It’s the London Marathon this weekend! The big race is held annually in the spring and this year we’ll see over 55,000 people take to the streets of London for the 26.2 mile course. Whatever the weather, thousands will be lacing up their trainers with over 75% running to raise money for charity. Read on to learn more about this long-distance race and explore vocabulary and conversation topics in our fun London Marathon EFL lesson. (more…)
Amazon is exploring the possibility of adding real-time translation to Alexa’s range of capabilities. If the real-time translation technology is enabled, this will help Alexa to tackle cultural misunderstandings, subtle nuances of speech and complex language barriers. Although the popular voice-enabled assistant can already translate simple words and phrases between a small number of languages, real-time translation from Alexa will enable universal communication on a much more sophisticated level. (more…)
It’s Mother’s Day this weekend! This day is celebrated on the fourth Sunday of Lent each year, falling three weeks before Easter. The day was originally Mothering Sunday, a religious day when people would visit their ‘mother’ church, but later it also became a day to celebrate motherhood. Mothering Sunday is now intertwined with the secular celebration of Mother’s Day and the two names are often used interchangeably. Join us to explore the origins of this special day and enjoy our correct word challenge and gap fill games. (more…)
International Women’s Day falls on 8th March every year and coincides with Women’s History Month. This special day is a global celebration of the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. International Women’s Day also highlights areas where action is still needed to achieve gender parity around the world.
An International Women’s Day EFL lesson can engage with these issues in a highly relevant way. The concept of access to education as a basic human right is reflected in language learning, as a great way to empower women and girls. (more…)
St David’s Day falls on 1st March each year. This special day has been celebrated since the 12th century and although it is not a national holiday in the UK, it is regularly marked with celebrations.
Saint David is the patron saint of Wales and the Feast of St David commemorates the day he died in 589 AD. On Saint David’s Day it is traditional to eat Welsh foods and celebrate Welsh culture.
This is an ideal time to explore all things Welsh in the EFL classroom, introduce students to Welsh culture and learn some new vocabulary. Join us in exploring the Welsh flag, national symbols, language, accent, foods and traditions for a fun St David’s Day EFL lesson! (more…)
The question is often asked: should it be whose or who’s? Whose and who’s are often confused, even by native English speakers. So what is the difference between ‘who’s and ‘whose’ and how do you know which to use?
The difference is simple: ‘whose’ is the word we use to ask who owns something, while who’s is simply a shortening of ‘who is’. Contracted forms of words are rarely used in formal writing but they are often used in speech. The words ‘whose’ and ‘who’s’ are homophones, which means they sound the same. This is why the confusion arises. Read on to explore more about the usage of these words. (more…)
What is the difference between ‘who’ and ‘whom’ – and how do you know which to use? This grammar question has stumped many native English speakers, so it is no surprise that non-native speakers find it difficult.
‘Whom’ is used to refer to the object of a preposition or verb. But how does this work with real life examples? Read on for an explanation of the grammar behind ‘who’ and ‘whom’. We’ll explore common misconceptions surrounding the ‘who or whom’ debate and provide useful example sentences showing when to use ‘who’ and ‘whom’ – and when it’s a personal choice. (more…)
Former Italian prime minister Mario Monti said that the English language should be ‘upgraded’ after Britain leaves the EU. It is clear that Monti thinks regular English is unsuitable for use on the world stage. But how should English be upgraded? Perhaps the answer is to use Globish.
English has a million words but only a fraction of these are used on a day to day basis. It makes sense to concentrate on the most useful language when communicating internationally. But what exactly is Globish – and how could it replace English? (more…)
With Brexit on the horizon, there are many discussions about the future of international trade. Former Italian prime minister Mario Monti has declared that English is ‘one of the very best products of Britain’ and that it should continue to be the main language of Europe for purposes of trade. He also said that Europe should ‘upgrade’ English after the UK’s departure from the EU to ‘increase its competitiveness’ on the world stage. The importance of English in international trade is obvious – so could this be Britain’s secret weapon post-Brexit? (more…)
Cambridge Assessment English (previously known as Cambridge English Language Assessment) has launched a new simplified test called Linguaskill. This is a multilevel online test, which can provide personalised results within 12 hours. Linguaskill can test the writing, reading and listening skills of students from beginner A1 level up to advanced C1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. (more…)