English Language Editing Services -ELES

One day seminar commemorating Saifi Sopori.
Highlighs :
1. Paper reading session
2. Discussion.
3. Mehfili Mushaira

Ernest Hemingway once said:
When people talk listen completely. Don’t be thinking what you’re going to say. Most people never listen. Nor do they observe. You should be able to go into a room and when you come out know everything that you saw there and not only that. If that room gave you any feeling you should know exactly what it was that gave you that feeling.
It’s a rare and profound gift to be fully present with someone, and yet, it’s something so few of us truly offer. Most people only half-listen, their minds already formulating their next words, distracted by their own thoughts, or zoning out entirely.
Imagine how powerful it would be if we listened more deeply—if we made a commitment to being fully engaged, to hearing and understanding not just the words, but the emotions and intentions behind them. Listening isn’t just about waiting for your turn to speak; it’s about absorbing what someone else is sharing and making them feel heard, valued, and understood. It’s about connecting on a level deeper than surface conversations, because when you truly listen, you open a door to empathy and genuine connection. And isn’t that what we’re all really longing for?
Beyond listening, there is also the art of observing, of truly noticing the world around you. When you walk into a room, take a moment to soak in everything. Notice the details—the way the sunlight filters through the windows, the color of the walls, the expressions on people’s faces, the way someone is nervously tapping their foot or laughing with their eyes more than their mouth. Most of us rush through spaces, our minds preoccupied and our eyes barely registering what’s in front of us. But there’s magic in paying attention, in being mindful of the small details that make every moment unique.
Think of the room not just as a physical space, but as an experience. Every room has a mood, a feeling, an energy. It could be the coziness of a room filled with laughter, the tension of a space where a difficult conversation just took place, or the warmth of a place that holds beautiful memories. The more we tune in to these subtle feelings, the more deeply we can understand our surroundings and the people in them. What gave you that feeling? Was it the way someone’s eyes lit up when they smiled? The scent of freshly brewed coffee that brought a sense of comfort? Or perhaps the distant echo of a song that stirred up a forgotten memory?
Being observant and emotionally aware in this way takes practice, but it also transforms the way you move through life. You become more sensitive, more attuned, more aware. You start to notice the way a friend’s voice softens when they’re talking about something they love, or the slight shift in someone’s tone when they’re hiding something. You begin to see and feel things that others miss entirely, and that awareness can lead to a richer, more connected experience of the world.
It’s a beautiful thing to be a person who listens with their heart, who observes deeply, and who feels fully. It means you’re not just drifting through life; you’re living it intentionally. You’re soaking in the fullness of each moment, aware of the beauty and complexity around you. It means you understand people better, because you’ve made the effort to see and hear them, to pick up on the nuances of their being. It means you can be the kind of person whose presence feels calming, because people know you’re truly there with them, not just waiting for your turn to talk or half-heartedly engaging.
So, when you’re in conversation, let go of the urge to plan your next statement. Take a breath, relax your mind, and give the person speaking your undivided attention. Let yourself be present, fully. When you walk into a room, slow down and really see it. Observe the details, feel the energy, notice the small things that make that moment unique. You’ll find that life becomes richer, fuller, and more meaningful when you learn to listen and observe completely. It’s not just about hearing words or seeing objects—it’s about feeling the fullness of everything around you. It’s about experiencing life, deeply and completely.
-
What do you believe we miss out on when we’re not fully present, and how does that impact our relationships and experiences.

Ernest Hemingway once said:

When people talk listen completely. Don’t be thinking what you’re going to say. Most people never listen. Nor do they observe. You should be able to go into a room and when you come out know everything that you saw there and not only that. If that room gave you any feeling you should know exactly what it was that gave you that feeling.
It’s a rare and profound gift to be fully present with someone, and yet, it’s something so few of us truly offer. Most people only half-listen, their minds already formulating their next words, distracted by their own thoughts, or zoning out entirely.
Imagine how powerful it would be if we listened more deeply—if we made a commitment to being fully engaged, to hearing and understanding not just the words, but the emotions and intentions behind them. Listening isn’t just about waiting for your turn to speak; it’s about absorbing what someone else is sharing and making them feel heard, valued, and understood. It’s about connecting on a level deeper than surface conversations, because when you truly listen, you open a door to empathy and genuine connection. And isn’t that what we’re all really longing for?
Beyond listening, there is also the art of observing, of truly noticing the world around you. When you walk into a room, take a moment to soak in everything. Notice the details—the way the sunlight filters through the windows, the color of the walls, the expressions on people’s faces, the way someone is nervously tapping their foot or laughing with their eyes more than their mouth. Most of us rush through spaces, our minds preoccupied and our eyes barely registering what’s in front of us. But there’s magic in paying attention, in being mindful of the small details that make every moment unique.
Think of the room not just as a physical space, but as an experience. Every room has a mood, a feeling, an energy. It could be the coziness of a room filled with laughter, the tension of a space where a difficult conversation just took place, or the warmth of a place that holds beautiful memories. The more we tune in to these subtle feelings, the more deeply we can understand our surroundings and the people in them. What gave you that feeling? Was it the way someone’s eyes lit up when they smiled? The scent of freshly brewed coffee that brought a sense of comfort? Or perhaps the distant echo of a song that stirred up a forgotten memory?
Being observant and emotionally aware in this way takes practice, but it also transforms the way you move through life. You become more sensitive, more attuned, more aware. You start to notice the way a friend’s voice softens when they’re talking about something they love, or the slight shift in someone’s tone when they’re hiding something. You begin to see and feel things that others miss entirely, and that awareness can lead to a richer, more connected experience of the world.
It’s a beautiful thing to be a person who listens with their heart, who observes deeply, and who feels fully. It means you’re not just drifting through life; you’re living it intentionally. You’re soaking in the fullness of each moment, aware of the beauty and complexity around you. It means you understand people better, because you’ve made the effort to see and hear them, to pick up on the nuances of their being. It means you can be the kind of person whose presence feels calming, because people know you’re truly there with them, not just waiting for your turn to talk or half-heartedly engaging.
So, when you’re in conversation, let go of the urge to plan your next statement. Take a breath, relax your mind, and give the person speaking your undivided attention. Let yourself be present, fully. When you walk into a room, slow down and really see it. Observe the details, feel the energy, notice the small things that make that moment unique. You’ll find that life becomes richer, fuller, and more meaningful when you learn to listen and observe completely. It’s not just about hearing words or seeing objects—it’s about feeling the fullness of everything around you. It’s about experiencing life, deeply and completely.
-
What do you believe we miss out on when we’re not fully present, and how does that impact our relationships and experiences.

I look upon fine phrases as a lover
Jhon Keats

Know your English

From Archives ofcthe Hindu newspaper

” ....... And she was so angry she called him
an animal.”
“Not very complimentary, I must say.
But the funny thing is we are always
comparing ourselves with animals. And
sometimes we are even proud to b
“Not very complimentary, I must say.
But the funny thing is we are always
comparing ourselves with animals. And
sometimes we are even proud to be
associated with them.”
“What are you talking about? No one is
proud to be called an animal.”
“True. But we are proud to be
associated with certain qualities of
animals. For example, you feel happy
when somebody says you are ‘brave as a
lion’, or you have the ‘memory of an
elephant’. Can you think of more
examples?”
“How about ‘to sing like a nightingale’?
And when you’re terribly comfortable you
say you’re snug as a bug in a rug’.”
“Very good.”
“It’s easier to �nd examples that are
uncomplimentary. Take for instance, our
national bird, the peacock. I’m sure you
wouldn’t like it if somebody said you are
‘proud as a peacock’.”
“No, I certainly wouldn’t. And you
wouldn’t like it either if somebody said
you were ‘cunning as a fox’ or ‘timid as a
mouse’.”
“Me? Timid as a mouse? Certainly not.
I’m more like a tiger.”
“A paper tiger, you mean.”
“A paper tiger? What’s that?”
“A paper tiger is anything that looks
powerful but actually isn’t.”
“Can I say that Raju is a paper tiger?”
“Yes, you can. The term ‘paper tiger’
can be used to refer to an institution, a
country or a person.”
“Well, I’m certainly not that person.
And I’m not as timid as a mouse either.”
“And you’re too nice a person to be
called a rat.”
“A rat? Can you call a person a rat?”
“Yes. If you call someone a rat, you
mean that the person concerned is an
unpleasant one. ‘Rat’ also means a
deserter from a party, cause, di�cult
situation, etc; a turncoat, a worker who
refuses to join a strike’.
“In many American �lms, I’ve often
heard characters say ‘don’t rat on me’.
What does that mean?”
“If you rat on me, for instance, you
would reveal information about me to
someone else.”
“And by doing this, I’d be disloyal to
you.”
“That’s exactly it. You would be
disloyal to me. So remember, never rat on
anyone. Oh, by the way, you can also rat
on a promise or an agreement. And what
this means is you break the promise or
agreement.”
“But that’s what our politicians are
doing all the time. During elections they
make all kinds of promises....”
“.... and after elections, they are ratting
on them!”
“Yes. Remember you are taking me to a
�lm tomorrow.
“Don’t worry. I am not thinking of
ratting on our deal!”
Published in The Hindu on January 11,
1994.
Know your
English
K. Subrahmania

صلاےء عام۔ Open Invitation

What do you think of the following sentences?
Compiled by
prof mohammad Amin

1. The doctor did not see any patients since the start of the lockdown.
2. Stay put where you are until I do not return.
3. While driving through the countryside we saw fields after fields with standing crops.
4. He is dubious in his dealings , isn't it?
5. When is your new book seeing the light of the day?
6. He seems to be in know of each and everything.
7. The government has procured twenty new jet aircrafts.
8. Paper machie work done in Kashmir is known all over the world
9. The father gave money to his two sons. One squandered it while another didn't waste any of it.

Idioms and Phrases – Introduction with examples
Phrases Idioms
1. A group of words standing together as
a conceptual unit is called a phrase.
i. A group of words that has an
established meaning which is not
related to the individual meaning of
the words.
2. Phrases do not often have a fixed
meaning.
ii. Idioms have a fixed meaning.
3. A phrase can be easily understood by
looking at separate words.
iii. An Idiom might not make sense if
you are not familiar with it i.e., it
cannot be understood by looking at
separate words.
4. It is the technical part of a sentence. iv. It is the inventive part of a sentence

Introduction:-
Biography is a literary genre that portrays the experiences of all the events occurring
in the life of a person.
Things to remember for writing a biography:
1. First important aspect in writing a biography is choosing a subject.
2. Start writing a biography with an outline so that all details are put in it with
sequence.
3. Title is to be given to the bio-sketch.
4. Research is to be conducted using primary or secondary sources as biographies
are non-fictional i.e., based on facts.
5. It should be written in third person.
6. It needs to be descriptive.
7. After making an outline, one needs to put facts in chronological order and editing
is to be done wherever necessary

What is toasted english.Any guesses?