Too, Very, Fewer, Less, Little, Few and a Little, a Bit

A.

Learn the following adjectives which are used informally and which mean very good and very bad. Note that they all have very common adjectival endings:

Very good:

• Fabulous
• Tremendous
• Marvelous
• Stupendous
• Amazing breathtaking
• Outstanding
• Smashing
• Fantastic wonderful
• Magnificent

Very bad:

• Awful dreadful
• Frightful
• Shocking
• Revolting
• Appalling
• Hideous
• Monstrous

Before, Enough – Sufficient & Adequate

A.

‘Before’ – any time before now

Before means: at some unknown time before now. It does not say when. Therefore we would say:

I know that chap. I’ve met him somewhere before. Have you been here before? ~ No, I’ve never been here before. This is my first time.

‘Ago’ – at a certain time before now

Ago tells us how long before the present time something happened. It tells us when and gives us a time or a date. Because we are referring to a specific time in the past, the simple past is used:

Miss, Rise or Raise & Drive or Ride

A.

Miss

1. There are a number of shades of meaning when miss means ‘fail to make contact with’. Compare the following:

• If you’re not careful you’ll miss the flight and there isn’t another till next week.
• Is Jenny still here? ~ You’ve just missed her. She left five minutes ago.
• He cored four goals, but then he missed a penalty.
• The bullet just missed my head. It whizzed past my ear and embedded itself in the wall.
• No, you’ve missed the point. Bobby gave her the money. He didn’t want it back.
• The railway station is right at the end of this road. You can’t miss it!

Assure – Ensure – Insure

A.

Assure – ensure – insure

1. If you assure someone that something is true or will happen, you tell them that it is definitely true or will happen, often in order to make them less worried. We often use such phrases as I can assure you or let me assure you in order to emphasize the truth of what we are saying:

• Let me assure you that the children will be totally safe on this adventure holiday.
• I can assure you that the children will be totally safe on this adventure holiday.

Remind, Remember, Recall

A.

House and Home

House describes a particular type of building. Home is the place where you live and feel that you belong to.

Compare the following:

‘Most people in India live in semi-detached houses.

‘We’re going to buy Tony a doll’s house for Christmas.’

Use of While, Used (to) Need, Dare

A. While is used to mean –

1. During the time that, as long as;

            While he was sleeping, an enemy attached him.

            While there is life there is hope.

2. At the same time that;

            The girls sang while the boys played

            While he found fault, he also praised.

3. Whereas;

            While I have no money to spend, you have nothing to spend on.

            While this is true of some, it is not true of all.

B. USED (TO) expresses a discontinued habit.

I used to live there when I was a boy.