Reading Classics

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

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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)

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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 #117: More Vocabulary to Help with Reading Hardy’s ‘Under the Greenwood Tree’ (and Other Books!) (Part 2)

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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 to help with understanding the same passage. 🍃A quick question: how did you find the text? Was it challenging in terms of vocabulary? Did you understand most of it? ✨Did you enjoy his

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Lesson #117: Starting to Read English Classics? (Part 1)

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In my previous post, I offered a few pointers to help English students get started with classic literature. Can I recommend some good classics to start with? Of course! When I conducted a bookshelf search, I immediately came across Under the Greenwood Tree (1872), one of Thomas Hardy’s early works and a good choice for most

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Lesson #111: Finding a Reading Partner (or Buddy) can Improve Your English

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Have you ever heard the advice: ‘You should READ MORE to improve your English’? When I try to get better at something, like French, I always hear the same thing. Additionally, I agree with the advice that reading increases your vocabulary and helps you become aware of the language’s natural turn of phrase. I’ll be

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Lesson #108: Why Reading Classic Poetry is Important: Blake’s ‘The Sick Rose’

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INTERMEDIATE LEVEL Sharing a short poem that I memorised in my childhood: O Rose thou art sick.  The invisible worm,  That flies in the night  In the howling storm: Has found out thy bed Of crimson joy: And his dark secret love Does thy life destroy. – William Blake, ‘The Sick Rose’ (1794) Have you

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