Latest Articles from ELB
Why we say “make a change to it” but “change it”
Using make with a noun creates a more complex sentence than cases where it is possible to use the noun as a verb. For example: I want you to make a change to this picture. I want you change this picture. In these sentences, change is used as a noun and a verb. When...
On Display vs In a Display: preposition use
We can say a painting is on display in the museum or in a display at the museum. The difference is that on display describes the general action, that the painting is being displayed, while in a display says it is part of an event. This uses a fundamental difference...
English pronunciation: disappearing sounds
In English, fluent pronunciation often leads to many sounds disappearing, especially in unstressed syllables, or when two words are linked. The following are a few basic rules for understanding the way sounds disappear in spoken English, and are a good starting point...
Articles and periods of time: exercise
This exercise tests understanding of articles and periods of time. As some periods of time can be used as nouns or adjectives, this tests your knowledge of how a period of time is used in a sentence. It will also test use of articles with sequential numbers. Complete...
Articles and periods of time: when nouns become adjectives
In English, we often refer to periods of time as nouns. This means we name the period of time, and it may be used as a subject or object. Centuries, years, months, weeks, hours, and times of day can all be specific nouns. I do yoga on the second morning each week. My...
How to choose between “In particular” and “particularly”
Particularly and in particular are used in English when we want to highlight something important, or individual. Both uses of particular have the same meaning, but are used in different ways. We could also say in specific and specifically (which is more formal but has...
“At the end” vs “in the end” explained with examples
What's the difference between the following example sentences? At the end of the day we went home. In the end, it was a long day. At the end of the game, our team won. In the end, our team won. We were happy in the end. We weren’t happy at the end of the movie. The...
Saying large numbers in English
We use different words to describe numbers depending on how many digits (numbers) they contain. We can also refer to the number of digits for simple generalisations. For example, 10,000 is five digits, so we refer to it as in the tens of thousands, but we may also...
11 great films for listening to British accents
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 –...