Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Monday, June 25, 2007
Study English: A Case of the Monday's
"A Case of the Monday's" is a phrase from the cult classic movie, "Office Space." It means that the person with this condition feels depressed because the weekend is over and usually has to go back to work (where he or she doesn't want to be).
For example:
X: You look like you've got a case of the Monday's
Y: Yeah, the weather is way too nice to be couped up in a small cubicle all day.
For example:
X: You look like you've got a case of the Monday's
Y: Yeah, the weather is way too nice to be couped up in a small cubicle all day.
Friday, June 22, 2007
English lesson: TGIF
Do you know the meaning of TGIF? This is an acronym (abbreviation) that stands for, "Thank goodness it's Friday."
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Improve Your English Fast
Tips to Improving Your English – FAST!
Write a Journal
Improving your English is like exercising to get fit. You wouldn’t (and shouldn’t) go to the gym for 8 hours a day, everyday. Nor would you spend only a little time only once in a while exercising. Getting fit requires a regular, frequent training schedule. You should take the same approach with studying English. Just start doing a little everyday – start with three sentences per day. Write down thoughts, feelings, make a historical record etc. Anything is fine; just write it down in the same place every time. You should be trying to establish a habit, and habits become part of your routine sooner with repetition and without breaks. Use a notebook or make a journal on your computer. Writing will reveal the gap between what you WANT to say and what you CAN say, as well as grammatical mistakes and word choice issues. When you discover what you don’t know, THAT’S what you should prioritize, memorize and utilize. TRY these expressions in real conversation with someone to test how well it expresses what you want to say.
Read Books
Read simple, elementary school or Jr. High school level books. Now, some of you will not believe me on this and go and read trade magazines or other (difficult) things that interest you. But take my word when I say that you’ll improve faster my way. Novels and short stories either fiction or non-fiction are best. Stories will contain the kind of natural, daily English you’ll want to know and use. Memorize the organization of sentences and how thoughts and expressions are written. Then TRY these expressions in real conversation with someone to test how well it expresses what you want to say. This will help you become comfortable with simple grammar and make good word choices.
Watch TV & Movies
Start slow. I repeat, start slow. I suggest a routine of 10-15 minutes per day. Again, some of you won’t take my advice and you’ll watch for hours and hours. That’s fine, but I don’t think it’s the most effective way to study. Don't just watch to be entertained. Watch with a pen, paper and dictionary. Turn on the “captions for the hearing impaired” also know as the subtitles. English subtitles should be standard on American DVDs. Pause often to get the word or rewind to hear it again. Watch it once or repeat the same section many times. The key is to understand it. Movies and TV are another good way to get new words and learn how things are said by native speakers. TRY these expressions in real conversation with someone to test how well it expresses what you want to say.
Make Everyday an English Lesson
One step out the door means you probably have the opportunity to make conversation with English speakers. But be careful. Don’t wait for someone to speak to you. You have to be proactive. Leave the house every day with a goal to speak at least a little of the English you’ve been studying. Even one or two words are fine. It’s surprising how much easier it is to remember something after you’ve actually used it once successfully. Making mistakes isn’t bad either. If you try and fail, ask the person to correct your English. Then write it down and try it again until you get it right. Think about the English vocabulary you have now. How do you remember it? Your vocabulary is probably limited to the words you must use or like to use everyday. It’s called your comfort zone. The problem is, your “zone” is probably very small and you’re not breaking out of it because you’re not trying to learn anything new. Moreover, the words you’re comfortable with and use daily may even be incorrect, but you don’t know it.
Live like an American
This could be the hardest thing to do on the list. Naturally you’re most comfortable with your native language. I’m sorry to say that you have to let go! Living in a foreign country might feel at times like being thrown off a ship into the deep cold water of the ocean all alone. The water is dark and unfamiliar. You’re afraid that sharks below will devour you and a non-stop flow of giant waves crash in your face as you struggle to keep your head above water. As the ship sails away in the distance you see a lifesaver floating in the water near you. You swim to grab it and hold it tightly to your body. At times you panic and forget you can still swim, but you have the floating device and now the ship is out of sight and left you alone in a huge ocean. The sun is going down and you can see a glimpse of the shoreline as the huge waves carry you up and down. Let’s compare falling into the ocean to the shock of living in a new country with a new lifestyle, culture, language, diet, time zone etc. The ocean and what lies beneath represents your fear of the unknown and what might happen if you make language or cultural mistakes. The waves are the spoken English you can’t catch or understand that you hear daily and mentally pushes you down, makes you tired, and makes you feel like you want to give up. The ship represents your home country and the lifesaver or floating device is the lifestyle, culture, language that you left behind. You feel it’s the only thing keeping you alive. The irony is you have to let go of the floating device to survive. The reality is that you can swim, the water is safe from sharks during the day and the beach is only a few minutes away – if you decide to swim. You can swim faster without the lifesaver and you have to hurry before the sun goes down –before you go back home! Live life, as much as possible, like Americans do. Hanging on to Japanese life, culture and language will only slow you down. Go to American grocery stores, American restaurants, join a club at the YMCA, fitness club etc. where there aren't many Japanese. Watch less Japanese TV, fewer Japanese movies, and read fewer Japanese newspapers. Don't cling so much to Japan and the Japanese way. You will not have a rich, full experience living here if you do.
Write a Journal
Improving your English is like exercising to get fit. You wouldn’t (and shouldn’t) go to the gym for 8 hours a day, everyday. Nor would you spend only a little time only once in a while exercising. Getting fit requires a regular, frequent training schedule. You should take the same approach with studying English. Just start doing a little everyday – start with three sentences per day. Write down thoughts, feelings, make a historical record etc. Anything is fine; just write it down in the same place every time. You should be trying to establish a habit, and habits become part of your routine sooner with repetition and without breaks. Use a notebook or make a journal on your computer. Writing will reveal the gap between what you WANT to say and what you CAN say, as well as grammatical mistakes and word choice issues. When you discover what you don’t know, THAT’S what you should prioritize, memorize and utilize. TRY these expressions in real conversation with someone to test how well it expresses what you want to say.
Read Books
Read simple, elementary school or Jr. High school level books. Now, some of you will not believe me on this and go and read trade magazines or other (difficult) things that interest you. But take my word when I say that you’ll improve faster my way. Novels and short stories either fiction or non-fiction are best. Stories will contain the kind of natural, daily English you’ll want to know and use. Memorize the organization of sentences and how thoughts and expressions are written. Then TRY these expressions in real conversation with someone to test how well it expresses what you want to say. This will help you become comfortable with simple grammar and make good word choices.
Watch TV & Movies
Start slow. I repeat, start slow. I suggest a routine of 10-15 minutes per day. Again, some of you won’t take my advice and you’ll watch for hours and hours. That’s fine, but I don’t think it’s the most effective way to study. Don't just watch to be entertained. Watch with a pen, paper and dictionary. Turn on the “captions for the hearing impaired” also know as the subtitles. English subtitles should be standard on American DVDs. Pause often to get the word or rewind to hear it again. Watch it once or repeat the same section many times. The key is to understand it. Movies and TV are another good way to get new words and learn how things are said by native speakers. TRY these expressions in real conversation with someone to test how well it expresses what you want to say.
Make Everyday an English Lesson
One step out the door means you probably have the opportunity to make conversation with English speakers. But be careful. Don’t wait for someone to speak to you. You have to be proactive. Leave the house every day with a goal to speak at least a little of the English you’ve been studying. Even one or two words are fine. It’s surprising how much easier it is to remember something after you’ve actually used it once successfully. Making mistakes isn’t bad either. If you try and fail, ask the person to correct your English. Then write it down and try it again until you get it right. Think about the English vocabulary you have now. How do you remember it? Your vocabulary is probably limited to the words you must use or like to use everyday. It’s called your comfort zone. The problem is, your “zone” is probably very small and you’re not breaking out of it because you’re not trying to learn anything new. Moreover, the words you’re comfortable with and use daily may even be incorrect, but you don’t know it.
Live like an American
This could be the hardest thing to do on the list. Naturally you’re most comfortable with your native language. I’m sorry to say that you have to let go! Living in a foreign country might feel at times like being thrown off a ship into the deep cold water of the ocean all alone. The water is dark and unfamiliar. You’re afraid that sharks below will devour you and a non-stop flow of giant waves crash in your face as you struggle to keep your head above water. As the ship sails away in the distance you see a lifesaver floating in the water near you. You swim to grab it and hold it tightly to your body. At times you panic and forget you can still swim, but you have the floating device and now the ship is out of sight and left you alone in a huge ocean. The sun is going down and you can see a glimpse of the shoreline as the huge waves carry you up and down. Let’s compare falling into the ocean to the shock of living in a new country with a new lifestyle, culture, language, diet, time zone etc. The ocean and what lies beneath represents your fear of the unknown and what might happen if you make language or cultural mistakes. The waves are the spoken English you can’t catch or understand that you hear daily and mentally pushes you down, makes you tired, and makes you feel like you want to give up. The ship represents your home country and the lifesaver or floating device is the lifestyle, culture, language that you left behind. You feel it’s the only thing keeping you alive. The irony is you have to let go of the floating device to survive. The reality is that you can swim, the water is safe from sharks during the day and the beach is only a few minutes away – if you decide to swim. You can swim faster without the lifesaver and you have to hurry before the sun goes down –before you go back home! Live life, as much as possible, like Americans do. Hanging on to Japanese life, culture and language will only slow you down. Go to American grocery stores, American restaurants, join a club at the YMCA, fitness club etc. where there aren't many Japanese. Watch less Japanese TV, fewer Japanese movies, and read fewer Japanese newspapers. Don't cling so much to Japan and the Japanese way. You will not have a rich, full experience living here if you do.
Lesson 14: Which One?
“Which One?”
It seems like in English I always need to describe or compare something to explain what it is or how many there are. It’s important that you learn the skill of comparisons by using the words, “both/neither/all/none.” The word “both” is used when you talk about two things that are the same. For example, “Both of these teachers are smart.” The key is to remember that “both” is used with a quantity of two. The opposite of both is “neither.” Neither is also used when comparing two things but it is the negative form and the assumption is that we compare each one individually to conclude that something doesn’t exist in either one. This is an important difference. For example, when comparing two girls who are unfortunately unattractive, “Neither of them is cute.” Notice that in the first example the verb “are + adjective” is plural because the noun “these teachers” is plural. But “neither” is special. It’s considered a singular pronoun because after comparing both things the result is that neither has what is being compared. Therefore we use the verb “is + adjective.” In addition to “both/neither” you will need to be able to count or compare “all” of something or “none.” In this case we are talking about a quantity of at least three or more. The quantity might be much higher than three of course, such as in the case of the “All of the people on this planet…” That said, whether we say “all” or “none” the assumption is always a quantity that is plural so the pattern is “are + adj or noun.” Let’s look at some more examples below so you can practice.
Key words:
Neither of the juices is healthy
Both of the women are overweight
Neither of the bottles is broken
Both of them are strong
All of these cups are empty
None of these cars are expensive.
All of the employees are sick
None of the fax machines are working
Here are some situational examples:
Example: Two friends
(Casual):
w Which one should I drink?
u Neither of the juices is healthy.
Example: Two co-workers
(Everyday)
w Which one should I use?
u None of the fax machines are working.
Example: Boss to manager
(Formal):
w Who is sick?
u Actually, all of the employees are sick.
It seems like in English I always need to describe or compare something to explain what it is or how many there are. It’s important that you learn the skill of comparisons by using the words, “both/neither/all/none.” The word “both” is used when you talk about two things that are the same. For example, “Both of these teachers are smart.” The key is to remember that “both” is used with a quantity of two. The opposite of both is “neither.” Neither is also used when comparing two things but it is the negative form and the assumption is that we compare each one individually to conclude that something doesn’t exist in either one. This is an important difference. For example, when comparing two girls who are unfortunately unattractive, “Neither of them is cute.” Notice that in the first example the verb “are + adjective” is plural because the noun “these teachers” is plural. But “neither” is special. It’s considered a singular pronoun because after comparing both things the result is that neither has what is being compared. Therefore we use the verb “is + adjective.” In addition to “both/neither” you will need to be able to count or compare “all” of something or “none.” In this case we are talking about a quantity of at least three or more. The quantity might be much higher than three of course, such as in the case of the “All of the people on this planet…” That said, whether we say “all” or “none” the assumption is always a quantity that is plural so the pattern is “are + adj or noun.” Let’s look at some more examples below so you can practice.
Key words:
Neither of the juices is healthy
Both of the women are overweight
Neither of the bottles is broken
Both of them are strong
All of these cups are empty
None of these cars are expensive.
All of the employees are sick
None of the fax machines are working
Here are some situational examples:
Example: Two friends
(Casual):
w Which one should I drink?
u Neither of the juices is healthy.
Example: Two co-workers
(Everyday)
w Which one should I use?
u None of the fax machines are working.
Example: Boss to manager
(Formal):
w Who is sick?
u Actually, all of the employees are sick.
Lesson 13: Anyone, Anything, Anywhere
“Anyone, Anything, Anywhere”
It’s important to know how to talk about “Anyone, Anything, and Anywhere” in daily conversation. In this case, the possibilities and choices are not set on one specific thing. They are wide open. You can use these in many situations like giving advice, giving permission or talking about your preferences. For example in the case of giving permission, “Anyone can come to my party.” If you are talking about giving advice you might say, “You can buy anything as long as it is warm enough for the snow.” If you want to talk about your preference for something you can say, “Just put it anywhere close to the window.” These three words are also useful in the question form. Since the words are general in meaning, they are useful to use in question form when you want ask a general question to get more specific information. For example, “Did anyone come to the party?” General questions can be considered more polite in some cases since they give the person answering the opportunity to answer either generally or specifically based on the situation or their preference. Let’s look at some examples below so you can get used to asking or answering in this pattern.
Key words:
Did anyone bring anything to eat?
Did Sean go anywhere with Greg last night?
Does anyone have a pen I could borrow?
Anyone can come to the dance if they have a dance card
Anything can happen when there are teenagers there
Anywhere you go, I’ll find you
There is no reason to go anywhere else
We can talk to anyone except for strangers
They were able to buy anything with the credit card
Here are some situational examples:
Example: Two friends
(Casual):
w Did anyone bring anything to eat?
u No, and I’m starving!
Example: Two co-workers
(Everyday)
w Did Sean go anywhere with Greg last night?
u Yes, they went to the game.
Example: Boss to manager
(Formal):
w I purchase all of the supplies at Office Depot.
u There is no reason to go anywhere else.
It’s important to know how to talk about “Anyone, Anything, and Anywhere” in daily conversation. In this case, the possibilities and choices are not set on one specific thing. They are wide open. You can use these in many situations like giving advice, giving permission or talking about your preferences. For example in the case of giving permission, “Anyone can come to my party.” If you are talking about giving advice you might say, “You can buy anything as long as it is warm enough for the snow.” If you want to talk about your preference for something you can say, “Just put it anywhere close to the window.” These three words are also useful in the question form. Since the words are general in meaning, they are useful to use in question form when you want ask a general question to get more specific information. For example, “Did anyone come to the party?” General questions can be considered more polite in some cases since they give the person answering the opportunity to answer either generally or specifically based on the situation or their preference. Let’s look at some examples below so you can get used to asking or answering in this pattern.
Key words:
Did anyone bring anything to eat?
Did Sean go anywhere with Greg last night?
Does anyone have a pen I could borrow?
Anyone can come to the dance if they have a dance card
Anything can happen when there are teenagers there
Anywhere you go, I’ll find you
There is no reason to go anywhere else
We can talk to anyone except for strangers
They were able to buy anything with the credit card
Here are some situational examples:
Example: Two friends
(Casual):
w Did anyone bring anything to eat?
u No, and I’m starving!
Example: Two co-workers
(Everyday)
w Did Sean go anywhere with Greg last night?
u Yes, they went to the game.
Example: Boss to manager
(Formal):
w I purchase all of the supplies at Office Depot.
u There is no reason to go anywhere else.
Lesson 12: Someone, Something, Somewhere
“Someone, Something, Somewhere”
Next I will teach you about how to talk about “Someone, Something, Somewhere” in daily conversation. These words are vague but indicate a specific thing or situation that is usually revealed later. You can use these in many situations like telling about a rumor, keeping a secret, or talking about your plans that you haven’t confirmed yet, or completely decided. For example in the case of telling a rumor you might say, “Someone told me that you like to sing karaoke.” If you are trying to keep a secret you might say, “I’m making something special for you for your birthday.” If you want to talk about your future plans that haven’t been decided yet you can say, “I’m planning to go somewhere over the holidays, but I’ haven’t decided.” These three words are also useful in the question form. The words are general in meaning, but they are useful to use in question form when you want get more specific information or just confirm something you already know. For example, “Did someone come break the TV?” Again, general questions can also be considered more polite in some cases. Even if the person asking thinks he knows the answer it gives the person answering the opportunity to answer either generally or specifically based on the situation or their comfort level to share details. Let’s look at some examples below so you can get used to asking or answering in this pattern.
Key words:
Did someone fart?
Did John go somewhere with her last night?
Does someone have a corkscrew I could use?
Someone used my stapler, didn’t they?
Something went wrong with the machine
Somewhere out there is the right girl for you
We can stop somewhere and buy food on the way
We can talk to someone if we need to
They were able to find something in the gift shop
Here are some situational examples:
Example: Two friends
(Casual):
w Dude, what smells?
u Did someone fart?
Example: Two co-workers
(Everyday)
w Did John go somewhere with her last night?
u No, she ended up going to dinner with her friends.
Example: Boss to manager
(Formal):
w I am concerned that we might get hungry on our drive to Las Vegas.
u We can stop somewhere and buy food on the way.
Next I will teach you about how to talk about “Someone, Something, Somewhere” in daily conversation. These words are vague but indicate a specific thing or situation that is usually revealed later. You can use these in many situations like telling about a rumor, keeping a secret, or talking about your plans that you haven’t confirmed yet, or completely decided. For example in the case of telling a rumor you might say, “Someone told me that you like to sing karaoke.” If you are trying to keep a secret you might say, “I’m making something special for you for your birthday.” If you want to talk about your future plans that haven’t been decided yet you can say, “I’m planning to go somewhere over the holidays, but I’ haven’t decided.” These three words are also useful in the question form. The words are general in meaning, but they are useful to use in question form when you want get more specific information or just confirm something you already know. For example, “Did someone come break the TV?” Again, general questions can also be considered more polite in some cases. Even if the person asking thinks he knows the answer it gives the person answering the opportunity to answer either generally or specifically based on the situation or their comfort level to share details. Let’s look at some examples below so you can get used to asking or answering in this pattern.
Key words:
Did someone fart?
Did John go somewhere with her last night?
Does someone have a corkscrew I could use?
Someone used my stapler, didn’t they?
Something went wrong with the machine
Somewhere out there is the right girl for you
We can stop somewhere and buy food on the way
We can talk to someone if we need to
They were able to find something in the gift shop
Here are some situational examples:
Example: Two friends
(Casual):
w Dude, what smells?
u Did someone fart?
Example: Two co-workers
(Everyday)
w Did John go somewhere with her last night?
u No, she ended up going to dinner with her friends.
Example: Boss to manager
(Formal):
w I am concerned that we might get hungry on our drive to Las Vegas.
u We can stop somewhere and buy food on the way.
Lesson 11: No one, Nothing, No where
“No one, Nothing, No where”
Let’s talk about “No one, No thing, and No where” in daily conversation. In this case, none of the options or choices is available. You can use these in situations like setting limits or rules, talking about zero quantity or talking about not going places or not moving or having action. For example in the case of setting limits or rules, “No one is allowed to use my computer.” If you are talking about zero quantity you might say, “Nothing about her interested me.” If you want to talk about a situation without movement, or in this case progress, you can say, “He would be no where without his wife.” These three words are also useful in the question form, but they are usually asked at tag questions. For example, “No one took my wallet, right?” Or, “Nothing can stop an angry bull, can it?” Or “There’s no where to hide, is there?” Let’s look at some examples below so you can get used to asking or answering in this pattern.
Key words:
No one brought plates, did they?
Nothing ever goes unnoticed by him
Her career is going no where fast
No one ever seems to talk to you
Nothing is free in this world
There’s no where she would rather be than with me
No one ever admits they’re wrong
There’s nothing to do here
There’s no where to buy Mexican food in Japan
Here are some situational examples:
Example: Two friends
(Casual):
w I can’t stand any of Jim’s friends.
u I know… no one ever seems to talk to you.
Example: Two co-workers
(Everyday)
w It’s hard working with Americans…
u I know… no one ever admits they’re wrong.
Example: Boss to manager
(Formal):
w She’s not willing to work hard…
u Then, her career is going nowhere fast.
Let’s talk about “No one, No thing, and No where” in daily conversation. In this case, none of the options or choices is available. You can use these in situations like setting limits or rules, talking about zero quantity or talking about not going places or not moving or having action. For example in the case of setting limits or rules, “No one is allowed to use my computer.” If you are talking about zero quantity you might say, “Nothing about her interested me.” If you want to talk about a situation without movement, or in this case progress, you can say, “He would be no where without his wife.” These three words are also useful in the question form, but they are usually asked at tag questions. For example, “No one took my wallet, right?” Or, “Nothing can stop an angry bull, can it?” Or “There’s no where to hide, is there?” Let’s look at some examples below so you can get used to asking or answering in this pattern.
Key words:
No one brought plates, did they?
Nothing ever goes unnoticed by him
Her career is going no where fast
No one ever seems to talk to you
Nothing is free in this world
There’s no where she would rather be than with me
No one ever admits they’re wrong
There’s nothing to do here
There’s no where to buy Mexican food in Japan
Here are some situational examples:
Example: Two friends
(Casual):
w I can’t stand any of Jim’s friends.
u I know… no one ever seems to talk to you.
Example: Two co-workers
(Everyday)
w It’s hard working with Americans…
u I know… no one ever admits they’re wrong.
Example: Boss to manager
(Formal):
w She’s not willing to work hard…
u Then, her career is going nowhere fast.
Lesson 10: What's the Point
“What’s the Point?”
In English it is important for you to know how to give the reason for doing something or explaining the purpose. “What’s the point?” means “what’s the reason” or “what’s the purpose.” Let’s look at some common situations and I think you will see my point about this very important skill. I’m sure that you will be asked by one of your friends or colleagues at work this kind of question to explain your actions: “Why did you do that?” How should you answer? Everyone probably knows the word, “Because” but I want to focus on something different. For situations with action, I suggest this pattern: “to + verb + object” For example, X. “Why did you stop in Barstow? Y. “To go to the Outlet stores.” By the way, if you don’t know about Barstow, California it is a famous place in the middle of the desert between Las Vegas and Los Angeles where there are hundreds of designer shops that sell second hand or past season brand merchandise at super low prices. You can find Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Louis Vuitton etc. In the example above, please keep in mind that I have reduced this pattern from its original formal form to make it sound more natural and less formal. The long and formal pattern is: “subject + verb + object + in order to + verb + object” as in “I went to Barstow in order to go shopping at the Outlet stores.” Too long, right? I want you to think of some possible questions to the answers below. The answers have been reduced to sound natural. I’m only going to give you the answers so keep in mind you have to imagine the question. There might also be multiple questions you can make on your own to match the same answer. Let’s take a look.
Key words:
To get a head start on the project
To be able to speak naturally
To get some more milk
To feel like my life has some direction and purpose
To be independent
To make her feel jealous
To spend time with my family
To see the animals
To release stress
To show them who’s boss
Do’ya= do you (reduction)
Here are some situational examples:
Example: Two friends
(Casual):
w Why do’ya wake up so early?
u To get a head start on the project.
Example: Two co-workers
(Everyday)
w Why did you decide to go back to school?
u To feel like my life has some direction and purpose.
Example: Boss to manager
(Formal):
w Why do you spend so much time at the gym?
u To release stress.
In English it is important for you to know how to give the reason for doing something or explaining the purpose. “What’s the point?” means “what’s the reason” or “what’s the purpose.” Let’s look at some common situations and I think you will see my point about this very important skill. I’m sure that you will be asked by one of your friends or colleagues at work this kind of question to explain your actions: “Why did you do that?” How should you answer? Everyone probably knows the word, “Because” but I want to focus on something different. For situations with action, I suggest this pattern: “to + verb + object” For example, X. “Why did you stop in Barstow? Y. “To go to the Outlet stores.” By the way, if you don’t know about Barstow, California it is a famous place in the middle of the desert between Las Vegas and Los Angeles where there are hundreds of designer shops that sell second hand or past season brand merchandise at super low prices. You can find Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Louis Vuitton etc. In the example above, please keep in mind that I have reduced this pattern from its original formal form to make it sound more natural and less formal. The long and formal pattern is: “subject + verb + object + in order to + verb + object” as in “I went to Barstow in order to go shopping at the Outlet stores.” Too long, right? I want you to think of some possible questions to the answers below. The answers have been reduced to sound natural. I’m only going to give you the answers so keep in mind you have to imagine the question. There might also be multiple questions you can make on your own to match the same answer. Let’s take a look.
Key words:
To get a head start on the project
To be able to speak naturally
To get some more milk
To feel like my life has some direction and purpose
To be independent
To make her feel jealous
To spend time with my family
To see the animals
To release stress
To show them who’s boss
Do’ya= do you (reduction)
Here are some situational examples:
Example: Two friends
(Casual):
w Why do’ya wake up so early?
u To get a head start on the project.
Example: Two co-workers
(Everyday)
w Why did you decide to go back to school?
u To feel like my life has some direction and purpose.
Example: Boss to manager
(Formal):
w Why do you spend so much time at the gym?
u To release stress.
Lesson 9: Disagreeing
“Disagreeing”
I think one big difference between American and Japanese culture is that it is easier to disagree in America. This type of debate style is expected in many situations including when talking with friends and family and also superiors such as teachers or police officers. Generally most Japanese people would agree that disagreeing with superiors is not only rude but can get you into big trouble. Moreover, Japanese even have to be careful disagreeing with friends and colleagues because it can be hard to keep a friendly peaceful atmosphere when there’s too much disagreement. In America, that is just not the case. In school kids are taught to be critical thinkers. That is, we are taught to question everything; even teachers and authority. Of course, too much disagreeing all of the time is viewed as negative or combative but it’s acceptable to disagree and still remain friendly. There are a couple of key points. One, the reason for disagreeing must be valid or important. Two, each person’s opinion, if valid, must be respected and heard with equal weight. Even a police officer who pulls you over for a violation will listen to you if you have a valid explanation of the situation. For example, I got a ticket for driving on a toll road for not having a toll road permit. I explained to the police office that the toll road sign was too small and I didn’t see it. Since my excuse was valid, the officer with his authority decided not to issue the ticket and let me go. The pattern for disagreeing is fairly easy. If you are asked a question, use the word “yes” or “no” followed by a pronoun and the opposite form of the verb. For example, X. “Sean didn’t go to the game.” Y. “Yes, he did.” Or X. “She worked all day.” Y. “No, she didn’t.” I’ll give you the disagreeing answers below and you try and make your own statement that fits the situation.
Key words:
He took the last cookie. No, he didn’t
He can’t hear you. Yes, he can
She should buy a new car. No, she shouldn’t
He doesn’t like natou.Yes, he does
They will adopt a child. No, they won’t
We aren’t hot. Yes, we are
You have saved enough money. No, I haven’t
He wasn’t sick. Yes, he was
She would like cake instead of ice cream. No, she wouldn’t
He shouldn’t do that. Yes, he should
We wouldn’t find the keys. No, we would
Here are some situational examples:
Example: Two friends
(Casual):
w You and Julie wouldn’t like the concert.
u No, we would.
Example: Two co-workers
(Everyday)
w He wasn’t the best guy for the job.
u Yes, he was.
Example: Boss to manager
(Formal):
w You should always hire a man for this position.
u No, you shouldn’t.
I think one big difference between American and Japanese culture is that it is easier to disagree in America. This type of debate style is expected in many situations including when talking with friends and family and also superiors such as teachers or police officers. Generally most Japanese people would agree that disagreeing with superiors is not only rude but can get you into big trouble. Moreover, Japanese even have to be careful disagreeing with friends and colleagues because it can be hard to keep a friendly peaceful atmosphere when there’s too much disagreement. In America, that is just not the case. In school kids are taught to be critical thinkers. That is, we are taught to question everything; even teachers and authority. Of course, too much disagreeing all of the time is viewed as negative or combative but it’s acceptable to disagree and still remain friendly. There are a couple of key points. One, the reason for disagreeing must be valid or important. Two, each person’s opinion, if valid, must be respected and heard with equal weight. Even a police officer who pulls you over for a violation will listen to you if you have a valid explanation of the situation. For example, I got a ticket for driving on a toll road for not having a toll road permit. I explained to the police office that the toll road sign was too small and I didn’t see it. Since my excuse was valid, the officer with his authority decided not to issue the ticket and let me go. The pattern for disagreeing is fairly easy. If you are asked a question, use the word “yes” or “no” followed by a pronoun and the opposite form of the verb. For example, X. “Sean didn’t go to the game.” Y. “Yes, he did.” Or X. “She worked all day.” Y. “No, she didn’t.” I’ll give you the disagreeing answers below and you try and make your own statement that fits the situation.
Key words:
He took the last cookie. No, he didn’t
He can’t hear you. Yes, he can
She should buy a new car. No, she shouldn’t
He doesn’t like natou.Yes, he does
They will adopt a child. No, they won’t
We aren’t hot. Yes, we are
You have saved enough money. No, I haven’t
He wasn’t sick. Yes, he was
She would like cake instead of ice cream. No, she wouldn’t
He shouldn’t do that. Yes, he should
We wouldn’t find the keys. No, we would
Here are some situational examples:
Example: Two friends
(Casual):
w You and Julie wouldn’t like the concert.
u No, we would.
Example: Two co-workers
(Everyday)
w He wasn’t the best guy for the job.
u Yes, he was.
Example: Boss to manager
(Formal):
w You should always hire a man for this position.
u No, you shouldn’t.
Lesson 8: Some, Any, One
“Some, Any, and One”
In English a lot of students have trouble using the words “Some, Any, and One.” When it comes to talking about quantity “some” is useful for non-count nouns like liquids and other nouns that aren’t counted one by one. “Some” can also be vague, hidden or general. For example, sometimes details are unknown due to a lack of information or the speaker doesn’t want to give information for a particular reason. “Any” is also general and means any choice is acceptable. “One” is very limited to only one thing or one acceptable choice. In this lesson we are going to review the words, “Some, Any, and One” to help you to be able to speak naturally and correctly about quantities. Here is an example of a non-count noun. For example, “I’m going to buy some milk at the store.” You could also just say, “I’m going to buy milk at the store.” But adding the word “some” seems to give more detail and plurality rather than just using the word “milk” alone. I mentioned “any” above can mean without limits, but it has another useful meaning. “Any” can also mean zero when combined with the negative verb as in, “We don’t have any milk.” Again, you could say, “We don’t have milk” but it feels so general and adding “any” gives emphasis to the fact that the quantity is zero. In the case of “one” it is also a good word to use as a pronoun such as in the example: X. “Do you have a dictionary?” Y. “No, I don’t have one.” Using “one” is not just limited to things, but you can also use it with people too. I’ve made some answer expressions below and I’d like you to make your own original sentence in the form of a question to match the answer.
Key words:
Do you have some money? I don’t have any
Can she borrow the pens? She needs some
Does he have a pet? He has one
Do they want some food? We want some
Is she a doctor? She could be one
Does the store carry Japanese rice? They might have some
Does the dealership have any blue cars? They can’t see any
Do they want a new puppy? We wouldn’t want one
Did he sell some new products? He hasn’t sold any
Can she drink some sake? She shouldn’t have some
Is he looking for English books? He won’t find any
Here are some situational examples:
Example: Two friends
(Casual):
w Dude, got money?
u I don’t have any.
Example: Two co-workers
(Everyday)
w Do you think Sales has extra computers?
u They might have some.
Example: Boss to manager
(Formal):
w Ford won’t allow us to buy one of their trucks.
u That’s okay, we wouldn’t want one.
In English a lot of students have trouble using the words “Some, Any, and One.” When it comes to talking about quantity “some” is useful for non-count nouns like liquids and other nouns that aren’t counted one by one. “Some” can also be vague, hidden or general. For example, sometimes details are unknown due to a lack of information or the speaker doesn’t want to give information for a particular reason. “Any” is also general and means any choice is acceptable. “One” is very limited to only one thing or one acceptable choice. In this lesson we are going to review the words, “Some, Any, and One” to help you to be able to speak naturally and correctly about quantities. Here is an example of a non-count noun. For example, “I’m going to buy some milk at the store.” You could also just say, “I’m going to buy milk at the store.” But adding the word “some” seems to give more detail and plurality rather than just using the word “milk” alone. I mentioned “any” above can mean without limits, but it has another useful meaning. “Any” can also mean zero when combined with the negative verb as in, “We don’t have any milk.” Again, you could say, “We don’t have milk” but it feels so general and adding “any” gives emphasis to the fact that the quantity is zero. In the case of “one” it is also a good word to use as a pronoun such as in the example: X. “Do you have a dictionary?” Y. “No, I don’t have one.” Using “one” is not just limited to things, but you can also use it with people too. I’ve made some answer expressions below and I’d like you to make your own original sentence in the form of a question to match the answer.
Key words:
Do you have some money? I don’t have any
Can she borrow the pens? She needs some
Does he have a pet? He has one
Do they want some food? We want some
Is she a doctor? She could be one
Does the store carry Japanese rice? They might have some
Does the dealership have any blue cars? They can’t see any
Do they want a new puppy? We wouldn’t want one
Did he sell some new products? He hasn’t sold any
Can she drink some sake? She shouldn’t have some
Is he looking for English books? He won’t find any
Here are some situational examples:
Example: Two friends
(Casual):
w Dude, got money?
u I don’t have any.
Example: Two co-workers
(Everyday)
w Do you think Sales has extra computers?
u They might have some.
Example: Boss to manager
(Formal):
w Ford won’t allow us to buy one of their trucks.
u That’s okay, we wouldn’t want one.
Lesson 7: The 5 W's of English
“The 5 W’s”
The 5 W’s is a term that most students know from studying English in school. The 5 W’s are “Who, What, Where, When, Why and How.” These five simple words are used everyday to get information and even to make friends or create business relationships. I want to teach you a little more about these words and how to use them naturally in daily conversation. The pattern to ask a question using one of the 5 W’s is: 5 W word + helping verb + subject + verb. For example, “Who are you dating?” Or “When does the movie start?” The key to making a good question is making sure that you match the correct helping verb, plural or singular, to the subject. Remember, the subject determines whether the helping verb is plural or singular. This pattern can also be used with verbs in action. For example, “What are they buying?” Or you can ask about something that happened in the past such as, “Where did you go last weekend?” It’s obvious that the 5 W’s are good for getting information, but why do you think I said they are also good for making friends or creating business relationships. The answer is because Americans show interest in each other with simple light conversational questions. Questions should never be too personal such as “When will you get pregnant?” or “Why don’t you loose weight?” But good questions can help you find common interests with others that can lead to developing strong relationships. I’ve made some questions below, now you make your own original answers.
Key words:
Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar?
When are we going to eat?
Where are my socks?
What the heck is that supposed to mean?
How in the world did you get that?
Who told you that?
When can we work this out?
Where is the nearest restroom?
How did you do that?
Are’ya= are you (reduction)
Gonna= going to (reduction)
Here are some situational examples:
Example: Two friends
(Casual):
w Are’ya hungry?
u Yep. When are we gonna eat?
Example: Two co-workers
(Everyday)
w You’re an interesting person to deal with.
u What the heck is that supposed to mean?
Example: Manager to boss
(Formal):
w I just bought a new Jaguar.
u How in the world did you get that?
The 5 W’s is a term that most students know from studying English in school. The 5 W’s are “Who, What, Where, When, Why and How.” These five simple words are used everyday to get information and even to make friends or create business relationships. I want to teach you a little more about these words and how to use them naturally in daily conversation. The pattern to ask a question using one of the 5 W’s is: 5 W word + helping verb + subject + verb. For example, “Who are you dating?” Or “When does the movie start?” The key to making a good question is making sure that you match the correct helping verb, plural or singular, to the subject. Remember, the subject determines whether the helping verb is plural or singular. This pattern can also be used with verbs in action. For example, “What are they buying?” Or you can ask about something that happened in the past such as, “Where did you go last weekend?” It’s obvious that the 5 W’s are good for getting information, but why do you think I said they are also good for making friends or creating business relationships. The answer is because Americans show interest in each other with simple light conversational questions. Questions should never be too personal such as “When will you get pregnant?” or “Why don’t you loose weight?” But good questions can help you find common interests with others that can lead to developing strong relationships. I’ve made some questions below, now you make your own original answers.
Key words:
Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar?
When are we going to eat?
Where are my socks?
What the heck is that supposed to mean?
How in the world did you get that?
Who told you that?
When can we work this out?
Where is the nearest restroom?
How did you do that?
Are’ya= are you (reduction)
Gonna= going to (reduction)
Here are some situational examples:
Example: Two friends
(Casual):
w Are’ya hungry?
u Yep. When are we gonna eat?
Example: Two co-workers
(Everyday)
w You’re an interesting person to deal with.
u What the heck is that supposed to mean?
Example: Manager to boss
(Formal):
w I just bought a new Jaguar.
u How in the world did you get that?
Monday, June 18, 2007
Favorite Quotes
A few of my favorite quotes...
"The heights of great men reached and kept,
were not attained by sudden flight.
But they while their companions slept,
toiled upward in the night."
--------------
"We must not cease from exploration. And the end of our exploring will be to start again where we first began. And know the place for the very first time."
--------------
"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."
One of my favorite places: Yosemite, Swinging Bridge
This is arguably one of the most beautiful places on earth. In the summer the melted snow from the mountains creates glassy shimmering pools warmed by the hot sun perfect for smimming.
My chocolate Labrador Retriever
Whether you decide to rescue a dog or have a purebred, dogs are the best.
Basking in the sun after a cool dip in the nearby river -- there's nothing quite like seeing your dog in her natural element, off leash and enjoying the great outdoors.
English lesson 6: Logical
“That’s Logical”
In English there are many situations that we don’t have all of the facts and so we have to make assumptions to understand the situation. For example, if you saw a crying child alone in a store you might assume that she is lost and separated from her parents. Assumptions are not facts so sometimes we’re right and sometimes wrong. In any case, we need to be able to talk about this in English and so I think this is a valuable topic to study. We often decide things based on our observations or information we have. For example, in the case of the crying child, the child could have been crying because she was hurt but no injury could be seen. She could have been crying to get attention from her mother, but she was alone. The most logical reason for her crying was that she was lost based on what we could see. This is also sometimes called deductive reasoning or logical conclusion. The pattern for expression logical conclusion is easy. You just use the word “must.” The hard thing for most Japanese is to get past the fact that we are not talking about one of the many other uses of “must” such as in the pattern “have/must to do something.” This “must” is the same word with a totally different meaning. Okay? Good. Here’s an example of logical conclusion based on the crying child story above. “She must be lost.” Notice that the pattern is, must + be + adjective or must + be + noun. Let’s look at some more examples below so you can practice.
Key words:
She must be the winner
He must be hungry
They must be cousins
It must be dangerous
We must be wrong
I must be confused
She must be happy
He must be proud
They must be religious
She must be Japanese
Here are some situational examples:
Example: Two friends
(Casual):
w Why does Steve’s girlfriend cover he mouth when she laughs?
u She must be Japanese.
Example: Two co-workers
(Everyday)
w You were supposed to bring toner for the copier.
u I must be confused. I brought paper.
Example: Boss to manager
(Formal):
w Why can’t she come to the event on Sunday?
u She must be religious.
In English there are many situations that we don’t have all of the facts and so we have to make assumptions to understand the situation. For example, if you saw a crying child alone in a store you might assume that she is lost and separated from her parents. Assumptions are not facts so sometimes we’re right and sometimes wrong. In any case, we need to be able to talk about this in English and so I think this is a valuable topic to study. We often decide things based on our observations or information we have. For example, in the case of the crying child, the child could have been crying because she was hurt but no injury could be seen. She could have been crying to get attention from her mother, but she was alone. The most logical reason for her crying was that she was lost based on what we could see. This is also sometimes called deductive reasoning or logical conclusion. The pattern for expression logical conclusion is easy. You just use the word “must.” The hard thing for most Japanese is to get past the fact that we are not talking about one of the many other uses of “must” such as in the pattern “have/must to do something.” This “must” is the same word with a totally different meaning. Okay? Good. Here’s an example of logical conclusion based on the crying child story above. “She must be lost.” Notice that the pattern is, must + be + adjective or must + be + noun. Let’s look at some more examples below so you can practice.
Key words:
She must be the winner
He must be hungry
They must be cousins
It must be dangerous
We must be wrong
I must be confused
She must be happy
He must be proud
They must be religious
She must be Japanese
Here are some situational examples:
Example: Two friends
(Casual):
w Why does Steve’s girlfriend cover he mouth when she laughs?
u She must be Japanese.
Example: Two co-workers
(Everyday)
w You were supposed to bring toner for the copier.
u I must be confused. I brought paper.
Example: Boss to manager
(Formal):
w Why can’t she come to the event on Sunday?
u She must be religious.
English lesson 5: Things You Like to Do
“Things You Like to Do”
Expressing your interests and hobbies is an important skill to develop in English. You might be in this situation when you are at a party with friends or even at a business meeting talking to other co-workers. In addition to talking about the things you like to do, there are also things we have to do because of responsibility, promise or duty. In the case of talking about things you like to do, the most common way to express yourself is to follow the patter of Like to/Want to/Have to + verb. For example, 1. “I like to swim.” 2. “I want to take a vacation.” 3. “I have to buy more gifts.” In the case of “Like” you can take a short cut and use the pattern Like + verb + ing as in the example, “I like swimming.” Unfortunately there isn’t a short cut for the other two expressions “want” and “have.” Also, there are other levels of “like” such as, “love” which means one’s favorite and “enjoy” which is the formal way to say you like something. I also want to mention the words, “hate” “avoid” and “can’t stand” as negative forms of the word “like.” Let’s look at some natural expressions you might use in conversation.
Key words:
I like fishing
I like to go to bed late
I enjoy watching movies
I want to get a cup of hot chocolate
I have to clean my house
I avoid doing dishes
I hate waiting in line
I can’t stand talking to her
Doya= do you (reduction)
Here are some situational examples:
Example: Two friends
(Casual):
w Do’ya like fishing?
u I used to when I was a kid.
Example: Two co-workers
(Everyday)
w Why are you always late for work?
u I like to go to bed late and wake up late.
Example: Boss to manager
(Formal):
w There is a long line in the cafeteria.
u I hate waiting in line.
Expressing your interests and hobbies is an important skill to develop in English. You might be in this situation when you are at a party with friends or even at a business meeting talking to other co-workers. In addition to talking about the things you like to do, there are also things we have to do because of responsibility, promise or duty. In the case of talking about things you like to do, the most common way to express yourself is to follow the patter of Like to/Want to/Have to + verb. For example, 1. “I like to swim.” 2. “I want to take a vacation.” 3. “I have to buy more gifts.” In the case of “Like” you can take a short cut and use the pattern Like + verb + ing as in the example, “I like swimming.” Unfortunately there isn’t a short cut for the other two expressions “want” and “have.” Also, there are other levels of “like” such as, “love” which means one’s favorite and “enjoy” which is the formal way to say you like something. I also want to mention the words, “hate” “avoid” and “can’t stand” as negative forms of the word “like.” Let’s look at some natural expressions you might use in conversation.
Key words:
I like fishing
I like to go to bed late
I enjoy watching movies
I want to get a cup of hot chocolate
I have to clean my house
I avoid doing dishes
I hate waiting in line
I can’t stand talking to her
Doya= do you (reduction)
Here are some situational examples:
Example: Two friends
(Casual):
w Do’ya like fishing?
u I used to when I was a kid.
Example: Two co-workers
(Everyday)
w Why are you always late for work?
u I like to go to bed late and wake up late.
Example: Boss to manager
(Formal):
w There is a long line in the cafeteria.
u I hate waiting in line.
English lesson 4: Are You Sure?
“Are You Sure?”
Generally speaking, when it comes to daily conversation, I think Americans like to give their opinions more compared to Japanese. One reason for this might be that in America we must have an opinion about everything, even if we know nothing about it to be polite in social situations. Giving and asking opinions and making personal judgments about something, someone or situations is a daily task in America. As a result, Americans tend to ask and answer a lot of questions all of the time. As a student of English you need to be prepared for this! Don’t panic and think you have to give a perfect answer for every question. You might be asked questions that require you to give an approximate answer. In Japan people are generally trained to give exact, correct and accurate answers. In America, this isn’t necessary because questions asked in conversation to be friendly are taken lightly and can also be answered lightly. Of course in important situations that require accurate answers like a medical emergency we make sure the answer is accurate. In English you will hear people expressing their opinions using words like, “I think so.” This expression is used when the person is not sure of his answer. Let’s look at some related expressions.
Key words:
I think so= not sure; only partly sure
I know so= completely sure
I’m afraid so/not= polite way to give bad news or say “no.”
I hope so/not= not sure; only partly sure for something that is desired to happen
About= a reasonable guess
Approximately= the formal way to give a reasonable guess
Almost= close to
Nearly= close to
Just about= close to
Close to= about
Izzi= is he (reduction)_
Here are some situational examples:
Example: Two friends
(Casual):
w Izzi the actor from that movie?
u I think so.
Example: Two co-workers
(Everyday)
w Do we have to work overtime this weekend?
u I’m afraid so.
Example: Boss to manager
(Formal):
w Will there be a labor strike?
u I hope not. That would really impact our sales forecast.
Generally speaking, when it comes to daily conversation, I think Americans like to give their opinions more compared to Japanese. One reason for this might be that in America we must have an opinion about everything, even if we know nothing about it to be polite in social situations. Giving and asking opinions and making personal judgments about something, someone or situations is a daily task in America. As a result, Americans tend to ask and answer a lot of questions all of the time. As a student of English you need to be prepared for this! Don’t panic and think you have to give a perfect answer for every question. You might be asked questions that require you to give an approximate answer. In Japan people are generally trained to give exact, correct and accurate answers. In America, this isn’t necessary because questions asked in conversation to be friendly are taken lightly and can also be answered lightly. Of course in important situations that require accurate answers like a medical emergency we make sure the answer is accurate. In English you will hear people expressing their opinions using words like, “I think so.” This expression is used when the person is not sure of his answer. Let’s look at some related expressions.
Key words:
I think so= not sure; only partly sure
I know so= completely sure
I’m afraid so/not= polite way to give bad news or say “no.”
I hope so/not= not sure; only partly sure for something that is desired to happen
About= a reasonable guess
Approximately= the formal way to give a reasonable guess
Almost= close to
Nearly= close to
Just about= close to
Close to= about
Izzi= is he (reduction)_
Here are some situational examples:
Example: Two friends
(Casual):
w Izzi the actor from that movie?
u I think so.
Example: Two co-workers
(Everyday)
w Do we have to work overtime this weekend?
u I’m afraid so.
Example: Boss to manager
(Formal):
w Will there be a labor strike?
u I hope not. That would really impact our sales forecast.
English lesson 3: Possession
“Possession”
Expressing possession is very important in English. Possession is basically explaining who owns or is responsible for something. You will find yourself in a situation where you have to explain possession almost every day in America. For example, you might be in the bank and someone could ask you, “Is this your pen?” Or you could be sitting in a bar and someone could ask, “Is this seat taken?” Possession is easily expressed in a pattern with the correct pronoun such as, Me/He/She/We/They + noun. The key is that you change the pronoun to the possessive tense, me=mine, he=his, she=her, we=our, they=their. For example, “My shirt.” The shirt belongs to me. “His sister.” The sister is a member of his family, and so on. You can also mix in abstract nouns. Abstract nouns are nouns that can’t be physically touched but are still real things such as love, courage, problems etc. For example, “Her problems didn’t go away when she drank alcohol.” Let’s look below at some combinations of Possessive pronouns + nouns you might need to know to speak better English.
Key words:
My faith
My progress
His courage
His compassion
Her pride
Her stamina
Our empathy
Our dilemma
Their energy
Their patience
Gonna= going to (reduction)
Here are some situational examples:
Example: Two friends
(Casual):
w Jen’s a cool girl…
u Yeah, but her pride’s gonna get her in trouble some day.
Example: Two co-workers
(Everyday)
w My faith in you to give the presentation is gone.
u Why? I can do it; give me another chance!
Example: Boss to manager
(Formal):
w The board members will not wait. Their patience is thin.
u So is mine. We need to make a decision today.
Expressing possession is very important in English. Possession is basically explaining who owns or is responsible for something. You will find yourself in a situation where you have to explain possession almost every day in America. For example, you might be in the bank and someone could ask you, “Is this your pen?” Or you could be sitting in a bar and someone could ask, “Is this seat taken?” Possession is easily expressed in a pattern with the correct pronoun such as, Me/He/She/We/They + noun. The key is that you change the pronoun to the possessive tense, me=mine, he=his, she=her, we=our, they=their. For example, “My shirt.” The shirt belongs to me. “His sister.” The sister is a member of his family, and so on. You can also mix in abstract nouns. Abstract nouns are nouns that can’t be physically touched but are still real things such as love, courage, problems etc. For example, “Her problems didn’t go away when she drank alcohol.” Let’s look below at some combinations of Possessive pronouns + nouns you might need to know to speak better English.
Key words:
My faith
My progress
His courage
His compassion
Her pride
Her stamina
Our empathy
Our dilemma
Their energy
Their patience
Gonna= going to (reduction)
Here are some situational examples:
Example: Two friends
(Casual):
w Jen’s a cool girl…
u Yeah, but her pride’s gonna get her in trouble some day.
Example: Two co-workers
(Everyday)
w My faith in you to give the presentation is gone.
u Why? I can do it; give me another chance!
Example: Boss to manager
(Formal):
w The board members will not wait. Their patience is thin.
u So is mine. We need to make a decision today.
English lesson 2: The Future
“What’s Happening in the Future?”
Talking about future events or plans is very common in daily conversation. Most Japanese know how to use the pattern Will + verb or Going to + verb to express the future, but I want to mention another natural way. It’s normal to talk about actions that will happen in the future in the action tense, or in other words, verb + ing tense. For example, the typical way to explain a future plan is to say “I will go to Japan.” From this sentence we don’t know exactly when the event will happen, but it will happen sometime in the near or distant future. Let’s make it a little more challenging now. I’m going to teach you how to talk about other people’s future plans as well as your own. The pattern for this is similar to the normal way, but we use the verb+ing instead. You can even mix in contractions. Remember, contractions are words like, “Do not= don’t, He will= He’ll.” For example, instead of saying, “They will arrive on Monday” I use the verb + ing form “They’re arriving on Monday”. It’s the same thing, but it sounds more natural instead of like textbook English. Let’s look at another example in question form. “Are they staying at the Marriott hotel?” I’m going to give you some good verb + ing combinations below to help you practice on your own. Let’s take a look.
Key words:
They aren’t leaving on Thursday
They’re making dinner next week
I’m not expecting anyone tomorrow
She’s saving money for a trip to Europe
He’s waiting for his brother until 3 pm.
We’re not arriving until the 23rd of December
It’s sleeping on the porch at night
Is he taking the class on Wednesdays?
Are you staying over at Julie’s?
Are they preparing the taxes for next year?
Here are some situational examples:
Example: Two friends
(Casual):
w Did Ben change his plans?
u Yeah, he isn’t leaving on Thursday anymore.
Example: Two co-workers
(Everyday)
w When are they going to have the company Christmas party?
u They’re making dinner for everyone next week.
Example: Boss to manager
(Formal):
w Technically, tomorrow is a holiday.
u Then I’m not expecting anyone to show up for work tomorrow.
Talking about future events or plans is very common in daily conversation. Most Japanese know how to use the pattern Will + verb or Going to + verb to express the future, but I want to mention another natural way. It’s normal to talk about actions that will happen in the future in the action tense, or in other words, verb + ing tense. For example, the typical way to explain a future plan is to say “I will go to Japan.” From this sentence we don’t know exactly when the event will happen, but it will happen sometime in the near or distant future. Let’s make it a little more challenging now. I’m going to teach you how to talk about other people’s future plans as well as your own. The pattern for this is similar to the normal way, but we use the verb+ing instead. You can even mix in contractions. Remember, contractions are words like, “Do not= don’t, He will= He’ll.” For example, instead of saying, “They will arrive on Monday” I use the verb + ing form “They’re arriving on Monday”. It’s the same thing, but it sounds more natural instead of like textbook English. Let’s look at another example in question form. “Are they staying at the Marriott hotel?” I’m going to give you some good verb + ing combinations below to help you practice on your own. Let’s take a look.
Key words:
They aren’t leaving on Thursday
They’re making dinner next week
I’m not expecting anyone tomorrow
She’s saving money for a trip to Europe
He’s waiting for his brother until 3 pm.
We’re not arriving until the 23rd of December
It’s sleeping on the porch at night
Is he taking the class on Wednesdays?
Are you staying over at Julie’s?
Are they preparing the taxes for next year?
Here are some situational examples:
Example: Two friends
(Casual):
w Did Ben change his plans?
u Yeah, he isn’t leaving on Thursday anymore.
Example: Two co-workers
(Everyday)
w When are they going to have the company Christmas party?
u They’re making dinner for everyone next week.
Example: Boss to manager
(Formal):
w Technically, tomorrow is a holiday.
u Then I’m not expecting anyone to show up for work tomorrow.
English lesson 1: How Much?
“How much?”
Being able to ask questions in English about quantities, time, distance and price is a valuable skill to learn. You will need to ask these types of questions everyday. For example, if you wanted to know the quantity of how much food someone bought at the store you will need to know how to answer properly. Or if you want to drive to from Los Angeles to Las Vegas you need to be able to ask how much time it takes to travel. You may also need to ask and answer about the distance. When you get to Las Vegas there are great shops so you will also need to know how to talk about how much something costs and prices. There are some important words you need to learn regarding this subject. First, the words, “many/a few” and “much/a little” are important words you should know. “Many/a few” is used with plural nouns as in “She has many friends” or “He makes few mistakes.” “Much/a little” is used with non-countable nouns as in “He doesn’t drink much milk” or “She put a little gas in her car.” These words are good to know but one easy shortcut is the word, “a lot” instead of “many/much.” It works for both situations and you don’t have to remember the confusing rules. Let’s look at some examples below.
Key words:
How much
How often
How far
How long
How many
A lot of customers
Many envelopes
Not much time
A few questions
A little blood
Here are some situational examples:
Example: Two friends
(Casual):
w How long is it to Las Vegas from LA?
u About four hours by car.
Example: Two co-workers
(Everyday)
w How many Personal Days do we get per year?
u Not a lot.
Example: Boss to manager
(Formal):
w There is a little blood on your face.
u I must have cut myself shaving this morning.
Being able to ask questions in English about quantities, time, distance and price is a valuable skill to learn. You will need to ask these types of questions everyday. For example, if you wanted to know the quantity of how much food someone bought at the store you will need to know how to answer properly. Or if you want to drive to from Los Angeles to Las Vegas you need to be able to ask how much time it takes to travel. You may also need to ask and answer about the distance. When you get to Las Vegas there are great shops so you will also need to know how to talk about how much something costs and prices. There are some important words you need to learn regarding this subject. First, the words, “many/a few” and “much/a little” are important words you should know. “Many/a few” is used with plural nouns as in “She has many friends” or “He makes few mistakes.” “Much/a little” is used with non-countable nouns as in “He doesn’t drink much milk” or “She put a little gas in her car.” These words are good to know but one easy shortcut is the word, “a lot” instead of “many/much.” It works for both situations and you don’t have to remember the confusing rules. Let’s look at some examples below.
Key words:
How much
How often
How far
How long
How many
A lot of customers
Many envelopes
Not much time
A few questions
A little blood
Here are some situational examples:
Example: Two friends
(Casual):
w How long is it to Las Vegas from LA?
u About four hours by car.
Example: Two co-workers
(Everyday)
w How many Personal Days do we get per year?
u Not a lot.
Example: Boss to manager
(Formal):
w There is a little blood on your face.
u I must have cut myself shaving this morning.
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