English Language Articles

Articles about learning, using and teaching the English language, including advice, tutorials, opinions and lesson plans from various authors and contributors. Articles cover topics from English grammar, spelling and punctuation, through to language teaching, career development, specialisations, and ideas and suggestions for the classroom.

Latest Articles & Notes

70 ways to improve your English Pinned

Category: Learning English Topic: Learning and Teaching

Learning a new language can be hard work, so here are 70 practical tips for improving your English that you can do outside of school or collage

How to teach used to, be used to and get used to New

Category: Teaching English Topic: General

How to contrast the past verb and adjective meanings of "used to", including used to, be used to and get used to games/ practice activities.

How to teach be used to and get used to New

Category: Teaching English Topic: Verbs and Tenses

How to present and practise be and get used to for easy and difficult things to be accustomed to, including common student errors/ confusions and be/ get used to games.

How to make a personal connection in presentations

Category: Learning English Topic: Vocabulary

Tips on connecting personally with a presentation audience, including useful phrases for making a personal connection with attendees.

How to be friendly on the phone in English

Category: Telephoning Topic: Vocabulary

How to make informal phone calls without being unfriendly or rude, including how to be friendly at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of typical casual phone calls.

100 common mistakes with starting and ending emails

Category: Writing Topic: Vocabulary

The most common mistakes in English emails, including grammar, formality, fixed phrases, paragraphing, punctuation, etc.

The 100 most useful phrases for ending emails

Category: Writing Topic: Vocabulary

Common closing lines, closing greetings and ways of writing your name at the end of emails, including phrases for formal and informal business and personal emails.

The 100 most useful phrases for starting emails

Category: Writing Topic: Vocabulary

Useful opening greetings and first lines for formal and informal business and personal emails.

Writing emails checklist

Category: Writing Topic: General

70 questions to check that you've written the perfect email

Cultural differences in emailing

Category: Writing Topic: Vocabulary

Cultural differences in email communication, including differences between British, American, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish and Norwegian emails.

How to deal with difficult questions in a presentation

Category: General Articles Topic: General

Tactics and phrases for dealing with tricky questions in a presentation Q&A

100 polite telephoning dos and don'ts

Category: Telephoning Topic: Vocabulary

One hundred tips for how to be more polite and avoid being rude on the telephone in English

100 common telephoning mistakes

Category: Telephoning Topic: Vocabulary

Typical telephoning errors with grammar, functional language, pronunciation, formality, etc.

How to teach silent letters to EFL learners

Category: Teaching English Topic: Spelling and Punctuation

Teaching tips and classroom activities for letters which are written but not pronounced in listen, island, knife, etc

400 words with silent letters, arranged by level

Category: Spelling Topic: Pronunciation

List of words with letters which are not pronounced, from Beginner level to very Advanced levels.