Fun with words: yawn (verb)
Interesting facts about languages of the world
1. How many languages are there? It’s estimated that up to 7,000 different languages are spoken around the world. 90% of these languages are used by less than 100,000 people. Over a million people converse in 150-200 languages and 46 languages have just a single speaker! Languages are grouped into families that share a common… Read More
Confusing words: More Supid and Stupider
1. Although it doesn’t look or sound right, “stupider” is the standard comparative form of “stupid”: 2. “Dumb” does mean “unable to speak,” but it also is a near-perfect synonym of “stupid.” (However, “stupid” does not share the definition of being unable to speak; its primary meaning is “unintelligent.”) Keep in mind that “dumb” and… Read More
How Language Seems To Shape One’s View Of The World
by ALAN YU Lera Boroditsky once did a simple experiment: She asked people to close their eyes and point southeast. A room of distinguished professors in the U.S. pointed in almost every possible direction, whereas 5-year-old Australian aboriginal girls always got it right. She says the difference lies in language. Boroditsky, an associate professor of cognitive science… Read More
Apps to practice English
So, there are hundreds of apps to practice English, from grammar exercises to audio and video. A simple Google search will lead you to all of them. However, we asked our stakeholders wich apps they preferred, and three stood out: Most of our stakeholders also prefer the mobile version, this allows them ease of use,… Read More
More Innocent English Mistakes From New English Language Students
O objetivo deste post NÃO é ironizar alunos que estão aprendendo inglês. Erros são naturais no aprendizado de um segundo idioma, especialmente expressões idiomáticas e colocações. Os erros abaixo, embora engraçados, podem ajudar a descobrir novas expressões, ampliar o vocabulário e evitar erros que são comuns, mas não óbvios. The objective of this post is NOT… Read More
BIRD GEI: Pesquisa de Proficiência em Inglês no Brasil – 2015
A BIRD GEI | Consultoria e Gestão de Idiomas está divulgando a 11ª Pesquisa de Produtividade no Aprendizado de Idiomas no Brasil. Acompanhamos anualmente o desempenho, indicadores e resultados de aproximadamente 4.000 funcionários patrocinados pelas mais diversas empresas, mapeando e quantificando o aproveitamento e a produtividade dos alunos. Na pesquisa atual, que abrange o ano de 2015,… Read More
Confusing words: Mansplaining
man·splain manˈsplān/ verb informal gerund or present participle: mansplaining (of a man) explain (something) to someone, typically a woman, in a manner regarded as condescending or patronizing. “I’m listening to a guy mansplain economics to his wife” Origin early 21st century: blend of man and explain.
Confusing words: Look Forward(s) and Look Forward To
If you look forward / forwards it simply means you are looking ahead. For example:- If you look forward you will see St Paul’s Cathedral. Look forward to is a phrasal verb. When you look forward to something, you feel happy and excited about something that is going to happen. For example:- I always look… Read More
What is the meaning of the suffix less?
What is the meaning of the suffix less? an adjective suffix meaning “without” ( childless; peerless), and in adjectives derived from verbs, indicating failure or inability to perform or be performed ( resistless; tireless). –less.
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