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The word "every" is commonly used with time-related phrases to indicate regular intervals or repeated actions. In these constructions, "every" helps to establish a schedule or frequency, making it clear how often something happens within a given time frame.
First of all, "every" can be used with any unit of time, from a second to a century, to indicate that something happens once during that time period. "Every day" means that something happens once in 24 hours, whereas something that happens "every year" happens at least one time during a 365-day period.
Otters have a high metabolism, so they have to eat almost a fifth of their weight every day.
Captions 36-37, America's National Parks: Olympic
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In February, every year, we host a large pond hockey tournament.
Caption 10, Adventures with Kate: Pond Hockey
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We also use "every other" to talk about a predictable frequency that skips time. For example, "every other day" means the event happens one day, then skips the next day, and happens again the day after that.
I have to go shopping almost every other day.
Caption 36, An Apartment: In Japan
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Always living out of a bag... being in a different location every other week.
Captions 33-34, Kiteboarding Rider Profile: Tom Court
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Sometimes, we also use "every" with "few" or "a couple" and a plural noun. Have a look:
I just get touched-up every... every few seconds.
Caption 74, Food Diaries: Everything Kylie Jenner Eats in a Day
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It could be every couple hours or every half hour.
Caption 10, Brooklyn Butcher: A & S Italian
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And sometimes, the interval has a number that really needs to be specified. These sentences state that something happens once in a four-day period and once in a six-week period.
The eaglet can gain more than a pound every four days.
Caption 33, America's National Parks: Olympic
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The windows have to be cleaned once every six weeks.
Caption 14, In London: with Lauren Buckingham Palace
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Further Learning
You will find many examples likes these on Yabla English. For an overview of the difference between "each" and "every," see our related lesson.
Some English adjectives are so similar that even native speakers get them confused. When the meanings are also related, it can be very difficult.
For example, whereas something that is "historical" relates to history or the study of past events, "historic" refers to something important or significant in history.
Apart from their historical importance, they have a huge impact on the environment and on the economy.
Captions 7-8, Slow News with Sigrid: A Tale of 2 Rivers
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Her candidacy and nomination was historic.
Caption 42, Barack Obama: On Trump Presidential Victory
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The adjective "classic" is used to describe something that is timeless, exemplary, or of high quality. "Classical" relates to ancient Greek or Roman culture, or traditional forms of art and music.
In the film, we see Queen's lead guitarist, Brian May, [We Will Rock You] showing the rest of the band his idea for the classic anthem, ”We Will Rock You.”
Captions 29-30, Bohemian Rhapsody: Six Facts about the True Story
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So working with someone else, especially a classical musician, I think will be quite hard.
Captions 21-22, Making Tracks: Dewayne Everettsmith & Jasmine Beams musical journey
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"Industrial" relates to industry, factories, or manufacturing, whereas "industrious" means hardworking and diligent.
Industrial, agricultural, and urban waste also sweep into the sea.
Caption 21, National Geographic: How We Can Keep Plastics Out of Our Ocean
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I'm an industrious kind of person. I'm always doing things.
Caption 23, Ask Jimmy Carter: Another Interview with Sharon Stone
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Another pair of adjectives to know is "sensitive" and "sensible."
Their eyes are extremely light-sensitive.
Caption 42, Evolution: Sea Creatures
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That would be the sensible way forward.
Caption 10, Brexit: 'The house has refused to be bounced'
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Further Learning
More adjective pairs to look up are "economic" and "economical," "continuous" and "continual," and "alternate" and "alternative." You will find many of these on Yabla English.
The syllable "ough" can be truly maddening for those who are learning English.. "Oh," "ooh," "off," "ow," "uff," and "aw" are only some of the ways that it's pronounced. It's simply a matter of memorizing relevant words, so here are some you need to know:
The words "dough" and "though" both rhyme with "low."
Even though it was stressful, it's delightful.
Caption 17, Abiventures: Happy New Year
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Pull our dough out and weigh it up.
Caption 36, Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives Cookie Jar
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The word "through," however, rhymes with "you," and the word "cough" rhymes with "off." The word "bough" rhymes with "cow."
The color of the sky is gray, as I can see through the blinds.
Caption 23, 10,000 Maniacs: Like the Weather
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So, while in the US, I bought a totally normal bag of cough drops at the store.
Caption 36, Wanted Adventure: You Know You're IN THE USA WHEN...
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Hang a shining star upon the highest bough.
Caption 21, Christina Perri: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
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The words "rough," "tough," and "enough" all rhyme with "stuff."
This way the characteristic rough cliff could form.
Caption 5, Evolution: On Land
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The roadrunner is a tough old bird.
Caption 44, America's National Parks: Saguaro
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Now for a pattern you can actually depend on: When a "t" is added to the end, the word will rhyme with "lot."
I thought we were practicing.
Caption 60, Accents: One language, three accents
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A new breed of activists fought to protect Yosemite from development.
Caption 37, America's National Parks: Yosemite
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They're sought-after delicacies for sharks and humans alike.
Caption 2, Nature & Wildlife: Wild Sharks
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Further Learning
Alongside all of the lessons we publish, you'll find this one here, where you can also access caption playback directly! And you'll find many examples of these words in use on Yabla English.
In English, "each" and "every" are determiners, a type of adjective used to indicate the quantity or scope of the noun they precede.
In many instances, the words "each" and "every" are, in fact, interchangeable.
Michael spends two months in the Sea of Cortez every winter.
Caption 3, Nature Preservation: Saving Valentina
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The mule deer bucks are re-growing their antlers, which they shed each winter.
Captions 31-32, America's National Parks: Yosemite
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However, examining these words more closely, we can see that while "every" is used to refer to all items in a group without exception, "each" is often used to refer to individual items within a group, emphasizing them one by one.
Every penny of which will help children all over the world...
Caption 41, British Airways safety video: director's cut
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So now, because every good meal requires vegetables, I have decided to add some tomatoes and some lettuce.
Captions 22-23, Abiventures: Sandwich
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In nineteen ninety-two, they started releasing them, each clearly numbered, into the wild.
Captions 16-17, America's National Parks: Grand Canyon
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So, each king not knowing about the others, set out to follow the star.
Caption 10, Children's Books Read Aloud: The Story of the Three Wise Kings
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Unlike "each," "every" cannot be used when there are only two items or people in a group.. If this ever comes up and you have to decide which word to use, pick the word "each." Note below that an airplane only has two sides, and only two people are being referred to with "each other."
There are six exits on this plane, four doors, two on each side.
Caption 43, Delta Airlines: In-Flight Safety Video
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Maria's mother and Clark looked at each other and frowned.
Caption 13, Basic Vocabulary: Common Words in Context
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Further Learning
You'll find many examples of "each" and "every" in use on Yabla English.
Modal verbs are special helping verbs in English that add meaning to the main verb in a sentence. They are used to express ability, possibility, permission, and obligation in connection with actions. Examples of common modal verbs include "can," "could," "may," "might," "must," "should," and "would."
Let's examine the characteristics and usage of modal verbs with the help of Yabla examples.
First of all, modal verbs are followed directly by the base form of the sentence's main verb, and there is no "to" in between them. Modal verbs have no infinitive or "-ing" forms.
That would allow you to get a better grasp of those concepts.
Caption 6, Business English: Taming Change
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And hearts that would give you a diamond ring.
Caption 7, Ed Sheeran: The Joker And The Queen (feat. Taylor Swift)
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And I know he would agree.
Caption 4, 10 Downing Street: Rishi Sunak's first speech as U.K. Prime Minister
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In contrast to regular verbs, which require conjugation and usually add an "s" for the third-person singular (she/he/it), modal verbs are invariable. They do not change based on the subject.
If she can land her triple Axel, she may take that gold.
Caption 16, Falling For Christmas: Full Movie
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So, you know... -I was just thinking maybe she might tell you.
Caption 39, Carly Simon & Taylor Swift: You're So Vain
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He must be doing something right.
Caption 35, America's National Parks: Olympic
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Generally, you'll notice how modal verbs don't have different forms or tenses. This is because they generally concern the present tense. Out of the modal verbs, "should," "could," and "would" can be used to talk about the past or hypothetical situations. Generally, the context and the presence or absence of "if" can make it clear which it is.
How could a humble tortoise beat the legendary Greek hero Achilles in a race?
Captions 3-4, 60-Second Adventures in Thought: Achilles and the Tortoise
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So, my mother would always say, "Go down to the backyard and pick me a couple of those little leaves of mint."
Captions 35-36, Ask Jimmy Carter: Interview with Lionel Richie
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Where should I put my jacket?
Caption 20, Parts of Speech: Some and Any Plus Question Words
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Further Learning
You'll find many examples with modal verbs on Yabla English. You can refresh your knowledge of the conditional here.
English is full of compound adjectives, which may combine an adjective with either another adjective, a participle, or a noun. When numbers or fractions are used to describe a noun, this can also result in a hyphenated adjective.
Generally, compound adjectives should be hyphenated when they come before a noun (attributive position):
But beyond the well-known attractions.
Caption 20, Greentraveller: The Mendip Hills, Somerset
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This is the high-pitched noise that's been on since the beginning of the talk turning off.
Caption 50, What is theater capable of?: Simon Stone at TEDxSydney
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She was surprised that a good-looking prince was standing there.
Caption 27, Fairy Tales: The Frog King
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For weeks now, this slow-moving crisis has made it difficult—if not impossible—to move barges down the river.
Captions 28-29, Slow News with Sigrid: Climate Change and the Mississippi River
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When the adjective follows the noun (predicative position), it won't be hyphenated:
But perhaps less well known is the crucial role they play in cooling and cleaning the world's atmosphere.
Captions 14-15, The Prince's Rainforests: Project Prince of Wales' Introduction
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Adjectives coming before the noun that involve numbers and units will generally be hyphenated:
This sunflower sea star has a three-foot-wide arm span.
Caption 16, America's National Parks: Olympic
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This seventy-three-mile-long stretch of wilderness...
Caption 5, America's National Parks: Olympic
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When there is an adverb ending in -ly involved, the compound adjective is not hyphenated:
The next step is to put all the potatoes in a lightly greased roasting tray.
Caption 62, Michele from Down Under: Crispy and Spicy Roast Potatoes
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California sea lions are highly intelligent creatures.
Caption 59, Evolution: The Coasts
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Further Learning
You'll find many examples like this on Yabla English. When you see one, note the position of the compound adjective in the sentence, and its components.
Tag questions are short phrases added to the end of sentences to check information, seek confirmation, or ask for agreement. Tag questions can make requests sound softer, encourage conversation, or show doubt, making them useful in everyday English.
A good place to start is examples with the verb "to be." Note that a positive statement is followed by a negative tag and vice versa. Additionally, the verb in the tag must match the verb in the main statement in tense and form.
But no! You are so excited, aren't you?
Caption 19, BBC Comedy Greats: Michael McIntyre on Google Earth
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Hello. You were searching for a hidden microphone, weren't you?
Caption 21, George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four: BBC TV Movie
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Just as we use "do" to create questions, this verb is used when adding a tag question for sentences with verbs other than "to be" or auxiliary verbs.
The Ambulocetus does look like a link between a land animal and a whale, doesn't it?
Caption 11, Green TV: Evolution of the Whale
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But you don't care about those, do you?
Caption 4, The Big Bang Theory: Sheldon meets James Earl Jones
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You made us what we are, didn't you?
Caption 20, Movie Trailers: Interview with the Vampire
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A sentence in the present perfect requires "have" in the tag rather than "to be" or "do." Similarly, the future tense requires "will," or "won't" if the tag is negative.
You have won a few races, haven't you?
Caption 15, James Dean: Interview & Famous Drive Safely Spot
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Remember me, boy, will you?
Caption 25, Spiller Feat. Sophie Ellis-Bextor: Groovejet (If This Ain't Love)
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Make yourself at home! Won't you? OK.
Captions 82-83, ALF: Some enchanted evening
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Modal verbs such as "would," "should," "can," and "could" are also used in tag questions in certain instances.
Just come over here and sit down, would you? -OK.
Caption 7, Campus Movie Fest: Small Talk
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Further Learning
In addition to spotting more examples on Yabla English, try to make your own sentences with the following modal verbs and suitable tag questions with "can"/"can't," "could"/"couldn't," "should"/"shouldn't" and "would"/"wouldn't."
A few more examples:
We can wait a few more minutes, can't we?
He wouldn't forget about it, would he?
"This," "that," "these," and "those" are demonstrative pronouns that replace nouns while specifying their nature in terms of quantity and immediacy. When these words come before a noun, they are demonstrative adjectives. "This" refers to a singular object that is close or more relevant, immediate, or accessible to the speaker, while "that" indicates a singular object that is further removed.
In the following two sentences, "this" and "that" each replace a noun, and are therefore being used as demonstrative pronouns.
This is where the most important items are discussed with the team
Caption 9, Agile workflow: in simplified terms
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That's a very nice hotel.
Caption 21, A Weekend in Amsterdam: Planning the Trip
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We do not know where the discussion was held, or which hotel is being referred to, but we can assume that these locations were provided in an previous sentence.
Here are both words used as demonstrative adjectives, which essentially answer the question "Which?" and provide specificity and clarity.
I have this red pen and this blue pen.
Caption 7, Abiventures: Organizing
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You think you're so smart with that blanket.
Caption 7, A Charlie Brown Christmas: Snowflakes
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The word "these" is the plural form of "this," and is used for multiple items that are more immediate or relevant. "Those" is the plural form of "that."Something that is described as "this" might be right in your hand. Nouns specified with "that" might be an alternative, not the most logical choice, or something you don't have access to.
And I'm just trying to brainstorm how can I use these in my creative filmmaking process.
Captions 8-9, Abiventures: Papers
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And those are made of elementary particles.
Caption 10, In a Nutshell What Is Something?
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And here we have our plural demonstrative adjectives:
So, if you observe these writing rules, your letter will be easy to read.
Caption 12, Business Life: Cover Letter
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I would have seen those keys in the grocery bag.
Caption 43, Parts of Speech: Modal Verbs - Part 4
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Further Learning
You will find hundreds of examples of "this," "that," "these," and "those" on Yabla English.
In American English, "that" is typically used for restrictive clauses, which provide essential information about a noun. Often, the sentence will no longer be complete if you remove the word "that" and the clause that follows it.
In the first sentence, you can see "that" also used as a demonstrative pronoun, but we are interested in the first "that," which functions as a relative pronoun.
And I bought a voltage converter that will convert that down to twelve volts.
Caption 39, Hobbies and Projects: The Electric Cargo Bike Project
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It's not too early to pack on the pounds that will get them through the next winter.
Captions 17-18, America's National Parks: Olympic
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Actually, there is one thing that Kate's always had a little trouble with.
Caption 43, ALF: Working my way back to you
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As a relative pronoun, the word "which" is reserved for non-restrictive clauses. These offer additional, non-essential details and are usually set off by commas. Note that in the examples below, you could stop the sentence before "which" and it would still be complete.
And now for the final touch, which is the bread.
Caption 62, Abiventures: Sandwich
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One of the largest tributaries into the canyon is the Little Colorado, which joins the big river inside the park.
Captions 17-18, America's National Parks: Grand Canyon
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The mule deer bucks are re-growing their antlers, which they shed each winter.
Captions 31-32, America's National Parks: Yosemite
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Further Learning
Still wondering what a demonstrative pronoun is? No worries! Next month, we will look at "this," "that," "these," and "those." In the meantime, practice using "that" and "which," and look for more examples on Yabla English.
One topic that can even be confusing for native English speakers is the difference between the verbs "to lie" and "to lay." And it's no wonder—both of these verbs can refer to being in a reclined, horizontal position, but they also have other meanings. Not only that, their conjugations in the past tense are really quite tricky!
A difference to remember is that "to lay" is a transitive verb and requires a direct object, whereas "to lie" is intransitive and does not require a second noun in the sentence. "To lie" can mean to say something that isn't truthful, or it can mean to recline or be in a resting position. While these verbs look the same in the present tense, the past tense conjugation is different! Have a look:
But they lie! They do not fulfill that promise.
Caption 68, Charlie Chaplin: Final Speech from The Great Dictator
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I lied! That was three.
Caption 61, Abiventures: Sandwich
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As you lie in fields of gold.
Caption 22, Katie Melua Fields of Gold
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When he came into the room in which Sleeping Beauty lay...
Caption 23, Fairy Tales: Sleeping Beauty
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Although "lay" is the simple past tense of "lie" when it refers to lying down, "to lay" is also a distinct verb and means to put or place something (the direct object) down. We say "The chicken lays an egg" and "The crew lays the foundation for a house." Note the direct objects in each of the sentences below:
Don't lay our love to rest.
Caption 38, Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart, Sting: All For Love
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And we will act not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth.
Captions 30-31, Barack Obama's Inauguration Day: Obama's Speech
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Italian immigrants dug tunnels, laid railroad tracks, constructed bridges and roads, and erected the first skyscrapers.
Captions 36-38, Spotlight: Why Columbus Day?
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I laid four thousand and twenty eggs! -Wow!
Caption 80, Peppa Pig: Grandpa Pig's Computer
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To review:
| Infinitive | Present Tense | Present Participle | Past Tense |
| to lie (to lie down) | lie/lies | lying | lay |
| to lie (to tell a lie) | lie/lies | lying | lied |
| to lay | lay/lays | laying | laid |
Further Learning
In addition to memorizing the table above, you can find many examples of these verbs used in context on Yabla English.
Adverbs modify adjectives, verbs, other adverbs, and even entire sentences, describing how something is done or how something is the way it is. Previously, we have looked at adverbs of frequency, which denote how often something occurs. Today, we'll look at adverbs of manner, which help us express how an action occurs. Most adverbs of manner end in "-ly" or "-ily."
The adjectives "quick," "desperate," and "accurate" may be familiar to you. But here, what is being described is not a person or thing, but instead the verbs "to clear," "to try," and "to represent."
And the skies above the canyon quickly clear again.
Caption 34, America's National Parks: Grand Canyon
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The royal couple tried desperately to wake her.
Caption 39, Fairy Tales: Sleeping Beauty
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Did you know that according to a survey, over sixty percent of employers don't think CVs represent applicants accurately?
Captions 47-49, Business Life: Curriculum Vitae
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You may have noticed that adjectives that end with an "-e" simply get the "-ly" tacked onto the end anyway. This is also the case with adjectives that end in "-ful" or "-less."
English speakers like to greet each other by cheerfully stating the time of day.
Captions 14-15, English with Annette O'Neil: Ways to Say Hello
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As you can see, it's very beautifully decorated.
Caption 8, Christmas in London: Places
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It can walk on almost every terrain effortlessly.
Caption 8, Evolution: On Land
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Seasons moving endlessly.
Caption 25, Justin James: A Beautiful Life
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When an adjective ends with a "-y," like "happy" or "easy," it's customary to replace it with "-ily" in the adverb form. Let's have a look:
Rapunzel happily accepted this handsome prince's proposal.
Caption 34, Fairy Tales: Rapunzel
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This red deer is not red at all, and will be easily singled out by predators.
Caption 50, BBC Planet: Wild Alien Animals
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Further Learning
You can find many adverbs on Yabla English to see them used in a variety of different contexts. You can also write a list of ten adjectives and look up their related adverb.
The noun "mind" is a complex word that has meanings related to your memory and the part of you that thinks. It means more than just your physical brain—it's also its contents and the way it works. The verb "to mind," on the other hand, can mean "to remember," "to remind," "to notice," "to care," and a number of other things depending upon the context.
There are a lot of rather odd phrases and idioms associate with "mind." Let's take a look at some of them today.
Do you mind if we listen to some music?
Caption 30, The Late Late Show with James Corden: Jennifer Lopez Carpool Karaoke
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This "to mind" means "do you care," in the sense of "will it bother you?" If it doesn't bother you, the usual response is:
I don't mind.
Caption 51, Between Two Women: The Movie
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But if it bothers you, you can say "I do mind," with emphasis on the "do." Of course, it's usually polite to explain why you object.
Pieces of peace in the sun's peace of mind.
Caption 3, Twenty One Pilots: Ride
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That's a lot of words that sound the same in one line of a song lyric! The phrase "peace of mind" means to feel calm, safe, and protected: without worries.
Miley Cyrus gives a photographer a piece of her mind.
Caption 2, The Pop Topic Minute: Kate Winslet and Miley Cyrus
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If somebody gives someone "a piece of their mind," it means they are angry and let them know in no uncertain terms.
It's there, but it's out of sight, out of mind.
Caption 15, Essential vocabulary with Sigrid: Delay delay delay
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The phrase "out of sight, out of mind" means that if something that is bothering you isn't immediately in front of you, you worry about it less.
I love the dark handsome guys with their skinny little ties dressing mod, looking out of sight.
Captions 7-9, Movie Trailers: Nine
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"Out of sight" can, of course, mean that something is literally not visible. But in the case above, it's 1960s-1970s slang for "really great."
You're crazy and I'm out of my mind.
Caption 20, John Legend with Lindsey Stirling: All Of Me
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While "out of mind" in Sigrid's video above means you aren't thinking about something, if someone tells you that you are "out of your mind," it's a rather impolite way of saying they think you are crazy. In that case, you'd better either take their advice and desist in your actions, or be even more determined to prove them wrong!
Further Learning
Phrases using the noun "mind" and its verbal form "to mind" are very common in the English language. There are, in fact, nearly 500 videos on Yabla that include some form of the word. Try looking some of them up on Yabla English to see them used in a variety of different contexts.
"Yes" and "no" are some of the first words you learn in any language, but there are many different ways to say you agree to something. Today we'll continue with the second installment of the topic "English words of consent and agreement." Check out Part I first if you missed it!
I agree with that, I really do.
Caption 36, Ask Jimmy Carter: Interview with Robin Williams
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Usually the verb "agree" is used as a way of confirming a statement that somebody has made that suggests a condition or a course of action. You can also simply say "Agreed."
We'd like his table, please. As you wish, sir.
Captions 22-23, Oscar® Nominated Short Films: The Absent-Minded Waiter with Steve Martin
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The phrase "as you wish" (or "as you like") confirms that you agree to carry out to a request. It doesn't necessarily mean that you agree with what is being requested. The phrase is sometimes used in cases where you may even have initially objected to the request. Imagine a conversation between a business owner and an accountant: "I want to fly first-class to the meeting." -"That will be too expensive for the budget." -"No, I insist I fly first-class." -"As you wish."
Let's say this: He is the star of the movie. -It's hard to disagree with that.
Captions 32-33, Uma Thurman: Kill Bill
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Saying it's "hard to disagree" with something is a good way to agree with something that may be true only in a figurative way. In the example above, the interviewer makes the argument that because of his good work directing, the director Quentin Tarantino is "the star of the movie," although he didn't actually play an acting role in it.
Oh boy, that is one tasty dish! -I'll say.
Caption 3, A Mickey Mouse Cartoon: Goofy's First Love
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This is an odd way of saying "I agree." It probably comes from "I would say the same thing too." When spoken, the emphasis is on "I'll."
That story is awesome. -Indeed.
Caption 48, Parks and Recreation: Best of Ron & April
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"Indeed" is a confirmation that is basically the same as "Yes, it is."
You have to do what you have to do. -Sure! No problem.
Captions 75-76, Side by Side: Beginners Have to / can
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"Sure" is the same as saying "yes," and "no problem" also works on its own as a way of confirming something or agreeing with something.
Further Learning
Look up the above words and phrases on Yabla English to see them used in different contexts.
"Yes" and "no" are some of the first words you learn in any language. Although such words are technically adverbs, they don't really modify verbs. Many language experts consider them to be sentence adverbs.
OK, alright, good.
Caption 117, Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives: Cookie Jar
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The three words above are kind of like saying the same thing three times: "Yes, yes, yes." "OK" is often also spelled "okay." The spelling here of "alright," is not standard, but is very commonly used. The more formal way write it is with two words: "all right."
There are, however, stronger ways to say "yes" than "OK," "all right," and "good." Let's take a look today at some of these words and phrases.
It's the thing they make movies about. -Yeah, absolutely.
Caption 72, 16x9 - Cool Runnings: Truth Behind Original Jamaican Bobsled Team
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"Yeah" is an informal version of "yes." The adjective "absolute" means "to a very great or the largest degree possible." So when you say "absolutely," it's a very strong way of saying "yes."
I mean, the theory's been proven true, beyond all doubt.
Caption 16, TED-Ed: Questions No One Knows the Answers to
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If something is "beyond all doubt," then it's unquestionably true. The adverb "unquestionably" means, as the word suggests, that something is so true that should not be questioned. Of course, even things that are scientifically proven may be questioned, otherwise science would make no progress! The phrase "beyond a doubt" means the same thing but less forcefully. You'll hear the phrase "beyond all reasonable doubt" used as a legal phrase in court cases.
So, by all means be responsible global citizens.
Caption 54, Great Barrier Reef: Incredible Facts
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"By all means" is a strong way of saying "yes." "Means," in this context, are the ways that something can be done. The person above could have said "So yes, be responsible global citizens." But using the phrase "by all means" instead of "yes" makes the statement stronger.
Ah, two for dinner? -Uh, yes. Two please. -Certainly. Sit right down.
Captions 119-121, Oscar® Nominated Short Films: The Absent-Minded Waiter with Steve Martin
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"Certainly" is related to the adjective "certain," which means "to have no doubt or knowing exactly that something is true."
Are you going to the canteen? -Of course.
Captions 6-7, George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four: BBC TV Movie
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The phrase "of course" comes from an old meaning of the noun "course," which is the path a ship takes in a river. The original phrase was "of the ordinary course," which later became "a matter of course." Now "of course" can be a way to say "yes" or to affirm something.
Hope you don't break a leg. -Yeah, for sure.
Captions 38-40, New Year's Resolutions: Lele Pons & Hannah Stocking
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"For sure" is a less formal way to say "certainly."
Further Learning
Look up the above words and phrases on Yabla English to see them used in different contexts.
There are a number of words in modern English that have been borrowed from the German language. These are mostly words that were adopted in the United States and the United Kingdom starting in the 19th century. Let's take a look today at some food and beverage related English words that come from German.
Save them for a stir-fry or noodle bowl later in the week.
Caption 24, Rainbow Plant Life: 20 Minute Vegan Meals EVERYONE Should Know
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A noodle is a long thin strip made of wheat or rice and boiled in water. You often find noodles in Italian and Asian dishes. The noun "noodle" comes from the German word Nudel, which is pronounced the same too. Note that "noodle" is also a slang word for a foolish or simple person. Also, if someone says "use your noodle," it means to use your brain to think about something!
I've got five hundred grams of strawberries here... and I want to blitz these now.
Captions 4-6, Nigella's Recipes: Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream
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The word "blitz" came into the English language during the German Air Force attacks on Great Britain from 1940 to 1941. The Nazi propaganda called their victories in those years Blitzkrieg, which means "lightning war." The Brits called the time of the German air attacks "The Blitz," and the word is still used in English today. Later, especially in the UK, "blitz" began to be used as a verb too. In the caption above, "to blitz" means "to mix food in a mixing machine."
I poured the old ginger beer down the sink.
Caption 6, Ed Sheeran: Supermarket Flowers
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Beer is an alcoholic or non-alcoholic drink usually brewed from hops and malt. Ginger beer is non-alcoholic and tastes sweet and bit sharp from the ginger root that is in it. There is also a drink called ginger ale that is very similar to ginger beer. Most people probably know that the English word "beer" comes from the German Bier, which is also pronounced the same.
She almost spilt her lager.
Caption 30, Pete Doherty: Last of the English Roses
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Lager is a style of beer developed in Germany. The original German word Lager comes from the word for "storage," as the beer was originally brewed and stored in cool caves. The word "lager" has come to be used as a general term for beer, especially in the UK. Young men who drink too much and behave badly are even called "lager louts."
Later, the Germans arrived selling pretzels from delicatessens.
Caption 10, The History of English: American English
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Pretzels are a snack food, and a delicatessen is a small grocery store, sometimes carrying delicacies and other specialities. "Pretzel" and "delicatessen" come from the German words Brezel and Delikatessen, which are pronounced similarly to the English words. A literal translation of Delikatessen is "delicate food." In English, delicatessens are often called "delis" for short.
...pickled vegetables like sauerkraut or vegan kimchi.
Caption 35, Rainbow Plant Life: 10 Tiny Changes to Improve Your Cooking
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Sauerkraut is made from fermenting cabbage in salt. A literal translation of the German word Sauerkraut is "sour cabbage," and it's indeed very sour! As a note, kimchi is a very spicy fermented food that's a bit similar to cabbage but has hot chilis too. That word has been adopted by English from the Korean language!
Further Learning
See more English words derived from German on Wikipedia, then search for some of the words on Yabla English to see them used in different contexts.
You may have seen recent news reports about flooding caused by heavy rains in Southern California. Let's take a look today at some English words related to rain.
And being so small, they pass through the sewage filters and straight out into our rivers and seas, especially at times of heavy rainfall.
Captions 58-60, TEDxBristol: Why Plastic Pollution is Personal | Natalie Fee
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Rain is the most general term for water falling from clouds out of the sky. The word "rainfall" is, according to the Merriam Webster dictionary, a steady fall of rain, as opposed to rain falling very briefly. In many cases, however, the words are interchangeable. You'll more likely hear about "the amount of rainfall" in a weather report.
There is freedom within, there is freedom without... trying to catch a deluge in a paper cup.
Captions 3-4, Miley Cyrus and Ariana Grande: Don't Dream It's Over
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The noun "deluge" can mean a flood, but in its secondary meaning, it's defined as "a steady falling of water from the sky in significant quantity" and "a drenching rain." So if you want to mean a very, very heavy rain, deluge is a good word to pick. Notice that it is pronounced in two syllables with a soft "g."
Occasional strong downpours wash over the land during the summer and dry river beds fill up for a short time.
Captions 6-7, The Last Paradises: America's National Parks
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A downpour can generally mean anything pouring downward, but is also used to specifically mean a heavy rain. But it's not as heavy as a deluge, which may be flood-related.
There is constant rain, freezing rain, cloudbursts, steady rain, drizzle, mist, thundershowers, summer rain, winter rain, and pouring rain.
Captions 10-12, Piggeldy and Frederick: Rain
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A cloudburst is a sudden heavy rain that probably does not last a long time. A drizzle, on the other hand, is a fine misty rain—which brings us to mist: Mist is a rain that is so fine that the rainwater is nearly suspended in the air, and it's a bit like walking through a heavy cloud. Mist is like a heavier version of fog. A thundershower is a rain accompanied by thunder and its scientific cause—lightning.
April showers bring May flowers.
Caption 26, Sigrid: Spring Musings
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The term "thundershower" contains the word "shower," and much like the showers that we take when washing ourselves, is a kind of rain of short duration.
Back in the Yosemite Valley, the precipitation falls in the form of rain.
Caption 16, Project Earth: California, Unknown Beauty
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Precipitation is the scientific term for moisture that falls from the sky to earth. It can mean rain, snow, hail, sleet, or mist.
Another noun related to rain is sprinkle, which is related to sprinkler, a device which distributes water through hoses in gardens and on farms. A sprinkle suggests, in this context, a very light rain. Sometimes downfall is also used to mean rain, although it is more often used in a political context to mean a fall from power.
Further Learning
Watch the full length Piggledy and Frederick video above, as it's all about rain. You can also go to Yabla English and look up the other rain vocabulary words (cloudburst, deluge, downpour, drizzle, precipitation, rainfall, shower, and thundershower) to see them used in different contexts.
The noun "resolution" comes from the verb "to resolve," and both mean to make a serious decision about something. "Resolution" is probably most commonly used in spoken English when referring to a New Year's resolution.
So, I also wanted to talk for a second about New Year's resolutions.
Caption 23, Abiventures: Happy New Year
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Wikipedia defines a New Year's resolution as when "a person resolves to continue good practices, change an undesired trait or behavior, accomplish a personal goal, or otherwise improve their behavior at the beginning of a calendar year." This is a tradition usually found in the Western World, but common to many cultures across the globe.
The most common way to express something you are going to do in the future is to use "going to" or "will":
I am going to travel more.
Caption 12, Sigrid explains: The Future
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I can say, "I will lose four pounds this year."
Caption 29, Sigrid explains: The Future
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One problem with New Year's resolutions is that almost everybody promises to change their behavior in some way, but statistically almost nobody does.
I don't really make any New Year's resolutions anymore because I learned early on that when I did, I never really followed through with the resolution.
Captions 2-4, Ashley Tisdale: Happy New Year!
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One reason people don't succeed with their resolutions is that they make unreasonable goals for themselves:
Mine is to pilot a commercial jet. -That's a good one too, Pheebs. Now all you have to do is find a plane load of people whose resolution is to plummet to their deaths.
Captions 13-16, New Year's Resolutions: Friends
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Unless Phoebe is already attending flight school and is far enough along that she can reasonably expect to be working this year, her goal is unrealistic.
All right, my New Year's resolution is to learn how to play guitar.
Caption 29, New Year's Resolutions Friends
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Here Joey, also a fictitious character in the TV series Friends, has a more realistic goal. Notice that as somebody who doesn't know how to play guitar yet, Joey didn't say his resolution is to headline as a guitarist in a world-famous band playing Madison Square Garden—Joey just wants to start learning to play guitar. This just requires buying a guitar, finding a guitar teacher, and taking the time to practice and attend lessons: realistic!
Further Learning
Did you make any New Year's resolutions this year? Have you started following through on them yet? If the resolutions you made are not realistic, maybe you can try to make a new resolution that you think you'll be able to keep! Watch some of the videos above on Yabla English and listen to the way people talk about their own New Year's resolutions.
Christmas is a Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. The holiday is also commonly celebrated by non-Christian and non-religious people. The Muslim holiday Ramadan, the Jewish holiday Hanukkah, and the African American holiday Kwanzaa are also celebrated in December.
Christmas Day falls on the 25th of December, around the same time as the winter solstice, when we have the longest night and the shortest day.
Captions 11-13, Holidays and Seasons with Sigrid: Sights and Scents at Christmastime
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The timing of many December holidays has roots in pagan winter solstice festivals.
Melchior took gold, Gaspar, frankincense, and Balthazar, myrrh.
Caption 13, Children's Books Read Aloud: The Story of the Three Wise Kings
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Melchior, Gaspar, and Balthazar were kings who, according to the Christian Bible, visited the infant Christ with gifts. Frankincense and myrrh are aromatic wood resins that can be used in the making of perfumes. Today, these may not seem as valuable as gold, but in the ancient world, they were considered to be treasures worthy of royalty.
You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
Caption 17, A Charlie Brown Christmas: True Meaning
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"Swaddling" is an antiquated word meaning strips of cloth, which in the old days were used to keep babies warm and restrict their movements. Today, it's almost exclusively used when referring to clothes worn by the infant Jesus. A "manger" is a box used in a stable to feed animals, but in the case of Jesus, his parents Mary and Joseph were so poor that they used a manger as a crib.
So just keep kissing me under the mistletoe...
Caption 20, Ed Sheeran: Merry Christmas ft. Elton John
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To get to some less religious Christmas traditions: Mistletoe is a plant with green leaves and berries, which is often found hanging above doorways at Christmas parties. Couples who find themselves standing under it are encouraged to kiss. Apparently, mistletoe was a fertility symbol in ancient times!
This is a traditional milk-based holiday drink. -What is eggnog? -Correct!
Caption 83, Delta's Holiday: In-Flight Safety Video
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Eggnog is indeed a milk-based drink that is traditionally offered during the Christmas holiday, but best beware: it tastes deceptively mild but may contain more alcohol than you expected!
And every mother's child is gonna spy to see if reindeer really know how to fly.
Captions 12-13, Clean Bandit: Christmas Special
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The legendary figure of Santa Claus soars through the night skies in a sleigh powered by magical flying reindeer, delivering presents to children around the world. A reindeer is a type of deer found in the far northern regions of Europe, Russia, and the Americas. Sorry to have to say this, but reindeer can't actually fly!
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer had a very shiny nose.
Captions 4-5, Minidisco: Cartoons
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Rudolph is the most famous of Santa's reindeer, and he has the extra special magical power of a bright red glowing nose, which according to Christmas lore, helps light the way for Santa's sled on dark and stormy nights. This story first originated in a book in 1939.
Further Learning
Watch the videos above and search Yabla English for "Christmas" to find some more vocabulary related to the holiday. And regardless of your beliefs or non-beliefs, we at Yabla wish you all happy holidays!
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