Learn English Through Literature

Lesson #275: ‘I Will Honour Christmas In My Heart’: Past, Present, and Future Tenses in ‘A Christmas Carol’ (Dickens)

📗 “I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach.” – Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol (1843) What better […]

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Lesson #267 (Part 2): Common Issues French Speakers Struggle With In English

This is the second part of our Lesson, in which we look at some challenging points for French students studying English with the help of British author Frances Burney’s writings. 👉 If you haven’t read Part 1, please do read it first – everything will make more sense once you do! … 📝 #12 THE

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Lesson #267 (Part 1): Common Issues French Speakers Struggle With In English

As someone who has been studying French for years and still make mistakes, I have become more aware of the kinds of pitfalls that native French speakers often experience while studying English. You might say I have a kind of ‘sympathy’ for their mistakes since those are often areas that native English speakers like me

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Lesson #266: Some English Words That Are Difficult To Translate In Other Languages

Whenever you learn a new language, there are always words that you find challenging in themselves but also difficult to translate into your own language (or vice versa). I searched recently for some such words in English, and then realised that one of the very first works of English literature that I ever read as

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Lesson #251: September 2021 – A season to remember? (and 3 tips on how to improve your English in one semester)

It has been a busy summer here in the west of Ireland! I spent several weeks editing my Learn English Through Literature book (I promise to keep everyone updated on its progress!) while also preparing study materials, workbooks, etc. for my English language coaching students this season. 📚 🎨 And as you can see from

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Lesson #244: ‘We should be kind while there is still time’: Reflecting on Philip Larkin’s Poem ‘The Mower’

A few days ago, on my early morning walk, I noticed these nice daisies that grow so plentifully by the roadside near my home. 🌼 I took a photograph of them to remember them by when they would be withered away. I was glad that I did, because when I returned a few days later,

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Lesson #239: Connecting with the past through memories: Thomas Hood’s famous poem ‘I Remember, I Remember’

One of the nicest aspects of preparing these Lessons is that I am always on the look-out for inspiration. In the last few days, I noticed how beautiful the laburnum’s flowers in our garden looked – the laburnum being a tree with drooping branches and yellow blossoms (flowers) that flower in May and June every

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