11 fascinating facts about English

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Reading time: 3 minutes

English is one of the most widely-spoken languages in the world, but how much do you know about the language? Here are 11 facts about Englishthat you might not know.

Facts about English
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1. English is the language of the skies

You might know that English is the language of many lands (it’s the official language of 67 countries) but did you know it’s the language of the skies, too? That’s right, English is spoken by all pilots to identify themselves on flights, regardless of where they are from – yet another way in which learning English improves employability.

2. You or me?

We use the words "you" and "me" all the time, but which of the two do you think is the most widely used? You might be surprised to learn that while "you" is the 18th most commonly-used word in the English language; "me" is way back at number 50. So what is the most used English word? Exactly that: ‘the’.

3. One in a billion

If you were to write out every number in order as words (that is, one, two, three, four…) you wouldn’t use the letter "b" until you reached one billion.

4. No repeats

"Subdermatoglyphic" is the longest English word that can be written without repeating any letters. It has 17 letters in it, and it’s the medical name for the layer of skin beneath the fingertips. Slightly easier to guess the meaning of is the word "uncopyrightable", which has 15 letters without any being repeated, and refers to something that can’t be copyrighted or owned.

5. Shakespeare was an architect of the English language

The legendary playwright was responsible for many of the things we say and write today. These include the words "fashionable", "advertising" and "laughable", and the phrase "fight fire with fire", which means to respond to attack with a similar form of attack.

6. New arrivals to the dictionary

A new word is added to the every two hours. Some include "nerdjacking" (to hijack a conversation with detailed explanations), "undorse" (to reverse a policy) and "Mx" (a gender-neutral form of address instead of using "Mr" or "Ms").

7. Historic word, new meaning

You may know a "twerk" to be a popular, thrusting dance but in the 19th century "twirk" (spelt with an "i" not an "e") it refered to a twisting or jerking movement or twitch.

8. The origins of English

English originates from Old English, which is its earliest historical form from the 5th century. There was no punctuation until the 15th century. The oldest Old English word still used today that has the same direct meaning is "town". Town has kept the same meaning as its original Old English word "tun" meaning area of dwelling.

9. Time to move

There is a debate about the shortest grammatically correct sentence in English. "Go!" is often mentioned because it has an understood subject "you" and the predicate(the part of the sentence that tells what the subject does) is "go." However, some believe that "I am." is the shortest complete sentence because it includes both a subject and a predicate.

10. The enemies of poets

What do the words "month", "silver", "marathon" and "purple" have in common? They're just some of the words that don't have a "".

11. What's an "Aegilops"?

The longest word in English with its letters in alphabetical order is "Aegilops", which is a type of plant.

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    2. Varied age groups: The students also spanned different age ranges, which required an effective approach to engage everyone. It was a Christmas gathering meeting with all the institution's students.

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    Turning challenges into opportunities with the GSE

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    Step 1: Defining the goal

    I realized that most of my students didn't know specific Christmas-related vocabulary or any traditional English carols. This activity was also an opportunity to learn by myself and then share with them. This gap was my opportunity to introduce them to the holiday spirit in English.

    Step 2: Planning with the GSE

    I identified suitable goals for each proficiency level using the GSE Learning Objectives. These objectives helped me design tasks that targeted key skills—listening, speaking, reading and writing—while considering the ages and abilities of my students.

    Step 3: Preparing a scavenger hunt

    To make the activity interactive and fun, I organized a scavenger hunt. Students had to solve riddles and follow clues to find words essential for completing a Christmas song. The GSE objectives ensured that the tasks were appropriately challenging for each level.

    Step 4: Pairing students effectively

    Knowing my students well, I paired them strategically based on their proficiency and age. This pairing encouraged collaboration and allowed them to support each other throughout the activity.

    Making language visible and memorable

    One of my priorities was to make the language come alive. I brought visual aids like cards, games, and even a Christmas tree and a nativity scene—elements that most students recognized but had never explored in English. These visuals became valuable tools for teaching vocabulary in a tangible, engaging way.

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    1. End of year projects

    Longer projects are perfect for the end of the year because they encourage deeper engagement. Here are a few ideas to try out.

    • Class memory book: Ask students to contribute to a collaborative memory book filled with drawings, photos, or written reflections on their favorite moments of the year.
    • Passion projects: Give students the chance to dive into something they’re really interested in and wrap it up with a fun presentation or creative display.
    • Local impact projects: Challenge your learners to brainstorm ways to support their local community. They could develop a plan or even implement their ideas.

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    • Cultural exploration: Encourage students to research and share how different cultures celebrate the holidays, fostering inclusivity and curiosity. They can also share how they celebrate the end of the year and any New Year traditions.
    • Art session: Organise a holiday craft-making session where students create ornaments, cards, or posters. Encourage students to write and create cards to take home to their loved ones.

    3. Interactive learning games

    Interactive games are an easy way to maintain focus and excitement.

    • Trivia challenges: Create trivia questions about topics covered during the year—bonus points for including playful or funny questions about inside jokes or class moments.
    • Escape room activities: Turn your classroom into an educational escape room with puzzles, problem-solving challenges and hidden clues.
    • AI Guess Who: Most AI chatbots will let you play games like Guess Who; play this with the class to liven things up.Let them take turns to guess who the chatbot is thinking of. You can also use '.

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    • Talent show: Give students the chance to showcase their talents, from singing and dancing to magic tricks and storytelling. It can be a great way to encourage them to practice language skills.
    • Debate tournaments: Divide your class into teams and set them up for friendly debates on fun or meaningful topics.
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    • Class awards ceremony: Create fun and light-hearted awards for each student, such as “Best Scientist” or “Most Curious Learner.”
    • Time capsule creation: Have students write letters to their future selves or fill a box with objects representing the year.
    • Themed classroom party: Use a theme, such as a tropical luau or winter wonderland, to bring the class together for a fun party with food, games and music.

    6. Classroom party ideas

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    • Movie afternoon: Set up your classroom and dim the lights to create a cinema atmosphere for a class movie.
    • Game board bonanza: Bring in board games and allow students a relaxed day of friendly competition. If none are available, get students to create their own games.

    Keep the learning spirit alive

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