Difference between ‘ideal’, ‘idle’, and ‘idol’ (Lesson-50)

Hello, friends!
My name is Snehal. I welcome you on my podcast channel where you can learn a lot about English grammar and vocabulary. Today we are going to talk about the difference between ‘ideal’, ‘idle’ and ‘idol’. Be careful while using these words because they create a lot of confusion. Therefore, without wasting much time, let’s deep dive into it.

Ideal is an adjective as well as a noun. Its meaning is perfect or a standard of perfection, beauty or excellence. This word is spelled as I-D-E-A-L.
Examples: Swami Vivekananda is an ideal for me. / For lots of people, the US and Canada are ideal countries. / We think about an ideal friend during our lives.
Idle is an adjective which means not working, unemployed or not active. It is also a verb. This word is spelled as I-D-L-E.
Examples: In companies, the management should use idle machines. / Do something productive during lock-down, don’t be so idle. / This pandemic idled so many people around the world.
Idol is a noun which means an object of worship or an object of extreme devotion. This word is spelled as I-D-O-L.
Examples: Elon Musk is an idol of millions. / Marble idols are very famous in the world. / Ganesh idols are worshiped in India.

Well, I hope you enjoyed today’s podcast. My objective is each of you should add something valuable everyday related to English. Just keep practicing and revising. You will learn a lot within a short time period. Kindly hit a like button if you find this podcast useful. The written description of this podcast will be there in the description segment. I will see you tomorrow, till then bye and take care!

Podcast link: https://anchor.fm/snehalhedau/episodes/Difference-between-Ideal–Idle-and-Idol–Lesson-50-ee5uef

Usage of ‘some’ and ‘any’ (Lesson-49)

Hello, friends!
My name is Snehal. I welcome you on my podcast channel where you can learn a lot about English grammar and vocabulary. Today we are going to talk about the usage of ‘some’ and ‘any’. Therefore, without wasting much time, let’s deep dive into it.

Both ‘some’ and ‘any’ are used with countable nouns as well as uncountable nouns. ‘Some’ and ‘any’ are used when one is not sure about the quantity. Both are used in positive statements and negative statements. Let’s see some examples:

All have some information about how to fight against COVID-19.
I have read some books during lock-down. (I don’t know exact number of books.)
He didn’t have any idea about Area-51 in the USA.
If you have any such information, please let use know.

Both ‘some’ and ‘any’ are used to make questions.

Have you got some news?
Do you have some coffee?
Didn’t she have any clue regarding how this has happened?
Are you not able to write any answers?

SOME shows positivity whereas ANY shows negativity.

I would like to read some magazines to kill time.
The teacher could give you some pieces of advice before the exam.
She didn’t ask us any questions.
He doesn’t have any queries at the end of the lecture.
Don’t you have any questions to ask?

Podcast link: https://anchor.fm/snehalhedau/episodes/Usages-of-some-and-any-ee4n48

Similes (Lesson-48)

Hello, friends!
My name is Snehal. I welcome you on my podcast channel where you can learn a lot about English grammar and vocabulary. Today we are going to talk about one of my favorite topics of English grammar and vocabulary and it is simile. If you want to take your writing style next level or impress somebody with your English then you should use these similes. Therefore, without wasting much time, let’s deep dive into it.

What is a simile? It is a figure of speech that makes a comparison, showing similarities between two different things. Some examples of similes are: as brave as a lion, as sick as a parrot, as sharp as a razor, as tough as leather and as strong as an ox.

As brave as a lion – very brave
Example: Our soldiers are as brave as a lion. They can fight against any tough situation.
As sick as a parrot – very disappointed.
Example: After losing the final match, the team is as sick as a parrot.
As sharp as a razor – very sharp
Example: Be careful when you cut vegetables with this new knife. It is as sharp as a razor.
As tough as leather – have a strong character and do not get upset
Example: Our medical officers are as tough as leather. They won’t back down against COVID-19.
As strong as an ox – possessing great physical strength
Example: If you follow instruction of the coach of the gym, you will be as strong as an ox.

Well, I hope you enjoyed today’s podcast. My objective is each of you should add something valuable everyday related to English. Just keep practicing and revising. You will learn a lot within a short time period. Kindly hit a like button if you find this podcast useful. The written description of this podcast will be there in the description segment. I will see you tomorrow, till then bye and take care!

My podcast link: https://anchor.fm/snehalhedau/episodes/Simile-Lesson-48-ee3804

Difference between THAN and THEN (Lesson-47)

Hello, friends!
My name is Snehal. Today we are going to talk about two different words which are highly useful from the point of view of English grammar. These two words are “Than” and “Then”. They are most commonly confusing words because they sound the same. When two or more words sound the same but their meaning is different, they are called homophones. So without wasting much time, let’s dive into it.

The first word is “THAN” which is spelled as T-H-A-N. This word is used in the sense of comparative degree only and it is a conjunction.
For example: His writing style is better than mine. / Rocky is taller than Michael. / Your voice is louder than hers.

The second word is “THEN” which is spelled as T-H-E-N. This word means at that time, next in time, in that case and additionally. It is an adverb or an adjective.

Let’s see a few examples of this word as well. : He was in the first year of college. He was not good at table-tennis then. / I studied English and then watched some videos on YouTube. / If you keep practicing your English for six months continuously then you will be fluent. / You will get only guitar and then you will have to purchase its bag, pick and a set of strings.

I hope you enjoyed this podcast. My objective of the podcast is that each of you should add something useful related to English on daily basis. Enrich your mind with some fruitfulness. Keep practicing about what we discuss here during the podcast. I have also created my blog where you can go and read the description of the same podcast. The link will be there in the description below. We will meet again tomorrow. Till then bye and take care!

Podcast link: https://anchor.fm/snehalhedau/episodes/Difference-between-than-and-then-Lesson-47-ee1rd4

Three-word phrasal verbs (Lesson-46)

Hello, friends!
My name is Snehal. I welcome you on my podcast channel where you can learn a lot about English grammar and vocabulary. Today we are going to talk about one of my favorite topics of English grammar and vocabulary and it is phrasal verbs. If you want to take your writing style next level or impress somebody with your English then you should use these common phrasal verbs. Therefore, without wasting much time, let’s deep dive into it.

What is a phrasal verb? It is combination of a verb and a preposition. Sometimes it can have two prepositions. Today, we will see three-word phrasal verbs their meanings and usages in various sentences. These phrasal verbs are: Come up with, Come down with, Cut down on, Look up to and Put up with.

Come up with – think of good a plan or an idea
The secretary is popular in the entire company because he always comes up with really good ideas. / She is a favorite student of all the teachers because she comes up with nice thoughts. / The boss came up with a nice plan to counter COVID-19 in the company premises.
Come down with – to get sick
If you come down with a severe fever, immediately consult a skilled doctor. / Last year she could not attend my birthday because the came down with an extreme headache. / He got wet in heavy rain and suddenly after that he came down with pneumonia.
Cut down on – to reduce quantity of something
He smokes 10 cigarettes a day. He must cut down on cigarettes. / Children need to cut down on chocolates. / She is suffering from diabetics. She has to cut down on sugar as soon as possible.
Look up to – to respect or admire someone
We must look up to our parents. / Students should look up to their teachers. / I really look up to my listeners.
Put up with – to tolerate somebody/something
People will have to put up with COVID-19. / She cannot put up with the cold weather. She has to leave this place quickly. / Customers don’t put up with lower quality products.

Podcast link: https://anchor.fm/snehalhedau/episodes/Three-word-phrasal-verbs-Lesson-46-ee04ta

Difference between ‘complement’ and ‘compliment’ (Lesson-45)

Hello, friends!
My name is Snehal. Today we are going to talk about two different words which are highly useful from the point of view of English grammar. These two words are “Complement” and “Compliment”. They are most commonly confusing words because they sound the same. When two or more words sound the same but their meaning is different, they are called homophones. So without wasting much time, let’s dive into it.

The first word is “COMPLEMENT” which is spelled as C-O-M-P-L-E-M-E-N-T. The meaning of this words is “a thing that contributes extra to make a group complete”. This word is a noun as well as a verb. Its past tense and past participle is “complemented”.
For example: Right amount of dessert with main course of food complements the dinner. / Expensive jewelry complements her gorgeous look today. / A hat on his head is a perfect complement to his outfit in Summer.

The second word is “COMPLIMENT” which is spelled as C-O-M-P-L-I-M-E-N-T. This word means “to praise or admire someone“. It is a noun as well as a verb. Its past tense and past participle is “complimented”.
Let’s see a few examples of this word as well. : The boss complimented me before all the staff members for achieving such a massive target. / Every time only money cannot raise your moral. Sometimes, you need some compliments as well. / Keep complimenting your subordinates, they will delivery good result themselves.

There is a subtle difference of ‘I’ and ‘E’ between these two words. So, be careful when you use and read them. The usage of these two words matter a lot.

I hope you enjoyed this podcast. My objective of the podcast is that each of you should add something useful related to English on daily basis. Enrich your mind with some fruitfulness. Keep practicing about what we discuss here during the podcast. I have also created my blog where you can go and read the description of the same podcast. The link will be there in the description below. We will meet again tomorrow. Till then bye and take care!

Podcast link: https://anchor.fm/snehalhedau/episodes/Complement-vs-Compliment-Lesson-45-edukv5

Difference between “Lay” and “Lie” (Lesson-44)

Hello, friends!
My name is Snehal. I welcome you on my podcast channel where you can learn a lot about English grammar and vocabulary. Today we are going to talk about One of the most important pairs of word in English grammar and vocabulary. It is very very important from the point of view of English. Sometimes, plenty of people avoid this word pair deliberately because it’s quite perplexing. Therefore, without wasting much time, let’s deep dive into it.

Today’s word pair is “Lay” and “Lie”. For you information, both are verbs.

A. Lay = to put something down (on something).
Main verb – Lay / Past tense – Laid / Past participle – Laid
Examples:
1. I lay the marker on the table.
2. I laid the marker on the table last night.
3. I have laid the marker on the table.
4. I lay my head on the pillow.
5. I laid my books on the floor.
6. I have laid dinner on the table.
Note: ‘Lay’ must have an OBJECT.

B. Lie = to rest or recline
Main verb – Lie / Past tense – Lay / Past participle – Lain
Examples:
1. My dog lies in front of me.
2. I lay in my bed.
3. I have lain in a hammock before.
Note: ‘Lie’ must not have an OBJECT but it takes a PREPOSITION.

BONUS: Lie(v.) – not truth
Main verb – Lie / Past tense – Lied / Past participle – Lied
Examples:
1. He never lies in front of his parents.
2. Have you seen any person who has never lied in any situations?

Exercises:
1. Please, ____(lay) the bill on the table. 2. You look sick. _____ (lie)down. 3. I need to ____(lie) in a bed. 4. The dinner was ____(laid) on the table. 5. She ___(lies) to hide her mistakes. 6. Don’t _____(lie). I hate liars.

This is how you can use this word pair. If such a word pair comes across, try to identify its meaning and usage from its context.

Well, I hope you enjoyed today’s podcast. My objective is everyone should learn something valuable everyday related to English. Just keep practicing and revising. You will learn a lot within a short time period. Kindly hit a like button if you find this podcast useful. The written description of this podcast will be there in the description segment. I will see you tomorrow, till then bye and take care!

Podcast link: https://anchor.fm/snehalhedau/episodes/Difference-between-Lay–Lie-Lesson-44-edt555

Phrasal verb – Put away (Lesson-43)

Hello, friends!
My name is Snehal. I welcome you on my podcast channel where you can learn a lot about English grammar and vocabulary. Today we are going to talk about one of my favorite topics of English grammar and vocabulary and it is phrasal verb. If you want to take your writing style next level or impress somebody with your English then you should use this phrasal verb. Therefore, without wasting much time, let’s deep dive into it.

Today’s phrasal verb is “Put away”. We will see five different meanings of this phrasal verb.

Put away: to kill gently
Examples: His cat has been injured since last two months. His close friends believe that he might put her away soon. / The government can’t put strays dogs away.
Put away: to drink or eat up
Examples: They put away their lunch in no time. / He is good at putting away red wine in a jiffy. (In a jiffy is an idiom, its meaning is quickly.)
Put away: to store the things as they are usually
Examples: After reading books, we should put them away. / I put my guitar away as soon as I finish playing it.
Put away: to send somebody to prison, to mental hospital
Examples: He was put away in the central jail after committing a crime. / The psychiatric told us to put him away in the mental hospital
Put away: to discard or remove
Examples: In order to have healthy mind and body, we should put negative thoughts away. / Put away some redundant data to get rid of full memory of one’s smartphone.

This is how you can use this phrasal verb. If such phrasal verbs come across, try to identify its meaning from its context.

Podcast link: https://anchor.fm/snehalhedau/episodes/Phrasal-verb—Put-away-Lesson-43-edrv9t

Idioms for ‘trouble’ (Lesson-42)

Hello, friends!
My name is Snehal. I welcome you on my podcast channel where you can learn a lot about English grammar and vocabulary. Today we are going to talk about one of my favorite topics of English grammar and vocabulary and it is idioms or idiomatic expressions. If you want to take your writing style next level or impress somebody with your English then you should use these idioms or idiomatic expressions. Therefore, without wasting much time, let’s deep dive into it.

Today’s theme of idioms is “trouble”. We will discuss five idiomatic expressions and they have the same meaning. The meaning is “in trouble” or ”in a difficult position” .

In hot water
Meaning: in trouble or in a difficult position
Example: Students should work hard before exams otherwise they will be in hot water.
In a pickle
Meaning: in trouble or in a difficult position
Example: The teacher asked him to speak in English and he thought that he was in a pickle.
In a tight spot
Meaning: in trouble or in a difficult position
Example: Because of global pandemic, a lot of people are in a tight spot.
In Dutch
Meaning: in trouble or in a difficult position
Example: Each of us will be in Dutch if the lock-down is extended once again.
Up the creek
Meaning: in trouble or in a difficult position
Example: Plenty of companies are leaving China. Economic experts believe that China will be up the creek by 2021.

These are all phrasal verbs with almost the same meaning. You can also use them interchangeably.

My podcast link: https://anchor.fm/snehalhedau/episodes/Phrasal-verb-for-trouble-Lesson-42-edqpf8

Phrasal verb – GO OUT (Lesson-41)

Hello, friends!
My name is Snehal. I welcome you on my podcast channel where you can learn a lot about English grammar and vocabulary. Today we are going to talk about one of my favorite topics of English grammar and vocabulary and it is phrasal verbs. If you want to take your writing style next level or impress somebody with your English then you should use this phrasal verb. Therefore, without wasting much time, let’s deep dive into it.

Today’s phrasal verb is GO OUT. We will see this phrasal verb with five different meanings.

Go out – something stops being fashionable Examples: These days, all of us use smartphones. I think dumb phones have gone out of the market. / CD player and MP-3 players went out of the fashion a few years before. / Formal clothes will never be go out of the trend.
Go out – to stop producing light. Examples: While we were working on our laptops, suddenly light went out. / Kindly back up your data, there’s a possibility that light will go out in a few moments. / If light goes out, we will use lanterns.
Go out – to leave the house for some fun. Examples: In this pandemic, people are not able to go out in the morning as well as in the evening. / Instead of going out, people prefer staying at home. / Let’s go out this evening and have some fun with all our headfone friends.
Go out – to exit a competition by losing. Examples: If you can’t win this match, you will go out of the tournament. / They performed really well. However, they went out in the semi-final match. / Owing to his simple mistakes, he has gone out of the game.
Go out – to send something by email. Examples: The purchase order will go out tomorrow at this time. / The confidential data is going out right now. / Their bill has already been gone out.

Podcast link: https://anchor.fm/snehalhedau/episodes/Phrasal-verb—Go-out-Lesson-41-edpas8