Difficult Pronunciation & How to Remember It #2

Posted on January 8, 2025 by mhardy3222

Today, I will continue to focus on common English words that many of you find difficult to pronounce. (See my previous post: Difficult Pronunciation & How to Remember It)

Here is a quick reminder:

My students can usually pronounce these difficult words if I give them an easy keyword containing the same sound. For example, how would you pronounce the word ache? (Headache, earache, toothache) It’s not easy, is it? However, I’m sure you can say make. Take off the m and you have the same sound: ..ake = ache. Easy!

Check-out the new list of difficult words in the table below. The same sounds are in orange. Practise saying the words and examples and your speaking and confidence will certainly improve!

Difficult Words	Key Words	Practice Sentences & Pictures
physics, physical, physician	fizzy	I miss fizzy drinks!
cough	off	I’m off work for a week! I have a terrible cough.
island	I, eye	I want to buy my own island. The ‘s’ is silent.
though, although	go	Oh no! Although I know Joe, I must go, go, go!
bear, pear, scare	hair	The hairy bear eats pears and scares mares.
might	tonight	I might go out for a light bite tonight.
talked, walked	talk to walk to	* talk to the … talk_t * walk to the … walk_t (The aim here is to link to the ‘t’ sound at the start of the second word but no further: ‘talked’ should sound like talkt; ‘walked’ should sound like walkt.* One syllable only.) I talked to the fork to the cork to New York too.
asked	ask Ty	* ask Ty… ask_ T I asked Ty about the Masked Ball.(* See note above.)
whole	hole	I dug the whole hole all by myself!
soup	soon	Would you like some soup soon?
soap	hope	a. I hope there’s soap in Jo’s boat. b. Nope. Just a slow goat, a coat and a rope.
doubt	out	I doubt we are out of sauerkraut, but could you find out?
one	won,	My mum wonders why I only won one race at the Swimming Carnival.
kind	find	A kind heart can be hard to find.

* If you can read the example dialogues and manage the correct pronunciation, clap yourself on the back! You have conquered some really weird English pronunciation! Well done!

Did you know that native English speakers often find spelling difficult? However, they have the advantage of learning pronunciation of common words before they learn spelling. This is one reason why listening is so important for you and this is why I recommend listening to and singing along to songs.

That’s all for now. Soon, I will be looking at problems that Spanish speaking learners have when speaking English. Make sure you click ‘Follow’ if you would like to receive future Posts to help you on your English journey.

Posted in Elementary (Level 2), IELTS, Intermediate (Level 4), Pre-Intermediate (Level 3), Speaking & Pronunciation, Upper Intermediate (Level 5), Vocabulary | Tagged 000000, 555555, ff0000, ff6600 | 2 Comments

Christmas 2024

Posted on December 21, 2024 by mhardy3222

Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna, the Magi presenting their gifts (mosaic detail), late 6th century, wearing Persian dress, and Phrygian cap. Under Licence: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Magi_(1).jpg

Greetings Dear Students!

It’s the Festive Season now for many of you: end-of-year party time; the beginning of summer holidays for the southern hemisphere; and Christmas celebrations and festivities.

As requested last Christmas, this year I am including some Christmas stories and Christmas-related activities and recommendations. Hopefully, the Christmas stories will be informative, and the quizzes and charades will be fun for everyone.

Christmas stories

Let’s start with some Christmas stories: One of my favourites is The Legend of the Poinsettia.* Click here to visit a site which has this story and several others, as well as Christmas trivia and anecdotes.
* If you are interested in another version of The Legend of the Poinsettia as retold by Tomie dePaola (my favourite children’s author!) click on the picture on the left. Tomie dePaola has several other wonderful children’s books, beautifully illustrated by him. I used to read them to my children when they were little. I enjoyed them as much as my children!

Christmas Games

Photo by Jim Kalligas

There are lots of ways to have fun with family and friends, whatever their age, at Christmas!

I have found some great websites for you. Instructions are included. Click here for 150 Christmas Icebreaker Questions & Games.

Click here for Christmas Charades Instructions and Ideas. I love Charades anytime and I find that the best way to play it is to have two teams: Boys v Girls OR Children v Adults (Or Whatever). For example, the Girls think of a charade for one of the Boys. He acts it out and the Boys try to guess. Meanwhile, all the Girls know the answer and enjoy watching the drama, dithering, and weirdness. Playing this way means that everyone is involved for each charade. People who really don’t want to get up and make a spectacle of themselves can help with charade suggestions. This way, they feel included. I can guarantee lots of laughs!

Click here for Christmas Taboo Cards, another fabulous game where everyone has a chance to participate and shine.

Christmas Music

This Christmas, I’m recommending a song which is an oldie, but a goodie: Last Christmas by Wham, with subtitles. Click on the picture below.

Now for some traditional Christmas Carols, starting with El Divo. Just click on the picture below.

I really hope you enjoy my Christmas suggestions. Thank you for your support and feedback this year. Subscribing to my website really helps me. If you haven’t clicked on Subscribe, please do so now. It’s free and you can unsubscribe any time.

I wish you a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Peaceful, and Rewarding New Year.

Mary Hardy

Posted in Advanced (Level 6+), Beginner (Level 1), Elementary (Level 2), ESL Teachers, Intermediate (Level 4), Pre-Intermediate (Level 3), Upper Intermediate (Level 5) | Tagged 000000, 339966, ff0000 | Leave a comment

MUST – The Most Misunderstood Modal!

Posted on September 1, 2024 by mhardy3222

Photo by Meisam Saeb

Greetings English Learners!

Do you remember when you first learned the meaning of ‘must’?

Must = Rules and Obligation.

You must obey the road rules!

You must not be late!

Doctor: You must take two pills with food daily for a week!

How often have you heard people speak like this? Not sure? Can’t recall? Well, guess what? This is not how native English speakers usually speak! It’s frustrating that some English language text books only teach ‘must’ as rules and obligations. Urrrg!!

Photo by Julien L

Of course, ‘must’ is used for Rules and Obligation, but almost always in written academic form, rarely in conversation.

(Click here if you are interested in reading examples from written academic texts: law, philosophy, health, politics, sociology etc. Please be patient. It takes a few seconds for the Concordancer to load. It’s worth the wait.)

We sometimes use ‘must’ when we are speaking aloud to ourselves, reminding ourselves of obligations, rules, duties, or things that are important to remember:

I really must stop speeding.

I mustn’t be late for the meeting tomorrow.

I must remember to take these pills with meals.

Meanwhile, ‘must’ is rarely used when giving instructions or making requests. Why do we speak to ourselves in this way? Well, most likely, someone has said something, or we have read a notice like:

Notice: Speed limit 60kph
Passenger: Please slow down! You’re making me nervous!

Notice: Staff Meeting 8:30am this Wednesday
Boss: Don’t be late!

Doctor: Take these pills once a day for a week. Remember to take them with meals.

** Check out the WATER PARK RULES notice in the photo above. This is a typical type of sign which spells out the rules and clearly states what is prohibited. Can you see the word ‘must’? … No? We don’t even use ‘must’ in signs!

∼∼∼∼∼∼∼∼∼

So, how then is this word usually used?

Must is used in speaking to indicate the belief of the speaker, the deduction and the conclusion that something is true. Consider the following examples of ‘must’ for deduction and belief:

Photo by Luis Covarrubias

(Lunchtime at the office and I can’t find my lunch):
Conversation #1
Oh no! Where is my lunch? I packed it this morning before I left home. I distinctly remember toasting the bread.

I must have left it at home!

∼∼∼∼∼∼∼∼∼

Conversation #2
John: So, you finally tried Acupuncture. How do you feel?

Rosa: Well, there must be something in it because I feel so relaxed!

John: Do you think you’ll go back for more?

Rosa: Definitely! The Acupuncturist suggested two treatments a week for four weeks. I mustn’t forget to book the appointments.

∼∼∼∼∼∼∼∼∼

Conversation #3. Paul Maina has just won the Marathon. He must be exhausted! He must feel so excited! He must have done years of training!

Photo by Pietro Rampazzo

∼∼∼∼∼∼∼∼∼

Conversation #4.
Anthony: I’m so sorry to hear that your dog was hit and killed by a car.

Rebecca: Thank you. He was my best friend!

Anthony: You must miss him terribly.

∼∼∼∼∼∼∼∼∼

Can you hear the people in the above conversations? Can you hear them saying what they believe to be true? It doesn’t matter if they are wrong. They are simply stating what they are almost 100% sure is true.

In Conversation #1, perhaps the lunch is in the car or it has fallen under the desk?
Compare:

Deduction/Belief: I must have left it at home!

Fact? – Yes. It’s at home on the kitchen bench.

Fact? – It’s in the car.

Acupuncture

In Conversation #2, perhaps Rosa desperately wanted to believe that Acupuncture would work because friends had highly recommended it and she was in constant pain.
Compare:

Deduction/Belief: there must be something in it because I feel so relaxed!

Fact? – Acupuncture is a form of Chinese medicine which has a high success rate.

In Conversation #3, the spectator thinks he understands how the athlete feels.
Compare:

Deduction/Belief: He must be exhausted! He must feel so excited! He must have done years of training!

Facts? – He is exhausted. He is not excited, just relieved that it’s all over. He trained for just six months for this marathon.

Facts? – He is a supreme athlete and is not exhausted. He is excited that he won. He trained for just six months for this marathon.

In Conversation #4, Anthony tries to be sympathetic.
Compare:

Photo by Tamara Bellis

Deduction/Belief: Anthony believes that Rebecca misses her pet: You must miss him terribly.

Fact? – Rebecca misses him terribly.

Fact? – Rebecca still misses her dead dog but she has a new puppy which occupies all her time and emotions.

∼∼∼∼∼∼∼∼∼

We also have set expressions (collocations) in English using ‘must’ for added emphasis:

I must admit that I was surprised you got the job after turning up late for the interview!

I must say that our daughter’s new teacher is rather peculiar.

You must be joking if you expect me to do the cooking as well as all the cleaning!

∼∼∼∼∼∼∼∼∼

Did you know that ‘must’ can also be a noun? Have you ever heard of something being ‘a must’? Well, in English, ‘a must’ is a necessity. However, ‘a must’ is so much stronger than ‘a necessity’:

Gardening advice: Spring is upon us and it’s time to get planting. Herbs are a must for the health-conscious.
Home Decor: Is your home in need of a freshen-up? Start in the bedrooms. Fresh new sheets and pillowslips are an absolute must. Next, the bathroom: a thorough clean and new towels are a must.

Sicily
Travel guide:
If you are heading to Italy, don’t miss Sicily. Taormina is a must, especially if you want to see Mount Etna. The town is known for the Teatro Antico di Taormina, an ancient Greco-Roman theatre still used today. Another must is the Duomo di Taormina a Medieval cathedral with Roman-Gothic architecture, featuring a Latin cross layout, pink marble nave, revered Byzantine Madonna, and historic manger. Quiet ambiance with free entry.

∼∼∼∼∼∼∼∼∼

This brings me to more uses of ‘must’ as a noun: a must-see, a must-have, a must-do, a must + …

Cruise advertisement: Book in the next 48 hours and you’ll save over 65% on must-haves like Wi-Fi and drinks.
Travel advice: While in Sicily, don’t forget to book a day trip to Mount Etna. It’s a once in a lifetime must-see.
Travel advice: Even though kissing the Blarney Stone in Ireland is a must-do for tourists, I wouldn’t recommend it.

∼∼∼∼∼∼∼∼∼

Modal Must Structure:
As always, modals are followed by a Base Infinitive (i.e. Infinitive without ‘to’).

To express the Present, use ‘must’ + Base Infinitive: You must be tired. (now)

To express the Past use ‘must’ + have + Past Participle: You must have been tired. (past)

∼∼∼∼∼∼∼∼∼

Here are three fabulous songs featuring the use of ‘must’ for deduction and belief. Enjoy!

Song #1: It must be Love by Madness.
Click here for the official video. Click here for the lyrics video.

Song #2: It must have been Love by Roxette. (from the movie Pretty Woman)
Click here for the official video. Click here for the lyrics video.

Song #3: The Day Before You Came by Abba.
Click here for the official video. Click here for the lyrics video.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Posted in Grammar, IELTS, Intermediate (Level 4), Pre-Intermediate (Level 3), Upper Intermediate (Level 5) | Tagged 000000, 1, 2, 3, 333399, 3366ff, 4, 800080, ABBA, deduction, English collocations, English songs, expressing belief, modals, must, mustn't | Leave a comment

Improve Fluency with Understatement

Posted on May 25, 2024 by mhardy3222

Greetings English learners!

Today, I am looking at how you can improve your fluency with a simple technique and you can start today. Yes, today! Ready? Let’s start.

Have a look at the painting below. What do you think? Do you like it?

Photo by Mayur Deshpande

You might reply, It’s good.

Perhaps, you would say, Yes, I really like it. It’s really good.

Then again, maybe you don’t like it. I don’t like it.

You may think that he’s a terrible artist. He’s a terrible artist.

These are all perfectly normal, correct, but dull comments. Let’s see if we can add some interest to the responses; spice them up a little:

It’s good.	⇒	It’s not bad.
I really like it. It’s really good.	⇒	It’s not bad at all!
I don’t like it.	⇒	It’s not my cup of tea. I’m not keen on abstract art.
He’s a terrible artist.	⇒	He’s no Picasso, is he?

Now look at the photo below. Two business associates are happily working together.

Photo by krakenimages

They’re clearly feeling positive about some work agreement or success. What do you think they are saying? Which caption (a or b) better suits their mood:

a) He: You will be pleased! She: You’re right.
or
b) He: You won’t be sorry! She: You’re not wrong.

Did you choose b)? I’m hoping that you can see that by choosing comments and responses that have ironic understatement rather than always just stating the obvious, you will elevate your English. Instantly. It will give your speech a nuance, a subtle tone. Can you hear him saying, You won’t be sorry! Remember that negative contractions carry more stress than positive ones. Compare: I’ll do it later. / I’m not doing it now.

Imagine how your tone can vary just using the expression ‘not bad’: It’s not bad, but … (it’s pretty boring, ordinary). It’s not bad, not bad at all! (It’s great!)

This type of understatement is called litotes and it is common in everyday English. The fact that it is indirect focuses attention on it.

Litotes is very easy to use. Instead of stating something directly, state that the opposite is not true.

Ordinary		Using litotes
You will be pleased!	⇒	You won’t be sorry!
You’re right.	⇒	You’re not wrong.

Here are some more examples. Think about how you would say these expressions with litotes. Try reading them aloud:

Ordinary	Using litotes
I’m upset.	Not happy!
It’s easy.	It’s not rocket science.
He’s stupid.	He’s not the sharpest tool in the shed.
He’s like his dad.	He’s not unlike his dad. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Her suggestions are okay.	Her suggestions are not without merit.
This wine is ordinary.	This wine is not delicious.
Ireland is an interesting country.	Ireland is no ordinary country.
This is a special burger.	This is no ordinary burger.
He’s a nice entertainer.	He’s okay but he’s no Michael Jackson.
She’s old.	She’s no spring chicken.
It’s very cold and raining heavily.	We’re not having the best weather.
It’s not good.	It’s not the best.
The show was ordinary.	The show was not the best.
It was very expensive.	It wasn’t cheap.
They have a strange relationship.	They don’t exactly have an ordinary relationship.

They don’t exactly have an ordinary relationship. Photo by JJ Jordan

Now that I’ve brought litotes to your attention, I’m sure you will hear many of the above-type figures of speech.

Unlike idioms, they are not fixed sayings; although some, like ‘It’s not rocket science’, are very common. Just think of what you want to say and then state that the opposite is not true.

Don’t be shy! It’s not rocket science! Start today!

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Posted in Advanced (Level 6+), Cambridge, Speaking & Pronunciation, Upper Intermediate (Level 5) | Tagged 000000, 800000 | 2 Comments

When not to use ‘s’ after nouns when it looks/sounds like we should!

Posted on February 11, 2024 by mhardy3222

When not to use ‘s’ after nouns when it looks/sounds like we should! 😫

Posted in Intermediate (Level 4), Pre-Intermediate (Level 3), Upper Intermediate (Level 5) | Leave a comment

Christmas 2023

Posted on December 24, 2023 by mhardy3222

Happy Christmas!

It’s that time of year again when many of us prepare to celebrate Christmas. Traditionally, for Christians, it is about celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ approximately 2,000 years ago. However, Christmas has become an important time for celebrating with family and friends for both Christians and non-Christians. Let’s have a look at some of the ways we observe Christmas:

Figurines: The Infant Jesus with Mary, Joseph, and an Angel

For over 2,000 years, Christians have celebrated the arrival on earth of a very remarkable person: Jesus of Nazareth. We know a lot about Jesus because of widespread writings, not just from his followers, but also from well-known scribes of the time. Jesus was a historically real person. His teachings of love, compassion, forgiveness, and acceptance appealed to all kinds of people as well as his message of hope for a new life after we pass on from this one. He practised what he preached, being kind and non-judgmental. You could say that he was, and is, the perfect role model.

Christians attend Church on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. They listen to readings about the special night when Jesus was born, pray together and sing Christmas Hymns. (My favourite is ‘O! Holy Night.’) It’s a very happy occasion!

Giving presents, decorating Christmas trees and homes is also traditional for many. Children in particular love all this Christmas activity and get very excited at the thought of a visit from Santa.

Photo by Ann Danilina on Unsplash.com

Presents are opened on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day or at a party beforehand. Many workplaces have parties and some, organize a ‘Secret Santa’. We pick the name of a colleague out of a hat and buy a gift for that person. No-one knows who has provided their present. It’s lots of fun! Not everyone is a Christian but that doesn’t matter. It’s the ‘Spirit of Christmas’ that is important: a feeling of goodwill towards everyone.

In Australia, as in many western and European countries, this is an occasion for being with family, especially family whom we don’t see regularly. We get together and tend to eat and drink too much! It’s a busy time, when we acknowledge the importance of family.

Cristo Redentor, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

If you would like to join in the Christmas festivities and you don’t have a family or friends to celebrate Christmas with, I strongly recommend that you contact a Christian church nearby; for example, The Catholic Church, The Anglican Church, The Pentecostal Church, The Presbyterian Church, The Methodist Church, or The Salvation Army. They welcome everyone, provide a lovely Christmas dinner and a jolly experience and expect nothing from you. You don’t need to be a Christian. You don’t have to attend a church service and you just might make some friends! Alternatively, church services can be viewed online. Just open You Tube and search: ‘Christmas Mass’. It is streamed live on Christmas Day and on Christmas Eve.

Pavlova – a traditional Australian dessert

Australian Christmas is different to Christmas in the Northern Hemisphere where it is cold in December. Here, it is summer and while some households still enjoy roast turkey, hot vegetables, and hot Christmas pudding, many of us prefer cold meat, seafood and salads and cold or fruit-based desserts. Pavlova, cheesecake, and ice cream pudding are favourites.

Because it is very hot here, barbecues are very popular which means that cooking indoors is unnecessary. After lunch, the beach is popular for those fortunate enough to live near one or holiday at one. Summer in Australia is holiday season, especially for school children and their families, and Christmas lunch or dinner is often casual: delicious and special, but simple. The beach is calling!

The beach is calling! Many thanks to Britt Gaiser from unsplash.com for this photo.

If you would like to listen to some delightful Christmas Carols sung by Michael Bublé, click here. To hear a magnificent version I’ve recently discovered of a traditional Hymn , click here.

I hope you have a

Very Merry Christmas & a

Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous 2024!!

Posted in Advanced (Level 6+), Elementary (Level 2), Intermediate (Level 4), Pre-Intermediate (Level 3), Songs, Upper Intermediate (Level 5) | Tagged bible, christianity, Christmas, faith, jesus | 3 Comments

English Inversion #1: Why? When? How?

Posted on October 26, 2023 by mhardy3222

Only by swimming with sharks will we overcome our fear of them.
Photo by Michael Liao on Unsplash

One of the first things you learn when you start learning English is the word order in sentences. The subject comes before the verb:

SUBJECT VERB

you                                        learn
you                                        start
The subject                       comes

Then, you learn that question word order is different. Usually, the auxiliary verb comes before the subject. This is called INVERSION because we invert the subject and auxiliary verb.

Question word order:
Have you ever swum with sharks? Why are people afraid of them? What do you think? Will we ever overcome our fear of sharks?

VERB SUBJECT

have you ?
are people ?
do you ?
will we ?

We can use Inversion in sentences which are not questions:

Only by swimming with sharks will we overcome our fear of them.

Rarely have I seen such a weird lipstick advertisement!

You can continue with your English studies and never use Inversion in sentences. That’s perfectly okay. However, if you are preparing for a Cambridge or IELTS exam or other exams or situations where you need to demonstrate an extensive use of English, you will be expected to know about Inversion.

Let’s start with why and when. After all, if you don’t know why we use Inversion, you won’t know when to use it.

WHY & WHEN do we use INVERSION?

Inversion is mainly used for EMPHASIS. The expressions used (never, rarely, no sooner, only then, etc.) have much more impact when used at the beginning of a sentence than the more common pronoun subject, especially as most of them are negative.

Negatives are more dramatic. Consider negative contractions: don’t, won’t, can’t, haven’t, etc. They usually have strong stress in English whilst positive contractions: I’m, he’ll, she’s, we’ve, I’d, etc. usually have weak stress.

Rarely have I seen such a weird lipstick advertisement!
Photo by ian dooley on Unsplash

INVERSION is used

1. to emphasize the uniqueness of an event,

2. to stress how quickly something happened after something else had been completed,

3. to clarify a situation, and

4. to sound more formal.

INVERSION is also used:

5. after clauses beginning with ‘nor’.

Compare the Inversion examples below with the standard sentence examples. Try to imagine how much easier it would be for the speaker to stress words like: Never … Rarely … Not until … (than: I … We … People … When)

1. to emphasize the uniqueness of an event

Never have I been so relieved to see anyone in my life!

Standard sentence:
I have never been so relieved to see anyone in my life.

‘Rarely does someone simply return to “business as usual” after seeing a Dan Pink presentation’.

Standard sentence:
People rarely return to “business as usual” after seeing a Dan Pink presentation.

Photo by Rosie Kerr on Unsplash

Seldom am I impressed with
Hollywood celebrities.

Standard sentence:
I am seldom impressed with
Hollywood celebrities.

Hollywood celebrities seldom impress me.

2. to stress how quickly something happened after something else had been completed

Scarcely had I finished cooking when the guests arrived.

Standard sentence:
I had scarcely finished cooking when the guests arrived.

No sooner had we started the meal than someone knocked at the door.

Standard sentence:
We started the meal and immediately someone knocked at the door.
As soon as we started the meal, someone knocked at the door.

Barely had I served dessert when everyone started checking their phones!

Standard sentence:
When I served dessert, everyone started checking their phones.
As soon as I served dessert, everyone started checking their phones.

Can you detect the sense of exasperation that the speakers in the Inversion examples feel? The emphasis is on the timing more than the subject.

Barely had I served dessert when everyone started checking their phones!
Photo by jwlez on Unsplash

3. to clarify a situation

Note how the sentences with Inversion have a sense of urgency whilst the standard sentences are more casual.

Only then did we realise what was possible!
Photo by Chris Barbalis on Unsplash

Only after she won the gold medal in the 400-metre dash did Cathy realise the enormous pressure she’d been under.

Standard sentence:
It was only after she won the 400-metre dash that Cathy realised the enormous pressure she’d been under.

On our trip to Milan, Italy we saw fantastic Green Buildings. Only then did we realise that cities could be environmentally responsible and resource-efficient!

Standard sentence:
It was only when we saw the Green Buildings in Milan that we realised that cities could be environmentally responsible and resource-efficient!

Little was Henry aware of the damage caused by his thoughtless actions.

Standard sentence:
Henry was not aware of the damage caused by his thoughtless actions.

4. to sound more formal

Had I known you were in town, I would have invited you! Photo by Lanty on Unsplash

Had I known you were in town, I would have invited you!

Standard sentence:
If I had known you were in town, I would have invited you!

Had they understood your situation, they might have helped you.

Standard sentence:
If they had understood your situation, they might have helped you.

5. after clauses beginning with ‘nor’

I don’t believe in scarcity, nor do I believe that the grass is greener on the other side.

Standard sentence:
I don’t believe in scarcity and I don’t believe that the grass is greener on the other side.

I haven’t been to Japan, nor do I expect to visit there in the near future.

Standard sentence:
I haven’t been to Japan and I don’t expect to visit there in the near future.

HOW do we use INVERSION?

…… to be continued.

This post is quite long enough! I will continue in a future post. Meanwhile, you can try to get used to the Inversion examples I’ve given above before I explain the rules and structures.

I have found a song Never Ever by ‘All Saints’ which features the lines:

Never ever have I ever felt so low …
Never ever have I ever felt so sad …
Never ever have I had to find …

I suggest that you listen to the song until these clauses are locked into your long-term memory! It won’t take long. There is a lot of repetition. Click here for the YouTube video.

Subscribe above to receive an email when I post my next Inversion lesson.

Posted in Advanced (Level 6+), Cambridge, Grammar, IELTS, Upper Intermediate (Level 5) | Leave a comment

Relative Clauses #11: Advanced non-defining Relative Clauses

Posted on August 5, 2023 by mhardy3222

First, read the earlier posts on Relative Clauses, especially #3 and #6.

Advanced non-defining Relative Clauses are not as difficult as their name suggests. There are only two Relative Clause Pronouns used, whom & which, and the Relative Clause is usually at the end of the sentence.

If you are studying for an IELTS or CAMBRIDGE exam, or any test in which you have to write well, you will need to show that you can incorporate Relative Clauses into your sentences.

Advanced non-defining Relative Clauses are easy to create because you can just add them to the end of a sentence, and the result is impressive Complex grammar. They can refer to some or all of the information contained in the previous part of the sentence or just one word.

♦ Next year, I’m going to Sicily and Malta with my sister. I’m really looking forward to it.

When I say ‘I’m really looking forward to it‘ , I am not just talking about Sicily and Malta. I am also talking about going with my sister next year. It relates to the whole sentence: Next year, I’m going to Sicily and Malta with my sister.

The two simple sentences above are okay for speaking but not good enough for writing. It’s easy to improve them with a Relative Clause. When you have a pronoun (in this example, it) which refers to a previous sentence or clause, you can use an Advanced non-defining Relative Clause:

♦ Next year, I’m going to Sicily and Malta with my sister, which I’m really looking forward to.

Q. What am I looking forward to? A. Going to Sicily and Malta with my sister next year.
Q. What am I looking forward to? A. It.

The Relative Pronoun which replaces it.

Caltagirone, Sicily Photo by davide ragusa on Unsplash.com

Here are more examples of sentences with Advanced non-defining Relative Clauses.

#1. Germany won the FIFA World Cup in 2014, which really annoyed some people.

#2. Even though they have six children and seemed to be the perfect couple, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt separated in 2016, which shocked a lot of people.

Here are more examples of how to combine two sentences with an Advanced non-defining Relative Clause. Them is an object pronoun, so for people we need to use the Relative Pronoun whom.

#3. I have two sisters. Both of them live in Melbourne.

I have two sisters, both of whom live in Melbourne.

#4. I have three brothers. Two of them live in Melbourne.

I have three brothers, two of whom live in Melbourne.

#5. I have two children. One of them lives in Queensland. One lives in Sydney.

I have two children, one of whom lives in Queensland and one of whom lives in Sydney.

I have two children, neither of whom lives in Melbourne.

#6. There are several choices for breakfast. They all look delicious.

There are several choices for breakfast. All of them look delicious.

There are several choices for breakfast, which all look delicious.

There are several choices for breakfast, all of which look delicious.

Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash

We use which for objects/things and whom for people.

The following table lists common Relative Clause Phrases used in Advanced non-defining Relative Clauses:

Which	Whom
*Which*
*One of which*	*One of whom*
*Two of which*	*Two of whom*
*Both of which*	*Both of whom*
*Neither of which*	*Neither of whom*
*Most of which*	*Most of whom*
*All of which*	*All of whom*
*Some of which*	*Some of whom*
*None of which*	*None of whom*
*3, 4, a few, several* etc *… of which*	*3,4, a few, several* etc *… of whom*

I’m sure that if you can see the patterns and create examples which are relevant to you, you will remember the rules more easily. I suggest that you write down the following sentences and fill in the gaps with your own information. *Remember to use a verb in the Advanced non-defining Relative Clauses and the verb must agree with the number; for example, one lives, none wants, neither lives, all look, both are.

♦ My two favourite movies are ______ and ______ , both of which _________.

♦ Three songs I love are _____ , _____ , and ____ , all of which ___________.

♦ At High School, I studied ____ , _____ , and _____ , only one of which I ____ .

♦ I have (number) close friends, one of whom is ____ , and one of whom is ____ .

♦ Next year, I’m going to _____________ , which I’m really looking forward to.

Now, try writing some sentences about your family and where they live, similar to the ones I’ve written above about my family, all of which are true sentences! Just copy the pattern. If you would like me to check your sentences, you can write to me by clicking on Contact Me at the top of the page, or click on Leave a comment below.

Alas, I couldn’t find a song to use in this post! If any of you can think of a song which features Advanced non-defining Relative Clauses, please let me know.

Continue reading →

Posted in Advanced (Level 6+), Cambridge, Grammar, IELTS, Relative Clauses, Upper Intermediate (Level 5), Writing | 1 Comment

Gerunds & Infinitives – What is the difference?

Posted on May 27, 2023 by mhardy3222

GERUNDS

Gerunds are usually nouns but they are different from other nouns because they are made from verbs.

∗ Changing verbs into other forms: nouns or adjectives, for example, is common in many languages. Think about how your language changes verbs into other forms as you continue reading.

♦ Gerunds are always singular: Cooking dinner takes a long time.
Cooking is hard work.
♦ The ‘ing’ form of the verb is always used: However, I love cooking

♦ Gerunds are the names of activities: eating, drinking, playing, watching, skiing, horse-riding. Can you see a pattern here? When we want a word to name the activity (noun) caused by the verb, we often use a gerund.

Cooking is LOVE you can taste.

If you can replace a gerund with a pronoun, for example, ‘it’, then the gerund must be a noun! Pronouns can only replace nouns. (pro = for) Here are the above three sentences with the gerund, cooking, replaced with ‘it‘:

It takes a long time.

It is hard work.

I love it!

♦ Gerunds are very common in everyday spoken English. They can be the Subject, the Object, or the Complement in a sentence:

Changing verbs into other forms is common in many languages. (Subject: ‘Changing verbs into other forms’ is a gerund phrase. You can replace all of it with the pronoun ‘it’: It is common in many languages.)

Skiing is a popular winter sport. (Subject)

Children seem to learn skiing easily. (Object of ‘learn’)

The most popular winter sport in many countries is skiing. (Complement of ‘is’)

Photo by Michael L. Unsplash.com

In the sentence, “Anthony saw some sharks when he was snorkelling in the Philippines last year.”, “snorkelling” is a participle – part of the verb “was snorkelling”.

In the sentence, “My children love snorkelling“, “snorkelling” is a noun. It is the object of “love“. An object is a noun.

∗ Note that in the above sentence, there is no indication that the children are actually snorkelling, unlike Anthony who was no doubt swimming very quickly after he saw the sharks. All we know is that the children love that activity. “My children love it.” The word “it” is the object of “love”. The pronoun “it” replaces “snorkelling” in the above sentence, so “snorkelling” must be a noun. It is a Gerund.

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INFINITIVES

Infinitives are the names of verbs: TO + BASE VERB. For example: to be, to have, to go, to look, to swim. When you look up a verb in a dictionary, it is the Base form that is listed first. Infinitives and Base verbs have no tense.

It is very common to use more than one verb in a clause. However, only one tense per clause is permitted! Again, think about your language and the rules for verbs. Infinitives have no tense, so they are used to add information without affecting the tense of the verb, without affecting ‘when’:

I want to study Architecture at University. (want = Present Simple Tense)

I wanted to study Architecture at school, but it wasn’t a school subject. (wanted = Past Simple Tense)

Photo by Alex Vasey Unsplash.com

I have wanted to study Architecture ever since I saw the Leaning Tower of Pisa. (have wanted = Present Perfect Tense)

In the main clause of the above three sentences, the different forms of the verb ‘want’ show tense. The infinitive ‘to study’ adds meaning only.

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It is important to know when to use Gerunds after verbs and when to use Infinitives after verbs.

♦ Some verbs can be followed by a Gerund or an Infinitive:

I love going out on Saturday nights with my friends.

I love to go out on Saturday nights with my friends.

♦ Some verbs cannot be followed by an Infinitive. If you want to follow the verb with another verb, you have to use a Gerund:

I finished cleaning the house at 10pm. ~~I finished to clean the house at 10pm~~.
I enjoy going out with my friends. ~~I enjoy to go out with my friends~~.

Of course, you can follow ‘finished’ and ‘enjoy’ with other word forms:

I finished my exams yesterday. (verb + noun + adverb)

I enjoy funny movies. (verb + adjective + noun)

♦ Other verbs cannot be followed by a Gerund. If you want to follow the verb with another verb, you have to use an infinitive:

Rou decided to study English in Australia. ~~Rou decided studying English in Australia~~.

After that, she is planning to continue her studies in Taiwan. ~~After that, she is planning continuing her studies in Taiwan~~.

Of course, you can follow ‘decided’ and ‘is planning’ with other word forms:

Rou decided on a holiday in Spain. (verb + preposition + noun)

After that, she is planning further study. (verb + adjective + noun)

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There is no easy rule to help you know if a verb is followed by a Gerund or an Infinitive. The way I see the difference is (usually) this:

Gerunds describe an activity (IT). It might not happen.

Infinitives describe an action (TO DO IT) which happens/happened/will happen.

Have a look at these two sentences:

1. I love cooking.

2. I love to cook on the weekends when my parents visit.

My husband the chef. Photo by Mario

1. I love cooking. (I love it.)

I love watching Masterchef and *cooking videos on Youtube. I have some excellent recipe books. I love food and trying new dishes. I do all the food shopping. However, I never cook because my husband is a chef! (*cooking = adjective gerund)

2. I love to cook on the weekends when my parents visit. (I love to do it.)

I do it when my parents visit. What do I do? I cook.

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Try to remember the difference between gerunds and infinitives the way you learn new vocabulary. Online exercises are a good way to practise and remember:

• Click here for a website that categorizes which types of common verbs are followed by gerunds and which types of common verbs are are followed by infinitives. It is an excellent reference.
The site also lists songs which feature gerunds. However, not every word ending in ‘ing’ is a gerund! Some are participles; some are part of reduced Relative Clauses. I have focused on one of the songs, ‘Feel’ by Robbie Williams. Watch the video below and then check the lyrics. I have highlighted the gerunds in bold pink and the infinitives in bold blue.

• Click here to see a list of verbs followed by Infinitives. This link will take you to verbs followed by Gerunds:

• For more information and practice exercises click here.

Song: FEEL by Robbie Williams

Come and hold my hand.
I *wanna contact the living. (*wanna contact = want to contact)
Not sure I understand
This role I’ve been given.
I sit and talk to God
And he just laughs at my plans.
My head speaks a language
I don’t understand.

I just *wanna feel (wanna feel = want to feel)
Real love; feel the home that I live in,
‘Cause I’ve got too much life
Running through my veins,
Going to waste.
I don’t *wanna die (*wanna die = want to die)
But I **ain’t keen on living either. (**ain’t = am not)
Before I fall in love,
I’m preparing to leave her.

(I) Scare myself to death.
That’s why I keep on running.
Before I’ve arrived,
I can see myself coming.

I just *wanna feel (wanna feel = want to feel)
Real love; feel the home that I live in,
‘Cause I’ve got too much life
Running through my veins,
Going to waste;
And I need to feel
Real love and the love ever after.
I cannot get enough.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Posted in Grammar, Intermediate (Level 4), Pre-Intermediate (Level 3), TOEIC, Upper Intermediate (Level 5) | 2 Comments

Difficult Pronunciation & How to Remember It – Part 1

Posted on December 21, 2022 by mhardy3222

Photo by Mimi Thian, Unsplash

Greetings English Learners! This will be my last Post for this year and I have decided to focus on common English words that many of you find difficult to pronounce. My students can usually pronounce these difficult words if I give them an easy keyword containing the same sound.

For example, how would you pronounce the word ache? (Headache, earache, toothache) It’s not easy, is it? However, I’m sure you can say make. Take off the m and you have the same sound: ..ake = ache. Easy!

Check-out the table below. The same sounds are in orange. The Practice sound examples are underlined. Practise saying the words and your speaking and confidence will certainly improve!

Difficult Words	Key Words	Practice & Pictures
bought, thought, taught, caught	sort	What sort of fish have you caught?
bus,	just, must	Oh no! I just missed the bus!
headache, earache, toothache, stomachache	make	Too much music makes my head ache.
stomach	sick	I feel sick in my stomach.
it’ll	little	Remove the l from little and you will be able to say it’ll. It’ll take just a little practice!
enough, rough, tough	stuff	Stop! That’s enough rough stuff!
through	do / food	Do you ever go through all the food in the fridge?
busy	business	His business is very busy.
busy, coffee	bee	I’m as bus y as a bee. Too bus y for coffee.
manage, baggage	fridge	Who managed to put my baggage in the fridge?!
would, should, could	good / wood	It would be good if you could chop some wood.
blood, flood	love	Vampires love blood.
said	bed	Doctor Ted said, “Ed, go to bed!”
says	fez	Des says the fez is for Les. Les says the fez is for Des.
suite	sweet	There were sweet treats and Champagne in our Honeymoon suite.
queue	q / cue	To pronounce this strange word, just say the first letter – q. Don’t wait for a cue (a sign); wait in the queue.
since	sin city	How long since you visited Sin City?
sew	so	So, Jo taught you to sew, did she?
suit	fruit	Why do you have fruit in your suit pocket?