English Explained Simply

Once again, ladies and gentlemen, my mission is to help you diversify your English so that you gradually become bilingual. Are you ready? Ready to discover a new article I'm writing for you? Then let's go! - Sorry, I didn't understand! = Sorry I didn't get it!   - I can't make heads or tails of it! = I'm unable to understand! = I don't understand at all! - Can you repeat, more slowly, please? = Can you slow down, please? not can you repeat slower?   and not can you repeat more slower? - I still don't understand. Can you repeat it until I understand? = I still don't get the point. Can you repeat it until  I get the point?  - I beg your pardon, what did you say?  - Can you repeat that for me please? = Come again, please!  - Can you say that again in a different way? = Can you say that again in a new way?  - Can you say that from the beginning? = How's that again?  - Can you say it all over again? = Please, say it again in more ways than one!...

Alternative ways to avoid the humdrum of repeating the same basic expressions - Let's get in on the act = Let's have a hand in = Let's take an interest in = Let's be a party to = Let's partake in = Let's associate with - Let's get our act together = Let's shape up = Let's make a fresh start = Let's turn over a new leaf - Let's get off the ground = Let's get started = Let's get weaving = Let's kick off = Let's hit the trail = Let's rock and roll - How are you? = How are you doing? = How is life treating you? How is it going = What's happening? = What's new?  = What's up? - I'm alright, thanks for asking = I'm doing fine = I'm doing okay - Is everything going your way? Yes, everything is going my way. - Well, everything is fine, I can't complain - Good to see you again. Likewise / The same here - What's your name? My name is Paul / I'm Paul. - Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you too - Where...

Below are 8 tips I came up with to take your English to the next level The first tip: IDENTIFY the words and expressions you inevitably use day in, day out, as well as the environment that accompanies them. You should be able to name, in the target language, everything that you are used to or encounter in your daily life, for example, things in your room, throughout your house, things at work or at school as well. The second tip: LEARN the phrases and words you often use in the source language, in the target language. You need to be able to take the heads side of the coin with expressions in the source language, flip it to the tails side of the coin, and translate them all into the target language. The third tip: LISTEN to native English speakers without translating into your own language to begin with, in order to refine your listening skills and master tone of voice, as English is a tone language, meaning the bar graph would move up and down depending on the words spoken unlike...

Pitfalls to avoid when mastering English grammar  (N°3) - At the moment means at the time of speaking (= at the present time, here and now, forthwith)   - In the moment means engaging fully in the present, regardless of what happened in the past and not thinking about what will happen in the future  - I'm experienced (= I have long standing knowledge about something)  not: I'm experimented . But you can say I experimented something or I experimented with somebody (= you tried something in an attempt to find out what it was like) - In a moment means in a short time, very soon - In point of fact, there's a marked difference between experience and experiment: experience focuses on someone's previous activity in an area or something that happens to us (= I gained valuable experience working in a team); whereas experiment focuses on something we do in order to see the results (= I would like to experiment with a new fragrance) - What are you doing that for? =...

Pitfalls to avoid when mastering English grammar  (N°2) - To do long hours = to work long hours not: to make long hours - For example / For instance   not: by example   - On the phone   not:   at the phone - On the Internet / On the Web   not:   in the internet / in the Web - On television - On the radio not: at television - at the radio - I'm going back home  not: I'm going back to home   - I'm at home  not:   I'm at the home - She was right not: she had reason / she had right - The economic situation / The economic system not: the economical situation / The economical system - Economical = cheap / inexpensive / low-budget / low-cost; someone using no more of something than is necessary = he is economical with the truth - It's logical (= adjective) / it's judicious  - It's logic (= noun) / it's common sense - An electronic device not: an electronical device - An electric car not: an electrical car - I'm used to le...

Pitfalls to avoid when mastering English grammar (N°1) - Such a problem not: a such problem - The young love sports = young people love sports not: young love sports - I feel like a drink not: I feel like to drink - France (in its entirety) not: the France ; but we can say: the France of my childhood (a specific period) - Everybody stretched out their legs not: everybody stretched out his legs - A two-hour lesson not: a two hour's lesson - Two-hour lesson not: two hours lessons - A 25-year-old not: a 25 years old - 25-year-olds not: 25 years olds - Everybody has their coat not: everybody has his coat - To this day there is no news = at this moment in time - I give no help to others and I get none = the structure is no … none - I don't give any help to others and I don't receive any =  the structure is don't … any  - It's time we took action = it's time to make a move - It's time (for us) to take action = it's time to make a move - If he were ...