Fresh on the blog

"Say" and "Talk" are often confused, but they mean different things, and we use different grammar for each one. If you want to know how to use them correctly every time, check out this blog!

Practice a common GBC warm-up question. Then, check out a sample answer. We explain why this answer would receive a high score. Learn how you can too!

What is effective learning? While each person is different, we can still look at ideal examples for inspiration. Let's take a look at one of history's most renowned geniuses, Albert Einstein. 

"Speak", "say", "talk" and "tell" all mean giving voice to words, but each is used differently. In this blog, find out how and when to use the verb "speak" correctly.

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.

Learn the difference between short-term, working, and long-term memory; plus some techniques to move things ultimately into your long-term memory.

The best learning takes place when you dig into something until you know it inside and out. 

Many people taking a speaking test make this mistake: they focus on communicating their answer specifically to their test administrator. This is a problem because you are graded on the level of English you use, not on how easy it is to understand you. Your goal is not to give information, but to show your English ability.

Many non-native English speakers find it difficult to add detail and expand. As a result, their speaking test scores are lower than they should be, and their writing lacks sophistication and impact. Find out how to solve this problem.

In this first of two blog posts about the history of the company, we interview Matthew and tell the story of his incredible journey from English teacher in Japan to CEO and founder of The English Farm.

There are many different ways to speak well and many different people who do so. Today, let's look at Steve Jobs's speaking style. 

Spoken language is like "meat and potatoes". The meat is the main information, and the potatoes are the supporting language. The good thing about potatoes is they go with all sorts of meat, which means you can use potato language in any answer, regardless of the subject.

Most of us have used the term "computer bug", but have you ever wondered where it comes from, and who coined the expression?

Non-native speakers often confuse the words rent and borrow when speaking English. On the surface, these words seem very similar, but actually, they are quite different. Discover the difference in this blog post.

The Law of Triviality describes how people often waste time focusing on small things instead of the important ones. We might be meeting to approve plans for a nuclear power plant, but we spend most of the time arguing about what color to paint the bike shed.

Sample speaking test answers using inductive reasoning.

This post looks at simple inductive logic. We start with a specific example and work out a conclusion based on it. 

Sample speaking test answers using deductive reasoning.

This is a quick guide to deductive logic. Use it to score more highly in speaking tests and convince people of your opinion.

In the IELTS exam, you will be docked points for wrong spelling. While most students spend a lot of time learning vocabulary, or understanding how the exam works, they often forget to learn how to spell.