Spoken English

Lesson #123: Discovering a Writing Style or Voice That Reflects Personality (Part 1)

One of the most rewarding stages in language learning is when you begin to have your own STYLE or VOICE in the language you have been studying.  As a proofreader of various texts, I must exercise caution when correcting a text so that I do not end up changing the writer’s style, but rather know […]

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Lesson #119: Teatime Literary Reflections (and the Power of Good Storytelling) (Part 2)

As promised, here are some observations on the passage from Elizabeth Gaskell’s Cranford, as referenced in the previous post: 🖋️ Gaskell’s approach here is more conversational than the style of other classic novels. This is because the story is told by one of the characters in the book.  🖋️ Gaskell uses the word ‘very’ several times

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Lesson #119: Teatime Literary Reflections (and the Power of Good Storytelling) (Part 1)

Teatime! A light dinner eaten in the late afternoon or evening that is still popular in Britain and Ireland.  I’m at home alone this evening, so I decided to serve my tea and scone on my Grandmother’s china, an heirloom passed down through the years. However, teatime is traditionally a time for the family (and

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Lesson #115: Some Tips for Memorising Even More Vocabulary

When we are learning a language, we often memorise new vocabulary by using flashcards or repeatedly writing out lists of words. These methods can be helpful, but not everyone remembers what they have so diligently studied afterwards! 🤔 A French teacher once shared a very helpful tip with me, and I want to share it

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