Understanding and Using English Grammar & Fundamentals of English Grammar – Book Review

Understanding and Using English Grammar

by Betty S. Azar and Stacy A. Hagen
&
Fundamentals of English Grammar

by Betty S. Azar and Stacy A. Hagen

Do you want to learn English? If so, Understanding and Using English Grammar and Fundamentals of English Grammar are definitely for you. To be honest, in terms of English, these books are my "first love"; they are "the alpha" of my English journey. I learned A LOT from these books. Betty and Stacy explain every language point simply and clearly, with lovable tables and drawings. These books are also comprehensible, making them remarkable references. I didn't read much of Basic English Grammar, which is intended for lower-level learners, but it must be as good as these incredible books. Highly recommended for those who really want to learn English!

Click here to buy the fifth edition of Understanding and Using English Grammar.

Have you read Understanding and Using English Grammar and Fundamentals of English Grammar? What do you think of them? Share your opinion in the comment section below! Continue reading..

We Are Killers

"We?" "Do you mean 'you and your friends'?" This is what might be in your head now. But "we" here means "you and I". Yeah, YOU and I. How come? Okay, let's go to the explanation.

You might think kill means "to make someone die by stabbing them with a knife, shooting their head with a gun, pushing them from the top of a fourteen-story building, twisting their head powerfully, etc." BUT if you think more deeply, you'll find out something else.

To kill is to reduce someone's lifespan. It does NOT matter what means you use. In other words, When you are making someone's life shorter, actually you are killing them.

When you are smoking beside someone, you are producing gas that is destroying some of their cells. Maybe 200.000 or 300.005 cells. Numbers don't matter. You are killing them.

When you are running a red light, you are probably making someone (more) emotional. They probably just got a problem at the office, so you are adding insult to injury. When they arrive at home, they will probably wreak their anger on their spouse or children or anyone else. They will probably do harm to them. You are probably reducing one-billionth of their life. You are killing them.

When you are littering, you are probably contributing to flood that kisses off people. You are killing them.

When you are not giving an old man your seat on a bus... Okay, you know it.

I believe you can find many more examples. And yes, we are killers. Continue reading..

Me, Me, and Me!

I had some experience some time ago and it triggered me to share it here. I can't remember the details of the experience, but the point is I focused on myself and didn't pay attention to anyone around me. In other words, I regarded myself as the "king of the universe". What's the result? Unhappiness, stress, dissatisfaction.

Ego. Everyone has it. Don't deny that.

So, is it bad to have an ego? The simple answer is "no".

Ego is important. If you didn't have an ego, you would probably die soon because you wouldn't eat and would give all of your food to other people instead. You would be stressful too because you would spend your spare time to work and work and, therefore, drain yourself.

However, if you have an enormous ego, you must be careful. If now you are not contented, if you are feeling there is something missing, if you think you have everything but it is not "enough", perhaps you ego is beyond the limit.

Then, what should you do? You could follow the steps below as a start:
1. Look at someone around you.
2. Put yourself in their shoes.
3. Think about something that you can do for them to improve their life quality.
4. Do it.

Note: If you don't know what you can do for them, give your best smile, which you certainly can do, to them.

Caring is a good medicine. No side effects. Believe me.

To end this article, here is an utterance from my friend: "If you care for other people, you don't need to care for yourself." Agree? Continue reading..

Little Love

Why do you often—or always?—buy things only for yourself? Because you have little love.

Why are you so furious that someone pokes you by accident on a bus? Because you have little love.

Why do you eat anything you want and not take care of your body? Because you have little love.

Why do you cheat when doing tests and say that it is okay because you are still a student? Because you have little love.

Why do you arrive late at the office and do your job frivolously? Because you have little love.

Why do you say bad things about your boss or your colleagues? Because you have little love.

Why do you spend five hours playing DotA but become angry when your mother interrupts and asks you to buy something for her? Because you have little love.

Why do you flirt with another girl while your girlfriend is in the restroom of a mall? Because you have little love.

Why are you so excited about going to Plaza Indonesia to buy branded bags and shoes but mad at your boyfriend when he says he can't take you home? Because you have little love.

Why do you cheat on your wife, who you married several years ago and who thought you were her Mr. Right—and thinks you are? Because you have little love.

Why do you frown when you see your husband coming home but smile when you watch Lee Min-ho acting in a Korean drama? Because you have little love.

Why did you abort your baby and say that it was your choice? Because you have little love.

Why do you prefer hanging out all day with your friends to accompanying and talking with your lonely grandparents for a short period of time? Because you have little love.

Why do you bully your juniors and say that it is a way to educate them? Because you have little love.

Why do you run a red light and not feel guilty? Because you have little love.

Why do you prefer to spend your money on five bottles of beer rather than using it to buy forty bottles of water for the poor? Because you have little love.

Why do you not say sorry if you hurt your friend's heart but slap your brother for messing up your room? Because you have little love.

Why do you not say thanks when you are helped out but grumble when your friend doesn't offer cookies to you? Because you have little love.

Why is it easy to read a comic book in half an hour but so hard to read a few Bible pericopes in an hour? Because you have little love.

Why is it very hard to go to church and spend one hour praying but so easy to go to the disco and spend seven hours dancing? Because you have little love.

Why do you not pray every day although each day is given free by God? Because you have little love.

Why do you not want to do good things and become a better person after reading this article? Because you have little love. Continue reading..

Quote #11

"Buy books that you need. Read books that you buy." - Klinsman Hinjaya

Continue reading..

12 Common English Mistakes That Indonesians Make

First of all, this list of 12 mistakes is based on my experience. I encounter Indonesians every day (of course! I'm an Indonesian) and I've found these to be common among them. Secondly, I hope that it will be useful for English-learning Indonesians—and perhaps other English learners as well. Lastly, enjoy it!

1. infinitives everywhere
There are many kinds and forms of verbs in English. Indonesians tend to use infinitives on almost every occasion.

Examples:
• Erick go to school every day. (should be Erick goes...)
• She have dinner with her boyfriend at Sushi Tei Central Park yesterday. (should be She had dinner...)
• Berry want to play basketball this evening. (should be Berry wants...)

2. be + infinitive
Be forms are commonly found with infinitives. They tend to "stick together".

Examples:
• I am like to read romance novels. (should be I like to...)
• Last Friday I was bring some food to Tony. (should be Last Friday I brought ...)

3. more + short adjective + -er
Indonesians often struggle when it comes to short comparatives.

Examples:
• Elephants are more bigger than humans. (should be Elephants are bigger...)
• Kobe Bryant is more taller than Jay Chou. (should be Kobe Bryant is taller...)
• Benny is more busier than Santi. (should be Benny is busier...)
• Papayas are more healthier than beer. (should be Papayas are healthier...)

4. wh-questions
- wrong auxiliary position

Examples:
• Why you are wearing jeans? (should be Why are you...)
• Why you haven't put down the guitar yet? (should be Why haven't you...)
• Why she bought that medicine? (should be Why did she buy...)

- no auxiliaries

Examples:
• Why she walking around the park? (should be Why is she walking...)
• Why Carol eat last night? (should be Why did Carol eat...)

5. adjective + with
"With" is not combined with some adjectives.

Examples:
• Richard is different with my father. (should be Richard is different from/than (US)/to (Brit)...)
• Jane's car is similar with Rocky's. (should be Jane's car is similar to...)
• My book is same with his. (should be My book is the same as...)
• Victoria Beckham is married with David Beckham. (should be Victoria Beckham is married to...)
However, you can say "Victoria Beckham is married with four children."

6. silent t in words ending with -st, -nt and -ct, and silent k in words ending with -nk
Indonesians tend not to pronounce the last t in words ending in -st and -nt.

Examples:
• "Fast" is pronounced /'fæs/ (US) or /'fɑːs/ (Brit). (should be pronounced /'fæst/ (US) or /'fɑːst/ (Brit))
• "First" is pronounced /'fɚs/. (should be pronounced /'fɚst/)
• "List" is pronounced /'lɪs/. (should be pronounced /'lɪst/)
• "Sent" is pronounced /'sɛn/. (should be pronounced /'sɛnt/)
• "Mint" is pronounced /'mɪn/. (should be pronounced /'mɪnt/)
• "Want" is pronounced /'wɑːn/. (should be pronounced /'wɑːnt/)
• "Act" is pronounced /'æk/. (should be pronounced /'ækt/)
• "Fact" is pronounced /'fæk/. (should be pronounced /'fækt/)
• "Effect" is pronounced /ɪ'fɛk/. (should be pronounced /'ɪ'fɛkt/)
• "Expect" is pronounced /ɛk'spɛk/. (should be pronounced /ɪk'spɛkt/)

In addition, they tend not to pronounce the last k in words ending in -nk.

Examples:
• "Bank" is pronounced /'bæŋ/. (should be pronounced /'bæŋk/)
• "Link" is pronounced /'lɪŋ/. (should be pronounced /'lɪŋk/)
• "Sink" is pronounced /'sɪŋ/. (should be pronounced /'sɪŋk/)
• "Tank" is pronounced /'tæŋ/. (should be pronounced /'tæŋk/)

7. wrong pronunciation of words ending in -sk
Indonesians tend to pronounce /k/ and then /s/ in words ending in -sk. Sometimes the /k/ is silent.

Examples:
• "Ask" is pronounced /'æks/ or /'æs/ (US), or /'ɑːks/ or /'ɑ:s/ (Brit). (should be pronounced /'æsk/ (US) or /'ɑːsk/ (Brit))
• "Disk" is pronounced /'dɪks/ or /'dɪs/. (should be pronounced /'dɪsk/)
• "Risk" is pronounced /'rɪks/ or /'rɪs/. (should be pronounced /'rɪsk/)
• "Task" is pronounced /'tæks/ or /'tæs/ (US), or /'tɑːks/ or /'tɑ:s/ (Brit). (should be pronounced /'tæsk/ (US) or /'tɑːsk/ (Brit))

8. th sounds (/θ/ and /ð/)
Th is often pronounced /t/ when it should be pronounced /θ/, and it is often pronounced /d/ when it should be pronounced /ð/.

Examples:
• "Bath" is pronounced /'bæt/ (US) or /'bɑ:t/ (Brit). (should be pronounced /'bæθ/ (US) or /'bɑ:θ/ (Brit))
• "Thick" is pronounced /'tɪk/. (should be pronounced /'θɪk/)
• "Thin" is pronounced /'tɪn/. (should be pronounced /'θɪn/)
• "This" is pronounced /'dɪs/. (should be pronounced /'ðɪs/)
• "That" is pronounced /'dæt/. (should be pronounced /'ðæt/)
• "Then" is pronounced /'dɛn/. (should be pronounced /'ðɛn/)
• "With" is pronounced /'wɪt/. (should be pronounced /'wɪθ/ or /'wɪð/)

9. /v/ sound
Indonesians are not accustomed to pronouncing /v/. They often use /f/ instead of /v/.

Examples:
• "Give" is pronounced /'gɪf/. (should be pronounced /'gɪv/)
• "Live" is pronounced /'lɪf/. (should be pronounced /'lɪv/)
• "Verb" is pronounced /'fɚb/. (should be pronounced /'vɚb/)
• "Very" is pronounced /'feri/. (should be pronounced /'veri/)

10. pronounced gh
When gh should be silent, it is pronounced /g/.

Examples:
• "Eight" is pronounced /'eɪgt/. (should be pronounced /'eɪt/)
• "High" is pronounced /'haɪg/. (should be pronounced /'haɪ/)
• "Right" is pronounced /'raɪgt/. (should be pronounced /'raɪt/)
• "Weight" is pronounced /'weɪgt/. (should be pronounced /'weɪt/)

11. pronounced w in words beginning with wr-
When w should be silent in wr- words, it is pronounced.

Examples:
• "Write" is pronounced /'wraɪt/. (should be pronounced /'raɪt/)
• "Wrong" is pronounced /'wrɑːŋ/. (should be pronounced /'rɑːŋ/)

12. strong forms
Indonesians tend to use strong forms when they are not normally used.

Examples:
• Can you swim?
"Can" here is pronounced /'kæn/ (strong form). (should be pronounced /kən/ (weak form))
• I think I will make a cup of coffee.
"Will" here is pronounced /'wɪl/ (strong form). (should be pronounced /wəl/ (weak form)) Continue reading..

Spoil

About two weeks ago I was eating a portion of ketoprak at my granny's. And—no, no, it hadn't spoiled. I'm talking about something that's completely different.

One of my cousins, a six-year-old girl, wanted to get a cracker from my ketoprak. I refused to give it to her because she was spoiled rotten (now you've got it!). She was angry and tried to get it from me. However, I managed to "save" my beloved crackers from her, temporarily. Some time later, when I was not attentive, she grabbed, not one, but some crackers! If I had a T. rex... Okay, let's move on to the next point.

In the beginning, I was really mad at her. But when I thought more deeply, I realized that the child was just a "victim". As far as I am concerned, her parents are so "soft". They don't dare to give her punishments—educating ones, of course. That's what I regret.

Parents are the ones who, above all, must educate their children well. They must lead them to a good, balanced life. In school, teachers do teach children but the role of parents is undoubtedly incredibly essential. There are some things that children don't get/learn from school.

Children are successors. They will be the next leaders, the people who will take our legacy. Sooner or later they will replace us in this world. Can you imagine how would it be if this world were ruled by the spoiled?

I'm sorry, Doraemon. :p Continue reading..