Englishfor English speakers
be
Verb
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This verb tells us that a thing is present, or in a place.
The book is on the table.
There was someone in the room.
Were you at the party?
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Happen
The party was on Saturday.
The next meeting will be here.
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Go somewhere; visit someone (only in the present perfect tense)
I've never been to Disneyland.
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A verb we use when describing.
The book is blue.
They were sad about losing the match.
John is 35 years old this year.
Im fine.
He'd like to be a doctor.
The film was terrible!
The book is 5 euro.
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Act like someone or something
Look, Mummy! I'm being a dog! Woof, woof!
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We use a form of be and a gerund-participle to make progressive verb forms.
He is sitting on the chair.
I've been waiting for half an hour.
They will be leaving on Tuesday.
as
Preposition
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A word that is used to compare two things that are equal.
As you know, we need more workers.
I baked the cake as my mother used to.
The room looks just as it did when I was a child.
The speech, as he remembered it, was very powerful.
Interesting as it seems, I don't think I'll get it.
He was as big as a mountain.
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A word that is used to show that two things happened at the same time.
Just as I went out, it started to rain.
We sleep as the world turns in darkness.
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A word that is used to show why something happens.
As I couldn't understand French, I didn't watch the film.
as
Adverb
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A word that is used to compare two things that are equal. (Used before adjectives)
You are younger than I am, but nearly as tall.
This is not as good as it was last time.
thick
Adjective
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If something is thick, there is some distance from one side to the other.
He was a workman with big hands and thick fingers.
The tree was too thick to put his arms around.
The ice on the lake is about 40 cm thick in the winter.
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If something is thick it has a lot of stuff in it.
I am warm because I have a thick coat.
The dog has beautiful, thick hair.
The oil moved slowly because it was so thick.
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If a liquid is thick, it can't flow very quickly.
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.
board
Noun
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A board is a group of people who govern something.
The school board has chosen new textbooks for all the schools.
Bret Stephens is a member of the editorial board of the Wall Street Journal.
School boards are supposed to make sure students get the best education possible.
Copies also should be sent to the chairman of the licensing board.
I have a meeting coming up with the Community Advisory Board.
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A board is a long piece of wood.
The outside of the house was made of wooden boards.
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A board is a flat surface.
The knives should be used on a wooden cutting board only.
He pinned his poster in the center of the bulletin board.
There were two diving boards at the deep end of the pool.
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If something is true across the board, it is true in all cases.
He was number one across the board. Nobody was better.
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If something is on the drawing board, it is being planned.
The designs for the car is still on the drawing board.
I think those students need to go back to the drawing board.
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A message board is a place for people to share ideas publicly, often over the internet.
These days churches are using e-mail, message boards, and blogs to communicate.
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A circuit board is flat, usually green, piece of electronic equipment.
He opened the computer so we could get a look at the circuit board.
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A sounding board is a person or group of people who will listen to your ideas and tell you if they're good or not.
I often discuss company matters with him, and use him as a sounding board.
board
Verb
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If you board a boat, plane, train, or other vehicle, you get onto it.
Sarah boarded the plane.
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If a boat, plane, train, or other vehicle is boarding, passengers are allowed to get on it.
Flight AC002 is now boarding at gate two.
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If you board in a school or in someone's house, you pay to live there.
In Paris, I boarded with a nice family in Le Alle.
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If you board a building or a business up, you close it for a long time.
Number 1 Strand Street was finally cleaned out, boarded up, and offered for sale by the city.