The FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019 is in full swing! The competition runs from 7th June until 7th July and the games will be played in nine venues across France with 24 teams competing for the chance to lift the trophy. Join us for an exploration of the competition, the venues and the teams as we create all the ingredients for a Women’s World Cup France 2019 EFL lesson! Continue reading
The Women’s World Cup is currently in full swing, so we’re riding on the waves of footy euphoria and using the tournament as a springboard to explore the fascinating and turbulent history of women’s football. This is a great topic for the EFL classroom as a conversation lesson that can be adapted for all language levels, concerning issues of sport, politics and sociology. It also includes lots of vocabulary that will be useful for language learners across many areas.
How did women’s football go from being hugely popular in the 1920s to being almost unknown in the UK for fifty years? Read on to find out how and why women’s soccer was side-lined – and how it is now experiencing a resurgence to become the fastest growing sport in the world. Continue reading
The Yorkshire Historical Dictionary has recently been published online by the University of York. The dictionary collects together more than 4,000 Yorkshire terms and is the life-long work of historian Dr George Redmonds, who died aged 82 in August 2018. The Yorkshire dialect dictionary is a fascinating insight into not only the changing vocabulary but also the culture, history and people of the region. Continue reading
Crufts is the annual event where thousands of dogs compete to be crowned Best in Show! This famous British dog show is organised by the Kennel Club and takes place each year at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham, UK. Dog lovers will watch their favourite pooches compete in different events with four days of canine competition. Our Crufts EFL lesson gives us a perfect platform to explore dog-related vocabulary as we await the excitement of the agility, obedience and heelwork challenges! Which pups will triumph? Watch this space! Continue reading
There are some words in the English language that famously can’t be rhymed with any other words. These are called refractory rhymes. Some of the words most commonly thought to be without any rhyming partners include: orange, purple, silver, month and circle. But are all these words really without a rhyming friend?
There are actually some obscure words in the English language that do rhyme with these troublesome nouns and adjectives. Read on to find out more about perfect rhymes and discover which crafty words rhyme with the seemingly impossible orange, purple, silver and month. Continue reading
Animal rights charity PETA has suggested that many current English idioms carry negative associations with animal abuse and that we should change their wording to reflect awareness of animal rights. The altered animal idioms would retain the original meaning, while shedding the abusive imagery. As vegetarianism and veganism become more popular and awareness of animal rights grows, should our language change to keep up with society’s shifting attitudes? And is this a positive progression – or political correctness gone mad?
Hybrid fruits are fascinating for both culinary and linguistic reasons.The English language has many interesting words to describe foods and when a new food is created or discovered, it needs a new name to match. Hybrid fruits are a combination of two or more fruits and these culinary delights have produced some exciting names that catch the ear and the taste buds straight away. Have you ever tried a strasberry, a pineberry or the newest hybrid fruit – the pluot? Continue reading
Communication is essential in daily life, yet when we travel, communication becomes more difficult due to language barriers. When tourists travel to a new country, there is a high chance of miscommunication between the newcomers and the locals. By using hand signals and some basic tourist vocabulary, there will usually be a reasonable understanding on both sides. However, when trying to understand more complex information, translations become necessary. This is especially true in the travel and tourism industry, where good translation can aid authentic communication and create a positive customer experience. Continue reading
Being accepted into an American college is a significant event and it is normal for an international student to feel both excited and apprehensive. Although initially it may seem that you have plenty of time until the start of your first semester, the months will pass quickly. It is best to prepare for the start of term, as this way you will get the most out of the experience and avoid any pitfalls. So what should you do to prepare for studying at a US college? Let’s find out. Continue reading
The language of denial is complex and varied. English has many words that express a similar sentiment. The verbs ‘to deny’, ‘to decline’, ‘to reject’ and ‘to refuse’ have similar meanings but often distinct uses. You can deny an allegation, decline an invitation, refuse a chair, reject a lover, object to a statement and refute a claim. Read on to learn about these words of denial and their common collocations. Plus, we explore the confusing language used in the current Ford vs Kavanaugh case, the ambiguity of legal terms and how language can manipulate or mislead the listener.