EASY WAYS TO EXPAND & ENHANCE VOCABULARY

Here are some simple and easy ways for your vocabulary enhancement. We have divided them into categories for your convenience, so here we go:

1. MAKE A JOURNAL

It is the first step towards your vocabulary enhancement. Make a notebook or journal before following any other step to enhance vocabulary. It will help you in improving and expanding your vocabulary. Note down the word you just learned or read somewhere in your notebook.

Keep your notepad handy by opting for a digital version of the notebook. There are many notepads available online, each with different qualities and features. Try a few of them and then choose one according to your preferred features. Download it on your phone, so you can easily open your notepad to note a new word when you don’t have your journal around. Copy the words from your digital pad to your journal/notebook when you get some time.

Now you can recall your newly learned vocabulary anytime and this way you will never forget it.

2. READING

If you want to enhance vocabulary faster, then you have to read a lot more than ever. Whenever possible, read, read and read as much as you can. Take out some time from your daily routine for reading and make your vocabulary enhancement easy. While reading, don’t just read and learn new words and focus on how that word is used in sentences.

BOOKS/ NOVELS AND NEWSPAPER

Make learning new words easy for yourself by reading your favorite type of books, whether you like reading novels or informational books. When you have your interest in a subject, it becomes easy to learn and understand.

Vocabulary enhancement will become simple when you make a routine of reading newspapers daily in the morning. This habit will help you stay updated and improve your vocabulary because newspapers contain almost every kind of news, each with different words.

DICTIONARIES

Dictionaries are excellent to enhance and improve your vocabulary over time. Learn only one word per day from the dictionary, learn its meaning and search for its synonyms and antonyms on the thesauruses. Using thesauruses is an easy way to learn new words and enhance vocabulary.

ARTICLES AND BLOG POSTS

Read online articles and blog posts of your own choice as the internet has a massive variety of articles and posts. Learn new words from them and try to understand the meaning by the context of the sentence. Then check the meaning of the word that, whether you guessed it right or wrong, will make your vocabulary enhancement smooth.

3. LISTENING

We learn things quickly when we listen and hear them. Take an example of songs; how do we memorize songs so quickly? Because we listen to them on repeat. Here are a few ways to enhance vocabulary by listening.

MUSIC

Listening to music and songs is a free-time activity, and if you love listening to music, you can take advantage of it. Listen to English songs in your free and relaxing time, listen to your favorite genre and the music you enjoy. Whenever you hear a new word in songs, note down the word and find its meaning.

LISTEN ATTENTIVELY

While you are in the class, taking a lecture, listen to your professor with focus and complete attention. Listen to his words and pronunciation to remember those words. Listen attentively to your friends and family members who speak fluent or even average English. They might use some words which you don’t have a clue about and learn the meaning and pronunciation of that word.

4. WATCHING

Watching can make your vocabulary enhancement effortless. How? Here’s how:

NEWS & SPORTS

Watch English news channels whenever you get a chance. Try to extract some time from your day and watch the news for at least 20 to 30 minutes. Watching and listening to the news will indeed support you to improve and expand your vocabulary.

What if you are not interested in watching the news? Then, you might be interested in watching sports and games, and if yes, then it is a plus point. While watching some sports (cricket, football, etc.), focus on the commentary and learn new words from it. Commentators are usually very impressive and entertaining during a match/competition, and they use a wide range of expressions. If you find any word new and unique, don’t forget to note it down.

MOVIES

Watching English movies will help you expand and enhance vocabulary. Write down any word that you find unfamiliar and keep enjoying the movie. Search for its meaning after watching the film so that it doesn’t spoil your chilling mood too.

5. WRITING

Writing is an appreciable habit, and it is helpful in improving vocabulary. Following methods of writing will make it easier for you to enhance vocabulary for sure.

PERSONAL DIARY

Keeping a personal diary can sometimes be challenging, but it is advantageous and beneficial. It will remind you of the good and bad times of your life. But besides its actual purpose, it has some other benefits too. If you are trying to improve and enhance vocabulary, then penning down your daily routine in your diary will assist you in achieving better outcomes. Try to use new words in your diary, because you don’t have to search for the meaning of those words again when you read them someday.

IN YOUR JOURNAL

We have already talked about making a journal or notebook. But what is the method to maintain a vocabulary journal? We will tell you how to maintain a journal to get maximum benefits from it.

• The first step is writing down the words. Whenever you find a new or uncommon word, whether in a book, newspaper, or a movie, jot it down in your journal.
• Search for its meanings, synonyms, and antonyms and write them down too.
• Make a few sentences using the word to get fluent with its use.

Follow the above-mentioned three steps to make the best use of your journal either it is digital or manual.

ESSAY WRITING

As soon as you get smooth with the use of your newly learned words, try going big. Write some detailed paragraphs or essays using the new terms. Practice makes everything better, and vocabulary enhancement also needs a lot of practice. And writing an essay will be an excellent option to enhance vocabulary.

6. COMMUNICATING

After you have learned a new letter, its meaning, and also made some sentences using the word. Use that word in communication because it will help you memorize it forever.

CHATTING

Today, to catch up with our friends and family, we usually chat first and make plans to meet in person. Chat in English with your friends and family to improve and enhance vocabulary. Make good use of your just learned vocabulary so that you don’t forget it again.

CONVERSE

To make your English vocabulary better and better, conversing in English will effortlessly work best for vocabulary enhancement. When you meet your friends or anyone who speaks better English than you, talk to them in English. And ask them to point out any mistake you make. On the other hand, it will also boost your confidence, and you will be able to speak in English in front of anyone without a hitch.

7. MAKE IT FUN

PLAY SOME GAMES

Enjoy your journey to enhance vocabulary by making it a fun activity. There are hundreds of games that help in expanding and improving vocabulary. You can get some board games for vocabulary enhancement or download any available online game according to your choice. Play some fun games with your friends in your spare time and take full advantage of that time. For example, word searches, scrabble, crosswords, boggle are common and simple games to enhance vocabulary more quickly.

COMPETE WITH OTHERS

Take part in any English language competition to improve and enhance vocabulary without worrying about the results. Be confident and give your best because you will at least learn a few more new words; either you win or lose. It can be essay writing, a spelling competition, or maybe an online game competition. Online games usually provide options for competing with your friends and even anyone around the world. Like you can just lie on your couch and take part in an online global battle. Many groups also organize tournaments for online games, and that way, you can compete with hundreds of participants.

CONCLUSION

Vocabulary enhancement is not a difficult or impossible task, and it just needs some time, dedication, and attention. Dedicate your leisure and free hours to improve and enhance vocabulary by following those, as mentioned earlier, easy and handy ways. Learn one word a day, make it fun and enjoy your vocabulary enhancement journey.

The post Easy Ways to Improve And Expand Your Vocabulary appeared first on Linguix Blog.

When we look at the English language, it can be confusing and difficult at times. As it involves tricky spellings, tough grammar structures, and a variety of synonyms to deal with. A lot of words have the same meaning but it depends on the phrase, which is to use there. Either if you’re newly introduced to a language or you just want to improve your existing skills in English, expanding your vocabulary knowledge will help you a lot as an additional bonus. 

Improving your English vocabulary more effectively means learning to use the new words in a practical way, not just theoretically where you read a word; checked its meaning, and forgot it right away. However, if you have the will to understand English in a better way; the following ways can be highly helpful to improve your vocabulary. 

Reading – Your Choice: 

Reading can be a lot helpful while learning a new language. Reading is a very good activity; it helps the reader’s brain to be active. While many consider reading as an easy task as compared to writing. While it isn’t true, reading a book or journal can also be a difficult task if you don’t have much grip on your English vocabulary. But at the same time, reading complex and new words, and searching it’s meaning to understand the phrase properly is such a fascinating way to learn new words. While in the past, peoples used to suggest the reading of books; to improve vocabulary, but the actual trick is to read something you like that would help to boost your interest. Apart from books, comics, newspapers, journals, stories or anything can be your choice. If you continue to read regularly, you’ll notice a lot of significant improvement.

Writing – Journaling: 

I’m sure I’m not the first one to tell you that if you want to remember something for long; the best way is to write it again and again after understanding. Speaking new words isn’t that tricky, but using those same words with correct phrases and spellings in writing can be a little difficult. Try to write something you think is difficult to put into words and then ask someone to check your understanding of new words or try re-reading it. So, to improve English; learning and using new words in writing can help to improve a lot. 

Listening – English Songs or Lectures: 

Good listening skill isn’t much difficult to achieve, you just have to keep your brain focused and interested in listening. Listening helps to obtain information, understand it, and learn from it. Just like a child, who learns everything by listening to his surrounding, all the words, and sentences; before being able to read or write words. Similarly, after being all grown up you can still improve English by listening. When you hear a new sentence, try and repeat it afterward; it will help you to improve your pronunciation skills. So, listening to English songs, lectures, and talks can help a lot in improving vocabulary; you will easily learn how to pronounce and use new words. 

Watching – TV shows with subtitles: 

If you aren’t a book person, and you aren’t interested in reading long stories and boring book pages. Also, you’re facing difficulties in understanding English sentences after listening. Then, you should watch English movies or TV shows with subtitles tracks. This will surely fascinatingly help you by improving your English vocabulary through listening and readings at the same time. In this way, your reading and listening skills will improve and will surely help you to improve your English. 

Try speaking English with your fellows:

 You have heard the quote; “Practice makes a man perfect”. Similarly, to improve your vocabulary, you’ve to keep practicing what you’re learning. Try speaking in English with your mates. Don’t be shy, even if you’re having difficulties and might be using some wrong phrases. Still, stay confident and keep on trying all the time. You’re doing all the hard work to speak English fluently with improved vocabulary, not just for writing it down or to understand it. Good communication skills are of huge influence in practical life. Therefore, you should keep on trying to speak English with people who speak the same language as you.

Keep a dictionary: 

The sound of keeping a dictionary in your pocket or bag might sound a little old in this revolutionized world. While you don’t have to keep a hard one; you can simply download the dictionary application on your mobile phones. Having a dictionary to look up to is a quite helpful thing in the time of need. Dictionary can be the tool of great aid in all cases. Either if you have little knowledge of English or you have an advanced level of English. It offers thousands of words to look forward to, you can look up to different words along with their alternatives and you can pick according to your sentence. 

Guess the meaning of new words: 

Anything can be fun if you have the mindset to take things lightly and make learning more interesting. Guessing the right meaning of new words is just like a game of fluke, you can be either accurate or close to the actual meaning of the new word. The context helps a lot in understanding and guess the meaning of new worlds. The good thing about this practice is; it will get better with time. In the beginning, you might feel a little outplayed in guessing the right meaning, but with continuous practice and consistency, you will surely help yourself a lot to improve your English vocabulary.

Keep a Journal of new Vocabulary: 

To achieve anything, you’ve to be consistent and determined. Therefore, whenever you find a new word or phrase which you think is new to you and can be relevant, write it down in your vocabulary journal along with its meaning. This sounds pretty easy and is mighty helpful. Just in case, if you forget the new word after some days and are looking to remind it; this journal will be there to save the day. You can also keep reviewing your journal once a month to recall all.  

Test yourself: 

Stay focused and test yourself at times to determine either if there’s an improvement in your English vocabulary. Look forward to opportunities to learn and cash them. Pay attention to the things around you. Keep testing yourself, look forward to difficult and complex words and sentences, and then try to understand them. Try to look at the menu of the restaurant more carefully. Ask your fellows or teachers, to ask the meaning and synonyms of different words. Stay on the path to see and learn new vocabulary.

Stay Curious:

It’s human nature that under too much pressure and stress, the learning intensity goes down. It’s true that at times learning new things according to your goal in a short time can be a little stressful. Therefore, curiosity is a factor that can help you to stay in line and focused. Try to look forward to new vocabulary in different manners; the one you find interesting with a spirit of curiosity. This will help you to feel less stressed and more importantly, you might start to enjoy the process of learning. 

Conclusion:

In conclusion, we can say that improving vocabulary skills is probably the most important step in learning a new language. All the other skills, like reading, speaking, writing, listening, and conversing depends on the vocabulary level of a person. With all these various methods and ways are there to help in growing your vocabulary skill; one can easily feel a lot of improvement after continuous practice. 

The post 10 Ways to Improve Your English Vocabulary appeared first on Linguix Blog.

In fact, language teachers talk about two different kinds of vocabulary: passive and active. Passive vocabulary means the words that you can understand when you see or hear them, or words you can understand from context. Active vocabulary means the words that you actively use when you speak or write. Unsurprisingly, it is active vocabulary that is much harder to build.

Also unsurprising is the fact that even native English speakers have much more passive vocabulary at their disposal than active. So building vocabulary is a challenge for everyone, especially when you consider that the English language currently has more than 170,000 words in active use, and that number is growing all the time.

So, what can you do to quickly improve the amount of English vocabulary that you have? Here are some practical suggestions:

1) Write down useful words when you hear or see them

Many of us are guilty of the assumption that we will just be able to ‘remember’ words when the time comes. The fact is, usually we can’t.

Remembering words requires a process, and one of the most effective is to write the word down. But then make a sentence using the word, and to truly remember it in the future make sure that the sentence you create has some relevance to you and your life.

2) Be really selective

One of the biggest mistakes language learners make is that they don’t prioritize the words that they need to learn. When there are more than a million possibilities, you have to be extremely clear about which words are going to be useful for you and those words which won’t be. Here are a few simple questions that will help you decide:

Is it a word I have seen or heard often?

Is it a word that is practical for me to use?

Am I learning the word because it is interesting or because it will help me communicate?

3) Learn word families

An effective way to learn vocabulary quickly is to learn words that are part of the same family. What does that mean? Here is an easy example:

Root word: organize

Word family: organized, disorganized, unorganized, organization, organizer

Simply by introducing a few prefixes (before the root word) and suffixes (after the root word) you can create a whole new range of vocabulary with ease.

4) Learn words that are related by topic

Here’s a quick test. Look at these ten words, look away and then see how easy it is to remember them all:

Group 1: habit, wardrobe, speech, satellite, mystery, chase, surprising, towards, neglect, storm

Now try these words:

Group 2: wind, rain, hurricane, tornado, tsunami, drizzle, blizzard, hail, blustery, overcast

You will find the second group of words easier to recall because there is a connection between them all (they are all related to weather).

5) Learn definitions

By downloading the Linguix extension for Chrome, Firefox or Edge you can get definitions of words anywhere online simply by hovering over the word in question. With definitions you get meaning, and with meaning you have more chance of remembering. Still follow some of the other steps on this list (make an example sentence relevant to you), but with a clear definition of the word you stand more chance of adding it to your active range.

6) Learn synonyms

In a similar way to learning word families or words that are connected to each other, learning synonyms is an effective way to expand your vocabulary quickly. The Linguix writing assistant also provides a handy list of synonyms for any word you decide to hover over. In this way you can pick up five or six words for the price of one. And very often the key to fluency is being able to express the same idea in different ways. That’s what synonyms allow you to do.

7) Hear the word

Nothing can be quite as memorable as sound. Think how you will never forget a song, even if you have only ever heard it once. Hearing a word pronounced helps store it deeper in your consciousness. Plus, it is important that you hear the correct pronunciation so you are able to say the word correctly too. Most online dictionaries will allow you to hear the pronunciation of the word you need.

8) See the word

Seeing what you are saying will also help cement that word in your mind. So, look at the word written down for a start, and practice writing the word several times so the habit becomes more natural. Additionally, when storing the word, add a little picture of your own so you can easily identify it.

9) Use the word and 10) get people to help you

Nothing works quite like actually using a word. So say it. Find a reason to. Look for any opportunity to say it out loud. The process of ‘mega-drilling’ recommends that we repeat the word up to 30 times.  And one last thing. Tell the people around you what you are trying to achieve and they will help you find situations to use the language you need. 

So there you have it. Eight simple ways to expand your vocabulary quickly. And remember, you don’t need to know one million words to be an effective English speaker.

The post Ten Ways to Quickly Improve Your English Vocabulary appeared first on Linguix Blog.

“That is right,” he said.

The problem with ‘said’ is that all it does is report the words that someone speaks. It doesn’t say anything about the way that the words were actually spoken, not to mention any meaning, emotion or feeling that was behind the words. So, here is a list of synonyms that could be much better to use, depending on the context.

announced, agreed, whispered, shouted, reported, conceded

Although these words all communicate slightly different interpretations of the way in which the man said the words, every single one of them communicates more. More accurately. More insightfully. It’s simply better communication.

Why learning synonyms improves your writing

As the example with ‘said’ reveals, finding the correct word to express yourself is an essential part of clear and accurate communication. 

Most people will lean on their favorite words to say what they mean, but often there is a much better word to do the job. In the English language there are over a million words, while most people rely on a narrow vocabulary group of about 20,000 words to get by. That is a very small percentage of the words that can be accessed, and immediately reveals that there is probably a much more suitable option for the word that you have chosen. Statistically speaking, that is almost certain. 

And it’s not about being over-complicated either. It’s simply about finding the word that conveys, concisely and accurately, exactly what you wanted to say.

Here is an example.

““That is right,” he conceded.

‘conceded’ means that the man was somewhat reluctant in his admission that the other person was right. But he did agree in the end. That conveys so much more meaning that ‘said’, which gives none of those insights.

As long as that is the context of the words, then you have successfully chosen the word that can sum up the situation perfectly. That’s what the right synonym can do. 

How you can learn synonyms to improve your writing

The impractical way to learn synonyms to improve your writing would be to have a dictionary by your side, or to copy and paste every given word into a thesaurus or dictionary to get the given synonyms. But then you would need to cross-reference those words to get the true meaning of the synonym. You want to be correct, of course.

There is a much better way.

The Linguix writing and look-up assistant, free to download for Chrome, Firefox and Edge, allows you to highlight and click on words wherever you find them on the web and get an instant list of synonyms, as well as all important definitions for each category of synonyms.

For example, if you highlight the word ‘shifted’.

It’s that easy!

Get definitions depending on context, and then the synonyms which can correctly communicate the concept you are looking for.

So, boost your vocabulary, your writing and your communication ability today with Linguix.

The post The Importance of Learning Synonyms to Improve Your Writing, and How You Can Do It appeared first on Linguix Blog.

‘He has so money.’

‘He is such funny.’

‘So’ and ‘such’ can often mean the same thing, but have their own distinct structures to remember.

Here is everything you need to know.

So

First of all, it is important to understand that ‘so’ has different functions. Here we are concentrating on ‘so’ as an intensifier (meaning ‘very’ or ‘really’), not as a conjunction (that means ‘because of this’)

Grammatically speaking, ‘so’ is used before an adjective or an adverb to make the situation more extreme.

For example:

‘He is so hungry.’

‘She runs so fast.’

In both of the examples above you could directly replace ‘so’ with ‘very’ or ‘really’.

But you can also use ‘so’ before ‘much’ and ‘many’ to increase the amount of something.

‘He has so much money.’ (for uncountable nouns)

‘She can speak so many languages.’ (for countable nouns).

Note that ‘very’ and ‘really’ cannot be used here. Also, note that you cannot use ‘so’ with ‘lots of’ or ‘a lot of’

‘She has so a lot of money.’

Such

Such performs the same function as ‘so’: to increase the intensity or quantity of something. However, unlike ‘so’ (and also unlike ‘very’ or ‘really’), ‘such’ must be proceeded by a noun (with or without an adjective).

Here are some examples:

‘He is such a good friend.’

‘She is such a dreamer’ (An extreme example of a dreamer)

When it comes to using ‘such’ to increase the quantity of something, then it is only used with ‘a lot of’ (not ‘much’, ‘many’ or ‘lots of’).

‘Jenny has such a lot of good ideas.’

‘There are such a lot of nice places to visit in this city.’

Comparing ‘so’ and ‘such’

The fact is that ‘so’ and ‘such’ can be used interchangeably, as long as you remember to adapt the rest of your sentence structure accordingly.

Examples:

‘I am so happy right now.’

‘I am such a happy person right now’

‘Those dogs are so aggressive.’

‘They are such aggressive dogs’

‘Sarah has many friends.’

‘Sarah has such a lot of friends.’

‘Jerome eats so much food.’

‘Jerome eats such a lot of food.’

Follow these simple grammar rules and you never need make this type of mistake again.

One final use of ‘so’ and ‘such’

Another commonly shared of ‘so’ and ‘such’, and something that is very different from ‘very’ and ‘really’, is that these words can be used in a sentence to show the result of something. For example:

‘I was so hungry (that) I ate two whole pizzas.’

‘I had such a good time (that) I want to go back there next year.’

This is never possible with ‘very’ or ‘really’

‘I was very hungry (that) I ate two whole pizzas.’

‘I had such a good time (that) I want to go back there next year.’

The post So Vs Such appeared first on Linguix Blog.

1) ‘I’m going to visit New York next year’

2) ‘I think the Bears are going to win the game.’

3) ‘I was going to go, but in the end I was too tired.’

Going to is a future tense in English used to signify an intention (sentence (1) above), or a prediction (sentence (2) above), although it can also be used in the past tense to signify either of these ideas at a set moment in the past (sentence (3) above).

Here we take at look at each use of ‘going to’

‘Going to’ for a future intention

In terms of future tenses, going to is one of the most frequently used in English because it signifies a future intention, although stops short of representing an organized plan. For a plan, the present continuous would be used. Here is a comparison:

‘I’m going to go to the cinema tomorrow if I can get a ticket.’ (intention)

‘I’m going to the cinema tomorrow. I booked the tickets online.’ (organized plan)

In essence, the present continuous sentence is a little more definitive because it suggests the plan had already been made.

Grammatically speaking, ‘going to’ is a present continuous form, so it is formed in the same way:

+ I’m going to go to the cinema.

– I’m not going to go to the cinema.

? Am I going to go to the cinema?

 In terms of asking question about the future, English speakers use ‘going to’ and present continuous for future almost interchangeably:

‘What are you going to do this weekend?’ / ‘What are you doing this weekend?’

‘Are you going to go on vacation this year?’ / ‘Are you going on vacation this year?’

‘Going to’ for predictions

‘Going to’ is also used to make strong predictions about the future, usually based on some current evidence:

‘I think the Bears are going to win the game.’

In this case, the speaker is making a judgement based on the relative ability of the team in comparison to the team’s opponents.

Grammatically speaking, ‘going to’ is still the present continuous, so everything is the same:

+ The Bears are going to win the game.

– The Bears aren’t going to win the game.

? Are the Bears are going to win the game.

Note that present continuous is not used to make predictions, as it would be confused with what is happening at that moment:

‘I think the Bears are winning the game.’ (is a report of the actual situation, rather than a prediction)

However, ‘will’ is also used to make predictions:

‘I think the Bears will win the game.’

Whereas ‘going to’ is used when there is evidence available, ‘will’ is more of a guess. Compare the following:

‘It is going to rain tomorrow.’ (We have evidence in the form of a weather forecast)

‘It will rain tomorrow.’ (A prediction based on no hard evidence)

In reality, native speakers use the two above forms quite interchangeably.

‘Was/were going to’

‘Going to’ can be used in the past to signify an intention or prediction at a moment in time in the past. Usually, that intention or prediction doesn’t happen. Here are some examples:

‘I was going to go to the cinema, but in the end, I was too tired so I stayed at home.’

‘I thought that the Bears were going to win the game, but I was wrong.’

‘Gonna’

Note that many native English speakers replace ‘going to’ with a quasi-contraction – ‘gonna’. You won’t find this word in the dictionary, but you will hear it constantly. In partcualry, listen out for it in songs:

‘Are You Gonna Go My Way’ – Lenny Kravitz

‘A Change Is Gonna Come’ – Same Cook

‘A Hard Rain’s A Gonna Fall’ – Bob Dylan

(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again’ – Elton John

The post Going to appeared first on Linguix Blog.

I can play the guitar

I am able to play the guitar.

Ability

In these examples, they can be used in exactly the same way. And that is because, to all intents and purposes, ‘can’ and ‘be able to’ are both used, primarily, to express ability. Of course, both of these examples above are in the present tense, so matters get a little more complicated when we change that tense.

In the past

The past form of ‘can’ is ‘could’. ‘Be able to’, because it is using the verb ‘be’, can be easily adapted into any tense. So, therefore,

I could play the guitar when I was younger.

I was able to play the guitar when I was younger.

So, again, when talking about ability in the past, ‘could’ and ‘be able to’ operate in the same way. But only if we are talking about general abilities. In the case of a single action, ‘could’ is not possible.

Yesterday, I was able to meet lots of interesting people at the meeting.

Yesterday, I could meet lots of interesting people at the meeting.

However, if that single event involves a stative verb, then it would be possible.

Yesterday, I was able to see the screen really clearly from where I was sitting.

Yesterday, I could see the screen really clearly from where I was sitting

In the future

There is no future form of ‘can’ (‘will can’ is an absolute impossibility). Therefore, if you want to express a future ability, ‘be able to’ is your best friend here

In the future, I will be able to play the guitar.

You could also make a more complicated sentence, such as:

In the future, I will have the ability to play the guitar.

However, when talking about future plans and arrangements, you can use ‘can’ (as well as ‘be able to’):

I can attend the appointment next Monday.

I am able to attend the appointment next Monday.

These two sentences have exactly the same meaning.

So, in summary, when talking about ability, ‘be able to’ is a much more flexible option.

Semantics

We may also choose to use these two forms a little differently to emphasize the difference between a permanent ability, and the ability to do something at the moment. Here is another example:

I am able to play the guitar, but I can’t play the guitar at your wedding because I am unavailable that day.

In theory, you could invert those two terms to produce the same meaning in context, but the preference would be to use ‘be able to’ in order to talk about a permanent skill, rather than the ability to do something on any given day.

Talking about permission

‘Can’ and ‘be able to’ are not only about ability but are connected to permission too. Look at these examples:

My teacher says I can use a dictionary in the classroom.

My teacher says I am able to use a dictionary in the classroom.

In these instances, ‘can’ and ‘be able to’ are the same.

However, when it comes to talking about permission, even in the present tense, you cannot always use both options. Here’s another example:

My teacher says I can bring a dictionary to the exam tomorrow.

My teacher says I am able to bring a dictionary to the exam tomorrow.

In this case, ‘be able to’ would not be used to express permission in a specific, once-off event.

My teacher says I am allowed to bring a dictionary to the exam tomorrow.

This would be correct and has the same meaning as ‘can’ in the sentence above.

However, in one last twist, you could (or you are able) to use ‘be able to’ in this situation, if you are talking about your ability to do something:

My teacher says I can bring a dictionary to the exam tomorrow. = permission

My teacher says I am able to bring a dictionary to the exam tomorrow. = ability

Although the second sentence doesn’t really make any sense, it focuses more on the ability to do something, rather than the giving of permission.

In conclusion

‘Be able to’ definitely offers more flexibility than ‘can’ in terms of conjugating to verb tenses. However, the meanings are not always the same, and there are certain circumstances where either ‘can’ or ‘be able to’ are not logical.

Always consider this question: am I talking about ability or permission? Once you have ascertained this, and then you have decided upon the correct verb tense, making the right decision in terms of ‘can’ and ‘be able to’ should be achievable.

The post Can VS Be Able To appeared first on Linguix Blog.

Here we provide all the information you need to make the right choice.

The first thing to say is that these are both formal ways to finish an email or a letter (also known as salutations, which are the ways that we greet and then bid farewell to people, particularly in writing).

Getting salutations right is a necessary skill to learn quickly, particularly when you are working in English, and of course, deciding when to use ‘yours sincerely’ and ‘yours faithfully’ is a big part of this.

So, here are the important things to consider:

British English usage

As can happen with the English language, there are slight differences in opinion and habitual use when it comes to British English and American English. In general, American English would include Canada, whereas British English means every other country that speaks English. Once again, that’s a general rule.

In British English, there are particular style guides that are considered authoritative when it comes to the language, and one such guide is Henry Watson Fowler’s Dictionary of Modern English Usage. Despite being nearly a hundred years old, it is still referred to as a principle guide for writing in English. So what does Watson say exactly?

·   Use ‘Yours sincerely’ when responding to invitations and friendly, but not intimate, letters

·   Use ‘Yours faithfully’ when writing to unknown persons on business matters

Although ‘yours truly’ and ‘yours very truly’ have become somewhat archaic in modern British English terms, ‘yours sincerely’ and ‘yours faithfully’ are still the main go-to endings for business correspondence. Here Fowler is clear that ‘Yours sincerely’ is slightly more personal that ‘Yours faithfully’.

This approach is supported by advice given in the Oxford Handbook of Commercial Correspondence, which classifies the two terms as follows:

·   Use ‘Yours sincerely’ when you know the person’s name to whom you’re writing

·   Use ‘Yours faithfully’ when you begin a letter with “Dear Sir/Madam”

The Oxford Handbook of Commercial Correspondence also offers up the most informal of salutations:

·   Use “Best wishes” when writing to someone you know well

And there you have it! In British English ‘Yours faithfully’ is the most formal of all, and is used when you do not have the name of the person you are writing to.

American English usage

Across the Atlantic, there is a slight difference of opinion on these matters. Firstly, things are rather less formal in the United States, but there are still conventions of sorts.

‘Yours faithfully’ doesn’t exist as a salutation in the United States. Instead, when the recipient of the email or letter is unknown, the term ‘Yours truly’ is used.

‘Sincerely’ is therefore slightly less formal, and for when you know the name of the person you are addressing the correspondence too. But instead of ‘Yours sincerely’ the inverted ‘Sincerely yours’ is preferred.

Got it?

So, there we go. Transatlantic differences and the importance of knowing how to end your letter when you know the recipient’s name as opposed to when you don’t. That’s all you need to know.

Hint: when writing online it is always a good idea to get some AI help. Use our free grammar checker or innovative AI-based paraphrasing app to elevate your writing.

The post How To Use ‘Yours Sincerely’ and ‘Yours Faithfully’ appeared first on Linguix Blog.

One of the most commonly used expressions in English, and one of the easiest to recognize and use if you are a learner of the language.

But it’s not very original, is it? Surely there are other ways in which you can say ‘Happy Birthday’ without saying ‘Happy Birthday’ if you know what I mean?

Of course, there are, and there are also lots of little variations on the theme that can make your ‘Happy Birthday’ just that little bit more original and heartfelt. Here are some great options:

Many happy returns for the day

Quite a formal variation on them, but something less used and therefore something a little more individual.

Happy belated birthday

To be used when your wish of ‘Happy Birthday’ is late. Not ideal, but it happens, of course!

Happy B’day

For when you want to save on words!

Have a great day

Again not the most original, but slightly less used than ‘Happy Birthday’

May your birthday be filled with laughter

Now we are getting a little bit more original, and a little bit more colorful. Laughter is always good!

Happy birthday my….

Now you can use a noun (or adjective and noun) that fits the relationship you have with that person. From ‘husband’ and ‘wife’ (which is a little practical) to ‘special friend’ or ‘inspiration’ or ‘gorgeous friend’, which is a whole lot more heartfelt and full of character. Be sincere!

Happy birthday you old…

This is the perfect set up for something altogether cheekier and fun. From ‘you old derogatory term’ (such as git, or bastard!) to something a little less confrontational, such as ‘you old-yet-beautiful rascal’. Make it fun!

May your joys be as deep as the ocean

Starting to get a little more profound and semi-religious, but always a nice option.

May your beer glass always be full

If your friend likes a drink (but not too much, of course!)

May the road rise to meet you, May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, The rains fall soft upon your fields 

This is an old Irish blessing and is a warm and original way to give birthday greetings to someone you like/love.

A birthday message to one of the kindest and warmest people I have ever had the fortune to meet

And there’s nothing like getting totally sincere and adding a bit of warm cuddliness to your message.

To your name, on your birthday

This direct and very personal wish seems deep and sincere in a world that shies away from formal, old expressions. This is a particularly direct, and heartfelt message.

Saeng il chuk ha ham ni da!

And here’s ‘Happy Birthday’ in Korean, just in case you wanted to!

Tillykke med fodselsdagen!

Or Danish!

qoSlIj DatIvjaj

Or Klingon, for those Star Trek fans! (literally translated as ‘may you enjoy your birthday’)

Get stuffed!

One of the cheekiest of the lot! For a friend or relative who you just love winding up!

The post More Original and Unique Birthday Wishes appeared first on Linguix Blog.

The English dictionary list is constantly growing too, with new words added every year that represent new ideas, objects or even emotions and states that had previously been unidentified. English is an incredibly pragmatic and practical language too, so if another language has a word that is deemed useful, then it is quickly absorbed into the English lexicon. Here are just some examples:

karaoke – Japanese

loot – Hindi

safari – Arabic

wanderlust – German

Fortunately, there are some great tools out there – technological and digital tools – which can help us to absorb and learn more English vocabulary. Here are some of the best examples:

An online dictionary

Paper dictionaries still exist, of course, but the online dictionaries are just that little bit more practical these days when everyone carries a cell phone or similar mobile device through which they can access the online versions. Online dictionaries, such as Cambridge Online, offer definitions, example sentences, synonyms, antonyms and pronunciation of all those 1m+ words that exist in the English language.

For learners of the English language, the audio tool that allows users to hear the pronunciation of the said word, in the UK or UK English, is incredibly useful. The ‘word of the day’ feature is also a great way to continue increasing your English vocabulary, whether you are a native speaker, or learning the language.

Vocabulary.com

This website, as the name suggests, is targeted directly at English words, and how to learn them. An award-winning site, Vocabulary.com offers definitions and example sentences, akin to a dictionary, but then so much more besides, with fun vocabulary games that can help to retain the words, and also lesson creation tools that can help teachers to create interesting and fun vocabulary activities for their students. Vocabualry.com also conveniently measures your progress in learning all these words.

Learner’s Dictionary

This site, powered by Merriam Webster, is particularly focused on those learning English, and its objective is to provide simple and fun definitions and activities that make learning English just that little bit easier.

 Linguix

This hugely convenient writing and language tool, available as an extension for Chrome and Firefox, allows you to highlight and click words you come across as you browse, providing convenient definitions and synonyms of the words to help you learn English as you peruse the web. The writing assistant provides templates and makes recommended suggestions and edits to vocabulary and grammar mistakes. It’s a great way to continue learning new vocabulary, and solve issues that exist with your existing lexis.

LingQ

LingQ offers an incredible range of diverse English-language content in the form of videos, podcasts, written articles and much more besides.

All of this content then allows you to explore the vocabulary within, so by selecting the words you are interested in (or keen to learn), you can add them to your own private list to practice and help retain. LingQ even tracks your progress as you learn, and its offline availability means you can continue improving wherever you may be.

Forvo

We have briefly spoken about pronunciation, which is a vital aspect of learning new vocabulary. After all, not even native English-speakers know how to pronounce a word that was previously unknown to them – the rules are just to non-existent. An online dictionary such as Cambridge Online is one solution, but Forvo focusses on this very challenge.

This app gives you access to native speaker pronunciation of words and then allows you to practice and compare. It’s simple in its design, and incredibly practical to use, even on the go. This should be a staple app for English language learners.

The Apple press-and-hold option

Conveniently, Apple has built-in a vocabulary-defining service on their products since the release of iOS 7, which works across Safari, iBooks and more besides. Simply press and hold on the word that you are unsure of, and a pop-up menu will allow you to select ‘define’, which then gives you the information you need to understand the word in question.

There are apps for Android that can be downloaded to offer a similar service, such as WordLookUp.

Ask your virtual assistant

And finally, for those with Siri, Alexa, or any other running virtual assistant at home or on their devices, it really is as easy as this.

‘What does ‘egghead’* mean?’

Moments later, your virtual assistant will be reading out the dictionary definition. And you don’t need to be an egghead to get that working!

(*An egghead is a very intelligent person) 

The post The Best Tech Tools for Learning New Vocabulary appeared first on Linguix Blog.