The Good old man, Fish and me

_{The good Old man, fish and me}

I usually go for walk. The sea was calm. It was a warm morning. I was watching him in action for several years. On that day I chose to have a talk with him.

He was busy throwing back into sea some of the star fish which were brought by the incessant waves. Both of them, the old man and the sea, worked tirelessly against each other.

I asked “Old man, what are you doing?”

“I am throwing back the star fish into sea”.

“Turn back and watch. Thousands of them are lying dead behind you. Every next wave throws a lot of countless fish. Could you save all of them?”

“No” came the reply.

“Then what is the use of your action?  Don’t waste your time. Walk…, do some exercise, and then go home. Do you have a home?” I asked in doubt.

He replied politely “What? I am having 3 sons and 2 daughters. I have a family business as well. I started doing this at the age of 9. Almost sixty years have gone. Everyday I save around 100 star fish within this one hour of walk. Every year I save up to 30000 fish. 60 years. Now calculate. That is what I have saved so far. If you can also save one, do it. Or let me do what I believe in. Because every minute wasted is death to another star fish.”

In my home after listening to this story my son called me in one word “Cynic”.

I smiled. Actually I had saved some of the ants in the bath room that evening after this star fish incident. I felt the joy of saving  some fellow beings, first time, in my life. I am not a cynic or merely a critic.

 Next morning I also started throwing back the star fish into sea to enable them have another lease of life.

This time the old man shouted at me, of course, happily “I am having two more hands now.” 

Use of ‘Having’: Is it right or wrong?

It is wrong to ‘have’ in progressive tense if it means owning or possession.

Example:- Wrong: I am having a car.

                 Correct: I have a car.              

                       Wrong: I am having a friend or am having a son.

                       Correct: I have a friend or have a son.

                                    Wrong: I am having two more hands now.

                                    Correct: I have two more hands now.

                When do we use progressive tense?

                For temporary actions like:   I will call you later, I am having a meeting now or i'm having a bath.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                .

Potatoes, Corruption and God

Potatoes, Corruption and God 

It was a January morning about 5.30 and still it was dark. A pleasant chillness was in the air. Both of us liked the weather very much. We were in a municipal Market. We went to the shop where we regularly buy vegetables. The owner has almost become a friend of us in the past 5 years.

"How many Kilos Madam?”

"Just two ….  Kilos of potatoes. What is the rate?"

"Today it is ...Eighteen"

My wife sighed and asked "Why? Yesterday it was only fifteen".

He looked here and there. Then he told “I can tell you. The Officers are new. We are all asked to give three more rupees per kilo to them from this day onwards”. Then he whispered “This is bribe money.. Madam".

"Give it from your profit".

"Madam ...Corruption is everywhere. It is like God who is all pervasive. Both are present in the air, water and sand too. Look at that chemical factory and the smoke. The company has given something to the Officers and politicians who have shut their eyes. The price of their product includes this cost: corruption money. You are taking all the vegetables from those fields where its pesticides and manures are used. The farmer pays his price for chemicals including the bribe. Then  we…the traders buy the whole thing from them. We add our part of bribe to price. Lastly YOU take up the whole burden. No one gives up his profit. Can you show me at least one person?”

She replied smilingly “The person is in front of me”

He smiled back...at her smart reply  “Sure ... Seventeen rupees. It is because you both are my friends.”

We returned in silence and anger.

I asked “Have you seen NDTV? We should support Anna Hazare in his crusade against corruption.”

“Yes. We must support him”

I again stressed “All of us have to support him”. We returned in silence and anger. We looked at the sky. There was some light of dawn on the east.

 ******************************************************************
 ******************************************************************

_{USAGE OF SHOULD, MUST AND HAVE TO}

When to use ‘should’, ‘must’, and ‘have to’?

We generally interchange all these words. They seem to have same meaning.

Just have a look at the examples in the story:

‘Should support’, ‘must support’ and ‘have to support’.

In fact in the given context all are correct.

We use ‘should’ when we feel something is good. Yes, it is good to support Anna Hazare because he fights against corruption.

We use ‘must’ when we feel something is necessary.

Yes, we must support Anna. It is very much necessary because his cause is related to everybody.

Then why do we use have to?

Let us assume you are planning to go out on your motor bike. Immediately your father shouts “You have to wear helmet”.

It is law. It is obligation. It is impersonal. You do not have any other option. So naturally ‘have to’ is the best choice when it is obligation.

When you are sick, you have to take medicines. ( No other option)

‘Have to’ is used for insisting impersonal contexts like law etc.

 It can be used on all occasions when ever you want to emphasize something including in personal contexts. We can replace must or should  with 'have to'.

 But remember ‘must’ has to be used when something is necessary.

 Example: “You must get some vegetables, otherwise be ready to eat the bread without any side dishes."

Use ‘should’ when you feel something is good.

Example: One should see ‘Three Idiots”. It is a good film. 

Welcome to My Blog

I dedicate  this blog to my father, Swarnavel, who  was my first and  foremost teacher and to all my young friends who encouraged  and guided me to venture into a completely new profession .


So I  am here  now- teaching English and training youngsters and professionals in  Soft Skills to build effective communication/interpersonal skills, to help succeed in interviews, to promote Presentation Skills and of course train IELTS aspirants.


In this process  of  knowledge sharing in the class I  am  learning  continuously .
 Yes, teaching is one of the best methods of learning. Naturally, I  come across common errors in English usage, misunderstanding of  Interviews and Presentations . So, as a result I would like to share them here with you all and get corrected if necessary through your comments. Some times the topics may be about current affairs and environment: Plants, Trees, Animals and Human beings.