Live and Learn English with Jean Lee

This week, let me share the NPR weekend puzzle (that was on air on August 25, 2019). It is a bit challenging but fun brainteaser. For each question, give the name of a famous person with only one name, either because they literally had only one name or because they're generally known by one name. For example, if the question is “usual - U-S-U-A-L - minus U for a biblical king”, the answer is “Saul”. <1> video - V-I-D-E-O - minus E for a Roman poet. <2> chrome - C-H-R-O-M-E - minus C for a Greek poet. <3> Leader - L-E-A-D-E-R - minus R for a singer. <4> S-H-A-K-E-N - minus N for a singer. <5> Titanic - T-I-T-A-N-I-C - minus C for an Italian artist. <6> Pearlash - P-E-A-R-L-A-S-H - minus S for a painter. <7> Optician - O-P-T-I-C-I-A-N – minus one I, a Native American leader which is also the name of a bygone car. <8> Palacetour - P-A-L-A-C-E-T-O-U-R - minus U for an Egyptian queen. <9> ...

Let go over some interesting English expressions which have but do not mean food items!           1.   to take ….   with a grain/pinch of salt : to accept that …..might be exaggerated    2.   like chalk and cheese : opposites    3.   to go pear-shaped : to fail or to turn out unexpectedly wrong    4.   …doesn’t cut the mustard : ….doesn’t meet or live up to the required standard    5.   a hard nut to crack : a difficult person to understand or difficult problem to solve    6.   a bad apple or a bad egg : a bad influence or someone who brings trouble    7.   to butter someone up : to flatter/ brownnosing someone in the hopes of receiving special    8.   to egg someone on : to push or urge someone to do (something mischievous or bad)    9.   a smart cookie : a clever person who makes go...

It is not impossible but very hard to get your ideas across in English, using incorrect grammar. Why don’t you test out your grammatical competence? One word is missing in each sentence. Find and rewrite the sentence with the Missing Word .     (source from http://a4esl.org/q/h/vm/mw001.html )               1.    When visitors come, don't forget keep these chipped dishes out of sight. ð     ________________________________________________________.     2.    The car wasn't a success, so they decided to work a new model. ð   _________________________________________________________.     3.    The books used in our school published in the USA. ð   _________________________________________________________.     4.    If you don't know the meaning of a word, look up in the dictionary. ð   _____________________...

Prescriptive Grammar    VS     Descriptive Grammar Are you a grammar Nazi? Grammar is definitely needed to learn and speak a language the proper way. Then, what is “proper” and what is not? Who decides if an expression is grammatically correct or wrong? The criteria to tell correct ways of saying English from wrong ones is becoming blurred today. According to Linguistic Society of America, “The prescriptive grammarians follow the tradition of classical grammars of Sanskrit, Greek, and Latin”, whereas descriptive grammarians focus on describing what people actually use in various situations. This week, let us take a look at the expressions based on the classical prescriptive grammar and descriptive grammar in use. PRESCRIPTIVE GRAMMAR DESCRIPTIVE GRAMMAR      1.    If I were….            2.    A: Do you mind if I …?      B: No, go ahead...