Our relationship with the Moon

Our close relationship with the Moon spans the whole of human history, across all times and cultures. For thousands of years it was a distant light in the sky, remote and unattainable in all but the wildest dreams. In July 1969, it became a tangible place when humankind first stepped… Read More

Moon Facts

The Moon is Earth’s only natural satellite. It is the second brightest object in the sky after the Sun. It is the only object, other than Earth, to have been stepped on by human beings. You can clearly see, particularly with binoculars, many dark patches on the Moon’s surface. Ancient… Read More

The 1960s: words then and now

The 1960s saw a boom in space exploration, with humans finally travelling to and experiencing the wonders of the regions beyond earth. But which words were flourishing in this revolutionary decade? Naturally, advances in space flight brought some previously specialist vocabulary into general use. We made acquaintance with previously unfamiliar… Read More

Shining moonlight on our language

From the moment that we enter the world as moon-faced babes, the moon is an ever-present force in our lives. Looking up at the night sky puts our day-to-day world into perspective; something that generations of humans have experienced. Seen from afar, the moon can seem completely unobtainable. If… Read More

From the Collins Archive – Times Atlas of the Moon

On 20th July 1969, history was made when astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first person to step foot on the moon, proclaiming the now immortal phrase, ‘That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind,’ while doing so. With the 50th anniversary of this momentous historic event… Read More

Asking about places to stay in English

Our last article showed you how you could tell people your name and how to say what you do. Moving the conversation further along, a simple way to ask for information about places to stay or live is to start your sentence with Is … ? Is it expensive?… Read More

Telling people your name and what you do in English

Our last article helped you to talk about places to live or to stay when you are away from home. When you are looking for somewhere to live or stay, you may have to talk about yourself. To say what your name is, use I’m … or My name’s …… Read More

Learning German: 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. The use of gestures and visual clues often allow us to get the gist of a sentence. That said,… Read More

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