Community Discussions
What does "ugly duckling" mean?
What does the ugly duckling mean like when they say this is the ugly duckling of the family or when someone says this is a real ugly duckling story
How is pronounced : Wagon or Vagon?
https://streamable.com/6wpiiq
What gives it away?
Hi, Hello, Welcome I come from a non native English speaking country and by those around me I've been told that I speak English well. My whole life I've believed that I had a non discernible English accent, however one go of the **Oracle Accent** and suddenly I'm questioning all of that. Id like to have a non discernible English accent. There isn't much of a deep reason behind that. I think it would be cool. So if you can, help me understand what gives it away, and how I can improve upon my accent so that it doesn't sound discernible. I listened to the audio, and oh boy there's a lot of lip smacking. Sorry about that. [https://voca.ro/1ojeaYFiuAm6](https://voca.ro/1ojeaYFiuAm6) here's a clip of me talking Thanks in advance! **Transcription:** \[Lip smack\] Hi, Hello, Welcome \[Audio strangely decreases\] I'm new around here. I tried accent oracle the other day. Its uh... thing where you *sss*ay a sentence and then an AI guesses where you're from. I was crushed... It guessed first try exactly where I was from **just** from my accent. And I thought I had a pretty good- \[relives pain\] -non discernible English accent. So it crushed me a bit... Uhhmm, I'm hoping that someone... uh (well) to see if... \[Nervous exhale\] anyone can explain to me what it is that's discernible about my accent and if anyone can even guess, where I'm from based of my accent. I hope to learn what **exactly** is giving it away. \[Lip smacks\] Now I'm gonna read some things here! \[Obligatory throat clear before reading\] *A wizard is never late. Nor is he early. He arrives* ***precisely*** *when he means to. - (Gandalf, Fellowship of the ring.)* *Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. - (Gandalf, Also Fellowship of the ring.)* *All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. - (Gandalf, also also Fellowship of the ring.)* \[Pause\] There you go, my mouths a bit dry I hope that doesn't... Impact anything. **End of transcription**
How to understand the phrase here
Is "the same fan" and "her" describing the same thing? Can I understand "that it was" into "that it was risible fraud"? I don't know the right way to ask. Can I recognise "…that it was" as"that it was risible fraud"?
"might vs may"- Tired of the theory; just wanna know native speakers' thoughts...when does it feel more natural/appropiate to use one or the other? Are there any situations where you can use either or them interchangeably? Any situation where only one fits?
When I was a beginner, I was told that they mean the same and it's all about the chance of something happening which determines which one you should use...I remember I was even given like % which I don't remember accurately but let's say that you have to use may if the something happening is less than 75%, and might if it's more than 75%, or vice versa...anyway, these numbers are made up. A few years after that, when I was no longer a beginner, I asked my private English teacher and he told me: "may vs might" is one of those things that you have to be native to master", meaning that it's stylistically rather than set in stone rules or probability or whatever. He said that one fits better than the other and you just have to learn it that way. Now, I understand English very well and I can have a conversation with a native speaker with no problems yet I don't know which one is better when I'm speaking, may or might; o I just pick one randomly.
Do these sound natural?
1”I don’t know what you are trash-talking/shit-talking!” 2”I don’t know what you are talking trash about!” 3” I don’t know what you are bullshitting!” Is “about” necessary at the end?
Please judge my accent and guess where i'm from . thank you
[https://voca.ro/1u4UVALBi2ua](https://voca.ro/1u4UVALBi2ua)
What does "Proship" mean?
I started interacting with artists from English-speaking countries recently and noticed many of them write "No Proship"or"DNI:Proshippers" in their bio. What is "Proship" and why do people hate that?
Can you guess where this accent is from?
https://voca.ro/16FY7BSEt92T Thanks in advance!!!
Hey everyone! Here are 10 idioms that will make your English sound more natural and impressive:
1. Break the ice – Start a conversation or make people feel comfortable. 2. Bite the bullet – Do something unpleasant that you’ve been avoiding. 3. Hit the nail on the head – To describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem. 4. Burn the midnight oil – Work late into the night. 5. Under the weather – Feeling sick. 6. The ball is in your court – It’s your turn to take action. 7. A piece of cake – Something very easy. 8. Once in a blue moon – Something that happens very rarely. 9. Let the cat out of the bag – Reveal a secret. 10. Cost an arm and a leg – Be very expensive. Which one’s your favorite? Share some idioms you love