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These tips will help you learn English grammar

Grammar is the skeleton of every language. It gives structure to sentences, allowing us to understand each other properly. As logical as this structure may seem when you speak your native language, it can cause a lot of confusion when you are learning another language. Do you want to learn English? Or have you already mastered the English vocabulary, but the grammar is not yet very successful? Here are five tips that will help you.

Become familiar with grammar

The first and most obvious tip is to learn grammar. Although English and Dutch have many similarities, they are two different languages. Therefore, do not try to translate sentences literally from Dutch to English.

 

English sometimes uses different words and word order is different in many cases. A grammar booklet can help you learn more about word order, different tense clauses and irregular verbs.

 

To easily understand sentence structure, it is important to be able to parse the sentence into different parts of the sentence. In addition, it is good to understand the function of different words in a sentence. What is a person form? What is an adjective? What is an adverb? Once you know the purpose of different words and phrases, it is easier to put them in the right order.

Practice, practice, practice

 

You can read a book on how to swim. You can know the theory front and back, but when you first enter the water, you will find out that theory alone is not enough. You need to practice what you have learned. The same goes for learning grammar. So don't just read through grammar rules, but practice in practice.

 

Do this by writing in English every day. For example, write a little story or describe what you experienced that day. Then you can have someone check it off.

 

Practice not only by writing English, but also by speaking it. A practice buddy with whom you meet weekly can be a tremendous help. Keep practicing even if you have already mastered grammar fairly well. Did you go to a summer camp or learn a lot at school? Then try to stay in touch with your study buddies and practice together.

Use mnemonics

Sometimes all the rules can be overwhelming. When you're in conversation with someone, in English, you don't have time to think at length. Mnemonic devices make remembering and applying grammar rules a lot easier. In English, there are many mnemonics you can use. One well-known one is the "he shits" rule: he - she - it - s. This rule helps you remember that when you use the third person singular - he (he), she (she), it (it) - there is an "s" after the root of the person form.

Read books

Are you not very good at studying? While it is nice to build your grammar foundation using grammar books, you can learn a lot by reading regular books. Start easy. Children's books are ideal. These books are designed to help young children master the basics of the language, but the books work just as well for teens and adults. Pay particular attention to sentence structure and verb conjugations.

Are you more advanced? Then read other materials as well. Consider an English newspaper, novels, magazines, blogs, etc. Make note when you noticed something you want to do follow-up research on.

Pay attention to how others speak

Focus not only on written words, but also on spoken words. This will help you understand English better and apply grammar correctly in conversations. You can do this by mimicking sentences, for example, when listening to English radio or TV programs. Watching English movies, possibly with English subtitles as an aid, is also a great way to learn how grammar is applied. Moreover, it is a really fun way to learn something new!

We would love to help you!

Day camps and youth camps for learning English is the perfect place for you to improve your grammar skills while having fun. During grammar classes, you get the chance to understand the complexities of the English language, from verb tenses and sentence structure to grammatical rules and exceptions. But more importantly, you'll learn to apply this in your everyday communication and creative writing assignments.

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What dishes do Brits put on the table?

Just as we in the Netherlands cannot do without the frikandel speciaal, the English also have their established habits when it comes to food. The British do not have the best reputation when it comes to culinary delights, but they have made quite a splash in recent years. For example, in addition to English breakfast and afternoon tea, you'll find the famous stews and a wide variety of curries. Wondering what to expect when you sit down at the English table? Then read on!

English breakfast

If you want to start your day right, a real English breakfast, or the fry-up, is not to be missed. On your plate you will find fried eggs, sausages, white beans in tomato sauce and bacon. In addition, this breakfast is characterized by ingredients such as mushrooms, toast with butter and potatoes. Thus, you are guaranteed to start your day without feeling hungry!

English lunch

The British also make a point of lunch. Whereas in the Netherlands we quickly shove a sandwich with cheese down our throats, the British usually eat hot lunch. They regularly do this in the pub, where they order fish and chips, for example. This fried meal consists of thick French fries and white fish, such as haddock or cod, with a crispy crust. To top it off, they serve it with some salt and a little vinegar. Sometimes it is accompanied by a pea sauce, or mushy peas. But soup with bread is also not an uncommon lunch dish in England.

Afternoon tea

When the clock strikes four, it is high time for a veritable paradise of tasty snacks. The English drink their cups of tea around this time and enjoy delicious, sweet treats, including the well-known scones, muffins, cookies and cheesecake. Scones are slightly sweet sandwiches and get their name from the Old Dutch word clean bread. You will also regularly encounter wraps, fish pies and sandwiches with cucumber or salmon during the English afternoon snack.

Time for dinner!

Beef Wellington is one of the most famous dishes in England. The British make this meal with tenderloin, which they garnish with mushrooms and herbs. The tenderloin is then wrapped in puff pastry and placed in the oven to continue cooking.

 

Shepherd's pie is also a true classic in the United Kingdom. This casserole consists of minced lamb with mashed potatoes and vegetables. By the way, there is also a version with minced beef, which goes by the name Cottage pie. If you love potatoes, then you will definitely like the Jacket potato! This is a jacket potato stuffed with white beans in tomato sauce or cheese.

Sunday roast

Sunday afternoon is all about fair food. Many will no doubt think of the Sunday roast. This dish involves a large piece of roast meat. Potatoes with gravy, vegetables and Yorkshire pudding are all side dishes that are part of the Sunday roast. Yorkshire pudding is an airy batter that is fried crisp. Nowadays, the British also put this fare on the table during the week. You will also increasingly find multicultural dishes in Britain's cuisine, such as curry, falafel and roti. These dishes were introduced by immigrants and embraced by the British.

British desserts

A delicious evening meal should, of course, be concluded with an equally delicious dessert. Consider, for example, a delicious trifle. This dessert has several layers. You start with cake, which you sprinkle with a little sherry, then a layer of fruit and finally custard. Plum pudding, rice pudding and apple crumble are also common on the English dinner table. Furthermore, the British like to prepare bread and butter pudding.

The holidays

In the United Kingdom, you see certain dishes recurring regularly during the holidays. For example, according to tradition, the British eat hot cross buns on Good Friday. These are round buns with raisins and cinnamon, which you recognize by the cross at the top.

 

During Christmas, Britons enjoy their beloved pudding, which they prepare in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Finally, the Simnel cake is a fruit cake that Britons eat in the middle of Lent. On the cake are marzipan balls, which symbolize the twelve apostles.

Are you in the mood for fish and chips?

At our children's camp we take children on a culinary journey to the United Kingdom. They can enjoy typical British dishes such as fish and chips, shepherd's pie, and bangers and mash. We also introduce them to treats such as scones with clotted cream and jam, and English tea. These flavorful experiences offer not only a chance to discover new flavors, but also to understand the cultural diversity of the United Kingdom.

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The English language and its history

English is a language that almost everyone speaks and that you encounter all over the world. It also has a rich history preceding it. For example, the language originated when Anglo-Saxon tribes came from Europe to the British Isles in 400 AD. Today, English has about 1.6 billion speakers, who have access to more than 750,000 words. But how did the language develop into the multifaceted language it is today?

The origins of the English language

English evolved from the Germanic languages that the English used to speak in Britain. The arrival of the Angles, Saxons and Jutes in the British Isles caused the original Celtic inhabitants to be driven out to Scotland and Wales. The languages of these tribes intermingled and developed into Anglo-Saxon, or Old English. The language was subject to many outside influences. For example, the Vikings brought Danish and Norwegian with them around 800. By the way, did you know that the word England comes from Angelen-land?

Development over time

If you start looking at the development of the language you can divide it into three periods. First, between 400 and 1100, there was Old English, which formed a strong foundation for present-day English. Words like "be," "water" and "strong" stem from this stage of the language's development.

Through the blending of Old English and Old Norse of the Vikings, the English language expanded to include some two thousand new phrases. Consider, for example, such familiar terms as "knife," "egg," "run," and "husband. During the period of Middle English from 1100 to 1500, French also left its mark on the language, due to Viking interference. Consequently, you will find many French and Latin words, such as "fruit," "people" and "liberty.

Finally, Modern English made its appearance beginning in 1500, and the poet and stage actor William Shakespeare had a great influence on the language during this time. He coined as many as 1,700 new words that were added to English, including "puppy dog," "fashionable" and "alligator.

Contemporary English

You can describe English as a Germanic language with many Romance influences. The language contains a huge vocabulary and you will frequently come across different words with the same meaning. As a matter of fact, you can see that the Germanic is found more in the everyday language and the French or Latin influence is found more in the written language. It is worth mentioning here that about 30% of contemporary English comes from French.

English as a world language

Seafarers, traders, soldiers, pilgrims and missionaries caused the language to spread worldwide over the years. Today, English is the official language in 58 countries and 23 territories. Countries that have English as an official language include Canada, Ghana, Ireland, Malta, New Zealand and Pakistan. You also find it widely used in business, administrative language and education. Even in aviation, pilots and air traffic controllers have been required to master English at a professional level since 2008. English can therefore rightly call itself a true world language!

English and Dutch

The Netherlands has also made a small contribution to the English language. One can think mainly of words from shipping, such as brandy and dyke. But also waffle, yacht, cookie and Santa Claus are part of the English language. Finally, Frisian is also said to be the closest language family to English.

English as the merriest language

To conclude with a fun fact: English is in the top three happiest languages in the world, along with Spanish and Portuguese. The study looked at the ratio of usage of both positive and negative expressions. The study found that the word happy, for example, is used three times more than the word sad!

English as a second language?

Did you get excited about the English language after reading the article? We don't think that's crazy! Many people and especially in the Netherlands have an excellent command of the English language. Would you like to master the English language well as a second language? Our day camps offer this solution. During a day camp, attention is paid to English culture, cities celebrities and the language. The whole program takes place in English. Is that scary? Of course not, because you are not alone. Everyone in the day program is there to brush up on his or her English. Together with others, you will brush up on your knowledge of the English language and speak better English after coming to Summercamp.

 

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English classes in primary school

Children pick up a foreign language easily. It is therefore advantageous to introduce them to English at an early age. There are some 1,200 elementary school in the Netherlands that offer their students English lessons from group 1. This obviously ensures a better connection to secondary education as well. Moreover, young children are not afraid to speak another language and do not mind making mistakes. This certainly contributes to a child learning a foreign language faster and also facilitates the learning process.

What is mandatory in elementary school?

In primary education, a few subjects are mandatory, such as language and math. PE and English are also subjects that every elementary school must teach. Elementary school have the freedom to fill in the lessons themselves and decide which teaching materials to use for that purpose. Currently, when they start teaching English varies from school to school. Some schools start as early as grade 1, but there are also schools that start in grade 3. However, the law requires that English be offered at least from grade 7 throughout primary education.

Why English in elementary school?

In our country, English is an important subject in primary education. In fact, a good command of the English language determines to a considerable extent how successful you will be later on the job market. For many employers, it is attractive to choose someone who speaks the language perfectly. This is a great advantage, for example, when leading an international team or project within the company.

 

In addition, children also benefit during their subsequent education. In fact, later in life, a significant proportion of students choose to go to a country where English is widely spoken because of their studies.

How do children benefit from English in elementary school?

If you start looking at the pluses of introducing children to English at an early age, you will find plenty of them. First of all, learning a foreign language stimulates creative ability. Also, a foreign language increases a child's self-confidence if the child dares to speak out in English.

 

Furthermore, it is an additional stimulus to the development of thinking skills and also teaches a child to think in a nuanced way. After all, it learns to use different words in the right context. Providing English lessons early contributes to the child's overall language development, and it has even been shown that overall language skills improve when children learn English at an early age.

 

Learning another language also adds value when filtering information. You learn to separate relevant from less important information. Furthermore, skills such as decision-making also benefit. It has been shown, for example, that people who master several languages are better able to make rational decisions. You can benefit from this in various situations.

What are the learning objectives for English in elementary school?

If you start looking at where in Dutch elementary school the focus is on learning English, you will see that the emphasis is on communication skills. Here you can think of reading, listening and speaking skills. Writing English comes next. Thus, in junior high, children learn listening and speaking primarily. In the upper grades, reading and writing come next.

English in kindergarten classes

You see these days that more and more elementary schools are choosing to start English in kindergarten classes. This helps students gain a better command of the language. Teachers often introduce their young students to English through play. Among other things, they sing songs in English and do various games. Through repetition, students get a chance to already practice the language well and are better able to remember what they are taught. They also achieve a higher language level as a result. Finally, the child develops better pronunciation by being introduced to a foreign language at an early age.

 

Summercamp understands that elementary schools are not enough to make children fluent in English. That's why we offer in our summer children's camps a unique opportunity for children to take their language skills to the next level. Our experienced instructors use fun and practical methods to bring English to life, with an emphasis on speaking and communication.

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The four most famous universities in the UK!

When people think of the United Kingdom, they think of English tea, pubs, English breakfast, red double-deckers and... fancy universities! In this country you will find some of the oldest, most expensive and most prestigious institutions. There are too many to mention. Therefore, we have compiled a top four list of the UK's most famous (and expensive) universities.

Regent's University London

Regent's University London is the youngest university in the list. Founded in 1985, although it was then a college (Regent's College), the university can be found in Regent's Park, in the South Villa Estate campus of another London university. It wasn't until 2013 that the college became a university.

 

What makes it so unique is that it is a private university. The UK has only five of those. At the same time, it is the most expensive university in the UK. In tuition fees, students pay as much as £16,400. It is a relatively small institution, accommodating only 4,000 students, making it reserved for the wealthy elite.

Oxford University

At Oxford, English students have to pay "only" 9,250 pounds of tuition. This makes studying at Oxford a lot cheaper than studying at Regent's University London. Oxford enjoys unprecedented prestige. However, tuition is lower because it is a public institution. This does not mean it is easy to get into Oxford. The university has an admission rate of 17.5%.

 

Oxford and Cambridge are the UK's most famous universities. Oxford is slightly older than Cambridge and was founded in the 11th century. This makes it the second oldest university in the world.

 

Oxford's unprecedented educational quality is very consistent, The school is therefore always found in the top five best universities in the world. Not surprisingly, the admission requirements are very strict. Those who are admitted have the privilege of studying at a university where as many as 72 Nobel Prize winners have gone before them. Many prime ministers, presidents, scientists, actors and nobles have also studied here.

 

Another interesting fact about Oxford: it houses the world's largest university publishing house. You'll also find the UK's oldest botanical garden and the world's oldest university museum.

London School of Economics and Political Science

The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), like the aforementioned university, can be found in London. The LSE was founded in 1895 by four members of the Fabian Society.

 

LSE is highly regarded not only within the UK but also internationally, taking second place in the QS World University Rankings for no less than five consecutive years. This placed this university just below Harvard. Interestingly, it is very difficult to get into this university, although less well known than Oxford. LSE had an admission rate of only 5.7% in 2018!

 

There are approximately 7,000 full-time students at LSE. In addition, there are about 750 students studying here part-time. Those who want to win a Nobel Prize in economics have come to the right place at LSE. In fact, 17% of these Nobel laureates have studied at this university. A sizable savings is needed, though. Tuition is £9,250.

Cambridge University

At Cambridge University, students pay £9,250 in tuition. For international students, it is as much as £21,732.

 

Cambridge University is one of the most prestigious universities in the world and is often mentioned in the same breath as Oxford (Oxbridge). The school was founded in 1209, making it the fourth oldest university in the world. Cambridge was founded by students who were studying at Oxford, but did not get along well with the locals. They therefore decided to move.

 

Cambridge University consists of 31 colleges. Each college was founded by a monarch or benefactor. Uniquely, one college (Newnham College) admits only women. Two colleges accommodate only postgraduate students. Cambridge has many famous alumni, including Isaac Newton, Stephen Hawking and Emma Thompson. As many as 121 Nobel laureates have graduated from Cambridge University. It is also the richest University in Europe.

Would you also like to attend mini-university, but just in the Netherlands?

Our English day camp offers you the outstanding opportunity to explore the English language while being inspired by England's best universities. Among other things, during the camp you will experience the academic richness of these centuries-old universities through engaging language classes and cultural activities.

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6 places to visit in England!

England is a small country, but it has a huge amount to offer. There are beautiful historical sites, breathtaking nature and wonderful beaches. Are you curious which places you really should not miss during your vacation to England? We have listed 6 places you must visit when you are in England.

Big Ben

Big Ben is an iconic clock tower in the English capital of London. Officially, the 96-meter-high clock tower at the Palace of Westminster is called the Elizabeth Tower. Big Ben is the name of the cast iron clock in the clock tower. This clock has been through a lot and endured the Blitz, pays a stately tribute every year on National Remembrance Day and rings in the New Year every year.

Tower Bridge

London's famous 244-meter-long Tower Bridge has been connecting the banks of the River Thames since 1894. From the elevated Walkways, you enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of London. You observe life far below you through the glass floor. During a visit to Tower Bridge, you'll learn more about this structure and get a peek into the magnificent Victorian engine rooms of the still working bridge.

Roman Baths in Bath

Located in the beautiful historic city of Bath, you will find the Roman Baths. Almost 2,000 years ago, Romans gathered here to swim, chat with each other and get pampered. The original Roman baths were built around 60-70 BC, but it was more than a bathing and spa complex for the Romans. It was also an important religious site.

Long before the Romans came here, the bubbling mineral-rich water was considered a healing spring by the Celts and the sacred place dedicated to Sul, goddess of spring, fertility and healing. The Romans had their own gods they believed in, but out of prudence did not want to offend the Celtic goddess too much. Especially for this occasion, they invented a new goddess: Minerva Sulis.

University of Cambridge

The University of Cambridge is one of the oldest and most famous universities in the world. The beautiful campus consists of Gothic buildings, spacious administration halls and Victorian squares. Here you will walk the same paths as famous alumni Sir Isaac Newton and Lord Byron.

Be sure to take a boat trip in a "punt," a boat with a square bow and flat bottom, down the Cam River. This is a unique way to see all kinds of sights and be close to nature.

Oxford

Another wonderful university city to visit in England is Oxford. This authentic city is full of historic buildings and has a very rich history and culture. Oxford is the oldest university city in England and, along with Cambridge, is known as one of the best places to study in the world.

Does your heart beat faster with books? Then you must take a look at the Bodleian Library. This is after, the British Library, the largest library in all of England. Here you will find about 12 million books housed in an impressive building.

Lake District National Park

A beautiful piece of nature is the Lake District National Park. This is the largest national park in England and here you will find, among other things, the highest mountain, Scafell Pike, and the deepest lake, Wastwater. Go hiking, biking, swimming, boating and much more here. The picturesque villages, such as Keswick and Bowness-on-Windermere, are well worth a visit.

The famous poet William Wordsworth found inspiration for his romantic poems here, and William Shakespeare is said to have performed at Rufford Old Hall. As such, the special setting oozes with history.

Would you like to go to England prepared? 

We can imagine that you would like to go on vacation to England prepared. After all, you don't master the English language overnight. Our day camps throughout the Netherlands offer a solution. Our day camps focus on the English language in a playful and educational manner. The entire camp takes place in English. After the day camp, you get the most out of your vacation in England and invest in your future!