Tandem Hour Languages

Tandem Hour LanguagesExplainers

Explainers

Short reads, one idea each

Plain explanations of how the languages we teach actually work, from silent letters to polite forms of you. Read one on the bus home, then try the idea in your next class.

  1. Why you freeze when the waiter arrives

    Fig.

    Habits

    Why you freeze when the waiter arrives

    Knowing grammar and producing it under pressure use different skills. This explainer looks at why the mind goes blank and how short spoken drills help.

    6 min read

  2. False friends that catch travellers out

    Fig.

    Words

    False friends that catch travellers out

    Some words look English but mean something else entirely. This explainer walks through how false friends arise and the kinds of travel mix-ups they cause.

    5 min read

  3. Choosing the polite you abroad

    Fig.

    Culture

    Choosing the polite you abroad

    French, Spanish, Italian and German all have more than one word for you. This explainer shows how the formal form works and when travellers should use it.

    6 min read

  4. Why spoken French sounds like one word

    Fig.

    Pronunciation

    Why spoken French sounds like one word

    Spoken French links words in ways the written page hides. This explainer covers silent letters and liaison, and how training your ear changes what you can catch.

    7 min read

  5. Building a phrase pack before you fly

    Fig.

    Habits

    Building a phrase pack before you fly

    A phrase pack is a short list of the expressions your trip will need. This explainer shows how to choose them and rehearse them so they come out under pressure.

    5 min read