Question 239 -- Verb tense with 'first' and 'second' & 'take' or 'have'Question 238 -- Meaning of 'close of play' and 'meant to be'Question 237 -- Difference between a nation and a country & What is Tibet? Question 236 -- Using online dictionaries to find 'get on' 'get off'Question 235 -- Using 'a' or 'an'Question 234 -- Meaning of 'All Time High'Question 233 -- Meaning of 'fed up' and 'credit crunch'Question 232 -- Using 'he' or 'him'Question 231 -- Prepositions with 'playground'Question 230 -- How can I improve my writing?Question 229 -- Ending a letter or emailQuestion 228 -- Difference between 'classic' and 'classical'Question 227 -- Are 'could have done' and 'would have done' in the past perfect tense?Question 226 -- Difference between a rat and a mouseQuestion 225 -- Using "I'd"Question 224 -- Meaning of 'act up' and 'music to my ears'Question 223 -- Difference between 'to me'and 'for me'Question 222 -- Difference between 'national' and 'nationwide'Question 221 -- Using 'the' to talk about musical instrumentsQuestion 220 -- Using 'milk' to talk about making the most of a situationQuestion 219 -- Meaning of YuletideQuestion 218 -- Job titles (when to add 's' and 'al') Question 217 -- Difference between 'equipment' and 'facilities'Question 216 -- 'On/In the morning' & 'on/in time'Question 215 -- Meaning of 'on the cards'Question 214 -- Some prepositions of place and movementQuestion 213 -- The usage of 'different' and 'somehow'Question 212 -- Using 'kind of' and 'kinds of'Question 211 -- Difference between 'fun' and 'interesting'. Overuse of these words. Question 210 -- Meaning of 'let's play it by ear'Question 209 -- The difference between a job and a careerQuestion 208 -- 'in a train' or 'on a train'Question 207 -- Difference between 'when' and 'while'Question 206 -- Using the present continuous (e.g. it is starting) to talk about the futureQuestion 205 -- Difference between 'in a moment' and 'at the moment'Question 204 -- How to improve your EnglishQuestion 203 -- Saying you are Chinese (talking about nationality) Question 202 -- Difference between 'high' and 'highly'Question 201 -- Different ways to talk about coffeeQuestion 200 -- Using 'suffer'Question 199 -- Talking about checking something Question 198 -- Difference between 'UFO' & 'alien' and the meaning of 'treadmill' Question 197 -- Using 'spilt', 'ruin', 'stain' & 'spoil'Question 196 -- 'Lunchtime' or 'lunch time'Question 195 -- Difference between 'beggar' and 'busker'Question 194 -- Answering 'Why...?' questions with 'because'Question 193 -- Using 'footballers', 'going' and 'posters'Question 192 -- The HKCEE oral examQuestion 191 -- Talking about 'expensive' items and high pricesQuestion 190 -- Using 'home town' to talk about your parents' village in EnglishQuestion 189 -- Meaning and use of 'granted'Question 188 -- Using 'is' or 'are' with two objectsQuestion 187 -- The difference between 'dead' and 'died'Question 186 -- The difference betwen 'concern for' and 'concern with'Question 185 -- Difference between under & underneath and at home & in homeQuestion 184 -- Idioms with 'pay'Question 183 -- Pronouncing foreign words, such as ballet and cafeQuestion 182 -- Meaning of 'in bulk'Question 181 -- Different types of datesQuestion 180 -- Making plural nouns from words ending in 'y' (e.g. studies, monkeys)Question 179 -- Using 'discuss' and 'talk about'Question 178 -- Countable nouns such as 'reductions'Question 177 -- Meaning of 'Year of the Boar' and Chinese New Year in SingaporeQuestion 176 -- Using 'awaiting', 'longing for' and 'dying for' in writingQuestion 175 -- Saying 'put the desk and chairs back in their original place' informallyQuestion 173 -- Difference between 'model' and 'modelling'Question 172 -- Difference between fare, fee, bill, charge, cost, price & expensesQuestion 171 - Overused words in Hong Kong - moreover & phenomenonQuestion 170 -- Talking with native speakersQuestion 169 -- Meaning of 'flirt' and 'peck on the cheek'Question 168 -- Grammar and song lyricsQuestion 167 -- Online listening materials at English CampusQuestion 166 -- Describing hair loss in menQuestion 165 -- Meanings of 'See you around' and 'a bit of alright'Question 164 -- Different ways to show happiness for someoneQuestion 163 -- Describing pregnant womenQuestion 162 -- Usage of ‘Messrs’ in business lettersQuestion 161 -- Participating in solo verse speaking competitionsQuestion 158 -- Plural forms of animalsQuestion 157 -- Proper nounsQuestion 156 -- Using 'the' before place namesQuestion 155 -- Writing business e-mailsQuestion 154 -- Using the singular or plural form after collective nounsQuestion 153 -- Phrasal verbs often used in schoolQuestion 152 -- Difference between 'practice' and 'practise'Question 151 -- Difference between 'inform' & 'notify', 'level' & 'floor', 'buy' & 'purchase' and 'race', 'competition' & 'contest'Question 150 -- Omitting repeated words in sentencesQuestion 149 -- Avoid using 'I' in business writingQuestion 148 -- Talking about the weatherQuestion 147 -- Using 'good' and 'goodness' as nounsQuestion 146 -- Chat rooms for learning EnglishQuestion 145 -- The difference between anyone & anybody, everyone & everybody, no one & nobody, someone & somebodyQuestion 144 -- Idioms to describe talented peopleQuestion 143 -- Verbs that are not used in passive voiceQuestion 142 -- Level Playing FieldQuestion 141 -- The impersonal 'it'Question 140 -- When to follow verbs with gerunds and 'to infinitive' verbs Part 2Question 139 -- When to follow verbs with gerunds and 'to infinitive' verbsQuestion 138 -- How to use 'the following'Question 137 -- The difference between 'different' and 'differing'Question 136 -- Our NET translates a Chinese saying and explains the meaning of 'We have had words'Question 135 -- Two new idioms ('milk something' and 'fall just short')Question 134 -- How to use 'born'Question 133 -- The difference between 'under' and 'underneath'Question 132 -- The difference between 'there will be' and 'it will be'Question 131 -- The difference between 'talk to' and 'talk with'Question 130 -- The difference between 'prior' and 'previous'Question 129 -- Can we say 'Long time no see' in English?Question 128 -- English idioms about 'rat'Question 127 -- Seven phrasesQuestion 126 -- Free Websites for listening to English MusicQuestion 125 -- Uses of 'some' and 'as of'Question 125 -- Advice on Doing Comprehension ExercisesQuestion 123 -- verbs followed by 'to + ing verbs'Question 122 -- Common English MistakesQuestion 121 -- 'In time' and 'On time'Question 120 -- 'Better you than me' and 'Do tell'Question 119 -- 'Play' and 'Play with'Question 118 - Passive Voice Verb TensesQuestion 117 - Medicine and MedicationQuestion 116 - "Cost"Question 115 - Big and LargeQuestion 115 - A Chinese IdiomQuestion 114 - The difference between "quick" and "fast"Question 113 - If you think your child's teacher made a mistakeQuestion 112 - Six idioms with "off"Question 111 - Helping your child speak EnglishQuestion 110 - How to use "would have had"Question 109 - "at" or "on" before a phone number?Question 108 - "you're dead meat", "back me up" and "call it a day"Question 107 - If he was the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, how would English be taught?Question 106 - "Suit", "match" and "goes with"Question 105 - New School YearQuestion 104 - The goods will arrive in HK.Question 103 - Spot on, bottle out, gimmeQuestion 106 - 'state of being' or 'linking' verbsQuestion 102 - Choose a good English nameQuestion 101 - WildQuestion 100 - 'believe' and 'believe in'Question 99 - 'sure' and 'ensure'Question 98 - Thank you for having meQuestion 97 - 'is' and 'being'Question 96 - A good sportQuestion 95 - Wear your heart on your sleeveQuestion 94 - Getting on my nervesQuestion 93 - From out of nowhereQuestion 92 - May God's peace be with you.Question 91 - How can I improve my English?Question 90 - Inquire and EnquireQuestion 89 - Math or Maths?Question 88 - Learn good English in Canada?Question 87 - A Letter to William Hung's FansQuestion 86 - What's up dude?Question 85 - A Grammar WebsiteQuestion 84 - Past Tense and Present Perfect TenseQuestion 83 - Success & SucceedQuestion 82 - through and acrossQuestion 81 - Making FriendsQuestion 80 - Pass the dictationQuestion 79 - Favourite QuestionQuestion 78 - Having "egg on your face"Question 77 - Touch onQuestion 76 - Food IdiomsQuestion 75 - William HungQuestion 74 - A good language websiteQuestion 73 - The meaning of 'by'Question 72 - Writing in a limited timeQuestion 71 - AgainstQuestion 70 - Reading helps writingQuestion 69 - Got it?Question 68 - 'Onset' and 'Obsess' Question 67 - PanicQuestion 66 - CrucialQuestion 65 - Shop 'til you dropQuestion 64 - You're grounded!Question 63 - Agree with / on / toQuestion 62 - In the newspaperQuestion 61 - A 'Mill Certificate'Question 60 - To be eaten or swallowedQuestion 59 - Road Scholars (Series 3)Question 58 - Passive Voice & Present TenseQuestion 57 - Smallville and Lizzie McGuire in AmericaQuestion 56 - Walk the walk, talk the talk.Question 55 - Don't be smug.Question 54 - David LettermanQuestion 53 - in and on the treeQuestion 52 - Repeat HKCEE EnglishQuestion 51 - Get a 'D' in HKCEEQuestion 50 - FriendshipQuestion 49 - Writing MinutesQuestion 48 - A big gorilla on the tableQuestion 47 - SlowpokeQuestion 46 - Inner BeautyQuestion 45 - People's namesQuestion 44 - TrainersQuestion 43 - 411Question 42 - "Can you give me a hand?" "No can do."Question 41 - American SlangQuestion 40 - and & as well asQuestion 39 - I returned from England.Question 38 - The Scarlet LarryQuestion 37 - Speak English like foreignersQuestion 36 - Dude & GeekQuestion 35 - I can't hear clearlyQuestion 34 - Clauses & PhrasesQuestion 33 - "not remember"Question 32 - On the one handQuestion 31 - Grammatical mistakesQuestion 30 - Arrive on the landQuestion 29 - RespectivelyQuestion 28 - Props, Lizzie.Question 27 - 12 o'clockQuestion 26 - See, Watch & ReadQuestion 25 - Talk of the devilQuestion 24 - Intransitive verbs & transitive verbs Question 23 - On assignmentQuestion 22 - RightQuestion 21 - The meaning of SmallvilleQuestion 20 - Really urgent!Question 19 - Native speakers & English subtitlesQuestion 18 - ChickenQuestion 17 - Subtitles & ListeningQuestion 16 - Be a better teacherQuestion 15 - Improve my listeningQuestion 14 - Sports NewsQuestion 13 - Miss the TV programmesQuestion 12 - Chatroom & GamesQuestion 11 - Improve my pronunciation Question 10 - Improve my speakingQuestion 9 - Listening practiceQuestion 8 - SuggestQuestion 7 - Improve my EnglishQuestion 6 - Smallville scriptsQuestion 5 - He/She & TheyQuestion 4 - Download the teaching packsQuestion 3 - Improve language skillsQuestion 2 - English-learning websitesQuestion 1 - Advice to parents>

	Graham is our education consultant and materials developer of "English in the Air". He is working for the English Schools Foundation. You are welcome to send us your questions related to English-learning by watching television programmes. Graham will select 5 of your questions to post on this website every week. Join us!
Question 239 -- Verb tense with 'first' and 'second' & 'take' or 'have'
	Dear Mr Young, I have three questions. 1. 'This is the second time I have written to you.' Is this sentence correct - 'is' followed by the present perfect tense? I wrote to you a year ago. 'That was the first time I had written to you.' Again, is this sentence correct - 'was' followed by the past perfect tense? 2. We take a bath/shower every day; we use water to do it. Then could we say 'We use water to bath'? Or 'We use water to take a bath'? 3. Suppose I had fruit for breakfast every day. If I decided not to have any tomorrow, then I would tell my maid, 'No need to ? fruit for breakfast tomorrow.' Which verb should I use? We could not use 'have', could we? Did I ask too many questions? I really would like to know the answers. Could you help me? Thank you in advance for your patience and precious time. Regards, Kathy Cheung (Mrs)
	Dear Mrs Cheung It's my pleasure to answer your questions. 1. first / second 'This is the second time I have written to you.' √ We use the present perfect tense when counting the number of times we have done an activity. e.g. This is third time that I have been to Disneyland this year. I have taken my driving test six times but never passed! 'That was the first time I had written to you.' √ We use the past perfect tense when a 'present perfect' event is described in the past. 2. take a bath 'We use water to take a bath' is more common. Cleopatra used milk to take a bath! Americans could say, 'We use water to bathe' but this is quite formal. (http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=6248&dict=CALD) British speakers usually have a bath whereas American speakers usually take a bath. 3. fruit for breakfast tomorrow I would say this to my helper: 'There's no need to serve fruit for breakfast tomorrow.' I would say this to my daughter: 'We won't have fruit for breakfast tomorrow.' Having fruit every day is a great idea. I'll try it too! Thanks Graham
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