Dear all blog-readers,
As suggested by Adky, I am starting this entry and you can throw all kinds of questions to ask question regarding English or anything else you would like to know, and I will try my best to give you the answers or guidance as comments of this entry, or new entries in the future to share with everybody. You can always recover this page from the labels list on the right side of the blog.
Thank you to Adky for this great idea!
So, what are you waiting for? Bring it on!
Cheers!
Locky
Picture resources:
http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/thumb_160/11832104448c6TFI.jpg
Let me post the first question here! If I had told other people something from my memory but some days later I found that it was totally wrong, how do I express this (i.e. 我記錯了) by a short phrase or terms in written form?
ReplyDeleteWell, we can simply say, "I remembered wrongly"
ReplyDeleteHello Locky,
ReplyDeleteMay I use the content of your last entry (Football) to ask some grammatical questions ?
I remember that I only played football a couple of times, generally trying to help my classmate Farack to show off his charm by tackling the ball from me. Even if it wasn't for the sake of flossing ("to show off" in US slang), I was not that fond of it and I always took up the most unwanted position of the game, the goalkeeper......I picked up this sport unbelieveably in Singapore, when I first got to know my scholarship-mates John and Preston, who later became my best friends in life. I was engulfed , (surrounded and covered by sth or sb completely) by their love in football, and thus I started to learn a little by little
Questions :
1) a couple of times = a certain period ?
2) you said "I remember that I only played ..."
why you used "I remember..." and not
"I remembered..."
If comparing with another answer "I
remembered wrongly", it is also about
memory, why past tense is used ?
3) "who later became my best friends in life"
I suppose they are still your best
friends, why not used "who later become
my ..."
Other questions :
4) I forgot to bring something.... or
I forget to bring ..................
5) Sorry I am late or I was late
6) Locky, I suppose you don't know Cantonese or read Chinese. Maybe you can. If I want to say this, how should I say ?
I thought you can't read Chinese, but you can.
(structure is sth. like "I remembered wrongly" )
Sorry one more,
7) I know something for a period of times, if
I chat with someone to experss my opinion,
I should say :
I find that... or I found that...
I know that... or I knew that...
you see, I don't know TENSE !!
THANK YOU VERY MUCH !!!
1) a couple of times = 2 times
ReplyDelete2) the first case, I use present tense because "I (still) remember". The 2nd case, "(at that time) I was wrong with my memory, (but now I no longer have it wrong)"
3) Some actions are short in time and there is almost no in-between. "become" is one of them, especially when used with friendship. Either we are not friends or we are, there is no in-between. Once we are friends, the action is past, and therefore "became". There are exceptions: "I'm becoming mad with all these work!!!" This action can have a period.
4) I forget to bring (I still cannot remember to bring and I don't have it); I forgot to bring (I now remember to bring it but I don't have it still)
5) Same as 4)
6) Your version is correct.
7) Can be either one. Different meaning. Ask yourself a) short action or lasting action b) Still valid or not?
Sir,
ReplyDeleteAny idoms of "量力而為" / "不會好高模遠"?
BO BO
Not to throw straws against the wind;
ReplyDeleteNot to do sth beyond/out of (my) reach;
Not to bite off more than one can chew.
To know your limits
Hi Locky,
ReplyDeleteCould you please explain the word "freak out" for me? I'm confused that whether it means extremely excited or shocked. I've already checked the dictionary but still couldn't get the answer.
I heard someone said "nothing" but sounded like "noding" and "thought" sounded like "dought". I think they didn't put their tougue between their teeth for the "th". Is this a common usage or just simply I got it wrong?
Thanks a lot!
Jan
Hi Jan,
ReplyDelete"to freak sb out" means to scare sb. eg. I freaked Jan out with my Halloween look.
"to be freaked out" means to be scared by sb. eg. I was freaked out by Jan's drop-shoulder blouse.
They are mostly of a negative meaning, unless you feel good when you are scared, like in the Ocean Park Halloween Bash.
"The Halloween Bash didn't freak me out by a tad!!! I won't go back next year!"
As for your second question, "nothing" can sound very much like "none", "nut'un", etc. Just like it is so common to hear British saying "better" as "be'er", with the /t/ all gone. I wouldn't say they are wrong, they are just lazy sounds or different style or accent.
If you want to listen to the "be'er", try the intro of this clip about football:
http://www.uefa.com/trainingground/index.html#34001/8388608/817302
First a young boy will tell you his name, then another man will throw the ball and say,
"Y'think y'can do be'er?!!"
Could you please check the gammer of the following sentence for me? Thanks!
ReplyDelete"A few days ago,Prime Minister Mori was given some conversation training before he visits(?) Washinton and meets(?) president Barack Obama."
(The visit has already finished when this sentnece was written.)
Jan
O...I mean grammar...
ReplyDeleteSince it has past, we should use past simple tense. "visited", "met"
ReplyDeleteHi Locky,
ReplyDeleteA sentense from a fiction - "I'm not quiet and nice; but I'll come, if Mother will let me. I'll go ask her."
Questions :
1. under the conditions of 'if', we shouldn't have 'will' after Mother, right?
2. "I'll go ask her"...why not 'go to'?
Please help!
Bo Bo
Will answer you in the next entry. Thanks for the question!
ReplyDeleteHi Locky,
ReplyDeleteOne of my family member always buy "Newsweek" and I want to take this opportunity to learn more English. However, I find it is too difficult for me to understand. I need to check from dictionary frequently. I feel very depressed. I am a Listening Level 3 student now. Locky, is this magazine is too difficult or not suitable for me to learn and improve my English at this stage ?
Besides, I will attend Grammar Level 1 very soon. Is I need to buy "English Grammar in Use - Intermediate" which is recommended by you for the daily reference ?
Thanks a lot !
Newsweek is definitely not easy to understand for learners, and it is rather frustrating to check dictionary all the time, so, why not try something just slightly more difficult but comprehensible in general? Try to read thestandard.com.hk, it is free and has more HK news. Newsweek is mostly world news if not US news.
ReplyDeleteOh, I forgot to mention. That book I recommended is a really cool book. Should get it no matter you are taking Grammar Level 1 or not.
ReplyDeleteHi Locky,
ReplyDeleteJust read a sentense - "Don't put it on till I shout."
Why don't use 'until'? How to apply those words?
BO