A few days ago I wrote a short post about correcting errors in spoken English. This morning I received an email with a teacher’s thoughts on this subject which I have included here as a guest post. Khazin teaches English in Indonesia and we have had some very interesting chats by email and Skype. I… Continue reading Spoken English | online-english-lessons.eu

A good sport is someone who accepts in good spirit or good humour, being beaten at something: someone who loses gracefully. A good sport can also be someone who does not mind being laughed at when a joke or trick is played on them: someone who has a good sense of humour. Examples of use:… Continue reading Games | online-english-lessons.eu

To spring-clean a place is to thoroughly clean it, especially in spring. The four seasons are: spring, summer, autumn and winter. In the northern hemisphere, spring is the months of March, April and May. In many countries (especially those with a cold climate in winter) people spring-clean their homes at the end of the winter.… Continue reading Spring-clean – English Idiom – Online English Lessons

To harp on about something is to talk repeatedly or continually about something in a way that other people find boring. Examples of use: 1. I wish you would stop harping on about your promotion! 2. I hope your father doesn’t harp on about his collection of WW2 memorabilia this evening. 3. She made a… Continue reading Harp on – English Phrasal Verb – Online English Lessons

To pull the rabbit out of the hat means to do something surpising and unexpected. A favourite trick of magicians is to produce a rabbit out of a top hat.   Examples of use: a) Tennis player Andy Murray might pull the rabbit out of the hat this summer and win Wimbledon. b) She pulled… Continue reading Pull the rabbit out of the hat – English Idiom – Online English Lessons

To report back is to tell someone (usually someone in authority) some information that you have discovered. Examples of use: a) Report back to me when you have finished your research. b) Can you attend the meeting and report back to me afterwards, please? c) We will report back with our findings next week. d)… Continue reading Report back – English Phrasal Verb – Online English Lessons

Gamp is a colloquial word for an umbrella (in British English). The word comes from a character called Sarah Gamp in Charles Dickens’ novel Martin Chuzzlewit (1843-4). Sarah Gamp always carried a big umbrella. It’s an interesting word, but not one you will hear used very often. Charles Dickens was an English author who lived… Continue reading Word Of The Week | online-english-lessons.eu

To breeze in / into somewhere is to enter quickly and confidently. This expression is often used to describe people who breeze into somewhere without caring what other people think. Examples of use: 1. She breezed into the room and took over the meeting. 2. Hey! We were watching that: you can’t just breeze in… Continue reading Breeze in/into – English Phrasal Verb – Online English Lessons

To have words with someone is to argue with them or scold them. Examples of use: 1. She had words with her step-father two years ago, and they haven’t spoken since. 2. If they keep parking their car in my parking space I’m going to have words with them. 3. If her child doesn’t stop… Continue reading Have words with – English Idiom – Online English Lessons

Halloween is the night of the 31st October when people dress up in costumes as ghosts, witches, skeletons and devils, and try to frighten each other. According to tradition, Halloween is the night of the year when it was believed that ghosts and witches are very active and they return to the earthly world. People… Continue reading English Wordsearch | online-english-lessons.eu