Every day or Everyday ?

Don't get confused .

" Every day " ( two words )  is a phrase that means  " each day ".

Read these sentences :

a. Every day , thousands of refugees cross international borders . 

b. My neighbor   never fails to piss me off every day. 

You can replace " every day " with " each day " , and the sentence remains grammatically correct.

On the other hand , "everyday" ( one word  )  is an adjective  that

  means  " common , normal or ordinary ".It comes before a noun. 

Take a look  at the sentences below. 

a.You should not wear everyday clothes to a business meeting.

b. Everyday  life has become monotonous to the old man. 

If you try to replace " everyday " with "each day" , the sentence becomes grammatically wrong .  

                            

Activity :  Write  " every day " or " everyday ".

1. ______________ work for him is answering phone calls  from angry and rude customers.

2. Since he laid eyes on her in that Italian cafe , he has been sending  her flowers __________________  for a month.

3. ________________ is a new day . Make the most out of it. 

4. We have to learn how to deal with _____________struggles. 

5. And she loved him , ____________ of her  remaining life. 

Speaking Practice : Talk About A Famous Person You Admire

Stationery or Stationary ?

It's " full-fledged" NOT " "full-pledged" !

               Many Filipinos are guilty of this error . They say                     “ full- pledged”. THIS IS WRONG ! It’s “ full-fledged”.

          “ Fledge ” is a verb  that refers to a stage in a bird's growth.  It  means  to develop feathers  necessary for flying ; or to leave the nest after  acquiring such feathers. A “ fledgling ” , on the other hand , is a young bird that has just learned  how to fly.  

“Full-fledged”  has three figurative definitions .

1.       having attained complete status 

       Paula is now a full-fledged lawyer. ( This is the most common context in which this expression is used. )

2.       total or complete  

       The senator promises to make public a full-fledged report on the abuses of  big  pharmaceutical companies.

3.        full blown  

     We will launch a full-fledged  fund-raising campaign  for disabled war veterans .

          Why do many  Filipinos  make a mistake on this ? It’s due to  overlapping of  contexts.  Most Filipinos  take an oath after passing a government board exam  , and  before practicing their profession. The “oath-taking ceremony ”  is usually a formal occasion that takes place in a grand venue . It’s really a cause for  celebration  for Filipino families. Now , an "oath" is almost synonymous  to a           “ pledge ".  Within this cultural context ,  many Filipinos mistakenly  assume that “ full-pledged” is the correct term. They think it refers to someone who has taken a pledge or oath to his or her  profession. But , again , this is wrong . The word should be “ full-fledged” ---to describe a young  person  who is now ready to practice his or her profession , or who is now capable of independence.

Speaking Practice Tasks - Set 1

Worth One's Salt

            The idiomatic expression “ worth one’s salt ” means that someone deserves his or her reward or salary. It also means that a person deserves respect and admiration.

         The origin of this expression can be traced to the fact that salt was a very important commodity during the 18^th and 19^th centuries. With the absence of advanced technology for food preservation , salt was used not only to enhance the flavor of food but also to prevent spoilage . Like gold and silver coins , salt was  recognized as a form of currency. It was used to barter  meat , bread , leather and other important stuff.

           Some sources say that in the earlier centuries ,some workers  and soldiers  were paid  in “ salt ”. However , some scholars contradict this. Anyway , "salt "  has not lost its  association with money.  It  should be noted that the Latin word  for salt is “ sal ”, which is the root word  of the English word “ salary ”.

IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS LIST 1 : A fly in the ointment ...

IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS LIST   1

1. break even – make  neither profit nor loss
2. up to the mark – up to standard , good enough
3. on edge – nervous , tense , irritable
4. you live and learn – become wiser , gain more experience with age
5. through and through – completely , thoroughly
6. grin and bear it – suffer something unpleasant with optimism  because  one cannot change it
7.  blow by blow – ( when giving an account of something ) including all the details and events
8.  hold one’s horses – be patient , wait , or slow  down
9.  the rat race – the frantic , competitive struggle to do better than others
10. a fly in the ointment -  a difficulty  or something  unpleasant  which prevents  or spoils  total satisfaction or enjoyment
11. a fish out of the water -  someone who feels uncomfortable in unfamiliar situations
12. call a spade a spade – speak frankly
13. keep one’s fingers crossed – hope or wish for luck
14. raise hell – create great disturbance , protest or complain loudly and angrily
15. above board – legal , without secrecy
16. beat around the bush -  talk indirectly about something
17. keep up  with the Joneses -  compete with one’s neighbors and friends in material standards
18. deliver the goods – produce the expected results , do what is expected
19. cut the cackle -  stop wasting time with unnecessary talk
20. the acid test -  the ultimate , most severe test  that proves the ability , truth  or worth of something
21. sick and tired -  thoroughly bored or annoyed with someone or something
22. sleep on ( something ) – postpone a decision
23. at a price – with sacrifice or disadvantages
24. curry favor – try to win favor by flattery   
25. get out of the wrong side of the bed – be in a bad mood all  day