Common mistakes

[utuchatday]

According to can mean 'as shown by':
According to the forecast, It'll be wet
According to Dr John, the sea is rising.
'According to' is used to refer to information comming from other people or sources(according to him, according to the timetable,etc.) but not to information coming from oneself.( Not 'according to me') It must be used "In my opinion"instead.
By can only replace 'according to' when the reference is highly specific like to a clock or timetable, but never to people.
It's now ten o'clock by/according to my watch.
According to can also mean 'depending on'
I get to work at nine or just after according to the amount of traffic on the road.

Một số bạn lẩn lộn giửa 'well' và 'good', câu sau đây sẽ giúp bạn:
My english is not good but I speak vietnamese well.

Dịch câu: trình độ anh ngử của tôi trung bình
My english level is medium là không đúng
trung bình ở đây phải là: fair, intermediate, second rate hoặc mediocre.
Medium dùng cho cở quần áo
medium size (cở trung bình)
Trung bình trong anh ngử còn một chử nửa : average, thí dụ:
average format .
Nếu medium là danh từ trong ngành tiếp thị thì có nghĩa: phương tiện truyền thông như: truyền hình , truyền thanh, báo chí ,panneau quảng cáo vv..

[fireball]

Bài viết được gửi bởi utuchatday
Dịch câu: trình độ anh ngử của tôi trung bình
My english level is medium là không đúng
trung bình ở đây phải là: fair, intermediate, second rate hoặc mediocre.
Medium dùng cho cở quần áo
medium size (cở trung bình)
Trung bình trong anh ngử còn một chử nửa : average, thí dụ:
average format .
Nếu medium là danh từ trong ngành tiếp thị thì có nghĩa: phương tiện truyền thông như: truyền hình , truyền thanh, báo chí ,panneau quảng cáo vv..

I'm sorry, but medium can be used when talking about standard of English. Furthermore, "Medium" can be used popularly when evaluating knowledge of English such as: reading, writing and speaking. That's the truth, I ever met this situation when reading an international form of an international organisation (CSE). Namely, that form is for cadidates which are considered for a new project of organisation. The candidate must fill in the form when it asks about knowledge of English and choose one among 3 levels: fluent, medium, and elementary (speak, write & read). so, no problem when using "medium".

Anyway, if you still don't believe I think I can give you that form.

[utuchatday]

I have read your translation and I'm merely stating a fact that your command of english is impeccable and a convincingly supportive arguments you gave but I'm got getting there yet.
It's been fifteen years I live in this country(Canada is where I'm now dwelling) and I've never heard or read such poor choice of words.
Please note that I have no intention to offend anyone in anyway if it might as you wrote we all are here to help each other out.
Would you take a peek at this site before we continue our discussion further?
http://www.lsi-canada.com/Content/english-tests-levels.asp

[ivyinlove]

Good discussion!

My sister's friend is studying in Canada and she told me that English in Canada was quite different.

[fireball]

Bài viết được gửi bởi utuchatday
I have read your translation and I'm merely stating a fact that your command of english is impeccable and a convincingly supportive arguments you gave but I'm got getting there yet.
It's been fifteen years I live in this country(Canada is where I'm now dwelling) and I've never heard or read such poor choice of words.
Please note that I have no intention to offend anyone in anyway if it might as you wrote we all are here to help each other out.
Would you take a peek at this site before we continue our discussion further?
http://www.lsi-canada.com/Content/english-tests-levels.asp

First of all, English is not my tongue language so I may make mistakes. It's great if we can help each other. I just want to say that, as you know there're different ways to express ideas, opinions, etc...in English in different countries. The difference doesn't mean those words are wrong in using. Yes, I've read that site. But I agree with ivyinlove's opinion, English in Canada & US (American English) is a bit different (comparing with British English).
When I mentioned C.V (Curriculum Vitae), a Vietnamese living in Canada said: "here we don't use C.V, we use "resume" instead".

I'm not sure about "medium" is used in Canada or not, but that word is accepted casually.

Best regards.

[the tran]

It's good to have a discussion here about all aspects of using English. I might be wrong here, but somehow I think I'm with utuchatday. As we all know that English is our second language, mistakes are inevitable. However, in my experience with English (speak English daily) I've ever heard anyone says: "My English is medium". I agree that English is spoken worldwide and can be different from place to place, but in this case, it doesn't sound right. Even it's understandable, but somehow it's not common in so called - Standar English. Just my 0.2cent

[fireball]

Please forgive me if you feel I am...stubborn to keep my opinion. I don't say "my English is medium" when speaking English, but when writing English it is possible. It is so 'coz I ever met that situation (as I told you) hence my thought is positive. If you are...tired to continue this discussion, I think we should change the topic. I appreciate your opinions & I understand you started this topic for good target. And hope to see more your posts in our English room whenever your time allows.
To the tran: I got your idea, just one thing... English is not our second language. It's our foreign language. Second language and foreign language are different definitions.

Best regards.

[utuchatday]

We learn a lot from debate and discussion, don't you think?I'll never get tired of them. You're absolutely right about ESL and EFL definitions.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Cheer!