Comments

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  Juno April 4, 2010 19:03

  hmm, I'll try to do what you've mentioned below..
  Thank you again for answering me.. u r such a helpful!
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  Tanya April 4, 2010 15:26

  Dear Juno! What you say is called "inhibitance". It is phychological problem. Or, it is also called "language barrier" or "spoken barrier". I have already answered to this question for so many times! You can read it below but to make a long story short I would say:"Forget that English is not your native, forget about accent (that is of no matter if your English is understandable), pull yourself together and try to overcome the barrier that is in your brains". We, people who speak it , will help you if we see your efforts.
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  Juno April 4, 2010 1:41

  Yes you clarified it more for me
  Thank you!
  But you didn't tell me about the fluency thing.. i always find a difficulty when i start a conversation with someone, i always feel like i speak bad English even though I've a decent Grammar skills!
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  Tanya March 30, 2010 10:10

  Hi, Renate! Your problem is psychological. First of all, I recommend you to talk English loudly to yourself. Then, try to talk to people you know. In any case, it is necessary to make some effort and to try.
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  Tanya March 30, 2010 9:50

  Dear Trai Pham! I will answer on the discussion "What do you want to know about.....?", OK?
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  Tanya March 30, 2010 9:45

  Hi, Juno! The following is how to use Simpla Past and Present Perfect.
  
  1. We use The Simple Past Tense when we mean that the action took place (happened, occured) in the past, is not related to the present (or we don't know about that) and we mention it as a fact (we don't emphasize its duration). We also use this tense when we describe regular action in the past or enumarate a few consecutive actions. In such sentences we usually use a time modifier that describes the past. Here are a few examples:
  
  He called me up yesterday. (Affirmative) (a fact)
  Did he call you yeasterday? (Interrogative)
  He didn't call me yesterday. (Negative)
  When did you return?
  I often called home when I was on business trip. (Regular action)
  
  She came home late, took a shower and went to bed (Enumeration)
  
  2. We use The Present Perfect Tense when we want to say that the action has already taken place but its result is related to the present. In such sentences we never use the past time modifier. There are many so called "standard" cases when we use this tense. Here are a few of them:
  
  a) there is no time modifier.
  
  I have bought a car (I still have it)
  
  b)There is a present time modifier
  
  I have seen him this week
  
  c) with the adverbs of uncertain time: just, ever, never, already, yet, recently, lately, before, etc.
  
  I have just come in ( I am at home now)
  I haven't met him before (I don't know him in person)
  Hasn't he come yet? ( He is not here)
  I have seen that movie recently (I remember it)
  
  d) when we want to say that some action has been taking place for some time till now.
  
  I have known him for ages.
  I haven't smoked for a month. (I don't smoke now and it is OK with me)
  I have lived here since the childhood (I still live here and I am not going to move out)
  
  e) when we mention the number of times.
  
  I have been here twice.
  
  f) there are a few special expressions:
  
  This is the first time I have been here.
  It has been two years since we finished the school.
  
  There are some other cases. But the principle thing is to realize what this or that tense for. Here is a very understandable example.
  
  I have bought a new car. The meaning is that you still have it.
  I bought a car last year. It is only information. In the most of cases natives will ask you:"Are you still driving it?" It is not clear that you still have the same car.
  
  Can and to be able to
  
  One of the meanings of "can" is an ability to fulfill this or that action. So, these words are synonyms. However, "can" is a modal verb while "to be able to" is a so called pseudomodal one. Such verbs express modality but are used like all the rest with the following exceptions:
  
  1. They can't be used in Progressive Tenses
  2. They are followed by infinitive (not gerund)
  
  So, you can say:
  
  I can do it or
  I am able to do it
  
  However, these words are not 100% synonyms. In some sentences it is better to use "can" while in other sentences "to be able" sounds more appropriately. For example:
  
  I can drive (means that you know how to do it, nothing more)
  I am able to drive ( in fact, it means the same but it emphasizes that a person hasn't lost his ability to drive or gained it in some irregular situation)
  
  Here are a few examples with "to be able":
  
  He is only 10 but he is already able to drive.
  I had 3 drinks but I am still able to drive.
  
  Do you see the difference now?
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  Tanya March 30, 2010 9:44

  Hi, everyone! I was absent for some time. So, I will start answering to the first comment I omitted.
  
  Arif! I usually correct mistakes if people ask me to.
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  Renante March 30, 2010 8:48

  Hi Tanya,
  
  How are you? At last, I am now a member of your group. By the way, where is your promised recommendations to improve my English speaking?
  
  Thanks!
  
  renante
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  eva romano March 26, 2010 4:05

  Hi! Teacher Tanya,
  I'm so glad that I found some of the recomended site to me. I want to used it for my 2 kids. It's so simple and easily to understand. Good-bye! have a nice day.
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  Juno March 22, 2010 21:07

  Hey Tanya..
  i'd like to ask a question about the present perfect tense ..it confueses me sometimes how i use it?.. and whether i use it or the past tense.. i mean , sometimes i can't differntiate between 'em in usage
  another thing, ive a decent grammer skills but i still don't speak english fluently.. i dunno how to start the sentence when i begin a conver with someone.. and i have a wide range of vocab.. but it didn't help me either! its easy for me to translate an english sentence to my native language.. but not vice versa.. its a bit difficult for me.
  hope to see these Q's and reply, Thank you