Help me improve my English!
- Thread starter Delphine
- Start date
NA is "Not Available" or "Not Applicable" or "Not Announced".
And i.e. means in other words or "that is" from the Latin id est.
I am also trying to practice more as well. Luckly my babe is american and teaches me. Good luck darling!
And i.e. means in other words or "that is" from the Latin id est.
I am also trying to practice more as well. Luckly my babe is american and teaches me. Good luck darling!
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Thank you very much! It all makes sense now. Thought 'N/A' meant 'Not Added' so I was kind of close... I think.
Kind of embarassed I didn't know about id est though...
Hana-Nezumi
Androgynous Male Rodent
An example of when you would use N/A is if you were filling out a form and it asks a question that doesn't apply to you.
No need to be embarrassed! Actually I think the average English speaker would not know what i.e. stands for either. It's a little bit high-level.
No need to be embarrassed! Actually I think the average English speaker would not know what i.e. stands for either. It's a little bit high-level.
Dont worry about it, I was also wondering what on earth was that. And you are doing really good so far, Im 23 and my english grammar is terrible sometimes. Thats also embarassing pppft.
n/a means not applicable, in other words, this does not apply
i.e. is actually latin xD it is originally id est, but I always remember it as in essence. It is used in place of "in other words".
Here is a fantastic web comic site that hilariously teaches commonly misunderstood english grammar in ways that can help you remember:
http://theoatmeal.com/tag/grammar
it has a more elaborate post on how to use i.e. and e.g. ^.^
hope this helps
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annndd I looked at the first sentence and realized I could have used ie in a sentence for you xD
n/a means not applicable, i.e., this does not apply
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I'm actually (when not rapidly typing and using slang) quite good with grammar xD
I took 2 levels of AP english in the US, getting 5s on both tests and minored in English in uni. Also, English is my first language so yay for 22 years of speaking it.
I went to uni in Montreal, so I ALSO have a ton of experience helping french speakers with English grammar, as my entire group of friends either spoke French or Romanian as their first language, so I've fielded a lot of grammar/I don't understand what that phrase you just said meant type questions.
(never be embarrassed, you speak English 100% better than the average English speaker speaks French)
i.e. is actually latin xD it is originally id est, but I always remember it as in essence. It is used in place of "in other words".
Here is a fantastic web comic site that hilariously teaches commonly misunderstood english grammar in ways that can help you remember:
http://theoatmeal.com/tag/grammar
it has a more elaborate post on how to use i.e. and e.g. ^.^
hope this helps
- - - Post Merge - - -
annndd I looked at the first sentence and realized I could have used ie in a sentence for you xD
n/a means not applicable, i.e., this does not apply
- - - Post Merge - - -
I'm actually (when not rapidly typing and using slang) quite good with grammar xD
I took 2 levels of AP english in the US, getting 5s on both tests and minored in English in uni. Also, English is my first language so yay for 22 years of speaking it.
I went to uni in Montreal, so I ALSO have a ton of experience helping french speakers with English grammar, as my entire group of friends either spoke French or Romanian as their first language, so I've fielded a lot of grammar/I don't understand what that phrase you just said meant type questions.
(never be embarrassed, you speak English 100% better than the average English speaker speaks French)
Cherry-Blossoms
Galactic
I've been learning French for 4 years but I'm still quite bad at it. I understand a few simple sentences and number up to 100, but that's basically it. I have a French lesson tomorrow as well, so I will try and learn as much as I can from that 
bonjour!
You are amazing at speaking English
bonjour!You are amazing at speaking English
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Aw, thank you! n_n
Haha, thank you very much! n_n
Thanks for the website, and the tips! Much appreciated!
I've been learning French for 4 years but I'm still quite bad at it. I understand a few simple sentences and number up to 100, but that's basically it. I have a French lesson tomorrow as well, so I will try and learn as much as I can from that
You are amazing at speaking English
If you ever need help, don't hesitate! n_n And thank you!
You guys are all so nice with me, it makes me happy ;u;
Hey, bonsoir ! ~
Aw that's so cute and nice of you ;u; Can't really think of anything right now... But I appreciate the thought <3
Oh man ... I love idioms!
Some of my favorites to use are:
"A babe in the woods"
"The game is afoot"
"Three sheets to the wind"
"Out of my element"
"I'm all ears"
"Hands down"
"Like two peas in a pod"
"Wet my whistle"
"I have an axe to grind"
"Burning the candle at both ends"
I studied linguistics in college, so I am somewhat of a vocab nerd.
Some of my favorites to use are:
"A babe in the woods"
"The game is afoot"
"Three sheets to the wind"
"Out of my element"
"I'm all ears"
"Hands down"
"Like two peas in a pod"
"Wet my whistle"
"I have an axe to grind"
"Burning the candle at both ends"
I studied linguistics in college, so I am somewhat of a vocab nerd.
What do they all mean please? x)
"A babe in the woods" : Someone who is naive or inexperienced
"The game is afoot" : It has begun/started
"Three sheets to the wind" : Drunk, usually
"Out of my element" : Not what I'm used to, outside the norm
"I'm all ears" : I'm listening
"Hands down" : Definitely, without question
"Like two peas in a pod" : Good friends/A good match
"Wet my whistle" : Quench my thirst
"I have an axe to grind" : I've got a problem with you
"Burning the candle at both ends" : Working/doing something from morning to night
"The game is afoot" : It has begun/started
"Three sheets to the wind" : Drunk, usually
"Out of my element" : Not what I'm used to, outside the norm
"I'm all ears" : I'm listening
"Hands down" : Definitely, without question
"Like two peas in a pod" : Good friends/A good match
"Wet my whistle" : Quench my thirst
"I have an axe to grind" : I've got a problem with you
"Burning the candle at both ends" : Working/doing something from morning to night
Makes sense now that you mention it... Thank you very much!! n_n
Difference bewteen this/that and these/those?
To me, you say 'this' when you refer to something close and 'that' when you refer to something far. Am I right? And 'these' would be plural for 'this', 'those' would be plural for that... but then again... not sure :c
Like: 'That guy over there', 'This guy right here', 'Those guys over there', 'These guys right here'
And when I refer to something that is neither close nor far, which one should I use? Like, 'Wow, what I hate when I play Animal Crossing are rocks! Tho/ese things are so annoying!'
I know it's such basic grammar... which is why I am super embarassed to ask ;_; Don't throw rocks at me, please ;A;
To me, you say 'this' when you refer to something close and 'that' when you refer to something far. Am I right? And 'these' would be plural for 'this', 'those' would be plural for that... but then again... not sure :c
Like: 'That guy over there', 'This guy right here', 'Those guys over there', 'These guys right here'
And when I refer to something that is neither close nor far, which one should I use? Like, 'Wow, what I hate when I play Animal Crossing are rocks! Tho/ese things are so annoying!'
I know it's such basic grammar... which is why I am super embarassed to ask ;_; Don't throw rocks at me, please ;A;
You've got it right, this/these are used when the object(s) you are referring to are close to you, and that/those are used when the object(s) are far away or not present.
With your Animal Crossing example, you'd use this/these if you were directly pointing out the rocks. Like if you were talking to a friend while playing and pointed at the rocks, you'd say "these rocks are so annoying." Otherwise, you'd use that/those; like if you weren't playing the game but talking about Animal Crossing with a friend, you'd say "those rocks are so annoying."
I hope my example isn't as confusing as it sounded while I was typing it out.
With your Animal Crossing example, you'd use this/these if you were directly pointing out the rocks. Like if you were talking to a friend while playing and pointed at the rocks, you'd say "these rocks are so annoying." Otherwise, you'd use that/those; like if you weren't playing the game but talking about Animal Crossing with a friend, you'd say "those rocks are so annoying."
I hope my example isn't as confusing as it sounded while I was typing it out.
Yeah, that's exactly what I wanted to know! Thank you so much! ^______^
Yeah, what Saylor said.
I've heard even native english speakers use this/that interchangeably. Perhaps it's a dialect based regionally, but your idea about how it's used is correct.
Ah good to know, thank you! n_n
Hana-Nezumi
Androgynous Male Rodent
Yes you have the general concept.
When you use this/that and these/those for immaterial things it can be difficult because you need to consider the mental and metaphorical distance as well as the passage of time and ownership. For example,
"This feeling I have right now..."
"That feeling I had on that day in 1999..."
"This dog is at my foot begging for food."
"That dog passed away in 2004."
"I have this idea in my head!" "I don't like those ideas in those people's heads!"
So it's not entirely "Is this thing near or far?" but also "does this thing FEEL like it is near or far?" then you will have the complete context.
In some cases this or that would BOTH be acceptable.
Also if you make a mistake on using this/that, it's not really a big deal. It might sound unusual to a native English speaker, but we will understand what you're trying to say.
When you use this/that and these/those for immaterial things it can be difficult because you need to consider the mental and metaphorical distance as well as the passage of time and ownership. For example,
"This feeling I have right now..."
"That feeling I had on that day in 1999..."
"This dog is at my foot begging for food."
"That dog passed away in 2004."
"I have this idea in my head!" "I don't like those ideas in those people's heads!"
So it's not entirely "Is this thing near or far?" but also "does this thing FEEL like it is near or far?" then you will have the complete context.
In some cases this or that would BOTH be acceptable.
Also if you make a mistake on using this/that, it's not really a big deal. It might sound unusual to a native English speaker, but we will understand what you're trying to say.
