Phil's English Tips

Play with vs, Play

2012-01-28T00:05:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, I had a student who asked me about the difference between:

Play with

and

Play

So, I thought I would explain it here on my blog too.

Play with is used with things/people.

I am playing with my dog.

Go and play with your friends.

Don't play with fire!

Play with fire is also an idiom which means you are playing with something dangerous.

A: Did you hear that Tina is dating John to make Ben jealous?

B: What?! She's playing with fire!

A: I know, I think it won't end well.

Play is used with games. It isn't used with people.

Let's play monopoly!

I played video games yesterday

Do you know how to play baseball?

For more about play please read this earlier post:

http://phils-english.blogspot.com/2008/05/silly-rabbit-play-is-for-kids.html

Have a nice Sunday,

Phil

Can you break a fifty?

2012-01-26T16:55:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, sometimes when you're in North America, you have a big bill like a 50$ or a 100$bill and if you go to a small shop or convenience store you might want to ask them:

Can you break a fifty?

meaning

Do you have change for a 50$ bill?

Many small shops often have limited change so you will see a sign on the cash register that says they don't accept 100$ bills. Shopkeepers will get angry when you want to break a large bill and you buy a 1$ pack of gum. They might even refuse your purchase! So it is a good idea to politely ask them first:

Can you break a hundred?

Have a great weekend,

Phil

uncle vs. ankle

2012-01-17T01:00:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, today we have a really short lesson about the different between:

a

and

u

When we say a, as in ankle or anchor, it is with our mouth wide open and the sound made towards the nose. It is a high pitched sound.

When we say u, as in uncle or umbrella, it is with our mouth slightly open and the sound is made in the throat. It is a lower pitched sound.

I found this cool drawing that animators use when making cartoons which can give you an idea of how to pronounce the vowel sounds:

You can use this sentence to practice the difference between the a and u sounds:

My uncle hurt his ankle.

Have a nice week,

Phil

P.S. I got that picture from a post "How to use cartoons to practice English Pronunciation" from here: www.englishcafe.com/blog/How-use-cartoons-practice-English-pronunciation-8340

Who cut the cheese?

2012-01-15T07:03:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, I was teaching an English lesson about cooking and it specified you should use the verb slice with the noun cheese.

This is because cut the cheese is an idiom in kid's English!

It means to fart. 放屁 (ほうひ)

So when someone says:

I am cutting the cheese.

Native speakers immediately think:

I am farting.

And will laugh or giggle.

The most common usage of this idiom among kids is the question:

Who cut the cheese?

meaning

Who farted?

Have a nice Sunday, I hope you enjoyed this funny little lesson,

Phil

ことはない

2012-01-10T18:07:00.000-08:00

Do you know how to say ことはない in English?

The translations I've heard are:

there's no reason not to

which sounds very formal in a more casual sense you could say:

it wouldn't hurt to

For example:

Ah there's Tom, I'm a bit busy but it wouldn't hurt to say hello.

ああ　あそこはTOMです。今忙しいけどHELLOと言うことはないかな。

I am not too sure about my Japanese translation but the general feeling and usage of ことはない　matches it wouldn't hurt to.

It is often used when talking to yourself (as in the example) or when making suggestions.

A: I think that shop's a bit expensive for me.

B: Well, it wouldn't hurt to take a look.

A: Yeah... who knows maybe there's a sale.

B: True... let's go take a look.

Have a nice week,

Phil

Happy New Year!

2012-01-05T17:54:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, sorry about the long break between lessons but I went abroad for my winter vacation and just got back. I thought I had set up a lesson to post automatically but I guess I forgot. Sorry about that!

Anyways, today I will just go over different ways you can wish someone a Happy New Year. These can be used in conversation, on nengajo (New Year's postcards), Christmas cards, etc.

Happy New Year!

Have a Happy New Year!

Wishing you a Happy New Year!

(Wishing you) All the best in 2012!

I hope you have a great year! or

I hope you have a great 2012!

Wishing you lots of love/health/wealth in the new year!

As you can see there are many different things you can say but generally, we just want to wish people luck, health, wealth and happiness in the new year. You can mention one of them or all of them. In casual English, you can also drop "Wishing you" or "I hope you" as they are implied.

Have a great 2012 people~!

Phil

Be right back!

2011-12-18T04:13:00.000-08:00

I'll be back with your order.

vs.

I'll be right back with your order.

What's the difference between these two sentences? The first sentence is open-ended, meaning the person doesn't say WHEN they'll be back with your order. It could be 5 minutes later, it could be 5 hours later... you have no idea.

By using right you add EMPHASIS that the time will be short.

So you will often hear it when someone says they won't be long:

Be right with you in a sec!

meaning

I'll be with you in just a second.

She's coming over right now.

meaning

She is coming over at this moment.

So right now means without delay.

Do it right now.

meaning

Don't wait. Do it NOW.

One of the best uses of this is the expression.

Be Right Back

meaning

I'll be back very soon.

It is used so often that it became an acronym used in internet chat: BRB.

Have a nice weekend!

Phil

Sophisticated vs complicated

2011-12-14T16:35:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, for today's quick little lesson I'd like to ask you if you know the difference between these two adjectives?

complicated 複雑 (ふくざつ)

This generally has a NEGATIVE kind of feeling. It means something is too complex, it isn't simple and so is a little annoying. When talking about machines or tools, it means it isn't easy to use OR that it has many small moving parts working together (like and old-style clock's gears).

My job's too complicated.

Our relationship's complicated.

The new photocopier at my office's complicated. It always takes me 10 minutes to
make a simple photocopy!

sophisticated 貴やか (あてやか), 粋 (いき; すい)

This generally has a POSITIVE feeling. It means something is advanced or worldly. When talking about machines it means that it is the latest technology, really high tech. The Japanese translations I found seem to be used to talk about people but sophisticated in English is a bit broader and can also be used to talk about things.

Our electric cars are extremely sophisticated.

He's a sophisticated man.

Any questions? Have a nice week!

Phil

Time flies~!

2011-12-10T01:05:00.000-08:00

Sorry guys, I meant to post again before now but time flies~!

Do you understand this idiom? It means time goes by quickly.

It is part of an idiom:

Time flies when you're having fun.

Whenever you are having a good time and enjoying yourself time seems to go by much more quickly. BUT when you're bored time seems to go by really slowly! Which sucks...

We use this saying when we want to explain why we lost track of time.
The short form, time flies, is used when talking about how time is moving quickly. It is neutral and doesn't mean you're having fun, just that time is passing by fast.

Wow! Time really flies! It's almost Christmas already, I really have to finish my Christmas shopping soon...

Have a nice weekend,

Phil

He's cheap. She's thrifty. My boss is stingy.

2011-12-03T06:12:00.000-08:00

Today, we're going to talk about the differences between these three similar adjectives:

thrifty

This has a POSITIVE meaning. It means that someone is good at economizing money (economize in Japanese is: 節約 - せつやく).

When I was a kid, my parents were quite thrifty.

You need to be more thrifty! Stop wasting your money.

stingy

This has a NEGATIVE meaning. It is similar to the Japanese, けち.

Jim's a stingy jerk. He wouldn't even lend me 5$ when I forgot my wallet!

Stop being so stingy! Give me a bite of your cookie!

cheap

This can have a positive or negative meaning. When talking about a person it is usually negative:

John's so cheap!

When talking about a thing or place it can be POSITIVE or NEGATIVE.

Sukiya's cheap but tasty. (positive)

You should try the lunch special, it's pretty cheap. (positive)

Do you like my jacket? It's Chanel but I got it cheap because it was on sale! (positive)

A: What the?! My tablet broke!

B: Well, what do you expect for 60$. It was cheaply made. (negative)

A: Yeah, you're right. you get what you pay for.

You shouldn't buy cheap medicine, it's dangerous. (negative)

Have a nice weekend!

Phil

Go to home??? huh?

2011-12-01T17:41:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, a few years ago I posted on the difference between go and go to. You can find that link here. Today, I am going to talk about a when you should use:

go to + place

and

go + place

Usually, we use go to + SPECIFIC place, for example:

I want to go to Tokyo.

He went to Isetan.

Her parents are going to Mongolia next week.

Tom went to the post office.

I have to go to the bank today.

SOMETIMES, we just use go + place. We use this structure when the place ISN'T specific.

A: Have you been to Disney Sea?

B: Yeah, I went there 3 years ago.

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

Harry: Ted's never gone abroad.

Alice: What? Really? He seems so cosmopolitan.

Harry: Yeah, he's well-read. He's gonna go abroad this winter.

Alice: Good for him!

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

Mom: Kids, go outside and play.

later

Neighbour: What's that racket? Oh, it's just some kids playing outside.

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

Wow, it's late. Time to go home.

So when the place isn't specific like with there, outside, abroad, or home we DON'T use go to!

I am aiming for about 6 lessons this month. Have a nice week!

Phil

Check it out!

2011-11-26T02:26:00.000-08:00

Hi guys, you may have read my previous post about phrasal verbs using check:

http://phils-english.blogspot.com/2008/12/check.html

But, I've recently realized I left out a few of the meanings for CHECK OUT:

1- to look at something

Bob: Hey Tom! Check out that Lamborghini!

Tom: Man that's a nice car...

2- to try something

Bob: Yeah, I'd love to check out how fast how it drives.

Tom: speaking of checking something out. Why don't we check out that new cafe?

3- to finish a stay at a hotel and leave

Bob: Good idea, let's check out of the hotel first and drop off our bags at the station.

Tom: Sure, that sounds fine.

4- the cashier at a shop/convenience store/supermarket

talking at the cafe...

Bob: Don't you hate it when the check out line is so long?

Tom: Yeah, I don't know why Japanese supermarkets don't have express check out lanes... ...but why are you bringing that up now???

Bob: I was at the supermarket today and had to wait like 30 minutes to buy just 2 things!!!

Tom: Man, that sucks...|

5- to borrow a book from the library

later at at the library

Bob: I'd like to check out this book.

Librarian: Certainly, please return it in two weeks to avoid paying late fees.

Bob: No problem.

OK that's all for this month I think. Have a great weekend!

Phil

good TO you vs. good FOR you

2011-11-19T17:52:00.000-08:00

Hi guys, do you know the difference between these two expressions? Well, after reading today's lesson you will! ^_^

good to someone

This means that someone is nice to you.

Your new husband's really good to you.

My company has been really good to me over the years.

good for someone

This means that it is something that will help you, it will make you better.

Carrots are good for you, they're good for your eyes.

I know exercise is good for you but I just don't have enough time.

My new girlfriend's really good for me, she has me learning and trying new things.

Have a nice Sunday!

Phil

I can't stand him!!!

2011-11-16T17:40:00.000-08:00

Do you understand the title? Here's a quick lesson to explain it.

can't stand (something/someone)

This means HATE. It means you dislike something so much that you can't stand there, you just want to leave the room.

I can't stand my new boss he's a total jerk!

I can't stand it when people lie.

You know she can't stand pickles, so make sure you order her burger without them.

You might also hear a small variation which is a bit stronger.

can't stand the sight of X

This means you HATE SEEING something. So it is often used for emphasis to make a statement stronger.

He couldn't be a doctor because he can't stand the sight of blood.

After we got divorced, I couldn't stand the sight of her.

Any questions? Have a nice sunny Thursday!

Phil

I tripped vs I took a trip

2011-11-12T18:41:00.000-08:00

The other day one of my students mixed up these two expressions. Do you know the difference between them?

From an earlier lesson:

to trip = this is when you are walking and you catch your foot on something which makes you fall or almost fall down. The key thing when using this word is that you hit your foot on something...

You can see the rest of it here.

So if you use trip as a VERB you are talking about FALLING DOWN. But if you use it as a NOUN you are talking about GOING SOMEWHERE.

A: I took a trip to Seoul last month.

B: Oh really? How was it?

A: It was great! I ate great food, saw some cool sites and did some shopping.

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

Jim: Ouch! What the...? Who left this in the middle of the hallway?

Jim's son: Sorry Dad, are you ok?

Jim: I almost tripped! Be careful!

Have a nice weekend!

Phil

Sorry, I lost track of time...

2011-11-09T18:13:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone here's a quick lesson! Do you know what this expression means?

to lose track of time

This is when you are doing something and get really caught up in it, you are so focused on what you are doing that time flies by(seems to pass quickly)! It can be used in formal or informal situations.

A: Where were you??? I've been waiting for 30 minutes!

B: Sorry, I was reading a great book and I lost track of time.

A: Next time, email me to let me know you're gonna be late.

B: Ok, let me make it up to you-dinner's my treat.

A: Alright, I forgive. What book were you reading?

So remember to treat someone is to pay for them (in Japanese, 奢ります　おごります) and to make it up to someone means that when you do something bad you need to do something good to balance things out.

Ya wanna go?

2011-11-02T17:17:00.000-07:00

Do you understand the above question? For the first mini-lesson of the month I will explain the meaning so if you don't understand the question now you will in about 5 minutes!

In North American casual English between friends, people often drop words. Also, you will often become ya.

you ----> ya

What do you do? is formal

Whaddo you do? is standard

Whaddayado? is casual

So, what does "Ya wanna go?" mean?

A: Ya wanna go to the party?

B: Yeah! Sounds like fun.

Basically, DO has been dropped and you became ya. Of course, want to became WANNA. That means that in casual English Do you...? questions will often become YA...?

John: Ya like baseball?

Adam: Nah, I'm from Australia I prefer cricket.

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

Ed: Ya know anyone who's good with cars?

Bill: Huh? Um, maybe Joe is. Why?

Ed: My cars making a weird noise... ya think Joe'll come take a look at it?

Bill: Sure, no problem. He's a really nice guy.

Ya get it? (Do you get it - Do you understand)

Pretty simple, no? Now you are one step closer to understanding American TV shows and movies perfectly!

Have a good week,

Phil

Was that a g-g-ghost???

2011-10-30T03:57:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, here's a Halloween lesson on a few useful idioms that mean COWARD, the person will not stand up for themselves...

to be spineless

A spine is the link of bones (the vertebrae) that makes up your back and helps you stand up straight. So to be spine less means you have no spine! So you can't stand, you are a coward...

a spine from http://www.cedars-sinai.edu/Patients/Programs-and-Services/Spine-Center/Anatomy-of-the-Spine/Curves-of-the-Spine.aspx

Tom: What was that?? Was that a g-g-ghost?!?!?!

Bob: Don't be so spineless! It was just the wind...

later...

Alex: Should we ask Tom to go with us and check out the haunted house (お化け屋敷 -おばけやしき)?

Bob: Tom he's spineless! There's no way (zero chance) he'll go with us.

Alex: Yeah, you're right. Let's just go.

to have no backbone

Backbone means the same as spine but is much more casual... so it sounds a bit weaker than to be spineless. Of course, if you say someone HAS a backbone then you are saying they are BRAVE.

Jim has no backbone! His wife's always pushing him around.

You need to have more backbone! You can't let your coworker bully you!

Too bad he has no backbone, otherwise he'd be a really attractive guy.

Have a HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Phil

Leave vs. leave for

2011-10-24T23:21:00.000-07:00

Today, I will talk about the difference between leave and leave for.

Leave

This focuses on departing somewhere.

He already left.

He left work early because his kid is sick.

On the other hand, leave for focuses on going somewhere-it focuses on the destination!

She left school.

It means she WAS at school but is not at school anymore.

She left for school.

This means she is GOING to school.

It's time to go to work.

It's time to leave for work.

Obviously, leave for sounds more formal than go to. Any questions?

Have a nice day!

Phil

Stop Procrastinating!

2011-10-20T22:57:00.000-07:00

I briefly talked about the verb to procrastinate back in June, 2010. It means to delay, to put something off. Whenever you say "I'll do it tomorrow" you are procrastinating!

A more casual way to say it is the idiom:

to drag your feet

When you don't want to do something you drag your feet. Think about when parents bring their kids to the dentist and they don't want to go... the Mom literally has to drag her kids feet~!

Stop dragging your feet! You shouldn't procrastinate so much.

Personally, I like to get things over with. This means when you have something you DON'T want to do it is better to do it right away. That way you can focus on something else.

Let's get this meeting over with, I have to get to the airport.

Another report to write?!?! I'll get it over with this weekend...

Any questions? Have a nice weekend!

Phil

I insist.

2011-10-16T21:27:00.000-07:00

Do you know the meaning of the above sentence? It means to not take no for an answer! When someone insists it means they push until you accept. It is a fairly polite word. If you insist you are demanding something persistently, you won't give up until it happens.

My boss insisted I work overtime...

I insist we investigate the accident.

The most often usage is when giving something:

Harry: This is for you!

Jill: A Rolex? That's too much, I can't accept such an extravagant gift.

Harry: I insist, please accept it. I think it would suit you perfectly.

Jill: Well, if you insist. Thanks for the wonderful gift.

Harry: It's nothing. I am glad you like it.

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

Philip: I'll pick up the check. It's my treat.

Bill: Are you sure?

Philip: Of course, I insist.

Bill: Thanks!

Have a nice week,

Phil

It doesn't matter...

2011-10-13T21:02:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, here's a lesson that matters! We will talk about the noun matter and the verb to matter. The noun means:

- a thing that exists

Reading matter (a thing you read)

Liquid matter (a thing that is a liquid)

organic matter ( a thing that is organic)

I have an important matter to attend to. (I have something important to do)

- a trouble or difficulty, something that is bothering you

What's the matter? (What's wrong?)

-related to or a concern of

It's a private matter. (a private issue)

That's a foreign policy matter. (related to foreign policy)

As you can see the noun matter is a formal and pretty high level word.

The verb to matter means to be important.

Nothing matters! (nothing is important)

A: Ooops! I broke a glass.

B: Oh, that's ok. It doesn't matter I got it for 50 yen.
(Don't worry, it's not important)

He matters to me. (He's important to me)

Any questions?

Phil

Stop messing around! It's time to be serious about your studies!

2011-10-04T20:06:00.000-07:00

I was just studying the word ふざける (巫山戯る) and learned it means to mess around!

This is the same as goofing around or horsing around and fooling around.

Josh and Sam around always goofing around.

Lex and Tod often horsing around. They need to grow up.

Those two brothers are always fooling around.

BUT be careful to fool around has an EXTRA meaning. It can also mean to kiss, french kiss, touch each other, have sex, etc.

A: What's wrong with John?

B: He's getting a divorce.

A: Really? Why?

B: His wife caught him fooling around with the babysitter!

Have a nice weekend,

Phil

Wow two posts in a row!

2011-10-04T16:08:00.000-07:00

Today we will look at two expressions that mean to do something again without a break. One thing follows the next without any interruptions.

You've been late 3 days in a row~!

You've been late 3 days back to back!

I watched all the Lord of the Rings movies yesterday in a row! It took me like 15 hours!

The Hanshin Tigers have won two games in a row.

Tom went on 2 business trips back to back. First, he was in Thailand and now he's in Paraguay!

He dated the Smith sisters back to back. What a playboy!

Any questions?

Phil

That guy's always slacking off!~!

2011-10-03T19:45:00.000-07:00

OK everyone, for the first lesson of the month I'd like to apologize for slacking off. This means that I have not been working as hard as I should.

It comes from sailing when a rope is taut or tight it is being held in place right but if it is slack or loose the sailor is not pulling his weight and is literally slacking off~!

To pull your weight means to do your fair share, you are doing the same amount of work as the other people on your team. Someone who doesn't work hard while the rest of his team does isn't pulling his weight. He is a slacker (noun).

I mentioned it in a previous blog post:

彼は油を売っている。

He's goofing/slacking off.

Today, I want to go over the slight difference between slacking off (not working hard) and goofing off (not working hard because you are having fun playing games & making jokes).

A goof or goofball is someone who is really silly, not serious and always making jokes. So to goof off is to not take work seriously and instead play.

A similar idiom is goof around or horse around. This has an even stronger feeling of playing and not working. Parents often tell their kids (usually boys) who are fighting or playing too much:

Stop horsing around!

Stop goofing around!

If the kids are just not working so hard a teacher might say:

Stop slacking off!

Stop goofing off! Get to work!

At work if I am feeling tired I might slack off a bit but I am getting older and more serious so I rarely goof around anymore!

Have a nice week,

Phil

He's a shoe in~!

2011-09-29T19:16:00.000-07:00

For the last lesson of the month I have a short idiom lesson. Sorry I didn't post more often but after getting hitched (married) and going on vacation for 3 weeks, but I am out of my blogging groove... it will take me awhile to go back to normal and post 6-8 times a month. Wish me luck!

Anyways, this idiom lesson is about:

to be a shoe in

This means that you think someone is sure to get a job/position or be picked for something. It means something/someone will definitely win.

John's a shoe in for the Assistant Manager position.

Who do you think will get the promotion? I think Tara's a shoe in!

Apparently, the correct spelling is "shoo-in" which I don't think I've ever seen until researching this lesson! Here's a good explanation I found posted by fireflyscout on College Confidential:

Shoo in is how I've always seen it.
Just did a google search, and here's what I found:

This one is spelled wrongly so often that it’s likely it will eventually end up that way.The correct form is shoo-in, usually with a hyphen. It has been known in that
spelling and with the meaning of a certain winner from the 1930s. It came from
horse racing, where a shoo-in was the winner of a rigged race.

In turn that seems to have come from the verb shoo, meaning to drive a person or an animal in a given direction by making noises or gestures, which in turn comes
from the noise people often make when they do it.

The shift to the horse racing sense seems to have occurred sometime in the early 1900s. C E Smith made it clear how it came about in his Racing Maxims and Methods of Pittsburgh Phil in 1908: “There were many times presumably that ‘Tod’ would win through such manipulations, being ‘shooed in’, as it were”.

A rigged race is one where the winner has been (illegally) decided in advance. And from common errors in English usage they say:

"This expression purportedly comes from the practice of corrupt jockeys
holding their horses back and shooing a preselected winner across the finish
line to guarantee that it will win. A “shoo-in” is now an easy winner, with no
connotation of dishonesty. “Shoe-in” is a common misspelling."

So feel free to use shoe in or shoo in both are ok I think! Anytime you think someone is sure to win you can say:

She's a shoe in~!

Phil

R/L sound... and B/V...

2011-09-21T04:40:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, I am not sure if I mentioned this app before but it's lots of fun! I often have my kids play it to check their listening skills for the difference between R and L. Most of them get about 50% correct... so I guess they need more practice! How about you?

It's called the English Ear game and it is FREE. Check it out here:

English Ear Game R/L

Here is a sentence you can use to practice your pronunciation, using 3 English words that sound very similar: boiling (BOY-Ling), boring (bow-RING) and bowling (bow-LING).

It was boiling at the boring basketball game so the boy went bowling.

Apparently, they have also made an English Ear 2 which is so you can practice your listening for the B/V sound. You can find it here:

English Ear Game 2 B/V

And I'll give you a sentence so you can practice it too ^_^

Betty & Veronica like the very berry butterscotch banana Sundae very much.

Have a nice Tuesday!

Phil

You should bring your umbrella...

2011-09-19T04:17:00.000-07:00

...just in case.

Today we will be looking at this expression. Have you heard it before? It is often used by parents, teachers and friends when giving advice or suggestions about what you should do. Most often, the case we are talking about is not mentioned because it is clear from the context.

You should call her before going to her place just in case.
(...she is out and you waste your time)

You should bring an umbrella just in case.
(it rains)

Billy bring your jacket just in case.
(you get cold)

According to bablefish, the online translation program ,it means ちょうど場合で. A more formal way to say the same thing is: to be on the safe side. Which babelfish translates as: 大事を取って.

You should go to the station now to be on the safe side.
(so you don't miss your train)

Tom don't forget to bring extra socks to be on safe side.
(so you don't run out of clean socks)

I always write down a grocery list before going to the store just to be on the safe side. (so I don't forget to buy anything)

So we use these two expressions in pretty much the same way. Have a nice weekend!

Phil

Plastic surgery

2011-09-12T18:24:00.000-07:00

I will continue talking about medical topics today: plastic surgery.

Or sometimes it is called cosmetic surgery. In North America, the most popular types of plastic surgery are:

botox ボトックス

This is an injection (注射 - ちゅうしゃ) of a neurotoxin which kills your nerves to stop wrinkles (老いの波 - おいのなみ). It only lasts a few months and then you need to do it again.

A lot of movie stars get botox.

liposuction 脂肪吸引 (しぼうきゅういん)

This is when they suck the fat out of you.

A: Man, Bob's lost a lot of weight! Did he hit the gym?

B: Nah, I heard he got liposuction!

A: No way! He's looking good, I hope he can keep the weight off.

a boob job 豊胸手術 (ほうきょうしゅじゅつ)

This is casual English, it is also called a breast enlargement (medical term). Where the doctor will install breast implants to increase a woman's breast size.

My friend is thinking of getting a boob job but I told her she looks fine and doesn't need it.

a nose job 隆鼻術 (りゅうびじゅつ)

This is where someone will have their nose done. The medical term is rhinoplasty. In the west it is most often used to make your nose smaller. I think in Asia it is often to make it a bit more pointy.

Wow! She looks really beautiful since she got her nose job.

Those are the most common, you might also hear someone say:

A: I think she got a face lift!

B: Yeah, I think so too. Her wrinkles are gone but now her skin is too tight.

A: Yeah! She looks kind of scary...

A face lift is a surgery where they will lift your face up and tighten your skin to get rid of wrinkles.

In Asia, a lot of people have their eyes done. This is the surgery people get to have more western style eyes or bigger looking eyes.

Have a nice week!

Phil

illness vs. disease

2011-09-08T17:51:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, time for a quick lesson~! Today, I'll be talking about the difference between the words: illness & disease.

Illness n.

a. Poor health resulting from disease of body or mind; sickness.
b. A disease. (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/illness)

Disease n.

A pathological condition of a part, organ, or system of an organism resulting from various causes, such as infection, genetic defect, or environmental stress, and characterized by an identifiable group of signs or symptoms.

A condition or tendency, as of society, regarded as abnormal and harmful. (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/disease) Example: Crime is a disease plaguing our cities!

Illness isn't used as often as disease, it sounds more formal and old fashioned. I guess in terms of usage, we are usually vague when we use illness. It seems to focus more on the condition of your body.

He's ill. (adj, old fashioned)

He has an illness that makes him tired all the time. (n.)

Disease seems like something has gone wrong with you because of a virus or bacteria. But, apparently can also refer to genetic problems and stress related issues. It is used more to focus on the thing which is attacking or weakening your body. It is often used in a specific way.

He has Parkinson's Disease.

Have you heard of Lou Gehrig's Disease?

Cancer is a disease that is a real problem these days.

Malaria is a tough disease to eradicate (get rid of).

We also have a more recent and casual word which has the same usage as illness:

Sickness n.

The condition of being sick; illness.

A disease; a malady.

Nausea. Ex: motion sickness, sea sickness

A defective or unsound condition. (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/sickness)

He has some kind of weird sickness that makes him tired all the time.

His sickness is getting worse.

He's really sick. (adj)

Any questions?

Phil

I got hitched~!

2011-09-03T01:31:00.000-07:00

Sorry everyone, I got married last month so didn't really have time to post any lessons but I want to try and make it up to you guys by posting 7-8 times this month~! To start I will cover a bunch of expressions that mean "to get married".

A: Hey, I heard you tied the knot last month!

B: Yup, it's true. I got hitched to my longtime girlfriend Anastasia.

A: So was it a shotgun wedding?

B: What?! No way!

A: Ha ha, gotcha! (got you)

B: Ha ha ha, very funny (said sarcastically). But seriously, we want to have kids in a few years.

A: Well good luck with the old ball and chain.

B: Ha ha, you're a real comedian today aren't you? (more sarcasm)

A: I do try to be funny.

B: You're not succeeding.

A: Ok, I get it. Anyways, congratulations. I hope you and Anastasia are really happy together.

B: Thanks.

A shotgun wedding in Japanese is dekichatta kekkon,　出来ちゃった結婚 . Meaning, you are getting married because you got the woman pregnant. It comes from the fact that farmers used to chase down boys who got their daughters pregnant with a shotgun and force the boys to marry their daughters!!

Got you (gotcha) means I tricked you or you fell for my joke.

The old ball and chain is an expression men use to describe their wives--it isn't very polite so men usually use it when their wives are NOT around. It comes from the fact that prisoners in jail used to wear a chain attached to a heavy metal ball that stopped them from running away!

More lessons soon, have a nice weekend!

Phil

He claims he works for Mr. Smith...

2011-07-26T17:16:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone, today we're going to look at the difference between these two sentences:

He says it was an accident.

He claims it was an accident.

Do you know the difference in meaning between the two???

Don't worry you will! So when we report speech we can either use SAY or CLAIM.

Say is a neutral verb, and we use it to just report the information someone told us. It doesn't carry any sort of judgement of the information.

She said that she didn't break the vase.

Claim is used when we want to imply that we DON'T BELIEVE the speaker. We are highly skeptical about what we're told.

She claimed that she didn't break the vase. (but I don't believe her)

Any questions?

Phil

Is it your first trip to...?

2011-07-17T21:40:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, it is almost summer vacation time so let's look at a few useful phrases:

Is it your first trip to (country name)?

We use this phrase most often BEFORE we go on a trip.

A: Is it your first trip to Australia?

B: Yes, it is but I've wanted to go for a long time!

A: Well, have fun. I wish I could go with you...

REMEMBER ~to + specific place! So you can't say

Are you going to home? X INCORRECT

Are you going to abroad? X INCORRECT

Instead say:

Are you going home? O CORRECT

Are you going abroad? O CORRECT

I think people get mixed up because you can also say:

Are you going to go home? O CORRECT

Are you going to go abroad? O CORRECT

BUT here going to = gonna with the verb go and home/abroad DON'T follow to!

Is it/this your first time in (country name)?

We use this when you are IN the country. We often use it when talking to tourists or people from out of town. So it is most often used DURING YOUR VISIT.

Local: Is this your first time in London?

Tourist: Yeah, it is. So far I'm having a great time!

Local: Be sure not to miss the British Museum and the Tate Modern.

Tourist: Thanks for the tip!

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

Friend: Is it your first time in Japan?

Out-of-towner: Yeah, it is. People are so helpful here.

Friend: I'm glad you're enjoying yourself. Thanks for visiting, I was a bit homesick.

Out-of-towner: No problem! Here's some food from home.

Friend: Wow, thanks! I really missed Mac n' cheese!

Any questions? Enjoy this rainy Monday!

Phil

How was it? How is it?

2011-07-13T18:41:00.000-07:00

Ok so for today's lesson we will look at two useful sentences:

How is it?

pronounced

How izzit?

This question is used to ask about current events, most often when trying food.

For example:

A: Here, try my cake. I baked it this morning

B: Ok, sure. It looks great. (takes a bite)

A: How is it?

B: Wow~! It's delicious! Can I have the recipe?

How was it?

pronounced

How wazzit?

This is a much more useful phrase. We use it all the time to talk about past experiences.

Bob: I went to Australia.

Dan: Really? How was it?

Bob: The weather was great and the people were really friendly.

----------

Tracy: I saw the movie Thor last week.

Fred: How was it?

Tracy: It was good but I was expecting more. X-Men: First Class was better.

----------

Hank: I finally tried that new sushi place.

Mel: I've been dying to try it! How was it?

Hank: It was pretty good but a bit expensive.

Mel: Is it worth checking out?

Hank: Yeah, I think so.

Ok that's enough for today, if you have any questions leave me a comment!

Phil

Idiom app

2011-07-12T18:25:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, I just came accross this app (in Japanese you say appli - which is short for application) to help people learn English idioms and it is currently free~!

It is called Idiom Attack with 300 idioms in 25 chapters. It looks good so why don't you check it out?

http://itunes.apple.com/app/idiom-attack-japanese-edition/id409791811?mt=8

Phil

I'll think about it....

2011-07-06T19:42:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, it's time for another cultural miscommunication's lesson~!

When someone says:

I'll think about it.

It often means:

No.

When someone you are dating says:

We need to talk.

It usually means, there's bad news... for example:

I'm gonna break up with you.

BUT sometimes it can be good news~!

We need to talk... ...I'm pregnant!

Well, that example could be good or bad news depending on your point of view ^_-

These examples are a kind of code that is culturally based, you hear them all the time in movies and TV shows. People react not based on the words that are said but on their hidden meaning!

For example, in the 1950s this was a common scene:

Tom: Hey, Sally wanna go out with me on Friday night?

Sally: Sorry, I'm busy. I'm washing my hair.

Tom: Oh, ok... -_-

The subtext here is that:

I'm washing my hair = I am not interested in you/I don't want to date you.

Have a nice rainy day,

Phil

ねちょっと聞いて。

2011-07-02T06:26:00.000-07:00

Phil: Guess what?

Students: What?

Phil : I'm gonna write 6-7 lessons this month!

So "ねちょっと聞いて" literally means "Hey, listen a bit" but in English we say "Guess What?".

The answer is always "What?" after which the person usually tells you his big news.

For example:

A: Guess what?

B: What?

A: I'm getting married~!

B: Wow, congratulations!

But sometimes people say:

A: Guess what?

B: What?

A: Go on guess!

B: Umm, You're new girlfriend is an alien?

A: No, come on make a serious guess!

B: Huh, I don't know. I give up.

A: I won a trip to Italy!

B: Wow, great!

So the next time someone asks you "Guess what?" remember to reply "What?"!

Have a great weekend,

Phil

Do you wanna do something tomorrow?

2011-06-30T06:59:00.000-07:00

Ok everyone, to round up this month here's a small lesson about a structure you can use for a casual invitation/offer.

Do you want to ~ X?

To make it more casual remember to use: wanna.

want to -----> wanna

So you should say:

Do you wanna ~ x?

Do you wanna go out for drinks tonight?

Do you wanna catch a movie this weekend?

Do you wanna have dinner with me?

To make it EVEN MORE casual you can DROP "Do you"...

Wanna ~ X?

Wanna go dancing tonight?
Do you want to go dancing tonight?

Wanna watch Teen Wolf?
Do you want to watch Teen Wolf?

Wanna beer?
Do you want a beer?

Any questions? Remember, "Wanna~x?" is SUPER casual so you should only use it with close friends and family.

Have a good night, I'm gonna try and post 6-7 times next month. Wish me luck!

Phil

Free apps from Cambridge Press~!

2011-06-27T18:36:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, I am not sure how long these apps will be free but Cambridge has dropped the price on some of their grammar apps... to FREE!

Essential Grammar in Use tests

http://itunes.apple.com/app/essential-grammar-in-use-tests/id422587252?mt=8

English Grammar in Use Activities

http://itunes.apple.com/app/english-grammar-in-use-activities/id351829786?mt=8

Advanced Grammar in Use Activities

http://itunes.apple.com/app/advanced-grammar-in-use-activities/id436944159?mt=8

Cambridge University Press is a pretty big English as a Second Language publisher so these should be pretty good apps. Plus the price is currently free so why not give them a try?

Phil

Can you handle it?

2011-06-25T03:35:00.000-07:00

Do you understand this question? Hopefully, by the end of this lesson you will~!

A handle (n) is the part of a machine you use to steer or control it, it is designed to be held in the HAND. Like a handlebar on a bicycle.

So from the word hand we get the verb to handle which means to touch, lift, hold in your hands or operate using yours hands.

This car handles well. (operate)

Stop handling my girlfriend! (old usage, touch)

The MOST common modern usages are:

To deal with or take care of something/someone.

I'll handle the party preparations.

To have responsibility for something/someone.

Who's handling the Smith account?

Our Singapore branch handles all our Asian clients.

To cope with a problem, to dispose(get rid of) of something.

I can't handle the stress anymore!!! (cope with)

I'll handle him, he won't be a problem anymore.
(take care of... meaning get rid of-like in a mafia movie!)

So the question:

Can you handle it?

means

Can you take care of it?

Have a nice Saturday night!

Phil

P.S. What's your handle? Is slang meaning what's your name/nickname!

O + vowel

2011-06-19T19:47:00.000-07:00

Here's another simple little pronunciation lesson to help you sound more natural when speaking English.

When we have an O followed by a vowel (a, e, i, o, u & sometimes y) we get a W sound linking them!

O + vowel = Ow+vowel

For example:

I go out for drinks every Friday.

becomes

I goWOUT for drinks every Friday.

go away = go-WA-WAY

go on TV = go-WON TV

go in = go-WIN

to a movie = to-WA movie

So you can have a sentence like this:

I'm goWINg to WA movie.

Anything questions?

Phil

Twenny? Cenner? Sanna Claus???

2011-06-12T19:44:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, this weekend here's a little pronunciation lesson. In English, when we have

N + T + vowel

The T is DROPPED. So, we get:

NN + vowel

Vowels in English are : a e i o u and y.

For example:

center ----> cenner

Santa Claus ----> Sanna Claus

twenty ----> twenny

seventy ----> sevenny

ninety ----> ninny

It is also used to CONNECT words.

I went out for dinner in Umeda.

becomes

I wennout for dinner in Umeda.

It is also why want to becomes wanna.

Have a good week,

Phil

Steal, rob, mug...?

2011-06-09T19:24:00.000-07:00

For today's lesson we will talk about the difference between steal/rob/mug.

STEAL

This is used for THINGS and is done in secret. It happens when no one is looking. So you go out and you come back and something is gone~!

Someone stole my sandwich from the fridge...

A: Hey, where's my TV???

B: WHAT!?!?! It was STOLEN~!

ROB

This is used for PEOPLE and PLACES. It is noticeable.

A: Where's he stereo? The DVD player???

B: Oh no~! We've been ROBBED~!!

The bank was robbed yesterday and 2 million dollars was stolen.

MUG

This is used when someone forces you to give them your valuables on the street. Usually, with a gun or knife...

(man pulls out a knife)

C: Give me your wallet and watch~!

D: What the hell?!?!

C: Quick~! Or I'll stab you!

D: Here you go.

(the mugger runs away)

D: Help! I've been mugged~!!!

Does anyone have any questions? Have a good weekend,

Phil

Th sound practice

2011-06-05T04:01:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, for this Sunday why don't you practice saying the "th" sound. You make it by putting your tongue between your teeth and pulling back.

Try practicing this sentence:

The thirty thugs thought they were tough.

A thug is a ごろつき or a 乱暴者 (らんぼうもの).

Enjoy the rest of your weekend~!

Phil

You snooze you lose~!

2011-06-04T00:31:00.000-07:00

Have you heard this saying before?

Snooze is a casual word for sleep or nap:

I am going to take a snooze.

So we also use it on our alarm clock:

I hit the snooze button and woke up late~!

The snooze button is the button you push to turn off your alarm so you can sleep 5 more minutes.

So we use the saying "You snooze you lose" when someone is TOO SLOW and so they MISS OUT on something.

A: Hey, where's the last donut???

B: You snooze you lose buddy, it was delicious~!

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

Tom: I can't believe you asked Sara out!! You knew I liked her!

Harry: Tom, I gave you 6 MONTHS to ask her out.

Tom: But I'm shy...

Harry: You snooze you lose, sorry now it's my turn.

Tom: ...

Enjoy using your new expression!

Phil

Shop? Store? Bar?

2011-05-30T00:54:00.000-07:00

What's the difference between these three words?

A shop is small and is often where something is MADE.

candy shop

book shop

flower shop

liquor shop

ice cream shop

coffee shop

Some of these places USED to make things but now they don't... so shop and store are both often used. I think it depends more on where you are from. For example, in Montreal I am more likely to say liquor store but when I visited the US I often heard liquor shop.

Stores are usually larger.

candy store

shoe store

liquor store

book store

BUT I've never heard coffee store(it would be a place that sells coffee BEANS only and no drinks) or flower store(because they MAKE bouquets at a SHOP). Or ice cream store because they MAKE our ice cream cone and serve it to us.

A bar is a place with a counter.

So it is usually somewhere that serves drinks... like a bar~! But you might also hear coffee bar, sushi bar, oxygen bar, etc.

I hope that helps clear things up~!

Phil

Gibberish...

2011-05-28T16:44:00.000-07:00

Do you know what gibberish means? It means things that SOUND like words but ISN'T.

A: Hi, how are you?

B: IZ IM GRAX.

A: Huh? Why are you speaking gibberish?

B: IJ HAR SZATZ.

A: ???

Here's a video made for an Italian TV show where they made a song of English SOUNDING gibberish but really they aren't using real words, enjoy~!

To? too? Two?

2011-05-18T00:25:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone, here's a quick lesson about the differences between these three linking words.

to

This indicates movement and direction. A --------> B

From Osaka to Tokyo.

This gift is from Jack to Jill.

This letter is addressed to Paul.

It can also indicate purpose, WHY you are doing something.

I exercise to stay in shape.

She's on a diet to lose weight.

too

This means ALSO.

He got a new car too.

I want ice cream too!

A: I like traveling.

B: Really? Me too!

two

This one is easy it is the number 2.

C: I bought two chocolates, one is for you.

D: Wow, thanks~!

It's two o'clock.

I live in room two-O-one (201).

These are difficult even for many native speakers so when writing in English please be careful not to get them mixed up~!

I go to Tokyo two times a year to see my friends and go shopping too.

So here we see direction, number, purpose and also all in one sentence~!

Have a nice Wednesday,

Phil

Do they get on?

2011-05-16T18:01:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, I am watching a British TV show and the guy said:

Do they get on? (UK)

Which you'd NEVER hear in North America, we'd say:

Do they get along? (US/Canada)

To get along means that they get along WELL, they have a good relationship and rarely fight. If they don't get along it means that they don't like each other and they often fight or argue.

Just thought I'd share that, have a good day~!

Phil

Do you know Brad Pitt???

2011-05-15T03:06:00.000-07:00

Umm, no I've never met him but he seems like a nice guy...

Hey everyone, today we are looking at a common mistake Japanese English speakers make. They translate directly from Japanese ブラドピットしっていますか?

BUT in English "Do you know...?" means do you know him PERSONALLY, have you MET HIM in real life?

Jim: Do you know Tom, Bob?

Bob: No, I don't. Nice to meet you Tom.

Tom: Nice to meet you too Bob.

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

John: Do you know Sara?

Ed: No, I never met her.

John: She's great I think you'd really like her.

Generally speaking, when talking about famous people, places or events we use the expression:

Have you heard of...?

It's a really useful expression to check if someone knows about something/have they heard of it.

A: Have you heard of the movie Oldboy?

B: Nope, is it any good?

A: Yeah, it's a bit violent but it's a great Korean movie!

---------

C: Have you heard of Johnny Depp?

D: Of course! I've seen all his movies, he's a great actor.

---------

E: Have you heard of the Kyoto Craft Beer Festival?

F: No, what is it?

E: It's a new festival where you can try many Japanese microbrews.

F: Wow, sounds great. Let's check it out!

Ok, that's it for now. If you have any questions please post a comment! I am a bit busy these days so I think I will only be able to post 5-6 lessons this month, sorry guys...

Have a good week,

Phil

Studying English is tough...

2011-05-08T02:54:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, I hope you all had a nice Golden Week. This month I thought I would start by talking about the tone of a conversation. You might hear someone say:

"I don't like your tone."

Which could mean I don't like your tone of voice (intonation) or the WAY you are speaking. Probably the person means that either the way or intonation of how you are speaking is disrespectful.

Like most languages, the words we use help set the tone:

1 - My job is difficult.

and

2 - My job is tough.

Sound quite different, the first sounds more formal and objective while the second sounds more casual and personal. For more on tough/difficult check out this previous blog entry: http://phils-english.blogspot.com/2011/03/learning-english-is-tough.html

Some other pairs are:

smart (casual)

He's really smart.

Bob is a smart guy.

intelligent (formal)

He's really intelligent.

Robert is an intelligent man.

So you can see that Robert becomes Bob, smart becomes intelligent and guy becomes man in formal speech. The tone of the sentence completely change from casual and friendly to a formal statement.

cheap (casual)

The hotel was really cheap~!

Let's go to a cheap restaurant, I'm pretty broke.

inexpensive (formal)

That hotel was quite inexpensive.

Let's go to an inexpensive restaurant, I don't have much money.

Inexpensive is used to makes things have a formal tone, so it is rarely used with really which is more of a casual word. Really goes very well with cheap which is also casual~! BUT be careful cheap has many meanings that inexpensive DOESN'T have!!!

Cheap can mean:

low cost

This book is 1$, so cheap~! +

stingy

He's a cheap guy. -

bad quality

Man this watch is cheap, it broke in one day. -

Inexpensive simply means low cost, it doesn't share the other meanings...

Have a nice week,

Phil

Sticker Shock~!

2011-04-26T00:15:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone do you know what

Sticker shock

means? It means that after you look at the price tag(the sticker-in Japanese you say seal) you get a shock because the price is super high~!

Customer: Wow, that's a beautiful coat.

Store clerk: Yes we have it in brown and black.

Customer (looks at the price): ...

Store clerk: Is everything ok? You're very quiet all of a sudden.

Customer: I'm fine, just a bit of sticker shock. Unfortunately, it's out of my price range.

Store Clerk: Ah, ok. We have something similar but much cheaper one over here...

Do you understand the usage of sticker shock?

In the conversation, you also saw the expression "it's out of my price range" which means it is TOO EXPENSIVE FOR ME.

Price range is the price you are willing or able to pay. For example, from 300 to 1500 yen is my price range when I go shopping for t-shirts.

Man: I wanna go to Hawaii with my wife.

Travel Agent: What's your price range for the trip?

Man: Not too expensive maybe 1000$ each for 4 days...

Have a good week,

Phil

Idioms

2011-04-24T04:54:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, last Friday I went to my Japanese lesson and learned a few idioms ^_^ Here are some of my favorite idioms from that lesson:

彼は油を売っている。

He's goofing/slacking off.

But it literally means "He is selling oil"~! Anyone know the story behind this idiom?

後の祭り。

It's too late~! I missed my chance...

It literally means "after the festival".

穴があったら入りたい。

Meaning, I'm so embarrassed I wish I could just disappear. The literal meaning in Japanese is "I wish I could go into a hole".

The closest English idiom is: I wish I could just crawl into a hole and die!

As you can see, the English idiom sounds much stronger, I am SOOO embarrassed I wish I could crawl into a hole somewhere and die.

And my favorite,

赤子の手をひねる。

Meaning, it's really easy.

In English, we use the idiom "It's like taking candy from a baby" but in Japanese you say "it is like twisting a baby's arm"!!! It is even stronger in Japanese, wild.

Have a nice Sunday night~!

Phil

In? On? At? Which should I use???

2011-04-18T18:28:00.000-07:00

Hope you had a good weekend, today we will quickly review when to use the prepositions in, on and at.

in + area/long periods of time

I live in Japan.(area)

I work in northern Kyoto.(area)

The milk is in the fridge.(area)

I went to Turkey in August. (period of time)

I like to go swimming in the summer. (period of time)

It is really simple you use in with areas and long periods of time.

on + days/streets/floors

I go to the gym on Wednesdays. (days)

I will meet you on Friday night. (days)

I went to my parent's house on Christmas. (days)

Fuji Daimaru is on Shijo Street. (streets)

Oh, the post office is on First Avenue. (streets)

My office is on the fourth floor. (floors)

So you need to use on with days(including Christmas, New Year's, Halloween, etc.) , street names and floors of buildings.

at + specific place/specific times

I will meet you at 5pm on Friday. (specific time)

At Halloween I like to decorate my house in a scary way. (specific time of year)

A: Where's the meeting?
B: It's at Isetan on the 4th floor.
(specific place) A: When is it?
B: It's at 3pm. (specific time)

The party's at Tom's house at 9pm. (specific time & place)

So at is used with specific things! BUT be careful by switching prepositions you can change the meaning of the phrase:

I visit my parents at Christmas. (time - maybe NOT on Christmas Day, anytime around Christmas)

I visit my parents on Christmas. (DAY, NOT before or after-on December 25th)

Any questions?

Phil

Is that feasible?

2011-04-14T18:43:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, here's a quick vocab lesson to get you through the weekend~!

FEASIBLE

Do you know this word? It is a high level word that is often used in BUSINESS. It basically means that it can be done. In casual English, we would say that it is DOABLE.

1) Is finishing this report by Friday feasible?

2) Is finishing this report by Friday doable?

These both mean the same thing but 1) sounds more professional and 2) sounds more casual. So you should use 1) with clients, at meetings, etc. and 2) with friends or co-workers- your boss might use it with you but it would be too casual if you used it with your boss~!

Another way feasible is often used is in:

Economically Feasible

This means, can we do make money doing this~!

Does it make economic sense? Sometimes, a project might be doable(technologically it can be done) but it isn't ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE. We will lose money building and selling this product.

Technologically we can build it but the costs are so high that it isn't economically feasible right now. We need to wait till costs come down.

It isn't economically feasible for me to teach private lessons far from my home, I waste too much time getting to my students house.

Any questions?

Have a nice weekend,

Phil

The temperature keeps yo-yoing...

2011-04-10T20:08:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, here's a super short lesson today about the verb:

to yo-yo

It is usually used in the following three different tenses.

~ing

The weather has been yo-yoing alot recently, it's driving me nuts~!

~ed

When I was a kid, my weight yo-yoed up and down.

~s

This movie's pace yo-yos alot. The story moves slowly, then fast, then slow, it's kind of annoying!

As you can see, it means that something goes up and down like a yo-yo. So it's used when talking about frequent changes.

Have a good week,

Phil

On Sunday? On SundayS???

2011-04-07T16:26:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone, today I'm going to post a quick lesson about regular actions. We use the present tense to talk about REGULAR ACTIONS. So it is often used in combination with words like: everyday, sometimes, usually, always, once a day, twice a week, etc.

I floss everyday.

I usually take a shower once a day, but in the summer I sometimes take two cold showers a day.

He sometimes brings his lunch to work.

My Mom usually makes dinner for us every night.

When talking about regular actions we often talk about things we do every week on the same day.

In Canada & the US we say on SundayS, on TuesdayS, etc.

I go grocery shopping on SundayS.

In the UK they usually say on Sunday, on Wednesday, on Tuesday. I go grocery shopping on Sunday.

But we BOTH say: on weekendS and every weekend.

I go clubbing every weekend.

I like to go hiking on weekendS.

These two have a slightly different meaning. Every weekend means each and every week on Saturday and/or Sunday. On weekendS means I usually do X on SaturdayS and/or SundayS BUT maybe not every week.

Have a good weekend,

Phil

How long have you been studying English?

2011-04-05T18:58:00.000-07:00

Today's lesson is about the Present Perfect continuous. We use it to talk about actions that started in the past and continued to the present. It is formed using:

has/have + been + present participle.

I have been walking all day.

He has been talking non-stop for 2 hours!

So you'll often hear it in a question like:

A: How long have you been living in Japan?

B: I have been living here for about 5 years.

The pronounciation in casual English is:

A: How long've you been living in Japan?

B: I've been living in Japan for about 5 years.

So 've sounds like OF.

I have -----> I've = Eye-of

long have ------> long've = long-of

BE Careful!

We can also use the present perfect which is:

has/have + past participle

I've lived in Japan for about 5 years.

These have about the same meaning. But to me, have been living seems more temporary whereas have lived seems more permanent-I don't have any plans to leave.

So, onto today's question:

A: How long've you guys been studying English?

B: I've been studying it OFF AND ON for 10 years.

C: I've been studying it SERIOUSLY for about 6 months.

Let's look at these two useful expressions:

OFF AND ON means you start something and then stop, then start again, etc.

They've been dating OFF AND ON for 3 years.

Meaning they date, they break up, they get back together, break up, date, etc.

SERIOUSLY means you are focusing on it, it's like 真面目に (まじめに ) in Japanese.

I've been thinking about that problem seriously and I think I have a solution.

Have a nice day,

Phil

Learning English is tough.

2011-03-30T20:47:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, today we'll talk about the word:

Tough

It is pronounced tuff and is a pretty useful word with a bunch of different meanings.

1- difficult -

My math test was tough.

Lately my job's been kind of tough.

I had a tough day at the office.

In spoken English difficult is a higher level and more formal word so it isn't used so much, especially in casual English or by young people.

2 - strong or durable physically +

My new bag's really tough.

Those soldiers look tough.

3 - hard, as in hard to chew -

This steak is tough. I can't even cut it!

Ouch! These cookies are too tough!

So you can see that tough has both positive and negative meanings. I hope this lesson wasn't too tough for all of you, ^_-

Have a good week,

Phil

It's a piece of cake!

2011-03-27T21:26:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone, here's a quick idiom lesson. I'm not sure if I've taught you this before but the idiom:

to be a piece of cake

is really common and quite useful. It means it is VERY EASY. It is most often used when you are trying to get someone to do something.

A: Can you help me move?

B: What?!? Move, that sounds like a lot of work.

A: No, it'll be a piece of cake. I only have a couch, a bed and 2 boxes to move.

B: Ah, ok then.

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

C: How was your test?

D: It was a piece of cake!

C: Great.

Ok, that's it for now. Time to get ready for work!

Have a nice day,

Phil

Trypanophobia

2011-03-21T00:00:00.000-07:00

Here's a cool post I saw on thefreedictionary.com it is about phobias.

Phobias are fears. It means you are afraid of X. It is most often used as a SUFFIX at the end of words...

arachnophobia

The fear of spiders.

I have arachnophobia.

Phobias are nouns.

agoraphobia

The fear of open or public spaces.

I'm an agoraphobe.

~phobe is used as a noun meaning a person who is afraid of X.

Claustrophobia

The opposite of agoraphobia, it is a fear of narrow, small or enclosed spaces.

I'm claustrophobic.

~phobic is an adjective meaning a person who has X~phobia.

So what does trypanophobia mean? I had no idea until I read this article:

http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Trypanophobia

Check it out!

Phil

I bumped into my friend the other day ^_^

2011-03-16T13:39:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone here's a quick mid-week lesson for you all. In English, we often use these two phrasal verbs:

to run into (someone)

to bump into (someone)

To bump into in Japanese is 打つかる (ぶつかる). They have a literal meaning, where you ACTUALLY bump/run into someone:

A: Ouch, watch where you're going!

B: Sorry, I didn't mean to run into you like that.

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

C: HEY!! What the hell?!?!?

D: Sorry for bumping into you, let me help you pick up your things.

They also have an idiomatic meaning, where you meet someone by chance. In Japanese, you would say 出会う (であう).

I bumped into an old friend from high school at Book Off yesterday. It was a nice surprise.

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

A: Ah hey, fancy meeting you here! I didn't know you liked old movies.

B: Yeah, I love black and white films but I never thought I'd run into you here.

A: Oh? Why not? You know I've seen Casablanca, like, 10 times.

That's all for now, see you soon,

Phil

That movie was a total flop.

2011-03-13T01:55:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone, here's a quick mini-lesson for a lazy Sunday. Do you understand the word FLOP?

It means something completely failed. We use it for new products, movies, books, etc. that are NOT a success.

HD-DVD was a flop.

Both Crystal Pepsi and Pepsi AM flopped.

The word flop can be replaced with the word bomb.

Betamax totally bombed, VHS won the VCR wars.

In Japanese, you could say 失敗作 (しっぱいさく).

The movie Love Guru was a flop. It sucked.

I'm not surprised that Kiss of Death flopped, it was unwatchable! I left before the movie ended.

So guys what are some famous Japanese movie flops?

Phil

The carrot and the stick.

2011-03-08T02:34:00.000-08:00

Have you heard this expression before?

In Japanese you'd say: 飴と鞭 (あめとむち). It means that if someone does well or what you want, you reward them (the carrot) and if they don't do well or don't do what you want, you punish them (the stick). Like this:

from http://www.verus-co2.com/blog/?p=836

So if the donkey moves faster it can eat the carrot (reward) but if it slows down it will get hit with the stick (punishment).

I use the carrot and the stick in class. Good students get prizes and students who misbehave get kicked out of class.

A: You should try a carrot and stick approach.

B: Huh?

A: You know, if your daughter does well in school you treat her to ice cream at Haagen-Daaz. If she does OK she gets nothing and, if she does badly she gets no dessert for a week!

B: Yeah, that might work! She loves sweets.

Enjoy your week,

Phil

My house's nearby.

2011-03-05T02:19:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone, do you know the difference between near and nearby?

Near is a preposition. It means close to something. So, it will usually be used with the structure:

near + place

My house is near here.

Bob lives near Don Quixote.

Nishi-Honganji is near Kyoto station.

Tully's is near the post office.

Nearby is an adverb NOT a preposition. So you use it with a verb, most often the verb "to be". It means close to here (where we are now).

X is nearby

My house is nearby.

There's a nice cafe nearby wanna grab a bite to eat?

It's nearby. You can walk there in 5 minutes.

But it can be used with other verbs.

My aunt lives nearby.

My kids are playing nearby let's go check on them.

I heard gunfire nearby, let's get out of here!

Have a good weekend!

Phil

What are you implying?

2011-03-01T13:19:00.000-08:00

You will hear this often in crime dramas. Today, I will teach you about the verb:

to IMPLY

It means to STRONGLY hint at something. You don't say something directly, instead you drop many hints.

The teacher is implying I'm cheating! He doesn't believe I studied and passed the test on my own. What a jerk!

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

A: Yesterday, you came over to play video games. When I got up this morning ,my new Monster Hunter 3 was missing...

B:What are you implying? Do you think I stole it???

A: Well, the game's gone...

B: You probably misplaced it or your brother took it. I can't believe you'd accuse me of stealing!!!

A: Hey calm down, I'm not accusing you of anything... yet. Let's look for the game and I'll text my brother to see if he took it.

As you can see, it's usually used in a negative way. Often when someone accuses you of something.

Have a good week, I hope to post 6-8 times this month.

Phil

The "TH" sound

2011-02-26T06:04:00.001-08:00

Hey everyone, here's a quick lesson about the "TH" sound. You make this sound by putting your tongue between your teeth and pulling back. BUT there are two versions:

a VOICED as in, THat, THink THose

and an UNVOICED sound as in, mouTH, baTH, cloTH

Here's a phrase to help you practiced the voiced TH:

Think things through Theo~!

To think through means to think carefully about something and think about the possible consequences of your actions. Meaning if I do A then maybe B will happen...

Here's a phrase to practice the unvoiced TH:

Beth studied math in the bath.

Here's a video to help you out:

Have a good weekend!

Phil

Eh, I'm not too picky...

2011-02-21T17:56:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! It's time for another mini-lesson. Today we'll talk about the word:

PICKY

Do you know this word? It comes from the verb "to pick" meaning "to choose". For example;

Hurry up and pick something so we can all order!

When you add Y to words in English you can make them into casual adjectives.

pick ----> pickY

rock ----> rockY

luck ----> luckY

Picky means you are very particular about your choices. You only want X and nothing else.

A: Here's your salad.

B: Huh, what's this? This isn't arugula!

A: Sorry, I only have romaine lettuce.

B: Well then I'm not eating it, I only eat arugula.

A: Wow, you're really picky.

The most common synonym is choosy. You might also hear finicky or fussy. BUT these are usually used to talk about KIDS!

C: What do you want for dinner?

D: Anything's fine, I'm not picky.

Have a nice week!

Phil

What's he like? What does he like?

2011-02-19T15:00:00.000-08:00

Do you know the difference between these two questions?

What's _________ like?

Is asking for a DESCRIPTION, 名状 (めいじょう).

A: What's Bob like?

B: He's a really nice guy.

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

C: What's Kappazushi like?

D: Oh, it's pretty good and the sushi is cheap!

When we ask What does _________ look like?

We are asking for a physical description.

A: What does Sally look like?

B: She's slim, tall and very pretty.

A: Really?

B: Yeah, and she has long straight blond hair.

But when we ask What does __________ like?

We are asking for a preference, 選好 (せんこう).

A: What does Bob like?

B: He's a foodie, he loves food.

A: Really, what kind of food does he like?

B: He likes all kinds of food, but he really loves French food.

I hope this lesson was clear, have a great week!

Phil

It's time to stock up...

2011-02-14T17:33:00.000-08:00

...Happy Valentine's Everyone!

So at this time of year chocolate is on sale and it is a good chance to stock up.

The word stock means inventory, 在庫 (ざいこ). So when something is sold-out it is, out of stock = 売り切れ (うりきれ). Around Valentine's is a good time to stock up on chocolate.

Stock up means that you build up a lot of inventory-you buy many so that you can use them in the future. So whenever I see snacks on sale at a good price I often stock up so that I can enjoy them later ^_^

Ok that is all for today but here is a link to a website where you can study more Valentine's English:

http://cambridgeenglishonline.com/valentines_english/

It's called the Valentine's English Zone, enjoy!

Phil

It's a family heirloom.

2011-02-12T17:03:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, do you know what heirloom means?

In Japanese you'd say, 家宝 (かほう). So like the kanji say it is a family treasure that is passed down from parents to their children as is often kept in the family as long as possible. It could be a watch, a painting, a bracelet, furniture, a book, etc.

Now when you have an heirloom you would often say:

Oh that painting? It's a family heirloom, we've had it for ages.

or

A: Where'd you get that watch? It's really nice.

B: Oh this? I have no idea, it's been in my family for ages. I guess it's kind of like a family heirloom.

For ages means for a really long time. An age is like; an Ice Age, the Stone Age, the Computer age, etc. In Japanese, I guess it is like 時代 (じだい). So for ages means for many ages! I guess it has passed from your great-grandparents(or before) down to you.

I've had this car for ages, I thinks it's time I get a new one.

Now if you want to use a weaker expression you can say for years. This also means for a long time but LESS than for ages.

A: Hey nice tie!

B: Oh this old thing? I've had it for years.

or

We've been coming to this restaurant for years and you STILL don't know our names??

Alright that's it for today, have a nice weekend!

Phil

What's the matter? What's wrong?

2011-02-11T02:41:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, here's another lesson about English usage. Do you know the difference in feeling between:

What's the matter?

and

What's wrong?

They are both really close in meaning. When you see someone who looks a bit angry, sad, crying, etc. you'd probably ask them:

What's wrong? is used when there is something obviously wrong with someone. They are showing signs of a big emotional problem, like crying, screaming, shouting, punching, kicking, etc.

A: waaah, sniff , sniff, waah (crying sounds)

B:Oh, what's wrong little girl?

A: I can't find my Mommy.

B: Do you know your phone number? You can call home on my cell.

As you can see in this example, the girl is crying so "What's wrong?" sounds more natural. "What's the matter?" would be more polite but he's talking to a child so it isn't really necessary.

Don: Damn! Stupid piece of crap!!! (hits his keyboard)

Paul: Hey Don, calm down. What's wrong?

Don: My stupid computer froze AGAIN. I hate windows!!

There's an obvious problem and Don and Paul are friends so, "What's wrong?" sounds better.

"What's the matter?" is more flexible and also more polite. You can use it when someone is crying, screaming, angry, etc. AND when they are simply quiet or don't seem like themselves.

A: You're quiet today. What's the matter?

B: I just got dumped~!

A: Oh, your boyfriend broke up with you? He's a jerk!

So, there was no obvious sign of anything wrong she was just quieter than usual. In the case, it's more natural to me to say "What's the matter?".

I think "What's the matter?" because it is more polite and less direct makes it softer and so more flexible, maybe even kinder. "What's wrong?" is a bit too direct to use with strangers.

A: waah waah sniff sniff waaaah (crying)

B: What's the matter?

A: I lost my cat.

B: It's ok, I'm sure it will come back. Do you want me to help you find it?

A and B don't really seem to know each so "What's the matter?" sounds a bit better.

I hope you enjoyed this lesson, have a good week,

Phil

Bacteria vs. germs

2011-02-06T02:21:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, here's a quick little lesson to start off the month. Do you know what the difference is between bacteria and germs? I am not talking about a detailed difference in the biological sense but about the difference in meaning in casual everyday spoken English...

...GERMS is NEGATIVE, it is used to talk about bad micro-organisms. In Japanese, you might say: 病菌 (びょうきん) or 黴菌 (ばいきん).

I hate germs~! They make us sick.

Oh, if you don't know, organism means a living thing like 有機体 (ゆうきたい) or 生き物 (いきもの). Probably it is closer in meaning to "yuukitai". A micro-organism is simply a very very small living thing.

BACTERIA on the other hand is more neutral, it could be bad or good.

I eat a special yogurt to give my stomach some good bacteria to help with my digestion.

I always use anti-bacterial cleaning products, I hate bacteria like salmonella!

Bacteria in Japanese is of course, バクテリア.

I hope you enjoyed this lesson, I will try and post a new one soon!

Phil

Cat got your tongue?

2011-01-30T18:19:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, for the last lesson of the month I will talk about a few idioms related to the word tongue (舌 - した). The first we'll look at is:

Cat got your tongue?

This is a question meaning "Why aren't you saying anything?" or "Why are you so quiet?" according to thefreedictionary.com it is most often used by adults towards children.

A: Hi Timmy what'd you do today?

B: ...

A: Cat got your tongue Timmy?

B: No, but I was playing baseball and broke a window...

-------

John: Hey Sam, how's it going?

Sam: ...

John: Hello, Earth to Sam... what's the matter? Cat got your tongue?

Sam: Oh, sorry, I was daydreaming and didn't hear you.

So you can use this question anyone is not talking to you or answering your questions. It has a friendly, casual feel.

Ok the second idiom we'll look at is:

It's on the tip of my tongue.

We use this when we are trying to remember something and we feel we are close to remembering it. It's usually used with NAMES...

A: Oh who's that guy that painted the Mona Lisa again?

B:Oh, I know that! It's -

A: No wait! I got it, it's on the tip of my tongue...

B: Yeah, it's Leo-

A: Yeah, yeah I got it! It's Leonardo Da Vinci!

-----

C: Who was that?

D: I forget her name... hmm, it's on the tip of my tongue...

D:...now I remember, she's Kara we went to university together.

Well that's it for this month, see you in February~!

Phil

Do you get it?

2011-01-26T18:08:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, time for a quick mini-lesson about the phrasal verb:

Get it

Which is pronounced: geddit.

Do you get it?

Means

Do you understand it?

It is most often used when talking about JOKES~!

A: Do you get it?

B: No, I don't get it. Do you?

C: Me neither. Why's he laughing so much?

A: Well, if none of us gets it, it can't be that funny...

It might also be used to simply say you don't understand something like a book or a piece of art, a song, etc... in which case we use don't get X.

I don't get why Britney Spears is so popular.

I don't get this book, it's gibberish.

Gibberish means 珍糞漢 (ちんぷんかん) or 痴れ言 (しれごと).

I don't get this painting...do you?

OK that's it for now. If you like click on the tag for get on the left side of the screen for more lessons about this useful verb!

Have a good week,

Phil

Don't choke~!

2011-01-23T04:29:00.000-08:00

The other day I was with my girlfriend watching a TV show and a character said:

"I don't wanna choke"

She asked me "What does choke mean?" So today I will teach you all about a few of the meanings of the verb:

Choke

The main meaning is that you can't breathe well, even to the point of death. But from this meaning you get many variations:

He choked Bill to death.
(squeezed his neck)

My collar is too tight, it's choking me a bit...
(too tight so you can't breathe)

What's with all the smoke? Open the window before we all choke!
(can't breathe)

As Elvis said: "I'm all choked up."
(full of emotion so that you can't speak.)

The meaning from the TV show was to fail to perform adequately due to tension or agitation(from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/choke). In other words, you are trying to win or do something but you just can't because of a mental block.

I'm gonna talk to her today. I swear I won't choke.

I can't believe he choked on the penalty kick!

Don't choke! You can do it!

So do you all understand the verb choke? Next time you see a foreigner or go abroad and try to speak English, relax take it easy and just enjoy it. That way you won't choke ^_^

Have a good week,

Phil

Indian English, Part 3

2011-01-19T18:41:00.000-08:00

This is the last lesson in this series and finishes my tribute to India. While I was traveling in India, I often had to go through metal detectors and then get a quick non-invasive pat down.

At the Taj Mahal, security was a bit tighter and they go through everything you're carrying(no food, toys?, etc.). When I was going through it I had my copy of the Lonely Planet book Indian English in my pocket and the security guard asked me to take it out. When he saw the book he just laughed and said Ok. hahaha

Today, I am going to talk about some common misunderstandings between speakers of standard English and Indian English.

latrines

In Indian English it means toilets, it probably came from British soldiers since the only time I've ever heard this word was in a military context, like: "You guys go dig the latrines!".

Where are the latrines?

curd

This means yoghurt in standard English.

bearer

This means waiter, it comes from the verb to bear which means to carry. It isn't used so often in standard English anymore. From the U.S. Constitutions 2nd Amendment:
The right to bear arms.

Where's the bearer?

Ground Floor

Just like in most of Europe the first floor(North America) is G and then the 2nd floor is 1F. It's kind of confusing to me... ^_-

nose cut

This doesn't mean that you cut your nose. It actually means humiliation, in Japanese 凌虐 (りょうぎゃく) .

I was totally nose cut.

Meaning "I was totally humiliated".

tight

In Indian English it means broke or すっからかん.

I'm tight.

Meaning "I'm broke".

Ok that's all for this series, I'll try and post a new lesson this weekend.

Phil

Indian English, Part 2

2011-01-15T02:44:00.000-08:00

On aspect of Indian English is the use of Hinglish. Hinglish is a mix of Hindi and English. Today we're gonna look at some common Hinglish expressions.

discount hai

This means discounted and comes from the Hindi "There is a discount". So hai basically means ある in Japanese.

A: Where are you going?
B: To the mall, discount hai bags~!

sale ka maal

This means goods for sale, from the Hindi maal(goods) and ka(for).

rail roko

This is a blockade of trains as a form of political or social protest. From the Hindi, roko meaning stop.

When I was in India there was a rail roko by Gujjars on the Delhi-Mumbai train route.

line maroing

This means flirting. It's from the Hindi, maro meaning to hit.

That guys always line maroing, you shouldn't trust him.

maha idiot

Meaning a mega-idiot. Maha is Hindi for very so I guess it is similar to the Japanese, チョー《超》(ちょう).

That guys a real maha idiot!

kya problem hai?

What's the problem? From the Hindi kya for what.

love mein

Meaning to be in love, from the Hindi mein for in.

A: Kya problem hai?
B: I'm love mein but she's married.
A: That's terrible yaar.

Yaar means buddy or friend in Hindi.

bahut bore

This means very boring. Bahut in Hindi means alot.

The movie Kiss of Death is bahut bore! It sucks man.

Well, I think that's enough for now, time to make dinner. Have a nice weekend yaar~!

Phil

Indian English, Part 1

2011-01-12T18:37:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone! I am now back in Japan after my trip to India. Overall, it was a good trip with some amazing sights. So in honor of my trip, I am going to have three mini-lessons on:

Indian English

Indian English is an English dialect spoken in India. It is a mix of English and other Indian languages with some local grammatical structures which sound wrong or strange to speakers of standard English. I learned about it from Lonely Planets, Indian English: Language & Culture which is a fun little book.

I am going to start today's lesson with the different uses of the word black in Indian English.

black = a dark complexion

Complexion means: skin color/texture/appearance, especially of the face.

blacker = darker

A bit strange but understandable in standard English.

blackened = reputation dragged through the mud

It is more natural for me to say you tarnished my reputation. Tarnish means to lose luster, to discolor. It is most often used with metals like brass which slowly turn black if they aren't polished regularly.

black-black = jet black, 漆黒 (しっこく)

It's a very deep rich black.

black heart = having wicked thoughts

This is old English meaning someone is evil/mean. He has a black heart.

black deeds = cruelty

In old English it means a bad action.

Redbeard the pirate's black deeds were infamous.

black face = ashamed

In standard English, black face is when a white actor would use black make-up to paint himself to pretend to be a black person. This is considered racist these days but was quite common in early cinema/TV.

blackout = power failure or fainting

This is pretty much the same in standard English:

There was a blackout yesterday.

She drank so much she blacked out.

Notice in standard English when using blackout to mean fainting it is the phrasal verb black out NOT the noun blackout.

Well, I hope you enjoyed this lesson I will try and post 6 times this month. Wish me luck~!

Phil

On my mother's side...

2010-12-20T16:52:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, do you know the above expression? Today's mini-lesson will explain it and I think it will be my last lesson this year as I am off to India in a few more days and need to start packing...

On my mother's side...

and

On my father's side...

are used when talking about your extended family. Your immediate family is one step from you: your parents, your kids, your brothers or sisters. Your extended family is everyone beyond that: your grandparents, your uncles, your aunts, your cousins, etc.

We use these expressions to specify WHICH grandmother we are talking about, your father's mother(father's side) or your mother's mother(mother's side).

Baba is my grandmother on my father's side.

I have 5 cousins on my mother's side.

Well everyone have a

Merry Christmas and a

Happy New Year~!

Phil

Things you need to do...

2010-12-15T05:43:00.000-08:00

Today, we will talk about our NEEDS. In Japanese, you say 要る (いる) as a verb and 必要 (ひつよう) as a noun/adjective. In English, we can use 4 different expressions:

MUST

This is the most formal and possibly the strongest.

You must study for tomorrow's test.

NEED TO

This is a bit less formal and weaker than must.

You need to study for tomorrow's test.

HAVE TO

This is more casual and often used in North American English, in conversation it is often pronounced HAFTA~!

You have to(hafta) study for tomorrow's test.

GOT TO

This is a bit more casual than have to and I feel it sounds a bit younger to me. I feel it is often used by kids/teenagers... in conversation it is pronounced GODDA...

You got to (godda) study for tomorrow's test.

Hmm, it is time for dinner guys so:

I godda go~!

Phil

There's no use beating a dead horse...

2010-12-07T17:48:00.000-08:00

The other day, after I posted my blog I remembered this similar sounding expression:

There's no use beating a dead horse.

You might also hear someone say flogging a dead horse... have you heard this saying before? While it sounds similar to "There's no use crying over spilled milk" it has a pretty different meaning!

It means it is time to give up, if you are riding a horse and you flog it to make it run faster... once it has died from exhaustion hitting it again will not make it move~!

It comes from the idiom: to beat a dead horse. It means that something is a waste of time since the result has already been decided. If I continue doing it, it will have no result so what's the point?

A: I don't mean to beat a dead horse but you really should see Avatar.
B: I TOLD you, I hate sci-fi movies. Drop it~! You're getting on my nerves...

So do you guys understand? When you beat a dead horse you're doing something pointless, it will have no result!

Have a good week,

Phil

P.S. check out these links for more info

GoEnglish - Beat a Dead horse

Wikipedia - Flogging a dead horse

There's no use crying over spilled milk...

2010-12-05T18:23:00.000-08:00

Have you guys heard this idiom before? It's a really common saying we use when someone is complaining or whining about something. It means that you can't change the past so there is no use crying about it. Crying about the past will not change anything...

Another way of saying it is:

What's done is done.

Meaning it happened we can't change it so we need to move on. Anyways, the reason I brought these expressions up is that I'm sorry I didn't post more often on my blog last month but I was too busy planning some trips, studying for my test(which I think went fine) and getting ready for my move... so I'm sorry but:

There's no use crying over spilled milk~!

Phil

P.S. More lessons coming soon, I'm aiming for 4-6 posts this month, wish me luck!

Nautical Idioms, idioms from the sea...

2010-11-19T15:42:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, I haven't posted in awhile. Sorry about that but I am crazy busy and a bit stressed these days as I deal with travel plans for the winter holidays, a planned move and my test on December 5Th! I just have too much on my plate(to do) so I haven't had time to post...

Anyways, this is a short post based on an article from The Art of Manliness about Nautical slang. You can see the whole article here: http://artofmanliness.com/2010/11/09/three-sheets-to-the-wind-nautical-slang-in-common-usage/

Here's a quick look at the idioms they covered:

to turn a blind eye

This means to refuse to see or recognize something.

Too many people turn a blind eye to domestic violence.

as the crow flies

This means the shortest distance between two points. The actual distance in a straight line, not the one following the roads.

A: How far is the drugstore?

B: About 2 miles as the crow flies.

over a barrel

This means in a helpless, weak or awkward position, unable to act.

My boss has me over the barrel.

know the ropes

To understand this details of how a business or something works.

Do you know the ropes yet? No, ok I'll show you the ropes.

to the bitter end

To continue something to the end even if it is unpleasant.

I'm staying in my marriage to the bitter end.

a slush fund

This is Money set aside by a business for corrupt activities or to use for fun or entertainment.

Most political parties have slush funds.

three sheets to the wind

This means to be drunk.

Man that guy is three sheets to the wind~! He can't even stand...

jury rigged

To improvise, to build or make something for temporary or emergency use.

I jury rigged a solution to the problem.

to start over with a clean slate

This means to start over fresh.

We need to start with a clean slate.

first rate

The best, top rank, most important, best quality.

You did a first rate job!

Ok there are a few more on The Art of Manliness and you can read about the history of these idioms there which is pretty interesting. Have a good weekend,

Phil

You did that on purpose~!!!

2010-11-07T05:45:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, sorry I haven't posted yet this month. I was up in Tokyo last week and I've been really busy studying for my test... which is in just 1 month~!! Unfortunately, this means that I won't be able to post so much this month. I will try and post 4-5 times, wish me luck!

Today, I was teaching a lesson and I said that it looks like they did it on purpose... but my student didn't understand. Do you?

On purpose

This means that you do something as a plan, it is NOT an accident. In Japanese, you would say: わざと (態と). A similar expression is to mean to do something.

A: Ouch! Watch where you're going!

B: Sorry.

A: You don't sound sorry... did you do that on purpose?
------------------
Mom, Tim broke my toy on purpose!
------------------
Sorry, I didn't mean to step on your foot. I didn't do it on purpose.

Now the opposite of on purpose is by accident.

Oops! I knocked over the plate by accident and it broke. I'm sorry...

I did it by accident... it wasn't planned... it wasn't intentional...

Hmm, is that clear enough? I hope so, have a nice weekend ^_^

Phil

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

2010-10-31T03:26:00.000-07:00

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