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If elephants could write, they'd use their trunks. The Trunk is a collection of articles with advice on language, learning and communicating better in English at work.

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Pesky Points Part 4

Recycling doesn’t just benefit the environment.

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Category: Common English ConfusionsEnglish Learning Tips

Don’t be afraid of ‘me’ (Part 3)

I like chocolate.

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Category: Common English ConfusionsEnglish Learning Tips

See, look or watch?

All three involve our sense of sight, but there are differences.

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Category: Common English ConfusionsHealthcare EnglishEnglish Learning Tips

Safe vs secure

Sometimes, ‘safe’ and ‘secure’ are interchangeable, but not always.

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Category: Common English ConfusionsHealthcare English

Pesky Points Part 3

Have you been using this power tool to its potential to advance your English skills?

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Category: Common English ConfusionsEnglish Learning Tips

How to clear up common confusions with catchphrases

Doing fun stuff like watching TV shows, reading books and listening to podcasts are valuable ways to beef up your English.

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Category: Common English ConfusionsEnglish Learning Tips

Should your patient lay or lie?

With their similar sounds and meanings, ‘lay’ and ‘lie’ are easy to confuse.

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Category: Common English ConfusionsHealthcare EnglishEnglish Learning Tips

Don’t be afraid of ‘me’ (Part 2)

‘Myself’ isn’t a substitute for ‘me’.

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Category: Common English ConfusionsEnglish Learning Tips

Don’t be afraid of ‘me’ (Part 1)

Sometimes you have to proceed with caution when copying native speakers.

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Category: Common English ConfusionsEnglish Learning Tips

3 quick fixes

I hear and read these slips of the tongue all the time.

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Category: Common English ConfusionsEnglish Learning Tips

How do you say the CH in headache?

We all know that a common confusion in English concerns pronunciation.

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Category: Common English ConfusionsEnglish Learning Tips

Is that a hard or a soft C?

In the current confusing chaos, we need courage and creativity.

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Category: Common English ConfusionsEnglish Learning Tips

Can you assure me that you’ve ensured to insure your hands?

She’s a gifted surgeon whose skills are in high demand.

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Category: Common English ConfusionsHealthcare EnglishEnglish Learning Tips

A complement or a compliment?

Another common confusion is between these two words which sound the same but confusing one letter changes the meaning

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Category: Common English ConfusionsHealthcare EnglishEnglish Learning Tips

Are you between or among patients?

In this example of a common confusion, it depends.

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Category: Common English ConfusionsHealthcare EnglishEnglish Learning Tips

What’s the difference between alternate and alternative?

A common confusion for everyone is when to use alternate vs alternative.

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Category: Common English ConfusionsHealthcare EnglishEnglish Learning Tips

Are you convincing or persuading?

To improve patient health outcomes, health professionals often need to convince and persuade.

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Category: Common English ConfusionsHealthcare EnglishEnglish Learning Tips

Family, staff, team – followed by ‘is’ or ‘are’?

A common confusion is whether to use ‘is’ or ‘are’ for groups of people.

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Category: Common English ConfusionsHealthcare English

Shall I bring it or take it?

Another common confusion is when to use ‘bring’ and when to use ‘take’.

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Category: Common English ConfusionsHealthcare EnglishEnglish Learning Tips

Some chocolate? Any chocolate? What’s the difference?

It’s confusing because they can be the same and they can be different.

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Category: Common English ConfusionsEnglish Learning Tips

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