Archive for 'English Language'
Begging for a Question Posted by Gary Locke on Apr 25, 2019
We hear it, or read it, all the time in English. A statement is made, followed by “…Which begs the question…” Does it? Does it really? I am about to get up on my grammatical soapbox, which is to say that I am about to rant. Forgive me, but it’s time to stop the annoying…
Code-Switching in the US Posted by Gary Locke on Apr 18, 2019
The very controversial New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was recently accused of mimicking African Americans during a speech. She tossed in a few words from black urban culture and phrased some of her language in a manner unlike her common way of speaking. Many thought that she was misappropriating Black English and that it was…
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…
Using ‘too’, ‘also’ and ‘as well’ Posted by carol on Feb 28, 2019
Good evening to all! The year is going by too fast, don’t you think so? Me too! The three terms too, also and as well in English are very similar, since they all express the idea of addition. But there are some nuances and differences that need to be taken into consideration when adopting each one…
English Enunciation Problems Posted by Gary Locke on Feb 21, 2019
We spend a lot of time in this blog discussing vocabulary, grammar, and culture – all very important topics for people learning English. But, to be honest, I don’t think we’ve given sufficient attention to the problems associated with actually speaking the language. Of course, it’s difficult to do this properly without audio tools. This…