Who done it?

For oractice and practise I always compare to advice /advise which is easier as it is pronounced differently.
So advise somone and I practise the piano. I ask for advice and I do my Practice! To license and a licence follow the same rule.

The one I never understand is when to use due to and owing to? Perhaps someone can help.

Christine yes I agree with you! Crossed post!

I think I said on another thread that my mother used to say to us:
You munna say wunna, it inna polite

wunna being Midlands dialect for wouldn't or would not
You can work the rest out!

and she used to get very annoyed if anyone said 'I borrowed him my pen' or 'I lent his pen from him'
(not that we said that as it was instilled in us from an early age)

Me too, Emelle19. I rang H&M the other day and was most amused at their recorded greeting message. I often smile at the memory of my then 9 year old DD who (prior to an optician's appointment) I (gently)coached how to pronounce 'aitch'. Upon reaching the character she paused took a deep breath and said haitch and promptly blushed - I should add that people now often compliment her on how nicely spoken she is. Gosh I'm now worrying about any faux pas I might have made in this posting.

'i before e except after c' and when the sound is 'ee', doesn't always apply. Weird for example.

I was taught

I before e except before c
or when pronounced a as in neighbour or weigh

I think there is a bit more to the verse too.

My father used to say 'there's no aitch on h'.
It is the only letter with a spelling so there is no excuse really for getting it wrong.

Not exactly a spelling help - but stalactites have a C so they grow down from the Ceiling. Stalagtites have a G so they grow up from the Ground.

I was taught that stalactites hold on tight
and stalagmites grow up with all their might

but I still have to think!

Yorkshiregel, that's exactly what EmilyHarburn was demonstrating;lay is a transitive verb and requires an object.

Tights come down and mites climb up! (another way to remember which made me laugh as a child)

Then there's

Please send Charlie Mackay a zebra if the lean horse can't munch short grass ...any ideas for that one?

I'll give you a clue...

Reactive stuff!

Oh yes! Potassium, sodium, lithium, calcium, magnesium etc. I remember that well.

DD rang me today to ask if she shoud write "while" or "whilst" in a sentence. My Grammar for Grownups book wasn't any help but we decided that as she was writing a grant proposal for the EU "whilst" would look more impressive

How about,
Stalactites grow from the ceiling and
stalagmites grow from the ground

Oops.
Stalactites Grow down from the ceiling
Stalagmites Grow up from the ground

Stalactites have to hold tight to the roof of a cave, and stalagmites might grow up from the floor to join them up.
So said my lovely geography teacher C1962. It's an aid memoir.
for which is which.

Alidoll tights weren't invented when I was a child
socks in primry then lisle stockings and suspenders for high school.

primary

pollyperkins

The one I never understand is when to use due to and owing to?

This is one of my pet hates! Modern dictionaries will tell you that both are an acceptable substitute for 'because' as they have become so by usage. I think when they're used that way it sounds like the writing of a primary school child who's been told off by their teacher for using 'because' too often!

Here's a page of google results which tell you what 'due to' really means:

www.google.co.uk/search?q=due+%2B+meaning&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b&gfe_rd=cr&ei=aweZWPnBBsnU8gfjiKugAQ

'Owing' is a bit more straightforward because it's really just about paying back something you've borrowed from someone (or something), or, paying for something.

you mean when someone borrowed you some money?

Yes Jalima and you have to learn them not to do it again

Grandmama that is a good way to remember the difference between stalagtites/mites.

I remember practice and practise by saying 'c' for a company or doctor, 's' for a sport.

Love Frank Gardner Emelle19! Have you seen the 2-part documentary of him and a friend in Papau New Guinea? Worth a watch.

Going 'off of' the subject at the end of that post. :-)

Witzend I remember the 'turn it around' rule from my English teacher at school. It is obvious then isn't it.

English is easy for us people who are born here. Not so easy for a person from another country to learn.