March 9, 2013

Weekly Finds: March 9, 2013

A Man With Magnifying Glass by digitalart
Image courtesy of digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Every week, we’ll be sharing a list of posts, stories, news, or opinions that we've run across the Internet during the past week or two. We won't be discussing them in detail here, but we do encourage you to check them out as they could contain valuable ideas and insights for your IELTS exam.

If you're ready, here we go...

GRAMMAR


The past simple – irregular verbs

Refresh your knowledge of verbs with this lesson.

Can a Word Be Both a Noun and a Verb?

Believe it or not, it’s both! Yes, it’s true. A word can be both a noun and a verb. In fact, there are many words that can be used to name a person, place or thing and also describe an action.

Basic English Grammar – Using “to be” to describe your life

The common verb “to be” is one of the most confusing verbs in English. In this basic grammar lesson, I’ll show you how to use this verb to describe the present, past, and future events of your life. You must master these basics to speak good English

READING


The language of phone numbers

The author discusses the syntax of phone numbers in relation to grammar.

English is a stress timed language

You should understand how to emphasise important content words and squeeze in the other function words.

How Twitter language reveals your gender — or your friends’

Do you say “grr” and “hmm” on Twitter? You might be a woman--or a dude with a lot of lady friends. Newly published research uses social media to uncover unprecedented insights about who says what, and why.

SELF-IMPROVEMENT


9 Things to Think About Before You Give Up

You are alive in a vast world with infinite destinations. Take a moment to remind yourself of this... THIS is the space in which you really live. Breathe it in. Then look at your current situation again.

The best way to get unstuck

Don't wait for the right answer and the golden path to present themselves.

SPEAKING


Read, Memorize, or Use Notes?

Learn whether you should memorize a speech, use notes in a speech, or read a speech.

VOCABULARY


Inseparable phrasal verbs

The two parts of an inseparable phrasal verb cannot be separated. They go together even when the object is a personal pronoun. Check out the list.