"I feel bad about that." and "I feel badly about that."　2008-6-29
The quick tip is that it is correct to say you feel bad when you are expressing an emotion.
To say, "I feel badly," implies that there's something wrong with your sense of touch. Every time I hear people say, "I feel badly," I imagine them in a dark room having trouble feeling their way around with numb fingers.
So when you say, "I feel badly," the adverb badly relates to the verb feel. Since feel means "to touch things," feeling badly means you're having trouble touching things.
"I smell bad" and "I smell badly" have completely different meanings! When you say, "I smell badly," badly is an adverb that modifies the verb smell. You're saying your sniffer isn't working, just like when you say you feel badly you're saying that your fingers aren't working. When you say, "I smell bad," bad is an adjective, which means it modifies a noun. You're saying that you stink, just like when you say "I feel bad" you're saying that you are regretful or sad or ill or wicked.
If you gave a horrible speech you might say, "It went badly." If a child threw a fit in a shopping mall, it would be correct to say, "She behaved badly."

Incorrect and correct sentences　2008-6-15
I gave some instructions to a person on the phone about reformatting the hard disk of my laptop. He said "please suggest me the next step" during one of our conversations.

Here are some incorrect and correct sentences related to this:
Please suggest me the next step.　×
Please suggest the next step to me.　○
Please suggest what I need to do next. 　○
Can you suggest what I should do next. 　○
Please give me a suggetion as to what I should do next. 　○
Can you suggest the next step? 　○
What would you suggest for the next step? 　○
What do you suggest I do next? 　○
"Could you suggest us a good restaurant near here?" 　 ×
"Could you suggest a good restaurant near here to us? 　○
"Could you suggest a good restaurant near here?" 　○

1 - I suggest you to go. <-- No, wrong structure. Notice that this "TO"is part of the verb TO GO.
2 - I suggest you go. <-- Ok, say this instead.
3 - I suggest this to you. <--- Ok, this "TO" is ok.

気持ちを込めた答え方 　2008-5-24
Do you mind if I smoke here? （たばこを吸っても構いませんか）

快く承諾する場合
Yes, I do. （気にします）×　⇒Do you mind 〜で尋ねられた場合はNoで答える
No. （いいえ、気にしません）△　⇒素っ気ない印象がある
No, not at all. （いいえ、全く構いませんよ）○
I don’t mind. （いいえ、気にしません）△　⇒快く承諾した感じに乏しい
Of course, I don’t mind. （いいえ、全く気にしませんよ）○

遠慮してもらう場合
I’m sorry, I'd rather you didn’t. （申し訳ありません、できればご遠慮していただきたいのですが）　⇒仮定法過去を用いることで丁寧な断りの表現となる

「〜せずにはいられない。どうしても〜してしまう。」　2008-4-25
can’t but do
can’t help doing　　⇒一般的
can’t help but do　⇒�@が一番古い表現。現在は�Bがよく使われる。
この場合のhelpは「〜を避ける、抑える」の意味。

I can’t help falling in love with you.
I can’t help but smile.
I can’t help but support him.
I was so sad, I couldn't help but cry.

「〜に勝つ」　2008-4-2
win the game（試合に勝つ）⇒winの対象は試合や競技がくる。人を目的語にとれない。
defeat him / beat him（彼に勝つ、彼を打ち負かす）⇒相手が目的語にくる。

Who will win the presidential election in 2008 ?
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton defeated Senator Barack Obama in the Ohio and Texas primaries on Tuesday.
The Yankees defeated the Brooklyn Dodgers 4 games to 1, after going 101-53 (0.656) during the regular season to win the World Series.
The Tigers defeated the Giants last night.
The Tigers won the game against the Giants last night.

"some" & "any" 　2008-3-10
一般にsomeは肯定文に、anyは否定文・疑問文に用いられると習いましたが、実際には、この原則はあてはまりませんので注意しましょう。
(1)Case of negative sentence
一般に否定文（完全否定で）ではanyがよく使われます。部分否定でsomeが使われます。
I don't have any question about it.
I don't have any friends at my office.
He doesn't have any friends in Kobe.
Some areas of New York are not safe to visit.

(2)Case of interrogative sentence
疑問文では一般にanyが使われます。量や数に関係なく「あるのか」「ないのか」を知りたくて、明白にyesかnoかを求める場合にanyを使います。そのためanyを使うと失礼な印象を与えてしまう場合にはsomeが使われることがあります。
Any comment on this case?
Do you have any friends?
Do you have any ice in the fridge?
Is there any oil in this tank of the heater?
Would you like any cake? ×　⇒Would you like some cake?
Could you give me some advice?
Could I have some water?

(3)Case of positive sentence
普通はsomeを使いますが、譲歩的な表現でanyも使われます。
I have some students.
Some of them can speak English very well.
I'll introduce eTOC to someone some day.
You can order any dishes you like.

『taste good と good taste』　 　2008-2-19
料理はどれもいい味でしたよ。
All of the food had good taste.　×　⇒趣味がいい、センスがいい（味には使わない）
All of the food tasted good. 　○

This salad tastes delicious.
This pasta tastes good.
This flatfish together with cooked potatoes tastes good.

You have good taste.
He has good taste in clothes.

『ブログをつける、日記をつける』 　2008-1-31
習慣としてつける場合はkeepを用いる
Keep a blog / Keep a diary

私は昨日ブログをつけなかった。
× I didn't keep a blog yesterday.（その時に限りつけなかったので、この表現は適当でない）
○ I didn't write in my blog yesterday.

私はもう3ヶ月間ブログをつけています。
I have been keeping a blog for three months.
私はこのところ忙しくて2日間ブログをつけていません。
I haven’t written anything in my blog for past two days.

『…以来〜』 　2008-1-12
あなたと最後に会ってから3年が経過した。
○ It has been three years since I’ve seen you last.
○ Three years have passed since I’ve seen you last.
× It has passed three years since I’ve seen you last.（この表現は使わない）
↓応用
It has been far too long since I have last visited.
It has been a long time since I left here.

『No matter… 〜』 　2007-12-29
(1)No matter how〜　どんなに〜であろうとも　どんなに〜したとしても
彼がどんなことをしたとしても、私は応援するだろう。
No matter how he does, I’ll support him.
どれだけ一生懸命やっても、それを見つけることはできません。
No matter how hard you try, you can't find it.
どんなに高くても、そのコートを買います。
No matter how expensive the coat is, I’ll buy it.

(2) No matter what〜　何を〜しようとも　たとえ何が〜であっても
何があったとしても、望みを捨てるな。
No matter what happens, don't give up your hope.
人が何と言おうとも、私は彼女の言葉を信じる。
No matter what someone says, I believe her words.

「as〜as…」　2007-12-14
(1)as 〜as possible　できる限り〜、できるだけ〜
◇as fast as possible　できるだけ速く
Walk as fast as possible.
◇as soon as possible　できるだけ早く、できるだけすぐに⇒今すぐにという意味ではなく、今はできないが、できるだけ早くといった曖昧なニュアンス。
Finish your homework as soon as possible.
◇as early as possible　できるだけ早く（早い時間帯に、早い時期に）
Reserve lessons as early as possible.
(2)as 〜as one can　できるだけ〜
He works as hard as he can.
Read as many English articles as you can.
He wants to earn as much money as he can.
⇒asとasの間は、かたまりをはめるのがルール

「似合う」 　2007-12-1
(1)become/suit(2)match(3)fitなどの表現があります。
◇物が人に似合っている場合は主にbecomeやsuitを使います。口語では人が主語となってlook niceやlook goodがよく使われます。
That dress becomes you very well.
That dress suits you very well.
You look nice in that dress.
You look good in that dress.
◇物に似合っている場合はmatchが使われます。
This tie matches your shirt.
◇サイズが合っている時や、形やデザイン的に合っている時はfitが使われます。
This denim pants fit me.

「認める、許す」 　2007-11-10
日本語で「認める」は、英語では(1)permit(2)admit(3)allow(4)acceptの4つの表現があります。これらの使い方の違いを理解しましょう。

Permit：（公に）許可を与える、許す、認める、容認する
　私たちの会社では、社内での喫煙は禁止されている。
　Our company doesn't permit us to smoke in the office.
　私の学校では来年からバイクでの通学を許可することにした。
　My school will permit the students to commute by motorbike next year.
Admit：（事実をそうだと）認める、〜に入ることを許す
　その医者は自分のミスを認めた。
　The doctor admitted his mistake.
　彼はうそをついていたことを認めた。
　He admitted his dishonesty.
Allow：（個人として）許可する、許容する
　私の上司は有給休暇をとることを認めてくれなかった。
　My boss didn’t allow me to take a sick leave.
　父親は私が子犬を飼うことを認めた。
　My father allowed me to keep the puppy.
Accept：受け入れる、認める、容認する、納得する、承認する
　彼は失敗を認めざるをえない。
　He had to accept defeat.
　私は彼の考え方を受け入れることはできない。
　I can not accept his ideas.

形容詞を作る接尾語　Suffix that makes adjective 　2007-10-25

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