🍒It's raining Cats and Dogs🍒

🌼*It's raining cats and dogs*🌼, so let's learn a few rain vocabulary

Impluvious - wet with rain

Petrichor-the smell given off by the first rain following a long dry spell

Ombrifuge-something that provides shelter from the rain

Dripstone – a molding over a door or window which deflects rain.

Freshet – the flood of a river from heavy rain or melted snow (probably from Old French freschete, diminutive of freis ‘fresh’).

Monkey’s wedding – Simultaneous rain and sunshine (perhaps based on Portuguese casamento de rapôsa ‘vixen’s wedding’, in the same sense).

Ombro- – relating to rain (from Greek ombrosrain shower).

Ombrogenous – (of a bog or peat) dependent on rain for its formation.

Pluvial – relating to or characterized by rainfall (ultimately from Latin pluvia rain).

Verglas – a thin coating of ice or frozen rain on an exposed surface (from French verre glass + glas (now glace) ice).

Virga – a mass of streaks of rain appearing to hang under a cloud and evaporating before reaching the ground (from Latin virga rod, stripe).

🍓Up the ante🍓

            🍒*Up* the ante  🍒                                         I'm sure you will enjoy this. One word in the English language that could be in a noun, verb, adj, adv, prep is *UP*.Read until the end... you'll laugh.

This two-letter word in English has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that word is *'UP'*. It is listed in the dictionary as an [adv], [prep], [adj], [n] or [v].
It's easy to understand *UP*, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake *UP*?

At a meeting, why does a topic come *UP*? Why do we speak *UP*, and why are the officers *UP* for election (if there is a tie, it is a toss *UP*) and why is it *UP* to the secretary to write *UP* a report? We call *UP*our friends, brighten *UP* a room, polish *UP* the silver, warm *UP* the leftovers and clean *UP* the kitchen. We lock *UP* the house and fix *UP* the old car.

At other times, this little word has real special meaning. People stir *UP* trouble, line UP for tickets, work *UP* an appetite, and think *UP* excuses.

To be dressed is one thing but to be dressed *UP* is special.

And this *UP* is confusing: A drain must be opened *UP* because it is blocked *UP*.

We open *UP* a store in the morning but we close it *UP* at night. We seem to be pretty mixed *UP* about *UP*!

To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of *UP*, look *UP* the word *UP* in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes *UP* almost 1/4 of the page and can add *UP* to about thirty definitions.

If you are *UP* to it, you might try building *UP* a list of the many ways *UP* is used. It will take *UP* a lot of your time, but if you don't give *UP*, you may wind *UP* with ( *UP* to) a hundred or more.

When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding *UP*. When the sun comes out, we say it is clearing *UP*. When it rains, it soaks *UP* the earth. When it does not rain for awhile, things dry *UP*. One could go on and on, but I'll wrap it *UP*, for now...... my time is *UP*!

So, did this whole thing, crack you *UP*?

Send this on to everyone you look *UP* in your address book... or not... it's *UP* to you.

Advice for writing Literary Papers

🍒      Advice for Writing Literary Papers or Essays🍒

When it comes to English Literature, there's no end to the topics that you can research on that novel or other piece that you've been reading. The easiest way to get an idea for that next research topic on English literature for your essay is to start broad and then work toward making it more specific and interesting for your readers. Here are a few examples of research topics in literature to get you started.

1. Gender roles

How are the roles of men and women portrayed in the novel? Are they distinctly different? Do they have equal rights? What gender expectations do they follow or fight against?

2. Comparisons between genres

How does each genre tell its story? What are the differences and similarities between the two? Is one more effective than the other?

3. Historical background

Who is the author and what is their story? Were there controversies associated with him/her or their work? What is the significance of this novel in
the time it was written? How does it reflect the society and beliefs of its time?

4. Politics

What issues in politics does this novel address? Discrimination? Rights? Equality?

5. Religion

How is this novel religious? What beliefs is it promoting or questioning?

6. Comparisons between two characters

This can be between characters in the same novel or two different ones. How are their differences and similarities important to the novel?

7. Comparisons between two novels

If the novels seem completely different but represent the same genre or come from the same time period, this may be something you want to explore.

8. Allusions within the novel

What are some significant allusions within the novel? These could be religious, refer to other novels or authors, etc. How is this important to understanding the novel and its place in English Literature?

9. Criticism

What are some of the most notable criticisms out there? What is your response and how does it compare to other critics out there?

10. Symbolism

What are important symbols in the novel? How are they significant?

🍒Expressions in English🌼

ENGLISH EXPRESSIONS

            As...as expressions

what part of speech _"as...as" is?_

I found an answer "as quickly as" I could. Now, this structure is used to measure and compare things that are similar in proportion, and you're right about the adjectives and adverbs going between the as…as. The first as functions as an adverb and modifies the following adverb or adjective. The second functions as a preposition when connected to noun or a pronoun, or as a conjunction when it relates to a following clause, such as in the sentence: I found an answer as quickly as it was possible to do.

I like to think *_“I'm as good a dancer as Michael Jackson”_*. OK,OK, maybe _not as good a dancer_, but did you notice the use of the adjective and the noun? …_as good a dancer as Michael Jackson_. When we use an adjective and a noun between an *‘as…as’* expression, we must remember the article. …_‘as good a dancer’_. And this is also true for *‘an’* …*‘as delicious an orange as’*…

To make these expressions negative we put not before the _as…as_. For example: *_“he was not as smart as his sister”*. And in negative expressions we can replace the first *‘as’* with *‘so’*. For example: _“he was not so smart as his sister”_.

These expressions are *“idiomatic”* and they're very, very common in English. We have a few set ones which people tend to repeat over and over again. For example: *_“When I saw the ghost, I went as white as a sheet”_*. Or: *_“In the library be as quiet as a mouse”_*. Or: *_“I was late for work. I ran as fast as lightning”_*.

SUMMARY

*‘As…as’* expressions are used to compare things of a similar nature. In between the _as...as_ we put an adjective,adverb or adjective noun combination:

i) _*I am as cold as ice*_.
ii) _*He ran as quickly as he could*_.
iii) _*She is as clever a person as Albert*_
    *_Einstein_*.

Adverb and Preposition

The first *‘as’* is an adverb, modifying the following adverb or adjective. The second ‘as’ is either a preposition when connecting to noun or pronoun:

E
_He was as big as a mountain_, or a conjunction when connecting to a clause: _He was as tall as he would ever grow_.

USING NOUNS

When using a noun between _‘as…as’_, it is important to remember the article *‘a’* or *‘an’*

E:
> _*It was as bright a day as I have seen in a*_
    *_long time_*.
> _*It was as provoking an exhibition as the*_
    *_one before it_*.

NAGETIVES

To make _‘as…as’_ expressions negative, use *'not'* before them. When using a negative, the first *‘as’* can be substituted with *‘so‘*:

E
1- *_I am not as clever as you_*.
2- *_I am not so clever as you_*.

IDIOMS

There are many common idiomatic expressions in English using this structure:

E
> *_She was as brave as a lion_*.
> *_They were as tall as trees_*.
> _*I'm as cool as a cucumber*_.

🌼English Diphthongs and Triphthongs🌼

English Diphthongs and Triphthongs:

Diphthong
• Diphthong: Sounds which consist of a movement or glide from one vowel to another.
• Pure Vowel: A vowel which remains constant, it does not glide.
• Diphthongs have the same length as the long vowels.
• The first part (sound) is much longer and stronger than the second part.
• Example: aɪ in the words ‘eye’ and ‘ɪ ’ consists of the ‘a’ vowel, and only in about the last quarter of the diphthong, does the glide to ‘ɪ’ becomes noticeable.

English has 8 diphthongs.
Centering diphthong:
1. three (3) ending in ‘ə’ : ɪə, eə, ʊə
Closing diphthong
2. three (3) ending in ‘ɪ’: eɪ, aɪ, ɔɪ
3. two (2) ending in ‘ʊ’: əʊ, aʊ

Examples:
• ɪə : beard, weird, fierce, ear, beer, tear
• eə: aired, cairn, scarce, bear, hair,
• ʊə: moored, tour, lure, sure, pure
• eɪ : paid, pain, face, shade, age, wait, taste, paper
• aɪ: tide, time, nice, buy, bike, pie, eye, kite, fine
• ɔɪ: void, loin, voice, oil, boil, coin, toy, Roy
• əʊ: load, home, most, bone, phone, boat, bowl
• aʊ: loud, gown, house, cow, bow, brow, grouse

Triphthongs

• A triphthong is a glide from one vowel to another and the to a third, all produced rapidly and without interruption. For example, a careful pronunciation of the word ‘hour’ begins with a vowel quality similar to ‘ɑ:’, goes on to ‘ʊ’ then ends in ‘ə’.
• It says /aʊə/
• Triphthong : 5 closing diphthongs with ‘ə’ added on the end.
– eɪ + ə = eɪə . as in layer, player
– aɪ + ə = aɪə. as in lire, fire
– ɔɪ + ə = ɔɪə, as in loyal, royal
– əʊ + ə = əuə, as in lower, mower
– aʊ + ə = auə, as in power, hour.

🌼PREPOSITIONS🌼

Prepositions
****************
Definition
A preposition is a word that indicates location (in, near, beside) or some other relationship (about, after, besides) between a noun or pronoun and other parts of the sentence. A preposition isn't a preposition unless it goes with a related noun or pronoun, called the object of the preposition.

Examples:
Let's meet before noon.
Before is a preposition; noon is its object.

We've never met before.
There is no object; before is an adverb modifying met.
********************************
Rule 1. A preposition generally, but not always, goes before its noun or pronoun. One of the undying myths of English grammar is that you may not end a sentence with a preposition. But look at the first example that follows. No one should feel compelled to say, or even write, That is something with which I cannot agree. Just do not use extra prepositions when the meaning is clear without them.

Correct: That is something I cannot agree with.

Correct: Where did you get this?

Incorrect: Where did you get this at?

Correct: How many of you can I depend on?

Correct: Where did he go?

Incorrect: Where did he go to?
***************************
Rule 2a. The preposition like means "similar to" or "similarly to." It should be followed by an object of the preposition (noun, pronoun, noun phrase), not by a subject and verb. Rule of thumb: Avoid like when a verb is involved.

Correct:
You look like your mother.
That is, you look similar to her. (Mother is the object of the preposition like.)

Incorrect:
You look like your mother does.
(Avoid like with noun + verb.)
************************
Rule 2b. Instead of like, use as, as if, as though, or the way when following a comparison with a subject and verb.

Correct: You look the way your mother does.

Incorrect: Do like I ask. (No one would say Do similarly to I ask.)

Correct: Do as I ask.

Incorrect: You look like you're angry.

Correct: You look as if you're angry. (OR as though)

Some speakers and writers, to avoid embarrassment, use as when they mean like. The following incorrect sentence came from a grammar guide:

Incorrect: They are considered as any other English words.

Correct: They are considered as any other English words would be.

Correct: They are considered to be like any other English words.

Remember: like means "similar to" or "similarly to"; as means "in the same manner that." Rule of thumb: Do not use as unless there is a verb involved.

Incorrect: I, as most people, try to use good grammar.

Correct: I, like most people, try to use good grammar.

Correct: I, as most people do, try to use good grammar.
****************************
NOTE

The rule distinguishing like from as, as if, as though, and the way is increasingly ignored, but English purists still insist upon it.
************************

🌼Aspects of Past Tense🌼

🍒Aspects of the Past Tense  🍒
What are the aspects of the past tense?
The past tense is combined with four traditional aspects to form the structures that are known as the past simple, the past continuous (or past progressive), the past perfect, and the past perfect continuous. Although these structures are generally taught as individual “tenses” of verbs, they are actually a combination of the past tense and aspect. While the tense tells us when the action takes place in relation to the time (in this case, the past), the added aspect tells us how the event takes place in time.
Past Simple
The past simple structure is used to express actions and events that were completed at a given moment in the past. Whether the occurrence is of short or long duration, the simple aspect emphasizes its completion. The past simple is formed by adding “-d” or “-ed” to the end of regular verbs, but the past form of irregular verbs must be memorized. For example:
“They lived next door to us for years.” (regular)
“I locked myself out of the house this morning.” (regular)
“We went to a private school when we were young.” (irregular)
Past Continuous
The past continuous is the combination of the past tense with the continuous aspect. It emphasizes the progress of an action that occurred in the past, rather than its completion. It is often used for actions that are interrupted by other actions, and it is formed using the past form of the verb be (was/were) + the present participle. For example:
“They were playing outside when their father arrived.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t answer the phone; I was driving when you called.”
“We were eating dinner when my in-laws told us the good news.”
The past continuous usually occurs only with action verbs, not with stative verbs. For instance, we cannot say “I was knowing John many years” or “She was seeming sad.”
Past Perfect
The past perfect is the combination of the past tense with the perfect aspect. It is used for actions or states that began and were completed before another action in the past took place. It is formed using had + the past participle. For example:
“She had already eaten when she arrived.”
“We had seen the movie, but we watched it again.”
“I’d had a bad cold that week, but I went on my vacation anyway.”
Past Perfect Continuous
The past perfect continuous is the combination of the continuous and perfect aspects with the past tense. It is used for actions that took place before another past action. The main difference between it and the past perfect structure is that the past perfect continuous emphasizes the progress of the action instead of its completion. It is also used to emphasize the action’s strong effect on another moment in the past. Like the past continuous, the past perfect continuous is generally only used with action verbs, not stative verbs. It is formed using had + been + the present participle. For example:
“We had been waiting for a long time when the bus finally came.”
“My little sister had been sitting very quietly, but then she started to cry.”
“I’d been cleaning all day, so I was too tired to go out last night.”

🌼Opinions in Everyday English 🌼

🌼🍓Opinions

in everyday English

🌼I think (that)
this is the usual way of talking about your opinions in everyday English:
I think that the law should be changed. | We always thought he was so cool. | Do you think that people should be able to work as many hours as they like?

warning Don’t use this phrase in essays and formal writing. See next page for written alternatives.

🌼I believe (that)
used when talking about strongly held beliefs, especially about moral issues:
I believe that the death penalty should be abolished. | I believe it is wrong to kill animals. | We firmly believe that the value of life is not measured by wealth.

warning I believe (that) sounds rather serious, and is used about things that you believe in very strongly.

🌼I feel (that)
used when talking about your opinions, especially when they are based on your general feelings:
I feel he is too old for the job. | I feel that appearances are very important. | I can’t help feeling that our main priority should be dealing with climate change.

personally/as far as I’m concerned
used when you want to emphasize your own personal opinion:
Personally, I don’t care how much it costs. | As far as I’m concerned, they should stop complaining and get on with their work. | He can say what he likes, as far as I’m concerned.

it seems to me (that) also the way I see it spoken/if you ask me spoken
used when giving your opinion about something, especially when there is a lot that you want to say about a situation:
It seems to me that the world would be a much better place if we didn’t rely so much on our cars. | The way I see it, there are only two real choices. | If you ask me, they should give kids fewer tests, not more.

warning Using these phrases will give you time to think about what you want to say. In addition, it is a good idea to vary your language and use them instead of always saying ‘I think that ...’

🌼in my opinion/view
used when talking about your opinions, especially about serious subjects:
In my opinion, he’s mistaken. | It is, in my view, one of the finest buildings in London. | Learning Chinese characters is, in my opinion, the most time-consuming and difficult part of the language.

warning Don’t use in my opinion in formal essay writing. See next page for written alternatives.
warning Don’t say ‘according to my opinion’.

🌼speaking as
used when introducing your opinion by mentioning something important about yourself, which makes you able to talk about it from personal experience, or affects your feelings about it:
Speaking as a regular user of the railway, I can only say that the service has gone down in recent months. | Speaking as a mother of two young children, I feel really concerned about the future of our planet.

in formal written English

warning In formal written English, you usually avoid using phrases that begin with ‘I’, and ‘in my opinion’ when writing about your opinions. In essays, it is often better to quote other people’s opinions to support your argument, rather than saying ‘I think that ...’ This will give your argument more authority.

in this writer’s view/opinion also it is this writer’s view/opinion that
used in formal writing instead of in my opinion:
This is the most important section of the book, in this writer’s opinion. | It is this writer’s view that the new city centre is a great improvement on the old one.

as sb points out/notes/remarks
used when referring to another writer’s opinions, and what they have said:
As Lowry points out in her article, teaching does not have the same status as research. | As Dawkins notes in his discussion of the evolution of the eye, ‘eyes have evolved between forty and sixty times, in many different invertebrate groups.’

express the view/opinion that
used when referring to another writer’s opinions, and what they have said:
Freud himself expressed the view that some dreams may be forgotten because they are too upsetting. | Thomas Jefferson expressed the opinion that for a state to be healthy, it needed to have a revolution every 20 years.

according to sb
used when saying what other people, organizations, reports etc have said:
According to the researchers, ‘some patients tended to see their illness as a punishment’. | Locally-grown food can be better for the environment than organic food, according to a report published yesterday.

warning Don’t say ‘according to me’ or ‘according to my opinion’. You can only use according to when saying what other people, reports etc have said.

be of the opinion that/take the view that
used when saying what someone’s opinion is:
6 out of 10 EU citizens were of the opinion that the European Union should have a single currency. | The Court took the view that he had acted legally.

it is sb’s belief that
used when saying what someone believes to be true:
It is our belief that children should enjoy their time at school. | It was their belief that certain individuals were born with criminal tendencies.

for sb
used when saying what someone’s opinion is, especially when this is a general opinion that affects their other ideas about a subject:
For Dawkins, genes are everything, or at least they can account for everything. | For Ruskin, art was something that could not be produced using machines.

from sb’s point of view/standpoint
used when saying how someone’s situation affects their opinion:
From the farmers’ point of view, it is better to have too much rain than none at all. | From a business standpoint, it made perfect sense to combine the two operations together.

🌼🍒🍓Active and Passive Voice 🍒🍓🌼

🍒👑Using the Passive Voice with Different Tenses👑🍒

We can use passive voice with most tenses.

To change the tense of a passive sentence, you change the form of the verb 'be'.

The main verb in a passive sentence is always in the past participle form.

Using the Passive Voice with Different Tenses

Tense

Active Voice
Passive Voice
💎Present Simple

James writes the letters.

The letters are written by James.

💎Past Simple

James wrote the letters.

The letters were written by James.

💎Present Continuous

James is writing the letters.

The letters are being written by James.

Present Perfect

James has written the letters.

The letters have been written by James.

💎Future Simple (going to)

James is going to write the letters.

The letters are going to be written by James.

💎Future Simple (will)

James will write the letters.

The letters will be written by James.

💎Past Continuous

James was writing the letters.

The letters were being written by James.

Past Perfect

The scientists had found the cure, but it was too late.

The cure had been found, but it was too late.

💎Future Perfect

The scientists will have found a cure by then.

A cure will have been found by then.

It is uncommon to use the passive voice with the following tenses:

💎Present Perfect Continous;

💎Future Continuous;

💎Future Perfect Continous;

💎Past Perfect Continous.

If we used the passive voice for these tenses, we would have two forms of the verb 'be' together.

This makes the sentence awkward and confusing.

We make the present perfect continuous tense in the active voice like this:

subject + have + been + verb (-ing)

The present perfect continuous tense in the passive voice would look like this:

subject + have + been + being + past participle

👑Active and Passive Voice: Tense-wise Rules👑

Simple Present tense

An Active sentence in the simple present tense has the following structure:

Subject + first form of the verb + object

A passive sentence in the simple present tense has the following structure:

Object of the active sentence + is/am/are + past participle form of the verb + by + subject of the active sentence

Changing an assertive sentence into the passive

Active: I write a letter.

Passive: A letter is written by me.

Active: I help you.

Passive: You are helped by me.

Active: I love my parents.

Passive: My parents are loved by me.

Active: We love our country.

Passive: Our country is loved by us.

Changing a negative sentence into the passive

Active: I do not write a letter.

Passive: A letter is not written by me.

Active: I do not abuse my servants.

Passive: My servants are not abused by me.

Active: I do not write novels.

Passive: Novels are not written by me.

Active: He does not tease her.

Passive: She is not teased by him.

Changing an interrogative sentence into the passive

Structure: Is/are/am + object of the active verb + past participle form of the verb + by + subject of the passive verb

Active: Do you write a letter?

Passive: Is a letter written by you?

Active: Do you write stories?

Passive: Are stories written by you?

Active: Does she make candles?

Passive: Are candles made by her?

Active: Who does not obey you?

Passive: By whom are you not obeyed?

Active: Which newspaper do you read?

Passive: Which newspaper is read by you?

Active: Does she do her duty?

Passive: Is her duty done by her?

Notes:

The object of the active verb becomes the subject of the passive verb.

Therefore, sentences which do not have an object cannot be changed into the passive.

The following sentences, for instance, cannot be changed into the passive because they do not have objects.

The old man sat in a corner.

The child sleeps.

The wind blows.

The dog barks.

The fire burns.

He laughed aloud.

👑Passive Verb Tense👑

What do they mean?

Passive verb tenses identify the time of the action in your sentences. Make sure not to confuse passive verb tenses with the passive voice. While writing in the passive voice requires the use of passive verb tenses, tenses refer to the time of the action, and voice refers to how verbs function with respect to a sentence’s subject. Writing in the passive voice is only accomplished through the use of passive verb tenses, with each identifying when in time the passive action takes place.

How are they created?

Passive verb tenses are created by using the past participle form (expresses passive action) of a verb preceded with a “to be” verb. Sometimes linking verbs are used as well. For most regular verbs, the past participle is created by adding “en” or “ed” to the end of the verb. The ending for irregular verbs differs depending on the verb’s past participle form. When using passive tense verbs, the object of the verb is what is receiving the action of the verb. The subject of the verb is not always present in the sentence, and when it is included, it generally appears later in the sentence.

💎Simple present passive tense

Simple present tense signifies a current action that is habitual, a generalization or something that is a timeless fact. To create the passive form in this tense, “am,” “is” or “are” is used in conjunction with the past participle form of the verb.

Example 1: The students are taught by finding solutions to real-world problems.

Example 2: She is beaten by the runner from the school’s biggest rival.

Example 3: All citizens are considered equal under the U.S. Constitution.

💎Present perfect passive tense

Present perfect tense shows an action that takes place in the past but is relevant to the present or flows into the present. To create the passive form in this tense, “has been” or “have been” followed by the past participle form of the verb.

Example 4: The dancers have been notified regarding their acceptance into the program.

💎Present progressive passive tense

The present progressive tense shows an action that is temporary or an ongoing activity. The passive form of this verb tense is created by using “am being,” “is being” or “are being” followed by the past participle form of the verb.

Example 5: The purses are being manufactured overseas.

💎Simple past passive tense

The simple past tense shows a general or habitual action that occurred in the past, sometimes at a specific time. The passive form of this verb tense is created by using “was” or “were” followed by the past participle form of the verb.

Example 6: The students were reprimanded by the principal for their actions.

💎Past perfect passive tense

The past perfect tense signifies an action that happened prior to a certain time or prior to a separate action in the past. The passive form of this tense is created by using “had been” followed by the past participle form of the verb.

Example 7: The students had been excited about the meeting since the idea formed for it.

💎Past progressive passive tense

The past progressive tense signifies an action that is ongoing in the past or one that continues through a certain time in the past. The passive form of this tense is created by using “was being” or “were being” followed by the past participle form of the verb.

Example 8: The teachers were being excluded from the student meeting.

💎Simple future passive tense

The simple future tense notates an action that is expected to take place at some point in the future. One way the passive form of this tense is created is by using “will be” followed by the past participle form of the verb. Another way the passive form of this tense is created is by using “am going to be,” “is going to be” or “are going to be” followed by the past participle form of the verb.

Example 9: Sarah’s grades will be posted at the end of the semester.

Example 10: Sarah’s grades are going to be posted at the end of the semester.

💎Future perfect passive tense

The future perfect tense notates an action that is completed in the future prior to another future action or period in time. The passive form of the tense is created by using “will have been” followed by the past participle form of the verb.

Example 11: The economy will have been improved by more careful lending practices.

💎Future progressive passive tense

The future progressive tense identifies an action that is going to occur in the future with an emphasis on an action that is continuing. It forms an awkward construction that is rarely used, but it if formed by using “will be being” in front of the past participle of the verb.

Example 12: Your laundry will be being washed when you go home over spring break.
👑Examples of Active and Passive Voice👑

Active voice describes a sentence where the subject performs the action stated by the verb.  In passive voice sentences, the subject is acted upon by the verb. Check out the examples below. Need more explanation? Check out the YourDictionary Active vs. Passive Voice infographic for an easy-to-understand visual explanation.

Sentences in Active and Passive Voice

Here are examples of sentences written in both the active voice and the passive voice, with the active voice sentence appearing first:

Harry ate six shrimp at dinner. (active)
At dinner, six shrimp were eaten by Harry. (passive)

Beautiful giraffes roam the savannah. (active)
The savannah is roamed by beautiful giraffes. (passive)

Sue changed the flat tire. (active)
The flat tire was changed by Sue. (passive)

We are going to watch a movie tonight. (active)
A movie is going to be watched by us tonight. (passive)

I ran the obstacle course in record time. (active)
The obstacle course was run by me in record time. (passive)

The crew paved the entire stretch of highway. (active)
The entire stretch of highway was paved by the crew. (passive)

Mom read the novel in one day. (active)
The novel was read by Mom in one day. (passive)

The critic wrote a scathing review. (active)
A scathing review was written by the critic. (passive)

I will clean the house every Saturday. (active)
The house will be cleaned by me every Saturday. (passive)

The staff is required to watch a safety video every year. (active)
A safety video will be watched by the staff every year. (passive)

She faxed her application for a new job. (active)
The application for a new job was faxed by her. (passive)

Tom painted the entire house. (active)
The entire house was painted by Tom. (passive)

The teacher always answers the students’ questions. (active)
The students’ questions are always answered by the teacher. (passive)

The choir really enjoys that piece. (active)
That piece is really enjoyed by the choir. (passive)

Who taught you to ski? (active)
By whom were you taught to ski? (passive)

The forest fire destroyed the whole suburb. (active)
The whole suburb was destroyed by the forest fire. (passive)

The two kings are signing the treaty. (active)
The treaty is being signed by the two kings. (passive)

The cleaning crew vacuums and dusts the office every night. (active)
Every night the office is vacuumed and dusted by the cleaning crew. (passive)

Larry generously donated money to the homeless shelter. (active)
Money was generously donated to the homeless shelter by Larry. (passive)

No one responded to my sales ad. (active)
My sales ad was not responded to by anyone. (passive)

The wedding planner is making all the reservations. (active)
All the reservations will be made by the wedding planner. (passive)

Susan will bake two dozen cupcakes for the bake sale. (active)
For the bake sale, two dozen cookies will be baked by Susan. (passive)

The science class viewed the comet. (active)
The comet was viewed by the science class. (passive)

Who ate the last cookie? (active)
The last cookie was eaten by whom? (passive)

Alex posted the video on Facebook. (active)
The video was posted on Facebook by Alex. (passive)

The director will give you instructions. (active)
Instructions will be given to you by the director. (passive)

Thousands of tourists view the Grand Canyon every year. (active)
The Grand Canyon is viewed by thousands of tourists every year. (passive)

The homeowners remodeled the house to help it sell. (active)
The house was remodeled by the homeowners to help it sell. (passive)

The team will celebrate their victory tomorrow. (active)
The victory will be celebrated by the team tomorrow. (passive)

The saltwater eventually corroded the metal beams. (active)
The metal beams were eventually corroded by the saltwater. (passive)

The kangaroo carried her baby in her pouch. (active)
The baby was carried by the kangaroo in her pouch. (passive)

Some people raise sugar cane in Hawaii. (active)
Sugar cane is raised by some people in Hawaii. (passive)

These sentences illustrate how different the same sentence can sound when written in active or passive voice. Generally, it's better to write in the active voice. It's clearer and more direct. Passive voice sentences tend to be more wordy and vague but can still be useful in some situations, such as formal or scientific writing. 

American Idioms

☘Wow! English ☘Most common American idioms

〽 *She is a peach.*
▪️She's sweet and helpful. 

〽 *He's full of beans.*
▪️He's not telling the truth. 

〽 *It's not my cup of tea.*
▪️I don't care for that. 

〽 *He's full of baloney.*
▪️He doesn't know what he's talking about. 

〽 *It's just sour grapes.*
▪️They have resentment. 

〽 *That's corny.*
▪️It's sentimental, old, and not funny anymore. 

〽 *I'm in a pickle.*
▪️I'm in a dilemma. 

〽 *He brings home the bacon.*
▪️ *He brings home the family money.* 

〽 *She's in a stew.*
▪️She's upset. 

〽 *He's the top banana.*
▪️He's the headman. 

〽 *He's the salt of the earth.*
▪️He's a very good person. 

〽 *She's worth her salt.*
▪️She's a valuable employee. 

〽 *They're two peas in a pod.*
▪️If you see one you see the other. 

〽 *I'm nuts about you.*
▪️I'm in love with you. 

〽 *It's a piece of cake.*
▪️It's quite simple. 

〽 *You can't have your cake and eat it too.*
▪️You can't use it and save it. 

〽 *He's a real ham.*
▪️He's just an actor (a bad actor.) 

〽 *It's a hard nut to crack.*
▪️It's a difficult problem to solve. 

〽 *He's a bad egg.*
▪️He cannot be trusted. 

〽 *We need to break the ice.*
▪️Everyone's a little tense - lets be friendly. 

〽 *We'll get a baker's dozen.*
▪️We'll get 13 items (one extra.) 

〽 *He's got a finger in every pie.*
▪️He has many deals going.

〽 *You'll have to take potluck.*
▪️Be happy with what we have on hand.

Idioms and a glimpse of their history

A SHOT OF WHISKEY
In the old west a .45 cartridge for a six-gun cost 12 cents, so did a glass of whiskey. If a cowhand was low on cash he would often give the bartender a cartridge in exchange for a drink. This became known as a "shot" of whiskey.

THE WHOLE NINE YARDS
American fighter planes in WW2 had machine guns that were fed by a belt of cartridges. The average plane held belts that were 27 feet (9 yards) long. If the pilot used up all his ammo he was said to have given it the whole nine yards.

PASSING THE BUCK / THE BUCK STOPS HERE
Most men in the early west carried a jack knife made by the Buck knife company. When playing poker it as common to place one of these Buck knives in front of the dealer so that everyone knew who he was. When it was time for a new dealer the deck of cards and the knife were given to the new dealer. If this person didn't want to deal he would "pass the buck" to the next player. If that player accepted then "the buck stopped there".

COBWEB
The Old English word for "spider" was "cob".

BARGE IN
Heavy freight was moved along the Mississippi in large barges pushed by steamboats. These were hard to control and would sometimes swing into piers or other boats. People would say they "barged in".

HOGWASH
Steamboats carried both people and animals. Since pigs smelled so bad they would be washed before being put on board. The mud and other filth that was washed off was considered useless "hog wash".

CURFEW
The word "curfew" comes from the French phrase "couvre-feu", which means "cover the fire". It was used to describe the time of blowing out all lamps and candles. It was later adopted into Middle English as "curfeu", which later became the modern "curfew".
In the early American colonies homes had no real fireplaces so a fire was built in the center of the room. In order to make sure a fire did not get out of control during the night it was required that, by an agreed upon time, all fires would be covered with a clay pot called-a "curfew".

SLEEP TIGHT
Early beds were made with a wooden frame. Ropes were tied across the frame in a criss-cross pattern. A straw mattress was then put on top of the ropes. Over time the ropes stretched, causing the bed to sag. The owner would then tighten the ropes to get a better night's sleep.

Positive Attitude

*How to Develop a Positive Attitude *

When it comes to your quality of life, attitude is everything!

 In fact, it could even be said that whatever you focus on the most, you tend to bring into your life, whether by choice or circumstance.  

Have you ever known someone who had a terrible attitude?

 Perhaps they were extremely negative and pessimistic and not much fun to be around;

or they complained non-stop about how terrible their life was.

*Did you find it draining to be in their presence?*

A negative attitude will not only make you miserable, but everyone around you too!   

A positive attitude, on the other hand, turns you into a person that everyone wants to be with; a person that constantly experiences great things, and a person who loves their life!  Do you want to be that kind of person?  If so, read on for some easy ways to develop a positive attitude.

*1) Do what you love.*  

This applies to hobbies and fun activities, but it also pertains to one of the biggest parts of your life – your work!

 Do you enjoy your job?  Are you spending most of your time on something that makes you feel purposeful and fulfilled?  

If not, consider exploring other career options and moving toward a job you’ll love.  When you regularly do things that make you happy, you can’t help but feel better about yourself and your life, which fosters a positive attitude.

*2) Expect the best, always.*  

It’s easy to get into the habit of seeing doom and gloom in every situation, but doing so keeps you forever focused on the negative.

 Instead, make a conscious decision to expect the best, even if your first impulse is to think negatively.

 

Affirm as often as you can, “This is going to work out great!  Wonderful things are going to happen today!”  The more you do it the more you’ll begin to believe it, and the more you’ll begin to experience just that.

*3) Build yourself up.*  

Think and speak positively to and about yourself every day.

 Most of us are in the habit of talking down to ourselves, which leaves us feeling hopeless, frustrated and pessimistic.

 

Get into the habit of building yourself up with positive self-talk and positive thoughts.

 Affirm your good qualities and downplay your negative qualities.  Affirm that you are a work in progress; not perfect but great nonetheless!

*4) Build others up.*  

As often as you can, make an effort to encourage, support and compliment the people you encounter each day.

That goes for people you know as well as strangers you meet in your daily travels.  

The more you focus on emphasizing the positive in others the more likeable you’re going to be, and the better you’re going to feel about yourself too!

*5) Think strength.*  

The more you worry about your weaknesses and “failures” the more pessimistic and negative you’re going to feel.

Instead, consistently affirm your strengths, talents and capabilities. You’ll end up feeling empowered and in control of your circumstances, which cannot help but improve your attitude!

Presentation Tools for Teachers and Students

Tools and alternatives for creating presentations

Most computers come with some form of preloaded software that includes a package for creating presentations. There are however a range of alternatives and online apps available that have made an attempt to change, update or enhance the presentation format. As well as the standard tools I’ve included a range of alternatives here for you to explore.

Microsoft PowerPoint - https://www.microsoftstore.com/ 

PowerPoint has become a standard tool for creating presentations both in the educational and workplace environments. There are many reasons for sticking with PowerPoint; It’s a very powerful tool, Most students who use Windows PCs will probably already have it installed on their computers; Many web-based platforms work well with it. Despite this, it is worth looking around at other tools, especially if you want to get your presentations online as PPTs are generally big files that don’t export well for online delivery. There are also a lot of free alternative to PowerPoint, many of which give a more flexible approach to creating presentations and are much simpler to learn.

Apple KeyNote - http://www.apple.com/uk/mac/keynote/ 

 KeyNote is Apple’s alternative to PowerPoint and for me it’s a much lighter and more user friendly tool. It has a great range of easy to adapt stylish templates. It makes designing the look and feel of the presentation much easier. You can export the presentations to a good range of file types including Microsoft’s PPT format if you need to. I also find that KeyNote deals much more easily with importing image and video media.



SlideShare - http://www.slideshare.net/ 


SlideShare is a free online platform for sharing your presentation slides. This can make your slides much more accessible to others after the presentation. The best way to add your slides to SlideShare is to save them to PDF first and then just upload them. The site makes it very easy to share your presentation through a range of social media and you can also easily add them to your LinkedIn profile.








Simpleshow - https://www.mysimpleshow.com

 Simpleshow is a great alternative to getting students to stand up and do a presentation. Instead it allows students to create a narrated video presentation. This could be used as a great first step towards delivering their own physical presentation. It also offers the students the choice between recording their own narration or using a text to speak generated narration.

The site is free and simple to use. Once students register they just need to type their script for each slide and stage in the presentation and then the site will automatically generate images to go with the script. Students can then go through and edit each slide, change the images or add their own narration.

At each step their are video guides so there shouldn’t be too many technical challenges. There are also plenty of examples here: https://www.mysimpleshow.com/examples/ so it would be good to choose a couple for students to look at first so they understand what they are going to create.


Prezi - https://prezi.com/ 

Prezi is very popular among the edtech community at present and claims to represent a shift away from the traditional linear form of presentation. It provides a kind canvas on which you can layout a mixture of assets that you wish to present, such as video clips text and images. You then chart a course around the various assets zooming in and out as you talk through them. Prezi is very mobile friendly too and has a dedicated app for iOS.

Movenote - http://movenote.com/ 

 Movenote is another useful alternative for online courses or when you don’t want students to have to deliver physical presentations. It is a free tool that enables students to upload their slide-deck and then add slide by slide talking head narration.

The site is very simple to use. Students just upload a PDF version of the presentation and then use  a webcam and microphone to add their narration. Movenote has Android and iOS apps for students with mobile devices too. When the the presentation is recorded it is stored online and students can share links to their presentations.



AuthorStream - http://www.authorstream.com/

AuthorStream is similar to SlideShare. It’s tool for hosting your presentations online. You can also add audio narration and the site will then convert them to video which you can download, though this is a paid feature so you will have to upgrade from the free version to do that. The site does have a couple of advantages over SlideShare though, especially for KeyNote users. It accepts KeyNote presentations and will retain any animations used in the presentation too. The site does look a bit out of date though and isn’t as well designed as SlideShare.

 QwikSlides - http://www.classtools.net/qwikslides/

 QwikSlides is a very simple browser-based tool for creating online presentations. Basically you can add text, links to online images and videos and customise the look of the presentation a little. It’s not nearly as powerful in terms of design as something like Keynote or PowerPoint, but it does get the job done and the presentation online very quickly and it is free. To get started just click on the edit icon and you can simply type in your text and the links to the media you want to include. Each line in the editor creates a new slide.


Tackk - https://tackk.com

 Tackk is another alternative to doing presentations in the classroom. It allows students to create a single webpage and add different kinds of media and text to the page. The pages are social so other students can either contribute to the page or comment, etc. The pages are also easily shared through social media. The designs look very modern and professional so this is a very motivating way for students to share their work. Students can use the single page to share and display the results of their research and add explainer text.


Buncee  - https://www.edu.buncee.com/

Buncee is a cross between presentation tool and digital canvas. You can use it to create either a sequence of slides or just use one slide as a kind of digital poster. There is a really wide range of digital assets that students can search through and use in their pages and this includes images, video 360 images as well as designs, animations shapes and text. Buncee also works a little like a social network so that students can follow each other and like and comment on each other’s work. There is also an educational version of Buncee. Buncee is a freemium product so there are some features which are locked without payment (audio recording being the most useful one) but the tool is still very useful even if you just work with the free features.

You can find more tools like these in Digital Tools for Teachers


I hope you find these useful.

8 digital life skills all children need – and a plan for teaching them

8 digital life skills all children need – and a plan for teaching them

To become well-rounded individuals, children must learn these eight digital life skills

A generation ago, IT and digital media were niche skills. Today, they are a core competency necessary to succeed in most careers.

That’s why digital skills are an essential part of a comprehensive education framework. Without a national digital education programme, command of and access to technology will be distributed unevenly, exacerbating inequality and hindering socio-economic mobility.

What’s your DQ?

The challenge for educators is to move beyond thinking of IT as a tool, or “IT-enabled education platforms”. Instead, they need to think about how to nurture students’ ability and confidence to excel both online and offline in a world where digital media is ubiquitous.

Like IQ or EQ – which we use to measure someone’s general and emotional intelligence – an individual’s facility and command of digital media is a competence that can be measured. We call it DQ: digital intelligence. And the good news is that DQ is an intelligence that is highly adaptive.

DQ can broadly be broken down into three levels:

Level 1: Digital citizenship

The ability to use digital technology and media in safe, responsible and effective ways

Level 2: Digital creativity

The ability to become a part of the digital ecosystem by co-creating new content and turning ideas into reality by using digital tools

Level 3: Digital entrepreneurship

The ability to use digital media and technologies to solve global challenges or to create new opportunities

Why are we neglecting digital citizenship?

Of the three, digital creativity is the least neglected, as more and more schools attempt to provide children with some exposure to media literacy, coding and even robotics, all of which are seen as directly related to future employability and job creation. Likewise, there are major education initiatives – from America’s code.org to Africa’s IamTheCode.org – that promote access to coding education.

Digital entrepreneurship has also been actively encouraged, particularly in tertiary education. Many top universities have adopted and developed new courses or initiatives such as technopreneurship and entrepreneurship hackathons to encourage a culture of innovation. We’re even starting to see global movements that nurture social entrepreneurship among children through mentoring programmes – such as the Mara Foundation – and school programmes, like with the Ashoka Changemaker School.

But digital citizenship has often been overlooked by educators and leaders. This is in spite of the fact it is fundamental to a person’s ability to use technology and live in the digital world, a need which arises from a very young age. A child should start learning digital citizenship as early as possible, ideally when one starts actively using games, social media or any digital device.

The digital skills our children should learn

Educators tend to think children will pick up these skills by themselves or that these skills should be nurtured at home. However, due to the digital generation gap, with generation Z being the first to truly grow up in the era of smartphones and social media, neither parents nor teachers know how to adequately equip children with these skills.

Young children are all too often exposed to cyber risks such as technology addiction, cyberbullying and grooming. They can also absorb toxic behavioural norms that affect their ability to interact with others. And while most children encounter such challenges, the problematic exposure is amplified for vulnerable children, including those with special needs, minorities and the economically disadvantaged. They tend to not only be more frequently exposed to risk, but also face more severe outcomes.

So what skills should we be teaching our children as part of their digital citizenship? In the research we’ve done on this matter, we’ve identified eight in particular.

Digital citizen identity: the ability to build and manage a healthy identity online and offline with integrity

Screen time management: the ability to manage one’s screen time, multitasking, and one’s engagement in online games and social media with self-control

Cyberbullying management: the ability to detect situations of cyberbullying and handle them wisely

Cybersecurity management: the ability to protect one’s data by creating strong passwords and to manage various cyberattacks

Privacy management: the ability to handle with discretion all personal information shared online to protect one’s and others’ privacy

Critical thinking: the ability to distinguish between true and false information, good and harmful content, and trustworthy and questionable contacts online

Digital footprints: The ability to understand the nature of digital footprints and their real-life consequences and to manage them responsibly

Digital empathy: the ability to show empathy towards one’s own and others’ needs and feelings online

What a quality digital education looks like

A quality digital citizenship education must include opportunities for assessment and feedback. The assessment tools should be comprehensive as well as adaptive in order to evaluate not only hard but also soft DQ skills. Ultimately, such assessments should serve as a means of providing feedback that gives children a better understanding of their own strengths and weaknesses, so that they may find their own paths to success.

Ultimately, national leaders need to understand the importance of digital citizenship as the foundation of digital intelligence. National education leaders should make it a priority to implement digital citizenship programmes as part of an overall DQ education framework.

Most importantly, individuals should initiate digital citizenship education in their own sphere of influence: parents in their homes, teachers in their classes, and leaders in their communities.

There is no need to wait. In fact, there is no time to wait. Children are already immersed in the digital world and are influencing what that world will look like tomorrow. It is up to us to ensure that they are equipped with the skills and support to make it a place where they can thrive.

Five Tips to Speak English

*Wow! English* ✪ Five tips to help you learn English ✪

➤ Be brave and speak

A good way to start is to find a someone you can talk to on a regular basis. This could be a friend, a tutor or a social group that is interested in learning the English language.

Chloe Wang Youjia, a TV presenter from China, says she went to a park every Sunday to look for people to practice her English.

At first, if you are feeling scared or shy, you can let the person you're speaking to know that you are still learning the language.

Before you speak to someone, try to prepare for it in advance by noting down some useful phrases that involve introducing yourself.

You can also find out how to ask some questions to keep the conversation going.

➤ Use the internet and social media to your advantage

There are many videos with subtitles that you can watch online to help you learn English. Podcasts are also available with transcripts and they can be useful too.

Start by watching or listening to simple topics like introducing yourself, making friends or talking about your hobby. These are everyday topics that you can practise easily with others.

When you’re watching a video or listening to a podcast, take note of new words you hear or useful phrases you come across. Keep a record of them in a book and look up their meanings so you can understand how the words are being used.

If you don’t understand a video or podcast the first time round, don’t worry! You can watch or listen to it a few times and once every few days too.

Using a dictionary is another useful tool and many online dictionaries can tell you how the word is pronounced.

You can also learn English when you’re on social media by following pages on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites that are dedicated to learning English.

This is a great way to meet different people from all over the world by interacting with them as you practice your English.

➤ Use a mirror

We all know that speaking is important, but what if it’s hard to find people to talk to? This is a common issue faced by many people from our Australia Plus Learn English community.

Helen Zhang Yuan from China has a good piece of advice - her way of practicing English was to use a mirror.

“I give myself a topic and to practice, I do this,” she says. Helen is a TV presenter from China and she speaks English and Mandarin.

Set aside five minutes of your time every day to stand in front of the mirror and talk to yourself. If you find five minutes too long, start with a minute and slowly extend the duration as you progress.

You can start by telling yourself how your day was and what you were up to. If you get stuck - and you probably will when you first start doing this - don’t stop!

Pause and think about what you want to say and continue talking for the time you have set aside.

If it helps, you can write down short sentences or words on a piece of paper before you starting talking. Refer to the paper to use the words and sentences when you need to.

Soon enough, you won’t need the paper anymore because you will start to remember the words and sentences.

It can be weird to be talking to yourself at first but don’t feel shy. This is a good way to practice your language skills anytime and anywhere!

➤ Think in the language you want to speak in

We tend to think in the language we’re most comfortable in when we want to say something.

But Bei Aixinjueluo in China says you should avoid translating from your native tongue into English. Bei is a TV presenter from China and she hosts shows in English and Mandarin.

“For example, I’m Chinese. [At first] I tried to translate Chinese into English but try not to do that,” she says.
“Try to think in the primary language that you’re speaking which is English. Do not translate [in your head]. And I think slowly, you’ll get used to it.”

As you think in English, you will start to find out the words you need to know to express ideas. If you can’t find an English word to express a particular idea, you can think of it in your language and find a dictionary, teacher or a friend to help you find the English equivalent.

Also, translating from one language into English in your head can be tricky and slow you down when you’re speaking or writing in English.
When you make a conscious effort to think in English as you go about your day, you will also be able to associate words and phrases with what’s happening around you. You will also be able to use the language more naturally.

➤ Find what works best for you and enjoy learning

Languages are beautiful and learning can be an enjoyable process!

When you’re learning English, surround yourself with the language in every possible way. That could mean watching English movies, listening to English songs or talking to friends. Or it could be switching your phone settings to English so you’re reading and understanding the language all the time.

There are also so many ways you can learn English and we’ve discussed some of the ways here. Some of these methods may work for you or you may need to use a combination of different methods to learn a language.

Whatever it is, enjoy the process and you will be encouraged by the results you see.

As linguist Frank Smith says, “One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way.”

Expressions

🔸SAYING THANK YOU IN FORMAL BUSINESS                                                                                                                                🔻Thank you very much; your support is greatly appreciated.
🔻We would like to express our gratitude.
🔻I am most grateful for your support.
🔻Thank you for providing the requested information.
🔻Thank you for all your assistance.
🔻Thank you for raising your concerns.
🔻Thank you for your kind co-operation.
🔻Thank you for your attention to this matter.
🔻Thank you for your consideration.
🔻Thank you once again for everything you’ve done.
🔻How kind you are to help me. Thank you very much.
🔻Thank you for spending time with me.
🔻Thank you for taking the trouble to help me. I do appreciate it.
🔻Many thanks for your assistance in our project.
🔻Many thanks for your letter/email.
🔻I was so pleased to hear from you.
🔻I greatly appreciate your kind words.
🔻I am very thankful that you are considering my problem.
🔻Thank you for your kind consideration.

🔸SAYING THANK YOU AT A WEDDING                                                                                                                                             🔻Thank you for coming.
🔻Thank you for joining us today.
🔻We appreciate you sharing our celebrations with us.
🔻Thank you for sharing this special day with us.
🔻We really appreciate your presence here.
🔻Thank you for the gift, we’re very grateful.
🔻I cannot thank you enough for the wonderful gift.
🔻We will remember this day and your contribution forever.
🔻You were invaluable today, thank you for all your help.
🔻What would we have done without your help? Thank you so much. (Rhetorical question)
🔻Thank you ever so much for your generous gift.
🔻Words cannot describe how grateful we are.
🔻It was a pleasure to be a part of your special day.
🔻Thank you for inviting me to share your special day.
🔻I’m very happy to be a part of your celebrations.

🔸SAYING THANK YOU TO YOUR BOSS                                                                                                                                                  🔻Thank you for extending compassion and flexibility when I needed it.
🔻As a supervisor, you are truly inspirational to your staff.
🔻Your strong leadership skills along with your support has earned you much deserved respect.
🔻Your support and dedication to your team has earned you much deserved admiration.
🔻I am thankful to be a part of your team.
🔻The workers have seen your dedication, and we would like to express our appreciation.
🔻We are grateful for your kindness, loyalty and commitment to all of us.
🔻If there ever was a boss who deserves praise and adulation, that person is you!
🔻Thank you for providing us with such a great working environment.
🔻I want to thank you for the expression of faith in my abilities.
🔻I would like to sincerely thank you for this gesture.
🔻Allow me to express my sincerest gratitude for this opportunity you have given me.
🔻I value the trust you have put into me and will work hard to maintain it.
🔻Thank you very much for putting your trust in me and agreeing to my extended holiday request.
🔻I am eternally grateful for your trust, and appreciate you allowing me to have this time off work.
🔻Thank you for your support, guidance and encouragement.
🔻Thank you for the opportunities you provided, and for having faith in me.
🔻I would like to express my heartfelt thanks for giving me this opportunity.
🔸SAYING THANK YOU TO YOUR TEACHER                                                                                                                                     🔻Thank you I really appreciate your help.
🔻I am eternally grateful for everything you’ve taught me.
🔻Thank you for sharing your wisdom with me.
🔻I cannot thank you enough for helping me.
🔻I am very thankful that you are my teacher.
🔻How can I ever thank you enough.
🔻Teachers like you are not easy to find.
🔻I really appreciate all the hard work you’ve done to help me.
🔻I am grateful for the positive learning environment you provided me with.
🔻I have learnt so much, thanks to you.
🔻Thank you for your guidance and support.
🔻Thank you for helping me improve.
🔻I want you to know how much I value your support.
🔻Your lessons have been very insightful and fun!
🔻I have had so much fun learning with you!
🔻Your approach to teaching inspires me.
🔻Thank you for being patient and helping me improve.
🔻I wholeheartedly appreciate everything you’ve done for me.
🔻You’re the best teacher ever!

🙏🏻Phrases for Saying Thank You in Any Situation🙏🏻                                                                                                                              🔸SOME BASIC PHRASES                                                                                                                                                                    🔻Thank you
🔻Thanks.
🔻Thanks a lot.
🔻Thank you very much.
🔻Thank you. That’s very kind of you.
🔻Thank you. You’re so helpful.
🔻Thanks for your kind words.
🔻Thank you for coming here today.

🔸ACCEPTING THANKS                                                                                                                                                                                       🔻That’s all right.
🔻You’re welcome.
🔻You’re very welcome.
🔻Don’t mention it.
🔻Not at all.
🔻It wasn’t a problem at all.
🔻It’s nothing.
🔻It’s my pleasure.
🔻The pleasure is all mine.
🔻My pleasure.                                                                                                                                                                                               ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦