This morning I got a phone call from a friend. He was crafting (= writing) a business email to a friendly organization in Argentina that he needed an answer from. My friend wasn’t sure whether the sentence he had written was correct. Here is the sentence: Just a gentle reminder to ask you when can… Continue reading Word Order of Subject and Verb
pinnacle (noun) – a high point: of a mountain, a tower or as a metaphor. Note: You can also use this verb as a verb, but it’s not so common. Examples of how you can use pinnacle: Her appointment as ballerina will surely be the pinnacle of her dancer’s career. It’s illegal to climb the pyramids,… Continue reading Word to the Wise: pinnacle
Click on the video if you prefer reading and listening, or just listening: My students usually find this hard to learn. Well, maybe a miracle will happen and you will find it easy. Don’t get discouraged. All you need to do is think of lots of examples of your own, and keep practising until you… Continue reading Comparisons with As … As
gambit (noun) – an opening move or remark to gain some advantage. Note: This word comes from the game of chess where a player uses an opening move that risks losing a pawn, to gain a more important piece. It’s a popular word in magazines and news websites. Examples of how you can use gambit: The… Continue reading Word to the Wise: gambit
I’ve recently had a hilarious chat with the helpdesk at WordPress. (My blog is made with WordPress.) Why was it hilarious? Not because I had to laugh about the helpdesk person’s English. In fact, he or she (?) has good English. That had I had to laugh had more to do with the absurdity of the… Continue reading Do You Make These Mistakes?
hagiography (noun) [the stress is on o] – a biography of a holy person (saint), or a biography of a normal person that is written in an admiring style. Note: Can also refer to a movie. hagiographic/hagiographical (adjective) – connected to the biography of a holy person (saint), or an admiring biography of a normal person.… Continue reading Word to the Wise: hagiography
around the __________– 24/7 (all the time, day and night) Choose the right answer: day numbers clock eyes scroll down for the answer scroll some more The right answer is: Clock Note: Can also be: round the clock. Here are some examples of how you can use (a)round… Continue reading Instant Idiom: Around the _____________.
Matt Wharton Today you’re going to learn about how to request things with a command, and then adding will you or could you at the end. They look like this: Send me the email before 5 pm, will you? Buy some bread on your way home, could you? You may have noticed that the will… Continue reading Requests with Will You and Could You
Practise Your Listening Skills with these Easy ESL Songs from famous musicals Listening and trying to understand what you hear is really one of the best exercises that you can do to get better English. And with songs that becomes even more fun. Here are some easy but great songs from musicals. Click on the links to… Continue reading Gap Songs from Famous Musicals
The coffin, the piano and the wheelchair are props prop (noun) – an object that is used by a performer in a movie or on the stage (in a theatre) Examples of how you can use prop: Before the director can start filming the scene, the stagehands need to make sure the pen and papers are… Continue reading Word to the Wise: Prop
English with a Smile 