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Fall or Autumn: Why are there two names for the same season?

19/9/2018

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As the first day of fall/autumn quickly approaches, we examine the origins of both words and find out which is the most widely used.  

Read on!


(See below for a vocabulary builder.)
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I grew up in Canada and always called the season between summer and winter, 'fall.'  Now that I live in Europe, I seem to favour and use 'autumn' more.

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Both names are widely-used. Let's look at their origins before we find out whether one word is preferred over the other.  

Some say that fall is the North American word for the season, but the term actually originated in or before the 16th century, which was before the development of North American English.  I've read that people used to call the season 'fall of the leaf' and 'fall of the year,' before it was shortened to the word fall sometime in the 17th century.  So, even though fall is widely used in Canada and the U.S., its roots go back too far for it to have North American origins. 

Let's look at the word autumn  now.  Autumn came to English from the French word automne in the 15th or 16th century and became more widely-used in the 18th century.  Over time, fall became archaic and autumn became the preferred word for the British English speakers.

Quick summary: Autumn is most common in British English and Fall is the preferred word in North America, but both words can be used interchangeably and understood by any native English speaker.  Australian English also prefers the word Autumn.

Comment below and let us know which word you use/prefer.

Adapted from: http://grammarist.com/usage/autumn-fall/​

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Favour  - prefer; use more than the other
Origins -
the point or place where something begins.
Roots - first known starting point; origin
Widely-used - popular, common
Archaic - old-fashioned, obsolete, out of date
Preferred - to set or hold before or above other persons or things; like better, choose rather than
Interchangeable - Capable of being used in the place of one another, 

Is there any other vocabulary you're usure of?  Please comment below and let us know so we can clear up any confusion.
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American vs. British Vocabulary Infographic: Week 6

21/5/2018

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Here are some very common words - used quite differently
​depending which country you're in. 


Please feel free to share these infographics with your friends,
​family or students who are learning English!  



​If you like my free lessons, you'll LOVE my online lessons!  Contact me to ask about a FREE trial lesson and let me show you how I can help you reach a more advanced, more confident level of English.  I work with intermediate - advanced learners who are on their road to fluency.  Let me help get you there faster!

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You know I love it when you get involved, so go ahead and comment below!  Which words would you be more likely to use, British or American?
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American vs. British Vocabulary Infographic: Week 5

27/2/2018

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Here are some very common words - used quite differently depending which country you're in. 

Please feel free to share these infographics with your friends, family or students who are learning English!  


​If you like my free lessons, you'll LOVE my online lessons!  Contact me to ask about a FREE trial lesson and let me show you how I can help you reach a more advanced, more confident level of English.  I work with intermediate - advanced learners who are on their road to fluency.  Let me help get you there faster!

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You know I love it when you get involved, so go ahead and comment below!  Which words would you be more likely to use, British or American?
​
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American vs. British Vocabulary Infographic: Week 4

21/10/2017

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​I'll be posting a new vocabulary infographic for you every week for the next couple of months!
​
Please feel free to share them with your friends,
​family 
or students who are learning English!  


​If you like my free lessons, you'll LOVE my online lessons!  Contact me to ask about a FREE trial lesson and let me show you how I can help you reach a more advanced, more confident  level of English.  I work with intermediate - advanced learners who are on their road to fluency.  Let me help get you there faster!

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You know I love it when you get involved, so go ahead and comment below!  What words would you be more likely to use, British or American?
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American vs. British Vocabulary Infographic: Week 3

12/10/2017

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I'll be posting a new vocabulary infographic for you every week for the next couple of months!
​
Please feel free to share them with your friends, family or students who are learning English!  

​If you like my free lessons, you'll LOVE my online lessons!  Contact me to ask about a FREE trial lesson and let me show you how I can help you reach a more advanced, more confident  level of English.  I work with intermediate - advanced learners who are on their road to fluency.  Let me help get you there faster!
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You know I like you to get involved, so go ahead and comment below!  What words would you be more likely to use, British or American?
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Spa Treatments Vocabulary

11/10/2017

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Do you like to get pampered at the spa?  Are you nervous about booking an appointment in English?  If you read on, I can help you overcome your fear by teaching you the vocabulary for some of the most popular spa treatments and some quick tips on how to book an appointment for these treatments.
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First, I'd like to teach you the vocabulary for some of the more typical spa treatments. 

Have a look below. 

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Manicure (commonly called: mani)  - a cosmetic treatment of the hands involving shaping and sometimes painting of the nails, removal of the cuticles, and softening of the skin. 
  • Find out if the spa you plan to visit offers a polish as part of the manicure - it's not always included.
    • Hello.  I'd like to make an appointment for a manicure (and polish), please.

Pedicure (commonly called: pedi) - a cosmetic treatment of the feet and toenails, often involving various, additional options such as a paraffin wax treatment (which softens the feet), polish or a salt scrub.
  • Hello. Can I book an appointment for a paraffin pedicure with a gel polish, please.

Massage - the rubbing and kneading of muscles and joints of the body with the hands, especially to relieve tension or pain.
  • There are lots of different types of massage.  The most common is the Swedish massage, which is a whole-body therapeutic massage designed to relax the muscles and joints.  Other popular types include deep tissue, shiatsu, hot stone, reflexology and Thai massage.  I recommend that you look here if you want to learn more about the specific styles of massage. 
    • Hi.  Do you have any openings for a (deep tissue/hot stone/aromatherapy) massage next Saturday?

Facial - a beauty treatment for the face
  • Again, there are various types of face treatments, ranging from deep-cleansing facials, to relaxation and aromatherapy facials.  Learn about different facial types here.
    • ​​Hi there.  I'd like to book a (deep-cleaning/aromatherapy) facial, please.

Body scrub - a type of beauty treatment in which the skin is cleansed and exfoliated, much like a facial but for your body.
  • Again, there are various types of body scrub treatments, ranging from sugar, to salt and even coffee scrubs.  Learn about different body scrubs and their benefits (and even some recipes to make your own scrubs) here.
    • ​​​Good morning/afternoon.  Could I make an appointment for a body scrub, please.

​Aromatherapy - the practice of using the natural oils/essential oils extracted from flowers, bark, stems, leaves, roots or other parts of a plant to enhance psychological and physical well-being.  Aromatherapy can be applied in many different spa treatments.  
  • Aerial diffusion: most spas automatically have some type of aroma in the air, to help their clients feel relaxed.
  • Direct inhalation: some medica spa treatments offer this type of aromatherapy for respiratory disinfection, decongestant, expectoration as well as psychological effects
  • Topical applications: for general massage, baths, compresses, therapeutic skin care
    • Good morning/afternoon.  Do you have any openings for a  relaxation aromatherapy massage/facial tomorrow afternoon?

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​There are so many different types of spa treatments available these days - check out this list of bizarre, unique and...interesting treatments.

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I'll soon prepare a more detailed lesson on booking and scheduling appointments, but for now, let's take a quick look at the different examples I used above, plus some extras.  These examples are polite, cordial and acceptable when booking any type of appointment and cordial. 


​There's no need to feel nervous! I promise.  Just try to relax - after all, that's why you're going to the spa right? To relax! Practice out-loud to yourself or a friend (or even a pet!), first.  You'll feel so proud of yourself after you book your own appointment.


in-person and/or telephone requests
  • ​​​I'd like to book a (deep-cleaning/aromatherapy) facial, please.
  • Can I book an appointment for _________________, please?
  • ​Do you have any openings for a (deep tissue/hot stone/aromatherapy) massage next Saturday?​
  • I'd like to make an appointment for a massage (on Saturday morning with Jessica), please.
  • Could I make an appointment for a body scrub, please?
  • I'm wondering if you have any openings for a manicure and polish on Wednesday?

​telephone request only
  • I'm calling to see if you have any openings for a pedicure either today or tomorrow?



​Have you ever been to an English-speaking spa?  Did you get the service you'd hoped for?  What kind of treatment did you have?  Be sure to comment below and join the conversation.

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False Friend: Sympathy

6/10/2017

1 Comment

 
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💞 As you can see, sympathy is not the same in Italian or Spanish as it is in English.

Am I missing any other languages in which 'sympathy' refers to KINDNESS? 🤷


HAPPY FRIDAY! 💐
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American vs. British Vocabulary: A vocabulary infographic Week 2

5/10/2017

0 Comments

 
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I'll be posting a new vocabulary infographic for you every week for the next couple of months!
​
Please feel free to share them with your friends, family
​or students who are learning English!  


​If you like my free lessons, you'll LOVE my online lessons!  Contact me to ask about a FREE trial lesson and let me show you how I can help you reach a more advanced, more confident  level of English.  I work with intermediate - advanced learners who are on their road to fluency.  Let me help get you there faster!

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You know I like you to get involved, so go ahead and comment below!  What words would you be more likely to use, British or American?
​
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Different ways to say 'pregnant'

3/10/2017

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In today's lesson, we're going to look at different ways native English speakers talk about pregnancy.  We have a lot of fun ways to talk about and announce a pregnancy.  Some of them are a little OTT (over the top) and some are so clever - just look up Pinterest pregnancy announcements for some examples.  The word pregnant is still the most used word, but let's look at some other commonly used, more fun words and expressions - and of course, how to use them.

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Please note: when talking about pregnancy, it's common to use the word WE as a way to say 'my partner and I.' 

​WE = a woman and her partner (husband, boyfriend, spouse, life partner, etc.)

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pregnant - to have a baby developing in the uterus 
  • You can say "I'm pregnant." "We're pregnant!" "I'm 6 months pregnant." "She's 4 months pregnant." 
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expecting (a baby) - to be pregnant; can be used with or without the words 'a baby.'
  • You can say: "My friend is expecting a baby." "My husband and I are expecting."  "You're expecting?!  Congratulations!!"​

​​having a baby - to be pregnant 
  • You can say "She's having a baby in July." or "We're having a baby in the Fall." 
    • Note, this is also used when a woman is at the hospital, giving birth. "She's at St. Paul's Hospital, having a/her/the baby."
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have a baby on the way - to be pregnant
  • You can say: "I have a baby on the way."​ "No, she can't drink that wine - she has a baby on the way."



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​preggo  - pregnant (also spelled: prego) I've often seen this word in online forums.
  • You can say:  "I'm 6 months preggo and have a question about ____________."​ ​ "She has a little belly that she didn't have before - I think she's preggo."

preggers - a cute way to say pregnant
  • "Guess what?  I'm preggers!"

(to be) eating for two - to be pregnant - eating foods for you and for your unborn child
  • "I really want to start eating healthier foods; after all, I'm eating for two now."​

(to have) a bun in the oven - Pregnant. Bun = baby, Oven = womb
  • "My wife has a bun in the oven.  We just found out last week."

(to have) a pea in the pod - Pregnant. Pea = baby, Pod = womb
  • "My wife has a pea in the pod.  We just found out last week."

​ ​(to have) a joey in the pouch- Pregnant. Joey = baby, Pouch= womb
  • "My wife has a joey in the pouch.  We just found out last week."​​

swallowed a watermelon seed - a fun way to refer to pregnancy
  • "Look at the pregnant woman's t-shirt, it says "I swallowed a watermelon seed.""

​(to get) knocked up (vulgar) - to become pregnant, usually unplanned
  • "Gemma got knocked up by Marcus.  They didn't use protection."

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Would you like to see more lessons like this one?  Be sure to comment below with any vocabulary questions or comments.
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PMS Vocabulary and Expressions

28/9/2017

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In this post, we're going to look at different ways women talk about Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS).  Although this isn't a typical subject for an English teacher to prepare a lesson about, the truth is all of us women experience a monthly visit from our period and our symptoms begin before its arrival.

If you're not comfortable with this subject please look away because we're going to get real.  We're going to look at all things period-related, including alternative names that native speakers use for these symptoms and occurrences.  We're going to use a little humour as well, so hold on to your panties, ladies!



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Period - a flow of blood and other material from the lining of the uterus occurring monthly in sexually mature women who are not pregnant, lasting for about a week.  medical name: menstruation
  • You can say "I'm on my period." or "I have my period."
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PMS  - premenstrual Syndrome: the physical and emotional symptoms that occur in the one to two weeks before a woman's period arrives
  • You can say:  "I have PMS."​

Cramps - a tightening of the muscles of the uterus.  medical name: dysmenorrhea; a symptom of PMS
  • You can say: "I have cramps." or "I'm crampy."​

Bloated - to feel an uncomfortable 'heaviness' in your abdomen; water retention - a symptom of PMS
  • You can say: "I am/feel bloated."

Sore/Tender breasts - when the glands in your breasts produce extra estrogen and it causes pain and tenderness; a symptom of PMS 

Feminine Products - a variety of different products, used to absorb menstruation
  • pads, tampons, cups

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(to be) PMS-ing - To feel the symptoms of PMS. 
  • ​You can say: "I'm PMS ing."

​Bitchy (vulgar)  - to feel aggravated, angry, frustrated, annoyed.  To be in a negative mood; it can be a symptom of PMS - or it can be for other reasons ;)
  • Y​ou can say:  "I'm bitchy."​

Aunt Flow - A funny expression to refer to your period.
  • You can say: "Aunt Flow is in town this week."  "Aunt Flow is visiting.", etc.​

Monthly Visitor - An expression that refers to your period.
  • You can say: "I have my monthly visitor."  "My monthly visitor is here.", etc.​

​That time of the month - another way to say that you are on your period.
  • I don't want to go swimming.  It's that time of the month.​

​Riding the cotton pony (vulgar) - a more vulgar way to say that you are on your period.
  • I shouldn't wear those white pants.  I'm riding the cotton pony.



Would you like to see more lessons like this one?  If you have any vocabulary questions, be sure to comment below!
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    About Your English Coach

    Alannah is a CELTA (University of Cambridge) qualified English language teacher from Canada who lives in Italy with her wonderful husband. She's been teaching English since 2006 and has taught many different nationalities in both Canada and Italy.  

    Join Alannah on her adventures as you learn English - in a FUN, relaxed, stress-free way!
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