[Beatrix]

but if there are many friends. Whenever there is a dispute between a friend (any friend,old, new, it's just important that he/she is a friend) and a person who currently holds the status of his girlfriend, he takes THE friend's side? (He never backs his girlfriend, because he considers friends more important) Like there are generaly speaking two sides- the friends' and the girlfriends' side.

we should say : In that case, he takes the friend's side- I guess.
?

[susan53]

Possible - but much more likely with the possessive.

[Beatrix]

ok, thanks. I've got it. It's not like I thought- it's not possible to use "friend's side" in a generic sense.


it's not easy, but discussing things in detail helps you memorise specific examples and situations

[Beatrix]

hello susan, is it ok to say: I am arranging a chat session between my young Chinese friends and teenagers from some other country- this is a great opportunity for A cross-cultural exchange?

[susan53]

Yes - what exactly were you worried about?

[Beatrix]

can I leave out "A": this is an opportunity for cross-cultural exchange.

[susan53]

Grammatically yes - but in this context it´s unlikely as you are talking about a specific instance, not the concept in general.

[Beatrix]

thanks, I think Im grasping it gradually.

[Marinero]

Natives frequently omit articles not only in spoken English but when writing as well.

A friend of mine sent me a message yesterday : "I did write "allez" but computer changed it".

About pronoun: " weather is very cold here but think it is ..."

Yes, foreigners speak better English sometimes

Unless you communicate with POSH people...