2018-03-16 Use -Ever Words Whenever You Like
In the song “Whenever, Wherever,” popular Colombian singer Shakira tells us about a long-distance romance. At one point in the…
2018-03-09 Thinking About Using -ing Words?
In the English language, putting two –ing words together often is not only natural but correct. Listen to an example:…
2018-02-23 Making and Responding to Suggestions
Imagine that you haven’t seen a good friend in a month. In a telephone call, your friend tells you she…
2017-12-29 Learn 10 Separable Phrasal Verbs
Welcome back to Everyday Grammar from VOA Learning English. Today we return to a very common verb form in English…
2017-12-22 Grammar and Christmas
Many Americans experience surprise (or disappointment) when they wake up on Christmas Day. They might be surprised or disappointed by…
2017-12-08 Contronyms Are ‘Literally’ The Best
The American television series “Seinfeld” was famous for its unusual and often strange conversations. These conversations often took place in…
2017-12-01 Short Sentences in Books, Movies, and Speech
Ernest Hemingway was a famous American writer. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954. One of his most…
2017-11-24 Thanksgiving and English Verbs
Every year around the Thanksgiving holiday, a strange ceremony happens in Washington, DC. The president stands outside the White House,…
2017-11-17 James Bond Can Teach You About English Grammar
In the 1964 action film Goldfinger, actor Sean Connery plays the British secret agent James Bond. Bond, also called agent…
2017-11-03 Verbs and Gerunds in Speech and Fiction Writing
The American rock group Journey released the song “Don’t Stop Believin'” in 1981. This song, still popular in karaoke music…
2017-10-27 Verbs and Infinitives in Everyday Speech
The 1977 movie Star Wars is an American classic, with many memorable lines and characters. At one point in the…
2017-10-20 The Word “That” in Everyday American English
The 1994 crime film “Pulp Fiction” tells the story of a gunman, played by Samuel L. Jackson. In the film,…
2017-10-13 The Many Reasons for the Word ‘The’
The 1995 film Dead Man has a strange opening scene. Actor Johnny Depp is sitting on a train. A man…
2017-10-06 Good and Nice: Common Adjectives with Many Uses
The 2014 film Whiplash tells the story of a young man who wants to be a great jazz musician. He…
2017-09-29 Popular Culture and Academic Writing
Popular culture can teach you about English grammar. You might be surprised to know that music and films can show…