November 3, 2012

Weekly Finds: November 3, 2012

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...

Make Your Stress Work for You

We all face times when seemingly negative feelings—stress, impatience, nervousness—affect our ability to perform at our best, or simply rob us of our peace. But what if we could turn this around? What if those same feelings could actually be positive, or at least wield less negative influence?

When I split an infinitive, God damn it […] it will stay split

The author discusses split infinitives.

LEFT IN THE LURCH

If you're 'Left in the lurch', what is it exactly that you're left in?

5 great ways to improve your English!

The author discusses five great ways to improve your English. All aspects are covered: reading, writing, grammar, and speaking. There is no end to what you can learn, and no reason why you can’t have fun doing it!

The Most Annoying, Pretentious And Useless Business Jargon

Note these workplace words.

Strutting the boards: what you can learn from acting

The author shares "that public speaking is, or should be, a form of acting. While it’s true you’re playing 'yourself' and not another character, whatever you do up on that stage should be a gift to your audience. It’s all about them – not about you." This could be useful for your IELTS Speaking exam.

What's Your Style?: Style Guides and How to Use Them

The author has compiled a list of the most well known style guides and how to use them.

Use of but, though, in spite of and despite

All of these are words used to express contrast. While but and though are conjunctions, in spite of and despite are prepositions.

Does this excite you?

Are you excited for, by, or about something?

30 Synonyms for “Meeting”

The author shares thirty ways to label a meeting, depending on the particulars.

Get Disciplined, Not Motivated

Learn the drawbacks of merely relying on motivation.

Grammar Fun: Murder of English

Here's a funny infographic on grammar.

Relatively speaking: an untangling of that/who/which

The author answers the following question: "People often say that when referring to others when I believe they should say who or whom, e.g. “there’s somebody over there that I know”. Is this correct? [...] it seems to happen all the time."

15 Reduplicative Doublets

Reduplicative doublets are a small class of idioms in which a word is repeated after the conjunction and; such repetition is intended to provide an emphatic boost to a statement.

May the odds be ever in your favour: the language of The Hunger Games

The author takes a look at the language that brings Suzanne Collins’ world to life.

If Oprah and Michael Jordan Can Find Success.... So Can The Rest of Us

The author shares this important message with us: "Never let those who want to kill your dreams win!!!!"

When its and it's are both correct

The author discusses a rare case where it's and its are both correct in the same context with the same meaning.

Building idioms

Here is a list of idioms built around the names of buildings.

The Politically Incorrect Etymologies of 11 Words and Phrases

Here are some modern English words and phrases with socially insensitive origins.

Estimate vs. Guess

What’s the difference between estimate and guess? The distinction between the two words is one of the degree of care taken in arriving at a conclusion.