English chat. Общение на английском

[Мояришка]

For what? I'm not the one to be taken in like that That guy Kapkanda wants us to start the shooting - but we want to enjoy our English!
What matters to me is what we want
Can you see the difference between "used to do smth." and "be used to doing smth."?

yes, of course i see the difference. I used to chat online in one game, where the faster u write is the better for everyone, so noone payed any attention on grammar, or etc. So that's why it's hard for me to write right
But please correct me, i like to learn.

[Мояришка]

For what? I'm not the one to be taken in like that That guy Kapkanda wants us to start the shooting - but we want to enjoy our English!
What matters to me is what we want
Can you see the difference between "used to do smth." and "be used to doing smth."?

yes, of course i see the difference. I used to chat online in one game, where the faster u write is the better for everyone, so noone payed any attention on grammar, or etc. So that's why it's hard for me to write right
But please correct me, i like to learn.

[Lika--]

merely winding her up.
Lika--, "never live with fear or regret". Who said that?

And yes you're so good at it!

Don't know... who said that?

[Bagirapuss]

yes, of course i see the difference. I used to chat online in one game, where the faster u write is the better for everyone, so noone payed any attention on grammar, or etc. So that's why it's hard for me to write right
But please correct me, i like to learn.

Oh, I see. But in this case, incorrect grammar just changed the meaning. As you wrote here, you used to chat online in a game - I understand that you aren't doing it any more.
But in that post, you meant that you had a habit of answering questions, so "I'm used to" would be in place.

[kapkanda]

And yes you're so good at it!

Don't know... who said that?

George Orwell, the writer of 1984 and Animal Farm

[Lika--]

oh great! now I know!=) Thanks for enlightening me!

[Мояришка]

Oh, I see. But in this case, incorrect grammar just changed the meaning. As you wrote here, you used to chat online in a game - I understand that you aren't doing it any more.
But in that post, you meant that you had a habit of answering questions, so "I'm used to" would be in place.

yes, i see what you mean and understood my mistake, thanks but still you've got my point, other way you wouldn't correct me

[Bagirapuss]

yes, i see what you mean and understood my mistake, thanks but still you've got my point, other way you wouldn't correct me

Oh, yes, I did get your point, but I'm afraid that's only because I am a teacher, and this is a very typical mistake. A native wouldn't percept it as a mistake at all, they'd just get the wrong meaning, and they'd think it a bit weird.

[Paddington]

You are very welcome. After all, that's why we are all here: to develop through gaining more experience.
However, we seem to be too focused on the language as such, and we ought to be using it for a communicative purpose. It seems to me I've got some idea as to how to distract you from just language and mistakes
Here is the quiz I made up and used at one of the immersions in our school ("Discover Odessa"). Our participants had a brain-ring game with these questions, and found them interesting. Can you answer them?

1. Most of the historical buildings in Odessa are built from soft limestone. What other worldwide known city is built from the same material?

2. The first street name shields were written in two languages. Which ones?

3. On 30.April 1854, a British steamer frigate named “Tiger” got stranded and sank near the coastline of Odessa. One of the cannons from this ship can be seen now in Primorski Boulevard, next to the city Duma building. Since it was mounted there, it was fired only once. What kind of event did it mark?

4. The main lighthouse of Odessa is called the Vorontsovskiy lighthouse. It was first built in 1862, and twice rebuilt since. Name its call sign in Morse Code.

5. What's the Duke's full name?

6. Which of the Russian Emperors was bribed by the community of Odessa, and what exactly was the bribe?

7. Before the opening of the monument to A. E. Nudelman (Boulevard of Arts), the KGB instructor responsible for the ceremony, when asked what kind of speech ought to be pronounced, replied: “Open the monument to Unknown Nudelman”. What made him give such a ridiculous answer?

8. What musical instrument did Sashka play, and where did he do it?

9. Where in Deribasovskaya can you find a steam locomotive?

10. Where can you find the Ostap Bender Square, and what can you see in the centre of it?

11. When the monument to Catherine II in Ekaterininskaya Square was restored in 2007, some presumed that it might be offensive to the Turkish nation. What was the reason for that?

12. The monument in Ekaterininskaya Square includes a statue of Catherine II, as well as four other figures. Who are they?

Oh, I can nremember this quiz! I am still proud that I guessed the answer to No. 4!
Did you have this immersion again this year?

[Bagirapuss]

Oh, I can nremember this quiz! I am still proud that I guessed the answer to No. 4!
Did you have this immersion again this year?

I think I remember you! Your team won that time, right?
No, we haven't had exactly the same immersion since, but we had a similar one: "Maritime cities". It included a boat ride, and a visit to the Museum of the Sea Port.

[kapkanda]

oh great! now I know!=) Thanks for enlightening me!

Another one "Going through hell? - Keep going!" Who said that? One little hint: he didn't like to surrender.

[kapkanda]

Oh, yes, I did get your point, but I'm afraid that's only because I am a teacher, and this is a very typical mistake. A native wouldn't percept it as a mistake at all, they'd just get the wrong meaning, and they'd think it a bit weird.

"a native" ? I would avoid that Also , what does 'percept" mean? Bagirapuss, I live and learn with you every day Bagirapuss, aren't you missing "is" or "sound" after "it" in the last sentence

[Lika--]

"a native" ? I would avoid that Also , what does 'percept" mean? Bagirapuss, I live and learn with you every day Bagirapuss, aren't you missing "is" or "sound" after "it" in the last sentence

it's probably a slip, what would we do without your comments?))) you're always on your guard!=)

[Bagirapuss]

"a native" ? I would avoid that Also , what does 'percept" mean? Bagirapuss, I live and learn with you every day Bagirapuss, aren't you missing "is" or "sound" after "it" in the last sentence

I see what you mean about "a native"... It makes you think of a crowd of naked black guys with painted faces armed with spears, right?
However, "percept" is a rightful synonym of "perceive", at least, according to the dictionary. I might be a bit spoilt by reading too much professional literature in psychology, though. As to the last sentence - no, I am not leaving out anything. Sorry, but this is an existing structure...

"How pleasant to know Mr. Lear
Who has written such volumes of stuff!
Some think him ill-tempered and queer,
But a few think him pleasant enough!"

[Lika--]

I see what you mean about "a native"... It makes you think of a crowd of naked black guys with painted faces armed with spears, right?
However, "percept" is a rightful synonym of "perceive", at least, according to the dictionary. I might be a bit spoilt by reading too much professional literature in psychology, though. As to the last sentence - no, I am not leaving out anything. Sorry, but this is an existing structure...

"How pleasant to know Mr. Lear
Who has written such volumes of stuff!
Some think him ill-tempered and queer,
But a few think him pleasant enough!"

For those interested in structures like that, i found this http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/40795/omitting-is-like-in-i-think-it-strange

It is used, but not that often... and it kind of sounds unusual=)

[kapkanda]

I see what you mean about "a native"... It makes you think of a crowd of naked black guys with painted faces armed with spears, right?
However, "percept" is a rightful synonym of "perceive", at least, according to the dictionary. I might be a bit spoilt by reading too much professional literature in psychology, though. As to the last sentence - no, I am not leaving out anything. Sorry, but this is an existing structure...


"How pleasant to know Mr. Lear
Who has written such volumes of stuff!
Some think him ill-tempered and queer,
But a few think him pleasant enough!"

I am not saying it is all wrong, just nitpicking. Forgive me if you can

[kapkanda]

it's probably a slip, what would we do without your comments?))) you're always on your guard!=)

Lika--, without my comments you would not be as careful while writing as you are now. I am not saying that everything I say is correct. I am sure there is plenty of rubbish or discrepancies in my comments. Big the big big troll also wants to have some fun and "enjoy his English"

[Paddington]

"How pleasant to know Mr. Lear
Who has written such volumes of stuff!
Some think him ill-tempered and queer,
But a few think him pleasant enough!"

Finally have I managed to place that poem! It had been constantly on my mind for a couple of days? it sounded so familiar, but I couldn't place it It was in a book I used to have? it was called "Topsy-Turvey World", and it was very old. I don't know what I have done with it - not after having moved house twice since... Does anyone remember it? Or maybe someone still has it? I'd love to borrow it for a couple of days, just to scan and to have a digital copy!

[Dmitry2006]

Hi people.
I need an advice. Imagine a situation: you received some letter, read it and want to reply. What following phrase is correct:

Hi Alan.
a) I have read your letter you sent me.
b) I have read your letter you had sent me.
c) I read your letter you had sent me.

Thanks in advance.

[Bagirapuss]

Hi people.
I need an advice. Imagine a situation: you received some letter, read it and want to reply. What following phrase is correct:

Hi Alan.
a) I have read your letter you sent me.
b) I have read your letter you had sent me.
c) I read your letter you had sent me.

Thanks in advance.

The first one - only that I'd rather say: "I've read the letter you sent me" - just for the sake of better style (to avoid repeating "your" and "you")...
Besides, the word "advice" is uncountable, so you cannot use the indefinite article with it. You can say: "I need advice", or "I need a piece of advice".