Fresh on the blog

I was given advice many years ago. It has helped me greatly. If you are taking a speaking or writing test, it can help you, too.

If you practice writing slowly, you will likely keep writing slowly. To speed up, try timed writing.

It's very helpful to consider the building blocks of the language. So, let's begin with the basics and build up to the very complex.

We sometimes use going to to speak about the future, and other times we use will. Do you know why?

As your English improves, you are able to make longer and longer sentences. But, should you? 

Most people can say they like or don't like something. It can be delicious or disgusting, but that doesn't communicate the flavor. Let's work on describing flavors.

This is a fantastic student answer to the GBC question: "Some non-native speakers tend to be silent in meetings in which foreigners are present. Do you agree? Why do you think this is?"

Find out how to hold the audience's attention and have a strong presence on stage.

In the previous post on professional speaking, we focused on managing nervousness. This post will look at how to project your voice and speak clearly.

As a theatre actor, I was so nervous at the start of nearly every show. But over time, I learnt to be confident in front of audiences. Now, let me help you with your speaking.

Formal meetings have a special vocabulary. Many of the words seem simple, but the meanings may be different than what you expect.

Communicating in English means you have to communicate not only in a new language, but also across a culture. That means more than just translating words and phrases. 

At first glance, sentences like, "Anyone can try it" and, "Everyone can try it" seem to mean the same thing. What's the difference?

You’ve probably heard your teachers say, “Keep studying, it will be worth it in the long run!” Or, “Congratulations, you deserve it!” But what do these expressions really mean, and how can you use them in your own life?

False friends are words from different languages that seem similar but are, in fact, not. The French president Emmanuel Macron made a famous mistake in 2017.

Can't find the answer? Then get creative—think outside the box!

A question tag turns a simple word, phrase or sentence into a question. Simple, right? 

While some question tags are universal, other tags are specific to cultures around the world.

There is a good chance you've said or heard someone say, "Sorry to be late!" But that's a mistake. Using sorry to + verb is not for an apology. It's used to express sympathy for an action you will do or are doing. 

Head coach Firas Zahabi recently shared a fresh take on how to meet your goals. He talked about physical exercise—see the picture above, but his advice is useful to meet study goals as well.

Many of my students talk about motivation, but discipline can be more powerful.