14 accents in 90 seconds!

There are lots accents in the British Isles. So what’s the difference between them? Level: basic • medium • higher •  Category: pronunciation, listening  • • • • • • • • • all levels  • • • • • • • • • The video above takes you through 14 accents of the British Isles in just 90 seconds! It’s […]

A Song by The Beatles

The Beatles were possibly the best pop group ever! Their songs are famous all over the world. They can also help you with your English! Level:  medium • Category: listening; vocabulary; pronunciation  • • • • • • • • • • • • Let’s start by listening to The Beatles play the classic love […]

2-screen laptop!

 Are you kidding me? A laptop with two screens? So does that mean I can watch the football at the same time as writing these posts? Level: higher •  Category: listening  • • • • • • • • • • • • Unboxing videos have taken YouTube by storm and can notch up […]

Happiness begins with…

The Jonas Brothers are back with their first new album in nearly ten years, out this week! Why not take a look at what they’re singing about? Level: medium •  Category: listening; reading; pronunciation  • • • • • • • • • • • • The Jonas Brothers have spent weeks at the top […]

Inkblots on the mind

Do the Rorschach inkblots reveal anything about our minds or is it just a load of mumbo jumbo? Level: higher •  Category: listening, reading, writing, discussion  • • • • • • • • • • • • «The experiment is very simple, so simple that at first it provokes interest and head-shaking everywhere.» Hermann […]

Real English – Grammar in real life

Real people talking about the things they «used to do» when they were younger. Listen to a video with and without subtitles and then practise by doing the exercises. Level: basic •  Category: grammar; listening  • • • • • • • • • • • • Here, you can listen to and practice the […]

Uh uh uh (What does she mean?)

The way that you say something can have a big influence on how we understand it. Yes, we’re talking about intonation: the melody of our sentences. Level: medium •  Category: pronunciation; listening; vocabulary  • • • • • • • • • • • • Vanessa is from the US and is one of the […]

The Real History of GoT

Everyone’s talking about Game of Thrones again! But where did they get the ideas for this world of bloodthirsty, warmongering, backstabbing kings and queens? Level: higher •  Category: reading; listening  • • • • • • • • • • • • If you’ve been following even a little of the Game of Thrones saga, […]

Seeing double!

Does English really have two ways of saying everything? In short, yes. But don’t blame us, blame the French! Level: higher •  Category: vocabulary; listening  • • • • • • • • • • • • Picking up new words and idioms isn’t always straightforward. I’m not sure I follow you! Acquiring new vocabulary […]

A night at the ballet

Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker has become part of US tradition and is the introduction to the world of ballet for many Americans. Level: medium •  Category: reading  • • • • • • • • • • • • The Nutcracker is perhaps best known for the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, which you can […]