AAE Q161: 'would' and 'used to'

Hi

What is the difference between would and used to?

Sanjay


Hi Sanjay

The difference between 'would' and 'used to'

• 'would' is used to describe actions or situations that were repeated again and again.
• 'used to' is used for any extended action or situation in the past including repeated actions or situations.

Here are some examples

1 - "I used to live in Birmingham, but I moved to Prague last year."

Can we use 'would' instead of 'used to' here? No, because 'living in Birmingham' wasn't repeated again and again. It's simply a situation in the past. Therefore, only 'used to' is good in this sentence.

2 - " When he was at school, he used to play tennis every Saturday."

Here, we're talking about 'playing football every Saturday'. This is an action that was repeated many times, so we can also say: "When he was at school, he would play tennis every Saturday".'Used to' and 'would' are both good here, and the meaning is the same.

Hope this helps

M

AAE Q134: 'meet' vs 'meet with'

Hi

What is the difference between 'I will meet you' and 'I will meet with you'?

Thanks



Hi

• I will meet you
  

There is a difference: I will meet you or I'll meet you, could mean all kinds of things. It could mean that we're going to have a meeting, and we're going to do some work together; but it could simply mean that's where we're going to see each other, and we're going to go and do something else afterwards.

• I will meet with you
  

'I will meet with you' does imply a number of things: it implies that it's quite formal; it implies that it's very professional reasons and it implies that somehow, we're going to collaborate on something ...and that it will go on for quite a long time.

Hope this helps

M

AAE Q130: 'think of' vs 'think about''

Hello,

Is there any difference between these two sentences: 'What do you think of him?' and 'What do you think about him?‘

Thank you for your help.

Jirina


Hi,

In general, when you "think of something" you come up with an original idea but when you "think about something" you are remembering or considering aspects of a thing.

Therefore 'What do you think of him?' would be a question that you ask someone who has met 'him' for the first time (e.g. a first impression), whereas 'What do you think about him?‘ is asking for a more detailed and considered response.

M

AAE Q126: "in school" vs "at school"

Hi,

I would like to ask you when to use "at school" and when "in school". How it differs?

Thanks

Jana


Hi,

In most cases, we talk about people being "at" school when we're interested in their where they are now:

a: "Where is John at the moment?"
b: "He is at school"

We use "in" school to refer to the situation or activity:

"His son is only 5, but he's in school already,"

Hope this helps

M

AAE 122: 'learning phrasal verbs'

Hi Matt,

I would like to ask you some information about phrasal verbs. I know that it is necessary to know them but there are so many phrasal verbs.

Can you advise me how to learn them (by heart or in the sentences).

Thank you very much for your answer.

Hana


Hi Hana,

Here's my advice: don't learn phrasal verbs, learn vocabulary. The worst thing you can do is try to study phrasal verbs separately from other words. There's no point. Just learn what you need to say. If you want to say what time you left your bed in the morning, you need to know the phrasal verb 'get up': "I got up at 7 o'clock this morning".

One excellent way to improve your vocabulary is through reading – lots and lots of reading. In fact, reading has been shown in studies to be 10 times more effective than traditional vocabulary teaching. and 10 times faster than any other typical approach to increasing your vocabulary (flash cards, computer programs..etc).

Hope this helps

M

assure - ensure - insure

assure - ensure - insure

If you assure someone that something is true or will happen, you tell them that it is definitely true or will happen, often in order to make them less worried. We often use such phrases as I can assure you or let me assure you in order to emphasise the truth of what we are saying:

• She hastened to assure me that the report contained no critical comment on my department's performance.
• Let me assure you / I can assure you that the children will be totally safe on this adventure holiday. No risks of any kind will be taken.
  

Ensure is subtly different from assure and people often confuse the two. If you ensure that something happens, you make certain that it happens. A less formal equivalent of this verb in spoken English would be make sure:

• Ensure / Make sure that your working hours as well as your rate of pay are written into your contract.
• I tried to ensure that everybody wore their life jackets the whole time that we were on the sailing boats, but not everybody carried out my instruction.
  

In American English, ensure is sometimes spelt insure:

• I shall try to insure that you have a nice time while you are here.

Insure has another meaning. If you insure yourself or your property, you pay money to an insurance company so that if you become ill or if your property is stolen or damaged, the company will pay you a sum of money:

• We can insure your car against fire, theft and third party damage for as little as £30 per month.
• Make sure you remember to insure the digital camera and the mobile phones. They're not included under the house contents insurance.
  

Assurance

First and foremost, assurance has the same meaning as assure. If you give someone an assurance that something is true or will happen, you say that it is definitely true or will definitely happen in order to make them feel less worried:

• He sought an assurance from me that i'd always be available on Saturdays to undertake the work.
• I was unable to give her any assurance that Beth would arrive in time for the family re-union.
  

Secondly, in British English we sometimes talk about life assurance as an alternative to life insurance to describe the form of insurance in which a person makes regular payments to an insurance company in return for a sum of money which is paid to them after a period of time or to their family if they die. Both terms are freely used in British English:

• As we came down that hill, I thought we were going to die and I started thinking about my life insurance / life assurance policies.

Insurance is the term used to describe all other types of insurance:

• That car is not insured. The insurance expired at the end of July and you haven't renewed it.

Note that we cannot say ensurance. There is no noun which is derived from ensure.

Articles

A, an, the or zero article

There are two types of articles. They are known as the definite and indefinite articles. The words 'a' and 'an' are the indefinite articles and 'the' is the definite article. Articles are used at the beginning of noun phrases.

a or an?
If the noun begins with a vowel sound then the indefinite article to use is 'an', e.g. an apple. However if the noun begins with a consonant sound, then the indefinite article to use is 'a', e.g. a cat.

The zero article
In some cases nouns such as plural and uncountable nouns do not have articles before them. This lack of an article is sometimes known as the zero article, e.g. I've got two cats.

There are quite a few rules connected with the use of articles. Here is a basic one to start with:

We use the indefinite article – 'a' and 'an'

to refer to something or someone for the first time in a conversation: She's has two children – a boy and a girl. I hear you've just bought a new car. She bought a lovely bag yesterday.

We use the definite article – 'the'

to refer to something or someone that both speakers in a conversation know about or that has been referred to before: The boy is 7 and the girl 4. I'm going to use the new one for driving my family around and I'm keeping my old one just for myself. The bag was red leather and really lovely.

There are a lot of rules about when we don't use articles. Here are four of them:

We don't use an article:

1. to talk about plural and uncountable nouns or when talking about things in general: I'm terrified of heights I'm into drum and bass. I hate cheese. 2. before countries, towns, streets, languages and single mountains: I'm from China. I've climbed Mount Everest. She speaks French. 3. Before some places and with some forms of transport: I live at home with my parents. I came here by car. He goes to work by bus. 4. In exclamations with what + uncountable noun: What beautiful weather! What loud music! What disgusting food!

AAE Q108: 'must', 'have to' and 'have got to'

Hi,

Can you tell me a difference between TO HAVE TO and MUST?

Thank you very much.

Helena


Hi,

Must, have to and have got to are all used to express obligation or the need to do something.

They can be used interchangeably in the present tense, except that must suggests that it is the speaker who has decided that something is necessary, whereas have to and have got to suggest that somebody else has imposed the decision.

Have got to is characteristic of very informal speech. Have to sounds slightly more formal.

Compare the following:

* I must clean the house before mum gets back. I want her to find it all neat and tidy.
* Sorry, I can't come out now. I've got to tidy up my room before I'm allowed out.
* He has to attend the clinic every two weeks. He's really quite seriously ill.
* You must come and visit us again soon. It's ages since we saw you.


With frequency adverbs such as always, often, sometimes, never, etc, have to is normally preferred:

* I usually have to work on Saturdays so I hardly ever go away for the weekend.
* They sometimes have to get their own suppers if their mother is working late.

must and have to: expressing the future and the past

Must and have got to have no future or past tense forms.

We cannot say: I had got to.../ I'll have got to.../ I'll must.../ I've must....

However we can also use must to express future as well as present intention, especially if it is the speaker who decides that something is necessary. But it cannot be used to express past intention.

Have to is the only one of the three that possesses past and future forms.

Compare the following:

* To get to Leeds by ten, I shall have to leave London before six tomorrow.
* To get to Leeds by ten, I must leave London before six tomorrow.
* You'll have to put the scaffolding up before you go on to the roof. It's not safe otherwise.
* You'll have to have that tooth extracted. It's very badly infected.
* We had to leave the party early. Tom was obviously unwell.
* We've had to cancel our holiday. Tom is just not well enough for a walking holiday.

must, have to and have got to in the interrogative

Have to and have got to are often preferred in the interrogative, especially if the obligation is imposed from the outside.

Compare the following:

* What time have you got to be back? ~ Dinner's at seven. So by half past six really.
* How often do you have to travel to America on business?
~ About once every six months.
* Must you leave right now? Won't you stay a little longer?
* Do you have to leave now? ~ I do, unfortunately. I've got to collect my son from school.

have to and mustn't

We have to use have to for the negative of must when there is no obligation or necessity to do something:

* You don't have to drink champagne at the reception. You can have a soft drink.
* I didn't have to play after all. Jane turned up and could partner Alice.
* You won't have to drive Tom to the airport next Saturday. Julie's taking him.

We use mustn't to say that something is not allowed

* You mustn't drink if you're going to drive afterwards.
* You mustn't drink that water. It's contaminated.
* You mustn't lie under oath. If you do, that's perjury.
* I mustn't forget my keys. I'll put them here so that I remember them.


Hope this helps

Matt

AAE Q104: 'in case' vs 'if'

Hi,

Can you give me a typical example for using ´in case´ and if´?

Libby


Hi,

In case

We use in case to talk about taking precautions, doing something because something else might happen:

• During the drought, keep the bath filled with water - just in case it is needed.
• I've bought some candles in case there are more electricity cuts.
• In case I forget, remind me to check the tyre pressure before we load up the car.
  

In case or if?

When we use in case we are mostly describing future possible situations. When we use if we are talking about conditions that apply.
Compare the following and note the differences in meaning.

• I'll fill up the car with petrol in case you need to go to Brighton. ( = I'll fill up now, because you might need it later.)
• I'll fill up the car with petrol if you need to go to Brighton. ( = Let me know if you need to go to Brighton and then I'll fill up with petrol.)
• Take the mobile phone with you in case the car breaks down. If the car breaks down, give me a ring.
  

In case of

Note that in case of is a prepositional phrase used with a noun which is similar in meaning to an if-clause. Compare the following:

• In case of fire, exit from the building by the stairs. Do not attempt to use the lift.
• If there is a fire, leave the building via the stairs. Don't try to use the lift.
• In cases of difficulty, phone this help line. If you experience any problems, phone this help line.

Hope this helps

Matt

'what' and 'which'

Which and what are both used in questions:-

What is used to ask a question when there are an unknown number or infinite possibilities for an answer. You know that there are many, many ways that exist to address your question, and you want to find out—from all those possibilities that you might not even know about—the best way.

For example: "What movie did you go to see?"

Which is used if you are choosing between two items, already defined, in a different sentence, like this:

For example: "Which shoes should I wear with this dress—my blue ones or my black ones?"

You can use which when you have a very small or limited field to choose from. Certainly use which, not what, when there are only two choices, or if both speaker and listener can visualize all the items under consideration:

For example: "Which foot did you break?"

Often, either which or what can be used for several choices, depending on what is in the speaker’s mind:

For example:-

a - "Which bus goes into the centre?"

b - "What bus shall I take?"

Both sentences are fine. The speaker is probably thinking about fewer buses in sentence (a) than in sentence (b).

'already, yet and still'

The present perfect simple is used to talk about past events which happened in periods of time that have not finished:

• I've visited my parents three times this week (and the week still hasn't finished)
• She's smoked a packet of cigarettes already today.

When we speak about this "unfinished time" we often use the adverbs already and yet, which can all be used to describe things which are happening or expected to happen around the present, i.e. they describe the relationship of something to the present.

Already is used to say that something is in the present or past, not the future. It may express some surprise - for example, because something has happened sooner than expected.

• "When's Sally going to come?" "She's already here."
• "You must go to Scotland." "I've already been.
• " Have you already finished? That was quick!

Not yet is used to say that something which is expected is in the future, not the present or the past.

• "Is Sally here?" "Not yet."
• The postman hasn't come yet.

In questions, we use yet to ask whether something expected has happened.

• Is supper ready yet?
• Has the postman come yet?"

Note that already and yet can also be used to speak about the past, and in British English we would use the past perfect tense to do this:

• I wanted to know if he had already left.
• They hadn't even got up yet.

The adverb still has a similar meaning and use to already and yet, but, as Swan (ibid) says, it: is used to say that something is in the present, not the past - it has, perhaps surprisingly, not finished.

• She's still asleep.
• Is it still raining?
• I've been thinking for hours, but I still can't decide.
• You're not still seeing the Jackson boy, are you?"

Notice that it is used with the present simple and continuous tenses. Also, as with already and yet, the word still can be used with a past meaning as well. In this case, the past simple, continuous or perfect can be used:

• When we arrived they were still at the dinner table.
• When we arrived they were still having dinner.
• When we arrived they still hadn't finished dinner.

AAE Q97: 'linking verbs'

Hi Matt,

If I want to say somebody´s appearance is nice I say e.g. he/she looks nice(but not nicely).

Are there any other verbs after which I have to use adjective instead of adverb?

I just know look, feel, taste, sound.

Thanks


Hi,

The type of verb you are referring too is called a linking verb.

Here is a list:

• to appear to be to become to feel to get to go to grow to look

  to prove to remain to seem to smell to sound to stay to taste to turn

Linking verbs are often followed by adjectives instead of adverbs. In such situations, the adjective describes the subject of the sentence rather than the verb. Study the examples below to learn the difference.

Examples:

• Mary seemed sad. Correct
• Mary seemed sadly. Not Correct
• The cake tastes good. Correct
• The cake tastes well. Not Correct
• The train is slow. Correct
• The train is slowly. Not Correct
• James grew tired. Correct
• Sarah remained calm. Correct
• The milk went bad. Correct
• The seas turned rough. Correct
• The negotiations proved pointless. Correct

However the verbs in the list above are not always used as linking verbs. Compare the examples below.

Examples:

• Sally grew angry.
  "Angry" describes Sally. In this sentence, "to grow" is being used as a linking verb meaning "to become."
• The plant grew quickly.
  "Quickly" does not describe the plant, it describes the manner in which it grows. In this sentence, "to grow" is not being used as a linking verb.

Hope this helps

Matt

AAE 95: 'just and only'

Hi,

What's the difference between just and only?

Thanks


Hi

"Just" and "only" are really close to each other in meaning.

To mean simply or merely you can use either: I didn't mean to be rude; I was only/just trying to help.
To mean something that happened a little while ago, use just: It just started raining.
To mean an amount that is not very much, you can use both, although only is more common: I can't afford it because I only have £5. / I can't afford it because I just have £25.

Hope this helps

M

Differences Between American and British English

American and British English are the two varieties that are taught in most ESL/EFL courses. Generally, it is agreed that no one version is "correct" however, there are certainly preferences in use. The most important rule is to try to be consistent in your usage. If you decide that you want to use American English spellings then be consistent in your spelling (i.e. The color of the orange is also its flavour - color is American spelling and flavour is British), this is of course not always easy - or possible. The following guide is meant to point out the principal differences between these two varieties of English.

Use of the Present Perfect

In British English the present perfect is used to express an action that has occurred in the recent past that has an effect on the present moment. For example:

I've lost my key. Can you help me look for it?
In American English the following is also possible:
I lost my key. Can you help me look for it?

In British English the above would be considered incorrect. However, both forms are generally accepted in standard American English. Other differences involving the use of the present perfect in British English and simple past in American English include already, just and yet.

British English:

I've just had lunch
I've already seen that film
Have you finished your homework yet?

American English:

I just had lunch OR I've just had lunch
I've already seen that film OR I already saw that film.
Have your finished your homework yet? OR Did you finish your homework yet?

Possession

There are two forms to express possession in English. Have or Have got

Do you have a car?
Have you got a car?
He hasn't got any friends.
He doesn't have any friends.
She has a beautiful new home.
She's got a beautiful new home.

While both forms are correct (and accepted in both British and American English), have got (have you got, he hasn't got, etc.) is generally the preferred form in British English while most speakers of American English employ the have (do you have, he doesn't have etc.)

The Verb Get

The past participle of the verb get is gotten in American English. Example He's gotten much better at playing tennis. British English - He's got much better at playing tennis.

Vocabulary

Probably the major differences between British and American English lies in the choice of vocabulary. Some words mean different things in the two varieties for example:

Mean: (American English - angry, bad humored, British English - not generous, tight fisted)

Rubber: (American English - condom, British English - tool used to erase pencil markings)

There are many more examples (too many for me to list here). If there is a difference in usage, your dictionary will note the different meanings in its definition of the term. Many vocabulary items are also used in one form and not in the other. One of the best examples of this is the terminology used for automobiles.

American English - hood	British English - bonnet
American English - trunk	British English - boot
American English - truck	British English - lorry

Once again, your dictionary should list whether the term is used in British English or American English.

For a more complete list of the vocabulary differences between British and American English see the vocabulary tool below.

Prepositions

There are also a few differences in preposition use including the following:

American English - on the weekend	British English - at the weekend
American English - on a team	British English - in a team
American English - please write me soon	British English - please write to me soon

Past Simple/Past Participles

The following verbs have two acceptable forms of the past simple/past participle in both American and British English, however, the irregular form is generally more common in British English (the first form of the two) and the regular form is more common to American English.

Burn	Burnt OR burned
Dream	dreamt OR dreamed
Lean	leant OR leaned
Learn	learnt OR learned
Smell	smelt OR smelled
Spell	spelt OR spelled
Spill	spilt OR spilled
Spoil	spoilt OR spoiled

Spelling

Here are some general differences between British and American spellings:

Words ending in -or (American) -our (British) color, colour, humor, humour, flavor, flavour etc.
Words ending in -ize (American) -ise (British) recognize, recognise, patronize, patronise etc.

The best way to make sure that you are being consistent in your spelling is to use the spell check on your word processor (if you are using the computer of course) and choose which variety of English you would like. As you can see, there are really very few differences between standard British English and standard American English. However, the largest difference is probably that of the choice of vocabulary and pronunciation.

Vocabulary Tool

British to American

Use the following drop-down list to find the American English equivalent of these British Expressions.

--- aerial angry anywhere autumn bank note barrister, solicitor biscuit bonnet boot braces caretaker chemist's chips the cinema condom constable cooker corn, wheat cot cotton crash crossroads curtains draughts drawing-pin dual carriageway dummy dust-bin, rubbish-bin dustbin, rubbish-bin dustman dynamo engine engine driver film flat flyover garden gear-lever graduate grill ground floor gumshoes, wellington boots gymshoes, tennis-shoes handbag hoarding holiday hoover ill interval jersey, jumper, pullover, sweater jug lift lorry luggage mackintosch, raincoat mad main road maize maths mean motorway nappy nasty nowhere nursing home oculltist, optician off-license paraffin pavement peep petrol post postbox postman potato crisps pram pub public toilet puncture push-chair queue railway railway carriage reel of cotton return (ticket) reverse charges rise (in salary) road surface roudabout rubber rubbish saloon (car) sellotape shop silencer single (ticket) somewhere spanner staff (of a university) sump sweet sweets tap tap (outdoors) taxi tea-towel term tights timetable tin toll motorway torch tramp trousers turn-ups underground railway underpants verge (of road) waistcoat wardrobe wash your hands windscreen wing zip

American to British

Use the following drop-down list to find the British English equivalent of these American English words.

--- antenna alumnus anyplace apartment attorney baby carriage bar bill billboard blow-out broiler cab call collect can candy checkers closet cookie corn crazy crib cuffs dessert diaper dish-towel divided highway drapes elevator drug store engineer (train) eraser faculty fall faucet fender first floor flashlight freeway french fries garbage, trash garbage can garbage collector gasoline gear-shift generator highway hobo hood (on a car) intermission intersection janitor kerosene line liquor store mad mail mailbox mailman, mail carrier math mean motor movie the movies muffler noplace oil-pan one-way optometrist overpass pacifier panti-hose pants patrolman pavement peek pitcher pocketbook, purse potato chips private hospital purse railroad raincoat raise realtor rest room round trip rubber rubbers schedule Scotch tape sedan semester shorts shoulder (of road) sick sidewalk sneakers someplace spigot spool of thread stingy store stove stroller subway suspenders sweater thread thumbtack traffic circle trash trashcan truck trunk (on a car) turnpike undershirt vacation vacuum cleaner vest wash up wheat windshield wreck wrench yard zipper

Lie vs Lay

Lie and lay are two words that seem to cause some of the greatest confusion, even among English native speakers. Lie means to recline; lay, on the other hand, means to put or place something. Lay is a transitive verb, meaning that there is always an object after it. (Lay the book on the shelf. Book is the object.) The principal parts of lie and lay are listed below.

lie: lie, lying, lay, (have) lain
lay: lay, laying, laid, (have) laid

The confusion generally seems to occur with the forms of lie. The following sentences illustrate the correct and incorrect uses of lay and lie.

lie/lay

I lie [not lay] on the floor when I watch television.

I lay my keys on the table when I arrive home from work.

lying/laying

I am lying [not laying] on the floor watching television.

I am laying my briefcase on my desk to remind me that I have work to finish.

lay/laid

Yesterday I lay [not laid] in bed all day with a fever.

Yesterday I laid my briefcase on my desk and forgot about it when I left for work.

(have) lain/(have) laid

I have lain [not have laid] in bed all day with a fever.

I have laid my briefcase on my desk to remind me that I have work to finish.

Although these are two extremely confusing verbs, with a little practice, you should be able to remeber the differences. Unfortunately, I don't know of any helpful hints to use for remembering how to use lie and lay correctly. My only suggestion is to memorize them and practice.

AAE Q90: 'food, meal and dish'

Hi,

Can you explain the difference between the words: food, meal and dish?

Thanks

Sylva


Hi Sylva,


Food is something that people and animals eat, or plants absorb, to keep them alive:

baby food
cat food
plant food
There was lots of food and drink at the party.
I'm allergic to certain foods.

A meal is an occasion when food is eaten, or the food which is eaten on such an occasion:

a hot meal
a three-course meal
a heavy (= large) meal
a light (=
small) meal
I have my main meal at midday.
You must come round for a meal sometime.

A dish is food prepared in a particular way as part of a meal:

a chicken/vegetarian dish

"The food I ate for my main meal today was a chicken dish."

Hope this helps

Matt

Travel, trip, voyage or journey?

travel, trip, voyage or journey?

Travel (v) is used in general terms as a verb - it usually means to change location. The word travel is very rarely used as a noun.

For example: I have to travel a lot for work.

Trip (n) is often substituted for the word 'holiday' when the travelling distance was short.

For example: How was your trip?

It is often used in connection with business.

For example: I have to travel a lot for work. I am off on another business trip next week.

Trip (v) has a totally different meaning. It means to nearly fall over.

For example: I tripped over the carpet and sprained my ankle.

Voyage (n) is usually a long journey by boat. The word voyage is very rarely used as a verb.

For example: The voyage to South Africa took over six weeks.

Journey (n) is used more in British English than American English. It means the 'piece' of travel between 2 or more points. The word journey is very rarely used as a verb.

For example: The journey from Darmstadt to Nottingham takes 12 hours.

AAE 82: Listening

Hi

Please i ask about how can i improve my English listening.

Thank u

Goulhiane Latifa


Hi Goulhiane,

Firstly one of the most important things is to remember that you are not alone. Listening comprehension is probably the most difficult task for almost all learners of English as a foreign language.

The most important thing is to listen to English as often as possible. Therefore you need to find listening resources. This is where the Internet really comes in handy (useful) as a tool for English students.

There are many free listening resources:

• the BBC
• Listen to English
  
• ESL Podcasts
• All Things Considered news stories on NPR
• my audio/visual section
  

Strategies

Once you have begun to listen on a regular basis, you might still be frustrated by limited understanding. What should you do?

Here is some advice I give my students:

• Accept the fact that you are not going to understand everything.
• Keep cool (stay relaxed) when you do not understand - even if you continue to not understand for a long time.
• Do not translate into your native language (mother tongue)
• Listen for the gist (general idea) of the conversation. Don't concentrate on detail until you have understood the main ideas.

Translating creates a barrier between yourself and the person who is speaking

While you are listening to another person speaking a foreign language (English in this case), the temptation is to immediately translate into your native language. This temptation becomes much stronger when you hear a word you don't understand. This is only natural as we want to understand everything that is said. However, when you translate into your native language, you are taking the focus of your attention away from the speaker and concentrating on the translation process taking place in your brain. This would be fine if you could put the speaker on hold (make the speaker wait). In real life however, the person continues talking while you translate. This situation obviously leads to less -not more- understanding.

Most people repeat themselves

Think for a moment about your friends, family and colleagues. When they speak in your native tongue, do they repeat themselves? I don't mean literally (word for word), I mean the general idea. If they are like most people I have met, they probably do. That means that whenever you listen to someone speaking, it is very likely (probable) that they will repeat the information, giving you a second, third or even fourth chance to understand what has been said.

By remaining calm, allowing yourself to not understand, and not translating while listening, your brain is free to concentrate on the most important thing: Understanding English in English.

I hope this helps

Matt

AAE Q77: Punctuation

Hello,

I would like to get some info about the rules of English punctuation.Or a link where I could find any useful rules.

Thanks a lot!

cheers,

Iva

Hi Iva,

Although there are general rules for English punctuation, there are differences of styles between, for example, British and American English, some publishers and some writers. Here is a general advice for using punctuation correctly.

1. End your sentences with a full stop (.), question mark (?), or exclamation mark (!).
   • Use the full stop to mark the end of a statement. It is one of the most commonly used punctuation marks.
     • The accessibility of the computer has increased tremendously over the past several years.
   • The question mark ( ? ), used at the end of a sentence, suggests an interrogatory remark or inquiry.
     • What has humanity done about the growing concern of global warming?
   • The exclamation mark ( ! ) suggests excitement or emphasis in a sentence.
   • I can't believe how difficult the exam was!
   
   
2. Use the semicolon and colon properly.
   • The semicolon ( ; ) has a few uses.
     • Use a semicolon to separate two related but independent clauses. Note that, if the two clauses are very wordy or complex, it is better to use a period instead.
       • People continue to worry about the future; our failure to conserve resources has put the world at risk.
     • Use a semicolon to separate a complex series of items, especially those that contain commas.
       • I went to the show with Jake, my close friend; his friend, Jane; and her best friend, Jenna.
   • The colon ( : ) has multiple uses.
     • Use the colon to introduce a list. Be careful not to use a colon when denoting a regular series. Usually, the word following suggests the use of a colon. Use only after a noun.
       • The professor has given me three options: to retake the exam, to accept the extra credit assignment, or to fail the class.
       • INCORRECT - The Easter basket contained: Easter eggs, chocolate rabbits, and other candy.
       
       
3. Understand the differences between a hyphen and a dash.
   • The hyphen ( - ) was once a common punctuation mark on typewriters, when a long word might have been split between two lines. The hyphen is still used in a number of other areas:
     • Use a hyphen when adding a prefix to some words. The purpose of this hyphen is to make the word easier to read. If you were to leave the hyphen out of a word like re-examine, it would be reexamine, which would be harder to read. Understand that some words do not require a hyphen to separate the prefix from the word, such as restate, pretest, and undo. Let a dictionary be your guide for when to use the hyphen after a prefix.
       • Cara is his ex-girlfriend.
     • Use hyphens when creating compound words from separate words.
       • The up-to-date newspaper reporters were quick to jump on the latest scandal.
     • Use a hyphen when writing numbers out as words. Separate the two words of any number under one hundred with a hyphen.
       • There are fifty-two playing cards in a deck. ("The amount is one hundred and eighty." is a common error; "and" between numbers denotes a decimal point).
         • Be careful with spelling out numbers above one hundred—if the number is used as an adjective, it is completely hyphenated, since all compound adjectives are hyphenated (I have one-hundred tapes). Otherwise, a hyphen should only occur if a number <100>He lived to be one hundred twenty-one.
   • The dash ( -- or — ) should be used when making a brief interruption within a statement, a sudden change of thought, an additional comment, or a dramatic qualification. It can also be used to add a parenthetical statement, such as for further clarification, but should still be relevant to the sentence. Otherwise, use parentheses. Keep in mind that the rest of the sentence should still flow naturally. Try to remove the statement within the dash from the sentence; if the sentence appears disjointed or does not make sense, then you may need to revise. There should be spaces before and after the dash in British English.
     • An introductory clause is a brief phrase that comes—yes, you guessed it—at the beginning of a sentence.
     • This is the end of our sentence—or so we thought.
     
     
4. Use the double quotation mark and single quotation mark/apostrophe for different purposes.
   • The double quotation ( " ) encloses a direct quotation, whether made by a person or taken from a piece of literature.
     • "I can't wait to see him perform!" John exclaimed.
     • According to the article, the value of the dollar in developing nations is "strongly influenced by its aesthetic value, rather than its face value."
   • The single quotation mark or apostrophe ( ' ) has a variety of uses.
     • Use the apostrophe together with the letter s to indicate possession. Be aware of the difference in using an apostrophe with singular or plural nouns. A singular noun will use 's, whereas the plural version of that singular noun will use s'. Also, be mindful of nouns that are always considered to be plural, such as children and people — here, you should use 's. Be aware of pronouns that are already possessive and do not require apostrophes, such as hers and its (it's is used only for the contraction of it and is). Their is possessive without apostrophe or s, except as a predicate adjective, where it becomes theirs.
       • The hamster's water tube needs to be refilled.
         • A singular noun with possession.
       • In the pet store, the hamsters' bedding needed to be changed.
         • A pluralized singular noun with possession.
       • These children's test scores are the highest in the nation.
         • A plural noun with possession.
     • Use the apostrophe to combine two words to make a contraction. For example, cannot becomes can't, you are becomes you're, and they have becomes they've.
     • Use the single quotation mark within a regular quotation to indicate a quotation within a quotation.
       • Ali said, "Anna told me, 'I wasn't sure if you wanted to come!'"
     • Note that an apostrophe is not used with 's' to make a plural noun from a singular. This is a very common mistake and should be avoided.
       • CORRECT - apple → apples
       • INCORRECT - apple → apple's
       
       
5. Indicate a break or pause within a sentence with the comma ( , ). This is another commonly used punctuation mark. There are several instances where you might use a comma:
   • Use the comma when denoting an appositive, or a break within a sentence that supplements and adds information to the subject.
     • Bill Gates, CEO of Microsoft, is the developer of the operating system known as Windows.
   • Use the comma when denoting a series. This is a set of three or more "list" items within a sentence. To save space in newspapers, some writers may omit the last comma.
     • The fruit basket contained apples, bananas, and oranges.
     • The computer store was filled with video games, computer hardware and other electronic paraphernalia.
   • Use a comma if your subject has two or more adjectives describing it. This is somewhat similar to a series, except that it is incorrect to place a comma after the final adjective.
     • INCORRECT - The powerful, resonating, sound caught our attention.
     • CORRECT - The powerful, resonating sound caught our attention.
   • Use a comma when referring to a city and state. It is also necessary to use a comma to separate the city and state from the rest of the sentence.
     • I am originally from Freehold, NJ.
     • Los Angeles, CA, is one of the largest cities in the United States.
   • Use a comma to separate an introductory phrase (which is usually one or more prepositional phrases) from the rest of the sentence. An introductory phrase briefly introduces the sentence, but is not part of the sentence's subject or predicate, and it therefore should be separated from the main clause by a comma.
     • After the show, John and I went out to dinner.
     • On the back of my couch, my cat's claws have slowly been carving a large hole.
   • Use the comma to separate two independent clauses. Having two independent clauses in a sentence simply means that you can split the sentence into two. If your sentence contains two independent clauses that are separated by a conjunction (such as and, as, but, for, nor, so, or yet ), place a comma before the conjunction.
     • Ryan went to the beach yesterday, but he forgot his sunscreen.
     • Water bills usually rise during the summer, as people are thirstier during hot and humid days.
   • Use a comma when making a direct address. When calling one's attention by name, separate the person's name and the rest of the statement with a comma. Note that this kind of comma is used rarely in writing, because this is something that we do normally while speaking.
     • Amber, could you come here for a moment?
   • Use a comma to separate direct quotations. A comma should come after the last word before a quotation that is being introduced. It is not necessary to use a comma in an indirect quote. A comma is usually not necessary if you are not quoting an entire statement.
     • While I was at his house, John asked me if I wanted anything to eat.
       • An indirect quotation that does not require a comma.
     • While I was at his house, John asked, "Do you want anything to eat?"
       • A direct quotation.
     • According to the client, the lawyer was "lazy and incompetent."
       • A partial direct quotation that does not require a comma.
       
       
6. Understand the difference between parentheses, brackets, and braces.
   • Use parentheses ( ( ) ) to clarify, to place an afterthought, or to add a personal comment. Be sure to include the period after the closing parenthesis.
     • Steve Case (AOL's former CEO) resigned from the Time-Warner board of directors in 2005.
       • Used for clarification. Here, commas can replace the parentheses.
     • You will need a flashlight for the camping trip (don't forget the batteries!).
       • An afterthought. Note that the period (full stop) follows the last parentheses — not before the first. Also note that replacing the parentheses with a comma may not be entirely suitable here, and is better off with a period or a semicolon. And that if the parenthetical thought is an "independent" one, perhaps it should be a sentence in itself. In the above example: "...the camping trip. (Don't forget the batteries!)"
     • Most grammarians believe that parentheses and commas are always interchangeable. (I disagree.)
       • A personal comment.
   • Use brackets ( [ ] ) to signify an editor's note in a regular piece of writing. You can also use brackets to clarify or to revise a direct quote so that it appeals to your own writing. Brackets are often used to encompass the word "sic" (Latin for thus), suggesting that the previous word or phrase was written "as is", with the error intended to be displayed.
     • "[The blast] was absolutely devastating", said Susan Smith, a local bystander at the scene of the incident.
       • "It was absolutely devastating!" – the actual quote by Susan Smith.
     • The English professor's report read, "Their [sic] are too many problems in are [sic] department."
   • Braces ( { } ) are most widely used in denoting a numeric set in mathematics. Though generally uncommon, braces can also be used in regular writing to indicate a set of equal, independent choices.
     • { 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 }
     • Choose your favourite utensil { fork, knife, spoon } and bring it to me.

Hope this helps

M

AAE Q71: a few questions

Hello,

I have couple of questions.

Thanks

Ján

1. I saw this:"I can swim like a fish." but "It is as sweet as honey." Why do you use like in the first sentence and as in the second one? - I think they both refer to simile.

Both of these expressions are similes.

• "I can swim like a fish." means that I can swim similarly to a fish
• "It is as sweet as honey" means that it is the same level of sweetness as honey.
  

Simile - a figure of speech that expresses a resemblance between things of different kinds (usually formed with `like' or `as'). It is still a simile when you compare two things as being similar (using like) or as being the same (using as).

2. What is the difference between plenty of and enough, for example "plenty of glasses" or "enough glasses"

• If you have 'plenty of glasses' you have more than enough. For example if you are having a party and invite twenty people. 30 glasses would be plenty.
• If you have 'enough glasses' you have a sufficient or adequate number of glasses. In the example above that would be 20 glasses.
  

3. Is there any difference between these words:"until" and "till"?

Basically in most cases you can use either. I found the following paragrah about these words on the net

"Till and until are generally interchangeable in both writing and speech, though as the first word in a sentence until is usually preferred: Until you get that paper written, don't even think about going to the movies.·Till is actually the older word, with until having been formed by the addition to it of the prefix un-, meaning "up to." In the 18th century the spelling 'till became fashionable, as if till were a shortened form of until. Although 'till is now nonstandard, 'til is sometimes used in this way and is considered acceptable, though it is etymologically incorrect."

4. What is the difference between "a bit" and "a little". Can I say: "I speak a little English, or I speak a bit English, or both: I speak a little bit English"?

In the sentences "I speak a little English and "I speak a bit of English", a little and a bit of are quantifiers: words that come before and modify nouns. Both of these quantifiers mean the same and must be used with uncountable nouns.

The sentence "I speak a little bit of English" means that you speak less than a bit or a little.

5. Why do you say: "I have never been to London" and not "I have never been in London.?"
Is it a rule to use "to"?

"I have never been to London" basically uses 'been' as a past participle (third form) of the verb 'go'. It expresses movement to a place, and therefore we use the prepostion to.

"I have never been in London" is possible but uses 'been' as the past participle of the verb 'be'. It expresses being 'in', 'on', 'at' etc a place. For example:

"I have never been in a submarine"
"I have never been on a plane"

Hope this answers your questions.

M