Right Choice of Words

Communicating may be more than enough for some occasions. Still, you don't want to sound like a fool and have to depend on others' understanding to make a point. By thoroughly selecting the words you use, you won't ever have to go through an awkward situation. Take a look at typical cases below:

If you want to say that everybody knows a restaurant, you may avoid the following:
Look! That is a famous restaurant!
When you are actually trying to say:
Look! That is a popular restaurant.

If you want to say that a woman is an actress, you may avoid the following:
She is a movie artist!
When you are actually trying to say:
She is a movie star!

If you want to say it's difficult for you to comprehend, you may avoid the following:
I'm not understanding!
When you are actually trying to say:
I don't get it!

If you want to say you were on the beach for three days, you may avoid the following:
I passed three days on the beach.
When you are actually trying to say:
I spent three days on the beach.

If you want to say you are experiencing a difficult situation, you may avoid the following:
We are passing a difficult situation.
When you are actually trying to say:
We are going through a difficult situation.

All of the above are classic cases of translation. Sometimes we get so used to it that we forget there are inumerous words with slight differences among them. Next time, goad your mind into finding the most suitable option! if you can't, scan a dictionary definition for the best alternative.
Best wishes,
André

POLL - answer

What's the meaning of "utmost"?
scruffy
scrumptious
greatest
likely

There were 6 votes in this poll and they were divided like this:
0 = scruffy
1 = scrumptious
3 = greatest
2 = likely

Take a look at the explanation below:

Utmost: of the highest degree, amount or intensity; most extreme.

Synonyms: utmost = extreme = maximum = greatest

Examples:
- This matter deserves our utmost concern.
- You have to manage this project with the utmost care.

Best wishes,
André

POLL - answer

What's the meaing of "grisly"?
gruesome
gray-haired
smiley
unkempt

There were 5 votes in this poll and they were divided like this:
4 = gruesome
1 = gray-haired
0 = smiley
0 = unkempt

Take a look at the explanation below:

Grisly: inspiring repugnance; causing horror or dread.

Synonyms: grisly = gruesome = hideous

Examples:
- Those grisly pictures would make even the most experienced cop throw up.

- The grisly aspect of the crime caught all of us by surprise.

Best wishes,
André

TV COMMERCIAL - AIR TRAN

POLL - answer

What's the meaning of "rubberneck(er)"?
pillow
onlooker
old man
corpse

There were 4 votes in this poll and they were divided like this:
1 = pillow
1 = onlooker
1 = old man
1 = corpse

Take a look at the explanation below:

A RUBBERNECK(ER) is an... ONLOOKER
: person who is curious enough to stay somewhere just to see things

Synonyms: rubberneck = onlooker = bystander

Examples:
- The crime scene was surrounded by rubberneckers who wanted to see the bodies of the victims.

- A handful of rubbernecks watched the street performer.

Best wishes,
André

Top 5 Best Selling Vehicles of 2008

This study has been carried out in the US, of course:

1. Ford F-150 = 515,513 units
2. Chevy Silverado = 465,065 units
3. Toyota Camry = 436,617 units
4. Honda Accord = 372,789 units
5. Toyota Corolla = 351,007 units

Some experts are saying that 2008 could be one of the last years where trucks are the best-selling models overall...

Best wishes,
André

VOCABULARY IMPROVEMENT

Vocabulary is the stem of our English fluency along, clearly, with other parts of the language. Still, knowing what you listen to and communicating is crucial.

Practice or learn from the links below:

Bussiness:
http://www.better-english.com/vocabulary/workplaces.htm
http://www.better-english.com/vocabulary/Vocabulary2.htm
http://www.business-english.com/meetings/meetings1/exercise1.html
http://www.business-english.com/meetings/meetings1/exercise4.html

Best wishes,
André

LISTENING PRACTICE - HOMER SIMPSON IN THE VOTING BOOTH

Best wishes,

André

Funny Commercial

THE EFFECT OF BEER ON MEN:

NEWS - Crime

An FBI special agent was shot and killed Wednesday as he and other officials tried to serve a warrant in connection with a "violent drug distribution ring," an FBI official said.

FBI Agent Samuel Hicks was killed Wednesday while trying to serve a warrant in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The agent, Samuel Hicks, was with other members of a multijurisdictional anti-drug task force that included agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration and other agencies in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, said Michael Rodriguez, the special agent in charge of the Pittsburgh office.
Hicks was married and had a 3-year-old son.
"This is the most tragic information you can relay to any spouse, child, parent or colleague," Rodriguez said during a news conference. "He served with honor and bravery and will be greatly missed by his colleagues here in Pittsburgh and throughout the FBI."
Rodriguez said Hicks had been with the FBI since March 2006. Previously he had been an officer with the Baltimore Police Department and a teacher.
Rodriguez did not answer questions at the news conference.
A person at the home, about 10 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, was taken into custody, Rodriguez said.
CNN affiliate WTAE-TV reported that Robert Korbe, owner of the house where the warrant was served, was taken to Allegheny General Hospital. Police and staff members would not say why Korbe was at the hospital.
Shortly after noon, Korbe was taken from the hospital in handcuffs while wearing blue scrubs, WTAE reported.
Korbe was one of 35 people charged in a drug-trafficking indictment unsealed Wednesday, according to WTAE. The indictment accuses the defendants of conspiring to traffic cocaine and crack from October 2007 through September.

Source - cnn.com

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Look up the words you don't know in a dictionary, write their meanings down and think about examples to improve your English!!!

Best wishes,
André

FINANCIAL VOCABULARY

The words below are all related to some kind of payment. Pay close attention to the differences and learn how to properly use them.



CHARGE: amount of money paid for something. It can be used as a noun or verb.
- You don't have to worry about the charges. I got them all covered.
- The phone company charged me $1oo for a thirty-minute local call.

FEE: amount of money paid for a service.
- I will not study at that school because their fees are too high.
- Jack paid a forty-dollar fee to have his contract signed by an official.

RATE: 1. amount of money paid for a room at a hotel. 2. number / percentage indicator.
- How much is the daily rate?
- The rate of unemployed people has decreased in SP.
- SELIC is an interest rate.

TAX: amount of money paid to the government.
- Everybody has to pay taxes.
- Income taxes are deducted from your salary before you get it.

FARE: amount of money paid for transportation.
- I don't know how much a bus fare is in Sorocaba.
- Internet air fares are usually lower than the ones we check at travel agencies.

PRICE: amount of money paid for a product.
- Prices will probably go up next month.
- That store has such high prices.

TOLL: amount of money paid in order to do something, usually a privilege.
- You will have to pay a toll to take this highway.
- There is a toll that must be paid in order to cross the bridge.


Best wishes,
André

Present and Past simple

Practicing is never too much...

Present

http://worldofenglish.com/exe.php?Tenses/Simple/Present/build.tra
http://www.isabelperez.com/pr-simple.htm
http://www.isabelperez.com/pr-simple-neg.htm
http://www.isabelperez.com/q1.htm
http://www.isabelperez.com/q-a-easy.htm
http://www.isabelperez.com/presentne.htm

Past

http://worldofenglish.com/exe.php?Tenses/Simple/Past/forms.mem
http://www.isabelperez.com/happy/tenses/past_simple.htm
http://www.isabelperez.com/exer/pastmix.htm
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simple-past/exercises?04
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simple-past/exercises?02
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simple-past/exercises?05

Best wishes,
André

CONDITIONALS 4

ZERO CONDITONAL = TRUE FACT
.
The construction is:
.
IF + verb (simple preset conjugation) = verb (simple present conjugation)
.
.
If it doesn't rain, plants don't grow.
.
Water boils if you heat it to 100 degrees.
.
Turn the lights off if you want the room to get dark.
.
If I drink coffee, I get a headache.
.
OBS: The conjunction IF can often be substituted by the words WHEN or UNLESS.
.
Take a look at the links below:
.
http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/StudyZone/330/grammar/0cond1.htm
http://www.englishgrammarsecrets.com/type0/exercise1.html
http://www.englishgrammarsecrets.com/type0/exercise2.html
http://www.stclaresenglish.net/langprac/con0ex1.htm
.
Best wishes,
André

CONDITIONALS 3

THIRD CONDITIONAL = UNREAL / IMAGINARY PAST
.
The construction is:
.
IF + verb (past perfect conjugation) =
WOULD/COULD/MIGHT HAVE + past participle verb
.
.
If I'd known you'd bring cookies to the party, I would've brought sth different.
(we both brought cookies)
.
Mary could have injured herself if she hadn't been wearing the seat belt.
(she didn't injure herself)
.
Jack wouldn't have met his friends if he had stayed home.
(he met his friends)
.
If you'd been more careful, you might not have broken the glass.
(you broke the glass)
.
Take a look at this interesting explanation with illustrative examples:
.
http://www.learnenglish.org.uk/gr_movie/s_3_cond/index.htm
.
Take a look at the links below:
.
http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/StudyZone/410/grammar/3cond1.htm
http://www.better-english.com/grammar/con31.htm
http://www.learn4good.com/languages/evrd_grammar/3rdconditional.php3
http://www.mariposa-services.com/pages/e5cond3_match.htm
.
You should remember this kind of conditional indicates sth is IMAGINARY in the past.
.
Best wishes,
André

CONDITIONALS 2

SECOND CONDITONAL = UNREAL / IMAGINARY PRESENT

The contruction is:

IF + verb (past conjugation) = WOULD + infinitive verb
.

.

.

- If I had money, I would buy a new car.
(I don't have money)

.

- John would meet his friends at the bar if he didn't have to work overtime.
(John has to work overtime)

.
- If it was raining, we'd go for a walk in the park.

(It's raining)

.

- I wouldn't go there if I were you.

(I can't stay home)

.

OBS: In imaginary conditionals, WERE is grammatically accepted when the verb to be is conjugated. However, WAS is conversationally accepted in any situation, except in the condition "IF I WERE YOU".

.
Take a look at the links below:

http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/410/grammar/2cond1.htm

http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/410/grammar/2cond2.htm
http://www.better-english.com/grammar/cond2.htm
http://www.better-english.com/grammar/secondconditional1.htm

You should remember this kind of conditional indicates sth is IMAGINARY.

.

Watch the following video to practice listening:

.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOSNTqHHXPA

.

Best wishes,
André

CONDITIONALS 1

Conditionals are usually rated as "hard-to-understand" grammar points.

As a matter of fact, it's quite simple to get the hang of using such sentences.

Conditional sentences are characterized by the use of the conjunction IF. There are three different conditional cases:

1. Future possible condition (First conditional);

2. Imaginary present (Second conditional);

3. Imaginary past (third conditional).

Let's focus on the use of the FIRST CONDITIONAL = FUTURE POSSIBLE SITUATION

The construction is:

IF + verb (present conjugation) = WILL + infinitive verb

- If I have enough money, I will travel to the beach on my next vacation.

- Julia will finish her report if she doesn't get any other calls.

- If it rains, we'll have to stay home.

- Tom won't buy a new car if he doesn'tc sell his old one.

Take a look at the links below:

http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/330/grammar/1cond2.htm

http://www.better-english.com/grammar/firstconditional1.htm

http://www.mariposa-services.com/pages/e3cond1_match.htm

You should remember this kind of conditional indicates sth is POSSIBLE

Best wishes,

André

SAY x TELL

These two verbs confuse nine out of ten students. Still, using them is not that complicated and you'll find a quick and straightforward explanation to master the difference in use below:



SAY: followed by something.
(you can also use SAY STH TO SB, but prefer not to do it)

- She said she had to go to a doctor's appointment.
- I never said I was the only guy responsible for that.
- Bob said bad things about the program.

TELL: followed by someone.

- I have already told you this is not an easy decision to take.
- What did you tell her?
- Pam didn't tell me anything about the weather.

TALK: used to indicate conversation. The structure is TALK TO SB ABOUT STH.

- I talked to my father about the car.

- I don't know what they were talking about.

- Jack didn't talk to me in the morning.

SPEAK: indicates the ability of using a language.

(there are other ways, but prefer the other options)

- I speak three languages.

- I can't hear you! You are speaking too low.

- How long does it take how to speak English?

Click on the links below:

http://www.iei.uiuc.edu/structure/Structure1/saytell.html

http://www.languageproject.co.uk/free_exercises/exercise_page.php?ID=8

Best wishes,

André

MODALS and INDICATORS

I know grammar is boring, but it shouldn't be like that. You don't have to understand it quite well... all you have to do is use it to indicate things. For instance, if you want to indicate action in the past, you know that most verbs will take -ED at the end and a few of them will change. Only that!!! You don't have to learn that changing verbs are called irregular and the others are called regular. You don't need that. What you actually need is reference and indication.

Following that line of thought, check out the list of words that can help you be accurate when trying to communicate:

SHOULD: indicates sth is important / prudent
- You should study English more often.

HAD BETTER: indicates recommendation
- You'd better avoid mentioning those problems in the meeting.

WOULD: consequence that is not real.
- If you lived in Spain, you would learn how to speak Spanish.

COULD: indicates possibility (either in the past or formal)
- You could take some exams to find out if you have a disease or not.

CAN: indicates possibility
- We can find great articles on that site.

MAY: indicates high probability and probability that is under your control.
- We may have to face a serious issue soon.

MIGHT: indicates low probability and probability that is out of your control.
- I think it might rain tonight.

MUST: indicates deduction and obligation (formal).
- Tom must be tired. Look at him!

OUGHT TO: SHOULD (not common)
- We ought to take care of these issues.

SHALL: indicates "let's". It is only used with WE and I. (formal and obsolete)
- Shall we begin the meeting?

TO BE SUPPOSED TO: indicates expectation.
- I am supposed to meet my friends at the mall. (I may or may not go)

HAVE TO: indicates obligation.
- They have to finish the project until Monday.

HAVE GOT TO: indicates necessity or obligation.
- I've got to go now.

NEED TO: indicates necessity.
- I need to buy food at the supermarket.

NOT TO BE SUPPOSED TO: indicates prohibition.
- You are not supposed to eat red meat! You heard the doctor!

TO BE LIKELY TO: indicates tendency.
- We are likely to accept their offer.

USED TO: indicates sth was common in the past, but not anymore.
- I used to have more free time.

TO BE USED TO: indicates sb is accustomed to sth.
- Larry is used to arriving at work late.

ATTENTION:

Present / Future
- You should learn another language.
Past
- You should have learned another language. (now it is too late to learn another language)

Click on the links below to master the use of the "indicators" shown above:
http://www.englishpage.com/modals/interactivemodal1.htm
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/auxiliary-verbs/exercises
http://www.learnenglishfeelgood.com/lefg1_mixedmodals2.html
http://www.learnenglishfeelgood.com/lefg3_mightnotcouldnot.html
http://www.englishpage.com/modals/interactivemodal5.htm
http://www.englishpage.com/modals/interactivemodal8.htm
http://www.englishgrammarsecrets.com/usedto/exercise4.html


Best wishes,
André

LOVE VOCABULARY

LOVE is undoubtedly one of the best subjects to talk about when you feel it. People can say it's a gay thing for men to come up with, people can say it's not supposed to be talked about, people can say it's something beyond words. I prefer to call it one of our greatest gifts.

LOVE can be expressed in different ways: You can show love for your family, your friends, your job or even your country. It's hard to define such a feeling. You just know it's there!!!
.


Pay attention to the way you can use words to describe a relationship between two people:

I'm seeing someone.
(going out with someone, without a strong bond)
I'm dating someone.
(in a relationship)
That woman and I are going steady.
(continuously going out)
I was just flirting with her.
(trying to go out)
We just had a fling for a couple of months.
(brief sexual or romantic relationship)
I found out my wife was having an affair.
(a secretive or illicit relationship)
She knew her husband was cheating on her.
(going out with someone else behind her back)
That guy was hitting on me.
(flirting)
We just had a one-night stand.
(slept together for one night)
She dumped me out of the blue.
(rudely stopped dating)
She's crying because her boyfriend broke up with her.
(ended a realtionship)

Check out the following link and try to distinguish some terms:
http://www.learnenglishfeelgood.com/vocabulary/lefg2_vocabulary15.html

Take a look at the possible ways of expressing love again:

I like you.
(not so strong, but conveyance that there are good feelings involved)
I care for you.
(indicates somebody's happiness and health mean a lot)
I fancy you.
(there is an attraction and strong feeling involved)
I adore you.
(stronger than like)
I cherish you.
(there is affection and tenderness involved)
I am really fond of you.
(strong affection)
I am keen on you.
(indicates there is interest and desire)
I am head over heels in love with you.
(indicates deep love)
I fell in love with you.
(indicates change from like to love)
I am deeply in love with you.
(strong feelings)
I have a crush on you.
(strong but usually temporary attraction)
It was love at first sight!
(there was a strong connection before someone even said anything)
I am crazy for you.
(too much love, extreme)
I can't live without you.
(too much love, extreme)

Best wishes,
André

ADDITIONAL LISTENING EXERCISES

Take a look at the following links:

City tips:
http://www.elllo.org/english/Games/G036-CityTips.html

Action:
http://www.elllo.org/english/Games/G030-WhatTalk.html

Favors:
http://www.elllo.org/english/Games/G028-Favor.html

Money:
http://www.elllo.org/english/Games/G020-Money.html

Best wishes,
André