I wonder why your mind wanders when there’s so much to be done. Despite the minimal difference in spelling, the meaning is very different.

• wonder (v.) – a question that you ask because you wish to know something
• wander (v.) – to walk around without a purpose

(a) wonder

If you ask yourself these questions:

• Am I ready?
  Will I be a responsible husband?
  Can I earn enough to support my family?

… it shows that you’re wondering if you could make a good husband to provide for your family.

Examples:

1. Have you ever wondered why it hurts to be divorced?
2. I wonder if I’d ever change to be a better person.
3. Every one is wondering about the events that led to our marital problems.

(b) wander

When you wander, you don’t think; you just walk aimlessly and without knowing where you’re going. If your mind wanders, it means your mind is not thinking of anything specific or important. When you daydream, your mind wanders.

Examples:

1. My mind was wandering at the meeting just now; it was just too boring.
2. Kids who wander without their parents are likely to be victims of kidnappers.
3. When I’m alone, my mind wanders and I start recalling the past.

Here’s a song and the lyrics for the word “wander“, and a link to the music.  If you’ve been camping when you were a kid, you might be familiar with the song.  Enjoy!

The Happy Wanderer (Click here for the music)

I love to go a-wandering,
Along the mountain track,
And as I go, I love to sing,
My knapsack on my back.

Chorus:
Val-deri,Val-dera,
Val-deri,
Val-dera-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha
Val-deri,Val-dera.
My knapsack on my back.

I love to wander by the stream
That dances in the sun,
So joyously it calls to me,
“Come! Join my happy song!”

I wave my hat to all I meet,
And they wave back to me,
And blackbirds call so loud and sweet
From ev’ry green wood tree.

High overhead, the skylarks wing,
They never rest at home
But just like me, they love to sing,
As o’er the world we roam.

Oh, may I go a-wandering
Until the day I die!
Oh, may I always laugh and sing,
Beneath God’s clear blue sky!

A couple of minutes ago, a student asked me:

• “Teacher, can I have a chair?”

Err…what? She wanted to borrow the visitor’s chair that was in front of me. I said “Yes, sure.”

Of course, I knew what she wanted, but it is inappropriate to substitute  “borrow” or “lend” with “have“.

“Have” in the sentence that the student made means “eat“.

Therefore, she’s actually saying:

• “Teacher, can I eat a chair?” (X) instead of,
• “Teacher, could I borrow a chair?”

Let’s see these examples:

• “I’d like to have some rice today.”
• “Can I have you for dinner today?”

What do you think?

Let’s get straight to the point:

antics (n.) * - funny or strange behaviour
antique (n.) – old and often precious items

Note:

* “antics” is always spelt with an “-s“.

Examples:

1. The teacher was not pleased with his students’ antics during the drama class.
2. The antics of that footballer each time he scores annoys the referee.
3. Antiques can be found in museums and homes.
4. My parents inherited lots of antiques from my late great grandparents.

If you have a very strong command of the English language, you could easily come up with strings of sentences and phrases that not only challenge the readers or listeners but also tickle their bones. More importantly, you’re able to send very strong messages in a very subtle manner. Of course you could do the same with any language, but we’re now talking about English

Here are some statements that someone has just sent me:

• Advertisement in a Long Island shop
  Guitar for sale. Cheap. No strings attached.

• An ad in a hospital waiting room
  Smoking helps you lose weight – one lung at a time.

• Graffiti on the wall
  - Success is relative. The more successful you are, the more relatives.
  - When I read about the evils of drinking, I give up reading.
  - My grandpa is 80 and still doesn’t need glasses; he drinks straight out  of the bottle.
  - You know your kids have grown up when your daughter puts on lipstick and your son wipes it off.
  - Behind every great man, there’s a surprised woman.
  - Laugh and the world laughs with you; snore and you sleep alone.

• Sign in a bar
  Those of you who are drinking to forget, please pay in advance.

• Sign in a driving school
  If your wife wants to learn to drive, don’t stand in her way.

• Sign at a barber’s shop
  We need your heads to run our business.

• A traffic reminder
  Don’t let your kids drive if they are not old enough or else they will never be.