Archive for March, 2019
Words to use instead of ‘very’ in English Posted by carol on Mar 31, 2019
Hello to all readers! How are you doing today? Very well? The word ‘very’ in English is, naturally, very important. It is an adverb that we use to emphasize or intensify adjectives: very nice, very big, very good. Using if frequently seems hard to avoid. But can we, though? As an English teacher, I feel…
Do You Speak Legalese? Posted by Gary Locke on Mar 28, 2019
Language which was once exclusively reserved for television courtroom dramas is now being used by everybody on Twitter. Experts who appear on talk shows to explain legal decisions are now as famous as professional athletes. Legal terms and phrases are now common elements of daily English conversation. If you want to understand, or at least…
English Spring Phrases Posted by Gary Locke on Mar 21, 2019
In the Northern Hemisphere, spring begins on March 21st and continues until June 21. It is the season of renewal. Daylight increases, warmth gradually returns, and birds and animals reappear. Spring, in the words of the late comedian Robin Williams, is Nature’s way of saying “Let’s Party!” One of the first signs of spring in…
The College Admission Scandal Posted by Gary Locke on Mar 14, 2019
In early 2018 an investigation involving stock market fraud led the FBI to a criminal who offered to cooperate with their case in exchange for a reduced prison sentence. In interviews, he mentioned something about a soccer coach who offered to get his daughter into Yale University for $45,000. One year later, the biggest scandal…
U. S. Mail and Delivery Today Posted by Gary Locke on Mar 7, 2019
A week ago I learned that it costs a little more to send a letter than it did a couple of months ago. Many people I know had no idea that there had been an increase. Not so long ago, if the US Postal Service wanted to increase their rates there would have been…