WORDS YOU THOUGHT DIDN'T EXIST.....!!

The much awaited latest edition of Oxford Dictionary of English (ODE) has just hit the market. It has got a lot of new stuff to please and satisfy the lovers of English language, especially those who have an irresistible thirst for the latest and the most stylish words.

Approximately 2000 new terms have entered this new edition out of which 1200 words are brand new! Let us take a glance at some of the interesting new entrants in the dictionary.

Many of you might water your mouth at the sight of various kinds of sumptuous dishes made from chicken such as chicken chilly, grilled chicken, chicken kebab and so forth. At least a few of you must have savored some of the lip-smacking dishes made out of duck and turkey as well. Of course these words, just like the dishes, are so familiar to the non-vegetarians.

But the question is, have you ever tasted ‘TURDUCKEN’? Probably not. Even as I type this word in MS Word, the spell-check feature of the software underlines it in red. The  poor software! It thinks the word must a misspelt one. Perhaps your favourite dictionaries might not have this word listed in them. But it appears in the new Oxford Dictionary of English! The word means ‘a roast dish consisting of a chicken inside a duck inside a turkey’. It is a blend of  TURkey, DUck and  chiCKEN!

Likewise, you might have been advised by someone to make your passwords alpha-numeric (consisting of or using both letters and numerals). Why? The hackers keep trying to break into your valuable personal data, emails, bank accounts etc by using a large set of words, as found in a dictionary. This kind of data theft using guessed or generated passwords has now got a term in English: ‘DICTIONARY ATTACK’, as it appears in ODE. So it is high time you reset your passwords using a combination of letters, numbers and symbols too, in place of your existing easy-to-remember password!

‘FREEMIUM’ is another newcomer in this dictionary. Guess what it means? Can’t? Well, freemium is a business model, especially on the Internet, whereby basic services are provided free of charge while more advanced features must be paid for. Your computer probably has an AVG, Avast or Norton ‘fremium’ Antivirus installed in it. Now you can boast to your computer savvy friends that you are a freemium user of this or that software when you use the software’s basic services without upgrading to the PREMIUM (paid) version! Stylish word indeed. Right?

Other such interesting words in the new edition are STAYCATION, TWEETING, CREDIT CRUNCH, MALINVESTMENT, OVERLARGED, CATASTROPHIZE, BUZZKILL, FUSSBUDGET, MATCHY-MATCHY, BEER GOGGLES, DEFRIEND and many more...

Regards

Jack (Nova English Campus)

NOVA ENGLISH CAMPUS

IELTS ESSAY PARAGRAPHS MADE EASY!

These exercises show you (if you are going to take IELTS) how to develop a single piece of idea into a beautiful medium-sized paragraph which is content-rich, informative, and above all, result-oriented.

Although television is extremely helpful in the field of education in multiple ways it affects the young people in some destructive ways too. How?

The following sample paragraphs demonstrate only how to develop body paragraphs, not the introductory or concluding paragraphs.

Central idea of the paragraph: Attention from studies diverted.....

To begin with, television takes the attention of students away from their studies. Fun-packed and entertainment-oriented programmes which are aired on various channels have been attracting more number of young viewers than ever before. American Idol, Big Boss and Indian Laughter Challenge are a few classic examples for this widespread phenomenon.

Central idea of the paragraph: Misleading content.....

In addition, frequent exposure to vulgar content in many TV shows adversely affects the young minds. It is an undeniable fact that young people are more vulnerable to get misled. Such content on TV injects distorted sexual fantasies into the budding minds which lead to increasing number of sexual harassment in schools, colleges and work places. To exemplify, ______, ______ and ______ have already turned many talented children into spoilt brats.

Central idea of the paragraph: Cause aggressiveness, accidents etc.....

Apart from this, television programs can even cause fatal accidents. There are a number of such TV serials which propagate rash driving, improbable stunts and so forth as heroic deeds. Young ones, unaware that such feats are performed by experts with all the safety precautions, try to imitate them in real life, endangering themselves and others. For example, so many children lost their valuable lives after watching such programs as _____, ______ and ______.

Sentences underlined    : TOPIC SENTENCE (usually 1 sentence)

Sentences italicized      : EXPLANATORY SENTENCE (usually 2-3 sentences)

Sentences in bold         : EXAMPLE SENTENCE (usually 1-2 sentences)

I LOVE MUSTARD LEAVES AND SPINACH :-(

No doubt a large number of Indians have a managed to get a strong grip on the English language. However there is a strong tendency among many of them to translate each concept in their mother tongue into English. Of course, it is possible to translate the majority of the terms and concepts of a foreign language into English, and it is even good to have the curiosity to trace the right word for the right idea!

But while doing so, people often mar the beauty of English by twisting and distorting certain properties of the language. Such (mis)use of the language often sounds awkward and ridiculous to a native English speaker. For example, if an Englishman or non-Punjabi speaker asks an English learner from Punjab what their favourite food is, they are more likely to answer like this:

"My favourite food is Mustard Leaves and Spinach".

But for an Englishman or non-Punjabi speaker, this answer will sound so funny and incomprehensible! They might even think that the person's food habits are uncivilized or strange!

So, how could this answer be modified in an understandable way? Well, the speaker could have said something like this:

"My favourite food is Sason ka saag and Makki ki roti. These are Punjabi traditional dishes, and they are made mainly from mustard leaves and spinach".

Now the answer is accurate, understandable and informative. No confusion at all for the listener.

Many students in India, especially those preparing for IELTS, TOEFL, BEC and such ESOL examinations falsely think that including mother-tongue-words in their speaking and writing modules of the test is not at all allowed. I agree to a great extent. Students must not usually use the words in their mother tongues while taking such exams. But if a particular word in your language does not have an English equivalent, that word must be used as it is in your own language. The only thing to remember is that the speaker must explain (in their answer) what the meaning of the local word/phrase is in simple English. And   the examiners of such exams never reduce the marks for such usages!! On the other hand, examiners do cut you score if you try to over-impress the examiner by using word-by-word translation or awkward broken English phrases!

Happy learning!
Jacob Nova English Campus

HE'S NOT MY REAL UNCLE, I SWEAR!!

HE’S NOT MY REAL UNCLE!!

No doubt India has been emerging as a super power in so many fields since the last quarter of the 20th century. Globalization as well as the increasing popularity of English education has also contributed a lot to it. However, the more an average Indian becomes fluent in English, the higher the number of silly mistakes that creep into their day-to-day use of the language.

There are plenty of examples in which certain English words and phrases are conveniently distorted or misused by the increasing number of speakers of English in India.

While a native English speaker may introduce their father’s brother as “He is my uncle”, the Indian speakers (and the listeners too) are not satisfied with this usage. Instead, they say, with an air of pride, “He is my paternal uncle!”. The argument on the Indian side goes like this: if we say just ‘uncle’, how can the listener understand what kind of uncle we are talking about?

Oxford advanced learner’s dictionary defines uncle as the brother of your mother or father; the husband of your aunt. Interestingly, a good majority of Indian speakers of English still believe that the real ‘uncle’ means "one’s mother’s brother" (and not father’s!). As a result, they seek solace in using the adjective ‘paternal’ before ‘uncle’ to mean the poor uncle who is fated to be the brother of an Indian father!

I am also an uncle to my nephews and nieces whom I love just like my own children. But, unfortunately, when they introduce me to someone as their paternal-maternal-variety-uncle, I feel a little alienated! Remember, the same happens to all the native English ‘uncles’ and ‘aunties’.

Probing further, I found that the misuse might have originated due to a particular practice in Indian culture. If someone says, “he is my uncle” or “she is my aunt”, the Indian nosy parkers* may ask “what kind of uncle/aunty?”, which is almost never heard in a native English speaker’s conversation.

However, I am not saying that uses such as ‘maternal/paternal uncle’, ‘maternal/paternal aunty’ etc are totally wrong. Use them only when you want to emphasize. Also, you may use 'maternal/paternal uncle/aunty when just an ‘uncle’ or ‘aunty’ may cause confusion or misinterpretation. Legal or medical contexts are classic examples for this.

Thank you for visiting my blog.

Jacob (Nova English Campus)

CHILLAX! I'm on a STAYCATION!!

Good Evening Guys!

 Have you ever defriended someone, or organized a tweetup? Blown on a vuvuzela or bought something bargainous? If so, the Oxford Dictionary of English would like to recognize your achievements.

The World Cup, credit crunch and social networking have all made a recent mark on the way we talk. The Oxford Dictionary of English (ODE) —not to be confused with the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) — is duly paying attention. The ODE is a dictionary based on how language is used in everyday life, and has 200 new phrases in its latest edition out today.

The dictionary, which was first published in 1998 with this being its third edition, now includes words such as frenemy (a person with whom one is friendly despite a fundamental dislike), LBD (Little Black Dress), cheeseball (someone or something lacking taste, style or originality) and bromance (a close but non-sexual relationship between two men.

"The dictionary reflects the way the language has changed over the last few years," Catherine Soanes, head of online dictionaries at Oxford University Press, tells TIME. "We run the biggest language research program in the world with an online database of over two billion words."

So, do you feel it's time to chillax (calm down and relax), take a chill pill (a notional pill taken to make someone calm), or maybe even take a staycation (a holiday taken in one's home country)? Then why not curl up with some steampunk (a genre of science fiction that typically features steam-powered machinery), or even the new Oxford Dictionary of English, which NewsFeed is more than happy to call a national treasure (something regarded as emblematic of a nation's cultural heritage).




Jacob Nova English Campus
Source: Internet (http://newsfeed.time.com/)

Railway or Railroad? (American & British English)

This is the second part of the blog I posted yesterday. If you are a first-time visitor, please read yesterday's post before continuing...

Here are a few more confusable Americanisms and their British equivalents:

Aeroplane (British English)
Airplane (American English)

Car park (British English)
Parking lot (American English)

Coach (British English)
Bus (American English)

Driving licence (British English)
Driver's license (American English) - check the spelling difference of 'licence'

Gearbox (British English)
Transmission (American English)

Give way (British English)
Yield (American English)

Motorway (British English)
Highway / freeway / interstate (American English)

Number plate (British English)
License plate (American English)

Footpath/pavement (British English)
Sidewalk (American English)

Petrol (British English)
Gasoline / gas (American English)

Railway (British English)
Railroad (American English)

Return ticket (British English)
Round trip ticket (American English)

Road (British English)
Street (American English)

Roundabout (British English)
Traffic circle / rotary (American English)

Transport (British English)
Transportation (American English)

Underground/tube (British English)
Subway (American English)

PS: Until recently American English expressions were not accepted as standard English. However due to the powerful influence of American culture and the popularity of their movies and television progrmmes across the globe, American English is now equally,if not more, important as the British one. So, although a few traditional grammarians and purists may frown, you may use either of the varieties in your conversation, especially if you are living outside the US or UK.

____________________________________________________
Compiler: Jacob (Nova English Campus)

Hi! I WILL FOOT YOUR BILL

Although English enjoys the unique status of being the international language, it confuses not only a budding user but also a confident speaker or writer, mainly because of its variety of dialects, accents and, of course, the geographically diverse vocabulary. The leading varieties of English are British English, American English and Australian English. Indian English too is fast on its way to be a prominent variety of English.

However, the leading pair are the so-called Queen's English (British English) and the American English. The confusion for a language learner that is created by the differences between these two language cousins is really big!

Here are a few most common words which are different in British English and the American variety. In each pair, the first one is British and the second, American:

BILL (n) = I will pay/foot the BILL  (British English)
CHECK (n) = I will pay the CHECK. (American English)

BISCUIT (n) = Have you got some BISCUIT? (British English)
COOKIE (n) = Do you have some COOKIES? (American English)

CANTEEN (n) = I'll meet you at the CANTEEN. (British English)
CAFETERIA (n) = I'll meet you at the CAFETERIA. (American English)

CRISPS (n) = Susan hates CRISPS. (British English)
CHIPS (n) = Susan hates CHIPS. (American English)

CUTLERY (n) = I am going to buy some CUTLERY. (British English)
SILVERWARE (n) = I am gonna buy some SILVERWARE. (American English)

JUG (n) = Give me a JUG of beer. (British English)
PITCHER (n) = Give me a PITCHER of beer. (American English)

STARTER (n) = Shall we order some STARTER before the main course?
APPETIZER (n) = Let's order some APPETIZER befor the entree? (American English)

SWEETS (n) = Jane is very fond of SWEETS. (British English)
CANDY (n) = Jane is very fond of CANDIES. (American English)

TIN (n) = May I have one more TIN of beer? (British English)
CAN (n) = Can I have one more CAN Of beer? (American English)


(Contd......)

Regards
Jacob (Nova English Campus)

Difference between UNINTERESTED & DISINTERESTED!

English is undoubtedly the craziest language in the world! Perhaps most of you know that DISAPPEAR is the opposite of APPEAR, DISAGREE is the opposite of AGREE, DISHONEST is the opposite of HONEST and DISADVANTAGE is the opposite of ADVANTAGE.

Such words prove that the prefix 'DIS' is used to form the antonym (opposite word) of many words. Now the question is: what is the opposite of INTERESTED? Is it DISINTERESTED or UNINTERESTED?

'DISINTERESTED' and 'UNINTERESTED' are two words which have given rise to a lot of heated arguments among grammarians and common users of English around the world. Even the native users of English -knowingly or unknowingly- misuse these words.

According to strict and refined grammar, DISINTERESTED should not be used to mean 'not interested'. The reason is DISINTERESTED is a totally different word, meaning 'IMPARTIAL', 'OBJECTIVE' or 'UNBIASED'
Examples:
(1)"Only Mrs Alice can give you some DISINTERESTED advice on this matter". (meaning 'impartial')
(2)"Ask him for a DISINTERESTED account of the incident" (meaning 'impartial')
(3)"It is better to be DISINTERESTED when it comes to political views" etc. (meaning 'impartial')

On the other hand, 'UNINTERESTED' stands for 'NOT INTERESTED' (i.e. the accurate opposite of INTERESTED).
Examples:
(1) "Jane is totally UNINTERESTED in sports and games".
(2) "She seemed cold and UNINTERESTED in our offer".

Like wise,
"The food was dull and UNINTERESTING". (opposite: INTERESTING)
"The number of UNINTERESTING bollywood movies is increasing" etc. However, UNINTERESTING is not a very common usage. Instead 'BORING' or 'Dull' is widely preferred.

______________________________________________________________________________
NB Though UNINTERESTED is the exact opposite of INTERESTED, the other one DISINTERESTED is widely used by the speakers. Even the Oxford Dictionary says that DISINTERESTED can be used as the opposite of INTERESTED, but only in informal English (i.e. ordinary conversations). However, it is advisable to avoid using it to mean NOT INTERESTED in standard written English.

Good Night
Jack (Nova English Campus)

ONE OF MY FRIEND or FRIENDS

Hi Buddies!
Today I'm posting one of the most common grammatical mistakes that many learners of English make.

Quite often, I've heard and read many people use such sentences as 'Sam is one of my best friend.' , 'India is one of most populated country', 'Maths is one of her favourite subject' etc.

Although these sentences look okay at first sight, they are ungrammatical. As a rule ONE OF must be followed by a PLURAL NOUN. e.g. One of the boys, one of my brothers, one of the problems etc.

Therefore, the wrong sentences in the introductory paragraphs must be rewritten as: (Carefully see the plural subjects after 'one of')

'Sam is one of my best friends.' , India is one of most populated countries', 'Maths is one of her favourite subjects' etc.

The explanation:
In sentence 1, the speaker means to say that they have many best friends, and Sam is one of them.

In sentence 2, the speaker means to say that there are many most populated countries, and India is one of them.

In sentence 3, the speaker means to say that she has many favourite subjects, and Maths is one of them.

                                                                                                                    
Jacob (Nova English Campus)

ARE YOU A FLEXITARIAN?!

Hi Friends!
Here are a few STYLISH & EXTREMELY USEFUL words to spice up your conversation....

SOUL PATCH (n): a small growth of beard under a man's lower lip.[Jane hates the SOUL PATCH of her boy friend]



RIP-ROARING (adj)=noisy, exciting and full of activity.
[A RIP-ROARING celebration/party/occasion/programme/gathering]

JUMBRELLA (n)= very large umbrella set above tables outdoors at a coffee shop, pub or restaurant. Compare: PARASOLE.

FLEXITARIAN (n)= A vegetarian who sometimes eats meat, egg or fish.

JAMBOREE (n)= a large party or festival.
[The new student JAMBOREE is tonight, and I'm really nervous about it.]

JINGOIST (n)= a person who thinks that his country is the best in the world. JINGOISM(n);  JINGOISTIC(adj)

WASHY (adj)= (about a food/drink/curry) too watery.
[The soup she served us was really WASHY!]

GET THE SACK= to be dismissed frm job.
[I will GET THE SACK if I arrive at the office late]

TECHIE(n)= someone who works in computing or who knows a lot about computers.

GOOGLE (v)= to search for information on the Internet using Google.

[I GOOGLED a lot for some information about her]

You can also get such interesting and stylish words every day through SMS free of cost. To activate, please type JOIN JACOBNOVA and send it to 09223492234.

NB When you type the sms, remember that there is only ONE space in the activation SMS i.e. between JOIN and JACOBNOVA. Do not type ''JACOBNOVA'' as two words. And the whole SMS must be in capital letters.


Enjoy your English!!!
Jacob (Nova English Campus)

EMBEDDED SENTENCES & QUESTIONS

Good Evening friends!

Even the advanced users of English often make mistakes while asking or writing certain types of questions. You might have heard - perhaps used too - the sentenses as given below:

"I asked him where was he going", "Can you tell me what is the time?", "Do you know who is the American President?", "We don't know who are you" etc.

Although the sentences given above look impressive, and they do convey the meaning effectively, a native English speaker never uses them. They are likely to use the same sentences in the following way:

"I asked him where HE WAS going", "Can you tell me what THE TIME IS?", "Do you know who THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT IS?", "We don't know WHO YOU ARE" etc.

Explanation:
The sentence, "I asked him where HE WAS going" is a combination of two sentences:
i.e. (1). I asked him. (2). Where was he going?

But when we combine (embed) them, we get, "I asked him where he was going". That's why such a construction is called 'EMBEDDED SENTENCE'. While making an embedded sentence by combining a normal sentence and a question (as in "I asked him where he was going"), the positions of subject and the helping verb are swapped:

Examples:
Where was he going? (normal question)
Where he was going. (embedded question)
(as in "I didn't notice where he was going")

What is the time? (normal question)
What the time is. (embedded question)
(as in "Please ask her what the time is")

Who is the American President? (normal question)
Who the American President is. (embedded question)
(as in "Does he know who the American President is")

Who are you? (normal question)
Who you are. (embedded question)
(as in "We don't care who you are")



(Contd......)

                                                                                                                                  
Jacob (Nova English Campus)

Hi friends!
Here are some more tips on how to use the possessive case. This is the second part of the blog which I posted yesterday. You may find today's lesson a little complicated and uninteresting as it deals with a few grammatical terms. However I am compelled to post this as many of the visitors, mostly English teachers, requested me to do so.....

(IV) If a French name ends in a silent 's' or 'x', we must add -'s to create the possessive case. And the -'s part should be pronounced as 'z'.
e.g.
Dmas's book. (pronunciation /dyoomaz/)
Cremieux's (pronunciation /krenyu)

(V) Foreign syllabic names which are not stressed on the last or second last syllable can either take the apostrophe alone or -'s form.
e.g.
Barnabas' or Barnabas's
Nicholas' or Nicholas's

Womens or Women's? (POSSESSIVE CASE)

Hi Friends!
Many users of English are not quite sure about the proper use of 'possessive case'. In today's world of online communication (especially if you are part of Orkut, Facebook, Twitter, Myspace etc.) you need to make sure that you use the possessive case without causing confusion to your readers.

Here are a few guidelines regarding the correct use of 'possessive case' (to show the 'possession' or 'ownership').

(I) Normally, add 's to singular subjects to make the possessive case: e.g.

Jacob's blog
My brother's wife
For our daughter's future
Sam's parents

(II) Likewise, if the subject is plural, just add an apostrophe at the end of the word: e.g.

Girls' hostel (hostel for girls)
(If you write Girl's here, it would mean 'hostel for ONE girl')

Boys' school (school for boys)
(If you write Boy's here, it would mean 'school for ONE boy')

Your brothers' property (property of your brothers)
(If you write brother's here, it would mean 'property of ONE brother')

Parents' guidance (guidance of parents)
(If you write parent's here, it would mean 'guidance of ONE parent')

My friends' email (email of my friends)

(If you write Friend's here, it would mean 'email of ONE friend')

Remember again, in all the previous sentences, we are talking about plural subjects; but if they were singular subjects, we would use girl's, boy's, brother's, friend's, parent's etc. (carefully check the position of the apostrophe['])

(III) But in the case of irregular plurals, we must add both an apostrophe and s (....'s)

e.g.
Women's hostel (NOT womens)
Children's activities (NOT childrens)
Men's shaving cream (NOT mens)

                                                                        
The second part of this lesson will be posted tomorrow. Don't forget to leave your comments &suggestions!

Take care
Jacob (Nova English Campus)

EVERYDAY Vs EVERY DAY

Hi friends!

Although I try my best to post something on my blog every day, I fail to do so every now and then, caught up in some everyday busy activities. But I am very thankful to my blog visitors to bear with me, keep supporting me and encourage me to move on.

By the way, there is a twist in the tale. What I mean to say, if you are a careful reader who can feel the pulse of each nuance of standard written English, you might have noticed two 'everydays' in the previous introductory paragraph; one without space (everyday) and the other with a space(every day).

'EVERYDAY' is an adjective which means 'used, done or happening each passing day'.
e.g.
Everyday activities.
A small dictionary for everyday use.
The Internet has become part of everyday life.

In the examples given above, the word 'everyday' has been used as an adjective to modify such objects as 'activities', 'use' and 'life'. Also remember in this kind of use,  'everyday' is used usually before a noun (read the previous examples).

'EVERY DAY', on the other hand, is an adverb, meaning 'each day'.
e.g.
She goes to church every day.
It rains here almost every day.
He makes one or another mistake every day.

In these examples,'every day' is used as an adverb of time which modifies the verbs 'go', 'rain' and 'make'.

I think I made the concept as clear as possible. If you feel a bit confused, please read the explanation till you get the rules etched in your brain.

Thanks for your kind visit
&
Good night from Jack
(Nova English Campus)

Flammable vs Inflammable

Hi Guys!

This morning, one of my close friends asked me the meaning of 'flammable'. I said 'easy to catch fire'. The answer slipped out coolly from my mouth. Pat came the next doubt of the buddy: 'what does 'inflammable' mean?' 'Man, these two words mean exactly the same', said I in a Mr know-all tone.

But the next question really was an ordeal for me, 'Why does 'inflammable' has a prefix 'in' while its twin brother 'flammable' doesn't have?'

My friend's doubt, however, caught me thinking, and I spent the next few hours thumbing through my collection of dictionaries and authoritative reference books, besides scrolling through various sites on my computer monitor. At last, I my effort bore fruit. And I would like to share the reason of this spelling disparity between 'flammable' and 'inflammable' with you guys:

'In-' normaly shows negative sense, as in indirect, inactive and insufficient. In fact, inflammable is formed using a different Latin prefix 'in-' which has the meaning 'into'. The aim of this addition is said to intensify the meaning! (crazy English, crazier English people!!)

However, to avoid confusion, today, most of the countries prefer to use 'flammable' in the sense of 'easy to catch fire' because many a times people (especially the uneducated working class) misunderstand 'inflammable' as 'fire-proof'!

Now the real dout is, why in India do we mostly see only the board 'inflammable' on fuel tankers, buildings and so on? Answer is simple: in our country (India) the more complex and lengthy the use of English is, the more impression one can generate. Who cares the disasterous consequences??

Good Night from Jack!
(Nova English Campus)

GENDER-NEUTRAL LANGUAGE

Hi Friends!
Today let's talk a little about 'gender-neutral language'!

In English, the gender-based grammatical constructions are fast fading away. for example, it is so common for English users the world over to use such sentences as 'EVERYONE should carry HIS own umbrella', 'NO ONE is allowed to park HIS car here' etc.

However, the eminent writers and educated speakers of English, especially in English speaking countries are slowly but steadily shifting towards a gender-neutral language. (e.g. now it is okay to say 'EVEYONE should carry THEIR own umbrella', 'NO ONE is allowed to park THEIR car here' etc).

Although a few users have used such modified sentences since the 1960s, they have been more frequently used today - mainly due to the rapid global growth of Feminist Movement.

So, you may now say,
'Has ANYBODY done THEIR work?' (modern English)
 (though 'Has ANYBODY done HIS work?' is also correct)
'Everyone did THEIR work independently' (modern English)
(though 'Everyone did HIS work independently' is also correct)!

                                                                                                                      
Happy learning!!!
Jacob (Nova English Campus)

KIND OF Vs KINDS OF

Hi Good Evening!

Many a times, my students have asked me when, where and how to use 'KIND' in the sense of 'type'. Most of them are often confused about whether to use 'this kind of questions...' , 'these kind of questions...' or 'these kinds of questions...'

Speaking of one kind, with 'this' or 'that', use a singular construction: 'this kind of mistake is not very serious'; 'That kind of dress doesn't suit you'.
On the other hand, while speaking of more than one kind, use a plural construction: 'these kinds of mistakes are not very serious'; 'those kinds of dresses don't suit you'.

More examples:
I love this kind of film.
I love these kinds of films.

Don't buy this kind of book.
Don't buy these kinds of books.

Although the 'ungrammatical these kind' has been used by many writers for many centuries, modern writers and grammarians prefer to avoid this usage.

NB Remember the same rule applies to 'SORT' too.

                                                                                                                           
Jacob (Nova English Campus)

HISTORIC Vs HISTORICAL

Good Evening Friends!

Many speakers of English, especially the non-native ones, are often unaware of the correct use of these two words: HISTORIC and HISTORICAL. These words must be used in slightly different ways. While 'history' means 'something famous or important in history', 'historical' means 'related to history or historical event'.

Examples:
It was a historic victory for the team. (important)
The Red Fort is a historic monument. (important & famous)
There are many historic buildings in Amritsar. (important & famous)
August 15, 1947 is a historic day in the history of India. (important)
Queen Elizabeth's historic visit to India. (important)
NB In the examples given above, 'historic' must not be replaced with 'historical'

BUT
The names of the prime ministers in historical order.
What is the historical background to Jallianwala Bagh?
I searched many historical documents during my research.
According to historical records,.......
Was Robin Hood a historical figure?

In short, HISTORIC is usually used to describe something so important that it is likely to be remembered for long. And HISTORICAL usually describes something that is connected with the study of history.

DON'T MISPRONOUNCE THESE WORDS!

Good Evening guys!
My holidays are over! Now, back to biz. It was a refreshingly fantastic time I had in Kerala, my birth place. The mesmerizing backwaters, captivating greenery, pristine mountain mist, incessant rain..... Wow! I miss them all!!!!


 Anyway, let's get down to biz. Let's get blogging!!! To start with, let me try to help you out with a few common English words mispronounced by Indian speakers of English. Never forget to leave your comments which in turn will keep me in high spirits. Read on..........

BRITAIN = The correct pronunciation of this word is /brit.n/ . But in India, especially in north Indian states, this word is wrongly pronounced as /britein/. That is, the second syllable 'tain' is unnecessarily stressed and lenghthened as in 'maintain'(/meintain/). Of course in the word 'maintain', the 'tain' part must be pronounced with a long stress, but not in 'Britain'. To make it simple, the 'tain' in 'Britain' should be pronounced in the same way it is pronounced in 'certain'.

Here are some more mispronounced words in India:
(Please consult a standard dictionary or pronunciation software to listen to the right pronunciation!)
MOUNTAIN
FOUNTAIN
CHIEFTAIN
CURTAIN.....

.....contd.

WOULD RATHER

'Would rather' means 'would prefer to'.

I would rather stay stay with you tonight. (I would prefer to stay with you tonight) 
I would rather join army.
She would rather accompany you guys.
We would rather migrate to America.

Would you rather spend some time with me?
Would you rather stay here or go home?
How about a drink? I would rather have something to eat.

The negative form is 'would rather not'
Example:
I would rather not go out tonight. (correct)
I would not rather go out tonight. (incorrect)


She would rather not go to the USA.
They would rather not take supper with us tonight.

                                                                                                                                                                                   

Jacob (Nova English Campus)

Intonation of question tags

Hi guys!
Here is a bit of information to help you use the question tags in a more natural way......

No doubt you are very familiar with using various types of question tags. But do you know how to use the right tone of voice while using a question tag?
Well, if the question tag is used to get some real information from the listener (i.e. you are not very much sure of the answer), you must use a rising intonation. See th example below:

The conference is going to be held in the evening, isn't it?

In the example given above, the tag part (isn't it?) must be spoken with a high tone (rising intonation).

On the other hand, if the tag question is not exactly asked to get some real information from the lstener, you must use a falling intonation. In this case, the speaker is sure about the answer.

Example:
It's too hot today, isn't it?
Here, the tag question (isn't it?) must be spoken with an ascending tone of voice (falling intonation) i.e. it must be spoken in a way that is opposite to the former example.

You must speak out as many sentences as possible using the two types of intonation to get yourself familiar with them.

                                                                                                                                                        
Good night
See ya.
Jacob (Nova English Campus)

Exceptional question tags

Hi friends!
This is the second part of yesterday's blog. If you're here for the first time, please get back to yesterday's lesson.

We can also use 'same-way' tags to ask questions. In this structure, the main sentence is used to make a guess. And the tag is used to enquire if the information in the main sentence is correct.

This is your last chance, is it? (I guess this is your last chance. Am I right?)
You are from India, are you?
This is your missing key, is it?
The boss is at meeting, is he?
He is going to be sacked, is he?
They are quarrelling out there, are they?
She has got a lot of experience, has she?
It seems unfair, does it?

NB if the previous sentences seem to be confusing, you may try to rephrase them in the way shown in brackets after the first example e.g. The sentence "You're from India, are you?" can be rephrased as "I guess you're from India. Am I right?"

Negative 'same-way' questions are also possible but they are not widely used as they sound aggressive.
e.g. Well. You don't seem to obey me, don't you?

                                                                                                                                                                                   
                    Good Night
     Jack (Nova English Campus)

'Same-way' question tags...

Hi friends!
While learning the rules of 'tag-questions' school, you all have been taught this rule: IF THE STATEMENT IS POSITIVE, THE QUESTION TAG IS NEGATIVE AND VICE VERSA.

However, do you know that it is also possible to use both the statement and the tag without swapping the 'positive/negative' aspects?

for example, 'You have decided to remain a bachelor, have you?

The sentence given above cannot always be ungrammatical! This kind of formation is possible when the speaker expresses his/her surprise, interest, concern or any such sudden feeling.

More examples:
So at last you have decided to resign the job, have you? How bad!
(The speaker is worried at the decision)

You think you are smarter than I, do you? Well, well.
(The speaker is surprised)

Wow! She has amazing talents, does she?
Wow! She has amazing talents, has she?
(The speaker is surprised)

The people are so nice here, are they? Sounds great.
(Shows the speaker's interest)

The population is still increasing, is it?
(The speaker is worried)
                                                                                                                                                                                

Well, tomorrow we will learn about another situation in which the same-way tag questions are possible...... 

With regards
   Jacob (Nova English Campus)

Do you mind me talking loudly?

'Do you mind if I smoke here now?' can also be written or spoken as 'Do you mind me smoking here?. And also notice the use of the object pronoun 'me' in the sentence. 'Mind' means 'dislike'.

More examples:
Do you mind me talking loudly? (Do you mind if I talk loudly?)
Do you mind me being irregular to the classes?

We don't mind you coming late.
They don't mind us spending lavishly.
Will they mind me asking their age?
Does their boss mind them gossipping?
I never mind anyone criticising me.

                                                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                                    
Jacob (Nova English Campus)

DO YOU MIND IF I........?

Hi friends!
Yesterday we saw how to use 'do you mind + noun' in English, as in 'Do you mind the smell of tobacco?' (Do you dislike the smell....?)

Now, let us see how to make sentences with 'Do you mind + if......' . In this construction too, the meaning of the sentence remain the same as in 'do you mind + noun'.

Examples:
Do you mind if I leave a bit earlier today? (Do you dislike if I leave.......?)

More examples:
Do you mind if I sit here for a while?
Do you mind if I ask you your age?
Do you mind if I tell you the truth?
Do you mind if my child plays with your puppy?
Do you mind if she doesn't respect you?

I don't mind if you sit here for a while. (I won't dislike if you.....)
I don't mind if you come with me.
He doesn't mind if you call him names.
They never mind if you neglect them.
We don't mind if our kids make too much noice.

                                                                                                                                                              
JACOB (NOVA ENGLISH CAMPUS (AMRITSAR)                                              

Do you mind.....?

The word 'mind' can be used to mean 'dislike', 'object to', 'be annoyed by' etc.

Examples:
Do you mind(dislike) the noise in my room?
(There is a lot of noice in my room. Do you dislike that?)

More examples:
Do you mind(dislike) the smell of cigarette?
Do you mind my loud speaker?
Do you mind my wayward children?
Do yo mind my untidy room?
Do you mind indiscipline in your office? etc.
Do you mind the increasing number of traffic problems?

I don't mind the smell of cigarette.
I never mind you advice.
Don't mind his absense.
She doesn't mind my comments.

                                                                                                                                                       
Regards
Jacob

Casuative verb 'MAKE'

Hi Everybody!!
This blog is the continuation of the blog I published yesterday. If you are here for the first time, please read the posts of the last few days.....
The causative verb 'make' is stronger than 'have' or 'got'. When you 'make' somebody does aomething for you, you are usually forcing him/her to do it for you.

e.g.
Cathy made Jack go with her. (Cathy forced Jack to go with her).
You can't make me obey you. (You can't force me to obey you).
Don't try to make me vacate this house. (Don't try to force me to vacate this house)
I will never make you go for this deal. (I will never force you to go for this deal).

A couple of days or so I posted a blog about the causative verbs (have, get and make). On that day, we had a brief discussion on how to use 'have' as a casuative verb. Here is the second part of the blog in which we are going to have a look at the use of 'got'...

My dad got me to help him.
Wait here, I will get someone to go with us.
Can you get her to type this letter?
We must get him to clean the courtyard tomorrow.
How could you get him to paint your house?
You can't get me to do this stupid work for you.
You shouldn't have got my cousin to do such an indecent work.

'CALLED AS...' or 'CALLED...'

Hi Friends,
Sorry again. I couldn't blog for a couple of days as I was pretty down with a flu.


It is very common among many speakers in non-English speaking countries to use the word combination 'called as', for example, in India, I've heard many teachers telling their students:

"This is called as protractor".
"This phenomenon is called as metamorphosis" etc.

Both the sentences or any other sentence of this kind are considered wrong in standard British or American English.

So, how can these sentences be written?
"This is called a protractor". (correct)
"This phenomenon is called metamorphosis" (correct)

More examples:
This festival is called Diwali. (called as)
This building is called Golden Temple. (called as)
A machine for separating things is called a separator. (called as)

CAUSATIVE VERBS

HI Friends! Good Evening.


CAUSATIVE VERBS are those which are used to tell somebody to do somthing for you. The term 'causative' shows that you can cause another person to do a work for you. This can be done by paying, asking of forcing the person. The most common causative verbs are: HAVE, GET and MAKE.

HAVE
The clause following 'HAVE' or 'GET' may be in active or passive voice. Study the following rules:

Rules for ACTIVE VOICE
SUBJECT+HAVE(any tense)+COMPLEMENT(usually person)+First form of Verb]

Mary had John wash the car.
(The sentence means Mary forced/compelled or paid John to wash the car.)

More Examples:
Jane had her children dust the room.
We usually have our guests do such work.
Peter has his dog bring him the newspaper.
She is having her father contact the officials.
Jack has had a friend type all the letters for him.
No problem, I will have some one do it for us.
Wait here, I will have a coolie move the luggage.

                                                                                                                                                                                   
Jacob (Nova English Campus)