What is Style in English?
A common theme in my teaching is exploring the difference between clearly defined grammar rules and where English becomes flexible. Sometimes variations in English fall into regional or linguistic uses, but often it is a case of style, which can be defined by rules...
What does it mean to “be of help”?
The phrase “to be of help” is a construction roughly synonymous with “helpful”. “Of help” is particularly common in formal settings, and has a subtly different meaning and application to the adjective “helpful”. I briefly touched on such “noun of noun” constructions...
When can we use “not so” instead of “not as” for comparatives
I was recently asked which comparative form is more correct, using so or as: “England is not as hot as France” or “England is not so hot as France”. It’s an interesting point as they are both possible, so neither is really more correct – and one of my reference...
2 Examples of Troublesome Dictionary Definitions
The rules given in reference books, and indeed dictionaries, can sometimes be rather misleading, or represent incomplete ideas. As I teach (and study!) advanced language use, I often have to question reference guides, and have recently encountered two examples of...
Learn English with Christmas Language from ELB!
Here on ELB, I’m always fond of highlighting seasonal language, with articles and exercises that help practice English at particular times of year. In much of the English-speaking world, Christmas is one of the biggest and most universally celebrated festivals,...Want to Master English?
ELB has produced a series of bestselling English guides, available from all major retailers, with over 45,000 copies sold worldwide. Click a cover to learn more!
