Write for your reader

I just want to remind you to think about your reader when writing an email. So what exactly does that mean?:

  • Use short and simple words and sentences.
  • Prefer the active to the passive voice.
  • Remove words and phrases that are old-fashioned and that add little value.
  • Pay attention to your grammar and punctuation.

Your reader will thank you! 🙂

On smiling

“Wear a smile and have friends; wear a scowl and have wrinkles.” George Eliot

(‘A scowl’ is ‘ein finsterer Blick’ and ‘wrinkles’ are ‘Falten’!)

We don’t dunk biscuits into our coffee

William Hanson is back again; this time to tell us how to serve coffee correctly. We learn what we need and what we should and what we should not do.

Britain used to be a nation of tea drinkers, however I see that more and more people are drinking coffee nowadays. According to an article I read in the Guardian some time ago, tea sales are down. But that appears to be only the standard black tea . People are buying more green and herbal teas today.

Ten minus six

Ten minus six

arithmeticTeacher: If your father borrowed €10 from me and paid me back €1 a month, how much would he owe me after six months?
Pupil: €10.
Teacher: Oh dear, you don’t know much about subtraction, do you?
Pupil: You don’t know much about my father!

Subtraction = Subtraktion, Minus-Rechnen!