I am starting this discussion for those who want to improve their knowledge of grammar. Dear learners! If you have any questions, I'll be glad to answer to them.
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Dear Trai Pham! It is a really good question for I have never thought about the right answer to it. ( Ha-ha-ha!). Well, according to different sources like grammar books and dictionaries, we can use this prefix before all verbs except modal and pseudomodal ( to be able to, let, permit, allow, have to, etc) ones. A hyphen is used between the prefix and a verb in the following cases:
1) if the first letter of the verb is "e": re-enter, re-examine.
2) if there is a word with the different meaning and the same spelling: re-cover means "cover again" while recover means "get well"
I'd like to say that we often use the preposition "over" after a verb instead of this prefix. It has the same meaning, i.e., "redo" and "do over" are the same but we mostly say "do over". There is no rule when to use the preposition and when to use this prefix. It is so called "feeling of the language". To get it, you should read more English literature (fictions, articles, etc.) and, especially, talk more to natives.
Trai Pham said:
Hi, Tanya. Thank you for your answer. I understood.
On today's question I want to ask you about the prefix "Re-".
For examples : Re-use, Re-check....
Can we use this prefix with all of the verbs?
Dear Mona! I hate to say that, but your grammar is not good enough. You should learn how to construct sentences. I decided to correct your comment. Here it is:
Let me to tell you about what _ I watched yesterday. (there shouldn't be inversion in any clause)
I saw the movie which name is_ Twilight.
It is a good story about vampires and wolfs. They fight from the beginning of the movie because they don't like one another.
Mona H. El Tanatwy said:
Hi Tanya Let me to tell you a bout what did i watch yesterday. I saw a movie it was the name for this movie TwilightIt was a good story about vampires and wolfs they are fighting from the first of the movie because they didn't like each other
Dear Sohan! First of all, read what I said on the top of the first page of my group. Your English is really poor. You should try to improve all four skills: grammar, vocabulary, listening and speaking.
sohan lal said:
hi Tanya. This is big problem with me because my friends not under stand that what i am saying. Many time i am not understand this.What i am do plz tell me.I what to speak fluent english.
Hi, Pham! Here is the answer to your question about the Simple Past and the Present Perfect Tenses.
1. We use The Simple Past Tense when we mean that the action took place (happened, occured) in the past, is not related to the present (or we don't know about that) and we mention it as a fact (we don't emphasize its duration). We also use this tense when we describe regular action in the past or enumarate a few consecutive actions. In such sentences we usually use a time modifier that describes the past. Here are a few examples:
He called me up yesterday. (Affirmative) (a fact) Did he call you yeasterday? (Interrogative) He didn't call me yesterday. (Negative) When did you return? I often called home when I was on business trip. (Regular action)
She came home late, took a shower and went to bed (Enumeration)
2. We use The Present Perfect Tense when we want to say that the action has already taken place but its result is related to the present. In such sentences we never use the past time modifier. There are many so called "standard" cases when we use this tense. Here are a few of them:
a) there is no time modifier.
I have bought a car (I still have it)
b)There is a present time modifier
I have seen him this week
c) with the adverbs of uncertain time: just, ever, never, already, yet, recently, lately, before, etc.
I have just come in ( I am at home now) I haven't met him before (I don't know him in person) Hasn't he come yet? ( He is not here) I have seen that movie recently (I remember it)
d) when we want to say that some action has been taking place for some time till now.
I have known him for ages. I haven't smoked for a month. (I don't smoke now and it is OK with me) I have lived here since the childhood (I still live here and I am not going to move out)
e) when we mention the number of times.
I have been here twice.
f) there are a few special expressions:
This is the first time I have been here.
It has been two years since we finished the school.
There are some other cases. But the principle thing is to realize what this or that tense for. Here is a very understandable example.
I have bought a new car. The meaning is that you still have it. I bought a car last year. It is only information. In the most of cases natives will ask you:"Are you still driving it?" It is not clear that you still have the same car.
Can and to be able to
One of the meanings of "can" is an ability to fulfill this or that action. So, these words are synonyms. However, "can" is a modal verb while "to be able to" is a so called pseudomodal one. Such verbs express modality but are used like all the rest with the following exceptions:
1. They can't be used in Progressive Tenses
2. They are followed by infinitive (not gerund)
So, you can say:
I can do it or I am able to do it
However, these words are not 100% synonyms. In some sentences it is better to use "can" while in other sentences "to be able" sounds more appropriately. For example:
I can drive (means that you know how to do it, nothing more) I am able to drive ( in fact, it means the same but it emphasizes that a person hasn't lost his ability to drive or gained it in some irregular situation)
Here are a few examples with "to be able":
He is only 10 but he is already able to drive.
I had 3 drinks but I am still able to drive.
Do you see the difference now?
Trai Pham said:
Hi, Tanya! I'm sorry to repeat the question. Because , I've just jointed this room so I couldn't follow all of the discussions which was uploaded by the day before I joint the room.
By this way, I have one question want to ask you.
It is the word "Can" and "Able".These ones are the same or different usages?
Please give me some example of the same and different usgages of them?
Dear Farid! First of all, I have to correct your sentence. It should be "Would you mind teaching me how to use them?"
Well, I don't mind.
HARDLYis an adverb. It is used in the following cases:
1) to qualify a statement by saying that it is true to an insignificant degree.
It is hardly bigger than a credit card
2) only a very short time before
The party had hardly started when the police arrived
3) only with great difficulty
She could hardly sit up
4) no or not (suggesting surprise at or disagreement with a statement)
I hardly think so
It is necessary to remember that the words like hardly, scarcely, rarely and some others should not be used with negative constructions. Thus, it is correct to say I can hardly wait but incorrect to say I can't hardly wait. This is because adverbs like "hardly" are treated as if they were negatives, and it is a well-known grammatical rule of standard English that double negatives (i.e. in this case having hardly and not in the same clause) are not acceptable. Words like hardly behave as negatives in other respects as well, as for example in combining with words like any or at all, which normally only occur where a negative is present (thus, standard usage is "I've hardly got any money" but not "I've got any money").
NEARLY is an adverb, too. It means:
1) very close to; almost
David was nearly asleep There was a price rise of nearly 25 per cent
2) closely
In the absence of anyone more nearly related, I was designated next of kin
Pay attention to the place of these adverbs in the sentences.
faridahmad_Afghan said:
Hi Tanya, i cannot use the word"hardly" and"nearly" in the sentences. would you mind learning me how to use it?
Hi, Pham! I have already answered this question. See page 5 of this discussion. If you still have questions after reading my answer, ask me more particular questions, OK?
Trai Pham said:
Good morning , Tanya. Thank you for your reply. I understood.
As a new learner of English , I meet with many difficulties of English Grammar.
Actually , I don't know how can I do to use grammar correctly.
One of all is the usage of the tenses.
Could you tell me the difference usages of Past Tense and Present Perfect Tense, please?
It is better if you give me some examples.
Hi, Pham! Your sentence is correct. However, this word is seldom used in this case. It is mostly used to describe something sufficiently good, important, or interesting to be treated or regarded in the way specified:
That museum is worth visiting.
That book is worth reading.
We also use "worth" to describe people having income or property amounting to a specified sum:
She is worth £10 million
Trai Pham said:
Hi, Tanya . Thank you very much! It's clear.
I have a word "Worth", but I don't know how to use it correctly.
For example, can I say "One dollar is worth about 20,000 VND "?
Is it correct?
Please explain me the details of this one, and give some others example.
Dear Fatih! The Passive voice means that an action is done by an object, not by a subject. Just compare:
I told him to call (Active Voice. I (subject) did it) He was told to call me ( Passive Voice, someone else (object) told him)
As to the details, you should consult grammar books. I am sorry, I can't rewrite them there. You should ask more particular questions in the future, OK?
fatih said:
hallo ı want to learn passive sentences can you help me please take care
bye
Replies
=> After doing great deal of thought and deliberations with myself about the topic I come to a conclusion that........
=> After mulling over with myself about the topic I come to a conclusion that........
=> After pondering over with myself about the topic I come to a conclusion that........
Q: have all these sentences same meaning?
Q: If I remove with myself from these sentences then it will be a rite sentence or not?
Q: mulling over & only mulling are same meaning?
Q: pondering over & only pondering have same mean?
And Tanya also tell me that I have put query in a rite way (grammar and other things of English language) or not?
Thanx
1) if the first letter of the verb is "e": re-enter, re-examine.
2) if there is a word with the different meaning and the same spelling: re-cover means "cover again" while recover means "get well"
I'd like to say that we often use the preposition "over" after a verb instead of this prefix. It has the same meaning, i.e., "redo" and "do over" are the same but we mostly say "do over". There is no rule when to use the preposition and when to use this prefix. It is so called "feeling of the language". To get it, you should read more English literature (fictions, articles, etc.) and, especially, talk more to natives.
Trai Pham said:
Let me to tell you about what _ I watched yesterday. (there shouldn't be inversion in any clause)
I saw the movie which name is_ Twilight.
It is a good story about vampires and wolfs. They fight from the beginning of the movie because they don't like one another.
Mona H. El Tanatwy said:
sohan lal said:
1. We use The Simple Past Tense when we mean that the action took place (happened, occured) in the past, is not related to the present (or we don't know about that) and we mention it as a fact (we don't emphasize its duration). We also use this tense when we describe regular action in the past or enumarate a few consecutive actions. In such sentences we usually use a time modifier that describes the past. Here are a few examples:
He called me up yesterday. (Affirmative) (a fact)
Did he call you yeasterday? (Interrogative)
He didn't call me yesterday. (Negative)
When did you return?
I often called home when I was on business trip. (Regular action)
She came home late, took a shower and went to bed (Enumeration)
2. We use The Present Perfect Tense when we want to say that the action has already taken place but its result is related to the present. In such sentences we never use the past time modifier. There are many so called "standard" cases when we use this tense. Here are a few of them:
a) there is no time modifier.
I have bought a car (I still have it)
b)There is a present time modifier
I have seen him this week
c) with the adverbs of uncertain time: just, ever, never, already, yet, recently, lately, before, etc.
I have just come in ( I am at home now)
I haven't met him before (I don't know him in person)
Hasn't he come yet? ( He is not here)
I have seen that movie recently (I remember it)
d) when we want to say that some action has been taking place for some time till now.
I have known him for ages.
I haven't smoked for a month. (I don't smoke now and it is OK with me)
I have lived here since the childhood (I still live here and I am not going to move out)
e) when we mention the number of times.
I have been here twice.
f) there are a few special expressions:
This is the first time I have been here.
It has been two years since we finished the school.
There are some other cases. But the principle thing is to realize what this or that tense for. Here is a very understandable example.
I have bought a new car. The meaning is that you still have it.
I bought a car last year. It is only information. In the most of cases natives will ask you:"Are you still driving it?" It is not clear that you still have the same car.
Can and to be able to
One of the meanings of "can" is an ability to fulfill this or that action. So, these words are synonyms. However, "can" is a modal verb while "to be able to" is a so called pseudomodal one. Such verbs express modality but are used like all the rest with the following exceptions:
1. They can't be used in Progressive Tenses
2. They are followed by infinitive (not gerund)
So, you can say:
I can do it or
I am able to do it
However, these words are not 100% synonyms. In some sentences it is better to use "can" while in other sentences "to be able" sounds more appropriately. For example:
I can drive (means that you know how to do it, nothing more)
I am able to drive ( in fact, it means the same but it emphasizes that a person hasn't lost his ability to drive or gained it in some irregular situation)
Here are a few examples with "to be able":
He is only 10 but he is already able to drive.
I had 3 drinks but I am still able to drive.
Do you see the difference now?
Trai Pham said:
Well, I don't mind.
HARDLYis an adverb. It is used in the following cases:
1) to qualify a statement by saying that it is true to an insignificant degree.
It is hardly bigger than a credit card
2) only a very short time before
The party had hardly started when the police arrived
3) only with great difficulty
She could hardly sit up
4) no or not (suggesting surprise at or disagreement with a statement)
I hardly think so
It is necessary to remember that the words like hardly, scarcely, rarely and some others should not be used with negative constructions. Thus, it is correct to say I can hardly wait but incorrect to say I can't hardly wait. This is because adverbs like "hardly" are treated as if they were negatives, and it is a well-known grammatical rule of standard English that double negatives (i.e. in this case having hardly and not in the same clause) are not acceptable. Words like hardly behave as negatives in other respects as well, as for example in combining with words like any or at all, which normally only occur where a negative is present (thus, standard usage is "I've hardly got any money" but not "I've got any money").
NEARLY is an adverb, too. It means:
1) very close to; almost
David was nearly asleep
There was a price rise of nearly 25 per cent
2) closely
In the absence of anyone more nearly related, I was designated next of kin
Pay attention to the place of these adverbs in the sentences.
faridahmad_Afghan said:
Trai Pham said:
Yesterday your name crossed my mind (came into my mind)
The second one would be right if you use Past Simple: remembered
faridahmad_Afghan said:
That museum is worth visiting.
That book is worth reading.
We also use "worth" to describe people having income or property amounting to a specified sum:
She is worth £10 million
Trai Pham said:
I told him to call (Active Voice. I (subject) did it)
He was told to call me ( Passive Voice, someone else (object) told him)
As to the details, you should consult grammar books. I am sorry, I can't rewrite them there. You should ask more particular questions in the future, OK?
fatih said:
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