Showing posts with label Common Mistakes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Common Mistakes. Show all posts

Saturday, 28 May 2016

stop to do something vs. stop doing something

Most of us used to study the grammatical point of gerund and infinitive but it is difficult to remember all if we do not use them frequently. That is the reason why I blog them here the differences between stop to do something and stop doing something as an introductory example. It is one of the verbs that the following it is can be V-ing or an infinitive.

Stop somebody/something: not move

to make somebody/something no longer move: làm cho ai đó hoặc cái gì không di chuyển nữa. Đây là nghĩa thông thương của động từ STOP. Hãy xem những ví dụ sau:
  • The car stopped at the traffic lights.
    Chiếc xe hơi dừng tại đèn báo hiệu giao thông.
  • Ann stopped in front of the house.
    Anne dừng trước ngôi nhà.
  • This train doesn't stop at Oxford.
    Tàu này không dừng ở Oxford.
  • We stopped for the night in Port Augusta.
    Chúng tôi dừng một đêm ở Port Augusta.

Stop to do something

We use this form to indicate that someone stops doing something in order to do something else. Chúng ta sử dụng dạng này để nói rằng một ai đó dừng làm việc gì đó để mà làm một việc khác. Có thể suy ra, việc dừng làm việc trước kia chỉ là tạm thời để làm việc khác một lát, ví dụ nghỉ tay, uống nước và tiếp tục công việc.

  • On the way to Edinburgh, we stopped to look at an old castle.
    (We are travelling, then we stopped our journey in order to look at the old castle. Chúng tôi đang đi du lịch, nên chúng tôi đã dừng lại trên hành trình để thăm một lâu đài cổ)
  • We stopped to have something to eat. Chúng tôi dừng để ăn uống.

Stop doing something

We use this form to indicate that something is no longer continuing. Chúng ta dùng dạng này để chỉ ra rằng một thứ gì đó không còn tiếp tục nữa (dừng hẳn)
  • It's stopped raining. Let's go for a walk.
    Trời vừa lạnh. Chúng ta hãy đi tản bộ nào.
    (It was raining, but not any more. Trời đã mưa trước đó, nhưng bây giờ không còn nữa)
  • We've stopped using plastic bags in supermarkets. We take our own bags with us now when we go shopping.
    Chúng tôi không còn sử dụng các túi nhựa ở siêu thị nữa. Bây giờ chúng tôi mang theo những chiếc túi của mình mỗi khi chúng tôi đi chợ.

Stop somebody/something from doing/happening

Cấu trúc này rất phổ biến. Ý nghĩa của nó là: dừng ai/ngăn đó/cái gì đó làm gì/xảy ra
  • A broken leg won't stop me from going to the concert.
    Một chân bị thương sẽ không thể ngăn tối đi tới buổi hòa nhạc.
  • There's nothing to stop you from asking him. He might agree.
    Không có cách nào ngăn bạn hỏi anh ta. Anh ấy có thể đồng ý.
  • I can't stop her from running away.
    Tôi không thể ngăn cô ấy chạy khỏi.
  • They couldn't stop themselves from eating.
    Họ không thể ngừng ăn.

Reference

  1. See the definition of the form Stop doing something,
    http://www.macmillandictionary.com/thesaurus-category/british/To-stop-doing-something
  2. Stop + -ing form or to-infinitive, http://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/verb-patterns/stop-ing-form-or-to-infinitive

Tuesday, 12 January 2016

Mistakes with HERE AND THERE

When we talk about places and location, use " here' and " there".  Here and there usually come after subject, or at the end of the sentence.
Examples:

I like Vietnam because the people here are always polite.
The weather there is beautiful
The weather is beautiful there.

Here and there at the beginning of a sentence when we introduce something.
For example: 

Here's the most important thing.
Here's my favourite thing in the world.
There's Jack
Only use " in here" and " in there" in one situation that's when two people are talking together directly and see that something contains something else.

For examples:
There's Whisky in here (in bottle)
My girlfriend is sleeping in there ( that room)

Friday, 22 August 2014

Affect vs. Effect

Affect and effect are two words that are commonly confused.

affect is usually a verb (action) - effect is usually a noun (thing)

Hint: If it's something you're going to do, use "affect." If it's something you've already done, use "effect."
To affect something or someone.

Meaning: to influence, act upon, or change something or someone.

For example: The noise outside affected my performance.

The use of "effect" as a verb is what causes the most confusion between these two words.

To have an effect on something or someone.

!Note: effect is followed by the preposition on and preceded by an article (an, the)

Meaning: to have an impact on something or someone.

For example: His smile had a strange effect on me.

!Effect can also mean "the end result".

For example: The drug has many adverse side effects.

!Note - Just remember: "affect" = to influence, and "effect" = to bring about.

Rules from http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/affect
affectverb = ‘to have an influence on somebody/something’:Does television affect children’s behaviour? It is not a noun.effectnoun = ‘result, influence’:Does television have an effect on children’s behaviour?effectverb is quite rare and formal and means ‘to achieve or produce’. They hope to effect a reconciliation.

References

http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/affect
http://www.learnenglish.de/mistakes/affectvseffect.html

Sunday, 17 August 2014

Using SO and NEITHER in agreeing


Trong văn nói khi bạn muốn trả lời đồng ý/không đồng ý với phát biểu của người đối thoại, có cách đơn giản sau đây:

SO

So is used to agree with an affirmative statement made by, or concerning, another person.
Example:
Speaker A : I like chocolate.
Speaker B : So do I.
A : I speak English.
B : So does Peter.
(Peter speaks English too.)
Tom is hungry.
So is Mary.
(Mary is hungry too.)
Jane can swim.
So can Julie.
(Julie can swim too.)
We have got a dog.
So have our parents.
(Our parents have got a dog too.)

NEITHER

Neither is used to agree with a negative statement made by, or concerning, another person.
Example: 
Speaker A : I don't speak Chinese.
Speaker B : Neither do I. (=I don't speak Chinese either.)
A: Tom doesn't work here. Peter isn't tired. I can't cook. Mary doesn't have a ticket.
B: Neither do I/Me neither.
(I don't work here either.)
Neither is Tom/Me neither.
(Tom isn't tired either.)
Neither can I/Me neither.
(I can't cook either.)
Neither do I/Me neither.
(I don't have a ticket either.)
------------------------------------------
A: I don't like my teacher.
B: Me too. SAI!
Me neither. ĐÚNG!

A: I dislike my teacher.
B: Me neither. SAI!
Me too. ĐÚNG!

Wednesday, 13 August 2014

I agree or I don't agree

I'm agree: incorrect!

Correctly: I agree or I don't agree!

Example:
[1] I completely agree with you.
[2] We agreed on this issue.
[3] He agreed to join me for the movie.
[4] He agreed to my demands.