Archive for 'English Language'
Phrasal verbs and their opposites Posted by carol on May 31, 2020
Greetings, everyone! How’s life? A lot of people have been taking these unusual times we are living in as a chance to take a hard look at their lives and rethink their whole routines. Spending more time at home inevitably leads to dedicating more to our hobbies, exploring new ones or looking for ways to practice…
Fun with English Words Posted by Gary Locke on May 14, 2020
Let’s have some fun, shall we? Wordplay is generally defined as the clever use of words and their meanings. Puns are the best examples of wordplay, I think. But, sometimes, just finding something unexpected in words can make you smile. There’s even a word for wordplay. It’s called logology, or recreational linguistics. So, let’s dig…
Sleep-related idioms Posted by carol on Apr 30, 2020
Good evening to all readers out there! How have you been? More specifically, how have you been sleeping? The reason I ask is that I came across a very thought-provoking article the other day. Don’t worry, this is not another post about coronavirus. But it is somehow connected to it, to be honest! The article goes…
Understanding Sarcasm Posted by Gary Locke on Apr 30, 2020
You may have heard that controversial statement last week in which injecting disinfectant should be studied as a possible treatment for COVID-19. That was quickly dismissed, of course, and later explained as a sarcastic statement. And while the suggestion may have been a subject of scorn due to its rather unscientific nature, the more interesting…
Let’s Test Your English Skills! Posted by Gary Locke on Apr 22, 2020
Image by Mary Pahlke from Pixabay, CCO Do you have a child taking classes from home? Or maybe you’re a teacher meandering your way around a virtual classroom. Aren’t you a little bit curious about what that learning experience is like? Perhaps you like games and would like to try your hand at a new…
English Acronyms and Initialisms Posted by Gary Locke on Apr 9, 2020
We’re living in a world of acronyms and initialisms. They are both forms of abbreviations that have filtered into our daily lives in a multitude of ways. You see, and probably use them yourself, in text messages and social media. They are all over the news right now. And you likely have been using them…
English Words of Support Posted by Gary Locke on Apr 2, 2020
For the last several weeks I have been hearing a common phrase on television and radio, in teleconferences, and among friends – “We’re all in this together.” This is meant to encourage people to feel better about the situation we’re all in. It’s a way of saying that, as difficult as this may be, you…