Happy Halloween~! Also see/watch/look...

Hey everyone, Happy Halloween~!

Here in Kyoto, it is a pretty dreary rainy evening but I want to post at least 5 blogs this month so I am taking the time from my studies to write up a mini-lesson about watch/see/look.

Look is often used to called attention to something, you want someone to focus on something. Usually, just for a short time...

Look at that~! It's a UFO.

UFO stands for Unidentified Flying Object.

I feel like that painting is looking/watching at me.

See is simply the physical action, something happens in front of you and you see it... BUT you may not be paying attention. It isn't always all that important what you saw...

I saw a black cat on my way to work today.

Did you see the chair move by itself??? Watch the chair to see if it happens again~!

Watch is where you focus your attention on something for a longer period of time than look.

I feel like someone is watching/looking me. But no one is here, maybe it's a ghost...

Can you watch my bag? (meaning look AFTER, keep an eye on)

So as you can see look and watch are pretty close in meaning. BUT be careful we never say look TV~! It's always watch TV.

We often use see to emphasize GOING somewhere to see something(ex: a play, a movie, etc.)

I saw a movie.

Probably means he saw a movie at a theater, and:

I watched a movie.

Probably means he watched a movie at home. This is just general usage, it isn't a rule so sometimes people say watched a movie at the theater or saw a movie on my new flatscreen TV.

For more on see/watch/look check out these past posts:

http://phils-english.blogspot.com/2008/07/see-look-watch-and-stare-part.html

http://phils-english.blogspot.com/2008/07/see-look-watch-and-stare-part-b.html

http://phils-english.blogspot.com/2010/07/look-vs-look-like.html

Have a good weekend,

Phi

Kind of, sort of...

Hey everyone, today I am just writing a quick lesson while taking a break from studying Japanese. In all the textbooks I've taught, they always teach:

KIND OF

which is a very useful expression. It has two main meanings:

- a type of thing

- a little bit, somewhat

That store sells many types of furniture.

means

That stores sells many kinds of furniture.

When you use type of it sounds a bit more formal/educated/business like and kind of sounds more casual/friendly. Also, the pronunciation of kind of changes pretty easily:

kind of ------> kindov ---->kinda

When you want to specify more than one kind of use kinds of. Which is pronunced:

kinds of -----> kinzov ----> kinza

Kinda and kinza are pronunced with a bit of a rising intonation on the a.

The second meaning of kind of is somewhat or a little bit, it is similar to め in Japanese:

柔らかい　－－－－＞　柔らかめ

Yawarakai (soft) becomes Yawarakame(kind of soft).

Now, most textbooks don't teach the even more casual form which has the exact SAME MEANING as kind of which is SORT OF.

The pronunciation of sort of is:

sort of -----> sordov -----> sorda

Again with a rising intonation on the a.

I'm somewhat hungry.

I'm a bit hungry.

I'm kind of hungry.

I'm sort of hungry.

So somewhat is the MOST formal and sort of is the LEAST formal. Remember, by saying sorda or kinda you will make it even more casual~! But all of these sentences have the same general meaning. ^_^

Have a good day,

Phil

I'm getting (a) cold.

Hey everyone, just a quick lesson for the weekend.

What is the difference between these two sentences?

1- I'm getting cold.

2- I'm getting a cold.

Do you know the difference? Number 2 has an A and that makes a BIG DIFFERENCE~!

In sentence Number 1, cold is an adjective and the person is saying that they are starting to FEEL COLD.

In sentence Number 2, cold is a noun meaning sick(in Japanese 風邪 - かぜ) so the person is saying they are starting to FEEL SICK.

Sometimes very small differences can have HUGE differences in meaning. Have fun speaking English BUT be careful~!

^_-

Phil

Many, much and a lot of

OK so here's my last lesson on this topic. Last time we looked at using many/much in questions, today we will look at using them in sentences.

MANY

It is usually used in NEGATIVE sentences (-)

It is used with COUNTABLE NOUNS.

I don't have many friends.

They don't have many rooms in this hotel.

You don't like to read do you? You don't seem to have many books on your shelves...

It is sometimes used in positive sentences (+) BUT it sounds formal and old fashioned, so while it is good grammar it isn't natural sounding English.

My son is very intelligent, he has received many job offers. (formal)

I am delighted that all my many friends could join me for my birthday party. (formal/old fashioned)

He has many girlfriends. (good grammar, BUT it sounds odd)

MUCH

It is used in NEGATIVE SENTENCES (-).

It is used with UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS.

I don't have much money... because payday is next week.

Can you hurry up? I don't have much time.

I don't have much use for a car. I live downtown.

Now if you want to make a POSITIVE SENTENCE you should use A LOT OF!


A LOT OF

It is used in POSITIVE SENTENCES (+) OR NEGATIVE SENTENCES.

It is used by COUNTABLE AND UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS.

It sounds casual and natural.

I have a lot of friends.

I have a lot of money.

This hotel is HUGE, it has a lot of rooms.

He has a lot of girlfriends.(sounds much more natural)

I don't have a lot of time today, I'm really busy.

She doesn't have a lot of clothes.

In casual English, a lot of is pronounced ALODDA.


So if you aren't sure what to use, please use a lot of - it's the most flexible!!


Have a good week~!


Phil

How many/much...?

Hey everyone, today I am going to teach a similar topic as the anywhere/everywhere lesson from last week. To start off we will look at the questions:

How many...?

How much...?

Do you when to use these? Well if you continue this lesson you will~! hahaha

Anyways, it is pretty simple:

How much + uncountable nouns

and

How many + countable nouns

So for example:

A: How much money do you have?

B: On me? (meaning with me) Um, 10 bucks.

---------------------------------------------

A: How many cars does your family have?

B: We have none. = We don't have any.

---------------------------------------------

A: How much time is left?

B: Before the movie ends? About 10 minutes.

---------------------------------------------

A: How many countries have you been to?

B: About 35 I guess...

Well that's it for today, there'll be another lesson in this series this week.

Stay tuned!

Phil

Anywhere vs. everywhere

OK, the first lesson of the month is a quick grammar lesson explaining the difference between anywhere and everywhere. Anywhere means any place even one(or in a negative sentence-NOT even one place), everywhere means all places(usually it's an exaggeration). So, they have a similar meaning but their USAGE is very different.

Anywhere is used in negative sentences and questions.

A: Did you go anywhere?

B: Nah, I didn't go anywhere. I just stayed home.

I've never been anywhere in Shikoku.

Everywhere is used in positive sentences.

I've been everywhere in Kyoto! There are no more new places for me to visit.

Where's my jacket? I've looked everywhere!

Hope you enjoyed this quick lesson have a nice week,

Phil