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Kim Kim | 17:54 UK time, Friday, 13 August 2010

Hi Marina

Thanks for your latest post, and for answering everyone's questions. It sounds like you've had an interesting career - how did you move from social work to journalism? That's quite a jump. What is the 'society' section of the online newspaper that you edit - Lifestyle? Events? Or people? I am now imagining that you have a full and exciting social life as part of your job! Is online news popular in Kazakhstan? Has online news had an impact on people buying and reading newspapers offline?

I am not in the least bit surprised to discover that you enjoy creative writing, and that you are working on a film script. I wish you lots of luck with your endeavours. Is the photo of you writing taken at home or at your workplace? Do you work from home?

I work from home, and have done for a number of years now. Here is my workspace - with the uninspiring view of an interior cream wall:

workplace.jpg
It is in stark contrast to the views you have! What an amazing view you have from your balcony. I'm afraid that I don't get such an inspiring view when I take a breather. There is no balcony but we do have a small garden, so when I need to take a break - that's where you'll find me. Here is a picture of the garden taken today - it's a little overgrown, and you can see that we have a grey, overcast sky despite it being the height of summer.

garden.jpg
There are no mountains for us. The photo of the mountains that you have included in your last post is spectacular.

Anyway, now let's take a look at the language of your last post. Again, you have used some expressions really naturally and well (the 'big screen' for example). You have a nice style.

More about articles

There are a few problems with the use of articles (although you've used them well in many places). There are some places where an article is missing. You need an article in these cases as they are all countable nouns. I've added them in brackets:

I could create (the) whole night!
The snow leopard is the symbol of Almaty city and (the) forthcoming Asian Olympic Games 2011
It's used for decorating (the) floor or walls in some houses.
It's (a) great art that usually passes from father to son.

'from father to son' is a set phrase that doesn't need an article (it's quite a complex subject!)

And there is one example where an article is included when it is isn't needed (in brackets) as the noun is uncountable:

Just five minutes - and you are in (a) peace and quiet in the mountains

Then there are some places where you've used the wrong article - maybe! Let's start with an interesting example from your post:

I'm an editor of the 'society' section

If you say I'm an editor the reader understands that there are probably more editors - you are one among others.

If you say I'm the editor the reader understands that there is only one editor - you!

So from what you have said, I think that there are more editors of the 'society' section - is that right? If not, if you are the only editor, then you need to say 'I'm the editor'

Here is another example:

I'm an editor of the 'society' section of one Internet edition

If you say 'one internet edition' then I understand that there is only one, and no more. I don't think you mean that, I think your online newspaper is regularly produced. So perhaps you mean: 'I'm the editor of the society section of the internet edition of...(the name of the paper)' OR 'I'm the editor of the society section of an internet (or online) newspaper'.

So here we use 'the' when we are referring to something specific (I work for the online version of the Times) and 'an' when we are referring to something that is not specific (I work for an online newspaper).

Here is another example from your post:

Now I'm working on the script

In this case, you would say 'I'm working on a script' because it's the first time you've mentioned your script - people don't know what script you mean. We say 'I'm working on the script' when we are referring to a script that has already been mentioned, or that we all know about.

Using articles in English can be tricky. Next time you write, just spend a few minutes looking at the articles. Are any articles missing before nouns? Should you use 'a' or 'the'?

Passive

I've also noticed a few mistakes with using the passive. Have a look at the following phrases (corrections follow the symbol >):

but it compensate with a day-off during the work week > but it is compensated with a day off during the working week (note that we say 'the working week')

For hundreds of years the golden eagle has been using for hunting > For hundreds of years the golden eagle has been used for hunting

Training of these birds is required high special skills > Training of these birds requires high special skills (you don't need the passive here) OR Special skills are required for the training of these birds (by the way, you could say 'specialist skills').

It known that every year the government allocates money for shooting wolves > It is known that...

Again, next time you write, check places where you use the passive.

Make and do

You asked about using 'make' and 'do'. I thought this could be today's task! There are some phrases that we use with 'make' and there are some phrases that we use with 'do' - there is no real reason why, it's just the way it is! So here are some expressions that use 'make' or 'do'. Can you divide them into two groups? Which phrases go with 'do'? And which phrases go with 'make'?


  • the beds

  • your best

  • the cooking

  • an effort

  • an excuse

  • a favour

  • a fuss

  • good

  • harm

  • homework

  • housework

  • a job

  • a mess

  • a mistake

  • money

  • a noise

  • an offer

  • a phone call

  • plans

  • a suggestion

Ok, I shall leave you with that task. Have a good weekend Marina, here the skies have now opened and it is raining.

Best wishes,
Kim

Vocabulary

lifestyle = the way a person lives their life
I am not in the least bit surprised = I am not surprised at all
endeavour = attempt to do something
uninspiring = not very exciting or interesting
in stark contrast = completely different
take a breather = have a rest
overgrown = covered with plants - an in need of cutting!
overcast = cloudy
the height of summer = when summer is at its peak (July/August)
spectacular = exciting
tricky = difficult
the skies have opened = it has started to rain

Comments

  • Comment number 1.

    Hi! well I really don't know what to say, this is my first time in using a blog, I have just finished my BA as n English Teacher and I would like to practice my English because I have to practice my speaking and I don't know how can I practice if I don't have somebody else to practice with. I wonder if you can tell me some techniques for improving my speaking skill. =) Thank you very much!

  • Comment number 2.

    Hi Kim!

    Thanks for your photos you've attached here. The view of your overgrown garden really reminds me my mum's house in Zhezkazgan! Your workplace seems very quiet and nice. I like that soft light you have there :)

    I'd really love to work from home one day (actually I do some freelance job from time to time) but now I work in an office and it's well placed! You see the society section that I edit includes all of the parts you've mentioned - lifestyle, people and events from all the world. Online news is read by people from big cities as there isn't an Internet access in countryside. In the meantime the online media is getting more popular than the offline ones.

    OK, there are my answers:

    1. make the bed
    2. do your best
    3. do the cooking
    4. make an effort
    5. make an excuse
    6. do a favour
    7. make a fuss
    8. make good
    9. do harm
    10. do homework
    11. do housework
    12. do/make a good/bad job
    13. make a mess
    14. make a mistake
    15. make money
    16. make a noise
    17. make an offer
    18. make a phone call
    19. plans - I'm not sure but I would say "have my plans ready"
    20. make a suggestion

    Best wishes,
    Marina the Pocahontas :)

  • Comment number 3.


    Dear Kim,

    I'm not sure whether the 'task' is open for all other than student blogger or not. However, I do it as it makes me interested. Please let me know, if there is any.................

    Anyway, thanks a lot for the part 'More about Articles'. It clarifies many queries in me.

    In Bangladesh, it’s boiling now though it’s rainy season as calendar. In addition, the skies open now and then whether it is overcast or not. What an effect of climate change! I’m sweating right now though it’s raining outside here.

    Here’s the task done.

    Do your best
    Do the cooking
    Do good
    Do harm
    Do homework
    Do housework
    Do a job


    Make the beds
    Make an effort
    Make an excuse
    Make a favour
    Make a fuss
    Make a mess
    Make a mistake
    Make money
    Make a noise
    Make an offer
    Make a phone call
    Make plans
    Make a suggestion

  • Comment number 4.

    Dear Kim,

    You've asked about my career as well. You see I've worked as social worker when I was a student of university. It was a kind of part-time job but really interesting one. After I graduated I've worked for many different projects.

    Marina

  • Comment number 5.

    Dear Kim,

    Would you please go through the line 'skies have now opened and it is raining' from your blog. I also have tried to use it in my writing, but I'm a bit confused. Why is the word 'skies' in plural, where there's only one sky?

    Look forward to your reply.

  • Comment number 6.

    Dear Kim,

    Thank you very much for your message. Special thanks for part More about articles. This theme is hard to me because we do not have any analog in our languge (I'm Russian). I hope I can use the knowledge in the future.

    Marina (mbagema).

  • Comment number 7.

    Dear Marina (and others)

    Glad to hear that the information about articles is useful. And well done Marina and Ashish on completing the make and do task.

    You’ve got them mostly right (apart from one Ashish as we say ‘do somebody a favour’ for example we might say: ‘Can you do me a favour and go the shops for me?’)

    Marina – we would say ‘make plans’ for example: ‘Have you made any holiday plans yet?’.

    It’s interesting how we use make and do with ‘good’. We can say ‘do good’ and ‘make good’ but they mean different things. Look at these examples:
    He did lots of good (he did something beneficial to society)
    Go and get some fresh air – that’ll do you good (that will help you, be beneficial to you)
    She made good on her promise (She fulfilled her promise, made something happen, you’ll find this used in certain expressions.)

    Ashish – we do sometimes use ‘sky’ in the plural – when we are referring to a particular state (weather for example – we have grey cloudy skies again) or place (the skies over Spain…), but in these examples you can use the singular too. In the expression ‘the skies have opened’ we do use it in the plural though.

    Finally, Aseret, there is some information about improving your speaking skills on the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Learning English website. Have a look here:

    Best wishes,
    Kim

  • Comment number 8.

    Aseret - a link is missing from the above post! This is the link with information about improving your speaking skills:
    /worldservice/learningenglish/webcast/tae_betterspeaking_archive.shtml

    Kim

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