Fresh on the blog

I have to come clean about something: English language schools have been selling business English for a long time. But "Business English" is not real.

Some English words seem simple, so students overlook them. Many students—even high-level students—have trouble talking about where they live.

Native speakers never say, “You'll enjoy nature,” or, “It has beautiful nature.”

Many English learners have trouble using the word “generation.” Does it mean what you think it means?

Learning a skill on the sports field or in the classroom takes time and effort. Let's look at how pronunciation and learning a sport are similar.

The GCAS tests your ability to speak English in business situations. If you are taking the test, tell your teacher. They will help you prepare.

Try to spot what is unnatural about the following statement, “The number of people on my team is 5."

"Uptalk" is when you say everything with a rising tone like it's a question. It makes you sound weak and underconfident. Here's how to solve it. 

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.