At the office or at office: which is correct?
Say He is at the office. In standard English, office is a singular countable noun here, so it usually needs an article. Use the because the workplace is known in the conversation.
Everyday listening
Start with short recordings, then work through longer phrases. Listen once for the situation and again for the words.
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Auxiliary verbs: use be, do, and have
Be forms continuous and passive verbs; have forms perfect verbs. Use do with a base verb in simple-tense questions and negatives when no other helper is present, except with main-verb be.
Awesome meaning: everyday praise and formal alternatives
Awesome usually means very good or impressive in informal English. It can also describe something that inspires awe, especially something large, beautiful, or powerful.
Backchanneling: show that you are listening
Use a short response after you understand a point or when the speaker pauses. Choose a response that fits the meaning and keep your voice brief enough for the other person to continue.
Bass and base: pronounce and use two different words
Use bass /bæs/ for the fish. Use bass /beɪs/ for low music, a low singing voice, or an instrument such as a bass guitar. Use base /beɪs/ for a supporting bottom part, a main location, or a starting point.
Bazaar and bizarre: understand the difference
Use bazaar for a market. Use bizarre to describe something very strange, unexpected, or hard to explain. Bazaar is usually a noun, while bizarre is an adjective.
Be used to and get used to
Be used to describes a present or past state of familiarity: I am used to the early bus. Get used to describes the change toward that state: I am getting used to the early bus. After both forms, use a noun or an -ing form.
Begin and start: understand the difference
Use begin or start for the first part of an action or event. Start is more common in everyday speech. Use begin when a more formal tone fits. Use start, not begin, for a machine, a vehicle, a journey, or some other special meanings of start.
Beside and besides: understand the difference
Use beside when one person or thing is next to another. Use besides when you mean in addition to, apart from, or also.
Beside or besides: place, addition, and sentence position
Use beside before a person or thing when you mean next to it. Use besides when you are adding something else, an extra reason, or an additional fact.
Beware of: use this warning phrase correctly
Use beware of before the danger, risk, or problem you want to mention. Follow it with a noun, a pronoun, or a verb ending in -ing.
Body-part idioms in English: figurative meaning in context
Body-part idioms use a body word to express another idea. Keep an eye on means watch carefully, lend a hand means help, get cold feet means become too nervous to continue, cost an arm and a leg means be very expensive, and have a heart of gold means be very kind.