Reporting Verbs in English: 27 Words for “Say”
We use reporting verbs to report what somebody said — to tell someone what another person said. Let’s look at an example: Barry: “My five-year-old son can definitely fix your […]
Category: Vocabulary in English
Inversion with Negative Adverbials
OK. We’re going to talk about negative adverbials in English. But first, let’s start with Madonna and a line from her song “Into the Groove.” So what’s happening here? “Only […]
Job vs Work: What’s the Difference?
You know what’s quite surprising? The fact that a lot of English learners, even high-level English learners, still get confused about the difference between “job” and “work.” I mean, “job” […]
Ways of Looking in English: Ogle, Gaze, Gawk and 12 Others
Quick! Answer the question! What can you do with your eyes? Most people would probably answer that question by saying, “Duh. You look with them!” And that’s definitely true. But […]
Furniture Vocabulary: 63 Must-Know Furniture Words in English
There’s a lot of furniture vocabulary in English. I mean, furniture is a big part of our everyday lives, right? So let’s take a walk around your home and learn […]
Describing Trends in English
Before COVID, I never thought I’d spend so much of my week looking at graphs. But now, we’re all obsessed with them. Watching the numbers go up and down, watching […]
Placeholder Names: Whatshername, Thingamajig, So-and-So and Other Words for When You Don’t Know a Word
Do these sentences sound weird to you? “We did a lot of activities last weekend.” “I saw so many amazing artefacts at the museum.” “After I left the building, the […]
75 Body Idioms in English
OK. Look at yourself! I guess you can probably name most of the parts of your body that you can see (and some of the ones you can’t see). But […]
Cooking Verbs in English (and Other Cooking Vocabulary)
We also have a podcast on Cooking Verbs in English if you’re prefer to listen instead of read. When we cook, we’re in ACTION MODE! Cooking is a very active […]
Words for Speaking: 30 Speech Verbs in English (With Audio)
Speaking is amazing, don’t you think? Words and phrases come out of our mouths — they communicate meaning, and we humans understand each other (well, sometimes)! But there are countless […]
Clothes Vocabulary: The Names of Clothing in English
Yep! Clothes! Without them, we’d all be cold and naked and far less stylish. And we humans have come a long way since we started wearing random fur, leaves and […]
How to Use “Whole” and “Entire”: The Whole Picture
Although “whole” and “entire” are very common words, you’d be surprised by how many people still find them difficult to use. In fact, I recently got a message from a […]
WTF English? 4 Weird Tricks to Sound More Creative
You know what I like most about language? It’s not that some words look the same forward as they do backwards — like “racecar.” Though that is pretty cool. It’s […]
Body Parts in English: 71 Parts of the Body You Might Not Know
You’re about to learn 71 body parts in English. Also check out 27 Words for Facial Expressions in English. The human body is an amazing thing. It grows and shrinks […]
Patterns in English: Everything You Need To Know (Almost)
Look around you. Go ahead – just look around you. What do you see? Can you describe everything you see (in English)? Whether you’re sitting outside on your terrace, in […]
Used to, Be Used to, Get Used to
I get it – “used to” can be a little confusing. Is it “I used to do it?” “I used to doing it?” “I’m used to do it?” “I’m used […]
9 Words and Phrases to Help You Talk About Coronavirus
It’s an uncertain and confusing time for us all. Will we be able to leave the house before the summer? What about cat food? Will we have enough? Coronavirus has […]
Say vs Tell: What’s the Difference?
You’re about to learn how to use “say” and “tell” in English. While you’re here, check out How to Use “Get” in English. “Say” and “tell” may have a lot […]
Geographical Features in English: Everything You Need to Know (Almost)
You’re about to learn 47 geographical features in English. You might also like Animals in English (Plus Animal Body Parts and Sounds). Sure — you know what a forest is, […]
20 Ways to Say Goodbye in English
You’re about to learn 20 new words for goodbye in English. Also check out 27 Different Ways to Say Thank You (And How to Reply). What’s wrong with this conversation? […]
Rooms in a House – 72 Different Rooms in English
You’re about to learn the names of 72 different rooms in a house in English. While you’re here, check out Household Vocabulary: 48 Useful Objects You Don’t Know in English. […]
Animals in English (Plus Animal Body Parts and Sounds)
You’re about to learn the names of 86 animals in English. Also check out Order of Adjectives in English: One Simple Hack. Sure — you know some animals names in […]
How to Use Get in English
You’re about to learn 12 different ways to use “get” in English. Also check out 27 Different Ways to Say Thank You (And How to Reply). If you went up […]
All bunged up and 62 other phrases to describe illness in English
You’re about to learn 63 phrases to talk about illness and sickness in English. Also check out 60 Negative Emotion Adjectives to Describe Negative Feelings. Here’s a strange thing about […]
Talking about the Weather in English: What They Didn’t Teach You at School (Probably)
In this lesson, you’re going to learn some words and phrases to talk about the weather in English. Also check out Different Ways to Ask and Tell the Time in […]
7 Little Drawings That Will Help You Remember English Rules Forever
These 7 drawings are from my new book, 102 Little Drawings That Will Help You Remember English Rules Forever (Probably). Click here to get your copy. Some things in English […]
Ways of Comparing in English
Let’s take a look at some ways of comparing English. While you’re here, check out Money Vocabulary: 42 Words to Talk About Money in English. OK. Let’s play that world-famous […]
15 Ways to Say Congratulations in English
Today you’re going to learn 15 other words for congratulations! Also check out 33 Ways to Say Yes in English. OK, so your best friend has just got a new […]
Relation vs Relationship: Do You Know the Difference?
Today you’re going to find out the difference between relation and relationship. Also check out Family Vocabulary: Family Members in English. Quick! Answer these questions: Do we say “I’m in […]
33 Ways to Say Yes in English
You’re about to learn 33 different ways to say “yes” in English. Also check out How to Answer “How Are You?” + 9 Interesting Ways to Ask It. “Yes” is […]
Family Relationship Names in English
You’re about to learn ALL the family relationship names in English. While you’re here, check out Relation vs Relationship: Do You Know the Difference? You already know some family relationship […]
Extreme Adjectives in English with 9 Comics
You’re about to learn 34 extreme adjectives in English. For more adjectives, check out 72 Appearance Adjectives You Need to Describe People in English. Sometimes normal adjectives aren’t strong enough […]
27 Words for Facial Expressions in English
You’re about to learn 27 words for facial expressions in English. You might also like 60 Negative Emotion Adjectives to Describe Negative Feelings. Facial expressions can tell us how other […]
25 Advanced English Phrases (Plus 5 Things That Surprised Me About Cambridge)
Today, you’re going to learn 25 new advanced English phrases while you read about my experience in Cambridge. Also check out 3 Things That Surprised Me About British Culture (With […]
Money Vocabulary: 42 Words to Talk About Money in English
Today, you’re going to increase your money vocabulary with 42 words and phrases about money. Also check out Maths Vocabulary in English: Do You Know the Basics? Like it or […]
38 Verbs of Movement in English
Today, you’re going to learn 38 verbs of movement. Also check out Sound Words in English: Bang, Smash, Crash & 39 More. There are loads of verbs of movement in […]
Confusing Words in English: 12 Words That Even Native Speakers Get Wrong
Today, you’re going to learn the difference between 12 confusing words in English. Also check out 5 Common English Verbs You’re (Probably) Saying Wrong. There are lots of confusing words […]
9 Useful Phrasal Verbs with BE
You’re about to learn some useful phrasal verbs with ‘be.’ Also check out 5 Surprisingly Common Phrasal Verbs That Most Learners Don’t Know. Some of the most common phrasal verbs […]
Sound Words in English: Bang, Smash, Crash & 39 More (With PDF)
Would you like this sound words list as a free PDF poster with pictures? Click here to get it. We hear different sounds all the time. But how do we […]
41 Personality Idioms to Describe People You Love (And Hate)
Today I’m going to show you 41 personality idioms to describe people’s character. For more idioms, check out Do You Know These 8 Very British Idioms? There are lots of different […]
How to Say Email Addresses and Websites in English
You’re about to learn how to say email addresses and websites in English — the right way. While you’re here, also check out Different Ways to Ask and Tell the […]
Different Ways to Ask and Tell the Time in English
You’re about to learn different ways to tell the time and how to ask for the time in English. You might also like Numbers in English: The Ultimate Guide. You […]
60 Negative Emotion Adjectives to Describe Negative Feelings
In this lesson, you’re going to learn 60 negative feelings in English. Also check out 8 Better Words for “Happy” Plus 33 More Positive Emotion Adjectives & Idioms. Talking about […]
Maths Vocabulary in English: Do You Know the Basics?
You’re about to learn some vocabulary to talk about mathematics in English. Also check out Numbers in English: The Ultimate Guide. It’s a common situation. As an excellent speaker of […]
Football Vocabulary: 23 Essential Words and Phrases
This is part three of a series on football vocabulary in English. If you want more, check out How to Say Football Scores in English and 9 People in Football […]
Football Vocabulary: 9 People in Football and What They Do
This is part two of a series on football vocabulary in English. If you want more, check out How to Say Football Scores in English and Football Vocabulary: 23 Essential […]
Football Vocabulary: How to Say Football Scores in English
This is part one of a series on football vocabulary in English. If you want more, check out 9 People in Football (And What They Do) and Football Vocabulary: 23 […]
72 Appearance Adjectives You Need to Describe People in English
You’re about to learn 72 must-know appearance adjectives to describe how people look. For more adjectives, check out 59 Positive Personality Adjectives to Describe Your Favourite Friends. OK. Here’s a […]
27 Different Ways to Say Thank You (And How to Reply)
Saying thank you can be difficult in English. It’s not the words. (I mean, “thank you” — there. That was easy.) It’s saying the right thing at the right time. […]
76 Must-Know Shapes, Shape Adjectives and Phrases with Shapes
You’re about to learn some useful shapes and shape adjectives. For even more English vocabulary, check out Maths Vocabulary in English: Do You Know the Basics?. OK. Take a look […]
43 Must-Know Phrases with Keep
You’re about to learn how to use “keep” in English. Also check out 33 New Ways to Say Phrases That You Use Every Day in English. “Keep” is one of […]
33 New Ways to Say Phrases That You Use Every Day in English
For more useful phrases, check out 25 Phrases to Deal With Delicate Situations in English. Have you ever been in this situation: You’re speaking to someone, and you hear yourself […]
Household Vocabulary: 48 Useful Objects You Don’t Know in English
You’re about to learn 48 everyday words for things in the house. Also check out Kitchen Vocabulary: 48 Things in the Kitchen You Don’t Know in English. Quick! What’s this […]
Kitchen Vocabulary: 48 Things in the Kitchen You Don’t Know in English
Today, you’re going to learn 48 common kitchen objects in English. For more general household vocabulary, click here. Here’s an interesting little thing about learning a language: The small things […]
29 Must-Know Binomials in English
Would you like this lesson on binomials in English as a PDF? Click here to get it. “Black and white,” “rock n’ roll,” “salt and pepper.” You know these types […]
5 Surprisingly Common Phrasal Verbs That Most Learners Don’t Know
Here’s a question for you: What’s the most difficult thing about learning English? When I ask this question to English learners, the most common answer is: “Phrasal verbs! Why do […]
Meet My Awesome Parents and Learn These 8 Useful English Phrases
Want more natural British English? Check out Can You Understand These 8 Natural British English Questions? Have you ever sat down with your parents and had a good chat about […]
42 Crazy Australian English Words and Phrases
You’re about to learn 42 Australian English words and phrases to make you sound like a real Aussie. As you may have noticed from last week’s post about Australian signs, […]
Can You Understand These 12 Australian English Signs?
You’re about to find out how well you understand Australian English signs. Want more English quizzes? Check out The Big, Fat Clark and Miller English Quiz 2017. Back in August, […]
7 Tricks to Understand Phrasal Verbs Without a Dictionary
You’re about to learn how to understand the meaning of some phrasal verbs without looking them up! For more phrasal verbs, check out 25 Phrasal Verbs and Their “Normal” Equivalents. […]
Meet, Meet with or Meet up with (Plus 5 Idioms with Meet)
“Meet,” “meet with” or “meet up with”? If you’re like most English learners, you’re probably getting these phrases mixed up. We use these phrases in slightly different ways, and we […]
“Go to My Sister” Or “Go to My Sister’s”? Talking About Visiting People in English
Today, I’m going to show you how to talk about (and how not to talk about) visiting people in English. While you’re here, check out the 17 best Clark and […]
Numbers in English: The Ultimate Guide
This is the ultimate guide to saying (or reading out) numbers in English. Also check out Maths Vocabulary in English: Do You Know the Basics? Today, you’re going to learn […]
How to Remember English Words – With 9 Advanced Vocabulary Examples
I showed you how to remember English rules with these 11 little drawings. Today, I’m going to show you how to remember English words forever (I hope!) using a special […]
Ashamed or Embarrassed: Which One Should I Use?
Today, we’re going to get clear about the difference between ashamed or embarrassed. While you’re here, check out these 17 Free English Lessons: Best of Clark and Miller 2017. Should […]
5 Common British English Phrases for Stressful Situations
#1 Lost the plot #2 Throw a spanner in the works #3 Nice one! #4 Don’t mess me around #5 It does my head in Summary Here’s a question. Who […]
Do You Know These 5 Common British English Words?
Want more British English? Have a look at 5 Common British English Phrases and Do You Know These 8 Very British Idioms? Why does it happen? It happens all the […]
The Big, Fat Clark and Miller English Quiz 2017
Learning English can be great fun. But yes — it can also be annoying. Sometimes the rules don’t make any sense. Sometimes you learn a phrase, then discover that there’s […]
8 Better Words for “Happy” Plus 33 More Positive Emotion Adjectives & Idioms
Today, you’re going to learn 41 positive emotion adjectives and idioms to describe happy emotions. For more positive English words, check out 59 Positive Personality Adjectives! Do you ever find […]
25 Phrasal Verbs and When Not to Use Them
Today, you’re going to learn 25 phrasal verbs and their “normal” equivalents. For more English vocabulary, check out 59 Positive Personality Adjectives to Describe Your Favourite Friends. Here’s a piece of […]
25 Common English Euphemisms
Today, you’re going to learn 25 common euphemism phrases in English. While you’re here, check out 28 Phrases to Feel Comfortable in English Conversations. Euphemisms are words (or phrases) we […]
Can You Understand These 8 Natural British English Questions?
Today you’re going to hear 8 tricky questions that a British English speaker might ask you. Also check out 7 Things British English Speakers Say That Your Teacher Told You […]
11 Little Drawings That Will Help You Remember English Rules Forever
This blog post was so popular that I turned it into a book: 102 Little Drawings That Will Help You Remember English Rules FOREVER (Probably). It’s available as an eBook […]
Can You Understand These 22 British English Signs?
Where are you from? What does your country specialise in? Some countries are really good at spicy foods. Some countries are excellent at public services, like hospitals and stuff. Maybe […]
3 Things That Surprised Me About British Culture (With 23 Advanced English Phrases)
It’s amazing how much your own culture can amaze you. Have you ever felt that way? You’re away from your own town, county or country for a while, and then […]
Do You Know These 8 Very British Idioms?
You’re about to learn 8 British idioms. Also check out 5 Common British English Words. So you can express yourself beautifully in English (partly thanks to our big tenses review, […]
Razor Sharp & Filthy Rich: 12 Ways to Make Your Adjectives Awesome
For some more useful English adjectives, check out 59 Positive Personality Adjectives! So you’re cooking with your teenage daughter, and she’s helping you out with the salad. She needs to […]
5 English proverbs to stop your friends doing something stupid
Let me ask you a question: Who’s the person in your life who has always made you feel better when you were down? Maybe they’ve comforted you after something awful […]
Crime vocabulary infographic (part 2) – 8 criminals and their crimes
This crime vocabulary infographic is part 2 of a series on English crime vocabulary. You can find part 1 here. Do you know these 8 crimes, how to describe the […]
66 Negative Personality Adjectives to Describe People in English
In this lesson, you’re going to learn 66 negative adjectives to describe people. Check out 59 Positive Personality Adjectives here. Sometimes we meet people we don’t like — “bad” people! Let’s […]
Vocab Upgrade: 30 English Words, Phrases and Idioms to Use Instead Of “Crazy”
In this lesson, you’re going to learn some words, phrases and idioms for “crazy.” Be sure to check out 66 Negative Personality Adjectives, too. When we call people“crazy,” what do […]
Confusing English words: 10 words you thought had the same meaning (part 2)
As I’ve probably said before, I love it when you ask me questions. If you ask questions, it means you’re going to learn more. Recently, I’ve been getting a lot […]
5 must-learn English proverbs and how to use them (part 2)
This is part 2 of a series of posts on English proverbs. Click here for part 1. English proverbs are powerful things. They can express 100 words, so they’re efficient. […]
Issue, Trouble and Problem
Finally, a common point of confusion. The main differences “Problem” is the general word. “Issue” is more diplomatic and less negative. “Trouble” is uncountable. The details Problem “Problem” is […]
Fate and Destiny
The main difference “Destiny” is usually positive and out of your control. “Fate” is usually negative and is less spiritual. The details Destiny Destiny is a big word. When […]
Aim for / Aim at
The main difference Look at these wonderful people doing odd (strange) things: Who’s saying “aim for”? Who’s saying “aim at”? “Aim for” is trying to get yourself somewhere. “Aim at” […]
Fix, Repair and Mend
“Fix,” “repair” and “mend” have very similar meanings, but there is a difference in how we use them and what we use them for. The main difference Take a look […]
10 English words you thought had the same meaning
One of my university professors once told me that it’s impossible to have two words in English with EXACTLY the same meaning. When that happens, one of the words dies […]
59 Positive Personality Adjectives to Describe Your Favourite Friends
In this lesson, you’re going to learn 59 positive personality adjectives in English. Check out 66 Negative Personality Adjectives here. Let’s look at some positive words to describe people. There […]
Activate Your English and Use Vocabulary Like a Native
With over a million words, learning English can be a scary challenge. But there are ways to make learning new words easier and to cut the time it takes to […]
Crime Vocabulary (Part 1)
Here’s a fascinating infographic to increase your crime vocabulary in English and use English grammar naturally in conversation… with CRIME! This is the first part of our three-part crime vocabulary […]
5 must-learn English proverbs and how to use them
English proverbs are powerful things. They can express 100 words, so they’re efficient. You can sound like an excellent English speaker when you use a proverb, so they’re impressive. And […]
One Simple Trick to Learn Everyday Vocabulary With Zero Effort
Recently I was talking to a Turkish friend. Her English is excellent, and we can discuss philosophy or politics easily. Then I asked her for a paper towel. She looked […]
