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 #2 (permalink) Thu Jun 01, 2006 19:12 pm New member |
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Hi Tamara,
A very warm welcome to you and many thanks for the positive and encouraging remarks that you have made about the site. Never fear no-one would dream of using words like improper and awful about a contributor's English. From what you have written I can't see that's going to happen in your case anyway. As you can see, there are a number of different forums on the site apart from the tests. Please feel free to comment on what others say or indeed to start a new topic.
Alan
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| #3 (permalink) Thu Jun 01, 2006 22:17 pm New member |
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Hi, Alan. Thank you very much for your warm welcome.
At present, I have no definite plans about using the Forum. I just like it... and am going to settle here :) (if you don’t mind it :)), enjoying communicating with Forum people and getting familiar with other facilities of the site.
(I have already done more than a half of your Intermediate and Advanced level tests. Just done, hmm… :-) )
To make my situation slightly clearer: at the end of June I am going to take ESOL exams (aiming Level 1 at speaking, listening & writing and Level 2 at reading), because I strongly need to have a nationally (UK) recognised certificate to validate my language skills.
My main troubles are: prepositions, limited vocabulary, tending to put 'formal' words and phrases in informal conversations (as I said above, my English is still passive and rather 'bookish'),
and, of course, permanent confusing with phrasal verbs :-)
And I will be very grateful indeed to everyone who would point out my mistakes…
Regards,
Tamara
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Tamara
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| #4 (permalink) Thu Jun 01, 2006 22:57 pm As is :) |
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Hi Tamara!
I had liked to wellcome you much earlier but I think wellcoming every new member is the privilege of the administrators and moderators of this wonderful site. So I?m happy that Alan did that because now I can do so too.
As I?m an English learner too and also use a rather formal English -particular with phrasal verbs I?m not proficient- and my own range of English is limited, I?m excited what progress you?ll make. Please don?t understand that as a request but more as an interest because, for me, your posts sound quite understandible. Although there might be some difference between written and spoken language. Please follow Alan?s request to use the forums. I think you?ll find it interesting and also improving your skills.
Liked to read from you soon!
Michael
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| #5 (permalink) Fri Jun 02, 2006 7:06 am Grammar |
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Hi Tamara,
If I may, I'll make some publicity and refer you to a considerable amount of material I've written for the site. There you can find notes/material on prepositions and phrasal verbs as well as many other topics: ESL lessons.
Alan
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| #6 (permalink) Fri Jun 02, 2006 12:58 pm Grammar |
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Hi, Alan,
Thank you very much for the link (especially for phrasal verb topics).
Certainly, I’ll get down to it :)
One (fresh) example of my difficulties with phrasal verbs:
Her mother knew a fashionable young dressmaker. Felicity sketched a design, and as the dressmaker gradually put it together, Felicity became carried along by it all.
hmmm...
My Longman Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs (12.000+) tells me:
carry along
1. to carry something with one (syn. carry about)
2. to cause (someone) to share one’s feelings, opinions, etc.
3. to encourage (someone), as to keep trying.
Having this explanation, I guess the meaning of the quoted phrase (supposing Case (1)), but I won’t dare to use the verb, when speaking or writing... of course, not...
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| #7 (permalink) Fri Jun 02, 2006 13:06 pm As is :) |
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Hi, Michael and Fan of Arabian horses :)
Nice to read (meet!) you and thanks a lot for your kind post.
progress…
I can write at Intermediate Level, but it normally takes more time than national tests assume…
Yes, you are right about the difference between spoken and written level (and skills).
I have been learning English mostly by using texts and/or relying on 'standard English' speakers (like BBC news. Or Parliamentary debates :) )
But, of course, in the street I hear quite different English, fairly often 'improper', slangy, wrong grammatically… but it is English, as well. Alive language, not Latin... :)
And ‘yes’ again, (a?) spoken English is my weakest point…
I generally know English grammar and my (limited) vocabulary nevertheless allows me to express most of what I want to say (constructing sentences, like a diligent pupil :) ), but… residing in English-speaking country I still think in my language, not in English.
So that, I can hardly talked with people naturally, at a normal speed. Either speak too slowly or make lots of mistakes (if hasten).
Sometimes it is not a joke… because if, for example, you just wish to be very polite, but in reality, in some specific situations or contexts, you easily and unwittingly! turned out to be rather sarcastic…
P.S.
I haven’t ever had an Arabic horse (and no other :) ), but a 10-year-old Great Dane is a full-rights member of my family :)
Her name is Greta, she is bigger than me and almost a stone heavier! :)
Kind and friendly creature… as grey as a donkey. And much clever :)
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| #8 (permalink) Fri Jun 02, 2006 13:35 pm Carried along |
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Hi Tamara,
Part of your sentences:
| Quote: |
| Her mother knew a fashionable young dressmaker. Felicity sketched a design, and as the dressmaker gradually put it together, Felicity became carried along by it all. |
is an unusual use to me. Carried along to me literally means be transported but I'm not familiar with the use of it in this sentence. I would say: Felicity became quite carried away by/with it all suggesting she was caught up with the dressmaking and was very enthusiastic about it.
Alan
PS
Maybe this kind of discussion should be transferred to phrasal verb: to carry along.
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| #9 (permalink) Sun Jun 04, 2006 10:55 am As is :) |
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Hi Tamara!
Your full-right-member, the Great Dane, is a dog, isn?t it? It seems to belong to the same kind like my Arabian mare does. She is also grey like a donkey she only sometimes is as self-willed as a donkey. :wink:
By the way, as you told us in your introduction do you have children which are teenagers. So they go still to school yet,don?t they? So I?d like to ask you whether you have ever heard a sentence like Amy suggested to find out its meaning:
John while James had had had had had had had had had had had a better effect on the teacher! 8)
This sentence is possible if you set the correct punctuation-marks at the right point. I only wonder whether such a sentence would ever be said! :?
Michael
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| #10 (permalink) Sun Jun 04, 2006 11:18 am As is :) |
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| Fan of Arabian horses wrote: |
So I?d like to ask you whether you have ever heard a sentence like Amy suggested to find out its meaning:
John while James had had had had had had had had had had had a better effect on the teacher! 8)
This sentence is possible if you set the correct punctuation-marks at the right point. I only wonder whether such a sentence would ever be said! :? |
Hi Michael
No, that particular sentence would probably never actually be used. It's just a made-up joke sentence. :lol:
BUT the fact is, it would probably be much easier to speak it and/or understand it when spoken since people would tend to pause where the commas would be. Without pauses or commas, it just looks like meaningless nonsense.
Amy
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| #11 (permalink) Sun Jun 04, 2006 22:55 pm As is :) |
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Hi Michael
| Quote: |
| self-willed as a donkey |
Definitely, sometimes Greta thinks she is the cleverest in our family… and maybe she is generally in doubt about human sanely :-)
For example, each time when she is asked to bring back a stick more than one time, everyone can see her look that is as puzzled question like 'If you do need this stick, why do you throw it away time and again? It’s so stupid, isn’t it?' :-)
| Quote: |
John while James had had had had had had had had had had had a better effect on the teacher!
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:-) Good joke :-)
Maybe I would try… if Had could be also a name and had – an uncountable noun ))
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| #12 (permalink) Tue Jun 06, 2006 9:28 am As is :) |
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| Tamara wrote: |
Definitely, sometimes Greta thinks she is the cleverest in our family… and maybe she is generally in doubt about human sanely :-)
For example, each time when she is asked to bring back a stick more than one time, everyone can see her look that is as puzzled question like 'If you do need this stick, why do you throw it away time and again? It’s so stupid, isn’t it?' :-) |
Hi Tamara!
That remembers me a German idiom:
Animals are sometimes the better humans, aren?t they? :wink:
Michael
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| #13 (permalink) Tue Jun 06, 2006 9:49 am As is :) |
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Hi Fan of Arabian horses :-)
| Quote: |
a German idiom:
Animals are sometimes the better humans, aren?t they? |
:-) I know the idiom, and definitely that's the truth :-)
In my language we also say 'The best people are dogs.' / 'Dogs are the best people.' :-)
Tamara, a fan of the best-in-the-world Great Dane Greta ;-)
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| #14 (permalink) Tue Jun 06, 2006 10:12 am Remember vs. remind |
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| Fan of Arabian horses wrote: |
| That remembers me a German idiom: |
Hi Michael,
I hope it is OK with you if I point out some grammar issues (to use Alan's new word ;-)) from time to time:
I'm sure you know the difference between remember and remind? You can remember something or somebody. For example: I often remember my childhood days.
Something or somebody can remind you of something: Your story reminds me of a book I once read.
You can also read this thread called remember vs. remind.
Let me know what you think,
Regards
Torsten
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| #15 (permalink) Tue Jun 06, 2006 11:48 am Remember vs. remind |
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Hi Fan of the best-in-the-world-Great Dane Greta! :wink:
I hope you don?t mind if Torsten corrected my English at your introduction,do you?
Hi Torsten!
| Torsten wrote: |
Hi Michael,
I hope it is OK with you if I point out some grammar issues (to use Alan's new word ;-)) from time to time: |
Don?t worry, there isn?t any opportunity! (Like the old Rifleman Spence would say) :wink:
| Torsten wrote: |
I'm sure you know the difference between remember and remind? You can remember something or somebody. For example: I often remember my childhood days.
Something or somebody can remind you of something: Your story reminds me of a book I once read.
You can also read this thread called remember vs. remind.
Let me know what you think,
Regards
Torsten |
As much as I understand from your explanation is that if I remember at my own then I used remember but if anything or anybody forces me to remember I should use remind Is it that?
Thanks for pointing out this issue! 8)
Michael
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