Speak Well by Eve Rydel: Recent Episodes
Eve Rydel
Podcasts on a variety of topics all designed to help you speak English well. The focus is on using proper English and emphasizing how to avoid commonly made mistakes by ESL learners. Don't delay build your confidence in English as of today. Contact information: everydel@gmail.com or 501-520-361 Need Lessons? Skype lessons or face to face in downtown Warsaw
armchair, chair or sofa are comfortable
This armchair is quite comfortable.
vs.
It is convenient that my job is close to my home.
My job is conveniently located.
comfortable, vegetable, doable, remarkable, admirable, adorable, agreeable, available
able is a suffix meaning it is added to the end of the word - pronounication as if you were to say "a bull" when it is a part of a word
Explanation of prefix vs. suffix
happy - unhappy (un = prefix un= not so - not happy)
happiness - ness - is a suffix which means state of being or the condition
un = prefix
able vs. unable - I am able to swim. I am unable to fly a plane.
I am able to speak English. The pronunciaton is different
able - /ˈeɪb(ə)l/
adore, appeal, appreciate, desire,despise, detest, dislike, fear, feel, forgive, hate, like, love, mind, need, pity, prefer, satisfy, trust, want and wish
Be - stative and non-stative uses
Conjugating of the verb be: I am, You are, He is, She is, It is, We are, You are, They are
Exist - stative use only
Communication Stative Verbs: agree, deny, disagree
These 3 verbs must be used in the present simple not the continuous
Verb - describes an action
Stative verbs - describe states of being. ex. I am happy/angry/sad/mad.
Stative verbs - are used in the present simple tenses
When stative verbs don't describe a state but an action then they are used in the continuous tenses.
ex. I have a cup of coffee in the morning. (state) vs. I am having a cup of coffee now. (action)
She has a cough. (state) vs. She is caughing. (action)
This is second part of the episode on idioms from time.
it's high time to do something - for ex. it's high time to do the laundry, dishes, bills etc.
to take one's time or to take your sweet time - not to hurry ex. to take your time doing your makeup
to call it a day - to stop working on a given activity for the day.
on the spur of the moment - spontaneously
the time is right to do "something" - the time is correct or the time is good ex. the time is right to buy a house/get married/go on vacation etc.
to make time for something or someone - to do something although you did not plan it and you were already busy
for the time being - for now
in on time - quickly
to kill time - to do activity A because you are waiting to do activity B
in the nick of time - to do something just before it is too late
Today is Thursday.
Yesterday was Wednesday.
Tomorrow will be Friday.
or
Tomorrow is going to be Friday.
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th
Saturday and Sunday are days off meaning we don't work on these days. I have the weekends off means I dont' work on the weekends.
at the weekends - British English
on the weekends - American English
Monday is the first day of the week.
Tuesday is the second day of the week.
Wednesday is the third day of the week.
Thursday is the fourth day of the week.
Friday is the fifth day of the week.
Saturday is the sixth day of the week.
Sunday is the seventh day of the week.
Prepositions of place tell us where something is at:
I placed the water bottle onto the table. ( I use the preposition onto as there was movement.)
Now the water bottle is on the table. (There isn't any movement with it at this time.)
Jeff jumped into the pool. ( jumped into - there is movement.)
Jeff is swimming in the pool. ( He is inside the pool.)
I poured juice into the glasses. Now the juice is in the glasses.
Jill went on vacation to Greece.
Jeff went on holiday to Italy.
John went on vacation to Canada.
He went from work to the health club. ( We move from point A to point B)
At has 2 usages:
1.) at a large area: at the mall, at home, at work
and
2.) at a specific point on the map such as an address, an intersection, a bus stop
In = inside The kitten is in the box. He is playing and he is coming in and out of the box. I am at home in my living room.
to look out= watch out
to look out the window or to look through the window
to look up a word online
to look up to someone/ ex. to look up to a great professor
to look down on lazy professors
to look for your keys or to look for love
to look over homework - to check it briefly
to look after a child, a pet, a grandparent
to look someone in the eye - Look me in the eye to see if you are telling the truth. (parent to the child)
to look in on someone - to check if they are o.k.
to look at a painting, a photograph etc.
Online Exercises for you to do:
https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/structures/phrasal_verbs_look.htm
How old are you?
I am 31.
or
I am 31 years old.
Please make sure that you don't say I am 31 years. (Wrong)
Phases of Life: baby, toddler. child, pre-teen, teen, a young adult, an adult, middle aged, elderly
When is your birthday?
When is your b-day? (short version of birthday)
May/12/2000 - Jill
Jill was born in May.
Jill was born on May 12th.
Jill was born in 2000.
Song by Lesley Gore: It's my party and I'll cry if I want to - This is an American classic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6xhQag0Pi4
How do you start your morning? I like to start my day with a cup of Joe.
a cup of joe= a cup of coffee
Caffeine - stimulates the nervous system and makes us more alert
Would you like something to drink? vs. Would you like a drink? - different meanings
How do you take your coffee?
Black
White
with cream
with sugar
I have to call my friend. - CORRECT
versus
I have to call to my friend. - WRONG ( We don't need to preposition "to")
to make a call
to call someone
to phone someone
to give someone a call
to ring someone - British English
to return a call
to take a call
to put through a call
to forward my calls
It is raining cats and dogs = downpour= heavy rain
If if it raining cats and dogs and you don't have an umbrella you will be thoroughly soaked.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaJo05eQ5MU - Also you can watch this short video on the etymology of this proverb.
to meet someone - you meet them for the first time
to meet up with someone - to meet up with your friend(s) or family means to have fun with them/ to meet to enjoy each others company
We can also "hang out" with our friend (s) or family which is equivalent to meet up with them :)
to have a meeting = the word meeting is always connected with business
How are you? This is a standard question yet your answer doesn't have to be standard.
Common answers: I'm: fine, good, o.k.. I could be better or not bad
More fun ways to answer this questions are: I'm over the moon./I'm in 7th heaven./ I 'm on cloud 9./ I'm tickled pink. = all mean that you are very happy
or I feel blue. = sad
I am a bit under the weather. = so/so or a bit sick
I could be better.
Accept vs. Except
To accept (verb): a deal, an offer, an invitation to a wedding
acceptance (noun) acceptance of the terms and condition of the contract except for point number 10
except for: I like sports except for extreme ones. (except for= excluding something)
exception to the rule: exception to the rule for example one book two books and one tooth but two teeth