Grammar

Allowed back to work!

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Okay! In times of pandemic and social distance as being the main strategy for stopping the disease, words like social distance itself , quarantine, containment and confinement, allowed or not allowed, come up all the time.

We’ve already had the chance to work with the other words in context. Today we’re going to look at ‘allow‘ within the context of the image above.

allow verb (PERMISSION)

[transitive] 1 can do something to let someone do or have something, or let something happen [= permit]

allow somebody/something to do something

My parents wouldn’t allow me to go to the party.
Women are not allowed to enter the mosque.
Don’t allow your problems to dominate your life.

allow somebody something
Passengers are allowed one item of hand luggage each.
How much time are we allowed?

allow somebody in/out/up etc
I don’t allow the cat in the bedroom.
The audience is not allowed backstage.

something is (not) allowed (=something is or is not officially permitted)
Are dictionaries allowed in the exam?
We don’t allow diving in the pool.

2 make something possible to make it possible for something to happen or for someone to do something, especially something helpful or useful [= permit]:

This adjustment of the figures allows a fairer comparison.

allow for
Our new system will allow for more efficient use of resources.

allow somebody to do something
A 24-hour ceasefire allowed the two armies to reach an agreement.

allow somebody something
a seatbelt that allows the driver greater freedom of movement

Be careful with pronunciation!

Alone or by oneself?

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In 1958, a self-described 42-year-old kid named Robert Paul Smith penned a little book titled How to Do Nothing with Nobody All Alone by Yourself (public library), a book of advice on how to make one’s own fun, supplied with nothing more than pencils, blades of grass, handkerchiefs, rubber bands, and broken umbrellas. These are things kids can do by themselves. There are no kits to build these things. There are no classes to learn these things, no teachers to teach them, they don’t need any help from their mother or their father or anybody.

With a wink — perhaps inadvertent — to the existential value of philosophy, Smith writes:

I understand some people get worried about kids who spend a lot of time all alone, by themselves. I do a little worrying about that, but I worry about something else even more; about kids who don’t know how to spend any time all alone, by themselves. It’s something you’re going to be doing a whole lot of, no matter what, for the rest of your lives. And I think it’s a good thing to do; you get to know yourself, and I think that’s the most important thing in the whole world.

Now, alone or by oneself?

That’s a really great question because alone and by oneself are very similar in meaning, but there is one key difference. So, let’s have a look at these words, what they mean, and how you can use them in everyday English. We’ll also look at the idiom, to go it alone.

Here are the example sentences. To get the details of this English lesson, you need to listen to this podcast. And make a careful note of his comments! 😉

  • I was home alone.
  • I was home by myself.
  • Jack lives alone in Brooklyn.
  • Jack lives by himself in Brooklyn.
  • Jenny will be by herself for the first time when she moves from her parent’s house to her new apartment.
  • Jenny will be living alone for the first time when she moves from her parent’s house to her new apartment.
  • I fixed my computer by myself.
  • I baked this cake by myself. Do you like it?
  • I heard that Tommy built a computer by himself. He’s so clever!
  • My friend Lauren is good at sewing, and she even made her wedding dress by herself.
  • None of my friends wanted to go to the concert so I’m going to go it alone.
  • When Jack’s wife told him that she didn’t want to go hiking in the mountains, he decided to go it alone.
  • If you don’t want to go on the safari with me, I’m going to go it alone.

Linking words: exercises

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Linking words, connecting words or conjunctions, connect words, phrases and clauses.

Take a look at my page on linking words, then try the quiz below!

1. I go to the gym to keep fit __ meet my friends.

  •  and
  •  or

2. At the gym I usually either lift weights __ use the treadmill.

  •  and
  •  or

3. My doctor told me I needed to lose weight __ I went on a diet.

  •  because
  •  so

4. __ there are no parks near my house, I decided to join the gym.

  •  As
  •  While

5. I like the gym __ the people there are friendly.

  •  because
  •  so

6. The gym is cheap __ it’s often crowded.

  •  but
  •  when

7. So I like to go in the morning __ there aren’t many people.

  •  when
  •  where

8. __ I go three times a week, I can get a discount.

  •  Although
  •  If

9. __ I only go three times a week, some people go five times a week.

  •  When
  •  While

10. __ I still eat the same amount, I’m losing weight.

  •  Although
  •  But

Okay! What about sharing your answers with me? 😉

Modal verbs

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Modal verbs help other verbs to express if something is likely to happen, or certain to have happened; whether or not something is possible, or whether or not we have the ability to do something; whether or not we have the permission to do something; and whether or not we have the obligation or requirement or need to do something.

All the auxiliary verbs except be, do and have are called modals. But unlike other auxiliary verbs, modals only exist in their helping form; they cannot act alone as the main verb in a sentence.

Thus they do not change their form (spelling) and have no infinitive or participle (past/present).

Notice that be, do, and have can also serve as ordinary verbs in a given sentence.

The modal verbs are: can, could, will, would, shall, should, must, ought, may, might. Below is a list showing them according to the idea meant to be expressed:

Now watch carefully this video and take notes.

Next click here for a quiz on modal verbs.

Modals verbs are an extensive area of English grammar. Learners are usually introduced to them all at once, and they should certainly start checking each one, but most of all, they should notice the context, to feel which modal is necessary to express the idea. A lot of times, there will be more than one possibility. Don’t worry! This comes with time, exposure, practice and consistent correction. 😉

Stay safe

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A couple of days ago, at the time of the novel Coronavirus outbreak in Brazil, we learned the vocabulary we need to talk about this disease that became a pandemic.

So, by now, I think I can safely assume that you know everything about the Coronavirus, and you know how important it is to…

And…

In the above sentences the form of the verbs are in the imperative. The imperative expresses an order.

For example, in the order ‘come here’, ‘come’ is in the imperative.

Now use these sentences to keep you and the people around you safe! 😉