UK, Ireland / Common pitfalls for Poles learning English [187]


the first one is present perfect. i have had... he has had

the second one is past perfect. i had had... he had had.

don't confuse two forms of have in one sentence.

i have been to the shop

i have had a cup of tea.

i had been to the shop before i met you

i had had a cup of tea before i met you.

UK, Ireland / Common pitfalls for Poles learning English [187]


i have had... he has had

he has had a bad day


past perfect

UK, Ireland / Common pitfalls for Poles learning English [187]

no. present perfect is up to now

up to this point in time i have lived here for ten years.

present perfect continuous allows the obvious. i can see that u are not going anywhere.

i have been living here for ten years and i don't intend to move yet.

both are ok, but the grammar gives flexability when writing, speaking.

UK, Ireland / Common pitfalls for Poles learning English [187]


1. up to now

2 up to now and into the future.

if u expect to be at work tomorrow u should use No.2

UK, Ireland / Common pitfalls for Poles learning English [187]


not usually used with numbers.

1. present perfect continuous for a past event where we can see the result.

look it has been raining. we can see the wet road. it stopped raining ten minutes ago.

this is the form that many students can't quite understand.

2. then u have pres perf continuous which deals with now, around now and into the future.

i have been living here for ten years. it started in the past, goes through now and into the future.
Why? because it's obvious that i'm not leaving home today. therefore it goes into the future.

so one form deals with the recent past. the other deals with around now and future

for the second form think of present continuous mixed with present perfect.

UK, Ireland / Avalon method course vs Conversation with a native speaker to learn English? [37]

this shows something important. if one is interested in the show and willing to follow the story then learning will be easier.

another important point. a normal learning period/lesson is 45 mins so stick to short clips or short shows like soaps.

if u are confused at the beginning of a film switch it off and don't waste time on it.

UK, Ireland / Avalon method course vs Conversation with a native speaker to learn English? [37]

the best films to watch and listen to are older black & white. movies made in the 40's 50's and 60's relied on standard or bbc english and not the variety of accents used these days.

they were also made in a 'theatre' style with one person speaking at a time.
compare Hans Kloss and any modern, fast action movie to see what i mean.

it is said that the art of conversation is in the listening.

you can find topics in your matura books or ask your school teacher for a list.

when your tutor speaks make sure that he follows some of your requests. speak slowly, don't change the topic etc.

some songs are useful too. hurts- wonderful life

1. it's easy to understand
2. it helps with grammar.

'suzy meets the man of her dreams'

obviously she met him, but this is present simple narration. meets.

u do need a real person to speak to. someone with a story to tell, animated, natural, wanting to help. not some prat that hasn't a clue.

for this u have to talk to your friends to find the right person.

Love / Polish Girl Doesn't Want To Touch. [240]

he invited her into his home in a woeful attempt to seduce her. she being smarter than him is sticking to the original offer while taking him to the cleaners at the same time.

he being older sees himself as the father figure and ruler of the roost. he assumes she will turn to him in thanks and give him the shagging of a lifetime.

she probably dislikes him in a way he will never understand and sooner or later will leave him. most likely without ever saying goodbye.

the only reason he won't give the ending to the story is because the above posts have shown him for what he is. and now he realizes it. or more likely, she has already walked.

Life / Pictures of Poles [Everyday Life in Poland] [100]

most of the above seem to be wroclaw

i'm gonna look an idiot if they're not.

UK, Ireland / Polish eligibility to claim benefits in the UK [30]

read the thread by popcorn and then maybe exchange notes.

edit: i see you've already made a start.

News / Coach crash in Germany. Polish coach... many dead [26]

unfortunately: twelve people are now confirmed dead.

News / Coach crash in Germany. Polish coach... many dead [26]

in english: bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11414139

Love / Polish Girl Doesn't Want To Touch. [240]


when she has found another place to stay.

Life / Do Polish People steal a lot? [330]


my reply was in response to a technical problem rather than anything else.

Life / Do Polish People steal a lot? [330]


now i'm bumping the thread simply to tell you that the conversation you had on here yesterday was removed, which resulted in the thread dropping back down the list.

if u would like a thread to stay where it is (at the bottom of the page) then use the PM system, if u wish to query it.

u could also use a Feedback thread.

it is possible that someone made a post, which bumped the thread, and a few posts followed. then a mod might have moved the 'bumping post' for some reason. then after your post (yesterday ?) it would look like u bumped the thread.

Language / Does anybody know of a list of Polish-English False Friends and True Friends? [60]

it just rounds off a sentence, like.

it just rounds off a sentence, so it does.

Love / Polish Girl Doesn't Want To Touch. [240]

give her a little space and see if she comes to u.

it could be that she is lonely and using u as a prop.

Does she have friends ?

Life / How to Politely Refuse a Drink in Poland [72]

the answer to this problem is to raise your hand a little.... in a way that says stop... and at the same time say thanks (in Polish)

thanks said in this fashion means no thank you. strange but true.

dziękuje

(spelling looks odd !)

News / €11,700 to every migrant returning to the Polish capital and starting a business there. [110]


i have a feeling this is your game, but did u study it.

News / €11,700 to every migrant returning to the Polish capital and starting a business there. [110]


it would come under economics, which is taught in the uk, but apparently not in Poland. in secondary school that is.

Food / I have a Polish couple coming over for afew days and would like to cook for them. [93]

stew and dumplings. real english dumplings that is.

apple pie + custard. there is no custard in Poland

shock them with bread pudding and then tell them what it is.

u could offer toad-in-the-hole. just for the reaction.

u could also offer a christmas style dinner. or a roast dinner as mentioned earlier.

News / €11,700 to every migrant returning to the Polish capital and starting a business there. [110]


i have no idea what percentage of migrants are involved in work they actually trained for.

i'd give the cash to those who stayed behind, are qualified and show an excellent business plan.

why reward people for jumping ship ?

Travel / Wroclaw nightclubs [20]


it's still the Hala Ludowa to me.

small correction: Centennial Hall

for visitors: it's in a big park, which includes the Japanese Garden, a rather special fountain and a very good monument/statue of Chopin.

Travel / Cheapest and quickest route from Wales to Poland by car? [11]


that is 24/7 365 days of the year.

it was november till about march. now it's all year.

Law / No polish bank account, how to pay internet bill [16]


i guess different payments require different methods.

good that u got it all sorted out anyway.

the only problem with the post office is the queue. i find that half an hour before closing is the best time.

Travel / Share Your Travel Experiences in Poland [16]

Wroclaw station is under repair at the moment. it's all for Euro 2012.
this means the situation with cons, scams and bums is a little different.

for those using the station at the moment..... the ticket office is at the back of the station (facing the bus station)

Life / Homes and businesses in Poland have no letter boxes? [23]

in flats. i imagine too many stairs.

to make every thing easier for the postie i guess.

but, as i said earlier there is now a european standard and all buildings must meet it. blame the EU.

Law / No polish bank account, how to pay internet bill [16]

pay at the post office using cash. if u have all the paying in details fill in a paying in slip. there is a charge for this of about 3zl. make sure that u keep the copy/reciept.

have someone show u how to fill in the (red) slip.

Life / Homes and businesses in Poland have no letter boxes? [23]


Yes, in the way that brits understand a letterbox.