How to understand English contractions?

Student: Freddy
Country: USA

Hi, I watched your videos on youtube, I am interested on your lessons. I understood all you talked in your videos, you have a good pronunciation, I mean you are very formal. I am working here in washington DC, sometimes I do not understand to my boss, I am afraid of lossing my job due to this, I think he is always talking with contractions, he is from Italy, do you have a device for this?. What I would ask you is if you have a method for understading this contractions, pelase email me if you have a method.


Grant Teacher's Answer:

Freddy,
this should help you understand contractions better:

How to Speak Like a Real American:
http://english-teacher-grant.blogspot.com/search/label/Speak%20Like%20A%20Real%20American

and:
http://www.pronuncian.com/materials/podcasts/Episode_13.aspx

Have a nice day,
Grant

How to use Perfect Past Tense

Student: Johnny
Country: Spain

Explain me a bit about of the perfect past tense. I think a bit complicated !!!!

Grant Teacher's Answer:

The Past Perfect expresses the idea that something occurred before another action in the past. It can also show that something happened before a specific time in the past.

Examples:

• I had never seen such a beautiful beach before I went to Kauai.
• I did not have any money because I had lost my wallet.
• Tony knew Istanbul so well because he had visited the city several times.
• Had Susan ever studied Thai before she moved to Thailand?
• She only understood the movie because she had read the book.
• Kristine had never been to an opera before last night.
• We were not able to get a hotel room because we had not booked in advance.
• A: Had you ever visited the U.S. before your trip in 2006?
  B: Yes, I had been to the U.S. once before.

(source: http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/pastperfect.html)

How to use verbs with "to go"

Student: Johnny
Country: Spain

"i want some examples with the verb to go and their compounds!!!could you give me ?

so long teacher!!"

Grant Teacher's Answer:

I need to go to the bathroom.
I want to go buy some new sneakers.
I have to go study.
I want to go to Italy for vacation!

How to use the phrase "Hurry up"

Student: Tin
Country: Vietnam

i'm Tin form vietnam. i have some problem and really need your help,
last day i had the agument with my teacher, we're talking about the word " hurry up"
so i'd like to ask you."hurry up"is it adj or verb? can i say "don't be hurry up? or don't hurry up?


Grant Teacher's Answer:
Hi Tin,
"hurry up" is a command used more like a verb than an adjective.
You can say "Billy, hurry up and give me my hat...I'm freezing!"
But you wouldn't say "Don't be hurry up."

You could say "Don't hurry up."
But it is not that common. You would usually just say "Relax." or "Slow down." or "Take it easy."

How to use slang: "Elephant in the Room"

Student: Kane
Country: India

Hi Sir !!

Im so happy to be your student, my name is kane im here in India but i realy like american english and like slang too. Please could you explain me what's the meaning of this expression : " The elephant in the Room"

Best Regards.

Your Student Kane.

Slang Word List

Student: Oscar
Country: Mexico

HI MR. TEACHER
THIS IS OSCAR SANCHEZ FROM MEXICO, I WAS WATCHING YOUR VIDEO ABOUT SLANG WORDS, ONE YEAR AGO I WAS LIVING IN USA CALIFORNIA, THERE I HEAR A LOT OF SLANG WORDS, I WAN TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THESE WORDS, I WONDER IF YOU CAN SEND ME A LIST.

THANKS
OSCAR S.

How to speak like a native English speaker?

Student: Peter
Country: China

How can I learn to speak like native English speaker?

Why write "X" after name?

Student: Kary
Country: Hong Kong

First question, i would like to ask, why people usually write an "x" after the name?

Difference between borrow and lend?

Student: Sarah
Country: Korea

What's the difference between "borrow" and "lend?"