To Study English Every Day
Feb 13th 2012 19:48
how-to-phrase
(A) Teacher: "Some students seem not to like English, but it is easy to be good at it. You have only to study it for an hour every day."
(B) Teacher: "Some students seem not to like English, but it is easy to be good at it. Just make a practice of studying it for an hour every day."
(C) Teacher: "Some students seem not to like English, but it is easy to be good at it. Just try to study it for an hour every day."
(D) Teacher: "Some students seem not to like English, but it is easy to be good at it. Just try studying it for an hour every day."
Do you think these are all correct?
I'd appreciate your opinions!
(B) Teacher: "Some students seem not to like English, but it is easy to be good at it. Just make a practice of studying it for an hour every day."
(C) Teacher: "Some students seem not to like English, but it is easy to be good at it. Just try to study it for an hour every day."
(D) Teacher: "Some students seem not to like English, but it is easy to be good at it. Just try studying it for an hour every day."
Do you think these are all correct?
I'd appreciate your opinions!
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You should study it only for an hour every day."
Just study it for an hour every day."
Just try studying it for an hour every day." (I don't think this is correct)
英語はシンプルがいいと思います。
You have only to study it for an hour every day." [This sentence is correct, but very formal and unnatural in everyday speech. More natural: "All you have to do is to study it for an hour every day." "All it takes is studying it for an hour every day." "It just takes an hour of practice every day."]
Just make a habit of studying it for an hour every day." [Alternatives: "Just get into the habit of studying it for an hour every day." "Just make it a habit to study English for an hour every day." This use of the word "practice" is less common than the word "habit" (also less common than the use of "practice" to mean 「練習」 or 「練習する」).]
Just try studying it for an hour every day." [I think this is slightly more natural than (C), and that both are correct.]
In US English, "You have only to..." sounds old-fashioned and formal.
>In US English, "You have only to..." sounds old-fashioned and formal.
Wow, really!?
I didn't know that at all.
Then, how about the phrase "All you have to do is to ..."?
What sounds old-fashioned in the phrase "you have only to [do]" is placing the adverb in the middle of the verb phrase "have to do". There is nothing odd about "You only/just have to do three more problems, and then you will be finished." However, "You have only to do three more problems, and you will then be finished" is less natural in spoken English. There are people who speak that way, but it is a very distinctive style of speech, one which is associated with schoolteachers and individuals with a lot of book learning. It is probably more common in UK English.
Thanks a million for detailed and clear explanations as always :-)
You have but to study it for an hour a day, and progress is virtually ensured.
This one is strange because it doesn't even make sense if you put the "but" anywhere else in the sentence. It means the same thing as "You have only to study it..."
By the way, "You have only to study it for an hour a day" means "It is only necessary for you to study it for an hour a day" (emphasis on doing it every day at all); "You only have to study it for an hour a day" means "It is necessary for you to study it only an hour a day" (emphasis on a longer time period not being necessary).
I know these things without knowing how I know them, by the way.^^
Oh I didn't realize that difference in nuance!
>I know these things without knowing how I know them, by the way.^^
I wouldn't expect anything less from you. =D
>"Students seem not to like English" is more often expressed as "Students don't seem to like English."
Actually, I’ve been long concerned about which is more ordinarily used.
Thank you so much for pointing it out!