Listening: the origin of English (PIE)
Lower intermediate to advanced level (B1-C1)
Studies suggest that the origin or roots of English, German, Spanish, Hindi, Russian and about 400 other languages come from what is called ‘Proto-Indo-European’ or ‘PIE’. Listen to what it might have sounded like here:
Grammar: don’t let it be a big problem
Lower intermediate to advanced level (B1-C1)
Learning English outside the UK, the US, Australia etc can often be about learning ‘grammar’. This makes people think you need to know ‘rules’ before you can speak or write. However, in my experience, a heavy focus on a grammar problem can stop people learning and communicating. Continue reading
Reading: Who goes to Oxford University?
Intermediate to advanced level (B1-C2)
This year just over 40% of undergraduate places at Oxford University went to UK students who attended independent schools. In 2005, the figure was 48% and in 1995 it was almost 52%, and if you go back to 1961, it was a little over 65%. Continue reading
Grammar: the subjunctive. Where and what is it?
Intermediate to advanced level (B1-C2)
Every language has developed over time. Modern English is simpler than older versions but contains some features from the past. With ‘he’, ‘she’ and ‘it’, the verb form might occasionally surprise you. Continue reading
Reading: After the EU referendum. Brexit?
Intermediate to lower advanced level (B1-C1)
Well, it actually happened. The majority of people in the UK voted to leave the EU. But what now? Continue reading
Listening: a wide range of science podcasts
Lower intermediate to advanced level (B1/C2)
If you are interested in science, technology or medicine, you can stream or download a very large number of podcasts from the Naked Scientists, a team of scientists, doctors and communicators based at Cambridge University’s Institute of Continuing Education (ICE). Science podcasts
Grammar: when to use ‘whether’
Lower intermediate to lower advanced level (B1/C1)
In many cases you can use ‘whether’ or ‘if’ and your sentence will be grammatically correct but in some cases you can only use ‘whether’. Continue reading
Speaking: Effective presentations: the magic of three
Intermediate to higher level (B1-C1)
Have you ever stopped and wondered why some presentations and talks feel much better than others? Continue reading
Cambridge First (FCE) writing tips
Upper intermediate level (B2)
Many people will be taking the Cambridge First exam this summer. To get ready you will probably need to write a lot of essays. An important tip is to keep a list of your most common FCE writing mistakes and check this list before you write. Continue reading
Reading: the General Election
Intermediate Level (B1/B2)
On Thursday May 7th there will be a General (national) Election in the UK. Nowadays this takes place every five years. The electorate can vote for one candidate in their constituency (local parliamentary area). The winner in each constituency will become the local MP (Member of Parliament). Continue reading
Vocabulary: using ‘far’
Intermediate to advanced level (B1-C1)
‘Far’ can be used to talk about distance but here I want to look at a different meaning. Continue reading
Vocabulary: Mention – a great verb to know
Intermediate to advanced level (B1-C1)
The verb ‘mention’ is one of the verbs we can use to talk about what someone has said or is going to say. It’s really useful because using ‘tell’ or ‘say’ is not always appropriate. Let’s look at some examples: Continue reading
Grammar: using the past perfect – some examples of when you should
Lower intermediate to advanced level (B1-C1)
Many learners are a little confused about when they should use the past perfect in English (had taken, had told, had imagined etc). There are several reasons for this. Continue reading
Speaking: Expressions to check you have understood something correctly
Lower intermediate to advanced level (B1-C1)
Even native speakers need to check that they have understood what they heard or read. To do this, you can use a range of expressions. Continue reading
Reading: the British pub
Intermediate to advanced level (B1-C1)
Going to the pub should be on your list of things to experience. The tradition probably goes back to pre-Roman times. Continue reading
Updated FCE and CAE for 2015
Intermediate to advanced level (B1-C1)
Cambridge English have made some changes to their First and Advanced exams. The biggest change is that now there will only be 4 papers instead of 5 because the Reading and Use of English are being put together in the same paper. Continue reading
Vocabulary: approximate numbers
Intermediate to advanced level (B1-C1)
When we communicate, we often want to use words or expressions that are approximate. This is common when we have to talk about numbers. This might be because we don’t know the exact numbers or amounts or because we don’t want to give them. Here are some of these words and expressions: Continue reading
Vocabulary: the verb ‘tell’
Intermediate to advanced (B1-C1)
You probably know how to use ‘tell’ in sentences like ‘He told me where to find a good restaurant.’ However there is another really useful meaning of ‘tell’. Continue reading
Exam tips: the FCE and CAE interview
Upper intermediate to advanced levels (B2-C1)
The start of your FCE or CAE interview gives you a great opportunity to show how good your English is. Continue reading
Pronunciation: the ə sound
Elementary to advanced level (A2-C1)
The ə sound is everywhere in English. It’s almost impossible to speak British English for more than a few seconds and not use ə! It is not a letter but many vowels can be pronounced /ə/. Continue reading
Reading: Today is the Scottish referendum
Intermediate level (B1-B2)
People normally living in Scotland (including people from EU countries!) are voting whether or not to be completely independent of the Westminster parliament. Continue reading
Pronunciation: does a word have a long or short vowel?
Elementary to Intermediate (A1-B1)
One way to find out is to see if it has doubled consonants after it. Continue reading
Grammar: verbs + ing
Intermediate level (B1-B2)
Many verbs can be followed by another verb in this way: I want to visit Big Ben. However, some verbs cannot be followed by an infinitive but need ‘ing’ e.g. ‘I enjoy visiting my uncle in Manchester. Continue reading
Vocabulary: ‘still’ and ‘yet’
Elementary to intermediate level (A2-B2)
‘Still’ and ‘yet’ have several uses but these are the most common: Continue reading
Vocabulary: adjective, verb and noun collocations and website
Intermediate to advanced level (B1-C2)
Many English words are commonly used with certain other words and these become like mini-expressions. For example, if someone has a serious problem or is in serious difficulty, you can say ‘He is in deep trouble‘. However you can’t say ‘he is in heavy trouble‘. Only some combinations are used. Your language probably has similar combinations or collocations. Continue reading
Speaking: job interview questions
Intermediate to advanced level (B1-C1)
What will you be asked at a job interview. Of course it depends on the job but you can practise answering some common questions: Continue reading
Grammar: arrangements and plans for the future
Elementary to intermediate level (A1-B2)
We often want to talk about our arrangements and plans but how can you talk about them in English? Continue reading
Vocabulary and grammar: World Cup regrets
Pre-intermediate to upper intermediate level (A2-B2)
Yesterday the England football team learnt that they had failed to get through to the next stage of the World Cup.
Speaking: using the telephone for business
Pre-intermediate to advanced level (A2-C1)
Learning a few useful phrases can help you use the telephone in business situations. Continue reading
Vocabulary: ‘may’ and ‘might’
Pre-intermediate to advanced level (A2-C1)
‘May’ and ‘might’ can be used to talk about possibility and asking for permission. Looking at some examples will help to show their meanings. Continue reading
Grammar: a list of irregular verbs in groups
All levels
Most irregular verbs are used a lot in English so they are important verbs to learn. In this list they are grouped, for example, by spelling or pronunciation. This should make them easier to remember. Continue reading
IELTS: about the Academic version
Upper-intermediate to advanced level (B2-C2)
There are two IELTS exams: the General and the Academic version. Continue reading
Vocabulary: ‘another’ and ‘different’
Pre-intermediate to intermediate level (A2-B1)
Would you like another drink or something different? This is asking if you want one more beer or a different kind of drink, for example, a lemonade. Continue reading
Pronunciation: English sounds
All levels
If you want to hear the individual sounds of English, you can use Adrian Underhill’s interactive phonemic chart. Just click on the symbol to hear the sound and an example word. http://www.macmillanenglish.com/phonemic-chart/. There is also a great free app http://www.soundspronapp.com/ Continue reading
Speaking: disagreeing
Intermediate to advanced level (B2-C2)
In some cultures it is common to disagree with someone quite directly. In English, while this is possible, most of the time people are pretty careful how they offer a different opinion. Continue reading
Vocabulary: the difference between ‘by’ and ‘until’
Intermediate level (B2-B2)
Looking at some examples should help you understand the difference: Continue reading
Reading: the UK and the EU
Intermediate to lower advanced level (B1-C1)
Before we look at the situation now, here is some history. Britain joined the European Economic Community (now the EU) in 1973. Continue reading
Vocabulary: phrasal verbs with 3 parts
Intermediate to advanced level (B1-C2)
Think about how many you already know. ‘Look forward to’ is a very popular one often used in letters and emails. Continue reading
Grammar: stronger meaning
Elementary to intermediate level (A1-B1)
‘So’ can be a little stronger than ‘very’ but how do you use ‘such’? Continue reading
Pronunciation: silent ‘e’
Elementary to Intermediate (A1-B1)
English pronunciation has changed over hundreds of years. Today you will often see a silent letter ‘e’ at the end of words. This ‘e’ often shows that the vowel sound in the syllable before it is long. Continue reading
Grammar: predictions
Pre-intermediate to upper intermediate level (A1-B2)
Michio Kaku is a well-known American physicist. He has just published a book called ‘The Future of the Mind’. In his book he writes about how people we will be able to record clear images of your thoughts and even your dreams! Continue reading
Grammar: ‘will’ for refusing
Intermediate to advanced level English (B1-C2)
Have you ever thought: ‘What’s wrong with my computer? It won’t work.’? Continue reading
Vocabulary: education
Intermediate to advanced level (B1-C1)
A good exercise (especially for Cambridge FCE) is to think about your own education and how you could describe it. Here is someone’s story:
The Cambridge First (FCE) interview lasts about 14 minutes and is usually done in pairs (2 candidates). Continue reading
Reading: vocabulary connected with being clever
Intermediate to advanced level English (B2-C2)
Being clever or smart can impress or irritate others. Continue reading
Pronunciation and speaking: hesitating
Lower intermediate to advanced level English (B1-C1)
Speaking continuously is quite difficult, even for native speakers. Almost all speakers of English need to pause frequently. Hesitating gives you more time to think and choose the right words. Continue reading
Grammar: adjectives after verbs
Elementary to advanced level English (A2-C2)
You will know sentences like ‘She is happy.’ but there are other verbs that can have adjectives following them eg ‘They look afraid.’. Continue reading
Vocabulary: ‘mind’ as a verb
Lower to higher level English (A2-C1)
‘Mind’ can be a verb and is often used in conversation. It is an important verb to understand and use correctly. It has several meanings. Continue reading
Writing: email guidance
Elementary to advanced level English (A2-C1)
Writing emails to good friends isn’t usually a problem but how should you write more formal emails? Continue reading
Vocabulary: nouns
Intermediate to advanced level English (B1-C2)
‘Mind’ as a noun is in a lot of expressions. Continue reading