The daughters of Dominican immigrants achieved the American dream. They’re bringing sweet...
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EN: Present Perfect Tense (have + past participle): Used to describe an action that happened at an unspecified time in the past and has a result or relevance in the present.
They have opened a new restaurant in the city.
EN: Prepositional Phrases as Modifiers: 'From New York' and 'in the Dominican Republic' provide specific details about the subject and the location of the action.
The girl from London is studying in Paris.
EN: The Dominican Republic is one of the world's leading producers of organic cocoa. For many Dominican-Americans, returning to invest in their ancestral homeland is a way to bridge their dual identities and support local economic development.
EN: Relative Clauses with 'who': A relative clause provides more information about a noun (the antecedent). 'Who' is used as a relative pronoun to refer to people and acts as the subject of the clause.
I know a teacher who lives in New York.
EN: The Subject-Verb-Complement (SVC) structure: In this sentence, 'are' is a linking verb connecting the subject (Janett and Erika) to the subject complement (the daughters), which describes who they are.
They are students from a local college.
EN: The Dominican diaspora in the United States, particularly in New York City (Queens and Washington Heights), is one of the largest immigrant groups. Many maintain strong ties to their homeland, often investing back into the Dominican economy, as seen with the Liriano sisters.
EN: Passive Voice (be + past participle): Used when the subject receives the action. Here, 'were encouraged' shows the parents performed the action of encouraging.
The students were inspired by the guest speaker.
EN: Compound Predicate: A sentence where one subject performs two or more actions connected by a conjunction like 'and'. Here, the sisters 'grew up' and 'were encouraged'.
He opened the door and walked into the room.
EN: Queens is one of the five boroughs of New York City and is known for being one of the most ethnically diverse urban areas in the world, which aligns with the sisters' background as children of immigrants.
EN: Present Perfect Tense (has + past participle): Used to describe an action that started in the past and continues to have an effect or relevance in the present.
The movie has influenced many young artists.
EN: Prepositional Phrase as a Modifier: The phrase 'of entrepreneurship' acts as an adjective to describe the specific type of 'story'.
The history of the city is very interesting.
EN: The phrase 'both countries' refers to the United States (where the sisters grew up) and the Dominican Republic (their ancestral homeland). This highlights the 'transnational' identity common among many immigrant families in the U.S.
EN: The preposition 'Before' can be followed by a gerund (verb + -ing) when the subject of the main clause is the same as the person performing the action in the phrase. This shortens the sentence from 'Before they started...'.
Before moving to London, he worked as a teacher.
EN: The Past Perfect tense ('had' + past participle) is used to describe an action that was completed before another point in time or another action in the past.
By the time I arrived, the meeting had already started.
EN: New York City is often seen as a global hub for competitive industries like finance, fashion, and pharmaceuticals. Having a 'successful career in New York' implies a high level of professional achievement and resilience.
EN: The Passive Voice (be + past participle) is used here because Janett did not 'name' herself; she was chosen or selected by the Forbes organization. 'Was named' indicates the action was performed on the subject.
He was elected as the class president last week.
EN: The phrase 'in one's late twenties' refers to the ages of 27, 28, or 29. Similarly, 'early' refers to 21-23, and 'mid' refers to 24-26.
She started her own business in her early thirties.
EN: The 'Forbes 30 Under 30' is a prestigious set of lists issued annually by Forbes magazine. It recognizes young entrepreneurs, leaders, and stars across various industries. Being named to this list is considered a significant career milestone in the United States.
EN: The preposition 'as' is used to describe a person's role, job, or function. It is followed by a noun that indicates the specific position held.
He works as a software engineer at a tech startup.
EN: The Past Simple tense ('worked') is used here to describe a completed action or state in the past. It indicates that she no longer holds this position.
They lived in London for five years before moving to Paris.
EN: The title 'Chief of Staff' in a corporate setting often refers to a high-level position that acts as a strategic advisor to a top executive (like a CEO). It is a role that requires strong organizational and leadership skills.
EN: The Past Continuous tense (was/were + verb-ing) is used to describe an action that was in progress at a specific time in the past, often providing background information for a story.
He was working as a teacher when he met his wife.
EN: A non-restrictive relative clause starts with 'which' after a comma. It provides extra information about the preceding noun or clause rather than defining it.
She lives in London, which is the capital of the UK.
EN: Venture capital (VC) is a significant part of the American business ecosystem, especially in tech hubs like New York and Silicon Valley. It represents a high-stakes, high-reward career path that is often seen as a symbol of professional success.
EN: The word 'that' is used here as a conjunction to introduce a noun clause (that something important was missing...). This clause acts as the direct object of the verb 'felt', explaining exactly what they felt.
I believe that hard work leads to success.
EN: When using indefinite pronouns like 'something', 'anything', or 'nothing', the adjective (important) must be placed after the pronoun, not before it.
Is there anything interesting in the news today?
EN: In Western career narratives, the feeling that 'something is missing' often precedes a major shift toward entrepreneurship or social impact, reflecting a cultural value placed on personal fulfillment over mere financial success.
EN: The Past Simple tense is used to describe completed actions at a specific time in the past. Here, 'started' indicates a one-time event that occurred in 2019.
The project began two months ago.
EN: Prepositional phrases starting with 'for' and 'during' provide additional information. 'For' indicates purpose or association (the idea for the business), while 'during' indicates the time period when something happened.
We met during the summer break.
EN: In many cultures, including Dominican and American, family gatherings are significant events where important life decisions or business ideas are often discussed and supported by the extended family.
EN: The sentence uses the Past Participle Phrase 'using cacao and coffee' as a present participle (V-ing) modifier. It functions as an adjective or adverb to describe how the action was performed or to provide more detail about the object.
She relaxed on the sofa reading a book.
EN: The Simple Past Tense (made) is used to describe a completed action that took place at a specific time in the past (early 2019).
They built a small garden last summer.
EN: In the Dominican Republic, cacao and coffee are major agricultural exports. A traditional drink often mentioned in this context is 'Chocolate de Maní' or simple spiced hot cocoa, which is a staple in Dominican households and represents a deep connection to the land.
EN: The verb 'begin' can be followed by a gerund (verb-ing) to indicate the start of an action. In this sentence, 'talking' acts as the direct object of the verb 'began'.
He began running every morning to improve his health.
EN: The preposition 'about' is used here to introduce the topic of the conversation. When a verb follows a preposition, it must be in the gerund form (-ing), which is why we use 'starting'.
We are thinking about moving to a new city.
EN: The Dominican Republic is one of the world's leading producers of organic cocoa. For many Dominican-American families, cocoa is not just a commodity but a deep cultural link to their heritage and the traditional 'chocolate de agua' drink.
EN: The 'too... to...' structure is used to indicate that something is excessive to the point that a certain action cannot happen. It conveys a negative result without using a negative word like 'not'.
The coffee was too hot to drink.
EN: Reported Speech (Indirect Speech): When reporting what someone said in the past, the tense of the verb in the reported clause usually 'shifts back' (e.g., 'is' becomes 'was').
He said he was happy with the results.
EN: In modern professional culture, being 'too busy at work' is a common reason for delaying personal projects, but the story highlights a shift from corporate loyalty to personal entrepreneurship.
EN: The verb 'tell' follows the pattern 'tell + someone + to + verb (infinitive)'. This is used to report an instruction or advice given to someone.
My teacher told me to study harder for the final exam.
EN: 'Instead of' is a prepositional phrase followed by a gerund (verb-ing) or a noun. It is used to indicate that one action or thing is chosen or suggested over another.
He decided to walk to school instead of taking the bus.
EN: In many immigrant families in the U.S., there is a strong emphasis on 'the American Dream,' where parents encourage children to achieve more than they did. The Liriano parents' advice reflects a shift from survival (working for others) to self-actualization (entrepreneurship).
EN: The Present Perfect tense (has + past participle) is used here to describe a state that started in the past and continues to be true in the present. In this case, 'has' functions as the main verb indicating possession of a connection.
The company has a long history of innovation.
EN: The preposition 'to' is used after the noun 'connection' to indicate the relationship or link between two things (the family and farming).
He has a strong connection to his hometown.
EN: The Dominican Republic is a major global producer of organic cocoa. For many Dominican immigrant families in the US, maintaining a connection to their agricultural roots is a point of pride and a way to support their home country's economy.
EN: The Past Simple tense is used to describe completed actions or states in the past. Regular verbs like 'work' add '-ed' to form the past tense.
He worked as a teacher for ten years before retiring.
EN: Possessive nouns are formed by adding an apostrophe and 's' ('s) to a singular noun or a plural noun not ending in 's'. If a plural noun ends in 's', only an apostrophe is added.
The students' grades improved after the extra lessons.
EN: The term 'farmhand' often implies a manual laborer who does not own the land they work on. In the context of the Dominican Republic, this highlights the humble beginnings of the Liriano family and the significance of the sisters now providing ownership stakes to farmers.
EN: The possessive 's (apostrophe s) is used to show ownership or relationship. When a noun already ends in 's' (like 'father's'), we add 's to indicate possession. In this sentence, it shows the family belongs to the father.
My sister's friend lives in London.
EN: The word 'still' is an adverb of time used to describe an action or situation that continues to happen and has not changed or stopped.
They still live in the same house after twenty years.
EN: The Dominican Republic is one of the world's leading producers of organic cocoa. For many Dominican families, owning a small cocoa farm is a traditional way of life and a source of pride, even for those who have emigrated to the U.S.
EN: Noun Clauses with 'that': The word 'that' introduces a noun clause that functions as the direct object of the reporting verb 'explained'. It tells us exactly what Janett said.
He said that the movie was very exciting.
EN: Reporting Verbs in Past Tense: When using a reporting verb like 'explained' in the past tense, the information being reported often follows the rules of backshift, though it can remain in the present tense if the statement is still a general truth.
The teacher explained that the earth revolves around the sun.
EN: The Dominican Republic is often stereotyped as a developing nation focused solely on tourism or agriculture. Janett's statement challenges this by highlighting the country's potential and the systemic issue of wealth distribution rather than a lack of resources.
EN: The sentence uses a 'Noun Clause' starting with 'that' as a subject complement. This clause follows the linking verb 'was' to explain what 'the problem' actually was.
The truth is that we need more time to finish the project.
EN: The sentence employs 'Reported Speech' (Indirect Speech). Since the main verb 'said' is in the past tense, the verbs in the reported clause ('was', 'did not receive') are also shifted to the past tense to maintain backshift consistency.
He said that he was happy with the results.
EN: The sentence touches on the concept of 'Fair Trade'. In many developing nations, farmers produce high-value crops like cacao but receive very little of the final profit. The Liriano sisters' business model aims to fix this systemic economic inequality.
EN: The verb 'decide' is followed by a 'to-infinitive' (to + base verb) when expressing a choice or intention to perform an action.
We decided to move to a bigger house.
EN: The verb 'give' is a ditransitive verb, which can take two objects: an indirect object (local farmers) and a direct object (a stake).
She gave her brother a birthday present.
EN: The phrase 'a stake in' refers to 'equity' or ownership. In social entrepreneurship, giving farmers a stake is a way to ensure 'Fair Trade' and empower local communities, moving beyond just paying for raw materials.
EN: The phrase 'This means that...' is used to introduce a noun clause that explains the implication or result of a previous statement. 'That' acts as a conjunction connecting the main verb to the explanation.
The light is red, which means that you must stop.
EN: Parallel structure with 'and': When connecting two actions performed by the same subject (farmers), the verbs should be in the same form. Here, 'own' and 'share' are both present tense plural verbs.
They live in the city and work at a bank.
EN: The concept of giving farmers a 'stake' or ownership in a company is part of the 'Fair Trade' and 'Social Entrepreneurship' movement. It aims to fix economic inequality by ensuring producers receive more than just a basic wage.
EN: Gerund as Subject: The word 'working' is a gerund (verb + -ing acting as a noun). Here, the entire phrase 'working hard for others' serves as the subject of the subordinate clause.
Learning a new language opens many doors.
EN: Ditransitive Verb (Teach): The verb 'taught' is the past tense of 'teach', which can take two objects: an indirect object (them) and a direct object (valuable skills).
He taught me how to cook.
EN: The concept of 'working for others' versus 'entrepreneurship' is a common theme in American immigrant stories. Many immigrants value the skills learned in traditional employment as a stepping stone to starting their own businesses, reflecting the 'American Dream' of upward mobility.
EN: The phrase 'Because of' is a compound preposition used to introduce a reason or cause. It must be followed by a noun or a noun phrase, not a full clause with a subject and verb.
Because of the heavy rain, the football match was cancelled.
EN: The verb 'want' is a transitive verb that is commonly followed by an 'infinitive' (to + base verb) to express a desire to perform an action.
They want to travel around the world next year.
EN: The term 'farming communities' in this context refers to the social and economic groups of small-scale farmers in developing nations. In the Dominican Republic, this often involves cocoa or coffee farmers who historically have faced economic challenges due to global supply chain structures.
EN: The Present Perfect Tense (have + past participle) is used here to describe an action that happened at an unspecified time in the past and has a result or relevance in the present.
Scientists have shown that exercise improves mental health.
EN: The Noun Clause starting with 'that' acts as the direct object of the verb 'shown'. It contains a complete sentence structure (subject + verb + object) to express a fact or idea.
I believe that they will win the game.
EN: The concept of 'giving back to the homeland' is a significant theme in immigrant stories. It reflects the 'brain gain' or economic contribution that successful diaspora members provide to their countries of origin, often through investment or social entrepreneurship.
Key vocabulary words with IPA pronunciation, definitions, example sentences, and interactive quizzes.
Phrases with type tags, bilingual definitions, usage notes, and example sentences.
To set high goals and have high ambitions.
Money invested in a new business that involves a lot of risk.
A senior manager who acts as an aide to a high-ranking executive.
A reasonable price for a product or service that is honest and impartial.