Recent Articles
14 Common Grammatical Mistakes in English: And How to Avoid Them
A huge number of native English speakers make frequent English slip-ups that bring on the wrath of the UK’s army of grammar pedants, and it’s mainly because they weren’t taught properly at school. But for you, help is at hand.
How to do a large amount of work in a small amount of time: advice from a veteran of rushing, botching, and bashing it out
About the Author Stephanie Allen read Classics and English at St Hugh’s College, Oxford, and is currently researching a PhD in Early Modern Academic Drama at the University of Fribourg. You’d be amazed what you can get done in just a few hours – especially if you’re not overly concerned with trifling things like quality...
10 British Political Leaders Who Shaped History
In the past 100 years, Britain has played a pivotal role in world history. Through two world wars, the break-up of the British Empire and the dawn of a new millennium, British politicians have been at the heart of countless game-changing moments around the world. Though this list includes several prime ministers, it also includes...
How to Write Dazzlingly Brilliant Essays: Sharp Advice for Ambitious Students
Rachel McCombie, a graduate of St John’s College, Oxford, shares actionable tips on taking your essays from “Good” to “Outstanding.” For ambitious students, essays are a chance to showcase academic flair, demonstrate original thinking and impress with advanced written English skills. The best students relish the challenge of writing essays because they’re a chance to...
How to Write Better Essays: 5 Practical Tips
For many such students, each essay brings with it the challenge of making it that little bit better than the last one. The problem is that when you write essays regularly, it’s easy to get stuck in a rut of repeating the same formula each time – particularly when you already receive good feedback from...
Why Is English So Hard to Learn?
It’s often said that English is one of the hardest languages to learn. Given the fact that many of the words we use in English stem from Latin and Ancient Greek words – in common with many other European languages – what is it about English that has attracted this reputation for being so fearsomely...
Life as a Law Student: 7 Things You Really Have to Know
Whilst we have all heard a little about studying law at university, whether through family, friends or films, it is difficult to know what it really does involve.
9 Ways to Improve Your Chances of Getting into a Top University Without Leaving Your Room
If you’re determined to get into a top university this academic year, you’re probably already starting to think about how you can give yourself the best possible chance of being given a place at your favourite university. You’ll doubtless already have thought of the standard advice, such as taking part in activities relating to your...
8 Ways to Check If You've Really Understood Your Studies
You might have heard of the concept of “teaching to the test”. It’s teaching that’s not necessarily about true understanding of the material, but instead about maximising the possible marks you could get in an exam scenario. That might mean focusing narrowly on the topics the exam covers, and ignoring related material. It might mean...