English to French, Italian, German & Spanish Dictionary 25 Online Games for English Language Learners GameZone: Dozens of simple, straightforward games about grammar, spelling, and vocabulary reach out to English language learners at all levels. Keep in mind, however, that this site is based in the U.K. and follows a different set of linguistic rules than American English.Vocabulary.co.il:This series of vocabulary and games runs the gamut from elementary to high school levels of proficiency. Each is recommended for both native speakers as well as students learning English as a second or third (or more) language.Power Words:PBS’ WordGirl and her simian sidekick Captain Huggy Face do battle against Fair City’s most sinister citizens, but it’s up to players to determine the course of the action. Picking the wrong words means letting the villains follow through with their sneaky plots.LearnEnglish Kids:The British Council presents a suite of super cool games covering different elements of the English language.
18 English words that mean very different things in Britain and America As the old adage famously goes: you say tom-MAY-toes, and I say tom-MAH-toes. We should probably call the whole thing off, right? Ever since the might of the British Empire was expelled from the United States, ordinary folk from both sides of the pond have chuckled at each other's use of the English language and pronunciation. Here are several important examples you need to remember - simply to make sure no one gives you a weird look when you're off on your holidays. 1. UK: A woollen pullover worn in the winter US: Someone who commits suicide by leaping from a building or bridge 2. UK: An eraser for a pencil US: A condom 3. UK: Something a baby wears (noun) US: Frizzy or hairy (adjective) 4. UK: The floor above the ground floor US: The ground floor of a building UK: Flaps attached to a race horse's face to restrict its vision US: Indicators on a car 6. UK: Another word for jewellery box US: Another word for coffin 7. UK: Informal party wear, dressing up as a well-known character 8. 9. US: An old man
Grab Onto Phrasal Verbs Welcome back to Everyday Grammar from VOA Learning English. Today we look at a very common verb form in English – phrasal verbs. There are over 5,000 verbs that fall in this category. Do you know how to use them? In this episode, we will introduce this type of verb and help you understand how and why English speakers use them. In future episodes, we will give more information about the different kinds of phrasal verbs. Phrasal verbs in history Our story begins back when other languages - French and Old Norse - began to influence Middle English. There were small particles, or prefixes, placed before verbs in Middle English to change their meaning. One that we still use is for as in forlorn. William Shakespeare, who wrote many plays between 1589 and 1613, is a well-known writer of the time. Formal language and phrasal verbs In Modern English, we use phrasal verbs more often in informal language. As English learners know well, daily conversation in English is almost never formal. Dr.
Adjective Suffixes Grammar-Quizzes › Modifiers to Nouns › Adjective Summary › Adjective Forms Form adjectives from other word forms This evening, we saw a spectacular sunset. Gradually, the colors faded to gray, and the spectacle ended in the darkness of the night sky. ¹It + be + adjective (predicate adjective or predicate complement) See Specifying vs. glow (N) – shine, giving off brightness The glow of a candle filled the room. gradually (Adv) – changing or moving in small degrees, bit by bit; The color gradually changes as it ages. reflect (V) – give back (light) A mirror reflects your image. rose (V) – went up, the appearance on the horizon of the moon or the sun; (rise, rose, risen) See Rise vs. soil (N) – dirt, earth Pineapples grow well in reddish-brown soil. NP –noun phrase; N – noun; Det – determiner; AdjP– adjective phrase; Adj – adjective Also see Noun Suffixes| Word Forms | Adverb Suffixes | Negative Adjective Prefixes | Color Modifiers | Dimension Adjectives Cutting Back Read for Errors
Slang Dictionary - Text Slang, Internet Slang, & Abbreviations The Internet slang dictionary is sorted by letter.Click on a letter above to see the corresponding slang terms and definitions. Internet slang consists of slang and acronyms that users have created as an effort to save keystrokes. Terms have originated from various sources including Bulletin Boards, AIM, Yahoo, IRC, Chat Rooms, Email, Cell Phone Text Messaging, and some even as far back as World War II. Internet Slang is also called AOL speak, AOLese, AOLbonics, netspeak, or leetspeak (although leetspeak traditionally involves replacing letters with numbers and is reseved for games). Are we missing slang?
Nine ways to revise English vocabulary using slips of paper What can teachers do when classroom technology stops working? Cristina Cabal, latest winner of the British Council's TeachingEnglish blog award for her post on pronunciation, suggests nine activities for revising English vocabulary using simple slips of paper. Nowadays, it seems very simple to plan a lesson that makes use of the many tools available online, especially as more and more of us have access to the Internet in our classrooms. But while technology is increasingly part of our teaching, there are times when it can cause problems and frustrations for teachers, such as when the Wi-Fi stops working or the computer shuts down, leaving you with a one-hour lesson to teach and no plan B up your sleeve. One of the best ways to deal with this situation is to use slips of paper – a resource available to every teacher in any given situation. The following activities have never let me down. Using slips of paper to revise vocabulary 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Arrange students in pairs or in threes. 7.
10 Examples of Homonyms You Might Be Getting Wrong [Download This Guide] Text Version: Is the English language trying to trip people up? Because it sure seems that way. Otherwise, why in the world would someone have created homonyms? You know homonyms. Homophones are words that sound the same—hence the use of the suffix “phone,” which might make you think of a telephone. Homographs are words that are spelled the same but have different meanings, and unfortunately I don’t have anything clever to say about “graph” to make the word clearer. Unfortunately for those who are trying to master English, homonyms aren’t going anywhere, so you have to be aware of them to make sure that you’re actually saying—and writing—what you mean. Compliment/complement The first one is a flattering remark you might give to a student, friend, or loved one. Sight/site/cite Here’s one that all serious students need to remember. Do/due Do/doe/dough/d’oh These words, pronounced “doh,” have a wide range of meanings. Here/hear “Do you hear us? Allowed/aloud Your/you’re/yore
Stop, Breathe & Think Neologisms Database - Terminology Coordination Unit [DGTRAD] - European Parliament Languages are constantly evolving. Though purists may shudder at what they see as the degradation of ‘correct’ language use, innovative and new ways of using grammar, syntax and vocabulary show a bill of good health for a language. At the vocabulary level, we find neologisms. At TermCoord we are also on the look-out for new words that may be of importance to translators and make the object of new entries in IATE. Insert one or more search filters alicament [FR] Definition food given an additional function (often one related to health-promotion or disease prevention) by adding new ingredients or more of existing ingredients Source Wikipedia Domain 6026-Foodstuff Type Noun apericena [IT] aperitivo as a main meal to save money Origin Combination of ’aperitivo’ and ’cena’ (dinner), often used by students. The Local apli [ES] abbreviation of ’aplicación’ (app) 6411-Technology and technical regulations bullizzare [IT] 2826-Social affairs
Seven steps to vocabulary learning You might expect that, after having been exposed to a word in ten, twenty, or maybe at the very most thirty, contexts, a learner will gradually piece together the word's meaning and start to use it correctly, appropriately and fluently. Classroom context Seven steps to vocabulary learning Conclusion Classroom context Of course we cannot expect a learner to acquire difficult words in the same way as a young child acquires their first language, but, perhaps as teacher we can somehow help learners to arouse their 'learning monitor' by, for example, providing rich contexts containing the target language and by giving our learners time to reflect on what the language item means. Seven steps to vocabulary learning Here are some practical steps that I have used to help my students. Step 1 I get my students to listen to the word or phrase in authentic-sounding dialogues Here are the dialogues I use for 'actually': Do you want a chocolate? Step 3 I discuss the meaning in plenary. Paul Bress