You may be surprised by the origin of the split infinitive "rule" and by the times they are OK...or even necessary! Also, we look at slang phrases that drop whole grammatical elements and how they reinforce that in-group/out-group feeling of slang.

The 50 most important proverbs

It's good to know the really common English proverbs because you hear them come up in conversation all the time. Sometimes people say the entire proverb to give advice to a friend. More often, someone will say just part of a proverb like this:

How Do You Pronounce 'Tomato'?

In the world of great debates, there is one that has been long enduring and still keeps language prescriptivists awake at night: Is it "tom-ay-to" or "tom-ah-to"? 

‘Borrow’ or ‘Lend’?

A children’s fantasy book series and a Shakespeare play remind us when and how to use “borrow” and “lend.” The person giving an item is doing the lending, and the person receiving it is doing the borrowing.

The Bigger the Ring, the Shorter the Marriage

If you’re going to propose in the near future, don’t worry if you can’t afford a massive engagement ring. A recent study suggests that the bigger the ring is, the shorter the marriage will be.

Picasso’s Mistress

£28 Million for Picasso’s Mistress- Read, listen and learn a little English!

 

Pablo Picasso’s portrait of his mistress Marie Thérèse Walter has been sold for 28 million pounds at a London auction. It depicts her in bright colours, sitting near a window.  When the couple met, she was just 17, while he was 45 and married to another woman.  Their love story was kept hidden at first but

Six Idioms

https://www.myhappyenglish.com/?powerpress_pinw=17181-podcast Hey guys it’s Michael here from Happy English and I’m back with another podcast English lesson. I hope you guys are staying home and staying safe. Remember, maintaining social distancing is the best way to keep yourself and your family healthy.

Funny language mistakes!

Funny language mistakes!

Hi, it’s Andy here.

Native English Phrases

There are some phrases in every language that tell you ALL you need to know about the culture! Here are some which can help you understand British English speakers. They all describe different characteristics.

British Food Vocabulary

What are some traditional British dishes? What snacks do people normally eat? And what are these strange things you can see on pub and cafe menus? Here’s our guide to British food vocabulary so you can understand menus and talk about food in the UK.

Using BURN

Here’s a new podcast English lesson!

https://www.myhappyenglish.com/?powerpress_pinw=15904-podcast

Hey guys it’s Michael here from happy English. I hope you guys are having a good summer so far, I know I have. A couple of weeks ago I picked up a new guitar.

5 Ways To Say You Don’t Understand

You can say “I don’t understand” when someone tries to explain a process to you, or when you’re commenting on a situation. But there are also other common native English expressions you can use. Here are five new expressions for you. Practise one at a time until you feel confident, then move on to the next. 

Bad Habits

Listening: Bad Habits                

Before you listen…

Match the words to their meaning. 

(1)   Smoker             (    ) to make a noisy sucking sound while drinking

(2)  To slurp             (    ) slightly angry

Indomitable & Agnostic

Indomitable (adjective)  Definition:

Hard to defeat or subdue. Used to say that someone is strong, brave, determined, and difficult to defeat or frighten.

Think, “dominate.” Someone or something indomitable cannot be easily dominated.

Book Editor and Translator

What's It Like to Be a Book Editor and Translator?

In this interview, Mignon Fogarty and Elisabeth Dyssegaard talked about

• The difference between fiction and nonfiction editing. 
• How Elisabeth acquired the book "Tears We Cannot Stop."
• Why sometimes it's easier to write when you have another job.
• Why couples often make the best translations.

Intermediate English Listening Lessons

Why ‘free flow’ anyway?

41 unique ways to practice listening to English

Our PhraseMix Premium service gives you a super-easy way to improve your English by listening to key example sentences. But there are lots of other ways to practice listening to English, if you're willing to put in the time and effort. We've pulled together a big list of 41 interesting ways that you can improve your listening skill.

Making A Complaint Call

How to Bravely Face Change in Your Career with Your ‘Bad’ English