Idioms about the weather
We’ve been having some fairly extreme weather lately. Here are some English idioms related to weather with an explanation of what they mean.
Month: October 2018
Are “bilingual” schools in Spain really bilingual?
Critics often say that bilingual schools in Spain aren’t really bilingual, because students don’t become fully bilingual. By bilingual, they mean able to speak two languages “perfectly” – in terms of grammar, vocabulary and accent. But even people with an exceptionally good grasp of the language will never quite reach the level of a native person with a similar educational background. So if it is unrealistic for Spanish students to become bilingual in this sense, why are Spanish schools called “bilingual”.
How do Europeans learn languages?
A couple of weeks ago we posted about which languages Europeans speak, based on the results of a 2012 Eurobarometer survey. The survey also gives lots of interesting information about how Europeans learn languages. Although many people’s only experience of language learning is through lessons at school, there are lots of other ways to improve your language skills.
Five English idioms involving animals
This week, for some light relief, we have a post on some English idioms. Like all languages, English has thousands of idioms and sayings that can be confusing to foreigners. Even native speakers get some of them mixed up. Here are just a few idioms that involve animals, with an explanation of what they mean.
Is learning English really that important?
In Spain, there is a debate between people who emphasise the need for Spanish people to improve their English, and those who argue that Spain should focus more on promoting Spanish as a world language. After all, more people have Spanish as their first language than English, so why do Spanish people need English?