| Subject | Date Asked | Expert |
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| idiom | 10/6/2008 | Andrew Russell |
Q: while translating one lecture I came across the following expression: • « Sand in the wheels » of ...
A: It's not a common idiom, but has a clear simile meaning - in other words, it's not an idiom drawn ...
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| English usaga | 10/6/2008 | Andrew Russell |
Q: Supposing you were in a bookstore and found books titled (1) Rain in London, (2) A Rain in London, ...
A: What an interesting question. I'm assuming none of these books are meteorological, though of course ...
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| teaching EFL-euphemisms and taboos | 10/5/2008 | Talita Feuerstein |
Q: I would like you to recommend me some articles and websites regarding teaching euphemisms and taboos ...
A: I just googled euphemism and taboos, and this is what I got: ...
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| phrases | 10/5/2008 | Andrew Russell |
Q: Would you agree that the article is semantically relevant in discriminating between THAT'S AN IDEA ...
A: As is usual with definite and indefinite, you are dealing with general (a/an) and specific (the). ...
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| What does it mean? | 10/4/2008 | Andrew Russell |
Q: I am Brazilian , so I can not understand some stuff or expressions. What does it mean when a guy ...
A: It's "groove", as in 'groovy'. This is a slang word that goes back quite a long way, and in this ...
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| Like / Love /Enjoy | 10/2/2008 | Andrew Russell |
Q: What is the difference in these sentences? - I like this book / I enjoy this book / I love this ...
A: Between like and love it's really a matter of degree - you can like something at many levels (it's ...
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| revers order | 10/2/2008 | Andrew Russell |
Q: How can I indicate paragraphs in an article in the reverse order? For example if there are five ...
A: Sorry, I missed that in the original. 'Up to a point' is a modifying phrase showing that the ...
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| slang | 10/2/2008 | Andrew Russell |
Q: According to the Longman Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs: stick it to someone – (sl.) 1. treat smb. ...
A: My feeling is that the second meaning is a specific example of the main usage, probably separated ...
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| soft money | 10/1/2008 | Andrew Russell |
Q: Is the expression SOFT MONEY used in the sense of "paper money" (as contrasted with coins) familiar ...
A: Paper money (banknotes) is usually referred to as 'folding money' or simply, in slang, as 'folding ...
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| Usage Difference | 9/27/2008 | Andrew Russell |
Q: Andrew. How have you been? I'd like to ask you the following question. Answer it as soon as ...
A: 'Something' means some specific thing, while 'what' is more general - 'whatever you want', and not ...
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| It took ages to clean (up) the mess. | 9/27/2008 | Andrew Russell |
Q: -It took ages to clean up the mess. -It took ages to clean the mess. Do to clean and to clean up ...
A: My point about 'up' was purely in relation to its use in phrasal verbs, and I should have made clear ...
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| revers order | 9/25/2008 | Andrew Russell |
Q: How can I indicate paragraphs in an article in the reverse order? For example if there are five ...
A: You've got the right idea. Just as you can number in order from first through second, third, etc to ...
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| Were you taught to use it's with an apostrophe in school? | 9/25/2008 | Ylanne Sorrows |
Q: California in the 1960's. I specifically remember being taught that using "it's" as a posessive ...
A: I do recall being taught that using it's with an apostrophe was okay when being used as a posessive ...
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| It took ages to clean (up) the mess. | 9/24/2008 | Andrew Russell |
Q: -It took ages to clean up the mess. -It took ages to clean the mess. Do to clean and to clean up ...
A: As with many other questioners in this section, you have fallen victim to our very wide vocabulary. ...
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| difference between may-might, can-could, will-would. | 9/21/2008 | Ylanne Sorrows |
Q: i am asking this query with lots of hope seriously and the way you have kept some instructions here, ...
A: As for the difference in may and might, I could not phrase it better than a gentleman by moniker ...
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| query | 9/19/2008 | Andrew Russell |
Q: Would you agree that A SECOND TIME and THE SECOND TIME mean different things and are not ...
A: nice to see you again. It's a quite a key point with English that any time you switch from ...
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| Plurals | 9/18/2008 | Ylanne Sorrows |
Q: My doubt may seem to obvious... I have read the following phrase on my English class this week: ...
A: Both are in fact correct. The first sentence, the one you found odd, is still correct. By using the ...
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| What's the difference between 'for me' and 'to me'? | 9/18/2008 | Andrew Russell |
Q: Russell, I’m uncertain about when to use "for me" and when to say "to me". When I translate "for ...
A: I'm afraid I don't speak Chinese, though I find the whole language group very interesting. Actually, ...
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| A pair of items --singular or plural | 9/16/2008 | Andrew Russell |
Q: Russell, I’m not sure of the following two points. Would you mind explaining them to me? 1) When I ...
A: I can understand why this would be confusing. No-one is quite sure why some items of clothing need ...
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| Direct Object | 9/11/2008 | Ylanne Sorrows |
Q: In this sentence is "ground" a direct object? "I walk on the ground"
A: Ground is not a direct object in this sentence. Ground is not receiving the action of the verb. If ...
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| imperative sentence | 9/10/2008 | Ylanne Sorrows |
Q: putting (meeting a dog) in and imperative sentence How?
A: An easy way to make a sentence imperative, which is a command (something you are telling someone ...
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| ESL textbook | 8/29/2008 | Ylanne Sorrows |
Q: I'm a non-native English teacher and I would need your advice. I'm going to teach English to adults ...
A: It is a pleasure to hear from you. Some good textbooks include the New Interchange Series, Basic ...
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| English | 8/27/2008 | Ylanne Sorrows |
Q: May I know which is correct? "Are you who is going to come?" or "Are you who are going to come?" ...
A: Neither "Are you who is going to come" or "Are you who are going to come" is correct. Both of them ...
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| English grammar | 8/25/2008 | Ylanne Sorrows |
Q: I have often heard people repeat the word "do" in a sentence. e.g. I do do that. Is this correct ...
A: Yes, in certain sentences, the phrasing "do do" is grammatically correct. There are only four ...
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| Vocabulary | 8/23/2008 | Ylanne Sorrows |
Q: We are a group of English teachers trying to use computer technology in teaching English as a ...
A: Greetings Nagham, Lubna, and Khulud; If you wish to use computer technology to teach English, a ...
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| learning a second language | 8/23/2008 | Ylanne Sorrows |
Q: does the first language have any effects in learning any new language?
A: Assalam aleikum Abdul Hameed, Yes, a first language absolutely has effects on learning a new ...
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| writing an essay | 8/23/2008 | Ylanne Sorrows |
Q: -How do we write an essay ?
A: Sometimes when writing an essay, it is easiest to make an outline first. An outline lists your main ...
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| English as a second language | 8/23/2008 | Ylanne Sorrows |
Q: I would like to ask you aquestion what are the common errors for foriegn students?
A: Some common errors for foreign students are spelling errors, word order (not putting words in a ...
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| Long O or Short O | 8/22/2008 | Ylanne Sorrows |
Q: In the term River Somer: If the O in Somer is short would it be pronounced Summer? If the O is ...
A: No, I do not find your question silly. :) If the O in Somer is short, is is pronounced ALMOST like ...
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| Verb tense and time | 8/21/2008 | Andrew Russell |
Q: Applied linguists maintain that there are only two verb tenses in English. What are the two tenses? ...
A: Applied linguists maintain a lot of things, most of which are probably true, but all they have to do ...
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| TEACHING | 8/21/2008 | Ylanne Sorrows |
Q: What is the suitable age for learning English as a second language and what are the first steps ?
A: One can learn English as a second language at any age, but if you were to choose an optimal age to ...
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| grammer-tenses | 8/21/2008 | Andrew Russell |
Q: ANDREW Would you please tell us how to differentiate between the (past perfect continuous ) and ...
A: There are really two things to consider in this question, so I hope you do not mind if I divide it ...
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| query | 8/20/2008 | Andrew Russell |
Q: Would you agree with the somewhat ‘loose’ use of FEEL BADLY as a variant of FEEL BAD or would you ...
A: Very well put. 'Bad' is of course an adjective, so to 'feel bad' describes the 'thing' you are ...
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| Verb Phrases | 8/19/2008 | Andrew Russell |
Q: Forms of verb phrases involve the following concepts. Explain and give examples of the following. ...
A: Are you writing a book? I'm afraid there is only space here to give a rough outline, but it should ...
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| query | 8/19/2008 | Andrew Russell |
Q: Would you agree that the ambivalent expression HAVE THE TIME can only mean "know the correct time of ...
A: I agree as to interrogative use. You will find that a lot of English is concerned with the correct ...
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| english speaking | 8/17/2008 | Ylanne Sorrows |
Q: How can I improve my english language while I am living with people who don not use it?
A: That must be very difficult to try and improve English when those around you do not speak it. Some ...
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| idioms | 8/17/2008 | Andrew Russell |
Q: Would you say that RIDE HIGH ON THE HOG at: ...
A: What are you doing to my reputation for omnipotence? (ha ha). You keep finding expressions I've ...
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| Language | 8/17/2008 | Andrew Russell |
Q: - Can you help me to answer this question (How can I speak English fluently and correctly and how ...
A: There is only one real piece of advice for this, the old English expression: "Practice makes ...
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| gerund | 8/15/2008 | Andrew Russell |
Q: I am not sure about the sentence below. Is it OK to say "The woman talking yesterday is busy now" I ...
A: Sorry to keep you waiting. Your sentence: "The woman talking yesterday is busy now" is fine, though ...
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| idioms about sickness | 8/14/2008 | Andrew Russell |
Q: Can you list some idioms about illness such as "he has a bug". Thank you.
A: I'm afraid I'm out of my office at the moment, so away from my big collection of dictionaries. You ...
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