Monday, April 30, 2007

Vocabulary for today: tr_nch or d_tch

This photo shows a long horizontal hole. The name is at the end of this
page.
++++++
This is a letter to Keyla, but all students of English can benefit from
the
information. I recommend this web page
http://www.geocities.com/teachers2teachers/brane
Read and learn about the brain! Send me your comments.
KEYLA if you want maximum practice of English, try to write to Wael in
Egypt. His spelling will improve and he has more time than I have!
waelbekhiet@hotmail.com
Here is my recent discussion with him....
hi says: hi mr.steve, how are you
steve says: hello Wael.
hi says: i am waiting you yasterday
steve says: It is 7:48 in Florida. I apologize. We had a conference
and I was very tired. I took a short nap... (a short sleep) and I did
not wake up!
yesterday (YESterday)
hi says: ok hope you are ok now
steve says: My wife tells me that we must organize the house for our
internet business
(we are creating a web site about travel) and so I must be a good
husband and listen.
I like the work of Dr. Nancy Snyderman. She has some interesting
information. The vocabulary is difficult but I will send you the DVD.
Can
you give me your postal address?
hi says: yes
arab robablec of egypt
south sinai county
sharm el shiekh city
att / Wael Bekhiet Abouzeid
steve says: I am writing the envelope now.
steve says: I will mail to you an interesting video and a pronunciation
video on the same CD.
hi says: but u can correct my mistack ok of arab robablek of egypt. U
know what i main. u are buse now
steve says: you know what I MEAN
I am BUSY now. You are right.
hi says: ok thank u
steve says: I have placed this envelope in my mail box with the CD.
You will receive it in 10 days I hope. Please make copies and share it
with friends and ask me for explanations.
http://www.geocities.com/teachers2teachers/brane
this is the web site with the dialog from the CD. You will have A LOT
of listening practice.
============
Keyla, I think you will enjoy this web site, too. I will send this
message to other students in the class. It is a good idea to read about
something
interesting and then think "how can I use this information in my life?"
A class to learn English can include stuff to read. There is a LOT of
interesting information in this web page.
++++++
The long horizontal hole is a trench or ditch.
--s2314@tmail.com

--s2314@tmail.com
Steve McCrea 954-OH-MUCHO 954.646.8246
Book editing, marketing design
Tutoring

www.LookForPatterns.com
Supporter of the Double Moon Shot (proposed by Thomas Friedman) energy
and education at www.CDsForParents.com

Saturday, April 28, 2007

Seven kilos of ice

Yes, a party. Me and my wife are having a party today to celebrate the
end of spring in South Florida.
(Can you find the error in that sentence?)
NOT: Bob and me travel a good deal.
(Would you say, "me travel"?)
NOT: He gave the flowers to Jane and I.
(Would you say, "he gave the flowers to I"?)
NOT: Us men like the coach.
(Would you say, "us like the coach"?)
2. In comparisons. Comparisons usually follow than or as:
He is taller than I (am tall).
This helps you as much as (it helps) me.
She is as noisy as I (am).
Comparisons are really shorthand sentences which usually omit words,
such as those in the parentheses in the sentences above. If you complete
the comparison in your head, you can choose the correct case for the
pronoun.
NOT: He is taller than me.
(Would you say, "than me am tall"?)

3. In formal and semiformal writing:
Use the subjective form after a form of the verb to be.
FORMAL: It is I.
INFORMAL: It is me.
Use whom in the objective case.
FORMAL: To whom am I talking?
INFORMAL: Who am I talking to?
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_proncase.html
================ 
http://andromeda.rutgers.edu/~jlynch/Writing/t.html

... explanation
Than I versus Than Me.
Than, as used in comparatives, has traditionally been considered a
conjunction; as such, if you're comparing subjects, the pronouns after
than should take the "subjective case." In other words, "He's taller
than I," not "He's taller than me"; "She's smarter than he," not "She's
smarter than him." If, on the other hand, you're comparing direct or
indirect objects, the pronouns should be objective: "I've never worked
with a more difficult client than him."
There are some advantages to this traditional state of affairs. If you
observe this distinction, you can be more precise in some comparisons.
Consider these two sentences:
· He has more friends than I. (His total number of friends is higher
than my total number of friends.)
· He has more friends than me. (I'm not his only friend; he has
others.)
The problem, though, is that in all but the most formal contexts, "than
I" sounds stuffy, even unidiomatic. Most people, in most contexts, treat
than as a preposition, and put all following pronouns in the objective
case, whether the things being compared are subjects or objects. "He's
taller than me" sounds more natural to most native English speakers.
This isn't a recent development: people have been treating than as a
preposition for centuries. Consider the following from big-name English
and American writers:
· Matthew Prior, Better Answer: "For thou art a girl as much brighter
than her,/ As he was a poet sublimer than me."
· Samuel Richardson's Clarissa, 1.10.58, "I am fitter for this world
than you, you for the next than me."
· Lord Byron's letter of 2 November 1804, "Lord Delawarr is considerably
younger than me."
· Robert Southey, Well of St. Keyne, 51: "She had been wiser than me,/
For she took a bottle to Church."
· William Faulkner's Reivers, 4.82: "Let Lucius get out . . . He's
younger than me and stouter too for his size."
So what should you do? I don't have a good answer, other than the most
general advice possible: try to size up your audience, and figure out
whether they're likely to be happier with the traditional or the
familiar usage. [Entry added 3 Jan. 2005.]
--s2314@tmail.com

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Luci's poster and Xavier's email address

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFtyiQpLP5I
Do you know the teacher named Luci?
Look at her boxes and poster.
Xavier is from Geneva xaviercharriere@hotmail.com
Can you think outside of the box? Write your opinion to S2314@tmail.com

Hello from Switzerland

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrCjJ_WOTu0
A tour of Switzerland by Xavier xaviercharriere@hotmail.com , Astrid
astridsteiner@gmx.ch and Nico nico_scherrer@gmx.net say hello....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBR3_h4l06I

Spil_co@hotmail.com Nicolas from Greece

Oh, no!!! Too much email from Steve!

The photo shows a sign "space for LE___"
The sign in the background is "Merle ____" (answers below)
Hello students
Please write to these two Egyptian students
samra_2212@hotmail.com
(Samra = "white") And
waelbekhiet@hotmail.com
And we will talk about chen
1. How does he say "good bye" in the video?
2. Which city is he from?
3. What is his skype name?

Also, your home work is to bring an article about your country or to
write about a restaurant in your city and send it to me at
steveenglishteacher@hotmail.com
Also please write about an interesting restaurant or place to visit in
florida.
We will continue to try to make a students's guide to florida (and your
cities)
Steve
-----Original Message-----
Subject: an example of skype
Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2007 07:17:06 -0400
I just met a student online named CHEN
He saw a movie called Ong Bak. It is a Thai movie (it was made in
Thailand).
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1388074/photogallery

The leading actor is
Tony Jaa.
Chen recommends this movie, made in 2003.
I am putting this information on www.TellMeMoreTV.com.
I also recommend the long boring conversation with Chen that I
recorded.
You can hear Steve stumble and hit the camera. It is a little long but
it is a good example of a conversation using SKYPE.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3x19_KZvVP0

first talk with Chen
Second talk with Chen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAiFvzV9qC8
here is our conversation by chat...
[5:34:37 AM] Steve says: so i know only 2 andres
[5:34:55 AM] Steve says: jonathan chambers
[5:35:00 AM] Steve says: he is a teacher in shanghai
[5:35:12 AM] Steve says: chambers.jonathan@gmail.com
[5:35:33 AM] Steve says: the teacher in high school in shanghai
[5:36:01 AM] Steve says: is he in China?
[5:36:08 AM] Steve says: his name is nooni
[5:36:08 AM] NEFAB ChenHao says: noey
[5:36:11 AM] Steve says: noeyu
[5:36:13 AM] Steve says: noey
[5:36:24 AM] Steve says: from thailand
[5:36:34 AM] Steve says: you speak quickly
[5:36:42 AM] Steve says: tony ja
[5:36:51 AM] Steve says: who is tony ja
[5:37:06 AM] Steve says: you can improve if you speak more slowly
[5:37:26 AM] Steve says: it is difficult to understand THAILAND and
CHINA.
It sounds similar to US peoplel'
[5:37:27 AM] NEFAB ChenHao says: ONG-BAK
[5:37:38 AM] Steve says: movie
[5:37:47 AM] Steve says: ong bak is a movie
[5:38:49 AM] NEFAB ChenHao says: tony ja
[5:40:01 AM] Steve says: bye
[5:40:02 AM] Steve says: thank you
[5:40:06 AM] Steve says: i enjoyed our talk
[5:40:14 AM] Steve says: I will hope to see you soom
[5:40:18 AM] Steve says: you have a nice photo
[5:40:25 AM] Steve says: is this a good time for you
[5:40:31 AM] Steve says: what is a good time for you
[5:40:45 AM] Steve says: I am lucky to be awake. it is 5:30 am in
Florida
[5:40:52 AM] Steve says: usually I get up at 6:30 am
[5:40:57 AM] Steve says: I am going back to bed.
[5:41:04 AM] Steve says: bye
[5:41:05 AM] Steve says: b ye
[5:41:08 AM] Steve hP says: bye
[5:41:18 AM] Steve says: bye jia
[5:41:28 AM] NEFAB ChenHao says: zai jia
[5:41:50 AM] Steve says: zai jia
[5:41:53 AM] Steve says: bye
[5:42:32 AM] NEFAB ChenHao says: chinese ofen use 88 instead of byebye
[5:43:10 AM] NEFAB ChenHao says: because of in chinese 88 is the same
voice
to byebye
[5:43:19 AM] Steve says: BB = 88 good symbol
[5:43:26 AM] Steve says: zia jia is 88
[5:43:40 AM] Steve says: for me 88 = BB = bye bye
[5:43:48 AM] NEFAB ChenHao says: yes ,good,but it only be used by net
[5:44:01 AM] Steve says: okay only by internet SHEH SHEH
[5:44:05 AM] Steve says: zia jia
[5:44:06 AM] Steve says: zia jia
[5:44:08 AM] NEFAB ChenHao says: so you should not use 88 in talking
[5:44:19 AM] NEFAB ChenHao says: 8
[5:44:33 AM] Steve says: okay

Answer:
Space for LEASE, like "rent for many months"
Merle Wood, the name of a company
--s2314@tmail.com

Friday, April 13, 2007

Tell us something about your city

You can see more photos like this at my web site www.RoadLovers.com.


Put an article on this web new site and I will look at your grammar and
vocabulary. (To submit an article, you need to register and then
confirm your email address, then you can write an article.) Tell us
about your city! Tell us about a wonderful place that we should visit!
Here are more students who want to receive email messages.
meduri@naver.com
sghdcns@naver.com
Jlawson@conncoll.edu
duqdlduql@naver.com
zarubukkake1103@hotmail.co.jp

Our Internet Content Consultant added these comments

"These great players are following a passion, which entertains a lot of
people and helps them enjoy their lives. These players do something
that makes the audience scream, be happy, cry and experiences every
possible emotion. When an injury like this happens to these brave
players, their lives are almost finished, because mentally they are
unprepared for this enormous change. Perhaps they will never recover
from this injury. The harm can last for the rest of the player's
life. In just one second, in one movement, in one breath, their lives
can be different forever."
Now do you see why you need to watch that video? Sports is great
drama. It's not just entertainment. So when you see someone watching
sports, they are really watching great theater. Send comments to our
expert: andres_fdo04@hotmail.com.
TOUR AT A SCHOOL
Let's find the food at the Little Pink School:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJeFo-DCWsk

and then go to the SCIENCE
room:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGJgErO0w8I
HELLO TO CHEN HAO -- The photo is from someone who wants to practice
English
From: 陈浩 <chenhao494@tom.com>
Hello, Steve! I am glad to receive your email. Could you tell me how
to study english? As you know, environment is very important in
studying a language. Everyone speaks Chinese in China. So I usually
don't practice English with my friends. Do you have some good
suggestions? I just want to make some foreign friends. I regret that I
didn't work hard with my English learning when I was a student. I am
waiting for your email!
ANSWER: 1. Continue to write to me. 2. Continue to look for email
contacts on this Blog and at www.BuildingInternationalBridges.com and

www.freeEnglishLessons.com.

3. Get www.skype.com and contact
steveenglishteacher. 4. Use MSN for communication, instant messages
and chat. Thank you!

Guided Independent Learning DAY 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIwDgD7FJIw
Here is the homework for the Guided Independent Learning -- please
choose another student and write a message...
www.buildinginternationalbridges.com

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Our Internet Content Consultant recommends....

Hello, Students! Please visit these videos.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9EwcVFjbU4
Marc offers free pizza to 5 actors. Time to sign up! Call
Steve...April 24 is the shooting date!
Here is a tour of a Little Pink School near our language school. Can
you understand everything that the tour guides say!?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kfl5zWlFwIA
Here is today's recommendation by our Internet Content Consultant. He
recommends this video because....
http://youtube.com/watch?v=wPIOt3uoRJ8

This video shows not just a
painful injury, but also the real danger of all athletes (not just a
soccer player). Most of us think, "Yeah, it is horrible, but it is just
a bone." Well, it isn't! Most of these players spend all of their
lives dedicated to their
sports. They have no alternatives. They left their studies in college
or university and bet everything on their talent. Without the broken
bone, they can play many years. But this injury could end his
professional life. This injury is the risk that true athletes must
take. I hope you will see this moment as a tragedy, not just
entertainment." (Youtube says that "this video may contain content
that is inappropriate for some users".)
The photo comes from a store in Fort Lauderdale. What is the error?
Write to me with your comments. S2314@tmail.com
www.roadlovers.com >> put your recommendations here! and at

www.CDsForParents.com

Here is a photo of a student's pendant

Some of the students at the little pink school like baseball. What team
is associoated with this symbol?
--s2314@tmail.com

Friday, April 6, 2007

We are penpals, hear us type!

These students want to exchange email messages!
steveoja@hotmail.com
cathy_rt18@hotmail.com
lenircardoso210@hotmail.com (she said "no videos!")
andres_fdo04@hotmail.com
mizo_abaza@hotmail.com
carlosandre777@hotmail.com
chambers.jonathan@gmail.com
noonoey@hotmail.com
toykiki@hanmail.net
lolo0923@hotmail.com
bradstow2@yahoo.co.uk (my friend Cary)
panache33@hanmail.net
xoxavova@hotmail.com
Xia_joy@hotmail.com in China
niColaslongefoy@hotmail.com
keylanacif@hotmail.com
karimsadki@munich.com
s_kadirseker@msn.com from Turkey
b.e.z.y@centrum.cz
maysam_s@yahoo.com An Iranian guy in Miami
m.magyar@centrum.cz
SteveEnglishTeacher@hotmail.com in Florida
Please send me your email address if you want to join this list of
penpals who want to build bridges.  www.BuildingInternationalBridges.com

is sometimes not seen by some students (geocities.com is blocked), so
parts of the web page will be shown here.
Oh, about the photo:  I am giving away 400 books on one CD.  It can be
sent to you via a web program called www.Yousendit.com -- Ask for a
copy!
Building International Bridges: Is it unsafe to visit countries in the
Middle East?  (well, for some people...)
Is there another way to create people-to-people links?  My grandfather
participated in "People to People" meetings in the 1950s. My
grandfather wrote about meetings that he had in Iran, Sudan and
Morocco.  His wife had coffee or tea with local women's groups. 
Can you imagine visiting Sudan today?  I can't.  What is the
alternative?
Perhaps we can exchange email messages and watch videos on youtube.com.
www.TellMeMoreTV.com.

Write to us!

Thursday, April 5, 2007

ExplainThat Headline

The most interesting part of newspapers is the double meaning in the
headlines. Can you find a headline with something special? Send me
your ideas. Example: "The planet is in peril" or "the earth is in
danger." The first is better. But why? Send me your idea.
steveenglishteacher@hotmail.com