Boşluğu kapatmak: İngilizce öğrencileri işyerine hazır dil becerileriyle nasıl donatabilirsiniz?

No two teenagers are exactly alike. In every secondary classroom, you'll find a wide range of English proficiency levels, learning styles, motivation and personalities. This diversity brings both challenges and opportunities, especially when teaching mixed-ability classes. By adapting your teaching strategies, you can ensure that all students experience success and remain engaged in their language learning journey.

Here are five practical strategies for teaching mixed-ability secondary students.

Valentine’s Day is a time to share kind words, sweet messages and warm feelings. If you are learning English, this is also a great time to learn new love-related words. Many of these words have interesting histories. Some come from Old English, others arrived from Latin or French. When you know where a word comes from, it can be easier to remember and use it.

This post gives you a simple list of common Valentine words and their origins, plus a few with unusual stories. Read the short explanations, say the words out loud and try a few example sentences.

Core Valentine and love words

Valentine

From Latin "Valentinus", based on "valens", meaning “strong” or “healthy.” The day is named after Saint Valentine. A “valentine” can be the card you send or the person you love.

Love

One of the oldest English words. In Old English, it was "lufu". It is related to German "Liebe" and Dutch "liefde". It has always meant strong feeling and care.

Heart

From Old English "heorte". The heart is a symbol of emotion. The heart shape in art comes from medieval ideas about feeling, not the real organ’s shape.

Romance

From Old French "romans". It first meant stories in Romance languages (from Latin). Later, it became linked with love stories and strong feelings.

Cupid

From Latin Cupido, meaning “desire.” In Roman myth, Cupid is the god who makes people fall in love with his arrows. Today, he is a friendly symbol on cards.

Terms of affection and relationships

Sweetheart

Made from two old words: "sweet" + "heart". It appeared in Middle English from Old English roots. English often creates new ideas by joining simple words.

Darling

From Old English "deorling", meaning “dear little one” or “beloved.” Today, it is a soft, caring way to speak to someone you love.

Beau

From French "beau", meaning “handsome.” In English, a beau is a boyfriend or a male admirer, often in an older or formal style. It is pronounced “boh”. Plural: beaux or beaus.

Fiancé/fiancée

From French. Traditionally, "fiancé" is male and "fiancée" is female, but many people now use fiancé for anyone engaged to marry. The accent marks show the French origin.

Paramour

From Old French "par amour", “through love.” In English, a paramour is a lover, often secret. It shows how words can carry both romance and mystery.

Dating and romantic behavior

Date

In the 19th century, American English started using "date" for a social meeting. The idea comes from marking a day on a calendar. To date means to spend romantic time together.

Adore

From Latin "adorare", through French. To adore means to love deeply and to respect. You can adore a person or a song.

Smitten

From the verb "smite", Old English smitan, “to strike.” If you are smitten, love has “struck” you. This is a strong, playful way to say you fell in love.

Flirt

Probably from a word meaning “to flick” or “to move quickly.” Over time, it came to mean playful romantic behavior. The exact origin is not certain, which makes it an interesting mystery word.

Tryst

A Scots word for a fixed meeting or appointment. Today, a tryst is a secret or private romantic meeting. It keeps the feeling of “an agreed time to meet.”

Serenade

From Italian "serenata", “an evening song,” from a word meaning “calm, clear.” To serenade is to sing or play music to someone you love, often at night.

Gifts, beauty and attraction

Bouquet

Another French word, meaning “a bunch of flowers.” A bouquet of roses is a classic Valentine’s gift. You can also use a bouquet for birthdays and celebrations.

Glamour

From a Scottish form of "grammar". Long ago, grammar also meant learning and sometimes “magic.” Glamour became the word for a special, almost magical beauty or charm.

Chivalry

From Old French "chevalerie", related to cheval, “horse.” It first meant the way of knights on horseback. Later, it became the idea of polite, noble behavior, especially toward others in romance.

Marriage and commitment

Wedding, bride, and (bride)groom

Wedding comes from Old English "weddian", “to pledge.” Bride is from Old English bryd. Groom, in bridegroom, was once "guma", an old word for “man.” Over time, it changed to the familiar groom.

Troth and betrothed

Troth comes from Old English "treowth", meaning “truth,” “faith,” or “loyal promise.” To “plight one’s troth” means “to promise to marry.” Betrothed means “engaged to marry,” from be- + troth.

Honeymoon

"Sweet" + "moon". "Honey" suggests the sweet time after the wedding, and "moon" suggests a month. Long ago, some couples drank honey wine (mead) in the first month of marriage. Today, a honeymoon is the trip after the wedding.

Now you know some new Valentine’s words and where they come from. Use them to share feelings, write messages, and enjoy the season. Make sure to practice: put each word into a simple sentence and practice saying it aloud. You can also make small flashcards and review them for a few minutes each day.

Every step in the admissions process matters. For students, the journey from initial counselling to receiving an offer letter can feel overwhelming. For agents, delays and complications can often lead to missed deadlines and opportunities lost. The good news? PTE Express has recently been introduced and is designed to remove friction at every stage, making the process faster, simpler and more reliable for everyone involved.

What slows down admissions success?

Traditional English testing often introduces unnecessary friction. Students may have to travel to test centers, wait weeks for results or navigate complex booking systems. These delays create stress and a level of uncertainty, especially with international studies as there will be strict timelines. Agents know that every day counts; when scores do not arrive on time, applications stall, and the risk of students losing their place increases.