Whenever we want to share information or some kind of message, we need to structure the way we say it to make it easy to understand. There are many phrases and words in English that you can use. When listing a few things or ideas, the simplest way is to use the words first, second, […]
If you’ve ever taken care of a toddler, you’ve probably noticed they like routine and repeating things over and over again. Today, we’ll take a look at an article that talks about this phenomenon. The article is not too long, and you should be able to skim it for the general idea easily. After your […]
Prepositions can be a bit tricky, especially the most common ones such as on, at and in. You’ve probably studied the use of these many times before but mistakes in them are so common, a bit of extra practice won’t hurt. With prepositions on, at and in the general rule is that we use in […]
It’s time to practise some writing. Today, I’d like you to focus on the structure of your piece. Try to use some phrases to signpost where you are in the narrative. I’d also recommend using prepositions of time and place to add some specific information and detail. Journal Entry Writing a journal in English can […]
BrainStuff is a podcast that releases short (usually under 15 minutes) episodes daily. They usually offer a short introduction to a specific topic. They often speak quite fast during the episodes, so don’t forget you can slow down the audio in most podcast apps. BrainStuff: How Do We Define the Kilogram How Do We Define […]
While I usually recommend learning vocabulary from context rather than lists and definitions, we can use these techniques to practise what we already know. Today, my recommendation is for a website run by the UN World Food Programme, where you can improve your knowledge while earning rice for correct answers. These grains of rice are […]
When you take an English exam, you usually don’t want to waste time, and you start right away. My tip for today is the exact opposite. When you first get your exam paper, take a look at the topics and questions and then take a brief pause. Inhale deeply and take a long breath out. […]
Normally, we have to vary the kind and amount of information we pass on to another person depending on what’s happening. If you have plenty of time, you can add detail; if you’re in a rush, you must focus on the basics. While this is obvious in our native languages, it can be a bit […]
Often, reading isn’t just about reading academic articles and the news. We have to read signs and warnings, messages and exclamations. Today, we’ll take a look at decoding written information with the help of visuals. Incidental Comics Reading Grant Snyder is an artist, illustrator and writer, and many of his comics are freely available on […]
Being able to describe things we see in front of us is always valuable. But when we do it in a foreign language, we often only speak about the most noticeable things, and we overlook many smaller details. Describing in Detail Take a look at the image below and start by describing it in a […]