Oct 29, 2010

Phrase : Come out with it

 Come out with it :   phrase

Meaning   : to say something directly

Example : Why dont you come out with it from you heart , you will be fine.

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Oct 28, 2010

Idiom - To be on the safe side

Meaning : to be safe;
                to be cautious;
                [to do something just] in case it is necessary;
                to be very well prepared.
 
 Example Sentence :To be on the safe side, carry some extra money in your shoe.
                              I like to be on the safe side and stay in my hotel room at night.

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Oct 26, 2010

Daily English Vocabulary: Idiom : At all costs

Daily English Vocabulary: Idiom : At all costs

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Idiom : At all costs

USAGE :

If you are determined to obtain or achieve something at all costs, you want it regardless of the expense, effort or sacrifice involved.

"The journalist was determined at all costs to get a report from the war zone."

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Extol

Meaning : praise, glorify, or honor

This 15th-century verb has become wonderfully forgiving in modern times because most dictionaries admit two spellings: the original one, which you see here, and the more English-friendly extoll (owing to toll and perhaps to the completely unrelated atoll). While you can extol (that is, praise) just about anything or anyone, the things most likely to be extolled in these modern times are "virtues" and "benefits."
 

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Jun 19, 2010

An Artificer describes a: liar, clever person, artificial person, skilled artisan.

Aspic: meat gelatin, prejudiced name for Hispanic, viewpoint, part of the whole

Assonance: opposite meaning, dissonance, sounds alike, confidence


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Apr 12, 2010

Alright, all right

Alright, all right – "Alright" is nonstandard; use “all right.” Like "okay," "all right" is an informal word; substitute "fine" or "acceptable" in formal writing.


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Apr 11, 2010

Ain't

Ain't – "Ain’t" is always wrong, whether it is used to mean "to be" or "to have." The use of “ain’t I?” is nonstandard. “Amn’t I?” is also nonstandard English; “aren’t I?” is standard English. Despite the use of “ain’t I?” and “amn’t I?” in some dialects, “the correct standard singular form is the plural form aren’t: I’m right, aren’t I?
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Apr 9, 2010

A lot, alot

A lot, alot – “Alot” is not a word; use “a lot” in informal writing.
Substitute "many," “much,” "several," "numerous," "a large number," and "a large amount”with "a lot" in formal writing.

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Apr 8, 2010

English Usage : As Far As...Go

As Far As...Go

Sometimes, for students learning English, it can be difficult to know how to introduce a new idea to a topic that other people are discussing.

The phrase as far as...go is used to refer to a general topic about which you want to say something specific. It is often, but not always, followed by a contrasting pair of details. Make sure that the verb go in this expression agrees with the subject. In the examples below, I have put the subject agreements in orange.

- As far as places to live go, Beaverville is a nice place, but it's not what you'd call a capital of excitement.

- As far as thinking about my future goes, I'd rather just enjoy myself right now and worry about my career later.

As Far As...Know

There is another use of as far as that relates to expressing opinion, but it is used in different situations than those above. As far as...know is used to refer to a personal opinion on something the subject has not had direct experience with, or for something on which my information has not been updated. There is sometimes an implication that the subject may be missing information.

- As far as I know, he's still single. (ie. the last time I heard about him, he wasn't married yet, but he may be married now)

- As far as I know, War & Peace is a great book. (ie. I've heard many people say it's a great book, but I haven't read it, so I don't know)

- As far as my parents know, I'm at a movie with my friend. (ie. I'm really on a date with my girlfriend but my parents think I'm at the moview because I didn't give them all the information)

There is a common error made by Korean learners when trying to use this expression. They will sometimes use As I know instead of As far as I know. As I know has a completely different connotation. It sounds pretentious and patronizing, as if the speaker thinks s/he knows everything.

The frequest use of this phrase among Canadians is an interesting reflection of the Canadian psyche. In my opinion, Canadians use it a lot because they want to be diplomatic, especially when speaking to a group of people, and this expression allows them to state something they think is a fact but remain open that someone else might not share the same view.

As Far As...Be Concerned

Using as far as with be concerned refers to a personal opinion that is likely to differ from that of the listener (or someone else) regarding the chosen topic. It is not necessarily an opinion that is supported by evidence. In fact, it often depends on direct experience, rather than evidence.

- As far as I'm concerned, War & Peace is a great book.

- As far as I'm concerned, that guy is an idiot.

- As far as my friend is concerned, Barrack Obama is going to eliminate poverty in the United States.

As Far As...Can Tell

As far as...can tell is used when making judgements based only on one's own perception, usually based on one of the five senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch). Please note that this use of the verb tell is not the one that means speak or say, it is the one that means notice or ascertain.

- As far as I can tell, he weighs about seventy kilograms.

- As far as I can tell, Sarah forgot to put salt in this sauce. It tastes bland.

As far as I can tell is more similar to as far as I know than it is to as far as I'm concerned because both deal with perception based on a lack of knowledge or personal experience. The difference between the two is that, with as far as I know, the opinion is usually based on what the speaker has heard, whereas with as far as I can tell, the opinion is usually based on what the speaker can see or perceive. Consider the following examples:

- As far as I know, War & Peace is a great book. (ie. I've heard many times from people that it's a great book)

- As far as I can tell, War & Peace is a great book. (ie. I read the back cover of the book, which says it's a great book)

Intangible Noun with ~wise

We use a noun with ~wise to capture something of the same sense as as far as ... goes. Similar to as far as...goes, it is used to refer to a general subject about which the speaker wants to go into specifics, often to weigh the pros and cons of a dilemma. This structure is always used with intangible nouns (you can't use tablewise in a sentence!) that speak of properties or qualities of things and situations.

- As far as location goes, the house is nice but as far as price goes, we can't really afford it.

- Locationwise, the house is nice, but pricewise we can't really afford it.

- Trafficwise, that company's website is one of the leaders in the industry.

If you are an English language learner, please feel free to create your own example any of these expressions, and post it using the Comments feature. I will let you know whether or not it is correct, and, if it isn't, how to fix it.


Apr 4, 2010

STOLID

stolid = stol"id

1. Having or revealing little emotion or sensibility

Synonyms:

impassive

Usage Examples:

A silent stolid creature who took it all as a matter of course-Virginia Woolf

Her face showed nothing but stolid indifference


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Apr 3, 2010

Business English Basics

Here are some phrases you can use in Business Meetings and Presentations.

1. Getting someone's Attention.

May I have a word?
Excuse me for Interrupting.
Can I come in here?

2.Giving Opinion.

I'm positive that.............
I feel that.................
In my opinion.................
The way i see things..............
If you ask me .................I tend to think that......................

3.  Asking opinion.

Do you think that..............................?
Mr. ABC can we get your input ?
How do you feel about..............?
What do you feel about ...................?

4.Commenting

That's interesting.

I never thought about it that way before
I get your point.
I see what you mean.

5.Agreeing

I totally agree with you.

Exactly!
Good point!
That's just the way I feel.
I have to agree with ...

6.Disagreeing

Unfortunately, I see it differently.

Up to a point I agree with you, but...
I'm afraid, I can't agree

7.Giving advice and making suggestions

Let's...

We should ...
Why don't we ...
How/What about ....
I suggest/recommend that ...............

8. Clarifying.

Let me spell it out...

Have I made that clear?
Do you see what I'm getting at?
Let me put it another way..
I'd just like to repeat that....

9. Requesting information

Please, could you...

I'd like you to...
Would you mind...
I wonder if you could...

10. Asking for repetition


I'm afraid I didn't quite catch that. Could you repeat what you just said?

I missed that. Could you say it again please?
Could you run that past me again?

11.Asking for clarification


I don't quite follow you.
What exactly do you mean?
Could you explain to me how that's going to work?
I can't see what you're getting at. Could we have some more details, please?

12. Commenting

That's interesting.
I never thought about it that way before
I get your point.
I see what you mean.

13. Agreeing

I totally agree with you.
Exactly!
Good point!
That's just the way I feel.
I have to agree with ...

14. Disagreeing

Unfortunately, I see it differently.
Up to a point I agree with you, but...
I'm afraid, I can't agree

15. Giving advice and making suggestions

Let's...
We should ...
Why don't we ...
How/What about ....
I suggest/recommend that ...

16. Clarifying

Let me spell it out...
Have I made that clear?
Do you see what I'm getting at?
Let me put it another way..
I'd just like to repeat that....

17. Requesting information

Please, could you...
I'd like you to...
Would you mind...
I wonder if you could...

18.Asking for repetition

I'm afraid I didn't quite catch that. Could you repeat what you just said?
I missed that. Could you say it again please?
Could you run that past me again?

19. Asking for clarification

I don't quite follow you.
What exactly do you mean?
Could you explain to me how that's going to work?
I can't see what you're getting at. Could we have some more details, please?

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Mar 28, 2010

Broach

Broach - means - to introduce, announce, present.

Nature scientist took the opportunity to broach the subject of a hike in Global warming.

Don't misspell this word  as "brooch" which means an ornamental pain.

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Mar 27, 2010

Bovine

Bovine - means -  Cowlike, patient, sluggish

Ram's bovine eyes were brown and unblinking.
Rachna's bovine temperament was a great help in her research.

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How to Improve Vocabulary


We all know the power that words can have. That's why improving your vocabulary is so very important. If you are just wanting to learn more vocabulary words or if you are learning English as a second language there are some easy ways to improve your vocabulary.

     
     



  1. Step 1
    One of the best ways to improve your vocabulary is to read. By reading a variety of books, magazines, and newspaper articles you can improve your vocabulary tremendously. Not only are you learning new words but you are also learning how to use them appropriately in a sentence. So challenge yourself to read more! Try to read for at least 30 minutes every day. In a very short period of time you will see an improvement in your vocabulary.



  2. Step 2
    A fun way to improve your vocabulary is to play word games. Playing scrabble and doing crossword puzzles are great ways to boost your vocabulary. Now you can even play word games online. There are many games online like scrabble and text twist that allow you to compete with other players. Who knew learning vocabulary words could be so fun!



  3. Step 3
    The internet offers you many resources in your quest for improving your vocabulary. There are many sites that offer you a word of the day. You can have a daily email sent to you with a new word each morning. It will provide the word, the definition and an example sentence. Just google a word a day and you will have many options to choose from.

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How to Learn English Spelling

 Learning to spell in English can be simple and frustrating at the same time. There are certain rules in the English language that dictate how most words should be spelled. The problem is that not all words follow the rules. Also, the rules vary according to the type of English being used --- American English or "Commonwealth" English (the type used in England and most of the former English colonies, such as India). Learning to spell English words requires one to know both the standard spelling rules as well as the most common exceptions. Always, a good dictionary can be invaluable when learning how to spell (and use) English words.

Instructions

  1. Step 1
    For words that use the diphthongs "ie" or "ei," remember "I" before "E" except after "C." That is one of the more commonly known rules of the English spelling, and is demonstrated by words such as "achieve," "siege," "believe," "receive," and "receipt." The word "seize" is an exception to the rule.

  2. Step 2
    Learn which words have silent letters. Words with a silent "e" at the end of the word are easier to figure out. Words such "fine," "home" or "lame" are easy to recognize, as the silent "e" at the end indicates that the first vowel is pronounced with its long sound. More difficult are words that have silent letters in other places in the word. For example, words such as "psychology" (silent "p") or align (silent "g") both have letters that are not vocalized when the words are spoken.

  3. Step 3
    Memorize the order of consonants when they are grouped together. Sometimes it can be easy to put consonants that are in a cluster in the wrong order. For example, the letter "n" goes before the letter "m" in words such as "enmity" and "environment."

  4. Step 4
    To make nouns plural, the regular rule is to add "s" to the end ("cats," "cars," "buildings"). For nouns that end in "y," add "ies" -- for example, the word "baby" becomes "babies" and the word "family" becomes "families" when made plural. Some Latin words that are fairly common in English can be made plural according to Latin rules or English rules, depending on preference -- for example, "medium" is almost always made plural with the Latin form "media," but "forum" is often made plural with the English "forums" (rather than the Latin "fora").

  5. Step 5
    Remember that there are many words that sound alike but are not spelled the same. Those words are called homonyms. For example, the word "right" sounds just like the word "write," although the meanings and spellings are different. Likewise, the word "dear" sounds like the word "deer," although they are spelled differently as well. Many people confuse the spelling of the similar sounding words "to," "two," and "too."

  6. Step 6
    Be careful when writing colloquialisms and contractions that are common in spoken English. For example, somebody might say "I should've checked the dictionary," but be quoted as saying "I should of checked the dictionary" (the "of" being used instead of the contraction for "have," "'ve"). Also, some two-word phrases take on different meanings depending on whether the words are connected or separated: For example, "round up" is a verb, while "roundup" is a noun


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I never made misteaks! Why mistakes in words happen?

Words have shades and hue of meaning and nuances. Many a caused by the irrational, irritating, unphonetic and difficult spelling of English words.these characteristics make learning English tough especially for non-native speakers. This difficulty is compounded by the innumerable homonyms and homophones in English words that sound a look alike but mean different things. This blog -- daily vocabulary and idioms feed engine. Contains several such examples.
Other difficulties arise when people were reared by British English reigns supreme immigrate to this country and have to content with American English spelling. Still other mistakes stem from poor reading or no reading or studying habits, substandard education, lack of access to library, lack of personal library and, above all, a lack of interest or motivation, otherwise known as apathy
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Agoraphobia

Agoraphobia -- fear of crowds or open spaces, abnormal fear.

People with agoraphobia are afraid of being embarrassed or court helpless in crowds or in the midst of an open space.
The man was afflicted with acrophobia which prevented him from leaving his home for years at a time.

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Acrophobia

Acrophobia -- fear of heights, abnormal fear.

She has never visited the building terrace because she has acrophobia.
Some people refuse to fly in aeroplanes. They are not afraid to fly, they are just afraid of heights, they are agoraphobic.

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Abridge

Abridge -- to shorten, abbreviate .
It's easy to write a long memo. To abridge it usually takes much longer.
The collegiate dictionaries are abridgments of larger works.

In American English fledgeling, acknowledgement and judgement, like Abridgment, are spelled without an E after the G, although abridgement is also correct.
The British style generally is to retain the E increase and similar words.

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Transcend

Transcend - to go beyond, exceed, surpass, to climb across etc.

Civility transcends good manners.
Superb acting transcends physical likeness and the accurate recitation of lines.
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Point of Sale ( POS )

Point of sale (POS) or checkout is the location where a transaction occurs.
A Retail Point of Sales system typically includes a computer, monitor, cash drawer, receipt printer, customer display and a barcode scanner.

 The POS unit handles the sales to the consumer but it is only one part of the entire POS system used in a retail business. “Back-office” computers typically handle other functions of the POS system such as inventory control, purchasing, receiving and transferring of products to and from other locations
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Market Research

Market research is any organized effort to gather information about markets or customers. It is a very important component of business strategy.

Market research is for discovering what people want, need, or believe. It can also involve discovering how they act. Once that research is completed, it can be used to determine how to market your product.Questionnaires and focus group discussion surveys are some of the instruments for market research.

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Trade Mark ( TM )

Trademark - An exclusive special symbol, design, word etc, used to represent a product or firm.

A trademark or trade mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or services from those of other entities.

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S.W.O.T Analysis

SWOT analysis is a strategic planning method used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats involved in a project or in a business venture.

SWOT Analysis is a powerful technique for understanding your Strengths and Weaknesses, and for looking at the Opportunities and Threats you face.


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