Hello dear Colleagues

This is some nice topics to be shared for ESL or English Student Learner

Already - still - always - yet Usage


ALREADY
Already is used to say that something has happened earlier than expected or
earlier than it might have happened. :

Hurry up Susan. Breakfast is ready!
I've already had breakfast thanks. I woke up early.

STILL
Still is used to refer to continuing situations.
They've been married for 40 years and they still love each other.
I moved to this town five years ago and I'm still living here.

ALWAYS
Always is used to refer to something that happens regularly.
I always send cards at Christmas.
Sue always takes the 8 o'clock train to work.

YET
Yet is used to ask if something expected has happened
Has the postman arrived yet?

To say that something expected hasn't happened.
The book I ordered hasn't arrived yet.


-2-

(Although - even though / Despite - in spite of)

Although/even though and despite/in spite of are used
to combine or link two contrasting statements.

Although/even though are followed by a subject and a verb :
Although/even though it was raining, he walked to the station.
Although/even though he had enough money, he refused to buy a new car.

Despite/in spite of are followed by a noun, a pronoun or a verb ending in -ing.
Despite/in spite of the rain he walked to the station.
He noticed the rain but he walked to the station in spite of it.
Despite being wet and tired, he walked to the station.

Despite/in spite of have the same meaning, but despite is used without 'of'.


Example : He had enough money. He refused to buy a new car.

The above two statements can be combined as follows :
Although/even though he had enough money, he refused to buy a new car.
Despite/in spite of having enough money he refused to buy a new car.
He had enough money, but despite/in spite of that he refused to buy a new car.

To be continued it will be updated every now and then

FOR - DURING - WHILE


For, during and while are used in time expressions.


FOR
For is followed by a length of time : for one hour.
It answers the question : How long?

I have been standing here for 10 minutes.
Tony is going to San Francisco for a week.
My parents lived in London for 2 years.


DURING
During is followed by a noun.
It means 'throughout the period' or 'in the course of' an action or event.

During the summer I go to the beach as often as possible.
Exercises were given to us during the lesson.
The bank was robbed during the night.


WHILE
While is followed by a subect and a verb.
It means 'during the time that an action was taking place'.

They held hands while they were watching the film..
The students took notes while the teacher was speaking.
We'll collect some seashells while we're walking on the beach

Say - Tell


SAY

Say is used to report someone's words.

She said "I'm thirsty. I'd like a glass of water."
She said (that) she was thirsty and would like a glass of water..


Say is followed by 'to' before the object :
Did she actually say that to you?


Say is used to ask about languages :
Do you know how to say 'water' in Spanish?



We say :
'hello', goodbye', 'please', 'thank you', 'congratulations',
'Merry Christmas', 'Happy New Year', 'Happy Birthday'.



TELL



Tell is used to inform or instruct :


Could you tell me the way to the station please?
Tell the children to go to bed!



Tell is followed directly by the object :
Did she tell you her name?



Tell is used for narration :
Tom has always been very good at telling stories.



We tell :

the time, our name, how to do something, the truth, a lie, a secret, a story, the difference between two things.