In Word order^x, Conversations^x

Hi all!I've been giving English conversation lessons to a theology professor for about a year now. He's getting on in the years - a couple years from retirement - and his primary goal has been just to get his spoken English going a little stronger. His mother tongue is French but he's...

Compare:Who saw you? >>> "Who" is the subject. You were seen by somebody.Who did you see? >>> "Who" is the object. You saw somebody. (Strictly speaking, this one should be "Whom did you see?" ... but in everyday conversations "Who did you...

Hi allIt would be interesting to hear from nonnative speakers of English in particular what influence English exerts on other languages nowadays. What English words and expressions are used in your language? Does English grammar or syntax have an influence on your native language? Where is this...

Hi,I've used this phrase without thinking in a conversation today:...the present I wished for...Is this "expression" common and natural? What about "the present I hoped for"? Are there any other ways of saying the same thing?Thanks.P.S. Is the word order in my first sentence natural? To be...

Strictly speaking, no, it is not necessary to use subject-operator inversion in all questions, conditionals, etc. You can ask a question by making a statement with a questioning tone of voice, for example. So you're leaving for Holland this Friday? Inversion in conditionals is optional...

Mister Micawber wrote:George Bernard Shaw said the best English in the world was spoken in Ireland, or at least in DublinI don't suppose that has anything to do with his being born there, eh Clive?Seriously: no offense intended. I did not mean to associate my two statements. The language's...

Only the second one seems grammatically correct to me. It is the normal/grammatical word order for reported speech. Yet, with "punctuation" changes, you can hear the first one. Let's say you're talking about a singer. You've discovered him through his latest hit "What is love?", and you want to...

Hi I've added some initial comments in red. Sort out the structure and post up another draft for help with the final version. Why are you using a capital I for the word incentives throughout? I write to you to apply for the study course "International Tourism Management". I look at this study as...

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/student/viewtopic.php?p=44820#44820 1. She danced happy. 2. She danced happily. 3. He went away happy. 4. He went away happily. Sentence 1 is not so common, but it certainly could be used (in informal conversation) to mean "She was in a happy mood while dancing."...

Dear Andrewdust: As I promised, I have reviewed your short story and taken the liberty of making suggested corrections. Again, I want to congratulate you on a well written document. You have real talent that you should continue to develop. I would suggest that you purchase "The Elements of...