There are a number of reasons why the English language can be difficult for non-natives, as the mother tongue can have an influence over the rules we apply to grammar, how we pronounce words etc. There are a number of aspects of the English language that can make learning the language a little bit more difficult. Some of the problem areas are homonyms, the plural nouns, verb tenses and syntax and it’s important to know them so as to improve your proficiency in the language.

Homonyms

These are words that sound like one another but they have a different meaning such as to, too and two. There are a number of these homonyms that occur in English and it’s important to know the difference in meaning between the words.

Plural nouns

There is a standard rule that in order to make words plural an “s” is added to the end of the word. However there are exceptions to this rule as some nouns don’t change in the plural or simply don’t follow this pattern. It’s important to know these irregularities.

Learning English

Verb Tenses

There are a large number of tenses used in English that can make it difficult when it comes to learning the language. Whether it’s present, past or future tenses they are important to know.

Syntax
Word order is important in English in order to convey meaning and this is where syntax comes in.  Knowing about syntax will help to improve your use of sentences when it comes to writing and speaking the language.

When it comes to the month of February the first thing that comes to the mind of many people is Valentine’s Day which will take place on the 14^th of this month. There are lots of things  to do for the loved up couple in the city. However  if Valentine’s Day isn’t the thing for you there’s no need to worry as there are lots of other things taking place during this month for you to enjoy.

Valentine’s Day

On Valentine’s Day there are lots of romantic things to do in and around the city. One of the main places to go during Valentine’s is to the London Eye. Here there are a number of special tickets available that are themed with the Cupid’s Capsule Experience or the Red Rose Experience. If the London Eye isn’t your thing there is also the opportunity to go on the Orient Express and enjoy a romantic lunch.

Valentine's on the London Eye

Six Nations Rugby

For the sport fan among you this is one of the biggest events to take place when it comes to rugby. The Six Nations lasts from February  right through until March. There are rugby matches taking place all over the six nations, with the England matches being played at Twickenham.

London Fashion Week

For the fashion lover this will be an event of interest. It starts on Thursday 26^th February and lasts for 4 days. There are a number of events taking place with the catwalk being the main opportunity to get a glimpse of the latest hair, beauty and fashion for the coming season.

When it comes to English learning the vocabulary can be one of the hardest things about the language. The vocabulary used within the English language is so broad that getting your head around it all can be one of the hardest things to try and overcome. There are a number of issues that come from having such a broad vocabulary and it’s important to know these so that you can start to see some big improvements both inside and outside of the classroom.

Phrasal Verbs

With phrasal verbs this can cause a number of problems as depending on the preposition you attach to the word it can completely change the meaning. There’s no easy way around it so it is important to try and learn them as natives use them a lot.

Vocabulary

Collocations

These are also used often alot by native speakers and because of this it is important to know how to use and recognise them so as to improve your range of vocabulary. Collocations are the words which go together to sound natural to native English speakers and help to give you alternative ways to express yourself in the language.

Slang

This is something that you can really only learn from native speakers, as this is where you will hear slang the most. This makes spending time in the country a great way to help you learn the language as this is often not taught in the classroom.  Although it’s informal language, knowing slang will help to improve how well you can communicate in the language and improve your proficiency.

When it comes to being in another country, you should take the opportunity to get to see and do as much as you can while you are here.  Spending time going round the museums of London  can be a great way to spend the weekend, or if you have some free time after classes. There are lots of museums with a number of exhibitions and artefacts throughout the city  so it can be a  great way to discover more about all sorts of things- and with the added benefit of  helping you with your English. Best of all the majority of them are free to go to.

British Museum

This museum is famous throughout the world. Here you can see works that date back as far as the prehistoric times. There’s lots to see here such as the Rosetta Stone or the acient Egyptian mummies.

Museums in London

Science Museum

The science museum lets you see, touch and experience the major advances of science over the last 300 years.  There are lots of interactive exhibits and also an IMAX 3D Cinema to enjoy as well.

Natural History Museum

One of the main attractions at this museum is the dinosaur exhibition- which you can see throughout the year. However this isn’t all as there are a number of exhibitions showing a whole host of animals.

Museum of London

The Museum of London lets you discover all about the city.  There are lots of things to be found  here when it comes to the history of the city from prehistoric to modern times.

With the start of the New Year there are always lots of new and exciting events to look forward to. If you have thought about coming to London to take one of the courses in 2012, then there is a lot for you to look forward to if you are going to be in the city. This year is set to be one of the biggest years for London meaning it couldn’t be a better year to be here. With lots happening around the city here’s a few of the things that you can look forward to.

London Olympics

You can’t mention the year 2012 without talking about the Olympics. This year London will host the games. Being here this year you can have the chance to see all that is going on in around the city while the event is taking place.  The games will take place from the 27^th July until the 12^th August so there’s lots to enjoy.

London Olympics

Alternative Events

As well as all this going on there are also alternative events taking place during the course of the year. This month there is the ice sculpting festival which begins on 12^th January. Other events include snow shows, Cirque du Soleil and theatre shows.

The Queens Diamond Jubliee: River Pageant

On the 3^rd June there are 1000 boats expected to take part in the pageant on the River Thames. It will be in honour of the Queen’s Diamond Jubliee, and is an event not to be missed if you are in London at the time.

New Year’s Eve is a time of celebration for many people. This Saturday sees the last day of 2011, as we get ready to welcome in 2012. With London being the capital city you can be sure that there will be plenty of places for you to go to and celebrate the New Year. If you are  still in London, or are returning for the occasion, you won’t be at a loss for something to do.

Fireworks

To see in the New Year one thing that you can enjoy in London is the firework display that takes place. This is often considered a must see event in the city so don’t miss out on the opportunity if you will be here. So you can get a good spot to watch the fireworks, be sure to arrive early.

New Year's Eve Firework Display

Places to go out

It wouldn’t be New Year’s Eve without going out and celebrating. There are a number of bars and clubs to go to  in the city so you won’t be at a loss for somewhere to go to enjoy the count-down. There are bars and clubs of all types so you can be sure that there will be a place to suit all tastes.

New Year’s Day

After a night spent celebrating New Year’s Eve you can enjoy a New Year’s Day parade. The parade has more than 10,000 performers representing 20 of the boroughs of London, as well as countries throughout the world. The parade will also mark the kick off for the beginning of the year that London will host the 2012 Olympics.

English can be one of the most useful languages to know, and having a qualification to prove your level of knowledge of the language can be a great help.  When it comes to further education or even future career opportunities , having a recognised English qualification can really help to open up a lot more doors for you. This is where taking the Cambridge exam can come in very handy, as it is recognised by many institutions throughout the world.  At the English Language studio there are a number of courses that are designed to help you get this qualification, as they help you  learn all the techniques that you will need in order to perform as  best as you can when it comes to exam day.

Preparation classes

Cambridge Preparation Classes

These classes are designed in order to help you get the points you need when it comes to taking one of the exams.  Any of the Cambridge exams can be booked through the English Language Studio, whether it’s an IELTS, CAE, FCE or CPE qualification that you are after. The preparation classes take place either in the afternoon or evening. The classes are catered for helping you to improve on certain skill areas, such as writing, as well as teaching you the various techniques you need to succeed in the exam, in order to get your qualification.

The benefits

One of these qualifications means that you can study, or work, in over 12,000 organisations throughout the world. It opens up a number of education and employment opportunities, and will always look good on your CV.

All of a sudden we are dropping from the sky, everyone’s hair is flying vertically into the air, the screams vibrating my ear drums and the feeling like my stomach has flipped upside down and inside out! Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park was immense! From the rides to the proper English food, it really did feel like I was in a magical winter wonderland.

What we did: My friends and I bought tickets online to go on the ice rink, we booked beforehand to avoid disappointment which was certainly a good idea due to the high demand on the day. The amount of fun we had was definitely worth the £10.50, we had a blast! I was filming as we were skating around the ring and all of a sudden one of my friends lost her balance and fell flat on her backside, another friend then bumped into her and went flying! We were literally crying with laughter watching the video back, I think we managed to watch it on repeat about 30 times and every time got funnier and funnier! The video has been a big hit on my Facebook (to my friends’ disapproval of course!)

As the daylight disappeared we got the chance to see the beautiful glow of Christmas lights covering Hyde Park. We decided this would be the perfect time to take a ride on the Giant Wheel. Seeing as you only live once we went for the full package, purchasing a bottle of champagne to enjoy on our little adventure wheel which definitely topped off the whole experience! Sipping on the champers as we reached the peak height on the observation wheel it almost felt like I was in a dream.

We finished the evening with a cider and some delicious fish and chips from the English Food Fair. I will sure miss this life when I finish my studies at the English Studio.

With less than a month left to go before Christmas, the count down is well and truly underway. It seems to me that the English are Christmas fanatics! Christmas is such a big hype in London, on Facebook I have already seen photos of Christmas trees up in the student’s flats! I thought the earliest people decorated would be about a fortnight before Christmas day but oh how wrong I was!
Now that there are Christmas lights illuminating the streets of London, a casual evening stroll to see the different decorations around the city is a great excuse to socialise with course mates after class, plus it does not cost a penny .  Three weeks ago thousands of people gathered together here in Shepherd’s Bush to watch the teen idol Justin Bieber turn on the Christmas lights at Westfield shopping centre – I must note that this was the beginning of November and lights were already being switched on, it seems that Christmas is not just one day of celebrating here, in fact, in this case it is two months in advance! I cannot deny it though, just like McDonalds, I’m lovin it!

Apart from decorating there are all kinds of things to do, from ice skating to watching the annual pantomime. I am very excited to go to the see the The Great Christmas Pudding Race in Covent Garden on 3rd December. This is an event where everyone is in fancy dress running around whilst balancing Christmas pudding on their head! It is all about raising awareness for Cancer Research so not only are you doing something beneficial to others, you can have fun at the same time, it sounds like an excellent combination to me.

I could not have asked for a better experience, the advantage of The English Studio is that not only do you get top quality teaching, the schools are in the perfect locations so you can totally immerse yourself in the British culture. If you are here studying my only words of advice are play hard and work hard… you could even start a Christmas light war with you neighbours like they did in Chicago