My lesson "L"

He missed the last bus. They met for the last time just before the war.

The last thing, event, or person is the one that comes after all the others.

We last saw him nine years ago.

If something last happened on a particular occasion, it has not happened since then.

He added the milk last.

If an event is the final one in a series, you can say that it happens last. You put last at the end of the sentence.

I saw him last week. She died last autumn.

You use last in front of a word such as week, month, Christmas or autumn to talk about a date or a period of time before the present one.

Lastly I would like to ask about your future plans.

Lastly is used for the final item in a list.

I was ten minutes late for my appointment.

If you are late for something, you arrive after the time that was arranged.

Etta arrived late.

You can also say that someone arrives late.

We haven't been getting on so well lately.

You use lately to say that something has been happening since a short time ago.

Lay a sheet of newspaper on the floor. I carefully laid Marianne down on the sofa.

If you lay something somewhere, you put it there carefully. The other forms of lay are lays, laying, laid.

She lay on the bed, reading. The baby was lying on the table.

If you lie somewhere, you are in a flat position, not standing or sitting. The other forms of lie in this meaning are lies, lying, lay, lain.

He lied to me. She was sure that Thomas was lying.

If you lie, you say or write something that you know is not true. When lie is used in this meaning, its other forms are lies, lying, lied.

We first learned to ski in the Alps. He had never learnt to read and write.

When you learn something, you obtain knowledge or a skill as a result of studying or training.

Mother taught me how to read.

Don't say that you learn someone something or learn them how to do something. The word you use is teach.

I taught history for many years.

If you teach a subject, you explain it to people as your job.

... the man that taught us English at school. I found a job teaching English to a group of adults in Paris.

You can either say that you teach someone something or that you teach something to someone.

Boylan taught him to drive.

If you teach someone to do something, you give them instructions so that they know to do it.

Let's go outside.

Let's is short for let us. It is used to make suggestions for you and someone else, and is followed by an infinitive without to.

Let's not talk about that.

If you are saying that you and someone else should not do something, you say let's not.

They wouldn't let us sleep.

When you are talking about you and someone else being allowed to do something, you use let us.

Let us know what progress has been made.

Let us is also used in the phrase let us know to ask for information about something.

He often went to the public library.

A library is a building where books are kept for people to use or borrow.

You work in a bookshop, don't you?

In Britain, a shop where you buy books is called a bookshop, not a library. In America, it is called a bookstore.

She's a nice girl. I like her. He liked the room, which was large.

If you like someone or something, you find them pleasant or attractive.

I like reading.

If you enjoy an activity, you can say that you like doing it.

I like him very much. I like driving very much.

You can add very much to emphasize how much you like someone or something.

Do you like walking? - Yes, I do, I love it.

If someone asks you if you like something, you can say Yes, I do.

I like it when I can go home early.

Use like it in front of a clause beginning with when or if.

Would you like some coffee? Would you like to meet him?

You say Would you like...? when you are offering something to someone, or inviting someone to do something.

I'd like some apples, please.

You can say I'd like ... when you are asking for something in a shop or a café.

I was listening to the radio. Listen carefully to what he says.

If you listen to something or someone, you pay attention to their sound or voice.

I heard a noise.

Don't confuse listen and hear. If you hear something, you become aware of it without trying. If you listen to something, you deliberately pay attention to it.

I had made a little progress.

A little is used in front of uncountable nouns to talk about a small quantity or amount of something.

It is clear that little progress was made.

If you use little in front of a noun, you are emphasizing that there is not enough of something.

For example, if you say: We got a little help from them.

you mean that they gave you some help.

if you say: We got little help form them.

you mean that they did not give you enough help.

I haven't got much work to do. We don't have much time.

A little an d little are slightly formal. In conversation, not much is used instead.

For example, instead of saying: I have little money,

you say: I haven't got much money or I don't have much money.

... an area up to 3000 feet long and 900 feet wide. How long is that side of the triangle?

You use long when you are talking about the length of something.

It's a long way from here to Birmingham.

You use a long way to talk about a large distance from one place to another.

Is the school far from here? It was not far to walk back to our hotel.

In questions or negative sentences, you use far.

We may be here a long time.

You use a long time to talk about a large amount of time.

Are you staying long?

In questions or negatives sentences, you can use long as an adverb to mean a long time.

He's been here too long. You've been here long enough to know what we're like.

You can also say too long or long enough

Lang looked at his watch.

If someone directs their eyes towards something, you say that they look at it.

You look very pale. Seth looked disappointed.

Look can also be used with an adjective to mean seem or appear.

She will look after the children during their holidays.

If you look after someone or something, you take care of them.

He looked for his shoes under the bed.

If you look for someone or something, you try to find them.

They were looking forward to the summer holidays.

If you are looking forward to something that are going to experience, you are pleased or excited about it.

I look forward to seeing you in Washington.

You can say that you look forward to doing something.

A lot of people thought it was funny. You've got lots of time.

You use a lot of or lots of in front of a noun when you are talking about a large number or amount of people or things. Lots of is used in conversation.

A lot of people come to our classes. Lots of time was spent playing with these toys.

When you use a lot of or lots of in front of a plural noun, you use a plural form of a verb with it. If you use them in front of an uncountable noun, you use a singular form of the verb.

I've learn a lot

You use a lot without a noun to talk about a large quantity or amount of something.

You like Ralph a lot, don't you? They talk a lot about politics.

You also use a lot as an adverb to mean to a great extent or or often.

The lucky winners were given £5000 each.

You say that someone is lucky when something nice happens to them, or when they always seem to have good luck.

Sarah's such a happy person -she's always laughing. Barbara felt very happy.

Don't use lucky to say that someone feels pleased and satisfied. The word you use is happy.