What to expect in 2018

With the release of my writing guide all but out of the way now, next year I’ll be looking at producing more books to help English learning. There’s a long-planned English tenses exercise book still to come, and I’m hoping to complement the writing guide with more exercises and examples.

As well as producing books, the regular blogs will continue here on the ELB site – I’m committed to at least one new lesson on the site a month, and am sharing annotated archived lessons through the mailing list (again at least once a month), as well as continually on Twitter and Facebook. 2017 has been the first year (after 5 years of running this site, if you can believe it!) that I’ve really started to see a return on this website, with book sales steadily starting to rise – and I have you, my readers, to thank for that – as the business continues to expand I look forward to producing more material!

Now, onto the fun stuff. How can you practice some more English this Christmas? Here’s some of the material we’ve got on the site:

1. Learn Christmas Vocabulary

There’s plenty of vocabulary specific to Christmas – here’s plenty of words and phrases in the big Christmas vocabulary list.

2. Use Christmas Songs for Listening Practice

Christmas songs get repeated over and over, to the point of irritation, here – but they can be good for listening practice with some catchy lyrics. Check out my list of 6 Christmas songs for listening skills here.

3. Reading Practice with Christmas Stories

Christmas is a popular period for fiction – I’ve written a few tales set in the holidays myself. You can test your use of mixed English tenses with this reading and grammar exercise – The Christmas Mess. Something really different I’ve written is a nasty post-apocalyptic novella, A Most Apocalyptic Christmas. Find it on my author website here – but it is for adults!

4. Learn About Christmas Culture

Christmas is an ancient holiday with a lot of history and traditions. Expand your reading practice by learning more about the English speaking world – for example, read my article about the impact of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol on the English language.

Above all, enjoy the holiday, have a Merry Christmas and best wishes for your learning in 2018!

The post Seasons Greetings from ELB – including what’s coming for 2018 appeared first on English Lessons Brighton.

If you follow my writing you may be aware that as well as educational material I also write adult fiction, in the contemporary fantasy and dystopian genres (more broadly, science-fiction fantasy!). I have just launched a new author website I would like to share – please visit it at phil-williams.co.uk. The website shows the different fiction projects I am working on, and has its own dedicated mailing list – sign up for a free copy of A Most Apocalyptic Christmas, my madcap dystopian adventure. Subscribers will also be the first to hear of (and receive) the next two novellas I am writing.

About My Fiction

I am currently writing in 3 different series of fiction: post-apocalyptic, dystopian and contemporary fantasy (fantasy with a realistic, modern setting). I will explore this genres and more in a separate, educational post! I have 2 novels and a novella already out, and am writing plenty more – so if you enjoy reading fiction in English, do check out the website and sign up to the mailing list. And please share it, too!

The post New author website – with free English fiction appeared first on English Lessons Brighton.

The British film industry is a great place to look if you want to practise listening to different accents. The films in this list are good examples of different accents to compare how people speak in different areas of the British Isles. It is not an exclusive list – if you would like more examples of films to test specific regions, please ask!

• Southern Accents
• Midlands and the North Accents
• Scottish Accents
• Irish Accents
• Welsh Accents

Southern Accents

1. Four Weddings and a Funeral

The archetype Hugh Grant romance, Four Weddings made British romantic comedies a massive international success. The robust cast represent the classy, well-spoken members of British society. It also contains some American, for a little contrast.

2. Love Actually

Continuing the Four Weddings vibe, Love Actually is an ensemble film – meaning it has a vast range of characters. Contains various English accents and some well-spoken Irish (from Liam Neeson).

3. Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels

The opposite extreme to Four Weddings, the film that started a modern movement of British gangster comedies, Lock Stock… has a range of horrible people talking in a range of dirty London accents. Plus two from Liverpool.

Midlands and the North

4. The Full Monty

Dealing with the depressed industrial communities, The Full Monty is both a charming comedy and an effective portrait of 80s’ Sheffield.

For a similar look at communities in the Midlands to North, try Brassed Off.

5. This is England

Another gritty look at 80s England, this film has a mix of midlands accents and one very strong Liverpool accent. Shane Meadows’ other films contain further midlands accents, Dead Man’s Shoes is a particularly good dark comedy.

6. 24 Hour Party People

A history lesson in music, 24 Hour Party People charts the success of the Manchester music scene in the 70s. Steve Coogan, the star, may not be entirely representative of Northern accents, but the supporting cast certainly are.

Scottish Accents

7. Braveheart

Again the lead’s not Scottish, but the fine supporting cast are, and it’s an epic historical tale. Aside from watching it for the Scottish, it’s worth watching for Patrick McGoohan as the wicked king of England.

8. Trainspotting

Madcap, brutal and good fun, Trainspotting will really test your ability to understand the Scottish accent. For something a little softer, you might consider other films starring Ewan McGregor, where he’s allowed to use his own accent. Like A Life Less Ordinary.

Irish Accents

9. In Bruges

Solid Irish accents from the two leads, and a soft menacing London accent from Ralph Fiennes as a bonus. And a great, quirky film.

10. In the Name of the Father

Looking at injustice and the trauma caused by the Troubles in Ireland, this classic also contains some fine Irish accents.

11. Waking Ned

A lighter look at Ireland, the antics of a local community trying to claim a lottery ticket from one of their deceased neighbours.

Welsh Accents

Gavin and Stacey

To finish the list, not a film, but for a nice contrast of English and Welsh you can’t do much better than this quirky British comedy series.

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