Euphemisms

Euphemisms could be referred to as a kinder way of describing a harsh , perhaps rude situation! A classic example is when we describe somebody as "plain" instead of "ugly". 
The use of euphemisms indicates the communicators finesse, rather than being overly polite. 

Some classic euphemisms are given below :-

euphemism	real meaning
The Aztec two step	diarrhoea
Bay window	A fat persons stomach
Chicago typewriter	a submachine gun
Derbyshire neck	goitre
Economically inactive	unemployed
File thirteen	waste paper basket
Glasgow Kiss	a headbutt
Heavy of foot	late stage of pregnancy
Interpret pragmatically	Ignore
John Barleycorn	Whisky
Keelhauled	Drunk
Last waltz	The walk to execution

English is hard

When words have many meanings....

There are several words in English that have more than one meaning; for example, the word 'right'. It can have the same meaning as 'correct' or it can mean the opposite of the leftward direction.
This can have annoying consequences, as you can see from the conversation below in a taxi:
Driver: Do I turn left at the traffic signal?
Passenger with map: 'Right'
The driver, thinking that the client meant him to turn to the right, did so.
Passenger: Hey, I just agreed with you that you should turn to the left, now look what you've done!

Home sweet home!

What is the word for :
1) The home of Eskimo?
2) The home of Native American?
3) A second home on the beach for New Zealanders?
4) A home for Nuns?
5) A home for Priests?
6) A room in the forests for hunters?
7) An independent home on a plot of land?
8) A tall home for thousands of families that has tens of storeys?
9) A home for bears?
10) A home for your dog?

Send in your answers to info@theenglishlearningchannel.com for a reward for the first correct answer to all the questions before 22nd September 2017.

Spot the mistakes

1. Secretary required; previous experience required but not necessary.
2.He is wearing the same jacket is what he wore last Saturday.
3. I could not speak English; neither could Jane nor William.
4.For sale-piano belonging to an older gentleman with beautifully carved legs.
5.Both Kelly and Bright were invited, but neither have accepted.
6.The children were provided with the same wonderful spectacles when we went to the zoo.
7. He was paid a wonderful compliment by the individuals who thronged around him.
8.Due to illness, she was unable to go to the pictures.
9.Despite of repeated warnings Mr Bell went to work.
10.Hurry, you and me must go at once.
11.Who did you meet?
12.Please can I go?
13.The children enjoyed the pantomime immensely.
14. A wonderful prospect lays before the youth of today.
15. The latter of your ideas seems the best.
16.Is Shakespeare and some office contemporaries were very great men.
17.The choir-buoys what in pares down the isle.
18.Nobody knows who wrote Grey's 'elegy'.
19. Sir John Falstaff is the funniest character in Sheridan 'She stoops to conquer'.
20. Johnson's"Life of Boswell"gives a perfect picture of the 18th-century. 
Send your emails to info@theenglishlearningchannel.com.
The first all correct answer before 20th September 2017 will get a reward.

Primary v/s Modal/Universal Auxiliary verbs

My sisters studied in a convent called the "Auxilium Convent" a Catholic School. I never knew what the meaning of the name of the School was until recently. It is a Latin word that means "to aid" or "a tribute to". In essence, it means to help. 
The same applies to Verbs. Auxiliary verbs whether Primary or Modal ( also referred to by some as Universal) are helping verbs. Okay, so what do they help to do? 

Let's start with Primary Auxiliary verbs:
This is what they do:-
-they help to form tenses e.g. Kate is solving some equations.
-they help to form negatives e.g. Sally has not done her homework.
-they help form questions e.g. Did you get the job done?
-they help add emphasis e.g. Tom did enjoy the camp!
They can be any action verb.

Now let's go to the Modal/Linking/Universal  Auxiliary verbs.
Some of the common Modal Auxiliary verbs are 'can', 'could', 'may', 'might','must', 'ought', 'shall', 'should','will','would' and as you can see they are used with ordinary verbs to convey such things as 
-the future
-possibility
-probability
-permission
-right and wrong 
-necessity
Some examples are:
Peter and I shall visit you tomorrow.
Anne will hate that play.
Would he stoop so low?
You should not break the queue.
He could not reach on time.
You may arrive in time.
Carl might be anxious.
She must do the right thing.

Participial phrases

Participial phrases are groups of related words that include a participle and as a group function as an adjective. 

Some examples are:

Allowing enough time, Jane started practising her badminton several weeks before the University tournament.

Beaten by the brilliant attack, the enemy fled in disarray!

The words in colour are participial or participle phrases.