Learning Italian: Making sure you’ve understood!

When learning a language, our understanding of what’s being said normally comes before our ability to be able to speak the language and become confident enough to contribute to the conversation. That said, there will be times when you might have a problem understanding what’s been said or may not… Read More

Asking for somewhere to stay or live in English

Our last article was the final article in the series giving useful phrases you can use when travelling. But what if you are staying away from home? These next articles will help you to talk about places to live or to stay when you are away from home. You can… Read More

Saying what you like, dislike or prefer in English

Our last article looked at how you can ask for things. You may then want to talk about what you like and do not like about travelling. To say what you like, use I like … . To say what you do not like, use I don’t like …… Read More

What are grammar patterns?

Grammar patterns are ways of describing how words are used in English. A grammar pattern tells us what phrases or clauses are used with a given adjective, noun, or verb. For example the adjective afraid can be used with a that-clause (He was afraid that…) or… Read More

Five Top Tips for Learning a Language

To celebrate Love Audio Week we’ve got some top tips from bestselling author and language expert Paul Noble. With summer holidays approaching these steps will make learning a language that much easier. 1. Study (at least a little) every day! Learning a language is like building a fire –… Read More

Asking for things when travelling in English

Our last article gave example phrases you could use when asking for information while travelling. We’ll now give examples you can use when asking for things, such as seats or receipts. To ask for something, use Can I have … ? or Could I have … ?. To be… Read More

The spotlight’s on climate change, all write?

Whether it’s naked protesters (don’t look, mum!), or children skipping school to become environmental activists, it’s hard to ignore the widespread attention that climate change has been grabbing recently. Being such a ‘hot topic’, climate change often features in English language writing exams, and students studying science,… Read More

Climate change explained

Climate can change naturally, but over the last century human activities have increased the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases absorb and re-emit some of the heat radiation given off by the Earth’s surface and hence warm the lower atmosphere. The most important greenhouse gas is… Read More

The vocabulary of living green

Our changing climate is a topic that is at the forefront of our minds. This year, the focus of World Environment Day on 5th June is on the global crisis that is air pollution. To be part of the conversation about the issues and possible solutions, Collins English… Read More