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I hate WINTER

4/12/2023

 
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  • I'm not a winter person.
  • Winter and I just don't see eye to eye.
  • Cold weather gives me the shivers; I'm more of a sunshine kind of person.
  • Winter and I aren't on friendly terms.
  • Winter and I have a love-hate relationship, but mostly it's just hate.
  • I'm counting down the days until winter is a distant memory.

Brrr! Discovering Different Words for Cold.

18/4/2023

 
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Examples & More Words

  • The chilly weather made me want to stay inside all day.
  • It's cool outside, so make sure you bring a jacket.
  • The water in the lake was so frigid that we couldn't swim for very long.
  • The icy wind made my fingers numb.
  • The frozen ground was too hard to dig into.
  • It's a nippy morning, so be sure to bundle up.
  • The raw wind made my eyes water.
  • The wintry landscape was beautiful, with snow covering the trees.
  • The arctic blast from the north made the temperature drop suddenly.
  • The gelid water was too cold to swim in.
  • The bitter wind made it hard to walk without a scarf.
  • The brisk air felt refreshing on my face.
  • I love taking a walk in the fresh morning air.
  • The crisp leaves underfoot made a satisfying crunching sound.
  • The draughty room made it hard to stay warm.
Online exercise
PS. There's an interesting read on cold showers on my personal blog. Read HERE.

ONCE YOU OPEN OR WHEN YOU OPEN?

6/4/2023

 
​The difference between "once you open the page" and "when you open the page" is in the meaning and usage of the two adverbs.

"Once you open the page" implies that the action of opening the page will happen only once and it suggests a specific moment in time. It indicates that something will happen after the page is opened, and this event will happen only once, such as "Once you open the page, you will see a pop-up message".

"When you open the page" implies that the action of opening the page is hypothetical or conditional. It suggests a general or future time, and it indicates that something will happen at that time or under that condition. For example, "When you open the page, you can see the list of products available on the website".

In summary, "once you open the page" suggests a specific moment in time, while "when you open the page" suggests a general or future time.

Finishing with ACCORDINGLY?

22/3/2023

 
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The word "accordingly" is an adverb that means in a manner that is appropriate to the circumstances or in a way that follows from or is in agreement with what has just been said. 
This is what your dictionary will tell you. But let's try to tame this definition a bit by looking at different examples and the meaning in the sentences.
  • ​I studied hard for my exam, and I received a good grade accordingly. (meaning: as a result)
  • The airline cancelled the flight, and they refunded my ticket accordingly. (meaning: appropriately)
  • The team won the game, and they celebrated accordingly. (meaning: in a way that was suitable for the occasion)
  • She arrived late to the meeting, and her colleagues started without her accordingly. (meaning: in response to the situation)
  • He requested more time to complete the project, and the deadline was extended accordingly. (meaning: in agreement with the request)

A CRAZY LITTLE ALTOGETHER

28/2/2023

 
It appears here and there, usually causing some confusion. It's more often avoided than used (by students, of course). I think it's time to befriend this little fellow.
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The word "altogether" can be used in different ways, depending on the context. Here are some common examples:
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  • I stopped eating meat altogether. (meaning: completely, entirely, or in total)
  • Altogether, it was a very successful event. (meaning: overall, all things considered, or in summary)
  • I don't like that idea altogether. (meaning: not at all, completely opposed to it)

Note: Altogether is one word and not to be confused with "all together" which means "in a group or all at once".

AVOIDING TRULY

24/2/2023

 
​"Truly" is a pretty common word we use all the time, but sometimes we might wanna spice things up with different words that mean the same thing. In this post, we're gonna check out some other words that can replace "truly" and make your words sound cooler.
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and some examples to make our lives much easier
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TIP: If you are an intermediate learner pick 3 ideas from above. If you are an advanced learner, try to put all of them into your active vocabulary. The ones that are causing more pronunciation problems leave for writing. 

Sorry, I can't come to your ...

31/1/2023

 
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Try these:
  1. Thank you for the invitation, but I won't be able to attend.
  2. I appreciate the offer, but I already have plans.
  3. I'm sorry, but I won't be able to make it this time.
  4. Unfortunately, I have a prior commitment that I need to attend to.
  5. Thank you for thinking of me, but I'll have to pass this time.
Or these, if the situation is really informal: 
  1. Thanks for the invite, but I can't make it.
  2. Appreciate the offer, but I got other plans.
  3. Sorry, but I won't be there.
  4. Gosh, can't make it, I've got something else going on.
  5. Cheers for the offer, but I'll pass this time.
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​Vocabulary Booster Test Yourself
will take you to an online exercise for further practice. Just click the icon on the left.

I have a lot of work

26/1/2023

 
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EXPRESSIONS WITH HAVE

  • I have a heavy workload
  • I have a lot on my plate
  • I have a lot to handle
  • I have a lot to take care of
  • I have a lot to do

EXPRESSIONS WITH BE

  • I am swamped with work
  • I am buried in work
  • I am overwhelmed with work
  • I am up to my ears in work
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​Vocabulary Booster Test Yourself
will take you to an online exercise for further practice. Just click the icon on the left.
Learning Tip:
Don't learn all of them. Pick and choose. Max 3 to start with. Once you feel confident using the first three you have chosen you can come back for more. 

CHEESY, LOUSY & FLIMSY

18/1/2023

 
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Cheesy, lousy and flimsy are used to describe something that is bad. Mind that cheesy and lousy are informal. 

Cheesy = of bad quality or in bad taste
cheesy hotel music
cheesy adverts
Lousy = very bad
lousy service
I had a lousy weekend.
I feel lousy - I'm going home.
Flimsy = very thin, or easily broken or destroyed:
You won't be warm enough in that flimsy dress.
We spent the night in a flimsy wooden hut.


The words lousy and flimsy we can use with excuse and argument.
When I asked him why he was late, he gave me some flimsy/lousy excuse about having car trouble.


CHUFFED, GUTTED and LIVID

9/1/2023

 
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Chuffed, gutted and livid are the adjectives that we can use to describe our feelings.
chuffed and gutted are pretty informal, British expressions.
Chuffed is a positive word, and gutted and livid are to describe negative emotions.
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Meanings and examples
Chuffed = pleased or happy
I was really chuffed with his present.
Gutted = extremely disappointed and unhappy
He was gutted when she finished the relationship.
Livid = extremely angry
The rude letter from his mother-in-law made him livid.


PRONUNCIATION

chuffed UK  /tʃʌft/ US  /tʃʌft/
gutted UK 
 /ˈɡʌt.ɪd/ US  /ˈɡʌt̬.ɪd/
livid UK 
 /ˈlɪv.ɪd/ US  /ˈlɪv.ɪd/
PRACTISE WITH ELSA
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    WORDS

    All
    Accordingly
    Altogether
    Cheesy
    Chuffed
    Cold
    Difficult
    Dodgy
    Expensive
    Fishy
    Flimsy
    Great
    Gutted
    Hesitate
    I Can't Come To Your ...
    Iffy
    I Hate Winter
    I Have A Lot Of Work
    Livid
    Lousy
    Once And When
    Relax (v)
    Truly
    Worry (v)

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