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Quizes Grammar Vocabulary Club Affiliate Programs Directory
- How To Use Words
When you learn the most important 2000 words, think of how you
need to use them. Remember the following few hints:
-ly words are usually adverbs
-tion words are usually nouns
-er/est words are usually adjectives
Verbs with -er/or at the end are usually people (teach - teacher)
If you need more help with word types, try practicing the "Word
Types" under the Grammar permanent section on the website.
- New Words From The Vocab Club
Our Daily Vocab Club has learned seven new words this week. Here
are the seven new words:
zip up = close a zipper
alleviate = relieve (alleviate/relieve stress)
boast = brag about how good someone or something is good
complex = difficult to understand
decade = 10 years
elope = go somewhere to get married alone
flexible = easy to bend
If you want to join the club, you can learn new vocabulary and
after 60 words, you get an excellent software program called the
EnglishPractice Assistant. You can join the club from our home page.
- Tragedy
There have been a lot of tragedies (terrible things) in the world
recently. From plane crashes to earthquakes, many people have
died. If somebody tells you about the death of a friend or family
member, you might want to say:
My heart goes out to you and your family.
I'm so sorry to hear about your friend.
My condolences to you and your family.
- Same Time
When two things happen at the same time, you want to use the
following grammar structures:
While ... <-ing verb>, .... <past tense verb> .....
While I was working, I drank some coffee.
You do not need to include the subject in the 'while' clause. For
example:
While I was working, I drank some coffee = While working, I drank
some coffee
If the verb in the 'while' clause has an object, we can also
eliminate the word 'while':
While I was driving my car, I started to feel sick =
While driving my car, I started to feel sick =
Driving my car, I started to feel sick
- 'Shoot'
The word 'shoot' is normally a verb that you use when talking about guns:
I like to shoot my toy gun.
However, 'shoot' is used in many slang and phrases. For example:
shoot from the hip =
talk directly -
I'm going to shoot from the hip. Your haircut is ugly.
shoot your mouth off =
talk too highly of yourself -
When you say you are the greatest, it sounds like you are
shooting your mouth off.
shoot the breeze =
chat for awhile -
I love to go to my friends house and shoot the breeze for an
afternoon.
- Barks, Clucks and Gobbles
What sounds do animals make? Every language creates their own
words for animal sounds. For example, 'English' cats say 'meow'
but 'Asian' cats say 'nyu'. Creating words from sounds is called
onomatopoeia (On - O - Ma - Toe - Pee - A).
Here are some examples of the 'english' version of animal sounds:
Chickens cluck Owls hoot. Turkeys gobble. Snakes hiss Sheep bleat. Ducks quack Horses neigh (nay). Birds twitter. Cows moo Bees buzz. Dogs can make a few different sounds. They growl, bark and woof.
Say these sentences out loud and have fun with them!
1 - Quiz
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What word finishes the sentence? Answers in section 9.
a) There wasn't a grain of (truth/sand) in his story.
b) The company isn't making a profit. They're going to have to
(lay people off/lay some people to rest).
c) We had a fight yesterday, but we (made it up/made up) today.
d) The detectives followed all leads, but eventually came (to a
dead end/ to a head).
e) I'm so angry, I'm just (breaking up/ burning up).
2 - New Words From The Vocab Club
---------------------------------
Our Daily Vocab Club has learned seven new words this week. Here
are the seven new words:
uncomplimentary = insulting (adjective)
variation = modification (noun)
welfare = well-being (noun)
bid = offer (verb)
competent = skilful (adjective)
ash = burnt remains (noun)
deep = profound (adjective)
The EnglishPractice Assistant is now shipping. Thank you to
all who finished your 60 words. When new students are done, they
will get a link to the new software!
3 - More than One Use
---------------------
Adjectives are commonly partnered with different nouns. Here is a
list of five adjectives. Match them with the appropriate group of
nouns.
Answers in Section 8.
Adjectives: hot, noisy, cold, long, great
Noun list:
a) nose, feet, hands, day, drink
b) shower, soup, coffee, sale, peppers
c) street, eater, room, crowd, game
d) hair, distance, fingernails, vacation, road
e) author, musician, food, effort, time
4 - Word Families: Nouns for People
-----------------------------------
With the addition of prefixes and suffixes, nouns can change into
adjectives, verbs into nouns, and adjectives into adverbs, etc.
etc. Here are a few examples of verbs to nouns for people:
Inspect = inspector
Decorate = decorator
Build = builder
Farm = farmer
Work = worker
Type = typist
Science = scientist
Philosophy = philosopher
Operate = operator
Take special note of the different suffixes on these words.
5 - Idioms and Phrasal Verbs with Fall
--------------------------------------
The word 'fall' is used in many different phrases. Here are just a
few:
Fall apart = break into pieces
Fall ill = get sick
Fall in love = experience love for someone
Fall to someone = become someone's responsibility
Fall asleep = go to sleep
Fall between the cracks = to get overlooked, forgotten
6 - Avoiding Double Negatives
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A double negative has two negatives in the same clause. A clause
should only have one negative. However, a sentence with two
clauses can have two negatives. For example:
Incorrect: I don't have no problems.
Correct: I don't have any problems.
Incorrect: I can't never understand math.
Correct: I can't understand math.
Correct: I can't understand math and can never understand Algebra!
7 - Using a dictionary
----------------------
When you are learning a language, you should have two
dictionaries. For example, if you are Japanese and you want to
learn English, you should have a Japanese/English dictionary and
an English/English dictionary. The Japanese/English dictionary can
help you to understand the word quickly, but the English/English
dictionary will give you more accurate usages for that word.
Don't overuse your dictionary. Your dictionary is not an English
teacher. It is very important for you to try to understand words
in context, that is, understand the meaning because of the
situation that you hear or read that word in.
8 - Answers to More than One Use
--------------------------------
Answers from Section 3:
a) cold
b) hot
c) noisy
d) long
e) great
9 - Quiz Answers
----------------
Here are the answers from section 1:
a) truth
b) lay people off
c) made up
d) to a dead end
e) burning up