Q. Could you kindly explain what is the difference between interfere and intervene?

A. These two words are similar and yet so different. Both start with 'inter-', meaning 'between'. The difference is in the connotations of the two words. 'Interfere' has very strong negative connotations. There's a wonderful short story by Julian Barnes called 'Interference', in his collection Cross Channel, and the title refers to two types of interference which happen in the story. One type of interference that the title refers to is interference with radio signals - you know, when you're listening to a radio programme and there are other signals and reception is not very good. The other type of interference is the type where people interfere in other people's business, telling them what to do, how to behave, what to eat and so on. If I say to someone, Stop interfering I mean that what I am doing is none of their business. And there's some of that happening in the story too. 'Intervene' has got more positive connotations; it has the connotation of wanting to improve a situation, change things for the better. You intervene between two people in order to prevent a quarrel, for example.

Q. Using 'going to' for the future: Is it more natural to say 'I'm going to go snowboarding' or 'I'm going snowboarding'?

A. What it really depends on is to what extent your plans to go snowboarding are fixed, or not. The present progressive is used for plans and arrangements that are pretty well definite and fixed. So, if I say I am going to the doctor tomorrow, this means that I have an appointment, or that there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that I will do this. I am going to go to the doctor tomorrow means that I am planning to do so, I intend to do so - but I am less certain about it. So, in my case, I would say I am flying to Hungary next month because I already have the ticket. But I would say I am going to go to Italy for my summer holiday this year because in fact I've not finalised my plans and may yet change them.

Q. which preposition is the correct one in stating one's place of residence? Is it 'in' or 'at'? For example, do I say I live 'in' Victoria, Gozo or I live 'at' Victoria, Gozo?

A. We use 'at' for a position at a point. So for example, if there was a train line that ran to Victoria and passed Victoria to other places, you would say to your friend 'Get off the train at Victoria'. Also, if we're using the name of a building we tend to use 'at'. So we're doing this recording at Bush House in London - 'at'. We also use 'at' where people work or study when the name of the place is given. So I can say 'I have a cousin who works at the Pentagon,' or 'my daughter is studying at the Institute of Education' - 'at'. We also use 'at' for group activities. So you could say 'I was at a concert, a party, a football match.' The idea we have with 'in' is of a position inside an area or inside a three-dimensional space. So you would say 'in the kitchen, in the woods,' or indeed, 'in Malta'. So you can say 'I live in Victoria' or 'I live in Malta'. I hope that's a help.

Thank you