by Phil Williams | May 28, 2013 | Definitions, Exercises, Grammar, Words
Foreign learners of English often confuse how and what when asking questions, especially when asking about sense verbs (for example look, taste, feel, smell). Questions that draw a comparison (for instance using the word like) are a common area of confusion: How does...
by Phil Williams | Apr 30, 2013 | Definitions, Exercises, Grammar
The conditionals, sometimes called ‘if clauses’, are constructions in English used to discuss something that could happen in the future, or was possible but did not happen in the past. They can be difficult to learn because they are so similar but have very specific,...
by Phil Williams | Apr 16, 2013 | Definitions, Exercises, Reading Exercise
A brief description of the Brighton Festival and Brighton Fringe. For general information or as reading practice for learners of English. I’ve included some descriptions of the language in use below to help develop vocabulary skills. For anyone lucky enough to...
by Phil Williams | Apr 8, 2013 | Definitions, Grammar
Reflexive pronouns are used in English to refer to a noun, adjective, adverb or pronoun when the subject is the same as the object in a clause. Here’s an example: Bob dresses himself. The subject, Bob does the action to him, also the subject, but the pronoun...
by Phil Williams | Mar 25, 2013 | Definitions, Exercises, Grammar
Choosing to say fewer or less in English is a grammar point that native speakers get wrong as well as foreign learners. This is not because it is complicated, but because less often sounds simpler or more natural than fewer. And (as with much in English language) not...
by Phil Williams | Mar 12, 2013 | Definitions, Exercises, Grammar
Adjectives and adverbs are describing words. They add details to other components of a sentence. They can be used in a variety of ways, and some uses have regional variations. Generally, however, the simplest way to think of them is that adjectives describe nouns...