maturita 1 - lifestyles and hobbies

[Casiopea]

14) lose weight

15) I am going to explain the difference between hobbies and leisure activities.

[Lenka]

As to question number 13:

I wrote: 13)
…and if they should have also sew or knit, they would soon go to a madhouse, although they might consider it as a hobby.

I think I should have written: ….should have sewed or knit…, haven’t I?


you answered:13) have sewn is correct. It's the present perfect: HAVE + past participle.

!!! My question: I read and learned that past participle of "to sew" is both "sewn" and "sewed". I have been looking for it in my dictionaries and they just say the same.
Does it mean that we can say also "should have sewed" ?

[Casiopea]

The verbs "sew" and "knit" are irregular verbs, and they have the following past participle forms (pick the ones you like):

sew: sewn, sewed (either "have sewn" or "have sewed")
knit: knit, knitted (either "have knit" or "have knitted")

Check out this comprehensive list of irregular verbs for North American English: http://www.pbs.org/speak/speech/verbmachine/irregular/

I think I should have written: ….should have sewed or knit…, haven’t I?

It works, yes. By the way, the tag for that sentence is "shouldn't I?", like this,

EX: I should have written that, shouldn't (have) I? (formal)
EX: I should have written that, shouldn't've I? (informal)
EX: I should have written that, right? (easier to remember)

[Lenka]

Thank you, Casiopea.... these sites (www.usingenglish.com) really help me.

I know it may sound stupid, but I was reading the essay again (as I have to speak about it in front of the class tomorrow) and I found another (possible) mistake.
I wrote: So, to start with an explanation OF what actually hobbies mean for us, I suppose everyone all round the world fills his or her spare time with his or her hobbies.
(I wrote the "OF" at the moment.) Is it correct with/without "OF"?

Thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks!

[Lenka]

May we use verb DEVOTE TO also in the meaning of giving something to somebody?
E.g. I devoted a nice gift the her.
She was devoted a nice gift from me.

[Jenny 7]

I don't know that I'd ever say 'It's a nicely flowered garden', though there is nothing wrong with the stucture of the sentence.
More likely to say 'It's a nice, flowery garden', but even that sounds strained to an English ear.
Try 'It's a garden with lovely flowers'.

[Lenka]

Thanks :)
But what about my "post" number 15? (which is connected with "to devote to")
Is it correct?

[Jenny 7]

I devoted a nice gift to her.
She was devoted a nice gift from me.

Yes, you can say both.

[am-ta]

hi there I think it would be grammatical to write that’s a piece of the bright side of life. instead of the following sentence. I wonder if I am right.

We can whenever change our lives – that’s is a piece of the bright side of life.

[am-ta]

Hi, I think the following sentence is also incorrect:

I think we can difference two sorts of people.
I think we can make a difference between two sorts of people.