PHRASAL VERBS WITH FALL

 

  Autumn – the season when temperatures drop and leaves change color – is also known as fall. Fall in the United States is a lively time. Seasonal vegetables such as pumpkins and squash appear on farms, in stores, and in popular dishes. Leaves on most trees turn from green to fiery red, bright orange and golden yellow. In keeping with the lively, colorful spirit of fall, we will explore a lively, colorful area of connection between fall and grammar: phrasal verbs. 

What are phrasal verbs? Fall, a noun, also has a verb form. The verb form is more commonly used, Google’s Ngram Viewer suggests. The verb form often appears in phrasal verbs that have lively meanings. Such phrasal verbs add color to the landscape of English vocabulary. Phrasal verbs are groups of words that mean something different from what the individual words suggest. Phrasal verbs generally have a verb and one or two short words such as in, up, behind, and so on. When we talk about phrasal verbs with fall, we mean that fall is acting as the main verb. One or more short words come after the verb fall to give it a special meaning. Let’s start with a common example: fall into. 

Fall into Fall into has two common meanings. It can mean to be caught in a trap (either literally or figuratively). It can also mean to begin to do something or be affected by something without wanting or trying to. So, we might say the following sentences: The animal fell into the trap. Or Joe answered the question before realizing he had fallen into a trap. We might also say: Joe fell into debt after his business failed. In all of these examples, the person or thing doing the action does not expect the result. A person or thing caught in a trap does not expect to end up in a trap, for example. 

Fall for Let’s continue with another phrasal verb: fall for. It has two common varieties: fall for (someone) and fall for (something). The difference in meaning comes after the phrasal verb. When you fall for someone, it means you start to feel strong desire and care for them. So, you might say: I fell for David because he made me laugh a lot. Or I fell for her the first time I saw her. But when you fall for something, you are fooled by something, such as a trick or joke. You might hear a person say: Joe agreed to Anna’s idea? I can’t believe he fell for that old trick! Such a statement about Joe is not kind. It is making fun of him.

Practice Let’s take some time to work with these ideas. Listen to the following words and use the correct phrasal verb in the blanks. He _(blank)____ _(blank)____ bad behaviors. 

Pause the audio to consider your answer. 

Here are a couple possible answers: He fell into bad behaviors. Or He is falling into bad behaviors. The reason we chose fall into is because it means to begin to do something without wanting or trying to. You are saying that for whatever reason the person is developing bad habits. Now let’s try another example. 

Listen to the following words and use the correct phrasal verb in the blanks. As soon as their eyes made contact, they ____ ______ each other. 

Pause the audio to consider your answer. Here is one possible answer: As soon as their eyes made contact, they fell for each other. This means that the two people had a romantic interest in each other as soon as they made eye contact. Closing thoughts In today’s report, we explored phrasal verbs that involve the verb fall. Like the colorful fall season, these phrasal verbs have colorful meanings. They are linked to ideas about unexpected results, traps, and even love. The next time you see a phrasal verb with fall, consider its meaning. Ask yourself how it connects to – or how it is different from – other phrasal verbs with fall. Perhaps one day you will say to yourself: I fell for that phrasal verb the first time I heard it. I’m John Russell. John Russell wrote this lesson for VOA Learning English. ______________________________________________________________________ 

  Words in This Story 

phrasal verb – n. grammar : a group of words that functions as a verb and is made up of a verb and a preposition, an adverb, or both

literally – adv. in a way that uses the ordinary and usual meaning of a word 

figuratively – adv. with a meaning that is different from the basic or literal meaning and that expresses an idea by using language that usually describes something else

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Ukrainian Children Taken to Russia by Force

Olga Lopatkina embraces her adopted children in a park in Loue, western France, Saturday, July 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeremias Gonzalez)

Olga Lopatkina is a Ukrainian mother of six children. She had adopted the children, orphans who had lost their parents, legally taking them into her family as her own. A few months ago, the children were in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol and unable to leave. She was worried about them. The children had spent their vacation in the port city. But then the war with Russia began. Her adopted children were suddenly alone and afraid in a city at war. All they had now was her oldest son, Timofey, who was 17 years old. He promised to take care of his younger siblings. There was no clear choice for Olga. Trying to rescue the children herself would be dangerous. Getting others to help the children might put them in danger. That was the beginning of her battle against Russia. Associated Press reporters said that Russia is openly working to take Ukrainian children and bring them up as Russians. They found thousands of children separated from their parents in shelters in Mariupol and other cities and at homes for orphans in the Russian-supported separatist territories of Donbas. They include those whose parents were killed by Russian bombing and others in the care of government organizations. Russia claims that the children do not have parents or guardians to look after them, or the parents are not available. But the AP reported that officials have sent Ukrainian children to Russia or Russian-held territories without getting their approval. They lied to the children, saying that their parents did not want them. AP said Russia used the children for propaganda and gave them Russian families and citizenship. AP said its investigation is the largest to date on the taking of Ukrainian children. It is the first to follow the process all the way to those already growing up in Russia. The AP spoke to many parents, children and officials in both Ukraine and Russia. It used emails, letters, Russian documents and Russian state media. Sign of genocide Whether or not the children have parents, raising the children of war in another country or culture can be a sign of genocide. That is, it is an attempt to remove the identity of an enemy nation. Lawyers say that Russian President Vladimir Putin is responsible for the policy. He has openly supported adoptions. Stephen Rapp is a former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues. He is helping Ukraine bring legal charges against Russia over the children. Even when parents are dead, Rapp said, their children must be sheltered, cared for, or adopted in Ukraine rather than sent to Russia. Russian law bars the adoption of foreign children. But in May, Putin signed an order making it easier for Russia to permit adoptions and give citizenship to Ukrainian children without parental care. The law also makes it harder for Ukraine and surviving family members to win them back.

Children from different orphanages from the Donetsk region eat a meal at a camp in Zolotaya Kosa, southwestern Russia, Friday, July 8, 2022. (AP Photo)

Russia also has prepared a list of Russian families for Ukrainian children and pays them for each child who gets citizenship — up to $1,000 for those with disabilities. Petro Andryushchenko is an adviser to the Mariupol mayor. He said, “It is absolutely a terrible story.” He claimed hundreds of children were taken from Mariupol. “We don’t know if our children have an official parent or (stepparents) or something else because they are forcibly disappeared by Russian troops.” The situation is complex because many children in Ukraine’s orphanages are not orphans at all. Ukraine’s government said that most children of the state “are not orphans, have no serious illness or disease and are in an institution because their families are in difficult circumstances.” It is difficult to find the exact number of Ukrainian children sent to Russia. Ukrainian officials claim it is nearly 8,000. Russia has not given a number, but officials regularly announce the arrival of Ukrainian orphans in Russian military planes. Olga Lopatkina’s teenage son Timofey had become like a father to all his stepbrothers and stepsisters. Three had long-term illnesses or disabilities, and the youngest was just seven years old. They suffered through the intense bombing. They tried to leave Mariupol but pro-Russia forces at a checkpoint would not accept the children’s documents.

Olga Lopatkina and her children pose for a photo in front of their house in Loue, western France, Saturday, July 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeremias Gonzalez)

Instead, the officials took the children to a hospital in the Donetsk People’s Republic, or DPR, a separatist Russian-controlled area in Ukraine. The Donetsk officials told Lopatkina she could have her children back — if she came through Russia to Donetsk to get them in person. Lopatkina feared a trap. If she went to Russia, she might never be able to leave. She and her husband had moved to France where she took a job at a factory. The children asked when they could go home to their mother. They were badly fed, hit and mistreated, Timofey said. After two months of negotiation, DPR officials finally agreed to let a volunteer, with permission from Lopatkina, collect the children. They asked Timofey if he and Olga’s other children wanted to go back to his foster family or stay in Donetsk. “Now that I have a chance, I will, of course, go home to my parents,” he told them. Together again Timofey met his father in Berlin. They drove to France, where Timofey went to meet his mother at the factory as a surprise. When Timofey arrived, she was in shock. For him, the happiness was intense, like nothing he had ever experienced before. Back at the house, the other children were waiting. They ran toward their mother and jumped into her arms. “Let me see you!” she screamed. The two dogs joined the party, barking. It took Timofey several days before he could believe he was really back with his parents. He no longer had to act like a father to his siblings. “I kept my promise,” he said. “I’m a child now.” I’m Dan Novak And I’m Jill Robbins. Jill Robbins adapted it for Learning English. ______________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story adopt –v. to take a child of other parents legally as your own orphan – n. a child whose parents are dead. sibling – n. your brothers and sisters. absolutely –adv. completely or totally institution – n. a building where certain people are looked after circumstance –n. (often pl.) a condition or fact that affects a situation foster –adj. describing a situation in which a child lives and is cared for by people who are not their parents ______________________________________________________________________ What do you think of this story? We want to hear from you. We have a new comment system. Here is how it works: Write your comment in the box. Under the box, you can see four images for social media accounts. They are for Disqus, Facebook, Twitter and Google. Click on one image and a box appears. Enter the login for your social media account. Or you may create one on the Disqus system. It is a blue circle with “D” on it. It is free. Each time you return to comment on the Learning English site, you can use your account and see your comments and replies to them. Forum https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/ukrainian-children-taken-to-russia-by-force/6790541.html?ltflags=mailer

Europe Seeks African Energy Supplies to Replace Russian Natural Gas

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrives for a round table meeting at an EU Summit in Prague, Czech Republic, on Oct 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek, File)

European leaders have been paying a lot of attention to natural gas projects in Africa. The interest comes at a time when European officials are trying to find new energy resources because of reduced natural gas flows from Russia. New LNG project near Senegal A new liquefied natural gas (LNG) project off Africa’s western coast has received visits from the leaders of Poland and Germany. The field is about 80 percent complete. It is near Senegal and Mauritania’s coasts. It is expected to hold about 425 billion cubic meters of gas, five times more than what Germany used in all of 2019. But production is not expected to start until the end of next year. The new field will not help solve Europe’s energy crisis caused by Russia’s war in Ukraine. But, Gordon Birrell, an executive for project co-developer BP, said the development “could not be more timely.” That is because Europe is seeking to reduce its use of Russian natural gas to power factories, generate electricity and heat homes. “Current world events are demonstrating the vital role that (liquid gas) can play in underpinning the energy security of nations and regions,” he told an energy industry meeting in West Africa last month. Europe aims to strike new deals The 27-nation European Union is getting ready for the possibility of a complete Russian gas cutoff. EU energy ministers have been debating price limits on energy prices in recent weeks. European leaders have visited Norway, Qatar, Azerbaijan and especially countries in North Africa, where Algeria has a pipeline running to Italy and another to Spain. In July, Italy signed a $4 billion gas deal with Algeria. The deal came one month after Egypt reached an agreement with the EU and Israel to increase sales of LNG. Angola also has signed a gas deal with Italy.

An oil platform in Israel's offshore Leviathan gas field is seen from on board the Israeli Navy Ship Atzmaut as a submarine patrols, in the Mediterranean Sea, Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021.(AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

An earlier agreement will let Italy’s biggest energy company start production at two Algerian gas fields this week. But, experts said it is not clear when production will start from the July deal.

Senegalese President Macky Sall wants African countries to benefit from these projects. But African leaders do not want to export all their gas — an estimated 600 million Africans lack electricity.

“It is legitimate, fair and equitable that Africa, the continent that pollutes the least and lags furthest behind in the industrialization process should exploit its available resources to provide basic energy,” Sall told the U.N. General Assembly last month.

Algeria is a major gas supplier. In 2020, Algeria and Egypt made up 60 percent of the natural gas production in Africa. But Algeria cannot make up for Russian gas cuts to Europe, said Mahfoud Kaoubi. He is a professor of economics at the University of Algiers.

“Russia has an annual production of 270 billion cubic meters — it’s huge,” Kaoubi said. “Algeria is 120 billion cubic meters, of which 70.50 percent is intended for consumption on the internal market.”

Egypt also is looking to export more natural gas to Europe. The country is even limiting energy for shopping center air conditioners and streetlights so it can export gas.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said Egypt hopes to bring in an additional $450 million a month in foreign currency. State media reported that he wants Egypt to use 15 percent less energy at home so it can be exported.

And a new, three-party deal calls for Israel to send more gas to Europe through Egypt, which can liquefy it for export by sea. The EU says it will help the two countries increase gas production and exploration.

I’m John Russell.

Krista Larson reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it

for VOA Learning English. ______________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story vital – adj. extremely important underpin – v. to strengthen or support (something) from below region – n. a part of a country, of the world, etc., that is different or separate from other parts in some way benefit – v. to be useful or helpful to (someone or something) legitimate—adj. fair or reasonable; allowed according to rules or laws lag – v. to move more slowly than others exploit -- v. to use (someone or something) in a way that helps you consumption – n. the use of something (such as fuel) Forum

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 the child does not like to read books. The exchange might sound something like this: A: To get a good grade, the first thing you have to do is read books. B: Why do people always tell me to read books? I don't think books are fun. A: Lots of people don't read books – that's why they do badly in school. The last thing you want is a bad grade! Today's Everyday Grammar program is not about reading books, nor is it about how Americans lecture their children. In fact, our report is about something very different: commonly used nouns. Today we are going to explore two of the most commonly used nouns in American English: people and thing. What are nouns? A noun is traditionally defined as a word that names a place, object, or person. Nouns can be plural -- meaning more than one -- or possessive, or they can be both plural and possessive.* You can read more about these words in an Everyday Grammar program called "Understanding Noncount Nouns." You can find it and other stories on our website, learningenglish.voanews.com. Are nouns common in conversation? Sometimes words take the place of nouns. These words are called pronouns. Examples include I, us, that, it and so on. In American English, speakers use pronouns much more often than they use nouns. This information comes from Susan Conrad and Douglas Biber, two experts on English grammar. Conrad and Biber say that Americans generally use pronouns more when speaking because they understand the activities and things that the pronouns represent. This is not to say that nouns are never heard in everyday conversation! In fact, a few nouns are often used in conversation. Two such words are people and thing. People The noun people is a plural noun. It does not generally suggest a specific group of individuals. Instead, American often use people when they mean everyone. Conrad and Biber say that people is the most commonly used noun when Americans are speaking with one another. They generally use this word to make a general statement about life. For example, you might hear someone say "Lots of people make the same mistake," or "Why do people always criticize me?" This use of people is considered polite and acceptable in formal and informal speech. You will hear it at school, at restaurants, in the workplace, and even in political speeches. Thing According to Conrad and Biber, the noun thing is almost as common in American English as the noun people. The word thing can suggest an object, but this meaning is rare in conversation. Instead, the word thing has several meanings. #1 Thing refers to an event or activity First, thing can mean an event or activity. For example, imagine you are traveling to a city and your friend wants to make a suggestion. He or she could say "After you arrive, the first thing you should do is eat a hamburger." #2 Thing refers to a speech or some kind of communication Second, thing can suggest a statement or some kind of communication. For example, you might hear students talking quietly after school: "The last thing I heard was that Tommy asked Laura to the dance." In this sentence, thing refers to some kind of communication – in this case, a rumor – about two people going to a dance together. #3 Thing refers to a general situation Third, the word thing can refer to a general situation. In many cases, the speaker will give a general opinion about the situation by using an adjective. For example, you might hear a person say "It's a good thing you bought an umbrella. I think it's going to rain today!" The speaker is showing that they have a good opinion about the other person's decision to buy an umbrella. Think back to the conversation Now, think back to the exchange at the beginning of our program. A: To get a good grade, the first thing you have to do is read books. B: Why do people always tell me to read books! I don't think books are fun. A: Lots of people don't read books – that's why they do badly in school. The last thing you want is a bad grade! You will notice several uses of people and thing in this conversation. The word people is used to make a general statement about life. The word thing, in the example, is used to suggest a general situation in which the speaker expresses their opinion. Our goal here is not to give you a list of all of the meanings of people and thing. Instead we want to tell you about the most common meanings of these common nouns. Learning how these two words are used will not only help you understand Americans when they speak. Using these words will also help you sound more natural to an American. The next time you are watching an American film or television show, try to listen to how the speakers use the nouns people and thing. Try to use what you know about the situation to understand the meaning. These definitions are difficult to learn, but the most important thing is that you do not give up. I'm John Russell. And I'm Jill Robbins. John Russell wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. * Nouns in English are called either count or noncount. We will not study the difference between these nouns in this report, but if you want to learn more about them, you can read our earlier Everyday Grammar program, called "Understanding Noncount Nouns" ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story conversation – n. an informal talk involving two people or a small group of people lecture – v. to talk to (someone) in an angry or serious way possessive – n. relating to a word or a form of a word that shows that something or someone belongs to something or someone else rumor – n. information or a story that is passed from person to person but has not been proven to be true polite – adj. having or showing good manners or respect for other people formal – adj. suitable for serious or official speech and writing informal – adj. having a friendly and relaxed quality grammar – n. the set of rules that explain how words are used in a language

FRASES DE SUSTANTIVOS IMPRECISOS EN LA CONVERSACIÓN #1 Y #2

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 such short conversation might sound like this: A: Should we try that restaurant? I hear the food is cheap! B: Their food is supposed to be bad, though.* There's a reason the food is cheap! A: Yeah but I need to save money for my Mom's Christmas gift! The point of this conversation is not to teach you that America has a lot of bad restaurants. In fact, America does have some very good restaurants! The point of this conversation is to show you how some Americans disagree with each other in everyday conversation. These friendly disagreements, for example, might be between friends who are trying to decide what they want to do. Americans often use the words, though and but, to show contrast or disagreement. They may use these words in specific ways to be more or less forceful. In today's report, we will explore how the words though and but are used in everyday conversation. Though In many grammar books, you will see that though introduces a clause that shows an unexpected result. For example, you might read a sentence such as this: "Though it was raining, we went for a walk." Though is not commonly used this way in everyday conversation. Susan Conrad and Douglas Biber are English grammar experts. They say that in conversation, though is commonly used as an adverb. The adverb can show a transition between sentences. In other words, it links ideas between sentences. When though is used as a transition, it shows disagreement or contrast. It often appears at the end of a sentence. 3 Common Uses of Though in Conversation Though has three common uses in conversation, say Conrad and Biber. #1 Showing contrast with a previous statement First, a speaker can use though to express contrast with their own statement. So, for example, a speaker talking about a new pair of jeans might say the following: "These jeans are a little loose. I like the color, though." #2 Showing contrast with another speaker's statement The second common use of though is to show a contrast with another speaker's point. It does not necessarily mean that one speaker disagrees with the other, it just means that one speaker is adding a contrasting point to the statement of the other speaker. Here is an example: "A: These jeans are really nice." B: Yeah, they're expensive, though." #3 Showing disagreement with another speaker The third common use of though is to show disagreement with another speaker's previous statement. Consider this example: "A: These jeans are really nice!" "B: They're poorly made, though." Despite their disagreement, these two speakers are showing a polite way to disagree. Why? Because it is a less direct way of disagreeing. Often, Americans prefer less direct ways of speaking – particularly when disagreeing. A more direct and forceful way of disagreeing would be in the following example: "A: These jeans are really nice! B: No, they are not." Some Americans would consider this to be an impolite way to disagree – especially if the other person was not well known to them! This is because the language is much more direct and negative. What about but in conversation? The word but also shows contrast or disagreement. In everyday conversation, but is a conjunction that often appears at the beginning of a sentence. Although though and but might seem alike, you will learn that there are important differences between how they are used in conversation. Consider this example: "A: I really like those jeans! B: But you told me last week that you don't like jeans!" The second speaker is directly disagreeing with the first person's statement. Why did the speaker choose to start the sentence with but? The second speaker also could have said, "You told me last week that you don't like jeans, though!" The speaker, who disagrees by using the word but, probably has strong feelings about the jeans. Starting the sentence with a word – such as but ­- that shows disagreement is a stronger and more forceful way to speak. Other ways to use ‘but’ One way that Americans reduce the force of the word but is to put words in front of it. The most common way to do this is to use the word yeah. Here is an example of what this sounds like: A: I really like those jeans! B: Yeah but you told me last week that you don't like jeans! This way of disagreeing, even though it is informal, sounds softer and less forceful. Americans may choose to say yeah first because it sets a pleasant tone to the sentence. By beginning the sentence with the agreeable word, yeah, speakers can show that the strength of their disagreement is not very strong. Using yeah but is less polite than using though, say Conrad and Biber. In addition, it is less forceful than using but alone. What can you do? Think back to the conversation at the beginning of this story: A: Should we try that restaurant? I hear the food is cheap! B: Their food is supposed to be bad, though. There's a reason the food is cheap! A: Yeah but I need to save money for my Mom's Christmas gift! You will notice that the two speakers show contrast or disagreement with the word though. One speaker uses yeah but when disagreeing with the other. Learning these ways to disagree is not easy. It can take a long time to learn how grammar, word choice, and culture work together. However, the next time you are watching an American film or TV show, try to focus on how speakers disagree with each other. You might notice that they disagree, or show contrast, in different ways. Think about the situation to understand how and why the speakers might be disagreeing with each other. In future Everyday Grammar stories, we will explore these issues in more detail. I’m Anne Ball. And I’m John Russell. John Russell wrote this story for Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. *There is a debate about comma placement and the word "though." We chose to use the comma for the sake of consistency. A discussion about comma placement is beyond the scope of this story. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story conversation – n. an informal talk involving two people or a small group of people contrast – n. something that is different from another thing clause – n. grammar : a part of a sentence that has its own subject and verb adverb – n. a word that describes a verb, an adjective, another adverb, or a sentence and that is often used to show time, manner, place, or degree transition – n. grammar a word or phrase that connects ideas tone – n. a quality, feeling, or attitude expressed by the words that someone uses in speaking or writing 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, like the Super Bowl. You might hear comments like this: A: Did you see that terrible call the referee made? B: Yes, but it didn't matter. Our team would have lost the game anyway. C: So, anyway, do you think the budget details are correct or not? Why were two of the speakers talking about a football game at a business meeting? How did they use grammar to show disagreement? In our report today, we will answer these questions by exploring the word anyway. We will tell about two ways people use anyway to show disagreement, or contrast, in American English. Anyway Today, we are not talking about the term any way, a noun phrase that has two words – any and way. We are instead talking about anyway, an adverb that is one word. Adverbs are words that change the meaning of adjectives, verbs, or sometimes whole sentences. They tell about a way of doing things, time, reason, and so on. Anyway is a common adverb that you will hear in everyday speech. Like many other adverbs, it can appear at the beginning, middle, and end of a sentence. Its meaning can change depending on where it is found in the sentence. Today, we will consider the use of anyway at the beginning and end of the sentence. Two of the most common uses of anyway in conversation Susan Conrad and Douglas Biber are two experts on English grammar. They say there are two main uses of anyway in everyday conversation. #1 Show contrast with another speaker's point The first use of anyway is to show contrast with another speaker's earlier comments. This does not necessarily mean that one speaker disagrees with another. It just means that one speaker is comparing one idea or thing with another. When anyway has this meaning, it generally appears at the end of the sentence. Here is an example: Passenger: I'm not sure if I have my bus ticket. Bus Driver: That's OK. I'll let you ride anyway. #2 Show that you want to talk about a different topic The second common use of anyway is to show that a speaker wants to talk about a different subject. It could mean that the speaker wants to move back to the main point of discussion. The speaker could also use anyway to show that they think another issue is more important. When anyway has this meaning, it generally is found at the beginning of the sentence. Here is an example. Imagine a group of students are meeting after school to prepare for a biology test. A: What are you doing this weekend? I'm going to a movie. B: I'm going to play video games! C: Anyway, I think we need to go back to studying our biology notes. Think back to the conversation at the beginning of the story Think back to the comments you heard at the beginning of this story. A: Did you see that terrible call the referee made? B: Yeah, but it didn't matter. Our team would have lost the game anyway. C: So, anyway, do you think the budget details are correct or not? You might notice that there are two forms of disagreement or contrast in this example. There are also two uses of the word anyway in the conversation. One speaker uses it to provide a contrasting point about the call the referee made. Another speaker uses anyway to show that she wants to return to the main issue under consideration at a business meeting: the budget. This speaker probably does not believe that the game is an important subject. In this sense, she is showing disagreement or contrast. Anyway and politeness One important point to remember is this: Americans will often use other words in front of words that show contrast or disagreement. Speakers will use these words to soften the sudden or unexpected change in conversation. This is probably why the female speaker uses the word "so" before the word anyway. She is probably expressing annoyance at her coworkers' comments, but does not want to stop them in a very forceful or impolite way. Americans can also use the word "well" before anyway to serve this same purpose – softening a sudden change in the conversation. Using the word anyway at the beginning of the sentence can appear to be impolite at times. How polite or impolite the word sounds might depend on the speaker's voice. It also depends on the person you are speaking to. Here is an example of a softer, more polite way to use anyway when you want to go back to an important subject: "Well, anyway, I would like to go back to the topic we were previously discussing…" And here is a forceful, impolite way to show someone that you want to go back to an important subject. You will notice that the speaker uses the word anyway. "ANYWAY, I want to talk about an important topic." What can you do? These rules are not easy to learn. However, learning them will help you understand Americans when they speak. You will be able to understand disagreements about what is important to discuss, and how to change a topic in a polite way. The next time you are watching an American film or television show, try to study how Americans change subjects or express disagreement. You might notice that they use different or similar grammatical constructions. I’m Jill Robbins. And I'm Phil Dierking. John Russell wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. _________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story conversation – n. an informal talk involving two people or a small group of people contrast – n. something that is different from another thing phrase – n. a group of two or more words that express a single idea but do not usually form a complete sentence adverb – n. a word that describes a verb, an adjective, another adverb, or a sentence and that is often used to show time, manner, place, or degree annoyance – n. something that causes feelings of slight anger or irritation referee – n. a sports official who has power to make judgments or rulings in a game grammar – n. the study of the classes or words and how they are used impolite – adj. demonstrating or relating to bad behavior

THAT...

The 1994 crime film "Pulp Fiction" tells the story of a gunman, played by Samuel L. Jackson. In the film, the gunman is growing tired of his life of crime. Near the end of the movie, he gives two other criminals a chance to leave a bad situation. -“The truth is, you're the weak and I'm the tyranny of evil men. But I'm tryin', Ringo. I'm tryin' real hard to be the shepherd. Go." - "I think we should be leaving now." - "Yeah. That's probably a good idea." In this program, we explore the meaning of a word you heard in the recording: the pronoun “that”. And we will look at how Americans use this word in everyday speech. You might be surprised how often Americans use it for different purposes! The word "that" On another Everyday Grammar program, we explored the many uses of the word "that." That belongs to a group of words called demonstratives. Sometimes demonstratives act as pronouns. When acting as pronouns, they suggest that nouns are either close to the speaker or far away.* In American English, speakers use the word "that" to mean people or objects that are at a distance. But they also use it in other ways. For example, English speakers often use the word "that" to give an opinion about something or to repeat the main points of a conversation. We will now look at each of these uses in greater detail. #1 Evaluating an idea or situation Speakers often use the word "that" in sentences that give an opinion about an idea or situation. They do this by using the structure, that's + an adjective, or that's + a noun phrase. This audio from the 1996 film "Fargo" gives an example of the first structure: - "They announced it." - "They announced it?" - "Yah." - "So?" - "Three-cent stamp." - "Your mallard?" - "Yah." - "Oh, that's terrific." The term "that's terrific" is an example of that's + an adjective. Here, the word "that" means the idea or situation presented; in other words, the new stamp. The adjective "terrific" gives the speakers positive or good opinion about the stamp. There are any number of adjectives that speakers use to express their opinion. A few other examples are "that's cool" or "that's awesome," two common expressions among younger Americans. English speakers also use the that's + a noun clause structure to give an opinion about a situation or idea. Think back to the lines you heard at the beginning of this program. - "I think we should be leaving now." - "Yeah. That's probably a good idea." Here, the word "that" means the idea that came in the earlier sentence "I think we should be leaving now." The speaker gives his opinion about the idea by using the noun phrase "a good idea." The word "probably" changes the force of his statement. #2 Summarizing the main point of earlier statements The second common structure in everyday speech is that's + a wh- clause. A wh- clause suggests a group of words beginning with the letters w and h, such as why or what. Speakers use this structure when they are noting the main points of earlier statements in a conversation. The comedy film "Clerks" has an example of how speakers use this structure in everyday speech. Here, the actors are having a debate about the best "Star Wars" movie: “Empire had the better ending. I mean, Luke gets his hand cut off, finds out Vader's his father, Han gets frozen and taken away by Boba Fett. It ends on such a down note. I mean, that's what life is, a series of down endings." The main speaker makes several statements and then closes with the words "that's what life is – a series of down endings." The word "that" means the ideas presented earlier: namely, a series of bad events. Hopefully, you do not agree with the speaker's opinions of life! What can you do? Instead of giving you a down ending – such as in the line from the film Clerks – we are going to end on a positive note. Learning and understanding the uses of pronouns such as "that" can be difficult. But, you will be successful if you take a few simple steps. The next time you are watching a film or talking with English speakers, try to listen for examples of the word "that." Ask yourself the following questions: Do the speakers use it to give their opinion? Do they use it to summarize the conversation? Then, find a person to practice with. Try to use the word "that" when speaking to them. Let us know if you have any questions – we are always happy to help! I'm Alice Bryant. And I'm John Russell. John Russell wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. *The word "that" can also introduce adjective clauses. These types of clauses are beyond the scope of this story. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story demonstrative – n. a word (such as “this,” “that,” “these,” or “those”) that tells who or what is being spoken about conversation – n. a talk involving two people or a small group of people; a discussion phrase – n. a group of two or more words that express a single idea but do not usually form a complete sentence clause – n. grammar a part of a sentence that has its own subject and verb tyranny – n. an oppressive power pronoun – n. a word that is used instead of a noun stamp – n. a small piece of paper placed on something to show that a payment has been made mallard – n. a common duck comedy – adj. something that is meant to make people laugh practice – v. to perform repeatedly; to train

GERUNDIO, INFINITIVO DE VERBOS

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 take the second right. It will only take about five minutes." "Thanks! I'm running late - I hope I can find a place to park. Take care! "Bye!" Our report today is not about asking for traffic directions. Instead, it is about another useful subject: infinitives in everyday speech. In this Everyday Grammar, we are going to explore infinitives and the words that they often modify. What are infinitives? An infinitive is the base form of the verb. Sometimes the word to appears before the base form. The word serves as a sign of the infinitive. Unlike other verbs, infinitives do not have a tense, something to express time or the length of an action. Infinitives can act as adjectives. In other words, they can describe or provide more information about a noun. English has many possible noun and infinitive combinations. You would never be able to memorize all of them! However, the good news is this: in everyday speech, only a few nouns are generally modified by infinitives. #1 Objects – thing, stuff, a lot Nouns that suggest objects are often modified by infinitives. The three most common examples are the nouns thing, stuff, and a lot. All three words are inexact, so English speakers often need to use adjective phrases to clarify their meaning. Here is an example. Imagine you hear someone say unkind words. You could say to them, "That wasn't a nice thing to say." The infinitive to say gives more information about the noun thing. The infinitive is acting as an adjective. It helps to define the word thing. In this situation, thing means hurtful words. The word stuff is also unclear. Here's an example. Imagine you are invited to a party. After inviting you, your friend might say this: "Oh! I forgot to tell you – it would be great if you brought stuff to snack on." Here, the infinitive to snack on tells us about the noun stuff. If the sentence ended with stuff, the meaning might not be clear to the listener. But by adding the infinitive, the meaning becomes clear: your friend is talking about food! When taking leave of a friend, you might say "Sorry, I have to go now. I have got a lot to do!" #2 Time, place, way Three other nouns are commonly modified by infinitives in everyday speech. They are the words time, place and way. Time and place have a clearer meaning than some of the other nouns we have discussed. Most American parents have probably told their children, "It's time to go to bed." Many tired, hungry travelers have probably said, "This looks like a great place to eat!" The word way, meaning the method in which something is done, is often used when asking questions or giving advice. So a student might ask a teacher, "Is there a better way to write this sentence?" Unstated and Stated Subjects You might notice that there is something missing from our examples. One feature of adjectival infinitives – the technical term for today's program – is that the subject is not stated. The subject is understood; it is the object in a prepositional phrase. This information comes from Martha Kolln, an expert on English grammar. Consider our earlier example: "That wasn't a nice thing to say." The understood, or unstated subject, is the word you. You is the object of an understood prepositional phrase, for you. The entire sentence, if it had all of these elements, would read: "That wasn't a nice thing [for you] to say." Our other example, ""This seems like a great place to eat!" could become "This seems like a great place [for me/for us] to eat!" Now you can understand why native speakers sometimes do not always state the subject. It makes the sentence longer, and it might not add much information. Infinitives in conversations Think back to the exchange you heard at the beginning of this program. "What's the best way to get to the airport?" "Continue straight and take the second right. It will only take about five minutes." Thanks! I'm running late - I hope I can find a place to park!. Take care! "Bye!" You will recognize that two of the nouns we discussed, way and place, were modified by infinitives. The first speaker said, "What's the best way to get to the airport?" The speaker could have said "What's the best way [for me] to get to the airport?" But as you have heard, English speakers will leave out the subject when the meaning is clear. What can you do? The nouns and infinitives we have studied today can be used in almost any situation, with the exception of stuff. While it would be acceptable to use stuff when talking to friends or family, you would not use it when speaking with someone important, especially if you did not know the person well. Stuff is not an offensive word, but it is an informal one. The next time you are reading, watching, or listening to something in English, try to notice the noun + infinitive structures we have discussed today. Ask yourself how speakers use these structures in different situations. Try using these structures whenever you get the chance. Remember: practice is the best way to improve. And now it's time to take a break. Until next week! I'm John Russell. And I'm Alice Bryant. John Russell wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. *Conrad, Susan and Biber, Douglas. Real Grammar: A Corpus-Based Approach to English. Pearson Education, 2009. Pg. 130 ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story infinitive – n. grammar the basic form of a verb conversation – n. a spoken exchange involving two people or a small group of people modify – v. grammar: to limit or describe the meaning of (a word or group of words) tense – n. grammar a form of a verb that is used to show when an action happened imprecise – n. not clear or exact phrase – n. a group of two or more words that express a single idea but do not usually form a complete sentence stuff – n. materials or things feature – n. the structure, form or appearance of something; a quality grammar – n. the study of words and their uses in sentences informal – adj. lacking ceremony; of or related to familiar use