PORTMANTEAU is an English term that originates from the French words: porter (carry) and manteau (cloak). It literally refers to a large travelling case, usually made of leather.
Portmanteau words: brunch, smog and more
Author: Inglés Vitoria
English on the move: New Zealand
ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10,
THIS TRIP TURNED OUT TO BE AN 11!
What follows is a compilation of the pictures and comments I posted on Facebook while travelling around New Zealand. I hope it served some of you to learn a bit of vocabulary against the backdrop of this fascinating country. And for non-Facebook members, here it goes again.
Off to Kiwiland!
The Antipodes, pronounced [ænˈtɪpədiːz]: Magical word that evokes a world of contrast and adventure. For us, living in Spain, that would be The Land of the Long White Cloud, translated from the Maori Aotearoa; in other words, New Zealand, also known as Kiwiland, name which derives from the kiwi, a native flightless bird, which is a national symbol of New Zealand.
The following map shows highlighted the area equivalent to Spain on the opposite side of the world:
https://www.antipodas.net/antipodaspais/espana/ Continue reading “Off to Kiwiland!”
Dogs and English
Dogs and humans have been part of each other’s lives for time immemorial and that shows in the language. Keep reading for some of these expressions explained. Continue reading “Dogs and English”
Phrasal Verbs and Register: Formal
There is a widely-held belief that phrasal verbs in English are informal and will be frowned upon in academic writing such as the essay, the formal letter, or the report tasks in the CAE.
There is a widely-held belief that phrasal verbs in English are informal and will be frowned upon in academic writing such as the essay, the formal letter, or the report tasks in the CAE. While there is an element of truth in that, there are indeed certain phrasal verbs, formal ones that is, which are not only acceptable but will also enhance your writing and show mastery of the language.
10 Very British Words
MOREISH
Use this word to refer to the food you want more of and find it difficult to stop eating.
“This mint chocolate chip ice-cream is very moreish.
Take it away before I eat it all.”
8 manageable tasks to keep your English afloat during the summer holiday
The long summer break is around the corner. Classes, teacher’s supervision and weekly homework will be over for an extended period of time and it is now in you to take the reins of your own learning so that you do not fall behind and lose the momentum you have gained throughout the course.
This list contains 8 activities that you can easily tackle by yourself. It is a source of ideas from which you can select what motivates you. Alternatively, you could create your own list. One way or another, try to find a way to let English be part of your summer if you intend to keep it up and continue learning in September without that unpleasant feeling of rustiness. Continue reading “8 manageable tasks to keep your English afloat during the summer holiday”
Out and about and other BINOMIALS
A binomial is formed by two words and a conjunction that joins them as in: “After a quick visit to the hotel to drop off her bags, she’s been out and about exploring the city all day”.
The order of the words is fixed and if you reverse it, it would sound unnatural and be wrong, e.g. “about and out”.
What follows is a selection of some binomials that I consider useful. I encourage you to learn them and try to use one next time you have a conversation in English. Continue reading “Out and about and other BINOMIALS”
As mad as a hatter and other SIMILES
A simile is a figure of speech that compares two things using as or like. It differs from a metaphor in that the metaphor says that something is something else as in “the world is a stage” whereas similes present similarities between two elements, e.g., as free as a bird. Let’s learn about the origin of some of them. Continue reading “As mad as a hatter and other SIMILES”