Word record

A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and officially verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond. The website RecordSetter has begun to take on the same territory, but with a more inclusive policy.

Largest ball of sisal twine built by a single person

Darwin, Minnesota, is the home of a ball of baler twine rolled by Francis A. Johnson. It is 12 feet (3.7 m) in diameter and weighs 17,400 pounds (7,900 kg). Johnson began rolling the twine in March 1950, and wrapped four hours every day for 29 years. It is currently housed in a specially made gazebo across from the town park on Main Street (45.096332°N 94.410276°W), and the town celebrates "Twine Ball Day" on the second Saturday in August every year. An adjacent volunteer-run, free to visit museum and gift shop has information on the history of the ball, as well as selling a variety of souvenirs

Like/as

Gramática

Cuando se utilizan como preposiciones van seguidas de un sustantivo o de un pronombre.
"Like" se traduce por "como / igual que / similar a / parecido a" con el sentido de similitud. Se trata de una comparación:

He behaved like a kid (no es que fuera un niño, pero lo parecía)
Your car is fast like a rocket
He looks like his father

"As" se traduce también por "como" con el sentido de "en calidad de". Se trata de una identidad.

Use this rope as a belt (la cuerda no se parece a un cinturón, pero se utiliza haciendo la función de cinturón)
The army used this building as its headquarters

En el siguiente ejemplo se puede ver la diferencia entre "like" y "as":

My house is always full of people, it is like a hotel (es parecido a un hotel)
The building where I live was used before as a hotel (funcionó en calidad de hotel)

También se utiliza la preposición "as" con profesiones:

My brother works as a lawyer

"As" se puede utilizar también como conjunción en cuyo caso va seguido por una oración (sujeto + verbo). Se traduce por "como".

The terrorist acted as we expected
Do your homework as your teacher has told you

Simple Past	Present Perfect Simple
irregular verbs: see 2nd column of irregular verbs Example: I spoke	irregular verbs: form of 'have' + 3rd column of irregular verbs Example: I / you / we / they have spoken he / she / it has spoken
regular verbs: infinitive + ed Example: I worked	regular verbs: form of 'have' + infinitive + ed Example: I / you / we / they have worked he / she / it has worked
Exceptions
Exceptions when adding 'ed': when the final letter is e, only add d Example: love - loved after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled Example: admit - admitted final l is always doubled in British English (not in American English) Example: travel - travelled after a consonant, final y becomes i (but: not after a vowel) Example: worry - worried but: play - played

See also explanations on Simple Past and Present Perfect Simple

Use

In British English, the use of Simple Past and Present Perfect is quite strict. As soon as a time expression in the past is given, you have to use Simple Past. If there are no signal words, you must decide if we just talk about an action in the past or if its consequence in the present is important.

Note that the following explanations and exercises refer to British English only. In American English, you can normally use Simple Past instead of Present Perfect. We cannot accept this in our exercises, however, as this would lead to confusions amongst those who have to learn the differences.

Certain time in the past or just / already / yet?

Do you want to express that an action happened at a certain time in the past (even if it was just a few seconds ago) or that an action has just / already /not yet happened?

Simple Past	Present Perfect Simple
certain time in the past Example: I phoned Mary 2 minutes ago.	just / already / not yet Example: I have just phoned Mary.

Certain event in the past or how often so far?

Do you want to express when a certain action took place or whether / how often an action has happened till now?

Simple Past	Present Perfect Simple
certain event in the past Example: He went to Canada last summer.	whether / how often till now Example: Have you ever been to Canada? / I have been to Canada twice.

Emphasis on action or result?

Do you just want to express what happened in the past? Or do you want to emphasise the result (a past action's consequence in the present)?

Simple Past	Present Perfect Simple
Emphasis on action Example: I bought a new bike. (just telling what I did in the past.)	Emphasis on result Example: I have bought a new bike. (With this sentence I actually want to express that I have a new bike now.)

Signal Words

Simple Past	Present Perfect Simple
yesterday ... ago in 1990 the other day last ...	just already up to now until now / till now ever (not) yet so far lately / recently