To fly or not fly -- gerund or infinitive?

Hi everyone, you might want to enjoy Alan’s latest essay Gerund or infinitive? - Stories | english.best

TOEIC listening, photographs: An auto junkyard

Thanks Torsten - Great Essay Alan.
I was going to say theres enough “fly men” as it is but I couldn’t really find anything on that saying which is common round these parts. Its common to say “he’s a fly man” which means watch him he’s always up to something. Maybe its just an Northern Irish thing.

But lets imagine you’re on holiday and everythings going just fine until while you’re out picnicking you cut your finger on a sharp rusty nail, your worried about germs then you realize you forgot to bring any antiseptic ointment… I’ll let someone else finish it.

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Dear Torrsten/ Alan;
I love your classes,
They are on the fly!
Easy, short, gradual…
I am flying to Cuba with my sister and family first week of July.
Yvette

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Hi there,
I just want to share to you the meaning of Fly: as my surname is Faliery I am used to end my message to Fly abreviation of Faliery.
Thanks,
Fly

Dear Alan

A million thanks for penning such a brilliant and mesmerizing piece of essay and sharing it generously with us.
This was the first essay that I received from you after a long period of time and found it, like the previous ones, moving and intellectually enlightening.
I greatly appreciate the efforts you and your friends have made over the years to bring to us such a high-quality content both in essays and website. I just regret not being able to financially help you with your endeavour or purchase any of your publications since I reside in Iran and have no connection to any international banking system.
Best Regards,
Farzad

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Dear Alan
Thank you so much for this funny and instructive story (essay? story? - what’s the difference?). I was reading the story with great interest.

Yes Alan, the meaning of the word “fly” is very different. Eg: “The Prime Minister is flying to Holland tonight”. This statement does not appear to fly in the face of logic. But everyone knows (so I hope) that the prime Minister isn’t able to fly because he has no wings (Thank God);-). But I can imagine how would look our prime minister with wings. :-))
Now I will try to use the words “fly, flown and so on” in the right way as following:

Some years ago I flew from Germany to Grand Canary. I have to say, to travel (fly?) by plane is not my cup of tea.
But the hotel room wasn’t right near a busy main road So I couldn’t find that notorious „fly in the ointment’.

In addition, there are more important things than to travel by plane.
The following saying by Martin Luther King, Jr. describes what I mean by that:

“We have flown the air like birds and swum the sea like fishes, but have yet to learn the simple act of walking the earth like brothers…”

My former contractor flies very often abroad. That doesn’t mean “He fled from Germany”. He went abroad for business and pleasure.
I notice the word “fly" can be very useful. E.g.: I’m at a party. I’m bored. I can say: I’m so sorry but I (must? I learnt I can’t use “must” for myself) have to fly because I have an awful lot to do today.
By the way, this is named a white lie.
:wink:
Now I want to stop my English exercise because I’m slowly running out of ideas.

One last thing: You will notice that it is necessary to improve my English.
My aim is to become an English native speaker. Ok. I think there is no way for that. That would be magic. :open_mouth:
Note: Can I also say: “That would be to fly beyond myself”?

I’m looking forward to hearing from you.
Rose (alias Cherry)

PS: Just I took a look at the shop. I’m sure I will find the right book for me soon.

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Cherry100, there is a very old (and very bad) joke in the US that goes, “I just flew in from Holland and boy are my arms tired!” Of course, you can substitute and city or country for Holland.

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In think flying is not so bad, but it could be worst. What about flying into a thunderstorm? Flying over Bermuda Triangle could be terrifying, and now traveling over Chine could be the same. The world is full of mysteries that could make flying horrific.
The matter is this: to make flying safer many people have died in accidents. I hope I won’t be one of those.
For those like me, that are not in age to travel to the outer space we could use the imagination, or… photographies and videos.
Let’s take the good things of flying.
I’m happy to receive this letter, that makes my “fly” to tests. com

Thanks Torsten.

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Hello everyone;
I flew back from Cuba on Friday early in the morning.
The flight was not comfortable, my nephew had pressure on his ears drums. Although we made him show gum or blow out his pain was severe he was screaming during the flight departure and (atterire) flying down. Bad experience.
Cuba was excellent, the Ocean beach was clean, quite. Water was worm we enjoyed it very much.

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Maybe someday our government with get their act together and we Americans can visit Cuba too.

You need to have some vacation from time to time or else something will fall apart.
My Brother in law is an electrical engineer, he works for a private sector, got a high salary but has to work till project finishes even if he had to work 7 days / week no breaks for 4 months. Suddenly, he got heart attack and the heart got damaged 75%. Miracle he survived it.
I just mean that you have to get some rest, for your body gets tired and with the age one cannot do what he use to do in the twentieth.

The joke sounds good to me. Holland is ok for a German. Germany is only 379,71kilometres from Netherland as the crow flies. Where is the Problem?;-). My arms “say”: there isn’t a problem.

According to my map, Germany borders The Netherlands, so if you are in the right place, a good jump should get you from Germany to Holland, no flying even necessary :slight_smile:

Good luck to you in the World Cup by the way, that was an amazing game against Brazil

Yeah! I enjoyed each goal. I am curious about the game Argentina vs Germany. If we get the champion title then I’m able to jump from Germany to Netherland But only under good weather conditions.:wink:

Me too;
You know Canada and USA is only one land separated by Fences.
I can have one feet on Canadian land and another on USA land, no jumping and no flying!

Good luck to you in the World Cup by the way, that was an amazing game against Brazil
[/quote]

FIFA is responsible for such disaster, Brazil should not have passed the first round!!

FIFA is responsible for such disaster, Brazil should not have passed the first round!!
[/quote]

The fear of losing has put the team in a total panic. (without Silva and Neymar). I think the Brazilians have failed to yourself and to the pressure that they had imposed on themselves.

I’ reminded in this context of the saying by Marilyn vos Savant

"Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent.”

Especially in an aircraft

“She hates flying”

Moving or able to move through the air with wings.