Dexway English Magazine: A1 – Edition 7
3 common grammar errors
Here is an article that you may find helpful for improving your grammar skills. 3 common grammar errors are:
into vs. In to
Into is used to show movement (Tom walked into the lamp post), whereas in and to are separate words that can be used all over your sentence. So you need to ask if your sentence shows movement then, use into, or maybe your sentence will use in and to in a different way.
They´re, their and there
They´re is a contracted form of they are (They’re very good at grammarJ). Their is something that is owned by a group (That is their car) and there is a place (move that over there.) So you need to learn the differences and then, double check your work to make sure you have the usage correct.
Its and It´s
This one is hard! Its is a possessive, which means something belongs to somebody else (its house- an animal’s house-) where it´s is a contraction of it is(it´s cold in here or it is cold in here).
ZOOS AND
AQUARIUMS
Can you remember how exciting it was to go to a zoo or the excitement of a day out in the aquarium? The zoos that we went to when we were children have changed and that is a good thing. Animals are no longer kept behind bars or fences in small enclosures that are unsuitable for them, but instead, they live in enclosures that are designed to be like the place they came from. The viewing areas are hidden or use reflective glass which does not stress the animal.
Nowadays, both zoos and aquariums let us get close to different types of animals that normally we would not be able to see. In fact, that is why zoos were created to bring wild and exotic animals to us. Both zoos and aquariums are great for educational value, so if you are looking for a day out, why not find a local zoo or aquarium.
The history of pizza
The pizza we know today was invented in Naples, Italy. The word pizza is Greek from the word pēktos meaning solid. Ancient Greeks put oil, herbs and cheese on their bread. It was very common for poor people around Naples to add tomato to their flat bread. No one knows who first invented the pizza, but the modern pizza was first made by baker Raffaele Esposito of Naples.
The story was in 1889 (eighteen eighty nine), The Royal Palace of Capodimonte asked him to make a pizza for the visiting Queen Margherita of Italy. He made 3 different types. The Queen of Italy liked one pizza so much, he named it after her. It was made with the colours of the Italian flag, red tomato sauce, green basil and white mozzarella.
The first pizzeria in North America was opened in New York City in 1905. Pizza is very popular in the United States but only after the 1940´s (nineteen forties) when soldiers came back from the war in Europe. They wanted to eat the type of food they had in Italy. There are so many different types of pizzas and toppings for pizzas. What do you like on your pizza?
Backpacking
Backpacking for most people is an alternative to package holidays. It means you go somewhere with your backpack, not a suitcase, but only what you can carry on your back. It is an upgrade from hiking where you carry everything on your back for long distances but not as high on the list as a package or DIY holiday where you take a suitcase.
Backpacking is very popular for British students finishing university or those taking a Gap year. It allows them to discover the world on the cheap. Backpackers often stay in hostels or shared rooms and this is seen as an attraction to then since they remove cultural barriers by meeting other backpackers from other countries.
Popular backpacking destinations include New Zealand and Australia. You cannot get further from home than that! These countries have a fantastic history of treating backpackers well. In fact, in Australia, a large amount of the work done in the agricultural sector is done by backpackers needing to earn money to stay a few more months.
Directions
Learning to give direction in English is an important skill to have. By learning to give directions you can also listen to somebody else giving you directions. Let´s look at this list, maybe there is something new for you here:
Turn left, turn right, go straight on, take the first street on the right, take the second street on the left, cross over at bridge, opposite, near the end of the road, behind, in front of or just around the corner.
As you can see, there are many ways of somebody telling you the direction to go, in fact, any preposition of place might be included when somebody gives you directions….so you best get learning!
Staying healthy
Staying healthy is a very hard thing to do. In today’s modern lifestyle, staying healthy means more work. When you get home from work, are you really ready to start exercising or even consider cooking a healthy meal for yourself or your family? On Saturday morning you need to clean your house, go shopping, the kids need help with their homework and that pile of washing still needs to be done; do you really want to go out exercising?
Of course people do, somewhere they find the motivation to go out exercising, but also they walk to work or take the stairs instead of lift. They bring their lunch to work rather than going to a restaurant, and when you see them run passed you, they look calm, stress-free and fit, however, you know that five minutes into your run would make you collapse on the floor in an unfit heap.
But despite our busy schedules and dislike of exercise (or maybe you do like exercise but dislike the idea of exercising), it is important to stay active even if that means taking your child to the park or to kick a ball around in your street.
