My good friend Joan Acosta, the prizewinning editor of The Westcoast Reader, has created a blog for her monthly newspaper. It's a wonderful resource for people learning English, and it comes with teacher's notes for each issue. Highly recommended!
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Mr. Kilian,
Can you explain this English expression to me?
"but does she do windows"
I read it in a short story and didn't understand it.
Thanks,
Ed Paye
Posted by: Ed Paye | July 03, 2007 at 09:58 AM
"To do" is one of those all-purpose English verbs with many uses. In this case, "to do windows" means "to clean windows." Some house cleaners will vacuum the carpet, wash the dishes, etc.--but they won't do windows.
The term applies to other tasks as well: "Dr. Smith is very good, but he doesn't do house calls." (That is, you have to go to his office when you feel ill.)
Some of us loyal Macintosh computer users often say, "I don't do Windows"--meaning they don't use Microsoft operating systems.
Posted by: Crof | July 03, 2007 at 10:10 AM