Do we write “for ever after” or “forever after”?
“For ever after” is a phrase I found curious recently, as it highlights some interesting points about how English works as a flexible, evolving language. The phrase can be written in two different ways, changing the meanings of the words, with no real agreement on the...
What is the Dogme ELT approach or Teaching Unplugged?
Today, I’m delighted to host a guest article from fellow ELT teacher, Charlotte Parsons, who is generously delving into a specific approach to lesson planning and teaching. Charlotte and I taught together at English First in Brighton many years ago, so I know she has...
What are Comma Splices (and how can you avoid them)?
A problem many native English writers and foreign English learners have in common is combining independent clauses without the appropriate punctuation or conjunctions, often seen with what we call comma splices. I thought this would be an interesting topic to cover,...
How Phrasal Verbs Can Form Compound Nouns
I always find it interesting to look at ways that words connect, so we can see how one type of word might become another. I was struck by a specific area of this recently while editing a crime novel, which included a lot of compound nouns that stem from phrasal verbs....
Celebrating 10 Years of English Lessons Brighton
It’s my tremendous honour to share that this February marks 10 years of articles on this website, and it’s still going as strong as ever. In celebration, I invite you to join me in looking back at the site’s history, some its achievements, and the...
What are Imperative Verbs and Sentences?
Imperative verbs are used as commands or instructions in English. They are sometimes called “command words” and may be considered bossy or authoritative, as they are typically used to tell someone what to do. However, they can also just urge people towards an action,...
Kate Skates at Christmas: Phrasal Verbs Exercise
Christmas is nearly upon us again, so it’s time for another holiday-themed exercise to get you in the merry spirit. I’ve decided to revisit the same style of exercise I produced for Christmas last year: a short story gap-fill exercise to test your understanding of...
Using Commas with Lists & the Serial Comma
Today I’m going to look at another specific use of commas in English, particularly how we use them in lists, and how the controversial serial comma or Oxford comma works. This builds on a couple of articles about specific uses of commas that I’ve shared in the past:...
Spooky Relative Clauses: A Halloween Exercise
It’s October which means it’s Spooky Season, and time for another themed article. Today, we’re going to practice relative clauses with a Halloween theme. For a quick introduction, relative clauses are clauses that add additional detail to nouns. They are connected by...Want to Master English?
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