English in Context

English translations, differences, expressions, pronunciation and grammar explained based on real usage situations.

9articles

Capa didática com o título sobre few, a few, little e a little, quadros de livros para contáveis e de copos de água para incontáveis sobre uma mesa de estudos.

English in Context27/09/20265 min read

Few, a few, little and a little: how meaning changes your choice

Learn how to choose few, a few, little and a little by noun type and the speaker's view of quantity, with a comparison table, paired examples and explained exercises.

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Estudante em mesa de estudos pensando em cenas de rotina passada, estudo atual e adaptação a uma nova rotina.

English in Context26/09/20263 min read

Used to, be used to, and get used to: differences with routine examples

Learn when to use used to, be used to, and get used to with routine examples, common mistakes, and a quick method to distinguish past habits, familiarity, and adaptation.

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Mesa de estudos dividida entre calendário e relógio, à esquerda, e ampulheta com livros de inglês, à direita, representando ponto de início e duração.

English in Context13/09/20264 min read

Since vs. for in English: how to choose between a starting point and a duration

Since points to when a period started; for tells how long it lasts. Learn how this logic works in the present perfect and in other verb tenses.

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Caderno aberto em uma mesa de estudos com as expressões eventually, finally e in the end destacadas, ilustrações de processo e resultado e um lembrete de que “eventualmente” não é igual a eventually.

English in Context12/09/20267 min read

Eventually, finally, and in the end: when to use each one — and why Portuguese “eventualmente” does not mean eventually

Learn the difference between eventually, finally, and in the end, with examples, sentence position, and the Portuguese false cognate “eventualmente”.

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Blocos de madeira com as palavras “make” e “do” sobre uma mesa de estudos, cercados por livros, caderno, anotações e um globo ao fundo.

English in Context06/09/20265 min read

Make vs. do: how to choose by action type without memorizing endless lists

Learn to distinguish make and do through the contrast between activity and outcome, using collocations as confirmation instead of memorizing endless lists.

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Estudante em uma mesa de estudos recorda cenas da infância, com hábitos repetidos em várias vinhetas e uma lembrança estática à janela.

English in Context06/09/20266 min read

Used to vs would: how to talk about past habits without getting stative verbs wrong

Learn when used to and would can describe past habits, why would normally does not work for past states, and how to avoid confusion with be/get used to.

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Estudante em uma mesa de estudos observa dois balões de pensamento com as palavras “actually” e “currently”, ao lado de livros e notebook.

English in Context05/09/20266 min read

Actually vs currently: how to avoid the Portuguese false friend “atualmente”

Learn when to use actually and currently, apply a two-step substitution test, and avoid changing the meaning when translating Portuguese “atualmente.”

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Mulher pensativa diante de um infográfico sobre "Do you mind if...?", com exemplos de pedido de permissão, pedido de ação e respostas sem ambiguidade.

English in Context20/08/20268 min read

"Do you mind if...?": when to answer "no", why you also hear "yes/sure" and how to avoid ambiguity

The literal answer to "Do you mind if...?" can reverse the expected direction. Understand grammar, intent, and clear responses to allow or decline.

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Infográfico com estudante e exemplos Are you here already?, Are you here yet?, She still hasn't replied e She hasn't replied yet, contrastando surpresa, expectativa e impaciência.

English in Context17/08/202612 min read

Already or yet in questions; still or yet in negatives: how expectation, surprise and impatience change the meaning

Already, yet and still are not mechanical exchanges: in questions and negatives, they signal expectation, surprise, continuity and even impatience.

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