Short Lessons

a taste of English literature in small portions

On these beautiful long summer evenings, I often go for walks to admire the sunset. It is at these moments that I …

📕 ‘You have moral and literary tastes in common. You have both warm hearts and benevolent feelings; and, Fanny, who that heard …

📗 But the effect of her being on those around her was incalculably diffusive: for the growing good of the world is …

It goes without saying (it is obvious) today’s literary author is a well-known figure, someone whom you have undoubtedly heard of before: …

If you have been following my Short Lessons for a while, you might remember that every so often I like to return …

In light of the ongoing war and widespread migration of refugees throughout Europe, many of us are reconsidering what languages we are …

📘 “We got together in a few days a company of the toughest old salts imaginable – not pretty to look at, …

It has been quite a long time since we enjoyed a poem together. One that comes to mind from time to time, …

In light of the recent events that are taking place in Ukraine even as I write, I have been reflecting a lot …

📙 The old man, contrary to expectation, seemed to be on the way to recovery, when one night Silas, sitting up by …

The book was interesting and it was old and it was long and it was a French book too. This is a …

Have you heard of negative prefixes in English before? 🧐 👩‍🏫 While the grammatical term is a bit of a mouthful, they …

If you have been learning English for some time, you may have listened to speeches given by politicians, actors, or artists. A …

In the days approaching Christmas, my thoughts have turned to some of the Christmas Carols (songs sung at Christmas) and the stories …

📗 “I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, …

📗 ‘So she was considering in her own mind (as well as she could, for the hot day made her feel very …

Welcome to the last section of our Lessons on common mistakes learners of English make (and Part 2 of Lesson #273). With …

This is our last Lesson in our 5-part series looking at common mistakes English language students tend to make. If you have …

Welcome to Part 2 of our Lesson in which we look at some passages from Anthony Trollope’s wonderful short novel, Nina Balatka …

If you have been following our Lessons since the start of November, you will have noticed that we are taking a look …

Last Friday we looked at Anne Bronte’s first novel, Agnes Grey (1847), as a story on morality and education, women’s careers in …

Here we will continue our Lesson by looking at common issues that Italian students of English often make. (If you missed Part …

If you have been following my Lessons over the past couple of weeks, you will have seen that we are looking at …

📙 ‘All true histories contain instruction; though, in some, the treasure may be hard to find, and when found, so trivial in …

📗 Welcome to Part 2 of our Lesson in which we look at difficult areas for many Russian students of English in …

This month I am writing a series of Lesson posts covering the most common mistakes that students make. Today I am focusing …

This is the second part of our Lesson, in which we look at some challenging points for French students studying English with …

As someone who has been studying French for years and still make mistakes, I have become more aware of the kinds of …

Whenever you learn a new language, there are always words that you find challenging in themselves but also difficult to translate into …

It has been a while since we turned to Charles Dickens for educational inspiration! On the other hand, I have just finished …

Every now and then, English language students mention how they are confused by the difference between ‘such as’ and ‘as such’. Are …

In this second part of our Lesson on vocabulary relating to textiles, we will continue with four more words that specifically describe …

This wonderful novel by Elizabeth Gaskell is set in mid-19th century (c. 1850s) England, where the main character, a strong-minded girl called …

This Lesson’s feature image: George Herbert at Bemerton, Salisbury (1860), by painter William Dyce (1806-1864). Photo Credit: City of London Corporation (ArtUK.org) …

📜 ‘Home-Thoughts, From the Sea’ (1845) Nobly, nobly Cape Saint Vincent to the North-West died away;Sunset ran, one glorious blood-red, reeking into …

📜’How to write a Letter’ Maria intended a letter to write,But could not begin (as she thought) to indite;So went to her …

📜 ‘Consolation’ ALL are not taken; there are left behind    Living Beloveds, tender looks to bring    And make the daylight still a happy thing,And …

As we draw close to the first anniversary of these regular Learn English through Literature Lessons, I thought it would be a …

📗 “… The right time is any time that one is still so lucky as to have. You’ve plenty; that’s the great …

📗 “Live all you can; it’s a mistake not to. It doesn’t so much matter what you do in particular so long …

📘 ‘The young people were all wild to see Lyme … and to Lyme they were to go – Charles, Mary, Anne, …

In our passage from Sir Walter Scott’s great historical novel Waverley (which we looked at in Part 1 of this Lesson), we …

We are so used to having a wide range of historical fiction titles at our fingertips (accessible to us) that we sometimes …

📗 “Marilla, isn’t it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?” “I’ll warrant you’ll …

A few days ago, I mentioned how I enjoy painting whenever I have the opportunity. 🎨 To be honest, there was a …

📙 … For Mark had some practical knowledge of such matters, and Martin learned of him; whereas the other settlers who remained …

It has been a busy summer here in the west of Ireland! I spent several weeks editing my Learn English Through Literature …

I hope you have been enjoying our Lessons to date. This is a short update to mention that, on account of some …

A few days ago, on my early morning walk, I noticed these nice daisies that grow so plentifully by the roadside near …

📗 “You had better explore to Donwell,” replied Mr. Knightley. “That may be done without horses. Come, and eat my strawberries. They …

This is Part 2 of our Lesson covering useful pairs of antonyms (words expressing contrast, opposition) and synonyms (words expressing similar meanings) …

A Little Princess is a 1905 classic by British author Frances Hodgson Burnett, who also wrote the famous Little Lord Fauntleroy (1886) …

📗 Our novel today is George Eliot’s Daniel Deronda (1876), which tells the story of two characters on a quest to find …

📙 Grace’s disposition to make the best of everything, and to wink at deficiencies in Winterborne’s menage, was so uniform and persistent …

As a proofreader and a tutor, the most common mistake I see on a daily basis is the misappropriation (placing in the …

One of the nicest aspects of preparing these Lessons is that I am always on the look-out for inspiration. In the last …

📘 ‘Altogether it was a perfect night, such a night as you sometimes get in Southern Africa, and it threw a garment …

📘 ‘He had been most warmly attached to her, and had never seen a woman since whom he thought her equal; but, …

📘 She was persuaded to believe the engagement a wrong thing: indiscreet, improper, hardly capable of success, and not deserving it … …

📙 “My dear Miss Catherine,” I began, too vividly impressed by her recent kindness to break into a scold, “where have you …

📙 ‘“… Nelly, I am Heathcliff! He’s always, always in my mind: not as a pleasure, any more than I am always …

📙 ‘Wuthering Heights is the name of Mr. Heathcliff’s dwelling. “Wuthering” being a significant provincial adjective, descriptive of the atmospheric tumult to …

To see her is a Picture – To hear her is a Tune – To know her an Intemperance As innocent as …

📗 ‘It was in this scene of strife and bloodshed that the incidents we shall attempt to relate occurred, during the third …

Welcome to Part 2 of our Lesson on homographs! In Part 1 we already looked at what homographs mean (quick reminder: they …

How familiar are you with homographs? 🤔 You might not recognise at first what a homograph means, but you have probably been …

Earlier this week we delved into (dived into) the ‘nuts and bolts‘ (an expression that means ‘everything relating to’) of direct and …

This Lesson post builds on what was covered in Part 1, so if you missed it why not quickly review our basic …

For the last couple of years, I have been reading George Eliot’s Middlemarch throughout May and June. It has 8 books (or …

As you may remember, every second Saturday we take the time to look at a poem from English or American literature. This …

I recently rediscovered a book on our shelves that my mother bought when we were children, and which I had been intending …

We continue our Lesson on the differences (and similarities) between the expressions ‘be going to [verb]’ cf. ‘will [verb]’ to talk about …

📗 “We will go—you and I alone, Caroline—to that wood …” “We are going to see Miss Shirley Keeldar.” – Charlotte Bronte, …

Have you ever been reading aloud and come across a word you don’t know how to pronounce? 🤔 I can imagine that …

Welcome to Part 2 of this Lesson, where we have been looking at expressions of place and movement in English (mostly adverbs …

For a couple of years now, I have been re-reading Mansfield Park (one of my favourite novels) on my birthday. I am …

If you have been reading these Lesson posts for some time, you may remember how much I like Emily Bronte’s poetry. She …

📗 “I don’t understand you,” said Alice. “It’s dreadfully confusing!” “That’s the effect of living backwards,” the Queen said kindly: “it always …

📙 ‘There was all the more time for me to hear old-world stories from Miss Pole, while she sat knitting, and I …

📙 ‘Miss Matty and I quietly decided that we would have a previous engagement at home: it was the evening on which …

💮 Spring is such a beautiful season! A few evenings ago, as I was walking in the garden, I saw the sunlight …

📘 I really do not know whether I felt that I did this for Estella’s sake, or whether I was glad to …

📘 No; I should not have minded that, if they would only have left me alone. But they wouldn’t leave me alone. …

‘Annabel Lee’ (1849) It was many and many a year ago,    In a kingdom by the sea, That a maiden there lived …

Since yesterday (April 21st) was the 205th anniversary of Charlotte Bronte’s birth, I thought it would be nice to have a look …

📗 “I am very glad to hear it indeed, and now I shall never be ashamed of liking Udolpho myself. But I …

📗 Thorpe told her it would be in vain to go after the Tilneys; they were turning the corner into Brock Street, …

📗 Arthur had passed the village of Hayslope and was approaching the Broxton side of the hill, when, at a turning in …

📙 ‘I hope I shall always behave so as to be respected by every one; and that nobody would do me more …

Have you ever wondered what is the difference between words like ‘beside’ and ‘besides’? 💡 Believe me, one little letter makes all …

I have been looking forward to April for some time, knowing that these lines from the 14th century poet Geoffrey Chaucer would …

📘 ‘Lady Carbury, having finished her third letter, threw herself back in her chair, and for a moment or two closed her …

This is Part 2 of our complete Lesson in which we look at past perfect verb form + adverbs past participles + …

📙 Many American ladies on leaving their native land adopt an appearance of chronic ill-health, under the impression that it is a …

Every time Easter approaches, I am reminded of a short story, The Selfish Giant (1888), written by the Irish poet and playright …

Here we continue the story of Margaret Hale on her return to her parents’ country home in Helstone (a fictional village, probably …

As an intermediate or advanced level student of English, it can be hard to learn new vocabulary without understanding how to use …

STOPPING BY WOODS ON A SNOWY EVENING Whose woods these are I think I know.    His house is in the village though;    …

In last Monday’s Lesson we looked at adjective groups based on their endings; we saw how they were different from verb forms …

In this second part of our Lesson on adjectives, we are going to focus on adjectives ending with -ing in English (for …

If you have ever tried to describe someone you know, or an experience you have had, or something that you like, you …

📗 “I have broken where I should have bent; and have mused and brooded, when my spirit should have mixed with all …

Welcome to Part 2 of our Lesson, where we will focus on understanding ‘be used to’ and what makes it uniquely different …

‘Used to’ or ‘be used to’? 🤔 At first glance it might seem that both of these expressions are the same, but …

📜 Where true Love burns Desire is Love’s pure flame; It is the reflex of our earthly frame, That takes its meaning …

📚 I have been re-reading my favourite classic, Jane Eyre (1847), and discovered anew (again) one of the beautifully descriptive passages on …

We are outlining the usages and differences between the conjunctions ‘if’ and ‘when’ in today’s Lesson, with the help of Anna Sewell’s …

📗 ‘When it was hot we used to stand by the pond in the shade of the trees, and when it was …

📚 One question I am often asked is: ‘which classics are good for English language learners?’ It is one of my favourite …

🌼I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high o’er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, …

🏵️ The first of March – also known as ‘St David’s Day’, Wales’ national day, when the Welsh like to wear small …

🥀 ‘Does it not make you think of Cowper? “Ye fallen avenues, once more I mourn your fate unmerited.”‘ – Fanny Price …

📘 One of Charles Dickens’ most famous novels is Oliver Twist (1838), also one of his earliest works.  Even if you haven’t read the …

📗 “Take care of the sense, and the sounds will take care of themselves.” – Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865) …

📙 ‘As though a rose should shut And be a bud again.’ – Thomas Hardy, Far From The Madding Crowd (1874) 🥀 …

📙 So the Swallow flew over the great city, and saw the rich making merry in their beautiful houses, while the beggars …

📗 ‘I probably never should have loved him, and if I loved him first, and then made the discovery, I fear I …

📗 ‘You must go back with me to the autumn of 1827.’ – Anne Brontë, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall Since modal …

🌳 I am sharing a poem with you today from my 110-year-old volume of John Greenleaf Whittier’s poems (published in 1894 and …

‘Who’, ‘how’, ‘which’, ‘why’, ‘when’, ‘where’ – these are often called question words or interrogative pronouns. But they are also relative pronouns. …

If you have ever heard someone mention ‘Lilliput’ or ‘Brobdingnag’, you have heard a reference to one very early English classic, Jonathan …

📙 “And one day, I remember, I met Miss Matty in the lane that leads to Combehurst; she was walking on the …

📗 ‘Feeling that Peter was on his way back, the Neverland had again woke into life. We ought to use the pluperfect …

📘 ‘He seemed so brave and innocent, that although I had not proposed the contest, I felt but a gloomy satisfaction in …

If you are interested in classic English literature (and if you are reading these Lessons, why wouldn’t you be? 😊), you have …

Listen, my children, and you shall hear Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere, On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-five; Hardly …

Today’s Lesson draws on one of Sir Walter Scott’s most beloved works, the medieval romance Ivanhoe (1819). Sir Walter Scott was a …

📘 “But it is not merely this affair,” she continued, “on which my dislike is founded. Long before it had taken place, …

Many students have struggled with understanding the differences between two essential adverbs: gradually and eventually. So in this Lesson I will try …

Have you ever struggled with knowing exactly when to use the words ‘probably’, ‘possibly’, ‘maybe’, or ‘perhaps’? In this Lesson we will …

As we saw in the first part of this Lesson, Samuel Johnson spent nearly ten years working on his dictionary. Our next dictionary-writer (or …

If every English language student has one book in common, it is almost certainly an English dictionary! The question would be: which …

One theme that often appears in English literature – novels and poetry – is that of a lost paradise. Christina Rossetti, one …

When I choose a novel to read, I tend to like books that have social morality or human motivation as some of …

📙 ‘He and his family had been weary when they arrived the night before, and they had observed but little of the …

📗 He knew his power over her. He knew that she would not insist upon his leaving her. He knew that, her …

Every single language that is spoken today has undergone (gone through) many changes over the years, over centuries. This is also true of English, …

In the last part of this lesson (see here), we covered the distinctive traits of the formal and informal registers in the …

Another childhood favourite (I seem to be sharing a lot of these lately!) is today’s classic, The Wind in the Willows (1908) by Kenneth …

The Mayor was dumb, and the Council stood  As if they were changed into blocks of wood,  Unable to move a step, …

📚 If you are an intermediate or advanced level English language student, you have almost certainly been told that you should read …

📗 Early as it was, every one had breakfasted, and my basin of bread and milk was put on the oven-top to await my …

📙 ‘Ah, you’re fine and strong, arn’t you?’ said Silas, while Eppie shool her aching arms and laughed. ‘Come, come, let us …

🏝️ Robinson Crusoe (1719) has been widely acknowledged as the first novel ever written in English. Many of us, whether or not we …

In this second part of our lesson on modal verb forms ‘should/should have’, ‘could/could have’, and ‘would/would have’ to express past regrets or …

📜 Here I come to one of the memoir writer’s difficulties– one of the reasons why, though I read so many, so …

Another poet for another Saturday post! As we are drawing close to Robert Burns’ Day, a celebration of Scotland’s poet around January …

Many English language students struggle with memorising the many different verb forms we have in our language. It can be difficult, especially …

📗 ‘O!’ says I, willing to give him a little lesson, ‘I have no fear of the justice of my country.’ ‘As …

If you have been watching the ceremonies to commemorate the inauguration of the U.S. president today, you will have overheard several references …

📗 The fire being lit, the hearth swept, and a small kettle of a very antique pattern, such as I thought I …

📘 ‘The King of France … called the Duke of Burgundy in contempt a waterish duke, because his love for this young …

Perhaps you have wondered what kinds of books native English-speaking children read and study at school. While today’s book is not currently …

🖋️ How much have I looked forward to sharing today’s poem with you – Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s ‘The Lady of Shallott’ (1842 …

​Nearly everyone knows about – even if they have not read – Jane Austen’s famous novels: Pride and Prejudice (1813), Sense and Sensibility …

📙 Here was one of the advantages of having lived alone so long! The little bustling, active, cheerful creature existed entirely within …

📙 The White House was on the edge of a hill, with a wood behind it— and the chalk-quarry on one side …

​📗 ‘I cannot express it; but surely you and everybody have a notion that there is or should be an existence of …

If you missed the first part of this lesson where we described the main functions of ‘either/or’, ‘neither/nor’, and ‘both’, you can …

​📘 ‘​Lucy was never visible at these times, being either engaged in the school-room, or in taking an airing out of doors; …

📜 I am sharing a poem today that I particularly like: ‘The Lake Isle of Innisfree’ by Irish poet William Butler Yeats …

📘 And so it came about, in the end, that Mr. Spenlow told me this day week was Dora’s birthday, and he …

If you have ever read books set in Victorian Britain, you may have noticed that women were generally discouraged from reading any …

A new year, and new beginnings! 🌼 This small snowdrop in our front garden reminds me of British novelist Charlotte Bronte, who …

As a short break from the grammatical lessons we have had of late, todays’ lesson will be short and sweet! I have …

‘I am sorry I have been so long, ma’am,’ said she, gently, as she finished her work. ‘I was afraid it might …

📜 Miss Tita confided to me that at present her aunt was so motionless that she sometimes feared she was dead; moreover …

This lesson post completes the yesterday’s, so please make sure to read it before this one. The last principle or rule for …

📘 ‘I beg, Catherine, you will always wrap yourself up very warm about the throat, when you come from the rooms at …

🪔 “Yesterday was a quiet day, spent in teaching, sewing, and writing in my little room, which is very cosy, with a …

🪔 “I’m the man of the family now papa is away, and I shall provide the slippers, for he told me to …

🍁 Since autumn (or fall, as it is known in Canada and the USA) is my favourite season of the year, I …

📗 ‘Having decided to conquer the Land of Oz and to destroy the Emerald City and enslave all its people, King Roquat …

‘And unrecorded left through many an Age, Worthy t’ have not remain’d so long unsung …’ – John Milton, ‘Paradise Regained’ (1671) These lines …

There’s a popular idiom in English: ‘A stitch in time saves nine.’ In other words, the best way to tackle a large …

I thought it would be nice for a change to take a short text from a classic and analyse it in today’s lesson.  …

In the first part of this lesson (see previous post), we talked about small changes you can introduce in your writing that …

I am dedicating today’s lesson to three important points that I often find missing in work that I proofread. These three points …

As I have mentioned in these short lessons before, I am convinced that one of the best ways to improve your standard …

📘 ‘Why do you say “poor Rosamond”?’ said Mrs Plymdale, a round-eyed sharp little woman, like a tame falcon. – George Eliot, …

📙 “… my mother has not gone into details. She chiefly communicates with us by means of telegrams, and her telegrams are …

​🍁 ‘Marilla whisked into the kitchen, grievously disturbed, leaving a very much distracted little soul in the porch behind her. Presently Anne …

🌺 ‘Now, you mustn’t cry any more, but come down with me and show me your flower garden. Miss Cuthbert tells me …

👱‍♀️️ ‘I like books and dolls and friends and babies and bicycles and holidays …’ These were the words of a lovely …

🌺 “It’s the Magic and— and Mrs. Sowerby’s buns and milk and things,” said Colin. – Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden …

Is it ‘its’ or ‘it’s’? If you have ever asked yourself that question, you are in the right place! Even if you …

Part 2 of our lesson looking at the differences between ‘to lend’ and ‘to borrow’. ✍️ ‘to borrow‘: This verb means to …

As mentioned in our Mini-Lesson Monday this week, I would like to address some common mistakes that I sometimes see English language …

If you read the last lesson post (part 1), you may be wondering when and how you should alter typical word order …

Several years ago we went to a Russian dance performance and bought these very pretty Matryoshka dolls. We have them nicely lined …

As mentioned in the first part of this Mini-Lesson (see previous post), ‘must’ is a modal verb expression commonly observed in written …

English language learners are susceptible to certain common mistakes, even when they have reached an advanced level. To be honest, native English …

Do you find it challenging to write in English, despite having invested many hours, days or even years in studying the language? …

Comparative adjectives can also work for describing lesser amounts of something. Again, from Gaskell’s Mary Barton: 📗 ‘The friend whom they met was more …

A common error made by English Learners is the INCORRECT DUPLICATION of comparative adjectives. This is partly due to a lack of …

One thing we might overlook when reading the first stanza of Emily Bronte’s poem, ‘Faith and Despondency,’ is how the poet used …

Mini-Lesson Monday: (Part 1) 🍁Welcome November!🍂 As I sit at my desk, gazing out of the window at the wind and rain …

The last day of October, Halloween, or ‘All Hallow’s Eve’ as it used to be called! I personally don’t like dark and …

I thought that today it would be nice to share from my current reading, Frances Burney’s Evelina, and use some texts from it …

Do you ever wonder, when you are writing a series of items, whether or not you are using commas in the correct …

Here we will look at a paragraph from Dombey and Son that illustrates how many ‘NON-ESSENTIAL CLAUSES’ (defined in the last post) Dickens tended …

Have you ever tried to write a sentence only to realise that you cannot seem to fit all the important points you …

In the previous post, we defined gerunds and participles in English grammar and discussed the differences between them. We also read two …

For many students, one tricky point in English grammar is understanding the distinction between gerunds and participles.  How do you find them? Are they understandable? …

Having read through George Eliot’s Middlemarch passage in the last post, I will share some insights into how she (George Eliot was Mary Ann …

Mini-Lesson Monday (Part 1): While admiring these white cyclamens in the pale autumn sunshine, I was reminded of the power of ADJECTIVES …

As I sit at my desk, I can see how windy, even stormy, the weather is outside. Sometimes, the sun breaks through …

Over the last few days I have been listening to several podcasts and YouTube videos while doing housework.  Almost all of these …

In the previous post, we began looking at a passage by Jane Austen (continued below) to consider how she created distinctive voices …

One of the most rewarding stages in language learning is when you begin to have your own STYLE or VOICE in the …

Perhaps the English grammar tense that learners (and even native speakers) struggle most with is the SUBJUNCTIVE. ✍️ It has various forms …

There are numerous factors that must be considered when writing well. Grammar. Vocabulary. Clear thoughts. But one of the most overlooked of …

Mini-lesson Monday (Part 2): ✨This passage by Frances Hodgson Burnett is noteworthy for how simply yet effectively it describes ACTIVITY: (both physical movement …

Mini-lesson Monday (Part 1):  I still have some childhood favourites on my bookshelf – books that I read and dreamt about so …

As promised, here are some observations on the passage from Elizabeth Gaskell’s Cranford, as referenced in the previous post: 🖋️ Gaskell’s approach here …

Teatime! A light dinner eaten in the late afternoon or evening that is still popular in Britain and Ireland.  I’m at home …

Subject pronouns and possessive adjectives – those were just some of the pronouns we began to consider in my last post! 📒 …

Do you find it difficult, particularly when writing, to determine when to use English pronouns or the identified subject they are referring …

As mentioned in the previous post, where I quoted from Thomas Hardy’s Under the Greenwood Tree (1872), here is a short list of vocabulary …

In my previous post, I offered a few pointers to help English students get started with classic literature. Can I recommend some …

After admiring these acer tree leaves today, I was reminded of a memorable conversation among the Dashwood sisters in Jane Austen’s Sense and …

When we are learning a language, we often memorise new vocabulary by using flashcards or repeatedly writing out lists of words. These …

Mini-lesson Monday, Part 2: 2) While having the definitions of difficult vocabulary does help us to understand the passage, the most important …

Another Monday, another mini-lesson (in 2 posts; this is part 1): My inspiration today comes from Charles Dickens, one of the most …

This morning, we picked some flowers from our garden to brighten the kitchen. I think one of them is a carnation, the …

Recently, I listened to a thought-provoking podcast featuring Italian educator Lucrezia Oddone, where she discussed the importance of HANDWRITING texts that you …

Have you ever heard the advice: ‘You should READ MORE to improve your English’? When I try to get better at something, …

INTERMEDIATE LEVEL Before the global pandemic, I had very different plans for Autumn 2020. As a matter of fact, this evening, I …

INTERMEDIATE LEVEL Seeing this rose in my garden reminds me of the process of learning and improving our competence in any language. …

INTERMEDIATE LEVEL Sharing a short poem that I memorised in my childhood: O Rose thou art sick.  The invisible worm,  That flies …

ADVANCED LEVEL For this post, I will focus on the second half of the long sentence found in Jane Austen’s Sense and …

ADVANCED LEVEL When you live in the countryside, you have a tendency to pay attention to the weather. Your mood and plans …

INTERMEDIATE LEVEL Mini-lesson Monday continued (part 2): This is a demonstration of how I approached the opening line of Edna St Vincent …

INTERMEDIATE LEVEL Mini-lesson Monday! (part 1) I would like to share with you the opening lines of one of my favourite poems: …

ADVANCED LEVEL While walking in our garden this morning, these russet leaves reminded me of another Jane Austen classic, Persuasion (1818). Have …

INTERMEDIATE LEVEL Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice (1813) is regarded as one of the most beloved classics in English literature. It is …

INTERMEDIATE LEVEL I was going through some of my handwritten notes on the origin of the English proverb, ‘An apple a day …

ADVANCED LEVEL More autumnal fruits from the garden! I hope to make applesauce by peeling these apples, chopping them into small chunks, …

October is here! A beautiful, transformative season, as described by 19th-century poet John Keats: ‘Seasons of mist and mellow fruitfulness,Close bosom-friend of …