Chinese learns English
- Thread starter Saint
- Start date
Fraggle Rocker
Staff member
"Onto" always signifies motion. You step onto an elevator, jump onto a moving train, drop your briefcase onto the floor, throw a beef bone onto the trash pile, slip and fall onto your desk.
In most of these cases you could also use "on," if you're sure it won't cause any misunderstanding. But the reverse is not true: in most sentences using "on," you could not substitute "onto." My dog is sleeping on the bed, the food is on the table, people drive their cars on the highway, today's lesson was on English vocabulary.
The same is true of "in" and "into."
There is a lot of grammar books/software around for English-as-a-second language users. Practice and practice and keep practicing your grammar, read novel/fiction books to increase your library of vocabulary. This will help increase your standard of english.
Whereas, to cultivate your own writing style, this will take some time. What kind of writing style are u look at? There are people who always write in the 1st person/3rd person form. And there are people who writing in a very formal style-report style. Either that, or very flowery style.
Whereas, to cultivate your own writing style, this will take some time. What kind of writing style are u look at? There are people who always write in the 1st person/3rd person form. And there are people who writing in a very formal style-report style. Either that, or very flowery style.
Maybe you should go and teach the teacher how to use 'maybe' at the start of a sentence.
You would probably learn to not start sentences with 'probably'.
You would probably learn to not start sentences with 'probably'.
Fraggle Rocker
Staff member
"Maybe" is ok. "Probably" is not.
You keep mixing formal language with informal language. "Maybe he doesn't like me, so he rejected my party invitation."
"Therefore" is too formal. Also, keep track of your verb tenses. The rejection has already happened, so he rejected it. Also, you might as well say "doesn't" instead of "does not," which is more formal (at least in America).
People do use "probably" at the beginning of a sentence, but it's very informal language, and it's followed by a pause:
Probably, he doesn't like me...
This isn't good English but you will hear people say it sometimes. It's best for you not to copy this usage because you will not know when it would be acceptable.
Interesting threads in that my grammar is my weakest point.
The only issue i have here is I cannot recall anyone saying or even reading "Probably, he doesn't like me..."
I have heard or would be likely to hear: "Maybe he does not like me" and to a lesser extent "Perhaps he does not like me."
Are you sure that is right?
Why the comma after probably?
"Probably, he doesn't like me"
Fraggle Rocker
Staff member
I'm a writer and editor so this is part of my daily life.
I work in information technology and I notice that engineers (we like to call ourselves "software engineers" even though our methods have more in common with medieval guild craftsmen than with civil, mechanical, aeronautic or chemical engineers) speak that way sometimes.
"Maybe" is standard in vernacular speech, although in vernacular speech we're more likely to use the contraction "doesn't."
That's a little more formal.
Because it's not quite proper grammar to put "probably" before the subject of the sentence or clause. So I'm interpreting it as a short introductory clause, like "in my opinion" or "ever since I threw up in his car," both of which require a comma.