Verbs future tense – Simple English grammar I’ll play tennis tomorrow.I’m playing tennis tomorrow. These two sentences are saying the same thing, but there …
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Are you curious about how the prefix DIS- can you prove your vocabulary? In this blog post, we’ll explore how the prefix DIS- is …
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If you’re interested in learning more about idioms with the word house or home, you’ve come to the right place! Our blog post is …
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Metaphors are an important part of our everyday language. They are used to make complex ideas and emotions simple. From literature and poetry to …
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The prefix semi is commonly used in the English language to indicate partiality or incompleteness. It is derived from the Latin word “semi,” which …
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Have you ever heard someone say they have “more than one way to skin a cat” or that someone “let the cat out of …
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What is an Adverbial Phrase? An adverbial phrase is simply two or more words that work together to modify a verb. It’s a phrase …
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The confusion between Log in and Login comes from their similar spelling and pronunciation. Many people use them interchangeably, but there are important differences …
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Ear idioms are a fascinating aspect of the English language, with many expressions using the ear as a metaphor for a variety of meanings. …
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Homonyms are words that have the same spelling or pronunciation but have different meanings. These words can cause confusion when used in written or …
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Are you curious about the many ways the prefix off- can be used in English words? If so, you’ve come to the right place. …
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Have you ever noticed that many words in the English language end in the letters -ant? My English students have. The suffix -ant is …
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The suffix -ment is a common ending in English words that is used to form nouns from verbs. This suffix can be traced back …
Mastering the Suffix -MENT (78 examples, Free PDF download) Read More »
Prefixes are an important part of the English language. They are added to the beginning of words to change their meaning, create new words, …
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This is a collection of words we commonly know and use as nouns in English. Many people don’t know that these nouns also have …
We often hear the prefix ultra- used to describe products and services with an extreme quality. It’s also used in a few nouns that …
The Prefix ULTRA- (17 examples – Free PDF Download) Read More »
Using English idioms naturally is a great way to sound like a native speaker. In this post, you will learn some common idioms with …
31 Bird Idioms (Real Example Sentences + Free 7-page PDF) Read More »
I love to teach new English vocabulary with clear examples. For example, The prefix pre- is part of the word prefix. A prefix is …
I was teaching a private English student recently and I introduced the verb BEFRIEND. This started a closer look at how we use the …
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Learning idioms can help you become more confident in English. Idioms can make your communication more natural, and, more interesting. This post will give …
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How to use adjectives as nouns (A helpful guide) We often hear adjectives used as nouns in natural speech, and in the news. I thought it would be good …
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One of my students was reading an English advertisement for fruit juice. She was having difficulty pronouncing the word ARTIFICIAL. Pronouncing long words can …
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The Suffix -FUL is used in many words and has a meaning that’s easy to understand. In adjectives, it means “full of something” or …
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What is Groundhog Day? In today’s post, I will explain this North American tradition, give you some history and tell you about a movie …
Knowing idioms can help you understand the meaning of text and speech more easily. As a Canadian native speaker, I love researching idioms to …
31 English Idioms with EYE (Free PDF – Real Examples) Read More »
The English language has many idioms that are often used in conversation. In this blog post, I want to teach you some common idioms …
14 Common Apple Idioms (Example sentences, Free PDF, Video) Read More »
The words Choice and Choose can be confusing for ESL students. During a private lesson, my student was telling me about her favorite Ramen …
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The suffix -ISM can be found in many words describing political, philosophical, and religious systems. This suffix is also used in words relating to …
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Learning suffixes is an easy way to quickly increase your English vocabulary. This post will explain how to use the suffix LY with lots …
67 Examples of the Suffix -ly (Sentences, Video, and PDF) Read More »
Learning suffixes is a great way to expand your vocabulary. This post will help you understand how to use the suffix -dom with real …
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Idioms are expressions with a meaning that is different from the literal meaning of the words used. This post will explain some common Idioms …
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The English verbs LIE and LAY are easily confused. This is true for native and non-native speakers alike! Here is the main reason why …
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The English language is full of interesting prefixes that change the meaning of words. In this blog post, we will explore the meanings and …
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Do you know how to use possessive nouns and pronouns in natural English conversation? This grammar can be confusing for my ESL students here …
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Writing blog posts that are the most helpful for English learners is a combination of experience and research. This post will answer any questions …
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The English words Affect and Effect are easy to confuse. Their spelling is similar and their meanings both relate to change. It’s easy for …
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My students love to learn English idioms. (Almost) Everyone also loves dogs. This post will teach you some common English idioms with dog. I …
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February is the shortest month of the year, but if you live in the North, February feels long. It’s very cold! At the start …
Using suffixes correctly is a great way to increase your English vocabulary. This post will teach you how to use the suffix -wise with …
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Using English idioms naturally is a great way to sound like a native speaker. In this post, you will learn some common idioms with …
Goat and Sheep Idioms (Definitions, Real Examples, Video) Read More »
I never get tired of putting together lists of useful English idioms. Today’s list is idioms with roosters. I’m trying to get to idioms …
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The chart below is a quick guide to help you decide if you need to use There IS or There ARE. Keep reading the …
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Collections of common phrasal verbs and collocations are helpful for English students and teachers. This list of GET and TAKE Phrasal Verbs and Collocations …
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I’m always on the lookout for new prefixes to help English students increase their vocabulary quickly. This post will help you use the prefix …
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Learning prefixes is an awesome way to increase your English vocabulary. This post will teach you how to use the prefix sub- with lots …
The Prefix SUB- (32 Examples・Free 9-page PDF・Video) Read More »
Idioms are an important part of casual English conversation. This post will be a great resource as you try to increase your knowledge of …
Increase your English vocabulary with the Root Word technique using prefixes and suffixes. I use this technique with my private students here in Japan. …
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English Grammar – Learn to use English prepositions In this post, you will learn to use English prepositions, listen to natural English that uses …
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Did you ever wonder where the month of January got its name? Me too. I did a little research and here is what I …
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A student of mine once asked me:What’s the difference between “I took a walk in the park.” and “I walked in the park?”These sentences …
Idioms are fun and they’re also a great way to sound like a native speaker. This collection of cow idioms will give you everything …
The words good and well are often heard in natural English conversation, but they can be easy to confuse. My private English students often …
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Learn 10 new Winter words and phrases. Not just a list of words to memorize (that doesn’t work) but new vocabulary that’s part of …
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I put together a list of some common idioms with monkey so you can learn them quickly and use them in your own conversations. …
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Learn the past tense of READ (30 Real Examples, Audio, Quiz) The past tense of the verb to read is read. [Pronounced RED] The …
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I’m always searching for new prefixes to teach my students (and blog readers) to help them increase their English vocabulary quickly. Learn the prefix …
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All you need to know about using the prefix SELF in compound words is here. I collected these words from different sources and listed …
I put together a list of 50 of the most common English prepositions with definitions and natural example sentences. Prepositions can be difficult to …
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Have you ever heard a native speaker say I gotcha? In this blog post, I’ll teach you 4 different ways we can use gotcha …
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Going to the Dentist Our website is supported by our users. We sometimes earn commissions when you click through the affiliate links on our …
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Our website is supported by our users. We sometimes earn commissions when you click through the affiliate links on our website (at no extra …
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Native speakers can use correct grammar naturally, if a grammar rule is broken it will sound strange. BUT most of us forget the rules. …
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Our website is supported by our users. We sometimes earn commissions when you click through the affiliate links on our website (at no extra …
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My job as an English teacher is to answer my students’ questions. “What is the difference between WEAR and PUT ON?” is a great …
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I wanted to write a helpful post to explain how to use singular and plural nouns in English. I did some research, used my …
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Learning suffixes and prefixes is an awesome way to increase your English vocabulary. The prefix trans- is used in some common English verbs, adjectives, …
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Understanding suffixes is a great way to increase your English vocabulary. I will explain the meaning of the suffix ness and show you how …
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This post will teach you Present Perfect Continuous grammar step by step. Learn with charts, images, and lots of natural examples. You will also …
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Understanding common English prefixes is a great way to quickly increase your vocabulary. In this post, you will learn some common words made with …
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Phrasal verbs are commonly used by native speakers in English conversation. I put together this collection of phrasal verbs with stop to help ESL …
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Using common English Idioms is one of the best ways to sound like a native speaker. In this post, I’m going to take a …
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Native speakers love to use idioms, and I love to teach them to my English students. In this post, you will learn some common …
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Phrasal verbs are very common in English conversation. Learning phrasal verbs is a great way to make your English sound more natural. Some phrasal verbs are literal, which …
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Phrasal verbs are very common in English conversation. They often have a meaning that is different from what the verb means by itself. This …
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I have put together another great list of useful English idioms. Today’s theme is idioms with horses. After some research, I found many common …
Horse Idioms (21 Common Example Sentences PLUS Video) Read More »
Native speakers use idioms, a lot! Learning idioms can help you sound more natural in conversation. I collected 18 common idioms with the word …
Idioms with the word Sweet (Real Examples + Video) Read More »
Prefixes and suffixes are like puzzle pieces that you can add to existing words to create new words. Confidently using the suffix -most it’s …
This post will be very helpful for anyone studying or teaching English who wants to know how to use the suffix -al. This was …
How do you use the suffix -al? (Examples, Free PDF, Video) Read More »
I love to teach suffixes that are also stand-alone words. The suffix -ship is a great example because most of my students know this …
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I was prepping a lesson for a student who will travel to England for a business trip. During my research, I noticed that verbs …
What’s the Difference Between the Suffixes -IZE and -ISE? Read More »
One of my private English students asked me the difference between the suffixes -ize and -ify. Both are used to change existing words into …
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I often research prefixes and suffixes to help my students easily increase their vocabulary. Every time I do this, I’m surprised by how much …
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Knowing what the suffix -ize means is very helpful when using and understanding new English words. But it’s not enough. Knowing how to use …
How To Use The Suffix -ize (Definitions, 48 Examples, Video) Read More »
This post is another great chance to easily improve your English vocabulary by understanding the meaning of the suffix -hood. Learn 17 words, what …
How Do You Use the Suffix -hood? (17 Examples + Video) Read More »
Idioms are great to use if you want to sound more like a native English speaker. Learn 14 common idioms with the word egg …
Idioms with EGG (14 Real Example Sentences + Video) Read More »
I love idioms, you love idioms, we all love idioms! I collected 21 idioms that use the word JUMP and put together this fun …
Idioms with JUMP (21 Common Examples, Definitions, Video) Read More »
Learning how to use nouns with prepositions is important in English grammar. We often see prepositions used with verbs to explain relations in TIME and PLACE. “Let’s …
Nouns + Prepositions – 75 Examples + Video (Intermediate) Read More »
I love idioms, you love idioms, we all love idioms! I collected 21 idioms that talk about Health and Wellness and put together this …
Idioms with HEALTH and WELLNESS (21 Real Examples + Video) Read More »
Animal idioms are fun to learn and use. The Chinese animal zodiac is used in many Asian countries, including where I live, Japan. I …
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I love learning idioms in Japanese (my second language), when I use them in conversation I feel like a native Japanese speaker. In this …
74 Idioms and Phrasal Verbs with OFF (With Real Examples) Read More »
These preposition QUIZZES were made just for you! You will find a warm-up video quiz and a general quiz with two different formats. The …
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Prepositions are challenging to use correctly in your second language. This post will help you by showing 8 prepositions that are used with common …
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Understanding prefixes and suffixes is a great way to quickly increase your English vocabulary. I have been teaching prefixes for a long time and …
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I love to teach prepositions to my students here in Japan. Prepositions are very important parts of speech that help us to be understood …
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Words and phrases in English that are similar but have different meanings can be easily confused. I used an occasion in Japan called “Girl’s …
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How to Improve your English FAST – 4 Quick Study Tips In this post, I will teach you 4 keys to help you improve your …
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I have been teaching English as a second language since 2006. I have also been a language student for most of my life. Connecting …
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Do you know the difference between Tired OF and Tired FROM? Many of my blog post topics come from real student questions. This post is no different. …
Tired OF something or Tired FROM something? (Video + Quiz) Read More »
THICK and THIN are very useful adjectives to have in your English vocabulary. This post will teach you how to use these adjectives in …
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I wrote this post just after I returned to Japan after a three-week trip to Ontario, Canada. I traveled to Canada to visit my …
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I was teaching a lesson to a private student last month and we talked about e-cigarettes. Some people prefer these electronic cigarettes because they …
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What are the English names for the Four Seasons? Spring Summer Autumn/Fall Winter. The words 🌸Spring and 🌞Summer come from Old English. ⛄Winter comes …
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Zombies have a special place in my heart. I played 5 zombies in two different movies during my work as a stuntman in Toronto. …
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One of my private English students asked me if there was a trick to help them remember the difference between the verbs lend and …
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Do you want to speak English like native speakers do? Learning common English idioms is a great way to do that. Native speakers (like …
English Idioms about LOVE (23 Examples, Free PDF, Video) Read More »
Prepositions are difficult to learn in your second language, but they are important. More than one of my students has asked the question: “How …
Learning suffixes is one of my favorite ways to help my ESL students increase their English vocabulary. By adding the suffix –ABLE to words …
The Suffix Able – 32 Real Examples (PDF wordlist + Video) Read More »
In this blog post you will learn how to correctly use the English articles A, An, and The. Lots of example sentences and 4 …
A, An, and The – English Articles – (Infographics + video) Read More »
I’m always searching for ways to help my private students improve their communication skills. Learning how to use the English suffix -OUS is a …
Use The Suffix ~OUS – 50 Examples (Free PDF + Video) Read More »
DOESN’T HAVE is correct. HAVE is used with the auxiliary verb DOESN’T for negative sentences. The verb “DOESN’T” agrees with 3rd person singular subjects …
Doesn’t have or has? 30 Examples (Free PDF – Video) Read More »
The difference between HOPE and WISH The verbs HOPE and WISH both mean to want something. The difference between HOPE and WISH is that …
The difference between HOPE and WISH (An EASY Guide + Video) Read More »
The adjective GOOD can be used with different prepositions. Good AT is usually followed by a verb. “He’s good AT drawing.” Good IN is less common …
Good At or Good In (or Good With?) Free PDF – Video Read More »
The verb To HAVE is a common but often confused English word. My private students here in Japan often have questions about this verb, …
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120 Money Idioms Native speakers love to use idioms in conversation. Using idioms will help you sound more like a native speaker too. In …
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I have been teaching English as a second language since 2006 and I get asked great questions. Questions like: What’s the difference between transitive …
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A student once asked me What’s the difference between the questions – Do you believe and Can you believe? She heard one of these …
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Dessert vs Desert Has the pronunciation of dessert and desert ever been difficult for you? dessert – dih-ZURRT (ZURRT is a stronger sound) AUDIO …
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Prefixes and suffixes are like puzzle pieces. They can be used to greatly increase your English vocabulary. I have written this guide to help …
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Making suggestions in English conversations is not difficult. Learn to use these natural expressions and sound like a native speaker. You can make suggestions …
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This post idea came from a question asked by one of my private students. She asked me if I ever met anyone famous when …
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This is a common question I get asked by my ESL students. Should I say ask “any plan or any plans?” It’s a good …
Do you have PLANS or A PLAN? (Real examples + Video) Read More »
Using prefixes is a great way to increase your English vocabulary. Turn words you already know into new words just by adding a prefix. …
The Prefix RE – 60 examples (Definitions, Free PDF, Video) Read More »
I love to teach prepositions for two reasons. Number one is they are small words that are very easy to confuse. The second reason …
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The verbs raise and rise are very similar in meaning which makes them easy to confuse. I often hear non-native speakers use these two …
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Using superlatives correctly will make your English conversations more natural. When we describe a thing or a group of things we will often compare …
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As the weather gets hotter, we get hotter too! This post will teach you some common English idioms about HEAT that you can use …
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The expression “Just in case” is very common in English. That means it’s very useful too! Follow along with my blog post and start …
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Do you want to sound more like a native speaker? Using common Idioms will help you do that. I made this list of 30 …
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This post will teach you everything you need to know about the suffix -y. Learning suffixes and prefixes is a great way to increase …
Learn The English Suffix -y (60 examples + Free PDF download) Read More »
Using different verb tenses correctly can be difficult. Especially past tense English verbs. This post will explain the basic rules of this verb grammar and teach …
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Using Idioms is a great way to sound like a native speaker. I put together a list of common weather idioms that I use …
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My student asked me if I “played Karate.” I knew what my student meant, but this is not a natural way to ask this …
I was looking through some previous English lessons that I’ve taught and I noticed the prefix mis- is used a lot in English. I …
The Prefix MIS- 60 examples (Video + Free 6-page PDF) Read More »
1. Pig out (on something) – to eat too much of something at one time. 2. Eat like a pig – to eat a …
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Relative clauses are great for making longer and more natural English sentences. Learning and using this grammar will help you sound like a native …
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Phrasal verbs are very common in English conversation. Learning phrasal verbs is a great way to make your English sound more natural. Some phrasal …
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The words ache, pain, sore, and hurt all describe an unpleasant feeling in our bodies. They can be easy to confuse. Learn how to use these words FAST with …
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One of my private students here in Japan asked me: “Which is correct – suppose to or supposed to?” What a great question. (I …
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We use adjectives to modify the nouns in our story. I’ll show you how to use Fact and Opinion Adjectives correctly in this post …
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English grammar THERE and IT I put together a simple breakdown of the English grammar for THERE and IT after several of the high …
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I’ve been teaching prefixes for many years to help my students increase their English vocabulary. I used my experience and some extra research to …
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When a Friday falls on the 13th day of the month some people believe that this day will bring bad luck. They believe that …
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Conjunctions can seem difficult to understand at first. This blog post will help you understand how to use the words Although, Though, and Even …
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A suffix is an addition to the end of a word, that gives the word a new meaning. They are an easy way to …
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GET and TAKE – What’s the difference? Some of my English students in Japan have had trouble with the verbs GET and TAKE. These …
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Many English words have a verb form and a noun form. This can be confusing. The verb form and the noun form are sometimes …
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I was teaching an English student how to use modal verbs correctly in conversation and I thought this would be a great blog post. …
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Do you know how to use the words no and none correctly in English conversation? How about the prefix non~? Read this post, watch …
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Some English is easy to confuse, even for native speakers. I have heard the question: “Should I use apply to or apply for?” more …
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Athlete is a more general word that can be used to describe a person involved in sports or physical activities. Player is more specific, …
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I’ve been teaching English as a second language since 2006. During that time I noticed some common mistakes that English students make. Reflexive pronouns …
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Several of my English students have asked me “Should I use HAVE TO or MUST?” Learn how with this Easy Grammar guide. This post …
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2020 was the year of the mouse/rat. In today’s post, you will learn 10 idioms with rats and mice. Phrasal verbs with rat For …
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Most means the largest amount:“YouTube was the most searched keyword on Google in 2021.”Almost means nearly but not quite:“I almost missed my train this …
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HAVE and HAVE GOT mean the same thing when you are talking about owning something, holding something, or relationships. *Remember the verb HAVE changes …
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The English verb slap means to hit somebody/something with the flat part of your handOxford Learner’s Dictionaries SLAP Like all English verbs, slap has …
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Have you ever confused these words? The meanings are similar but the word types and the word uses are different. These words are used …
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ESL Listening + Vocabulary PDFDieting: Old Advice, New Again What is the best way to improve your English quickly? Hard work + great study …
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I was sitting in a coffee shop and wondering about the month of April. How did April get its name? Like most English words …
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In an active voice sentence, the subject does something.A mosquito bit Paul. (ACTIVE voice) Subject–Verb–Object In a passive voice sentence, something happens to the subject.Paul …
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Spring has arrived! (This is a natural way to say “It’s now Spring!”) Now is the perfect time to learn some English Spring vocabulary. In today’s blog post let’s practice some words we use when Spring arrives.
ENOUGH – As much or as many of something as is necessary
“We’ve waited long enough.” (We don’t have to wait any longer. No more waiting is necessary.)
TOO – Shows that there is more of something than is necessary
“We’ve waited too long.” (We have waited for more time than is necessary.)
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The PRESENT PERFECT tense is have/has + the past participle form of a verb. I have just eaten lunch so I’m not hungry. We …
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For some of my private and company students in Japan, might have/should have English grammar can be confusing. Let me share a lesson I …
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LIKE and AS can both be used to say that things are similar.LIKE is a preposition: similar to somebody/something. LIKE will be used before …
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I love teaching suffixes! They are a great way to increase your English vocabulary. The English suffix ~ish is one of my favorites because …
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Idioms with TIGER 2022 is the Year of the Tiger In the Chinese zodiac, 2022 is the year of the tiger. Do you know …
・SOME is used with positive sentences: “I bought SOME apples.” “I’ve got SOME time.”・ANY is used with negative sentences: “I didn’t buy ANY apples.” …
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Do you want to improve your English communication and confidence? Learn the IF conditional. Add this to your conversation skills and open up the …
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Reported speech English grammar Direct quote Kyle said, “I will be busy tonight.” Sharing information Kyle said he will be busy tonight. We use …
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Than or Then In 2006 I moved to Japan to study martial arts and I have been teaching English as a second language ever …
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A basic guide YET – if something hasn’t happened but you expect it to happen The new cafe on Front Street is very popular. …
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In this post you will learn how to use Double negatives in natural English conversation. Get your free NEGATIVE PREFIX and Quiz printable worksheet …
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a slap on the wrist = punishment that is weak, not strong enough“My brother stole my parent’s car when he was 16 but all he …
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The words for, during, and while can all be used to talk about time. Their meanings can be similar and easy to confuse. In …
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Learn how to use the words today, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, yesterday, and the day before yesterday like a native speaker. Also, increase …
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SAY vs. TELL What’s the difference between SAY and TELL? My 4 favorite words to hear from a student are: “I have a question.” …
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TO BE English contractions – present tense Contractions TO BE (Present, Past, Future)“I’m studying English.” Learn about the contractions of the English verb TO BE with audio and a free …
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The words MUCH, MANY, and A LOT (LOTS) show there is a large amount of something. Much is used with uncountable nouns. (smoke, water, …
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In today’s blog post learn how to use the conjunction unless and the expression as long as in natural conversation. Use this English grammar …
Learn how to use verbs with prepositions in this post. The prepositions TO and AT are used with some common English verbs. Read lots …
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Use the prepositions TO and INTO like a native speaker, plus learn how to correctly use INTO and IN TO with your English writing. …
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The preposition BY is often used in English conversation. One of the most common ways to use BY is to show how something is …
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I love to teach prepositions! In this post, I want to teach you some common examples of adjectives with the preposition OF. I wrote …
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SEE WATCH LOOK AT to become aware of somebody/something by using your eyes to look at somebody or something for a time, paying attention …
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How I spent QUARANTINE – English practice I wrote this last year (2020) – and now some places (Tokyo included) have extended the state …
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This post is a collection of 25 commonly used English idioms with body parts. With fun images and examples to help you remember them …
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The 2020 Tokyo summer Olympics began on July 23rd, 2021. The Olympics are one year behind schedule due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus. …
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Improve your vocabulary with an advanced news story This is a blog post that I wrote in 2014 with vocabulary for advanced English students. …
English Phrasal verbs with CUT be cut out (for) – to have the qualities and abilities needed for something cut out – if a …
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Phrasal Verbs with BREAK break in = force entry to a building or car etc.“The window is cracked! It looks like a robber tried …
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Did you ever have a bad habit? Did you ever smoke cigarettes? (Did you smoke in the past but not anymore?) How about drinking …
English vocabulary – Solstice June 21st is the solstice.In the northern part of the world, June 21st is the Summer solstice.In the southern part …
wait for something Carl’s waiting for his friend, he should be here soon. look for something I can’t find my earring! Can you help …
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In this post, you will learn how to use the adverb EVEN in natural English conversation. Learn 2 ways to use this adverb with …
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English Pronunciation Practice 13 or 30? This post will help with your English pronunciation of numbers like 13 and 30. There is a video …
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Stay WITH or Stay AT? One of my students was telling me about a trip her daughter will take to America this summer. I …
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Other and Another I was teaching a private lesson in a cafe last week. My student works in a hotel, and she was telling …
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Now that In today’s post, you will learn NOW THAT English grammar with easy-to-understand examples. This English grammar point came from a real lesson …
It is easy to confuse these words. Should I use few or a few? When you add a little “a,” it makes a BIG …
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More English.Better English. New and updated English blog posts, VIDEOs, custom PDFs, and more… And it’s FREE Get 9 awesome English PDFs to get …
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This post contains audio to Improve English listening. It talks about my quarantine here in Japan with lots of new vocabulary to learn. Below …
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