1/23/17
As a student of English, you already know that native English speakers (especially Americans) like to make words shorter. For example, instead of saying ‘cannot’, we like to say ‘can’t’ in everyday conversation. These are called ‘contractions’. To ‘contract’ means to make smaller.
We also have what we call ‘clipped words’. These are words that are shorter versions of longer words. I’ll teach you three of these today and tell you how to use them. They are common in everyday conversation. Do not use these ‘clipped’ words in formal writing. Use the longer versions of them.
Words
gym
phone
photo
Gym is a clipped word for gymnasium.
Phone is a clipped word for telephone.
Photo is a clipped word for photograph.
Practice
Michael went to the gym to workout today. (workout = exercise)
Sally likes to go to the gym to run on the treadmill. (运动机)
“Hey Michael, call me on the phone sometime.”
Michael got a call on his phone from his dear friend.
The passport office required a recent photo of me.
Michael likes to play basketball at the gymnasium.
Carl got a call on his telephone.
Lily got a call on her cellphone. (cellphone is used more in American English)
May got a call on her mobile phone. (mobile or mobile phone is used more in the U.K.)
The website required me to upload my pic. (pic=photo=picture)
The ‘gym’ sounds the same as the man’s name ‘Jim’. You say them the same way. ‘Cell’ is the same word that is used in describing how a body is made up of cells. For example, if you are in school in America, you will know that one subject you might take is call ‘cellular biology.’ It is the study of cells in a body.
That’s all for today.
Goodbye for now.
I hope you have a wonderful day!
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