10 English words with surprising etymology
The practice of etymology is uncovering the truth by tracing the root of a word. Find out some surprising word origins.
20 October 2021 by
Laura Kelly
Feminist placards: the language of protest
Banners have a way of bringing together feminists from all walks of life. We’ll look at a handful of these and examine the power of their feminist language.
8 September 2021 by Laura Kelly
Pandemic clichés and how to avoid them
We’ll explore how pandemic clichés become so prevalent and why you should do your best to avoid them. Then we’ll highlight some useful alternatives.
25 August 2021 by Laura Kelly
10 British English phrases
There are some phrases in British English which anyone who didn’t grow up in the UK would struggle to understand. We’ll outline a handful of these and explain their meanings and origins.
6 August 2021 by Laura Kelly
Successful authors who started late
To inspire you, we’ve collated key authors who found writing success later in life. It’s never too late to write your magnum opus.
8 July 2021 by Laura Kelly
Italian words that English really needs
Italian rolls off the tongue and there are many fascinating words that aren’t directly translatable into English. Here are some of our favourites.
23 June 2021 by Laura Kelly
Writing tips from authors who didn’t mince words
Some writers didn't mince words when it came to advice. We'll highlight lesser-known quotes by writers who told it like it is.
7 May 2021 by Laura Kelly
A very Victorian guide to letter writing
Writing letters is becoming a lost art. But, in an era of “Zoom fatigue” and “doomscrolling”, receiving correspondence away from the screen can be a real delight. Why not learn from those who did it best?
17 February 2021 by Laura Kelly
The science of swearing
Why do we swear? We’ll outline some of the science behind swearing. Read until the end to find out how cursing could actually be good for you.
5 February 2021 by Laura Kelly
Forgotten festive English words we need to use this season
As a gift to our fellow word nerds, we’ve compiled some amazing and little-known festive English words.
16 December 2020 by Laura Kelly
Readable grammar 101: semicolons
The semicolon is a commonly misunderstood punctuation mark. Find out its purpose, appropriateness and how to best use it.
8 September 2020 by Laura Kelly
Readable grammar 101: That VS Which
Confusing the words ‘that’ and ‘which’ is a common grammar mistake. This is because they can both be used as relative pronouns. Find out how to use both.
2 April 2020 by Laura Kelly
