Q&A with Tom | Your English Questions Answered

Eat Sleep Dreamers, I asked you to ask me any questions you wanted about English and

you did.

So I'm here to answer them for you.

So if you are ready, let's do this.

Welcome to Q&A with Tom.

Now I asked you guys on Facebook and on Instagram to ask me any questions you had about English

and I got so many responses.

So today we're looking at, well I'm going to look at some of the questions and hopefully

give you an answer so you can understand English better.

So, alright, if you are ready let's have a look at question number one.

We are starting with a grammar question on Instagram.

This comes from kirilova_irina_inst and she asks how often in a real conversation do you

use the present perfect continuous and the past perfect continuous?

Great question, so let's do a real quick review of the present perfect continuous and the

past perfect continuous.

The present perfect continuous, the form is have or has plus been plus the verb in the

ing form.

And we use it to talk about actions that started in the past and continue or are unfinished

now.

For example 'I've been working here for ten years.'

So that started in the past and it's still true now, it's still continuing now.

Let's look at two examples to contrast the present perfect continuous and the present

perfect.

'I've watched the new series of Game of Thrones'.

Now in that sentence that suggests that I've completed it that I finished the new series.

Whereas contrasting that with the present perfect continuous 'I've been watching the

new series of Game of Thrones.'

There it suggests that I haven't finished, that maybe there are a few episodes I need

to watch.

So we are focusing on the action there.

So that's maybe one time that we're going to use the present perfect continuous is to

focus on the action rather than the result.

We can also use it for temporary situations.

So for example 'I usually live on my own but I've been staying with my sister for the last

two weeks.'

So it's a temporary situation, I'll go back to living on my own but just for a short time

I've been living with my sister.

So temporary situations also really good with the present perfect continuous.

Another functional way to use the present perfect continuous is to talk about reasons

for present results.

So for example, I have my chocolate here but most of it has gone and I could say 'Who's

been eating my chocolate?'

Ok, and I can see that there is still some chocolate there, this is present situation

but in the past someone has eaten my chocolate.

Now I could say 'Who ate my chocolate?'

that's fine but I could also say 'Who's been eating my chocolate?'

both are absolutely fine.

Also you might say another example 'I'm really tired' and the reason 'because I've been walking

around London all day' so 'I'm really tired right now and the reason, because I've been

walking around London all day.'

So again you've got a present situation, a present result and the reason, we are using

the present perfect continuous, because I've been walking around London all day.

So that's another really nice functional way to use the present perfect continuous.

The past perfect continuous, the form is had plus been plus the verb in the ing form.

And again we are talking about actions that happened in the past and continue to a point

in the past.

So this is all past actions, they are all completed actions.

And this is really important, you'll probably use the past perfect continuous in a narrative,

in a story.

For example I might tell you about trying to meet a friend and I could say 'I'd been

waiting for my friend for hours and then finally she called and said that she had an accident.'

So the focus there is on the length of time that I was waiting.

Often we use it with another past tense so I'd been waiting for my friend for hours and

then she finally called.

Could be the past, using the past simple tense.

The past perfect continuous tense is a really useful tense in narratives and that's when

you are most likely to use it.

Now I think both theses tenses need more time to learn and to look at together so perhaps

if you guys would like me to do a separate video looking at the present perfect continuous

and the past perfect continuous then let me know in the comments below.

I hope that was useful for you Irina, that certainly with the present perfect continuous

we use it very functionally a lot and with the pst perfect continuous again in stories

in narratives yeah we use it.So, I hope that helps, let me know in the comments below.

From Facebook Nguyen Dinh Bac asks 'What's the difference between each and every?'

Fantastic question.

Ok, now they are both very similar in meaning however each refers to an individual thing

or object or person whereas every can refer to a group of things or people.

For example 'Each English learner is different.'

'Every English learner is different' So there both are grammatically correct.

The difference just being how we view the subject there.

So each English learner, I'm thinking about individual one whereas every English learner

I'm grouping them together as a group of English learners.

So both perfectly grammatically correct it's just how we look at the situation.

How we perceive it to be.

Now both each and every we use with singular nouns, ok that's a really important rule.

Now the difference between the two comes when we are talking about two objects.

Now if we have two objects then we are going to use each for example 'I've got a bag in

each hand.'

Now I've only got two hands in the world, only two of them so I would use each because

it's two.

So I've got a bag in each hand.

I couldn't say I've got a bag in every hand, that would be a bit strange.

Maybe I would have five hands, ten hands who knows.

If we have three or more objects then we can use every or each so for example 'Every country

I've been to I've loved' or 'Each country I've been to I've loved' both are grammatically

fine because we are looking at three or more objects.

Nguyen I hope that helps, I hope that makes sense, thank you for your question.

I got two questions from you guys about British versus American English.

Happy_ukhti said 'what's the difference between British and American English?'

Great question, now there are many differences between the two now just first of all I've

done three videos about British and American English to help you guys understand which

words to use which grammar to use which pronunciation to use.

I've linked them just above.

Now the main things are vocabulary, there's a lot of difference between British vocabulary

and American vocabulary.

Now recently I showed you guys how to do the pronunciation of certain television shows

and we talked about the vocabulary of series or season.

Now series is British English meaning a collection of episodes and season is an American English

word to say a collection of episodes and now people here certainly in London and Britain,

we're saying season or some people are anyway.

So there is a kind of American English comes into British English and some of the words

we use, some of the words we don't but that's one example of British English using some

American English vocabulary.

So vocabulary is one big thing, pronunciation is obviously a huge one.

There are many differences I can't even begin to start with them now but the 'r' sound car

in American English is a much stronger sound than in British English.

Again if you guys would like a separate video about British English and American English

pronunciation differences then tell me in the comments below, I would love to make one

for you.

Grammar as well, there's obviously a lot of difference, not a lot of difference but there

are differences in British English grammar and American English grammar.

I've talked about that before so if you check out my videos I made three of them.

Watch them, see if you can learn new things from that and then also let me know in the

comments below if you'd like me to make another video about British and American English.

AtyB on Instagram asked me 'When will you come to HK again?'

so Hong Kong 'or may I meet you in the near future?'

So great question Aty.

Yeah, for those of you who don't know I used to live in Hong Kong for about three and a

half years.

I lived in Argentina as well and in Spain.

I would love to go back to Hong Kong, if not for a short trip who knows but yes.

There are certainly plans at some point in the near future to make it to Hong Kong so

of course I will tell you guys if I do come to Hong Kong or to Asia or anywhere for that

matter.

And yes, if you come to London please let me know.

I do try to meet up with Eat Sleep Dreamers, I love it.

I feel a great connection with you guys especially when I meet you.

I met Natalie, when Natalie came to London we went for a coffee.

I put the picture up on my Facebook page so yeah please let me know if you are coming

to London let me know.

And if I have time I would love to meet you for a coffee or a drink or a chat or whatever

it might be.

So let me know.

I'm also planning a meet up at some point really soon to get some Eat Sleep Dreamers

together just to hang out to meet each other share stories things like that.

So listen in keep your ears, get your ears ready, keep your eyes peeled, that's the phrase

we use, keep your eye peeled.

Look out!

You know and I'll let you guys know as soon as I decide when the meet up will be, I'll

tell you.

Nina Nona on Facebook asks 'What is an Oxford comma?'

Now usually i don't look at writing so much on Eat Sleep Dream English but we'll have

a look at it today.

So the Oxford comma is the last comma in a list of three or more things and it goes just

before and or or.

Now it's optional, you don't have to use it, some style guides or writing guides would

prefer you to use it but it's an optional thing.

So let's look t an example.

Ok, so 'I bought a suit, a tie and some new shoes'.

Now there you can use it with the Oxford comma, so the comma just going before and or you

can use it without.

Both are absolutely fine, it's your choice.

It's up to you.

If you are writing for an exam or maybe for a newspaper or publication then you should

find out whether to use it or not but if you are just writing for yourself then you can

choose.

The only I would say is be consistent, either use it all the time or don't use it at all,

it's up to you.

On Instagram anita.sk asks 'Have lunch' or 'have a lunch' - which one is correct?

Great question.

So most of the time, almost all the time have lunch is great, ok?

We use it just to talk very generally so 'What time do you have lunch?'

or 'I have lunch at one o'clock.'

So that's probably the one you'll use most of the time.

When you have a formal plan for lunch maybe it's a business lunch or a lunch to celebrate

a friend's birthday, something like that, then you might say a lunch.

So 'i have a lunch tomorrow' means that i have a formal plan tomorrow for lunch.

Or if you are going through your diary with a friend and you are saying 'sorry i can't

meet on Friday, I have a lunch planned.'

So for formal situations with a formal planned lunch that's when you might say have a lunch

but generally speaking have lunch works really well most of the time.

On Facebook Phan Hoang asks 'Hi Tom, I am from Asia, on the holidays and special lunar

new year, we usually visit relatives and neighbours.

Do you do that?

Do you know your neighbours?

What do you do on holiday?

Great question yeah, during the holiday period like Christmas Easter things like that yeah

absolutely I spend it with my family.

We visit each other and that's a really important time.

It's a great opportunity to meet up with your friends, well your family and spend some really

good quality time with them.

Do I know my neighbours?

Yeah I know my neighbours.

I've travelled around quite a lot so I haven't always been in one place for a long time so

maybe I don't know my neighbours as well as someone who has lived in the same place for

years and years and years but yeah I know my neighbours and lots of my friends live

very close to me so that's fantastic.

What do i do on holiday?

I mean, any number of things.

usually i try and find some sunshine that;s because I live in England and we don't always

have sunshine so that's always a nice thing.

I love eating, when I go on holiday I love to eat the local food, trying new things.

Recently i went to Spain and I ate the local food there.

It was incredible, I love it.

When I lived in Hong Kong I visited lots of different countries in Asia like Vietnam,

Thailand and Indonesia again trying the local food so I think food is a really important

part of holidays and travelling for me.

Guys if you have any more questions for me please let me know in the comments below and

I'll make another Q&A with Tom video later.

And you can ask your questions and I'll answer them for you.

I'm here to help you, I'm here to help you learn English as best I can.

So yeh just let me know in the comments below.

If you have any questions about grammar, vocabulary pronunciation whatever it is.

If there any videos i can make you also please let me know and I'll try and make them.

I've got a couple of very exciting announcements coming soon.

I can't quite tell you yet but look out in the next couple of days, weeks some really

exciting things happening at Eat Sleep Dream English and I want you guys to be a part of

that.

Thank you so much for hanging out with me today guys, this is Tom the English Hipster

and you know what time it is.

It's time to take your English to the next level.