2017-05-19 Would You Like to Learn About Modal Auxiliaries?
Imagine you are watching an action movie, such as Mission: Impossible. You hear the following exchange: “Would you like to watch a movie?” “Oh. No, thank you.” “Would you consider…
2017-05-12 Different Meanings of ‘Have’ in Everyday Speech
“There Will Be Blood” is a film about Daniel Plainview, an American oil man in the early part of the 20th century. The film’s story is dark. Plainview builds his…
2017-05-05 Common Ways to Express Purpose
From VOA Learning English, this is Everyday Grammar. You may remember our earlier reports on infinitives and gerunds. The infinitive form of a verb can be either its most basic…
2017-04-28 Sentence Relatives: Showing Feeling, Interpreting Information
“The Big Lebowski” is an American movie that has developed a large following. Since its release in the late 1990s, the film has been shown at film festivals, colleges, and…
2017-04-21 Noun Clauses in Everyday Speech
From VOA Learning English, this is Everyday Grammar. Almost every American has seen or heard of the movie “Forrest Gump.” The film is a touching story about the life of…
2017-04-14 The Many Ways to Say ‘Okay’
From VOA Learning English, this is Everyday Grammar. Imagine you are watching a film about love, such as “Before Sunrise.“ A couple says goodbye at a train station. They want…
2017-04-07 Using Discourse Markers in American English
Imagine you are watching an old American movie — the crime film “Dirty Harry.” You have heard that one part of the film is very famous in American culture. You…
2017-03-31 Take a Break with Commas
From VOA Learning English, this is Everyday Grammar. Imagine you are taking a trip in a foreign country. You are driving a rental car that you got at the airport.…
2017-03-24 Infinitives in Everyday Speech
Imagine you are in an American city. While standing along the street, you hear someone asking for directions. “What’s the best way to get to the airport?” “Continue straight and…
2017-03-17 Imprecise Noun Phrases in Conversation
Imagine you hear a group of American teenagers talking. One teenager has received a gift, and his friends are a little jealous. Where did you get that new video game?…
2017-03-10 Commonly Used Nouns
From VOA Learning English, this is Everyday Grammar. Imagine you hear a mother or father talking to a child. The parent wants the child to do well in school, but…
2017-03-03 ‘Providing’ More Assistance With Prepositions
English learners know that prepositions can be difficult to master. There are 94 one-word prepositions in English, and about 56 prepositions with two or more words, called “complex prepositions.” This…
2017-02-24 Disagreements in Everyday Conversation, Part Two
From VOA Learning English, this is Everyday Grammar. Imagine you are at a business meeting in the United States. The meeting is held one day after a major sporting event,…
2017-02-17 Disagreements in Everyday Conversation
For VOA Learning English, this is Everyday Grammar. Imagine that you are walking down the street in an American city. You might hear short conversations as you pass people. One…
2017-02-10 Common Adverbs in Conversation: Amplifiers, Downtoners
From VOA Learning English, this is Everyday Grammar. Imagine you are at a business meeting. You have just presented a plan to your business partners. They want to give suggestions…