Baseball Idioms

Pronunciation of Verbs in Past Tense

Thought of the Week

Hair Description

Silent Letters

Letters in red are not pronounced.

11 Tips for a Successful Job Interview

taken from:

http://languagelearningbase.com/87532/how-to-pass-a-job-interview-vocabulary-words-you-should-know

Top words for your JOB INTERVIEW & RESUME

Time Idioms

Time is a precious. Most of us don't have enough of it and wish we had more. There are lots of English expressions using time. Here are 20 of them and what they mean.
Check them out, there's no time to lose:

on time
to be on time means not to be late. You arrive at the right time.
'The trains always run on time in my country. They are never late.'

time flies
This common idiom means that time passes quickly.
'Time flies when you are having fun.'

in the nick of time
This expression means that you arrive or finish something just before it is too late. At the last possible moment.
'My team scored in the nick of time. The game was in the last few seconds.'

turn back the hands of time
To turn back the hands of time means to go back to the past.
'If I could turn back the hands of time, I wouldn't have done what I did.'

save time
We save time when we do something the quick way.
'We will save time if we drive instead of taking the bus.'

spare time
In natural English, spare time has the same meaning as free time. The things we do when we are not busy with work or study, for example.
'In my spare time I like to learn English.'

as time goes by
As time goes by means as time passes or moves. The passing of time.
'As time has gone by I have become less interested in going to nightclubs on the weekends.'

out of time
Out of time means that there is no more time left to do something. The time limit or deadline has 

been reached.

'Please stop writing. You are out of time. The exam has finished.'

make time
To make time means to find the time to do something. We have to clear some time in our schedules to do something.
'I know that you are busy, but you will have to make time to attend the meeting.'

time for a change
Time for a change means to stop what you are doing and start doing something else with your life.
'After working in the same job for 5 years, I now feel like it is time for a change.'

time is money
The famous expression time is money means that your time is a valuable commodity.
'I can't wait here all day. Time is money, you know?'

time heals all wounds
Time heals all wounds means that our feelings of hurt will leave us time passes by. This expression usually refers to emotional hurts and not physical ones.
'I was sad for a long time after I broke up with my boyfriend, but time heals all wounds. I'm fine now.'

only time will tell
Only time will tell means that we can not find out the truth or the answer yet. We will have to wait and then we will find out in the future.
'Will we ever have peace in the world? Only time will tell.'

kill time
To kill time means to do something that is not very interesting or important to pass time. We usually use to kill time when we are waiting for something that will take place later.
'We've got 4 hours until our flight leaves. What are we going to do until then? How are we going to kill time?'

time after time
When something happens or is done time after time it means that it happens again and again. The action repeats.
'Time after time Tom was late for school. His teacher told him if he was late again he would be in big trouble.'

time off
Time off means to take a holiday from work.
'You are working too much. You need to take some time off.'

a waste of time
A waste of time refers to anything that is not a useful way to spend your time. Doing something pointless or useless.
It's a waste of time calling that company. They never answer the telephones.'

a hard time
To have a hard time means to do something that is difficult or to suffer hardship.
'She's had a hard time recently; she lost her job and then her mother died.'

too much time on my hands
To have too much time on your hands means that you have too much free time and not enough things to do.
'He watches so much TV because he has too much time on his hands.' He needs to get a job.'

a whale of a time
To have a whale of a time means to have a great time. To do something really fun.
'I had a whale of a time at your party. Please invite me to your next one.

taken from:

http://www.ecenglish.com/learnenglish/lessons/time-idioms

How to Write a Business Letter

A business letter is a formal way of communicating between two or more parties. Business letters can be informational, persuasive, motivational, or promotional.

Parts of a Business Letter:
1.-Sender's Address (included in letterhead)
2.-Date
3.-Inside Address (the recipient's address)
4.-Salutation (for example: Dear Lucy)
5.-Body (it should be: clear, concise, courteous)
6.-Closing (for example: Thank you)
7.-Enclosures (As an option, you may list the name of each document you are including in the envelope)

Important Phrases for Writing Business Letters:

taken from:

http://languagelearningbase.com/87657/business-business-important-phrases-writing-business-letters

Work vs. Job

“Work” and “job” are two words that have similar yet different meanings.

A job refers to a specific role/position. Work refers to activities/effort. In another sense “work” can mean the place/company where your job is located.
I’m looking for a new job. = I’m looking for a new position.
I’m busy – I have a lot of work.
apply for a job: 

I’ve applied for several jobs without success.
get a job:
Andy got a holiday job at a factory in Bristol.
find a job:
Emma finally found a job in a bakery.
offer someone a job:
My son has been offered a job in Tokyo.

“Work” is a general term that refers to all activities that one does while “job” is more specific.
I’m busy – I have a lot of work.
I start work at 8 o’clock every morning.
I go to work by bus.
I know you’ve got a lot of work to do.
I started work when I was sixteen.

Career - a job or series of related jobs that you do, especially a profession that you spend a lot of your working life in.
career in:
A career in computer science.
career as:
He has just started out on a career as a photographer.
launch a/your etc career:
The 25-year-old actress is now launching her career over here.

Employment means you are being regularly paid by a person or organization for ongoing work. A job is more likely to be short term while employment is usually expected to last longer.

taken from:

http://languagelearningbase.com/87697/confusing-words-job-work-career-employment

Riddle of the Week

Answer:
Post Office

Word of the Week

belated

adjective \bih-LAY-tud\

Definition
1
: delayed beyond the usual time
2
: existing or appearing past the normal or proper time

Examples
Susan called Jim to let him know that a belated birthday gift from her was on its way.

"Friends and neighbors of the state Capitol complex joined Lt. Gov. Angela McLean Friday in a belated Earth Day celebration, planting trees and dedicating a new garden space across from the Capitol." —Independent Record (Montana), May 1, 2015

taken from:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/word-of-the-day/

Just for Fun!

Level 12

LEVEL WE 12

Review

CEVAZ

A) Write in the correct tag question
1) She’s from a small town in China,_______________________ ?
2) They aren’t on their way already,______________________ ?
3) We’re late again, ______________________ ?
4) I’m not the person with the tickets, ___________________ ?
5) Julie isn’t an accountant,____________________ ?
6) I am you best friend, _______________?
7) Let's not stay here, ______________?
8) Everybody's gone home, _______________ ?
9) Nobody here speaks French, _______________ ?
10) I hardly smoke anymore, _______________ ?

B) Please complete these sentences with the appropriate adverb of time.
“before”, “after”, “when”, “while”, “until’”, “as soon as”, “whenever”
1. He cleaned his teeth __________ he went to bed.
2. The ambulance arrived at the scene five minutes __________ the accident had happened.
3. __________ I am older, I want to start my own business.
4. I went straight to the hospital __________ I heard about your accident.
5. They watched the program __________ the end even though it was not very interesting.
6. They took short breaks every half an hour __________ they were playing tennis.
7. Rebecca went to bed __________ she got home because she was so tired.
8. We cannot light the barbecue __________ the rain stops.
9. Paul found somebody’s wallet on the ground __________ he was walking to the bus stop
10. Mary buys new clothes ___________she has extra money.

C) Instructions: Fill in each gap using one of the following Past Modal Verbs.
Must have, May/Might/Could have, Can’t have (They can be positive or negative).
1. I am sure he was here. I saw his car in front of the building.
    He ______________________ (be) here.

2. A: Where is James? He should already be here, shouldn't he?
    B: Yes, he should but I don't know why he isn't here,
          he _____________ (miss) the bus.

3. I'm not sure if I passed the exam. I don't feel very sure that I passed.
    I_____________________ (pass) the exam.

4. A: Last summer I took four exams and failed them all!
    B: You ____________________ (be) very disappointed.

5. She speaks excellent French. I'm sure she's lived in Paris for a long time.
    She__________________ (live) in Paris for a long time.

D) Choose the correct past modal verb
1. I left my bicycle in front of the library and it's disappeared. Someone _____stolen it.
a) might have         b) should have              c) must have          d) can't have

2. He_____ known it was your birthday. Otherwise, I'm sure he would have wished you a happy day.
a) can't have           b) might have               c) must have          d) shouldn't have

3. You ______shouted at him. He'll never forgive you.
a) must have           b) shouldn't have          c) can't have          d) might have

4. She______studied really hard. She passed all her exams with excellent grades.
a) should have         b) can't have                c) might have        d) must have

5. You ______tried to fix the roof yourself. You might have fallen off and been badly injured.
a) must have            b) shouldn't have         c) can't have          d) might have

E) Write the correct Past Modal Form (use could have / would have / should have + past participle).
1) I ________________(buy) bread but I didn’t know we needed it. (past possibility).

2) We _____________ (invite) so many people to our party! I’m worried that we won’t have enough

room for everyone. (past negative advice / regret).
3) I ___________________ (start) saving money years ago! (past advice / regret).
4) We _______________ (join) you at the restaurant, but we couldn’t get a babysitter. 

    (past willingness).
5) The weather __________________(be) any worse! (past negative possibility).

F) Put the verbs into the correct Future form (will, going to, simple present or present progressive).
1) I love London. I _______________ (probably / go) there next year.
2) Our train ___________________ (leave) at 4:47.
3) What _________________ (wear / you) at the party tonight?
4) I haven't made up my mind yet. But I think I ____________(find) something nice in my mom's

wardrobe.
5) This is my last day here. I ______________ (go) back to England tomorrow.
6) Hurry up! The conference ______________ (begin) in 20 minutes.
7) My horoscope says that I _________________ (meet) an old friend this week.
8) Look at these big black clouds! It ______________ (rain).

G) Choose the correct Future Modal verb to complete the sentence:
1. I've gained so much weight lately, my suit ____
    a) will have to fit.
    b) will probably not fit.
    c) couldn't fit.

2. Jill hasn't been feeling too well lately. She ___the party on Friday night.
    a) may not be able to attend
    b) must not be able to attend
    c) maybe not able to attend

3. If the package is to arrive on time, we ___ before the weekend.
    a) couldn't mail it
    b) will probably mail it
    c) will have to mail it

4. Wendy has a job interview tomorrow afternoon. I told her she ___
    a) will probably have to dress conservatively and be on time.
    b) may have to dress conservatively and be on time.
    c) will have to dress conservatively and be on time.

5. It's fortunate that you are here to give me a hand. Without your help I ___
    a) have to finish on time.
    b) couldn't have finished on time.
    c) probably won't finish on time.

Joke of the Week

Idiom of the Week

Expressions:

To have a head start.

To take a weight off your shoulders.

To have a gut feeling.

To be joined at the hips.

To have/to be an Achille's heel.

To find your feet.

To be weak at the knees.

My hands are tired.

To be a pain in the neck.

To be a sight for sore eyes.

Could Have/ Should Have/ Would Have

Could Have, Should Have, Would Have are known as Past Modals.

These past modal verbs are all used hypothetically, to talk about things that didn't really happen in the past or to express regrets about things that occured in the past.

Could have + past participle
1: Could have + past participle means that something was possible in the past, or you had the ability to do something in the past, but that you didn't do it.
I could have stayed up late, but I decided to go to bed early.
They could have won the race, but they didn't try hard enough.
Julie could have bought the book, but she borrowed it from the library instead.
He could have studied harder, but he was too lazy and that's why he failed the exam.

Couldn't have + past participle means that something wasn't possible in the past, even if you had wanted to do it.
I couldn't have arrived any earlier. There was a terrible traffic jam (= it was impossible for me to have arrived any earlier).
He couldn't have passed the exam, even if he had studied harder. It was a really, really difficult exam.

2: We use could have + past participle when we want to make a guess about something that happened in the past. (See also "Modal Verbs for Deduction in the Past"). In this case, we don't know if what we're saying is true or not true. We're just talking about our opinion of what maybe happened.
Why is John late?
He could have got stuck in traffic.
He could have forgotten that we were meeting today.
He could have overslept.

All of these sentences express deductions or guesses about a past situation.

We can also choose to use might have + past participle to mean the same thing:
He might have got stuck in traffic.
He might have forgotten that we were meeting today.
He might have got stuck in traffic.
(See "Modals Verbs for Deductions in the Past")

Should have + past participle
1: Should have + past participle can mean something that would have been a good idea, but that you didn't do it. It's like giving advice about the past when you say it to someone else, or regretting what you did or didn't do when you're talking about yourself.

Shouldn't have + past participle means that something wasn't a good idea, but you did it anyway.

I should have studied harder! (= I didn't study very hard and so I failed the exam. I'm sorry about this now.)
I should have gone to bed early (= I didn't go to bed early and now I'm tired).
I shouldn't have eaten so much cake! (= I did eat a lot of cake and now I don't feel good.)
You should have called me when you arrived (= you didn't call me and I was worried. I wish that you had called me).
John should have left early, then he wouldn't have missed the plane (= but he didn't leave early and so he did miss the plane).

2: We can also use should have + past participle to talk about something that, if everything is normal and okay, we think has already happened. But we're not certain that everything is fine, so we use 'should have' and not the present perfect or past simple. It's often used with 'by now'.
His plane should have arrived by now (= if everything is fine, the plane has arrived).
John should have finished work by now (= if everything is normal, John has finished work).

We can also use this to talk about something that would have happened if everything was fine, but hasn't happened.
Lucy should have arrived by now, but she hasn't.

Would have + past participle

1: Part of the third conditional.
If I had had enough money, I would have bought a car (but I didn't have enough money, so I didn't buy a car).

2: Because 'would' (and will) can also be used to show if you want to do something or not (volition), we can also use would have + past participle to talk about something you wanted to do but didn't. This is very similar to the third conditional, but we don't need an 'if clause'.
I would have gone to the party, but I was really busy.
(= I wanted to go to the party, but I didn't because I was busy. If I hadn't been so busy, I would have gone to the party.)
I would have called you, but I didn't know your number.
(= I wanted to call you but I didn't know your number, so I didn't call you.)
A: Nobody volunteered to help us with the fair
B: I would have helped you. I didn't know you needed help.
(= If I had known that you needed help, I would have helped you.)

taken from:

http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/could-have-should-have-would-have.html

Wishes (Past, Present, Future)

We use past tense forms to talk about wishes:

A.- We use past tense modals would and could to talk about wishes for the future:
I don’t like my work. I wish I could get a better job.
That’s a dreadful noise. I wish it would stop.
I always have to get home early. I wish my parents would let me stay out later.

B.- We use past tense forms to talk about wishes for the present:
I don’t like this place. I wish I lived in somewhere more interesting.
These seats are very uncomfortable. I wish we were travelling first class.
Everyone wishes they had more free time.
John wishes he wasn’t so busy.
I wish it wasn’t so cold.

C.- We use the past perfect to talk about wishes for the past:
I wish I had worked harder when I was at school.
Mary wishes she had listened to what her mother told her.
I wish I hadn’t spent so much money last month.

taken from:
https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/english-grammar/verbs/wishes-and-hypotheses

Dynamic and Stative Verbs

Verbs in English can be classified into two categories: stative verbs and dynamic verbs. Dynamic verbs (sometimes referred to as "action verbs") usually describe actions we can take, or things that happen; stative verbs usually refer to a state or condition which is not changing or likely to change. The difference is important, because stative verbs cannot normally be used in the continuous (BE + ING) forms. This will explain the differences between the two types of verb, and give lots of examples of each kind.

Dynamic verbs
There are many types of dynamic verbs, but most of them describe activities or events which can begin and finish. 

Here are some examples:
Dynamic Verb       Type                               Examples

play                       activity                        She plays tennis every Friday.
                                                                 She's playing tennis right now.
melt                      process                       The snow melts every spring.
                                                                The snow is melting right now
hit                   momentary action           When one boxer hits another, brain damage can result. 

                                                                                                          (This suggests only ONE punch.)
                                                                When one boxer is hitting another, brain damage can result

                                                                                             (This suggests MANY repeated punches.)

Dynamic verbs, as you can see from the table above, can be used in the simple and perfect forms (plays, played, has played, had played) as well as the continuous or progressive forms (is playing, was playing, has been playing, had been playing).

Stative verbs
Stative verbs usually refer to a state or condition which is quite static or unchanging. They can be divided into verbs of perception or cognition (which refer to things in the mind), or verbs of relation (which describe the relationships between things). 

Here are some examples:
Stative Verb      Type                            Examples

hate                   perception                     I hate chocolate.
believe              perception                     She believes in UFOs.
contain              relation                         The box contains 24 cans of soda.
own                  relation                          John owns three motorbikes.

Note that we CANNOT use these verbs in the continuous (progressive) forms; you CAN'T say "*John is owning three cars." Owning is a state, not an action, so it is always in the simple form.

Example verbs
Here some common stative and dynamic verbs. The lists may help you to understand what types of verbs are likely to be stative and what types are commonly dynamic.
Stative Verbs love; hate; like; see; hear; sound; think (meaning "have an opinion"); mind (meaning "care about"); recognize; seem; have (meaning "own");prefer; doubt; consist of; mean
Dynamic Verbs eat; drink; go; type; read; write; listen; speak; watch; say; grow; work; sleep; cook; talk

Dynamic verbs, as you can see from the table above, can be used in the simple and perfect forms (plays, played, has played, had played) as well as the continuous or progressive forms (is playing, was playing, has been playing, had been playing).

Taken from:

http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/410/grammar/stat.htm

Modal Verbs for Expressing Deductions in the Past

Must have, Can't have, Couldn't have:

expressing past probability
Structure: modal verb + have + past participle
must have been, can't have gone, couldn't have gone, etc.
We use must have to express that we feel sure that something was true in the past.

They must have left early.
He must have already gone.
We use can't have or couldn't have to say that we believe something was impossible in the past. 

He can't have escaped through this window – it’s too small.
She can't have said that.
She couldn't have said that.

May / Might / Could have: 

expressing past probability
Structure: modal + have + past participle
may have been, could have gone, might have lost, etc.
We use may have, could have, might have to say that it was possible that something happened in the past (but we are not 100% sure). 

He may have missed the bus.
The road might have been blocked. (= ‘I think the road was blocked, but I’m not 100% sure.’)
The negatives are may not have and might not have. We don’t use couldn’t have in the same way. He may not have left yet.
I might not have given her the money; I’m not sure.
I could not have given her the money, I’m not sure. (incorrect)

taken from:

http://speakspeak.com/resources/english-grammar-rules/modal-verbs/past-probability-must-have-cant-have-couldnt-have

Adjective Clauses

Here is a brief explanation of adjective clauses and relative pronouns.

An adjective clause is used to describe a noun:
The car, which was red, belonged to Young-Hee.

A relative pronoun is usually used to introduce an adjective clause:
Young-Hee, who is a Korean student, lives in Victoria.

The main relative pronouns are:
Pronoun     Use                                                               Example

Who     used for humans in the subject position.      Hans, who is an architect, lives in Berlin.

Whom  used for humans in the object position.  Martin, whom Hans knows well, is an interior                                                                                                                                                             decorator 
Which   used for things and animals in the subject   Susy has a dog which follows her everywhere 
              or object position.               

That     used for humans, animals and things,       Maria is decorating a house that Hans designed 

             in the subject or object position

Whose    used for humans, animals and things in    Susy, whose dog follows her everywhere, is an 

                the subject or object position to show      animal lover.               
                possession

There are two main kinds of adjective clause:
1. Non-defining clauses
Non-defining clauses give extra information about the noun, but they are not essential:

The desk in the corner, which is covered in books, is mine.

Explanation: We don't need this information in order to understand the sentence. “The desk in the corner is mine” is a good sentence on its own — we still know which desk is referred to. Note that non-defining clauses are usually separated by commas, and “that” is not usually used in this kind of context.

2. Defining clauses
Defining clauses give essential information about the noun:

The package that arrived this morning is on the desk.

Explanation: We need this information in order to understand the sentence. Without the relative clause, we don't know which package is being referred to. Note that “that” is often used in defining relative clauses, and they are not separated by commas.

Taken from:
http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/410/grammar/adj.htm

¿Que Pasa USA (Abuela Adela Speaks English)

Neither/Nor vs. Either/Or

Neither/Nor

Follow "neither" with "nor." Usually, "nor" follows "neither" in the same sentence, as in, "neither A nor B." Together, this neither/nor structure forms a correlative pair. This means that the information one term introduces is connected or related to the information the other term introduces.
The two terms can be applied when discussing actions or they can be used when listing nouns.
Example: "He neither listens to music nor plays it."
Example: "She likes neither candy nor cake."
Note that “neither” can also start a sentence.
Example: “Neither Sarah nor Jim can make it to the party on Saturday.”

Use “nor” multiple times within a list. Typically, the neither/nor structure is only used when drawing a negative connection between two objects or actions. You can use "nor" when talking about more than two ideas, though, but you need to repeat the word "nor" after each item in your list.
Note that "neither" is only used once, no matter how many times you use "nor."
Do not merely separate the items in your list by commas.
Correct example: "The store had neither peanut butter nor jelly nor bread.
Incorrect example: "The store had neither peanut butter, jelly, nor bread."

Either/or 
Either / or - used in a sentence in the affirmative sense when referring to a choice between two possibilities

Example: We can either eat now or after the show - it's up to you.

When using either/or note the following rules:
1. If both elements are singular, then the verb is singular too.
Either the father or the mother has to attend the meeting. (father and mother are singular; so the verb has is singular too)

2. However, if one of the elements is plural, then use a plural verb.
Either Sue or the girls are going to prepare dinner tonight. (the girls is plural; so the verb are is plural too)

When Not to Use an Article

Will vs. Going To

Ways to Apologize

Either, Neither, Both

Every Day vs. Everyday

Cooking Vocabulary

Thought of the Week

Stative Passive

Stative passives are verb-like words that follow "be" in sentences and function as adjectives. See the examples below:

He is hungry. (adjective)
He is interested (stative passive)
His leg is broken (stative passive)

Stative passives indicate a status or condition which may exist over a period of time. In contrast, action verbs often indicate a change from one status to another.

We got married in 1998.            (Action: We changed from "single" to "married.")
We are married now.                 (Status: Our current condition is "married.")
Jack broke the window.             (Action: Indicates what happened at a given moment.)
The window is broken.              (Status: Indicates the condition of the window.)

Note how the action/status contrast works with other verbs:

Jared fell asleep.                (Action: Change in status from "awake" to "asleep").
Jared is asleep.                  (Status: Indicates Jared's current condition.)

Stative passives are often used with prepositional expressions.

She is interested in photography.
Brad was worried about his mother.
Carmen is terrified of snakes.
Everyone was caught up in the excitement.

Stative Passive Constuctions Describing Emotional States
A salient type of stative passive is the combination of the verb to be with adjectives that describe an emotional state. There are about three dozen of them in common use. They are derived from verbs and are identical in form to past participles, most of them ending in -ed. But instead of indicating an action, they refer to the experiencing of an emotion. Note these examples:
I was bored. (= I felt bored.)
I was depressed. (= I felt depressed.)
I was exhausted. (= I felt exhausted.)

Instead of an agent by-phrase, these adjectives most often take a range of prepositions to connect them to the cause of the emotion.
I was exhausted from so much work.
I was interested in computers.
I was bored with my classes.

Taken from:

http://www.rit.edu/ntid/rate/sea/processes/passive/grammatical/stativetrue/emotional

http://www.eslgold.com/grammar/stative_passives.html

Quantifiers

We use quantifiers when we want to give someone information about the number of something: how much or how many.

Sometimes we use a quantifier in the place of a determiner:
Most children start school at the age of five.
We ate some bread and butter.
We saw lots of birds.

We use these quantifiers with both count and uncount nouns:
all, any, enough, less, a lot of, lots of, more, most, no, none of, some

and some more colloquial forms:
plenty of, heaps of, a load of, loads of, tons of,  etc.

Some quantifiers can be used only with count nouns:
both, each, either, (a) few, fewer, neither, several

and some more colloquial forms:
a couple of, hundreds of, thousands of, etc.

Some quantifiers can be used only with uncount nouns:
a little, (not) much, a bit of

And, particularly with abstract nouns such as time, money, trouble, etc:, we often use:
a great deal of, a good deal of

Members of groups
You can put a noun after a quantifier when you are talking about members of a group in general…
Few snakes are dangerous.
Both brothers work with their father.
I never have enough money.

…but if you are talking about a specific group of people or things, use of the … as well
Few of the snakes are dangerous.
All of the children live at home.
He has spent all of his money.

Note that, if we are talking about two people or things we use the quantifiers both, either and neither:
One supermarket:
The supermarket was closed
The supermarket wasn't open
I don’t think the supermarket was open.

Two supermarkets*: 

Both the supermarkets were closed.
Neither of the supermarkets was open.
I don’t think either of the supermarkets was open.
More than two supermarkets:

All the supermarkets were closed
None of the supermarkets were open
I don't think any of the supermarkets were open

*Nouns with either and neither have a singular verb.

Singular quantifiers:
We use every or each with a singular noun to mean all:

There was a party in every street. = There were parties in all the streets.
Every shop was decorated with flowers. = All the shops were decorated with flowers.
Each child was given a prize. = All the children were given a prize.
There was a prize in each competition. = There were prizes in all the competitions.

We often use every to talk about times like days, weeks and years:
When we were children we had holidays at our grandmother’s every year.
When we stayed at my grandmother’s house we went to the beach every day.
We visit our daughter every Christmas.

BUT: We do not use a determiner with every and each. We do not say:
The every shop was decorated with flowers. (wrong)
The each child was given a prize. (wrong)

taken from:
https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/english-grammar/determiners-and-quantifiers/quantifiers

Just for Fun

Word of the Week

inculcate

verb
\in-KUL-kayt\

Definition
: to teach and impress by frequent repetitions or admonitions
Examples:
Mark and Victoria tried to inculcate in their children the values of hard work, self-reliance, and respect for other people.

Historical Evolution of the American Flag

Adverbial Clauses

What Are Adverbial Clauses? 
An adverbial clause (or an adverb clause) is a group of words which plays the role of an adverb. (Like all clauses, an adverbial clause will contain a subject and a verb.)

For example:

Keep hitting the gong hourly.(normal adverb)
Keep hitting the gong until I tell you to stop.(adverbial clause)

In the examples above, the normal adverb and adverbial clause both tell us when the gong is to be hit. They are both adverbs of time. All adverbs (including adverbial clauses) can usually be categorized as one of the following:

Adverbs of Time:
An adverb of time states when something happens or how often. An adverb of time often starts with one of the following subordinating conjunctions:after, as, as long as, as soon as, before, no sooner than, since, until, when, or while. 

Here are some examples:

After the game has finished, the king and pawn go into the same box. (Italian Proverb)
I stopped believing in Santa Claus when my mother took me to see him in a department store, and he asked for my autograph. (Shirley Temple)
As soon as you trust yourself, you will know how to live.

Adverbs of Place
An adverb of place states where something happens. An adverb of place often starts with a preposition (e.g., in, on, near) or one of the following subordinating conjunctions: anywhere, everywhere, where, or wherever. 

Here are some examples:
In a world where there is so much to be done, I felt strongly impressed that there must be something for me to do. 
I am not afraid of the pen, the scaffold, or the sword. I will tell the truth wherever I please. (Mother Jones)

Adverbs of Manner
An adverb of manner states how something is done. An adverb of manner often starts with one of the following subordinating conjunctions: as, like, or the way. 

Here are some examples:
He acts like it is a joke.
We don't have conversations. You talk at me the way a teacher talks to a naughty student.
Except for an occasional heart attack, I feel as young as I ever did. (Robert Benchley)

Adverbs of Degree or Comparison
An adverb of degree states to what degree something is done or offers a comparison. An adverb of degree often starts with one of the following subordinating conjunctions: than, as...as, so...as, or the...the. 

Here are some examples:
He is as smart as he is tall.
She is not so bright as she thinks she is.

Adverbs of Condition:
An adverb of condition states the condition for the main idea to come into effect. An adverb of condition often starts with if or unless. 

Here are some examples:
If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts. (Albert Einstein)
If the English language made any sense, a catastrophe would be an apostrophe with fur. (Doug Larson)

Adverbs of Contrast:
An adverb of contrast offers a statement which contrasts with the main idea. An adverb of contrast often starts with one of the following subordinating conjunctions: though, although, even though, while, whereas, or even if. 

Here are some examples:
Although golf was originally restricted to wealthy, overweight Protestants, today it's open to anybody who owns hideous clothing. (Dave Barry)
A loud voice cannot compete with a clear voice, even if it's a whisper. (Barry Neil Kaufman)

Adverbs of Reason:
An adverb of reason offers a reason for the main idea. An adverb of reason often starts with one of the following subordinating conjunctions: as,because, given, or since. 

Here are some examples:
I don't have a bank account, because I don't know my mother's maiden name. (Paula Poundstone)
Since you are like no other being ever created since the beginning of time, you are incomparable. (Brenda Ueland)

Properties of an Adverbial Clause:
Here are the properties of an adverbial clause:
-An adverbial clause is an adjunct. This means it can be removed without the sentence being grammatically wrong.
-An adverbial clause is a dependent clause. This means it cannot stand alone as meaningful sentence in its own right.
-An adverbial clause usually starts with a subordinating conjunction (e.g.,although, because, if, until, when)
-An adverbial clause will contain a subject and a verb. (This is what makes it a clause as opposed to a phrase.)

Taken from:

http://www.grammar-monster.com/glossary/adverbial_clauses.htm

Flag Day

In the United States, Flag Day is celebrated on June 14. It commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened on that day in 1777 by resolution of the Second Continental Congress.

On May 30, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a presidential proclamation establishing a national Flag Day on June 14. Many Americans celebrate Flag Day by displaying the Red, White and Blue in front of homes and businesses. The day commemorates the adoption of the Stars and Stripes as the official flag of the United States.

What do people do?

Flag Day falls within National Flag Week, a time when Americans reflect on the foundations of the nation’s freedom. The flag of the United States represents freedom and has been an enduring symbol of the country’s ideals since its early days. During both events, Americans also remember their loyalty to the nation, reaffirm their belief in liberty and justice, and observe the nation’s unity.

Many people in the United States honor this day by displaying the American flag at homes and public buildings. Other popular ways of observing this holiday include: flag-raising ceremonies; Flag Day services; school quizzes and essay competitions about the American flag; musical salutes; street parades; and awards for special recognition.

Organizations such as The National Flag Day Foundation are actively involved in coordinating activities centered on the event and keeping the flag’s traditions alive. Following Flag Day is Honor America Days, a 21-day period through to Independence Day (July 4) to honor America. During this period, people hold public gatherings and activities to celebrate and honor the nation.

Background

On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress replaced the British symbols of the Grand Union flag with a new design featuring 13 white stars in a circle on a field of blue and 13 red and white stripes – one for each state. Although it is not certain, this flag may have been made by the Philadelphia seamstress Betsy Ross, who was an official flag maker for the Pennsylvania Navy. The number of stars increased as the new states entered the Union, but the number of stripes stopped at 15 and was later returned to 13.

In June 1886 Bernard Cigrand made his first public proposal for the annual observance of the birth of the flag when he wrote an article titled “The Fourteenth of June” in the old Chicago Argus newspaper. Cigrand’s effort to ensure national observance of Flag Day finally came when President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation calling for a nationwide observance of the event on June 14, 1916. However, Flag Day did not become official until August 1949, when President Harry Truman signed the legislation and proclaimed June 14 as Flag Day. In 1966, Congress also requested that the President issue annually a proclamation designating the week in which June 14 occurs as National Flag Week.

The President is requested to issue each year a proclamation to: call on government officials in the USA to display the flag of the United States on all government buildings on Flag Day; and to urge US residents to observe Flag Day as the anniversary of the adoption on June 14, 1777, by the Continental Congress of the Stars and Stripes as the official flag of the United States.


Symbols

The American flag, also nicknamed as “Old Glory” or “star-spangled banner”, has changed designs over the centuries. It consists of 13 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars. Each of the 50 stars represents one of the 50 states in the United States and the 13 stripes represent the original 13 colonies that became the first states in the Union.

Noun Clauses

Noun Clauses

What Are Noun Clauses? 
A noun clause is a clause that plays the role of a noun. For example (noun clauses in red):
I like what I see.
I know that the tide is turning.
I've met the man who won the lottery.

Compare the three examples above to these:
I like cakes.
I know London.
I've met Madonna.

The words in blue are all nouns. This shows that clauses in red in the first three examples are functioning as nouns, making them noun clauses.

Another example:

The "empanada" gave me heartburn.

("empanada" and "heartburn" are the nouns in this sentence. "Gave" is the verb and "empanada" is the subject.)

But What About This One?

What I had for breakfast gave me heartburn.

(The verb is still "gave," but the subject is a noun clause: "What I had for breakfast.")

Like any noun, a noun clause can be a subject, an object, or a complement.
In a sentence, a noun clause will be a dependent clause. In other words, a noun clause does not stand alone as a complete thought.

Examples of Noun Clauses:
-A person who trusts no one can't be trusted. (This noun clause is the subject of the sentence.)

-That he believes his own story is remarkable. (This noun clause is the subject of the sentence. Be aware that starting a sentence with a noun clause starting That is acceptable, but it grates on lots of people's ears. As a result, many writers prefer to precede it with "The fact…".)

-Ask your child what he wants for dinner only if he's buying. (This noun clause is the direct object of ask.)

-He knows all about art, but he doesn't know what he likes. (This noun clause is the direct object of know.)

-It is even harder for the average ape to believe that he has descended from man. (This noun clause is the direct object of believe.)

-"I never know how much of what I say is true". Bette Midler (This noun clause is an object of a preposition.)

-Man is what he eats. (This noun clause is a subject complement.)

-"My one regret in life is that I am not someone else." Woody Allen (This noun clause is a subject complement.)

Words that introduce noun clauses are:

WHOM, WHOSE, WHO, WHICH, WHAT, WHEN, WHY, HOW, WHERE, THAT


Taken from:
http://www.grammar-monster.com/glossary/noun_clauses.htm