My Battle With Grammar by Pavlionka | English, baby! Blogs

Foreign Words and Phrases

Pavlionka — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 17:27:32 GMT

Foreign Words and Phrases

This week I've started new Advanced English course. With new teacher and new people, btw. So, first of all our teacher made us write an ACTION PLAN about things we think we need to improve and stuff like that. I mentioned writing and public speech of course... and kind of promised to do something to improve - like to update my blog more often... So, watch it!

First classes were a bit boring. And I experienced something like shock when I realised that first "advanced vocabulary" topic is FOREIGN WORDS. AAAAA! I felt like I'm studying French or Latin, definitely not English Anyway, I don't want to suffer alone - so I share this information with you

1. per

If something happens as per normal , it means that it happens in the normal way.

Ex. Despite the wind and the rain he walked to work as per normal.

If you receive an amount of money per annum you receive that amount for the period of the year.

Ex. The salary is 18 000 pounds per annum, which works out at 1500 pounds a month.

2. ad hoc = unplanned

If something is done on an ad hoc basis, it happens or is done only when the situation makes it necessary or desirable, rather than being arranged in advance.

Ex. We can meet on an ad hoc basis, as and when we need to. There is no need to arrange dates now.

3. ad infinitum = endlessly

If someone does something ad infinitum they do it repeatedly over the long period of time.

Ex. I could read this book ad infinitum and never get bored.

4. ad nauseam

If somethig happens ad nauseam it happens over and over again so that people get completely bored.

Ex. He talked ad nauseam about his achievements and how successful he is. It was boring!

5. bete noire

A bete noire is something that you esp. hate or that annoys you very much.

Ex. My bete noire is people using mobile phones loudly and indiscreetly in public.

6. bona fide

Something that is bona fide is genuine or real.

Ex. I saw his ID. He was a bona fide representative of the company.

7. carte blanche

If you have carte blanche to do smth you have complete power to do exactly as you wish.

Ex. My boss gave me carte blanche to organize an appropriate party.

8. deja vu

Deja vu is the experience of perceiving a new situation as if it had occurred before.

Ex. I'm sure I've been here before. Either that or I'm having a real sense of deja vu.

9. faux pas

A faux pas is a socially embarrassing action or mistake.

Ex. It was such a posh dinner and I was so terrified of making a faux pas and using the wrong fork or knife.

10. status quo

The status quo is the situation that exists at a particular time without any changes.

Ex. The arrival of a new baby is likely to change the status quo quite considerably.

11. (sic)

You write (sic) in brackets after a word or expression when you are quoting something that someone else has said or written.

Ex. She said that she liked very much London (sic) and wanted to stay here for a long time.

That's it for today. If you have something to add to this list - you're very welcome to do it Lets continue together! (If you're interested of course)

Are you a true maniac?

Pavlionka — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 15:03:30 GMT

Are you a true maniac?

This is a test.

I don't know the whole story about this test - just some brief details. Researchers created just one question and they claim that only a real true maniac or serial killer could answer it correctly.

Hmm, I'm not sure - it took me 5 minutes to figure out the correct answer... Am I...? So. here it is:

A girl saw a very handsome young man at her mother's funeral and fell in love with him at the first sight. But unfortunately, he walked away before she could even ask his name. Two weeks later she killed her sister. Why did she do it?

Dear friends, please tell me I'm not the only real maniac here

Try to answer it too

I'm super great!

Pavlionka — Fri, 23 May 2008 07:44:56 GMT

I'm super great!

Finally!!! I did it!
I passed my super-puper tough exams!
It was the last but one step to my PhD degree, all I have to do now - just finish my dissertation (haha, so easy to say - It will probably take 3 years) Anyway - I'm free as a bird now! No more philosophy!! I'm sooo great!

Frustration...

Pavlionka — Fri, 02 May 2008 13:59:12 GMT

Frustration...

It is utter disaster!
Someone rated my profile with one star, which means "awful".
Is it really awful???
Well, actually, I don't really care about stars and all these things.
But I can't get it: why would anyone go to anyone elses page to rate it as "awful"? For fun? To make someone feel frustrated?
Hey You! You've made it! I AM frustrated By the way, you could've left a comment at least, explaining what's wrong...

P.S. What for is this rating thing here anyway? For expression of your opinion? Or?...

Suggestions

Pavlionka — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 09:14:32 GMT

Suggestions

How do we usually make suggestions using modal verbs?
It's pretty easy.

Part 1

We use must when we're absolutely sure about something:

He has passed this difficult exam - he must be very clever!

We use could/may/might when we suppose that some statement is true:

It might/may/could rain tomorrow.

And finally, we use can't when we're absolutely sure that something isn't true:

I don't believe it - you can't be here!

! remember after modals we use only infinitives

Part 2
(more complicated part)

A little bit about different tenses:

Previous part was about Present Simple tense.

Other tenses:

Present Continious:
He is sleeping. - He must be sleeping.

Future Simple:
It will rain tomorrow. - It might rain tomorrow.

Past Simple:
He left. - He must have left.

And so on

Conditionals

Pavlionka — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 09:08:35 GMT

Conditionals

This time I write about Conditional Sentences..
This topic isn't complicated, and I'm very surprised and frustrated that very few people actually build these sentences properly
I was also inspired by a forum thread "What will be if..." in Ask English!

So, Conditional sentences are also known as IF-sentences.
There are 3 types of them:

Type I (or First Conditional)
We use it when we talk about something that is possible or very likely to be fulfilled.

If I study hard, I will know English well.

Note the tenses that are used:

If+Present Simple, Future Simple

! Here comma is also needed. But when we use if-part on the second place - we don't put the comma.

I will know English well if I study hard.

Type II (or 2nd)
When something is very unlikely to happen

If I were a princess, I would wait to my prince Charming.

If+Past Simple, Future in the Past

Type III
We use it when condition refers to the Past:

If I had taken an umbrella yesterday, I wouldn't have been soaked.

If+Past Simple, Future in the Past Perfect

As you see, it's simple. Just 3 examples.
There are very few exceptions.
I will write about them later if you are interested

Quantifiers

Pavlionka — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 08:16:38 GMT

Quantifiers

Today I drill myself on quantifiers.

These are some points that I find important:

few/a few

Few refers to countable nouns. Few or very few emphasises a small number:

I know few English words so I can't understand you.

A few and quite a few emphasises positive meaning:

I know quite a few English words therefore I can teach you some of them.

little/a little

Little refers to uncountable nouns. And as in case with few little and a little have negative (small quantity) and positive meaning, respectively:

We have little bread left. You must buy some.

and

We have a little bread left. You don't need to go to the store.

! We cannot say quite a little. To emphasise the positive we use quite a bit!

There's quite a bit time left. We can do some sightseeing.

Articles

Pavlionka — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 18:01:48 GMT

Articles

There are loads of rules about articles...
I am not going to write here all of them of course
Just one thing I've found out recently:

When we talk about nationality and language, we use:

the English but __English people
and
___English but the English language

So there is a big difference between English and The English

Day No1

Pavlionka — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 17:47:26 GMT

Day No1

Today I start my honorable mission...
I will write here my very useful notes about english grammar and things like that

Who am I?

Pavlionka — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 13:51:10 GMT

Who am I?

And finally I decided to start my blog… even Blog…:) (I’ll really try to make it BIG. But it depends, anyway…)

First of all I must confess that I’ve never even tried to start blogging anywhere on my native-language sites. Why? May be ‘cause I’m really scared, even frightened, that people wouldn’t understand me right. So I’m taking up it here ‘cause all misunderstanding between me and you would be only through lack of vocabulary and grammar, which often happens when you speak foreign language, not through my stupidity (I’m absolutely terrified to be passed for stupid) But that’s enough…

So, let me introduce myself. My name is Natallia (Natasha, or simply Tasha) and I’m… Good question: Who am I? Remember, in film Anger Management (with Jack Nicolson and Adam Sandler), when they had this Anger Class for the first time?

“I don’t want you to tell us what you do, I want you to tell us who you are?”

(Hilarious film, I’d recommend it).

Well, I think you’ll get a picture of me.

I am a master student (and I will write about my studies next time), I’m also teaching (and I’ll tell you about my job later – that’s another one topic).
I used to have lots of hobbies: I played chess professionally (but no longer, I’ve got fed up), I danced (and I dance, and hopefully I will dance ). I watch films and read books (but only those that are worth watching and reading), I’m good cook also…, oh, I’m fond of learning English – I’ve been doing course in it for two years.
I’m kind and honest. And I think that all people (ALL of them) are kind. But unfortunately far from all are honest.
That’s it.

And as it is my intro, I would like to make a statement:

BE MY FRIEND :-)

So, if you’ve read this, and you’ve liked it – comment it, please, and add me to your contact list of course ;)

Uh, and one more thing- if you’ve noticed any mistakes – please, report me – I wouldn’t mind, because I write it for 2 reasons:
1st (and the most important) – I do want to meet new interesting people, and
2nd (of no less importance) it’s also about learning and improving English

And I’m starting to wait right now :-).