8. Useful tips on problem areas
"Will" versus "Going to..."
Will is used when we would like to do something in the future but have not made any
definite plans yet.
I will visit France on my holiday this year...but I haven't booked a hotel.
‘Will’ is also used to ask for things or talk about things at the moment when we decide to
do so.
It is hot today. Will you open the window, please?
‘Going to’ is used when we have arranged plans.
I am going to visit France on the 5th of May! I am going to stay at the Hotel de Paris, I
have booked the room!
English Language Idioms
"Get back to me on that!"
We often use the phrase "get back to someone" when we want to say "answer later
with the requested information"
Some English Examples:
Example 1
Speaker A: Do you know the specifications of the newly designed turbine?
Speaker B: Not at the moment. I'll get back to you on that by Monday, if that
will be alright for you.
Example 2
(In an email to Orlando to someone you know) I need to know if we can start
on the work order, so can you make sure that Mr Jones gets back to me with
the "OK" as soon as possible? Thanks!
English Language Idioms (Getting the preposition right)
"by my own????"
This is a typical mistake by many learners of English.
If you want to say that you will do something, yourself, without help from others, you
can say:
on my own
by myself
They have the same meaning, but on my own tends to be slightly more "formal" or
"polite."
Some English Examples:
I had to do the entire project on my own; everyone else was working on other
projects, so they couldn't help me.
Because Joseph has been trained in writing English emails, he was able to
correspond with Orlando by himself (without help), and the problem was
quickly solved.
Be Careful!
"I have a date with my boss" (oops...!)
Date usually is romantic in nature (don't confuse this with "date" as in the date of 2
February 2003).
It is better to say:
I have a meeting with my boss.
OR
I have an appointment with my boss.
English Idioms
What does the speaker mean in the following example:
‘I’ve prepared my CV, it was really good. I left it behind - I didn’t get the job.’
To leave something behind means to "not bring it with you, either intentionally or
unintentionally."
Some examples:
I couldn't get on the plane to America because I left my passport behind.
(Preparing for a meeting) You can leave your laptop computers behind
because we have already have some arranged for you to use during the
meeting.
Common English Abbreviations
What does "CV" mean? It means: Curriculum Vitae
This is a list of qualifications, previous employment, and any other information
(special honours, professional organisations you are a member of, etc) that should
accompany (etwas begleiten) your cover letter when applying for a new a new
position in a new company or often even in the same company.
Practical Grammar - The basics!
NOUNS, VERBS, ADJECTIVES and ADVERBS
In a recent press release, the following sentence appeared, which we have modified
into a language exercise for you. Should the writer say "new" or "newly?"
With the very newly/new installed Teleperm XP instrumentation and control (I&C)
equipment, the plant can now be operated simply by pressing one "button".
The answer is "newly" because ADVERBS in English usually end in "-ly". Please
review the table provided below to see more about what a NOUN, ADJECTIVE,
VERB or ADVERB does.
ADJECTIVES “modify/describe“ NOUNS
ADVERBS “modify/describe“ ADJECTIVES, VERBS and other ADVERBS
See this example from the sentence below and pay attention to the the word-order.
very
newly
installed
equipment
adverb
adverb
adjective
noun
ADJECTIVES answer the question, "What kind of...?" What kind of apple? A
GREEN apple.
ADVERBS in English often take "ly" at the end, such as in happily, exactly and
quickly.
(Remember - ADVERBS answer the question, "How...?" How green is the apple?
A VERY green apple. How do we work? We work QUICKLY.)
Naturally, there are exceptions, such as "friendly" which is an ADJECTIVE
Some examples (of "ly" ADVERBS):
We will gladly give you the information you requested by next Monday.
Siemens has been working diligently to get more business in other markets
than the A-market.
Often, at the end of chidren's stories, you see the following phrase:
"...and they lived happily ever after."
Dealing with other cultures in business.
Business Cards & The Japanese
Be careful when you give a business card to a Japansese business partner or
customer. In Western cultures, business cards are normally passed out rather
quickly and without concern to "form," but the Japanese have a "set" way of
handing business cards (called "meishi" in Japanese) to one another:
•
•
•
Face the person to whom you are handing your business card
The Japanese will often use both hands when giving or receiving a
business card
Look at the card, don't just stick it directly in your pocket
These simple rules will make your Japanese partners very pleased. They are
likely taught to expect that Westerners will not have the same "meishi" culture,
but naturally, you can always make your business relations smoother and
better by trying in small ways to "honour" your partner's business culture.
Be Careful!
Please give me a break!
A Chinese man began working in America some years ago. He had made
friends with a female colleague who liked to write emails back and forth.
One day, he was very busy, and wanted to tell his colleague that he did not
have the time to write friendly emails at that moment.
What he wanted to write was
• I'm in the middle of something right now. I'll write you later on.
or if he wanted to be even nicer,
• I'm really sorry, Mary, but I'm caught in the middle of an important
project. Is it alright if I write you back later on?
However, what the Chinese man very innocently wrote was Please give me
a break, which has the basic meaing of "Leave me the hell alone you crazy
woman!" ...not what he wanted to write!
Why did he make this mistake? Because we often say in English, I'm
taking a break when we want to smoke a cigarette or have a coffee, or Let's
take a break when we want to take a pause from a meeting. But "Give me a
break" is an idiom in English, which means "leave me alone" or "you are
talking crazy".
Culture Note
Driving tips in the US
Although the driving rules in America are very similar to continental Europe,
there are some distinct differences that I thought may be useful to anyone
travelling to the US on business.
Here are a couple driving tips you should know about:
•
Parking - In my opinion, parking rules are generally stricter in America than
in China. For example, you must never park on the sidewalk (pavement) in
the US. Any place where you cannot park is generally painted red, but you
should also be cautious if you see it painted yellow. So be careful where
you park your car; otherwise, it may be towed away by a tow truck.
•
Finding your way - All signs which tell you which direction you are going
(such as, which town or city is next) on the highway (motorway) or major
roads are green (for comparison, in Europe, they are blue). Distance
between towns is nearly always given in miles.
•
Right turn on red light - In the US, it is normally acceptable to turn right at
a red light unless otherwise indicated. That means that after you stop at
the red light, and you notice that no cars are coming from the left, you are
allowed to turn right if it is safe to do so (you do not need to wait for a
green light).
•
4-way intersections (all with a STOP SIGN) - Generally,the driver who
arrives first at the intersection has "the right-of-way" (can go first). If you
arrive at the same time, the driver "on the right" has the right-of-way, but
look for people to "motion you" to go ahead with their hand, which is a
common way of people to decide who can go first.
•
Don't park in front of a fire hydrant - There are often fire hydrants on the
sides and corners of streets in America. Be careful NOT to park within
aproximately 5 metres of a hydrant to avoid having your car towed.
Culture Note
Beginning and Ending Emails - No kind regards???
I have recently been asked this question:
"My American colleague did not say "sincerely" or "kind regards" at the end of
his email. Is he angry with me?"
The answer is probably NO. It is common in US business email
communications not to end with "Sincerely" or "Regards." It does not mean
they are angry or unhappy.
Colloquial (Everyday Spoken) English
That would be tricky.
You may very often hear your American and British colleagues say the word tricky.
What does it mean?
Tricky in English means "difficult" or "confusing".
Some examples:
Finding our house is very tricky. It might be better if I show you on a map.
Translating words between Chinese and English is often tricky because there
may not be a direct translation.
New and useful words
Keep it confidential!
It seems to be the case that in business these days, people worry about the issue of
confidentiality not so much because of the "trust" issue, but because people are
worried about getting in trouble or being sued. Let's all try to remember that we keep
things confidential not to protect OURSELVES, but to protect OTHERS.
Some examples:
This information was given to us in confidence, so we must keep it confidential.
If this confidential document is shown to the wrong people, it will make big
problems for our supplier, so please "keep it under your hat" (keep it secret).
Commercial Terms
What's the difference between supplier and vendor?
Supplier and vendor (also known as "seller" in English) may often be used
interchangably in the same document.
An English email example:
Dear Ms Harvey
We are having problems with one of our suppliers. He should have supplied
the components (parts) to the site last week, but they still have not arrived.
Because you know this vendor very well and have worked with him many
times, would you be so kind as to contact him to explain the urgency of this
matter.
Thank you very much for any assistance you can provide. If you have any
other question about our agreement with this supplier, please do not hesitate
to ring me or write.
Very kind regards
Martin Frank
Professional Langauage
Caller: Can I talk to July?
Receiver of the call: No, I'm sorry, she's on the toilet!
Naturally, none of you are foolish enough to say this, but what do you say instead?
Here are a few things you can say when your colleagues cannot come to the phone,
or they are not in the office.
Out sick I'm afraid he's out of the office at the moment due to illness. / I'm afraid
he's "under the weather"
On business I'm afraid she's away on business at the moment. She'll be back on
(Monday). (Can I take a message?)
Yes, sometimes we do need to use the toilet I'm afraid he's unavailable at the
moment. Can I have him call you back in a little while, or would you prefer to leave a
message?
Extra Tip:
People from the US often avoid (try not to use) the word "toilet." They will normally
say "restroom".
_____________________________________________________________________
Joke of the Day
There was an engineer who had a great gift for fixing all mechanical things. After
serving his company loyally for over 30 years, he happily retired.
Several years later, his company contacted him regarding a seemingly impossible
problem they were having with one of their multi-million dollar machines. They had tried
everything and everyone else to get the machine fixed, but without success.
The engineer decided to take the challenge. He spent a day studying the huge machine.
At the end of the day, he marked a small X in chalk on a particular component of the
machine and proudly stated, 'This is where your problem is!'
The part was replaced and the machine worked perfectly again. The company received
a bill for $50,000 from the engineer for his services.
The company demanded an itemized accounting of his charges.
The engineer responded briefly:
One chalk mark ..... ..... ..... ..... .. $1
Knowing where to put it ..... $49,999.
___________________________________________________________
As it rains so much in Macau, let’s look at some different types of rain.
Drizzle means to rain lightly
Shower is a short period of rain and can be heavy or light
Hail is frozen rain falling as little balls of ice
Sleet is snow or hail mixed with rain
You don’t need a raincoat, it’s only drizzling.
The weather forecast is cloudy with an occasional shower.
It hailed heavily and damaged my car.
It’s so cold that the rain has turned to sleet.
Some expressions for very heavy rain.
It’s raining cats and dogs.
It’s pouring down.
It’s bucketing it down.
___________________________________________________________
What’s the difference in meaning between these two sentences?
a) He arrived on time.
On time = punctual, the planned time.
The 07.45 train left on time. (it left at 07.45)
The opposite of on time is late.
b) He arrived in time.
The 07.45 train left at 07.55. It was late.
In time (for something/to do something) = soon enough
I arrived home in time to see the match on TV. (soon enough to see the match)
The opposite of in time is too late.
I arrived home after the match had finished. I was too late to see it.
___________________________________________________________
At the end / In the end
At the end (of something) = at the time when something ends.
I’m going on holiday at the end of August.
The opposite of at the end is at the beginning.
My holiday finishes at the beginning of September.
In the end = finally. To describe the final result of a situation.
I waited one hour for a tram. In the end, I walked.
The opposite of in the end is at first.
At first, we planned to go to the cinema but in the end, we went to the pub.
___________________________________________________________
So / Such
We can use so and such to give emphasis or make a statement stronger.
We use so + adjective/adverb.
England is a great place for a holiday. The weather is so good.
I am so hungry. Can we please get something to eat?
They returned the estimate within 24 hours. They are so efficient.
We use such + noun.
Using that hotel for the user workshop was such a great decision.
The last meeting was such a waste of time.
We drove 10 hours. It was such a long trip.
___________________________________________________________
Red Nose Day
Red Nose Day is organised by Comic Relief every two years. It is the biggest TV
fundraising event in the UK and ends with a night of extraordinary comedy and
documentary films.
On Red Nose Day, everyone in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is
encouraged to cast inhibitions aside, put on a red nose, and do something a little bit silly
to raise money - celebrities included.
This international fund helps children and young people access the basic things they
need, like education, and helps tackle some of the injustices they face, such as childslavery.
The fund helps teach young people about AIDS/HIV, helps those living and working on
the streets and re-unites those separated from their parents by war.
http://www.rednoseday.com/
___________________________________________________________
Telephoning
Getting Through
Good morning / Good afternoon / Hello
My name is Karl Monkey. I’m calling from Jungle AG.
This is Karl Monkey of Jungle AG.
I’d like to speak to Joe Gorilla please.
Could you put me through to Joe Gorilla please?
He’s not available at the moment.
Could you give him a message, please?
Do you know when he is likely to be available?
His line is busy.
I’ll hold.
Could you ask him to call me back when he’s free please?
Small Talk
How are you today?
How are things?
How’s the weather?
Reason For Your Call
I’m calling about the bananas we ordered.
I’m phoning regarding your tree problem.
Finishing The Call
Thanks for your help.
I’ll speak to you soon.
I’ll call you back when I have more information.
Give me a call when you have more bananas.
Thank you, goodbye.
___________________________________________________________
Plural Nouns
We often use a plural noun for something that has two parts.
These words are plural and require a plural verb.
My glasses are broken. (not is broken)
Those trousers are ugly.
Other words in this group are:
· pyjamas
· binoculars
· scissors
·
handcuffs
__________________________________________________________
Singular Nouns
Some nouns end in -ics but are not usually plural.
They require a singular verb.
Examples:
athletics, physics, economics, mathematics (maths), electronics, robotics, politics
Athletics is very popular in China.
Physics was my worst subject at school.
Robotics is the science of designing and operating robots.
___________________________________________________________
Place / Space
Incorrect
The room is too small there is not enough place for my things.
Correct
The room is too small there is not enough space for my things.
Why?
Place is used to talk about a particular area, position, building etc.
Example:
Manchester is a very nice place.
This is the place where I found the money.
When we want to talk about an available area, we use either space or room.
Example:
My flat is very small. There isn’t room for a piano.
He already has three monitors on his desk; there isn’t space for another one.
___________________________________________________________
Word Order
There are some very simple (yes, that’s right simple) rules for English word order.
•
The verb and the object of the verb usually go together.
Examples:
He speaks
English
very well.
Not- He speaks very well English.
Did you prepare
English people eat
•
the slides
for the presentation?
peppermint sauce every day.
For sentences with time and place, time follows place.
Examples:
They went to Italy last year.
He leaves home at seven o’clock.
They stayed there for one week.
___________________________________________________________
Time Markers
There are many different time markers in English.
We can use these markers to talk about different time periods.
Below are some examples:
Today is Thursday the 27th of March.
Yesterday was Wednesday the 26th of March.
Tomorrow is Friday the 28th of March.
Tuesday the 25th of March was the day before yesterday.
Saturday the 29th of March is the day after tomorrow.
It is also possible to use markers to talk about time periods further in the future or
the past.
Monday the 7th of April is a week on Monday or a week from Monday.
Wednesday the 17th of April was a week last Wednesday or a week ago Wednesday.
___________________________________________________________
Eating Out
You may often find that when you are eating out you would like to pay for your guests.
In English, “inviting somebody” does not always mean that you are paying. It could be
understood as just an invitation to accompany somebody.
If you want to pay (which we are sure you do) you can say:
I’d like to take you out for dinner. (before you go)
Let me get this. (when the check / bill comes at the end)
Allow me. (when the check / bill comes at the end)
This is my treat. (when the check / bill comes at the end)
This is on me. (when the check / bill comes at the end)
It is also common to leave the table and pay the waiter/waitress in private.
When someone offers to pay for our dinner, we often play a little game. We say no at
first to be polite but then we accept and say thank you.
For example:
'Let me get this.'
'Oh, that's not necessary.'
'Please, this is my treat.'
'Well, thank you. That is very kind of you.'
Another example:
'The meal is on me.'
'No, you don't have to do that.'
'It's okay. I want to do it.'
'Thank you very much. I'll take you out next time.'
______________________________
Introductions and the Story of Tarzan and Jane
Tarzan has seen a beautiful woman in the jungle. He falls in love at first sight, but he's
not sure how to make the first contact.
He practises to himself while swinging through the trees:
"How do you do. My name is Tarzan and I believe you are known as Jane." (very
formal)
Or
"Allow me to introduce myself... I am Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle... And you?"
(formal)
Or
"You must be Jane... I am Tarzan. It's a pleasure to meet you." (formal)
Suddenly, Jane appears out of the trees. Tarzan screams in a panic:
"Me Tarzan! You Jane!" ... (oh)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Introductions Continued
"I am coming from Essen." > I come from Shanghai (Tip 1 – always use present
simple to describe a fact)
“I am working here since 1975.” > I have worked here since 1975 OR I’ve been
working here since 1975
(Tip 2 – always use since with present perfect tenses)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Here are three idioms that are commonly used in British English to talk about work:
to nose-dive: to fall sharply
The state of the world economy has caused shares to nose-dive
on the grapevine: office gossip or communication through colleagues (not directly from
the person involved)
They heard on the grapevine that he was thinking of leaving.
teething problems: problems that occur at the start of a project, for example, in the
design phase.
Despite teething problems in the first few months, the new system has proved to be a
great success.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Here is a summary of the previous tips in an introductory conversation
A: You must be Jane ... I am Tarzan. It's a pleasure to meet you.
B: The pleasure is all mine. I come from around here but I haven't seen you before where are you from?
A: I come from the North of Scotland and I've been working here for about three
weeks.
I heard on the grapevine that you are interested in films. Would you like to watch
one with me sometime?
B: Sure!...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Here are some more web-sites that you may find interesting.
Grammar:
www.dailygrammar.com/archive.html
most difficult grammar points)
(includes a list of lessons on the easiest and
Vocabulary:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/news/words/general/word2001.sht
ml (you can read and/or listen to a story and follow the vocabulary guide)
Listening:
www.esl-lab.com (it is a great website if you have facilities at home)
Reading:
http://www.bookbrowse.com (you can choose from a variety of books, and read an
extract from the book so that you know the level of English!)
Writing:
http://webnz.com/checkers/proof2.html (this site gives advice on how to proof-read
your writing)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Here are some easily confused words. Can you match them to the definitions ?
Check in your dictionary if you’re not sure.
Personal (adj)
Personnel (noun)
•
•
an opinion, quality or thing that belongs or relates to a particular person
the people who work for an organisation
Affect (verb)
Effect (noun)
•
•
a change, reaction or impression that is caused by something or is the result of
something
when one thing influences or causes change to another
Council (noun)
Counsel (noun)
•
•
a group of people elected to run a town or other area (yesterday's meeting was
held by the Worker's Council/Counsel)
careful advice
Correspondents (noun)
Correspondence (noun)
•
•
the act of writing or receiving letters, etc.
those people with whom you exchange letters, etc.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SAY AND TELL
Correct these sentences if necessary:
1. Please don't say anything about this. I'd prefer to say him myself.
2. We can say you a definite answer by Wednesday at the latest.
3. I said to him that this wouldn't work, but he didn't believe me. He told me to stop
being so pessimistic.
4. I told many things, but never mentioned that one.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------All languages are made up of word partnerships - words that are often used or
seen together. Here are some verb-noun partnerships below:
give
+
a presentation
presentation tomorrow")
have
+
minutes")
a meeting
("He is really nervous about giving the
("Sorry I can't come, I have a meeting in five
conduct + negotiations ("Negotiations were conducted over a five month
period" (formal))
write
+
meet
+
deadline")
an email
("I'll write you an email to confirm this")
a deadline
("We have only five days left to meet this
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------There are no "problems" in English
English speakers often like to avoid the word "problem" in their communications.
So.... what can you say then?
•
•
•
•
There is an issue to address at the site.
There are some concerns regarding how the work is proceeding.
We need to take a look at what we can do to solve this issue.
This is an important matter that must be addressed by the end of next
week.
(Slightly more advanced) We are currently seeking a definitive solution so that this
issue does not re-occur.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------There are no "problems" in English (PART 2)
You walk into a room, and see your colleague is looking very sad. Because you are
naturally a kind and caring person and know him or her rather well, you ask:
What is your problem?
You've just given your sad colleague an even WORSE day - why?
In English, "what's your problem" is something you say to somebody who is acting
very badly, such as a person who is screaming and yelling, or somebody who is very
negative.
An example:
You hand your colleague a document. She or he throws it immediately into the waste
bin with a glare (angry look) on his or her face. You very rightly ask "What's your
problem?"
However, in our original example with the "sad colleague", you can say "what's THE
problem", but much better and more common is to ask:
What's the matter?
This is a "caring (very kind) question" that your English colleague (or friend) will probably
be happy you asked, even if they may not want to talk about it at that moment.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Developing Arguments in Written and Spoken English
Adding a Point
Furthermore, moreover, in addition, besides this
Contrast
nevertheless, however, despite this
Highlight
in particular, especially, chiefly, mainly
Cause
therefore, as a result, hence accordingly
The use of these words in writing or speaking help to structure your message.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Making an appointment
Here are some phrases used to make an appointment:
I wondered if I could meet you concerning ... (formal)
Would you like to come and see me about this issue?
I would like to meet you.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Idioms with Run
A business runs at a profit ( makes money ) or runs at a loss ( loses money ). A small
business can run on a shoestring (operates on very little money ).
A person can run across someone. ( unplanned meeting )
A person can run after someone. ( to pay a lot of attention to someone )
A trainer can run out of time! ( to end or terminate something )
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------First Conditional - possible action and future result
Once upon a time a man was crossing a road when a frog called out to him and
said, " If you kiss me, I will turn into a beautiful princess."
He smiled, picked up the frog, and put it in his pocket.
The frog spoke again and said, " If you kiss me and turn me back into a beautiful
princess, I will be your loving companion for one entire week."
He took the frog out of his pocket, smiled again, and returned it to his pocket.
The frog cried out, " If you kiss me and turn me back into a beautiful princess, I
will stay with you for one entire year and do anything you say!"
Again, he took the frog out of his pocket, looked at it, smiled, and returned it to his
pocket.
Finally the frog asked, " What is the problem? I have told you that I am a beautiful
princess, that I will stay with you for a year and do anything you want. Why won't
you kiss me?"
The man said, " Look, I am a teacher. I don't have time for a girlfriend, but a talking
frog is cool."
Conditionals - a quick review
1). If I win the lottery, I am rich. This is a true or factual statement. This is especially
good for writing results of investigations or examinations. For example, If the generator
rotates counter-clockwise and the shaft rotates clockwise, one or both components
breaks!
2). If I win the lottery, I will be rich. This is the result of an action. This is useful
when explaining or presenting results. If a Mazda engine is included in a Toyota
designed car, it won't fit!
3). If I won the lottery, I would be rich. This is an idea and the possible results. This
can be used to explain potential ideas with possible results. If I took apart the component
(to see how it works), would I be able to put it back together correctly?
4). If I had won the lottery, I would have been rich. This is a failure on my part to
buy a lottery ticket and the (im)possible result! This can be used to look at things
done in the past. If I had known that it was impossible to put it back together, I would not
have taken it apart in the first place!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Hardest Conditional to Use - What Might Have Been If....
At a computer exhibition, Bill Gates reportedly compared the computer industry with the
car industry and stated, "If GM had kept up with technology like the computer industry
has, we would all be driving twenty-five dollar cars with 1000 miles to the gallon!"
General Motors responded to this comment by releasing the statement, "Yes, but would
you want your cars to crash twice a day?"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Which or That
Here is a brief overview of when to use "which" or "that"?
1. Both which and that are used for things.
There is a problem which we need to solve. There is a problem that we need to solve.
So this is easy, yes?
NOW....for the tricky bit!
2. That is usually used with words like all, everything, nothing, the only, ...and
superlatives.
I told you everything that I know about the problem! That is the best I can do!
3. That is also used instead of which, and instead of who in an informal style!
There is a problem that we need to solve.
I know some people that could help us with this problem.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Can and Will Be Able To
We use can if we are in the process of deciding what to do in the future.
I can meet you tomorrow morning for an hour.
When we are not sure about our future plan, we use will be able to.
One day, we will be able to work from home and have netmeetings!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Who and Whom
We use Who as both subject and object of a sentence.
Whom is unusual, especially in questions, but we can use whom in formal language.
Who do you want to see? (informal)
Whom do you want to see? (formal)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------On Time or In Time
I try to send the homework on time....but lately, I am managing to send it just in time!
‘On time’ means that I send it in an organized manner (I meet a deadline )
On time = punctual, the planned time.
The 07.45 train left on time. (it left at 07.45)
The opposite of on time is late.
The 07.45 train left at 07.55. It was late.
In time means I send it before the next class ( I meet a deadline but at the last minute )
In time (for something/to do something) = soon enough
I arrived home in time to see the match on TV. (soon enough to see the match)
The opposite of in time is too late.
I arrived home after the match had finished. I was too late to see it.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Telling the time
There are two common ways of saying the time
8.05 eight (oh) five or five past eight
8.15 eight fifteen or a quarter past eight
8.25 eight twenty-five or twenty-five past eight
8.30 eight thirty or half past eight
8.45 eight forty-five or a quarter to nine
8.50 eight fifty or ten to nine
9.00 nine o’clock
Many British people prefer to say minutes past/to between the five minute divisions:
e.g. seven minutes past eight, three minutes to nine.
o’clock is only used at the hour:
Call me at eight (o’clock).
Call me at ten past eight.
In American English after is often used instead of past, e.g. ten after six.
Also of, before, till are possible instead of to: e.g. twenty five of three.
Talking about time
Using at
We usually leave out at before what time.
What time does Kim’s train arrive ?
at can also be omitted before about
I’ll see you (at) about 3 o’clock
In an informal style we can also omit on before what/which
What day is your job interview ?
Which day do you have your English class ?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------to become and to get
Think of a caterpillar and a butterfly.
The Mama and Papa butterflies created a plain and ugly caterpillar.
Feeling a bit depressed, they decided to have a holiday in a beautiful warm climate and
never came back.
The caterpillar didn't really notice because it was too busy eating and sleeping.
One day a miracle happened and this plain and ugly caterpillar (changed into) became a
beautiful butterfly.
Wow! It flew and found another butterfly.
They decided to have a picnic but they had to get some things to take on the picnic first.
They got some flower pollen, they got a rose petal to sit on, and they went on a picnic.
This is an interactive story.....you can create your own ending!!
So that is the difference between BECOME and Get.
To become means to change into something...
To get means to take something from somewhere else...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------