En muchas pruebas de Inglés de la PAU hay un ejercicio de rephrasing: te dan una frase y el comienzo de otra, y tienes que completarla sin cambiar el significado. No se trata de traducir, sino de reconocer parejas de estructuras equivalentes. En esta lección practicamos las que se basan en tiempos verbales y estructuras fijas; en la siguiente, las de pasiva, estilo indirecto y condicionales.
Objetivos
- Transformar frases con present perfect, since, for, ago y the last time
- Usar used to, be used to y would para hábitos pasados
- Reformular con too / enough, so / such y comparativos
- Expresar deseos y preferencias con wish, if only, it’s time e I’d rather
1. Tiempo transcurrido
| Frase de partida | Transformación |
|---|---|
| I started working here three years ago. | I have worked / have been working here for three years. |
| I haven’t seen her since June. | The last time I saw her was in June. |
| It’s two years since I last went to the beach. | I haven’t been to the beach for two years. |
| I’ve never eaten sushi before. | It’s the first time I’ve ever eaten sushi. |
| When did you start learning English? | How long have you been learning English? |
2. Hábitos pasados y costumbres
- used to + infinitivo = hábito o estado pasado que ya no existe: «I used to live in Toledo» (ahora no). Negativa: didn’t use to.
- would + infinitivo = acción repetida en el pasado (no estados): «Every summer we would go to the village.»
- be / get used to + -ing = estar / acostumbrarse a: «I’m used to getting up early.»
Paso a paso
«Living alone was new for me, but now it’s normal.» → I have got…
- «ahora es normal» = me he acostumbrado → get used to.
- to es preposición → -ing: living.
I have got used to living alone.
3. Grado, comparación, deseos y preferencias
| Frase de partida | Transformación |
|---|---|
| The box is so heavy that I can’t lift it. | The box is too heavy for me to lift. / It’s such a heavy box that… |
| He isn’t old enough to vote. | He is too young to vote. |
| My brother is taller than me. | I amn’t as tall as my brother. |
| I’ve never seen such a beautiful place. | It’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen. |
| I’m sorry I don’t have a car. | I wish I had a car. |
| I regret shouting at him. | I wish I hadn’t shouted at him. |
| You should go to bed now. | It’s time you went to bed. |
| I prefer to stay at home. | I’d rather stay at home. |
Recuerda
- Rephrasing = mismo significado con otra estructura; no se traduce.
- ago ↔ for; since ↔ the last time; never before ↔ the first time.
- used to + infinitivo (hábito pasado); be / get used to + -ing (costumbre).
- so… that ↔ too… to ↔ such… that; comparativo ↔ not as… as.
- wish + past (presente) / past perfect (pasado); it’s time + past; I’d rather + infinitivo.
¡Ahora te toca a ti!
Comprueba que lo has entendido con los ejercicios y repasa con el resumen.