Archive for the Difference Between Words

8/3/2019 Archive for the Difference Between Words

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HOPE VS WISH

the difference between words: wish and hope

The word hope is used to talk about possible situations that we desire in the

past, present or future. The important thing to note is that these situations

are POSSIBLE. For example:

I hope you had a good time at the party last night.

I hope you have a great day.

I hope youre not going to go to the movie without me.

I hope my boss will give me a promotion this year.

I hope my boss gives me a promotion this year.

The last two examples are about the future. In English, we can use the future

tense or the present tense after the word hope to talk about the future. Both

are natural.

On the other hand, wish is used to talk about situations that we desire, but

which are the opposite of the current reality or which are impossible. We can

use wish + past tense to talk about our situation right now. Even though we use

the past tense, we are NOT talking about the past. For example:

I wish I had a car.(In reality, I dont have a car now, but I want one).

I wish I didnt have to work tomorrow. (In reality, I have to work tomorrow, but I

dont want to).

I wish I were tall.(In reality, Im short, but I want to be tall).

I wish I could play the piano.(In reality, I cant play the piano, but I want to).
http://englishhelponline.wordpress.com/2010/03/03/the-difference-between-words-wish-and-hope/http://englishhelponline.wordpress.com/2010/03/03/the-difference-between-words-wish-and-hope/


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When we use wish + past perfect tense, we are talking about regrets we have

from the past.

For example:

I wish I hadnt gone to the party. (In reality, I went to the party, and now I regret

it).

I wish I had studied harder in school.(In reality, I didnt study hard in school,

and now I regret it).

I wish I hadnt gotten drunk in front of my boss. (In reality, I got drunk in front

of my boss, and now I regret it).

I wish I had gone to bed earlier last night.(In reality, I didnt go to bed early last

night, and now I regret it).

We can use wish + would + verb to talk about situations that often happen in

our lives that we dont like. For example:

I wish my husband would help me clean the house. (In reality, my husband

never helps me clean the house, and I dont like it).

I wish my children wouldnt play their music so loudly. (In reality, my children

play their music very loudly, and I dont like it).

We can also use wish + nounto talk about things that we desire for other

people. In these cases, the meaning of wish is more similar to hope. This

way of using wish, however, is much less common that the other ways. For

example:

We wish you a merry Christmas. (The meaning is: We hope you have a merry

Christmas).

Wish me luck on my exam. (The meaning is: Please hope that I have good luck

on my exam).


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I wish you health and happiness. (The meaning is: I hope you have health and

happiness).

Finally, we can use wish + the infinitiveform of a verb (this is means to + the

base form). In these cases, the meaning of wish has the same meaning aswant, but it is more formal. For example:

I wish to see your boss right away.

We dont have a table available right now. Do you wish to wait?

If you wish to have more information, please let me know.

UPSET, ANGRY, SADTo be upset means to react to a negative situation in a very emotional way.

For example:

I just found out I failed my exam, so Im really upset now.

Everyone is upset today because the boss just cancelled the year end party.

Ill be so upset if it rains tomorrow for our picnic. Im really looking forward to

it.

Carol is really upset now because the boss just fired her.

That little boy in the corner is crying very loudly. I wonder why he is so upset.

In these examples, we dont use the word sad because the people are showing

their emotions more openly. Sadness is a very internal feeling in which we dontshow strong emotions. Also, feelings of sadness usually last for a longer time.

For example:

My wife has been so sad since her mother died. I wish I could do something to

make her feel better.


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At the end of the movie, the main character dies. It always makes me sad when

I see it.

On the other hand, angry is used when a person or group does something bad

to us and we react to that negative action. For example:

My co-worker stole my idea and told the boss it was his! Im so angry at him

right now!

The government is raising out taxes again! That makes me so angry!

ASHAMED VS EMBARASSED.Basically, the word embarrassed means having a feeling of emotional

discomfort in front of other people. This last part is very important. If we are

embarrassed, we have to be in front of at least one other person. We cannot be

embarrassed if we are alone. These situations are usually not so serious.

Some example sentences using embarrassed are:

I made a big mistake during my presentation yesterday. I was really

embarrassed.

I was embarrassed in front of my date last night because I didnt have enough

money to pay for dinner.

*Its important to remember that you shouldnt say embarrassing when

talking about your personal feeling. We use that when talking about the

situation. For example:

I made a big mistake during my presentation. It was really embarrassing for me.


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It was so embarrassing for me last night. I didnt have enough money to pay for

dinner with my date.

On the other hand, ashamed means having a feeling of guilt because you did

something bad intentionally. We can also be ashamed of someone else ifthey did something bad intentionally. In this case, the feeling is not about guilt

but about judgment. In both cases, its important that the bad thing was done

intentionally. If we cause something bad to happen by accident, we dont

usually say we are ashamed.

Some example sentences using ashamed are:

When I was a teenager, I stole money from my parents. Im really ashamed of

that now.

Last year, Bill stole his co-workers idea and told the boss it was his. He should

be ashamed of himself.

Many people in my country are ashamed of the way the government treated the

native people a long time ago.

I cant believe you cheated on your exam! Im really ashamed of you!

Archive for the difference between words

but, though and although.The difference between them is not the meaning but the grammar. So this ishow we use them:

I ate dinner an hour ago, but Im still hungry.

I ate dinner an hour ago. Im still hungry though.

Although I ate dinner an hour ago, Im still hungry.


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My friend has studied Spanish for two years, but he cant speak very well.

My friend has studied Spanish for two years. He cant speak very well though.

Although my friend has studied Spanish for two years, he cant speak very well.

So as you can see from these examples, we use but in the middle of the

sentence. We use though at the end of a second sentence, and we use

although at the beginning of the sentence and put a comma in the middle.

Theres no difference in the meaning, but the word although is the most

formal, the word but is the most casual, and the word though is in the

middle.

even though and even ifThe grammatical expression even though can be used with various verb

tenses and has the same meaning as the word although. For example:

Even though I was invited to the party, I didnt go.

I will work overtime this weekend even though I dont want to.

Even though my friend isnt good at singing, he always sings a lot at karaoke.

However, even if is usually used to talk about what you will do at a future time

despite something which might go against your plan. For example:

Even if my ex-girlfriend is at the party, Im going to go.

I wont work overtime this weekend even if my boss asks me to.

Even if my company offers me a promotion, I wont take it.

Please note that even if is usually used with a future situation and that the

situation on which the decision is based is only a possiblity. Therefore, with the


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examples above, its only POSSIBLE the ex-girlfriend will be at the party, that

the boss will ask the person to work overtime and that the company will offer

the person a promotion. These things MIGHT happen, but theyre not certain.

to make someone do something, to let someone do something and tohave someone do something.In English, to make someone do something means to force someone to do an

action that they really dont want to do. For example:

When I was young, my parents made me clean my room.

I dont want to work this weekend, but my boss is making me.

My teacher made me do extra homework because I was late for class.

To let someone do something means to allow someone to do something that

they want to do. For example:

I let my son go camping with his friends last weekend.

My boss let me go home early yesterday because I was sick.

My teacher let me hand in my essay a day late.

To have someone do something means to arrange for someone to do

something. It is used when the lower level person CANNOT say no because they

work for the higher level person. It can also be used when the request is so

simple that nobody would say no. For example:

Ill have my secretary type up this report, and then Ill send it to you.

Ill have Mr. Smith call you back as soon as he can.

A: We dont have any wine.


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B: Its ok. Ill call my husband on his cell phone and have him buy some wine

before he comes home.

In each of these cases, the person willingly complies with the request to type up

the report, to call the other person back, or to buy some wine so we use haveinstead of make. Please note that with all of these cases we do NOT use the

preposition to. Therefore it is WRONG to say:

When I was young, my parents made me to clean my room.

My boss let me to go home early yesterday because I was sick.

Ill have my secretary to type up this report, and then Ill send it to you.

should, have to and had better.We use should when we want to say something is a good idea, but that there

is a choice. For example:

Im not good at playing the piano. I should practice more often.

If you have the hiccups, you should drink a glass of water.

I cant save much money. I shouldnt go out for dinner so much.

We use have to when we must do something and weDONT have a choice. For

example:

I have to be at work by 9:00 am every morning.

We have to hand in our reports to the teacher on Friday.

Im sorry, but I cant have dinner with you on Sunday. I have to help my friend

move.


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The expression had better is commonly misunderstood. It is used when we

want to say that we have a choice about doing something, but that if we dont

do it, we are going to have a problem. For example:

My test is in two days. Id better start studying for it right away.(This meansthat if I dont start studying for it right away, Im going to fail the test.)

The boss is coming! Youd better get back to work! (This means that if you

dont get back to work, the boss will be very angry.)

My boyfriend was late the last time we had a date. Hed better not be late for

our date tonight!(This means that if hes late, shell be very angry.)

Sometimes, have to can be used as a strong recommendation. For example:

If you ever go the Paris, you have to go to the Louvre museum!

A: I dont watch Lost.

B: Oh really?! Its an amazing show! You have to start watching it!

In these examples, the person has a choice about going to the Louvre museum

or watching the show Lost, but the other person is making therecommendation very strongly.

}

-ed and -ing words as bored and boring.In English, we use -ed words to talk about a persons feeling about a situation,and we use -ing words to talk about the situation itself. For example:

I was bored when I watched that movie.

I thought the movie was boring.


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I was really confused by the teachers lecture.

I dontknow much about chemistry, so the teachers lecture was really

confusing for me.

I was so shocked when I heard the news about my uncles death.

My aunt told me some shocking news! My uncle died yesterday.

Im so tired because I had many meetings today.

I had many meetings today and it was very tiring.

simple rule: we use -ed when PEOPLE are the subject of the sentence, and weuse -ing when SITUATIONS are the subject of the sentence. However, there is

an exception to that. We can use -ing words when a person is the subject IF the

person is causing the speaker to have that certain feeling. For example:

My math teacher is so boring. I hate going to his classes.

My friend Paul is a very interesting guy.

People who talk loudly on the train are so annoying.

}

fun, funny and interesting.The word fun is used when we talk about enjoying ourselves or having a good

time. For example:

The party was so much fun! We danced and drank all night long.

The action movie was a lot of fun. Id like to see it again.


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I love going to Disneyland! Its so much fun!

The word funny is used when something or someone makes us laugh. For

example:

Tom is such a funny guy. He always makes me laugh.

That joke wasnt funny at all. Nobody laughed at it.

The new comedy with Jim Carrey is supposed to be really funny. Lets go see it

this weekend.

The word interesting is used when talking about situations in which we learn

something or are made to think about something. For example:

I think going to museums is interesting, but my boyfriend doesnt agree with

me.

The new drama on TV is sad but very interesting. Its about a doctor who is

suffering from cancer.

Im reading about the history of China right now. Its really interesting!

So this is how we use these words in English. They are all adjectives, but the

word fun can also be a noun and is used withthe verb have. For example:

I had a lot of fun at the party.

My family and I had fun on our vacation to Hawaii.

find out and knowIn English, we often have a separate word or expression to talk about the

beginning of a situation. For example, first we PUT ON our clothes and then

we WEAR them; first we GET a cold and then we HAVE the cold.

Another example of this is find out and know. First, we FIND OUT some

information, and then we KNOW it. So when we talk about the first moment that


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we learn some information, we must use find out, but we cant use know

until afterwards. For example:

I found out about the terrorist attack when I watched the news report on TV. I

was so shocked!

I knew about the terrorist attack before I watched the news because my friend

had told me about it before.

Did you know that ABC Department Store is having a sale this weekend? I just

found out today.

A: Did you know that Rachel is going to have a baby?

B: Yes, I know.

A: When did you find out?

B: I found out yesterday when Rachels husband told me.

As you can see from the examples, when we use find out we usually will say

when we received the information. Ifwe dont say when we received it, the

sentence will sound a little strange. }

all, whole and entire. each and every.The word all is used with countable or uncountable nouns to refer to 100% of

many things. For example:

All of my furniture is from Ikea. (uncountable)

I bought all of my plates from ABC department store. (countable)

The words whole and entire mean 100% of one thing. It is used with

countable nouns. For example:

I ate the whole pie by myself. Im so full right now.


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I spent the entire day watching TV and drinking beer. It was great!

The word each and every are very similar but have slightly different

meanings. They are both used with countable nouns. The word each focuses

on the individual parts that make up a collection of something, but everyfocuses on all the parts that make up a collection of something. For example:

Each of the stamps in my collection came from a different country.

Every stamp in my collection is very valuable.

Each person in my family is very special to me.

Every person in my family can play the piano.

In addition, we use each when we want to focus on the differences between

things, and we use every when we want to focus on the fact that things are the

same. For example:

I have many pins in my collection and each one comes from a different country.

I paid over $20 for every pin in my collection.

Please note that when the words each and every are followed by a verb in the

present tense, it must have an s. Therefore, each and every follow the same

grammar rules as he, she and it.

until and byThe word until refers to the time when some action stops, but the word by

refers to a deadline when an action must be stopped. For example:

I worked until 8:00 p.m. last night.

Im going to keep my part-time job until I graduate from university.


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Ill be in Osaka until Thursday, and then Ill go back to Tokyo.

You can borrow my CD, but please give it back to me by the end of the month.

This project must be completed by Friday, March 26th.

A: What time do I need to check out of my room by?

B: By 11:00 a.m. please.

We also use by in the expression by the time which is similar in meaning

to when. For example:

By the time I got to the office, the meeting had already started.

I had already finished my work by the time the boss called me.

Everyone had already started eating by the time I arrived at the restaurant.

By the time you get this message, I will already have left the office.

By the time Im 50, I will have started my own company.

can you, could you and would you.In terms of formality, can you is the most casual, could you is more polite

and would you is the most formal and polite. There is no major difference in

meaning between can you and could you except that could you is more

polite.

However, there is a difference in nuance between could you and would you.

The words could you focus on the ability to do something, but the wordswould you focus on the willingness to do something. For example:

Can you help me with my homework later? (said to a friend or family member)

Could you tell me how to get to the train station from here? (said to a stranger

on the street)


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Would you lend me your car this weekend? (said to a friend or family member,

but in a very polite way because you want something from them)

Sometimes people get confused between the difference between could you

and would you but there is one example sentence which usually helps peopleto understand. If a man is asking someone to marry him, he would say:

Would you marry me?

But he would NEVER say:

Could you marry me?

By saying, Would you marry me? he is asking Are you willing to marry me?but if he said Could you marry me? it sounds like Do you have the ability to

marry me? (which sounds quite strange and VERY unromantic.) Here are some

other examples for you to study:

Can you drive me to work today? My car isnt working now.

Could you tell me how long Ill have to wait until I can see the doctor?

Would you please stop tapping your foot? Im trying to study.

}

believe and trustThe word believemeans that we believe someones statement, but the word

trustmeans that we believe a person is honest and reliable in general. For

example:

Yvonne said she didnt steal my money, and I believe her. Shes never lied to me

before.


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I dont believe the promises that politicians make. They almost always break

them after they get elected.

I really trust Peter. Hes always does what he says hes going to do.

If I were you, I wouldnt trust Rachel with your boyfriend. Apparently, she has

stolen her friends boyfriends before.

so far and until nowThe expression so far is used when were in the middle of a particular

situation. In other words, the situation has started, but it is NOT over yet. We

use so far when talking about the sitatuion from the beginning of that

situation until the present moment. The future is something the person doesnt

know about because it hasnt happened yet. Here is a timeline to help you

understand:

start______________________now_________________________end

so far->/unknown/

For example, if the situation is the weekend, the start is Friday night and the

end is Sunday night. Lets say that now it is Saturday night. A conversation

would be like this:

A: How is your weekend so far?

B: Its really good so far.

If it is Sunday night, the conversation would be like this:

A: How was your weekend?

B: It was really good.


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Now lets say the sitation is a work project. The start is the beginning of the

project and the end is when you finish the project. Right now you have

completed 40% of the project. At that point, a conversation might be like this:

A: What have you done so far with your project?

B: So far, Ive completed writing the report and making a list of potential

customers.

Lets say the situation is a presentation that youre doing, and youre in the

middle of the presentation. At that point you would ask:

Does anyone have any questions so far?

If youve finished the presentation, you would ask:

Does anyone have any questions?

So, that is so far. The expression until now is a little different because it is

used to indicate that the situation has changed. For example, look at the

following two sentences:

Im happy with my new job so far.

I was happy with my new job until now.

The first sentence means that that person continues to be happy with the job

but doesnt know about the future. The second sentence means that something

has happened and that he or she is no longer happy with the job; the situation

has changed. Here are some more examples using until now:

We didnt have any problems with the project until now. (Now we have aproblem.)

I really enjoyed that TV show until now. (Now I dont enjoy the show anymore.)

My neighbors were really loud at night until now. (Now they are quiet.)


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Please take note that when we use until now, we use the past tense, but we

DONT use the past tense with so far. }

for and during.The word for is followed by the word a or an or by a number; and then it is

followed by a time noun (year, month, day, hour, minute, etc). However, the

word during is followed directly by a regular noun. For example:

Ive been working on this project for six months.

I did training for my job for a week.

The movie lasted for two and a half hours.

I fell asleep during the movie.

I got a sunburn during my vacation.

I didnt see anyone during the weekend.

So, as you can see, with during, the word the or a possessive pronoun like

my or your is usually placed between during and the regular noun. If weretalking about public holidays, then we DONT use the. For example:

What are you going to do during Christmas?

popular and common.The word popular is used to describe things or people that many people like,

but common is used to describe things that happen a lot. When something is

common, maybe people like it, but maybe they dont. For example:

Johnny Depp is one of the most popular actors in Hollywood right now.


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Going to look at cherry blossoms in April is extremely popular in Japan.

Toy race cars are very popular with young boys, but theyre not so popular with

young girls.

Working overtime is very common in Japan.

When Japanese people travel, its common for them to buy many souvenirs for

their family and friends.

Heart problems are common among people who are 65 years old or over.

Its important that you dont confuse these two words. If you say something like

heart problems is popular, it will sound very strange because that would meanthat many people like to have heart problems which is obviously not true.

satisfied and pleased.The word satisfied means that someone is content with something, but feels

that it could be better.

The word pleased means that someone is happy with something and

probably doesnt think it could be better. Therefore pleased is much more

positive than satisfied. For example:

Im satisfied with your work so far, but I think you can do an even better job if

you try harder.

My boss told me hes very pleased with my work on the ABC project. That made

me feel really good.

I wouldnt say I was pleased with the presentation, but I was satisfied with it.

A: I hope my dad was satisfied with the present I bought him for his birthday.

B: He told me he was more than satisfied with it. In fact, he was very pleased.


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too and either.Basically, itsvery simple: we use both too and either to say that something

is also true for a second person or thing. The difference is that we use too for

positive statements and we use either and neither for negative statements.For example:

I like pizza, and my wife does too.

I dont like carrots, and my husband doesnt either.

A: Ive been to Korea many times.

B: Oh really? I have too. Whats your favorite place in Korea?

_________________________________________________________________

A: Ive never been to South America.

B: I havent either, but Id really like to go there one day.

_________________________________________________________________

A: I can play the piano.

B: Oh really? Me too!

_________________________________________________________________

A: I cant cook very well.

B: Me neither.

There is no difference in meaning between either and neither. We use

either when there is another negative word in the sentence such as not or

never. For example:

A: Ive never tried scuba diving.


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B: Oh yeah? I havent either.

However, we use neither when there is no other negative word in the

sentence. For example:

A: Ive never tried scuba diving.

B: Oh yeah? Neither have I.

So, we can say Neither have I. or I havent either. but we CANNOT say: I

havent neither. because there are two negative words in the sentence.

anyway and by the way.Id also like to go over two other expressions which have similar functions, but

which are a little different.

So, anyway is used when we want to change the subject completely, or when

we want to bring back the original subject after being interrupted. For example:

A: so thats why I didnt like that movie.

B: Oh I see. I wont go see it then. Anyway, where do you think we should havedinner tonight?

_________________________________________________________________

A: I really dont think this is a good time to

B: Excuse me. Could you tell me where the bathroom is?

A: Its at the end of the hall. Anyway, as I was saying, I dont think this is a goodtime to invest in gold.

The expression by the way is used when we suddenly remember something

that we want to say to someone. For example:


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Im going to the supermarket after work today. Oh, by the way, Harry wants to

know if youre coming over for dinner this weekend.

I watched a really good show on TV last night. Oh, by the way, heres the DVD

you lent me last month. Thanks for letting me borrow it.

The expression speaking of is also used when we remember something we

want to tell someone, but it is directly linked to something that someone has

said before which reminds us of it. For example:

A: Im really excited about seeing Marks new play.

B: Yes, I am too. Speaking of Mark, did you hear that hes going to get married

soon?

_________________________________________________________________

A: Mary just moved into a new apartment!

B: Really? Thats fantastic! Speaking of new apartments, Im also thinking about

finding a new place. Im tired of my old apartment.

The expression at any rate is used to give more details about something thatwe have mentioned already. For example:

A: I really want to go to Europe this summer.

B: But its really expensive. Can you afford it?

A: Ive been saving my money. I dont think itll be so bad. At any rate, I really

want to go, and this will be my last chance before I start my new job.


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ago and before.in is used when talking about future times from the present moment and

later is used when talking about future times from a time which is NOT the

present moment.

In the same way, ago is used when talking about past times from the present

moment and before is used when talking about past times from a time which

is NOT the present moment. For example:

Im late for the meeting. It started about ten minutes ago.

I went to Paris for my honeymoon about fifteen years ago. My wife and I would

like to go back there again.

A few weeks ago I broke my leg, but its starting to get better now.

I went to a Korean restaurant on Thursday even though I had eaten Korean food

three days before.

I couldnt buy the video game I wanted. I got to the store at 6:30, and the clerk

told me he had sold the last copy of the game a few minutes before.

Many people I know work at my company. I was hired by them in 2005, and my

friend got a job there two years before.

As you can see with the word before, it is often used with the past perfect

tense (had + pp). You can see this with examples 4 and 5. However, it can also

be used with the simple past tense as in example 6. We use the past perfect

tense when there is a direct connection between the two ideas, but we use the

simple past tense when one event simply follows another event.


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in and the use of later.We use the word in when talking about a future event which will happen at a

certain time from NOW. For example:

Im going to go to my hometown in five days.

The new Brad Pitt movie will open in one week.

My package is supposed to be delivered in a few days.

We use the word later when talking about an event which happens at a future

time from a moment which is NOT now. For example:

I arrived in Tokyo on March 12th, and then I went to Osaka three days later.

I will get home at 6:00, and then my friend will come over about two hours

later.

On my way to work, my train suddenly stopped, but it started again about five

minutes later.

As you can see with the word later, it can be used with both the past and thefuture tense. We usually state the time or date in these sentences (as in the first

two examples), but its not always necessary (as in the third example).

Nice vs KindThe basic difference between them is that we say people are nice in a general

way, and we usually use the word kind to talk about a specific action that

someone does. For example:

My mother is a very nice person. Shes really friendly and is always willing to

help other people.

It was very kind of your mother to help me cook dinner for my husband. Please

tell her how much I appreciate it.


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Bill is one of the nicest people I know. Everyone likes him.

Bill is such a kind man. Yesterday, he gave a homeless person $10 to buy some

food.

Victoria is a really nice woman. She spent over five hours helping me with my

project yesterday. That was so kind of her to do that.

As I mentioned before, nice is used much more frequently than kind. If

youre not sure aboutwhich one to use, you can use nice, and it will sound

very natural.

Bring and takecome is used when talking about the place where we are right now; the word

bring is used in the same way when talking about the place where we are

right now. The word go is used when talking about another place; the word

take is also used when talking about another place. For example:

I brought my dictionary to the class today. You can borrow it if you want to.

We have some extra sandwiches. You can take some home when you leave.

Sometimes we use bring when talking about a place where we are NOT right

now. Again, in this way the words come and bring are similar. For example:

A: Can you bring some wine to my house for dinner tonight?

B: Ok, sure. Ill bring some red wine. Is that ok?

In this case, person A uses bring because the other person is going to come

to their home. In these cases, we always use bring. Person B also usesbring

because they are speaking directly to the person whose home they are going to.

However, if person B is talking to another person about this event, they will use

take. For example:


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I have to take some wine to my friends house for dinner tonight.

Person A will also use bring to talk about person B going to the place where

person A is right now, even if its not their home. Person B will also use

bring in this situation. For example:

A: Im in conference room A. Can you bring me an extra copy of the report.

B: Of course, sir. Ill bring one to you right away.

So, we use bring when someone is coming to our home or when talking

directly to a person about going to a certain place where the person is now, but

if we are talking about another place, we use take. For example:

A: What kind of food shall we take on our picnic?

B: Lets take some potato salad and ham sandwiches. I love them!

}

come vs go,

Generally speaking, we use come when talking about the place where we areRIGHT NOW, and we use go when talking about another place. For example:

I went to work yesterday even though it was a Sunday.(Im not at work now.)

I came to this class because I want to learn how to play the piano.(Right now,

Im at the piano class.)

I think that part is quite simple and easy to understand by most people.

However, sometimes we use come when talking about a place where we areNOT right now. Please study the following example:

A: Can you come to my house for dinner tonight?

B: Ok, sure. That would be great. I can come to your house at 7:00 tonight.


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In this case, person A uses come because they are inviting someone to spend

time with them at their home. In these cases, we always use come. Person B

also uses come because they are speaking directly to the person whose home

they will spend time at. However, if person B is talking to another person about

this event, they will use go. For example:

A: Do you want to see a movie with me tonight?

B: Im sorry, but I cant. I have to go to my friends house for dinner at 7:00

tonight.

Person A will also use come to talk about person B going to the place where

person A is right now, even if its not their home. Person B will also use come

in this situation. For example:

A: Im at the restaurant now. What time can you come here?

B: I can come there at 8:00.

So, we use come when inviting someone to our home or when talking directly

to a person about going to a certain place, but if we invite them to another

place, we use go. For example:

A: Would you like to go to the park with me this weekend?

B: Sounds great. What time do you want to go?

A: Lets go at around 2:00 on Sunday.

the difference between words: advice and advise{ September 13, 2010

will and going to.In many cases, English speakers use either of these to express the future.

However, there is a slight difference in nuance. The term going to gives the
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listener the idea that someone has made the decision to do something after

giving it careful thought. The word will is used when we are a little uncertain

or when theres no time to think carefully about doing something in the future.

For example:

This weekend my friend and I are going to see the U2 concert. Weve been

planning it for weeks.

Im going to go on a business trip next week. My boss told me about it a few

days ago.

My sister is probably going to have her baby next week. Shes very excited.

In the first example, we use going to because the friends have already made

the decision to see the concert. In the second example, we use it because the

person has been aware of the business trip for a while, so its now an

established plan. In the third example, we use it because we know that the

sister will have the baby soon, and its expected. However, we could also use

say, My sister will probably have her baby next week. because its uncertain

about the timing, and the people cant make a decision about when the baby

will be born. So, in this case, both will and going to are fine.

Here are some more examples of how to use will:

I think Ill go to the beach to relax this weekend.

A: The phone is ringing.

B: Dont get up. Ill answer it.

_________________________________________________________________

A: I need someone to write the report for the ABC project.

B: Ill do it.

_________________________________________________________________


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A: Are you ready to order?

B: Yes. Ill have a sirloin steak and a baked potato please.

In the first example, we use will because of the word think. This shows theperson is not completely certain, so a firm decision has not been made. Once

the decision is made, the person would say, Im going to go to the beach to

relax this weekend. In the second example, the phone suddenly rings and

there is no time for the person to think about whether or not to answer it. In

these types of situations, we always use will. The third example is similar. The

person has no time to think about volunteering, so he uses will. However,

after this the person would say, Im going to write the report for the ABC

project. because the decision has been made firmly. In the last example, when

we are ordering a meal from a waiter or waitress in a restaurant, we always use

will have. This is a standard expression for ordering food. However, when we

are buying something in a store, we use will take to talk about buying

something. For example:

A: How may I help you?

B:Ill take these two rings and this necklace please.

If we use going to have or going to take in a restaurant or store, it will sound

strange. So we use will have and will take when we are talking to the staff

member who works in that place. However, when we are talking to a friend or

family member, we use going to have or going to take. For example:

A: Have you decided what you want for dinner?

B: Yes, Im going to have a sirloin steak and a baked potato. Lets call the waiter

over.

_________________________________________________________________

A: Are you going to buy some jewelry?

B: Yes. Im going to take these two rings and this necklace.


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recently and these days,The word recently is used to focus on the present moment and the recent

past, but it does NOT focus on the future at all.

The term these days is used to focus on the recent past, the present moment

AND the near future. For example:

Recently, Ive been working a lot of overtime at work.

Ive recently found a fantasic new Italian restaurant downtown. We should go

there sometime.

Recently, I saw the movie Star Wars for the first time. It was really good.

These days, Im working a lot of overtime.

I dont drink much beer these days. Im trying to lose weight.

Im studying English very hard these days. I want to get a high score on the

TOEIC test.

So, because the word recently doesnt focus on the future at all, it usesdifferent verb tenses from these days. The word recently will use the present

perfect (have + pp), the present perfect continuous (have been + ing form of a

verb) or the simple past tense. On the other hand, these days will use the

present continuous (be + ing form of a verb) or the simple present.

hear and look atThe word hear means that we physically pick up sounds with our ears, but we

are not focusing on those sounds. In this way, hear is similar to the word

see.


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The term listen to means that we are focusing on those sounds. In this

way, listen tois similar to look at. Here are some examples:

Didnt you hear the phone ring? Ive been trying to call you all day.

Can you hear that? It sounds like a baby crying.

I could hear a strange sound coming from my neighbors apartment last night. I

wonder what he was doing.

On the weekend, I listened to music. I especially like to listen to old time rock

and roll.

You have to listen to this joke! Its so funny!

The doctor listened to my heartbeat and told me he thinks I have a problem

with my heart.

The term listen to also has another meaning. It can also mean to pay attention

to what someone says to you and to do what they say. For example:

I didnt listen to my parents when they said I should go to university, and now I

really regret that.

If you listen to what Frank has to say, youll be very successful at this company.

Hes been here for a long time.

Listen to me! If you dont stop smoking, youre going to have a lot of health

problems in the future!

see, look at and watch.Basically, the word see means that we can perceive something visually with

our eyes; the term look at means that are focusing on something with our


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eyes; the word watch also means we are focusing on something but that it ismoving, and we are following the movement with our eyes.

Here are some example sentences:

I can see the sign for a Chinese restaurant down the street. Lets have lunch

there.

You were supposed to stop the car. Didnt you see the stop sign?

I saw a really nice coat in the window of ABC department store. I want to buy it.

You should come and look at this picture. Its really nice.

Dont look at my face! I have a lot of pimples right now!

Just look at this room! Its so dirty! We have to clean it up.

I watched a DVD with my friend last night.

I like to sit by the window at this cafe and watch people walking around

outside.

My science teacher asked us to watch an experiment he was performing.

However, the verb see has a few other meanings which some people dont

realize. Here are some of them:

1. to date someone. For example:

Im seeing someone now. Weve been dating for six months.

2. to have a meeting with someone you already know. For example:

I saw my best friend last night. We had dinner at an Italian restaurant.

3. to find out some information that you dont have. For example:


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I dont know when the delivery date is. Ill go and see if my boss knows.

4. to watch a public performance. For example:

My friend and I saw a movie last night. We went to the new movie theaterdowntown. It was really nice!

So, if we watch a play or a movie in a theater, we use see, but if we watch a

movie at home on TV or DVD, we use watch.

will and would,

When we use will, it indicates an intention to do something in a situation that

is really possible or likely to happen.

However, when we use would, it indicates an intention to do something in a

situation that is only in our imagination or that is very unlikely to happen. For

example:

If the weather is nice tomorrow, I will go to the beach.

If it wasnt raining right now, I would go to the beach.

If I win some money at the casino, I will buy a new stereo.

If I won the lottery, I would buy a new car.

If I get sick this winter, I will go see a doctor.

If I were sick now, I would go see a doctor.

If I get a car this year, I will drive to my hometown.

If I had a car, I would drive to my hometown.

So, as you can see, the pattern with will is:


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if + present tense verb + will

And the pattern with would is:

if + past tense verb + would

Its important to note that when we use the past tense with would, we are NOT

talking about the past. We use the past tense only because the grammar

demands it.

so and such

When we use the word so, it is followed ONLY by an adjective.

When we use the word such, it is followed the article a or an, then by an

adjective and finally, by a noun. Sometimes there is no adjective in the sentence

at all. For example:

My friend is so nice.

My friend is such a nice guy.

My friend is such a gentleman.

Its so hot today.

Its such a hot day today.

Its such a scorcher today.

Harriet is so intelligent.

Harriet is such an intelligent woman.

Harriet is such a genius.


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In case youre wondering, the word scorcher in the sixth sentence is a casual

word that refers to a very hot day. The word scorch has a similar meaning to

the word burn.

Its important to note that when we use such, we only use a or an in thesentence if the noun is countable. If the noun is uncountable, we must drop the

article. For example:

This is such good wine. Where did you get it?

My guidebook gave me such useful information.

We had such beautiful weather during our vacation.

it and one

Basically, the difference between using it and one is about articles (the,

a/an). If we use a/an, then the pronoun is one. If we use the, then the

pronoun is it. We also use it with other words such as this or that. For

example:

A: Do you have a pen?

B: Yes, I have one.

_________________________________________________________________

A: Do you have the pen?

B: Yes, I have it.

_________________________________________________________________

A: Would you like to see a diamond ring?

B: Yes, Id love to see one.

_________________________________________________________________


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A: Would you like to see this diamond ring?

B: Yes, Id love to see it.

We can also use it with personal pronouns such asmy, your, etc. Forexample:

Do you like my sweater? I bought it on sale yesterday.

Whats your name? Im sorry, but I cant remember it.

Have you seen Ryans new car? I really like it.

Sometimes, when were talking about more than one object, we have to use theplural forms them and ones instead. However, the same general rule applies.

Please note that some things we wear have a plural form such as pants,

shortsand glasses. For example:

A: Do you like these pants?

B: Yes, I do. Ill take them.

_________________________________________________________________

A: Do you like these pants?

B: No, I dont. Do you have any blue ones?

In these examples, we use them in the first example because were talking

about the pants that the person is holding. We use ones in the second

example because were talking about other pants that may or may not exist. So,

the basic difference is that it and them are pronouns for specific things andone and ones are pronouns for things in general. Let me give you some

more examples of them and ones.

Do you like French movies? Personally, I really like them.

I dont like French movies. I think Spanish ones are much more interesting.


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I love your glasses! Where did you buy them? I want to get new ones.

practice, train and exercise.The word practice is a word that describes doing an activity repeatedly in

order to become more skillful at it.

The word train can be used to describe learning new skills for your job or

putting your body into very good physical condition in order to be an athlete

such as a boxer.

Finally, the word exercise is used to talk about moving your body so as to getinto or stay in good physical condition. Let me give you some examples:

I cant play the piano well. I need to practice more.

If you want to speak English well, you have to practice as much as possible.

My son is good at basketball because he practices all the time.

I have to train more with this new computer software at my office. Im still notsure how to use it properly.

I would like to train to become a member of the marketing team.

My friend wants to become a boxer, so he is training all the time right now.

I want to lose weight, so I have to exercise more.

I exercise about three times a week at the gym near my apartment.

I love to exercise! It makes me feel better after a stressful day at work.

The difference between train and exercise is that we only use the word

train when a person is exercising a lot in order to become an athlete.

Therefore, the majority of people use the word exercise.


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shop, store and restaurant,Generally speaking, a shop and a store are places where you go to buy

something. The difference is that a shop is usually quite small, and a store is

big.

On the other hand, a restaurant is a place where you go to eat something.

Even if its for cheap food like hamburgers or chicken, we still call it a

restaurant but, in that case, it will be called a fast food restaurant. Let me give

you some examples:

I bought this necklace in a cute little shop near my house.

Is there a shop around here where I can buy some cigarettes?

ABC Limited is my favorite clothing store. They always have a good selection of

the latest fashions.

XYZ Company is a huge chain of electronic goods stores. There are many

locations all over the country.

I like to go to this cozy little Italian restaurant in Shinjuku with my girlfriend.

Its very romantic.

A: Would you like to go to the French restaurant for dinner tonight?

B: Actually I dont have much time. Lets just go to a fast food restaurant

instead.

I dont usually eat at fast food restaurants because its not very healthy.

There are some exceptions where we can refer to a restaurant as a shop. Theyare a pizza shop and an ice cream shop.

In Japan, people often say sushi shop, but instead they should say sushi bar

or sushi restaurant. A sushi shop is a small store usually on the street where

people can buy sushi, but they dont stay there to eat it.


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realize andunderstand

We use the word realize when we think about something that is confusing forus and then suddenly know its true meaning. We can also use realize when

we suddenly discover the reality of a situation that we didnt know before

because something happens to make us understand it.

We use understand when we can comprehend information or a situation.

For example:

After I thought about it for a long time, I realized I would have to get aneducation if I wanted to be successful in life.

I didnt realize that restaurant was so popular until my friend and I went there.

We had to wait 45 minutes to get a table!

I realized that I had left my cell phone at home when I put my hand in my

pocket.

I first realized how hard it is to speak another language when I took a Spanishclass about five years ago.

I understand why Jim is so angry about not getting a promotion because the

same thing happened to me.

I didnt understand the meaning of that word, so I looked it up in a dictionary.

I understand philosophy because it was my major at university.

A: Do you understand what Carol is talking about?

B: No, shes always talking about science, so its over my head.


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So, with the examples for realize we use that word because the person comes

to know the reality of the situation because they think about it for a long time,

they go to the restaurant and see that its popular, they feel their cell phone is

not in their pocket and they take a Spanish class and have a hard time with it.

In the last example for understand I use the idiom to be over someones

head.

Look, seenm and feelTo describe our feeling about certain situations, but sometimes it is confusing

as to which is the appropriate one to use in each situation.

Lets start with the easiest one:look. We use look when talking about

something that we can physically see with our eyes. For example:

I saw a picture of Bills new house. It looks really nice.

This looks like a really expensive restaurant. I think we should go to another

place.

We use seem when talking about a situation that we have experienced for a

very short time and we want to give our impression of it.

For example:

I only talked to the new manager for a couple of minutes, but she seems really

nice.

Ive only just arrived in this city, but it seems like a really good place to live.

We use sound when we are listening to another person talking about a certain

situation and we want to talk about our impression of it. For example:

A: My new boyfriend is so sweet and romantic. Last night, he took me out for

dinner to an expensive French restaurant.


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B: He sounds wonderful.

________________________________________________________________

A: My new apartment has three bedrooms, a big kitchen and theres a greatview from the balcony.

B: It sounds like a great place.

Finally, we use feel when talking about the physical or emotional feeling

something gives us. For example:

I love going to a hot spring. The hot water feels so good and relaxing.

I really like this restaurant. It feels like a place that I used to go to in my

hometown.

So, as you can see from the examples, we can use these words by themselves

or they can be followed by the word like. The difference is that we say look

+ adjective, and we say look like + adjective + noun or look like + noun.

The same pattern is true for each of these words.

Sometimes, the pattern is a little different, especially when using sound orlook. In these cases, the pattern is It sounds/looks like + noun + be verb +

adjective. For example:

A: I have to work overtime until 11:00 p.m. every night, and sometimes I work

on the weekends too.

B: It sounds like your job is really tough.

Did you see the reading list for this course? There are so many books on it! Itlooks like this course is not going to be easy.

}little or few and a little or a few


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We use little or few when we want to say there is not a lot of something; that

the amount of something is very small. We use a little or a few when we want

to say there is a certain amount of something which is a little smaller than

saying there is some of it. Therefore, little or few sounds much more

negative than a little or a few, and they indicate a much smaller amount of

something.

Also, you should note that we use little and a little for uncountable nouns,

and we use few and a few for countable nouns. For example:

Little of my knowledge comes from reading books; most of it has come from

watching TV.

I have very little experience with computers. I only got my first computer two

months ago!

Few people in my school are from foreign countries. I would say 99% of us were

born in this country.

In Canada, few companies allow the employees to smoke inside. Most of them

make people go outside to smoke.

We have a little beer in the fridge, so you can have some if you like.

I have a little time at 3:00 if you want to talk about the project then.

If youre looking for a place to live, my building has a few empty apartments.

You should come and check them out.

There are a few really good Indian restaurants in my city. I really enjoy going to

them.

So, as I mentioned already we use little and few in situations which are more

negative. Basically little is the same thing as not much, and few is the same

thing as not many. If you want to think ofthem as being on a scale, it would

be as follows:


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none -> almost none -> few/little ->a few/a little -> some -> many/much/a

lot of -> most -> almost all -> all

See you later. and See you soon.The word later is used to talk about a future time, but we dont know exactly

when in the future it will be. However, when we say later, it sounds like it will

not be in the immediate future.

The word soon, on the other hand, is used when something will happen in the

immediate future, and usually the person has a general idea of when it will

happen. For example:

A: I had a really nice time with you tonight. Lets go out again sometime.

B: Ok. Ill see you later. Bye.

_________________________________________________________________

A: Were going to take a ten minute break now, and then we can finish talking

about the project.

B: Ok, see you soon.

I dont have time to write the report now, but Ill do it later. I have lots of time

because the deadline isnt until next month.

I dont have time to write the report now, but Ill do it soon. The deadline is this

Friday.

So, in the first example, the person says See you later. because they dont

know exactly when they will see the other person. The expression, See you

later. is a friendly, casual way to say goodbye to someone. In the second

example, the person says See you soon. because they know they will see the

other person after a short time has gone by in this case, after ten minutes.


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In the third example, the person uses later because they dont know exactly

when they will write the report, but they know they have a fairly long period of

time in which to do it. In the fourth example, they use soon because it must

be done in the immediate future in this case, before Friday.

put on and wear:

first we put something on, and then we wear it.

For example:

The shirt youre wearing now is really wrinkled. You should put on another

shirt.

A: What do you put on first when youre getting dressed in the morning?

B: I put on my underwear first of course! After that, I put on my pants.

I love what youre wearing. Its such a nice outfit.

Its time to leave. Go and put on your coat because its cold outside.

I need to wear a heavy coat today because its very cold.

So the term put on refers to the time that we put a piece of clothing on our

bodies. This is very fast and would usually take no longer than a minute. After

the piece of clothing is completely on our bodies, we then say that we are

wearing it.

When we talk about removing that piece of clothing from our bodies, we use

the term take off. For example:

Its time for a bath. Go and take off your clothes, and Ill fill the bathtub with

water for you.

I often take off my shoes when Im sitting at my desk at work.

I dont want to take off my coat because its really cold in the office today.


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Please note that we dont say put off when talking about removing clothes; we

always say take off. Also, please note that in English, we use puton, wear

and take off for any piece of clothing: hats, shirts, pants, shoes, socks, etc.

We also use these terms for other things we put on our bodies such as jewelry,

glasses and make up.

clever and smartIn English, we use the word smart to say someone is intelligent in a general

way. It has the same meaning as intelligent except that that smart sounds a

little more casual than intelligent.

We use the word clever to describe people who are able to quickly find

solutions to particular problems or who can think of witty and humorous things

to say. We can also use clever to describe the thing the clever person thinks of

such as an idea, story, joke, etc.

For example:

My best friend is extremely smart. He went to Harvard and got his PhD in

physics.

Pauline isnt very well educated, but shes very smart. She reads a lot in her free

time and is very knowledgeable about many things.

Jim was the only person in our class who could think of a solution to our

problem. Hes very clever.

My friend is extremely witty and clever. Sometimes she makes me laugh so hard

with the things she says.

The suspense movie I saw yesterday had a very clever twist ending. I was very

surprised.

My husband came up with a very clever idea to make money while staying at

home.


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on, in, atand forcan be used in many ways depending on the situation. The preposition on is

used when talking about days or dates. For example:

I have to work on Monday, so I cant stay out late on Sunday night.

I like to go to a temple on New Years Day and pray for health and happiness.

My birthday is on April 14th.

The preposition in is used when talking about months and years. For example:

I always take a vacation in August.

My company was founded in 1982.

The preposition at is used when talking about time. For example:

The meeting will start at 2:30 p.m.

Ill meet you at the restaurant at 7:00. Is that ok with you?

The preposition for is used when making plans or reservations for a future

event. For example:

Id like to make a reservation for October 19th please. Do you have a single

room available then?

I booked the meeting room for 3:00.

Please arrange a meeting with the design team for 10:00 a.m. tomorrow.

The use of the word for is a little confusing for some people but, as I said

before, its used to talk about a future time when making arrangements for a

future event. So, today is Monday October 11th. Lets say I call a restaurant

today and make a reservation. The day of the dinner will be Friday October

15th. In this situation I would say:


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I made a reservation on October 11th for October 15th.

However, we only use for when making reservations or arrangements. When

we talk about the actual event, we use on again. For example:

The reservation is for October 15th.

The dinner will take place on October 15th.the difference between words:

must and might{ February 21, 2011

must and might

We use must when we think there is only one possibility. For example:

A: Why is Jack late for the party?

B: Hes working on a big project now, so he must still be at the office.

_______________________________________________________________

A: Why was Beth talking so strangely last night?

B: She must have been drunk. Shes always talks like that when she drinks toomuch.

________________________________________________________________

A: My sister and her husband are going to have their first baby!

B: Thats wonderful news! They must be so happy and excited!

________________________________________________________________

A: When I was young, I wanted to get into Harvard, but I couldnt.

B: You must have been so disappointed.

We use might when we think there is more than one possibility. For example:


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A: I dont know why Ken cancelled our plans for tonight.

B: He might be sick. A lot of people are getting a cold nowadays.

________________________________________________________________

A: Our neighbors house burned down last year. I wonder how the fire got

started.

B: It might have been started by a gas leak, or it might have just been some

kids playing with matches.

We can also use the words may and could instead of might. The words

might and could are both used in normal conversations but the word mayis a little more formal.Please note in the examples the use of the past tense: we use must have and

might have to indicate a past situation.

Also, please note that we can use must or must have to talk about either

reasons or feelings, but we DONT use might or might have to talk about

feelings.

will and shallBasically, the difference between these two words is formality: the word shall

is much more formal than will, so its much more common for people to use

will.

For example:

A: Please finish writing the report by tomorrow at 2:00 p.m.

B: Ok, Ill do that.

_________________________________________________________________

A: Please finish writing the report by tomorrow at 2:00 p.m.


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B: Of course, sir. I shall do that.

_________________________________________________________________

We have to leave now, or well be late.

We have to leave immediately, or we shall be late.

In these cases, the use of shall is extremely formal and sounds a bit strange in

most conversations with friends or family members. Therefore, I would

recommend using will instead.

However, the word shall can be used naturally in some other situations. For

instance, it can be used to make offers to people, especially in a formalbusiness situation. These sentences are very polite, so if you want to sound

more casual, you can use the word can instead. For example:

Shall I take your coat? (Can I take your coat?)

Shall I get you a drink? (Can I get you a drink?)

Shall I make a reservation at the restaurant for you? (Can I make a reservation

at the restaurant for you?)

We also use shall when making plans with another person and were trying to

decide on certain details. Again, its a little formal but not too much; many

people use shall in this situation. However, if you want to sound more casual,

you can use should instead. For example:

What shall we do today? (What should we do today?)

Where shall we meet? (Where should we meet?)

What time shall we meet tomorrow? (What time should we meet tomorrow?)

Who shall we invite to the party? (Who should we invite to the party?)


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The word shall is also commonly used when making a suggestion to another

person in the form of a question. For example:

Shall we dance?

Shall we leave now?

Shall we go for a walk?

In these cases, the person wants to do the thing (dance, leave, go for a walk),

but using normal suggestion patterns like lets or why dont we could

sound too strong. So, the person uses shall instead because it sounds more

polite.

go somewhere and when to use get somewhere.

The difference is that we usually use go when talking about leaving for a

certain place, and we use get when talking about arriving at that place.

For example:

I usually go home at 8:00 and get home at 8:45.

Come on! Lets go! Its going to take us at least 20 minutes to get to the movie

theater. We dont want to be late!

A: Were going to go to the park at around 2:00.

B: Ok, no problem. What time do you think well get there?

A: We should get there at about 2:30.

________________________________________________________________

A: How do you commute to work every day?

B: I go by train.


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________________________________________________________________

A: How do you commute to work every day?

B: I get there by train.

________________________________________________________________

A: How long does it take you to get to your office?

B: It usually takes me 40 minutes to get there.

In the fourth example, person B answers the question using go, but in the

fifth example, person B answers the same question using get. The reason isthat in the fifth example, the person is mentioning the place, which is

represented by the word there. Therefore, we say get there because the

person is focusing on the idea of arriving at that place. In the fourth example,

the person is focusing on the journey itself, so they use go.

Please note that when we use here and there, we usually dont put to in

front of them. Therefore, we say:

I go to my office by train every day.

but

I go there by train every day.

We usually use to in front of a location, but there are some exceptions. These

are the words: home, downtown, abroad and overseas. For example:

I got home very late last night, so my wife was angry.

Were going downtown tonight to see a movie. Do you want to come with us?

Im going to go abroad for the first time next month.

I dont want to go overseas. I prefer staying in my own country.


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yes and when to use sure as a response.

We use yes as a response to a question about factual information. Forexample:

A: Are you coming to the party tomorrow night?

B: Yes. Ill be there at about 7:00.

_________________________________________________________________

A: Do you like Mexican food?

B: Yes. I like it very much.

_________________________________________________________________

A: Have you ever been to Korea?

B: Yes. Ive been there many times.

We use sure as a response to someones request. For example:

A: Can you help me with my project?

B: Sure. What do you need my help with?

_________________________________________________________________

A: Could you turn down the music please? Its a little loud.

B: Sure. Ill do that right now.

_________________________________________________________________

A: Would you pick up some milk at the supermarket before you come home

tonight?


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B: Sure, no problem.

The word sure is quite casual, so we dont use it in formal business situations.

In those situations, its better to use certainly or of course.

Sometimes in casual conversations people use sure or of course to respond

to questions about factual information but, in these cases, it sounds stronger

than simply saying yes. For example:

A: Youre coming to the party, arent you?

B: Of course! I wouldnt miss it!

________________________________________________________________

A: Do you like Mexican food?

B: Sure! I think its amazing!

ok with someone and ok for

When we say something is ok with us, it means that it is agreeable to us.

However, when we say something is ok for us, it means that it is convenient for

us. For example:

A: How about having Korean food for dinner tonight?

B: Sure. Thats ok with me. I like Korean food.

I wanted to go to Egypt for vacation, but it wasnt ok with my wife. She really

hates hot places.

Id like to see an action movie tonight. Is that ok with you?

A: Id like to get together with you at 3:00 this afternoon. Is that time ok for

you?


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B: Im afraid not. I have another appointment at 3:00, but 4:30 is ok for me.

________________________________________________________________

A: How about meeting in Brentwood?

B: Thats not good for me. I live really far from there.

In the last example, I used Thats not good for me. I think this sounds more

natural than Thats not ok for me. When we talk about a convenient time, we

usually use ok for, but when we talk about a convenient place, we usually use

good for. In both cases, we must use the preposition for because its about

being convenient.

if and whether,

We use if when we want to talk about imagining a certain situation. In these

cases, if can be placed either at the beginning or in the middle of the

sentence. For example:

If I won a lot of money in the lottery, Id buy a big house and travel all over the

world.

Id buy a big house and travel all over the world if I won a lot of money in the

lottery.

If I were you, I wouldnt do that.

I wouldnt do that if I were you.

If I decide to go out tonight, Ill give you a call.

Ill give you a call if I decide to go out tonight.

We can use both if and whether when we want to talk about the possibility of

a certain condition being true or not. For example:

I need to find out if Ryan is coming to the party.


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I need to find out whether Ryan is coming to the party.

I need to find out whether or not Ryan is coming to the party.

I need to find out whether Ryan is coming to the party or not.

Nancy didnt tell me if she likes her new job.

Nancy didnt tell me whether she likes her new job.

Nancy didnt tell me whether or not she likes her new job.

Nancy didnt tell me whether she likes her new job or not.

As you can see, we often use or not when we use the word whether. Its not

absolutely necessary for the sentence to make sense, but its a very natural way

to speak. It can be placed after whether or at the end of the sentence.

Finally, we use whether when we want to talk about deciding between two or

more options. It is possible to use if in these situations as well but, in my

opinion, the word whether sounds more natural. For example:

Whether you go to university or not, Ill always be proud of you.

If you go to university or not, Ill always be proud of you.

I dont know whether I should have the chocolate cake or the apple pie for

dessert.

I dont know if I should have the chocolate cake or the apple pie for dessert.

suggest and recommend .

We use suggest when talking about giving someone an idea in general, and

we use recommend when telling someone that a certain choice or option is

the best one.


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For example:

I suggest that you wear a nice suit tomorrow. The company president is going

to be visiting the office.

If you want to cook delicious dishes, I suggest that you buy fresh ingredients.

My brother suggested a Greek restaurant for dinner tonight. What do you think?

I recommend that you try the chocolate cake for dessert. I think its the best

dessert on the menu.

My friend recommended that we go to Spain for our vacation. He said it was the

best country hes ever been to.

The clerk in the bookstore recommended this book for people who are

interested in Asian culture.

With the words suggest and recommend its very important to pay attention

to the grammar because we often use a different verb tense called the

subjunctive with these words. For example, many non-native English speakers

say things like: I suggest you to study economics. or I recommended my

friend to try the apple pie. These sentences are totally WRONG!

If you look at the example sentences I wrote above, youll see that the grammar

is different. The grammar is as follows:

subject + suggest/recommend + that + another person + base form of the

verb

Its important to note that the verb which comes after suggest or

recommend is always in the base form, even with he and she. Thats what

makes this the subjunctive tense. We can also use this tense with the verbs

demand and insist. Let me give you some more examples:

My friend wants to lose weight, so I suggested that he join a gym.


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The waiter recommended that we not try the curry soup because its very spicy.

My customer demanded that I give him a refund.

My boss insisted that Pauline go home because she wasnt feeling well.

Normally, we would say he joins or Pauline goes but, as I said before, we

must always use the base form of the verb in these types of sentences.

However, if we put a noun directly after the words suggest or recommend,

the sentence is not subjunctive. For example:

My brother suggested a Greek restaurant for dinner tonight. What do you think?

The clerk in the bookstore recommended this book for people who are

interested in Asian culture.

say and tell.

Basically we use say when talking about communicating something in general,

but we dont emphasize the person to whom we are talking.

We use tell when we want to emphasize the person to whom we are talking.For example:

A: What did you say? I couldnt hear you.

B: I said I wanted to go home.

_________________________________________________________________

A: What did you tell your husband?

B: I told him I wanted to go home.

I want to say something. I really appreciate your kindness to me this week.

I want to tell you something. I really appreciate your kindness to me this week.


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Is there something you want to say?

Is there something you want to tell me?

It is possible to use say when emphasizing the person to whom we aretalking, but we must put the preposition to after say. For example:

A: What did you say to your husband?

B: I said I wanted to go home.

I want to say something to you. I really appreciate your kindness to me this

week.

Is there something you want to say to me?

While it is possible to use say to, I think English speakers use tell more often

when emphasizing the person. However, say to has a softerfeeling and tell

sounds more direct. Please note that in the first example person B did NOT say,

I said to him I wanted to go home. as the response. Because to your husband

was used in the question, its unnecessary to repeat to in the answer.

Also, please note that in the second example the person did NOT say, I want tosay to you something. When we use the words something or anything,

theyalways come after say.

Finally, there is another way to use the word tell. We can also use it when

talking about giving direct orders to someone. For example:

My boss told me to finish this report by tomorrow.

I told my friend to meet us at the station at 7:00.

I told my sister not to go into my room.

My mother told me to not be late for dinner.


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In these situations when we use tell, it sounds very strong. If you want it to

sound softer, you can use the word ask. For example:

I asked my friend to meet us at the station at 7:00.

Nick asked Susan to move over so he could sit down.

I asked my sister not to go into my room.

My mother asked me to not be late for dinner.

So, in these cases, tell or ask is followed by the infinitive (to + base form of

a verb). In negative forms, we can use not to or to not with the words

tell or ask. However, in my opinion, its more natural to usenot to withnegative sentences of this kind.

happy and glad

The first thing you should know about these two words is that happy

indicates a stronger feeling than glad.

In addition, generally speaking, we use the word happy when talking about

something that personally gives us joy.

We use the word glad when we want to say that another persons good

fortune makes us feel good. For example:

I got a high score on my test! Im so happy!

Im really happy because my boyfriend finally asked me to marry him!

Im so glad you had a good time at my party last night.

Im really glad that your husband is doing well at his job.

However, we can also use glad to talk about a situation that affects us directly,

but the feeling is less strong than if we say happy. For example:


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Im really glad the weather is good for our barbeque today.

Im glad that you will be able to come to my party.

We can also use happy when talking about things that only affect other peoplebut, in these cases, we usually have a close relationship with them because the

word happy is quite strong. For example:

Im so happy that your father is going to recover from his illness! Say hello to

him for me.

Im really happy for my friend Bill! He just got a big promotion at work! He

really deserves it!

Recently I was teaching how to take and leave messages and my students asked

me the difference between call back and call someone back. They thought it

was the same thing, but its not. I want to write about that for todays blog

entry.

In English, when we say we will call back later, it means we will call again

without leaving a message right now. However, when we say we will call

someone back, it means we are returning a message from another person. For

example:

A: Would you like to leave a message for Mr. Jones?

B: No, its ok. Ill just call back later.

_________________________________________________________________

A: Would you like to leave a message for Mr. Jones?

B: Yes. Could you please ask him to call me back as soon as possible?

A: Alright. Ill have him call you back when he arrives at the office.

_________________________________________________________________


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Ms. Peterson called earlier, but you werent here. She said shed call back at

3:00.

Ms. Peterson called earlier, but you werent here. She wants you to call her back

at 3:00.

I know this can be a little confusing but try to remember it like this: If the words

call and back are next to each other, the meaning is call again. If they are

separated by another word like you, me, him,her or a name, it means

that someone has to return the call.

If anyone has any questions, please let me know.

above and over.

Generally, they have the same meaning, and that is for something to be placed

in a higher position to something else. However, the word above can either

have a word following it or not. In the case of over, there must be a word

which follows it. For example:

The clouds above are very dark.

The clouds above us are very dark.

The clouds over us are very dark.

The bedroom is on the second floor just above.

The bedroom is on the second floor just above where we are standing.

The bedroom is on the second floor just over where we are standing.

If we say, above without any words following it, it sounds very formal. Also, in

my opinion, using above + something is a little more formal than over +

something.


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We can also use these words to talk about a thing which is hi

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