Eng
lish has many fascinating and quirky bits of knowledge that you might not have known about. From strange grammar rules to bizarre vocabulary, here are some cold, hard facts about the English language that might surprise you.
1. "I before E" is a lie You may have been taught that the rule "I before E, except after C" is a surefire way to spell words correctly, but unfortunately it's not true. There are actually more words in the English language that break this rule than those that follow it. So the next time you're spelling "weird" or "science," don't rely too heavily on this false rule.
2. Canada has its own type of English Sure, Canadian English may look and sound similar to American English, but it has some distinct differences. For example, Canadians use British spelling for certain words (like "colour" instead of "color"), they often say "aboot" instead of "about," and they have their own slang words like "toonie" and "loonie." So if you ever find yourself in Canada, be prepared for some linguistic surprises.
3. English has the largest vocabulary of any language According to the Oxford English Dictionary, there are over 170,000 words in current use in the English language, and hundreds of thousands more that have fallen out of usage. While some languages may have more speakers or a longer written history, English has the largest vocabulary of any language in the world.
4. There are only two words that end in "gry" "Angry" and "hungry" are two of the most common words in the English language, but did you know they're also the only two words that end in the letters "gry"? Despite the many riddles and puzzles that claim otherwise, there are no other common English words that end in "gry."
5. "Ough" can be pronounced eight different ways The letter combination "ough" is one of the weirdest in the English language, as it can be pronounced in eight different ways. For example, "enough" can be pronounced like "enuf," "bough" like "bow," and "thought" like "thawt." No other combination of letters has as many potential pronunciations. Whether you're a native English speaker or just learning the language, there's always something new and interesting to discover. So the next time you're studying grammar or practicing your vocabulary, keep these quirky facts in mind and impress your friends with your knowledge of the English language.