Author: Xela

Winter In The UK

Posted on by Xela

People in the UK love to talk about the weather and there are two main seasons they like to talk about the most; Summer and Winter. Right now it’s winter in the UK and we thought it would be useful for everyone working with people in the UK to know a little more about the British winter.

Winter

Rain

Winter in the UK is normally very wet. It rains….and rains….and rains. It certain parts of the country it is common for it to rain every day for a month. The word winter can often mean snow for many countries but this is not common in most of the UK. The rain causes a lot of mud and large puddles of water in the road and on pavements.

Wind

Winter also means lots of wind in the UK. Wind speeds of up to 80mph are common during storms at this time of year so fallen trees something you will see after a storm. The British Meteorological Office or Met Office now name storms. Each one gets a letter from the alphabet and the UK is already on Eleanor.

Ice

While the UK may not always see lots of snow in the winter ice is common. The term “frost” is used to describe ice covering plants, roads and windows and is usually seen in the morning. Frosts are common across the country and heavy frosts can lead to people falling over in the street and even car crashes.

Cold

Temperatures in the UK do not get as cold as many other countries but that does not stop the British people talking about how cold it is. Winter temperatures do not go much lower than 0 degrees Centigrade or  32 degrees Fahrenheit very often. They can actually stay a few degrees higher for most of the winter but with the wind and rain this can feel very cold.

This Winter

This winter has been one the British people will enjoy talking about for a long time. A large part of the country was covered in snow which lead to transport problems and loss of power to many homes. On top of this certain parts of the UK have had large amounts of rain in a short time. The mud and water on the roads and in gardens is more than other years.

Moaning

The word moaning is a common English term to describe saying how bad things are. British people enjoy moaning about the weather and the 2017-18 Winter has caused a lot of moaning. If you work with people who live in the UK asking them about the weather will be a great way to start a conversation.

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Top Growth Sectors for Jobs in the UK

Posted on by Xela

If you are planning on coming to the UK for work, or you are working in the UK and would like a change of career there are some areas of work that are doing very well at the moment. These sectors are important to look it if you are thinking about what training or university course to do to get the best jobs.

  1. Finance and Accounting

Knowing about money and accounting in business is always something that will earn you money. Every single business needs some help at one time or another. However, when things get tough this need increases. With Brexit and a clear economic downturn there is no doubt larger companies and smaller ones are looking to accountants and financial experts to help them get the best out of less business. If you are looking for a sector that is growing and that is reliable then finance is a strong one to think about. Even if maths is not your strong point there are a wide range of jobs in any accounting firm including marketing, HR and more.

  1. Power and Energy

This is a big sector including things like Nuclear, Oil, Gas and Renewables. Most of these areas are growing. With the new Nuclear facility being built in the UK there is no doubt there will be a call for more skilled and non skilled people. Oil may be a fossil fuel but the petrol industry is far from dying and with the rise of smaller efficient petrol engines the automotive sector is booming. Renewables is also a huge area for growth. Think about companies that make solar panels and turbines, companies that fit panels to homes too. Also the number of large wind farms is increasing and with this comes more jobs. Along with all of this there are more and more new power companies opening up catering for the desire for renewable energy and all of this means more jobs. As a sector power is a strong one to look for jobs in and the range of roles, just like finance, is huge.

  1. Engineering

This is a sector that has two problems. The first is that there is huge demand for new engineering projects that meet the growing need for environmentally friendly processes. The second is that a large number of people who work in this sector are getting older and will retire by 2025. Now is the time to consider a career in engineering. There is a reported skills gap and a need for around 180,000 new skilled workers in this sector. If you are thinking about what to study at a university in the UK then engineering is a good choice. If you are already in this sector and are planning to come to the UK then now is a good time.

  1. IT and Technology

If there is one sector that will always grow it is IT and Tech. The demand for new tech is never ending and the companies providing both the tech and ways for businesses to use it are growing. First of all the creation, design, testing and marketing of new tech is huge so there are a lot of jobs in that area. But do not forget things like digital marketing where companies need help keeping there customers aware of new products from people who understand the tech itself. It is a huge growth industry and one that anyone looking for a career in the UK should look into.

 

The great thing about these sectors is they are global so working in the UK could be part of your career or it could be where you stay. These are big growth areas and a very good place to start thinking about career, education and jobs.

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Ways to say I’m Hungry

Posted on by Xela

Variety is always important when you are speaking English and learning different ways to say “I’m hungry” is helpful because it’s fun and interesting. It’s especially important to learn idiomatic alternatives commonly used in Britain because it helps learners understand native speakers better and sound more natural when speaking English in everyday situations.

Here are some of our favourites:

“I’m starving”

Imagine you have been so busy at work that you haven’t eaten all day. That’s when you think, “I’m starving!”

This expression means you’re extremely hungry, like you could eat a whole pizza all by yourself. So, if you’re feeling super hungry, this phrase is perfect to use!

Another example could be a child who comes home from school and says “Hi mum. What’s for tea? I’m starving”!

(“To starve” literally means to be suffering or dying from hunger. So it is an exaggerated use of English but one that is very commonly used!)

man waiting with an empty plate

“I’m ravenous”

Feeling even hungrier than “starving”? Then “ravenous” is the word for you! It means you are extremely hungry

Example

The kids had been playing on the beach all day but had forgotten to take their sandwiches with them so when they got back home, they were ravenous

“I’m peckish”

This is a great expression to say that you are hungry; a little hungry but not ‘starving’:  “I just had a coffee this morning before I left home so now I’m feeling a little peckish”

We often use adverbs such as “bit” “little” “rather” before “peckish”

“I’m feeling rather peckish. I think I’ll have a snack”

“Are you feeling peckish?” “Yes, a bit”

“I could eat a horse”

This is a great idiom that is used to say that someone is extremely hungry and could eat a lot of food

It is often used in conjunction with the phrase “I’m so hungry…”

The phrase has been used for many years and probably comes from the fact that a horse is a large animal.

Example: “What’s for dinner? I could eat a horse”

Using these expressions will help you sound more natural and fluent when you are speaking English so why not give them a try. Remember practice makes perfect

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