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...Phrasal Verbs Using “to do”
To continue my series on phrasal verbs (started last time with “to be”), today I’m looking at phrasal verbs using to do. This is a rather common root and we have phrasal verbs with very varied meanings. To do is usually followed by an object that describes...
Phrasal Verbs Using “to be”
I’ve been meaning to write some articles covering phrasal verbs, as these are always a difficult area to master with lots of specific considerations. To cover all the very specific meanings of the different phrasal verbs, in each article I’ll take one root verb and...
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...
The Elements of Eloquence by Mark Forsyth (Book Review)
Here’s something for anyone who really wants to go beyond the basics of English. Having recently released Advanced Writing Skills for Students of English, I’ve had a few readers share comments that while they see the value in a clear and simple writing...Want to Master English?
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