The English language is notorious for difficult spelling and pronunciation, which can make learning the language quite hard.  Time and time again, frustrated students ask “why can’t you just write it as you say it?! Like Spanish!” Well, every native speaker has had problems with spelling and pronunciation at some point too. When English was first formed by the Anglo-Saxons, spelling and pronunciation were really simple.  It was written as it was spoken.  However, the situation changed...

When it comes to learning a new language, English is probably the easiest one to get access to: Over 400 million native speakers worldwide and you will find millions of popular English language movies and songs being played on every continent. English has grown massively in the past two centuries and today, everyone has to have at least a basic understanding of English in order to survive in the competitive job market. But how can you learn English in a fun way without getting bored by...

A Cultural Guide to England Everything you need to know when you visit England by Babylon Idiomas Barcelona teacher Patrick Butterworth This summer I returned home to a cold, wet English summer. While I was trapped in my parents house due to heavy rainfall I thought about the strange rules and cultures of my home country. If you’re thinking of visiting, studying or even working in England one day there may be a few surprises for you. English culture can be a maze of rules and social...

¿Cómo sería tu vida con un mejor nivel de inglés? ¿Cómo cambiaría tu vida profesional o personal? ¿Qué cosas podrías hacer que aún no has podido? ¿Por qué quieres estudiar inglés? Saca una foto que representa tu futuro ¨yo¨ con un mejor nivel de inglés y compártela en nuestra página de Facebook de tu ciudad. A continuación haz un comentario en tu foto con una descripción de máximo 100 palabras en inglés o castellano. Haremos 4 competiciones paralelas, una en cada página...

On 29th August, the London 2012 Paralympics was opened by world renounced physicist Stephen Hawking . The Games began in 1948, but it wasn´t until the 1988 Games in Seoul that the term Paralympics was first used. Let´s take a look at five prominent athletes to look out for from the English speaking world…. Oscar Pistorius The South African athlete will compete in the 100m, 200m and 400m track event. Having  also competed in the able-bodied games, Pistorius has on several occasions...

As the Summer approaches and the London Olympics gets closer and closer, thousands of people will soon be packing their bags and heading for London, the capital of the England. There are many things to do, see and learn about in London… here are just a few highlights   THE SIGHTS   The Houses of Parliament and Big Ben Everyone calls the big clock tower in central London “Big Ben”, but this is not  actually its real name. The clock tower is  really called St Stephen´s Tower....

As England´s EURO 2012 football campaign kicks off, many Brits, at home and abroad will be spending their afternoons and evenings glued to their television sets, or following the competition at the pub over a pint or two with friends. An outlet for emotions, the most dedicated of supporters will undoubtedly experience a range of emotions whilst watching the matches –  joy, disappointment, nerves, excitement -  on the whole in good sport. However, there is a darker side to the game,...

2012 marks the diamond anniversary of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. She has reined over the 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms for the past 60 years. Elizabeth Alexandra Mary came to the throne in 1952 after the death of her father King George VI. When she was born Elizabeth was third in line to the throne and was never expected to become Queen. However, when her Uncle Edward VIII abdicated in order to marry his divorced American girlfriend, her father became King and...

One of the best ways to improve your English language skills is by reading English language books. In honour of that… I’m giving you some information on the best selling English language books ever! Many of you will find these books are at a level that’s too difficult for you or find the English language used  archaic* but it’s good to know information about some of the best stories ever told and who knows….if you keep practising and studying English, you could be enjoying these...

Put up with, gutted, knackered, stay up, get over, get off…… Do you know what these words mean? Do you know how they are pronounced? How to use them in context? If they have more than one meaning…. Help is on hand… with the new Babylon Idiomas Podcast! What is a podcast? A podcast is an audio clip, like a short radio show, that you can listen to online, or download onto your computer, MP3 player or i-pod. What is the Babylon Idiomas Podcast? The Babylon Idiomas Podcast is a great way to...