Talking about generations
October 20, 2018
Many Japanese people learning English use the word “generation” to talk about “people” in general, as in,
Younger generations shop online much more than older generations do.
Fresh on the blog
Put negatives early in the sentence
October 13, 2018
In English, the negative component can be put in a variety of places. But, as long as the meaning is the same, the negative element should go as close to the front as possible.
Count naturally by saying THERE ARE
October 6, 2018
Try to spot what's unnatural about the following statement: “The number of people on my team is 5.”
Don't say NATURE, describe it instead
September 29, 2018
When talking about rural places like vacation spots or a far-away hometown, it's common to talk about nature. However, native speakers never say, “You'll enjoy nature,” or, “It has beautiful nature.” It’s too general. It doesn't bring to mind any mental image.
Overcome the language gap when describing where you live
September 22, 2018
Some English seems so easy that you may not question if you are making a mistake. Many students—even high-level students—have trouble talking about where they live.
Use INCREASE correctly and gain trust
September 15, 2018
Many students are familiar with the word increase, but fail to use it correctly. Try to spot the error in the following sentence:
Elderly people are increasing in Japan.
Study without getting tired
September 8, 2018
Head coach Firas Zahabi recently shared a fresh take on how to succeed with your training goals:
To drink a drink - when nouns become verbs
September 1, 2018
Verbing—changing nouns into verbs—is happening so fast these days that non-native speakers can struggle to keep up. The rapid rate of change in technology means we email someone instead of sending an email to them.
We mostly remember beginnings and endings, which is a problem
August 20, 2018
When you give information, how much of it is typically remembered?
That is a complex question. It obviously depends a lot on tone and content, but it also depends on order. What's said first and last are most clearly remembered.
Use BUDGET correctly and impressively
August 18, 2018
The English word “budget” is complex. There are many ways to use it, and it is often misused by non-native speakers.
Why you should take meeting notes in English
August 11, 2018
Asking questions in meetings can be tough, even for native speakers. For non-native speakers, doing it in English can be a nightmare.
Buy time by answering first and then stalling
August 4, 2018
When asked difficult questions, many non-native English speakers tend to stall immediately, for example: