Can you help me with these sentences? Are they ok? In each sentence I wanted to use a specific word, I write these words between inverted commas, - The soon development of the US "railway network" was one of the reasons of the US supremacy during the XX century. - "Don't trust him", he's always telling lies - Did you know that Mike's father is in jail? I didn't know it, but "that's what I thought". - I don't know where John is, please could you "reach" him. - The Valencia port has several number of "docks", the biggest ones are used by Containers Vessels. - I'm "able" to play the piano at the same time I watch TV - This company is "dedicated" to build skyscrapers. - I'm pretty confident that the company will "tackle" this problem soon - Yesterday I "went blank" in my English test I felt very frustrated because I had studied a lot. Thanks in advance, :)

I made up this story to try to use some words that I don't know if I use properly. Thanks in advance for your help, Words: Toiletries, stumble, invert, beyond, couch, cutlery, bin liner, guard, crease. Yesterday was a complicated day. I had to get to the groceries, so I decided to go in the morning to have the rest of the day free. I got the coach, which stop near my house. I almost fall down when I got on the coach because I stumbled with the pavement. There was many time since I haven’t taken the bus and it turns out that during this time the bus route has inverted their way, so I had to leave the bus and take the correct one. Finally, after one hour, I arrived at the supermarket where I bought some food, some toiletries and big bin liner package. When I was to come home I remembered that some days before I saw an announcement of a good cutlery offer in a near store. My cutleries were so old so I decided to go and buy them. In this store, they don’t allow entering with bags from other stores and the locker that they had were full. I asked to an old lady who was selling lottery if she could guard my bags whereas I bought the cutleries. She told me that there wasn’t any problem, and I bought her some lottery tickets in exchange for her favor. The problem was when I return with the cutleries and there were neither the lady nor my bags. I asked to the store security but they didn’t give me any useful information, so I decided to come back home and go other day to get the groceries. - Mate, you have to iron your shirts before coming to work, you can’t wear this shirt with these creases, you give a bad impression to the clients. - These contract clauses are beyond the law, you have to claim the company to avoid them. Thanks you,

Work colleagues conversation on Monday morning. James: Hi Sophia, how are you? Sophia: Hi James, fine thanks, and you? James: Fine too (or also), a bit depressed, it is Monday, you know, how was your weekend? Sophia: It was a bit boring, I spent most of the day at home because any of my friends were in Madrid. On Friday night I watched a movie, on Saturday I went to the gym and go for a walk with Dexter (dog) and watched another movie. Luckily on Sunday my friends already were here and we went to drunk something and gossiping a bit, hehe. By the way I have some news to give to you. James: Really, let me know, I’m very interesting on hearing that news. Sophia: Do you remember my friend’s cousin Ana, the one that you told me is very pretty? James: Of course, how I’m going to forget her, it was very pretty and kind, I really got on well with her, it was a pity that she has boyfriend, hehe. Sophia: Well, she used to have because she finished her relationship with this stupid guy two months ago. She was yesterday with us drinking something on the bar, and told this news. And guess something? James: Good news, hehe, what? Sophia: Not try to guess it. James: I don’t know, let me think, give me a clue. Sophia: Hehe, no no no, James: Come on, release it. Sophia: Ok, hehe, she wants to go out some night with us and whereas we were talking about that she asked me how you were, because she also got on well with you. So, maybe you will have some chances to love her, hehe James: Really? hehe, I don’t know if believe you, Sophia: Ok, so, when we will go out I won’t tell you anything, James: Ok, ok, hehe, please, let me know when you are going to do to go with you. Sophia: I don’t know, hehe, I have to think about it, hehe. Ok, I will. James: Thanks, I owe you one, hehe. At least this Monday has good news. Sophia: Good for you, I hope unless you will invite to one coke to your best colleague at lunch time. James: Of course, Sophia, whatever you want. Thanks in advance for your corrections, Kind regards.

English Job Conversation. Thanks for your help :) English Job Conversation, between a customer service employee of a transportation company and one client. James: Good Morning, (name of the Jaime’s company), this is James, how can I help you? Sofia: Good Morning, James, this is Sofia from (name of the Sofia’s company). Can I speak with Sebastian? I’m trying to reach him in his mobile but he doesn’t answer it. James: Sofia, please, could you hold a second? I’m going to check where Sebastian is. James: Sofia, I’m James again, sorry but my colleague told me that Sebastian is out of the office at the moment, he is visiting one client. Maybe this is the reason why he is not answering you the mobile phone. Can I help you? Sofia: Do you know if he is going to last much? James: I think so, because he went out 30 minutes ago, I think he won’t can here after lunch. Sofia: Ok, do you know something about our last delivery to Veracruz? James: Yes, I’m the one who organized it. Is there any problem with it? Sofia: No, there isn’t but I would like to know when it is going to arrive to Veracruz Port to inform to my client. James: Ok, let me check it, and I will inform you in one second. Ok, Sofia, the container leave Valencia Port this morning, and the estimated arrival time to Veracruz Port is the 14th of May. Is there anything else you want me to help you? Sofia: No thanks, I only want to know that, James: Ok, perfect, if you would need any additional information let us know, we are here to help you. Sofia: Thanks a lot James, goodbye James: Goodbye Sofia. Thanks in advance for your help, Kind regards.

Please, someone can explain me if there is some difference between "it is because" and "that is why" Ask my questions says I would like to know if there are any difference between use these two structures. And if it is possible give me some examples in which both can be use or where only one on then can be use. Sometimes I have a little confusion between then and I don't know if actually there is a different. Thanks in advance.

Laboral hours in an employment contract in Spain (according to my experience and my environment) Hi Italki community, Today I want to talk about a reality that unfortunately is very common in a country as Spain. In my short laboral experience more or less seven years and work for seven different companies, all these companies except one has something in common and it doesn't a good feature. Normally in Spain laboral hours in the contract are from 35 to 40 hours per week, (40 hours is the most common one), but the reality is totally different, it also depends on the field where you work, but in my case that I have work in Bank sector and Transportation sector, ( people from my environment who works in many others sectors normally are in the same situation), but in most of the cases you are going to work between three or ten hours more than your contract say,(if you are in the restaurant business is better to find another job because the hours can be increase even more). The worse thing, not in all companies but in my case in one of the biggest bank in Spain and in three others companies, is that they don't pay you for this extra time. Really Jaime? Yes, my friend, in Spain is like that, I'm sure that there are others countries where the situation is worse but for me it is a very unfair situation, it is not the way that companies must take care their employees. The thing is that is you are in your desk at work and you leave it at your time, when the rest of your colleagues look at you thinking where he goes, he is crazy, and the most probable result is that you get fired in a few days or weeks. I hope that this situation change in my country and people can go to their homes at their time, and don't have to be in the office "heating the chair" and not doing anything just waiting that the boss leave the office and the rest follow him or her. From my point of view it is a stupid behavior that many Spanish companies have but us like an employees has to claim for our rights, to get a better laboral life, where you can combine your life with your work and don't spend the whole day in the office. Thanks for your corrections in advance, and I hope that the subject has been interesting for you. Regards.

Opportunities that International Trade can bring to people who are involve in this field. Hi Italki community, This is my first entry in my notebook, and I would like to share with you my passion which I discovered three years ago more or less. Thanks to a friend I found a job in an international freight forwarder company, for people who don't know what it is, these companies are transportation companies that are intermediaries between companies that import and/or export their products to other countries, and the shipping companies and the airlines. It is a very interesting job from my point of view because you realise how the international commerce works, and what products your country export and import, some products that maybe you didn't know and surprise you that there is a big international commerce with these ones. For example in my case, I was very surprised when I discovered that there are many traders companies that buy metal,paper, and plastic scrap in Spain and around the world and export these products to China, Pakistan, around others. There is a very big commerce with these products that involves a very amount of money and much profits to the intervening parts of it. For these reasons and many others I decided to study a Master's Degree in International Trade, and I'm very glad with the knowledge that I got on it, but I have to improve my english more to be able to develop better and faster my professional career. I will write some others entries related with the international commerce, telling you some other anecdotes that I have had during my short experience in that field, Thanks in advance for you corrections, and I'm at your disposal if you want to ask me some questions about it,

One question about how to use onwards I would like to say, I'm going to be free from next week, and the followings ones, Could I say, I'm going to be free from next week onward ?? Thanks in advance, The Spanish sentence is: Voy a estar libre a partir de la semana que viene.