by Heather Chetwynd | Apr 9, 2015 | Language Training
What is a grammar peeve? When we are ‘peeved’ about something, it means something really bothers or irritates us. We talk about ‘pet peeves’ which are things which really bother us in particular – it may be our spouse not putting the lid...
by Heather Chetwynd | Dec 17, 2014 | Language Training
In Canadian written English, it is important to learn how to be concise. This is a quality of well-written, refined writing and speaking, although it is not as important in casual speech. Being concise involves using specific vocabulary which more clearly states what...
by Heather Chetwynd | Dec 11, 2014 | Language Training
The following post contains a list of Latin phrases that we use in English. While some are less common, several really are part of everyday usage, such as carpe diem, in absentia, persona non grata and post mortem. English uses terms from many languages, including...
by Heather Chetwynd | Nov 26, 2014 | Accent Modification
What is the relationship between spelling and pronunciation? I recently saw an article about the pronunciation of the word PHO, a popular Vietnamese noodle soup. Based on the spelling, most Canadians and Americans tend to pronounce the word as FOE (rhyming with the...
by Heather Chetwynd | Nov 5, 2014 | Accent Modification
You CAN learn to speak clearly and be better understood when you speak English. Do you have difficulties understanding and/or being understood? The ability to participate comfortably in a conversation depends upon language and context. Understanding the culture, being...
