English Grammar Guide - Using Etc., (Et cetera) correctly in English. - Speak English fluently

How do I use the word, etc. which actually means et cetera, that's the correct pronunciation et cetera because many people kind of pronounce it incorrectly but the correct pronunciation is et cetera. So I always wondered that how to use it, when to use it, what is the proper usage ofthis? Because in school nobody really taught us. 

Nobody mentioned the correct usage of it. Well everybody just thinks that it's an abbreviated version for so on and other things. But when you are learning English, it's always nice to know everything. That’s what I believe in. so this lesson is for you to understand the proper usage of the word et cetera. Okay so let's get started here. 

I have a sentence for you but first we're gonna look at some rules. Okay the correct usage of the word, etc. now first let's just understand that etc. is always used for so on and other things, okay. So it's another meaning for so on and other things.

Okay and now let's look at some rules here. The very first one is that the items in the list should be of the same kind. Now to understand this better, let's look at the sentence here. Bring soda, tonic water, alcohol,ice cubes, etc. for the party tonight. 

So I end up calling my friend, okay I am really busy and I want her to get something for the party. Okay so I tell her, hey could you please bring soda, tonic water, alcohol, ice cubes, etc., for the party tonight? So I end up using the word etc. here. 

Now if you see the items in this list are of the same kind, are of the same idea. Soda, tonic water, alcohol, ice cubes and then I say etc. so my friend knows that basically we are having a drinking party and she needs to get all the items that are required for a drinking party, right? So always make sure that you use the word etc. to the list which has the same kind of items. 

Okay should be of the same kind. Itshould be of the same idea. If I end up calling my friend and I say, hey could you do me a favour please, could you bring 1 kg chicken and some tonic water and a dress, a black dress, etc. for the party? She will get confused, that what does the etc. stand for? I have no clue because the list is different, it's not, I am asking for a dress, I am asking for a chicken. It’s not of the same idea.

 So using etc. would not work, okay, so got this? Now the second rule here is, that do not use and, before or after etc. So if I say, bring me some soda, tonic water, alcohol and ice cubes, etc. Okay that is incorrect. We cannot end up using the word and, before or after etc. because the meaning of etc. is, and so on and other things. okay so you would not end up using the word, and. many people while writing, do this mistake, so please if you're doing that, stop it because it's incorrect, okay and then we have another rule here. Do not use etc. whilereferring people. 

Now if I end up saying, oh I am going out for a picnic with my cousins, Joey, Katie, John, etc. that's incorrect. Okay you never end up using the word etc. for people. Okay you would just end up saying that I'm going out with my cousins and you would specifically take their names, okay. So if you are using etc. for people, then it's incorrect. stop doing that, okay and then the fourth rule here, do not use an introductory phrase, such as, along with etc. now what I mean here is, just imagine if I end up saying, bring items such as, okay bring items such as soda, tonic water, alcohol, ice cubes, etc.

 for the party tonight, then my sentence is incorrect. Okay the reason because, here I amusing the phrase such as and I'm also using etc. doesn’t make sense. so you never introduce a sentence, okay by using the phrase such as and if you're using it, then please do not use etc. 

Okay I hope you got this right. So these are the four rules that you really need to keep in mind and there's another one. In fact I have heard many people who end up using etc. couple of times in a sentence, especially while speaking. Oh I have to go the parlor, I have to get my make-up done and manicure, pedicure, etc. etc. etc. well people think that it's pretty cool to do that but it's incorrect. Okay be it formal or informal speech, please do not use etc. couple of times in a sentence. But the other thing that you can do, is you do not want to use etc.

you can use blah, blah, blah. Okay have you heard that before? well that is, pretty much similar like etc., etc., etc. for example, if my friend calls me and says, oh well I had a fight with my husband and you know he was really upset with me, we had a big argument, blah, blah, blah. So here I just end up saying blah, blah, blah or she just ends up saying blah, blah, blah because I really don't wanna know the whole story. 

So she ends it with blah, blah, blah, okay, got it? So you can end up using blah, blah, blah for the words, and so on or while writing, you can use the three dots. Okay and the three dots are also called as ellipses and what they stand for is and so on. 

Okay so you might have come across certain emails or someone writing that could you file these papers for me? Get it signed from the boss and then dot, dot, dot. Well the dot, dot, dot stands for etc. or it stands for and so on, okay. So this is also another way of using or writing etc. okay.

So hope these rules are clear to you, for any questions, please do write into us and before you go ahead and watch another lesson, please do take a test and let me know how much did you score? Well I’ll also get an idea that how much you have learnt from this lesson. I'll be back with a new lesson soon, till then you take care.