For

This video gives a good explanation of the -er vs the -ier ending for comparative adjectives.   Essentially, the -er ending modifies an adjective and makes it more so.   If you are a Spanish speaker the -er ending is the same or equivalent of the modifier mas. 

So for instance, hot in Spanish is caliente.   To make it even more so, you say mas caliente.   Translated literally, that would be "more hot".   But a better way to do this in American English is to add the -er ending and simply say hott-er

Example usage:  "Today is hott-er than yesterday."

However!  When the adjective ends in a -y then to make it more so we DROP the -y ending and add -ier. 

Example:   This piece of jewelry is heav-ier than that one, so it costs more.

Okay?  Check out the video for some good detail and exercises.

For further information, or if you are interested in one on one,private ESL or accent reduction lessons, give me a call at (732) 807-5424 or give me a buzz if you are international on Skype at david.berlin.esl which is my Skype ID.

Or check out my David Berlin's ESL and Accent Reduction Training website or subscribe to the American Idiom of the Day Twitter Feed for some American idioms and examples of usage you can use in your everyday speech.  OKAY?  Okay!  Call today!

I DO VS I DON'T

Here is a really great video on DO vs DON'T and DID vs DIDN'T.  Essentially, DON'T is short for DO NOT.   When you combine the two words and eliminate the O and add a ' -- an "apostrophe" (pronounced uh POS struh FEE) you get what is called in American English a "contraction". 

American use contractions ALL THE TIME, almost exclusively instead of saying DO NOT we say DON'T, instead of saying WOULD NOT we say WOULDN'T.   Instead of saying "COULD HAVE"  we say COULD'VE.

There is a great List of Common Contractions here.

But this video doesn't focus so much on the issue of contractions.   Instead, the goal of this video is to help you understand the difference between positive and negative statements of doing (do vs don't) and done (did vs didn't).

Check it out!

All right?  All right.  And remember, if you are interested in English as a Second Language Lessons or accent reduction lessons--private, one on one lessons--you can check out my webpage at David Berlin's ESL and Accent Reduction Training.   Or, if you are interested in learning some great (and useful!) American slang terms and idioms, check out The American Idiom of the Day Twitter Feed.

Or you can give me a call on Skype at david.berlin.esl which is my Skype ID or you can call me or text me on the phone at 732-807-5424.

all right?  all right.  next time!