A common error is to use the word today with morning, afternoon, or night when talking about things that happen on the same day that the speaker is speaking.
When using morning, afternoon, and night it is implied that the speaker is talking about the same day. Using the word today in this situation is redundant. Instead, use this (this morning, this afternoon, this evening).
If you are referring to other days, use yesterday, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, etc.
- Don’t say: Today morning I started making tamales at 6:30.
- Do say: This morning I started making tamales at 6:30
The word major, when used to mean the subject that one studies in college, is frequently used incorrectly.
When used as a verb, the word major requires the preposition in. When used as a noun, the word major often requires a possessive noun or pronoun. Also major is only used in referring to students, not graduates.
If referring to graduates the past tense must be used.
- Don’t say: Miss Suda majored political science.
- Do say: Miss Suda majored in political science.
- Do say: Mr. Grey’s major is chemistry.
For English speakers the expression sleeping with usually means two people are having sex together. Using this expression incorrectly could give the listener the wrong impression and embarrass the speaker.
- Don’t say: I stopped sleeping with my male room mate because he snores too loudly. This sentence implies that the two people were in a sexual relationship, which may not be the intent of the speaker.
- Do say: I no longer sleep in the same room as my male room mate because he snores too loudly
MAYBE I THINK
A common expression used by many students is maybe I think when they are expressing their thoughts about something.
The problem is that maybe expresses uncertainty, so using it with I think suggests that the speaker is not sure whether he thinks (or believes) what he is saying.
Don’t say: Maybe I think I will become a reporter after I graduate from university.
Do say: I think I will become a reporter after I graduate from university.
or,
Do say: Maybe I will become a reporter after I graduate from university
Students often confuse the meaning of these two words and use them interchangeably.
Refuse is a verb that typically means someone is unwilling to allow, accept, consider, or receive someone or something.
Refuse may imply that someone is determined and may even be mildly rude in their refusal.
Example: When he came to her office, she refused to see him.
Deny is also a verb and usually has the meaning to refuse to admit the existence, truth, or value of something. She denied that her car was worth only £500.
- Don’t say: She was offered an opportunity to take a great job in China, but she denied to take it.
- Do say: She was offered an opportunity to take a great job in China, but she refused to take it.
- Don’t say: Some people say he gambles away all of his earnings. But he refuses it.
- Do say: Some people say he gambles away all of his earnings. But he denies it
When using the titles of Mr., Mrs., and Miss when addressing people, English speakers use the person’s last name (family name). Asians frequently use a persons first name (given name) and not the family name.
- Don’t say: I would like to introduce my English professor, Mr. Jim.
- Do say: I would like to introduce my English professor, Mr. Heard
COMMON/POPULAR
The words common and popular are often incorrectly interchanged by English students.
Popular means to be liked, appreciated, and accepted by many people.
Common means to be prevalent and occurring often. Many common things are not well liked and occur often, but this does not make it popular.
Heart disease is common among older people, but it is not very popular!
- Don’t say: Traffic accidents are very popular in Kenya.
- Do say: Traffic accidents are very common in Kenya
Trip and travel are frequently used interchangeably and they should
not be. Trip is usually used as a noun and travel is usually used as a
verb.
- Don’t say: I took a travel to Africa last summer.
- Do say: I took a trip to Africa last year.
- Don’t say: I want to trip to Europe after I graduate.
- Do say: I want to travel to Europe after I graduate.
This trio of words are regularly confused by students and, as a result, frequently used incorrectly.
Loan can be a noun as the name of a transaction where someone borrows something from someone who lends it to them.
It can also be a verb with a meaning similar to that of lend.
Lend and borrow are both verbs.
If I lend something to you (money?), I give it to you temporarily—expecting that you will return it. If I borrow something from you, I take it from you temporarily, knowing that you expect me to return it to you. I get or receive something from you.
- Don’t say: Ramona, will you borrow me 20 pesos?
- Do say: Ramona, will you lend (or loan) me 20 pesos so I can buy lunch today?
- She might say: Of course, I will be glad to lend (or loan) you 20 pesos!
or
- Don’t say: Su-Hyun, may I lend 5000 won from you?
- Do say: Su-Hyun, may I borrow 5000 won from you so I can buy lunch today?
- She might say: Of course, I will be glad to lend (or loan) you 5000 won!
Just as common: - Do say: Can I borrow your cell phone for a moment? I need to call home.
- Do say: Would you lend (or loan) your cell phone to me for a moment? I need to call home.
Note that I borrow something from you, but you lend something to me. Or, I may lend something to you, but you borrow something from me. Remember: lend to, borrow from
Using loan as a noun:
Do say: Jacque’s loan (not lend) was for 50 francs.
Learn more:
The post Improve Your English – Lesson 3: The Difference between Lend/Loan/Borrow first appeared on Helena Daily English.]]>These participial adjectives create problems for most students of English. The easiest way to remember them is that the –ed form represents the feeling one has, and the –ing form represents what has caused the feeling.
- Don’t say: I am so boring.
- Do say: The movie was boring. I am bored.
- Don’t say: I am so interesting.
- Do say: The history of Asia is very interesting.
I am very interested in it.
Yes, you may be very interesting, but you should leave that up to people that know you and who are interested in you. Many teachers are boring and their students are bored. Sometimes a teacher is bored by his or her students. You may be an exciting person, but as with “interesting”, we might best leave that to other people to decide!
Learn more:
The post Improve Your English – Lesson 2: The Difference between Bored/Boring, Interested/Interesting, and Excited/Exciting first appeared on Helena Daily English.]]>