Full English Breakfast
A “full English breakfast” is usually: Fried or grilled sausages Fried or scrambled eggs Fried bacon Baked Beans Fried tomatoes Fried mushrooms Fried bread Toast It might also include such things as: Hash brown...
Graham's Grammar Posts
Stiff upper lip
When we say that someone has a “stiff upper lip” we mean that they don’t show emotion when things are difficult. The idiom is frequently used in the form “to keep a stiff upper...
Sanction
Sanction is a strange and confusing word because it has two, almost opposite, meanings. ‘To sanction’, as a verb, can mean either to approve or to punish. ‘Sanction’, as a noun, can mean either...
“Cross that bridge when you come to it”
When you tell someone to “cross that bridge when you come to it”, you’re using an idiom to advise them not to worry at the moment about a possible problem in the future. Examples:...
Buck your ideas up!
When you tell someone to buck their ideas up, you’re telling them to do something better, to try harder, to be more energetic, or to hurry. “To buck your ideas up” is a phrasal...
Parts of Speech
In English, words are classified according to nine types. These types are called “parts of speech”. The nine parts of speech are: Nouns naming words Examples: Ivan; bird; London; president, car, computer, wind Verbs...
Comparative and superlative adjectives
Comparative and superlative adjectives. The comparative form of an adjective is used to compare two items, The superlative form is used to compare three or more items. There are three degrees of comparatives and...
The difference between “politics” and “policy”
Politics is mainly used about activities relating to government (local, national or international) and to people and organisations that want to influence government. Some examples: He entered politics with the intention of improving people’s...
The Grammar Hierarchy
It can be helpful to think of English language consisting of a hierarchy: . . Sentences, clauses and phrases A sentence expresses a complete idea. A written sentence usually begins with a capital letter...
“Vision” or “eyesight”?
“Vision” and “eyesight” are both used to mean the ability to see. When I go to have my eyes tested, I can say that the optician is checking my eyesight or is checking my...