A versus An Posted by heather on May 5, 2012
Have you ever been confused about when to use a and when to use an? You may have heard the “rule” that you put an a before words that start with a consonant and an an before words that start with a vowel. While that is a semi-good starting point, there is actually a little…
“Within” vs. “with in” vs. “in” Posted by Gabriele on May 4, 2012
A while back I wrote a post on the difference between can not and cannot and in the comments to that post a reader asked me to write about the difference between within and with in and without and with out. Well, it turns out there really is not a difference in meaning between without…
Lady Liberty Posted by Gabriele on May 3, 2012
A few days ago I gave a brief description of the persona “Uncle Same”, describing who he is, what he stands for, and the importance of this American icon. Today I thought I would introduce you to another patriotic American figure, this time a woman whose name is Lady Liberty. Unlike Uncle Sam, Lady…
Extracurricular Activity: Cheerleading Posted by heather on May 2, 2012
A few weeks ago I told you about the extracurricular sport of colorguard. Remember, extracurricular means something that happens outside of, or is not part of, the normal school curriculum. If you are struggling with the word curriculum, it means all the subjects that are taught during a school year. Today I’ll tell you about…
May Day Posted by Gabriele on May 1, 2012
Today, May 1st, is what is known as “May Day” in English. This day is celebrated as a holiday in many countries around the world with varying significance and varieties of festivities. The celebration of May Day in the United States began with its early settlers who brought this holiday with them from England, France…
Who is Uncle Sam? Posted by Gabriele on Apr 30, 2012
Uncle Sam is an American national symbol of patriotism as well as the personification* of the American Government (Uncle Sam’s initials are U.S. – just like United States). The legend of Uncle Sam began back in the 1800’s during the US Was of 1812. This patriotic symbol of the government is supposedly based on a…
The Ivy League Posted by Gabriele on Apr 29, 2012
I bet you have heard about the “The Ivy League” before. Most Americans have too, but not everyone knows hat this term actually means and what it encompasses. “The Ivy League” is a phrase used to refer to some of America’s oldest and most prestigious national universities. It is a term with a lot…