For a more detailed explanation of what each verb is, we recommend seeing out vocabulary notes about Cooking Instructions in English.

Our vocabulary page about the weather in general includes the different types of rain, cloud, wind and other common vocabulary you need to know when talking about the weather. Even native speakers may find it useful, especially the part about the difference between a hurricane, a cyclone and a typhoon.

Here’s a chart from the page about weather:

We have also created a separate page explaining How to talk about the temperature in English and how hot or cold it is.

Here’s a chart from that page:

And we have also included a list of idioms in English about the weather. We have already talked about the meaning of the idiom “It’s raining cats and dogs” though there are many more that you should know that you will find here: Idioms about the weather in English.

So, How’s the weather where you are today? (Let us know in the comments)

Cat got your tongue?

This is a shortened way of saying:
Has the cat got your tongue?

This idiom can mean the following:

• Have you nothing to say?
• Why are you not talking?
• Why are you not saying anything?
• Why don’t you answer me?

The idiom is used to compel someone to speak, say something, or give a response when they are (unusually) quiet.
It is often said by adults to children.

When someone is speechless or without words (sometimes out of surprise) you will say “Cat got your tongue?” to prompt them to react.

This idiom is often accompanied by “What’s the matter” at the beginning of it.

• What’s the matter, cat got your tongue?

(What’s the matter? = What is the problem?)

This idiom can also be used as a normal sentence and not just as a question.

• I think the cat has his tongue.

Why do people say Cat got your tongue?

Well, nobody really knows the true origin of this idiom though if you think about it, if a cat has run away with your tongue, you probably wouldn’t be able to say anything. It would be a reason why you are not speaking or quiet.

Examples of Cat got your tongue?

John: What do you think of my new shoes?
Mike: …. (No response) …
John: Well, do you like them or not?
Mike: …. (Still no response) …
John: Cat got your tongue?

Mother: I found my lost wallet in your wardrobe. What was it doing there?
Teenager: … (silence)…
Mother: What’s the matter, cat got your tongue?

Cat got your thumbs?

With the more digital generation that communicates a lot via the internet, they have modified this expression and sometimes say: Cat got your thumbs?

It is used when someone doesn’t respond to a message or text via chat or other forms of instant written communication, especially when they suddenly stop replying in a text-based conversation.

Why do they use the word Thumbs?
You use your tongue to help you communicate orally.
You use your fingers (and sometimes thumbs for the space bar on keyboards) to communicate in written form.
So the word Thumbs, replaces the word Tongue because they sound similar.

The meaning is also similar:
Has the cat got your tongue = Why have you stopped talking? Why don’t you say something?
Has the cat got your thumbs = Why have you stopped writing? Why don’t you write something?

Let us know in the comments if you understood this explanation.
If you don’t, I’ll think that the cat has got your tongue.

This is understandable because in some languages they use one verb for both Do and Make (like Hacer in Spanish).
So to help students understand the difference we created the following chart as a guideline.

If you check out Do vs Make in English, you will find a more detailed description of the difference between Do and Make as well as many set expressions that only begin with DO and others that only begin with MAKE (which you have to learn by heart).

We have also created a game to practice the difference between Do and Make.

Do you have just one verb for DO and MAKE in your language? What is it?
Let us know in the comments

For more vocabulary about Daily Routines, check out: Daily Routines in English

Is your daily routine different?

You can find more about colors here: Colors in English
Also discover the difference between Color and Colour as well as between Gray and Grey.
You will also find a list of typical things associated with each color.

What’s your favorite color?
Let us know in the comments.

In English there are many words that end in S. There are plural nouns (e.g. cups, days, nurses), there are verbs in third person that end in S (e.g. speaks, loves, washes etc.) and there is often an S when we use the possessive case (John’s car, Mary’s cat)

Did you know that there are three different ways to pronounce the S at the end of a word in English?

Here we have created a simple chart to explain the difference:

If you would a longer explanation, see our grammar notes about the Pronunciation of S at the end of words in English.

As a teacher you can use the same image to talk about the different cartoons and what is happening or describing the people, especially using the verb To Be. E.g. She is old, He is a photographer, They are married etc.
Or you could even use it for simple vocabulary like umbrella, hat, chair, phone etc.
Enjoy!

We have just created this new chart about Question Words in English (Who, When, Why, What, Where, Which, How).
If you would like to see more information about these Questions words with a lot more examples of their use, check out:
Question Words in English

How can you use the English word of the day to help you learn?

The most important thing about learning vocabulary is to USE the new word.
It is best to learn words in context or associated with something and not just reading long lists of words (which is boring and doesn’t help you very much). That is why we have created 7 Tips to help you learn the new word of the day.

7 Tips for learning an English Word a day

1. Use the new word in a sentence

After you have read the word and understood its meaning, use that new word in your own sentence. It is best to try and create a sentence that has some type of relationship or connection with your life.

2. Look for grammatical variations of the word

Look for the different ways (grammatical forms) the word can appear. For example if the word to suspect (a verb) is given to you, you can look for its noun form (suspicion), its adjective form (suspicious) etc. Suspect can also be a noun (a suspect). Remember that not all words have all grammatical forms. It pays to have a good English dictionary to help you with this.
Once you have the different forms of the new word, you can then try and make a sentence with each one.

3. Do Word Associations

Try and associate the word with other things (like a mind map). Not only will it help you remember the new word but it will also increase your knowledge (vocabulary) of other things associated with the word.

For example if you have the new word CAR (a noun),
Think of nouns associated with the word (parts of a car: windscreen, steering wheel…)
Think of verbs associated with the word (to Brake, to accelerate, to crash…)
Think of adjectives to describe it (Fast, rusty… )
Think of examples of the word (Limousine, Jeep…)

If the word is an adjective for example BIG

Think of synonyms or words with a similar meaning (large, enormous, huge…)
Think of antonyms or opposites (small, tiny…)
Think of examples of the adjective (Big: Elephant, a continent, Jupiter…)

4. Carry a list or a notepad with you

Write the new word and its meaning (and maybe an example too) in a small notepad that you can carry with you and read whenever you have a spare moment (or some people keep them in their smartphone). This can be read while you are sitting on a bus, on the underground/subway, or while you are in a waiting room. This will help you see the words more than once and will help them stick in your mind.

5. Make flash cards

Make little cards with each new word on one side and the meaning of that word on the other side. Put them on the ground and if the meaning is face up, then try and think of the word. If the word appears face up, then think of its meaning. When you start to have a lot of cards you can shuffle them and randomly pick out 10 or so every day.

6. Look for examples on the internet

Type the word in a search engine (such as Google) and write down 7 different sentences that contain an example of that word. This way you will see the word in context and maybe other vocabulary associated with it. For better results, look for one sentence every day over 7 different days.

7. Learn the word again on other days

Don’t just learn or practice a word one day and then forget about it. You may think you have learned the word (since you have just been using it) but if you try to remember/use the new word a couple of weeks later, you may find it difficult. To really remember a word you need to reuse that word over and over before it sticks in your long-term memory.

There is a saying in English “Use it or lose it.” Basically this means if you don’t use (or practice) something you have learned, you will eventually forget how to use it properly.

I hope these tips have helped. See you at our English Word of the Day on Twitter.

Again, this is a common mistake for native speakers too because the three words are homophones (words that sound the same though are written differently)

The chart below should help you though if you want more of an explanation, check out: The difference between There, Their and They’re in English

It seems that nowadays people spend more and more time in front of a TV instead of reading.

Of course this usually results in people not visually seeing words and learning (or remembering/reinforcing) their correct spelling.

It’s also means that their vocabulary is a lot lower than those who read frequently.

And this is not only a problem for people learning English but a common mistake made by native speakers too!

If you would like to learn when to use your vs you’re then check out the following chart we created:

The difference between Your and You’re in English

So, if you see anyone who writes your instead of you’re or vice versa, then send them to this page.

If you don’t know the difference between your and you’re,
it’s because you’re spending too much time in front of your television.

And, as you can see in the picture above, the use of a hyphen in English can make a difference in the meaning of what you are trying to say.

Check out our new article about Compound Adjectives in English which goes into great detail about using hyphens with adjectives (which is when the hyphen is used the most).

I hope you enjoy this easy-to-read article.

Here is a chart we created for that page to show the different members of a family and their relationship to each other.

If you like this chart, then you should also check out the explanation of the vocabulary regarding different members of the family on the page we mentioned. You will also find some interactive games to practise this topic.

However the apostrophe is not only used to show a contraction has been made.
It is also commonly used to show that something belongs to someone or has a relationship with them.
This is called the Genitive Case and also the Possessive Case.

Check out the new chart we made to explain when we use to use the apostrophe:

PLEASE NOTE: We do NOT use the Apostrophe S to make singular words plural. 1 apple, 2 apples (Not 2 apple’s)

For more information about using ‘S, check out: The Apostrophe S in English

I hope you found this useful.

English Vocabulary

The North Pole = the point of earth that is most north (also the home of Santa Claus)
Polish = the name of the people from Poland
Santa Claus = the man with a white beard and a red suit that delivers Christmas presents.

The Joke
Question: What nationality is Santa Claus?
Answer: North Polish.

Why is it funny?
Santa Claus is supposed to live in the North Pole with his wife, some reindeer and elves.
There is no such nationality or ethnic group as ‘North Polish’, but there is however, the nationality, Polish, as in, the people from Poland.

Have you seen our English Vocabulary about Christmas Traditions?

I hope you find it useful…

See more details about these prepositions including more examples (and exceptions), check out: Prepositions of Time AT, ON and IN

Did you know that there are three different ways to pronounce the ED at the end of a word in English?

Here we have created a simple picture to explain the difference:

For more information, check out our article about the Pronunciation of ED in English.

You may have heard the expression “It’s raining cats and dogs” and wondered what it means.
When someone uses this English idiom, it means that it is raining very heavily. That there is a downpour (heavy rain).

Oh course it has nothing to do with cats, dogs or any other animal falling from the sky. It’s just an idiomatic expression that started a long time ago (nobody is exactly sure how it started) and it continues to be used until today.

You might want to check out more English idioms about the weather.

Or maybe just learn other vocabulary about the weather.

A common mistake for students learning English is the difference between Fun and Funny.

What is the difference between Fun and Funny?

Both can be used as adjectives (words that describe something)

Funny = it makes you laugh
Fun = when you enjoy yourself and have a good time
(*But Fun can also be a noun – see below)

A comedian is…. FUNNY (because he makes you laugh)
Going to an amusement park is … FUN (because you enjoy yourself and have a good time)

Compare these examples:

• John is a fun guy. (I have a good time when I am with John)
• John is a funny guy. (John makes me laugh)

And in negative sentences…

• Going to a dentist is not fun!
• Doing a long boring exam is not fun.
• Nobody laughed because his joke was not funny.
• An accident is never funny. (Well, it’s not supposed to be funny!)

Are the following situations fun or funny?

1. A party with your friends is…
2. A clown is…
3. Playing a game is…
4. Visiting new places is…
5. A friend tells you a great joke. The joke is…

Answers
1. Fun 2. Funny 3. Fun 4. Fun 5. Funny

Fun as a noun
Fun (noun) = enjoyment or pleasure

• I had lots of fun at the party last night.
• We hope you have fun at the beach tomorrow!

Fun (noun) can also be used to describe the good humor and playful behavior of a person.

• She is not boring at all, she is actually full of fun.

Are you a fun person or funny person?