by Phil Williams | Nov 14, 2023 | Punctuation, Writing skills
I know a few people would like a proper introduction to commas and how to use them, so I’ve compiled a guide here based in part on the chapter on commas in Advanced Writing Skills for Students of English. Some of the specific areas I’ve gone into more detail on in the...
by Phil Williams | Sep 12, 2023 | Vocabulary, Writing skills
I felt like it was time for a look at some vocabulary for once, so today I’m sharing some thoughts on how to develop and use an advanced vocabulary, from a chapter originally published in Advanced Writing Skills (which celebrated some big milestones last...
by Phil Williams | Aug 8, 2023 | Books, Writing skills
This month I’m proud to announce Advanced Writing Skills for Students of English has become my third book to pass 10,000 global sales! It’s an especially important milestone for me and English Lessons Brighton for a few reasons, not least because the book also had its...
by Phil Williams | May 16, 2023 | Definitions, General English, Vocabulary, Words, Writing skills
“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...
by Phil Williams | Apr 11, 2023 | Definitions, Grammar, Punctuation, Writing skills
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,...
by Phil Williams | Nov 8, 2022 | Punctuation, Writing skills
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:...