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A daily dose of new English words, grammar and phrases to speak fluently. Bot: @EnglishTipsandTools_bot
“I did well” = I succeeded; I got a good score. 💯
“I did good” = I did acts of kindness.
Do *well* on exams 👍; do *good* to others. 🙆
#Vocabulary
The singular and plural of “species” is “species,” e.g., animal species 🐷🐸
Specie = money in coins
The laundromat accepts only *specie*.
#Vocabulary
Breath = (n.) air going in/out of lungs
Breathe = (v.) inhale + exhale
Breadth = (n.) width; range
#Vocabulary
Blight = plant disease 🌱☠
Bright = shining; full of light; intelligent 💡
The *bright* scientist developed a cure for the crop *blight*.
#Vocabulary
📌I'm used to killing snakes = I've killed a lot of snakes in my life.
📌I used to kill snakes = I killed snakes in the past, but not anymore.
#Grammar
Criminals are *hanged*.
Paintings 🎨 and clothes👗 are *hung*.
I hanged up. → ❌
I hung up.📱→ ✔️
We hanged out. → ❌
We hung out. 👫🍨 → ✔️
#Vocabulary
POPULACE = people living in an area: The general *populace* hated the film. 🎥👎
POPULOUS = having many people: Tokyo 🗼 is a *populous* city.
#Vocabulary
Homeworks → ❌
Homework → ✔️
Homework assignments → ✔️
Vocabs → ❌
Vocab words → ✔️
Vocabulary words→ ✔️
#Vocabulary
►Show the Difference:
[at play - in play ]
1- Children spend hours at play. ► ( = playing.)
2- I only said it in play. ► ( = not seriously.)
►Show the Difference:
[last - latest ]
1- What is the last book you have read? ► ( = There's a hint that the person who's being asked doesn't read many books.)
2-What is the latest book you have read? ► ( = it sounds like that person reads books regularly.)
Do NOT add apostrophes to possessive pronouns! 👁👁
His → ✔️
His’ / His’s → ❌
Ours → ✔️
Our’s / Ours’ → X
Yours → ✔️
Your’s → ❌
#Grammar
💥EXCEPTIONABLE = offensive:
He was criticized for his *exceptionable* comments.
💥EXCEPTIONAL = outstanding:
My essay is *exceptional*.
#vocabulary
TOP DOG = the most important and powerful person in a group. 👑
UNDERDOG = someone or something (e.g., a team) that nobody expects to win.
#vocabulary
A NUMBER OF clothes IS on sale. → ❌
A NUMBER OF clothes 👗👖👔 ARE on sale. → ✔️
A NUMBER OF = several; it requires a PLURAL verb.
#Grammar
patricide = murder of ones's father
fratricide = murder of one's brother
sororicide = murder of one's sister
regicide = murder of one's ruler.
#vocabulary
-»> IMPORTANT - IDIOMS AND PHRASES «<—
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
🔴1. A Chip on Your Shoulder :
Being angry about something that happened in the past; a grudge.
🔴2. A Dime a Dozen :
When something is extremely common and simple to acquire.
🔴3. A Fool and His Money Are Soon Parted :
It's easy for someone acting foolish to lose his/her money through carelessness or by being tricked.
🔴4. A Piece of Cake :
A task that is simple to complete; similar to the common phrase "as easy as pie."
🔴5. An Arm and a Leg
Something that is extremely expensive; an idiom meaning the price paid was costly, excessively so.
🔴6. All Greek To Me
When something is incomprehensible due to complexity.
🔴7. Back to Square One
To go back to the beginning; a popular saying that suggests a person has to start over.
🔴8. Back To the Drawing Board
Similar to the phrase above, it means starting over again from a previously failed attempt.
🔴9. Barking Up The Wrong Tree
To make a wrong assumption about something.
🔴10. Beating Around the Bush
Avoiding the main point; a common phrase meaning a person is failing to get to the bottom line.
🔴11. Beating a Dead Horse
Something that is seen as futile; a popular saying used to describe how bringing up older issues that have already been resolved is pointless.
🔴12. Between a Rock and a Hard Place
Being faced with two difficult choices; a dilemma.
🔴13. Break The Ice
Breaking down a social stiffness or awkwardness.
🔴14. Burst Your Bubble
To ruin someone's happy moment or mood, usually by telling them disappointing news or information.
🔴15. Close But No Cigar
Coming close to a successful outcome only to fall short at the end.
🔴16. Cry Over Spilt Milk
One shouldn't worry over things that have already happened and that cannot be changed.
🔴17. Cry Wolf
Lying; a common phrase meaning someone is calling for help when it's not really needed.
🔴18. Cup Of Joe
A cup of joe is an American nickname for a cup of coffee.
🔴19. Curiosity Killed The Cat
An idiom meaning mind your own business, as too much poking and prodding could lead to harm.
🔴20. Cut The Mustard
Meeting expectations; used as a way to describe how someone has met the required standards that were set.
🔴21. Cut To The Chase
To get to the point, leaving out all of the unnecessary details. Similar to popular sayings such as "beating around the bush."
#idiomatic_expressions
allay — alley — alloy — ally
The confusion could occur on account of the similarity of appearance, and of the near-similar pronunciation.
‘Allay’ is pronounced beginning with an ‘a’ sound as in “about” and end sound rhymes with the word “lay”
‘alley’ begins with an ‘a’ sound as in “angry” and the end sound rhymes with the word “Lee”; ‘
alloy’ begins with an ‘a’ sound as in “angry” and the middle sound with an ‘l’ and the end sound rhymes with “boy” — some what like ‘a l oi’
‘ally’ begins with an ‘a’ sound as in “about” or as in “angry” and the end sound rhymes with the word “lie”.
#Vocabulary
Noisome = having an offensive smell 💩👃
Fulsome = excessively flattering or praising 🙇👏
Winsome = charming 🎩✨
Cumbersome = burdensome
#Vocabulary
“Advice” rhymes with “rice.” It’s a NOUN.
“Advise” rhymes with “rise.” It’s a VERB.
Ramzy ADVISES 👲💬 his clients 👫 by giving good ADVICE. 👍
(advice) also a noun and a verb in American English.
#Vocabulary
Disparate = different, varied 👴🐺🍕
Desperate = hopeless; needing 🙏
During exam season, students are *desperate* for *disparate* reasons. 😰
#Vocabulary
“Barely no” is a double negative. So are “hardly no” and “scarcely no.”
Change “no” to *any*: There is *barely any* ice cream left. 🍨
#Grammar
ALLUSION = an indirect reference
ILLUSION = a deceptive appearance
ELUSION = an escape
🏃💨💨💨 👮🚓
DELUSION = a mistaken idea 👩💭❌
#vocabulary
Don’t begin a question
with “May you …?”❌
Begin with “Would you,” “Could you,” or “Can you” if you’re asking someone a question.
#Grammar
discuss about❌❌❌
The verb discuss is never used with the preposition about. It is simply followed by a direct object:
✗ I would like to discuss about the advantages and disadvantages of students using credit cards.
✓ I would like to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of students using credit cards.
#Grammar
APPRAISE = to estimate an item’s value
APPRISE = to inform
Please *apprise* me of my car’s value after you *appraise* it.
👨💬 🤑🚙💵
#vocabulary
Don’t begin a question with “May you …?”
💁 Begin with “May I,” “Could you,” or “Can you,” “Did you,” etc. instead.
*May I* play games? 🎮
#Grammar
DECENT = appropriate; acceptable.👌
DESCENT = downward ⬇️ movement.
DISSENT = to disagree 🙅; disagreement.
THIS SCENT = this smell. 👃
#vocabulary
💥“Recur” = happen repeatedly and regularly.
💥“Reoccur” = happen again.
The sunrise *recurs*.
Ensure that financial crises do not *reoccur*!
#vocabulary
Enrich your Vocabulary:
⭐️Other ways to say I'm tired:
✅ I'm beat.
✅ I'm exhausted.
✅ I'm pooped.
✅ I'm worn out.
✅ I'm done.
✅ I'm spent.
✅ I'm flat out tired.
✅ I'm dead on my feet.
✅ I'm running in empty.
✅ I'm running on fumes.
✅ I'm tired out.
✅ I'm weary.
✅ I'm dog tired.
✅ I'm tired to be done.
✅ I'm dragging.
#vocabulary
Adduce = cite as evidence 📝
Induce = persuade; cause; produce
Seduce = allure 💋; tempt
Reduce = decrease 📉
Deduce = reason; infer 👩💭
#vocabulary
A "thief" is a general word for sb who steals.
A "shoplifter" is sb who takes things from shops without paying for them.
A "pickpocket" is sb who takes things from the pockets or bags of other people in the street or on a bus.
A " burglar" takes things from people's houses.
A "robber" takes money from banks, people; often uses violence.
A "mugger" violently attacks you in a public place to steal money.
#vocabulary