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Originally Posted by bmo Dear teachers,
I am learning idioms, sayings and grammar all at the same time. ("My method") When you have some time, would you please take a look at what I did below. Any corrections or improvements will be appreciated. I would like to know if I defined them accurately and everything is grammatically correct. Or if you have a better (native speaker's) way of saying them.
Thanks. BMO
1. Birds of a feather flock together.
Meaning: People of the same type or of similar interest tend to associate with each other.
Example: There are special interest groups of mostly Japanese descendants in the South Bay – the Yu-Ai-Kai, Ikebana Club, Bonsai Club, Taiko drum teams, etc. Birds of a feather flock together; these groups are formed by people with common interests.
Question: Should both "Same type" and "Special interest" be plural? Also, is article "the" needed before yu-ai-kai? Should it be a semicolon or comma after "together?" Is it better to say people of the same background instead? Background or backgrounds? Anything else wrong? |
The word
same suggests one thing, as in
the same thing. The word
similar suggests more than one thing, as in
similar interests. Say
same background or
similar backgrounds.
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Originally Posted by bmo I am so confused with singular or plural, when to use or not to use. Do you have some tests I can practice on? |
Perhaps Tdol will have some tips on that. I haven't written my book on that yet.
:wink:
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Originally Posted by bmo 2. (Come) rain or shine.
Meaning: No matter what the weather is or no matter what happens, a scheduled event will occur.
Example: (Come) rain or shine, we are going to Taipei tomorrow, even if John can’t make it.
Question: Some idiom websites explain that "Rain or shine" is related to the weather, but it is more than that, isn't it? Anything else wrong? |
The expression is
come rain or come shine, and your explanation of its meaning is just right. It literally means a person is going ahead with his plans regardless of the weather, but it really means he is going ahead with his plans no matter what. I think your example illustrates that.
:)