Welcome blog
Hello! This one goes out to…you! Yes you! Somehow your path has led here. I send you the warmest welcome. You might know me personally or you might not. Either way, the two of us have something that connects us: the English language. Maybe you need it for work, perhaps you need it for travelling, or you could just want to stay mentally fit, have relatives abroad, wish to help your children or grandchildren with their school work. Whichever the reason may be, you have come to the right place. I have created this blog for you! Especially for you!
It is meant to brush up your English. I’d like to provide you with regular interesting material to read that strikes your interests and is short enough to read in one sitting while enjoying your morning coffee or having lunch.
However, for this blog to become a success and stay that way I need you! A blog is not, or ideally should not be one-way communication. I write my articles with you in mind. I address you directly and I want you to do the same. If you have any questions no matter what they may be, ask! If you have any feedback, no matter what, let me know! If you have any suggestions, make them! If you have any wishes, write me! I am always happy to receive messages from my readers. This way I know if I am on the right track and you get a blog according to your wishes. I would call this a win-win situation.
Before you move on to grammar and vocabulary you may want to quickly read through “How to use this blog”
Vocabulary
I have marked more basic vocabulary that you may need more often in bold. I have marked phrases that take some practice but improve your speaking and writing immediately if you use them in green. If you are unsure how to use them look at my text again and try to use it yourself in the comment section.
Somehow=irgendwie
Path=Weg, Pfad
Lead-led-led=führen zu
Know me/you/him/her/them personally=mich/dich/ihn/sie/persönlich kennen
Either way=in jedem Fall, so oder so
Stay mentally fit= geistig fit bleiben
Relatives=Verwandte
Abroad=im Ausland
Wish to do something = (hier) den Wunsch haben etwas zu tun
Whichever the reason may be= was auch immer der Grund sein mag
You have come to the right place!=Du bist hier richtig!
Especially=speziell
Brush up=polieren
I’d like to…=Ich würde gerne
Provide someone with something= jemanden mit etwas ausstatten
Strike your interest=dein Interesse wecken
However=aber
Become a success=ein Erfolg warden
Stay that way=so bleiben wie etwas ist
Ideally=idealerweise
With someone in mind=mit dir im Sinn, Kopf
No matter what=(ganz) egal was
Suggestion=Vorschlag
Be on the right track= auf dem richtigen Weg/der richtigen Spur sein
Win-win situation=a situation in which everybody benefits
Grammar
In this blog I used different ways of expressing uncertainty and vagueness.
Uncertainty expressed with a verb:
You can use “may” and “might” interchangeably to express doubt:
You might know me personally… MIGHT+INFINITIVE (be, know, sleep, ect.)
Whichever the reason may be… MAY+ INFINITIVE
You could just want to stay mentally fit COULD+INFINITIVE
Uncertainty expressed with an adverb:
You can use “maybe” or “perhaps” at the beginning or end of the sentence to express doubt:
Maybe you need it for work (maybe)…
Perhaps you need it for travelling (perhaps)….
Do not use a verb and an adverb in the same sentence!
Your turn:
Tell me what you might/may do next weekend in 5 different ways in the comment section. I am looking forward to hearing all about it.