The Improve Your English Thread v3

[Morning_Star]

Thanks for your help! I'm ill today, so I couldn't go to school, and even if I did, I couldn't talk for more than ten seconds before having a long-lasting fit of coughing, so I'm going to get my sister turn it in to my teacher with the changes you suggested.

[ominous]

Do you know this?

A word "family" comes from "Father And Mother, I Love You."

Anyway, I have one question.

A. He is a friend of my brother's.

B. He is a friend of my brother.

Is B also a possible sentence? What is the difference in meaning between sentence "A" and "B"?

[kala_way]

B is actually correct, but A is heard all the time because people are more accustomed to saying "my brother's friend" so when they reorganize the sentence the possessive ''s' sticks around on the end of the word even though the 'of my' takes care of it

[Pox Voldius]

Originally Posted by ominous

Do you know this?

A word "family" comes from "Father And Mother, I Love You."

I've never heard that one before.

Though, if you look up the etymology (word history) of the word "family", it's derived from the Latin word "familia"... and apparently it originally referred to the household servants (with that meaning falling out of use around the 17th and 18th centuries, in favor of the current meaning).

[Puppet_Master]

I guess I will be visiting this topic quite often, because my english is absolutely.. guess I will never learn the correct grammar.

I have right now a few question I appreciate some one to answer:

1- Which way is the correct way to say "I am one of the few who isn´t..." or "I am one of the few who aren´t..." Is "one" singular or plural?

2- Is "dude" a word for male and females? Or it is only to refer to men?

3- When I say "This is one of my favorites", my question is if I am picking up one thing from a group of favorite, the word "favorite" has to be in singular or in plural?

[Vita]

1) I would say "I am one of the few who isn't" ...so singular would be used in that instance.

2) Dude generally refers to a male.

3) Yes, it would be a singular... if you wanted to name more than one you would say "These are some of my favorite..."

[kala_way]

2. It depends on how it's used though. If it's referring to one specific person then it's always male--'Some dude told me it had already started'. But a lot of people use the word 'dude' in ways which don't necessarily have to refer to a man--it's just an exclamation or filler.

for example

[gertiekeddle]

I often call Jessica a dude!

(Although admitted, and to add the serious bit for the thread, in such cases I use it as some kind of exclamation: "Dude, they stole my chocolate again. What would you do?" Something like that.)

[Pox Voldius]

Originally Posted by Puppet_Master

1- Which way is the correct way to say "I am one of the few who isn´t..." or "I am one of the few who aren´t..." Is "one" singular or plural?

Both of those expressions are actually used by native speakers.

"One" is a singular word, it's "few" that is the plural in that construction.

"I am one of the few who isn't ___" is a very commonly used non-standard construction in which people use "isn't" to agree with "one".

The Standard English construction, though, would be "I am one of the few who aren't ___". In this case, the "aren't" refers back to "the few", and you are one of those few.

Originally Posted by Puppet_Master

3- When I say "This is one of my favorites", my question is if I am picking up one thing from a group of favorite, the word "favorite" has to be in singular or in plural?

If you're using "favorite" as a noun, then yes, you would say "This is one of my favorites", with "favorite" being plural, since you have more than one favorite.

If, as in Vita's example, you're using "favorite" as an adjective ("one of my favorite songs", "some of my favorite foods"), then it would be singular, because most regular adjectives in English don't need to be conjugated to make the number agree with the thing they're describing.

[kala_way]

Originally Posted by gertiekeddle

I often call Jessica a dude!

(Although admitted, and to add the serious bit for the thread, in such cases I use it as some kind of exclamation: "Dude, they stole my chocolate again. What would you do?" Something like that.)

Dude, it was probably Jessica who stole it! srs bzns clearly calling for an Admin brawl.

[Puppet_Master]

Thanks to all for the answer, I have it clear now.
But about "dude", so "dude" is used better for a man.

*Relief* my english is not that terrible!
Oh grammar, grammar is hard for a secod language, if it is already hard in a native language...
And spelling, well, it is hard to spell properly every word too.

[featherfish81]

Originally Posted by Pox Voldius

Both of those expressions are actually used by native speakers.

"One" is a singular word, it's "few" that is the plural in that construction.

"I am one of the few who isn't ___" is a very commonly used non-standard construction in which people use "isn't" to agree with "one".

The Standard English construction, though, would be "I am one of the few who aren't ___". In this case, the "aren't" refers back to "the few", and you are one of those few.

I have to disagree with you...the proper construction is to use "isn't", because the subject of the sentence is "I." "Few" is part of the prepositional phrase (of the few) so the verb shouldn't agree with it.

[Pox Voldius]

Originally Posted by featherfish81

I have to disagree with you...the proper construction is to use "isn't", because the subject of the sentence is "I." "Few" is part of the prepositional phrase (of the few) so the verb shouldn't agree with it.

The "aren't" is part of the same prepositional phrase as "the few who", that is why the verb in the standard construction agrees with "few" as opposed to the subject of the main clause ("I"). The "I" already has a verb that corresponds to it: "am". And "one of the few who aren't ___" is what "I am".

The few who aren't thoroughly confused by this point are probably giggling to themselves over this. I am one of those few who are giggling.

ETA

Looks like other boards have had this particular debate before:
http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=118373

[featherfish81]

Ah, that makes sense. Thanks.

[mykoko1998]

Can anybody give me a the English text in this clip A YEAR IN THE LIFE? ...thank you!!!

I REALLY,REALLY NEED THIS TEXT....


Cos I am not good at English listening,I'm Vietnamese...Hope you help me!!!!I only need text when J.k.Rowling talk to the family tree Weasley and Potter.

[Pox Voldius]

Originally Posted by mykoko1998

Can anybody give me a the English text in this clip A YEAR IN THE LIFE? ...thank you!!!

I REALLY,REALLY NEED THIS TEXT....


Cos I am not good at English listening,I'm Vietnamese...Hope you help me!!!!I only need text when J.k.Rowling talk to the family tree Weasley and Potter.

Okay, here it is. I'll warn you that I may have made some slight misinterpretations of some of the lines, because JKR's accent isn't one that I'm used to listening to... but I think I got most of it right.

Transcription of dialogue from the clip of "J.K. Rowling: A Year in the Life":    

---

Interviewer: Jo ends the series by giving Harry a family. She’s worked out the future of all the surviving characters, and draws out a family tree for the Potters and the Weasleys. JKR: Victoire, who’s in the epilogue -- she’s so named because she was born on the anniversary of the battle that finished it all. Which is the 2nd of May, if everyone’s been paying attention. And then, Charlie had no children, and is not married. Interviewer: Is he gay? JKR: Dumbledore’s gay. I told – I told a reader that once, and I thought she was going to slap me. I always saw Dumbledore as gay. Erm… No, I don’t think Charlie’s gay, just more interested in dragons than women. Er… Percy married Audrey. Don’t you think that’s a very Percy-like wife’s name? And they had Molly and Lucy. And then, er, Fred, poor Fred, died in 1997. And George… A lot of readers ask me, “Was George all right?” And of course, he wouldn’t be all right, would he? That’s – That’s the reality, I can’t -- but I think that he married Angelina, who was actually Fred’s ex. So, you can –- maybe it’s a bit unhealthy, but I think they would have been happy. As happy as he could be without Fred. I think he really would have felt like part of himself died. Interviewer: And then it’s Ginny who marries Harry. JKR: Ginny marries Harry, and they have James Sirius. Godparents: Ron and Hermione. They have Albus Severus. He’s the one I’m most interested in. And then, thirdly, Lily Luna, for their dear friend. Interviewer: And what happens to Luna? JKR: Oh, Luna marries… erm… Rolf Scamander, who’s the grandson of a great naturalist. So they’d have a very interesting life, globe-trotting – trotting and looking for weird animals. But I think she’d have twin boys. But later. That would be much later than this lot, who’ve settled down early. Interviewer: Are they happy? JKR: Erm, yes. I think so. My lot are all happy. Interviewer: The twin boys have got names, too? JKR: Lorcan and Lysander. That’s all right with you? Interviewer: Very Shakespearean. JKR: I can’t – I can’t help it. You know what it was like: it was like running a race, and you get to the finishing line, and you’re running too fast to stop. So I do know what happened after it. And I couldn’t stop my imagination doing that. So I know this sounds really a lot of detail to go into for your own satisfaction, and not because you’re planning to write more books, but that’s just how it was. I couldn’t – I could – I couldn’t stop. I had to know –- I had to know what happened next. Interviewer: Well, you always have to know more than you put in. JKR: Yeah. Yeah. I know I carried that on to another generation, but yes, I… Interviewer: So, all of that could be another book! JKR: Yeah.

[ominous]

Would you proofread a business letter that were translated into English?

Dear Clement Lobo,

We hope that you will be a good partner in the Middle East market and we also promise you that we will fully support your business partners there. We sincerely hope to discuss you positively about setting up agencies with the beginning of our business. We wish you to become our great agent representing us in that area.

Here is our reply to your inquiry of our products.

1) Product Specifications:
We will dispatch product specifications together with product images whenever there are inquiries of products.

2) Delivery time from ordering to shipping:
It will take us 10 days or so to manufacture products after receiving orders from you and the shipment can be done in about 30 days or so after receiving orders.

3) Minimum Order Quantity:
More than 100,000 pieces or 1(one) container

4) Payment terms:
L/C, T/T or through KOTRA(Eescrow)

5) Agency Terms:
We want to reach an agreement of a dealership contract through an MOU based on mutual trust after successfully accomplishing our first trade.

6) Marketing and Sample Support
In case you need samples while promoting our products, we will dispatch free samples according to your customers' specifications on receiving them specifications from you (however, all costs including DHL charges will be paid by you.)


* Our reply to your inquiry of prices

We can manufacture the product that you inquired of and the unit price of it is US$0.29/pc FOB and the weight of the product is 70gsm. Chinese manufacturers can print only trade names on the products but, we can print images on them, so the value of the products can be raised. We think it is a good idea that, if necessary, we manufacture and send samples to you first for your reference.

We can't tell you C&F price right now because currently, we can't figure out the exact shipping costs at this moment.

[featherfish81]

My changes are in red.

Originally Posted by ominous

Dear Clement Lobo,

We hope that you will be a good partner in the Middle East market and we assure you that we will fully support your business partners there. We sincerely hope to have a positive negotiation with you with the beginning of our business. We wish you to become our (delete:great) agent representing us in that area.

Here is our reply to your inquiry of our products.

1) Product Specifications:
We will dispatch product specifications together with product images whenever there are specific inquiries of products.

2) Delivery time from ordering to shipping:
It will take us approximately 10 days to manufacture products after receiving orders from you and the product can be shipped approximately 30 days after receiving orders.

3) Minimum Order Quantity:
More than 100,000 pieces or 1(one) container

4) Payment terms:
L/C, T/T or through KOTRA(Eescrow)

(I'm not a lawyer, so I'm not sure what this means or if it's correct)
5) Agency Terms:
We want to reach an agreement of a dealership contract through an MOU based on mutual trust after successfully accomplishing our first trade.

6) Marketing and Sample Support
If you need samples while promoting our products, we will dispatch free samples according to your customers' specifications upon receiving the specifications from you (however, all costs(insert comma) including DHL charges(insert comma) will be paid by you.)


* Our reply to your inquiry of prices

We can manufacture the product that you inquired of and the unit price (delete:of it) is US$0.29/pc FOB and the weight of the product is 70gsm. Chinese manufacturers can print only trade names on the products but, (move comma before the but) we can print images on them, so the value of the products can be raised. We think it is a good idea that, if necessary, we manufacture and send samples to you first for your reference.

We are unable to provide exact C&F (do you mean S&H)prices at this moment, but we will supply them to you by (whatever date).

[ominous]

Thank you Featherfish81 for your help.

I have another grammar question here.

Q. The total amount due must be received by the due date, which is printed on the lower lefthand corner of your bill. Please enclose the bottom portion of your bill with your payment. This will ______ that your payment is credited appropriately.

(A) prove (B) ensure (C) include (D) clarify

I know (C) and (D) are not the right answer. However, aren't (A) and (B) both the correct answer? The textbook says (B) is the only correct one.

[Tenshi]

Originally Posted by featherfish81

4) Payment terms: L/C, T/T or through KOTRA(Eescrow)

Shouldn't it be "Terms of Payment"?
That's what I learned.

L/C = Letter of Credit
No idea what the other one means

C/F = Cost and Freight when I remember correctly