Blogs 1 - 5 - E S S E N T I A L E N G L I S H

" Keep your English up to Scratch "

(Traduction en français)
" Gardez un bon niveau d'anglais "

Language Learning Blog

For the INTRODUCTION - please click HERE

On this page you'll find Blogs 01 and 02.
(Blogs 03, 04 and 05 coming soon)

Blog 01

I. Vocabulary Builder
II. Idioms
III. Recommended Reading

I. Vocabulary Builder
"Forget" and "Want" are frequently misused verbs.
Some "False Friends" (English/French)

1. The verb forget should not be used in a phrase when a place is mentioned

Example: I forgot to bring the brochures. I left them at the office. (Correct)
Frequently made mistake: I forgot the brochures at the office. (Incorrect)

2. The verb want is often followed by a direct object, and not a that-clause. This also applies to would like/love etc.

Example: She wants me to help her with the paperwork. (Correct)
Frequently made mistake: She wants that I help her with the papework. (Incorrect)
Example: I would like you to visit the new premises. (Correct)
Frequently made mistake: I would like that you visit the new premises. (Incorrect)

3. False Friends (faux amis) English vs French
   In language terms, these are words which are frequently confused with similar looking or sounding words in other languages,    but which have different meanings. There are true false friends and partial false friends. Here are some examples of true false    friends.

English French Similar word    English translation
false friend    translation    in French    of similar word

   actual    réel, exact    actuel    current, present
actually    en fait actuellement at the moment, currently
attend assister à    attendre wait (for)
assist aider assister à attend, be present at
deception duperie, tromperie déception    disappointment, let-down
pretend    faire semblant    prétendre    claim, maintain
sensible raisonnable, sensé sensible sensitive

II. Idioms

An idiom is a group of words in a fixed order whose meaning is different from the meanings of each individual word. Idioms are often colloquial expressions, but are also used in formal style, in poetry, in Shakespeare and even in the Bible. Here are three commonly used idioms using the word “scratch”.

1. up to scratch - reaching an expected or required standard
Synonyms : satisfactory, acceptable
Examples:

I’m going to spend a few weeks in London to keep/bring my English up to scratch.
I need to talk to him because his work isn’t up to scratch these days.

Suggested translation into French: maintenir /emmener quelque chose au niveau voulu.

2. from scratch (informal)
a. with no previous knowledge

Example: She learned Mandarin Chinese from scratch in six months.

b. to do something from the beginning, without using any earlier work

Example: If they’d been involved in the project from scratch, they’d realise how much work’s gone into it.

Suggested translation into French: à partir de zéro.

3. you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours
This is a saying or proverb used to tell somebody that if they do something for you, you’ll do something for them in return, even if it’s unfair to other people.

Suggested translation into French: un service en attire un autre

III. Recommended Reading
(for lovers of Shakespeare).

“Shakespeare's skill was in his grammar not his language”, academic claims

Click on this link to read article:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/9050020/Shakespeares-skill-was-in-his-grammar-not-his-language-academic-claims.html

Academics claim it was Shakespeare's grammar not
his language that was ground-breaking.

Photo: ALAMY

Blog 02

I. Grammar Builder
II. Idiomatic Expressions

Competence in grammar is important for clear and appropriate communication, and it conveys a professional image of ourselves and of the companies or organisations we represent. In this blog I deal briefly with key areas of grammar, which are essential for communicating in professional situations, as well as in everyday life.

I. Grammar Builder

We often use a verb directly after another verb to show our attitude to an action.

Verbs with infinitives and gerunds
The infinitive comes from the base form of the verb, and can be used after "to" or without "to".

Examples: He wants to read the sports results in the newspaper.
She lets us use a company car whenever we like.

To create a gerund, add -ing to the base form : I prefer reading to watching films.
Gerunds are formed in the same way as present participles of verbs, but they are used as nouns : Smoking is bad for your health.

1. Verbs + to-infinitives only
These verbs include: arrange, decide, expect, deserve, hope, learn, manage, offer, plan, pretend.

Examples: I’ll arrange to have the meeting postponed until Friday. 
   They’re hoping to get the contract signed tomorrow. 
   She said she’d manage to finish the report by midday.

2. Verbs + gerunds only
These verbs include: avoid, carry on, delay, finish, involve, justify, mind, suggest.

Example(s): We must avoid getting stuck in the rush hour.
Frequently made mistake(s): We must avoid to get stuck in the rush hour. (Incorrect)

3. Verbs + infinitives or gerunds
Some verbs can be followed either by infinitives or gerunds, with or without changes in meaning.
With the verbs love, like, hate, prefer there is little difference in meaning.

Example(s): John likes to play/playing golf on Sundays, but I prefer to go/going to the beach.

With the verbs remember, forget, regret, try, stop, mean, need, there is a difference in meaning.

Example(s): You must remember to call the travel agent before I go home. 
I remember meeting you last year at the conference.

When the remembering happens before the action, use the to-infinitive, and when it happens after the action, use the gerund.

For a more detailed study of the structures used in this third category, you need to consult a good grammar book.


II. Idiomatic Expressions

What is an Idiom ?
An idiom is a group of words in a fixed order whose meaning is different from the meanings of each individual word. Idioms are often colloquial expressions, but can also be used in formal style, in poetry, in Shakespeare and even in the Bible.

Here are some Idiomatic Expressions which include the word "Point".

The word point is used in a very large number of expressions as a noun or as a verb. Here are three of them using the word as a noun.

1. up to a (certain) point partly, or to a limited degree

Example: There’s some truth in what he says, but only up to a point.
Suggested translation(s): jusqu'à un certain point (or) dans une certaine mesure.

2. point taken used to say you accept what somebody has said, possibly after disagreeing with them.

Example: Point taken. Now let’s drop the subject.
Suggested translation(s): D’accord, je te le concède.

3. make a point of doing something make sure you do something because you think it’s important.

Example: He always makes a point of remembering his children’s birthdays.
Suggested translation: ne pas manquer de faire quelque chose.

Blog 03, 04, and 05 coming soon !

" Keep your English up to Scratch "​

Blog 01

Blog 02

" Keep your English up to Scratch "