Englishfor English speakers
when
Preposition
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At which time (sometimes a question)
"When did you start learning English?" - "Three years ago."
"When does the film start?" - "At seven o'clock."
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At the time
She phoned me when I was in the bath.
It was the year 1996 when I met John.
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After
When I get up, I always drink a cup of coffee.
can
Verb
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If someone can do something, they are able to do it.
Most birds can fly.
Can you speak English?
I can't see it. It's too small.
"Can you come?" "Yes, I think I can."
This is a service that anyone can easily afford.
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If someone can do something, they are allowed to do it.
You can't smoke here.
Can I go now?
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You use can to ask somebody to do something (if you know the person well).
Can you open the door for me, please?
Can I have the salt, please?
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If something can happen, it is possible.
It's so small that it can't be seen.
There can't be any difference.
Can the plan work?
That can't be right.
Imagine how bad it can get.
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If someone tells you something can't happen, they think it's not a good idea.
You just can't keep smoking.
You can't think things are going to get better.
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If something can happen, it happens sometimes.
I can get really busy here on weekends.
Her classes can be really interesting or really boring.
can
Verb
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If someone cans something, they put in a can or jar to keep for a long time.
We canned the peas for the winter.
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If someone cans something, they stop working on it.
The idea was canned.
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If someone gets canned they have lost their job.
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If you tell someone to can it, you want them to stop talking.
Can it, would you? I'm trying to watch TV.
can
Noun
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A can is a metal container, usually for holding food or drink.
I drink cola from a can.
hoops come in a can.
I
Pronoun
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The person who is speaking or writing
I am writing this, and you are reading it.
I
Noun
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The ninth letter or the alphabet; previous H, next J. I is a vowel.
I
Symbol
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A symbol meaning first, as in "George I" (which is said as "George the first").
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The symbol for iodine on the periodic table of elements.
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The symbol for electrical current.
I
Number
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This is the roman numeral for one (1). It may be written as I or i.
i
Noun
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The ninth letter or the alphabet; previous H, next J. I is a vowel.
expect
Verb
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When you expect something you anticipate it.
I expect a letter in the mail from my friend today.
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When you learn that you conceived a baby, it is said that you are expecting.
My sister is married just one week, and she tells me she is expecting.
a
Determinative
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A is used when the following word could be any of a certain type.
Compare "A book I saw on the shelf" and "The book I gave you yesterday".
a
Noun
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A is the first letter of the alphabet.
The letter "a" comes before "b".
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In some schools, an A is a very high grade.
Ron got an A on his earth science test.
decision
Noun
—
a decision is a sudden thought, with purpose, before someone does something. After a person makes a decision, the person has knowledge about a thing the person will do.
After much thought, the person made a decision to go to the meeting.
A person sees two roads. The person needs to go on one road or the other. The person makes a decision and goes on one of the roads.
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A decision is the end of a process in a committee. After a committee makes a decision, a record in writing says the important thing.
After much discussion, the committee made an important decision about insurance.