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The New Suffix Posted by Gary Locke on Jun 7, 2018
A suffix is a letter, or several letters, added to a word which then forms a new word. It is a tail at the end, wagging at us and saying, “Look at me! I’m something new!” A suffix can change a verb to a noun or an adjective. Add -ly to an adjective and you…
All the Same but Different Posted by Gary Locke on Jun 1, 2018
There are examples in the English language where important and common prefixes all mean the same, and yet are different. What makes this so confusing is that the prefixes are not interchangeable. In other words, it is easy to use the wrong one! A prefix, as you probably know, is a letter or combination of…
Let’s Play Horseshoes! Posted by Gary Locke on May 24, 2018
One of the great American traditions for the summer is gathering friends and family for some backyard games. Every family has its favorites, and there’s no better way to spend a warm afternoon than to share some laughs and get a little exercise at the same time. We might play ball games such as bocce…
Informal English Contractions Posted by Gary Locke on May 17, 2018
Native English speakers can be very lazy with our own language. We create contractions based on the way we actually say things. In time, these contractions work their way into everyday speech. However, if you are learning our language and you hear one of these contractions, you can’t be faulted for wondering just what is…
America’s Maestro, Leonard Bernstein Posted by Gary Locke on May 10, 2018
“I can’t live one day without hearing music, playing it, studying it, or thinking about it.” Leonard Bernstein A centenary is a celebration to commemorate the 100th anniversary of a significant event, and we are having one right now in the world of music. Leonard Bernstein was born on August 25, 1918. All over the…
Garden Center English Vocabulary Posted by Gary Locke on May 3, 2018
To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow. It was a long winter. For much longer than usual the cold refused to yield to the spring sunshine, and buds and blossoms resisted our pleas to grace us with their presence. But there was one place where spring could be found – the greenhouses of…
Before Wikipedia: The Encyclopaedia Britannica Posted by Gary Locke on Apr 26, 2018
Before there was Google and Wikipedia, the source of all knowledge for English speakers was the vast, multi-volume Encyclopaedia Britannica. Many homes had shelves devoted to it, teachers and scholars depended on it, and its prestigious reputation among such publications has remained unsurpassed for over three centuries, though much of that reputation may have depended…