Thanks

There are many ways to thank someone in English.

Thank you.
Thanks.
Thanks a lot.
Thank you very much.
Thanks a million.

It was very kind of you.
I appreciate your help.
You have been very helpful.

When someone says ‘thank you’, you may say:-

You’re welcome.
That’s OK/alright.
No problem.
Not at all.
Don’t mention it.
It was nothing.
It’s my pleasure.
Any time.

If someone tries to help but isn't successful, we can say:-

Thank you for trying.
Thanks anyway.
Never mind. Thanks
It doesn’t matter. Thank you.

You have read this article with the title November 2010. You can bookmark this page URL https://apostolosmakrides.blogspot.com/2010/11/thanks.html. Thanks!

VocaTube - Vocabulary related to the Office and Work

Videos from YouTube help us to be up to date or have a good time; we believe they can also be a powerful educational tool. At Learn English Online blog we’d like to use some of the millions of videos available on YouTube to improve your English vocabulary.

Videos for this entry are about the topic of the office and its related vocabulary, you’ll learn vocabulary and sentences useful not only at the office but also at any job.

Remember that vocabulary can only be improved with practice and listening through repetition. It’s difficult for everyone to understand from the beginning but you’ll notice that the more hours you listen, the better your understanding.

Essential English Office Vocabulary – elementary English



Link to the video on YouTube

Another video with basic Vocabulary – elementary English



Link to the video on YouTube

Video that shows the vocabulary at the office along with examples of use and descriptive images – intermediate English



Link to the video on YouTube

Good video with vocabulary and sentences to understand the use in context – intermediate English



Link to the video on YouTube

Excellent subtitled video from Mr Duncan where he explains the most important office English vocabulary – intermediate English



Link to the video on YouTube

Very good video that explains the most common phrases and expressions for making phone calls in English – intermediate English



Link to the video on YouTube

Learn to talk about what you did at work in the past in English (past continuous) – intermediate English



Link to the video on YouTube

Let’s finish this VocaTube with a bit of humour from a funny video related to the office – advanced English



Link to the video on YouTube

You have read this article VocaTube with the title November 2010. You can bookmark this page URL https://apostolosmakrides.blogspot.com/2010/11/vocatube-vocabulary-related-to-office.html. Thanks!

Paraphrasing in spoken language

Paraphrasing in spoken language is when you repeat things in a different way.

It is used when you want to make sure you have understood what someone has said.

Let me get this clear/straight....
What you mean is....
What you are saying is....
So you mean....

or when you want to make sure that your meaning is clear to someone else.

In other words....
What I mean is....
What I'm trying to say is....

You have read this article with the title November 2010. You can bookmark this page URL https://apostolosmakrides.blogspot.com/2010/11/paraphrasing-in-spoken-language.html. Thanks!

Ways of cooking

You have read this article with the title November 2010. You can bookmark this page URL https://apostolosmakrides.blogspot.com/2010/11/ways-of-cooking.html. Thanks!

Write a Guest Post for Great Exposure

Did you know that writing a guest post is one of the best ways to get your name out there and increase your visibility on the Internet? If you are an English teacher, a student, a company or simply a blogger that would like to get some links to his/her blog, you should seriously consider writing a guest post.

At Learn English Online we have always encouraged and given the opportunity to anyone interested in writing a guest post for the blog. Moreover, your article will normally be translated to Spanish and also published in our blog Aprender Inglés Online.

There are many benefits to writing a guest post:

• You’ll make yourself known (as a person, a company, a Web page or a blog), increasing your visibility on the Internet.
• Your guest post will reach more than 2500 subscribers of the blogs.
• + 4000 followers on Twitter will see your article and will be able to recommend it to their followers.
• + 1500 daily visits to the blog will also enjoy reading your guest post.
• You’ll get two links per article and per blog, making a total of 4 links per guest post (2 links in the article in English plus 2 links in the same article translated to Spanish).

If you kept reading, we assume that you’re interested in the possibility of writing a guest post. You should know that there are also some general rules that every guest post should follow:

• Our readers love reading good articles so the guest post should be of a reasonable standard, both grammatically and topic-wise.
• The topic should be about a free online resource to learn English online, a document describing an English lesson (about vocabulary or grammar for instance) or a guide to learn English using a free tool on the Internet.
• Guest posts should be unique and should have not been published before on any website or blog.
• Recommended length for the guest post is between 1 and 2 pages (in a text editor as Word). Although some exceptions based on the article would be accepted.

Last but not least, some examples of guest posts that have been written for the blogs are:

Learn English Phrasal Verbs Using 3 Powerful Tips
Aprende los verbos compuestos (Phrasal Verbs) utilizando 3 buenos consejos

Think in English, Change your Facebook Account to English
Piensa en inglés - Cambia tu cuenta de Facebook al inglés

Netlingo - The Dictionary of the New Technologies
Netlingo - El diccionario de las nuevas tecnologías

How to Prepare for the TOEFL
Cómo prepararse para el examen TOEFL

If we have convinced you and you’d like to write a guest post, please contact us at the following email address:

You have read this article General with the title November 2010. You can bookmark this page URL https://apostolosmakrides.blogspot.com/2010/11/write-guest-post-for-great-exposure.html. Thanks!

Expressions used to describe people

A big-mouth = someone who can’t keep a secret

A bookworm = loves reading books
Bossy = likes telling others what to do
A chatterbox = can’t stop talking
Cheap = someone who doesn’t like spending money
Clueless = someone who has no idea what is going on
Down to earth = a practical person

Easygoing = has a relaxed attitude
A high flier = is clever and ambitious and looks for promotion and success
A killjoy = prevents others from enjoying themselves
A know-it-all = someone who thinks they know everything
A lazybones = someone who isn’t active or energetic
A nosey parker = pokes their nose into other people’s business
An odd-ball = someone strange
Pigheaded = stubborn
Pushy = forceful
A scatterbrain = is confused and forgetful
A slowcoach / slowpoke = someone who is slow
A quick study = someone who learns very fast
A workaholic = loves to work

You have read this article with the title November 2010. You can bookmark this page URL https://apostolosmakrides.blogspot.com/2010/11/expressions-used-to-describe-people.html. Thanks!

Expressions with 'look'

Look after somebody/something = take care of e.g. Can you look after our dog this weekend?
Look ahead = think and plan for the future e.g. We have to look ahead if we want to make a profit.
Look at = examine e.g. Look at this proposal and let me know what you think.
Look back = remember something from the past e.g. When I look back, I realize it was a crazy thing to do.
Look down on = think someone is less important than you e.g. They looked down on us because we were waiters.
Look for = to try to find something/someone e.g. I’ve been looking for my keys all morning.
Look forward to = excited about a future event e.g. I’m looking forward to the concert.
Look into = investigate e.g. The police are looking into the bank robbery.
Look out! =take care e.g. Look out! There is a car coming.
Look out for something/somebody = look carefully e.g. Look out for Lucy, her plane has landed.
Look over something = examine quickly e.g. I looked over my notes before the presentation.
Look through something = examine carefully e.g. I looked through the files for the missing document.
Look up = to search for information e.g. We looked up the number in the directory.
Look up = starting to improve e.g. Things are beginning to look up.
Look up to = respect e.g. He has always looked up to his older brother.

From the look of things = judging by appearances e.g. From the look of things, the shop is doing great.
Not much to look at = unattractive e.g. The car is not much to look at but it is reliable.
Look on the bright side = be cheerful in spite of difficulties e.g. Look on the bright side, at least you got tickets to the concert.
Look his/her age = appear as old as he/she really is e.g. She doesn’t look her age at all.
New look = fresh appearance e.g. Her new hairstyle gives her a completely new look.

You have read this article with the title November 2010. You can bookmark this page URL https://apostolosmakrides.blogspot.com/2010/11/expressions-with.html. Thanks!

Learn English Phrasal Verbs Using 3 Powerful Tips

Quite often foreign English speakers have tendency of creating complicated, unnatural English sentences when speaking. While it’s acceptable and even necessary (to develop English writing skills and learn to express yourself) when writing, in spoken English it can lead to situations when English learners struggle to explain themselves and hesitate when speaking. That’s when phrasal verbs come into action and facilitate spoken English fluency and therefore they’re really beneficial in order to increase foreign English speakers’ confidence!

But if you’re having and impression that phrasal verbs are used only as slang phrases and educated, intelligent people don’t use them – you’d better think twice! While there’s indeed a great number of very informal phrasal verbs like ‘to stick up for’ which means ‘to defend someone when they’re being criticized’ or ‘fire away!’ meaning ‘start speaking!’, it’s very handy being able to use them as well. If you’re on a night out with English speaking folks, you’ll be able to communicate with ease as informal chat mostly consists of such phrasal verbs.

Have I finally managed to persuade you to start leaning English phrasal verbs? Then let’s get down to the business!

Tip #1. While there are plenty of English textbooks dedicated to phrasal verbs, there’s no real need to get a hold of one. You don’t need to stuff your brain with hundreds of phrasal verbs at once because you’ll simply start mixing them up! Of course, it never hurts to have one for reference, but I’d suggest you go for freely available online resources.

While there are many English learning websites where you can find lists of phrasal verbs, you need to find one where the phrasal verbs come with example sentences. You need to see in what context a phrasal verb is used to get it right!

Here’s a great website with thousands of phrasal verbs with examples. You can use it when picking new phrasal verbs to learn and also to look up meanings of new phrasal verbs you come across when learning English.

Tip #2. When choosing which phrasal verbs to learn, go for the most commonly used first! Here’s a list of the essential English phrasal verbs, and even if you learn only half of them, your spoken English will definitely become more fluent!

Learning English is often not so much about quantity as quality. You see – any person has active and passive vocabularies. Your active English vocabulary contains all the English words you can actually use when speaking, but passive is all the English words you recognize but can’t really use when speaking. So while it’s definitely useful to recognize meanings of plenty of phrasal verbs, you can add only a limited number of phrasal verbs to your active vocabulary in a given period of time.

That’s why it’s crucial to pick out the most commonly used ones and start using them when speaking English!

Tip #3. Pick a few phrasal verbs – one to three every day – and write them in your pocket dictionary. Memorize them by repeating a good number of times until the phrasal verb settles in your mind.

IMPORTANT! Always learn phrasal verbs within context! Don’t memorize a single phrasal verb, instead repeat and memorize a phrase that contains it!

So instead of memorizing only ‘to pass around’ learn the whole phrase ‘to pass test papers around’. By memorizing phrasal verbs this way you’ll make sure you can use them in real English conversations later on. If, on the other hand, you memorize only the exact phrasal verbs, you might struggle using them when speaking. You’ll be forced to constantly kind of look them up from your inner dictionary and it will hamper your English fluency. But if you have them imprinted in your mind as part of natural English phraseology, you’ll be able to use them automatically.

Of course, it’s important that you pick relevant phrases. Don’t learn a phrasal verb phrase ‘to get away with stealing a million’. Are you really going to talk about stealing a million on a regular basis? Use your judgment and learn a phrase that is meaningful and would be used regularly, like ‘to get away with being late’. Just think of similar situations in your daily life and pick expressions that you would use!

Guest post from English learning enthusiast Robby Kukurs. Robby writes about improving spoken English on his blog EnglishHarmony.com. He also regularly posts videos about improving English fluency on his YouTube channel.

You have read this article Intermediate - B1 with the title November 2010. You can bookmark this page URL https://apostolosmakrides.blogspot.com/2010/11/learn-english-phrasal-verbs-using-3.html. Thanks!

VocaTube - Vocabulary about the Human Body on YouTube

Do you know how to express in English the different parts of your body? Like for instance the most important parts or some more specific like the muscular system? Don’t worry if your answer is negative as we bring you the solution.

In this new post about the VocaTube series, we present several videos with which you’ll learn vocabulary related to the human body. Moreover, videos are sorted according to the level s of difficulty (from the elementary to the advanced level) so you’ll be able to jump and watch only the ones you’re interested in.

Remember that vocabulary can only be improved with practice and listening through repetition. It’s difficult for everyone to understand from the beginning but you’ll notice that the more hours you listen, the better your understanding.

Learn how to pronounce and write several body parts (head, eye, nose, ear, mouth, hand, arm, leg, foot and stomach) with the following video – elementary English



Link to the video on YouTube

Funny video with the body parts explained by a pumpkin – elementary English



Link to the video on YouTube

Good video where you’ll find an explanation of the body parts explained by a cartoon – elementary English



Link to the video on YouTube

How to spell different parts of your body – elementary English



Link to the video on YouTube

Fantastic subtitled video where Mr Duncan explores the human body and look at some idioms and what happens when you are sick – intermediate English



Link to the video on YouTube

Very good subtitled video about the human body, health and exercise from Mr Duncan – intermediate English



Link to the video on YouTube

Respiration 3D Medical Animation – advanced English



Link to the video on YouTube

The muscular system – advanced English



Link to the video on YouTube

The digestive system – advanced English



Link to the video on YouTube

You have read this article VocaTube with the title November 2010. You can bookmark this page URL https://apostolosmakrides.blogspot.com/2010/11/vocatube-vocabulary-about-human-body-on.html. Thanks!

Phrasal verbs with ‘go’

Go about = begin dealing with something e.g. What’s the best way to go about researching the topic?
Go about something = to continue with an activity e.g. They went about their business as usual.

Go after somebody = chase e.g. Should we go after her?
Go after something = try to get something you want e.g. Are you planning to go after that managerial position?

Go against something = go against a rule/belief e.g. It goes against my principles to cheat in an exam.
Go against something/somebody = do the opposite e.g. I went against my parents' suggestions and became an accountant.

Go ahead = begin doing something e.g. We’re going ahead with the concert.

Go along with something/somebody = support an idea/opinion e.g. I went along with Joan's idea for the shopping mall.

Go around = many people getting an illness e.g. I caught a cold that’s been going around.
Go around = visit someone e.g. We went around to her place for tea.
Go around = enough for everyone e.g. Are there enough photocopies to go around?
Go around = to dress in a particular way e.g. He goes around in jeans.

Go away = ask someone to leave e.g. Please go away.
Go away = disappear e.g. The feeling won’t go away.

Go back = return e.g. We went back to India
Go back on = break a promise e.g. I don’t like to go back on my word.
Go back to something = to return to what you were doing e.g. We went back to work after lunch.
Go back to somebody = begin a relationship again with the same person e.g. Would you ever go back to him?

Go down = reduced e.g. House prices went down in January.
Go down = sunset e.g. We watched the sun go down.
Go down = ship/airplane accident e.g. The plane went down 5 minutes after take off.
Go down = enjoyable/easy to eat e.g. Some fries would go down nicely right now.

Go for something = choose e.g. I went for the green jumper.
Go for = sold at a price e.g. The book went for 20 dollars.
Go for = try to achieve something e.g. I’m going for that job.
Go for = like a particular type of thing/person e.g. Joan goes for younger men.

Go into = to describe, discuss, examine in detail e.g. I don’t want to go into detail now.
Go into = hit e.g. The car went into a tree.
Go into = time/money/effort spent on a product or activity e.g. A lot of work has gone into the project.
Go in with somebody = become someone’s business partner e.g. They went into business together.

Go off = explode e.g. The fireworks went off on New Year's Eve.
Go off = food or drink that can't be consumed e.g. The milk went off as we forgot to put it in the fridge.
Go off with = steal/take without asking e.g. Someone went off with my phone.

Go on = continue e.g. Life goes on.
Go on! = encourage someone to do something e.g. Go on! You can do it.
Go on = money spent on something e.g. Most of our income goes on shopping.
Go on = continue what you are saying e.g. Finish your story, go on.

Go out with somebody = have a romantic relationship with someone e.g. They've been going out for quite a while.

Go through something = to experience an unpleasant/difficult event e.g. He went through a difficult time after he lost his job.
Go through something = check the contents e.g. I went through my bag looking for my phone.

Go under = fail financially e.g. The company went under and couldn't cover its costs.

Go up = increase e.g. The price of cars has gone up.

Go without = to not have something e.g. We had to go without electricity when we didn't pay the bill.

You have read this article with the title November 2010. You can bookmark this page URL https://apostolosmakrides.blogspot.com/2010/11/phrasal-verbs-with-go.html. Thanks!

Onomatopoeia

Onomatopoeia is a word that is associated with the sound it makes. If someone jumps into a swimming pool, for example, we can describe this noise as 'splash'. Many are related to the noises that animals make such as 'buzz' (bee), 'meow' (cat), 'moo' (cow) etc. Onomatopoeia differs across languages.

Light and repeated sounds: trickle (water), drizzle (rain), sizzle (food frying), giggle (laughter)

Liquids sounds: spray, sprinkle, squirt

Metallic sounds: clang, clash

Miserable sounds: groan, grumble, grunt

Violent sounds: smash, crash

You have read this article with the title November 2010. You can bookmark this page URL https://apostolosmakrides.blogspot.com/2010/11/onomatopoeia.html. Thanks!

Proverbs

Proverbs are old sayings that provide advice, warnings and morals and have been handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth. They tend to be short and memorable and can be grouped by key elements e.g. time, gossip, wealth etc. Some proverbs have literal meanings while others are metaphorical. Although proverbs can be found in all cultures, the Chinese are renowned for their wide selection.

ABSENCE
Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
When the cat’s away, the mice will play.
If the dog is not at home, he barks not. [African proverb]
The absent are always in the wrong.
Out of sight, out of mind.
Present to the eye, present to the mind. [Chinese proverb]
Long absent, soon forgotten.
The absent get farther off every day. [Japanese proverb]

CHANGE
Variety is the spice of life.
Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t know.
One cannot put back the clock.
There is nothing permanent except change.
Preserve the old, but know the new. [Chinese proverb]
There is nothing new under the sun.

CHOICE
You cannot have it both ways.
You cannot have your cake and eat it. (you need to make a choice)
Of two evils choose the least.

EARLINESS
The early bird catches the worm.
First come, first served.
Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealth and wise.
Sooner begun, sooner done.
A stitch in time saves nine. (if something is done now you avoid future trouble)

GOSSIP
There’s no smoke without fire. (gossip generally has an element of truth in it)
An ill tongue may do much.
Go abroad and you’ll hear news of home.
Whispered words are heard afar. [Chinese proverb]
If the Nile knows your secret it will soon be known in the desert. [African proverb]
Walls have ears.

RESPONSIBILITY
Every man is the architect of his own fortune.
As you make your bed, so you must lie on it.
It takes two to tango.
A bad workman always blames his tools.
The absent party is always to blame.
When one falls, it is not one’s foot that is to blame. [Chinese proverb]
Idle folk lack no excuses.

SAFETY
There is safety in numbers.
Better safe than sorry.
It’s best to be on the safe side.
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. (don't invest all your efforts in just one thing)

SMALL THINGS
The best things come in small packages.
Small is beautiful.
Every little helps.
Little and often fills the purse.
Of a small spark, a great fire.

TIME
Time cures all things.
Time is money.
Time tests all things.
Time will tell.
Time flies.
For the busy man time passes quickly. [Chinese proverb]
Time and tide wait for no man.
What greater crime than loss of time?
There is a time and place for everything.
History repeats itself.

TRAVEL
Travel broadens the mind.
There’s no place like home.
Dry bread at home is better than roast meat abroad.
Home is where the heart is.
Better at home than a mile from it. [Chinese proverb]

WEALTH
He that has money has what he wants.
A rich man can do no wrong.
The rich knows not who is his friend.
Riches have wings. (wealth may be short-lived)
Riches take away more pleasures than they give. [Chinese proverb]
Money is the root of all evil.
Money makes the man.
The best things in life are free.
Money isn’t everything.
Health is better than wealth.
You can’t take it with you when you die.
Money makes money. (the best source of wealth is wealth itself)

You have read this article with the title November 2010. You can bookmark this page URL https://apostolosmakrides.blogspot.com/2010/11/proverbs.html. Thanks!

TOEIC Test

The TOEIC is the test of English for International Communication.It is a very common test among professionals and people in the business world.The test measures the ability of a non-native English speaking person related to everyday workplace conversations and situations.The test helps recruitment / HR department to quickly and efficiently find elite candidates who meet language requirements and helps other employees to establish a good foundation for follow-up training. TOEIC scores are used by 10,000 companies,Government Agencies , and English language programs in 120 Countries.

The TOEIC is a useful tool given to managers around the world to test workers on their abilities in the correct use of the English language.It give job seekers and Employees a competitive edge. The test enables universities to better prepare students for the International Workplace.

The TOEIC is a multiple-choice test consists of 200 questions simulate real life situations, organized in two sections: listening and reading.It is the standard place at the workplace and if you plan to work for any important company you will probably have to take this test.The test score report provide accurate,meaning full feedback about test takers strength and weakness along with the description of the English Language Strengths typical of test takers performing at various score level.

The most important thing to do in order to have good results is to practice practice a lot.In this post we would like to share an online sample Listening and Reading test of the TOEIC test. It is a great way to practice and to evaluate yourself.

TOEIC SAMPLE Listening and Reading Test Paper

You have read this article TOEIC Test with the title November 2010. You can bookmark this page URL https://apostolosmakrides.blogspot.com/2010/11/toeic-test.html. Thanks!

Oxford Guide To Style

Oxford Guide to style is a completely rewritten edition of Hart's Rules for Compositors and Readers, which is currently in its revised thirty-ninth edition.The Oxford Guide to Style has been expanded to encompass modern issues in preparing copy for publication. Hart's Rules is a classic text in printing and publishing houses, and this successor to it is also sure to become a classic. The book consists of 16 topic-based chapters giving advice on how to present the written word. It incorporates the most recent changes in citing electronic media, and details on submission of materials for publication electronically. The text is full of  examples,explanations, and lists on, for example, abbreviations,capitalization and mathematical symbols, and there is exhaustive information for editors on foreign languages and how to demonstrate them on the page. There is also tips on how to use quotations, references and notes, specialist subjects, and indexing.

As well as giving suggestion on the traditional skills needed in the preparation of copy and proofs, there is further information for editors on issues such as copyright laws and legal references. This really is the ultimate guide for all printers magazine,book, and Internet publishers on the preparation and presentation of the written word.

You have read this article Oxford Guide to Style with the title November 2010. You can bookmark this page URL https://apostolosmakrides.blogspot.com/2010/11/oxford-guide-to-style.html. Thanks!

Spelling of important words (IELTS listening)

In the listening section of the IELTS test, if you spell a word incorrectly then it is wrong. Here is a list of common words that you should know how to spell in order to avoid losing valuable marks.

Days of the week: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, weekdays, weekends

Months of the year: January, February, March, April, May, June, July August, September, October, November, December

Money matters: cash, credit card, cheque, in advance, annual fee, monthly membership, interest rate, deposit, tuition fees, poverty, bank statement, money management, current account, student account, withdraw, low-risk investment

Subjects: science, politics, history, economics, biology, architecture, law, geography

Studying at college/university: course outline, group discussion, handouts, written work, report writing, research, rewrite, proof reading, experiment, experience, review, revise, reference, textbooks, dictionary, laptop, printer, student support, student advisor, a term, intensive, modules, topic, assessment, library, education department, computer centre, classroom, lecture theatre, a lecture, lecturer, tutor, main hall, attendance, deadline, give a talk, speech, computer laboratory, certificate, diploma, placement test, overseas students, full-time, facilities, college dining room, specialist knowledge, international, accommodation, home stay, primary, secondary, intermediate, media room, resources room, staff room

Marketing: catalogue, interview, newsletter, supervise, competition, TV programme, strategies, research method, entertainment industry, leadership, management, testing, display, products, customer, special offer, collecting data, questionnaire, survey, mass media, statistics

Health: yoga, keep-fit, salad bar, vegetarian, picnic, outdoor activities, tennis, cycling, leisure activities, disease, diet, meal, dance studio, squash courts, protein

Nature: field, footbridge, environment, waterfall, river, mountain, forest, village

In the city: cities, street, lane, city centre, central station, train, car park, mini bus, department stores, ground floor, hire a car, bridge, restaurant, café, temple, embassy, road system, hospital, nursery, garden, pollution

Workplace: dentist, engineer, business, office assistant, reception, waiting list, appointment, staff selection, colleagues, workshop, showroom, information desk, employer, efficient, employment, unemployed, technical cooperation, team leaders, stress, attitude, ability, vision, confidence, training

Rating: reasonable, satisfactory, dangerous, safe, strongly recommend, poor quality

Touring: castles, guided tour, ticket office, souvenirs, trips, guest, reservation, view, culture

Other: prize, weather, temperature, international, passport photo, local newspaper, state, government, individual, variety, section, expensive, practice, gender, creativity

You have read this article with the title November 2010. You can bookmark this page URL https://apostolosmakrides.blogspot.com/2010/11/spelling-of-important-words-ielts.html. Thanks!

Preposition differences (British/American English)

British English – American English

At the weekend (s) – on the weekend (s)
At the front/back – in the front/back
A quarter past one – a quarter after one
A quarter to two – a quarter of two
At school – in school
Check something – check something out
Different from/to – different from/than
Do up a room etc. – do over a room etc.
Fill in a form – fill out a form
Friday to Sunday – Friday through Sunday
Get on (with somebody) – get along (with somebody)
Meet somebody – meet with somebody
Stay at home – stay home
To/in hospital – to/in the hospital
Visit somebody – visit with somebody

You have read this article with the title November 2010. You can bookmark this page URL https://apostolosmakrides.blogspot.com/2010/11/preposition-differences-britishamerican.html. Thanks!

What Is TOEFL Test

TOEFL is the test of English as a Foreign Language.It is designed to evaluate the English proficiency of people whose native language is not English.It is the most widely respected English language test, highly recognized by more than 7,500 colleges, universities and agencies in more than 130 countries.You can take the TOEFL test at your choice of more than 4,500 convenient test places around the world.The Entire test is given in one day without loosing your valuable time and money.TOEFL test basically helps to improve your English for use an academic needs in Classroom.

The test is is offered in two formats:

• Paper-Based Test (PBT)

The Paper-Based TOEFL (IBT) assesses the language skills in the following areas: Reading Comprehension,Listening Comprehension and Structure and Written Expression.

TOEFL (PBT) scores are valid for two years from the administration date. During this period you can send your test score report to the institutions of your choice.

Paper based version of TOEFL test is offered in those areas where IBT is not yet available.In Nepal both versions are available.

• Internet-Based Test (IBT).

The Internet-Based Test (IBT) assesses four basic language skills:

• Listening
• Reading
• Writing
• Speaking.

TOEFL IBT scores are valid for two years from the administration date. During this period you can send your test score report to the institutions of your choice.

In reading compression of this test you may read a passage from text book and listen to a lecture and then speak or write in response, just like you would in classroom.During TOEFL Speaking test your response recorded and evaluated by three to six ETS raters.

By sending your TOEFL score to selected university you will be proving that you are ready for academic success.For more information on TOELF visit official site.

You have read this article About Toefl Test with the title November 2010. You can bookmark this page URL https://apostolosmakrides.blogspot.com/2010/11/what-is-toefl-test.html. Thanks!

British English (BE) and American English (AE) word list

British English – American English
Aerial - antenna
Aeroplane - airplane
Anywhere - anyplace
Autumn - fall
Banknote - bill
Bank holiday – national holiday
Barrister, solicitor – attorney
Bathroom – toilet, WC
Bill - check
Block of flats – apartment building
Bonnet of a car - hood
Boot of a car - trunk
Bumper of a car - fender
Biscuit - cookie
Car park – parking lot
Carrier bag – shopping bag
Railway carriage - car
Chemist - drugstore
Cupboard - closet
Draughts - checkers
Drawing-pin – thumbtack
Dustbin, rubbish bin – garbage can, trash can
Estate agent – realtor
Flat – apartment
Ground floor – first floor
Handbag – purse
Hoarding – billboard
Holiday - vacation
Lift – elevator
Lorry - truck
Maize – corn
Maths – math
Motorway – expressway, freeway
Nappy – diaper
Off-licence – liquor store
Pants – underwear, shorts
Paraffin – kerosene
Pavement – sidewalk
Petrol – gas/gasoline
Postal worker – mail carrier
Pram – baby carriage
Purse – pocketbook
Queue - line
Railway – railroad
Return ticket – round-trip ticket
Roundabout – traffic circle
Rubber - eraser
Single ticket – one-way ticket
Spanner – wrench
Sweets – candy
Tap – faucet
Tights - pantyhose
Torch - flashlight
Underground – subway
Vest – undershirt
Wardrobe - closet
Waistcoat – vest
Wallet – pocketbook
Zebra crossing - crosswalk

You have read this article with the title November 2010. You can bookmark this page URL https://apostolosmakrides.blogspot.com/2010/11/british-english-be-and-american-english.html. Thanks!

Learn English with your iPhone using the Free App from Babbel

There is no doubt the use of mobile phones is increasing every day and there are now many people who use their phones not only to talk or text but also to check their email or browse the Internet.

Moreover, with products like the iPhone and services like the Apple Store, there are more than 200,000 apps available to provide our phone with a lot of extra functionality. Babbel also wants to lead the use of apps to learn languages and that’s why they have released a free app to learn English using your phone.

This app has more than 3,000 words in total (with vocabulary from the basic to the most advanced levels) so you can improve your level of English at any place. One of the strongest points of this app is its speech recognition functionality that allows you to test and practice your pronunciation.



This new audio feature includes analysis of pronunciation in real time and evaluates all facets of speech. The technology works as follows: When a learner repeats a word or a phrase, an algorithm compares his or her pronunciation to that of a native speaker, and immediately gives an evaluation of the similarity on a scale of 0-100. If the pronunciation scores over 50, that means it is generally understandable. At the learner’s discretion, the pronunciation can then be repeated to perfection.

By the way, this app to learn English is also available for other products of the Apple family like the iPod Touch or iPad. Hence, it is not critical to have an iPhone in order to enjoy it.

Register for free at Babbel and download its wonderful app for the iPhone

You have read this article Apps / iPad / iPhone with the title November 2010. You can bookmark this page URL https://apostolosmakrides.blogspot.com/2010/11/learn-english-with-your-iphone-using.html. Thanks!

Latin abbreviations used in English

Some Latin abbreviations are still used today for dates and times, academic qualifications and writing.

Dates and Times

A.C. (Ante Christum) = before Christ
A.D. (Anno Domini) = in the year of the Lord
a.m. (Ante Meridiem) = before midday
p.m. (Post Meridiem) = after midday

Academic Degrees

B.S./ B.Sc. (Baccalaureus Scientiae) = Bachelor of Science
LL.B. (Lequm Baccalaureus) = Bachelor of Laws
M.A. (Magister Artium) = Master of Arts (Fine Art, Humanities, Social Science, Theology)
M.D. (Medicinae Doctor) = Doctor of Medicine
Ph.D. (Philosophiæ Doctor) = Teacher of Philosophy

Academic writing

Et al. (et alii) = and others / and co-workers
Etc. (et cetera) = and other things
ibid. (ibidem) = in same place, for example in the same book
i.e. (id est) = in other words
op.cit. (opera citato) = as was mentioned previously in the same article or book
Viz. (videlicet) = that is to say

At the workplace

C.V. (curriculum vitae) = course of life. It is used to summarise job experience, skills and education when applying for employment.
N.B. (nota bene) = note well
e.g. (exampli gratia) = for example
p.a. (per annum) = yearly
per cent. (per centum) = percent, for each one hundred
p.p. (per procurationem) = through the agency of. If you are signing something on behalf of someone.
P.S. (post scriptum) = after what has been written. It is used to show that there are further additions after the signature.

You have read this article with the title November 2010. You can bookmark this page URL https://apostolosmakrides.blogspot.com/2010/11/latin-abbreviations-used-in-english.html. Thanks!

Confusing words

Flammable and inflammable both refer to materials and substances that are easily set on fire. Non-flammable is the opposite of flammable.

Mortal (formal word) / Fatal mean causing death. Lethal refers to a substance that can cause death.

Habitable usually refers to buildings and means suitable for living in. Inhabitable also refers to a place or geographical area that can be lived in, whereas uninhabitable is housing or a place that cannot be lived in.

Emigrate refers to movement from a country on a permanent basis while immigrate refers to movement into a country. Migrate is the process whereby people or animals move between countries on a temporary basis.

You have read this article with the title November 2010. You can bookmark this page URL https://apostolosmakrides.blogspot.com/2010/11/confusing-words.html. Thanks!

Why Using Phrasal Verbs Is Crucial For Fluent English

English phrasal verbs consist of a simple verb combined with a short word called particle – such as ‘on’, ‘up’, ‘down’ and similar. Typical examples of English phrasal verbs are ‘to put down’, ‘to find out’, and ‘to come back’ and as you can see the meanings of these simple phrasal verbs are self-explanatory. Obviously ‘to put down’ something indeed means that you have to put the respective object down, and you don’t have to be a genius to figure out that ‘to come back’ means exactly what it is – ‘to come back’!

Not on all occasions, though, a phrasal verb has a direct meaning. Let’s look at a phrasal verb ‘to look forward to’. If we take this phrase literally, it would mean ‘to look straight ahead’. However, in this case you have to think of yourself looking ahead into the future awaiting on an important event. OK, I have to admit that it is actually possible to guess its meaning. Even if you didn’t know the meaning of ‘to look forward to’ before, you’d still probably understand if someone told you: “All right, I have to go now. I’ll be really looking forward on meeting you again!”

But what if I told you: “I think we’ll have to put it off”? Would you still guess that the phrasal verb ‘to put off’ means ‘to postpone’? I think you have to agree that it’s not that easy, and here we’ve arrived at the vast amount of different English phrasal verbs that you have to learn before you can understand their meanings and start using them in your daily conversations. ‘To get by’, ‘to get along’, ‘to call off’, ‘to run out’ – all these seemingly simple yet so distinct phrasal verbs have meanings you’d never think of yourself!

‘I’m making enough money to get by’ means that I have just enough money to afford the basic things.

If I’m asking you: “How are you getting along with your new co-workers?” I want to find out if there’s a friendly atmosphere among you and your new colleagues.

And if you just used up the last sheet in the printer, you can tell your team-leader: “I just ran out of paper, can I get some please?”

So as you can see, you need to know meanings of these exact phrasal verbs to understand them even within context and also to be able to use them! Taking into account that there are hundreds of phrasal verbs in English language used in every possible life situation, you simply can’t ignore them!

You’re probably thinking – “Phrasal verbs? All right, it sounds useful, but is it really that necessary? If I haven’t paid much attention to them by now, surely I can do without them in the future!” Well, I have to tell you that you’re not entirely right in saying that. Of course, you can do without them, but you’ll miss out on so many benefits that the phrasal verbs can give you that it just wouldn’t be wise. And by the way – did you notice that I used two phrasal verbs in the previous sentence – ‘to do without’ and ‘to miss out’?

So here’s why phrasal verbs are actually crucial for any English learner!

First of all, you have to become aware of the fact that spoken English is literally packed with phrasal verbs. And as you definitely want to learn efficient English communication, it’s important that you learn to speak fluently and easily. So while there’s nothing wrong with using formal words like ‘to extinguish’ and ‘to dismantle’, using their phrasal verb versions ‘to put out’ and ‘to take apart’ is so much easier in a conversation!

Traditionally English is studied using textbooks that are written using quite formal language, and that can be one of the reasons why foreigners struggle with effective English communication. You see – English language you’ve used to read and write doesn’t always follow the same patterns as spoken English. I’m not saying that normal English grammar doesn’t apply when speaking. Nonetheless, phrasal verbs definitely change the language and make it more friendly, easy-to-understand and easy-flowing.

To clearly see my point, let’s compare two sentences – one in formal, written English and the other – spoken English.

Let’s say, this is what it says on your work contract: ‘Company’s employees are required to inform the management about taking the annual leave at least sixty days in advance.’ And this is what your new manager tells you on the induction day: “You have to hand in a holiday request at least sixty days in advance.” Do you see how a formal request is being paraphrased in conversational English using the phrasal verb ‘to hand in’? And mind this – it’s not only about informal conversations!

Phrasal verbs are being used all across the board starting from chatting with your friends during a lunch break and ending with company meetings! Imagine yourself asking your boss: “Would you like me to break down the first quarter’s sales figures as well?” The same question can be asked this way: “Would you like me to calculate regional sales figures for the first quarter as well?”

Now pronounce those two sentences. Don’t you agree the first one is easier to pronounce and it kind of ‘flows’ out of you mouth easier? It’s all because the phrasal verb ‘to break down’ consists of simple English words and eliminates the need to use a whole string of words ‘to calculate regional sales figures’!

And if this still hasn’t convinced you that phrasal verbs are a must-have for any English learner, here’s the second aspect.

As you saw in the example with the phrasal verb ‘to break down’, you can easily substitute a string of long words with a single phrasal verb. That makes the English conversation natural and fluent, and you have to agree that spoken English fluency is one of your English language study’s main goals!

Until now you’ve probably held the opinion that the bigger your English vocabulary becomes, the more fluent you’re automatically going to become. Most likely you’ve just focused on working with textbooks and using other techniques to memorize as much English as possible. While technically it is true and you can’t speak English without vocabulary, you also need to be selective as to what vocabulary you use in your spoken English.

What I’m trying to say is that on many occasions it will be much easier for you to speak English if you go for more natural, friendly means of expression, and phrasal verbs provide you with exactly that!

And by the way – phrasal verbs make your English speech sound more like that of a native English speaker. While there’s nothing wrong being a foreigner and you should never be ashamed of your origins, speaking in a native manner definitely makes your speech more understandable and it’s only a bonus.

So if you learn at least the most commonly used English phrasal verbs, you’ll definitely increase your overall English fluency and understanding. If you can say a sentence like: “You can end up being broke if you carry on gambling” you’re going to sound more native and easy-going than if you said: “You risk eventually becoming broke if you continue gambling”.

And here’s another great benefit to using and knowing English phrasal words. You can start speaking fluent English much sooner if you learn phrasal verbs as they consist of simple verbs that you’re already familiar with. Majority of English phrasal verbs are formed using basic verbs like ‘to get’, ‘to take’, ‘to make’, ‘to look’, ‘to bring’, ‘to give’ and similar. So instead of learning and memorizing plenty of new formal English words you can use your existing basic English vocabulary wisely and form dozens upon dozens phrasal verbs. This way you can start speaking fluently much faster and work on building up your formal English vocabulary afterwards!

Guest post from English learning enthusiast Robby Kukurs. Robby writes about improving spoken English on his blog EnglishHarmony.com. He also regularly posts videos about improving English fluency on his YouTube channel.

You have read this article Intermediate - B1 with the title November 2010. You can bookmark this page URL https://apostolosmakrides.blogspot.com/2010/11/why-using-phrasal-verbs-is-crucial-for.html. Thanks!

Shanghai Expo 2010 (Animation by Roy ex-student)

You have read this article with the title November 2010. You can bookmark this page URL https://apostolosmakrides.blogspot.com/2010/11/shanghai-expo-2010-animation-by-roy-ex.html. Thanks!

VocaTube - Vocabulary about the seasons, months, days and time on YouTube

Videos from YouTube help us to be up to date or have a good time; we believe they can also be a powerful educational tool. At Learn English Online blog we’d like to use some of the millions of videos available on YouTube to improve your English vocabulary.

Videos for this entry are about the topic of time and its related vocabulary like seasons in a year, months of the year and days of the week.

Remember that vocabulary can only be improved with practice and listening through repetition. It’s difficult for everyone to understand from the beginning but you’ll notice that the more hours you listen, the better your understanding.

Funny song for children with the days of the week – elementary English



Link to the video on YouTube

The days of the week in English pronounced very clearly – elementary English



Link to the video on YouTube

Song with the months of the year – elementary English



Link to the video on YouTube

Learn American English explains how to tell the time in English – elementary English



Link to the video on YouTube

Catchy song with the days of the week and months of the year – intermediate English



Link to the video on YouTube

Very good song for children with the seasons in a year – intermediate English



Link to the video on YouTube

Telling the time in English – intermediate English



Link to the video on YouTube

A very interesting lesson from Mr Duncan about the time (subtitled video) – intermediate English



Link to the video on YouTube

Dr Ticktock explaining the difference between AM and PM – advanced English



Link to the video on YouTube

Dr Ticktock minutes: seconds, minutes, hours and days – advanced English



Link to the video on YouTube

Video that explains how to calculate the elapsed time – advanced English



Link to the video on YouTube

You have read this article VocaTube with the title November 2010. You can bookmark this page URL https://apostolosmakrides.blogspot.com/2010/11/vocatube-vocabulary-about-seasons.html. Thanks!

Countries and Nationalities

There are no rules on how nationality is formed from a country’s name. Some nationalities, for example, end in –ian, -an, -ese, -i

Afghanistan (Afghan), Albania (Albanian), Algeria (Algerian), Andorra (Andorran), Angola (Angolan), Argentina (Argentinean), Armenia (Armenian), Australia (Australian), Austria (Austrian), Azerbaijan (Azerbaijani), Bahamas (Bahamian), Bahrain (Bahraini), Bangladesh (Bangladeshi), Belarus (Belarusian), Belgium (Belgian), Belize (Belizean), Bolivia (Bolivian), Bosnia-Herzegovina (Bosnian), Brazil (Brazilian), Bulgaria (Bulgarian)

Cambodia (Cambodian), Cameroon (Cameroonian), Canada (Canadian), Chile (Chilean), China (Chinese), Colombia (Colombian), Congo (Congolese), Costa Rica (Costa Rican), Croatia (Croatian), Cuba (Cuban), Cyprus (Cypriot), Czech Republic (Czech)

Denmark (Danish), Dominican Republic (Dominican), Egypt (Egyptian), Eritrea (Eritrean), Estonia (Estonian), Ethiopia (Ethiopian)

France (French), The Gambia (Gambian), Georgia (Georgian), Germany (German), Ghana (Ghanaian), Greece (Greek), Guyana (Guyanese), Haiti (Haitian), Hungary (Hungarian)

Iceland (Icelandic), India (Indian), Indonesia (Indonesian), Iran (Iranian), Iraq (Iraqi), Republic of Ireland (Irish), Israel (Israeli), Italy (Italian), Ivory Coast (Ivorian)

Jamaica (Jamaican), Japan (Japanese), Jordan (Jordanian), Kazakhstan (Kazakh), Kenya (Kenyan), Kuwait (Kuwaiti), Kyrgyzstan (Kyrgyz), Latvia (Latvian), Liberia (Liberian), Libya (Libyan), Lithuania (Lithuanian)

Macedonia (Macedonian), Madagascar (Madagascan), Malawi (Malawian), Malaysia (Malaysian), Maldives (Maldivian), Malta (Maltese), Mexico (Mexican), Moldova (Moldovan), Mongolia (Mongolian), Morocco (Moroccan), Mozambique (Mozambican)

Namibia (Namibian), Nepal (Nepalese), The Netherlands (Dutch), New Zealand (New Zealander), Nicaragua (Nicaraguan), Nigeria (Nigerian), Norway (Norwegian)

Oman (Omani), Pakistan (Pakistani), Panama (Panamanian), Paraguay (Paraguayan), Peru (Peruvian), Philippines (Filipino), Poland (Polish), Portugal (Portuguese), Qatar (Qatari), Romania (Romanian), Russia (Russian), Rwanda (Rwandan)

Saudi Arabia (Saudi Arabian), Senegal (Senegalese), Serbia (Serbian), Singapore (Singaporean), Slovakia (Slovak), Slovenia (Slovenian), Somalia (Somali), South Africa (South African), Spain (Spanish), Sri Lanka (Sri Lankan), Sudan (Sudanese), Sweden (Swedish), Switzerland (Swiss), Syria ( Syrian)

Taiwan (Taiwanese), Tanzania (Tanzanian), Thailand (Thai), Tunisia (Tunisian), Turkey (Turkish), Uganda (Ugandan), Ukraine (Ukrainian), United Kingdom (British), United States of America (American), Uruguay (Uruguayan), Uzbekistan (Uzbek), Venezuela (Venezuelan), Vietnam (Vietnamese), Yemen (Yemeni), Zambia (Zambian), Zimbabwe (Zimbabwean)

You have read this article with the title November 2010. You can bookmark this page URL https://apostolosmakrides.blogspot.com/2010/11/countries-and-nationalities.html. Thanks!