Crosby's 9

There are two basic elements that you absolutely need when learning English: concentration and willpower. Period. If you fail to put these two components to use, you won’t get very far. To illustrate this, Drew cites the (common) mistake of “forgetting” to pronounce the “s” for verbs in the present tense for the third person singular.

In this episode, Drew explains two interesting and very often used phrasal verbs: to tear up and to tear up. Yes, they’re spelled exactly the same, but they’re pronounced differently and one is a regular verb and the other is an irregular verb.

Baby Boomers, Gen Xers and Millennials have different views on living a balanced life. Listen to this episode to find out why and also to check if you’re properly pronouncing the adjective “live,” the noun “life” and the verb “to live.” Can you easily tell them apart? To tell apart = to differentiate, to distinguish.

In this episode, we look at the word “drain” along with two expressions associated with it: “brain drain” and “to go down the drain.” Also, Drew reminds listeners of the benefits of writing down new words. (You already know them, right?) It strengthens your spelling, vocabulary and even your pronunciation.

Crushed garlic. Chopped onions. Sliced tomatoes. Why do certain verbs that end in a “d” sound like they end in a “t?” In this episode, Drew uses verbs associated with cooking to explain this pronunciation trick.

In this episode, Drew looks at various uses of the word “form,” both as a verb as well as a noun. As a verb -which is regular- it means to shape, make or produce. We use it particularly with relationships: we form friendships, we form partnerships and we form teams. As a noun, a form is a standardized document. Two frequently used -and commonly mistaken- phrasal verbs associated with forms are “fill out” and “fill in.” Not to worry, however, as Drew gives tips on how to properly use them. He also explains the verb “to coin” and how it’s related to expressions, such as “form follows function,” coined by the architect Louis Sullivan.

The word “grain” is a general term to describe a type of dry seed that’s grown for consumption. Corn, rice, wheat and rye are examples of grains. Grains provide many nutrients and form part of a healthy diet. Grain also refers to the small lines -the stratification of wood fibers- found in a piece of wood. And the expression “to go against the grain” means to act in a way that’s contrary to the way you or other people would typically act. It’s doing something that’s different from what’s considered to be normal.

The word “eve” in English can be used figuratively and literally. Its figurative use refers to one event that takes place just before another. For example, “The candidates were still campaigning on the eve of the election.” And the word “eve” is used literally as the day prior to two major holidays: Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. In this case, the word Eve -written with a capital “E”- means the “day before” Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, respectively. Also in this episode, Drew gives a tip on how to properly pronounce the letter “v.”

We use two key words in English to express desire: wish and hope. Choose one or the other depending on the likelihood of that desire coming true. “Wish” is generally used to express desires that are unlikely or practically impossible to occur, whereas “hope” is used when there is confidence that the desire can come to fruition and is doable.

99% of you have bought a lemon at one time or another. That is, the fruit lemon. But when it comes to automobiles, hopefully none of you have ever bought a lemon. That’s because a “lemon” is a new car with a defect, which is a flaw or an imperfection. When it comes to vehicles, the term “lemon” is most commonly associated with a brand new car (and not usually a used car) that has a major safety defect: unsafe brakes, a faulty transmission or a misfiring engine.