Are you using "enjoy" correctly in English?

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In today's lesson, you will learn the proper

way to use the verb "enjoy" in English.

Now, that seems like a very simple verb, right?

We use it every day.

I enjoy this and I enjoy that, but unfortunately,

this verb also causes lots of problems when

people actually use it in sentences and questions.

So let's look at what some of those problems

are, let's check if those problems apply to

you, and let's solve any difficulties or questions

or doubts that you might have regarding how

to use this very common and fun word, "enjoy".

And let's enjoy the lesson.

So let's get started here.

So what we're going to do first is we're going

to find out if you have any of these issues

when you're using this verb "enjoy".

So first we're going to do a little quiz, and then I'll explain the principle or the

rule that applies there.

So let's start with these two sentences.

So let's suppose somebody asks you, "Did you enjoy the party?"

So you might reply, "Yes, I enjoyed" or "Yes, I enjoyed it."

So think for a second, which one of these is correct, or are both of them correct?

What's the answer?

And do you know for sure?

So let me tell you.

This one is correct, and the first one is wrong.

We should only be saying, "Yes, I enjoyed it."

So, the reason is this.

The verb "enjoy" needs to have an object.

So what do we mean by an object?

Let's understand.

Let's analyze this sentence.

"I enjoyed it."

In this sentence, "I" is what?

"I" is the subject, right?

"Enjoyed" is the verb, and then "it" is the object.

So, a subject does the action, the verb is the

action, and the object receives the action.

So, this verb "enjoy" has to have an object.

We cannot have no object.

And in this sentence, "Yes, I enjoyed", it's like there's something missing.

I enjoyed what?

You have to say.

So, you can either say...

If somebody asks you, "Did you enjoy the party?"

You can say, "Yes, I enjoyed it", "it" meaning

"the party", or "Yes, I enjoyed the party".

You can always say, "Yes, I did", but if you

use the verb "enjoy", you have to have an

Let's give another example of that.

If someone says, "Oh, did you enjoy the movies

that I recommended to you?", "The movies",

so then what would you say?

"Yes, I enjoyed them", okay, "movies", "them",

or you can say, "No, I didn't really enjoy

So, you don't always have to say "yes".

You can say "yes" or "no", but you have to have what?

You have to have an object.

Let's go to the next point, and the next little quiz first.

So, is it correct to say in English, "I enjoy

reading" or "I enjoy to read", or are both

of them correct?

So, the correct one is this, and this is wrong.

Let's understand.

Because the verb "enjoy" also has another rule.

It...

If there is a verb after that, it has to be a gerund.

So, what's a gerund?

You must have heard that word.

So, a gerund is just a verb with "ing".

So, we cannot use an infinitive.

"To read" is an infinitive.

So, no "enjoy" plus "to read", no "enjoy" plus an infinitive, no.

If there's a verb, it's always going to be what?

For example, "I enjoy reading."

Let me ask you, what do you enjoy?

You could say, "I enjoy swimming.

I enjoy watching TV.

I enjoy learning English."

Or you could say, "I enjoy watching EngVid."

But in all these cases, what did we do?

We used the gerund.

"Reading", "swimming", "watching", "learning".

So, that's what you have to use here.

So, that was the second rule.

Now, let's look at the third rule.

Which of these sentences is correct?

"I enjoyed myself at the party", or "I enjoyed at the party", or both of them?

Think about it.

Pause the video if you need to.

So, here, this one is correct, and this one is wrong.

So, what do we see here?

"I enjoyed myself".

So, "myself" is something that's called a reflexive pronoun in English.

There are many of them.

So, if you're talking about an event that

you went to and you had a good time, you had

fun, then we have to use the reflexive pronoun after that.

You cannot just say, "I enjoyed at the party".

I enjoyed myself.

You enjoyed yourself.

He enjoyed himself.

She enjoyed herself.

We enjoyed-what?-ourselves, and they enjoyed themselves.

So, you need to say that reflexive pronoun, otherwise it's wrong.

But when you use it, then you're right.

So, that was the third rule.

Now, let's look at the fourth situation.

"I enjoyed the show", or "I enjoyed of the show", or both.

Which one is right or which ones are right?

So, in this case, this is right and this is wrong.

And why is that?

Because of this.

So, after "enjoy" in English, but not in many

other languages, in English, after "enjoy",

we need no preposition.

You don't enjoy of something, you don't enjoy

from something, you just enjoy something or

So, that was the reason why this was wrong.

So, you could say, "I enjoyed the show", "I enjoyed the book", "I enjoyed my vacation",

"I enjoyed the concert", "I enjoyed the lesson".

So, that's what was happening here.

So, don't use any preposition after the verb

"enjoy", even if in your language you might

And usually, people make this mistake when

they're kind of translating from their language,

and in many languages, there is a preposition after the verb "enjoy".

So, those were the rules.

"Enjoy" plus an object, "I enjoyed it", "enjoy"

plus a gerund, "I enjoy reading", "enjoy"

plus a reflexive pronoun, "I enjoyed myself", "yourself", "himself".

And remember, this is one word.

And "enjoy" with no preposition.

Have you got those rules in your mind?

Because we're going to do a little quiz now to check.

So now, we have here eight examples on the board.

We're going to go through them.

Now, first of all, all of them have mistakes.

I'm going to tell you that right now to make it a little bit easier for you.

And then what you're going to do is work with me, and we will correct them.

If you want to, you can always read it, pause

the video, right, answer it for yourself,

and then check with me again, or just follow along.

Whatever you prefer.

So, let's do the first one.

This student said, "We enjoyed to visit Paris."

So, what should it be?

It should be, "We enjoyed visiting Paris."

So, remember, we have "enjoy" plus gerund.

We never have "enjoy" plus the infinitive.

"Enjoy", if there's a verb after it, it must be a gerund.

"We enjoyed visiting Paris", "We enjoyed

travelling to Paris", "We enjoyed touring Paris".

But always a gerund.

This student said, "Did you enjoy to the music?"

How can we correct it?

And what's wrong?

So, it should be, "Did you enjoy the music?"

So, what's the rule here?

The rule is that after "enjoy", we have no preposition.

We don't need a preposition.

So, say it after me, the right one.

"Did you enjoy the music?"

Because we want your ears to also hear the right thing.

And in this one, "We enjoyed visiting Paris."

Can you say it?

The more you can say the right thing, the better it'll be for you.

"I enjoyed from my holiday."

How can we correct it?

"I enjoyed", again, cancel the preposition.

We need no preposition.

Just, "I enjoyed my holiday."

Say it after me, "I enjoyed my holiday."

Again, what was the problem?

That after "enjoy", we need no preposition.

"Susan enjoys to play the piano."

What should it be?

"Susan enjoys playing."

"Susan enjoys playing the piano."

Because we need "enjoy" plus the gerund.

You even know the word and the name for the word now.

"She enjoys playing the piano."

Say it after me, "She enjoys playing the piano."

"No, I didn't enjoy."

So, maybe somebody asked, you know, "Did you enjoy the conference?"

And the person said, "No, I didn't enjoy."

How can we fix it?

So, here, the answer would have to be, "No, I didn't enjoy it."

Because after "enjoy", we need what?

We need an object.

And they asked about the conference, so we said "it".

If they said, "Did you enjoy the lectures?",

then we could say, "No, I didn't enjoy them."

Or "Yes, I enjoyed them."

"Yes, I enjoyed it."

So, say it after me, "No, I didn't enjoy it."

"We always enjoy of their food."

How do we correct it?

So, we cancel what?

What did you say?

We cancel the preposition.

So, after "enjoy", no preposition.

So, let's read the right one.

"We always enjoy their food."

So, let's somebody...

Let's say somebody asks you, "Did you enjoy your vacation?"

And you say, "Thanks, we really enjoyed."

What should it be?

"Thanks, we really enjoyed", what?

"Ourselves", remember?

So, when you're talking about an event or

something like that, "We enjoyed ourselves",

we have to add the reflexive pronoun.

"We enjoyed ourselves.

You enjoyed yourself.

He enjoyed himself.

She enjoyed herself.

I enjoyed myself."

We really enjoyed ourselves."

I'll say it, and then you say it after me.

"Thanks, we really enjoyed ourselves."

By repeating after me, not only are you learning

the word "enjoy", how to use that properly,

but you're also learning a little bit of the

rhythm of the language, and so on, so it's

always very helpful whenever you can to repeat it after me.

"Did you..."

"Did you enjoy the lesson?"

And the person answers, "Yes, I enjoyed."

So, what should it be?

"Did you enjoy the lesson?", "Yes, I enjoyed...

Because "it" is what?

So, I'm asking you, "Did you enjoy this lesson?"

I hope you'll say, "Yes, I enjoyed the lesson" or "Yes, I enjoyed it."

You can also just say, "Yes, I did", but if

you use the verb "enjoy", then make sure that

after that you have an object.

"Yes, I enjoyed it."

So, say it after me.

"Yes, I enjoyed it."

So, you see, there were sort of four basic

principles for that correct usage of the verb

"enjoy" which you learned.

Maybe you were aware of them before, but you

weren't really sure if you have to use it

that way or not, or maybe you were just using

them incorrectly and now you know better.

You're so much smarter than when you started.

In terms of this point.

And this is, in fact, one of the lessons that we have in my...

One of the units that we have in my online course, Correct Your English Errors in 10

Minutes a Day, this is one of those points.

Every day we take one different point and...

Or you can do more than one in a day, it's up to you, it's an online program.

And we correct mistakes in grammar, vocabulary,

pronunciation, writing, speaking, all kinds

And just like this, one mistake that you correct

one at a time is going to make such a big

difference in your English.

Just like you did today.

So, if you'd like to review this, go to our website, www.engvid.com.

You can probably say it now.

And there you can do what?

A quiz on this, just to really reinforce whatever you've learned.

And then don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube

channel and ring the bell so you'll know whenever

we have a new lesson.

Thanks very much for watching.

All the best with your English.