Teacher Discussion Forums

Yup, I am reading Dan Brown's fictions. Let me finish all his fictions first, then I will go into Michael Crichton's ones. I like mysteries related to science/technology. Do you have any other good suggestions? I like reading fictions because they give me wider vocabulary exposure. Although Hong Kon...

Hi everyone, I am a primary school English teacher in Hong Kong. My mother tongue is not English so I endeavor to update my English knowledge every day, especially for my vocabulary. But the process seems endless and somwhat painful. Now I still quite frequently encounter words that I do not know in...

Well, I would add that the study of linguistics is usually theory-concentrated: semantics, morphology, phonetics, sytax, etc. Applied linguistics is literally the application of these concepts : to study something in the real world using semantics, phonetics, etc I would think that a serious study ...

What are the main differences between Applied Linguistics and Linguistics?

If I want to pursue further study in the English language so that I can be more proficient in language teaching, which one is more beneficial?

Thanks,
William

If you have time, could you go to http://wttfcweb01.netvigator.com/filecabc/servlet/share?f=wymlee%2FMy+Downloads%2FD_04.mp3 to listen to a speech by my instructor? For Americans, is his British accent difficult to understand? To my ears, his accent is perfectly understandable. William P.S. His file...

Thanks for your links. Ya, I also found some of the description by Dan Brown are clumsy. Sometimes the subtlety of his description hindered my understanding. But overall, the plot is outstanding. I teach English in a non-English speaking country so I just found those religious words are rare in my c...

I just finished reading Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. It was breathtaking and ingenious. But I encountered quite a few difficult words related to religions and art. I just wondered if I don't know those words, does it mean my lexicon is inadequate :cry: ? For example, mortification, calices, altar, cr...

Wow, I am pleased to see that many replies. Actually, I intended to ask for the difference in meaning instead of in terms of 'applied linguistics'. 1) Are you finished with your homework? (less formal) 2) Have you finished your homework? (formal) To me as a non-native speaker, these two questions ar...

Is there a difference between:

1) Are you finished with your homework?

2) Have you finished your homework?

William

I am taking a course in pronunciation, this is what I have learned: Plosives are: /p/ /t/ /k/ which are voiceless consonants /b/ /d/ /g/ which are voiced consonants When a word ends in a voiceless consonant, the preceding vowel is shortened. When a word ends in a voiced consonant, the preceding vowe...

I looked up the Longman online dictionary, http://www.ldoceonline.com/ , here is the definition: fruit (plural) fruit or fruits 1 [uncountable and countable] something that grows on a plant, tree, or bush, can be eaten as a food, contains seeds or a stone, and is usually sweet Try to eat plenty of f...

Hi everyone,

When you pronounce the words,

1) seeks
2) seeds
3) seats

do you make a distinct difference? Thanks.

William

Thanks both of you! Ya, sometimes I am too obsessed with the rules and this obsession may blind me to the reality.

Ya, me too. I don't quite understabd the exmaples in #4: 1a) I like carrots more than I do potatoes. :D 1b) I like carrots more than do I like potatoes. :( 2a) I like carrots more than does my friend Carl. :D 2b) I like carrots more than my friend Carl does. :( I have never heard about this rule, "W...

Please go take a look at this web site on inversion:

http://www.testmagic.com/grammar/explan ... ersion.htm

"Had I learned more about the subject/verb inversion, I would not have asked this question."

Does anyone know other comprehensive guides to subject/verb inversion?

William