Sentence connections

And:

• so
• Therefore
• As a result
• Consequently
• Hence
• Accordingly

Or:

• In other words
• To put it more simply
• It would be better to say

But:

• However
• Neverthless
• Nonetheless
• Yet
• In spite of that
• All the same

critical reading for writting

Reading English articles is a very helpful way to increase your knowledge about critical writing. The following is some suggestions.

when you try to read critically, you shoul:

• do not read for information only
• look for the way of thinking

The questions should ask while reading are:

• how does this text work
• how does it argues
• how is the evidence used and interpreted
• how does the text reach its conclusion

the active way of reading:

• main point of the author : double underline
• claim: underline & mark claim No.
• transition: circle
• evidence&statistics: *
• unclear,unresaonable: ?
• the passage you agree, disagreen,or interested: !
  
• your command and additional infor: postnote
• the point well-made,you like: N.B.
  

in hand / at hand

• at hand

you have something conveniently near you
e.g. Make sure that the safety equipment is at hand when you start working, in case there are any problems.
e.g. I do not have Dominic's telephone at hand, so I will tell you later.

• to hand (can be used the same as 'at hand')

e.g. I am sorry I haven't got the information to hand, can I tell you later?

• in hand

1. if you have something in hand, then you have extra amount, or you have more than you need. we may use this talk about time.
e.g. I am not worry about finishing this essay before the deadline, since I still have 3 days in hand.
2. the, job, situation, problem or topic that you are dealing with at the moment can be described as the problem in hand.
e.g. At the moment, the problem in hand is how to motivate yourself start working.
3. if you want to say that you are in control of a difficult situation, you can say that you have this situation in hand.
e.g. Do't worry about the preparation for the party, I've got everything in hand.

Reference

Preposition of time

Example:
She dresses her dolls up IN the morning and prepares their bed AT night. DURING the day, she is at the kindergarden, so she misses them a lot. ON Saturdays, my daughter and I go to toy stores and buy clothes and accessories for the dolls.

Present and future tenses

Example:
Today Datca has grown considerably. Its population reaches 6,000 in winter. The town has developed so much that there are many cafes, bars and restaurants there now. They are building a three-lane road now and it is about to finish. When the road has finished (instead of will have finish, or will have been finished), a lot more people will come to that seaside town and more summer houses will be built and more cafes and bars will open. I believe it will be good for the locals, but people who know (instead of knows, meaning 'people' is not considered as single third participant) the past of the town may not welcome the change.

In this example you are going to experience present simple, present perfect simple and future perfect tenses. Remember when describing daily habits we use simple present tense. When we talk about the things we have completed, especially if we mention the number of things completed, we use present perfect simple. Finally, if we describe things that are expected to be completed in the future, we use future perfect.
Example:
We consume small amounts of food daily. But when you make calculations, the amount a single person consumes in his life time turns out to be amazing, even frightening.
Let's give an example. I am 30 years old now, and I drink a liter of water a day. That means I drink 365 liters a year. So far, I have drunk 10,950 liters, i.e. more than ten tons of water. By the time I am (instead of will be) 60, I will have drunk 22 tons of water and by the time I am (instead of will be) 90, this will have reached 33 tons.
Another example is eggs. If you eat 2 eggs a week, that makes 104 eggs a year. Again I have eaten about 3,120 eggs up to now. By the time I reach (instead of will reach) 60, I will have consumed 6,240 eggs. Great consumers we are, aren't we?

Reference

Future tenses, with time clauses

When we describe events and actions expected to take place in the future, we use future tenses. Remember we have future simple, future progressive and future perfect tenses. Don't forget when we have time clauses, the verb in the time clause is usually in the present tense not in the future tense.

Example1:
What I expect to happen in the next 10 years of my life is as follows:
After I graduate (instead of will graduate) from this school, I think, I will take a long holiday and travel in Europe. When I start (instead of will start) work, I will not have much time for myself. Therefore, I want to see Europe before I start will go to England, France, Spain and Italy. If you take (instead of will take) a Eurorail ticket, you can travel inexpensively. So I will not have to spend too much for my travel expenses. After I come (instead of will come) back to Turkey, I will start looking for a job. I will accept a job that fits my life style expectations. I do not want (instead of will not want) to work long hours.

Example2:
Some authorities report that the world climate is changing drastically and will continue to change in the future too. A new ice age is expected. If we have a new ice age, Northern Europe will become very cold, as cold as Siberia, in fact. Countries like Turkey will turn cold too. If temperatures drop by 10 degrees Centigrade, this will affect life and some species won't be able to live (will not = won't) in those regions.

references

Future tenses

Examples:
I am afraid I will have to work (will have to work/will have worked) very hard tomorrow. I will start (will start/ will have started) at 8:30 a.m. I have a meeting with Opsco representatives at 10:00. We will be going (will be going / will have gone) over the details of the project from 10:00 to 12:30. By the time we finish the meeting, Ms Prescott, my personal assistant, will have made (will make / will have made ) all the telephone calls and will have typed (will type/ will have typed) the report I will take to the meeting in the afternoon. After I have ( have / will have) something to eat, I will start ( start / will start) work again, and I will be working (will be working / will have worked) all afternoon. By 6:30, I will have completed (will complete/ will have completed) most of my work and I will be (will be/ will have been) home by 8:00.

reference

bunk (bed)

• bunk
  

a bed that is fixed to a wall, especially in a boat or a train

• bunk (bed)

one of the two beds that fixed together, and one on top of the other
e.g. The twins sleep in bunk beds.
e.g. Can I sleep in the top bunk?

reference

words in the news: Romania crisis aid

• gaping budget deficit

The very large amount of money by which government spending is greater than its incomes.

• Improve investor's confidence

e.g. The aim of the loan is to finance the country's gaping budget deficit and improve investor's confidence, after a sharp drop in foreign capital inflows.

• a sharp drop

a fast and significant reduction

• foreign capital inflows

money for producing more benefits or for beginning a new business that comes from abroad.

• economic fate has turned

• shedding

losing and closing
e.g. For a country which last year registered the EU's highest growth rate, is now shedding thousands of jobs, mainly in the car and steel sector, and facing a collapse of a property boom

• property boom

when many houses are built and their prices are increasing because there are many demand.

• wages

• reluctantly backing

supporting, although not willingly
e.g. Some trade unions are reluctantly backing the deal.

• enacted

put into practice
e.g. Others are threatening strikes if spending cuts are enacted.

reference

Introduction

Wellcome to this blog !

As a foreigner who is living in UK, I speak and read English everyday. However, it seems after a certain period, my learning curve slows down. As far as I can communicate and survive the everyday life, my brain stops learning subconsciously. Thus, I am thinking to use this blog to track and push myself learning, as well as sharing with others.

The general types of posts are as following:
1. practical writting on various subjects.
2. British culture
3. English Learning resources
4. The new words or expression I learned for the day.

Please do not hesitate to post your comments and corrections!