Too or Very

Many students are confused about when to use "Too" and

"Very". They think that TOO and VERY can express and convey the same message, but in fact they do not.

TOO usually implies a NEGATIVE meaning while VERY implies a POSITIVE one.

Example:

 - This building is too old. ( It means that I do not like it or to live in it, for example.)

 - This building is very old. ( This means that it suits me and that I am interested in old buildings, for example.)


Similary, when someone wants to say that he/she worked all the day and that he/she is tired and needs rest, it is better to use the word "too":
- I am too tired. 


Using the word "very" is the same situation, in the other hand,  may convey another message:


- Amal is very tired. ( This means that the speaker is happy because Amal is tired in a way that he/she likes to see Amal in such a situiation). 
Here are more examples:

- The movie is too realistic. (more than it should be :( )

- The movie is very realistic. (good)

- The room is too hot.(not suitable :( )

- The room is very hot. ( suitable)

- He is too smart. ( much more than needed :( )

- He is very smart. (we like him)




Good luck. We will be back soon with exercises ^_^.

Read more...

Study or Learn

Study and learn are two different words. We can use them in the same context but the meaning

will change.

We usually study in order to learn. Let's have an example: 

I studied a lot last night. 

I learned a lot last night.

The first sentence means that I read a lot but it does not necessary  mean that I learned something from my study. 

The second sentence means that I gained knowledge, I gained new information and understood it well.

So,

To study means to read, memorize facts , attend school,..... in order to learn something.

To learn means to gain knowledge or skill by studying, practicing, experiencing something, being taught,.... 

Examples: 

• We studied how to solve such mathematical problem .
• We  learned how to solve such mathematical problem .

The people in the first sentence mean that they studied at school how to solve such mathematical problems, but it is not necessary that they can solve it now because they might not understand. 

In the second sentence they mean that they can solve such them because they understood that well and are able to do it now.

• I learned cooking. 

In this sentence, the person tries to say that she/he can cook well because she/he, maybe, watched their mothers cooking and practiced it. They gained the skill of cooking. 

It is better to say I want to learn English than I want to study English because we want to understand it well and use it.

Read more...

Every day vs. Everyday

You can do it !

Every day (as two separate words ) is completely different from everyday (as one word).

Let's have a look at the following sentences to understand WHEN and WHERE to use these two words; every day and everyday:

1 - My friends and I go to the cinema Every day. 

2 - Going to the cinema is an everyday activity. 

As we see, in the first sentence Every day is used to mean each day while in the second sentence everyday was used to mean daily.

SoEvery day is an adverbial phrase of time used to show that the action happens each day. Everyday, on the other hand functions as an adjective that describes a noun.

Examples: 

1.    The weather forecast calls for rain every day of this week. ( adverbial phrase )

2.    Everyday occurrences don't upset Joe much.(adjective )

3.    I see him every day on my way to work. ( adverbial phrase )

4.    This is not unusual; it's part of her everyday routine. (adjective )

5.    She follows the same routine every day.( adverbial phrase )

EXERCISE                          CHECK ANSWER

Read more...