Understanding Italian verb tenses

One of the most challenging parts of learning a foreign language is getting to grips with all the different verb tenses. Verb tenses explain when events happen, whether in the past, present or future. In this short article we will explain and provide some examples of the most common tenses… Read More

Understanding Spanish verb tenses

One of the most challenging parts of learning a foreign language is getting to grips with all the different verb tenses. Verb tenses explain when events happen, whether in the past, present or future. In this short article we will explain and provide some examples of the most common tenses… Read More

Get More Involved with Scrabble

Here are some Scrabble resources to keep you in the game… Associations World English-Language Scrabble Players Association (WESPA)The WESPA website also provides access to an Initiation Kit, highlighting major differences between the 2011 third edition of Collins Official Scrabble Words and the 2015 fourth… Read More

Why is English SO difficult??

As a learner of the English language, how many times have you heard your teachers say, ‘it’s just not what we say in English’ or ‘that doesn’t sound very natural’? Or maybe you have thought to yourself, ‘this doesn’t sound right’ but you don’t know why? There is a good… Read More

Bird Box Challenge, Woke Advertising & Octothorpe: January’s Word in the News

Another year, another potentially dangerous YouTube challenge. I’m sure we all remember things like the Cinnamon Challenge or Neknominations. (At least, if we didn’t die doing them, we do.) Well, 2019 is barely a month old, and already people are endangering themselves and others with the Bird Box Challenge. Read More

Grammar or vocabulary? A blurry line

This article has been written by Julie Moore, who is an ELT materials developer and lexicographer, and originally appeared on our ELT Blog. Most language learning coursebooks include grammar activities and vocabulary activities. As teachers, we talk about ‘teaching grammar’ and ‘teaching vocabulary’. Grammar and vocabulary are two of… Read More

Rainbow Tree, Asymmetric Wreath, and Period Poverty: November’s Words in the News

Trawling through news headlines, even when it’s only in search of new and interesting vocabulary, can be a depressing task, especially in recent years, and then you read about new mothers bringing their babies to a retirement community to cheer up the residents. Two community groups in Essex, a… Read More

4 tips when starting to soften your English Accent

Our colleagues over on the Collins ELT blog have written an informative article on where to start when softening your English accent. So what does softening your accent mean? Even if you have spoken English for a number of years you may still have your own accent,… Read More

Collins 2018 Word of the Year Shortlist

Single-use has been announced as the Collins Word of the Year 2018. Discover the rest of the words in this year’s shortlist. Single-use Adjective: made to be used once only Backstop Noun: a system that will come into effect if no other arrangement is made… Read More