LEARNING ENGLISH using key verbs. People say many things everyday. From the moment we get up in the morning until the moment we go to bed at night we express ourselves in many different ways, depending on the way we feel. This post looks at the variety of ways we communicate in English. Therefore, instead of using the verb “SAY”  we have lots of descriptive ways to describe how we communicate.

Which is your favourite figure below? I particularly like the “demanded” figure who is standing there with his hands on his hips! 

Hello again! Today I would like to continue with False friends /Falsi amici. These are words which look very similar in Italian and English, but be very careful (!) since they often have very different meanings. Take time to carefully study a handful of useful Falsi amici and you will gradually improve your vocabulary.

 Accomodare  doesn't mean to accommodate but to arrange / (to) accommodate is translated in Italian as alloggiare.

 Affrontare  means to face, to deal with something /  (to) affront is translated in Italian as offendere, oltraggiare.

 Agenda  means diary.  Agenda is used to mean l'ordine del giorno of a meeting.

 Annoiare  doesn't mean to annoy but to bore /  (to) annoy is translated in Italian as irritare, dar fastidio

Hello students!  When learning a foreign language, students often have difficulty with learning new vords. Not to worry! This post contains an excellent video which explains how to remember new vocabulary more easily. Enjoy!

They say that laughter is the best medicine. Laughter also helps students remember things when studying English. I think that it's time for a little English humour!

According to a recent newspaper article English speakers may not always say what they actually mean. The piece is obviously written in a humorous, semi-serious style, but I do think there is a little bit of truth in the article. So be careful!  Let's examine a few examples:

Ben tornati dopo le vacanze estive! E' arrivata l'ora di riprendere a studiare l'inglese! Con questo post continueremo con delle frasi idiomatiche.

arm in arm 
- linked together by the arms

The couple walked along the street arm in arm. 

cost an arm and a leg or cost (someone) an arm and a leg
- to cost a lot of money

My father's new car cost an arm and a leg. 

give one`s right arm for (something)
- to give something of great value for something else

I would give my right arm for a chance to go to Australia with my friend next month. 

long arm of the law
- the police and laws that are so powerful that no matter where you are you will be found and punished

The long arm of the law was finally able to capture the criminal. 

pay an arm and a leg (for something)
- to pay a lot of money for something

We paid an arm and a leg for our new kitchen. 

receive (someone) with open arms
- to greet someone eagerly

The employees received their new boss with open arms. 

a shot in the arm
- something inspiring, something that gives someone energy

The latest opinion polls are a shot in the arm for the mayor's re-election campaign. 

twist (someone`s) arm
- to force someone to do something, to threaten someone in order to make him or her do something

I had to twist my friend's arm so that he would let me use his car. 

up in arms
- very angry and wanting to fight, equipped with guns or weapons and ready to fight

The students were up in arms over the school's plan to make them wear uniforms. 

Hello! Today I would like to continue with PHRASAL VERBS.

What is a phrasal verb?

It's the combination of a verb + a particle (preposition or adverb) resulting in a new word.

BE CAREFUL: The new meaning of the word combination is different from the two separate words.

Phrasal verbs are very common in spoken and written English so we need them to understand and speak natural English.

Act up.- (child, car, computer, injury) 

Meaning: 

When somebody or something acts up, they behave badly, hurt or don't work properly.  

Examples:

This computer's acting up again.

The children were acting up because their mother wasn't there.

Hello! Today I'll continue with False Friends (Falsi Amici).

These are words that look the same, sound almost the same BUT they mean different things.

Be careful when using them!

ostrich = struzzo (ostrica = oyster)
rumour = diceria (rumore = noise)
parents = genitori (parenti = relatives)

Hello again! I would like to introduce idioms in this post.

What is an idiom?
An idiom is a phrase where the words together have a meaning that is different from the dictionary definitions of the individual words. This can make idioms hard for students to understand.

ANIMAL IDIOMS 
 
A little bird told me
If someone doesn't want to say where they got some information from, they can say that a little bird told them.

All bark and no bite
When someone talks tough but really isn't, they are all bark and no bite.

Angry as a bear
If someone is as angry as a bear, they are very angry. 

Angry as a bull
If someone is as angry as a bull, they are very angry.

Ants in your pants
If someone has ants in their pants, they are agitated or excited about something and can't keep still.

As rare as hen's teeth
Something that is rare as hen's teeth is very rare or non-existent.

As the crow flies
This idiom is used to describe the shortest possible distance between two places.

At a snail's pace
If something moves at a snail's pace, it moves very slowly.

Back the wrong horse
If you back the wrong horse, you give your support to the losing side in something.

Bats in the belfry
Someone with bats in the belfry is crazy or eccentric.

Flogging a dead horse
If someone is trying to convince people to do or feel something without any hope of succeeding, they're beating a dead horse. This is used when someone is trying to raise interest in an issue that no-one supports anymore; beating a dead horse will not make it do any more work.

Hello again! I would like to introduce a listening exercise in this post.The short video is the product of the very famous British comedy duo "The Two Ronnies" on television during the 1970-80s.
This funny sketch features a shopkeeper and a customer. The comedy is generated by the fact that the customer asks for things which sound similar to other objects, hence the constant "play on words" (gioco di parole). There is much opportunity for repeated misunderstanding and confusion with each of the customer's requests. 

Here is some useful vocabulary to help you with the listening comprehension:

fork handles = manici del forcone
four candles = quattro candele
O's = la lettera 'O' in plastica
hose = tubo flessibile
hoes = zappe
pantyhose = collant
(electrical) plug  = spina
(bath) plug  = tappo
13 amp = ampere
P's = la lettera 'P' in plastica
peas = piselli
pumps = scarpe da tennis
foot pumps = pompe a pedale
washers =rondelle
washers = lavatrici

Hello! Today I would like to introduce PHRASAL VERBS.

What is a phrasal verb?

It's the combination of a verb + a particle (preposition or adverb) resulting in a new word. 
BE CAREFUL: The new meaning of the word combination is different from the two separate words. 

Phrasal verbs are very common in spoken and written English so we need them to understand and speak natural English.

Verb
ask someone out
Meaning
invite on a date
Example
Nicholas asked Jane out to dinner.