5. Here “unless” creates two categories. One category is people who do not have to apply for a visa and the other category is people who do. What comes after “unless” defines the category. 

“If not” would not be correct in the middle of the sentence, and would usually be used when “if” has already been used to separate the categories or conditions. For example, “IF you go to the store, please buy milk. IF NOT, I will buy it later.”  

For a test, I don’t like this one because the sentence is technically grammatically correct using “if,” but the meaning changes. (“You don’t have to apply for a visa if you are from outside the EU.”) Logically there is not a country that accepts visitors from ALL countries except those in the EU without a visa.

6. This uses the phrase “to have something done” – you are not painting the house yourself, you have it painted (someone else does the work). “Do you” is already conjugated, so “have” is infinitive. Also, “do you have” is present tense, and “every year” tells us they mean now and into the future. 

“Have you got,” to me is asking if you have something that you need. “Have you got your wallet?” 

If you used it in this sentence “Have you got your house repainted?” it is not grammatically correct. You could say “have you gotten your house repainted?” – which would be past tense. 

Hope these are helpful and not confusing. :/ 

Hi

I am not a professional teacher, but I will try to help. 

#1, 2, 3 are all expressions. You just have to memorize them. 

1. “to do away with” = to eliminate or get rid of

I’m going to do away with this table 

They did away with that law (past tense)

That law was done away with (“done away with” is used as an adjective) 

2. “to take exception to” (or to take great exception to) = to (strongly) disagree with 

I take exception to this policy!

3. “try as I might” (or try as he/she/they might) = to try as hard as you can, but always implies that you were not successful

4. “They” can be used to refer to any unknown person, in place of “one.” If you have already used “someone,” “anyone,” or “no one,” you can then use “they” to refer to the generic person a second time. 

For example, “If someone wants to enter the building, they will need a key.” 

In this sentence, “do they” is added for emphasis and to confirm the statement before it. 

The sentence would still be correct without it. (“No one wants to have HW.”)

You have already used “no one,” so you can say “they” to refer to a generic person. You would NOT use a negative here, because they sentence is already negative by saying “no one” – this is why “don’t they” is wrong. 

“Don’t he” is both negative (therefore wrong) and not conjugated correctly if you were talking about a specific guy (in which case you would say, “HE doesn’t want HW, does he?”)

(see next post)

Hello, I'm not sure I should give you a score since I am not a teacher or tutor, but what you wrote is quite good.

<s>MISTER</s> DEAR <s>DIRCTOR THE</s> LANGUAGE SCHOOL DIRECTOR,

My name is Jack. I’m writing to you because <s>really i have</s> I was really surprised when I saw your mail (e-mail or letter or message) that the programme has been cancelled without any reason mentioned. <s>in your mail </s>I asked myself <s>whiche the cause</s> what would push you (or what would cause you) to cancel the program in the summer? I would like to tell you how much time I have been working to get (or raise) money <s>for paying</s> to pay for the (or this) <s>funds of scolarity</s> (school or programme) and waiting for <s>this programme</s> (it to start ?). <s>really</s> It’s a <s>so</s> really expensive program (or it is such an expensive programme or the programme is so expensive) but I don't care, <s>due to</s> as I find your school and your program quality <s>deserve it</s> are worth it. Now I demand that you <s>to</s> give me back my funds (or I demand a refund), if <s>you take cancelled the program as a finally</s> canceling the programme is your final decision, unless there is <s>any</s> another program like this, which I <s>will</s> would accept <s>that</s>. I look forward to your reply soon <s>for seeing</s> to see what I will (or should) do. I have been looking for another school <s>a time</s> since I received your message. <s>,</s> All my hope (or simply I hope) that<s>’s</s> everything is going <s>on</s> very well <s>like the first touch </s> (I'm not sure quite what you mean here -- maybe as it was on our first contact. Also you can just say "I hope all is going well.").

Thank you

<s>Student </s>Jack

(give me plz score from 1 to 10 )

I think it depends if you know someone at your travel destination already or have a reason to talk to the local people. If you just travel as a tourist without a plan that forces you to engage in conversation, I find that doesn't help much. Maybe sign up for an immersion class at your destination? Good luck! :)

Hi Phil,

Sorry for the delayed response.

It is ALWAYS easy to find people who want help in English, in exchange for whatever language they offer... which is not necessarily my (current) target language. If I had unlimited time to study languages, I would talk to everyone, but at the moment, I have a more-than-full-time job, so I have to be choosy about my language-learning time.

I am super lucky at the moment to have found a language partner who is reliable and with whom I have no difficulty finding conversation topics, but those things are hard to come by sometimes, even when you find people who are interested and motivated. Like Chris said, sometimes it's just easier to pay for lessons...

Good luck to you all!

Nice experiment :)

Let me just say upfront that finding a language partner who is a good fit is SUPER HARD.

I never posted about it in the forum, but I actually used to read the posts looking for language partners (and found one that way!).

I think many people's profiles are listed in the menu of those looking for language partners unintentionally, so the "Find Language Partners" functionality is limited in its utility. You end up contacting a bunch of people who are not looking for language partners, and they don't realize they are still listed there. I hope others are having success in the forums.

Terrible situation, that people have become blind from these injuries...

<s>Manifestations</s> Demonstrations <s>on</s> in Chile

I'm from Chile, I live in Santiago. Since 18 October (October 18th or the 18th of October), Chile has had <s>manifestations</s> demonstrations. <s>on the start was all the days</s> At first, it was every day, these days are only Fridays (Now they are only on Fridays or Now, it's only on Friday).

Chilean police are so brutal when they are trying to calm the demonstrations <s>manifestations</s>. They are shooting (or They shoot) <s>gum</s> rubber bullets with a lead core, and they shoot <s>on eyes of people</s> people in the eye. <s>until today</s> So far (or Up to today), 359 people <s>received shot on eyes</s> have been shot in the eye.

Yesterday a van <s>with</s> of fascist people kidnapped a guy. They <s>was</s> were <s>policies</s> police.

People don't believe in the government. A lot of people hate Chilean police, and we can't trust them now.

Nice text, keep writing every day and your English will improve! :)

I will write a letter <s>all the</s> every day

I would like to write a letter here <s>all the days</s> every day if I can. I would like to perfect my <s>write</s> writing. I went to <s>leave</s> live (or I went on vacation?) in Canada and I didn't understand the Canadians. They speak English very quickly. I <s>went to return at</s> returned home <s>discoured</s> discouraged.