The server is down

In this post we’ll have a look at a very short exchange between a customer and tech support about a server problem. Let’s first start with the word “server”…

Landing like a cat

Cats have a reputation for always landing on their feet, but is it true? Yes, as any cat-owner can tell you, this is mostly true. Cats have a natural balancing system called the “righting reflex”. This system allows cats to orient themselves and land on their feet, not always, but most of the time…

Which preposition to use with “corner”? At, in, or on?

In the Confusables series, we talk about English words and expressions that are easily confused with one another because of similarities in spelling, pronunciation, and/or meaning. This is a question I am commonly asked by my students. Even if there seems to be quite a bit of variation in usage, I think understanding the difference … Continue Reading

When you are around twenty…

The Talking Point series provides an opportunity to discuss things in English, exchange ideas, and learn from each other. Napoleon Bonaparte is quoted as saying “To understand the man you have to know what was happening in the world when he was twenty.” What was going on in the world when you were around 20 … Continue Reading