NRU

What is NRU? NRU stands for Nouveau Riche University. This is the place where people can learn about real estate investment and how to create wealth through various programs provided. With NRU system the students are taught how to make money in an effective way. It seems that NRU has changed the condition of its students into the better life.

Many success stories have been told about Nouveau Riche University. The graduates of NRU can be independent and get out of financial problem. Only in several months can they get some hundred thousands of dollars. It’s really amazing! It is not easy to find other educational institutions which can bring their students into instant success. Some students of NRU said that they used to have a severe financial problem. But now… the problem has disappeared. They have no more money problem. Even, from the knowledge they have gotten from NRU, they have been able to earn a substansial amount of money to support their life.

Are you interested and want to get more information on Nouveau Riche University? Just visit its site and you will read unbelievable things, especially the programs that the students can choose and success stories of the NRU students.

By : tatank,

Conditional Sentences (Type 1)

Perhatikanlah kalimat-kalimat di bawah ini!

If I have a lot of money, I will buy a new car.

You’ll pass the exams if you study hard.

Kedua contoh kalimat di atas dalam tata bahasa disebut conditional sentences (kalimat pengandaian). Conditional sentences terdiri dari dua bagian, yaitu subordinate clause (if-clause) yang merupakan pernyataan syarat dan main clause yang merupakan akibat terpenuhi atau tidaknya syarat yang terkandung dalam subordinate clause.

Conditional sentences ada tiga jenis. Berikut ini akan kita bahas satu-persatu:

Conditional sentence type 1

if clause : simple present tense

main clause : simple future tense

Pada tipe 1 ini suatu tindakan dalam main clause akan terjadi bila syarat dalam if-clause terpenuhi.

Contoh:

If I have a lot of money, I will buy a new car.

You will master English if you study hard.

By : tatank,

Conditional Sentences (Type 2)

Conditional sentence type 2

if clause : simple past tense

main clause : past future tense (S + would + V₁)

Tipe ini digunakan untuk menyatakan suatu tindakan/keadaan yang berlawanan/ bertentangan dengan kenyataan pada saat ini. Sebenarnya syarat dalam if-clause bisa saja terpenuhi, tetapi kemungkinannya sangat kecil.

Contoh:

If you studied hard, you would pass the exam.

(Real fact : You don’t study hard.)

If I had a lot of money, I would lend you some.

(Real fact : I don’t have much money.)

Would bisa juga diganti dengan could atau might.

Contoh:

You might be successful if you tried harder.

If I had some information, I could let you know.

By : tatank,

Stylish eyeglasses from Zenni

People wear eyeglasses because of several reasons. Some people wear eyeglasses because the health condition of their eyes forces them to wear the eyeglasses; some people wear eyeglasses to protect their eyes from the sunlight or from the dust; some other wear eyeglasses only for style.

There is a good website which displays many kinds of eyeglasses and their prices. This website belongs to Zenni Optical. In this website you can see incredible stylish new frames from Zenni. Many people have known about Zenni Optical. Even, Zenni Optical was on FOX news! It seems that Zenni Optical $ 8 Rx eyeglasses are preferable because of their low price and good style.

By : tatank,

Conditional Sentences (Type 3)

if clause : past perfect tense (S + had + V3)

main clause : past future perfect (S + would have + V₃)

Conditional sentence type 3 ini digunakan untuk menyatakan suatu syarat yang tidak mungkin lagi dipenuhi karena waktunya telah berlalu. Dengan kata lain, kenyataan bertentangan/berlawanan dengan keadaan di masa lampau.

Contoh:

If I had studied hard, I would have passed the exam.

(Real fact : I didn’t study hard, so I didn’t pass the exam.

Atau, I didn’t pass the exam because I didn’t study hard.)

I would have come to your house if the weather had been fine.

(Real fact : The weather wasn’t fine, so I didn’t come to your house.

Atau, I didn’t come to your house because the weather wasn’t fine.)

By : tatank,

LifeLock Review

Again, I’m going to talk about identity theft because this is a very important and sensitive issue for us to know. A large number of cases on identity theft have happened and have made the victims suffer from losses. Just imagine…. Unknown people can access our account, steal our identity, and try to ask for credits in our name or try to do other things. As a matter of fact, many criminals who have done this identity theft have been under arrest, but still… other criminals will always try to find other ways to commit their action.

Realizing this fact, we should know more about identity theft. If you are confused about how to know about it, one of the ways is by reading LifeLock review. The review is usually interesting to read and can add to our knowledge. As we know, LifeLock is a big company which provides services in account security. The customers can join identity theft prevention program in which they will get full protection and will also get an identity guarantee up to $1,000,000.

Latihan Soal Sederhana

Tahun ajaran baru sudah dimulai. Siswa-siswa mulai masuk sekolah dan mulai belajar kembali. Untuk sekadar mengingatkan kembali akan pelajaran bahasa Inggris terdahulu, silahkan menjawab sepuluh soal sederhana di bawah ini dengan cermat.

1. (Because, And, When, Although) he is poor, he is happy.

2. All students in the class admire her (beauty, beautiful, beautifully, beautify).

3. (He, They, Her, She) is a very beautiful girl.

4. He asked (they, I, me, my) to help him.

5. The boy put his book (on, at, with, about) the table.

6. He jumped so (highly, high, always, fluently).

7. She always gets A in math because she is very (lazy, stupid, clever, rich).

8. The sun (sets, rises, disappears, sleeps) in the east.

9. The first winner will get a (diamond, gold, cotton, bronze) medal.

10. I will buy a car (as, though, before, if) I have a lot of money.

By : tatank,

Idioms Using the Word 'Fire'

Today's idioms all use the word fire. The first idiom is ‘fire away’. We use this idiom when we want to tell someone to begin something. It may be to begin talking, to start playing a game or even to begin working. In the following example, Steve is invited to start the meeting by being told to ‘fire away’.

‘Thank you all for coming today and as we have a lot of work to do. I think we better get started. Steve is going to tell us about the future so Steve, fire away!’

The second idiom is ‘all fired up’. We use this idiom to say that we are ready, really ready to begin something. In fact it also means that we are a little angry or excited about the activity we are about to begin.

‘I really want to tell people about this problem in our forests. They are being destroyed so fast that I am worried about their future. I am really fired up on this topic and the sooner we start the better. I have a lot to say.’

‘fire away’ — ‘ayo mulai’

‘fired up’ — ‘bersemangat’

By : tatank,

Popular Proverb (8)

Empty vessels make the loudest sound.

• Orang yang besar omongannya biasanya tidaklah berilmu.
• Tong kosong nyaring bunyinya.

By : tatank,

Real Estate Investment College

Real estate investment is not an easy thing to do. There are many things that we must learn. At Real Estate Investment College NR (Nouveau Riche), the students are taught how to deal with real estate investment. They are also taught how to create wealth. Or in other words, the students learn to earn. Some students have revealed that they can collect hundreds of thousands of dollars only in several months. It seems that the learning system at Nouveau Riche is very effective. The knowledge from this college can really be applied in real life. The students are trained to be real entrepreneurs.

The instructors at Nouveau Riche consist of experienced and skillful people who are ready to teach the students as well as possible and share their knowledge and experience with the students. Just visit the website to read several articles and profiles. There are some articles of success stories from students who have been successful in their investing careers. They have reached high achievement only in a short time. We can learn much from these success stories because they are inspiring and encouraging. Learning from other people’s experience can also become one of the sources to be a successful person.

By : tatank,

Popular Proverb (9)

Laugh and the world laughs with you, weep and you weep alone.

• Tertawalah maka dunia akan tertawa bersamamu, menangislah maka kamu akan menangis sendirian.
• Kalau sedang senang banyak teman, tetapi kalau sedang susah tidak ada orang yang mau menemani.

By : tatank,

Subjunctive dengan Wish

Sebagai subjunctive, kata wish ini dapat digunakan untuk menyatakan suatu keinginan atau harapan yang tidak terpenuhi.

S + wish + that* + past tense

S + wish + that* + past perfect tense

* that dapat dihilangkan.

Contoh:

I wish I had a lot of money.

(Real fact : I don’t have much money.)

I wish he could help you.

(Real fact : He can’t help you.)

He wished he had told me the truth.

(Real fact : He didn’t tell me the truth.)

Sasongko wished he hadn’t met any obstacles.

(Real fact : He met some obstacles.)

By : tatank,

Hand idioms

Hand-to-mouth

When you lead a hand-to-mouth existence you have just enough money to live.

• After her husband’s death she and her kids are leading a hand-to-mouth existence.
• The recession has forced many people to lead a hand-to-mouth existence.

Take your hands off (Don’t touch.)

• Take your hands off me. (= Don’t touch me.)
• Take your dirty hands off my flowers.

By hand

• She delivered the letter by hand. (= Not using the postal service)

A firm hand (strong control)

• Terrorists should be dealt with a firm hand.

Out of hand

If you reject something out of hand, you reject it without discussing.

• She rejected my proposal out of hand.
• His winning the first prize is a possibility – I wouldn’t dismiss it out of hand.

Have somebody in the palm of your hand

When you have somebody in the palm of your hand, you have absolute control over them.

• His performance was so marvelous that he had the spectators in the palm of his hand.

The matter in hand (Also the matter at hand)

The matter in hand is the subject being considered

• I don’t think that these incidences have any bearing on the matter in hand.

By : tatank,

Hand idioms

Hand-to-mouth

When you lead a hand-to-mouth existence you have just enough money to live.

• After her husband’s death she and her kids are leading a hand-to-mouth existence.
• The recession has forced many people to lead a hand-to-mouth existence.

Take your hands off (Don’t touch.)

• Take your hands off me. (= Don’t touch me.)
• Take your dirty hands off my flowers.

By hand

• She delivered the letter by hand. (= Not using the postal service)

A firm hand (strong control)

• Terrorists should be dealt with a firm hand.

Out of hand

If you reject something out of hand, you reject it without discussing.

• She rejected my proposal out of hand.
• His winning the first prize is a possibility – I wouldn’t dismiss it out of hand.

Have somebody in the palm of your hand

When you have somebody in the palm of your hand, you have absolute control over them.

• His performance was so marvelous that he had the spectators in the palm of his hand.

The matter in hand (Also the matter at hand)

The matter in hand is the subject being considered

• I don’t think that these incidences have any bearing on the matter in hand.

By : tatank,

my depeche mode story

One day in the early 2000s, my now ex-wife and I were visiting our relatives in southern West Virginia. During this visit, my then-brother-in-law told us this story:

Said ex-brother-in-law worked at an electrical manufacturing shop in Bland County, Virginia, that makes things like large electrical generator parts for factories. All the employees at the shop except for one were white, which is very reflective of Bland County's lily-white demographics.

But that one exception, a middle-aged African-American janitor, continually sported a Depeche Mode baseball cap.

While one doesn't wish to generalize based on race, age, or location, the probability that an African-American male in his 50s or 60s in Bland County, Virginia, would be wearing any item of Depeche Mode clothing seems fairly low.

My ex-brother-in-law was understandably curious, and one day he asked the guy about the cap.

The man's response? "My son is Martin Gore."

My ex and I were completely "whaaaaaaaaa?" This sounded like crazy talk.

But on the other hand, it seemed like such an improbable thing for this guy to have decided to invent - not "my son's Jerry Rice" or "my daughter is Halle Berry," but "my son is this pale guy from this English synth-pop group that no one would think I've ever heard about and most of the people around me wouldn't even know."

Well, it turns out that it's completely true. The guy was a GI stationed in England in 1960-61, and he was indeed the biological father of Martin L. Gore.

So this humble African-American janitor in rural Bland County, Virginia, begat one of the titans of '80s synth-pop. Who'd'a thunk it?

By : tatank,

Vocabulary

Vocabulary

Vocabulary: noun A stock or collection of words used by a class or individually or in relation to a subject.

Welcome to the Vocabulary area of the Online English Article Library. A good vocabulary means you know lots of interesting and useful words for speaking and writing English. There are so many words in the English language that it can be difficult to know which ones to learn to get a good vocabulary. That's another reason why our Online English Article library is a big help.

Vocabulary Lessons & Articles

You can browse all our article lessons on Vocabulary below or go directly to these categories:

Why Vocabulary is Important | Tips to Improve your Vocabulary | Must-Know Level One Vocabulary Words | Must-Know Level Two Vocabulary Words | Must-Know Level Three Vocabulary Words | Learning new Vocabulary Words in Context | Vocabulary Online Quizzes with Answers | Vocabulary Games | Fun information about American English Vocabulary | Other Vocabulary Lessons | Twelve Class email Course on Learning Must-Know Vocabulary - no charge |

Learning new Vocabulary is fun because you find new ways to say things! The best way to easily improve your vocabulary is to read and work with flashcards and take our Online Vocabulary Quizzes right from this blog. The more quizzes you take the more words you learn. You may not want to learn every new word in the quizzes, it's fun to select new words you like the sound of and learn those first. Maybe later come back here and learn the rest. A good Vocabulary is a ticket to speaking great English.

• Learn new Vocabulary
• Get tips on the best ways to learn and remember new words
• Online Quizzes to help you learn Vocabulary words faster

By : tatank,

Speaking Tip 1: How to Instantly Improve Your American English Pronunciation

In today's society, the key to success is effective communication. Every day we are judged by what we say and how we say it.

Don't let your accent get in the way when you speak! You can instantly improve your American English pronunciation by following some simple tips on speaking more slowly.

Our speaking rate is determined by how quickly or slowly we pronounce vowel sounds. If you say vowels quickly, you have fast speech. Speaking more slowly is achieved by prolonging or stretching out the vowels in words.

By : tatank,

the best thing anyone ever said about nuclear power

...came out of the mouth of Jay Leno.

Yes, kids, I know this is difficult to believe, but Jay Leno was once a reliably funny, hard-working standup comedian. Really. My fingers aren't crossed while I'm typing this, honest.

This all changed the moment that Johnny Carson retired; upon becoming the permanent Tonight Show host, Leno and his writers became relentlessly lazy, lowbrow, and conservative. And of course by now l'affaire de Conan has stripped any remaining feathers of Leno's dignity, not that there were many left after 1992's l'affaire de Letterman and nearly two decades of being terminally unfunny on a nightly basis.

Nevertheless, before 1992 (and by some accounts, even till this day when he makes unannounced appearances in comedy clubs), Leno was, at least to me, pretty funny. And this joke is from those days.

In the aftermath of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster, which before what's happening in Japan right now was the worst nuclear accident in history, Leno made an appearance on... well, I'm not sure if it was Late Night with David Letterman or Carson's Tonight Show, though I'm leaning Letterman. In my memory, he didn't tell this joke as part of a standup routine but on the couch, talking to the host. The screenshot above may even capture him in the midst of telling this joke.

Anyway, this is strictly from memory, and thus paraphrased and subject to the inaccuracies that twenty-five years have inflicted on my brain. But, to the best of my recollection, here it is. It is a joke that Leno wouldn't dare attempt now, at least in front of cameras:

Every time there's a nuclear accident, the nuclear industry always gets some expert to go on TV and say "nuclear power is safer than crossing the street." Well, all I know is that if I get hit by a bus in Philadelphia, they don't make people in Sweden stop selling vegetables.

And that, kids, is all you really need to know about nuclear power.

By : tatank,

Speaking

Speaking

Speaking: verb To say words.

Welcome to the Speaking area of our Online English article library. Speaking is the biggest part of learning English. You will spend most of your English interaction time speaking and listening. The lessons and articles in this category are not intended to help the Pronunciation of your speaking, but rather the skills needed to speak English correctly.

Speaking Lessons & Articles

The speaking skills covered here are | Speaking Etiquette | Telephone English | Tones of Voice | English Conversation tips | Speaking Out Loud | Figures of Speech | Stresses and Pauses | Giving Presentations | Expressing Opinions | Speaking Games | Other Speaking Lessons | Speaking Online Quizzes | Twelve Class email Course on Learning English Speaking - no charge |

• Get the skills you need to Speak English
• Lessons on the Art of Conversation and other Speaking tips
• Complete Online Quiz library of Speaking Quizzes with answers

Don't forget if you have questions about Speaking you can access the Online English Hub's Learning Tree and submit your questions for free.

For further free Speaking lessons, instruction, videos, resources, visit the Speaking section of the Online English hub.

By : tatank,

How to Pronounce the American English "r" Sound

If I had to pick one sound that I thought was the most difficult for most people who speak English as a second language to master, I would have to choose the American English "r" sound. I choose this sound as the most difficult sound to learn for a couple of reasons: 1) the American English "r" is formed very differently than in many other languages, and 2) it is probably the most frequently occurring sound in American English: it can be a consonant as in word "red", it can be a vowel as in the word "mother" and "bird" and it can occur in consonant blends (two or three consonants together) as in the words "price", "three", "try", scratch", etc.

Let's spend a few minutes talking about how the American English "r" differs from many other languages and how to form it correctly. First of all, many languages such as Spanish, Russian, Portuguese, and Arabic, just to name a few, form the "r" by keeping the lips flat and quickly hitting the roof of the mouth with the tip of the tongue. This creates what we call "rolling" (when the tongue tip hits the roof of the mouth only once) and "trilling" (when the tip of the tongue hits the roof of the mouth more than once). Other languages, such as French and German form the "r" by using the back of their tongue against the back of their throat. Both ways of forming the "r" sound are very different from how we pronounce it in American English.

To form the American English "r", follow these steps in this order:

• Make a circle with your lips.
• Open your mouth slightly
• Curl the tip of your tongue up toward the 
  
  roof of your mouth,
  but make sure it does NOT touch anything. This part is important! If the tip of your tongue touches the roof of your mouth, it will sound like the American English "d" or sound rolled. If you follow the above steps, you will be able to form the American English "r." Remember, always begin by rounding your lips. If you keep them flat, it will be very difficult to form this sound correctly.
• With the tip of your tongue curled up, you should also be able to feel the middle part of your tongue raised up toward the roof of your mouth, just where the arch is (the part of the roof of your mouth that is the highest).
• You may also be able to feel the sides of your tongue pressing against your upper side teeth in the back of your mouth

By : tatank,

reveal: ten years gone

[My older reviews and interviews which are no longer available online need a home, so why not here? This review appeared in the online magazine Toast not long after Reveal came out in 2001; Rob Sheffield's contextual line in his Rolling Stone review of Collapse Into Now about "their underrated 2001 gem, Reveal" inspired me to repost this today as a rejoinder to that spit-take-worthy opinion.]

You know, I had developed this whole theory about Up, the first R.E.M. album that required me to employ rationalization. I told myself, “They were still figuring out how to go forward without Bill Berry. Warner Brothers wanted to see some return on that record-breaking megabucks deal they signed just before New Adventures in Hi-Fi, so they pressured the band to give them some product. R.E.M. gave them the best fourteen tunes they had at the time, even though thirteen of them were midtempo lopes or dying death dirges that, taken as a whole, would challenge the most keen attention span. They didn’t have time to put together an album with more variety and a sense of pacing. They’ll get it right next time.”

Well, Reveal blows that theory all to hell. Two and a half years after Up, they’ve basically done a more streamlined version of Up. This time, they kept my interest through the first six songs (with Up, it only took four songs before I was snoozing or anticipating how soon the CD changer would get to Beck’s Mutations), they made better use of auxiliary players Ken Stringfellow and Scott McCaughey (who also shone on R.E.M.’s 1999 tour), Stipe’s lyrics seem moderately happier, and it’s thankfully several minutes shorter.

Other than that, it’s another exercise in stacking one meticulously-arranged midtempo song on top of another meticulously-arranged midtempo song. The overall effect is numbing; no matter how meticulously arranged these songs may be, after hearing three or five or eleven sauntering tunes in a row, they start to run together. If surrounded by songs that offered even a hint of lively contrast, Reveal’s best numbers might shine through like “Perfect Circle” and “Country Feedback” did on better-balanced albums. But instead, marvelous moments like the dark jewel of “Saturn Return” and Pete Buck’s guitar solo at the end of “She Just Wants To Be” fade into the elegiac torpor that has apparently become R.E.M.’s signature feel.

I wish I could blame Reveal on the unfortunate late-‘90s revival, at least in “alt” circles, of arranging and craft substituting for edge and energy. To me, a song or two of Bacharach/David lounge fare or Pet Sounds orchestration is plenty, but whole albums of them get on my last nerve. Nevertheless, in the end, I can’t pin Reveal on Elliott Smith, the High Llamas, Stephin Merritt, Stereolab, or Richard Davies. If Buck/Mills/Stipe want to settle into a turn-of-the-20^th-century adult contemporary act, it’s their business, I suppose, but it’s also their fault. Somebody wake me up when the Nirvana and Wire revival hits, O.K.?

By_tatank

Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal Verb: noun A single unit of meaning or phrase containing a verb and one or more adverbs or prepositions that together form a single meaning.

Welcome to the Phrasal Verb section of our Online English Article and Lesson Library. Phrasal Verbs are similar to Idioms in that they are phrases whose whole meaning differ from the meaning of its parts. Phrasal Verbs are Idiomatic expressions -which means even if you know all the grammar and words in a phrase the meaning may still may be unclear - that use a Verb and one or more Adverbs or Prepositions to create a new meaning. Learning Phrasal Verbs will take memorization because there is sometimes no logic behind their meaning.

To help make learning Phrasal Verbs easier we have lesson options for you. We have a list of Phrasal Verbs our Teacher Staff think are "Must-Know Phrasal Verbs." You can look over this list and make flashcards of the phrases and their meaning you like the most. You may also browse our Phrasal Verbs Transcriptions to learn. These are short American English written passages that use Phrasal Verbs. Then below the first passage is another passage with the same information or story but that uses English without the Phrasal Verbs for comparison.

Phrasal Verbs Lessons & Articles

You may browse all our Lessons on Phrasal Verbs below or go directly to a category: | What is a Phrasal Verb | How to Use Phrasal Verbs | Why Use Phrasal Verbs | List of Phrasal Verbs | Must-Know List of Phrasal Verbs | Phrasal Verb Transcriptions | Phrasal Verb Games | Phrasal Verb Online Quizzes | Twelve Class email Course on Learning the best Phrasal Verbs - no charge |

• Learn what a Phrasal Verb is and how to use them
• See how Phrasal Verbs use Verbs, Adverbs, and Prepositions to form 'American English Sayings'
• Use our excellent Phrasal Verb transcriptions to SEE how Phrasal Verbs are used correctly

If you have questions about Phrasal Verbs you can ask the Teacher Staff of the Online English hub for Free using the Online English Learning Tree feature.

To see more Phrasal Verbs Lessons visit the free Phrasal Verb area of the Online English Hub.

By : tatank,

Vocabulary Building

Many people who speak English as a second language feel that their vocabulary skills are not what they would like them to be. They would like to expand their vocabulary to include more advanced words. Here are some words that you may want to think about using in your daily speech that will impress anyone you speak with!

1. amiable: friendly

Example: My sister's boyfriend is very amiable; our whole family likes him.

2. appease: to calm, to satisfy

Example: Whenever my niece comes to visit, I have to let her play

video games just to appease her.

3. candor: honesty, frankness

Example: We were actually very surprised at your candor; usually you don't speak so openly about things.

4. diligent: showing care when doing work

Example: My daughter is always diligent about doing her homework and making sure it is done on time.

5. inhibit: to prevent, restrain, stop

Example: Try not to let your manager inhibit you; speak up at meetings if you have something important to say.

By : tatank,

challengers

On January 28th, 1986, I was in the second semester of my freshman year at Concord College. I lived in Men's Towers, where the room setup was a two-room suite. The rooms housed two students each - so four students lived in each suite - and shared a common foyer, large closet, and bathroom. My cousin Rusty and I lived in one room, and Kenny and Jeff, two grads of Baileysville High School, shared the other.

I got back to Towers that afternoon after my last class of the day, so, I'm thinking, a little after 2 PM. Kenny and Jeff had the door to their room propped open, and their TV was on. (Oddly, I can't remember if Rusty was present. Since I don't remember anything about him being part of this scene, I'm thinking he was still in a class.)

I walked past their open door without noticing what was on their TV, said something like, "Hey guys, how's it goin'?" and started to put the key into the lock on my room's door.

Jeff said, in a detached, indistinct monotone, "Space shuttle blew up."

This phrase just didn't make sense to me. At all. It was like a string of nonsense syllables.

I said "What?"

Jeff said, again, in just the same way, "Space shuttle blew up."

That time I understood him. I wish I hadn't.

By : tatank,

Writing

Writing

Writing: noun Something that is written or printed.

Welcome to the Writing section of the Online English hub's Article lesson Library. Writing is an art and it's a skill you can learn. From simple social letters to your friend network or your thesis in a University, we have it covered in our Writing lesson area. Our lessons cover basic sentence structure all the way to an exploration of the advanced writer's craft.

Writing Lessons & Articles

You may browse all our Writing lessons below or go directly to a category from these selections:

The Sentence | Writing Errors | The Paragraph | The Thesis Sentence | Figures of Speech | Mood | Voice | Writing Language | The Writing Outline | Writing at Work | Social Writing | Writing Poetry | Writing Fiction | Writing Non-Fiction | Writing Humor | Advanced Writing Lessons | Other English Writing Tips | Famous American Writers | Writing Online Quizzes | Twelve Class email Course on Learning Writing - no charge |

• Master the foundations of good English Writing
• Advance your Writing to Professional levels
• Learn what great Writing is..

If you have questions about Writing you may submit your questions to the Online English Learning Tree for Free. The Teacher Staff at the Online English Hub will email you the answer.

To see more lessons on Writing visit the Writing area of the Online English Hub. The have new lessons weekly for Free.

Learn to Write better with our Writing Online Quiz and Answer Library located on this blog.

"Put your pen to the paper and write your dreams." Enjoy the resources.

~The Pronounce Pro Staff and Cast~

By : tatank,

Words in the News: Cheap

Words in the News: Cheap:

The Prime Minister's planned attack on binge drinking could be scuppered by European Union competition laws, according to the Daily Mail.

VOCABULARY

Goods or services that are cheap cost less money than usual or than you expected. • Barring an unprecedented oil discovery, the world will never again see the return of cheap oil.

By : tatank,

Pic of the Day: Smart Phone, Daft Driver

This photo from Mail Online was taken by an amateur photographer in the village of Patrington, near Hull, in the North East of England.

LESSON IDEA

This picture would make a great starting point for a discussion about mobile phones (something no student can live without!) I came up with this questionnaire to use with my own students. Before giving it to them, I asked what questions they would expect to find on a questionnaire about mobile phones. You could contextualize the activity by saying that it's a market survey for a phone company.

By : tatank,

Defining relative clauses

Defining relative clausesThese clauses add an extra piece of information which helps to define the noun more clearly. Notice there are no commas to show the close link between the clause and its subject.He introduced me to his sister who is retired and lives in America.(He has more than one sister. This one is retired and lives in America.)The person who deals with your account is on holiday this

By : tatank,

Articles etc : a lot of / lots of

a lot of / lots ofA lot of and lots of tend to be used in positive statements, but they can also be used after not:We've had a lot of complaints recently.Have you got much money on you? > Not a lot.

By : tatank,

Articles etc : Countable and uncountable nouns

Countable and uncountable nounsSome determiners depend on whether the following noun is countable or uncountable.For example:Countable nouns use many and a few:I don't take many days off.I had a few days off last month.Uncountable nouns use much and little:It didn't take much time to finish it off.I have very little free time at the moment.

By : tatank,

Articles etc : Determiners, Some and Any

Articles etc DeterminersThis section deals with that area known as determiners - articles (a/an, the),cquantifiers (some, any, a few etc), possessives (my, your etc) - the words which come in front of nouns and before adjectives.Some and anyWe used to give students the simple but misleading rule: use some in positive statements and any in negative statements and questions. This reduced the problem

By : tatank,

Verb Patterns

Verb PatternsGrammar or Cocabulary?Traditionally, we have divided the language into grammar and vocabulary. We always knew that some areas were grey - they seemed like grammar, but students just had to learn them.Phrasal verbs are a good example.Most students think of them as part of the grammar of English, but they are fixed verbal expressions.Learning them is more like learning

By : tatank,

Why use the passive and not the active?

Why use the passive and not the active?The question we must ask is what is the sentence about?The structure- active or passive - depends on how the sentence starts.Sometimes the passive is the more natural choice. Think of the situations where you would read the following and you will see why the passive is the obvious choice:1. Children must be carried.2. Outdoor shoes must not be worn in the

By : tatank,

What is the passive?

What is the passive?A passive structure uses part of the verb (be) plus the past participle form of the verb:A dog bit Peter.Peter was bitten by a dog.In one sense they have the same meaning. Each contains the same three ideas of Peter -+ dog + bite: The second sentence, however, is 'not just another way' to saythe first one.

By : tatank,

Sample of Acknowledge the receipt

Option of Acknowledge the receiptThere are different methods to ask for acknowledgment. Use the method which you see most commmon. 1. Please acknowledge receipt of this email.2. When you receive this email, please let me know.3. Please let me know once you receive this email.4. Please reply with a "well-received", so that I know that you've received.

By : tatank,

Adjectives 3 - Order, Comparatives and superlatives

Order of adjectivesThis is an area where there are some rules, but the rules are so difficult to apply that it is best for students to meet lots of different examples and try to develop a 'feel' for what sounds right.Comparatives and superlativesSome two-syllable adjectives worry students. They have learned the rule that with longer adjectives we use more or most ~ more difficult, most

By : tatank,

What is An Adjectives ? Part 2

Several units in this section focus on adjectival expressions:adjectives with a preposition: proud ofadjectives with an infinitive: good to eatIt helps students if they can make lists of different adjectives which take the same preposition. For example:WITH bored with, satisfied with, pleased with, content withOF proud of, afraid of, tired of, jealous of, ashamed ofThis is an area where students

By : tatank,

The comparison between British English and Malaysian English

British English vs. Malaysian EnglishWho says our English is teruk? Just read below - Ours is simple, short, concise, straight-to-the-point, effective etc.WHEN GIVING A CUSTOMER BAD NEWSBritons: I'm sorry, sir, but we don't seem to have the sweater you want in your size, but if you give me a moment, I can call the other outlets for you.Malaysians: No stock.RETURNING A CALLBritons: Hello, this is

By : tatank,

The correct preposition

The correct prepositionSometimes there is a situation where only one preposition is 'correct'.For example:We arrived at 8 o'clock.Very often, more than one preposition is possible depending on the meaning. All the following correct examples have subtly different meanings:I'll meet you at the station.I'll meet you in the station.I'll meet you by the station.I'll meet you in front of the

By : tatank,

I Love My Brother

A Simple Nice Story for Kids Enjoy and Have Fun !

By : tatank,

To Infinitive

To infinitive artinya verba bentuk asal yang diberikan to di depannya, misalnya, to go, to study, to swim, to write, atau to wear.

Beberapa verba yang dapat diikuti oleh to infinitive adalah sebagai berikut:

advise : menasehati

allow : mengizinkan

agree : setuju

ask : meminta, menyuruh

beg: memohon

command : memerintahkan

compel : memaksa, mendorong

decide : memutuskan

encourage : mendorong, memberi semangat

expect : mengharapkan

forbid : melarang

force : memaksa

hope : berharap

instruct : memerintahkan

intend : bermaksud

invite : mengundang, mengajak

oblige : mewajibkan, mengharuskan

offer : menawarkan

order : memerintahkan

plan : berencana, merencanakan

pretend : berpura-pura

promise : berjanji

refuse : menolak

tend : cenderung

want : ingin

warn : memperingatkan

Di antara verba-verba itu ada yang dapat langsung diikuti oleh to infinitive dan ada juga yang didahului oleh objek (nomina/pronomina).

S + V + to infinitive

Contoh:

I want to study English.

= Saya ingin belajar bahasa Inggris.

He refused to go.

= Ia menolak pergi.

S + V + O + to infinitive

Contoh:

I want you to study now.

= Saya ingin kamu belajar sekarang.The doctor advised him to stop smoking.

= Dokter menasehatinya untuk berhenti merokok.She invited me to come to her house for dinner tonight.

= Ia mengundang saya datang ke rumahnya untuk makan malam nanti malam.

By : tatank,

English Story Book "Let Make A New Friend"

A Simple Nice Story for Kids Enjoy and Have Fun !

By : tatank,

Business and Professional English

專業級商用英文單字(商研所適用)

目標 mission/ objective

集體目標 group objective

內部 環境 internal environment

外部環境 external environment

計畫 planning

組織 organizing

人事 staffing

領導 leading

控制 controlling

步驟 process

原理 principle

方法 technique

經理 manager

總經理 general manager

行政人員 administrator

主管 人員 supervisor

企業 enterprise

商業 business

產業 industry

公司 company

效果 effectiveness

效率 efficiency

企業家

By : tatank,

Punctuation: Hyphen

Punctuation: HyphenDefinition & Usage- used to form compound wordsExamplesanti-climaxhappy-go-luckystick-in-the-mud- to avoid awkward combination of lettersExamplesco-operatere-entrysemi-invalid- to form compound adjectivesExamplesa self-made mana twenty-one-year-old girla five-metre-long pole

By : tatank,

Punctuation :Dash

Punctuation :DashDefinition & Usage- used to emphasize the introduction of additional informationExamplesThe club - which has the mostFacilities - will be the most popular

By : tatank,

Punctuation: Semi-colon (;)

Punctuation: Semi-colon (;)- used to indicate a relationship between two pieces of information in a sentenceExamplesIt is useless to protect; it will only land us in more trouble.- used to separate phrases or clauses in a rather long sentenceExamplesAccording to his secretary, he has just reached Hong Kong; now he is preparing to go over to China and Japan- used to link two statements together

By : tatank,

Punctuation: Colon (:)

Punctuation: Colon (:)- used to mark a pause between two statements, the second one being an example or explanation of the firstExamplesHe was speechless: it all happened so fast.- used to introduce a list of thingsExamplesThe ingredients of the marinade are as follow: salt. dark soya sauce, light soya sauce, sugar and five spice powder.- used to introduce a quotation from a speech, play, book,

By : tatank,

Punctuation: Quotation (" ... ")

Quotation (" ... ")- used to enclose speech or actual spoken wordsExamples:"Good Morning, Mr Xie," She said

By : tatank,

Punctuation: Inverted commas

Inverted commas (' ... ')-used to enclose quotations, titles of books films, etc.ExamplesWe went to watch 'Iron and Silk' last night.'Empty vessels make the most noise' is a proverb that I heartily agree with.

By : tatank,

Punctuantion : Apostrophe

Apostrophe (')Definition & Usage- used to show contractions or short formExamplescannot can'twill not won'tI am I'mhe is he's- used to show ownership or possession.ExamplesEsther's husbandthe boy's bookthe babies' clothesthe manager's car

By : tatank,

Capital Letter

Capital Letter- used for the first letter in a sentenceExamplesHe is my best friend.- used for the first letter of all Proper NounsExamplesLondonShawnFridayNew Year's Day- used for the first letter of Direct SpeechExamplesHe said, "Welcome to my humble home."- used for the chief words in titles of people, books, etc.ExamplesLouis the Sixteenth Of Mice And MenMy Fair Lady- used for the letter '

By : tatank,

Punctuation - Full Stop(.) , Question Mark (?), Exlamation Mark (!)

Full Stop(.)- used to mark the end of a sentenceExamplesI go jogging every evening.- used for abbreaviationsExamplesC.O.D ( Cash On Delivery)Question Mark?- used after a direct questionsExamplesWhat do you want?Exclamation Mark (!)- used to show strong feelings or emotionsExamples"Stop, thief!" cried the shopkeeper."What a beautiful baby!" said the lady.

By : tatank,

Punctuation - Comma (,)

Comma (,)- used to separate different items or actions in a seriesExamplesThe bouquet consisted of rose-buds, carnations, baby's breath and ferns.- used to separate a quotation from the rest of the sentenceExamplesHe said, 'I'll fetch you at seven o'clock tonight.'- used to separate a person's name from the rest of the sentence in direct speechExamplesDaniel, come here at once!- used to separate

By : tatank,

Tag Questions

Tag QuestionsType of Tag- Negative tagsDefinition & Usage- added to positive statements when a 'yes' is expected in the answerExamplesHe will like it, won't he?Yes, he will.Type of Tag-Positive tagsDefinition & Usage- added to negative statements when a 'no' is expected in the answerExamplesYou haven't done it yet, have you?No, I haven't.Type of TagQuestion tags full verbsDefinition & Usage- 'do'

By : tatank,

PASSIVE VOICE

Method of Formation of Passive Voice- using present simple tense; ‘is/are’ + past participleExamplesHe is advised to exercised to exercise regularly and sleep early everyday.Method of Formation of Passive Voice- using past simple tense; ‘was/were’ + past participleExamplesI was encouraged to take up the course by my familyMethod of Formation of Passive Voice- using present continuous tense; ‘is/

By : tatank,

Reported Speech

Type of Reported Speech- reporting commands and requestsDefinition & UsageWe use 'to' + infinitive.Examples1. "Pass me the cheese, please," he said to Mei.2. He requested Mei to pass him the cheese.- reporting questionsDefinition & UsageThe word order is changed; the verb is placed after the subject and the question mark is omitted. For 'yes-no' questions, 'if' or 'whether' is used.Examples1. "

By : tatank,

Concord 2

Usage of Control- use of the correct verb form in sentences where the subject is separated from the verb by phrases or clausesExamples1. The lyrics of this love song, which was first sung by Bruce Springsteen, are very well known.2. This college, which caters for students who are interested in journalism as a career, is located in Katong.Usage of Control- use of the correct verb form in sentences

By : tatank,

Concord 1

<!--[if gte mso 9]> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]> 0 false 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]> <![endif]--> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable;

By : tatank,

Type of Inversion

Type of Inversion- Inversion after negative adverbials/ certain words or expressions with a negative sense.ExamplesNeverRarelySeldomNo sooner ... thanNot only ... but (also)LittleOnlyHardly ... whenScarcely ... whenNowhereUnder no circumstancesNot untilExamples1. Never will I go out with him again!2. Not only is he obnoxious but he is also stingy!3. Hardly had I sat down when the telephone rang.4

By : tatank,

Inversion In Sentences

Type of SentenceInversed sentenceDefinition & UsageThis is when the verb (or part of it) of a sentence come before the subject.(Note: usually, in all sentences, except questions, the subject comes before the verb)ExamplesOnly through proper diet and regular exercise can a person be healthy.(The only way a person can be healthy is through proper diet and regular exercise.)

By : tatank,

Negation In Sentences

Method of Forming Negative SentencesNegative sentences can be formed by using 'not'Examples1. The teacher was not pleased with the students who misbehaved.2. Are you angry at me? Of course not!Method of Forming Negative SentencesNegative sentences can be formed by using 'no'Examples1. The old miser no friends.2. The is no solution to this problem. Method of Forming Negative Sentences Negative

By : tatank,

Sentence Function

Declarative sentence (statements)Definition & UsageThis makes point and has complete though. It ends with a full stop.Examples1. He is pruning the rose bush.2. I am getting married.3. He enjoy skiing.Interrogative Sentence (questions)Definition & UsageThis asks a question and ends with a question mark.Examples1. Has he pruned the rose bush?2. When are you getting married?3. Does he like skiing?

By : tatank,

Reciprocal Pronouns

Reciprocal Pronouns Definition & UsageThese are used to refer to people or things affected in the same way by the action of a verbExamplesThe two opponents eyed each other suspiciously.Each otherDefinition & UsageThis is used when two persons or objects are involved.ExamplesThe two boys looked at each other and winked mischievously.The two cars were parked next to each other.One another Definition

By : tatank,

Relative Pronouns

Relative PronounsThese are used to refer to persons or things alreally mentioned. They also join two statements about the same person or thingsExamples:The dog which barked at the postman belongs to TimothyWho, Whose and WhomThese are used for peopleWhich This is used for nimals and thingsThatThis is used for people, animals and things.What (that which) This is used for things.They can be used as

By : tatank,

The Art of English ( Life Drawing)

Click on image to view larger image source: unknow

Demostrative Pronouns

Demostrative PronounsThese point to nouns (presons or things) and give the idea of closeness with regard to the speaker.Examples:This is my bicycle over here.That is your bicycle over there.This & TheseThese refer to persons or things near the speaker.Examples:This is a good product to use.These are the 'bonsai' plants we bought.That & ThoseThese refer to persons or things further away from the

By : tatank,

Emphatic & Non-Emphatic Pronouns

Emphatic PronounsThese are like reflexive pronouns but they are used to emphasize the importance of a noun or pronoun. They follow after nouns or pronouns, or take the final position in sentences. They can be left out without breaking up the sentence.Examples1. He himself told us the news.2. We did the cleaning up ourselves.Non-Emphatic PronounsThese are like reflexive pronouns and they refer

By : tatank,

College Life

Every New semester: We After 1st week : After the 2nd week:Before the mid-term test:During the mid-term test:After the mid-term test:Before the final exam:Once get to know the final exam schedule:7 days before the final exam:6 days before the final exam:5 days before the final exam:4 days before the final exam:3 days before the final exam:2 days before the final exam:1 day before the final exam:The

By : tatank,

Personal Pronouns

Definition & UsageThese are used to refer to oneself, the people one is talking to, or the people or things one is talking about.They can be be used as subjects of verbsFor ExampleI = I am Singaporean.You = You are very smart.He = He is so handsome!She = She is coming soonIt = It is a good ideaWe = We are very excitedThey = They live next door.They can be be used as objects of verbsFor Exampleme

By : tatank,

Formation Of Nouns

1. Compound Words- nouns made up of two or more words- may be spelt with a hypen (–)ExamplesHome + work = homeworkWork + shop = workshopmother + in + law = mother-in-lawmake + up = make-up2. Using suffixes- Ship = friendship- tion = attraction- ness = fitness- ment = shipment- hood = manhood- er = teacher3. Using certain adjectives or verbsthe rich/the poorthe do's/the don'tsthe haves/the

By : tatank,

Abstract Nouns

Definition & UsageThis is a noun referring to an idea, emotion or thought that is intangible or cannot be seen or heard.It can be formed....- from verbsExamplesact -> actionknow -> knowledge- from adjectivesExamplesreal -> realitybrave -> bravely- from other nounsExampleschild -> childhoodpoet -> poetry- using original wordsExamplesefforttrouble

By : tatank,

What color are the words?

This is a mind teaser. See how fast you can say the color of the words, not what the word is!

By : tatank,

What's unusual about this paragraph?

This is a most unusual paragraph. How quickly can you find out what is so unusual about it? It looks so ordinary that you would think that nothing is wrong with it at all, and, in fact, nothing is. But it is unusual. Why? If you study it and think about it, you may find out, but I am not going to assist you in any way. You must do it without any hints or coaching. No doubt, if you work at it for a bit, it will dawn on you. Who knows? Go to work and try your skill. Good luck!

Put your answer in comment, Then check back tomorrow to see if you're the first to get it right

By : tatank,

Now and Know

For some reason I keep running across the word NOW used in place of know.

These words don't sound the same when spoken but when writing some people leave

the K off which changes the meaning of the sentence or makes it read funny.

Now :noun; at the present time, on this further ocassion

Please take the trash out now.

What do we do now?

know :verb; have in the mind, something learned, be able to recall

He didn't know her name.

Did he know a lot about fixing cars?

I know the answer to that question.

I know you will take the time to check your articles now.

By : tatank,

I or Me

I or me.

I /pronoun/ used by a speaker or writer when referring to him or herself.

Me /pronoun/ an objective case of I, also referring to oneself.

Sometimes the pronoun I or me can be a little confusing.

If we can get a little grammatical here, "I" should be used when it is the subject of the sentence, that is the person doing the verb. "Me" should be used for the object of the sentence either direct or indirect.

A good test as to which one to use is to think which one would be used if the other person were not included in the sentence.

These are the kinds of situations where there could be a problem deciding whether to use I or me.

The situation was awful for Sherry and me. (...was awful for me.)

John and I were out when the fire started. (I was out....)

She asked if she could come out with Mom and me. (...come out with me.)

Mom and I were happy to have her along. (I was happy...)

She thought she'd seen Dad and me at the store. (...she'd seen me.)

My best friend and I are going to the movies tonight. (I am going ...)

Tip: Imagine that the other person or people are not included in the sentence. It should then be obvious whether to use I or me.

By : tatank,