Getting Information

A.

Asking for Information:

There are a number of formulas used when asking for information in English. Here are some of the most common:

• Could you tell me…?
• Do you know….?
• Do you happen to know…?
• I’d like to know…?
• Could you find out….?
• I’m interested in….
• I’m looking for….
• These two forms are used for asking for information on the telephone:
• I’m calling to find out…
• I’m calling about….

B.

Construction

Could you tell me when the next bus leaves?

Do you know how much that pen costs?

Do you happen to know where John lives?

I’d like to know what you think about the new project.

Could you find out when he is going to arrive?

I’m interested in buying a house.

I’m looking for information on holidays in Kerala.

I’m calling to find out… if flight AD123 will leave on time today.

I’m calling about… the offer, you announced in TV.

C.

Conversation Practice I

A.        What’s the matter?

B.        I need some information.

A.        Go to that desk over there.

B.        Thank you very much.

A.        Can you help me, please?

C.        I’ll try to.

A.        What’s the best way to get to this address?

C.        I’m sorry, I really don’t know.

A.        How can I get to that address?

D.        You can go by train.

A.        Isn’t there any other way?

D.        Yes, by bus, but it’s complicated.

A.        How do I get to the nearest Railway station?

D.        It’s two furlong up that street.

A.        Do you mean the street running that way?

D.        Yes. That’s the one.

A.        Is this the right way to Central Station?

D.        No. You’re going the wrong way.

A.        Which way should I be going then?

D.        It’s in that direction-about one Kilometer.

D.

Some commonly used word groups for asking Information.

Excuse me.

Do you know the way to the Post Office?

Could you tell me which bus goes to Miyapur circle?

I’m looking for a place to stay.

Is there a good hotel around here?

Could you tell me why today’s Hyderabad flight was cancelled?

What time is the Bangalore Express due in, please?

Could you please tell me how to get to this address?

I want to catch the Dubai flight.

Could you tell me where the Railway Station is, please?

Could you help me?

How much is the fare to Chennai?

How much rent are you quoting?

What time is it?

What are your rates?

What time is the news on?

You wouldn’t know if there’s any other way, would you?

How much does a ticket to Kolkata cost, please?

Who can I ask for some information?

What’s the date today?

What sort of time did you want to go?

I’m sorry to trouble you, but do you happen to know where the canteen is?

Excuse me, where is the Canteen?

Could you tell me when the bus for Kochi leaves, please?

Any idea how long he’ll be here?

Do you know how far it’s to the next petrol Pump?

When’s the next bus to Mysore due, please?

Asking Directions

A.

Conversation I

A:        Where’s the Post office?

B:        It’s near the Rajbhavan.

A:        How far is that from here?

B:        About half a kilometer, I think.

A:        Where’s the Rajbhavan?

B:        It’s in the south of the city.

A:        What’s the best way to get there?

B:        Take Bus No 301.

A:        What street is the local library on?

B:        I don’t know.

A:        How can I find out?

B:        Why don’t you enquire in that shop?

B.

Conversation II

A. Excuse me. Is there a supermarket near here?

B. Yes. There’s one near here.

A. How do I get there?

B. At the traffic lights, take the first left and go straight. It’s on the left.

A. Is it far?

B. Not really.

A. Thank you.

B. Don’t mention it.

C.

Conversation III

A. Excuse me. Is there a bank near here?

B. Yes. There’s one at the corner.

A. Thank you.

B. You’re welcome.

D.

Asking the way

• To ask people for directions, use:
• Excuse me!
• Where is (the police station)?
• Could you direct me to (the station)?
• How do I get to (the main street)?
• Could you tell me the way to (the park)?

• If you want special directions, use:
• Which is the quickest way to (the Post Office)?
• What’s the best way to (the city centre)?

• If you are in a car, you can also use:
• What’s the easiest way to (the coast road)?
• Is there parking (in the centre)?

• Asking about distances, use:
• How far is it?
• How long will it take (on foot/by car/by bus)?
• Can I do it in (ten minutes)?
• Should I take (a taxi)?

E.

Giving directions

• To tell people the way, use:
• It’s near the (church)
• Go straight on/straight ahead
• Turn left/right at the (second) street
• Go towards (the park) and turn left
• Cross/go across the road
• Go over/under the bridge
• Go along the street
• Go past the (Post Office)

• To identify the place, use:
• It’s the (first) street
• It’s the (first) on the left/right
• It’s on the left/right hand side of the road

• To tell people distances, use:
• It’s quite far
• It’s too far to walk
• It’s not very far/it’s quite near here
• It’s about (two) kilometers
• It’s (ten minutes) on foot/walking
• It’s (an hour’s) walk/drive
• You should allow (an hour)
• You should take (a taxi)

Talking about Health

A.

Personal Health - Conversation

John     :           You look very pale.

David  :           I feel rather dizzy, and I have a headache.

John     :           Maybe you’re catching a cold.

David  :           You’re probably right.

John     :           You went to the doctor today, didn’t you?

David  :           Yes, I go once a year for checkup.

John     :           What did he say?       

David  :           He said my health was good.

John     :           Have you put on weight recently?

David  :           I probably have.

John     :           Maybe you don’t get enough exercise.

David  :           I really don’t, but I’m careful about eating.

David  :           You certainly look very healthy to me.

John     :           I’ve been feeling very well lately.

David  :           Haven’t you gotten a little heavier?

John     :           Yes, I think I have.

David  :           You certainly look happy about something.

John     :           I’ve lost some weight.

David  :           you look much better.

John     :           I feel better too.

B.

Describing general health

• I’m not fit
• I’m usually healthy
• I have a (bad back)
• My (heart) is (not) very strong
• I have to take (pills)
• I have to follow a diet/eat special food
• I’m allergic to (penicillin)
• I have a high/low blood pressure
• I have a (stomach) illness
• I had (an accident last year)
• I’ve (never) been in hospital
• The cavity is killing me.
• She poked me in the eye.
• My head is spinning.
• His snoring is getting worse.
• I feel like I’ve been run over by a freight train.
• My head is stuffed up.
• I didn’t sleep a wink last night.

C.

Describing symptoms

• I’m not feeling well
• I’ve been feeling. (tired)
• I haven’t been sleeping
• I haven’t been eating well
• I can’t (sleep)
• I have a headache
• I have a stomach ache
• I have a ear ache
• I have a pain in my (back)
• I think it’s (flu)
• It may be (from playing tennis)
• I think it may be (something I ate)
• It’s probably (the weather)
• I’m feeling worse
• I’m feeling better
• It’s getting worse
• I’m/It’s the same
• The medicine/pills helped/didn’t help

D.

Asking about health

• How are you feeling (today)?
• How is the (leg)?
• Are you feeling any better/worse?
• What did the doctor say?
• Do you have any medicine/pills to take?
• Have you had a (check-up)?

E.

How…? / What …like? – for health and character

Here there is a much clearer distinction in use. How…? Refers to a person’s health or mood and what….like? to a person’s character:

How’s Bob today? ~ Very tired, I would say. He was out all night at Tricia’s party.

What’s Bob like? ~ Very sociable. He’s the life and soul of any party.

What’s his wife like? ~ She’s serious and shy. I’ve never seen her smile.

Conversation with the Doctor

A.

Seeing the Doctor

Doctor :           Hello, what’s the matter?

John     :           Good morning. I have a terrible ache in my lower back.

Doctor :           How long has your back been bothering you?

John     :           I’ve been having pain for about two weeks.

Doctor :           Do you have any history of back problems?

John     :           No, this is the first time.

Doctor :           Are you taking any medicine at the moment?

John     :           No, just an aspirin from time to time to kill the pain.

Doctor :           OK. Let’s have a look at your back. Please take off your shirt ….

B.

Asking for a doctor

• I want a doctor
• I want to see a doctor
• I want medical advice
• I want to speak to a doctor
• I’m not moving till I see a doctor
• I’m not doing anything until I’ve spoken to a doctor
• I want a medical examination
• I’d like you to examine/look at me
• I’d like medical advice on (this)

C.

Doctors’ questions

• What’s wrong?
• What’s the matter?
• What seems to be the problem?
• What seems to be the matter?
• Where does it hurt?
• Can you feel (anything here)?
• Do you have any allergies?
• Can you (touch your toes)?
• Are you allergic to (anything)?
• Are you taking any medicine/drugs?
• Have you been treated for (this) before?
• Have you seen a doctor about this before?
• Have you been eating/sleeping properly?
• When did you last visit your doctor?
• Do you take much exercise?
• How much do you drink/smoke a day/a week?
• Have you been working hard?
• Do you suffer from (indigestion/nervousness)?
• Do you get any (headaches/dizziness)?

D.

In the consulting room

• Take your coat/shirt off
• Sit down
• Take your clothes off
• Lie down on that (couch)
• Go behind that (screen)
• Roll up your left/right sleeve
• Breathe deeply
• Breathe in/out
• Open your mouth / Put your tongue out
• Let me see your tongue /leg/eyes
• Bend your (left arm)
• Put your /(hands on your hips)
• I’m going to (listen to your chest)
• I’m going to (touch your shoulder)
• I’m just going to (test your reflexes)
• I want to (take your blood pressure)
• Tell me if this hurts
• This won’t hurt / This may hurt a bit

E.

Talking about treatment

• Stay in bed for a few days
• Take it easy / rest
• Don’t work too hard
• Come back and see me (next Tuesday)
• Come back if it doesn’t get better
• You’ve been working too hard
• You must (stop smoking)
• Keep taking (the medicine)

F.

Talking about medicines

• You can get this at the chemist’s/pharmacy
• Take this to the chemist/pharmacy
• The chemist will give you (a cream)
• This will help your (headaches)
• Take this/these (four) times a day
• Take (5) milliliters in water
• Take a (teaspoonful) after every meal
• Don’t (drive after taking this)
• You mustn’t (consume alcohol in conjunction with these pills)
• You must (finish the whole bottle)
• Don’t (take any aspirin)
• Put it on/Rub it on (your knee)

G.

Referring you to another doctor

• I want you to see a specialist
• I think you should have an X-ray
• I want you to go to the clinic/hospital
• I’m making an appointment for you
• Take this letter to (Doctor Smith)
• I’m giving you a letter for the hospital
• We’re going to keep you here for observation
• We want to do some tests / take an X-ray
• You’ve got a (virus infection)
• There’s nothing broken; It’s nothing serious
• You’ll have to stay here (for a few days)

Too, Very, Fewer, Less, Little, Few and a Little, a Bit

A.

Learn the following adjectives which are used informally and which mean very good and very bad. Note that they all have very common adjectival endings:

Very good:

• Fabulous
• Tremendous
• Marvelous
• Stupendous
• Amazing breathtaking
• Outstanding
• Smashing
• Fantastic wonderful
• Magnificent

Very bad:

• Awful dreadful
• Frightful
• Shocking
• Revolting
• Appalling
• Hideous
• Monstrous

B.

Too or very

Make sure you distinguish between too and very. Beginners often mix-up these two adverbs. Very means extremely and too means more than is wanted. Compare the following:

• The match problem was very difficult. It was too difficult for me to solve.
• We arrived at the hotel very late – too late to have dinner there.
• The lake was very muddy. It was too muddy to swim in.
• A pity! It was perfect weather for swimming. Not too hot.

C.

Too much / too many

Much and many can be used as an alternative to a lot of. Much is used with singular nouns and many is used with plural nouns. Too expresses the idea of more than enough or more than necessary. Compare the following:

• There were many / a lot of people in the dining room, but there wasn’t very much / a lot of food left.
• I haven’t eaten very much! ~ You’ve eaten far too much in my view.
• I had put too much salt in the soup and nobody ate it.

D.

Fewer / less

Fewer and less are the comparative forms of few and little and are used with countable and uncountable nouns, respectively. Compare the following:

• I’ve got a little (bit of) money in the bank. Not very much. Less than I had last year.
• The weather was awful and fewer children took part in the procession this year.

E.

Little / few and a little / a few

Little is used with uncountable and few is used with countable nouns. When we use few and little without the indefinite article, they usually have a negative meaning, but when we use them with the indefinite article, a little or a few, they have a more positive meaning. Compare the following:

• I have few friends in England and I feel quite lonely.
• I have a few friends in England, so I don’t miss home so much.
• I have little interest in classical music. I much prefer pop.
• I have a little wine in the cellar. Would you like some?

Rather than little or few, we sometimes prefer to use a negative construction with much or many in conversational English, as it sounds slightly less formal:

He has little money. > He doesn’t have very much money.

She had few friends. > She didn’t have many friends

F.

A little / a bit

A little, a bit and a little bit are often used in colloquial English with little or no difference in meaning. Compare the following:

• You’re driving too fast. Could you please slow down a little (bit) more?
• It was a long journey and I was feeling a bit / a little (bit) tired.

Bit can also combine with of before nouns to suggest a limited amount of something. Compare the following:

• Let me give you a bit of advice. Don’t drive speedily in built-up areas.
• I’m not very hungry after the journey. I’ll just have a bit of bread and cheese.
• I’ve got a bit of a problem. The car has overheated, so we’ll have to wait for it to cool down.

Little can also be used in this way:

• Would you like to try a bit of this / a little of this very sweet dessert?
• I’d love a bit of your / a little of your apple and walnut cake. It looks and smells delicious.

Before, Enough – Sufficient & Adequate

A.

‘Before’ – any time before now

Before means: at some unknown time before now. It does not say when. Therefore we would say:

I know that chap. I’ve met him somewhere before. Have you been here before? ~ No, I’ve never been here before. This is my first time.

‘Ago’ – at a certain time before now

Ago tells us how long before the present time something happened. It tells us when and gives us a time or a date. Because we are referring to a specific time in the past, the simple past is used:

Your mother phoned five minutes ago. Can you phone her back?

I saw her for the first time at film festival in Cannes some twenty years ago.

Ago always counts back from the present time. Note that if we are counting back from a past time, before or earlier or previously are used, not ago:

Last year I went back to my hometown that I had left ten years before and discovered that the house I grew up in was no longer standing. (= left home 10 years ago)

B.

Enough – sufficient, Adequate

I. Enough (where the second syllable is pronounced as in puff or stuff) and sufficient are very similar semantically, meaning as much as is needed:

I don’t have enough time to finish….

We have sufficient evidence to…..

II. Adequate is also close in meaning to enough and sufficient. It suggests that something is good enough or large enough for a particular purpose:

This country will never maintain an adequate supply of trained teachers if so many leave the profession after four or five years.

This little car is perfectly adequate for any driving you need to do in town.

His computer skills were adequate for the type of work required of him.

III. Inadequate – insufficient: Note that the negative of sufficient and adequate can be formed with the prefix in -. For the negative of enough we have to use not:

The level of funding available for the training of teachers is inadequate. I have insufficient resources to be able to deal effectively with this problem. We don’t have enough milk if everybody wants milkshake.

IV. Enough can also be used, as:

In this climate it’s not warm enough to go out without a jacket in the evening.

You’ve missed him, I’m afraid. You didn’t get up early enough.

I didn’t work hard enough. So I was unsuccessful in the exam.

I didn’t revise enough. So I didn’t pass the exam.

I’ve only saved $250. Will that be enough for this type of holiday?

Some more dressing on your salad? ~ Oh no, I have quite enough, thanks.

I’ve quite enough of this fruit salad, thanks. It’s a bit too sweet for my liking.

I didn’t read it all, but I read enough of the report to get the main idea.

I answered all the questions, but I didn’t get enough of them right to pass the driving test.

I don’t have enough time to finish reading this report before the meeting. But I have sufficient information to know what the outcome should be.

You’ve missed him, I’m afraid. You didn’t get up early enough.

Miss, Rise or Raise & Drive or Ride

A.

Miss

1. There are a number of shades of meaning when miss means ‘fail to make contact with’. Compare the following:

• If you’re not careful you’ll miss the flight and there isn’t another till next week.
• Is Jenny still here? ~ You’ve just missed her. She left five minutes ago.
• He cored four goals, but then he missed a penalty.
• The bullet just missed my head. It whizzed past my ear and embedded itself in the wall.
• No, you’ve missed the point. Bobby gave her the money. He didn’t want it back.
• The railway station is right at the end of this road. You can’t miss it!
• If you leave the queue now, you’ll miss your chance of seeing this film.
• It was my granny’s funeral last Thursday so I had to miss all my lessons last week.

B.

Miss= be sorry to be without

Compare the following:

• I miss my grandmother terribly. She was such a kind, gentle person.

• Will you miss me when I’m away?
• ~ Oh, I shall miss you all right!

• What do you miss most about the south of France now you’re in Britain?
• ~ I miss my family, I miss the people, I miss the sunshine, I miss the cheese and the wine.

• Do you miss walking in the Pyrenees?
• ~ Yes, I miss that too.

C.

Miss in idioms

Note also idiomatic usage in the following expressions:

• He didn’t have all the advantages of a proper education and really missed out.
• There have been several near misses between planes landing at this airport recently. He’s failed his exams again and I think he has missed the boat as far as higher education is concerned.
• I think I’ve missed a trick here in failing to consult my accountant about tax returns.
• I think I’ll give the book signing ceremony a miss. What about you? ~ No, I’m going.
• They came four in the league and missed promotion by only one point, but as the old saying goes: a miss is as good as a mile.

• Miss. can be used as an alternative to Ms. placed in front of the name of an unmarried woman when the person concerned wishes it to be known that she is single.

• Miss. right or Mr. right can be used as expressions to describe a woman or man who is regarded as an ideal marriage partner:

D.

Rise or raise?

Compare the following:

• ‘The sun rises in the East and sets in the West.’

• I rise (i.e. get up) at six o’ clock every weekday morning in order to be at work by seven.’
• ‘He rose (i.e. stood up) to greet her.’
• ‘I raised my hand because I wanted to ask a question, but he took no notice of me.’
• ‘If you are raising a family as a single parent, you shouldn’t try to work full-time.’
• ‘My child was ill and I had to raise money to pay for the operation.’

E.

Drive or ride?

Anything with four or more wheels (like a car, a bus, a lorry or a train) we drive; anything with two wheels or that we straddle (like a horse, a bike, motorbike or scooter) we ride, (even though you need a driving license to ride a motorbike.

Consider the following:

• ‘I had never driven such a powerful car before.’
• ‘I hadn’t ridden a bike in twenty years.

F.

Idioms derived from “The family”

It runs in the family – an ability or talent that is passed on through the generations your own flesh and blood – a member of your family, do not forget it!

Bad blood – hostility or unfriendliness between two families or family member’s

Blood is thicker than water – family ties are stronger than any other, despite arguments.

• He has two daughters, both very athletic, just like their mother. It runs in the family.
• You should take better care of your younger sister. She is your own flesh and blood.

• There is bad blood between the two brothers. They haven’t spoken to each other in two years.

• His housekeeper had looked after him for many years but he still left all his money to his only son. Blood is thicker than water, you know.