Indians have made the country proud world-over having excelled as scientists, doctors, engineers, entrepreneurs and actors. India has a rich culture and a distinguished history, whose legacy stands tall even today. As a proud nation of a billion had celebrates its 60th Republic Day.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Indians have made the Country Proud
Indians have made the country proud world-over having excelled as scientists, doctors, engineers, entrepreneurs and actors. India has a rich culture and a distinguished history, whose legacy stands tall even today. As a proud nation of a billion had celebrates its 60th Republic Day.
Big B Blogging
The Big B of Bollywood has made blogging a much sought-after phenomenon in tinsel town. From commenting on Danny Boyle's 'Slumdog Millionaire' to writing about his life and movies, Amitabh Bachchan does it all on his blog. In photo: Indian actor Amitabh Bachchan poses for photographers at the inauguration of the Paris's Cinema Fair, in Paris. (AP Photo)
Shahrukh Khan Blogging
Did you know that King Khan too has a blog? But there has been no activity on his blog since 2008. Apart from a few posts on the India Premier League and his Oscar-nominated movie 'Paheli', Shah Rukh Khan is low key. In photo: Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan reacts after being conferred with the Insignia of Officer in the Order of Arts and letters by the French government, on the first day of the French film festival, in Mumbai, India. (AP Photo)
Aamir Khan Blogging
The most controversial blog of all, Aamir Khan's is the one to watch out for. From writing about his forthcoming movies to admitting he has a dog by the name of SRK, he reveals all on his blog. In photo: Bollywood actor Aamir Khan poses for a photograph with the staff of a theater who shaved their heads to sport Khan's look in his latest film Ghajini, in Mumbai, India. (AP Photo)Shilpa Shetty Blogging
Shilpa Shetty has been on a roller coaster ride since her 'Big Brother' win. Shilpa calls her blog 'Shilpa Channel', and true to its name, the blog speaks volumes about her life and interests. In photo: Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty displays a creation by designer Tarun Tahliani on the fifth day of the HDIL India Couture Week in Mumbai, India. (AP Photo)L K Advani Blogging
New kid on the blogging world is BJP's prime ministerial candidate LK Advani. He has acknowledged the power of the Net and blogging and he uses it as a platform for political communication and for the election campaign. In photo: Leader of India's main Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party Lk Advani, comes out of the office of the National Election Commission in New Delhi, India. (AP Photo)
Karan Johar Blogging
Karan Johar calls his blog 'My name is Karan' and uses it as a perfect podium to promote his forthcoming films. Even though he does not blog regularly, his posts are fun to go through. In photo: Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar poses for photographs in New Delhi, India. Johar said he hates growing older in a newspaper interview published. (AP Photo)Bipasha Basu Blogging
Bipasha Basu is no stranger to the blogging world. But she has not written much on her blog since early 2008. Wonder what she would reveal if she posted regularly. In photo: Actress Bipasha Basu stops on the red carpet for photographers while on the way to the New Seven Wonders of the World official declaration ceremony Saturday, July 7 2007 at Luz stadium in Lisbon, Portugal. (AP Photo)Wednesday, February 11, 2009
ICC T20 World Cup 2009 Schedule
Time GMT --------- Match Details ------------------- Venue
Friday 5th June
16:30 ------- England Vs Netherland, Group B ----- London
Saturday 6th June
09:00 ------- New Zealand Vs Scotland, Group D --- London
12:00 ------- Australia Vs West Indies, Group C ---- London
16:00 ------- India Vs Bangladesh, Group A -------- Nottingham
Sunday 7th June
12:30 ------- South Africa Vs Scotland, Group D ---- London
16:30 ------- England Vs Pakistan, Group B --------- London
Monday 8th June
12:30 ------- Bangladesh Vs Ireland, Group A ------ Nottingham
16:30 ------- Australia Vs Sri Lanka, Group C ------ Nottingham
Tuesday 9th June
12:30 ------- Pakistan Vs Netherlands, Group B ---- London
16:30 ------- New Zealand Vs South Africa, Group D - London
Wednesday 10th June
12:30 ------- Sri Lanka Vs West Indies, Group C ----- Nottingham
16:30 ------- India Vs Ireland Group A --------------- Nottingham
Thursday 11th June
12:30 ------- D1 Vs A2, Group F -------------------- Nottingham
16:30 ------- B2 Vs D2, Group E -------------------- Nottingham
Friday 12th June
12:30 ------- B1 Vs C2, Group F ------------------------ London
16:30 ------- A1 Vs C1, Group E ------------------------ London
Saturday 13th June
12:30 ------- C1 Vs D2, Group E ------------------------ London
16:30 ------- D1 Vs B1, Group F ------------------------ London
Sunday 14th June
12:30 ------- A2 Vs C2, Group F ------------------------ London
16:30 ------- A1 Vs B2, Group E ------------------------ London
Monday 15th June
12:30 ------- B2 Vs C1, Group E ------------------------ London
16:30 ------- B1 Vs A2, Group F ------------------------ London
Tuesday 16th June
12:30 ------- D1 Vs C2, Group F --------------------- Nottingham
16:30 ------- D2 Vs A1, Group E --------------------- Nottingham
Thursday 18th June
16:30 ------- 1st Semi-Final, ICC World T20 --------- Nottingham
Friday 19th June
16:30 ------- 2nd Semi-Final, ICC World T20 --------- London
Sunday 21th June
14:00 ------- Final, ICC World T20 --------------------- London
Monday, February 2, 2009
Valentine's Day
February 14 is the day when people send the cards with the little hearts on them. Love is so important in human life that society feels a need to set aside a special kind of day to celebrate it. It is a good time to recommit ourselves to those we love, and a good time to remember someone who otherwise might not receive any sign of love at all. People can only celebrate this day according to the way they understand the meaning of love. If love means a committed, unconditional caring that goes beyond feelings, then this day commemorates what is best in human relationships. People who share that kind of love have an incomparable treasure. They reveal to one another an image of the love of God
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Better Sentence Writing Skills.
If it takes you twice as long to write something in English as it does in your own language, then try these tips.
Before you start Writing
Ask yourself "Why am I writing?" By thinking about the purpose of your text (perhaps you want to explain something, or ask something etc) you can choose the most appropriate vocabulary and level of formality.
Who are you writing to? Who is your reader, and what is their level of knowledge or English? Choose your language carefully and avoid words and expressions that are too technical or complicated.
Plan before you write. Prepare for writing by making a plan, and looking up all the words you need before you start writing.
A plan helps you keep a clear focus and helps you avoid repetition. Just jot down the points you want to make and order them into logical paragraphs. Remember that paragraphs shouldn't be too long.
In fact, in certain types of writing, such as emails, your paragraphs can be one sentence long. It's quicker to look up all the words you need before you write so you don't interrupt your "flow" of writing.
What to write?
Say why you are writing in the first sentence. Use phrases such as "I am writing to enquire about…" so that your reader understands why you are writing. If you're replying to someone, you can write "Thank you for your email."
Use standard greetings and endings. Most letters begin with "Dear Mr. X" or "Dear Ms X" and should end "Yours sincerely" (or in American English, "Sincerely yours"). If you know your reader quite well, you can be less formal with "Dear (first name)" and end "Best wishes" or "Best regards". If you absolutely have to write "Dear Sir" ends with "Yours faithfully" rather than "Yours sincerely"
In emails you can start with the first name "Jane", or precede it with "Hi" I am. If you are writing to a number of people, you can leave out the greeting. To end an email you can write "Best wishes", "Kind regards", "Thanks" or in British English "Cheers". Use a closing expression in letters such as "Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of further assistance." In emails you can write, for example, "Many thanks for your help."
In letters, write the date out in full: 7 June 2006 or June 7, 2006. Avoid using abbreviated dates such as (7/6/2006) as although British speakers will understand this as 7 June, Americans will understand it to be July 6.
Extra tips
Words such as 'and', 'but', 'therefore', 'however', guide your reader through your ideas and make your writing easier to read.
Be careful of referring words such as 'this' and 'it'. Make sure they refer to the right word or phrase.
Write as concisely as possible. Don't make your sentences too long, as they might become difficult to read. Avoid more than two ideas in any sentence.
Follow this word order principle to keep your sentences concise:
Subject - Verb - Object - Manner - Place - Time (Who — Does—What— How— Where- When) "Please could you send us the confirmation as quickly as possible?"
"The Managing Director will visit the factory on Monday 10 July at 10 am."
Edit what you write. Use your computer spell-check, but check for grammatical mistakes yourself. Edit out unnecessary words and phrases and avoid old-fashioned words such as "hereby", "herewith" and above-mentioned". Rather than writing "We hereby enclose a brochure", get to the point with "We are enclosing a brochure."
Read what you have written out aloud. Is it easy to read, or are the sentences too long? Have you put in enough punctuation?
Get someone else to check what you have written. Another person may see something that is unclear or a mistake.
Before you start Writing
Ask yourself "Why am I writing?" By thinking about the purpose of your text (perhaps you want to explain something, or ask something etc) you can choose the most appropriate vocabulary and level of formality.
Who are you writing to? Who is your reader, and what is their level of knowledge or English? Choose your language carefully and avoid words and expressions that are too technical or complicated.
Plan before you write. Prepare for writing by making a plan, and looking up all the words you need before you start writing.
A plan helps you keep a clear focus and helps you avoid repetition. Just jot down the points you want to make and order them into logical paragraphs. Remember that paragraphs shouldn't be too long.
In fact, in certain types of writing, such as emails, your paragraphs can be one sentence long. It's quicker to look up all the words you need before you write so you don't interrupt your "flow" of writing.
What to write?
Say why you are writing in the first sentence. Use phrases such as "I am writing to enquire about…" so that your reader understands why you are writing. If you're replying to someone, you can write "Thank you for your email."
Use standard greetings and endings. Most letters begin with "Dear Mr. X" or "Dear Ms X" and should end "Yours sincerely" (or in American English, "Sincerely yours"). If you know your reader quite well, you can be less formal with "Dear (first name)" and end "Best wishes" or "Best regards". If you absolutely have to write "Dear Sir" ends with "Yours faithfully" rather than "Yours sincerely"
In emails you can start with the first name "Jane", or precede it with "Hi" I am. If you are writing to a number of people, you can leave out the greeting. To end an email you can write "Best wishes", "Kind regards", "Thanks" or in British English "Cheers". Use a closing expression in letters such as "Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of further assistance." In emails you can write, for example, "Many thanks for your help."
In letters, write the date out in full: 7 June 2006 or June 7, 2006. Avoid using abbreviated dates such as (7/6/2006) as although British speakers will understand this as 7 June, Americans will understand it to be July 6.
Extra tips
Words such as 'and', 'but', 'therefore', 'however', guide your reader through your ideas and make your writing easier to read.
Be careful of referring words such as 'this' and 'it'. Make sure they refer to the right word or phrase.
Write as concisely as possible. Don't make your sentences too long, as they might become difficult to read. Avoid more than two ideas in any sentence.
Follow this word order principle to keep your sentences concise:
Subject - Verb - Object - Manner - Place - Time (Who — Does—What— How— Where- When) "Please could you send us the confirmation as quickly as possible?"
"The Managing Director will visit the factory on Monday 10 July at 10 am."
Edit what you write. Use your computer spell-check, but check for grammatical mistakes yourself. Edit out unnecessary words and phrases and avoid old-fashioned words such as "hereby", "herewith" and above-mentioned". Rather than writing "We hereby enclose a brochure", get to the point with "We are enclosing a brochure."
Read what you have written out aloud. Is it easy to read, or are the sentences too long? Have you put in enough punctuation?
Get someone else to check what you have written. Another person may see something that is unclear or a mistake.
Better English speaking skills
Improving your English speaking skills will help you communicate more easily and effectively. But how do you become a more confident English speaker? Practice where you can, when you can. Any practice is good - whether you speak to someone who is a native English speaker or not.
It's important to build your confidence. If possible, use simple English sentence structure that you know is correct, so that you can concentrate on getting your message across.
Try to experiment with the English you know. Use words and phrases you know in new situations. Native English speakers are more likely to correct you if you use the wrong word than if you use the wrong grammar. Experimenting with vocabulary is a really good way of getting feedback.
Try to respond to what people say to you. You can often get clues to what people think by looking at their body language. Respond to them in a natural way. Try NOT to translate into and from your own language. This takes too much time and will make you more hesitant.
If you forget a word, does what native English speakers do all the time, and says things that 'fill' the conversation. This is better than keeping completely silent. Try using um, or err, if you forget the word.
Don't speak too fast! It's important to use a natural rhythm when speaking English, but if you speak too fast it will be difficult for people to understand you.
Try to relax when you speak - you'll find your mouth does most of the pronunciation work for you. When you speak English at normal speed, you'll discover that many of the pronunciation skills, such as linking between words, will happen automatically.
Remember, when speaking English... Try to become less hesitant and more confident. Don't be shy to speak - the more you do it, the more confident you'll become. Remember to be polite - use "please" and "thank you" if you ask someone to do something for you.
It's important to build your confidence. If possible, use simple English sentence structure that you know is correct, so that you can concentrate on getting your message across.
Try to experiment with the English you know. Use words and phrases you know in new situations. Native English speakers are more likely to correct you if you use the wrong word than if you use the wrong grammar. Experimenting with vocabulary is a really good way of getting feedback.
Try to respond to what people say to you. You can often get clues to what people think by looking at their body language. Respond to them in a natural way. Try NOT to translate into and from your own language. This takes too much time and will make you more hesitant.
If you forget a word, does what native English speakers do all the time, and says things that 'fill' the conversation. This is better than keeping completely silent. Try using um, or err, if you forget the word.
Don't speak too fast! It's important to use a natural rhythm when speaking English, but if you speak too fast it will be difficult for people to understand you.
Try to relax when you speak - you'll find your mouth does most of the pronunciation work for you. When you speak English at normal speed, you'll discover that many of the pronunciation skills, such as linking between words, will happen automatically.
Remember, when speaking English... Try to become less hesitant and more confident. Don't be shy to speak - the more you do it, the more confident you'll become. Remember to be polite - use "please" and "thank you" if you ask someone to do something for you.
Learn English by watching television
Television is great for learning English. The pictures make it easier to understand than radio and because you can see who's talking, you get a better idea of what people mean. Just watch their "body language"! Watch programmers that you find enjoyable and entertaining - whatever you watch will help you to improve your English.
Here's the English home guide to learning as much as possible while watching English television:
Only watch programmers you find interesting. Learning English should be fun - not something you have to force yourself to do. If you have a passion for football, watch matches or the sports news.
Keep a notebook near to your television, so that you can jot down any new words or expressions that you hear. This is especially useful if the programmed you are watching has been subtitled into your language.
Try to watch English television regularly. Even if you can only watch 15 minutes a day, you'll be amazed how much you learn.
Don't worry if you don't understand everything - English television is normally aimed at native English language speakers. Programmers often include difficult words and expressions. If the programmed you're watching is full of unknown words, just concentrate on understanding the general meaning.
Even cartoons and children's programmers are useful when learning English and quiz shows are useful for learning how to ask and answer questions in English.
Keep a note of television programmers and presenters that you find easy to understand and try to watch them regularly. Doing this will increase your confidence and give you a sense of achievement.
Here's the English home guide to learning as much as possible while watching English television:
Only watch programmers you find interesting. Learning English should be fun - not something you have to force yourself to do. If you have a passion for football, watch matches or the sports news.
Keep a notebook near to your television, so that you can jot down any new words or expressions that you hear. This is especially useful if the programmed you are watching has been subtitled into your language.
Try to watch English television regularly. Even if you can only watch 15 minutes a day, you'll be amazed how much you learn.
Don't worry if you don't understand everything - English television is normally aimed at native English language speakers. Programmers often include difficult words and expressions. If the programmed you're watching is full of unknown words, just concentrate on understanding the general meaning.
Even cartoons and children's programmers are useful when learning English and quiz shows are useful for learning how to ask and answer questions in English.
Keep a note of television programmers and presenters that you find easy to understand and try to watch them regularly. Doing this will increase your confidence and give you a sense of achievement.
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