Commonly Confused Words Part II

                       

When do we use since and for?

Word	Explanation	Example
since	a point in time (starting time of the action)	He has been playing tennis since four o'clock.
	since 1996
	since Christmas
	since last year
	since my childhood
for	a period of time (how long something lasts)	He has been playing tennis for two hours.
	for three hours
	for a week
	for 10 minutes
	for a long time

look, see or watch

When do we use look, see and watch?

Word	Explanation	Example
look	to pay attention, to try to see what is there; seem	Look at the board, please.
	look up (e.g. dictionary)	You can look up the words in the dictionary.
see	visual impression come to the eyes	Can you see the blue car over there?
	understand	I see what you mean.
watch	look for a time; like to look	He watches TV in the evenings.

life, live or lives

When do we use life and when live, lives?

Word	Explanation	Example
live [lɪv]	to live (verb)	I live in France.
he lives [lɪvz]		Peter lives in Poland.
life [laɪf]	state of living	I read a book about the life of Mark Twain.
lives [laɪvz]	plural of life	Many people lost their lives in the war.
live [laɪv]	not recorded	We watched the live coverage of the Formula I.
	not dead	We really saw a live rattlesnake.

listen or hear

When do we use listen and hear?

Word	Explanation	Example
hear	to be aware of sounds in your ears	I can hear music in Peter's room.
listen (to)	to pay attention to sb./sth. that you can hear	Peter often listens to music when he's at home.

Commonly Confused Words Part I

         much, many – a little, a few

1. When do we use much and when many?

• much: uncountable nouns (milk, marmalade, money, time etc.)
• many: countable nouns (bottles of milk, jars of marmalade, dollars, minutes etc.)

Examples:

• How much money have you got?
• How many dollars have you got?

In informal English these questions are often answered with a lot of, lots of. There is no much difference between the two phrases.

2. When do we use a little/little and when a few/few?

• a little: non countable nouns (milk, marmalade, money, time etc.)
• a few: countable nouns (bottles of milk, jars of marmalade, dollars, minutes etc.)

Examples:

• He has a little money left.
• He has a few dollars left.

We use few and little without the article a to point out a more negative meaning.

Examples:

• A few students of our school know this. (There are some student who know it.)
• Few students know this. (It is almost unkonown.)

borrow or lend

When do we use borrow and lend?

Word	Explanation	Example
borrow	to take and use sth. that belongs to sb. else	I'd like to borrow your umbrella.
lend	to give sth. to sb. that belongs to you	I can lend you my umbrella.

some and any – English Grammar

When do we use some and when any?

We use some and any for an amount which is not known e.g. Have you got any crisps?

Use of some and any

• some: affirmative statements, offers, requests and in questions when you expect the answer ›yes‹
• any: negative statements, questions

Have you got any bananas? No, we haven't got any. But we've got some oranges.

Exceptions:

I would like to buy fruit at a market. I see the man has wonderful apples so I can ask him:

• Can I have some of these apples?

If I do not see apples or if I am not sure whether there are apples at all I use any in this question.

• Have you got any apples?

have or have got

When do we use have got and when have

In British English have got is used quite often, in other areas it is common to use the main verb have.

1. Affirmative sentences

have	have got
I have a brother.	I have got a brother.
	I've got a brother.
You have a sister.	You have got a sister.
	You've got a sister.
He has a cat.	He has got a cat.
	He's got a cat.
She has a dog.	She has got a dog.
	She's got a dog.
It has Bluetooth.	It has got Bluetooth.
	It's got Bluetooth.
We have books.	We have got books.
	We've got books.
You have a nice room.	You have got a nice room.
	You've got a nice room.
They have pets.	They have got pets.
	They've got pets.

have got is often used in its contracted form even in written language.

2. Negations

have	have got
I do not have a brother.	I have not got a brother.
	I haven't got a brother.
I don't have a brother.	I've not got a brother.
You do not have a sister.	You have not got a sister.
	You haven't got a sister.
You don't have a sister.	You've not got a sister.
He does not have a cat.	He has not got a cat.
	He hasn't got a cat.
He doesn't have a cat.	He's not got a cat.
She does not have a dog.	She has not got a dog.
	She hasn't got a dog.
She doesn't have a dog.	She's not got a dog.
It does not have Bluetooth.	It has not got Bluetooth.
	It hasn't got Bluetooth.
It doesn't have Bluetooth.	It's not got Bluetooth.
We do not have books.	We have not got books.
	We haven't got books.
We don't have books.	We've not got books.
You do not have a nice room.	You have not got a nice room.
	You haven't got a nice room.
You don't have a nice room.	You've not got a nice room.
They do not have pets.	They have not got pets.
	They haven't got pets.
They don't have pets.	They've not got pets.

3. Questions

have	have got
Do I have time?	Have I got time?
Do you have pets?	Have you got pets?
Does he have a computer?	Has he got a computer?
Does she have a mobile phone?	Has she got a mobile phone?
Does it have mudguards?	Has it got mudguards?
Do we have ketchup?	Have we got ketchup?
Do you have a yellow car?	Have you got a yellow car?
Do they have nice teachers?	Have they got nice teachers?

There can be negations in questions too.

have	have got
Don't you have a brother?	Haven't you got a brother?

4. Be careful

4.1. The contracted forms 've or 's are only used with have got – not with have.

right	wrong
I've got a new mobile phone.	I've a new mobile phone.
He's got a new car.	He's a new car.

4.2. Do not use an auxiliary with have got – only with have. Be careful when using negations.

right	wrong
Have you got a garden?	Do you have got a garden?
Do you have a pet?	Have you a pet?
They haven't got a brother.	They haven't a house.

4.3. have cannot always be substituted with have got. You can only substitute have with have got when you talk about possession and relationships.

have got	have
I've got a brother.	I have a brother.
wrong: I had got an accident.	I had an accident.
wrong: We had got lunch.	We had lunch.

► In American English have is dropped in informal speech like in the following example.

We've got a problem. → We got a problem.

Useful English sentences VIII

                                           At a supermarket 

1. There is a supermarket near here.
2. What can I get there?
3. You can get there nearly everything?
4. Women's clothes is on the second floor.
5. I prefer the blue blouse to the yellow blouse.
6. I haven't seen such a big supermarket before.
7. How much are the tomatoes?
8. I'm coming back in the next days.
9. I like shopping with a friend.
10. How can I get to the nearest station/bus stop from here?

             At a souvenir shop 

1. A newspaper/magazine, please.
2. Can I have a town map, please?
3. Have you got picture postcards?
4. I need stamps too.
5. I was here last week.
6. How much is everything?
7. Can you repeat the price, please?
8. Here you are. Thank you very much.
9. I like going to souvenir shops.
10. The shop assistant was very friendly, wasn't he/she?

            Going to the cinema 

1. I like watching movies/films.
2. I prefer going to the movies/cinema because it's more interesting.
3. What's on at the movies/cinema?
4. How much is a/the ticket?
5. Are there any tickets for Saturday?
6. I'm interested in crime and adventure movies/films.
7. Last week I watched "Independence Day".
8. My favourite actor/actress is ......
9. What about going to the movies/cinema together?
10. The film was exciting, not boring.

Useful Conjunctions

                   Conjunctions in English

Here we listed useful conjuctions in English sentences.

• I like football although I'm often on the road.
• I like volleyball and tennis.
• I like soccer because it's interesting.
• What other sports do you practice besides soccer?
• I like football, but I don't like handball.
• Considering he has played soccer for only two years, he does it well.
• I like either tea or milk.
• I like football, especially when my team wins.
• First of all I'd like to say that, ...
• I like sports, for example soccer.
• I don't know how to play Squash.
• However the teacher explained it, I didn't understand a word of it.
• Do you know if/whether Peter lives in Glasgow?
• In fact, I think that my team will win.
• I go to discos in order to meet friends.
• I don't like coffee. – Neither do I.
• They're losing the match. Nevertheless we're watching it.
• Of course I like volleyball.
• Perhaps you'll like football, too.
• I was tired, so (that's why) I went to bed.
• I'll come to your party, unless it rains.

Some Useful Idioms in English

            

           Idioms in English

       

Beat around the bush

Avoiding the main topic. Not speaking directly about the issue.

Can't judge a book by its cover

Cannot judge something primarily on appearance.

Costs an arm and a leg

This idiom is used when something is very expensive.

Cry over spilt milk

When you complain about a loss from the past.

Curiosity killed the cat

Being Inquisitive can lead you into an unpleasant situation.

Don't put all your eggs in one basket

Do not put all your resources in one possibility.

Every cloud has a silver lining

Be optimistic, even difficult times will lead to better days.

Hear it on the grapevine

This idiom means 'to hear rumors' about something or someone.

Kill two birds with one stone

This idiom means, to accomplish two different things at the same time.

Speak of the devil!

This expression is used when the person you have just been talking about arrives.

Actions speak louder than words

People's intentions can be judged better by what they do than what they say.

Bite off more than you can chew

To take on a task that is way to big.

Caught between two stools

When someone finds it difficult to choose between two alternatives.

A hot potato

Speak of an issue (mostly current) which many people are talking about and which is usually disputed

Useful Sentences in English VII

Phrases for conversations in English

1. How to offer/refuse

• Would you like a Coke? - Yes, I'd love to.
• Yes, please.
• No, thank you.

2. Understanding

• I didn't quite get that.
• Sorry!
• Can you repeat that, please?
• I didn't understand you.

3. How to ask/argue

• Are you saying that ...?
• Can you explain that?
• Sorry to interrupt you, ... I actually wanted to say that ...
• Well, ... I don't think so.
• I'm sure that ...
• There's nothing more to say.
• Obviously I don't need to say that ...

4. General phrases

• Besides ...
• It doesn't matter.
• Don't mention it.
• I must apologize for being so late.
• Sorry, I'm late.

Useful Sentences in English VI

       Calling/phoning other people 

• Who is this, please?
• This is ... ... speaking.
• Is...(name)...there?
• Pick up the phone?
• I'll phone/call back later.
• I've got the wrong number.
• Please leave a message after the beep.
• Can I take a message?
• Can I speak to ..., please?
• Just a moment, please.
• I'll ring you at about ...
• Thank you for calling/ringing.
• I must hang up now.
• I can't get through.
• The line's busy.
• There is no reply.
• This is a bad connection.
• Can I use my cell phone/mobile?