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One of the key concepts in expanding your vocabulary efficiently is collocation. Collocation is most easily defined as the way words combine together. Read more
Most of my columns are about 500 words in length and this one is no exception. Of course, I would recommend that you read at leisure and reflect over every word! However, realistically in a bulky newspaper like The Star, you will only have time to glance quickly at a few articles. Read more
If we bought only things we needed, there would be enough for everybody. What do we need? What you need depends on how old you are and your way of life. Read more
After much consideration it has been decided that, due to the unforeseen circumstances that occurred last month, the need for additional security placements at the various entrances including the west and east will be implemented in accordance with company guidelines and that all staff are instructed to ensure compliance and instruct all visitors of the new policy and apologise for any inconvenience caused.
The sentence above is 63 words. The individual words are understandable, but the sheer length and sidetracks that the writer goes down makes it difficult to follow. There are a number of main and sub-points in the sentence and it requires too much concentration on the part of the reader. In a world where we are bombarded with information in the form of memos, emails and letters, it is more than likely that the message will be ignored. Read more
Assertiveness is linked to self-esteem and considered an important communication skill. A person communicates assertively by not being afraid to speak his or her mind or trying to influence others, but doing so in a way that respects the personal boundaries of others. Read more
Six months before she died, my grandmother moved into an old people’s home and I visited her there when I was in Britain. She was sitting in the living room with about 15 other residents, mostly women, half of them asleep. The room was clean and warm, with flowers and pictures, and the care assistants were kind and cheerful.
The Weakest Link was on the television (‘to keep their brains active’ one of the assistants said), and the only other sounds were snoring and embarrassing digestive noises. People moved only when they needed to be helped to the bathroom. It was depressing.
Gran talked a lot about how much she missed seeing her grandchildren (my nieces aged seven and five), but I knew from my sister that they hated going to visit her there, and to be perfectly honest, I couldn’t wait to get away myself. Read more
Common problems in English arise out of the similarity of many of the words. For example, if halfway through a film you say "I'm boring", your date may reply "Yes, you are" and it is unlikely the rest of the evening will be a success. Read more
George Bernard Shaw once famously remarked that America and Britain were "two countries divided by a common language." In fact, differences are fairly small and have certainly grown smaller with the rise of a globalised, networked economy. However, there do remain several important differences and, although, you would rarely cause confusion or misunderstanding it is important to be consistent. Read more
Amelia Earhart was born in 1897, in Kansas, USA. Even as a child she didn't behave in a conventionally 'feminine' way. She climbed trees and hunted rats with her rifle - but she wasn't particularly interested in flying. Read more
The term “negotiation” often seems to frighten people, since it is mistakenly regarded as a high-level skill only practised by CEOs and Heads of State. In fact, most of us practise negotiating on a day-to-day basis at work regularly. It could be to sell a service or product, look for an increase in salary or get a better deal from a supplier. One key area to consider in negotiation is the use of tentative language, particularly if the participants do not know each other well or the meeting is formal. Read more
The use of the modal “will” is a major problem for users of English. Here are a few examples:
a) It will rain today.
b) The CEO will visit us tomorrow.
c) I will send you the proposal tomorrow.
d) The meeting will be starting in a few minutes.
e) They left three hours ago, so they will have arrived by now.
Before you have a look at the answers explained below, have a think about the usage of “will” in these cases. Some reflect the time, but often modals reflect the attitude of the speaker. Read more
Have you ever looked out of the window of a passenger plane from 30,000 feet at the vast expanses of empty ocean and uninhabited land, and wondered how people can have any major effect on the Earth? I have. But it is now becoming pretty clear that we are causing a great deal of damage to the natural environment. And the planes that rush us in comfort to destinations around the globe, contribute to one of the biggest environmental problems that we face today - global warming. Read more
I’m an English teacher working in Russia, and for some reason I really don’t like that classroom topic ‘Talk about your family’. Perhaps it’s because everyone studied English from the same book at school. So all the students say: ‘My family consists of five members. Me, my mother, my father, my brother and my dog.’ And so on. As if all families are exactly the same. Read more
The reliance on email for business communication has meant that the business telephone conversation is playing a less important role in contemporary office life.
However, when a customer wants an answer or a client wants clarification, then often they will rely on the direct call. Like most aspects of business English, it pays to learn a few key phrases that you can use for every call. Read more
When we want to say what something or someone seems like, we can use the phrase as if. We can also use as though in exactly the same way.
Here are some examples. The bracketed words give you an explanation of the meaning or implication or situation.
He looks as if/though he hasn’t slept all night. (His appearance suggests this, i.e. he looks very tired.)
It feels as if/though summer’s on the way. (The warm air and sunny sky suggest this.)
It sounds as if/though they’ve arrived. (The sound of a car stopping, doors opening, people talking outside suggest this.) Read more
The Book of Lists famously ranked public speaking as the number one fear, above disease, money, flying and, most curiously, death! But why is public speaking so intimidating? Read more
Question forms such as “Used you to smoke when you were a college student?” are possible in a formal, British style. However, it is now more common to use the normal question form. Read more
Archaeology, like many academic words, comes from Greek and means, more or less, ‘the study of old things’. So, it is really a part of the study of history. However, most historians use paper evidence, such as letters, documents, paintings and photographs, but archaeologists learn from the objects left behind by the humans of long ago. Read more
The meaning of a letter makes sense without the prepositions, but mistakes in their usage can make your business writing appear unprofessional. Read more
Oral communication in a social context differs very much from requirements at work. Workplace oral communication requires that employees recognise their dominant styles of communication and how they are revealed. Read more
One of the more complex areas of English is the conditional. There are arguably four types of First, Second, Third and Zero. We use the third conditional when imagining possibilities in the past. The important thing is that, although they were possible, they didn’t happen. Read more
Slang is misunderstood. Let’s get one thing out of the way from the outset – ‘‘slang’’ refers to a particular type of informal spoken or written phrases. Street language, if you like. It has absolutely nothing to do with pronunciation or accent. Read more
Today, we look at some of the common language used in reports. Let’s start with types of nouns and an area that causes enormous confusion, countable and uncountable nouns. Read more
One of the key techniques is being able to say “no”! Learning how to say “no” can be hard, but it’s something that can really help you be more productive, reduce stress and do a better job with the things you do say “yes” to. Saying “no” to some things can actually help everyone involved. Read more
Many of us find the prospect of writing a report in English quite daunting. However, many CEOs can point to a well-written report at some stage in their career that got them noticed by their company, and enabled them to gain rapid promotion. Read more
By the end of the 15th century, English was the language of state and was carrying its messages in an increasingly uniform spelling. But it was during the 16th century that English would become the language that we know today. Read more
Being able to contribute effectively in meetings is an important skill in business. There is a range of skills required depending on your role, whether it be as a chairperson, minute-taker or participant. Read more
One of the most common uses of the telephone is to make an appointment. However, even with the wonders of e-mail, video conferencing and the old- fashioned phone, many professionals still prefer the face-to-face meeting to solve issues and maintain good relationships with clients. Read more
One of the biggest problems all language learners face is how to learn and remember vocabulary. Depending on individual learning styles, techniques that work well for one person may not help another person at all - one may have to see a word or phrase, another hear it spoken and yet another must write it down. Yet without vocabulary you will never be able to communicate so it is a problem everyone must come to terms with. Read more
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