The Structure of the English Language: Punctuation

There's more to a sentence than just words, there are those funny looking marks that are required every now and then to make a sentence make sense.  They're called punctuation marks, and it turns out are taken for granted 99% of the time.

The Utilisation of the English Language: Technology and the English Language

From the inception of the internet the English language has been evolving.  From AI chatbots to social media slang it's pretty clear to see that the language has been shaped by our devices, smartphones and laptops.

The Utilisation of the English Language: Riddles, the Playful Side of the English Language

Riddles are carefully thought out poems that act like a puzzle, and are usually expressed in allegorical or metaphorical ways.  Requiring meticulous thinking to answer the conundrum. 

A List of Language Variations

Linguists categorise varieties of language, some refer to rules and word usage, vocabulary or others refer to the way a language has adapted culturally.  All terms cover differences in pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar.

The Utilisation of the English Language: Accents, Dialects and Varieties

The English language has matured into so many different forms over the years, and is spoken in; US, UK, Canada, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand.  English language can also be found as a national language in countries such as Hong Kong and South Africa.  

What You Need to Know About the Global Reading Crisis that is Happening Today

As time has passed there has been a slow erosion of one of the most basic and important parts of human living.  The ability to read.  

Have You Ever Been Caught Off-Guard By a Writing/Publishing Scam?

A couple of days ago I received an email from what looked like a member of staff at KDP telling me that "my content may not fully comply with Kindle Direct Publishing guidelines."

The Utilisation of the English Language: How English Language is Used

With 2 billion speakers in the world today, English is the most commonly spoken language.  

The Structure of the English Language: Spelling

Alphabets and Early Writing Systems

Christian missionaries, along with church officials, brought in an alphabetic writing system based on the Roman alphabet in the 600s.  Incantations, poems, and curses, were written in an early Germanic writing system and came from the same system as the Roman alphabet.

Getting Back Into Writing After a Period of Illness

If you've read my last blog post you'll know that I've come down with some kind of infection or flu, that has left me with very little energy and very little voice.

A Cautionary Tale and Eye Opener

Writing can be hard, especially when you’re trying to make a living out of it.  Which is why I’ve been looking for part-time work to enable me to build up my writing business and income.

Anybody familiar with the UK system of finding work will know how hard it is especially in today’s climate.

10 Reasons Why You Should Write and Publish a Book

Writing and publishing your book sounds like a daunting task.  But don't be put off.

10 Reasons Why You Should Read as Much as You Can as a Writer

Reading is a key part of the writing process.

10 Reasons Why It's Good to Edit and Proofread Your Own Writing

Editing and proofreading ensure clear and effective communication.

10 Reasons Why You Should Start Writing

I've been a passionate writer for a long time now, but there are a lot of people out there that could be missing out on an opportunity that could be life changing.

10 Reasons Why You Should Start a Blog

Creating a blog could be one of the best decisions you make because if can offer you new opportunities, monetary gain and a means of creative expression.

The Structure of the English Language: Pronunciation

The British accent and pronunciation has a rich and varied history that has been fashioned by a number of elements over the years, including, cultural influences, social class, geography etc.  We're going to look at the roots of the British accent, as used today.

5 Literary Greats With Eccentric Writing Rituals

Peculiarities became the stock and trade for many literary greats. 

Making Money on Substack

Since Substack's inception in 2017, for writer's and creator's alike, it has become one of the internet's most popular platforms. It's great for both beginners and seasoned writers, and gives you the tools to build a popular platform for free.

The Structure of the English Language: Vocabulary

 

As I've mentioned in previous blog posts about the English language, it is a very complicated language.  With estimates ranging anywhere from half a million to 2 million words.  This is based on whether a word can be thought of as an English word, but that might not necessarily be the case.

The language is so complex, that you could argue until the cows come home about whether or not certain words are single words, two words or should include a hyphenation.  You'll quickly discover that your word count will change because there are so many words with different meanings that are spelt the same.  Oh it's very complicated.