What is Up With Pumpkin Spice? Posted by Gary Locke on Aug 29, 2019
If you are learning English and trying to gain knowledge of American culture, then you need to be aware of something which appears throughout the country every year around the beginning of September and lingers into December. That thing is called pumpkin spice. Its popularity, indeed, its hold on much of the American public, may…
English Spelling Nightmares Posted by Gary Locke on Aug 22, 2019
Is there a word that you always misspell, no matter how many times you write it? Chances are, there is. You go to write a word which Spellcheck always corrects and you think, “Ha! I’m not going to spell calendar wrong this time!” And, in no time at all, you have written calander. There are…
Some Funny English Words Posted by Gary Locke on Aug 13, 2019
I recently had a conversation with someone who is much younger than I am (that’s not hard to do, at my age), and I happened to say that something flummoxed me. She laughed and said, “Flummoxed? I’ve never heard that word before!” Ah. I had entered the anachronous zone, where the common language of someone…
3 Days of Peace and Music Posted by Gary Locke on Aug 8, 2019
For three days in August 1969, a small community about 100 miles north and west of New York City became the world’s most popular destination for music fans. A hastily organized, some might say disorganized, music festival ultimately resulted in probably the most historic concert in the history of popular music. It was advertised as…
Casual Greetings in English Posted by Gary Locke on Aug 1, 2019
We are all familiar with the standard, more formal expressions upon meeting someone. Hello Hi, it’s nice to meet you. Good morning/afternoon/evening. I’m pleased to meet you. However, what do you say when you know someone well but you’re seeing them for the first time after a day or so? I pass coworkers in the…
Some verbs and their prepositions Posted by carol on Jul 31, 2019
Hello, dear readers! Listen to me, I know that prepositions in English can sometimes be a little confusing, but if you insist on practicing regularly, it will be a lot easier to learn. For that reason, today’s post will provide you with some useful English verbs and the prepositions that usually follow them. Remember that, for…
Mankind’s Greatest Achievement Posted by Gary Locke on Jul 18, 2019
“I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to Earth.” That quote, by President John Kennedy on May 25, 1961, set the stage for what may well have been humanity’s greatest moment. There are certainly…