How Many Meanings of 'Run' Do You Know?

Here is the truth about the English language: Some words take up so much space in the dictionary that they could be their own book. And the word “run” would be the biggest book of all. When you think of “run,” the first thing that might come to mind is a person moving very quickly with their legs. But “run” can act as both a verb and a noun, with meanings too numerous to count -- unless you like counting to 645. That is the number of definitions that Oxford English Dictionary has found for “run” for its upcoming 2037 edition. The massive number of uses for this three-letter word hit a growth spurt during the Industrial Revolution. It has not slowed down since.   The good news is you can often guess the meaning by how the speaker or writer uses it. So, instead of thinking of “run” as an impossible list of definitions, think of it as a power tool of language. It can help you communicate a lot of ideas. In fact, I bet you already know more than you realize. So on today’s Everyday Grammar program, I am going help you test your knowledge on “run” as a verb. I will say a sentence and ask a question. You will have a short time to choose your answers. Ready? Here is the first one:   The crosstown bus runs every 20 minutes on weekdays. Which meaning of “run” did the speaker use? to move quickly using your legs to travel along a usual route to make a short, quick visit   The answer is b. to travel along a usual route. It can also mean to travel at usual times on the route. We use “run” in this way when talking about public transportation, such as buses and trains. A bus can run every 20 minutes, for example. It can also run from First Street to Tenth Street.   Careful! Don’t put the grass cutter down while it's running. Which meaning of “run” did the speaker use? to function or operate to test or check something or someone to produce a flow of liquid   The answer is a. to function or operate. This meaning is generally connected to mechanical or electrical objects and equipment. When the power for a piece of equipment is on, it is running. That also includes car engines and computers. A closely related meaning deals with starting or using a computer program.   Muriel Bowser ran for mayor of Washington, D.C. in 2018 and won. Which meaning of “run” did the speaker use? to test or check someone or something to direct the business or activities of to be a candidate for an official position   The answer is c. to be a candidate for an official position. We use this meaning for any person who can be chosen through an election, including for president, governor or mayor, or unrelated positions.   Moira has run a program for young athletes for three years. Which meaning of “run” did the speaker use? to direct the business or activities of to move quickly using your legs to make a short, quick visit   The answer is a. to direct the business or activities of. A person (or people) can run an organization, a company, a program or even an event. An official can also run an agency or a city, state or country. For instance, Muriel Bowser now runs the city of Washington, D.C.   I need to run a few errands to buy supplies. Then, I’m stopping at mom’s house for lunch. Which meaning of “run” did the speaker use? to cost an amount to leave or go quickly to do a task that involves a quick trip   The answer is c. to do a task that involves a quick trip. We almost always use the verb “run” in relation to errands. We can say, for example, “I have (a few) errands to run” or “I need to run (a few) errands.” And here is the last one:   Sorry, I can’t talk now. I have to run. I’m leading a meeting at 2 o'clock. Which meaning of “run” did the speaker use? to move quickly using your legs to leave or go quickly to direct the business or activities of The answer is b. to leave or go quickly. This is a meaning we use informally with friends, close coworkers or family. For example, if you were on a phone call with a friend but you had to quickly end the call, you could tell the person you have to run. Actually, I have to run now, too! Thanks for taking the quick test. Look and listen for the word “run” wherever English is being used. Then, ask yourself if you can guess the meaning by how the speaker or writer uses it.   Alice Bryant wrote this story for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. ________________________________________________________________   Words in This Story   dictionary - n. a reference book that contains words listed in alphabetical order and gives the words' meanings, forms and pronunciations  edition - n. a particular version of a book growth spurt - n. an occurrence of growing quickly and suddenly in a short period of time guess - v. to form an opinion or give an answer about something when you do not know much about it function - v. to work or operate errand - n. a short journey that you take to do or get something task - n. a piece of work to be done or undertaken informally - adv. in a way that is not suited for serious or official speech and writing  

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/how-many-meanings-of-run-do-you-know-/5520798.html

The medicine of coronavirus

Neil and Georgina talk about Covid-19 and teach you related vocabulary.

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08m3xf8

How Many Meanings of 'Run' Do You Know?

source https://av.voanews.com/clips/VLE/2020/07/29/20dc10b1-843b-4d65-a12e-cc8fe63b4a4d_hq.mp3

Extensive Reading in English for Absolute Beginners #24 - The Five Senses

learn about the five senses and improve your reading skills

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/extensive-reading-in-english-for-absolute-beginners-24-the-five-senses

New normal

Learn a new expression that describes our new way of life.

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08lzfvr

Everyday Grammar: Qualities: As…As Comparisons

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/5519268.html

Verb Patterns with Reporting Verbs Activities

New Entry: 'Verb Patterns with Reporting Verbs Activities' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-verb-patterns-with-reporting-verbs-activities/

Describing Festivals and Celebrations Subject Questions Practice

New Entry: 'Describing Festivals and Celebrations Subject Questions Practice' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

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News #284 - How to Learn English & Stick With It: The 5 Minute Rule

find out how the five minute rule makes learning easy

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/news-284-how-to-learn-english-stick-with-it-the-5-minute-rule

English Vocab Builder S1 #193 - Dental Care: Common Terms

learn essential vocabulary about dental care

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-vocab-builder-193-dental-care-common-terms

Everyday Grammar: Qualities: As…As Comparisons

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Video News #40 - Free English Gifts of the Month - August 2020

get your learning gifts for the month of August 2020

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Throwback Thursday S1 #5 - Making Art

learn about making art and improve your reading skills

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/extensive-reading-in-english-for-beginners-5-making-art

Question Words

  A few years ago, On the American television show Saturday Night Live, actor Jerry Seinfeld answered questions from the audience. However, the people who asked them were not ordinary showgoers, but Hollywood stars. The questions were jokes that made fun of other actors. Tim Meadows asked if he could read from a magazine list of the worst actors to ever appear on the show. But let me just read who is dead last. And do we have a camera ready to cut to Robert Downey Jr.? No, let's not do this, let's not do this! This is not a good idea. Other questions. Oh! Bob Odenkirk here. Bob! Jerry, when are we doing a tribute to the writers of SNL...?   That short discussion provides examples of two of the most common kinds of questions in English - “yes/no” questions and “wh-” questions. What are question words? A yes/no question is one that can be answered simply with a yes or a no. And do we have a camera ready to cut to Robert Downey Jr.? No, let's not do this... The “wh-” question requires a more detailed answer: Jerry, when are we doing a tribute to the writers of SNL...? That question includes the word “when,” which starts with “wh-.” The words what, where or why are also used for “wh-” questions. This is where the “wh-” name comes from.* “Wh-” questions follow a pattern. The question word comes first. Then come the subject and main verb. In some cases, there is a helping verb, such as do, have, or can, in between the question word and the subject. The pattern is Question word + (helping verb) + subject + main verb Here are two examples, one in the present and one in the past: Where does he work? What did she say? Question words in answers You might be thinking that this is all you need to know about question words. But question words are important for another reason: they can be used in answers. Question words often begin noun clauses - groups of words with a subject and a verb. These clauses act like a noun in the sentence. Think back to our examples: Where does he work? What did she say? In response to these questions, a person might say: I don’t know where he works. I didn’t hear what she said. In the first example, where he works is a noun clause. In the second example, what she said is a noun clause. Notice that the question word order is not used in the answer. The verb do does not appear in the noun clause in the answer. Where does he work? I don’t know where he works. Closing thoughts The next time you are listening or reading, try to find examples of question words – both in questions and in answers. Also pay attention to how speakers use intonation and word stress with question words. Then practice using them a lot. There are only a small number of question words, and they are useful in almost any situation you can think of. If your goal is to improve your speaking skills, then you must use question words with ease. I'm John Russell.   John Russell wrote this story for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. * Not all so-called “wh-” questions begin with “wh-.” 'How' is one example. ________________________________________________________________   Words in This Story   tribute – n. something that you say, give, or do to show respect or affection for someone pattern – n. the regular and repeated way in which something happens or is done intonation – n. the rise and fall in the sound of your voice when you speak word stress – n. greater loudness or force given to a syllable or a word in speech   We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.  

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/everyday-grammar-question-words/5513164.html

Food made in space

Find out how growing plants in space might help develop better crops.

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08lms7n

Question Words

source https://av.voanews.com/clips/VLE/2020/07/22/c63ad994-1225-49af-97c4-8f1a48a68c87_hq.mp3

English Grammar Made Easy S1 #122 - Make vs. Do

learn the difference between: make & do

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-122-make-vs-do

Learn English by Listening to Short Stories

If you are trying to learn English with traditional way, you probably get bored and start to think about English is boring. Because textbooks are boring and we don’t like to memorize the grammar rules, fill in the blank tests and unnatural conversations that you can not see in the real life ever. So we […]

source https://www.power-english.net/real-english-conversations/learn-english-by-listening-to-short-stories.html

Slippery slope

Learn how to describe a situation that is getting worse and might end in disaster.

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08lblj3

Everyday Grammar: Be Used to

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/5463341.html

Everyday Grammar: 'Be Used to'

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Gerunds and Infinitives- Storytelling Activity

New Entry: 'Gerunds and Infinitives- Storytelling Activity' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

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Good and Bad- Subject Questions Speaking Game

New Entry: 'Good and Bad- Subject Questions Speaking Game' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

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Ways to Say You Are Annoyed

Do you ever get annoyed about something that a person does or says often? More than likely, the answer is yes. We are all human, after all. As we spend long periods at home, for example, some of our loved ones’ behaviors might become annoying. Maybe you wish they would give you more space or privacy, for example. Or maybe they make too much noise, use your belongings or rarely do their share of cleaning. Listen to a short exchange between friends: How are things going at home?  Mostly fine. But my brother is getting on my nerves. He is constantly leaving dirty clothes in the bathroom. And he’s always hogging the computer.  The speaker used present continuous verbs to show that these things happen often – and that she finds them annoying.  On today’s Everyday Grammar, we will explore a few forms English speakers use to talk about the present and the past. Let’s first discuss the present and stay with the present continuous. Present continuous Sometimes, English speakers use the present continuous verb form to express annoyance or complain about a repeated action or habit. Alone, this verb form does not express negative emotion. It must be used with adverbs that mean “all the time,” such as "always" “constantly" or “continually.” Let’s listen to part of the earlier exchange again. This time, listen for the verbs and notice where the speaker puts the adverbs. As a reminder, the present continuous verb tense is formed with is/are plus a verb ending in -ing: He is constantly leaving dirty clothes in the bathroom. And he’s always hogging the computer.  Did you find the verbs? They are “is leaving” and “is hogging.” And, the speaker put the adverbs in between the verbs, such as in the phrase “is constantly leaving.” Wish + would Another way we casually complain about present behavior is with the form wish + would. Listen to a speaker talk about a current problem: I wish you would take your health seriously. You have not visited the doctor in over a year. For some English speakers, the wish + would sentence structure may be a little difficult because it contains a noun clause. You can learn more about “wish” clauses in earlier Everyday Grammar programs. [LINK] Note that we can use the form wish + would in positive sentences with “would” or negative sentences with “wouldn’t” to express the same basic meaning. Here’s an example: I wish you wouldn’t ignore your health. You have not visited the doctor in over a year. Past continuous Now let’s talk about ways English speakers express annoyance about past behavior. We can use a continuous tense — this time the past continuous — to say that something aggravating happened often in the past. Suppose the girl who lives with her brother moved to some other place. So, she was able to talk about her annoyance as a past problem. Listen for the verbs in the next example. As a reminder, the past continuous verb tense is formed with was/were + a verb ending in -ing: He was constantly leaving dirty clothes in the bathroom. And he was always hogging the computer. Did you find the verbs? They are “was leaving” and “was hogging.” Again, with this verb tense, adverbs like “always” and “constantly” are needed to express a negative emotion about repeated behavior. Kept + gerund Finally we move to the past form kept + gerund. As a reminder, a gerund is a noun ending in -ing. You may remember an earlier Everyday Grammar program that talked about keep + gerund, which has a few uses, such as to express that something that happens again and again [link]. For today’s program, let’s focus on kept + gerund for expressing annoyance at a repeated past action. Listen to an example and pay attention for the form kept + gerund: Our dog kept chewing on everything. He was becoming a real nuisance until we brought in a behavioral specialist. Did you find the form kept + gerund? The gerund here is “chewing.” Kept + gerund has a similar meaning to the past continuous when expressing annoyance or aggravation about a past problem. And, we sometimes explain how we solved whatever problem we were facing.  Well, that’s our program for today. Join us again soon for another lesson on grammar for everyday speaking and writing. I’m Alice Bryant.   Alice Bryant wrote this story for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.  ________________________________________________________________   Words in This Story   annoying - adj. causing someone to feel slightly angry get on (one's) nerves - expression. constantly - adv. happening all the time or very often over a period of time hog - v. to take, keep or use something in a way that prevents other people from having or using it negative - adj. expressing dislike or disapproval phrase - n. a small group words that express a single idea but do not usually form a complete sentence clause - n. a part of a sentence that has its own subject and verb aggravating - adj.  causing annoyance or exasperation habit - n. something that a person does often in a regular and repeated way focus - v.  to direct your attention or effort at something specific nuisance - n. a person, thing or situation that is annoying or that causes trouble or problems 

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/ways-to-say-you-are-annoyed/5502410.html

Sport against poverty

Neil and Sam discuss how sport is giving hope to young people leading the toughest lives.

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08kt02q

Ways to Say You Are Annoyed at Behavior

source https://av.voanews.com/clips/VLE/2020/07/15/4a6be38f-6df6-4ded-b578-2e140f9f581c_hq.mp3

Everyday Grammar: Used to

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English Grammar Made Easy S1 #121 - Amid vs. Among vs Between

learn the difference between: amid, among, between

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-121-amid-vs-among-vs-between

Extensive Reading in English for Absolute Beginners #23 - Sports

learn about sports and improve your reading skills

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/extensive-reading-in-english-for-absolute-beginners-23-sports

Throw shade

Learn an expression about criticism.

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08kn465

News #283 - You Don’t Want To Miss This Massive Update from EnglishClass101

learn what makes our lessons a great learning tool

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/news-283-you-dont-want-to-miss-this-massive-update-from-englishclass101

English Vocab Builder S1 #192 - Relationships: Common Terms

learn essential vocabulary about common terms related to relationships

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-vocab-builder-192-relationships-common-terms

Everyday Grammar: 'Used to'

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How to teach English greetings

New Entry: 'How to teach English greetings' has just been added to the Articles area of UsingEnglish.com.

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Learning Strategies #43 - How to Supercharge Your Vocabulary With Bilingual Reading

discover effective strategies and tips for learning english

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/learning-strategies-43-how-to-supercharge-your-vocabulary-with-bilingual-reading

Quick & Easy English Review for Beginners S1 #1 - Numbers 0-9

learn how to count from 0 to 9

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/quick-easy-english-review-for-beginners-1-numbers-09

The 800 Core Words and Phrases #8 - Core Words: How to Say "Cloudy," "Cool" and More!

learn 20 high-frequency expressions, including weather and marine animals

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/the-800-core-words-and-phrases-8-core-words-how-to-say-cloudy-cool-and-more

Intonation, Speaking and Grammar

  Intonation is like the music of a language. Intonation means the changes that someone makes to the sound of their voice when speaking. The up and down movements in the voice can show meaning or emotion. These movements can also take the place of punctuation, such as commas or question marks. Today on Everyday Grammar, we will explore the subject of intonation by using humor. We will show you how one comedian used intonation in ways that can teach you about American English and grammar. Rising intonation The term rising intonation means the upward movement of the voice, often at the end of a sentence. In general, Americans use rising intonation in what we call “yes/no questions” -- questions that ask for either a “yes” or “no” answer. In some cases, these “yes/no questions” use auxiliary verbs, such as can or do, as in this example: Do you know him? One important point: in everyday or casual speech, Americans sometimes drop off – or leave out - the auxiliary verb do, as in: D’you know him? You know him? Did you hear how the voice went up toward the end of the question? That is rising intonation. Let’s listen to part of a performance by the American comedian Dave Chappelle. Note how he uses rising intonation at the end of his “yes/no questions.” One quick note: Chappelle is mispronouncing the name of American actor Jussie Smollett on purpose. He refers to Smollett as “Juicy Somellier.”* “Don’t ever forget what happened to that French actor “You know who I’m talking about? Jussie Smollett”   Note that Chappelle’s voice rose after the second line – You know who I’m talking about? This is a “yes/no question” that left out the auxiliary verb do. The first line, a statement, has the opposite kind of intonation: falling intonation. “Don’t ever forget what happened to that French actor” Let’s listen to more from Chappelle’s performance: Jussie Smollett - he’s very French, a very famous French actor... Y’all never heard of Jussie Smollett? In this “yes/no question,” Chappelle turns a statement into a question by changing the intonation of his voice. He also uses the informal structure y’all - which means “you all.” Here is Chappelle’s question: Y’all never heard of Jussie Smollett? This is how Chappelle’s words would sound if they were presented as a statement: You have never heard of Jussie Smollett. Questions that are not Yes/No questions You might be asking yourself about other kinds of questions: for example, questions that are not “yes/no questions.” Such questions often have interrogatives – words such as what, why, when, or how. Questions with interrogative words generally have falling intonation – the opposite of “yes/no questions.” So, for example, if a person asked about who Dave Chappelle was making fun of, their question might sound like this: Who is Jussie Smollett? Or they might ask: What is Dave Chappelle talking about? Closing thoughts The main idea of this story is that intonation plays an important role in showing meaning. The next time you are listening to the news or watching a comedy show, ask yourself how the speaker is using intonation. Note the different kinds of intonation you hear – rising or falling. Over time, you will begin to use intonation to show differences in meaning between statements, ”yes/no questions,” and other kinds of questions. I’m John Russell.   John Russell wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. *This is a rough estimate of the name that Chappelle pronounced. It is not an exact spelling. _____________________________________________________________   Words in This Story   punctuation – n. the marks in a piece of writing that make its meaning clear and that separate it into sentences or clauses comedian – n. a person who makes people laugh by telling jokes or funny stories or by acting in a way that is funny auxiliary verb – n. a verb used with another verb to how the verb’s tense or to form a question mispronounce – v. to say or state (a word or name) incorrectly refer – v. to direct attention to; to describe informal – adj. casual; unceremonious interrogative – n. a word used in questions role – n. an actor’s part in a play or movie; a position or job    

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/intonation-speaking-and-grammar-/5495000.html

Intonation, Speaking and Grammar

source https://av.voanews.com/clips/VLE/2020/07/08/24ce4914-0609-45d3-a723-edcde27a903c_hq.mp3

Covid-19: The office after lockdown

Companies are rushing to install technology to make offices safer. Neil and Sam discuss.

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08k5d35

Stronger and Weaker Hedging Language

New Entry: 'Stronger and Weaker Hedging Language' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-stronger-and-weaker-hedging-language/

Cambridge Proficiency (CPE) Use of English sentence transformations- speculating language

New Entry: 'Cambridge Proficiency (CPE) Use of English sentence transformations- speculating language' 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-sentence-transformations-speculating-language/

It is said ____ the best restaurant in the area.

New Entry: 'It is said ____ the best restaurant in the area.' has just been added to the Language Polls area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/poll/1231.html

English Grammar Made Easy S1 #120 - A little VS Little and a few VS Few

learn the difference between: a little, little, a few, few

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-120-a-little-vs-little-and-a-few-vs-few

Learning Strategies #42 - Should you learn English at home or abroad?

discover effective strategies and tips for learning english

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/learning-strategies-42-should-you-learn-english-at-home-or-abroad

Bite the bullet

Learn an English expression with bite!

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08jztb9

41 ways to say goodbye in English

New Entry: '41 ways to say goodbye in English' has just been added to the Articles area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/articles/41-ways-to-say-goodbye-in-english.html

Everyday Grammar: Expressing Indefinite Plans

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/5463337.html

Everyday Grammar: EXPRESSING INDEFINITE PLANS

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/5463337.html

Monthly Review Video #22 - English July 2020 Review - The Power of Mistakes

discover your new learning strategies and free resources of the month.

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/monthly-review-video-22-english-july-2020-review-the-power-of-mistakes

Learning Strategies #41 - 5 Ways to Immerse Yourself in English Without Living in the Country

discover effective strategies and tips for learning english

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/learning-strategies-41-5-ways-to-immerse-yourself-in-english-without-living-in-the-country

The 800 Core Words and Phrases #6 - Core Words: How to Say "Hot," "Cold" and More!

learn 20 high-frequency expressions, including animals and adjectives

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/the-800-core-words-and-phrases-6-core-words-how-to-say-hot-cold-and-more

The 800 Core Words and Phrases #7 - Core Words: How to Say "Shirt," "Pants" and More!

learn 20 high-frequency expressions, including vegetables and clothing

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/the-800-core-words-and-phrases-7-core-words-how-to-say-shirt-pants-and-more

American Phrases for Warning or Advising Someone

The other day, I started crossing a busy street in Washington, D.C., while looking at my phone. Suddenly, I heard a man shout, “Watch out!” He was telling me about an oncoming car. I did not know that the crossing light was red. The words “Watch out!” made me quickly return to the sidewalk.  I learned something that day: Phones can be distracting! And I remembered how useful warnings are.  To warn someone means to tell the person about possible danger or trouble. In English, there are several ways to do this.  Today on Everyday Grammar, we will talk about warning phrases Americans use in different situations.  Some warnings are urgent and immediate. Others are a form of direct or indirect advice — often about what not to do.  Immediate danger Let us talk first about warnings of immediate danger.  When warning someone of danger, you can say, “Watch out!” just like the man said to me on the street. You can also say, “Look out!” or “Be careful!” For example, it could be that a moving vehicle or large animal is near. Or you might want to tell someone quickly that they will fall or crash into something or someone. Or you see a heavy object is going to drop or hit someone.  Listen to these warnings: Look out for that tree!  Watch out! There’s a car coming.  Be careful! The floor is wet.  Americans often say, “Careful!” instead of “Be Careful!” Short, quick warnings of danger can be very effective. Note also that we sometimes use “Careful” or “Be careful” in situations that are not urgent. For instance, if someone touches a valuable item and you want them to do it carefully, you can say, “Please be careful.” Or, if someone you know plans to walk around alone at night, you can tell them to be careful. Indirect warnings Another kind of warning is an indirect warning, sometimes called a weak warning. These are just like giving advice — yet they are advice about what not to do. You probably would only give such warnings to people you know. Indirect: I wouldn’t if I were you One of the most common ways we advise someone against doing something is with the phrase, “I wouldn’t…if I were you.” Listen to an example: I wouldn’t eat that if I were you. It’s been sitting in the refrigerator for two weeks.  Some Americans leave out the if-clause “if I were you.” Here is what that sounds like: I wouldn’t eat that. It’s been sitting in the refrigerator for two weeks.  I will say more about using if-clauses in warnings shortly. Indirect: I don’t think you should Another phrase we use in advising about what not to do is “I don’t think you should.” Here is an example: I don’t think you should take off your mask. You might spread or catch the virus.  Again, keep in mind that a phrase like “I don’t think you should” is something we would not use on strangers.  Direct warnings Now, let’s talk about direct warnings, also known as strong warnings.  Direct: if-clauses One kind of direct warning tells someone that something bad will happen if he or she does or doesn’t do something. For these, we usually use a conditional clause, also called an if-clause, which expresses a condition. Listen to some examples: If you go hiking alone, you will get lost.  I am going to take your electronics away if you don’t finish your schoolwork.  In both examples, the if-clause appears on one side of the sentence. The result appears on the other side. Direct: don’t Other strong warnings involve direct commands about not doing something. These often begin with the word “Don’t.” Take a listen: Don’t check your phone when crossing the street.  I’ll be back in an hour. Don’t answer the door for anyone.  Notice that the subject is missing from the start of both commands. You may remember that, in English, the command form leaves out the subject.  Keep in mind that some of these commands can be considered friendly advice, such as when we say “Don’t forget…” like this: Don’t forget to bring water. You got thirsty the last time.  Explicit warnings Another kind of warning is an explicit warning. We give these to prepare someone for an unpleasant experience. In explicit warnings, Americans usually use the word “warning,” saying things like, “I’m warning you” or “I must warn you.” Depending on the situation, these can be friendly — or they can be threats.  Here is a friendly explicit warning: OK, we can do it that way. But just a word of warning: It will be much more difficult.  And, finally, an example of an unfriendly threat: I’m warning you: If you do that again, there will be problems.  Oh, no! I don’t like the sound of that. Hopefully, you never hear that one being used.  Well, that is our program for this week. But just one last warning: If you don’t try the grammar exercise, you will miss a chance to practice your English. I’m Alice Bryant.   Alice Bryant wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Practice Giving Warnings Now, you try it! Give a warning for each of these situations.    1-At the zoo, you notice your niece is standing close to a fence. A large animal is walking quickly toward her. What do you say? 2-Your family wants to go to a famous restaurant. You are willing to go but want to tell them that the food is very expensive. What do you say? 3-At the library, you don’t know that a chair is broken as you begin to sit on it. What should someone say to you? 4-A friend tells you he/she is going to take a flight. But you don't think that is a good idea because of coronavirus. What do you say? 5-There is broken glass on a supermarket floor. A stranger does not see the glass and is going to step on it. What do you say? 6-You are driving to your friend’s house as a heavy rainstorm begins. You are on the phone with this friend. What should he/she tell you? ________________________________________________________________   Words in This Story   distracting - adj. causing a person to stop paying attention to something and to pay attention to something else instead item - n. An individual thing refrigerator - n. a device or room that is used to keep food and drinks cold mask - n. a covering used to protect your face or cover your mouth clause - n. a part of a sentence that has its own subject and verb hiking - n. The act of walking a long distance especially for pleasure or exercise thirsty - adj. having an uncomfortable feeling because you need something to drink practice - v. To do something again and again in order to get better at it fence - n. a structure built outdoors that separates two areas or prevents people or animals from entering or leaving expensive - adj. costing a lot of money  

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/american-phrases-for-warning-or-advising-someone/5483674.html

35 ways to say hello in English

New Entry: '35 ways to say hello in English' has just been added to the Articles area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/articles/35-ways-to-say-hello-in-english.html

Should we wear a face mask?

Can wearing masks in public help prevent the spread of coronavirus? Rob and Sam discuss.

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08jc866

American Phrases for Warning or Advising Someone

source https://av.voanews.com/clips/VLE/2020/07/01/eb090926-8a0e-49f6-ad41-bed65895a0b7_hq.mp3

English Grammar Made Easy S1 #119 - Seems vs Sounds vs Looks Like

learn the difference between: seems, sounds, looks like

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-119-seems-vs-sounds-vs-looks-like