Here are some native-speaker expressions and similes for describing people. A simile (pronounced “sim-i-lee”) is a type of comparison. You can make this comparision by saying “as + adjective + as + noun”. There are many similes in English, but these ones are used particularly to describe people. You’ll hear them a lot in spoken… Read More
A “placeholder name” is a name we use to describe a type of person with a particular characteristic. We generally use first names (“Jack” is very popular) but we can also use first names and last names to create the “placeholder”. Placeholder names are very common in informal, spoken English and you’ll hear them a… Read More
If you are involved in planning – especially if you work in a company – you need to refer to years, and important times in the year. Here are essential words and phrases so that you can talk about years in English, time periods, and also historical time. Types Of Years a leap year =… Read More
Are you healthy? Do you often get ill, or do you suffer from a particular condition? This health vocabulary will help you talk about health problems, lifestyles, cures and treatments in English. There are also common collocations to help you use the vocabulary in context. Common Health Problems high blood pressure This is very common… Read More
What are some traditional British dishes? What snacks do people normally eat? And what are these strange things you can see on pub and cafe menus? Here’s our guide to British food vocabulary so you can understand menus and talk about food in the UK. Common British Food Expressions We have lots of slang words… Read More
How can you talk about personal finance in English? What phrases do you need to know? Here’s our English guide to banking, pensions, mortgages and investments, with the key vocabulary and phrasal verbs you need to talk about them fluently and confidently. What is personal finance? Personal finance means how you manage your money, and… Read More
How can you talk about fashion and style in English? What fashion vocabulary do you need to talk about how a person looks – and their personal style? Get these fashion words and phrases – and learn other synonyms for style. The difference between fashion and style Fashion is a trend that changes quickly. Something… Read More
Can you talk about your career and what you do in English? These phrases and vocabulary will help you answer the question “What do you do?” – and also help you have a more interesting conversation about your job and career. Your Career Path Your career path is your career journey – how you got… Read More
We love to use animal expressions when we speak English. This is because we associate certain animals with certain characteristics. Here are 10 advanced English animal expressions. If you’d like to see 30 more, check out my page on animal idioms. Dog-tired When you’re dog-tired, you’re really tired. “He’s been working long hours and he’s… Read More
We use phrasal verbs a lot when we speak English and in informal situations. All these family phrasal verbs are used to talk about family relationships – such as the relationship between parents and children; family relationships; and behaviour and discipline. Parents And Children bring up = how you educate your children“They were brought up… Read More
