Archive for January, 2011

separable phrasal verb: set up

{ January 7, 2011 @ 3:33 am } · { phrasal verbs }
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The phrasal verb for this week is “set up”, and it has a few meanings. Let me go over the various ways to use it.

1. to assemble or prepare something for use. For example:

Can you help me set up the computer? I don’t know how to do it.

My computer needs to be set up. Can you help me? (passive voice)

We have to set up all this equipment before the meeting starts.

All this equipment has to be set up before the meeting starts. (passive voice)

2. to frame someone for a crime. For example:

I just saw a movie in which a man killed his wife and then set up his best friend for the murder.

I didn’t kill Jack’s wife! Jack killed her and then set me up!

I’m being set up for the murder of Jack’s wife! (passive voice)

3. to establish a business. For example:

I want to set up my own business, but I know it’s going to be difficult.

I tried to set up my own business, but the bank wouldn’t give me a loan.

4. to establish someone else in business. For example:

My uncle set me up in the restaurant business. I couldn’t have done it without his financial support.

I was set up in the restaurant business by my uncle. (passive voice)

I wish I knew someone who could set me up in business, but I have to do it myself.

5. to arrange a blind date for someone. For example:

Can you set me up with your cousin? I think she’s really pretty.

A: Are you seeing anyone right now? I have a friend, and I think you’d really like him.

B: Are you trying to set me up? I hate blind dates!

The second meaning of “set up” is usually only for movies and TV shows. That’s the kind of language we hear all the time when watching suspense shows or movies. If you’re not sure, to “frame” someone for a crime means to make it seem like another person committed a crime that you did yourself.

Also, please note that with the last meaning of “set up”, in the case of the blind date, we have to use “with” between “set up” and the person who will go on the blind date.

grammatical expression: in lieu (of)

{ January 6, 2011 @ 3:01 am } · { grammatical expression }
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Today I’d like to write about an expression that I was teaching to some of my students just before the holiday. The expression is “in lieu” and it is usually followed by the preposition “of”. It basically has the same meaning as “in place of”. We use it when we want to talk about replacing a customary activity with another activity. Let me give you some examples:

For my grandfather’s funeral, my family would like people to send a donation to cancer research in lieu of sending us flowers.

In order to celebrate my father’s birthday, my family and I decided to have a quiet dinner at home in lieu of a big party.

This store gives customers discounts on future purchases in lieu of refunds.

My friend does various jobs for his landlord in lieu of paying rent.

A: Do you get paid extra for overtime work at your company?

B: No, my company doesn’t do that. They give us time in lieu instead.

In the case of this last example, “time in lieu” is a set expression which means that the person will receive time off from work in the same amount of overtime that was worked. This system is often used by companies that can’t afford to pay overtime to their employees. So, if a person works eight hours of overtime, they will get one day off in lieu of being paid overtime.

By the way, the pronunciation of the word “lieu” is /lew/.

adjective: sensible

{ January 5, 2011 @ 1:20 am } · { adjectives }
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Today, I would like to go over the adjective “sensible”. It is used to talk about a person or action that shows good sense. Another way to say that is that the person or action shows logical thinking that will help avoid problems. For example:

Jill is a very sensible girl, so I’m sure she’ll choose a career that will allow her to earn a good salary.

My wife is very sensible when it comes to money, so we can save a lot every month.

You want to quit your job to become a musician?! Please be sensible! That would be a big mistake!

You didn’t bring a jacket with you when you went hiking? That wasn’t very sensible, was it?

Make sure you take a pair of sensible shoes with you on your trip. You’ll need shoes that will be comfortable.

In the last example, I used the word “sensible” to describe the shoes rather than the person or the action. This is a special case. We often say “sensible shoes” to talk about shoes which are flat and comfortable for the person to wear. We use the word “sensible” because the person’s action of wearing such shoes is logical and shows good sense.

grammatical word: besides

{ January 4, 2011 @ 4:07 am } · { grammatical word }
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I hope everyone is having a good week. Today I would like to write about a word that is very useful in English. The word is “besides”, and it has two meanings.

We use the first meaning of “besides” when we want to say “except for”. In other words, we use it to exclude a certain thing from a group which it would usually go with. For example:

A: Paul just told me he can’t come to our party.

B: Ok. Is there anyone else besides Paul who can’t come?

Besides my parents, there’s no one in the world I love more than you.

I’m allergic to seafood, and Bill doesn’t like pork so, besides those two things, is there any other food we can’t serve?

A: I know you love Star Wars but, besides that, what’s your favorite movie?

B: Besides Star Wars it would have to be The Lord of the Rings.

The second way we use “besides” is to add more information when explaining why we feel a certain way about something. We use it when explaining the reason for something. For example:

I’m too tired to go to Dan’s party, and besides, I don’t really like him.

I turned down the promotion my boss offered me. It would have been too much responsibility, and besides, I like the job I have now.

I think you should join this class with me. You’ll be able to learn a lot of new things, and besides, you might meet some interesting new people.

I don’t mind getting older. I feel much wiser than I used to, and besides, people give me more respect.

Please be careful not to confuse “besides” with an S and “beside” without an S. The word “beside” simply means “next to”. One example would be, “The lamp is beside my bed so I can read at night.” By adding the S the meaning completely changes, so please be careful about S forms when studying English.

the difference between words: say and tell

{ January 3, 2011 @ 4:58 am } · { the difference between words }
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Today I have a blog for you that will go over the difference between “say” and “tell”.

Basically we use “say” when talking about communicating something in general, but we don’t emphasize the person to whom we are talking. We use “tell” when we want to emphasize the person to whom we are talking. For example:

A: What did you say? I couldn’t hear you.

B: I said I wanted to go home.

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A: What did you tell your husband?

B: I told him I wanted to go home.

I want to say something. I really appreciate your kindness to me this week.

I want to tell you something. I really appreciate your kindness to me this week.

Is there something you want to say?

Is there something you want to tell me?

It is possible to use “say” when emphasizing the person to whom we are talking, but we must put the preposition “to” after “say”. For example:

A: What did you say to your husband?

B: I said I wanted to go home.

I want to say something to you. I really appreciate your kindness to me this week.

Is there something you want to say to me?

While it is possible to use “say to”, I think English speakers use “tell” more often when emphasizing the person. However, “say to” has a softer feeling and “tell” sounds more direct. Please note that in the first example person B did NOT say, “I said to him I wanted to go home.” as the response. Because “to your husband” was used in the question, it’s unnecessary to repeat “to” in the answer.

Also, please note that in the second example the person did NOT say, “I want to say to you something.” When we use the words “something” or “anything”, they always come after “say”.

Finally, there is another way to use the word “tell”.  We can also use it when talking about giving direct orders to someone. For example:

My boss told me to finish this report by tomorrow.

I told my friend to meet us at the station at 7:00.

I told my sister not to go into my room.

My mother told me to not be late for dinner.

In these situations when we use “tell”, it sounds very strong. If you want it to sound softer, you can use the word “ask”. For example:

I asked my friend to meet us at the station at 7:00.

Nick asked Susan to move over so he could sit down.

I asked my sister not to go into my room.

My mother asked me to not be late for dinner.

So, in these cases, “tell” or “ask” is followed by the infinitive (to + base form of a verb). In negative forms, we can use “not to…” or “to not…” with the words “tell” or “ask”. However, in my opinion, it’s more natural to use “not to…” with negative sentences of this kind.

idiom: to take the bull by the horns

{ January 2, 2011 @ 2:38 am } · { idioms }
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Welcome to my first blog entry of 2011! Because it’s a new year and people often make resolutions to improve their lives at this time of year, I thought I’d teach you an idiom that is connected with that: to “take the bull by the horns”. We use it when we want to talk about directly and actively trying to get what we want rather than trying to get it passively or indirectly. For example:

A: I have a problem with my neighbor. He’s really noisy at night. I’m going to complain to my landlord about him.

B: If I were you, I’d take the bull by the horns and talk to him directly. I think that’s a much better way.

I haven’t been able to lose much weight, so I’m going to take the bull by the horns and hire a trainer at my local gym.

A: How did you get a promotion so quickly at this company?

B: I took the bull by the horns and told my boss I wanted the manager’s job.

If you want to date Sarah, you should take the bull by the horns and just ask her out.

We always use this idiom in positive sentences, but we don’t use it in negative sentences. Also, it’s rare to use it in questions. I said we can use this idiom at the beginning of a new year because that’s when people feel most motivated to go after what they want directly. So I hope in 2011 that you can get what you most want. Just remember to take the bull by the horns and do it!   🙂

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