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How to Talk about Music

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How to Talk about Music

Imagine that you hear music on the radio or on your phone. Maybe you like the sounds; maybe you do not.

But how should you describe the music? What kinds of terms and structures should you use in a discussion?

In today's Everyday Grammar, we will explore how you can talk about music. You will learn about sentence patterns, adjectives, and adjectival prepositional phrases.

Let's start with some important terms and ideas.

Sentence patterns, adjectives

Sentences often fall into patterns – usual, repeated structures. One of the structures commonly used to describe music is as follows:

Subject – linking verb – adjective (or subject complement1)

Consider this example:

The music sounds nice.

The subject is "the music," the linking verb is "sounds," and the adjective is "nice."

The adjective is sometimes called the subject complement, meaning it completes the verb and modifies or describes the subject.

Common linking verbs used to describe music include "be" and "sound."

For example, a person might say:

This music is wild!

Or

This music is boring.

In both cases, adjectives such as "wild" or "boring" play an important part in the sentence. They describe how the speaker feels about the music. Some adjectives have a negative meaning. Boring means uninteresting, tiresome2. If a person says that the music is boring, they are suggesting that they do not like the music.

Other common adjectives used to describe music include loud, soft, smooth, harsh, fast, and slow.

Effects

We can also describe the effects that music has on us. In this case, we can use adjectives such as "relaxing," "calming," "exciting," "moving," or "touching3."

For example:

This music is relaxing.

Or

This song is very touching.

Phrases

Sometimes English speakers replace an adjective with a kind of phrase known as an adjectival prepositional phrase. These phrases – sometimes idiomatic4 expressions – name or describe something about the subject.

For example, you might say:

The violin sounds out of tune5.

Or

The singer is out of his mind.

The former example – the one about the violin - uses the phrase "out of tune," meaning not having the correct pitch or intonation6.

The latter example – the one about the singer – uses the phrase "out of his mind," meaning that the singer has lost control of his mind or went insane.

Practice

Let's take some time to work with these ideas.

Choose a linking verb to connect the noun "song" and the adjective "smooth."

Pause the audio to consider your answer.

Here is one possible answer:

This song is smooth.

Now describe a singer's voice by using the expression "out of this world," meaning extremely impressive or enjoyable.

Pause the audio to consider your answer.

Here are two possible answers:

Her voice is out of this world!

Or

His voice is out of this world!

Closing thoughts

The next time you listen to music, ask yourself the following questions: How would you use what you have learned today to describe the music you are listening to?

Are there other words or structures that you should use to describe the music?

Asking yourself these kinds of questions can improve more than just your English skill. These questions could also deepen your enjoyment7 of the music itself.

Words in This Story

phrase – n. a group of two or more words that express a single idea but do not usually form a complete sentence

modify – v. grammar: to limit or describe the meaning of (a word or group of words)

touching – adj. having a strong emotional effect : causing feelings of sadness or sympathy

idiomatic – adj. describes an expression that cannot be understood from the meanings of its separate words but that has a separate meaning of its own


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 complement ZbTyZ     
n.补足物,船上的定员;补语;vt.补充,补足
参考例句:
  • The two suggestions complement each other.这两条建议相互补充。
  • They oppose each other also complement each other.它们相辅相成。
2 tiresome Kgty9     
adj.令人疲劳的,令人厌倦的
参考例句:
  • His doubts and hesitations were tiresome.他的疑惑和犹豫令人厌烦。
  • He was tiresome in contending for the value of his own labors.他老为他自己劳动的价值而争强斗胜,令人生厌。
3 touching sg6zQ9     
adj.动人的,使人感伤的
参考例句:
  • It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
  • His letter was touching.他的信很感人。
4 idiomatic ob8xN     
adj.成语的,符合语言习惯的
参考例句:
  • In our reading we should always be alert for idiomatic expressions.我们在阅读过程中应经常注意惯用法。
  • In his lecture,he bore down on the importance of idiomatic usage in a language.他在演讲中着重强调了语言中习惯用法的重要性。
5 tune NmnwW     
n.调子;和谐,协调;v.调音,调节,调整
参考例句:
  • He'd written a tune,and played it to us on the piano.他写了一段曲子,并在钢琴上弹给我们听。
  • The boy beat out a tune on a tin can.那男孩在易拉罐上敲出一首曲子。
6 intonation ubazZ     
n.语调,声调;发声
参考例句:
  • The teacher checks for pronunciation and intonation.老师在检查发音和语调。
  • Questions are spoken with a rising intonation.疑问句是以升调说出来的。
7 enjoyment opaxV     
n.乐趣;享有;享用
参考例句:
  • Your company adds to the enjoyment of our visit. 有您的陪同,我们这次访问更加愉快了。
  • After each joke the old man cackled his enjoyment.每逢讲完一个笑话,这老人就呵呵笑着表示他的高兴。
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TAG标签:   VOA英语  慢速英语  日常语法
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