Tudi takrat, ko je naše znanje angleščine na visoki ravni in se lahko tekoče pogovarjamo, se pojavijo jezikovne napakice, ki se jih sploh ne zavedamo.
Ohranjanje jezikovne kondicije zato zahteva nenehen stik z angleščino oziroma občasno hitro osvežitev. Če tega ni, nam jezik začne »uhajati« in prav čutimo, da nismo več tako samozavestni, da iščemo pravo besedo ...
Preverite, če pravilen odgovor prepoznate takoj.
1. Whose car is it?
- This is a car of John.
- This is John’s car.
Pravilno: This is John’s car.
Za izražanje svojine pri samostalnikih, ki označujejo živa bitja, dodamo apostrof (’) in s.
- This is Kate’s office.
- I am afraid of my dog’s bad temper.
Predlog of lahko uporabimo pri neživih samostalnikih:
- The cost of the operation was enormous.
- The condition of the goods we received was very poor.
2. Polite questions
- Can you tell me where is the museum?
- Can you tell me where the museum is?
Pravilno: Can you tell me where the museum is?
Če želimo zveneti bolj vljudni in prijazni, direktnemu vprašanju dodamo Can you /Could you/Do you mind me asking/I was wondering… Takrat se spremeni besedni red, ki postane enak tistemu v trdilnem stavku:
- Can you tell me where the museum is?
- What are you doing? I was wondering what you were doing.
3. Make ali do
- I have made a terrible mistake.
- I have done a terrible mistake.
Pravilno: I have made a terrible mistake.
Pravilna fraza je to make a mistake. Fraze z glagoloma do in make si moramo preprosto zapomniti:
DO: housework, the laundry, shopping, homework, business
MAKE: breakfast, a reservation, money, friends, a joke, a promise, plans...
4. Prefer ali would prefer
- I would prefer to see a film on TV than go to the cinema tonight.
- I prefer to see a film on TV than go to the cinema tonight.
Pravilno: I would prefer see a film on TV than go to the cinema tonight.
Kadar govorimo o naklonjenosti na splošno, uporabimo prefer, če govorimo o preferenci v določeni situaciji, uporabimo would prefer.
5. Million ali millions?
- There are 2 million residents in Slovenia.
- There are 2 millions residents in Slovenia.
Pravilno: There are 2 million residents in Slovenia.
- Če uporabimo točno število v vrednosti tisoč, milijon (ali dva milijona) ali milijarda, potem ne dodamo s (3 thousand dollars, 5 billion people).
- Kadar je številka zaokrožena (v smislu več milijard, več milijonov), dodamo s (billions of dollars, milions of years).
6. Much ali a lot?
- I have a lot of free time on my hands.
- I have much free time on my hands.
Pravilno: I have a lot of time on my hands.
Much se uporablja le v nikalnih stavkih, ko povemo, da nečesa nimamo veliko (I don't have much time.). V trdilnih stavkih za izražanje količine pri neštevnih samostalnikih uporabimo a lot (He has a lot of money.), pri števnih samostalnih pa many (He has many brothers.).
7. Three-day ali three-days weekend
- I can't wait for the three-days weekend.
- I can't wait for the three-day weekend.
Pravilno: I can't wait for the three-day weekend.
Zloženka iz števila in samostalnika, ki tvori samostojno besedo, je vedno v edninski obliki (five-star hotel, ten-minute break).
Učenje angleščine v Linguli poteka po govorni metodi. Tako neopazno utrjujete strukture in učinkovito širite besedni zaklad, predvsem pa postajate vedno samozavestnejši govorec.
