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American Idioms

2010-05-22T02:17:00.000-07:00

Smell a Rat
How come the front door is open? Didn't you close it before we went shopping? I'm sure I did. I can't understand it. Frankly, I smell a rat. Me, too. I'm convinced that something is definitely wrong here. We'd better call the police.



Go to the Dogs
Have you seen their house lately? It's really gone to the dogs. It's true that it has become run-down and in serious need of repair, but I'm sure that it can be fixed up to look like new. I guess with a little carpentry work and some paint it could look pretty decent.



Fishy
When the security guard saw a light in the store after closing hours, it seemed to him that there was something fishy going on. He called the central office and explained to his superior that he thought something strange and suspicious was occurring.



Take the Bull by the Horns
Julie had always felt that she was missing out on a lot of fun because of her clumsiness on the dance floor. She had been putting off taking lessons, but she finally took the bull by the horns and went to a professional dance studio for help. She was tired of feeling left out and acted decisively to correct the situation.
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Let the cat out of the Bag
Bob was going to retire from teaching in June, and the foreign language department was planning on presenting him with some luggage at his retirement dinner. He wasn't supposed to know about it, but someone let the cat out of the bag. At the dinner Bob acted surprised, even though someone had told him what he was getting before the official presentation.
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For the Birds
They went to a poetry reading, but they got bored and restless. As far as they were concerned, it was for the birds! They left during an intermission because they found the reading totally uninteresting and meaningless
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Straight From the Horse's Mouth
How did you find out that Jill was engaged? I got the information from a very reliable source. You mean Jill told you so herself? That's right. I got it straight from the horse's mouth!



Horse Around
Did you hear about Dave's back injury? No. How did he get hurt? Well, after the coach left the gym he decided to stay and horse around on the parallel bars. He somehow lost his grip and fell on his back. That's too bad, but he shouldn't have been aimlessly playing around on the equipment without proper supervision.



Cat Got Your Tongue?
Come on, Connie! Tell us what you think about our little ride down the rapids yesterday. Well, uh... Wasn't it exciting? I, uh... What's the matter? Cat got your tongue? If you must know, I'm keeping quiet because I was scared out of my wits!



Get in Someone's hair
Children! Would you please stop making so much noise! And for heaven's sake, pick up your clothes and toys! It's hard enough trying to keep this house clean without your throwing your things all over the place! Clara, I know that the children get in your hair, but you should try not to let it upset you so much. Listen, Jim. I can't help it . The children bother me and make me very angry when they're so noisy and messy.



Shoot Off One's Mouth
Jim doesn't play tennis very much, but he's always shooting off his mouth about how good he is. Yet he's fooling nobody. Jim is somewhat of a braggart and everyone knows that he gives opinions without knowing all the facts and talks as if he knew everything about the game.



Jump Down Someone's Throat
That's it, Greg! You'd better not come in after midnight again tonight! I know, dad. You don't have to jump down my throat! I told you that I'd make it home around 11:30. I don't intend to be late! Well, you've said that before and in you come at 2: 30 in the morning. You can't blame me for getting angry and scolding you. I've got good reason.



Pay Through the Nose
At last Mr. Smith came upon the rare stamp he had been seeking at an auction. Since many other stamp collectors would also be bidding for it, he realized that he would have to pay through the nose in order to have it. After considering the increasing value of the stamp, he decided that he would not mind paying such a high price for something so rare.



Tongue-in-Cheek
Why were you teasing Sonia about her new hairdo? She really took offense at what you said. I didn't mean to offend her. I was simply making a tongue-in-cheek remark when i said that it was too elaborate for a girl of her young, tender age. Well, she thought you were serious. She had no idea that you were just saying that as a joke. I'm really sorry. I suppose I owe her an apology.



Pull Someone's Leg
Hey, Al. I was invited to be a judge for the Miss America Beauty Pageant! Oh, really? Come on, you're pulling my leg! No, honestly. Do you really think that I'm trying to fool you with a ridiculous story? Well, you've told me foolish stories before. I can assure you that this one is for real.



Play It by Ear
Let's go to the movies, agreed? Sure. And what'll we do after that ? Oh, I don't know. Let's play it by ear. Well, I would like to have a more definite plan of action. Don't be like that. It's always more fun not knowing what to expect and deciding what to do as we go along.



Stick Out One's Neck
How come they're asking me to act as their guide through the jungle? Evidently they think you're the only one who can lead them to the lost temple. That jungle has danger lurking around every corner. Why should I stick my neck out for them? They didn't pay me for my services. They know that you would be taking a great risk and could possibly get hurt, but you're the only one with enough knowledge to take them to their destination. I'm sure you'll be amply rewarded.



All Thumbs
Hey Bea. Can you help me out ? I don't seem to be able to button up the back of my dress. Sure. Let's see if I can do it for you. I guess I'm all thumbs because I'm so nervous. I'm already late for my date. Well, I suppose that being so nervous would make you clumsy and awkward. But don't worry. I'm sure your date will wait.



Not Have a Leg to Stand On
Tom maintains that the firm owes him some back wages for having worked overtime. However, he won't have a leg to stand on unless he can prove that he put in all those extra hours. He doesn't stand a chance of getting his money without a strong foundation of facts to support his position.



Get Off Someone's Back
Hey, John. I'm bored. Come on, let's go out and do something. Sorry, I'm right in the middle of studying for a physics exam. I won't be able to make it tonight. You've been studying for a long time. Why don't you take a break ? Come on! Let's go ! Forget studying for a while ! Look! Get off my back! I can't go anywhere! OK. I'll stop bothering you only if you promise to let me know the minute you're finished.



Drive Someone Up a Wall
Wow ! What a great set of drums! Yeah, they're great, but I can't play on them when my folks are at home. They say I drive them up a wall with all the loud banging. I get the same thing at home. My folks tell me that I annoy them and get them really angry whenever I turn up the volume on my stereo.



String Someone Along
Liz had high hopes of marrying Dean. When he ran off with another woman, she realized that he was just stringing her along. She had felt very strongly about him and was really hurt to see that he was deceiving her and had no intentions of ever marrying her.



Leave Someone High and Dry
Say, Jill. I thought that John was going to help you do the dishes tonight. So did I. But he left me high and dry. Where did he go ? Well, he got a call from some of his pals at work to go bowling, and he left me alone to do all this work without any help at all!
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Spill the Beans
Did you know that Harry was going to take Kathy on a Caribbean cruise ? Yes, I did. He was planning on surprising her with the tickets fro their anniversary, but someone spilled the beans. What a shame ! That was supposed to have been a surprise. Yes, it's too bad that someone told her about the trip beforehand and ruined Harry's surprise. That's OK. Her enthusiasm was not dampened in the least!
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Bite the Dust
Andy did exceptionally well in all of the track events, but he bit the dust in the high jump competition. Much to the disappointment of his fans, he went down in defeat, losing to a competitor from the visiting team.
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Bend Over Backwards
When Joan first started teaching she was afraid that she would have a lot of trouble getting used to the kids and to the faculty. Her fears turned out to be unfounded, since everybody bent over backwards to help her. Everyone tried very hard to help her feel comfortable and adjust to the school.
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Cough Up
Say, Greg. Did you finally get that computer that you wanted so much ? Not yet. I needed to raise a couple of hundred dollars more. Is it going to take you a while to raise the money? It would have taken me forever, but dad said he'd cough up the money I need since I'm going to be using the computer for my school work. Maybe it was difficult for your dad to give you the money but then, he knows that it's for a good cause.
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Jump the Gun
Denise was planning on telling her grandparents that the doctor said she was going to have twins, but when her dad found out he jumped the gun and told them before Denise could say a word. He was so excited that he became hasty and revealed the news before Denise had a chance to tell them.
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Scratch Someone's Back
Hey, Bea. I need some help stacking these boxes. Would you please give me a hand? OK. And I need some help tidying up the house. How about your helping me out after that ? OK. If you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. I know you don't like doing housework, but I'll help you with the boxes if you promise to return the favor. No problem. I'll even do the windows.
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Turn Someone Off
How was your date with Marty last night ? Well, it started of OK, but he really turned me off when we went for a snack after the movies. Did he say or do something to annoy you? Frankly, he disgusted me when he tried to talk with his mouth full. I don't blame you . That would have really bothered me too.
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Kick the Bucket
It's been said that the old man knew of a buried treasure, but he kicked the bucket before telling anyone where it was. If the treasure exists, the old man unfortunately took the secret of its location with him when he died.



Wet Blanket
James was not invited to go on the outing with the rest of the group because he's such a wet blanket. On many previous occasions he has kept others from enjoying themselves by his pessimism and lack of enthusiasm. It's understandable that no one wants him around.



Up One's Sleeve
All right, Sara. We know that you're planning something big for Jean's birthday. Mind telling us just what you have up your sleeve ? I wanted to make his birthday a very special event. Jean has a sister living in France, and I sent her an airplane ticket so that she could be here for his birthday. Boy! That is something special. We kind of guessed that you had some concealed plan and were waiting for the right time to reveal it. Well, I didn't want to say anything until I was sure she could come.



Knock Someone's Socks Off
Hi, John. What's new ? Oh, nothing too much with me, but you ought to see Fredo's new car. It'll knock your socks off! So, he finally got that Italian sports car he's been dreaming about. He sure did. When you see all the custom features that it has, you'll get so enthused and excited you won't know what to do. Boy, I can hardly wait to go for a ride in it.



Lose One's Shirt
I happened to bump into Dole at lunch yesterday afternoon. What's new with Dole these days ? He wasn't doing so well. For one thing, he told me he lost his shirt at the races. Dole has always liked to bet on the horses. I'm not surprised that he lost a great deal of money. Yeah. At this rate he'll never have a penny to his name.



Lemon
Have you seen Joe's new car yet ? Yeah. It looks good, but she's had nothing but problems with it. That's too bad. It sounds like she got a real lemon. She sure did. No sooner did she drive it home from the dealer's than it proved defective and started breaking down.



Out of the Woods
Although Eric was well on his way to recovering from his bout with pneumonia, he was still not out of the woods. The doctors told him that he would have to take it easy and avoid exposure to cold, since he was not out of danger and difficulty yet.



Eating Someone
Hey, Alice. What's been eating you lately ? Don't you realize how rude and irritable you've become? I know. I'm really sorry for the way I've been acting. Well, why don't you tell me what has been bothering and upsetting you and maybe we can work your problem out together. I'll admit that it would help to talk to someone about it.



On the Line
Lately Tom's been more conscientious about the accuracy and quality of his work with the company. He was warned that his job was on the line because of his lack of concern for his duties. When Tom was alerted that he was in danger of losing his job, he began to take his obligations with the company more seriously.



Feel Like a Million Dollars
I bumped into Nick at the salon yesterday. He looked great, but I noticed that he had a slight limp when he walked. I guess you didn't know that he had an operation on his knee. No, I didn't. How's he feeling ? He says he's feeling like a million dollars now. Apparently the pain in his knee is all gone. It's good that he's feeling so wonderful. It must be a refreshing change not having to put up with all that discomfort.



Hang On
During the depression years the Smiths had a great deal of trouble with their business, but somehow or other they were able to hang on. Although they almost lost their store, they managed to persevere until things got better.



Make Ends Meet
It's almost impossible trying to keep up with the high cost of living. It's true. Things are so expensive nowadays that it's very difficult to make ends meet. You know, even with Lucie's salary, our combined income is hardly enough to pay all the bills.



Money talks
We've been waiting for three months to get delivery on our car, and people who put in their order after us have already gotten theirs. Well, money talks. Why don't you try giving the dealer a little something extra to move things along ? I know full well that money has the power to influence people, but I refuse to pay extra for a service that is owed to me as a client. If you want to have your car maybe you'd better reconsider.



The Early Bird Catches the Worm
Marc, the lines for the rock festival are going to be miles long! If you expect to get tickets for you and Mary, remember that old saying. " The early bird catches the worm " I guess you're right. Mary is looking forward to the concert, and I'd hate to disappoint her. I'll get up real early to get a place at the head of the line. That way I'll get the tickets I want, for sure !

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2010-05-18T01:38:00.000-07:00

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English Learning Tools

2010-05-16T02:01:00.000-07:00

Software

English learning software including TOEFL practice, reading and listening comprehension, pronunciation improvement, grammar for all levels. Also included are reviews to some of the principle products offered, as well as software which allows teachers to design their own activities.

Dictionary Review - Babylon - translation @ a click

Review of Babylon Translation @ a Click Dictionary by the guide to English as a 2nd Language at about.com. This review focuses on the strength of Babylon for ESL learners.

EnglishNow! for Spanish Speakers

Review of EnglishNow! para hablantes de español. This program focuses on providing grammar in context. All explanations in Spanish.

Inglés Before You Know It

Review of Inglés Before You Know It by Transparent Language. This program is based around flash cards and is excellent for Spanish speakers wanting to learn key phrases in a number of standard English speaking situations.

Review of TeLL me More® Premium

Review of TeLL Me More Premium English learning software which includes more than 850 hours of learning for all levels, excellent speech recognition and pronunciation practice.

Top English Learning Software Products for Young Learners

Guide overview of English learning software product for children

Accent Technologies

Accent Lab software goes beyond voice recording and playback to analyze pronunciation using visual examples and comparison charts.

Alexxes Software

Makers of Lexatrix v1.0, software which has wide applicablilty in those programs where English vocabulary skills are important - including ESL, Intensive English, Creative Writing, Adult Education, Journalism, Workforce Training. Free trial version available.

American Speech Sounds

A variety of standard American accent speech production products for at home and in the classroom use. The standard version includes 2000+ standard words and phrases, while the professional version includes more than 6000.

Athelstan Online

Athelstan online distributes ESL/EFL and foreign language software based principally on corpora and concordance principles as used by Cobuild.

Babylon Translation Software

In my opinion, Babylon offers the Best dictionary software available. The software offers "on-screen" translation of English words and expressions in Windows applications, giving words, phrases, acronyms, a list of available translations, plus idiomatic usage. Just click on any text you want to translate in Word, Excel, emails, instant messaging, web pages and other desktop applications

Chorus

Chorus is a resource for scholars and teachers that reviews software for humanities. We have section editors who collect reviews about Computer-Assisted Language Learning technology, Composition software, Bible software, and electronic research, including bibliographical database software.

Discovery Educational Software

ESL / EFL software company specializing in multimedia software for young learners of foreign languages. Our aim is to put fun into learning languages, and we do this by using games, which entertain as well as instruct.

DynEd International

Educational software for ESL, EFL, ELT, business English, reading, and foreign language. This site also offers Japanese and Spanish beginners English programs

Easy Programming Languages TESOL SIG

By Jon Fernquest who poses the question, "What if any English teacher could whip up a quick program to extract texts and activities to supplement the course textbook?" and goes about providing possible answers.

Easy Writer

Editing and writing program piloted for 2 years in New York, which allows ESL users to choose reading, grammar and correction strategies for over 60 essays written by other ESL students. Reasonable price, well worth a look.

Educational Software Products

Software for institutions, libraries and individuals. specializing in Cambridge examination preparation software and authorable resources for teachers to customise for their own needs.

FAB - School Management Software

A relational database that maintains records on student bookings, courses they take, agencies that supply them and host families that accommodate them. The application is capable of raising invoices, maintaining class lists and provides statistical information on a range of items. This software looks interesting if you have a school to run, but is rather expensive.

Good English

Interesting software dedicated to correct preposition usage. Using context sensitive click though in documents Good English claims " It's THE LARGEST COMPILATION EVER of the most frequently-used English words and their rightful prepositions -- in context. "

Half Baked Software

Hot Potatoes is a freeware suite for windows and Macintosh and an absolute must have for anyone developing for the Net! The suite includes software to easily develop cloze, quiz, crossword and jumble sentence exercises. Created by the Half Baked Software team.

Kiddie Genius English

The Kids SyvumBook Series includes the English SyvumBook that specifically helps improve vocabulary, spelling and analytical skills through activities and exercises for the age group of 6-12,. To provide a systematic learning experience, four grades of Kids English SyvumBook are available.

Lighthouse Productions ESL Software

This phonetically based program teaches reading and listening comprehension, accent modification, vocabulary building and conversational skills.

LookWAYup

LookWAYup provides a dictionary, thesaurus, spell check and search tool, all in one convient application available to you on any given web page. This application also provides a pronunciation feature for any given word. This is a great tool for English language learners and those who want to increase their vocabulary skills.

One World Distribution

Distributor of multi-lingual products including language programs

Read, Write and Type

Software designed to help children learn reading and writing while also learning to type. The program takes a multi-sensory approach and motor approach which stimulates learning and helps children / esl students who have different learning styles.

TeLL Me More - v. 5

Tell Me More is a general English learning software package by Auralog. This software provides a wide range of English learning activities with ample possibilities for choosing individual learning paths.

Tell me More Kids Ingles

A fun and immersive software package that helps Spanish speaking children learn English while exploring an extremely well-designed virtual environment.

TutorScreens Software

An interesting approach to learning English with software. This software is designed to function in the same method as the Internet. Great price!

WriteWell

Developed by writing teachers for writing teachers, this program focuses on teaching and learning by means of (often interactive) written discourse -- encouraging collaborative work, critical thinking skills, and communication.

Summary of Verb Tenses

2010-05-13T00:29:00.000-07:00

Simple Forms

Present Tense

Present tense expresses an unchanging, repeated, or reoccurring action or situation that exists only now. It can also represent a widespread truth.

Example	Meaning
The mountains are tall and white.	Unchanging action
Every year, the school council elects new members.	Recurring action
Pb is the chemical symbol for lead.	Widespread truth

Past Tense

Past tense expresses an action or situation that was started and finished in the past. Most past tense verbs end in -ed. The irregular verbs have special past tense forms which must be memorized.

Example	Form
W.W.II ended in 1945.	Regular -ed past
Ernest Hemmingway wrote "The Old Man and the Sea."	Irregular form

Future Tense

Future tense expresses an action or situation that will occur in the future. This tense is formed by using will/shall with the simple form of the verb.

The speaker of the House will finish her term in May of 1998.

The future tense can also be expressed by using am, is, or are with going to.

The surgeon is going to perform the first bypass in Minnesota.

We can also use the present tense form with an adverb or adverbial phrase to show future time.

The president speaks tomorrow. (Tomorrow is a future time adverb.)

Progressive Forms

Present Progressive Tense

Present progressive tense describes an ongoing action that is happening at the same time the statement is written. This tense is formed by using am/is/are with the verb form ending in -ing.

The sociologist is examining the effects that racial discrimination has on society.

Past Progressive Tense

Past progressive tense describes a past action which was happening when another action occurred. This tense is formed by using was/were with the verb form ending in -ing.

The explorer was explaining the lastest discovery in Egypt when protests began on the streets.

Future Progressive Tense

Future progressive tense describes an ongoing or continuous action that will take place in the future. This tense is formed by using will be or shall be with the verb form ending in -ing.

Dr. Jones will be presenting ongoing research on sexist language next week.

Perfect Forms

Present Perfect Tense

Present perfect tense describes an action that happened at an indefinite time in the past or that began in the past and continues in the present.This tense is formed by using has/have with the past participle of the verb. Most past participles end in -ed. Irregular verbs have special past participles that must be memorized.

Example	Meaning
The researchers have traveled to many countries in order to collect more significant data.	At an indefinite time
Women have voted in presidential elections since 1921.	Continues in the present

Past Perfect Tense

Past perfect tense describes an action that took place in the past before another past action. This tense is formed by using had with the past participle of the verb.

By the time the troops arrived, the war had ended.

Future Perfect Tense

Future perfect tense describes an action that will occur in the future before some other action. This tense is formed by using will have with the past participle of the verb.

By the time the troops arrive, the combat group will have spent several weeks waiting.

Perfect Progressive Forms

Present Perfect Progressive

Present perfect progressive tense describes an action that began in the past, continues in the present, and may continue into the future. This tense is formed by using has/have been and the present participle of the verb (the verb form ending in -ing).

The CEO has been considering a transfer to the state of Texas where profits would be larger.

Past Perfect Progressive

Past perfect progressive tense describes a past, ongoing action that was completed before some other past action. This tense is formed by using had been and the present perfect of the verb (the verb form ending in -ing).

Before the budget cuts, the students had been participating in many extracurricular activities.

Future Perfect Progressive

Future perfect progressive tense describes a future, ongoing action that will occur before some specified future time. This tense is formed by using will have been and the present participle of the verb (the verb form ending in -ing).

Meaning of Staycation

2010-05-12T01:13:00.000-07:00

Staycation

These days people have less and less money to spend on luxuries, things like holidays, for example. So, when they have some time off work, some are choosing to stay at home, instead of flying, or driving perhaps to the beach or mountains, maybe to another country. It’s a staycation, a combination of the words stay and vacation.

Particularly if you live in a big city, you might not get time to enjoy everything that it has to offer in terms of entertainment – to go to the theatre, to concerts or just to go sightseeing. So a staycation might be an attractive idea.

Other reasons to take a staycation might be having very young children, or perhaps you want to make some home improvements, like redecorating. In any case, a staycation will almost certainly save you money! I have some friends from the US who come over to London every year or so and stay with me – so I regularly take some time off and have a staycation. Sometimes I visit them in Seattle, and they have a staycation.

different and use between ( pain ,ache ,sick ,ill,hurt)

2010-05-12T01:07:00.000-07:00

PAIN and ACHE

Both of these words are most commonly used as nouns. They refer to unpleasant sensations that you feel in your body, although they are slightly different feelings. A pain is usually used to refer to a kind of sharp discomfort that is difficult to ignore. For example:

Yesterday I suddenly felt a lot of pain in my stomach. I was taken to hospital where they discovered I had appendicitis.

Ache is similar to pain, but it usually is used to refer to a duller kind of discomfort that may continue for longer than a pain might. Common examples are:

headache, stomach ache, backache and heartache

Note that heartache is used to refer to a kind of emotional pain, for example if you are in love with someone and they are not treating you well you can say:

He is causing me a lot of heartache.

Less commonly, both pain and ache can be used as verbs. Pain in this form means to cause someone unhappiness. Note that you cannot use pain in the progressive or continuous form in standard UK or US English.

It pains me to think of you being so unhappy with your life – meaning it makes me feel unhappy that you are so sad.

You can also use ache as a verb. Unlike pain, ache can be used in the progressive form. For example:

My back is really aching.
I wish my leg would stop hurting, it really aches.

Interestingly, you can also use the expression aches and pains to refer to a general feeling of being unwell. Now let’s have a look at sick and ill.

SICK and ILL

Both of these words are most commonly used as adjectives, as in:

I feel sick.

Ed had to leave school early because he was ill.

In American English, these two words have more or less the same meaning – they refer to a feeling of being unwell, whatever the problem might be. On the other hand, in British English, they have more distinct meanings. Sick most commonly refers to feeling as if you are going to vomit, as in:

I think I’m going to be sick.

…while ill refers to any other feeling of being unwell. However, there are some phrases which are commonly used where sick has a more general meaning. For example:

I’ve been off sick for ten days – meaning I haven’t been to work/school for ten days because I’ve been feeling unwell.

Sick can also be used as a noun to refer to vomit. For example:

If you have children, you can be sure that you will have to clear up some sick at least once during their childhood.

HURT

Hurt is a little bit different to the others in that it is commonly used as a verb and an adjective and, less commonly, as a noun. Of the above words, hurt is probably most similar to pain and ache and it can also mean the same as injure or injured. The key difference between hurt and pain and ache is that usually if you are hurt, it means the discomfort you experience is clearly caused by something outside of yourself. However, pain and ache suggest a more internal reason for the unpleasant physical feeling. Here are two examples:

Be careful on that ladder, you might hurt yourself if you fall – here it is used as a verb

He was badly hurt in the train crash – here it is used as an adjective

When it’s used as a noun, hurt usually refers to some emotional pain. For example:

When he told her he wanted a divorce she could hear a lot of hurt in his voice.

As you can see, the five words we have discussed here are similar in their general meaning but are quite different in their specific use. I hope it' s bit clearer for you now and that my explanations haven’t hurt your head!

The Moods of Verbs -- American English

2010-05-11T05:15:00.000-07:00

The Moods of Verbs -- American English

In addition to tense and voice, verbs have another property which is called mood (or mode). The word mood comes from a Latin word which means manner. When we apply the term mood to verbs, we mean the manner in which the verb expresses the action or state of being.

There are three moods in English, the indicative mood, the imperative mood, and the subjunctive mood.

1. The indicative mood is used to make statement and ask questions. Most of the verbs that you commonly use are in the indicative mood.

The secretary typed the letter (statement of fact)
Did you hear the boy's cry of help? (question)

2. The imperative mood is used to express a command or a request. The imperative mood is found only in the present tense, second person. The subject is always the pronoun you, which is seldom expressed.

Come here at once! (command)
Freeze! (command)
Close the door. (request)
Please come in and sit down? (request)

3. The subjunctive mood is used to express a wish, doubt, uncertainty or a condition which is contrary to fact. By contrary to fact we mean something that is not true. A contrary to fact condition is usually introduced by the word if or as if. Sometimes careful writers and speakers also use the subjunctive in making a suggestion, in making a demand, or expressing a need.

If he were here, I would give him the keys. (He is not here)
I wish I were in San Francisco. (expresses a desire)
He talked as if I was not there. (I am there)
If this plan fails, we shall give up the project. (condition of uncertainty)
It is important that the play begin at once. (a necessity)
I don't know if we can succeed. (doubt)

The subjunctive and indicative moods do not present any problems in English. The verb has the same form to express a statement or to ask a question. You can identify the subjunctive mood easily because the subject is you, which is usually understood. The imperative mood always expresses a command or a request.

The subjunctive is used in certain parliamentary expressions, such as the following:

I move that the nominations be closed.
He moved that the report of the committee be accepted.

proverbs and wisdom with translation

2010-05-06T03:41:00.000-07:00

what's up every body

this is some fore sights with the translation
i hope u guys like it

i leave u with it

....................................

Absence makes the heart grow fonder
البُعد يزيد القلب ولوعاً

A cock crows on his own dunghill
الديك على دمنته (مزبلته) صيّاح

Action speak louder than words
الأعمال أعلى صوتاً من الأقوال

A drowning man will catch at a straw
الغريق يتعلق بقشة

Adversity tries friends
عند الشدائد يُعرفُ الإخوان

A friend in need is a friend indeed
الصديق وقت الضيق

After a storm come sunshine
بعد الضيق الفرج

A good name is better than riches
الصِّيت الحسن خيرٌ من الغنى

A hungry stomach has no ears
عند البطون ضاعت العقول

A day after the fair
سبق السيف العذلَ

All is well that ends wells
الأمور بخواتمها

A man's house is his castle
بيت المرء قلعته

A man's guide is his heart
قلب المرء دليله

An eloquent rooster crows within its egg-shell
الديك الفصيح من البيضة يصيح

A heart filled with love can always give love
قلب ملئ بالحب دائماً يَهِبُ الحب

All doors are open to courtesy
باللطف تُفتَحُ جميع الأبواب

A fool lives in his own paradise
إستراحَ من لا عقل له (المجانين في النعيم)

A throw without a pitcher
رُبّ رمية من غير رامٍ

A stitch in time saves nine
درهم وقاية خير من قنطار علاج

A sound mind in a sound body
العقل السليم في الجسم السليم

the Big Grammar Book

2010-05-04T02:10:00.000-07:00

About the Big Grammar Book

From the introduction -

"It's jam-packed from cover to cover with a great selection of photocopiable worksheets taken from the popular English Banana.com website. We wanted to provide teachers with a really useful book of no-nonsense grammar worksheets that they can dip into and use in class with students at ESOL Core Curriculum Entry Levels 1 & 2 [Elementary Level]. It is also ideal for students to work with at home since the answers are all printed at the back.

"The book is divided into four parts and is graded in difficulty, so that it begins with some basic stuff and builds up to more challenging grammar activities. It features a selection of Essential English worksheets which provide practice for crucial basic areas of knowledge for learners at Entry Level, like using numbers, writing the alphabet, spelling days and months correctly, and so on.

"We hope that you find this book a big help and full of material that you can use with your learners. A big thank-you must go to all the students who have already been trialling these worksheets in class. Their feedback has been invaluable to the development of this book..."

Becoming Fluent in Speaking and Writing English

2010-05-02T02:03:00.000-07:00

Becoming Fluent in Speaking and Writing English

If you want to become a fluent English speaker you should take some advice: There are four skills in learning English which are reading, listening, speaking, and writing.
The most important thing you must bear in mind is that reading and listening are inputs whereas speaking and writing are outputs. In other words, if you want to improve your speaking and writing skills you should first master the skills of reading and listening. There are some ways that you can do so, which I will try to summarize.

1) Reading

Read as much as you can. But your reading must be active. It means that you must think about the structure, unfamiliar words etc as you read. There is no need that you stick to some complicated grammar structures or try to understand all the unfamiliar words you come across, but the fact that you see them for the first time and recognize them whenever you see them for example in other passages or books is enough. It would be better to prepare yourself a notebook so you can write down the important words or structures in it. To begin reading, I recommend the Penguin Readers books. They are classified by level of difficulty.

2) Listening

As for listening, there are two options:

Aside from reading, you can listen every day for about 30 minutes.
You can only concentrate on your reading and become skillful at your reading, then you can catch up on your listening.

I myself prefer the latter because when you are skillful and native-like at reading, your listening skill grows automatically. Since you have lots of inputs in your mind, you can easily guess what the speaker is going to say. This never means that you should not practice listening.
For listening I recommend cartoons or some movies that are specially made for children. Their languages are easy and do not contain complicated phrases or slang terms. Or if you are good at listening you can listen to VOA or BBC programs broadcasted every day. Again the thing to remember is being active in listening and preferably taking some notes.
If you follow these pieces of advice, your speaking and writing will improve automatically, and you can be sure that with a little effort they will become perfect.

source :usingenglish.com

Easy Conversations

2010-05-01T01:39:00.000-07:00

1. I Live in Pasadena

A: Where do you live?

B: I live in Pasadena.

A: Where is Pasadena?

B: It’s in California.

A: Is it in northern California?

B: No. It’s in southern California.

A: Is Pasadena a big city?

B: It’s pretty big.

A: How big is “pretty big”?

B: It has about 140,000 people.

A: How big is Los Angeles?

B: It has about 3 million people.

ــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــ

2. I Have a Honda

A: Do you have a car?

B: Yes, I do.

A: What kind of car do you have?

B: I have a Honda.

A: Is it new?

B: It was new in 2003.

A: So, it’s pretty old now.

B: Yes, it is. But it still looks good.

A: Do you take good care of it?

B: Oh, yes. I wash it once a week.

A: Do you change the oil?

B: My mechanic changes the oil twice a year.

ـــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــ

3. Do You Have a Girlfriend?

A: Do you have a girlfriend? B: No, I don’t. Do you?
A: I don’t have a girlfriend, either.
B: Why not?
A: I don’t know. Maybe I’m not rich enough.
B: Girls like guys with money.
A: They sure do.
B: They like guys with new cars.
A: I don’t have money or a new car.
B: Me, neither.
A: But girls like guys who are funny.
B: Maybe we should learn some good jokes.

enjoy with stories See you later

How To Learn English

2010-04-30T01:37:00.000-07:00

How To Learn English!

Here are some tips which may help you to master the English Language!

Speak without Fear

The biggest problem most people face in learning a new language is their own fear. They worry that they won’t say things correctly or that they will look stupid so they don’t talk at all. Don’t do this. The fastest way to learn anything is to do it – again and again until you get it right. Like anything, learning English requires practice. Don’t let a little fear stop you from getting what you want.

Use all of your Resources

Even if you study English at a language school it doesn’t mean you can’t learn outside of class. Using as many different sources, methods and tools as possible, will allow you to learn faster. There are many different ways you can improve your English, so don’t limit yourself to only one or two. The internet is a fantastic resource for virtually anything, but for the language learner it's perfect.

Surround Yourself with English

The absolute best way to learn English is to surround yourself with it. Take notes in English, put English books around your room, listen to English language radio broadcasts, watch English news, movies and television. Speak English with your friends whenever you can. The more English material that you have around you, the faster you will learn and the more likely it is that you will begin “thinking in English.” .

Listen to Native Speakers as Much as Possible

There are some good English teachers that have had to learn English as a second language before they could teach it. However, there are several reasons why many of the best schools prefer to hire native English speakers. One of the reasons is that native speakers have a natural flow to their speech that students of English should try to imitate. The closer ESL / EFL students can get to this rhythm or flow, the more convincing and comfortable they will become.

Watch English Films and Television

This is not only a fun way to learn but it is also very effective. By watching English films (especially those with English subtitles) you can expand your vocabulary and hear the flow of speech from the actors. If you listen to the news you can also hear different accents.

Listen to English Music

Music can be a very effective method of learning English. In fact, it is often used as a way of improving comprehension. The best way to learn though, is to get the lyrics (words) to the songs you are listening to and try to read them as the artist sings. There are several good internet sites where one can find the words for most songs. This way you can practice your listening and reading at the same time. And if you like to sing, fine.

Study As Often As Possible!

Only by studying things like grammar and vocabulary and doing exercises, can you really improve your knowledge of any language.

Do Exercises and Take Tests

Many people think that exercises and tests aren't much fun. However, by completing exercises and taking tests you can really improve your English. One of the best reasons for doing lots of exercises and tests is that they give you a benchmark to compare your future results with. Often, it is by comparing your score on a test you took yesterday with one you took a month or six months ago that you realize just how much you have learned. If you never test yourself, you will never know how much you are progressing. Start now by doing some of the many exercises and tests on this site, and return in a few days to see what you've learned. Keep doing this and you really will make some progress with English.

Record Yourself

Nobody likes to hear their own voice on tape but like tests, it is good to compare your tapes from time to time. You may be so impressed with the progress you are making that you may not mind the sound of your voice as much.

Listen to English

By this, we mean, speak on the phone or listen to radio broadcasts, audiobooks or CDs in English. This is different than watching the television or films because you can’t see the person that is speaking to you. Many learners of English say that speaking on the phone is one of the most difficult things that they do and the only way to improve is to practice.

Finally

Have fun!

A Job Interview

2010-04-27T07:13:00.000-07:00

Welcome friends

A Job Interview

An interview between the manager of a company and an applicant looking for a secretarial job

Manager: What's your name?

Applicant: Lina Ahmad.

Manager: What's your address ?

Applicant: P.O.Box 127630 Rabieh District ,Amman

Manager: How old are you ?

Applicant: I'm 25 years old.

Manager: How were your grades in secretarial college.

Applicant: I have all my certificates and reports right here.

Manager: What skills do you have ?

Applicant: I can type 60 word per minute , I can type very well and I have a pleasant manner in answering calls. I have good administrative skills and I work well under pressure.

Manager: What are you interests ?

Applicant: I like reading , surfing the net and playing tennis.

Manager: I see that you have worked for company X before . Why did you quit your job ?

Applicant: I moved to another district , and I had travel a longer distance and it was costly.

Manager: Have you got any questions ?

Applicant: Yes ,What's the salary and benefits ?
Manager: It is ( 300 JD ) per month .You are granted 15 days sick leave ,and 13th check at the end of the year.

Applicant: What are the hours ?

Manager: It is 5 days a week , from 9 to 5.

Applicant: How soon will I know whether I am selected ?

Manager: I will notify you as soon as we have made the selection .

Applicant: Thank you sir / madam. Good bye

Manager: Good bye

*****Good luck *****

(english - english) dictionary

2010-04-26T06:52:00.000-07:00

New site is (english - english) dictionary wonderful
Enter the word and get its English equivalent

Image of the site

site link :http://www.ninjawords.com/

babelfish More than 75 languages for translation

2010-04-26T03:41:00.000-07:00

Translation software world and most of the wonderful
Babylon
But this time
The latest publications
The surprise is that it is free to you for life
The software is compatible with all computer systems
xp / vista / windows7 / linux
windows nt / widows 2000 / windows 2003

download link :http://www.babelfish.com/?aff=3846

program to teach you english - Cafe English 1.0-

2010-04-25T03:19:00.000-07:00

I read about the program Cafe English 1.0 as one of the strongest English language teaching programs on the Internet
Which allows the study and talk with your tutor through your computer

Talk with your computer to modify and correct pronunciation of words ...

Program name : Cafe English 1.0

download link : http://www.topteamclub.net/link/142261519766

TOFLE explorar program known to teach English

2010-04-24T02:53:00.000-07:00

tofle explorar program known to teach English and which contains a lot of skills
That can be learned by the individual of this unique program which is one of the best programs
English language program contains five sections:
TUTORIAL
PRACTICE
EXAMINATION
REVIEW
PROGRESSION
Each section has its merits special and interested in an educational mode of English.

The program :TOEFL Explorer.zip

Size : 31 MB

Link : http://www.mediafire.com/?in21u6ehlab

Phrasal verb Translator

2010-04-23T06:52:00.000-07:00

Hello friends!!! how are you ? I hope you are OK today I brought to you phrasal verb translator any phrasal verb Or word

site link :http://www.onelook.com/

Phrasal Verbs

2010-04-23T02:47:00.000-07:00

Phrasal Verbs and other multi-word verbs

Phrasal verbs are part of a large group of verbs called "multi-word verbs". Phrasal verbs and other multi-word verbs are an important part of the English language. Multi-word verbs, including phrasal verbs, are very common, especially in spoken English. A multi-word verb is a verb like "pick up", "turn on" or "get on with". For convenience, many people refer to all multi-word verbs as phrasal verbs. These verbs consist of a basic verb + another word or words. The other word(s) can be prepositions and/or adverbs. The two or three words that make up multi-word verbs form a short "phrase" - which is why these verbs are often all called "phrasal verbs".
The important thing to remember is that a multi-word verb is still a verb. "Get" is a verb. "Get up", is also a verb, a different verb. "Get" and "get up" are two different verbs. They do not have the same meaning. So you should treat each multi-word verb as a separate verb, and learn it like any other verb. Look at these examples. You can see that there are three types of multi-word verb:

- single-word verb :

look

direct your eyes in a certain direction

You must look before you leap.

- multi-word verbs :
1-

prepositional verbs

look after

take care of

Who is looking after the baby?

phrasal verbs

look up

search for and find information in a reference book

You can look up my number in the telephone directory.

phrasal-prepositional verbs

look forward to

anticipate with pleasure

I look forward to meeting you.

NEW OPPORTUNITIES SERIES

2010-04-20T06:32:00.000-07:00

NEW OPPORTUNITIES SERIES

New Opportunities is five-level course written specifically for upper-secondary students. Rich content with topics such as science, literature, history and culture give the course a strong educational and international feel

Download

BEGINNER

Opportunities - Beginner - Class CDs
http://www.zshare.net/download/o_begin_cd1-rar.html
(2002, Audio-CD1, MP3&CUE, 1h02m50s, 22,20 MB)
http://rapidshare.com/files/96799638/o_begin_cd1.rar
http://www.zshare.net/download/o_begin_cd2-rar.html
(2002, Audio-CD2, MP3&CUE, 1h06m13s, 24,67 MB)
http://rapidshare.com/files/96799860/o_begin_cd2.rar
http://www.zshare.net/download/o_begin_cd3-rar.html
(2002, Audio-CD3, MP3&CUE, 53m12s, 23,11 MB)
http://rapidshare.com/files/96800008/o_begin_cd3.rar

Opportunities - Beginner - Student's Book
http://www.zshare.net/download/o_begin_sb-rar.html
(2002-4, PDF, Color, 131p, 25.99 MB)
http://rapidshare.com/files/96800489/o_begin_sb.rar

Opportunities - Beginner - Teacher's Book
http://www.zshare.net/download/o_begin_tb-rar.html
(2002, PDF, Gray, 179p, 27.70 MB)
http://rapidshare.com/files/96802292/o_begin_tb.rar

Opportunities - Beginner - Mini-Dictionary
http://www.zshare.net/download/o_begin_md-rar.html
(2002-3, PDF, Gray, 72p, 33.25 MB)
http://rapidshare.com/files/96802570/o_begin_md.rar

Opportunities - Beginner - Language Powerbook
http://www.zshare.net/download/o_begin_lp-rar.html
(2002-5, PDF, Gray, 113p, 15.25 MB)
http://rapidshare.com/files/96802505/o_begin_lp.rar

UPPER INTERMEDIATE

Opportunities - Upper Intermediate - Class CDs
http://www.zshare.net/download/o_upper_cd1-rar.html
(2002, Audio-CD1, MP3&CUE, 1h01m43s, 33.49 MB)
http://rapidshare.com/files/96839371/o_upper_cd1.rar
http://www.zshare.net/download/o_upper_cd2-rar.html
(2002, Audio-CD2, MP3&CUE, 1h12m12s, 39.33 MB)
http://rapidshare.com/files/96840503/o_upper_cd2.rar
http://www.zshare.net/download/o_upper_cd3-rar.html
(2002, Audio-CD3, MP3&CUE, 1h06m34s, 38.03 MB)
http://rapidshare.com/files/96840982/o_upper_cd3.rar
http://www.zshare.net/download/o_upper_cd4-rar.html
(2002, Audio-CD4, MP3&CUE, 58m37s, 32.14 MB)
http://rapidshare.com/files/96841036/o_upper_cd4.rar

Opportunities - Upper Intermediate - Student's Book
http://www.zshare.net/download/o_upper_sb-rar.html
(2002-4, PDF, Color, 178p, 52.63 MB)
http://rapidshare.com/files/96842834/o_upper_sb.rar

Opportunities - Upper Intermediate - Teacher's Book
http://www.zshare.net/download/o_upper_tb-rar.html
(2002, PDF, 188p, 7.32 MB)
http://rapidshare.com/files/96842328/o_upper_tb.rar

Opportunities - Upper Intermediate - Language Powerbook
http://www.zshare.net/download/o_upper_lp-rar.html
(2002-4, PDF, Gray, 145p, 25.95 MB)
http://rapidshare.com/files/96842691/o_upper_lp.rar

password: englishtips.org <<<<<<<<<< source = expenglish.com

learn english via BBC !!!!

2010-04-19T03:08:00.000-07:00

hello !!! how are you ? I wish you are doing well however
today I'm Offering you a full course to learn English It is a 60 basic lesson to learn English

And consists of: 60 studied the English language video 60 studied the English language audio 60 studied the written English language
Course is for the education of English language easily through the English language itself
Described a simplified explanation, and in many ways the English language itself.

lessons by videos ( Avi)

1.What.is.your.name.avi
2.How.are.you.avi
3.Can.you.help.me.avi
4.Left.right.straight.ahead.avi
5.Where.are.they.avi
6.What.is.the.time.avi
7.What.is.this.What.is.that.avi
8.I.like.it.very.much.avi
9.Have.you.got.any.wine.avi
10.What.are.they.doing.avi
11.Can.I.have.you.name.please.avi
12.What.does.she.look.like.avi
13.No.smoking.avi
14.It.is.on.the.first.floor.avi
15.Where.is.he.gone.avi
16.Going.away.avi
17.Buying.things.avi
18.Why.do.you.like.it.avi
19.What.do.you.need.avi
20.I.sometimes.work.late.avi
21.Welcome.to.Britain.avi
22.Who.is.that.avi
23.What.would.you.like.to.do.avi
24.How.can.we.get.there.avi
25.Where.is.it.avi
26.What.is.the.date.avi
27.Whose.is.it.avi
28.I.enjoy.it.avi
29.How.many.and.how.much.avi
30.What.have.you.done.avi
31.Haven.t.we.met.before.avi
32.What.did.you.say.avi
33.Please.stop.avi
34.How.can.I.get.to.Brightly.avi
35.Where.can.I.get.it.avi
36.There.is.a.concert.on.Wednesday.avi
37.What.is.it.like.avi
38.What.do.you.think.of.him.avi
39.I.need.someone.avi
40.What.were.you.doing.avi
41.What.do.you.do.avi
42.What.do.you.know.about.him.avi
43.You.shouldn.not.do.that.avi
44.I.hope.you.enjoy.your.holiday.avi
45.Where.can.I.see.a.football.match.avi
46.When.will.it.be.ready.avi
47.Where.did.you.go.avi
48.I.think.it.is.awful.avi
49.A.room.with.a.view.avi
50.You.ll.be.ill.avi
51.I.don.t.believe.in.strikes.avi
52.They.look.tired.avi
53.Would.you.like.to.avi
54.Holiday.plans.avi
55.The.second.shelf.on.the.left.avi
56.When.you.are.ready.avi
57.Tell.them.about.Britain.avi
58.I.liked.everything.avi
59.Classical.or.modern.avi
60.Finale.avi

lessons by voice ( Mp3 )

Follow.Me-01-10.mp3
Follow.Me-11-20.mp3
Follow.Me-21-30.mp3
Follow.Me-31-40.mp3
Follow.Me-41-50.mp3
Follow.Me-51-60.mp3

lessons by writing ( Pdf )

Laren.Eng.pdf

resource : expenglish.com

This work it's gift for all people whom looking to learn English language

I hope you will enjoy with this course See you

learn English by skype !!!

2010-04-17T03:59:00.000-07:00

hello friends !!! here we are again with new topic today we will learn English pronunciation with teacher from united states for free the plan is short stories the teacher read step by step the story and you replay with him sometimes there is woman also with him this class created to improve your pronunciation . follow those steps bellow :

Hello, English Lessons Family!
Starting 1, April, 2010, we will have a new room on Skype for English Lessons. This room will be the same every day, and the number will not change anymore! Please read the instructions carefully so you will be ready to join us when the new room opens on 1, April, 2010. Thank you!
What should we do? Only 3 simple steps: Add, Call, and Input 468568# to join the room. That is all!!! Soon, you will receive a request to add “freeconferencing” as a contact on Skype. Please accept when you receive it. You will need this contact to join English Lessons every day.
Instructions for Skype 4.2 version
Step 1. When You receive a message to add freeconferencing as a contact, you will see this…

Congratulations! You have finished!
WELCOME TO THE NEW ENGLISH LESSONS ROOM!

also there is a man on skype his name (skype name) is : sham1oo1 he will gives you the code of class and stories

***I wish you the best and get what you are looking for ***

learn English idioms !!!

2010-04-17T02:05:00.000-07:00

hello everybody !!! today we are going to try something new it is important when you talk with native speakers always they use idioms even when you watch TV show and feel yourself bad in English because they use idioms and old saying every day here you are some tips to know a little See you later

*** A ***

ace: make an "A" on a test, homework assignment, project, etc.

"Somebody said you aced the test, Dave. That's great!"

all right (1): expression of reluctant agreement.

A: "Come to the party with me. Please!"
B: "Oh, all right. I don't want to, but I will."

all right (2): fair; not particularly good.

A: "How's your chemistry class?"
B: "It's all right, I guess, but it's not the best class I've ever had."

all right (3): unharmed; in satisfactory condition.

A: "You don't look normal. Are you all right?"
B: "Yes, but I have a headache."

and then some: and much more besides.

A: "I'd guess your new computer cost about $2,000. "
B: "It cost that much and then some because I also bought extra RAM and VRAM."

antsy: restless; impatient and tired of waiting.

"I hope Katy calls soon. Just sitting around and waiting is making me antsy."

as easy as pie: very easy.

"I thought you said this was a difficult problem. It isn't. In fact, it's as easy as pie."

at the eleventh hour: at the last minute; almost too late.

"Yes, I got the work done in time. I finished it at the eleventh hour, but I wasn't late.

***B ***

bad-mouth: say unkind, unflattering, embarrassing (and probably untrue) things about someone.

A: "I don't believe what Bob said. Why is he bad-mouthing me?"
B: "He's probably jealous of your success."

be a piece of cake: be very easy.

A: "Bob said the test was difficult, but I thought it was a piece of cake.""

be all ears: be eager to hear what someone has to say.

A: "I just got an e-mail message from our old friend Sally."
B: "Tell me what she said. I'm all ears!"

be broke: be without money.

"No, I can't lend you ten dollars. I'm completely broke until payday."

be fed up with (with someone or something): be out of patience (with someone or something);
be very tired of someone or something.

"Bill, you're too careless with your work. I'm fed up with
apologizing for your mistakes!"

be in and out: be at and away from a place during a particular time.

"Could we postpone our meeting until tomorrow? I expect to
be in and out of the office most of the day today."

be on the go: be very busy (going from one thing or project to another).

"I'm really tired. I've been on the go all week long."

be on the road: be traveling.

"You won't be able to contact me tomorrow because I'll be on the road."

be over: be finished; end.

"I can't see you until around 4 o'clock. My meetings won't be over until then."

be up and running: (for a technological process) be operational; be ready to use .

"Dave's ESL Cafe on the Web has been up and running since December 1995."

be used to (+Ving/noun): be accustomed to; not uncomfortable with.

"It won't be hard to get up at 5:00 AM. I'm used to getting up early."

beat: exhausted; very tired (adj.).

"This has been a long day. I'm beat!"

beat around the bush: evade an issue; avoid giving a direct answer.

"Quit beating around the bush! If you don't want to go with me, just tell me!"

beat one's brains out: try very hard to understand or do something.

"Can you help me with this problem? I've been beating my brains out with it,
but I just can't solve it."

Beats me: I have no idea.

A: "What time's the party?"
B: "Beats me!"

before long: soon.

A: "I'm really tired of working."
B: "Just be patient. The weekend will be here before long."

bent out of shape: needlessly worried about something.

"I know you're worried about your job interview, but don't get bent out of shape.
You'll do just fine."

bite off more than one can chew: take responsibility for more than one can manage.

"I'm really behind with my project. Can you help me? I'm afraid I
bit off more than I could chew!"

blabbermouth: a very talkative person--especially one who says things that should be kept secret.

"Don't say anything to Bob unless you want the whole office to know.
Bob's quite a blabbermouth."

blow one's top: become extremely angry.

A: "Was your father upset when you came home at 3 AM?"
B: "He was more than upset. He blew his top!"

boom box: portable cassette/CD player.

"Don't forget to bring your boom box to the picnic!"

the bottom line: the most essential information.

"The discussion lasted many hours. The bottom line was that
the XYZ Company isn't for sale."

Break a leg!: Good luck!

"I understand you have a job interview tomorrow. Break a leg!"

break someone's heart: make someone feel very disappointed/discouraged/sad.

"Joe broke his mother's heart when he dropped out of school."

broke: without money.

A: "Can you lend me 10 dollars?"
B: "I'm afraid not. I'm broke."

buck(s): dollar(s).

"The cheapest tickets for the concert cost 25 bucks. Do you still want to go?"

bug: annoy; bother.

"I'm trying to concentrate! Don't bug me!"

bull-headed: stubborn; inflexible.

"Don't be so bull-headed. Why can't you admit that others' opinions are just as good as yours?"

a bundle: a lot of money.

A: "Your new car is really nice."
B: "It should be. It cost me a bundle!"

burn the midnight oil: study/work all night or until very, very late at night.

"I'm not ready for the test tomorrow. I guess I'll have to
burn the the midnight oil."

bushed: very tired; exhausted.

"I'm going to lie down for a while. I'm really bushed."

by oneself: alone and without help.

"I can't do this by myself. Can you help me?"

by the skin of one's teeth: barely succeed in doing something.

"I'll have to start earlier the next time. This time I only finished by the skin of my teeth."

***C ***

call it a day: stop work for the day.

"It's late and you've accomplished a lot. Why don't you call it a day?"

can't make heads or tails of something: can't understand something at all;
find something confusing and illogical.

"I can't make heads or tails of your e-mail. Were you having problems
with your computer?"

catch one's eye: attract one's attention/interest.

"This brochure about Tahiti caught my eye when I was at the travel agency."

catch some Zs: sleep for a while; take a nap.

"You look tired, Dave. Why don't you catch some Zs?"

change one's mind: decide to do something different from what had been decided earlier.

A: "Why are you working this week? I thought you were going to be on vacation."
B: "I changed my mind. I'm taking my vacation next month."

chicken (adjective or noun): cowardly.

"Fred will never ask Lucy for a date. He's chicken / a chicken.

chow: food.

"How's the chow in the university cafeteria?"

chow down: eat.

"It's almost 6:00. Are you ready to chow down?"

a cinch: something that's very easy to do.

A: How was the test?
B: It was a cinch. I finished it quickly and I know that all my answers were correct."

cool (also kewl): neat, special, wonderful.

"The ESL Cafe on the Web is really cool!"

Cool it!: calm down.

"There's no need to be so upset. Just cool it!"

cost (someone) an arm and a leg: cost a lot; be very expensive.

A: "Your new car is really nice."
B: "It should be. It cost (me) an arm and a leg!"

couch potato: someone who spends too much time watching TV.

"You're a real couch potato, Jay. You need to get more exercise!"

cram: try to learn as much as possible in a very short time.

"Sidney did well on the test because he crammed for it. However, he probably
won't remember any of the information a couple of days from now."

crash course: short course designed to give a lot of knowledge/information in a very short time.

"Tom's company is sending him to a business meeting in Istanbul.
Should he take a crash course in Turkish?"

Cut it out!: stop doing something (that's annoying).

"You kids are making too much noise. Cut it out!"

***D ***

Don't count your chickens until (before) they hatch (they've hatched).: Don't assume
that something will happen until it has happened.

A: I'm sure that I'm going to win a lot of money in Las Vegas."
B: "Don't count your chickens until they hatch!"

dicey: uncertain; taking too much of a chance.

A: A friend of mine says I can make a lot of moneyif I buy stock
in the XYZ company. Should I do it?
B: I wouldn't if I were you. The chances for success are too dicey."

ditch class: skip class/play hookey.

"You shouldn't have ditched class yesterday. We had an unannounced test."

do a bang-up job: do a very good job; do very well at something.

"Have you seen Frank's home page? He did a bang-up job with it."

down in the dumps: depressed; "blue."

A: "Is something wrong?"
B: "Not really, but I feel kind of down in the dumps."

drop someone a line: write to someone.

"I haven't written to my parents for a long time. I'd better drop them a line
today or tomorrow."

drag one's feet: delay; take longer than necessary to do something.

"Joe should have finished his project a week ago. Why is he dragging his feet?"

***E ***

an eager beaver: a person who is always willing to volunteer or do extra work.

"Jan is certainly an eager beaver. Any time there's work to be done,
she's the first to say she'll help."

Easy does it!: Be very careful! / Don't do anything too fast or too hard!

A: "I'm going to move the table just a little further from the window."
B: "Easy does it! If you move too fast, you might knock over the plant!"

an egghead: a very intelligent person.

"Jake didn't make very good grades in school, but his sister was a real egghead."

elbow grease: hard work; effort.

"Yes, the car is pretty dirty, but it'll look nice again with a little elbow grease."

every other _____ : alternately; omitting the second one in each group of two.

"In your essays, please write on every other line. That will make the
essays much easier to read."

***F ***

far-fetched: difficult to accept; difficult to believe.

"That story's pretty far-fetched. Nobody's going to believe it."

feel blue: feel sad and depressed.

"I'm feeling blue because I haven't had any mail except bills for a long, long time."

fire someone: dismiss someone from a job because of poor performance.

"If you continue to be late for work, the company will fire you."

feel puny: feel unwell, ill.

"Ted was feeling puny yesterday, so he decided not to go to work."

fender-bender: automobile accident.

"Traffic was really slow on the freeway this morning
because of a fender-bender in one of the westbound lanes."

for ages: for a very long time.

"Where's Marie? I haven't seen her for ages."

***G ***

get going: leave.

"Look at the time! I'd better get going!"

get it: understand something (often negative).

"I don't get it. What do you mean?"

get a kick out of something: find something amusing.

"I really get a kick out of listening to children talk. They say some very funny things."

get lost!: go away

"I wish he'd get lost and stop bothering me. I don't want to talk to him!"

get on one's nerves: irritate someone; make someone upset.

"I know you like that song, but it's getting on my nerves. Can you play something else?"

get a move on: hurry

"If you don't want to be late, you'd better get a move on."

get one's wires crossed: be confused or mistaken about something.

A: "Bill said there was a meeting this morning. Don't we have one?"
B: "No. The meeting's tomorrow. I guess Bill got his wires crossed."

get out of hand: become out of control; become badly managed.

"Your absences are getting out of hand, Bob. You'd better do something quickly to improve the situation if you want to keep your job."

Get real!: Be realistic! / Don't be naive.

A: "I'm going to Las Vegas. I know I'll win a lot of money!"
B: "Get real! You'll probably lose a lot of money!"

get up and go: energy.

"I'm really tired. I don't have any get up and go."

give someone a hand (1): help someone.

"I can't do this alone. Can you give me a hand?"

give someone a hand (2): applaud (to show respect or appreciation for someone/something).

"Dave's done a wonderful job with The ESL Café on the Web.
Let's give him a hand!"

a (real) go-getter: a (very) ambitious, hard-working person.

"I'm not surprised that Jean finished before anyone else. She's a real go-getter."

go with the flow: take things as they come.

"There's no need to worry. Everything will be OK if you just go with the flow."

grab a bite: get something to eat.

"I'm really hungry. Would you like to grab a bite with me?"

green: inexperienced.
"I don't think you can depend on Jack to do that job by himself. He's too green."

***H ***

had ('d) better: be obliged to; should (strong).

"You'd better leave soon. If you don't, you'll miss your bus."

hassle (noun): a troublesome situation; something troublesome that interrupts one's normal routine.

"I know it's a hassle to complete this form now, but Mr. Rogers
needs it in his office by the end of the day."

hard feelings: anger; animosity; bitter feelings.

A: "I'm sorry that Jim got the job instead of you."
B: "I have no hard feelings toward him; I know that he had stronger qualifications."

hard-headed: stubborn; inflexible; unwilling to change.

"I don't think Julie will change her mind. She's pretty hard-headed."

hassle (verb): annoy; bother; interrupt one's normal routine.

"If you'd stop hassling me, I might get this finished on time!"

have one's hands full: be extremely busy.

A: "Will you be able to help us this afternoon?"
B: "I'm afraid not. I'll have my hands full trying to finish my research paper."

have/has ('ve/'s) got: have/has.

"Dave's got a son whose name is Benjamin and a daughter whose name is Shannon."

have something down pat: know/understand something completely and thoroughly.

"I know I did well on the test. I had all the material down pat."

head honcho: person in charge; top boss.

"Dave's the head honcho of the ESL Cafe on the Web."

hit the books: study.

"I wish I could go to the movies, but I've got to hit the books."

hit the hay: go to bed; go to sleep.

"It's late, so I guess I'll hit the hay."

hit the sack: go to bed.

"I'm really tired. I think I'll hit the sack."

How come?: Why? (statement word order).
"How come you weren't at the party?"

***I ***

if I had my druthers: if I could do what I wanted/preferred.

"If I had my druthers, I'd stay home from work today."

in over one's head: in a situation that is too much / too difficult for one to manage.

"Do you have time to help me? I thought I could do this myself,
but I'm afraid I'm in over my head. I just can't handle things alone."

inside out: with the inner part on the outside and the outer part on the inside.

"Why are you wearing your tee shirt inside out?"

in stock: in supply and available to buy / sell.

"I'm sorry, but we just sold our last pair of hiking boots. If you come back
at the end of the week, however, we should have some more in stock.

in the black: profitable; not showing a financial loss.

"What did you do to increase profit and eliminate losses?
We've been in the black for two months in a row."

in the red: unprofitable; showing a financial loss.

"We have to do something to increase profit and decrease losses.
We've been in the red for two months in a row."

in time: not late.
"I thought I was going to be late for my flight, but it was delayed, so I was still in time."

***J ***

jump all over someone: severely criticize / find fault with someone.

A: "What's wrong with Joe?"
B: "He's feeling bad because his boss jumped all over him this morning."

jump the gun: do something before it's time to do it.

A: "How did Marsha know about the party? It was supposed to be a surprise."
B: "Chuck jumped the gun. Without thinking, he said, 'I'm bringing the cake at your party;
I hope you like it!"

jump to conclusions: decide something too quickly and without thinking about it or
considering all the facts.

A: "Angela just doesn't like me. She won't even say hello."
B: "You're jumping to conclusions. Actually, she's very shy."

junk mail: unsolicited mail (usually advertisements for something you're not interested in).

"I didn't have any letters today--only junk mail."

***K ***

keep an eye on: check something regularly.

"You're busy, so you'll need to keep an eye on the time.
Remember that we have to leave at 4:30."

keep an eye out for: watch for.

"I'll keep an eye out for John. If I see him, I'll tell him you want to talk to him."

keep one's chin up: remain brave and confident in a difficult situation;
don't despair or worry too much.

"I know that things have been difficult for you recently,
but keep your chin up. Everything will be better soon."

keep one's nose to the grindstone: stay diligent; steadily work hard,
without breaks or an uneven pace.

"If I keep my nose to the grindstone, I should be finished by the end of the day."

keep/stay in touch (with someone): remain informed (about someone) / in contact (with someone) by writing, calling, sending e-mail, etc. on a regular basis.

"I haven't seen Frank for two or three years but we keep (stay) in touch by e-mail."

keep one's fingers crossed: hope for the best.

A: "How did you do on the test?"
B: "I think I passed, but I won't know until tomorrow.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed!"

kid (noun): child.

A: "You have three kids, don't you?"
B: "That's right. I have two girls and a boy."

kid (verb): playfully say something that isn't true.

"I was kidding when I said my teacher was a monster. She's strict,
but she's actually a very nice person."

kind of: rather; more or less; a little.

"I'm feeling kind of hungry. I think I'll make myself a sandwich."

a klutz: an awkward, uncoordinated person.

"Don't ask Jeff to dance with you. He's a real klutz and will probably step on your feet!"

a know-it-all: someone who acts as if he/she knows everything--as if no one
can tell him/her anything that he/she doesn't already know.

"Don't try to make any suggestions to Bob. He's a know-it-all
and won't pay attention to anything you say."

know something backwards and forwards: know/understand something
completely and thoroughly.

"If you have a question about html tags, ask Susan. She knows html
backwards and forwards."

know something inside out: know/understand something thoroughly.
"If you have a question about grammar, ask Dr. Martin. She knows grammar inside out."

***L ***

lend someone a hand: help someone.

"I can't do this alone. Can you lend me a hand?"

leave well enough alone: do nothing (because doing something would make things worse).

"Don't tell Jim how to discipline his children. Leave well enough alone."

a let-down: a disappointment; something that's very disappointing.

"It must've been quite a let-down not to be chosen for that job.
I know you really hoped you would get it."

Let sleeping dogs lie.: Don't cause problems by doing something when it isn't necessary.

"I know that what Julie said made you angry, but let sleeping dogs lie.
If you say or do anything, you'll only make things worse."

live from hand to mouth: survive on very little money; have only enough money
to pay for basic needs.

"Chuck and Alice are living from hand to mouth since Chuck lost his job."

live and let live: don't unnecessarily make things difficult;
do as you wish and let others do as they wish.

"I'm not going to criticize Alice's family just because their habits
are a little strange. My motto is 'Live and let live.'"

a low blow: a big disappointment.

A: "Fred seems depressed. Is he OK?"
B: "He's OK, but not good. It was a low blow for him to be laid off from his job."

lousy: terrible; very bad.
"Why did you speak so rudely to your grandmother? That was a lousy thing to do!"

***M ***

macho: super masculine / masculine to an extreme (in appearance and behavior).

"Her husband would never agree to help with the housework;
he's too macho to do that."

make a mountain out of a molehill: make something seem much more important than it really is.

"Calm down. There's really nothing to worry about.
You're making a mountain out of a molehill."

make up one's mind: decide what to do.

A: Where are you going on your vacation?
B: Maybe Canada, maybe Mexico. I can't make up my mind."

***N ***

No way!: Absolutely not! / Definitely not!

A: "You didn't open this letter addressed to me, did you?"
B: "No way! I'd never read look at else's mail!"

nosh: snack.

"There's plenty in the refrigerator if you want something to nosh on."

Not on your life!: Absolutely not! (a strong "no").

A: "Someone said you cheated on the test. Did you?"
B: "Not on your life!"

now and then: occasionally; from time to time.

A: "Do you see Jennifer often?"
B: "No, not really. I see her now and then, but not regularly."

nuke: heat in a microwave.

"If your coffee's cold, just nuke it for about a minute."

nuts: crazy.

A: "Stuart says some really strange things sometimes."
B: "Sometimes? All the time! He's nuts!"

***O ***

OK: (1) yes (to show agreement--often reluctant agreement).

A: "Come on, Al. We really need your help!"
B: "Oh, OK; I may be crazy, but I'll help you."

OK: (2) neither good nor bad; so-so.

A: "How was the movie?"
B: "OK, I guess, but I've seen better ones."

OK: (3) in satisfactory condition; well.

A: "You look awfully pale. Are you OK?"
B: "Actually, I'm not. I have a terrible headache. "

OK: (4) approve (verb).

A: "Did your boss OK your vacation plans?"
B: "No, but he said that taking them two weeks later would be all right.

on the dot: exactly at a given time.

"We're leaving at 9:00 on the dot. If you're late, we'll go without you."

on time: at the scheduled time.

"It's getting late. You'd better hurry if you want to get to work on time."

(on the) cutting edge: using the most recent technology.

"The university's computer lab is (on the) cutting edge. It has
all the latest hardware and software."

once in a while: occasionally; from time to time.

A: "Would you like coffee or tea?"
B: "Coffee, please. I drink tea once in a while, but I generally drink coffee."

over one's head: too difficult or complicated for someone to understand.
"This explanation of cgi scripting is over my head.
Can you explain it in a less technical way?"

***P ***

pay the piper: face the consequences for something you've done.

"I stayed up too late tonight. Tomorrow I'll have to pay the piper."

plastic: credit card(s).

"Oh, no! I forgot to get any cash! I hope this restaurant accepts plastic!"

pooped: very tired; exhausted.

"I went to bed really early last night. I was pooped!"

pop quiz: unannounced short test.

"You shouldn't have missed class yesterday. We had a pop quiz."

pretty (adv.): rather; somewhat.

"That car's pretty expensive. Are you sure you can afford it?"

pull an all-nighter: study or work all night without getting any sleep.

A: "You look really tired."
B: "I am. I pulled an all-nighter to get ready for the meeting this morning."

pull someone's leg: tease someone by trying to make her/him believe something
that's exaggerated or untrue.
A: "Wow! Carl has done some really amazing things!"
B: "Don't believe everything he tells you. He was probably pulling your leg."

***Q ***

quite a few: several; numerous.

"I don't think I can meet you after work. I have quite a few errands that I have to do."

a quick study: someone who learns new things quickly and easily.

A: "Annie seems to be doing well at her new job."
B: "I'm not surprised. She's a quick study."

***R ***

R and R: rest and relaxation (a vacation).

"I think you're working too hard, Dave. You need some R and R."

rain or shine: (describing something scheduled) no matter what the weather is.

"We're leaving tomorrow, rain or shine."

rain cats and dogs: rain very hard.

"You can't leave just now! It's raining cats and dogs
and you don't have an umbrella or raincoat!"

read someone's mind: know what someone is thinking.

A: "I'll be you're thinking of what you're going to have for dinner."
B: "Hey, did you read my mind?"
A: "No. I just know that you're always hungry and lunch was several hours ago!"

rub someone the wrong way: irritate someone; bother or annoy someone.

"All my little brother says is 'Why?' Usually I'm patient with him,
but sometimes all his questions rub me the wrong way."

run-down: (1) not well; weak; fatigued.

"Are you eating regularly and getting enough sleep? You look run-down."

run-down: (2) in poor condition; needing repair.
"This must be a poor neighborhood. All the buildings look really run-down."

***S ***

__ -savvy: knowledgeable about ___ .

"If you're having problems with your hard disk, talk to Jim.
He's very computer-savvy. "

schmooze: make relaxed, casual conversation.

"No, we weren't talking about anything important.
We were just schmoozing."

shoot the breeze: make relaxed, casual conversation.

"No, we weren't talking about anything important.
We were just shooting the breeze."

sleep on it: take at least a day to think about something before making a decision.

"The job that you're offering me sounds really good, but I'd like
to sleep on it before giving you my final decision."

a snap: something that's very easy to do.

A: "Is your job difficult?"
B: "No, actually it's a snap. In fact, it's so easy that it's a little bit boring."

Someone's made his/her own bed; now let him/her lie in it.: Someone has caused
his/her own problems; he/she will have to solve them himself/herself.

A: Jim upset everyone when he got angry at the meeting. Can we do anything
to make the situation better?
B: No. He's made his own bed; now let him lie in it."

sooner or later: eventually.

"You've been working too hard for too long. If you don't relax a little,
sooner or later you're going to get sick."

sort of: rather; somewhat.

"I think I'll lie down. I feel sort of dizzy."

so-so: fair; not particularly good.

A: "How're you doing?"
B: "So-so. I've been better, but I've also been worse."

state of the art: using the latest technology.

"The company is very proud of the equipment in its
computer room. It's state of the art."

Step on it!: Hurry up!

"Step on it! The taxi will be here at any time and you're not even dressed!"

***T ***

take it easy: relax.

"I don't have any special vacation plans. I'm just going to take it easy."

tell a white lie: say something that isn't true in order not to hurt or offend someone.

"The cake that Susan made tasted terrible, but I knew that she
made it because she wanted to please me, so when she asked
if I liked it, I told a white lie and said it was good."

toss something: throw something away; put something in the trash.

"These shoes are worn out. I guess I'll have to toss them."

tough: difficult.
"Question number three is a tough one.Do you know the answer?"

There, there.: expression of comfort.

"There, there. Everything's going to be OK."

tight-fisted: very frugal; unwilling to spend money unnecessarily.

A: Do you think Charlie will donate any money to the activities fund?
B: No way! He's too tight-fisted!

a tightwad: someone who is very frugal and unwilling to spend money unnecessarily.

A: Will Charlie donate any money to the activities fund?
B: Absolutely not! He's a real tightwad!"

tricky: easily confused or misunderstood.

"This problem is tricky. I don't really understand it."

two-faced: deceitful; disolyal; someone who pretends to be a friend but isn't.
"I thought he was my friend, but he's two-faced. He says nice things
to me when we're together, but makes jokes about me when we aren't.

***U ***

under the weather: ill; sick; unwell.

"Ted was feeling under the weather yesterday, so he decided not to go to work."

until hell freezes over: forever.

"Chris can practice the piano until hell freezes over, but he'll never play
well because he's tone-deaf."

Note: This expression is used to describe something that will not
change, no matter how long or how often it's done.

until you're blue in the face: forever.

"You can talk until you're blue in the face, but I won't change my mind."

Note: This expression is used in the same way as "until hell freezes over."

update: make current; add information to show what has happened recently.

"I need to update my résumé. It doesn't show what I've done during the last year."

upside down: with the bottom part on top and the top part on bottom.

"Put the glasses upside down in the dishwasher. If you don't do that,
they'll fill with water and you'll have to dry them by hand."

used to (+ V): an action that was true in the past but is not true now.
"Jane used to live in Austin, Texas. She lives in San Francisco now."

***W ***

Was my face red!: I was very embarrassed.

"When I got to the meeting I noticed that I was wearing one black sock
and one brown one. Was my face red!"

wear out one's welcome: make someone uncomfortable by visiting too long.

A: "Can't you stay two or three more days?"
B: "No. I don't want to wear out my welcome."

wet behind the ears: inexperienced and naive.

"Don't include Fred as part of the bargaining team.He's just started
working here and is still too wet behind the ears."

What for?: Why?

A: "Come here for a minute. I need you."
B: "What for?"

Note: "What" and "for" can be separated--with "for" at the end of the question:
B: "What do you need me for?"

What's up?: What's new? What's happening?

"Hi, Dave. What's up?"

a white lie: a lie that is told to avoid offending someone or hurting his / her feelings.

"The cake that Susan made tasted terrible, but I knew that
she made it because she wanted to please me, so when she
asked if I liked it, I told a white lie and said it was good."

wishy-washy: uncommitted; without an opinion of one's own.

"Don't be so wishy-washy. Tell us how you really feel."

with bells on: very eagerly; with the feeling that one will have a very good time.

A: "Are you going to Sandra's party?"
B: "I'll be there with bells on!"

would ('d) just as soon: would ('d) rather; prefer.
"I know we have a lot of work to do, but I'm tired. I'd just as soon leave
and finish tomorrow. Is that OK with you?"

***Y ***

a yes-man: someone who tries to get approval by agreeing with everyone.

A: "Why does the boss think Arnold is so intelligent?"
B: "Because Arnold is a yes-man. He agrees with everything the boss says!"

You don't say!: Really? / Is that really true?

A: "Have you heard the news? Jessica got married!"
B: "You don't say!"

You've got to be kidding!: You can't be serious! (What you said can't be true.
What you said is very surprising/hard to believe.) "

A: "Did you know that Bob quit his job?"
B: "You've got to be kidding!"

yucky: terrible; distasteful; very unpleasant.

"Don't eat the soup at the cafeteria. It's yucky!"

yummy: delicious.
"Have you tried the cookies that Jonathan baked? They're yummy!"

***Z ***

zilch: nothing.

A: "How much money do you have?"
B: "Zilch. I'm broke until payday."

Zip your lip!: keep something secret; promise not to tell what has just been said.

"What I told you is really important, so zip your lip!"

************************************************
The end and wait for me another tips at the next days bye for now

English Conversation !!!

2010-04-16T08:07:00.000-07:00

Hello friends today we'll learn English by conversations it's great job you will learn how to ask questions to others during conversation tips of questions in the past , present and future please listen to me it will be fantastic when you leave a comment after watching videos I hope that really I hope you all the best and success in your life here you are enjoy learning !!!!

"Top 5 Mistakes English Learners Make"

2010-04-16T04:04:00.000-07:00

"Top 5 Mistakes English Learners Make"

What are the most common mistakes that English learners make? Which mistakes do most English learners need to correct, in order to learn English much faster?

Here are the top 5 English Learning Mistakes:

1. Focusing On Grammar

This is the biggest, most common, and worst mistake. Research shows that grammar study, in fact, actually hurts English speaking ability. Why? Because English grammar is simply too complex to memorize and use logically.... and real conversation is much too fast.

You don't have enough time to think, remember hundreds or thousands of grammar rules, choose the correct one, then use it.

Your logical left-brain cannot do it. You must learn grammar intuitively and unconsciously, like a child. You do this by hearing a lot of correct English grammar- and your brain gradually and automatically learns to use English grammar correctly.

2. Forcing Speech

Both English students and teachers try to force speech before the learner is ready. The result is that most students speak English very slowly- with no confidence and no fluency. Forcing speech is a huge mistake. Don't force speech. Focus on listening and be patient. Speak only when you are ready to speak- when it happens easily and naturally. Until then, never force it.

3. Learning Only Formal Textbook English

Unfortunately, most English students learn only the formal English found in textbooks and schools. The problem is- native speakers don't use that kind of English in most situations.

When speaking to friends, family, or co-workers, native speakers use casual English that is full of idioms, phrasal verbs, and slang. To communicate with native speakers, you must not rely only on textbooks.. you must learn casual English.

4. Trying To Be Perfect

Students and teachers often focus on mistakes. They worry about mistakes. They correct mistakes. They feel nervous about mistakes. They try to speak perfectly. No one, however, is perfect. Native speakers make mistakes all the time. You will too. Instead of focusing on the negative- focus on communication.

Your goal is not to speak "perfectly", your goal is to communicate ideas, information, and feelings in a clear and understandable way. Focus on communication,focus on the positive. You will automatically improve your mistakes in time

5. Relying On English Schools

Most English learners rely totally on schools. They think the teacher and the school are responsible for their success. This is never true. You, the English learner, are always responsible. A good teacher can help, but ultimately you must be responsible for your own learning.

You must find lessons and material that are effective. You must listen and read every day. You must manage your emotions and remain motivated and energetic. You must be positive and optimistic. No teacher can make you learn. Only you can do it!

While these mistakes are very common, the good news is that you can correct them. When you stop making these mistakes, you change the way you learn English. You learn faster. Your speaking improves. You enjoy learning English.

Good luck... you can do it!