How to use the word 'NO' in English - All levels

"NO"

When do we use the word 'no'? Well, not as often as you would think!

For a start it isn't considered polite in English to say 'No' as an answer to a question... you will usually hear locals say.. "Not really" or "I don't think so" or "I'd rather not"or "No thank you."

'No' can be used to compare  "The weather is no better today than it was yesterday."

'Any" or 'No' different
"This place is no different from any other place I've lived... why is it so expensive?"

'No good' or 'No use'
"The film was no good" "This computer is no use. Its so slow!"

Other examples with 'No'

No doubt; "I have no doubt in my mind... you will pass your exams."

No longer; "I no longer feel the need to go out as often as I used to."

No matter who; "No matter who knocks on the door... do not let them in!"

No more;  "No more sweets for you young man! Your teeth will rot!"

No need for; "There is no need for all this fuss, I'll be fine once I've had a good night's sleep."

No problem; "I'll sort it out for you... No problem!"

iFriendly will be touring New Zealand and Australia for the entire month of January 2015.

English Christmas Food - B2+

Christmas day is just around the corner... 

If you would like to prepare an English dish for this special occasion, look no further!

Here are some of my favourite Christmas recipes;

Jamie Oliver is my favourite chef, I love this man! He has single handily changed British cooking, not just in your own kitchen but also our school food has been revamped as a result, swapping unhealthy cheap food, for good wholesome food at a low cost.

http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/turkey-recipes/the-best-turkey-in-the-world/

Gordon Ramsey, he's a dude... a little hot tempered, but he's a cool guy and surprisingly short too!
I saw him once, walking down the street in Brighton.
Feast your eyes on his cooking tips for Christmas day... The Pumpkin Soup looks scrumptious!

http://brandonmotzlm.hubpages.com/hub/gordon-ramsay-ultimate-christmas-recipes

Desserts;

Mince pies... 'Sorry? Did you say mince? But isn't that meat from a cow?' Nope, mince pies are sweet and delicious!  I hope I will be able to find them in New Zealand, cause there aren't any in this town!

Take a look at this video...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDA60XAW7yo

Coming up next... Christmas Vocabulary!

A cheerful world - All levels

The word 'cheer' is really quite versatile.... 

You may be currently experiencing some Christmas cheer! Meaning that you must be enjoying the holiday season, or the Christmas spirit, etc.

Phrasal verbs with cheer....

Cheer on; to physically encourage someone by clapping, shouting, cheering them on... "I'll be here to cheer you on when the match starts." Cheerleaders do this for a living!

Cheer up; when someone looks sad, we want them to smile. "Cheer up! It's not the end of the world"

Now, for other forms of cheer

Cheerful; Somebody can be cheerful or happy, or they can sound cheerful.  "Jo, you're always so cheerful these days."

Cheerless; The opposite to cheerful, sad.  "What a cheerless crowd of people."

Homework - B1+

Try and write your own sentences with the above words/ phrasal verbs.

Write them down in the comments section and I will check the sentences for you.

Homework B2 +

Can you find any other forms of cheer? 
Look up some synonyms and try to write some sentences.

Homework C1 +

Exam Tip; Use of English can be tough at this level, why not create a table on excel and list all the nouns you learn and their different forms? i.e Adjectives, adverbs, verbs, etc.

Would you like to improve your listening and speaking skills in English? If so, I am offering online classes... Why don't you try a class? The first one is free! Please contact Lisa lis.j.grant@gmail.com.

The puzzling world of idioms -Part 5 C1 +

Expressing anger...

Anger is a powerful emotion, it has the potential to take over your mind and body and transform you into a real life Hulk! http://marvel.com/comics/issue/52750/thanos_vs_hulk_2014_1
Anger is ugly, it affects you, and others who have had the misfortune to be around when it strikes... Although, from the outside, looking back on all the times I've seen others get angry, it does look rather funny.  And I'm sure if I saw myself have a kind of tantrum, it would look rather silly...

Idioms to express anger

To blow a gasket; This is part of a car engine, which is compressed, the gasket seals in the internal combustion. If the gasket blows then you could probably imagine the size of the explosion!
Example: "Your boyfriend blew a complete gasket when I told him what we did... I'm not going near him again when he gets angry!"
What does a gasket look like? Click on the link.
http://www.renault4.co.uk/gordini-head-gasket.htm

To have a conniption fit; This has to be my favourite one. I like using this to describe my own situations. Example: "I almost had a conniption fit when I found out they had in fact, robbed me blind!" A fit, can also be used on its own to describe an angry episode or even an epileptic fit (I do hope you don't suffer from epilepsy).

Vocabulary

tantrum; (noun) to become very angry and unreasonable.

seals in; (phrasal verb) to close with, lock in.

Further study...

Do you know any angry idioms? What are they?

Have a go at describing an angry person you know or even yourself when you are angry.  Can you do this in English?

Would you like to improve your listening and speaking skills in English? If so, I am offering online classes... Why don't you try a class? The first one is free! Please contact Lisa lis.j.grant@gmail.com.