Thursday, May 14, 2009

Other

Write any kind of grammar question.

38 comments:

  1. Hello guys,

    What is the difference between: I wish I was and I wish I were ?

    Thanks

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  2. It is grammatically acceptable, both "were" and "was", but "I wish I were" is more appropriate in formal contexts.
    Here is a link that could help

    http://www.englishforums.com/English/IWishIWasWereThere/bzvrw/post.htm

    Mayra Téllez

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  3. helo I´m CELE student, can you check my satory:
    For bother to the harmless animals

    My story is very strange and is something that I dream when I went to Oaxaca.
    One day in the afternoon, I saw one little donkey and in that moment, like I was a child, I began to threw it rocks, basically I was bother to the animal.
    In the night when I was sleeping I dream that I was in the jungle and one little gorilla wanted killing me, and I just run, run, run and run, trying to avoid it, but it toke me, and when the little gorilla prepare to caught me and kill me, suddenly my mom wake up me because she told me that I was crying, and then I began to sleep again.

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  4. Hi, here is a possible correction:

    For bothering a harmless animal.

    My story is very strange and is something that I dreamt when I went to Oaxaca.
    One day in the afternoon, I saw one little donkey and in that moment, like if I were a child, I started to throw it rocks, basically I was bothering the poor animal.
    At night when I was sleeping I dreamt that I was in the jungle and one little gorilla wanted to kill me, and I just ran, ran and ran, trying to avoid it, but it took me, and when the little gorilla was prepare to caught me and killed me, suddenly my mom wake me up because I was crying, and then I began to sleep again.

    If you have doubts, please tell me

    Mayra Téllez

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  5. Hi guys,

    I am a student of CELE,

    I have a doubt about how to use the object pronouns, specially "it". Could you tell me if it is correct use it on this way? Ouch, jeje!

    e.g. "...streets and avenues that make it easier to cross and reach almost every destiny..."

    Also, it is correct use "these ones".

    Thanks in advance for your help!

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  6. IVAN HERNANDEZ, Group 410June 7, 2009 at 8:49 PM

    Hi Guys, I'm Ivan Hernandez from group 410, Could you tell me all the rules or the principal rule for the reported speech, because it's very confused for almost everybody in my class!!!!....Thanks for answering...

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  7. Victor Hugo Sanchez, grupo 410June 8, 2009 at 12:36 PM

    I have a question about reported speech, if someone said "I'll be there in three days", and today is the third day it's ok to say "he said that he would be here today" or I have to say he said that he would be here in three days, even if today is the third day.

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  8. HELLOOOOOO
    WHICH IS THE CORRECT USE OF "EITHER AND NEITHER"??
    ALSO THE DIFFERENCE AMONG "OTHER, OTHERS AND ANOTHER"???
    THANK YOU
    GOOD LUCK!!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hi, Mariana, refering to either and neither:
    Either indicates one of a group of two.Neither indicates zero of a group of. And both are used with singular nouns.Example:

    -Either student can take the test. (One of the students can take the test.)
    - Neither student can take the test. (No one of the students can take the test).

    Here are two links that I found interesting and useful, about this topic.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/learnit/learnitv113.shtml

    http://www.elearnenglishlanguage.com/difficulties/eitherneither.html

    Mayra Téllez

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  10. Hi Victor!! your answer it's good, if the person said that should be in three days and it's the third day, you can say: "He said he would be here today". You can also say: "He said he would be here in three days, so, he should be here today", in this case you are saying the complete idea about being in some place in three days, even it's the third day.
    Hope this could help!

    Malu Castellanos

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  11. Hello Ivan!! The main rule of Reported Speech is that the reporting verb (which is the main verb of the sentences, like say ot tell) is in simple past. And usually the verb in the noun clause is also in past form.

    Here's an example: "I'm GOING TO WATCH TV". In Reported Speech: "She SAID she WAS GOING TO WATCH TV"

    You can have the case when the reported verb is in simple present perfect or future, if that's the case, the noun clause verb is not changed.

    Ex. "I WATCH TV every day". In Reported Speech: "She HAS SAID that she WATCHES TV every day"

    Malu Castellanos

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  12. hi!!!! well the difference between I wish i were and I wish I was is bassicly that, I wish I were it's a little bit more formal and it is more used in the USA

    ReplyDelete
  13. hi mariana!!! the correct use of either is to include something in the adjective you are using and neither is to exclude the thing you are talking about of the adejective, eg:

    this blog is either usefull or helpful

    you are neither my girlfriend nor my sister

    YON

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  14. hi mariana!!! (again)

    the correct use for other is when you add new objects (plural) into the conversation and also when you are talking about a different object form the past.

    When you use others, it means that you are refering to the objects that are remaining of the global contrext.

    Another is used to add something that you have already talked about and also is used in expressions of time. eg.

    One of the students is from France,another one is from Iraq, and the others are from Salto Tepico El Chico.

    YON

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  15. hi victor!
    you´re right, you have to say "he said that he would be here in three days" because the reported speech is to tell wath somebody else said exactly how said it, because if you change it you wouldn´t be doing the reported speech

    cesar

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  16. hi!
    obout the doubt of iwish t was or were, it just like spanish, you will always sound better if talk properly, but both are ok

    cesar

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  17. hi mariana!
    about your doubt of either and neither
    either you can understand it better as "any of
    ..." like: "either football team can win the championship" = "any football team can ..."
    and neither we use it when we want to say that none or nobody can, or also when we negatively agree with someone for example:
    - I don´t like carrots
    - neither do I

    cesar

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  18. Hi Mariana refering to other, another and others:

    Forms of other are used as either adjectives or pronouns. A final -s is used only for a plural pronoun(others).

    ADJECTIVE
    - Singular: another book(is)
    the other book(is)
    - Plural: other books(are)
    the other books(are)
    PRONOUN
    - Singular: another(is)
    the other(is)
    - Plural: others(are)
    the others(are)

    *The meaning of another: one more in addition to the one(s) already mentioned.
    *The meaning of other/others (without the): several more in addition to the one(s) already mentioned.
    * The meaning of the other(s): all that remains from a given number; the rest of a specific group.
    *Another is used as an adjective with expresions of time, money, and distance, even if these expressions contain plural nouns. Another means "an additional" in these expressions.

    Mayra Téllez

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  19. Hi guys I´m Mónica Pedraza from group 410 and I have doubt about adverbs fr telling stories and linking words
    thanks for answering

    ReplyDelete
  20. HELLO MARIANA:

    Either indicates a choice between two alternatives. Neither combines two negative ideas. Check the following examples:

    Which of these sweaters would you prefer? ~ I don't want either of them, thanks.

    You can have either the red cotton top or the blue cotton-and-polyester blouse. You can't have both.

    Neither Justin nor Julie could come to the party.

    Both either and neither can function as pronouns, determiners or adverbs.

    When they function as pronouns, they are often followed by of + noun phrase:

    I've known you for ten years, but I haven't met either of your two sisters yet.

    Neither of my two brothers survived the war. Neither Leo, nor Elijah.

    When they function as adverbs, they behave as linking words which can be tagged on in agreement at the end of a negative sentence. But with neither, subject and verb are inverted, with either this does not happen:

    I can't make the meeting on Tuesday. ~ No, neither can I

    I can't make the meeting on Tuesday. ~ No, I can't either.

    I hope this information help you.

    LILIANA ARELLANO.

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  21. Hi Mónica:

    About adverbs they can add quality to the verb and modify it, and also they can modify adjectives and adverbs.

    Modify a verb:
    - John speaks loudly. (How does John speak?)
    - Mary lives locally. (Where does Mary live?)
    - She never smokes. (When does she smoke?)


    Modify an adjective:
    - He is really handsome.


    Modify another adverb:
    - She drives incredibly slowly.

    But adverbs have other functions, too. They can:

    Modify a whole sentence:
    - Obviously, I can't know everything.


    Modify a prepositional phrase:
    - It's immediately inside the door

    It´s important to now that adverbs have three main positions in the sentence:

    Front (before the subject):
    - Now we will study adverbs.


    Middle (between the subject and the main verb):
    - We often study adverbs.


    End (after the verb or object):
    - We study adverbs carefully.

    Now about Linking words:

    There are basically two types of linking:

    consonant - vowel
    We link words ending with a consonant sound to words beginning with a vowel sound

    vowel - vowel
    We link words ending with a vowel sound to words beginning with a vowel sound

    I hope this answer help you. Have a nice week.

    LILIANA ARELLANO.

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  22. Hi Victor Hugo! Grammatically speaking both options are correct, now, considering that you are on the third day and also the action is suposed to happen that day, it would be more natural to say: "he said that he would be here today"

    Karla Castañeda

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  23. Hello Ivan, I want to explain you what reported speech is. Reported speech is when you use your own words to expalin what someone else said. You have to change the tenses:

    ORIGINAL TENSE REPORTED SPEECH

    SIMPLE PRESENT...........SIMPLE PAST
    PRESENT PROGRESSIVE.....PAST PROGRESIVE
    CAN......................COULD
    WILL.....................WOULD
    SIMPLE PAST...............PAST PERFECT
    PAST PERFECT............PAST PERFECT

    Examples:

    ORIGINAL SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH

    I´m happy he/she said he was happy

    I can´t tell a lie He/she said he/she
    could´nt tell a lie

    I was hired last year He/She said said He/She
    had been hired last
    year.


    May be you are confused with direct speech and this is when you repeat word by word what somebody said for example:

    ORIGINAL SPEECH DIRECT SPEECH

    John: I´m happy He said, "I´m --------------------------------happy."

    CECILIA

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  24. Hi Ivan! As you may know the reported speech is used to quote someone else. The basic structure is the following(I'll put an example to see if it's clearer):

    John: "I will be home for Xmas."

    John said (that) he would be home for Xmas

    Basically you start with the person that you are quoting (John in this case) and then follows one of the following verbs (depending on the tone of John's voice) "say", "cry out", "shout", "scream", etc. in simple past. Then comes the "that" which is optional. Afterwards comes the most important part: YOU TRANSFORM THE MAIN VERB OF THE SENTENCE JOHN SAID TO THE PAST FORM OF THE TENSE. That is: if the verb is in simple present, then the verb must be conjugated in simple past. If the verb is in simple past then it transforms into past perfect, if it is in present perfect then is transforms into past perfect(also), if it is in present continuous it transforms into past continuous, it it is in past continuous it transforms into past perfect continuous, if there is a "will" or "can" they transform into would or could. Then you end up with the complement of the sentence. I hope this helps. Feel free to ask if you have further questions

    Karla Castañeda

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  25. Hi Mariana:
    You use another when you refer to one more thing or a different one (singular), other when you refer to some more items (plural) and others whitout mention any other noun. Examples:
    a)My car is so old.I´ll buy another one.
    b)Icouldn´t visit them. I had other things
    to do.
    c)Mercedes Benz has better quality than
    others.

    Proactive English System, Level 8, Roberto Anzaldua Bonilla.


    CECILIA

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  26. hi guys!!

    my doubt is about the usage of the "still" word, I mean, is it correct to put a gerund after the word still it is in the spanish traslation?

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  27. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  28. hi anonymous!!

    you just have to remember that when you use the word "still" you´d never use a gerund, only the verb in base form.

    Mayte vidal

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  29. what is the difference between "had had" and "have had" when you are reporting??

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  30. hi!!

    well, when you need to report a speech in past, then you use "have had":

    She had a lot of dolls

    RS: She said that she have had a lot of dolls

    but when you have to report a speech in present perfect, then you have to use the past perfect ("had had"):

    She have had a lot of dogs

    RS: She said that she had had a lot of dogs

    Mayte Vidal

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  31. Hi guys!
    Is there any tip for knowing when to use "do" and when to use "make"? I get confused all the time...

    ReplyDelete
  32. Hi, in order to clear your ideas about the uses of "do" and "make" let me give you some examples and situations of both.
    DO
    We use the verb "do" when someone performs an action, activity or task.
    a)do a crossword
    b)do the laundry

    Also is often used when referring to work of any kind.
    a)do your work
    b)do homework

    NOTE: these activities do not usually produce a physical object.

    You can use "do" also when speaking about things in general. In other words, to describe an action without saying exactly what the action is. This form is often used with the words 'something, nothing, anything, everything, etc.'
    a)I'm not doing anything today.
    b)He does everything for his mother.

    MAKE
    We use the verb "make" for constructing, building or creating
    a)make a dress
    b)make food

    Also is often used when referring to preparing food of any kind.
    a)make a meal - breakfast / lunch / dinner

    NOTE: these activities usually create something that you can touch.

    And there are other common expressions in order to use both verbs, but you can learn those ones by using them in your daily life.

    RICARDO NARVÁEZ

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  33. To answer the question of the usage of "still" let me tell you that we use "still" in questions, affirmative and negative sentences to indicate that something is not finished and that we are perhaps surprised or concerned about this. Because it is emphatic, it often carries considerable word stress:

    a)Is it still raining?
    ~ Yes, it's still raining. No chance of playing tennis today, I'm afraid.


    b)I still don't know whether Brendan will be coming to the engagement party. I've tried to reach him several times on the phone, but can't seem to get hold of him.

    So, as you can see in example a) you can use "still" with a gerund, there's no problem with that.

    RICARDO NARVÁEZ

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  34. how is constructed a tag question?

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  35. Hi Last Anonymous,

    Tag questions are short questions at the end of the statement.

    You use the auxiliary verb from the main sentence, and the appropriate pronoun, to construct the tag question.

    --- A positive statement takes a negative question tag.

    Example:
    She is clever, isn’t she?

    --- A negative statement takes a positive question tag.

    Example:
    You haven’t got any money, have you?

    --- When the verb of the statement is in simple past, we use did in the tag question.

    Example:
    They waited, didn’t they?



    I hope this answer can help you!

    Greetings!

    Jesús Pérez

    ReplyDelete
  36. Hi!
    Can you tell me when we can use at, on end in?
    ThanK you

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  37. Hi anonymous,
    Here is a quick guide on the use of those prepositions

    IN
    Use in with spaces: in a room, in a building, in a garden, in a park.
    Use in with bodies of water: in the water, in the sea, in a river.
    Use in with lines: in a row, in a line, in a queue.
    Use in months, years, and periods of time: in January, in 1978, in the twenties.
    Use in a period of time in the future: in a few weeks, in a couple of days.

    AT
    Use at with places: at a bus-stop, at the door, at the cinema, at the end of the street.
    Use at with places on a page: at the top of the page, at the bottom of the page.
    Use at in groups of people: at the back of the class, at the front of the class.
    Use at with precise time: at six o'clock, at 10:30, at 2pm.

    ON
    Use on with surfaces: on the ceiling, on the wall, on the floot, on the table.
    Use on with small islands: I stayed on Maui.
    Use on with directions: on the left, on the right, straight on.
    Use on with days of the week: on Monday, on Fridays.
    Use on with specific calendar days: on Christmas day, on June 22nd.

    Well, I hope your question is solved, and don't hesitate on asking any other questions.
    Marco A. Romero

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  38. Hi Anonymous!

    Those prepotitions of time tell when something happens or happened.

    Use AT:
    + Time at 4 o'clock
    at lunch time
    at midnight
    at half past one
    Example:
    You have a visit to the dentist AT 4 o'clok.

    Use ON:
    + Days on Wednesday
    on Sundays
    Example:
    We go back school on Wednesday.
    + Parts of a day on Monday morning
    on Tuesday afternoon

    + Dates on the 8th
    on 5th June
    on 1st january 1999

    Example:
    It stars on the 8th.

    Use IN:
    + Parts if a day in the morning
    in the evening
    Example:
    I'm going on a theater trip in the evening.

    + Months in May
    in November

    + Seasons in spring
    in winter

    + Years in 1999
    in 1856

    + Decades in the 1990's

    + Centuries in the twentieth century.

    Remember don't use these prepotitions in front of words like last, this, next and every.

    Ana Laura Salgado

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