… your email dated 1st November 2013.
This phrase that has been used for years and years and is now so old-fashioned (a bit like the photo here!). Modernise your language and say, “Thank you for your email of 20 July 2014”. Now doesn’t that sound a lot better?
“People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.”
This proverb reminds us that we shouldn’t criticise other people for bad qualities in their character that we have ourselves!
Listen to a collection of programmes about Germany’s history and culture from the BBC Radio 4’s archives. Learn about the Thirty Years War or Tunnelling Under the Berlin War or Bismarck. It’s a great way to improve your listening skills, particularly if you’re interested in history.
Smith goes to see his supervisor in the front office. “Boss,” he says, “we’re doing some heavy house-cleaning at home
tomorrow, and my wife needs me to help with the attic and the garage, moving and hauling stuff.”
“We’re short-handed, Smith,” the boss replies. “I can’t give you the day off.”
“Thanks, boss,” says Smith, “I knew I could count on you!”
We are often so busy that we forget to pause and to think about making our day a special one. That’s why I like this checklist I found on Mark Sanborn’s site. It’s a simple yet powerful tool.
This is one of my favourites: “Did I compliment or praise someone I live or work with today?”
The list of words with different meanings in American and British English goes on …
British American
timetable schedule
tin can
trousers pants
underground (train) subway
zip zipper
I don’t use the word ‘zipper’, but I often use both ‘timetable’ and ‘schedule’, and ‘tin’ and ‘can’. ‘Pants’ for me means ‘underwear’, so I would never use it to mean ‘trousers’! And in British English a ‘subway’ is a tunnel that people can walk through to go under a street!
