在英國，有讀小學的孩子的香港家長，都不會對Eleven Plus 考試陌生（簡單來説，要入讀英國的頂尖公立中學和私校，就必須在11-12嵗期間,拿到優秀的Eleven Plus成績）。對在香港長大的學生來説，Eleven Plus 英文卷的困難程度，可以用以下幾張圖表達.
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Navigating narrative writing
When I began to write professionally several years ago, the type of writing I dreaded the most was the one that seemed the easiest at first glance: narrative writing. How tricky could narrative writing be, you might ask. After all, in our everyday conversations, we constantly recount happenings to others, and we do so effortlessly… Continue reading Navigating narrative writing
Going beyond DSE English
The way I see it, developing an eye for good writing is a bit like wine-tasting. Taste this sample. What makes it work, and how does it compare with the samples you already know? Keep weighing and questioning, and over time, you’ll develop a sense of what’s good. Below is a “wine-tasting” exercise, consisting of… Continue reading Going beyond DSE English
Scoring high on the argumentative essay
“You know the meaning of ‘dull as dishwater’?” I asked a writing student the other day. I was using “dull as dishwater” to characterize many of the argumentative essay topics English teachers routinely assign. It’s not exactly their fault: students have to tackle this kind of writing questions in public exams, so teachers have to… Continue reading Scoring high on the argumentative essay
The Business of Business Correspondence
When I started coaching people on their English writing, I soon noticed a curious pattern among the adults who sought me out. Most are in their late 30s or early 40s. They usually have an expertise in, say, finance or accounting. For a decade or so, they managed to thrive in the workplace, thanks to… Continue reading The Business of Business Correspondence
原來香港政府新聞稿里的英文可以爛成這樣
今次修改的，是特區政府對美國制裁那十一個官員的回應。我選了該文的其中四段來點評。
“晉人風度”和當下的香港
文革時期，在北大教授哲學的宗白華，自然成為整頓對象。他被掃地出門，被命令去掃樹葉。那當時宗白華心里是怎麽想？跟他同樣遭難的北大教授馮友蘭文革後談到宗白華，說“那年夏天我和白華同在南閣‘學習’，有一次看見他身穿白褲褂，一手打傘，一手搖著紙扇，從北閣後面的山坡上走來，悠哉悠哉。我突然覺得這不就是一種‘晉人風度’嗎？"
Come Write Like Michelle 