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Vocabulary

In the News: Reading and Vocab for Upper-Intermediate Students

Average: 3.5 (8 votes)

Today's task is a reminder to use online English news sites like the BBC to improve your reading and vocabulary skills.

The following news item is taken from BBC News. You can read the whole story on their webiste: British Airways lines up 1,000 volunteer crew

What is an antecedent?

Average: 4 (134 votes)

Snakes are dangerous if they bite.

They is a pronoun. Snakes is an antecedent. The antecedent is the word that the pronoun is about.

A pronoun must always agree with its antecedent:

In the news: Man eats winning lottery ticket

Average: 2.1 (12 votes)

An airline passenger _A_ a scratch-off lottery ticket aboard a Ryanair plane. After scratching off the ticket he _B_ that he had winning numbers. The ticket he scratched off was said to be _C_ about €10,000.

Poor and Poverty; Wealthy and Wealth

Average: 3 (23 votes)

When someone does not have money we can say they are poor. It is an adjective.
"A poor man."

The noun form of poor is poverty.
"Many people in the world still live in poverty."

Business English - Departments in a company

Average: 2.7 (57 votes)

Here is a list of ten departments that can find in a large company or business. Maybe the place where you work has more, less or even different departments. As English is the language of international business communication, it's useful to understand some basic terms.

Match up the departments to what they do.

Advanced Level Reading: Police fears over "racist" T-shirt

Average: 3.5 (6 votes)

Health Words

Average: 2.8 (68 votes)

Take a look at these ten words. They are all related to health. Using the letters, match each word to the correct definition. Type A into the correct space, not weather.

How many did you get correct? Can you use these words in your own example sentences?

Mobile Phone English

Average: 2.8 (51 votes)

In British English they are called mobile phones; in American English they are called cell phones. Whichever term you prefer, I'm sure you have one! I've noticed English students arriving at our English schools usually bring their phones with them and if they don't, getting one as soon as they arrive is one of their first priorities!

High-Intermediate Level - What are Euphemisms?

Average: 3.2 (25 votes)

Culture Lesson - Pancake Day

Average: 3.6 (7 votes)

Among Christians in English speaking countries, today is known as Pancake Day (or officially Shrove Tuesday), as it is _A_ to eat pancakes. Although the celebration has its _B_ in relgion, you don't have to be a Christian to enjoy the day. Most people celebrate it for the pancakes and nothing more.