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English Teacher's Helpful Hints

tutorheatherSuper Member!

United States

February 27, 2012


 

I thought I'd post a short list of commonly made errors in English usage.

Both native speakers and non-native speakers commit these "English crimes."

It is time to put on your investigator's uniform and solve them, once and for all.

1. Bizarre is an adjective that means strange or odd. It's usually used to describe a person, a person's behavior or a situation.

A bazaar, however, is a marketplace where different things are sold.

Isn't it bizarre that the popping sound that you hear when you crack your knuckles  is a bubble of gas bursting?


That man in the business suit is so bizarre; why do you think he has Hello Kitty stickers all over his expensive suit?

Yes, I went to the street bazaar, but what was truly bizarre is that no one was selling anything!

2. The phrase "calm, cool and collected" is often mistakenly said as "calm, cool and collective."

It's a simple phrase to use.

The bank robber acted strangely calm, cool and collected immediately after he escaped being caught by the police. He was covered in ink from the exploding bag of money, yet he was sitting in McDonald's happily eating a hamburger Happy Meal!

3. Could of, Should of and Would are ALWAYS wrong!

I know these errors are rooted in quick, informal speech, but take care not to write them as they sound.

The contractions "could have," "should have," and "would have" sound like "could of," "should of," and "would of," when said too quickly. They sound slurred together in informal speech. It's OK to speak informally with your friends, but avoid getting in the habit of writing these as they sound.

Okey dokey?

Heather

 

Bizarre:

 

Bazaar:

 

03:24 AM Feb 27 2012

wayne820111
Taiwan

haha~  so cool!

 

thank for your English lesson! XD

I will never forget it.

 

February 26, 2012

"The Scream" is an inconic painting by Norway's most famous painter, Edvard Munch. Munch finished "The Scream" in 1893. The legendary painting is suspected to be auctioned in the near future, where it will probably command over 80 MILLION dollars.

As I often do, let's connect this topic to a grammar lesson:

Can you determine which of these sentences is free of error?


A. Besides being one of the most recognizable images in art history, “The Scream’’ is also one of the most often stole.


B. Besides being one of the most recognizable images in art history, “The Scream’’ is also one of the most often stealed.


C. Besides being one of the most recognizable images in art history, “The Scream’’ is also one of the most often stolen.


D. Besides being one of the most recognizable images in art history, “The Scream’’ is also one of the most often stoled.

I know you can do it! I will post the answer soon.

My best to you,

(Tutor)Heather

06:07 AM Feb 27 2012

snoopyboy

snoopyboy
Antarctica

I'll go with  statement C

: )

February 25, 2012

I just love idioms, and know that a lot of students "get a kick out of them" too.

To get a kick out of something or someone: To be amused

EX:

I get a kick out of spending time with my baby niece. She makes the funniest faces and is just starting to smile.

Believe it or not, I get a kick out of grammar. There are a lot of rules, but I love playing with sentences!

Here are a few more. Let's review some happy ones today since it's the weekend!

1. Pass with flying colors: If you pass something with flying colors, like a test, you have ACED it! You have exceeded your expecations as well as the teacher's or examiner's.

EX:

John (the student): Mr. King, how did I do on my math test?

Mr. King: You passed it with flying colors! Great job!

2. Reach for the sky: If you reach for the sky, you're setting high goals for yourself because you want to succeed

EX:

Our school  principal read an inspirational speech at our graduation ceremony. He said that life can be difficult sometimes, but we should always remember to reach for the sky. He said that each of us should believe that we can achieve great things!

3. Rise and shine!: Rise and shine means to get out of bed and greet the day.

It's a positive thing to say to someone who may be putting off getting out of bed because they are tired. By saying, "Rise and shine!" you're encouraging them to get out of bed and hopefully face the day with a positive attitude.

EX:

"Sometimes I feel so tired and I don't want to get out of bed to go to school. However, when I begin to smell coffee brewing I know that any minute my mom will come into my room and say "Rise and shine!" It's a nice way to start the day.

Random tip:

In my example for "Reach for the sky" I used the word "principal."

The words principal and principle are often confused.

A princiPAL is the head of a school.

A princiPLE is a rule or belief that governs a person's behavior.

Here is a great hint that helps people to remember the difference:

The man or woman who is the head of a school is the PRINCIPAL. "Pal" occurs at the end of the word. A pal is a friend or buddy. So, simply remember that your principal is your "pal" and you'll never feel confused again!

See you soon!