Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[sunmaggie]

Hi, this is my first time posting my questions. Please help me find the answers. Thanks!

1. I had failed TSE (test of spoken English) and IELTS several times. Could anyone give me some advice of passing 50 for TSE and 7 for IElTS?

2. What is the difference between "Accident" and "Incident?"

3. Teens should live on their own before marrying.
May I use "Marriage" to replace "marrying?" Why or Why not?
Life is a lot different agter graduation.
Can I use "graduating" instead of "graduation?"

4. What is the difference when we use: how do you think? what do you think?

5. Are there any differences between "speak," "talk," "tell," and "say?"

6. Why do we have to use, "Are there any questions?" instead of using "Is there any question?"[/b]

[lotus]

Hi sunmaggie,

I wish you luck in your future tests. Like almost all endeavors, the answer is practice, practice, practice...

2) What is the difference between "Accident" and "Incident?"
An accident is usually an unfortunate unforseen event, like a car accident (crash). An incident is a notable event that has happened;like a man jumping off a bridge, or two persons meeting in a train. Accidents are usually bad. Incidents can be good or bad.

3) Teens should live on their own before marrying.
May I use "Marriage" to replace "marrying?" Why or Why not?

Yes; although marrying is a verb and marriage is a noun, you can replace one for the other without too much loss in meaning, because it is common to regard the act of marrying and the state of marriage as the same thing, since marriage is a long term commitment.

Life is a lot different after graduation.
Can I use "graduating" instead of "graduation?"
Yes, for basically the same reason as marriage.

4) What is the difference when we use: how do you think? what do you think?
"How do you think" asks about your thinking process (how you derive something). "What do you think" asks what it is that you're thinking about.

They can both mean the same thing if we say it like this:
How do you think this works?
What do you think makes this work?

5) Are there any differences between "speak," "talk," "tell," and "say?"
There are many differences. I'll just try to describe the common use of each word.

Speak: To use your mouth to talk
Talk: To converse (talk) with another person
Tell: To verbally inform another person
Say: To verbally express your thoughts

6) Why do we have to use, "Are there any questions?" instead of using "Is there any question?"
Generally we don't know how many questions there will be, so we ask "Are there any questions.? We could say it as "Is there anyone with a question?"
If we know that there is only one question, we ask "Do you have a question?" or "Is there a question out there?"


--lotus

[lotus]

To elaborate on #3,

Marrying can be a gerund, a verb acting like a noun. Therefore, it can be replaced by marriage, a noun.


--lotus