Archive for 'English Language'
Up and Out on a Date in English Posted by Gary Locke on Jul 12, 2018
As regular readers of this blog know, the English language is full of confusing expressions and terminology which make life difficult for learners. Even native speakers can be excused for shaking their heads in bewilderment sometimes during a simple conversation. I heard a brief exchange between two people the other day which made me wonder…
English Jokes and Idioms for Summer Posted by Gary Locke on Jun 28, 2018
It’s so hot, I saw a dog chasing a cat and they were both walking! There are so many wonderful things about summer that we often ignore the one inescapable downside to this season – It’s hot! Or, at least we ignore it until we no longer can. Then, when the sweltering sun and oppressive…
Why Do Americans Call Football Soccer? Posted by Gary Locke on Jun 21, 2018
A tournament doesn’t get to be called The World Cup if it’s only played in a handful of countries. We call it the World Cup because it is played all over the world. And the sport is known by the same name everywhere. Well, almost. While the rest of the world calls the classic round-ball…
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…
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…
The school in English Posted by carol on Apr 29, 2018
Good evening to all! How are you doing today? Spring started last month, which means that, in many countries, spring break was all the rage in April. Spring break, if you are not familiar with that, is a period of recess in schools and universities in which students spend a couple of weeks taking a break during…