VOA Learning English

– Do you want to go see a movie tonight?

Positive
1. Most definitely, definitely, totally
2. I’d love to, that’d be great/excellent/lovely
3. Yup, yep, yeah, sure, sure thing

Negative
1. Definitely not, not a chance, not at all
2. I don’t think so, not gonna happen
3. Nah, negative, no way, oh no

– Going for a walk = taking a stroll = walking their children = sightseeing

– Outweigh: the disadvantages of something often outweigh the advantages of something else.

– Ways to express upward trend: exceed – go or be beyond a stated or implied limit, measure, or degree

• Exceed: go beyond a limit set by authority or established by custom, or by  prior achievement.
  E.g.: The force of pressure gradients in the water surrounding the sea snake exceeds that of vertical pressure gradients within its circulatory system.
  You have exceeded the speed limit of 55m/h allowed on US highway.
• Surpass: suggests superiority in quality, merit or skill.
  E.g.: The book surpassed our expectation
• Transcend: implies a rising or extending notably above or beyond ordinary limits
  E.g.: The desire for peace transcended political differences.
• Excel:  implies preeminence in achievement or quality and may suggest superiority to all others.
  Rick has always excelled at foreign languages
• Outdo: applies to a bettering or exceeding what has been done before.
  E.g.: When it comes to speed of responses, a small firm outdoes a big company
• Outstrip: suggests surpassing in a race or competition
  E.g.: Demand for new aircraft is outstripping supply
• Better: improve, better yourself to improve your position in society by getting a better education or earning more money
  E.g.: She went overseas to acquire her education with the hope of bettering herself.

Usual word order for adjectives:

1. opinion (beautiful, horrible, kind)
2. size (large, tall, little)
3. age (young, old)
4. color (orange, pink, blue)
5. nationality (Korean, Indonesian, Japanese)
6. material (silk, metal, wood)