You may have heard or read news stories about the recent elections in the United States. The voting ended last Tuesday, November 3. That night and in the days that followed, Americans and people all over the world watched the news for election results. These news stories will be the subject of our Everyday Grammar report today. We will explore part of English grammar that is important to understanding stories about elections: phrasal verbs. Phrasal verbs and elections Phrasal verbs are groups of words. They combine a verb and another short word, as in the term look up. Look up means to search for information in a book or on a computer. Here is something important to remember: phrasal verbs have a meaning that is different from what the individual words suggest. After the U.S. elections, you probably heard or read many phrasal verbs in news stories. Today we will consider three of them: go on, pick up, and catch up. #1 Go on The first phrasal verb is “go on.” In the hours after Election Day, many Americans asked themselves, “What is going on with the election results?” According to language expert Norbert Schmitt, “go on” is the most common phrasal verb in the English language. “Go on” has several meanings, but by far the most common is “happening or taking place.” Schmitt estimates “go on” has this meaning over 60 percent of the time that it is used. So, how was “go on” used in stories about the election? Consider these words in a story from CNN, the U.S.-based broadcaster. CNN’s website published the report at the end of last week. “Six states remain too close to call. Here's why the vote count is still going on in key states.” In other words, the writer wanted to explain why the vote count is still happening in six states. #2 Pick up The second phrasal verb is the term “pick up.” For our program today, “pick up” is somewhat unusual. This is because its most common usage has little to do with its meaning with respect to elections. Schmitt estimates that around 70 percent of the time you hear or read “pick up,” it means to get or take somebody or something from a place. So, you might “pick up” or lift a stone from the ground. But with respect to elections, “pick up” has a different meaning. You might read about a political party trying to “pick up” votes in a congressional district or legislative area. “Pick up,” in this case, means to earn or gain something. It does not mean to get or take something from a place. Consider this example from The Guardian newspaper. It describes how the two main political parties are fighting for control of Congress: “The Republicans looked to pick up a handful of seats in the House of Representatives, with Democrats holding the majority.” #3 Catch up Our third phrasal verb is “catch up.” Often, “catch up” describes what happens in a race: when someone who is behind reaches the person in the lead. So, you might hear someone at a motor car race say, “Driver A is catching up to Driver B!” This same idea is true in elections. Candidates look to “catch up.” But they “catch up” in terms of votes, not in terms of distance. One CNN report used the phrasal verb “catch up” to describe results in the presidential race between former Vice President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump. “Joe Biden is not only winning — meaning building his lead — but that lopsided advantage makes it harder and harder, more difficult by the vote count for Donald Trump to catch up,” said CNN’s John King. Closing thoughts Today, we explored phrasal verbs that are often used in reports on elections. Understanding these expressions will help you understand such stories. Try using the phrasal verbs we talked about the next time you write or speak English. And be sure to listen carefully for them when watching the news. Little by little, phrasal verbs will become clearer and easier for you. I’m John Russell. John Russell wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story grammar – n. the system and structure of a language with respect to – expression about or concerning (something or someone); in relation to (something or someone) lopsided – adj. uneven or unequal advantage – n. something (such as a good position or condition) that helps to make someone or something better or more likely to succeed than others We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/phrasal-verbs-and-elections-/5657194.html
Thursday, 12 November 2020
You're fired
New Entry: 'You're fired' has just been added to the Slang area of UsingEnglish.com. This entry is only available in our members' area.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/members/idioms/view.php?entry_id=27446
Could you be a victim of online fraud?
We talk about online fraud and teach you some useful vocabulary along the way.
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08y77dn
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08y77dn
Classroom Instructions- Imperative Mix and Match
New Entry: 'Classroom Instructions- Imperative Mix and Match' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-classroom-instructions-imperative-mix-and-match/
Wednesday, 11 November 2020
Tuesday, 10 November 2020
English Grammar Made Easy S1 #138 - Can vs Could
learn the difference between: can & could
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-138-can-vs-could
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-138-can-vs-could
Spoiler alert!
A warning when we're going to reveal part of the story of a film, book or TV series.
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08xvgt8
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08xvgt8
Monday, 9 November 2020
Giving Directions- Coin Games
New Entry: 'Giving Directions- Coin Games' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-giving-directions-coin-games/
Whale
New Entry: 'Whale' has just been added to the Idioms area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/whale.html
Level down
New Entry: 'Level down' has just been added to the Phrasal Verbs area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/phrasal-verbs/level.html#Level-down
Sunday, 8 November 2020
News #291 - New Feature! How to Test Your English & Remember What You Learn
Learn how to take an assessment and test your language knowledge
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/news-291-new-feature-how-to-test-your-english-remember-what-you-learn
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/news-291-new-feature-how-to-test-your-english-remember-what-you-learn
Saturday, 7 November 2020
Monthly Review Video #26 - English November 2020 Review - Starting Off on the Right Foot with Language Learning
discover your new learning strategies and free resources of the month.
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/monthly-review-video-26-english-november-2020-review-starting-off-on-the-right-foot-with-language-learning
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/monthly-review-video-26-english-november-2020-review-starting-off-on-the-right-foot-with-language-learning
Friday, 6 November 2020
Thursday, 5 November 2020
Past Ability: Could, Was Able To, Managed To
Imagine that you are interviewing for a job you really want. Most of the questions are in your native language, but the job will require you to use some English. So, the employer asks about your English skills. You might answer with the words, “I can speak English very well” or “I am able to speak English very well.” The two statements have the same meaning. Both "can" and "be able to" are used to express ability. In a spoken exchange, “can” is far more common while “be able to” sounds less natural. However, when we are talking about the past, the rules change a bit. Today, I will show you how to express past abilities with “could” “was (or) were able to” and another phrase you may have heard before — "managed to.” The first thing to know is that, in the past tense, we express general abilities and abilities at specific times in different ways. That is important, as you will soon see. General abilities Let's start with general abilities. These are skills or talents a person once had. In the past tense, English speakers almost always use “could.” Listen to a few examples. By the time he was four, Guillermo could read and write. In high school, she could beat anyone in a running race. I could mimic bird sounds when I was younger. Again, we are talking about general skills or talents – not about a specific occasion. Note that, in any of these examples, “was (or) were able to” is also possible but used less often. You could say, for example, “By the time he was four, Guillermo was able to read and write,” and it would be fine. It also might sound a little formal in spoken English. Specific occasions Now, let’s talk about specific occasions. Here is where the rules change a bit. When we are talking about a specific situation or when noting a specific achievement, we must use “was (or) were able to” or “managed to.” Their meanings are very close. We do not use “could.” Listen to some examples: We were able to get a really good price on the car. We managed to get a really good price on the car. I was able to persuade her to volunteer at the show. I managed to persuade her to volunteer at the show. Now let’s talk more about the meanings. “Was (or) were able to” and “managed to” both suggest effort. They mean someone succeeded in doing something that was a challenge or took a special effort. However, the phrase “managed to” puts a little more emphasis on how hard the challenge was or how much effort it took. Note that “managed to” is fairly common in spoken English. You will hear it used almost everywhere. Exception to the rule Now, let’s take a few minutes to quickly explore an exception to the rules we just discussed. Earlier, I told you that we use “could” for general abilities. But there are two kinds of verbs where we also use “could” for specific occasions. With sense verbs, such as “smell” and “taste,” and thought process verbs, such as “believe” “decide” and “understand,” we usually use “could” even when talking about specific occasions. Listen to two examples of what I mean: I walked past a market today and could smell the freshly baked bread. We couldn’t decide what to get for his birthday so we bought a gift card. Note that the second example uses the negative form -- “couldn’t.” Using the negatives So, now would be a good time to talk more about negative forms. The good news is that we can use “couldn’t,” “wasn’t (or) weren’t able to,” or “didn’t manage to” to express the same thing – inability on a specific occasion in the past. Listen to how these are used for the same statement. He studied for months but couldn’t pass the bar exam. He studied for months but wasn’t able to pass the bar exam. He studied for months but didn’t manage to pass the bar exam. All three sentences mean that a person was not capable of doing something on a specific occasion. Note also that sometimes, for the negative form of “managed to,” we say, “couldn’t manage to” instead of “didn’t manage to.” They mean the same thing: He studied for months but couldn’t manage to pass the bar exam. Well, that’s all for now. Luckily, I did manage to do something today: teach you how to talk about past abilities! I’m Alice Bryant. Alice Bryant wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _________________________________________________ Words in This Story phrase – n. a group of two or more words that express an idea but do not usually form a complete sentence specific – adj. precise or exact mimic – v. to create the appearance or effect of (something) formal – adj. suitable for serious or official speech and writing achievement – n. something that has been done or achieved through effort challenge – n. something that is hard to do emphasis – n. special importance or attention given to something baked – adj. cooked in an oven using dry heat negative – adj. expressing denial or refusal bar – n. the test that a person must pass in order to be a lawyer
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/past-ability-could-was-able-to-managed-to/5139503.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/past-ability-could-was-able-to-managed-to/5139503.html
Past Ability: Could, Was Able To, Managed To
Imagine that you are interviewing for a job you really want. Most of the questions are in your native language, but the job will require you to use some English. So, the employer asks about your English skills. You might answer with the words, “I can speak English very well” or “I am able to speak English very well.” The two statements have the same meaning. Both "can" and "be able to" are used to express ability. In a spoken exchange, “can” is far more common while “be able to” sounds less natural. However, when we are talking about the past, the rules change a bit. Today, I will show you how to express past abilities with “could” “was (or) were able to” and another phrase you may have heard before — "managed to.” The first thing to know is that, in the past tense, we express general abilities and abilities at specific times in different ways. That is important, as you will soon see. General abilities Let's start with general abilities. These are skills or talents a person once had. In the past tense, English speakers almost always use “could.” Listen to a few examples. By the time he was four, Guillermo could read and write. In high school, she could beat anyone in a running race. I could mimic bird sounds when I was younger. Again, we are talking about general skills or talents – not about a specific occasion. Note that, in any of these examples, “was (or) were able to” is also possible but used less often. You could say, for example, “By the time he was four, Guillermo was able to read and write,” and it would be fine. It also might sound a little formal in spoken English. Specific occasions Now, let’s talk about specific occasions. Here is where the rules change a bit. When we are talking about a specific situation or when noting a specific achievement, we must use “was (or) were able to” or “managed to.” Their meanings are very close. We do not use “could.” Listen to some examples: We were able to get a really good price on the car. We managed to get a really good price on the car. I was able to persuade her to volunteer at the show. I managed to persuade her to volunteer at the show. Now let’s talk more about the meanings. “Was (or) were able to” and “managed to” both suggest effort. They mean someone succeeded in doing something that was a challenge or took a special effort. However, the phrase “managed to” puts a little more emphasis on how hard the challenge was or how much effort it took. Note that “managed to” is fairly common in spoken English. You will hear it used almost everywhere. Exception to the rule Now, let’s take a few minutes to quickly explore an exception to the rules we just discussed. Earlier, I told you that we use “could” for general abilities. But there are two kinds of verbs where we also use “could” for specific occasions. With sense verbs, such as “smell” and “taste,” and thought process verbs, such as “believe” “decide” and “understand,” we usually use “could” even when talking about specific occasions. Listen to two examples of what I mean: I walked past a market today and could smell the freshly baked bread. We couldn’t decide what to get for his birthday so we bought a gift card. Note that the second example uses the negative form -- “couldn’t.” Using the negatives So, now would be a good time to talk more about negative forms. The good news is that we can use “couldn’t,” “wasn’t (or) weren’t able to,” or “didn’t manage to” to express the same thing – inability on a specific occasion in the past. Listen to how these are used for the same statement. He studied for months but couldn’t pass the bar exam. He studied for months but wasn’t able to pass the bar exam. He studied for months but didn’t manage to pass the bar exam. All three sentences mean that a person was not capable of doing something on a specific occasion. Note also that sometimes, for the negative form of “managed to,” we say, “couldn’t manage to” instead of “didn’t manage to.” They mean the same thing: He studied for months but couldn’t manage to pass the bar exam. Well, that’s all for now. Luckily, I did manage to do something today: teach you how to talk about past abilities! I’m Alice Bryant. Alice Bryant wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story phrase – n. a group of two or more words that express an idea but do not usually form a complete sentence specific – adj. precise or exact mimic – v. to create the appearance or effect of (something) formal – adj. suitable for serious or official speech and writing achievement – n. something that has been done or achieved through effort challenge – n. something that is hard to do emphasis – n. special importance or attention given to something baked – adj. cooked in an oven using dry heat negative – adj. expressing denial or refusal bar – n. the test that a person must pass in order to be a lawyer
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/past-ability-could-was-able-to-managed-to/5139503.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/past-ability-could-was-able-to-managed-to/5139503.html
Cambridge Proficiency (CPE) Use of English Part Three- Word Formation Hangman
New Entry: 'Cambridge Proficiency (CPE) Use of English Part Three- Word Formation Hangman' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-cambridge-proficiency-cpe-use-of-english-part-three-word-formation-hangman/
Tap out
New Entry: 'Tap out' has just been added to the Phrasal Verbs area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/phrasal-verbs/tap.html#Tap-out
Melting ice sheet: Is it too late?
Many scientists are wondering whether it’s now too late to stop global warming.
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08x5bqn
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08x5bqn
Extensive Reading in English for Intermediate Learners #21 - Traveling on a Plane
learn about traveling on a plane and improve your reading skills
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/extensive-reading-in-english-for-intermediate-learners-21-traveling-on-a-plane
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/extensive-reading-in-english-for-intermediate-learners-21-traveling-on-a-plane
Wednesday, 4 November 2020
Quick & Easy English Review for Beginners S1 #3 - Money - Lesson Focus
learn about the currency used in the United States
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/quick-easy-english-review-for-beginners-3-money-lesson-focus
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/quick-easy-english-review-for-beginners-3-money-lesson-focus
Tuesday, 3 November 2020
English Grammar Made Easy S1 #137 - When to Use “of” and When to Use the Possessive Form
learn when to use “of” and when to use the possessive form
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-137-when-to-use-of-and-when-to-use-the-possessive-form
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-137-when-to-use-of-and-when-to-use-the-possessive-form
Learning Strategies #61 - Starting Off on the Right Foot with Language Learning
discover effective strategies and tips for learning english
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/learning-strategies-61-starting-off-on-the-right-foot-with-language-learning
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/learning-strategies-61-starting-off-on-the-right-foot-with-language-learning
Monday, 2 November 2020
Listicle
Find out more about a portmanteau that combines the words 'list' and 'article'.
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08x4zpm
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08x4zpm
Sunday, 1 November 2020
English Vocab Builder S1 #200 - The Twelve Signs of the Zodiac
learn essential twelve signs of Zodiac
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-vocab-builder-200-the-twelve-signs-of-the-zodiac
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-vocab-builder-200-the-twelve-signs-of-the-zodiac
Saturday, 31 October 2020
Video News #43 - Free English Gifts of the Month - November 2020
get your learning gifts for the month of November 2020
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/video-news-43-free-english-gifts-of-the-month-november-2020
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/video-news-43-free-english-gifts-of-the-month-november-2020
Ask Alisha: Your English Questions Answered #124 - A vs. An Indefinite Articles in English - Basic English Grammar
learn about indefinite articles
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/ask-alisha-your-english-questions-answered-124-a-vs-an-indefinite-articles-in-english-basic-english-grammar
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/ask-alisha-your-english-questions-answered-124-a-vs-an-indefinite-articles-in-english-basic-english-grammar
Friday, 30 October 2020
Andy Farley
New Entry: 'Andy Farley' has just been added to the Cockney Rhyming Slang area of UsingEnglish.com. This entry is only available in our members' area.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/members/idioms/view.php?entry_id=27444
Queer as a three-dollar bill
New Entry: 'Queer as a three-dollar bill' has just been added to the Idioms area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/queer+as+a+three-dollar+bill.html
Poke one's nose
New Entry: 'Poke one's nose' has just been added to the Idioms area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/poke+one%27s+nose.html
Hairy eyeball
New Entry: 'Hairy eyeball' has just been added to the Idioms area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/hairy+eyeball.html
Clue in on
New Entry: 'Clue in on' has just been added to the Phrasal Verbs area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/phrasal-verbs/clue.html#Clue-in-on
Cultural differences in emailing
New Entry: 'Cultural differences in emailing' has just been added to the Articles area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/articles/cultural-differences-in-emailing.html
Thursday, 29 October 2020
Indefinite Pronouns in Negative Sentences
Imagine you are listening to music in English. Perhaps you hear a few words from "Something," performed by The Beatles. Something in the way she moves Attracts me like no other lover You might wonder about the title, or name, of the song. The word something belongs to a group of words known as expanded indefinite pronouns. We will explore some of these terms today. But first, let us begin with a few definitions. Definitions and problems In another Everyday Grammar program, we reported on expanded indefinite pronouns. Expanded indefinite pronouns are words that end in –thing, -body, or –one. Examples include something, anybody, everyone, or nothing. Make sure you read our earlier story if you have questions about how native speakers make such words. Many English learners face a problem when trying to use expanded indefinite pronouns. It is unclear how native English speakers use these unusual pronouns - especially when they appear in negative or affirmative sentences. Negative sentences have the word ‘no,’ ‘not’ or sometimes another negative word such as ‘never.’ Affirmative sentences are statements that have a positive meaning. They generally do not have a negative word. In general, the negative word determines, or decides, the pronoun that is used. Let us explore this idea in more detail. Some vs. any English speakers often use expanded pronouns with “some-” in affirmative sentences, as in: Would you like something sweet to eat? Yes, I would like something sweet. But, expanded pronouns with the word “any” often appear in negative sentences, as in: Did you see something? No, I didn’t see anything. Or: Did you see somebody? No, I didn’t see anybody. Take our earlier example about sweets. Imagine how the sentence would change if it were negative: Would you like something sweet to eat? No thanks – I don’t feel like anything sweet. What about no- and every- ? In general, English speakers use expanded pronouns with the word “no” in statements that do not have another negative word. In other words, sentences with pronouns such as “nothing,” “no one,” or “nobody” rarely if ever have other negative terms such “no” or “never.” Imagine you are watching an American crime show on television (TV). Perhaps the police are questioning a suspect. What did you see? I saw nothing. But if the suspect used another negative word, the sentence would change, as in: What did you see? I didn’t (did not) see anything. Our final expanded indefinite pronouns today begin with the word “every-.” Such words are flexible, meaning they can appear in affirmative or negative sentences. Here are a few examples: I spoke to everyone. I didn’t speak to everyone. I agreed with everything she said. I didn’t agree with everything she said. Closing thoughts Remember that you might hear native speakers use expanded indefinite pronouns in different ways. The goal of this report was to give you an idea of how English speakers often use such pronouns. Our goal was not to tell you how native speakers always use these pronouns. At the beginning of this report, you heard part of "Something" by The Beatles. Something in the way she moves Attracts me like no other lover The next time you watch a TV show or movie in English, try to listen for examples of expanded indefinite pronouns. Listen to how and when the speakers use each pronoun. In other words, pay attention to these words, in the same way that The Beatles were paying close attention to the woman in the song. With time, patience, and repetition, you might one day think to yourself: There is nothing too difficult about these pronouns. Or maybe: I cannot think of anything easier than English grammar. I’m John Russell. John Russell wrote this report for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story grammar – n. the structure and whole system of a language attract – v. to cause (someone) to like or be interested in something — usually used as (be) attracted indefinite – adj. unclear in meaning or detail We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/indefinite-pronouns-in-negative-sentences-everyday-grammar/5639398.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/indefinite-pronouns-in-negative-sentences-everyday-grammar/5639398.html
Walkman: the music player revolution
Neil and Georgina take a nostalgic look back at the 1980s and the birth of the Walkman.
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08wsqhx
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08wsqhx
Wednesday, 28 October 2020
Ask Alisha: Your English Questions Answered #125 - How to Improve Your English Spelling Skills?
learn how to improve your english spelling skills
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/ask-alisha-your-english-questions-answered-125-how-to-improve-your-english-spelling-skills
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/ask-alisha-your-english-questions-answered-125-how-to-improve-your-english-spelling-skills
Ask Alisha: Your English Questions Answered #123 - When to Use Continuous form vs Future form in English - Basic English Grammar
learn when to use continuous form vs future form
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/ask-alisha-your-english-questions-answered-123-when-to-use-continuous-form-vs-future-form-in-english-basic-english-grammar
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/ask-alisha-your-english-questions-answered-123-when-to-use-continuous-form-vs-future-form-in-english-basic-english-grammar
Tuesday, 27 October 2020
Ask Alisha: Your English Questions Answered #131 - What's the difference in English between: Too, Also, Even, Likewise and As well
learn the difference between "too," "also," "even," "likewise," and "as well"
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/ask-alisha-your-english-questions-answered-131-whats-the-difference-in-english-between-too-also-even-likewise-and-as-well
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/ask-alisha-your-english-questions-answered-131-whats-the-difference-in-english-between-too-also-even-likewise-and-as-well
Doomscrolling
Learn a word about the addiction to looking at depressing news on social media.
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08wf942
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08wf942
Monday, 26 October 2020
Silent Letters and Rhyming Words Activities
New Entry: 'Silent Letters and Rhyming Words Activities' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-silent-letters-and-rhyming-words-activities/
Time- Flashcard Memory Games
New Entry: 'Time- Flashcard Memory Games' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-time-flashcard-memory-games/
Learning Strategies #63 - Tips For Beginners: 6 ways our language learning program helps you review.
discover effective strategies and tips for learning english
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/learning-strategies-63-tips-for-beginners-6-ways-our-language-learning-program-helps-you-review
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/learning-strategies-63-tips-for-beginners-6-ways-our-language-learning-program-helps-you-review
Sunday, 25 October 2020
News #290 - Do You Have These Top 4 English Learning Fears? We’ll Tell You How To Beat Them
Learn how to beat your fears and keep them from stopping your learning
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/news-290-do-you-have-these-top-4-english-learning-fears-well-tell-you-how-to-beat-them
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/news-290-do-you-have-these-top-4-english-learning-fears-well-tell-you-how-to-beat-them
Thursday, 22 October 2020
Taking Adjectives to the Extreme
A friend of mine had a very small wedding last weekend. Only close family attended in person. Everyone else, myself included, watched the ceremony in real time on YouTube. My friend, the bride, looked very, very pretty. She and her new husband were very happy. And I was very glad to see them take this step together. You probably noticed that I used the word “very” repeatedly in my story. I did it to demonstrate this point: Rather than repeat an intensifier too often, we can usually choose stronger adjectives. We call the strongest adjectives non-gradable, or extreme, adjectives. Extreme adjectives are the subject of today’s Everyday Grammar program. How do extreme adjectives work? An adjective is a word that describes the qualities of a noun. Most adjectives in English are gradable: There can be different levels to their qualities. Take the word “funny,” which is a gradable adjective. Someone or something can be, for example, kind of funny, pretty funny, very funny or extremely funny. I used adverbs (such as “kind of” and “pretty”) to show how strong (or weak) the humor is. Extreme adjectives work a bit differently. They are words that mean extremely + adjective. For example, the adjective “hilarious” means extremely funny. Generally, we do not say someone or something is “kind of hilarious” or “very hilarious” because “hilarious” itself already expresses the idea of being extremely funny. As an English learner, you probably already know some extreme adjectives. Here are a few common ones: exhausted, which means extremely tired excellent, which means extremely good freezing, which means extremely cold delicious, which means extremely tasty huge, which means extremely large With extreme adjectives, there are a few basic rules. However, English is a constantly evolving language. So, exceptions to these rules continue to grow. Rule #1: comparatives, superlatives With that in mind, let’s discuss the first rule. Gradable adjectives have comparative and superlative forms while extreme adjectives usually do not. Here are some examples for gradable adjectives: funny, funnier, the funniest good, better, the best tasty, tastier, the tastiest Someone might say, for example, “This dish is tastier than that one” or “It is the tastiest dish I have ever had.” With extreme adjectives, we usually avoid comparatives and superlatives. The adjective “excellent” is an example. It means extremely good. Native speakers generally would not say “This show is more excellent than that one” or “It is the most excellent show.” But over the years, spoken English has influenced grammar rules. So, you might hear some extreme adjectives in comparative or superlative form. Take the adjective “delicious.” A person might say, “This is the most delicious dish I have ever had.” It would not be considered wrong, even in written English. Knowing which extreme adjectives have these exceptions comes with time and experience. It is not something to memorize from a list. Rule #2: use other adverbs Now, let’s talk about the second rule. With extreme adjectives, we avoid using most adverbs that suggest varying degree, or level. Many adverbs express the degree of a gradable adjective. You heard some earlier, such as “kind of” in kind of funny and “very” in very good. Other common ones include a bit, a little, and rather. For instance, you could say, “Her house is a bit cold” or “That story is rather dull.” The words “cold” and “dull” are gradable adjectives. But with extreme adjectives, we often avoid using these adverbs. For example, it might sound strange to say, “Her house is a bit freezing” or “That man is rather gorgeous.” Yet, we can use other adverbs with extreme adjectives for stronger emphasis. Generally, adverbs that express the meaning of totality are used with extreme adjectives. Some examples are totally, utterly, absolutely and completely. Listen to how they are used in sentences: That comedian is absolutely hilarious. I am totally exhausted. The rug looks completely filthy. Rule #3: adverbs for both Now, onto rule number three. This is more of an exception to rule number two. Only a few adverbs can be used with both gradable adjectives and non-gradable (extreme) adjectives. They include pretty, really, so and fairly. Listen to these speakers using a couple of these adverbs with both gradable and non-gradable adjectives: My parents are pretty tired. My parents are pretty exhausted. This painting is so nice. This painting is so beautiful. What can you do? So, what can you do with the information you learned today? Here is something you might enjoy: Choose a day to focus on adjectives. On that day, listen and look for adjectives wherever English is used. When you hear or see one, ask yourself if it is gradable or extreme and if an adverb is used with it. Write down the sentence you heard or saw the words in and note where you found them. This will help you remember them better later on. I’m Alice Bryant. Alice Bryant wrote this story for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story bride – n. a woman who has just married or is about to be married glad – adj. feeling pleasure, joy, or delight intensifier – n. a word (such as really or very) that gives force or emphasis to a statement evolving - adj. changing slowly, often into a better, more complex, or more advanced state dish - n. food that is prepared in a particular way varying - adj. differing in size, amount, degree or nature dull – adj. not exciting or interesting emphasis – n. a forceful quality in the way something is said or written rug – n. a piece of thick, heavy material that is used to cover usually a section of a floor focus - v. to direct your attention or effort at something specific
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/taking-adjectives-to-the-extreme/5630124.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/taking-adjectives-to-the-extreme/5630124.html
Could humans live in underwater cities?
Hear about projects to create liveable underwater habitats and learn new vocabulary.
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08w0lh2
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08w0lh2
Tuesday, 20 October 2020
ALLCAPatriots
New Entry: 'ALLCAPatriots' has just been added to the Slang area of UsingEnglish.com. This entry is only available in our members' area.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/members/idioms/view.php?entry_id=27442
Adverbs of Manner Games
New Entry: 'Adverbs of Manner Games' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-adverbs-of-manner-games/
Adjectives and Animals- Mix and Match
New Entry: 'Adjectives and Animals- Mix and Match' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-adjectives-and-animals-mix-and-match/
English Grammar Made Easy S1 #135 - Just vs Only
learn the difference between: just & only
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-135-just-vs-only
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-135-just-vs-only
Ask Alisha: Your English Questions Answered #128 - How to Pronounce Words with two R Sounds in American English?
learn how to pronounce words with two r sounds
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/ask-alisha-your-english-questions-answered-128-how-to-pronounce-words-with-two-r-sounds-in-american-english
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/ask-alisha-your-english-questions-answered-128-how-to-pronounce-words-with-two-r-sounds-in-american-english
Crowdsourcing
Learn a word that might be useful when you’re developing an idea and need help.
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08vqpx0
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08vqpx0
Monday, 19 October 2020
Extensive Reading in English for Beginners #25 - Homes in the USA
learn about homes in the USA and improve your reading skills
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/extensive-reading-in-english-for-beginners-25-homes-in-the-usa
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/extensive-reading-in-english-for-beginners-25-homes-in-the-usa
Learning Strategies #62 - The Best Way to Learn English & Remember Everything
discover effective strategies and tips for learning english
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/learning-strategies-62-the-best-way-to-learn-english-remember-everything
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/learning-strategies-62-the-best-way-to-learn-english-remember-everything
Sunday, 18 October 2020
English Vocab Builder S1 #199 - Nutrition: Common Terms
learn essential vocabulary for talking about nutrition
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-vocab-builder-199-nutrition-common-terms
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-vocab-builder-199-nutrition-common-terms
Thursday, 15 October 2020
There Is Something Strange about Indefinite Pronouns
Today on Everyday Grammar, our subject is indefinite pronouns. The pronouns we will consider today end with words such as “thing,” “body,” and “one.” Think about words such as nothing, something, everyone, and anybody. They are sometimes called expanded indefinite pronouns. Such pronouns are unusual and can be very interesting, as we will see. Pronouns Pronouns are words that take the place of nouns. Indefinite pronouns refer to people or things that are unknown or unclear. First, let’s talk about how we arrive at expanded indefinite pronouns. In English, a few short and fairly common words have the ability to expand or grow. Take, for example, words such as every, any, no, and some. We can expand them by adding another word, such as body, thing, and one, to the ending. Unusual things Unlike most nouns, expanded indefinite pronouns can be modified by a single adjective. What is unusual about that, you ask? The adjective can, in some cases, come after the pronoun. Consider this example: I think that something strange is happening here. In this sentence, the word something is the subject of a clause. The adjective strange comes after it. In general, sentences have adjectives that come before nouns or after a linking verb, as in: He is a strange man. That man seems strange. Another unusual thing about these expanded indefinite pronouns is that when they show possession, they need an apostrophe followed by the letter “s.” Yet other pronouns that show possession, such as mine or his, do not have an apostrophe + “s.” Consider these examples: Somebody’s phone is on the chair. Everyone’s concerns were ignored! When expanded indefinite pronouns are the subject of the sentence, English speakers treat them as singular in terms of the verb - even if the pronouns refer to many people. For example, an English speaker might invite a group of people to dinner by saying: Everybody is invited to dinner. Here, everybody clearly means many people. But because it is the sentence subject, the verb is singular. After our fictional dinner invitation, a person might say: Everyone plans to be there! Very unusual But here is where things get a little strange. When the expanded indefinite pronoun is not the subject of the sentence, English speakers often use the pronoun they. This makes sense since everybody or everyone generally means several people. Consider this: After everyone arrived for dinner, they played a football game. But, because there are questions about the meaning of these indefinite pronouns, English speakers also use they when talking about one person. Consider this example: Someone sent me a text message yesterday, but they didn’t say their name. I didn’t write back to them. The reason the English speaker used they is because the pronoun someone is not clear. It gives no information about the person’s sex. It could be a man or a woman. Since gender is unclear, English speakers use the term they as a kind of gender-neutral pronoun. Closing thoughts When you read books written in English or watch American television shows, pay attention to how native speakers use the group of indefinite pronouns that we talked about today. Listen for subject-verb agreement. Ask yourself about what the indefinite pronoun is doing in the sentence. Consider why the speaker used an indefinite pronoun instead of another pronoun. These questions may be difficult. But remember this: With hard work, anything is possible. I’m Ashley Thompson. And I’m John Russell. John Russell wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. * They is the subject form. Their and them are the possessive and objective forms, respectively. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story indefinite – adj. not clear in meaning or detail refer to – phrasal verb to have a direct connection or relationship to (something) modify – v. grammar : to limit or describe the meaning of (a word or group of words) clause – n. grammar : a part of a sentence that has its own subject and verb apostrophe – n. the mark ʼ used to show the possessive form of a noun (as in “Lee's book” or “the tree's leaves”) fictional – adj. meaning or involving a story or literature created from one’s imagination We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/there-is-something-strange-about-indefinite-pronouns/5622756.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/there-is-something-strange-about-indefinite-pronouns/5622756.html
Throwback Thursday S1 #41 - Practicing Ending -Ed Sounds
learn about ending -ed sounds (three sounds)
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-41-practicing-ending-ed-sounds-three-sounds
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-41-practicing-ending-ed-sounds-three-sounds
Ask Alisha: Your English Questions Answered #121 - A while / for a while / in a while: What is the difference in English?
learn the difference between "a while," "for a while," and "in a while"
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/ask-alisha-your-english-questions-answered-121-a-while-for-a-while-in-a-while-what-is-the-difference-in-english
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/ask-alisha-your-english-questions-answered-121-a-while-for-a-while-in-a-while-what-is-the-difference-in-english
Hacking help for US elections
Rob and Sam discuss plans in the US to reduce the risk of cyber-attacks on election day.
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08vc1ry
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08vc1ry
Tuesday, 13 October 2020
How Many Are There- Trivia Quiz
New Entry: 'How Many Are There- Trivia Quiz' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-how-many-are-there-trivia-quiz/
Learning Strategies #60 - The Satisfaction of Reaching Goals
discover effective strategies and tips for learning english
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/learning-strategies-60-the-satisfaction-of-reaching-goals
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/learning-strategies-60-the-satisfaction-of-reaching-goals
One step at a time
When you’re trying something new, it’s best not to rush.
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08v3xk6
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08v3xk6
Monday, 12 October 2020
Give me a list of everyone who ____ coming.
New Entry: 'Give me a list of everyone who ____ coming.' has just been added to the Language Polls area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/poll/1234.html
Sunday, 11 October 2020
Friday, 9 October 2020
Finding Participles in News Headlines
I was reading The New York Times newspaper this morning and came across a headline that read “Laughter May Be Effective Medicine for These Trying Times.” A news headline is a very short summary of a news story that appears above the story, usually in large letters. The Times headline got me thinking about how much the world could use some laughter right now. Because I love grammar, I also thought about ways headlines and sentences are the same and different. To keep headlines short and catchy, English-based news groups use a few methods. Some, for example, leave out any form of the verb “be.” Many also leave out the words “a,” “an” and “the.” And, most use the present verb tense. These are just a few examples. All in all, there are more similarities than differences between headlines and complete sentences. That is why headlines can teach us about English grammar, including about participles. Some English learners find these word forms difficult. On recent Everyday Grammar programs, we talked about present participles and past participles. On today’s program, we will identify participles in news headlines and review them using a “test yourself” format. Present participles Let me begin by reviewing present participles. They are very common in English-language news headlines. As a reminder, the present participle is a word form that ends in -ing and has specific functions in English. For instance, it is used in all continuous tenses. The word “studying” in “You are studying English” is an example. In addition, some participles are adjectives, such as the word “shocking” in the sentence “His words were shocking.” Listen for the present participle word in the following headline, which I mentioned earlier from the New York Times newspaper. Decide whether the word is: a-an adjective b-part of a continuous verb (or) c-neither Here’s the headline again: Laughter May Be Effective Medicine for These Trying Times Did you find the present participle? It is the word “trying.” Now, take a look at the phrase “trying times.” The word “trying” describes the noun “times” so, in this headline, “trying” is an adjective. The answer is a. “Trying times” means a period of difficulty. Now, look at the headline again. Have any words been left out that prevent it from being a complete sentence? You can tell us later in the comments and do the same for the other headlines. Here is another one, this time from the VOA Learning English website. This headline has two present participles in it. We will focus on the first one. Listen to the headline and decide whether the word “becoming” is: a-an adjective b-part of a continuous verb (or) c-neither Here it is: World Becoming Less Accepting of Migrants, Poll Finds Did you decide on what “becoming” is? It is part of a continuous verb tense – in this case, the present continuous. So the answer is b. Notably, the word “is” was left out before “becoming,” so it may not have been immediately clear that you were looking at a continuous verb tense. Remember: Headlines often do not include the verb “be.” Past participles Now let’s review past participles, which are also common in news headlines. To refresh your memory, the past participle is a word form that often ends in -ed and has three main functions in English. It is used in all perfect verb tenses, as in “I have visited that museum.” It is also used in passive verbs, as in, “He is taken to school by his father.” Additionally, some past participles are adjectives, like in the sentence “The animal is scared.” Past participles can have endings other than -ed since there are 200 irregular verbs in English. They may have any of several endings, such as -n, as in the words “seen” and “taken.” Or they may look like a base verb, as in the words “run” “cut” and “cost.” Listen for the past participle in this headline from The Associated Press news service. Decide whether the word is: a-an adjective b-part of a passive verb c-part of a perfect verb Here’s the headline: Pennsylvania online voter services restored following outage Did you find the past participle? It is the word “restored.” And it is part of the passive verb “are restored,” so the answer is b. That one was not easy, since the headline left out the verb “be.” Remember that, in passive voice, the person or thing performing the action of the verb is often not mentioned. That is true for many headlines, as it helps to keep them short. OK, now let’s take a look at a headline from the CNN website. Listen carefully for the past participle word and decide whether it is: a-an adjective b-part of a passive verb c-part of a perfect verb Here it is: Nobel Prize awarded for discovery of Hepatitis C Did you find the past participle? It is the word “awarded.” Like the earlier example, this headline required you to think about what word might be missing – the verb “be” in this case. And “awarded” is part of the passive verb “is awarded.” So the answer is b. Well, I hope you enjoyed examining these headlines for participles. If you had trouble with them, do not worry! You can learn more about participles on our recent programs. I’m Alice Bryant. Alice Bryant wrote this story for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. _________________________________________________________________ Find Missing Words Now, you try it! Examine the four headlines from today's story. Decide which words have been left out. Then, write the headlines as complete sentences in the comments. If there are no words missing, write "nothing missing." Here they are again: Laughter May Be Effective Medicine for These Trying Times World Becoming Less Accepting of Migrants, Poll Finds Pennsylvania online voter services restored following outage Nobel Prize awarded for discovery of Hepatitis C ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story summary – n. a brief statement that gives the most important information about something tense – n. a form of a verb that is used to show when an action happened review – v. to study or look at something again function – n. the special purpose or activity for which a thing exists or is used mention – v. to briefly talk about, write about, or refer to something or someone phrase - a group of two or more words that express a single idea but do not usually form a complete sentence focus – v. to direct your attention or effort at something specific poll – n. an activity in which many people are asked a question or questions to find out what most people think about something irregular – adj. not normal or usual outage – n. a period when a power supply or other service is not available or when equipment is closed down
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/examining-participles-through-news-headlines/5612546.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/examining-participles-through-news-headlines/5612546.html
Thursday, 8 October 2020
Finding Participles in News Headlines
I was reading The New York Times newspaper this morning and came across a headline that read “Laughter May Be Effective Medicine for These Trying Times.” A news headline is a very short summary of a news story that appears above the story, usually in large letters. The Times headline got me thinking about how much the world could use some laughter right now. Because I love grammar, I also thought about ways headlines and sentences are the same and different. To keep headlines short and catchy, English-based news groups use a few methods. Some, for example, leave out any form of the verb “be.” Many also leave out the words “a,” “an” and “the.” And, most use the present verb tense. These are just a few examples. All in all, there are more similarities than differences between headlines and complete sentences. That is why headlines can teach us about English grammar, including about participles. Some English learners find these word forms difficult. On recent Everyday Grammar programs, we talked about present participles and past participles. On today’s program, we will identify participles in news headlines and review them using a “test yourself” format. Present participles Let me begin by reviewing present participles. They are very common in English-language news headlines. As a reminder, the present participle is a word form that ends in -ing and has specific functions in English. For instance, it is used in all continuous tenses. The word “studying” in “You are studying English” is an example. In addition, some participles are adjectives, such as the word “shocking” in the sentence “His words were shocking.” Listen for the present participle word in the following headline, which I mentioned earlier from the New York Times newspaper. Decide whether the word is: a-an adjective b-part of a continuous verb (or) c-neither Here’s the headline again: Laughter May Be Effective Medicine for These Trying Times Did you find the present participle? It is the word “trying.” Now, take a look at the phrase “trying times.” The word “trying” describes the noun “times” so, in this headline, “trying” is an adjective. The answer is b. “Trying times” means a period of difficulty. Now, look at the headline again. Have any words been left out that prevent it from being a complete sentence? You can tell us later in the comments and do the same for the other headlines. Here is another one, this time from the VOA Learning English website. This headline has two present participles in it. We will focus on the first one. Listen to the headline and decide whether the word “becoming” is: a-an adjective b-part of a continuous verb (or) c-neither Here it is: World Becoming Less Accepting of Migrants, Poll Finds Did you decide on what “becoming” is? It is part of a continuous verb tense – in this case, the present continuous. So the answer is a. Notably, the word “is” was left out before “becoming,” so it may not have been immediately clear that you were looking at a continuous verb tense. Remember: Headlines often do not include the verb “be.” Past participles Now let’s review past participles, which are also common in news headlines. To refresh your memory, the past participle is a word form that often ends in -ed and has three main functions in English. It is used in all perfect verb tenses, as in “I have visited that museum.” It is also used in passive verbs, as in, “He is taken to school by his father.” Additionally, some past participles are adjectives, like in the sentence “The animal is scared.” Past participles can have endings other than -ed since there are 200 irregular verbs in English. They may have any of several endings, such as -n, as in the words “seen” and “taken.” Or they may look like a base verb, as in the words “run” “cut” and “cost.” Listen for the past participle in this headline from The Associated Press news service. Decide whether the word is: a-an adjective b-part of a passive verb c-part of a perfect verb Here’s the headline: Pennsylvania online voter services restored following outage Did you find the past participle? It is the word “restored.” And it is part of the passive verb “are restored,” so the answer is b. That one was not easy, since the headline left out the verb “be.” Remember that, in passive voice, the person or thing performing the action of the verb is often not mentioned. That is true for many headlines, as it helps to keep them short. OK, now let’s take a look at a headline from the CNN website. Listen carefully for the past participle word and decide whether it is: a-an adjective b-part of a passive verb c-part of a perfect verb Here it is: Nobel Prize awarded for discovery of Hepatitis C Did you find the past participle? It is the word “awarded.” Like the earlier example, this headline required you to think about what word might be missing – the verb “be” in this case. And “awarded” is part of the passive verb “is awarded.” So the answer is c. Well, I hope you enjoyed examining these headlines for participles. If you had trouble with them, do not worry! You can learn more about participles on our recent programs. I’m Alice Bryant. Alice Bryant wrote this story for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. _________________________________________________________________ Find Missing Words Now, you try it! Examine the four headlines from today's story. Decide which words have been left out. Then, write the headlines as complete sentences in the comments. If there are no words missing, write "nothing missing." Here they are again: Laughter May Be Effective Medicine for These Trying Times World Becoming Less Accepting of Migrants, Poll Finds Pennsylvania online voter services restored following outage Nobel Prize awarded for discovery of Hepatitis C ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story summary – n. a brief statement that gives the most important information about something tense – n. a form of a verb that is used to show when an action happened review – v. to study or look at something again function – n. the special purpose or activity for which a thing exists or is used mention – v. to briefly talk about, write about, or refer to something or someone phrase - a group of two or more words that express a single idea but do not usually form a complete sentence focus – v. to direct your attention or effort at something specific poll – n. an activity in which many people are asked a question or questions to find out what most people think about something irregular – adj. not normal or usual outage – n. a period when a power supply or other service is not available or when equipment is closed down
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/examining-participles-through-news-headlines/5612546.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/examining-participles-through-news-headlines/5612546.html
Words with Silent Letters- Discussion Questions
New Entry: 'Words with Silent Letters- Discussion Questions' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-words-with-silent-letters-discussion-questions/
Is a rainbow brown? – Colours Mix and Match
New Entry: 'Is a rainbow brown? – Colours Mix and Match' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-is-a-rainbow-brown-colours-mix-and-match/
Do chimps have the same emotions as us?
Hear Jane Goodall talk about the deep connections between humans and the great apes.
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08tmhfq
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08tmhfq
Throwback Thursday S1 #112 - The Third Conditional
learn about the third conditional (If i had [past participle], I would/could/should/might...)
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-112-the-third-conditional
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-112-the-third-conditional
Wednesday, 7 October 2020
Tuesday, 6 October 2020
Learning Strategies #56 - Top 5 Ways to Speak More English
discover effective strategies and tips for learning english
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/learning-strategies-56-top-5-ways-to-speak-more-english
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/learning-strategies-56-top-5-ways-to-speak-more-english
Learning Strategies #57 - Do You Have These 4 English Learning Fears?
discover effective strategies and tips for learning english
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/learning-strategies-57-do-you-have-these-4-english-learning-fears
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/learning-strategies-57-do-you-have-these-4-english-learning-fears
Monthly Review Video #25 - English October 2020 Review - How to Match Your Routine to Language Learning
discover your new learning strategies and free resources of the month.
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/monthly-review-video-25-english-october-2020-review-how-to-match-your-routine-to-language-learning
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/monthly-review-video-25-english-october-2020-review-how-to-match-your-routine-to-language-learning
Bog-standard
How do you describe something that is standard, ordinary and nothing special?
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08tfdnb
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08tfdnb
Monday, 5 October 2020
Puke up
New Entry: 'Puke up' has just been added to the Phrasal Verbs area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/phrasal-verbs/puke.html#Puke-up
What Are Reciprocal Pronouns?
The Sixth Sense is a famous American movie. The 1999 film tells the story of a young boy who has an unusual issue. He claims that he can see dead people. In the film, the boy describes his problem: "I see dead people....Walking around like regular people. They don't see each other. They only see what they want to see..." Today on Everyday Grammar, we will explore some of the words that you just heard. We also will explain a pronoun that the boy used – the words “each other.” This term is an example of a reciprocal pronoun. But first, let's start with a few definitions. Pronouns Pronouns are words that take the place of a noun. Words such as I, me, or my are personal pronouns. The word you choose depends on how it is used in a sentence. For example, personal pronouns can act as the subject or object. They can also show possession. This is known as the possessive case. When using the first person, the subject pronoun is I, and the object pronoun is me. The possessive pronoun is my. Some grammar books use the term possessive adjective in place of the term possessive pronoun.* Reciprocal pronouns What exactly are reciprocal pronouns? Reciprocal is a word that describes a relationship in which people or groups do something similar, as in this sentence: Mark helped Bob, and Bob helped Mark. In newspapers, you might read about reciprocal trade agreements. Consider an imaginary trade deal between two countries. Country A reduces taxes on goods from Country B. And in return, Country B lowers taxes on goods from Country A. In grammar, reciprocal pronouns are pronouns that refer to a previously named noun. They suggest that one person or group does something to or for another person or group. In exchange, that person or group does something to or for the first person or group. Luckily, there are only two reciprocal pronouns you need to know. They are “each other” and “one another.” Consider our earlier example. Mark helped Bob, and Bob helped Mark. With a reciprocal pronoun, the sentence would become: Mark and Bob helped each other. The pronoun each other refers to two people: Mark and Bob. Reciprocal pronouns have two common uses. First, they can act as objects referring to previously named nouns, as in our example about Mark and Bob. Second, they can act as determiners - words that mark nouns - in the possessive case. Here is an example: Mark and Bob even do each other’s homework! Now you might be wondering about the second reciprocal pronoun, “one another.” How is it different from “each other?” In general, “each other” refers to two nouns, while “one another” refers to three or more nouns. Here is an example: All the players on the team help one another with their homework. Knowing the difference between “each other” and “one another” is important for a very strict writing test. But to be honest, when talking with a native English speaker, you do not need to worry too much about the difference. Sometimes native speakers use “each other” to refer to three or more. What is most important is that you understand the idea of reciprocal pronouns and how they act in a sentence. Closing thoughts At the beginning of this report, you heard a few lines from the movie The Sixth Sense: "They don't see each other." You will hear native English speakers use reciprocal pronouns in many other films, television shows, and news stories. Listen carefully to how native speakers use them. A piece of advice for you. When you use “each other” in speaking, pay careful attention to the “ch” sound at the end of “each.” It is a difficult sound for speakers of many languages. I’m John Russell. John Russell wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. *There are alternate forms of the possessive case. My and mine are two examples. My acts as a determiner - a marker of a noun. Mine takes the place of the noun head word. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story pronoun – n. grammar: a word (such as I, he, she, you, it, we, or they) that is used instead of a noun or noun phrase grammar – n. the whole system of a language or of languages refer to - v. to have a direct connection or relationship to (someone or something) previously – adv. formerly; earlier or before strict – adj. severe; firm or uncompromising We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/what-are-reciprocal-pronouns-/5603918.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/what-are-reciprocal-pronouns-/5603918.html
Colours- Guessing Game
New Entry: 'Colours- Guessing Game' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-colours-guessing-game/
Classroom Instructions- Number & Word Recognition TPR Practice
New Entry: 'Classroom Instructions- Number & Word Recognition TPR Practice' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-classroom-instructions-number-word-recognition-tpr-practice/
Extensive Reading in English for Beginners #24 - Homes around the world
learn about homes around the world and improve your reading skills
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/extensive-reading-in-english-for-beginners-24-homes-around-the-world
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/extensive-reading-in-english-for-beginners-24-homes-around-the-world
Sunday, 4 October 2020
English Vocab Builder S1 #198 - Books and Magazines: Common Terms
learn essential vocabulary for talking about books and magazines
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-vocab-builder-198-books-and-magazines-common-terms
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-vocab-builder-198-books-and-magazines-common-terms
Friday, 2 October 2020
Ask Alisha: Your English Questions Answered #112 - That vs Which: Difference and Comparison - Basic English Grammar
learn the difference between "that" and "which"
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/ask-alisha-your-english-questions-answered-112-that-vs-which-difference-and-comparison-basic-english-grammar
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/ask-alisha-your-english-questions-answered-112-that-vs-which-difference-and-comparison-basic-english-grammar
Thursday, 1 October 2020
What Are Reciprocal Pronouns?
The Sixth Sense is a famous American movie. The 1999 film tells the story of a young boy who has an unusual issue. He claims that he can see dead people. In the film, the boy describes his problem: "I see dead people....Walking around like regular people. They don't see each other. They only see what they want to see..." Today on Everyday Grammar, we will explore some of the words that you just heard. We also will explain a pronoun that the boy used – the words “each other.” This term is an example of a reciprocal pronoun. But first, let's start with a few definitions. Pronouns Pronouns are words that take the place of a noun. Words such as I, me, or my are personal pronouns. The word you choose depends on how it is used in a sentence. For example, personal pronouns can act as the subject or object. They can also show possession. This is known as the possessive case. When using the first person, the subject pronoun is I, and the object pronoun is me. The possessive pronoun is my. Some grammar books use the term possessive adjective in place of the term possessive pronoun. Reciprocal pronouns What exactly are reciprocal pronouns? Reciprocal is a word that describes a relationship in which people or groups do something similar, as in this sentence: Mark helped Bob, and Bob helped Mark. In newspapers, you might read about reciprocal trade agreements. Consider an imaginary trade deal between two countries. Country A reduces taxes on goods from Country B. And in return, Country B lowers taxes on goods from Country A. In grammar, reciprocal pronouns are pronouns that refer to a previously named noun. They suggest that one person or group does something to or for another person or group. In exchange, that person or group does something to or for the first person or group. Luckily, there are only two reciprocal pronouns you need to know. They are “each other” and “one another.” Consider our earlier example. Mark helped Bob, and Bob helped Mark. With a reciprocal pronoun, the sentence would become: Mark and Bob helped each other. The pronoun each other refers to two people: Mark and Bob. Reciprocal pronouns have two common uses. First, they can act as objects referring to previously named nouns, as in our example about Mark and Bob. Second, they can act as determiners - words that mark nouns - in the possessive case. Here is an example: Mark and Bob even do each other’s homework! Now you might be wondering about the second reciprocal pronoun, “one another.” How is it different from “each other?” In general, “each other” refers to two nouns, while “one another” refers to three or more nouns. Here is an example: All the players on the team help one another with their homework. Knowing the difference between “each other” and “one another” is important for a very strict writing test. But to be honest, when talking with a native English speaker, you do not need to worry too much about the difference. Sometimes native speakers use “each other” to refer to three or more. What is most important is that you understand the idea of reciprocal pronouns and how they act in a sentence. Closing thoughts At the beginning of this report, you heard a few lines from the movie The Sixth Sense: "They don't see each other." You will hear native English speakers use reciprocal pronouns in many other films, television shows, and news stories. Listen carefully to how native speakers use them. A piece of advice for you. When you use “each other” in speaking, pay careful attention to the “ch” sound at the end of “each.” It is a difficult sound for speakers of many languages. I’m John Russell. John Russell wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story pronoun – n. grammar: a word (such as I, he, she, you, it, we, or they) that is used instead of a noun or noun phrase grammar – n. the whole system of a language or of languages refer to - v. to have a direct connection or relationship to (someone or something) previously – adv. formerly; earlier or before strict – adj. severe; firm or uncompromising We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/what-are-reciprocal-pronouns-/5603918.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/what-are-reciprocal-pronouns-/5603918.html
Throw in the sponge
New Entry: 'Throw in the sponge' has just been added to the Idioms area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/throw+in+the+sponge.html
How to deal with difficult questions in a presentation
New Entry: 'How to deal with difficult questions in a presentation' has just been added to the Articles area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/articles/how-to-deal-with-difficult-questions-in-presentation.html
How can we make the web a better place?
Neil and Sam talk about the subject and teach you vocabulary along the way.
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08t1r21
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08t1r21
Wednesday, 30 September 2020
Video News #42 - Free English Gifts of the Month - October 2020
get your learning gifts for the month of October 2020
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/video-news-42-free-english-gifts-of-the-month-october-2020
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/video-news-42-free-english-gifts-of-the-month-october-2020
Tuesday, 29 September 2020
Have with Numbers- Mix and Match
New Entry: 'Have with Numbers- Mix and Match' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-have-with-numbers-mix-and-match/
English Grammar Made Easy S1 #132 - How to Politely Excuse Yourself
learn how to politely excuse yourself
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-132-how-to-politely-excuse-yourself
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-132-how-to-politely-excuse-yourself
Sunday, 27 September 2020
News #288 - How to Speak More English with the Dialogue Track
learn how using the dialogue track tool can improve your studies
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/news-288-how-to-speak-more-english-with-the-dialogue-track
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/news-288-how-to-speak-more-english-with-the-dialogue-track
Saturday, 26 September 2020
YYSSW
New Entry: 'YYSSW' has just been added to the Chatlish area of UsingEnglish.com. This entry is only available in our members' area.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/members/idioms/view.php?entry_id=27438
Friday, 25 September 2020
Steezy
New Entry: 'Steezy' has just been added to the Slang area of UsingEnglish.com. This entry is only available in our members' area.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/members/idioms/view.php?entry_id=27437
The Present Participle
Today, let me start with a question: What do the following three statements have in common? You are learning about grammar. The president’s words were shocking. I smelled food burning in the kitchen. Did you find the commonality? You may have noted that there is an -ing word in each sentence: learning, exciting and burning. These are examples of the present participle, a word form that ends in -ing and has a specific purpose in a sentence. Present participles can refer to the present, past or future. I hope the meaning of that becomes clearer over the next few minutes. On this Everyday Grammar program, we will talk about three uses for present participles. Continuous tenses Let's start with continuous verb tenses.* As a reminder, a continuous tense is one that includes the verb “be” plus the -ing form of a verb. There are six continuous tenses in English. Some are more common than others. You do not need to learn them all to understand the present participle. Continuous tenses can describe present, past or future actions or events. Now, let’s think about an example from earlier. Listen closely for the verb: You are learning about grammar. Here, the speaker used the present continuous verb tense. Notice that the verb “be” appears in the present form “are.” And the verb “teach” is in present participle form, “teaching.” Now, listen to an example about something that already happened: I was watching a movie when you called. In the first part of the sentence, the speaker used the verb “was watching,” which is the past continuous tense. Notice that the verb “be” appears in the past form, “was.” Yet the verb “watch” still appears in present participle form, “watching.” Sense verbs Now, let’s turn to verbs of perception, also known as “sense verbs.” These are verbs that describe experiences we have through the physical senses of sight, sound, touch, smell and taste. We sometimes use the present participle after sense verbs. Listen for the sense verb and the present participle in this sentence, which you heard earlier: I smelled food burning in the kitchen. Here, the sense verb is “smell” and the sentence is about something that happened in the past. The speaker used the verb “burn” in its present participle form, “burning.” Notice that the sentence structure is sense verb + object + present participle. The object in the speaker’s sentence is “food.” After sense verbs, use of the present participle shows that the speaker experienced only part of what happened. It emphasizes that an action was in progress or not finished when a speaker experienced it. Here is another example that involves a sense verb and the present participle: I heard the woman talking about the election. The sense verb here is “heard” and the verb “talk” is in present participle form, “talking.” The object is “the woman.” Use of the present participle “talking” here suggests the speaker only heard part of what was said. Participial adjectives And finally, we move to adjectives that end in -ing, also known as present participial adjectives. Do not worry! You do not need to remember that term. Just remember that in English, some adjectives end in -ing. We usually use these adjectives to describe a person, thing or idea that causes a feeling or emotion. In one of our earlier examples, you heard the adjective “shocking.” Listen to it again and take mental note of what caused the emotion: The president’s words were shocking. The speaker is saying that she felt shocked by something: the president’s words. Participial adjectives appear in the same position in sentences that normal adjectives do – after linking verbs, such as “be,” and before nouns. In this final example, listen for the -ing adjective and the noun that follows: That boring online class put me to sleep! Did you find the adjective? It was “boring.” And it came before the noun “online classes.” Remember that -ing adjectives describe the cause for an emotion. In this case, the online class caused the speaker to feel bored. And that’s our program for this week. I’m Alice Bryant. Alice Bryant wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. *Continuous verb tenses are sometimes called "progressive" verb tenses. __________________________________________________ Words in This Story kitchen – n. a room in which food is cooked refer to – v. to have a direct connection or relationship to something tense – n. a form of a verb that is used to show when an action happened perception – n. the way that you notice or understand something using one of your senses emphasize – v. to give special attention to something boring – adj. dull and uninteresting
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/the-present-participle/5596213.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/the-present-participle/5596213.html
The Present Participle
Today, let me start with a question: What do the following three statements have in common? You are learning about grammar. The president’s words were shocking. I smelled food burning in the kitchen. Did you find the commonality? You may have noted that there is an -ing word in each sentence: learning, shocking, burning. These are examples of the present participle, a word form that ends in -ing and has a specific purpose in a sentence. Present participles can refer to the present, past or future. I hope the meaning of that becomes clearer over the next few minutes. On this Everyday Grammar program, we will talk about three uses for present participles. Continuous tenses Let's start with continuous verb tenses.* As a reminder, a continuous tense is one that includes the verb “be” plus the -ing form of a verb. There are six continuous tenses in English. Some are more common than others. You do not need to learn them all to understand the present participle. Continuous tenses can describe present, past or future actions or events. Now, let’s think about an example from earlier. Listen closely for the verb: You are learning about grammar. Here, the speaker used the present continuous verb tense. Notice that the verb “be” appears in the present form “are.” And the verb “teach” is in present participle form, “teaching.” Now, listen to an example about something that already happened: I was watching a movie when you called. In the first part of the sentence, the speaker used the verb “was watching,” which is the past continuous tense. Notice that the verb “be” appears in the past form, “was.” Yet the verb “watch” still appears in present participle form, “watching.” Sense verbs Next, let’s turn to verbs of perception, also known as “sense verbs.” These are verbs that describe experiences we have through the physical senses of sight, sound, touch, smell and taste. We sometimes use the present participle after sense verbs. Listen for the sense verb and the present participle in this sentence, which you heard earlier: I smelled food burning in the kitchen. Here, the sense verb is “smell” and the sentence is about something that happened in the past. The speaker used the verb “burn” in its present participle form, “burning.” Notice that the sentence structure is sense verb + object + present participle. The object in the speaker’s sentence is “food.” After sense verbs, use of the present participle shows that the speaker experienced only part of what happened. It emphasizes that an action was in progress or not finished when a speaker experienced it. Here is another example that involves a sense verb and the present participle: I heard the woman talking about the election. The sense verb here is “heard” and the verb “talk” is in present participle form, “talking.” The object is “the woman.” Use of the present participle “talking” here suggests the speaker only heard part of what was said. Participial adjectives And finally, we move to adjectives that end in -ing, also known as present participial adjectives. Do not worry! You do not need to remember that term. Just remember that in English, some adjectives end in -ing. We usually use these adjectives to describe a person, thing or idea that causes a feeling or emotion. In one of our earlier examples, you heard the adjective “shocking.” Listen to it again and take mental note of what caused the emotion: The president’s words were shocking. The speaker is saying that she felt shocked by something: the president’s words. Participial adjectives appear in the same position in sentences that normal adjectives do – after linking verbs, such as “be,” and before nouns. In this final example, listen for the -ing adjective and the noun that follows: That boring online class put me to sleep! Did you find the adjective? It was “boring.” And it came before the noun “online classes.” Remember that -ing adjectives describe the cause for an emotion. In this case, the online class caused the speaker to feel bored. And that’s our program for this week. I’m Alice Bryant. Alice Bryant wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. *Continuous verb tenses are sometimes called "progressive" verb tenses. __________________________________________________ Words in This Story kitchen – n. a room in which food is cooked refer to – v. to have a direct connection or relationship to something tense – n. a form of a verb that is used to show when an action happened perception – n. the way that you notice or understand something using one of your senses emphasize – v. to give special attention to something boring – adj. dull and uninteresting
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/the-present-participle/5596213.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/the-present-participle/5596213.html
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)