- Let’s start from the very beginning!

- Ok, I know, it’s a very good place to start.

- If you want to know how to read

you have to learn the alphabet.

As far as we are not in a race

you can face 26 letters in one phrase.

“The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog”.

Now we’ll have some dialogue.

You’ll see how new words appear,

I hope everything will be clear.

For example: to admire – admiration,

to inspire – inspiration. Now you, please!

And pray be at your ease!

- To desire – desiration.

- Oops! My voice whoops!

Well, when you study English

you have to distinguish:

one goose but many geese.

-What about a moose?

Are they meese?

- A lone mouse can transform into…

a whole set of mice,

but… it’s impossible for a single house

to become a whole block of hice.

 - Ok, a house – houses.

Why not a mouse – mouses?

- A tooth but teeth, a foot but feet.

 If I speak of a foot

and you show me your feet.

- And if I give you a boot

would a pair be called beet?

Can I say a root

and in plural form reet?

- Let’s make this question complete!

There are a lot of exceptions

in the language of British nations.

Anyway, the rules are the tools

for learning the language,

and together with the exceptions

it is something like a sandwich.

Let’s go on!- said my teacher with a yawn.

A lot of time has already gone,

I am not going to stay here until the dawn.

Do you like to read?

- Of course! The books are the source of information,

to learn the language formation.

- Ok, then you are a reader.

- If I like to write I am a writer, am I not?

- Oh, something I forgot!

 Let’s take an easy word “ball”.

- Yes, I like to play football.

- Good! Now open the ball!

- What do you mean by that?

I am not a rat so that to cut the ball.

It’s not funny at all.

- You are kidding!

- Oh, no! I am not a kid!

I would like to know where the meaning of that “ball” lead.

- Ok, in that phrase “ball” has the meaning of a party,

but… a bit more arty.

- There are a lot of other English words I can’t understand.

Why do they call all men gentlemen?

Are they all gentle?

This word looks so fundamental.

If a man is rude can I say a rudeman?

I wouldn’t like to look like a clown

That’s why I ask you again:

Will the difference remain

if I say: shut up or shut down?

I would also like to know:

If we say  a teacher taught

why can’t we say: a preacher praught?

If people from Poland are called “Poles”

Why aren’t people from Holland called “Holes”

- Ok, I think our time has gone

and the whole picture of English was not yet drawn.

But at the end of our lesson I would like say:

You were lying all day.

- Oh, no! That’s not true!

I lay on the sofa just several times.

You had better tell me:

With just what “lie” rhymes?

 

 

Larisa R (Odessa, Ukraine)