[Tip] ago

* Use "ago" after a number when speaking about days, weeks, months, years.

NOTE: "ago" is not used with people's ages. You can't say "I'm 30 years ago".


Examples

I met her at the movies two weeks ago.
They were here waiting for you just an hour ago.

Quiz - Country - Nationality - Language: http://a4esl.org/q/h/9801/cg-nationalities.html

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Common Mistakes in English - Choose & Choice

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[Idiom] Drive someone up the wall

To make someone very angry, very bored, very annoyed, or very irritated. e.g. " I can't stand his lame stories. They drive me up the wall"

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Non-creative writing

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[Tip] Using commas

Use commas to set off nonessential expressions--words, phrases, and clauses that are not necessary for the meaning or structure of the sentence.

You can tell whether an expression is nonessential by trying to omit it. If the sentence makes sense and is structurally correct, the expression is nonessential and should be set off by commas.

Examples

*Nonessential: Let´s talk to Bob, who has experience in this area.

*Essential: Let´s talk to someone who has experience in this area.


More detailed tips: http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/commas.htm


Quiz -Using Commas Quiz : http://www.softschools.com/quizzes/grammar/using_commas/quiz1004.html

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Much / Many / A lot

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[Idiom] In the same boat

In the same unpleasant or difficult situation, or having the same problem.

e.g. "When the company went out of business, all the workers found themselves in the
same boat."

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[Tip] during/ while/ for

*Use 'for' with a period of time to express the duration or 'how long' something has happened.

*Use "during" with a noun.

*Use "while" with a verb clause.

Examples:

I've known them for five years.
I heard someone calling you name outside during the class.
He was talking on the phone while he was driving.

Quiz of the Day - Preposition Use - for / while / during: http://esl.about.com/library/quiz/blgrquiz_prep4.htm

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Advanced Business English Vocabulary: Accounting Vocab

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Warning

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[Tip] Did

(1) * Use "did" to ask questions about the past. " ( "WH" word ) did + Subject + verb (base form)".

*** " WH" words are: when, where, why, what....

(2)* When you don't know the subject of the verb, ask the question directly with the verb in the past form without using "did".
" Who/ What + the verb ( in the past )".
Examples:
(1)

Where did you go yesterday?
When did she go?
Did you have time to go to the party?
(2)

Who took my book?
What happened?



Quiz - past simple: did questions: http://www.oup.com/elt/global/products/inenglish/starter/a_grammar/ine_starter_grammar15/

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Causative

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[Idiom] Skating on thin ice

You are taking a big risk by doing or saying something that could get you into trouble.

e.g. "You are skating on thin ice with that attitude"

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[Tip] " As" vs. "Like"

*Use " like " before a noun (or a pronoun or a noun phrase). "Like" means "same form, appearance, kind, character"

* Use " as " and "as if" before a clause. "As" means "in the manner"

Examples: She looks like her mother. He acts as if he owns the place. You don't know them as I do.

Quiz - As or Like: http://www.usingenglish.com/quizzes/257.html

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The British accent vs. The American

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"It's" vs. "Its"

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[Tip] "Famous" vs. " Popular"

*Use " Famous" when you want to say that someone or something is KNOWN by many people.

* Use "Popular" when you want to say that someone or something is LOVED by many people.


Examples

Hitler is a famous dictator.
Brad Pitt is a very popular actor.


Quiz - Everyday Expressions - Advanced Level Quiz: http://esl.about.com/od/advancedvocabulary/a/eveyrday_exp.htm

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A FEW, A LITTLE, FEW, LITTLE

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[Idiom] "lay/put your cards on the table"

To tell someone honestly what you're thinking or what you are planning to do.

e.g. "Let's put our cards on the table: your whining all the time is starting to annoy me"

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[Tip] So, Very, or Too

* Use "very" when you want to intensify an adjective.
* Use "so" when you want to show a cause and effect.
* Use " too" when you want to express excess. ( always have an negative feeling )

Examples:

I was very tired when I arrived home.
The joke was so good that I couldn't stop laughing.
She was too late. She missed the whole class.

Quiz - So, Too & Very: http://www.usingenglish.com/quizzes/80.html

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Sentences

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[Idiom] "face the music"

To accept criticism, punishment, unpleasant results, or responsibility for something you have done.

e.g. "You damaged her china cups, now you have to face the music."

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The joy of teaching!!!

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[Tip] "Than"

* For comparisons between two objects use the comparative form followed by "than".

* If the second object is already known, you can just use the comparative form without "than".

Examples:

A: Did you see that dress? It's better than the one you showed me last week.
B: Yes, I agree, but this one is more expensive.


See more here: http://www.eflnet.com/tutorials/adjcompsup.php


Quiz- Comparatives and Superlatives : http://www.usingenglish.com/quizzes/45.html

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English Vocabulary

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[Idiom] "Fall from grace"

To do something bad or wrong which makes lose your reputation or rank.

e.g. "When a worker falls from grace, she/he can find it very difficult to get a job in another company."

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Did You Know??

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[Idiom] "keep someone posted"

To keep someone informed of what is happening; to keep him/her up to date.

e.g. "Keep me posted about the patient's status"

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Excellence in management

uuuu

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[Tip] "who" vs "whom"

* Use "who" as an interrogative pronoun and in place of the subject of a question. It can also be used in statements, in place of the subject of a clause.

* Also use "whom" as an interrogative pronoun, but it is used in place of the object of a question. Therefore, "whom" can be used in statements, in place of the object of a clause.

Examples

( 1 )

Who are you?

Is this who told you?

Jack is the one who wants to go.

Anyone who knows the truth should tell us.


( 2 )

Whom is this story about?

With whom are you going?

This is the man whom I told you about.

John is the man whom you met at dinner last week.


Quiz - "Who" vs "whom" :http://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/story.php?title=who-vs-whom_2

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Present Perfect Simple & Continuous

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[Idiom] Keep your shirt on!

You use this idiom when you want to tell someone to calm down.
e.g. "Keep your shirt on, buddy! It was just a joke."

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[Tip] "who's" vs "whose"

* Use "Who's" as a contraction of "who is" or, less commonly, "who has".

* Use " whose" as the possessive of "who" or, somewhat controversially, "which".


Examples

( 1 )

Who's watching TV?

Do you know who's going to speak?

Who's ready to go?

Who's in the kitchen?

Who's this?

Who's already eaten?


( 2 )

Whose book is this?

Do you know whose car this is?

I know a woman whose kids study there.

Whose side are you on?

An idea whose time has come.


Quiz: Who's vs Whose: http://www.funtrivia.com/playquiz/quiz30605383f20.html

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Comparative Adjectives

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[Idiom] "For crying out loud"

An exclamation of irritation, anger, or exasperation.
e.g. "For crying out loud! Do you have to be so rude to everyone!!"

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April

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[Tip] "That", "Which", or "who"

* " Who" refers to people. "That," however, would not be incorrect in some sentence.

*"Which" & "that" refer to groups or things. Use "That" to introduce an essential clause, and use "which" to introduce a nonessential clauses, but if "this", "that", "these", or "those" has already introduced an essential clause, you may use "which" to introduce the next clause, whether it is essential or nonessential.
Examples:

I don't see the guy that you said he was coming to meet us. ( Readers can't know which guy until they finish reading what comes after "that")

I'm reading the book, " 1984", which you recommended to me. ( Readers already know which book I'm talking about before reading what comes after "which" )

Those are the shoes which you've been looking for.
That's the movie which I was talking about
Notes :

*Essential clauses do not have commas surrounding them while nonessential clauses are surrounded by commas.
* Often, you can write your sentence by leaving out "which" when"this", "that", "these", or "those" has already introduced an essential clause before.

Example: Those are the shoes which you've been looking for ....( better say).... Those are the shoes you've been looking for.



Quiz - "Which"," That", and "Who":http://punctilious.org/grammar/quizzes/which_quiz.htm

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Comparative & Superlative Adjectives: Exceptions

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[Idiom] "A bad hair day"

A day when things are not going the way you would like or had planned.

e.g. "Whats' wrong with her? It seems like she's having a bad hair day."

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[Tip] "Say", "Tell", "Speak',and "Talk"

* "Say" is used with direct and indirect speech. Most often used without a personal object. If we want to put a personal object after say, we use "to".

Examples:

She said that it was my last chance.
She said that she would be late. (not She said me...)
...I say to all the people of this great country...

* "Tell": is used with direct and indirect speech. After tell, we usually mention the person being told. It's used to mean ‘instruct’ or ‘inform’. Also it is used to tell someone to do something.

Examples:

She told me that she would be late.
She told me that it was my last chance.
Tom’s mother told him to clean his room.

* "Talk": there's not very much difference between speak and talk. Talk is usually used to refer to conversational exchanges and informal communication.

Examples:

When she walked into the room everybody stopped talking.
I'll talk to them tomorrow about this.

* "Speak": is often used for one-way communication and for exchanges in more serious or formal situations. It's also usually used to refer to knowledge and use of languages.

Examples

After she had finished reading the letter, nobody spoke a word.
She speaks three languages fluently.


For more detailed explanation, click on this link: http://www.musicalenglishlessons.org/vocabulary/verbs2.htm

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"I used to" & "I'm used to"

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[Idiom] "Have butterflies in your stomach"

To feel very nervous before something important or stressful is going to happen.

e.g. " Her mouth was dry, there were butterflies in her stomach, and her knees were shaking so much it was hard to walk on the stage."

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Teacher Burnout

j

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[Tip] Past Perfect

* Use the past perfect [ had + the past participle of the verb ] to talk about an action that was finished before another action in the past.

Examples

He had had that car for ten years before it broke down.

They felt bad about moving out because they had lived there for more than forty years. Quiz - Past perfect: http://english-quiz.net/past-perfect-tense-quiz.html

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Modals

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[Idiom] " Feel blue "

Feeling unhappy or depressed.

e.g. "I'm feeling pretty blue because I failed my exams."

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