10 reasons computers must be Males

Top 10 reasons computers must be male:

10. They have a lot of data but are still clueless.

9. A better model is always just around the corner.

8. They look nice and shiny until you bring them home.

7. It is always necessary to have a backup.

6. They'll do whatever you say if you push the right buttons.

5. The best part of having either one is the games you can play.

4. In order to get their attention, you have to turn them on.

3. The lights are on but nobody's home.

2. Big power surges knock them out for the night.

1. Size does matter.

Slang voc

scoff: to eat.

screw up: to make a mistake.

screw-up: a person who makes a mistake.

scum (offensive] - a despicable individual.

shades - sunglasses.

shag [slightly offensive] - to make love.

shagged-out - to feel tired.

shed-load - a huge amount.

shite - milder variation of the word shit.

shitfaced [slightly offensive] - very drunk.

shithead [slightly offensive]: a stupid, impolite person.

skint - to have no money.

skosh - a little bit.

slapper [offensive] - a loose or easy woman.

smeghead - an idiot.

snog - to kiss.

snookered: cheated, stuck.

solid (1): really good; cool.solid (2): consecutive.

specs: eyeglasses.

split: to leave.

spunk [offensive] (1): semen spunk (2): spirit.spunk (3): an attractive man.

stoned: drunk from drugs or alcohol.

stunner - a very good looking woman.

street smart: knowledgeable about city life.

strewth : exclamation.

(I'll be) stuffed : expression of surprise

suck: to be bad and unacceptable.

sunnies : sunglasses.

swagman : tramp.

sweet - excellent, cool.

ta - thanks.

tacky - something of poor taste or style.

tanked (up) - to get very drunk.

tea leaf - Rhyming Slang for thief.

telly - television.

thick as shit [offensive]- very stupid.

thick as two short planks [offensive] - very stupid.

thingo : Wadjamacallit, thingummy, whatsit, something you don't know the name of!

thou: thousand.

threads: clothing.

ticker (1): the heart. ticker (2): a watch.

tiddly - slightly drunk.

toss-pot [slightly offensive] - idiot.

totally: really; completely.

to the max: maximum.

troll - an ugly girl.

(the) trots - diarrhoea.

trouble and strife - Rhyming Slang for 'wife'.

trout [offensive] - unattractive woman.

turn-off: something that repulses a person.

umpteen: many; countless.

up for it - to be willing to have a good time.

up the duff - to be pregnant.

Uncle Tom Cobley and all - a phrase meaning 'everyone'.

uptight: nervous; anxious.

veg out : relax in front of the TV (like a vegetable).

wad: a lot of money.

wanker - an idiot or an unpleasant person.

wasted: killed.

weed (1): marijuana.

weed (2): someone who is weak.

wheels: car; motorcycle.

whiz: someone who shows a special talent for something.

wicked - excellent, cool.

wimp: weak; feeble.

wimpy: weak.

wind up - to tease.

winks: sleep.

wuss : coward.

x-rated - pornographic.

yabber : talk (a lot).

Yank: an American.

yob - a horrible or uncouth young man.

zeds - sleep.

zero - an unimportant person.

zilch - nothing.

zip (1) -nothing. zip (2) - energy; vigor.

zip it - shut up.

zit: pimple; acne.

Slang voc

off your face - to be very drunk.

out of your tree - crazy, drunk or stoned.

pad: someone's home.

pants (1) - an exclamation of frustration.pants (2) - bad or rubbish.

party: celebrate.

party animal: someone that loves parties.

paws: hands.

peanuts: very little money.

pee: to urinate.

pickled: drunk.

pig out: eat too much.

pigs ear: to make a mistake with something.

piss [slightly offensive] - to urinate.

pissed - drunk.

pissed (off): angry; upset.

piss-head - a habitual drinker or alcoholic.

piss-up - a big drinking session.

plank - an idiot.

plastered: drunk.

plonker - an idiot.

pad: someone's home.

plonk (1) : cheap wine plonk (2): sit down - as in "plonk your arse down there".

poop [offensive]: defecation; shit.

poop out: get tired and quit.

postie : postman.

pot: marijuana.

prezzy : present, gift.

pro - someone who's good at something; professional.

psycho: crazy person.

puke: vomit.

pumped (up): excited.

queer [slightly offensive] - a homosexual.

rabbit - talk.

racket (1): noise. racket (2): an occupation. racket (3): something that's dishonest or deceptive.

rat: a despicable person.

rat-arsed - drunk.

rear (end): buttocks.

(a) riot - something or someone very funny.

rip off (1): stealing. rip off (2): fraud.

ripper : great, fantastic.

rocking: great; excellent.

roll up - a hand rolled cigarette.

rosie lee - tea.

rubbish: nonsense; not true.

ruck - a fight.

rug - wig, toupee.

rug rat: a child.

rum - odd, strange.

runs, the: diarrhoea

Slang voc

icky: unpleasant.

I.D.: identification.

iffy - dubious, doubtful.

I'm outta here: I'm leaving; I'm departing.

in: fashionable.

ivories: teeth.

jack around: waste time.

jam (1): trouble. jam (2): improvise (musically).

jamming, to be : going well.

jammy - lucky.

jerk: stupid or annoying person.

jock: someone good at sports.

K : a thousand.

keep your hair on - "keep calm".

kick back: relax and enjoy.

kick the bucket: die.

kip - sleep.

knackered - exhausted.

knees up - party.

knock: condemn, criticise.

knockout: beautiful woman; handsome man.

knock back : refusal (noun), refuse (transitive verb).

kook: peculiar person.

kraut [slightly offensive] - German

laid back: relaxed; calm.

lairy - loud, brash.

lame: incompetent.

legless - very drunk.

limp wristed - a gay man.

lip: cheeky talk.

loaded - someone with a lot of money.

loo : toilet.

loser: a bungling and worthless person.

lost the plot - crazy/mad.

love handles: excess fat around the waist.

luvverly jubberly - wonderful, great, all is well.

make waves: cause problems.

malarkey - nonsense.

mate - friend.

max, to the : maximum.

mega: big.

megabucks: a large amount of money.

mellow: relaxed.

mickey-mouse: unimportant; time-wasting.

minger [offensive] - an unattractive person (usually female).

mongrel : despicable person.

moonie [offensive!] - to show one's bottom (arse) to unsuspecting onlookers.

moose [offensive] - an ugly girl.

mozzie : mosquito.

mug : a gullible person.

naff - something which is cheap and nasty.

naff off - a milder version off fu*k off.

nancy (nancy boy) - a homosexual.

nark - a police informer.

narked - to be annoyed.

neat: cool; great.

nick - to steal.

nipper - a small child.

no-hoper - somebody who'll never do well.

nosh - food.

not cricket - not normal or correct.

not all there - someone who is stupid, not bright intellectually.

not half! - cetainly, for sure.

not the full quid - someone who is stupid, not bright intellectually.

nuke (1): nuclear weapon. nuke (2): destroy; delete. nuke (3): cook something in the microwave oven.

nut (1): odd or crazy person. nut (2): someone passionate about something.

nutter - crazy person.

nuts [slightly offensive]: testicles.

nutty - eccentric.

Slang voc

icky: unpleasant.

I.D.: identification.

iffy - dubious, doubtful.

I'm outta here: I'm leaving; I'm departing.

in: fashionable.

ivories: teeth.

jack around: waste time.

jam (1): trouble. jam (2): improvise (musically).

jamming, to be : going well.

jammy - lucky.

jerk: stupid or annoying person.

jock: someone good at sports.

K : a thousand.

keep your hair on - "keep calm".

kick back: relax and enjoy.

kick the bucket: die.

kip - sleep.

knackered - exhausted.

knees up - party.

knock: condemn, criticise.

knockout: beautiful woman; handsome man.

knock back : refusal (noun), refuse (transitive verb).

kook: peculiar person.

kraut [slightly offensive] - German

laid back: relaxed; calm.

lairy - loud, brash.

lame: incompetent.

legless - very drunk.

limp wristed - a gay man.

lip: cheeky talk.

loaded - someone with a lot of money.

loo : toilet.

loser: a bungling and worthless person.

lost the plot - crazy/mad.

love handles: excess fat around the waist.

luvverly jubberly - wonderful, great, all is well.

make waves: cause problems.

malarkey - nonsense.

mate - friend.

max, to the : maximum.

mega: big.

megabucks: a large amount of money.

mellow: relaxed.

mickey-mouse: unimportant; time-wasting.

minger [offensive] - an unattractive person (usually female).

mongrel : despicable person.

moonie [offensive!] - to show one's bottom (arse) to unsuspecting onlookers.

moose [offensive] - an ugly girl.

mozzie : mosquito.

mug : a gullible person.

naff - something which is cheap and nasty.

naff off - a milder version off fu*k off.

nancy (nancy boy) - a homosexual.

nark - a police informer.

narked - to be annoyed.

neat: cool; great.

nick - to steal.

nipper - a small child.

no-hoper - somebody who'll never do well.

nosh - food.

not cricket - not normal or correct.

not all there - someone who is stupid, not bright intellectually.

not half! - cetainly, for sure.

not the full quid - someone who is stupid, not bright intellectually.

nuke (1): nuclear weapon. nuke (2): destroy; delete. nuke (3): cook something in the microwave oven.

nut (1): odd or crazy person. nut (2): someone passionate about something.

nutter - crazy person.

nuts [slightly offensive]: testicles.

nutty - eccentric.

Slang voc

gaff - house or flat.

gander - to look at.

geek: an unattractive person who works too hard.

get it: to understand something.

glitch: flaw.

gobshite [offensive] - someone who talks rubbish all the time.

go bananas: go slightly mad.

good onya : good for you, well done

goof (1): make a mistake.goof (2): a silly and foolish person.

goof off: waste time.

goof up: make a mistake.

goofy: silly.

Gordon Bennet - an exclamation.

grand: one thousand dollars.

grass: marijuana.

greaser - slang name for a 1950's style man.

grog : alcohol, beer.

grub: food.

grubby: not clean.

grungy: unclean and stinky.

gut: a person's stomach; belly.

guts: courage.

gyno - gynaecologist.

hacked off - fed up, annoyed.

hairy: difficult; dangerous.

ham-fisted - clumsy.

hammered - drunk.

handcuffs: an engagement ring or wedding ring.

hang a left: make a left turn.

hang a right: make a right turn.

headcase - mad.

hep: sensible; informed.

her ('er) indoors - wife, girlfriend.

hickey: a love bite on the skin.

hip: sensible; informed.

hole in the wall - a cashpoint machine or bankomat.

hoo-ha - trouble; commotion.

hooker: prostitute.

horny: in the mood for sex, sexually stimulated;.

hot (1): sexy. hot (2):popular.

hottie : hot water bottle.

huff - bad mood.

humungous: really big.

Slang voc

earbashing : nagging, non-stop chatter.

evil: great; excellent.

eyeball: to stare long and hard at someone or something.

eyepopper: something or someone visibly astounding.

fab: fabulous.

face-off: confrontation.

fag [offensive] (1): homosexualfag (2): cigarette

family jewels - Rhyming Slang for testicles.

far out - splendid.

fart [offensive] (1): an escape of gas from the bowels. fart [slightly offensive] (2): an unpleasant person.

fat head - an idiot or dull person.

fender-bender: small accident.

filth [offensive] - the police.

fit - sexually attractive.

five finger discount - shoplifting.

flaky: unpredictable.

flashback: sudden memory.

flick (1): film; movie.flick (2): to give something or somebody the flick is to get rid of it or him/her.

floating : intoxicated.

floozie - a mistress or girlfriend.

flommox - confuse.

flutter - a bet (on horse racing or football).

footie - Abbreviated form for football.

for crying out loud ! - a expression of frustration or anger.

forty winks - a short sleep or nap.

fox: attractive, alluring person.

freebie: something that does not cost money.

French kiss : kissing with the tongue.

full monty - 'the whole lot', everything.

full-on - powerful, with maximum effort.

funny farm - mental hospital or institution.

funny money - counterfeit money.

Salng voc

cabbage - someone who is a bit slow or stupid.

cakehole - mouth..

catch some rays: get some sunshine.

char / cha - tea.

cheesy: cheap; lacking in good taste.

chicken: coward.

chook : a chicken.

chuck up: vomit.

chuck a sickie : take the day off sick from work when you're perfectly healthy.

ciggy - slang for cigarette.

cock and bull story - a rubbish story, nonsense.

(to) cop it - to die, to get into trouble.

cool: excellent; superb.

cooler, the: gaol; jail; prison.

couch potato: a person who watches too much television.

cozzie : swimming costume.

cranky : in a bad mood, angry.

crap [slightly offensive] (1): something worthless.crap [offensive] (2): excrement.crap [slightly offensive] (3): falsehoods and lies.

crikey - an expression of astonishment.

crust - money / wage.

cushy - easy.

dead cert - something that is definite.

deck: to hit someone.

dicey: unpredictable; risky.

dickhead [slightly offensive] - an idiot, fool.

dill : an idiot.

ding-dong - argument or fight.

dipstick - idiot, fool.

dirt: extremely bad person.

dirty: offensive; pornographic.

div/divvy - stupid or slow person.

doodle - something thats easy / no problem.

dodgy - dubious person or thing.

dog [offensive] - an ugly girl.

done over - beaten up.

dope - a slow or stupid person.

doobry - a nonsensical word used when you forget the name of something.

dorky: strange; peculiar.

dosh - money.

dosser - down-and-out, tramp.

down under : Australia and New Zealand.

Drongo : a dope, stupid person.

dude: a male.

dump [slightly offensive] - to defecate.

dyke [offensive] - lesbian.

dynamite: powerful; excellent.

dinosaur: something out of date or old fashioned.

Slang voc

airhead: stupid person.

ace: excellent, great.

Adam and Eve - Rhyming Slang for 'believe'.

aggro - short for aggravation or violence.

amber fluid : beer.

anorak - geek, nerd.

apples and pears - Rhyming Slang for 'stairs'.

armpit: dirty, unappealing place.

arse / ass [slightly offensive] (1): backside.arse / ass (2): an unworthy person.

arse about/arsing about - to fool around.

arse-about-face: something that is in a mess or crooked.

arseholed: very drunk.

arvo : afternoon.

Aussie : Australian.

awesome: great and impressive.

backhander (1): a payment given, normally in a secretive fashion.

backhander (2): hit someone.

ball (1): a fun time.

ball [slightly offensive] (2): a testicle.

ballistic - to go mad with rage.

bang [slightly offensive](1): to make love.

bang (2): a powerful effect.

banged up - to be put in prison.

bangers - another name for sausages.

barbie : barbecue, grill.

barf (1): vomit.

barmy - a foolish person, mad.

barney - row, violent argument.

beans: money.

beast [offensive] - an ugly woman.

beat: tired.

beemer: a BMW.

bent (1): a 'gay man'

bent (2): 'stolen'.

biggie: something important.

biker: a motorcycle rider.

bikkie : biscuit.

bimbo - a young woman considered sexually attractive but of limited intelligence.

bird - woman/girl/girlfriend.

bitch [offensive] (1): a very unpleasant woman. bitch [offensive] (2): complain.

bitchy [slightly offensive]: moody.

bitzer : mongrel dog (bits of this and bits of that!).

bladdered - very drunk.

blag - a robbery.

bloke - man.

blotto - 'very drunk'.

blue (1) - XXX; dirty, hot, steamy, pornographic blue (2): domestic fight or row.

bluey - pornographic film.

boat race - Rhyming Slang for 'face'.

bod: body.

bonkers; go bonkers: crazy.

bonzer : great.

booboo: a mistake.

bovver - trouble, usually fighting.

booze: alcohol.

boozer (1): a pub boozer (2): someone who likes alcohol.

Brahms and Liszt - Rhyming Slang for 'pissed' (drunk).

brass monkeys - cold weather.

bread: money.

brew (1): tea or coffee.

brew (2): beer.

brill - short for 'brilliant'.

bull: bullshit; lie.

bullshit [offensive]: lie; dishonesty.

bugger - a mild form of abuse or an exclamation.

bunk-off - to be absent without permission.

bunk-up - to make love.

bushed: extremely tired.

butt: the buttocks, bottom

Top 100 words for advanced learners

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR VOCABULARY
100 words to Impress an Examiner!Here are 100 advanced English words which should you be able to use them in a sentence will impress even educated native speakers! Perfect if you want to impress the examiner in examinations like: IELTS, TOEFL and Cambridge CAE and CPE.
aberration
(n.) something that differs from the norm (In 1974, Poland won the World Cup, but the success turned out to be an aberration, and Poland have not won a World Cup since).
abhor
(v.) to hate, detest (Because he always wound up getting hit in the head when he tried to play cricket, Marcin began to abhor the sport).
acquiesce
(v.) to agree without protesting (Though Mr. Pospieszny wanted to stay outside and work in his garage, when his wife told him that he had better come in to dinner, he acquiesced to her demands.)
alacrity
(n.) eagerness, speed (For some reason, Simon loved to help his girlfriend whenever he could, so when his girlfriend asked him to set the table he did so with alacrity.)
amiable
(adj.) friendly (An amiable fellow, Neil got along with just about everyone.)
appease
(v.) to calm, satisfy (When Jerry cries, his mother gives him chocolate to appease him.)
arcane
(adj.) obscure, secret, known only by a few (The professor is an expert in arcane Kashubian literature.)
avarice
(n.) excessive greed (The banker’s avarice led him to amass an enormous personal fortune.)
brazen
(adj.) excessively bold, brash, clear and obvious (Critics condemned the writer’s brazen attempt to plagiarise Frankow-Czerwonko’s work.)
brusque
(adj.) short, abrupt, dismissive (Simon’s brusque manner sometimes offends his colleagues.)
cajole
(v.) to urge, coax (Magda's friends cajoled her into drinking too much.)
callous
(adj.) harsh, cold, unfeeling (The murderer’s callous lack of remorse shocked the jury.)
candor
(n.) honesty, frankness (We were surprised by the candor of the politician’s speech because she is usually rather evasive.)
chide
(v.) to voice disapproval (Hania chided Gregory for his vulgar habits and sloppy appearance.)
circumspect
(adj.) cautious (Though I promised Marta’s father I would bring her home promptly by midnight, it would have been more circumspect not to have specified a time.)
clandestine
(adj.) secret (Announcing to her boyfriend that she was going to the library, Maria actually went to meet George for a clandestine liaison.)
coerce
(v.) to make somebody do something by force or threat (The court decided that David Beckham did not have to honor the contract because he had been coerced into signing it.)
coherent
(adj.) logically consistent, intelligible (William could not figure out what Harold had seen because he was too distraught to deliver a coherent statement.)
complacency
(n.) self-satisfied ignorance of danger (Simon tried to shock his friends out of their complacency by painting a frightening picture of what might happen to them.)
confidant
(n.) a person entrusted with secrets (Shortly after we met, he became my chief confidant.)
connive
(v.) to plot, scheme (She connived to get me to give up my plans to start up a new business.)
cumulative
(adj.) increasing, building upon itself (The cumulative effect of hours spent using the World English website was a vast improvement in his vocabulary and general level of English.)
debase
(v.) to lower the quality or esteem of something (The large raise that he gave himself debased his motives for running the charity.)
decry
(v.) to criticize openly (Andrzej Lepper, the leader of the Polish Self Defence party decried the appaling state of Polish roads.)
deferential
(adj.) showing respect for another’s authority (Donata is always excessively deferential to any kind of authority figure.)
demure
(adj.) quiet, modest, reserved (Though everyone else at the party was dancing and going crazy, she remained demure.)
deride
(v.) to laugh at mockingly, scorn (The native speaker often derided the other teacher’s accent.)
despot
(n.) one who has total power and rules brutally (The despot issued a death sentence for anyone who disobeyed his laws.)
diligent
(adj.) showing care in doing one’s work (The diligent researcher made sure to double check her measurements.)
elated
(adj.) overjoyed, thrilled (When he found out he had won the lottery, the postman was elated.)
eloquent
(adj.) expressive, articulate, moving (The best man gave such an eloquent speech that most guests were crying.)
embezzle
(v.) to steal money by falsifying records (The accountant was fired for embezzling €10,000 of the company’s funds.)
empathy
(n.) sensitivity to another’s feelings as if they were one’s own (I feel such empathy for my dog when she’s upset so am I!)
enmity
(n.) ill will, hatred, hostility (John and Scott have clearly not forgiven each other, because the enmity between them is obvious to anyone in their presence.)
erudite
(adj.) learned (My English teacher is such an erudite scholar that he has translated some of the most difficult and abstruse Old English poetry.)
extol
(v.) to praise, revere (Kamila extolled the virtues of a vegetarian diet to her meat-loving boyfriend.)
fabricate
(v.) to make up, invent (When I arrived an hour late to class, I fabricated some excuse about my car breaking down on the way to work.)
feral
(adj.) wild, savage (That beast looks so feral that I would fear being alone with it.)
flabbergasted
(adj.) astounded (Whenever I read an Agatha Christie mystery novel, I am always flabbergasted when I learn the identity of the murderer.)
forsake
(v.) to give up, renounce (I won't forsake my conservative principles.)
fractious
(adj.) troublesome or irritable (Although the child insisted he wasn’t tired, his fractious behaviour - especially his decision to crush his jam sandwiches all over the floor - convinced everyone present that it was time to put him to bed.)
furtive
(adj.) secretive, sly (Claudia’s placement of her drugs in her sock drawer was not as furtive as she thought, as the sock drawer is the first place most parents look.)
gluttony
(n.) overindulgence in food or drink (Helen’s fried chicken tastes so divine, I don’t know how anyone can call gluttony a sin.)
gratuitous
(adj.) uncalled for, unwarranted (Every evening the guy at the fish and chip shop gives me a gratuitous helping of vinegar.)
haughty
(adj.) disdainfully proud (The superstar’s haughty dismissal of her co-stars will backfire on her someday.)
hypocrisy
(n.) pretending to believe what one does not (Once the politician began passing legislation that contradicted his campaign promises, his hypocrisy became apparent.)
impeccable
(adj.) exemplary, flawless (If your grades were as impeccable as your brother’s, then you too would receive a car for a graduation present.)
impertinent
(adj.) rude, insolent (Most of your comments are so impertinent that I don’t wish to dignify them with an answer.)
implacable
(adj.) incapable of being appeased or mitigated (Watch out: once you shun Grandmother’s cooking, she is totally implacable.)
impudent
(adj.) casually rude, insolent, impertinent (The impudent young woman looked her teacher up and down and told him he was hot.)
incisive
(adj.) clear, sharp, direct (The discussion wasn’t going anywhere until her incisive comment allowed everyone to see what the true issues were.)
indolent
(adj.) lazy (Why should my indolent children, who can’t even pick themselves up off the sofa to pour their own juice, be rewarded with a trip to Burger King?)
inept
(adj.) not suitable or capable, unqualified (She proved how inept she was when she forgot two orders and spilled a pint of cider in a customer’s lap.)
infamy
(n.) notoriety, extreme ill repute (The infamy of his crime will not lessen as time passes.)
inhibit
(v.) to prevent, restrain, stop (When I told you I needed the car last night, I certainly never meant to inhibit you from going out.)
innate
(adj.) inborn, native, inherent (His incredible athletic talent is innate, he never trains, lifts weights, or practices.)
insatiable
(adj.) incapable of being satisfied (My insatiable appetite for blondes was a real problem on my recent holiday in Japan!)
insular
(adj.) separated and narrow-minded; tight-knit, closed off (Because of the sensitive nature of their jobs, those who work for MI5 must remain insular and generally only spend time with each other.)
intrepid
(adj.) brave in the face of danger (After scaling a live volcano prior to its eruption, the explorer was praised for his intrepid attitude.)
inveterate
(adj.) stubbornly established by habit (I’m the first to admit that I’m an inveterate cider drinker—I drink four pints a day.)
jubilant
(adj.) extremely joyful, happy (The crowd was jubilant when the firefighter carried the woman from the flaming building.)
knell
(n.) the solemn sound of a bell, often indicating a death (Echoing throughout our village, the funeral knell made the grey day even more grim.)
lithe
(adj.) graceful, flexible, supple (Although the dancers were all outstanding, Joanna’s control of her lithe body was particularly impressive.)
lurid
(adj.) ghastly, sensational (Barry’s story, in which he described a character torturing his neighbour's tortoise, was judged too lurid to be published on the English Library's website.)
maverick
(n.) an independent, nonconformist person (John is a real maverick and always does things his own way.)
maxim
(n.) a common saying expressing a principle of conduct (Ms. Stone’s etiquette maxims are both entertaining and instructional.)
meticulous
(adj.) extremely careful with details (The ornate needlework in the bride’s gown was a product of meticulous handiwork.)
modicum
(n.) a small amount of something (Refusing to display even a modicum of sensitivity, Magda announced her boss’s affair to the entire office.)
morose
(adj.) gloomy or sullen (David’s morose nature made him very unpleasant to talk to.)
myriad
(adj.) consisting of a very great number (It was difficult to decide what to do on Saturday night because the city presented us with myriad possibilities for fun.)
nadir
(n.) the lowest point of something (My day was boring, but the nadir came when my new car was stolen.)
nominal
(adj.) trifling, insignificant (Because he was moving the following week and needed to get rid of his furniture more than he needed money, Kim sold everything for a nominal price.)
novice
(n.) a beginner, someone without training or experience (Because we were all novices at archery, our instructor decided to begin with the basics
nuance
(n.) a slight variation in meaning, tone, expression (The nuances of the poem were not obvious to the casual reader, but the teacher was able to point them out.)
oblivious
(adj.) lacking consciousness or awareness of something (Oblivious to the burning smell emanating from the kitchen, my father did not notice that the rolls in the oven were burned until much too late.)
obsequious
(adj.) excessively compliant or submissive (Donald acted like Susan’s servant, obeying her every request in an obsequious manner.)
obtuse
(adj.) lacking quickness of sensibility or intellect (Political opponents warned that the prime minister’s obtuse approach to foreign policy would embroil the nation in mindless war.)
panacea
(n.) a remedy for all ills or difficulties (Doctors wish there was a single panacea for every disease, but sadly there is not.)
parody
(n.) a satirical imitation (A hush fell over the classroom when the teacher returned to find Magdalena acting out a parody of his teaching style.)
penchant
(n.) a tendency, partiality, preference (Fiona’s dinner parties quickly became monotonous on account of her penchant for Indian dishes.)
perusal
(n.) a careful examination, review (The actor agreed to accept the role after a three-month perusal of the movie script.)
plethora
(n.) an abundance, excess (The wedding banquet included a plethora of oysters piled almost three feet high.)
predilection
(n.) a preference or inclination for something (James has a predilection for eating toad in the whole with tomato ketchup.)
quaint
(adj.) charmingly old-fashioned (Mary was delighted by the quaint bonnets she saw in Romania.)
rash
(adj.) hasty, incautious (It’s best to think things over calmly and thoroughly, rather than make rash decisions.)
refurbish
(v.) to restore, clean up (After being refurbished the old Triumph motorcycle commanded the handsome price of $6000.)
repudiate
(v.) to reject, refuse to accept (Tom made a strong case for an extension of his curfew, but his mother repudiated it with a few biting words.)
rife
(adj.) abundant (Surprisingly, the teacher’s writing was rife with spelling errors.)
salient
(adj.) significant, conspicuous (One of the salient differences between Alison and Helen is that Alison is a couple of kilos heavier.)
serendipity
(n.) luck, finding good things without looking for them (In an amazing bit of serendipity, penniless Mark found a $50 bill on the back seat of the bus.)
staid
(adj.) sedate, serious, self-restrained (The staid butler never changed his expression no matter what happened.)
superfluous
(adj.) exceeding what is necessary (Samantha had already won the campaign so her constant flattery of others was superfluous.)
sycophant
(n.) one who flatters for self-gain (Some see the people in the cabinet as the Prime Minister’s closest advisors, but others see them as sycophants.)
taciturn
(adj.) not inclined to talk (Though Magda never seems to stop talking, her brother is quite taciturn.)
truculent
(adj.) ready to fight, cruel (This club doesn’t really attract the dangerous types, so why was that bouncer being so truculent?)
umbrage
(n.) resentment, offence (He called me a lily-livered coward, and I took umbrage at the insult.)
venerable
(adj.) deserving of respect because of age or achievement (The venerable High Court judge had made several key rulings in landmark cases throughout the years.)
vex
(v.) to confuse or annoy (My boyfriend vexes me by pinching my bottom for hours on end.)
vociferous
(adj.) loud, boisterous (I’m tired of his vociferous whining so I’m breaking up with him.)
wanton
(adj.) undisciplined, lewd, lustful (Joanna’s wanton demeanor often made the frat guys next door very excited
zenith
(n.) the highest point, culminating point (I was too nice to tell Emily that she had reached the absolute zenith of her career with that one top 10 hit of hers.

Here are the 100 English words which many people have problems spelling!

acceptable
accidentally

accommodate

acquire

acquit

a lot

amateur

apparent

argument

atheist

believe

calendar

category

cemetery

changeable

collectible

committed

conscience

conscientious

conscious

definite(ly)

disappear

discipline

drunkenness

embarrass
equipment
exhilarate

exceed

existence

experience

fiery

foreign

fourth

gauge

generally

grammar

grateful

guarantee

harass

height

hierarchy

ignorance

immediate

independent

indispensable

intelligence

its / it's

judgement

knowledge

leisure
library
lightning

maintenance

manoeuvre

memento

millennium

miniature

mischievous

noticeable

occasion

occasionally

occur / occurred

occurrence

official

parallel

parliament

pastime

pigeon

possession

preferable

principal / principle

privilege

questionnaire

receive

recommend
referred
reference

relevant

religious

restaurant

ridiculous

rhythm

sandal

schedule

scissors

sensible

separate

special

success

to / too / two

tomorrow

their / they're / there

twelfth

tyranny

until

vacuum

vicious

weather

weird

you're / your


Content by: http://www.world-english.org/

Did you know that ...

It is impossible to lick your elbow.

A crocodile can't stick its tongue out.

A shrimp's heart is in their head.

When you sneeze, your heart stops for a millisecond.


In a study of 200,000 ostriches over a period of 80 years, no one reported a single case where an ostrich buried its head in the sand or attempted to do so.

In the United States alone, there is a lawsuit every 30 seconds.

It is physically impossible for pigs to look up into the sky.

More than 50% of the people in the world have never made or received a telephone call.

Rats and horses can't vomit.

The "sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep's sick" is said to be the toughest tongue twister in the English language.

If you sneeze too hard, you can fracture a rib. If you try to suppress a sneeze, you can rupture a blood vessel in your head or neck and die. If you keep your eyes open by force, they can pop out.

Rats multiply so quickly that in 18 months, two rats could have over a million descendants.

Wearing headphones for just an hour will increase the bacteria in your ear by 700 times.

If the U.S. government has no knowledge of aliens, then why does Title 14, Section 1211 of the Code of Federal Regulations, implemented on July 16, 1969, make it illegal for US citizens to have any contact with extraterrestrials or their vehicles?

Forty percent of all people who come to a party in your home snoop in your medicine cabinet.

The electric chair was invented by a dentist.

The cigarette lighter was invented before the match.

100% of all lottery winners gain weight.

Thirty-five percent of the people who use personal ads for dating are already married.

A duck's quack doesn't echo, and no one knows why.

23% of all photocopier faults worldwide are caused by people sitting on them and photocopying their buttocks.

In the course of an average lifetime you will, while sleeping, eat 70 assorted insects and 10 spiders.

160 cars can drive side by side on the Monumental Axis in Brazil, the world's widest road.

Most lipstick contains fish scales.

Cat's urine glows under a black-light.

A hummingbird weighs less than a penny.

Like fingerprints, everyone's tongue print is different.

and last but not least...

Over 75% of people who read this will try to lick their elbows!

TONGUE TWISTERS

Six sick slick slim sycamore saplings.


A box of biscuits, a batch of mixed biscuits


A skunk sat on a stump and thunk the stump stunk,
but the stump thunk the skunk stunk.


Red lorry, yellow lorry, red lorry, yellow lorry.


Unique New York.


Betty Botter had some butter,
"But," she said, "this butter's bitter.
If I bake this bitter butter,
it would make my batter bitter.
But a bit of better butter--
that would make my batter better."


So she bought a bit of butter,
better than her bitter butter,
and she baked it in her batter,
and the batter was not bitter.
So 'twas better Betty Botter
bought a bit of better butter.


Six thick thistle sticks. Six thick thistles stick.


Is this your sister's sixth zither, sir?


A big black bug bit a big black bear,
made the big black bear bleed blood.


The sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep's sick.


Toy boat. Toy boat. Toy boat.


One smart fellow, he felt smart.
Two smart fellows, they felt smart.
Three smart fellows, they all felt smart.

Pope Sixtus VI's six texts.


I slit the sheet, the sheet I slit, and on the slitted sheet I sit.

The Men's Guide to what a woman really means when she says.....

"We need" = "I want"

"It's your decision " = "The correct decision should be obvious by now."

"Do what you want" = "You'll pay for this later."

"Whatever" = "You'll pay for this later."

"Fine" = "You'll pay for this later."

"We need to talk" = "I need to complain"

"I'm not upset" = "Of course I'm upset, you moron!"

"You're so... manly" = "You need a shave and you sweat a lot."

"Be romantic, turn out the lights." = "I have flabby thighs."

"This kitchen is so inconvenient" = "I want a new house."

"I need wedding shoes" = "the other 40 pairs are the wrong shade of white."

"Hang the picture there" = "NO, I mean hang it there!"

"I heard a noise" = "I noticed you were almost asleep."

"Do you love me?" = "I'm going to ask for something expensive."

"How much do you love me?" = "I did something today you're really not going to like."

"I'll be ready in a minute " = "Kick off your shoes and find a good game on T.V."

"Is my butt fat?" = "Tell me I'm beautiful."

"You have to learn to communicate." = "Just agree with me."

"Are you listening to me!? " = "Too late, you're dead."

"Do you like this recipe?" = "It's easy to fix, so you'd better get used to it."

"I'm not yelling!" = "Yes I am yelling because I think this is important."

Excerpt from

1. "Smoking kills. If you're killed, you've lost a very important part of your life."
Brooke Shields, said to demonstrate why she should become spokesperson for a federal antismoking
campaign


2. "I've never had major knee surgery on any other part of my body."
Winston Bennett, University of Kentucky basketball forward


3. "I support efforts to limit the terms of members of Congress, especially members of the House and members
of the Senate."
Vice-President Dan Quayle (surprise, surprise)


4. "Outside of the killings, Washington has one of the lowest crime rates in the country."
Mayor Marion Barry, Washington, D.C.


5. "Are you any relation to your brother Marv?"
Leon Wood, New Jersey Nets guard, to Steve Albert,


6. "That lowdown scoundrel deserves to be kicked to death by a jackass--and I'm just the one to do it."
a congressional candidate in Texas


7. MEMBERS AND NON-MEMBERS ONLY
sign outside Mexico City's Mandinga Disco in the Hotel Emporio


8. Wish -- To end all the killing in the world
Hobbies -- Hunting and fishing
from personal statistics of California Angel Bryan Harvey, flashed on the scoreboard at Anaheim Stadium


9. "The streets are safe in Philadelphia, it's only the people who make them unsafe."
Frank Rizzo, ex-police chief and mayor of Philadelphia


10. "After finding no qualified candidates for the position of principal,the school department is extremely
pleased to announce the appointment of David Steele to the post."
Philip Streifer, superintendent of schools, Barrington Rhode Island


11. "The doctors X-rayed my head and found nothing."
baseball great Dizzy Dean explaining how he felt after being hit on the head by a ball in the 1934 World Series

Spelling

To speak English well, you need grammar. To write English well, you need grammar, punctuation and spelling.

In Old England words were written as they sounded (phonetically) and so one word could often be spelt in many different ways. In addition English has adopted words from many other languages. Eventually spelling was standardised, and although many English words have irregular spellings there are some rules that can help you. Watch out though, for every rule there are always some exceptions! English has over 1,100 different ways to spell its 44 separate sounds, more than any other language.

How to Improve Your Spelling
Keep a notebook of words you find difficult to spell. Underline the part of the word that you find most difficult.

Use a dictionary, not a spell-checker! OK use a spell-checker, but don't rely on it. Spell-checkers don't check for meaning, the most common misspelt words I have seen on the net are there and their.

Learn words with their possible prefixes and suffixes.

Learn the rules, but don't rely on them. As I mentioned earlier for every rule there is at least one exception. For example:-
i before e except after c
One of the first English spelling rules learnt in most schools is "i before e except after c". This only works when the pronunciation of the word is like a long ee as in shield.
For example:-
piece, relief, niece, priest, thief
but after c
conceive, conceit, receive, receipt
when A or I is the sound
it's the other way round
with an 'a' sound - deign, eight, neighbour, feign, reign, vein, weight

with an 'i' sound either, feisty, height, neither, sleight

Exceptions:
seize, weird, conscientious, conscience, efficient . . .


Silent Letters
What is a silent letter?
A silent letter is a letter that must be included when you write the word even though you don't pronounce it. Over half the alphabet can appear as silent letters in words. They can be found at the beginning, end or middle of the words and, from the sound of the word, you wouldn't know that they were there.
For example:-
a - treadle, bread
b - lamb, bomb, comb
c - scissors, science, scent
d - edge, bridge, ledge
e - see below
h - honour, honest, school
k - know, knight, knowledge
l - talk, psalm, should
n - hymn, autumn, column
p - pneumatic, psalm, psychology
s - isle, island, aisle
t - listen, rustle, shistle
u - biscuit, guess, guitar
w - write, wrong, wrist


Silent

Silent e is the most commonly found silent letter in the alphabet.
There are some hard and fast rules for spelling when a word ends with a silent e.
When you wish to add a suffix to a word and it ends with a silent e, if the suffix begins with a consonant you don't need to change the stem of the word.

For example: force + ful =forceful
manage + ment =management
sincere + ly =sincerely

If however the suffix begins with a vowel or a y, drop the e before adding the suffix.
For example:
fame + ous =famous
nerve + ous =nervous
believable + y =believably
criticise + ism =criticism

Exceptions:

mileage, aggreeable

Prefixes and Suffixes
Adding a prefix to a word doesn't usually change the spelling of the stem of the word.

For example:-
anti + septic antiseptic
auto + biography autobiography
de - sensitize desensitize
dis - approve disapprove
im - possible impossible
inter - mediate intermediate
mega - byte megabyte
mis - take mistake
micro - chip microchip
re - used reused
un - available unavailable


Adding a suffix to a word often changes the spelling of the stem of the word. The following may help you work out the changes. Again there are exceptions, so if you're not sure - look it up in your dictionary.

Words ending in a consonant
When the suffix begins with a consonant, just add the ending without any changes.
For example:-
treat + ment treatment



Doubling the consonant
For most words with a short vowel sound, ending with a single consonant, double the consonant when adding a suffix that starts with a vowel, such as er, ed or ing.
For example:-
mop + ing mopping
big + est biggest
hot + er hotter

For words endling in l after a vowel, double the l before adding er, ed or ing.
For example:-
carol + ing carolling
travel + er travelling

Exceptions:
Some words ending in r, x, w or y are exceptions to the doubling rule
tear + ing tearing
blow + ing blowing
box + er boxer
know + ing knowing

And if your main word has two consonants at the end, or more than one vowel, don't double the consonant. rain + ing (two vowels a + i) raining
keep + er (two vowels e + e) keeper
break + ing (two vowels e + a) breaking
hang + er (two consonants n + g) hanger


Word Endings
Words ending in ce and ge
When you want to add a suffix starting with a or o leave the e in.
For example:-
manage + able manageable
notice + able noticeable
courage + ous courageous

Exceptions:
prestige + ous prestigious



Words ending in ie
When you want to add ing to verbs ending in ie, drop the e and change the i to a y.
For example:-
die - dying
lie - lying
tie - tying



Words ending in y after a consonant
When you want to add suffixes such -as, -ed, -es, -er, -eth, -ly, -ness, -ful and -ous to a word ending in y after a consonant, change the y to an i before adding the suffix.
For example:-
eighty + eth eightieth
duty + es duties
lazy + ness laziness
mystery +ous mysterious
beauty + ful beautiful
multiply + ed multiplied
busy + ly busily



Words ending in y after a vowel
Keep the y when adding suffixes such as er, ing or ed.
For example:-
destroy destroying destroyed
pry prying pried
buy buying buyer
play playing player

Test how polite you are

please choose the polite answer for these questions:
1. Can you please help me?
a One second. I'll be right with you.
b-Wait. I'm on the phone, sir.
c-Wait a little bit.

2. Do you work here?
a Yes.
b-Yes, how can I help you?
c-What, do you need help?

3. I think we need some extra blankets.
a- It's not that cold is it?
b-I'm a little busy now. Come back later.
c-I'll get some sent up to your room.

4. Can you call me a taxi?
a-Certainly. Your name, please?
b-Your name. I need to know your name.
c-Name?

5. This room is pretty small!
a-Yes, they're like that.
b-Too small for you? Too bad, we don't have any other rooms available, sir.
c-Unfortunately, we don't have anything bigger right now.

6. I always stay at your hotel when I'm in town.
a-Oh, I see.
b-Thank you. We appreciate your business.
c-You realize that this is a good hotel.

7. One of my lamps isn't working.
a-I'll get someone to take a look at it.
b-What would you like me to do about it?
c-What do you want me to do about it?

8. Where is the entrance to the (hotel) restaurant?
a-Under the sign that says "restaurant."
b-It's right there to your right.
c-Turn to the right.

9. Hi, I have a reservation. My name is Robert McAlister.
a-Spelling?
b-OK... How do you spell you last name?
c-Spelled how?

10. My air conditioner is broken.
a-It is? It was fine this morning.
b-Did you break it, sir?
c-I'll have someone look at it as soon as possible.

FUNNY ENGLISH

Attempts At English

Here are some signs and notices written in English that were discovered throughout the world. You have to give the writers an 'E' for Effort. We hope you enjoy them.

In a Tokyo Hotel:

Is forbidden to steal hotel towels please. If you are not a person to do such a thing please not to read notice.

In a Bucharest hotel lobby:

The lift is being fixed for the next day. During that time we regret that you will be unbearable.

In a Leipzig elevator:

Do not enter lift backwards, and only when lit up.

In a Belgrade hotel elevator:

To move the cabin, push button for wishing floor. If the cabin should enter more persons, each one should press a number of wishing floor. Driving is then going alphabetically by national order.

In a Paris hotel elevator:

Please leave your values at the front desk.

In a hotel in Athens:

Visitors are expected to complain at the office between the hours of 9 and 11 A.M. daily.

In a Yugoslavian hotel:

The flattening of underwear with pleasure is the job of the chambermaid.

In a Japanese hotel:

You are invited to take advantage of the chambermaid.

In the lobby of a Moscow hotel across from Russian Orthodox monastery:

You are welcome to visit the cemetary where famous Russian and Soviet composers, artists, and writers are buried daily except Thursday.

In an Austrian hotel catering to skiers:

Not to perambulate the corridors during the hours of repose in the boots of ascension.

On the menu of a Swiss restaurant:

Our wines leave you nothing to hope for.

On the menu of a Polish hotel:

Salad a firm's own make; limpid red beet soup with cheesy dumplings in the form of a finger; roasted duck let loose; beef rashers beaten up in the country people's fashion.

Outside a Hong Kong tailer shop:

Ladies may have a fit upstairs.

In a Bangkok dry cleaners:

Drop your trousers here for best results.

Outside a Paris dress shop:

Dresses for street walking.

In a Rhodes tailor shop:

Order your summers suit. Because is big rush we will execute customers in strict rotation.

From the Soviet Weekly:

There will be a Moscow Exhibition of Arts by 150,000 Soviet Republic painters and sculptors. These were executed over the past two years.

A sign posted in Germany's Black Forest:

It is strictly forbidden on our black forest camping site that people of different sex, for instance, men and women, live together in one tent unless they are married with each other for that purpose.

In a Zurich hotel:

Because of the impropriety of entertaining guests of the opposite sex in the bedroom, it is suggested that the lobby be used for this purpose.

In an advertisement by a Hong Kong dentist:

Teeth extracted by the latest Methodists.

In a Rome laundry:

Ladies, leave your clothes here and spend the afternoon having a good time.

In a Czechoslovakin tourist agency:

Take one of our horse-driven city tours - we guarantee no miscarriages.

Advertisement for donkey rides in Thailand:

Would you like to ride on your own ass?

In a Swiss mountain inn:

Special today -- no ice cream.

In a Bangkok temple:

It is forbidden to enter a woman even a foreigner if dressed as a man.

In a Tokyo bar:

Special cocktails for the ladies with nuts.

In a Copenhagen airline ticket office:

We take your bags and send them in all directions.

On the door of a Moscow hotel room:

If this is your first visit to the USSR, you are welcome to it.

In a Norwegian cocktail lounge:

Ladies are requested not to have children in the bar.

In a Budapest zoo:

Please do not feed the animals. If you have any suitable food, give it to the guard on duty.

In the office of a Roman doctor:

Specialist in women and other diseases.

In an Acapulco hotel:

The manager has personally passed all the water served here.

In a Tokyo shop:

Our nylons cost more than common, but you'll find they are best in the long run.

From a Japanese information booklet about using a hotel air conditioner:

Cooles and Heates: If you want just condition of warm in your room, please control yourself.

From a brochure of a car rental firm in Tokyo:

When passenger of foot heave in sight, tootle the horn. Trumpet him melodiously at first, but if he still obstacles your passage then tootle him with vigor.

Two signs from a Mojorcan shop entrance:

- English well speaking

- Here speeching American.

Idioms

About time:
Nearly time, high time. "It's about time you bought a new car!"

Absence makes the heart grow fonder:
Proverb that means that our feeling for those we love increases when we are apart from them.

(To) act high and mighty:
To act proudly and arrogantly.

Actions speak louder than words:
Proverb meaning that's it's better to do something about a problem than to talk about it.

(To) act one's age:
To behave in a more mature way. Frequently said to a child or teen. ex. "Bill, stop throwing rocks! Act your age!"

(To) add fuel to the fire:
To make a bad problem even worse.

(To) add insult to injury:
To make a bad situation even worse.

Against the clock:
To attempt to do something "against the clock" is to attempt to do something as fast as possible usually before a deadline.

All-out:
Complete. Very strong. "They did an all-out search for the missing boy and they found him."

All set:
Ready (to go). "All set?"

All thumbs:
Awkward. Clumsy.

A little bird told me:
When someone says "a little bird told me" it means they don't want you to know who told them.

All in a day's work:
Typical. Normal. Expected. ex. "Talking to famous celebrities is all in a day's work for some Hollywood reporters."

(From) all walks of life:
(From) all social, economic, and ethnic groups. ex. "People from all walks of life voted for him, but he still lost the presidential election."

Apple of someone's eye:
Someone's favorite person (and sometimes thing). ex. "Sarah was the apple of Tom's eye for quite a long time. He was very much in love with her."

Armed to the teeth:
Heavily armed. ex. "The rebels were armed to the teeth."

At all hours (of the night):
Very late at night, throughout the night. ex. "Her boyfriend would call her at all hours of the night."

At each other's throats:
Fighting or arguing heavily. ex. "They were at each other's throats. The arguments never stopped."

At this stage:
At this point. ex. "At this stage, it's difficult to say who will win the election."

Amusing Proverbs

Fools rush in where fools have been before.
To avoid duplication, make three copies.

It's called "take home" pay because you can't afford to go anywhere else with it.

Success is relative—the greater the success, the more relatives.

Anyone can be a winner—unless, of course, there's a second entry.

The slower you work, the fewer mistakes you make.

If Murphy's Law can go wrong, it will.

If at first you succeed, try to hide your astonishment.

You must have learned from others' mistakes. You haven't had time to think all those up yourself.

If you look like your passport picture, you probably need the trip.

People like criticism—just keep it positive and flattering.

It's OK to let your mind go blank, but please turn off the sound.

Worry kills more people than work because more people worry than work.

Middle age is when broadness of the mind and narrowness of the waist change places.

When you're getting kicked from behind, that means you're in front.

Misers aren't much fun to live with, but they make great ancestors.

The trouble with bucket seats is that not everybody has the same size bucket.

Opportunities always look bigger going than coming.

The real reason you can't take it with you is that it goes before you do.

Junk is something you throw away three weeks before you need it.

Hospitality is making your guests feel at home, even if you wish they were.

The world is full of willing people—some willing to work and some willing to let them.

Some people are like blisters. They don't show up until the work is done.

A babysitter is a teenager acting like an adult while the adults are out acting like teenagers.

Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than going to a garage makes you a mechanic.

Experience is a wonderful thing. It enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.

Most people deserve each other.

All the good ones, no matter what it is, are taken.

The one who snores will fall asleep first.

The length of a marriage is inversely proportional to the amount of money spent on the wedding.

The gifts you buy your spouse are never as good and apropos as the gifts your neighbor buys their spouse.

Never get overly excited about a man/woman by just the way they look from behind.

If you help a relative in need they will remember you the next time they are in need.

The probability of meeting someone you know increases greatly when you are out with someone you do not want to be seen with

Possessive Adjectives

Possesive adjectives are used to show ownership or possession.

Subject pronoun Possessive adjective
I my
you your
he his
she her
it its
we our
they their

For example:

I own this website. = This is my website.
You own this computer (I presume). = It is your computer.
Possessive Adjectives
A possessive adjective modifies a noun to show ownership.

For example:-

I'm Lynne.

My name's Lynne.

Possessive adjectives go before their nouns.

Lynne is my name.

Comparative

A) We use than after comparatives(older than .../ more expensive than ... etc.):

İstanbul is older than Rome
Are oranges more expensive than bananas?
It's easier to phone than to write a letter.
"How are you today?" Not bad. Better than yesterday.
The restaurant is more crowded than usual.
B) We say: than me / than him / than her / than us / than them. You can say:

I can run faster than him. or I can faster than he can.
You are a better singer than me. or You are a better singer than i am.
I got up earlier than her. or I got up earlier than she did.
C) more less than ...

A: How much did your shoes cost? $30?
B: No, more than that. (=more than $30)
The film was very short - less than an hour.
They've got more money than they need.
You go out more than me.
D) a bit older / much older etc.

A
B
C
D

Box A is a bit bigger than box B. Box C is much bigger than box D.

Canada is much bigger than France.
Jill is a bit older than Gary - she's 25 and he's 241/2
The hotel was much more expensive than I expected.
You go out much more than me.
-------------------------------------------------------PART 2 --------------------------------------------------------

When we compare two things or people we look at what makes them different from each other.

For example:

Examples:
The man on the left is taller than the man on the right. A car is faster than a bicycle.

Comparative adjectives are used to show what quality one thing has more or less than the other. They normally come before any other adjectives.

For example:

The red bag is bigger than the blue bag.

The rule for forming the comparative is any one syllable adjective add -er to the end. Any longer adjective (two syllables or more) use more in front of the adjective.

For example:

"Mount Everest is higher than Mount Snowdon.", 'high' is a short (one syllable) word.
"Arguably, Rome is more beautiful than Paris.", beautiful is a long word, (when comparing two things like this we put than between the adjective and the thing being compared).

The following adjectives are exceptions to this rule:

'good' becomes 'better'
'bad' becomes 'worse'
'far' becomes 'farther' or 'further'

IMPROVE YOUR ENGLISH READING SKILLS

Make a habit of reading regularly. Read as many English books, newspapers and magazines as you can find. Again this should be fun so make sure the texts you choose are not too too difficult for you. If the book or article you are reading is a chore, then find something easier. You could even try reading graded books written especially for ESL learners.

Find an author you like and read all their books. By doing this you will get used to the style of a particular author and the typical vocabulary and grammar they use. As you read more of his/her books you will find it easier and easier.

If you have a local library find out if they stock English books or if they have bilingual editions of English classics. Or ask them to stock English translations of books you are already familiar with.

Try reading things more than once. Read something and then read it again a few weeks/months later. You should find your understanding has improved.

Discuss what you have read. I am more than happy to discuss books with you on the forum.

Learning Tip - don't try to understand every word. Try to understand the overall meaning of a sentence or passage.

Learning Tip - don't translate - only use a dictionary if a word keeps appearing in a text and you still don't understand it.

999 call

Three men chased a mugger into East Putney station, London, after he punched and kicked an elderly woman, but were turned back at the barrier because they had no tickets, it was stated at the Central Criminal Court yesterday.
They were refused use of a telephone to call the police, so they bought platform tickets, went into the station and caught the attacker, a youth of 17. One of the pursuers had to go outside to make a 999 call.
Mr Justice Melford Stevenson said the incident deserved to be brought to the attention of the railway authorities. He sent the mugger to jail for five years.
Terry Tailor earlier had admitted assaulting Mrs Margaret Percy, aged 67, with intent to rob her.