Reading English Books Together

Winston Churchill once said: ‘Never give in . Never give in . Never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in , except to convictions of honour and good sense...’ We hope you don’t give in in your pursuit of excellence in English. And if you are firm in your intentions, you should learn to use phrasal verbs because in many cases phrasal verbs are the commonest way of communicating meaning and if you opt for a non-phrasal alternative, you will not sound natural.  For example, which alternative best fits the sentences below? 1. My parents and I don't a.  get on  b.   have a friendly relationship .   2. I have decided to a.  put off b. delay going shopping till next week. 3. ' a.  Cheer up b. try to be happier ,' he said. 'It can't be that bad.' What is the difference between the ordinary verb and the phrasal verb ? The phrasal verb consists of a verb and one or two particles.  For...

When do you change -f into -ves in the plural form? What is the plural of belief and what is the plural of wife?  Read our post below to find it out. First do a short vocabulary test. Choose the right answer: Easy questions: 1. What is the English word for ‘a young cow’? a. a calf b. a lamb c. a kid d. a foal 2. What is the English word for someone who steals money or valuable things from you? a. a hijacker b. a blackmailer c. a bribee d. a thief 3. If you have a strong feeling that something exists or is true, it is your … a. fantasy b. whim c. belief d. intention Difficult questions: 4. After farmers have reaped wheat or rye, they bind the cut plants in bundles. One of these bundles is called... a. a sheaf b. a scythe c. a rake d. a haystack 5. What do you call in English a piece of cloth you use to blow your nose with? a. a sponge b. a handkerchief c. a napkin d. a duster 6. What is the English word for a small fairy-tale creature with pointed ears that has ma...

Which is correct: The President Obama or President Obama? Lionel Messi, a first-class foorball player or  Lionel Messi, the first-class foorball player ? The writer Joanne Rowling or W riter Joanne Rowling?  Read our post to find it out.              Have you ever heard of George Bernard Shaw, THE IRISH PLAYWRIGHT? He wrote more than 50 plays including ‘Pygmalion’ and is the only man in history to be awarded both the Nobel Prize and an Oscar. Besides, he had a reputation for being a wit. Anecdotes abound featuring Shaw responding in an amusing and clever way to all sorts of situations he found himself in. Here are some of them: ANECDOTE 1 THE DANCER Isadora Duncan once wrote to George Bernard Shaw suggesting that they should have a child together: “Think of it!” she remarked. “With my body and your brains, what a wonder it would be.” “Yes,” Shaw replied. “But what if it had my body and your brains?” ISADORA DUNCAN ANECDO...

Suppose I want to say: She not only helped me to find a job but also let me stay in her flat for a few months. Is it correct?  What about the following sentence: The place doesn’t only depress me but also makes me feel frightened? ' Answer: Sentence 1 is correct but sentence 2 is not. Sentence 2  should be changed into 'The place not only depresses me but also makes me feel frightened.' REMEMBER: Not only ....but also is used WITHOUT do\does\did.   Here are more examples for you: She not only speaks like Cicero but also has considerable legal expertise. The war not only caused destruction and death but also stirred up intense hatred between the two nations. Bonus: You can start your sentence with not only for emphasis. Then it will be followed by an auxiliary verb and the subject. Not only did she overcome her severe illness but also made an invaluable contribution to political science. Not only do they cherish their time-honored traditions but also...

Is ‘media’ singular or plural?  Would it be correct to say: Managerial excellence is an important criteria? Which plural should I use: referenda or referendums? Read our post below to find it out. There is a small group of nouns in English which are of Greek or Latin origin. For example: an analysis, a criterion, a stimulus.   These nouns still form plurals in the same way as they did in Latin or Greek. Let us focus on the most common nouns of this type and divide them into 5 groups. Group 1   -is [ ɪ s] ending in the singular      -es [i ː z] ending in the plural                a crisis                                       crises      ...