The BLC Blog

Word of the Week - 76

2010-05-31T11:26:00.000+02:00

FAFF

This week's word is a colloquial noun which is used to describe something that needs a lot of effort or which causes slight problems.

Making your own pasta is a bit of a faff so I always buy it ready-made.

It can also be used as a verb to mean spend too much time doing something unimportant or unnecessary instead of doing the things you should be doing.

Stop faffing about and do your homework!
John has been faffing around with the car all day.

What's the Difference - 8

2010-05-28T15:12:00.000+02:00

ON TIME / IN TIME / BY THE TIME

ON TIME - means at the planned time; neither early nor late. Punctual.

It's always important to arrive on time to an interview if you want to make a good impression.
A typical stereotype about Spanish people is that they never arrive on time!

IN TIME - means with enough time to spare; before the last moment.

The man would have died if the ambulance hadn't got him to the hospital in time.
My car broke down on the motorway but luckily I got to the airport just in time to catch my flight!

BY THE TIME - means before the time that is specified.

I hope to be living in Santander by the time I am 40. (before I have my 40th birthday)
You'd better have cleaned the bathroom by the time I get home!

Expression of the Fortnight - 17

2010-05-26T15:00:00.001+02:00

BREAK A LEG!

This expression reflects a theatrical superstition where it is seen as bad luck to wish an actor good luck before he / she goes on the stage. Although it is more commonly used in theatre, it is also used more and more outside the theatre as superstitions and customs spread.

I thought since the Cambridge exams were coming up, I would take this opportunity to tell the students who are sitting an examination this June to Break a leg!

Word of the Week - 75

2010-05-24T14:32:00.000+02:00

CASE

This week's word is a very useful noun which can be used to make other compound nouns. A case is a container or box for storing things in. You can mix it with other nouns to make a wide variety of cases.

A suitcase is a type of bag that you fill with clothes when you go on holiday.
A briefcase is a type of bag that you keep work papers and documents in.
A pencil case is where you store your stationery when you go to school.
A bookcase is a piece of furniture with shelves where you keep books.
A pillowcase is a fabric cover for the pillows (almohadas) on your bed.
A glasses case is a small box for storing spectacles.
A guitar case is the box you keep your guitar in.

Word of the Week - 74

2010-05-17T14:23:00.001+02:00

SCRIBBLE

This week's word can be a verb and a noun. As a verb it means to write or draw something quickly or carelessly. As a noun it refers to the product of writing or drawing quickly or carelessly.

My son has scribbled all over my new wallpaper! Thank goodness those pens have washable ink!

I hope you can read my scribble! I wrote it in a rush this morning.

Expression of the Fortnight - 16

2010-05-12T14:43:00.000+02:00

to give something a shot

If you are prepared to give something a shot that means that you are willing to make an attempt to do something. If you give something your best shot it means that you are going to do your very best to achieve something.

I'm not really sure if it will work but I'm going to give it my best shot.
I've never played golf before but I'm going to give it a shot.
I'd like to give parachuting a shot.

Word of the Week -73

2010-05-10T14:06:00.000+02:00

TANTRUM

This week's word is a noun that is used to describe the sudden period of anger that a young child shows when they don't get what they want. It is most common in young children but some famous sportsmen have also been known to throw the odd tantrum. The American tennis-player John McEnroe was famous for his tennis tantrums. In fact, he appears in the film Anger Management with Jack Nicholson and Adam Sandler poking fun at his reputation! Youtube has some funny videos of McEnroe at his angry best.

The noun collocates with the verbs 'have' and 'throw'.

James threw a tantrum in the supermarket because I wouldn't buy him any sweets.

As I am writing this, my baby boy is having a tantrum on my lap because he wants to type and I won't let him.

What's the Difference ? - 7

2010-05-05T12:55:00.003+02:00

in the end / at the end / at last

At the end - when you use the preposition 'at' you are thinking about a specific point in time or a particular place.

At the end of the book they get married.

I'll wait for you at the end of the street.

I get paid at the end of the month.

There are also some set expressions using 'at the end':

At the end of the day

There's light at the end of the tunnel

At the end of one's tether

Why don't you look them up in the dictionary! > > >

In the end - is used to mean finally or eventually, after something has been thought about, planned or discussed a lot.

We were thinking about going to Switzerland, but in the end we went to Austria.

In the end all that matters is that you're happy.

Everything will be alright in the end.

At (long) last - is used to mean finally when something ends or happens after a lot of waiting or working.

I've finished my essay at last!

Look, it's stopped raining at last!

At long last the government is starting to listen to our problems.

Word of the Week - 72

2010-05-03T12:44:00.000+02:00

TIMBER

This week's word is an noun which I have taken from a news report from the BBC Learning English website. The word can be used in two ways. It can be used to refer to trees that are grown so that their wood can be used specifically for building material and it can be used to refer directly to the wood that is used for building. In American English this would be referred to as lumber and the person who chops down the trees to get the wood for building is called a lumberjack.

These trees are being grown for timber.
This is a timber forest.

And from the article I was reading...

There is an increased demand for food and timber.

To read the whole article follow this link >>>

Expression of the Fortnight - 15

2010-04-28T13:22:00.004+02:00

TO BUTTER SOMEBODY UP

This fortnight's expression came up in class when one of my students was paying me a compliment. I wondered if my student had an ulterior motive for being so nice to me. I asked her if she was trying to butter me up! To butter somebody up is to be very kind or friendly to them or try to please them in some way so that they will do what you want them to do. Buttering somebody up is a way of manipulating them.

You'll have to butter her up a bit if you want her to agree to that!

Word of the Week - 71

2010-04-26T12:47:00.003+02:00

PECKISH

This week's word of the week was one of the solutions from a crossword I was doing - (those of you who know me will be aware that I'm partial to a good cryptic crossword). The word is an adjective which is used to describe how you feel when you are slightly hungry and would like a little something to eat. 'Rather' and 'a bit' are often placed before this adjective.

I'm feeling a bit peckish, can we go and get a bite to eat?

Even though I've had a huge breakfast and it's only ten o' clock, I have to admit that I'm feeling rather peckish.

British Cuisine - Fish 'n' Chips

2010-04-23T12:57:00.004+02:00

Ok, so it's the stereotypical dish all people mention when they think about food in the UK. Students often say it with a look of disgust on their face and a tone of sarcasm in their voices as if to imply that it isn't really food. And while it is true that fish 'n' chips are quintessentially British, that does not mean to say that it is not a good dish.

Although fish 'n' chips can be ordered in most pubs from the lunch menu, and there are world -famous fish and chip restaurants such as Harry Ramsden's, this meal originated in the UK as a take-away food some time in the late 1850s. And, I personally believe the best way to enjoy fish and chips is at the seaside sitting on or by the beach. Great places to eat fish 'n' chips are Whitby or Scarborough where cod is often caught fresh from the sea and cooked the same day.

Traditionally the fish (usually cod, haddock or flounder) and chips were wrapped up in newspaper to be carried away and eaten at home or in the park. Nowadays, due to hygiene and possible problems from the newspaper ink - they are wrapped in plain white paper. The shop where fish and chips can be purchased is colloquially known as the chippy or the chipper, depending on the region.

So, before you turn your nose up at them, why not try eating some real fish and chips by the sea in England. It's quite an experience!

Spot the Mistake

2010-04-21T12:42:00.004+02:00

Walking around Madrid these past few days I have noticed some adverts promoting bilingual schools in the city. There are posters on the backs of buses, posters in the bus stops, billboards, and even spots on the TV and radio. I find it rather appalling that adverts for bilingual Spanish and English schools contain such a blatant grammatical error! I don't care if they are trying to play on the Obama slogan - it's just wrong! Surely the Communidad de Madrid has enough money to pay for some proper translators?! Can you spot the mistake and correct it?

Here you can read some reactions in English to the campaign >> >

Word of the Week - 70

2010-04-19T12:52:00.000+02:00

Whatsisname

This word of the week is related to last week's word in the way that it is used to refer to a person when you cannot remember or you do not know their name. In informal English -whatsisname or what's-his-name is used for men and whatsername or what's-her-name is used for women.

Have you invited Paul Whatisname to the party?

Give the file to whatsername - the new woman in Accounts.

And you thought English was hard!

2010-04-16T12:51:00.002+02:00

Students are always complaining that English is hard to pronounce and why do we have to write words one way and say them another! Why can't English be more like Spanish? Well, English isn't all that bad when you compare it to Icelandic! Here is a video from Youtube showing the correct pronunciation and all the different ways English speaking news-reporters have been pronouncing the name of the glacier where a volcano erupted this week -Eyjafjallajökul. It's proof that English isn't that odd after all.

Go to Video > > >

Expression of the Fortnight - 14

2010-04-14T13:16:00.000+02:00

To be two-faced

If someone is two-faced it means that they seem pleasant and kind when they are talking to you but then behind your back they say unpleasant things about you to other people. A two-faced person is insincere.

I don't trust her. I suspect she is a bit two-faced.

Jacky is completely two-faced. She pretends to be your friend but then she bitches about you to other people!

Word of the Week - 69

2010-04-12T13:46:00.002+02:00

THINGAMABOB

This week's word of the week is a noun. I absolutely love this word because it comes in handy when you can't remember the name of something and it sounds funny! It is especially used in informal spoken English when the name of an object has been forgotten.

I need one of those thingamabobs to tie my hair back with.

Have you got one of those thingamabobs to make melon balls?

You can also say thingamajig and it means exactly the same thing!

Word of the Week - 68

2010-04-05T13:59:00.000+02:00

GADGET

This week's word is a noun which is used to describe a device that is very useful for a particular job or purpose.

Have you seen this handy little gadget? - It's for separating egg yolks from egg whites.

My dad loves gadgets, he has allsorts of little toys for all kinds of jobs!

You could check out the Gadget Shop online to find out what gadgets are on offer! There is a whole range of goods from a self-stirring mug to a robotic dinosaur!

Go to the Gadget Shop >>>>

Expression of the Fortnight - 13

2010-03-24T12:10:00.004+01:00

TO HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD

The origin of this expression is not really known but it is a very old expression indeed -it was first found in a book from 1438. The expression is used to mean get to the precise point, the exact answer or to do / say something exactly right. The saying is very similar in Spanish 'dar en el clavo'.

I think John hit the nail on the head when he said what was missing in this company was a feeling of confidence.

Mary doesn't often contribute in meetings but when she does she usually hits the nail on the head!

Word of the Week - 67

2010-03-22T08:01:00.003+01:00

PROCRASTINATE

This week's word is a verb which means to delay doing something because it is boring or unpleasant or because you really don't feel like doing it. There is no direct translation in Spanish where the dictionary just says 'to leave something until later'. Although it also means that you do lots of other things, just not the productive thing that you are supposed to be doing!

I know I've got to write the essay at some point, I'm just procrastinating!

There is a funny article in Tony Buzan's book on becoming a better learner 'Use your head' which perfectly demonstrates the true meaning of procrastination. You can read it here > > > >

British Cuisine - Haggis

2010-03-19T13:35:00.000+01:00

We haven't had a British Cuisine entry for almost a year, so I thought it was about time I brought it back. Don't forget that to look back at old entries you can click on the tag 'British Cuisine' at the end of this post or type it into the search bar above.

Today I'm going to talk about Scotland's national dish - haggis. Looking at the picture on the right, or any picture of haggis for that matter, you will probably think 'Ugh, that looks awful!'. And yes, it does. But then again so do 'callos' and pigs' ears, and the Spanish swear by them!

Haggis is basically made from offal, such as the sheep's heart, liver and lungs mixed together with herbs, spices and oatmeal. This mixture is then stuffed into the casing of the sheep's stomach and boiled. The thought of this leaves most people a bit squeamish, it does me too, but my Spanish husband and I were brave enough to try it when we were in Edinburgh and we were pleasantly surprised! We had it as part of our Scottish breakfast, but it is more commonly served with 'neeps and tatties' (mashed turnip and potato)

The dish is often eaten to celebrate Burn's night - a commemoration of the Scottish poet Robert Burns. You can read more about it on wikipedia.

Happy St Patrick's Day

2010-03-17T13:17:00.002+01:00

Today is St Patrick's Day, the patron saint of Ireland. All over the world people will be dressed in green, attending parades or festivals and sipping on Guinness. To find out more about the history of St Patrick's Day and the saint himself, as well as typical celebrations and recipes, you should check out the History.com website where there are articles, videos and photos.

Go to History.com > > >

Happy St Patrick's Day!

Word of the Week - 66

2010-03-15T13:08:00.002+01:00

HOBBLE

This week's word is a verb which means to walk in an awkward way or to walk with difficulty especially because of an injury of the leg or foot.

The last time I saw Fred he was hobbling around on crutches.

Some of the runners in the marathon could only manage to hobble over the finish line!

David Beckham hobbled off the pitch in tears, clearly aware that something was badly wrong.

To read the article related to the last example go to the BBC website here > > >

Expression of the Fortnight - 12

2010-03-11T08:43:00.002+01:00

GO DOWN LIKE A LEAD BALLOON

This fortnight's expression is used to refer to something that is not accepted in a positive way. If you say something or show something to people and they do not react as you had hoped then you can say that whatever it was went down like a lead balloon. (Lead (pronounced led) is a very heavy material). This expression is most commonly used in the past simple.

My joke about the alcoholic went down like a lead balloon!

My suggestion about increasing office hours went down like a lead balloon.

Well that went down like a lead balloon! (said by someone after delivering a presentation that wasn't well-received)

Story has it that Keith Moon of The Who, on hearing a song on the radio by Jimmy Page and his group the Yardbirds, said "That will go over like a lead zeppelin!". Obviously, he thought the song wasn't so good and that the general public wouldn't buy it. Of course, he must have been wrong because Jimmy Page and his band renamed themselves Led Zeppelin, who of course were very successful.

Word of the Week - 65

2010-03-08T13:29:00.002+01:00

SHOWBIZ

Since the Academy Awards took place last night, I thought this Monday's word of the week should be related to the world of glamour and fame. Showbiz is a noun used in slang English for show business. Show business refers to the entertainment business.

In his Oscar acceptance speech last night, Jeff Bridges thanked his parents for introducing him to the world of showbiz.

The charity dinner was attended by a host of showbiz personalities.

I love reading trashy magazines and catching up on all the showbiz gossip!

If I were rich...

2010-03-04T09:59:00.002+01:00

Do you play the lottery on a regular basis? Do you dream of striking it lucky and never having to worry about money again? And what exactly would you do, if you won a lot of money? What would be the first thing that you would buy with all those millions? A new book called We Won The Lottery by Danny Buckland details some of the more unusual purchases made by lottery winners. Perhaps you can get some ideas from there on how to spend your winnings - if you ever get that wonderful opportunity!

Some of the most common things to spend your lottery winnings on are cosmetic surgery, in particular boob-jobs, and cars. However, some people have bought a flock of sheep and their own whiskey factory! One woman even paid to have the title 'Lady' so that she could get the best tables in exclusive restaurants. Fancy that!

If I won a lot of money, I would do three things: buy a large house with a lovely garden; go travelling around the world with my family for a couple of years, especially to see all the major sights like Machu Pichu, the Pyramids and the Taj Mahal, to name but a few; and go shoe and handbag shopping in New York at Jimmy Choo, Manolo Blahnik, Gucci etc. That would be heaven for me!

So what about you?

Improve your writing

2010-03-02T12:56:00.005+01:00

So we're coming up to that time of year again - exams! Some of you may be about to sit the Cambridge exams in March and some of you may be thinking about signing up now for the June exams. Whether you are doing the exams or not, it's always a good time to work on improving your writing in English. Purdue Owl has a good online writing lab which gives you advice on a wide range of things, from spelling and punctuation, grammar and writing conventions. There is also a useful section on emails. The website is designed for native speakers but it has some useful tips that are applicable to you too, so check it out.

Go to the website > > >

Word of the Week - 64

2010-03-01T12:35:00.001+01:00

CATCH UP

This week's word is an inseparable phrasal verb which has a number of meanings.

First of all, you can use this phrasal verb to mean learn or discuss the latest news. When you haven't seen somebody for a while you can go for a drink with them and catch up on the latest gossip and find out what they have been doing since you last saw them.

Secondly, you can use this phrasal verb to mean reach the same quality or standard as someone else. When you miss a lot of English classes, for example, you may find it hard to catch up with the rest of the class.

Finally, you can use this phrasal verb to mean do something which you haven't had time to do earlier. Sometimes people have to stay late at the office to catch up on some reports because they haven't had time to do them during the day for whatever reason.

Expression of the Fortnight - 11

2010-02-25T12:11:00.003+01:00

STRAIGHT FROM THE HORSE'S MOUTH

If you hear something straight from the horse's mouth or you know that a piece of information has come straight from the horse's mouth then you know that you can believe it because it has come from an authoritative or dependable source.

"Are you sure John is leaving the company?"
"Definitely, I heard it straight from the horse's mouth!"
(John told you himself)

"This comes straight from the horse's mouth so it has to be believed!"

Missing nominees?

2010-02-23T13:22:00.000+01:00

A couple of weeks back I posted about the upcoming Academy Awards so that you could take a peek at this year's nominees. The other day I stumbled across an article about some films that have been overlooked by the Academy this year but, perhaps they should have been included. What do you think? Have you seen any of these films? Do you think they are more Oscar-worthy than the films or actors that have been nominated? I'd love to hear your opinion.

Here is the article > > > >

The Baftas

2010-02-22T13:43:00.002+01:00

It's definitely the award ceremony season, we've had the Brits, the Goyas, The Golden Globes, we're waiting for the Oscars and last night it was the Baftas. The Baftas are the British equivalent of the Goyas or the Oscars and surprise, surprise Avatar didn't win Best film or Best Director. Go to the Bafta's website to find out who did win in those categories and the rest. There are a few surprises!

This year was also the first year for Prince William as the President of the Academy and he awarded Vanessa Redgrave with a Fellowship Award - the highest award available from the Academy. It is given in recognition of an outstanding an exceptional contribution to film. Previous winners include Charlie Chaplin, Alfred Hitchcock and Anthony Hopkins.

Word of the Week - 63

2010-02-22T12:54:00.002+01:00

SPIT

This week's word of the week was inspired by my morning walk to the local supermarket. It wasn't really raining so I didn't take my umbrella with me. The drops that were falling from the sky were only light and I didn't get very wet. When the rain is light like this you can say informally that it is spitting. It is the informal equivalent of the verb drizzle, which was a word of the week a couple of years back.

The verb spit has another, not so pleasant meaning. In fact it describes a terribly bad habit which I have had the misfortune to witness all too often in Madrid. It describes the action of forcing out the contents of the mouth - especially saliva.

Some teenagers have the horrible habit of spitting in the street.

I hate it when people spit their sunflower seed shells on the floor!

He spat out his meal in disgust - he had never tasted anything so awful!

The Brit Awards 2010

2010-02-17T13:11:00.001+01:00

The Brits is the British Music Industry's pop award ceremony, which is held every year at a venue in London. This year it took place on the 16th of February and the main winner of the night was Lady Gaga who walked away with three awards for Best International Album, Best International Female Solo Artist and Best International Breakthrough Act. Robbie Williams, who has won more Brits than any other artist (13 as a solo artist and 3 as a member of Take That), was awarded a Brit for his outstanding contribution to British Music. This year there was a new category, The Best British Album of the last 30 years. Oasis won with their album (What's the story)Morning Glory?". Look at the list of nominees below and see if you agree with the winning album or if you would have voted for somebody else. I'd love to read your comments or opinions!

Coldplay - A Rush of Blood to the Head
Dido - No angel
Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms
Duffy - Rockferry
Keane - Hopes & Fears
Oasis - (What's the Story) Morning Glory?
Phil Collins - No Jacket Required
Sade - Diamond Life
The Verve - Urban Hymns
Travis - The Man Who

Word of the Week -62

2010-02-15T12:52:00.001+01:00

WOMANISER

This week's word came to me while thinking of all things romance related. However, the word in itself is really the opposite of romantic! It is a noun that is used to describe a man who often has temporary sexual relationships with a lot of women and who is always trying to get women to sleep with him. Essentially, a womaniser (spelt womanizer in American English) is a man who uses and takes advantage of women.

One of the most famous womanisers in history is of course is the 18th century Italian writer, Casanova. In fact, his name has become synonymous with 'womaniser' and you can say 'John is a real casanova' and mean that he has had a lot of sexual partners and is therefore a womaniser!

Perhaps you have heard the word in one of Britney Spears' latest offerings since she has a song entitled 'Womanizer'. Maybe you are not a fan of hers but the video is pretty cool and gives you a good idea of what a womaniser is! Check it out here and practise your English listening skills!

True Romance

2010-02-11T13:30:00.003+01:00

It's almost Valentine's Day again and a time for love and romance. Do you celebrate Valentine's Day by showering your loved one with gifts? Or do you think it is all a load of old codswallop? Whatever you think about this holiday of love, why not take the opportunity to learn some love related idioms in English. Here is a good web page with lots of relationship related idiomatic expressions and their definitions. Have fun learning and Happy Valentine's Day for Sunday!

Look at the idioms web page > > >

Expression of the Fortnight - 10

2010-02-09T12:59:00.005+01:00

YOU CAN'T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER

This expression is related to last fortnight's expression (beauty is only skin deep). It means that you cannot know what something or someone is really like just by looking at their appearances. It is often used in the imperative 'Don't judge a book by its cover!" when you want to remind someone that there are more important things than just the aesthetic qualities of something.

Two famous examples of judging a book by its cover can be seen in the last two seasons of Britain's Got Talent. The looks on the faces of the panel of judges when they met both Paul Potts and Susan Boyle were priceless. (Click on the names to see the video clips) And look at the shock they got! This just proves that we should not be led by what is on the outside!

Word of the Week - 61

2010-02-08T12:31:00.001+01:00

BOTHERED

This week's word is an adjective (pronounced /ˈbɒð.əd/). If you say that you are bothered about something then you are saying that it is important to you or that it worries you. If you say that you are not bothered about something then you are saying that you don't care about it and it isn't important to you.

I'm not bothered about what other people think of me - I think it is more important to be myself and not put on a show.

What do you want for dinner, James?
I'm not bothered - whatever's easiest.

(You need to be careful with the intonation of this phrase if you use it to answer a question because you can come across as being rude.)

This expression became something of a catchphrase for British comedienne, Catherine Tate, who uses it often in her sketches of Lauren, a rude high-school student from London. You can check out some of these sketches on Youtube, but you will need a high level of English to understand the accents and humour in the clips. Here is one for you to watch - I highly recommend the videos of Lauren in French class, Chemistry class and English class too!

This word also appears in the expression 'can't be bothered'. Here the meaning is that you don't feel like doing something because you are too tired, too lazy or just not in the right mood to do it.

I can't be bothered to cook dinner tonight - shall we order a Chinese?

Facebook Mania!

2010-02-04T12:15:00.003+01:00

Unless you have been living under a rock for the past couple of years, you will have heard of the social networking website, Facebook. Facebook was founded by Mark Zuckerberg, a Havard University student, and his roomates and fellow Computer Science students. At first it was only accessible to Harvard students, but soon expanded to include all Ivy League universities, then all US colleges and high schools and then to anyone over the age of 13. The social networking site then caught on in the UK and Australia and after being translated into over 70 languages, it now boasts over 350 million users worldwide. Although the Facebook craze has infected most countries, it hasn't taken everywhere by storm. In fact, the site is actually banned in several countries including Vietnam, China, Syria and Iran. It has also been banned in many places of work because bosses don't want their employees wasting company time using this service.

Using Facebook in work time is not the only job-related risk; these people either almost lost or did lose their jobs because of foolish things they posted on the site. Read on...

The guys who played the Lying down game > > >

The guy who skived off work > > >

The girl who publicly insulted her boss > > >

So, next time you are posting something on your profile, just think carefully about who may be reading!

Some people are believed to have a Facebook addiction because they go on the site so much. Do you think you are a Facebook addict? To find out you can do this online quiz > > >

The Academy Awards

2010-02-03T15:03:00.004+01:00

The Academy Awards, more commonly known as the Oscars, are just a month away and the nominations have just been released. If you are eager to find out who has been nominated in each category, you can get all the information on the official Oscars website.

Who do you reckon is going to take home the award for Best Leading Actor? Who are going to place your money on for Best Actress? Which film do you think is going to sweep the board this year? Who do you think doesn't stand a chance of winning anything? Do you think Penelope can bring home the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for a second year in a row? Leave a comment and share your thoughts with me. Or, even better, if you have seen one of the films which have been nominated this year, why not write us a review and tell us all about it. I haven't seen any of this year's films and would love to hear your rave reviews. Of course, if you wish to pan the nominated films - that is fine too!

Don't be shy! This is great practice for those of you who are preparing for the Cambridge Exams!

(To help you writing your review check out this entry from 2008)

Word of the Week - 60

2010-02-01T14:47:00.003+01:00

DRAWBACK

This week's word is a noun which will come in handy for those of you who are doing a Cambridge exam this year. Your teachers will often tell you about the importance of not repeating common words such as good and bad, advantages and disadvantages, important, etc. You get more marks if you try to vary the language you use in your writing and speaking.

This week's word is a synonym for 'disadvantage' and is used to refer to the negative part of a given situation.

The main drawback of living with someone is having to share a bathroom.

Young people should be educated in school about the drawbacks of smoking.

For the opposite of 'drawback' and a synonym for 'advantage' you can use 'benefit'.

The discovery of oil brought many benefits to the town.

One of the many benefits of living in Madrid is having easy access to theatres and cinemas.

National Soup Month

2010-01-29T11:51:00.004+01:00

While surfing the net this morning, I discovered that January is National Soup Month. This is more than likely because January is such a cold month and we need something nice and hot to warm us up - and what could be better than a big bowl of soup?

Here you can read an article about how soup got its name and how Campbells' is one of the world's most famous soup manufacturers.

Go to the article > > > >

I love making soup at home, it's relatively quick and easy. I think it's a real comfort food.

If you fancy trying to whizz up your own soup, you could check out this Jamie Oliver recipe for Real Mushroom Soup - one of my personal faves!

Expression of the Fortnight - 9

2010-01-26T14:27:00.007+01:00

BEAUTY IS ONLY SKIN DEEP

This is a saying which means that what a person is like on the inside is much more important than their physical beauty. So, someone may be unbelievably attractive on the outside, but mean and cruel on the inside. Or on the other hand a person may be quite plain on the outside but they seem all the more attractive because of the inner beauty they possess. So next time you are talking to someone and they are going on about somebody's looks perhaps you should say to them "Remember that beauty is only skin deep!"

Word of the Week - 59

2010-01-25T14:14:00.000+01:00

SQUATTER

This week's word is a noun which is used to describe a person who lives in an empty building without permission. The building, house, or flat which is illegally occupied is called a squat.

A group of young squatters have refused to leave a 17th-century Parisian mansion they have occupied for more than two months.

(You can read the related news article for the above example here >>>>>)

There is an internationally recognised symbol for squatters, which you can see here on the right, and according to one author there are over one billion squatters worldwide - which would mean one in every seven people illegally occupy land or buildings!

Do you know of any squats and their squatters?

Monday Morning Blues!

2010-01-19T23:26:00.003+01:00

I asked some students to describe how they had felt during the day yesterday and most of them were in agreement that Mondays in general are hard and a bit depressing! Then when I got home after class I discovered an article on the internet about how the third Monday in January is considered by many to be the worst day in the whole year! And yesterday was the third Monday of January! Apparently this title of 'Worst Day' comes from the fact that the third Monday is about the time when the Christmas bills are coming in, we have already broken most of our new year resolutions and the weather is often gloomy and wet! So, if yesterday you were feeling particularly down - now you know why!

For some tips on how to survive those blues why not check out this article > > >

What's the Difference? - 6

2010-01-19T22:48:00.003+01:00

BEEN / GONE

Many a time my students have looked at me with a puzzled expression on their face when I have asked them what the two past participles of go are. Two? They ask, confused. Well, there is gone and that's it, right? No, wrong! There is also been. Been? But isn't that the past participle of the verb be? Well, yes but, it is also the past participle of the verb go. So, how do we know which to use?

BEEN suggests that a person has travelled to a place and has also returned from that place. Therefore BEEN suggests that the action has been completed.

GONE suggests that a person has travelled to a place and remains in that place.

Compare these sentences:

I've been to the office this morning because I forgot to bring my laptop home.

(I went to the office and I came back home again)

"Where's John?"

"He's gone to the office because he has left his laptop on his desk."

(John has travelled to the office and he is still there or on his way back but he is not at home yet)

Word of the Week - 59

2010-01-18T22:30:00.000+01:00

RUBBLE

I came across this week's word while reading an article on the BBC website about the terrible earthquake which devastated Haiti last week. It is a noun and it is used to refer to the bits of broken stone and bricks which are left after a building has fallen down or been destroyed.

The fire reduced the house to rubble.

A woman was found alive under the rubble of the supermarket.

You can read the article I was looking at by following this link > > >

New Year's Resolutions

2010-01-15T13:29:00.004+01:00

So it is that time of year again when people decide to make changes in their lives. Have you decided to alter anything in your life this year? Perhaps you have decided to give up smoking or to quit drinking or to stop swearing so much. Or on the other hand maybe you are thinking about taking up a sport or starting to learn something new? I, personally, never make New Year's resolutions because I find them so terribly difficult to keep, but if you are considering leaving behind your bad habits to turn over a new leaf perhaps you could do with a little help. Videojug has some interesting videos you can watch about almost anything in the world! Take this video on stopping biting your nails for instance. (> > > > Go to video)

If you have a resolution in mind, why not check the Videojug website to see if they have any useful tips to help you on your way to success!

Expression of the Fortnight - 8

2010-01-13T11:42:00.002+01:00

LONG TIME NO SEE

This is a saying which is used when you haven't seen somebody for a long period of time. It is what you may be thinking about this blog right now since it hasn't been updated since July 2009!

"Hey, John! Long time no see, mate! Where've you been hiding?"
"I've been working in New York for the last four months."

Word of the Week - 58

2010-01-11T14:02:00.002+01:00

BLIZZARD

The first word of the week of 2010 is weather related and pretty useful for what is occuring around Europe at the moment. The word is a noun which describes a severe snow storm with strong winds.

Here is an example from this week's news stories:

"...police and mountain rescuers trekked for an hour through driving snow to reach five experienced walkers stranded in blizzard conditions..."

"Jill, in the Wirral, said her 12-year-old daughter was left stranded six miles from her house in a blizzard when her school closed early."

The word can also be used metaphorically to mean a large amount of something.

"2010 will see a blizzard of television innovations" (meaning lots of new innovations in television)

Happy New Year!

2010-01-11T13:47:00.003+01:00

First of all, I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year. Secondly, I would like to apologise since the latter half of 2009 was a bit of a quiet year for the BLC Blog. Some of you may know that I have been off on maternity leave and have had my hands quite full for the past few months. However, now it is 2010 and the blog and myself are making a comeback! I wish I could say that we were back by popular demand but no-one seems to have queried our disappearance! :-( Anyway, I won't bear a grudge and will just hope that you all return to reading the blog frequently throughout the new year.

The Number 0

2009-07-02T12:11:00.006+02:00

The number '0' in English has quite a few different names depending on the context in which it is being used. Let's look at the different names it has.

The general term in British English for '0' is nought (pronounced nort). When we are saying decimals such as 0.9 or 0.05 we say 'nought point nine' and 'nought point nought five'.

The general term in American English is zero. This is also used in British English to talk about temperature. We say for example, 'temperatures are below zero.' In American English it is also used to refer to football scores.

In British English a football (soccer) score of '0' is referred to as a score of 'nil'. For example. 1-0 is 'one-nil'. In tennis however, as you may have noticed if you have been watching Wimbledon this week, a score of '0' is referred to as 'love.'

Finally, in telephone numbers and account numbers and other similar numbers the '0' is pronounced 'oh'. For example, 0971 603044 would be oh nine seven one, six oh, three oh, double four.'

So now you know how to say '0' in different situations!

Word of the Week - 57

2009-06-29T21:18:00.002+02:00

SPATE

This week's word is a noun which came to my attention after a conversation with my mother. She was telling me about how crime is increasing in our home town, especially burglaries. She used this word which refers to an unusually large number of events which happen suddenly and at about the same time.

There has been a spate of burglaries in our neighbourhood recently.

I'm going through a spate of bad luck at the moment.

The government is planning traffic reforms after a spate of deaths on national motorways.

British Cuisine - Pimm's

2009-06-26T21:40:00.002+02:00

Since Wimbledon began this week I thought that I should tell you all about a drink which is commonly taken during the tennis tournament as well as at polo matches, regattas and opera festivals. It is a rather posh drink, a cocktail in fact, which is often enjoyed in the summer months.

Pimm's was first produced by a British farmer's son called James Pimm in 1823. The original blend is called Pimm's No. 1 Cup. It is based on gin and has a dark tea colour with a reddish tint, and tastes subtly of spice and citrus fruit. It is often taken with ginger ale or lemonade and decorated (garnished) with cucumber, strawberries and fresh mint.

So, if you find yourself in Britain this summer, you know what to order at the bar! Yum yum!

Expression of the Fortnight - 7

2009-06-24T21:27:00.001+02:00

Ok - I know we haven't had one of these for a while so I thought it was about time I came up with another expression post!

POT CALLING THE KETTLE BLACK

When someone accuses you of being like a pot calling the kettle black they are saying that you are guilty of the same thing for which you are complaining about another person. For example, if you always arrive late and yet you are complaining about somebody for not being on time, the person who you are complaining to / or about may say 'That's the pot calling the kettle black!" To make it shorter and more sarcastic the person may just say, "Hello, Pot!" or "Hello, Pot. I'm Kettle!"

The equivalents in Spanish are "Apártate que me tiznas, dijo la sarten al cazo" or "El burro hablando de orejas".

Word of the Week - 56

2009-06-22T13:42:00.001+02:00

SCORCHING

This week's word is an adjective which will be very useful to you in the coming weeks as the temperature in the capital goes up and up. The adjective means very hot, which is what it is now in Madrid.

It's a scorching summer day!

It's scorching hot in the street.

There are many other adjectives in English that you can use to say that it or something is very hot. Here are a couple more:

I'm boiling, isn't the air conditioning working?

The house was sweltering when we got back from our holidays. We had to open all the windows.

Word of the Week - 55

2009-06-15T12:23:00.000+02:00

BIG-HEADED

This week's word is an adjective. It does not mean what you may think it means, since it is a false friend. This adjective is used to describe somebody who thinks that they are more important, more clever or just better than everybody else. It describes somebody who is always boasting about how good they are.

John is so big-headed! He thinks he's the best football player on the team.

The noun big-head can also be used in the same way.

John is such a big-head! He walks around as if he's god's gift to women!

Don't compliment her so much or she'll start getting a big head.

Cambridge Exams - June 2009

2009-06-11T12:38:00.000+02:00

For those students who will be sitting their Cambridge First Certificate and Advanced exams next week don't forget that you can do some online activities on the Flo-Joe website. The corrections are also available online so you can see how well you are doing.

FCE Practice Test > > >

CAE Practice Test > > >

Happy studying and good luck to you all x x

Word of the Week - 54

2009-06-08T12:26:00.002+02:00

SWAP

This week's word is a verb which can be used to mean exchange. When you give somebody something in return for something else you can say that you are swapping something.

When you've finished reading that book do you want to swap with me? This book is really good too.

I swapped addresses with a lovely couple who we met on our honeymoon. (I gave them my address and they gave me theirs - we didn't exchange houses!)

They spent all night in the pub swapping stories about university. (telling each other stories)

Ok students, swap sheets with the people sitting next to you.

British Cuisine - Summer Fruit Pudding

2009-06-05T12:04:00.006+02:00

Summer is now upon us, so what better a time to tell you about a typical British summertime dessert. Summer Fruit Pudding is a dessert made from bread and macerated berries. Typical berries that are used can include redcurrants, blackcurrants , raspberries,

blueberries, blackberries, tayberries, and strawberries. Any mixture of these berries would work but most recipes include at least blackcurrants and redcurrants in their mix.

The berries are heated in a saucepan with sugar until their juices begin to run. Some people suggest leaving the fruit and sugar in the fridge for a few hours before heating. The bread is cut into triangles and stips and soaked in the juices from the fruit. These bread shapes are then used to line a deep bowl making sure that there are no gaps for the juice to leak out of. The bread bowl is then filled with the berries, sealed with more bread on top and then weighted down and placed in the fridge overnight to set.

The pudding should be served cold with icecream or cream. Yummy yummy!

Good Luck

2009-06-03T10:18:00.003+02:00

Everyone at the BLC would like to wish those students who are doing their FCE or CAE Speaking Exam over the next few weeks the best of luck. Break a leg! (As they say to actors and the like)

Word of the Week - 53

2009-06-01T15:40:00.002+02:00

CHEESY

This week's word is an adjective which is used to describe something that is of poor and cheap quality and is often seen as being in bad taste. The thing being described often tries to give the impression that it is in fact of good quality. It can also be used to describe something that is really common and has been seen or heard many times before, which is the case when we use it to refer to music or films. The meaning is a mixture of hortera, cursi and cutre in Spanish.

I hate cheesy adverts with famous people trying to promote bank accounts or insurance policies.

I love listening to cheesy Christmas music like Last Christmas by Wham and All I Want for Christmas by Mariah carey.

We stayed in a cheesy motel on our way to Tijuana.

Grease 2 is one of the greatest cheesy movies ever, the acting is terrible but I just love watching it again and again!

World No-Tobacco Day

2009-05-31T20:00:00.003+02:00

Today, the 31st of May, is World No-Tobacco Day. This day was created back in 1987 when The Member States of the World Health Organization decided to come together to draw global attention to the tobacco epidemic and the preventable death and disease it causes.

If you are a non-smoker or an ex-smoker you may find it interesting to read the World Health Organization's website for this year's No-Tobacco Day. If you are a smoker you probably shouldn't read it.

For everyone I have some vocabulary that you can learn related to smoking:

The colloquial names for a cigarette in British English are a cig or a fag. (Be careful with the last word in the US because in American English it is an impolite way of referring to a homosexual male). You need a lighter to light your cigarette and an ashtray for you to deposit your ash and cigarette butts in. You ask someone for a light (not a fire) when you need to borrow someone else's lighter! When you put out your cigarette you are stubbing them out. If you ever wish to stop smoking completely then you can quit or give up! If you enjoy puffing on a cigarette when you have a drink in your hand then I will give you a piece of advice for if you are ever in Britain or in the presence of British smokers. Never ask someone you don't know to give you a free cigarette. In Spain this happens all the time, but in the UK tobacco is extremely expensive and people will think you are rude and cheap if you ask to bum a cig!

What's the Difference ? - 5

2009-05-29T19:48:00.002+02:00

economic / economical

Both these words are adjectives and they look very similar but they are quite different in meaning.

The first adjective refers to things which are associated with the economy as a system. We talk about the current economic crisis and the economic policy of a country or government.

The second adjective, however, refers to something which does not use a lot of fuel or cost a lot of money. We should try to buy cars that are more economical and look for more economical ways of heating our buildings in order to help the environment through wasting less!

British Cuisine - English Trifle

2009-05-27T19:21:00.000+02:00

A trifle is a typical British dessert made from sponge, fruit, alcohol -usually sherry, custard and cream. It is often eaten at Christmas or parties in general. The secret to a trifle is in its many layers and colours which add to its beauty. It has been enjoyed in Britain for over three centuries. You can check out a trifle recipe on Delia Smith's website (this woman is a cooking institution in Britain).

For a very bizarre trifle recipe you should watch Friends Series 6 Episode 9 when Rachel tries her hand at making this British dessert for Thanksgiving with some interesting results. It is one of my personal favourite episodes!

Word of the Week - 52

2009-05-25T12:23:00.003+02:00

CHEEKY

This week's word is another adjective which is used to describe somebody who is slightly rude and shows a lack of respect towards another person, but sometimes in a funny way.

He has a cheeky grin!

Don't be so cheeky young lady!

The noun from this word is 'cheek' it refers to the fleshy part of the body located on the sides of your face and also to rudeness and lack of respect - but not in a funny way!

She's got some cheek to take your car without asking!

He had the cheek to ask me to pay for his girlfriend too! (tener morro / cara dura)

What a cheek! (Qué morro!)

Word of the Week - 51

2009-05-18T12:18:00.003+02:00

SPARE

This week's word is an adjective which is used to refer to something which is available because it is extra. You have probably heard people talkng about their spare time which is another way to refer to one's free time. Other uses of this word include the following:

I have a spare room in my flat so you are welcome to come and stay with me while you find somewhere more permenant to live. I have a spare key too so you can come and go as you like.

Have you got a spare pen I could borrow? This one isn't working.

Do you want this cake?
Yes, if it's going spare. (i.e no-one else wants it)

Word of the Week - 50

2009-05-11T11:03:00.005+02:00

DODGY

This week's word is an adjective which is used in informal English to mean dishonest, risky, not to be depended on or likely to break and cause pain. I thought of this word because I use it quite a lot and my students never know what I mean.

They got involved in a dodgy deal and lost all their savings.
(The deal was risky and didn't work out)

The weather might be a bit dodgy at this time of year in Cantabria.
(So you can't be sure that the weather will be good, it could be very varied with rain)

Be careful, that chair is a bit dodgy.
(It isn't very safe, I'm worried it might break if you sit down too hard on it)

I don't trust that man, he seems a bit dodgy to me.
(I think he looks dishonest)

British Cuisine - Shepherd's Pie

2009-05-09T18:33:00.004+02:00

Shepherd's Pie or Cottage Pie is a typical English dish. It is not like the pies that we saw in the last British Cuisine entry as it has no pastry whatsoever. The 'pie' top is instead made from mashed potatoes. The contents of the pie include minced beef or lamb, carrots, peas and a gravy style sauce. It is very simple to make and tastes delicious. For me it is a real comfort food! Some people also sprinkle grated cheese on the top before putting it in the oven.

To see a recipe for this dish and an über-short video (1.46 mins) of one of Britain's most famous celebrity chef's making a pie go to this link.

Portmanteau Words

2009-05-06T12:00:00.004+02:00

A portmanteau word is a mixture or blend of two other words to create a new word with a meaning related to the two original parts. The word portmanteau is French for coatstand and is in itself an example of such a word since it is formed from the French 'porter' meaning to carry and 'manteau' meaning coat / cloak. In English the word `portmanteau' is used to refer to a type of bag with two sides (as shown in the picture). It is said that the famous author Lewis Carroll first coined the expression 'portmanteau word' in his book 'Through the Looking Glass' in 1871.

Some common Portmanteau words include the following;

BRUNCH (breakfast - lunch)

INTERNET (international - network)

CHOCOHOLIC ( Chocolate - alcoholic)

Look at the following word amalgamations and see if you can work out the two original words and the meaning of the new Portmanteau word. Post your answers in the comments box.

MOTEL

OXBRIDGE

GINORMOUS

BRANGELINA

SMOG

BLOG

BOLLYWOOD

CHUNNEL

CAMCORDER

The English language is constantly evolving and new words appear all the time. You could even try to come up with your own portmanteau word in English or in Spanish and post that in the comment box too telling us how you came up with the idea and what it means!

Word of the Week - 49

2009-05-04T08:19:00.001+02:00

FUSSY

This week's word is an adjective which is used to describe a person who is not easily satisified or who has high standards and fixed ideas about how things should be.

My father is a very fussy eater, he won't try anything new when we go on holiday and he is always picking at the food on his plate.

My wife is very fussy about the house, everything has to be just right, in the correct position and at the correct angle. It drives me mad!

In informal English you can say that you are not fussy or not fussed to say that you have no preference between two options and that you would be satisfied with either.

"Would you like tea or coffee?"
"I'm not fussy - whichever is easiest for you."

"Red or white wine?"
"I'm not fussed, whichever you prefer."

2nd of May

2009-05-02T14:17:00.004+02:00

British Cuisine - Pies

2009-04-30T11:24:00.000+02:00

Pies are very popular food items in the UK. A pie is an oven-baked dish which is usually made of a pastry shell that covers or completely contains a filling of various sweet or savoury ingredients. A pie can be completely closed like the one in the photo, it can be open with just a pastry bottom or it can have a 'top-crust' where the filling is in the dish with a pastry top.

Popular savoury pies in the UK include:

Chicken and Mushroom
Steak and Ale
Steak and Kidney
Meat and Potato
Wild Rabbit

These are served piping hot with gravy and vegetables as a main meal. You can find many of these pies in pubs and cafés.

Popular sweet pies in the UK include:

Apple
Apple and Blackberry
Rhubarb
Blueberry

These are served either hot with custard or cold with cream or icecream.

Pies are so popular in Britain that there is a whole week dedicated to them. Check out the website from this year's Pie Week. In the north of England in my home town there is a village known as the Pie Village. Find out why here.

What's the Difference ? - 4

2009-04-29T11:09:00.001+02:00

COME / GO

These two verbs are often mixed up by non-native speakers of English. They are especially confusing for the Spanish because they are often used the opposite way round!

The thing to remember is that in English the position and perspective of the person speaking is important.

We use 'go' to describe movement away from the place where the speaker or hearer is.

Are you going to English class tonight? (said by one student to another in the street)
I need to go to the supermarket tonight.
Shall we go to the cinema at the weekend?
When are you going to Spain ? (asked by one friend to another who is in the same country)

We use 'come' to describe movement towards the place where the speaker or hearer is.

Is Juan coming to class today? (Said by the teacher to the rest of the students)
No, he isn't coming to class today. (A student replies to the teacher's question)
I'm going home. Do you want to come with me? (I go to my house but you come with me)
When are you coming to Spain? (asked by someone in Spain to someone in another country)

The main mistake is made when the teacher sees a student in the corridor and asks if they are coming to class. The student often replies 'I go now' when of course he / she should say 'I'm coming now' because they need to see things from the teacher's perspective. Also when someone calls your name from another room, you should say 'coming'.

Word of the Week - 48

2009-04-27T10:38:00.002+02:00

SWINE

This week's word is related to the flu epidemic sweeping Mexico. Swine is an old-fashioned word for pig as well as a specialized word, which is the case when we say Swine flu. If you refer to a person as a swine you consider them to be extemely inpleasant and unkind.

Although the word 'swine' may not be very useful to you in your daily lives, it did get me thinking about other pig expressions. A male pig is called a hog and the word hog can be used informally as a verb meaning to take or use more than your fair share of something, somewhat like a pig might do!

My sister is always hogging the bathroom, she is in there for hours on end!
Why do you always hog the telephone, other people need to use it, you know!

There is also a phrasal verb formed from the verb pig and the particle out. To pig out is to eat a lot or too much of not necessarily healthy food!

The children pigged out on sweets and chocolate all day and couldn't eat there dinner!
Whenever I'm feeling a bit sad I pig out on cakes and ice-cream!

British Cuisine - The Full Breakfast

2009-04-22T12:44:00.005+02:00

Contrary to popular belief, British people do not have a full cooked breakfast every day. Most people eat toast with butter and jam or cereal for breakfast. There isn't enough time in the morning, before school or work, to prepare a full cooked breakfast and who could face all that food at 7 o' clock? This food is usually eaten at the weekends, in hotels on holiday or in pubs and cafés which serve it as an all-day meal. Some people eat it as brunch instead of having a separate breakfast and lunch.

In slang terms, many Brits refer to this breakfast as a fry-up and some of cheaper not so nice looking cafés serving primarily this food are known as greasy spoons.

The typical ingredients of the breakfast vary in different regions but the staple foods are eggs (fried or poached), sausages and bacon. You may also find cooked tomatoes, baked beans, fried mushrooms, black pudding (morcilla), hash browns (potato cakes), toast, eggy bread and many more things. All this food is supposed to be fried but some people prefer it grilled to make it a little healthier and less coronary-inducing! All this should be accompanied with a glass of orange juice and a nice cup of tea!

Perhaps much more common these days are hot sandwiches using ingredients from the full breakfast. Bacon sandwiches, bacon and egg sandwiches, sausage sandwiches, sausage and egg and mushroom sandwiches. These are generally served in a bread roll.

So, if you are going to the UK to stay with a family and study English, don't expect to have to eat a full cooked breakfast every morning, but if you wish you could go to a café and try one. They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and this is a breakfast that is sure to keep you going into the early evening!

Word of the Week - 47

2009-04-20T12:25:00.005+02:00

SWOT

This week's word is an informal verb (common among British teenagers) which means to study hard, usually by reading or learning about something, before an exam. A lot of you will need to start swotting pretty soon, that is if you haven't already, because the Cambridge exams are just around the corner! You may be thinking to yourselves "Oh, but I have plenty of time, the exams aren't until June", but the sooner you start to swot up on your grammar, vocabulary and general skills, the better! You don't want to leave everything until the last minute and find yourself cramming for the exam the night before!!!

This word can also be used as a noun and applied in a disapproving way to describe somebody who studies hard. It is the equivalent of 'empollón' in Spanish.

"John is such a swot, he always has his head in a book!"
"You're just jealous because he gets better grades than you."

An unlucky day?

2009-04-14T12:52:00.006+02:00

Many people quote the 13th as the unluckiest day in the calendar, although throughout history the 14th of April has not been a very lucky day either!

On this day in 1865, Abraham Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth while he was watching a play at the Ford's Theater.

On this day in 1912, the Titanic struck an iceburg at 11.40pm and began to sink.

On this day in 1944, a massive explosion hit Bombay Harbour killing 300 people.

On this day in 1986, the heaviest hailstones ever recorded fell on Bangladesh killing 92 people.

However, it is not all bad news. If you are single and living in South Korea, today is the unofficial celebration day for you. It is known as Black Day and is the single person's equivalent to Valentine's Day.

Word of the Week - 45

2009-04-13T14:48:00.005+02:00

RANDOM

Hello Everyone. Hope you had a lovely Easter. I'm back again now with a new word of the week. I have chosen this word because, according to my mother, I say it about ten times a day.

The word is an adjective with the most common usage being to describe something that is done or happens by chance rather than by following some kind of plan.

I asked a random selection of people what they thought about the film.
The winners were chosen at random from a hat.

In slang the word can be used to mean 'weird' or 'strange'.

He's been acting a bit randomly of late.

Oh, that's a bit random isn't it?

Word of the Week - 44

2009-03-30T08:00:00.002+02:00

FAKE

This week's word is an adjective, a noun and a verb.

As a noun it is an object which is made to look real and valuable so as to trick people into thinking that it is the real thing.

Experts revealed that the painting in the musuem was actually a fake.

As an adjective it describes an object which is made to look or seem real.

I can't afford real designer handbags, but they make really good fake ones these days. you can hardly tell the difference.

Some underage people carry fake ID so that they can get into nightclubs and buy alcohol.

As a verb it means to falsify something.

I used to fake my parents' signatures on sick notes so that I didn't have to go to school.

British Cuisine - Devonshire Cream Tea

2009-03-28T21:21:00.003+01:00

Cream Tea, Devonshire Cream Tea and Cornish Cream Tea are all names for a quintessential English afternoon snack that can be enjoyed in the aforementioned counties or all around England in special tea rooms. (If you are ever in Yorkshire, Bettys Tea Rooms are quite famous in the region and although they are a bit on the expensive side they are lovely for a special treat.) You can even get Cream Teas in the commonwealth countries and the United States. Ideally, this snack should be eaten around 4 o' clock.

A Cream Tea consists of a pot of fresh tea which is taken with a sweet scone served with strawberry jam and clotted cream. (A scone is a bread-type cake of Scottish origin made of flour, sugar, milk and butter. Other ingredients are then added to the mixture for different variations. ) In a Cream Tea the scones are most likely to be sultana scones (con pasas).

For a true Devonshire Cream Tea, you should of course go to Devon itself. Devon is a beautiful county in the South West of England next to Cornwall. It has some lovely beaches and magnificent landscapes. Check out the tourist site for more information!

Brand Names That Have Become Verbs

2009-03-25T23:38:00.006+01:00

Brand names can become generic when they are so commonly used that people associate the brand name for every product of that type regardless of who manufactures it. Some brand names become so generic that people begin to use them as verbs describing the action that is carried out with the product. Let's look at the most common examples of this in English.

First of all, we have the verb 'to hoover' or 'do the hoovering'. In the UK this verb means to 'vacuum clean' or 'do the vacuuming' and comes from the well-known vacuum cleaner trademark, Hoover.

Another brand verb is 'to xerox' (pronounced 'zeerocks') which in American English is used to mean 'to photocopy'. The noun 'a xerox' also exists to talk about a photocopy. It doesn't matter if you use a Canon photocopier or a HP, people in the States still say 'I need to xerox this report'.

One of the newest and most common brand verbs is 'to google'. This of course means to search for something on the internet. Since most people use Google as their search engine this is the verb that caught on and not 'to Yahoo' or to 'MSN'. One of my hobbies is doing cryptic crosswords and if I am not sure of a word, I always google it!

Now, although this might seem like positive and free advertising for the companies involved, over the years most of these giant corporations have paid their lawyers a lot of money to help them fight against it! You can read this article from the BBC news, which despite being old, is still relevant.

Word of the Week - 43

2009-03-23T08:00:00.000+01:00

TOAST

According to the internet, today is Toast Day. I'm not sure exactly why anybody would want to celebrate Toast Day but it did give me today's word of the week. Now, I'm sure you all know what toast is and you most probably eat it every morning with olive oil and fresh tomato. Being English, I eat mine with butter and jam or marmalade or sometimes honey. But today's word of the week is not that kind of toast. (Just remember that 'toast' the food is an uncountable noun! We talk about pieces of toast if we wish to count them)

Today's 'toast' is a drink. Well, it's not really the drink, but more of the expression of congratulations and good wishes that goes along with an alcoholic drink, usually wine or champagne. The word can be used as a noun or a verb.

Now, if you'd all please raise your glasses, I'd like to propose a toast to the bride and groom.

Champagne corks popped as the guests drank a toast to the happy couple.

We all toasted the happy couple after the speech.

British Cuisine - Sunday Roast

2009-03-22T13:46:00.007+01:00

Sunday Roast, Sunday Lunch or Sunday Dinner is, as one might have guessed, a meal which is eaten on Sundays. It is usually eaten in the early afternoon and consists of a roasted joint of meat, roast potatoes, and an assortment of vegetables. Gravy made from the meat juices is also a must for this meal.

The traditional Sunday roast has been traced back to Yorkshire during the Industrial Revolution. It is believed this tradition arose because the meat could be left in the oven to cook before the family went to church on Sunday morning, and it would be ready when they arrived home at lunchtime.

The most common joint of meat for Sunday Roast is beef, which is most commonly served with Yorkshire Pudding and either English or Horseradish mustard. Other choices are lamb served with mint sauce, pork served with sage and onion stuffing, crackling (la corteza) and apple sauce or chicken served with redcurrant jelly.

Obviously one of the best places for you to try this meal is in somebody's home, but if you don't know anyone who is willing to invite you to Sunday Lunch, then you could go to a carvery. The advantage of a carvery is that you can usually try a bit of every joint they have on offer! And many carvery pubs and restaurants allow you to eat as much as you can for the same price!

Expression of the Fortnight - 6

2009-03-19T14:14:00.003+01:00

TO TIGHTEN YOUR BELT

This is an expression that means to spend less money than before because you have less money, you aren't working as much or because you are feeling the effects of an economic crisis. It means to economise.

I've had to tighten my belt since I stopped working full-time.

We need to tighten our belts at the moment and stop spending so much on unnecessary items.

Have you had to tighten your belt this year?

The expression comes from the idea that when we haven't had enough to eat, perhaps because we can't afford, we lose weight and therefore have to pull our belt more around our waist to stop our trousers from falling down. Another variation of this expression is 'to tighten the purse strings' which literally means that it is harder to get money out of your purse!

Word of the Week - 42

2009-03-16T15:54:00.000+01:00

LAY OFF

This week's word has also been inspired by the current economic crisis that we are going through. I'm sorry to seem so pessimistic, but perhaps the words will be useful to you in your English conversations and classes.

The phrasal verb 'to lay somebody off' means to stop employing someone, usually because there isn't any work for them to do or because the company can not afford to keep them.

The company has been forced to lay off over fifty workers due to a drop in sales.
John got laid off last week. He is really worried that he won't be able to find another job.

A more formal way of expressing this idea is to 'make somebody redundant'. Companies usually make redundancy payments, if they have the money, to the staff they lay off.

The verbs 'to sack' and 'to fire' can also be used but they have the added connotation that the person being dismissed has done something wrong, such as turning up late for work on a regular basis or breaking a company rule.

John was fired when his boss discovered that he had been stealing money from the till.

Penelope was sacked from her job for poor performance.

Red Nose Day

2009-03-11T21:32:00.003+01:00

Comic Relief is a British charity which was founded in 1985 by the comedy scriptwriter, Richard Curtis, in response to famine in Ethiopia. All money raised by the association is spent on charitable projects. One of Comic Relief's main fundraising activities is Red Nose Day. In the time running up to this day people can buy plastic red noses to wear over their own noses. The money that is raised from the sales of these and other related merchandise goes to help people in need. The BBC, who is one of charity's main supporters, broadcasts a show on Red Nose Day (which this year is on Friday the 13th of March) which begins in the early afternoon and lasts until late at night. Many celebrities take part in the show, entertaining the public at home watching on TV and trying to encourage people to phone in and donate money. Regular people also carry out lots of fund-raising and sponsored events among their friends and local communities to try and raise money for the charity. In schools, organised charity events often take place. The only guideline is that whatever you do to raise money, it needs to be funny!

To find out more about the charity you can check out their website. >> > > >

Word of the Week - 41.

2009-03-09T08:20:00.000+01:00

CREDIT CRUNCH

This week's words of the week are related to the crisis we find ourselves in at the moment. A credit crunch colloquially refers to a period of economic difficulty during which it is difficult to borrow money from banks or investors. We can also refer to this as a credit crisis or a credit squeeze. Literally when you crunch something (usually food with your mouth and teeth) or squeeze it, (imagine a tube of toothpaste or a lemon) you are reducing it in size, breaking it down or removing something from it. This is where the idea of a credit crunch probably comes from. The banks are reducing the amount of money they lend or invest.

How have you been affected by the current credit crunch and the rise in unemployment? If you want some advice on how to survive in this current economic climate, MSN have a survival guide with lots of tips!

Show me the survival guide > > > >

British Cuisine - Bangers and Mash

2009-03-07T22:31:00.005+01:00

A typical and traditional meal in Britain is Bangers and Mash. The word 'banger' is colloquial for sausage, and 'mash' refers to mashed potatoes. It is important that the mash be made from real potatoes with butter and milk or cream and not be from a packet like Maggi! The dish is often served with onion gravy and some form of vegetable.

There are believed to be about 470 types of sausage in the United Kingdom, where this particular item is very popular. Simple forms of Bangers and Mash use simple varieties of sausage made from pork or beef. This is common fare in British pubs, but in restaurants or gastropubs serving traditional food with a twist (something special added or changed), you are likely to find more interesting types of sausage. These can include flavours like pork and apple or lamb and mint or venison sausage. Sometimes restaurants like to liven up the mashed potato by adding horseradish (rábano picante) or wholegrain mustard or sweet garlic among other ingredients.

The two most well know varieties of English sausage are Cumberland and Lincolnshire which originated in the counties of the same name. These sausages can be bought in long coils (spirals) or in the shape of ordinary sausages.

For me, this dish is a real comfort food, I love making it and I enjoy eating it even more. Thankfully, I can buy both Cumberland and Lincolnshire sausages in my supermarket here in Madrid so I often make Bangers and Mash for my Spanish husband and he loves them!

Another Student Story

2009-03-04T21:23:00.003+01:00

A few months ago, back in December I posted a story which one of my student's had written as practice for the First Certificate Exam. I had promised to post another story but I got side-tracked. However, finally, here is that other story from one of my student's.

Emma could not believe what she saw in front of her. She had been waiting for that moment for a long time and the time had come. Her father was in front of her holding a bunch of keys, it was her birthday present!!!. They have bought a car for me!, she thought. She was really excited and she started to shout and jump. Since she was eighteen she had been thinking about all the things that she could do with a car; go to the beach, drive around Europe, run her brother over... Having a car was her biggest desire. When she stopped shouting and jumping, her father, who had been watching that incredible show, walked up to her and said "Emma take these keys and go downstairs, you have to help us to bring in the shopping from the car".

(Javier Perez)

Personally, I thought this story was really funny! I hope you enjoyed it too. Come on guys! Feel inspired and send in a story of your own for the blog!

British Cuisine

2009-03-02T13:05:00.004+01:00

This is going to be a regular entry on the Blc Blog. I am going to try to bring to you lots of recipes and pictures of food and drink and eating practices that are typically British. I hope to teach you a little bit and open your minds towards the food that is eaten in Great Britain. Some of this food will be traditionally British using quality local ingredients and some of this food will show influences from many countries far and wide, which is to be expected from a country with a long history of colonisation and immigration.

I really hope that you will find this interesting and useful as I am sure many of you travel to Britain for work and pleasure and struggle to find good, healthy food. So watch this space!

Word of the Week -40

2009-03-02T12:32:00.002+01:00

CURFEW

I discovered this week's word while reading the BBC Online News this morning. A curfew is a rule that is imposed by somebody in authority. This could be the government in times of war or political trouble, our parents or in the case of the newspaper article I was reading, our football manager! A curfew is the time that you must be back home and it is usually at night.

If I don't get home before curfew my parents will punish me!

You can read the article on the BBC website to see what happened to Ronaldo for breaking his curfew.

Go to the article > > > >

Penelope did it!

2009-02-23T12:52:00.003+01:00

It was Javier Bardem's turn last year and this year Pé managed to do it too, bringing home the Oscar for best supporting actress. Here you can watch her heart-warming speech in English (without the Spanish commentators babbling over the top!)

Word of the Week- 39

2009-02-23T12:45:00.002+01:00

In honour of the British film that took the Oscars by storm, this week's word is ....

SLUM

This word is a noun that is used to describe a very poor and crowded part of a city. It can also be used disapprovingly to describe a place that is dirty and very untidy.

There is an episode of the Simpsons where the family go to Brazil in search of a little orphan boy from the slums of Rio.

The film Slumdog Millionaire tells the story of a poor boy from the slums of Mumbai.

This house would be a complete slum if I was not here to clean up after everybody!

The Oscars

2009-02-18T12:01:00.004+01:00

The biggest movie event of the year is upon us, yes folks I'm talking about the Oscars. Why not prepare yourself for Sunday's ceremony by checking out the official website. You can read about the stars and films that have been nominated this year and watch videos as Hollywood prepares to award the famous gold statues to members of the movie industry.

Perhaps you have seen some of the films that are up for awards this year. If so, I would love to hear what you thought about them. Why not leave a comment at the end of the entry, or even better, email me a film review to post on the blog. You can send it to blcblogger@british-blc.com! To help you look at the entry on film reviews I posted in February 2008 (in the archives).

Go to the Oscars Website > > > >

Word of the Week -38

2009-02-16T10:32:00.004+01:00

PLOT

This week's word is related to cinema since the Oscar ceremony is on this coming Saturday. It is a noun and it is the word that refers to the story of a book, film or play (theatre production). Many Spanish students directly translate the word 'argumento' into English as 'argument', but a film does not have an argument, it has a plot.

The film has a very interesting plot with lots of unexpected twists.

I don't like his books, the plot is always the same. So predictable.

Remember that an argument is a disagreement or a heated discussion between two people.
You also need to remember that a discussion is not an angry conversation between people, it's just an exchange of ideas and opinions. These are false friends in English.

Happy Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T10:26:00.000+01:00

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! Hope you have a day filled with love and laughter. Even if you don't believe in this special day set aside for love and romance, you could still go to History.Com and find out more about why we celebrate the 14th of February. Although today it is mainly a commercial holiday, it wasn't always that way.

Go to History.com > > > and read all about it, watch videos, play games and learn English at the same time.

It must be love, love, love ...

2009-02-13T10:05:00.001+01:00

Valentine's Day is just around the corner and I am back with more 'heart' vocabulary for all you love-birds out there! Today we are going to look at compound nouns and adjectives.

To start off let's talk about heartthrobs (heart-throbs). A heartthrob is a famous man, usually an actor or a singer, who is attractive to many women. Brad Pitt is an example of a long-standing heartthrob. It appears, from what I have heard in class from my female students, that in Spain 'El Duque' is the latest heartthrob.

Perhaps you have been lucky enough to go out with a Hollywood heartthrob, but as most relationships in Hollywood last about five-minutes you may have been left broken-hearted and extrememly sad.

Dating Hollywood heartthrobs could be seen as a risky thing to do and not something for the faint-hearted to take on! ( Someone who is faint-hearted is not very brave and confident and doesn't like taking unnecessary risks.) However, on Valentine's Day it is a good idea to take a risk and tell that secret someone that you love them very much. Perhaps you could send an anonymous card to your sweetheart to let them know how much they mean to you.

Love is in the Air....

2009-02-11T09:38:00.003+01:00

With Valentine's Day on its way I thought it would be a nice idea to look at some idioms using the word 'heart'.

One expression is 'to wear your heart on your sleeve', which means to openly show your feelings and opinions and not to hide the way you really feel about something.

John always has his heart on his sleeve so that everyone knows how he feels.

A second expression is 'to learn something (off) by heart' which is when you learn something in a way that you can say it from memory.

I can still recite off by heart the extracts of Romeo and Juliet that I learnt at school.

Tom has seen that film so many times he knows all the lines off by heart!

Another expression is 'to have a heart of stone' which is used to describe a person who is unkind and cruel. Scrooge from Dickens' A Christmas Carol is a famous example of someone with a heart of stone. This is of course the opposite to having 'a heart of gold'.

The fourth and final expression for today is 'to set your heart on something'. When you do this it means that you really, really want to get something or achieve something.

Sarah has really set her heart on having a puppy.

Of course, there are many, many more idioms and expressions using the word heart in English. Too many for this entry. Perhaps you would like to discover some more by yourself on the Online Cambridge Dictionary. If you find one you particularly like, why not post it in the comments box!

Word of the Week - 37

2009-02-09T10:52:00.004+01:00

APOLOGISE

This week's word is a verb which means to say sorry for doing something wrong or for causing someone unhappiness and inconvenience. I thought this was an appropriate word this week because I would like to apologise (apologize [Ame]) for not having published anything on the blog over the last four weeks. In my defence I have been feeling rather unwell this past month and have not felt much like blogging. However, I am back now and promise to update the blog as often as possible.

Notice that this verb follows the pattern + preposition (FOR) + gerund (ING) when used with another verb.

I must apologise to John for taking his car without asking.
You should apologise for not coming to class last week.

Notice that we apologise TO someone-

I always apologise to the teacher if I arrive late.

Notice how other parts of speech are formed from this verb: (especially important to those of you doing Cambridge exams!)

The chairman sends his apologies, he's otherwise engaged so I will be chairing the meeting.
The newspaper sent me a letter of apology.
Jane was so apologetic about forgetting my birthday, I felt bad for her.
He handed me back my broken umbrella smiling apologetically.

Word of the Week - 36

2009-01-12T08:00:00.001+01:00

BRAND NEW

Welcome to the first word of the week of 2009! Seeings though we are in a new year I thought that the first word of the week should be related to being new. So the 36th word of the week is an adjective meaning just that. It actually means completely new and not yet used, so not just new to you but new to everyone.

How can you afford to buy a brand new car this soon after Christmas?
He told me he was homeless but his shoes and coat looked brand new!

Sometimes you may here natives saying that something is 'brand, spanking new'. This is to emphasise just how new something is. Spanking is an old-fashioned word meaning 'very' or 'completely'.