Learning a second language is one of the hardest things you can do. A big, life-long project like learning English needs powerful habits and motivations to keep you going.
Fillers are a great way to sound natural when you speak. What's more, they are essential to improving your fluency and delivery score on a speaking test.
It's very easy to confuse the words overtime and overwork. Find out the difference, and see examples of each one in context.
How do you maintain confidentiality without being rude? Recognize a bad way and learn some good ways to express confidentiality.
To understand how to score high on a test, you need to understand the scoring system. G.B.C. scores are a little mysterious, but they are based on a system used by the U.S. government.
Using a plural in English can be tough. There are many rules, and sometimes they are hard to understand and remember. One such case is a compound adjective.
You forget faster than you think! There are two ways you can fight against forgetting. Read on to find out how you can forget less.
In Japan, "global" is a buzz word that people like to use. Students want to be more "global". They want to work on the "global stage" for a "global company". In English, maybe you should choose a different word.
One of the most frequent questions I get is, "How long should my G.B.C. answer be?"
My immediate thought is always, "How long is a piece of string?"* But this is not a helpful answer! What follows is the actual answer I give to students who ask me this.
I have been teaching consultants for the G.B.C. test since 2011. I have learned a few things about it that I would like to share with you to help you better prepare for the test.
I have been teaching consultants since 2011. In that time, I have seen a lot of different approaches to studying for the G.B.C. test. One study method fails every time.
Have you had this question on the G.B.C. before? Which city is the best city in the world to live?
In the G.B.C. test, there are often abstract questions that can cause difficulties, because you have to think very quickly about a topic you may never have considered before. In other words, expect the unexpected!
Here is a question that you can bet will keep coming up for the next four years: What do you think about the Olympics in Tokyo in 2020?
This month is my last month in Brazil. I will move to NZ with my family. We are leaving here on Tuesday. The day has arrived so fast!
Writing sentences is a good way to work on your English, and many of you do this already. However, it's not easy to check sentences through Skype, and you have no way to review easily.
Do you think you might say something like this: "My favourite menu is miso ramen." What about when you are busy. Would you say something like this? "I have a schedule at 2 p.m."
To understand how to perform in the G.B.C. test, it helps to know what the testers are looking and listening for. The test does not only evaluate your English speaking skills in the traditional sense (i.e. grammar, vocabulary etc.), but also tests you on your performance.
When things go belly up, they fail or die. This is a common idiom used in business for when a company goes bankrupt. You can use it in other situations, too.
All languages borrow words from other languages. The Japanese language uses a lot of phrases and words from English and other languages. Many times they are changed in their meaning or usage. That means that when you use these words in English, you should be careful.
You are sick. You have to go to work. Maybe you say to your co-worker or friend, “My condition is not good today.” However, using the word “condition” like this is not natural in English. Learn how to say it the natural way.
People often confuse “content” and “contents“. These words are used differently in English.
