English Course in Dili

Finish vs End

Finish

"Finish" means to complete something.

• You can't watch TV until you finish your homework.
• Who finished the cake?

End
"End" means to stop something.

• The meeting ended without an agreement being made.
• The road ends at a little village called Monkton.

A "Relative Clause" is a dependent clause that add extra information to a noun of the main clause.

The relative conjunctions (or pronouns) are:

For people:

• who / whom / that 
• prep + whom (or whom / who / that + subj + verb + prep) 
• whose (possessive) 

For things:

• which / that 
• prep + which (or which subj + verb + prep) 
• whose / of which (possessive) 

The relative clauses are divided into two types: 

• defining relative clauses: clauses that are essential to the sentence.

            Examples:
            -  The child who is playing with the ball is my little brother.
            -  The car (that) I drive is old.
            -  The police are looking for the car whose the driver was masked.
            -  The child (who) Mark is playing with is my little brother. 
            
            Note:             
            - if the pronoun is object of the defining clause, then it is optional.
              ex. The car (that) I drive is old.
              ex. The man (who) you saw yesterday is my boss. 
  

• non-defining relative clauses: clauses that add only extra information.

            Examples:
            -  The car, which was a taxi, exploded.
            -  Mrs Pratt, who I like very much, is my teacher.
            -  That house, whose roof is red, is Mark’s.
    
            Note:
            - "that" is not used in the 'non-defining relative clause'.

Difference between "can" and "may"

Can
Can is used in two cases:  

1) To talk about ability.

• I can finish my homework by 5 pm.
• Can you finish your homework tonight?

2) To ask or give permission in informal way.

• Can I use your pen?

May
May  is generally used to ask or give permission in formal way.

• Student: May I drink water? Teacher: Yes, you may.

Difference between "do" and "make"

Do
"Do" is used to express activities or jobs that produces no physical object. 

• do a crossword
• do the ironing
• do the laundry
• do the washing
• do the washing up
• do your work
• do homework
• do housework
• do your job

It is also used with the words:

• something
• nothing
• anything
• everything

There are a number of standard expressions that take the verb 'do':

• do badly
• do business
• do the dishes
• do a favour
• do good
• do harm
• do time - (to go to prison)
• do well
• do your best
• do your hair
• do your nails
• do your worst 

Make
"Make" is used to express an activity that creates something that you can touch.

• make a dress 
• make food 
• make a cup of tea / coffee
• make a meal
• make breakfast / lunch / dinner 

There are a number of standard expressions that take the verb 'make': 

• make amends 
• make arrangements 
• make believe - (to pretend) 
• make a choice 
• make a comment 
• make a decision 
• make a difference 
• make an effort 
• make an enquiry 
• make an excuse 
• make a fool of yourself 
• make a fortune 
• make friends 
• make a fuss 
• make a journey 
• make love 
• make a mess 
• make a mistake 
• make money 
• make a move 
• make a noise 
• make a payment 
• make a phone call 
• make a plan 
• make a point 
• make a profit 
• make a promise 
• make a remark 
• make a sound 
• make a speech 
• make a suggestion 
• make time 
• make a visit 
• make your bed