Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Word Choice Espresso vs. Expresso

Word Choice Espresso vs. Expresso Word Choice: Espresso vs. Expresso Like many proofreaders, we are powered by coffee. And there is nothing quite like a powerful hit of caffeine in the morning before you set about correcting grammar. But do we want an â€Å"espresso† or an â€Å"expresso†? You might have seen both of these terms used in coffee shops. But is there a difference? And if not, which of these terms is correct? Let’s find out! Espresso (Concentrated Coffee) â€Å"Espresso† is a loanword from Italian. You’ll already know what it means if you’re a coffee fan, but we’ll offer a quick explanation in case we have any tea drinkers among our readers. Mmmmm coffee. In short, â€Å"espresso† comes from caffà ¨ espresso, which is Italian for â€Å"pressed out coffee.† This refers to how an espresso is made, with pressurized water used to make thick, strong coffee. And as well as being a drink in its own right, espresso is also used as a base for other coffee drinks. Expresso (No Longer a Typo) Time for the big reveal! â€Å"Expresso† means†¦ exactly the same as â€Å"espresso.† It is simply a variant spelling. This makes it a bit like â€Å"doughnut† and â€Å"donut† or â€Å"whiskey† and â€Å"whisky.† The main difference is that â€Å"expresso† started out as a common misspelling of â€Å"espresso.† This error may have caught on because we have more â€Å"ex-† words than â€Å"es-† words in English. Or it may just be because â€Å"espresso† looks a bit like â€Å"express† written down. Or it could even be a French influence since expresso has always been the correct spelling of this term over there. Whatever its origins, though, â€Å"expresso† is now so common that many dictionaries list it as a variant of â€Å"espresso.† Espresso or Expresso? As explained above, these terms are essentially interchangeable. â€Å"Expresso† started out as an error, but it has now been accepted as a variant spelling of â€Å"espresso† in English. Nevertheless, â€Å"espresso† is still far more common (especially in American English) and many people consider â€Å"expresso† incorrect. So to be certain your writing is error free and/or to avoid upsetting pedantic baristas, we recommend sticking to the old â€Å"espresso† spelling!

Sunday, March 1, 2020

Absolute Beginner English Daily Habits and Routines

Absolute Beginner English Daily Habits and Routines After students have completed this lesson they will be able to complete most basic linguistic functions (giving personal information, identifying and basic description skills, talking about basic daily tasks, and how often those tasks are done). While there is obviously a lot more learning to be done, students can now feel confident that they have a strong base on which to build in the future. With this lesson, you can help students begin speaking in longer phrases by having them prepare a talk on their daily activities that they can then read or recite to their fellow classmates and which can then be used as the basis for questions. Part 1: Introduction Give the students a sheet with various times of the day. For example: 7:007:308:0012:003:305:006:3011:00 Add a list of verbs they are familiar with on the board. You may want to write a few examples on the board. For example: 7.00 - get up7.30 - eat breakfast8.00 - go to work Teacher: I usually get up at 7 oclock. I always go to work at 8 oclock. I sometimes have a break at half past three. I usually come home at five oclock. I often watch TV at eight oclock. etc. (Model your list of daily activities to the class two or more times.) Teacher: Paolo, what do I often do at eight oclock in the evening? Student(s): You often watch TV. Teacher: Susan, when do I go to work? Student(s): You always go to work at 8 oclock. Continue this exercise around the room asking students about your daily routine. Pay special attention to the placement of the adverb of frequency. If a student makes a mistake, touch your ear to signal that the student should listen and then repeat his/her answer accenting what the student should have said. Part II: Students Talk About Their Daily Routines Ask students to fill out the sheet about their daily habits and routines. When students are finished they should read their list of daily habits to the class. Teacher: Paolo, please read. Student(s): I usually get up at seven oclock. I seldom have breakfast at half past seven. I often go shopping at 8 oclock. I usually have coffee at 10 oclock. etc. Ask each student to read their routine in class, let students read all the way through their list and take note of any mistakes they may make. At this point, students need to gain confidence when speaking for an extended period of time and should, therefore, be allowed to make mistakes. Once the student has finished, you can correct any mistakes he or she may have made. Part III: Asking Students About Their Daily Routines Ask students to once again read about their daily routine to the class. After each student has finished, ask the other students questions about that students daily habits. Teacher: Paolo, please read. Student(s): I usually get up at seven oclock. I seldom have breakfast at half past seven. I often go shopping at eight oclock. I usually have coffee at 10 oclock. etc. Teacher: Olaf, when does Paolo usually get up? Student(s): He gets up at 7 oclock. Teacher: Susan, how does Paolo go shopping at 8 oclock? Student(s): He often goes shopping at 8 oclock. Continue this exercise around the room with each of the students. Pay special attention to the placement of the adverb of frequency and the correct usage of the third person singular. If a student makes a mistake, touch your ear to signal that the student should listen and then repeat his/her answer accenting what the student should have said.