SHADE or SHADOW? ...What's the difference?

Note this common mistake:

Let's walk in the shadow...it's too hot in the sun!
Let's walk in the shade...it's too hot in the sun!


There is frequent confusion between shade and shadow.  Shade is used to describe the general areas blocked by sunlight, whereas shadow is used to describe specific objects or people blocking sunlight.  
In the photograph below, you can see the shadows of three pedestrians strolling by in the sun next to the shade of a building. 

shade vs. shadow

1.  shade (n.), : describes any place where sunlight is blocked

• After walking for hours through the city on a hot and humid summer day, we found a place to rest in the shade.
• There's nothing like sitting on the cool grass in the shade of a cherry tree.

     shady (adj.)

• Let's find a shady spot to park the car, otherwise it may overheat later.

       *Note: Shady is also a slang word for suspicious, untrustworthy or dishonest. (a shady character, a shady neighborhood, a shady bar, etc.)

other usages: lampshade, window shade, shades of (a color)

2.  shadow (n.):  silhouette, the specific shape/outline of an object or person cast by the sun

• Looking down from the balcony, we could see the shadows of the people walking by cast on the pavement.
• He's so timid, that he's afraid of his own shadow!

      *Note: Five o'clock shadow is the term used to describe the stubble (super short facial hair) a man gets by the end of the day.

other idioms: beyond a shadow of a doubt

Is IRREGARDLESS a word?

No, it is not.

Despite the fact that the so-called word 'irregardless' has found its way into daily usage in English and is listed in numerous online dictionaries, it is not, in fact, a word.

'Irregardless' has a negative prefix (ir-) and a negative suffix (-less), effectively cancelling out one another and resulting in the same meaning as its root, regard (to esteem or value).  'Irregardless' is not a word; it's a double negative.  And although you may hear native English speakers use it, or you may come across it in an online news article or dictionary, it is not correct.

The correct word to use is regardless, which means no matter what, despite, not taking into account certain conditions or qualities, as in the following news headlines:

• Regardless of age, take the adventure
• Michael Phelps: Star Will Stay Face of US Swimming Regardless of London Results

• It will see ads placed into users news feeds regardless of whether they have 'liked' the firm

Fun or Funny?

Note this common mistake:

We had a funny time on our vacation
We had a fun time on our vacation. 

There is frequent confusion between fun and funny.  Take a look at the differences between these commonly used words:

fun vs. funny

+Funny (adj.) can describe a person or thing that is:

1. comical (haha...!)

I think George Carlin is the funniest American comedian.

2. different

My Japanese students think it's funny how Americans sometimes eat standing up.
3.  strange

Your bathing suit smells funny...did you forget to dry it?

4. interesting
It's funny how time flies, isn't it?

+Fun: describes an event, person or thing that is enjoyable and exciting.  It can be a noun or an adjective:

1.   (noun)

We always have fun when we go surfing. (event)  
2. (adjective)
 I enjoy spending time with my sister-in-law because she's so much fun. (person)
 Barcelona is a fun city, especially during the summer months.  (thing)

Pronunciation: SH vs. CH *This post is great for PORTUGUESE speakers*

The Differences between SH (ʃ) and CH (tʃ)

These two sounds are easily confused, and as you can see above, the phonetic symbols share the same sound (ʃ) except CH has an additional 't' sound (tʃ).  Here are the differences simplified:

SH (ʃ)

• Long, continuous sound
• Tongue barely touches the roof of mouth
• Mouth is slightly closed
• Think: "Shhhh...the baby is sleeping."

CH (tʃ)

• Short, burst of air
• Tongue touches roof of mouth
• Mouth opens quickly
• Think: "Achooo!"..."Bless you." 

Pronunciation Pairs: The following words have the exact same pronunciation except for the SH (ʃ) and CH (tʃ) sounds. 

1. cash--catch
2. chin--shin
3. share--chair
4. She's--cheese
5. sheep--cheap
6. shin--chin
7. ship--chip
8. shock--chalk
9. shoe--chew
10. shopping--chopping
11. washing--watching
12. wish--which

Other Pronunciations of CH:

The English language absorbed words from French that have a ch spelling but are pronounced as SH (ʃ)  Here is some examples:

• brochure
• chagrin
• chalet
• champagne
• chauffeur
• chauvinist
• chef
• Chicago
• machine
• Michigan
• mustache

Click here for a new blog post with even more words and their meanings. 

There are also words in English with a ch spelling that are pronounced like a (k), such as the following:

• character
• charisma
• chaos
• chemical
• chemistry
• chlorine
• Christ
• Christmas

American $$$$ Idioms: 6 Expressions Related to Money

Try to guess the meaning of the following American $$$$ idioms, then check the answers are at the end.

FYI: quarter=25₵, dime=10₵, nickel=5₵, penny=1₵

1.  Starbucks and CVS pharmacies are a dime a dozen in downtown Washington, DC.  There seems to be one on every other block and sometimes even across the street from each other.  It's rare to find a "Mom and Pop" (local, non-corporate) coffee shop.

2.  My friend exchanged a grand in cash before traveling abroad.

3. Nothing particularly special happened today--I went to work, had lunch with my colleagues and went home at 5:00.  I guess it's another day another dime (or dollar).

4.  There is no way I'm going to buy that two-bit piece of IKEA furniture!  I need something that will last for at least 5 years. 

5.  High level executives have assistants who complete their requests at the drop of a dime.

6.  Cell phone contracts are the worst...companies nickel and dime you with service fees and taxes.

1. dime a dozen (adj.): something common, easily found everywhere, not in shortage, ubiquitous,
2. grand (n.): $1,000
3. another day another dime: the usual routine, another day of working and making money
4. two-bit (adj.): very cheap, low quality, worth almost nothing (this term comes from a coin once used in the United States valued at about 25 cents)
5. drop of a dime (adv.): to do something immediately, right away without any question
6. nickel and dime(v.): to charge somebody extra for various fees, expenses, costs

6 (American) Idioms in SILVER

Contexts such as stories, songs, photos, drawings, colors, news headlines, music or whatever captures our interest and imagination make learning easy and help us retain new information.  The following silver idioms are explained in context:

1.  silver lining: the positive side of a negative situation

"Every cloud has a silver lining" is a famous metaphor to express the idea that every negative circumstance or situation has a positive angle. 

British musician David Gray uses this idiom in his song "Silver Lining" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpESwMFyB8w:

Take this silver lining
Keep it in your own sweet head
Shine it when the night is burning red
Shine it in the twilight
Shine it on the cold cold ground
Shine it till these walls come
Tumbling down

2.  (to be) born with a silver spoon in (one's) mouth: a person who comes from a wealthy family/upbringing, somebody who hasn't worked hard for all they have, spoiled.
Note: "one's" is possessive (my, your, his, her, our, their)

Here's a quote from President Obama on the campaign trail:
"I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth. Michelle wasn't, either," the president said to a crowd of 400 students at Lorain County Community College in Elyria, Ohio. “But somebody gave us a chance. Just like these folks up here are looking for a chance.”

3.  the silver screen: the big screen at a movie theater
Note: This popular, Hollywood term comes from the 1920´s when movie house projection screens were painted with a metallic finish, allowing black and white films to reflect more light. 

Here are some recent headlines:
"Gothamites psyched for Batman's silver screen return."
"'Star Trek: The Next Generation' hits the silver screen for one night only."
"Godzilla returning to the silver screen - again."

‎

4.  silver anniversary: celebration of 25 years

Unsurprisingly gifts made of silver are given for this anniversary, among other options...See headline below:

"Wife gives husband a precious gift for silver wedding anniversary - one of her kidneys
 It wasn't a difficult decision, says devoted wife."

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2176067/Wife-gives-husband-precious-gift-silver-wedding-anniversary--kidneys.html#ixzz21k0bwFjZ

5.  silver fox: an attractive gentleman who has silver, grayish hair. 

Actor George Clooney is considered by many to be a silver fox.

6.  silver bullet: a cure-all, easy, instant and effective solution

This idiom made its way into the English language through various fairy tales in which a silver bullet was the only ammunition that could kill werewolves, witches and villains.  Today it's often referenced in advertising campaign (Coors Light beer, the "Silver Bullet") or product names.

"Whether it is losing weight, getting rich or managing government IT, it seems we can’t resist the lure of a silver bullet. The magic pill. The easy answer."
--Washington Technology

MODAL VERBS: English really IS so easy...

Have you ever heard of a MODAL verb?  Check out this list and I'm sure you'll know if not recognize all of the following words:

• can
• could
• will
• would
• may
• might
• shall (outdated and not frequently used other than the expression "Shall we?")
• should
• must

Modal verbs express the "gray area" of language, that is to say, when there is a condition, hypothesis, uncertainty, obligation or when the outcome of a situation is unknown. 

• "I would go to Las Vegas if I had more money."(condition)
• "If everyone had health insurance, the healthcare system would function more effectively. (hypothesis)
• "She may leave early, although it depends on the weather."(uncertainty)
• "I should write a follow up thank you email after the interview." (obligation)

Modal verbs also express ability, permission, polite requests, rules and advice.  Modal verbs give us a way to speak indirect, polite English.

• "He can speak Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, French and a little Japanese." (ability)
• "Can I use the restroom?" (permission)
• "Could you please pass the salt?"  "Give me the salt." (polite request)   
• "You should learn how to speak more languages because it will make you a better candidate in the job market."  (advice)
• "You must not smoke within 300 feet of the entrance of this building." (rule)

...SO, WHY is English so easy?

English is easy because modal verbs (just like regular past tense verbs) do not have conjugations (changes) for singular or plural voices, unlike many other languages in which verbs change with each subject pronoun.  Modal verbs have no conjugation whatsoever; neither the modal verb nor the simple verb changes, as you can see in the following model:

subject pronoun                    +modal                                              +simple verb

(I/You/He/She/It/We/They)     (CAN/ COULD/ WILL/ WOULD...)    ( GO/ DO/ BE/LIKE...) 

As you can see, the modal and simple verbs do not change with the subject pronoun:

Ex.  I will go.  He will go.  They will go.
       Should she pay?  Should I pay?  Should they pay?
       You must not say a word!  She must not say a word!  We must not say a word!

Practicing modal verbs is easy because you never have to conjugate the verb.  Use this to your advantage when speaking English!