Hi everyone! Thanks for listening to Everyday Grammar. If you listen often and find the material easy to understand, you probably have been practicing English for a long time. That’s great – it means you have made a lot of progress since you first began. But maybe there are a few things you’d still like to work on. So, I’ve got a question for you: What are you willing to do to improve your English? The idea of being willing to do something is the subject of today’s Everyday Grammar program. Native English speakers use the phrase often, so you’ll hear and see it everywhere. The phrase “be willing to” gets its meaning from the adjective “willing.” The adjective “willing” means to be ready, eager or prepared to do something. Note that being willing to do something is not the same as wanting to do it. The idea is just that you don’t need to be persuaded. Listen again to my earlier question: What are you willing to do to improve your English? In other words, what are you ready or prepared to do to get better in English? Forming sentences Now, let’s talk about how to form sentences with “be willing to.” The structure of the phrase is: be + willing + infinitive verb. You probably remember that the infinitive form of verbs is “to” plus the simple form. So, in my question about improving English, I use the infinitive “to do.” As for the main verb, I used “are” in the example. As you know, “are” is the present form of “be.” The “be” verb can also change tenses. For example: Your English is really good! I can see you were willing to work hard to improve it. Or: He was willing to stay late to finish the job. Notice the suggestion of a cost in those two examples. Being willing to do something often means making an investment or sacrifice. Improving your English requires effort and time. And the person who stayed late to finish the job probably sacrificed his plans for the evening. It makes sense, then, that the phrase “be willing to” can also take a negative form to show someone does not agree to make an investment or sacrifice. He wasn’t willing to stay late to finish the job. His family was expecting him for dinner. We also sometimes add a condition to say that someone is willing only if something else happens. Here’s what a person might say: The couple is willing to buy the car if the owner makes some repairs. In this statement, the condition is repairs on the vehicle. Someone might also be willing to do something if it helps others or a greater purpose. Imagine you are working on a creative video project with a coworker. You are the main video creator. When your partner sees what you have made, he says this: I like your video, but it is too long for our show. Are you willing to cut the ending? You say “yes,” even though you like the ending. Later, your coworker says, "Are you willing to show Sam how to use the video software? Today is his first day.” You say “yes” again, even though you are really, really busy. But welcoming a new coworker is more important. In these examples, being willing means you are able to accept something. The meaning has to do with valuing cooperation. Well, that’s all for today. I’ll end with the same question I started with: What are you willing to do to improve your English? Tell us in the comments and make sure to use “be willing to”! I’m Alice Bryant. Alice Bryant wrote this story for Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story practice – v. to do something again and again in order to get better at it phrase – n. a group of two or more words that express a single idea but do not usually form a complete sentence eager – adj. feeling a strong and impatient desire to do something or for something tense – n. a form of a verb that is used to show when an action happened negative – adj. expressing denial or refusal
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/what-are-you-willing-to-do-to-improve-your-english-/5265475.html
Friday, 31 January 2020
Thursday, 30 January 2020
What Are You Willing to Do?
Hi everyone! Thanks for listening to Everyday Grammar. If you listen often and find the material easy to understand, you probably have been practicing English for a long time. That’s great – it means you have made a lot of progress since you first began. But maybe there are a few things you’d still like to work on. So, I’ve got a question for you: What are you willing to do to improve your English? The idea of being willing to do something is the subject of today’s Everyday Grammar program. Native English speakers use the phrase often, so you’ll hear and see it everywhere. The phrase “be willing to” gets its meaning from the adjective “willing.” The adjective “willing” means to be ready, eager or prepared to do something. Note that being willing to do something is not the same as wanting to do it. The idea is just that you don’t need to be persuaded. Listen again to my earlier question: What are you willing to do to improve your English? In other words, what are you ready or prepared to do to get better in English? Forming sentences Now, let’s talk about how to form sentences with “be willing to.” The structure of the phrase is: be + willing + infinitive verb. You probably remember that the infinitive form of verbs is “to” plus the simple form. So, in my question about improving English, I use the infinitive “to do.” As for the main verb, I used “are” in the example. As you know, “are” is the present form of “be.” The “be” verb can also change tenses. For example: Your English is really good! I can see you were willing to work hard to improve it. Or: He was willing to stay late to finish the job. Notice the suggestion of a cost in those two examples. Being willing to do something often means making an investment or sacrifice. Improving your English requires effort and time. And the person who stayed late to finish the job probably sacrificed his plans for the evening. It makes sense, then, that the phrase “be willing to” can also take a negative form to show someone does not agree to make an investment or sacrifice. He wasn’t willing to stay late to finish the job. His family was expecting him for dinner. We also sometimes add a condition to say that someone is willing only if something else happens. Here’s what a person might say: The couple is willing to buy the car if the owner makes some repairs. In this statement, the condition is repairs on the vehicle. Someone might also be willing to do something if it helps others or a greater purpose. Imagine you are working on a creative video project with a coworker. You are the main video creator. When your partner sees what you have made, he says this: I like your video, but it is too long for our show. Are you willing to cut the ending? You say “yes,” even though you like the ending. Later, your coworker says, "Are you willing to show Sam how to use the video software? Today is his first day.” You say “yes” again, even though you are really, really busy. But welcoming a new coworker is more important. In these examples, being willing means you are able to accept something. The meaning has to do with valuing cooperation. Well, that’s all for today. I’ll end with the same question I started with: What are you willing to do to improve your English? Tell us in the comments and make sure to use “be willing to”! I’m Alice Bryant. Alice Bryant wrote this story for Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story practice – v. to do something again and again in order to get better at it phrase – n. a group of two or more words that express a single idea but do not usually form a complete sentence eager – adj. feeling a strong and impatient desire to do something or for something tense – n. a form of a verb that is used to show when an action happened negative – adj. expressing denial or refusal sacrifice – n. the act of giving up something that you want especially in order to get or do something else or to help someone
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/what-are-you-willing-to-do-to-improve-your-english-/5265475.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/what-are-you-willing-to-do-to-improve-your-english-/5265475.html
Cleaning the air we breathe
Sam and Neil discuss measures to restrict or ban polluting cars in city centres.
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p081trk5
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p081trk5
Fluffernut
New Entry: 'Fluffernut' 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=27392
Travel and Tourism Recommendations- Numbers Practice
New Entry: 'Travel and Tourism Recommendations- Numbers Practice' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-travel-and-tourism-recommendations-numbers-practice/
Tuesday, 28 January 2020
Rat race
The Year of the Rat is here – so Neil has decided to dedicate his life to work.
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p081jrk1
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p081jrk1
Monday, 27 January 2020
Beg
New Entry: 'Beg' 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=27391
Sunday, 26 January 2020
Direct, Indirect and Taboo Small Talk Questions
New Entry: 'Direct, Indirect and Taboo Small Talk Questions' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-direct-indirect-and-taboo-small-talk-questions/
Friday, 24 January 2020
This Is Casual Grammar, Dude
The Big Lebowski, a 1998 crime comedy, is an American ‘cult classic.’ In other words, the film has a group of very loyal fans. The Big Lebowski tells the story of Jeffrey Lebowski. Lebowski can best be described as a slacker. He shows little interest in - and generally avoids - doing work. He goes by the name, “The Dude.” In the film, actor Sam Elliott describes Jeffrey Lebowski. “This Lebowski, he called himself 'The Dude.' Now, 'Dude' - that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But, then there was a lot about the 'Dude' that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me.” Today on Everyday Grammar, we will explore the kind of language ‘The Dude’ uses: casual grammar. We also will explain the meaning of the term dude. It has a much richer history and meaning than you might expect. Let us begin with some history and definitions. Unclear origins and definitions If you look at a dictionary, you will see that the word dude, a noun, is a term for a man or a boy. But dude did not start out with that definition. The online search engine Google Ngrams shows the term was used throughout the 1800s. It became more popular toward the end of the 19th century. The Online Etymology Dictionary says that dude suggested a “fastidious man” -- someone who cares very much about being neat and clean. It adds that research suggests the word is a shortening of “Yankee Doodle,” a well-known American song. Richard Hill wrote about dude in American Speech, the journal of the American Dialect Society. He notes that in the 1930s and 1940s, some Mexican-American and African-American men began using the term when speaking with other men. It was sort of an “in-group” term. Hill went on to note that dude became more common in American English, possibly through the influence of African-Americans in music and popular culture. Dude eventually became a common word in very casual situations. The term can suggest lazy or effortless behavior. This is why ‘The Dude’ in The Big Lebowski goes by his name – he loves the casual, easy-going life. But for a term that could show laziness or effortlessness, dude works surprisingly hard to serve many purposes in everyday speech. Discourse marker and way to show reported speech Dude has a few surprising uses. Speakers use it as a discourse marker -- a word that helps organize a conversation. Dude can help organize a conversation by showing when a transition, or change, is coming. Imagine a young man has just finished telling a story. His friend might say, “Dude, that reminds of a time when I had a similar experience…” In this example, the speaker uses dude to show a transition from one story to the next. A speaker might also report speech by using dude. Imagine the following statement: “Tommy was like, dude, you shouldn’t do that, it’s a bad idea!” In this case, the words “dude, you shouldn’t do that, it’s a bad idea!” are reported speech. They show that the speaker is explaining what Tommy said. However, these words are not exactly what was said. Instead, the speaker is reporting on the substance, or basic idea, of what Tommy said. How do women use dude? In a study on the word dude, Scott F. Kiesling noted that women often use the term in different ways than men do. Women sometimes use dude to show concern for or express sympathy with another person. The example Kiesling gives is about a young woman telling a story about a man hitting on her, making dreamy, romantic statements. Her female friend exclaims, “Dude!” In this case, the woman uses dude to show support for her friend and anger toward the man. You can hear this in the sound of her voice. Closing thoughts Dude has other uses that we are not able to explore in our report today. But you now have the idea that dude is far more than just a noun meaning “a man or a boy.” However, a word of warning: be careful when using dude. One probably should not say it when speaking with a supervisor , a co-worker or a teacher. Understanding the term dude can be useful. When you are watching American movies, or even speaking with young people, you will hear this term a lot. And when you do, you will understand that this seemingly simple term can communicate a lot of information. We end this report with two questions for you. What other kinds of words show reported speech in casual, informal speaking? What are other common discourse markers in casual, informal speaking? Here’s an idea: we have stories on these and other subjects on our website, learningenglish.voanews.com. And that’s Everyday Grammar. I’m John Russell. And I’m Jill Robbins. John Russell wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ______________________________________________ Words in This Story comedy – n. a show meant to make people laugh fan – n. someone who has a strong interest in a person or thing self-apply – v. to put on one's self grammar – n. the study of words and their uses and relationships in a sentence casual – adj. involving something done without much thought dictionary – n. a book or guide that lists and defines the words of a language lazy – adj. not liking to work hard or to be active; in an unconcerned or easy going way conversation – n. a spoken exchange involving two people or a small group of people; the act of talking in an informal way remind – v. to cause a person to remember someone or something We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/this-is-casual-grammar-dude/5257332.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/this-is-casual-grammar-dude/5257332.html
Thursday, 23 January 2020
This Is Casual Grammar, Dude
The Big Lebowski, a 1998 crime comedy, is an American ‘cult classic.’ In other words, the film has a group of very loyal fans. The Big Lebowski tells the story of Jeffrey Lebowski. Lebowski can best be described as a slacker. He shows little interest in - and generally avoids - doing work. He goes by the name, “The Dude.” In the film, actor Sam Elliott describes Jeffrey Lebowski. “This Lebowski, he called himself 'The Dude.' Now, 'Dude' - that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But, then there was a lot about the 'Dude' that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me.” Today on Everyday Grammar, we will explore the kind of language ‘The Dude’ uses: casual grammar. We also will explain the meaning of the term dude. It has a much richer history and meaning than you might expect. Let us begin with some history and definitions. Unclear origins and definitions If you look at a dictionary, you will see that the word dude, a noun, is a term for a man or a boy. But dude did not start out with that definition. The online search engine Google Ngrams shows the term was used throughout the 1800s. It became more popular toward the end of the 19th century. The Online Etymology Dictionary says that dude suggested a “fastidious man” -- someone who cares very much about being neat and clean. It adds that research suggests the word is a shortening of “Yankee Doodle,” a well-known American song. Richard Hill wrote about dude in American Speech, the journal of the American Dialect Society. He notes that in the 1930s and 1940s, some Mexican-American and African-American men began using the term when speaking with other men. It was sort of an “in-group” term. Hill went on to note that dude became more common in American English, possibly through the influence of African-Americans in music and popular culture. Dude eventually became a common word in very casual situations. The term can suggest lazy or effortless behavior. This is why ‘The Dude’ in The Big Lebowski goes by his name – he loves the casual, easy-going life. But for a term that could show laziness or effortlessness, dude works surprisingly hard to serve many purposes in everyday speech. Discourse marker and way to show reported speech Dude has a few surprising uses. Speakers use it as a discourse marker -- a word that helps organize a conversation. Dude can help organize a conversation by showing when a transition, or change, is coming. Imagine a young man has just finished telling a story. His friend might say, “Dude, that reminds of a time when I had a similar experience…” In this example, the speaker uses dude to show a transition from one story to the next. A speaker might also report speech by using dude. Imagine the following statement: “Tommy was like, dude, you shouldn’t do that, it’s a bad idea!” In this case, the words “dude, you shouldn’t do that, it’s a bad idea!” are reported speech. They show that the speaker is explaining what Tommy said. However, these words are not exactly what was said. Instead, the speaker is reporting on the substance, or basic idea, of what Tommy said. How do women use dude? In a study on the word dude, Scott F. Kiesling noted that women often use the term in different ways than men do. Women sometimes use dude to show concern for or express sympathy with another person. The example Kiesling gives is about a young woman telling a story about a man hitting on her, making dreamy, romantic statements. Her female friend exclaims, “Dude!” In this case, the woman uses dude to show support for her friend and anger toward the man. You can hear this in the sound of her voice. Closing thoughts Dude has other uses that we are not able to explore in our report today. But you now have the idea that dude is far more than just a noun meaning “a man or a boy.” However, a word of warning: be careful when using dude. One probably should not say it when speaking with a supervisor , a co-worker or a teacher. Understanding the term dude can be useful. When you are watching American movies, or even speaking with young people, you will hear this term a lot. And when you do, you will understand that this seemingly simple term can communicate a lot of information. We end this report with two questions for you. What other kinds of words show reported speech in casual, informal speaking? What are other common discourse markers in casual, informal speaking? Here’s an idea: we have stories on these and other subjects on our website, learningenglish.voanews.com. And that’s Everyday Grammar. I’m John Russell. And I’m Jill Robbins. John Russell wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story comedy – n. a show meant to make people laugh fan – n. someone who has a strong interest in a person or thing self-apply – v. to put on one's self grammar – n. the study of words and their uses and relationships in a sentence casual – adj. involving something done without much thought dictionary – n. a book or guide that lists and defines the words of a language lazy – adj. not liking to work hard or to be active; in an unconcerned or easy going way conversation – n. a spoken exchange involving two people or a small group of people; the act of talking in an informal way remind – v. to cause a person to remember someone or something We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/this-is-casual-grammar-dude/5257332.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/this-is-casual-grammar-dude/5257332.html
What's inspiring women to get involved in politics?
Sam and Georgina discuss the engagement of women in politics and teach you vocabulary.
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0814vdx
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0814vdx
Tuesday, 21 January 2020
Monday, 20 January 2020
Sunday, 19 January 2020
Indirect Questions Dice Game
New Entry: 'Indirect Questions Dice Game' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-indirect-questions-dice-game/
Direct and Indirect Questions- Simplest Responses Game
New Entry: 'Direct and Indirect Questions- Simplest Responses Game' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-direct-and-indirect-questions-simplest-responses-game/
Friday, 17 January 2020
Thursday, 16 January 2020
The Difference: Used to, Be Used to, Get Used to
Hi everyone, how was your weekend? Mine was relaxing! Let me tell you about it. Listen for me to say the words “used to” three times. On Saturday, I got up early to go to my 7 o’clock yoga class. Most of my friends like to sleep late on weekends. But I've been going to this class for a year now. So I am used to waking at sunrise. A few weeks ago, I finally persuaded my friend Tania to come. She is not a morning person. But after a month of our new routine, she is getting used to the early hours. After class, we like to get breakfast at a café down the street. Every week, she orders the same thing: banana pancakes. I used to eat pancakes. But now I enjoy something lighter, like yogurt and fruit. I hope you heard me say “used to” three times as I told my story. But each phrase looks and sounds a little different. These were the phrases from the story: be used to get used to used to The phrase “used to” is unrelated to the other two phrases. But “be used to” and “get used to” have similar meanings and sentence structures. Some English learners have trouble distinguishing between the three. Others can tell them apart but have trouble forming sentences with them. So, on today’s Everyday Grammar program, I will show you how to recognize and use each. Used to Let’s start with the last phrase, “used to.” “Used to” is considered a modal verb, though an unusual one, since it is only found in the past tense. Choose “used to” to say that something existed or happened repeatedly in the past but does not exist or happen now. For example, I said, “I used to eat pancakes.” That means I ate them repeatedly in the past but do not anymore. The sentence structure for “used to” will always go like this: subject + used to + base verb The base form of a verb is its shortest form, with no -s ending. Look for that structure in these examples, including my own: I used to eat pancakes. But now I enjoy something lighter, like yogurt and fruit. Sacha used to live on Atlantic Avenue near Vanderbilt Street. He didn’t use to believe in ghosts. But he said he saw one at his grandmother's house. As you just heard, the negative of “used to” is “did not use to” or the more common “didn’t use to.” Notice the word “use” does not end with the letter -d in the negative. That is because “did” is already the past tense. Be used to Next, let’s talk about “be used to.” Choose “be used to” to say you are accustomed to something, and so it seems normal or usual. If you are used to something, it is not difficult, new or strange. In “be used to,” the verb “be” can take the present, past or future tense (though future is less common). And the words “used to” are an adjective, not a modal verb. Earlier you heard the present tense “am” in my sentence “I am used to waking at sunrise.” That means I am accustomed to it. The sentence structure goes like this: subject + be + used to + gerund, noun or pronoun In other words, the phrase “be used to” will be followed by some kind of noun – whether gerund or otherwise. You may remember that a gerund is a kind of noun that ends in i-n-g. Listen to a few examples, including my own. Pay attention to the verb tense of “be.” And, note that nouns follow “be used to.” But I've been going to this class for a year now. So I am used to waking at sunrise. She doesn’t think Dami is strange. She is used to him. Look, the bird is frightened. It is not used to large crowds. Notice that the negative for “be used to” is “be not used to.” Get used to And, finally, we have “get used to.” Remember -- this phrase is related in meaning to “be used to.” The difference is that “get used to” means someone is, was or will become accustomed to something. So, the verb “get” in the phrase can take the present, past or future tense. For example, I said this about Tania: “She is getting used to the early hours.” That means she is becoming accustomed to being awake in the early morning. The words “used to” in the phrase “get used to” are also an adjective. The sentence structure goes like this: subject + get + used to + gerund, noun or pronoun Listen for the verb tense of “get” in the following examples. And take note that nouns follow “get used to.” But after a month of our new routine, she is getting used to the early hours. I hated this haircut at first. But I got used to it. I like it now! The baby will not get used to the new sitter. I think she misses her dad. Note the negative of “get used to,” which is “not get used to.” And that’s it for today. I hope you have a relaxing weekend ahead, too. I’m Alice Bryant. Alice Bryant wrote this story for Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story yoga – n. a system of exercises for mental and physical health pancake – n. a thin, flat, round cake that is made by cooking batter on both sides in a frying pan or on a hot surface distinguish – v. to notice or recognize a difference between people or things modal verb – n. a verb (such as can, should, will, and would) that is usually used with another verb to express ideas ghost – n. the soul of a dead person thought of as living in an unseen world or as appearing to living people accustomed – adj. : familiar with something so that it seems normal or usual sitter – n. a person who takes care of a child while the child's parents are away
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/the-difference-used-to-be-used-to-get-used-to/5245290.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/the-difference-used-to-be-used-to-get-used-to/5245290.html
Could you give up booze for a month?
Sam and Rob discuss the challenge of cutting down on alcohol and teach you vocabulary.
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p080jkh0
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p080jkh0
How to teach indirect questions
New Entry: 'How to teach indirect questions' has just been added to the Articles area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/articles/how-to-teach-indirect-questions.html
Wednesday, 15 January 2020
Tuesday, 14 January 2020
Present Perfect Simple and Progressive small talk
New Entry: 'Present Perfect Simple and Progressive small talk' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-present-perfect-simple-and-progressive-small-talk/
Aptis Speaking Part Two Activities
New Entry: 'Aptis Speaking Part Two Activities' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-aptis-speaking-part-two-activities/
Monday, 13 January 2020
Sunday, 12 January 2020
News and Media Opinions
New Entry: 'News and Media Opinions' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-new-and-media-opinions/
Friday, 10 January 2020
Definitions, Nouns, and Politics
The United States will hold a presidential election in November of 2020. From now until then, you are likely to hear or read many reports about the things U.S. politicians say. Sometimes, the reports or politicians’ statements will have words that carry a somewhat different meaning than what you might think. One example is minority.** It is a noun, but sometimes people use it like an adjective, as in the term minority groups. This seemingly simple word will be the subject of our report today. History and change over time The word minority has a long history. The Google Ngrams search engine shows it first appeared in the English language somewhere around the year 1510. The Online Etymology Dictionary notes that minority comes from the Middle French word minorité. By the 1530s, the English term meant “state or condition of being smaller.” But it does not really carry that meaning anymore. Minority slowly took on new meanings during the 1700s. By the 19th century, minority generally had two meanings. Webster’s Dictionary of 1828 notes one was: “the state of being under age.” The other was “the smaller number; as the minority of the senate or house of representatives; opposed to majority.” By the beginning of the 21st century, minority had taken on more meanings. Webster’s New World Dictionary, 4th edition, for example, lists four main meanings. One of them is a “racial, religious, ethnic, or political group smaller than and differing from the larger, controlling group in a community, nation, etc.” But such definitions do not always line up with how Americans use terms, as we will see. Change in meaning John McWhorter is an American expert on language. In his book, Words on the Move, McWhorter writes that Americans often think of specific groups of people when using the term ‘minority.’ “In the minds of American English speakers… minorities are considered to be black and Latino people,” he adds. A report on the television program “CBS This Morning” provides an example of what McWhorter is talking about. The title of this 2016 video is “Clinton and Sanders fight for minority votes in Milwaukee debate.” Let us listen to some of the report. Notice that it takes note of only one kind of minority in the United States. “The debate was in Wisconsin, but the candidates were clearly focused on the next primary, in South Carolina, where African-Americans could decide the outcome.” In his book, McWhorter noted that the term “minority feels forced when applied to other groups, even when they, too, constitute numerical minorities of the population.” In other words, the term minority often carries a much more narrow meaning than what the recent dictionary definition might suggest. But here is an important point to consider: minority carries this narrower meaning when Americans are talking about local or national issues. They might mean something closer to the dictionary definition when talking about groups of people outside the United States. Here is an example. Imagine two statements by an American political candidate. The first statement is about U.S. college admissions. The politician might say: “I believe we need to do all we can to encourage minorities to apply to colleges.” In this statement, our make-believe politician is probably using minority in the way that McWhorter wrote about. The politician is probably not talking about Americans of Asian ancestry, although they do make up about five or six percent of the U.S. population. The politician is also probably not referring to other kinds of minority groups in the country – Jewish people, for example. Now, imagine our politician is making a point about U.S. foreign policy. The politician might say: “I believe America should send aid to the Kurds and other minorities in the Middle East.” In this case, the politician would be referring to a broader, more extensive idea of what minority means. In other words, small groups that do not make up the majority – whether that be along religious, racial or other lines. Closing thoughts Today, we took you on a journey of one word, from its birth in English to its modern usage in American politics and the news. We showed you that a commonly heard noun can carry slightly different meanings, and that its meanings have grown and changed over time. The next time you are reading or watching a story about American politics, ask yourself about the language that the speaker uses. Are there some terms – nouns, verbs, or adjectives – he or she uses often? Do you think the speaker might be using the term in a way that matches what you see in the dictionary? If not, what might explain the difference? Asking yourself these kinds of questions will improve your understanding of American English, as well as American politics and culture. And that’s Everyday Grammar. I’m Ashley Thompson. And I’m John Russell. John Russell wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. **There are two main pronunciations of minority. They are: maɪˈnɔːrəti and məˈnorəti _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story etymology – n. an explanation of where a word came from; the history of a word dictionary – n. a book or reference guide listing the words or terms of one language and their meanings focus – v. to direct your attention or effort at something constitute – v. to make up or form something encourage – v. to make (something) more appealing or more likely to happen journey – n. a trip; travel from one place to another We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/definitions-nouns-and-politics/5238631.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/definitions-nouns-and-politics/5238631.html
New and Media Opinions
New Entry: 'New and Media Opinions' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-new-and-media-opinions/
Thursday, 9 January 2020
Definitions, Nouns, and Politics
The United States will hold a presidential election in November of 2020. From now until then, you are likely to hear or read many reports about the things U.S. politicians say. Sometimes, the reports or politicians’ statements will have words that carry a somewhat different meaning than what you might think. One example is minority.** It is a noun, but sometimes people use it like an adjective, as in the term minority groups. This seemingly simple word will be the subject of our report today. History and change over time The word minority has a long history. The Google Ngrams search engine shows it first appeared in the English language somewhere around the year 1510. The Online Etymology Dictionary notes that minority comes from the Middle French word minorité. By the 1530s, the English term meant “state or condition of being smaller.” But it does not really carry that meaning anymore. Minority slowly took on new meanings during the 1700s. By the 19th century, minority generally had two meanings. Webster’s Dictionary of 1828 notes one was: “the state of being under age.” The other was “the smaller number; as the minority of the senate or house of representatives; opposed to majority.” By the beginning of the 21st century, minority had taken on more meanings. Webster’s New World Dictionary, 4th edition, for example, lists four main meanings. One of them is a “racial, religious, ethnic, or political group smaller than and differing from the larger, controlling group in a community, nation, etc.” But such definitions do not always line up with how Americans use terms, as we will see. Change in meaning John McWhorter is an American expert on language. In his book, Words on the Move, McWhorter writes that Americans often think of specific groups of people when using the term ‘minority.’ “In the minds of American English speakers… minorities are considered to be black and Latino people,” he adds. A report on the television program “CBS This Morning” provides an example of what McWhorter is talking about. The title of this 2016 video is “Clinton and Sanders fight for minority votes in Milwaukee debate.” Let us listen to some of the report. Notice that it takes note of only one kind of minority in the United States. “The debate was in Wisconsin, but the candidates were clearly focused on the next primary, in South Carolina, where African-Americans could decide the outcome.” In his book, McWhorter noted that the term “minority feels forced when applied to other groups, even when they, too, constitute numerical minorities of the population.” In other words, the term minority often carries a much more narrow meaning than what the recent dictionary definition might suggest. But here is an important point to consider: minority carries this narrower meaning when Americans are talking about local or national issues. They might mean something closer to the dictionary definition when talking about groups of people outside the United States. Here is an example. Imagine two statements by an American political candidate. The first statement is about U.S. college admissions. The politician might say: “I believe we need to do all we can to encourage minorities to apply to colleges.” In this statement, our make-believe politician is probably using minority in the way that McWhorter wrote about. The politician is probably not talking about Americans of Asian ancestry, although they do make up about five or six percent of the U.S. population. The politician is also probably not referring to other kinds of minority groups in the country – Jewish people, for example. Now, imagine our politician is making a point about U.S. foreign policy. The politician might say: “I believe America should send aid to the Kurds and other minorities in the Middle East.” In this case, the politician would be referring to a broader, more extensive idea of what minority means. In other words, small groups that do not make up the majority – whether that be along religious, racial or other lines. Closing thoughts Today, we took you on a journey of one word, from its birth in English to its modern usage in American politics and the news. We showed you that a commonly heard noun can carry slightly different meanings, and that its meanings have grown and changed over time. The next time you are reading or watching a story about American politics, ask yourself about the language that the speaker uses. Are there some terms – nouns, verbs, or adjectives – he or she uses often? Do you think the speaker might be using the term in a way that matches what you see in the dictionary? If not, what might explain the difference? Asking yourself these kinds of questions will improve your understanding of American English, as well as American politics and culture. And that’s Everyday Grammar. I’m Ashley Thompson. And I’m John Russell. John Russell wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. **There are two main pronunciations of minority. They are: maɪˈnɔːrəti and məˈnorəti _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story etymology – n. an explanation of where a word came from; the history of a word dictionary – n. a book or reference guide listing the words or terms of one language and their meanings focus – v. to direct your attention or effort at something constitute – v. to make up or form something encourage – v. to make (something) more appealing or more likely to happen journey – n. a trip; travel from one place to another We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/definitions-nouns-and-politics/5238631.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/definitions-nouns-and-politics/5238631.html
The decline of the apostrophe
We discuss this punctuation mark and teach you some vocabulary along the way.
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07zxkt8
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07zxkt8
Catch someone on the hop
New Entry: 'Catch someone on the hop' has just been added to the Idioms area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/catch+someone+on+the+hop.html
Hop it
New Entry: 'Hop it' has just been added to the Phrasal Verbs area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/phrasal-verbs/hop.html#Hop-it
Hop out
New Entry: 'Hop out' has just been added to the Phrasal Verbs area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/phrasal-verbs/hop.html#Hop-out
Hop on
New Entry: 'Hop on' has just been added to the Phrasal Verbs area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/phrasal-verbs/hop.html#Hop-on
Hop in
New Entry: 'Hop in' has just been added to the Phrasal Verbs area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/phrasal-verbs/hop.html#Hop-in
Wednesday, 8 January 2020
Grammar for Making New Year’s Resolutions
The New Year can come on different dates for different cultures. Most of the Western world, for example, celebrates it on January 1. This year, the Lunar New Year takes place on January 25. The Persian New Year, Nowruz, falls on March 20. And the Islamic New Year is August 19. But one thing many cultures have in common is the idea of New Year’s resolutions. A New Year’s resolution is a personal goal to change unwanted behavior, make a life improvement or try something new. Popular New Year’s resolutions in the United States, for example, include losing weight, improving your finances, volunteering for a charity and spending less time on social media. On today’s Everyday Grammar, we will show you how to talk about resolutions in English. Asking a question First, let’s learn how to ask people about their resolutions. Listen to a short conversation: Hey there, Jill. Happy New Year! Great to see you. Hi, Jonathan. Happy New Year to you too! How was yours? It was crazy! We went to New York and watched the ball drop in Times Square. Really crowded and loud – but still really fun. Sweet! Do you have any New Year’s resolutions? Jill asked Jonathan about resolutions simply by saying, “Do you have any New Year’s resolutions?” You can also say, “What are your New Year’s resolutions?” to ask about more than one or “What is your New Year’s resolution?” to ask about one. Now, let’s find out how to answer the question. Using phrasal verbs When we make statements about our resolutions, we often use phrasal verbs. We can use the phrasal verb “take up” to say that we will start a new activity as a hobby. Listen to Jill and Jonathan continue their conversation: Sweet! Do you have any New Year’s resolutions? Yes, I do. I plan to take up kickboxing starting next week. I’m excited to finally do it rather than just talk about it! How about you? Another phrasal verb for resolutions is “give up,” which is to stop doing or using something. We can use this verb to talk about ending bad habits or changing a behavior for a time. Let’s hear Jill respond using the verb “give up”: How about you? I am giving up sugar for the month of January. Then, for the rest of the year, I’m avoiding soft drinks. Impressive! I wish I could join you but kickboxing class starts soon. I’ll probably want a sweet snack after class! Another phrasal verb, “cut out,” has the same basic meaning as “give up.” For example, Jill could say, “I am cutting out sugar for the month of January.” But in many situations, we do not need phrasal verbs to talk about resolutions, as you will soon see. Using future forms Next, let’s talk about verb tenses and forms. Jonathan talked about his new kickboxing hobby using the verb “plan” followed by the infinitive verb form and Jill talked about giving up sugar using the present continuous verb tense, also called “BE + ing.” We can also use the simple future tenses: one with “will” and the other with “going to.” These tenses are especially useful when the New Year has not come yet. Imagine it’s the last week of the year and a few people are talking to each other about resolutions: Here are some things you might hear: In 2020, I’m going to visit my parents every month. By January 1, I will end a few unhealthy friendships. In the new year, I’m going to walk 10,000 steps every day. When we use simple future tenses to talk about resolutions, we’re expressing that we are making a promise to or plan for ourselves. The noun “resolution” comes from the verb “resolve,” which means to make a serious decision to do something. Infinitives and gerunds You may have noticed that the statements so far today did not actually use the word “resolution.” That is because the subject was already known by the listeners. But it is still perfectly normal to start your statements with, “My New Year’s resolution is…” or “My New Year’s resolutions are…” An infinitive verb or a gerund must come after these phrases. Here is an example: My New Year’s resolution is to call my sister on video chat every week. The infinitive verb here is “to call.” You can also use a gerund, like this: My New Year’s resolution is calling my sister on video chat every week. Well, that’s all for today’s program. Tell us about your New Year’s resolutions in the comments below. Happy New Year! I’m Alice Bryant. Alice Bryant wrote this story for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story charity – n. an organization that helps people who are poor, sick, or otherwise in need conversation – n. an informal talk involving two people or a small group of people phrasal verb – n. a group of words that functions as a verb and is made up of a verb and a preposition or an adverb, or both hobby – n. an activity that a person does for pleasure when not working habit – n. something that a person does often in a regular and repeated way impressive – adj. deserving attention, admiration, or respect tense – n. a form of a verb that is used to show when an action happened chat – n. a talk held over the internet by people using a computer or phone
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/grammar-for-making-new-year-s-resolutions/5226829.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/grammar-for-making-new-year-s-resolutions/5226829.html
Tuesday, 7 January 2020
American English Listening Comprehension for Absolute Beginners #23 - Finding What You Need at a Department Store in USA
Learn American English with EnglishClass101.com! Do you find yourself only understanding bits and pieces of English conversations? Do you spend hours trying to figure out what that person said to you in English? Then this English Listening Comprehension for Absolute Beginners series is for you! In each lesson of this five-part series, you’ll see an [...]
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/american-english-listening-comprehension-for-absolute-beginners-23-finding-what-you-need-at-a-department-store-in-usa/
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/american-english-listening-comprehension-for-absolute-beginners-23-finding-what-you-need-at-a-department-store-in-usa/
American English Listening Comprehension for Absolute Beginners #24 - Where In USA Did You Put Your Keys?
Learn American English with EnglishcClass101.com! Do you find yourself only understanding bits and pieces of English conversations? Do you spend hours trying to figure out what that person said to you in English? Then this English Listening Comprehension for Absolute Beginners series is for you! In each lesson of this five-part series, you’ll see an [...]
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/american-english-listening-comprehension-for-absolute-beginners-24-where-in-usa-did-you-put-your-keys/
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/american-english-listening-comprehension-for-absolute-beginners-24-where-in-usa-did-you-put-your-keys/
American English Listening Comprehension for Absolute Beginners #25 - Talking About Your Job in English
Learn American English with EnglishClass101.com! Do you find yourself only understanding bits and pieces of English conversations? Do you spend hours trying to figure out what that person said to you in English? Then this English Listening Comprehension for Absolute Beginners series is for you! In each lesson of this five-part series, you’ll see an [...]
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/american-english-listening-comprehension-for-absolute-beginners-25-talking-about-your-job-in-english/
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/american-english-listening-comprehension-for-absolute-beginners-25-talking-about-your-job-in-english/
Talk the talk
Neil can talk the talk, but does he know what he's talking about?
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07zqh3y
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07zqh3y
Can and Be Able to Present and Past Ability Discussion Questions
New Entry: 'Can and Be Able to Present and Past Ability Discussion Questions' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-can-and-be-able-to-present-and-past-ability-discussion-questions/
Monday, 6 January 2020
County lines
New Entry: 'County lines' 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=27385
Shatter
New Entry: 'Shatter' 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=27386
Fix up
New Entry: 'Fix up' has just been added to the Phrasal Verbs area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/phrasal-verbs/fix.html#Fix-up
Sunday, 5 January 2020
Saturday, 4 January 2020
Friday, 3 January 2020
Thursday, 2 January 2020
Grammar for Making New Year’s Resolutions
The New Year can come on different dates for different cultures. Most of the Western world, for example, celebrates it on January 1. This year, the Lunar New Year takes place on January 25. The Persian New Year, Nowruz, falls on March 20. And the Islamic New Year is August 19. But one thing many cultures have in common is the idea of New Year’s resolutions. A New Year’s resolution is a personal goal to change unwanted behavior, make a life improvement or try something new. Popular New Year’s resolutions in the United States, for example, include losing weight, improving your finances, volunteering for a charity and spending less time on social media. On today’s Everyday Grammar, we will show you how to talk about resolutions in English. Asking a question First, let’s learn how to ask people about their resolutions. Listen to a short conversation: Hey there, Jill. Happy New Year! Great to see you. Hi, Jonathan. Happy New Year to you too! How was yours? It was crazy! We went to New York and watched the ball drop in Times Square. Really crowded and loud – but still really fun. Sweet! Do you have any New Year’s resolutions? Jill asked Jonathan about resolutions simply by saying, “Do you have any New Year’s resolutions?” You can also say, “What are your New Year’s resolutions?” to ask about more than one or “What is your New Year’s resolution?” to ask about one. Now, let’s find out how to answer the question. Using phrasal verbs When we make statements about our resolutions, we often use phrasal verbs. We can use the phrasal verb “take up” to say that we will start a new activity as a hobby. Listen to Jill and Jonathan continue their conversation: Sweet! Do you have any New Year’s resolutions? Yes, I do. I plan to take up kickboxing starting next week. I’m excited to finally do it rather than just talk about it! How about you? Another phrasal verb for resolutions is “give up,” which is to stop doing or using something. We can use this verb to talk about ending bad habits or changing a behavior for a time. Let’s hear Jill respond using the verb “give up”: How about you? I am giving up sugar for the month of January. Then, for the rest of the year, I’m avoiding soft drinks. Impressive! I wish I could join you but kickboxing class starts soon. I’ll probably want a sweet snack after class! Another phrasal verb, “cut out,” has the same basic meaning as “give up.” For example, Jill could say, “I am cutting out sugar for the month of January.” But in many situations, we do not need phrasal verbs to talk about resolutions, as you will soon see. Using future forms Next, let’s talk about verb tenses and forms. Jonathan talked about his new kickboxing hobby using the verb “plan” followed by the infinitive verb form and Jill talked about giving up sugar using the present continuous verb tense, also called “BE + ing.” We can also use the simple future tenses: one with “will” and the other with “going to.” These tenses are especially useful when the New Year has not come yet. Imagine it’s the last week of the year and a few people are talking to each other about resolutions: Here are some things you might hear: In 2020, I’m going to visit my parents every month. By January 1, I will end a few unhealthy friendships. In the new year, I’m going to walk 10,000 steps every day. When we use simple future tenses to talk about resolutions, we’re expressing that we are making a promise to or plan for ourselves. The noun “resolution” comes from the verb “resolve,” which means to make a serious decision to do something. Infinitives and gerunds You may have noticed that the statements so far today did not actually use the word “resolution.” That is because the subject was already known by the listeners. But it is still perfectly normal to start your statements with, “My New Year’s resolution is…” or “My New Year’s resolutions are…” An infinitive verb or a gerund must come after these phrases. Here is an example: My New Year’s resolution is to call my sister on video chat every week. The infinitive verb here is “to call.” You can also use a gerund, like this: My New Year’s resolution is calling my sister on video chat every week. Well, that’s all for today’s program. Tell us about your New Year’s resolutions in the comments below. Happy New Year! I’m Alice Bryant. Alice Bryant wrote this story for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story charity – n. an organization that helps people who are poor, sick, or otherwise in need conversation – n. an informal talk involving two people or a small group of people phrasal verb – n. a group of words that functions as a verb and is made up of a verb and a preposition or an adverb, or both hobby – n. an activity that a person does for pleasure when not working habit – n. something that a person does often in a regular and repeated way impressive – adj. deserving attention, admiration, or respect tense – n. a form of a verb that is used to show when an action happened chat – n. a talk held over the internet by people using a computer or phone
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/grammar-for-making-new-year-s-resolutions/5226829.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/grammar-for-making-new-year-s-resolutions/5226829.html
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