Meet the Teacher - Nicholas

Nicholas is the Director of Studies at the Leeds School of English. We interviewed him to find out more! Where are you from? I grew up in a small city on the border of England and Wales, called Hereford. It’s nice but quite boring! What…

New Year’s Resolutions

If you’re from a country that use the Western, or Gregorian, calendar, you will probably be used to celebrating New Year. In Britain and America, this normally means going out or parties with friends and/or family. In Britain, New Year’s…

How can I learn phrasal verbs?

Phrasal verbs - aren't they terrible! By now, you have probably realised that there are a lot of phrasal verbs, each one with more than one possible meaning. There are three main characteristics of phrasal verbs: more than one word - sometimes…

Traditional English Christmas Food

Just like with any important day, food plays a big part of British culture at Christmas. Here are a few important examples: Roast Turkey - the classic dish! It needs to be cooked in an oven for quite a long time. Brussel Sprouts - a…

Christmas Market Leeds

Another tradition that has come to us originally from Germany (see Oktoberfest) - the Leeds Christmas market has stalls, food & drink, gifts and entertainment. It’s a lovely way to spend a few hours in the cold weather! Our students…

Halloween Party!

This year, at the Leeds School of English, we had a halloween party to celebrate this spooky festival! The students and staff dressed up as Halloween characters - some obvious and some not! What can you see in the picture below?    As…

How can I improve my IELTS score?

Many students face a similar problem – they need to get a high score on their IELTS exam. Does this seem familiar to you? Whether it’s for university entry requirements, a job or immigration purposes, having a certain IELTS score is a concern…

Writing: A "quick" guide to using commas

Have you ever been confused about how to use a comma? Has your teacher ever said your sentences are too long? Don’t worry, these are typical problems! The rules of comma use are varied and a bit complicated, but we’ll try to give you…

Tips for learning Vocabulary

Learning Vocabulary is not just a case of knowing the translation of a word in your language. In order to really master your understanding, you should try finding out the following things: Connotation - this is about what kind of idea or…

Tips for improving Pronunciation

Many students make a lot of progress in terms of their knowledge of grammar and vocabulary, and can get ready good at reading as they practise lots on their own. However, one area that can be hard to improve is pronunciation. Here are some top…