English Words in the News: Election Edition Posted by Gary Locke on Oct 22, 2020
Americans right now are thinking about the national election on November 3rd, and probably more than they would like to admit. Because of COVID, many of us aren’t leaving home, so we have little choice but to pay attention to the races in our states and across the country. Television ads and news programs all…
The Gadsden Flag Posted by Gary Locke on Oct 15, 2020
The United States is a country with many official flags on display across the land. But one flag, historically among the oldest, has had a fascinating and increasingly controversial history. This is the story of the Gadsden flag. Beyond the traditional American flag with its red and white stripes and the white stars on a…
Using Parenthesis (In English) Posted by Gary Locke on Oct 2, 2020
In my capacity as an editor, I often find that the parenthetical statement is overused and misunderstood. And the use of parenthesis as a form of punctuation seems to perplex even the best writer. Let’s see if we can fix that, shall we? What is a Parenthetical Statement? A parenthetical statement, often called a parenthetical…
How to agree with someone in English Posted by carol on Sep 30, 2020
Hey, everyone! There is no denying that we are currently living in times of drastic polarization, wouldn’t you say so? And while that is not necessarily negative, given that we are more and more exposed to different points of view, there is nothing more comforting than being able to agree with someone’s opinion. And there…
English Vocab for the Fall Season Posted by Gary Locke on Sep 24, 2020
Are you a leaf-peeper? Do you enjoy sweater weather? Longing for a crisp feel to the air? If you answered “Yes” to all three questions then you’re in luck. It’s autumn! To be honest, I’m really a summer kind of guy. Give me lots of daylight, green grass, and the lazy pace of an afternoon…
Writing the Date in American English Posted by Gary Locke on Sep 17, 2020
One of the things that distinguish the United States from almost every other country is also one of the most basic. We write the date differently. In the U.S., the date is written mm/dd/yyyy, or sometimes mm/dd/yy. For most of the world, this is backward (or, more accurately, sideways.) Why we do this has been…
Ways to Say You Don’t Understand Posted by Gary Locke on Sep 10, 2020
In English, when you are presented with something that you don’t understand the most normal thing to do is tell someone, “I don’t understand.” Or, “I’m sorry, but I don’t understand.” However, we have lots of ways to express that same feeling. And, depending on the situation, another expression may be more suitable. Whenever a…