Archive for March, 2012
“Can not” or “Cannot”: What is the Difference? Posted by Gabriele on Mar 23, 2012
I have to admit I decided to write this post because I really wanted to know the difference between “can not” and “cannot” for myself. I was proof reading some of my own writing recently and I realized I was not 100% sure on the difference usage of “can not” and “cannot”. Even as a…
Washington, D.C. America’s Capital City Posted by Gabriele on Mar 22, 2012
Washington, D.C., is the capital city of the United States of America. This city is named after the first president of the United States, George Washington. The D.C. in the name of the city stands for “District of Columbia” and the word “Columbia” refers to the last name of the explorer Christopher Columbus. Nicknames or…
Somebody That I Used to Know Posted by heather on Mar 21, 2012
Do you know this song? It seems like everywhere I go, this song is playing at some point. Music can be a great way to practice your English. With that in mind, here are the song lyrics in English. “Somebody That I Used To Know” (feat. Kimbra) [Gotye:] Now and then I think of when…
Foreign Words in English (Part I) Posted by Gabriele on Mar 20, 2012
Like most other languages, English contains words that are directly taken from other languages. This was true when the English language was new and it is true today. If you didn’t think English was hard enough to learn before, you might think so now that you realize you are going to have to learn some…
March Madness Posted by Gabriele on Mar 19, 2012
The term “March Madness” does not refer to people in the United States becoming crazy in the month of March, well, not exactly. March Madness is the name given to the championship tournament played by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Men’s Division I (the highest division) basketball teams in the United States. Because teams…
Understanding Shakespeare Posted by Gabriele on Mar 18, 2012
The English language has changed a great deal in the last 400 years and, as I am sure you know, it is still changing. In 400 years from now English speakers will look back and likely have difficulty understand today’s English as much as we have trouble understanding the English of Shakespeare’s time. Yet, we…
Three Strikes and You’re Out Posted by heather on Mar 17, 2012
“three strikes and you’re out!” Have you ever heard this phrase before? It is often heard when the government is discussing how to deal with unwanted behaviour by individuals. You might have also heard a parent say it to a child when they were misbehaving. And lastly, you may have heard it during a game…