In English, there are a huge number of phrases that native speakers constantly use, but foreigners hardly know. Lifehacker has collected 15 "very English" expressions that will definitely make you stand out from the crowd.

1. Firstly, secondly, thirdly…

"Firstly Secondly Thirdly…"

For the English ear, it sounds quite formal (more colloquial - the usual first, second, third), but will show that you know English well. And here in the first, in the second and so on to say it is forbidden.

Firstly, I prefer airplane because it's fast. Secondly, they give you meals, and thirdly, I like a view from the window.

I prefer planes, because, firstly, it's fast, secondly, because they feed there, and thirdly, I like to look out the window.

2. Very good

"Amazing"

Just as in Russian speech, in English this phrase can have a meaning that is completely opposite to the literal one.

- I left your glasses at home.- I forgot your glasses at home.

- Very good. - Amazing.

3. Get out!

“Come on!”, “Come on!”, “Come on!”

Apart from direct meaning, may express surprise or disbelief.

- I'm going to get married.- I am getting married.

- Get out! - Go you!

4. Never ever

"Never ever"

Serves to reinforce the meaning of the word "never".

I will never ever do it again.

I will never, ever do that again.

5. It's not rocket science

"This is not higher mathematics", "this is not Newton's binomial"

If a person thinks something is incredibly difficult, and you disagree with him, then in English you can say (literally) that this is "not rocket science."

Managing people is hard but it's not rocket science.

Managing people is not easy, but it is not advanced mathematics.

6. Ain't no

Conversational version of the design am/is/are not or have/has not. Used by young people ordinary people, educated native speakers may wince. But they will appreciate it.

I ain't got no cigarettes.

I don't have cigarettes.

7. Going nuts (be nuts)

"I went crazy", "the roof went"

A colloquial expression that has nothing to do with nuts.

Tornado is about to come, everyone's going nuts.

A tornado is coming soon, and everyone is crazy.

John is nuts.

John went nuts.

8. Let's just say

“Let’s just say…”, “if in a nutshell, then…”

An expression is used when you don't want to explain something in detail.

Let's just say I'm not a big fan of Elvis.

Let's just say I'm not a big Elvis fan.

9. Let's sleep on it

"Let's postpone until the morning"

Sometimes it takes time to make a decision. As they say, the morning is wiser than the evening, which is why in the English-speaking world they say - "you need to sleep it."

I can't make a decision right now, let me sleep on it.

I can't make a decision right now, I have to think until tomorrow.

10. Not really

"Not really"

It is strange that such a common phrase is not taught in school.

- Are you ready to go?- Are you ready to go?

- Not really.- Not really.

11. Help yourself

"Help", "Use"

In addition to its direct meaning, it is often used as a suggestion or permission to act independently.

- May I use your phone?- Can I use your phone?

- Help yourself!- Use it!

12. Indeed

"Really", "not the right word", "undoubtedly"

This word serves to reinforce what has been said or to express agreement.

- He sounds reasonable.- He says reasonable things.

- He is indeed.- Not that word.

13. May I be excused?

"May go out?"

The gem of this list is the million dollar phrase. Ask ten English teachers how to say "Can I go out?" and at least nine will say something like "May I get out?", "May I go out?" Verified by colleagues.

The girl raised her hand and said, “Mrs Jones, may I be excused?”

The girl raised her hand and said, "Mrs. Jones, may I come out?"

14. I'm done

"I'm done", "I'm tired"

The phrase is very often used in oral speech.

I'm done washing dishes, let's go.

I finished washing the dishes, let's go.

15. So are you / so am I; me neither

"And you/me too"; "I also do not"

If you want to say “and me too”, “and you too”, and do it in a very “English” way, and not me too then just take the floor so, then the auxiliary verb and the subject. If you want to agree with the negation, then instead of so use neither. Yes, when negating in the first person (“I don’t either”), you can use the phrase me neither, and regardless of the tense of the verb. Attention: if the interlocutor does not have very good English, he most likely will not understand you. In this case, a simple too(this is quite in English and without frills).

- I want to go home.- I want to go home.

- So do I.- And I.

- Your girlfriend doesn't like her new roommate. Your girlfriend doesn't like her new roommate.

- Me neither.- Like me.

Congratulations, now you will definitely be noticed in the crowd of compatriots speaking Ranglish. But of course, if you do not have a base, then these chips will sound strange.

This is just a short list and does not claim to be complete. On the contrary, it can and should be expanded, so I recommend making your own list of "very English" expressions.

What chips do you know? Write in the comments.

Have you ever had problems pronunciation in English? How do you usually deal with difficult sounds? As a rule, people unconsciously try to cheat and simplify their work - to pronounce a similar Russian sound. However, native speakers may not understand at all what we are trying to tell them, because for them it will be new unfamiliar words. Do you want your English to be understood not only by compatriots? Then study our overview of the most common "Russian" mistakes in English pronunciation and get tips on how to get rid of them.

How to work on mistakes in pronunciation

To begin with, we will give you some tips on how you can prevent the occurrence of errors in pronunciation. This is easier to do than learning to pronounce sounds again.

First of all, we advise you to familiarize yourself with the rules of reading. This is the foundation of the basics with which it is worth starting to learn the language. If for some reason you didn’t learn them or don’t remember well, we strongly advise you to memorize the rules for reading vowels and consonants. This will greatly facilitate your further work over the pronunciation of English sounds.

After that, study the correct position of the lips, tongue, palate, vocal cords when pronouncing each of the sounds of English. The easiest way to do this is to individual lessons with one of our or special training videos. For each of the errors described below, we will provide a video that teaches the pronunciation of the “problem sound”.

There are also special textbooks that will help you get rid of problems in pronunciation of English. You can take one of the following benefits:

• “English Pronunciation in Use”
• “Tree or Three? An Elementary Pronunciation Course” by Ann Baker
• “Ship or Sheep? An Intermediate Pronunciation Course” by Ann Baker
• “Elements of Pronunciation”
• “New Headway Pronunciation Course”

In them you will find detailed explanations and practical exercises for getting rid of the Russian accent.

Practice pronunciation with tongue twisters that help you work out sounds that are difficult for you. You will find many wonderful phrases for training in the article "50 most difficult tongue twisters in English". In this article, we will give one tongue twister, voiced by a native speaker, to each of the presented errors in the pronunciation of English.

If you decide to take your pronunciation seriously, we advise you to read our article "". This is a whole guide with many interesting tricks and secrets for those who want to "sound" like a native speaker.

Russian mistakes that we make in English speech most often

1. We muffle voiced consonants at the end of a word

When speaking in Russian, we muffle the voiced consonants at the end of the word, for example: we say “moroz” “moroz”, we say “grip” for mushroom, we say “burden” for a knife, etc. In English, such self-will is not allowed: if you muffle voiced consonant, you can get a completely different word. If the pronunciation is incorrect, it may happen that the adjective "bad" - bad turns into a "bat" - bat.

Solution:

As soon as you start learning English, immediately accustom yourself to pronounce words clearly and distinctly, pronouncing all consonants as required by the rules for reading the language.

Related videos:

Patter:

How many cookies could a good cook cook if a good cook could cook cookies? A good cook could cook as many cookies as a good cook who could cook cookies.

2. We pronounce the sounds /w/ and /v/ like Russian /v/

Again, the inconsistency with the Russian language is to blame: we have only one version of the pronunciation of the letter “v”. However, it doesn't match any of the sounds in English. So it turns out that we say vet (veterinarian) instead of wet (wet).

Solution:

Learn the correct position of the organs of articulation. You should develop a conditioned reflex: when pronouncing the sound /w/, you need to stretch your lips with a tube, with the sound /v/, you need to bite your lower lip a little with your teeth.

Related videos:

Patter:

The very wary warrior veered violently where the violets wound very wickedly.

3. We pronounce the sound / r / like Russian / r /

We often forget about the correct position of the organs of speech when pronouncing this sound, so it turns out to be fuzzy and it becomes difficult for a foreigner to understand us. In addition, we often pronounce this sound when it is not necessary to pronounce it at all: at the position of the letter r at the end of a word. And it turns out that we, for example, “croak” when pronouncing the word car (car).

Solution:

Go back to reading rules in English and learn by heart when the letter r is pronounced and when it is not. And also learn how to correctly position the organs of speech during the pronunciation of the letter r: the tip of the tongue is slightly bent back and reaches for the alveoli (the tubercles of y between the front upper teeth and the middle part of the palate), but does not touch them. English /r/, unlike Russian, is pronounced without air vibration. You can find two variants of /r/ pronunciation at the end of a word: it can be pronounced, or it can be omitted, the main thing is that English /r/ is different from Russian.

Related videos:

Patter:

Ray ran across a rough road with his red rocks, wretched ratchet wrench, and rare rubber roller.

4. We pronounce the sounds /θ/ and /ð/ like Russian /f/ and /з/

We think everyone will agree that the words “zeriz” (there is), “zera” (there are), “fries” (three) and “fenkyu-senkyu” (thank you) have already become the talk of the town. It seems to us that we pronounce similar Russian sounds and there is nothing wrong with that. However, native speakers do not understand us, because the words we speak lose their meaning due to the replacement of sound.

Solution:

If you train yourself to hold your tongue in the correct position when making these sounds, it will make your task much easier. When pronouncing the sounds /θ/ and /ð/, the tongue is between the teeth. When pronouncing the sound /θ/, linguists recommend placing the tongue between the teeth and pronouncing the Russian letter “t”, and for the sound /ð/, pronounce the Russian “d”, while you should feel a slight vibration of the air in your throat. Don't worry if it's difficult at first. Speak slowly, but try to pronounce each word clearly.

Related videos:

Patter:

The thirty-three thieves thought that they thrilled the throne throughout Thursday.

5. Pronounce nasal /ŋ/ like Russian /n/

Usually, at the end of words ending in -ing, people either pronounce the ending "ing" or "in", while forgetting that the sound in this case should be nasal - /ŋ/, and the letter g should be omitted.

Solution:

To make it easier to pronounce the sound, train yourself not to raise the tip of the tongue to the upper teeth, but to leave it at the bottom, the back of the tongue should be raised to the sky. Thus, you will get the same nasal /ŋ/.

Related videos:

Patter:

The King's ring rung wrong.

6. We pronounce the sound / h / like Russian / x /

In Russian, the sound /x/ is clear and well distinguished, English /h/ is rather a light exhalation, it should not actually be heard. We pronounce it in the Russian manner - clearly and distinctly, and this is one of the most common Russian mistakes in the pronunciation of the English language.

Solution:

Remember the correct position of the organs of articulation: the tongue does not rise anywhere, it remains in place, as during silence, the lips are slightly parted. Sound is produced mainly by the vocal cords, but the latter should not vibrate. The sound /h/ in English is a light exhalation, a weak sound.

Related videos:

Patter:

Harry hunt s heavy hairy hares. Does Harry Hunt hunt heavy hairy hares? If Harry Hunt hunts heavy hairy hares, Where are the heavy hairy hares Harry Hunt hunts?

7. We pronounce the sound /l/ like Russian /l/

It would seem that the sound /l/ in English is not at all different from our /l/. Alas, only Russian speakers think so. The English, on the other hand, hear this Russian mistake in the pronunciation of sounds well.

The fact is that in English there are two types of sound /l/: light - light or soft /l/, and also dark - dark or hard /l/. Everything is aggravated by the fact that in the dictionary there are no designations in which words /l/ must be pronounced firmly, and in which softly.

Solution:

There is a simple rule: before vowels we use soft sound/l/. However, there is a snag here: it should be a little harder than the Russian sound /l/ in the words “salt”, “love”. To get this sound, try lifting the middle part of your tongue towards the roof of your mouth.

In all other cases, we need a solid /l/. And again a challenge to our organs of speech: the sound, although hard, should be a little softer than the Russian /l/ in the words “spoon”, “best”. It sounds complicated, but constant practice and listening to native speakers will help you “feel” the difference in the pronunciation of these sounds.

Related videos:

Patter:

Lovely little Link left limping.

8. We pronounce the sounds /p/, /t/ like Russian /p/, /t/

These are two more "cunning" sounds that seem to us so similar to Russian /p/ and /t/. In fact, they are somewhat different - more noisy, explosive. Mistakes in the pronunciation of these sounds will not cause misunderstanding of the interlocutor, but for those who want to speak like a native speaker, we advise you to work on these sounds, especially since they are pronounced quite simply.

Solution:

The English sounds /p/ and /t/, as we have already said, are aspirated, but at the same time quite energetically. You exhale as if you want to blow out a candle. At the same time, when pronouncing the sound /t/, the tongue should be on the alveoli (tubercles near the front upper teeth).

Related videos:

Tongue Twisters:

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers;
A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked;
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,
Where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?

Two tried and true tridents.

9. We pronounce short and long vowels the same way

In Russian there is no such thing as the length of a vowel sound: they are all pronounced the same in any word. Therefore, when we speak English, it is difficult for us to accustom ourselves to pronounce these same sounds in different ways. However, you must pay attention to them, otherwise the sheep (sheep /ʃiːp/) will turn into a ship (ship /ʃɪp/), which will confuse the English-speaking interlocutor.

Related videos:

*Look out for videos in the playlist that have the words Short vowels and Long vowels in their titles.

Patter:

She sells sea shells on the seashore. The shells she sells are seashells I am sure.

10. We pronounce the sounds /ɔː/ and /ɜː/ the same way

This is one of the most popular Russian mistakes in English pronunciation. Analogues of such sounds in our mother tongue no, that's why quite often work (work /wɜː(r)k/) turns into a walk (walk /wɔːk/), which, you see, may not please your English-speaking interlocutor, especially if he is your boss.

Solution:

Repeat the rules of reading English, and always listen to new words in an online dictionary or check transcription in a regular dictionary. While studying the word, repeat it several times, try to feel the difference in difficult sounds.

Patter:

First, nerds burn worst.

11. We pronounce the sound /i/ like Russian /and/

Even upper-intermediate English learners get this seemingly simple sound wrong. They pronounce English /i/ like Russian /i/, making it too soft. Therefore, words such as sick, trick, hit for native speakers sound strange, unnatural. Of course, they will understand your words, but do you want to sound beautiful?

Solution:

English /i/ is a cross between the Russian sounds /i/ and /ы/. To make it easier for you to pronounce it, try stretching your lips slightly in a smile and pronouncing the sound /and/ a little harder than usual.

Related videos:

Patter:

Little pills will make Jill ill.

12. We pronounce the sound /ɔ/ as /ʌ/, and /əʊ/ as /ɔ/

English letter"o" often gives us trouble. First, we are accustomed to in Russian unstressed letter Pronounce “o” as a sound /a/, for example: we pronounce the boot “batinok”, the king we pronounce “karol”, the crow we pronounce “varona”. In English, such liberties are not allowed. English speakers simply won't understand the words "tea-pot", "photograph", etc.

Secondly, we often forget that the letter "o" in some cases forms a diphthong (a vowel sound consisting of two components) /əʊ/. Therefore, native speakers are surprised at the “new” words from our lips: “open” (open), “hom” (home), “bridge” (most).

Solution:

Train yourself to clearly pronounce the /o/ sound. This can be done only with the help of constant training: read texts aloud, speak English and control your speech.

Repeat the reading rules, they describe in detail in which cases the letter “o” forms certain sounds. In most words, in an open syllable, "o" forms a diphthong /əʊ/, although there are exceptions.

Related videos:

Patter:

Hope for soap on a rope.

13. Pronounce unpronounceable letters

We are used to the fact that in Russian all letters are pronounced (except for soft and hard signs and unpronounceable consonants) that are in the letter. In English, this rule does not work: not all letters need to be pronounced. Otherwise, the knight knight (/naɪt/) will turn into the word “knight” or “knight” incomprehensible to the carrier.

Solution:

Be sure to study the rules for reading English in the article “Silent letters. Unpronounceable letters in the English language. After that, make up a short story using words with unpronounceable letters - you can take the words from the above article. Above the text, make notes: which word is read in what way. Gradually, you will memorize the rules for pronunciation of these words and you will speak correctly automatically.

Related videos:

As you can see, there are enough problems in the pronunciation of the English language, but it is also possible to get rid of them if you constantly practice sounds. Apply the tips suggested in our articles, and everything will work out.

Of course, it is quite difficult to understand how to pronounce certain complex sounds from a video or article. Do you want to get rid of the Russian accent in English with the help of an experienced mentor? We invite you to enroll in our online school at. The teacher (native speaker or Russian speaker) will tell you in detail and show you how to work on certain sounds. Getting rid of English pronunciation problems is easier than it seems.

Being fluent in English can be difficult, even if you were born in an English-speaking environment. Spelling and pronunciation do not always follow the basic rules. Many words borrowed from different languages, and frequently appearing new terms - these are the linguistic realities!

Steps

Use common English. Avoid nonstandard (i.e., grammatically incorrect) forms such as "ain"t", "can"t hardly", "can"t seem to","irregardless", and "anyways". See the list below ( "Unusual and questionable usage"), how to use these words correctly. You can find the rules for their correct use in a dictionary and in a stylistic guide such as Strunk and White's Elements of style .

Keep the correct pronunciation in your head. For most words, there are several options ("either"), each of them will be correct. And for some, like "mischievous", only one pronunciation is correct.

Study works of art in order to better understand structure, character, and plan. Not everything in print is perfect, but the vast majority of works, such as books and magazines, are carefully edited. See what it does good work good. The more you read, the easier it will be for errors to surface, they will seem to "look" and "sound" wrong. And all Right words will seem natural.

• If you want to learn how to write in a particular style or genre, then read literature written in that same style. And then it will automatically "pass" to you.

1. Listen to radio, podcasts and audiobooks.

   Read aloud with intonation. You can read to children or even pets. Reading passages aloud is one way to understand their structure and grasp the details. It will also improve your speech, especially when you are in doubt about which phrase to choose. If you practice this reading consistently, you will reduce the chance of stuttering and pauses during conversation. There will be no inarticulate sentences, but instead neat speech.

   Gain vocabulary. Reading will bring into it more variety than radio, media or television. Collect unfamiliar words and phrases. Use a dictionary, play word games (such as Hangman, Fictionary , Fictionary and Free Rice Free Rice), subscribe to the word of the day.

   To explore a language, you need to play with it. Start with a play on words. Maybe even come up with a new word. Try your hand at "garden path sentence", garden path sentence , write your own aprosdoketon (figure of speech) aprosdoketon , enter the "Bulwer-Lytton" Bulwer-Lytton contest , or something like one of its imitators .

   Practice the language in writing. Write for a magazine, blog or website. Websites especially need writers. They have entire teams of editors who will come to your rescue. It doesn’t matter what and where you write, the main thing is to do it every day if possible. In mail and messages, write in full sentences, do not use abbreviations.

   Consider your audience and purpose. Just as you choose different clothes for different weather, speak and write according to your audience. Is this communication real or fictitious? Are you telling a story, challenging your point of view, or explaining a process?

   Correct what you write yourself, or show it to someone else. By checking it yourself, you will see what mistakes you make most often. Read your writings aloud. So you can find grammatical errors that don't sound right to the ear.

   Don't be afraid to make mistakes. This fear can prevent you from writing well. There is a lot of practice on the way to becoming fluent, and mistakes are part of the learning process.

   Try to learn another language. This will help you better understand the structure and grammar of your language. There are many words in Latin and German that are similar to words in English. Exploring similarities and differences will only strengthen knowledge of both languages.

Non-standard and controversial use

"Alright" is a misspelling; use "all right" as "okay" in informal conversations, and "fine" or "acceptable" in formal ones.

"Get off of me." "Get off me." "What is inside of the bag?" "What is inside the bag?" "All of the students knew the answer." "All the students knew the answer."

• out loud(out loud, loudly) - non-standard spelling. Use the more concise form "aloud".
• Until, till, ‘till(until; until) "\"Til" is a non-standard spelling. In formal writing, the form "Until" is preferred to "till".
• Use to - correct form of this expression such "used to". Make sure you pronounce the "d" sound in "used".

"As a child, I use to go to nursery school." "As a child, I used to go to nursery school." (When I was a child, I went to kindergarten) If you know why you are learning English, then it will be easier to achieve this goal. Make a plan: how long do you need to study to reach your goal? Each student's answer will be different. The most important thing is to be realistic. Motivation is a must in learning English. No one will attend classes for you if you are absent. If you are sure that you want to start learning a language, then make visiting a must.

• Paying attention to written English will help improve your spoken English.
• “This is the woman with whom I was introduced.” (This is the woman I met)
• Use prepositions depending on the context. For example, do you agree "with (c) human, but agree to (to) actions.
• “To whom did you send the letter?” (To whom did you send the letter?)
• Choose a personal pronoun (“I,” “she,” “he,” “we,” “they”) after the verb forms “to be” and (“me,” her,” “him,” “us,” “them ”) after transitive verbs and prepositions.
• The ability to spell a word does not necessarily indicate the ability to spell it, although these skills are closely related. If you are not sure if you pronounce the words correctly, then before you finish the work, check the spelling in the dictionary.
• “This is the woman whom I was acquainted with.” (This is the woman I met)
• Make adjustments after you've finished writing. Even if you don't know how to pronounce a word, keep writing anyway. Do not stop at correcting mistakes, you may lose your train of thought.
• Offers must be balanced. Phrases and expressions are parallel to each other in structure, power and meaning.
• Remember that a good knowledge of writing calls for knowledge of grammar, spelling, logical sequence, attention to readers and well-chosen content. good writer must include all of the above. Allocate time so that it is enough for checking grammar and spelling errors.
• Keep in mind that the language is constantly evolving and acquiring new words. "Finalize" is one that doesn't have a perfect replacement. Also uses existing words but with new meanings. For example, "contact" meant a noun meaning touch, and now it can be used as a short verb meaning "to communicate with", that is, "to communicate with ..." Languages ​​are not only gaining, but also losing words. For example, English used to make a distinction between formal and informal use of the 2n pronoun. singular: "ye" - official uniform, "thou" - informal. These pronouns also differed in case, nominative and object: "thou" - "thee" and "ye" - "you." English speakers felt that they didn't need so many different forms for pronouns. Therefore, "You" is used in formal and informal forms, and also equally in the nominative and object cases.
• “Whom did you send the letter to?” (To whom did you send the letter?)
• Don't hesitate to break the infinitive when you need to. This usually happens in a formal style of writing. And this does not happen in the active form, although infinitives in this form denote actions in formal writing and thus avoid it. Many rules English grammar based on Latin. Therefore, the division of the infinitive was sometimes criticized, because in Latin the infinitive acts as a whole. In fact, the division of the infinitive is grammatically correct and unavoidable in certain phrases and sentences, such as “to more than double.” It is not possible to write “more than to double” or “to double more than.” In the sentence “Her plan is to not use the active voice,” “not” stands in its place. In the sentence “Her plan is not to use the active voice”, “not” is in the wrong place and changes its whole meaning. The division of the infinitive interprets the meaning and meaning of the sentence, and has nothing to do with the level of education," said Miriam Webster. "Users of standard English use it in a rather limited way, especially in a literary context."
• Don't be afraid to use "split verb phrase." Robert Lowth said it was grammatically correct. Some writers who do not separate infinitives refuse to separate verb phrases as well, but there is no rule in this case. If there was such a rule, then we should say, "I saw her not" instead of "I did not see her." And "You are going?" instead of "Are you going?" But "You are going?" - This wrong construction question. The division of a verb phrase has an advantage over the division of infinitives when the verb comes between two parts of the verb phrase.
• “That is how the project was referred to.” - That's how the project was mentioned. Passive voice, intransitive verb, formal.
• Try not to end your sentence with a preposition. You have probably heard that this is allowed, in such cases the preposition is separate from the subject word. This applies to certain types of offers. The very word "preposition" literally means "standing in front." Prepositions usually come before subject words. Also, prepositions are not strong enough words to end sentences on them. Robert Lowth, along with John Dryden, knows best how to present the rule where the preposition must stand together with its subject word. IN A Short Introduction to English Grammar(A Brief Introduction to English Grammar) Lowe stated that in formal English it is preferable to put a preposition before a relative pronoun.

  He also said that prepositions should follow certain verbs such as "to fall", "on" to give them meaning. These verbs require prepositions when they are at the end of a sentence, which is well documented in the book by Lowe and John Dryden. "The structure of a sentence with a passive voice is such that the preposition comes at the end.

• Like Latin, English uses intransitive verbs in passive voice. In Latin, it is also possible to end a sentence with a preposition, but more often only one verb is used, for example "trānslūcere". In English, this is expressed by a preposition and a verb as a whole ("to shine through").
• Use "who" and "whom" correctly. “who” is used as the subject, “whom” as the object. For example: "Whom did Sally see?" (Whom did Sally see?). If you're not sure what to choose, rewrite the sentence and replace it with "he" or "him."
• Rewrite “Whom did Sally see?” like “Sally saw whom?” and answer - "Sally saw him." This sentence uses "whom" because "him" sounds right. If you don't feel comfortable using "whom", as William Safire suggests, rearrange the sentence so it doesn't include a pronoun. When George Bush used "Who do you trust?" in his slogan, Safire suggested "Which candidate do yo trust?" (Which candidate do you trust?)

Warnings

• Be careful when correcting other people in a conversation, you may be misunderstood.
• Articles on the Internet (especially those found on blogs) often contain errors. But print publications, such as books and magazines, are subject to scrutiny.
• It's true that "Practice makes perfect" but don't forget that no one is perfect.
• Nobody is perfect. Even experts in English such as William Safire, Richard Rederer and Lynn Truss, who comment on English grammar, criticize each other's writing style.

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Watch a short video on the topic "English slang" with teacher Anastasia at Youtube channel Enline and learn useful expressions

In this article, we will look at 10 English colloquial phrases that Everyday life often used by native speakers; If possible, classify them. In the scope of this article, it is impossible to embrace the immensity and describe the entire English vocabulary, but we will focus on some phrases that will find an irreplaceable place in your language.

I'll say- something like the Russian "yes", or the equivalent - "do not say!"
Your friend: “Wow – that’s a big fish.”
You: “I’ll say!” (implies that the fish is not just big… the fish is GIGANTIC)

Fat chance!- "unlikely", there is a very small chance that this will actually happen.
Please note: this is a sarcastic expression, so do not use it in a professional environment, only with a very good friends. The formal and more polite equivalent is: “I don’t think that’s very likely.”

I rest my case- I told you!
You: You can't cook at all.
Your friend: I can cook! I always make those instant noodle soups.
You: I rest my case.
Instant noodles are made for those who can't cook, so you're just confirming with this conversation that your friend can't cook.

What's the catch?
Like too good to be true: "What's the catch?" "What is the deception?"
Situation: You and your friend are talking about working from home.
Your friend: I just found out about a great opportunity – I can work from home only 5 hours a week and I’ll earn at least $2000 a month, guaranteed!
You: Hmm… what’s the catch?
(you think that there is some problem or lie about this opportunity)

good call.
By answering this way, you approve the decision of the interlocutor, confirm his correct choice.
Situation: You and your friend are trying to decide whether to go to the mall or to the movies.
Your friend: Let's go to the mall - they're having a big sale this weekend. We can go to the movies anytime.
You: Good call.

Take your pick.
"Choose"
You can say this when you invite the interlocutor to make a choice.
Situation: You are going to make tea for your friend, and you have several different flavors. You want to know which type of tea she prefers.
You: I have chai, green tea, ginger tea, and black tea - take your pick.

Make yourself at home.
"Make yourself at home" - make yourself comfortable, comfortable and relax.
You: Hi! Please come on in – make yourselves at home.
Your colleague: Thank you! You have a lovely apartment.

It's a small world! (or “What a small world!”)
"Small World"
Situation: You are meeting a new colleague for the first time.
You: I heard you have a degree in physics. Where did you go to school?
Colleague: At Stanford University.
You: What a small world! I studied there too. What year did you graduate?

I couldn't agree more
You are absolutely right.
You: We need a new building. The old office is falling to pieces.
Colleague: I couldn't agree more.

That's a good point
I share your point of view, here you are right.
You: You look much nicer in that coat, pink suits you marvelously.
Collegue: Yes, that's a good point.

I hope that the above expressions will be harmoniously woven into your speech, in addition, there are a huge number of them in the network resources - get acquainted and use it! And in learning the language you will always be helped.

The article was written by teacher Ekaterina Semyanina.

Jasmine Alic is an award-winning English teacher and writer from Bosnia and Herzegovina with many years of experience in a multicultural learning environment. B says that when learning a language, one should strive not to sound like an Englishman, but to be able to speak like a native English speaker. What is the difference?

You know, I've always been a perfectionist, one of those people who wants to do something exactly the way it should be done. So when I first started learning English, which was at the age of 5, I wanted to surprise people with how well I can speak and imitate the language.

However, over the years I have learned that sounding like a native speaker and speaking like a native speaker are two very different things. The sound is mainly related to the accent and is mostly inherent in people who were born in an English-speaking country. Therefore, for most of us whose first language is not English, this is not so easy to accomplish.

On the other hand, speaking like a native speaker is an area where most of us can excel. There are many ways you can make an impression by speaking English. You can really impress native speakers with your knowledge. Speaking rather than sounding English should be your main goal, and here's how you can achieve it.

Huge vocabulary

Let's say you're talking to a native speaker. Understanding every single thing you hear in this conversation will ultimately be limited by how much you actually understand English, which means how well you master the English vocabulary.

There are many ways to pick up new vocabulary, but using your knowledge effectively in conversation is what really shows off your language prowess, especially if you're talking to a native speaker.

Constant expansion vocabulary is one of the basic things you should be doing as a student. Knowing too many words is never a bad thing. And, if you know all the right things, especially idioms and phrasal verbs, then you are one step closer to speaking like a native speaker.

Impeccable Grammar

I think it's safe to say that one of the main reasons most students find English difficult to learn is its grammar. After all, it's the glue that holds everything together. In my opinion, English grammar is the most inconspicuous thing when done right, but it is the most painful aspect of the English language when applied wrong.

Imagine something like: Why are you here? I never sent you no invitation! when someone you can't stand comes to your party. And in fact, you have no reason to complain, because the double negative that you just used indicates that you invited this person. So who's bad here?

However, if you are in complete control of everything English Times and use the correct tense in the correct context, all the correct punctuation comes naturally to you, then you have already understood the task.

Knowing proper grammar and all the tiniest aspects of everyday language use is a must, and it's one of the key things that turns everyday learners into speakers like native speakers.

daily material

Let's face it. For most of us, using English on a daily basis is limited to social media. This usually means a complete disregard for English grammar and the frequent use of abbreviations, abbreviations and slang. However, no one talks like that in real life!

When it comes to real conversations, things like using correct grammar, vocabulary, and things like abbreviations, articles, and connectors can't be ignored, as this can seriously distort what you want to say.

The same goes for written English, so beware of gramophones ( grammar Nazis ) V in social networks- they never sleep!

Ease of Understanding

Let's ask ourselves a question: who determines what you sound or say like a native English speaker?

Let me tell you: this is the person you are talking to! Knowing something on paper or on a test is one thing; using language in speech or writing naturally and skillfully is what ultimately makes people understand you.

In a nutshell, the goal of sounding like a native English speaker is twice as big as the goal of speaking like a native speaker. Perfect example: I have friends who grew up in the States and actually have this native accent, but for some reason they still make mistakes when speaking English, which causes a lot of "wow" factorquality or feature that is very impressive and makes it difficult for me to understand them.

On the other hand, I have no problem understanding many of my friends around the world who speak another native language because their English is literally perfect; There are no mistakes at all, neither in written nor in spoken English! Of course, adding a native speaker accent is a huge plus and creates a complete package for any student.

So what's your next goal: to sound or speak like a native English speaker? Choose wisely.