{"id":86,"date":"2013-04-06T10:21:00","date_gmt":"2013-04-06T10:21:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/monkeygrammar.org\/index.php\/2013\/04\/06\/grammar-and-catch-me-if-you-can\/"},"modified":"2020-04-15T14:36:21","modified_gmt":"2020-04-15T14:36:21","slug":"grammar-and-catch-me-if-you-can","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mindpowerasia.org\/grammar-and-catch-me-if-you-can\/","title":{"rendered":"Grammar and Catch Me If You Can"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/a><\/div>\n

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Does this happen to you?  You prepare well <\/span>before a presentation<\/span>. <\/span><\/b>Yet<\/span>, when the real thing comes, you can\u2019t speak a <\/span>word<\/span>. <\/span><\/span>You wonder <\/span>why<\/span> it happens to <\/span>you<\/span>.  <\/span><\/span>\u2018<\/span>Why me<\/span><\/b>?<\/span>\u2019<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

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\n<\/b><\/span>
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\n<\/span>
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Well, you don’t have to be sad<\/span>. If you have a<\/span> higher level of language proficiency<\/span>, will it make much difference to your career? But of course, the question is how<\/span>, how<\/span> to enhance<\/span> your levels of English. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/b><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\n<\/span><\/b><\/div>\n

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\n<\/span><\/b><\/div>\n

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\n<\/b><\/div>\n

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\n<\/span><\/b><\/div>\n

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—————————————<\/span><\/b><\/div>\n


\n<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

There are lots of ways, one of which is <\/span><\/b>to have a<\/span> better understanding<\/span> of how English sentences <\/span>work<\/span>. <\/span><\/span>So how do English sentences work?  <\/span><\/b>Before you get the answer, <\/span><\/span><\/span>look at the two dogs <\/span>in the picture and read the following sentences. (By the way, do you hear them talking?)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
<\/b><\/div>\n
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\n<\/span><\/b>
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\n<\/span><\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\n<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

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‘Catch me<\/span> <\/span>if you can’<\/span><\/span>. <\/span>Does the sentence l<\/span><\/span>ook familiar<\/span><\/span>? <\/span>Now, read another not so familiar one: ‘<\/span><\/span>If you can<\/span> <\/span><\/span>catch me’<\/span>. <\/span>Are the two sentences <\/span>the same<\/span>? <\/span><\/span><\/span>Can you spot any <\/span><\/span>differences<\/span>? <\/span> If you think there is no difference, well,<\/span> think again<\/span>. <\/span>So what are the <\/span>differences <\/span>between the two sentences? Well, <\/span>do you spot <\/span>one<\/span>? What <\/span>is it?<\/span><\/div>\n

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<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\n<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\n
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—————————————<\/span><\/b><\/b><\/b><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The difference is where<\/span> you put \u2018<\/span>If you can<\/span>\u2019, as shown below:<\/span><\/b><\/span>
\n
\n<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/div>\n

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\n<\/b><\/b><\/span><\/div>\n

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\n<\/b><\/b><\/span><\/div>\n

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If you can<\/span> <\/span>—–> catch me  <—- <\/span>if you can<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/span><\/div>\n

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\n
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\n<\/b><\/span><\/b>
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So what is <\/span>the difference<\/span>? The difference is about a rule<\/span> in English. What is it? If you think something is big<\/span> or important, you put it at the end<\/span> of a sentence. <\/span><\/span><\/b>
\n<\/span><\/b><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n
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<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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—————————————<\/span><\/div>\n
(Sentence 1) <\/span>Catch me<\/span> if you can<\/span>.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/a><\/div>\n
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\n<\/span>So, when you say, \u2018<\/span> Catch me<\/span> if you can<\/span>\u2019, the big thing is \u2018if you can.\u2019 <\/span>In other words, you are<\/span> <\/span>challenging<\/span> <\/span><\/span>someone. <\/span>You are actually saying: <\/span>You think <\/span>you can catch me? <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
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\n<\/div>\n
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—————————————<\/span><\/div>\n
(Sentence 2<\/b>) <\/span>If you can <\/span>catch me<\/span>.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/span><\/div>\n
But the second sentence is different.  <\/span>The focus is on \u2018catch me\u2019, <\/span>not on your ability<\/span>.  <\/span>Want more examples? <\/span>There are two <\/span>authentic<\/span> (real) ones (from <\/span>native speakers of English<\/span>). <\/span>‘If you\u2019d like, <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/span>we\u2019ll make an appointment<\/i><\/span> <\/span><\/b>(to fit the appliance)’<\/b>. <\/span>In this example, the big thing is \u2018make an appointment<\/span>\u2019 to increase your sales. The second example is: ‘<\/span>When you return payment of this bill, <\/span>just check the box <\/span>in the lower right-hand corner’<\/span><\/i>. <\/span>In this sentence, the big thing is \u2018check the box<\/span>\u2019.   <\/span><\/div>\n
<\/span><\/span>
\n
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—————————————<\/span><\/div>\n
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There is one more example from a <\/span><\/span>giant<\/span>: <\/span><\/span>It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent,<\/span> but the one most responsive to change. <\/span><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n

\n<\/span><\/div>\n

\n<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/a><\/div>\n

\n<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

\n<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
So which part is the big point<\/span> from the words of <\/span>Charles Darwin<\/span>? <\/span>To wrap up the<\/span> <\/span>F<\/span>ee<\/span>l G<\/span>oo<\/span>d<\/span> <\/span>tip is: s<\/span>afety comes first,<\/span> <\/span>but <\/span>b<\/span>ig<\/span><\/span><\/b> things come<\/span> last<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

<\/b><\/p>\n

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—————————————<\/span><\/b><\/b><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Pic Sources
\n\"Sad<\/a>
\n\"Catch<\/a>
\n\"I<\/a>
\n\"01<\/a>
\n\"Sudanese<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Does this happen to you?  You prepare well before a presentation. Yet, when the real thing comes, you can\u2019t speak a word. You wonder why it happens to you.  \u2018Why me?\u2019 Well, you don’t have to be sad. If you have a higher level of language proficiency, will it make much difference to your career? […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":742,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/mindpowerasia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/American-Kick.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mindpowerasia.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mindpowerasia.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mindpowerasia.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mindpowerasia.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mindpowerasia.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=86"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mindpowerasia.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":760,"href":"https:\/\/mindpowerasia.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86\/revisions\/760"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mindpowerasia.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/742"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mindpowerasia.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=86"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mindpowerasia.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=86"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mindpowerasia.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=86"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}