Hello people, we are back with a yet new blog to take you further in your quest of learning English. We have given you tips on learning grammar, using tenses, how to form sentences, pronounce words and ideas on conversations as well.

Now that you are adept with the basics, it is time to learn the finer nuances of the English language.

As we have already enunciated a number of times, English, besides being funny, is also a confusing language. Certain words are spelled one way, and pronounced the other. The spellings are sometimes misguiding, and many times, a whole letter is rendered useless by making it silent in the word! Then there are words in which the letters used are given an altogether different sound! Confused? Let us make it clear with the following examples:

• Cycle: In this word, the letter 'C' appears twice, and in both the instances, it carries a different sound! The first 'C' has the sound of 'S', while the second 'C' sounds like 'K'. The word 'cycle' is a perfect example of the various sounds that a single, or multiple, letter can carry. Hence, deducing the real sound of 'C' is quite difficult, given that a single word carries two different sounds of the letter. There are many other words that use the two different sounds of 'C'. Words like Carom, canyon, cattle, crop have 'K' kind of sound. While words like cyst, chance, cease, imply a 'S' kind of sound. Can you think of more such words?

• Enough: The sound of 'G' is how you pronounce it in 'goat', 'geese', or 'ground'. The sound of 'H' is the way you say it in 'horse', 'house', 'hat'. However, when these two words are merged together, they produce the sound similar to 'F', as in 'enough'. The English language is filled with such words where 'gh' produces the sound of 'F'. Cough, tough, laugh, are some good examples. However, many times, these letters together are used silently. Pronounce the word night, thigh, through, weigh – can you identify any sound associated with 'gh'?

• Phone: Many people spell 'phone' as 'fone', especially in chats or other casual conversations. Given the sound of 'PH' in this word, it is no wonder that people get confused and actually use an 'F'. Other similar examples would be 'Philip', 'Phosphorous', 'physics', and 'phantom'.



The English language is abundant with such amusing and unique words, and it is a fun activity to discover and learn new ones. For people wondering, 'How to improve your English?' the answer is this – the ways of learning English are many, each more creative than the other. All you have to do is set a goal, focus, and learn what works for you. There are many online spoken English classes like eAgeTutor, that help the students learn English, polish their pronunciation and learn various idioms and phrases.

English fluency is a requisite to excel in today's competitive world, and to develop that skill you need the support of a good online English learning course.

English is a very interesting language, and as you learn it, you will learn about its various marvels every day! The most amazing aspect of English is that you can convey one single message in many ways and make it sound amusing with the usage of idioms!

What are idioms?

It is an expression that does not have a literal meaning, rather it is figurative phrase. There are amusing stories behind each idiom and how it came to be coined. However, amusing story or not, idioms are fun to learn and equally amazing to use, provided you use them in the right context.

For someone new to idioms, it is natural to wonder about the whole fuss around idioms. The reason why idioms are so appreciated is because you can sound satirical, funny, serious, mysterious, and well-read by using them. In addition, using the right idiom at the right time speaks a lot about your command over the English language.

So now that you know what idioms are, you cannot help but be hooked to our series on various idioms, their meaning and their usage. In this first part of the series, let us start with a few idioms that are more commonplace than their peers are.

• Curiosity killed the cat: Chances are you have heard this idiom. And you must have heard when you were in one of your over-inquisitive modes, for that it is when this idiom is used. Curiosity killed the cat translates to 'over inquisitiveness can land you in dangerous/ harmful situations'. While being wary and inquisitive is a good trait, it is best practiced in moderation.



• Act like an ape: What do you call an extremely naughty child, the one who bangs with the furniture because he has been running wild, the one who drops food all over the floor and the one who screams at the top of his voice the moment you try to reprimand him? Naughty is too light a word for such a brat! This is when the idiom 'act like an ape' applies well. The idiom implies to a person who behaves badly and is difficult to control.



• A chip on your shoulder: Are you still worrying about your not so good score in the school-level exams? Are you still nursing a broken heart? Then, in that case, you have a chip on your shoulder, which means that you are still upset over something that happened in the past.

• A slap on the wrist: If you think that your teacher is biased, then there is no surer way of proving it than when the teacher leaves her favorite student with nothing more than a 'slap on the wrist'. This idiom translates to 'giving a mild or an insignificant punishment'. Can you think of other situations where you can use this idiom?

An English speaking course from eAgeTutor will not only improve your spoken English but also train you on the flawless usage of idioms. If you wish to improve English effectively, then it is prudent for you to enroll with one of the online spoken English classes.