Author Archives: mhardy3222

Gerunds & Infinitives – What is the difference?

Posted on May 30, 2021 by mhardy3222

GERUNDS Gerunds are usually nouns but they are different from other nouns because they are made from verbs. ∗ Changing verbs into other forms: nouns or adjectives, for example, is common in many languages. Think about how your language changes … Continue reading →

Posted in Grammar, Intermediate (Level 4), Pre-Intermediate (Level 3), TOEIC, Upper Intermediate (Level 5) | 1 Comment

A Song with Past Simple Tense & Past Continuous Tense

Posted on May 6, 2021 by mhardy3222

* First, let’s look at the form (conjugation / spelling) of English verbs. They follow very simple patterns. English verb forms are much easier than many European languages like Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, and German. The Turkish language also has many … Continue reading →

Posted in Intermediate (Level 4), Listening, Pre-Intermediate (Level 3), Songs | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Defining Relative Clauses: #6

Posted on April 3, 2021 by mhardy3222

For Grammar Rules about Defining Relative Clauses see my post  September 22, 2013.                                                                                                                         RIHANNA  sings a song with Eminem called ‘Monster’. There are  Defining Relative Clauses in the chorus. Have a look: Chorus 1. I’m friends with the monster that’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Grammar, IELTS, Intermediate (Level 4), Pre-Intermediate (Level 3), Relative Clauses, Songs, TOEFL, TOEIC | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Words to use instead of ‘When’

Posted on February 15, 2021 by mhardy3222

Here’s a lesson, with a delightful song, to help you remember some words and expressions you can use instead of ‘when’. They are highlighted below in green and blue. I’m not going to even mention the G word (shhh! … … Continue reading →

Posted in Elementary (Level 2), Intermediate (Level 4), Listening, Pre-Intermediate (Level 3), Songs, Vocabulary | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

20 English Idioms of Courage

Posted on December 30, 2020 by mhardy3222

On New Year’s Eve, many of us make New Year Resolutions in an effort to improve ourselves or make a positive change.  Maybe you want to exercise more, lose weight, or just get more organised. Not so easy! It takes … Continue reading →

Posted in Advanced (Level 6+), Intermediate (Level 4), Pre-Intermediate (Level 3), Reading, Upper Intermediate (Level 5), Vocabulary | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Happy Christmas!

Posted on December 23, 2020 by mhardy3222

Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, a unique individual who was the perfect role model, practising compassion, tolerance, and forgiveness. While many are not interested in the religious aspect of Christmas, it’s fair to say that the … Continue reading →

Posted in Advanced (Level 6+), Beginner (Level 1), Elementary (Level 2), Intermediate (Level 4), Listening, Pre-Intermediate (Level 3), Songs, Upper Intermediate (Level 5), Videos | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Advanced Reading & Listening: Our World Today

Posted on December 17, 2020 by mhardy3222

Today, I have two reading texts and two short videos, all timely and thought-provoking. All are outstanding and varied examples of the use of English language. ♦ The first reading is a fact-based text which defines, and provides examples of, … Continue reading →

Posted in Advanced (Level 6+), Cambridge, Listening, Reading, Speaking & Pronunciation | 3 Comments

How to Follow a Process / Instructions

Posted on November 17, 2020 by mhardy3222

Here in Australia, it will soon be summer. On the Gold Coast, where I live, it’s like summer most of the year! However, for many of you, winter is fast approaching so I thought you might enjoy a short video … Continue reading →

Posted in Elementary (Level 2), Intermediate (Level 4), Pre-Intermediate (Level 3), Reading, Vocabulary | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

What is a Comma Splice?! 📝

Posted on November 11, 2020 by mhardy3222

Originally posted on English with Rachel:
Comma splices -what are they ? They sound like a good thing (the name reminds me of a delicious ice-cream🍦I loved as a kid) but they aren’t .They are punctuation mistakes often made by…

Posted in Advanced (Level 6+), Cambridge, Grammar, IELTS, Intermediate (Level 4), Upper Intermediate (Level 5), Writing | Leave a comment

Freedom of Speech

Posted on October 29, 2020 by mhardy3222

 Free speech is the whole thing, the whole ball game. Free speech is life itself.                          SALMAN RUSHDIE Language is communication. Language is so vital to the human condition … Continue reading →

Posted in Advanced (Level 6+), Cambridge, Listening, Speaking & Pronunciation, Upper Intermediate (Level 5), Videos | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment