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Archive for the 'grammar guru' Category

Grammar Guru: for or since?

Posted by Anne on July 12th, 2010

I’ve known Theo _______ 5 years.  Is it for or since? Easy:

I’ve known him for a long time, it seems.
I’ve known him since he showed me his collection of old records and we discovered that we share a hobby.
Incorrect: I know him for a long time -> I’ve known him for a long time.

Compare my [...]

Grammar Guru: until or by?

Posted by Anne on June 29th, 2010

You’re going camping and want to borrow a friend’s tent over the weekend. So you say: “Could I have it ______ Friday afternoon? We’re leaving on Friday after work.”

Until or by?

Until means from now until then.
By, used for deadlines, means not later than then.
By… at the latest!
Imagine: If you said “until Friday”, your friend [...]

Grammar Guru: Nice meeting you/ Nice to meet you

Posted by Anne on June 20th, 2010

Which of these two is correct? We say

“Nice to meet you” when we meet someone for the first time, and “Nice meeting you” when we then say goodbye.
“Nice meeting you” when we meet someone for the first time, and “Nice to meet you” when we then say goodbye.

˙noʎ ʇǝǝɯ oʇ ǝɔıu (s,ʇı) :ǝuoǝɯos [...]

They’re similar, but different: * meeting  * appointment  * date

Can you schedule a/an _________________ for the project team?
ɯɐǝʇ ɐ ɥʇıʍ ƃuıʇǝǝɯ ɐ ǝlnpǝɥɔs
I want to make a/an ___________________ with Mr Hoss to discuss the CERT project.
ǝuoǝɯos ɥʇıʍ ʇuǝɯʇuıoddɐ uɐ ǝʞɐɯ
Can we fix a/an ______________________ for the next meeting?
ʇuǝʌǝ ʎuɐ ɹoɟ ǝʇɐp ɐ xıɟ
I think Hossy [...]

Grammar Guru: I asked her how much…

Posted by Anne on May 25th, 2010

“How much do I need to pay?”
I asked her how much…

do I need to pay.
did I need to pay.
I need to pay.
I needed to pay.

This is reported speech and a quoted, or indirect, question. Two rules apply:

Make the verb match the tense of the reporting verb, “asked” (change it into the past tense)
Use sentence [...]

Grammar Guru: Must or has got to?

Posted by Anne on May 15th, 2010

This week’s question is one of business register.
From an order form: “Please note that payment for food platters ___________ be received in advance.”
Must or has got to?
How would you say the same thing to a customer?

Grammar Guru: Mother’s Day or Mothers’ Day?

Posted by Anne on May 9th, 2010

What do we say …  and why: Mother’s Day or Mothers’ Day? Is it the same or different in the other languages you know?

Here are some great ideas for thinking about this holiday in an English class.
Sean Banville has a nice holiday lesson on it.