I took a walk VS. I walked Noun vs. Verb WALK noun a journey on foot, usually for pleasure or exercise “My wife and I always go for a walk after dinner if the weather is nice.” WALK verb to move or go somewhere by putting one foot in front of the other on the ground, but without running “I …
Rats and Mice idioms (2020 The year of the Rat)
2020 is the year of the mouse / rat. In today’s post you will learn 10 rats and mice idioms. Poor as a church mouse As quiet as a mouse The best-laid plans of mice and men Play cat and mouse with (someone) When the cat’s away, the mice will play Mouse potato Rat race Smell a rat Like a …
Verbs with prepositions TO and AT – Easy Grammar (Video+PDF)
Learn how to use verbs with prepositions in this post. The prepositions TO and AT are used with some common English verbs. Read lots of natural examples and download a free PDF guide so you can practice this grammar anytime. The PDF download link is at the bottom of this post! Verbs with TO go to Let’s go to the …
Verb and noun pairs with examples (audio+PDF)
In this post you will find 36 English verb and noun pairs with example audio. Listen to natural examples with real audio! Learn to make the correct sound for verb and noun pairs that have the same spelling but different pronunciation. Over 70 natural example sentences! Verb or Noun? – Grammar Example #1 conductnoun – CONduct – a person’s behavior …
Good AT or Good WITH? Confusing English (VIDEO)
Do you need to say Good at or Good with in your sentence? Which is correct? Read this post and learn how to use these natural English expressions. (Watch the video at the end of this post for English listening practice.) Good at is most often followed by a verb “Greg is good at fixing cars.” Good with will be …
Today Tomorrow The day after tomorrow (Easy Grammar +Video)
Learn how to use the words today, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, yesterday and the day before yesterday like a native speaker. Also, increase your range of conversation topics with time by adding the preposition in and the adverb ago. Watch the video at the end of this post to review the grammar with audio and video. AND improve your …
Use CHOICE and CHOOSE correctly (Learn fast with Audio)
choice noun an act of choosing between two or more possibilities; something that you can choose Our agency helps people make more informed career choices.I wonder if I made the right choice. choose verb to decide which thing or person you want out of the ones that are available You choose – I can’t decide.You can choose how much garlic …
Learn and use 50 Common Phrasal Verbs (+free PDF)
You will learn 50 English phrasal verbs in this post. Each phrasal verb has an example sentence to help you understand its meaning. The example sentences will give you the chance to use these expressions naturally in your own conversations. No time to read the whole post now? Download this post as a 28-page PDF and learn these useful expressions …
What’s the difference between GET and TAKE (a complete guide)
GET and TAKE – What’s the difference? Version 1.0 get verb – receive/obtain – I got a call from Gary this morning. (I received a call from Gary this morning. This is passive, I just received the call.) take verb – accept/receive – I took the call in my office. (I accepted/received the call in my office. This is more …
How to use Affect and Effect – English vocabulary (Video)
Affect VS. Effect 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 me to see as a teacher why these words often get used incorrectly. They are different kinds of words, one is a verb and the other is a noun. They are used with …
How to use Hasn’t / Doesn’t Have (PDF download + video)
Hasn’t VS. Doesn’t have I was teaching a private lesson here in Japan. One of my students was describing a situation with a friend. She had a question about Hasn’t VS. Doesn’t Have English grammar: “He hasn’t any money.” Or “He doesn’t have any money.” My student wanted to know which sentence is correct. This is a great question, and …
How to use Present Perfect Continuous grammar (Free PDF)
The present perfect continuous (also known as the present perfect progressive) is have/has + been + the continuous tense of a verb. (Continuous tense is verb ~ing.) This verb tense has a connection to events happening now. The PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS is have/has + been + the continuous tense of a verb. We use it to talk about an activity …
Much or Many? Easy English grammar (+Video)
Much or Many – Do you know how to use these words? In this post, you will learn these words with lots of natural English examples. Read to the end and then watch my “MUCH Vs. MANY” video to improve your English listening skills. In English, we use the words MUCH and MANY to show there is a large amount of …
A slap on the wrist – English Idiom (w/ Video)
English idiom – A Slap on the Wrist In today’s English blog post I’ll explain the common English idiom A slap on the wrist. I’ll use some natural examples and we will discover the meaning together. This will make the expression easy to remember and simple to use in your own English conversations. Be sure to watch the video at …
How to use the suffix EN (Increase vocabulary + VIDEO)
How to use the suffix ENA quick guide suffix EN – nouns to verbs If you suffer from lower back pain you should do exercises that strengthen your core muscles. [The noun strength becomes the verb strengthen] suffix EN – adjectives to verbs The new skylight really brightens the room. [The adjective bright becomes the verb brighten] suffix EN – …
Quickly Improve English Pronunciation – To BE Contractions (+ Video)
A contraction is the process of becoming smaller. In English, a contraction is when two or more words combine into one smaller word. The contractions for the verb TO BE are often used in English conversation and in this post you will learn the correct pronunciation with audio and video. (You can find the video at the bottom of this …
Third-Person Singular – A Helpful Guide With Pictures/Video
Third-person singular English grammarThe pronouns – he, she, it + any name, position or relation that describes one single person or thing. Examples of third-person singular subjects He studies English. Ken studies English. Ken’s boss studies English. My sister studies English. I was working on a verb grammar course last week. While I was writing the lessons I was explaining …
You can’t miss it – English expression (w/images & video)
You can’t miss it! REMEMEBER to watch the short video at the bottom of this post to improve your listening and pronunciation. It’s a great way to review the lesson too! The English expression You Can’t Miss It. There are lots of common English expressions. Today let me show you one that I used 2 days ago when I gave …
How to use During and While – Confusing English (Video)
Use this English grammar correctly in natural conversation.
How to use Double negatives (English grammar +PDF)
English grammar – Double negatives In this post you will learn the English grammar for Double negatives, and how to use them in natural English conversation. Keep reading and don’t forget to sign up and get your free PDF to Increase your English vocabulary. Learn 40 Words with NEGATIVE prefixes that you can use in your own conversation. This post …
Autumn Or Fall? Names Of The 4 Seasons (English Vocabulary)
English vocabulary – Autumn or Fall? 4 seasons name origins Now it’s Fall in the Northern half of the world. (Late September until Dec.) Sorry, I mean it’s Autumn now. Wait, which one is correct? Did you ever wonder why this season has 2 names in English, Autumn and Fall? I had the same question. I did some research and …
How to use THERE and IT (Learn the grammar w/video)
English grammar THERE and IT We use the pronoun IT for a specific thing, place or situation. My neighbor’s dog is noisy. It’s always barking. It = the dog I want to try the new café, but it’s always very busy. It = the café IT Read below for a more detailed explanation. AND you will find a video version …
Correctly use UNLESS – AS LONG AS (learn quickly w/Audio)
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 like a pro! Unless In today’s post, I will teach you how to use the conjunction UNLESS in natural English conversation. Do you remember what a conjunction is in English grammar? A conjunction is:a word that …
There IS or There ARE – Which do I need? (PDF download)
The chart below is a quick guide to help you decide if you need to use There IS or There ARE. Keep reading the post for more details and lots of natural examples. We use There is with singular nouns. (Just 1 thing) “There is a new shopping mall on Main street.” *Shopping mall is a singular noun. (1 mall) …
Past and Past Participle of READ + Audio/Video (Easy Grammar)
Quickly learn the past participle of READ and use this verb form like a native speaker. Learn with clear text, lots of examples plus real audio. Practice the pronunciation with natural sentences spoken by a native speaker. (There is another audio file on SoundCloud at the end of this post PLUS a NEW VIDEO) TO READ (verb) Present tense read …
Master 3 English Adverbs – Yet Still Already (+video)
A basic guide YET – if something hasn’t happened but you expect it to happen The new cafe on Front Street is very popular. I haven’t been there yet. STILL – if something has started but not finished Do you still live at the same address? ALREADY (1) – if something happened before now We got there early but Mike …
Learn How to use LEND and BORROW (with Video)
Learn to use the English verbs “Lend” and “Borrow” correctly in natural conversation. This post also contains a video. Watch it to review the lesson and improve your English listening skills. Lend and Borrow borrow [verb] to take and use something that belongs to somebody else, and return it to them at a later time “Can I borrow $10.00?” = …
Making Suggestions Easily in English Conversation (with Video)
Learn to easily make suggestions in English conversations. Use these natural expressions to sound like a native speaker. Common examples of phrases you can use to make suggestions How about/What about (used with a verb in its gerund form) How about ordering a pizza for dinner? What about getting Indian? Shall we… /Why don’t we… /Let’s… (used with the infinitive …
Improve English Listening “Diet Advice” (Everything you need – video + PDF)
ESL Listening + Vocabulary PDFDieting: Old Advice, New Again What is the best way to improve your English quickly? Hard work + great study tools. I can’t make you work hard, but my ESL listening vocabulary with PDF blog post is just what you need. I’m a native English speaker with many years of teaching experience who loves building helpful …
Easily Learn 3 English Expressions “In case” with AUDIO
Recently I was asked about the English expression just in case and I thought it would make a good blog post. Today we will look at 3 natural English expressions that use in case. English Expressions – (Just) In case… Please look at the following example: “I don’t think it will rain today but I will take my umbrella with …
How to use Might – Should – Would Have (Easy Grammar)
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 made to help explain these phrases, and I also added the expression would have. I hope this post is helpful for you and be sure to leave a comment below before you go! Video at the …
Talk using real English (Easy AUDIO Pt. 3)
Let’s talk using real English! In this blog post we will answer the following questions: What is a tourist attraction? What does the phrasal verb “light up” mean? How are waterfalls used to generate (make) electricity? Audio A If we want to talk using real English we need to have a real story to talk about. We can practice today …
Learn English easily with a story (Canada trip Pt.2)
In today’s post, we will learn more English with part 2 of my Canada trip story. We’ll start by learning some vocabulary to describe the place we live or a place we visit. Audio A (If you haven’t read part 1 yet, click HERE!) New English vocabulary from the story Urban vs rural (city vs countryside) Urban is an adjective …
Learn English with a story with great AUDIO (Pt.1)
Audio Intro In August 2017 I visited my family in Canada for 3 weeks. (I live in Tokyo now) I wrote 3 stories about my trip as a way to teach my newsletter subscribers, they could use my story to learn some natural English. In 2019 made these 3 stories into 3 blog posts so my blog readers can learn …
Learn the difference between HOPE and WISH (Improve vocabulary)
The difference between HOPE and WISH Do you know the difference between HOPE and WISH? These two words can be easy to confuse for non-native speakers, but don’t worry, I’m here to help you! My post will explain with lots of natural examples. Clear definitions are good. Natural examples that you can really use are great! HOPE hope verb – …
How to use Although Though Even Though (w/Video)
In English grammar, the words Although, Though, and Even Though are often used as conjunctions. What is a conjunction? I’m glad you asked! Conjunctions Conjunctions join words, phrases or sentences. And, but, etc. are examples of conjunctions. I bought some apples and bananas at the store. The conjunction and joins the words apples and bananas telling you what I bought. I like apples, …
Have or Have got? Easy English Grammar (50+ examples!)
HAVE and HAVE GOT mean the same thing when you are talking about owning something, holding something or relationships. He has $20 in his wallet. He has got $20 in his wallet. *Remember the verb HAVE changes to HAS for the third person singular.He has / She has / It has We use the auxiliary verb DO to make a …
So and Such – English Grammar (video + free PDF download)
So and Such – English Grammar To learn this English Grammar let’s look at the meaning of So and Such. At the bottom of this post, you can download a FREE 14-page PDF of this blog post. Study anytime, online, or offline. SO means very; extremely or to some high degree or level. “Patricia is so nice. I really like …
Learn REAL English (custom PDFs, coupons + more)
More English.Better English. New and updated English blog posts, VIDEOs, custom PDFs, and more… And it’s FREE Get 5 awesome English PDFs right away to get you started. See, Watch, and Look at PDFEnglish Adjectives Fact or Opinion? PDF Hasn’t VS. Doesn’t Have PDFPresent Perfect Continuous PDFVerbs with prepositions TO + AT PDF *Each PDF supports an English blog post, use …
Reported speech English grammar (Learn quickly with Video)
Reported speech English grammar Direct quote Kyle said, “I will be busy tonight.” Sharing information Kyle said he will be busy tonight. We use reported speech to share information that we heard from another person or information that we got from TV, newspaper, Internet etc. This English grammar is very common in English conversation. There are two ways to use …
How to use Over and Under as prefixes + Video (2020 update)
I’m sure you have heard the words OVER and UNDER before. In this blog post I’ll show you how they can be used as prefixes to change the meaning of other words you may already know! Do you know what a prefix is? A prefix is: a letter or group of letters added to the beginning of a word to …
How I spent QUARANTINE – English practice (10 helpful resources)
How I spent QUARANTINE – English practice How I spent QUARANTINE – helpful resources – Learn what I did with my free time, and improve your English! Being in quarantine means having lots of free time for many of us. Suddenly having lots of free time can make us bored, even stressed. If we look at the situation from a …
Improve English listening today (Native audio – QUARANTINE)
This post contains audio to Improve English listening. It talks about my quarantine here in Japan with lots of new vocabulary to learn. Below you will find an audio player so you can listen to the post and improve your English listening skills. Definitions for all the words from the story in bold blue text are also listed at the …
See, Watch, and Look at (PDF +video) Learn these English verbs
The English verbs SEE, WATCH, and LOOK at can be confusing. I made this post with PDF to clearly explain this English grammar. These verbs have a similar meaning but we don’t use them the same way. There is a nuance in their meaning. nuance [noun] a very slight difference in meaning, sound, color or somebody’s feelings that is not …
How to use adjectives as nouns (A helpful guide + video)
How to use adjectives as nouns (A helpful guide) We often hear adjectives we recognize used as nouns in natural speech, and in the news. I thought it would be good if students had a simple guide to explain this grammar. I did some research and used my years of experience teaching English as a second language to make this …
How to use Adjectives with the preposition OF (English grammar)
I love to teach prepositions! In this post I want to teach you some common examples of adjectives with the preposition OF. I wrote lots of natural examples using this grammar. Examples that native speakers use in natural conversation. Adjectives of feeling + OF Here are some adjectives of feeling that make us uncomfortable afraid of Jason is afraid of …
Quickly Learn vocabulary – Root words with prefixes and suffixes (Video+PDF)
Increase your English vocabulary with this simple technique. I use this technique with my private students here in Japan. Increase English vocabulary with Prefixes and Suffixes In this post you will learn an easy way to increase your English vocabulary. We will add prefixes and suffixes to words we may already know to make new words. I call this the …
How to use English Adjectives – Fact or Opinion? (PDF + video)
English Adjectives Fact or Opinion In English, we use adjectives to describe nouns. The adjective we use can be a FACT (red) or an OPINION (beautiful). A fact is – a thing that is known to be true, especially when it can be proved An opinion is – your feelings or thoughts about somebody/something, rather than a fact When we …
Modal Verbs / Can-Could-May-Might (Easy English grammar)
English modal verbs Learn all about English modal verbs in my post. Use the verbs Can, Could, May and Might like a native speaker. can We use the modal verb can to say that something is possible, allowed or somebody/something has the ability to do something. could 1) Could is sometimes used as the past tense of can. 2) We …
Each or Every – Easily make the right choice every time (w/Video)
My students often wonder – Should I use Each or Every? It’s a great question! I did some research and made this lesson to answer that question. Learn the grammar with lots of natural examples that you can use right away. Find a video at the bottom of this post to review the grammar and improve your English listening skills. …
Quickly Learn 6 Phrasal Verbs with CUT (17 easy to understand examples)
English Phrasal verbs with CUT In this post I want to share 6 English phrasal verbs with CUT. Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries dot com lists 24 different uses for the verb CUT! ✂ LINK Many uses have a meaning that is easy to imagine, but some are not so common. I’ll explain the meaning and then help you understand it with lots …
What is Groundhog Day? (w/ English Audio)
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 (that I love!) named for this special day. Plus learn the English expression “Same old, same old.” There is an audio track too at the end of this post so you can practice English listening. What …
Learn English from TV (A complete guide to improve your English)
Learn English from TV shows You can learn a lot of English words and expressions from TV shows. In an earlier post, I showed you 4 key ways to improve your English. One of those keys is to improve your English listening. Watching English TV shows is a great way to do this. In this post you will get my …
Improve your English QUICKLY – 4 Keys (2020)
4 Simple Tips to Improve your English fast In this post I will teach you 4 keys to help you Improve your English quickly. You can apply these tips to your study right away! Learn full sentences and phrases Not just vocabulary lists and grammar rules. Listening practice is important necessary! Many students don’t spend enough time listening, some don’t …
FEW or A FEW? Learn this confusing grammar easily (audio + video)
It is easy to confuse these words. Should I use few or a few? When you add a little “a,” it makes a big difference! I’ll explain using some natural English sentence examples to help you learn the difference. Please read the bullet points below. Few ① = not many“There are few people in this restaurant.” Few ② = can …
Most or Almost? How to use this grammar (+ Video)
most [determiner, pronoun] – the largest in number or amount “7-11 has the most convenience stores in Tokyo.” most [adverb] – used to form the superlative of adjectives and adverbs of two or more syllables “She was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen.” almost [adverb] – nearly, not quite “I woke up late and almost missed the train …
How to use the Present Perfect Tense (English Grammar)
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 use it to describe new information or an action that is related to now. Erica’s contact lens has fallen out. Let’s help her find it.Erica has lost a contact. Let’s help her find it. – Erica …
Adjectives ed and ing + quiz (English Grammar)
Adjectives with ed and ing + simple QUIZ In today’s post, you will learn how to use English adjectives that end with ed and ing. You will also find a simple quiz at the end of the post. Adjectives are an important part of our communication. They let us give more detail to our conversations and help to make our …
Passive voice in English (Learn easily with Real examples)
What is the passive voice in English grammar? If the subject of our sentence gets or receives something – something happens to the subject of our sentence – we can use the Passive Voice. Passive voice uses the verb to be (am, is, are, was, were) plus the past participle form of the verb in the main action. Example: Paul was bitten by a mosquito. Compare …
Learn English the FUN way – Famous Quotes (10 Quotes explained)
Learn English with famous quotes Learn English with these 10 famous quotes! Meaning, vocabulary and grammar explained. “The world is changed by your example, not by your opinion.” ~ Paulo Coelho “You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.” ~ Indira Gandhi “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” ~ Aesop “The supreme art of war …
How to use English preposition FOR (Learn fast w/Video)
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 me look for it? for can show purpose Are you learning English for pleasure or for work? for can show a cause She gave me a bag for my birthday. we use for to receive something …
Have To or Must? Easy Grammar + Quiz and Infographic
Several of my English students have asked me “Should I use HAVE TO or MUST?” Learn how with this Easy Grammar guide. This post has a practice QUIZ, an easy to follow Infographic, and lots of natural must and have to examples! Have to and must are both used to show that something is necessary, but there are some differences. …
Improve your English listening skills FAST – Real AUDIO
We all want to improve our English listening. Improving your English listening skills is very important for ESL students, it can also be fun. In today’s blog, you will get access to my best posts with podcasts, embedded audio and videos. This collection is full of natural English spoken by a native speaker. Use these to take your English to …
20 English expressions with LUCK
In this post you will learn some English expressions with LUCK and more than 20 different ways to use them in natural conversation! If you want to learn English, you’re IN LUCK! Keep reading… To begin, let’s review the meaning for the word luck. ・luck (click the word for the definition link)Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries dot com lists 2 uses for …
Master English Articles – A, An and The (Grammar basics)
In this blog post you will learn how to correctly use the English articles A, An and The. Lots of example sentences and 4 custom infographics to help you remember this grammar. English basics – Articles A, An and The There are 26 letters in the English alphabet. 5 of those letters are vowels. A, E, I, O, and U. …
How to use the English prepositions IN, AT, ON
In this post you will learn how to correctly use the English prepositions IN, AT, and ON for time and place. 8 custom infographics and LOTS of real examples! Dave can’t find his smartphone. – Maybe the phone is in my bedroom? English prepositions with placeIN = inside We use IN with rooms Jessica is in the living room. I’ve …
Easy English grammar (ESL connection Method)
In this post you will learn how to easily remember English grammar rules using my ESL Connection Method. This is a useful tool that has really helped me in my own language study, and of course it has also helped my English students too. I’ve been teaching English as a second language since 2006. One question I have been asked …