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29������������ ��������������� ��������������� Everyday Conversational Expressions���������� ��������������� ��������������� Different Versions

 

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* 29 Different Versions

 

Sometimes different versions of the same expression can be heard in live speech. The difference is in the use of various grammatical forms.

 

29.1 ��Can, May, Could

 

17.8�� Can I help you?�� Listen�� A �Can I be of service for you?��� < � �I�m not ready to order yet.�>

May I help you?�� Listen�� <�Who�s calling? May I help you?�>

Could I help you?�� Listen�� <�What are you looking for? Could I help you?�>

 

 

29.2 ��Tenses

 

3.4�� I�m OK.�� Listen�� <�How are you?� � �I�m OK, thanks.�>

I�ve been OK.�� Listen ��<�How have you been?� � �I�ve been OK, thanks.�>

 

17.16�� It doesn�t bother me any.�� Listen�� A �It does not trouble me and I don�t have any objections.��� <�Do you mind if I listen to the radio?� � �No. It doesn�t bother me any�>

It won�t bother me any.�� Listen�� <�Do you mind if I turn on the radio?� � �No. It won�t bother me any�>

 

 

12.28�� It can�t be helped.�� Listen�� A �Unfortunately, nothing can help in this situation.��� <�My rose bush looks dead.� � �It can�t be helped. The current drought is killing many plants in the garden.�>

It couldn�t be helped.�� Listen�� A �Unfortunately, nothing could be done to help in this situation.��� <�My rose bush died.� � �It couldn�t be helped. The current drought killed many plants in the garden.�>

 

17.4�� I bet it�s still raining.�� Listen�� A �I can bet this is true. I am sure that....��� <�I bet it�s still raining. I can hear raindrops�. � It�s pouring!�>

I�ll bet it�s still raining.�� Listen�� <�I�ll bet it�s still raining.� � �It�s raining cats and dogs!�>

I�ll bet you it�s still raining.�� Listen ��<�I�ll bet you it�s still raining.� � �And how! Without interruption!� >

 

17.9�� That�s all.�� Listen�� A �That�s all I need.��� <�Would you like anything else?�� �No, that�s all.�>

That�ll be all.�� Listen�� <�Do you need anything else?�� �No, that�ll be all.�>

 

 

29.3 ��Pronouns

 

12.25�� That�s all I need.�� Listen�� ���<�My car got stalled in the garage, and the garage door broke. That�s all I need!�>

It�s all I need.�� Listen�� <�A pregnant cat! It�s all I need.�>

 

26.12�� It doesn�t quite suit me.�� Listen�� A �It is not exactly what I want.��� <�This dress is nice. It doesn�t quite suit me, though. I want something lighter and more ornate.�>

That doesn�t quite suit me.�� Listen�� <�Your life is too hectic. Your interests are outlandish. Your views are too radical. That doesn�t quite suit me. Let�s break up.�>

 

 

29.4 ��Contraction

 

2.1�� I�ll talk to you soon.�� Listen�� A �Good-bye until I talk to you again soon.��� <�It was nice talking to you, Jane. I�ll call you in a few days.� � �Good-bye, Greg. I�ll talk to you soon.�>

Talk to you soon.�� Listen�� <�See you tomorrow.� � �Talk to you soon.�>

 

2.4�� It was good to see you.�� Listen�� A �I am glad I saw you this time.��� <�Good-bye, Henry. It was good to see you.� � �Bye, Margaret. See you around.�>

Good to see you.�� Listen�� <�Bye, Henry. Good to see you.� � �Bye, Margaret. See you.�>

 

12.37�� It�s just as I expected.�� Listen�� A �I thought it would be this way.��� <�The market is falling now. It�s just as I expected.�>

Just as I expected.�� Listen�� <�The market is down. Just as I expected.�>

 

 

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