New book explores the future of language
Language is the essence of human communication. But what happens when language itself starts to change?
16 January 2024 by
Laura Kelly
The greatest insults in Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was deft with wonderfully worded insults in his works. Here are some of our favourites.
22 April 2022 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
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
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
New entries in the OED: March 2020
What are the latest entries to the OED in March 2020, and what do they mean? How do words get into the OED?
26 March 2020 by Laura Kelly
5 Shakespearean words we should use more often
You might be surprised about how many everyday words and phrases come from Shakespeare. But what about the less common words?
3 December 2019 by Laura Kelly
Watch your tone – how to write content that connects
We all know the phrase: “It’s not what you say, it’s the way you say it.” How can you connect to your reader on a personal level?
5 August 2019 by Laura Kelly
Readability at the UN: why is speech clarity important?
Readability is of great importance when writing speeches and communicating with others. How are the principles of readability used at the UN?
23 April 2019 by Laura Kelly
The Fry readability graph
The Fry formula is one of several developed in the 1960s for speed and efficiency. Find out how this graph can help you improve your readability.
8 April 2019 by Laura Kelly
The IELTS test
IELTS is a standardised proficiency test. It can be used to reach a global audience. Find out how IELTS is calculated and how you can best use it.
1 April 2019 by Laura Kelly
