There’s English…
And then there’s medical English.
Even to native English speakers, medical English can seem like its own, complicated foreign language.
If you’re an English learner working in or studying the medical field, it can be easy to …
Have you ever tried to read an English Bible?
Did you end up wondering whether you were actually reading English?
As I child, I often wondered why the Bible had all of these strange English words that nobody used in …
Have you heard of the red carpet?
If not, I bet you’ve seen it before.
The red carpet is where Hollywood stars pose for pictures and give interviews before big events like the Oscars.
It’s a place for …
There’s nothing more frustrating than not being understood.
I lived in South Korea for four years. During that time, I took Korean lessons at the local university and practiced my speaking skills every day.
And no matter how hard I …
Have you ever sat in an English class feeling lost and confused?
When I was teaching English in South Korea, I spent most of my spare time studying the Korean language.
I had a stack of textbooks that I would …
You take a taxi in New York City and the driver tells you to “cough up $20.”
How do you respond?
Do you start coughing until $20 comes out of your mouth, or do you hand him a $20 bill …
Online games to practice English changed everything for a friend of mine.
Tell me if this sounds familiar.
My friend just couldn’t get anywhere with English class. He’s a French speaker from Canada and was studying English as a second …
English speakers aren’t robots.
Too bad, right?
Wouldn’t it be great if they all sounded exactly like Siri when they spoke?
Unfortunately for English learners, native speakers all have their own unique ways of talking. There are thousands of English …
We all know how important it is to get out of our comfort zones.
That means we can’t keep doing things that are easy and expect to improve.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t be comfortable while doing difficult tasks.…
Starting an English intermediate course can feel like leaping across the Atlantic Ocean.
It just seems like there’s a huge sea between beginner and intermediate learning!
I mean, you know your verbs. You have the essential vocabulary.…
Having trouble with intermediate English grammar?
Do you ever sit in English class and feel completely lost when the teacher talks about grammar?
That is how I felt when I was learning Spanish.
Every time the teacher would …
There’s a reason Hollywood loves to make hospitality movies.
I mean, the world of tourism is definitely not boring.
You see exciting places. You meet new (sometimes wild) people all the time. There’s a lot of drama and a …
Do you feel nervous and forgetful when talking with English speakers?
When I was studying Spanish, basic conversational skills were the hardest thing for me to learn.
Whenever someone asked me a question, I would freeze up and forget how …
“It’s all Greek to me!”
We say this when we don’t understand something.
Like spoken or written Greek, it just doesn’t make sense to us.
And that’s how many English language learners feel about idioms.
Idioms are funny, colorful and …
Learning a language isn’t a spectator sport.
Watching videos is a great supplement to your learning routine.
But you can’t watch your way to fluency—you need a little more interaction in your English studies.
Sure, all those hours you spend …
Ready to exercise your English listening skills?
Many people think that listening is one of those language-learning skills that you’re either good at or you’re not. And for this reason, a lot of students get nervous when they …
I tend to be slower than most people at buying gadgets and new technology.
I didn’t get my first smartphone until 2013.
It was a 16-gig iPhone 5, which at the time I thought had plenty of storage space.…
I used to be one of those language learners who was too shy to speak around other people.
When I first started learning Korean, I never practiced with my Korean friends. I was afraid that I was going to …
Is grammar giving you a headache?
If only there were a magic spell to take away the pain and frustration!
If you’re like most English language learners, you probably find the topic uncomfortable. Don’t worry, many of us native English …
Have you ever wanted to fall asleep while studying?
That’s how I felt when studying Korean. I’d spend hours at my desk reading textbooks until my eyes were tired, memorizing grammar and trying to build my vocabulary.
It wasn’t …
Are you having a difficult time building your vocabulary?
If so, you’re not alone.
Many English language learners feel that English vocabulary exercises are one of the most challenging parts to mastering English.
When I learn a new language, …
Why is it so important to learn English idioms?
Well, say you’re in an American bar.
It’s loud, but you can hear what people are saying.
Someone is talking about hitting books…
…another is talking about twisting someone’s …
