Differences: see, look and watch

Today’s English
May 7th, 2017

How we use our eyes in different ways has given birth to these three verbs -see, look and watch.  Some people use them interchangeably but each one is different both in meaning and usage.

See:
When you are going on your way, you may happen to see something. When you open your windows or doors, you may occasionally see some incidents.  Seeing happens occasionally, by chance, accidentally and unintentionally. You are not going for it but it comes to your sight.

1.I saw an old man on the way struggling to cross the road.
2.When I went to the library, I saw your sister with a boy.
3.Have you seen him before anywhere?
(You cannot use “look" in these places.)

Look:
When you look at something, you look at carefully, intentionally with a reason to know something.  When you see, you are not involved into it.  When you look at, a kind of involvement is there. You may look at a picture for a long time carried away by its beauty or for a deeper understanding of it.

1.Please look at these photos. I took them yesterday.
2.Look here! You should not send me any message hereafter.
3.We were looking at each other for a long time and didn’t know what to speak.

Watch:
When something is moving or changing from moment to moment, looking is not possible. Watching is needed. You watch something with full attention because it is continuously moving, changing or unexpected things may happen. You can look at a picture, but you have to watch a video or TV programme.  What does a watchman do? He watches the entire place, all people moving here and there,  with full attention to keep the place secured.  Thus intensity and involvement are more in watching than in looking.

1.I watched that programme and got shocked to see the madness of people.
2.You can watch this video on YouTube.
3.Keep a watch on her! Her movements are abnormal.

Remember: seeing is casual and by chance; looking is with attention and intentions; watching is with more alertness especially on moving or changing ones.

“For some must watch, while some must sleep
So runs the world away”
-William Shakespeare, “Hamlet”

Learn English from English Newspapers

Today’s English
May 6th, 2017

If one wants to pick up standard English and enrich his vocabulary, one of the best ways is to “regularly” read English Newspapers.  I’m sure, you will jump out of your skin to know the total number of English Newspapers being published in india. It’s 19172. (As per the records with the Registrar of Newspapers for India). There are plenty of English newspaper apps and sites in addition to their own News channels. W3newspapers.com can be one's favorite site where anytime you can have access to any newspaper in any language in any part of the world (updated from hour to hour). Here are few samples from English Newspapers today:

1. In stead of saying, “get started”, you can say “get under way".

Dog show in Ooty gets under way.
(Taken from The Hindu, Coimbatore Edition)

2. What do you mean by “inebriated”?
It’s an adjective referring to the state of having drunk too much alcohol.

Hamsa, reportedly inebriated shot her hubby in Bangalore.
(From The Times of India)

3. Act as a deterrent = prevent others from doing wrongs

After the verdict on Delhi gang-rape case, the victim’s grandfather said that it will act as deterrent and women will feel more secure now.
(From the Hindustan Times)

4. Crackdown = severe action upon offenders;  abattoirs – slaughterhouses

A day after taking oath as UP CM, Adityanath ordered a crackdown on illegal abattoirs in the state.
(From the Indian Express)

5. Haircut, in finance and economics, means “a financial loss on an investment”

The Modi government has taken a big haircut by deciding to disinvest the three business hotels run by India Tourism Development Corporation(ITDC).
(From the Economic Times)

(Husband: I had a big haircut yesterday.

Wife: why don’t you take our kutties? They too need haircuts, don’t they?

Husband: ………..?!)

Differences – still, yet and already

Today’s English
May 5th, 2017

All these three words are adverbs used in different situations:

Yet – something has not happened as expected (mostly used at the end of questions and negatives)

Already – something happened before one’s expectations

Still – something going on even at the time of speaking as not expected or surprisingly

1.Haven’t you submitted your project yet? (Don’t use still here)
2.He hasn’t come yet. (Don’t use still)
3.I have already collected the data. (Finished earlier than expected)
4.She is already on the spot. (Happened sooner than expected)
5.I’m still going to gym.
6.It’s still raining and we can’t go out.

Remember: still is a continuation of something; yet is a query or report on incompleteness; already means completion.

(Boy : will you mind, if I open my heart to you?
Girl : I'm afraid, I’m already in love with your friend.
Boy: What….?! What does he say?
Girl: He hasn’t opened his heart yet.
Boy: why?
Girl: He is still looking for a good job.
Boy: Can please keep me at least in waiting list?
Girl: ………….?! )

Can you walk on air?

Today’s English
May 4th, 2017

You are not a magician. You can still walk on air. In English, the expression “walk on air" simply means “to feel very happy”. 

1. Everybody walks on air when they get a government job.
2. She proposed to me and I really walked on air.

You can also do another wonder. Why can’t you try to walk on eggs?  Yes, you can.  If you do something very carefully, especially not to disturb or offend somebody, it means in English that you are walking on eggs.

1. Please walk on eggs. My mom’s sleeping.
2. Whenever you enter the principal's room, don’t forget to walk on eggs.

There is one more expression “walk all over somebody" that means “treat somebody very badly without giving importance to their needs".  The same expression is also used in the meaning of “to defeat somebody very easily".  Perhaps just by treating the enemies badly, some people may think that they have defeated their foes very easily.

1. The manager has walked all over me (=has treated me badly).  Let me teach him a lesson one day.
2. In the fight between Bahubali and his enemies, it's always he who walks all over them. (=defeats them easily)

[immediately after marriage]
Man 1 : How do you feel now?
Man 2: I walk on air.

[2years after marriage]
Man 1 : How do you feel now?
Man 2: I walk on eggs.

[10 years after marriage]
Man 1 : How do you feel now?
Man 2: My wife walks all over me.

Learn English by Standing Before Mirror

Today’s English
May 3rd, 2017

Just stand before the mirror and look at your body.  I’m sure, each part your body can help you speak more in English.  There are plenty of English expressions connected with the organs of our own constitution. Let us try a few now:

1.Let your hair down = to relax yourself and enjoy

Just for laugh programme was so funny. I completely let my hair down.
Why are you so serious? It’s time to let your hair down.

2.Follow your nose = go straight ahead

Where’s the Shiva temple here? Just follow your nose and you will find it within a mile.
Are we on the right track?  I hope so, just follow your nose.

3.Be all ears = eagerly waiting to listen/hear

Are you interested in what I say? Yes, I’m all ears.
Whenever the class starts, she is all ears.

4.Read my lips = listen carefully
Please read my lips. I’m gonna tell a secret about her.
Let me tell you the expected questions for the exam. Read my lips.

5.Be/stand head and shoulder above somebody = be much better than

He was head and shoulder above anyone else in the office.
Her presentation stood head and shoulders above the rest.

6.To give / get a free hand = to give /get an opportunity to do as you wish

First year syllabus was framed without giving a free hand to the committee members.
My father has given me a free hand to choose my life partner.

7.Get your finger out = Do some work

If you want to pass the exam, first get your finger out.
Mere expectations won’t help you. Go and get your finger out.

8.At your mother’s knee = when you are very young

I have watched Shivaji's movies at my mother’s knee.
She used to hear many moral stories at her mother’s knee.

9.To run off your feet = to be very busy
You can’t contact him now. He’s running off his feet.
Shall I call you some other time if you are running off your feet.

10. Under somebody’s heel = completely under the control of someone
Before 1947, India was under the heel of British empire.
I’m a free bird. Nobody can keep me under their heel.

“The Church says: the body is a sin.
Science says: the body is a machine.
Advertising says: The body is a business.
The Body says: I am a fiesta.”
- Eduardo Galeano, in "Walking Words"

Learn English from Quiz

Today’s English
May 2nd, 2017

The following is a collection of questions in an English quiz. Try your way through. Discuss with your friends in group if you are doubtful. ( Those who refer to internet sources or any dictionary will be booked under malpractice.)

1.A lover of books
A)Bookish person b) bibliophile  c) linguist d) bookbinders

2.Hebetude means
A)Sharpness. B) foolishness c) intelligence d) womanliness

3.Fecund stands for
A)Fertile  B) entangle. C) immature. D) hostile

4.He blows his own trumpet. Who is he?
A)He who praises others. B)he who makes his own complaint. C) he who speaks boldly d) he who praises himself.

5.She gave me the cold shoulder
A)Treated me unfriendly  B) praised me. C) scolded me. D) condemned me

6.He got the job using backstairs influence.
A)Political  B) religious. C) secret and unfair. D) monetary

7.The exam was held over.
A) Postponed. B) cancelled. C) stopped. D) started

8.A person Who knows many foreign languages
A)Polyglot. B) linguist. C) polyandrist  D) grammarian

9.Extreme old age in which a man behaves like a fool.
A)Dotage  B) serenity. C) solitude D) superannuation

10.He burnt his fingers.
A)Suffer in love affair. B) suffer financially. C) suffer while helping  D) suffer from loss of blood relations

Answers are on the way.

Which is correct - it's me or it's I?

Today’s English
May 1st, 2017

When you go to your friend’s house and knock at the door, he may ask -who is that?  What will you say -it’s me! Or it’s I.  Another similar problem arises in comparison. She is taller than me Or she is taller than I -which is correct? This is a typical grammatical issue associated with personal pronouns and just the following two points will guide you on the way.

I, we, he, she and they are subjective pronouns since they are used as subjects but me, us, him, her and them are objective pronouns as they are used as objects. You and it are both subjective and objective.

1.I called him at once. (I -subjective, him – objective)
2.He tortured me. (He -subjective, me-objective)

Traditional grammarians, the purists of English language argue that subjective pronouns should be used after “than" but modern English, especially informal spoken English prefers only objective forms in such places:

1.It is I. (More formal and traditional)
It is me. (Informal, spoken and modern accepted usage)
2.She is more beautiful than I. (More formal but uncommon)
She is more beautiful than me.(modern spoken English)
3.Who said that?
It’s she. (Traditional English and more uncommon)
It’s him. / he did.(Commonly accepted modern usage)
4.Uma and me are going to a movie.(Informal but considered incorrect in formal contexts)
Uma and I are going to a movie.(More correct)
5.Between you and I, there is nothing. (Incorrect)
Between you and me, there is something. (Correct)

Remember!  After main verb and preposition, use objective forms(me, us, him, her, them) and along with other nouns or pronouns in subject, use subjective forms (I, we, he, she, they) as in the example 4.

(Husband : who ordered this pizza from Dominos?
Wife: It’s me!
Husband: Who ordered this new mobile from Flipkart?
Wife: It’s also me!
Husband: What’s this message again… who booked 6 tickets for Bahubali-2?
Wife: It’s again me!
Husband: What the hell you're doing? Who will pay money for all these?
Wife: It’s you! You and I are made for each other! )