Tom Red´s weekly review. Who knows what?
December 2012 Edition: 100
Culture vulture
GRAMMAR UNDER THE HAMMER
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ElementarySome LP Elementary Students don’t know that:
Many native speakers are beginning to spell Christmas using just an X to replace Christ (Xmas).
A lot of people don’t like to read this and they call it The War on Christmas because they say it takes Christ out of Christmas.
But this is a religious view more than a linguistic one.
I think it’s all right for postcards and emails, not to mention text messages, but for any serious writing you must spell it CHRISTMAS.
CHRISTMAS RULES OK!!
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Pre-intermediateAll LP Pre-intermediate students should:
remember to distinguish these important Grammar Structures; they are similar but different:
ASK – WANT – TELL – LIKE + OBJECT PRONOUN + INFINITIVE with TO.
I asked HER TO COME to the meeting
but
MAKE – LET + OBJECT PRONOUN + INFINITIVE without to
I MADE HER to COME to the meeting
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IntermediateMany Intermediate students know that:
Do you remember…? asks if you remember a certain past situation, a certain person, or doing a certain action in the past:
Do you remember the problem we had with her last summer?
Do you remember going to the beach when we were young?
Did you remember generally refers to asking somebody if they carried out an action which was necessary for them to do. Perhaps it was previously agreed on, or whatever...
Did you remember to post the letter?
Did you remember to make an appointment?
Did you remember to phone him? You promised you would
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AdvancedBe aware, Advanced Learner:
Although everybody understands to make and everybody understands for, doesn't that mean everybody understands TO MAKE FOR?
-Yes, of cour...
-Nooooo… !! Not at all!
Not many people understand TO MAKE FOR. Only advanced learners do but I’m sure not all of them do. Look at the example:
After school my friends and I are making for the swimming pool.
It means to go quickly and directly to a given place, without delay, no time for stopping …
TO MAKE FOR is a strange phrasal verb. But then again, Phrasal Verbs are strange anyhow. Phrasal Verbs are Phrasal Verbs!!!
Ooops, I've just noticed something. MAKE FOR is really a prepositional verb (but that's for the purist's)
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NativeEvery Native speaker knows what
This cake is to die for means.
Only very advanced learners will understand it. It means that "this cake is so delicious that it would be worth giving my life just to have it". Needless to say (but I'll say it anyhow) nobody would die for a bloody cake!
Oh, I forgot that this is Christmas and I shouldn't be swearing but grammar is so boring, isn't it?
But somebody else invented the saying you can't have your cake and eat it. Hey, what's this all about?
I think we need a quick joke. Come on, let’s see if we can find a grammar joke… Ok, here’s one:
Q: If Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus had a child, what would he be called? A: A Subordinate Claus.
Fantastic joke, don't you think? Mmmm...
News
"Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me." Then they will answer and say, "Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?" He will answer them, "Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me." And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life. (Matt. 25:41-45)
Think language
Muchas gracias
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Coffee break
OnelinersWhen you stop believing in Santa is when you start getting clothes for Christmas
He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree
Swish. Sweet, simple & short
Boxing Day is:
Correcto
...
Smile for a while
Christmas morning all, I’m Tom Red.
Here are our two jokes for this week. And they're Christmassy jokes of course.
Remember that corny jokes are just so stupid you have to laugh at them. Because if you don’t maybe you’ll just want to cry.
But some people can think that the corny jokes are better than “great” jokes. Let’s see what you think, reader
A GOOD JOKE
It was the doctor's last patient consultation of Christmas Eve. A mother came in with her young daughter and asked if he would examine her because she had been showing some strange symptoms, including a significant increase in weight.
He checked her out carefully and soon told the mother that her daughter was pregnant. The mother protested angrily.
'But my daughter has never ever been with a man!'
The girl confirmed this was true and said she had never even kissed a man.
The doctor examined the girl very carefully for a second time. Then he stood up and walked to the window and looked out. He looked all over the sky for more than a minute.
The mother was becoming more and more frightened and asked him if there was something wrong.
"No, not really" replied the doctor. 'Perhaps it’s just a coincidence, but the last time this happened a bright star appeared in the East.'
A CORNY JOKE
A few days before Christmas, two young brothers were spending the night at their grandparent's house. When it was time to go to bed, and anxious to do the right thing, they both knelt down to say their prayers.
Suddenly, the older one began to pray in a very loud voice.
"Dear Lord, please ask Santa Claus to bring me a play-station, a mountain-bike and a telescope."
His younger brother leaned over and nudged his brother and said, "Why are you shouting your prayers? God isn't deaf."
"I know" he replied, "But Grandma is!"
So now you know what a corny joke is :–(
Foreign words & expressions
Nollaig Shona
