Fransy Fancy English

Admit, Emit, Omit and Commit

noreply@blogger.com (Fransy fancy English) — Sun, 14 Aug 2022 17:12:00 +0000

Hello and welcome to Fransy Fancy English!

Today, we'll be looking at these four words that rhyme. Let's get down to it!

Admit (to) something

Admit (to) doing something

Admit to someone that you did something

Admission (noun)

A. The verb "admit" can be followed by a noun or gerund. The preposition to is often omitted. When we admit (to) our mistakes, we accept and confirm that we made a mistake but we're not so enthusiastic about doing it. We usually admit that we did something wrong or bad. The meaning of "admit" is similar to the meaning of the verb "confess".

"I hate to admit it but he is supremely skilled."

"I must admit, he is a different breed!"

"Admit it! I’m right, aren’t I?"

"I admit I'm wrong / I made a mistake, okay?"

"I have to admit, the idea of marriage scares me."

"I refuse to admit defeat."

"He admitted (to) having stolen my food."

"She admitted (to) driving the car without oil."

"They admitted that they were guilty."

"He admitted it was entirely his fault."

"I admit my Spanish is awful."

"He admitted to the crime."

"I admit you have a point there."

B. When someone is admitted to a place, they are allowed enter (the act is called admission). If a person is admitted to a hospital or an institution, they are taken into for special care.

"He was admitted to Yale University."

"The toddler was admitted to the emergency ward with a wound in his chest."

"She was admitted to hospital for further tests."

"This ticket admits two people to the theater."

"Each ticket admits one adult and one child."

Admission (noun)

Admission can be lots of things, such as the permission to enter a place, the act of entering a place or the money that you have to pay to enter a place. Concerning the act of agreeing that something is true, "admission" is the statement, remember? The statement that something wrong or bad is true, is something like a confession we make.

"Admission is free for children under 6."

"Is there any charge for admission?"

"Admission is obtained by written application."

"He failed to gain admission to the university of her choice."

"Admission tickets are available for both concerts and cost $17 in advance or $20 at the gate."

"The admission fee is ￡9.95 per adult."

"The admission to this university depends on examination results."

"The History museum doesn't charge for admission."

"When will you apply for college admission?"

Emit something (verb)

Emission (noun)

When something emits sound, heat, light, gas, or a smell, it releases it through a physical or chemical process.

"Volcanoes emit smoke, lava, and ashes."

"The alarm emits infra-red rays which are used to detect any intruder."

"The sun emits light."

"That machine emits sound pulses."

"The Earth emits natural radiation."

"The receiver picks up pulses emitted by the transmitter."

"Sounds emitted by the dolphins are recorded with an underwater microphone, known as a hydrophone."

"A typical passenger vehicle emits about 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year."

"Electric cars emit no CO2 or other gasses when driving."

Emission (noun)

Gases and substances sent into the air are called emissions. As you can see, in this sense, the noun "emission" is a countable noun. These emissions can be described as harmful, toxic, or noxious. Emission is also the act of giving off heat, light, gas, or a smell, but in this case, it's an uncountable noun.

"We need to find more ways to control toxic emissions."

"Carbon dioxide emissions or CO2 emissions are emissions stemming from the burning of fossil fuels and they are the primary driver of global climate change."

"Public transport of the future may use fuel cells to achieve zero emissions."

"The emission of gases such as carbon dioxide should be stabilized."

Omit something (verb)

Omit to do something (verb)

Omit something from something else (verb)

Omission from something (noun)

When you omit someone or something, you intentionally or unintentionally exclude them from an activity or piece of work. In everyday speech, it's more common to say "leave out" than "omit". The act of leaving someone/something out or not doing something is called omission.

"Please do not omit any details, no matter how minor they appear."

"His omission from the team is somewhat shocking."

"Leave me out of this argument."

Commit something (verb)

Commit yourself to doing something (verb)

Commitment to sb/sth (noun)

Commitment to do / to doing sth (noun)

People commit crimes, suicides, murders, and a lot more and this is considered illegal or wrong. When you commit to something, you promise to carry it out. You decide to establish a long-term relationship with someone when you commit yourself to them. You shouldn't say what you think about something or what you're going to do if you don't want to commit to it.

"Compared to men, women commit fewer crimes."

"Unverified reports state he attempted suicide."

"He admitted to committing the sin of adultery."

"A burglary was committed by an 11-year-old child."

"Young people still need to learn how to commit themselves to a profession and set personal goals." "Volunteers who can commit to working four hours per week are needed by the organization."

"Elsa wants to marry, but Robert is unsure if he wants to commit."

A commitment is a pledge to do something or behave in a certain way, or a promise to support someone or something. A commitment can also be the desire to put in a lot of effort and devote a lot of time and energy to a task or activity.

"Long-term commitment is not something I'm ready for."

"She received criticism for her lack of commitment."

"Women frequently have to balance their career and family commitments."

"You've been flitting aimlessly between jobs with no real commitment."

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Conserve, Reserve or Preserve?

noreply@blogger.com (Fransy fancy English) — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 19:50:00 +0000

Conserve, Reserve or Preserve?

Hello and welcome to Fransy Fancy English! Let's spot the differences between these three verbs.

CONSERVE (verb)

CONSERVATION (noun)

CONSERVE (verb)

A. We must try to conserve water, energy and natural resources, which means to avoid their wasteful use. As far as the environment is concerned, to conserve is to maintain or protect it from harm.

"I must conserve my energy. I'll need it later!"

"Turn off unnecessary lights to conserve electricity."

"To conserve resources, use rechargeable batteries instead of disposable and bring reusable bags to the grocery store."

"You can make an effort to conserve water by taking shorter showers."

"The primary reason to conserve forests and wildlife is to provide oxygen to breathe."

CONSERVATION (noun)

The careful use of natural resources in order to prevent waste is called conservation.

In terms of cultural heritage, the conservation of historical buildings and ancient monuments is their official protection. The protection of wildlife, species and habitat is also called conservation.

"No buildings are permitted in conservation areas."

"Cheaper energy conservation techniques have been put into operation in the developed world."

This is conservatory, a building with a glass roof in which plants are protected from the cold.

PRESERVE (verb)

PRESERVATIVE (noun)

PRESERVATION (noun)

To preserve is to keep something in its original condition with as few changes as possible. When food is preserved, "preservatives" and other chemicals are added (salt, sugar, nitrates) in order to prevent it from decay.

"Fruits and vegetables can be preserved if you dry or can them."

"You can preserve meat or fish in salt."

"We must avoid harmful chemicals and pick up trash if we want to preserve wildlife."

"We must encourage the planting of new trees and preserve our existing woodlands."

"There are volunteers who are interested in preserving historic buildings and landmarks."

PRESERVATION (noun)

The process by which buildings, food and the environment are kept in their original state is called preservation.

"Heritage preservation plays a vital role in politics, society, business and world view."

"Food preservation includes food processing practices which prevent the growth of pathogenic bacteria."

RESERVE (verb)

RESERVE (noun)

RESERVATION (noun)

When you reserve a seat, room or table, you save it for a later time. Of course, there are other things you can reserve apart from rooms and tables. You car reserve your strength, energy or speed for a game, race or climb.

"Hello! Could I reserve a table for two tonight at 22:00, please?"

"You can reserve a hotel room by email."

"Don't use that dish. These are reserved for special occasions."

"You can reserve tickets in advance by phone."

"I am really sorry. You can't sit here. This table is reserved for someone else."

RESERVE (noun)

A reserve is a protected area for plants and animals (nature, wildlife or forest reserve). If you keep cash or chocolate reserves at home, you built up a good stock! Generally, the noun "reserve" means supplies when used in the plural.

"China is among the countries with the largest foreign currency reserves."

"This area has been designated a nature reserve."

"We must have a reserve of food in case of emergency."

"Our supply/cash reserves are running low."

"Venezuela and Saudi Arabia have the largest oil reserves in the world."

RESERVATION (noun)

Yes, a reservation is a restriction you have created in your mind but we won't be focusing on this meaning. When you make a hotel, room, flight, vacation or restaurant reservation, you book a place or seat for a specific time and date in the future.

"Can you call the restaurant and make a reservation?"

"I would like to make a dinner/lunch reservation."

"Send us an email to confirm your reservation."

"How many people is the reservation for?"

"I have a reservation in the name of / for Jones."

"Something came up and I need to cancel the reservations."

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Hire, Recruit or Employ?

noreply@blogger.com (Fransy fancy English) — Wed, 29 Jun 2022 20:08:00 +0000

Hire, Recruit or Employ?

Hello and welcome to Fransy Fancy English! Let's look into theses words!

HIRE (verb)

HIRING (noun)

Hire

When someone is hired, they are going to be paid to do a short-term job.

"I would like to hire an interior designer for my new house."

"He was hired three two ago."

"He hired a private investigator to follow his wife."

"They aren't hiring now. Try sending your resume again in September."

Hiring

When a job post opens up, the hiring process starts. The organization looks for new talents and the candidates submit their CVs.

"Who is responsible for hiring and firing in this company?"

RECRUIT (verb)

RECRUITMENT (noun)

Recruit

An organization starts recruiting a long time before a position opens and it is carried out regularly. To recruit is to search for, attract and retain the best talents for your company.

"It's difficult to recruit experienced staff."

"There are plans to recruit more candidates later this year."

Recruitment

Recruitment is a long-term strategy but a short-term process. It begins at the initial stages of employment and it usually involves permanent positions.

"They are going to launch a big recruitment drive in two months."

EMPLOY (verb)

EMPLOYED ≠ UNEMPLOYED (adjective)

EMPLOYMENT ≠ UNEMPLOYMENT (noun)

EMPLOYER (noun)

EMPLOYEE (noun)

Employ

Employed

To employ is to set up a contract and pay an employee for a long-term job. If you do well in an interview, you're hired. Congrats! You'll now be employed.

"How many people does your company employ?"

"We employ more than 1,000 qualified workers."

"She is currently employed by a bank."

"He is employed as a mechanic."

"They were employed to assist in the development of new equipment."

Unemployed

The opposite is "unemployed" which means "jobless". If you're temporarily unemployed, you are able to work but you don't have a job.

"One in three jobless workers in NYC are long-term unemployed."

"They have been unemployed for two years."

"How long have you been unemployed?"

"Have you been unemployed for over a year?"

"I've only been unemployed for a month."

"The closure of the car factory left hundreds of men unemployed."

"Unemployed workers can get up to 50 percent off train travel with a specialized railcard."

Employment

Employment comes after recruitment and it's when you are hired. A company can offer or give someone employment. People look for employment or seek employment when they are out of work.

"My brother is presently seeking employment."

"She has found employment in a store."

"I'm looking for full-time employment."

"These are the terms and conditions of your employment."

"The rate of employment has fallen/risen."

"Are there any employment opportunities in the area?"

"How can my employment prospects be improved?"

"Have you checked the clause in your employment contract?"

Unemployment

The state of not having a job is called unemployment. The unemployment can be high, low, serious, short-term or long-term. We have to find ways to reduce or fight unemployment.

"China's youth unemployment is rising."

"The unemployment rate remained at 35% in this region."

"Many countries have experienced an increase/rise/fall in unemployment."

"The level of unemployment is high/low/up/down/stable."

"We need to find ways to prevent/tackle/reduce unemployment."

Be/live/go/sign on the dole (BrE)

Be on / qualify for unemployment compensation (AmE)

Be/live/go on welfare (AmE)

When the unemployed receive money from the government, the are on the dole or on welfare.

"So many young people are on the dole."

"It's hard living on welfare."

"I've been on the dole for a year."

"How do I sign on the dole?"

"He was on the dole for five years before he got a job."

"If you work without signing off the dole you are breaking the law."

Employer

An employer is an organization or person that hires a worker (employee). So, you work for your employer.

"She sued her last employer."

"My present employer is generous and treats his staff well."

"Did your former employer pay poorly?"

Employee

An employee is a person who works for an organization or for someone else. There are full-time and part-time employees. An employee can be dismissed, sacked, laid off or made redundant.

"Intensive employee monitoring can actually backfire."

"Our company pays and treats its employees well."

"Some disgruntled employees filed complaints."

"When someone says they are a civil service employee or a civil servant, it means that they work for a government agency."

"They are going to take on/hire/recruit employees with stronger backgrounds."

"There are only 23 employees in his firm."

"The boss dismissed the employee as incompetent."

"He is a hardworking and loyal employee."

"Employees have a right to receive equal pay for equal work."

"Employee training is a work program that provides employees with specific knowledge and skills to facilitate and improve job performance in current roles."

"Rewarding employees for good performance is vital to motivating and retaining talent."

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Types of Roads, Streets and More (Avenue, Boulevard, Lane, Highway, Arcade)

noreply@blogger.com (Fransy fancy English) — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 16:50:00 +0000

Hello and welcome to Fransy Fancy English! Let's talk about the different types of roads and streets.

Types of roads

Road

Roads connect two cities and are made to facilitate travelling between these places. They are found in rural and suburban areas. You don't usually see pedestrians, cafes or shops on a road.

"Take the second road on the left and then follow the signs."
"Our house is on a peaceful/calm/quiet/busy road."
"The standard speed limit on urban roads is 50 kmph."
"Why is there always construction on this road?"
"The road was blocked by fallen logs."
"It takes six hours by road."
"We'll leave when the roads are clear."

"He was involved in a road accident."
"Road bumps/humps limit the speed of cars."

ROADS IN THE US

Arterial roads

An arterial road is a high-speed urban road that delivers a large volume of traffic to freeways or expressways.

Expressway

Expressways are high-speed roads and have a few intersections and limited points of access or exit. In the US, an expressway is a highway. Expressways can have two, four or eight lanes and some facilities like lane dividers or access ramps.

"The expressway was clogged with automobiles."

"We can save fifteen minutes by taking the expressway to the airport."

"There is a serious pileup on the expressway."

"He hit a patch of ice as I entered the ramp to the expressway."

Highway

A highway is a main road that can connect states, cities or villages. Multiple roads merge with highways and you can find them in shopping districts or in the country. A highway isn't necessarily an expressway. Highways usually have four lanes and might have tolls. They can connect to freeways and they have access points. The speed limit for highways ranges from 40 mph to 80 mph.

"We got stuck in a traffic jam on the highway."

"They are resurfacing the highway."

"There was a tragic crash on the highway yesterday."

"I have been driving/sitting on the highway for an hour."

"What highway do I take to Halkidiki?"

"There's a 55 mph speed limit on most highways."

"The new highway will reduce the time to drive to the beach."

"Exit lanes become deceleration lanes as they break away from the highway."

"He got caught by a speed camera on the highway."

Freeway

All freeways are highways. They don't have tolls. They connect cities and you don't have to go through rural towns. You can only access freeways through ramps and there are no intersections. The speed limits for a freeway range from 60 mph to 80 mph. In the US, freeways are also called expressways depending on the state or area.

This is a typical rural American freeway.

"Avoid slowing down on the freeway."

"If you miss the exit ramp on a freeway, never turn around or back up."

"The new freeway will pass over the lake."

"A billboard caught my eye on the freeway."

"I was driving behind a truck on the freeway and I couldn't overtake it."

"Everyone gawked at the smashed cars on the freeway."

"We're driving on the freeway."

Freeways have interchanges, underpasses and overpasses.

An interchange is a highway intersection in which vehicles move from one road to another without crossing traffic.

ROADS IN THE UK

Motorway

A motorway is a UK term for a limited-access road. Motorways are the fastest routes between cities. They usually have three lanes and the speed limit is 70 mph.

"Turn off the motorway at junction 4."

"Our car had a breakdown on the motorway."

"Two cars collided on the motorway."

"You'll be banned from the roads if you get caught speeding at more than 100 mph on the motorway."

"Leave the motorway at the next exit / Junction 7."

"He was driving at full speed down the motorway when his back tyre burst."

"Obey all speed limits if you're approaching roadworks on the motorway."

"I was driving at 50 mph when a road racer cut me up on the motorway."

"We were on the motorway to London."

"Join the motorway at Junction 5."

"We ran out of juice on the motorway."

"I hate changing lanes on the motorway."

Ring road

A ring road encircles a city or town. In American English, it's called "beltway".

OTHER ROADS

Driveway or drive

A driveway is a private road that connects a house or a garage with a public road.

"I backed out of the driveway."

"You can't park here, you're blocking my driveway."

"He pulled into the driveway in front of her garage."

"Be careful when you pull out of the driveway."

"I heard the crunch of tires on the gravel driveway."

"The delivery driver threw my order on driveway without even getting out of his car."

"Parking on another person's driveway without their consent actually isn't against the law."

Lane

A lane is:

A. a narrow and sometimes winding road in the countryside.

B. the part of a road which is divided by white or yellow lines. There is usually an overtaking lane or fast lane, a middle lane and a slow lane. If you see broken white lines on the road, you can overtake and change lanes. A continuous white line tells you that you mustn't overtake. You can't cross double white continuous lines.

Bike lane, bicycle lane or cycle lane

"They want to add a bike lane to the highway."

"There are many cars parked illegally in a cycle lane."

"The bike lanes get blocked all the time."

Bus lane

"The bus lane, permits only taxis, private hire vehicles and buses."

"Drivers are not allowed to drive in a bus lane."

"If you've been detected by the CCTV cameras illegally using a bus lane, a Penalty Charge Notice letter will be issued to you."

Turnpike, toll road or tollway

All these words refer to a road for which you pay a fee.

"You have to pay a toll to drive on a turnpike."

"How much is the toll?"

"We must take a longer route without tolls."

"We need to find another route if we want to avoid toll roads."

Gravel road

A gravel road is a type of unpaved road surfaced with a gravel surface instead of asphalt.

Dirt road

A dirt road is an unpaved road made from soil.

TYPES OF STREETS

Street

Streets are public roads that have buildings, houses and shops on their sides. The streets are found in towns and cities and the roads in rural areas. Some people use these two words interchangeably.

Street canyon or urban canyon

Streets that separate skyscrapers or other buildings creating a canyon-like place, are called street or urban canyons.

Avenue

An avenue is a wide street with a line of trees or large shrubs on each side.

"The store/house is on Fifth Avenue."

"Turn right/left onto Hillside Avenue."

"Merge onto First Avenue."

"I was walking down/up/along the avenue when he called me."

"She lives at the end of the avenue."

Boulevard

"Boulevard" and "avenue" are synonyms. Boulevards are broad avenues with trees on the side and paved sidewalks. They are sometimes divided with a median.

"We strolled along the boulevard."

"There's a supermarket on Sunrise Boulevard."

"Is this the right bus for Pacific Boulevard?"

"Who were you driving with on Washington Boulevard?"

One-way street

A one-way street allows you to travel in only one direction.

"I drove the wrong way down a one-way street by mistake."

"This isn't a one-way street."

"A man crashed a stolen moped after going the wrong way down one-way street."

Dead-end street

A dead-end street is a street that has no exit. Sometimes there is a circle to turn around.

"I drove down a dead-end road, turned the car around and left."

Cul-de-sac

A cul-de-sac is a dead-end street with a rounded end to turn around.

"We live in a quiet cul-de-sac."

Arcade

A. An arcade or shopping arcade is a covered alley or passageway with shops on each side. You can easily recognize it by the pillars or arches.

B. An amusement or video arcade is an area where people play arcade games.

Alley

An alley is a narrow lane for pedestrians between or behind buildings.

"He was robbed/mugged/attacked in a dark alley."

"She was alone in a dark alley."

"The robber escaped through the back alley."

"A maze of narrow alleys leads down to the sea."

"I lost my way in the network of tiny alleys."

"Greek islands are full of whitewashed stone paved alleys."

Bowling alley

Esplanade

An esplanade is a wide street for walking and it is next to the seashore.

"People were lying on the beach and strolling along the esplanade."

Pedestrian zone

A pedestrian zone is a car-free area in a city.

OTHERS

Roundabout or traffic circle

A roundabout is a circular intersection or junction in which cars drive around.

"At the roundabout take the second exit."

Intersection (mainly US)

An intersection is where two roads cross each other and continue going on. They form a "+" or a "t" shape. They are found in cities.

"Turn left at the intersection."

Junction

At a junction, the roads can cross but they don't always. A junction can be an intersection. It can form a "+", "Y", "D" or "T" shape. Some of the roads stop and others continue.

Fork

A fork is a place where a road divides into two parts.

"Take the right fork."

Taxi rank, taxi stand, cab rank or cabstand

A taxi rank is a place where taxis wait to get passengers.

"Where's a taxi stand around here?"

"You can catch a cab at the taxi stand over there."

"Luckily, there was a taxi stand nearby."

Path or trail

A path or trail is a line made by people walking through the woods.

"The path leads up the hill."

"Which path should we take?"

"We went off the trail and got lost".

Track

This is a track for sports.

"I had track practice yesterday."

Am I missing something here? Let me know in the comments!

Reason Why, For or To?

noreply@blogger.com (Fransy fancy English) — Tue, 14 Jun 2022 13:29:00 +0000

Reason Why, For or To?

Hello and welcome to Fransy Fancy English! You probably have your reasons for reading this post!

Reason for something

Reason for doing something

Use "the reason for" with a noun or gerund.

"What's the reason for doing this?" (NOT What's the reason of doing this.)

"What's the reason for your strange behavior?"

"I can't understand the reason for your decision."

"I have no particular reason for visiting them."

"Give me your reason for coming here."

"The sole reason for living in Greece is the weather."

"The low salary is his main reason for leaving the job."

"They didn't give us any reason for the delay."

Reason that/why + clause

You say the reason why or that something happens. In this case, "that" and "why" can be omitted. When you use "why" or "that", you need a clause. A clause is a group of words that includes a subject and a verb.

"The reason (why) I didn’t call you is that I was tied up all day."

"There must be a reason (that) he didn't show up."

"Do you agree that growth is the main reason people remain in jobs?"

Reason to do something

You can use "reason" with a full infinitive (to + base form of the verb).

"I'll lie in today. I can't find a reason to get up."

"There is always a good reason to have fun."

"There are so many reasons to feel happy."

"I have no reasons to refuse."

"There are plenty of reasons to keep exercising."

Let's learn some phrases:

"For this reason, it's important to have people who will support you."

"For reasons of security, keep your personal belongings with you at all times."

"For some odd reason, he started laughing in the middle of the meeting."

"He lashed out at me for no reason."

"For some unknown reason, his phone is always turned off."

"Everything happens for a reason."

"The 3D printer won't print for some reason."

"We broke up for personal reasons."

"For obvious reasons, I'd prefer not to give my personal data."

"This room is locked for reasons of safety."

"For reasons of hygiene, you had to wash our hands regularly."

"Women test men for all sorts of reasons."

"We cannot mention the suspect's name for legal reasons."

"She kept the photos for sentimental reasons."

"We didn't go to the beach for the simple reason that the weather wasn't warm enough."

"Why is he so hopelessly in love with her?" "He must have his reasons."

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Win, Earn, Gain, Obtain, Acquire or Get?

noreply@blogger.com (Fransy fancy English) — Sun, 12 Jun 2022 11:43:00 +0000

Win, Earn, Gain, Obtain, Acquire or Get?

Hello and welcome to Fransy Fancy English! You can just say "get", right? Well, in everyday English you should use "get" instead of "obtain" or "acquire".

WIN

When there is competition or opposition, the verb "win" is used. We win lotteries, prizes, games, matches, competitions and medals.

"I feel confident that our team will will the game."

"Can Ukraine win the war?"

"Bring your own deck of cards if you want to win at poker every time."

"Politicians who want to win an election connect with their voters by telling their story."

"He won the race by three seconds."

"Be feminine if you want to win a man's heart."

"They played badly. They don't deserve to win."

"Who won the tournament?"

EARN (formal)

When you receive money as a reward for your labor, you "earn" it. People earn a salary, wage, bonus, or living.

"Orthodontists earn $231,190 a year."

"I don't earn much money. I am struggling to pay the rent."

"Take on leadership responsibility if you want to earn a higher salary."

"It is hard to earn a living as an artist."

"I’m not rolling in it, but I earn a decent salary."

"She earns £300 a day."

Money isn't the only thing you can earn. You might possess some good qualities that made you deserve something. You can earn a good reputation, for example.

"The automobile company has earned a reputation for producing durable and reliable vehicles."

"After a promotion, she's struggling to earn the respect of her former peers."

" As a teacher, she had earned the respect and admiration of her students."

"I need a drink. I've earned it."

GAIN

The verb "gain" doesn't suggest a lot of effort. When you gain something, you gradually get more of the same thing over time. It can be through luck or work. It indicates growth or increase. We gain weight, speed, experience, knowledge or momentum.

"Freelancing is a great way to gain experience for a job that requires it."

"Stop taking advice from people who have accomplished less than you if you want to gain momentum in business and life."

"Curiosity and research can help you gain more knowledge every day."

"The first step in gaining confidence is to start accepting compliments."

"Has your son gained weight and height? He is almost unrecognizable."

"He lifts weights and eats more protein to gain muscle."

"The key to gaining speed while surfing is understanding that the power of the wave will be your engine."

You can use "gain" to simply state that you got something that you need or want.

"The United States gained control of California during the Mexican War."

"Cyber attackers use black hat SEO to gain access to information."

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained" is a saying that we use when people need to take risks if they want to achieve something. It's similar to "no pain, no gain" and "fortune favors the brave/bold".

"I'll ask my boss for a pay rise. Nothing ventured, nothing gained."

OBTAIN (formal)

"Obtain" is a less formal way of saying "get" and it implies effort. It's used to talk about everyday objects and documents. It requires some effort. We obtain information, data, results and permission.

"I finally obtained that hard-to-find book." (A book is an everyday object.)

"He obtained the drugs with ease."

"They obtained a visa after hours of waiting at the embassy."

"Mark was trying to obtain a false passport and other documents."

"She tries to obtain American citizenship in every way possible."

"How did the 18-year-old suspect legally obtain guns before the Buffalo mass shooting?"

"Nine people got arrested for helping illegal Bangladeshi immigrants obtain identity documents."

ACQUIRE (formal)

To acquire is to buy something expensive or valuable. You can also acquire new skills and habits when you learn or develop them. When we acquire a foreign language, we try to achieve native command of this language. Language acquisition is the psychological term for the process by which we learn to use language, whether spoken, written, or sign language. To use language successfully you need to acquire some tools. That's why it's called acquisition.

"How long will it take to acquire the necessary skills?"

"Mike acquired a good knowledge of English."

"Property acquired through crime will be confiscated."

"Our company has just acquired new premises."

"I managed to acquire all the books I needed."

"I've acquired a taste for adventure."

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Work In, At or For?

noreply@blogger.com (Fransy fancy English) — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 12:07:00 +0000

Work In, At or For?

Hello and welcome to Fransy Fancy English! Do we work in or at a shop? In, at or for a company? Let's get straight to it.

People use the preposition "at" when the name of the shop, company or store is mentioned.

"I work at Starbucks."

"I work at McDonald's."

"I work at Nike."

"I work at the Pasteur Institute."

"I work at City National Bank."

"I work at Brown's Hotel in London."

"I work at a Shell gas station."

"I work at the John Radcliffe Hospital."

"I work at Moscow University."

Use "in" with career fields and departments.

"I work in education/communications/advertising/HR as a …"

"I work in the oil/medical/banking/music/film/tourism/auto/steel/computer/entertainment/business industry as a …"

"I work in the healthcare/tourism/food/retail/finance/housing/energy sector as a …"

"I work in the fire/police/marketing/sales/personnel/history/electronics/accounting as a … "

If you work indoors, you can use the preposition "in".

I work at a bank/hotel/hospital/school/grocery store. (General location)

I work in a bank/hotel/hospital/school/grocery store. ("In" describes the location, you work inside a building.)

I work in an office.

I work in a factory.

I work in a restaurant.

If you want to stress your employer, you can use the preposition "for".

"I work for a computer company."

"I work for an engineering company."

"I work for the government."

"I work for Microsoft/Nike."

"I work for McDonald's."

"I work for my father."

You can use "with" and "from" in theses cases:

"I work from home."

"I work with people/children/teenagers/customers/friends/clients/family."

Wait a second, am I missing something here? Tell me in the comments.

Stay At or In?

noreply@blogger.com (Fransy fancy English) — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 19:04:00 +0000

Stay At or In?

Hello and welcome to Fransy Fancy English! Do we stay in or at a hotel? Well, both are correct! If you say that you stayed "in" the hotel, it means that you didn't get out because of the weather or any other mishap. The preposition "in" is used when you mean on the premises of the hotel. When people mention the name of the hotel, they use the preposition "at".

"Many famous people stayed at/in this hotel."

"There is a sauna at/in the hotel."

"We dined/stayed in the hotel because the weather was terrible."

"The food at/in the hotel was awful."

"We stayed one week at/in the hotel."

"We arrived late at La Mamounia hotel."

We can live in

a hut
a hostel
a house
a tent
a bungalow
a lodge
a chalet
a motel/hotel room
a villa
an apartment

We stay at:

a hostel
a (seaside/mountain) resort
a bed and breakfast
a bungalow
an inn
a motel/hotel
a holiday/mountain/hunting lodge

We stay in:

a private room
a hotel room
a shared room
a holiday home
a caravan
a villa
an apartment
a (beach/mountain) hut
a guest house
a tent
a bungalow
a motel
a lodge
a (ski) chalet

VILLA

BEACH HUT

MOUNTAIN LODGE

BUNGALOW

RESORT

SKI CHALET

HOSTEL

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Conceive, Perceive, Receive or Deceive?

noreply@blogger.com (Fransy fancy English) — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 17:09:00 +0000

Conceive, Perceive, Receive or Deceive?

Hello and welcome to Fransy Fancy English! Let's talk about these four different verbs that end in -eive.

CONCEIVE SOMETHING (verb) Formal

CONCEPT (noun)

A. When you conceive an idea, a design, a project or a plan, you work it out in your head. You imagine and visualize it.

"She conceived the idea of writing a biography when she retired."

"He conceived the perfect plan to kill him."

B. You can say that you can't conceive of something happening or you can't conceive that something happens when it's hard for you to believe or imagine it.

"I could not conceive that he would do such a foolish thing."

"I can't conceive that one can master a foreign language in less than a year."

"You had better not cook any vegetarian food. He can't conceive of a meal without meat."

"Young generations can't conceive of living without a smartphone."

"I simply can't conceive why you did that."

C. When women are unable to conceive a child, they have difficulty becoming pregnant.

So in this sense, conceive means "get pregnant". The process of fertilization is called conception.

"How soon after sex can I conceive?"

"Your weight matters when you’re trying to conceive."

"Vegan women should eat meat if trying to conceive."

"Infertility is when a couple cannot conceive despite having regular unprotected sex."

"About 12% to 15% of couples are unable to conceive after trying to conceive for one year."

CONCEPT (noun)

A concept is a general or an abstract idea.

"I haven't grasped the concept."

"Yes, this is the general concept."

"The concept of beauty is misunderstood."

PERCEIVE (verb)

PERCEPTION (noun)

PERCEPTIBLE (adjective)

A. You perceive the world through your five senses. To perceive is to recognize and detect something using your senses.

"Can you perceive this optical illusion?"

"I perceived a pitch-black figure moving in the house."

"I perceived a note of sadness in her voice."

"How people perceive themselves actually affects their performance."

B. There is another meaning as well. To perceive is to think of, understand or view something in a certain way.

"Other people perceive you differently than you perceive yourself."

"One in five people perceive women as inferior to men."

"Our brain affects the way we perceive movies."

PERCEPTION (noun)

Your perception of something is the way you understand something or someone, using your senses.

"What's your perception of the situation/matter?"

"My perception of the problem/issue/situation is quite different."

"A part of the brain controls our perception of pain."

"Each individual has his or her own perception of reality."

"Scientists have discovered that time-sensitive neurons in the brain could wear out and distort our perception of time."

The public's or people's perception of something is the opinion or belief they hold according to what what they see.

"People's perception of younger generations has changed radically."

"People's perception of me changed in a flash."

"They are trying to change the population's perception of the crisis."

Your self-perception is the idea you have about yourself and your traits.

"Our self-perception can influence our judgment, mood, and behaviors."

PERCEPTIBLE (adjective)

Something perceptible can be easily detected. It's noticeable. A sound, flavor, smile and light are perceptible when they can be perceived by the senses.

"There has been a perceptible change in the weather." (You see it.)

"The sound suddenly became perceptible." (You could hear it.)

"There is a perceptible difference between the two products." (You can see it.)

RECEIVE (verb) Formal

RECEPTION (noun)

RECEIPT (noun)

A. When someone gives you something and you take it, you receive it. We can receive letters, messages, packages, emails, notifications, payments and much more. In everyday English, people use the verb "get".

"I received professional advice on how to handle stress."

"We received valuable information from a reliable source."

"All students should have a chance to receive higher education."

"I haven't received a reply to my message."

"His new book received raved reviews."

"She received a huge bouquet of white carnations and roses from a secret admirer."

B. When your TV and radio receive signals, they convert them into pictures and sounds. The act of receiving radio, television, or other signals is called reception.

"TV signals from the satellite are received on the earth's surface by dish antennas."

"Our cell phones receive signals from the cell towers."

"If you want to get better cell reception in your home, get near a window or buy a signal booster."

"Most cars have good FM radio reception."

"I can't get any reception in this area."

"There's no reception here."

C. When you receive visitors, you greet and welcome them upon arrival. The act of welcoming someone is called reception. You are probably familiar with this term from the hotel reception, the area where guests go first when they arrive. We check in and out at the reception desk.

"We won't receive visitors dressed informally."

"She stood by the door to receive her guests as they arrived."

"A concierge is an employee who receives guests at a hotel."

"Meet me in reception in ten minutes."

"Don't forget to leave the keys at the reception desk."

RECEIPT (noun)

When you pay for something, you get a receipt.

"Could I have a receipt, please?'

"We can return the item if you show us the receipt."

DECEIVE (verb)

DECEPTION (noun)

DECEIT (noun)

DECEITFUL (adjective) Person

DECEPTIVE (adjective) Things

A. When you deceive someone who trusts you, you do it to gain an advantage. You can deceive and be deceived in many ways. Someone can make you believe that something isn't true. Put differently, they trick and mislead you. This dishonest act is called deception.

"All magicians employ deception."

"I was deceived by her appearance."

"Some journalists intentionally deceive their audiences by fabricating sources or inventing news stories."

"This company deceived consumers into paying for tax services that should have been free."

"You can't pass your exams without studying hard, so don't deceive yourself."

"Is that your friend over there, or are my eyes deceiving me?"

"They used deception to win."

"The President has been accused of secrecy and deception."

B. In a relationship, when you're unfaithful to your spouse or partner, you are deceiving them.

"Both men and women sometimes deceive their partners for many reasons."

"Can't you see he/she is deceiving you?"

"Avoiding eye contact and offering a few details might be signs of deception"

DECEIT (noun)

"Deceit" is another noun with the same meaning as "deception", but "deception" doesn't involve physical acts. "Deception" is a general and neutral term. "Deceit" is purely malicious.

"He used deceit to get promoted."

"We got involved in a web of deceit."

DECEITFUL (adjective)

DECEPTIVE (adjective)

People are deceitful when they tell lies and things are deceptive when they try to misguide you.

Marketing, advertising, statements and results can be deceptive.

"Appearances/looks can be deceptive."

"Deceptive ads harm consumers by causing them to have false beliefs about the nature of the products being advertised."

"No one can trust a deceitful leader." (Deceitful describes a person.)

"He made all that money by being deceitful."

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Agree On, To or With?

noreply@blogger.com (Fransy fancy English) — Sat, 28 May 2022 08:37:00 +0000

Agree On, To or With?

Hello and welcome to Fransy Fancy English! We can agree on something, to something and with something or someone. Let's investigate!

AGREE (WITH SOMEONE) ON/ABOUT SOMETHING

AGREE (WITH SOMEONE) ON DOING SOMETHING

People agree on a topic, plan, solution or idea when they have they same opinion about something.

"We finally agreed on a time/date to meet."

"They agreed on a solution."

"Musk and Bezos agreed on who is responsible for the inflation."

"NATO members informally agree on not equipping Ukraine with combat weapons."

"The two leaders agreed on the plan."

"I think that we must agree on a price."

"It's not possible to agree on everything."

"Can we at least agree on what to do tonight? It's getting late."

AGREE TO DO SOMETHING

AGREE TO PLANS/IDEAS/DEMANDS/CONDITIONS/PROPOSALS/TERMS

You need to give your consent to agree to something or to do something. When you agree to some sort of plan, condition or suggestion, you approve of it. If you agree to do something, you accept it and you promise to follow through.

"You shouldn't have agreed to do that."

"Germany urges Hungary to agree to a Russian oil embargo."

"Do you agree to the conditions?"

"He agreed to our suggestions."

"G7 nations agree to decarbonize power sectors by 2035."

"I don't think that anyone would agree to higher taxes."

"I don't agree to your taking this job."

"Greece and the UK agreed to formal talks over the Parthenon Marbles"

AGREE WITH A(N) OPINION/IDEA/SITUATION

AGREE WITH DOING SOMETHING

"I am inclined to agree with your opinion."

"I strongly disagree with what you say."

"I only agree with the second part."

"I agree with you to a certain extent."

"I don't fully agree with this proposal."

"With all due respect, Mr. Brown, I cannot agree with your last statement."

When two things don't agree with each other, they are dissimilar and inconsistent.

"Your account of the accident does not agree with hers."

"His actions don't agree with his words."

You can say that you don't agree with a particular idea, plan or method when you think it is unsuitable or morally incorrect.

"I don't agree with spanking children as a punishment."

"I don't agree with the comments you made."

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Belong To, With, In, On or Under?

noreply@blogger.com (Fransy fancy English) — Wed, 25 May 2022 10:40:00 +0000

Belong To, With, In, On or Under?

Hello and welcome to Fransy Fancy English! In answer to this question, I can assure you that it is possible to use all these prepositions. Let's see how they differ!

BELONG TO SOMEBODY/SOMETHING (phrasal verb)

When someone owns something or is a part of a group, we use the phrasal verb "belong to".

"Does Ukraine belong to the European family?'

"The mansion that once belonged to Gianni Versace is now on sale for $70 million."

"He belongs to a social club."

BELONG + IN/ON/UNDER/BEHIND/NEAR

You can use "belong" with the right preposition to show location.

"Your clothes belong in the the closet!"

"I don't think that the new mall belongs in a residential area."

"Does he really belong in this line of work?

"Those two cups belong on the top shelf. Put them there, please."

"You belong at a higher level."

BELONG WITH SOMEONE

BELONG TOGETHER

When you belong with someone or you belong together, you are meant to be with each other. You are compatible. You have shared values and common traits.

"I really think that they belong together."

"You belong with me."

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Care For, About or To?

noreply@blogger.com (Fransy fancy English) — Mon, 23 May 2022 06:17:00 +0000

Care For, About or To?

Hello and welcome to Fransy Fancy English! The verb "care" has lots and lots of meanings, depending on the preposition. Let's make things clear!

CARE FOR SOMEBODY/SOMETHING (phrasal verb)

A. To care for somebody is to take care of them or look after them. We care for people who aren't able to do it themselves, be it our elderly relatives, our kids when we leave for work or a patient in the hospital.

"Ukrainian soldiers are being cared for in hospitals or in the fields."

"She moved back home to care for her elderly parents."

"Can your friend care for my dog while I am away?"

"Who will care for my children if one of us has to isolate?"

"Girls, show me the way. I have a husband to care for!"

B. We all have someone we cherish and care for in a friendly way. We think the world of them and it has nothing to do with sex. It can be a hobby, our pet or our job we are devoted to.

"I get the feeling he really cares for me."

"Even though they are no longer together, she still cares for her ex-husband as a friend."

"He cares more for his job than his family."

C. When you buy something new, you want to keep it in good condition.

"Buy a case and protect your screen if you want to care for your new iPhone."

D. You can use "care for" to ask someone if they want something. This meaning is considered formal.

This opposite is "I don't care for X" which in this sense means "I don't like".

"Would you care for some coffee?"

"I don't care for ice cream.".

CARE TO DO SOMETHING

If you don't care to do something today, you don't feel like it.

"I don't really care to work today."

"Would you care to join us for dinner?"

CARE ABOUT SOMETHING/SOMEONE

If you have regard for someone or something, you care about them. It is used a lot in the negative to mean that someone isn't interested in something or someone.

"Why does the government only care about money?"

"He is so self-centered to care about other people."

"I don't care about the news anymore. Channels don't report objectively."

"In many wealthy countries, waste is the environmental problem that people care about most."

"I feel so fortunate to have people who care about me!"

IDIOMS

WHO CARES? (informal)

WHAT DO I CARE? (informal)

I COULDN'T CARE LESS (informal)

People often use these idioms when they think that something is unimportant.

A:"There is a party at Paul's tonight."

B:"Who cares?"

"Who cares what day it is. The same daily grind is wearing me down."

A: "Have you noticed that she put on weight? Does she have a bun in the oven?"

B: "What do I care?"

"I couldn't care less about designer clothes."

"Honestly, I couldn't care less if they fire me."

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Fill up, Fill in, Fill out or Fulfill?

noreply@blogger.com (Fransy fancy English) — Sun, 22 May 2022 10:16:00 +0000

Fill up, Fill in, Fill out or Fulfill?

Hello an welcome to Fransy Fancy English. Today, we'll be looking into the phrasal verbs fill up, fill in and fill out. As you may have noticed, we'll also touch on the verb fulfill which more often that not, gets mixed up with the rest.

FILL SOMETHING UP (with something)

FILL UP SOMETHING (with something)

You can use this phrasal verb when you make something full. The meaning is the same as fill. To illustrate, you can say:

"He filled my glass with champagne/wine/beer."

"He filled up my glass with champagne/wine/beer."

"He filled my glass up with champagne/wine/beer."

"The bar/restaurant/office began to fill up with people."

"The bar/restaurant/office was filling with people."

In regard to your car's fuel or petrol tank, you can say:

"I need to fill the tank (with petrol/gas)."

"I stopped to fill up the tank (with petrol/gas)."

"We need to fill up (the gas tank)."

"I need to refuel."

"I'll have to gas up before we leave."

"We need to stop off and get gas/petrol soon."

When you put something into holes or gaps, use "fill" or "fill in".

"We filled the cracks with cement."

"The hole has been filled in with putty."

If you eat something before your main meal and you don't feel hungry, you fill up on or you fill up with what you ate.

"Don't fill yourself up with sweets. The dinner is in an hour."

"I filled up on rice."

"The sandwich filled me up."

FILL SOMETHING IN (British English)

FILL SOMETHING OUT (American English)

When you write the information needed on a document, then you fill it in or out.

We can fill in or out a form or an application.

"Fill in/out this form in capital letters."

"Please fill in/out this application carefully."

If you have blanks to fill, say "fill in the blanks".

"Fill in the blanks with the correct word."

FULFILL SOMETHING (American English)

FULFIL SOMETHING (British English)

When you carry something out successfully and you bring to completion, you fulfil it. People fulfil their wishes, dreams, goals and ambitions when they make them happen.

"At the age of 35, she finally fulfilled her ambition to start her own business."

"He fulfilled his dream to become a renowned writer."

In many areas of life, we need to fulfil some requirements, obligations, duties and needs and this means to succeed in doing what we have to do.

"The applicants don't fulfil our requirements."

"Only a few candidates fulfil all the criteria for this position."

"No matter how much I try, I can't fulfil that role."

"He has failed to fulfil his duties as a father."

What do you think about this post? What kinds of content would you like to see more on this blog? Well, that's all for today!

Good Luck To, With, On or In?

noreply@blogger.com (Fransy fancy English) — Tue, 17 May 2022 20:36:00 +0000

Good Luck To, With, On or In?

Hello and welcome to Fransy Fancy English! Can all these prepositions be used when we wish somebody "good luck"? Yes, they can. But in what circumstances? Let's find out!

Good luck to someone

A: "I'm finally taking my driving test tomorrow!"

B: "Well, good luck to you then!" or "Best of luck to you!"

When you mention a person or thing (it can be a pronoun or a name) after "good luck" use the preposition to.

"Good luck to Mary/John/her/him/them."

"Good luck to people/everyone/anyone/those who … "

Good luck with/on something

"Good luck with your/on job interview!" "Best of luck with/on your job interview!"

"Good luck with/on your exams!" "The best of luck with/on your exams."

"Good luck with/on your new job, Steve!" "Best of luck with/on your new job!"

"Good luck with/on your game today!"

"Good luck with the house move!" "Best of luck with your move to the US."

"Good luck with/on your future endeavors!" "Best of luck with/on your future endeavors."

"Good luck with/on your surgery."

"Good luck with the birth of your baby."

"Good luck with" is more common that "good luck on".

When you don't care about something and you are glad that you won't have to do it, you can use the phrase "good luck with that".

A: "I want to go on a juice diet for a week."

B: "Yeah, good luck with that."

You can even use this phrase sarcastically when you think that something is pointless.

A: "Why don't we move to Miami and get married to a billionaire?"

B: "Good luck with that!"

Good luck in something / doing something

"Good luck in" is mostly heard in the UK.

"Good luck in your new business."

"Good luck in your new home!"

"The best of luck in/with/on your exams!"

"Good luck in finding what you’re looking for."

"Good luck in being a parent."

You can also use the preposition for when something is arranged for a specific day.

"Good luck (for) tomorrow!"

"Good like for Sunday."

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Remuneration, Wage, Pay, Salary, Profit, Revenue, Income or Earnings?

noreply@blogger.com (Fransy fancy English) — Sun, 15 May 2022 08:14:00 +0000

Remuneration, Wage, Pay, Profit, Revenue, Income, Earnings or Proceeds?

Hello and welcome to Fransy Fancy English! These words have to do with the money a person or a business makes. Since I'm no financial expert, feel free to share your insights! Let's identify some similarities and differences.

REMUNERATION

For employees:

The noun remuneration is a general term for the monetary and non-monetary compensation that employees receive for their work. You could say that your remuneration includes your salary, wages,

bonuses as well as perks. Salespeople and white-collar workers often receive remuneration.

"We received fair remuneration for our services."

WAGE (also wages)

For employees:

Wages are common among manual workers. If you're paid daily, hourly or weekly, you call it a wage or wages. Some people earn minimum wage, while some others are paid a high or low wage.

"She receives weekly wages of £500."

"He gets a good wage."

"Is the minimum wage set at €10 per hour?"

PAY

For employees:

Pay is the money that you earn for carrying out your duties and it's considered a general term.

Gross pay is the money you get before taxes are taken away and net pay is the amount that remains when nothing more is to be taken away.

"Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists work long hours for low pay."

"She is a teacher and she is asking for higher pay."

"Don't settle for a 3% pay rise."

"The overtime pay is more than the regular pay."

"You are not eligible for sick pay."

SALARY

For employees:

Salary is the set amount of money paid to office workers and professionals monthly, bi-monthly or annually, not on an hourly basis. "Basic salary" is called "base salary" in American English and it's the payment for your work without bonuses or overtime.

Basic Salary + House Rent Allowance + Other Allowances

"He earns a six-figure salary."

"I would request an annual salary in the range of $40,000 to $50,000."

"Lawyers earn a basic salary of £73,250."

"Your salary is proportional to your experience."

"I need a job with a higher salary."

"I think her $250,000 salary a year is chicken feed to her."

"There are lots of things we can't afford on this salary."

"His salary is too low to meet his needs."

Gross Salary (your salary before tax has been taken away)

Net Salary (your salary after tax has been taken away)

IINCOME

For employees:

Your income is the money you receive for your services from all sources, such as your pay, dividends and rents. Your taxes are based on your income. When the total amount of money you earn changes every month or year, it's called "earnings."

"His earnings last year were ￡30 000."

"They are on a low income and they struggle to pay their fuel bills."

For businesses:

The amount of money a business or organization makes is its income or net income which is the bottom line of a company's income statement. It's calculated by taking away all the expenses, taxes, stock dividends (a dividend is a part of a company’s profit that is divided among the people who have shares in the company) from the total revenue. The terms "net income" and "earnings" are synonymous.

Net Income = Revenue – Cost of Goods Sold – Expenses

Gross Income = Gross Revenue – Cost of Goods Sold

REVENUE (also revenues)

For businesses:

The sales made in a period of time are called revenue or turnover. The revenue is the first line on an income statement.

"This company has an annual revenue of $12 million."

Net revenue = gross revenue - discounts - returns - commissions

Total Revenue = Quantity Sold x Price

PROFIT

For businesses:

When you pay all you expenses and bills, the money that is left is the profit you made.

"The company earned a large profit."

Gross profit (also gross income)

The gross profit shows how much a company makes from the production or sales and it's calculated

by subtracting the production costs from the revenue.

Net Profit

Net profit or net income is calculated by subtracting all the expenses and costs from the revenue.

"The company made a net profit of $100 million."

What do you think of this post? What I have written above just scratches the surface. I am so keen to learn from you!

Throw Away, Throw Out, Dispose Of, Get Rid Of, Discard or Dump?

noreply@blogger.com (Fransy fancy English) — Thu, 12 May 2022 13:31:00 +0000

Throw Away, Throw Out, Dispose Of, Get Rid Of, Discard or Dump?

Hello and welcome to Fransy Fancy English. These are all common in day-to-day conversations when we come across unwanted things. But how do they differ? Let's find out!

THROW SOMETHING AWAY (phrasal verb) Informal

THROW AWAY SOMETHING

THROW SOMETHING OUT (phrasal verb) Informal

THROW OUT SOMETHING

When it comes to physical objects, "throw away" and "throw out" both mean that the object is going into the rubbish bin, trash can, dustbin or that the object is being removed from a place. When you throw something through the air (which is not a good thing to do), use "throw out".

"Why do people throw empty cigarette packs out of the car window without thinking about the consequences of their actions?"

"Throw out/away that old sofa."

"It's a crime to throw away/out all the food you prepared."

"Throw away/out any eggs with cracked shells."

THROW AWAY

Non-physical objects or ideas are throw away and not out. People throw away opportunities, relationships, careers, dreams...

"This could be the best opportunity you'll ever have to talk to her. Don't throw it away!"

"She threw away his dream to live abroad."

"He smokes and does drugs. He is throwing his life away."

"By working so hard all the time you're throwing away your youth."

DISPOSE OF SB/STH (phrasal verb) Formal

Bear in mind that if you don't include the preposition "of" when you use dispose, you'll mean something else. Dispose is also a verb (it doesn't take a preposition in this case) which means to arrange in a particular order or to make someone receptive to something.

"His temperament disposed him to argue."

When you dispose of something, you throw it into the bin. This phrasal verb is more polite and formal than throw away and throw out.

"Don't dispose of your gadgets and electronic devices in the trash. Recycle them."

"She tried to dispose of the incriminating evidence."

"Batteries and pesticides can contain hazardous ingredients and require special care when you dispose of them."

GET RID OF SB/STH (idiom)

As already mentioned, "dispose of" is formal. This means that you should opt for something different with a similar meaning in casual conversations and "get rid of" may be exactly what you need.

You need to keep in mind that when you dispose of something, you kiss it goodbye. It's not in your house, office or room anymore. On the flip side, if you had got rid of that object or person of course, you wouldn't still have them around somewhere, not to mention hidden! One thing is certain, you got rid of it and you're relieved! Phew!

"Now let's get rid of that lad."

"Hold your breath for a short time to get rid of hiccups." (Please, don't hold your breath for too long. I need you alive.)

"They opened the windows the get rid of weed smell."

"It's time we got rid of this junk."

DISCARD STH (verb) Formal

If you had something useless and you "got rid of" it or "discarded" it, then this useless item would probably be in a dumpster or landfill by now or it would be offered to a friend. (Wait, who gives useless presents to friends 😅 ?)

"Discard" is formal and rarely used in everyday language. I mostly notice it when I work on my laptop or when I play video games. In such a case, you close a window without saving a document you were working on or you discard recent changes to free up space maybe.

When you play card games and you discard a card, you get rid of it because you don't want it.

"He discarded a five and picked up a Queen."

"I discarded an old coat and an old pair of gloves."

"23 per cent of the data was discarded as unreliable."

DUMP STH ON/IN/INTO STH ELSE (verb)

The verb "dump" is usually followed by a preposition. To dump is to get rid of something but in the wrong place or in a careless manner. If you dump your ex, you rid yourself of another lover. You end the romantic relationship.

"Two factories dump their waste in this river." (The river is the WRONG PLACE to dump waste.)

"Toxic chemicals are dumped in the North Sea."

"She dumped her bag on the floor." (carelessly)

"He dumped her an hour before the wedding."

Am I missing something here? Let me know in the comments!

If you want to sound and speak like a native, then my book might be for you! Hope this helps!

Refuse, Turn Down, Reject, Decline or Deny?

noreply@blogger.com (Fransy fancy English) — Tue, 10 May 2022 14:43:00 +0000

Refuse, Turn Down, Reject, Decline or Deny?

Hello and welcome to Fransy Fancy English! All these words show that you don't want to accept or consider something. Let's go through them one by one.

REFUSE SOMETHING / TO DO STH (verb)

REFUSAL (noun)

If you refuse to do something, you're unwilling to do it. You may change your mind later though and do it. You might also refuse to give someone what they want.

"I refused to pay for their meal."

Sometimes we refuse to accept, allow, admit or discuss something.

"He refused to admit his mistake."

"I refuse to accept that you didn't know anything about that."

"They flatly refused to discuss the issue further."

We can also refuse something, such as a(n) offer or request. People have the ability to refuse entry, access, permission or help, and they do!

"Why do elderly people always refuse help from others?"

"The company refused my request for an interview."

We have all received the error messages "Access Denied" or "Permission Denied" instead of refused, haven't we? In this case, they are synonymous but "deny" is considered formal.

"Access to the file was denied." (formal)

"Our request for time off work is denied." (formal)

TURN SOMETHING DOWN (phrasal verb)

TURN DOWN SOMETHING

This is a casual way to say refuse.

"I turned the invitation down." (casual)

"She turned down my offer of a romantic trip." (casual)

"I have turned down three jobs so far. Am I too picky?" (casual)

"I refused the invitation."

DENY (verb)

DENIAL (noun)

As we have already seen, in the sense of not allowing someone to do something or enter a place, deny and refuse play the same role. The difference here is that deny is the formal option.

"They were denied permission to leave."

"She was denied access to higher education."

When you refuse to do something, you simply don't want to do it.

"I refused to give him the money."

I didn't want and didn't give it to him.

When you deny doing something or having done something you refuse to take the blame for something they are accusing you of.

"My ex accused me of stealing his money. I denied stealing / having stolen the money."

This means that I'm not guilty, according to my testimony.

We also use deny to refuse to admit the truth of something. For instance, we can deny an accusation, a charge or an allegation. People often deny responsibilities and rumors. Someone who denies involvement or participation in something, they refuse to recognize or acknowledge it.

"The prominent politician denied the allegations of sexual harassment."

"The couple denied the rumors that they may split up."

"The department denies responsibility for what occurred."

REJECT SOMETHING/SOMEONE (verb)

REJECTION (noun)

When a plan, idea or suggestion doesn't meet your standards, you reject it. You dismiss it out of hand.

We reject proposals, ideas, suggestions, offers, plans and candidates.

"The company rejects most of the candidates as unsuitable."

"We rejected the idea of moving to Denmark."

"How can you reject this offer outright?"

"I was rejected by the university I applied to."

DECLINE SOMETHING / TO DO SOMETHING (verb) Formal

DECLINE (noun)

When you decline something, you politely refuse to do or accept something. "Decline" is a formal synonym for "refuse". We can decline offers, invitations, second drinks or job positions. Your credit card can also be declined if you reached your credit limit.

"I offered to take her home, but she declined."

"To decline an invitation politely, apologize and explain why you can't attend."

"Always be polite and thank the hiring manager before you decline a job offer."

Located In, On, At or To?

noreply@blogger.com (Fransy fancy English) — Sun, 08 May 2022 12:56:00 +0000

Located In, On, At or To?

Hello and welcome to Fransy Fancy English! Prepositions! What a nightmare! To gain a proper understanding of prepositions of place, watch my YouTube video and then come back here. The same rules apply, more or less.

You're quick! Let's not waste any more time!

LOCATED IN

We use "in" with cities, countries, areas, rooms and states. Follow the same rule when you use the adjective located.

"My house is located in the city center."

"Our school is located in the suburbs."

"The university is located in Cambridge."

"The apartment is located in a quiet area."

LOCATED ON

We use "on" with the adjective "located" when we are talking about surfaces, rivers, mountains, coasts, street names (without a number) and islands. We also use the preposition "on" with the noun "side".

If something is situated on the outskirts, it's in an area on the edge of a town or city.

"In japan they drive on the left side of the road."

"The hotel is on the east side of the city."

"The factory is located on the north side of the lake."

"Our office is located on the fourth floor."

"The café is located on Elm Street."

"There are seven major ports located on the east coast of India."

"They are located on the outskirts of Milan.

LOCATED AT

As a general rule, we use "at" with an exact address. An exact address is the name of the street and the number of the building.

"He lives at 9 Acacia Street." (at + number + name of the street)

"His house is located at 9 Acacia Street."

LOCATED TO

Normally, the preposition "to" shows direction. I travel/drive/fly/go/move/walk/run to a place.

The same thing happens here:

"The fitness club is located to the west of the city."

"The warehouse is located to the north-east of the village."

"The bar is located to the left of the bank."

"The store is located to the south of the park."

What am I missing here? Let me know in the comments and I'll take care of it!

Distraction or Destruction?

noreply@blogger.com (Fransy fancy English) — Sun, 08 May 2022 09:11:00 +0000

Distraction or Destruction?

Hello and welcome to Fransy Fancy English? These two nouns, may sound approximately the same but in reality they aren't related. Let's break them down!

DISTRACTION (noun)

DISTRACT (verb)

DISTRACTION

When you want to work and concentrate and noises or notifications on your phone won't let you, then these are all distractions. They distract you from your work. Your focus is lost.

"You need to study somewhere else. There are too many distractions at home."

"Silence your devices to avoid distractions."

DISTRACT

When you're distracted, it's hard for you to pay attention to what you are doing because of what is going on around you. Mobile phones, emails, background noise and conversations are all common distractions.

"Stop distracting me from my study!"

"The music distracted me from my work"

DESTRUCTION (noun)

DESTOY (verb)

DESTRUCTION

When a bomb goes off, it causes serious destruction. Destruction is the damage that something has done to a thing or a place. We can talk about environmental, rainforest, habitat and ozone destruction.

"The smoke of wildfires sets off chemical reactions in the stratosphere that contribute to the destruction of ozone."

"Farming leads to environmental destruction."

DESTROY

Destroy is the opposite of build. When you build something, you create it by putting the parts together. When you destroy it, you demolish or ruin it, making its restoration impossible. We can destroy the environment, planet, someone's career or someone's reputation.

"Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's abuse scandal destroyed their reputation."

"Don't let one mistake destroy your career."

"The floods in Afghanistan destroyed hundreds of homes."

"The burning of fossils fuels destroys the environment."

Existent, Existing or Existential?

noreply@blogger.com (Fransy fancy English) — Thu, 05 May 2022 18:12:00 +0000

Existing, Existent or Existential?

Hello and welcome to Fransy Fancy English! You're reading this post! Aha! This means that you exist, you're real.

EXIST (verb)

To exist is to be in this world and be alive. It has no passive form.

"We can't exist without air."

"Does life exist on Mercury?"

EXISTENCE (noun)

Your existence is the state of being present.

"I want to leave my dull existence behind."

EXISTING + noun (adjective)

As an adjective, it describes something used in the present, something that is currently being used. "Existing" goes before a noun.

"Existing methods should be improved." (the methods in use)

"The existing system is unsatisfactory." (the system in use)

EXISTENT (adjective) Formal

Use the adjective "existent" when you talk about something that is alive and active. Some key differences between "existing" and "existent":

1. The former is associated with being used in the present and the latter with being real. The opposite is non-existent its meaning is "not real."

2. "Existent" is formal.

3. "Existing" is only used before a noun,

"The problem of child labour still remains even though all of these policies are existent."

"I think your problem is non-existent."

EXISTENTIAL (adjective) Formal

We all have existential questions when we face an existential crisis. Something existential concerns the human existence.

"The climate change is an existential threat to the world."

Native, Indigenous or Local?

noreply@blogger.com (Fransy fancy English) — Wed, 04 May 2022 19:50:00 +0000

Native, Indigenous or Local?

Hello and welcome to Fransy Fancy English! Today we will be looking at the subtle differences between these three words.

NATIVE TO A PLACE (adjective)

NATIVE OF A PLACE (noun)

We talk about our native countries and towns when we refer to the country we were born. There are native traditions and customs when you visit a new country. The adjective native can be used with people, animals and plants but be cautious when you want to mention the place of origin. Use the preposition 'to'.

"The tiger is native to India." Native is an adjective. Use 'to'.

You can use 'native' as a noun when you want to refer to someone who was born in a place. You can also use it with an animal or plant that grows there. When you name the location, the correct preposition is "of".

"The coconut palm is a native of Malaysia." Native is a noun here. Use "of'.

"My friend has become a native of Mexico."

"You can easily tell the natives from the tourists."

Let's not forget about our native language, aka first language, native tongue or mother tongue. The language of the country we were born in!

"What's your native language?"

INDIGENOUS TO (adjective) Formal

Native and indigenous can be used in the same way to describe people, plants or animals which exist in a particular region. Indigenous is an adjective. We can talk about indigenous languages, tribes, people or plants. If goods are produced locally, they are indigenous and aren't brought from abroad.

"These plants are indigenous to Canada."

"Giant pandas are indigenous to China."

"The Maori are the indigenous people of New Zealand."

The terms Native Americans, American Indians, First Americans and Indigenous Americans refer to the Indigenous peoples of the United States, including Hawaii and territories of the United States.

LOCAL (adjective)

LOCAL (noun)

The adjective local, relates to a city, town or a small area rather that a country. Local people, businesses, markets, facilities and news belong to the place someone lives.

"I know the local lingo very well."

"When we travel, we try to try all the local specialties."

"How often do you shop at a local store?"

The people who live in a place are called "the locals" and this is a plural noun.

"The locals are hospitable and welcoming."

"My husband asked one of the locals to recommend a restaurant."

"Whenever I travel, I try to blend in with the locals."

Did you like this post? Let me know in the comments!

Transfer, Transmit, Transport or Transit?

noreply@blogger.com (Fransy fancy English) — Tue, 03 May 2022 20:16:00 +0000

Transfer, Transmit, Transport or Transit?

Hello and Welcome to Fransy Fancy English! Aren't these words messing with your head? Well, admit it, they are! I'm here to help, so let's get down to it!

TRANSFER SB/STH FROM A TO B (verb) /trænsˈfɜː(r)/

The person or thing isn't in its initial position (A) after the transfer.

TRANSFER (noun) /ˈtrænsfɜː(r)/

Transfer is a noun and a verb. As a verb, it's when you move something or someone from a place to another. A transfer is the act of moving from a position to another. You can transfer data or files from your flash drive to your computer. Everyone is acquainted with the money transfer process these days.

You can instantly transfer money to other bank accounts. Employees and workers can be transferred to different offices, branches or companies. When you cook, you may need to transfer your mixture or salad to a bigger or smaller container.

"How can I transfer content and data to my new phone?"

"If you want to transfer money from PayPal to your bank account, log in and then tap Transfer Money."

"He transferred his property to his son."

"I think you should transfer the ingredients to a bowl."

TRANSMIT STH FROM A … TO VARIOUS DESTINATIONS (verb)

TRANSMISSION (noun)

To transmit is to send out and it can refer to non-physical situations. Information, signals, diseases, messages can be transmitted and anyone can receive or catch them. Satellites don't run out of signals and when you transmit a disease you still have it.

"This station will transmit the match live."

"Satellites transmit information back to the earth."

"Some mosquitos can transmit malaria."

"The disease is transmitted to humans through physical contact."

Transmission is when a radio or TV sends out signals, or when a disease passes from person to person. Be aware of your car transmission! It's what's moves the power from the engine to the wheels.

"His car has automatic transmission."

"Broadband transmission can speed up access to the websites."

TRANSPORT A TO B (verb) /trænˈspɔːt/

TRANSPORTATION (noun) in AmE

TRANSPORT (noun) in BrE /ˈtrænspɔːt/

When large quantities of products or many people move from one place to another we use the verb transport. This verb is used when goods or people move by means of a vehicle and it's clear that the transport/transportation includes physical items or people.

British people use the noun transport and Americans use the noun transportation to talk about the system of carrying passengers or goods. That's why we have road transport/transportation, public transport/transportation and means/modes of transport/transportation.

"Coffee is transported from Mexico."

"Walking is the easiest form of transport/transportation."

"We all need to use public transport more if we want to reduce our carbon footprint."

"All goods are transported by air."

TRANSIT (noun)

When something you ordered is in transit, it is being moved or carried from one place to another.

Transit is almost always used as a noun. There is also a popular model of van in Europe, the Ford Transit.

"My luggage was lost in transit."

Public transportation is called mass transit or mass transportation.

"This city has no mass transit."

Emigrate, Immigrate or Migrate? Emigration, Immigration And Migration

noreply@blogger.com (Fransy fancy English) — Mon, 02 May 2022 15:25:00 +0000

Emigrate, Immigrate or Migrate? Emigration, Immigration And Migration

Hello and welcome to Fransy Fancy English! These words mean to leave your country but there are some differences.

EMIGRATE FROM … TO (verb)

EMIGRATION FROM … TO (noun)

EMIGRANT (NOUN)

The letter "E" plays a key role here. What I mean is, emigrate starts with an "E" and this is what you have to remember. When a person exits their country to live in another, they emigrate.

Emigrate = Exit your country

You emigrate from your country to another region/country/area.

"Many people emigrate (from Europe) to Australia."

EMIGRATION

Emigration is the act of moving abroad.

EMIGRANT

An emigrant is a person who leaves their country of residence.

IMMIGRATE TO … FROM (verb)

IMMIGRATION TO … FROM (noun)

IMMIGRANT (noun)

The key letter here is the letter "I". When you immigrate to another country, you move into it.

Immigrate = Move Into another land

"More than 1,000 Ukrainians immigrated (from Ukraine) to Israel."

IMMIGRATION

Immigration is the process of going into a country.

"Do you think that immigration has an impact on society?"

IMMIGRANT

An immigrant is someone who enters a different country from the one they were born into to live there permanently.

"Thousands of illegal immigrants are caught every year."

MIGRATE FROM … TO (verb)

MIGRATION FROM … TO (noun)

MIGRANT (noun)

When there is a lot of movement from place to place, temporary or permanent you can use the verb migrate. Birds migrate in summer and winter, it's seasonal. When people migrate, they settle somewhere for a short or long time and it's a general term.

"These animals migrate annually in search of food."

"People migrate to find work."

MIGRATION

Migration is when animals travel from one region to another or when large numbers of people go to live in another area or country, especially in order to find work.

"Swallows begin their migration south in autumn."

MIGRANT

A migrant is a person who moves to another country to find better living conditions.

"Big cities are full of migrants looking for work."

Consist of, Contain, Comprise, Be composed of, Include, Make up or Constitute?

noreply@blogger.com (Fransy fancy English) — Mon, 02 May 2022 11:39:00 +0000

Consist of, Contain, Comprise, Be composed of, Include, Make up or Constitute?

Hello and welcome to Fransy Fancy English! All these words have approximately the same meaning. Some of them are mostly used in passive, others take the preposition of. Some are formal. This means that you have to pay close attention to the correct use before you put them on paper.

CONSIST OF

When something consists of specific things or people, it's formed from them. Do not use it in passive or in continuous tenses. You can say that your apartment consists of two rooms, or consisted of two rooms in the past. You can also use the participle, consisting. For example:

"It's a simple dish to prepare, consisting of meat and vegetables."

"Our lunch consisted of sandwiches and fruit."

"The lungs consist of millions of tiny air sacs."

CONTAIN

Think of a container. Boxes, bags and buckets are containers and are used to hold things. They contain, they have these things inside.

"The documents contain classified material." (This is the only thing they have inside, classified material.)

"This is a mocktail. It doesn't contain alcohol."

"Butter and cream contain a lot of saturated fats."

In everyday conversations, it's more natural to use the preposition "in" instead of contain.

"Does this drink contain sugar?"

"Is there (any) sugar in this drink?" (better)

COMPRISE (formal)

If your apartment comprises ten rooms or is comprised of ten rooms, then these rooms are parts of your apartment. Do not use it in continuous tenses. When "comprise" is used in the active voice, we don't use the preposition "of".

"The test comprises 30 questions." ~~(NOT The test comprises of 30 questions.)~~

"The event comprises a champagne reception, two-course lunch, and a fashion show."

"Women comprise a high proportion of part-time workers."

It is often used in passive with the preposition "of":

"The USA is comprised of 50 states."

"Rivers in this area are mainly comprised of domestic and industrial effluent."

BE COMPOSED OF (formal)

Be composed of is used when talking about natural substances. It means "consist of". You can also use it to talk about people in a group. Be careful though. Use it ONLY in the passive.

"Earth’s atmosphere is composed of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 0.9% argon, and 0.1% other gases."

"Chemical elements are composed of atoms."

"Bones are composed of calcium."

"Venus’ atmosphere is mainly composed of carbon dioxide."

INCLUDE

When something includes some parts or things, these things are parts of the whole BUT they they aren't the only parts. For example, if a menu includes vegan options, it doesn't mean that the restaurant doesn't serve burgers or other dishes.

"The price of the holiday includes flights, full board, and all extras."

Do not use it in continuous forms. The participle "including" is quite common:

"The price is $50, including postage and packing."

You can include someone or something in something else.

" Brainstorm the main points you want to include in your essay."

And of course, passive voice:

"Detailed instructions are included in the manual."

MAKE UP (phrasal verb)

To make up is to form something.

"Muslims make up 55% of the population."

"The sun makes up 99.9% of the mass of our solar system."

You can use it in passive! The correct structure is: something is made up of something else.

"Life is made up of small pleasures."

"My family is made up of five members."

"A molecule is made up of atoms."

"London is made up of 32 boroughs."

CONSTITUTE (formal)

Are you familiar with the word constituent? Constituents are components, elements or ingredients that make up a whole.

"Hydrogen and oxygen are the constituents of water."

When these components come together, they constitute something, which means they form it. Do not use it in continuous tenses.

"Women constitute 10% of Parliament."

"Twelve months constitute a year."

Did this post suit your needs? Let me know!

Describe, Subscribe, Prescribe or Inscribe? Description, Subscription, Prescription, Inscription

noreply@blogger.com (Fransy fancy English) — Sun, 01 May 2022 15:37:00 +0000

Describe, Subscribe, Prescribe or Inscribe?

Description, Subscription, Prescription, Inscription

Hello and welcome to Fransy Fancy English! Let's explain these four verbs and their nouns.

DESCRIBE (verb)

DESCRIPTION (noun)

When you describe a person, object or situation, you say what they are like. Description is the act of saying or writing what something or someone is like.

"The police asked her to describe the two men."

"Please describe to the court exactly what you saw."

"Words cannot describe my feelings at that moment."

"The catalogue gives a full description of each product."

"He gave a very vivid description of the attacker."

SUBSCRIBE TO (verb)

SUBSCRIPTION (noun)

When you subscribe to a channel, blog, podcast or generally to a service, you pay money in order to receive it.

"Which Internet Service Provider do you subscribe to?"

"Why not subscribe to my YouTube channel and this blog? It's free and you'll be benefited."

A subscription in the money you pay to receive the service.

"The annual subscription fee is 22 dollars."

"I've decided not to renew my subscription."

" You can cancel your subscription at any time."

PRESCRIBE (verb)

PRESCRIPTION (noun)

When your doctor advises you to take a medicine or receive a treatment, they prescribe you drugs or topical medications maybe for your condition.

"My doctor prescribed some therapy that can help."

"Ask the doctor to prescribe something for that cough."

"Valium is usually prescribed to treat anxiety."

A prescription is the official piece of paper on which a doctor writes the type of medicine you should have, and which enables you to get it from a chemist's. If you get infected, you need a prescription for antibiotics.

"The doctor gave me a prescription for pain-killers."

"Antibiotics are only available on/by prescription."

INSCRIBE (verb)

INSCRIPTION (noun)

To inscribe is to write something, such as words, your initials, names on a surface of a stone or on jewelry. Think the word carve, for example.

"Her name was inscribed on the ring."

"Their names were inscribed above the door."

"Inside the cover someone had inscribed the words ‘To My Mother, with love’."

An inscription is a small bit of writing carved on a gravestone or medal or in a book.

"The inscription has worn away and can no longer be read."

"The simple inscription on her grave reads: She sleeps in peace."

"There are no inscriptions to identify the tombs."