Stage 12

Stage 11 Stage 12 Stage 13 This month’s blog is about similes and metaphors. A simile is a figure of speech that makes a comparison between two things using words such as «like» or «as». Metaphors resemble similes, but they suggest a comparison between two things without using connecting words such as «like» or «as». …

Stage 11 Stage 12 Stage 13 You may encounter Cockney Rhyming Slang and its many variations mainly in England and Australia. It is not very common in the US. The origins of this form of the language dates back to the early 19th century. It was originally used by traders so they could talk to …

Stage 11 Stage 12 Stage 13 ‘Synecdoche’ and ‘metonymy’ are not words that one often hears. Yet we are presented with examples of both of these intriguing literary devices on a regular basis. Synecdoche is the use of part of a thing to represent its whole or, conversely, using a whole to represent a constituent …

Let’s start with the most popular expression in Ireland; «what’s the craic?» This means «what is going on?» or «how is it going?». The word ‘craic’ is Irish for ‘fun’ but we use it in this context to ask somebody how things are or what is happening. We generally use it to greet a person, …

There are two main types of morpheme in English: ‘free’ morphemes and ‘bound’ morphemes. ‘Free’ morphemes can be used on their own, in much the same way that a main clause makes sense on its own (whereas a subordinate/dependent clause does not). For example, the definite article ‘the’ is a morpheme as well as being …

When you are doing a composition you should plan it beforehand and then take your time when writing it. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to rush through it and not pay enough attention to what you are writing. Remember that you are learning a new language and it is quite different …

Using adjectives can be difficult – there are guidelines to follow. In English, most adjectives go before the nouns they describe. For example, ‘the big dog’; ‘the blue chair’; ‘the sad clown’; ‘the happy student’; and so on. Of course it is often necessary to use more than one adjective to describe a noun. This …

Stage 11 Stage 12 Stage 13 We all like learning new words. The process of acquiring new vocabulary helps us to communicate more efficiently, making our lives easier and more fulfilling. Watching TV is a fun way of picking up new English vocabulary, as many of us grow up watching British and American TV shows …