quarta-feira, 18 de agosto de 2010

DIFFERENCES: WAY, TO & FOR, AM ENG & BR ENGL AND SOME IDIOMS



Using way in another way

The meaning you probably know already for "way" is direction, path, or method. But you can also use it in place of "very." Be careful. Using "way" for very is popular for young people; however, if older people try doing this, it sounds a little funny. Here are some examples:
This song is way cool.
   
She's way hot. (good looking)  
She's way too hot for you.  
This Thai food is way awesome! 
Portuguese is way too hard to learn. 

Do you know when to use To and when to use FOR? No? Let's see if i can help you. (Suggested by Ivancleber) 

TO VERBS
I gave a present to him. = I gave him a present.
I’ll show the figures to you. = I’ll show you the figures.
He sold a car to me. = He sold me a car.
He sent a letter to Mary. = He sent Mary a letter.
Can you lend this book to me? = Can you lend me this book?
The boss told a joke to us. = The boss told us a joke.
Who teaches English to them? = Who teaches them English?
I paid $10 to the repairman. = I paid the repairman $10.
Will you pass the sugar to me? = Will you pass me the sugar?
Read a story to the children. = Read the children a story.
I wrote a letter to my friend. = I wrote my friend a letter.
Hand that book to me, please. = Hand me that book, please.
He offered a job to Mary. = He offered Mary a job.
He'll bring something to me. = He'll bring me something.
She sang a lullaby to the baby. = She sang the baby a lullaby.
I'll throw the ball to you. = I'll throw you the ball.




FOR VERBS 
 Let me buy a present for you. = Let me buy you a present.
I got some food for you. = I got you some food.
She made a sandwich for me. = She made me a sandwich.
Did she cook dinner for you? = Did she cook you dinner?
Can you do a favor for me? = Can you do me a favor?
He can find a job for you. = He can find you a job.
He left a message for you. = He left you a message.
Shall I pour more tea for you? = Shall I pour you more tea?
Reserve hotel rooms for us. = Reserve us hotel rooms.
Save the stamps for him. = Save him the stamps.


 It may not be very clear, sometimes, considering that in Portuguese we only use PARA. 
The tip I have for you guys is that whenever you canto ask "what's the reason/purpose?", you use FOR.
EX: I wrote  an example for my readers. (What's the reason I wrote the example? My readers!)


 Some more differences, now between American & British English

         American                             British

*shoulder
lawyer
appointment book
for rent
aluminum
apartment
closet
quotation marks
motor home
freeway
airplane
hard shoulder              
solicitor, barrister
diary
to let
aluminium
flat
wardrobe
speech marks
caravan
motorway
aeroplane
candy
lavatory/bathroom
French fries
potato chips
eggplant
cookie
fire department
eraser
sweets
toilet
chips
crisps
aubergine
biscuit
fire brigade
rubber
sidewalk
pants
cot
truck
garbage truck
engine hood
guy
ride
driver's license
mailman
downtown
zip code
pacifier
movie theater
area code
roommate
doctor's office
checking account
convertible
faculty
resume
undergraduate school
pavement, footpath
trousers
camp bed
lorry
dustbin lorry
bonnet
bloke, guy
lift                                  (carona)
driving-license
postman
city centre, town centre
postcode
dummy
cinema
dialing code
flat mate
surgery
current account
convertible
academic staff
curriculum vitae
degree
principal
head teacher, headmaster
apartment building
elevator
private school
public school
parking lot
dirt road
block of flats
lift
independent school, public school
state school, local authority school
car park
unpaved road
drugstore
national holiday
line
scotch tape
stove
oven
diaper
soccer
chemist's
bank holiday
queue
sellotape
cooker
cooker
nappy
football
gas (gasoline)
petrol
flashlight
mechanical pencil
garbage can
garbage collector
garbage
torch
propelling pencil
bin
dustbin man
litter, rubbish
mom, mommy
math
subway
mum, mummy
maths
underground, tube
fall
autumn
one-way ticket
license plate
tire
period
trunk
graduate studies
math
**brownnoser, ass-kisser
single ticket
number plate
tyre
full stop
boot
postgraduate course
problem sum
arse-licker                       
kerosene
paraffin
front desk
pop, soda
cafeteria
reception
soft drink, pop, fizzy drink
canteen, staff restaurant
muffler
labor union
dessert
silencer
trade union
pudding, dessert
cell phone
tennis shoes, running shoes, sneakers
first floor
mobile phone

trainers

ground floor (US: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, ..., UK: ground, 1st, 2nd, ...)

 *  Acostamento
 ** Puxa saco
 

Animal idioms

cat's whiskers = to think you are the best: "He thinks he's the cat's whiskers!"

like the cat that's got the cream = look very pleased with yourself: "He looks like the cat that's got the cream!"
cat got your tongue? = a question we ask when we think someone is guilty of something: "Why don't you say something? Cat got your tongue?"
let the cat out of the bag = tell a secret: "He shouldn't have told her about the party – he's let the cat out of the bag now."
put the cat among the pigeons = cause trouble: "Don't tell her about your promotion – that will really put the cat among the pigeons."
have kittens = panic: "The way he was driving, I was having kittens."
the bee's knees = think you're the best: "He thinks he's the bee's knees."
have a bee in your bonnet = be obsessed by something: "He's got a real bee in his bonnet about buying a new car. "
from the horse's mouth = get information from the original source: "I know they're getting married – I got it from the horse's mouth."
a white elephant = something that is expensive, but has no use: "People say the stadium is a white elephant and a waste of money."
a memory like an elephant = have an excellent memory: "She won't forget, you know. She has a memory like an elephant."
play piggy in the middle = be caught between two sides of an argument: "Because they aren't talking, I've been playing piggy in the middle."
make a pig's ear of something = make a complete mess of something: "You've made a right pig's ear of this. Let me do it!"
in hog heaven = be very happy: "We gave him flying lessons for his birthday – he was in hog heaven!"
pigs might fly! = something is as unlikely as pigs being able to fly: "Do you think the government will cut taxes?" "Pigs might fly!"
have butterflies in your stomach = be very nervous about something: "She's got butterflies in her stomach – it's her driving test today."
til the cows come home = do something for ever: "I can tell him til the cows come home not to be late, but he never listens."
take the bull by the horns = face a problem and take action: "I'm going to take the bull by the horns and tell him I've changed my mind."
get someone's goat = annoy someone: "It really gets my goat when she criticises him – it's not as if she's perfect herself."
a loan-shark = someone who lends money at high interest rates: "Don't borrow money from him – he's a complete loan-shark."
have a whale of a time = really enjoy yourself: "They went out and had a whale of a time."
like a fish out of water = feel very uncomfortable in a particular situation: "He feels like a fish out of water in a suit – he much prefers wearing jeans."
with your tail between your legs = feel guilty or ashamed: "He told us all that he was leaving, then he came back ten minutes later with his tail between his legs."
in the dog-house = when you know that someone is angry with you: "I'm in the dog-house – I forgot to do the shopping."
the lion's share = most of something: "She did the lion's share of the housework."
in the lion's den = in a dangerous place: "The interview was like going into the lion's den – they asked some very difficult questions."
a snake in the grass = someone who can't be trusted: "Don't tell him any secrets – he's a snake in the grass."
bug someone = irritate someone: "He's really bugging me about the holiday! I wish he'd just go away and leave me alone."
worm your way in = be nice to people so that gradually you get yourself into a good position with them: "He wormed his way into the finance department to get a job."
monkey about = play and not work: "Stop monkeying about, will you? We've got loads of work to do!"
make a mountain out of a molehill = make a big issue out of something small: "Don't worry about it – it's not important at all. You're making a mountain out of a molehill."


English idioms of emotion

Here are some emotional idioms to tell people whether you're happy, sad or angry.

:-)

All these idioms mean that you are absolutely delighted!
over the moon: "He was over the moon when he heard the news."
thrilled to bits: "She was thrilled to bits with her new bicycle."
in seventh heaven: "They were in seventh heaven when they learned they'd won a cruise."
on cloud nine: "When I got the job, I was on cloud nine for several weeks."
jump for joy: "We jumped for joy when we got the mortgage."

:-(

These idioms mean you are feeling sad.
down in the dumps: "When she left him, he was down in the dumps for a couple of weeks."
feel blue: "She felt a little blue when she lost her job."
beside yourself (with grief, worry): "When her son went missing, she was beside herself with worry."
Annoyed because you have missed an opportunity
sick as a parrot: "He was as sick as a parrot when he realised he had thrown away his lottery ticket."

:-V

These idioms mean that you are very angry.
see red: "Don't talk to him about his boss – it just makes him see red!"
hopping mad: "She was hopping mad when she found out her daughter had disobeyed her."
in a black mood: "Be careful what you say – she's in a black mood today."
Less angry idioms.
cheesed off: "I was really cheesed off when I lost the competition."
to not be on speaking terms: "They're not on speaking terms at the moment after their row."
To be off someone's Christmas card list: "Oh dear. I think I'm off her Christmas card list after insulting her husband!"
have a downer on someone: "What's John done? You seem to have a real downer on him."
rub someone up the wrong way: "Those two are always arguing. They just seem to rub each other up the wrong way."

In desperation

These idioms mean you don't know what to do.
at the end of your tether: "I just can't cope. I'm at the end of my tether with all these bills and debts."
at your wits' end: "He's at his wits' end. He's tried everything to solve the problem, but nothing has worked."

That's all for now, guys!!!                              kisses & Hugs!

                                       (*_*)

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