Predominate: according to the online Free dictionary, this intransitive verb means to “have or gain controlling power or influence”. Adding  the suffix -ly turns this into an adverb.  But is predominately interchangeable with the word predominantly? I have lost count of … Continue reading →

I DON’T KNOW about anyone else, but I’ve heard the words ‘Olympics’, ‘Games’ and ‘London 2012′ about three dozen times a day for the past seven years. A rough approximation, that’s a total of 91,980 times. I must admit, it’s … Continue reading →

NOT FOR THE first time since the summer, GCSE grading has hit the headlines. After recording the first dip in results since the examinations were introduced in the late 80s, it emerged some exam boards took the decision to mark … Continue reading →

I went into my local library this afternoon to renew a couple of books. Nothing special about that, you might say. But it was the first time I’d been into my beloved little bibliotheque since the local council introduced self-service counters. Now, I … Continue reading →

AS THE EMBERS of fires lit during arson attacks subside, and as magistrates notch up sleepless nights charging the perpetrators of theft and violence, I have been thinking long and hard about the recent riots across England, and listening avidly … Continue reading →

Unless you’ve been to watch the drama of a marathon unfold, you might wonder what kind of person would run 26.2 miles in one go. The answer? There is no one kind of person, but a diverse bunch of people … Continue reading →