The third column represents proportions, taking the least common letter (q) as equal to 1. The letter E is over 56 times more common than Q in forming individual English words.

The frequency of letters at the beginnings of words is different again. There are more English words beginning with the letter ‘s’ than with any other letter (this is mainly because clusters such as ‘sc’, ‘sh’, ‘sp’, and ‘st’ act almost like independent letters). The letter ‘e’ only comes about halfway down the order, and the letter ‘x’ unsurprisingly comes last.

The commonest English words:

A rough top thirty, based on the Oxford English Corpus, might look something like this:

The name for a sentence that contains all 26 letters of the alphabet:

Pangram, the most famous of which is: The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.

A billion:

If you are American, it is 1,000,000,000. A trillion is then 1,000,000,000,000. If you are British, a billion may be 1,000,000,000,000 (a million million). If you are neither British nor American, you can take your pick (both systems were invented by the French, but are called ‘British’ and ‘American’ for convenience)!

1. Academic
An academic researches and /or teaches at a university. Studying an academic subject may be contrasted with a vocational or practical course. Dismissing something as academic  relegates it to the irrelevant or hypothetical.

2. AA
Alcoholics Anonymous.
An international self-help group for people with drinking problems.

3. Act of Parliament
A bill passed by both houses of parliament and given the Queen’s assent.

4. Agony aunt
A journalist giving advice on personal problems in a newspaper or magazine column.

5. Anglican
A member of the worldwide Anglican Communion, a Christian denomination originating in England.

6. Ascot
An English town famous for its early summer horse racing meeting, Royal Ascot, at which ladies wear interesting hats.
 

7. AWOL
Absent without leave.
An acronym originating in the armed forces, used generally to refer to someone not around when you want them. “He’s gone AWOL.”

8. Anorak
A nerd or geek; someone obsessed with a particular hobby or interest.

9. AD
Anno Domini.
Literally “In the year of the Lord” contrasting with B.C. (Before Christ). There is increasing use of the term C.E. (Common Era) instead of A.D. to avoid the latter’s Christian associations.

10. asap
As soon as possible. “I’ll be in touch asap”.)

B is for…

1. Bling
Ostentatious loud jewellery popularly associated with rap culture.

2. Bimbo
A young female regarded more for her physical than her mental attributes.

3. Backbencher
An MP (Member of Parliament) holding no governmental or shadow ministerial position.

4. BA
Bachelor of Arts.
An undergraduate degree title usually awarded for the more liberal arts or humanities. (Also British Airways.)

5. Bangers and mash
A dish of sausages and puree potatoes. Bangers from the sound of sausage skins exploding when fried.

6. Barrister
A lawyer called to the bar, commonly presenting cases in higher courts.

7. B&B
Bed and breakfast. Cheap accommodation in private houses.

8. Bedsit
Accommodation consisting of a living space both slept and sat in, thus a bedsittingroom, otherwise known as a studio apartment.

9. Best man
One assisting the groom at his wedding. The male equivalent to the bridesmaid.

10. Blue chip company
One whose stocks are regarded as a high value, stable investment.

C is for…

1. Cockney
Traditionally anyone born within the sound of Bow bells (the bells of a church in East London), the term is used of anyone from the East End. Famed for their distinctive “working class” accent, rhyming slang and down-to-earth attitude.

2. Constituency
The area represented by an MP. There are 651 constituencies in the UK.

3.Cricket
The quintessentially English summer game, first mentioned by Joseph of Exeter in 1190. International Test Matches can take five days to complete, County matches may last four days or just one. Recently a shortened version, 20-20, has become popular.
“The very word cricket has become a synonym for all that is true and honest. To say “that is not cricket” implies something underhand, something not in keeping with the best ideals.” Sir Pelham Warner (1873-1963) English cricketer (born in Trinidad).
“There is a widely held and quite erroneously held belief that cricket is just another game.” Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh (and husband of the queen).
“If Stalin had learned to play cricket, the world might now be a better place.” Bishop Downey (1881-1953).
Warning: Under no circumstances ask a cricket lover to explain you the rules.
 


4. Cuppa
A cup of tea, a universal panacea. “Not to worry. Come and have a nice cuppa.”

5. County
A territorial unit. E.g. Devon, Essex and Lancashire.

6. Commonwealth
The association of 52 mostly ex-colonial States headed by the Queen. She is the actual Head of State in 14 of them, while others are republics or have their own monarchs.

7. The City
The “square mile” or financial district in the city of London corresponding to Wall Street in the US.

8. Chunnel
The Channel Tunnel connecting England and France.

9. C.I.D.
The criminal investigation department of the police.

10. C of E
The Church of England, established in the 16th century by Henry VIII.

Continue reading the Second Part of this four part series here…

D is for…

1. Dean
The administrative head of a college, university faculty or cathedral.

2. Debit card
Like a credit card, but the money is taken directly from your bank account (as long as you have any in it).

3. DIY
Do-it-yourself. The male of the species particularly can be spotted at large DIY stores at weekends looking to purchase equipment to improve his domicile.

4. Dog’s life.
“It’s a dog’s life.” A common complaint about the monotony or harshness of existence. (Though dogs seen to have it pretty easy to me.)

5. Double decker
A bus with an upstairs.

6. Druids
A pre-Christian / pagan order of priests and their followers.

7. DINKY
An acronym describing a working couple devoid of the pleasures of having offspring: Double Income No Kids.

8. Duke
The highest ranking peer. There are only 30 including the 6 royal dukes. A duke’s wife is a duchess and the lands they hold are known as the Duchy.

9. Dumbing down
Making things less intellectually challenging; a charge commonly levelled at examination pass marks.

10. Dubya
Nickname of George W. Bush, used to distinguish him from his father. Also the title of the Oliver Stone bio-pic.

E is for…

1. Earl
Third highest title after duke and marquess.

2. Egg-head
A clever or knowledgeable person.

3. Edinburgh Festival
The largest arts festival in Europe held in August and September and noted for its fringe events.
 

4. Eisteddfod
A Welsh festival of music, dancing and literature.

5. English breakfast
Traditionally a cooked meal not for the faint-hearted; it may comprise cereal such as porridge, toast and marmalade, eggs and bacon, kippers (smoked fish), tea or coffee.
“If you want to eat well in England, eat three breakfasts.” W. Somerset Maugham.

6. Eton College
One of the oldest public – that is private – fee-paying schools, famous for producing politicians.

7. ETA
Expected time of arrival.

8. Ex
Previous partner. Ex-wife. “I still get on well with my ex.”

9. ET
Extra-terrestrial. An alien from another planet.

10. Essex
County east of London. Despite boasting Colchester, the oldest recorded Roman town and previous capital of England, and having the longest pleasure pier in the world, the county is popularly associated with the following natives:
Essex girl. A type of unintelligent and materialistic young woman who emerged in the late 1980s as the equivalent of Essex man and who became the butt of a variety of politically incorrect jokes.
Essex man. A type of socially ungraced Conservative voter, typically a self-made businessman…who in the late 1908s worshipped the consumer-oriented gospel of Thatcherism.
(Definitions from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable 1999.)

F is for…

1. FA
The Football Association controls (or tries to) professional and amateur football in Britain. The FA cup is a knock-out competition, the final of which is watched by even those who wouldn’t normally be interested in the sport.

2. Fifth of November
An annual celebration of the failed plot to blow up the house of parliament in 1604. Also known as Bonfire Night or Guy Fawkes Day, it is not a national holiday, but people gather outside in the evening to eat jacket potatoes and have a barbeque around a fire on which an effigy of Guy Fawkes (one of the plotters) is burnt and watch fireworks.
 

3. Fleet Street
The old centre of newspaper publishers in London. A term meaning the press.

4. Fresher
First-year university student. Freshers’ week is the period of activities when new arrivals are encouraged to join clubs and societies and engage in social activities often involving the copious consumption of liquid refreshments.

5. Footsie
Colloquial term for the Financial Times- Stock Exchange 100 Index, which records the share movements of selected top companies. It can be compared to the Dow-Jones in the US.

6. Frontbencher
An MP allowed to sit on the front bench of the House of Commons by right of being a minister or shadow minister.

7. Four-letter word
Anglo-Saxon words denoting sexual or excretory actions or bodily parts until recently considered too rude to broadcast or print.

8. Fish & chips
The traditional English take away food, deep fried and wrapped in a sheet of newspaper.

9. Falklands
A small group of islands in the South Atlantic off the coast of Argentina, claimed by The UK as a British overseas territory. Britain sent its navy to recapture them after an Argentinean invasion in 1982, resulting in 258 British and 649 Argentinian deaths. The Falklands with their fewer than 3,000 inhabitants remain British.

10. FCUK
The initials of the fashion company French Connection United Kingdom.

Continue reading the Third Part of this five part series here…

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G is for…

1. Gaelic
The Celtic language, varieties of which are spoken in Scotland and Ireland.

2. G&T
Gin and tonic.

3. Gallon
A liquid measure equivalent to about 4.5 litres.

4. GCSE
The General Certificate of Secondary Education taken after 11 years of education, after which students can leave school.

5. GP
General Practitioner – a family doctor who is not a specialist and has or shares a practice in the community.

6. Geordie
Nickname for the people and accent from Tyneside / Newcastle area in NE England.
Compare Brummie from Birmingham, Mancunian from Manchester and Scouser from Liverpool.

7. Georgian
Architectural style from the period 1720 – 1840, when the monarchs were all named George.

8. Gilbert & Sullivan operas
Immensely popular comic operettas composed by the above and originally staged from 1875 to 1896. Not a day goes by when one of these is not being performed around the world, often by amateur groups.

9. GMT
Greenwich Mean Time. The time of the 0 meridian that passes through Greenwich in London. CET Central European Time is one hour later.

10. Great Fire of London
A fire which burnt down more than half the city in 1666, referred to in the children’s round “London’s burning”.

H is for…

1. Hadrian’s Wall
A 120 km wall across northern England built by the Roman emperor Hadrian to keep the Scots out of England. (It didn’t work – the last two Prime ministers and the leader of the opposition are Scottish.)

2. Hallowe’en
The 31st of October takes it’s name from the eve (evening = even = e’en), that is the day before All Saints Day. (All holy = hallowed = hallow). The day for remembering the holy dead has come to be preceded by the night when children go “trick or treating” and fancy dress parties are held with ghoulish themes.

3. Hampstead
An expensive, fashionable leafy area of London, which is associated with artistic, literary types.

4. Hackney
The opposite.

5. Harley Street
A central London street famed for its private specialist doctors.

6. Harrods
Probably the most famous department store in the world.
 

7. Hastings
The battle of Hastings (a seaside town on the south coast) in 1066 is the one date everyone knows. The English lost to the Norman French under William, who went on to build the tower of London and inaugurated the influence of French upon the English tongue.

8. Highlander
Someone from the Highlands in northern Scotland.

9. Hat trick
A player scoring three goals in one match is said to have scored this.

10. Hogmanay
Traditional Scottish celebration on New Year’s Eve.

I is for…

1. Imperial measurement system
A mile is 1,760 yards. A yard is three feet. A foot is twelve inches. Your car dashboard will tell you that if you’re travelling at 60 mph, you’ll be doing 100 kph.

2. Imperial College
Part of London University particularly noted for science.

3. Industrial Revolution
Britain was the first country to move from an agricultural to an industry and factory based economy in the later eighteenth century.

4. Inns of Court
Four societies with their buildings in central London where barristers and judges have had their offices since the fourteenth century.

5. Ireland
The island to the west of Great Britain is divided politically into the Republic (Eire) and Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK. Ireland has a united rugby team, but separate football teams.
 

6. Irish coffee
Coffee with a generous dash of whiskey in it and cream on the top.

7. Isle of Man
A self-governing crown dependency in the Irish Sea.

8. I’m alright Jack.
A phrase expressing a selfish lack of concern for others.

9. Innit
British slang particularly common amongst young Asians and chavs / townies / pikeys. (Terms to be explained on another occasion.) A contraction of “Isn’t it.”, but used much more widely and ungrammatically as a tag question or an affirmation. “It’s well good, innit.” But also: “I pranged me motor, innit. (didn’t I)” “The bank won’t give me no dosh, innit. (will they)”

10. Imo
In my opinion.

Continue reading the Fourth Part of this five part series here…

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J is for…

1. Jack
A familiar form of the name John often used generically.

2. Jack of all trades (and master of none).
Someone fairly good at many things but not a specialist in any.

3. Jack the Ripper
The nickname of the murderer of seven women in London in 1888. His (or her) identity is still the subject of much speculation.

4. Jacobean
The period of the reign of James 1 (1603 – 25) during which there emerged a distinctive architectural style. Shakespeare and John Donne were also writing at this time and the King James Bible (The Authorised Version) was published.

5. Jock
Nickname for a Scotsman.

6. Jersey
A warm pullover originally worn by fishermen in the Channel island of Jersey.

7. John Bull
A personification of England dating from a cartoon in 1712. The US equivalent is Uncle Sam.

8. Jones
The most common surname in Wales. Tom Jones and Catherine Zita-Jones are Welsh.

9. Joneses
To “keep up with the Joneses” is to be seen to be socially and materially equal to your neighbours.

10. JP
Justice of the Peace. An unpaid magistrate who judges minor cases in court. They are not trained lawyers.

K is for…

1 Kensington
A fashionable area in West London.

2 Knightsbridge
Same as the above.

3. Kew Gardens
Famous botanical gardens and research centre by the Thames in London.

4. Kilt
Traditional Scottish tartan skirt (but never call it a skirt to a Scot).

5. Knight
The legendary 5th century King Arthur had 150 knights for whom he created the famous round table. Once knighted you become a Sir. Famous contemporary knights include Sir Sean Connery, Sir Ian McKellan, Sir Elton John and Sir Paul McCartney. Knighted women are called Dames. The Oscar winning actors Judy Dench and Helen Mirren are examples.

6. King Alfred the Great
He really did exist, born in 848 and died in 899. King of Wessex (the West Saxons), he fought and came to an arrangement with the Norsemen or Vikings, so his kingdom remained independent. He was committed to education, learning Latin and creating the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, a regularly updated history. He is the only English king to be called “the Great”.

7. Knowledge
“The Knowledge” is what all London taxi drivers have to have to become licensed. To pass the test you have to have extensive knowledge of 25,000 roads and places of interest. The training takes an average of 34 months and the average candidate needs 12 attempts before they pass.
 

8. Kirk
A Scottish word for a church.

9. KFC
Kentucky Fried Chicken. Colonel Sanders’ finger lickin’ good restaurant chain.

10. Kop
The Kop is a football stand for the supporters of Liverpool F.C. Named after the battle for Spion Kop in the second Boer War in South Africa, in which many Liverpudlians died.

L is for…

1. Labour Party
Starting over 100 years ago representing mainly the working class and linked to Trades Unions, it first came to power after the Second World War. New Labour under Tony Blair became less socialist and is the current government.

2. Lady
All Ladies are ladies, but not all ladies are Ladies. To be capitalized you have to be a peer or aristocratic.

3. Lake District
A hilly national park in Cumbria, North East England much loved by walkers. The so-called Lake Poets, Wordsworth, Coleridge and Southey lived there in the 19th century.

4. Land’s End
The southwestern extremity of England in Cornwall. Were you to fly from here to the northeastern extremity of Britain, John o’Groats’ in Scotland, you would cover 603 miles (970.4 km). The shortest distance by road is 900 miles (1448.4 km).

5. Lent
For Christians the 40 day period of preparation and fasting before Easter.

6. Lib Dems
The Liberal Democratic Party, third most popular political party in Britain.

7. Leap year
A year in which February has a 29th day and single men hide in their homes.

8. Leicester Square
A much touristed central London Square, close to Theatreland and Chinatown. Cinemas and nightclubs abound.
 

9. Loch Ness
Loch is the Scottish word for lake and in this one resides the famed and elusive monster.
 

10. LSE
The London School of Economics, part of London University.

Continue reading the Fifth Part of this five part series here…

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M is for…

1. MA/MSc
To gain the qualification of Master of Arts or Science you usually have to complete a higher degree, having already become the proud holder of a BA, BSc or BEd. If you want to get a Masters Degree without the hassle of having to work and pay for it, you might consider going to a Scottish university or Oxbridge.

2. M&S
Marks and Spencer – every high street has one. A chain store known for good quality, reasonably priced clothes and food.

3. MP
Member of Parliament.

4. Ms
Title for women equivalent to Mr. for men.

5. Man U
Manchester United football club.

6. Mickey
If you take the Mickey out of someone, you make fun of them.

7. Mickey Mouse
A Mickey Mouse organization is one which is not to be taken seriously.

8. Murphy’s Law
If anything can go wrong, it will.

9. Meet one’s Waterloo.
Arrive at a final decisive contest (as did Napoleon), possibly having crossed the Rubicon and burnt ones bridges.
10 Many a true word is spoken in jest.
A phrase meaning that the truth is often found in comic utterances.

N is for…

1. naff
Uncool or tacky. “What a naff party / dress.” The epitome of naff style might be wearing socks with sandals or your parents attempting to dance to anything other than a waltz.

2. NATO
North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Set up in 1952, it currently boasts 26 member countries forming a military alliance of democratic states in Europe and North America.

3. New Scotland Yard
The headquarters of the London police force.

4. 999
The number you call for the emergency services – fire, police or ambulance.

5. Norman
The Romanesque style of architecture found particularly in churches and castles of the 11th and 12th centuries.

6. Number ten
Journalistic shorthand for the Prime Minister’s residence in Downing Street.

7. NIMBY
Acronym meaning Not In My Backyard. A NIMBY, while agreeing (for example) that a drug addict rehabilitation centre is a good idea, would not want one in their area.

8. Notting Hill
Area of north west London famous for its carnival and the 1999 film starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant.

9. nil
Zero, nothing. Most commonly used to describe football scores: “Arsenal two, West Ham nil.”

10. nutcase
Idiot. “He’s a complete nutcase.”

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