Language Tip: Prepositions – Small Words, Big Confusion

Prepositions like in, on, at, to, for may seem simple, but using the wrong one can change meaning or sound unnatural.

Examples:

1. She is in the room. (inside)
2. The book is on the table. (surface)
3. The meeting is at 10 AM. (time)
4. He is good at English. (not in)
5. She is interested in music.
6. This gift is for you.

Why it matters:
Prepositions don’t always follow strict rules—they depend on usage. Learning them through examples improves accuracy and fluency.

👉 Don’t translate—observe how English uses prepositions naturally!

AUTHOR

Dr L Suresh

Assistant Professor of English

Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya College of Arts and Science

Coimbatore - 641020

Contact: 9944138137

e-mail ID: sureshenglit@rmv.ac.in

Language Tip: Avoid Overusing “Very” – Choose Strong Words

Instead of using “very” again and again, use stronger, more precise words to make your English more expressive.

Examples:

1. very big → huge
2. very small → tiny
3. very happy → thrilled
4. very tired → exhausted
5. very good → excellent
6. very bad → terrible

Why it matters:
Using precise vocabulary makes your speech and writing more powerful and engaging. It shows confidence and a richer command of English.

👉 Don’t say “very good”—say something better!

AUTHOR

Dr L Suresh

Assistant Professor of English

Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya College of Arts and Science

Coimbatore - 641020

Contact: 9944138137

e-mail ID: sureshenglit@rmv.ac.in

Language Tip: Avoid Double Negatives

 A double negative happens when two negative words are used in the same sentence, which can confuse meaning or make it incorrect in standard English.

Examples:
❌ I don’t know nothing about it.
✅ I don’t know anything about it.

❌ She didn’t go nowhere.
✅ She didn’t go anywhere.

❌ He hasn’t done nothing yet.
✅ He hasn’t done anything yet.

Why it matters:
In standard English, double negatives cancel each other or create confusion. Using a single clear negative makes your communication accurate and professional.

👉 One negative is enough—keep it clear and correct!

AUTHOR

Dr L Suresh

Assistant Professor of English

Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya College of Arts and Science

Coimbatore - 641020

Contact: 9944138137

e-mail ID: sureshenglit@rmv.ac.in

Language Tip: Contractions – Sound Natural, Not Mechanical

 In spoken English, native speakers often use contractions (short forms). Without them, your speech may sound too formal or robotic.

Examples:

1. I am going to class. → I’m going to class.
2. She is not ready. → She isn’t ready.
3. They will arrive soon. → They’ll arrive soon.
4. Do not worry. → Don’t worry.
5. He has finished his work. → He’s finished his work.

Why it matters:
Using contractions makes your English sound smooth, natural, and fluent—especially in conversations. However, in formal writing, avoid overusing them.

👉 Speak smart: not just correct English, but natural English.

AUTHOR

Dr L Suresh

Assistant Professor of English

Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya College of Arts and Science

Coimbatore - 641020

Contact: 9944138137

e-mail ID: sureshenglit@rmv.ac.in

Language Tip: Intonation – Your Voice Carries Meaning

Intonation is the rise and fall of your voice while speaking. Even if your grammar is correct, wrong intonation can change your meaning or make you sound rude, bored, or confused.
Examples:

1. You’re coming today. (falling tone = statement)

1. You’re coming today? (rising tone = question/surprise)

1. Really. (flat tone = no interest)

1. Reaally? (rising tone = curiosity or surprise)

Why it matters:
Intonation shows emotions, attitudes, and intentions. It makes your speech lively and helps listeners understand how you feel—not just what you say.
👉 Same words, different tone = completely different message.

AUTHOR

Dr L Suresh

Assistant Professor of English

Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya College of Arts and Science

Coimbatore - 641020

Contact: 9944138137

e-mail ID: sureshenglit@rmv.ac.in

English Language- Spelling and Pronunciation

 

 

English Language- Spelling and Pronunciation

It is widely known that English is an international language, which is primarily used in science, medicine, law, commerce, education and so on. Therefore, English proficiency is mandatory for students and professionals to progress in their career.

One of the biggest challenges for non-native speakers of English is mastering irregular spelling patterns and pronunciations in English. There is no correspondence between spelling and pronunciation in the English language. In other words, English pronunciation is different from its spelling. For instance, the word “knowledge” contains nine letters but it contains only five sounds, namely, “n”, “o”, “l”, “e”, “g”. The letters “k”, “w”, “d”, “e” are not pronounced.

Whereas, Tamil is grammatical and phonetic language, because there is no such a confusion in Tamil, in terms of spelling and pronunciation. For instance, the word arivu (knowledge) contains three letters with three different sounds: “a”, “ri”, “vu” are pronounced separately. Moreover, in English one letter is pronounced differently according to the contexts, unlike Tamil. A few varieties of letters and their pronunciation are listed as follows:

            Apple  - as in ‘cap’

            Ate      - as in ‘pay’

            Cat      - as in ‘carrot’

            Bat      - as in ‘buy’

            Bomb  - as in ‘comb’

            Bus      - as in ‘us’

            Bush    - as in ‘push’

            Busy    - as in ‘taxi’

            Car      - as in ‘college’

            Chat    - as in ‘chair’

            Cement- as in ‘sit’

            Girls    - as in ‘go’

            Ginger - as in ‘jeep’

            Happy - as in ‘hat’    

            Honour- as in ‘on’

            Rough - as in ‘cough’

            List      - as in ‘lid’

            Light   - as in ‘flight’

            Bird     - as in ‘birth’

            Onion  - as in ‘under’

            Office  -as in ‘go’      

 It is these complex spelling and sound systems become a massive obstacle for every non-native speaker of English in learning English at initial stage. Hence, it is imperative for the non-native speakers to learn and conceive the differences in the spelling and pronunciations of words in English to be proficient in the English language.    

 

Author:

K. Nandhakumar

Assistant Professor of English

Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya College of Arts and Science (Autonomous)

Coimbatore- 641 020