What are Inference Statistics

What are Inference Statistics Everything to Know About Data Driven Analysis ChaptersStatistics BasicsStatistical Computing for BeginnersDescriptive StatisticsInferential StatisticsResources for StatisticiansStatistics is one of those disciplines everyone knows at least a bit about. From interpreting a percentile to realizing a chi-square test, the broad discipline of statistics can be applied to every aspect of our lives: politics, romance, business and more. While the evolution of data analysis has a long history, the basics can be easy to grasp. Here’s everything you should know about statistical inference!Knowing key statistical functions can aid in learning new computer languages! AisvaryaData Analysis Teacher 5.00 (4) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdeyemiData Analysis Teacher 5.00 (4) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdenikeData Analysis Teacher 5.00 (4) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ThanushanData Analysis Teacher 5.00 (4) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GokhanData Analysis Teacher 5.00 ( 4) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OlawaleData Analysis Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AisvaranData Analysis Teacher 5.00 (4) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Muhammad umairData Analysis Teacher 5.00 (2) £100/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsStatistics BasicsData analysis and statistical methods have been dominating headlines lately. The reason can be found in the ever-increasing use of data in all aspects of our lives - from the groceries people buy to the dating apps they use. Included in fields like biostatistics and business analytics, statistical data and statistical inference have actually been around long before the invention of computers.The statistician of the ancient world used both categorical and numerical data to record and analyse movements in agriculture, weather and commerce. While Bayesian statistics has revolutionized the work of statisticians to include more sophisticated methods of making predictions, st atistics in the modern world has kept the three main essentials that started the discipline:Collecting data with a sample sizeAnalysing the dataUsing creative ways of displaying or disseminating the conclusions from this dataStatistical Computing for BeginnersWhile the intricacies of statistical analyses might seem too complicated for the layperson to grasp, even the most seasoned statistician or data scientist needs the occasional refresher on all things probability and statistics. Understanding the entirety of statistical techniques statistical theory into a couple of paragraphs can seem impossible, especially if you’re not too confident in your abilities in mathematical statistics. However, statistical data analysis is something you utilize on the daily: from crafting your monthly budget to creating insightful data visualizations at work.To start unpacking the world of statistical analysis we’ll have to start by making the important distinction between the two main branches o f statistics: inferential and descriptive statistics. While descriptive statistics are used to describe and measure what is actually in your raw data, inferential statistics are used in order to make useful predictions about the general population using your sample data. Inferential statistics, on the other hand, tests a hypothesis and a null hypothesis on sample data in order to estimate metrics we can’t actually measure in real life, such as the true, population mean.Or, in other words, inferential statistics uses a set of data to make predictions about things outside that very data. Whether it be quantitative data or qualitative data, inferential statistics is one or the most important tools for data scientists the world over. It makes use of concepts such as probability theory and methods such as linear regression in order to make helpful predictions about the world. AisvaryaData Analysis Teacher 5.00 (4) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdeyemiData Analysis Teac her 5.00 (4) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdenikeData Analysis Teacher 5.00 (4) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ThanushanData Analysis Teacher 5.00 (4) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GokhanData Analysis Teacher 5.00 (4) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OlawaleData Analysis Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AisvaranData Analysis Teacher 5.00 (4) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Muhammad umairData Analysis Teacher 5.00 (2) £100/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsDescriptive StatisticsBefore getting into the exciting world of central tendency, ordinal data regression models, let’s start by looking at the most common tools used in exploratory analysis. In statistics, data can be analysed through univariate or multivariate methods, which roughly translates into analysing either one variable or multiple. Typically, univariate methods of analysis are more meaningful in initial explorat ory analysis, where looking at and comparing the measures of specific variables can serve to highlight important features about your data set.While not at all an exhaustive explanation of descriptive statistics, here are some of the basics you can implement in your study design in order to understand your dependent or independent variable.Measures of central tendency, or what the average data looks like, are the sample mean, effect size, median and mode. Measures of variability, on the other hand, seek to measure how far data are spread from the average and include: variances, covariance and standard deviation.While this may sound very elementary, many industries that utilize statistics don’t need the more complex methods involved in inferential statistics. For example, using data visualizations of descriptive statistics, such as a histogram or pie chart, can help a company identify their biggest cost problems or the characteristics of an average client. In this way, exploratory a nalysis can turn into a powerful tool for both data visualization and analysis.Statistical analysis can be extremely helpful for all types of decision makersInferential StatisticsMoving onto the concepts even the most seasoned mathematician can shudder at: inferential statistics. While more detailed explanations on some of the more complex statistical topics included under this branch of statistics, such as regression analysis with categorical data or binomial distributions, the basics are fairly easy to grasp.Underlying all inferential statistics is probability theory. From constructing a confidence interval for your estimators to attaining the statistical significance for a dependent variable â€" virtually all statistical methodology relies on probability theory. That being said, when it comes to inferential statistics, statisticians generally tend to be divided into two camps: frequentists and Bayesian(ists). While frequentists believe that probability is the measure of the frequ ency of an outcome from an actual trial, or experiment, the Bayesian statistician holds that probability is abstract and measures the belief in knowledge or proposition.If this sounds like someone just back-translated wingdings, it can be helpful to look at how a normal probability distribution is used in the most basic statistical model: linear regression analysis.In order to conduct linear regression analysis, as with many other types of analysis such as analysis of variance (ANOVA) or time series analysis, assumptions are made about the data in order to ensure the validity of the analysis. One of the most common assumptions is that the variables or the error term of the data follow a normal distribution. This ensure the validity of the model and is the basis of correct interpretation of everything from an alternative hypothesis and correlation coefficient to the estimator and confidence intervals.While most statistical software like R and SPSS will run statistical models automati cally, it’s always important to check most assumptions of your data before running linear regression and other types of analysis. To give you an idea of what some other assumptions can look like, we can look at the Gauss-Markov theorem:If your linear regression model meets the first six classical assumptions of ordinary least squares method, then the regression is BLUE or the best linear unbiased estimator.Not only is the acronym easy to remember, but it also serves to underscore the important fact that any data meeting these assumptions can produce estimators with the least variance of all the possible estimators. The only downside, however, is that these assumptions can hardly ever be met in real life. Take a look and you’ll probably see why:The model is linear in terms of both coefficients and the error termThe expected value, or mean, of the error term is zeroThe independent variables are uncorrelated with the error termThere is no correlation between different observations of the error termNo heteroscedasticity in the error term, which can also be seen as constant varianceNo perfect correlation between the independent variablesAnother one of the more common statistical models you’re likely to find within any experimental design is the General Linear Model. This model is, at its most basic, a simple linear model and - among its most complex, can be used in multivariate analysis methods such as factor analysis, cluster analysis and more. Without getting into too much detail, using the GLM method for analysing both categorical and numerical data makes use of important concepts like the t-test to aid in determining the best model for the data.The t-test, at its base, assess whether the means of two groups are statistically different from one another and can be applied to make inferences on whether one linear model is better than another.From the hardware to the programs on a computer, statistics is involved!Resources for StatisticiansFrom the randomizat ion of trials to the analysis of parametric models, creating the perfect methodology, analysis and interpretation in statistics can be tricky. Luckily, there are a number of ways you can get statistics help either online or with a professional.Whether you’re confused on the definition of a random variable, outliers, or observational data, the internet can be your best tool for finding statistics solutions. Check out Stack Exchange if you’re having trouble on a particular concept or problem.Where to Find Stats TutorsIf you’re looking for one-to-one statistics tutoring, make sure to browse through Superprof’s community of almost 150,000 maths tutors in the UK! Giving advice on everything related to mathematical statistics, you'll be able to receive advice and guidance on some of statistic's most troubling concepts and functions for the average price of 10 pounds an hour!

SAT Preparations Online SAT Prep Online Tutoring Tutorpace

SAT Preparations Online SAT Prep Online Tutoring Tutorpace SAT is the exam taken by high school students to showcase their ability and academic knowledge to gain admissions in colleges and universities in the United States. SAT exam is considered one of the challenging tests because of its format and the limited time given to the students to answer the questions. SAT test paper majorly consist of multiple choice questions ranging from low to medium to high difficulty level, with negative penalty on wrong answers formultiple choice questions. SAT Reasoning test consists of 3 main sections: Critical Reading, Mathematics and Writing. The other type of SAT test is the SAT Subject test which is given in about 20 individual subjects, each of one-hour duration. An SAT Subject test, unlike the reasoning test is taken in different subject areas like History, Biology, Mathematics, Literature, Physics, and Foreign Languages etc. Preparing for SAT is a process most high school students go over but it is important to realize that this test is conducted based on the academic level and standard of a high school student only. Hence it is not impossible for any student to achieve a top score as it only requires good amount of practice and good conceptual knowledge in a subject. Students should practice at home answering each question in less than a minute so that they get used to this format during the main test. By learning and improving the concepts learnt at school and by practicing SAT questions daily, it is possible for any student to achieve high scores.

Find Distance Between Two Points

Find Distance Between Two Points To find the distance between two points whose co-ordinates are given. Let P1 and P2 are the two given points, and let their co-ordinates are respectively (x1 y1) and (x2 y2).Therefore, by trigonometry we can find that the distance between two points is given by the formula The distance P1 P2 = [(x1 x2)2 + (y1 y2)2] Note :The distance of the point (x1, y1) from the origin is (x12 + y12) because the coordinates of the origin are (0, 0). The axes are rectangular. Example1 :Let us find the distance between the pairs of points (2, 3) and (5, 7). Solution :We have to find the distance between the pairs of points (2, 3) and (5, 7). Let x1 = 2, y1 = 3 and x2 = 5, y2 = 7 Hence required distance = (x1 x2)2 + (y1 y2)2 = (2 - 5)2 + (3 7)2 = (-3)2 + (-4)2 = 9 + 16 = 25 = 5 The distance between two points = 5 Example 2.Find the distance between the pairs of points (-3,-2) and (-6, 7) The axes are being inclined at 600. Let x1 = -3, y1 = -2 and x2 = -6, y2 = 7 and q = 600 Hence required distance = (x1 x2)2 + (y1 y2)2 +2 (x1 x2) (y1 y2) Cos q = (-3 + 6)2 + (-2-7)2 +2(-3+6) (-2-7) Cos 600 = (3)2 + (-9)2 + 2 (3) (-9). 1/2 The distance = 9 + 81 - 27 = 63 = 37.

Is There an Age Limit to Learn Guitar

Is There an Age Limit to Learn Guitar When is it Too Late to Sign Up for Guitar Lessons? ChaptersLearning Guitar as an Older Person.I Should Have Learned How to Play Guitar When I Was Younger.You Have More Time Now.You Have More Disposable Income.You Have More Experience.Feeling Motivated to Play Guitar?First of all, the guitar is often considered an instrument for adolescents and young adults in their twenties to learn; it’s a symbol of freedom, of rock and roll, escape, pop songs and groupies.This is because the guitar - in all its different forms, from the jazz guitar and blues guitar to the guitar solos and rhythm guitar of heavy metal - is usually pictured with the young.  Popular music per se - and the guitar has become the quintessential symbol of popular music - is dominated by and marketed to young people.As there are very few older famous musicians around (that didn't start off young!) - and as the ones that do exist are usually found in classical music - you would be forgiven for thinking that older people can't start to learn music.However, the guitar is on e of America’s favorite instruments because it’s easy to learn and carry. And there is no reason why, if you're 28, 35, 42, 55 or even 63, you can't still learn to play the guitar. It isn't too late.When should you play the guitar?SaveSave

What is it Like to Attend The University of New Mexico

What is it Like to Attend The University of New Mexico The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Roxanne received her undergraduate degree in biology and chemistry from The University of New Mexico. She is currently a tutor in Albuquerque specializing in algebra, biology, chemistry, and several other subjects. See what she had to say about her experience at The University of New Mexico:https://www.varsitytutors.com/algebra-tutors Describe the campus setting and transportation options. Roxanne: The University of New Mexico has very limited parking for students who do not live on campus. Most commuting students must purchase off-campus parking lot passes, and then ride shuttle buses to campus. Parking is expensive, so living near enough to campus to bike or walk is a great way to save money. The University of New Mexico parking and transportation department provides free city bus passes to students, which is another money-saving option. The campus is in the middle of Albuquerque between the Nob Hill district and downtown. The area is mostly safe, and the campus has thorough security. Lights have also been added around the more dimly lit areas of campus to increase night safety for students, but I wouldnt advise walking late at night alone. How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Roxanne:This question is extremely class dependent. Some professors are incredibly helpful, whereas others are busy with their work. Academic advisers availability also depends on the area of study. Most department advisers have open hours of availability, but the university-wide advisers have more limited hours. Teaching assistants tend to be incredibly helpful during their office hours/help sessions, but it is important to remember that they are also students, and they have limited availability around exam times. How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Roxanne:The University of New Mexico has a plethora of clubs and organizations, so every student should be able to find at least one that interests him or her. The school also hosts several campus-wide events for students to socialize and recruit for their organizations/clubs. Dorm life is dependent on the style of dorm that the student is placed in. The University of New Mexico has apartment style, suite style, and traditional dorms. I lived in both the suite style and apartment style dorms, and I much preferred the apartment style. Most students enjoy the community of the traditional dorms. Living in the dorms gives students many other opportunities to socialize through events scheduled by the Resident Advisers. The on-campus dining options are plentiful, and the main cafeteria, La Posada, was recently redone and is greatly improved. The area around campus has plenty of restaurants within walking distance, as well. Which majors/programs are best represented and supported? Roxanne:The University of New Mexico has a very diverse student body. Business, psychology, biology, and engineering are popular programs. I studied biology and chemistry. I began as a biology major with a chemistry minor, but I bumped chemistry up to a double major once I realized how much I enjoyed it. The university did a fine job of supporting my areas of study. The biology department has several advisers, making it relatively easy to find solutions to scheduling problems and other questions. The chemistry department is less supported, having only one adviser who is also the only adviser for the biochemistry department. How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Roxanne:I was shy as an incoming freshman, and I had trouble meeting and talking with people at first. I joined Nourish International, and I also became friends with my dorm-mates. Events like Friday Night Live and other student union building-sponsored events were also helpful in meeting other students. Greek life does play a significant role on campus. I never pledged a sorority, but I know many people who were members of Greek life. How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services? Roxanne:The University of New Mexico offers many students employment and work-study positions. The Career Center hosts several job fairs each semester. They tend to under-represent careers in the sciences, so for me they werent extremely helpful, but they do have many opportunities for other areas of work. How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Roxanne:The main campus library has recently been redone. The main area has many supplies for group and private study. If the main area is crowded, there are also several other computer labs and study rooms. If students need absolute silence to study, there is an entire wing of the library where no noise is allowed. The student union building is a great hangout spot, and it also has a computer lab and print area. The dorm lounge situation is dependent on the dorm. Several of the dorm common areas are newly refurbished, but some of the older buildings have rundown common areas that arent great for studying. Describe the surrounding town. Roxanne:The University of New Mexico is in the middle of town between downtown and Nob Hill. Albuquerque is close to several beautiful mountain ranges with many hiking trails. Some of my favorite things to do besides hike are visit trampoline parks, go to movies, and play putt putt golf. Students go downtown a lot on the weekends. Downtown is within walking distance of campus if students arent opposed to a decent walk. There arent many reasons to go to opposite sides of town from campus because they are mostly just residential areas. The University of New Mexico is placed in one of the busiest part of town. How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Roxanne:Again, this question is dependent on the area of study. Lower-level courses that many students take for their core curriculum are extremely large. My first class at The University of New Mexico had around 300 students. The honors program only allows up to about 12 students per class to suit the discussion setting of the courses offered. The higher-level classes tend to have fewer students because there are more options to fulfill degree requirements. Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Roxanne:I worked as a Peer Learning Facilitator (PLF) during my senior year of college. A PLF is similar to a teaching assistant, but we only work in lower-level science courses that have a high fail/drop rate to help students pass those classes and move on in their degree paths. We also only work for classes where a certain portion is dedicated to active learning. My last semester, I worked for a General Chemistry II course and absolutely loved it. The professor I worked with was incredibly fair and helpful to her students. She wanted everybody to have the opportunity to do their best. It was awesome being part of that class. Working with a professor who was so encouraging to her students was great! Being able to be a part of that class was something I loved most about college, and I wish I discovered the position earlier. Check out Roxannes tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

American English or British English Divided By A Common Language

American English or British English Divided By A Common Language Difference in British English and American English Biscuits or Cookies?By Peter BallHave you ever asked yourself ‘Did I just walk on a colorful sidewalk, or have I just walked on a colourful pavement?’ Well, if you have then you are probably noticing (and getting confused by) the differences between American and British English.At LOI we have staff from both sides of the Atlantic and teach both varieties â€" but what are the differences? How important are they? And which form should you use?I can’t give you a detailed account of all the differences here â€" I don’t have the time, space or expertise. But I will try to outline the basic differences and give you a few clues about usage â€" and hopefully that will be enough to start you off!Difference in British English and American English Pronunciation difference between British and American English.The main difference between British and American pronunciation is that American accents tend to be far less varied than British ones. It’s a really noticeable contrast; here are a few numbers to think about:There are about 230 million native English speakers in the USA (64% of the total number of native speakers around the world) living in an area of over 9 million km2, but speaking only about 10 major dialects between them. Now compare that to Britain where 64 million native speakers (16% of the global total) live in an area of 242,500 km2 (about the size of Michigan) and between them speak a bewildering 50 different versions of the language!Of course, these differences are not confined to accent but include other features such as unique vocabulary and non-standard grammar. I don’t have space to describe this variety but you can find an interesting and entertaining introductory guide to British accents here.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrmfnYTOKFAThis huge variety is the reason why we need to have something called ‘Standard English’ â€" it acts as a baseline against which we can describe other accents. If we had no standard to consider and to use i n public broadcasts, newspapers and books, the language in Britain would simply diverge and fragment to leave us in our own tower of babel!So, right here, we can only consider the differences between Standard British and Standard American English. Thankfully these two forms are pretty similar and native speakers rarely have problems understanding each other when they use these forms. I am just going to look at the one major difference that I think everybody notices.The ‘Rotic’ /r/Now, we all pronounce Rs at the start of words like regular or rectangle â€" right? And we also pronounce the R sound when it is part of the first syllable as in pretend or pronounce. However, things get more interesting when we consider Rs in the middle of words such as garden or energy, and words that end with the letter like teacher or November.If you pronounce the R in the middle or final position in a word you are using a ‘rotic’ R and this is prominent feature of American English â€" because i t was a common feature of the English spoken by the early British settlers. This R has now been lost to Standard British pronunciation (and also to most â€" but not all â€" regional British accents).So in the sentence:Our regular teacher practised perfect proseThe bold Rs are rotic â€" and most British people won’t pronounce them, while most American speakers will.So, while there are a few noticeable differences in pronunciation, most native English speakers, from either side of the Atlantic, can understand each other’s pronunciation most of the time.Some people feel quite strongly about the way we pronounce things and my personal favourite comment on the subject is the song ‘Throw the R away’ by The Proclaimers; you can listen to it here.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUE2jeSaHeMInterestingly, one thing that always stands out in a really good English student is the way that they have native-speaker pronunciation for words and expressions that they learnt for the first time while living in Britain or Ireland. It shows that having ‘a good ear’ is an essential element to language learning.I think that when a student says ‘I don’t understand British accents’, or ‘Americans talk too fast’, what they are referring to is connected speech. Unfortunately, I don’t have the space here to deal with this topic (and it isn’t a difference between American and British speakers anyway â€" as we all do it!) perhaps it is a topic for another blog post… Spelling difference between American and British EnglishLike all other native speakers at the time, Americans in the 17th and 18th centuries used a wide variety of spellings, some of which differed from spellings common in Britain. The first attempt to standardise American spelling was also an attempt to ‘rationalise’ the spelling â€" to make it more ‘phonetic’. This process was largely the work of one man; Noah Webster, who published The American Spelling Book in 1783. Coming at the end of th e War of Independence, he saw it as an important political gesture ‘to have a system of our own, in language as well as government.’This book, and his dictionaries that followed, presented the more rational spellings that typify American spelling, here are a few of the main ones:BritishAmerican-re becomes -erCentre, Fibre, LitreCenter, Fiber, Liter‘-our’ becomes ‘-or’Colour, Flavour, HumourColor, Flavor, Humor‘-ise’ becomes ‘-ize’Realise, Advertise, IdealiseRealize, Advertize, Idealize‘-yse’ becomes ‘-yze’Analyse, Paralyse,Analyze, Paralyze‘ge’ becomes ‘g’Ageing, JudgementAging, Judgment‘-ence’ becomes ‘-ense’Defence, Licence, OffenceDefense, License, Offense‘ll’ becomes ‘I’Travelling, FuelledTraveling, Fueled‘l’ becomes ‘ll’Appal, Distil, SkilfulAppal, Distill, SkillfulOxford Dictionaries provide a useful summary here:http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/words/british-and-american-spellingAnother good summary herehttp://www.s pellzone.com/pages/british-american.cfmAnd you can find an exhaustive list of all the US/UK ‘pairs’ herehttp://www.tysto.com/uk-us-spelling-list.htmlSpelling Standardisation So what spelling should you use? The important thing is to choose a standard and to stick to it all the time:If you write, ‘There is a drop-in centre in our neighbourhood,’ you are using good British spelling. And if you write, ‘There is a drop-in center in our neighborhood,’ you are using good American spelling. But if you write, ‘There is a drop-in centre in our neighborhood,’ you are mixing the styles and it looks like you just don’t know what the correct forms are!So Remember:US English for the Americas and Asia, but British English for EuropeSet your spell checker to UK or US as appropriateIf in doubt ALWAYS check your dictionary â€" it should give you the alternative spellings (if it doesn’t then throw it away and get a better one)Keep a note of words that you typically spell wrong â€" it’s great to know your enemies!Grammar difference between American and British EnglishLuckily, there are not too many differences between American and British grammar â€" let’s look at the main ones.I love listening to, and talking about, rock music â€" but which of the following sentences are correct?Queen was a band from England.U2 are a rock group from Dublin.In American English collective nouns are treated as singular, as in the sentence about Queen, and in British English they are treated as plural, as in the one about U2.There are similar small differences in how we use prepositions, for example British speakers will say that they studied at university, whereas American speakers will say they studied in university. Also, a British speaker might say he plays football at weekends, but an American speaker will say he plays soccer on weekends.English speakers often use noun phrases, rather than verbs, to describe actions. If I tell you about my daily routine I might say somet hing like: ‘I shower every morning before breakfast.’ There’s nothing actually wrong with this sentence â€" but it sounds a little strange. I am far more likely to use: ‘I have a shower every morning before breakfast’. In this sentence have is a ‘delexical’ verb which means that is has no literal, concrete meaning and is just there to allow the noun phrase to describe the action.These expressions are extremely common in English â€" but where British speakers use have, American speakers use take: I’m overworked â€" I need to take a vacation. (US)She can’t come to the phone because she’s having a bath.(UK)Grandma usually takes a nap around now. (US)We used to have a walk in the forest every morning. (UK)We spoke above about how American English has attempted to introduce more ‘rational’ spellings â€" this is true with many verbs which have irregular past tense forms in British English, for example:The irregular British burnt, dreamt, learnt, smelt, spilt, and s poilt become the regular American burned, dreamed, learned, smelled, spilled, and spoiled.However, American English isn’t always the most logical form â€" the regular British dived, fitted, sneaked, and wetted, become the irregular American dove, fit, snuck and wet!The Present PerfectStudents often ask me which of the following are correct?‘Did you finish it yet?’ or, ‘Have you finished it yet?’Well, as I’m sure you are beginning to realise reading this article, they are both correct â€" they are just examples of American or British usage.The present perfect exists on both sides of The Atlantic and both American and British speakers use it to say things like, ‘I’ve never been to Africa,’ or ‘Have you ever broken your leg?’ However, there is a difference in usage with the adverbs just, already and yet.Did you finish that report yet? (US)I’ve already told you twice! (UK)He just arrived â€" he’s waiting in reception. (US)Sorry if I seem groggy â€" I’ve just got up. (UK)I haven’t finished reading it yet. (UK)I won’t join you for lunch â€" I already ate / I ate already (US)In Britain, and across all of Europe, we listen to American music, watch American TV shows and read American books. This means that expressions like ‘I just did it’ are quite common in spoken English â€" even if they are not considered as ‘standard,’ or actually taught in any textbook. When writing, as with all the other comments in this article, it is important to keep to one standard in you work â€" mixing your grammar is almost as bad as mixing your spellings!Before I finish this section, I should tell you that gotten â€" something many of us associate with American English â€" comes from old English and is still very widely used in Northern England and Ireland.You can find a good detailed summary of the points in this section here.http://www.onestopenglish.com/grammar/grammar-reference/american-english-vs-british-english/differences-in-american-and-brit ish-english-grammar-article/152820.articleFinally, a phrase like ‘Tell me what you already did’ has great immediacy â€" and sounds cool, here the Fountains of Wayne contrast this usage with less certain expressions!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xwqIeiqO2EVocabulary difference between American and British EnglishThe word ‘Americanism’ first appeared in Pennsylvania in 1781, coined by a Scottish minister who was comparing it to the word ‘Scotishism’. By 1806 Noah Webster, compiling the first dictionary of American usage defined the word as meaning ‘love of America and preference of her interest.’ Today the word refers to any word or phrase which is used in standard American usage â€" but not in standard British English.The earliest Americanisms were nouns for things which didn’t exist in Europe, like Skunk, Hickory and Opossum. Americanisms include some old English words that arrived with the earliest British settlers but later became obsolete in Britain, for inst ance Faucet, Diaper and Candy. These were added to by words imported by non-English speaking settlers such as Prairie, Chutzpah, Ranch, and Sauerkraut.Many common, everyday items have different names in American and British English, for example the American Elevator, Sidewalk and Pants are the British Lift, Pavement and Trousers. These words are so common that we soon become familiar with the differences. The main problem comes when words we think are familiar change their meaning when they cross The Atlantic! Words like braces, bog, pants, rubber, dummy, trolley and chips cause real problems because they are so common and familiar to us that we often forget that they have a different meaning! Here is a great summary of the main ‘problem’ words.http://www.bigstockphoto.com/blog/20-british-words-that-mean-something-totally-different-in-the-usIn some situations the differences in vocabulary are particularly striking. When we discuss our cars the British boot, bonnet, windscreen, p etrol, torch and gearstick become the American trunk, hood, windshield, gasoline, flashlight and stick shift.Confusion becomes a lot worse when we discuss our education. At school, it seems like nearly everything has a different name; the British break time, marks, staff room, rubber, holiday and glue become the American recess, grades, teachers’ lounge, eraser, vacation and gum. Also, the phrase public school refers to state education in America but private education in Britain â€" pretty much the opposite meaning!This confusion is made worse by the fact that the education systems in the two countries are very different. In Britain we all love High School Musical â€" but where are those children and how old are they? Are they at school or university? We simply have no equivalent institution in the UK.My advice for dealing with vocabulary problems is to always check with the person you are talking to, check the context if it is a written form, and always keep a list of ‘problemâ €™ words. Here is a complete list of the main vocabulary differences.http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/words/british-and-american-termsIdioms â€" The Icing on the CakeIdioms are a minefield! They are fixed expressions with a figurative, rather than literal, meaning and do not translate into other languages. They are used to emphasise and illustrate, and create a high level of fluency when used correctly. These phrases express much about the culture and history behind the language â€" but also a lot about the background and attitude of the speaker. This could include their sense of humour, feelings at the time of speaking, and attitudes to things like politics, religion, profanity, swearing, bodily functions, the weather, and sport â€" the source material for idioms endless!Interestingly, an American speaker doesn’t need to have a knowledge of, or interest in, baseball to use an expression like ‘home run’ just as a British speaker can understand that an ‘own goal’ is an uni ntended negative result without being football mad. This means that students don’t necessarily need to know the origin of an expression to be able to use it.For students, there is little point in studying or comparing the differences between American and British idioms. This is because idioms have more than one meaning and can be used in different contexts so that we can’t translate an American idiom into a British idiom â€" or into a non-English one. Also, British and American speakers share some idioms, but not others. Finally, there are far too many idioms for you to study and learn by heart â€" it is far better to deal with them as you find them, and use a few that you are confident with.Here’s my advice for dealing with idioms:Think â€" Idioms are unusual expressions. So ask yourself why that person is using an unusual expression. The reasons are likely to be connected with emphasis, exaggeration, or a high state of emotion! So check the context â€" and the facial express ion!Ask â€" this is what native speakers always do when clarifying meaning with someone from the other side of the pond (Atlantic Ocean â€" a great example of idiomatic understatement). Use expressions like ‘- so you’re pretty angry about that right?’ or ‘OK, you mean that you’re too busy at the moment.’Be honest â€" Try using ‘I’m sorry, but I don’t know what you mean.’Never translate â€" Idioms from your own language may use the same imagery and concepts, but they are unlikely to translate word-for-word into English.Tolerate your mistakes â€" You will definitely make mistakes and create confusion when you use idioms, so be brave and allow yourself the space to try, fail, and try again.Listen and notice â€" British people NEVER say ‘it’s raining cats and dogs’ â€" so why should you? Listen to what native speakers actually say in a given situation, and copy.Notes â€" Keep a notebook of your favourite expressions and add anything new that you hear. Try to us e new expressions soon after you learn them, this is called ‘use it or lose it.’Here is a reference for common British idiom.http://www.peevish.co.uk/slang/And here is a much better resource, about American idiom, organised around topics and including discussion questions.http://americanenglish.state.gov/files/ae/resource_files/in_the_loop_pages.pdfStandardisationOne version of English is no better or worse than another â€" so it doesn’t really matter which one you choose. Some people say that one version is easier to learn or understand than the other â€" but no research has ever proven this. This means that the version you choose should be based on your needs â€" for example most non-native speakers in South America use American English, and this is true throughout the Asia-pacific region. However, in Russia and all of Western Europe British English is standard.Mixing things up is generally a bad idea. If you mix American and British words to describe your car you could conf use anyone who is not a mechanic. A sentence like; ‘My favourite color is red’ is just bad spelling whichever way you look at it. And if you are mixing US and UK forms then how am I to know what you mean when you say ‘I’ve lost my pants’ or ‘can I borrow your rubber?’English is a wonderfully expressive language, and easier to learn than many others, it is spoken all over the world and can be a door to success in so many parts of your life. At LOI, we see it as our mission to help you achieve your goals with whatever form of English you choose!  ReferencesOnestopenglish / Wikipedia / The British Council / BBC Learning English / Oxford Dicionary / Cambridge Dictionary / Merriam Webster Dictionary / David Crystal â€" The History of English in 100 words / Plus the links provided in the textQuizWhat Form of English are the following?1                   I’ve never learnt to spell properly.2                   Sorry I’m late, which team is winning?3                   Jane usually goes hiking at the weekend.4                   You should always take a shower after exercise.5                   That’s a dangerous sport â€" have you ever gotton injured?6                   I like to have a walk with the dogs in the morning.7                   Did John arrive yet?8                   Who spilled that milk on the carpet?9                   Ireland are going to win the next World Cup!10               You never listen â€" I’ve already told you twice!Now translate them from American to British or vice versa â€" but make only the smallest possible changes!

Listening Exercise If You Liked the Last Post...

Listening Exercise If You Liked the Last Post... Youll love this listening practice!  Remember the amazing short film about the sheriff?  Hopefully by now youve commented on that post with a creative short story of your own.  Today, were going to take a look at the motivation behind making that film.  Then, youll practice your listening skills by answering the following comprehension questions.  Enjoy!The goal for us was to make something that kind of _________ the notion of animation being a genre, and one for children specifically.Why can you take risks when making a short film?Animation could  be a ______ to tell any sort of story.Have you ever heard the idiom, a kernel of truth?  It means that there is a small element of truth within a bigger story.  The whole  story is not true.  Can you use this idiom in sentence?Why wasnt the final version of the film about forgiveness?To own up means to take responsibility.  Tell us about a time when you have owned up to a mistake you made.To wear your emotions on your sleeve means you dont try to hide your feelings.  Do you wear your emotions on your sleeve?  Why or why not?Have you ever lead by example?Peoples ____________ of what animation is  to them varies.Did the makers of this film challenge your expectations?  I know they challenged mine!In case you missed it, heres the short:If youd like to take an English class where you can use interesting content as a medium to learn, book a class with LOI today!

Music and Studying Good or Bad for Students

Music and Studying Good or Bad for Students Music and Studying: Terrific tunes and harmful harmonies The debate seems to never end; music ruins your ability to study or enhances your grades. It’s nice when science is clear cut about things, but this isn’t one of them. Silence drives many of us crazy (let it drive you a little less crazy with one of our Irvine private science tutors), so we turn to music to help focus our concentration and memory. However, some music seems to help more than others, and some does nothing but distract us (READ Does Music Complement Math and Science Test Scores?). Take a look at what both sides say, and make a decision that works for you. Have you heard of the Beethoven effect? What about the Mozart effect; maybe the Elvis effect? No, that last one doesn’t sound right. Whatever effect it is, people have believed for a long time that classical music has the best chance of assisting you in your studies. The findings are mixed to pinpoint exactly what it is that’s so helpful. But what most studies have in common in this: everyone agrees that when you hear something you like, it heightens your arousal and mood, which could improve performance. If classical doesn’t do it for you, but Beyoncé does, the “effect” is still there. What many researchers are suggesting now is that it may not be something the music does in general; it’s what the music does for you. Background noise is no good On the other side of science lab, there are studies proving just the opposite. The studies tend to focus around memory recall, and test a series of different vocal music and noises in the background while participants try to study. Those with no music tend to do the best, and those with any kind of background noise do worse (READ: Music may harm your studying). However, the findings are always varied, suggesting that one kind of stimulus doesn’t cause harm to all participants evenly. At this point we’re still waiting on studies to look at things like music tempo, instrumental vs. vocal, genre choice to match study material and other combinations. If the Elvis effect is working for you, don’t change a thing. But if you’ve been struggling to concentrate it doesn’t hurt to try something new. Give classical a go for your next study session, write an essay listening to new age nature tunes, or paint with Katy Perry. It’s usually worth the effort; you never know what music will stir up within you. All blog entries are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at info@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us post about. Orange County parents and students, listen up! Beat the summer slowdown with a private, in-home tutor. We work around your schedule so you can stay sharp while having fun in the sun. Read: 10 Reasons You Need a Summer Tutor. What are you waiting for? Call us. Teach.com