English Language Teaching

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  • Double Comparatives - Right or Wrong?

    About.com English as 2nd Language
    9 May 2012 | 6:41 am
    Double comparatives, like double negatives, are generally considered incorrect English. For example, the phrase He is more taller than John. contains a double comparative "more" and "taller". However, many grammar books and English teachers teach a different type of double comparative which is perfectly good English. These double comparatives show cause and result as in these phrases: The more time you spend on your studies, the better your scores will be. The more interesting the topic is, the more effort students will make. This guide to double comparatives helps clear up issues around when…

  • When to use A, An or The

    About.com English as 2nd Language
    1 May 2012 | 9:24 am
    The basic rules for using a, an or the are as follows: Use a/an when something is mentioned for the first time and the listener(s) don't know which. Use 'the' when referring to something specific that the listener(s) know. Of course, there is a lot more to learning the correct use of a, an or the. Once you've studied the rules, make sure to take the a, an or the quiz to test your understanding.

  • Use That Word Correctly!

    ESL Lesson Plan
    24 Apr 2012 | 10:46 pm
    Pronunciation is the first thing anyone hears as we speak. Our vocabulary might be great, and our grammar might be impeccable...

  • Just Say No (Or Not)

    ESL Lesson Plan
    29 Apr 2012 | 10:27 pm
    There are many ways of saying "no" in English. And the word "no" is used in many ways that...

  • Questions to answer before you start blogging

    Teaching English in Korea - ESL blog
    James Trotta
    1 May 2012 | 7:16 pm
    1. Audience analysis Where will you publish your writing? If you're publishing on an existing site, what does the owner and what do the readers want? If you're writing your own blog, what kind of readers are you trying to...
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    OUPELT Global Blog

  • Looking for English Speaking Classes in London

    Mark
    11 May 2012 | 11:48 am
    As most of the people are aware of, London is the capital of England where the English language is originally being used. The language have been the first language not only in this city but is the official language being used in UK. The city of London is known for its historic past and its continuously growing future. Knowing that the inhabitants of the city commonly use the language as their native tongue, a person who uses English as a second language or someone who needs to learn more about the language can absolutely take English speaking classes in this city to brush up their language…

  • Learning English as a Second Language – Why Is It Essential

    Mark
    11 May 2012 | 11:44 am
    The English language is one of the most popular languages that many countries use nowadays as their second language. Knowing that many people have been using the language when it comes to promoting their businesses, providing information to the general public, writing literary pieces and many more, learning English as a second language is absolutely an essential thing to consider nowadays.Why Study EnglishAside from a one’s native language, a person may find English a fun and exciting language to learn. The more words, phrases and terms that one adds into his/her vocabulary; the more…

  • The Importance of Speaking Fluent English in Public

    Mark
    11 May 2012 | 11:38 am
    Since English is one of the most popular languages that people use nowadays when it comes to communicating, it is important that every individual knows how to converse, speak and use the language properly. More often, the English language is used to deliver speech and literature pieces in public. The language is also used in business presentations and even throughout job interviews. This is why speaking fluent English is important and strengthening one’s skills in using this language is an advantage.What is Public SpeakingWhen speaking in public, an individual will have to deliver…
 
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    About.com English as 2nd Language

  • Guides to Grammar

    14 May 2012 | 8:09 am
    Here on the site there are a wide variety of resources for major grammar points including explanations, exercise sheets, quizzes, and lessons. To help use these resources, there are a number of guides to grammar that provide basic grammar explanations, as well as pointing to appropriate worksheets, quizzes and lessons to further study the resources. Guide to Present Tenses Guide to Past Simple and Past Continuous Guide to Past Perfect and Past Perfect Continuous Guide to Future with Will and Going To Guide to Comparative and Superlative Guide to Reported Speech Guide to Conditional Forms

  • Double Comparatives - Right or Wrong?

    9 May 2012 | 6:41 am
    Double comparatives, like double negatives, are generally considered incorrect English. For example, the phrase He is more taller than John. contains a double comparative "more" and "taller". However, many grammar books and English teachers teach a different type of double comparative which is perfectly good English. These double comparatives show cause and result as in these phrases: The more time you spend on your studies, the better your scores will be. The more interesting the topic is, the more effort students will make. This guide to double comparatives helps clear up issues around when…

  • Business English Videos

    7 May 2012 | 6:04 am
    The list of great new business English videos here on the site continues to grow. Here are the latest: Tips for Writing a Business E-mail Tips for Writing a Business Report Tips for Writing a Business Memo There are also new general English videos available: Advanced Tips for Studying Effectively, and Beginner's Guide to Comparatives.

  • Lingle - Create Lesson Materials On-The-Fly

    3 May 2012 | 8:28 am
    I've just had the pleasure of spending some time reviewing Lingle, an online software tool that helps teachers create lesson materials quickly and effectively. If you are a teacher of English for Specific Purposes, or looking for timely authentic materials for your classroom, I think you'll like what you see.

  • When to use A, An or The

    1 May 2012 | 9:24 am
    The basic rules for using a, an or the are as follows: Use a/an when something is mentioned for the first time and the listener(s) don't know which. Use 'the' when referring to something specific that the listener(s) know. Of course, there is a lot more to learning the correct use of a, an or the. Once you've studied the rules, make sure to take the a, an or the quiz to test your understanding.
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    Teaching English in Korea - ESL blog

  • Questions to answer before you start blogging

    James Trotta
    1 May 2012 | 7:16 pm
    1. Audience analysis Where will you publish your writing? If you're publishing on an existing site, what does the owner and what do the readers want? If you're writing your own blog, what kind of readers are you trying to...

  • How to appreciate reading and writing essays

    James Trotta
    22 Apr 2012 | 7:04 am
    Typically, we write essays to present an argument. That argument is often summarized in the thesis sentence. Then each paragraph of the essay develops a reason that supports the main idea expressed in the thesis. The way you read an...

  • Interesting look at American culture / attitudes toward European royal

    James Trotta
    21 Feb 2012 | 7:13 am
    This article, and especially its comments, are great insight into American cultural values. A brawl at a Manhattan nightclub over the weekend ended with Monaco's Prince Pierre Casiraghi in the hospital and a New York man facing assault charges. The...

  • Lesbian discrimination or religious persecution?

    James Trotta
    20 Dec 2011 | 3:06 am
    Interesting story here that might be used in discussion classes. Seems a religious B&B owner was uncomfortable letting a lesbian couple sleep in her establishment and told them she didn't want them as customers. The debate is fairly evenly mixed...

  • Advertising in school?

    James Trotta
    22 Nov 2011 | 6:33 pm
    Discussion question: Should schools sell ad space inside the school building and/or on report cards and/or in the school buses?In the aftermath of the Great Recession, a public school district in Colorado is selling ads on report cards and Utah...
 
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    ESL Lesson Plan

  • English: Blame the Saxons, And The Vikings, And The French...

    16 May 2012 | 12:04 am
    Yes, the English language is confusing, has inconsistent spelling rules, ever-changing vocabulary and...

  • Is Your Language Agglutinative?

    10 May 2012 | 10:20 pm
    Even though I might seem to complain about how difficult - and sometimes confusing - the English language might be, believe it or not, there are languages that...

  • Words New & Old

    5 May 2012 | 7:53 pm
    As a total word nerd, I am always interested in where words come from. Some, if not most, words have interesting stories behind their origins. But what about those...

  • Just Say No (Or Not)

    29 Apr 2012 | 10:27 pm
    There are many ways of saying "no" in English. And the word "no" is used in many ways that...

  • Use That Word Correctly!

    24 Apr 2012 | 10:46 pm
    Pronunciation is the first thing anyone hears as we speak. Our vocabulary might be great, and our grammar might be impeccable...
 
 
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    Learning Is Messy - Blog

  • Well Said

    Brian
    22 Apr 2012 | 7:39 pm
    (UPDATE: 4/24/2012 – see the update below-) Mary Broderick, President of the National School Boards Association, wrote a heartfelt letter to President Obama about the sorry state of education in the US after years of “reform.” I especially appreciated points she made like: “We want for each American child the same things that you and Michelle want for Sasha and Malia—inspiration, aspiration, creativity. I know you don’t want an overemphasis on testing. I have heard you say it.  Experience in schools and communities, supported by research, tells us that…

  • What Happened To My Pedagogy?

    Brian
    12 Apr 2012 | 2:18 pm
    Several classroom teachers in my PLN have decided to share out our experiences this year with “educational reform”. Here’s one that published so far. And I’d encourage others to share as well (let’s hear the “Good” too!) I’ve continued to come to terms with my lack of blogging and other writing/sharing this school year. In the past so much of my blogging was motivated by what was happening in my classroom and the classrooms of others that we were collaborating with. As we continued to develop this new pedagogy around connecting and becoming active…

  • Should kids’ grades call the shots on who teaches and who goes home?

    Brian
    8 Feb 2012 | 11:03 pm
    I was interviewed awhile back for this article on “TAKEPART” about teacher evaluations. My school district is struggling with this issue right now since our legislature jumped on the bandwagon to tie teacher evaluations to student test scores. In the article I’m quoted saying: “No one says that poverty means that these kids can’t learn,” he added, “but that is the meme that is promoted. Instead, we need to recognize the problem, and like America has always been admired for, take it head on and solve the problem.” Check the article out and leave your feedback.

  • Digital Learning Day

    Brian
    1 Feb 2012 | 7:35 pm
    Here is my contribution to Digital Learning Day. From the web site: “Digital Learning Day is a nationwide celebration of innovative teaching and learning through digital media and technology that engages students and provides them with a rich, personalized educational experience.” In this video from TEDxDenver 2 years ago (which has been posted here before) I give examples of what this new pedagogy can look like and how it changes pedagogy. Learning is messy!

  • Anyone Home Here?

    Brian
    30 Jan 2012 | 10:40 pm
    So … where the heck have I been? Why no posts here in almost 4 months??? Well it hasn’t been for a lack of wanting to. Along with “issues” at my school that have something to do with “school reform” that have sucked my time in a major way (see my Twitter feed) I had a major nasal infection that became “anti-biotic resistant” and then surgery on my nose at Thanksgiving that I was expected to bounce back from in 3 to 5 days … but last week my surgeon informed me I needed to expect things to be good in a month or so (3 months after surgery).
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    onestopblogs - latest posts

  • Dealing With Distractions While You Write

    Republished content
    15 May 2012 | 11:36 pm
    17 May 2012Image by birgerkingLast week I asked for comments on how you deal with distractions, especially when youre trying to focus on writing.Pomodoro techniqueThanks to Scott, who shared his approach:I'm learning to deal with interruptions by making them...

  • Cartoon: Unzinkable

    Republished content
    15 May 2012 | 11:35 pm
    This cartoon by Schrank from The Independent relates to Franois Hollande's first meeting with Angela Merkel as President of France.Merkel and Hollande are portrayed as the star-crossed lovers Rose and Jack in the famous "I'm flying" scene from the movie Titanic...

  • 10 tips to improve your grammar

    Republished content
    15 May 2012 | 11:36 pm
    No matter what language you’re learning, grammar is hard. So many rules, exceptions to rules, and exceptions to the exceptions of those rules! Help your students keep on top of their English grammar with this great infographic, with some of the most common...

  • Reuters Video: French President Hollande takes office

    Republished content
    15 May 2012 | 11:35 pm
    Newly elected Francois Hollande meets outgoing President Nicolas Sarkozy at the presidential palace for an official exchange of power. Lindsey Parietti reports.TRANSCRIPT France's new president Francois Hollande. After battling in a close and sometimes surprising...

  • Forum Policies- Writing Correction

    Republished content
    15 May 2012 | 11:35 pm
    We have a section in our forum for writing.  People can submit writing and people may make corrections or comments....
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    Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...

  • Research Studies Of The Week

    Larry Ferlazzo
    16 May 2012 | 12:06 am
    I often write about research studies from various field and how they can be applied to the classroom. I write individual posts about ones that I think are especially significant, and will continue to do so. However, so many studies are published that it’s hard to keep up. So I’ve started writing a “round-up” of some of them each week or every other week as a regular feature: What You Need to Know about Willpower: The Psychological Science of Self-Control is a new publication by the American Psychological Association that gives a pretty thorough review of the research. I’m…

  • The Best Sites For Learning To Write A Story

    Larry Ferlazzo
    15 May 2012 | 11:34 pm
    I’m doing a unit on writing a story with my Beginning English Language Learners, and, since I’m taking them to the computer lab tomorrow, I wanted to see if I could pull together some useful online interactives for them. I’m sure I’ll be adding to this list, and I welcome your suggestions. You might also be interested in The Best Websites To Help Beginning Readers ; The Best Resources For Learning How To Write Response To Literature Essays and A Beginning List Of The Best Folklore & Myth Sites. Here are my choices for The Best Sites For Learning About Writing A…

  • Goal-Setting Video From The Youngest Person To Climb Everest

    Larry Ferlazzo
    15 May 2012 | 11:00 pm
    Here’s a good and short video from the youngest person to ever climb Everest =- he talks about setting goals. I’m adding it to both The Best Sites For Learning About Mount Everest and to The Best Posts On Students Setting Goals.

  • It’s Sure Easy To Build A Website With The New “Zoho Sites”

    Larry Ferlazzo
    15 May 2012 | 8:55 pm
    Zoho just announced Zoho Sites, a super-easy “drag-and-drop” website builder. It doesn’t get much easier to create a nice-looking website. You can read more about it at TechCrunch, and you can watch the video below. I’m adding it to The Best Ways For Students Or Teachers To Create A Website, and I also took the opportunity to update that entire list.

  • Two Excellent Videos For World History

    Larry Ferlazzo
    15 May 2012 | 8:29 pm
    Here are two excellent videos called “Epic time-lapse map of Europe.” The first one is shorter and doesn’t have dates and other annotations while the second one is longer and has both:
 
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    The English Blog

  • Cartoon: Unzinkable

    Jeffrey Hill
    16 May 2012 | 1:37 am
    This cartoon by Schrank from The Independent relates to François Hollande's first meeting with Angela Merkel as President of France. Merkel and Hollande are portrayed as the star-crossed lovers Rose and Jack in the famous "I'm flying" scene from the movie Titanic (prepare those hankies before watching!). The Titanic (representing the euro) is about to hit a Greek column (a metaphor for Greece's role in the downfall/sinking of the euro). The cartoonist plays on the words 'unthinkable' and 'unsinkable', which, with Merkel's German accent, both…

  • Reuters Video: French President Hollande takes office

    Jeffrey Hill
    16 May 2012 | 12:57 am
    Newly elected Francois Hollande meets outgoing President Nicolas Sarkozy at the presidential palace for an official exchange of power. Lindsey Parietti reports. TRANSCRIPT France's new president Francois Hollande. After battling in a close and sometimes surprising race, Hollande officially took the reins from Nicolas Sarkozy Tuesday. The meeting at the presidential palace is believed to have included an exchange of nuclear codes ahead of a swearing-in ceremony that made Hollande the country's first Socialist president in 17 years. In contrast to his predecessor's image,…

  • Words in the News: Collapse

    Jeffrey Hill
    16 May 2012 | 12:46 am
    The Daily Telegraph reports that Greece's economy is close to collapse. Full story >> VOCABULARY If something, for example a system or institution, collapses, it comes to an end completely and suddenly.  • German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said the collapse of the coalition negotiations was "a severe setback for the urgently needed confidence in Greece's readiness to reform''.

  • Infographic: Who Loaned Greece The Money?

    Jeffrey Hill
    15 May 2012 | 2:11 am
    Today's news is dominated by the Greek debt crisis and fears that Greece may be forced to leave the euro if it can't meet its debt repayments. Greece's total debt amounts to €360bn, but who loaned it all that money in the first place, and what does €360bn actually look like? For answers to those questions, check out this wonderful infographic from Demonocracy.info. And while you're at it, don't miss some other great infographics on related topics such as The European Superhighway of Debt and Global Financial Crisis: A World in Debt, which put all those debt…

  • Cartoon: The Franco-German Summit

    Jeffrey Hill
    15 May 2012 | 1:46 am
    François Hollande is set to meet Angela Merkel in Berlin this evening, soon after he is sworn in as President. This cartoon by Kal from The Economist shows them eating a meal in the "Das Austerity Euro Cafe". Merkel is having a sausage and a glass of water, while Hollande has plenty of food in front of him and is now ordering wine. EXPLANATIONThe meal is a metaphor for the two leaders' differing approaches to the eurozone financial crisis. Merkel continues to insist that austerity as the only solution to the crisis, whereas Hollande wants less austerity and greater focus on…
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    Ted Landphair’s America

  • The Empire State Building: No. 2 in New York, 1 in Our Hearts

    tland
    4 May 2012 | 3:37 pm
    Lord of all it surveys. (Carol M. Highsmith) The real-estate consortium that is organizing a public stock offering for the world-famous Empire State Building might consider this pitch line, slightly modified from the old slogan that worked splendidly for Avis Rent-a-Car: We’re No. 2! — Again No. 2 in height in New York City, that is, ever since workers at One World Trade Center crafted a steel skeleton that took it past 381 meters (1,250 feet) into the sky on the last day of April.  That single tower replaces the trade center’s Twin Towers that fell in the terrorist…

  • On California’s Royal Road, Traces of ‘New Spain’

    tland
    27 Apr 2012 | 6:04 pm
    In the late 18th Century, Catholic missionaries moved north from the Spanish colony of Mexico into what is now the U.S. state of California. They called it the Viceroyalty of Alta California — Upper California, since there already was a “California” in the vast Spanish colony of New Spain.  It was the long, skinny peninsula in northwestern Mexico that’s now called “Baja [Lower] California.” An early map of the 21 Alta California missions. (Wikipedia Commons) With the help of Spanish soldiers and settlers, the padres founded 21 missions, beginning in…

  • Heart of the Heartland

    tland
    20 Apr 2012 | 8:52 am
    The United States is finally getting around to building a memorial to Ike: Dwight D. Eisenhower, a Kansas lad who became one of our greatest heroes and most popular presidents. But there’s a problem. It’s the Kansas part, even though Eisenhower said, in a 1945 speech in his hometown after leading Allied forces to victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, “The proudest thing that I can say today is that I’m from Abilene.” According to the Eisenhower Memorial design, a statue of Ike as a Kansas country boy would appear somewhere in these trees. (Eisenhower…

  • So You Want to be Famous!

    tland
    12 Apr 2012 | 4:19 pm
    As I watch the world go by — a passing parade that includes a lot of otherwise rational Americans, I wonder why some people do the outlandish things they do.  Swallow squirming jungle bugs on reality-TV shows.  Sing or dance badly on stage until someone drags them off.  Jump off a bridge to within a meter of a canyon floor, saved from splattering death only by the tensile strength of an elastic cord.   Some 607 people wearing fake chicken beaks set a world record for animal noses at a single venue in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in March. (AP Photo) And then there are the…

  • Fluffya

    tland
    6 Apr 2012 | 5:23 pm
    Could it be that parochial Fluffya is changing? Who would have thought that after more than three centuries of mostly minding its own business, the hard-working city of narrow streets, grimy factories, and quaint colonial buildings in the southeastern corner of Pennsylvania would be transformed into one of America’s most dynamic and appealing tourist destinations. “Fluffya?” you’re saying.  “I’ve never even heard of the place.” Yes, almost certainly, you have.  You’ve spelled and pronounced it “Philadelphia.” …
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    ENGLISH FOR UNIVERSITY. COM

  • It’s City! (And a few words on cohesion!)

    Patrick
    13 May 2012 | 3:57 pm
    Wow!  Two goals in injury time to win the Premiership! I’m not usually a Manchester City fan but I am today after the most exciting day in football I can remember! And then I went and marked some examination papers. There were some really good ones, and some not so good! It’s not always easy to say what makes one essay better than another but one of the characteristics of a good essay that I always go on to my students about is cohesion. It’s not always easy to explain but I’ve found a webpage which makes a pretty good stab at it. Take a look at these examples of…

  • Put forward an argument in your essay!

    Patrick
    7 May 2012 | 1:24 pm
    In the UK we have been enjoying a Bank Holiday. Enjoying a Bank Holiday in this country means huddling inside watching the rain! The correlation between rain and a UK Bank Holiday is extraordinary. This week heralds the start of exam time in our university.  Let me say one very important thing about exams in UK universities: an exam is not a memory test. That means that in our education system we do not value or respect the ability to memorise long pieces of text and reproduce them in an exam. In fact, rightly or wrongly, in our system we mark students down for this.  If the person marking…

  • Don’t forget TED.com!

    Patrick
    29 Apr 2012 | 4:00 pm
    Rain rain go away, come again another day! A couple of weeks ago it was announced that we had a drought in most parts of England. Of course as soon as the news was out, it has been raining constantly and we have floods all over the place. In previous years April has been the best month but this year it is the wettest month for years! Don’t forget TED.com for practising your English. This is a truly wonderful site. If you are preparing for an examination with a listening component – like IELTS for instance – then you should be doing lots of listening practice. I would…

  • Omni-shambles!

    Patrick
    22 Apr 2012 | 3:33 pm
    I heard a new word this week: omni-shambles! What a great word! Here it is in context: Cameron slammed over ‘omni-shambles’ Budget Well, you might know the word ‘shambles‘  – but then again you might not because it is not that formal. A shambles is a mess, or confusion resulting from bad planning (here for the definition from Cambridge). ‘Omni’ – well, that’s a prefix meaning ‘all’ or ‘every’. So I was delighted to hear the new word omni-shambles to describe the chaos and confusion that the British Government has…

  • Describing graphs

    Patrick
    17 Apr 2012 | 2:52 pm
    My students will have to write about visual information in their end of year exam and that is the reason for today’s post. I am always looking for good pages online which can help students write about graphs and tables and although I have mentioned this one before I’m pretty sure my students won’t know about it.  We did some writing practice in class recently and the main thing I noticed about my students’ writing was that many of them were confusing NOUNS and VERBS. I wrote this on the board:        Using a VERB as the main word        Using a NOUN as…
 
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    Teacher Talk

  • Looking for Learning

    Tamara Jones
    3 May 2012 | 4:56 pm
    By Tamara Jones EAL Instructor, British School of Brussels jonestamara@hotmail.com Way back at the beginning of the academic year, my school provided a professional development session called “Looking for Learning.”* We watched some videos, did some group work and listened to a speaker talk about his company’s approach to teacher observations. I think no one really likes being observed by fellow teachers or supervisors. It’s nerve-wracking and opens teachers up to criticisms couched as helpful suggestions. Even though I am always looking for ways to improve my teaching, I do get…

  • Thoughts on Teaching Listening (Part 2)

    David Barker
    17 Apr 2012 | 1:16 pm
    By David Barker Author and Publisher of Materials for Japanese Learners of English Japan Pronunciation is one element of language courses that often gets overlooked. Part of the reason for this is that experienced teachers know how difficult it is to learn the sounds of a foreign language as an adult, especially if that language is nothing like your own. This basically means we accept that Japanese students will always have a Japanese accent, that Koreans will always have a Korean accent, and so on. Incidentally, I always used to think in terms of learners “gaining” the accent of a…

  • Keeping Our Eyes on the Testing Prize

    Richard Firsten
    12 Apr 2012 | 6:28 pm
    By Richard Firsten Retired ESOL Teacher, Teacher-Trainer, Columnist, Author All during our years of education and career training, one of the most important lessons driven home was that we need to stay focused, we need to keep our attention on what we’re doing, and we need to make sure not to get distracted. Nobody would disagree with any of this, right? Well, sometimes it’s not so easy to keep our eyes on that prize when it comes to testing. One area where this became obvious to me in my early years of teaching ESOL was in testing listening comprehension. I realized that the tests I was…

  • Teaching Objectives or Learning Objectives?

    Ela Newman
    3 Apr 2012 | 3:12 pm
    By Ela Newman Instructor in Developmental Writing and in ESL University of Texas at Brownsville newjgea@aol.com One day long ago my student teaching practicum supervisor, the one with the fine-toothed comb, asked me “Why are you planning to start your lesson with this jazz chant?”  I replied “Because it will be fun!”  At that, she sighed… not out of relief, mind you, but out of discontent. My answer revealed that I had not fully grasped one of the key points about learning objectives: that they must allow us to measure what the students have learned.   “Fun cannot function as…

  • Survey Review: Grammar Faux Pas or Language Change?

    Richard Firsten
    13 Mar 2012 | 6:17 pm
    By Richard Firsten Retired ESOL Teacher, Teacher-Trainer, Columnist, Author I want to thank all of you who took the time and put in the effort to respond to my little survey. I really appreciate the help you gave me and the insights that I received from looking over your acceptances or rejections of certain items and your comments on things. By adding them to responses I’d gotten from others, some very interesting observations and conclusions emerged. Let’s review the 15 items listed in the survey. I hope it’ll be interesting for you to compare what you decided to change or let stand as…
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    Pain in the English

  • “As per ....”?

    Hairy Scot
    12 May 2012 | 12:07 pm
    I have noticed that here in NZ a lot of people use the phrases “as per usual” and “as per normal” in everyday speech. In the UK I only ever heard these phrases used as a form of sarcastic emphasis. I am sure there are a number of “as per ..” phrases in which the “per” does not seem redundant, such as “as per instructions”, but even that seems cumbersome when copmared with “as instructed”.

  • Difference between acronyms and initials?

    Hairy Scot
    10 May 2012 | 9:49 am
    I have always believed that an acronym had to be a pronouncable word, like RADAR or LASER, not just a set of initials like IBM or CIA, but I see more and more references that suggest that this is not a generally held belief. Even the OED seems confused:- 1. A group of initial letters used as an abbreviation for a name or expression, each letter or part being pronounced separately; an initialism (such as ATM, TLS). 2. A word formed from the initial letters of other words or (occas.) from the initial parts of syllables taken from other words, the whole being pronounced as a single word (such as…

  • “hack” in “hackathon”

    Dyske
    30 Apr 2012 | 6:52 am
    The word “hack” has two distinct definitions. One means “to cut or sever with repeated irregular or unskillful blows.” This must be the origin of the word “hack” as used in the world of computers, i.e., to “hack into” a computer. You keep trying different tactics and passwords until you succeed. But the word “hack” also means to cope with something, to make do with what you have and forget about the details, even if it’s not the proper way to do it, as in a “hack job”. This is a very different definition from the first but the two are often used interchangeably in a…

  • It had impacts on...

    Dyske
    19 Apr 2012 | 4:08 am
    Is it grammatically correct to say “It had impacts on...”? If the singular form is correct (it had an impact on), I would imagine that the plural form would have to be also correct.

  • watch much stuff?

    Hacovo
    18 Apr 2012 | 4:10 am
    Alright, this has me stumped for some reason. I believe that saying “I don’t watch much stuff.” is incorrect, but I can’t articulate why. At first, I thought the problem was with [action verb] + stuff, but I realize that you can ask someone to please watch your stuff, so that’s not it. And the problem isn’t simply ‘much stuff’ because someone can have too much stuff. In any case, I was hoping for a definitive reason why (or why not, if I am wrong) it is improper to say ‘watch much stuff’.
 
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    Learning English

  • Respect and ESL Classroom Management

    admin
    11 May 2012 | 1:26 pm
     Respect and ESL Classroom Management   The importance of two-way respect in the ESL classroom, and some tips on how to achieve it.  Respect is a two way street A large part of ESL classroom management starts with respect; and that is a two-way street, where you respect each other. Management of disrespectful children is [...]

  • TOEFL READING PRACTICE (with answer key)

    admin
    5 May 2012 | 2:42 pm
    PRACTICE TEST 47 January 1993 Passage 1   Bacteria are extremely small living things. While we measure our own sizes in inches or centimeters, bacterial size is measured in microns. One micron is a thousandth of a millimeter a pinhead is about a millimeter across. Rod shaped bacteria are usually from two to tour microns [...]

  • Learning a new language — How long will you take?

    admin
    30 Apr 2012 | 11:52 am
    Learning a new language — How long will you take? After reading my recent article about learning a language, I had some people probe me further. “So, if I do everything you wrote about, then how long will it take me to learn English or Turkish?” they asked. Again, my answer is that it depends [...]

  • How to be a better listener

    admin
    28 Apr 2012 | 12:47 pm
    How to be a better listener You spend more time in school listening than doing any other activity. It is important that you understand most of what you hear so that you can learn about your different subjects and at the same time improve your English. In order for you to become a better listener, [...]

  • The Five Golden Rules of Good Classroom Management

    admin
    27 Apr 2012 | 5:10 pm
    The Five Golden Rules of Good Classroom Management Are you an ESL teacher with classroom management problems? I hope not, but if you are reading this, it might be the case. Have you got a handful of troublemakers who wear you out? Or has the whole class taken over and you find it hard to [...]
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    Better Than English

  • Bakku-shan (Japanese)

    admin
    16 May 2012 | 2:31 am
    A woman who “seems pretty when seen from behind but not from the front.”

  • Pole (Swahili)

    admin
    12 Apr 2012 | 5:58 pm
    Means ‘I am sorry for your misfortune.’ It is pronounced ‘po-lay.’ It can be used for small or big things, and ‘pole sana’ also exists, where ‘sana’ is an intensifier. Word donated by Grace

  • Me Yia (Greek)

    admin
    11 Apr 2012 | 5:58 pm
    Said to someone when they buy something new, usually applied to large purchases such as jewelry or a car or new home, Me Yia means “with joy.” You are essentially wishing that their new purchase brings them joy and that they enjoy it. Word donated by Ariana

  • Vrtičkar (Slovene)

    admin
    9 Apr 2012 | 4:16 pm
    An elderly person, usually living in the city, who owns a tiny piece of land in the country or on the outskirts of the city–these pieces of land are usually remnants of “common land” from the communist era. On his land he will have built a small hut and be growing small amounts of beans, lettuce and other vegetables for his own use; but the main purpose of such establishments now is to permit the vrtičkar to spend weekends there drinking beer and socializing with other vrtičkars whose huts and fields are nearby. Word donated by Jan

  • Eno (Finnish)

    admin
    3 Apr 2012 | 5:20 pm
    Your mother’s brother. Word donated by Suvi Aho
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    Free English Lessons | English Grammar, Vocabulary, Common Mistakes... |

  • Verbs followed by verb + ing (Part 1)

    Francois Oosthuizen
    10 May 2012 | 4:59 am
    When we use a verb after the following verbs, we usually use verb + ing: 1) admit + verb + ing The accused man admitted killing 3 people. The accused man admitted kill 3 people. X The accused man admitted to kill 3 people. X Mary admitted making a mistake. Mary admitted make a mistake. X Mary admitted to make a mistake. X Even though John was clearly innocent, he admitted

  • Giving Advice

    Francois Oosthuizen
    6 May 2012 | 4:35 am
    In today's free English lesson, we look at different ways to give advice in English.  1) Should The most common way to give advice is to use 'should'. 'Should' is a true modal helping verb so it is always followed by the base form of the verb and stays the same for all persons. Johnny: I don't feel very well. Suzy: You should go see the doctor.  Max: My

  • Noun suffixes

    Francois Oosthuizen
    3 May 2012 | 5:16 am
    What is a suffix? A suffix is a group of letters that we put after a word to make a new word.  The different noun suffixes 1) -sion We use -sion to make nouns from certain verbs: televise (verb) - television (noun) The event was televised to the whole world. It is becoming more common to see smart televisions. revise (verb) - revision (noun) I don't like revising for

  • The Past Simple Tense Quiz

    Francois Oosthuizen
    30 Apr 2012 | 10:33 pm
    Please remember to include your name and e-mail address so that you can receive your score via email. Good luck! <p><p><p><p>&

  • The modal helping verb 'can'

    Francois Oosthuizen
    28 Apr 2012 | 11:33 pm
    What is 'can'? 'Can' is a true modal helping verb which means it follows the same rules as other true modal helping verbs. 1) It doesn't change with the third person singular in the present simple tense (i.e. it stays the same for all subjects):  I can go to bed whenever I feel like it.  Max can solve complicated maths problems very quickly.  John and Suzy can both
 
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  • English Grammar in Pop Songs – Part 1

    Péter Kovássy
    10 May 2012 | 7:03 am
    Here’s a fun way to test your knowledge of English grammar and English listening skills. Listed below are five video clips of some popular songs. The video clips are audios of pop songs together with their lyrics. Here’s what you have to do: Step One: For each video clip, make a note of what point of English grammar in the pop song you need to pay attention to. Step Two: Play the video clip and carefully listen to the song WITHOUT looking at the lyrics. Get a feel for the words and try to listen for the grammatical phrases required for the exercise. Step Three: Listen to the song as many…

  • How and why to like MyEnglishTeacher.eu? (Infographic)

    Anastasia Koltai
    9 May 2012 | 5:05 pm
    We are a start-up but we provide you with a cool stuff. On our Facebook page we share all the useful tools you need to learn or teach English. Latest worksheets, exercises, technologies, news, how-to-guides and sometimes gifts just for our likers. So, why not to give us a chance? Click here and “Like” MyEnglishTeacher.eu’s Fan page.Create infographics with visual.ly Related articles How to Build Your Vocabulary (myenglishteacher.eu) Pronunciation of – ed (myenglishteacher.eu) 6 ways to improve your English writing skills (myenglishteacher.eu) How to motivate yourself…

  • 15 Grammar Goofs that make you look silly (Infographic)

    Anastasia Koltai
    3 May 2012 | 5:10 pm
    Grammar is very important when you start learning English. So why not to make it easier to understand with infografics?Like this infographic? Get more copywriting tips from Copyblogger. I’m a fan of Infographics and you? Related articles How to Build Your Vocabulary(myenglishteacher.eu) Pronunciation of – ed(myenglishteacher.eu) 6 ways to improve your English writing skills (myenglishteacher.eu) How to Teach English Adjectives So That Your Student Will Learn Them Immediately? (myenglishteacher.eu) You're reading 15 Grammar Goofs that make you look silly (Infographic) by Anastasia…

  • How to Build Your Vocabulary

    Essay Task
    27 Apr 2012 | 8:49 am
    Wondering what does the word you have just heard or read mean? Odds are, you are even chatting online and you do not understand what your friend is trying to say. There are many ways to build your vocabulary. It is important to acquire new knowledge. Truth is, we all need to learn forever. Keep reading to become aware of the many easy ways to learn new words and build vocabulary.  Many options to building your vocabulary You can always look in the dictionary (language dictionary, not the one to translate) a word you do not know when you are reading or have not been able to ask when you…

  • Have you ever felt isolated as an English teacher?

    Lilla Udvarhelyi
    24 Apr 2012 | 3:01 pm
    Have you ever missed your unknown colleagues – other English teachers? Have you ever wished you had a nice office? Are the English language books heavy? Alienation and loneliness versus perfect freedom – possible side effects of being a company English teacher. The problem I would like to deal with mostly affects English teachers who visit their students who are employees at different companies. These English teachers like me visit the student at their office arriving just before the lesson and are supposed to leave the premises soon after finishing it. This way of working may result…
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