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American Idioms
Smell a Rat |
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How come the front door is open? Didn't you close it before we went shopping? I'm sure I did. I can't understand it. Frankly, I smell a rat. Me, too. I'm convinced that something is definitely wrong here. We'd better call the police. |
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| Go to the Dogs |
| Have you seen their house lately? It's really gone to the dogs. It's true that it has become run-down and in serious need of repair, but I'm sure that it can be fixed up to look like new. I guess with a little carpentry work and some paint it could look pretty decent. |
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| Fishy |
| When the security guard saw a light in the store after closing hours, it seemed to him that there was something fishy going on. He called the central office and explained to his superior that he thought something strange and suspicious was occurring. |
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| Take the Bull by the Horns |
| Julie had always felt that she was missing out on a lot of fun because of her clumsiness on the dance floor. She had been putting off taking lessons, but she finally took the bull by the horns and went to a professional dance studio for help. She was tired of feeling left out and acted decisively to correct the situation. |
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| Let the cat out of the Bag |
| Bob was going to retire from teaching in June, and the foreign language department was planning on presenting him with some luggage at his retirement dinner. He wasn't supposed to know about it, but someone let the cat out of the bag. At the dinner Bob acted surprised, even though someone had told him what he was getting before the official presentation. |
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| For the Birds |
| They went to a poetry reading, but they got bored and restless. As far as they were concerned, it was for the birds! They left during an intermission because they found the reading totally uninteresting and meaningless |
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| Straight From the Horse's Mouth |
| How did you find out that Jill was engaged? I got the information from a very reliable source. You mean Jill told you so herself? That's right. I got it straight from the horse's mouth! |
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| Horse Around |
| Did you hear about Dave's back injury? No. How did he get hurt? Well, after the coach left the gym he decided to stay and horse around on the parallel bars. He somehow lost his grip and fell on his back. That's too bad, but he shouldn't have been aimlessly playing around on the equipment without proper supervision. |
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| Cat Got Your Tongue? |
| Come on, Connie! Tell us what you think about our little ride down the rapids yesterday. Well, uh... Wasn't it exciting? I, uh... What's the matter? Cat got your tongue? If you must know, I'm keeping quiet because I was scared out of my wits! |
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| Get in Someone's hair |
| Children! Would you please stop making so much noise! And for heaven's sake, pick up your clothes and toys! It's hard enough trying to keep this house clean without your throwing your things all over the place! Clara, I know that the children get in your hair, but you should try not to let it upset you so much. Listen, Jim. I can't help it . The children bother me and make me very angry when they're so noisy and messy. |
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| Shoot Off One's Mouth |
| Jim doesn't play tennis very much, but he's always shooting off his mouth about how good he is. Yet he's fooling nobody. Jim is somewhat of a braggart and everyone knows that he gives opinions without knowing all the facts and talks as if he knew everything about the game. |
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| Jump Down Someone's Throat |
| That's it, Greg! You'd better not come in after midnight again tonight! I know, dad. You don't have to jump down my throat! I told you that I'd make it home around 11:30. I don't intend to be late! Well, you've said that before and in you come at 2: 30 in the morning. You can't blame me for getting angry and scolding you. I've got good reason. |
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| Pay Through the Nose |
| At last Mr. Smith came upon the rare stamp he had been seeking at an auction. Since many other stamp collectors would also be bidding for it, he realized that he would have to pay through the nose in order to have it. After considering the increasing value of the stamp, he decided that he would not mind paying such a high price for something so rare. |
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| Tongue-in-Cheek |
| Why were you teasing Sonia about her new hairdo? She really took offense at what you said. I didn't mean to offend her. I was simply making a tongue-in-cheek remark when i said that it was too elaborate for a girl of her young, tender age. Well, she thought you were serious. She had no idea that you were just saying that as a joke. I'm really sorry. I suppose I owe her an apology. |
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| Pull Someone's Leg |
| Hey, Al. I was invited to be a judge for the Miss America Beauty Pageant! Oh, really? Come on, you're pulling my leg! No, honestly. Do you really think that I'm trying to fool you with a ridiculous story? Well, you've told me foolish stories before. I can assure you that this one is for real. |
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| Play It by Ear |
| Let's go to the movies, agreed? Sure. And what'll we do after that ? Oh, I don't know. Let's play it by ear. Well, I would like to have a more definite plan of action. Don't be like that. It's always more fun not knowing what to expect and deciding what to do as we go along. |
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| Stick Out One's Neck |
| How come they're asking me to act as their guide through the jungle? Evidently they think you're the only one who can lead them to the lost temple. That jungle has danger lurking around every corner. Why should I stick my neck out for them? They didn't pay me for my services. They know that you would be taking a great risk and could possibly get hurt, but you're the only one with enough knowledge to take them to their destination. I'm sure you'll be amply rewarded. |
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| All Thumbs |
| Hey Bea. Can you help me out ? I don't seem to be able to button up the back of my dress. Sure. Let's see if I can do it for you. I guess I'm all thumbs because I'm so nervous. I'm already late for my date. Well, I suppose that being so nervous would make you clumsy and awkward. But don't worry. I'm sure your date will wait. |
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| Not Have a Leg to Stand On |
| Tom maintains that the firm owes him some back wages for having worked overtime. However, he won't have a leg to stand on unless he can prove that he put in all those extra hours. He doesn't stand a chance of getting his money without a strong foundation of facts to support his position. |
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| Get Off Someone's Back |
| Hey, John. I'm bored. Come on, let's go out and do something. Sorry, I'm right in the middle of studying for a physics exam. I won't be able to make it tonight. You've been studying for a long time. Why don't you take a break ? Come on! Let's go ! Forget studying for a while ! Look! Get off my back! I can't go anywhere! OK. I'll stop bothering you only if you promise to let me know the minute you're finished. |
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| Drive Someone Up a Wall |
| Wow ! What a great set of drums! Yeah, they're great, but I can't play on them when my folks are at home. They say I drive them up a wall with all the loud banging. I get the same thing at home. My folks tell me that I annoy them and get them really angry whenever I turn up the volume on my stereo. |
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| String Someone Along |
| Liz had high hopes of marrying Dean. When he ran off with another woman, she realized that he was just stringing her along. She had felt very strongly about him and was really hurt to see that he was deceiving her and had no intentions of ever marrying her. |
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| Leave Someone High and Dry |
| Say, Jill. I thought that John was going to help you do the dishes tonight. So did I. But he left me high and dry. Where did he go ? Well, he got a call from some of his pals at work to go bowling, and he left me alone to do all this work without any help at all! |
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| Spill the Beans |
| Did you know that Harry was going to take Kathy on a Caribbean cruise ? Yes, I did. He was planning on surprising her with the tickets fro their anniversary, but someone spilled the beans. What a shame ! That was supposed to have been a surprise. Yes, it's too bad that someone told her about the trip beforehand and ruined Harry's surprise. That's OK. Her enthusiasm was not dampened in the least! |
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| Bite the Dust |
| Andy did exceptionally well in all of the track events, but he bit the dust in the high jump competition. Much to the disappointment of his fans, he went down in defeat, losing to a competitor from the visiting team. |
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| Bend Over Backwards |
| When Joan first started teaching she was afraid that she would have a lot of trouble getting used to the kids and to the faculty. Her fears turned out to be unfounded, since everybody bent over backwards to help her. Everyone tried very hard to help her feel comfortable and adjust to the school. |
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| Cough Up |
| Say, Greg. Did you finally get that computer that you wanted so much ? Not yet. I needed to raise a couple of hundred dollars more. Is it going to take you a while to raise the money? It would have taken me forever, but dad said he'd cough up the money I need since I'm going to be using the computer for my school work. Maybe it was difficult for your dad to give you the money but then, he knows that it's for a good cause. |
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| Jump the Gun |
| Denise was planning on telling her grandparents that the doctor said she was going to have twins, but when her dad found out he jumped the gun and told them before Denise could say a word. He was so excited that he became hasty and revealed the news before Denise had a chance to tell them. |
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| Scratch Someone's Back |
| Hey, Bea. I need some help stacking these boxes. Would you please give me a hand? OK. And I need some help tidying up the house. How about your helping me out after that ? OK. If you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. I know you don't like doing housework, but I'll help you with the boxes if you promise to return the favor. No problem. I'll even do the windows. |
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| Turn Someone Off |
| How was your date with Marty last night ? Well, it started of OK, but he really turned me off when we went for a snack after the movies. Did he say or do something to annoy you? Frankly, he disgusted me when he tried to talk with his mouth full. I don't blame you . That would have really bothered me too. |
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| Kick the Bucket |
| It's been said that the old man knew of a buried treasure, but he kicked the bucket before telling anyone where it was. If the treasure exists, the old man unfortunately took the secret of its location with him when he died. |
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| Wet Blanket |
| James was not invited to go on the outing with the rest of the group because he's such a wet blanket. On many previous occasions he has kept others from enjoying themselves by his pessimism and lack of enthusiasm. It's understandable that no one wants him around. |
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| Up One's Sleeve |
| All right, Sara. We know that you're planning something big for Jean's birthday. Mind telling us just what you have up your sleeve ? I wanted to make his birthday a very special event. Jean has a sister living in France, and I sent her an airplane ticket so that she could be here for his birthday. Boy! That is something special. We kind of guessed that you had some concealed plan and were waiting for the right time to reveal it. Well, I didn't want to say anything until I was sure she could come. |
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| Knock Someone's Socks Off |
| Hi, John. What's new ? Oh, nothing too much with me, but you ought to see Fredo's new car. It'll knock your socks off! So, he finally got that Italian sports car he's been dreaming about. He sure did. When you see all the custom features that it has, you'll get so enthused and excited you won't know what to do. Boy, I can hardly wait to go for a ride in it. |
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| Lose One's Shirt |
| I happened to bump into Dole at lunch yesterday afternoon. What's new with Dole these days ? He wasn't doing so well. For one thing, he told me he lost his shirt at the races. Dole has always liked to bet on the horses. I'm not surprised that he lost a great deal of money. Yeah. At this rate he'll never have a penny to his name. |
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| Lemon |
| Have you seen Joe's new car yet ? Yeah. It looks good, but she's had nothing but problems with it. That's too bad. It sounds like she got a real lemon. She sure did. No sooner did she drive it home from the dealer's than it proved defective and started breaking down. |
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| Out of the Woods |
| Although Eric was well on his way to recovering from his bout with pneumonia, he was still not out of the woods. The doctors told him that he would have to take it easy and avoid exposure to cold, since he was not out of danger and difficulty yet. |
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| Eating Someone |
| Hey, Alice. What's been eating you lately ? Don't you realize how rude and irritable you've become? I know. I'm really sorry for the way I've been acting. Well, why don't you tell me what has been bothering and upsetting you and maybe we can work your problem out together. I'll admit that it would help to talk to someone about it. |
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| On the Line |
| Lately Tom's been more conscientious about the accuracy and quality of his work with the company. He was warned that his job was on the line because of his lack of concern for his duties. When Tom was alerted that he was in danger of losing his job, he began to take his obligations with the company more seriously. |
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| Feel Like a Million Dollars |
| I bumped into Nick at the salon yesterday. He looked great, but I noticed that he had a slight limp when he walked. I guess you didn't know that he had an operation on his knee. No, I didn't. How's he feeling ? He says he's feeling like a million dollars now. Apparently the pain in his knee is all gone. It's good that he's feeling so wonderful. It must be a refreshing change not having to put up with all that discomfort. |
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| Hang On |
| During the depression years the Smiths had a great deal of trouble with their business, but somehow or other they were able to hang on. Although they almost lost their store, they managed to persevere until things got better. |
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| Make Ends Meet |
| It's almost impossible trying to keep up with the high cost of living. It's true. Things are so expensive nowadays that it's very difficult to make ends meet. You know, even with Lucie's salary, our combined income is hardly enough to pay all the bills. |
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| Money talks |
| We've been waiting for three months to get delivery on our car, and people who put in their order after us have already gotten theirs. Well, money talks. Why don't you try giving the dealer a little something extra to move things along ? I know full well that money has the power to influence people, but I refuse to pay extra for a service that is owed to me as a client. If you want to have your car maybe you'd better reconsider. |
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| The Early Bird Catches the Worm |
| Marc, the lines for the rock festival are going to be miles long! If you expect to get tickets for you and Mary, remember that old saying. " The early bird catches the worm " I guess you're right. Mary is looking forward to the concert, and I'd hate to disappoint her. I'll get up real early to get a place at the head of the line. That way I'll get the tickets I want, for sure ! |
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
good resource to learn english
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here you are : http://www.eslmonkeys.com/
I hope that you will enjoy with this website
Sunday, May 16, 2010
English Learning Tools
Software
English learning software including TOEFL practice, reading and listening comprehension, pronunciation improvement, grammar for all levels. Also included are reviews to some of the principle products offered, as well as software which allows teachers to design their own activities.
Dictionary Review - Babylon - translation @ a click
Review of Babylon Translation @ a Click Dictionary by the guide to English as a 2nd Language at about.com. This review focuses on the strength of Babylon for ESL learners.
EnglishNow! for Spanish Speakers
Review of EnglishNow! para hablantes de español. This program focuses on providing grammar in context. All explanations in Spanish.
Inglés Before You Know It
Review of Inglés Before You Know It by Transparent Language. This program is based around flash cards and is excellent for Spanish speakers wanting to learn key phrases in a number of standard English speaking situations.Review of TeLL me More® Premium
Review of TeLL Me More Premium English learning software which includes more than 850 hours of learning for all levels, excellent speech recognition and pronunciation practice.Top English Learning Software Products for Young Learners
Guide overview of English learning software product for childrenAccent Technologies
Accent Lab software goes beyond voice recording and playback to analyze pronunciation using visual examples and comparison charts.Alexxes Software
Makers of Lexatrix v1.0, software which has wide applicablilty in those programs where English vocabulary skills are important - including ESL, Intensive English, Creative Writing, Adult Education, Journalism, Workforce Training. Free trial version available.American Speech Sounds
A variety of standard American accent speech production products for at home and in the classroom use. The standard version includes 2000+ standard words and phrases, while the professional version includes more than 6000.Athelstan Online
Athelstan online distributes ESL/EFL and foreign language software based principally on corpora and concordance principles as used by Cobuild.Babylon Translation Software
In my opinion, Babylon offers the Best dictionary software available. The software offers "on-screen" translation of English words and expressions in Windows applications, giving words, phrases, acronyms, a list of available translations, plus idiomatic usage. Just click on any text you want to translate in Word, Excel, emails, instant messaging, web pages and other desktop applicationsChorus
Chorus is a resource for scholars and teachers that reviews software for humanities. We have section editors who collect reviews about Computer-Assisted Language Learning technology, Composition software, Bible software, and electronic research, including bibliographical database software.Discovery Educational Software
ESL / EFL software company specializing in multimedia software for young learners of foreign languages. Our aim is to put fun into learning languages, and we do this by using games, which entertain as well as instruct.DynEd International
Educational software for ESL, EFL, ELT, business English, reading, and foreign language. This site also offers Japanese and Spanish beginners English programsEasy Programming Languages TESOL SIG
By Jon Fernquest who poses the question, "What if any English teacher could whip up a quick program to extract texts and activities to supplement the course textbook?" and goes about providing possible answers.Easy Writer
Editing and writing program piloted for 2 years in New York, which allows ESL users to choose reading, grammar and correction strategies for over 60 essays written by other ESL students. Reasonable price, well worth a look.Educational Software Products
Software for institutions, libraries and individuals. specializing in Cambridge examination preparation software and authorable resources for teachers to customise for their own needs.FAB - School Management Software
A relational database that maintains records on student bookings, courses they take, agencies that supply them and host families that accommodate them. The application is capable of raising invoices, maintaining class lists and provides statistical information on a range of items. This software looks interesting if you have a school to run, but is rather expensive.Good English
Interesting software dedicated to correct preposition usage. Using context sensitive click though in documents Good English claims " It's THE LARGEST COMPILATION EVER of the most frequently-used English words and their rightful prepositions -- in context. "Half Baked Software
Hot Potatoes is a freeware suite for windows and Macintosh and an absolute must have for anyone developing for the Net! The suite includes software to easily develop cloze, quiz, crossword and jumble sentence exercises. Created by the Half Baked Software team.Kiddie Genius English
The Kids SyvumBook Series includes the English SyvumBook that specifically helps improve vocabulary, spelling and analytical skills through activities and exercises for the age group of 6-12,. To provide a systematic learning experience, four grades of Kids English SyvumBook are available.Lighthouse Productions ESL Software
This phonetically based program teaches reading and listening comprehension, accent modification, vocabulary building and conversational skills.LookWAYup
LookWAYup provides a dictionary, thesaurus, spell check and search tool, all in one convient application available to you on any given web page. This application also provides a pronunciation feature for any given word. This is a great tool for English language learners and those who want to increase their vocabulary skills.One World Distribution
Distributor of multi-lingual products including language programsRead, Write and Type
Software designed to help children learn reading and writing while also learning to type. The program takes a multi-sensory approach and motor approach which stimulates learning and helps children / esl students who have different learning styles.TeLL Me More - v. 5
Tell Me More is a general English learning software package by Auralog. This software provides a wide range of English learning activities with ample possibilities for choosing individual learning paths.Tell me More Kids Ingles
A fun and immersive software package that helps Spanish speaking children learn English while exploring an extremely well-designed virtual environment.TutorScreens Software
An interesting approach to learning English with software. This software is designed to function in the same method as the Internet. Great price!WriteWell
Developed by writing teachers for writing teachers, this program focuses on teaching and learning by means of (often interactive) written discourse -- encouraging collaborative work, critical thinking skills, and communication.Thursday, May 13, 2010
Summary of Verb Tenses
Simple Forms
Present Tense
Present tense expresses an unchanging, repeated, or reoccurring action or situation that exists only now. It can also represent a widespread truth.
| The mountains are tall and white. | Unchanging action |
| Every year, the school council elects new members. | Recurring action |
| Pb is the chemical symbol for lead. | Widespread truth |
Past Tense
Past tense expresses an action or situation that was started and finished in the past. Most past tense verbs end in -ed. The irregular verbs have special past tense forms which must be memorized.
| W.W.II ended in 1945. | Regular -ed past |
| Ernest Hemmingway wrote "The Old Man and the Sea." | Irregular form |
Future Tense
Future tense expresses an action or situation that will occur in the future. This tense is formed by using will/shall with the simple form of the verb.
- The speaker of the House will finish her term in May of 1998.
The future tense can also be expressed by using am, is, or are with going to.
- The surgeon is going to perform the first bypass in Minnesota.
We can also use the present tense form with an adverb or adverbial phrase to show future time.
- The president speaks tomorrow. (Tomorrow is a future time adverb.)
Progressive Forms
Present Progressive Tense
Present progressive tense describes an ongoing action that is happening at the same time the statement is written. This tense is formed by using am/is/are with the verb form ending in -ing.
- The sociologist is examining the effects that racial discrimination has on society.
Past Progressive Tense
Past progressive tense describes a past action which was happening when another action occurred. This tense is formed by using was/were with the verb form ending in -ing.
- The explorer was explaining the lastest discovery in Egypt when protests began on the streets.
Future Progressive Tense
Future progressive tense describes an ongoing or continuous action that will take place in the future. This tense is formed by using will be or shall be with the verb form ending in -ing.
- Dr. Jones will be presenting ongoing research on sexist language next week.
Perfect Forms
Present Perfect Tense
Present perfect tense describes an action that happened at an indefinite time in the past or that began in the past and continues in the present.This tense is formed by using has/have with the past participle of the verb. Most past participles end in -ed. Irregular verbs have special past participles that must be memorized.
| The researchers have traveled to many countries in order to collect more significant data. | At an indefinite time |
| Women have voted in presidential elections since 1921. | Continues in the present |
Past Perfect Tense
Past perfect tense describes an action that took place in the past before another past action. This tense is formed by using had with the past participle of the verb.
- By the time the troops arrived, the war had ended.
Future Perfect Tense
Future perfect tense describes an action that will occur in the future before some other action. This tense is formed by using will have with the past participle of the verb.
- By the time the troops arrive, the combat group will have spent several weeks waiting.
Perfect Progressive Forms
Present Perfect Progressive
Present perfect progressive tense describes an action that began in the past, continues in the present, and may continue into the future. This tense is formed by using has/have been and the present participle of the verb (the verb form ending in -ing).
- The CEO has been considering a transfer to the state of Texas where profits would be larger.
Past Perfect Progressive
Past perfect progressive tense describes a past, ongoing action that was completed before some other past action. This tense is formed by using had been and the present perfect of the verb (the verb form ending in -ing).
- Before the budget cuts, the students had been participating in many extracurricular activities.
Future Perfect Progressive
Future perfect progressive tense describes a future, ongoing action that will occur before some specified future time. This tense is formed by using will have been and the present participle of the verb (the verb form ending in -ing).
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Meaning of Staycation
Staycation
These days people have less and less money to spend on luxuries, things like holidays, for example. So, when they have some time off work, some are choosing to stay at home, instead of flying, or driving perhaps to the beach or mountains, maybe to another country. It’s a staycation, a combination of the words stay and vacation.
Particularly if you live in a big city, you might not get time to enjoy everything that it has to offer in terms of entertainment – to go to the theatre, to concerts or just to go sightseeing. So a staycation might be an attractive idea.
Other reasons to take a staycation might be having very young children, or perhaps you want to make some home improvements, like redecorating. In any case, a staycation will almost certainly save you money! I have some friends from the US who come over to London every year or so and stay with me – so I regularly take some time off and have a staycation. Sometimes I visit them in Seattle, and they have a staycation.
Particularly if you live in a big city, you might not get time to enjoy everything that it has to offer in terms of entertainment – to go to the theatre, to concerts or just to go sightseeing. So a staycation might be an attractive idea.
Other reasons to take a staycation might be having very young children, or perhaps you want to make some home improvements, like redecorating. In any case, a staycation will almost certainly save you money! I have some friends from the US who come over to London every year or so and stay with me – so I regularly take some time off and have a staycation. Sometimes I visit them in Seattle, and they have a staycation.
different and use between ( pain ,ache ,sick ,ill,hurt)
PAIN and ACHE
Both of these words are most commonly used as nouns. They refer to unpleasant sensations that you feel in your body, although they are slightly different feelings. A pain is usually used to refer to a kind of sharp discomfort that is difficult to ignore. For example:
Yesterday I suddenly felt a lot of pain in my stomach. I was taken to hospital where they discovered I had appendicitis.
Ache is similar to pain, but it usually is used to refer to a duller kind of discomfort that may continue for longer than a pain might. Common examples are:
Ache is similar to pain, but it usually is used to refer to a duller kind of discomfort that may continue for longer than a pain might. Common examples are:
headache, stomach ache, backache and heartache
Note that heartache is used to refer to a kind of emotional pain, for example if you are in love with someone and they are not treating you well you can say:
He is causing me a lot of heartache.
Less commonly, both pain and ache can be used as verbs. Pain in this form means to cause someone unhappiness. Note that you cannot use pain in the progressive or continuous form in standard UK or US English.
It pains me to think of you being so unhappy with your life – meaning it makes me feel unhappy that you are so sad.
You can also use ache as a verb. Unlike pain, ache can be used in the progressive form. For example:
My back is really aching.
I wish my leg would stop hurting, it really aches.
Interestingly, you can also use the expression aches and pains to refer to a general feeling of being unwell. Now let’s have a look at sick and ill.
SICK and ILL
Note that heartache is used to refer to a kind of emotional pain, for example if you are in love with someone and they are not treating you well you can say:
He is causing me a lot of heartache.
Less commonly, both pain and ache can be used as verbs. Pain in this form means to cause someone unhappiness. Note that you cannot use pain in the progressive or continuous form in standard UK or US English.
It pains me to think of you being so unhappy with your life – meaning it makes me feel unhappy that you are so sad.
You can also use ache as a verb. Unlike pain, ache can be used in the progressive form. For example:
My back is really aching.
I wish my leg would stop hurting, it really aches.
Interestingly, you can also use the expression aches and pains to refer to a general feeling of being unwell. Now let’s have a look at sick and ill.
SICK and ILL
Both of these words are most commonly used as adjectives, as in:
I feel sick.
I feel sick.
Ed had to leave school early because he was ill.
In American English, these two words have more or less the same meaning – they refer to a feeling of being unwell, whatever the problem might be. On the other hand, in British English, they have more distinct meanings. Sick most commonly refers to feeling as if you are going to vomit, as in:
I think I’m going to be sick.
…while ill refers to any other feeling of being unwell. However, there are some phrases which are commonly used where sick has a more general meaning. For example:
I’ve been off sick for ten days – meaning I haven’t been to work/school for ten days because I’ve been feeling unwell.
Sick can also be used as a noun to refer to vomit. For example:
If you have children, you can be sure that you will have to clear up some sick at least once during their childhood.
HURT
Hurt is a little bit different to the others in that it is commonly used as a verb and an adjective and, less commonly, as a noun. Of the above words, hurt is probably most similar to pain and ache and it can also mean the same as injure or injured. The key difference between hurt and pain and ache is that usually if you are hurt, it means the discomfort you experience is clearly caused by something outside of yourself. However, pain and ache suggest a more internal reason for the unpleasant physical feeling. Here are two examples:
…while ill refers to any other feeling of being unwell. However, there are some phrases which are commonly used where sick has a more general meaning. For example:
I’ve been off sick for ten days – meaning I haven’t been to work/school for ten days because I’ve been feeling unwell.
Sick can also be used as a noun to refer to vomit. For example:
If you have children, you can be sure that you will have to clear up some sick at least once during their childhood.
HURT
Hurt is a little bit different to the others in that it is commonly used as a verb and an adjective and, less commonly, as a noun. Of the above words, hurt is probably most similar to pain and ache and it can also mean the same as injure or injured. The key difference between hurt and pain and ache is that usually if you are hurt, it means the discomfort you experience is clearly caused by something outside of yourself. However, pain and ache suggest a more internal reason for the unpleasant physical feeling. Here are two examples:
Be careful on that ladder, you might hurt yourself if you fall – here it is used as a verb
He was badly hurt in the train crash – here it is used as an adjective
When it’s used as a noun, hurt usually refers to some emotional pain. For example:
When he told her he wanted a divorce she could hear a lot of hurt in his voice.
As you can see, the five words we have discussed here are similar in their general meaning but are quite different in their specific use. I hope it' s bit clearer for you now and that my explanations haven’t hurt your head!
When it’s used as a noun, hurt usually refers to some emotional pain. For example:
When he told her he wanted a divorce she could hear a lot of hurt in his voice.
As you can see, the five words we have discussed here are similar in their general meaning but are quite different in their specific use. I hope it' s bit clearer for you now and that my explanations haven’t hurt your head!
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
The Moods of Verbs -- American English
The Moods of Verbs -- American English
In addition to tense and voice, verbs have another property which is called mood (or mode). The word mood comes from a Latin word which means manner. When we apply the term mood to verbs, we mean the manner in which the verb expresses the action or state of being.
There are three moods in English, the indicative mood, the imperative mood, and the subjunctive mood.
1. The indicative mood is used to make statement and ask questions. Most of the verbs that you commonly use are in the indicative mood.
The secretary typed the letter (statement of fact)
Did you hear the boy's cry of help? (question)
The secretary typed the letter (statement of fact)
Did you hear the boy's cry of help? (question)
2. The imperative mood is used to express a command or a request. The imperative mood is found only in the present tense, second person. The subject is always the pronoun you, which is seldom expressed.
Come here at once! (command)
Freeze! (command)
Close the door. (request)
Please come in and sit down? (request)
Come here at once! (command)
Freeze! (command)
Close the door. (request)
Please come in and sit down? (request)
If he were here, I would give him the keys. (He is not here)
I wish I were in San Francisco. (expresses a desire)
He talked as if I was not there. (I am there)
If this plan fails, we shall give up the project. (condition of uncertainty)
It is important that the play begin at once. (a necessity)
I don't know if we can succeed. (doubt)
I wish I were in San Francisco. (expresses a desire)
He talked as if I was not there. (I am there)
If this plan fails, we shall give up the project. (condition of uncertainty)
It is important that the play begin at once. (a necessity)
I don't know if we can succeed. (doubt)
The subjunctive and indicative moods do not present any problems in English. The verb has the same form to express a statement or to ask a question. You can identify the subjunctive mood easily because the subject is you, which is usually understood. The imperative mood always expresses a command or a request.
The subjunctive is used in certain parliamentary expressions, such as the following:
I move that the nominations be closed.
He moved that the report of the committee be accepted.
I move that the nominations be closed.
He moved that the report of the committee be accepted.
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