Dear Mr. Yang,

There is a question that I would like to ask. What is the different between "Raise" and "Rise"? I looked up the dictionary, they also mean "increase in amount or level" at one of the meanings.However, I would like to ask," Are these two words a little bit different in the usage when they also mean increasing? 

Also, how to say "看書要看上文下理才可明白一個英文字的意思" in English? I look forward to your reply. Thank you very much. 

Yours sincerely,

Alan Yip

It may be a verb . eg. "The sunrises" "The sea level rises." " The students rise for the teacher ."

" Rise " may also be a noun . eg. "the rise of price of oil "" He received a pay rise ." ' The rise of China's ecomony "" The international standing of China sees a rapid rise ."

"'Raise " is a verb , there must be an object. "Rise" as a verb , there is no object. For details , see Oxford advanced learner's English Chinese Dictionary 6th edition .

要看書..... 的意思 , when you are reading , in order to understand a word, you must read the words before and after that word . Then you may understand the English word .

TLY

Dear 楊 鐵 樑 爵 士,

I have a few Chinese phrases below that I would like to solicit your kind help to get their English equivalent. Could you give me a hand, please? Thanks a lot.

1) 狐假虎威

2) 一蟹不如一蟹

3) 嫻淑

4) 大牌

5) 嫌棄

6) 豐衣足食

7) 食色性也

Sincerely,

Ellen

1. assuming the high authority of someone else

2. each item is worse than the other 

3. ladylike 

4. arrogant , haughty

5. dislike , cold-shoulder

6. living well 

7. it is human nature to be fond of women and food. 

TLY

您好!

本人有些英文不懂表達, 請問可否幫忙解答. 

1. 中文的"托人大腳"怎樣說? 

2. 假如有人放他的腳於我的大脾上這個動作,又怎樣說呢 謝謝! 

YUKI

1. 英文中沒有如此說法的， 只有以英文方式來表達， 如 " he is being obsequious ' or ' he is so sycophantic'. 

2. He puts his legs on my thigh ' 

TLY

Dear Yang Esq.,

Please advised as how to improve or trained up a student, he is studying at Primary 5. Should I focus on his grammar, writing skills, oral, reading, etc… Please comments which one is important and main concern? 

Regards, 

Catherine Wong

Learning English involves :

1. Reading . So read good books regularly even if you only understood 1/3 of it , keep at it , don't give up 

2. Speaking . Read aloud to yourself regularly , and play back on your recorder 

3. Listening . Listen regularly to English programmes even if you only understood partly 

4. Writing . try to keep a diary in English or write to pen pals . 

TLY