- I think that I have a good command of spoken English and English vocabulary. My problem is that whenever I come across anyone with good English I get so intimidated that I fail to speak..making myself look a total idiot
Why am I like this? I work in the front office and it is not good for me. Believe me I speak good English when I am with people I am comfortable with. Please help me.
Don't worry you aren't alone. Lots of people have the same or similar problems. It is purely a lack of confidence but only you can overcome this.
You could try a simple NLP technique. When you are with people you are comfortable with place your hands in a particular position when you talk to them - I usually hold my left wrist with my right hand. Then when you are with people who make you uncomfortable assume the same position. This will remind your subconcious that you should feel relaxed and confident.
In addition you need to expose yourself to more opportunities to speak English with people you don't know. Come into Pal Talk and join my
English Conversation Group (or another group), take your courage in both hands and speak!
Remember - That which does not kill me makes me stronger.
483 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- I want to improve my spoken English.
I have some tips and ideas on how to improve your spoken English on the web site:-
How to improve your English.
Also I run a conversation group once or twice a week, you can find out more about it here:-
English conversation group
417 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- How is the letter 'h' pronounced as a letter is it hayche or aych?
The letter h is pronounced aitch. If you look at my
you can listen to the pronunciation.
347 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Do people really say "gonna"?
Gonna = going to. And yes, I'm afraid lots of people in England say "gonna". You cannot ignore slang or you will end up in a taxi cab at Heathrow airport wondering what the driver is talking about!
380 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- I am starting a new career as a voice-over professional. Do you have any recommendations on how to reduce or eliminate my accent?
I often advise people to find an actor (Sean Connery just won the award for most pleasant voice to listen to) or broadcaster they admire and try to mimic them, singing Karaoke is fun too (especially in the style of Elvis). However, as you are looking to improve your accent for professional reasons then I can only recommend that you find a voice/speech coach. Unfortunately this means you have to view your accent (and accents are perfectly acceptible in my book and can be quite pleasant to listen to) as a speech impediment to be removed - like a lisp or a stutter, it can also prove quite expensive, but a qualified (and make sure they are qualified) voice/speech coach can make the world of difference.
334 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- If I have to say the sentence below using the present parcitiple:-
"I will be back ".
Here I am telling a person that I need to make a call and just after making a call I will come back.
"I'll be back.", is ok, but normally people would say "I'll be right back." - If someone said this to me on the phone I would thank that they were asking me to "Hold the line." (Not hang up).
If you hang up and you intend to ring them in a few minutes then you need to say "I'll call you back."
347 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- How can I speak english fluently?
The best way to gain fluency in English is to practise. I have lots of tips about
speaking English on my improvements page.
425 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- In a restaurant.
Are these sentences OK if you say them at a restaurant:-
"What have you got on the menu today " or "What do you have today ". What would u say generally.
You could say either.
I would say:-
Do you have any specials on the menu today? - 'Specials' are items that do not appear on the normal menu. They are often written on blackboards or seperate menus.
You could also ask a waiter:-
"What do you recommend?"
PS - don't forget you should use a question mark (?) at the end of a question.
408 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Can I say....
I have to go to doctor.
Is it correct?
You should say:-
"I have to go to the doctors."
Or
"I have to go to my doctor."
348 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- What is language?
According to the dictionary language is a system of communication consisting of sounds, words and grammar, or the system of communication used by the people of a particular country, group or profession.
325 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- I am staying between Derbyshire and Nottingham but I did not learn English here. I find it hard to know what people say. Please can you tell me what people mean when they say.
im gonna "deck" him.
hold it "tuther" way.
you "allrate" youth.
narr so k (i think it mean no).
its only our "gert" (he called lot of women gert).
people say lots i dont know but they the most hard. thank you
Wow you poor thing. My mother was from Derbyshire and she used to say:-
Derbyshire born, Derbyshire bred. Stong in t'arm and thick in t'head. The dialect and local slang used can be difficult.
I'm gonna deck him. = I am going to hit him so hard he will fall down. ('Gonna' is slang for going to and here 'to deck' means to hit.
Hold it tuther way. = Hold it the other way.
You allrate youth. = Are you alright young man?
Narr so k. = No it's alright. (so k = it's ok)
It's only our Gert. = It's only Gertrude.
I really hope this helps you. But good luck! And don't forget there's no shame in asking.
331 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- I want to do the English Speaking Course online.
OK - it's not a course though, it is just a chance to speak with other learners and native speaker(s). You have to join the Learn English forum and Pal Talk. You will then get a password (it's not always necessary, but sometimes the room is locked).
You can learn more about
English chat, the English forum and English conversation here.
I hope to see you there.
364 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Please explain to me what is the difference between the sentences if I say...
1>What are the trains to Delhi?
2>What trains are there to Delhi?
They are quite similar in meaning, but there is a subtle difference.
1>What are the trains to Delhi?- assumes there are trains.
2>What trains are there to Delhi? - does not assume there are any trains.
330 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- please explain me :-
just go through the sentences
1>"i am pleased to meet you"
it means soon after meeting him i felt pleased.
2>"i was disappointed to not find my name on the list"
it means i was disappointed soon after i didnot find my name on the list.
3>"he will be shocked to see him"
same pattern as above
4> here my question is what if i say " i will be back to make a call" here i mean i will come back soon after making a call.
(so is it correct to speak if not then how can i differentiate betweent the forms i discussed above).
Ah English for socialising!
1. "I am pleased to meet you." - You are glad to meet someone as you are meeting them for the first time. You are meeting them now and you are pleased now, don't be confused by the pleased form.
2. "I was disappointed to not find my name on the list." - You were disappointed as soon as you found your name was not on the list, but you are telling someone about how disappointed you were later.
3. "He will be shocked to see him." - you are anticipating how shocked someone will be when they see the person metioned in the future (the clue here is 'will').
4. "I will be back to make a call." - means you are going away, but you will return and then make the call on your return.
308 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- I am an English learner. My pronounciation is very poor. I want to improve it. Please tell me what I can do.
I recommend you join me and others for my
English conversation group on Pal Talk. Really there is no better way to improve than to receive feedback.
294 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- please tell me is it correct to say:-
1>this call is getting little bit expensive.
or
my phone bill is going up.
or
my phone bill is on hike.
(i am telling this to a friend whom i am talking over phone from an phonebooth while seeing the charge metre)
Guarav,
I love some of your questions. You obviously think long and hard about what to say - well done.
I would say: "This call is getting bit expensive. Could you call me back?" or "I'm running out of money here. Could you call me back?"
You couldn't really say "My phone bill ...." as your phone bill is what you are sent for your phone at home.
336 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- I have been working in a BPO for the last 4 years. But currently I went through a few interviews where I got the feedback that I don't have a good accent, proper communication skills and written English.
I know that at a stretch I can't communicate In English and lack confidence.Kinldy suggest as I want to improve my communication skills and accent. Nowadays I am watching English movies and programs but still I don't feel confident.
Watching and listening are a good start, but to improve your speaking skills you need to speak, and to improve your writing skills you need to write. It really is the only way.
Try to come and join me on Pal Talk. You can find more information here:-
English conversation and chat.
344 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- How can I know when to pronounce the "ed" at the end of the words ?
For example, I know that you don't say ed when you say I used to be, but for the rest ?
Here's a simple rule to help:-
The ed on the end of verbs is usually a short flat 'd' sound.
For example:-
listened.
played.
'-ed' is pronounced whith a sharper t sound when the word ends with the consonant sounds 's' or 'p'.
For example:-
passed
sipped
But when ed is added to words with a d or t sound on the end we pronounce it ed.
For example:-
arrested
mutated
loaded
There are exception to the rule, if in doubt look up the phonetic symbols in your dictionary.
I will add this to my pronunciation pages, so thanks for asking.
326 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Sometimes when I speak English I don't know how to use the grammar.
Practise. Try joining Pal Talk and develop a feeling for English rather than worrying about rules.
http://www.learnenglish.de/englishchat.htm
391 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- How I can improve my speaking skills? What should I do?
Speak! OK, speak with as many different people as you can. I have written a lot about this here:-
Improve your spoken English.
and here:-
Practise your spoken English.
410 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- I don't know how to start ? thousands time i thought that I will join classes but couldn't don't know y ?
please suggest How I can speak fluent english.
The only way to do it is to ----- do it! Unfortunately there is no miracle pill for learning English. It's hard work, but worth it in the end. Perhaps the anonymity of the web will help. Come and join me on Pal Talk and we'll see if we can increase your confidence.
318 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- As per your suggestion I download Paltalk,and registered in the English forum too. But it is not working . Please, tell me how can I join rooms and give me an idea about my problem.
(Edited by Your Teacher)
Hi Varsha,
Sorry you're having problems, but I can' help you with Pal Talk. You'll need to contact their help desk.
http://www.paltalk.com/support.html
My room is only open at certain times, you can check the times here:-
http://www.quia.com/pages/learnenglishonline.html
351 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- I visited ur site its really very useful for english learner my problem is this I know the tenses well..but when I speak english I face tenses problem I use present, past, future tense mix together How can I overcome this problem..
First you can review
your tenses here.
You can see lots of examples of how to use the tenses on the
Vocabulary pages, just click on the irregular verb link under each topic.
Then you can
practise with me on Pal Talk or the forum.
289 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- (1)I want to tell someone to pull something towards them. Which of them would you recommend - pull it towards you/pull it towards yourself/pull it towards your side? Any still better way?
(2)What is the difference between - place it on the table / place it on to the table?
1. "Pull it towards you."
2. No real difference, but it is more usual to say "Place it on the table."
372 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- (1)While referring to oneself and some other person together, which of the following is/are correct - he and me/he and i/him and me/him and i/he and myself/him and myself ?
(2)Which of them is/are correct - I did not have your no. so I gave him mine/my no./my own no.?
1. He and I went to the cinema. Think of it this way - He went to the cinema. + I went to the cinema. = He and I went to the cinema. or We went to the cinema.
2. I didn't have your no. so I gave him mine.
332 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Is there any difference between - I'll get it sent and I'll have it sent?
No not really. "I'll have it sent," is better English.
330 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Can you reply to 'nice to meet you' with 'it is my pleasure'?
In which situations the latter phrase may be used ?
Yes, you can say this, but usually only in very formal situations.
I would reply - "You too." or even ignore it and say "Hello."
301 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Can I say "Wanna a drive? instead of saying," Wanna a ride?"
Thanks
Firstly I would never say "Wanna..." it's slang for "Do you want a ....."
So, that said you could offer someone a lift in your car by saying:-
US = "Do you want a ride?" - UK = "Would you like a lift?"
You could say "Do you want to drive?" But that would mean "Would you like to drive my car?"
299 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- is it correct to say:-
1>what is this building being constructed? or
what is being constructed?
( i am speaking this while seeing a building which is under construction and i am unable to figure out whether it is going to be a hospital or school or hotel)
Keep it simple.
What are they building?
288 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- is it correct way to speak?
1>what flavours have you got in juices? or
what type of flavours have you got in juices>?
or
what types of juices have you got?
(i am asking this at a juice shop and i want him to say the flavors he has got like apple,strawberry.orange and so on.
)
2>what colours buckets have u got?
(reply to this question should be blue,red,green ,red and so on)
Obviously there are different ways you can ask such questions but I would say:-
"What flavoured juice have you got?" or even just "What flavours have you got?"
and
"What coloured buckets do you stock?" or "What colours do these buckets come in?"
302 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- HI
"Could you check this passage for me and tell me what you would change."
In the sentence above should i write "what you WOULD change" or "what WOULD you change" Which form is better and which is correct and why??? thanks
It depends on how you structure the sentence.
"Could you check this passage for me and tell me what you would change." - is correct.
"Could you check this passage for me. What would you change?" - is also correct.
The difference is "tell me"
Tell me what you would do.
What would you do?
275 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- How are the followings different from one another?
"I myself study English."
"I study English myself."
"I study English by myself."
I'm so confused!
You would say: "I study English."
You could say "I study English by myself." to show that you aren't on a course or at school etc, but you still study English on your own.
If you said "I myself study English." or "I study English myself." you would probably be responding to someone who had told you "I study Russian," or any other language, and you wanted to emphasise that you studied a different language to them.
"I myself, study German."
323 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Which is more suitable talking about my company activity :
It's giving financial advice. ,
They manufacture car parts. , or
We develop software.
"We develop software." When we talk about the company we work for we use the royal "We".
289 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Should I use
'an hilarious night to remember'
or
'a hilarious night to remember
It should be "a hilarious" the 'h' is pronounced.
The only reason some people say "an" is when they drop the 'h', "It was an 'ilarious night to remember."
358 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- There is a term for cheek to cheek kissing what is it?
I call it "air kissing" because you usually don't make actual contact. It is not as one my students (is it you) once said "French kissing" as that is an intimate mouth to mouth kiss.
306 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- I want to ask u about speak b'coz i know english but everytime i feel something lacking in my speaking, thats why i can't speak to anyone.My friends always chat with one another but i can't?Please tell me a nice and useful solution so that i can speak with everyone?
It sounds like you are a bit shy and only you can overcome this. You could try meeting your friends individually - that way you will have to speak. By all means tell your friends about your problem and ask them to deliberately include you in any conversation by asking you a question or two. Remember there is nothing to be scared of, especially if you retain your sense of humour and don't take it all too seriously.
I have written a few more ideas here.
http://www.learnenglish.de/improvepage.htm#speak
And of course I chat online weekly. You could try joining a Friday room which is dedicated to just general chat.
http://www.learnenglish.de/englishchat.htm
427 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- I was feeling bore is this sentence correct or not?
Not.
You should say: "I was feeling bored."
More on
bored vs boring here.
327 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- ____would you like to visit? "where" or "what"?In our textbook(China) "where" is used.
If you ask someone "Where would you like to visit?" you are asking them about a place they may like to visit. This is the most likely question.
However, (there is usually a 'however' in English). If you ask someone "What would you like to visit?" you are asking them about an attraction they may like to visit.
299 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Hi, I am a English learner, and I got some questions.
Q1:There are many dialects in U.K., right? Have they gotten the crisis(hazard) of dying?
Q2:How many dialects died or being dying in U.K.?
Q3:Are there some dialectal words or phrases old persons use, but young people do not use? I mean: Does the proper English cause some dialectal words or phrases pass away? Do young people in U.K. still remember their own dialects? Or they only use the proper English nowadays?
Q4: Do people try to save their own mother tonques?
Thanks for your answering:), I am curious about these problems.
All the best wishes.
Ay up me duck - yes lots of dialects. ;-) And there is a resurgence of interest in dialects and their conservation.
However, I am not really into dialectology and sociolinguistics, but I know a man who is:-
http://www.universalteacher.org.uk/lang/britishisles.htm#standardenglish
318 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- please tell me:
1>"howmuch is four apples?"
or
"howmuch for four apples?"
(most of the people use "for" or it is like "howmuch is for four apples" )
2>howmuch is a meter of the cloth?
or
( cloths come rupees per meter i.e,rate)
Either is correct.
You wouldn't say "What rate is the cloth?"
You could ask:-
"How much is the cloth per meter?" "How much does the cloth cost per meter?" "How much per meter?"
304 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- There is a sentence: "They will need something bigger when they've had a baby"
I'd like to ask you why:"when they've had a baby" why "have had" I WOULD SAY "WHEN THEY HAVE A BABY" IS THERE ANY DIFFERENCE IN MEANING WHEN I USE "HAVE HAD" AND WHEN I USE "WHEN HAVE" thanks
It's a peculiarity of English that we say "She has had a baby." or "She had her baby yesterday." It sounds as though she had it and then misplaced it somewhere.
You only use this form for the act of giving birth. After that you can say "They have five children."
Don't forget that English is a very subtle language.
If someone said to me:-
"They will need something bigger when they've had a baby." I would presume the woman is pregnant.
If someone said to me:-
"They will need something bigger when they have a baby." I would take this to mean they are planning on having children, but no one is pregnant, yet.
298 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- please correct it if necessary?
1>what class rooms have u got?
(i am asking at the recepyion counter of a hotel as i have to stay )
2>what worth project(order) do you want? or
what worth do you want the project of?
I would ask...
"What training rooms have you got?"
"What kind of projector do you want?"
299 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Excuse me, I have another question. Which one is easier to pronounce? British pronunciation or American pronunciation? I CAN NOT retroflex at all(I can only pronounce "rr" as in spanish)~~~But Americans retroflex when they say"er","or"...so I speak British English. In my country, people speak B.E. is very strange. Is British English really easiER to pronounce? Thank you.
It depends on the individual. Some people find British English easier and others American English. One thing is true American English uses a more phonetic approach.
289 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Is it correct to say:-
Question: please correct it if necessary?
1>what category/range rooms have u got?
(i am asking at the reception counter of a hotel as i have to stay )
2>what worth consinement/order do you want? or
what worth do you want the consinement/order of?
What kind of rooms have you got?
or
What rooms are available?
or even
What range of accommodation is available?
PS - reception desk.
2. How much do you want to order? | What's the total value of your order? | How much is your order worth?
Value - the amount of money which can be received for something.
What is its value?
Worth - the amount of money which something can be sold for.
How much is it worth?
290 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- what will be a complex sentence of these simple sentences.
1. He was drunk.
2. We caught him driving.
(like this"we caught him driving drunk")please answer both active and passive sentence.
We caught him drink driving.
He was caught drink driving.
!Note in the UK we call it drink driving.
285 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- There is a clothes brand in my country (portugal) named sacoor. My question is: how should we read the word? What are the sounds of it? Does it follow the oo rule as soon or do we read the oo as we read door?
Thank you
I always teach people that when a word only exists in their language they should pronounce it in their own way.
However, as a Brit I would pronounce the word:-
Sack + Core.
357 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Can I say "I couldn't able to attend the class yesterday" - Is it proper to say it this way?
If not tell me "why" and also give the correct way of saying this.
You should say:-
I couldn't attend the class yesterday.
or
I wasn't able to attend the class yesterday.
In the negative,' wasn't able to' OR 'couldn't' are both correct.
300 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- My question is how to bring about fluency in english. As u know i am pakistani and there is no enviornment of english language and people don`t talk with one another so please tell me any type of hints to improve my fluency of english thanks
When you don't have the advantage of native speakers to chat to you have to improvise.
PalTalk is a good way of practising your spoken English and many people (myself included) are willing to give help and advice.
Another way may be to find people in the same position as yourself, people who want to speak English. Set up a book club or conversation group that meets weekly / monthly. Meeting over coffee can be fun and instructive.
I have written a few more tips on how to improve your English here.
365 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- I did someone a favour, he said "Thank you for the help". I replied " Not at all " . It is right or wrong.
That's fine, if a bit old-fashioned.
You could also have said:-
"You're welcome," (the most common response).
or
"My pleasure," (also a bit old fashioned).
315 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- please clear me:
1>we usually say"he would come to office drunk" for "he would drink and come to office" or for "he would come to office whilst he was drunk" so in the same context can we say the following:-
we do not say"he was caught driving drunk" for "he was drunk and was caught driving" or for"he was caught driving whilst he was drunk" but we just say "he was caught drink driving" why??????
Because the phrase is "drink driving" and it means drinking and driving, which is the act of operating a motor vehicle after having consumed alcohol, to the degree that mental and motor skills are impaired. It is also called "driving under the influence".
In the US they also say "drunk-driving". But that sounds strange to me as a drunk is someone who is an alcoholic.
But you could say:-
"He was caught driving drunk", "he was drunk and was caught driving" or "he was caught driving whilst he was drunk"; they are all gramatically correct. But a native speaker would more likely say "He was caught drink-driving."
336 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- please tell me:-
1>we say "he was caught drink driving"
but
we cannot say"he was caught drink breaking the lock" for "he was caught breaking the lock whilst he was drunk" why???? please clear this structure to me ....
Because drink-driving is a specific crime. But, there is no crime called drink breaking....
Crime has its own vocabulary.
440 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Could you instruct me how to pronounce verbs ended -ed in past form?
There's an article on this subject here.
Words Ending In "D"
336 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Is it right to say?
1>you can shop for 500 rupees extra/more over your actual balance in the account.
or
you can shop for 500 rupees more than your actual balance.
or
you can shop for 500 rupees over your actual balance.
( here i am telling this to a credit card user about the facility)
You could say:-
You can shop for 500 rupees more than your account balance.
or
You can shop for 500 rupees over your actual balance.
or
You can shop for 500 rupees over your actual balance.
It would be simpler to say:-
You can spend another 500 rupees on your account.
266 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Is there anything wrong with this sentence:
"Insurance is the subject matter of the solicitation"
There's nothing wrong with it gramatically, but I'd never say it.
First you have to decide what you mean by solicitation, this word can have negative connotations, so I wouldn't use it.
To solicit donations for a charity
or
To invite bids, or request proposals,
You could say:-
This appeal / request regards insurance.
or
The subject matter of this appeal / request is insurance.
293 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- 1.In British English, would you say "musical instrument" into "musica linstrument?"
2.In British English, would you say "we are under attack" into "we a runde rattack?" and say "hear us" into "hea rus?"
Thanks :)
Personally? No, but lots of people do. ;-)
294 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- i want to know what words i can say when somebody thanks me.
You can reply:-
No problem. = This makes you sound American.
or
You're welcome. = This makes you sound British.
If you want to be extra polite you could say:-
"It was my pleasure."
298 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- hai,
I am bharat from india.
i would like to know the meaning of the sentence
why not use car?
-- what exactly the meaning is?? i could not understand
what is the exact difference of the sentences listed below
why dont you use car?
why wont you use car?
why not use car?
I am confused..
It would be great if you can give me the detailed explanation on this
thank you
bharat
Ok firstly you would have to say:-
"Why not use the car?" Here the person speaking is giving you advice.
You could also say:-
"Why don't you use the car?" = same meaning, but (there's always a but):-
If someone says "Why don't you use the car?" they may be giving you advice, or they may be asking you for a reason.
If they say "Why won't you use the car?" they are asking you for a reason.
325 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- How do you know when an s within a word is pronounced /s/ or /z/
This should help you:-
http://netgrammar.altec.org/Support/a101b4_101000.html
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- I want to ask you about speaking process. I want to speak properly like everybody do but i always stuck. Could you tell me any way, i improve my english and speak as i want.Please help me and also i am finding online free english lessons because i cant afford. Have you got any tense chart because when i speak english i use tenses in my wording a lot. I am doing IT and i need tenses in my writing and speaking that's why i ask you about tenses.Please e-mail me as soon as possible.
There is only one way to improve your spoken English and that is to practise and get feedback. Try
Pal Talk, it's free and if you're patient you'll meet other people in the same situation.
You can find lots of
information about the tenses here. Try the exercises too.
325 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- please correct it if neccesary:-
1> can i catch the bus that goes by this bus stop on the way to next bust stop?
or
does this bus follow the same route that i will take to get to the next bus stop that i can catch it on the way/ in between?
( i am asking this to someone on the bus stop as i have been waiting for a long back and bus has not arrived yet so i am thinking to get to the next bus stop on foot and if bus comes and follows the same route then i can catch it on the way)
I would ask:-
Can I catch the bus that goes by this bus stop on the way to the next bus stop?
The answer in the UK would be "No." Buses don't stop between bus stops.
296 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- is it correct to say:-
1>how long have you been making the interview shedule?
2>how early did you make the shedule?( answer is i made this shedule 15days back) or
how many days back you made this shedule?
I would ask:-
1. How long have you been preparing the interview shedule?
or
2. How early on did you prepare the shedule?
or
How many days ago did you prepare the schedule?
383 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- is it correct to speak?
1>which is the way to dress circle?
or
which way is to dress circle?
2>how much worth is your company?
or
what is your company's worth?
3> has the bus been to this bus stop? or
did the bus arrive at this bus stop yet? or
is that bus yet to come or has been to this stop? ( i am asking this to someone standing at bus stop )
I would ask:-
1. Which way is it to the dress circle, please?
I wouldn't ask 2. But if you have to:-
How much is your company worth?
3. Has the bus been to this stop already?
or
Could you tell me if the bus has already been?
284 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- when do we use the ks or the gz pronunciations of words with "ex"?
It often depends where you come from.
Take the word exit:-
I pronounce it "EGZIT" but many people prounounce it "EKSIT".
276 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- How to say the year of 2000 and 2008?
Well I write:-
It's the year 2000.
or
It's the year 2008.
I would say:-
It's the year two thousand.
It's the year two thousand and eight.
284 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Which is the proper way to say this:
I just seen the numbers
I've seen the numbers
I have just seen the numbers
I've just seen the numbers. = This happened a few moments ago.
I've seen the numbers. = This could have happened at any time.
You could also say:-
I just saw the numbers.
291 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- When someone comes to meet my boss what sentence i should use?
It depends what you want to do with them.
I'll presume you want to take them to see your boss, in which case you could say:-
"Please come with me."
322 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- I know a lot of vocabulary and I read a lot of movie scripts to inforce my language ability but when I speak to a native I feel that I cannot remember very easy words I already know. What can I do?
Speaking isn't the same as reading or listening. It sounds as though like many people you aren't getting enough speaking practice. The knowledge is there, but you need to bring it out and become comfortable using what you already know. It sounds as if you get the opportunity to speak to native speakers, so work with that. If you have some native speaking friends, ask them to chat with you about the films you so obviously enjoy. If that isn't possible try joining PalTalk and see if you can meet some native speakers that way.
319 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Hello, I would like to know if I can say My legs are hurting me or is it better to say my legs are hurting?
Thank you for answering
People say either, but I think "My legs are hurting," is better. However, you could say "My legs are killing me." Same meaning.
317 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- I have often heard different pronunciations of the word "either" is there a rule for the usage of the different ways to say this, and is it different in English and American.
Either is ok. ;-)
It is just a matter of where you come from.
In the US it's usually pronounced "eee+ther" in the UK it's sometimes pronounced "aye+ther". (Note - sometimes and usually).
There's even a song about it:-
You say "either" and I say "either"
You say "neither" I say "neither"
"Either" "either", "neither" "neither"
Let's call the whole thing off!
You say "potato," I say "patattah"
You say "tomato", I say "creole tomata"
Oh, let's call the whole thing off
But oh, if we call the whole thing off
We'll have to part and oh
If we ever had to part, it would break my heart.
So, I say "ursta" you say "oyster"
I'm not gonna stop eatin' urstas just cause you say oyster,
Oh, let's call the whole thing off
Oh, I say "pajamas", you say "pajamas"
Sugar, what's the problem?
Oh, for we know we need each other so
We'd better call the calling off off
So let's call it off, oh let's call it off
Oh, let's call it off, baby let's call it off
Sugar why don't we call it off,
I'm talking baby why call it off
Call it off¡
Let's call the whole thing off
281 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- I am helping a friend learn English and he asked me why we say "what do you call this/that?"
instead of
"How do you call this/that?"
Can you help me give him an answer?
Thank you
When you are talking about questions:-
What is a determiner used to ask for information about people or things.
What time is it?
What did you buy?
What did you wear?
What size are you?
What happened?
What caused the accident?
How is an adverb which is used to ask in what way or by what methods and what an experience or event was like.
For example:-
How do we get to the town from here?
How are you?
How was your flight? = What was your flight like?
How far is it? = What distance is it?
You might find my
Simple Guide to Questions useful.
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- Why is learning English not easy please?
It's not easy, but it should be fun and then it feels easier. Come and play on the forum. :-)
http://www.learnenglish.de/grammar/adjectivetext.htm
282 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- How do you pronounce the word suite?
Like sweet. I've recorded it for you here:-
http://www.learnenglish.de/homophones/Homophones.htm#No17
247 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- If I want to say something like "they r celebrating our festival for us and giving party to us" shall i say this same sentence like " Our festival is being celebrated n giving party for us".
How and where "being" is used?
Well first you should say:-
"They are celebrating our festival for us and throwing a party for us."
In the passive voice you can say: "Our festival is being celebrated and a party is being thrown for us."
How and where "being" is used?
282 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- What's the correct way to say: speaks english or english spoken
Well you can say:-
All our staff speak English.
or
English is spoken here.
291 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Do I fit for this job ? or Will I fit for this job?
Which one of the above is correct?
Neither.
You could say:-
Am I suitable for this job?
or
Do you think I will be suitable for this job?
306 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- I was reading an introduction to Phonology book, and wondered how you would transcribe bathe in General American??
Thanks
I would look it up in Merriam Webster!
http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/bathe
;-)
268 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- I am an Afrikaans speaking South African and would like to improve my pronunciation. Not sure should I buy American or British Eng. DVDs or can I get something that cover both.
Really it's a matter of personal choice, who do you want to communicate with most? But, remember that accent doesn't matter as much as being understood.
That said you should train your ear to understand a variety of accents (US, British, Australian, Canadian, and of course South African).
278 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- how to improve speaking skill in english..
i understand the speech from the others but i didn't confidence how to reply their ask for.
i know that my english is broken.
Get as much practise as you can, even if it's only reading out loud. The most important thing is to get feedback too.
There are more tips on speaking English here.
356 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Hi Ellie
I just wondered how the following words are pronounced in its Simple Present Tense :
Persists
Tests
Insists
Do I have to say it like "s""t""s" or simply "s" "s"?
Thanks for your help.
Esther
s-t-s
Listen here:-
http://www.learnenglish.de/newsounds/pronunciation/persistsetc.mp3
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- inspite my fighting through net for more than a year,looking for agood site,i was not satisfied.all of a sudden i found your site.for me it is a gift or more.thanks for your kindnes. the question is :i wanna practise my english. idid all your instructions for enterng your room but i failed.i downloaded i visit,but i couldn't reach your rooms. could you help me??.
my best regards
Hi,
Sorry you've been having problems. I can't really help you with technical stuff, but iVisit's own help are very kind and friendly. You can reach them via:-
http://www.ivisit.com/help/index.html
287 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- i want to speak english perfectly. but i am unable to speak english what i do please tell me.
Don't aim for perfection. Aim for daily improvement.
"There is no one giant step that does it. It's a lot of little steps." Peter A. Cohen
271 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Is "come again" so old fashioned that we can't use it anymore if we want to ask someone to repeat the statement?
It's not really old fashioned, but it's no longer in common use. It's also a bit curt and could be considered rude. Much better to say "Pardon?" or "Could you repeat that please?"
321 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- What are the techniques involved in speaking simple and correct english?
In order to speak English you need to practise, in order to speak it correctly you need to be made aware of any mistakes. So, meeting and talking with other fluent speakers who are willing to offer guidance is essential.
265 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- My husband is presently learning english and has questions that unfortunately I don't seem to be able to answer. I can't remember all the rules for spelling and pronunciation.
HIs question is this.. words like fir, don't sound like the short vowel sound in big, sit etc.. or words like birth, first.
Also he would like to know if you have list of vocabulary words that sound alike or similar but are not the same or mean the same.. eg, pool, pole. Thank you.
I have a list of homophones, and I write about confusing words too. But in all honesty, when it comes to pronunciation, in British English especially, a calm sense of acceptance can go a long way. ;-)
Homophones
< href="http://www.learnenglish.de/mistakes/CommonMistakes.htm">Confusing English words
Your husband might like these poems to cheer him up too:-
http://www.learnenglish.de/EZine/Joke3.htm
http://www.learnenglish.de/EZine/pronunciation2.htm
285 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- My name is Vivek Kishore from India & I am a Hindi speaker,my problem is I always get confused when speaking. Whenever I try to say exactly in English the sentence that I easily speak in Hindi.
Learning any language can be frustrating. Believe me, I know.
First tip? Don't even try to express what you mean fully. You won't be able to, well not for a long time anyway. When you are speaking English, simplify what you want to say and use those words you feel comfortable with. Concentrate on learning the vocabulary you need in your everyday life too, your hobbies, your work, your home life, that will help.
The most important thing is to practise and get feedback, so you might find the forum (or other forums on the net) useful.
Good luck
301 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- ellie please correct me on this:
i heard someone saying 'our house has been sold.but i think the person shuld have said 'our house is sold' or 'we sold our house'
dont you think we should use past simple in this context because the action of selling the house is completed.it's a past action now and doen't have aanything to do with the present.please correct me if im wrong.
You could actually say all those things.
My mother used to tell me "There's more than one way to skin a rabbit", (she was a farmer's daughter). It is the same in English, there are many ways of describing a situation.
"Our house has been sold" is just the
passive voice.
It just means that someone (the estate agent probably) sold the house for them.
265 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Hi!
Do you say "(name of a meal) is cold to eat." to mean that you eat this particular meal cold?
Thank you,
You would usually say "is eaten cold".
For example:-
Even though it is a soup, vichyssoise is eaten cold.
275 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- When do we say "Nice to meet you"?
When you are introduced to someone for the first time.
255 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Which is correct :
your welcome or you're welcome?
please explain.
thank you.
It depends on context.
You're welcome. = You are welcome. (A common reply given to someone who says thank you.)
Your welcome. = The welcome you gave someone.
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- Hi..am jani..i been in US for about 9 years now..i can write and read english but one thing i cant do is speak..i am young..21 years old..i am in university..and i js need help in speaking the words out rite...i mean i can say the word but other guy dont understand my pronunciation..i want to be fluent..please help me..tellme a good and quicker way to make my speaking power better and fluent and like an american standard so when i talk to my friends they wont make fun of me..thanks alot for this..hope to see ur reply soon..tc..Bye
Try some of my
English speaking tips and ask your friends to help you, not make fun of you.
261 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- How can I sound more polite when speaking in English? I am usually very fankly and direct person, and also very impulsive. I speak my mind; my background is Spanish. Some of my colleagues at work think I am a rude person. Such a dilemma because I am a hardworker and a caring human... Thank you so much for your answer.:-)
There are words and phrases we use to soften what we say, especially in the workplace and to people we don't know very well. Funnily we get less polite the better we get to know and like people. But you need to make a good first impression.
We call it the "polite form" and there are lots of web sites that go into it in more depth. If you want to practise some polite forms, join the forum.
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- dear mr/mrs,
i am now having some problems with my speaking english and i wonder if there is any speaking club right here on this site so that i can join. besides, i also wonder if you can practise speaking with you :) plz help me...
thanks a lot
I run a conversation session most Fridays on iVisit. Check the calendar on the forum for times.
More information here:-
http://www.learnenglish.de/englishchat.htm
216 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- i feel hesitate to speak english with english people.so with whom shall i speak and improve my english?
---------------
I feel hesitant to speak English with English people, so with whom should I speak to improve my English?
Join the forum and meet up with other learners. Then try getting a Skype account or a Second Life account and join one of the many English learning groups there.
70 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Hi,
I know that this sentence: "I have no idea what they are speaking about me", is wrong because of the word "speaking". Could you explain to me why speaking is wrong, as far as I know we can say that we speak about something.
Thanks.
We use 'say' when we report what someone has said, or when we actually make a sound.
For example:
"She says she is speaking at a conference next week."
We use the word speak to mean "talk".
For example:
"English people speak about the weather a lot."
Try to think of your sentence in this way:-
"I know people are speaking / talking about me, but I don't know what they're saying."
54 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Ellie,
My wife recently asked me to proof read a letter she was sending home with her students. I disagreed with her honorific title although I'm having trouble finding support for my position. She addresses herself and has the children call her "Mrs. Liz" which I acknowledge is ok. However, (and I am not a womanizer) "Mrs." derived from a form of ownership to a "Mr." and it declares a woman that is married. ie: Mrs. John Doe or Mrs. Jane Doe or Mrs Jane Smith Doe, correct? My position on Mrs. Liz or Mrs. Jane(ie: first name only) is not so much that she wants to hide her married name but in her business relationship to the children she wants them to honor her as teacher but feel comfortable with her as "Liz". So since this is not about her personal life and who she is married too, shouldn't she and every business woman that is married but chooses to be addressed by her first name only go by Ms. (ie: "Ms. Liz" or "Ms. Jane" or "Ms. Firstname") instead of "Mrs."?
Thank you,
Chris
In my day we simply called all our teachers "Miss". It's far less harsh than Ms.
Ms is usually reserved for business and is used with the family name, not the first name.
But each to their own. I would use whatever she feels most comfortable with.
64 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Who originally said, "Deepen your receptivity, that you recieve on every level of your being the experiences in your life." ?
I'm not sure about the exact wording, but I think the idea is attributed to Krishnamacharya, the father of modern yoga.
66 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- What is the meaning of this sentence:
Cartoons portraying him as inordinately fat can't have helped; nor can the jibes of political opponents who would order drinks from him in a disparaging reference to his working class origins and his time as a steward on merchant ships.
He became a victim of negative press especially from cartoonists who concentrated on his size and his working class accent:-
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cartoon/2010/jun/14/john-prescott-house-of-lords
In the House of Lords other peers would try to get him to fetch drinks for them.
Nice people huh?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/newsenglish/witn/2008/04/080421_prescott.shtml
73 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- We two, two us or the two of us: what's the correct form?
The two of us.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EapcVSB7U4U
53 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- how can we greet the new people.
-------------------
How can we greet new people?
http://www.learnenglish.de/basics/greetings.htm
81 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Please,tell me why i am not so confident about my english speaking.When I am meeting somebody who can to speak very well englisk,i am hidding myself in a something like a shell.It is very odd to me.I am talkactive person,but sometimes i have to speak on foreign language and there is the problem.Then i am felling so shy and i can't explain my things exactly.Thanks for your answer.
I don't think it's because you're shy, you're just to frightened that people might laugh at you. Until you get over that (it's a kind of pride) you really won't overcome your reluctance to speak. Try to gain a sense of childish fun when you're speaking English. Then people won't laugh at you, they'll laugh with you. :-)
59 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- what is the difference between:
- I love this person & I like this person
Just a difference in degree. I love, is much stronger than I like.
Some people say "Oh I love him / her / it!" when they really mean "I like him / her / it a lot."
62 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Is there such an expression as "you make me off the plane"?
Not as far as I know.
You can "off" somebody though. It's slang for "to kill". Eeek!
52 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Can the word "Greetings!" be just sent in a message by itself and what could the meaning be?
Yes. The meaning is pretty universal. It means "Hi, I'm thinking about you". And if it coincides with a special event, the recipient presumes it is matched to that event. In fact, Christmas cards often have "Seasons Greetings" printed on them.
I know someone who annoyingly used to say "Greetings" instead of "Hello".
50 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- What do i have to say if someone greets me nice to see you.. Will it be appropriate to say thank you.
No. The normal response is "you too".
As in - "It's nice to see you too."
49 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- What does subjective means as opposed to objective. I hear native speakers use these words often.
"This issue is rather subjective rather than objective"
I tried the online dictionaries, yet I couldn't get the hang of it!
Thank you.
In this context, if you're accused of being "subjective" you're being biased. If you're being objective you're not allowing emotion or personal bias affect your decision making.
77 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Please clarify which of the following two sentences are grammatically correct.
1) I am going to London next week.
or
2) I will be going to London next week.
Best regards,
Amar
Both are correct. Number 2 is more emphatic.
70 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- IS it true if i say "From which university you have done your graduation."
----------------
Is it correct to say "From which university you have done your graduation."
You would ask: "Which university did you graduate from?"
56 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- If i say "From which university you are persuing you graduation?"
Simply ask, "Where are you studying?"
or
"What university are you studying at?"
48 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- I have not been able to speak english frequently and i wish i did
I am not able to speak English frequently, but I wish I could.
http://www.learnenglish.de/ImproveEnglish/improvespeakingpage.htm
67 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- I waited for a brighter tomm n finally it sunshines. Is this sentence correct?
No.
You could say: "I waited for better weather, and finally the sun came out."
68 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Is it wrong or correct to say: I am quite unable at finding words....
Wrong.
You could say, "I can never think of the right words."
69 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- "we couldn't invite u" is this question right?
It's not a question, it's a statement.
110 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- How can i ask somebody on the bus stop if bus 253 passed already. can i say ( has 253 passed already)
----------------
How can I ask somebody on the bus stop if bus 253 passed already. can I say ( has 253 passed already)?
Great question!
I often catch the bus in the UK and you usually ask something like, "Has the number 253 come yet?" or "Have I missed the number 253?" or "Do you know if the number 253 is due?"
Of course nowadays, in the major cities, a lot of bus stops have electronic displays, telling you when the next bus is due. It kind of take the fun out of things though.
57 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- which sentnce in the following is grammatically correct? I Shiju am here to say a few words on the topic... or I am Shiju here to say a few words on the topic....
--------------------
Which of the following sentences is grammatically correct?
I Shiju am here to say a few words on the topic... or I am Shiju here to say a few words on the topic....
It depends on how you punctuate it. But I wouldn't open any presentation either way.
I would say, "Hello. I'm Shiju. I'm going to tell you about ..."
46 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Which is correct? wanted to let you know, or would like to let you know
Well, both. "I would like to let you know," is formal, something you might write to a customer or say to your boss. "I wanted to let you know," is informal, you might write it in an email, or say it to a colleague or friend.
54 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- This is a dialog I heard in the movie "Spider Man", which I don't understand. It says "I missed the part where that is my responsibility". It was spoken by a manager of the arena after Spiderman won the game and asked for payment of $3000 as the ad promised. The manager gave him only 100 and said what he said was "Anyone who can beat the winner of the defender in three minutes will be paid 3000 dollars", but you pinned him in 2. Spiderman was angry and said he needed the money. And the manager replied as the dialog I am asking.
---------------------
This is a dialog I heard in the movie "Spider Man", which I don't understand. It says: "I missed the part where that is my responsibility". It was spoken by a manager of the arena after Spiderman won the game and asked for payment of $3000 as the ad promised. The manager gave him only 100 and said what he said was "Anyone who can beat the winner of the defender in three minutes will be paid 3000 dollars", but you pinned him in 2. Spiderman was angry and said he needed the money. And the manager replied as the dialog I am asking.
By saying, "I missed the part where that is my responsibility" the manager is telling Spiderman (sarcastically) that his monetary worries are none of his concern.
I hope this helps.
55 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- May I go taking a shower? is it correct sentence and which is an alternative one?
--------------------
"May I go taking a shower?"
Is this a correct sentence, and is there an alternative one?
1. No, it's not correct.
2. I would ask, "Do you mind if I go to take a shower?"
or
"May I go and take a shower?"
This rhyme might help you:-
Mother, may I go and bathe?
Yes, my darling daughter.
Hang your clothes on yonder tree,
But don't go near the water.
61 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- What is the correct pronunciation of the word "anti"? Is it "antee" or "antai"?
I pronounce it "antee".
If you are ever in doubt, the Cambridge Dictionary provides US and UK examples of pronunciation:-
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/anti_2
68 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- is this sentence correct?
sometimes you dont even know whats bothering you and that you are bothered at all,until someone asks you
------------------------
Is this sentence correct?
sometimes you dont even know whats bothering you and that you are bothered at all,until someone asks you
I would say:-
"Sometimes you don't know what's bothering you, or that you are even bothered at all, until someone asks you."
!Note - Short forms require an apostrophe:-
http://www.learnenglish.de/grammar/shortforms.htm
63 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- which is correct.
1. i can't help but laugh.
2. i can't help but to laughing.
3. i can't help but laughing.
4. i can't help but to laugh.
------------------------
Which is correct?
1. I can't help but laugh.
2. I can't help but to laughing.
3. I can't help but laughing.
4. I can't help but to laugh.
5. I can't help but laughed.
5. i can't help but laughed.
I can't help but think that none of them is correct. (See my correction).
Structure-wise, number 1 is correct - but it's really only commonly used in American English.
57 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- My friend she told me " you are always good to me" what is the best answer for that?
---------------------
My friend told me, "You are always good to me". What is the best response to that?
It really depends on how you feel about it, and whether you agree or not.
Assuming you agree, you could respond with the following:-
"I try to be."
or
"Well, you're important to me."
44 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- which one is correct? love you and always be or love you and will always do ? TQVM
Neither.
"I love you, and always will," is correct = I love you now + I promise to love you into the future.
I do hope you've asked this for romantic reasons. :)
51 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Is it right to say"I want to make my English strong".I mean is it correct to use the word "strong".
Even though someone might say something like, "I have strong English skills", we wouldn't really "make it strong". Stick to, "I want to improve my English."
58 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Hi. How can I say correctly and why-The Browns,s car or The Browns, car
Neither, it's "The Browns' car," which means "The car belonging to the Brown family". We use the apostrophe (') to show what belongs to whom. It's called
the possessive case.
Funnily when you have a Mr and Mrs Brown, we call them and their family 'the Browns'. Mr and Mrs Jones would be called 'the Joneses', as in "Keeping up with the Joneses". Isn't English fun? :-)
57 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Itis me again.What article can I use with the phrase: ...fine weather.Can you explain me why?
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It is me again.What article can I use with the phrase: ...fine weather.Can you explain why?
Weather is uncountable so you wouldn't use a or an. You could say "a period of fine weather".
If you used "the", then you would have to tell the person what fine weather, as in "The fine weather we have been having recently has really raised everyone's spirits."
We have a section on the forum about the weather, why not come and join us?
55 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- is it correct English for some one to say "what's your own?" to mean do you have a problem with it?
------------------------------------
Is it correct English for someone to ask, "What's your own?", to mean do you have a problem with it?
Well, I've never heard it. If I thought someone had a problem with something I might ask "Do you have a problem with that?", but it is a bit confrontational. Less "in your face" might be something like, "Is that ok with you?"
62 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- How could i say incase i will be late to the office? Is that correct to say, Sorry John i will be running little late has to see the doctor.
You would say,"In case I am late..."
2 - depends on who is going to be late.
"Sorry John I will be running a little late, I have a doctor's appointment."
or
"Sorry John will be running a little late, he has a doctor's appointment."
46 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Is it correct to say, he is on the radio or he is talking with the radio
You should say "He is on the radio," or "He is talking on the radio".
If you say "He is talking with the radio", it implies the radio is answering back.
:-o
42 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- "call me wen u will get free"
is this a correct sentence
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"Call me when you will get free."
Is this a correct sentence?
No.
"Call me when you're free." = Call me when you have time.
"Call me when you get free." = Call me when you are out of prison (or some other type of confinement).
That one word "get" changes the whole meaning of the sentence.
57 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- If im in express bus and i would like to be dropped off on the next bus stop, how could i tell the driver?
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If I'm on an express bus and I would like to be dropped off at the next bus stop, how could I tell the driver?
Well on an express bus, I wouldn't "tell" him, but you could simply ask.
"Would you mind dropping me off at the next stop, please?"
(In the UK an express bus doesn't usually stop until you reach the destination of the bus .)
45 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Which is correct: "She told me she liked you," or "She told me she likes you", if referring to the present?
Thank you.
Grammatically they are both correct.
"She told me she likes you," means she likes you.
"She told me she liked you," implies she doesn't like you any more.
37 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- "get lost of my room", is this correct ?
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"Get lost of my room", is this correct ?
"Get lost" is a rude way of saying go away, so you probably mean:-
"Get out of my room!"
or
"Get lost! Get out of my room."
36 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- what i say when i go to a restaurant and give order
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What should I say when I go to a restaurant and want to order?
Hi,
You might find this useful:-
http://www.learnenglish.de/vocabulary/eatout.htm
(There will be a lesson on this on Second Life in 2012, where you will be able to actually visit a restaurant and place your order. (All virtual of course)).
http://www.learnenglish.de/learnenglishonsecondlife.html
63 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- is this sentence correct " you call me when you get free"
Grammatically it's okay, but you wouldn't say it this way.
Unless they are physically tied up, try:-
"Call me when you're free."
35 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Is it correct to ask, "How many years ago did you do something?"
If you're sure it's been years, and you mean to replace "do something" with the "something" in question, then it's okay.
For example:-
How many years ago did you learn to drive?
You can also ask:- "How long ago did you learn to drive?"
You can also ask this kind of question using the present perfect:-
How many years has it been since you learnt to drive?
How long has it been since you learnt to drive?
But really it would be simpler to ask:-
"When did you learn to drive?"
If you are asking (the rather rude) question in order to imply the person is lazy, then you would ask:-
How many years ago did you last do anything?
26 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Is is correct to say: i have spoken to them before 5 minutes? If not what is the correct way? Thank you!
Is is correct to say: I have spoken to them before 5 minutes? If not what is the correct way? Thank you!
Nope.
If it has been 5 minutes since you spoke to them you would say:- "I spoke to them 5 minutes ago."
If you spoke to them for 5 minutes you would say, "I spoke to them for 5 minutes."
30 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- How will we reply to this question? You did not go to the party lastnight, did you?
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How would we reply to this question? "You did not go to the party last night, did you?"
It depends on whether you went or not. So you're answer could be "Yes" or "No".
24 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Is the sentence " I had to bring my children to school this morning", grammatically correct?
Grammatically it's correct, but whether it makes sense depends on where you are at the time of speaking.
"I had to bring them to school", indicates that you are at the school.
If you are not at the school at the time of speaking you would say:-
"I had to take my children to school this morning."
Bring it here / Take it there.
27 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Is it correct to say that " I'm gonna come back to LA ? "
by the way , I used to live in LA and I wanna go there , so is possible to say that ?
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Is it correct to say, " I'm gonna come back to LA"?
By the way, I used to live in LA and I wanna go back there, so is it possible to say that?
A couple of things. "Gonna" is slang for going to, so don't use it in an exam.
How you use come and go depends on perspective. If you are talking to someone who lives in LA, you could say "I'm gonna come back to LA." If you are talking to someone who doesn't live there, you would say "I'm gonna go back to LA," or "I'm going back to LA".
23 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- is it right to say" I have to go to latrie urgently."
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Is it right to say, "I have to go to the latrine urgently."
We don't really say "latrine" (I presume that's what you meant). You might hear it in the army.
You could say, "I have to go to the toilet (bathroom AmE) (loo BrE), urgently," but it might surprise people a bit, you could get away with it among friends. To be polite, we often say really obscure things like, "Is there somewhere I can freshen up? It's somewhat urgent." ;)
30 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Both t and I are very grateful to you -is it correct gramatically?
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"Both T and I are very grateful to you." Is it grammatically correct?
Yes, it's correct. If you're worried about the use of "grateful to", we are grateful to people and grateful for things.
So you could also say:-
"T and I are very grateful for what you do."
If you are worried about "T and I"
Think of it this way.
T is very grateful to you.
I am very grateful to you.
Personally I like to use the KISS principle, so I would say:-
We are very grateful.
:)
32 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- do I use on or in New Year?
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Do I use "on" or "in" New Year?
You can say several things, depending (as ever) on context:-
I'll see you at New Year.
I'll see you sometime in the New Year.
I'll see you on New Year's Eve.
32 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Suitable article. My brother is __ M.A in English
My brother has an MA in English.
My brother is an English graduate.
29 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Why do people construct sentences such as: What I want to know is, how much it will cost? rather than: I want to know how much it will cost.
The former is far too complicated - is it gramatically incorrect?
It's usually done for effect. Maybe they feel someone isn't getting to the point.
For example:
You go to a car showroom and the salesperson keeps going on about fuel efficiency and horsepower, but you really want to know the price.
or
You're listening to someone giving a presentation, and they aren't covering the points you are interested in. Here you would stress the "I".
"What I want to know is, will the company make a profit next year or not?"
It's a bit like saying "I simply want to know how much it will cost."
I hope this helps.
19 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- can i say i learned someone to drive
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Can I say I learned someone to drive?
Well, you can "say" what you want, and in this case people would understand you, but if you said it in a test, you would lose points. The correct way to say it is:
"I taught someone to drive."
http://www.learnenglish.de/mistakes/learnvsteach.html
10 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Pl. let me know whether the sentence " u are invited over a cup of coffee" is correct grammatically?
No, it isn't, doubly so as you wouldn't "say" this.
If you want to be very formal, maybe on a written invitation you might write:-
"You are cordially invited for a cup of coffee."
If you are talking to someone you would say something more natural:-
"Would you like to come over for a cup of coffee?"
24 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- which sentence is corect based on style? Rain is falling? or It is raining?
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Which sentence is correct?
1. Rain is falling.
2. It is raining.
It would be more natural to say, "It's raining."
You would be more likely to see "Rain is falling" in prose, or song. For example I think U2 sang "Red rain is falling down, red rain", or something like that.
33 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- (From the forum)
Can we use "A" to make sentence interrogative? If answer is "Yes", then what are the conditions?
e.g.
you John Roberts?
The question would be: "Are you John Roberts?" The only reason you would use an article is if you wanted to ask someone, "Are you
the John Roberts?", as in are you a particular John Roberts.
Have a look at the
questions page, then
practise asking questions on the forum.
36 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Is this sentence right, Seems like I'll be spending this summer in bed?
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Is this sentence right? Seems like I'll be spending this summer in bed.
It's fine. Some people would add "It" at the beginning, but we often leave that out, especially in spoken English.
"Seems like I'll be spending this summer in bed."
"It seems like I'll be spending this summer in bed."
You might also see:-
"Seems as if I'll be spending this summer in bed."
"Looks like I'll be spending this summer in bed."
"Looks as though I'll be spending this summer in bed."
I hope none of the above are true.
13 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- i want to talk to you-is this sentence right or wrong?
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I want to talk to you. Is this sentence right or wrong?
"I want to talk to you." (Some purists prefer "I want to talk with you", but to be honest both sound a bit threatening. It might imply you are annoyed.)
Us Brits like to soften things, so I might say, "Could I have a word?, or "Could we talk later?"
31 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- I want to tell people that I learn martial arts. That I am undergoing trainig for martial arts.
"I train martial arts" is this sentence gramatically correct to express the above thought. Please tell me the correct sentence if its not right.
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I want to tell people that I am learning martial arts. That I am undergoing training for martial arts.
"I train martial arts" is this sentence grammatically correct to express the above thought? Please tell me the correct sentence if it's not right.
You would say, "These hands are lethal weapons!" (Only joking).
You could say, "I'm doing martial arts training." / "I am learning martial arts." / "I am training in martial arts."
13 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Is it correct to say i'm after the director?
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Is it correct to say, "I'm after the director"?
It depends on what you want to say. If you mean you're behind the director in a queue, then it's okay. If you mean you wish the director harm, it's the correct thing to say. If you want to say that the director is above you in an organisation's hierarchy, that's not how you would say it.
Try joining the forum and tell us what you're trying to say:-
http://learnenglishonline.yuku.com/forums/75/Work
21 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- She was to receive the heartbroken news.
Is it correct or not?
I could be mean and answer your questions with "No". But I guess you want to know why it's not correct.
You would have to say:-
She was to receive the heartbreaking news.
It would break her heart, so she would be heartbroken, but the news itself has no feelings.
If you are worried about the form "She was to receive..." it's a bit stylised, but you can use it.
For example:-
She heard that she was to receive a medal.
25 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- is this correct english"he doesn't tell me"?
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Is this correct English,"He doesn't tell me"?
It would be better to say: "He doesn't tell me anything. or "He never tells me."
13 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Is it ok to say,have you given my number to someone? In english
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In English, is it OK to say, "Have you given my number to someone?"
If you mean your phone number, yes.
14 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Is it correct if i say, i stayed on L A?
----------------
Is it correct if I say, I stayed on L A?
No. You would say:-
"I stayed on in LA."
30 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- how to ask someone what time he or she reached home last night?
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How to ask someone what time he or she reached home last night?
When did you get home last night?
What time did you get home last night?
(Someone who lives in the same house might use "get in".)
What time did you get in?
21 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- the weather is likely to rain
When we talk about the weather we say "It".
So...
It's likely to rain.
It would be more natural to say:-
It looks like rain.
33 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Is this sentance corret. . . He gave me a cheque of Rs 500 and i deposited it at the bank.
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Is this sentence correct. . . He gave me a cheque of Rs 500 and i deposited it at the bank.
We would say:
He gave me a cheque for Rs 500, and I deposited it at the bank.
25 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- If i walk up to someone and say no wonder im so h ungry i havent ate yet is it proper or does it have to be i havent eaten yet
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If I walk up to someone and say, "No wonder I'm so hungry, I haven't ate yet", is it correct or does it have to be, "I havent eaten yet".
present perfect - past participle
eat / ate / eaten
I haven't eaten, yet.
25 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- sir can u getting what i am trying to say
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Sir, can you getting what I am trying to say?
You could say:-
Sir, can you understand what I'm trying to say?
Sir, do you get what I'm trying to say?
http://www.learnenglish.de/grammar/verbstative.htm
24 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- consider you are in a shop and after looking for your target you decide to buy a thing, in this condition you should say to the seller "I am buying it" or "I will buy it" ?
---------------------
Consider this, you are in a shop and after looking for the right thing you decide to buy an item. Should you say to the sales assistant "I am buying it" or "I will buy it"?
I would say, "I'll take it," but it doesn't mean I'll steal it. It's just what we say.
You could say "I'll buy it", but it wouldn't sound "natural".
This is why grammar is useful, but eventually you need to throw the rule book out of the window, and develop a "feel" for the language.
30 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- still you are angry with me. Is it correct sentence or not?
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Still you are angry with me. Is this sentence correct, or not?
Not really, but sometimes a writer wants to make a character sound angry and upset, they may use it like this.
Still, you are angry with me!
Sort of literary English.
For normal use, "still" comes mid sentence:-
You are still angry with me.
Are you still angry with me?
I can't believe you're still angry with me!
26 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Is the following sentence grammatically correct: When the baby wouldn't sleep, the parents got rest less.
When the baby wouldn't sleep, the parents got less rest.
You could also say:-
When the baby wouldn't sleep, the parents got restless. (Check the meaning of restless.)
15 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Is, "Throw me some bread," correct grammar? I don't think it is correct but my husband does.
It's fine, but a strange thing to say.
Normally you would say something like, "Throw me the ball", which is the same as, "Throw the ball to me."
Maybe they mean bread, as in money.
34 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- is it a correct sentence, are you become cricket coach
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Is it correct to say, are you become cricket coach?
No.
You might say: Are you going to be a cricket coach?
or
Are you going to become a cricket coach?
26 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Is it correct to say, "thanks indeed"?
It's really short for "Thank you very much indeed."
You might be confused about the use of the word "indeed".
We often use "indeed" to emphasize a statement or response:
"Isn't this chocolate lovely?"
"It is indeed!"
But be careful, because if you say it wrong it can sound sarcastic.
35 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- is it right to say "it is called as ....." or should u only say "it is called ....." ?
----------------
Is it right to say "it is called as ....." or should you only say "it is called ....." ?
You can say:-
It's called ...
or
It's called a / an / the ...
15 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- is it a right sentence- I will finish my programme before he comes
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Is the following sentence correct?
I will finish my programme before he comes.
Yes, with my amendments, and only if your using British English and you mean a tv programme, and not a computer program.
19 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Is the sentence, "He knows how to push all of my buttons," gramatically correct?
We tend to say "He knows how to push my buttons."
That said, you will see, "He knows how to push all my buttons," and, "He knows how to push all of my buttons."
Probably the last one is the most grammatically correct, but you'd sound stilted saying it that way, so who cares about grammar?
19 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Someonen aks me. What do i want to know her.what did she mean?
________________________
Someone asked me. What do I want to know her? What did she mean?
I've no idea. I wasn't there. Why didn't you ask her?
She may have meant, "Why do you want to know me?"
She may have meant, "What do you want to know about me?"
13 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- i came to school at the same usual time
-----------------
I came to school at the same usual time.
same = usual
I came to school at the same time as usual.
or
I came to school at the usual time.
Join the forum. It will be better for you in the long run.
7 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- u have ur brother's looks....is it a correct senetence?
You have your brother's looks. (Implies he is good looking, and so you are too.)
You look like your brother. (Doesn't imply he's good looking, just that you look alike.)
15 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- how can i ask some one for taking a bath?????
If you mean you want to suggest that they take a bath, it would be a bit rude and personal to do so.
Maybe you could say:-
"Might I suggest you take a bath. It will help you to relax."
or
"Why not take a bath? It will make you feel much better."
16 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- ifi want to say,i have completed my work .might i speak ,i have done with it. Or i am done with it
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If I want to say, I have completed my work can I say, I have done with it. Or I am done with it.
Simply say, "I have finished", or "I have done it".
If you say you are "done with something" it implies you're fed up with it, not that you've necessarily finished it.
12 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- "I don't know that why did not she come today". Is this a correct sentence?
No.
If you're trying to make a statement you would say:-
"I don't know that why she did not come today."
If you are trying to ask a question you would say:-
"Why didn't she come today?"
If you want to ask the question in a very formal, stuffy way you could ask:-
"Why did she not come today?"
12 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- who tells u ? or who told u ? Which one is the correct grammer among the two...?
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Who tells you? Who told you?
Which one is correct?
Context...
Who usually tells you about English grammar?
Who told you that I would answer your question?
14 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- How to pronounce, for example, "the m-th (or mth) element in the list", assuming we have a list of n (> m) elements?
Thanks.
João
Hi João,
I can only tell you about how I pronounce nth, as in "to the nth degree". I pronounce it "enth". Try saying n and then adding "th" to the end.
I believe, although I'm no mathematician, that other variables follow the same logic so:-
ith would be eyeth as in eye+th
mth would be emth
That said, some people seem to say, "en-eth" and "eye-eth", these people probably also say "umptieth" instead of "umpteenth", so I shall carry on saying "enth".
6 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Could you tell me which one is right?i thought you don't want me OR i thought you didnt want me.
--------------------------
Could you tell me which one is right?
I thought you don't want me OR I thought you didn't want me.
I think you don't want me.
I thought you didn't want me.
16 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Whats The Difference between due to and because for example, i drink coffee because it keeps me awake, opposed to saying i drink coffee due to it keeps me awake i understand both are use for explain an answer but how do i know when to use each one??
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What's the difference between 'due to' and 'because'?
For example:-
I drink coffee because it keeps me awake, opposed to saying, I drink coffee due to it keeps me awake. I understand both are used to explain an answer but how do I know when to use each one?
Try to put the answer into a question.
Why do you drink coffee?
Because it helps me to stay awake.
'Due to' is more related to events, another way of saying due to is 'because of' or 'owing to'.
So, you're probably getting confused because of 'because of'. :)
Why were you awake all night?
Because of the amount of coffee I drank.
So as a rough guide - Why do you do something? - Because. Why does something happen? Due to / Because of / Owing to.
15 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- if I say (is outsiders are also allowed in this meeting?) is right or wrong. if wrong what will be the right sentence
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If I say, "is outsiders are also allowed in this meeting?", is right or wrong. If it's wrong what would the right sentence be?
Are outsiders also allowed in this meeting? (!See below!)
Personally I'd avoid the word "outsiders". It has two meanings:-
A person who does not belong to a particular group.
A person not accepted by or isolated from society.
Because of that I would look for a more neutral expression.
Maybe:-
Is anyone allowed to attend this meeting, or is just for our group?
10 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- how to reply if someone ask how is ur health?
----------------------
What should I say if someone asks, how is your health?
Presuming you're not ill:-
It's fine.
I'm fine.
I'm very well.
If you're not feeling great:-
Ticking over.
Not too bad.
If you're ill:-
Terrible.
Awful.
I've got a / the ...
14 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- is this sentence right?
They asked me if I would like to buy for her a gift.
----------------
Is this sentence correct?
They asked me if I would like to buy for her a gift.
No.
----------------------------
Oh all right...
They asked me if I would like to buy her a gift.
or
They asked me if I would like to buy a gift for her.
9 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Is it correct to say " The party was too enjoyable for me to stay? I mean positive adjective after too ...to.
thank you so much
It's a bit weird, because too is normally a negative.
I ate too much.
I drank too much, so I had to leave.
The meaning of your sentence is: The party was so enjoyable I had to leave.
(I'm not sure if that's what you meant.)
7 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- hello plz tell me if this sentence is righr or not?" tomorrow i'ill be ta my aunt's place so i have an open schedule you can call me any time"
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Hello,
Please tell me if this sentence is right or not?
"Tomorrow i'ill be ta my aunt's place so i have an open schedule you can call me any time"
"You can call me any time tomorrow, I'll be at my aunt's."
17 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- When should I use the word told & said?
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When should I use the words told and said?
I've always said that this one is difficult, but I can't remember if I ever told you about this page:-
http://www.learnenglish.de/mistakes/saidvstold.html
13 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Which is more standard to say play sports or to say do sports?
I'm British, so I tend to do sport. I think Americans use "play" more, but really it depends on the sport. If you say you "play sport" I presume you mean a competitive sport like football. If you tell me you "do sport" I presume you are more interested in exercise.
12 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Can you answer this question"do you know who you are speaking to?with a reply you who?
............................
Can you answer this question, "Do you know who you are speaking to?"
No. Who are you?
BTW - to be completely correct the question would be "Do you know to whom you are speaking?" It sounds much grander, but your version is fine in modern English.
7 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- how do you do?
--------------------
How do you do?
How do you do?
http://www.learnenglish.de/mistakes/howdoyoudovshowareyou.htm
1 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- Check this for me. 'Can I hold you for that coffee you offered to take me out on?'
Can I hold you to that? (You would say this at the time someone offers to do something.)
I think what you are trying to say is: "Can I take you up on your offer to buy me a coffee?"
3 visitor(s) thought this was helpful. Do you?
- what is the difference betweeen iam prepared and i have prepared which is correct?
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What is the difference between: "I am prepared" and "I have prepared". Which is correct?
They are both correct, but with a subtle difference in meaning. Let's put it in the context of exam preparations:-
I am prepared for the exam. (You feel you are prepared for whatever is about to happen, but you might not have actually done anything to justify this feeling.)
I have prepared for the exam. (You have done the necessary work to prepare for something that might be about to happen, or that might happen in the future.)
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- can you show me different colours for this dress-is this statement correct?
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Can you show me different colours for this dress? Is this statement correct?
If you are in a shop (context) you would ask:-
Can you show me this dress in different colours, please?
or
Does this dress come in different colours?
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- Which is Correct.
"Everybody wears his ID"
or "Everybody wears their ID"
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Which is correct?
"Everybody wears his ID," or "Everybody wears their ID."
Well strictly speaking neither (see correction).
But pedantry aside, we often use "their" to avoid writing "his / her".
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- Hi! I would like to know which one of the following sentences is correct or if both of them are correct: We're going out for dinner at a restaurant. We're going out for dinner in a restaurant. Actually I have doubt about the usage of 'in/at' in that specific case. Thanks in advance! :)
We're going out for dinner; to a restaurant.
The only reason you might want to add "to a restaurant" is to make it clear you're not going to KFC. ;)
You could simply say:-
We're going to a restaurant tonight. I've had enough of cooking.
Or:-
We're going to eat at a restaurant tonight. / We're eating at a restaurant tonight.
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- is this correct english for future verb usage?
We shall bring the cake.
Yes, it's fine - in British English, but it's a bit formal.
It would be more natural to say: "We'll bring the cake."
http://learn-english-online.org/Lesson39/Lesson39.htm
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- We say I study English. Why can't we say I learn English?
You can. In fact I prefer it when site visitors say this:-
I learn English every week with Lynne.
I guess most people say "study" because it makes them sound "studious". ;)
In your example it would be more natural to say "I'm learning English."
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- What is the difference between the sentences below:
"I am Sleepy" and "I am feeling Sleepy". Can i use one for the other? Thank you!
Well for the sake of the 7 dwarves I wouldn't capitalise sleepy.
I am sleepy. / I am feeling sleepy. Are both okay.
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- is it correct to say "after how long"
For example:
A: I have finished cleaning the house.
B:After how long?
A: 2 hours
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Is it correct to say "after how long"
For example:
A: I have finished cleaning the house.
B: After how long?
A: 2 hours.
I would not use it in your example:-
A: I have finished cleaning the house.
B: How long did it take you?
A: 2 hours
You can ask a questions using "after how long", it will always sound a bit old fashioned and context is king (you will usually see it in questions asking for advice).
For example:-
I have just bought a computer. After how long should I replace the graphics card?
A. This course will help you become fluent in English.
B. After how long?
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- what should we say when someone asks about holidays plans?
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What should we say when someone asks about holidays plans?
You tell them if and when, and maybe where you plan to go on holiday.
Best to practise this one. Come and tell us about your holiday plans.
http://learnenglishonline.yuku.com/forums/73#.UZ3sV7X-F2M
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- what is my name ?
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What is my name?
You tell me.
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