Any language is a constantly changing system, and one of the unique aspects of the English language is how some words can be both nouns and verbs. Although they may look the same in writing, some words have different meanings…
What are phrasal verbs? This post looks in depth at phrasal verbs in the English language. While other languages of the Germanic branch also have something akin to phrasal verbs, they are unique to English in their abundance. There are…
This post looks at conjunctions. Conjunctions are a part of speech or word class often described as ‘joining words’, because many conjunctions such as ‘but’ and ‘and’ join words or clauses together to form one sentence. However, not all conjunctions have…
Tag questions are short phrases that are added at the end of a sentence to turn a statement into a question. They are often used to seek agreement or confirmation. This post gives examples of tag questions in positive and…
Many English language students are preparing to sit official language exams such as IELTS, Pearson, Aptis and Cambridge. For these exams, a spoken or written summary of the information given in a graph, chart or diagram is often required, usually…
Like possessives, double possessives are used to provide specific information about the relationship between a possessor and a possessed object. Double possessives, also known as ‘double genitives’ or double possessive constructions, occur when two possessive elements are used together to…
There is a frequently occurring error that this post aims to rectify: the ongoing confusion between the verb ‘to lay’ and the verb ‘to lie’. These are two distinct verbs and are not interchangeable. One of these verbs is transitive…
At some point, everyone needs to write a letter or an email and wonders what the correct etiquette for this is. Writing letters, in particular formal letters, has become a lost art, but it is still regularly required in business…