Learn English Vocabulary: kind of, sort of, type of, style of...

Hi. James from engVid.

This is my style of magazine; it gives me a lot of information, and the type of information

I get from it is sort of cool.

Now, I've used three terms or phrases: "sort of", "kind of", "style of" that you may not

be familiar with; or if you are familiar, you don't truly understand.

My job today is to tell you the difference between the individual words: "kind", "sort",

"style", and "type"; what it means when you put "of"; what the slang meaning "of"; and

how you can use it.

I have a complicated drawing on the board, but I'll help you understand it in a second.

And by the time we're done, you'll be able to use these phrases like a native speaker.

Okay, so let's go to the board.

First thing, E: "What are these types of words?"

The first thing E will tell you is, well, first of all, they're different types of words

so we can't say they're adjectives, they're this, this, and this.

Each word has its own meaning, and sometimes they have two.

I'm going to go to the board now and start working on that with you.

All right?

So let's get on this side.

So, let's look at the first one: "kind".

"Kind" is a word you've probably heard before.

"She is a kind woman.", "He has a kind face."

And we mean nice and friendly.

Now, you might not be aware that it also is a noun, as in category.

If you look over here: What is "category"?

It is people or things that have something in common; they share together.

Okay?

Like music.

Music can be jazz, blues, classical, rock - they're in the category of music, not movies,

because they're all types of, you know, instruments and people singing.

So when you say: "What type of or kind of music do you like?"

We're saying: "What category?

Is it jazz?

Is it rock?" because they all share music together, but there's something specific with

each genre or grouping, so we say: "kind of", and that tells us what category.

And the next one we're going to talk about is "style".

Now, some of you like my style, right?

When we say "style", we say way of doing something, that's his style.

So, some people like Michael Jordan, when he used to throw a ball he'd have his tongue

out - that was his style.

Not many NBA athletes do that, but he would, so you knew when Michael went: "Ah", he was

about to jump and throw it.

Appearance, like my appearance.

I love superheroes so I'm always wearing...

Not always, but a lot of time wearing superhero clothing or costumes.

And those of you who know me know I love Batman.

So, when you talk about someone's style, you talk about their general appearance; what

they wear regularly.

Okay?

Or their way of doing something, like I said, Michael Jordan.

We also use it for elegance, which means sophisticated, not common, above average.

Usually people say elegant people have money, but it's not the case.

It just means they have a certain way about them that makes them special, and people like

it and respect it; to be elegant.

But "style" also means...

It's also a verb, as in to design.

So when you design or make something in a specific way, it's that style.

So if it's in the classical style, it's made like the classics.

If it's in the modern style, it's made like modern things, like all white furniture.

Okay?

Once we add "of", and you notice I added "of" to "kind of" to talk about category, once

again, we get a noun.

Right?

So we go: "kind of", we become a noun...

We can use it as a noun as well.

Right?

"Kind of" from grouping.

Same thing, people or if things are together.

So if you say: "What style of music do you like?" it's similar to saying: "What kind

of music do you like?"

Okay?

The "of" brings these things together to give them something common or puts them in a given

category, you might say.

Why am I teaching you this?

To go back again, because a lot of times we say this when we want to talk about what groupings

go together and preferences.

There's a little bit more to it, which I'll get back to afterwards, but as long as you

understand that "kind" with "of" and "style" with "of" are similar that they talk about

category.

What's the next one I'm going to go to?

Well, let's go to "type".

Typing: "Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch", now, you do that on the computer.

It's an old...

It's almost an old-fashion word, people don't say: "I'm typing at the computer."

We used to have "typewriters", so "write" and "type" would go together because instead

of using your hand, you would press the buttons and it would...

They would go up on ink, so you would typewrite inside of handwrite, and we literally said:

"Did you typewrite the letter or did you handwrite it?"

Now you type, but you just say: "I'm going to put in the computer", or: "I'm going to..."

and you forget to use the word "type it", because it's not necessary.

But typing as an action or a verb, but once again...

I said "once again" for, like, the fifth time; however, when you put "type" with "of", you

get category again, so you can say...

Remember I talked about music?

"What style of music?

What kind of music?"

You can say: "What type of music?" and they all have the same meaning, which is: Tell

me the category.

Notice I didn't put "category" here, because "style" when it's used doesn't really have

that category feeling; it needs "of" to make it a category.

But you'll notice the other three things I will talk about will use the noun form category.

Okay?

You have category in them as a noun form, and "of" just makes it stronger.

The last one I want to talk about is "sort".

"Sort" means to fix a problem.

If you have a problem with your bills and I go: "I'll have to sort out these bills later",

it means: "I need to fix this problem."

Okay?

So, my friend, Mr. E, was drunk and I had to sort him out.

Well, he had a problem with drinking so I had to fix that problem.

Another meaning for "sort" is to organize.

So, if you organize the pens...

Let's say I have some markers.

Now I need to sort them out; they're all messed up.

I will sort them out and put the black markers with the black markers, the blue markers with

the blue markers - you get the idea.

That means to organize and put into groups.

But the noun form of this is-dunh-de-de-dunh-category.

And, once again, we add: "of".

That's why I put these all up in green, because when you see it like this, you'll notice that

even though "style" doesn't have a category in its noun, adding "of" makes it a category.

And a lot of times Canadians will talk about that.

"What sort of food?

What sort of...?" because they're trying to say: "Give me an idea of the grouping that

you prefer or like, or don't like."

Okay?

Now, here's where the twist comes.

Sometimes...

See?

I put "category" for this, this is like number one.

Add "of", it means: What category, what grouping are things together?

But sometimes when people say: "sort of" and "kind of" they're being inexact.

-"Did you enjoy the party that you went to?"

-"Sort of.

Kind of."

In this case it means slightly, not that much.

Notice that I didn't use "type" and I didn't use...

I didn't use "type" and "style".

I went backwards for a second.

Because in this one, like typing on a keyboard has nothing really to do with just basic category,

right?

Or being nice and friendly, or organizing.

And "style", as I said, has no category in its categories.

So we usually just use these two.

And it's not "soft of", by the way, it's: "sort of".

I put "soft".

In case you're wondering: "What is 'soft'?"

I don't know, it doesn't exist.

It's "sort of", okay?

We use "sort of" and "kind of" to talk about almost exact opposites.

You can say: "Mr. E was sort of angry...

Was kind of angry that we spent all our money on comic books."

Told you I love comics.

In this case it doesn't mean slightly; it means he was rather, or fairly, or very angry.

Okay?

Now, you can use either one of them and you can use it in its exact opposite.

"The food was slightly...

Was sort of hot, sort of spicy."

It means slightly spicy.

Or you could say: "Oh, that food was kind of spicy."

It means rather or really.

Funny enough, it has the exact same meaning, it depends on the context, so you have to

be careful and look at the person as they're speaking to get the context.

But in these cases when it's an inexact use of language, you will only be using: "sort

of" and "kind of".

We don't say: "type of" and we don't say: "style of", because that literally talks about

groups, organizing in groups and it's limited to that; while "sort of" and "kind of" can

be used to talk about inexact language.

Cool?

All right.

I've got one more to do for you where I'm going to teach you something that's more slang,

so instead of saying: "sort of", people say: "sorta", "kinda".

I'll tell you what that means, and then of course, we'll do our quiz.

Hope you like the lesson because we're going to be back in a second.

[Snaps]

Okay, we're back.

So, I just wanted to, before I go on, I want to show you something that's a bit of slang

using "sort of" and "kind of".

I think I might have showed you that when we talked about "sort of" or "kind of" it

can be vague or inexact language, like: fairly, vaguely, slightly.

Now, there's one more, there's a contraction where we take the "of" and we make it an "a"

sound, so it becomes: "sorta", "kinda", and when we say that...

So, here, the shortened form of "sort of" and "kind of" is: "kinda" and "sorta", and

sometimes it means: No.

It's not slightly or vaguely, or you know, or fairly; it actually means: No.

I'll give you an example.

The mother comes to her son and goes: "Hey, son, did you clean the house?" and the son

goes: "Sorta."

It means: No, he didn't do it.

He might have done something, but not really, no.

All right?

-"Do you have my money for me?"

-"Kinda."

You don't have my money.

Okay?

I don't care what you say, that "kinda" meant you don't have it, and I'll go: "What do you

mean, kinda?

It's either yes or no."

And they'll probably go: "Well, no, but..." and then that's when that big "but" comes

in.

All right?

So, that's to give you just another...

A further understanding of these types of phrases, and the phrases, you know: "kind

of", "type of", "sort of", "style of", and how we can also take that, shorten it for

slang to mean: "No", or we could give a little bit of information about something, or say

things belong in a given category or a sort of...

I said it.

They belong in a category.

So, I want to use these expressions.

Oh, no!

This doesn't work so well when I actually don't write the words up there, so why don't

you help me?

I've got the expression or the words up here.

I'm going to put some words.

I'm going to put: A, B, C, D, E. Okay?

I'm going to randomly put them up there, and see if you can figure out where they go.

So, as I write, I want you to try and figure out: Which one would go in what place?

And I'm going to come back and then quiz you on it.

Okay?

I think you've got it.

Okay, so you've had time to think about it, and now let's see just how good you are at

it.

So, what do you think it goes to number one?

"Did you __________ it on the computer?

Did you __________ on the computer?"

Remember I told you this is kind of old-fashion?

Because, for instance, nowadays we say something like: "I'll send you a text", or: "I wrote

an email", but you don't actually write it; you type it in the computer.

So it's a bit difficult because we don't use it, but you kind of have to know this word

anyway, but: "type".

You type it on the computer.

Okay?

T-y-p, type it on the computer.

Sorry.

The computer.

Next: "What __________ do you prefer when it comes

to clothing?"

What, something?

That's right: "What style".

Remember we talked about appearance?

And clothing is appearance, so you're talking about the style of the clothing.

You're doing pretty well.

Let's do number three: "She is a very __________ woman."

That's right: "kind".

We said: "kind" or "nice", all right?

"Kind" means nice, she's a very nice woman; kind woman.

Now number four: "Can you __________ out these things into

proper groups?"

Groups, categories, I put "sort".

Remember we said organize into groups?

So we talk about "sort" was the verb for organizing into groups.

Now, I have one more for you.

It's a two-parter, so it might be tough, but I kind of helped you with it before, so I'm

just going to stand over here so you don't know the answer, but I'm sure you could figure

it out.

"Did you do all of your homework?"

It was a lot of homework.

And little Billy says: "__________, I didn't understand all of it."

Well, if you said: "Kinda", you got it right.

"Kinda" which means: No.

"I didn't understand all of it, so I couldn't do all the homework."

Just because as soon as he said: "I didn't understand it", so you know he couldn't have

done all the homework.

Right?

So: "Kinda" means: No.

It's another word, as we talked about here, slang for no.

Listen, I hope you understood the language.

You know, I sort of like you because you guys are really cool.

And, well, I kinda don't have anymore...

Well, if you would say if I had more time, any more time, I'd go: "Kinda", which means:

No, I don't.

It's time for me to go.

So, with...

Mr. E and I are going to say good bye, but before I do, I need you to subscribe somewhere

around here, and then I want you to go to: www.eng as in English, vid as in video.com

(www.engvid.com) and go do the quiz that follows this, and go check out the other wonderful

teachers we have.

Anyway, always good and a pleasure to be with you.

And being the kind of person I am, I gots to go.

See you.