Spanish Infinitives and How Theyre Used

Spanish Infinitives and How Theyre Used Definition of 'Infinitive' The infinitive is the most basic form of a verb. In Spanish, infinitives always end in -ar, -er or -ir, with -ar being the most common. In English, infinitive is usually used to refer to the to verb form of the verb such as to run or to eat, although according to some authorities the infinitives are run and eat. An infinitive by itself does not indicate tense nor who or what is performing the action of the verb. In both English and Spanish, the infinitive can often function as a noun. In Spanish, such a noun is always masculine and is usually used in the singular form. The Spanish word for infinitive is infinitivo. Other examples of infinitives in Spanish are hablar, viajar, comprender, and resistir. The corresponding English infinitives are to speak, to travel, to understand, and to resist. Using Infinitives as the Subject of a Sentence It is very common in Spanish for an infinitive to be the subject of a sentence or clause. In translation to English, either the infinitive or the gerund can be used, although Spanish gerunds cant function as nouns. For example, the sentence Salir es difà ­cil could be translated as either To leave is difficult or Leaving is difficult. Often when an infinitive is the subject, it can follow the verb. Thus it would be possible to render the Spanish sentence as Es difà ­cil salir. Amar is mejor que ser amado. (To love is better than being loved.)No es posible comer todo el dà ­a de manera saludable. (Eating all day is not possible in a healthy way. Alternative translation: It is not possible to eat all day in a healthy way.)El ser humano comparte muchas caracterà ­sticas con los primates. (The human being shares many characteristics with the primates.) Using Infinitives as Prepositional Objects In Spanish but not usually in English, infinitives are often the objects of prepositions. The gerund is typically used in translation to English. Tu hija no tiene ya la capacidad para entender tus reglas. (Your daughter doesnt yet have the capacity for understanding your rules. Para is the preposition here.)El tenista confirmà ³ que le ofrecieron dinero por perder un partido. (The tennis player confirmed that they offered him money for losing a match. The preposition here is por.) Using Infinitives as a Verbal Object In a sentence such as Espero comprar una casa (I hope to buy a house), the infinitive in both language retains qualities of both noun and verb - noun because its an object and a verb because it has  an object of its own (una casa or a house). Ayer te vi salir de tu oficina. (Yesterday I saw you leaving your office.)Necesito cambiar el nombre de usuario. (I need to change my user name.)Quiero comer  pronto. (I want to eat soon.) Using Infinitives as a Verbal Complement Infinitives are often used as the complement of a copulative or linking verb: This is especially common with forms of ser, meaning to be. Lo ms importante es saber que usted no ests sola. (The most important thing is to know you are not alone.)Todo lo que yo querà ­a era hablar contigo. (All that I wanted was to talk with you.)Katarina me parece ser una buen artista. (Katarina seems to me to be a good artist.) Infinitives as Commands In Spanish, it is common in recipes and on signs, less so in speech, to use an infinitive as a type of command. Such a construction is rare in English with the exception of this negative command: Not to worry. Mezclar los ingredientes en el siguiente orden. (Mix the ingredients in the following order.)No fumar. (No smoking.) Forming a Future Tense Using Infinitives The periphrastic future tense is common in both Spanish and English. It is formed by using a present tense of ir a or to go followed by an infinitive. In some Spanish-speaking areas, the periphrastic future has mostly replaced the conjugated future tense. In both languages, it is considered less formal than the standard future tense. Van a estudiar las principales teorà ­as. (They are going to study the principal theories.)Voy a probarlo una vez. (Im going to try it once.)

SAT Subject Test Dates 2015 - 2016 How to Choose

SAT Subject Test Dates 2015 - 2016 How to Choose SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re planning on applying to highly selective colleges, you may be required to take two or three SAT Subject Tests. Subject Tests are offered almost as many times throughout the year as the regular SAT. In this article, I’ll go through the dates and registration deadlines and give you lists of the subjects that are offered on each date. SAT Subject Test Dates: 2015-16 SAT Subject Tests are offered on five of the six regular SAT test dates coming up during this school year (the regular SAT test date in March will not offer SAT Subject Tests).Here are the dates and registration deadlines: SAT Subject Test Date Normal Registration Deadline Late Registration Deadline November 7, 2015 October 9, 2015 October 27, 2015 December 5, 2015 November 5, 2015 November 23, 2015 January 23, 2016 December 28, 2015 January 12, 2016 May 7, 2016 April 8, 2016 April 26, 2016 June 4, 2016 May 5, 2016 May 25, 2016 Keep in mind that not all subject tests are offered on each of these dates.This chart lists all the SAT Subject Tests and whether they will be offered on each of the five test dates during this school year.The most popular tests, like Biology and Math 1 and 2, are offered on all dates. Subject Test Nov. 7, 2015 Dec. 5, 2015 Jan. 23, 2016 May 7, 2016 Jun. 4, 2016 Biology E/M âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ Chemistry âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ Physics âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ Math 1 âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ Math 2 âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ Literature âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ US History âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ World History âÅ"“ âÅ"“ French âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ German âÅ"“ Spanish âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ Modern Hebrew âÅ"“ Italian âÅ"“ Latin âÅ"“ âÅ"“ French with Listening âÅ"“ German with Listening âÅ"“ Spanish with Listening âÅ"“ Chinese with Listening âÅ"“ Japanese with Listening âÅ"“ Korean with Listening âÅ"“ Here's another table with a different organization that may make it easier for you to see which tests are offered on each date. I only included the subject tests that are offered on some dates but not all. Biology E/M, Chemistry, Physics, Math 1, Math 2, Literature and US History are offered on all test dates, so they are not included in this chart: Test Date World History French German Spanish Modern Hebrew Italian Latin Nov. 7, 2015 Dec. 5, 2015 âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ Jan. 23, 2016 âÅ"“ âÅ"“ May 7, 2016 âÅ"“ âÅ"“ Jun. 4, 2016 âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ Test Date French with Listening German with Listening Spanish with Listening Chinese with Listening Japanese with Listening Korean with Listening Nov. 7, 2015 âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ Dec. 5, 2015 Jan. 23, 2016 May 7, 2016 Jun. 4, 2016 Which Test Date Should You Choose? If you know you have to take subject tests, it’s important to plan strategically.You should make sure that you take your subject tests on a date that doesn’t conflict with other major commitments.Plan on taking subject tests at a much earlier or later date than the regular SAT so that you have time to study for both and don’t end up with low scores on either. May and June are usually good SAT subject test datesbecause they’re at the end of the school year, so you will be at your maximum level of knowledge for the subjects (assuming you took the relevant class this year). Rememberthat you don’t have to wait until your junior year to take subject tests.If you take a class sophomore year that directly pertains to one of the subject tests, you can go ahead and take the test at the end of that school year.Taking subject tests while the material is still fresh in your mind is the best way to avoid long hours of studying.Some tests, like many of the language tests, are not offered in the spring, so make sure you verify that you can take your chosen test on the date that interests you. You should also note that you can take up to three subject tests on one test date (although only one listening subject test is allowed per test date).Each subject test is an hour long, so even if you take three tests in one day you won’t spend as much time at the test center as you would for the regular SAT. You may not need to take three tests; the number depends on the requirements of the colleges where you plan on applying. Most selective schools only require students to take two subject tests.If you're taking two subject tests on one test date, you should try to choose them wisely so that they pair well together. For example, if you need to take Math 2 and math is a tough subject for you, you should choose a second subject test in an area where you feel more comfortable so you can balance out your stress levels. Don't go too far down Stress Street or you won't be able to get back to Relaxation Road. Relaxation Road: the name of my debut ambient chill album. What's Next? Are you wondering what scores you should aim for on SAT Subject Tests? Learn more about what a good score might mean for you. You may have heard that some SAT Subject Tests are easier than others. Find out which tests are the easiest and why. If you're worried about time pressure on subject tests, check out this article that describes the length and format of each test and how you can overcome issues with time. Need a little extra help prepping for your Subject Tests? We have the industry's leading SAT Subject Test prep programs (for all non-language Subject Tests). Built by Harvard grads and SAT Subject Test full or 99th %ile scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so that you get the most effective prep possible. Learn more about our Subject Test products below: