London Science Museum cuts links with BP after decades of partnership
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EN: The Present Perfect Tense (have/has + past participle) is used to express an action that happened at an unspecified time in the past and has a direct connection or relevance to the present situation.
The museum has updated its policy on sponsorship.
EN: Apposition is a grammatical construction in which two elements (normally noun phrases) are placed side by side so one element identifies or describes the other. Here, 'the oil and gas company' describes 'BP'.
My friend Sarah works for a tech company.
EN: In recent years, cultural institutions in the UK and globally have faced increasing public and activist pressure to cut sponsorship ties with fossil fuel companies due to climate change concerns.
EN: The Present Perfect Tense (have + past participle) is used to describe an action that started in the past and continues into the present, often accompanied by duration phrases like 'for several decades'.
They have lived in London for ten years.
EN: In reported speech with a past-tense reporting verb ('announced'), the auxiliary verb 'will' changes to 'would' to match the past perspective (Future in the Past).
She promised that the project would finish on time.
EN: Relative Clause (Adjective Clause): A defining relative clause uses relative pronouns like 'who' or 'that' to provide essential information about a noun (here, 'Campaigners').
Students who study hard usually achieve good results.
EN: Indirect Question / Object Clause introduced by 'how': The word 'how' can introduce a noun clause acting as the object of a preposition (here, 'in'), describing the manner or way something is done.
We discussed how technology changes our daily lives.
EN: The word 'seismic' originally refers to earthquakes, but in news context, a 'seismic shift' metaphorically describes a massive, landmark change. Public institutions in the UK, like major museums, are under increasing ethical pressure from climate advocacy groups to reject sponsorship from fossil fuel companies.
EN: Apposition occurs when two noun phrases are placed side-by-side to identify or describe the same entity. Here, 'the director of the Science Museum Group' is an appositive phrase explaining who 'Sir Ian Blatchford' is.
Mr. Davis, the principal of our school, announced the new rules today.
EN: The past perfect tense ('had' + past participle) is used to show that an action was completed before another past event or a specific time in the past.
She realized that she had left her keys at home after she reached the office.
EN: In the UK, public cultural and educational institutions have faced increasing pressure from environmental activists to reject sponsorship from fossil fuel companies (like BP and Equinor) to combat 'greenwashing'.
EN: Past Perfect Tense (had + past participle) is used to describe an action that happened before another action or point in the past.
She realized that she had left her keys at the office.
EN: The verb 'help' can be followed by an object and a bare infinitive (verb in base form without 'to'), i.e., 'help somebody do something'.
The teacher helped the students understand the difficult problem.
EN: The reported speech structure with a 'that' clause uses the Past Perfect tense ('had brought') to indicate an action that happened before another past event (the verb 'added').
She stated that the team had completed the project before the deadline.
EN: The idiom 'bring something to life' means to make something interesting, exciting, or real.
The novel's vivid descriptions bring the historical characters to life.
EN: The Present Perfect Tense ('have/has + past participle') is used here to describe an action that started in the past and continues into the present, often accompanied by time expressions like 'for + duration'.
They have lived in London for ten years.
EN: The preposition 'with' is used after 'partnership' to indicate the person, group, or organization with which a relationship or agreement exists.
The university announced a new partnership with a local technology company.
EN: In the UK, major cultural and educational institutions like the Science Museum have historically relied on sponsorship from energy giants like BP. However, growing public concern over climate change and public image laundering ('greenwashing') has sparked intense criticism from environmental activists, leading many prominent museums to sever ties with fossil fuel companies.
EN: The reported speech pattern 'argued that...' uses a noun clause (that-clause) as the direct object of the verb. When the main verb is in the past tense ('argued'), the verb in the dependent clause often shifts back in time (past perfect 'had' to indicate an action prior to or leading up to the argument).
Critics argued that the new policy had a negative impact on local businesses.
EN: The noun phrase 'influence over' is used to show control or effect on something. It is followed by an embedded question introduced by 'how' ('how science... were taught'), which acts as a prepositional object.
Parents often wonder about how media has an influence over how children learn.
EN: In the United Kingdom, 'STEM' (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths) education is a major political and educational priority. Note that British English uses 'maths' with an 's', whereas American English uses 'math'. Corporate sponsorship of education programs by fossil fuel companies has become highly controversial in the UK in recent years due to climate advocacy.
EN: Reported Speech with Backshift: When the reporting verb (e.g., 'said') is in the past tense, the verbs in the subordinate clause usually shift back to a past tense (e.g., 'raise' becomes 'raised', 'are using' becomes 'were using').
The manager said that the company was planning to open a new branch.
EN: Adverbial Clause of Reason with 'because': The conjunction 'because' introduces a clause that explains the cause or reason for the main action or situation.
She stayed home because it was raining heavily.
EN: In recent years, major UK cultural institutions (such as the Science Museum and the British Museum) have faced intense public pressure from climate activists to terminate sponsorship deals with fossil fuel giants like BP and Shell—a trend often linked to anti-'artwashing' campaigns.
EN: The pattern 'This is not the first time that...' is used to indicate that an event has occurred before. It is typically followed by a clause in the present perfect tense because it refers to an action completed relative to the present moment.
This is not the first time that she has won a national competition.
EN: The idiom 'cut ties with (someone or something)' means to end a relationship, agreement, or association with a person or organization.
The company decided to cut ties with its long-term supplier after the controversy.
EN: In recent years, cultural institutions in the UK, such as the Science Museum and the British Museum, have faced intense public pressure from climate activists to reject sponsorship from fossil fuel companies. Decisions to terminate these long-standing partnerships reflect a broader shift toward environmental accountability and corporate ethics in public funding.
EN: The Simple Past Tense (e.g., 'ended') is used to express an action that was completed at a specific time in the past.
In 2020, the company launched its first electric vehicle.
EN: Apposition occurs when two noun phrases are placed side-by-side to identify or describe the same entity, such as 'the oil company Equinor'.
My friend Sarah is a talented painter.
EN: Equinor is a Norwegian state-owned multinational energy company. Many major cultural institutions, like the Science Museum in London, have faced increasing public and activist pressure to cut sponsorship ties with fossil fuel giants due to environmental concerns and climate targets.
EN: The past perfect tense ('had' + past participle) is used to describe an action that was completed before another past action or past time. Here, Equinor's failure occurred before the decision was made.
The company had reduced its budget before the project began.
EN: The structure 'enough + to + infinitive' is used to express sufficiency for a specific purpose. 'Enough' comes after the verb or adverb it modifies ('reduce... enough').
She saved enough money to buy a new car.
EN: The Paris climate agreement is a landmark international treaty adopted in 2015 to combat climate change, aiming to limit global warming to well below 2 (preferably 1.5) degrees Celsius. Major cultural and scientific institutions, especially in Europe, face increasing pressure from environmental activists to cut financial sponsorships from fossil fuel companies like Equinor or BP to align with these global climate targets.
EN: The non-defining relative clause starting with 'which' is used to add extra information about the entire preceding clause. In this sentence, 'which' refers to the whole action of limiting global heating to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
He decided to walk to work every day, which is good for his health.
EN: The verb 'aim' is followed by an infinitive ('to + verb') to express a purpose, goal, or intention.
The new policy aims to reduce plastic waste in cities.
EN: The target of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels is a central goal established by the 2015 Paris Agreement, aimed at significantly reducing the risks and impacts of climate change worldwide.
Key vocabulary words with IPA pronunciation, definitions, example sentences, and interactive quizzes.
Phrases with type tags, bilingual definitions, usage notes, and example sentences.
To come to an end or finish.
To make something interesting, exciting, or realistic.
To end a relationship or agreement with someone or an organization.
The idea that a business should contribute to society and avoid negative environmental or social impacts.
A natural fuel such as coal or gas, formed in the geological past from the remains of living organisms.