Year: 2015
UNTIL, BY, or BY THE TIME? What’s the difference?
A video made by EngVid about this topic (for intermediate students):
If you think you master this topic try to fill in the gaps in these sentences:
Tomorrow the answers will be available on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Free-English-materials/887420337968020 . (Album Quizzes’ answers)
“When every day seems the same, it is because we have stopped noticing the good things that appear in our lives”. – Pulo Coelho
“To hamper” – What does it mean?
Other examples from the web:
- Fog hampered the rescue effort.
- The dancers’ movements were hampered by their elaborate costumes.
- Unlike Mrs Andreasen, I do not think that this transparency will hamper the finance industry’s competitiveness.
- There are really too many obstacles hampering citizens wishing to study, work or go and shop in another Member State.
Words from the example sentences you may not know:
RESCUE = the act of rescuing; to free or deliver from confinement, violence, danger, or evil.
ELABORATE = made or done with great care or with much detail.
“Can’t carry a tune” – English idiom
Variations of this idiom with the same meaning:
can’t carry a tune in a bucket;
can’t carry a tune in a bushel basket;
can’t carry a tune in a paper sack.
Examples from the web:
- Mark: “Sing with us!”
John: “Sorry. You wouldn’t want me to. I can’t carry a tune.” - I invited Sarah to join the choir but she refused, she told me she can’t carry a tune in a bucket.
A short article I found while surfing the web: “Can’t Carry a Tune? Work Out Your Vocal Muscles”. by Lena Groeger
This is the link (I opened it with Lingro, in this way if you click on a term that you don’t know, you can read the definition in English): http://lingro.com/translate/http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/physically-out-of-tune/
In short, the article is about physical reasons of bad singing.
In the kitchen – vocabulary
“Bloke” – British slang
Other examples from the web:
- You blame that bloke for your situation.
- You look like the bloke from Stranger Danger posters.
- Who’s that bloke with the funny sunglasses sitting on the plush lounge next to Susan?
- He’s a funny bloke.
- I was told you had more imagination than other blokes in the big firms.
Terms you may not know:
– TO BLAME = to hold responsible; to find fault with.
– PLUSH = expensive and luxurious.
– LOUNGE = waiting room; casual bar (hotel).
– FIRM = a partnership or association for carrying on a business.
“Groundbreaking” – What does it mean?
Other examples from the web:
- We all commended the new US vision on reaching a framework agreement as groundbreaking and forward-looking.
- The transformation of this elementary teacher, as a result of this groundbreaking work, has occurred at both the personal and transformative levels.
- The decisions taken at the Spring European Council for an integrated energy and climate protection policy are groundbreaking.
Words from the example sentences you may not know:
FORWARD-LOOKING = planning for the future; progressive; modern.
TO OCCUR = to happen; to take place.
TO INTEGRATE = to combine to form/create something; unify.
We all commended the new US vision on reaching a framework agreement as groundbreaking and forward-looking.
“THE BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT LEARNING IS THAT NOBODY CAN TAKE IT AWAY FROM YOU”. – B.B. KING
When you acquire knowledge, what you’ve learned becomes a part of you. For this reason, nobody can detract it from you. It will always be yours. Of course, if you share your knowledge, be aware that more people will have what you have, which is not a bad thing ;-). So keep learning and continue to share your knowledge!
TO TAKE AWAY = to remove; to detract.
“To boast” – What does it mean?
Examples from the web:
- It is a fact that countries with high taxes cannot boast of any visible success in the fight against alcoholism.
- “I’ve sold more paintings than you ever will,” the artist boasted.
- The city boasts a fine cathedral.
- He boasts that he can speak six languages.
- In comparison to other European countries, Poland can boast of significant achievements in the field of environmental protection.
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