Language Learners

Using semicolons

The semicolon is used to mark a break between two main clauses when there is a balance or a contrast between the clauses. Compare: The engine roared into life. The propellers began to turn. The plane taxied down the runway ready for takeoff. with: The engine roared into life; the propellers… Read More

Spanish words of the week: conducta or conducto?

Our weekly appointment with a pair of similar-looking Spanish nouns with different meanings is here again, so let’s see where a comparison of the commonest senses of feminine conducta and masculine conducto leads us. Read More

French word of the week: retourner

This series of weekly blogs takes a closer look at words from our French dictionaries. The word we're focusing on this week is the French verb 'retourner'. Read More

Using bullet points

Using bullet points in a non-fiction text is a clear way to organize information you wish to present. The types of text that are suitable for bullet points are lists, notes, instructions, and information texts. To use bullet points correctly, there needs to be a piece of introductory text, ending… Read More

Spanish words of the week: calzada or calzado?

Putting our best foot forward (or even our second-best one) let’s turn to another pair of Spanish nouns that are nearly identical in form, though not in ending or gender, and which have very different meanings. Read More

French word of the week: sembler

This series of weekly blogs takes a closer look at words from our French dictionaries. The word we're focusing on this week is the French verb 'sembler'. Read More

The 8 parts of speech in English

VERBS A verb tells us about an action or a state of being. Ordinary verbs are called main verbs. For example: come, go, think, want, escape, believe. A main verb is sometimes called a ‘doing word’. A special group of verbs are called auxiliary verbs. These can be put together with main verbs to… Read More

Learning French: filler words in French

Right, well...time for a new Learning French blog, eh? We take a look at the filler words that crop up often when conversing in French. Read More

Spanish words of the week: cinto or cinta?

It’s time to disentangle two more similar-looking and potentially confusable Spanish nouns. These are cinto (masculine) and cinta (feminine). Read More