Learn English with EnglishClass101.com! This series is an easy way to improve your child’s English level and discover new music at the same time. Learn the song’s key words and phrases, then add it to your playlist to master it 100%. By listening over and over, your kids will learn English in the most sweet-sounding [...]

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-kids-songs-easy-videos-for-beginners-44-go-to-sleep/

Video News #32 - Free English Gifts of the Month - December 2019

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/video-news-32-free-english-gifts-of-the-month-december-2019/

Thanksgiving and English Verbs

  Every year around the Thanksgiving holiday, a strange ceremony happens in Washington, DC. The president stands outside the White House, gives a brief speech and then officially pardons a turkey. A pardon is a declaration that someone will not be punished. In this ceremony, President Donald Trump Thanksgiving promises not to cook and eat a certain turkey, even though turkeys are the traditional Thanksgiving meal. ​You might be asking yourself, "What is the connection between turkeys, Thanksgiving and grammar?" In today's report, we explore what turkeys can teach you about English verbs. In particular, we will show you how Thanksgiving can teach you to use stative verbs. We will also show you the difference between stative and progressive verbs. What is a stative verb?                   The term stative verb refers to a verb that has a stative meaning. In other words, these verbs show or describe conditions or situations that do not do anything but exist. Verbs that commonly have a stative meaning include: verbs that show emotional states, such as love and dislike; verbs that describe sense perceptions, such as smell or taste; verbs that show existence, such as seem or look. In the present tense, a verb with a stative meaning is generally used in its simple form. "I love turkey," or "Americans like turkey" are two examples. Verbs that have stative meanings are generally not used in the progressive tense. So, you will probably not hear a native speaker say, "I am loving turkey," or "Americans are liking turkey." Thanksgiving and stative verbs Do not fear: we can use our Thanksgiving example to make the point clearer. Imagine you are at an American store. You hear a conversation between a customer and a store employee. The customer wants to buy a turkey that weighs 10 pounds, or 4.5 kilograms. Unlike the turkey from the pardoning ceremony, this turkey will have a sad fate: the dinner table. The conversation you hear might go like this: Customer: How much does that turkey weigh? Butcher: It weighs 10 pounds. Customer: How much does it cost? Butcher: It costs 20 dollars. In the dialogue, you can hear two examples of stative verbs: weigh and cost. The butcher said, "The turkey weighs 10 pounds,” and "The turkey costs 20 dollars." In both cases, the verbs have a stative meaning: The butcher is describing a condition or situation that simply exists – the weight and cost of the turkey. Now imagine you are eating Thanksgiving dinner with an American family. You might hear any one of the following sentences: "I love turkey!" "I dislike turkey." "The turkey smells wonderful!" "The food tastes great!" "The turkey seems undercooked." "The turkey looks awful." All these sentences include stative verbs. You might notice that the verbs are also in the simple present form. Why not use a progressive verb? So, why would an English speaker not say, "The turkey is seeming undercooked," or, "I am disliking turkey?" Susan Conrad and Douglas Biber are two English grammar experts. They say that, in general, English speakers use the progressive tense only when the subject of the verb actively controls the state or action. In addition, English speakers generally use the progressive only when the verb describes an action or state that happens over an extended period of time. So, you would not hear an English speaker say, "The turkey is seeming undercooked" because the subject of the verb, the turkey, does not control its state – being undercooked. For the same reason, you would not hear an English speaker say, "I am disliking turkey," because the verb's subject, I, probably does not have control over the action of disliking turkey. Now, some verbs can have stative and progressive meanings. Consider these examples: "The food tastes good." "President Trump is tasting the food." In the first sentence, the food does not control whether it is good or bad. As a result, the verb taste has a stative meaning because it simply describes the condition of the food. In the second sentence, "President Trump is tasting the food," the subject of the verb, President Trump, has control over his action. In addition, the action takes place over an extended period of time: Trump must think about tasting food, then raise the food to his mouth, then consider its quality. So, you could say that the verb "taste" in this example has a progressive meaning. What can you do? The next time you are reading or listening to the news, pay special attention to the verbs. Notice when the progressive form is used, and when the simple form is used. Then ask yourself why. Does the verb's subject control the action? Does the action occur over an extended period of time? Or does the verb simply describe a condition that exists? If you are still confused about whether you should use a simple or progressive verb in your own conversations, Conrad and Biber have one tip that might help you. They say that in conversations, English speakers use simple verbs around 120 times in every 1,000 words. Progressive verbs are much less common: they appear fewer than 20 times in every 1,000 words.* I'm Alice Bryant. And I'm John Russell.   John Russell wrote this story for Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. * See Conrad, Susan and Biber, Douglas. Real Grammar: A Corpus-Based Approach to English. Pearson-Longman. 2009. Pgs. 4-6 _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   stative – adj. expressing a state, condition, or relation progressive – adj. of or relating to the progressive tense of a verb dislike – v. to not like (something or someone) undercooked – adj. not cooked enough

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/4130262.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 27

“Imagine that you wake up and feel sick. What do you have to do? If it’s a school day, or a work day, do you call or email someone?”

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/5185013.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 26

We saw that Anna learned a new game. Dan ran into her while he was playing the game. Now Anna is walking around the memorials to U.S. Presidents, learning fun facts.”

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/5185007.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 14

In this lesson, learn about describing clothing colors and sizes, making suggestions and giving compliments.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/5184980.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 1

Anna moves to Washington, DC. Learn to say hello in English.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-1/5184882.html

Hall pass

New Entry: 'Hall pass' has just been added to the Slang area of UsingEnglish.com. This entry is only available in our members' area.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/members/idioms/view.php?entry_id=27382

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 40

Anna's New Year’s Resolution is to try something new. You can learn to ask for and give feedback. Also, learn to sound more confident when you speak to a group.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-40/5182977.html

Run off with

New Entry: 'Run off with' has just been added to the Phrasal Verbs area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/phrasal-verbs/run.html#Run-off-with

The joy of free diving

We discuss this fascinating sport and teach you related vocabulary.

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07wb7zy

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 44

Anna goes to the supermarket to buy healthy foods. You can learn how to use “mustn’t” and “don’t have to.”

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-44/5182982.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 43

Anna lost her wallet and needs to go to her class. You can learn about using modal verbs, like "would" and "could," to ask for help politely.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-evel-1-lesson-43/5182981.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 42

Anna sees a crime and tries to help find the robbers. You can learn how to use reflexrive pronouns like herself, ourselves, and yourself.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-42/5182980.html

Let's Learn English Level 1 - Lesson 40

Anna's New Year’s Resolution is to try something new. You can learn to ask for and give feedback. Also, learn to sound more confident when you speak to a group.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-40/5182977.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 39

Anna sees a television ad, so she buys and uses a new product for her hair. You can learn about how to use prefixes with adjectives.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-39/5182974.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 41

Ms. Weaver gives Anna yearly review. Learn to use sentences that include the words “if” and “will.”

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-41/5182976.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 38

Anna’s friend Penelope visits Washington. You can practice using superlative adjectives.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/let-s-learn-english---level-1-lesson-38/5182965.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 37

Anna meets a new friend, Phil. They do not agree about people in the city. You can learn how to give a reason when you say your opinion.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-37/5182964.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 36

Anna and Marsha are cooking for friends. You can learn to talk about where objects are located and the pronunciation of compound nouns.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-36/5182955.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 35

Anna and Marsha are planning a dinner party. But Anna comes home from the store with some unusual foods for dinner. You can learn about using measure words, like "jar of" and "bag of."

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-35/5182946.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 34

Anna is going to a Halloween party. You can learn to talk about the future, using "might" and "will."

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-34/5182941.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 33

Anna explains how to play baseball. You can also learn about agent nouns and how to pronounce -er endings.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-33/5182938.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 32

Watch part of Anna’s new children’s show. You can learn about direct and indirect objects, as well as how to use interjections.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-32/5182937.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 31

Anna is trying to go to a baseball game. You can learn about ​comparative adjectives like "faster," and superlative adjectives like "fastest."

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-31/5182928.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 30

Anna goes to a fish market. Pete helps her buy seafood. You can learn to use count and noncount nouns and also talk about pounds and ears.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-30/5182924.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 28

Anna tells her roommate, Marsha, about the problems she had in her driving test. You can learn to use the imperative verb form and how to give bad news using 'well.'

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-28/5182920.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 29

Anna and Marsha have a lot of work to do. An advertisement makes them remember their childhood dreams. Learn to use adjectives and also talk about your own dream for the future.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-29/5182921.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 27

Anna does not feel well. She calls her boss and her doctor. Learn how to talk about being sick and how to give advice when someone is sick.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-27/5182916.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 25

Anna learns about a new game, "Catch Americana." You can see the memorials to U.S. Presidents and learns fun facts about them in this lesson.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-25/5182906.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 26

Anna plays the new video game, "Catch Americana," and learns more about U.S. Presidents. She also learns to watch where she walks! You can learn how to warn someone about dangers.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-26/5182905.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 24

Anna discovers a festival - the Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the National Mall. You can learn about Basque culture; how to use the past tense, and how to talk about something when you don't know its name.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-24/5182892.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 23

Anna and her friends visit food trucks for lunch. Learn to talk about asking for the time and counting change.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-23/5182883.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 22

Anna and Amelia talk about summer vacations. Learn how to talk about your favorite season and vacation activities.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-22/5182869.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 20

Anna gives Pete advice about finding a job. Learn to talk about jobs and skills.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-20/5182284.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 19

Ms. Weaver talks with Anna about her skills. Learn to talk about what you can do. Also learn to talk about the seasons and months of the year.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-19/5182258.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 18

Anna reads the news for the first time. She learns that there is a right way and a wrong way to read the news. You can learn how to talk about facts and feelings.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-18/5182250.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 17

Anna and Marsha talk about schedules and plan activities together. Learn to talk about the things you like to do with your friends.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-17/5182242.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 16

Anna interviews tourists on the National Mall in Washington, DC. She learns about where they are from and the languages they speak. You can learn how to say your country and nationality. You can also practice talking about countries and nationalities with a friend.​

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-16/5182233.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 15

Anna and her friends are eating lunch outside on a beautiful day in Washington, DC. They see many different people walking by. Learn how to describe people in this lesson.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-15/5182225.html

How-to Guide: Let's Learn English - Level 1

This document contains the Table of Contents for Let's Learn English and a How-to Guide for using the course.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/5181859.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 14

Anna needs to dress for a party, so Genie helps her. You can learn how to talk about clothing colors and sizes, making suggestions and giving compliments.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-14/5181849.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 13

Anna goes to a birthday party for William Shakespeare. You can learn to talk about usual and unusual activities and how to talk about how often you do something.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-13/5181844.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 12

Anna tells Marsha about her family. Learn to talk about the people in your family.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-evel-1-lesson-12/5181839.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 11

Anna learns about her neighborhood. You can learn to ask questions and say thank you.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-11/5181835.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 10

Anna gives Ashley directions to her place. You can learn to use a picture to give and understand directions.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-10/5181810.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 9

Anna talks about the weather. You can learn to talk about the weather, use short answers, and agree or disagree.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-9/5181785.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 8

Anna learns what her coworkers do every day. You can learn to talk about the times of day and how to say you are sorry.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-08/5181740.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 7

In this lesson, you can learn how to ask questions to learn more about what people are doing.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-07/5180668.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 6

When we learn new information, we can’t always understand it all. Sometimes, we can only understand or remember a small part. When this happens, we can ask a question to get more information.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-06/5180627.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 5

Learn about naming places such as rooms in a house. You can also learn how to ask where to find places.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-05/5180609.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 4

Today you will learn how to say that you have something. You will also learn to say that another person has or does NOT have something.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-04/5180598.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 30

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/let-s-learn-english-level-1---lesson-30---speaking-practice/5180515.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 1

Introducing Let's Learn English, Level 1- Here is the Table of Contents, a How-To Guide and Lesson 1.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-how-to-guide-and-table-of-contents-lesson-1/5180314.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 08

Anna learns what her coworkers do every day. You can learn to talk about the times of day and how to say you are sorry.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-08/5181740.html

English Grammar Made Easy #88 - Phrasal Verbs with Bring

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-s2-88-phrasal-verbs-with-bring/

Big data

‘Big data’ is a hot term these days, but do you know what it means? Learn here.

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07vz6pn

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 07

In this lesson, you can learn how to ask questions to learn more about what people are doing.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-07/5180668.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 06

When we learn new information, we can’t always understand it all. Sometimes, we can only understand or remember a small part. When this happens, we can ask a question to get more information.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-06/5180627.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 05

Learn about naming places such as rooms in a house. You can also learn how to ask where to find places.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-05/5180609.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 04

Today you will learn how to say that you have something. You will also learn to say that another person has or does NOT have something.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-04/5180598.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 3

When we call someone we know, that person does not always answer the telephone. Sometimes another person answers the phone. Find out how Americans talk on the phone.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-3/5180564.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 2

When we meet new friends, we learn about them by asking questions. Learn about what to say in English when you meet a new person. For example, you may ask, “What is your name?” or “Where are you from?”

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-2/5180531.html

Let's Learn English Level 1 - Lesson 30

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/let-s-learn-english-level-1---lesson-30---speaking-practice/5180515.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - How-to-guide and Table of contents

Introducing Let's Learn English, Level 1- Here is the Table of Contents, a How-To Guide and Lesson 1.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-how-to-guide-and-table-of-contents-lesson-1/5180314.html

Extensive Reading in English for Absolute Beginners #18 - Trees

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/extensive-reading-in-english-for-absolute-beginners-18-trees/

Ghost

New Entry: 'Ghost' has just been added to the Slang area of UsingEnglish.com. This entry is only available in our members' area.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/members/idioms/view.php?entry_id=27378

Fleabagging

New Entry: 'Fleabagging' has just been added to the Slang area of UsingEnglish.com. This entry is only available in our members' area.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/members/idioms/view.php?entry_id=27376

English Kids’ Songs: Easy Videos for Beginners #43 - Pretty Kitty

Learn English with EnglishClass101.com! This series is an easy way to improve your child’s English level and discover new music at the same time. Learn the song’s key words and phrases, then add it to your playlist to master it 100%. By listening over and over, your kids will learn English in the most sweet-sounding [...]

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-kids-songs-easy-videos-for-beginners-43-pretty-kitty/

Recommendations with Movie Vocabulary

New Entry: 'Recommendations with Movie Vocabulary' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-recommendations-with-movie-vocabulary/

Know Your Verbs #41 - Verb: “Put”

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/know-your-verbs-41-verb-put/

Text Messages and Internet Forums

  Today on Everyday Grammar, we will explore two relatively new methods of communicating: text messages and internet forums. We will talk about two common expressions you might see: lol* and I know, right? These expressions carry much more meaning than you might expect, as we will see. Definitions and grammar We start with the term lol. Lol is short for “laughing out loud,” as in “I am laughing out loud.” The subject, I, and the BE verb, am, have been left out. Basically, lol expresses a person’s opinion about something. You might think that is the end of the story, but it is not. The term lol has a much richer meaning than what we just told you. We will talk more about it later. Our second term, I know, right?, seems like a simple statement. The words I know are the subject and verb. The word right? is a kind of tag question – a word that is connected to the expression. But I know, right?, like lol, has a much more interesting story than you might expect. Important use in communication John McWhorter is an expert on languages. In the book Words on the Move, he notes that lol serves an important purpose in written communication: “easing.” By easing, McWhorter means actions that people do to show they are feeling at ease or trying to be nice. For example, in real life, people often laugh or smile. They do this to show they are at ease and that the situation is not too serious. Lol, McWhorter says, serves that same purpose in written communication. English speakers use lol at the beginning, middle or end of a sentence. In many cases, they use lol to soften language or bad news. Here is an example. A person borrowed a friend’s car to run a brief errand. The borrower wrote the friend the following text message: Lol your car started to overheat just as I pulled into the driveway. In this case, the person writing the text “eases” the news of the car overheating by starting the sentence with lol. The writer also could have written the statement with lol at the end of the sentence, as in: Your car started to overheat just as I pulled into the driveway lol A person might use lol in the middle of a statement as in: Bad news lol your car started to overheat! In any case, the basic idea is that lol helps make language gentler. It means far more than “laughing out loud.” In fact, it does not really relate to laughing at all. “Anyone who used LOL to signal actual laughter would now be misunderstood: it would be, quite simply, a mistake,” McWhorter writes. In writing, other acronyms have taken the place of lol to show actual laughter. Agreement Our second expression today, I know, right?, is like lol. It also serves the purpose of “easing.”   But, as McWhorter notes, the words I know, right? show agreement in an indirect way. Instead of writing “I agree” or “I know” many times on internet forums or texts, many people use I know, right? It has a casual, pleasant sound. It is a nice way to agree with someone. So, you might see something like the following exchange on an internet discussion board: Wow! That cat looks like Simba from the Lion King! I know, right? It’s incredible! Imagine a change in the wording, as in: Wow! That cat looks like Simba from the Lion King! I know. Such a statement is more abrupt, and far less conversational. The exchange between the two writers probably would not continue for much longer! Closing thoughts The point of our report today was to show you how English speakers use some terms or expressions that have more meaning than you might expect. Understanding details like these will help you when you communicate or read in casual situations. And some of the details we talked about – the placement of lol for example - are true of other kinds of words in English. Adverbs are one example. The next time you read internet forums or send text messages, try to find other examples of words or expressions that native speakers use. We will be back next week with another Everyday Grammar! Lol that was a long report. I know, right? But hopefully it was fun and helpful for the listeners. I’m John Russell. And I’m Alice Bryant.   John Russell wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. * You might see lol spelled in lower or upper case letters, or a mix of the two i.e. lol, LOL, Lol _________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   errand – n. a short trip that you take to do or get something acronym – n. a word formed from the first letters of each one of the words in a term casual – adj. unstructured or unofficial; everyday incredible – adj. unbelievable; unimaginable abrupt – adj. talking to other people in a very brief and unfriendly way conversational – adj. relating to or suggesting informal talk; relating to or suggesting a discussion adverb – a word that changes the meaning of a verb We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/text-messages-and-internet-forums/5174449.html

Madwife

New Entry: 'Madwife' has just been added to the Slang area of UsingEnglish.com. This entry is only available in our members' area.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/members/idioms/view.php?entry_id=27375

Can robots care for us?

Can technology look after us? We discuss robot carers being introduced into social care.

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07vbtdf

Can robots care for us?

We discuss robot carers being introduced into social care, and teach you vocabulary.

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07vnjp1

Absolute Beginner American English for Every Day #117 - 10 Food and Drink related idioms

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/absolute-beginner-american-english-for-every-day-117-10-food-and-drink-related-idioms/

Text Messages and Internet Forums

source https://av.voanews.com/clips/VLE/2019/11/20/a51afd86-8e06-4987-b9a8-6ac0b3fa739f_hq.mp3

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lessons 11-20

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/5174249.html

Let's Learn English Level 1 - Introduction - Lesson 10

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-introduction-lesson-10/5174245.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 23

Anna and her friends visit food trucks for lunch. Learn to talk about asking for the time and counting change.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-23/5174102.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 21

Anna and Marsha are planning a party. You can learn to make plans with friends. Also, learn about using 'then.'

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/5174086.html

Absolute Beginner American English for Every Day #118 - 10 Social Media-related Verbs

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/absolute-beginner-american-english-for-every-day-118-10-social-mediarelated-verbs/

Skunked term

New Entry: 'Skunked term' has just been added to the Slang area of UsingEnglish.com. This entry is only available in our members' area.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/members/idioms/view.php?entry_id=27373

Self-own

New Entry: 'Self-own' has just been added to the Slang area of UsingEnglish.com. This entry is only available in our members' area.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/members/idioms/view.php?entry_id=27374

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 19

Anna gives Pete advice about finding a job. Learn to talk about jobs and skills.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-19/5172888.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 31

Anna wants to go to see a baseball game. The question is: what is the fastest way for her to get there? Her friends Jonathan and Ashley give her advice. You can learn about comparing two or more things.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-31/5172885.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 5

Today we will learn about naming places, such as rooms in a house. We will also learn how to ask where to find places.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-5/5172825.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 4

Today you will learn how to say that you have something. You will also learn to say that another person has or does NOT have something.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-4/5172803.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 2

When we meet new friends, we learn about them by asking questions. Learn about what to say in English when you meet a new person. For example, you may ask, “What is your name?” or “Where are you from?”

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-2/5172778.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 3

When we call someone we know, that person does not always answer the telephone. Sometimes another person answers the phone. Find out how Americans talk on the phone.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-3/5172701.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 3

When we call someone we know, that person does not always answer the telephone. Sometimes another person answers the phone. Find out how Americans talk on the phone.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/5172668.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 34

In this lesson, Anna wants to go to a Halloween party. But she needs a costume. Her friend Genie helps her find the right one. You can learn about using “might” and “will” to talk about the future.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-34/5172638.html

English Grammar Made Easy S2 #87 - Barely vs Almost

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-s2-87-barely-vs-almost/

Must-Know American English Social Media Phrases #11 - Changing Your Relationship Status

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/mustknow-american-english-social-media-phrases-11-changing-your-relationship-status/

Punch above your weight

It sounds violent, but this phrase might surprise you!

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07v9fqd

Business English- Describing Your Company and Job- Longer Speaking Games

New Entry: 'Business English- Describing Your Company and Job- Longer Speaking Games' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-business-english-describing-your-company-and-job-longer-speaking-games/

English Vocab Builder #177 - Government

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-vocab-builder-177-government/

English Kids’ Songs: Easy Videos for Beginners #42 - Magic E

Learn English with EnglishClass101.com! This series is an easy way to improve your child’s English level and discover new music at the same time. Learn the song’s key words and phrases, then add it to your playlist to master it 100%. By listening [...]

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-kids-songs-easy-videos-for-beginners-42-magic-e/

How to teach advice, recommendations and suggestions

New Entry: 'How to teach advice, recommendations and suggestions' has just been added to the Articles area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/articles/how-to-teach-advice-recommendations-suggestions.html

Cleft Sentences in Speaking, Writing

  This is Everyday Grammar. Today, I want to begin by asking you to listen to two sentences and compare their meanings. Are the meanings the same or different? Here are the sentences:        Sammy ate the pizza.        It was Sammy who ate the pizza. So, what did you decide? This is the answer: The first sentence, “Sammy ate the pizza,” is just a simple statement of fact. The speaker isn’t trying to emphasize – or, call attention to – anything special here. But in the second sentence, “It was Sammy who ate the pizza,” the speaker is emphasizing that Sammy did the action, not some other person. It is an example of a cleft sentence. Cleft sentences are one of many ways English speakers use to emphasize part of a sentence. On today’s program, we will talk about the most common type of cleft sentences: the it-cleft. What is a cleft sentence? The word “cleft” means partially divided or split. Cleft sentences are “divided” into two parts to emphasize something. We use a cleft sentence to add new or important information to what the listener already knows. They are especially useful in written form because, in writing, we can’t show stress with our voices. However, some types of clefts, such as the it-cleft, are also common in speaking. Think about the example again. Suppose you were late to a pizza party. Your friend said she would save you two pieces. But by the time you arrived, all the pizza was gone. You think you know who ate your slices. Listen to a short exchange: Claudia ate the pizza, didn’t she? She loves pizza. No. It was Sammy who ate the pizza. He came late, too, and didn’t know I was saving it for you. In this example, your friend uses a cleft sentence to emphasize that Sammy ate your pizza, not Claudia. It-clefts Now that you have a basic understanding, let’s explore it-clefts. The structure of these sentences tells us exactly what word or words we are supposed to pay attention to. The structure is: It + BE verb + emphasized information + who/that/when + known information Notice that the emphasized information always appears after It + BE verb. Most it-clefts use the past tense of BE and begin with the words “It was.” Listen to a simple sentence and I’ll show you the possible it-clefts. Here’s the simple sentence: The girls won the top science prize yesterday. A few things can be emphasized in this sentence. Here are three possible it-clefts:        It was the girls who won the top science prize yesterday. Here, the speaker is noting that the girls, not the boys or some other group, won the top prize. It was yesterday when the girls won the top science prize. Here, the speaker is noting that their win happened yesterday, not some other day. It was the top science prize that the girls won yesterday. And here, the speaker is noting that the girls won the top science prize, not second, third or last prize. A tale of two clauses It-cleft sentences are usually made of two clauses. You may remember that a clause is a part of a sentence that has its own subject and verb. Some clauses can be complete sentences on their own. They are independent clauses. Some cannot be complete sentences. They are dependent clauses. It-cleft sentences have both an independent clause and a dependent clause. It + BE verb is the independent clause. The rest of the sentence is a dependent clause. Sound complex? Not to worry! You can learn more about clauses in other Everyday Grammar programs. The goal today is knowing how to make it-cleft sentences and knowing they have two parts -- the first part with new information; the second with known or old information. For instance, in the sentence “It was the girls who won the top science prize yesterday,” the first part, “It was the girls,” has new information. The second part, “…won the top science prize yesterday,” is information already known to the listener. More about it-clefts Wow, I’ve said a mouthful already! But I want to briefly tell you one more thing: Cleft sentences often take other forms in everyday speech and writing. For example, they can take a question form, like this: Was it the girls who won the top science prize yesterday? They can also take a negative form, like this:        It wasn’t the girls who won the top science prize yesterday. That’s all for now. Watch for other programs on cleft sentences in the coming weeks. I’m Alice Bryant.   Alice Bryant wrote this story for Everyday Grammar. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. _________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   emphasize - n. to give special importance or attention given to something​ (synonym of stress) type - n. a particular kind or group of things or people​ stress - n. special importance or attention that is given to something​ (synonym of emphasis)​

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/cleft-sentences-in-speaking-writing/5164836.html

Know Your Verbs #11 - Verb: “Move”

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/know-your-verbs-11-verb-move/

Cleft Sentences in Speaking and Writing

source https://av.voanews.com/clips/VLE/2019/11/13/630261c3-6906-40bc-b433-0d96cffc8132_hq.mp3

Mental health in the workplace

Neil and Georgina talk about things people can do to make a difference.

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07txmz5

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 52

Anna is on a talk show to tell us about her new career move - acting as a tree in the movies. She looks back at the chances she took in the past year and plans for the future. In this lesson, you can learn about some new phrasal verbs.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-52/5164948.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 51

Anna has a new goal - to run in a marathon. Her friend Ashley knows that training a little every day is a good idea. You can learn about gerunds and infinitives in this lesson.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-51/5164943.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 50

Anna has been wanting to go back to school for a long time. In this lesson, we go to class with her at Georgetown University, where she is getting ready to give a report in her class. You can learn about the present perfect continuous verb tense.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-50/5164932.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 49

Ms. Weaver has asked Anna to help with Operation Spy. Her mission is to learn all she can about spying. IN this lesosn, you can compare the present perfect, present, and past verb tenses.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-49/5164925.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 48

Anna helps a tourist find interesting museums in Washington, D.C. She gets some help herself, too. IN this lesson, you can learn about using the present perfect verb tense.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-48/5164903.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 47

Pete is fixing his car. Anna helps him because she was fixing cars when she was a teenager. In this lesson, you can learn about how to offer and accept help.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-47/5164901.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 46

Anna finds out it's Marsha's birthday. She wants to give her a present. But she does not have much money, so she makes a present. In this lesson, you can learn how to talk about borrowing or lending.​

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-46/5164899.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 45

Anna and Marsha are going on a road trip! Follow them across the United States as they see the sights. In this lesson, you can learn about using the future continuous verb tense to talk about planned events.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-45/5164894.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 44

Anna is hungry. She goes to the supermarket and looks for good foods to eat. But she has a problem. One part of her wants junk food. The other part wants healthy food. In this lesson, you can learn the difference between "mustn't" and "don't have to."

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-44/5164892.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 43

Anna lost her wallet and needs to go to her class. She is calling her friends to get help. She needs help finding money for the train. You can learn learn about using modal verbs, like "would" and "could," to ask for help politely.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-43/5164889.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 42

Anna sees a crime and tries to help find the robbers. She hurts her arm. The news reporter wants to know, "How did she hurt herself?"

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-42/5164880.html

Cleft Sentences Help Draw Attention to Details

This is Everyday Grammar. Today, I want to begin by asking you to listen to two sentences and compare their meanings. Are the meanings the same or different? Here are the sentences:        Sammy ate the pizza.        It was Sammy who ate the pizza. So, what did you decide? This is the answer: The first sentence (“Sammy ate the pizza”) is just a simple statement of fact. The speaker isn’t trying to emphasize – or, call attention to – anything special here. But in the second sentence (“It was Sammy who ate the pizza”), the speaker is emphasizing that Sammy did the action, not some other person. It is an example of a cleft sentence. Cleft sentences are one of many ways English speakers use to emphasize part of a sentence. On today’s program, we will talk about the most common form of cleft sentences: the it-cleft. What is a cleft sentence? The word “cleft” means partially divided or split. Cleft sentences  are “divided” into two parts to emphasize something. We use a cleft sentence to add new or important information to what the listener already knows. They are especially useful in written form because, in writing, we can’t show word stress with our voices. However, some types of clefts, such as the it-cleft, are also common in spoken English. Think about the example again. Suppose you were late to a pizza party. Your friend said she would save you two pieces. But by the time you arrived, all the pizza was gone. You think you know who ate your slices. Listen to a short exchange:        Claudia ate the pizza, didn’t she? She loves pizza. No. It was Sammy who ate the pizza. He came late, too, and didn’t know I was saving it for you. In this example, your friend uses a cleft structure to emphasize that Sammy ate your pizza, not Claudia. It-clefts Now that you have a basic understanding, let’s explore it-clefts. The structure of these sentences tells us exactly what word or words we are supposed to pay attention to. The structure is: It + BE verb + emphasized information + who/that/when + known information Notice that the emphasized information always appears after the It + BE verb. Most it-clefts use the past tense of BE and begin with the words “It was.” Listen to a simple sentence and I’ll show you the possible it-clefts. Here’s the simple sentence: The girls won the top science prize yesterday. A few things can be emphasized in this sentence. Here are three possible it-clefts:        It was the girls who won the top science prize yesterday. Here, the speaker is noting that the girls, not the boys or some other group of people, won the top prize. It was yesterday when the girls won the top science prize. Here, the speaker is noting that their win happened yesterday, not some other day. It was the top science prize that the girls won yesterday. And here, the speaker is noting that the girls won the top science prize, not second, third, or last prize. A tale of two clauses It-clefts are usually made of two clauses. You may remember that a clause is a part of a sentence that has its own subject and verb. Some clauses can be complete sentences on their own. They are independent clauses. Some cannot be complete sentences. They are dependent clause. It-cleft sentences contain both an independent clause and a dependent clause: “It + BE verb” is the main clause. The rest of the sentence is a dependent clause. Sound complex? Not to worry! You can learn more about clauses in other Everyday Grammar programs. [graphic coming] But the goal today is knowing how to make it-cleft sentences and knowing they have two parts -- the first part with new information; the second with known or old information. In the sentence “It was the girls who won top science prize yesterday,” for instance, the first part (“It was the girls”) has new information. The second part (“…won the top science prize yesterday”) is known information. More about it-clefts Wow, I’ve said a mouthful already! But I want to briefly tell you one more thing: Cleft sentences often take other forms in everyday speech and writing. For example, they can take a question form, like this: Was it the girls who won the top science prize yesterday? They can also take a negative form, like this:        It wasn’t the girls who took the top science prize yesterday. That’s all for now. Watch for other programs on cleft sentences in the coming weeks. I’m Alice Bryant.   Alice Bryant wrote this story for Everyday Grammar. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor.   [table - web only] ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story emphasize stress type clause

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/cleft-sentences-help-draw-attention-to-details/5164836.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 41

Anna meets with her boss, Ms. Weaver, for her yearly review. Ms. Weaver wants Anna to have higher numbers for the audience of her show. In this lesson, you can learn how to use 'if' and 'will.'

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-41/5164856.html

English Grammar Made Easy #84 - Nouns that can be countable or uncountable

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-84-nouns-that-can-be-countable-or-uncountable/

English Grammar Made Easy #86 - Using “Have to” in Negative Sentences and Questions

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-s2-86-using-have-to-in-negative-sentences-and-questions/

Learning Strategies #25 - Transform Your Daily Commute

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/learning-strategies-25-transform-your-daily-commute/

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 40

Anna's New Year’s Resolution is to try something new. She auditions for a play. You can learn about describing people’s actions, using adverbs such as 'loudly,' 'quietly' & 'slowly' and about asking for & giving feedback

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-lesson-40/5163343.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 35

In this lesson, Anna and Marsha are planning a dinner party. But Anna comes home from the store with some unusual foods for dinner. You can learn about using measure words, like “jar of” and “bag of.” Also, learn about count and noncount nouns.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-35/5163313.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 36

Anna bought the wrong foods for the dinner she and Marsha planned for some friends. They are coming in thirty minutes. Anna makes an unusual meal with the unusual ingredients she bought. You can learn about prepositions of location.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english--level-1-lesson-36/5163312.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 37

In this lesson, Anna meets a new friend. Phil is new to Washington, D.C. and he feels lost in the city. Anna asks him to make the city a friendlier place. You can learn about expressing your opinion as well as comparing things, places, & people.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-37/5163308.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 38

In this lesson, Anna's best friend from her hometown, Penelope, visits Washington, D.C. Anna tells Penelope about her friends and her job. You can learn about superlative adjectives (such as 'best' and 'fastest').

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-38/5163303.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 39

Anna sees an ad for a hair product on television. Her friend Pete is in the ad, so she believes that the product is a good one. She learns that she cannot believe everything she sees in television ads. You can learn about negative prefixes (in-, un-, dis, and -im) in this lesson and how to pronounce "comfortable."

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/let-s-learn-english---level-1---lesson-39/5163294.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 34

In this lesson, Anna wants to go to a Halloween party. But she needs a costume. Her friend Genie helps her find the right one. You can learn about using “might” and “will” to talk about the future.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/let-s-learn-english---level-1---lesson-34/5163243.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 33

In the second part of "The Time Traveling Treehouse," Anna finds the answer to this question: How do you play baseball?" You can learn about agent nouns (like player) and talking about a sequence, the order in which things happen.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/let-s-learn-english---level-1---lesson-33/5163183.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 32

Anna introduces her new partner, MINDY. They are working together on the new children's show: "The Time Traveling Treehouse." You can learn about negative prefixes (in-, un-, dis, and -im) in this lesson and how to pronounce "comfortable."

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/let-s-learn-english---level-1---lesson-32/5163156.html

Social media influencer

You know all about social media, but ... what is a social media influencer? Learn here.

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07t9btx

Butt dial

New Entry: 'Butt dial' has just been added to the Slang area of UsingEnglish.com. This entry is only available in our members' area.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/members/idioms/view.php?entry_id=27371

Like & Don’t Like- Things In Common Sentence Completion

New Entry: 'Like & Don’t Like- Things In Common Sentence Completion' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-like-dont-like-things-in-common-sentence-completion/

Absolute Beginner American English for Every Day #130 - 10 Ways to Reject an Invitation

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/absolute-beginner-american-english-for-every-day-130-10-ways-to-reject-an-invitation/

Extensive Reading in English for Absolute Beginners #17 - The City

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/extensive-reading-in-english-for-absolute-beginners-17-the-city/

News #266 - How to Learn English on the Go

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/news-266-how-to-learn-english-on-the-go/

Whoever ____ of such a thing?

New Entry: 'Whoever ____ of such a thing?' has just been added to the Language Polls area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/poll/1224.html

English Kids’ Songs: Easy Videos for Beginners #41 - Mr Tie

Learn English with EnglishClass101.com! This series is an easy way to improve your child’s English level and discover new music at the same time. Learn the song’s key words and phrases, then add it to your playlist to master it 100%. By listening over and over, [...]

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-kids-songs-easy-videos-for-beginners-41-mr-pie/

Know Your Verbs #40 - Verb: “Call”

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/know-your-verbs-40-verb-call/

Sealioning

New Entry: 'Sealioning' has just been added to the Slang area of UsingEnglish.com. This entry is only available in our members' area.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/members/idioms/view.php?entry_id=27370

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 30

Anna plans to have a dinner party. She needs to buy seafood, so she goes to the waterfront. Learn how to ask for amounts of food and talk about prices.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-30/5157695.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 29

Anna and Marsha have a lot of work to do. An advertisement makes them remember their childhood dreams. Learn to use adjectives and also talk about your own dream for the future.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-29/5157690.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 28

Anna tells her roommate, Marsha, about the problems she had in her driving test. You can learn to use the imperative verb form and how to give bad news using 'well.'

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-28/5157685.html

Appositives: Renaming Words and Other Terms

Imagine you want to improve your writing skills. Perhaps you would like to take an English test or use English in a business email. Today on Everyday Grammar, we will talk about something that could help you: appositives. We will explain the grammar rules behind appositives and demonstrate how to use them in sentences. Let us begin with a few definitions. Appositive definition An appositive is a word or group of words that renames something else. An appositive is often a noun or noun phrase that helps explain or identify another noun or a pronoun. Take this sentence, for example: My best friend, Ahmed, studies English literature. The subject of the sentence is my best friend. The name Ahmed is an appositive. It adds information to the sentence. What is important is that the sentence is grammatically correct without the appositive. So, our example without the appositive would read: My best friend studies English literature. Another example Now, let us consider a more complex example. Imagine you are reading a crime novel. Perhaps the book has the following lines. Police questioned the next suspect, the victim’s ex-wife. In this example, the victim’s ex-wife is the appositive. The words give readers more information about the next suspect. If the sentence did not have an appositive, it would have been written this way: Police questioned the next suspect. Appositives can introduce a sentence Martha Kolln and Robert Funk wrote a famous book on English grammar. In it, they note that if an appositive renames the subject of a sentence, it can introduce the same sentence. Kolln and Funk say the following description, by Michael D. Lemonick and Andrea Dorfman, is a good example of an introductory series of appositives. It is about epithets, or insulting terms, that people used to describe the Vikings of northern Europe. “Ravagers, despoilers, pagans, heathens – such epithets pretty well summed up the Vikings for those who lived in the British Isles during medieval times.” The nouns ravagers, despoilers, pagans and heathens are all epithets, the subject of the sentence. The writers could have left out the list of nouns. Instead, they could have begun the sentence simply with the words epithets such as, or such epithets. Why are appositives important? You might be asking yourself why this discussion is important. The reason is this: using appositives correctly is one of the best ways to improve your writing style. Appositives can help writers change the rhythm or order of a sentence. In other words, appositives help make sentences more interesting. Think back to our first example: My best friend, Ahmed, studies English literature. If you were to write the example as two separate sentences, it might be something like this: My best friend studies English literature. My friend’s name is Ahmed. These sentences are grammatically correct. But they are repetitive. In other words, they are less interesting to read. What can you do? The next time you are reading, try to find examples of appositives. Ask yourself why the writer might have chosen to use them. When you practice writing in English – perhaps for a test or business purposes – try to use appositives in certain places. They will help make your writing smooth and clear – if you use them correctly! We will leave you with a famous example. In his book “A History of the English-Speaking Peoples,” Winston Churchill wrote the following words about Britain’s Queen Victoria. High devotion to her royal task, domestic virtues, evident sincerity of nature, a piercing and sometime disconcerting truthfulness – all these qualities of the Queen’s had long impressed themselves upon the mind of her subjects. Can you identify the appositive? Can you identify the subject of the sentence? Write to us in the Comments Section of our website. I’m Anne Ball. And I’m John Russell. John Russell wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   grammar – n. the study of words and their uses and relations in sentences ex- prefix meaning former introduce – v. to lead to or present sum up – phrasal verb to describe or show the most important parts or qualities of (someone or something) in a brief or simple way medieval – adj. of or relating to Europe’s Middle Ages practice – v. to work at repeatedly so as to become skilled devotion – n. a feeling of strong love or loyalty virtue – n. morally good behavior sincerity – n. having or showing true feelings that are expressed in an honest way disconcerting – adj. unnerving or troubling; concerning  

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/appositives-renaming-words-and-other-terms/5155118.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 27

Anna does not feel well. She calls her boss and her doctor. Learn how to talk about being sick and how to give advice when someone is sick.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/let-s-learn-english---level-1---lesson-27/5157073.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 26

Anna plays the new video game, "Catch Americana," and learns more about U.S. Presidents. She also learns to watch where she walks! You can learn how to warn someone about dangers.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/let-s-learn-english---level-1---lesson-26/5157066.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 24

Anna discovers a festival - the Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the National Mall. You can learn about Basque culture; how to use the past tense, and how to talk about something when you don't know its name.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-24/5157017.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 25

Anna learns about a new game, "Catch Americana." You can see the memorials to U.S. Presidents and learns fun facts about them in this lesson.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-25/5157006.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 23

Anna and her boss go on a trip around the world. That is, they eat foods from around the world. Learn to talk order foods and count back change.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/5156992.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 21

Anna and Marsha are planning a party. Anna wants to help. Learn how to talk about helping friends.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-21/5156988.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 22

Learn how to talk about your favorite season and vacation activities.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-22/5156987.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 20

Anna gives Pete advice about finding a job. Learn to talk about jobs and skills.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/let-s-learn-english---level-1---lesson-20/5156932.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 19

Learn to talk about the months of the year and about using 'which' for offering choices and 'every' or 'next' with time words.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-19/5156922.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 18

Anna reads the news for the first time. She learns that there is a right way and a wrong way to read the news. You can learn how to talk about facts and feelings.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/5156759.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 17

Anna and Marsha talk about schedules and doing activities together. Learn to talk about the things you like to do with your friends.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-17/5156746.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 16

Anna interviews tourists on the National Mall in Washington, DC. She learns about where they are from and the languages they speak. You can learn how to say your country and nationality. You can also practice talking about countries and nationalities with a friend.​

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-16/5156709.html

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 15

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lesson-guide-lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-15/5154969.html

Indirect Speech- Reporting Verbs Sentence Completion Games

New Entry: 'Indirect Speech- Reporting Verbs Sentence Completion Games' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-indirect-speech-reporting-verbs-sentence-completion-games/

Why do we like sad music?

Some people love sad music; others can't stand it. Why?

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07t8kv2

Appositives: Renaming Words and Other Terms

source https://av.voanews.com/clips/VLE/2019/11/06/967ce7c4-8eed-46dc-b20d-39f3fb9edb58_hq.mp3

Lesson Guide for Let's Learn English Level 1 Lesson 15

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lesson-guide-lets-learn-english-level-1-lesson-15/5154969.html

Learning Strategies #24 - How to Crush Your Learning Goals

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/learning-strategies-24-how-to-crush-your-learning-goals/

Veer onto

New Entry: 'Veer onto' has just been added to the Phrasal Verbs area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/phrasal-verbs/veer.html#Veer-onto

Reported Speech Discussion Questions

New Entry: 'Reported Speech Discussion Questions' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-reported-speech-discussion-questions/

Must-Know American English Social Media Phrases #10 - Feeling Disappointed

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/mustknow-american-english-social-media-phrases-10-feeling-disappointed/

Goldilocks

A fairy tale with a new meaning

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07t0y3j

Absolute Beginner American English for Every Day #129 - 10 Phrases for Talking on the Phone

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/absolute-beginner-american-english-for-every-day-129-10-phrases-for-talking-on-the-phone/

Let's Learn English - Level 1 - Lesson 14

In this lesson, students learn about describing clothing colors and sizes as well as making suggestions and giving compliments.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/let-s-learn-english---level-1---lesson-14/5152247.html

English Vocab Builder #176 - Environment

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-vocab-builder-176-environment/

English Kids’ Songs: Easy Videos for Beginners #40 - Goat on a Boat

Learn English with EnglishClass101.com! This series is an easy way to improve your child’s English level and discover new music at the same time. Learn the song’s key words and phrases, then add it to your playlist to master it 100%. By listening over and over, [...]

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-kids-songs-easy-videos-for-beginners-40-goat-on-a-boat/

Monthly Review Video #14 - English November 2019 Review - How to Speak More English

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/monthly-review-video-14-english-november-2019-review-how-to-speak-more-english/