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To take a rain check. It means to postpone, right?

"I'm taking a rain check on this", is that correct?

 

What about to give a rain check?

"I give my meeting a rain check." Is that correct as well?

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To take a rain check. It means to postpone, right?

 

It's more specific than that. For example if a baseball game was called off because of rain then the ticketholders would get a rain check so that they could use that ticket to go to the postponed game. It's also very common to use the term rain check when a store has a sale on an item and the item sells out. So you'll be given a raincheck so you can still buy the item at the sale price when the stock comes in (even though the sale is technically over at that point).

 

T"I'm taking a rain check on this", is that correct?

 

What about to give a rain check?

"I give my meeting a rain check." Is that correct as well?

 

You can use it more generally than the examples I gave about the baseball game and the product sale so I would say that the first one is right. Like someone asks you to go for a drink and you're busy so you tell them "I'll take a rain check", meaning you'd be happy to go for a drink another time, you just can't now because you're busy.

 

But I wouldn't say "I give my meeting a rain check." If you were to talk about a meeting in terms of postponing it I would probably phrase it "I'll take a raincheck on that meeting." You would only give or take a raincheck to/from a person. You can't give the raincheck to a meeting. But if you're talking about a (business) meeting you'd probably just use the word "postpone" anyway.

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I like this thread! I didn't know it existed. I am fascinated by languages

So I'd be always willing to help. Sylvie, can dense people trying to learn Italian ask questions on the Italian thread, since I can't afford my own personal tutor? :naughty:

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So you'll be given a raincheck so you can still buy the item at the sale price when the stock comes in (even though the sale is technically over at that point).

This is so cool!!!! :shocked:

 

Anyway, so this line "give the commodities a rain check" from a song lyrics is just something allowed in a song, you wouldn't use it in ordinary life.

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This is so cool!!!! :shocked:

 

Anyway, so this line "give the commodities a rain check" from a song lyrics is just something allowed in a song, you wouldn't use it in ordinary life.

 

What a strange song lyric!

I would not use that sentence in ordinary life, especially because I don't even know what it means.

Rainchecks, I think, are taken, much more than given.

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To take a rain check. It means to postpone, right?

"I'm taking a rain check on this", is that correct?

 

What about to give a rain check?

"I give my meeting a rain check." Is that correct as well?

 

You're close. :)

 

In common usage, someone might say, "Can I take a raincheck?" or "I'll take a raincheck," which would mean that they need to do whatever it is at a later date, they can't do it right now.

 

"I'll take a raincheck on that cup of coffee -- I don't have time today."

 

Someone might also say, "I'll give you a raincheck," if whatever couldn't happen at that moment.

 

"OK, I'll give you a raincheck. We'll get together for that coffee next week."

 

In general, you wouldn't give a raincheck to a "thing." And it's not really used as a verb. You don't raincheck a meeting. You take a raincheck on the meeting. It's a subtle difference, I guess.

 

You understand where the term comes from, right? If rain caused a delay or cancellation of a ball game, you were given a "check" or a ticket, so that you could be admitted to the game at a later date.

 

I love language, so stop me if you've heard enough. :wink2:

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Ha. I didn't see Christine's explanation before I wrote mine -- it didn't show up for some reason until after I posted. Oh well. Sorry about that.

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  • 3 weeks later...
A few minutes ago I was writing about the poet Dante in the learning Italian thread, and a doubt crossed my mind: what's the difference between "heaven" and "paradise"?

Thanks!

 

Heaven is the higher plane you ascend to (hopefully :naughty:) after death and where God lives. Paradise is a place (not necessarily real) where everyone lives in peace and harmony with nature and each other (like the Garden of Eden).

 

I think the concept of heaven is the Judeo-Christian idea of the afterlife, whereas paradise was borrowed from Islam, but the terms are used fairly interchangeably these days.

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I like this thread! I didn't know it existed. I am fascinated by languages

So I'd be always willing to help. Sylvie, can dense people trying to learn Italian ask questions on the Italian thread, since I can't afford my own personal tutor? :naughty:

Everyone moved from Italian thread to English thread ? :naughty:

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Heaven is the higher plane you ascend to (hopefully :naughty:) after death and where God lives. Paradise is a place (not necessarily real) where everyone lives in peace and harmony with nature and each other (like the Garden of Eden).

 

I think the concept of heaven is the Judeo-Christian idea of the afterlife, whereas paradise was borrowed from Islam, but the terms are used fairly interchangeably these days.

 

Thanks! I've always used either one term or the other, but I think I will go on as before: I'm not much into religion, the difference is too subtle for me and you confirm that there's no real difference :wink2:

 

Everyone moved from Italian thread to English thread ? :naughty:

 

I'm not moving here permanently, I plan to come every now and then to refresh my English

I need to improve, you know, now I'm giving Italian classes in English :naughty:

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  • 1 month later...

Gosh, I came here to make a question and saw that people replied to me (Ceebs, Deb) but I didn't noticed and never replied.

Peeeps!!! I'm not an ungrateful surly b*tch. I just missed it! :baghead:

 

Now that we are good again - hopefully - I can move on and make my question:

I feel a kind of stuck in learning english as I don't know my mistakes. Of course. If I knew them then I wouldn't need you.

I was (?) totally glad if you guys would point my mistakes out (this sentence is quite a good starter :aah:) when I write in this topic (I'd appreciate it in every thread but we can't spam all over the place). I may copy and paste some posts of mine on purpose just to ask you to correct them, if you are willing to.

No need to do it this time, though, as this post itself would do.

I'd like to improve both my vocabulary and the way I build my sentences.

I don't want to speak odd :facepalm:

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I can move on and make my question:

 

You ask questions, not make them. So, I can move on and ask my question.

 

I feel a kind of stuck in learning english as I don't know my mistakes.

 

You wouldn't say "a kind", but just "kind of".

 

I would phrase the last bit either "I don't know which mistakes I've made" or "I am not aware of my mistakes."

 

I was (?) totally glad if you guys would point my mistakes out (this sentence is quite a good starter :aah:)

 

"Would be". I'd also probably say "happy" or "fine" instead of "glad" in this instance but "glad" still makes sense.

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No need to do it this time, though, as this post itself would do.

I'd like to improve both my vocabulary and the way I build my sentences.

I don't want to speak odd :facepalm:

 

You should probably say "I don't want to sound odd" or "I don't want to speak strangely". :naughty:

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Oh sh*

This means that I almost got it right but then I always chose the bad option.

"ask a question" was my first option but then it sounded KIND of (no A, this is an amazing discovery!!!!) tricky.

Then I wanted to write I'm not aware of my mistakes, but ... :doh:

And finally I wrote I'd be but then thought that you cannot use two times would in the same sentence. Apparently you can :aah:

Thanks a lot!!!!

 

*to speak strangely* noted.

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Oh sh*

This means that I almost got it right but then I always chose the bad option.

"ask a question" was my first option but then it sounded KIND of (no A, this is an amazing discovery!!!!) tricky.

Then I wanted to write I'm not aware of my mistakes, but ... :doh:

And finally I wrote I'd be but then thought that you cannot use two times would in the same sentence. Apparently you can :aah:

Thanks a lot!!!!

 

*to speak strangely* noted.

 

Er .. do you want me to correct this post as well? :naughty:

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Oh sh*

This means that I almost got it right but then I always chose the bad option.

"ask a question" was my first option but then it sounded KIND of (no A, this is an amazing discovery!!!!) tricky.

Then I wanted to write I'm not aware of my mistakes, but ... :doh:

And finally I wrote I'd be but then thought that you cannot use two times would in the same sentence. Apparently you can :aah:

Thanks a lot!!!!

 

*to speak strangely* noted.

 

The moral of the story is just go with your instinct instead of worrying about rules. :naughty:

 

There are instances where you would use "a kind of" but the meaning is different. For example if you said "I am kind of afraid of dogs" you mean you are a bit wary of dogs. But if you said "Dobermans are a kind of dog" you are talking about a type/breed (kind) of dog.

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Sure :yes:

 

I just don't want you to stop posting completely because you think the post is not right :naughty:. I would rather have your posts as they are rather than something 100% correct but boring.

 

Anyway, it is just word order - in English you would say "you cannot use would two times in the same sentence" rather than "cannot use two times would".

 

To be really picky, you would say "twice" rather than "two times". but I have noticed that they have started using "two times" in adverts these days so maybe that word is on the way out :dunno:

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The moral of the story is just go with your instinct instead of worrying about rules. :naughty:

 

:yeah: Story of my life.

Thanks, the difference between a kind of and kind of is easy to understand now, I trust I won't get it wrong again.

 

To be really picky, you would say "twice" rather than "two times". but I have noticed that they have started using "two times" in adverts these days so maybe that word is on the way out :dunno:

 

:doh: this is beginner level. I knew it. :doh: Ok, let's say I'm a vanguard

 

 

I just don't want you to stop posting completely because you think the post is not right :naughty:. I would rather have your posts as they are rather than something 100% correct but boring.

 

Well, I could start to post by smilies. They are never wrong. But I like this modern motivational school, I believe I won't stop posting :wub2:

 

I feel a bit awkward to monopolize the thread, but I really like to learn.

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:yeah: Story of my life.

Thanks, the difference between a kind of and kind of is easy to understand now, I trust I won't get it wrong again.

 

I actually wouldn't use either one in formal writing but that is how people talk so it's fine for a message board or chat.

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Unfortunately I'm not seeing that coming.

And by that I mean me having to deal with english when working :sneaky2:

 

May I ask you to correct this? It's just a random post, but it's a good pretext to improve.

 

Ok, I had prejudices about Dario Fo, I never saw a show of him but I decided it wasn't my scene (parents' influence)

Aaaaand I was right. I got bored, I got distracted many times, I got annoyed when he interrupted Mika as Mika was more interesting than him. Fo sometimes didn't make sense according to my pragmatic self and grammelot make me feel akward.

I'm sorry :dunno:

When it comes to Mika, I'd like him to be able to go deeper but, as I said before, both language and Fo prevented him. I don't think he completely got Fo's point of view neither, he seemed lost now and again and struggling to find something to say in his replies, but I'm totally sure it's just because of the language.

I'm glad that he did it, though, for I suppose it was in his bucket list.

I have mine as well, and they don't have to correspond in every entry.

I suppose he wouldn't like spend a whole winter day working with dogs in the mud like I do, so I'm fine with him enjoying Dario Fo.

Edited by Elwendin
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Ok, I had prejudices about Dario Fo, I never saw a show of him but I decided it wasn't my scene (parents' influence)

 

His.

 

I would probably say "some prejudices" instead of "prejudices". Don't know why to be honest, I just would. :naughty:

 

Aaaaand I was right. I got bored, I got distracted many times, I got annoyed when he interrupted Mika

 

Nothing wrong here, but I would change up the many "got"s to be more expressive.

 

For example: I was bored, I got distracted many times, I became annoyed when he interrupted Mika.

 

as Mika was more interesting than him.

 

He was? I don't know maybe Silver can explain. :naughty:

 

Fo sometimes didn't make sense according to my pragmatic self and grammelot make me feel akward.

 

You don't ever need to say "according to me/my". This seems to be an Italian thing (because I see many doing it) that is not required in English. If you are making an observation then it is already implied that what you are saying is "according to you". You can either say "Fo didn't make sense at times" or "I think Fo didn't make sense".

 

If you really feel the need to emphasize that you are expressing an opinion and not a fact then you would say "In my opinion Fo didn't make sense at times."

 

and grammelot make me feel akward.

 

Made

 

I don't think he completely got Fo's point of view neither,

 

Either. Or you could say "Neither do I think he completely..." but that is a bit formal.

 

he seemed lost now and again and struggling to find something to say in his replies, but I'm totally sure it's just because of the language.

 

I would say "now and again" is something you use to describe an occasional habit or situation you find yourself in. Like eating at McDonald's or running into an acquaintance in your neighbourhood. In this instance I might use "here and there" or just "he seemed lost at times".

 

Instead of "totally sure" I would say "certain" (just because it's more concise).

 

I'm glad that he did it, though, for I suppose it was in his bucket list.

 

Ha well you are onto something since you would put things in a bucket! But when you are talking about a list, you write things on it.

 

I have mine as well, and they don't have to correspond in every entry.

 

This is a bit unclear because you switch from talking about Mika's list to multiple items on your list without making a transition. I am not sure what "they" is in this case. Is it things you have done that were on your list? When you say "I have mine" it sounds like you are talking about your list, which is singular.

 

I suppose he wouldn't like spend a whole winter day working with dogs in the mud like I do, so I'm fine with him enjoying Dario Fo.

 

No comment about your grammar just about your statement. I am fine with Mika doing WTF he wants. But I don't need to watch it so thank you for saving me the bother. :naughty:

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So, I finally get it!

I was uncertain about "of him/of his" because I once checked on the internet and they said both versions were ok… :unsure:

 

He was? I don't know maybe Silver can explain. :naughty:

Yeah. LOL. He made more sense than the old man at times. :facepalm:

You don't ever need to say "according to me/my". This seems to be an Italian thing (because I see many doing it) that is not required in English.

I remember clearly to have learnt it at school. This is why many Italians use it.

I would say "now and again" is something you use to describe an occasional habit or situation you find yourself in. Like eating at McDonald's or running into an acquaintance in your neighbourhood. In this instance I might use "here and there" or just "he seemed lost at times"

Ah, so now I know when to use “now and again” or “here and there/at times”. I was confused.

Ha well you are onto something since you would put things in a bucket! But when you are talking about a list, you write things on it

This is a bit unclear because you switch from talking about Mika's list to multiple items on your list without making a transition. I am not sure what "they" is in this case. Is it things you have done that were on your list? When you say "I have mine" it sounds like you are talking about your list, which is singular.

LOL. ON! A list. Got it.

I meant that his bucket list and his don’t have to correspond, this is why I used they, but I get what you mean. I should have probably said: “I have mine as well, and it doesn't have to correspond in every entry with his” ?

No comment about your grammar just about your statement. I am fine with Mika doing WTF he wants. But I don't need to watch it so thank you for saving me the bother. :naughty:

Yeah, don’t watch it. I thought it was a chat about them or their lives or whatever. I would have been fine even with them shooting the breeze. But it was a non-sense around church and saints and religiousness, aimed to introduce Fo’s show. It was even awkward at times (here and there :aah:) as they had nothing to say anymore and kept running in circles. Look at this

 

Mika smiles and Fo goes … “well”…..

M: he was an anarchist

F: he was

M: San Francesco

F: yes, for sure

M: you are an anarchist

F: sure I am

 

And imagine an embarrassed silence running between every line, you know, that pauses which are a bit too long to be normal…. Not to mention that it’s not related with what they were saying just a sec before…. They just ran out of topics, Mika smiled and Fo played for time …

Anyway, thank you for these advices and for the others as well, I feel that this English school of yours does work for me.

Edited by Elwendin
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