tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71541796843159848902024-03-13T18:06:00.545+01:00Thinking in EnglishValerie Coultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008360271360603334noreply@blogger.comBlogger395125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154179684315984890.post-83457525740650152782016-01-11T17:40:00.002+01:002016-01-11T17:40:55.260+01:00Expression: Get your feet wet<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
To "get your feet wet" means to start something by trying it a little bit. It's like when you're going into the sea or the pool, and you start by just putting your toes in the water. Here are a few examples:<br />
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***<br />
<br />
You: How's your swing dance class?<br />
Your friend: Pretty good, although <span style="color: orange;">we're just getting our feet wet </span>with some easy steps.<br />
<br />
***<br />
<br />
Your boss: How's your English coming along?<br />
You: Um, pretty good...<br />
Your boss: Would you like to come to the next management meeting?<br />
You: Uh...<br />
Your boss: It would be a good chance for you to listen and <span style="color: orange;">get your feet wet</span>... You wouldn't have to talk if you didn't want to...<br />
You: Okay! Thanks!<br />
<br />
***<br />
<br />
Bob was really excited about learning the new software. Before signing up for a course, he decided to <span style="color: orange;">get his feet wet</span> by playing around with the app himself to see how it worked.<br />
<br />
***<br />
<br />
It's important to note that we always use a possessive in this expression. We never say "get the feet wet."<br />
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<br /></div>
Valerie Coultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008360271360603334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154179684315984890.post-32872835954353098612014-11-07T16:38:00.004+01:002014-11-07T16:38:41.178+01:00Dial it back<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sEs_7KNMD7Q/VFznKcQqAJI/AAAAAAAABI4/qmk2uhmkny8/s1600/0ababbd6_volume-knob.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sEs_7KNMD7Q/VFznKcQqAJI/AAAAAAAABI4/qmk2uhmkny8/s1600/0ababbd6_volume-knob.jpg" height="293" width="320" /></a></div>
To <span style="color: #e69138;">dial it/something back</span> is to reduce the amount of it.<br />
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You might see this expression in a recipe, for example: "If you don't like it too spicy, just <span style="color: #e69138;">dial back</span> the amount of chill pepper."<br />
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Or I might write in an email, "<span style="color: #e69138;">I'm dialling back my business travel</span> for the next few months."<br />
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This expression is easy to visualise: you can think of turning a dial to reduce the volume of music. I realize that this pretty analog for today, when you will usually see a slide bar for volume on your iPhone, etc. But back in the day, radios and stereos had a round knob for the volume. You would turn it to the right to make it louder, and to the left to "turn it down."<br />
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<br /></div>
Valerie Coultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008360271360603334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154179684315984890.post-65797232460698164452014-11-04T12:29:00.008+01:002014-11-04T12:29:56.824+01:00Autumnal: adjectives of seasons<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iDAruuEVzZ8/VFi3auMFuKI/AAAAAAAABIo/kOi37oTyq5w/s1600/IMG_2356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iDAruuEVzZ8/VFi3auMFuKI/AAAAAAAABIo/kOi37oTyq5w/s1600/IMG_2356.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06;">Autumnal </span>is an adjective to say that something is like Autumn. For example, we might comment that the weather is autumnal; we could also use it for food, clothing, or mood.<br />
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I suppose that autumnal could mean very diffident things to different people. For some, autumn is a grey, rainy time of year, whereas other might experience it as vibrant and colourful.<br />
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The other seasons also have their adjectives: <span style="color: #b45f06;">wintry</span>, <span style="color: #b45f06;">summery </span>and <span style="color: #b45f06;">springlike</span>.<br />
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So, how are things where you are?</div>
Valerie Coultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008360271360603334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154179684315984890.post-43523069296286434422014-07-25T13:25:00.001+02:002014-07-25T13:25:15.650+02:00In the midst of<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8an2WegN-Hk/U9I-SD2yfMI/AAAAAAAABBE/V-ACtF-IHPU/s1600/CRW_1824.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8an2WegN-Hk/U9I-SD2yfMI/AAAAAAAABBE/V-ACtF-IHPU/s1600/CRW_1824.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a><span style="color: orange;">In the midst of</span> is pretty much the same as in the middle of, with one important difference.<br />
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We say in the midst of about activities, and it means that we're busy doing something at the moment.<br />
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Whereas in the middle of can also refer to location, as in "La Boqueria market is in the middle of Barcelona."<br />
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<br />
<br />
Here are a few examples of how they are similar, and how they're different:<br />
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You: Hi, do you feel like meeting up?<br />
Your friend: I'd love to, but <span style="color: orange;">I'm in the midst of packing</span>.<br />
You: Really? Where are you going?<br />
Your friend: Rio...<br />
<br />
<br />
Your boss: Are you in the middle of something right now?<br />
You: Not really. What's up?<br />
<br />
You: Where's that bookstore you were telling me about last week?<br />
Your colleague: It's right in the middle of town, on College Ave.<br />
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So, <span style="color: orange;">what are you in the midst of right now</span>?</div>
Valerie Coultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008360271360603334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154179684315984890.post-81286112221216961662014-07-23T15:47:00.003+02:002014-07-23T15:47:51.842+02:00Summer English idea: Read some comics in English<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MfA_MQuWoYc/U8-83g52MrI/AAAAAAAABA0/eTkyQYNEVM4/s1600/summer.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MfA_MQuWoYc/U8-83g52MrI/AAAAAAAABA0/eTkyQYNEVM4/s1600/summer.gif" height="226" width="640" /></a></div>
Hi! I hope you're having a really good summer so far, enjoying whatever means summer to you.<br />
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If you're working on improving you English, what about reading some comics?<br />
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This will be especially helpful if you can find some of your favorites. Since you've read them in your native language, you'll already be familiar with characters and story lines. This makes learning on the language level much easier!<br />
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Here are a couple of links: <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/comics/" target="_blank">Yahoo comics</a> and <a href="http://www.gocomics.com/explore/comics" target="_blank">GoComics</a><br />
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Enjoy!</div>
Valerie Coultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008360271360603334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154179684315984890.post-63621380756076031832014-07-18T16:31:00.001+02:002014-07-18T16:31:04.306+02:00-ism and -ist<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
-ism usually appears as a suffix, and relates to "a distinctive practice, system, or philosophy, typically a political ideology or an artistic movement."<br />
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You can see this in words like feminism (being pro-women's rights), racism (discriminating against people because of their race), etc.<br />
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-ist refers to a person who embraces one of these practices or beliefs. Feminist, racist, etc.<br />
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In this TED talk, Joi Ito argues against being a futurist (someone who focuses on the future as a means of innovation) and for being a "now-ist".<br />
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I found this talk inspiring, and I hope you will too.<br />
<br /></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/VsjTVGIw4z8" width="560"></iframe></div>
Valerie Coultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008360271360603334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154179684315984890.post-22356989954024629472014-07-18T16:23:00.003+02:002014-07-18T16:23:52.793+02:00A nice surprise<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I've been away from Thinking in English for a couple of months, so it's been a very nice surprise to find that people are still visiting and finding something valuable.<br />
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It's also been great to read some comments on an earlier post in which I questioned whether or not to continue. Knowing that some of you would like to keep reading is very inspiring!<br />
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I'll work on coming up with some new material. Thanks for your great support.</div>
Valerie Coultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008360271360603334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154179684315984890.post-88450431229667075582014-05-02T14:22:00.003+02:002014-05-02T14:22:53.594+02:00To be or not to be...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9GCKEUPOpT4/U2ON_UHugBI/AAAAAAAABAQ/YlwNyiktuJ0/s1600/Title_page_William_Shakespeare's_First_Folio_1623.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9GCKEUPOpT4/U2ON_UHugBI/AAAAAAAABAQ/YlwNyiktuJ0/s1600/Title_page_William_Shakespeare's_First_Folio_1623.jpg" height="400" width="250" /></a>The quotation above is probably the most famous one from Shakespeare. It occurs in his play "Hamlet, Prince of Denmark" and expresses Hamlet's questioning of his own existence. In short, he's wondering if life is worth continuing.<br />
<br />
This blog is wondering the same thing. To be or not to be? Keep going the same way or change into something else?<br />
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If anyone has any input on this, it would certainly be appreciated. Thanks for reading and keeping in touch!</div>
Valerie Coultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008360271360603334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154179684315984890.post-21101257870729309762014-02-22T16:25:00.001+01:002014-02-22T16:25:26.139+01:00Move the needle<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9plO26X5n2k/UwjAW2qyUWI/AAAAAAAAA_E/3S3xYtHnG6s/s1600/Weighing-Scales-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9plO26X5n2k/UwjAW2qyUWI/AAAAAAAAA_E/3S3xYtHnG6s/s1600/Weighing-Scales-1.jpg" height="400" width="388" /></a></div>
To <span style="color: orange;">move the needle</span> is to change something, usually in a positive way. The needle in this case is the indicator which measures something. In the photo here, you can see that the needle is at 120.<br />
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We often use this expression in business. For example:<br />
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"Our efforts to <span style="color: orange;">move the needle</span> with regard to getting new customers in Asia didn't have any effect until we hired a local sales rep to help us."<br />
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"The last marketing campaign really <span style="color: orange;">moved the needle</span>. Our new sign-ups rose by 18%."</div>
Valerie Coultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008360271360603334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154179684315984890.post-61709459971829280352014-02-07T12:38:00.002+01:002014-02-07T12:39:21.550+01:00Epic!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ivz23WaUOj4/UvTFJ4GIccI/AAAAAAAAA-w/Cd7_Ig2xunM/s1600/epic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ivz23WaUOj4/UvTFJ4GIccI/AAAAAAAAA-w/Cd7_Ig2xunM/s1600/epic.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="color: orange;">Epic </span>can be a noun or an adjective. As a noun, it refers to a long story or poem, usually containing a lot of adventure.<br />
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As an an adjective, it can have two meanings. When it describes a story or film, it gives you the sense of an epic: long and full of adventure. But it has also come to mean "really great or amazing." Below you can see some examples:<br />
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Advertisement: "Warship II continues the <span style="color: orange;">epic</span> tale of the battleship Armageddon and its courageous crew members. Don't miss this thrilling continuation of a story you'll never forget!"<br />
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***<br />
You: How was your trip to Paris?<br />
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Your friend: <span style="color: orange;">Epic</span>! We found this great neighbourhood on Saturday and spent the whole night there!<br />
<br />
***<br />
This image comes from Etsy, and you can find the item <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/100708928/blue-epic-speech-bubble-cushion" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<br /></div>
Valerie Coultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008360271360603334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154179684315984890.post-19451495164240405562013-11-09T02:16:00.004+01:002013-11-09T02:16:58.787+01:00English in Asia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bg3ZDmLI918/Un2MwupWG7I/AAAAAAAAA9I/W28OgY3szo8/s1600/IMG_0246.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bg3ZDmLI918/Un2MwupWG7I/AAAAAAAAA9I/W28OgY3szo8/s400/IMG_0246.jpg" width="300" /></a>I'm writing from Kuala Lumpur, my first stop on this first trip to Asia.<br />
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One of the most striking things here, at least for me as a business traveler, is the high level of English.<br />
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I realize that there are a lot of cultural and historical reasons for this, not least of which is the current status of SE Asia as an important emerging market. Nonetheless, it's impressive, especially coming from Barcelona, where English is still a growth area.<br />
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What I would point out is that in places where English is important for tourism, it's almost like clothing or personal style. It creates a first impression which lingers.<br />
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I've been surprised here by the very idiomatic use of English in speaking, but especially in signage, websites, menus and advertising.<br />
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At least on that one level, it makes a traveler feel welcome and able to understand.</div>
Valerie Coultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008360271360603334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154179684315984890.post-70972399251596086562013-10-28T14:09:00.002+01:002013-10-28T14:09:47.053+01:00Any port in a storm<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: orange;">Any port in a storm</span> is an expression that needs a little explanation. A port is where ships can come in from the sea. So if you imagine being on a ship in a big storm, you can see that finding a port would be good. But we use this expression when we choose something simply because it's necessary. We wouldn't choose it under normal circumstances, only in an emergency, or when no other option is available. This expression is sometimes used humorously. Take a look at the examples and see if you can pick out the the one that the speaker intends to be funny.<br />
<br />
You: I really need to use a bathroom.<br />
Your friend: Uh, there really isn't any decent place to stop along here.<br />
You: What about that gas station we just passed?<br />
Your friend: Didn't that look kind of dirty?<br />
You: At this point, it's <span style="color: orange;">any port in a storm</span>.<br />
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<br />
Bob: Did I just see you dancing with James?<br />
Alison: Well, yes.<br />
Bob: Wow.<br />
Alison: I know. But my feeling right now is, <span style="color: orange;">any port in a storm</span>!<br />
<br /></div>
Valerie Coultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008360271360603334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154179684315984890.post-38703197507301078882013-10-02T11:25:00.000+02:002013-10-02T11:25:16.073+02:00Like hell<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5Ph8WIbbUSc/UkvmMhqObuI/AAAAAAAAA8E/RJ_q076-b3I/s1600/Dollar-bear.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5Ph8WIbbUSc/UkvmMhqObuI/AAAAAAAAA8E/RJ_q076-b3I/s400/Dollar-bear.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="color: orange;">Like hell</span> is an expression which changes depending on how it's used.<br />
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If you use it after a verb, it works like an extreme adverb. A few examples:<br />
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When the crew saw the bear, <span style="color: orange;">they ran like hell</span>. (They ran really fast)<br />
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"I closed the door on my finger this morning... <span style="color: orange;">It hurt like hell</span>!" (It hurt a lot)<br />
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<span style="color: orange;">We tried like hell</span> to prevent the highway expansion, but we failed in the end. (We tried really hard)<br />
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On the other had, if you use <span style="color: orange;">like hell</span> alone, it's an exclamation which means "no way" or "absolutely not." Here we go:<br />
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You to your colleague: "Bob's going to tell our boss that we're not going to the offsite because we don't believe in offsites."<br />
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Bob to you and your colleague: "<span style="color: orange;">Like hell</span>!" (No way, I would never do that.)<br />
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<br /></div>
Valerie Coultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008360271360603334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154179684315984890.post-14649214206626670962013-09-24T11:32:00.000+02:002013-09-24T11:39:46.601+02:00Though at the end of a sentence<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UCWggCLO1Rw/UkFb3f40FmI/AAAAAAAAA70/01wJyueHbJM/s1600/umbrella.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UCWggCLO1Rw/UkFb3f40FmI/AAAAAAAAA70/01wJyueHbJM/s320/umbrella.jpg" width="320" /></a>When you hear or read <span style="color: orange;">though </span>at the end of a sentence, it means however. It indicates that there's a contradiction or condition relating to what has already been said. Here are a few examples:<br />
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You: Did your mom like the restaurant?<br />
<br />
Your friend: Well, I'm not sure. She didn't seem to like the menu, and she had a hard time deciding what to order.<br />
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You: Oh. That's too bad.<br />
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Your friend: <span style="color: orange;">She finished everything, though</span>!<br />
<br />
***<br />
<br />
Dear Bob,<br />
<br />
Thanks for sending the presentation. I think it looks good in general, and I like the images you've added. <span style="color: orange;">We shouldn't be overconfident, though</span>. What would you think about getting Janice's opinion before we meet with the client?<br />
<br />
***<br />
<br />
Your boyfriend: It's going to rain.<br />
<br />
You: Yeah, I know.<br />
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Your boyfriend: <span style="color: orange;">I still want to go the park, though.</span> What about you?<br />
<br />
***<br />
<br />
P.S. A warm thank you to Pal, who suggested a post about this!<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Valerie Coultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008360271360603334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154179684315984890.post-48137828576814090222013-09-17T14:55:00.000+02:002013-09-17T14:55:50.977+02:00See you soon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This is a special post dedicated to readers in Spain.<br />
<br />
"Hasta ahora" is a common expression here. Sometimes people translate this into "see you now" in English.<br />
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The truth is that I really like the expression "see you now." The other truth is that we don't really say it this way in English. We say "see you soon" or "see you in a few minutes" or even "see you in a few."<br />
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So, your English will sound more idiomatic if you start using these expressions when you would say "hasta ahora."<br />
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Un fuerte abrazo,<br />
<br />
Val</div>
Valerie Coultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008360271360603334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154179684315984890.post-43733448428316304182013-09-16T15:01:00.000+02:002013-09-16T15:01:14.197+02:00The long and short of it<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
People use this expression to summarize, to give the conclusion to a story, situation, or dilemma. Usually a person will be telling a story or presenting a situation, and when the conclusion is near, he or she will say, "so the long and short of it is..."<br />
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Here are a few examples:<br />
<br />
You: "How are the wedding plans going?"<br />
<br />
Your colleague: "Not very well, actually."<br />
<br />
You: "Really? What's happening?"<br />
<br />
Your colleague: "Well, we made all the reservations almost a year ago, and paid deposits, and then yesterday we got a call from the hotel saying that they're in the middle of renovations, and the project isn't going as quickly as they expected, so <span style="color: orange;">the long and short of it</span> is that they're offering us a part of the building but not the part we wanted and paid for."<br />
<br />
You: "Oh no!"<br />
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***<br />
<br />
In a business presentation: "As you can see from last quarter's results, we're losing market share to our two biggest competitors. <span style="color: orange;">The long and short of it</span> is that they're outspending us in marketing in all media."</div>
Valerie Coultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008360271360603334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154179684315984890.post-43305228290496961612013-09-02T10:02:00.005+02:002013-09-03T09:58:30.393+02:00No-brainer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">no-brainer</span> is a dilemma which appears to have an obvious answer. If you're trying to make a decision, and you explain the options to someone else, they may tell you that it's a <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">no-brainer</span>, meaning that you don't need to use your brain to decide because the right choice is obvious.<br />
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This is very subjective; what may be a no-brainer for your colleague may not be for you. Here are a few examples of how to use this noun:<br />
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You: What do you think? Should I apply for the product director position?<br />
Your colleague: That's a <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">no-brainer</span>! You're perfect for it and it would be a big promotion for you.<br />
<br />
***<br />
<br />
Your friend: I thought choosing a new tablet was going to be a <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">no-brainer</span>, but there are more options than I realized.<br />
<br />
***<br />
<br />
Advertisement: Make choosing your product a <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">no-brainer</span> with our fresh design! Contact us today for a free assessment of your brand.</div>
Valerie Coultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008360271360603334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154179684315984890.post-4470529723113083492013-08-05T17:21:00.005+02:002013-08-05T17:21:46.160+02:00To not be cut out for something<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
If you're <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">not cut out for something</span>, it means that you don't have the ability or willingness to do it or be it.<br />
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For example, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">I'm not cut out to be a surgeon</span>, or any kind of doctor. The sight of blood and needles makes me feel faint!<br />
<br />
I'm also <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">not cut out to be an engineer or a financial analyst</span>, because my math skills aren't strong enough.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">I'm not cut out for mountain climbing or skiing</span>, because my knees are not good.<br />
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What about you? <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">What aren't you cut out for</span>?</div>
Valerie Coultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008360271360603334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154179684315984890.post-84434169735054063532013-07-26T11:34:00.000+02:002013-07-26T11:34:21.561+02:00Tiring vs. tiresome<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
If a task is <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">tiring</span>, it makes you feel tired. Many things can be tiring, like waiting in line, filing out forms, doing certain kinds of housework.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Tiresome</span> is an adjective that describes a person or activity that makes you feel bored and/or annoyed. So it's a bit different from tiring, because there's a more negative and emotional meaning. Here are a few examples:<br />
<br />
You: How are you?<br />
Your friend: Not that great. I've been in a really <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">tiresome</span> meeting for the last two hours, talking about the same things over and over again and not getting anywhere.<br />
<br />
*****<br />
<br />
You: Do you ski?<br />
Your colleague: Not really. I used too, but the whole process was just too<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"> tiring</span>. All that preparation and expense for such a short time actually skiing!</div>
Valerie Coultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008360271360603334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154179684315984890.post-12778413191823044682013-07-24T13:38:00.000+02:002013-07-24T13:59:49.240+02:00Practice made visible<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I've posted a lot here about practice being important to improving your English. Here's a nice video about someone learning to dance in a year, by practicing a little every day.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/daC2EPUh22w" width="560"></iframe>
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<br />
What I really appreciate here is the very beginning. It's not often that we get to see someone doing something from the start, or near the start. I think this leads us to believe that others are born masters, and we won't be able to achieve what they can. For me, seeing someone at the beginning of learning to dance is inspiring.</div>
Valerie Coultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008360271360603334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154179684315984890.post-337160741620739822013-06-26T12:19:00.004+02:002013-06-26T12:19:43.303+02:00I was like<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This is not easy to explain.<br />
<br />
Sometimes when people are telling each other about something that happened, they use this expression to say what they said or how they felt. You have to experience this to really understand how it works. Here is an example:<br />
<br />
***<br />
<br />
You: What did you do last night?<br />
<br />
Your friend: Well, my brother called and <span style="color: orange;">he was like</span>, do you want to hang out, and<span style="color: orange;"> I was like</span>, I'm kind of tired and<span style="color: orange;"> he was like</span>, I can come over and we can watch TV and <span style="color: orange;">I was like</span>, OK if you bring some food and <span style="color: orange;">he was like</span>, Thai food? So he came over and we just hung out. What about you?<br />
<br />
You: <span style="color: orange;">I was like</span>, really tired too, but I had to meet some friends of John's who are visiting.<span style="color: orange;"> They were like</span>, we want to have tapas and <span style="color: orange;">I was like</span>, it's going to be hard to find a table and <span style="color: orange;">they were like</span>, that's no problem, we don't mind waiting, and<span style="color: orange;"> I was like</span>, I do, but I was cool about it and finally we found a place by their hotel.<br />
<br />
***<br />
<br />
This is a way of speaking that is very common among young Americans (people in their 20s or younger). It may seem strange to you, but once you learn to hear it, it will be easier to understand people when they speak. You can also start using this sometimes... it's very colloquial!</div>
Valerie Coultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008360271360603334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154179684315984890.post-63381052931974500532013-06-10T12:30:00.000+02:002013-06-10T12:30:18.463+02:00Flimsy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A wonderful person recently reminded me of a wonderful word: <span style="color: orange;">flimsy</span>. This is an adjective, and if we're talking about an object (like a fabric or other material), it means "light, thin and insubstantial; lacking solidity or strength." If we're talking about an idea, theory or argument, it means "lacking plausability, unconvincing". Here are a few examples:<br />
<br />
Mary's<span style="color: orange;"> flimsy</span> umbrella was no match for the strong wind and rain, and it broke a few minutes after she left the house.<br />
<br />
***<br />
Hi Bob,<br />
<br />
Thanks for your message about the meeting with Tom and Dave. I think the presentation is good in general, but I'm concerned that the product section is a bit <span style="color: orange;">flimsy</span>. I don't think what we have will convince them to upgrade; could you review it and see what you can do to make it stronger? Thanks!<br />
<br />
All best,<br />
<br />
Anne<br />
***<br />
<br />
Salesperson: Can I help you?<br />
You: Yes, I'm looking for some summer curtains.<br />
Salesperson: Are you looking for anything specific?<br />
You: Well, I want something light and summery, but not so<span style="color: orange;"> flimsy</span> that it will fall apart after one summer.<br />
Salesperson: Right. I think we have some things over here that might be just right.<br />
<br />
Flimsy is a regular adjective, so: <span style="color: orange;">flimsy, flimsier, the flimsiest</span>.<br />
<br /></div>
Valerie Coultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008360271360603334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154179684315984890.post-25848638753230778612013-05-13T15:45:00.001+02:002013-05-16T11:41:42.632+02:00Imperfect and effective<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Over the past few weeks, I've been watching a TED talk by Dan Ariely. The talk is very effective, and I'm posting it below. He makes some interesting points about recognition and motivation, and although some of the insights shouldn't be new to us, the experiments he describes give vivid proof that demotivating people is very, very easy. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">Dan Ariely is an Israeli American, and he's a professor at Duke University. If you watch his TED talk, you may notice that his English is imperfect. I think you'll also feel that his presentation is effective. </span><br />
<span style="line-height: 19.1875px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">My message to you is that when you need to speak to people in English (or an any language that isn't native for you), the most important thing is to connect with people and communicate from the heart, with conviction. Don't worry about being perfect. It's hard communicate very much if you're too focused on perfection!</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 19.1875px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">It seems that there's a problem with embedding the video, so here's the link: </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aH2Ppjpcho">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aH2Ppjpcho</a><br />
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<span style="line-height: 19.1875px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 19.1875px;"><br /></span></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/5aH2Ppjpcho" width="560"></iframe></div>
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Valerie Coultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008360271360603334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154179684315984890.post-82455596642617873082013-05-13T15:31:00.004+02:002013-05-13T15:31:25.718+02:00Warm up your English<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QpvmxKIfLtk/UZDqT9INSII/AAAAAAAAA0g/iRowl52Eajo/s1600/warm+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QpvmxKIfLtk/UZDqT9INSII/AAAAAAAAA0g/iRowl52Eajo/s400/warm+up.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
When you need to attend a training session or conference, or make a phone call in English, it makes sense to warm up first.<br />
<br />
This is easy to do! Spending ten or fifteen minutes listening to something online is a great way to change your mind over to English. You could also chat with someone, or even just read for a few minutes. Anything you do to move your thoughts into English will help a lot!</div>
Valerie Coultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008360271360603334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154179684315984890.post-33786073278706296542013-04-08T16:45:00.001+02:002013-04-08T16:45:09.708+02:00Confusing nouns: Travel vs. trip<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P8vGB4D7GS0/UWLVZ2yhq_I/AAAAAAAAA0A/rjacZUPJnrQ/s1600/flights.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P8vGB4D7GS0/UWLVZ2yhq_I/AAAAAAAAA0A/rjacZUPJnrQ/s400/flights.jpg" width="223" /></a></div>
<span style="color: orange;">Travel</span> refers to the concept of travel more than a single experience of travelling. A single experience of travelling, like going from Barcelona to Madrid, is a<span style="color: orange;"> trip</span>.<br />
<br />
So when you come to visit me in Barcelona, I'll ask you: "<span style="color: orange;">How was your trip?</span>"<br />
<br />
And when you leave, I'll say: "<span style="color: orange;">Have a great trip</span>!"<br />
<br />
Sometimes people use the noun travel in plural, when they are speaking of a lot of trips, but this is kind of unusual. Nonetheless, you could ask someone: "Do you have any interesting travels coming up?"<br />
<br />
When you're talking about a single instance of travelling, though, <span style="color: orange;">trip </span>is the one to use. Here are a few examples:<br />
<br />
You: <span style="color: orange;">How was your trip</span>?<br />
Him: It was really long, but everything went fine.<br />
<br />
<br />
****<br />
To: Advertising Departament<br />
From: Finance<br />
<br />
Hi everyone,<br />
<br />
Due to the current financial situation, we've decided to suspend <span style="color: orange;">all business trips</span> starting on May 1. If you have a<span style="color: orange;"> trip</span> planned for after that date, let us know and we'll see what we can do. Please do not schedule any further<span style="color: orange;"> trips</span> until the suspension is lifted.<br />
<br />
If you have any questions or concerns, please let us know!<br />
<br />
All best,<br />
<br />
Financial Team<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Valerie Coultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008360271360603334noreply@blogger.com0