Classroom – English

E Mail Writing in English

Classroom - English, Classroom - IELTS, General, Learn English / By Vaikundamoni

E Mail Writing in English: Email is the most common form of business communication; so it’s important to get it right. Although emails usually aren’t as formal as letters, they still need to be professional to present a good image of you and your company.

How to write a formal email

Follow these five simple steps to make sure your English emails are perfectly professional.

Begin with a greeting
Thank the recipient
State your purpose
Add your closing remarks
End with a closing

Begin with a greeting

Always open your email with a greeting, such as “Dear Lillian”. If your relationship with the reader is formal, use their family name (eg. “Dear Mrs. Price”). If the relationship is more casual, you can simply say, “Hi Kelly”. If you don’t know the name of the person you are writing to, use: “To whom it may concern” or “Dear Sir/Madam”.

Subject Line

Always have a subject line that summarises briefly and clearly the contents of the message (example: Re: Summary of Our Meeting with ABC Suppliers). There are many variations of greetings that you can start your email with, but the most standard ones are: Dear Firstname Lastname Dear Mr./Ms. Lastname Dear Mr./Ms. Firstname Lastname Dear Dr. Lastname To whom it may concern

It is always important to have a contact name, unless a recipient is unknown ( in “to whom it may concern” case). If needed, don’t be shy to call and ask for the person’s name. Some people use informal salutations, such as “Good morning” or “Hi“. It totally depends on how formal your relationships are.

Think of who your reader is going to be
Is it a colleague, a client or your boss? Should the email be informal or formal? Most business emails these days have a neutral tone. Note the difference between Informal and Formal: Informal – Thanks for emailing me on 15th February Formal – Thank you for your email dated 15th February Informal – Sorry, I can’t make it. Formal – I am afraid I will not be able to attend Informal – Can you…? Formal – I was wondering if you could….?

Some emails to colleagues can be informal if you have a long working relationship and know them well. This is the style that is closest to speech, so there are often everyday words and conversational expressions that can be used. For instance, ‘Don’t forget’, ‘Catch you later’, ‘Cheers’. The reader may also accept or overlook minor grammatical errors in informal emails. However, if the email is going to a client or senior colleague, bad grammar and an over-friendly writing style will most probably not be acceptable. If you are replying to a client’s inquiry, you should begin with a line of thanks. For example, if someone has a question about your company, you can say, “Thank you for contacting ABC Company”. If someone has replied to one of your emails, be sure to say, “Thank you for your prompt reply” or “Thanks for getting back to me”. Thanking the reader puts him or her at ease, and it will make you appear more polite.
Think about how direct or indirect you want to be
In some cultures, it is common practice to be very direct in email correspondence. However, this can cause a problem if you’re writing to someone in another country and in a language that is not your mother tongue. They might find your directness rude and possibly offensive. Consider these: Direct – I need this in half an hour. Indirect and polite – Would it be possible to have this in half an hour? Direct – There will be a delay Indirect – I’m afraid there may be a slight delay. Direct – It’s a bad idea Indirect – To be honest, I’m not sure if that would be a good idea. By adjusting your tone, you are more likely to get a positive response from your reader.
State your purpose
If you are starting the email communication, it may be impossible to include a line of thanks. Instead, begin by stating your purpose. For example, “I am writing to enquire about …” or “I am writing in reference to …”. Make your purpose clear early on in the email, and then move into the main text of your email. Remember, people want to read emails quickly, so keep your sentences short and clear. You’ll also need to pay careful attention to grammar, spelling and punctuation so that you present a professional image of yourself and your company.
Add your closing remarks
Before you end your email, it’s polite to thank your reader one more time and add some polite closing remarks. You might start with “Thank you for your patience and cooperation” or “Thank you for your consideration” and then follow up with, “If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to let me know” and “I look forward to hearing from you”.

End with a closing

The last step is to include an appropriate closing with your name. “Best regards”, “Sincerely”, and “Thank you” are all professional. Avoid closings such as “Best wishes” or “Cheers” unless you are good friends with the reader. Finally, before you hit the send button, review and spell check your email one more time to make sure it’s truly perfect!

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Introducing and Greeting People in English

Classroom - English, Learn English / By Vaikundamoni

Introducing and Greeting People in English

Greeting People: Hello. / Hi.; Good morning.; Good morning. (until 12 o’clock) / Good afternoon.; Good evening [ˈiːv(ə)nɪŋ].
Introducing People: What’s your name?; My name is …; I am …; Haven’t we met (before)?; Yes, I think we have.; No, I don’t think we have.; I think we’ve already met.; I don’t think we’ve met (before).; This is …; Meet …; Have you met …?; Yes, I have.; No, I haven’t.; Yes, I think I have.; No, I don’t think I have.; Hello, … (name); Nice to meet you. (informal); Pleased to meet you.; How do you do? (formal); Nice to see you.; Nice to see you again.
Say Goodbye: (It was) nice meeting you.; Good bye.; Bye. / See you.; See you later.; See you soon.; See you tomorrow.; See you next week.; Good night.
Health: How are you?; How are you today?; Fine, thank you/thanks.; Not too bad.; Very well.; I’m okay / all right.; Not too well, actually.; What’s wrong with you?; What’s the matter with you?; Are you all right?; I’m tired [tʌɪəd].; I’m exhausted [ɪgˈzɔːstɪd].; I’ve got a cold.

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Business English: Agreeing and Disagreeing In English

Classroom - English, Classroom - IELTS, Learn English / By Vaikundamoni

Agreeing and Disagreeing

Agreement: There are many reasons for …; There is no doubt about it that …; I simply must agree with that.; I am of the same opinion.; I am of the same opinion as …; I completely/absolutely agree with …
Qualified Disagreement: It is only partly true that…; I can agree with that only with reservations.; That seems obvious, but …; That is not necessarily so.; It is not as simple as it seems.; Under certain circumstances …
Disagreement: There is more to it than that.; The problem is that …; I (very much) doubt whether …; This is in complete contradiction to …; What is even worse, …; I am of a different opinion because …; I cannot share this / that / the view.; I cannot agree with this idea.; What I object to is …; Unlike … I think …

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Business English: Opinions and Statements

Classroom - English, Classroom - IELTS, Learn English / By Vaikundamoni

Opinions and Statements

Stating your Opinion: It seems to me that …; In my opinion, …; I am of the opinion that …/ I take the view that ..; My personal view is that …; In my experience …; As far as I understand / can see, …; As I see it, … / From my point of view …; As far as I know … / From what I know …; I might be wrong but …; If I am not mistaken …; I believe one can (safely) say …; It is claimed that …; I must admit that …; I cannot deny that …; I can imagine that …; I think/believe/suppose …; Personally, I think …; That is why I think …; I am sure/certain/convinced that …; I am not sure/certain, but …; I am not sure, because I don’t know the situation exactly.; I am not convinced that …; I have read that …; I am of mixed opinions (about / on) …; I am of mixed opinions about / on this.; I have no opinion in this matter.
Outlining Facts: The fact is that; The (main) point is that …; This proves that …; What it comes down to is that …; It is obvious that …; It is certain that …; One can say that …; It is clear that …; There is no doubt that …

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Business English: Linking Arguements

Classroom - English, Learn English, Learn IELTS & TOEFL / By Vaikundamoni

Word List on Linking Arguments

Linking Arguments: First of all, I think …; Not only that, but I also think that …; Not only are they …, they are also …; They are not …, nor are they …; There are various/several/many reasons for this.; First, … / Firstly, …; Second, … / Secondly, …; Moreover, … / Furthermore, … / In addition, …; Another significant point is that …; Finally, …; On the one hand, … On the other hand, …; In contrast to this is …; Because of …; That is why …; After all, …; The reason is that …; In that respect …; The result of this is that …; Another aspect/point is that …; It is because …; Although it is true that … it would be wrong to claim that …; That may sometimes be true, but …; One could argue that …, but …
Providing Examples: Take for example (the case of) …; Look at …; For instance … / For example …; Let me give you an example.
Additions and Conclusion: Most probably …; It appears to be …; It is important to mention that…; As I already indicated …; In other words, …; I am most concerned about …; I should like to repeat once again that …; I should like to emphasise that …; I would (just) like to add …; So all in all I believe that…; (In) summing up it can be said that …; Weighing the pros and cons, I come to the conclusion that …

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Prepositions in English

Classroom - English, Learn English / By Vaikundamoni

Prepositions in English

Definition

A preposition is a word or set of words that indicates location (in, near, beside, on top of) or some other relationship between a noun or pronoun and other parts of the sentence (about, after, besides, instead of, in accordance with). A preposition isn’t a preposition unless it goes with a related noun or pronoun, called the object of the preposition.

Examples: Let’s meet before noon. Before is a preposition; noon is its object.

We’ve never met before. There is no object; before is an adverb modifying met.

We commonly use prepositions to show a relationship in space or time or a logical relationship between two or more people, places or things. Prepositions are most commonly followed by a noun phrase or pronoun (underlined):

The last time I saw him he was walking down the road.

I’ll meet you in the cafe opposite the cinema.

It was difficult to sleep during the flight.

It was the worst storm since the 1980s.

Give that to me.

There are over 100 prepositions in English. The most common single-word prepositions are:

about	beside	near	to
above	between	of	towards
across	beyond	off	under
after	by	on	underneath
against	despite	onto	unlike
along	down	opposite	until
among	during	out	up
around	except	outside	upon
as	for	over	via
at	from	past	with
before	in	round	within
behind	inside	since	without
below	into	than
beneath	like	through

Although most prepositions are single words, some pairs and groups of words operate like single prepositions:

They were unable to attend because of the bad weather in Ireland.

Jack’ll be playing in the team in place of me.

In addition to getting a large fine, both brothers were put in prison for three months.

I always get nervous when I have to speak in front of an audience.

We estimate that there’ll be up to 10,000 people at the concert.

The most common prepositions that consist of groups of words are:

ahead of	except for	instead of	owing to
apart from	in addition to	near to	such as
as for	in front of	on account of	thanks to
as well as	in place of	on top of	up to
because of	in spite of	out of
due to	inside of	outside of

Some words which are prepositions also function as conjunctions. When we use a preposition that is followed by a clause, it is functioning as a conjunction; when we use a preposition that is followed by a noun phrase, it stays as a preposition. Among the most common are after, as, before, since, until:

After I’d met him last night, I texted his sister at once. (conjunction)

After the meeting last night, I texted his sister at once. (preposition)

We’ll just have to wait until they decide what to do. (conjunction)

Okay, we’ll wait here until six o’clock. (preposition)

Several words which are prepositions also belong to the word class of adverbs. These include: about, across, around, before, beyond, in, inside, near, opposite, outside, past, round, through, under, up, within:

There were lots of people waiting for a taxi outside the club. (preposition)

A:

Where’s your cat?

B:

She’s outside. (adverb)

The gallery is opposite the Natural History Museum. (preposition)

A:

Can you tell me where the bus station is?

B:

It’s over there, just opposite. (adverb)

Common prepositions that show relationships of space often have abstract as well as concrete meanings.

Compare

That map you need is behindthe filing cabinet. (basic spatial sense or position)	Everyone is behind* the government.* (behind = gives support)
Beyond the hotel were beautiful mountains. (basic spatial sense or position)	Learning Chinese in a year was beyond* them all.* (beyond = too difficult for)

Some common prepositions such as at, in and on can have abstract meanings:

I think you will both need to discuss the problem in private.

All three singers were dressed in black.

You now have the next day at leisure and can do whatever you wish.

Our dog stays on guard all night, even when he’s sleeping!

We commonly use prepositions after adjectives. Here are the most common adjective + preposition patterns.

adjectives	preposition
aware, full	of	They weren’t aware of* the time.*
different, separate	from	Is French very different from* Spanish?*
due, similar	to	This picture is similar to* the one in our living room.*
familiar, wrong	with	What’s wrong with* Isabelle?*
good, surprised*	at	We were really surprised at* the price of food in restaurants on our holiday.*
interested	in	Lots of people are interested in* Grand Prix racing but I’m not.*
responsible, good	for	Exercise is good for* everyone.*
worried, excited	about	We’re really excited about* our trip to Argentina.*

*We can also say surprised by

Many nouns have particular prepositions which normally follow them:

There’s been a large increase in the price of petrol.

Does anyone know the cause of the fire?

Many verbs go together with prepositions to make prepositional verbs. These always have an object:

I just couldn’t do without my phone.

Robert accused her of stealing his idea.

Phrasal-prepositional verbs contain a verb, an adverb particle and a preposition (underlined). We cannot separate the particle and the preposition:

The taxi is due any minute. Can you listen out for it?

I can’t put up with this noise any longer.

Traditional grammatical rules say that we should not have a preposition at the end of a clause or sentence. However, we sometimes do separate a preposition from the words which follow it (its complement). This is called preposition stranding, and it is common in informal styles:

She was someone to whom he could talk. (formal)

She was someone who he could talk to. (informal)

Which room are they having breakfast in? (informal)

In which room are they having breakfast? (formal)

If we leave out words that are clear from the context (ellipsis), we can use wh-questions with a wh-word + stranded preposition:

A:

The office is moving next year.

B:

Really, where to?

A:

I’m going to buy some flowers online.

B:

Who for?

A:

My mother.

Prepositions

How can we use these little words correctly?
Prepositions are used in many different ways in English – perhaps that’s why a lot of people have problems with them. First, they are used with time words:

on Monday

in the 20th century

at night

Second, they are used to show where something or someone is:

The plate is on the table.

Julie is in the garden.

The picture is on the wall.

Third, they are used after some adjectives:

She is good at tennis.

Scotland is famous for whisky

I’m worried about my new job.

Fourth, they are used after some verbs:

I’m listening to music.

She is waiting for her friend.

He borrows money from his sister.

Fifth, they are used after some nouns:

She has trouble with remembering new vocabulary.

Finally, they are used in certain phrases:

The bus arrived in the end.

She arrived just in time for the film.

Prepositions of Time

In, at, on and no preposition with time words:
Prepositions of time – here’s a list of the time words that need ‘on’, ‘in’, ‘at’ and some that don’t need any preposition. Be careful – many students of English use ‘on’ with months (it should be ‘in’), or put a preposition before ‘next’ when we don’t need one.

at

times: at 8pm, at midnight, at 6:30

holiday periods: at Christmas, at Easter

at night

at the weekend

at lunchtime, at dinnertime, at breakfast time

on

days: on Monday, on my birthday, on Christmas Day

days + morning / afternoon / evening / night: on Tuesday morning

dates: on the 20th of June

in

years: in 1992, in 2006

months: in December, in June

decades: in the sixties, in the 1790s

centuries: in the 19th century

seasons: in winter, in summer

in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening

no prep

next week, year, month etc

last night, year etc

this morning, month etc

every day, night, years etc

today, tomorrow, yesterday

Prepositions of Place
Prepositions of place can be difficult – here’s some help about using ‘at’, ‘in’ and ‘on’ when you’re talking about where things are.
Basics:
If something is contained inside a box or a wide flat area, we use ‘in’:

in the newspaper in a house

in a cup in a drawer

in a bottle in a bag

in bed in a car

in London in England

in a book in a pub

in a field in the sea

in my stomach in a river

If something is on a line or a horizontal or vertical surface, we use ‘on’:

on the table on the wall

on the floor on the window

on my face on a plate

on the page on the sofa

on a chair on a bag

on the river on a t-shirt

on the ceiling on a bottle

on a bike on his foo

If something is at a point, (it could be a building) we use ‘at’:

at the airport at the door

at the table at the bus stop

at the cinema at the top

at the bottom at the pub

at the traffic lights at the front

at the back at school

at university at the window

at the hospital at the piano

Here are some more common ones that don’t really fit:

on TV

on the bus

on a train

on a plane

on the radio

at home

at work

Adjectives and Prepositions
Some adjectives need a preposition before their object. There doesn’t seem to be a logical rule, I’m afraid! We just need to learn them. Here are some of the most common ones:

famous for France is famous for its food.

proud of He is very proud of his new car.

interested in Julie is very interested in sport.

pleased with John is very pleased with his new suit.

bad at They are very bad at maths.

good at Einstein was very good at physics.

married to My mother has been married to my father for 20 years.

excited about I’m very excited about my holiday.

different from / to Coffee is different from tea.

afraid of I’m afraid of spiders.

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Use of Articles in English

Classroom - English, Learn English / By Vaikundamoni

Articles

A, an, and the: how to use articles in English Many learners of English have problems with articles (the words a, an and the), especially when they don’t exist in their own language.

The number one rule is this: if a word is countable (e.g. one book, two books), you must always use an article (or my, his,etc.): I read a book. √ I read book. This is true even if there are adjectives before the noun: He drives an old car. √ He drives old car.

Never use a or an with a word that is plural (e.g. books, trees) or uncountable (e.g. water, advice): I asked her for advice. √ I asked her for an advice. Note that we use a in front of words that start with a consonant sound (a horse, a carrot) and an in front of words with a vowel sound (an apple, an elephant). The next most important thing to understand is the difference between a/an and the. Basically, we use a/an when we don’t need to say which thing we are talking about. We use the to talk about a specific thing: I caught a train to London. (it doesn’t matter which train) The train was late. (that particular train was late)

We often use a when we mention something for the first time, and then change to the when it is clear which thing we are talking about: He was talking to a man. The man was laughing. She gave him a present. The present was very expensive. We also use the when it is obvious which thing we are talking about or when there is only one of something: Could you shut the door, please? I cleaned the bathroom this morning. He travelled around the world. The sun is hot today.

If you stick to the rules above, you will be correct in almost all cases. However, there are a few exceptions, and the following are the most useful ones to learn: We don’t use a/an before the names of meals: We had lunch at noon. We don’t use a/an before words like school, prison, or college when we are talking about them in a general way: I hope to go to college. He spent three years in prison. With the word ‘hospital’, there is a difference between British and American English: My brother’s in hospital (UK) / in the hospital (US). We use the before the names of shops or places where we go for services when they are the ones we usually go to: I need to go to the supermarket. She went to the doctor’s.

The 3 articles in English are a, an and the. The learner has to decide noun-by-noun which one of the articles to use*. In fact, there are 4 choices to make, because sometimes no article is necessary. Native-speakers, of course, use the articles correctly without thinking in everyday spoken language. English learners, on the other hand, need to have some guidelines for making the right choice – particularly those learners whose own language does not have articles, such as Japanese or Korean. The guidelines that follow here should help ESL students to a basic understanding of English article use.

The most important first step in choosing the correct article is to categorize the noun as count or uncount in its context**: – A count noun is a noun that can have a number in front of it: 1 teacher, 3 books, 76 trombones, 1,000,000 people. – An uncount noun is a noun that cannot have a number put in front of it: 1 water, 2 lucks, 10 airs, 21 oils, 39 informations. Once you have correctly categorized the noun (using your dictionary if necessary), the following “rules” apply: Uncount nouns

You cannot say a/an with an uncount noun.
You cannot put a number in front of an uncount noun. (You cannot make an uncount noun plural.)
You use an uncount noun with no article if you mean that thing in general.
You use the with an uncount noun when you are talking about a particular example of that thing.

Count nouns

You can put a number in front of a count noun. (You can make a count noun plural.)
You can put both a/an and the in front of a count noun.
You must put an article in front of a singular count noun.
You use a plural count noun with no article if you mean all or any of that thing.
You usually use a/an with a count noun the first time you say or write that noun.
You use the with count nouns:
- the second and subsequent times you use the noun in a piece of speech or writing
- when the listener knows what you are referring to (maybe because there is only one of that thing)
You use an (not a) when the next word (adverb, adjective, noun) starts with a vowel sound.

Note:

The above rules apply whether there is or there is not an adjective in front of the noun.
Some nouns can be either count or uncount, depending on the context and meaning:
- Do you have paper? I want to draw a picture. (uncount = a sheet of paper)
- Can you get me a paper when youï¿½re at the shop? (count = a newspaper)
Uncount nouns are often preceded by phrases such as: a lot of .. (luck), a piece of .. (cake), a bottle of .. (milk), a grain of .. (rice).

* Instead of an article, the noun can also be preceded by a determiner such as

this, that, some, many

my, his, our

, etc.

Following are some of the most important guidelines listed above, with example sentences:

1. You use an uncount noun with no article if you mean all or any of that thing.	I need help! I don’t eat cheese. Do you like music?
2. You use the with an uncount noun when you are talking about a particular example of that thing.	Thanks for the help you gave me yesterday. I didn’t eat the cheese. It was green! Did you like the music they played at the dance?
3. You usually use a/an with a count noun the first time you say or write that noun.	Can I borrow a pencil, please? There’s a cat in the garden! Do you have an mp3 player?
4. You use the with count nouns the second and subsequent times you use the noun, or when the listener already knows what you are referring to (maybe because there is only one of that thing).	Where’s the pencil I lent you yesterday? I think the cat belongs to the new neighbours. I dropped the mp3 player and it broke. Please shut the door!
5. You use a plural count noun with no article if you mean all or any of that thing.	I don’t like dogs. Do they have children? I don’t need questions. Give me answers!
6. The above rules apply whether there is or there is not an adjective in front of the noun.	I don’t eat German cheese. Can I borrow a red pencil, please? There’s an extremely large cat in the garden! I don’t like small, noisy children.

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Degrees of Comparison in English

Classroom - English, Learn English / By Vaikundamoni

Degrees of Comparison in English

Read the following sentences:

John is tall.
Peter is taller than John.
Harry is the tallest of the three.

In sentence 1, the adjective tall merely says something about John’s height. It doesn’t state how tall John is. In sentence 2, the adjective taller is used to compare John’s height with Peter’s height. In sentence 3, the adjective tallest is used to compare Harry’s height with the height of John and Peter. We have thus seen that adjectives change in form to show comparison. These different forms of the adjective are called the degrees of comparison. In the examples given above, the adjective tall is said to be in the positive degree. The adjective taller is said to be in the comparative degree and the adjective tallest is said to be in the superlative degree. The positive degree of an adjective is the adjective in its simple form. It is used to denote the mere existence of some quality. Adjectives in the positive degree are used when no comparison is made. The comparative degree of an adjective shows a higher degree of the quality than that is present in the positive degree. It is used when two things or two sets of things are compared.

Peter is smarter than John.
Which of the two sisters is the prettier?
Apples are dearer than oranges.

The superlative degree of an adjective denotes the highest degree of the quality. It is used when more than two things or sets of things are compared.

Peter is the smartest boy in the class.
Iron is the most useful of all metals.
Alice is the prettiest girl in the neighborhood.

Comparison can be made using the three forms of the adjective. Adjective is a word and it qualifies a noun. It gives more information about the noun. eg. The lion is a strong animal. Rita is a beautiful girl. Adjectives are of three degrees. (1) Positive (2) Comparative (3) Superlative eg. David is a rich man. eg. Cancel is more dreadful than cholera. eg. Mount Everest is the highest peak in the world. Study the following models.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Very few boys in the class are as tall as John.	John is taller than any other boys in the class.	John is the tallest boy in the class.
Very few boys in the class are as tall as John.	John is taller than most other boys in the class.	John is *one of the tallest* boy in the class.

Adjective and Adverbs have three degrees, Positive, Comparative and Superlative. The Pasitive Degree is used to denote the mere existence of quality.

The Positive Degree of an adjective in comparison is the adjective in its simple form. It is used to denote the mere existence of some quality of what we speak about. It is used when no comparison is made.

It is a tall building.
Apple is sweet to taste.

The Comparative Degree is used to compare the qualities of two persons or things.

The Comparative Degree denotes the existence of a higher degree of the quality than the positive. It is used when two things (or two sets of things) are compared.

This building is taller than any other building.
Apple is sweeter than pear.

The Superlative Degree denotes the existence of the highest degree of the quality. It is used when more than two things are compared.

This is the tallest building.
Apple is the sweetest fruit.

The Superlative Degree is used when more than two nouns or things are compared.

Johnsy is kind (Positive Degree)
Johnsy is kinder than Rosy (Comparative Degree)
Johnsy is the kindest of all (Superlative Degree)

By adding ‘er’ and ‘est’
POSITIVE	COMPARATIVE	SUPERLATIVE
bright	brighter	brightest
black	blacker	blackest
bold	bolder	boldest
clever	cleverer	cleverest
cold	colder	coldest
fast	faster	fastest
great	greater	greatest
high	higher	highest
kind	kinder	kindest
long	longer	longest
small	smaller	smallest
strong	stronger	strongest
sweet	sweeter	sweetest
tall	taller	tallest
young	younger	youngest

POSITIVE	COMPARATIVE	SUPERLATIVE
By adding ‘r’ and ‘st’
brave	braver	bravest
fine	finer	finest
large	larger	largest
nice	nicer	nicest
noble	nobler	noblest
pale	paler	palest
simple	simpler	simplest
wise	wiser	wisest
white	whiter	whitest

By deleting the final ‘y’ and adding ‘ier’ and ‘iest’
POSITIVE	COMPARATIVE	SUPERLATIVE
costly	costlier	costliest
dry	drier	driest
easy	easier	easiest
happy	happier	happiest
heavy	heavier	heaviest
lazy	lasier	lasiest
mercy	mercier	merciest
wealthy	wealthier	wealthiest

By doubling the final consonats
POSITIVE	COMPARATIVE	SUPERLATIVE
big	bigger	biggest
dim	dimmer	dimmest
fat	fatter	fattest
hot	hotter	hottest
thin	thinner	thinnest

By using more and most
POSITIVE	COMPARATIVE	SUPERLATIVE
active	more active	most active
attractive	more attractive	most attractive
beautiful	more beautiful	most beautiful
brilliant	more brilliant	most brilliant
careful	more careful	most careful
courageous	more courageous	most courageous
cunning	more cunning	most cunning
difficult	more difficult	most difficult
famous	more famous	most famous
faithful	more faithful	most faithful
proper	more proper	most proper
popular	more popular	most popular
splendid	more splendid	most splendid

Irregular Comparisons
POSITIVE	COMPARATIVE	SUPERLATIVE
bad	worse	worst
evil	worse	worst
good	better	best
ill	worse	worst
far	farther	farthest
well	better	best
late	later	latest
little	less	least
much	more	most
many	more	most
near	nearer	nearest
old	older	oldest
old	elder	eldest

Comparison between two things.

Positive	Comparative
Johnsy is as clever as Rosy	Rosy is not clever than Johnsy
Benjamin is atleast as tall as Jane	Jane is not taller than Benjamin

Comparative	Positive
Lazar is brighter than Stalin	Stalin is not so bright as Lazar

Superlative	Comparative	Positive
Akthar is the richest man in Kanpur	Akthar is richer than any other man in Kanpur	No other man in Kanpur is so rich as Akthar

Superlative	Comparative	Positive
London is one of the biggest city in England	London is bigger than most other city in England	Very few cities in England are so big as London

Superlative	Comparative	Positive
Sheakespear is the greatest of all dramatists	Shakespeare is greater than all other dramatists	No other dramatist is so great as Shakespeare

Positive	Comparative
Lazar is as strong as Lenin	Lenin is not less strong than Lazar

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Some boys in our class are at least as intelligent as Benjamin	Some boys in our class are not intelligent than Benjamin	Benjamin is not the most intelligent boy in our class

1. When we compare two objects, persons, qualities, degrees etc. tha tare some respects equal, we may use the comparion of equality. This is formed by the use of as… adjective / adverb… as eg. Your house is as large as mine. 2. When we compare unquals, we may use the comparative degree of the adjective or adverb with than eg. His new book is more interesting than his earlier books 3. When the comparison is negative, we use so… adjective / adverb… as eg. Your house is not quite so large as mine. 4. In some adverbial clauses of comparison both subject and verb are dropped. eg. He is more shy than (he is) unsocial. Some people think more about their rights than (they do) about their duties. 5. In clauses of comparison introduced by than that ‘should’ is used. eg. I am already to do the work myself rather than that you should have to do it. 6.Comparison and contrast are also expressed by the use of the…the…with comparatives. eg. The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll finish. The more he read, the less he understood.

Superlative	Comparative	Positive
Iron is the most useful of all metals.	Iron is more useful than any other metal.	No other metal is so useful as iron.

Superlative	Comparative	Positive
Tom is the cleverest of all boys in the class.	Tom is cleverer than any other boy in the class.	No other boy in the class is so clever as Tom.

Superlative	Comparative	Positive
Rain water is the purest water.	Rain water is purer than any other water.	No other water is so pure as rain water.

Superlative	Comparative	Positive
Paris is one of the busiest cities in England.	Paris is busier than most other cities in England.	Very few cities in England are as busy as Paris.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Very few animals are as fast as cheetah.	Cheetah is faster than most other animals.	Cheetah is one of the fastest animals.

Superlative	Comparative	Positive
Food ball is one of the most interesting games.	Foot ball is more interesting than most other games.	Very few games are as interesting as foot ball.

Comparative	Positive
Paris is hotter than England.	England is not so hot as Paris.

Positive	Comparative
John is as tall as David.	David is not taller than John.

Comparative	Positive
The Blue Mountain Express runs faster than the Green Express.	The Green Express does not run so fast as the Blue Mountain Express.

Degrees of Comparison in English

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Simple, Compound and Complex Sentences Part 2

Classroom - English, Learn English / By Vaikundamoni

Simple, Compound and Complex Sentences :Part 2 A clause is a group of words having Subject and Predicate.

If you study well, you will pass Subordinate Clause Main Clause
Though he is poor, he is generous. Subordinate Clause Main Clause

A Main Clause is a clause that stands alone and gives a complete meaning. A Subordinate Clause must have any one of the following Subordinating Conjuctions : Subordinating Conjuctions : before, after, till, untill, when, where, which, who, whom, why, what, that, since, as, because, if, unless, as if, as though, although, even though, as well as, as soon as, so that, on condition that, provided that etc. Co-ordinating Conjuctions : and, or, but, so, yet, either…or, neither…nor, ner, not only…but also, both…and, still, else. Subordinating Conjuctions : before, after, till, untill, when, where, which, who, whom, why, what, that, since, as, because, if, unless, as if, as though, although, even though, as well as, as soon as, so that, on condition that, provided that etc A phrase is a group of words which has some meaning. But it does not make complete sense by itself. It contains no finite verb. But it may contain an infinitive or a participle. There are three kinds of sentences : simple, complex and compound.

A Simple Sentence contains one finite verb (i.e. a verb showing tense, person and number as : he goes; she went). That is to say, a simple sentence has one main clause, e.g. Seeing the wolf, the boy ran away. I’ve met him before.
A Compound Sentence has two or more clauses. It may also have one or more subordinate clauses. e.g. The boy saw the wolf and ran away. I ran to the window and looked down into the street.
A Complex Sentence has one main clause and one or more subordinate clauses. e.g. When the boy saw the wolf, he ran away. Before we went very far, we found that we had lost our way.

18 Rules :

SIMPLE	COMPLEX	COMPOUND
After	After	and afterward
Before	Before	and before that
About	That	and about it
Till, untill	Till, untill	And till then
On	When	And then
During the period (time) of	While	and during that period (time)
Incase of / In the event of	If provided / provided that / should / were / supposing	And such a case / And in such and event
In case of … not	Unless	Must / else / or / otherwise
The manner of / The way of / The method of	How	And I know the method
Soon after / Immedicately after / Instantaneously after	As soon as / no sooner than	And immediately / and afterwards / and at once
For fear of	lest	And for that fear
The place of	where	And its place
The reason of / The cause	why	And + cause
Inspite of / Despite / on account of / not withstanding to	Though, Although / Eventhough / not withstanding that	But / yet / still / how ever / all the same / never the less
owing to / on account of / due to / because of	As, because since / for	And so / And therefore
During the whole length of / time of	As long as / so long as	And / during the length of time
Ever since	Ever since	And since then
Besides	As well as	Not only then… but also

Examples :

SIMPLE	COMPLEX	COMPOUND
Being tired, he went to bed.	As he was tired, he went to bed.	He was tired. He went to bed.
Having finished his work, he returned home.	After he had finished his work, he returned home.	He had finished his work. He returned home.
I saw a girl wiht blue eyes.	I saw a girl who had blue eyes.	I saw a girl. She had blue eyes.

Model-1 : In spite of, despite, not withstanding. – Simple Though, although – Complex.

Although it rained a lot, they enjoyed themselves. (Complex) In spite of or Despite the rain, they enjoyed themselves. (Simple)

Thomas was a richman yet he led a simple life. (Compound)
In spite of his being a richman. Thomas led a simple life. (Simple)
Though Thomas was a richman, he led a simple life. (Complex)

Model-2 : on account of, because of, in consequence of, owing to. – Simple. As, Since, Because – Complex.

It rained heavily. The school was closed. (Compound)
On account of heavy rain, the school was closed. (Simple)
As it rained heavily, the school was closed. (Complex)

Model-3 : In case of, in the event of. – Simple. If, Unless. – Complex

He works hard and he will succeed. (Compound)
In the event of his hard work, he will succeed. (Simple)
If he works hard, he will succeed. (Complex)

Model-4 : too…to. – Simple. So…that…not. – Complex

The food was very hot. We could not eat it. (Compound) The food was so hot that we could not eat it. (Simple) The food was too hot to eat. (Complex)

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Communication English: Customer Service Keywords

Classroom - English, Learn English / By Vaikundamoni

Customer Service Keywords for Better Communication Customer service keywords:

I definitely will make sure that it gets sorted…
I absolutely agree…
I can certainly help you…
I understand the inconvenience you have faced….
I will ensure that…
What I will do for you right away is…
I know how frustrating it can be – let’s see how I can help you….
I would suggest ….
All you need to do is to….

Customer service, it can be a difficult thing to navigate! There are so many problem areas within this topic. What if the person on the other end of the phone is difficult to understand? What if they just want to argue? What if the phone cuts off when you’re talking? The important thing here is that it is difficult both for employees and customers so we are going to include vocabulary for both parties here. Let’s take a look at what we’ve got for you: Employee

I’d be glad to help you today.
Hold, please.
Thank you for your patience.
As much as I’d love to help
Rest assured.
I completely understand.
I’m sorry for the inconvenience.

Customer

Can I speak to someone else please?
I’m getting tired of this.
I realise this is not your fault but…
Please don’t put me on hold.
This is a waste of time.
I appreciate that, but…
Thanks very much for your help!

Employee

I’d be glad to help you today.

Okay, so maybe this looks like a bit of a lie but, when you think about it, this should be your primary goal as a customer service representative! This means that it will make you happy if you can resolve the problem for the customer. This will put the customer at ease and just makes the atmosphere a bit more bearable. Hopefully they believe you and it means that they won’t be shouting and swearing at you. Let’s look at an example dialogue involving this phrase:

Representative: Hello Mr Smith, I’m Becky. How can I help you today? Customer: My computer is completely broken, I don’t know what’s happened to it and I really need it to work. I have lots of things to do. Representative: Okay, well I’d be glad to help you today and try to solve that problem! Customer: Great, I really hope you can help me!

If you just look at how that dialogue could have gone without the representative saying something nice to start the conversation, it wouldn’t have been productive to either party. It’s a useful phrase for sure.

Could you hold, please?

Ah, this classic phrase. This is the one that we all dread. Customers don’t want to hear it because they don’t want to be waiting and listening to rubbish music! Customers want answers and they want them now! I would imagine that representatives don’t want to have to say this phrase because of the impact it has on the customer, making them angry. But sometimes it’s necessary! Maybe the representative has to go and speak to someone else or attend to another task. It’s so important to remember that neither party knows what is happening on the other side of the phone. Although this is a question, it is often a statement in it’s nature saying I’m going to put you on hold now. Have a look:

Customer: I really would appreciate it if you could help me, I’ve been waiting for a long time. Representative: Okay, sir I appreciate your patience and I would really like to help you today. Could you hold, please? Customer: I suppose so, yes, but please I’ve been waiting a long time already!

In the past, particularly in America, representatives would say hold, please. and just put you on hold. Whilst that does still happen in places but it is considered rather direct and rude for our modern times. You may hear it if you watch a lot of old films, when the character calls the operator to ask for a connection to someone else, the operator will say hold, please. or please hold. Thank you for your patience. It’s important to thank the customer as well as for the customer to thank you! The customer has spent time and probably money on using the product that you are representing. They need to feel appreciated and wanted by the company or they may never use them again. A great way to retain customers is to treat them as if they are the most important person in the world. Imagine that they have a million things to do and that their time is really valuable to them. This might even be true! Thanking someone for their patience is great because it shows you understand what they are doing in order to try to solve this problem.

Customer: Look, I don’t have time for this, I just want you to solve my problem so I can go about my business! Representative: I understand ma’am, and thank you for your patience. I know your time is very valuable and I will do my best to solve the problem. Customer: Okay, thank you.

In all of life’s situations, showing empathy with somebody is important. If they think that you care about them and understand their issue, they are more likely to respond politely and calmly.

As much as I’d love to help…

Uh oh, The time has come where you can’t solve the problem. The customer will not be happy at this news and it will be up to you, the representative, to deal with whatever they say next. I bet if you measured it by the numbers, this would be the phrase that invited the most abuse! With this phrase, as soon as you say it you have to provide a reason as to why you cannot help the customer. It had better be a good one.

Customer: It’s not my fault that my kid spilled water on the computer, it should still work! Representative: Well, as much as I’d love to help there’s nothing more I can do. You will have to take it to one of our stores and they will take a look at it. Customer: You haven’t helped me at all. Thanks for nothing!

The main piece of advice I have for this one is to be prepared! That’s all you can do. Hey, you tried your best, right?

Rest assured

This is a phrase that can be used in all service positions. It is designed to make a promise to the customer that will make them feel more confident you are going to do what you say you will. Rest assured literally means that the customer can rest, without stressing or worrying, and be assured (confident). When you say this, make sure you can deliver on the promise you are making! Don’t make promises you can’t keep because the customer will know if you don’t deliver! Take a look below:

Customer: I just don’t believe that you can solve my problem. I have been on the phone for 2 hours and I still don’t have a solution. Representative: I appreciate your concern sir and please rest assured that I am doing my absolute best to try and solve your problem today. That is my commitment to you. Customer: I’ll believe it when I see solutions!

Just be careful with this one, it makes things just a little bit more serious.

I completely understand.

Again, showing empathy with the customer is vital. Whenever I am on the phone with a customer service representative, I can say that this is the phrase I hear more often than any other. This one shows empathy as well, or at least it’s supposed to do so. I have to say when a representative says this to me, I usually don’t believe them. How could they possibly understand without being in the same room and seeing how angry I am?! As a representative, if you can make this at least sound convincing then it will settle the customer down. Just make sure you’re ready for people like me that might not believe it!

Customer: This is a really serious problem for me and I just need it fixed please. Representative: I completely understand and I will do my utmost to solve the problem. Customer: You don’t understand! I just need this fixed! Representative: Sir, please bear with me, I was actually in a similar situation about two weeks ago and I know just how stressful and awful it can be.

Telling the story at the end of the dialogue might make the customer believe that the representative actually does understand the problem. The story might not be true but it will help get the customer on your side!

I apologise / I’m sorry for the inconvenience.

This is a very important one to remember, if all else fails, just apologise! A lot of customers phone up because they are angry and simply want to have an argument. Some people do not even expect a solution! But of course as a customer service representative, your hands are tied, you cannot respond angrily to an angry customer or you will most probably be fired and the customer will not be happy. Here’s an example:

Customer: Look, I missed my plane because it didn’t wait for me. Yes I was late but you people owe me my money back! Representative: I’m sorry sir, but our policy is quite clear here, if you are not at the gate half an hour before takeoff, then we cannot be held responsible. I apologise for the inconvenience. Customer: That’s not good enough. I am owed money and I’m not going to stop asking for it. Representative: As I say, I’m sorry for the inconvenience sir, but there is nothing we can do.

It’s your free pass out of a difficult situation! Use it wisely! Okay, so that’s the representative’s phrases, now let’s move onto the customer.

Customer

Can I speak to someone else please?

This is a phrase to use if you are not getting anywhere or perhaps if you have been connected to somebody that doesn’t know what they are doing. Sometimes if you get put through to a different person, you will get what you have been looking for. It’s worth a try! It’s quite a clear one to use but we will show a dialogue just to illustrate the point:

Customer: Look, you aren’t helping me at all, can I speak to someone else please? Representative: Sir, I can put you through to someone else if you want but I doubt it will be different. Customer: Yes, I would like you to put me through please.

This could be useful if you want to speak to a manager or someone more senior in the company. Get what you want from your phone call!

I’m getting tired of this.

Okay, so you are at the end of your tether, you want your problem solved but the representative will not help you at all. They say it’s your fault and your problem that you are in the situation that you are in! This is a good phrase to use if you want to put pressure on someone to help you. You’re getting tired of this and you want an answer soon or it will turn into a complaint.

Customer: Look, I just want answers and all you are doing is apologising. I’m getting tired of this. Representative: I’m sorry to hear that sir, rest assured that I’m doing all that I can.
I realise this is not your fault but…
Sometimes we have to remember that this is not anybody’s fault and you should not be arguing at each other. One really interesting thing about this phrase is that it can actually put the representative at ease and make them help you with inside information. Maybe they will give you a tip that they are not really supposed to, maybe they will give you advice to fix issues that you hadn’t heard of before.
Customer: Look, I realise this isn’t your fault, but I really want to know if there is anything I can do to fix my computer. I’m desperate for an answer. Representative: Well, I’ll let you in on a secret. We have to say that we can’t do anything about that because this type of damage is not included in our policy, but if you go to the shop and tell them that support have given you a code 3245. They will fix it for you. Customer: Thank you so much!
It’s simple! Be kind to people and they will be kind back!
Please don’t put me on hold.
To counter what we have already told those representatives in this article we have the request to not be put on hold. You could say that it is pointless to say this (the chances are you will be put on hold anyway) but it’s worth a try!
Customer: So, that’s my problem. Can you help me? Representative: I believe I can sir, could you hold please? Customer: Oh no, please don’t put me on hold. I’m sick of being on hold. Representative: I appreciate that sir, but it will only take a second.
Worth a try!
This is a waste of time.
A more aggressive tactic but it can really get you what you want if expressed in a dignified way. There’s no hidden meaning here, if you want to say that you don’t feel your time is being used well by someone who is supposed to be trying to help you, then use this one.
Customer: Please, can you put me through to someone who can help me? Representative: Sorry sir, but all of our representatives are busy right now. Customer: This is a waste of time.
Remember this can be slightly inflammatory so reserve it for special situations.
I appreciate that, but…
This is very diplomatic language. You are acknowledging that somebody is clearly trying to help you but you still think they are wrong. This a polite phrase to use during an argument to keep things civil with your opponent.
Representative: Sorry sir, but all of our representatives are busy right now. Customer: Well is there nothing you can do to solve my problem? Representative: I’m really sorry but I am doing my best sir. Customer: I appreciate that, but I am busy and I have other things to do rather than be on the phone complaining.

Thanks very much for your help!
The most important one! Thank people that help you otherwise the world may stop spinning. There is a phrase in English that says manners cost nothing. It’s true you know, and they go a long way. Always say thank you regardless of the service you have received, but in this case if you want to be extremely polite and make the other person happy about what they have done, use this phrase.
Representative: I think I have found a solution. Reset the device for 5 seconds and your problem should be solved. Customer: That’s fixed it! Thank you. Representative: You’re welcome! I’m glad to help. Is there anything else I can help with today? Customer: No, that’s everything. Thank you very much for your help! Representative: You’re welcome, have a good day! Customer: You too!
Remember that customer service people take a lot of abuse. You don’t get people phoning customer service so that they can talk about how happy they are with a product. The phone numbers exist so that people can complain about issues. It’s a hard job but someone’s got to do it! So, rest assured I have done all I can to explain these phrases to you today and I completely understand that it can be difficult to digest a lot of vocabulary. Thank you very much for taking the time to read this article and feel free to add all comments and questions below! Giving your opinion in English There are so many ways to express an opinion in English and it’s important that you use them. The way you choose to express an opinion can alter the way people think of you and look at you every day! This is especially true in British English, where we are obsessed with politeness and not being too assuming. So here we have a great list of phrases to give your opinion!

In my opinion/In my humble opinion

I reckon/suppose

I know

May I?

If you ask me

If I were you

To be honest

I could be wrong, but

I’m no expert, but

Personally

In my opinion/in my humble opinion

Probably the most basic way we have here of expressing your opinion. Using in my opinion is a great way of telling people what you think and also making sure they know that it is just your opinion. You could use this during a debate or if you are with a group of people deciding what they should do.
Alan: Hey Steph, what did you think of the new Terminator film? Steph: Well, in my opinion, it wasn’t as good as the older ones. I didn’t find the story line believable. Alan: Yeah true, it was strange.
To add something to this phrase you can add the word humble that changes the meaning just slightly. Saying in my humble opinion adds a bit of politeness to expressing your opinion. To be humble means that you act in a very reserved and careful manner so that you don’t offend people. Servants were always expected to be humble when they were working for kings and queens. It is slightly degrading and lowers your own worth, but today it is also used to be polite.
Alan: So you really didn’t like the movie then? That’s a shame. Steph: No, I just thought it was nowhere near the old films. But that’s just my humble opinion!
Use these with new English acquaintances to impress your friends with how polite you are!

I reckon/ I suppose

These are ways to express opinion with a slight sense of uncertainty as well. Using I reckon in a sentence is primarily reserved for British English and southern US English. It’s a very personal thing to say and because of that it implies that the opinion is not an expert one. It is simply that person’s view.

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Classroom – English

E Mail Writing in English: Email is the most common form of business communication; so it’s important to get it right. Although emails usually aren’t as formal as letters, they still need to be professional to present a good image of you and your company.

How to write a formal email

Begin with a greeting

Think of who your reader is going to be

Think about how direct or indirect you want to be

State your purpose

Add your closing remarks

End with a closing

Introducing and Greeting People in English

Opinions and Statements

Word List on Linking Arguments

Prepositions in English

Definition

Prepositions: uses

Prepositions or conjunctions?

Prepositions or adverbs?

Prepositions and abstract meanings

Prepositions and adjectives

Prepositions and nouns

Prepositions and verbs

Prepositions: position and stranding

Prepositions

How can we use these little words correctly?

Prepositions of Time

In, at, on and no preposition with time words:

Prepositions of Place

Basics:

Adjectives and Prepositions

Articles