Wanna date for a date?

Today’s English
July 1st, 2017

Each English word has three distinct features – spelling, pronunciation and meaning. What traps the learners of English is the way in which any two features aforementioned differ from the other one while comparing with other words.

1. Homonyms : same spelling, same pronunciation but different meaning.

A. Give me a date to meet the manager.
Give me a date to understand each other better.
(Date in the second example refers to a romantic meeting with a boyfriend/girlfriend)

B. He rose from the chair.
He took the rose from the table.
( first rose is the past tense of rise, second rose, the flower)

2. Homophones: same pronunciation but different spelling and meaning

A. He knows my name.
He kept his nose clean.
(Homo = same, phone = sound, nose -knows)

B. She is fair, isn’t it?
What’s the taxi fare?
(Here the homophones are fair and fare, meaning beautiful and travelling charge respectively)

3. Homographs: same spelling but different pronunciation and meaning

A. Wait for a minute.
Do you want everything in minute details?
( minute in the first example is pronounced as “minit” but the same word in the second example is pronounced “mynuoot” and means “thorough”)

B. The wind blows here gently.
Let’s wind up the class by 4 O' clock.
(In the second example, wind is pronounced as waind and means “to stop /cancel from further happening)

Note: There are thousands of words which fall into these categories-  homonyms, homophones and  homographs. One can simply browse on the Net to net them quickly.

Relax yourself! Do you find any difficulty to grasp the following?

1. Is it right to turn right?
Yes, if you go left, you will be left in danger.

2. Can you tell me the date you went on a date with her.

3. She is always engaged ever since she is engaged to Mr. Sunil

4. Be a bee and be busy.

5. Students are often bored of preparing for the Board Exam.

6. By the by, buy quality and durable products sold by dealers.

7. Check whether there is any error in the cheque.

8. My wife is my dear deer and why should I go after another deer?

9. I have eye problem.

10. Do you hear what I say here?

11. These lawyers knew new hole in the whole law.

12. I too have two doubts.

13. I know, you know no ways to solve this problem.

14. Our hour is ours and why do you want that?

15. See how the sea is beautiful.

16. Do you sell cell for clock?

17. He was growing weak every week.

18. They sent me Arabian scent.

19. You can watch this live programme wherever you live.

20. She wound the bandage around his heel to heal the wound.

Are you terrified of "clause" in the class?

Today’s English
June 30th, 2017

The very term “clause” makes students sick and feverish or at least remains a head ache to them. But, you will raise your eyebrows, if I say that the other name given to "sentence" is clause. What ordinary people call as a sentence is named as “main clause" by grammarians. All simple sentences of our day to day life such as “he is a doctor" and “he met me yesterday” are the other way known as main clauses. So first take it easy – sentence= clause and clause = sentence.

Father is a human being and his seven- years- old son is also a human being. The difference is that father can stand alone because he works, earns and can buy anything he likes. He is independent.  But the son cannot stand alone – he doesn’t earn and therefore he has to depend on his father for food, education, etc. This is what we say in grammatical jargons as main clause and subordinate clause. Father is the main clause (main sentence) and son is the subordinate clause (depending sentence). 

(She did not chat with her friends on WhatsApp) (as she had to complete her assignment.) – the first one is main sentence and the second one is subordinate sentence.

To speak fluently and effectively in English, you can make use of clauses, especially relative clauses(a kind of subordinate clause) frequently in your speech and writing:

1.Common: I don’t know his living place.
With Relative clause: I don’t know where he is living.

2.What I mean is different from what you have understood.

3.What worries me more is his indifference to study.

4.I don’t know who came here yesterday.

5.Who helps you in need is, in fact, the one who loves and cares you more.

6.Let’s know when he will return from Chennai.

7.When they will complete the project is quite uncertain in this case.

8.Why he is angry with everyone today is still not known to us.

9.We would like to know why he resigned his job.

10.Tell me anything that is interesting.

11.How he did this is still a mystery to us.

12.I still wonder how you get along with these students.

13.We are not sure whether he will come or not.

14.Whether she is on leave or not is not known to us.

15.We want the same material which you are searching for.

Remember!:  We use words such as what, why, where, who and how in relative clause but they are just relative pronouns and don’t mistake that these sentences are questions and don’t use question mark at the end. See the difference:

Where is he working?   (A question -verb first and subject next- “is he")

Tell me where he is working. (A clause – subject first, verb next – “he is")

Just for fun!
(Interviewer: introduce yourself

Candidate: What my name is, where I am living, where I studied, what skills I have, whether I have the required educational qualification, what I’m interested in and what my carrier objective is are all in the resume and what I would like to know from you first is why you are asking me to introduce myself when my resume carries all these details sir.

Interviewer: …………?!)

Who means the world to you?

Today’s English
July 29th, 2017

“what do you mean?”, “what does it mean?” and “I mean,…..” are often heard in spoken English.  Do you know that “mean" means a lot, I mean, there are many more interesting expressions in the kingdom of Mean.

1.By fair means or foul = you want to achieve that’s all and it doesn’t matter whether the method is honest or unfair.

A.He was determined to get transfer to his native place by fair means or foul.
B.She made up her mind to clear the arrear papers by fair means or foul.

2.A man of means / a woman of means = one who has a lot of money.

A.I want to marry a man of means and get settled in life.
B.Why can’t you seek help from her? She is, in fact, a woman of means.

3.The end justifies the means = unfair methods are accepted if the result is positive

A.He gets extra commission but only to help the poor. He thinks, the end justifies the means.
B.Can you show any politician who doesn’t use black money to win the election? You know, for them, the end justifies the means.

4.To follow the golden mean = to follow a course of action that will not be both extremes

A.Some people never take food in hotels and some other always like to dine out. But I follow the golden mean. (=I go to hotel depending upon the situation)
B.Will you drink (alcohol)? Yes but occasionally, following the golden mean.

5.Lean and mean = fit and ready for hard work/ efficient work

A.Why can’t we give this work to Miss. Sunitha? She is, of course, lean and mean.
B.He made himself lean and mean as desired by the management.

6.To mean the world = to be very important to somebody, means everything

A.My son /daughter means the world to me.
B.My college/job/family means the world to me and I never think of anything else.

Just for fun!
(Girl: my father won’t agree. How will you marry me?

Boy: by fair means or foul.

Girl: seriously?

Boy: yes, I believe, the end justifies the means.

Girl: Do you love me that much?

Boy: you are a woman of means, how can I miss you?

Girl: What? I don’t hear you.

Boy: I mean, you mean the world to me.

Girl: Will you be Sri Rama to me after marriage?

Boy: I will be neither Sri Rama nor Ravana. Rather I would prefer the golden mean.

Girl: ………….?!)

Differences: begin, start, commence and initiate

Today’s English
June 28th, 2017

Start or begin?

You can start a bike. You can start a car. You can start a motor. But can you begin a bike? Can you begin a car or motor? You can’t. Start means “to keep something in motion" and “to make something functioning”. Begin is used to mention your own functioning rather than making others function: I began to tell a story.

If you want to talk about something that has a beginning, a progress and an end, you often use “begin" rather than “start".

Begin is generally used to describe series of events one after another but start is not used in this context.

Happenings of long period start but those of short period begin. When you say, “I started my career as a teacher ten years before, you emphasise the long period of service. When you say, I usually begin my class with two minutes meditation, short period of happening is pointed out.

If you do something first and then do something else, begin is best suited: I began my career as a lab assistant and  became a lecturer after two years.

You cannot interchange start or begin if they are strongly fixed in idioms such as “charity begins at home" and “let’s get started"

  Another difference is that start is mostly heard in spoken English whereas begin is often used in written English.

Remember one more thing that if it is a journey or business, use start not begin and if it is a speech or story, use begin, not start.

1. He struggled to start the car for a long time. (Began cannot be used)
2. He started at 6 a.m. and reached the place before evening. (Began is not used)
3. It’s a long story and I don’t know where to begin ? (Start is not used when you think of beginning, progress and end)
4. I have started a new business. (Not I have begun….)
5. He started his career when he was 28.
6. When he began to speak, the audience fell silent.
7. Well, to begin with, he was just sitting in his room. It was late in the evening. (Don’t use start, because you are describing a series of events.)

Commence or begin?

Commence is more formal than begin. It’s not frequently heard in spoken English. It’s restricted to official and academic occurrences, classes, meeting, conferences, etc.

1. Classes for first year commence on 12th July, 2017.
2. The admissions for LKG, and UKG commence from next month.
3. I hope, the meeting will commence with the announcement of dividend.

Start or initiate?
Initiate has a wider meaning than start and it’s used in the senses: to set in motion, to start a new programme or scheme for the first time as a reform, to make somebody a member of a particular group, and to start a legal action against someone.

1. Modi government has initiated a lot of schemes to reconstruct India and its economy.
2. Let’s first initiate and others will follow it later.
3. He was initiated by his master into sainthood at the young age.
4. We would initiate a legal action against your firm.

"Existence is the end of endless eternity without a beginning or an end."

- Dejan Stojanovic, “The Sun Watches the Sun”

That is beautiful, isn’t it?

Today’s English
June 27th, 2017

“That" is an important word in English in the sense that that is frequently used as various parts of speech in different contexts.  Here are few things that may be useful when you use that in your speech and writing:

1. Can we omit that? Yes, but not always.

“That" can be dropped out in spoken English in subordinate clause and in defining clause but “ that” is compulsory when main clause and defining clause have same subjects.

Examples:
A. He says (that) he cannot join with us today. (That is omitted in spoken English)
B. The matter (that) I have already told you must be kept secret. (That can be omitted because the matter and I are two different subjects)
C. The idea that is useless always goes unnoticed. (Here that cannot be omitted because the idea is the only subject both for the main clause and the defining clause)

2. Which is correct – That or who?

Purists in English argue,” that “ should be used for non-human references and “who" should be used for “human references” in defining clause.  But modern standard English accepts “who" for human reference” and “that” for both.

A. Anyone who gets first mark will be awarded with a prize. (Correct)
Anyone that gets first mark will be awarded with a prize. (Correct)
Any book that is useful for students can be gifted as a prize.

3. Which is correct -That or which?

You can use that and which alternatively in many contexts but only “which" should be used when you give additional information through a clause.

A. A mobile that is only for attending call is my mother’s choice. (Correct)
A mobile which is only for attending call is my mother’s choice.(Correct)
B. Olympic games, which were first held in Olympia, Greece, are the foremost inspiring games for many sportsmen. (Correct)
Olympic games, that were first held in Olympia, Greece, are the foremost inspiring games for many sportsmen. (Incorrect)

4. That can be used in the beginning, middle and end of a sentence

That he goes to gym everyday is a lie.

It’s said that he goes to gym everyday.

I don’t like the way he talked about that.

5. Using two that nearby is not an error.

A. Do you know that that is actually my idea.
B. Everyone knows that that will not work out.

6. That’s about all / that’s about it = you have said everything and have nothing more to say

A. Please don’t go with him and you will be in trouble. That’s about it.
B. If you don’t get 80%, you cannot sit the exam. That’s about all.

7. That is a pronoun, an adjective and an adverb not merely a conjunction

A. That is my teacher. That is my book.  (Used as a pronoun)
B. That programme is very boring. (An adjective)
C. I can say only that much. (An Adverb)

8. How about that? = What do you think about that?

A. I think, we can go to a movie this evening. How about that?
B. Shall we give a surprise gift to Uma? How about that?

(Friend 1 : that’s beautiful, isn’t it?

Friend 2: What?

Friend 1: That which is beyond all these visible things.

Friend 2: What is that?

Friend 1: I say that that can be known only by going beyond that.

Friend:………….!? )

Question is the answer!

Today’s English
June 26th, 2017

There are many questions which are born with in-built answers. You ask them out of emotions not for a reply, but to persuade somebody to do something, to take your point home or to impress and move the audience to the realization of truth. These questions are effective tools for politicians, literary discourse, dramatists, and even for you if you are on the stage to earn your audience.

1. Is pope a Catholic? = No doubt, it’s absolutely true

A. Lady: Do you love me truly?
   Lover: is pope a Catholic? (=you need not doubt my true love)

B. Father: have you really got placement in TCS?
Daughter: Is pope a Catholic, dad? (=What I say is true, you need not doubt dad.)

2. Do you think that money just grows on trees? =you don’t know the value of money.

A. Boy: mummy, I want that remote car now itself.
Mother: Shut up! Do you think that money just grows on trees?

B. Girl 1: What about shopping in Brookfield today once again?
Girl 2: What? Do you think that money just grows on trees?

3. Have you ever seen the pigs fly? = I don’t think that it will ever happen

A. Friend 1: Will he propose his love to Julie?
Friend 2: Are you kidding me? Have you ever seen the pigs fly?

B. Staff 1 : Will he come earlier at least today?
Staff 2: Have you ever seen the pigs fly?

4. Other common rhetorical questions:

A. Teacher: How will you get through all your papers if you study like this? Don’t you have any sense? Is your father a millionaire? When are you going to turn into a new leaf?  Do you want me to repeat it again and again?

B. Politician: Do you still want to vote for them? What have they done in these five years except filling up their own treasury? Have you seen any department without corruption? Can you show anyone against whom there is no case?

C. Father to son: Do you think I don’t know where you went? How long have you been cheating me? Why do you behave like this? Don’t you have any dream in your life? Do you think I’m a fool?

Just for fun!
( Girl: can’t you give me any gift even on my birthday, at least an Apple iPhone?

Boy: Stupid! Do you think money just grows on trees?

Girl: then, don’t you love me truly?

Boy: is Pope not a Catholic?

Girl: Nonsense. Why do you talk about pope now?  is this your final answer?

Boy: Do you think I will not gift you iPhone after marriage?

Girl: Who said that we are going to marry?

Boy: What do you mean?

Girl: Have you ever seen the pigs fly?

Boy:………?!)

Do you rub shoulders with celebrities?

Today’s English
June 25th, 2017

No man is an island. Each one is a spider in the www of relations. You often talk about your relationship with somebody or at least very much interested to know someone’s relationship with somebody else. There are a thousand and one interesting expressions in English related to this and let’s see a few today.

1. A fair-weather friend

A friend who is with you in good times but leaves you in times of trouble is a fair-weather friend. It’s just opposite to “a friend in need is a friend indeed.”

A. Shit! He has switched off his mobile. I never thought he would turn a fair-weather friend.
B. Why don’t you ask Suresh, your close friend? It’s of no use. He too is a fair-weather friend now.

2. To play gooseberry

When two people have romantic relationship and want to be alone, it’s not good to join them. If you still join them, you play gooseberry.

A. Why don’t you join with us? Sorry I can’t play any gooseberry.
B. Jothi and Vimal went on a date and didn’t want anyone to play gooseberry.

3. Know somebody inside out

If you know someone inside out, you know them very well because of your long contact or relationship with them.
A. I know him inside out, he would never do this kind of thing.
B. I know her inside out because we have been friends since school days.

4. Speak the same language

People who have same ideas, opinions, likes and dislikes and understand each other are said to speak the same language.

A. I have no trouble in working with him since we speak the same language.
B. I requested my boss not to assign me duties with him because we don’t speak the same language. (= we don’t have same ideas… and problem will arise)

5. Rub shoulders
You generally have no chance to talk to  wealthy, famous or distinguished people of high position. If you have one such chance to meet and talk to them, it means that you rub shoulders with them.

A. Thousands of fans met Mr.Rajinikanth and rubbed shoulders with him in Ragavendra mandabam.
B. Why can’t we seek his help because he is the one who often rubs shoulders with VIPs.

(Wife: I know you inside out. Tell me the truth.
Husband: What?
Wife : Did you rub shoulders with that actress?
Husband: yes. I had three chances. just three times only. So what?
Wife: (chasing him to beat..) How dare you to say this…?!)

Say goodbye to sexist language!

Today’s English
June 24th, 2017

What’s sexist language? If your use of language excludes either male or female and showcases one sex superior to the other one, then it’s sexist language. Example: Man is a victim  to power and money. (Do you think, humanity consists only males, not females?) Traditional English felt unashamed of using it but modern English condemns this kind of gender bias. Sexist language encourages gender discrimination and discourages the other sex from pursuing their dreams.  Moreover by using it you offend half of your audience and then how will you get your message across?

How to avoid sexist language in your speech and writing?

1. Use a common term instead of a gender biased one

A. Sexist English: Man falls victim to his own desires.
Standard English: Humanity falls victim to its own desires.
B. Sexist English: Altruist refers to a man who is unselfish.
Standard English: Altruist refers to a person who is unselfish.

2. Use they, their, them instead of he, his, him after everybody, anybody, somebody

A. Sexist English: Everyone has his own problems in life.
Standard English: Everyone has their own problems in life.
B. Sexist : If anyone comes to you, ask him to meet me.
Standard English: If anyone comes to you, ask them to meet me.

3. If the noun doesn’t specify the gender,  use “he or she", shared pronoun.

A. A candidate has to affix his or her photo without fail.
B. Every teacher has his or her own freedom to teach.

4. Go for genderless title rather than the traditional one

A. A salesperson's job is not the easiest one. (Not “salesman”)
B. Only a police officer can deal with this matter. ( Not policeman or policewoman)

5. In modern English a traditional male suffix refers to both sexes and therefore feminine terms are undesirable.

A. She is the most realistic actor I have ever seen. (“Actress” is unsuited.)
B. She is a poet as well as a physical director. (Poetess and directoress sound odd)

“Woman is not born: she is made. In the making, her humanity is destroyed. She becomes symbol of this, symbol of that: mother of the earth, slut of the universe; but she never becomes herself because it is forbidden for her to do so.”
- Andrea Dworkin

Are you one of the Four Hundred?

Today’s English
June 23rd, 2017

Did you notice the capital letters used in “The Four Hundred"? Yes, the phrase refers to people of high society and it came into use from a social event in the New York City in which the guests were reduced into the four hundred most important people since the host's ballroom was only that much spacious enough. Now any person of the high society is mentioned as one of the Four Hundred. I hope, you can also become one of the Four Hundred, can't you?

Let’s see other interesting and fruitful expressions connected with hundreds and thousands:

1. A / one hundred percent = Not feeling completely well; completely

A. Are you feeling well now? Oh, no. I’m not a hundred percent yet. (= I haven’t recovered from illness completely)
B. I’m one hundred percent sure that he is the culprit/ black sheep.

2. 110% = To take extra efforts than usual one to be successful or to complete a work

A. Let’s all give a hundred and ten percent so that we can win the match.
B. It’s a Herculean task and you need to give 110%.

3. Ninety-nine percent of the time = almost on all occasions, almost in all time

A. I have seen her with him ninety-nine percent of the time.
B. My guess never goes wrong. It has been correct ninety-nine percent of the time.

4. A hundred and one (things) / hundreds of, thousands of = a lot of , a large amount of
A. Still we have a hundred and one things to do.
B. Hundreds of students assembled there to welcome the chief guest.

5. The $64000 question =  what we/ all people want to know…/ a crucial question

A. His idea sounds good but the sixty-four thousand dollar question is whether it will work out.
B. The $64000 question is how to save our children from the internet monsters.

(The phrase has its origin from a popular American game show (from 1955-58) in which the correct answer for the last question carries $64000. )

6. The feeding of the 5000 = a situation in which food is to be served to a lot of people (it need not necessarily be thousand)

A. What we are doing here in the hostel is the feeding of the Five Thousand and it’s often difficult to satisfy all the students.
B. I have to cook for all guests and I feel like the feeding of the Five Thousand.

(The phrase is from the Bible, Matthew 14:13-21 in which Jesus feeds five thousand people just with five loaves of bread and two fish.)

7. One common error with hundred and thousand
Don’t add -s to thousand and hundred when you add number before it. If you use “hundreds of” or “thousands of”, you should use plural verb in all cases but not while talking about an amount of money.

A. Incorrect: two thousands of products, four hundreds of people
correct : two thousand products, four hundred people, four thousand trees
B. Correct: Ten thousand people have complained about that.
Correct: Ten thousand rupees is not a matter to me.
Incorrect: Ten thousand rupees are not a matter to me.
Correct: The expenditure for my kid’s education ran into thousands.

(Teacher: To be one of the Four Hundred, you should devote yourself to the study 100%.

Student: Yes madam.

Teacher: haven't I told a thousand and one times that there should be no complaint about you.

Student: No madam, you told only 13 times.

Teacher: Shut up.

Student: which window madam?

Teacher: Nonsense. Haven't I told you hundreds of time not to talk like this.

Student: No madam, only 9 times you told.

Teacher: you look brilliant but I see you in the college canteen ninety-nine percent of the time. How will you clear your hundred and one arrears then?

Student: No madam, I have only 18 arrears. I will give 110% madam to clear them.

Teacher: let me first know.  what’s your ambition in life?

Student: I can become a collector madam, can’t I ?

Teacher:……….?!  it’s a $64000 question...)

Is your wife a thorn in your flesh?

Today’s English
June 22nd, 2017

Language is to share your feelings with someone. One of the common feelings of a normal human being is hatred. You hate something when it’s not as expected by you. You detest someone for a reason. You also despise some strangers for no reason. It’s your expectation, the sister of  Miss.Desire that leads to disappointment and a feeling of aversion to something.  How to express your dislikes in English is what we are gonna deal with today.

1. I can’t stand = I don’t like

A. I can’t stand the way she behaved before me.
B. They can’t stand his dressings and manners.

2. I can’t bear = I dislike very much and I can’t accept that

A. He can’t bear speaking rubbish things before him.
B. I can’t bear his idiotic behavior.

3. Love or loathe = love or hate

A. Whether you love or loathe, you have to do it.
B. I loathe indiscipline in any form.

4. To hate somebody’s guts = to hate very much

A. He hates my guts and I don’t know how to win his favour.
B. I hate your guts. Get lost!

5. Aversion therapy = to make somebody hate a bad habit

A. Why can’t you undergo an aversion therapy for smoking?
B. The doctor suggested an aversion therapy for his addiction to drinking.

6. Feel aversion towards something= feel hatred

A. Because of homework and exams, students generally feel /develop aversion towards books and learning.
B. I felt a deep sense of aversion to him. I don’t know why.

7. Feel hostile towards something /somebody= unfriendly, aggressive and ready to fight

A. She always felt hostile towards her husband.
B. Why are you still hostile to your parents?

8. A thorn in one’s flesh = a person who annoys you or stops you from doing something

A. Shit! You are a thorn in my flesh! Get away from here.
B. Damn it! He’s a thorn in my flesh! Who let him in?

( husband : I can’t stand you talking like this.

Wife: if you can’t stand , then sit down. Anyway tell me why you sent a message to her.

Husband: I hate your guts for torturing me like this.

Wife: I have guts, my father, my mother and my whole family gotta guts. Tell me how long you play Romeo to her.

Husband: why don’t you understand me? I despise this type of nonsense.

Wife: whether you love or loathe, you gotta peel off your affair now. I can’t bear your contact with her on WhatsApp.

Husband: before marriage, you looked a beautiful rose but now a thorn in my flesh.

Wife: let it be. Get ready, we are gonna see the doctor now.

Husband: why?
Wife: for aversion therapy to throw her to hell.

Husband:………….?!)

Be perfect in “perfect”

Today’s English
June 21st, 2017

The most frequently used tense form in speech and writing is present perfect because our life itself maintains a strong connection between the past and present like the present perfect. How we dress, cook, eat, work, celebrate and live has its roots in the past and we are helpless beggars if our valuable past is cut off from us at present that is what the impact of western culture on us actually means.  How to make use of present perfect in our day to day English and how to avoid errors in such an usage can be discussed today.

1.Past + present = present perfect
It’s a strange English formula but true. If you feel that an activity in the past is connected in someway to the present, your choice should be present perfect.

A.I have bought a new car. (Past:I bought a car + present: it is available with me now)
B.My son has come from Bangalore. (Past: He came + present: He is here now.)

2.Present perfect = an activity or occurrence recently happened
All the recently done works can be referred in present perfect.

A.I have completed my assignment/project. What about you?
B.Where is Mr. Prakash? He has gone to canteen.

3.Use present perfect to express your inability to help somebody.
A.Can you cancel my order? Sorry, we have already despatched the goods to your address. (Not able to cancel the order)
B.Can I have your book now? Sorry, I have given that to my HOD.
C.You have violated the government norms. (I can’t help you any more, the legal proceedings are certain)

4.Use it to express your guess or findings or “no need at present”

A.Someone has come to our room in our absence.
B.Somebody has used my laptop. Who is that?
C.I have already sent a reply. (No need at present)

5.Use it to express your experience

A.I have seen several people like you in my long career.
B.I have already gone there several times. I can accompany you.

6.Don’t use adverbs pointing past (yesterday, last week, last month, etc.) along with present perfect.

A.Incorrect: I have seen him yesterday.
Correct: I saw him yesterday.
B.Incorrect: I have gone to Chennai last month.
Correct: I went to Chennai last month.

( This morning, this afternoon, now can be used in present perfect : I have reached the second floor now.)

7.Present perfect or present perfect continuous?
Don’t ever use non progressive verbs (see, hear, taste, know, understand, etc) with present perfect continuous but with present perfect.

A.Correct: I have heard that song. (Present perfect)
Incorrect: I have been hearing that song…
B.Correct: they haven’t known the procedures.
Incorrect: they have not been knowing…

Another difference between these two forms is that present perfect refers to recently completed action but present perfect continuous refers to an action started in the past and “still going on” in the present.
A.I have written a book. (=I recently completed the work)
B.I have been writing a book. (= I started in the past and still the work is on progress, I haven’t completed.)

8.Don’t use the word “since" with past because since means from past to present. Therefore use it in present perfect or present perfect continuous.

A.Incorrect: it rained since yesterday.
Correct: it has been raining since yesterday.
B.Incorrect: He sent several letters to us since last week.
Correct: He has sent several letters since last week.
(Remember: only  yesterday, last week, etc. are used in past tense but since yesterday, since last week, etc. cannot be used.)

Let's stop here and not go deep into the grammar because,

“The greater part of the world's troubles are due to questions of grammar (perfection).”
-Michel de Montaigne, The Complete Essays

A good Jack makes a good Jill, doesn’t he?

Today’s English
June 20th, 2017

If a husband treats his wife well, she will treat him well in return. This is what we mean by saying “a good Jack makes a good Jill”

1.How are you getting along with your hubby? He knows, a good Jack makes a good Jill.
2.Why are you fighting with your wife like India and Pakistan? Don’t you know a good Jack makes a good Jill?

Are you a good Samaritan? The phrase comes from the bible and refers to one who is always ready to help those in need who are neglected by others.

1.My friend is such a good Samaritan that he never says NO to the needy.
2.Why don’t you ask, Mr.Arun, a good Samaritan?

If you are having friendly or close relationship with somebody, you are “on good /intimate/friendly terms with” them. If you are close to your boss and call him by his name, it means, you are on first-name terms with him.

1.I’m on first name terms with my manager.
2.She is on friendly terms with her colleagues.

We are often disappointed if the size is small, I mean, the size of the gift, mobile, room or edible items given to us.  But we don’t know that “the good things /best things come in small packages.”

1.How did you select her? She is so short and lean. So what? The best things come in small packages.
2.I know his love, so the size of the mobile he gifted me doesn’t matter. The good things come in small packages, don't they?

“Good girls go to heaven, bad girls go everywhere.”
-Mae West, Wit & Wisdom of Mae West

Thou art beautiful!

Today’s English
June 19th, 2017

Obsolete English words are those which are no longer in use both in speech and writing especially ever since the year 1755 when Dr.Johnson’s dictionary was born.  Any word in dictionary with the label –“obsolete” is only to understand the English books of the past, strictly not for today’s use.  On the other hand, archaic words are those which were common once but used today only in special contexts such as poetry, law and religion. If you want to add poetic flavour to your speech, you can use archaic words which will make your speech more beautiful than ever. For example, you can say, “thou art beautiful” in stead of saying “you are beautiful.”.  Archaic words are not dead. They are restricted to some contexts and may become worthy of revival if frequency goes up. Here are some samples for both categories.

Obsolete Words that you must not use:

1.Government in the sense of “one’s moral conduct or behavior.”

Incorrect:  Her government is good.
Correct: Her conduct is good.

2.Commune – to discuss

Incorrect: I want to commune with you.
Correct: I want to discuss with you.

3.Accountant (adjective)- answerable for, responsible for

Incorrect: You are accountant for your decisions.
Correct: You are responsible / accountable for your decisions.

4.Illecebrous – attractive

Incorrect: The design is so illecebrous. (Use the word attractive)

5.Manurance – agriculture

Incorrect: where can we find fertile soil for manurance today? (Use “agriculture”)

Archaic words that you may use in special contexts:

1.Thou  = you (Used as subject)

Archaic: Thou speak truth.
Common:  You speak truth.

2.Thee = you (Used as object)

Archaic: I love thee more.
Common: I love you more.

3.Thy = your

Archaic = I appreciate thy effort.
Common: I appreciate your effort.

4.Thine = yours

Archaic: Whatever is mine, that is thine.
Common: Whatever is mine, that is yours.

5.Methinks = I think, it seems to me

Archaic: Methinks, people are hungry for money and power.
Common: I think, people are hungry for money and power.

Do you know? : one of the meanings of the word “learn" in the past is “to teach.”  Methinks, thou learn and have thy moral responsibility to teach that others in need.

Know the Antonyms of Life

Today’s English
June 18th, 2017

Life that’s a journey between birth and death is both a bed of roses and a bed of thorns and has enriched English with thousands of words to dress those feelings.  How these opposites can be used in different structures has been experimented here in a poetic way by taking about 30 antonyms:

        The Antonyms of Life

That which blesses you to joy.
Curses you to sorrow.
That whom you loved once.
Is the one you hate now.

Join hands together
Only to part with.
Come near at dawn.
Only to go farther at dusk.

Those who honour you
Dishonour you soon.
Those who give you wings to fly
Cut them soon to make you fall.

Power that crowns you
Crucifies you too.
Love that makes you alive
Leaves you dead too.

Good is not good
If bad is not alive.
Beautiful is not beautiful
If ugly is dead.

Those who are hard working
Turn lazy in government.
Those who are popular
Burn notorious in politics.

Wife who healed the wound
Becomes knife to wound.
Mother who longed for son’s marriage
Condemns son’s wife.

Preach ethics for heaven
Commit sins for hell.
Go surplus with the unnecessary
Fall short of for the necessary.

Lie is the truth.
Evil is the virtue.
Beginning is the end.
End is the beginning.

You get to lose.
You dress to undress.
You forget to remember.
You laugh to mourn.

You earn to spend.
You learn to forget.
You grow to become old.
You live but to die.

“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.”
-Oscar Wilde

Something about “EVERYTHING”

Today’s English
June 17th, 2017

1.The full monty = the best that you can have, the whole, absolutely everything

A.When I bought a smart phone, I decided to go for the full Monty. (= tried to get the best I can have)
B.Why don’t you still understand me? Actually I explained the full Monty. (=explained the whole, absolutely everything)

(This expression is derived from the Oscar film the Full Monty (1997) in which a group of unemployed men find their job as strippers and take off absolutely everything on the stage they have worn.)

2.The whole nine yards = everything you can possibly do have in a particular situation

A.Can we complete the entire work today? Yes, of course. Let’s go the whole nine yards.
B.Have you taken the hall ticket, id card, pen and everything you need for the exam? Yes mom, the whole nine yards.

3.Everything in the garden is rosy = everything is fine

A.How’s your business going on? Everything in the garden is rosy. (=everything is fine)
B.I thought, everything in the garden is rosy but soon realized that few issues remained unsolved.

4.Everything under the sun = a very large number of things

A.We talked about everything under the sun and went to bed late hours.
B.She packed almost everything under the sun and got ready for the trip.

5.There is a remedy for everything except death = every problem can be solved if we try at our best

A.How can I set right this? Don’t worry. There’s a remedy for everything except death.
B.When Arun was afraid of the suspension, we consoled him that there’s a remedy for everything except death.

Remember: “everything” refers to “all things" but it’s a singular pronoun and takes singular forms of verbs such as is and goes. (Is everything  okay?)

(Girl : hi dear, how are things going on with you?

Boy: everything in the garden is rosy.

Girl: What nonsense you are talking! I don’t ask about your garden and the roses.

Boy: leave it. Tell me what I can do for you. I can bring you everything under the sun.

Girl: Why do I want all under the sun, the bloody rocks and mountains?

Boy: No. I mean, you can ask for things like ring, watch, bangles or smartphone…the full monty.

Girl: I haven't tasted monty ice cream yet. let me just take to an ice cream parlour. That’s enough for me.

Boy: No, let me go for the whole nine yards.

Girl: just going nine yards? But the shop is near bus stand.

Boy: o my god! How can I get with her? “There’s a remedy for everything except death” sounds meaningless here.

Girl: why are talking about remedy and death? Anyone serious?

Boy: Shut u...…………………………………p……!)

Man shall not live by bread alone!

Today’s English
June 16th, 2017

People have multitudinous personalities of which introverts, lovers of solitude have a distinct type. They want to be alone, quite and unstained and disgust crowd and to be in the company of others. How to talk about such people in English is our today’s concern.

1. Difference between lonely and alone

If you feel extremely unhappy because you don’t have friends and relatives nearby, you are lonely.  If you don’t want to be disturbed by others, you wish to be alone. In the former case, you miss somebody but in the latter you voluntarily keep yourself away from others.  Poets, sages and philosophers wish to be in solitude whereas students staying in hostel and newly married women at husband’s home feel lonely.

A. Leave me alone, please. / I want to live alone. (Incorrect: I want to live lonely)
B. I felt lonely when my friends went abroad.

2. Wish you had never been born = told while feeling extremely unhappy

A. When his love ended in failure, he wished he had never been born.
B. Why should I see all this nonsense? I wish I had never been born.

3. Sick at heart – to get disappointed and be unhappy
A. She was sick at heart when scored very poor in the exam.
B. He was sick at heart to see the sales come down.

4. Difference: unsocial, unsociable and antisocial
Unsocial means “outside normal working hours”  and unsociable carries the meaning – “not willing to be in the company of others'" But antisocial refers to "being against the accepted customs and laws of the society.”

A. Her parents did not permit her to work unsocial hours.
B. He felt unsociable and did not attend the farewell party.
C. His antisocial behavior shocked everyone.

5. Man shall not live by bread alone = spiritual fulfilment is a must though you are well settled with food and shelter.

A. You are well settled in life now but don’t forget that man shall not live by bread alone.
B. I can’t do this work just for money. I know, man shall not live by bread alone.

“A man can be himself only so long as he is alone; and if he does not love solitude, he will not love freedom; for it is only when he is alone that he is really free.
- Arthur Schopenhauer, Essays and Aphorisms

Get ready for a thousand miles journey!

Today’s English
June 15th, 2017

To speak in English is a matter of pleasure and respect in a country where English is the second language (Not mother tongue).  “I want to improve my English” and “how to develop my communication skills" are the echoes of the longing souls in colonized countries where people are free from the White Masters but has, of course, madly fallen in love with their language and aspire to master it. Today’s English is for non-native speakers of English who have the burning impulse to improve their English.

1.Change to change

Change the word, phrase, sentence or structure that you are habituated to. Don’t have one string to your conversational violin and make the same monotonous tune. Find the other way of expressing the same with new equivalents.

A.Why are you late?
B.Why are you running behind time?
C.What makes you late today?
D.Tell me the reason for your delay?
E.Why can’t you come early?
F.Don’t you know to come on time?
G.Is 'time is gold' only in theory / only for marks?
H. Be an early bird to catch the worm!
I.What has made you a late-comer today?

2.'Repeat' is the mantra!
What we speak now and our active vocabulary has its root in mere repetition and frequency.  You may find a beautiful phrase, idiom or structure in the book you read or from a person you listen to but without repetition on your part to make it your own, you will be a loser. For example, if I find the expression “he always walked the talk" in the novel “the Alchemist”, I should try to use it in my situation, “Don’t forget to walk the talk and submit your record note on Friday as you promised.” Whether you watch an English movie, read an English newspaper or give your ear to English news on TV, don’t forget to pick up what interests you, and make it your treasure. Repeat is the mantra!

3.Speak English to speak English
If a child wants to walk, the only way is to walk. If you want to swim or drive, just start swimming and driving. No book can help you, but practice, and just “doing”.  You can do circus with a bicycle but only by moving. Upgrading your English to a newer version is not possible without launching it on your part. A state runner today must have learnt walking only by stumbling and falling. Speak English that is the only way to speak English!

4.A thousand miles journey begins with a single step!

Don’t forget that such a journey comes to an end only by continuous or periodical move. Don't be in a hurry for overnight feat. Find where you are weak in the four skills – LSRW (Listening, speaking, reading and writing) and spend at least 15 minutes a day to enrich that zone. A plant that stops growing from time to time bears no fruits. Your effort to improve your English once in a blue moon will make your English the new moon, not full moon. After 15 days of your regular practice, it will become your habit and lead to frequent delightful lift-time harvest.
Don't forget "dictionary is your bible and practice is your prayer"!

5.Change your character to change your English?!
You speak through your knowledge, speak through your experience and speak through your character. When the materials change, the products change. Do you speak polite English, pure English, poetic English, stylistic English, butler English, standard English or broken English? It all depends on the source and the process. Be gentle to speak Gentleman’s English.

“Language is the key to the heart of people.”
-Ahmed Deedat, a South African Writer

Who will save your bacon?

Today’s English
June 14th, 2017

The Sun, the  Earth, the air and the water help you ceaselessly with expecting anything in return. Didn’t the trees teach you help by showering fruits even when you throw stones at them? Helpers are angels in disguise who serve to make the impossible possible for you, to bring out the unavailable available for you. Help, help, help since help, more powerful and essential than a water doctor, purifies your karmas. Let’s dedicate Today’s English to helpers.

The other ways of saying “help me" and “may I help you?”

1. Can / could you do a favour for me? (= can you help me?)
Response: yes, of course/ sure. (Or) I’m sorry, I’m in a hurry.

2. Would you mind opening the window?

3. Lend me a hand to arrange these papers, please.

4. Please keep an eye on my bag till I come back.

5. Shall I carry your bag for a while?
Response: That’s very kind of you, thank you./ yes, please.(Or)
It’s all right, thank you. I can manage/do it.

6. What can I do for you? / how can I help you?

7. If there is anything I can do, let me know.

8. If you don’t mind, shall I assist you in your work?

9. Wherever you are, I will come to your aid. Don’t hesitate to call me.

10. If you are in danger, I will save your bacon.

“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.”
- Charles Dickens

Pride, the Pizza of Soul

Today’s English
June 13th, 2017

To refer to a person who would always blade you by talking about his own achievement, my teacher used to quote the rhyming sentence – “I saw a saw such a saw I never saw.”  Your skill, education, status, money, power, knowledge, age, experience, personality, discovery and ideas all feed your pride. Let’s see how to talk about people who often blow their own trumpet.

1. A big-headed person = one who has high opinion of oneself and is too proud of all “his".

A. He’s a big-headed fellow. Beware of asking him any question.
B. He has done nothing big but surely a big-headed person.

2. A person of great talent, whether your son, friend or colleague, is really the source of your pride. And you often take pride in them and your heart fills with pride.

A. Seeing my students achieve at the state level in sports, my heart fills with pride.
B. He takes pride in doing this job.
C. You are my pride, my son! / She is the pride of our institution.

3. A braggart is one who brags (boasts) about himself. (=a conceited person)

A. I’m not bragging but I think I’m doing well here.
B. The staff was repeatedly bragging about his own past achievements.

4. A feather in your cap= any action or achievement that you can be proud of (it has come from the custom of native American to give a feather to someone brave in the battle.)

A. She got a placement in TCS. It’s really a feather in her cap.
B. His participation in Olympic itself was a feather in his cap.

5. If you have got it, flaunt it = told while trying to encourage somebody to bring out their talent. (Flaunt also means “to show what you have in order to get admiration)

A. Why are you afraid of sharing your ideas. If you have got it, flaunt it.
B. He was very much pleased to flaunt the new car recently bought.

6. To be full of yourself = to be too much proud of yourself, thinking only yourself
A. She’s always full of herself. Who will talk to her?
B. Being full of himself, he never sought our opinions.

7. To hold your head high = to be confident, proud and unashamed of what you have done

A. Don’t worry about other's comments. You have done your best. Hold your head high.
B. I wonder how he holds his head high even after grave charges against him.

8. Hubris = being with too much pride, not listening to others warning, and facing the consequences

A. She ignored the warnings of others in purchase and was punished for her hubris.
B. He felt guilty of his hubris when the project ended in failure.

9. To have a big mouth = to boast of your abilities and achievements too much

A. The very thought that he has a big mouth is disgusting me!
B. I’ve no time to talk to him now. Keep that fellow with a big mouth away!

10. Feel privileged = to feel proud of getting an opportunity to do something (privileged also means “confidential”)

A. We feel privileged to welcome you on this special occasion.
B. Sorry! We can’t give this kind of privileged information. (=confidential information)

“A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.”
- C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Striking difference between simple present and present continuous

Today’s English
June 12th, 2017

As a purist we need not be too conscious of grammar while dressing our thoughts and feelings in English but at the same time we should make it sure that we speak grammatically flawless English, not funny butler English or disgusting molested English. The discussion to proceed here is in terms of difference in meaning, not of grammatical structure such as he comes and he is coming.

1.Present continuous is more descriptive than simple present and very effective to pass running commentaries on matches or compereing especially during the performance of somebody,  Compare the following two:

A.Watch him carefully. Now he is standing at the door. He is trying to open it with a duplicate key. He is entering the house. He is straight away moving to the bedroom. Now he is searching for the valuables in the Almira…

B.Watch him carefully. Now he stands at the door. He tries to open it with a duplicate key. He enters the house. He moves to the bedroom. He searches for the valuables in the Almira.

2.Present continuous shows personal interest whereas simple present is impersonal in nature and just reports the fact as something is fixed.

A.I’m coming to your house tomorrow. You can’t escape from giving treat.
I come to your house tomorrow.

B.Incorrect: We plan for a tour next month.
Correct: We are planning for a tour next month.

3.Simple present – happenings of all day (fixed habits and routines), present continuous -happenings only at the time of speaking

A.Incorrect: I’m usually going to gym in the morning.
Correct: I usually go to gym in the morning. (Routine one)

B.Incorrect: He plays tennis. Please call him after sometime.
Correct: sorry sir, he is playing tennis now. Please call him after sometime. (At the time of speaking)

4.Adverbs of frequency ( always, often, rarely, seldom, frequently, never) are used with simple present, not with present continuous.

A.Incorrect: She is always coming late.
Correct: She always comes late.

B.Incorrect: I’m often visiting the central library.
Correct: I often visit the central library.

C.Incorrect: They are never telecasting such programmes.
They never telecast such programmes.

5.Time expressions (At present, now, nowadays, these days, today, this morning, this evening) are used with present continuous, not with simple present)

A.Incorrect: At present, he works in Chennai.
Correct: At present, he is working in Chennai.

B.Incorrect: Nowadays we spend much time with Facebook, whatsapp and TV rather than with fellow beings.
Correct: Nowadays we are spending much time with Facebook, WhatsApp and TV rather than with fellow beings.

C.Incorrect: I’m going to a function this evening.
Correct: I go to a function this evening.

“A man's grammar, like Caesar's wife, should not only be pure, but above suspicion of impurity.”
-Edgar Allan Poe

Let’s explore the Magic Letter “I"

Today’s English
June 11th, 2017

The magic power of “i” can be seen in iPhone, iPad, iTunes, iPod, iWriter and iSpeaker.   It’s this I that is a huge hindrance on the spiritual path in realising one’s Self and makes a person take thousands of births until ending up with LIBERATION. "I" means confidence and self esteem for some people but it signals EGO and Edges God Out(EGO) for others.  Let’s take a look-see at the English letter I in today’s English:

1.Why i as a prefix in Apple products?

Most of the Apple products come out with the prefix i ever since the release of iMac in 1988.  To Steve Jobs, it meant not only a desktop computer with internet but also stood for “interact”, “instruct”, “inform”, “individual” and “inspire”.  When iPhone was announced in 2007 with three key features -internet, music and phone calls, i strongly represented internet. Due to Apple’s jump into various markets, it gradually came to refer to Apple products rather than internet.  Nowadays i is widely used as an abbreviation to mean “interactive” as in iWriter and iSpeaker from Oxford.

A.I improved my pronunciation and speaking skill with the help of iSpeaker.
B.Who won’t like an iPhone?

2.I – a noun or pronoun?

Many people will say it’s only a first person pronoun but it’s also a noun.

A. The ninth letter in English alphabet is I. (Used as a noun)
B.I have some urgent work. (Used as a pronoun)

3.I – a letter or a word?

It’s both. Just as a is a word when used as an article, capital I (pronoun) is a word and both I and i are letters too.

A.There are three i's in the word individual. (Referring to letter)
B.I can’t do this work. (Used as a word)

4.Don’t use I in impersonal letters and research works.

A research work is written in passive voice intentionally to avoid the use of I that shows ego as well as your personal likes and dislikes imbibed into it.

Incorrect: I collected the data from the customers…
Correct: The data was collected from the customers…

Incorrect: I bring it to your kind notice…/ I sent a report….
Correct: It is brought to your kind notice that…. / A letter has been sent….

5.When you feel sorry for something happened in the past, use “I wish" + past tense or past perfect.

A.I wish (that)you called me yesterday. (= I missed you a lot. Why didn’t you call me yesterday)
B.I wish I had never joined Polytechnic.I'm asked to do much of administrative works rather than teaching.
C.I wish I was / I were a bit more beautiful.
D.I wish I were a bird. (Use “I were” only for impossible wishes)

6.Use “I mean" to correct something you have said or to add additional information.

A.I love him very much, I mean, as a friend.
B.You don’t know the procedure, I mean, if we don’t follow the norms, consequences will be severe.

(Interviewer: Tell me a sentence that has only one word.

Candidate: Sir….

Interviewer: it’s a word but not a sentence.

Candidate: presently I don’t know but…

Interviewer: stop!

Candidate: Sir..

Interviewer: stand!

Candidate: Sir…

Interviewer: Go!

Candidate: I’m sorry sir.

Interviewer: sit down please. You have mistaken me.  I mean stop, stand and go are examples for one-word-one-sentence.
Candidate:………?! )

Go beyond love and hate!

Today’s English
June 10th, 2017

What I like may not be your choice and vice versa.  Except true saints and sages, all take a dive into the pool of hatred.  The following list carries remarkable haters and lovers in English:

1. One who loves women very much – gynephile
2. One who hates women like anything – misogynist
3. One who marries more than one person – polygamist
4. One who hates marriage – misogamist
5. One who loves books very much – bibliophile
6. One who hates books – bibliophobe
7. One who loves mankind – philanthropist
8. One who hates mankind – misanthrope
9. A person who loves languages - logophile
10. One who hates languages  and learning – misologist

Other lovers and haters whom you may not know:
1. Misocapnist – hater of smoking
2. Misopogonist – hater of beards
3. Misogelast – hater of laughter
4. Misopolemist – hater of war
5. Beach bum – a beach lover
6. Ghoul – lover of death
7. Mallrat – lover of shopping
8. Night owl – lover of going to bed very late
9. Petrolhead – lover of cars and bike racing
10. Misapodysist – one hates undressing even before spouse

“Hate the sin, love the sinner.” - Mahatma Gandhi

Are you loving him yet?

Today’s English
June 9th, 2017

Non native speakers of English are generally fond of using verb + ing though it is unnecessary and even incorrect in some places. Verbs denoting actions can be used in progressive (verb+ing) forms but those denoting states, conditions, feelings,  situations, sensual experience and the like are not.  The following may shed a little light on this issue.

1. Feel or feeling?
You can use feel or feeling when you experience a particular feeling or emotion and don’t use feel +ing in all other senses (to be aware of, to have opinion, to believe, etc.)

A. I feel guilty (or) I’m feeling guilty / I feel happy or I'm feeling happy(both are correct, since you express feelings)
B. Are you feeling well? (Correct)
C. I could feel the consequences of his absence. (To be aware of – so don’t use -ing.)
D. I felt her leg while dining. (Not I was feeling...)
E. I could feel sweat running down my face. (Not I was feeling...)
F. I feel that he is honest and straightforward. (Opinion, so no – ing form)
G. I feel that he will not cheat me. (Belief, so no -ing form)

2. Look or looking?

Look is used when you say how someone or something is.  When look refers to action, you can use both look and looking.

A. She looks beautiful. (Not she is looking beautiful)
B. It looks pretty good.
C. He looked at her for a long time. / he was looking at her for a long time. (Action)

3. Don’t use the following verbs in progressive forms (verb + ing)

Senses: See, hear, smell, taste, know

Feelings: like, love,  hate, dislike, mind, need, please, want, desire, prefer

Existence / states/ thoughts: seem, appear, doubt, forget, imagine, mean, have, matter, sound, weigh, belong, wish, agree, disagree, promise, and own

A. Incorrect: I was seeing a man entering my neighbour’s house.
Correct: I saw a man entering my neighbour’s house.

B. Incorrect: He is loving me.
Correct: He loves me.

C. Incorrect: I’m having a new car bought from here.
Correct: I have a new car bought from here.

(A funny dialogue with verbs wrongly used in progressive forms:

Teacher: Each one of you should tell me what you want to become in your life.

Student 1: I’m wanting taking a film.
Student 2: I’m loving to becoming a sports star.
Student 3: I’m liking to becoming a collector.
Student 4: I’m preferring a teacher’s teaching.
Teacher: What I’m hating is your “ wanting and liking.”
Students:  ..........?!)

Say NO to ego trip!

Today’s English
June 8th, 2017

A person who always thinks of himself and is interested in his own self-advancement, desires and needs rather than others' is an egoist whereas one who is always interested in the welfare of others is an altruist.   Most of the people we meet everyday are egoists and we can easily count the altruists. Let us see how to talk about people having the egoistic personality in English.

1. Egoist, egocentric or egomaniac?

A person whose ego is at the ordinary level is an egoist, at the extreme level, an egocentric but at the dangerous level, an egomaniac.

A. He’s certainly an egoist, often blowing his own trumpet. (=talking about one’s own achievement)
B. Don’t hope for any help from him. He is an egocentric. (=self-centred, self-absorbed, selfish)
C. Don’t cross his way. He will even finish you off. He’s such an egomaniac.

2. Alter ego = your best friend

A. Anish is my alter ego and I have confided all my personal affairs to him.
B. She has the same spirit I have. She’s my alter ego. (= My another personality.)

3. To be on ego trip = to act in a way that makes you feel yourself more important than others

A. His very speech shows he is on an ego trip.
B. To get a govt job is the ultimate ego trip for many people.

4. To feather one’s own nest = to make yourself rich often in an unfair way

A. She feathered her own nest instead of spending the money for the welfare of the students.
B. All people want power just to feather their own nest.

Don’t forget that an egoistic person is selfish, money-minded, miserly, opportunistic, self-serving, heedless, inconsiderate and greedy.

Do you know “ego-surfing”? It’s a strange but anxious activity of searching your own name on the internet to find things connected with that. Such people get satisfied and feel important even when finding their name in the name board or in the newspaper, don't they?

Can you shop somebody?

Today’s English
June 7th, 2017

In English, to shop somebody does not mean “to buy somebody” but to inform about somebody to the police.

1. He tortured his wife and her sister shopped him to the police.
2. I know who stole my things and I’m gonna shop him!

When you go to several shops looking for the best product at cheap rate, it can be said in English as “shop around". (You compare the quality and prices in several shops)

1. I bought this mobile after shopping around the whole day.
2. Don’t be in a hurry to buy. Let’s first shop around.

Many people get satisfied just by visiting many shops and making queries about the product without buying anything. This is what we say in English “to go window shopping.”

1. I don’t have money. How can I join with you for shopping? No problem, let’s go window shopping.
2. Shop assistants are often irritated by people who do window shopping.

If you are very careless in your movements and behaviour especially in a place you shouldn’t be, then you are “like a bull in China shop.”

1. The principal got angry since he behaved like a bull in a China shop in the meeting hall.
2. Children generally run here and there like a bull in a China shop, don’t they?
3. Rahul, come and sit down here. Why are you mad like a bull in a China shop?

(Girl: why are looking like that?

Boy: I’m shopping around to shop a beautiful flower like you.

Girl: To shop me, you have to sell yourself for marriage. Are you ready?

Boy: My feelings are uncontrollable. I’m now like a bull in a China shop.

Girl: How can you get me if you are only interested in window shopping?

Boy: I don’t believe in marriage. Leave me. Bye.

Girl: What the hell you’re talking? You can’t run away from me.  Shop me or I will shop you to the police.

Boy: …………?!)

Don’t speak butler English.

Today’s English
June 6th, 2017

Master : who came here yesterday?
Servant: two boy sir. They Just playing sir. Nothing done sir.
Master: You are telling a lie.
Servant: I telling true sir. Why you blaming me?

The above reply by the servant is a typical example for butler English. 

What’s butler English?
A distinct variety of English with a limited number of Words spoken by the head servants in the households of British people in India before it’s independence is known as butler English, kitchen English, bearer English, baboo English or pidgin.  It’s often spoken by one who doesn’t know the language well and is used along with the words from a local language.  With the absence of prepositions and auxiliaries, butler English is reduced to its bare essentials but always produces amusing results in non-standard stylistic form. Generally vendors selling things to foreigners, Indian tourist guides, domestic servants in the households of IT professionals speak butler English.   Even today many college and school teachers rejoice at the butler English of some students especially while valuing their exam papers. Some common errors leading to butler English are listed below:

How to avoid speaking butler English?
1.Don’t omit ( auxiliary )verbs.

Butler English : How I telling? These people very clever. They planning when you out.
Standard English: How can I tell you? These people are very clever. They are planning when you are out.

2.Don’t omit apostrophe.

Butler English: My father name Ganesh.

Standard English: My father’s name is Ganesh.

3.Don’t forget verb + s in present tense while using third person singular subject.

Butler English: She telling me. She speak good English.
Standard English: She tells me, she speaks English well.

4.Don’t omit prepositions

Butler English: wait 5 minute. Make payment cash.
Standard English: wait for 5 minutes. Make payment in cash.

5.Care for plurality.

Butler English: She know three language. He is having three sister.
Standard English: She knows three languages. He has three sisters.

Funny butler English expressions:
1. I talk, he talk. Why you middle middle talk?

2.(Advice to father): “ Vell, if you wantu study her, then study her. If you wantu marry her, then marry her."

3."Don't talk like that in front of my back"

4."Repeat again please!"

5.“No, No I! don't need chair I can stand eating.”

6."Open the doors of the window, and let the atmosphere come in"

7."You three, both of you kneel down together separately"

8.“principal just now passed away this side.”

9.“Meet me behind the meeting.”

10.A gardener scolding 3 kids: "Both of u three, don't under  stand the tree "!!

Know partners other than your life partner

Today’s English
June 5th, 2017

1. Sleeping partner/ silent partner

A person who invests money into a business but not actually involved in running it is known as a sleeping partner or silent partner.

2. Working partner / active partner

One who owns and runs a company actively involved with it along with other people is a working or active partner.

3. Birth partner

A friend or family member who stays with and support a woman at the time of issuing a baby is called as a birth partner.

4. Sparring partner

It refer to a person with whom you practice boxing.  It also denotes anyone you have friendly arguments with.

5. Trading partner

A country or region buying or selling goods to another one is a trading partner.

6. General partner

One of the partners in a partnership who shares its profits and debts is a general partner.

7. Global partner

Two or more firms from different parts of the world work as a team to produce better results.  Each such a firm is a global partner in their group.

8. Channel partner
Channel partners are those such as dealers, distributors and sales agents through whom a company sells its products.

9. Junior partner

A company which is one of the partners but has less power and influence is a junior partner.

10. Senior partner

Companies which are partners but have more power and influence on others are senior partners.

“For me, marriage should be about partnership. How can you love someone you have to take care of like a child all the time? A wife is supposed to be a partner, and yes partners help each other when they need it, but they are supposed to be together because they want to in my book, not because one needs the other.”

- Lynsay Sands, A Quick Bite

Be as cool as cucumber!

Today’s English
June 4th, 2017

No comparison is good since everything in nature and everyone in the world is unique and cannot be compared with another one. Nevertheless comparison is common in daily life and therefore expressions related to comparisons will be useful to improve one’s day-to-day English speech.

1. If your eye sight is poor, you are as blind as a bat.

2. If you are a reliable person and won’t reveal the known secret, you are as dumb as oyster.

3. If you are extremely clean, you are as clean as a whistle (a suit).

4. If you are completely free in your life, you are as free as a bird.

5. If you are relaxed and never grow emotional in any situation, you are as cool as cucumber.

6. If you are robustly healthy and have a good stature, you are as fit as a fiddle.

7. If you are very proud of something, you are as proud as a peacock.

8. If a child is good, obedient and well-mannered, it is as good as gold.

9. If you are surprisingly kind and friendly to others, you are as nice as pie.

10. If something is very dull and uninteresting, it is as dull as ditchwater.

Examples:
1. I couldn't see anything from this place and I’m as blind as a bat.

2. Don’t be afraid. He is as dumb as oyster. He won’t leak out the secret to anyone.

3. What a surprise! You are as clean as a whistle today.

4. Before marriage, I was as free as a bird.

5. To solve this problem, first you have to be as cool as cucumber.

6. Even at the age of 80, my grandfather is as fit as a fiddle.

7. I’m as proud as a peacock whenever I think of studying here.

8. Your daughter is as good as gold.

9. Even to a stranger, my friend is as nice as pie.

10. This TV serial is as dull as ditch water and why do you watch it?

“You are not required to perform like them, you are required to perform like you.”
- Bangambiki Habyarimana

Confusing Pairs of Words in English

Today’s English
June 3rd, 2017

1. Disinterested or uninterested?

Disinterested means impartial, fair in judgement because you don’t involve in something personally.  But uninterested is the opposite of interested (Not interested).

A. I’m uninterested in cricket. (=I’m not interested in cricket.)
B. He was disinterested in his suggestion. (=He was unbiased, right)

2. Unlike or dislike?

Both unlike and dislike are the opposite of like but dislike is the opposite of the verb like whereas unlike is the opposite of the preposition like.

A. I like this job. I dislike this job. (Not I unlike this job.)
B. She is like her sister. She is unlike her sister. (Not she is dislike her sister)

3. Abuse, misuse or disuse?

Misuse means using something for wrong purpose, in a dishonest way. Abuse is the unfair or cruel treatment of somebody. Disuse refers to something no longer in use.

A. She misused her power and was suspended on the retirement date.
B. He was accused of sexual abuse.
C. Most of the machines here are in disuse.

4. Disk or disc?
The word is spelled disk in American English and disc in British English though the words refer to different things in Computer field. Disk refers to a magnetic device such as floppy disk or hard disk whereas disc stands for optical media such as CD (compact disc) and DVD (digital versatile disc).

A. I stored all the important files on Compact Disc (CD).
B. Nowadays we prefer the hard disk to be 1 TB.

5. Learnt or learned ?
The verb learn has two past forms and past participle forms - learned and learnt. But unlike learnt,  learned is used as an adjective meaning “having a lot of knowledge.”  Learned is common both in American English and British English but learnt is used only in British English. Similar pairs with the same difference are dreamed/dreamt, spelled/spelt, burned/ burnt, spoiled/spoilt and kneeled /knelt.

A. I learned this from Kumar. / I learnt this from Kumar.
B. He is a learned professor. (= a professor with a lot of knowledge)

“It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.”
- Audre Lorde, Our Dead Behind Us: Poems

Are you always a Stay-at-home?

Today’s English
June 2nd, 2017

The word home is used with a preposition in some places and without a preposition in some other places, though some people blindly think that a preposition like “to" should never precede the word “home".  The following guidelines may help you avoid errors when you employ the term home:

1.“Go to house but go home”  - after the verbs go, come, get, bring, take, send, arrive, don’t use a preposition before home because here home is just an adverb.

A.I went home very late. (Not went to home….)
B.My son came home yesterday. (Not came to home….)
C.When will you get home today?
D.I brought my friend home for a dinner.
E.She often forgets to take home her lunch bag.
F.The student was sick and I sent her home.
G.They arrived home earlier.

2.Preposition is a must if you say my home, his home, Ravi's home, your home, etc.because you are using possessive or genitive adjective before home and the word home is a noun here. Same examples but look at the difference:

A.I went to his home late.
B.My son came to his Uncle’s home yesterday.
C.When will you get to her home today?
D.I brought my friend to her home for dinner.
E.They arrived at Peter’s home at 8 p.m.

3.Don’t ever use a preposition before home if the verbs reach and leave are used.
A.I reached home./ I reached her home.
B.My son will leave home by 6 o' clock, / My son will leave her home by 6 o’clock clock.

4.But preposition must be used when home is used to refer to where a person is and what someone is doing in a place.

A.He is at home now. (Where somebody is…)
B.She works at home/ from home. (What somebody does…)
C.Do you stay in hostel or live at home?
D.I was playing with my children at home.

Remember 3 things about home:

1.“He left home” also means that he left his parents or family and started an independent life.

2.Stay-at-home is a single hyphenated word that refers to a person who rarely goes out. (My friend is a stay-at-home.)

3.“feel at home" is an idiomatic expression that means, a person feels relaxed, comfortable in a place or with somebody. (I always feel at home when you are with me.)

(To know the difference between house and home, see today’s English published on February 27th, 2017, also available at www.spokenenglishabcd.blogspot.com)

“Crowns in my purse I have, and
Goods at home,
And so am come abroad to see
The world” 
- William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew, Act I, Scene 2.