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• 29 March 2010

  HOPE and EXPECT

  Hi Mike,

  Could you tell me the difference between HOPE and EXPECT?  

  Dani P`alante,

  Cordoba

   

  Hello there Dani, 

  We use HOPE when we want something to happen but we are not sure if it will, e.g.

  So you`re going to Ireland next week, John. You know it rains a lot in Ireland but I hope you get good weather there

   

  We use EXPECT when we believe something will happen in the future, e.g.

  We`re going to Spain next week. It´s almost always sunny in Spain so we really expect to get good weather there.

   

  You always HOPE for something positive but when you expect something it can be negative or positive (We were expecting good/bad news) 

    

  All right, Dani? I hope (I mean I expect) this answers your question

  Mike

  see details

  

  sent by Dermot McGrath at 14:34h 0 comment

  tags: hope,expect

• 11 March 2010

  FOR vs SINCE

  Hi Mike,

  My mother always says:

  We have been in this house since many years.

  I think this is incorrect grammar but she's my mother and I don't want to offend her by telling her.

  Tommy Doubt

   

  Mike says:

  Your mother is indeed wrong, Tommy.

  When you say SINCE you must put a definite point of time (1994, 17th March, etc.) or a definite time period in the past (eg. last Christmas, the year before last, etc.) 

   

  Use FOR to express a complete period of time (for 3 weeks, a month, 2 days, etc.) 

  Tell her she must say:

  We have been in this house FOR many years

  or

  We have been in this house SINCE 1987 (for example)

  If you love your mother, Tommy, you must tell her the correct form and the sooner the better!!! 

  see details

  

  sent by Dermot McGrath at 23:17h 0 comment

  tags: for,since