As you’ve probably found out for yourself, there are a number of English learning websites out there that promise to help you acquire fantastic English. I’ve found one that is excellent for teaching you basic English. It’s called English at Home. It’s quite nice! Like my own website, it gives you the option to subscribe… Continue reading Review: English at Home Learning English Website
Look at these two sentences: 1 We’ve waited for an hour to get into that club. 2 We’ve been waiting for an hour to get into that club. They’re both using present perfect. (For a review of present perfect, please go here): What’s the difference between the two sentences? The first sentence uses present… Continue reading Present Perfect and Present Perfect Progressive (Continuous)
By Jacqueline Schaalje You’ve probably been in the situation: you’re at a party or reception and you have to speak to people that you don’t know (yet). They ask you about your job. What do you tell them? Here are some ideas: I’m in [field]. You can be in banking, in accounting, in the tourist… Continue reading Useful Phrases to Talk about Your Job
Most of my students get excited when I tell them we’re going to learn conditionals. I don’t really know how to explain that happy glimmer in their eyes when I say the word “conditionals.” Although many of my students don’t know what conditionals are, they’ve heard the word somewhere and they know it’s IMPORTANT. Aha,… Continue reading Conditionals – Automatic conditionals: When I’m hungry, I eat.
I’ve received a few questions about this, asking how you can shorten (reduce) parts of sentences, such as this one: When Adam was studying in Vietnam, he ate rice for breakfast. You can shorten this sentence by leaving out the subject (Adam) and changing the verb to an –ing-form (studying). The shorter sentence will… Continue reading Reduced Clauses
You might be one of those people who dream that your English will one day be as good as your first language. Is this possible? Yes, I think it is. But many educators now seem to believe that you should learn two languages when you’re young. I don’t think that’s true or even desirable. I… Continue reading Are You Going to Be Bilingual?
You already know from other articles in this blog that I don’t recommend learning word lists. I believe it’s better to learn new words while you’re using them. However, learning a couple of words in a game can be relaxing and fun. Click this link for some intriguing word games on Dictionary.com. Another website you… Continue reading How Many Words Do You Know?
Everybody knows how to use I, you, she, he, it, we, and they. These little words are called pronouns. They’re used as the subject of a sentence. That’s why they are called subject pronouns. The subject is the person or the thing that does something in the sentence. Examples: I walk to the grocery store.… Continue reading Subject and Object Pronouns: I, You, He, She, Etc.
When Your Friends May Not Be Famous Or Rich, but You Love Them. (Most of the Time.) Click on this link to watch the presentation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLGAm4Kpl_E You’ll learn how to make sentences with may or might be. This is not for beginners, I have to say, but it’s not difficult. There is an exercise inside… Continue reading May Be Might Be
Another Famous English Poem in an Easy Line-by-Line Explanation The World Is Too Much With Us; Late and Soon By William Wordsworth THE world is too much with us; late and soon, Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers: Little we see in Nature that is ours; We have given… Continue reading Poetry Time – The World Is Too Much With Us; Late and Soon by William Wordsworth
English with a Smile 