Archive for 'English Grammar'
When English is Tense Posted by Gary Locke on Oct 31, 2019
In my capacity as Social Media Manager for Transparent Language, I oversee our blogs and our Word of the Day service. These are offered free as a way to help language learners. They are also quite interesting, and I learn a lot from them. I also learn from our subscribers. Many of you make keen…
Trick or Treat! Posted by Gary Locke on Oct 24, 2019
When I was a kid, Halloween was always an exercise in greed. I was far less interested in my costume than in the loot I was going to acquire while wearing the costume. I planned my evening very carefully, mindful to take advantage of the time my parents had permitted me. I wouldn’t allow my…
The English Non-Binary They Posted by Gary Locke on Oct 3, 2019
We have a word in English which has always been trouble for grammarians. They and its related case form their and them, is a singular indefinite pronoun. We use it to refer to a group of people who might be male, female, or a combination. “They say it’s going to rain tomorrow.” It is also…
Talking about learning in English Posted by carol on Sep 30, 2019
Hi guys! What have you been up to? Learning a foreign language requires constant practice and study. Keeping in touch with the language in some way is essential for developing listening, speaking, writing and reading skills. Whatever method you use, from being enrolled in a class to self-study, communication in a foreign language only works…
English Words in the News Posted by Gary Locke on Sep 27, 2019
If you’ve been following the news coming out of the US lately, you’ve no doubt heard some terms which don’t mean what you might think they mean. This is typical of the English language. We have a talent for creating metaphors, colloquialisms, and idioms to convey meaning. Some of these have been in usage for…
English Spelling Nightmares Posted by Gary Locke on Aug 22, 2019
Is there a word that you always misspell, no matter how many times you write it? Chances are, there is. You go to write a word which Spellcheck always corrects and you think, “Ha! I’m not going to spell calendar wrong this time!” And, in no time at all, you have written calander. There are…
Some verbs and their prepositions Posted by carol on Jul 31, 2019
Hello, dear readers! Listen to me, I know that prepositions in English can sometimes be a little confusing, but if you insist on practicing regularly, it will be a lot easier to learn. For that reason, today’s post will provide you with some useful English verbs and the prepositions that usually follow them. Remember that, for…