More fictional characters who appear in everyday English

After the positive reception that my last post on literary figures in everyday speech got, I figured it made sense to write a follow-up exploring the way the names of some more fictional characters are used in daily conversation. Today,…

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Chunk of the day: a rite of passage

Generally speaking, I'm not one for complaining about people’s use of language, and certainly not those supposed transgressions of grammar rules such as using like when reporting speech, saying there were less people than expected, or that people are loving…

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Chunk of the day: having some work done

Those of you who follow my ongoing series of ONE-MINUTE ENGLISH videos on YouTube or Instagram may have noticed that I've recently started filming them from the chaos of my attic. You'll have seen the piles of boxes behind me,…

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Chunk of the day: Needs must

After class yesterday, I popped out to grab a bite to eat from one of the little cafés near where I live. As I was walking back, I bumped into an old friend of mine who I hadn't seen for…

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Chunk of the day: room for improvement

This afternoon I interviewed someone who's applied to do one of our language courses this summer. We like to Skype people who are coming to study with us because it helps us get a feel for their level of English,…

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Chunk of the day: on the wagon

This Friday I'll be meeting an old friend of mine called Jon. I'm looking forward to seeing him as it's been a while since we last met, but I'm also slightly worried as ever since we arranged to go out…

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Chunk of the day: on an industrial scale

On Sunday evening, as I was getting dinner ready for my kids, I listened to a programme on BBC Radio 4 about money laundering – the process of hiding the origin of money that's been obtained from illegal activities by…

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Chunk of the day: You’re best … -ing

I overheard an awkward conversation between a native speaker and some tourists this morning in the centre of London. It was one of those exchanges that, as an English language teacher, I often feel compelled to intervene in, although this…

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Chunk of the day: go through a rough patch

According to some recent research I read, the number of divorces in the UK last year was highest among men and women aged 40 to 44. I mention this because this afternoon, I had one of those depressing kinds of…

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