Adjectives And Adverbs

Adjectives and adverbs

Confusing words & expressions

Adjectives and adverbs 'actually', 'in fact' and 'well'

Yukki from Japan writes: Could you please tell me the difference between actually, in fact and well? I think all of them can be used to correct the previous utterance. Is there any difference between them? They are all very similar, but there are also slight differences in use. actually / in fact Both actually and in fact can be used to modify or contradict a previous statement: I hear that you're a doctor. ~ Well, actually, I'm a dentist. Well, it may sound very straightforward to you, but in fact it's all very complicated. Would you agree with me that teachers should refrain from socialising with their students? ~ Well, actually I think it's a good idea for them to socialise - up to a certain point! Actually and in fact can also be used to introduce more detailed information or to make things clearer or more precise: I'm going to take on a bit more responsibility now that Kevin's left ~ John, that's wonderful news. ~ Yes, well, actually / in fact I've been promoted to senior sales manager. I got so bored listening to what he was saying that I actually fell asleep / in fact I fell asleep half way through his presentation. Note that we can also use in actual fact or as a matter of fact to clarify matters or to introduce new information: I got so bored with what he was saying that in actual fact / as a matter of fact I dozed off before he'd finished speaking. Actually is sometimes used to introduce unwelcome news: Richard wants to invite us to spend the weekend at his cottage in the Lake District. Isn't that exciting? ~ Well, actually, I've already said we can't go.

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Note that when actually is placed at the end of the clause, it confirms news that others do not expect: I don't suppose you've posted my letters, have you? ~ I have, actually. Did you enjoy that modern opera at Covent Garden? ~ I did, actually. Very much. well Well is more widely used as a discourse marker than in fact or actually. As we can see from the examples above and below it is very widely used to indicate that we are about to say something. It is sometimes used to give the speaker more time to think: So how much do you want for your 1999 Renault? ~ Well, I was thinking of £2,500. So how do you propose to furnish the house? ~ Well, I thought we might invest in some second-hand furniture. Well is also used to introduce a statement which indicates that expectations have not been fulfilled: You know I said I thought I might go skiing with Jamie this year? Well, I'm not going to now. How was the tennis lesson? ~ Well, in actual fact, we forgot to go. Well can also be used to soften corrections or criticism: You live in South Kensington, don't you? Well, Pimlico, actually. You do like my yellow dress, don't you? ~ Well, yes, it's quite nice. But I think the blue one would have suited you more. Why didn't you give Bob a lift back home? ~ Well, how was I supposed to know he was at the match? I couldn't find my way to the music centre. ~ Well, why didn't you ask me? Well can also serve to introduce important information: You know I've been seeing a lot of Eddie lately? ~ Hmm. ~ Well, we're going to get engaged. Oh well! If you say oh well, you are saying that you accept the situation as it is, even though you are not very happy about it: I'm afraid you'll have to pull out of the trip to Greece. ~ Oh well, it doesn't matter. I'm afraid I forget to save that document and now I've lost it. ~ Oh well, it can't be helped. I'll just have to re-type it.

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Adjective order I tried to answer latest Quiznet programme on your site of adjective order. I found it a bit tricky and difficult, so could you please give me any help of this matter. And Belen says: May I ask which the correct order in adjectives is? Hi Pasan and hello Belen! When we use two or more adjectives together to describe a noun, the order we put them in is quite important. For example, we don't usually say an old Indian beautiful carpet. It sounds much better say a beautiful old Indian carpet. As a general rule, adjectives are usually placed in this order: opinion > size > quality > age > shape > colour > participle forms > origin > material type > purpose The phrase a beautiful old Indian carpet follows these guidelines:

a

1 quality beautiful

4 age old

8 origin Indian

noun carpet

You don't have to include an example of every type of adjective, but the ones you do use should follow the order. So if you wanted to add red and green to the phrase a beautiful old Indian carpet, you would put it between old and Indian like this:

a

1 opinion beautiful

4 age old

6 8 colour origin red and green Indian

noun carpet

It sometimes helps to remember the order of adjective if you consider that adjectives whose meaning is closely, or permanently, connected to the noun are placed nearer to it in the sentence. So in this phrase: a large comfortable wooden chair – wooden has a very close connection with chair .

a

2

3

size

quality

large

comfortable

10 material type wooden

noun chair

Here are some more examples: 3 7 quality participle noun a new improved recipe 1 3 10 opinion quality type an old-fashioned romantic candle-lit

noun dinner for two

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Sometimes we can use but between adjectives, especially if their meanings seem contradictory. 2 size small

a

but

3 quality tasty

noun meal

If we use 2 adjectives that are similar in meaning, we usually put the shorter one first: a soft, comfortable cushion. I hope that's answered your interesting English questions, Pasan and Belen! Catherine

Adverbials

A group a Spanish learners of English have written with the following question: Hello! We are Spanish students and we want to find out all we can about adverbials in English with explanations and examples. An adverbial is an adverb, adverbial phrase or adverbial clause which gives us additional information about e.g. the time, place, or manner of the action which is described in the rest of the sentence: •

We have been living here in this house for over twenty years.

•

We were sleeping peacefully in our beds when the earthquake struck.

From these examples, you can see that the most common position for adverbials is at the end of the sentence Place adverbials (here in this house) come before time adverbials (for over twenty years). Manner adverbials (peacefully) come before place adverbials (in our beds). They do not always follow this pattern. This applies particularly to adverbial clauses. In the above example we could begin with the adverbial clause, if it was important to highlight it at this stage in the discourse: •

When the earthquake struck, we were sleeping peacefully in our beds.

Thus, adverbials answer questions such as: Where?

When?

How?

How often?

How long?

How much?

Where did you arrange to meet him? ~ I arranged to meet him outside the bank.

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Why?

Why did you arrange to meet him there? So that he could give me the money. How long did you wait for him? I waited for half an hour but he didn't arrive. When did you first meet him? We first met when he became the manager of the bank. How often have you been seeing him since then? Once a week, usually. More frequently, if his wife was away. Note from the above examples that adverbs of frequency are often placed in midposition in the sentence, as well as at end-position. Placing them before the subject is sometimes also possible: • • •

I sometimes call on my younger sister when I'm in London I never see my older sister, but occasionally I call my younger sister. Yes I see her from time to time. We get together once in a blue moon.

adverbial clauses A wide variety of different conjunctions are used to initiate adverbial clauses which function as the adverbial part of a main clause. Some of the most common are listed below: time:

when, after, before, as soon as

reason:

because, since, as

purpose:

so that, in order to

contrast:

although, whereas

comparison:

as if, as though

condition:

if, provided (that), so long as, in case

•

We served drinks as soon as our friends arrived. After we had eaten, we played cards.

•

We moved to Cornwall because we wanted to live in the countryside. As the winters in the north east can be quite harsh, we decided to move to the south west.

•

I finished work early in order to catch the 4.30 train. I left work early so that I could catch the 4.30 train.

•

When I arrived home I went to see Joan although it was very late. Whereas in the 70s and 80s most men worked until they were 60 or 65, nowadays most retire when they are in their fifties.

•

He shook my hand warmly as if / as though he had known me for years.

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•

You can borrow my car on Saturday, provided / so long as you return it by seven o' clock in the evening. Take a packed lunch with you, in case you get hungry.

adverbs of manner Note that not all adverbs of manner which answer the question How…? end in -ly. Most of them do, like this: •

How did they sleep? ~ They slept peacefully

•

How well does she dance ~ She dances sublimely

But common exceptions include: hard

fast

straight

late

•

He worked hard in order to pass the exam

•

He was driving straight at me and I ran very fast to get out of his way.

•

There was a power failure earlier today and the trains are all running late now.

Note also that adjectives that end in -ly, e.g. lively, lovely silly, friendly, cannot form the adverb by adding another -ly as this would be impossible to pronounce. Instead some other way must be found: •

He behaved in such a silly way I was ashamed of him Surprisingly, they were dancing in a very lively manner at the over 60s disco.

adjectives: appropriate/suitable and adequate/sufficient/enough Rosana Mendes Campos from Brazil writes: In Portuguese, we have one word, appropriado, which is used to talk about manners and something that is fitted to a purpose. We use this word when we refer to social rules and behaviour and when we talk about what one should, for example, wear under this or when we talk about weather conditions. I understand that in English you have three different words with different usages, namely appropriate, suitable and adequate. Could you please explain and illustrate the differences in use of these three words in English? appropriate ~ suitable Appropriate and suitable are both qualitative adjectives - i.e. they describe the quality of something - and are very similar in meaning and usage. As you suggest, they carry the meaning of 'fitted, suited to a purpose.' They are both placed as modifiers before nouns and they are both used as complements after the verb be, although appropriate is perhaps more commonly used in this way, especially with

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the pronoun it. They are both used with the preposition for and are often used with negative prefixes. The adjectival form suitable (for) sometimes crops us in the verb format suited (to). Study the following examples: • • • • • • • •

It is inappropriate to make jokes at funerals. It was inappropriate for her to joke with the Queen in such a light-hearted manner. The clothes she was wearing were quite unsuitable/inappropriate for the cold weather. Does this dress suit me? ~ Oh yes, it does. And it's very suitable/appropriate for formal occasions. It is a very violent film and is considered unsuitable/inappropriate for children to watch. I'm glad you praised him for that. It was an appropriate thing to do. He is just not suited to/suitable for this type of work. Such small flats are not really suitable for couples with young children. It is unsuitable/inappropriate accommodation.

adequate ~ sufficient ~ enough Adequate, sufficient and enough are slightly different in meaning. If something is adequate, there is enough of it, but only just enough. If there is sufficient quantity of something, this suggests that there is as much of it as you need. Usage of these adjectives often denotes quantity rather than quality, whereas appropriate and suitable suggest a qualitative response to something. Study the following examples: • • • • • • •

The pay was adequate, but it certainly wasn't generous. The rate of pay £5.50 an hour - was barely adequate to raise a family on. His answer to the question was adequate but it wasn't developed sufficiently to gain high marks. The Prime Minister gave an inadequate reply to the journalist's question. The action taken to combat the spread of malaria was quite inadequate. There were not enough seats for all the guests. The supply of seats was quite inadequate. There was easily enough food for every one. There was a sufficient amount of food. There was insufficient evidence to convict him of house-breaking.

Approximately / Roughly / About / Nearly Dear Sirs, Could you please explain the difference in usage of approximately, roughly, about, nearly? Many thanks in advance.- Samad Hi Samad. I wonder why you asked this question – are you by any chance writing a report?! All of the words you list above are adverbs which describe a quantity or variation in quantity. Well, these words are known as degree adverbs and one of the

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differences between the words you mention is their degree of formality, which would affect the times you use them. Approximately, about, nearly and roughly are most usually used to modify measurements or quantities. And I’m going to start with the adverb which is more formal in tone, which is approximately. Just listen to these examples: Approximately half of the residents in the survey stated that they agreed with the government’s plan to reduce traffic in the city centre. Police say that the main suspect charged in the case escaped from custody approximately twelve days ago. I think Samad, you’ll realise that these examples could be part of an academic paper or an official report. It’s not impossible to use approximately in speech, but you’d be far more likely to use roughly, nearly or about in everyday situations and the rest of my explanation will look at the use of these three adverbs. Jane told me that she spends nearly one-third of her salary on rent. I guess there’ll be roughly thirty people going to the party tonight. Because the traffic was bad, it took about four hours to get to my aunt’s house. By about five o’clock, the library was deserted. It’s possible to interchange roughly and about in each of these four sentences with the same meaning. About can be confusing for learners when they first see it as a degree adverb, because they’re familiar with its use in prepositional phrases, such as Books and newspapers were spread about all over the room. Nearly is slightly different to roughly and about, because nearly means ‘almost’, or ‘not quite’. So, if Jane spends nearly one-third of her salary on rent, it means that she spends just under one-third. If we said roughly or about, her rent could be slightly more or slightly less than one-third. If it takes me nearly ten minutes to walk to the station, it means it takes me not quite ten minutes. All of these adverbs could be used in writing too, but if you’re writing a report it’d be usual to enter the actual figures or percentages in brackets, so: Roughly half (53%) of the children in the study could not identify the US on a map of the world. In conversation, we often use about when talking about time: Shall we meet at about seven o’clock? He says he’ll be here in about five minutes. And interestingly, we often talk about distances in terms of time:

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I live about half an hour out of town. It’s about three hours on the train to London. Well, Samad, thank you for your question, I think that’s about all I have to say about these adverbs!

'As well as' and 'in addition to' Van Anh from Vietnam asks: My question is: what is followed by as well as? For example, can we say I can swim as well as cook well?

I think it all depends on whether it is used as part of an adverbial phrase when making comparisons, in which case the infinitive or simple form of the verb is the norm, or whether it is used as a conjunction introducing clauses of comparison and similar in meaning to in addition to, in which case the '-ing' pattern is required. Let us compare the two usages: as + adj + as + clause/phrase as + adv + as + clause/phrase For example: • • • • • •

'I saw as many as three thousand people at the concert.' 'He was badly injured, but I did as much as I could to make him comfortable.' 'I waited for as long as I dared, but when it got dark, I went home.' 'Please come as quickly as you can. My father is very ill.' 'The Irish played as well as the Scots but didn't convert as many attempts on goal.' 'Richardson was as good an actor as Gieldgud (was).'

Note that if an adjective is placed between as and the noun, a / an must be placed after the adjective. What is interesting in your example, Van Anh, is that if you say: 'I can swim as well as cook well', you are stating that these are two things that you can do, whereas if you say: 'I can swim as well as I can cook', you are stating that you can do both these things to an equal degree of proficiency. When we use as well as - similar in meaning and usage to in addition to - as a subordinating conjunction, the '-ing' form in the verb which follows is required: •

'As well as playing tennis with Steve three times during the week, I (also) play badminton with my wife at the weekend.'

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•

'In addition to working on his Ph.D. dissertation, he (also) translates articles for The Weekly Review.'

Note here that the adverb as well is similar in meaning to as well as and is often used as an alternative to too. Note that both as well and too must be used at the end of the sentence: • • •

'We enjoyed a rare night out last night. We ate at Luigi's, and went to the cinema as well.' ( = As well as eating out, we (also) went to the cinema.) 'We eat well here in Sardinia. The wine is excellent too.' 'My wife is a chemist and both her parents were chemists as well.'

Note the special use of as long as which is similar in meaning and use to provided that. Both are more emphatic forms of if and are used to introduce conditions: • •

'As long as you promise to help me, I don't mind cooking for twelve people on Easter Sunday.' 'I'll join you on this skiing holiday, provided I can have my own room at the hotel.'

'beside' / 'besides' and 'toward' / 'towards' Sanjay Khumar Bhola from India asks: I often confuse the difference between beside and besides. Please clear up my confusion. It is quite important not to confuse them, for they are different in meaning and usage. beside Beside is a preposition, similar in meaning to 'next to', 'at the side of' or 'by': • •

'Where is the apple orchard?' 'It’s right beside the main road. You can’t miss it!' 'We were lying beside the pool when the phone rang. It was his boss wanting to know why he wasn’t at work.'

It is often used with verbs such as 'standing', 'sitting', 'lying'. It is also used in the expression beside the point when referring to something that is not relevant to the subject under discussion: •

'Modern art isn’t really art at all!' 'That’s beside the point when so many young people respond to it with such interest. They regard it as art.'

besides Besides is a preposition, meaning 'in addition to', 'as well as' or 'apart from':

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• •

'What exam subjects are you taking besides English and maths?' 'Were there any boys at the party besides Matt and Dillon?'

It can also introduce a participial phrase: •

'Besides bruising his face, he cut his lip and bloodied his nose.'

Besides also functions as an adverb, meaning 'as well', 'furthermore' or 'anyway'. It is often used to introduce an afterthought. Consider these examples: • •

'It’s too late to start a round of golf now. We shall never finish before dark. Besides, it’s starting to rain.' 'He doesn’t have very much money and he doesn’t have very many prospects. Besides, he’s far too young to think of getting married.'

toward - towards What about towards and toward? One of my own students was worried that there might be similar pitfalls in store for her when using these prepositions. Well, I can re-assure all of you that these prepositions can be used quite interchangeably and that there is no difference in meaning. The only slight difference in usage is that toward is perhaps more characteristic of American English and towards more usual in British English. Toward or towards means 'in the direction of': • •

'Can you see that light over there?' 'I think it’s coming towards us.' 'There are always more mosquitoes in the air toward evening. Have you noticed?'

Busy 'with' or 'about' Pierre from Malaysia writes: 'What are you busy with?' or 'What are you busy about?' Which sentence is correct? I have not heard 'What are you busy about?' before and find it unnatural. 'What are you busy with?' as in 'What are you busy with this morning?' is fine as a question, but I don't think you would repeat busy with in your reply. Instead, if you were a university lecturer, you might say: 'Oh, I've got so much to do. I've got essays to mark and reports to write and then I've got to go to the Dean's reception before lunch!' You often use busy directly with the present participle, as in: 'I was busy ironing when Jeremy arrived.' No preposition is then required. Adverb/adjective collocations: utterly excited? Why can't you say utterly excited? Thank you. utter - utterly Utterly doesn't go with excited because if you are excited about something that is normally a positive emotion and both utter and utterly (meaning

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complete/completely) have negative meanings and are used only in negative contexts: To say that we'll be landing on Jupiter in 2010 is utter nonsense. If you think that, then you are a complete and utter fool. To spend all day window-shopping, especially at Christmas, is an utter waste of time. They had no means of support and were utterly dependent on their parents. To suggest that there should be a total ban on smoking is utterly ridiculous.

complete - completely Complete and completely are much more neutral and can be used in positive, neutral and negative contexts: Jon has sent me ten red roses and that has come as a complete surprise. I'm a pessimist and she's an optimist so she's the complete opposite of me. He has lied to me so there is a complete breakdown of trust between us. The PM's treatment for an irregular heartbeat has been completely successful. When I go on holiday next year, I'm looking for something completely different. Dozens of homes have been completely destroyed in the floods.

However, despite the flexibility of this adjective/adverb, we cannot say completely excited. One of the hallmarks of a proficient language learner is knowing which adverbs collocate with which adjectives. So, which adverbs go best with excited? terrible - terribly One of the most common adverbs used with excited is terribly. Note that the adjective terrible (meaning horrible, dreadful, awful) can only be used in negative contexts but the adverb terribly can describe extreme behaviour in both negative and positive contexts.: What's wrong? You look terrible. ~ I'm in terrible pain. His sudden death came as a terrible shock to the entire family. Prison life is terrible and I have the most terrible nightmares every night. The children were terribly upset when their pet dalmation puppy died. Children in Britain get terribly excited on Christmas morning when they come down to open their presents.

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awful - awfully Note that awful and awfully follow a similar pattern. As an adjective, awful is used only in negative contexts, but as an adverb awfully has both negative and positive meanings: It's an awful shame that she's unable to come back home for the holidays. She was late and I was worried that something awful had happened to her. He was awfully drunk. It was an embarrassment to have him there. He may get on your nerves, but he has always been awfully nice to me. She's awfully pretty, don't you think? The most striking person in the room! It's awfully good of you to find the time to help us with this. awesome Note that awesome, meaning very impressive and sometimes a little frightening is a favourite adjective used by young people and people in the media currently: Thierry Henry's ability as a footballer is just awesome. It was an awesome party. We danced all night and then watched the sun coming up over the sea. No better way to welcome in the New Year. adjectives: comparitive and superlative forms

Babak Bagheri studying English in Canada writes: As you know, two-syllable adjectives ending in -y take the suffixes -ier and -iest for their comparitive and superlative forms. But what do you do when you have hyphenated adjectives? Does easy-going become easier-going or more easy-going? And does user-friendly become user-friendlier?

You are quite right, Babek, two-syllable adjectives ending in -y have -ier and -iest as their comparative and superlative. Thus:

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pretty happy dirty messy • •

prettier happier dirtier messier

prettiest happiest dirtiest messiest

Yours is the messiest room I have ever seen. She was the prettiest and happiest girl at the party.

Note that other common two-syllable adjectives ending in an unstressed vowel normally take the -er/-est patterns: simple clever •

simpler cleverer

simplest cleverest

The cleverest solution to any problem is usually the simplest one.

Others, particularly participial adjectives formed with -ing and -ed and those ending in -ious and -ful form their comparatives and superlatives with more and most: boring worried anxious careful • • •

more more more more

boring worried anxious careful

most most most most

boring worried anxious careful

Watching cricket is even more boring than playing it. My wife was certainly more anxious than I was when Penny failed to return. I bought the wrong type of hair shampoo for Joan. Next time I was more careful.

Note that most sometimes means very: • • •

I was most careful to leave the room as tidy as I had found it. I became most anxious when I heard that there had been a fire at the hospital. I was most impressed by Deborah’s performance as Lady Macbeth.

With some two-syllable adjectives, er/est and more/most are both possible: • •

The commonest /most common alcoholic drink in Poland is vodka. He is more pleasant /pleasanter to talk to when he has not been drinking.

Three or more syllable adjectives take more or most in the comparative and superlative except for two-syllable adjectives ending in -y and prefixed with un-: reasonable

more reasonable

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most reasonable

beautiful untidy unhealthy •

more beautiful untidier unhealthier

most beautiful untidiest unheathiest

John is the unhealthiest person I know, but one of the most successful.

Hyphenated adjectives, which are also known as compound adjectives, normally use more and most for the comparative and superlative forms. This is the general rule. Sometimes we have to use more/most if, for example, the adjectival part of the compound ends in -ed. So, sun-tanned would have to be more sun-tanned, just as tanned would have to be more tanned: •

You’re more sun-tanned than I am.

Sometimes it is not so clear-cut, so we would say that one form is more likely than the other. In your examples, Babek, both are quite possible, it seems to me.

adjectives with -er/-est, more/most, less/least in comparative/superlative

Kim from South Korea writes: In a BBC article on a business news web page, a journalist wrote: "The emerging markets that investors can easily put money into seem a lot more risky than they did." Shouldn't it be riskier? Can you explain? Thank you in advance. -er /-est or more/most with one/three-syllable adjectives? It is clear that adjectives of one syllable normally end in -er and -est in their comparative and superlative forms whilst the comparative and superlative of adjectives with three or more syllables are formed with more and most: • • •

The water in the pool was colder than I expected it to be on what was the hottest day of the year. They always go to the most expensive restaurants where you can see the most glamorous people in the world. The work I do is now more satisfying because the conditions under which I work are more satisfactory.

-er /-est or more/most with two-syllable adjectives? When it comes to two-syllable adjectives, the case is less clear cut. With some twosyllable adjectives, -er/-est and more/most are both possible: •

The water here is shallower / more shallow than it is further up the beach.

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•

The grey squirrel is one of the most common / commonest rodents that you will see in England.

Others, with particular endings, tend to folllow either one or the other pattern: -y > -ier Two-syllable adjectives which end with consonant + -y nearly always form their comparatives and superlatives with -ier and -iest: • •

You are one of the messiest people I know. Even Jane is tidier than you are. I'm busier than I used to be so I have to get up even earlier than before.

It would be unusual, I think, for the comparative or superlative to be formed with more or most in these examples. However, in your example, Kim, with risky, both patterns appear possible. It may be the case that more risky works well here because it is combined with a modifying phrase such as a lot. Compare also the following: •

Walking along this mountain path is much more risky in winter than it is in summer.

However, as a general rule, stick to -ier / -iest with two-syllable adjectives which end with consoant + y -ful / -less / -ing / -ed / -ous Note that two-syllable adjectives with these endings always form their comparatives and superlatives with more and most: • • • • •

Having a tooth extracted was more painful than I expected it to be. The situation is even more hopeless than I thought. She will never recover. The most boring part of the weekend was listening to Jane's jokes. I'm more worried than you are about Tom and I've only known him for two days. The two brothers are both well-known internationally, but I would say that Giles is the more famous.

less / least Note that when we are making the not-so-much comparison, less and least are the only options open to us, unless we use the construction not as…as: • •

I'm not as hungry today as I was yesterday. I am less hungry today than I was yesterday.

•

I was angriest with John about the spoilt weekend. I'm less angry with you. But I'm still angry, nevertheless.

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•

Why don't you sit here? This is the least uncomfortable of our chairs. Note that we tend not to use less and least to form comparatives / superlatives with one syllable adjectives, as short adjectives often have other words as their opposites. Compare the following:

• •

Your cooking is less bland than Mary's. - Your cooking is spicier than Mary's. It's less warm today, don't you think? - It's cooler today, don't you think?

as ... as and as Hello! I hope you are in the best of health. Would you kindly tell me what parts of speech as... as are. I know that we use adjectives or adverbs between them, but I don not know what they are themselves. Kind regards. as... as as adverb / preposition Look at this example: •

He came as quickly as he could.

This structure is used to measure and compare things that are of similar proportion. In this construction, the first as functions as an adverb modifying the following adjective or adverb. The second as functions as a preposition when it relates to the following noun or pronoun. (It can also function as a conjunction when it relates to the following clause.) Compare the following: • • • •

The meal was as good as the conversation: spicy and invigorating! She spoke as slowly as she could Has everybody eaten as much as they want? I hope you will agree that I am as imaginative a cook as my wife (is)!

Note from the above example that if there is an adjective and a noun after the first as, a / an must go between them. Note also that if we want to make a negative statement, we can use so…as instead of as…as: • •

He is not so / as intelligent as his sister is. The cafeteria was not so / as crowded as it was earlier.

There are a large number of idiomatic expressions or fixed phrases which we use in informal English when we are making comparisons like this. Here are a few of them in context: • • • •

He went as white as a sheet when he saw the ghost. My maths teacher is as deaf as a post and should have retired years ago. She sat there as quiet as a mouse and wouldn’t say anything. Electricity will be restored to our homes as soon as possible.

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• •

All the children were as good as gold when they came to visit me. These stories are as old as the hills and have been passed down from generation to generation.

Remember that when we are measuring or comparing things that are of unequal proportion, we need to use the structure comparative + than: • •

Let me finish the report. I can type much faster than you (can). He played the piece of music more slowly than I had ever heard it played before.

as as subordinating conjunction Note that as by itself is used as a subordinating conjunction in a variety of different ways. as = when (for clauses of time) We may use as as an alternative to when when we are comparing two short actions or events that happened or happen at the same period of time. We often combine it with just: • •

She left the house (just) as the sun was rising. The telephone rang (just) as I was climbing into my bath.

as = because (for clauses of reason) We may use as as an alternative to because when the reason is already known or self-evident to the reader of listener. As - clauses are often placed at the beginning of sentences. Because puts more emphasis on the reason or introduces new information. Compare the following: • • •

As Mary was the eldest child, she had to look after her younger brothers and sisters. As it had started to rain we had to abandon the picnic. I’ve decided to end our relationship because my boyfriend has been cheating on me.

as for clauses of proportion Here, as means over the same period of time as: • •

I think you become more tolerant of other people as you get older. As prices rose, the demand for higher salaries became more intense.

as as preposition Finally, note that as can also be used as a preposition when we want to avoid using the verb to be. Compare the following:

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• • • • • • •

As his father, it is your duty to ensure that he goes to school every day. As you are his father, it is your duty to ensure that he goes to school every day. As a social historian, I am always interested in people’s life styles. Being a social historian, I am always interested in people’s life styles. He established his reputation as a freedom fighter through many heroic acts. The police described him as a dangerous criminal. The police considered him to be a dangerous criminal

Tomokje, studying English in The Netherlands, writes: Sometimes when I read English newspapers or books I see some words with hyphens between them, for example densely-populated. I do not know what they are called, sometimes I do not know exactly what they mean. Finally, I would like to make them up by myself, but I don't know how. Could you please help me? Words like densely-populated are compound adjectives and they are made up of two or more words, normally with hyphens between them. Something that is dense contains a lot of things or people in a small area. Thus a densely-populated town or city is one with a high population count within the city boundaries. A denselywooded hill would be one that is difficult to get through because the trees are so close together. adj / adv + past participle Adjective or adverb plus past participle is one of the most common patterns for forming compound adjectives. Some common examples would include: cold-blooded

kind-hearted

old-fashioned

open-minded

brightly-lit

deeply-rooted

densely-populated

well-behaved

•

Most animals are warm-blooded but all reptiles are cold-blooded.

•

He was a cold-blooded murderer and showed no emotion of any kind.

•

She lived in an old-fashioned house, but was kind-hearted and openminded.

•

Nevertheless, she held deeply-rooted beliefs about the sanctity of marriage.

•

The dimly- / brightly-lit streets in our town encourage / discourage burglars.

Note that adverb / past participle combinations when they are used with a copular verb like be or seem, and come after the noun they modify, are not hyphenated:

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•

The streets in our town are dimly / brightly lit and encourage / discourage burglars.

There are sometimes many possible combinations, e.g. broad-minded, narrowminded, absent-minded, strong-minded, as well as open-minded. It is partly a matter of knowing which adjectives or adverbs collocate or go with which participles and nouns. We have brightly-lit streets, but also brightly-coloured dresses or swimsuits or sweets. Compound adjectives are regarded as productive features of English which means that use is not so restricted as it is in many categories of grammar. New combinations are always possible, so if you think something may work, try it out with your English-speaking friends, Tokmokje, and see if it is meaningful. For example, brightly-patterned curtains illustrates the productive nature of this combination, as would brightly-shining stars, and here we come to a new pattern, which is also very common: Adj / adv / noun + present participle Here are some common examples: good-looking

hard-wearing

free-standing

far-reaching

long-lasting

never-ending

labour-saving

mouth-watering

record-breaking

•

The good-looking chef was dressed in hard-wearing clothing and sitting in front of a free-standing cooker.

•

The dishes he had prepared with all the labour-saving devices at his disposal were all mouth-watering.

•

We signed a long-lasting agreement for his services which we hoped would be never-ending.

Other common patterns for compound adjectives include: • • • •

noun + past participle: shop-soiled, tongue-tied, sun-dried, noun + adjective: trouble-free, lead-free, world-famous, adj + noun: deep-sea, full-length, last-minute, number + noun: two-door, twenty-page, forty-mile.

•

When they refused to exchange the shop-soiled item, I was tongue-tied and didn't know what to say.

•

If you want trouble-free motoring, make sure you use only lead-free petrol.

•

The sun-dried tomatoes that we sell are world-famous.

•

She was wearing a full-length dress, quite unsuitable for deep-sea diving.

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•

The forty-mile journey in the two-door, open-top convertible was illadvised in such inclement weather.

Try out other combinations of these patterns for yourselves, e.g. four-door saloon, five-page document, well-advised, etc. Make a note of compound adjectives that you come across in your reading and note the way they are used with particular nouns.

concern, concerned, concerning Eunice Cheung from Hong Kong writes: I would like to ask about the differences in meaning and use between concern and its related forms concerned and concerning. Thanks a lot.

You are quite correct, Eunice, to suggest that concern and its related forms are used in a variety of different ways. Here are some of the most important. concerned (adj) = worried Note the different ways in which the adjectival form is used: •

Why do you keep ringing me? ~ Well, I'm concerned about you. Are you all right?

•

I was very concerned that my daughter might not have proper clothing for the skiing trip.

•

I was concerned for her safety as well. There have been a lot of avalanches recently.

•

There was a concerned expression on his face. I knew something awful had happened.

it concerns me = it worries me Note that when concern is employed as a verb in this way, it cannot be used in the first or second person and it is normally used with the preparatory subject it. Note also that concern is not normally used with progressive forms. We need to indicate the idea of progression in some other way. Compare the following: •

It concerns me that she'll be in London for a whole week on her own.

•

Rather than: That she'll be in London for a whole week on her own concerns me).

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•

Doesn't it concern you? She's only nineteen.

•

The pollution problem in that part of the river is beginning to concern all the local anglers.

concern (noun) = worry When concern is used as a noun, it expresses worry about a situation: •

There is growing concern that the climbers may have lost their lives.

•

He expressed deep concern about the way in which the elections had been held.

concern (verb) / concerning (prep) = about When you use concern or concerning in this way, you are indicating what a question or a topic is about. Concerning and relating to are the formal equivalents of the much more informal about. Compare the following: Why are you arguing? What's it all about? What does it concern? •

~ It's about the long lunch breaks enjoyed by the senior executives.

•

~ It concerns the long lunch breaks enjoyed by the senior executives.

•

For information concerning / relating to opening hours during the summer months, contact the club secretary.

•

If you want to know about opening hours in the summer months, give Joan a ring.

•

A number of questions had been tabled relating to / concerning the dangers of the new vaccine.

•

We had a lot of questions about people's concerns about the new vaccine.

concerned as past participle = involved / affected The participle modifies the noun or pronoun in these examples and can be used instead of a participle clause: •

There was a brawl outside the nightclub. Those concerned were held in custody overnight. / The youths (who were) involved were held in custody overnight.

•

Many have lost their savings. The pensioners concerned will receive substantial compensation / The pensioners who are affected by this will receive compensation.

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as far as I'm concerned = in my opinion When you want to express an opinion, you can use this formula as an alternative to in my view or in my opinion: •

As far as I'm concerned / In my view / In my opinion, the English football supporters should not be held responsible for starting the fight.

as far as x is concerned = concerning x You can use these expressions to introduce the topic that you wish to talk about or the issue you want to refer back to - i.e. it may have been raised once already and you, as the current speaker, want to return to that topic. As far as x is concerned is a bit less formal than concerning x: •

As far as foreign languages are concerned, I think they should be taught in primary schools.

•

Concerning foreign languages, in my view it is appropriate to teach them at primary school level.

'effect' 'affect' and 'efficient' 'effective' Warda Jamal from Pakistan asks: I always get confused in the usage of effect and affect. Please give examples of their use in sentences. Kisy Kesh from Guadaloupe writes: I’m 16 and I’ve been studying English for a few years now. I’d like to know the difference between efficient and effective and the way to use them. affect – effect Affect and effect are often confused, Warda, even by native speakers of English. The most important thing to remember is that affect is used as a verb and effect is normally used as a noun. When they are used in this way, they are similar in meaning, signifying ‘influence’, ‘impact’ or ‘change’. Compare the following: • • • • •

'The really hot weather affected everybody’s ability to work.' 'I know my neighbours play loud music late at night, but that doesn’t affect me.I can sleep through anything.' 'The number of tourists travelling to Britain this year has not been affected by the strength of the pound.' 'The tablets which he took every four hours had no noticeable effect on his headache.' 'My words of comfort had little effect. She just went on crying and wouldn’t stop.'

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Note: we talk about someone or something having an effect on something or someone. If we use effect as a verb, it means to ‘carry out’ or to ‘cause something to happen’, but it is used only in very formal English. Consider the following: •

'Repairs could not be effected because the machines were very old.'

efficient – effective These two qualitative adjectives are often confused, Kisy. If somebody or something is efficient, then he, she or it works in a well-organised way, without wasting time or energy. Consider the following examples: • • •

'She was efficient in everything she did and was frequently commended for exemplary service to the organisation.' 'He hasn’t made very efficient use of his time in revising for these exams: he has made no notes and his concentration spans appear to last for no longer than ten minutes.' 'This engine is really efficient, it can run for 30 km on only 1 litre of fuel.'

If something is effective, it works well and produces the results that were intended. Consider the following examples: • •

'These tablets really are effective. My headache’s much better now.' 'The only effective way to avoid hay fever at this time of the year, if you are a sufferer, is to stay indoors.'

Eminent / prominent Please, I could not understand the difference between eminent and prominent… Javed Ahmed. Hello Javed! Eminent and prominent are both adjectives, and they can both be used to talk about people who are very well-known and successful in their profession. Here are some example sentences: The proposal for the research centre has the backing of Sir David Jones, one of the world's most eminent statisticians. As a prominent local businessman, Mr Johnson served on many committees and was elected to be the chair of the board of governors. Eminent contains the idea of respected. For example, if a doctor is very well qualified, has had a lot of success in his or her career and is often asked to give advice to other doctors because he or she is known to be so good at the job, we can describe them as eminent. Prominent has the idea of being well-known and important. Bill Gates is a prominent figure in the world of computers, for example. Now, it's possible to be a prominent person without being eminent, since eminence depends on respect which is earned through skill, education, public recognition. For

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example, a pop star might be prominent but they probably wouldn't be described as eminent. And prominent has a couple of other meanings as well. It can mean 'easy to see or notice'. For example, we could say: His arm was badly cut in the accident and he has been left with a prominent scar. And a further meaning of prominent is 'sticking out', for example: The builders did a really bad job. The floor was very uneven and there was a prominent bump in one of the walls. So, let’s summarise. Prominent means well-known, noticeable and important. Eminent means highly qualified, successful and respected. Right, I hope that answers your question, Javed, and I hope that you become both prominent and eminent one day!

emphasizing adverbs Aydyn Türk from Turkey writes: I have been learning English for eight months but some adjectives and adverbs are still a problem for me, especially adverbs such as absolutely, definitely, certainly, exactly, etc. These mean almost the same thing in Turkish and I don’t know when to use them in English or which one to use. If you gave me some examples that would help me. - Thanks a lot. absolutely/definitely/certainly/exactly There is not very much difference in meaning or in use when these emphasizing adjectives are used to express strong agreement with a statement, question or suggestion. Absolutely is perhaps the strongest. If you use exactly, you are emphasizing that what someone has said is 100% correct. Compare the following: • • • • •

Doesn’t Sandra look stunning in that hat? Oh, absolutely! I couldn’t agree more. Geoffrey is a complete and utter fool. Absolutely! / Definitely! / Exactly! Will you come shopping with me on Saturday? Definitely! / Certainly! If we can’t find those tickets, we shan’t be able to get into the show. Exactly! Are you going to Turkey again this summer? Definitely! Without a doubt!

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absolutely/simply/utterly/totally/completely/perfectly These emphasizing adverbs are normally used with adjectives that are in themselves already quite absolute. They give even greater emphasis to what is said. Compare the following: • • • •

Your advice was invaluable – absolutely invaluable! I was simply amazed when she said that she was going to marry Henry. It was perfectly clear that she was serious and I was totally powerless to stop her. I felt that she was completely wrong to even think about it and I am utterly exhausted by it all.

completely or quite Note that quite can mean very much or completely. It can also mean fairly or to some extent. Compare the following: • •

Are you quite certain that Jack’s in Paris? Completely sure? I’m absolutely sure. Are you coming to the pub? No, I’m quite tired, a bit sleepy. I think I’ll go to bed.

certainly or surely When it is used in response to a request or suggestion, surely means certainly and they can be used interchangeably. Compare the following: • •

Can you give me a hand washing up? Surely! / Certainly! / No problem! Would you join us for supper tonight? Surely! Where are you eating?

However, surely can also be used to express the speaker’s surprise that something is happening. Certainly CANNOT be used in this way. Study the following and, as you say them to yourselves, give surely fairly heavy stress: • • • •

You’re surely not going out again tonight, are you? You went out last night. Surely that can’t be Felicity standing over there? I thought she was in Australia. I can’t get any reply, but there’s surely somebody at home. They can’t all be out. Surely you’re not suggesting she poisoned him on purpose? I can’t believe you could think that!

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enough/sufficient/adequate I would like to know the differences in meaning and use of enough, sufficient and adequate. enough – sufficient Enough (where the second syllable is pronounced as in puff or stuff) and sufficient are very similar semantically, meaning as much as is needed: I don’t have enough time to finish reading this report before the meeting. But I have sufficient information to know what the outcome should be. We have sufficient evidence to convict him for the crimes he has committed. adequate Adequate is also close in meaning to enough and sufficient. It suggests that something is good enough or large enough for a particular purpose: This country will never maintain an adequate supply of trained teachers if so many leave the profession after four or five years. This little car is perfectly adequate for any driving you need to do in town. His computer skills were adequate for the type of work required of him. inadequate – insufficient Note that the negative of sufficient and adequate can be formed with the prefix in-. For the negative of enough we have to use not: The level of funding available for the training of teachers is inadequate. I have insufficient resources to be able to deal effectively with this problem. We don’t have enough milk if everybody wants cappuccino. enough as an adverb Enough can also be used as an adverb to modify an adjective, an adverb or a verb. When it is used in this way, it comes after the adjective, adverb or verb: In this climate it’s not warm enough to go out without a jumper in the evening. You’ve missed him, I’m afraid. You didn’t get up early enough. I didn’t work hard enough so I was unsuccessful in the exam. I didn’t revise enough so I didn’t pass the exam. Modifying adverbs, of course, are normally placed before the adjectives or adverbs that they modify, so if we want to use the less common sufficiently in these examples instead of enough, they will look like this: In this climate it’s not sufficiently warm to go out without a jumper at night. You’ve missed him, I’m afraid. You didn’t get up sufficiently early.

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I didn’t work sufficiently hard so I was unsuccessful in the exam. I didn’t revise sufficiently so I didn’t pass the exam. enough as a pronoun Enough can also be used alone without a noun when the meaning is clear: I’ve only saved up £250. Will that be enough for this type of holiday? Some more dressing on your salad? ~ Oh no, I have quite enough, thanks. Enough of + determiner / pronoun Before determiners (this, the, etc) and pronouns we use enough of: I’ve had quite enough of this fruit salad, thanks. It’s a bit too sweet for my liking. I didn’t read it all, but I read enough of the report to get the main idea. I answered all the questions, but I didn’t get enough of them right to pass the driving test. As you can see, Celine, enough is commonly used in a wider variety of contexts than sufficient or adequate. I haven’t mentioned all of them, but that is enough for today! Enough is enough! as we say when we want to indicate that we wish to bring something to an end.

Especially & specially / continuously & continually Mark Brown in South Korea writes: Is there really any difference between the following: especially & specially continuously & continually If there is a difference, has common usage overwhelmed the distinction? The American Heritage Dictionary and Longman's Dictionary don't think so.

Especially and specially I don't think the distinction has been completely neutralised either. It is certainly the case that in usage these two adverbs are often confused and can sometimes be used with the same meaning. specially - for a particular purpose

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However, when specially is used to mean for a particular purpose, this form of the adverb is the norm: • • •

This shower gel is specially designed for people with sensitive skins. This computer programme is specially for children with learning difficulties. My father made this model aeroplane specially for me.

especially - particularly / above all We tend to use especially for emphasis, meaning particularly or above all: • •

These butterflies are particularly noticeable in April and May, especially in these meadows. You'll enjoy playing tennis at our local club, especially on weekdays when it's not so busy.

Before adjectives, meaning particularly, especially is more usual: • •

The road between Cairo and Alexandria is especially dangerous at night. It is a bit nippy, but it's not especially cold for this time of year.

special - especial Note that the adjective especial is rarely used nowadays. Its use is confined to particular contexts where it collocates with particular nouns, e.g. especial interest, especial value when we want to emphasise the exceptional nature of this interest or value: • •

The police took especial interest in his activities and watched the house continuously. The Koh-i-noor diamond, now among the British crown jewels, has especial value as its history dates back to the 14th Century.

In all other cases and contexts, when it means important or different from normal, special is preferred: • • • • • •

You're a very special person in my life - never forget that. On special occasions we have wine with our meal, but certainly not every day. In special cases, prisoners are allowed out on day release twice a week. He has such ability, I think he'll be the next special adviser to the President. The special effects in the Lord of the Rings films are quite mind-blowing. The grapes at the supermarket are on special offer - less than half price.

Continual - continuous Both adjectival forms, continual and continuous, mean without stopping or without a break. They are often used interchangeably: •

This refectory has been in continual /continuous use since the 15th Century.

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•

The continual / continuous croaking of the frogs prevented any sleep that night.

In certain contexts only continuous is possible because continual here would imply that breaks are possible. In these examples, there are clearly no breaks, so continuous is preferred: • • •

A continuous line of people stretched as far as the eye could see. They executed the dance in one continuous movement. The progress of pupils was measured though continuous assessment and not through examinations

When we want to describe things that happen repeatedly, continual is preferred: • •

His continual drinking was bound to lead to liver failure one day. He refused to give up despite the continual warnings of his family.

continually - continuously The adverbial forms, continually and continuously, are often interchangeable. •

She sniffed continually / continuously all the way through the film and disturbed everyone around her.

But when the meaning is clearly very often, rather than without a break, continually is preferred: •

I've got a very bad stomach upset and I'm continually running to the loo.

Here, continually is behaving as an adverb of frequency, cf. always, all the time, constantly. If we arranged such adverbs along a continuum of frequency, starting with least often and ending with most often, it would read: •

never > rarely > occasionally > sometimes > often >generally > nearly always > constantly/continually

Formation and use of adjectives

Three questions this week on the formation and use of adjectives. Vivian from Taiwan asks: Can the word fun be used as an adjective? Uma from Germany writes: Could you please enlighten me by explaining how adjectives work in English?

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M. A. Khaliel from Saudia Arabia writes: Please let me know how to use adjectives and their formation. Fun is sometimes used as an adjective in the following contexts: • • •

It was a fun thing to do. It was a fun place to go to. She is a fun person to be with.

instead of: • • •

She is fun to be with. It was fun to go there. It was fun to do that.

Fun here means pleasant and enjoyable. It/she made you feel happy. However, funny is the normal adjective and fun is normally used as a noun. Note that when funny is used as an adjective in this way, it will have one of two quite different meanings. Consider the following: She is a funny person.

She makes me laugh.

She is a funny person.

Her behaviour is really strange.

Adjectives describe the qualities of people, things and places. They are one of the largest word classes in English. They are normally placed before a noun but, as we saw above, they can also come after the verb to be and also after other linking verbs such as stay, look, seem, appear, become, etc. Study the following: • • • •

A tall young man and a petite middle-aged woman were walking along the narrow road. Tasty, fresh, white French bread is always best served with Stilton cheese and red wine. The fine sunny weather is set to continue. It will stay fine for the next few days. New ideas are always interesting and exciting.

Note that if we have more than one adjective before a noun, the order in which they appear is not always fixed, although it tends to be in this order: quality, size, age, colour, class. Check to see to what extent this is true in the above examples. Note also that we often use adverbs of degree to modify the meanings of the adjectives we use. Among the most common are very, too, quite, rather, much, more, and most. Consider the following: • • •

It was very noisy in the garden but much quieter in the house. I would have said he was rather tall. But my mother described him as exceedingly tall. She is a very gifted child. Her teacher says that she is too intelligent for her class.

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adjectival endings Many of the most common adjectives have no special endings. Consider these pairs which are opposite in meaning: light - dark / heavy

cool - warm

difficult - easy / simple

sad - happy

rough - smooth

cruel - kind

However, many common adjectives can be recognised as such by their endings. Here are some of the most common: -al:

typical, special, international, industrial, mental, physical, general

-ant:

pleasant, significant, tolerant, deviant, conversant, variant, valiant

-ent:

different, violent, patient, sufficient, convenient, excellent, frequent

-ous:

serious, anxious, nervous, dangerous, obvious, famous, conscious

-ic:

terrific, horrific, democratic, domestic, scientific, platonic, sympathetic, basic

-y:

filthy, dirty, dusty, messy, noisy, sandy, stony, rocky, healthy, hungry, angry

-ive:

active, passive, secretive, attractive, expensive, sensitive, native

-able:

comfortable, regrettable, probable, enjoyable, fashionable

-ible:

possible, horrible, terrible, sensible, susceptible

-ful:

useful, careful, beautiful, skilful, grateful, faithful

-less:

useless, careless, pointless, breathless, tireless, toothless

-ed:

interested, bored, tired, surprised, worried, confused, excited

-ing:

interesting, boring, tiring, surprising, worrying, confusing, exciting

'good' and 'well' Sven Wagner from Sweden asks: Why do you use good instead of well in the following phrase?: 'We eat good and drink well.' (An English colleague put it that way.) good = adjective well = adverb Therefore it has to be we eat well as we are describing how we eat and drink. It might be said that adverbs answer the question How…? whilst adjectives answer the question What sort of…? Study the following: •

'She speaks good Japanese.'

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• •

'She speaks Japanese well.' 'She speaks Japanese better than I do.'

Note that better is the comparative form of both good and well. In English, we often play around with basic language, whether consciously or unconsciously, for effect. So, whilst 'we eat well and drink well' would be grammatically correct, 'we eat good and drink well' may be more effective in terms of impact because it breaks the grammatical rule. I would not recommend it, however, if you are taking an exam, but it will sound good over a drink with friends.

Why not sound well in this particular example? It is because when we use verbs such as be, seem, appear, sound, look, feel, smell, taste, they are followed by adjectives rather than adverbs as we are describing the subject of the sentence rather than the action of the verb. So we have: • • • •

'She looks really good in those clothes.' 'The food at the reception tasted really good - better than the food we had last year.' 'There's no way he'll get a distinction, but the work he's done appears good enough for a pass.' 'I felt really good when she congratulated me on winning the essay prize.'

For similar reasons we would talk about: A good-looking woman. A good-natured boy. (good describes his nature) But we would also say: • •

A well-dressed woman. (well tells us how she dresses) A well-behaved boy. (well tells us how he behaves)

Look up good and well in your dictionaries to see if you can find further examples of adjectives formed in this way. The only time when well can be used as an adjective by itself is when we are talking about someone's health. Here well means in good health. Compare the following: • •

'How are you today?' 'Fine. Very well, thanks. / Not very well, actually.' 'I often feel unwell when I'm on a boat, but as soon as I get off, I'm fine.

Note that the expression well and good is used to indicate that you find a particular situation satisfactory or acceptable. Thus, we might say: • •

'If you can do the job in less time and leave early, I don't mind. That's (all very) well and good.' 'If you want to stay here on your own over Christmas, well and good.

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Incidentally, there is now a trend among young people, particularly in the 18 - 25 age range, to use well instead of very in expressions like: • • •

'I am well happy with that.' 'I was well tired last night. 'She was well pleased with her birthday present.'

Again it breaks the rule and is effective in the impact it makes. Well used in this way often refers to exceptional circumstances or is used as a summary statement. I wonder if this creative use of the English language has reached you yet in your part of the world?

hardly/scarcely...neither/nor....so/too Olga Ivanova from Uzbekistan writes: If my friend says to me: I hardly know this author and if I hardly know her, should I answer: Neither do I OR So do I? Are both answers possible here?

hardly....neither/nor Only Neither do I or Nor do I is possible here, Olga. This is because hardly has a negative meaning. It means almost not at all. So if you wish to agree with what is being said, you will also need a negative adverb and use neither or nor in response. Note that scarcely has the same negative meaning as hardly and that either of them can be used here. Compare the following: • • •

I can hardly / scarcely believe you're twenty years old now. ~ Nor / Neither can I! They're hardly / scarcely ever at home. ~ Neither / Nor are we! He's dead now, but I hardly / scarcely knew him. ~ Neither / Nor did I.

Note that neither/nor always come at the beginning of the response clause and that inversion of subject and verb are needed with the tense form agreeing with that of the first clause.

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not either As an alternative to neither/nor you can also use not either which has the same meaning, but normal word order: • •

She had changed so much. I could hardly /scarcely recognise her. ~ I couldn't either. I've got hardly /scarcely any money left. What about you? ~ I haven't either.

neither…nor Neither…nor are used together when we want to link two negative ideas: • • •

When I spoke to him, he neither smiled nor looked at me. Neither the chairman nor the treasurer was / were able to attend the meeting. Don't bother preparing dessert because neither Jane nor Julie eat / eats anything sweet.

Note that when singular subjects are connected with neither…nor, the verb which follows can be either singular or plural.

so / too When the frequency of occurrence increases from never or hardly ever to occasionally or sometimes, these adverbs give a positive rather than a negative meaning to what is being said. If we wish to agree with statements in a positive way, this is our opportunity to use so or too. Compare the following: • • • • • • •

I would never work as a shop assistant in a large department store. ~ Neither would I. I could hardly / scarcely understand a word he was saying ~ Nor could your parents. Neither Henry nor Harry is / are coming to Edward's party. ~ I'm not either. They occasionally eat lunch at 'The Blue Parrot'. ~ So does Tom. / Tom does too. I sometimes have to work at weekends to get everything done ~ So do we. / We do too. I go to the cinema quite often - twice a week usually. ~ Me too. / So do I. She always uses olive oil in her cooking ~ So do my Spanish friends / My Spanish friends do too.

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Note that the expressions Me too and Me neither, both of which are used in very informal speech, can only be used with first person singular agreement: • •

Look, it's already two o' clock and I haven't done any work today. ~ Me neither. I'm so tired I could sleep for twelve hours. ~ Me too.

hardly, hardly ever, hardly any Pual from Thailand writes: I've learned that the words hardly and rarely have the same meaning and that moreover we can use these words interchangeably in any sentence. Is this right or wrong? They are not quite interchangeable as they stand, but need some modification first of all. If we add ever to hardly to arrive at hardly ever, then this is synonymous with rarely and also with seldom. hardly ever These adverbs describe how frequently or regularly something happens. Thus along a spectrum of frequency, starting with most frequent and ending with least frequent, we might find the following: • • • • • •

Well doctor…. I always have two meat rolls for breakfast. Without fail. Every day. I usually have poached eggs on toast at the weekend. Not every weekend. But most weekends. I often / frequently have two chocolate biscuits or a pastry with my morning coffee. Not every day. But most days, I have to confess. And I sometimes have a brandy with my coffee after lunch. After a particularly good lunch. I hardly ever / rarely / seldom eat a full English breakfast. Once every two months perhaps. I never drink coffee after 7 p.m. Always tea. So what do you think is causing the high blood pressure?

Note that hardly ever, rarely and seldom equate with occasionally or very occasionally in terms of frequency, but that when you use hardly ever, etc, you are putting a negative gloss on what you are saying. Occasionally sounds much more positive. Compare the following: • •

I occasionally see my daughter when I'm up in London. If she's free, around lunchtime. I hardly ever see my daughter. She's far too busy to find time for me.

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hardly Hardly, as an adverb by itself, means only just, and equates with barely and scarcely. • • •

Jonathan could hardly walk but already knew how to swim. I barely / hardly / scarcely knew Jack, although I know he was a great friend of John's. We had barely / hardly / scarcely finished dinner when they arrived.

hardly + any (+ -one/-thing) Hardly any means very little or very few and is the opposite of plenty of, or colloquially, loads of. Note again the negative tone in which it is used: • • • • •

I've got plenty of friends, but hardly any money. I knew hardly anybody at the party, but Katie knew loads of people, nearly everybody in fact. It's worth hardly anything - practically nothing! Just a few pounds, perhaps. He's hardly said anything to anybody since the accident. He's said hardly anything to anybody since the accident.

'Incredible' and 'unbelievable' Irene Cordoba from Brazil asks: I recently found the Learning English section of the BBC webpage (which was such a delight for me because I really love the language) and I was wondering if you could tell me the difference between incredible and unbelievable and the right uses of each of them. These two adjectives, incredible and unbelievable, are quite interchangeable and to these two you could add a third: unimaginable. They all describe things or events which are so amazing that they cannot be imagined or believed. Adverbial forms are incredibly, unbelievably and unimaginably. You can substitute any of these adjectives or adverbs under discussion as you wish: • • •

'When she died, Aunt Isobel left me an incredible amount of money – so much I didn’t know what to do with it!' 'I intend to work incredibly hard over the summer so that I pass my exams in September.' 'My performance at the Christmas concert was unbelievably bad.'

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• • •

'The weather on the mountain yesterday was unbelievable. There was no chance of us getting to the top.' 'The operation was performed under almost unimaginable conditions. It is unbelievable that he survived.' 'The new computer game was unimaginably difficult. Neither Mike nor I could work out how to progress from level 1 to level 2.'

Inversion after negative expressions and 'only...' Jana from The Czech Republic asks: I have tried to learn English via the BBC, which is great! I like your Quiznet, but I need an explanation for the fifth item of Quiz Three: 5. Choose the correct answer: Only at night ..... the safety of their cave bats leave bats will leave leave bats do bats leave Why is it not possible to use 'bats leave'? I would like to acquire this grammatical rule. Quite often in English, certain expressions with a restrictive or negative meaning are placed at the beginning of a sentence. The reason for doing so is to emphasize the point that you want to make. It is striking, original or surprising in some way. And whenever you make such a statement, inversion is necessary. So, it has to be: • •

'Only at night do bats leave their cave.' 'Only after I had returned home did I realize that I had left my watch in Emma's bathroom.'

Inversion is also used after the not only ... but also construction: •

'Not only did we visit Cuba's capital, Havana, (but) we also spent three days exploring the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador.'

Inversion is also found in expressions containing the word 'no', when placed at the beginning of the sentence: • •

'Under no circumstances are you (allowed) to walk home from school alone.' 'In no way will I agree to sharing an office with Ben.

The same rule operates for 'seldom', 'hardly', 'scarcely', 'rarely', 'never', 'never before' and 'no sooner':

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• • • • •

'Never before had I seen such realistic dinosaurs as there were in the BBC television series.' (This is a reference to a recent BBC series. If you want to know more have a look at the web site - Walking with Dinosaurs.) 'No sooner had I arrived at the station than the train came in.' 'Rarely do we see such brightly-coloured birds.' 'Seldom do we walk on such green grass.' 'Scarcely had we finished lunch when the bell rang for afternoon classes.'

Remember, you are registering surprise, or something similar, when you do this. If it is inappropriate to be so emphatic, you would say: •

'We had scarcely finished lunch when the bell rang for afternoon classes.'

Inversion after negative expressions, so, and in conditionals? Atefe, studying English in Canada,writes: I'm getting ready for the TOEFL exam and this part of the website has been really useful for me. I need an explanation for all kinds of inversion and I want to know if it is an obligation to use inversion patterns. Martine Talbourdet from France writes: I would like to know if you really use expressions like So do I, So can I, So must I. Do you use them or are they formal?

So do I, etc These expressions are quite informal, Martine, and are readily used in short answers in spoken English to express agreement with what has been said in the first statement. So is here followed by inverted word order: auxiliary verb + subject: • • • •

Judy can run 100 m in 11 seconds. ~ So can Henry! I've got a blister on my big toe. ~ So have I. I'm going to get it seen to by the club doctor. ~ So am I. I like to eat really hot food on cold days and so do all my friends.

So is occasionally followed by normal word order in short answers to express surprised agreement: • •

If you don't believe me, just look out of the window. It's snowing! ~ So it is! You've given me tea and I asked for coffee! ~ So I have! I'm sorry.

Neither / nor would I, etc

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These expressions are used in a similar way to So would I, etc, to express agreement with negative statements: • •

I can't swim very well and neither can my sister. I wouldn't dream of going into the water if the temperature is below 20° C and nor would any southerner.

inversion after negative expressions We can use inversion in statements for the purpose of emphasis if we decide to start the statement with a negative expression. Compare the following: • •

Under no circumstances would I wear a mini-skirt. I wouldn't wear a mini-skirt under any circumstances.

In this example, the first statement is more emphatic than the second one. We can use this approach with a wide variety of adverbial negative expressions, although it makes them sound rather formal. Compare the following: • • • • •

At no time would he allow his team mates to argue with the referee. Rarely / Seldom have I seen such an exciting game of football. Hardly had I taken my seat before two goals were scored. I had to show him my press pass and only then did he let me in. Only when the players had changed into smart clothes after the match were they allowed to talk to the TV reporters.

Inversion in conditional sentences We can use inversion in certain types of conditional sentences when the if-clause begins with had, were or should. Sentences with inversion sometimes sound more formal than those with the more conventional if-construction. Compare the following: • • • • • •

Had he not resigned, we would have been obliged to give him the sack. If he had not resigned, we would have been forced to sack him. Were she to find out that he was seeing some one else, she'd go berserk. If she were to find out that he was cheating on her, she would go mad. Should you decide to cancel the contract, please let me know by Friday. If you decide to withdraw from the agreement, please phone me by Friday.

My question is about ‘no sooner’ and ‘than’ requiring the semi-inversion. Most of those sentences sound like 'no sooner came John to the station than the train arrived'. And my question is, how can I make two sentences of this one sentence, in order to understand better the way it functions? Prof Michael Swan answers: OK, yeah, that’s a good and interesting question. And let’s make it clear first of all what order things happen in. If I say “no sooner had I arrived at the station than the train came in”, we need to be clear what happened first. Does it mean, the train came in and then me, or I came in and right after me the train? Well, my experience

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is actually that I arrive at the station, and then the train doesn’t come in for hours. But, to answer your question, if I say “no sooner had I arrived at the station than the train came in”, it means, I came in, and right after me the train. I got there first… just! I’ll give you another couple of examples: “No sooner had I put the phone down than it rang again”. “No sooner had I finished the meal than I started feeling hungry again”. It’s actually a rather literary construction. I’d expect to read it, maybe write it, but I probably wouldn’t say it. Instead I think I’d say something like this: “The train came in just after I got to the station”, or “ had only just got to the station when the train came in”…or something like that. Hardly and scarcely There’s two similar structures, also rather literary, that have got the same meaning, with ‘hardly’ and ‘scarcely’. You could say “hardly had I arrived at the station when the train came in”, or “scarcely had I arrived at the station when the train came in”. Same meaning: I got there just before the train. It’s a slightly different structure to the one with ‘no sooner’, because with no sooner we use ‘than’ – after a comparative, sooner – with ‘hardly’ and ‘scarcely’ we say “when”: “hardly had I arrived when the train came in”. Trains are actually a bit unreliable in Britain today as I’ve suggested. I was on one recently on the way to London, we were moving extremely slowly, and the driver made an announcement over the loudspeaker saying “we apologise for the slow running of the train, but we have been moved onto a branch line because of engineering works, and we are likely to stay there for the foreseeable future!”. I was pretty upset, because it was my birthday and I really didn’t want to spend it on a train between Oxford and London! However, no sooner had he made the announcement than we started going faster again – so I had my birthday at home after all. So thanks for your question, Michael!

Irregular adjectives and adverbs Syed Aqil Shah from Pakistan writes I'm confused about adjectives and adverbs like expensive, dear, costly, dearly, etc. Can you please explain them to me?

Expensive / dear / costly These adjectives are all synonyms though they are used in slightly different ways and in different collocations. It is also the case that dear as an adjective has two

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meanings, it means both expensive and well-liked, as well as featuring in expressions such as Oh dear! or in letters as in Dear Sir. The problem with costly may be that it looks like an adverb as it ends in -ly. This is confusing as most adverbs end in -ly, but costly is an exception and is an adjective. Compare the following uses and collocations in these examples: •

It was an expensive suit, but if you want to work for this firm, you have to dress well.

•

These are very nice. ~ They're a bit too dear / expensive, I'm afraid. Haven't you got anything cheaper?

•

Agatha is a dear friend of mine. She is so kind and gentle in everything she does.

•

Oh dear! I've forgotten to bring my ID and I shan't be allowed to take the IELTS test.

•

It was a costly mistake and it meant I wouldn't have another chance until the autumn.

Dearly Dearly can only be used as an adverb and normally collocates with the verbs love / like and in this sense means a lot or very much: •

He's such a nice man. I love him dearly.

•

I would dearly like / love to be in your shoes and to have the whole summer free to travel around Europe.

Common adjectives ending in -ly There are not very many, but other common adjectives apart from costly ending in ly include: friendly, lively, lovely, silly, ugly, unlikely: •

It was a lively party and there were lots of very friendly people there.

•

He was really quite ugly and unlikely to succeed in the blind date competition.

Adverbs formed by adding -ly As you no doubt know, most adverbs are formed by adding -ly to the adjective: •

He is a slow and careful driver. He drives slowly and carefully.

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•

I'm going to give a house a thorough clean. I'm going to thoroughly clean the house.

But note that we cannot form adverbs in this way when the adjective ends in -ly. We cannot say: friendlily or uglily or sillily. We have to find some other way of modifying the verb, e.g.: •

They greeted us in a very friendly / silly manner.

Adjective and adverb with the same form A number of adverbs have the same form as adjectives. The most common include: hard, fast, straight, early: •

I know he has a fast car, but he doesn't need to drive so fast.

•

It's hard work, but if you work hard and really concentrate, you'll finish it by bedtime.

•

I caught the early bus to be sure of arriving early.

•

The Aurelian Way is a very straight Roman road which goes straight from Rome to Pisa.

Adverbs with two forms Some adverbs have two forms. Sometimes there is a difference in meaning. Sometimes there is not very much difference. Compare the following: •

I haven't seen very much of you lately (lately = recently).

•

You always seem to come home late from work.(late = arriving after the expected time)

•

Mary can jump really high on the trampoline.(high = vertical distance)

•

Yesterday she jumped right off it. It was highly amusing. (highly = very)

•

Alfonso can eat free in the restaurant where he works. (free = without paying)

•

You can speak freely. Nobody can hear us. (freely = without feeling restricted)

•

Can you please be waiting for me outside at nine o' clock sharp? (sharp = punctually)

•

I thought she spoke to him rather sharply. (sharply = in a harsh tone)

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•

Don't talk so loud. Everybody in the room can hear you. (loud = informal usage)

•

Jonathan spoke loudly and convincingly about the advantages of leasing rather than buying cars. (loudly = more formal usage)

Likely / likely that / likely to Reinhard Hoffman from Germany writes: I would like to ask you about the meaning and grammatical construction of the phrase likely to be hard pressed to in the following sentence: …this region is one of the least developed in China and the authorities are likely to be hard pressed to respond to the disaster.

likely Likely is most often used as an adjective, meaning probable, (opposites unlikely / improbable). If something is likely, it is probably going to happen: •

The most likely cause of the fire in the stadium was an unextinguished cigarette

•

The most likely outcome to the investigation is that the stadium will have to be rebuilt.

With the modifiers most, quite or very, likely is also sometimes used as an adverb, meaning most probably: •

They'll quite likely invite you out to eat in a restaurant when you're staying with them.

it's likely that + clause Likely is quite often used with it as a preparatory subject: •

It's unlikely that this afternoon's session will last very long. It should be over by five o' clock.

•

It's more than likely that I shall see Chris in Cambridge. I am almost certain to bump into him, in fact.

be likely to + infinitive

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As an alternative, we can use the be unlikely to + infinitive construction with a normal subject, but probable cannot be used in this way: • • •

This afternoon's session is unlikely to last very long. I'm unlikely to be back late from the meeting. Are you likely to be staying in when you get back?

It is this realisation of likely that is used in your example, Reinhard: •

The authorities are likely to be hard pressed to respond to the disaster.

Note that if we wanted to use probably as an alternative in these examples, it would need to re-phrase them as follows: • • • •

This afternoon's session will probably finish quite early. I shall probably be back quite early from the meeting. Will you probably stay in when you get back? The authorities will probably be hard pressed to respond to the disaster.

hard pressed / pushed If you are hard pressed or hard pushed to do something, you experience great difficulty in doing it. Being pressed suggests being under pressure: • •

It seems to me that the Labour government will be hard pressed to win the next election. We were hard pushed to complete all the preparations before the guests arrived.

Use of the adverb hard here suggests a lot of force being used against you. Note that hard also sometimes suggests physical force: This door is inclined to stick, but if you push it hard, it will open. pressed for time / money / etc Pressed also collocates with time and money and other ideas in a similar way to hard pressed, suggesting difficulty: • • •

Are you pressed for time? If not, I suggest we have some lunch. This one's worn out. Why don't you buy a new one? ~ I'm a bit pressed for cash at the moment. It's not really her subject, but she says she could teach beginners Spanish if we're really pressed.

participles as adjectives

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I am confused as to when I can use participles as adjectives. Let me give you an example. I can say: I saw a barking dog. Here the present participle barking is used as an adjective. But I can't say: I saw a barked dog, using the past participle as an adjective. Why not? Thanks. barking dogs [ yes ] barked dogs [ no ] There are not very many adjectives formed from verb participles, Tutul, that can be used in both -ed and -ing forms. You can often get a sense of what works and what doesn't by transforming the participial adjective into a participial clause. If it doesn't make sense as a participle in a clause, it is unlikely to make sense as a participle adjective. Consider the following: The barking dogs kept me awake all night. The dogs that were barking kept me awake all night. The barked dogs kept me awake all night. The dogs that had been barked kept me awake all night. Barking works in the first pair of examples because -ing forms when used as adjectives have similar meanings to active verbs. Barked doesn't work in the second pair of examples because most past participles have passive meanings when they are used as adjectives. Dogs can be washed, dried, combed, brushed, fed and walked, but they can't be barked. That is something they do themselves. abandoning child [ no ] abandoned child [ yes ] Abandon (meaning to leave someone when you should stay with them) is commonly used in passive structures. For this reason, abandoned works as an adjective, but abandoning does not. Compare the following: The abandoned child cried for three days without stopping. The child that had been abandoned cried for three days. The abandoning child was so unhappy she cried for three days. The child which was abandoning was so upset she cried for three days. Abandoning doesn't work because children cannot abandon themselves, though the unfortunate ones are sometimes abandoned by their parents. There are a few participial adjectives that can be used in both -ing and -ed forms, but note the differences in meaning, depending on active or passive use in these examples below.

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broken hearts [ yes ] breaking waves [ yes ] She is suffering from a broken heart Her heart has been broken by his cruel behaviour. The breaking waves pushed the surfboard further out to sea. Huge waves breaking on the beach pushed the surtboard out to sea. alarmed houses [ yes ] alarming reports [ yes ] Alarmed houses afford some protection against burglary. Houses which are alarmed afford some protection against burglary. Alarming reports are coming in that refugees are being racially abused. Reports are coming in that refugees are being racially abused. This alarms me. A small number of verbs have past participles that can be used as adjectives before nouns with active meanings. Note with these examples there may not be so much change in meaning between the -ing and -ed forms: falling/fallen [ yes ] advanced/advancing [ yes ] developing/developed [ yes ] The falling leaves covered the path and made it quite slippery. The leaves that were falling covered the path and made it slippery. The fallen trees blocked the road and only pedestrians could get through. The trees that had fallen blocked the road and made it quite impassable. When we think of countries that are still developing and countries that have developed, it is true to say that: a) developing countries need as much help as they can get. b) it is the developed nations which should provide it. This class is appropriate only for advanced students. It is suitable for students who have advanced beyond level five. The advancing army surrounded the city and cut off all its supply lines. The army, which was advancing rapidly, had cut off the city by nightfall.

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Ed and -ing as adjectives: Patrizia Rapali from Italy writes: I'm Italian but I'm working in Ireland now. It sounds as if they say I'm finished or Are you finished? to state or to ask if you have concluded your work. Why do they use to be instead of to have? Shouldn't they say: I've finished and Have you finished?? I don't understand. Thank you for your answer. The confusion arises because finished operates both as an adjective and as the past tense and past participle of the verb to finish. So if your colleagues say 'We're finished for today', they are using it as an adjective. If they say 'We've finished work for today', they are using it as the past participle of the verb to finish. (This would be more normal in standard English). -ed as an adjective When we use it as an adjective, we can talk about things being finished as well as people being finished with something: • • •

Their marriage is finished. It was a disaster from the beginning, so it's good it's over. She's not ready to leave. She won't be finished for at least another hour and a half. Sheila wasn't finished with Paul yet. They still had a lot to talk about.

There are, of course, a wide range of adjectives ending in -ed which follow the verb to be and other linking verbs such as seem, appear, look and become. Here are a few of the most common: • • • • •

I became interested in the tennis as soon as I heard that ticket prices would be reduced. I was bored with the performance and decided to leave as soon as the interval arrived. She seemed surprised - even amazed - to see me. She thought I was in the States. They were quite satisfied with the arrangement. Sharing the cost suited them both. Ned was frightened of Lucie. He was also worried that they might be late back.

Note that all of these adjectives ending in -ed describe people's feelings, mental states or emotional reactions to something. There are many more. Check those

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you don't know in a dictionary to see how they are used and which prepositions they can be used with: amused, appalled, confused, delighted, disappointed, excited, pleased, puzzled, shocked, tired, concerned, convinced, determined, prepared, thrilled -ing as an adjective There are also a large number of adjectives ending in -ing which relate to verb forms and are used in the same way as -ed adjectives. Note that these adjectives usually describe things rather than people directly, although they also describe the effect that something has on your ideas and feelings: • • • • •

The meeting was very satisfying for all concerned as everybody got what they wanted. The play was quite interesting and commented on many aspects of contemporary life. These results, Tom, are disappointing and must be very worrying for your parents. I don't want to go to the seaside again this year. It's boring. His answers were misleading. In fact, everyone thought he was lying.

Here are some more which can be used in the same way. All of these -ing adjectives listed here have their -ed counterparts: alarming, amusing, annoying, astonishing, charming, confusing, convincing, depressing, disgusting, embarrassing, encouraging, entertaining, humiliating, inspiring, intriguing, refreshing, rewarding, tempting, terrifying, thrilling Remember: •

The storm was terrifying. I was terrified by it.

•

His offer - three weeks in the Caribbean with nothing to pay! - is tempting and I am tempted to accept it.

-ed adjectives Leung Waiteng from Hong Kong writes: I am confused by the way adjectives are formed from verbs with just an -ed added, e.g. Have you finished your homework? Are you finished with your homework?

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The same thing happens with complete (verb) and completed (adjective). Is there any difference in meaning between the two sentences? Which one is more appropriate in spoken English?

There is no real difference in meaning or use between finish (verb) and finished (adj) or between complete (verb) and completed (adj). Both sound very natural in spoken English: •

Is your work finished for the day or do you still have some to do?

•

Have you finished your work for the day or do you still have some to do?

•

Can I read the manuscript of your latest novel? ~ No, sorry, it's not completed yet.

•

Can I read the manuscript of your latest novel? ~ No, sorry, I haven't completed it yet.

Note, however, that complete as an adjective with the slightly different meaning of whole or entire is more frequently used than completed as an adjective, meaning finished: •

No house is complete without carpets on the floors and pictures on the walls.

•

If you think I can handle all this work on my own, that shows a complete lack of understanding on your part.

•

With only one hand on the steering wheel he was not in complete control of the car he was driving .

Adjectives ending in -ed A large number of adjectives in English end in -ed. Many of them have the same form as the past participle of the verb: •

Your behaviour this evening has disappointed me.

•

I am disappointed with your behaviour this evening.

They indicate that something has happened or is happening to the person referred to. Thus, a child who is spoilt is a child who has been spoilt by something. Here are some more common adjectives which have a similar meaning to the related verb: amused

astonished

confused

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delighted

depressed

distressed

embarrassed

excited

frightened

interested

satisfied

shocked

surprised

tired

worried

•

It worries me that Jack stays out so late every night. I am a very worried mum.

•

I would be interested to know if you are planning to visit Greece this summer.

•

That interests me because I shall be there throughout August and September.

•

You will embarrass your father if you dare to wear clothes like that.

•

She came down the stairs wearing jeans with holes in them and I have never been so embarrassed.

Occasionally, the adjectival form has a meaning which is different from that of its related verb. Compare the following: •

I spotted her through the crowded room. She was wearing a spotted dress.

•

We advanced through the jungle as quickly as we could as we needed to reach the clearing by nightfall.

•

The cancer was quite advanced and he had only a few weeks to live.

-ed / -ing adjective or verb?

Alex from Israel writes: Hi, Roger. I'd like to ask a very simple question. How do I say: It's very interesting to me. It's very interesting for me. It's very interesting me. Which one is best? Thank you in advance. Of the three, only the middle one is a possibility. But even here, it sounds slightly awkward. I think most people would say simply: • •

That's very interesting. OR: It's very interesting. OR:

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•

I find that very interesting.

If you want to use interest as a verb, rather than interesting as an adjective, you would need to say: •

That interests me a lot.

•

That doesn't interest me very much.

-ing adjective or -ed adjective? Remember: people might be interested in something and it is the thing itself that people find interesting. Other adjectives describing emotions follow a similar pattern: confusing / confused

disappointing / disappointed

exciting / excited

shocking / shocked

surprising / surprised

tiring / tired

amazing / amazed

annoying / annoyed

boring / bored

Compare the following: •

His explanation was confusing. Most students were confused by it.

•

I was disappointed not to get the promotion I deserved. A disappointing day, yesterday.

•

I'm starting a new job and I'm quite excited about it. I think it will be quite exciting.

•

The news was shocking. We were shocked when we heard that everyone had drowned.

•

Everybody was surprised when Jenny came top of the class. It was really amazing!

•

It was a tiring day. I was dead tired after all that shopping.

Note that people can also be adjective -ing, if they awaken this emotion in others: A: Frank is such a boring person, isn't he? I find his conversation really boring. B: He may be boring, but at least he's not as annoying as Ben who sniffs all the time. A: Paul's an amazing guy, isn't he? He amazes me. He can always see the funny side of things. B: I'm quite amazed by all the things Paul gets up to, I must say!

interested / disappointed / surprised / pleased + infinitive clause

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Note that some of these adjectives are often followed by an infinitive clause: •

I shall be interested to hear about how you get on in Cairo.

•

We were most surprised to see Kevin and Henry holding hands at the bus stop.

•

I must say we were disappointed to learn that he had abandoned his job.

•

I shall be pleased / delighted to accompany you to the exhibition on Thursday.

Interested in / surprised by / pleased with / etc Note that if you are using a prepositional structure with these adjectives, it will normally be either with or by, sometimes both are possible. Interested, however, is usually followed by in. Compare the following: •

We were pleased / delighted with all the wedding presents we received.

•

We were surprised by his rudeness at the family gathering. Quite disgusting!

•

I was quite disappointed with / by the film. He's normally such an exciting director.

•

I would be interested in working in Britain if I could get a work permit.

Interest / surprise / please / etc as verbs Note that the verb forms of these adjectives describe an emotional state, not an action, and are thus rarely used with continuous tenses: •

She wanted to please him, but disappointed him when he discovered that she had spent so much money. (NOT: … was disappointing him…)

•

It surprises me to see you making so many basic errors in this game. (NOT: It is surprising me…)

•

The novel interested me because it seemed to reflect real life so accurately.

•

It amused me so much that I kept bursting out with laughter.

Pitiful

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How can I use the word pitiful in a sentence? – Sandro Hello Sandro. Well, that’s an interesting question. Now, pitiful is an adjective and it comes from the word pity. Now pity is a feeling that people have of kind of kindhearted sympathy, or sorrow or compassion… when you see a person or an animal that’s suffering in some way, maybe hungry, cold, not looked after. And these feelings of pity will often lead you to help the person or animal that’s suffering. So, if something is described as pitiful, it’s suffering in a way which makes you feel sorry for it and you recognise that it needs help. And here’s some examples: The horses were in a pitiful condition. They hadn’t been fed for weeks, and they had sore and infected patches all over their skin. The children had made pitiful attempts to look after their mother but it was clear that the family could not manage. You can use words like sorry and pathetic as synonyms for pitiful. Now these words pitiful, sorry and pathetic can also have quite a negative meaning. They can be used to mean a feeling of pity but mixed with contempt or disgust for the lack of skill or care or attention that’s caused the situation. Here’s an example: After years of mismanagement, his finances were in a pitiful state. And another one: He made a couple of pitiful excuses about why he hadn’t finished his work, but they were not accepted. And here are some synonyms for this second meaning of pitiful. They are: deplorable, woeful, disgraceful and contemptible. Thanks for your question, Sandro!

Hwang Minsu from Korea writes: What is the difference in meaning between impossible mission and mission impossible? In English, many adjectives, including past participles, can come before or after nouns. But in many cases I don’t know what the difference is between an adjective placed before the noun and after the noun. adjectives before nouns Adjectives are normally placed before nouns and this is known as the modifier or attributive position. Thus, we would normally say: •

Getting all the way round Brazil in five working days proved an impossible mission.

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• •

He asked me a number of difficult questions. I was sitting next to the open window which I couldn’t close.

Mission impossible, if I remember correctly, was originally the name of an American television series which was later made into a film which you have probably seen. There is, in fact, no reason for putting the adjective after the noun here other than for effect. It sounds original and therefore your attention is drawn to it. exceptions to the general rule: adjectives after nouns Attributive adjectives can be placed after the verb to be (and other copular verbs). Then we would have: • • •

The mission was impossible. All the questions he asked were difficult. The window remained open.

Copular verbs, which join adjectives to their subjects, describe the state of something or someone or a change of state. They include: be, seem, appear, look, sound, smell, taste, feel, get, become, stay, remain, keep, grow, go, turn: • • •

The policemen became angry. The suspects remained calm although I could see that they were anxious. The soup looked, smelt and tasted good.

Also attributive adjectives with their own complement, e.g. capable of achieving first-class degrees, usually require the whole expression to come after the noun rather than before it: •

We are recruiting students capable of achieving first-class degrees. NOT: We are recruiting capable of achieving first class degree students. BUT: She was a capable student.

•

I used to live in a house next to the Royal Opera House. NOT: I used to live in a next to the Royal Opera House house. BUT: I live quite near you. In the next street, in fact.

In a similar way, participles are placed after the nouns which they define: • •

The people questioned about the incident gave very vivid accounts of what had happened. The issues discussed at the meeting all had some bearing on world peace.

In all of these last four examples, however, it is perhaps more normal to use a relative clause: • •

We are recruiting students who are capable of achieving first-class degrees. I used to live in a house which was next to the Royal Opera House.

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• •

The people who were questioned about the incident gave vivid accounts of what had happened. The issues that were discussed at the meeting all had some bearing on world peace.

Finally, adjectives come after most measurement nouns and after some-, any- and no- words: • • • • •

The fence around the estate was three metres high, thirty-five kilometres long and one hundred and twenty years old. This place doesn’t look very promising, but let’s try and find somewhere nice for dinner. I couldn’t find anything interesting on the television so I had an early night. There’s somebody outside who wants to speak to you. Shall I let him in? Nobody present at the meeting was able to offer me any useful advice.

Jang-Joon Lee from Korea writes: I studied English for more than twenty years in school. But I still don't know the exact position of an adverb. Is there any rule regarding the position of adverbs? Thanks a lot.

There are three normal positions for adverbs in a sentence: 1) initial position (before the subject) 2) mid position (between the subject and the verb or immediately after be as a main verb) or 3) end position (at the end of the clause). Different types of adverbs favour different positions and I describe these trends below. There are sometimes exceptions to the general rule, so please regard this as a basic guide.

Initial position Linking adverbs, which join a clause to what was said before, always come here. Time adverbs can come here when we want to show a contrast with a previous reference to time. Comment and viewpoint adverbs (e.g. luckily, officially, presumably) can also come here when we want to highlight what we are about to say. Compare the following: •

Two of the workers were sacked, and, as a result, everybody went on strike.

•

We invited all the family. However, not everyone could come.

•

The weather will stay fine today, but tomorrow it will rain.

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•

Initially, his condition remained stable, but over the last few weeks it has deteriorated.

•

Margaret ran the office, although, officially, Trevor was the manager.

•

I haven't made any plans yet, but presumably you'll want to show her around London

mid position Focusing adverbs (e.g. just, even), adverbs of indefinite frequency (e.g. often, always, never) and adverbs of certainty and degree (e.g probably, obviously, clearly, completely, quite, almost) all favour this position. Note that when auxiliary verbs (e.g. is, has, will, was) are used, they normally go between the auxiliary verb and the main verb: •

She's been everywhere - she's even been to Tibet and Nepal.

•

Tom won't be back yet, but I'll just see if Brenda's home. I'll give her a ring.

•

My boss often travels to Malaysia and Singapore but I've never been there.

•

Have you finished yet? I haven't quite finished. I've almost finished.

•

She's obviously a very bossy woman. ~ I completely agree!

adverb-adjective When adverbs modify adjectives, they are placed immediately before them: •

We had some really interesting news last night. John's been offered a job in Australia. He's absolutely delighted.

•

I bought an incredibly expensive dress last week which fits me perfectly. But John says I shouldn't wear it. He says it's too tight.

An exception to this rule is enough which is placed after the adjective or adverb that it modifies: •

I got up quite early but not early enough to eat a good breakfast.

expressing possibility: perhaps/maybe, may/might

Katinka Raupenstein from Germany writes:

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Hi! I'd like to know when you should use maybe and when you should use perhaps. I'm not sure, buy maybe perhaps was used only in former times. In any case, I've never heard perhaps on the radio. All the VIPs use only maybe.

maybe / perhaps In British English both of these adverbs are still very commonly used and have the same meaning. You use them to say that something is possible or may be true, but you are not certain. They can be used interchangeably but of the two, maybe is very appropriate for more informal contexts and perhaps is used in more formal situations. Compare the following: • • • • • • •

I can't find it anywhere. ~ Perhaps / Maybe you threw it away. How old is Jane? ~ I don't really know. In her twenties, certainly. Twentyfive, maybe. There were perhaps as many as fifty badly wounded soldiers in the hospital. Perhaps I should explain to you how they came to be there. St Paul's Cathedral is perhaps one of London's most prominent landmarks. Why don't you join us for the New Year celebrations? ~ Yeah, perhaps / maybe I will. Maybe you are right! Perhaps it would be best if you didn't invite Johnnie

Note that perhaps is pronounced 'praps'. Note also from the above illustrations that perhaps and maybe can be used to refer to past, present or future events.

may / might Similarly, we can use the modal auxiliaries may or might to say that there is a chance that something is true or may happen. May and might are used to talk about present or future events. They can normally be used interchangeably, although might may suggest a smaller chance of something happening. Compare the following: • • • • •

I may go into town tomorrow for the Christmas sales. And James might come with me! What are you doing over the New Year, Ann? ~ Oh, I may go to Scotland, but there again, I might stay at home. If you go to bed early tonight, you may / might feel better tomorrow. If you went to bed early tonight, you might feel better tomorrow. One of my New Year resolutions is to go to the gym twice a week! ~ And pigs might fly!

Note that 'Pigs might fly' is a fixed expression and always uses might. It means that something will never happen.

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In the first conditional example, will perhaps could be substituted. •

If you go to bed early tonight, you may / might feel better tomorrow.

In the second conditional example, where might is an alternative for would perhaps, may cannot be substituted. •

If you went to bed early tonight, you might feel better tomorrow.

Steven Tan from Singapore writes: Hi Roger! My friends often argue about the meaning of the adverb quite. Webster's Dictionary defines it as extreme or very. Am I right to say that it is the same in British English? In British English, quite has two different meanings. It does mean completely or entirely, but it also means fairly or rather. quite = completely When it is used for emphasis with adjectives that cannot be graded, quite means completely. The colour adjective black, for example cannot be graded. Things can't be more black or less black. They are just black. So, if we put this into context and look at some more examples of quite with ungradable adjectives, we may find: • • • • •

There's no trace of red in her hair - it's quite black. I see no hope - the future looks quite black to me. It's quite impossible to learn twenty new items of vocabulary each day. His performance on stage was quite amazing - we were just spellbound for three hours! Are you quite sure? I think you're quite wrong about this.

not quite = not completely When not is used with quite, it always means not exactly or not completely. Study the following: • • •

Shall we go? ~ I'm not quite ready. Do you like this one? ~ It's not quite the colour I wanted. Have you finished that book on Che Guevara yet? ~ Not quite.

quite = exactly / I agree

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Quite can be used in an emphatic way as a one-word response, meaning exactly or I completely agree: • •

I always knew their marriage would never last. ~ Quite! / Exactly! / So did I! If you stay quite still, those animals won't harm you. ~ Quite! / That's absolutely right.

quite = fairly / rather If we are using quite with an adjective that is gradable, it means fairly or rather. The adjective easy, for example, is gradable. Things can be easier or harder. Thus, quite, when used with easy, means fairly or rather. Study these examples: • • •

How did you find the maths test? ~ Oh, it was quite easy, really. / It was quite difficult. What did you think of the cabaret? ~ Oh, it was quite entertaining. I'm quite tired but I'll try and finish this book review before I go to bed.

quite with verbs When quite is used to modify verbs, the meaning depends on whether the verb is regarded as gradable or not. Compare the following: • • • •

I wouldn't want to be on holiday with him, but I quite like him. How did you get on at Barry's party? ~ Oh, it was quite nice. I quite enjoyed myself. I haven't quite finished decorating Jim's bedroom yet, but I will have by Saturday. I quite agree with you. Young children must never be left at home on their own.

quite with a / an + (adjective) noun When quite is used to modify nouns or adjectives with nouns, it normally has the meaning of rather. Compare the following: • • • •

I know they left in a hurry. How did they leave the house? ~ Oh, it was in quite a mess. How was the house contents auction? ~ Oh, it was quite a success. Nearly everything went. Let's take a picnic with us. I think it's going to be quite a nice day. Did you get to see Hamlet at the Barbican? ~ Yes, it was quite an interesting production.

So / Very

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Halimatus from Malaysia asks What's the difference between 'so' and 'very'? And what is the difference between 'were laughing' and 'are laughing'? I think both have the same meaning. Can you explain it to me?

Mark Shea answers: Hi Halimatus, thanks for your question. Let's start with the easy bit... "We are laughing" is the present continuous tense, and that normally means that it is happening right now. We might say that "We are laughing at the comedy on television" or "Don't worry, we are not laughing at you - it was something John said earlier!" In expressions with 'when', it might mean every time we do something, for example, laugh: "When we're laughing, I forget about our problems." But "We were laughing" is the past continuous tense, and so normally talks about a time in the past: "We were laughing at the story about Paul when he walked in the room" or "I saw what happened, but why were you laughing?" So the difference is the present and the past: If it's happening now, say 'are'. If it was happening at some time in the past, say 'were'. The other question is a bit more complicated... We use 'very' with adjectives - those are words which describe people, places or things to make them more extreme. So: "London is a big city, but Tokyo is a very big city." "Einstein was a very intelligent man." "The Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur are very tall." When we use 'so', there's normally another clause - that's part of a sentence - after it. The 'so' part of the sentence explains why the 'that' part of the sentence happens: "Tokyo is so big that it is difficult for tourists to find their way around." "Einstein was so intelligent that some other scientists had problems understanding his theories." "The Petronas Towers are so tall that they were once the world's tallest buildings." The first part of the sentence doesn't really make any sense without the second part, so although we can say: "The Malaysian grand prix is very noisy" it doesn't really make sense to say: "The Malaysian grand prix is so noisy" - unless you're replying to something another person has just said. For example: "I don't like motor sports!" "No - me neither. I went to the Malaysian grand prix and it was so noisy."

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What we mean here is that it was so noisy that she didn't enjoy it. So use 'very' when you don't mean that something is good or bad, just extreme, and use 'so' when you want to add extra information afterwards. I hope this answers your question Halimatus. It was very difficult - so difficult that I think I need a rest now! Use of 'so' and 'such' Savino Carrella from Naples asks: Could you kindly tell me whether the use of so in the following sentence is correct: 'Miles looked older than his brother, revealing so a strange maturity.' Here so should stand for 'in this way'. If so here means 'in this way' or 'thus', it would normally come immediately after the main clause: • •

'Miles looked older than his brother, so revealing a strange maturity.' ('so' = less formal) 'Miles looked older than his brother, thus revealing a strange maturity.' ('thus' = more formal)

However, if you are using so or such for emphasis to mean 'to a very great degree or extent', their position immediately before the adjective is correct. But take care using these two forms. It has to be such before a noun or before an adjective plus noun. So it will be: •

'Miles looked older than his brother, revealing such a strange maturity.'

So is obviously used in a similar way, but is placed before adjectives standing alone or before adverb plus adjective, thus: •

'She was so indescribably beautiful that we couldn't take our eyes off her.'

Remember: such + noun so + adjective such + adjective + noun so + adverb + adjective The noun with such is normally preceded by the indefinite article: • • •

'We had such a good time at Henry's party.' 'I've been working far too hard today and I've got such a headache now.' 'She really embarrassed me. She is such a fool.'

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Occasionally, in certain expressions, when the noun has a gradeable meaning, the indefinite article is dropped: • • • •

'Such lovely countryside (around here)!' 'Such awful weather (these days)!' 'We had such fun at Henry's party!' 'I don't know how you have such patience (when dealing with such awkward customers).'

Frequently heard examples of so in this sense might include: • • • • • •

'I'm so glad you are here!' 'He was so pleased to see her.' 'Don't go so fast! Slow down!' 'What's so funny about that?' 'I'm so tired! It's as if I haven't slept for a week.' 'I love you so much!'

You will already have noticed from at least one of the above examples that so and such are often followed by 'that'-clauses suggesting result or consequence. Note that when plural nouns are used after such, the article is, of course, omitted. • • • • • •

'I'm so glad (that) you could come!' 'It had been so hot on the journey (that) we had to drink a litre of water when we arrived home.' 'There was so much to do on that holiday (that) nobody ever got bored.' 'They were such good swimmers (that) they had no difficulty swimming across the fast-flowing river.' 'She prepared such good meals (that) no one ever thought of going out to eat.' 'I've got such a high temperature (that) I'm hoping (that) my husband will drive me straight to the surgery when he gets home from work.'

There is one exception to the general rule as set out above and that is that only so can be used with indefinite determiners much and many and it is more usual with little and few when these are followed by a noun. We therefore have the new pattern: so + determiner + noun • • • •

'So many sun-worshippers had crowded on to the beach that there was no space left for my towel.' 'I'm sure there will be so much noise in the restaurant that I shan't be able to hear what anybody is saying.' 'I had so little rest over the weekend that I couldn't go to work on Monday morning.' 'There were so few leaves on the tree that it was pointless to try to shelter from the rain beneath it.'

You cannot say: 'such many sun-worshippers', or 'such much noise' and it would be unusual to say: 'such few leaves' or 'such little rest'.

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Finally compare: • •

'Such little people!' ('Little' here is used as an adjective meaning 'small'.) 'So few people!' ('Few' here is used as a determiner meaning 'not very many'.)

You will already have noticed from at least one of the above examples that 'so' and 'such' are often followed by that-clauses suggesting result or consequence. Note that when plural nouns are used after 'such', the article is, of course, omitted. 'I'm so glad (that) you could come!' 'It had been so hot on the journey (that) we had to drink a litre of water when we arrived home.' 'There was so much to do on that holiday (that) nobody ever got bored.' 'They were such good swimmers (that) they had no difficulty swimming across the fast-flowing river.' 'She prepared such good meals (that) no one ever thought of going out to eat.' 'I've got such a high temperature (that) I'm hoping (that) my husband will drive me straight to the surgery when he gets home from work.' though / as though / like Tamas from Hungary writes: I'm a bit confused about using the word though. It's often used at the end of a sentence. For example: •

The house isn't very nice. I like the garden though.

Can you help me out and explain the usage of this word?

'though' as conjunction We normally think of though as a conjunction introducing a contrastive statement, and as the less formal and less forceful equivalent of although and even though. Compare the following: • • •

Even though it was suffocatingly hot, she was wearing a thick woollen sweater. Although she was very fond of him, she had no intention of marrying him. We could try to phone her before we go, though we might miss the train if we do.

'though' as adverb But in your example, Tamas, though is used as an adverb as the less formal equivalent of however. We use though and however when we want to add a comment that seems to contradict or contrasts with what has already been said. As

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in your own example, Tamas, though often indicates an afterthought. Compare the following: • •

• •

I performed so well at interview I thought I would get the job. However, it was not to be. The economic outlook is not very good. However, I can assure you that nobody will lose his job. I’m sorry, I can’t stay for lunch. I’ll have a coffee, though. What a lovely sunny day! ~ There’s a chilly wind, though, isn’t there?

as though / as if / like Like though, as though and as if are subordinating conjunctions. We use as if or as though when we want to give an explanation for something which may not be correct: • • •

She looked at me as if / as though I were mad. Take an umbrella. It looks as if / as though it’s going to rain. I can’t understand why she’s so keen on him. It’s not as if / as though he’s good-looking or anything.

In spoken informal English, particularly American English, we sometimes substitute like for as if and as though: • •

She looked at me like I was stupid. It looks like it’s gonna rain.

Strictly speaking, like, meaning similar to, is a preposition which can only be followed by a pronoun, noun or noun phrase. So, if you want to be grammatically correct, make sure you use like in this way: • • •

Like all good curries, it was served with fresh coriander and nan bread. Like me, she refuses to work after six o’ clock in the evening. On the phone you sound just like your mother. In fact, I always think it is your mother.

'before' or 'ago' I am studying how to use tenses correctly in English. I am having difficulty with the difference between ago and before. Ago cannot be used with the present perfect tense. We cannot say: I have met him five years ago. We have to say: I have met him before. Why is present perfect possible with before, but not with ago? 'before' - any time before now

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Before means: at some unknown time before now. It does not say when. Therefore we would say: I know that chap. I've met him somewhere before. Have you been here before? ~ No, I've never been here before. This is my first time. We normally use the present perfect tense because the effect of meeting or seeing someone or being somewhere is still felt in the present. Simple past is also possible because we are talking about unknown occasions in the past, but it is less likely: I know that chap. I met him somewhere before. Were you here before? ~ No, I was never here before. This is my first time. 'ago' - at a certain time before now Ago tells us how long before the present time something happened. It tells us when and gives us a time or a date. Because we are referring to a specific time in the past, the simple past is used: Your mother phoned five minutes ago. Can you phone her back? I saw her for the first time at film festival in Cannes some twenty years ago. 'before' - at a certain time before then Ago always counts back from the present time. Note that if we are counting back from a past time, before or earlier or previously are used, not ago: I met him at the AIDS conference in Durban in December 2002 when he told me that he had contracted AIDS four years before. ( = 6 years ago) Last year I went back to my hometown that I had left ten years before and discovered that the house I grew up in was no longer standing. (= left home 11 years ago) Last year I returned to my hometown that I had left ten years ago and discovered that the house I grew up in had been demolished (= left home 10 years ago) 'before' - conjunction and preposition as well as adverb Note that before can be used as a conjunction or preposition as well as an adverb. If before is used as a conjunction, it often connects two clauses together which discuss past events. But note that it can also be used with a present tense in the subordinate clause to indicate future activity. Compare the following: They left the dining table before I had finished my meal. How rude of them! He knelt down to say his prayers before he got into bed. I shall read all the reports before I decide what action to take. It can also link clauses denoting habitual current activity with the simple present:

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I always shave before I take a shower. You must take off your shoes before you enter the mosque. If before is used as a preposition, it usually refers to time, not to place when in front of is preferred. Compare the following: To stay young and beautiful, try to get to bed before midnight each night. To stay in shape, I try to go for a jog and a swim in the sea every morning before breakfast. There were so many tall people in front of me that I could see nothing of the procession as it passed by. 'Ever' and 'whenever' Tiffany Teng from Singapore asks: We know it is correct to say: ‘I have never been to London’. But for someone who has been to London before, is it correct to say: ‘I have ever been to London’?

No. Ever means at any time, so it is inappropriate in the above sentence. Ever is used mainly in questions. Although it is usually associated with the present perfect, it can also be used with a present, past or past perfect verb form or with future reference. If the answer is no, we often use never in the reply, meaning ‘not at any time’. If the answer is yes, we might add once or twice, etc, to indicate how many times we have done whatever is being referred to. Compare the following: • • • • • •

'Have you ever been to Ireland?' 'Yes, I’ve been there twice, once in 1983 and again in 1995.' 'Did you ever meet Tom Robinson when you were at uni?' 'No, I never did.' 'My driving instructor asked me if I’d ever driven before.' 'I said, no, I never had.' 'Do you ever go to the cinema?' 'No, I prefer to watch films on video or DVD.' 'Are you ever going to finish this book?' 'I’ll try and finish it over the summer. I’ve no time now.' 'Will you ever marry me?' 'No, Jason I don’t think I ever will.'

As you can see from this last example, ever can be used in an affirmative sentence with not as an alternative to the more usual 'never'. It can also be used in affirmative sentences with if and with adverbs which express a negative idea, like hardly. Remember the meaning of ever is always ‘at any time’. Compare the following: • •

'If you ever change your mind, let me know. We’d love to have you on the team.' 'If you are ever in London, be sure to come and see us.'

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• •

'We hardly ever go to the theatre. It’s too expensive.' 'I don’t think we shall ever see Jenny again now that she’s emigrated to Australia.'

Remember also that ever can be tagged on to ‘where’, ‘when’, ‘what’, ‘which’, ‘who’ and ‘how’ to make the conjunctions wherever, whenever, whatever, whichever, whoever and however, meaning 'no matter where’, ‘no matter when’, ‘no matter what’, ‘no matter which’, ‘no matter who’ and ‘no matter how’. Compare the following: • • • • • •

'We were playing ‘Hide and Seek’ and we couldn’t find him wherever we looked.' 'If you have a problem, you can phone me up whenever you like – at any time of the day.' 'Whatever advice I gave her, she would be sure not to take it.' 'Whichever path we took, we were unable to find our way out of the maze.' 'I shall sell my computer to whoever wants it.' 'However hard I try, I can never seem to learn vocabulary.'

Finally, ever is used in the comparative expression as ever and than ever, meaning ‘as/than at any time in the past’. Study the following two examples: • •

'You’ll have to work harder than ever today, if you want to finish this job before it gets dark.' 'Jayne, it’s so long since I heard you sing, but you sing as beautifully as ever!'

Time expressions, adjectives and adverbs Min from South Korea writes: I'd like to know the difference between lately and recently. My dictionaries say they are almost the same, but I guess there's a slight difference, isn't there? Aston Ndosi from Tanzania writes: Please assist by explaining to me the difference in use between prompt and punctual. S. Rajandran from India writes: I would like to know the difference between instantaneous and simultaneous.

Recently / lately - late

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There is a slight difference in use between recently and lately (see below) but note that the adverb late is quite different in meaning from lately: its opposite is early. Compare the following: •

The supermarket has recently opened a new superstore outside town (= a short time ago)

•

I haven't been to the theatre recently / lately. (= over the last few weeks or months)

•

My health hasn't been too good recently / lately - I've hardly been out at all.

•

I arrived late for the performance and couldn't get in.

•

It's a good idea to arrive early so that you have time for a drink before the show starts.

Recently / lately - late There is a slight difference in use between recently and lately (see below) but note that the adverb late is quite different in meaning from lately: its opposite is early. Compare the following: •

The supermarket has recently opened a new superstore outside town (= a short time ago)

•

I haven't been to the theatre recently / lately. (= over the last few weeks or months)

•

My health hasn't been too good recently / lately - I've hardly been out at all.

•

I arrived late for the performance and couldn't get in.

•

It's a good idea to arrive early so that you have time for a drink before the show starts.

Promptly - punctually - on time - in time If you arrive punctually, you arrive at the right time, neither late nor early - you arrive on time. Punctually is normally used with the verb arrive, but promptly, which means without delay, is used with other verbs (see below and note the position of promptly in these sentences. In time has a slightly different meaning from on time. If you do something in time, you do it with time to spare - before the last moment. Compare the following: •

He sat down to watch the television programme and promptly fell asleep.

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•

He sat down to watch the television programme and fell asleep straightaway.

•

I received his letter a week ago and I replied promptly to it.

•

I received his letter a week ago and I replied to it immediately.

•

He was saved from falling overboard by the prompt action of the skipper.

•

My guest arrived punctually at seven o' clock, as I expected. He's always very punctual.

•

The train left exactly on time. The show started exactly on time.

•

I didn't get to the house in time. They had already left.

•

We're in plenty of time. We can have a coffee. There's no need to go in now.

Instant(ly) - instantaneous(ly) If something happens instantly it happens immediately. If something happens instantaneously it also happens immediately but at the same time very quickly. Instantaneous and instantaneously are used only in a restricted range of contexts (see below): •

The Beatles songs are instantly recognisable - everybody seems to know them.

•

When I saw Barbara crying I knew instantly what was wrong.

•

Death was instantaneous for all the people in the car when the bomb exploded.

•

The airbags for the driver and front seat passenger inflate instantaneously on impact in a head-on collision.

Simultaneously - at the same time If things happen simultaneously, they happen at the same time. Note that simultaneous is used in more formal contexts than at the same time (see below): •

The two-minute silence in memory of the famous footballer was observed simultaneously on all the football grounds in England.

•

The shots were fired simultaneously and three of them hit their target.

•

We arrived at the same time. I arrived at the same time as Judy.

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In informal and semi-formal registers, at the same time can also be used to connect ideas between sentences. It introduces a statement that slightly changes or contradicts the previous statement. Simultaneously cannot be used in this way. Compare the following: I admired her for her courage in the face of such adversity. At the same time, I was slightly afraid of her. (NOT: Simultaneously I was slightly afraid of her.) Cities are becoming more and more crowded. At the same time, people are using their cars less and less in city centres. (NOT: Simultaneously people…)

always or ever? Could you please explain when I have to use ever and when I have to use always? ever = at any time Ever usually means at any time and can be used to refer to past, present and future situations. The converse, meaning at no time, is never. Ever is mainly used in questions. Sometimes it is used in negative sentences (not ever) as an alternative to never. Compare the following: Were you ever in the Boy Scouts? ~ No, I never was. Have you ever been to the Everglades in Florida? ~ Yes, I was there once, but it was years ago. Will you ever speak to her again? ~ No, I don't think I ever will. If you ever need any help, just give me a ring. ever : for emphasis We sometimes use ever to give emotive emphasis to what we are saying as an indication that we feel very strongly about it. Thus, in speech, ever receives strong word stress: If I ever catch you fiddling your expenses claims again, you'll be sacked. Don't ever do that again! How ever did you manage to drive home through so much snow? When ever will I find time to get to the bottom of my in-tray?

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Why ever did he marry such a domineering woman? We sometimes use ever in compound expressions with hardly or if: hardly ever = very rarely / seldom It seldom / hardly ever / very rarely rains in Puglia in the summer. seldom, if ever = almost never Now that we have young children, we seldom, if ever, go out in the evening. ever = always? We do not often use ever to mean always, i.e. on every occasion or all the time. We have to say, e.g.: I always bike to work now. It's so much healthier. (Not: I ever bike to work now. It's so much healthier.) Compare the difference in meaning between these two example sentences. In the first sentence, they often agree, but not on every occasion. In the second sentence, they never agree: My mother and I don't always agree about the best way to rear children. My mother and I don't ever agree about the best way to rear children. ever = always But occasionally, ever is used to mean always. We sometimes end letters with Yours ever or Ever yours as an alternative to Yours sincerely. Here Ever yours means Always yours. And in these contexts too, in which we are indicating that a person has particular qualities, ever is used to mean always: Let me open the door for you. ~ Ever the gentleman! I always year loose-fitting clothes like this ~ Ever the hippie! In a number of compound expressions, ever is used to mean always. These include as ever, for ever and ever since: as ever As ever, they couldn't agree. They've never ever agreed on anything. As ever, he was dressed in the style of Eminem. I thought she might be upset by this, but she was as unperturbed as ever. for ever or forever

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We plan to live in this village now for ever. We shall never move out. I intend to remain married to you forever. I shall always love you. ever since She's had a drink problem ever since her husband died. I first met him when I was in the army and we've remained friends ever since. Note that with the ever since construction the 'always' period commences when something happens. In the above examples, this is husband's death or army service meeting. Finally when ever is combined with a comparative adjective, it is used to mean always: The water was rising ever higher and we were in danger of being cut off. The volume of work is going to increase and I shall become ever more busy. always = very often As well as all the time or on every occasion, always can also mean very often when it is used with the progressive form: She always going on about the cost of living and how expensive everything is. I'm always losing my keys. I put them down and can never remember where I've put them. Note the difference in meaning between these two examples of use: I'll always lend you money when you have none. You know you can depend on me. (Always = on every occasion) I'm always lending you money when you have none. Why don't you try to budget more carefully? (Always = very often)

yet / still / already : position and use Maria Rita Barros from Brazil writes: I always get confused when I use still, yet and already. Could you please explain them again with examples. Maria-Leena Luotonen from Finland writes: I've been wondering why my grammar book says that yet goes at the end of the clause in interrogative and negative sentences when I have seen the examples:

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I got the book a month ago and I haven't yet had a chance to read it. (Cambridge Dictionaries on line) Later issues are not yet published.(British Library)

Yet - position in sentence I would say that your grammar book, Cambridge Dictionaries and the British Library are all correct, Maria-Leena. Yet is normally placed at the end of the clause, particularly in informal English and in questions, but can go immediately after not in negative sentences in a more formal style, such as Cambridge Dictionaries and the British Library have used. Compare also the following: •

How long have you been in Britain? ~ For over a year now. ~ Have you been to Wales or Scotland yet? ~ No, not yet. I haven't even ventured out of London yet.

Although she has been in Britain for more than a year, Maria has not yet visited either Wales or Scotland. Yet - meaning and use We use yet in questions to ask whether something has happened up to the present time. Not yet then indicates that it hasn't happened yet: •

Is dinner ready yet? I'm starving. ~ No, it's not ready yet. It'll be another half an hour.

In a more formal style it is possible to use yet in affirmative sentences: •

We have yet to discover whether there are any survivors from the plane crash.

•

I have yet to speak to the personnel manager to discuss my future.

In a less formal style, we might say: •

We still don't know whether there are survivors from the plane crash.

•

I haven't spoken to the manager yet, so don't know what my future will be.

•

I still haven't spoken to the manager, so don't know what my future will be.

Thus, in negative sentences, as we can see from these examples, there is considerable overlap in meaning and use between yet and still. Still is the more emphatic of the two. still - meaning and use

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We use still in questions, affirmative and negative sentences to indicate that something is not finished and that we are perhaps surprised or concerned about this. Because it is emphatic, it often carries considerable word stress: •

Is it still raining? ~ Yes, it's still raining. No chance of playing tennis today, I'm afraid.

•

I still don't know whether Brendan will be coming to the engagement party. I've tried to reach him several times on the phone, but can't seem to get hold of him.

already - meaning and use Whereas still and yet normally refer to present and future circumstances, already normally refers to something that is in the present or recent past. It is mainly used in questions and affirmative sentences and usually expresses surprise that something has happened sooner than expected. •

When do you expect Polly to arrive? ~ She's already here! Haven't you seen her?

•

Can you give me a hand with the layout for this article. ~ No, I'm sorry, I'm already late. I have to leave right now.

•

Can you help me move those boxed upstairs? ~ I've already moved them.

•

Have you finished that typing already? Yes, I finished it about five minutes ago.

•

By the age of three, Mozart had already learnt to play the piano.

still / already - position in sentence Note from the above examples that in contrast to yet, still and already usually occupy mid position in the clause.

A question from Katie Burton in China: Some of my Chinese colleagues asked me about the phrase 'well and truly'. We can say 'well and truly stuck' but not 'well and truly beautiful'. Are there any rules for using this phrase or is it just a case of learning it? Is 'well and truly' an adverb and what should follow it, or is it an adjective and is it only for negative things? Karen Adams answers: Thank you for your question Katie. And first let me explain what 'well and truly stuck' means. If something is 'well and truly stuck' you really can not move it. So for example if your car breaks down and you try to push it and it won't move it may be well and truly stuck. So 'well and truly' here means absolutely stuck, you can't move it. And really when we say something is well and truly stuck it shows that we are

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actually a little bit frustrated or we really aren't very happy about the fact that we can't move it. So for example if I come home and I want to have a biscuit and I look in the biscuit tin and there are none there I can say 'well they are well and truly finished'. However 'well and truly' is a very difficult phrase to use because it doesn’t go with lots and lots of different adjectives. If you were to say the words 'well and truly' to someone in Britain they would imagine that the next word would be stuck. 'Well and truly' is an adverbial phrase to describe the adjective stuck. And they just go together. There are no clear rules to for why certain adverbs go with certain adjectives, they just do. So, for example, if you say to someone in Britain the adverb – 'stunningly' – the adjective they're most likely to think of is 'beautiful'. These are what we call fixed phrases. They're phrases which just go together, they collocate – co locate – they go together. It's not just adverbs and adjectives which go together in this way. We often find nouns and nouns go together. So for example 'fish and …. chips'. Or adjectives and nouns, for example we can say - 'heavy smoker', someone who smokes a lot, or 'heavy drinker' someone who drinks a lot. But someone who eats a lot? No it's not a 'heavy eater' it's a 'big eater'. Basically these phrases which go together form patterns, there are no real rules to learn. You just have to be able to work out what the patterns are. So how do you learn these phrases which go together? Well the two best things you can do are to read and to listen. When you're reading a newspaper or a book try to work out phrases that you see coming up more than once. If you see a phrase which goes together maybe two or three times then you can think 'mmm I think those go together, I think those collocate.' And similarly if you're listening to the radio, when you're listening to the BBC World Service if you hear the phrase two or three times, make a note of it, because then you know 'mmm this is a collocation, this is a phrase which goes together.' So hopefully Katie that answers your question. To sum up, 'well and truly is an adverbial phrase and most often you use it with the adjective 'stuck', 'well and truly stuck.' You can use it in one or two other circumstances, but usually you will hear it with he adjective 'stuck'. Although now I'm well and truly finished and I'm going to go and have a cup of tea.

Worth and worthwhile Roberto Miguel from Argentina writes: Would you please explain the difference between these two sentences: This book is worth reading It's worth reading this book. and also the use and meaning of:

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It's worthwhile… It's worth somebody's while… There is no difference in meaning between the first two sentences. In both of them we are talking about the value of an activity. The difference is one of form only and both forms are frequently used Is it worth repairing this car? Worth usually follows the verb to be and is often used with a preparatory it. It can then be followed by an -ing clause: • •

It was definitely worth making the effort to watch this documentary. It is always worth fighting for your freedom and independence.

Note that with this construction, it can be used to refer to an action mentioned in the previous sentence: • •

Shall we have this car repaired? ~ No, it's not worth repairing. I shall never have any independence. ~ It's worth fighting for, you know.

This car is not worth repairing With this structure the object of the -ing clause is made the subject of the sentence and the preparatory it becomes superfluous: • • •

This documentary was definitely worth watching. This documentary was definitely worth making the effort to watch. Freedom and independence are always worth fighting for.

Be worth a lot of money Worth is also often followed by a noun phrase when we are discussing the monetary value of something or somebody and saying how much it or they are worth. With this construction the question forms how much and what are often used: • •

What / How much do you think this violin is worth? ~ It must be worth a fortune. It's a stradivarius. He bought me earrings worth two thousand pounds. ~ Gosh, how much is he worth? ~ He's a dollar millionaire!

be worth a lot / a great deal /etc With these expressions we are saying how good, useful or reliable something or someone is: •

She's always there for me. Her companionship is worth a great deal to me. She's worth her weight in gold.

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•

The government's promises and policies are not worth very much. The policies are not worth the paper they're printed on.

Note that to be worth your weight in gold and not worth the paper they are printed on are both idioms. Word order cannot be changed. be worth somebody's while If you say it will be worth your while to do something, it means that you will get some (financial) advantage or benefit from it, even though it may take some time or trouble: • •

It would be well worth your while to invest in shares now while the stock market is low. It's not really worth my while to spend the whole day on my feet behind the counter for as little as fifty pounds.

Note from the above example that worth can also be modified by well to make the expression well worth. worthwhile If something is worthwhile it is well worth the time, money or effort that you spend on it: • •

It was a worthwhile journey - he got to see everyone on his list. The meeting was so worthwhile and all the arguments about profit margins have now been sorted out.

Sometimes, worthwhile simply means of value and can be used in a similar way to worth with preliminary it. Compare the following: • • •

It may be worth comparing this year's profit margins with last year's It may be worthwhile to compare this year's profit margins with last year's It may be worth your while to compare this year's profit margins with last year's

worthless Note that if something is worthless, it has no value or use: • •

The guarantee will be worthless if the company goes out of business. With hyperinflation the local currency has become virtually worthless.

'yet' as conjunction and adverb Viji Palaniappan from India writes: Yet is similar in meaning to but. But people also say: not yet. This is confusing.

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~Did you receive the book? ~Not yet. The problem is that yet can be used as an adverb as well as a co-ordinating conjunction. Let’s look at its function as a conjunction first of all. yet as conjunction You are right, Viji. Yet is similar in meaning to but. But is a co-ordinating conjunction used to contrast two statements: • •

They can speak Arabic but they can’t read or write it. He tried to book a holiday on Bali, but he didn’t have enough money to pay for it.

We use yet as the preferred alternative to but when we want to emphasise that contrast to achieve a stronger effect: • •

She can play the piano very well, yet she can’t read music at all. The yachtsman had lost all sense of direction, yet he refused to give up in his attempt to cross the Atlantic.

We sometimes put and in front of yet when it is used in this way or use even so as an alternative to yet or and yet: • •

She can play the piano very well, and yet she can’t read music at all. The yachtsman had lost all sense of direction. Even so, he refused to give up in his attempt to cross the Atlantic.

However and nevertheless are sometimes used as more formal alternatives to yet: • •

He had no chance of winning the race or even of coming in the first six. However, he kept going and crossed the finishing line ahead of his team mates. He had not slept for three nights. Nevertheless, he insisted on going into work the following day.

In colloquial spoken English, mind you, but still or still are sometimes used as less formal alternatives to yet: • • •

The weather was lousy. It rained every day. Still, we managed to enjoy ourselves. I don’t like the work very much. Mind you, the people I work with are very nice. You can be very annoying at times, but we still love you.

yet as adverb

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When yet is used as an adverb, it is used to talk about something over a period of time, up till now: • •

Is lunch ready yet? Are the Hunts back from their holiday yet?

It is often used with the negative when you are saying that up to the present time something has not happened. It is normally used with present and perfect tenses, though in American English you will sometimes hear it used with the past tense. Still can sometimes be used as an alternative to yet. When we use still in this way, it is emphatic. We are saying that we are very surprised that it hasn’t happened. Compare the following: • • • •

Don’t eat the plums. They’re not ripe yet. / They’re still not ripe. I haven’t been to Wales or Scotland yet, though I’ve visited England many times. I still haven’t been to Wales or Scotland, even though I’ve visited England many times. Did you phone him yet? No, sorry. I forgot.

As we can see from the above examples, yet is normally used with negative sentences and in questions, but it is sometimes used in affirmative sentences in a more formal style: • •

I have yet to meet the man I wish to marry. We have yet to learn whether there will be any survivors from the earthquake.

Confusing words & expressions 'accident' and 'incident' I would like to know the difference between 'accident' and 'incident'. Mark Shea answers: Hi Richard - I can see the confusion here - the words even sound nearly the same! I think that the most important difference is that 'an accident' is something which happens purely by chance, there was no intention involved, and we can?t really use 'incident' like this. If you do something by accident, you don't mean to do it, perhaps it's something you do or did without thinking. Post-it notes, for example, are little sticky pieces of paper that we use to write notes on. And they were discovered by accident when a scientist, who was trying to make

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a very strong glue created a very weak one instead. He didn't mean to discover Postit notes - he made them by accident. We often use 'accident' to describe something unpleasant or unfortunate ? "She had an accident while she was skiing and broke her leg." It's especially common to use it when we are talking about traffic and vehicle collisions ... "The car accident caused a big problem on the motorway." 'An incident' is much more general - we can use it to talk about almost anything that happens, any single event. If we were describing a particular time when something went badly wrong, we might talk about "the incident last summer" for example. It might be something completely intentional - someone deliberately starting an argument ... "We don't talk about politics at home since the incident last summer. Li was looking for an argument and brought up the subject of the recent elections." We couldn't call the argument 'an accident' because Li started it deliberately. We often say 'incident' when we don't want to mention what actually happened, or sometimes if we want to make an event sound less important. The police use 'incident' to talk about possible crimes, if they're not yet sure if a crime has been committed. It's quite common to hear: "Police are looking into the incident." It means that they are investigating to see if someone has committed a crime. So the biggest difference is that accidents are never intentional, but incidents might be! I hope this answers your question Richard.

Acting / Acting as A question from M. Mbewe in Zambia: What is the difference between 'Acting as Chief Executive Officer' and 'Acting Chief Executive Officer'? This is in relation to office duties.

Susan Fearn answers: So first of all, let me explain that the Chief Executive Officer is the person at the head of a company. But you might not have actually heard this said very much, and that's because it's such a mouthful that speakers of English often just use the initials - 'CEO', and that's true of both speech and writing.

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I've got a couple of examples from BBC news stories. Here's one from October 2006: "Streiff resigns as CEO of Airbus" The chief executive of troubled plane maker Airbus has resigned... And here's another: "CEO swaps hedge fund for charity" (Sep 2006) The chief executive of the world's biggest hedge fund, is to step down to focus on private philanthropy... But anyway, the question here isn't 'What is a chief executive officer?' it's about Acting Chief Executive Officers. And here's an example: A friend of mine, who's the CEO of a charity, recently took a few months off to have a baby - she went on maternity leave. And while she was away, someone else took her job for a few months. That person had an official job title, Acting CEO - Acting Chief Executive Officer. Now acting here has nothing to do with Hollywood - it just means being temporarily but officially in a job. And the person that normally does that job is away - perhaps they've left and a permanent replacement hasn't been found. You can be an acting anything, pretty much: an Acting Manager, Acting Head, Acting Editor, but your role is recognized. So in my friend's case, the Acting CEO got the job title, the money and the recognition. She was lucky! Sometimes, a company might not find a replacement immediately, or perhaps not find one at all. And some poor person still has to do all the extra work. That person might be acting as the CEO - they're doing the work but not necessarily getting the recognition, the pay or the official job title - they may or may not be. So, two examples: Maurizio is the Acting CEO That means he gets the official title, the money, the recognition. And he's also doing the work - he's acting as the CEO. On the other hand, poor old Maria, in her company, is acting as the CEO but she's not getting the job title or the extra money; she's not officially the Acting CEO. Now a quick word about a related phrasal verb 'act up'. If you fill an acting position, it's normally a level above your usual job; you're acting up. So, we can say, for instance: Maurizio is acting up while Glenda's away. You have to be careful with this verb though. Like many English phrasal verbs it's got more than one meaning. 'Act up' can also mean 'misbehave', as in: "My children have been really acting up today." And if you say: "My boss is acting up" - it could have either meaning!

adjective-noun collocations

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Amin studying English in New Zealand writes: I usually get confused using adjectives like heavy, strong, severe, hard. For example, should it be : heavy traffic or severe traffic or heavy / strong / severe wind or heavy / strong / severe / hard rain or They hit me so hard/strong…? I would be much obliged if you could give me an answer. As you progress further with your English studies, Amin, you will become more sensitive to which adjectives best collocate with which nouns and which adverbs best collocate with which verbs. You can learn this by listening to as much spoken English as possible and reading as much written English as possible. Always try to learn use of vocabulary from the context in which it appears and with the help of an EnglishEnglish dictionary which gives plenty of examples of use as well as definitions. In your examples, we would talk about: • • •

The heavy rain and heavy traffic made me late for my appointment. The strong wind whipped the waves up into three-metre-high breakers. They hit me so hard that I found it difficult to stay on my feet.

Other examples or contexts of usage with heavy / strong / severe / hard might be:

heavy • • • • • •

He won’t be able to lift such a heavy suitcase. He’s only nine years old. He’s been a heavy smoker and drinker all his adult life. It was a very heavy meal – far too much meat and not enough vegetables or salads. She had a very heavy cold and her breathing was heavy too. I’ve had a really heavy week – I’ve got a really heavy timetable this term. The First World War yielded much heavier casualties than had ever been known before.

Interestingly, thinking about antonyms of heavy, although we would talk about light suitcases, light meals, light weeks, light timetables and light casualties, we wouldn’t quite so often say a light smoker or a light drinker. I think you would rarely hear someone say a light cold. Instead it would be a slight cold, although you might say that someone’s breathing was very light.(The antonyms of a word is another word which means the opposite.)

strong

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• • • •

Martina Hingis has always exerted a strong influence on the way I play tennis. Although I have strong views on this, I had the strong support of everybody in the room. He has a strong case and there is a strong chance that his appeal will be successful. She speaks English quite well but with a strong French accent.

I am strong in the social sciences and psychology is perhaps my strongest subject. Thinking of antonyms of strong in these contexts, although we would talk about a weak influence, a weak case, being weak in social sciences and my weakest subject, we would have to say a slight chance, and a slight accent. For the converse of strong views and strong support, we would probably say: I don’t have very strong views on this and I had some support.(The converse of a statement or fact is the opposit of it.)

severe • • • •

The severe weather/severe winter meant that hundreds of schools had to be closed. The heavy rain caused severe damage to crops and, later on, a severe shortage of food. We are under severe pressure to reduce the wage bill and make 500 workers redundant. The magistrate imposed severe penalties – they were severely punished.

Conversely, we would talk about mild weather and mild winters, slight damage and slight shortages, some pressure, lenient penalties or leniently punished.

hard • • •

It was a hard exam and the final question was really hard – it was a hard nut to crack! It’s been a long hard day and I’ve been working very hard. They had a hard life and worked through hard times. We had no hard evidence that they had used hard drugs.

Conversely, we might say an easy exam, easy questions, an easy day, an easy life, easy times, soft drugs, circumstantial evidence and I haven’t worked very hard. The expression a hard nut to crack, which means that it was difficult to do this, has no converse form. Faroush from Iran asks:

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What is the meaning of 'afraid' in different sentences and situations? Rachel Wicaksono answers: This is an interesting question, Farhoush and I'm afraid that there are at least seven ways to use the adjective 'afraid'! The most common meaning of 'afraid' is the one I have just used to introduce the topic -when we want to politely tell someone something that may upset, disappoint, annoy or even worry them. In terms of the grammar, we can say either: 'I'm afraid that there are at least seven ways' OR... 'I'm afraid there are at least seven ways' - without using 'that'. We usually hear this meaning of 'afraid' in spoken English. The next most common meaning of 'afraid' is 'to be frightened'. But remember that 'afraid' can't be used before a noun, so we can't talk about 'an easily afraid person'. That's not right. Instead, try these: 'He's an easily frightened person' or even simpler, 'He's easily frightened.' 'He's afraid of something' - for example, ?He's afraid of spiders? 'He's afraid to do something - for example, ?He's afraid to ask for help.? 'He's afraid of doing something - for example, ?He's afraid of flying.? So lots of examples there! Less common uses of the adjective 'afraid' are used as a way of saying either 'yes' and 'no'. 'Afraid' + not... is used to mean 'no' And 'Afraid' + so... is used to mean 'yes'. Here's an example of how we can use 'afraid' to mean 'no': A: Are you doing anything nice this weekend, Femi? F: I'm afraid not, I have to work - I need the money! Or when someone calls and the person they want to speak to isn't there: A: Could I speak to Sun Chen please? B: I'm afraid not, he's not available at the moment. Would you like to leave a message? Next, 'afraid' meaning 'yes': A: Are you leaving now, Yvonne? Y: I'm afraid so, I have to be home by 9 o'clock. So let's sum up... We can use the word 'afraid' in the following ways: First, to politely tell someone something that may disappoint them. Second, to simply mean: 'frightened'. And third, to mean 'yes' when we say 'I'm afraid so' and 'no' when we say 'I'm afraid not'.

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So, to return to the most common meaning of 'afraid'; I'm afraid that there are several uses of the word! And I hope this has helped.

A question from Mechekef in Algeria: I would like to ask a question and I would be very thankful if you answered it. Sometimes you write 'had' as 'hath', 'give' as 'giveth' and 'should' as 'shouldst'. I cannot understand this method of writing. I'll give you an example to explain clearly my question: 'Thou seest their eyes overflow with tears.' Sian Harris answers: Hi there, thanks for your question. This is a really interesting one. In some very old forms of English you will see these type of words - 'thou', 'giveth' 'hast' etc - most notably in certain religious texts such as The Bible or possibly English translations of The Qur'an. In other words, these forms are what we call 'archaic', meaning they're not in active use anymore, other than in either religious or ancient texts, or as they appear in literature and other forms of writing from previous centuries. A specialist in the development and history of English would perhaps be able to tell you more about the origins and the use of the specific words in your example, but most of them would have been in use from around the 15th century onwards in a form now known by academics as 'Early Modern English'. Although this was by no means used consistently if one examines different texts from the time, by about the 18th century these forms were not so widely used and I can clarify that nowadays we would definitely not see or hear these in typical situations, spoken or written. In today's English, 'thou' would always be replaced with 'you', for example, 'seest' with 'see' and so on.

afraid / scared - frightening / terrifying Hasan asks: when do you use afraid and when do you use scared? Natali asks: Could you please explain to me the difference in meaning between scary, frightening and terrifying? afraid / scared / frightened There are differences in use and I shall try to illustrate these. But all these adjectives express roughly the same degree of worry or fear and can therefore be used interchangeably to some extent. Frightened suggests more sudden fear: All small children are afraid of / scared of / frightened of school bullies. Don’t be scared / afraid / frightened. I’m not going to hurt you. All three can be followed by of + -ing clause. Frightened cannot always be followed by of + pronoun or noun:

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He’s afraid of / scared of / frightened of flying in small planes. He’s a strict teacher. Everyone seems to be afraid of / scared of him. All three can be followed by the to + infinitive pattern: She seemed too scared to swim where there were such big waves. After such an experience she’s afraid to go anywhere near the sea. I was too frightened to jump in at the deep end of the pool. We can be scared by or frightened by something. We cannot use afraid in this way: She was scared by the hooting of the owl. They were frightened / terrified by the gunfire and the breaking of glass. Note that terrified expresses a stronger degree of fear. She’s terrified of / by large dogs and won’t go near them. afraid / scared / frightened - position in clause Note that afraid is one of those adjectives that cannot normally be used before a noun, but instead is used after a verb. Scared and frightened can be used in both positions: He seemed afraid. He appeared frightened. He was, without doubt, a frightened man. I’m afraid I / we / he / etc I’m afraid… is also used in another way, meaning: I regret that I have to tell you that…. It is used to introduce bad news in a gentle or polite way: I’m afraid there’s been an accident at the crossroads. Your son’s been knocked over on his bike. I’m afraid we shan’t be able to come on the skiing trip with you. John’s got to work. He’s done very little work, I’m afraid. He’ll have to repeat the course. I’m afraid so. / I’m afraid not. We can use these forms as short answers to confirm bad news: Will I really have to repeat the course next year? ~ I’m afraid so.

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Can’t you really come on the skiing trip with us? ~ I’m afraid not. frightened / frightening As a general rule, adjectives ending in -ed are used to describe how people feel. Adjectives ending in -ing describe the things or situations that give rise to these feelings. So, remember, frightened describes how you feel. Frightening describes the things that make you feel frightened: She looked very frightened when I told her she would lose her job. It was one of the most frightening films I had ever seen. It’s frightening to think that they are capable of producing nuclear weapons. terrified / terrifying Similarly, terrified describes you feel. Terrifying describes the things that make you feel terrified. Terrified and terrifying express a higher degree of anxiety or worry than frightened and frightening: I was so much in debt. I was terrified I would lose my job when the restructuring was announced. It was a terrifying experience. I doubt he will ever recover from it. scared / scary Scary is the adjective relating to things or situations; scared the adjective relating to how people feel. Scary and frightening express similar levels of fear or worry: Being alone in a cave with five thousand bats was scary. I felt scared when night fell and I was nowhere near human habitation.

Using 'approve' Frank Hasenmueller from Germany asks: I would like to know if there is a difference in using approve with or without the preposition of in your sentence structure. Or is it just the same? The meaning of approve changes when you add the preposition of to make approve of. Approve'by itself means 'sanction' or 'endorse' as in these two

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examples. In the first, an accountant is speaking and in the second, a university admissions tutor. • •

'I cannot approve the reimbursement because you haven't given me the receipts for your expenditure.' 'I cannot approve your application to study law because you do not have the relevant qualifications.'

f you approve of something, then you consider it to be good or you agree with it. Consider: • •

'I don't approve of smoking in restaurants because it is so upsetting usually for non-smokers.' 'Why don't you approve of my friends? They are all good upright people.'

archenemy Thank you for your efforts to teach us English, my beloved language. I want to know, what does this statement mean? "...is our arch enemy " Rachel Wicaksono answers: Hi Awad! Thank you for this vocabulary question. Well, first of all, 'archenemy' is a countable noun that is usually spelled as one word, though I notice that the BBC choose to use a hyphen to join the two parts of the word - as in 'arch hyphen enemy' - 'arch-enemy'. In general usage, 'archenemy' means 'the main enemy'. Sometimes 'Archenemy', usually beginning with a capital 'A', is used to mean 'the devil'. 'Arch' in the word 'archenemy' is from the Greek 'arkhos' meaning 'most important'. Some examples, all from films and TV shows, of how 'archenemy' is used include: "...they're bringing back Doctor Who's archenemies, the Daleks..." - the Daleks are Dr Who's most dangerous enemies and have threatened the Doctor's life on many occasions. "Oscar-nominated actor, Thomas Haden Church, is to be Spider-Man's next archenemy, according to reports..." "The actor playing Harry Potter's archenemy, Lord Voldemort, has been chosen for The Goblet of Fire..." If we'd like to talk about our friends, as well as our enemies, we could use the words 'main ally' as an opposite to 'archenemy'. 'Ally', when used as a noun, means a person, group or nation that is linked to another or others because they have something in common that they'd like to achieve. For example: "Britain and the United States were allies in World War II."

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So 'ally' is a formal noun. But on a more personal level, we might say: "Rachel is my best friend; I've known her for years!" But perhaps a word of warning here: some people think it's only possible to have one best friend, so choose carefully. But maybe that's another topic! So, have you got an archenemy? I don't think I have, or maybe I do, and just don't realise it yet. Let's hope we have some allies and at least one best friend as well!

As / Like Well thank you! What poetic examples you’ve given me to work with! If I could fly like a bird and I love you just as before. Well, I think the main difference between like and as is in formality. Like is common in conversation in comparative metaphors; as is still used in conversation, but it’s more frequent in written English. I don’t think I can think of examples as romantic as yours Silvio, but I’ll try! Here we go: The view was just as I remembered it. In conversation, we might say, The view was just like I remembered it. Exercise is just as important as diet for good health. In conversation, we might say: Exercise, just like diet, is important for good health. But I think we’d use the as ... as structure to say something like She’s as lovely as her sister. In all of these examples, two states or things are being compared: the view before and now; exercise and diet; two sisters. We can see that as is being used as a preposition to show comparison, and like is the informal equivalent. And, to continue with like: as well as being a verb that we’re all familiar with (as in I do like you, Silvio), like has a couple of different meanings you may not be aware of. We can use like to give examples, where it means such as. Here we go: Some consumer goods, like household electrical products, are cheaper to purchase than repair. Many successful Broadway shows, like Chicago, Annie and Fame, have been turned into films. We were looking for a good present for a five-year-old, like a bicycle or a remote controlled toy. And finally Silvio, I’d like to tell you about another use of like, which is as a kind of filler or a speech marker. Listen to these examples, which are taken from conversation:

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My brother is like really, really good on the electric guitar. I’ve just got to get, like, one hundred more points to move onto the next level. This kind of usage is very common in the speech of young people, like my son. And I’m going to end my explanation here – thank you for your question and I hope this has helped, Silvio!

'beyond' and 'behind'. English language learner Oksana wants to know how to correctly use the words 'beyond' and 'behind'.

Sian Harris answers: Hi, thanks for your question, there are quite a few different definitions we need to look at here but the meanings of 'behind' and 'beyond' are actually quite different. One of the principal meanings of 'behind' is as a preposition of place. If you are behind a thing or a person you are facing the back of that thing or person. For example: 'There were two boys sitting behind me.' In these terms it means the opposite of 'in front of.' But 'behind' also has adverb uses: if you stay behind, you remain in a place after others have gone. For example: 'John stayed behind after school to take the test.' Equally, if you leave something behind, you do not take it with you when you go: 'They'd been forced to leave behind their businesses and possessions.' As a time expression, behind appears when someone or something is behind, they are delayed or are making less progress than other people think they should: 'The bus was behind schedule.' There are also some more abstract uses of behind that you should be aware of. If an experience is behind you, it is finished. So, for example, 'Now that the divorce is behind us, we can move on.' Also the people, reasons or events behind a situation are the causes of it or are responsible for it as in the sentence: '...the man behind the modernisation of the organisation.' Finally, if you are behind someone, you support them. 'The country was behind the president.' If we turn now to think about 'beyond' - 'beyond' can also function as a preposition of place. If something is 'beyond' a place, it is on the other side of it, as in the case of '...a house beyond the village.' But there's a more abstract meaning to 'beyond' as well - it can mean to extend, continue or progress beyond a particular thing or means to extend or continue further than that thing or point. For example: 'Few children remain in school beyond the age of 16.'

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'Beyond' also has some quite interesting idiomatic usages. If someone or something is beyond belief, understanding or control, it has become impossible to believe, understand or control it. 'The situation has changed beyond recognition.' If you say that something is beyond you, you mean that you cannot understand it. 'How he managed to find us is beyond me.' So, quite a few different meanings there to contend with, but I hope this helps you to identify which word you might use.

British measures: feet, inches, etc. I was reading a biography of an actor whose height was given as 6'3''. In Europe we have centimetres and metres for the height of a person. Could you possibly tell me how this height would correspond in metres? Feet and inches / metres and centimetres Six foot (or six feet) three (inches) would describe a fairly tall man. Note that we would normally say six foot despite the plural reference, although six feet is also possible. As a rough guide, three feet is almost one metre, so six feet would be nearly two metres. To be precise: 1 inch = 2.54 cm (two point five four centimetres) 12 in (12'') = 1 foot (1') = 30.48 cm (thirty point four eight cm) 3 ft (3') = 1 yard = 0.9144 m (zero point nine one four four metres) Here are some more tall men and women for you to practise feet and inches with: Who is the tallest man in the world and how tall is he? ~ It's Radhouane Charbib from Tunisia and he's 7 ft 8.9 in. ~ That's pretty tall! And the world's tallest woman? ~ It's Sandy Allen from the US who is 7' 2.5''. By the age of ten she was already 6' 3''. ~ That's amazing! We also use inches, feet and yards to measure length and width as well as height. Note the following examples: Our dining room is long and narrow - it's about 30' by 10'. We had over a foot of snow this morning. How much did you have? ~ Oh, we had about six inches. The post office is about a hundred yards down this road on the left. ~ Is that two blocks away in American English? ~ Two or three, I'd say.

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To complete the table: 1760 yd = 1 mile = 1.6093 km (one point six o nine three km) If you are planning to drive in Britain next year you will need to know the following: The speed limit in towns and built-up areas is normally 30 mph (thirty miles per hour) although in some areas it may be 20 mph. The speed limit on roads outside towns and villages is normally 60 mph except where it is sign-posted as 50 mph. The speed limit on motorways is 70 mph, but watch out for lower speed restrictions which may be sign-posted. Thirty miles per hour - is that approximately 50 kph? ~ I guess it is. And seventy miles per hour - is that roughly 110 kph? ~ Round about 110, yes. Ounces, pounds and stones / grams and kilograms English people just like to be different, don't they? The bad news is that we still use pounds and stones to measure people's weight instead of kilograms. At least the older generation do. Here is another conversion table and note the abbreviations that are used: 1 ounce = 28.35 g (twenty eight point three four grams) 16 oz = 1 pound = 0.4536 kg (o point four five three six kilos) 14 lbs = 1stone = 6.35 kg How much do you weigh? I'm eleven stones eleven pounds - that's about 75 kilos. I'm a little bit overweight for my height. Somebody my height and build (I'm 5' 8'') should weigh between 10 st 7 and 11 st 7. And if you are cooking something in an English house, you will know that recipes for solid substances are still given in pounds (lbs) and ounces (ozs) and for liquid substances in pints (1 pint = 0.57 litres). A rough guide here is that 4 ozs is very roughly 100 gr. Yorkshire Pudding 4 oz plain flour, ½ tsp salt, 1 egg, ¼ pint milk, ¼ pint water To make Yorkshire Pudding to accompany your roast beef, you will need 4 ounces of plain four, an egg, a quarter of a pint of milk and a quarter of a pint of water. And a pinch of salt. Dresses / shirts / shoes

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Finally, if you are going shopping in England on your next visit, you will need to note English clothing sizes, although European equivalents are usually also given on the labels. presenter, broadcaster, and announcer; I'm confused about the difference between presenter, broadcaster, and announcer; and the difference between reporter and journalist. Your answer must be very helpful for me. Thanks. Hi Suharno, All these words are used to describe people who work in the media. The first three: presenter, broadcaster and announcer are all related to TV and radio: media which is delivered partly – or wholly – through sound and speech (this type of media is increasingly available on internet too). A presenter is a person who introduces or hosts television or radio programmes. A presenter's opening words on a programme are usually something like Good evening, and welcome to[name of show] with me [name of presenter]. On tonight's show we will be... [presenter talks about the content of the programme]. The topic of the programme is not all about the presenter. The presenter is the person who introduces the programme, introduces or links sections of the programme together and says goodbye at the end. Some well-known presenters include Johnny Carson (an American TV chat show host), Trevor MacDonald (a British TV news presenter), and Karim Kouchouk (the presenter of BBCe for BBC Learning English Arabic Service). An announcer's job is similar to that of a presenter. He or she provides spoken information about news, weather, programme content, links between programmes, advertising etc. However, an announcer may have a smaller role in a programme than a presenter does: on TV programmes, an announcer may only feature as a voice whereas a presenter will be seen on the screen. Another main difference between an announcer and a presenter is that the announcer usually reads word-forword from a script, whereas a presenter may have some flexibility regarding the things they say. The word broadcaster can refer to an organisation such as the BBC (UK) or NBC (USA) which produces television and radio programmes. It can also be used to describe someone who is well-experienced in the TV and radio industry. He or she usually has multiple talents – scriptwriting, directing, presenting etc. and his or her programmes may be considered to be very important and well-respected. Famous British broadcasters include Sir David Attenborough, Sir Robert Winston and Sir David Frost, and Larry King in the USA. Turning to the second part of your question, Suharno: you wanted to find out about the difference between a reporter and a journalist. In fact, these jobs are very similar, and in some respects the terms are interchangeable. A journalist's work is most often seen in print – especially newspapers – but they can work for TV and radio too. A journalist gathers, writes and reports news stories, and may also edit and present news articles.

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A reporter is a type of journalist who gathers information about newsworthy issues. This may involve researching through several sources – interviews, police and public records, photographs etc. When the information is gathered, the reporter will create a report for publication or broadcast in the media. Reporters often specialise in a particular area, for example: crime, politics, health or education. Finally, Suharno, I'd like to mention one more media profession. A columnist is a writer (usually a journalist) who writes regularly (often weekly) for a newspaper or magazine. She or he chooses a topic that is in the news and writes not only about the events that have become newsworthy but also often offers some analysis and/or personal opinion. This job is usually reserved for senior journalists at a particular newspaper or magazine. Well Suharno, I do hope this has been a useful answer to your question!

Calling and kidding

Tanya from Russia writes: In American English, one of the meanings of the verb to call is to make a phone call. And the verb to kid means to joke. Do these verbs have the same meaning in British English and are they widely used?

call Yes, call is very frequently used in British English, as an alternative to ring or phone, meaning to make a phone call: •

I decided to call / ring / phone him at home as he's always in meetings at the office.

•

Your wife called while you were in the meeting. Can you ring her back?

•

If you need more information, you can call this number.

Do you also know the informal expression used in British English to give sb a bell, meaning to phone? •

I'll give you a bell next week and we'll make the final arrangements then.

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call - phone or visit? When it is used without an object, call can also mean visit as well as phone. Note that if the context does not make the meaning clear, this may lead to confusion: •

By the way, Jenny called while you were at the hairdresser's. ~ Do you mean she rang or she popped in?

Note that if we want to use call with an object, meaning to visit, we normally say to call on sb: •

I called on my sister on my way home from work. She was pleased to see me.

•

I called my sister on my way home from work from my mobile phone.

call = name / shout / etc Note that call is also frequently used with these meanings: •

If it's a boy, they're going to call him Cedric Alexander Roderick or Car for short.

•

This area is sometimes called the garden suburb because there's so much greenery around.

•

Did you call me? ~ I called you three times. ~ Sorry, I didn't hear you because the hair dryer was on.

•

If I call your name, please come to the front of the queue.

•

He called me into his office because he wanted a private chat. This train calls ( = stops) at all stations to London Victoria.

kid (verb) Kid is widely used as a verb in British English meaning to joke if you want to suggest that what has been said may not be appropriate or true: •

I'm going to call her and tell her she should marry Ben. ~ Are you kidding? Ben's the last person she should marry!

•

I'm going to buy her a ring with diamonds and emeralds. ~ You're kidding me! Where are you going to get the money from?

•

He says he's going to make a million before he's forty! ~ Who is he kidding? He is kidding himself if he thinks that.

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kid (noun) Note that kid and kids are also widely used as nouns to refer informally to children, sons and daughters: •

We're going to take the kids to see Lion King at the theatre in London.

•

He's just a kid. He doesn't understand the difference between right and wrong.

•

A group of kids were stealing the apples from the orchard and selling them on the street corner.

•

They don't have any kids so there's always plenty of money for holidays.

'come' or 'go'? 'bring' or 'take'?

Joo from Korea writes: Hi. I've been learning English in Australia for 5 months. I've been having a hard time because English syntax is so different from Korean. Some of the meanings of words too. Especially go and come. For example: •

Do you want to come with me to Tom's party?

In Korean it would be: Do you want to go with me to Tom's party? Please explain to me how to use go and come in the correct way. Andrzej Macalik from Poland writes: I've got a problem with go back, come back and return, because in my opinion (only?) - they are the same!

Whether we use go or come all has to do with perspective and position. go

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We use go to describe movement away from the place or position where the speaker or hearer is: • • •

Are you going to the pub tonight? Let's go and see Auntie Mary before the holiday is over. They've gone to live in Australia and I don't think they'll ever come back.

come We use come to describe movement to the place where the speaker or hearer is: • • •

Could you come here for a minute, please, Diane? ~ I'm coming. We've come to ask you if we can borrow your car for a week. I've got some people coming for a meal tonight. Can you and Henry come too?

go back, come back, return The same rule applies with go back and come back, Andrzej, but you can use return for both come back and go back: • •

You must have come back / returned very late last night. I didn't hear you come in. He went back / returned to Mexico when he had finished post-graduate training.

Note, however, that come with and not go with is normally used when we are talking about joining a movement of the speaker or hearer, even though the movement is away from their current place or position: • •

I'm going to the hospital this afternoon to get the test results. Could you come with me? We're going to Egypt for a week at Christmas . Would you like to come with us?

bring or take? Note that the difference in use between bring and take is similar to that between come and go. We use take to describe movement away from the position of the speaker/hearer and bring to describe movement to the place where the speaker/hearer is, was or will be:

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• • •

• • •

Can you take the car in for its service tomorrow, Jan? I’m going to take the train. They’re not here. He must have taken them to the club. He’s taken my umbrella too. These shirts that I bought don’t really fit me. I‘m going to have to take them back.

It’s kind of you to invite me to supper. Is it all right if I bring my boyfriend? Always remember to bring your calculators when you come to these maths lessons! I’ve brought you some beans and tomatoes from my garden. I hope you can use them.

'come' or 'go'? 'bring' or 'take'?

Joo from Korea writes: Hi. I've been learning English in Australia for 5 months. I've been having a hard time because English syntax is so different from Korean. Some of the meanings of words too. Especially go and come. For example: •

Do you want to come with me to Tom's party?

In Korean it would be: Do you want to go with me to Tom's party? Please explain to me how to use go and come in the correct way. Andrzej Macalik from Poland writes: I've got a problem with go back, come back and return, because in my opinion (only?) - they are the same! Whether we use go or come all has to do with perspective and position. go We use go to describe movement away from the place or position where the speaker or hearer is: • • •

Are you going to the pub tonight? Let's go and see Auntie Mary before the holiday is over. They've gone to live in Australia and I don't think they'll ever come back.

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come We use come to describe movement to the place where the speaker or hearer is: • • •

Could you come here for a minute, please, Diane? ~ I'm coming. We've come to ask you if we can borrow your car for a week. I've got some people coming for a meal tonight. Can you and Henry come too?

go back, come back, return The same rule applies with go back and come back, Andrzej, but you can use return for both come back and go back: • •

You must have come back / returned very late last night. I didn't hear you come in. He went back / returned to Mexico when he had finished post-graduate training.

Note, however, that come with and not go with is normally used when we are talking about joining a movement of the speaker or hearer, even though the movement is away from their current place or position: • •

I'm going to the hospital this afternoon to get the test results. Could you come with me? We're going to Egypt for a week at Christmas . Would you like to come with us?

bring or take? Note that the difference in use between bring and take is similar to that between come and go. We use take to describe movement away from the position of the speaker/hearer and bring to describe movement to the place where the speaker/hearer is, was or will be: • • •

• • •

Can you take the car in for its service tomorrow, Jan? I’m going to take the train. They’re not here. He must have taken them to the club. He’s taken my umbrella too. These shirts that I bought don’t really fit me. I‘m going to have to take them back.

It’s kind of you to invite me to supper. Is it all right if I bring my boyfriend? Always remember to bring your calculators when you come to these maths lessons! I’ve brought you some beans and tomatoes from my garden. I hope you can use them.

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A question from Charles Otoghile: What rules do I need to help me combine words - usually putting two words together to form one word, such as classroom, blackboard etc.

Amos Paran answers: Your question, Charles, touches on an important process in forming words in English, a process that we call compounding. What happens is that two independent words combine and make one compound word. Many compounds are spelled as one word - as in the two words that you mentioned: classroom and blackboard. But there are many compound words that are not spelled as one word, but that are spelled with a hyphen. And in many cases some people will spell them one way, and others will spell them another way - so eye-witness with a hyphen can be spelled eyewitness without a hyphen; the same is true of drop-out. You can see it written in both ways (drop-out or dropout). Other compounds are always written as two different words - like petrol station or heart attack. There are two rules that can help - or maybe I should call these generalisations rather than rules. Let's look at some words that are compounded and written as one word: blackbird; whiteboard; bathroom; skateboard; greenhouse. Observe how many syllables they have - they have two syllables, and each of the independent words that make them up is one syllable. On the other hand, compounds where one of the words has more than one syllable are normally written with a hyphen or as two separate words. So bathroom is one word; but living room is written as two words. Blackboard is one word, but drawing board is written as two words. The second important rule concerns the stress. Teachers always like to talk about the difference between a blackbird, which is a compound that refers to a specific kind of bird, and a black bird, which is any bird that is black, and is not a compound. Or about a greenhouse - a glass building where you grow plants, which is a compound and a green house, which is a house that is green - and is not a compound. You will notice that in these short compounds, made of two words of one syllable, the first syllable is stressed, and this is always true. This is also true for most longer compounds - not all, but most of them - so, for example, we talk about a petrol station, not a petrol station; or a heart attack, not a heart attack. So, to sum up, I have made two generalisations about compounds, and this may help you. But there is really no substitute for a good dictionary in this case, because these rules are not fixed!

Confusing pairs: definite~definitive etc. I teach English in Germany and have lived here for 26 years. I notice a word which is being used in Britain these days for which I would have used another.

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The new word definitive appears to be used with the same meaning as definite something that is sure. What is the difference, if any?.

I think the difference is still maintained by most users: definite = certain, clear, precise, unlikely to be changed definitive = something that provides a firm conclusion that cannot be challenged • •

In 1993 he wrote a definitive work on the behaviour of stem cells. Barry and Susan have now got a definite date for their wedding.

I notice, by the way, that teenagers in Britain these days always appear to prefer definitely to certainly in the following sort of exchange: •

Are you coming to the concert on Saturday? ~ Definitely!

If any of the following pairs of words are easily confused, you might try this sort of activity as a class exercise with a more advanced group of students. cook and cooker One is the person who cooks and the other is the stove that food is cooked on. But which is which...? • •

He was a really good cook and his spaghetti made me think I was in Italy. The cooker was really dirty and I could see that it hadn't been cleaned for weeks.

dessert and desert One is the sweet food that is served at the end of a meal. The other is an area of land where nothing grows and there is very little water. But which is which...? • •

For dessert I had chocolate cake with whipped cream and then a bowl of cherries. The hot desert sand cut into our faces and we had to close our eyes.

satisfactory and satisfying One of them describes something that gives you a feeling of fulfilment. The other describes something that it good enough to be acceptable. But which is which...? •

The doctor said he was making satisfactory progress but it seemed very slow to me.

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•

There's nothing more satisfying than concluding an agreement after five days of talks.

alternate and alternative One describes something that you can choose to have or do instead of something else. The other describes an activity that is off then on, then off then on again. But which is which...? • •

We could see our father only on alternate weekends. Unfortunately not every weekend. There is no alternative to a prison sentence for such a serious crime.

principle and principal One of them describes a general rule or set of beliefs that you try to adhere to. The other means first in order of importance or the person in charge of a school. But which is which...? • •

He was a man of very few principles who later came to regret the path his life had taken. His principal interest in life was to look after the welfare of others.

There are many other pairs that can be used, depending on the level of the class: • • • • • • • • • •

electrical ~ electronic economical ~ economic historical ~ historic complement ~ compliment personal ~ personnel stationery ~ stationary emigrate ~ immigrate housework ~ homework tasty ~ tasteful complexity ~ complication

confusing road signs

John Chan from Singapore writes: I need your help in answering the following: •

Push your bicycles across the underpass (i.e. a short tunnel under an expressway).

Does this mean that you push your bicycle through the underpass across the expressway? Why not write it simply this way instead:

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•

Push your bicycles through the underpass

You are quite right, John. Logically it should be: Push, do not ride, your bicycles through the underpass, if the underpass crosses a road beneath the expressway or motorway. I understand that the rationale for this instruction is that it would be too dangerous to pedestrians if cyclists rode their bikes through the underpass. Road signs can sometimes be confusing, often because they are too concise. Can you work out the intended meaning in the following: CAUTION - CATTLE CROSSING AHEAD Does this mean: • •

(a) drive carefully because when you go round the next bend, you will see cattle crossing the road in front of you? (b) drive carefully because when you go round the next bend, you will come to the place where cattle sometimes cross the road?

DIVERSION AHEAD Does this mean? • •

(a) that there are some amusements ahead which will enable you to take a break from driving and take a rest? (b) that the road ahead is blocked and you will have to take an alternative route?

Public Conveniences 100 yds Does this mean that: • •

(a) you will find all the facilities you need, banks, shops, restaurant etc approximately one hundred metres to you left? (b) there are public toilets approximately one hundred metres to your left?

STOP CHILDREN CROSSING

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Does this mean: • •

(a) you must do all you can to prevent children crossing the road ahead? (b) you must stop because there are children crossing the road in front of you? ROAD WORKS

Does this mean that: • •

(a) the road ahead is open and in a good state of repair? (b) repairs are being carried out on the road ahead?

'Dedicated / Devoted' A question from Ikram in Pakistan: I really appreciate your efforts to help us to learn and improve English language. I have a query about two words in English language. 'dedicated' and 'devoted' are the two words which are commonly used in speaking and writing. I am well aware of the meanings of the two words. My question is that in some situations we prefer to use the word 'dedicated' rather than 'devoted' while in other circumstances we prefer to use 'devoted'. Please enlighten me when it is appropriate to use 'dedicated' rather than 'devoted' and vice versa.

Mark Shea answers: This is a tricky question, Ikram - the words 'dedicated' and 'devoted' seem very similar. If we look at the etymology of the words - that's how they came into English - we see that they have quite similar meanings originally. Both come from Latin: 'devote' comes from the word meaning 'a vow', and 'dedicate', which has changed very little, comes from the word meaning 'to proclaim', 'consecrate' or 'devote'. Both words have a religious background, and both mean to have great love, affection or enthusiasm for something. We might identify some differences in the use of each word today, however... 'Devoted' has remained far closer to its original meaning - we still use it to talk about someone's commitment to a particular activity or object. It's particularly used to talk about someone's love for their family "He's a devoted father" OR "She was devoted to her grandchildren." We can use it, perhaps less frequently, to talk about other areas of life: "Years of devoted research finally produced results," for example, or... "The teachers were devoted to their students."

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The central meaning is that effort and concentration are involved in the object of the devotion. And it's worth noting that the noun 'devotions' might also mean religious activities like praying, for example. 'Dedicated' has become more flexible over time... We're less likely to use it to talk about love for one's family or in a religious context it's a more general word. If you are dedicated to something, you believe that it's right and worthwhile and you give a lot of time and effort to it. It's especially useful to talk about someone's attitude to their job "A dedicated worker" is very committed, for example. But 'dedicated' could also be used to describe someone who believes very strongly in the importance of an ideal... 'A dedicated vegetarian' believes very strongly that people should not eat animals. 'Dedicated' can be used in another way though: A song on the radio might be dedicated to a particular person - you can call some radio stations and they'll play songs which you request for your friends or family. 'A dedication' is a statement which says who a book has been written for or who a song has been sung for. To sum up then, both words have similar origins and meanings, but we're more likely to use 'devoted' to talk about family or loved ones, and 'dedicated' to talk about work or other interests. So thanks for being such a dedicated learner of English, Ikram! 'deny', 'refuse', 'reject' Thuy Nhien from Vietnam asks: Could you please show me the difference between 'deny', 'refuse', 'reject', 'decline'...

Mark Shea answers: Hi Thuy Nhien, This is a very common question as 'deny', 'refuse', 'reject' and 'decline' often translate to the same word in other languages, so learners often have problems distinguishing between them. One useful way of seeing the difference between words is to look at the opposite of each one... 'Accept' could be the opposite of 'refuse', 'reject' and 'decline', so we can see that these words have very similar meanings. The opposite of 'deny' would be 'admit', however, so this is different to the others an 'odd one out'.

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The main meaning of 'deny' is to say that something is not true. If the police are questioning somebody, the suspect might deny that he committed a crime, for example. 'Deny' also has a less common use, which is quite similar to 'refuse' - if you deny somebody something, you 'refuse' to give it to them - for example: "The guards denied their prisoners food and water" Finally, if you 'deny' someone, you say that they aren't connected to you at all - but this use is rather old-fashioned. To 'refuse' is the opposite of to 'accept' - if you refuse to do something you choose not to do it, or say firmly that you will not do it. You could also refuse something, which means that you don't accept it. For example: "I offered him a cold drink but he refused it" Notice that the pronunciation has the stress on the second syllable - refuse as opposed to refuse, which is a formal word for rubbish. 'Reject' is quite similar to 'refuse' - the opposite of both would be 'accept'. If you reject a proposal or a request, for instance, you decide not to agree with it... "Judge Dread rejected the lawyer's request for more time to study the case" If you reject a belief or a theory, you decide that you do not believe in it and you do not wish to follow it... "The rebels rejected the authority of the central government." 'Reject' often carries the added meaning that you don't think something is good enough - if an employer rejects a job applicant, or a machine rejects a credit card it is because something is considered unsuitable, invalid or wrong in some way. If someone rejects a lover, their family or friends, they behave with cruelty or indifference towards them and perhaps do not want to see them any more. Notice that in all cases, the pronunciation is reject, reject, with the stress on the second syllable, which is common for verbs with two syllables. The noun, a reject, has the stress on the first syllable and means somebody or something which has not been accepted. For example: "This shirt was very cheap because it was a reject"

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Finally, we come to 'decline'... 'Decline' can be a rather formal synonym for 'refuse' - if you decline something or decline to do something, you politely refuse to accept it or do it... "The princess is believed to have declined various proposals of marriage" for example. It can also be a noun - but this time it is pronounced the same as the verb, decline. Then there's the intransitive verb - that's a verb without an object. If something declines, it loses quality, importance or strength. Listen to how the verb 'decline' is used in this sentence: "As China and India become more powerful, the economic power of the United States may be declining" So, in conclusion then, we might deny an allegation refuse an offer reject a suggestion - and decline a formal invitation. Thanks for your question Thuy Nhien.

expressions with do/did/done

Navid, studying English in the United States, writes: I have difficulty understanding the meaning of done in this sentence: •

It's not done to call your teachers by their first names.

I would like to know why done doesn't appear to make very much sense in this sentence in American English.

In British English there are a large number of expressions with do/did/done in regular use. In your example, Navid, it's simply a matter of usage. Americans that I have consulted would all recognise this expression, as they would an almost identical

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expression it's (not) the done thing to, though they might not use them actively in speech or writing. In British English, both of these expressions are commonly used. The meaning is that it is (not) socially acceptable to do this. It may not be politically correct, to use another similar expression to describe actions which might appear insulting to particular groups of people (also sometimes referred to as PC and non-PC). Compare the following: • • • •

In this society, it is quite the done thing to eat with your hands. It's not the done thing to poke fun at disabled people. It's not done to remain seated when your National Anthem is played. It is clearly politically incorrect (non-PC) to refer to childcare workers as nursemaids.

Sometimes, expressions which may appear similar at first glance have quite different shades of meaning. Use of the past participle done in expressions normally suggests completed action, but whereas done and dusted means successfully completed and refers to something that you are upbeat about, over and done with suggests something mildly unpleasant which you are pleased is now finished: • •

I finally completed that project last month. Yes, it's all done and dusted. At long last their divorce has come through. Now the whole thing's over and done with.

What about he's done his nut and it's done his nut in? In both of these nut means head, as in nutcase to describe someone who is crazy or insane. But are these two very informal expressions the same or different? What do you think? • •

I didn't have time to clear up after the party and my mum's done her nut. He was so tired he couldn't concentrate on the details in his contract. It did his nut in.

Clearly, they are different. To do your nut means to lose your temper, to fly into a rage. It did his nut in means that it confused or bemused him. And what about have done with and do away with? Are these two informal expressions the same, similar or different? • •

Aren't you still going out with Robert? No, I've done with him. They've done away with the death penalty in many countries recently.

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Slightly similar, though have done with means end relations with someone and do away with means abolish or put an end to. If we substituted done away with for have done with in the first example, it would mean murdered! How about do a good turn to and done to a turn? Same, similar or different? • •

He did me a good turn and took care of Felix while I was on holiday. The goose was done to a turn: lovely soft breast meat with the juices oozing out of it!

Quite different: done to a turn means cooked perfectly and do a good turn means do someone a favour. In very common use are: Well done! All done! and Done! But how exactly are they used? • • • • •

How would you like your steak, sir? Well done, please. I don't want to see any blood. You've done really well to win first prize! Well done! Have you finished that job, Asha? Yeah, all done. What about you Jim? All done? All done! If I offered you £200 for your old car, would you accept it? Done!

Well done = cooked thoroughly or slightly overcooked Well done! = words of congratulation for someone who has done something successfully All done = completely finished Done! = one-word acceptance of an offer or a bet someone has made As an introduction or greeting, remember that How do you do? and Hi! How're you doing? are complete opposites in terms of formality - informality: • •

Hi Bob! How're ya doin'? I'm fine, thanks. How do you do? How do you do? (Must be accompanied by a handshake and no kisses!)

Wear, put on, dress, be dressed in Tugba from Turkey writes: Hello. I would like to know the difference between wear, put on, dress, and dressed in.

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Wear When you wear your clothes, shoes or jewellery you have them on your body: •

She was wearing a beautiful diamond necklace with matching earrings.

You can also wear your hair in a particular way: •

David Beckham used to wear his hair short, but now he is wearing it long.

There is another meaning to wear. If something wears, it becomes thinner or weaker because it is used frequently over a long period of time. We also have the expression to wear thin and the phrasal verb to wear out. People can also feel worn out. If something wears you out, it makes you feel extremely tired. Compare the following usages: •

This carpet is beginning to wear. We shall soon have to replace it.

•

He is such an annoying person. My patience is wearing thin.

•

If you didn't play football every day, your shoes wouldn't wear out so quickly.

•

Don't rush around so much. You'll wear yourself out.

•

I've spent all day shopping and I feel quite worn out.

Put on When you put clothes on you place them on your body in order to wear them. And when you have finished wearing them, you take them off. We also put on weight, the opposite of which is to lose weight. Compare the following (additional) usages of put on: •

Take that shirt off and put on a new one. You can't go out in such an old shirt.

•

The amateur dramatic company put on a new show, but had to take it off after three days as nobody came.

•

The casserole is in the oven. Put the potatoes on now and put the rice on in five minutes.

•

I thought I was going to put some weight on on holiday, but I lost half a kilo as I swam every day.

•

Why don't you put that new CD on so that I have some music while I'm ironing?

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Dress When you dress, you put clothes on. You can also dress children, dress a wound by cleaning it and covering it and dress a salad by putting oil and vinegar on it. If you dress up, you put on different clothes to make yourself look smarter, if you dress down, you put on clothes that are less smart than usual. We often speak of getting dressed as a colloquial alternative to dress. Compare the following usages: •

You'd better get dressed now. Henry will be here in ten minutes.

•

She came in covered in mud. So I bathed her and dressed her in new clothes.

•

I must dress now for the party. Have you dressed the salad yet?

•

I think it's better not to dress that wound. We'll just leave it so that the air can get to it.

•

It is customary now to dress down in certain offices in the city on Fridays. There is no need to wear a suit.

•

I just love dressing up and Edward's having an Edwardian party on Saturday.

Be dressed in If you dress or are dressed in a particular way, you wear clothes, usually for a particular purpose: •

She was dressed in a multi-layered organdie gown with a duchess satin opera coat for the open-air production of Don Giovanni. Her chaperone was wearing a white dinner jacket.

Either, neither and too Qemal from Albania writes: I am a military man from Albania and I would be very grateful if you could give me some explanation of how to use neither, either and too. I find it very difficult. Wojciech Szczupa from Poland writes: Try as I might, I couldn't find a clear answer to this question. How should we say: neither of them is or neither of them are? Which form would you use? Is one more proper than the other?

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Either indicates a choice between two alternatives. Neither combines two negative ideas. Study the following examples of use: • • • •

Which of these apples would you prefer? ~ I don't want either of them, thanks. You can have either the £15 cotton top or the £17 cotton-and-polyester blouse. You can't have both. Neither Richard nor Judy could come to the party. I want neither alcohol nor cigars for my birthday. Now that I'm fifty I must live a healthier life.

Both either and neither can function as pronouns, determiners or adverbs.

When they function as pronouns, they are often followed by of + noun phrase: •

I've known you for two years, but I haven't met either of your two brothers yet. (OR: I've known you for two years, but I haven't met either Francis or Damien yet.)

• •

Neither of my two brothers survived the war. Neither Francis, nor Damien. Which of these fur coats is yours? ~ Neither (of them). That one's mine.

When they function as adverbs, they behave as linking words which can be tagged on in agreement at the end of a negative sentence. But with neither, subject and verb are inverted, with either this does not happen: • • • • •

I can't make the meeting on Tuesday. ~ No, neither can I (OR: No, nor can I.) I can't make the meeting on Tuesday. ~ No, I can't either. I don't approve of sex before marriage. ~ No, neither do I. (OR: No, nor do I.) I don't approve of sex before marriage. ~ No, I don't either. I don't go mountain climbing and I don't go mountain walking, either. (OR: I don't go mountain climbing and neither do I go mountain walking.

Too can function as an adding adverb which is placed in agreement at the end of an affirmative sentence. Compare the following: • •

I like peaches and nectarines best. ~ Yeah, I like peaches and nectarines, too. I don't like peaches or nectarines. ~ No, I don't like peaches or nectarines, either.

When either and neither function as determiners, they are placed before the noun.

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• • •

On neither side of the road was there anybody to be seen. Neither player could raise his game. It was a very boring game of tennis to watch. The sisters in the photograph were standing on either side of their dad. (OR: ...on each side..., OR: ...on both sides....)

Neither of them is or neither of them are? I don't think there is a clear answer, Wojciech. Although this of-pronoun is normally considered singular, it is normally followed by plural nouns or pronouns. Thus, the boundary between singular and plural is blurred and effectively it can go with either a singular or plural verb form. Strictly speaking, it should be singular, but you will hear both formulations with no clear preference for one or the other: • • • •

Neither of them are coming. They both have to work next weekend. Neither of them is coming. They both have to work next weekend. Which of these umbrellas is yours? ~ Neither of them are. That one's mine. Which of these umbrellas is yours? ~ Neither is. That's mine.

There is similar confusion, I think, when neither...nor are employed as conjunctions, meaning not one and not the other. Consider the following: • • • •

Neither Francoise nor Helmut likes to eat English breakfasts, even at weekends. Neither Franciose nor Helmut like to eat English breakfasts, even at weekends Neither Emma nor Susan gets on with Chloe. Neither Emma nor Susan get on with Chloe.

A question from Qais Mohammed: What is the difference between effect and affect? Catherine Walter answers: Hi Qais, You have asked a question that many native speakers of English ask when they are writing and part of the problem is that these two words, although spelt differently, are pronounced the same by many people in many contexts. So many people say affect and effect - for the word that begins with 'a' they say and for the word that begins with 'e' they say . I tend to say and /Ifekt/ - so I tend to pronounce the one that begins with 'e', / Ifekt/ but not everybody does. What's the difference? The main use of 'affect' - with an 'a' - is as a verb meaning to have an influence. So you could say: 'Your emotional state affects how you remember things'. The word with an 'e' - effect - is usually used as a noun and it means the result of an influence. So: 'What effect will the new law have on road use?' Part of the problem, you see, is not only that these two words are spelt very similarly, often pronounced the same, but their meanings are also very similar one's a noun, one's a verb. There is a rarer and more formal use of 'effect' as a verb - that's the one with the 'e' - meaning 'to make something happen'. So you could

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say: 'It is pointless to try and effect a chance in policy now'. There are also a number of fixed phrases so something that you might hear quite often is 'take effect'. So that's effect - with an 'e' - used as a noun. Here's an example: 'New privacy regulations will take effect on July 1st.' Since we're being complete here, I'll give you one last little meaning. You may sometimes run across the word with an 'a' but it's pronounced differently, meaning a good or bad feeling towards something, or an attitude towards something. And that's usually pronounced /æfekt/. So it's a psychology term. You might hear, or read more likely: 'The influence of positive effect on social behaviour'. But, that's quite rare and I hope that differentiating 'affect' - with an 'a' - as a verb, and 'effect' - with an 'e' as a noun, will at least set you on the right track. Hope that's helpful.

'effective' / 'efficient''? A question from Hervé in France: Could you explain the difference between something 'effective' and something 'efficient'? Both could be translated in French by "efficace", although the word "efficient" also exists in French and there is a difference between both. When it is 'efficient' in French, it means that it produces effect. When it is 'efficace', it means that it works well. Does that difference exist in English too - 'effective' / 'efficient''?

Gareth Rees: Well Hervé, thank you very much for your question. Your question in fact relates to the topic of false friends. These are words in a foreign language which seem similar to words in your own language. However, in fact they have a different meaning in the foreign language, so they're not really friends, they're false friends. English is a language that has developed from Germanic and Latin languages, and it has also adopted words from other languages such as Hindi and Urdu. Because English has, in part, developed from Latin, and so has French, there are many similar looking or sounding words. And this is the problem that Hervé has with 'effective' and 'efficient'. In French there are similar sounding words, but the meanings are not exactly the same. In English, 'effective' means that something produces results or an effect. It does what it is supposed to do. 'Efficient' means that something is done in a good way, without wasting time, money or energy. For example, a car with an effective engine will move, because the engine does what it is supposed to do. It produces results. It moves the car. A car with an efficient engine is a car that travels a long way without using a lot of petrol. It is efficient, it doesn't waste energy.

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It seems from what Hervé says, that the French word efficient' is more similar to 'effective' than the similar sounding 'efficient'. However, I am not a French expert, so I?ll leave him to decide. A couple of other examples of these false friends include 'sympathetic' and 'sensible'. 'Sympathetic' is a false friend for the French and 'sensible' is a false friend for the Spanish. I hope my explanation has been effective, and that I have made it in an efficient way.

Assure, ensure, insure - assurance, insurance

Betty Choy from Hong Kong writes: I would be most grateful if you could tell me the difference between assurance and insurance. I was told that we talk about life assurance but property insurance. However, I have also heard that American insurance companies talk about life insurance. Please help. I will start with the verbs from which these nouns are derived as they are in more common use and then deal with the more specialist noun forms second. assure - ensure - insure If you assure someone that something is true or will happen, you tell them that it is definitely true or will happen, often in order to make them less worried. We often use such phrases as I can assure you or let me assure you in order to emphasise the truth of what we are saying: •

She hastened to assure me that the report contained no critical comment on my department's performance.

•

Let me assure you / I can assure you that the children will be totally safe on this adventure holiday. No risks of any kind will be taken.

Ensure is subtly different from assure and people often confuse the two. If you ensure that something happens, you make certain that it happens. A less formal equivalent of this verb in spoken English would be make sure: •

Ensure / Make sure that your working hours as well as your rate of pay are written into your contract.

•

I tried to ensure that everybody wore their life jackets the whole time that we were on the sailing boats, but not everybody carried out my instruction.

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In American English, ensure is sometimes spelt insure: •

I shall try to insure that you have a nice time while you are here.

Insure has another meaning, as you suggest, Betty. If you insure yourself or your property, you pay money to an insurance company so that if you become ill or if your property is stolen or damaged, the company will pay you a sum of money: •

We can insure your car against fire, theft and third party damage for as little as £30 per month.~

•

Make sure you remember to insure the digital camera and the mobile phones. They're not included under the house contents insurance.

Assurance First and foremost, assurance has the same meaning as assure. If you give someone an assurance that something is true or will happen, you say that it is definitely true or will definitely happen in order to make them feel less worried: •

He sought an assurance from me that i'd always be available on Saturdays to undertake the work.

•

I was unable to give her any assurance that Beth would arrive in time for the family re-union.

Secondly, in British English we sometimes talk about life assurance as an alternative to life insurance to describe the form of insurance in which a person makes regular payments to an insurance company in return for a sum of money which is paid to them after a period of time or to their family if they die. Both terms are freely used in British English: •

As we came down that hill, I thought we were going to die and I started thinking about my life insurance / life assurance policies.

Insurance is the term used to describe all other types of insurance: •

That car is not insured. The insurance expired at the end of July and you haven't renewed it.

Note that we cannot say ensurance. There is no noun which is derived from ensure.

inquire and enquire

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question from Eric in Singapore: Please would you answer another question for me? What is the difference between inquire and enquire? Amos Paran answers: There is a very simple answer here - there is no difference in meaning. The spelling with 'e' is British, the spelling with 'i' is North American. The same goes for the nouns, 'inquiry' and 'enquiry'. There are of course other differences in spelling between American and British English. The most common ones are words that end with 'our' in British English and are spelled 'or' in American English - labour (labor), honour (honor), and so on. Another common difference is words that end in 're' in British English and are spelled with 'er' in American English- theatre, centre. And finally, words that end with - 'ize' in American English and are often spelled with - 'ise' in British English - sympathise, criticise, and so on. Luckily, my spell checker accepts both!

Equipment, utensil, tool and apparatus What is the difference between 'equipment', 'utensil', 'tool' and 'apparatus'? Thank you for these four items, Sam. They are clearly all from the same lexical field. What you need to know is what restrictions are placed on their use. Equipment usually describes (all) the necessary articles for a purpose. Thus you would say: •

'A lot of equipment was needed for this mountaineering (or camping) expedition.'

Apparatus is similar in meaning to equipment, although it tends to relate to particular contexts. Thus gymnastic apparatus refers to all the apparatus you would expect to find in a gym. It tends to be used in scientific or technical contexts: •

'The chemistry lab was full of the apparatus needed for a range of experiments'.

For tools and utensils it is also very important to know which other words they collocate with. For example, we talk about garden tools for a gardener and work tools for a carpenter, but kitchen utensils for a housewife or house-husband.

'take'- expressions

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Mirto F Santos from Brazil writes: I don't quite understand the meaning of the expression take for granted. Can you please help me? Derek from Taiwan writes: What does this expression mean: take it as it comes?

take something / someone for granted There are two realisations of this expression, Mirto. In one of them when somebody takes you for granted, they are befitting from your help, without acknowledging it: •

He just takes me for granted - never any thanks for all the things I do for him.

If you take something for granted, you assume it will happen or is the case without thinking about it: • •

I took it for granted that I would give the opening address at the conference. The things I take for granted in Madrid just do not apply to my life in London.

take it as it comes If you take things as they come, you take them in sequence or in order with no need to prioritise: •

You're going to be very busy today - lots of customers. ~ Oh, that doesn't bother us. We'll just take it as it comes.

take-expressions We noted in another answer (to review that answer click here) that take is one of the most frequently used verbs in the English language. Consequently, there are more than fifty expressions in current use that incorporate the verb take. Here are eight of the more opaque. take it lying down - submit to insult without protesting, like a dog when cowed •

She's horrible to you all the time - don't just take it lying down!

take it on the chin - accept a difficult situation without complaining •

Her criticism was quite justified. He took it on the chin and apologised.

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take it out on someone - work off frustration by being unpleasant to someone •

I know you've had a bad day at work, but don't take it out on me.

take one's breath away - stress that something is extremely beautiful •

When you get a first glimpse of the Niagara Falls, it takes your breath away.

take one's hat off to - express admiration for someone's achievements. •

I take my hat off to the police for managing the protest without arresting anyone.

take someone to the cleaners - deprive them of their money or possessions •

They took me to the cleaners. I went into the casino with £100 and came out £1,000 in debt.

take someone for a ride - trick or deceive them, perhaps for financial gain •

He's taking you for a ride. Why did you lend him £100? You'll never get it back.

something takes the biscuit - a stupidity that evokes surprise •

I didn't mind her borrowing my jeans, but stealing me underwear - well, that just about takes the biscuit!

take multi-part verbs Similarly, there are numerous multi-part verbs where take is combined with a preposition and/or adverbial particle. Some of them have a literal meaning, like take away or take off which are relatively easy to understand: • •

Have you finished with that yet? ~ Yes, I have. Please take it away. I took off my dirty clothes and put them in the laundry basket.

Other examples have an idiomatic meaning where the meaning may not be clear from an understanding of the individual words. These include: take after - to resemble a family member in appearance, character or behaviour •

Sylvia has always been a worrier - she takes after her mother in that respect.

take up an activity - become interested in it or start doing it. •

She took up line dancing after her husband died.

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take up on - accept an offer OR challenge someone verbally Can I take you up on that lift to Manchester? ~ Sure! No problem. I'd like to take you up on that. I don't agree that cloning is inevitable. take over - assume management, control or ownership •

It's possible that the supermarket chain Safeway will be taken over by Sainsbury's.

Note that the verb needed for going past someone is overtake: •

He overtook me on the brow of the hill - really dangerous driving!

take to - develop a liking for someone or something • •

He's taken to drinking heavily since his wife left him. Tommy has really taken to his new teacher and can't wait to get to school.

Expressing views and opinions in my view / opinion I think we would normally drop point of and simply say in his view (in my view / in their opinion / etc): •

In my view, birds should not be kept in cages.

•

How important is it, in your view, that the twins should stay together? ~ In my opinion, it's very important.

If we want to use point of view, I think we would more often say from my point of view rather than according to my point of view. Both these expressions emphasise the position or angle you are judging the situation from: •

From my point of view it makes no difference whether you return on Saturday night or Sunday morning.

•

From a political point of view, the agreement of the UN is extremely important.

•

From the point of view of safety, always wear a helmet when you are on the building site.

to my mind / etc

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In my view, from my point of view, in my opinion are all fairly formal ways of expressing your opinion characteristic of written English. Less formal equivalents more characteristic of spoken English, include the following: to my mind: to emphasise that this is your opinion reckon: usually to express an opinion about what Is likely to happen feel: to express a strong personal opinion if you ask me: to express an opinion that may be critical to be honest (with you): to express a critical opinion without seeming rude as far as I'm concerned: to express an opinion that may be different from others' •

To my mind the quality of their football is just not good enough.

•

I reckon it'll rain later today. Let's go tomorrow.

•

I feel she shouldn't be getting married so young.

•

If you ask me, it's unreasonable to pay for something which should be free.

•

To be honest (with you), I'm surprised you got into university with such low grades.

•

As far as I'm concerned, the matter is over and done with and we can now move forward.

academic writing and expressing opinions If you are required to write an academic essay in which you are asked to express an opinion (see below), useful alternatives to in my view include: I think that… It seems to me that… I would argue that… I do not believe that… I am unconvinced that… I do not agree that… •

How acceptable is it for wild animals to be kept in zoos?

•

I believe that it is quite unacceptable for animals to be kept in zoos. It seems to me that when they are confined to a cage they never have enough room to move around. I would argue that it is kinder to allow a rare animal to die naturally in the wilds rather than to prolong its life artificially in a zoo.

making concessions To achieve balance in any essay, it may be useful to incorporate opinions that are different from your own. Useful linking words and expressions include:

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Of course, many / some people argue… It is sometimes argued… Admittedly… While… •

It is sometimes argued that it is possible for conditions in the zoo to replicate the wild animal's natural habitat. While this may be feasible for smaller reptiles, it will never be possible, in my view, for the larger mammals which needs acres of space to roam around in.

clarifying an opinion It may sometimes be necessary to explain a thought in greater detail. Useful linking expressions for doing this include: By this I mean… Here I'm referring to… To be more precise… That is to say… •

By spending money on confining wild animals to zoos, we are wasting resources. By this I mean there are more urgent economic problems to deal with: hospitals and schools should be our first priority.

faults, flaws, weaknesses and drawbacks Could you help me to work out the differences in use between the following words: faults, flaws, weaknesses and drawbacks? Are they interchangeable when talking about someone’s character? Of these four synonyms, or expressions with similar meanings, fault is probably the most widely term used. Faults Fault is not so much used to talk about someone’s character, Helen. Instead we talk about electrical, mechanical or technical faults: There was a fault in the wiring and I had no idea how to correct it. There was a delay in the broadcast of the programme and this was due to a technical fault. A mechanical fault caused the train to come off the rails. A fault then describes a weakness in something, primarily. But sometimes it is used to describe a weakness in someone’s character: She has her faults, but, on the whole, she’s a nice person. We all have our own faults, I suppose.

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We also have the frequently used expression: It’s (not) my/your/his/etc fault. This is a more idiomatic way of saying: I am (not) to blame or I am (not) responsible (for this unfortunate situation). It’s not my fault he’s late. Don’t blame me. I’m sorry. It’s my fault. I forgot to pass on the message. If you don’t get enough sleep, it’s entirely your own fault. It was partly the teacher’s fault for giving them too much homework. Flaws We use flaw mainly to talk about a minor fault or weakness in something which make it less effective or valuable. We talk about flawed arguments for example. Note also a flawless complexion: There’s a flaw in your argument. I agree with you up to a point, but the last part doesn’t make complete sense to me. There was a tiny flaw in the necklace and it certainly wasn’t worth all the money we had paid for it. She attributed her flawless complexion to the moisturising creams she used. However, we can also talk about serious or major flaws: There are major flaws in the way we train teachers in this country. There were serious flaws in the construction of the pedestrian bridge. And, yes, we can also use flaw to describe a fault in someone’s character: The only flaw in his character was his short temper – he tended to fly off the handle at the slightest provocation. Weaknesses Weaknesses generally describe the state or condition of being weak and of lacking strength or resilience. The main weakness of this government is that it keeps changing direction on key policy issues. He showed great weakness in not owning up to his part in the bad behaviour. Weaknesses can also refer to faults or problems that make something less attractive or effective: They were keen to know how well it would sell in Russia so they listed all the strengths and weaknesses of their product for this market. The only weakness in her character that I could spot was that she seemed to be over-dependent on others. Note that if you have a weakness for something, you are very fond of it: I have a great weakness for chocolate. I can never refuse it.

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Drawbacks We use drawback to refer to a feature of something which makes it less useful or acceptable than it could be. Drawback is often synonymous with disadvantage, but note that drawforward does not exist as an alternative to advantage! The only drawback / disadvantage with this accommodation is that it’s a fifteenminute walk to the bus-stop. The main drawback of this examination is that it takes two months before the results are released. So, Helen, from the shades of meaning inherent in all four of these terms, note that we can refer to faults, flaws and weaknesses in someone’s character, but we are less likely to talk about drawbacks in someone’s character.

"to fire in anger" Could you, please, explain the meaning of the phrase "to fire or shoot (something or someone) in anger", and provide a paraphrase. I realise it doesn't actually mean to fire or shoot because one is angry. But I'm also unsure whether the phrase "to fire in anger" is used specifically in a war context or also applies to non-military conflicts. Rachel Wicaksono answers: Hello Pierre, and thanks for sending in such a challenging question! Well, none of the dictionaries I consulted (including a dictionary of military terms) had information about 'fire in anger', so I was a bit worried that I wouldn't be able to answer your question, Pierre! Luckily, two of my colleagues at York St John University are specialists in Military English and I was able to ask them about the meaning of the phrase. So, here goes... In a military context, 'to fire in anger' means to shoot for a purpose in war. For example, a submarine that 'fires in anger' shoots missiles at an enemy ship. Shots fired in anger are never just for practice; they're fired to deliberately cause damage or harm. When I typed "fire in anger" into an internet search engine, the military websites clearly used the phrase to mean 'shooting in war, not for practice'. Interestingly, as far as I could tell, the non-military websites used the phrase to mean 'to shoot angrily', or as you say in your question, 'to shoot because one is angry'. For example: "The man waved his gun around, shouting and shooting in anger." So I think the best answer to your question is that 'fire in anger' has two meanings, depending on whether the context is military or non-military.

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The military meaning is 'in a real situation, not for practice' and has no connection with the emotion of the person or thing doing the shooting. You'll notice that from these authentic examples of the phrase, as used in a military context: "The sinking of the Argentine cruiser, General Belgrano, during the Falklands war by HMS Conqueror, the first British nuclear submarine ever to fire in anger, is fully recounted." "...the first military guns in World War I to fire its guns in anger on British soil..." "...becoming the first VII Corps unit to fire in anger since World War II." Now, in contrast, the non-military use of 'fire in anger' implies strong emotion. In our previous example, we heard how... "The man waved his gun around, shouting and shooting in anger." So it's clearly implied that the gunman was extremely upset, distressed and angry about something he felt was very important. I hope this helps, Pierre - and special thanks to my Military English colleagues for their specialist knowledge! Foot / Feet My question is - which of the responses is correct: When somebody asks me how tall I am, what should I say? I'm five foot tall, or I'm five feet tall?

Rachel Wicaksono answers: Thanks for your question, Maria. It's an interesting one because of the differences between the way we write and the way we speak. As you say, 'feet' is an example of a measurement for height, length and distance. 'Feet' is a non-metric measure, unlike 'metres' and 'centimetres' which are metric. Other non-metric measures, which we can use for distance, are: 'inches', 'yards' and 'miles'. For example: "It's a mile from my house to the centre of York, so it only takes me 20 minutes to walk there." Other non-metric measures, which we use for weight, are: 'ounces', 'pounds', 'stones' and 'tons'. For example: "I weigh fourteen stones, seven pounds. That's fourteen and a half stone! I really need to go on a diet." Non-metric measures are still widely used in the UK, especially for personal weight and height, and for distance. But some things are changing. Most people now use metric litres rather than non-metric gallons for volume. For example, we buy

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orange juice and petrol by the litre. Most people also use Celsius rather than Fahrenheit for temperature, for example: "Today, the temperature in London is 18 degrees Celsius, so you'll be fine in just a t-shirt!" Most older British people still use 'feet', rather than 'metres', to describe their own, and other peoples', height. They might say, for example: "He's just like his dad; he must be at least six foot tall." However, in an old passport of mine, issued in 1987, it states my height in metres. I suppose that's because metric measures are used here in Europe. The US, on the other hand, uses non-metric measures. But listen to that example again: "He's just like his dad; he must be at least six foot tall." You're absolutely right about 'five foot tall'; if you're talking to someone or writing and don't need to be formal, saying that you're 'five foot tall' is fine. However, to say you are 'five feet tall' is correct and is probably safer when you're writing in English. Maria, you don't have to tell us your real height, but if you really are five foot tall, you may be interested to know that you are the same height as the Australian singer Kylie Minogue and the Columbian singer Shakira! However, there does seem to be some confusion over Shakira's height, with some sources saying that she is 'four foot eleven' and others claiming she is 'five foot two'. Shakira, if you're listening to BBC Learning English, perhaps you could contact us and let us know! So I hope that's helped, Maria.

'Get' and 'become'

Olga from Latvia asks: Please tell me when we must use become and when we must use get. Margarete Stepaneke from Austria asks: I would very much like to know when to use become. My feeling is that verbs like get, turn, go and grow are often preferred to become. Is there a rule for when to use become?

Get, as we shall see, has many different meanings whereas become basically indicates development of some kind. Get is more informal and is frequently used in speech; become is more formal and is more often used in writing.

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Get/become + adjective When used with adjectives, get indicates growth or development and can therefore be used as the preferred alternative to become in an informal register. Compare the following sentences:

Informal

Formal

I got interested in photography when I became interested in art in later life. I was ten. As he got older, his garden got really As he became older, he could no longer messy. maintain his garden It got colder and colder the further north we went.

It became increasingly cold as we travelled north.

I'm getting quite hungry now, aren't you?

He became quite angry when he discovered there was no food

Become + noun We cannot, however, use get with a noun, even though the meaning is 'grow' or 'develop into'. We have to use become in this sense: • •

'She was only seventeen when she became a beauty queen.' 'Texas became the twenty-eighth state of the USA in 1845.

Get + noun/pronoun When we use get with a noun or a pronoun as a direct object, get usually means 'obtain', 'acquire', 'receive' or 'fetch'. Become is impossible here: • • • • •

'I got the highest marks in the class for my essay on Lord Byron.' 'I got my goldfish from the pet shop down the road.' 'I was getting about fifty emails every day when I was working on the project.' 'Could you get me a punnet of peaches from the supermarket?' 'Let me get you a drink. What'll you have?'

Get and go to indicate movement Get indicates the end of a journey and can be used informally as an alternative to 'reach' or 'arrive at'. When we use go, we are talking about the 'complete journey', usually. Compare the following:

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• • •

'I usually go to work by car, but I went to Bristol by train yesterday.' 'I didn't get home until nearly midnight.' 'Can you tell me how to get to Buckingham Palace?'

Go, grow and turn to indicate a change of state Grow indicates a slow change and sounds literary. It can be replaced by ‘become’ or ‘get’. Turn indicates a faster change and can be replaced by ‘go’: • • • •

'As they grew richer, they invested more money in shares.' 'My aim is to grow old gracefully and with dignity.' 'He drove away as soon as the lights turned green.' 'The leaves turned brown as the weather got colder.'

There is so much more to get to know about get, Margarete, but I'll get into trouble with my editor if I make this reply any longer. It is a difficult area, but I hope it is slowly becoming clearer. Tien in Malaysia asks: What is the difference between hear and listen? This question has been confusing me for some time. Thank you. George Pickering answers: Hello, Tien. Thank you for your question about what is the difference between hear and listen. We use hear for sounds that come to our ears, without us necessarily trying to hear them! For example, 'They heard a strange noise in the middle of the night.' Listen is used to describe paying attention to sounds that are going on. For example, 'Last night, I listened to my new Mariah Carey CD.' So, you can hear something without wanting to, but you can only listen to something intentionally. An imaginary conversation between a couple might go: 'Did you hear what I just said?' 'No, sorry, darling, I wasn't listening.'

A question from Abdalla Salih: Which is correct: 'Let's go home' or 'It's high time we went home', and why do you use the past tense of 'go' here? 'It's high time we went home' Callum Robertson answers: This is a very interesting question, which is correct - "It's high time we went ", or "Let's go"? The first thing to say is that they are both grammatically correct; they are

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both examples of accurate English. This is often true in English that there are different ways to say more or less the same thing. Which one you use will depend on the situation, who you are talking to and sometimes the way you like to sound, your own style of speaking. Let's look at each of these in a little more detail and describe a situation when they could be used. First, the structure "let's" - which is the common short form for "Let us". This is followed by the infinitive of a verb without "to" and is usually an informal suggestion. When it's a suggestion it is often followed by the tag, "shall we?" Imagine that you are at a party, it's quite late at night, you are tired and you have to go to work the next day. You are there together with a friend and because it's late you want to go home. You might say to your friend something like, "Let's go, shall we?" You want to leave and you want your friend to come with you. "Let's go, shall we?" It's not really an order to do something but a polite way of suggesting that you want to leave. If you just say, "Let's go!" that is more of a polite instruction and suggests that you have made the decision that it's time to leave and you expect the person you are talking to do what you say. It could be a parent talking to his or her children - "Come on kids, let's go." However often there is no real difference between "let's go" and "let's go, shall we?" It really does depend on your tone of voice and the relationship you have with the person you're speaking to. Now, the other phrase from Abdallah's question was, "It's high time we went". This is quite an unusual structure because it has what looks like a simple past form "went", the past of the verb "to go." - "It's high time we went." - What is unusual about this is that this sentence is not talking about the past at all! There are a number of phrases, all using the word "time" where this happens. We have the example - "It's high time we went", but you could also say: - It's time we went, or - It's about time we went and you can use a continuous form as well: - It's time we were going - It's about time we were going, and - It's high time we were going The past form in these examples is, I think, the subjunctive form of the verb. The subjunctive is often used when we talk about unreal or imagined situations. You can see it clearly in a conditional sentence like this one: "If I were you, I'd change my job" Normally you wouldn't expect to see the form "were" following the pronoun "I". You expect "I" to be followed by "was". But that is only true if the verb form is the past simple. However "I were" as in "If I were you" is the correct form of the past subjunctive which is used here because obviously I am not you and I can't be you -

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so it's an imagined or unreal situation - "If I were you." And that's the same form that's being used in the expressions after the word 'time' However, to be honest, I wouldn't worry about trying to remember this or trying to work out if a sentence is subjunctive or not. You can remember the time expressions I mentioned above as fixed expressions and they all have more or less the same meaning. They are quite formal in their use and are stating that it's time that something happened. A parent might say to a child, for example - "it's time you went to bed!" Which means "I want you to go to bed". In the party situation you could say, as I mentioned above, "let's go!" - but you could also say - "It's time we went." You can imagine the person who said that might be looking at their watch and worrying perhaps about catching a train. And if the situation is a little more urgent, we use the expression "It's high time" which means it's very important that this happens now - "It's high time we left come on or we'll miss the train." Or again a parent might say to an older child - "It's high time you found a job, young man!" So in summary -

"Let's go" is an informal suggestion or a polite instruction "It's high time" - is a formal statement that it is important that something happen soon or that something happen now. And now - it's about time I finished this answer.

'hire' / 'rent', 'rise' / 'raise', 'drive' / 'ride'

Anne Beeker from the Netherlands asks: What exactly is the difference between to hire and to rent? I know American English uses to rent whereas British English uses to hire, but I thought there might also be a difference between what you can hire and what you can rent. 'Hire a help' but surely not 'rent a help'?? 'Rent a car', but not 'hire a car'? Erica from Hong Kong asks: I want to know the difference between ‘rise’ and ‘raise’. Sanjay Mishra from India writes: When I return from my place of work on a automotive two-wheeler (like a scooter or a motorbike), do I drive back or ride back? hire or rent? The meaning is the same: to rent or hire something, you pay money in order to be allowed to use it for a limited amount of time. It is simply a matter of usage. With

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some nouns you can use one or the other – it doesn’t matter which as both are freely used. You can: rent or hire cars, bikes, electronic equipment: • •

'We rented a TV and video as we intended to stay in England for only six months.' 'If you’re planning to go to Cambridge for the day, hire a bike when you arrive. It’s the best way to get round the town.'

With other nouns it is customary in British English to use one and not the other. We would: rent a flat, caravan, cottage, house: • •

'I rented a cottage by the sea for the summer.' 'He rented me his flat in London while he was on holiday in Greece.'

(However, note the difference in use, depending on whether it is used as a verb or a noun: ‘flats to rent’, but ‘bikes for hire’)

We hire some help (i.e people), tools, equipment: • • •

'I had too much to do on the farm, so I decided to hire some help three mornings a week.' 'The police enquiries were making no progress, so we decided to hire a private detective.' 'I was painting the outside of the house and had to hire a tall ladder to get to the top.'

rise or raise? Two verbs which are similar in meaning: to move to a higher position. The essential difference is that raise is a transitive verb which needs an object to complete its meaning and rise is intransitive, it functions without an object and is sometimes followed by a phrase of time or place. Compare the following: • • • • • •

'The sun rises in the East and sets in the West.' 'I rise (i.e. get up) at six o’ clock every weekday morning in order to be at work by seven.' 'He rose (i.e. stood up) to greet her.' 'I raised my hand because I wanted to raise a question, but he took no notice of me.' 'If you are raising a family as a single parent, you shouldn’t try to work fulltime.' 'My child was ill and I had to raise money to pay for the operation.'

drive or ride? Anything with four or more wheels (like a car, a bus, a lorry or a train) we drive; anything with two wheels or that we straddle (like a horse, a bike, motorbike or scooter) we ride, (even though you need a driving licence to ride a motorbike. In a recent court case, a judge in Britain has ruled that riders of go-peds – those tiny

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scooters which have a very small engine at the back – will also need to have a driving licence to ride them on the roads.) Consider the following: • •

'I had never driven such a powerful car before.' 'I hadn’t ridden a bike for over twenty years and wondered if I would remember how to.'

Note that when we are passengers rather than drivers, we ride in cars and trains, but we tend to ride on buses.

Hold or keep?

Jana from the Czech Republic writes: Can you please explain to me the different uses of keep and hold? I know there are some phrases where I must use keep and some where I must use hold but sometimes I don't know which one I should use. Hold or keep We use the verbs hold and keep in many different ways and with many different meanings. Only when the meaning is to prevent something from moving can they be used interchangeably: • • • •

Hold / keep the ruler steady so that I can draw a straight line. Keep / hold still while I put this necklace on you. Her talk was so boring that she was unable to hold / keep my attention. This is a firm arrangement which cannot be changed. I'll hold / keep you to this.

We also keep or hold data and records: • •

He kept / held all his data on a hard disk. For tax purposes, you do not need to hold / keep financial records for more than five years.

But you can only hold records in sport, etc, you do not keep them: •

John Lees from the UK holds the record for the fastest walk across America 2628 km in 53 days 12 hours 15 minutes between 11 April (the eleventh of April) and 3 June (the third of June).

hold on to = keep

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You can see from the above example that one of the slight differences in meaning is that hold sometimes suggests something temporary while keep may suggest something more permanent. There is a similar distinction between hold on to and keep, meaning not to lose: • • •

Can you hold on to these CDs for me while I'm away? Hold on to the instructions so that you know what to do if something goes wrong. Keep the instructions safely somewhere in case something goes wrong.

Hold somebody up = keep The phrasal verb hold somebody up, meaning delay, can also be used as an alternative to keep with this meaning: •

I don't want to hold you up / keep you, but could I just have a word?

hold = carry / put arms around / contain / organise event When hold means to carry, or to put ones arms around or to contain or to organise an event, we cannot substitute keep in its place: • • • • •

Can you hold my books for me while I look for my mobile phone? He held her tightly and hoped that she would stop crying soon. Old Trafford, the home of Man U, holds 67,000 spectators while Highbury, the home of their main rivals, Arsenal, holds only half that amount. I plan to hold a meeting soon to see if we can increase profitability. Referendums have been held in all central European countries in connection with EU membership.

Keep = continue / store / stay in good condition When keep means any of these, we cannot substitute hold in its place. When keep means continue, note that it may be followed either by verb-ing or by the preposition on + verb-ing: • • • • • •

Don't turn left or right, just keep right on till the end of the road. You must keep taking the medication until you are quite better. I kept (on) reminding him that he should take my advice, but he ignored me. Where do you keep the keys to the shed? I can't find them. Let's buy two kilos of peaches now. They'll keep in the fridge for about two weeks If you want to keep fit, eat plenty of fruit!

We also keep secrets and promises and you keep your word. You do not hold them: • •

Can you keep a secret? Jane's going to have a baby. He failed to keep his promise / his word and told everybody about it.

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horrible and horrific; terrible and terrific Charlie Qin studying English in Canada writes: What's the difference between horrible and horrific?

horrible You can describe something as horrible (or deadful or awful) when you do not like it at all: •

The hotel was horrible - just awful. The walls were all painted a horrible colour and I've never had such dreadful meals.

horrific You would describe something as horrific when it is really upsetting or frightening to think about it or speak about it: • •

Having to survive in the desert for eight days with very little water and practically no shelter from the sun was horrific. It was a horrific motorway accident: twelve people died, a further twenty four suffered horrendous burns.

horrendous - horrifying Horrendous can mean horrifying, describing something you feel dismay or disgust about, but it can also be used in a less extreme way, meaning unpleasant or shocking. Compare the following: • •

The traffic this morning was horrendous. It took me seventy-five minutes to travel eleven miles. It was a horrifying picture: the dead and the wounded had all been left by the roadside.

Note that all of these adjectives with their various endings -ible, -ic, -ous, -ing, are derived from the noun horror which also crops up in the compound noun horror film: •

Horror films on television are usually screened late at night.

terrible - terrifying - terrific

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In a similar way, terrible and terrifying, which have similar shades of meaning to horrible and horrifying, are both derived from the noun terror from which we get the nouns terrorist and terrorism: •

Ridding the world of terrorists and terrorism is easier said than done.

Be careful however with the adjective terrific which does not have the same meaning as horrific. Whereas horrific means very bad, terrific means very good. Compare the following: • • •

The food was terrible. Nobody at the camp had any idea about how to cook. Everybody in the team was terrific. I had never seen them play so well together before. Sharing a prison cell with a convicted murderer was a terrifying prospect.

horribly - terribly These adverbs are used even more frequently than the adjectives terrible and horrible. They often mean little more than very. Note how they are used in these examples: • • •

• • •

It was terribly important not to make any mistakes on the certificate as it was going to be framed. I'm terribly sorry. That was very clumsy of me to barge into you like that. Are you all right? I was terribly upset when I heard that James had gone to Mexico without telling me. I know that something is terribly / horribly wrong. They should be back by now. They were horribly / terribly expensive, so I could only afford one, I'm afraid. We're going to be horribly / terribly late if we stop to buy flowers on the way.

Here are some more adjectives which are used informally and which mean very good and very bad. Note that they all have very common adjectival endings: Very good: fabulous amazing fantastic

tremendous breathtaking wonderful

marvellous outstanding magnificent

stupendous smashing

Very bad:

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awful shocking hideous

dreadful revolting monstrous

frightful appalling

Can you think of any others meaning very good or very bad, like superb or dire, which do not have these common adjectival suffixes? If you can, write to our Message Board and put them into sample sentences, e.g. • •

Their performance was dire. Most of the audience walked out long before it was over. The dancers were superb. They had obviously spent a long time rehearsing it.

Hot dogs and hat tricks

Could you please tell me the origin of the words hot dog and hat trick? hat trick A hat trick was originally performed by a conjurer at a circus or variety show. The conjurer or magician pulled rabbits or other impossible items out of a top hat as if by magic. In a sporting context, it was first used in the game of cricket in 1887 to describe an unlikely situation where a bowler takes three wickets with three successive balls. This entitled the bowler to pass his hat around the ground for a collection of cash, or he might have been presented with a new hat or cap by the club he represented. This usage quickly spread to the game of football to describe three goals scored by the same person in a football match: •

Geoff Hurst's hat trick in the 1966 World Cup Final will always be remembered by English football fans.

It has since spread to describe similar situations in other games: •

Now as he approaches the tenth green, he's on a hat trick of birdies. A birdie on the eighth. A birdie on the ninth. Let's see if he can make it three in a row with a birdie on the tenth.

old hat If something is old hat, it is out of date or obsolete or so well-known and familiar that it has become uninteresting or boring. The expression is thought to originate from the fact that hats, and particularly ladies' hats, tend to go out of fashion long before they are worn out.

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•

Wearing a tie with a jacket - for young people, that's really old hat.

hot dog For those among you who don't yet know this Western delicacy, a hot dog is a sausage, especially a frankfurter, inserted lengthways into a hot bread roll and garnished with onions, ketchup or other relishes. It originated in America and was an invention attributed to Henry Stevens, a caterer with the New York Stadium in 1900. There may have been an allusion to the 'sausage' dog or dachshund which is roughly the same shape. • •

A diet of hot dogs, pumpkin pie and ice-cream sundaes is not good for your waistline! On the pier there were all the usual side-shows, plus hot-dog, hamburger and ice-cream stands.

Note that we also have to hot dog in slang usage, possibly derived from top dog or best person, meaning to show off or perform very well in skiing or surfing: •

If you can hot dog on two-metre-high waves, you are king!

Similarly, hot dogger (noun): •

On Bondi Beach in Australia, we noticed that almost every wave carried a hot-dogger performing tricks - fast slides, rapid turns, cut-backs and flickoffs. They were hot-dogging for all they were worth.

hot pants Hot pants were very brief skin-tight shorts originally worn by young women in the early 1970s in Britain - 'hot' because they looked sexy. •

The mini skirt is back in fashion, but I don't think hot pants ever will be.

hot potato A hot potato is a delicate or tricky situation that has to be handled with extreme care. •

The new law is politically a hot potato for the government as many people are very unhappy with it.

As you will know, the original hot potatoes are difficult to handle when you take them out of the oven or pluck them from the barbeque fire. Care has to be taken not to drop them!

Hope / wish

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J Daudt from Brazil asks: I was told by an English teacher that the main difference between the verbs hope and wish is that when we use hope we do not know all the facts (a kind of future meaning) and when we use wish we know all the facts already. For instance, 'I hope you will be OK' and 'I wish you were here' (from Pink Floyd). This led me to think about Christmas time. Why should I say 'I wish you a Merry Christmas' instead of 'I hope you a Merry Christmas'? Is there any grammatical explanation on this issue?

The answer is that the verb wish is used in a variety of different ways and hope cannot be used as a 'stand alone' verb in a sentence, other than in the expressions 'I hope so' or 'I hope not.' Let's look at wish first of all. In your 'Merry Christmas' example, or when you wish someone good luck or Happy Birthday, you are expressing the hope that they will have good luck in the future, often in connection with a particular event, or that they will enjoy their birthday which is to come. Thus we have expressions like: • • • •

'I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.' 'Remember it's Sarah's birthday tomorrow. Don't forget to wish her many happy returns.' 'They wished me all the best in my new job.' 'I wish you good health and every happiness in the New Millennium.'

As you suggest, wish is also used when you wish that something were the case or you would like it to be the case even though you know that it is impossible or unlikely. In this sense, the verb which follows wish has a past tense inflection. Thus we have: • • • •

'We wish you could be here.' 'He wished he hadn't said that, for Fiona was terribly upset.' 'It rained every day. I do wish I hadn't gone there for my holidays.' 'I wish you didn't have to work so hard.'

Wish, as in 'wish to', is also sometimes used as a slightly more formal alternative to 'want to'. So we have: • • • • •

'They were very much in love and wished to get married as soon as it could be arranged.' 'I don't wish to see him ever again,' she said, five months after they were married.' 'He could do most of his work from home, if he wished.' 'I don't wish to interrupt (your conversation), but the potatoes are burning dry.' 'I don't wish to be rude, but that red dress really doesn't suit you.'

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Now let's take a brief look at hope. We speak of people's 'hopes for the future' and hope normally signals future intentions. If you hope to do something, you want to do it and intend to do it if you possibly can. Like wish it can be used with to, plus infinitive. So we might have: • •

'I hope to be a millionaire by the time I'm thirty.' 'I was hoping to catch the 5.30 train and would have caught it, if Jennifer hadn't phoned.'

However, when a new subject is introduced, hope must be followed by a clausal construction. Thus, we would find: • • • •

'I hope (that) she'll like these flowers.' 'Her mother hoped (that) Judith would become a doctor, but her heart was always set on the stage.' 'I hope (that) you won't think me rude, but that red dress that you're wearing definitely doesn't suit you.' 'They were stranded on the side of the mountain and hoped (that) the rescue team would reach them before nightfall.'

Hopes and wishes! It is my hope and wish that all of you out there reading this column will enjoy good health and every happiness in the New Millennium. Or, to put it in two other ways: I wish you good health and every happiness in the 21st Century. I hope you'll enjoy good health and every happiness in the 21st Century.

'house' or 'home' House describes a particular type of building. Home is the place where you live and feel that you belong to. Compare the following: • • • • • •

'Most people in Britain live in semi-detached houses.' 'We’re going to buy Emma a doll’s house for Christmas.' 'The Houses of Parliament in London are visited by 50,000 people each year.' 'I’ve enjoyed living abroad for the last six years, but it’s time for me to go back home now!' 'We were at home in bed when our car was stolen from outside the house.' 'These children need a good home and we are in a position to give them one.'

Note also the differences in meaning and use between 'houseproud', 'housework' and 'homework', 'homesick' and 'homeless'. Study the following: •

'I did my housework (i.e. cleaning the house) this morning and my homework (work given to me by my school to do at home) this afternoon.'

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• • •

'People say that I’m houseproud because I spend so much time cleaning the house so that others will admire it.' 'She said that she was missing her home and family so much. She sounded really homesick.' 'I am homeless. I have no home to go to.

interfere and intervene Could you kindly explain what is the difference between interfere and intervene? Thank you. Amos Paran answers: Yes Eric, these two words are similar and yet so different. Both start with 'inter-', meaning 'between'. The difference is in the connotations of the two words. 'Interfere' has very strong negative connotations. There's a wonderful short story by Julian Barnes called 'Interference', in his collection Cross Channel, and the title refers to two types of interference which happen in the story. One type of interference that the title refers to is interference with radio signals - you know, when you're listening to a radio programme and there are other signals and reception is not very good. The other type of interference is the type where people interfere in other people's business, telling them what to do, how to behave, what to eat and so on. If I say to someone, Stop interfering I mean that what I am doing is none of their business. And there's some of that happening in the story too. 'Intervene' has got more positive connotations; it has the connotation of wanting to improve a situation, change things for the better. You intervene between two people in order to prevent a quarrel, for example.

job applications I would like to know the difference between an application letter and a cover letter. I would like to have examples of application and cover letters. This is because I am always confused as to why both must be sent when one is looking for employment.

letter of application If you are responding to a job advertisement you may be asked to write a letter of application. This is the letter which lists all your work experience and qualifications and should also explain why you want the job. Begin your letter by telling the reader where you saw the advertisement:

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•

I am writing to apply for the post of Fashion Shop Manager advertised in the 'News Shopper' of 14 February 2002.

You would then go on to list your experience and relevant qualifications: •

I have worked in the retail industry for a total of ten years, first as a sales assistant in a department store and for the last three years as a Section Head and Deputy Manager at Jones the Bootmaker.

You might then go on to say why you are particularly interested in this job and mention the particular abilities and skills that you have. •

I am applying for this position as I am looking to progress from junior to senior management. I have always been interested in the latest fashion trends and developments and I believe your organisation is a well-run quality fashion business. I would very much like to work for your company.

•

I believe I have all the skills, knowledge and expertise that you are looking for. I have lots of retail initiative, can schedule and prioritise tasks and can work to strict deadlines. I also work particularly well with people and would enjoy leading the team and working with clients and customers.

You might then close the letter with the following formula. •

I look forward to hearing from you and hope that you will be able to invite me for an interview.

covering letter Many employers will ask you to write to them or phone them for an application form and further details when they advertise jobs. Sometimes you will be asked to send your CV or resume. Your CV or curriculum vitae lists your educational and career history and is a useful summary for an employer of all your educational and employment achievements up to the present time. You must always ensure that it is up to date. A covering letter may then be very useful because you can enclose it with your CV or a completed application form. In your covering letter you can draw attention to particular information which you wish to highlight. Such a covering letter might look like this: Dear Mr Sorefoot Fashion Shop Manager Please find enclosed my completed application form for the above position. As you will see from my form, I have ten years experience with Bates Retail as a Fashion Shop Manager.

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I look forward to hearing from you and hope that you will be able to invite me for an interview. I can be contacted at any time by phone, fax or email at work or at home. I would very much welcome an opportunity to discuss my application in greater detail and convince you that I am the right person for the job. Yours sincerely

Frances Slimwaist If you have filled in an application form you do not need to send a CV because all the relevant information should be on your form.

cover Note that cover as verb, noun and adjective is used in a variety of different ways: If you cover something, you place something else over it to protect it or hide it or close it: • • • •

Always cover what you are cooking with a tight-fitting lid and cook it slowly. His desk is always covered with papers. I don't know how he can work in such a mess. She covered all her bedroom walls with posters of Eminem. There are always lots of cafes and restaurants within the covered shopping malls in British towns and cities.

cover = protection Cover can also be used to talk about protection from enemy attack or for talking about insurance. • • • •

The air force was unable to provide any sort of air cover for their ground troops. There was no cover of any kind, no trees, no valleys, just the endless barren plain. Are you covered to drive this car? Do you have proper insurance cover? Does your travel insurance cover you against theft or loss of valuables?

cover = address or report on a topic Cover can be used to talk about studying a subject or in a journalistic context to talk about reporting. • •

We haven't covered molecular biology yet. We're going to do that next term. He's going to cover the World Cup later this year for BBC World Service.

cover for = substitute for someone at work

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• •

Can you cover for me this afternoon while I visit my father in hospital? There were not enough teachers to cover for absent colleagues and some students had to be sent home.

reporter and journalist I'm confused about the difference between presenter, broadcaster, and announcer; and the difference between reporter and journalist. Your answer must be very helpful for me. Thanks. Hi Suharno, All these words are used to describe people who work in the media. The first three: presenter, broadcaster and announcer are all related to TV and radio: media which is delivered partly – or wholly – through sound and speech (this type of media is increasingly available on internet too). A presenter is a person who introduces or hosts television or radio programmes. A presenter's opening words on a programme are usually something like Good evening, and welcome to[name of show] with me [name of presenter]. On tonight's show we will be... [presenter talks about the content of the programme]. The topic of the programme is not all about the presenter. The presenter is the person who introduces the programme, introduces or links sections of the programme together and says goodbye at the end. Some well-known presenters include Johnny Carson (an American TV chat show host), Trevor MacDonald (a British TV news presenter), and Karim Kouchouk (the presenter of BBCe for BBC Learning English Arabic Service). An announcer's job is similar to that of a presenter. He or she provides spoken information about news, weather, programme content, links between programmes, advertising etc. However, an announcer may have a smaller role in a programme than a presenter does: on TV programmes, an announcer may only feature as a voice whereas a presenter will be seen on the screen. Another main difference between an announcer and a presenter is that the announcer usually reads word-forword from a script, whereas a presenter may have some flexibility regarding the things they say. The word broadcaster can refer to an organisation such as the BBC (UK) or NBC (USA) which produces television and radio programmes. It can also be used to describe someone who is well-experienced in the TV and radio industry. He or she usually has multiple talents – scriptwriting, directing, presenting etc. and his or her programmes may be considered to be very important and well-respected. Famous British broadcasters include Sir David Attenborough, Sir Robert Winston and Sir David Frost, and Larry King in the USA. Turning to the second part of your question, Suharno: you wanted to find out about the difference between a reporter and a journalist. In fact, these jobs are very similar, and in some respects the terms are interchangeable. A journalist's work is most often seen in print – especially newspapers – but they can work for TV and radio too. A journalist gathers, writes and reports news stories, and may also edit and present news articles.

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A reporter is a type of journalist who gathers information about newsworthy issues. This may involve researching through several sources – interviews, police and public records, photographs etc. When the information is gathered, the reporter will create a report for publication or broadcast in the media. Reporters often specialise in a particular area, for example: crime, politics, health or education. Finally, Suharno, I'd like to mention one more media profession. A columnist is a writer (usually a journalist) who writes regularly (often weekly) for a newspaper or magazine. She or he chooses a topic that is in the news and writes not only about the events that have become newsworthy but also often offers some analysis and/or personal opinion. This job is usually reserved for senior journalists at a particular newspaper or magazine. Well Suharno, I do hope this has been a useful answer to your question! Explanation of a joke

Lisa from Taiwan asks: Why is it funny? What does the last sentence mean? 'Taking his seat in his chambers, the judge faced the opposing lawyers. "So," he said, "I have been presented, by both of you, with a bribe." Both lawyers squirmed uncomfortably. "You, attorney Leon, gave me $15,000. And you, attorney Campos, gave me $10,000." The judge reached into his pocket and pulled out a check. He handed it to Leon. "Now then, I'm returning $5,000, and we're going to decide this case solely on its merits."' To decide a case 'solely on it merits' means that only the intrinsic rights and wrongs of the arguments will be considered. In a court of law one would expect all cases to be decided solely on their merits.

It is funny because that is no longer possible in this case as the judge has already pocketed bribes of $10,000 from both the defense and prosecution counsels. He argues that his judgement will be unbiased now that the amount of bribe from defense and prosecution is equal, but would you expect to get a fair trial in a court of law from a judge who was open to bribery? kinds / types / sorts / varieties (of music) I have always had problems using the words kind and type. Is there any difference and can you give me some examples of usage? kinds of / sorts of / types of / varieties of Kinds, sorts, types and even varieties can all be used interchangeably, (although varieties may be used more in more scientific sorts of contexts, e.g. varieties of tomato) The first three are very common and can be used in singular and plural

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forms. Compare the following and note that all the examples today are taken from a global music theme: What kind(s) / type(s) / sort(s) / varieties of music do you like most? ~ I like all kinds / sorts / types: hip-hop, R&B, pop, rock, rap and classical. Global Music – or World Music as it is known in Britain – is the synthesis of different kinds of music from around the world, often using traditional instruments in an original way. If you want to know what type of instrument a morinhoor is, how to find music from Yakutia or how to buy an organo pinareno from Cuba, Global Music websites can help you various / different / many / all - kinds / types / sorts varieties These nouns collocate readily with different, various and many as well as with all: There are various kinds / types / sorts / varieties of jazz, originating with ragtime, blues and swing of the 20s and 30s and then the later varieties of hard bop, soft bop, funky, third stream and free styles of the 50s and 60s. sort of (a) / kind of (a) / type of (a) Sort of / kind of / type of are usually followed by an uncountable noun or a singular countable noun with no article, but a / an is sometimes retained in an informal style: What sort of (a) / kind of (a) / type of (a) dance is that? Well, it’s a sort of jig or reel, danced to very fast time. I don’t know exactly what it is because there are several types of jigs – single jigs, double jigs, slip jigs and hop jigs. Note that when the indefinite article is retained, it sometimes has a derogatory meaning: What kind of a DVD player is that? You don’t seriously expect me to listen to electronic music with no surround sound, do you? sort of / kind of Sort of and kind of, but not type of, are used in another important way in informal spoken English when we want to demonstrate to the listener that we are not speaking very precisely but simply indicating a general idea. They are used to modify many different parts of speech including adjectives, verbs and clauses, see below: Why don’t you like this kind of music? ~ Well, it’s sort of loud and tuneless. They may also be used as fillers, i.e. to fill a gap in the conversation and to give the speaker more time to think: How would you describe your singing voice on this track?

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Well, I… I kinda howl like a wolf, and then ...kinda...kinda...squeal like a pig, but it seems to work, sort of. Uses of the word 'lack' Would you please tell me all the uses of the word lack (in different forms) and make a sentence for each of its uses? Is the sentence 'Many children are in lack of sleep' correct? If it is wrong, what should it be? I'm not too happy with 'in lack of', Wong, which doesn't sound quite right to me. Lack of is fine where lack is used as a noun, so you can say, for example: • •

'The lack of amenities in the hotel surprised all of us.' 'There was a general lack of enthusiasm among the trainees.'

Lack may also be used as a verb: • •

'They lacked the courage necessary to cross the fast-flowing river.' 'When she came to start making the cake, she discovered that she lacked half the basic ingredients.'

Large / Big What is the difference in use and meaning between the words 'large' and 'big'? Rachel Wicaksono answers: Well, this is a big question Iryna, so I'll do my best to answer it clearly and briefly! First I'll talk about form: 'Large' and 'big' are both regular adjectives... Their comparative forms are 'larger' and 'bigger', Their superlative forms are 'largest' and 'biggest'. 'Big' is a very common word in both written and spoken English; in fact, it's in the top 1,000 most frequently used words. 'Large', on the other hand, is a less frequently used word and doesn't even make it into the top 3,000 most frequently used words in English. Now, onto the question of meaning... The general meaning of both 'large' and 'big' is: 'of more than average size/amount/weight/height' etc. For example: 'Iryna has got a well-paid job and can afford to live in a house' - OR... 'Iryna lives in a large house'. In these examples, both 'big' and 'large' mean that Iryna's house is of more than average size. Although 'big' and 'large' both mean the same in these examples, 'large' sounds a little more formal.

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Neither 'large' nor 'big' can be used with uncountable nouns. This means, we can say: 'The house has a (big or large) garden' - because 'garden' is countable. However, we can't use 'big' or 'larg' with 'traffic', because 'traffic' is uncountable. With uncountable nouns, you can use 'a lot of' - for example: 'There's a lot of traffic on the road next to the house.' So, although 'large' and 'big' are often interchangeable, sometimes they are not. So next, I'll try and give you some examples of when this is the case... 'Big' can mean 'important', for example: 'Buying a house is a very big decision'. It can also be used in informal situations to mean 'older', for example: 'He's my big brother'... as well as 'successful' or 'powerful', for example: 'York is a big tourist destination'. Also in informal situations, we can use 'big' to mean 'doing something to a large degree', for example: 'She earns a lot of money, but she's also a big spender' - OR... 'I'm a big fan of yours'. 'Big' is used in a lot of fixed phrases, and because these phrases are fixed, to change 'big 'to 'large' would sound wrong. Examples of fixed phrases using 'big' include: 'It's no big deal' - it's not really important. 'I have big ideas for this house' - impressive plans for the future. 'She's a big mouth' - a person who can't be trusted to keep a secret. 'He's too big for his boots' - too proud of himself. There are also some fixed phrases using 'large'. Examples include: 'The prisoners are at large' - they have escaped and may cause harm. 'She's larger than life' - more exciting or amusing than most people. Finally, quantity words.... 'large', more often than 'big', is used with the following quantity words: 'a large amount', 'on a large scale', 'a large number of', 'a large quantity of', 'a large proportion', 'to a large extent', 'a large percentage of', 'a large part of', 'a large volume' and 'a large area'. So......a very big - or large - question, Iryna! I hope this has helped a little!

Take (and last)

Gisela from the Czech Republic writes:

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I'm not sure about the difference in use between take and last. Which is better in these examples: How long does the film last? How long does the film take? Take or last? Both take and last are used to talk about the amount of time needed for something. We tend to use take when we are more in control of the experience and last when we have little or no control over it. Take suggests more active involvement and last implies a more passive experience. Thus we are more likely to say: •

How long does the film last? ~ It's a long one. It lasts (for) over three hours

Compare also the following examples of greater and lesser control of the action using take and last: •

It takes half an hour to prepare lunch and an hour to prepare supper usually.

•

Dinner lasts for / takes at least ninety minutes when Henry's at home there's so much to talk about.

•

The five-set match lasted for more than three-and-a-half hours before the champion went through to the next round 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, 6-7, 6-2. "I didn't expect it to take so long, but it took me twenty minutes to settle down in the opening set," he said afterwards.

Note that when we use preparatory it as subject and when it is followed by a personal pronoun, me, you, her, him, or them, we have to use take, not last: •

It will take you all day to tidy your room - it's in such a mess.

•

It only takes me five minutes to put my make-up on now. It used to take me ninety minutes before I got married.

Like get, take is a very common multi-purpose verb and is used in many different ways. Here are a few of the commonest: take (opposite of give) •

I offered him four tickets for Romeo and Juliet, but he only took two.

•

The burglars have taken all my jewels. There's nothing left.

•

I'll take a copy of the agreement, if you don't mind. Then I won't forget anything.

•

I'm going to take ten minutes now to explain to you how this works.

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take (opposite of bring) meaning 'carry' They are opposites in the sense that when we use bring we are describing movements to where the speaker or listener is located, and when we use take we are describing movements away from the speaker/listener. Compare the following: •

She took me to the hospital because I was feeling decidedly ill.

•

Take an umbrella with you. It's going to rain.

•

My secretary always brings me my mail first of all and then she takes the children to school.

•

I took my calculator to school every day until the maths teacher said: "You needn't bring them any more. We have enough now for everybody."

take (= have) •

I'm going to take a shower now. ~ Why don't you take a bath? It'll be more relaxing.

•

Let's take a break now. You've been driving for two hours and you need to take a rest.

•

I'm going to take a holiday as soon as my boss gets back from leave.

•

We took a long walk along the seashore every evening before dinner.

•

Take a good look at this and make sure it's in perfect working order before you decide to buy it.

In all of these expressions with take + noun to describe common actions, we can use either have or take. Have is more characteristic of British English whereas Americans would be more inclined to use take.

lazy and idle A question from Anne McConnell in England: Why aren't lazy and idle exact synonyms? Karen Adams answers: Well we have two words here that mean very similar things. Lazy which we know means someone who doesn’t really word very hard, but also one with a very similar meaning, idle. That’s idle – i.d.l.e. Both words can actually be used to describe someone who doesn’t work very hard, for example “John is really lazy.” or “John is really idle.” Both mean that John’s doesn’t really work as much as he should do. However, there are some very subtle differences between the two words which

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means we can’t use them completely interchangeably. For example, “lazy” will always have a negative connotation; it will give us a very negative idea of the person it’s being used to describe. So lazy is always seen as a very bad thing. However, idle can be used in other contexts, still to mean something or someone doesn’t work, but without the negative judgement. So for example, if you press print on your computer, you may see a sign which says “Printer idle.” This means that the printer, at the moment, isn’t doing anything. Similarly, sometimes factories must close, because there isn’t enough work, an so at that point, the factory is idle. Also, the work force, the people are idle. So when we use idle in this way we are not giving a negative comment on the people or the thing, we are just saying they’re not working. It’s very very important to think about the adjectives you use in particular because very many of them can carry different connotations. For example: cheap and inexpensive. Both mean that something doesn’t cost a lot of money. However, in British English, we often use the adjective cheap to describe something that’s not of very good quality. So it can sometimes have a negative connotation. Similarly, you may find two adjectives that mean similar things, but one adjective can be used with a wider range of nouns. So for example wealthy and rich. We can talk about wealthy people or rich people. Both mean people with lots of money. However, we can also talk about rich food, rich furnishings, meaning very good quality. So here, rich has a slightly different meaning. It’s important to remember that it’s difficult to find words that are exact synonyms, which can be used interchangeably, in all contexts. So when you learn some new synonyms, it’s important to learn not just what they share, but also what the difference is between them. Remember, when we say someone is lazy, we mean they don’t work very hard, but we can’t say the printer is lazy, we can only say the printer is idle.

Learning and using synonyms People use synonyms to avoid repeating the same word. For example: This hotel is so expensive. It's very pricey. What is the difference in meaning between expensive and pricey? When should I use synonyms? expensive / pricey Synonyms are words with the same or sometimes slightly different meanings. Alternatives are sometimes used in the same context with little or no difference as in your example, Yeon-Ju, except that pricey is a bit more informal than expensive.

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Virtually anything that costs a lot of money may be considered expensive or pricey. keen / eager I am always keen / eager to introduce synonyms in this way in the examples of use that I quote on the learnit pages. In this example, keen and eager are very close in meaning and may be used interchangeably. Finding alternatives with the same or similar meaning is undoubtedly a good way of expanding your vocabulary and use of English, Yeon-Ju, but we have to be careful. disgusting / appalling These synonyms are quite close in meaning, but not as close as in the previous pairs. Compare the following: The food they served at John and Paula's wedding reception was disgusting. The food they served at John and Paula's wedding reception was appalling. The service at this hotel is disgusting. The service at this hotel is appalling. Both adjectives are possible in both contexts, but disgusting is perhaps more appropriate to the first context as it suggests that the food was highly unpleasant to the taste. Appalling is perhaps more appropriate to the second context as it suggests that the service was generally unpleasant, shocking, offensive and unacceptable. pretty / good-looking / beautiful These three synonyms, indicating someone or something that is pleasing in appearance, are also quite close in meaning, but use is restricted: It was a beautiful summer's day. She was wearing a pretty polka-dot bikini. With his jet-black hair and high cheekbones he appeared unusually good-looking. A summer's day cannot be pretty or good-looking. A bikini is not substantial enough to be called beautiful (whereas an attractive wedding dress we would describe as beautiful). Only people, of either sex, can be described as good-looking and men are not usually thought of as pretty or beautiful. Collocation What we learn from this is that words sometimes occur together, or collocate with each other, in fairly fixed ways.

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verb + adverb Certain verbs tend to be used with certain adverbs. If you think hard / carefully about it, you'll realise that I'm right. (Not: If you think strongly / powerfully / precisely….) If I remember correctly / rightly, you were not there at the time. (Not: If I remember exactly / precisely / truly…) If you truly / really love me, you'll turn down that job in Norway. (Not: If you purely / justly / rightly / precisely love me….) adjective + noun Certain nouns tend to occur with certain adjectives: It came as a complete surprise to me when she married him (Not: It came as a comprehensive / full / entire surprise to me…) He carried out a full / comprehensive market survey before launching the product. (Not: He carried out a complete / all-embracing market survey…) (And not: …before discharging / dispatching / propelling the product.) verb + noun Certain Verbs and nouns habitually occur together. If you eat chocolate before a meal, it will spoil / ruin your appetite. (Not: …it will damage / harm / suppress your appetite.) The government has recently conducted / carried out a survey on the causes of obesity in children. (Not: The government has fulfilled / administered / run a survey…) I can't change my eating habits so I shall continue to eat junk food. (Not: I can't alter / amend / modify my eating habits…) learning and using synonyms When you are learning new words it is always a good idea to learn them in the contexts in which they are used and the typical collocations that go with them. 'lend' or 'borrow' How can I use the word owe when I lend someone some money. Do I say: 'I owe you 20 dollars' or do I say: 'You owe me 20 dollars?' The importance of my question is how do I use this word in both ways such as when I borrow some money from someone and also when I lend someone some money?

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If you borrow something from somebody, you take it with their permission and promise to return it in due course, at the end of a limited period usually. If you borrow £5,000 from the bank, you will owe them £5,000, plus interest on the period of time you have borrowed if for. Consider the following: • • •

'I borrowed five pounds from my brother and forgot to pay it back.' 'I always buy the books I want to read, although I agree it would be cheaper to borrow them from the library.' 'Many of his ideas are borrowed from other sources.'

If you lend somebody something, or lend something to somebody, then you give them something of yours for a limited period of time. If you lend someone some money, they will owe you the money. Consider the following: • • •

'She lent her sister her car for the weekend.' (NB: verb + indirect object + direct object) 'If you lend your coat to Philip, you’ll never see it again.' (NB: verb + direct object + indirect object) 'If you can lend me a hand with these reports, we might finish them by suppertime.'

In the sentence, ‘work hard lest you should fail in your examination’ can 'lest' be used without the support of the word 'should'? Yes, it can. First, what does lest mean and when do we use it? Lest is a very rare word and quite old fashioned. Most people in Britain know it, because we see it written very often in the same place - on war memorials, on statues, which have been put up so that we remember people who died in wars; and what's very often written on these statues is ‘lest we forget’! Now, what lest means is ‘so that we don't’ or ‘so that you don't’. It's a warning. It's introducing a danger to be avoided. And Shazad’s example: ‘work hard lest you should fail your examination’ lest introduces the danger of things to be avoided: if you don't work hard, you will fail your examination. Here are further examples: We often use it after a command, ‘work hard lest you fail your exam’ and ‘dress up warmly (wear warm clothes) lest you catch cold’. We can use it without a command, we might talk about something we did in the past, so we might say ‘I worked really hard, lest I failed my exam’. Written

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What we do need to remember though is that it is a very, very formal and oldfashioned word and if you use it when you're talking, you're going to sound rather strange. It's a word which we see written - it's not a word that is used in conversation. Remember it, because you will see it written; but only use it if you really want to impress somebody in a very, very formal situation. Can lest be used without the support of the word should? Yes. And it normally is used without should. In Shazad's example, 'lest you should fail your examination', that use of should of course has a completely different meaning from the usual meaning of should. We usually think of should in terms of an obligation: something you have to do. And here, it doesn't mean that - here, the meaning introduces a conditional that suggests that this is a possibility, but not a strong possibility. It is not necessary. We usually do leave it out. The interesting thing is, that when we do leave it out, the word that is left there is an infinitive - which means, that if we're using ‘he’, we don't say ‘he must work hard, lest he fails the examination’; we say ‘he must work hard, lest he fail the examination’. And that's a curious and interesting little bit of English. let or leave I am 22 years old and have been learning English for 6 months. I would like to know the difference between let and leave. Please explain with examples. I shall be very grateful to you. We use both let and leave in different ways and for different purposes. They cannot be used interchangeably. let + infinitive A very common usage of let is in the phrase let us or let's when we are making a suggestion involving others. We say this instead of Why don't we…? or I suggest we… which is quite formal. It is often used with shall we? as a question tag. Compare the following: • • •

Let's just have a cold salad for supper this evening, shall we? And let's go for a run before we eat! OK. Let's do that! Let's forget I ever said that, shall we? I didn't mean to offend you.

When it is used with the negative there are two alternative versions to choose from: don't let's or let's not. Both are very common. •

Let's not get too involved in their argument. It's better if they sort it out themselves.

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•

Don't let's go to Sheila's party tonight. Let's just have a quiet evening at home

Let is also commonly used to make a suggestion to oneself in the phrase let me or to a third person in the phrase let him/her/them. Note also the usage with the infinitive of there is/there are. Compare the following: • • • • •

Do you like this outfit? Let me see. I like the orange dress but not with that hat. I'm going to sell my car. Do you want to buy it? I'm not sure. Let me think about it. There's still a stain on this jumper. Let me try to get it out with this stain remover. Can Joey and Phoebe stay overnight next weekend? Oh, please let them stay. Let there be no doubts in your minds that we shall win this battle.

Let = allow/permit We can see from these last examples, particularly the Joey and Phoebe example, that let also means allow or permit. These are more formal alternatives and require to before the infinitive. Compare the following: • • •

Let me say how pleased I am to see you here this evening. Allow me to say how pleased I am to see you here this evening. Permit me to say how pleased I am to see you here this evening.

• •

I wouldn't let them stay up after nine to watch the adult film on TV. I can't let you go to France without me.

Note that with the passive voice, we have to use permit or allow: • •

We didn't let him go home until he had spoken to the Headteacher. He wasn't allowed/permitted to go home until he had spoken to the Headteacher.

let me know/ let me have Finally, let is frequently used with know, where it means tell, and have, where it means send or give. Compare the following: • • •

Please let us know as soon as possible whether you are able to accept our offer. If you had let me know earlier, I would have saved it for you. Can you let me have those reports by midday on Friday, please?

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•

Let me have half an hour to think about it and then I'll let you know.

leave = go (depart/quit/abandon) As we saw with let, leave has a number of different meanings and uses. Compare the following: • • •

The plane left early as everybody was on board half an hour before take-off. (= departed) Nobody leaves school at the age of sixteen now, like they used to. (= stops attending) Don't tell Maureen I'm leaving her. (= abandoning)

left = remaining Here it is almost opposite in meaning and is used as a past participle normally at the end of the clause, often with there is/are or have got: • • •

I haven't got any cash left. Can you get the sandwiches? There were only two days' rations left, but they had to last for six days. Nothing was left of the castle. It had been completely destroyed.

leave = let it remain It is here that the meaning of leave comes closest to let, close but not identical. Compare the following: • • • •

I'll eat later. Just leave it for me in the fridge. I left my car in the car park and took the bus into the town centre. I can't make the decision. I'll leave it for you / to you to decide what to do. I can't get the stove to work. Leave it with me / to me. I'll deal with it.

This final example combines a number of different usages of let and leave: •

Let me finish off the translation for you. OK. There are only four pages left. I'll leave it for you. I have to leave now anyway!

There are even more shades of meaning of leave than we have covered. Check them out in a good dictionary. *******************************************************************

'Lie' or 'lay' on a bed What's the easy way to remember the difference between lie and lay ?

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lie (+ phrase of place) / lay (+ object) Perhaps the easiest way to remember the difference, Antonio, is that lay is a transitive verb which needs an object to complete its meaning and lie is an intransitive verb which functions without an object and is followed normally by a phrase of place.

First, see how the words look in the present and the past tense. Present

Past

lie

he lies..., he is lying...

he lay..., he was lying..., he has lain...

lay

she lays, she is laying

he laid, he was laying, he has laid

Now compare the following: lay ( + object)

She laid the baby on the bed in order to change its nappy.

lie ( + phrase of place)

She was lying asleep on the sofa when her husband arrived home.

lay ( + object)

Can you lay the table for me please? Lunch is ready.

lie ( + phrase of place)

I told her not to lie out in the sun, but she must have lain there for at least an hour for her back was very sunburnt.

lay ( + object)

I had never laid carpets before, but I was determined to have a go.

lie ( + phrase of place)

When I looked out of the aircraft window, I could see that London lay beneath us.

lay ( + object)

His lawyer will lay great emphasis on his state of mind when the murder was committed and claim that it was manslaughter, not murder.

lie ( + phrase of place)

None of us knows what lies ahead, but you must try to take a grip on your life and decide where your future lies.

'look', 'see' and 'watch' A question from Muhammed Nadeem in Pakistan : What's the difference between the verbs 'look', 'see' and 'watch'? Karen Adams answers: 'Look', 'see' and 'watch' seem very similar, they all talk about different ways of using your eyes. However, there are two very important differences. It depends on how you intend to look or watch and how intense the looking is. When we say 'see' we are normally talking about things we can't avoid – so for example, "I opened the curtains and saw some birds outside." - I didn't intend to see them, it just happened. However, when we use the verb 'look', we're talking about seeing something with an intention. So, "this morning I looked at the newspaper" – I intended to see the

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newspaper. When we watch something, we intend to look at it but we're also looking at it quite intensely, usually because it's moving. So, for example, "I watched the bus go through the traffic lights." "I watched the movie." We want to see it, we're looking at it intensely and it's normally moving. When we use verbs of the senses, and this group, 'look', 'see' and 'watch' are verbs of visual sense, there's usually a difference between intention and non-intention, so, for example, "I heard the radio." - I didn't intend to, it just happened, or, "I listened to the radio" - I switched it on to find my favourite programme. Similarly, "I felt the wind on my face." - I didn't intend to feel this, it just happened, or "I touched the fabric." - I intended to feel the fabric. It's important when you find these verbs of the senses to gather them together and try to find the differences between them. Remember that when you look at words which seem to be similar it's important to find out exactly the differences between them because basically you can't really use them interchangeably. Remember, 'see' – you didn't really intend to, it just happened; 'look' – you intended to do it; and watch you intended to do it and you were looking intensely, usually because it was moving.

look forward to / agree to / object to

Adriana, learning English in Canada, writes: I have been studying English since I came to Canada, about four years now, but because there are so many exceptions to rules, it's hard for me to apply what I've learnt. For instance, I don't understand why it's correct to say I look forward to hearing from you and not I look forward to hear from you. Jolie from Vietnam writes: In the example In no way will I agree to sharing an office with Ben, I just wonder why you can use both infinitive and V-ing form for the verb share. look forward to something = anticipate something with interest Look forward to is one of the many phrasal verbs in English in which an adverbial particle (forward) as well as a preposition (to) is combined with the stem verb to signify a particular meaning. What we are looking forward to can be exemplified as either as a noun phrase or as a verb-phrase with an -ing pattern • • •

Jill says she's not looking forward to Jack's party next weekend. I very much look forward to meeting you soon. They're looking forward to joining their children in Australia

There are many such three-part verbs, e.g.:

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look back on = think back to put up with = tolerate come down with = fall ill with There are a number of instances where such verbs end with the preposition to, e.g.: face up to = confront get round to = do something after some delay get down to = concentrate on Note that in such instances to is not part of any infinitive phrase. It is an integral part of the verb. And whatever it is that we face up to or get round to is normally expressed as either a noun phrase or as a verb phrase with an -ing pattern: • • •

I must get round to cleaning my car next weekend. And I must get down to reading Jack's article which he sent me two weeks ago I must face up to the fact that I'm never going to be promoted in this organisation.

Note that when verbs follow prepositions (any prepositions) the V-ing form is normally used, not the to-infinitive pattern: • • •

I managed to finish reading Jack's article by staying up till midnight. He's talking about getting it published in National Geographic magazine. Instead of going on holiday last summer, he undertook this arduous trip up the Amazon.

agree - agree to There is a complication in your example, Jolie, where both the -ing form and the toinifnitive pattern appear possible: • •

I cannot agree to share / to sharing an office with Ben. In no way can I agree to sharing / to share an office with Ben

The complication arises because there are two different forms of pretty much the same verb, agree and agree to. If we are using the phrasal verb, agree to, the -ing pattern is more likely. If we are using the non-phrasal verb, agree, the toinfinitive pattern is imperative. Compare the following: •

What have you agreed? We've agreed to tidy our rooms when we get up, to clear the dishes from the table after eating and not to go out until we've finished our homework.

•

What have you agreed to? We've agreed to arriving punctually before the working day begins and to not leaving before five o' clock in the afternoon.

object to

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Note that the opposite of agree to is object to and here only the -ing pattern is possible: •

What do you object to in her behaviour? I object to her going out every evening and not telling me where she is going.

A question from Pia in Poland: Could you please explain the difference between lunch, supper and dinner. Does the expression relate to the time of the day that you eat the meal, the type of food or the size of the meal?- 'lunch / supper /dinner'

Gareth Rees: Well Pia, thank you for asking a question about my favourite topic, food and meals during the day. The expressions you've chosen - lunch, supper and dinner, belong to a larger set which includes words such as breakfast, tea and brunch. I'll be talking about those later. The expressions do relate to the time of day that you eat the meal and the type of food and the size of the meal. That's why it can get confusing. First of all, breakfast. This is simplest; it's the first meal of the day in the morning. In the middle of the day, you might have lunch or dinner. Lunch sounds more informal or more typical, particularly for people who are working. In the evening, you might have dinner or supper. I think that people who have a quick lunch in the middle of the day will say they have dinner in the evening and this dinner will be a good meal. A supper is usually a light meal and is probably had after a larger dinner has been had in the middle of the day. Confused? Well most people see a dinner as a more complete meal. A common lunch in England is a sandwich, but dinner might include soup, meat with vegetables, and then a dessert like apple pie and ice cream. So, dinner is really the main meal and people might have it in the middle of the day or in the evening. Lunch and supper are both light kinds of meal. Lunch is in the middle of the day, supper is in the evening. Now I mentioned there are some other meals. We talked about breakfast. Two more words that you could add to your list are brunch and tea. Brunch is a mixture of breakfast and lunch, as you can tell by the sound of the word: 'brunch'. And people usually have brunch as a replacement for both lunch and breakfast. Brunch is usually had at about 11 o'clock. And the final word is tea. Now of course this is a drink, like tea and coffee, but it can also be a light evening meal. I think this word is often used in families, particularly with their children. "It's tea time", "It's time for tea!" This means their small evening meal.

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To finish, it is of course unusual to have breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, tea and supper all in one day. But let me tell you, not impossible. And from that comment you'll understand that I have the ideal physique and dietary habits for radio and the internet and not for TV.

'make' and 'do' Davivien asks about 'make' and 'do' collocations: I would like to know the differences between the verbs to do and to make. Do you 'make an exam' or do you 'do an exam'?

do You do an exam. But there are no easy rules to follow. We always use do to describe indefinite activities, often with what, thing, anything, nothing, etc and generally speaking we also use do to talk about duties, jobs or (leisure) activities. Look at the following examples: • • • • • •

'What shall we do now?' 'You can do what you like. I'm going home!' 'He didn't do anything. He just sat there.' 'You expect me to do everything around the house. Well, I'm fed up!' 'I did all my homework last night so tonight I'm going to do the housework.' 'I did a lot of research and I think I did a good job on that essay. I did my best anyway.' 'I intend to do lots of walking on holiday this year, and perhaps some birdwatching too.

make We tend to use make when we are talking about constructing, creating or performing something. Study the following examples: • • • •

'I made three suggestions and left it to him to make the final decision.' 'I've made all the arrangements for the trip and I've made a great effort to get it all right.' 'I'm afraid I'm going to have to make my excuses and leave.' 'I have to make three phone calls.'

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make or do? Test your knowledge of make and do now by clicking on what you think is the correct box in the examples that follow. It is not always as easy as the above examples suggest. It is often simply a matter of usage, of learning and knowing which of these two verbs collocate with which nouns. Best of luck! The first two examples are done for you.

1

make

do

the cleaning and the cooking

check answer

2

make

do

a lasting impression (on someone)

check answer

3

make

do

the shopping and the washing-up

check answer

4

make

do

some serious work

check answer

5

make

do

a lot of damage (to something)

check answer

6

make

do

an announcement or a speech

check answer

7

make

do

an application (e.g. for a driving test)

check answer

8

make

do

a sound or a noise

check answer

9

make

do

one's hair or one's teeth

check answer

10

make

do

a lot of harm rather than good

check answer

11

make

do

business (with somebody)

check answer

12

make

do

(somebody) a favour

check answer

13

make

do

love, not war

check answer

14

make

do

a mess, a profit or a fortune

check answer

15

make

do

fun of someone or a fool of someone

check answer

16

make

do

amends for one's behaviour

check answer

Answers do the cleaning and the cooking make a lasting impression (on someone) do the shopping and the washing-up do some serious work

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do a lot of damage (to something) make an announcement make an application (e.g. for a driving test) make a sound or a noise do one's hair or one's teeth do a lot of harm rather than good do business (with somebody) do (somebody) a favour make love, not war make a mess, a profit or a fortune make fun of someone or a fool of someone make amends for one's behaviour

Media related jobs I'm confused about the difference between presenter, broadcaster, and announcer; and the difference between reporter and journalist. Your answer must be very helpful for me. Thanks. Hi Suharno, All these words are used to describe people who work in the media. The first three: presenter, broadcaster and announcer are all related to TV and radio: media which is delivered partly – or wholly – through sound and speech (this type of media is increasingly available on internet too). A presenter is a person who introduces or hosts television or radio programmes. A presenter's opening words on a programme are usually something like Good evening, and welcome to[name of show] with me [name of presenter]. On tonight's show we will be... [presenter talks about the content of the programme]. The topic of the programme is not all about the presenter. The presenter is the person who introduces the programme, introduces or links sections of the programme together and says goodbye at the end. Some well-known presenters include Johnny Carson (an American TV chat show host), Trevor MacDonald (a British TV news presenter), and Karim Kouchouk (the presenter of BBCe for BBC Learning English Arabic Service). An announcer's job is similar to that of a presenter. He or she provides spoken information about news, weather, programme content, links between programmes, advertising etc. However, an announcer may have a smaller role in a programme than a presenter does: on TV programmes, an announcer may only feature as a voice whereas a presenter will be seen on the screen. Another main difference between an announcer and a presenter is that the announcer usually reads word-forword from a script, whereas a presenter may have some flexibility regarding the things they say. The word broadcaster can refer to an organisation such as the BBC (UK) or NBC (USA) which produces television and radio programmes. It can also be used to

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describe someone who is well-experienced in the TV and radio industry. He or she usually has multiple talents – scriptwriting, directing, presenting etc. and his or her programmes may be considered to be very important and well-respected. Famous British broadcasters include Sir David Attenborough, Sir Robert Winston and Sir David Frost, and Larry King in the USA. Turning to the second part of your question, Suharno: you wanted to find out about the difference between a reporter and a journalist. In fact, these jobs are very similar, and in some respects the terms are interchangeable. A journalist's work is most often seen in print – especially newspapers – but they can work for TV and radio too. A journalist gathers, writes and reports news stories, and may also edit and present news articles. A reporter is a type of journalist who gathers information about newsworthy issues. This may involve researching through several sources – interviews, police and public records, photographs etc. When the information is gathered, the reporter will create a report for publication or broadcast in the media. Reporters often specialise in a particular area, for example: crime, politics, health or education. Finally, Suharno, I'd like to mention one more media profession. A columnist is a writer (usually a journalist) who writes regularly (often weekly) for a newspaper or magazine. She or he chooses a topic that is in the news and writes not only about the events that have become newsworthy but also often offers some analysis and/or personal opinion. This job is usually reserved for senior journalists at a particular newspaper or magazine. Well Suharno, I do hope this has been a useful answer to your question! melt, thaw and antonyms

Keith Gama de Carvalho from Brazil writes: Could you please tell me if there are any differences between the verbs melt and thaw? I'm thinking about the second scene of the first act of Hamlet by William Shakespeare: O, that this too solid flesh would melt Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew!

melt When something melts, it changes from a solid to a liquid state, usually because it is heated: • •

Melt 50 grams of butter in a saucepan and then add the onions and mushrooms. The snow on our grass melted quickly in the warm sunshine.

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We also have the phrasal verbs melt away and melt (away) into meaning to disappear: • •

At first they were enemies, but over time their differences melted away. The shoplifters just melted (away) into the Oxford Street crowds of Christmas shoppers.

thaw When something thaws it warms up slowly and changes gradually from a frozen state to a temperature above freezing point: •

The snow was thawing and the streets had become slushy.

We also have the phrasal verb thaw out, which we use when referring to frozen food or if we have just come inside from very cold weather: • •

If I were you, I would take it out of the freezer and leave it to thaw out overnight. Let me just stand by the radiator and thaw out a bit before I start to cook dinner.

Hamlet, in the speech you refer to, Keith, is mourning the death of his father two months earlier and is distraught about his mother's hasty re-marriage to his father's brother. For this reason he wishes that his flesh might melt into the dew. We still use melt figuratively today when we speak of our feelings or emotions melting, e.g.: •

Once on stage, his inhibitions melted and he gave a confident performance.

Antonyms of melt and thaw would be: freeze

harden

solidify

stiffen

Study the examples below to see how these verbs may be used: • • • • • •

If it's cold enough in January, the lake will freeze (over) and we can go skating. His assets were frozen because he was five hundred thousand pounds in debt. This glue dries very fast and hardens in less than an hour. His attitude to the company hardened when he realized that his shares were worthless. Pour the beef dripping into a bowl and when it has solidified you can spread it on toast. All the various factions solidified and promised allegiance to their leader.

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• •

She was afraid. Her whole body stiffened when she heard him come through the door. They were clearly going to lose, but their resistance stiffened and they fought harder than before.

miss / missing / missed Bernadette from France writes: It is always hard for me to use the verb miss correctly. I always get confused, for instance, when I try to translate: Tu me manques. Please advise me. Thanking you in advance. miss = fail to make contact with There are a number of shades of meaning when miss means 'fail to make contact with'. Compare the following: • • • • • • • •

If you're not careful you'll miss the flight and there isn't another one till next week. Is Jenny still here? ~ You've just missed her. She left five minutes ago. He scored four goals, but then he missed a penalty. The bullet just missed my head. It whizzed past my ear and embedded itself in the wall. No, you've missed the point. Bobby GAVE her the money. He didn't want it back. The railway station is right at the end of this road. You can't miss it! If you leave the queue now, you'll miss your chance of seeing this film. It was my granny's funeral last Thursday so I had to miss all my lessons last week.

miss = be sorry to be without In this sense, we can miss both people and things. This is the meaning of miss that you allude to in your sentence Tu me manques, Bernadette. Note in English we would not translate it as You are missed by me. Instead, we would say simply: I miss you! Compare the following: • • • •

I miss my grandmother terribly. She was such a kind, gentle person. Will you miss me when I'm away? ~ Oh, I shall miss you all right! What do you miss most about the south of France now you're in Britain? ~ I miss my family, I miss the people, I miss the sunshine, I miss the cheese and the wine. Do you miss walking in the Pyrenees? ~ Yes, I miss that too.

missing / missed (adjs) = lost / cannot be found When missing and missed are used as adjectives, they behave like present and past participles, e.g missing pages are pages that are missing, a missed opportunity is an opportunity that has been missed. Note also that missing is

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often placed after the noun it qualifies, rather than in front of it. Compare the following: • • • • • • •

The weather cleared. We should have climbed the mountain. It was a missed opportunity. They were unable to complete the jigsaw as several pieces were missing. Did you know there are five pages missing from this book? It goes from 32 to 43. My name was missing from the list of participants but it was clear that I had enrolled. Ten people are known to have died in the blast and a further fifteen are still missing. Did you know you've got a button missing from your blue shirt? She has been missing for over six months and has now been placed on the missing persons register.

Note that in this last example we talk about a missing person or a missing persons register, rather than missing people or a missing peoples register, to emphasize the individuality of people who have left home and it is not known whether they are alive or dead. miss in idioms Note also idiomatic usage in the following expressions: • • • • • • •

He didn't have all the advantages of a proper education and really missed out. Growing asparagus is very difficult and can be a very hit-and-miss affair. There have been several near misses between planes landing at this airport recently. He's failed his exams again and I think he has missed the boat as far as higher education is concerned. I think I've missed a trick here in failing to consult my accountant about tax returns. I think I'll give the book signing ceremony a miss. What about you? ~ No, I'm going. They came fourth in the league and missed promotion by only one point, but as the old saying goes: a miss is as good as a mile.

miss out on something = miss an opportunity that you would clearly benefit from hit and miss / hit or miss = sometimes very successful, sometimes not near miss = when something is nearly hit by e.g. a vehicle or a bomb miss the boat = miss an opportunity which will probably not arise again miss a trick = fail to take advantage of an opportunity give something a miss = to avoid it a miss is as good as a mile = a failure is a failure by however small an amount

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NB1 Miss can be used as an alternative to Ms placed in front of the name of an unmarried woman when the person concerned wishes it to be known that she is single. NB2 Miss Right or Mr Right can be used as expressions to describe a woman or man who is regarded as an ideal marriage partner: •

He was looking for the perfect Miss Right and had some difficulty in finding her!

meeting/gathering/assembly/rally

Chen Jianxin from China writes: Can you please tell me what the difference is between these four nouns: assembly, gathering, meeting and rally? How do we distinguish between them when we use them? Meeting (and meet) are the most generally and widely used from your list of four, Jianxin. Assembly (and assemble), gathering (and gather) and rally are more restricted in use. meet (verb) When two or more people meet, they come together or are brought together for some reason or they just happen to be in the same place and start talking: •

Where shall we meet this evening? ~ Let's meet under the clock at Waterloo Station.

•

Have you met my dad? ~ No, I haven't. ~ Well, come and meet him. Dad, this is Martin. ~ Pleased to meet you, Martin.

•

Representatives from the two countries will meet again in June to resume their talks.

meeting (noun) A meeting is any event where a smaller or larger group of people come together to discuss something or to make a decision: •

Can I speak to Jane please? ~ No, I'm sorry she's in a meeting. ~ When will the meeting be over?

•

Can we hold a meeting with everybody to discuss this, please? You can't make a decision without having a meeting first.

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•

Can you come to supper on Thursday? ~ I don't think so. I've got a meeting in the afternoon which is sure to go on till six or seven in the evening.

gather (verb) When people or things gather somewhere, they come together for a particular purpose. They do not meet by chance: •

The storm clouds are gathering. It's going to rain soon.

•

Can you see the birds gathering on that tree over there?

•

We gathered around the camp fire and started singing folk songs.

When you gather things or pieces of information, you collect them with a particular purpose in mind: •

We went out to gather mushrooms in the woods.

•

I need to gather as much information as I can so that I can write this report.

I gather means I understand in the sense that somebody has told me or I have read about this. As far as I can gather… is an expression meaning As far as I can find out…: •

I gather there will be no alcoholic beverages at the his party.

•

As far as I could gather, he was trying to raise money by selling cars which had been stolen.

gathering (noun) A gathering is a group of people who are meeting together for a particular purpose: •

There was an exclusive gathering of show-business people and footballers at Posh and Becks' Gucci and sushi garden party last Saturday.

•

It was a friendly gathering. Everybody was in good humour and there was a lot of laughter.

assemble (verb) Assemble is very close to gather in meaning in the sense of coming together for a particular purpose. It perhaps suggests a greater sense of organisation: •

They assembled / gathered in the school canteen after the exam to discuss how well they had done.

When we assemble things, we fit the different parts together to make a whole: •

He couldn't assemble the jigsaw without seeking the help of his older sister.

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•

If the police can assemble / gather enough evidence, they will arrest him for burglary.

assembly (noun) Assemblies are usually larger gatherings of people who meet regularly for a particular purpose: •

The National Assembly voted to hold the first entirely free elections for over 20 years.

•

The assembly of musicians was impressive. Over 300 were gathered together in the Festival Hall.

In a school, the assembly is a gathering of all teachers and pupils at a specified time in the school hall for matters that affect the whole school: •

The Junior School Assembly lasted for 45 minutes as there was a presentation on road safety.

You will also find assembly lines in factories where employees work on particular part of a product (e.g. a car) at a particular stage of its manufacture.

rally (verb) When people rally, they unite to support something: •

He rallied his supporters in the hope that his party would win the election.

When someone or something rallies, it begins to recover from a weak position: •

The stock markets rallied and shares returned to their early morning values.

•

After four days in bed, he rallied sufficiently to be able to sit out in an armchair.

If you rally at tennis, badminton or squash, you manage to keep the shots going with your partner for as long as possible without losing. Rally can also be used in this sense as a noun: •

It was one of the longest and most exciting rallies of the entire tournament.

rally (noun) A rally is primarily a large public meeting that is held to show support for a cause or a political party. Rallies, like meetings, are held: •

Over ten thousand people held a rally in the square to demonstrate their support for international human rights.

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Mother tongue, honeymoon and a small amount of gold Saeed asks: Why do we say mother tongue and not mother language and why honeymoon and not honey month? Marga asks: Do you say: a small amount of gold or a little amount of gold? What is the difference? Honeymoon Honeymoon is a compound noun, meaning a holiday spent together by a couple immediately after their marriage. We also have the expression honeymoon period, meaning the beginning of a period of time when everything is pleasant in a relationship and partners don't criticise each other: They plan to go on honeymoon to Thailand for a month. The honeymoon period for this new government is now over. Honey month is an impossible combination and would not make any sense now, even though the word honeymoon was originally used to describe the first month of marriage. The reference to the moon (and therefore lunar month) is ironic: everybody knows that as soon as the moon is full, it starts to wane and dies. Mother tongue - native language Mother tongue is another fixed collocation. You are right, Saeed, we do not say mother language. Instead, we would normally say native language, though native tongue is also possible, see below: Her mother tongue was Russian, but you would never have guessed it from her perfect pronunciation of English. You should acquire a perfect grasp of your native tongue before you start to learn a foreign language. The greater part of learning a foreign language, Saeed, is all about knowing which words naturally occur together. The examples given so far are relatively straightforward but it becomes more complicated when we look at the words which small and little naturally occur with. A small house / a little house When little and small both mean not large, with some nouns they can be used interchangeably with little or no difference in meaning:

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They lived in a little house in the country. They lived in a small house in the country. However, little also suggests that you feel sympathy for something, whereas small is more neutral and does not suggest this. Compare the following: He's only a little boy. He doesn't know the difference between right and wrong. ~ He may be a small child, but that doesn't excuse his behaviour! Because little invokes sympathy, it is often used with other adjectives like nice, sweet, tiny, pretty, poor. Small cannot be used in this way: This job is a nice little earner. Maximum reward for minimum effort. She's a sweet / pretty little thing. Always has a smile on her face. They live in this tiny little bed-sit in Shepherds Bush. Little = not much Little is also more complicated than small because it can also mean not much. Small can only mean not large. Compare the following: Will you have beer or wine with your meal? ~ I'd like a little wine, please. A small glass of red wine would be nice. Would you like a large or a small coffee? ~ Oh, a small coffee please. I shan't sleep tonight if I have a large one. Abstract nouns that often follow little (meaning not much) include hope, chance, change, effect, use and point: There's little chance / hope of finding any survivors after such a massive explosion. I see little point in continuing the rescue mission. There has been little change in his condition over the last seventy two hours. The new drugs appear to have had little effect. Small amount / small number When we define small as not large we are thinking about small in size, amount or number: These shoes are too small. They really don't fit me at all. I only had a small amount of gold but enough to purchase everything I needed. A disappointingly small number of people entered the competition. Note that small also combines readily with very and few as well as with too. Few cannot be combined with little and little is not normally used with very or too:

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I noticed that there were a few small mistakes in your essay. The phone box was very small, but we all managed to squeeze in. I've heard the term 'Soho nail bomb attack'. What does the term nail bomb mean? I know the word bomb. What does the addition of nail do to the meaning? A nail bomb is a bomb which is filled with nails. When the bomb explodes the nails fly out and cause serious injury. On Friday 30 April 1999, a massive explosion devastated a gay pub in Soho in the heart of London. The blast tore through the Admiral Duncan pub at 6.37 p.m. when the area was crowded with people enjoying the evening sunshine at the start of a holiday weekend. Three people were killed and more than one hundred were injured, many of them very seriously. It was the third in a series of three bombings in the capital in which ethnic minorities and homosexuals had been targeted. The Soho nail bomb caused particularly horrific injuries as a consequence of the confined space in which it exploded and because of the shrapnel effect of the long nails contained within it.

Normal, Ordinary and Usual I have studied English in high school for three years but I can't tell the difference between normal, ordinary and usual. Hi Hoa, Well, this is a good question! There are so many words in English that have similar meanings, which I know can be confusing for learners. In the examples you give, normal and ordinary do have very similar meanings, but usual has a slightly different meaning. I think it’s useful here to talk about vocabulary collocation, which means words that are often used together. And when you’re studying English vocabulary, it’s worth spending some time just studying collocation. You can do this by looking at a good quality monolingual (English-English) dictionary, which explains collocation. You can also study collocation by reading texts (fiction or non-fiction) in English and looking carefully at the combinations of adjectives and nouns, and verbs and their objects. And it’s also possible to purchase specialist vocabulary books and collocation dictionaries. But to get back to the words you asked about Hoa, I think normal and ordinary have [a] very similar meaning, which is probably: ‘how you expect something to be, not unusual or special’. So if we had a normal or ordinary day at work, it would mean that nothing particularly special happened. A normal or an ordinary meal in a

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restaurant doesn’t sound very exciting, but I suppose it’s better than having an awful one! There is a slight nuance in meaning, however, when we talk about normal people and ordinary people. If we mention normal people, it probably means ‘people who think and behave in the same way as most other people’. But the phrase ordinary people may carry a nuance in meaning about wealth and social status, meaning ‘people who are not particularly rich’. So we might say: These houses have been built for ordinary people to buy. …which contains an indirect reference to wealth. I don’t think we’d say: These houses have been built for normal people to buy. … because this seems to be commenting on behaviour rather than income. Similarly, if we make a comment like His new watch is very ordinary. … it would be a slightly rude or negative comment. And the opposite of ordinary is, of course, extraordinary, and if we described a watch as extraordinary it would mean ‘very special or unusual’. Now let’s get back to the other word you mention, usual. This is slightly different because it implies habit or regular behaviour. For example, my usual bus would be the one I always take, at the same time, every day. My usual newspaper would be the one I always buy. You can arrange to meet someone at the usual, meaning the usual bar, café or place where you meet. In this case it would be impossible to use normal or ordinary. Finally, regular customers in pubs often ask for their usual, meaning the drink they usually order! Well thank you for your question and I hope this has helped! no = not / not any In the sentences: Hong Kong's goal: zero accidents on the road. Hong Kong's goal: no accidents on the road. shouldn't the plural form be changed to singular? Hong Kong's goal: zero accident on the road. Hong Kong's goal: no accident on the road. Zero means no and the noun that follows it should surely be in singular form. Please answer my question. zero = not any

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With countable nouns, zero is always followed by plural nouns. With uncountable nouns, the singular form is used. Compare the following: Zero degrees centigrade is the same as 32 degrees fahrenheit. We are likely to see zero growth on the stock market this year. We are not likely to see any growth on the stock market this year. no = not a / not any With countable nouns, no is normally followed by plural forms. It sounds more natural and makes better sense to say: It was early December and there were no leaves on the trees. No dogs, unless they are on a lead, are allowed in the flower garden. No road accidents were reported in Chelsea throughout August. than: It was early December and there was no leaf on the trees. No dog, unless it is on a lead, is allowed in the flower garden. No road accident was reported in Chelsea throughout August. Sometimes, no may be followed by singular or plural nouns, depending on whether one is thinking of one or more than one: It was 9 a.m., yet there was no policeman on duty outside the embassy. It was 9 a.m., yet there were no policemen on duty outside the embassy. In the Premiership last Saturday, no players were sent off. In the Premiership last Saturday, no player was sent off. In the Premiership last Saturday, not a single player was sent off. Sometimes, it is more natural to combine singular and plural use: He must lead a lonely life in that village: he has no wife and no children. (A man normally has one wife, but often has more than one child!) no = emphatic use Note that we tend to use no, rather than not a or not any when we want to emphasise a negative idea. In the lonely man example above, no is more effective than not a / not any. Compare: He must lead a lonely life: he doesn't have a wife and he doesn't have any children. With subject nouns, when no is used emphatically, not a / not any are not possible: No politician tells the truth all the time. No writer has won the Booker prize more than once. Note that singular use sounds more natural in these examples.

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no collocations There are a number of common nouns that normally combine with no, rather than not a or not any. Most of them are uncountable and include no amount, no time, no idea, no doubt, no reason, no need, no evidence, no problem, no way, no point, no use. Study these examples of use: No amount of washing could remove the stain from the garment. There's no time to lose. We must leave immediately. I have no idea how you solve this problem. It's quite beyond me. There was no doubt she had lied. All the evidence pointed to her guilt. I've no reason to think he won't return. He needs me as much as I need him. There's no need to cry. We can sort this out together. She complained of chest pains but the doctors found no evidence of infection. Can you help me with the ironing? ~ No problem. I'm not busy this evening. Can you help me with the cleaning? ~ No way. I have to be out by seven. There's no point in shouting. He's deaf and can't hear you. It's no use complaining. They won't bother to answer your letter. once, twice, thrice I’m a little confused because I’ve found the word thrice in a book. A few teachers told me there is no such word or that I cannot use it and that I should use three times instead. Can I use this word and in what circumstances? We’ll take this opportunity to look at a number of complications with the expression of numbers and frequency in English. once, twice, thrice The norm here is to say once (rather than one time) to say three times (rather than thrice) in current usage. Thrice is definitely old-fashioned, although you may still come across it in certain contexts: This vehicle travels at thrice the speed of sound. They play football thrice weekly. Better to say: This vehicle travels at three times the speed of sound. They play football three times a week and train every night. When it comes to twice, this is more often used than two times, although two times is also quite common in informal usage. Compare the following: I’ve visited her twice already this autumn and she’s visited me once. I’ve visited her two times already this autumn and she’s visited me once.

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Unemployment in the north of England is twice the national average. Teachers say they would be twice as effective if they had no administrative tasks. One time is occasionally possible as an alternative to once. Compare the following: He had only ever seen his great-aunt once before. He had only ever seen his great-aunt one time before. We go out with our colleagues for a drink once a week or once a fortnight and have a staff party once a year. You will hear the recording only once. I’m only going to say this once. Once, (not one time) can also mean at some time in the past: I once ran a fish-and-chip shop in Brighton. ~ When was that? ~ Before I bought this business. Our house in the village was once the train station. ~ When was that? ~ When the trains used to run here. Do you know the different references to these numbers? nought / zero / nil / o / love (0) half a dozen (6 or approximately 6) a dozen (12 or approximately 12) a score (20 or approximately 20) a billion (1,000,000,000 or a very large number) Note how they are used: House prices rose by nought point two per cent last month. Visibility was almost zero at the City Airport last night because of the fog. England won their recent match against Liechtenstein by two goals to nil. My phone number is o two o, eight seven o seven, nine nine o three. Roddick was leading by two sets to love and forty love in the first game of the third set when rain stopped the match. Can you set out the arguments for and against capital punishment in half a dozen paragraphs? I bought two dozen eggs but we’ve only used four. ~ Why didn’t you buy half a doxen? Scores of volunteers offered to help in the search for the missing child. How many zeros do I write down for a billion? Is it six or nine? Billions of dollars need to be invested to re-build this country. I’ve told you billions of times to lock the door before you go to bed. maximum / minimum; maximal / minimal

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To express the idea of the largest amount possible, we would normally use maximum as both adjective and noun. Maximal as adjective or maximally as adverb are more rarely used. Compare the following: Arsenal now head the Premiership table with maximum points from five games. The maximum sentence for armed robbery is twenty years. How long are the shifts for this type of work? ~ Four hours is the minimum and twelve hours is the maximum. How long should I sit in front of the computer screen? ~ Maximally three hours. Minimal, however, meaning very small in quantity, is much more often used as an adjective. Note the slight difference in meaning. Mimimum describes the smallest amount possible. Compare the following: He managed to pass all his exams with minimal effort. There may be one or two delays on this service but they are expected to be minimal. The minimum wage in Britain is now four pounds fifty an hour. The minimum height for a policeman used to be five foot ten. The language of love

Mojca Belak from Slovenia asks: How old can a boyfriend/girlfriend be? A friend who is 50 recently sent me an email gladly informing me that he now has a girlfriend. In Slovenian this sounds really funny. Which could be the alternatives – if there are any? ‘Partner’ didn’t seem to be accepted, so what DO you say for somebody who is not in his/her teens or twenties any longer and is in a relationship, but they are not married? We don’t have very much choice in the matter, Mojca. ‘Boyfriend/girlfriend’ and ‘partner’ are the words that we normally use to describe somebody who is in a sexual relationship. Although boyfriends and girlfriends are often associated with teenager years, as in: •

'I remember my first boyfriend was a very spotty individual whose voice had only just broken.'

it is also quite common for people in their twenties, thirties, forties and even fifties to use the words 'boyfriend' or 'girlfriend' to describe someone that they are in a relationship with, but do not necessarily live with. Partner’ is perhaps the preferred term to describe the person you are living with on a more permanent basis, but are not married to: •

'I don’t think you’ve met my partner. This is Guy Wilkinson.'

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It is unlikely that teenagers would have ‘partners’, although people from their twenties onwards may well have. However, 'partner' can sound rather formal because partnerships, of course, are not only of a sexual nature. If you play a game against another pair of people, or dance then you would do so with a ‘partner’. Consider the following: • • •

'After their Wimbledon experience, it looks as if sister Serena will be Venus Williams’ doubles' partner for some time to come.' 'He is such a good dancer that he has no difficulty in finding appropriate partners for all the Latin-American competitions.' 'Will you be my partner at bridge this afternoon?'

And ‘partners’ in a firm or business are the people who share the ownership of it: •

'He was partner in a firm of lawyers.'

There are some other expressions that can be used, such as 'lover' and 'other half' but it's true to say that in English there is no one preferred term!

parts of the body M Ramesh Kumar from India writes: Could you please give me the parts of the body from head to toe with exact pronunciation of native English speakers? Here's a chart which shows the major parts of the body: obviously not to be used for an anatomy lesson! Some words are used mainly in the medical profession - others are more popular. You can use this list for pronunciation practice, particularly the practice of vowel sounds.

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1 - hair 2 - head 3 - eye 4 - ear 5 - nose 6 - lips 7 - face 8 - neck 9 - shoulder 10 - arm 11 - elbow 12 - wrist 13 - hand 14 - thumb 15 - fingers 16 - breast 17 - chest 18 - stomach/tum/ tummy 19 - abdomen 20 - bottom 21 - thigh 22 - leg 23 - knee 24 - ankle 25 - foot/feet 26 - big toe 27 - toes

Parts of the body From head to toe, But for the sake of rhyme And pronunciation practice This time they are not in order. On your head is your hair You can wear your hair long Or you can wear your hair short On your face your eyes, nose and lips are placed. And at the side are your ears to help you hear.

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You hear with your ears, You see with your eyes, You smell with your nose And kiss with your lips. Your lips are about one metre from your hips - shake your hips! And your nose is nearly two metres from your big toe if you grow full-size. And don't forget your eyes - they're about one metre from your thighs. And your lovely white teeth - about two metres from your dainty feet! Let's add them together: Two lips and two hips, One nose, two big toes, Two eyes and two thighs, Lots of lovely white teeth And two dainty feet That's well over thirty body parts, I suppose! Add on fingers, two thumbs, And every other toe. That's well over sixty, as far as I know! Your breast is the upper part of your chest. Between your chest and your legs is your abdomen. At the front is your tum - short for tummy At the rear is your bum - short for bottom! Between your bum and your tum Are your thighs - roughly speaking. Joints are formed where two bones meet Your upper and lower arms are joined at your elbows Your upper and lower legs are joined at you knees Your wrists join your hands to your arms And your ankles your feet to your legs. Your bones are covered by flesh, blood and skin. And it's the skin that holds it all in. Your organs are all inside - don't let them escape. They're all very busy - fully awake.

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We'll touch them in order. Get as close as you can: · · · · ·

brain: make me think lungs: breathe in and breathe out heart: I can feel you beating stomach: I can hear you rumbling when I'm hungry bladder: I'll empty you when you're full

We sometimes say that we are only flesh and blood And made up of feelings which we cannot touch. Glossary: Tum: your tum or tummy is the part at the front of your body, just below your waist. I'm going to be doing a lot of sunbathing this summer, so I don't want my tummy to show. It can also be used to refer informally to stomach, i.e. the parts inside your body where food is digested. In this sense tummy, as an alternative to stomach, is often used by children or by adults talking to children: Jonathan's got tummy ache from eating too many unwashed strawberries. Bum: your bum is the part of your body which you sit on. It is frequently used in informal English and is slightly rude: Do you think my bum looks too big in these jeans? More neutral alternatives would be bottom or backside. Dainty feet: feet which are dainty are small, delicate and pretty.

A question from Yumi in Japan: Hi, I would like to know about the difference between 'epidemic' and 'pandemic', related to the bird flu.

Catherine Walter answers: Yumi, that's a very topical question. We hope that we won't be talking too much about pandemics in the next few months. The answer is actually very simple. 'Epidemic' is the word that we use when we're talking about a large number of people or animals in a certain place that are affected by disease or illness. 'Pandemic' is the word we use when almost all the people and animals in a certain place are affected by a disease or illness. And that's the short answer. But that little 'pan-' prefix is something that you might want to remember because

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we often use it to mean 'all'. So people make up new words by putting 'pan-' in front of something ? you might hear about a 'pan-Asian' conference, for example. So don't forget 'pan-', but let's hope we can forget the pandemic. Thank you.

My full name is Yaciel Edelio Tellez Toledo. I come from Cuba. I wrote to you because I am in doubt with the correct use of 'person' and 'people'. That was my question because I know that 'person' and 'people' both are nouns and I would like to know when I'm going to use 'person' or 'people'.

Karen Adams answers: Hi Yaciel and thank you for your question, there are several points to make here. The first one os to do with singular and plural nouns, I'm sure you know that most nouns in English are made plural by putting an s on the end, so for example, girl – girls, boy – boys. But some nouns have irregular plurals, for example child – children. And 'person' is one of those nouns that has an irregular plural. 'People' is in fact the plural form of person. So for example we talk about one person and two people. So in normal everyday speech you will hear people talking about 'many people', 'there were a lot of people at the concert', for example. However it becomes slightly more complicated because sometimes you do see the word 'persons'. For example if you're in a lift or elevator you might see the sign 'Four persons only'. And sometimes if you're listening to the news, to news reports you may hear news reports talking about persons. So for example 4 persons were injured in the accident, or police are looking for 5 persons. Persons is normally a more formal use, a more formal plural form. It gets slightly more complicated when you find the word peoples. People can be used to mean a nationality – all of the people of one country – so for example 'the people of Cuba'. And when you're talking about a group of nationalities you may find the word 'peoples', for example, 'the peoples of South America'. So that's another slightly more complicated and not so common use of the word 'peoples'. Finally you may find the word 'person' attached to a number. For example 'a twoperson car', 'a three-person room'. This is where 'person' is being used to describe the noun. '2 – person' is the adjective describing 'car' and as you know we don't put an 's' on an adjective. So far example we talk about a 'two-week holiday' not a 'twoweeks holiday' or a 'three-year course' not 'a three-years course'. So hear we use 'two-person car'. So in summary, normally you find 'people' as the plural form of 'person' – one person, three people. Sometimes you'll find people used to describe the nationality so you'll find 'peoples' to describe different nationalities and sometimes you'll find the word 'persons' in more formal styles of writing or in signs for example. I hope that answers your question.

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Problems and troubles

A Writer from Cameroon in West Africa writes: I'm having difficulty distinguishing between problems and troubles. Can you please explain to me how to use both terms correctly? Problem Problem is a countable noun and describes something that causes trouble or difficulty. We talk about having a problem or having problems with something, not about having a trouble. Compare the following: •

I've got a big problem with my computer. Can you come and have a look at it? (NOT: I've got a big trouble with my computer. Can you come and have a look at it.)

•

I can't meet him in Paris and he can't meet me in London. It's a real problem. (NOT: I can't meet him in Paris and he can't meet me in London. It's a real trouble.)

We also talk about mathematical problems and solving problems of various sorts. Trouble cannot be used in this way: •

Children with learning difficulties find mathematical problems impossible.

•

We couldn't solve the problem of getting across London in less than two hours.

With the verb cause, we can use both trouble and problems, problem as a countable noun and trouble as an uncountable noun. Compare the following: •

The recent football hooliganism in Sunderland caused the police a lot of trouble.

•

The current drought is causing serious problems for the farmers in this area.

No problem! - What's your problem? We also have the expressions No problem! which we use to say that we will be happy to do something or are happy for something to happen and What's your problem? which we use in a threatening way to ask someone about something we disapprove of. Compare the following: •

Could you look after Jimmy for me for five minutes while I pop out to the shops? ~ No problem!

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•

I'll finish this off tomorrow, if you don't mind. ~ No problem.

•

I don't like people wearing face jewellery. ~ What's your problem? It's quite harmless. I think it could cause health problems in later life. ~ Well, that's their problem!

trouble Trouble is mainly used as an uncountable noun and describes problems, worries or difficulties. Trouble can also be used as a verb. Compare the following: •

I'm having trouble with the printer now. Can you come and have a look at it?

•

I'm a bit deaf and I had trouble hearing what she said as she spoke very softly.

•

Why are you crying? What's troubling you? ~ It troubles me that I haven't heard from him for five weeks.

•

I'm sorry to trouble you, but could you move your car forward a bit. It's blocking my drive.

In addition to cause, the verbs that the noun trouble collocate with include the following: put to, take, go to, save, get into, run into, and be in. These verbs cannot be used with problem in the same way. Compare the following: • • • • • •

I'm sorry to put you to all this trouble ~ It's no trouble at all! I'm going to take the trouble to bake my own bread, rather than buy it from the shop. If you buy a dishwasher, it will save you the trouble of washing your dishes by hand. We ran into trouble as soon as we reached the motorway. It was jammed all the way from Epping to Cambridge. I shall get into real / big trouble, if I lend you my brother's bike. I was in serious trouble. I had run out of water and was still ten miles from the nearest oasis.

No trouble! Note that the expression No trouble! is used in a similar way to No problem! •

I'm sorry to have kept you waiting for so long ~ That's no trouble!

problem / trouble + adjs Note from the examples above that the adjectives big, real and serious collocate with both trouble and problems. Note that fundamental, insoluble and intractable collocate only with problem: •

A fundamental problem in the design of this car is the transverse engine.

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•

It was an intractable / insoluble problem. There was no way out of it.

A question from Jean-Francois from Limoges, France: I find it difficult to understand the word 'quite' in a conversation. Does it mean 'partially' or 'totally'? Please help!

Alex Gooch answers: Hello Jean-Francois, thanks for your question. You asked whether 'quite' means 'partially' or 'totally'. The simple answer is that it has both meanings. If we say: "I am quite happy"... This can mean that I'm partially, fairly, somewhat happy but not completely happy or it can mean I'm totally, entirely, completely, 100% happy. Your next question will probably be: How can we tell the difference? When somebody says: "I am quite happy"... How do we know if they mean partially happy or totally happy? Well, I'm sorry, but simply reading the sentence on the page can't help us with this. If I read the words, 'I am quite happy', I really don't know if this means'partially' happy or 'completely' happy. However, don't despair - there are some clues that can help us solve this problem. Firstly, we have some adjectives in English which include the idea of 'very'. For example: 'delighted' means 'very pleased' 'exhausted' means 'very tired' 'enormous' means 'very big', and so on. 'Quite' is often used with one of these adjectives, and in this situation, it always means 'totally'. So, if we say: "I am quite exhausted"... This means I'm absolutely, completely, 100% exhausted. If you think about this, it's logical because it's impossible to be 'somewhat very tired' - that doesn't make any sense. Secondly, we have to think about the context. Often we can clearly understand which meaning of 'quite' the speaker intends, by looking at the meaning of what he or she is saying. William's here with me... (William: Hello!) Let's imagine that William has recently been ill: Alex: Are you feeling better now?

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William: Yes, I'm feeling quite healthy, thank you. In fact, I feel great! Here, William probably means that he has fully recovered, and he's feeling 100% healthy. On the other hand, we could have a conversation like this: Alex: Are you feeling better now? William: Well, I'm feeling quite healthy, but I still have a terrible headache. In this case, William probably means that he feels partially healthy, but not completely healthy. Also, when these sentences are spoken, we can often get a clue from the speaker's tone of voice and intonation: If he or she speaks in a positive, definite tone of voice, going down at the end of the sentence, that probably means that he or she feels totally happy, or healthy, or whatever. However, if the speaker's tone is more uncertain, and if it rises at the end of the sentence, that probably means that he or she is partially happy or healthy, but not completely. In fact, it's quite old-fashioned to use 'quite' to mean 'totally' or 'completely' - at least in spoken English. It's still used this way sometimes in writing, especially in formal writing, so you might read that in a novel for example. But in modern conversational English, 'quite' normally means 'partially'.

A question from Alice in France: 'Raise' and 'rise' - it's difficult to use them. Will it be possible to explain these two verbs in BBC learning English? Thank you.

Amos Paran answers: Well, the basic meaning of the two verbs, 'raise' and 'rise', is almost the same moving up, from a low position to a higher position, either physically or metaphorically. The difference between them is a grammatical one. 'Raise' needs an object, and 'rise' cannot take an object. So, for example, I can say that I personally think that the government of this country needs to raise taxes (and 'taxes' is the object of the verb); another way I can say that is that I think that taxes need to rise. We are always talking about the need to raise standards (and 'standards' is the object of the verb) - another way of saying it is that standards need to rise. Hope this helps!

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Relative / relation – relationship Denis Baizeau from France writes: I do not feel comfortable when I have to use the words relation and relationship. Could you please help me to clarify the main usages and differences of these two closely related words. Many thanks in advance. Relationships A relationship is a close friendship between two people, especially one involving romantic feelings: •

They had been together for two years and Mike wanted to carry on, but Jenny felt that their relationship wasn't really going anywhere.

Relationship can be used in two other ways. It can describe two things and the way in which they are connected: •

Doctors now believe that there may be some relationship / connection between autism and the MMR vaccine.

It can also describe close ties between people or groups of people and the way they feel and behave towards each other: •

The Smiths placed great emphasis on close family relationships and always went on holiday together.

•

The relationship between the leaders of the two countries has never been closer.

Relations Relation also describes the link between people, groups or countries and the way they behave towards each other. In this sense there is very little difference between relations and relationship. For instance, we could also say: •

Relations between (the leaders of) the two countries have never been closer.

Most of the differences are context specific in this sense. For example, we talk about diplomatic relations and race relations, not diplomatic relationships or race relationships: •

Diplomatic relations between the two countries were broken off over this incident and their ambassadors were sent home.

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•

The need to improve race relations in Inner London boroughs is of paramount importance.

Your relations are also members of your family: •

I invited all my friends and relations to my twenty-first birthday party.

•

Mark Totterdale and Simon Totterdale (no relation) are both head teachers in Bristol.

Your blood relations are the people who are related to you by birth, not through marriage. If you say that they are your own flesh and blood, you are emphasizing that they are members of your own family: •

He's my own flesh and blood. I can't leave him to fend for himself when he needs my help.

Relatives (noun) - relative (adj) Note that we also use the term relative to describe members of your family: •

She couldn't get any of her relatives / relations to look after the children, so had to employ a childminder.

•

The chimpanzee is native to equatorial Africa and is believed to be the closest living relative to man.

The adjective relative and the adverb relatively are used when you are comparing the quality or size of something in relation to something else: •

Both cactuses were relatively small and I wanted one that was larger to fit into the pot.

•

Fitness is a relative concept. You must always ask the question: fit to do what?

•

They were discussing the relative / comparative merits of Liverpool and Leeds as places to live when I entered the room.

•

He was able to smuggle the animals out of the country with relative / comparative ease.

Related (adj) When two or more things are related, there is some kind of connection between them. When people are related, they are members of the same family: •

He was arrested for theft-related offences.

•

In the social sciences anthropology and ethnography are closely related disciplines.

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•

I had all the equipment needed for gymnastics and related activities.

•

Aren't you two related? ~ No, we're not. ~ Oh, I thought Henry was your cousin.

Rise, arise and raise

Would you please be so kind as to explain the difference between the following verbs: rise and arise? Thank you so much.

Rise - rose - risen Generally, if something rises it moves upwards. If you rise, this is a rather formal way of saying that you get of out bed, get up or stand up: •

I needed to catch the 7.30, so I had risen early.

•

He rose to greet me when I entered his office.

When the sun and the moon rise, they appear in the sky. If the water in a river rises, it becomes higher. If the wind rises, it blows more strongly: •

I hope to be out in the desert on my horse as the sun rises behind the Pyramids.

•

The water in the river had risen to a dangerous level and everyone had to be evacuated from the village.

•

The wind rose later in the night and kept me awake as it howled through the trees.

If an amount rises, it increases. If you get an increase in your wages or salary, this is also known as a rise. (In American English, it's known as a raise.) If you rise to a higher position in your organisation, you become more successful or powerful:

•

Inflation rose by 0.5 percent last year, the lowest increase since 1992.

•

Industrial use of oil rose by over 200 % in the 1970s whilst industrial use of coal fell by the same proportion.

•

I got a rise of over £4000 when I was promoted to a position of greater responsibility.

•

At the age of 32, she has risen to the top of her profession.

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Arise - arose - arisen Arise is mainly used in a more abstract way. If a situation or problem or something arises, it comes into being and people become aware of it: •

I don't think the question of compensation will arise, but if it does, just give a vague reply.

•

I shall certainly go to Scotland next year, if the opportunity arises.

•

A problem has arisen with the TV that I bought last week. I can't get teletext.

We can also use arise to mean to get up, get out of bed or stand up, but it is even more formal than rise in this sense. Note that when a knighthood is bestowed in Britain, the monarch touches the recipient's shoulders with a sword and then says, e.g. •

Arise, Sir William!

meaning that he, William, may now (a)rise from his kneeling position as a knight of the realm. Raise - raised - raised If you raise something, you move it to a higher position. If you raise your voice, you speak more loudly. If you raise the standard of something, you improve it: •

If you are in agreement with what Mr Jenkins has put to you, would you please raise your hand.

•

The flag on the roof of the palace is raised whenever the queen is in residence.

•

Amy was sitting at the back and had to raise her voice in order to be heard.

•

We want to raise standards of literacy in British schools. Make no mistake about it: standards will rise.

Note that raise is a regular verb, whereas rise is irregular. Note also that raise is a transitive verb, in other words, it must always be used with a direct object. You always raise something. Rise, on the other hand, is an intransitive verb: it does not involve anything or anyone other than the subject. Note the following idiomatic expressions with raise: to raise the alarm = warn people of danger not to raise or lift a finger = do nothing to help

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to raise a smile or a laugh = say something which makes people smile or laugh to raise the roof = make a building reverberate with loud singing, shouting, clapping etc •

I decided to raise the alarm and alerted the rescue services when my companions had not returned by nightfall.

•

His wife does everything around the house. He never raises / lifts a finger to help her.

•

I thought it was a good joke, but it didn't even raise a smile, let alone a laugh.

•

The female audience raised the roof when the boy band appeared on stage.

remind - remember / recall / recollect

Agustin from Spain writes: I have a question about verbs which appear very similar. Could you possibly explain the differences between remember, remind, recall and recollect? Thank you very much.

remind Remind and remember are not the same. If you remind somebody about something, you make them remember it. Thus, remind is a transitive verb, i.e. it always has an object which may be followed by to + infinitive or a that-clause. Compare the following: Remind me to send Denny an email about the change of dates. I reminded them that the dress rehearsal had been brought forward to Wednesday. I shouldn't need to remind you to wash your hands before you sit down to eat. When you say that somebody or something reminds you of something, you associate it with a memory from your past: She reminds me of The Princess Royal. They are so alike in looks and appearance. Doesn't this countryside remind you of Cornwall? It does me. I think I know which one it is, but remind me of your house number. Remember

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If you remember something, you recall people or events to your mind. Remember can be used transitively with an object or intransitively without an object. It is often used with to + infinitive and with when- where- or that-clauses. Compare the following: Do you remember the first time we sat under the stars, listening to Beethoven's Ninth? Do you remember when we first ate wild mushrooms? ~ Yes, I remember. I can't remember where I've put the spare set of car keys. Have you seen them? Will you remember to collect your suit from the dry-cleaners or shall I do it? She remembered that she was going clubbing that evening and cheered up. remember + infinitive or remember + verb-ing? A lot of readers ask about verbs that are followed by verb-ing forms or to + infinitive. Some, like want, decide, agree, are always followed by to + infinitive. Some, like look forward to, enjoy, finish, are always followed by verb-ing forms. I decided to turn off the computer and go home. I would finish writing the report tomorrow. Some verbs can be followed by either verb-ing forms or to + infinitive, sometimes with some difference in meaning. Remember and forget are two such verbs. Remember and forget with an infinitive always refer forward in time. Remember and forget + verb-ing forms always refer back in time. Compare the following: I don't remember talking to you about Terry's divorce. I don't even remember you asking me about that. I shall always remember flying to America on Concorde. Remember to close all the windows and lock all the doors before you leave the house. I forgot to warn him about the dangerous dog and he was bitten. I shall never forget sharing a bottle of iced water with you beside the Pyramids in Egypt.

recall When you recall something, you remember it and tell others about it: The Prime Minister recalled his visits to France and the six meetings he had had with the French President. We often say: as far as I can recall or as I recall or I seem to recall to refer back to something that you have been talking about: I seem to recall that you were against the idea of Henry joining the Board of Directors. As far as I can recall, you were warned three times that you would lose your job if you persisted in being late. I distinctly recall warning you about this.

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If a company recalls a product, it asks for it to be returned because it has found to be defective: The pharmaceutical company is going to recall one of its drugs because of possibly dangerous side effects. If a player is recalled to a team, s/he is included in the team again after being left out: Many people in Ireland still hope that Roy Keane might be recalled to the Irish squad in time for the World Cup. recollect If you recollect something, you remember it and usually talk about it. There is little difference between recollect and recall in this context. We could also use remember here as the most common of the three verbs, although remember would not imply that the experience was talked about. She recollected / recalled that she had been living in Paris when Picasso and Matisse were both working there.

A question from Dahlia. I just want to know the meaning of this word: rote learning, what's the exact meaning?

Martin Parrott answers: What is 'rote learning' ? Rote learning is learning something by repeating it, over and over and over again; saying the same thing and trying to remember how to say it; trying to say it fluently and fast. Now, it doesn't help us to understand - it helps us to remember - and often we learn a poem, or a song, or something like that by rote learning. What have you learnt by rote learning, Dahlia? Dahlia: My most studying is like rote learning. Martin: Oh, is it? Dahlia: I just keep saying it to pass my exam, without understanding, most of what I read, or study. Martin: Well, if you need to remember it for the examination, then I'm sure that's very useful. It's an interesting term, rote learning. It describes the technique for learning - but often we say "I learnt something by rote", and we use the expression "by rote". Question: If Dahlia wants to learn some useful vocabulary, that could also help her to pass the exam, but she wants to know the meaning as well,

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what else can you do apart from rote learning then? Martin: Reading and underlining words, and words that come up several times, looking them up and then perhaps putting them on a list, and perhaps using some rote learning. But, Dahlia, I'm interested in what you learnt by rote for your exams is this your English? Dahlia: No, it's not my English. It's something related to my studying. I'm studying economics… Martin: Yes... Dahlia: ...and there is a lot of subjects quite difficult to understand every single word. Martin: Yes? Dahlia: So, we just keep just rote learning it - you know, to pass the exam… Martin: Yeah Dahlia: ...but, erm, many words is hard to know the meaning of. Martin: That's right, and it doesn't actually help to understand it, does it? Dahlia: Yeah. Most of our books are translated from, from Russian to Arabic… Martin: Yeah? Dahlia: …so... quite difficult sometimes to understand everything. Martin: It is. I think sometimes in learning a language rote learning can be useful. I know that I worked in China at one time, where my students astonished me by how good they were at rote learning, and I used to set lists of words for them to learn and the next day I'd discover that they remembered them. And then as a teacher I'd just have to help them understand them. Question: In terms of learning a language, could you offer an alternative to a student at home who maybe does want to learn vocabulary and improve their vocabulary, and maybe isn't finding rote learning good. So, I mean just as a practical tip, what other ways of learning are there? Martin: I think rote learning may be useful for remembering it - to understand it, we have to see vocabulary in a context - so we need to be not necessarily reading a long book, but reading text in which those words occur. The best is when perhaps the word is used several times in different contexts, and we can understand from the context what it means. A good bilingual dictionary is such a useful tool as well.

A question from Ha in Vietnam: Could you tell me the difference between "satisfying" and "satisfactory"? Thank you.

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George Pickering answers: Well Ha, thank you very much for your question about the difference between "satisfying" and "satisfactory". "Satisfactory" means that something is adequate, or acceptable. Whereas "satisfying" means that something meets your needs or requirements and has positive associations. So what would be the difference between a "satisfactory" meal and a "satisfying" one? In the first case the meal was ok, in the second case it was one that you enjoyed. So generally we prefer to have "satisfying" experiences to "satisfactory" ones.

See and watch I'd like to know the different meanings of see and watch and the typical uses of these two verbs. See / Watch Seeing is noticing something or somebody with your eyes, usually with no explicit intention or purpose behind the action. If you watch something or someone, you look at them deliberately, usually for a longer period. Watch is often used with progressive tense forms. See is not used with progressive forms, but may be used with can to suggest something in progress. Compare the following: Can you hear me at the back? Am I speaking loudly enough? I could hear a dog barking but apart from that there was no sound. I'm surprised to hear you say such awful things about her. I thought you liked her. I could hear them talking in the next room, but I tried not to listen to what they were saying. You need to listen to the tape very carefully if you want to understand what she is saying. I didn't hear the phone ringing because I was listening to a Mahler symphony on the radio. See / Hear + that-clause

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We often use I hear and I see with a that-clause to indicate that we have noted something or that we understand or gather that something has happened or will happen. I hear / understand / gather that you're planning to quit your job with IBM and go freelance. Have you heard that Jenny's gone freelance? ~ No, I've heard nothing about that. I see / understand / gather that the postal workers are threatening another one-day strike in October. I can't see / understand what all the fuss is about. It's only a one-day strike. Note these further, more specific uses of see and watch: see = meet (note that in this meaning progressive forms are often possible) I'll see you outside the hospital at eleven o' clock. He's seeing the doctor about his bronchitis tomorrow. I'm sorry, but he's not well enough to see you now. She must really stop seeing him. He has a bad influence on her. see = find out (note progressive forms never possible) I'll go and see if I can help them. He went back to see if they needed any help. As we saw when he went back to help them, these guys are totally independent. see = accompany You may not be able to find your way out. I'll just see you to the door. He's old enough to come home by himself, but can you just see him across the busy road? watch = be careful about ... We must watch the time or we shall be late. Watch that you don't spend too much money in Oxford Street. Watch your purse too. Watch out for pickpockets. watch = look after Can you just watch my bags while I go to the loo?

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You may also watch your weight if you decide to be careful about the things you eat or watch the world go by, if you stand or sit somewhere and watch people as they pass by. Situation / Position / Condition All three nouns are similar in meaning, but they have different nuances or shades of meaning and are used in different contexts in different ways. Condition Condition describes the physical state of something or some one. We talk about people or things being in good / bad / terrible / etc condition. Condition can also refer to a health problem: Considering its age, this house is in excellent condition. He was in a terrible condition and had drunk far too much whiskey. She has a severe heart condition and shouldn't be smoking at all.

Conditions (plural) refer to the environment in which something occurs. We talk about things happening in or under appalling / terrible conditions. We also talk about people's living or working conditions: The rescue was attempted under extremely difficult conditions and with little chance of success. The refugees were living under appalling conditions with no access to clean water. Are you happy with your working conditions? ~ Yes, they are excellent. I have no complaints. The extremely windy conditions made it difficult for either side to play decent football. Conditions also describe things that must be true or be done before something else can happen. We talk about meeting or satisfying or imposing conditions. In order to qualify for a grant as a postgraduate student, you will need to satisfy certain conditions. The conditions imposed by the university meant that no one was likely to qualify. Terms and conditions describe the business or financial arrangements of an agreement.

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Make sure you read the terms and conditions carefully before you take out the student loan on condition that Note the expression on condition that for saying that one thing will happen only if another thing happens: You can have the day off tomorrow on condition that you agree to work on Saturday. They spoke to the police about the incident on condition that they would not be called as witnesses. Situation Situation refers to a set of conditions that are in place at a particular time and in a particular place: If the situation had been different, our marriage might have succeeded. I am particularly concerned about the situation in the south of the country where the rules of law and order appear to have broken down.

We also talk about an economic or financial situation: The financial situation is dire - the company has failed to make a profit in each of the last four years.

situation comedies / situations vacant Note also the compound nouns situation comedies (abbreviated to sitcoms) which describe amusing television drama series revolving around a set of characters in a family or organisation and situations vacant which refers to a column or page in a newspaper where jobs are advertised: 'The Office' is regarded as one of the most original sitcoms the BBC has produced so far this century. If you just want a clerical job, look in the situations vacant column in the local newspaper.

position

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Position is used in a wider variety of contexts than situation or condition. First and foremost, it refers to the way or where somebody or something is placed. I was quite badly injured in the demonstration but managed to drag myself to a sitting position under a tree. This plant loves sunlight and should be placed in an open sunny position in the flower border. This is quite a detailed map showing the position of all the oil refineries. Position can also describe a general situation and in this context can sometimes be replaced by situation: The position / situation is that everyone must be interviewed about the break in by the security services. If I were in your position / situation, I wouldn't dream of sheltering an escaped convict. Position also means opinion, i.e. where you stand or are placed, on an issue: My position on fox hunting is that it is a useful way of keeping the number of foxes down. Position can also refer to a job in a company, a place in a list or where you play in a team sport such as football: Is the assistant manager position still open? ~ No, I'm sorry, it's already been filled. What is their position in the league? ~ They're in forth position at the moment, but if they win today, they'll move up to third. My best position is on the left in midfield, just in front of the back four.

A question from Lilia in Rio de Janeiro: Since I'm improving my English, I'm trying to write my reports in English. I need to know the difference between the verbs 'solve' and 'resolve'. Thank you.

Sian Harris answers: Hello Lilia, thanks for getting in touch. The simplest answer I can give you here is to say that in many contexts they are roughly synonymous - in other words similar in meaning and therefore sometimes used interchangeably, where the basic meaning is to find a solution or answer to a problem.

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For example, we could say either "we have solved the problems in management" or "we have resolved the problems in management". To resolve a problem, argument or difficulty means to deal with it successfully. As in the example, "The cabinet met to resolve the dispute." However, be aware that 'resolve' can be used with the infinitive with a slightly different meaning. If you resolve to do something you make a firm decision to do it. "They resolved to take action." 'Resolve' also sometimes appears as a noun meaning a determination to do something. "We must be firm in our resolve to oppose them." So Lilia, you'll find more examples in your dictionary, but in them meantime, I hope I've clarified the key differences there.

'sport' or 'game'

Martina Sotona from from The Czech Republic asks: The Olympics are over and I would like to ask why we call them the Olympic Games when they are about sports. Can you please explain in more detail the difference between sport and game?

Sports are activities which require physical effort and ability and some degree of mental skill usually. They are often organised competitively, played outdoors and with a ball, although not necessarily. Thus: rugby

cricket

football

basketball

hockey

baseball

netball

tennis

table tennis

squash

badminton

volleyball

golf

motor racing

cycling

skiing

running

swimming

However, we talk about games when two teams or individuals meet to play against each other. (So, for this reason, they are called the Olympic Games.) Compare the following: • • •

'Do you fancy a game of golf this afternoon?' The game (or match for most ball games) between Manchester United and Liverpool had to be abandoned at half time. The pitch was waterlogged.' 'Cricket is my favourite sport. I spend all weekend every weekend either watching it or playing it in summer.'

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Games are also activities involving skill, knowledge or chance in which you try to win against an opponent or solve puzzles. Thus, we have 'word games', 'card games', 'computer games' and games like chess, backgammon, dominoes, darts, snooker, mahjong and Monopoly. For games like these, not so much, if any, physical ability or skill is needed.

seem, appear and look Are there any significant structural or semantic differences between seem, appear and look in the sense of to give the impression of being or doing something? look, seem and appear Look, seem and appear are all copular verbs and can be used in a similar way to indicate the impression you get from something or somebody. Copula verbs join adjectives (or noun compounds) to subjects: She looks unhappy. He seems angry. They appear (to be) contented. Note that adjectives, not adverbs, are used after copular verbs. We do not say: She looked angrily He seems cleverly. We have to say: She looked angry. He seems clever. Of course, when look is not used as a copular verb, but as a transitive verb with an object, an adverb will describe how someone looks: She looked angrily at the intruder. look / seem - as if / like After look and seem, but not normally after appear, we can use an as if / like construction:

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It looks as if it's going to rain again. It looks like we're going home without a suntan. It seems as if they're no longer in love. It seems like she'll never agree to a divorce. seem / appear to + infinitive After seem and appear we often use a to + infinitive construction ( or a perfect infinitive construction for past events). We cannot use look in this way. Compare the following: They appear to have run away from home. They cannot be traced. I seem to have lost my way. Can you help me? It seems to be some kind of jellyfish. Do not go near it. They appear not to be at home. Nobody's answering. They do not appear to be at home. No one's answering. We can also use a that-clause after It seems?... and It appears..., but not after look. It looks... has to be followed by an as if / like clause: It seems that I may have made a mistake in believing you did this. It appears that you may be quite innocent of any crime. It looks as if / like you won't go to prison after all. appear / seem - differences in meaning You can use seem to talk about more objective facts or impressions and about more subjective and emotional impressions. We do not usually use appear to refer to emotions and subjective impressions. Compare the following: impressions / emotions It seems a shame that we can't take Kevin on holiday with us. It doesn't seem like a good idea to leave him here by himself. It seems ridiculous that he has to stay here to look after the cat. more objective facts and impressions They have the same surname, but they don't appear / seem to be related.

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She's not getting any better. It seems / appears that she's not been taking the medication. non-copular use of appear and look Note that seem is used only as a copular verb, but both appear and look have other meanings and uses: appear = (begin to) be seen She has appeared in five Broadway musicals since 2000. Cracks have suddenly appeared in the walls in our lounge. Digital radios for less than £50 began to appear in the shops before the end of last year. look = direct your eyes / search I've looked everywhere for my passport, but I can't find it. I've looked through all the drawers and through all my files. He didn't see me because he was looking the other way. Note that look is used in a wide range of phrasal verbs: Could you look after the children this afternoon while I go shopping? Could you look at my essay before I hand it in? I'm looking for size 36 in light blue. Do you have it? It's been a hard year. I'm looking forward to a holiday now. I've written a letter of complaint and they've promised to look into the matter. Look out for me at the concert. I'll probably be there by ten o' clock. Don't you want to look round the school before enrolling your children? He's a wonderful role model for other players to look up to. If you don't know the meaning of these phrasal verbs, look them up in a dictionary.

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Krista Soenen from Belgium asks: I’m a student attending an English course in Gent, Belgium. Recently we had a discussion about the correct use and the difference between the following words: Is there any difference in use? Solicitor lawyer attorney barrister counsellor These legal terms all belong to the same family of words, but are quite different in use. Solicitors are lawyers who give legal advice to clients and prepare legal documents and cases. Solicitors often specialise in different areas: there are, for example, family law solicitors and company law solicitors. They do not usually, to my knowledge, appear in court. The following would be an example of usage: •

'When my husband left me, I was advised to put the matter into the hands of a solicitor.'

Attorney is American English word for a British English lawyer. The D.A. or District Attorney is a lawyer in the U.S. who works for the state and prosecutes people on behalf of it. There are also, of course, defense attorneys in America who act on behalf of their clients. Consider the following: •

'Nobody wanted the position of district attorney – it was poorly paid in comparison with that of defense attorney.'

(Note that in British English defence is spelt ‘defence’ and not ‘defense’.)

A lawyer, then, in British English, is a person who is qualified to advise people about the law and represent them in court. We talk about lawyers for the prosecution and lawyers for the defence. Study the following: •

'The defence court case cost £560,000 in lawyers’ fees alone.'

A barrister in British English is a lawyer who operates in the higher courts of law in Britain and speaks on behalf of either the prosecution or the defence: •

'He was regarded as an eloquent and persuasive barrister and was much in demand for a period of over twenty years.'

We also speak about the prosecution counsel or the defence counsel when referring to the team of lawyers who are operating on behalf of either the state or a client:

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•

'The counsel for the defence argued that the case should never have been brought to court as it relied only on circumstantial evidence.'

However, please note that we do not use the term counsellor in the legal sense at all! A counsellor can be any person whose job it is to give advice, care and support to those who need it. Consider the following: •

'This hospital employs 15 counsellors whose job it is to deal with patients suffering from severe depression.'

A question from Arif Kizilay from Turkey: I have a question - can you please answer it for me? What's the difference between as such, and such as? Thank you. 'Such as' and 'as such'

Alex Gooch answers: Hi Arif - thanks for your question. These two phrases, as such and such as, look similar, but in fact their meanings are very different. As such has two meanings. The first is quite difficult to explain, so let's look at an example. I could say, I'm an English teacher, and because I'm an English teacher I hate to see grammar mistakes. Another way to say this, with the same meaning, is like this: I'm an English teacher, and as an English teacher I hate to see grammar mistakes. However, in this sentence I'm saying the words 'an English teacher' twice. An easier way to say it is like this: I'm an English teacher, and as such I hate to see grammar mistakes. In this example, we use the word such to represent the words 'an English teacher', the second time it appears. Here are some similar examples. You could say: She's an athlete, and as such she has to train very hard. The film was a romance, and as such it had the usual happy ending.

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We can also use as such to mean something like 'exactly' in a sentence like this: The shop doesn't sell books as such, but it does sell magazines and newspapers. Magazines and newspapers are similar to books, but they are not exactly books. Or: He isn't American as such, but he's spent most of his life there. Spending most of your life in America is similar to being American, but it isn't exactly the same as being American. Such as is much easier; it has the same meaning as 'like' or 'for example' (but not exactly the same grammar, so be careful there!). We use it in sentences like this: There are lots of things to see in London, such as the Tower of London, the London Eye and St. Paul's Cathedral. Or: Many countries in Europe, such as France and Germany, use Euros.

suppose and supposed to

Sanmati Pragya from India writes: Hi! I’m an Indian citizen living in America. Here people use suppose and supposed to a lot of the time in conversation. Can you please tell me in which sense and where they should be used?

Suppose and supposed to are used very frequently in British English too. We shall see that suppose has a number of different meanings and uses and that supposed to is different again from suppose. suppose = think/believe/imagine/expect In this sense, suppose is often used in requests with negative structures when we hope the answer will be positive: • • •

I don’t suppose you could lend me your dinner jacket, could you? ~ Sure! When do you need it? I suppose it’s too late to see the doctor now, isn’t it? ~ Hold on. Let me see if I can fit you in. I don’t suppose I could see the doctor now, could I?~ I can fit you in at 11.30. Can you wait till then?

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It is also used in short answers with the same meaning of think/believe/imagine/expect. Note that two forms of the negative are possible here: • • •

Will Jeremy be at Peter’s this evening? ~ I don’t think/suppose/imagine/expect so. Will you try to see Jennifer when you get back? ~ I think/suppose/imagine/ expect not. Would you be prepared to stay on for an extra week? ~ I suppose/expect/guess so.

Note that suppose here describes a mental or emotional state, and it is not normally used in the continuous form. Suppose/supposing = what if…? Suppose or supposing can also be used in a quite different way instead of What if…? to introduce suggestions or to express fears. Compare the following and note that the verb that follows suppose or supposing can be in either present of past tense form: • • •

We haven’t got strawberry jam for the filling, so suppose / supposing we use(d) raspberry jam, would that be all right? Suppose / Supposing I come / came next Thursday rather than Wednesday, will / would that be all right? Will these shoes will be OK for tennis? ~ I don’t think so. Suppose / Supposing the court is wet and you slip(ped)?

be supposed to + infinitive = should Supposed to in this sense means that something should be done because it is the law, the rule or the custom. However, in practice it is often not done: • • •

I’m supposed to tidy my room before I go to bed at night, but I always tidy it when I get up in the morning instead. In Germany you’re not supposed to walk on the grass in the parks, but in England you can. I’m supposed to return these books by Friday, but I’m not sure whether I can.

In the past tense, it is used to mean that something was planned or intended to happen, but did not happen. Note that in these examples, we can use should have as an alternative to was supposed to: • • • •

I was supposed to go to Cuba for a conference last year but then I got ill and couldn’t go. Wasn’t Tom supposed to be here for lunch? I wonder what’s happened to him! I should have gone to Cuba for a conference last year but then I got ill and couldn’t go. Shouldn’t Tom have been here for lunch? I wonder what’s happened to him!

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supposed to be = generally believed to be Finally, we can use supposed to be in this sense: • •

This stuff’s supposed to be good for stomach cramps. Why don’t you try it? The castle was supposed to be haunted, but I had a good night’s sleep there nevertheless!

When you are practising these examples in speech, note that the final d in supposed to is not pronounced. It is pronounced as 'suppose to', but should always be written in its correct form grammatically as supposed to.

synonyms for: I (don't) understand

Stefan Babec from the Slovak Republic writes: Could you please explain to me the expression in this sentence: ...they do not cotton to the idea that... cotton to / cotton on to To cotton to means to like, to admire or to become attached to. The allusion is to a thread of cotton which very easily attaches itself to clothing for example. It is an expression which is not used very much any more in contemporary British English. Much more common is the colloquial expression to cotton on to which means to catch on or to grasp a line of thought: • •

They didn't know much English and it was surprising how quickly they cottoned on / caught on to what I was saying. He still hasn't cottoned on to the fact that I'm not in the least bit interested in him.

The allusion is the same as before: cotton fibres or threads which become attached to clothing. lose the thread /pick up the thread(s) Other expressions which use the idea of cotton threads are to lose the thread of something and the opposite to pick up the thread(s).

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To lose the thread means to lose one's train of thought because of some sort of interruption or digression. To pick up the thread(s) means to resume one's line of argument or to get back into the way of things: • • •

I haven't done this sort of work for over five years so it will take me a while to pick up the threads. I'm going back to John and we're going to try to pick up the threads of our marriage. Sorry, I've lost the thread of what you were saying. Could you go back over that last bit again?

I don't understand English, and particularly British English, appears to be incredibly rich with informal expressions for I don't understand. Here are a selection of the most common. Can any of you answer these difficult questions? If someone is described as 'sagacious', what does it mean they are? • • •

I don't know I've (got) no idea I haven't (got) a clue

Which British king is supposed to have imprisoned his nephews in the Tower of London? • • •

I haven't (got) the faintest I haven't (got) the foggiest I've got no notion

Notion is another word for idea. Originally, we would have said: •

I haven't got the faintest / foggiest / slightest idea.

But now, it is sufficient to say: •

I haven't got the faintest / foggiest.

Who made the first telescope in the world? • • •

You've got me there. You've stumped me there. I'm a bit stymied there.

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The expression 'You've stumped me' or 'I'm stumped' derives from the game of cricket, where if the batsman is stumped, he is out and his innings is over. We can also use get in this question to mean 'Do you understand?': •

Do you get what I'm saying?

Or if you don't understand something you can say: •

I don't get it.

In the Bible, which is the second book of the Old Testament? • • •

Sorry, that's beyond me. That's beyond my ken. Sorry, my mind's gone blank.

If something is beyond your ken, you do not have sufficient knowledge to be able to understand it. Ken is much used in informal Scottish English as both a verb and a noun for know and knowledge. But if your mind goes blank, this suggests that you do know the answer which might even be on the tip of your tongue, but it is not immediately available. In music, what is the sixth note in the tonic sol-fa scale? • • •

I'm not with you. Come again. Search me.

These last two synonyms for I don't understand are more colloquial and not quite in the same politeness register as the earlier alternatives. However, they are quite acceptable in discourse among friends. The idea of the last one is that if you did a body search on me, you would not find the answer to the questions you have asked. If you do know the answers to all these questions, please write to our Message Board and tell us. A score of 100% would suggest that you might be a suitable candidate for a TV quiz game!

I do understand! Finally, let's finish on a more positive note with some synonyms for I do understand! We don't seem to have as many of these! • • • • •

I'm afraid I can't agree to you borrowing £500 from your sister. I completely understand! That's absolutely clear! You're quite right! Of course!

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Absolutely is currently one of our most favoured adverbs when expressing strong agreement with something: • •

Are you going to Jim's party on Friday? ~ Absolutely! Do you really want to wear that? ~ Yes, absolutely!

slang, idiomatic expressions and euphemisms slang Slang consists of very informal expressions or words which normally feature in speech rather than writing and are used by people who know each other well or who have the same jobs, backgrounds or interests. They often relate to sex, drink, drugs, relationships, social groups, etc. They are often fairly strong in emotive terms and may sometimes be found offensive to people outside the group. Have a look at some of the slang expressions on our Talk Lingo pages. Here are some more expressions: • • • •

It may be big bucks to you, but it's chickenfeed to me. So, who came to this knees-up, then? My ex was absolutely bonkers. We'll have to get some booze in for tonight.

Big bucks denotes a large amount of money (bucks are dollars), chickenfeed is small change. Knees-up = party, my ex = former boyfriend or girlfriend. Absolutely bonkers is very crazy or unpredictable. Booze is alcohol, just as a boozer is a pub or someone who drinks a lot of alcohol. If you are exposed to slang expressions in your learning of English, it is important for you to understand their meaning and the emotive force behind them. It may be less appropriate for you to use them if you are not part of that group. In fact, it may sound strange and inappropriate if you do so. Also slang changes very quickly. idiomatic expressions Idiomatic expressions are combinations or collocations of words which cannot be translated word for word. Thus: •

I could eat a horse.

is an idiomatic way of saying: •

I'm very hungry.

Idiomatic expressions are extremely common and are found in all kinds of English, both formal and particularly informal. But do not make a special effort to learn them. There are too many. You will learn the most common naturally through the learning material that you are using. And it is much better to be accurate when

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using non-idiomatic English than inappropriate when using an idiom. For example, it is better to say: •

It's raining very hard out there.

than: •

It's raining cats and dogs out there.

which has gone out of fashion. As a learner, it may be difficult for you to know what idioms are in fashion and which are not. idiomatic expressions with 'out' Good dictionaries will usually list idiomatic usage of words after the literal meanings are given. Thus after the literal definitions of out, you may find the following idiomatic usages listed and illustrated: • •

I was so tired I went out like a light. I've never seen such behaviour: he was completely out of order.

These two are in current use. (As a rule of thumb, if you come across idiomatic expressions more than once in your study of contemporary English, they are probably current.) To go out like a light is to fall asleep or unconscious instantly. The allusion is to falling asleep immediately like switiching off a light. If someone is out of order, they have acted in bad taste or their behaviour is unacceptable. Note that the primary meaning of out of order relates to machines that are not working or are not in good order: • •

Go and put this out-of-order notice on the photocopier. It's not working again. He was totally out-of-order. I can't believe he was so rude to her.

euphemisms A euphemism is a polite word or expression that people use when they are talking about something which they or other people may find unpleasant, upsetting or embarrassing. When we use euphemisms we are protecting ourselves from the reality of what is said. There are many euphemisms that refer to sex, bodily functions, war, death, etc. Euphemisms are often good examples of idiomatic language use: • • • •

He passed away (i.e. died) after a long illness (i.e. cancer). I decided to come out (i.e. admit to being homosexual). I didn't want to be outed (i.e. allow others to let it be known that I am homosexual). It's no good. I can't hold it in. I shall have to spend a penny (i.e. urinate). We keep the adult (i.e pornographic) magazines on the top shelf and the adult videos under the counter.

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• •

You know that we're in the middle of a rightsizing exercise (i.e. compulsory redundancy programme). We have no alternative but to let you go (i.e. sack you). Many of the outlying villages suffered collateral damage (i.e. civilian deaths).

Spend a penny derives from the days when there were door locks on the outside of cubicles in public lavatories which could only be opened by inserting one old penny into the lock. This was not just the pre-euro era. It was the pre-decimal era. The expression is still in frequent use today. Collateral damage is unintended damage and civilian casualities and deaths caused by the dropping of bombs in the course of a military operation. The term is of US origin and was first used to describe deaths in the Vietnam War, then in the Gulf War, then in the action (euphemism!) in Serbia at the end of the 1990s and most recently in Afghanistan.

Izmaelov from Denmark writes: Hi Roger! Are you familiar with the words switch and change? I guess you are, but me and my friends have had some pretty hot discussions about the meaning and different usage of these two words… change - verb and noun If there is a change or if something changes, it becomes different in some way or it is replaced by something of a similar kind - and it in this respect that the meaning is most similar to switch. However, in all of these examples that follow, only change is possible or normal. We cannot easily replace change with switch. • • • • • • • • • •

Going out to work every day is quite a change from university life, I must admit. I can't go straight from work. I shall have to come home and change first. (i.e. change clothes) There's no direct (train) service to Oxford after 10 p.m. You'll have to change at Reading. I was away for the whole weekend so I packed two changes of underwear. I hardly recognised her - she had changed so much. (i.e. changed in appearance) I'm the father of three children but I still don't know how to change a nappy. Could you change the light bulb for me please? ~ OK. But I'll change the oil in your car first. Can anybody change this £50 note? (i.e. give me the same amount of money in smaller coins or notes) I had no loose change (i.e. smaller coins) so I had to pay with a £10 note. You must wait till the (traffic) lights change (i.e. from red to green) before you cross the road.

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We also talk about: changing the subject - starting to talk about something else to avoid embarrassment changing your mind - deciding to do something else, usually the opposite changing your tune - a more informal expression for saying or doing something else having a change of heart - reversing your opinions or attitudes a sea change - a complete change in someone's attitudes or behaviour things which change hands - things which pass from one owner to another •

• •

Did you know that Brenda's sex-change operation hasn't been successful? ~ Do you mind if we change the subject? ~ Of course we can, but you should know that she's going ahead with her plan to change her name from Brenda to Brendan. I can't afford to take everybody to this football match. ~ You've changed your tune, haven't you? You were going to get a season ticket three weeks ago! He suddenly became responsible for his actions. This sea change in his behaviour surprised his parents.

switch - verb and noun A switch is a device for making and breaking the connection in an electrical circuit in e.g. a light, radio, TV or heater. We switch these things on and off. We also turn them on and off. We can turn them down or up, but we cannot switch them down or up: •

You call that music? It's a terrible row! Either turn it down or switch it off.

If you switch to something different, you change suddenly to a different task or activity from what you were doing before. We can use switch or change in all these examples, but switch is more dramatic: • • • •

Would you mind switching / changing places with me so that I can sit next to my child? I had to switch / change planes in New York. There was no direct service to Miami. I was going nowhere so I decided to switch / change jobs. I think you would create more space if you switched / changed / moved the furniture around.

Because of its dramatic quality, switch is frequently used in newspaper headlines. These three examples all appeared in the Independent daily newspaper on 28 or 29 January. See if you can work out the meaning. The answers are below: • • •

Abel Xavair set to switch to Liverpool. Switch to euro uncovers Ireland's excessive prices. Gang switched signals to help refugees.

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Abel Xaviar, the Portuguese defender, is ready (= set) to move from Everton across town to Liverpool football club. The changeover or switch from the Irish punt to the euro has revealed the high cost of certain goods. A criminal group of men (= gang) changed or switched train signals from green to red so that trains would stop to allow refugees to climb on board. Finally, note these more informal and idiomatic usages of switch and turn: to switch off - to stop paying attention to be switched on - to be well-informed or up-to-date about contemporary issues to turn someone on - to excite them, to stimulate their interest, especially when you find somebody attractive Whatever turns you on! - a stock/fixed response to a description of unusual practice • • • • •

His description of his working day was so boring that I just switched off. He is really switched on when it comes to fashion. He knows all about the Italian fashion houses. I thought you liked me, but I don't really turn you on, do I? Oh no - it's a film about philosophy. What a turn-off! And then I became really interested in the triassic, jurassic and cretaceous periods. ~ Whatever turns you on!

Travel/journey/trip/expedition/safari/ cruise/voyage

Haidar Mirhadi from Iran writes: What is the difference between these words all concerning travel: travel/journey/trip/expedition/safari/ cruise/voyage? Thank you. It's the right time of year to talk about travel as the holiday season is now beginning in most countries north of the equator. travel/travelling (nouns) Travel is the general term to describe going from one place to another. We can talk about someone's travels to refer to the journeys he makes: •

His travels abroad provided lots of background material for novels he wrote.

Travelling is also a general term which refers to the activity of travel: •

Travelling by boat between the islands is less tiring than travelling by road.

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•

I don't do as much travelling as I used to now that I'm retired.

Travel often crops up as part of compound nouns. Compare the following: •

Make sure you keep all your travel documents safely. You can obtain your travel tickets from the travel agents in the High Street if you don't want to order them over the Internet. Some of you may suffer from travel sickness. Air travel may well give you a bumpy ride. If you don't have a credit or debit card, make sure you take plenty of traveller's cheques with you.

We often use travel as a verb: •

I love to travel during the summer holidays. This year I plan to travel all around the Iberian Peninsula.

journey (noun) A journey is one single piece of travel. You make journeys when you travel from one place to another. (Note that the plural is spelt journeys, not journies): •

The journey from London to Newcastle by train can now be completed in under three hours.

•

We can talk about journeys taking or lasting a long time:

•

How long did your journey take? ~ Oh, it lasted for ever. We stopped at every small station.

•

We occasionally use journey as a verb as an alternative to travel, although it may sound a bit formal or poetic:

•

We journeyed /travelled between the pyramids in Mexico on horseback.

trip (noun) A trip usually involves more than one single journey. We talk about day trips, round trips and business trips. We make journeys usually, but we go on trips: •

I went on a day trip to France. We left at 6.30 in the morning and returned before midnight the same day.

•

The round-trip ticket enabled me to visit all the major tourist destinations in India.

•

Where's Laurie? ~ He won't be in this week. He's gone on a business trip to Malaysia and Singapore.

•

The trip went well. It was an old car, but we didn't break down in four weeks of travelling

expedition (noun)

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An expedition is an organised trip whose purpose is usually scientific exploration of the environment. You go on expeditions, just as you go on trips. •

Numerous expeditions to The Antarctic have ended in disaster.

•

Are you going to join the expedition up the Amazon this year, like the one Tom went on last year?

•

Less dangerous and less adventurous are shopping expeditions when you are hunting down particular goods or bargains and fishing expeditions when you go in search of fish which are not easy to locate or catch.

safari (noun) A safari is a trip or expedition to observe wild animals in their natural habitat in Africa, usually. You go on safari to safari parks. In days gone by, you might have worn your light cotton safari suit for this purpose: •

His one ambition in life was to go on safari to Kenya to photograph lions and tigers.

cruise (noun and verb) A cruise is a holiday during which you travel on a ship or boat and visit a number of places en route. When we cruise, this is exactly what we do: •

They cruised all around the Mediterranean for eight weeks last summer and stopped off at a number of uninhabited islands.

•

My parents have seen nothing of the world so are saving up to go on a world cruise when they retire. They are hoping to take a trip on the cruise liner, the QE2, in 2004.

voyage (noun) A voyage is a long journey, not necessarily for pleasure, on a ship. We don't talk about voyages very much in the present time, but historically they were very significant: •

His second voyage (1493 - 96) led to the discovery of several Caribbean islands. On his third voyage (1498 - 1500) he discovered the South American mainland. (Christopher Columbus, the great explorer)

take care / take a look: verb + noun collocations with take Maria asks: Please can you give me some information about collocations, especially about verb + noun collocations with take? Thanks a lot.

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collocation Collocations are words that habitually or typically occur together. There are verb + adverb collocations like wave frantically (not wave hecticly). There are adjective + noun collocations like regular exercise (not steady exercise). There are adverb + adjective collocations like completely or wholly satisfied (not utterly satisfied). And there are verb + noun or verb + object collocations like follow someone's example (not pursue someone's example). take Take is one of the most commonly used verbs in the English language whose basic meaning is to move something or somebody from one place to another, e.g: I took him to the hospital because he was having difficulty breathing. Take plenty of warm sweaters. It will be cold in Scotland. There are a large number of take + noun collocations of which I include a selection of the most common below. Note how much of the original meaning of take is retained in these examples. The first five are relatively easy to understand: take a walk / a bus / a train take a minute / a while / ten minutes take exercise take an interest in take a photo I'm not ready yet. Why don't you take a walk round the park? It's essential for your health to take regular exercise. I took 300 photographs when I was on holiday in Patagonia. Since Sharapova won Wimbledon my son has taken an interest in tennis. Aren't you finished yet? ~ No, it will take me a while, I'm afraid The middle five are a bit more difficult so an explanation of the meaning is given after each example: take steps / measures / action take advice

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take offence take cover take pity If you take my advice, you'll stop seeing him. We should take steps to ensure that no more money is lost on this venture. There's no need to take offence. I was only joking! They were firing over our heads, so we had to take cover. She took pity on the stray dog and be became a family pet. take steps, measures, etc: perform an action in order to achieve something take advice: follow someone's guidance (on how best to achieve something) take offence: feel upset because of something someone has said or done take cover: hide of shelter from e.g bad weather or gunfire take pity: show sympathy for someone because they are in a bad situation. The final five are most difficult as they are idioms whose original meaning has been lost (but which is explained in the notes below): take the mickey out of someone take the axe to something take a raincheck take heart take one's breath away Stop taking the mickey. I'm fed up with being the butt of your jokes. Can you manage Friday? ~ I'll have to take a raincheck on that, I'm afraid. The way she played Lady Macbeth was so compelling it took my breath away. Try to take heart from the fact that he's no longer in pain. The company took the axe to senior management and abolished five posts. take the mickey out of someone: to tease. Mickey represents Mickey Bliss, Cockney rhyming slang for piss. The expression then is a euphemism for take the piss. take the axe to something: make drastic cuts, particularly in workforce

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take a raincheck: politely decline an offer whilst implying that you may take it up later. A rainckeck was originally a voucher used in the US entitling one to see another baseball game if the original one was rained off. take heart: take courage In former times, moral courage was supposed to come from the heart and physical courage from the stomach. take one's breath away: be so surprised by something that it makes you hold your breath Ones that we have not worked on include: take a seat take a bath / shower take care take a look take milk / sugar in tea / coffee take a break take somebody's word for something take your temperature take a risk take the credit take responsibility take the weight off ones feet take a dim view of something take ones hat off to someone take a page out of someone's book take a leak take stock that takes the biscuit! Check them out in a good dictionary, if the meaning is not clear. Start with the most commonly used ones which I have listed first.

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Teacher/trainer/instructor/lecturer etc. Would you please tell me the different usage of the terms: teacher, trainer, instructor, lecturer, professor? Thank you in advance. Teacher Teacher is the general term for someone whose job it is to teach: I'd like to go into teaching and get a job as a teacher in an inner city primary or secondary school. Teaching assistants can only ever support the classroom teacher; they can never replace him.

Tutor We sometimes use the word tutor instead of teacher to describe somebody who gives personal or private lessons: My son wasn't making much progress in school, so I hired a maths tutor to give him private lessons after school. If you are enrolled as a student in a British university, you will have a personal tutor who provides you with close support throughout your studies and with whom you will have tutorials to discuss aspects of the subject being studied: There are just six students in my tutorial group and we had a very interesting tutorial on global warming and climate change last week. On all quality distance learning schemes, face-to-face support from trained tutors is essential.

Lecturer A lecturer is someone who gives a lecture or formal presentation, particularly at a college or university Dr Gradgrind is our lecturer on the Victorian novel and the course will be taught through a series of lectures and seminars.

Note that a seminar at a college or university is a class for a small group of students to discuss the subject with the lecturer.

Professor

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In the UK, professor is a university teacher of the highest rank in a subject area: Professor Stephen Hawking, Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge, is one of the most formidable intellects ever to theorise on the origins of the universe.

The first step in an academic carrier is usually lecturer, then senior lecturer, then reader, then eventually perhaps professor. Note that in the US, a professor is a full-time teacher at university. A teacher at secondary school or high school or junior college is never a professor.

Instructor In British English, an instructor teaches you on how to learn or improve in a particular skill or sport: If you want to learn how to drive, you will need a driving instructor. If you want to learn how to fly, you will require a flying instructor. If you intend to ski this winter on the higher slopes, you'll need a ski instructor.

In the US, an instructor is a university teacher below the rank of assistant professor.

Coach A coach is someone who trains individual sports players or a team. The examples below are taken from tennis and football: Tim Henman, Britain's No 1, has a new coach, Paul Anacone, who worked with Pete Sampras for six years. Paul Bracewell, national coach with the England youth teams for the past two years, has resigned.

Trainer A trainer can be someone who trains people for a particular job or profession or who trains someone in certain varieties of sport.

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In-service teacher trainers are in very great demand here as there is no pre-service training for teachers. If you can get Kevin as your personal fitness trainer, you'll work on a wide range of strategies and techniques.

'tell', 'say', and 'speak' A question from Dmitrij in Latvia: Hello! I am learning English by myself (excluding BBC Learning English!) My question was... what is the difference between 'tell', 'say', and 'speak'? Thank you!

Catherine Walter answers: Hello Dmitrij. It's not surprising that you find these confusing because as far as meaning goes these three words mean more or less the same thing. It's more a question of how we use them, of patterns of use. So let me try to tell you about those. With 'tell' we usually say who is told. You could say there is a personal object, so: 'Can you tell me what's happened?' We say, 'me'. With 'say' we don't usually say who is told. So you might say 'please say each word clearly and distinctly'. And if we do say who is told, we use the word 'to', so: 'He said goodbye to me as if we would never see one another again'. Now... There's another limit on the usage of 'tell'. We only use 'tell' to mean instruct or inform. 'I told him to wait for me on the platform'... that's an instruction. "My father used to tell me wonderful stories" - informing me. 'Say' can be used for any kind of talking. So here are three sentences where you could not use 'tell': She said 'Where have you been?' So I said what a good idea. Maureen said 'What's the matter?' We use 'tell' without a personal object in a few expressions, that are kind of fixed expressions like tell the truth, tell the time and tell the difference. And we use 'say' before words like a word, a name, or a sentence. An example would be: 'Don't say a word.' That's 'tell' and 'say'. You also asked about 'speak'. We use 'speak' to mean 'talk formally', and when we do use 'speak', we use the word 'to' if there's a personal object. So you could say, 'I spoke to him severely' or 'She spoke to our teachers' association last year'. And of course we use it when we're talking about people's language ability: 'Do you speak English?' And you do, and I hope this will help you be happier with the way you speak it.

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A question from Amir Gilani: Hi. Can you tell me what 'is anything to go by' in the text below means? 'And if the experience of earlier Asian economic miracles like Japan and South Korea is anything to go by, China should carry on growing at this hectic pace for another twenty or thirty years.'

Sarah Bradshaw answers: Well Amir, 'is anything to go by' means 'in our experience' or 'in the experience of the person writing' or 'in the experience of the person speaking'. Another example of 'is anything to go by' could be: you're standing on a station platform, you're looking at your watch, the train is late, you go up to a guard and say: 'When is the next train to London?' And the guard might say, 'Well, if previous trains are anything to go by, it will be half an hour late', meaning that his previous experience of the trains running late is about thirty minutes. Another example would be if, perhaps, we invited a well-known pop star onto our programme, Britney Spears, for example and we said, 'If we had Britney Spears on the programme, do you think we would get lots more listeners' letters asking us questions?' And our producer might say, 'Well, if last week's programme with Phil Collins is anything to go by, yes we would.' So in his experience in something similar is anything to go by. So it begins with if: 'if x is anything to go by then... something else.' So remember how to construct that: it's 'if' and 'is anything to go by', 'then', and then the concluding sentence.

To / For A question from Paulo from Brazil: Hi Samantha, my name is Paulo. I like to study English and my question is about the use of the prepositions to and for in some special cases. As I wrote to you, I know that I must say Happy birthday to you and That’s a gift for you. But I just don’t know the reason I can say, for example, That’s a gift for you. I would like some guidelines to help me with this matter. Thank you Samantha. ... and a similar question from Renato from Brazil: I am always confused when to use to or for. For example, should I say an efficient method to solve my problem or an efficient method for solving my problem? Why, according to one American, does it sound natural to hear Let's go out for lunch? Shouldn't to be used with go when followed by a verb? Please enlighten me on this topic. Yours sincerely, Renato

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Hi Paulo and thanks for your question. And, as well as answering your question, I’m going to answer a similar one at the same time from Renato. And the use of preposition is a topic that worries many of my students – I know because I’m often asked for advice about which preposition to use where, especially around the time that assignments are due in! I do think that prepositions are one of the most difficult areas of English to master, because there are so many prepositions and so many different combinations of verb and preposition that have to be memorised individually. But let’s begin with your first example Paulo, when we say Happy Birthday. And when we use Happy Birthday we’re using a set expression or a greeting like Happy Christmas, Happy New Year or Congratulations, and if you wanted to follow this expression with a pronoun, you would have to use the preposition to with it - Happy Christmas to you!, Happy Birthday to you! – although it might be more common simply to use the greeting without a pronoun in speech. In your second example Paulo, for is followed by a pronoun, you, and functions as a preposition showing the intended recipient: The parcel is for Jenny. The flowers are for mother. Here is a gift for you. So now to answer Renato’s question. In the examples you give, Renato, I’d say that the first example, with the infinitive verb, is the better choice. You’ve only given me part of the sentence – an efficient method to solve my problem – but the phrase suggests an outcome or the solution to a problem. Let’s put this into a complete sentence by adding a verb: I discovered an efficient method to solve my problem. In this case, the second verb always appears in the infinitive form because these are all examples of the infinitive showing purpose: I watched television all day to relieve my boredom. I made her a chocolate cake to make her feel better. He went into town to order his new computer. In each of the examples above, there is an outcome or an intention which is reported by the to clause, similar to the one in your own example, Renato. Finally, to look at the last example, if I said Shall we go out to eat lunch? the verb go out would be followed by a verb, wouldn’t it? However, in your own example, Renato – Let’s go out for lunch – the verb is followed by a noun (lunch), so we have to use the preposition for in this expression!

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Well Paulo, thanks for your question and I hope that both the answers will be useful to you.

'used to' / 'get used to'

Supawadee from Thailand asks: I always confuse to be used to and used to, especially the meaning of them. Please kindly show me what the differences are.

When we use used to, we are talking about something which happened regularly or was true at an earlier stage in our lives but which is now over. Thus, it can only be used in the past tense. If we want to talk about present habits or states, we simply use the present simple tense. With the negative we often say never used to in preference to didn't use to or used not to - in an informal register. Study the following examples: • • • •

'Do you remember? There used to be fields of clover where those houses are now.' 'I never used to smoke, but now I smoke twenty a day.' 'You used to play chess with your friends, but nowadays you play chess with your computer.' 'I used to buy really expensive make-up, but that was when I was working full-time.'

To make questions, we use the normal auxiliary did. Note that used to cannot be used in question tag form. Note also the possible/probable replies to used to questions. Study the following examples: • •

'Did you use to go ice-skating when you were young?' 'No, I never did.' 'Didn't you use to ring the school to say you were ill and then play poker with Sam?' 'I sometimes did, yeah!'

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•

'You used to do ballet in the church hall, didn't you?' 'Yes, I did. Every Saturday between the ages of nine and twelve.'

be used to + noun or -ing get used to + noun or -ing If somebody gets or is used to something, he becomes or is fully familiar with it. It is no longer strange or awkward. It can refer to past, present or future experiences. Study the following: • • • • •

'These are very high heels, I know, but I'm sure you'll get used to (wearing) them.' 'I wasn't used to living in such a small flat and I found it really hard at first.' 'I'm used to all the noise now, but I'd always lived in the country before, you see, where it is very quiet.' 'I never got used to shaking hands with people all the time when I lived there. It's just not the custom in our country.' 'Are you getting used to the accent now? It's very different from standard English, isn't it?

In all of the above examples be or get used to can be replaced by be or become accustomed to which is very similar in meaning, if a little more formal. Read through them again using these replacement verbs. So, just to recap and confirm: • •

'When I lived in Mexico, I used to drink tequila at every opportunity.' (A regular habit then, but probably not now.) 'I found it quite a strong drink at first, but I soon got used to it.' (It quickly became quite palatable.)

verbs with adverbial particles Amin, studying English in New Zealand, writes: Many times I have heard sentences like these: • •

I'll just pop into the supermarket. You can pop over to this office any time tomorrow.

I understand the meaning, but I am not sure how to use them. What are the differences between pop into and pop over? And how about pop out? Can we say pop out somewhere?

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I would be most grateful if you could tell me which sentences in those settings (along with prepositions) are most common.

These verbs with adverbial particles or prepositions are extremely common in informal idiomatic English and are often preferred to a single verb equivalent. Compare the following: • •

I decided to lay on transport for everybody as the train drivers were on strike. I decided to provide transport for everybody as the train drivers were on strike.

Informally, we would be more likely to say and write the first of these two possibilities, whereas in more formal English we might write the second of these two: • •

Alternative transport was laid on for all employees throughout the train drivers’ strike. Alternative transport was provided for all employees throughout the train drivers’ strike.

The problem with phrasal verbs (verb plus preposition or verb plus adverbial particle) is that the meaning of the two-word (or sometimes three-word) verb is very different from the meaning of the two parts taken separately. Lay on is not the same as lay + on: • •

I lay on the bed thinking about what to do next. (lay on = was in a horizontal position on) Caroline laid on a wonderful spread of food for everyone. (laid on = provided)

Let’s have a look at how pop is used with either particles or prepositions: pop into pop over

pop in pop round

pop out pop down

pop off pop up

In all of these examples with pop, Amin, all the prepositions function as adverbial particles, not as prepositions with objects except for: •

He popped into the shop.

They are all similar in meaning with the adverbial particle indicating direction, except for pop off which has a more distinctive meaning and is not quite so common. Compare the following:

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• • • • • •

My new neighbours across the road had just moved in so I popped over to see them. I was passing by, noticed the light was on, so thought I would just pop in for a chat. I’m going to pop out to the shops for ten minutes. Don’t answer the door if anyone calls. My friend, Dora, lives in the flat above me. So she often pops down if she needs anything, or I might pop up to see her if I’m feeling lonely. I hadn’t seen him for years. Then he just popped up one day at the club we used to belong to. I may be 85 and I may have to use a stick to get around, but I’ve no intention of popping off yet.

In the first five examples above, we might define pop + particle as appearing or disappearing (popping out) briefly and casually. In the sixth example it means appearing unexpectedly. And in the final example it is a euphemism for dying. Of course, we can also use pop in its original literal sense, meaning to burst open with a short sharpish sound. •

He had shaken the champagne bottle and the cork popped out before he was ready to pour.

When you are learning phrasal verbs, it is safest to assume that for each one each particle introduces a different meaning and sometimes more than one meaning! Let’s compare the following pairs. Are they similar or different in meaning? drop off drop in/by drop out drop over • • • • • •

pop off pop in pop out pop over

Could you give me a lift in your car and drop me off at the station? (= let me get out) The lecture was so boring that I dropped off half way through. (= fell into a light sleep) Drop by any time you’re passing. You don’t need to phone first. (= pay a casual visit) He dropped out after a term - he just wasn’t prepared to study. (= left college early) I opened the car door carelessly and my purse dropped out. (= fell out) I dropped over to see her because I knew she wasn’t feeling well. (paid a casual call).

Learning phrasal verbs is probably a lifetime’s work and if you want to do it well, it’s probably worth getting hold of (= obtaining) or lashing out on (= spending a substantial sum of money on) a dictionary of current idiomatic English which pays attention to verbs with prepositions and particles. I emphasise the word ‘current’ as idioms come into and go out of fashion.

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The reward is that if you can use them appropriately in context, they are distinguishing marks of a native-like command of English.

wedding or marriage?

Morena Diego from Italy asks: Could you please explain to me the difference between wedding and marriage? wedding / wed A wedding is a marriage ceremony which is held in church or a registry office and also includes the party or special meal which follows the ceremony. All of this usually happens on your wedding day. There are a number of other wedding compounds that are associated with wedding day: • • • •

The newlyweds had told everybody that they wanted no wedding presents as they were emigrating to Australia. The predominant colour at Sophie's wedding was creamy white. Her wedding dress was this colour and the icing on the three-tier wedding cake was this colour too. Is it true that in Britain you wear your wedding ring on the third finger of your left hand? A silver wedding is celebrated after 25 years of marriage and a golden wedding after 50 years.

If you wed someone, you marry them, but wed is not used very much nowadays as a verb as it is rather old-fashioned. It can sound quite effective however, because it is unusual. Sometimes it has a poetic ring to it: • •

We got wed soon after the baby was born. I shall never wed as I like to be independent.

marriage / marry / get married Marriage describes the relationship between husband and wife or the state of being married: • • •

They enjoyed a long and happy marriage. Most marriages these days do not last. The bride's parents did not approve of Victoria's marriage to George.

If you marry someone, that person becomes your husband or wife and we use the verb marry in preference to wed normally.

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However, even more usual than marry is get married. This use of get with a past participle is a very common structure in contemporary English and is used across a range of common expressions. It has the same sort of force as reflexive verbs have in other languages. Thus in English we would say: Don't get lost! NOT Don't lose yourselves! Consider the following: • • • • • • •

I married the man next door / I got married to the man next door. They didn't get dressed until two o'clock in the afternoon. I didn't bother to get washed as I knew I would be working on the farm. Remember, it's a big dark wood. Be careful not to get lost. We had known each other for fifteen years before we got engaged. I never get invited to Sarah's parties. We got married on 10 June, but by the beginning of the autumn both of us knew that the marriage would not last and that sooner or later we would have to get a divorce / get divorced.

Interestingly, although we can say they married and they divorced as an alternative to they got married and they got divorced, we cannot say: they engaged. Here, only they got engaged is possible.

A question from Sergio Gil Rejas in Peru: I would like to know what is the difference between 'wait' and 'await'. When should I use 'wait' and 'await'? Thanks a lot and congratulations for the site. Kind regards.

Amos Paran answers: Thanks for this, Sergio. There are two kinds of difference between 'wait' and 'await'. The first difference is in the grammatical structures that are associated with these two verbs. The verb 'await' must have an object - for example, 'I am awaiting your answer'. And the object of 'await' is normally inanimate, not a person, and often abstract. So you can't say, 'John was awaiting me'. The verb 'wait' can come in different structures. Firstly, you can just use 'wait' on its own: 'We have been waiting and waiting and waiting and nobody has come to talk to us.' Another structure that is very common is to use 'wait' with another verb - for example, 'I waited in line to go into the theatre.' Very often, with 'wait', you mention the length of time that you have been waiting for example, 'I have been waiting here for at least half an hour.' Finally, speakers often mention what or who they have been waiting for - so, if a friend was really late you could say, 'I have been waiting for you for two hours!' The other difference between the two verbs, 'wait' and 'await', is the level of

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formality. 'Await' is more formal than 'wait' - it would be used in formal letters, for example. If you want a tip about using these two verbs, I would suggest that you should use 'wait for'; use 'await' only in cases where you are absolutely sure that you have heard good users of the language using it, and in cases where things are quite formal.

Well off, better off well-off Well-off relates mainly to money matters. If you are well-off, you may not be rich exactly, but you have enough money to live well and comfortably: By central European standards they are quite well-off They have their own flat and drive new cars. well-off for However, if you say you are well-off for something, this means that there are many of them: We’re well-off for coffee shops in this town. There’s one at every corner in the High Street. better-off The comparative form of this adjective is better-off which is used to talk about the varying degrees of wealth different people have: We’re not as well-off as the Jones’s. They’re definitely better-off than we are. Just look at the way they dress! To be better-off, as you suggest, Mariano, also has another meaning of being in a better situation and is used mainly in conditional patterns as follows: If you’ve got heavy bags to carry, you’d be better-off taking a taxi. It says on the sign that the motorway ahead is blocked. You’ll be better-off if you leave the motorway at this junction which is coming up now. the better-off The better-off is sometimes used as a noun to describe a category of people, cf the rich / the poor:

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The rich and the poor live side-by-side in this part of town. The better-off should pay a higher rate of income tax, while those who are worst-off should pay no tax at all.

rather and better?

Omar studying English in Canada writes: I’ve just found this page which is for learning english and I find it amazing and easy to follow. I'd like to know the difference between prefer and would rather. • •

I'd rather do x than do y I prefer doing x to doing y

Prefer and would rather can be used interchangeably. As you indicate, Omar, when we are talking about general preferences, prefer is followed by verb-ing, thus: • •

I prefer listening to music to watching TV. I'd rather listen to music than watch TV.

'd rather However, when we are talking about specifics, would rather is used as an alternative to would prefer to followed by an infinitive. Would rather is very common in spoken English and is often abbreviated to 'd rather. It is used in this form with all personal pronouns: I'd / you'd / he'd / she'd / we'd / they'd rather… Study these examples: • • •

Would you like to go out for dinner tonight? ~ No, I think I'd rather eat at home / I'd prefer to eat at home. Would you rather drink beer or wine with the curry ~ I'd rather drink beer. What about you? They'd rather have the strawberries by themselves, but I'd prefer to have them with cream.

Note that would rather is followed by a bare infinitive without to, whereas prefer requires to + infinitive. Would rather (but not would prefer to) is also followed by a past tense when we want to involve other people in the action, even though it has a present or future meaning. Study the following:

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• • •

Shall we go out for dinner tonight? ~ No, I'd rather we ate at home, if you don't mind. Shall I write to Harry and tell him that we've sold the car? ~ I'd rather you didn't. My mother would rather we caught the bus, rather than walk home after the party.

Rather than means instead of and can be used in combination with would prefer to and would rather. Study the following and note the intricacies of the verb forms: • • •

Rather than lose precious sleep discussing it now, I think we should go to bed and talk about it in the morning. My mother would prefer us to email each other once a week, rather than spend half an hour on the phone every night. My mother would rather we emailed each other once a week instead of spending half an hour on the phone every night. In fact, she insists on it. So we'd better do that, I suppose.

'd better Note that 'd better, which is similar structurally to 'd rather, is used to suggest necessary action. In this case however, 'd is the abbreviated form of had, not would. Like 'd rather, 'd better is followed by the bare infinitive without to. Study the following: • • •

We'd better not be late for the Ambasador's party. It would be unforgivable to arrive late. You'd better phone him and tell him that you're not going. They'd better buy me a Christmas present or I shall never forgive them.

Note that it is sometimes slightly threatening in tone, as in the last example. Had better is always more urgent than should or ought to and has the same force as I would advise you strongly to…. or We must / we mustn't….

injure/wound/hurt/harm/damage as verbs/adjectives/nouns Agustin from Spain writes: I would be very grateful if you could explain the difference between injure, wound, hurt, harm, damage and their associated adjectives: injured, wounded, hurt, harmed and damaged. Their meanings are so close that I have difficulty differentiating them.

You are quite right, Agostin. These verbs and related nouns and adjectives are quite close in meaning and use, but there are a number of distinguishing characteristics.

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hurt (verb) If part of your body hurts, you feel pain there. If you hurt someone, you cause them to feel pain. Note that verbs that refer to physical feelings (hurt, ache, etc) can often be used in simple or progressive tenses with no difference in meaning: • •

Have you been knocked over? Tell me where it hurts / it's hurting. ~ My arm hurts. You're hurting my arm. Ouch! Don't touch me. That hurts!

You can also hurt someone's feelings, and cause them to feel emotional pain: • •

I think she's going to be hurt. I don't think she'll ever fall in love again. What hurt me most was the betrayal. How could he behave like that?

hurt (noun/adjective) • •

The hurt that she felt was deep and would only be softened with the passing of time. They were suffering from shock but did not seem to be otherwise hurt.

injure (verb) In the sentence describing people suffering from shock above, hurt could be replaced by injured. If you injure somebody, you cause physical damage to part of their body usually the result of an accident or through fighting: • •

A number of bombs have exploded, seriously injuring scores of people. The demonstrators injured a number of innocent people when they started throwing stones.

injured / injury (nouns) / injured (adj) • • • •

The injured were taken to hospital by air-ambulance. Their injuries were thought to be serious. He was not seriously injured, though his coach took him off at half-time as a precaution. Two minutes of injury time were played at the end of the fist half.

wound (verb) If you wound somebody, you inflict physical damage on part of their body, especially a cut or a hole in their flesh caused by a gun, a knife or some other weapon, often in battle. • •

There was no escape. They were mortally wounded by the enemy fire. The driver of the Red-Cross ambulance was wounded by the shrapnel.

In English, it is often a matter of knowing which adjectives collocate with which nouns and which adverbs go with which verbs. In this particular word family, the

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adverb-verb collocations are normally as follows: badly hurt / seriously injured / mortally wounded. You will also have noticed that with these verbs the passive voice is often used. wound (noun) / wounded (adj) • •

The open wound really needed stitches and took a long time to heal. The four wounded men were taken to the field hospital in the back of the Jeep.

We also have the expressions: to rub salt into the wound, i.e. to make an unpleasant situation even worse and to lick one's wounds, i.e. to slowly recover after being defeated or made to feel ashamed or unhappy: • •

I didn't want to rub salt into the wound so decided not to mention Bob's infidelity. The British team could only retire and lick their wounds after such a comprehensive defeat on Spanish soil.

damage (verb) It is things that are damaged, not people. Damage is the physical harm that is caused to an object. More abstract qualities, such as reputations and the economy can also be damaged. Compare the following: • • • •

The car was so badly damaged in the accident that it was barely worth repairing. When he got home, he discovered that the vase he had bought had been damaged. If he continues drinking like that, his reputation as a defence lawyer will be damaged. High inflation was damaging the country's economy.

damage (noun) / damaged (adj) However, we can also speak of someone being brain-damaged (not brain-injured) or suffering brain damage. But this is an exception. Normally damage relates to inanimate objects: • •

Professional boxers sometimes suffer irreversible brain damage. It was a huge bomb and the damage caused to the shopping precinct was quite extensive.

We also have the informal expression: What's the damage? meaning 'What is the damage to my purse or my pocket?' in other words: What do I owe you in payment for this service or these goods?: •

Thanks very much for the work you have done on those curtains. What's the damage?

harm (verb)

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People OR things can be harmed or physically damaged: • •

The bank robbers were anxious not to harm anyone. Without doubt,the burning of fossil fuels harms the environment in which we live

harm (noun) We have a number of expressions with the noun harm which are confusingly similar: will come to no harm, it will do no harm to…, there's no harm in…, no harm done: • • • •

Will my dog be all right with you? ~ He'll be fine. He'll come to no harm in my garden. It will do / can do no harm to remind him to take the medication before he goes to bed. She might not agree, but there's no harm in asking her to postpone the meeting. I'm sorry to crash into you like that! Are you all right? ~ I'm fine. No harm done!

harmful / harmless (adjs) Harmful and harmless describe something that has or does not have a bad effect on something else: • •

He looks quite ferocious and barks quite loudly, but he's quite harmless. The harmful effects of smoking on people's health is well-documented.

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BBC Learning English Conjunctions & clauses Prefixes and suffixes Prepositions & prepositional phrases

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Conjunctions & clauses as, while, when, as long as

William Martinez from Puerto Rico writes: How can I correctly use the following conjunctions concerning time expressions: as, as long as and while? Also, would you be kind enough to give me some examples of use of these two expressions: as a basis for and on the basis of? as or while We can use as or while to talk about two longer actions that are in progress at the same time: • •

There was a lot to do. While I cleaned the car, my wife was preparing lunch. She then did the ironing after lunch as I cleared away the dishes.

As a general rule, we tend to use while here rather than as because as has many different meanings and uses. It could be confusing if as meaning while could be mistaken for as meaning because: • •

As I was doing my homework, my mum prepared my supper. (As = because) As I was doing my homework, my mum prepared my supper. (As = while)

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as or when We use as or when to talk about two short events that happen at the same moment. As and when are often used with just in this context. We cannot use while here: •

The telephone rang just when / just as I was about to leave. I decided not to answer it.

However, if we want to say that when one thing changes another changes at the same time, when one is the consequence of the other, we tend to use as: • •

As the day wore on, it became hotter and hotter. As you get older, it becomes more and more difficult to make friends.

while or when In more formal speech and writing, it is possible to leave out subject + be with when and while when main and subordinate clauses refer to the same subject. We cannot use as in this way: • • • •

When making cranberry jam, remember to use as much sugar as fruit. When you are making cranberry jam, be sure to use as much sugar as fruit. While in France, he grew particularly fond of all varieties of cheese. While he was in France, he grew particularly fond of all types of cheese.

as long as: expressing time The as ... as construction is used when we are making comparisons and comparing ideas of similar magnitude or duration • • •

There was extra time, so the football match lasted as long as the concert. He worked for as long as he wanted to on the project. "Take as long as you like," they said. "There's no hurry!" As long as I live, I shall smoke no more cigarettes.

as long as: expressing condition Note that as long as is also used in conditional sentences as an alternative to provided, meaning if and only if. So long as is also possible in this context: • • •

I don't mind. You can leave early, as long as you finish the work. I don't mind. You can go home early, so long as you finish the work. I don't mind. You can leave after lunch, provided you finish all the work.

on a ... basis The noun basis suggests a particular method or system for organising or doing something. We have the expressions on a/an hourly/daily/monthly/annual/temporary/permanent basis:

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• • •

These toilets are checked for cleanliness on an hourly basis She thought she would have the job on a permanent basis, but it turned out to be temporary. This place is known as 'the windy city' and typhoons are expected on a regular basis.

on the basis of / as a basis for Here we have two further expressions with basis with a slightly different meaning. Used with the preposition on, method or system is suggested. Used with the preposition as, ideas, facts or actions from which something can develop is suggested: • •

The contract was awarded on the basis of cost more than anything else. These preliminary talks will be very useful as a basis for further negotiations.

'as' and 'like' Cristina Pinho from Brazil asks: I love this section of the BBC. Here is my question:- "I’ve worked as a dog" or "I’ve worked like a dog." What is the difference between as and like? As and like are used in a number of different ways and can be different parts of speech. 'as' and 'like' - prepositions As refers to something or someone's appearance or function. Consider the following examples: • • •

'Before I became a teacher I worked as a waiter.' 'I'm going to the fancy dress party as Superman.' 'The sea can be used as a source of energy.'

The expression 'I've been working as a dog' sounds unusual because it suggests that you were doing the work of a dog!

Like has the meaning 'similar to' and is used when comparing things. Look at these examples:

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• • •

'I’ve been working like a dog.' 'She looks a bit like her brother.' 'Just like you, I’m always a bit wary of large dogs.'

The expression 'I've been working like a dog' is idiomatic and means that you have been working very hard. Note that we can use adverbs of degree, such as just, very, quite, not much, not at all, a bit, etc, to modify like: •

'He’s very serious – not at all like his father, perhaps more like his mother at times.

'as' and 'like' - conjunctions As and like can also be used as conjunctions: As means 'in the same way that'. Consider the following: • • •

'I always drink tea without milk, just as they do on the continent.' 'Try to keep your balance on the tightrope, as I do, by spreading out your fingers like this.' 'The first ten days of July were very wet this year, as they were last year and the year before.'

In informal English, like is used in the same way. This is particularly common in American English. Consider the following: • • •

'Nobody else would look after you like I do, baby!' 'She needs the money, like I do, so she works in a bar in the evenings.' 'I hope you’re not going to be sick again, like you were when we went to Brighton.

as ... as and as

Mohammad Tariq from Afghanistan writes: Hello! I hope you are in the best of health. Would you kindly tell me what parts of speech as... as are. I know that we use adjectives or adverbs between them, but I don not know what they are themselves. Kind regards.

as... as as adverb / preposition Look at this example:

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•

He came as quickly as he could.

This structure is used to measure and compare things that are of similar proportion. In this construction, the first as functions as an adverb modifying the following adjective or adverb. The second as functions as a preposition when it relates to the following noun or pronoun. (It can also function as a conjunction when it relates to the following clause.) Compare the following: • • • •

The meal was as good as the conversation: spicy and invigorating! She spoke as slowly as she could Has everybody eaten as much as they want? I hope you will agree that I am as imaginative a cook as my wife (is)!

Note from the above example that if there is an adjective and a noun after the first as, a / an must go between them. Note also that if we want to make a negative statement, we can use so…as instead of as…as: • •

He is not so / as intelligent as his sister is. The cafeteria was not so / as crowded as it was earlier.

There are a large number of idiomatic expressions or fixed phrases which we use in informal English when we are making comparisons like this. Here are a few of them in context: • • • • • •

He went as white as a sheet when he saw the ghost. My maths teacher is as deaf as a post and should have retired years ago. She sat there as quiet as a mouse and wouldn’t say anything. Electricity will be restored to our homes as soon as possible. All the children were as good as gold when they came to visit me. These stories are as old as the hills and have been passed down from generation to generation.

Remember that when we are measuring or comparing things that are of unequal proportion, we need to use the structure comparative + than: • •

Let me finish the report. I can type much faster than you (can). He played the piece of music more slowly than I had ever heard it played before.

as as subordinating conjunction Note that as by itself is used as a subordinating conjunction in a variety of different ways. as = when (for clauses of time) We may use as as an alternative to when when we are comparing two short actions or events that happened or happen at the same period of time. We often combine it with just: •

She left the house (just) as the sun was rising.

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•

The telephone rang (just) as I was climbing into my bath.

as = because (for clauses of reason) We may use as as an alternative to because when the reason is already known or self-evident to the reader of listener. As - clauses are often placed at the beginning of sentences. Because puts more emphasis on the reason or introduces new information. Compare the following: • • •

As Mary was the eldest child, she had to look after her younger brothers and sisters. As it had started to rain we had to abandon the picnic. I’ve decided to end our relationship because my boyfriend has been cheating on me.

as for clauses of proportion Here, as means over the same period of time as: • •

I think you become more tolerant of other people as you get older. As prices rose, the demand for higher salaries became more intense.

as as preposition Finally, note that as can also be used as a preposition when we want to avoid using the verb to be. Compare the following: • • • • • • •

As his father, it is your duty to ensure that he goes to school every day. As you are his father, it is your duty to ensure that he goes to school every day. As a social historian, I am always interested in people’s life styles. Being a social historian, I am always interested in people’s life styles. He established his reputation as a freedom fighter through many heroic acts. The police described him as a dangerous criminal. The police considered him to be a dangerous criminal

S Boon and D Nukoon from Thailand write: Could you please explain the usage of the adjective unfair to us? For example: I won't argue with you, but I think you are being unfair. Also, we'd like to learn why being is placed in front of unfair. How is you're being unfair different from you're unfair? Santhosh KP from India writes:

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Really, this site has helped me a lot. The doubts which people are asking about are really the doubts of a majority. I am doubtful about using being. So can you please explain to me the different uses of being with different examples? Bhavin from India writes: Can you please explain how being is used with the past participle?

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being + adjective We normally use the progressive form with an adjective when we are talking about actions and behaviour. And being unfair in your example sentence, Boon and Nukoon, relates to somebody's behaviour of not being fair in their actions, so the progressive form is preferred. Here are some further examples: •

You're being silly / foolish / childish when you do such silly / foolish / childish things.

•

I was walking on tiptoe and being very careful not to wake the baby.

However, when the adjectives relate to feelings, we do not use the progressive form: •

I was upset / worried when I heard that they would have to operate on John's knee.

•

I am delighted / overjoyed to hear that you have passed all your exams.

being + past participle We use being with the past participle, Bhavin, in present progressive and past progressive passive forms. So we might say: •

My car is being serviced. Instead of: The local garage is servicing my car.

•

The computers are being installed tomorrow. Instead of: They're installing the computers tomorrow.

•

My nieces enjoyed being taken to the circus. Rather than: I enjoyed taking my nieces to the circus.

•

I was quite sure I was being followed. Instead of: I was quite sure someone was following me.

•

She was being punished for being cruel to the cat. Rather than: They were punishing her for being cruel to the cat.

Note that cruel in the above example is an adjective describing behaviour so the progressive form is used with it. Note that other passives with being, i.e the future progressive passive (will be being) and perfect progressive passive (has been being) are quite rare.

being in participle clauses We can use an adverbial participle clause to express reason or cause as an alternative to a because/since/as clause. Using a participle clause in this way is

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more characteristic of written English or a literary style, rather than spoken colloquial English. Compare the following: •

Being French, he is passionate about wine and cheese. Instead of : Because he is French, he is passionate about wine and cheese.

•

Being a friend of Tony Blair, I'm often invited to No 10. Rather than: As I am a friend of Tony Blair, I'm often invited to No 10.

•

Being quite slim, I was able to squeeze through the hole in the railings. Instead of: Since I am quite slim I was able to squeeze through the hole in the railings.

•

Being rather over weight, Geoffrey was unable to squeeze through. Rather than: Because he's rather over weight, Geoffrey was unable to squeeze through.

verb + verb-ing / adj + prep + verb-ing Note that being as verb-ing, is required in all such instances: •

Would you mind being quiet for a moment?

•

I look forward to being interviewed on the current affairs programme.

•

She was afraid of being accused of a crime which she did not commit.

•

I am tired of being taken for granted and expected to do all the housework.

The difference in use between 'because', 'as', 'since' and 'for' Agnes Leyen asks: Could you please tell me the difference (in use) between because, as, since and for. I think it's very confusing. The present perfect is often used with since and for to denote periods of time up to the present. (Note that we do not use present perfect with expressions that refer to a time period that has finished, i.e. 'last week' or 'the day before yesterday'. Here the simple past is used: 'I went to the cinema three times last week.') If you use since with the present perfect or present perfect continuous, you are signalling when something started. If you use for, you are signalling how long something has been going on. Compare: • •

'She has been living in Holland since the summer of 1992.' 'She has been living in Holland for the last nine years.'

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That is one use of since and for. But since and for can also be used in a similar way to as and because to give the reason for an action or a situation. However, there are important differences between them. Because is used when the reason is the most important part of the sentence or utterance. The because clause usually comes at the end: •

'I went to Spain last summer because I wanted the guarantee of sunshine on every day of my holiday.'

As and since are used when the reason is already well known and is therefore usually less important. The as or since clause is usually placed at the beginning of the sentence: • •

'As the performance had already started, we went up to the balcony and occupied some empty seats there.' 'Since John had already eaten, I made do with a sandwich.'

For suggests that the reason is given as an afterthought. It is never placed at the beginning of the sentence and is more characteristic of written, rather than spoken English: •

'I decided to stop the work I was doing - for it was very late and I wanted to go to bed.'

but as conjunction and preposition

L S Ng from Singapore writes: What does but mean in this sentence? •

All but two of the boys are coming.

Here it means except (for) or apart from and we can substitute these prepositions for but in this sentence. We could also use bar which has the same meaning: •

All but / bar / except for / apart from two of the boys are coming with us.

but as conjunction We usually think of but as a conjuction linking two contrastive sentences or clauses:

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• • • • • • •

They had very little money, but (they) always bought their children expensive presents. They were poor, but (they were) hardworking. My car is fifteen years old, but (it) still drives beautifully. I've been to Hong Kong but (I've never been to Shanghai) not to Shanghai. I sometimes swim in the North Sea, but (I) only (ever swim there) in July and August. I wanted to sign the contract there and then. But my husband insisted that we should read the small print first. These earrings would look really good on your wife! ~ But I'm not married!

In the first five examples, repeated information from the first clause can often be left out in the second clause. But as preposition We use but as an alternative to except (for), apart from and bar to introduce the only thing or person that the main part of the sentence does not include. It is often used after words such as everyone, nobody, anything, anywhere, all, no, none, any, every. • • • • • •

I'll go anywhere for my holiday but / bar / except (for) Blackpool. I really hate it there. On holiday he eats nothing but / bar / apart from hamburgers and French fries. She took everything on holiday with her but / bar / apart from the kitchen sink. Everybody but / bar / the very young must carry their own belongings in a rucksack. I've marked all the essays but / bar / except (for) / apart from two. Nobody but / except (for) / bar Jessica would wear a mini-dress at a formal dinner

In a British court of law, a witness giving evidence is required to take the oath before he gives his testimony. He is required to say the following: •

I swear by Almightly God to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

But if he has no religion, he says instead: •

I affirm that I will tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

Note the useful expressions next but one, last but one. • •

They live in the house next but one to Mary. (i.e. two houses away from Mary) Is this the final candidate? ~ No, it's the last but one. (i.e. there are two more people to be interviewed)

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but for Note that but for as a preposition has a different meaning from but by itself. We can sometimes use it as an alternative to an if-clause with a third conditional negative sentence, indicating what might have happened if other things had not happened. Compare the following: • • • •

• •

If it hadn't been for your generosity, I wouldn't have been able to go to America. But for your generosity, I wouldn't have been able to go to America. I would have been home in time for supper, if there had been no fog to delay me. I would have been home in time for supper but for the fog.

But for his broken leg in the earlier part of the season, he might have been in the England team to play Poland last May. If he hadn't broken his leg in the earlier part in the season, he might have been in the England team to play Poland last May.

Kristina from Bulgaria asks: What is a cleft sentence and how do we use it?

Cleft sentences are used to help us focus on a particular part of the sentence and to emphasise what we want to say by introducing it or building up to it with a kind of relative clause. Because there are two parts to the sentence it is called cleft (from the verb cleave) which means divided into two. Cleft sentences are particularly useful in writing where we cannot use intonation for purposes of focus or emphasis, but they are also frequently used in speech. Cleft structures include the reason why, the thing that, the person/people who, the place where, the day when and what-clauses which are usually linked to the clause that we want to focus on with is or was. Compare the following sets of sentences and notice how the cleft structure in each case enables us to select the information we want to focus on: • •

I've come to discuss my future with you. The reason why I've come is to discuss my future with you.

•

Your generosity impresses more than anything else.

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•

The thing that impresses me more than anything else is your generosity.

• •

The jewels are hidden under the floor at 23 Robin Hood Road, Epping. The place where the jewels are hidden is under the floor at 23 Robin Hood Road, Epping. Under the floor at 23 Robin Hood Road is the place where the jewels are hidden.

•

• • •

Mary works harder than anybody else in this organisation. The person who works harder than anybody else in this organisation is Mary. Mary is the person in this organisation who works harder than anybody else.

• • •

The Second World War ended on 7 May 1945 in Europe. The day (when) the Second World War ended in Europe was 7 May 1945 7 May 1945 was the day (when) the Second World War ended in Europe.

• • •

We now need actions rather than words. What we now need are actions rather than words. Actions rather than words are what we now need.

• •

I enjoyed the brilliant music most of all in the Ballet Frankfurt performance. What I enjoyed most in the Ballet Frankfurt performance was the brilliant music. The brilliant music was what I enjoyed most in the Ballet Frankfurt performance.

•

Note from the last two examples that cleft structures with what-clauses are often used with verbs expressing an emotive response to something like adore, dislike, enjoy, hate, like, loathe, love, need, prefer, want, etc. Cleft structures with what-clauses are also often used with does/do/did and with the verb happen when we want to give emphasis to the whole sentence, rather than a particular clause. Compare the following: • •

The police interviewed all the witnesses to the accident first. What the police did first was (to) interview all the witnesses to the accident.

• • •

You should invest all your money in telecoms companies. What you should do is (to) invest all your money in telecoms companies. What you should invest all your money in is telecoms companies.

• •

She writes all her novels on a typewriter. What she does is (to) write all her novels on a type writer.

•

Their car broke down on the motorway so they didn't get to Jo's wedding on time.

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•

What happened was that their car broke down on the motorway so they didn't get to Jo's wedding on time.

It is sometimes very effective to use all instead of what in a cleft structure if you want to focus on one particular thing and nothing else: • • •

I want a new coat for Christmas. All I want for Christmas is a new coat. A new coat is all I want for Christmas.

• •

I touched the bedside light and it broke. All I did was (to) touch the bedside light and it broke.

Finally, we can also use preparatory it in cleft sentences and join the words that we want to focus on to the relative clause with that, who or when. In the example which follows, note how this construction enables us to focus on different aspects of the information, which may be important at the time: • • • • •

My brother bought his new car from our next-door neighbour last Saturday. It was my brother who bought his new car from our neighbour last Saturday. It was last Saturday when my brother bought his new car from our neighbour. It was a new car that my brother bought from our neighbour last Saturday. It was our next-door neighbour that my brother bought his new car from last Saturday.

Look out for cleft structures in your reading. They are a very common feature of written English.

Subordinating and coordinating conjunctions

Khadija Attarabulsi from Libya writes: Would you please help me to learn and understand coordinating and subordinating conjunctions? I would be so grateful if you could explain them in full. Thank you in advance. Conjunctions are joining words and their main function is to link together two different parts of a sentence. And / but / or (coordinating conjunctions) And, but and or are the three main coordinating conjunctions. They join two clauses which are grammatically independent of each other and would make sense if they stood alone. Compare the following:

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1. She's already had two holidays this year and now she wants another one. She's already had two holidays this year. Now she wants another one.

2. I had a terrible cold last week, but I still went to work. I had a terrible cold last week. I still went to work.

3. You can sit at the front, or you can stand at the back. I don't mind. You can sit at the front. You can stand at the back. I don't mind. But note they way in which conjunctions help to add meaning to the sentence. And indicates that we are listing items or ideas, or means that we are discussing alternatives and but means that we are contrasting facts or ideas. Note also that in the second of the two coordinating clauses, the subject words and modal auxiliaries can often be left out: •

She's already had two holidays this year and now wants another one.

•

I had a terrible cold last week, but still went to work.

•

You can sit at the front or stand at the back. I don't mind.

This is not normally possible in subordinate clauses. Compare the following: •

She was anxious and unhappy and didn't know where her husband was.

•

She was anxious and unhappy because she didn't know where her husband was. (NOT: She was anxious and unhappy because didn't know where her husband was.)

If / when / because / since / even though / etc (subordinating conjunctions) Words like if, when, because, since, although, etc, are subordinating conjunctions which introduce subordinate clauses. Subordinate clauses are dependent on the main clause in some way and do not normally stand alone. Note the way in which subordinating conjunctions also give meaning to the sentence: * * * * *

if suggests a condition when / whenever indicate time while suggests time or contrast of surprising facts because points to reason since suggests reason or time

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* as suggests reason or time * although / though / even though all indicate a contrast of surprising facts Compare the following examples of use and note the way the same conjunction (e.g. while, since, as) can be used for different purposes. Subordinating clauses of this kind can normally go first or last in the sentence, depending on what you want to emphasize: •

If you feel thirsty or hungry, help yourself to anything at all in the fridge or freezer. Help yourself to anything at all in the fridge or freezer, if you feel hungry or thirsty.

•

While they were away, I helped myself to an ice-cold beer and a pizza from the freezer. I helped myself to an ice-cold beer and a pizza from the freezer while they were away.

•

Whenever I babysit at their house, I am always very well looked after. I am always very well looked after whenever I babysit at their house.

•

When I babysat for the Robinsons last month, I was given nothing to eat or drink. I was given nothing to eat or drink when I babysat for the Robinsons last month.

•

While I am fond of their children, I think the parents are very mean. (BUT NOT: I think the parents are very mean while I am fond of their children)

•

Since I started working full-time, I don't have so much time now for babysitting. I don't have so much time now for babysitting since I started working fulltime.

•

Because / since / as I work six days a week, I can't even find time to see my friends. I can't even find time to see my friends as I work six days a week.

•

As I was leaving work the other day, I bumped into an old friend. I bumped into an old friend as I was leaving work the other day.

•

Although I am happy with my life, I think I should try and get out more. I think I should try and get out more, even though I am happy with my life.

'Due to', 'owing to', on account of' and 'because of' Sathya Narayanan from India asks: What is the difference in the usage of owing to and due to?

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Due to and owing to are similar in meaning to on account of and because of. They are all prepositions used with noun phrases and are often used interchangeably. They indicate that something happened as a result of something or introduce the reason for something happening: • •

'He was kept in after school due to/owing to his bad behaviour.' = He was kept in after school on account of/because of his bad behaviour. 'Due to/owing to a broken propeller, the new cruise liner returned immediately to port.' = 'The new cruise liner returned immediately to port because of/on account of a broken propeller.'

It used to be thought that it was incorrect to use due to in this way, but modern usage shows no hesitation in using these expressions interchangeably. Note that these prepositions are sometimes used in cleft structures with it and the verb to be: • •

'It is due to/on account of all his hard work over the winter months that he has passed the exam with such a good grade.' 'It was owing to/because of traffic congestion on the road leading to the airport that I missed my flight.'

The noun phrases which these prepositions introduce are often rather formal and it may be more natural to use because in informal, conversational English. But remember that because is a conjunction and must therefore be used to introduce a subordinate clause of reason: • •

'We had to give up the idea of a boat trip because it started to pour with rain.' 'Owing to the heavy rain, we had to give up the idea of a boat trip.'

In this final owing to example, there is a mismatch of formal and colloquial styles and it does not sound quite right. In the following examples, however, the prepositional phrase might be preferred as it is more succinct: • •

'Why are you so late?' 'On account of the traffic. Incredibly heavy!' 'Why are you so late?' 'Because the traffic was so incredibly heavy on the road into London. '

even if, even though, even, even so Damien van Raemdonck from Belgium writes: Is there any difference in meaning between even if and even though? For example, in the sentence: Even if I had time, I wouldn't do it.

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Could even though be substituted and used instead of even if?

even if / even though No, they are not interchangeable. If you want to use even though, the meaning changes. Even though means despite the fact that and is a more emphatic version of though and although. Even if means whether or not and has to do with the conditions that may apply. Compare the following:

1. Even if I had two hours to spare for shopping, I wouldn't go out and buy a suit.

2. Even though I had two hours to spare for shopping, I couldn't find the suit I wanted.

The first example describes an unreal situation where we could substitute 'just supposing' for even if and say: just supposing I had two hours to spare for shopping, I still wouldn't go out and buy a suit. The second example describes a real situation where the shopper spent two hours looking for a particular kind of suit, but couldn't find it. When we attach even to though in this way, we are in effect saying: you may find this surprising but...! Compare the following pairs of sentences: • • • • • •

Even though he lost his job as Arts Minister, he continued to serve in the government. Even if he loses his job as Arts Minister, I think he'll continue to serve in the government. Even though the injury was serious, she decided to carry on playing. It was an important match. I know she'll want to carry on playing, even if she gets injured. It's an important match. Even though I've cleaned it and polished it, it still doesn't look new. Even if I clean and polish it, it still won't look new.

even Note that even cannot be used as a conjunction like even if and even though when it stands alone. We cannot say:

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Even I've polished and cleaned it, it still doesn't look new. When even stands alone, it functions as an adverb and means this is more than or less than expected. Again, you are registering something that may be surprising when you use it. Study the following and note the position of even in these sentences: • •

I can't dive. I can't even swim! She speaks so many languages. German, Polish, Russian, Arabic, French, Spanish. She even speaks Catalan!

Even can also go at the beginning of a phrase when it refers to words or expressions that we wish to emphasize, again because this is surprising information for the listener: • •

He works all through the year. Even at Christmas and New Year! I know his English isn't very good but even I can understand him!

even so Even so is a prepositional phrase that can be used in a similar fashion to introduce a fact that is surprising in the context of what has been said before. It connects ideas between clauses or sentences: • •

I know her English isn't very good, but even so I can understand her. The evidence was only circumstantial. Even so, he was convicted and spent ten years in prison for a crime that he perhaps did not commit.

'Ever' and 'whenever' Tiffany Teng from Singapore asks: We know it is correct to say: ‘I have never been to London’. But for someone who has been to London before, is it correct to say: ‘I have ever been to London’?

No. Ever means at any time, so it is inappropriate in the above sentence. Ever is used mainly in questions. Although it is usually associated with the present perfect, it can also be used with a present, past or past perfect verb form or with future reference. If the answer is no, we often use never in the reply, meaning ‘not at any time’. If the answer is yes, we might add once or twice, etc, to indicate how many times we have done whatever is being referred to. Compare the following:

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• • • • • •

'Have you ever been to Ireland?' 'Yes, I’ve been there twice, once in 1983 and again in 1995.' 'Did you ever meet Tom Robinson when you were at uni?' 'No, I never did.' 'My driving instructor asked me if I’d ever driven before.' 'I said, no, I never had.' 'Do you ever go to the cinema?' 'No, I prefer to watch films on video or DVD.' 'Are you ever going to finish this book?' 'I’ll try and finish it over the summer. I’ve no time now.' 'Will you ever marry me?' 'No, Jason I don’t think I ever will.'

As you can see from this last example, ever can be used in an affirmative sentence with not as an alternative to the more usual 'never'. It can also be used in affirmative sentences with if and with adverbs which express a negative idea, like hardly. Remember the meaning of ever is always ‘at any time’. Compare the following: • • • •

'If you ever change your mind, let me know. We’d love to have you on the team.' 'If you are ever in London, be sure to come and see us.' 'We hardly ever go to the theatre. It’s too expensive.' 'I don’t think we shall ever see Jenny again now that she’s emigrated to Australia.'

Remember also that ever can be tagged on to ‘where’, ‘when’, ‘what’, ‘which’, ‘who’ and ‘how’ to make the conjunctions wherever, whenever, whatever, whichever, whoever and however, meaning 'no matter where’, ‘no matter when’, ‘no matter what’, ‘no matter which’, ‘no matter who’ and ‘no matter how’. Compare the following: • • • • • •

'We were playing ‘Hide and Seek’ and we couldn’t find him wherever we looked.' 'If you have a problem, you can phone me up whenever you like – at any time of the day.' 'Whatever advice I gave her, she would be sure not to take it.' 'Whichever path we took, we were unable to find our way out of the maze.' 'I shall sell my computer to whoever wants it.' 'However hard I try, I can never seem to learn vocabulary.'

Finally, ever is used in the comparative expression as ever and than ever, meaning ‘as/than at any time in the past’. Study the following two examples: • •

'You’ll have to work harder than ever today, if you want to finish this job before it gets dark.' 'Jayne, it’s so long since I heard you sing, but you sing as beautifully as ever!'

To + infinitive and for + verb-ing to express purpose

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Gloria Fulvia from Italy writes: Do I say Schools are for learning or Schools are to learn? I would like to know the grammar of to + infinitive and for + -ing form when I'm talking about purpose. I greatly appreciate your explanation. Thanks. for or to + infinitive: individual purpose For is commonly used with nouns to express individual purpose: •

I popped into the supermarket for some apples on the way home. (Not: I popped into the supermarket for buying some apples…)

•

I stopped by at his office for a chat about our marketing strategy. (Not: I stopped by at his office for having a chat about marketing.)

•

I decided I would save up for a new computer. (NOT: I decided I would save up for buying a new computer.)

If we want to express individual purpose with a verb pattern, we are obliged to use to + infinitive: •

I stopped by at the supermarket to buy some apples on the way home.

•

I popped into his office to have a chat about our marketing policy.

•

I decided to save up to buy a new computer.

For + verb-ing: the purpose of an object However, if we are talking about the purpose of an object or an action, we normally use the for + verb-ing pattern. Note that this pattern commonly answers the question: What are they (used) for? Compare the following: •

Schools are for educating children not for entertaining them.

•

Schools are for learning. Life is for living.

•

This kitchen knife is especially useful for slicing vegetables.

•

What's this for? ~ It's for opening oysters. It's much better than a knife.

•

What's this fifty pound note for? ~ It's for buying food for the weekend.

Note that when the subject of the sentence is a person rather than the thing described, the to + infinitive pattern is also possible: •

I use this small knife to slice vegetables with.

•

I use this gadget to open shellfish with.

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in order to / so as to Note that, as an alternative to to + infinitive, we might use in order to, or so as to, to express individual purpose when we want to be more formal or explicit about the reason for doing something. All of these structures answer the question: Why…?. Compare the following: •

I went to bed early in order to get enough sleep before the exam.

•

After four weeks of exams, I went to the seaside to rest.

•

After twenty days of exams, I went to the seaside for a rest.

•

After all those exams, I went to the seaside so as to have a good rest.

The in order to and so as to structures are particularly useful with stative verbs such as be, have, know, appear, and before negative inifinitives: •

So as not to appear foolish, I learnt all I could about the company before going for the interview.

•

I'm going to move to the city centre in order to be near where I work.

•

In order not to have to commute, she bought a flat in the town centre.

•

In order to know more about him, she studied his movements carefully.

however / nevertheless / moreover

Wutthichula Khunpatwattana from Thailand writes: I have a very simple question, but nobody has been able to make it clear to me. I know that the words however and nevertheless are slightly different in meaning and use. I would much appreciate it if you could make the differences clear to me. However and nevertheless: to express a contrast We can use either of the adverbs however or nevertheless to indicate that the second point we wish to make contrasts with the first point. The difference is one of formality: nevertheless is bit more formal and emphatic than however. Consider the following: •

I can understand everything you say about wanting to share a flat with Martha. However, I am totally against it.

•

Rufus had been living in the village of Edmonton for over a decade. Nevertheless, the villagers still considered him to be an outsider.

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Note that however and nevertheless are normally placed in initial position in a sentence when contrasting two ideas. They can, however, also come in mid position or end position: •

There will be no more pay increases this year. That is for sure. We have, however, agreed to carry out a full review of pay and conditions. We have agreed, nevertheless, to carry out a full review of pay and conditions.

•

He's still able to get around quite well. His whole life has been plagued by illness, however. His whole life has been plagued by illness, nevertheless

Less formal equivalents of however and nevertheless would be even so, in spite of this, yet or yet..still. These alternatives would be better suited to spoken English discourse: •

She's really quite ill and has been for some time. Even so / In spite of this she remains in good spirits.

•

He has over a million pounds in his bank account. Yet he still gets up at six every morning to go to work.

however and nevertheless: for counter-argument If you need to write essays, it is also useful to use however, nevertheless, nonetheless or even so to introduce the final part of a three-part structure: * in the first part you might outline an argument, introducing it perhaps with it is often said; * in the second part you might indicate that there is supporting evidence using it is true or certainly to introduce these ideas; * in the third part introduce the counter-argument with however or one of the other discourse markers listed above. •

It is said that water pollution is one of the greatest evils in this country.

•

It is true that more and more factories are being built along this stretch of the river and that a certain amount of waste will inevitably be discharged into the river.

•

However, in all the discussions that I have had with these firms' representatives, I have not found one who does not have a responsible attitude to environmental protection.

moreover: for adding I often find when marking essays that moreover is used as an alternative to however. But be careful here. It does not have the same meaning. Moreover is the very formal equivalent of futhermore or in addition which would be the least

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formal of these three. These adverbs should be used to support or to add information to what has already been said: •

The refugees are desperately short of food. They have very little shelter to protect them from the winter winds that are now blowing. Furthermore, they are desperately in need of medical supplies.

•

She had noticed that there was a man sitting in the second row of the stalls to her right who was observing her, rather than watching the play. Moreover, he seemed to be smiling at her as if he recognised her.

in conclusion Finally, remember that if you are writing essays, it is useful to introduce the final paragraph with one of these expressions: to conclude, in conclusion, to sum up: In conclusion, it is clear that pollution will continue to plague our planet for the foreseeable future. However, if individuals and governments act responsibly, there may come a day in the not too distant future when a more optimistic outlook is justified.

clauses of purpose: 'in order to' and 'so that'

Gyonggu Shin from South Korea writes: I would like you to talk about the difference between to + infinitive and in order to + infinitive. In these two sentences: a) I went to school to study. b) I went to school in order to study. (b) seems to be all right, though perhaps you do not say it. to… / in order to…. / so as to…. You are right, Gyonggu. If we use in order to it sounds a bit more formal and explicit than to by itself, but both are equally possible in both spoken and written English. They both convey exactly the same meaning when expressing purpose: • •

To cut the tree down, I had to hack through the undergrowth first. In order to cut the tree down, I had to hack through the undergrowth first.

In order to is normal before a negative infinitive. We do not usually use to by itself here:

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• •

In order not to oversleep, I set the alarm for seven o’clock. I walked very slowly across the room with the drinks in order not to spill them.

We can also use so as to instead of in order to and it carries the same degree of explicitness or formality: • •

We moved house last year so as to be closer to our children and grandchildren. I gave him a cheque in advance to ease his financial problems and so as not to delay the building work.

Before stative verbs like know, seem, appear, understand, have, etc, it is more usual to use in order to or so as to: • •

I talked to them both for half an hour so as to have a thorough understanding of the problem. I followed her around all day in order to know whether she had any intention of meeting him.

So that.../ in order that ... These structures are also frequently used to talk about purpose, although so that is more common and less formal than in order that. Note that these structures are normally used with (modal) auxiliary verbs. Compare the following: • •

• • • • • •

He’s staying on in Australia for nine more months so that he can perfect his English. He’s staying on in Australia for nine more months in order to perfect his English. We’re going to leave by three so that we don’t get stuck in the rush-hour traffic. We’re going to leave by three so as not to get stuck in the rush-hour traffic. Jamie had an afternoon nap so that he wouldn’t fall asleep at the concert later. Jamie had an afternoon nap in order not to fall asleep at the concert later. In order that you may pass the exam, we recommend you read through all your notes. (Very formal.) In order to pass the exam, we recommend you read through all your notes. (Less formal.)

Note that in informal colloquial English, that may be omitted from the so that construction. Listen out for this variation, though I wouldn’t recommend that you use it:

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• • •

I’ll come early so we can have a good chat before Denise arrives. I’ve bought a video camera so I can film the children as they grow up. We shall wear warm clothes when we go camping in October so we don’t get cold.

David Cho from South Korea writes: 'I have difficulty in using 'in which'. Sometimes I understand it, sometimes not. It is one of the relative clauses, I think. Please explain more about relative clauses such as 'of which', 'by which', 'on which', 'where', etc. relative clauses We use relative clauses and relative pronouns like who, which, where to introduce them in order to identify people and things or to give more information about them. • • •

That boy who is standing at the bus stop over there is my little brother. My new camera which I bought on the internet last week is broken. The High Street jeweller's which bought and sold silver and where you could get a good price by bargaining has closed down.

where / in which / at which In which and at which are sometimes used as more precise sounding alternatives to where to introduce relative clauses after nouns referring to place: • • • •

Near where I live there's a wood where you can find woodpeckers. Near where I live there's a wood in which you can find woodpeckers. The fancy-dress party, where the men all turned up as gangsters, was held in Manhatten. The fancy-dress party, at which the men all turned up as gangsters, was held in Manhatten.

when / on which On which is sometimes used as a more precise sounding alternative to when to introduce relative clauses after nouns referring to time: • •

The day when I'm forced to give up riding will be a sad day for me. The day on which I'm forced to give up riding will be a sad day for me.

position of prepositions Note that in questions the preposition is more frequently placed at the end of the

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clause. It can also be placed before the relative pronoun where it sounds more formal: • •

In which street does he live? Which street does he live in?

• •

He lives in the street where all the houses are surrounded by high fences. He lives in the street in which the houses are surrounded by high fences

• •

For which organisation does he work? Which organisation does he work for?

• •

He works for a spy network, about which I know nothing. He works for a spy network (which) I know nothing about.

Note from examples above and below that putting the preposition at the end of the clause is usually also possible in statements: • •

The people with whom he worked have all been arrested. (Formal) The people (who) he worked with have all been arrested. (Informal)

• •

This is the bedroom in which he was murdered. (Formal) This is the bedroom (that) he was murdered in. (Informal)

Note from these examples, that in statements when the preposition is placed at the end of the clause, we can use that instead of who or which or we can omit the relative pronoun completely! preposition + relative pronoun A wide range of prepositions are often used in prepositional structures with relative pronouns who and which to introduce relative clauses. In most cases, the prepositions retain their original meaning. Compare the following: •

That post marks the beginning of the mined area, beyond which it is inadvisable to go.

•

In the clearing lay the badly injured soldier, above whom birds of prey were circling.

•

We passed a giant toadstool in the forest, under which fairies were sitting.

•

They had collected the sap from the sugar maple trees, from which maple syrup is manufactured.

•

Before us we could see a forest orchid of which there are many varieties.

•

An Austrian naturalist, with whom I worked closely in the Eighties, discovered this particular orchid.

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Note that when the relative pronoun is placed immediately after the preposition we can't use who instead of whom, and we can't use that or zero pronoun either.

Ken Peng from Malaysia writes: What are linking adverbs - please give me some examples - and are they also called conjunctive adverbs? Xiao Ling from China writes: I'm having difficulty distinguishing some linking devices like however, nevertheless, whereas, etc. Would you please explain to me how to use those terms correctly? Linking adverbs Linking adverbs are adverbs that are used to link ideas or clauses in spoken discourse or written text. They could also be called conjunctive adverbs in so far as they perform the same sort of function as conjunctions. We use a very wide variety of linking adverbs. Some are more commonly used in formal written English, whilst others are more characteristic of informal, spoken language. Here are some of the most common. Yet / but still Yet and but still are used to link contrasting ideas together. But still is very informal, yet is semi-formal. In the examples below, note how different meaning and usage is when they are employed as adverbs, adding information to the verb, and as linking adverbs, contrasting ideas: •

Haven't you finished that work yet? Come on. Get a move on!

•

I have yet / still to see an English orchid as beautiful as those in the rain forests of Brazil.

•

I've cautioned him three times already for arriving late for work. But he still turned up ten minutes late again this morning.

•

He claims he is a vegetarian, (and) yet he eats everything my mother puts in front of him.

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Note that yet as a linking adverb can only be placed in front position in the clause. Still can be placed before or immediately after the subject: but he still… / but still he….

As well / too As well and too are linking adverbs, meaning also or in addition, which would be a more formal equivalent. Again, note the difference in meaning and usage when they are employed as adverbs modifying the adjective or adding information to the verb, and as linking adverbs, meaning in addition: •

This T-shirt is too small for me. I need a larger size.

•

I certainly can't play the piano as well as she does. Katerina is good enough to be a concert pianist. I play quite well, but not as well.

•

My birthday's on the sixth of June. ~ That's funny. My birthday's on the sixth of June too / as well.

•

We're all going to Cornwall for our holidays this year. Oh, and Jeremy's coming as well / too.

Note that too and as well as linking adverbs are normally placed in end position in the clause, although in a more formal style too can be placed immediately after the subject: •

You like Beethoven. I too am fond of Beethoven's music.

However / nevertheless As linking adverbs, however and nevertheless are used to emphasize a contrast with what has been said or written before which may appear surprising to the listener or reader: •

It is clear that prices have been rising steadily throughout this year. It is, however, unlikely that they will continue to rise as quickly next year.

•

I would be the first to admit that prices have risen sharply this year. Nevertheless, they are unlikely to rise as sharply next year.

•

The politician was confident of success. His advisers were not so certain, however.

•

He always remains cheerful. But his life has been beset by constant illness, nevertheless.

Note that however and nevertheless reflect more formal usage and that both can come in front, mid or end position in the clause.

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Whereas / while Whereas and while are both conjunctions which we use as linking devices to balance ideas or contrasting points in a more formal style of English. As conjunctions they can only come at front position in the clause •

It rains quite a lot in England in the summer months whereas rain in Spain in the summer is a rare occurrence.

•

While I don't mind you having the occasional glass of wine, drinking too much is not in order.

•

A less formal equivalent which might be used in more informal contexts would be the connecting phrase: on the other hand.

•

Perhaps we should spend the whole week under canvas. On the other hand, it may rain a lot and then we could return home earlier.

A question from Paul Zaffaroni in Mexico: Several years ago I heard this dialogue in a movie: "I will never forget you." The other person replied: "nor I you." I have never heard this kind of reply before, but I know it is grammatically correct. Could you please tell me how you would classify it?

Karen Adams answers: This is a really interesting question. But before we begin I do need to say that it sounds as if Paul has been watching a very old English film, because the phrase “nor I you” isn’t really something you would hear nowadays in British English. However, the question does give us a very clear example of something which is very common in English. It’s an example of ellipses. Ellipses is missing out what you, the speaker and the listener already know. In Paul’s example, we have “I will never forget you” and “nor I you.” The person who is answering really means “nor will I ever forget you.” However, both the listener and the speaker know that this information is shared so they don’t need to say it. You can find much more common examples of ellipses in everyday language, for example, in the sentence: “I drove to work, and then I parked the car in the car park.” You wouldn’t really expect to hear “I” said twice. So normally you would hear “I drove to work and parked in the car park.” We miss out the second “I” because we already know that it’s there. Similarly, “I listen to the news on the radio and I listened to the drama programme on the radio.” You would normally say “I listened to the news and the drama programme on the radio.” This gives us all of the new information, but it misses out the things which we know already. In this case, “I listened” so “I listened to the news and the drama programme on the radio.”

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We can think of lots of other examples if we can think of the example of love and forgetting, you may hear in a film, for example, “I will always love you.” And the person who’s listening may say “and I you.” What they mean is, “and I will always love you.” But they don’t need to repeat the words which the other speaker has already said. Ellipses also feature in sentences where we know exactly what the speaker is saying, and they may drop off a final word. So for example: “he is as tall as I am.” You may actually hear someone say “he is as tall as I.” We don’t need the “am” as it doesn’t add any new information. We try to be as economical as possible when we speak, using only the words which will give the listener the information which he or she needs. Therefore, if we’re repeating information or adding in extra words which don’t give any more information, we tend to drop them out. This is what ellipses are. One important thing to remember, however, is that sometimes, in our examples, ellipses can sound a little old fashioned. So in our example “he is as tall as I” normally in British English you would hear, these days “he’s as tall as me.” However, grammatically, “he is as tall as I” is the more correct. And in Paul’s example “I will never forget you”…“nor I you” - this is something you’re actually unlikely to hear these days in British English. Probably the person answering would say “me neither.” However, grammatically, “nor I you” is the more correct. Do try to listen out for ellipses in everyday language.

In the sentence: Today we learned that the university is going to close the math department it is necessary to include that, but in the sentence The work I do is very important it is not included. Shouldn't it be: The work that I do...?

There are a number of instances in English, Saulo, where it is possible, even desirable, to omit that. that as conjunction with reporting verbs In your first example sentence, that is used as a conjunction, joining two parts of the sentence. After verbs like learned, discovered, found (out), knew, felt, thought, it is quite natural to omit that, especially in informal speech: I discovered Julian had borrowed my car without my permission. I felt he was wrong to do this, but he thought it would be all right.

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After the more common reporting verbs, (e.g. say, tell) it is also entirely natural to omit that in informal speech: I told him I'd be back by ten o'clock but he said he needed me here by nine. After certain verbs (e.g. replied, shouted) that cannot be omitted and it is not normally dropped after nouns: The Dean of the Humanities Faculty informed the students that the drama dept was going to close. He left a message on my voice mail that he was leaving immediately for Vienna. I replied (to his message) that he should remain in Britain. He shouted at me that he was fed up with living in Britain. omitting that in two-word conjunctions There are a number of two-word conjunctions where that may be omitted. These include so that and now that which we can use to talk about purpose and result and providing that and provided that which we can use to talk about imposing conditions. In a more formal style we may prefer to retain that, but in an informal style it is often omitted. Compare the following: We intend to send her to Brazil so that she can perfect her Portuguese. I spent Easter with Anneke in Switzerland so I could learn to ski. Now that we've joined the EU, prices are sure to rise. Now the exams are over I can lie in bed all morning. Provided that / providing that you sign the contract before we join the EU, you won't have to pay VAT. You can borrow my DVD player, providing / provided you return it on Monday. omitting that as relative pronoun In your second example sentence, Saulo, that is used as a relative pronoun, introducing a relative clause. When that is the object in a relative clause, as in your example, we normally leave it out: The work (that / which) she does for this company is much appreciated. The representatives of the company (that / who) I met in Portugal were very helpful. Note from the above examples that that can be used to refer to both things and people, whereas which as a relative pronoun can only refer to things and who can only refer to people.

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Note also that when the relative pronoun is the subject of a relative clause, it has to be included. It cannot be omitted then: Menorca is one of the Balearic Islands that / which lies to the north east of Mallorca. We have a number of friends who / that have built holiday homes on the island.

Tamas Hoczat from Hungary writes: I’m learning about relative clauses. I’ve got two sentences: • •

At the end of the street there is a path leading to the river. At the end of the street there is a path that leads to the river. Are both of them correct? Which one should I use? Thank you for helping me.

Both are perfectly correct and sound perfectly natural in this example, so use either or both. Generally speaking, the participial clause, starting with -ing or -ed, is more characteristic of written English, as it allows us to say the same thing as a relative clause, starting with who, which or that, but with fewer words. Participial clauses are also frequently heard in radio and TV news broadcasts (as well as newspaper articles and reports) as they permit a lot of information to be compressed into a limited amount of time. This is one reason why they are often difficult for a learner of English to follow. The reporting of The Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs’ arrival back in the UK a couple of weeks ago as he stepped off the plane after 35 years on the run in Australia and Brazil was reported as follows: "The only glimpse of Biggs, dressed in blue shirt and green sweater, lasted only a few seconds. Lawyers acting for Biggs have said they will seek a hearing before the Court of Appeal". A participial clause, starting with –ed or past participle, is used instead of a relative pronoun plus passive voice. Study these further examples: • • • •

Food sold (= which is sold) in this supermarket is of the highest quality. Anyone found touching (= who is found ) these priceless exhibits will be escorted out of the museum. The tailback on the A34 caused ( = which was caused / which had been caused) by the head-on collision stretched for over 20 miles in both directions. It took the ambulances called ( = that were called / that had been called) to the scene over half an hour to get through.

A participial clause, starting with -ing is used instead of a relative pronoun plus active verb, continuous or simple.

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• • • • •

The train now arriving (= which is now arriving) at platform 1 is the 6.36 from Newcastle. There are delays for people travelling to work (= who are travelling to work) on Southern Region trains this morning. Anyone touching (= who touches ) these priceless exhibits will be escorted out of the museum. The police impounded all the vehicles belonging to (= which belonged to) his brother. The boy driving (= who was driving) the BMW was underage, unlicensed and over the limit.

Note that when we are talking about a single completed action in a defining relative clause, we cannot use an active participle: •

The girl who fell down the cliff broke her leg. (NOT: The girl falling down cliff…)

What is the difference in meaning between these two sentences: Seeing an accident ahead, I stopped my car. Having seen an accident ahead, I stopped my car. There is not very much difference in meaning between these two pairs of sentences. Sometimes we can use an -ing or past participle clause with similar meanings, as here, although use of the past participle form emphasises that the first action has been completed before the second action begins. Thus, we could paraphrase these two sentences as follows: Having seen an accident ahead, I stopped my car. I noticed that there had been an accident ahead and stopped my car. Seeing an accident ahead, I stopped my car. When I saw the accident ahead, I stopped my car. In general, we tend not to use participle clauses so much in speech. They are too formal. In speech we would probably say: I saw an accident ahead, so I stopped my car. However, in written English participial clauses can be very useful. As you can see from the examples above, when the subject in the participle clause is the same as the participle in the main clause, they enable us to say the same thing, but with fewer words. participial clauses = adverbial clauses

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Participial clauses often express condition, reason, cause, result or time in a similar way to full adverbial clauses, only more economically. Compare the following: Used sparingly, this face cream should last you until Christmas. If you use it sparingly, this face cream should last you until Christmas. Having taken the wrong train, I found myself in Bath, not Bristol. Because I had taken the wrong train, I found myself in Bath, not Bristol. Passing the theatre on my right, I walked up the steps and could see all the lights on the Thames ahead of me. After I had passed the theatre on my right, I walked up the steps and could see all the lights on the Thames ahead of me. Note from the above examples that the -ing form participle is used to talk about past, as well as present events, e.g.: Talking to you I always feel that my problems will be solved. By talking to you, I always feel that my problems will be solved. participle clauses following conjunctions and prepositions Participle clauses, with -ing particularly, can be used after various conjunctions and prepositions, such as: when, while, before, after, on, without, instead of. Note the following examples: Remember to take all your belongings with you when leaving the train. I sprained my ankle while playing tennis. Before entering the mosque you must take off your shoes. After taking everything into consideration, we decided to sell the house. After having driven 300 miles across country, I arrived to find the house had been sold. On hearing that my sister was planning to marry him, I decided to leave the flat to her. Without wanting to seem rude, I must tell you that you are ungrateful. Instead of listening to my advice, she walked out without saying goodbye.

Note from the above examples that the participle clause normally, but not invariably, comes in front of the main clause.

negative participle clauses Negative participle clauses are also possible, in which case not normally comes before the -ing form or past participle: Not having had a shower for two days, I was desperate to get to the bathroom. Whilst not wishing to appear impolite, I must ask you to leave so that I can make a private telephone call.

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having been + past participle Note that this passive structure can also be used in participle clauses as an alternative to a since-clause: Having been invited to the party by Prince William himself, we could hardly refuse to go. ( = Since we had been invited…) Having been deprived of food for over twenty days, the castaway was fed intravenously at first. Having been unemployed for over two years, I found it difficult to get work.

'since' as time preposition, conjunction and adverb Is it correct to use the present perfect after since, for example: Mr and Mrs Smith have been quarrelling since they’ve been married. They’ve been happy since they’ve lived here. I was taught that since introduces a date, not a period of time, and no grammar has given me a clear explanation on that question. Thank you. Since is used in a variety of different ways, both with the present perfect and with other tenses. 'since' as preposition When it is used as a preposition to introduce a date or a specific time in the past, it is normally used with present perfect and past perfect tenses. It refers to a period of time starting at a particular point in the past and continuing up till now (present perfect) or up until another point in the past (past perfect). Compare the following: I haven’t seen my younger brother since 14 July 1998. They’ve been on strike since the beginning of April and there’s no sign of it ending. I hadn’t visited the area since my childhood days and I noticed last summer how everything had changed. 'since' as conjunction Since can also be used as a conjunction, as in your examples, Michele, introducing a clause. The tense in the since-clause can be past or perfect, depending on whether it refers to a point in the past or to a period of time leading up to the present or, in the case of the past perfect, leading up to a point in the past. Since as a conjunction sometimes combines with ever to make ever since. Note also in these examples that present and past tenses are possible in the main clause as well as the present perfect:

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We’ve been patronising this pub (ever) since we’ve been living in this village. We’ve been patronising this pub (ever) since we moved to this village. Henry’s been teetotal since we got married. Henry’s been teetotal since we’ve been married. It’s only a week since I met him, but we’re very much in love. It’s only a week since we’ve known each other, but we’re very much in love. They’re a lot happier since they separated. They’re a lot happier since they’ve been living apart. You’re looking much better since you came out of hospital. You’re looking much better since you’ve been out of hospital. It was in the summer of 2001 that I saw her and it was over 20 years since we had last met. 'Do you realize,' I said, 'it’s over 20 years since we last met?' 'since then' / 'ever since' Note that since can also be used as an adverb. Since then refers to a particular point in time and ever since to a period of time. Which one we use depends on whether we want to focus attention on the point in time or on the continuing period of time. Compare the following: She left home in 1992 and hasn’t contacted us since then. The company started losing money in 2002 and has been in serious decline since then. The company started losing money in 2002 and has been in serious decline ever since. I took my final exams five years ago and have been working as a doctor ever since.

Use of 'so' and 'such' Savino Carrella from Naples asks: Could you kindly tell me whether the use of so in the following sentence is correct: 'Miles looked older than his brother, revealing so a strange maturity.' Here so should stand for 'in this way'. If so here means 'in this way' or 'thus', it would normally come immediately after the main clause: • •

'Miles looked older than his brother, so revealing a strange maturity.' ('so' = less formal) 'Miles looked older than his brother, thus revealing a strange maturity.' ('thus' = more formal)

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However, if you are using so or such for emphasis to mean 'to a very great degree or extent', their position immediately before the adjective is correct. But take care using these two forms. It has to be such before a noun or before an adjective plus noun. So it will be: •

'Miles looked older than his brother, revealing such a strange maturity.'

So is obviously used in a similar way, but is placed before adjectives standing alone or before adverb plus adjective, thus: •

'She was so indescribably beautiful that we couldn't take our eyes off her.'

Remember: such + noun so + adjective such + adjective + noun so + adverb + adjective The noun with such is normally preceded by the indefinite article: • • •

'We had such a good time at Henry's party.' 'I've been working far too hard today and I've got such a headache now.' 'She really embarrassed me. She is such a fool.'

Occasionally, in certain expressions, when the noun has a gradeable meaning, the indefinite article is dropped: • • • •

'Such lovely countryside (around here)!' 'Such awful weather (these days)!' 'We had such fun at Henry's party!' 'I don't know how you have such patience (when dealing with such awkward customers).'

Frequently heard examples of so in this sense might include: • • • • • •

'I'm so glad you are here!' 'He was so pleased to see her.' 'Don't go so fast! Slow down!' 'What's so funny about that?' 'I'm so tired! It's as if I haven't slept for a week.' 'I love you so much!'

You will already have noticed from at least one of the above examples that so and such are often followed by 'that'-clauses suggesting result or consequence. Note that when plural nouns are used after such, the article is, of course, omitted. •

'I'm so glad (that) you could come!'

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• • • • •

'It had been so hot on the journey (that) we had to drink a litre of water when we arrived home.' 'There was so much to do on that holiday (that) nobody ever got bored.' 'They were such good swimmers (that) they had no difficulty swimming across the fast-flowing river.' 'She prepared such good meals (that) no one ever thought of going out to eat.' 'I've got such a high temperature (that) I'm hoping (that) my husband will drive me straight to the surgery when he gets home from work.'

There is one exception to the general rule as set out above and that is that only so can be used with indefinite determiners much and many and it is more usual with little and few when these are followed by a noun. We therefore have the new pattern: so + determiner + noun • • • •

'So many sun-worshippers had crowded on to the beach that there was no space left for my towel.' 'I'm sure there will be so much noise in the restaurant that I shan't be able to hear what anybody is saying.' 'I had so little rest over the weekend that I couldn't go to work on Monday morning.' 'There were so few leaves on the tree that it was pointless to try to shelter from the rain beneath it.'

You cannot say: 'such many sun-worshippers', or 'such much noise' and it would be unusual to say: 'such few leaves' or 'such little rest'.

Finally compare: • •

'Such little people!' ('Little' here is used as an adjective meaning 'small'.) 'So few people!' ('Few' here is used as a determiner meaning 'not very many'.)

You will already have noticed from at least one of the above examples that 'so' and 'such' are often followed by that-clauses suggesting result or consequence. Note that when plural nouns are used after 'such', the article is, of course, omitted. 'I'm so glad (that) you could come!' 'It had been so hot on the journey (that) we had to drink a litre of water when we arrived home.' 'There was so much to do on that holiday (that) nobody ever got bored.' 'They were such good swimmers (that) they had no difficulty swimming across the fast-flowing river.' 'She prepared such good meals (that) no one ever thought of going out to eat.' 'I've got such a high temperature (that) I'm hoping (that) my husband will drive me straight to the surgery when he gets home from work.' Though I have a little question about though. I'm not sure of its many meanings. Sometimes it is in the middle of a sentence and sometimes at the end of a sentence and I get confused.

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George Pickering answers: Thank you Raphael for your interesting question. Yes, it's true, you can put though at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of sentences. We can use though, and although, or even though at the beginning of a subordinate clause to mark a contrast with the idea in the main clause. For example: 'Even though he didn't have much time, he stopped to help the old lady.' We can change the order of the two clauses and say: 'He stopped to help the old lady, even though he didn't have much time.' In these examples, though means 'despite the fact that'. We can also put though at the end of the contrasting clause. For example: 'I still find English hard to understand; I can understand more than last year, though!' When placed at the end of a sentence like this, though means 'nevertheless' or 'however'.

Nguyen Tu Thang from Vietnam writes: Could you please explain the use of the word though in sentences where its role seems to be nothing but an added word used at the end of sentences in conversation? Alex from Peru writes: Is the meaning the same when we use even though and even when? I'm quite confused about this.

Though can be used both as a conjunction and as an adverb though as conjunction We usually think of though as a conjunction as the more informal alternative of although, introducing a subordinate clause of contrast. When we use though or although, they introduce an idea that makes the statement in the main clause seem surprising: (Al)though I was late for the meeting, I decided to go nevertheless (Al)though the sausages were past their sell-by date, I ate them and didn't become ill. even though

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Note that we use even though as an alternative to though or although when the ideas expressed appear more extreme or surprising:: Even though the earthquake occurred ten days ago, the authorities believe it may still be possible to find survivors under the rubble. though as adverb In your definition of the word, Nguyen, though is used as an adverb with a meaning similar to however. Again it indicates a contrast. Used in this way, it occupies either mid or end position in a sentence and makes the previous statement or idea seem less true or appealing: I thought Steve's essay was very good. ~ Yes, he made some good points and it was good in parts. It was a bit repetitive, though. I drove that new convertible the other day. Very impressive. ~ Isn't it rather expensive, though? It seems he's still suspected of the crime. His main defence, though, is that he spent the evening with his girlfriend and she seems totally credible. even if / even when / even though When we use even before if, when and though, it has the effect of making the ideas expressed appear more extreme or surprising. Even if is used for emphasising that although something might happen, the situation will not change: I shall continue to work from 6 a.m. till midnight, even if it kills me. Even if I became a millionaire, I would not stop working. Even when is used for emphasising that although something happens on a regular basis, the situation does not change: She checks her text messages when you least expect her to, even when she's driving. He never stops talking and goes on and on even when other people are talking. Even though, as we have seen, introduces a fact that makes the main statement in your sentence seem very surprising: Even though she has a degree in business administration, all her business ventures have failed. They made me feel as if I was one of the family, even though I'd never met any of them before. even so

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Note that even if, even when and even though are conjunctions, linking two clauses. Even so like though, meaning however, is an adverb and is used for introducing a statement that seems surprising after what has been said before. This time he has kept all the promises he made. Even so, I don't really trust him. I know you know this piece of music off by heart, but, even so, you should follow the score.

Unless and otherwise Haja Najubudeen from Dubai writes: Please help me to use unless and otherwise. Does unless have to be used with a past participle in a sentence? unless = if not Unless is similar in meaning to if not and can be used instead of if not in certain types of conditional sentences. We normally use unless with present tenses when we are referring to the future: You won't get in to see the show, if you don't have reserved seats. OR: Unless you have reserved seats, you won't get in to see the show. Let's play tennis on Saturday, if it's not raining. OR: Let's play tennis on Saturday, unless it's raining. I'll see you at the gym this evening, if you're not too tired. OR: I'll see you at the gym this evening, unless you're too tired. if not However, we cannot use unless in questions: • • •

What will you do if you don't pass those exams? If I don't pass those exams, I won't be able to study in Australia I won't be able to study in Australia, unless I pass those exams.

And we cannot use unless with would to talk about unreal future situations: • •

If he didn't take everything so seriously, he would be much easier to work with. If he weren't so bad-tempered, I would help him to get the work done

We cannot use unless with would have to talk about unreal situations in the past either:

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• •

If you hadn't driven so recklessly, you wouldn't have had this accident. If you hadn't had that last glass of wine, this would never have happened.

unless We have to use unless, and not if not, if we are introducing an idea as an afterthought: •

I shan't bother to go to the meeting at the school tonight - unless you want to go, of course.

Note that in written English, as regards punctuation, the afterthought is usually preceded by a dash. unless + past participle Unless can be used with a past participle in a reduced clause, Haja, when you choose to omit the subject words and the auxiliary verbs within the brackets in the examples below: • •

Don't shut down these computers unless (you are) instructed to do so. Just log off. Unless (he is) given sufficient warning of the consequences, he will continue to misbehave.

However, this often makes the language produced sound rather formal and in spoken English we would normally retain subject words and auxiliary verbs. otherwise = apart from this / if not Otherwise is used as a linking adverb and has the meaning of apart from this or if we disregard this: • •

The sea was very rough and we couldn't swim all week, but otherwise / apart from this we enjoyed ourselves. They all suffered from hypothermia. Otherwise, / Apart from that, they were OK.

It also has the meaning of if not, in the sense of if this does not happen, or if this were not the case, when it is used as a linking device: • • •

Remember to use sun cream with high protection when you go down to the beach. Otherwise, / If you don't, you'll get sunburnt within half an hour. Look, we really must hurry. Otherwise, / If we don't, we'll miss the train. He must be quite intelligent. Otherwise, he wouldn't have got into university. / If he wasn't, he wouldn't have got into university.

What or that? and noun-verb collocations

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Maria Grazia Rinieri from Italy writes: I have two questions. Firstly, is it a mistake to say all what I have done instead of all that I have done? Secondly, I would like to know if it's possible to write: students gave their feedback on the arguments treated by the teacher, or must I use subject or topic instead of arguments and the verb dealt with instead of treated?

What or that? Yes, it is a mistake to say: All what I have done…. What cannot be used as a relative pronoun coming after a noun or pronoun. We have to use the relative pronoun that and say: All that I have done…. Or, if that is the object of the relative clause as in this example, we can simply omit it, use zero pronoun instead and say: All I've done… •

All (that) I've done is to offer to help him with his homework. I haven't done his homework for him.

Here are some more examples. Note that that cannot be omitted if it is the subject of the relative clause as in the last example below: • • •

Everything (that) you ordered is now in the shop and can be collected. The paintings (that) I bought are now hanging on the walls in my house. The only thing that keeps me awake at night is wondering if the house is properly insured.

What can, however, be used to introduce a clause where it combines the function of noun and relative pronoun and means that which or the thing(s) that: • • • •

What I did was help him with his homework, not do it for him. What he does in his free time doesn't interest me. I don't remember what time he went to bed last night. (what = the time at which) I have no idea about what happened after I left.

Noun-verb collocations In your example, Maria, of students gave their feedback on certain arguments, the verb which best collocates with arguments here is raised, so the sentence would read: •

The students gave their feedback on the arguments raised by their teacher.

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Collocation (or co-location if you like) refers to the way in which some words regularly occur together. We do not usually treat arguments. We normally would not say that. Instead, we raise arguments or discuss arguments. However, if we are talking about wounds or injuries, these are the things we treat. We might also treat a topic or subject if we are writing an essay as an alternative to dealing with it. •

His injuries were serious and could only properly be treated in hospital.

•

How do you propose to treat this topic when you are writing about Napoleon?

In language learning, it's very important to develop an understanding of words that regularly occur together. Test your knowledge of these noun-verb collocations in the text below. One of the alternatives listed is the best fit or the normal collocation. Choose that one. •

The female crocodile usually assembles/builds/manufactures/erects her nest on the banks of a river. She normally lays/releases/drops/spawns about fifty eggs. She then closes/shuts down/seals/binds the nest for protection against predators. Provided the nests are not molested/assaulted/bothered/disturbed, the baby crocodiles proceed/ hatch/appear/arise from the eggs after about twelve weeks.

Now scroll down the page to check your selections Crocodiles, birds and insects all build their nests. They lay their eggs. And crocodiles seal their nests for protection against predators. If they are unlucky, their nests might be disturbed by predators. But if they are lucky, the baby crocodiles will hatch from the eggs after twelve weeks.

Hello, I am Vaibhav. I am calling from India, and my question is: 'When do we use 'which' and when do we use 'that'? What are the constraints, what are the conditions under which we use these two words?

Catherine Walter answers: OK - that's a good question. I'm assuming that you mean in what we call relative clauses since this is where the confusion usually occurs. Now, in a relative clause, we can use 'who' or 'whom' for people, and 'which' for things. So we can say: 'the man who came to dinner', or 'the bridge which crosses the Ganges up river from here'. So: 'the man who came to dinner', 'the bridge which crosses the Ganges'. Now, 'that' is less formal, and it can be used for both people and things in some relative clauses. So I could say, less formally: 'the man that came to dinner', 'the

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bridge that crosses the Ganges'. But, 'that' can only be used in what we call identifying relative clauses and those are clauses where you need the information to understand what you're talking about. Those were both identifying relative clauses, but if I said: 'Mr Swan, who came to dinner', I don't need 'who came to dinner' to define Mr Swan, I've already identified him. So, you can not use 'that' in that sentence, and you can not use 'that' if you are talking about: 'Waterloo Bridge, which crosses the Thames up river from here'. So, that's when you use 'which' for identifying relative clauses and for non-identifying relative clauses, but you can only use 'that' informally for identifying relative clauses. Is that clear? Vaibhav responds: Can we take certain examples for this, like, there is a group of presidents who are meeting in the conference: 'the president who is from India', 'the president which is from India', 'the president that is from India' - which one is correct? Catherine Walter replies: OK - you can't use 'which' for a president, because a president is a person. You can use 'who' or 'that'. If there are several presidents and you want to talk about 'the president that is coming there', instead of 'the president that's not coming there'. But if by saying 'the president' it's clear that you mean only one person, then you can not use 'that'. You have to say 'who': 'the president who is coming to the conference'.

which or that? I would be very grateful if you could explain how to choose between which and that in a sentence. This is a great problem for me. Thanks in advance. That and which can be used interchangeably in most circumstances, Isabelle. That can even be used as an alternative to who. Let's take a closer look. who / which / that Who, which and that are all relative pronouns and are used to introduce relative clauses. They can be used as the subjects of verbs in relative clauses. As relative pronouns, who can only refer to people and which can only refer to things. But that can refer to both people and things. That when it refers to people denotes an informal style of English. Compare the following: Who is the woman wearing dark glasses who arrived five minutes ago? 'The Office' is a TV sit-com which / that is not suitable for young children. Do you know anyone that could help me design web pages? - I know a German web artist who designed web pages for Lufthansa. Note that who, which and that replace he, she, it and they and enable us to join two clauses which would otherwise be separate.

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Who is the woman wearing dark glasses? She arrived five minutes ago. 'The Office' is a British TV sit-com. It is not suitable for young children. I know a German web artist. He designed web pages for Lufthansa. Who, which and that can also be used in a similar way as the objects of verbs in relative clauses in which case they replace him, her, it and them. We can use whom instead of who as an object relative pronoun in a more formal style of English. Compare the following: She's now living with the musician that / who she met at the pop concert. She's now living with the musician whom she met at the pop concert. She's now living with the musician. She met him at the pop concert. Where are the Radiohead CDs which / that your brother borrowed last week? Where are the Radiohead CDs? Your brother borrowed them last week. Note that when who, which and that function as object relative pronouns, they are often left out of the sentence altogether:. She's now living with the musician she met at the pop concert. Where are the Radiohead CDs your brother borrowed last week? that rather than which After quantifiers like everything, something, all and after the thing… we normally use that rather than which: Everything that is in this room once belonged to Elton John. The thing that amazes me is how wide his interests were. All that will be left after the auction are a few candlestick holders. which but not that Where the relative pronoun refers to the whole of the previous clause, and not just to the noun that precedes it, that cannot be used. In these instances, we have to use which: The explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes ran in seven marathons in five different continents recently which is amazing for a man of 59 who had a heart attack six months ago. Here which replaces this:

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The explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes ran in seven marathons in five different continents recently. This is amazing for a man of 59 who had a double heart bypass operation six months ago. which but not that in non-identifying relative clauses In non-identifying relative clauses, which usually serve to provide additional, nonessential information and are separated by commas, which is the relative pronoun that is normally used. That would be unusual. Compare the following pairs of identifying and non-identifying relative clauses: Have you got any pieces for the guitar that are easy to play? I lent him The Rain in Spain and Japanese Folk Song, which are easy to play. The last symphony (that) he composed was the ninth symphony. The ninth symphony, which was composed in the final year of his life, was not performed until after this death

How do we know whether we should say 'in which', 'at which', 'of which' or 'for which'?

Karen Adams answers: Thanks very much for your question Annie, it actually gives us two questions in one. So let’s look at the first one – the prepositions that you’ve given us are in which, at which, of which, for which – which one do we choose? Basically, our choice of preposition is governed by the verb that relates to it. So, for example, if we take the phrase “in which” - we might say “That’s the film in which I’m interested.” Another way of saying this is “That’s the film I’m interested in.” It’s the verb “interested” that tells us we need to use the preposition “in”. Similarly, with “at which” – “that’s the university at which I studied.” Another way of saying this is “That’s the university which I studied at.” It’s the verb “study” that tells us we need to use the preposition “at”. However, in written English, we try to avoid putting the preposition at the end of the sentence. We can say “That’s the film I’m interested in.” “That’s the university which I studied at.” “That’s a song I’ve heard of.” But when were writing formal English, we try to take that preposition and put it into the middle of the sentence. This is where we need to use the relative pronoun which – “That’s the university I studied at.” “That’s the university at which I studied.” “That’s the film I’m interested in.” “That’s the film in which I’m interested.” The important thing to remember is this is found in very formal written English and when we’re speaking we would normally put the preposition at the end of the sentence. So it’s not really a big problem.

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However, if you want to make your written language very formal then this is where you need to consider putting the preposition into the middle of the sentence before the relative pronoun. I hope that helps you. when/while/meanwhile

Sellami Yazid from Algeria writes: What are the differences in use between when and while and when can we use meanwhile?

when or while We use both when and while as subordinating conjunctions to introduce adverbial clauses of time. They mean during the time that and indicate that something is or was happening when something else occurred: • •

The prisoners escaped when / while the prison warders were eating their lunch. When / While the prison warders were eating their lunch, the prisoners escaped.

Note that we can also use as and whilst in the same way, although they sometimes sounds more formal or literary • •

As the sun went down, I sipped a rum and coke on the balcony. I sipped a rum and coke on the balcony whilst the sun went slowly down on the horizon.

Note that during, which also introduces a longer period of time, is a preposition which is use with a noun or noun phrase: • •

I first met my future wife during my stay in Casablanca. I first met my future wife while I was staying in Casablanca.

when not while We use when, not while, to talk about something that occurs at the same time as a longer action or event that is described in the main clause: • •

I was asleep in my chair when Dora rang to say she wasn't coming home. We were playing monopoly when the lights went off.

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We also use when, not while, to talk about one event that happens immediately after another and to talk about periods of time in the past. • •

When the lights went out, everybody groaned: "Oh no, not another power cut!" When I was a little boy, power cuts were very frequent, but that was just after the war.

When can also be used instead of whenever, meaning every time that: • •

I always visit my mother-in-law when I'm in Manchester. I always visit my mother-in-law whenever I'm in Manchester.

while not when We often prefer while to when to describe the longer action of two events or to talk about two longer actions that go on simultaneously: • • •

Dora left a message on the voice mail while I was asleep in the chair. While I was writing my Christmas cards, the children were decorating the tree. I cooked the supper while Jenny did the ironing.

Note from the above examples that while a progressive tense is normally used to describe the longer action associated with a while time clause, simple tenses are also possible. Note also that it is often possible to omit subject + be in when- and whileclauses if the main and subordinate clauses refer to the same subject: • •

When (you are) crossing the road, be careful to look right, left and right again. They came across human remains while (they were) excavating the site.

while to contrast ideas While is not used only used to introduce adverbial clauses of time. In more formal usage, it is used to link or balance ideas that contrast each other: • •

While I am happy for us all to eat at home, I don't want to spend hours in the kitchen preparing the food. While the news from the front has so far been good, there will almost certainly be days when we must expect heavy casualties.

Note in this usage the while-clause is normally placed as the first of the contrasting points. meanwhile = during this time

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Meanwhile, meaning during this time, is a linking adverb which connects and contrasts ideas between two sentences. It indicates that one event is going on at the same time as another: • •

Slice and brush the aubergines with oil and bake in the oven till soft. Meanwhile, melt some butter in a small pan… Why don't you prepare the boats ready for the water?Meanwhile, I'll check to see that we've got enough oars.

a while = a short time Note that when while functions as a noun, it is nearly always used with an indefinite article: • •

I haven't seen you around for a while. Where have you been? Let's just wait a little while longer. He's bound to turn up eventually.

'while' and 'whereas' Ben Tang, a Chinese student studying in the UK asks: How can I use the conjunctions: while and whereas?

While to introduce a time clause: While can be used in a number of different ways. We use it, first and foremost, when we want to talk about things that happen simultaneously. In this sense, it is similar to ‘as’ and ‘when’. All of these conjunctions can serve to introduce a longer background situation which started before the shorter action. Consider the following and, at the same time, note the use that is made of the past continuous in these contexts. • • •

'I completed the crossword as I was talking on the phone.' 'I remembered that I had a letter to post when I was walking past the post box.' 'While I was reading the newspaper, my wife was ironing my shirts.'

As you can see from the above examples, while is particularly useful if we are discussing long actions and wish to draw attention to the duration of the activities. Consider the following: • •

'I’ll prepare breakfast while you’re having a shower.' 'While I was recovering in hospital, my wife was enjoying a holiday in Cyprus.'

Note that if the subject is the same in both clauses, a participial construction may be used, particularly in written English. Compare the following:

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• •

'She completed her first novel while working for the local newspaper.' 'She completed her first novel while she was working for the local newspaper.'

while / whereas to link two ideas that contrast with each other: Note that while does not always refer to time. It is also used to balance two ideas that contrast with, but do not contradict, each other. In this sense, it is similar to whereas. Consider the following: • • •

'While I like all types of fish, my girlfriend always chooses meat dishes when we go out to eat.' 'Some married couples argue all time, whereas others never do.' 'We would always choose somewhere in the mountains for a holiday, while our children always want the seaside.'

Note that whilst we would use while or whereas within sentences to contrast two ideas, across sentences we would need to use ‘however’ or ‘on the other hand’. Compare the following: • • • •

'In the UK the hottest month of the year is usually July, whereas in southern Europe the hottest period is usually in August.' 'In the UK the hottest month of the year is usually July. On the other hand, in southern Europe the hottest period is usually in August.' 'Britain secured only one gold medal in Atlanta four years ago, while at Sydney 2000 we ended up with eleven.' 'Britain secured only one gold medal in Atlanta four years ago. At Sydney 2000, however, we ended up with eleven.

'yet' as conjunction and adverb

Viji Palaniappan from India writes: Yet is similar in meaning to but. But people also say: not yet. This is confusing. ~Did you receive the book? ~Not yet. The problem is that yet can be used as an adverb as well as a co-ordinating conjunction. Let’s look at its function as a conjunction first of all. yet as conjunction You are right, Viji. Yet is similar in meaning to but. But is a co-ordinating conjunction used to contrast two statements: •

They can speak Arabic but they can’t read or write it.

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•

He tried to book a holiday on Bali, but he didn’t have enough money to pay for it.

We use yet as the preferred alternative to but when we want to emphasise that contrast to achieve a stronger effect: • •

She can play the piano very well, yet she can’t read music at all. The yachtsman had lost all sense of direction, yet he refused to give up in his attempt to cross the Atlantic.

We sometimes put and in front of yet when it is used in this way or use even so as an alternative to yet or and yet: • •

She can play the piano very well, and yet she can’t read music at all. The yachtsman had lost all sense of direction. Even so, he refused to give up in his attempt to cross the Atlantic.

However and nevertheless are sometimes used as more formal alternatives to yet: • •

He had no chance of winning the race or even of coming in the first six. However, he kept going and crossed the finishing line ahead of his team mates. He had not slept for three nights. Nevertheless, he insisted on going into work the following day.

In colloquial spoken English, mind you, but still or still are sometimes used as less formal alternatives to yet: • • •

The weather was lousy. It rained every day. Still, we managed to enjoy ourselves. I don’t like the work very much. Mind you, the people I work with are very nice. You can be very annoying at times, but we still love you.

yet as adverb When yet is used as an adverb, it is used to talk about something over a period of time, up till now: • •

Is lunch ready yet? Are the Hunts back from their holiday yet?

It is often used with the negative when you are saying that up to the present time something has not happened. It is normally used with present and perfect tenses, though in American English you will sometimes hear it used with the past tense. Still can sometimes be used as an alternative to yet. When we use still in this way, it is emphatic. We are saying that we are very surprised that it hasn’t happened. Compare the following: •

Don’t eat the plums. They’re not ripe yet. / They’re still not ripe.

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• • •

I haven’t been to Wales or Scotland yet, though I’ve visited England many times. I still haven’t been to Wales or Scotland, even though I’ve visited England many times. Did you phone him yet? No, sorry. I forgot.

As we can see from the above examples, yet is normally used with negative sentences and in questions, but it is sometimes used in affirmative sentences in a more formal style: • •

I have yet to meet the man I wish to marry. We have yet to learn whether there will be any survivors from the earthquake.

'yet' and 'but', 'so' and 'hence', 'for example' and 'for instance' Nick Leung asks: What's the difference between

1. yet and but; 2. so and hence; 3. for example and for instance 1. Used as a conjunction, yet is similar in meaning to but, but it has a stronger effect on the reader or listener. Compare: • •

'The sun was shining and there was no wind, yet it was unusually cold.' 'The sun was shining and there was no wind, but it was unusually cold.'

There is perhaps more of a surprise associated with the former statement. Note that you can put and in front of yet when it comes at the beginning of a clause, but of course this is not possible with but, so you can say: •

'The cyclists were tired and hungry, all but exhausted, (and) yet they refused to give up in their attempt to finish the race.'

2. So as a linking word between two clauses or sentences is similar in meaning to hence, though hence is much more formal. Compare: • •

'Paul didn't have enough money for the train ticket, so he had to go to the cashpoint before he could travel.' 'It is clear to us now that drug abuse can never be beneficial to the user; hence we seem to have got it wrong in suggesting that it may sometimes be acceptable.'

In spoken English, we often begin a sentence with so, thus making a link with what has been said before:

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• •

'We couldn't find the key, so we couldn't open the door.' 'So what did you do?'

3. For example and for instance are completely interchangeable, so it is just a matter of personal preference as to which you decide to use: • •

'There are a number of rules you must abide by. For instance, you may not use the swimming pool unsupervised.' 'You have all made silly mistakes on this trip. John, for example, failed to secure the boat properly and Adam took the jet ski out when the sea was far too rough.'

Prefixes and suffixes

-ive, -ous, -ful, -ic, -able, -al, -y, -ible

Anderson Braga Mendes from Brazil asks: I am an English teacher in Brazil and I am in doubt as regards the use of the suffix al. For example, in the sentence: ‘The Electrical Sector plans new measures for next year’ is it: • •

‘The Electrical Sector’ or ‘The Electric Sector’?

Is there any rule to solve this sort of problem? Is this kind of mistake common among native speakers of English? Adjectival suffixes: -ic and -ical We use ‘electrical’ to describe systems, industries, components and certain machines or devices. Consider the following:

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• • • •

'Electrical appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers use a lot of electricity.' 'My new car has electrically-operated windows.' 'My house was full of electrical and electronic (note: not ‘electronical’) equipment.' 'The electrical and mechanical engineering industries are doing well at the present time.'

So in your example, Anderson, it would have to be: •

‘The Electrical Sector plans new measures for next year’.

We use ‘electric’ to describe things to do with current and voltage, simpler machines and devices and the atmosphere. Consider the following: • • •

'An electric fire in winter and an electric fan in summer were all I needed.' 'The electric wiring in this house needs to be renewed.' 'The atmosphere was electric when Tina Turner came on stage.

It very much depends upon context as to which one you use. Economic/economical is similarly difficult. If we are talking about ‘the economic situation’ or ‘the economic outlook’ of a country, i.e. where we are discussing ‘the economy’, then the adjectival suffix -ic is preferred: •

'The economic outlook in this country is now bleaker than at any time in the last ten years.'

However, if we are talking about making personal economies and saving money, we tend to use ‘economical’. ‘Economical’ also means using the minimum amount of time or energy. Study the following: • • • •

'This car is not very economical. It only does 15 miles to the gallon.' 'Storage heaters are extremely economical because they run on night-time electicity.' 'Politicians are invariably economical with the truth.' 'We wanted to make the most economical use of our time as we had only half a day there.'

Other adjectival suffixes are much more clear-cut. If we are discussing science and technology, there is no choice: the adjectival forms are quite clearly ‘scientific’ and ‘technological’: • •

'Scientific investigation revealed that the dinosaur footprints were from the Cretaceous period.' 'Japan is one of the most technologically advanced nations.'

Although he came from Genoa in Italy,

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Christopher Columbus is often thought of as a - FAME - Spanish explorer. To be left by the roadside bleeding to death is a - HORROR - way to die. Many people believe that a diet rich in vitamins is very - HEALTH -. It was such an - EXPENSE - present that I was too embarrassed to accept it. It is no longer - FASHION - to wear high platform heels. I am - HOPE - that she will leave hospital next week. We went to see an excellent photography - exhibition last week. Everybody was wearing - NATION dress at the parade.

Answers 1. famous 2. horrific 3. healthy 4. expensive 5. fashionable 6. hopeful 7. photographic 8. national

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-ise or -ize, hyphens and The Lake Como... Massimo Vitale from Italy has three questions: 1. Since I prefer British English to American English, I would like to know if it is true that verbs (and thus their relative substantives) ending with -ize are more used in the USA, while the British prefer the corresponding ones ending with -ise? In a bilingual (Italian to English) dictionary I saw that there are really few verbs ending with -ise, like analyse, advertise, privatise, etc., while I could not find the corresponding -ise version of most important verbs ending with -ize (realize, organize, etc.); On the other hand I see them spelt as -ise in many newspapers, magazines, scientific reviews and even in your answers to previous questions. Please tell me if I should definitely convert to -ise. 2. Another question is this: what is the rule for hyphenating words, if there is any, in expressions like, e.g., high-quality performance, least-squares problem, etc., which you would not hyphenate if they were not used as adjectives ( 'that material is of a high quality', not 'high-quality'). How would one cope, for example, with an expression like 'high and low tide-like phenomena' or 'deep seated gravitational slope deformation phenomena'? 3. The last question concerns the use of articles before geographical names: Why does one say ;the river Thames' but also 'the Hudson river'? Why not also 'the lake Como' rather than 'lake Como'? Should one say 'Mount Etna' or 'the Etna Mount'? Why do the speakers of the BBC say 'the Kosovo conflict' rather than 'Kosovo conflict' (I am sorry for this last example, but I could not think of anything else at the moment)?

1. Taking your questions in order, it is generally true, Massimo, that the American preference for -ize is mirrored in British English by a general preference for -ise, so it is perhaps useful to standardise on one of these two patterns as far as possible. In a standard British dictionary - e.g. the Concise Oxford - you will often find that both options are possible in British English - 'realise' or 'realize', 'organsise' or 'organize' whilst for other entries -ize is listed as unmistakably American, e.g. 'analyse' = British English, 'analyze' = American English. If you have a preference for British English in this respect, I assume for the sake of consistency you will retain this preference for other spelling options, e.g. 'programme', not 'program'; 'colour', not 'color'; 'metre', not 'meter'; 'catalogue', not catalog'; 'traveller', not traveler'. When you are reading American English, it can be fun to spot the differences.

2.Compound adjectives are usually hyphenated, so we have 'a high-quality performance', 'a ten-dollar note', a blue-eyed boy'. With multiple compounds, it is usually the first two adjectives or the most adjective-like that are hyphenated, so we have 'a deep-seated gravitational slope' to use your example, or 'a high-quality virtuoso performance'.

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Note also the pattern: 'part- and full-time jobs', 'high- and low-tide phenomena.' However, if adjectives are placed after the verb, they are usually not hyphenated. Compare 'an out-of-work actor', 'an up-to-date account' and 'He was out of work', 'She was up to date.'

3. Referring to geographical names or areas, we tend to use the definite article with: • • • • • • • •

seas (the Atlantic, the Pacific, the North Sea) mountain ranges (the Alps, the Andes) island groups (the British Isles, the West Indies) areas (the Midlands, the Lake District, the Middle East) rivers (the Danube, the Blue Nile, the Thames) deserts (the Gobi, the Sahara) hotels and pubs (the Red Lion, the Grand Palace) cinemas and theatres (the Playhouse, the Majestic)

We generally use no articles with: • • • • •

continents (Africa, South America, South East Asia) counties and countries (Oklahoma, Bulgaria, Nigeria) towns and principal buildings (Ely Cathedral, Oxford University) lakes (Lake Como, Lake Windermere, Derwent Water) mountains and volcanoes (Everest, Etna, Vesuvius)

Of course, there are always exceptions: The UK, The USA, The UAE, The Netherlands, The Hague. It is just a matter of learning them! job title suffixes

Ernesto Rocchetti from Italy writes: I've got a question for you. Is there any rule which tells us when to use ....er and when to use .....ist at the end of a job name? For example: painter or nutritionist

There are no rules, I'm afraid, although a number of patterns emerge. Unskilled or semi-skilled job-holders are often denoted with …er, whilst those in scientific or medical professions are often designated with …ist. But there are many exceptions. The …er suffix is very common, but so is …or. The …ist ending is also quite common, but so is …an. We also have …ant (accountant, shop assistant, civil servant, flight attendant) …man (postman, fireman, dustman, barman, draughtsman, fisherman), …ess (waitress, hostess, Headmistress) …ee (trainee, employee) and …ive (representative, machine operative), etc.

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It is really a matter of leaning them and knowing them. Learn them in word families, as in these examples below. …er (but not only …er) •

Bob's a well-known local builder who employs two plumbers, three carpenters, a roofer, four electricians and half a dozen unskilled labourers.

•

If teachers, education officers, child minders and social workers had worked together, none of these children would have suffered abuse.

•

He's a writer - the author of four books about China, but he's also worked as a translator and interpreter, actor and journalist.

…or (but not only …or) •

The Managing Director delegated responsibility for the project to the supervisor, but he was a poor administrator and would never become a manager.

Note that noun and verb forms relating to common occupations ending in …er and … or are closely linked: teachers teach, writers write, actors act, supervisors supervise, directors direct, bus and truck drivers drive their buses and lorries, sailors sail, etc. Note also that the …er /…or suffixes are also used for machines and equipment that do a particular job: •

My kitchen is full of the latest gadgets: dishwasher, gas cooker with five burners, electric toaster, electric can opener, blender / liquidiser - you name it, I've got it.

•

My son's got all his stuff in his bedroom: DVD player, video recorder, camcorder, film projector.

…ist (but not only …ist) •

The whole family are musicians: Ed's a percussionist and pianist, Viola's a flautist and cellist and Barry's a French horn player. Their parents are both singers.

•

He's a doctor - a general practitioner, but he wants to become a specialist - a gynaecologist and obstetrician.

•

His older sister's a chemist / pharmacist, his younger sister's a speech therapist and his mother works as his receptionist and telephonist.

…an (both …ian and …man)

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•

Did you say you were an optician? ~ No, I'm a politician. I'm spokesman for international affairs and chairman of the refugee committee. My older brother is the parliamentary librarian. My younger brother's a magician.

In the above example, …man can refer to both men or women. Some people now argue that using …man is sexist and prefer to use spokesperson or chairperson. We obviously do not have the same problem with policeman and policewoman, although if we don't wish to specify the sex of the person, we can use police officer instead.

suffix (but not only - suffix) Note that there are a number of jobs and professions which do not have suffixes such as those outlined above. Here are a few of the most common: • • • •

In the Roman Catholic Church, bishops are senior to priests and in the Anglican Church rectors normally have wider responsibilities than vicars and curates. She's a nurse on a hospital ward but hopes to be promoted to sister and matron one day. He's pastry chef at the Dorchester now, but started out as a cook in a twostar hotel. His two passions were animals and flying: he never made it as a vet but became a successful pilot.

'Flammable' or 'inflammable'? Negative prefixes, un-, in-, im-, il-, dis-, etc. Garnet Teo from Singapore asks: what is the difference please between flammable and inflammable?

There is no difference in meaning and little or no difference in use. Chemicals, gases or cloth materials that are flammable / inflammable catch fire and burn easily. Perhaps, in usage, cloth materials are usually described as inflammable. So we might say: 'The material from which these car seats are made is highly inflammable. And conversely, certain gases or chemicals may be thought of as flammable. So we might say: 'Aircraft fuel is highly flammable'. But there are no hard and fast patterns. All this is somewhat strange, because usually when we add a prefix such as in- or un- or dis- to the beginning of adjectives, adverbs and verbs, we give them the opposite meaning. Try this activity. Draw half a dozen columns on a large piece of paper and insert a prefix heading in each column. Perhaps leave one or two columns empty for new prefix headings as they occur to you. Your piece of paper should look something like this:

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un-

im-

in-

il-

dis-

ir-

Then, over a period of time, write in as many adjectives with a negative meaning using these prefixes that you can think of. To help you get started, you might like to test your knowledge against these opposites. Print out this exercise, fill in the missing words and then check your answers against the answer key. The first one is done for you. Opposite of: happy:

We were really unhappy with the way the party was going

1. legal: There is no doubt that cannabis will remain an ______________ drug for the foreseeable future.

2. possible: It was quite _________________ for us to drive all the way from 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Paris to Madrid in one day. successful: He made an ________________ attempt to climb the highest mountain in the range. responsible: To take the boat out with four children under the age of ten and with no life jackets on board was quite ________________ of him. appropriate: The dress she was wearing was quite _________________ for the occasion. polite: It was very ________________ of him to insult his mother in front of his aunt. religious: They were a completely _________________ family and I never thought that one day I would marry one of the daughters. honest: As a politician he was __________________ and it was not long before nobody trusted him. perfect: The goods were ________________ and had to be returned to the store we bought them from. contented: She was __________________ with her life and decided that things had to change.

Answers 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

An illegal drug Impossible to drive such a distance in one day An unsuccessful attempt Irresponsible behaviour A dress which was inappropriate for the occasion

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6. Impolite behaviour 7. An irreligious family 8. A dishonest politician 9. Imperfect goods 10. Discontented with her life N.B. As you complete your table, you will probably find that you end up with many more adjectives in the un- and in- columns than in any others. Happy hunting!

Noun suffixes Yee from Hong Kong writes: I'm not sure how the suffix -ness works. Can we add -ness to all types of words to make nouns? Thanks for your answer. -ness (nouns from adjectives) -ness is one of a number of noun suffixes. It is used to make nouns from adjectives, although not every adjective can be modified in this way. Here are some common adjectives whose noun forms are made by adding -ness: happy

sad

weak

good

ready

tidy

forgetful

Note the spelling change to adjectives that end in -y: •

Everybody deserves happiness in their life. To be happy is a basic human right.

•

There was a lot of sadness in the office when people learned of his illness.

•

His readiness to have a personal word with everybody at the funeral was much appreciated.

•

He is such a forgetful person. Such forgetfulness cannot be excused.

•

If you want to work for such an organisation, you are expected to maintain a high standard of tidiness in your appearance.

-ity (nouns from adjectives) -ity is another noun suffix that is formed from adjectives. Here are some adjectives whose noun forms are made in this way: possible

probable

responsible

complex

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hilarious

scarce

Note the spelling changes that occur in these conversions: •

Everything was possible, but the probability, or even possibility, of Jason returning home unharmed was remote.

•

I was given a great deal of responsibility in my new job.

•

It was a complex operation but such complexities are common in cardiac surgery.

•

Her behaviour was hilarious but hilarity is not easily tolerated in a convent school.

•

The scarcity of water was serious, but all natural resources were scarce.

-tion / -sion (nouns from verbs) -tion, or, less frequently -sion (both pronounced with a 'sh' sound on the initial letter) are noun suffixes that are used to make nouns from verbs. Here are some common verbs whose noun forms are made by adding -tion: admit

alter

inform

decide

describe

multiply

Note that adjustments that are necessary to the spelling in each case: •

He admitted he had lied and this admission landed him in court.

•

The dress will have to be altered and I'm going to have the alteration done professionally.

•

I informed the police that I had seen one of the robbers in Margate and this information led to the arrest of the gang.

•

I decided to give myself up. The decision was easy. My description was in all the newspapers. And I had been on the run for three weeks.

•

Multiplication is the easiest part of arithmetic - much easier than addition, subtraction or division.

-ment (nouns from verbs and adjectives) -ment is another suffix that is used to make nouns from verbs and occasionally from adjectives: enjoy •

replace

appoint

arrange

merry

Enjoyment is the most important thing in life and you simply don't know how to enjoy yourself.

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•

You will need to replace the broken part and unfortunately replacements cost £350.

•

I don't know if I shall be appointed to the job but I have an appointment to see the manager this morning.

•

I had arranged to be there early so that all the arrangements would be in place by the time Yuan arrived.

•

Everyone was quite merry by now. Such merriment had not been seen in my mother's house for a long time.

-ance / -ence (nouns from adjectives and verbs) -ance and -ence are suffixes that are used to make nouns from adjectives and sometimes from verbs: absent

silent

independent

important

admit

appear

exist

•

Her absence was not noticed during the silence of prayer.

•

The importance of independence for teenagers should not be underestimated.

•

Admittance to the theatre is not permitted once the show has started.

•

His appearance did not permit him to be admitted.

•

His existence as a writer was threatened when people stopped buying his books.

more restrictive noun suffixes (nouns from nouns) -ship (abstract nouns denoting different kinds of relationships) relationship

friendship

partnership

membership

•

His friendship with Carole slowly turned into a relationship.

•

I'm going to go into partnership with SIP and that will automatically give me membership of the golf club.

-hood (abstract nouns denoting different kinds of 'families') childhood •

motherhood

neighbourhood

priesthood

Childhood and motherhood/fatherhood are two very important stages in our lives.

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•

The neighbourhood was extremely quiet and the priesthood was attractive to many in this peaceful environment

'Sugarfree' or 'sugarless'? When to add 'less' and when to add '-free' to form an adjective Izida Mladenova from Bulgaria asks: I find it a great idea to help people with their English via the Internet. So my question is: What's the difference (if any) between the adjectives ending in -less and in -free (Is the chewing gum 'sugarless' or 'sugarfree'?) In your particular example, chewing gum, breakfast cereal, or food in general can often be described as 'sugarless' or 'sugarfree'. Whenever you form the adjective by adding the suffix -less or -free, you are describing something as not having or not affected by the thing mentioned. But I can only think of one other example (although there must be more) where they can be used quite interchangeably in this way, as in: •

'This piece of work was quite error-free. It was an errorless piece of work.'

Normally, usage prescribes one OR the other. In the following examples, only one is possible. Test your knowledge by using either less or -free in each example. Check your answers with those below.

1. There are many home people sleeping rough on the streets of London. 2. The whole journey was trouble and we arrived at our destination on time. 3. There were so many duty goods in the airport shop that we just don't know 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

where to begin. It was a completely meaning exercise and they made no progress in their work. When there is never any opportunity of being released, prisoners are power The operating theatre was completely germ environment. Some of the runners tired very quickly, but others among them appeared quite tire It is doubt the case that this prisoner will be extradited.

Answers homeless people trouble-free journey duty-free goods meaningless exercise powerless prisoners

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germ-free environment tireless runners doubtless the case Note that the suffix 'less' or '-free' is normally added to nouns to form the adjective. In the penultimate example, it is added to the verb 'tire' and in the final example, 'doubt' can be viewed as either noun or verb. What about 'careless' and 'carefree' you might ask. These are both possible. Indeed they are, but note that they are not alternatives. They are quite different in meaning. A 'careless person' is someone who does not take very much care over what he is doing, whereas a 'carefree person' is someone who has no worries. You will have noticed that the suffix '-free' is usually hyphenated and is a stressed syllable (unlike 'less'). However, in two of the above examples, 'sugarfree' and 'carefree', there is normally no hyphen, at least in the examples I have seen.

Prepositions & prepositional phrases time and place phrases with at, in and on A number of you (Kirill from Russia, Cintia from Brazil and Christine from Austria) have been asking about accurate use of the prepositions on, at and in with time and place phrases. at for time For clock times we use at, but not usually in the question: What time are you leaving for Germany? ~ I shall try to leave at three o' clock.

on for time For days, dates and times like Sunday evening or Saturday morning, we use on: I usually do my homework on Sunday evening; on Saturday morning I'm normally at the gym. Can we do it on Thursday? ~ No, not on Thursday. I'm in Leeds all day on Thursday. My birthday is on 26th December and then Mark arrives on 27thDecember.

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(Note that we write on 27th December, but we say on the 27th of December.)

in for time For centuries, years, seasons, months, weeks, and for time phrases such as in the afternoon, or in the evening we use in: In the 17th Century, 200,000 people were executed in America for practising witchcraft. Brazil first won the World Cup in 1958 and then again in 1962, but in 1966 it was England's turn. I prefer to take my holidays in the spring and autumn and work in summer when everybody else is on holiday. I've got my final exams in May. When in May? In the final week of May. I work best in the morning. I'll work again in the evening if I have to, but I prefer to relax in the afternoon. (But note we say at the weekend, at Christmas, at Easter and at night.) Note also subtle the difference in meaning between the expressions in time (which means before a given time) and on time (which means exactly at that time): The 7.53 is always on time, but yesterday it was late. I couldn't get there in time for the beginning of Jo's concert and missed the opening number. zero prepositon with time phrases Note that usually no prepositions are used with time phrases beginning with next, last, this, every, all, any: What are you doing this afternoon? ~ I'm busy this afternoon, but we could do it next week, if you like. I work from home every Thursday. I'm at home all afternoon tomorrow, so any time would be convenient. at for place We use at to specify position at a point: He failed to stop at the traffic lights and went through the light on red. I was waiting for at least half an hour at the station, but no train came. I never seem to have any money at the end of the month. ~ You shouldn't worry

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about that - I never have any at the beginning of the month. on and in for place: We use in to specify position inside larger areas such as containers, rooms, towns, countries, etc and we use on to specify position on a line or continuum. Compare the following: I live in Ostrava. ~ Is that in Slovakia? ~ No, it's in the Czech Republic. Have you seen my yellow T-shirt? ~ Yes, it's in the wardrobe ~ Whereabouts in the wardrobe? ~ It's on the fourth shelf at the front. ~ Did you find it? ~ Yes, it was on the bottom shelf at the back. They have lots of family photographs on the walls on the landing, but no curtains at any of the windows. I'll meet you at the theatre. ~ Where exactly? ~ In the foyer at 7.15. Prepositions 'at', 'on', 'in'

Javier Balsells from Spain asks: Why, when you are on the beach you walk in the sand? But when you are in the street, you walk on foot? Is there any logical rule to it? Poliang Lin in the USA asks: Do we say we read something in a newspaper, or on a newspaper? Pilar Velarde in Peru asks: What are the rules for using to and at? Why is it that you say: I will meet you at the bank and I will go to the bank? Weena Kanagpon from Thailand asks: Which is correct: in the street or on the street? And how about at the village or in the village? At, on and in are the main prepositions in English indicating position. And I think there is some logic for the preference for one of them over the other two in given situations, Javier. Generally speaking: • • •

in is used to specify position inside larger areas; on is used to specify position on a line or continuum; at is used to specify position in a larger place.

Compare the following:

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• • •

'They were walking on the beach.' 'They were playing in the sand.' 'They were lying on the warm sand, reading their books.'

In the first example, we imagine people at a certain point on their walk along the beach; in the second example a group of children surrounded by sand and having fun in the sand, and in the third example, older children or adults lying on top of the sand, so on is most appropriate here.

1. In your example, Javier, of people walking in the sand, one imagines soft sand, which their feet sometimes disappear into, but if you said on the sand, we would imagine it as hard sand which their feet do not sink into. Both on and in are therefore possible alternatives in this example. As we can see, use of an appropriate preposition sometimes depends on how you think about it. 2. In your example, Poliang, we read about things in a newspaper. To find what we are looking for, we usually have to open the newspaper and look inside. Therefore in is the most appropriate preposition. Compare the following: •

'I saw it on BBC World, heard about it on the BBC World Service and then read about it in the Guardian Weekly.'

3. In your example, Pilar, 'I will meet you at the bank' the precise location remains vague to the reader. It could be anywhere inside or outside the bank, although the two people who are arranging the meeting obviously know exactly where they are going to meet and do not need to specify it further. Compare the following: • •

'I bumped into him at the supermarket.' (Precise location unspecified) 'I bumped into him at the checkout in the supermarket.' (Precise location specified)

4. In your example, Weena, it depends upon perspective, really, Weena. Compare the following: • •

'There were crowds of people on the streets.' 'In the street where I live there are speed bumps every fifty yards.'

In the first example, we imagine someone surveying the crowds from a distance and in the second example the perspective is from inside the street. Prepositional use for common nouns without articles

Ilham Sarukhanov from Azerbaijan writes: I'm slightly confused whether to use the preposition at before home or not. I've read the following sentence recently: I am likely to be late home this evening.

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But as a rule in this situation we use the preposition at before home. Is the above sentence wrong? Home / at home Your sentence is fine, Ilham. Home in your example is behaving like an adverb expressing direction. We do not need a preposition with home when it is used with any verb referring to direction: •

I shall be arriving / going / coming / leaving home late this evening.

Note that most verbs expressing direction require the preposition to before the noun, but not home. Compare the following: • • • •

I made my way to the mosque before sunrise. I ran all the way to the theatre so that I wouldn't be late. I'm going to walk to work from now on. It's healthier. I arrived at the harbour just as the boat was leaving.

Once you arrive home, you are then at home and no more direction is suggested, so at is then the appropriate preposition to use with home: •

Will you be at home tonight or are you going out? ~ No, I'll be at home. ~ I'll pop round and see you then.

However, even here, at is often omitted, especially in American English. No article with common nouns Note that there are a number of common fixed expressions with prepositions involving everyday time and place nouns where no article is required: after school / at school / before school / from school /in school to school after university / at university / to university in bed / out of bed / to bed at home / from home / go home / leave home after work / at work/ before work / from work / to/into work /leave work from town / in town / out of town/ to/into town after breakfast* at breakfast* before breakfast* for breakfast* to breakfast* * OR: lunch, tea, dinner, supper by bike/car/bus/taxi/tube/train/plane/boat - BUT on foot

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•

More and more people work from home these days at least one or two days per week.

•

I'm going into town this afternoon. Do you want me to get you anything?

•

I find it difficult to get out of bed, but always exercise for half an hour before breakfast, have fruit juice and muesli for breakfast and then walk to work.

•

At school I studied biology, geography and English, but at university I'm going to study psychology.

•

It's quicker on foot or by bike. It will take you ages to get there if you go by car.

However, if you are referring to a specified breakfast, bed, school, piece of work etc, the definite article will normally be required: •

The bed I slept in last night was most uncomfortable.

•

The lunch you prepared this morning was delicious.

•

I'll meet you outside the school at eight thirty.

•

The work that you did on the Tudors was excellent.

•

The car you sold me for £500 is unreliable.

The difference in use between 'because', 'as', 'since' and 'for'

Agnes Leyen asks: Could you please tell me the difference (in use) between because, as, since and for. I think it's very confusing. The present perfect is often used with since and for to denote periods of time up to the present. (Note that we do not use present perfect with expressions that refer to a time period that has finished, i.e. 'last week' or 'the day before yesterday'. Here the simple past is used: 'I went to the cinema three times last week.') If you use since with the present perfect or present perfect continuous, you are signalling when something started. If you use for, you are signalling how long something has been going on. Compare: • •

'She has been living in Holland since the summer of 1992.' 'She has been living in Holland for the last nine years.'

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That is one use of since and for. But since and for can also be used in a similar way to as and because to give the reason for an action or a situation. However, there are important differences between them. Because is used when the reason is the most important part of the sentence or utterance. The because clause usually comes at the end: •

'I went to Spain last summer because I wanted the guarantee of sunshine on every day of my holiday.'

As and since are used when the reason is already well known and is therefore usually less important. The as or since clause is usually placed at the beginning of the sentence: • •

'As the performance had already started, we went up to the balcony and occupied some empty seats there.' 'Since John had already eaten, I made do with a sandwich.'

For suggests that the reason is given as an afterthought. It is never placed at the beginning of the sentence and is more characteristic of written, rather than spoken English: •

'I decided to stop the work I was doing - for it was very late and I wanted to go to bed.'

When to use 'with regard to' and when to use 'regarding' Gauss from germany asks: I am completely confused by the following relationship terms. Would you please give me a precise explanation and some proper examples? Are they the same or similar in meaning and in use? 1. in relation to / with relation to 2. with regard to / regarding 3. in connection with 4. concerning They are very similar in meaning and use. The key issue, as you suggest, is to know when and how to use them. These expressions are sometimes known as 'discourse markers'. 'Discourse' is the term used to denote pieces of speech or writing that are longer than a sentence. They are 'markers' because they help to point out the structure of discourse. They make clear the connection between what we are going to say and what has come earlier. They are used to focus attention and to signal what we are going to talk about.

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Such discourse markers will often be found at the beginning of a sentence. They are all fairly formal in tone and characteristic of formal or written discourse. For an example, let us eavesdrop on this business meeting. The personnel manager of a company is responding to questions from members of staff. •

'There are two major issues on today's agenda which we should move on to before lunch. One is the question of non-taxable allowances and the other is bonus or productivity payments. Now, with regard to/in connection with/ concerning the former, the position of this organisation is quite clear...'

You could also add 'with reference to' as a further alternative and this would perhaps be most formal of all. This expression is frequently used at the beginning of business letters: •

'Dear Ms Irvine, With reference to your fax of yesterday, I am pleased to inform you that...'

Note that expressions like as far as... is/am/are concerned and as regards link discourse in a similar way, but these are slightly less formal and more characteristic of spoken discourse: •

'There is no doubt that in this country infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and diphtheria are on the increase, but as far as whooping cough is concerned / as regards whooping cough, there are clear signs that it is on the wane.'

The expression As far as I'm/we're concerned,... is also used colloquially to indicate that you are stating your own position on something: • •

'As far as we were concerned, there was no point in remaining at the site any longer.' 'As far as I'm concerned, you can go to Italy for Christmas. I shall be quite happy here at home.'

A final note about use of concerning. When placed later in a sentence, it is sometimes used as an alternative to about or regarding: • •

'He refused to answer any questions concerning his private life.' 'There was much discussion in Parliament concerning the admission of homosexuals to the armed forces.'

A question from Cindy in Taiwan: Hello, I am Cindy Wang from Taiwan. I searched your archive and did not find a comparison between prepositions 'under', 'below' and 'beneath'. Could you kindly explain? Catherine Walter answers: Hello Cindy. This is a good question and I'm sure that a lot of people have asked themselves this question. I can give you a general answer because vocabulary tends

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to be a bit fuzzy around the edges, but here goes. First of all, to make the difference between 'under' and 'below'. Both of these words can mean 'in a lower position than', so there's a sense in which they mean the same thing. But we use them sometimes in different circumstances, for example, if you're talking about something being covered by something, we use 'under'. So, 'I hid the key under a rock'. Or, 'officials said there was nothing under President Bush's jacket'. You use 'below' when you're talking about something that's not physically immediately under, or not necessarily immediately under. So you say, 'below the surface of the water'. That might be anywhere below the surface of the water, not necessarily just touching it. Or, 'twenty miles below the earth's surface', definitely not immediately under it. And, by extension, we say things like, 'below the poverty line'. We also use 'under' when we're talking about 'younger than' or 'less than'. So, 'under a dozen times', 'under the age of ten'. Whereas we use 'below', if we're visualising a kind of vertical scale. So, 'below sea level', 'below average', 'an IQ below 80', 'radio waves below 22 kHz'. There are a number of fixed expressions, so, for example, a lot of expressions about what's happening while something else is going on, or because of certain conditions, or controlled by something or someone. So we say, 'under construction', 'under fire', 'under attack', 'under arrest', 'under these conditions', 'under scrutiny', 'under pressure', 'under the Ceausescu regime'. All of those form a kind of a family. So what about 'beneath'? Well, 'beneath' is basically more literal, or formal, and we use it in many of the same senses. But there are lots of fixed phrases, and so what you want to do is just read a lot and note when one is used and when the other is used. I hope those will give you some general guide lines, and that you'll enjoy keeping learning about these three fascinating words.

prepositions in time expressions

Lydia from China writes: How can I finish this sentence? The First World War ended at 11 a.m. ...... the eleventh day ....... the eleventh month in 1918. This often quoted sentence reads like this: •

The First World War ended at 11 a.m. on the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918.

at / around / about / by

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We use at when we are discussing precise times, weekends and public holidays: • • •

What time does your train get in? ~ It gets in at five twenty five. Let's meet at Waterloo Station at the end of platform one at five thirty. What are you doing at the weekend? ~ I'm going to see my parents at Easter, but I've got no plans for next weekend.

We use around or about when we want to indicate approximate times: • •

When does his train get in? ~ Around / About ten o' clock usually, but you can never be sure these days! What time should I come? ~ Come about / around eight.

We use by to indicate at or before, not later than. It can also suggest progression up to a certain time: • •

You must be here by / not later than 10.45 if we want to catch the eleven o' clock train. By the time I arrived home, both children were in bed and asleep.

on We use on when we are discussing particular days and in the expression on weekdays: • • • • •

My daughter's birthday is on 29th February. She was born on 29th February 2000, so she won't be one till 29th February 2004! My aerobic classes are on Tuesday evenings. Peter's tennis lessons are on Thursdays at lunchtime. On weekdays I get up at seven, but at weekends I lie in until nine.

Note that we can write dates as 29th February 2002 or 29 February 2002. In formal letters it is usually the latter. When we are speaking though we usually say: the 29th of February 2002. till / until Both till and until mean up to the time indicated or up to the time when. Note that they can both be used as conjunctions introducing clauses as well as prepositions introducing time phrases: • • •

Can you work today till seven? ~ No, I'm sorry. I have to leave at five. Until Tom met Jane, he had always visited his mum at weekends. Can you stay over till Monday morning? ~ OK. But I'll have to be gone by six thirty.

in

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We use in when we are discussing parts of the day or longer periods: • • • •

I'm happy to work in the morning, but I always have a snooze in the afternoon. I don't mind working in the evening, but I hate to get up in the night. These fox cubs were born in the spring. ~ In April or May? ~ I'm not sure. In April, I think. They'll be ready to leave home and fend for themselves in about three weeks from now.

during We can use during when we are discussing something happening between the beginning and end of an activity: • • • •

In / During summer, I try to have a nap at some point during the afternoon. But I never bother with siestas during autumn, winter or spring. Could you please try not to interrupt me during this meeting? There's an answer phone message from John. He must have phoned during lunch.

zero preposition Note that there are some time expressions, typically involving all, some, any, each, every, this, that, last, next, where no preposition is needed: • • •

The last time we met was at Sheila's birthday. Try not to leave it so long next time. Where were you last Tuesday? ~ Sorry, I was out, but I'll be in all this week. Feel free to call any evening. How often do you text message your sister? ~ Every day. Sometimes twice a day.

'On', 'in' or 'at' midnight? This week we have two questions about the use of prepositions to indicate time. Phoebe Chiang from Taiwan writes: We use in for longer periods of time. We also say: 'in the morning', 'in the afternoon' and 'in the night'. Why can't we say: 'in the noon' or 'in the midnight'? And Marta Fernandez from Spain asks: When do we use in and when do we use on with dates? We say 'in September', but can we say 'on September the 29th'? 'at' with time phrases We use at to specify a particular point in time. Both noon and midnight are very short periods. When the clock strikes twelve, it will be midnight. We would therefore say: at midnight or at noon. Consider these further examples:

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• • • • •

'We'll meet you in front of the cinema at a quarter to eight.' 'I have to get up at six thirty on weekdays.' 'I like to spend some time with my family at Christmas and at Easter.' 'What are you doing at the weekend?' He was born at the end of the 19th Century and died at the end of the 20th.'

Note that although both Christmas and Easter last for a few days, we prefer to think of them as a particular point in time and therefore use at when referring to them. 'At the weekend' follows a similar pattern, though Americans would say 'on the weekend.' 'in' with time phrases As you rightly say, Phoebe, we use in to specify periods of time, parts of the day, morning, afternoon, evening, or for longer periods altogether. Consider the following examples: • • • •

'My dad prefers to work in the morning. He's too tired to work in the evening.' 'My granny always has a cup of tea at four o' clock in the afternoon.' 'I can't take my holiday in the summer, so I'll take it sometime in the autumn.' 'Our first child was born in 1996, so he'll be five years old in June.'

We also use in to describe how much time will pass before something happens or to talk about how long something took or takes. Consider the following: • • •

'Do you mind waiting? I shall be ready in about ten minutes.' 'If you order it now, you'll receive it in about two weeks' time.' 'I can run one hundred metres in 12.5 seconds!' on with time phrases

We use on, Marta, to refer to particular days and dates, even repeated ones when plural forms are used. Consider the following: • • •

'Could we meet on Sunday morning?' 'No, not on Sunday. I go to church on Sundays.' 'Why don't we have the meeting sometime in the afternoon on Thursday 5th April?' 'It's my birthday on 22nd April, so I'll ring you on 23rd.'

Note that when we specify dates in writing, we will tend to write them in one of the following styles: 21 April 2001

(as part of letter heading)

on 29th December I'm leaving for Paris

(within the body of the letter)

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However, when we are speaking those dates, we will normally insert the definite article and the preposition of, as follows: I'm leaving for Paris on the twenty ninth of December. I'm leaving for Paris on December the twenty ninth. zero preposition with time phrases At/in/on are not normally used with time phrases starting with next, last, this, that, every, some, all. Consider the following: • • •

'Last year I made a cake for Jenny's birthday, but this year I'm going to buy one.' 'Are you free this morning? If not, I'll see you next week.' 'I'm at home all day tomorrow, so come round (at) any time.'

Finally, note that prepositions are often omitted from time questions starting with What...? or Which…? Look at the following examples: • •

'What time are you leaving?' 'At eight o' clock.' 'Which days are you busy next week?' 'I'm busy on Wednesday and Friday, but I'm free on Thursday.'

time expressions with 'next', 'last' and 'on'

Anid Galon from the Czech Republic writes: I have noticed that in the news to determine the day of some event they say: They will meet Sunday next week or It happened Friday... Do I mishear them or it it not possible to use on before the name of the day? on We do sometimes omit on in time expressions in informal English, although I think it is more characteristic of American English than British English. So in your first example, Anid, both versions are possible. Compare the following: • •

They will meet on Sunday next week. They will meet Sunday next week.

• •

Our wedding anniversary is the 22nd of October. Our wedding anniversary is on the 22nd of October.

• •

We’re going to have a game of tennis Wednesday evening. We’re going to have a game of tennis on Wednesday evening.

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Note that if we say: I’ll see you next Sunday week rather than I’ll see you Sunday next week, it is not the following Sunday that is intended, but the one after that! For your example of a time expression with the past tense, I think we would normally use one of the following formulations: • •

It happened last Friday. It happened on Friday.

'next' and 'last' Note the pitfalls when using next and last. We rarely use prepositions with time expressions involving next and last And there is a big difference in meaning and use between next and the next and last and the last. Compare the following: • • • • • • • •

I shall be working for the next week and then I shall be on holiday. ( = starting now for the next five or seven days) I shall do some work next week before I go on holiday. ( = some work, but not every day) I’m going to have driving lessons next year. ( = at some point during the year) For the next twelve months I shall be in Birmingham on a post-graduate course. ( = all 12 months, starting now) The last year has been hell! First the divorce, then I lost my job! ( = all 12 months up till now) I got divorced last year and I plan to remarry this year. ( = at some point during the year) I’ve had diarrhea for the last week, doctor. Can you give me something for it? I had diarrhea last week. Couldn’t eat anything for three days.

Note prepositional use and the use of the present perfect and past simple tenses in the above examples. 'this' or 'next'? Finally, we sometimes need to clarify which date we are referring to if it is in the immediate future by using on or this instead of next. Compare the following: • • •

Let me see. It’s Wednesday now so I’ll give you a ring next Friday. ~ Do you mean this coming Friday or the following one? ~ No, no, this coming Friday. I’ll ring you this Friday. I’ll phone you on Friday.

prepositions by and from

Lilia from Bulgaria asks: When do we use by and when do we use from?

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For example, do we say: • •

The decision has been approved by the committee. OR The decision has been approved from the committee.

Thank you in advance for your explanation. 'by' with passive clauses In passive constructions, as in your example, the agent of the action is always introduced with the prepostion by, so the first one is correct. We could turn the passive sentence into an active sentence if we wanted to use from and say: •

This decision has received approval from the committee.

But for all passive clauses we need to use by when introducing the person or thing responsible for the action: • • •

The walker was killed by a falling tree. All the roofs on the houses in the village were ripped off by the tornado. The visiting speaker was introduced by the club chairman.

The only exception to this is when we are talking about the tools used for the operation rather than the agent bringing about the action. When we talk about the tools used for an action we say with rather then by. Compare the following: • • • •

She was killed with a kitchen knife. She was killed by an unknown assassin. The palace was built with red bricks from the local brickyard. The palace was built by a famous architect.

'by' to express time By is used to indicate time up to a particular point: • • •

I want you to be home by eleven o’ clock (= before eleven OR at eleven at the latest). By the time I arrived, everybody had left. By the end of the lecture, nearly everyone was asleep.

by or near? By also means very close to.

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For example: •

Our house is quite close to the sea, but I would really like to live right by the sea.

'by' in common phrases By is used in a number of common phrases. Note the following: • • • •

Are you going to deliver that parcel by hand, or will you send it by post? Do you want to pay for this in cash, by cheque or by credit card? You can get there by air, by road, by rail or by sea, but however you travel, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. I have learnt this piece by heart and don’t need to have the music in front of me.

Note, however, if we put a determiner in front of the noun, it is no longer a set phrase and the preposition changes. Compare the following: • • •

Why don’t you send it by email? It’s quicker. I learnt about it in an email from Richard. Did she come by car? Yes, she did. She turned up in a brand new sports car!

from or since? The preposition from indicates the starting point of an action. It is often used with to or till which indicates the finishing time of the action: • • •

I normally work from nine to five, sometimes from ten till six. You can drop by at any time during the afternoon. I shall be here from two onwards. From now on you must wear a suit and a tie whenever you go to the office.

Note that since is used with the present perfect or past perfect tense to indicate the starting point of the action. With other tenses we normally use from. Compare the following: • •

The office is open from eight o’ clock, but I don’t usually arrive before nine. I have been working on the project since the beginning of September and hope to finish it by the end of October.

'despite', 'in spite of', though', 'although' and 'even though'

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Reza Fahimi from Tehran asks: I am a beginner in English and want to know about differences between although and in spite of. Is their meaning equal? B Polat from Turkey asks: I would like to ask if you can explain the differences between the words despite, in spite of and although, though, even though by example. They are similar in meaning, yes. They all serve to record something that is surprising or unexpected. But the difference in usage is that although, though and even though are all conjunctions, whilst in spite of and despite are both prepositions. So usage requires: in spite of + noun although + clause despite + noun though + clause even though + clause Although and though can be used in the same way. Though is perhaps more common in informal speech and writing, whereas although can be used in a wide variety of styles. Compare: • • •

'Our new neighbours are quite nice, though their dog is a bit of a nuisance.' 'She insisted on keeping her coat on, although it was extremely warm in the house as the central heating was on.' 'Although she was commended for completing the Millennium Dome project on time and within budget, management felt that it was now time for a new person with different talents to take over.'

Though is often used with even in order to give emphasis: •

'I managed to get good results in my exams, even though I went out four times a week when I was supposed to be revising.'

Whilst despite might be thought more formal than in spite of - it is, after all, one word rather than three - there is really very little difference in usage between the two: • •

'Despite the appalling weather, they succeeded in walking to the top of Ben Nevis.' 'They decided to get married in spite of the huge differences in their ages.'

So, to summarise: despite and although: similar meanings, but different syntax required. Compare: • • •

'Although it was raining heavily, we finished the game of football.' 'We finished the game of football in spite of the heavy rain.' 'Despite his strong Welsh accent, we understood most of what he was saying.'

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•

'Even though he had a strong Welsh accent, we understood most of what he was saying.'

One further word. Although, despite and in spite of are normally used as prepositions, they can also be used in adverbial constructions with -ing, thus: • • •

'I managed to pass my exams, despite going out four times a week during the revision period.' 'In spite of feeling terribly sick, I went to work every day that week.' 'Despite being severely handicapped, he managed to complete the race.'

marking time: during / for / by / until

Bertille from France writes: I'd like to know the differences in use between during and for. Sylwia from Poland writes: I can't distinguish the uses of until and by when referring to time. Please help me.

during We use during to talk about something that happens at one point within a period of time or to talk about an event that continues throughout a whole period of time. Compare the following: • •

I sometimes wake up during the night and then I can't go back to sleep again. I cried during the performance. It was such a sad play. During the school holiday period in the summer all the campsites are full. During wars food is often rationed.

When we are referring to a whole period of time, we sometimes use throughout as an alternative to during for emphasis: • •

Sugar and cheese continued to be rationed throughout the post war period. These hotels are usually fully booked throughout the summer season.

We sometimes use in as an alternative to during to talk about something that happens within a particular period of time: • •

I sometimes wake up in the night and can't get back to sleep again. In my fours years as head of this company I have only taken a holiday once.

If the activity continues for a period of time, we sometimes use over instead of during to describe the specified period:

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• •

Over the last few days, weather conditions have been steadily improving and a rescue now seems possible I don't intend to do very much over the summer - just relax!

for During tells us about the period when something happens. For tells us how long it continues or lasts: • • •

I was ill for three days during my holiday and couldn't go out at all. I'll pop in and see you for a few minutes at some point during the afternoon. I've been working for this company for twenty five years.

Take care not to confuse for with since. Since is also used to measure the duration of an activity, but it describes the starting point up to a given time and is most often associated with present perfect and past perfect tenses: • • •

I've been working for the BBC for a long time - since 1978. As you get older, it becomes more and more difficult to make friends. We haven't seen much of him since his marriage to Julie last summer.

Note from the above examples that for is used with a wider variety of tenses than since. until We use until or till to indicate that something continues up to a particular point in time and then stops: • • • •

Don't bother saving me any supper - I shan't be home till late. We had to stay in the exam room until the end of the exam. We couldn't leave early even if we had finished. I had no umbrella so waited until the downpour was over before I left the shop. We don't need to be at the stadium until the first race is over so we don't need to leave home till eleven o' clock.

by We use by to indicate that something will be achieved before a particular time or at that particular time at the latest. Note the contrast between by and until in the final examples below: • • •

We have to be at the stadium by midday, so we should leave home by eleven fifteen. She had learnt to play the piano by the age of nine. By that age she could play almost any tune you asked her to. She learnt to play the piano until she was nine years old. Then suddenly and without warning, she quit.

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Serj from Russia writes: My question is: I can say: For a few years my brother worked on the plant. Why can't I say this? During the few years my brother worked on the plant? 'for' to express length of time You are quite right, Serj. We use for as a preposition when we are talking about a period of time: • •

For a few years my brother worked on the plant. My brother worked at the factory for a few years.

We don't know exactly when it was and I don't know how old your brother is but it might have been in the 90s, the 80s or the 70s or even earlier and it lasted for two or three years. For can be used to describe a period of time in the past, present or future: • •

The English course that I'm attending lasts for three months. Then I shall be on holiday in Dublin for five days. Last year I went to Australia and stayed for six weeks.

However, if you use for with the present perfect or present perfect continuous tense, it indicates a period of time which started in the past and continues up to the present time: • •

My sister has worked as a vet for fifteen years now - since 1987. Those oak trees have been standing in Greenwich Park for centuries - since the 18th Century, I think.

Note that since is used to indicate the starting point of the action and for measures the period of time up to the present. during to express length of time We also use during as a preposition when we are talking about a period of time, but the meaning is different. During means (at some point) in the course of. Compare the following: • • • •

I saw not one duck on the lake during the whole of last summer. I don't know when exactly but he must have left during the night. I expect he'll phone me at some stage during next week. It must have rained here during the last fortnight as the ground is quite soft and damp.

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Remember the difference by thinking that during tells us when something happens, for tells us how long it lasts. During does not work in your original sentence, Serj, because it introduces a subordinate clause starting with when or that and the sentence is incomplete. There is no main clause. • •

During the few years… During the few years (when / that) my brother was working in the factory…

If we add a main clause, the sentence will be complete and grammatically correct. •

During those years (when / that) my brother was working in the factory, I was studying at university.

Note that we can replace during…when or during…that with the conjunction while: • •

My brother was working on a farm while I was studying for my masters degree. While my brother was at home working on the farm, I was away at university.

'For' and 'to' Very often I confuse the uses of to and for when I want to express the idea of purpose. When should I use for and when must I use to? for + noun or to + infinitive To talk about the purpose of an action, we use a for + noun construction or a to + infinitive structure. Compare the following: We stopped off at the Goose for a drink and then we carried on to embassy for dinner. I’m going to Brussels next week for an interview. I hope to work for the UN. Do you want to have a drink at the Goose before we go on to dine with the ambassador? I’ve come to Dublin to attend a seminar and to meet the new members of the faculty. But now I’m leaving for Rome. for + -ing To talk about the purpose of something, we use a for + -ing construction: - These double-strength paracetamols are good for getting rid of headaches. - Are they suitable for backache too?

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- What are these two knives used for? - This one is for cutting bread and that one is just for slicing meat. What…for? Note that What…for? can be used in questions to talk about the purpose of both actions and things: - You pinched me! What did you do that for? - I wanted to see if you were awake - What are these two buttons for? - The blue one is for gaining access to the main menu and the green one is for quitting teletext. giving reasons and explaining behaviour Note that the same constructions, for + noun and for + -ing, are used with thank, apologise and be / feel sorry: With be / feel sorry a to + infinitive structure is also possible. Compare the following: Thanks for the lift. Thank you for driving me home. South Western trains would like to apologise for the late arrival of this train and for the inconvenience this may cause you. He really should apologise for spitting in his face. That sort of behaviour is unacceptable, even on a football field. I’m sorry to have taken so long with this report. I’m sorry for taking so long with this report. - I feel sorry for the cleaners. - I feel sorry for them too. They’ve got the thankless task of cleaning up all this mess.

Note also the way in which the for + -ing construction is used to explain the reasons for the following actions: He was rewarded for handing in the purse. He was criticised for not coming forward as a witness to the accident. He was fined heavily for speeding on the motorway. He was sent to prison for falsifying the accounts. in order (not) to / so as (not) to + infinitive

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Note that to + infinitive is one of the most common ways of expressing purpose. When we want to be explicit or sound more formal we can also use in order to or so as to. This structures are especially common before negative infinitives, in order not to and so as not to: To get a better job I decided to take a computer course. In order to get a better job I decided to take a computer course. I left home early in order not to be late for the appointment. I left the house early so as not be late for the job interview.

Lim Chiu Lan from Malaysia asks about prepositional phrases: Would you be good enough to explain to me what is the difference between these prepositional phrases: good at and good in? Which of the following is correct: 1) 'I'm good at English' or 2) 'I'm good in English' and 1) 'I'm good at football' or 2) 'I'm good in football'?

To be good at and to be good in are often interchangeable, Lim, and there is no easy rule to follow. In simple statements, like the ones you have quoted, the standard form appears to be good at as in 'I'm not very good at football'. However, in this following sentence, to be good in seems more likely than to be good at, i.e: •

'He was the best in the class in French, but in mathematics and chemistry he was not so good.'

This is perhaps because with other expressions or verbs denoting assessment or ranking, the preposition in would be required, thus: •

'In pharmacology she obtained/scored/gained/attained the highest marks.'

In front of / before / across

M Peres from Brazil writes: I would like to know the difference in use between in front of, before and across. Is it correct to say: he was sitting before me or do we have to say he was sitting in front of me? If it's incorrect to say: he was sitting in front of me, why do we say: the criminal was brought before the judge? Before / in front of (prepositions)

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Before is not normally used to refer to place. We normally use in front of to specify place the opposite of which is behind. Compare the following: •

Sam was sitting in front of my girlfriends in the cinema but behind my sister.

•

I was waiting patiently in the queue. In front of me there were about two hundred people and behind me a further three hundred.

Before is normally used as a preposition to indicate time. Its opposite of which is after: •

Your brother arrived at the church shortly after three, but I distinctly remember saying to everyone: "You must be in your seats at or before three o' clock".

•

Excuse me, I was here before you. I should therefore be in front of you in the queue.

However, before is used to refer to place when it indicates position in a list or when it means in the presence of somebody important: •

K comes before L in the alphabet, but after J. He had behaved so badly in school that he was brought before the headmistress.

•

I was accused of dangerous driving but rather than pay the fine, I elected to appear before the local magistrates.

Note that in these last two examples before means facing and not one behind the other. Before (conjunction or adverb) Before is often used as a conjunction linking two clauses or as an adverb of time, meaning at some time before now. •

Give me a ring to let me know you are on your way before you leave the house.

•

Make sure you get to the church before the bride arrives.

•

Before she married Maurice, she went out with Austin for a couple of years.

•

He was certain we had met before, but I was equally sure we hadn't, for I had never been there before.

•

Within two minutes of it starting, I realized that I'd seen this film before.

Across (preposition)

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In American English, across from as in across the road from me or across the table from me is expressed in British English by the prepositions opposite or facing: •

She sat facing me across the table. (She sat across the table from me.)

•

They live directly opposite us in the green house. (They live across the road from us in the green house.)

In British English, across means from one side to the other, expressing movement, or on the other side of an imaginary line, expressing position: •

My older sister lives just across the road, but Jenny, my baby sister, lives right across the city, 60 minutes by Tube or two hours in the car.

•

Rather than walk twenty miles to the nearest bridge, we decided to swim across the fast-flowing river, unaware of the dangerous currents.

Across or through? Note the difference in use between across and through. Across suggests flat or open space, whereas through suggests a space which is closed with things on all sides: •

Although it was dark, I was not afraid of walking home through the forest.

•

The ice was quite thick and he experienced no difficulty in skating right across the lake.

•

We cycled across Bodmin moor and through a number of small villages.

'like' as verb and preposition

Jose Luis Luque studying English in the UK writes: Could you please tell me the difference between like as a verb and as a preposition? like Like as a verb is used mainly to talk about enjoyment, preferences and habits. It is perhaps not quite as strong in emotional terms as love, or be fond of or be keen on. Compare the following: • • •

Do you like cross-country skiing? ~ Yeah, I quite like it now, but I still prefer downhill. When I’m making a cold drink, I always like to put the ice and slices of lemon in first. How did you like the pumpkin soup? ~ Oh, I liked it very much.

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• • •

I’ve got blackcurrant mousse for desert. Do you like blackcurrants? ~ Oh, I love them. He’s a very kind person. I like him very much, but I could never go out with him. I’m a very social person but I don’t like people following me around all the time.

Note that like is not normally used in the progressive form and cannot normally be used without an object: • •

What do you think of the conversation classes? ~ I like them. (NOT: I’m liking them.) Do you like garage music? ~ Yes, I do. OR: Yes, I like it. (NOT: Yes, I like.)

would like to = want to Take care not to confuse like with would like to. They have quite different meanings. Compare the following and note the structural differences when using them: • • • • •

I'd like to / I want to send this parcel by international recorded delivery, please. Are you interested in going to the match on Saturday. ~ Yes, I'd like to. / Yes, I want to. If you'd like to / you want to take your coat off, please do. It's rather hot in here. I would like to visit him in hospital, but my wife doesn't want to. She doesn't like hospitals. I would have liked to have seen John before he left for Canada, but Mary didn't want to.

Note that when used for requests and suggestions, would like to sometimes sounds slightly more polite than want to. like as preposition Like as a preposition with nouns or pronouns is used to express ideas of similarity or comparison. Compare the following: • • • • •

When she's on stage, she looks a bit like Britney, but she sounds more like Madonna. Like you, I prefer to eat my breakfast in the morning without engaging in small talk. It was only five o' clock, but it seemed like the middle of the night, it was so dark. These plants grow very well in hot countries, like Costa Rica and Venezuela. What's Bournemouth like as a seaside town? ~ It's a little bit like Brighton. Quite lively!

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When should we use 'made of' and when should we use 'made from'? Do they have different meanings? 'Made of' / 'Made from'? Alex Gooch answers: Hi Pavel, thanks for your question. Actually, a student asked me the same question in class a couple of weeks ago - and just like you, I was a bit puzzled by this; I couldn't immediately work out what the rule was. But I talked it over with my colleagues ? the other teachers in the Teacher's Room - and eventually, we realised that this rule is really quite simple. Let's start by looking at some examples - I might say: "This shirt is made of cotton" "This house is made of bricks" OR "The keyboard I use on my computer is made of plastic." On the other hand, we might say: "Paper is made from trees." "Wine is made from grapes." OR "This cake is made from all natural ingredients." So, if you think about the first group of examples, you'll notice that there's a common theme - a common pattern. The cotton in the shirt is still cotton - it hasn't changed its form and become something else. In the same way, the bricks in the walls of the house - they're still bricks. They didn't stop being bricks when the house was made. And the plastic in my computer keyboard is still plastic. So we say: "The shirt is made of cotton." "The house is made of bricks." "The keyboard is made of plastic." On the other hand, the trees in the example where we say: "The paper is made from trees." These trees are not trees anymore - they stopped being trees when they became paper. And if we say: "Wine is made from grapes." The grapes are no longer grapes - they've been changed into a different type of stuff - a different type of substance - in this case, wine. And the flour and the eggs and the sugar in the example about the cake; these have all changed their forms as well when they became cake. So this is the rule: If something keeps its form, we use 'made of'' But if the form is changed during the process of making, then we use 'made from'.

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To meet/to meet with What is the difference between 'I will meet you' and 'I will meet with you'? Martin Parrott answers: Yes - well, firstly, well done Mustafa, well done for being really up-to-date, because of course 'I will meet with you' -- that 'with' there is a recent form, certainly in British English. It comes from American English, but I think in American English too, it's a fairly recent form. I will meet you There is a difference: I will meet you or I'll meet you, could mean all kinds of things. It could mean that we're going to have a meeting, and we're going to do some work together; but it could simply mean that's where we're going to see each other, and we're going to go and do something else afterwards. I will meet with you 'I will meet with you' does imply a number of things: it implies that it's quite formal; it implies that it's very professional reasons and it implies that somehow, we're going to collaborate on something ...and that it will go on for quite a long time. Which is the more common expression? I'll meet you is much more common. Personally, I love these new expression, and I use 'I'll meet with you' at every opportunity. However conservative people very often dislike, and disapprove of, these new expressions which come into the language and so I tend to be a little bit careful about who I'm talking to when I use expressions like this. I love it! Are there any other expressions that mean more or less the same thing? Are there any more colloquial expressions that people use to meet up with somebody else, with their friends? Well, it's not to meet up with their friends, but I think it's relevant. We often say 'I'll meet you halfway'. I'll meet you half way And if you meet somebody halfway, it's got nothing to do with actually meeting, it's got to do with negotiating. So, you want something, and I want something else then we can either fall out and do nothing, or we can both compromise and find a solution which involves both of us getting some of what we want, and not getting some of what we want - and in that case, what we talk about is meeting somebody halfway: 'I'll meet you halfway'. 'Meeting up'/'meet up'

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Of course, we talk about meeting up, and that's a very common expression: in fact it's what we call a phrasal verb, but you can meet up, or you can meet up with somebody - that's always for social reasons and it involves getting together, usually then to do something else, and it may involve not two people, but a large group of people. So, at the end of an evening of doing something socially, somebody might say ‘when are we going to meet up again’? To 'hook up' If you hook up with somebody you meet them. It's very colloquial. Usually young professional people use this, people in their twenties, professional people, who lead a very busy life. They don't have very much time to spend with anyone, and they say 'oh, I'll hook up with you sometime' - meaning getting into contact for a quick conversation which has some definite purpose. They will then move on and hook up with somebody else. To get in touch We often use the expression 'to get in touch with someone'. Now, that very often doesn't involve touching, or even seeing. It's very often a letter, or an e-mail, or a phone call, or a text message - but that has the sense of contacting somebody who you haven't had contact with for quite some time. Christmas in this part of the world of course is where we tend to get in touch with people that we don't see regularly and that just means sending them a card and it's really to let them know that we're still there - and thinking of them. Martin Parrott answers: Yes - well, firstly, well done Mustafa, well done for being really up-to-date, because of course 'I will meet with you' -- that 'with' there is a recent form, certainly in British English. It comes from American English, but I think in American English too, it's a fairly recent form. I will meet you There is a difference: I will meet you or I'll meet you, could mean all kinds of things. It could mean that we're going to have a meeting, and we're going to do some work together; but it could simply mean that's where we're going to see each other, and we're going to go and do something else afterwards. I will meet with you 'I will meet with you' does imply a number of things: it implies that it's quite formal; it implies that it's very professional reasons and it implies that somehow, we're going to collaborate on something ...and that it will go on for quite a long time. Which is the more common expression? I'll meet you is much more common. Personally, I love these new expression, and I use 'I'll meet with you' at every opportunity. However conservative people very often dislike, and disapprove of, these new expressions which come into the language and so I tend to be a little bit careful about who I'm talking to when I use expressions like this. I love it!

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Are there any other expressions that mean more or less the same thing? Are there any more colloquial expressions that people use to meet up with somebody else, with their friends? Well, it's not to meet up with their friends, but I think it's relevant. We often say 'I'll meet you halfway'. I'll meet you half way And if you meet somebody halfway, it's got nothing to do with actually meeting, it's got to do with negotiating. So, you want something, and I want something else then we can either fall out and do nothing, or we can both compromise and find a solution which involves both of us getting some of what we want, and not getting some of what we want - and in that case, what we talk about is meeting somebody halfway: 'I'll meet you halfway'. 'Meeting up'/'meet up' Of course, we talk about meeting up, and that's a very common expression: in fact it's what we call a phrasal verb, but you can meet up, or you can meet up with somebody - that's always for social reasons and it involves getting together, usually then to do something else, and it may involve not two people, but a large group of people. So, at the end of an evening of doing something socially, somebody might say ‘when are we going to meet up again’? To 'hook up' If you hook up with somebody you meet them. It's very colloquial. Usually young professional people use this, people in their twenties, professional people, who lead a very busy life. They don't have very much time to spend with anyone, and they say 'oh, I'll hook up with you sometime' - meaning getting into contact for a quick conversation which has some definite purpose. They will then move on and hook up with somebody else. To get in touch We often use the expression 'to get in touch with someone'. Now, that very often doesn't involve touching, or even seeing. It's very often a letter, or an e-mail, or a phone call, or a text message - but that has the sense of contacting somebody who you haven't had contact with for quite some time. Christmas in this part of the world of course is where we tend to get in touch with people that we don't see regularly and that just means sending them a card and it's really to let them know that we're still there - and thinking of them.

on/off Tamas from Hungary writes: I have two sentences:

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• •

vacationers reported seeing sharks just off the coast we have two full weeks off from school

I understand these sentences, but I'm not sure how to use the word off in examples like these. Could you please explain this usage of this word? off / on as prepositions Off functions as a preposition of position or movement and is the converse of on. We speak of getting on a bus and off a bus, taking things off the table and putting them on the floor. In your first sentence, Tamas, off appears in off the coast to describe something that is situated near or next to land, but which is not exactly on the coast. Consider these other similar examples: • •

We live just off The Avenue. Drive along The Avenue almost to the end and then turn off to the right into a little cul-de-sac. The Inner and Outer Hebrides are situated off the Western coast of Scotland.

Here are some examples of other common usages of off as a preposition: • • • • •

Did she jump off or fall off the cliff or did someone push her off? ~ Nobody knows! I'm off alcohol just now. A big celebration last Sunday. And it's put me off my food too. I think this crab pate has gone off, you know. It doesn't taste fresh any more. Have you heard? There's 20 % off all CDs at the music shop in Elm Street next Friday. You don't have to keep off the grass in this park. You can walk anywhere on the grass.

In your second sentence, Tamas, off describes time that is taken off work or off school typically because of illness, tiredness or holiday arrangements. Note that we do not need to say off from. One preposition, off, is enough here: • •

We're getting two extra days off school at the beginning of June for the Queen's Jubilee. I shall have to have a day off soon. I can't keep going like this all the time. ~ Why don't you take the afternoon off today?

expresssions with off We also speak about people being off-balance, off-colour, off-duty, doing things on the off-chance and having off days: • • •

I caught him completely off-balance and he didn't know what to say. She'd been off-colour for days, but there was no sign of any real illness developing. Could you just do this for me? ~ Sorry, love, I'm off duty at the moment. ~ When are you on again?

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• •

I decided to take a detour into Paris on the off-chance that Amelie might be there. Brobbins, the club's leading striker, had an off day and missed three open goals.

phrasal verbs with off There are many common phrasal verbs with off, such as put off (= postpone), knock off (finish work), lay off (dismiss from work, usually temporarily), bring something off (complete something successfully), polish off (eat something quickly): • • • • •

I've been putting it off for weeks, but it's no good, I shall have to go to the dentists soon. Aren't you going to knock off soon? You've been staring into that computer screen all day. 700 workers will be laid off in the Belfast shipyards following a decline in orders. They had a wonderful time. I didn't think you'd be able to bring it off. I thought the Christmas cake would hang around for weeks, but they soon polished it off.

A question from Cecile Arnould in Belgium: I want to know the difference between - 'think of' and 'think about'.

Sian Harris answers: Hi Cecile and thanks for your question - prepositions are a very tricky area! This is also what's known as a collocation issue...which means we need to look at which words work best in partnership with 'think of ' and 'think about.'. Basically, 'think of' usually means 'imagine' whereas 'think about' tends to mean something closer to 'consider', so the differences would arise in certain contexts. For example, if I say I'm thinking of a tropical beach, please don't interrupt me! I mean I'm imagining it or daydreaming about it. However, a sentence like 'they're thinking about whether to agree to the sale,' means they're considering the sale. In these cases, it's just natural usage patterns that tend to favour one form over another But when we are talking about people, we often tend to use them both in a similar way: For example, if my friend had an accident and went to hospital, I might send a card and some flowers with a message which could either read: 'I'm thinking of you,' or 'I'm thinking about you', and the meaning wouldn't be significantly different. I hope that helps Cecile - thanks for your question.

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Speaking & writing

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British English vs American English A question from Brittney in the United States of America: I am an American college student who is contemplating applying for work in the United Kingdom after I graduate, and I was wondering how big the language barrier would be in my prospective move from America to the United Kingdom. I know there are similarities, but I also know that there are many more differences. Any tips would be appreciated!

Alex Gooch answers: Hi Brittney. You're right, there are many well-known differences between British and American English, but these differences won't cause you any serious problems if you come and work in Britain. First, there are a few noticeable GRAMMAR differences between British and American English: I'll talk about the two most important ones. First of all, when Americans make sentences using 'just', 'already' or 'yet', they normally use the past simple tense, while in Britain, we use the present perfect. So an American, for example, might say: "I already had lunch."

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"She didn't arrive yet." And a British person would say: "I've already had lunch." - That's "I have already had lunch." Or... "She hasn't arrived yet." Also, in Britain we often use 'have got' or 'has got' when we talk about possession, while Americans generally just use 'have' or 'has'. So, for example, in American English we might say: "I have a new car." In British English it's more normal to say: "I've got a new car." The meaning's the same, there's just a small grammatical difference that you might notice. There are these and a few other very small differences, but to be honest, these differences almost never make it difficult for us to understand each other. On the other hand, the differences in VOCABULARY between American English and British English are stronger than the grammatical differences, but again, these very rarely cause serious problems. A lot of the words which are different are informal or slang words... For example, I think many Americans would be unfamiliar with the British slang word 'naff', which means 'un-cool' or 'poor-quality'. On the other hand, a Brit (a British person) might be very confused by a sentence like: "The café is kitty-corner to the pharmacy." This means that the café is diagonally opposite to the pharmacy, but we don't have the word 'kitty-corner' in British English. Another example would be telling the time... If we want to describe 2:45 in Britain, we might say: "Quarter to three", or 3:15 would be "Quarter past three". On the other hand, in America, these might be: "Quarter of three" for 2:45, or "Quarter after three" for 3:15. It's another small difference, but it's one that's not going to cause serious problems it's quite easy to get used to.

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There are also some differences in SPELLING which I should mention. One example of this is the verb 'to practise': In British English, this is spelt with an 'S', so that's P-R-A-C-T-I-S-E. In American English, it's spelt with two 'C's, so in American English it's P-R-A-C-T-I-C-E. And there are lots of other examples of slight difference of spelling, but about 99% of the time, British and American people can understand each other without any trouble at all. In Britain we watch lots of American films and TV programs, and we listen to lots of American music, so American English is generally very familiar to us. This is probably not quite so true for an American coming to Britain. Americans, I think, don't watch quite so much British TV or British movies. I should also point out that regional English can be an important thing to think about. Not everyone in Britain talks like James Bond. There are some regional accents in Britain which you don't hear so often in the movies, and these might be a bit more difficult to get used to. However, I'd like to finish by saying that many, many Americans live and work in Britain, and they don't have any serious language problems at all. So, Brittney, my advice to you is: don't worry about the language, you'll be fine!

A question from Diana from the USA: Can we not... / Can we not go there? Hi, I would like to know the correct usage of the phrase 'Can we not...'. If I say 'Can we not go there?', that could have two meanings... one would be of disgust, the other of eagerness. Are both correct ways to use the words? If not, which is the right way?

Alex Gooch answers: Hello Diana. You're right, the question 'Can we not go there?' can have two completely different meanings. Firstly, it can express eagerness. When we use the question: 'Can we not (do something)?' we want to do this thing, but we think it might be impossible or not allowed. Here's an example: Let's imagine a couple in a travel agency, looking at the brochures and trying to decide about a holiday. Let's call them 'Mary' and 'David'.

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In this first example, Mary says: "Can we go abroad this year?" In this case, she thinks it's probably okay to go abroad, so she uses the simple form of the question, without 'not'; just "Can we go abroad this year?" On the other hand, there might be a conversation like this: David might say, "We haven't got much money. Let's take a holiday in Britain this year." And Mary might answer: "Well, we've been on holiday in Britain for the last five years. Can we not go abroad this year?" Here, Mary wants to go abroad, but she thinks this might be impossible or not allowed because of David's comments. So in this situation, we use the question 'Can we not (do something)?' When we say 'Can we not (do something)?' to express eagerness, we can also say: 'Can't we' - 'Can't we (do something)?' In fact, 'Can't we (do something)?' is the more common way of expressing this. So, Mary might say: "Can't we go abroad this year?" On the other hand, 'Can we not (do something)?' can also express disgust or not wanting to do this thing. Let's think about another example: Mary and David, again, are in the travel agents' looking at brochures... David says: "I'd like to go to Iceland." Mary replies: "Iceland sounds very cold. I don't like cold places. Can we not go there?" Here, Mary doesn't want to go Iceland, because she doesn't like cold places. We sometimes use 'Can we not (do something)?' to express the fact that we really don't like this thing, and we don't want to do it. This use of 'Can we not (do something)?' is very informal - and it's more common in America, but British people have started to use it too. In this type of situation we never use the contraction 'can't', as in 'Can't we (do something)?'. It's always "Can we not..." - "Can we not (do something)?" So, when someone uses a question like this, how do we know what they mean? Actually, the sentences all look the same when they're written down, but they're normally used in spoken English, and when we say them, the stress changes according to the meaning. When we want to express eagerness, we stress the word 'can' and the main verb.

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"Can we not go abroad this year?" On the other hand, when we want to express disgust, or the desire not to do this thing, we put strong stress on not. "Can we not go there?" Incidentally, Diana, the particular example that you chose: 'Can we not go there?' has come to have a special meaning in English recently... If we say: "Can we not go there?" That can mean: "I don't want to talk about it: let's not talk about this." Contractions: 'aren't', 'haven't', 'isn't'

Julia Melnikova from Russia asks: My question is not very serious, but I'd like to know what the contraction ain't means. I met it in the song of Chris de Burgh, 'Moonlight and roses'. 'Tonight there's a band, it ain't such a bad one / Play me a song, don't make it a sad one.' I think it means 'not'. Am I right? You are right, Julia. 'It ain't' here could be re-written in standard English as 'it isn't' or 'it's not'. 'Ain't' is non-standard English, but is quite common in dialects and in colloquial forms of British and American English. So it is important to be able to recognise it, but not so important to be able to produce it in speech or writing. It is used as the contracted form of a number of different aspects of the verbs and auxiliary verbs 'to be' and 'to have', so it is quite useful, as you can see. It is the contracted form of: 'am not', 'are not', 'is not', 'have not' and 'has not' It is often used with a second negative in the same clause, producing a double negative, which is ungrammatical, but quite normal in this variety of English: • • • • • • •

'You ain't goin' nowhere. You're stayin' right here.' 'I ain't done it yet. No. I ain't 'ad a minute to meself.' (= myself). 'I ain't Superman.' 'It ain't right for Joan to tell Jane what to do.' 'He still ain't returned that bike. How long's he 'ad it for now?' 'You ain't finished your supper, Simon. Ain't you 'ungry, or what?' 'It ain't arf 'ot in 'ere.'

The standard negative contractions of these two verbs, which you should be using, particularly in speech and in informal writing, are as follows. There are quite a few of them, as you can see. Note that he's not is the standard contracted form for both 'he has not' and 'he is not'. Note also that 'am not' is normally contracted to 'aren't' only in questions.

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Full form I am not Am I not?

Contraction I'm not Aren't I?

We are not

We're not

We are not You are not

We aren't You aren't

You are not

You're not

They are not

They aren't

They are not

They're not

He/she is not He/she is not It is not It is not It has not It has not

He/she isn't He's/she's not It's not It isn't It hasn't It's not

He/she has not

He's/she's not

I have not

I haven't

I have not

I've not

You have not

You've not

You have not

You haven't

They have not

They've not

They have not

They haven't

Example I'm not going out this evening. I'm staying in. I'm too old for this sort of thing, aren't I? We're not very happy with plans for tomorrow. We aren't going to Tom's party after all. But you're going, aren't you? You're not yet 16. So you're not going clubbing. Those tomatoes - they aren't very red, are they? They've just phoned to say they're not coming to dinner tonight. He/she isn't quite ready to take this exam. He's/she's not very clever, is he/she? It's not very warm today, is it? It isn't going to rain, is it? It hasn't rained for a long time. It's not been long since I saw you. He's/she's not been to work today as he's/she's got a cold. I haven't seen you for ages. How are you? I've not read that newspaper yet, so don't throw it away. You've not finished your supper, Simon. Aren't you hungry tonight. I can see you've played this game before, haven't you? They've not been to see Brenda's mother at all since she's been in hospital. They've already left, haven't they? The car's not in the drive.

Discourse markers Please help me out. The expression mind you has been confusing me for some time in many ways. Please help me to understand this expression. Discourse markers or linking words like mind you indicate how one piece of discourse is connected to another piece of discourse. They show the connection between what has already been written or said and what is going to be written or said. Some are very informal and characteristic of spoken language. Others are quite formal and characteristic of written language. There are many of them. The following represent a tiny fraction of the total. mind you / still

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Mind you is an example of an informal linking device used in spoken English to point out that what you are going to say as an afterthought contradicts what has already been said. Still can be used in a similar way: Miners in this country work for long hours in very difficult conditions and mostly in the dark. Mind you, they’re well paid for the work they do. The divorce was very acrimonious and she didn’t get half of what she was expecting. Still, she’s been left with a comfortable house to bring the children up in. by the way / incidentally By the way and incidentally can also be used to introduce afterthoughts but they do not contradict what has already been said like mind you or still. But they do indicate a change in direction of the conversation. Both are used in informal and semi-formal spoken English. Incidentally is slightly more formal than by the way: I’m meeting Tom at five o’ clock to discuss the end-of-year balances and then I’m playing tennis with Greg. Oh, by the way, I shan’t want anything to eat when I get home. She should do well. She’s highly intelligent, she has worked hard and done a lot of revision. Incidentally, her name is misspelt on the examination entry form. however / nevertheless Like mind you and still, however and nevertheless are used to introduce a contrast with what has been said before. However, they are much more characteristic of written English: As expected, Britain has again come last in the European athletics championships. However, we did register one small success by coming third and winning the bronze in the hop, skip and jump. He is unlikely ever to get into the first team and I know he is keen to return to his native country at the earliest opportunity. Nevertheless, he will be expected to fulfil his contract and remain with us until the end of the summer. Note from these examples that in an informal medium, mind you and still could replace however and nevertheless. you know / like / let's see You know, like and let’s see are all examples of a special kind of discourse marker used in conversation and they are known as fillers. They are employed to give the speaker a second to think about what he wants to say. Like is very heavily used as a filler at the moment, especially by young adults and teenagers. For many young people it has become a speech habit. Here are some examples of use: That strong wind that caused all the damage to the beach huts. That was back in – like / let’s see – October?

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I don’t ever throw my rubbish away in the street. I – like / you know – care about the environment and stuff. She didn’t get the joke! I’m – like – laughing my head off, but she couldn’t see what was funny about it. He phoned me to say it was all over. I said – like – you can’t do that to me. You’re from Tunbridge Wells. That’s – like / let’s see – south of London? He was rapping away like Eminem. And I’m – like – wow! A question from Roberto in Brazil: I'd like to know about fluency. What can I do to feel better when I'm talking to other people? Do we have some way to learn it faster? Please help me! Susan Fearn answers: So, Roberto wants to know how to become more fluent in English, and this is something he wants to be able to do 'fast'. I know you're writing this from Brazil Roberto, but you don't say whether or not you get to meet English speakers much. If you do, the first rule of becoming more fluent is to listen, not just to native speakers of English but also to very good users of English as a second language - the kind of speaker that I guess you'd like to become. If you don't get to meet many speakers of English, then listen to radio, TV or films in English. Listen to the BBC! The next step is to notice what it is that speakers of English do, which makes them sound fluent. The first trick is to probably have confidence; a good user of a language isn't afraid to speak. Some people are afraid to speak a foreign language because they think they might make mistakes. Don't worry about that. Your listeners will usually try hard to understand you - a few grammar errors aren't going to worry them. What you do need to worry about, though, is pronunciation, and in particular, stress. By 'stress', I mean that some parts of a word or sentence are stronger and louder than others. For example, if I say: Roberto's from Brazil the stressed or strong parts are bert and zil. Roberto's from Brazil Stress differs from language to language and it's likely that you transfer some of your Portuguese patterns when you speak English - and this could make you sound less fluent. When you learn a new word or expression, learn it with its stress. There are some rules for word stress in English but they're very complicated with a lot of exceptions! The easiest thing to do is to learn the stress with the word. Notice how a native speaker says it or look in a dictionary.

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Here's a little test: Can you spot the stress in these words? English BBC university Again: English BBC university And did you get that? It's English with the stress on Eng, BBC with the stress on the first 'B', and university with the stress on ver. In a whole sentence or utterance, the stress is usually on the words which carry the most meaning. That's often the nouns, the main verbs, the adjectives and adverbs. Listen to this sentence and see if you can spot the stress: Roberto has been learning English for ten years. And again: Roberto has been learning English for ten years. And the stress is on bert, learn, Eng, ten years. Roberto has been learning English for ten years. And if you start listening, for example, to BBC interviews and think of this, you'll begin to notice the stress and the rhythm of English. So, how far have we got? Confidence, not worrying too much, pronunciation, stress? What else? Well, another good thing that speakers of English do is to have a few tricks up their sleeves for when they need to give themselves thinking time because they're searching for what to say next. And they use 'filler sounds' like er, um and so on. Another thing that English speakers do is make words longer: well... so... And there are a range of other expressions they use too, special expressions like So what I'm saying is? Do you see what I mean? You know? So, listen and notice what some of these expressions are that people use to win extra time. Another thing that it's useful to know how to do is how to bring other speakers into your conversation so that you keep them interested - and this often done by asking questions.

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What do you think? What do you reckon? How do you feel about this? and so on... So, to become a fluent speaker, you'll need to put into practice all these kind of things. And there's the key: practise, practise, practise. *If you do have English-speaking friends, meet up with them as much as possible. *Try and put yourself in a position where you're the only one who doesn't have first language or very fluent English. *Find a language exchange partner - someone who wants to practise your language in return. One of my students was a speaker of Chinese who was learning English; he found an English person who was learning Chinese and they did half an hour of each language. If you can't do any of that, you'll have to agree with another learner of English that you're going to have - say - an hour a day speaking just English. And if that's not possible, use English with yourself, inside your head. Think in English. It does work! It's what I do with French. I've got no one in my house who speaks French, and so to practise, I talk to the cat - in French. Bonjour chat! My daughter thinks it's very, very funny!

gonna, gotta, wanna and dunno Daniel Haieck from San Luis in Argentina writes: I would like to know please under what circumstances we should use wanna and gonna, and what exactly they mean. Thank you. wanna / gonna Wanna and gonna are frequently used in speech in informal colloquial English, particularly American English, instead of want to and going to. You will also see them used in writing in quotes of direct speech to show the conversational pronunciation of want to and going to. Gonna to express the going to form of the future is used with first second and third person singular and plural. Note that in the interrogative, are is omitted in second person singular and first and second person plural • • •

What we gonna do now? (= What are we going to do now?) Don't know about you two. I'm gonna put my feet up and take a break. We're gonna carry on and try and get there before dark.

•

What's he gonna wear on his wedding day? ~ I dunno. But he's gonna look real smart.

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Wanna can be used with all persons singular and plural, except third person singular. This is because wanna scans with I want to, you want to, we want to, they want to, but not with he/she wants to where the final s is too intrusive: • •

What you wanna do now? (Instead of: What do you want to do now?) I wanna go home. My mum and dad are waiting for me and they wanna go out.

•

You'll never give up gambling. I'm sure of that. ~ You wanna bet? (which means: Do you want to place a bet on that?)

a wannabee This term derives originally from the US, but is now used extensively in British English. A wannabee (literally a want-to-be) is someone who is trying to copy somebody else. Usually the person they are trying to copy is somebody famous. •

Scores of Britney Spears wannabees raided the shops where she had bought her latest outfit.

gotta Gotta is used in a similar way to gonna and wanna, in this case to show the conversational pronunciation of have got to, or as informal alternatives to have to or must. It is not so much used in the interrogative: • •

Don't go out there tonight. It's really dangerous. ~ A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do

• •

I gotta / I've gotta phone home right now. My mum'll be worried. You gotta / You've gotta get changed right away. The match starts in five minutes.

dunno Dunno, meaning I don't know is characteristic of very informal speech in British English. Note that the word stress in this expression is on the second syllable, whereas with gonna, gotta and wanna it is on the first syllable. • •

Are you going to college when you leave school? ~ Dunno! Will you quit your job if they re-locate to Manchester? ~ I dunno.

When to use these expressions You don't ever need to use these forms actively yourself, Daniel, as a language learner. They may sound too informal if you do, although if other native speakers of English around you are using them, there is probably no reason why you shouldn't use them too, as you 'grow into them.' It is, of course, important to recognise and understand them.

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Gotta, wanna and gonna in the history of popular music Gotta, wanna and gonna have been used regularly in the titles and lyrics or popular songs since the 1950s or even earlier.

Greetings and farewells What is the difference between these two sentences: ‘How are you?’ and ‘How do you do?’

Formal greetings How do you do? is very formal and is not used very much, especially by younger people, these days. It may be used on first meeting and accompanied by a formal handshake when both partners issue the same greeting. The reply to How do you do? is How do you do? Then it would be a matter of getting straight down to the business in hand, e.g. ‘I see that your company has been performing very well in South East Asia...' The more usual exchange between two people meeting with a handshake on a fairly formal basis for the first time would be: Pleased to meet you. Or: Nice to meet you. Informal greetings The most common way of greeting someone both at an informal level and more formally would be: Hello! How are you? to which the standard reply is: Very well, thank you. or: Fine, thank you. (Note that the question is not usually meant or interpreted as a searching enquiry after the person’s health.) After we have given this reply, we often repeat: (And) how are you? or: (And) what about you? The response is still the same: Fine, thanks. At the most informal level, among friends and particularly among young people, the most common greeting would probably be: Hi! to which the response is: Hi! This might then be followed by one of the following: How are things?, How’s things?, How’s it going?, (Are) you OK? to which the answer is probably: Yeah, fine! or with typical British understatement: Yeah, not so bad! Formal farewells At a formal level, and again accompanied by a handshake, the most common farewell would probably be: (It was) nice to meet you or Nice to have met you. If a follow-up meeting has been arranged, this might be accompanied by: I’ll see you in three weeks. Bye, now. Informal farewells

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At a more informal level too, on first meeting, it would be quite normal to say: Nice to have met you. Bye/Goodbye. Among friends, farewell might be taken (by a combination of) some of the following: • • • • •

'Bye.' 'Bye-bye.' 'See you.' 'See you later./tomorrow./on Saturday./etc' 'Take care.

Group discussions I will have to face interview and group discussions in order to get recruited into a company, can you please tell me how to speak effectively in a group discussion. Hi Mayur, Thanks for your question! Lots of people feel nervous about participating in group discussions, but there are a few simple techniques that can make you an effective participant. Here are my top tips for participating in a group discussion: 1. Prepare If you know what the topic of the discussion will be, there is a lot you can do to prepare in advance. You can read round the topic to make sure you are aware of the main issues and arguments, and spend some time deciding what your own position is. If you can find any English-language audio or TV materials about the topic, make sure you watch it! You can also do some vocabulary research around the topic so that you can talk about it confidently. Make a list of the nouns, verbs and adjectives that you think will be useful and practise their pronunciation. A lot of online dictionaries have pronunciation help. 2. Listen An effective discussion is one in which people listen to each other. Listening is a very important discussion skill: make sure you listen and respond to

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what other people have to say. A good discussion is one in which people share and talk about different opinions and viewpoints. It's not a competition! 3. Don't dominate Many people make the mistake of thinking that in order to be effective in a discussion, they have to speak a lot. In fact, this isn't the case. In discussions, quality is more important than quantity: in other words, what you say is often much more important than how much you say. If you give other people a chance to say what they think, and then respond with a polite, intelligent comment which you are able to back up, you will gain the respect of your colleagues. 4. Back up your points If you make a point in a discussion, you may be asked to explain or support it. You can do this in a number of ways: by providing facts or statistics to support your idea; by quoting expert opinion; by referring to your own experience or simply by explaining why you said what you said. But make sure you are prepared to support what you say, and try to avoid making 'empty' points. 5. Learn some useful phrases There are lots of useful phrases that you can use in discussions. Here are just a few of them: o Agreeing: You're absolutely right about that. o Disagreeing: I'm sorry, I don't see it that way at all. o Interrupting: Sorry, do you mind if I say something here? o Dealing with interruptions: Could I just finish what I'm saying? o Asking for an explanation: Would you mind telling us what exactly you mean by that? o Asking for more information: Would you mind saying a little bit more about that? o Adding more information: Another point I'd like to make is... There are many more phrases you can learn and use to help you feel more confident in discussions. Find out more here 6. Be polite The words argue and discuss in English have different meanings. People may get angry and behave rudely or shout or get aggressive in an argument. In a discussion, especially one with colleagues, it's important to stay calm and be polite, even if you feel strongly about the topic under discussion. Using words like please, thank you, I'd like to... May I...? Would you mind...? Could you...? Make you sound polite and respectful. 7. Take / make notes It's a good idea to have a pen and paper handy. You can jot down any useful or important words or ideas that might come in handy later in the discussion - or afterwards.

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8. Speak clearly Most people are happy to forgive a few grammar mistakes when they are talking to a foreigner. However, they have much less patience when they can't understand someone because they are talking far too quickly, or much too slowly, or when they have poor pronunciation. So, practise your pronunciation and speak clearly and confidently. If you need time to collect your thoughts, you could say something like Hmmm... just let me have a minute to think about this. Or you could say Could you just repeat that please? to get a bit more time to think. 9. Relax! Remember Mayur, a discussion is not a competition: it's an opportunity to share ideas in a positive environment. If you are relaxed, you will be more likely to feel confident and enjoy the discussion - and the best way to make sure you are relaxed in a discussion is to prepare for it! Preparing for a discussion can make the discussion a lot easier. You'll be able to spend less time trying to think of vocabulary and ideas, and more time listening to others and participating in the discussion. Speak slowly and clearly, don't worry too much about little grammar mistakes, and remember to listen and respond to other people. Thanks again for your question Mayur, and good luck in your job search! 'Friendly/informal terms of address' Tri from France writes: Could you please explain the friendly/informal terms of addressing people usually used in British English as well as in American English? I've found the following: love, hen (in Scotland?), duck (?), hon or honey (in American English?). Are there any other terms in regional dialects of English?

Mark Shea answers: Hi Tri, Thanks for sending in such a fun question! Friendly and informal ways of addressing people is an area where English vocabulary is very rich. Many different local or national varieties of English have their own terms of address. There are also different terms of address depending on the relationship between the speaker and the other person. This would give us a very long list - here are a few of my favourites: The one that I personally use most is "mate". I use it for friends and family and mostly for men, although women might call each other mate as well. I frequently start sentences with 'mate', or tag it onto the end of a sentence.

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"Mate, what are you up to tonight?" or "See you later, mate." The meaning is 'friend', and it's particularly common in London and in Australian English. 'Geezer is another London term, though far less common. In a very informal context, you might also hear 'love' used - a greengrocer might say to a customer: "That'll be two pounds please, love." Men wouldn't normally use this with other men though. It's often used between boyfriends and girlfriends - who might also call each other 'babe'. In the north of England, particularly in Newcastle, 'pet' is an affectionate term of address. "Alright, pet" is just a way of saying 'hello' to virtually anybody, known or unknown - although men wouldn't usually call each other 'pet'. In London, men might address male strangers as 'governor' or 'gov' for short, 'squire' or 'mush' - which rhymes with 'push' and comes from the old Romany word for 'man'. All over Britain, and even more in the United States, adults might address children as 'kid', or 'kiddo'. In Britain, boys might also be called 'lad', 'laddy', 'young fella m'lad', 'sonny Jim', etc. But they can sound very condescending if you don't know each other really well. La' is a common abbreviation in Liverpool in the north-west of England, where it might be used for almost any young male. 'Laddy' and 'lassie' are used in Scotland for young men and young women respectively. 'Boyo' is the Welsh version, and can be used for adults too. Rather confusingly, some terms that sound very friendly might not be... 'Pal' means friend, but a sentence which begins "Listen pal..." - could well be a warning or a threat. "Sunshine" is another term that can be used between men, and isn't always as friendly as it sounds. The United States, and rap music in particular, has always been a very rich source of slang, which gradually crosses the Atlantic in American film and music. From this, we get brother, bro', bruv, brud, beau or boo, blood, dog etc. An important point to make about all of these terms, just like all slang, is that by using them you are claiming membership of a particular group or club. It sounds

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strange when older people try to use slang that teenagers use for example - they just don't fit in. As a non-native speaker of English, people might not expect you to use slang, and so they'll be surprised when you do and may mishear or misunderstand what you are saying. You need to be very confident that you're using this vocabulary in an appropriate context to use it well - perhaps amongst friends. It's always fun to learn slang, but it's really easy to get it wrong.

Job interviews I will have to face interview and group discussions in order to get recruited into a company, can you please tell me how to behave in an interview. Hi Mayur, Thanks for your question! Many people feel nervous about interviews, but there are a lot of things you can do to help yourself. Here are some of my favourite tips for successful interviews. 1. Prepare for the interview. Do some research about the company so that you can talk knowledgeably about it. Try to predict what questions you will be asked, and prepare your answers. To help you do this, look at the job advertisement and job description/person specification if you have them, as well as your CV and covering letter. Some general questions you might be asked are: • • • • • • • •

Why do you want to work for this company? How would you describe yourself? What special skills and talents can you bring to this position? How would your manager describe you? What did you learn in your last job? Give an example of a work problem that you have been able to solve. What are your strengths and weaknesses? What is your long-term career plan? Make sure you can answer these questions! Practise pronunciation of difficult words and if you know the name(s) of the person/people who will be interviewing you, make sure you can pronounce them properly. 2. Try to make a good first impression. Wear clean, well-fitting clothes which are appropriate for the job and company you have applied to. Smile, make eye contact and give a firm handshake. Sit fairly upright in your chair and sit still. Speak clearly and

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confidently. The interviewer will probably start by asking you some general questions to make you feel relaxed. Don't worry about being nervous - it’s normal - but don’t let you nerves stop you from giving full answers to questions. 3. Give full answers to questions. The interviewer is asking you questions because s/he wants to know more about you, so don't mumble or give one-word answers. Don’t memorise answers and repeat them word for word. This sounds mechanical and boring, and you’ll get stuck if you are asked a question which you haven’t prepared for. You will give a much better impression if you speak naturally. Make sure you answer the question that was asked, and try to give specific answers with examples. For example, if the interviewer asks you what you learnt in your last job, you could say: In my role as assistant manager, I improved my organisational skills as I was responsible for organising the work schedules of 10 full-time and 5 part-time staff. But don’t give so much detailed information that you become boring! 4. Tell the truth. Don't panic if the interviewer asks you to talk about problems you have had. S/he isn't trying to make you look bad. You should briefly describe the pr o blem and then explain how you tried to solve it. You should also say something about how successful the solution was, for example: ‘The workload on my degree course was very high in the first term, and I found myself falling behind. I solved the problem by making a study timetable so that I didn't spend too much time working on each essay. I also booked a couple of one-to-one sessions with my sociology teacher, who was able to guide my research, which saved me a lot of time. Don't lie or exaggerate. You must ALWAYS tell the truth, remembering to try to show yourself in a positive light. A part time job stacking shelves in your local supermarket isn't ‘just only a part-time job' and it may not be ‘a fantastic opportunity' but it is ‘a chance to meet people, experience a retail environment and earn some money to support my studies' . 5. Prepare your English. Before the interview, you can practise your interview technique by getting a friend to role-play the interview with you. Make a note of any difficulties you have with your English so that you can research and practise them before the interview. During the actual interview, don't be afraid to ask the interviewer to repeat something if you didn't understand it. If you want to check your understanding, repeat the question in your own words: ‘So you're asking me….' ‘You mean you want to know…' This will also give you some time to think of your answer. Don't pretend you understand something if you don't. Speak clearly and confidently, not too quickly and don't worry if you make a few mistakes.

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6. Ask questions. Make a list of things you want to know about the job and take it with you to the interview. When it is your turn to ask questions, have a quick look at it and ask any that haven't been answered already. Some topics you might like to ask about include: • • • • •

Promotion prospects Opportunities for travel Pension or healthcare scheme Training opportunities Cost and availability of accommodation in the area Use polite question forms like I was wondering... Could you tell me a little bit about...? I'd like to know something about... At the end of the interview, remember to thank the interviewer for seeing you. Well I do hope these tips are helpful Mayur. Thanks again for your question, and good luck in your job search! A question from one of our regular listeners, Shazad Enam. Shazad wants to know how to improve pronunciation and fluency. Is there any way of doing that easily? Martin Parrott answers: Easily, I don’t know. I don’t think there are easy ways to learn languages – I don’t think people who promise sudden ‘quick fix’ methods are to be believed. We learn slowly, and we learn by working hard. As far as pronunciation is concerned, the most important thing is listening! I think, often we try and pronounce things correctly before we can really hear what the differences are. How do we check out whether we’re doing that? Record ourselves I think we need to record ourselves and we need to record what it is we’re repeating and listening to. So, the most useful thing perhaps is to listen to the radio with a tape recorder, to record a little bit of the radio, and then to say it ourselves, and to compare how we’ve said it, with the way it was said on the radio, in the language we’re learning. It’s a slow process. We need to spend a lot of time rehearsing. I remember when I was learning, for instance, for hours and hours as I was walking or cycling, or whatever – I was trying to produce those sounds, difficult sounds that I was learning. The more we do that, the more we pick up when we hear them. And of course the other thing about pronunciation is, as we improve our pronunciation, that also improves our comprehension. As we learn to make these distinction between similar

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sounds, we start hearing them – and that makes understanding easier. Spelling is a problem One of the biggest problems in English is that the spelling gets in the way because there are so many ways of spelling the same sound. Also because letters may be written and not pronounced and because letters may be written and pronounced in a very unexpected way. When we learn to read, that can interfere with our pronunciation, and can cause problems in itself. Is there a difference between pronunciation and fluency? They’re quite different. Pronunciation is getting the sounds right, and of course it’s also getting the intonation and the rhythm right – it’s not just individual sounds, it’s pushing them all together. Fluency perhaps overlaps there a little bit. Fluency is saying things easily. Being fluent is more a question of being confident in the vocabulary, and how to put the words together in the grammar – being confident in that - …and just being confident in your ability to express yourself and having a go. It’s those psychological factors much more than whether you can get your tongue around the individual sounds. In fact people whose pronunciation is poor, but who speak fluently and put it together and get it out reasonably quickly, are usually easier to understand than people who’re taking a lot of trouble over their pronunciation and therefore are slowing themselves down, and speaking one word at a time. Standard English / Non-standard English One piece of advice When you’re speaking, don’t think about the individual sounds and getting those right. Think about groups of words, and think about meaningful groups of words, and getting those out as quickly and as smoothly as you can.

A question from Roberto Leiro in Spain: I would like to know why sometimes is used 'she don't care' and not 'she doesn't care', as in The Beatles song "Ticket to Ride". Many thanks. And a similar question from Kian Edalat who's an Iranian living in Malaysia: Hello - A question! What is the difference between: 'I don't want nobody but you' and 'I want nobody but you'?

Susan Fearn answers: Right, well, there are two questions today, but they're both on the same theme. Roberto Leiro in Spain comments: "I'd like to know why sometimes we use she don't care and not she doesn't care, and he gives an example from The Beatles song "Ticket to Ride": '...and she don't care.' And an Iranian listener currently living

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in Malaysia asks: "What is the difference between: I don't want nobody but you and I want nobody but you?" Perhaps the starting point for looking at these questions is way back before many of you were born; back then in 1972, the American linguist William Labov did what became a very famous study into so-called 'standard' and 'non-standard' forms of English. Standard English is what is seen as, well, I suppose you could say the 'educated norm'. It's the language of formal written English - you know, of newspapers, letters, reports and so on. It's also, to some extent, spoken, by what I guess could be described as an 'educated elite'. Anyway, non-standard English is pretty much everything else - the accents, the dialects, the vocabulary that vary according to where you live, or what social group you're in. And Labov argued that non-standard forms were just as expressive and wonderful as standard - they had their own rules and were in no way inferior. Back to those questions: She don't care and I don't want nobody but you are both what you could call 'non-standard' forms. They're not the sort of things you'd read written in a newspaper or written in an essay. They're conversational forms used by some groups of people in the United States. It was the pop group The Beatles who sang "Ticket to Ride" in the early 1960's and that's the song Roberto mentions, but they weren't American. They were from Liverpool, in North West England, near where I come from. But when they were writing that song, in the early 1960's, life in England probably wasn't much fun and life in the United States - the kind of things you saw in the movies, in the Hollywood movies - always seemed a bit more glamorous. This was the country of Elvis Presley, for example, who was big at that time, and Elvis and friends often used 'non-standard' forms in their songs: 'She don't'... 'I ain't'... 'I wanna'. And the Beatles, along with quite a few other British musicians at that time and since then as well, must have thought that this was pretty cool - so in some of their early songs at least, they copied this American style even though they were actually British, this form of non-standard American English. Now, 'I don't want nobody', which is the other form that's mentioned in the question... In so-called 'standard English' this would be: 'I want nobody' OR 'I don't want anybody'. 'I don't want nobody' is what we call a 'double negative'. It's a non-standard form that's found in several types of both British and American English. And the linguist we mentioned, Labov, did a detailed study of its use in parts of New York, for example. And, it's something you may hear in American songs or American movies.

A question from Fatimah in Egypt: My question is: how to be a good translator to your language?

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Tips for translators Rachel Wicaksono answers: OK, thank you for your question, Fatimah, about being a good translator. I've done a little bit of translating, from Indonesian into English, so my suggestions are based on my limited experience. And I hope they're useful! I'll try and answer the question: What do you need to know before starting to translate a document? The target language is the language you are translating into, so first, you need to know what variety of the target language is required. In your case, I know you're translating between English and Arabic. So, if you're translating into English, is it British English or American English? And if you're translating into Arabic, is it Lebanese, Egyptian or Standard Arabic? And so on. Next, you need to know about your audience: Are you translating for a general or a specialist audience, for example, doctors? How will the translation be used? Perhaps it will be used for legal purposes, maybe in court? And the answers to these questions will help you decide how much attention to detail is needed. Does the style of the translation or the vocabulary need to be similar to what the clients have received before? For example, should the style be formal or informal? If you write for publication, do you need to use an academic, legal, medical or even conversational style? The answers to these questions about style could affect your choice of vocabulary, as well as the structure and layout of the text. For example, in terms of vocabulary: If you're translating an academic article about the results of a scientific experiment, you may need to decide whether the results have been proven or not. And this will affect whether your vocabulary should be confident, vague or 'hedged' with words like 'may' and 'might', 'perhaps' and 'possibly'. And in terms of structure and layout of the text: For example, are there sections that should be in italics or bold? And now onto more practical matters: When and how should the translation be delivered? Maybe a printed copy by post, fax or courier is needed, or even a digital copy as an e-mail attachment, or by Skype, or uploaded to a webpage? And finally, the most important part, the money: Will you be paid according to the number of words you translate or the number of words you deliver in your translation? Sometimes you can be paid according to how many hours you spend on the work. But remember to check whether you'll be paid an extra fee for an urgent job or for other difficulties that you have to deal with, for example, a complex layout or a handwritten text that's really difficult to read. And don't forget to ask when you'll be paid and will you be paid by cheque, by bank transfer, PayPal, cash or in another way. And last, but not least, if the job is

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cancelled, especially after you've started work on it, will there be any compensation for the translator - a sort of 'cancellation fee'? So, to sum up: What language and what variety of language, for example, British or American English, will be used in your translation? Who are your audience and how much information do they need from your translation? How should your document look? So, vocabulary, style and layout. How and when should you deliver the document? And how and when will you be paid? And finally, what happens if the job is cancelled? Perhaps you could use these suggestions to check or to draw up a contract with the person who needs the translation. I hope you enjoy your Translation Studies course, Fatimah, and your future work as a translator!

A question from Calla Tang from Hong Kong: What is 'objective tone'? Could you give me some examples? Objective tone

Alex Gooch answers: When we're discussing English, or any language, we can talk about subjective tone and objective tone. If a text is written in a subjective tone, it will tell us something about the writer, and particularly about how he or she feels. On the other hand, objective tone refers to an impersonal style of writing, which gives us information about something but doesn't include information about the writer. So, a sentence like this: "The film lasted for one hour and forty-five minutes." ...is objective, because it just tells us a fact. However, a sentence like: "I enjoyed the film very much." ...is subjective, because it tells us about the writer and about his or her feelings. Objective tone is particularly important in academic writing, especially for scientific

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subjects. If you were writing a scientific report, a sentence such as: "I performed an experiment." ...would be too subjective, because it includes 'I'. In order to avoid personal words like 'I', objective writing often uses the passive voice. If we put this example into the passive, it would say: "The experiment was performed." This makes a much more objective sentence and therefore a much more scientific or in some ways, academic sentence, because it doesn't tell us about the writer - it just tells us about the experiment. However, it's important to remember that in certain subjects, at least at British universities, personal opinions are acceptable. If you go to a British university, the most important advice I can give you is: look at the style guides. Your academic department will produce a style guide which tells you about this and the other ways in which your writing must be laid out. This is a very important thing to know about. I'll finish with saying a few words about vocabulary. We have to be very careful here. Think about a sentence like this: "The film was terrible." This sentence doesn't use 'I', or 'me' or any similar words, so it might look objective. In fact it's subjective, because it tells us about the writer's feelings. It isn't a fact that the film was terrible, it's a feeling or an emotional reaction, and so a sentence like this would not be acceptable in objective writing. If you want to write in the objective tone, you must avoid words like 'I', 'me' and 'my', but you must also avoid evaluative words - words which express your personal feelings or emotions, like 'terrible', 'wonderful', etc. The examples that I've given are all adjectives - but there are also some nouns that we have to be careful with. A good example here is the word 'terrorist'. If we use the word 'terrorist' to describe someone, this includes a personal subjective judgement about this person's actions - and therefore this is clearly a subjective word.

A question from Irena in Latvia: could you tell me, what is the main difference between "slang" and "jargon" and could you point out some examples that are used in BBC news. Thank you very much! Amos Paran answers: This is an interesting question because it's not really about English, is it - it's about

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language in general. I'll take as my starting point the observation that we don't speak the same all the time; we all have at our command different verbal repertoires. I don't speak to my partner at home in the same way in which I speak to head of department at work; and when I go into the classroom and teach, I speak in yet a different way. We change our speech according to who we are speaking to, where, under what circumstances, and so on. Slang is actually quite difficult to define. It's a very colloquial variety of language; we use it in highly informal situations, in speech, and with people very much from a similar social background to us. Some experts describe it as 'below the level of neutral style'. Some slang words stay in the language for a long time - for example, the word 'chap' or 'chum', but many slang words disappear and new ones come into the language, either new words being invented, or old words taking on a totally new meaning - for example, on the way to the studio I saw the words 'wicked meal' in an advertisement - where the word 'wicked' means very good, excellent. It is important also to know that slang is very often characteristic of specific social groups - if I used the word 'wicked' in the sense of 'really good' it would be ridiculous, because this is the slang of young people, much much younger than me. So you're not going to hear a lot of slang on the news - unless someone is being interviewed and they use it in their speech. Jargon, on the other hand, is the variety of language that belongs to a specific profession or activity. For example, linguists use special language to describe the way language works - words such as prefix, suffix, tense, - or the words I used just now - verbal repertoires, a language variety. Now to me, all this may seem normal technical language, but to an outsider this may seem jargon. So jargon is the word we use that refers to the language of a specific group as seen by an outsider. One really important aspect of both slang and jargon is that they identify you as a member of a group. This is, indeed, one of the most important functions of slang - so I would advise against using slang unless you are absolutely sure that it's appropriate for you to use it. Jargon, too, identifies you - by using jargon I can identify myself as a linguist - but I do hope I haven't used too much jargon in this answer!

'would' in conversation

'would' in requests Would is often used in polite requests, sometimes as an alternative to could or can: • • •

Would you / Could you hold my umbrella while I put my coat on? Would you / Could you post this letter for me this afternoon when you are at the post office? Would you / Can you turn the music down, please? I’m trying to write an essay.

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Note that would you mind is followed by -ing, rather than the bare infinitive: • •

Would you mind picking Jenny up from school for me today? I may be late getting back. It’s so dark out here. Would you mind holding the torch for me while I change the wheel?

'would' in offers would like, would prefer and would rather Would you like…? is often used when making offers, as the more polite alternative to 'Do you want…?': • • •

Would you like coffee, or would you prefer tea? ~ I’d love some tea – Earl Grey would be lovely, if you have it. Would you rather eat now or later after the film? ~ I’d rather eat now. I’m starving! I can see you’re struggling. Would you like me to help you with that?

'would' meaning refusal Would is sometimes used in this way with the negative: • •

I advised her not to go out late at night on her own, but she wouldn’t listen. (= refused to listen) I wanted him to take over my examining work on Saturday, but he wouldn’t. (= he refused)

'would' meaning intention Would is used as a conditional auxiliary with verbs that refer to intentions, often combining with if-clauses: • • •

I would help you with your homework if I could, but I can’t. I just don’t understand maths. If I knew where Sarah was, I’d tell you. But I’ve no idea where she is. I would never sunbathe near a nudist beach, would you? ~ No, I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t ever sunbathe topless either.

'would' in correspondence requests Would be grateful is often useful when making written requests and it can also be used in conversation: • •

I would be grateful if you could / would send me further information and an application form in relation to the job advertised on page 6 of your publication – reference DS 112. Would you like me to pop an application form in the post to you? ~ Yes, please. I’d be most grateful.

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business English: correspondence

Shahid Ullah from Bangladesh writes: I am working as a senior officer in a garments factory which is 100% exports oriented. So that the business runs smoothly, can you please help and advise me how to write official letters easily? There a number of fairly standard conventions when framing a business letter that it is important to observe. Your business address Your business address will normally be printed on your official stationery at the top of the page, perhaps with a logo. If not, insert it at the top, centrally or to the right: name of business, then street number and street, then town and district. There is no need to use commas after each of these categories and do not put your own name with the address. Where should I put telephone and fax numbers and my email address? There are two possibilities: either beneath your business address after a space or below at the bottom of the page. Where should I put the date? There are three possibilities: directly under your business address, telephone and fax numbers and email address after a space OR above the name and address of the person you are writing to OR beneath the name and address of the person you are writing to. In English there are various ways of writing the date. The preferred mode in business correspondence is 30 November 2001. The addressee details Next come the addressee details. Put the name, designation and address of the person you are writing to on the left-hand side of the page. Beginning and ending the letter We can now begin the letter but leave as much space as possible so that the body of the letter sits tidily in the middle part of the page. If you know the person you are writing to very well or are on friendly terms, begin simply with the first name, Dear Mary or Dear Henry.

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If you don't know the person you are writing to so well, but know of him as a named individual, start with title and surname: Dear Mr Potter or Dear Dr Baker or Dear Miss Taylor or Dear Mrs Cook or Dear Ms Barber. If you are not sure which of the last three titles is appropriate in any particular case, it is probably best to stick to Ms. Finish this type of letter with Yours sincerely. It is not necessary to insert a comma after beginnings or endings. If you know the person you are writing to well, it may be appropriate to insert a closing formula, such as With very best wishes, before the ending itself. Sign the letter with your first name, if you are on first-name terms, or with your full name, if it needs to be a little more formal, but without any title. Your full typewritten name and designation (on separate lines) should appear beneath your handwritten signature. If you do not know the name of the person you are writing to, begin with Dear Sir or Dear Sir or Madam or Dear Madam and end your letter with Yours faithfully, followed by your full name and designation. Five tips for writing good business letters • • • • •

Think carefully about exactly what you need to say before you write. Give your letter a heading so that the person you are writing to can see at a glance what it is about. Use short sentences and short words that everyone can understand. Decide on order of importance and put each idea into a separate paragraph. Make sure it is concise: delete anything that is irrelevant or can be omitted. Check your letter after you have written it. Will your reader understand exactly what you mean and will it create the right impression? Get the person in your organisation with the best English to read it through for any spelling or grammar or layout errors.

Here is a sample letter that someone working in sales promotion might need to write. The organisation is fictitious but the message is real. In the body of the letter, useful phrases appear in bold typeface: Supersoft Hygiene Ltd The Technology Park All Products Road Boxham Surrey BH11 4TY Telephone: 0178 55 66 777 Fax: 0178 55 22 333 Direct Dial: 0178 55 98 678 Email: [email protected]

Ms Felicity White Promotions Manager Softskins The Chemist The High Street

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Bexford Kent BX44 0JB 30 September 2001

Dear Ms White Catalogue and Price List As requested, please find enclosed our catalogue and price list for your attention. All of our promotions which are new this year are highlighted NEW in the top left hand corner for each item. They can all be viewed in greater detail on our website www.softhy.co.uk on the new promotions webpage. As an introductory offer, they are all available to you until the end of this calendar year at an additional discount of 5% from list price. Should you require further information, please do not hesitate to contact me. Should I be unavailable, my personal assistant, Ms Violet Rose, will be very pleased to help you. We look forward to receiving your order in the near future. Yours sincerely (space for signature) James Smellsnice Sales Manager. Enclosures: 2002 Catalogue, Price List & Order Forms.

Spelling errors, typos, mangled sentences and clichés

Muhamed Maiwada from Abuja in Nigeria writes: I was browsing the internet when I came across ten tips for better emails. For the tenth tip it says: use a spell check and thesaurus, avoid typos and mangled sentences and avoid clichés too. What is meant by avoid typos, mangled sentences and clichés? Typos and spelling errors

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Typos are misspelt words which arise as a result of careless typing or wordprocessing, usually because your attention is focused on the keyboard, rather than on the screen. When you look at the screen you might then find that you have typed chck instead of check or theses instead of these. A good way of banishing typos to the past is to learn to touch-type with the keyboard covered up and your eyes permanently on the screen. Typos as well as genuine spelling errors should all be revealed by the spell-checker on your computer so it should be easy to spot misspelt words. If you are not sure of a spelling, you should be able to try out several versions as you type until the correct one appears and the underlining disappears. The following text contains twelve commonly misspelt words in English. See if you can find them all. It is re-printed with the errors corrected after the mangled sentences section. •

In developping countrys nowdays proffesional people have little opertunity to develop their carriers without help from people in goverment. This is completely unacceptible and I personaly belive such practise should not be allowd.

Mangled sentences If a physical object is mangled, it is crushed or twisted with such force that its original or true shape cannot be recognised. A mangled sentence is one that cannot be understood because the information is not arranged coherently or logically. The moral of this is always think clearly about what you need you say, plan your writing and think in terms of paragraphs. Do not make sentences too long, try to use language that you are certain of and make sure that sentences follows on from each other with good use of connectors.. Read the two texts below. In the first one, the sentences are mangled and the text is difficult to understand. In the second one I have attempted to straighten them out so that the information flows smoothly and effortlessly for the reader. •

Nowadays travelling abroad is increasing and most of them for the reason to find jobs and work there for a period. By travelling people around the world, the people become more closer. They transferred their knowledge and skills to the new society that people going there develop faster than the rest part of the world. People in the UK we see a mixed society and it helps for that country who need that knowledge and skills. Nowadays travelling abroad is increasing. Many people travel abroad to try to find jobs and work abroad for a limited period of time. By travelling around the world, people become closer to each to other. They can also transfer their knowledge and skills to the new society they are working in and develop faster than they would in less developed parts of the world. In the UK we see a multicultural society and one that benefits from the knowledge and skills that people from abroad bring to it.

Misspellings corrected:

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•

In developing countries nowadays, professional people have little opportunity to develop their careers without help from people in government. This is completely unacceptable and I personally believe such practice should not be allowed.

Note that the letters where errors occurred are printed in bold. Clichés A cliché is an overworked phrase which has been used so much that it is no longer very effective or informative. Clichés are tired from overuse, although they may still be useful and serve the purpose of providing padding or filling gaps in conversation. At the end of the day is a cliché which is often used by sports' commentators in England, meaning: this is what happens after we have considered all relevant facts. •

At the end of the day, England must win their next two matches if they want to qualify for the World Cup finals.

Here are two more, with standard English versions given underneath: •

I think I can honestly say that I have left no stone unturned to discover the truth. I can assure you that I have made every effort to discover the truth.

Note that clichés are often overworked idioms.

Writing emails: openings and endings

Daniela from Italy writes: Could you please give me some tips about netiquette, i.e. which are the correct forms of address for emails and how do you close them? Thanks. Netiquette There is no standard format as far as I know for netiquette - etiquette for the net. Netiquette is a new word. Etiquette is a system of social rules or polite bahaviour relating to a particular group of people - in this case all the people who use the web for emails. snail mail For letters, whose progress can be as slow as that of a snail when they are entrusted to the postal system, there are clearly defined conventions for opening and closing:

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For formal letters when the name or sex of the recipient is not known: OPENING: Dear Sir(s), Dear Madam or Dear Sir or Madam CLOSING: Yours faithfully (In American English, sometimes: Yours truly,) For the more formal style of letter when their name is known but you do not know them very well: OPENING: Dear Mr Jenkins, Dear Ms Hopkins (or, if you know their marital status and know that they prefer to be addressed as Mrs or Miss: Dear Miss Hopwell, Dear Mrs Jenkinson) CLOSING: Yours sincerely (In American English, sometimes: Sincerely Yours, Sincerely, For informal letters to business contacts that you know well: OPENING: Dear Tony, Dear Estelle CLOSING: With best wishes or With kind regards followed by Yours sincerely or, sometimes, in public service Yours ever For letters to friends or close family members: OPENING: Dear Maggy, Dear Freddie CLOSING: Yours, Your, Love, Lots of Love (Hugs and Kisses)

Emails However, there are no standard formulas for starting or finishing emails. Only one thing is clear. Emails are invariably of an informal nature, so informal language tends to be the norm. starting emails •

Hi, Roger, Hello Roger, Dear Roger

These seem to represent an informal norm, as far as there is one. •

Roger, Dear Mr Woodham

These formats are used more in business correspondence. Note that using the given name alone, as above, is reminiscent of business memos among colleagues within the same organisation. But I have also received emails with a wide variety of other opening formulas over the last twelve months. I list them all below from most formal to least formal: •

Dear Professor Woodham (this is incorrect as I am not a university professor),

•

Dear Roger Woodham (note that this formula is also used in letters sometimes),

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•

Hello Roger Woodham, Hi Roger Woodham, Good morning Roger, Hey Roger, Hey you guys (this one to me and my colleagues)

ending emails •

Best wishes, Regards, Best regards, Good wishes.

These seem to represent the informal norm, followed by the given name (David/Dave/etc) of the sender. Occasionally, Yours sincerely is combined with Best wishes or stands alone before the given name of the sender, as in a semi-formal letter. Very occasionally, I have received emails ending, e.g. Yours sincerely and then on the next line the given name plus family name, David Green, but this is an exception. Sometimes, a pre-closing formula is used instead of or in addition to the standard closure, e.g. •

Let me know if you need more information, Dave

•

Look forward to hearing from you. Best wishes, Dave

The text itself There is also a trend, particularly in informal emails, to dispense with capitalisation, punctuation and to use shortened forms and shortened words as in text-messaging. This is a slightly extreme example, but you might one day get an email looking something like this: •

Hey babe b4 u leave b'ham pls spk 2 NG & tell her we'll b @ r hse in sth ldn till nxt weds. Ta v much. C u soon. Luv ND

Translated into more standard English (the opening here is slightly old-fashioned), this would read: •

Dearest Before you leave Birmingham, please speak to Angie and tell her we'll be at our house in South London until next Wednesday. Thanks very much. See you soon. Love, Andy

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