Ideal Languages London

"The English language learning programme has been a great asset to our company. Our employees are now more confident in their ability to communicate in English, which has led to improved productivity and collaboration. We have noticed a substantial improvement in their ability to carry out the tasks they have in English. We are very happy with the results.”

We implemented an English language learning programme for an expanding international healthcare company.

The programme has been a success, with employees reporting feeling more confident and the company seeing an improvement in productivity and collaboration.

English language learning is an important asset for business professionals.

We can help businesses improve their employees' English language skills and gain market advantages. Contact us today to learn more.

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“Why are we learning this grammar?”

This is a question I get asked sometimes and I was asked again recently. It usually concerns an area of grammar we are studying. In this case, it was the present perfect (I have been to Brazil / I have been studying English for five years etc).

The question really made me think. I think the crux of the question was, what role does grammar play in the communication process? Aren’t speaking and making yourself understood the most important things?

Are speaking and grammar mutually exclusive? I would say no.

My answer in the case of the present perfect was that this is important in identifying a link between the past and present, in a way the simple past does not. So that is why we are learning this, as, without this knowledge, there could be confusion regarding time.

Learning grammar here makes communication clearer for the receiver and helps you articulate exactly what you want to say. The better your grammar, the better you can be understood.

How would you answer this question? Comment below and let us know.

You can download our free guide to the present perfect by clicking the LinkedIn link in the comments.

This is a fantastic learning opportunity for students, many of whom are new to the UK. Language is fundamental to their integration and career development.

I taught a few groups last week at the 5* Covent Garden hotel in central London and it was a hugely rewarding experience. The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful, and the mostly Eastern European students were engaged and eager to learn. New surroundings are always good, learn English with us!

I had the privilege of teaching a group from one of London’s finest hotels yesterday, the 5* Stafford London in Piccadilly. They are a mix of nationalities, from Polish and Greek, to Italian and Portuguese, all looking to develop their careers with the hotel. Great place, great students!

Something that intrigues a lot of students is the word ‘shall’. My students a few weeks ago were able to figure out the meaning from the Valentine’s Day context clue. Read on to find out how you can use it…

A sterling testimonial received from a Brazilian student of ours.

We can do the same for you or your company. Contact us to find out how (link in comments).

                

Following on from our previous post about inversion, we will now tell you about another form of inversion that you can use to finesse your language.

In part 1, we talked about negative inversion, where you invert the subject and auxiliary verb and use a ‘negative or limiting adverbial’ at the start, as in ‘rarely do I drink beer’ (the non-inverted version would be ‘I rarely drink beer’), used for emphasis, drama or formality.

Today, we are talking about another form of inversion, one popular with none other than Sir Winston Churchill. This is called Anastrophe. Churchill was an incredible speaker, and he used high-level structures such as these to finesse his language.

What is it?

Anastrophe is a figure of speech in which the normal word order of the subject, verb, object is changed. For example, subject–verb–object might be changed to object–subject–verb. There are many examples of this from Star Wars, such as ‘the greatest teacher, failure is’. Why do you think this is done? Before you read on, comment with your thoughts.

Why do this?

Anastrophe in speech causes an audience to listen a bit more carefully to the message of the speaker. Like negative inversion, it is also used for emphasis. It can be used in a speech or in literature.

Many famous speeches use anastrophe as a rhetorical device, such as the famous ‘We Shall Fight on the Beaches’ speech by Winston Churchill during the early stages of the Second World War, when he declared that Britain and France would stand up and fight the Germans.

We Shall Fight on the Beaches

Winston Churchill’s ‘We Shall Fight on the Beaches’ speech spurred a nation to face a challenge like never before. He proves the power of rhetoric with his mastery of vocabulary:

‘The British Empire and the French Republic, linked together in their cause and in their need, will defend to the death their native soil, aiding each other like good comrades to the utmost of their strength. Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous States have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of N**i rule, we shall not flag or fail.’
Churchill inverts the direct object (‘their native soil’) with the indirect object (‘to the death’). His anastrophe emphasises the passion of British soldiers going to fight in the deadly battles of World War II.

Read it back to yourself aloud. Does it sound more emphatic? Do you think people pay more attention to it because of this inversion? I certainly think so.

Have a try yourself. Give us your examples in the comments.
Why does Churchill use the word ‘shall’ here? Comment or see our next blog to find out why.

I was working with a high-flying Sales Executive of a top French multinational company last week. He told me that he was having trouble explaining to his English-speaking colleagues that he was selling a lot and he wanted to use an expression to explain this.

If you also have trouble explaining this, you can use the very common English idiom ‘to sell like hot cakes’.

For example, ‘I’m selling them (the product or service) like hot cakes’ or ‘the apartments are selling like hot cakes’.

This idiom does sound a little informal, but it’s certainly okay to use it with colleagues whom you know quite well. Use it as a verb phrase.

Have you used this idiom? Do you know any synonymous expressions?
Tell us in the comments below.

Inversion? What’s that?! If it’s good enough for Winston Churchill, it’s good enough for you!

Learn more about this advanced English grammar, see the link in the comments. Comment your own examples!

Class place for a few photos!

What do you think the word 'class' means? Comment below!