la respuesta al mismo tiempo. All the
children shoutedout the answer at the same time.
Pronunciation Extra Unit 1 Exercises 4A, B and C; Unit 9
Exercises 5, 6A and B.
11/29/16 7:57 PM
 Similar sounds: // /z/ and /s/
Some consonant sounds can be problematic for Spanish
speakers because English contains sounds which are similar
to but different from Spanish sounds.
Es interesante conocer los asuntos sociales de otros
pases. Its interesting to learn about social issues
/sljuz/ in other countries.
Recientemente, ha habido un aumento del paro. There has
been a rise /raz/ in unemployment recently.
Soy alrgico al marisco. Im allergic to shellfish /elf/.
Pronunciation Extra Unit 4 Exercises 3A, B and C.
Intrusive sounds in connected speech
In connected speech an extra sound is added to mark
the difference between two vowel sounds. This can make
listening difficult for Spanish speakers as words are
pronounced slightly differently and can also make speaking
sound unnatural.
Alguna vez has estado en San Francisco? Have youever
/juwev/ been to San Francisco?
No me gusta la idea de comer carne cruda. I hate the ideaof
/adrv/ eating raw meat!
Por qu nadie me escucha? Whyis /wajz/ it that nobody
ever listens to me?
Pronunciation Extra Unit 8 Exercises 2A and B, 3A and B;
Unit 9 Exercises 5, 6A and B.
Heteronyms
In English some words are spelt the same but pronounced
differently. This can be confusing for Spanish students.
Tenamos asientos de primera fila en la pera. We had front
row /r/ seats for the opera.
Jane y Peter tuvieron una fuerte discusin por dinero. Jane
and Peter had a huge row /ra/ about money.
Pronunciation Extra Unit 7 Exercises 4A and B.
Double contractions
In spoken English the contracted form of have is oen used
alongside the contracted form of would or the negative
contraction of other modal verbs. This can make listening
difficult for Spanish speakers and it can also make speaking
sound unnatural.
Habra estudiado ms si hubiera sabido lo importante
que era. Idve /adv/ studied harder if Id known how
important it was.
Ella no habra ido a la fiesta si hubiera sabido que l iba a estar
all. She wouldntve /wdntv/ gone to the party if shed
known he was going to be there.
Pronunciation Extra Unit 2 Exercises 1A, B and C.
Consonant clusters in connected speech
Two or more consecutive consonant sounds (consonant
clusters) are much more frequent in English than in Spanish.
In connected speech one consonant sound is oen lost
(elision) which can cause difficulties for Spanish students
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both in understanding connected speech and in producing
natural sounding speech themselves.
No cambiar nada si estudio o no porque voy a suspender el
examen. It wont make /wnmek/ a difference if I study or
not, Im still going to fail the exam!
ltimamente mi abuela est pasando por una mala poca.
My grandmothers /rnmz/ had a really bad time
/btam/ recently.
Pronunciation Extra Unit 1 Exercises 5A and B; Unit 4
Exercises 6A and B; Unit 5 Exercises 1A and B, 2A and B,
3A and B; Unit 9 Exercises 5, 6A and B.
Word Stress (unstressed vowel sounds)
In unstressed syllables in English the vowel is oen spoken
as a // or // sound. This can cause difficulties for Spanish
students because in Spanish we always pronounce vowel
sounds in the same way.
El protagonista no era muy convincente. The lead actor
wasnt very convincing /knvns/.
La pelcula mostraba Italia desde una nueva perspectiva. The
film showed Italy from a new perspective /pspektv/.
Pronunciation Extra Unit 2 Exercises 2A and B; Unit 10
Exercises 1A, B and C, 2A and B.
Word stress (prefixes and suffixes)
When a prefix or suffix is added to a word in English, the
word stress sometimes changes and sometimes says the
same. It can oen be hard for Spanish students to know
which syllable to stress.
El centro de la ciudad es muy moderno. The town centre is
really modern (Oo).
La biblioteca necesita modernizar sus ordenadores. The
library needs to modernise (Ooo) its computers.
Queremos renovar la casa el ao que viene. We want to
renovate (Ooo) the house next year.
La reforma cost mucho ms de lo que esperbamos. The
renovations (ooOo) cost much more than we expected.
Pronunciation Extra Unit 3 Exercises 3A, B and C; Unit 7
Exercises 1A, B and C, 2A, B and 2C.
WRITING
Use of gerunds
The use of gerunds can be different in English and
Spanish. For example, in Spanish we use the infinitive aer
prepositions but in English they use the gerund.
Al escuchar el timbre, el perro empez a ladrar. On hearing
the doorbell, the dog started to bark.
Nadar es el mejor ejercicio para todo el cuerpo. Swimming is
the best total-body exercise.
Writing Extra Unit 10 Exercise 3.
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 Phrases to support your opinion
Some phrases used when supporting your opinion can lead
to confusion because Spanish speakers tend to translate
them literally.
Por otra parte, le respeto mucho. On the other hand, I
respect him a lot. NOT On the other side, I respect him a lot.
Para empezar, es demasiado caro. To start with, its far too
expensive. NOT To start, its far too expensive.
Writing Extra Unit 2 Exercises 2A and B; Unit 10
Exercises 2A and B.
Time linkers
It is important to use time linkers in narratives to sequence
events and make your writing more cohesive. Some time
linkers are followed by grammatical structures different
from those used in Spanish which can cause Spanish
students to make mistakes.
Despus, nadie poda recordar exactamente lo que haba
pasado. Aerwards, nobody could remember exactly what
had happened.
En cuanto pagaron, salieron del restaurante. As soon as they
had paid, they le the restaurant.
Writing Extra Unit 5 Exercise 5.
Informal expressions
When writing informal emails or letters, Spanish speakers
must be aware of inappropriate expressions and incorrect
or literal translations. It is important to remember who your
target reader is and adjust your register accordingly.
Est loca por los caballos. Shes crazy about horses.
NOT Shes crazy for horses.
Se piensa que es lo ms. He thinks hes the greatest.
NOT He thinks hes the maximum.
Writing Extra Unit 1 Exercises 1A, 4A and B.
Linkers of contrast
Some linkers of contrast are particularly difficult for Spanish
students because they are followed by grammatical
structures which are different from those used in Spanish.
A pesar de no tener una cita, se fue a la fiesta. In spite of/
despite not having a date, he went to the party. NOT Despite
he didnt have a date, he went to the party.
Por el contrario, yo dira que la comida esta buensima. On
the contrary, Id say that the food is delicious.
Writing Extra Unit 2 Exercises 2A, B, 3, 4A and B.
Phrases to describe trends
Figurative language is oen used to describe trends in
English, which does not always directly translate from
Spanish.
Los beneficios de su empresa se dispararon el ao pasado.
Her companys profits soared/rocketed last year.
Las temperaturas en el desierto se desploman despus del
anochecer. Temperatures in the desert plummet aer nightfall.
Writing Extra Unit 6 Exercises 3 and 4.
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Descriptive language
At higher levels it is important to demonstrate a wide
range of vocabulary, particularly in descriptive pieces of
writing. This can be difficult for Spanish students because
some words are almost identical but have slightly different
meanings.
Le ech una mirada a la mujer y sonri. He glanced at the
woman and smiled.
Tuvimos la suerte de vislumbrar un leopardo y su cachorro tras
la espesura. We were lucky enough to glimpse a leopard and
her cub through the foliage.
Metaphorical language can also be difficult for Spanish
students as the ideas might not directly translate.
El bosque estaba cubierto de campanillas. The forest was
carpeted with bluebells.
Writing Extra Unit 3 Exercises 1A, B, C, 2 and 3; Unit 5;
Unit 8; Unit 9.
Phrases to describe cause and effect
Some phrases used to describe cause and effect can lead to
confusion because Spanish speakers tend to translate them
literally.
No podan soportar la idea de comer carne. Por eso, se
convirtieron en vegetarianos. They couldnt bear the idea of
eating meat. Therefore, they became vegetarians. NOT For this
they became vegetarians.
Writing Extra Unit 4 Exercises 2 and 5.
Capitalisation
Some rules about capitalisation are different. For example,
in English when writing a title all the words are capitalised
except articles and conjunctions. Nationalities, languages,
races, months and cardinal points are capitalised as well.
Ella trabaja los sbados. She works on Saturdays.
Mucha gente britnica y alemana vive en las costas
espaolas. Lots of British and German people live on
the Spanish coasts.
Writing Extra Units 110.
Punctuation
There are some differences between English and Spanish
punctuation. One of the main differences is the use of the
colon in Spanish when starting a letter, and the use of the
comma in numerals.
Estimados seores: (colon in Spanish) Dear Sirs, (comma in
English)
No me lo puedo creer, acabo de ganar 50.000 en la lotera! I
dont believe it Ive just won 50.000 on the lottery!
Writing Extra Unit Units 110.
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