After the storm today, here are a couple of idioms for you:
I had a really good idea in the meeting, but Nick told everybody his plan first and stole my thunder
What's wrong with Nick? He's got a face like thunder!
Enjoy
Wednesday, 19 May 2010
Sunday, 9 May 2010
English Apps
Do you have an iPhone or iPod Touch?
Here are some apps you can add for learning English:
Top 10 iPhone Apps for learning English
Here are some apps you can add for learning English:
Top 10 iPhone Apps for learning English
Wednesday, 5 May 2010
Our view of Tbilisi
This will be a new feature of the blog - we'll write some thoughts on life in Tbilisi, and link some interesting words and phrases so that you can learn them. Enjoy...
My neighbour is an interesting guy. He's quite old, but on the day I arrived in Tbilisi he came and introduced himself, and told my Georgian colleague that if I have any problems I should go and see him, which was a nice gesture, I thought. However, he doesn't speak any English, and my Georgian is still limited. Every time I see him, though, he tries to communicate things to me. This always follows a pattern. First, we exchange pleasantries in Georgian (I can manage that now...). Then, he asks me, or tells me, something in Georgian. I shrug and convey that I don't understand. He then tries again in Russian, even though he's aware that I don't understand Russian. I shrug again, he looks dismayed, we smile at each other and part company.
One day, he knocked on my door and gave me a book. It's a book in Russian about learning English. He suggested I could learn Russian from it. This was a nice gesture, but I tried to explain to him that I can't read Russian, so had no idea what the book said. He didn't understand, so I still have the book, and he seems to think that that is how my Georgian is improving.
He may sound a little mad, but I think he is a good example of why I like living in Georgia - he's always friendly, always tries to chat with me, even though he knows I won't understand, always shakes my hand, and whenever someone is around who speaks English he asks them to tell me that I can call on him at any time if I have any problems. Very hospitable and welcoming.
Do you have any similar stories? You can add them in the comments below, or you can just say what you think of the story.
My neighbour is an interesting guy. He's quite old, but on the day I arrived in Tbilisi he came and introduced himself, and told my Georgian colleague that if I have any problems I should go and see him, which was a nice gesture, I thought. However, he doesn't speak any English, and my Georgian is still limited. Every time I see him, though, he tries to communicate things to me. This always follows a pattern. First, we exchange pleasantries in Georgian (I can manage that now...). Then, he asks me, or tells me, something in Georgian. I shrug and convey that I don't understand. He then tries again in Russian, even though he's aware that I don't understand Russian. I shrug again, he looks dismayed, we smile at each other and part company.
One day, he knocked on my door and gave me a book. It's a book in Russian about learning English. He suggested I could learn Russian from it. This was a nice gesture, but I tried to explain to him that I can't read Russian, so had no idea what the book said. He didn't understand, so I still have the book, and he seems to think that that is how my Georgian is improving.
He may sound a little mad, but I think he is a good example of why I like living in Georgia - he's always friendly, always tries to chat with me, even though he knows I won't understand, always shakes my hand, and whenever someone is around who speaks English he asks them to tell me that I can call on him at any time if I have any problems. Very hospitable and welcoming.
Do you have any similar stories? You can add them in the comments below, or you can just say what you think of the story.
Monday, 3 May 2010
Weekly idioms
We are hoping that spring will arrive soon, so here are some idioms connected to spring.
'We like Nick, but he's no spring chicken!'
'What a mess my flat is! It's time for a spring-clean!'
'The sun is out and everybody's happy - I think we've all got spring-fever.'
'Nick looks happy - he's full of the joy's of spring!'
'We like Nick, but he's no spring chicken!'
'What a mess my flat is! It's time for a spring-clean!'
'The sun is out and everybody's happy - I think we've all got spring-fever.'
'Nick looks happy - he's full of the joy's of spring!'
Monday, 26 April 2010
Vote results
Thanks to everyone who voted.
It was an overwhelming victory for 'speaking', so we hope you get lots of chance to practise.
Look out for a new poll soon.
It was an overwhelming victory for 'speaking', so we hope you get lots of chance to practise.
Look out for a new poll soon.
Friday, 23 April 2010
Weekly idioms
This week, idioms with the word 'rain'...
Take a rain check
Come rain or shine
Rain on someone's parade
Right as rain
Enjoy!
Take a rain check
Come rain or shine
Rain on someone's parade
Right as rain
Enjoy!
Google sets
Do you want to increase your vocabulary?
Here's one way: Go to Google sets and type in a few words related to a set (e.g. fridge, oven, microwave for a set of kitchen vocabulary), then click the button and make a set of new words. You can then click on a word to get some internet links or see them in Google images, or look up any new words in a dictionary (like the one on the left of this page...)
Easy.
Here's our set from the above words (you can get 'large' sets, too). You can post any interesting ones you find in the comments.
Here's one way: Go to Google sets and type in a few words related to a set (e.g. fridge, oven, microwave for a set of kitchen vocabulary), then click the button and make a set of new words. You can then click on a word to get some internet links or see them in Google images, or look up any new words in a dictionary (like the one on the left of this page...)
Easy.
Here's our set from the above words (you can get 'large' sets, too). You can post any interesting ones you find in the comments.
Friday, 16 April 2010
Weekly idioms
A new feature of our blog: Weekly idioms. Click on the idiom to see its meaning. This week's theme, idioms using 'break / broke'. Guess what they mean, then check...
Go for broke
A broken record
Break a leg
Break the ice
Go for broke
A broken record
Break a leg
Break the ice
Tuesday, 13 April 2010
News story
This interesting news story appeared in the paper today. What do you think? (Any words you don't know you can check in the dictionary on the left).
How does it feel to be so famous? You can also check the story for language - what tenses are used? Can you see any passive voice? Relative clauses? Different ways of saying 'say'?
Actually, we tricked you - it didn't really appear in the paper... we wrote it here: http://www.fodey.com/generators/newspaper/snippet.asp
You can write your own stories and send them to your friends, or post them in the comments below for everyone to read.
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