”What is the plural of million?
Is it millions, or is it million (without ‘s’)?”

The answer is that million, like the words hundred, thousand and billion, has two possible plural endings. Sometimes we say million, sometimes millions.

Without the plural ending -s

1. We don’t add ‘s’ when we give an exact number:

• two million pounds
• two thousand years
• three hundred
• four billion.
  

2. We don’t add ‘s’ when we use a quantifier like several or a few:

• several million years
• a few thousand dollars
• a few hundred.

With the plural ending -s

Add ‘s’ if you say an exact number:

• hundreds of people
• thousands of years
• millions of dollars.

That’s the rule. It’s nice and simple!

On the subject of dollars and amounts of money, there is another common question worth answering: which of the following is correct?

1. There is a hundred dollars in my wallet.
or
2. There are a hundred dollars in my wallet.

The first sentence is correct. We see an amount of money as a whole thing, and so we use is, not are.

Here are some more examples:

Give me back that ten pounds you owe me. (not those ten pounds)
and
Two million euros is difficult to earn. (not are difficult)

Do you have a question about this grammar? Do you have any more examples? Please leave a message below in the comments section.

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You might love it, you might hate it, but you have to agree that OK is universal. It is probably the most popular export that the English language has given the world and other languages. People everywhere instantly recognise and understand it.

One of the reasons OK is so popular is its simplicity:

• OK is short and is easy to pronounce
• OK is quick and easy to write (we can also spell it O.K. and okay).

You yourself probably use it many times each day, either in English or in your own language. You most likely use it as an adjective, saying ‘It’s ok’ or ‘Are you OK?’ But do you (and can you) use OK in its other grammatical forms?

OK as an adjective

This is the most common usage.

The food was OK = ‘It wasn’t bad; ‘It was acceptable’.
I’m OK = ‘I feel fine’; ‘I’m not bad, thanks’.

OK as a verb

My boss OKed (or okayed) the transaction = ‘My boss approved it’.

OK as a noun

I need the OK from my boss = ‘I need my boss’s approval’; ‘I need permission from him’.
He gave me the OK = ‘He gave me permission to continue’.

OK as an adverb

Liverpool played OK but they lost = ‘They played quite well’.
Did you sleep OK? = ‘Did you sleep well?’

OK as a filler / to start a sentence

OK, can you all listen, please? = to inform listeners that you want to take action or say something.

OK as a simple question

I’ll do it like this. OK? = ‘Do you agree with me?’; ‘Is that acceptable?’

However we use it, we should remember that OK is informal. In formal situations—business correspondence, for instance—a synonym is often more suitable.

There are many more synonyms for OK, and, quite possibly, more ways of using it. I have given the most common uses here.

How often is OK used in your language? Or do you prefer another word? Feel free to leave a comment below.

First of all, here is a quick reminder of what conditional sentences are:

• We use a conditional sentence to say that one event depends on another event, i.e. that something can only happen if something else happens first.
• Conditionals sentences have two parts, which I will call the if-clause and the mainclause.
• The main clause depends on the if-clause.

Here are the most common mistakes when it comes to structure:

The zero conditional

In the zero conditional, both clauses are in the present tense. A common mistake is to use ‘will’ in the main clause:

If people eat too much, they will get fat.
If people eat too much, they get fat.
Water boils when it will reach 100°C.
Water boils when it reaches 100°C.

The first conditional

In the first conditional, we use the present simple in the if-clause and ‘will’ in the main clause. A very common error is to put ‘will’ in the if-clause:

If you will study more, your English will get better.
If you study more, your English will get better.
If I will see Peter, I’ll ask him.
If I see Peter, I’ll ask him.

The second conditional

This is used for hypothetical or improbable situations. We use the past simple in the if-clause and ‘would’ in the main clause.

Learners often make the mistake of putting ‘would’ in the if-clause. In fact, this is one of the most common grammatical mistakes made by non-native speakers: I have heard Scandinavian and Dutch people who speak excellent English make this error repeatedly.

If you would study more, your English would get better.
If you studied more, your English would get better.
If I would have more time, I would take up golf.
If I had more time, I would take up golf.

The third conditional

This is the most difficult conditional to master, probably as there are more auxiliary verbs to remember and the structure is therefore quite long. Again, ‘would’ should not be used in the if-clause:

If you would have studied more, your English would have improved.
If you had studied more, your English would have improved.

Another thing worth mentioning about the third conditional is the number of times native English speakers make mistakes with its construction. These examples show us how some people incorrectly insert ‘have’ into the if-clause:

If I’d have known earlier, I wouldn’t have done it. (‘d = had)
If I’d known earlier, I wouldn’t have done it. (‘d = had)

 
There are, of course, other errors which are common when learners use conditional sentences. I have only outlined the most frequent mistakes concerning structure.

If you are learning English, feel free to add a comment below and tell us if and how conditional sentences cause you problems.

You can see more examples of conditional sentences in our grammar section here. Learners can test themselves in our practice exercises here.

If you found this article useful, please click the ‘like’ and ‘+’ buttons below and share it with friends. Thanks.

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The Cambridge First Certificate Exam (FCE) is a certificate organised by the University of Cambridge. It is aimed at upper-intermediate English learners who would like to prove their English proficiency.

The certificate can be an excellent qualification to have, since it is recognised by thousands of universities, employers and governments worldwide.

Attaining an FCE pass can open the door to better education or employment opportunities, as well as increasing the chance of you being allowed to live and work in English-speaking countries.

The FCE consists of 5 papers:

1. Reading
2. Writing
3. Use of English
4. Listening
5. Speaking.

Papers 1, 2, 3 and 4 are taken on the same day. Paper 5 is taken on a specified day, either on, or close to, the main exam day. The five papers are each worth 20 per cent of your overall mark.

Before you take the exam

The FCE is a serious challenge of English ability. To be able to pass the test, you will need to be confident in all skills of English – reading, writing, listening, speaking, sentence formation, grammar, vocabulary and so on. Typically an English learner will need to have been studying English part time for at least two years before he or she is able to pass the exam. Learners from non-European language speaking countries (such as Middle East and Far East countries) may need even longer.

The main reason to only take the test once you are ready is an issue of confidence. If you take the exam before you are ready, you may fail and lose confidence in your ability to become a good speaker of English. If this happens you may be discouraged from studying further. Furthermore, it can be a waste of time, money and effort to take an exam you are not ready to pass.

On the other hand, having an exam date to look forward to can be an excellent motivator to study hard and make the most of your time. Some students study harder than ever and see a large increase in their ability in the months leading up to an exam.

How to pass the Cambridge First Certificate exam

Let’s take a look at each paper of the exam. We will see how to prepare for and pass each paper.

Paper 1: Reading
How to prepare:

• Get used to reading English fast. Don’t spend too long staring at words you don’t know. You can usually guess the meaning by reading the other words in the sentence.
• Practise reading for more time each day. You need to be comfortable reading for a full hour as the reading paper will be that long.
• Read practice paper questions as much as you can. If you run out of practice papers, try reading newspaper or magazine articles. 550-700 words is the best length, to match the exam questions.

How to pass:

• The natural instinct is to spend time reading the text and trying to understand it, followed by answering the questions. But don’t do this! You don’t have much time. It is better to read each question, then look at the text. Scan read the text to find the answer you need. Usually the question order is similar to the text order. So the answer to question 1 will be close to the beginning of the text, and the last question will be close to the end.
• Don’t spend long on each question. If you don’t know the answer, go to the next question. If you have time, you can come back and try the question again.

Paper 2: Writing
How to prepare:

• Get used to writing English by hand quickly. Typing on the computer is not enough as the exam is handwritten.
• For part 1, you will need to write a letter or email. Therefore, learn the usual English expressions like “Dear ___”, “Yours faithfully” (letter) and “Best regards” (email).
• You can also learn standard English expressions usually found in emails and letters. Examples: “I am writing to inform you”; “I am writing to request”; “Please do not hesitate to contact me” and “I look forward to hearing from you”.
• For part 2, you can choose to write about a set text. From 2012 to the end of 2013, these are Vanity Fair by William Thackery and This Rough Magic by Mary Stewart. If you would like to write about the set text, choose just one book and read it a few times.
• Do practice papers. If you don’t have an English speaker to give you feedback, try a website like Lang-8, where there are native speakers who can check your work.

How to pass:

• Part 1 and Part 2 are worth the same number of marks. So spend 40 minutes on each.
• Start by reading the question and spending a minute thinking about a good answer.
• Write a short plan for your answer. This will mean you can write a better-structured answer and not miss anything you want to say.
• Write about what you can explain, even if you have to give an opinion you don’t agree with. Just show your writing ability.
• Part 1 should be 120-150 words, and Part 2 120-180 words. Make sure you write enough to show your ability. On the other hand, don’t ‘waffle’. Saying unimportant things to increase your word count won’t help.

Paper 3: Use of English

How to prepare:

• Do a lot of practice papers. Each year similar questions appear. In this way, you can find your strengths and weaknesses.
• When you fail a question, learn the meaning of the words or grammar points in that question. This will help you improve. Common errors are in the use of similar words like but, yet, however or could, would, should.

How to pass:

• Keep a clear head. If you have done your preparation, these questions are quite simple and can be done quickly.
• If you don’t know an answer, leave it and come back later.

Paper 4: Listening

How to prepare:

• Listen to as many different English sources as you can find. TV, films and radio can help you get used to understanding naturally spoken English.
• Remember you should be comfortable with different accents. Don’t focus only on American or British English. Listen to a variety.
• Do past exam papers. You need to be comfortable reading questions quickly and listening to English recordings at the same time.

How to pass:

• The biggest mistake people make is trying to remember the meaning of a word they have heard, and consequently missing the rest of the recording. Don’t do this!
• Another common error is trying to concentrate on reading the questions and as a result missing the recording. If you can’t concentrate on both, just listen to the recording. You can look at the questions afterwards.
• It can be good to write a few key words while you listen. For example, expensive car, accident, police station. This can help you remember what you have just heard when you answer the questions.

Paper 5: Speaking

How to prepare:

• Even if you are confident with your English studies, you must remember to practise speaking!
• Speaking English with other English learners is a good idea.
• If you know any native speakers or English teachers, try to chat with them in English. This can even be someone in another country, through Skype, for instance.
• Make YouTube videos of yourself speaking English. Don’t be shy! These can help you improve quickly, and get you useful feedback.
• Talking to yourself in English is very helpful. Talk about what you are doing and how you are feeling. For example “I have to go to the bank. I love the weather today. I forgot to close the window.”

How to pass:

• Speak clearly and calmly. Don’t rush. You have to talk for a few minutes, so you should not finish too quickly. Take your time, breathe deeply and relax.
• Talk about what you are confident saying. If you don’t know the words, describe it in a different way or even say something different. The exam is to test your English, not to learn your real opinion.
• You will have another candidate with you in the speaking exam. Don’t just repeat what they say. Show what YOU know.

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Many learners, though, approach reading in English in the wrong way. If your method is bad, reading in a foreign language can be hard and boring. And if a subject doesn’t interest you, you will learn very little.

Here are six simple tips to help make your reading both enjoyable and effective.

1. Choose interesting material / be hungry

Always read something that interests you. ”How do we know something is interesting?” you may ask. Easy. This is the rule:

”Read material that you would also read in your native language.
If you don’t normally read it in your own language, don’t read it in English.”

Following this rule will ensure that you have an interest in the material. Being interested in what you are reading will make you hungry to read more and hungry to understand the new words that you meet.

2. Read material that is the right level for you

The material you choose to read should not be too easy for you. Neither should it be too hard.

If the text is too easy you will meet very few new words and so will not learn much new vocabulary. If the text is too difficult there will be too many unknown words. This means that you will not understand enough to be able to guess the meaning of new words from the context in which you have read them. You may also fall into the trap of spending more time looking in your dictionary than reading your book. The result is that you will be demotivated.

One way of ensuring that you have a suitable level is to choose ‘easy reader’ books, which are available in different levels. These are often classic novels adapted and shortened for learners of English.

3. Be realistic – keep it short

If you decide to read a book, choose a thin one. If you read an article on the internet or in a magazine, make sure it is not too long. Be realistic about the lengths of texts you read: it will keep you motivated and give you a sense of achievement when you have finished.

So, now you have interesting material and the correct reading level. What next?

4. Pay attention to every word

Pay attention to every word in a sentence, especially the words which are new to you. You won’t learn a word if you skip it.

When you see a word you don’t know, it is a good idea to take a pencil and underline it – we will see why in the next point.

5. Guess meaning first

If you see a new word in a text that you are reading, don’t go immediately to your dictionary.

• First try to guess the meaning by re-reading that section of the text.
• Now use your dictionary to see if you guessed correctly.
• Underline the word. This is useful for later on – after you have finished reading your text, you may want to copy all new words into your vocab book for revising another day.

6. Use a good dictionary

Another thing to remember is that your dictionary should be good. A quality English-English (advanced learner’s) dictionary is essential for people at intermediate level or above. I have seen too many students using poor quality dictionaries. They are just making their learning more difficult than it should be.

Those are my six tips. If you follow them when you read, you will learn more vocabulary, more easily. And you will enjoy learning.

Happy reading!

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Learners often want to know if have and have got are the same. They want to know which of the two they should use and if they are interchangeable. ”Can we use either one of them anytime we want?” they ask.

The answer is that have and have got are the same in meaning when we want to express possession of something. And, yes, they are very often interchangeable.

There are, however, some important differences in grammar and usage between have and have got.

This is what you should remember if you decide to use have got:

1. Have got is for spoken English

• Use have got in spoken English.
• Use have in your formal written English (business correspondence, etc.).

If you are writing an informal message to your friends—on Facebook, for example—have got is fine.

Of course, there is nothing wrong with using have instead of have got in spoken English.

2. Use contractions with have got

If you want to use have got when you speak, remember that you must use contractions (short forms) where possible. Don’t use the full forms. You should say:

• I’ve got
• I haven’t got
• he’s got
• he hasn’t got, etc.

Some more examples of contractions with have got are:

we’ve got; we haven’t got; everyone’s got; it’s got; it hasn’t got; they’ve got, etc.

3. Different question and negative forms

With have got we don’t use helping verbs such as do and don’t to form questions and negatives.

For questions, we simply invert the subject and have or has, as follows:

positive: you’ve got
question: have you got?
positive: he’s got
question: has he got?

For negatives, we put not (n’t) after have or has, as follows:

positive: you’ve got
negative: you haven’t got
positive: she’s got
negative: she hasn’t got.

4. Have got only in the present

Have got only exists in the present simple tense. We don’t use it in the continuous, past or future tenses.

present simple tense: He’s got a problem.
past simple tense: He had a problem.
future simple: He’ll have a problem.

5. When we cannot use have got

When have is a substitute word for another verb, we cannot interchange it with have got. For example, instead of take a shower we sometimes say have a shower, or instead of eat lunch we say have lunch. In these cases, we cannot use have got:

I have lunch at 12 o’clock.
I’ve got lunch at 12 o’clock.
I have a shower every day.
I’ve got a shower every day.

If we say ”I’ve got a shower”, we are saying that we own a shower or that there is a shower in the house.

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English has two types of participles: present and past. This is a brief explanation of what they are and why the names sometimes confuse people.

The present participle

This is the form of the verb which ends in -ing (speaking, drinking, etc.). The obvious explanation for the name comes from the fact that we use this form of the verb in the present continuous tense. However, this is misleading, as the present participle also features in the past continuous tense (I was waiting for him).

If we use a present participle as a noun, we call it a gerund:

I enjoy walking in the rain. /  Eating too much is unhealthy.

The past participle

This is the form of a verb that we use in the present perfect tense. For regular verbs it ends in -ed (talked, walked, played, etc.). Examples of irregular past participle forms include spoken, eaten, shown and forgotten.

Once again the term is confusing, as we also use the past participle in passive tenses, including the present and future passive:

The grass is cut every month. (present simple passive)
The problem will be forgotten eventually. (future simple passive)

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So, we say:

She sings badly.
He speaks quickly.
The team played well.
I waited patiently.

However, there is a group of verbs—called ‘linking verbs‘—which are not action verbs and are not used with an adverb. Instead we should use an adjective (quick, bad, good, etc.) after these verbs.

What is a linking verb?

A linking verb is so called because it links the subject of a sentence with additional information about the character of that subject:

• In the sentence ‘Caroline is beautiful’, the verb be (is) links Caroline and the word ‘beautiful’.
• In the sentence ‘Martina sounds nice’, the verb sound links the subject, Martina, with the fact of her being nice.

Verbs which are always linking verbs (called ‘true linking verbs’):

The most common are:

Some other linking verbs

Some other verbs can act as linking verbs (although in other contexts these verbs may function as action verbs).

The verbs of ‘the senses’ are linking verbs:

Get and stay are also linking verbs when used in a certain context:

It is getting cold.
Stay calm, please!

The rule

So, the rule to remember is:

• with an action verb use an adverb;
• with a linking verb use an adjective.

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But how many people know where the names of all the days actually come from? Very few, I suspect.

Depending on which country you are from, some of the English names for days may be similar to those in your own language—lundi, if you are French, lunes if you speak Spanish—and you might therefore know the etymology (the origin) of the English name. However, the origins of some of the other day names are more difficult to guess.

Of the seven days, three have their origin in the names of Roman gods, whose names in turn came from those of the planets and stars. The words for the other four days have Germanic origins:

Monday – This day takes its name from the Moon. It is an Old English word, translated from Latin.

Tuesday – Germanic in origin, this day is named after Týr (Tiw in Old English), who was a Norse god.

Wednesday – Named after the Anglo-Saxon god, Woden (or Odin in Norse mythology).

Thursday – Thor was the Norse god of thunder. In Latin the day had previously been named after Jupiter.

Friday – Many people incorrectly assume that Friday means ‘free’ day.  However, it takes its name from a goddess called Frigg, who is thought to have been Odin’s (Woden’s) wife. So perhaps we could say that Friday is Wednesday’s wife.

Saturday – If you assumed that this is from the planet Saturn, then you are right. It is of Roman origin.

Sunday – This is the third day to keep its Latin origin. It simply refers to the Sun.

That is the basic English etymology of day names. If you want to check your pronunciation, you can hear the days of the week spoken here.

Do you know anything about the names of the seven days in your language? Feel free to leave a message below.

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• you may not understanding everything;
• there might be a feeling of being the odd one out;
• you may even be excluded from or not be able to participate in certain cultural or social events.

In this post, however, we’re going to be positive and take a light-hearted look at the advantages of having less-than-perfect English when all around you there are native speakers.

Here are the pros:

1. As a foreigner you may be shown more respect simply because you are able to work in a foreign language. (Let’s face it, how many British or Americans can manage more than a few phrases in a foreign tongue, let alone are able to survive and work in that language?)

2. As a non-native speaker you can change your mind later or alter your position on something simply by apologising and saying that you didn’t fully understand.

3. Your colleagues will have more patience with you (hopefully).

4.  You can ask someone to repeat something more often. (You’ll never look stupid and will have more time to think about what is being said and how you can react to it.)

5. You’re gaining valuable knowledge and experience of a foreign working environment, which will always keep you in good stead. Another feather in your cap!

And one more advantage (which just has to be said):

6. When you revert to your own language, say, to make a private call, no one around you will have a clue what you are speaking about. This is particularly handy in open-space offices.

Perhaps you have experience of one of the above points. Maybe you would like to add another advantage to the list. Either way, feel free to leave a comment below.

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