tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40355271753675079212024-03-11T11:33:54.644+00:00Learn English OnlineFree web pages and online resources that allow us to learn, and/or improve our Level of EnglishDavidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16749436712750946995noreply@blogger.comBlogger312125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035527175367507921.post-91332615015823313772020-04-18T19:50:00.003+01:002020-04-18T19:54:15.932+01:00Teach and Learn English with Enhanced E-Books from Oxford<img alt="Oxford Logo" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzubdmzZXFi2XI4thONx2HfYCLZzIisLN07vckhvK6HHdLX2OqeRxpRtrBWxWjIPgQ9E5TWlsH3lGnbRKE-Iky3LJ904NZcNTMmQDZSxzcAStnkr7QMdns5mkEGsnSiBZ7Si2Zdh5uYxHM/w543-h107-rw-no/" /><br />
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<span class="abigletter">O</span>ne of the positive aspects of Covid-19 is that many companies are offering for free (with due date) resources which we would have traditionally needed to pay for.<br />
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We would like to mention today the wonderful e-books that Oxford’s University is offering to English teachers and students.<br />
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<span class="fullpost"><img alt="e-book example" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjymcIlU8PX6UFaNDxGTyYUr5VIRTbdwDscsX1LpMOxJifzvwlG9_3xbSyLfBxIDU0UG_uSVrQOWsAMmga-_AC1c8mH6wJr-QktkYGcz_pX6kx1lThAd30OvBrDBDMDY4Hb3MTwZRTKIaPa/w1045-h668-rw-no/" /><br />
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The bookshelf is available (until 30 Jun 2020) and it offers a selection of hundreds of titles organized by level of English: A1, A2, B1 and B2. The e-books are very visual and contain activities for before and after reading. You can also take notes on each page, listen to the book and record your voice to practice your pronunciation.<br />
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Moreover, Oxford uses gamification for you to record you the books you’ve read, number of words or time spent reading. You can also download a reading certificate.<br />
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Don’t hesitate, take advantage of isolation to Learn English Online!<br />
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Go to <a href="https://www.oxfordlearnersbookshelf.com/" target="_blank">Oxford Learner´s Bookshelf</a></span><br />
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Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16749436712750946995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035527175367507921.post-66128935907760222712017-02-05T18:14:00.002+00:002017-02-05T18:16:20.327+00:0010 Differences between American and British English<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid-RN7TzfDFWC73_GLwPOE0_UfMJZ-of42LW5UwogjkuVpGBL_OKiN6uFdBYG4ut5KMJlN1FY28SO_SX2tQhZ0yX8KIAtmOjaHuz73Q2BtFLbCr4lBLUfMqqNRwXtml4_bfnxPchAjWq8/" /><br />
Source: <a href="https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8005/7383835386_f6c4320278_b.jpg" target="_blank">Flickr</a><br />
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<span class="abigletter">T</span>here are far too many dialects of English language. We even have an Indian one (Heard someone say, “I’m from here only”). The American and British are the two most popular accents spoken around the world. That is the reason why most competitive examinations you appear for, emphasize primarily on these two dialects. <br />
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You study English as your second language, so it is easy to be frustrated with the subtle differences. You will discover, soon enough, that you can crack the code by choosing one of the two as your primary dialect. Subsequently, you can learn these differences to talk to both Americans, and Brits, with equal ease.<br />
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It is even easier to consider the differences when you separate their varied usages. Here is an easy way to do that.<br />
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<span class="fullpost"><b>Vocabulary</b><br />
<i>1. Everyday words</i><br />
Among all the differences between the two dialects, the difference in vocabulary is the easiest to pick. Both Americans and British have unique ways to refer to the same thing. The graphic below shows the different words that people in New York and London use to refer to the same thing.<br />
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlBWDPIz3tmIxSxVnPn6bM7pJ96YghJZ8U6CIRDb4zIGEuYI18jd8lQaoVB87JZCcua9tSA_A1Ed7D_K9RT2XMEWpQQKbMNRvBFyxZh4_dyxKxDQiCi6VBTZxYQa4hOY7JRycx4Qe34fw/" /><br />
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<b>Spelling</b><br />
Words are used interchangeably between the two contexts; there are words that are spelt differently too. Below are 3 examples:<br />
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<i>2. To U or not to U</i><br />
Americans tend to drop the U in words like colour and honour. Credits for these changes go to the American lexicographer, Noah Webster. Touted as the “Father of American Scholarship and Education”, you might remember him from the name of a dictionary that you are used to referring to. Yes, that is right, the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.<br />
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<i>3. Do you end the word with -re or -er?</i><br />
Another subtle difference is the way you would spell words like theatre and metre. While the British prefer ending such words with -re, the Americans use the alternative. The American version is most common across dialects. You are better off with the American version, unless, of course, you are in London baby!<br />
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<i>4. Did you realize (OR “realise”) the differences, already?</i><br />
All words ending with the suffixes -ise, or -ize, is yet another group of words that is definitely spelt differently in the two dialects.<br />
We covered the three differences elicited above in this graphic:<br />
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirvGxnQC6U0nz9lsfaY89YOoSdsFCNU4YDQDojM3ZofaywZPmz8C4OZB3uUGge1dRtem7gS-Y7HB_1PEvyb0P9DxBYhJkBUHUFCEJcuNMdjjLmEabAzUvWQDCa50EdN6OWfbKKWFRzlts/" /><br />
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<b>Accent</b><br />
Even when you are using the same words in both the dialects, and with the same spelling, there is still a difference in the way you pronounce those words.<br />
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<i>5. Pronunciation</i><br />
The difference primarily lies in using different vowel sounds, or by stressing the word in a different place. Let Hermione show us the way:<br />
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXTV2CcE4Hpe1l-gwUrAhz6u9MxXIWpXS83H5MVbw3V4IPbNDhKT3MtDA6vVxKevjVKQwsScu8QTZyKPd8RMlMQgqv01onlhwCzyGIPChyphenhyphenENHM1A3TriP-EXXcbJs5UCuyIRfButeDJRo/" /><br />
Source: <a href="http://giphy.com/gifs/female-rapper-NzlfPfBYrAxQk" target="_blank">Giphy</a><br />
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Well, you might not use Leviosa as regularly as Hermione did. But knowing how to say the following words differently in both the dialects, may come in handy:<br />
<ul><li><b>Vase</b> is pronounced as <b>Vars</b>, like cars, in British English. However, Americans call it <b>vace</b>, like face.</li>
<li>British call <b>Route</b> as <b>root</b>, like shoot, but Americans say it <b>rout</b>, as in shout.</li>
<li>British put the ar, in <b>tomato</b>, saying it to<b>mar</b>to, while the Americans find it convenient to say to<b>may</b>to.</li>
</ul><br />
<b>Grammar</b><br />
This section covers most of the differences between the two dialects. You might as well find them the most difficult ones too.<br />
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<i>6. Collective nouns</i><br />
A collective noun is one that is used to refer to a group. For example, team, flock, group, band. While these nouns are singular in America, British might use them in the singular as well as plural forms interchangeably. Do not be surprised in a London club when you hear “The team are playing tonight” and “The team is playing tonight” within a few minutes.<br />
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<i>7. Auxiliary verbs</i><br />
These verbs are used to help the main verb in a sentence. But the help is rather subjective. British are more likely to extend the help, that is, use an auxiliary verb in a sentence than their American counterparts. For people in New York, the group of words are archaic or too formal. Your friend from London may say, “I shall go home now”, but a person in New York will be more assertive saying, “I will go home now”.<br />
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<i>8. Past tense of irregular verbs</i><br />
If you were to mention it to your friends on either side of the Atlantic Ocean, that you spent time learning these differences, you will have to use different words. This is how you should say it.<br />
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To your friend to the east of Atlantic, in London, mention that you “learnt” the differences between American and British English. For your friend on the other side, however, you are better off saying that you “learned” the differences.<br />
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If you still mess up, tell them this is how you would summarize your learning. Have a little fun while they are both embarrassed of their Olympic contingents (<i>wink</i>):<br />
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Xp5g2z5uP0yxePerenqBV52IShijytnSW44QGD_rx-fuwnJmZKEAoS_G1kuI_aZJ2xJDbEd85Rdh8pv1MQmPRGhhCAARV4ptT3apuaRkOGrW-_0Y_mhVrh0ugNy9P7WIkrDNWszh3XQ/" /><br />
Source: Imgur<br />
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<i>9. Question Tags</i><br />
You are mistaken if you think we are done. I will not keep you long; there are just a couple that remain.<br />
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First one among them, are the question tags. This is a question tag, “The differences among the British and American English are subtle, yet important, aren’t they?” They are not used as often in America, as they are in Britain.<br />
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<i>10. How do you explain something that recently occurred?</i><br />
Americans and British explain it differently. While the Americans prefer to use simple past tense to explain the phenomenon, British prefer the present perfect. This image will top it up for you.<br />
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVICET-9UULPjAEOoGpx1KRpogWyt4MKwCf_z620wfyFmFjhdzuTG3RFLk3ExKxYfkFyq8mk8DlS-6jufRDex7tbzCJURGj-n0pNkCEjCOl-A7w4bC9kLiGm5Xs9xMY57m-LlSzPpAwrU/" /><br />
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Which ones did you find most difficult for your appetite? Do please share your thoughts in comments.<br />
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<div class="highlight-text-post">This is a guest article by Priyanka Misra who works as Managing Editor with <a href="https://englishedge.in/" target="_blank">EnglishEdge</a></div></span>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16749436712750946995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035527175367507921.post-25301259569261580342016-12-01T21:44:00.002+00:002016-12-01T21:47:47.036+00:00How to Use Everyday Habits for English Speaking Practice<img alt="English Speaking Practice" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYTEZIvY0XjKMHnxok6YYDYkpHHDo4ESGakMqu8BTmiigP-jnga2N-wZVLfujGbamnSUdKCPWvVrNoQ49VGJtK-wcc40ie6w5vTUFLdjYFzwn9Y6tShM36xjlHDEvTpfdMoRbG563eii0/s320/English+speaking+practice.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 5px 0pt;" /><br />
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<span class="abigletter">I</span>t doesn’t matter what profession you choose and where you live; you need to know English to become successful. A professor uses English when communicating with colleagues from all around the world. Business people also need English language when contacting international clients or partners. If you’re a student, you’ll need this language to locate learning material online. If you’re a traveler, English is the language you can use wherever you go.<br />
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It seems like English connects us globally. That’s why you can only benefit from making efforts to improve it. Learning the grammar and writing complete sentences in English may turn out to be easier than the speaking part.<br />
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<span class="fullpost">Miles Miller, a language expert from <a href="https://www.australianwritings.com/" target="_blank">Australianwritings</a>, explains that phenomenon: “When you’re in a situation where you’re expected to use English, it seems like your knowledge of grammar disappears and you’re making mistakes you wouldn’t make in writing. Why does that happen? You don’t have enough practice; that’s why! The good news is that practicing is easy. We have access to many online tools that help us connect with natives and speak English every day.”<br />
<h3>The Method: Immersion</h3>There are many different ways of learning and practicing English. Some people prefer online lessons, while others opt for the traditional classroom instead. Some people like Skype sessions with their friends from foreign countries, but others like to travel and meet people in person. There isn’t a universal rule that would help us all master English speaking skills. It’s a rather individual process, which requires some experimenting.<br />
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Still, there is one technique that works for everyone: immersion. This is a method that teachers use: they make English the exclusive language of communication in the classroom. This doesn’t mean you should stop using your native language in your everyday life. However, it means you need to make English part of your lifestyle. You need to immerse yourself in it.<br />
<h3>Tips: How to Make English Part of Your Daily Life</h3><b>1. Learn vocabulary on specific topics</b><br />
Are you interested in astronomy, science, make-up, sports, or anything else? Of course you have an interest! You can develop a daily habit of learning few words related to that interest. Pick a theme and start learning few words every single day.<br />
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You’ll benefit in two ways when you develop this habit:<br />
<ul><li>You’ll improve your vocabulary, and…</li>
<li>You’ll learn a lot about the things you’re interested in, since you’ll be exploring online content in English.</li>
</ul><b>2. Have an English breakfast</b><br />
Have you seen recipe videos on YouTube? Well, you can practice a similar technique: speak while preparing your food. For example, a smoothie may contain bananas, strawberries, chokeberries, blueberries, honey, goji berries, coconut oil, and water. You can learn many words when preparing a simple smoothie.<br />
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Pretend you’re explaining the recipe in English. If you don’t know how a particular ingredient is called, look it up in the dictionary. Don’t forget to pay attention to the items you use to prepare the food. You have dishes, forks, spoons, a blender, and many other words you can learn. As usual, write down the new words.<br />
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<b>3. Name the objects around you</b><br />
Whenever you have free time on your hands, use it to look around. What do you see? Name the objects in English! It will be easy for you to name some of the items. A chair, table, TV. However, you’ll also notice a radiator, TV remote, curtains, candles, and some things you won’t be able to name. Use your dictionary to find those words. Don’t forget to speak up. Remember: this is a speaking practice.<br />
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<b>4. Make sentences with the words you learn</b><br />
All these habits help you learn new words. However, random words don’t mean anything if you don’t make them part of your vocabulary. That’s why you’ll need to use them in actual sentences. Form sentences related to your interests, the breakfast you’re making, or the objects you see around you. <i>The candle is on the table. I will use a lighter to light the candle. The flame is bright</i>. See? You can form many sentences around a single object, and all those sentences help you learn new words.<br />
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<b>5. Learn English through your habits</b><br />
Here’s the easiest way of making English a daily habit: don’t change your habits.<br />
<ul><li>Are you listening to music every day? Well, you can listen to music with English lyrics and sing along.</li>
<li>Do you like reading? Start doing it in English.</li>
<li>You certainly read the news or celebrity gossip every day. Why don’t you bookmark some websites that provide news in English language?</li>
<li>You like watching documentaries or TV shows? Choose those with narrative in English.</li>
<li>Do you exercise in the morning? Find the names of each movement and keep telling them in English as you practice.</li>
</ul><b>6. Use the right tools</b><br />
The <i>immersion</i> technique can be even more useful when you combine it with the right apps and online tools. Here are few suggestions of tools that can become part of your daily routines:<br />
<ul><li><a href="https://evernote.com/" target="_blank">Evernote</a> – A tool for taking notes and making to-do list. Whenever you get an idea, write it down in English. If you’re heading out to the store, create a shopping list in English. You have a list for books you want to read or movies you want to see? Update it in English.</li>
<li><a href="https://quizlet.com/" target="_blank">Quizlet</a> – A collection of learning tools that enhance your memory through visual effects. You can create your own flashcards to study anything, and you can do that in English. You can write new words on the flashcards, and find images that grasp the concepts. There is a great collection of flashcards at the website, so you can use them when you don’t have time to create your own. For example, these <a href="https://quizlet.com/123872935/crime-and-punishment-character-names-spellings-and-descriptions-flash-cards/" target="_blank">Crime and Punishment flashcards</a> can help you remember the characters from Dostoevsky’s book.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=cooking+recipes" target="_blank">YouTube cooking videos</a> – If you’re cooking every day, why don’t you try new recipes? You can watch different videos on YouTube and pick the favorite recipe of the day. These videos are very useful for language learners. You get clear, slow-paced explanations with visual presentation, so you don’t even need a dictionary to understand the new words. When you’re recreating the recipe, don’t forget to recreate the instructions, too.</li>
<li><a href="www.karaokegame.com/" target="_blank">Karaokegame</a> – An online tool that gives you the background music of your favorite songs. All you need to do is sing! In English, of course.</li>
</ul><h3>Learning English Is a Lifetime Commitment. Turn It Into a Habit!</h3>It’s not that hard to improve your vocabulary when you practice every single day. The tips above show you how to include that practice in your lifestyle. Try some of the tips and tell us how they work for you. <br />
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<div class="highlight-text-post">Jessica Freeman has been a journalist and a freelance content writer for 6 years now. She is a professional in her niche and prefers using creative approach while focusing on the sphere of academic writing, education, and business. You can follow her on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jessica.freeman.77770194" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/JessFreeman30" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.</div></span>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16749436712750946995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035527175367507921.post-28369994534764825852015-10-11T19:05:00.001+01:002015-10-11T20:48:46.581+01:00How Edufind can help you perfect your English<img alt="Edufind" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYmpjQ8Zltz-6nXywFSyRVdrd6EaxZlvW-ykdtoBS_iuf4MO96fC_SQccZ6P-I-67NT6lwHXO-6QOsElRYjhrE-FErEY-dy5ryo3rCF8mjKDQjEB6aJ0MJwOcUiEa4HVd345aA2TGLgRM/s524-Ic42/edufind.png" /><br />
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<span class="abigletter">F</span>or English learners, the Internet gives you access to an unlimited supply of native English writing, video, audio, and online interaction, but there’s so much English learning material online, and of such variable quality, it’s difficult to choose which site to use. One site I can recommend is Edufind, a non-profit site with a complete English grammar guide and a database of all the accredited <a href="http://www.edufind.com/" target="_blank">English schools</a> in 9 countries with reviews of most schools.<br />
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<span class="fullpost">If you’re only studying English online, Edufind is a reference book for grammatical rules, verb conjugations, adverb placement, etc. The English grammar guide is available in Spanish, Italian, French, German, and Japanese in addition to English. The Edufind Facebook page is also very active with posts in English on English idioms, quotes from famous people who have struggled with English, and other fun English learning tidbits.<br />
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If you’re considering taking an English course abroad, Edufind is a unique reference. No other site lets you see all the accredited schools in a city, state, or country on a map, read student reviews, and get in touch with the schools directly. As I mentioned before, Edufind is non-profit, so the schools don’t pay to be listed. That makes a big difference.<br />
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Most sites that let you compare English schools are agencies, so they are selling the courses at those schools and taking a commission. Those sites want all the schools to look good. You’ll see only positive student “reviews” on those sites, and only a partial list of schools, usually the larger schools and chain schools. For a complete list of schools of all sizes and unfiltered student reviews, you can’t beat Edufind.<br />
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Finally, if you’ve ever taken an English course abroad, go find your school on Edufind and leave a review! Your fellow students will thank you.<br />
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I look forward to hearing what you think of Edufind if you decide to have a look around. Edufind is a one-woman show, so whether you contact me via the site or on Facebook, you’re going to be talking to the same person. Best of luck with your continued English studies! As we say in English, practice makes perfect!<br />
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Visit <a href="http://www.edufind.com/" target="_blank">Edufind.com</a></span>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16749436712750946995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035527175367507921.post-86980547297017092732015-02-04T23:18:00.001+00:002015-02-04T23:20:14.264+00:00Euphemisms: What are they and why you should use them<span class="abigletter">T</span>here are some words that some people might find outright offensive or impolite or upsetting. <br />
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So how do you convey your message without offending someone?<br />
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The answer is just one word: Euphemisms. These are terms used in place of those ‘offensive’ words to make it sound tolerable, acceptable or polite. It’s like sugar-coating the message to make it seem less harsh than it actually is.<br />
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<span class="fullpost">Here’s an example: Instead of saying “John was sent to a <b>jail</b> after that incident”, you could say “John was sent to a <b>correctional facility</b> after that incident”. In this case, “jail” and “correctional facility” both mean the same thing but the second sentence makes the situation more palatable. <br />
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In this article, we’ll explore euphemisms for some common topics.<br />
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<b>+ Physical/ mental disability:</b> Instead of saying “handicapped” or “disabled”, you could say “physical challenged” or “differently abled”. Instead of saying “retarded”, you could say “mentally challenged”. “Special needs” could be used for people that are physically and/or mentally challenged. <br />
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<b>+ Death:</b> Instead of saying “died”, you could say “passed away”, “deceased”, or “taken to Jesus”.<br />
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<b>+ Euthanasia:</b> “Put one to sleep” or “put one out of misery” could be used instead of “euthanasia” or “euthanized”. (You’ll mostly find it used in vet clinics)<br />
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<b>+ Overweight:</b> “Ample proportions”, “plus-sized”, or “stocky” could be used in place of “fat” or “obese”. <br />
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<b>+ Lavatory:</b> You might find it hard to believe but the words “bathroom”, “washroom”, and “restroom” all are euphemisms for “toilet”.<br />
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<b>+ Flatulence:</b> “Break wind”, “pass gas”, “cut the wind” could be used instead of the word “fart”.<br />
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<b>+ Lying:</b> Instead of saying “lying” or “lied”, you could say “color the truth”, “bending the truth”, or “misstatement”. <br />
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And there are euphemisms for almost all of the ‘taboo’ topics in English. <a href="http://www.selfteachenglish.com/why-is-english-so-damn-hard/" target="_blank">It is understandable when some of you say English is a difficult language</a> but using euphemisms in everyday conversation not only makes you appear sophisticated but also makes your message much more acceptable.</span>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16749436712750946995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035527175367507921.post-56327463509891889112014-11-16T23:35:00.000+00:002014-11-16T23:35:20.862+00:00Discover Some Free Mobile Apps to Learn and Improve your Level of English<span class="abigletter">T</span>he recent developments in computer and information technology have eased human life to a great extent. All our activities take less time and energy these days because of the pervasive influence of technology. If internet is one major thing which brought in a sea of changes in our lives, mobile phones and the accompanying applications is another welcoming change. Mobile applications are of great help for people of all ages. They assist us in education, business and other deals. Let us have a look at some free mobile apps to learn and improve your level of English.<br />
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<span class="fullpost"><b>Duolingo</b><br />
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Vca05gfc1w4DzDlNRGnQN8CXa258wAyCUCcGEPAGcH88eWVSy5uIrPUfrLekRJAsAOC2L7H0WJVJm6TASHQlTLW8RI_yCheMXt_DtIIcoFuLVw6zl2GrEjs-r2LmnBNh0VL-O_4mUd0/" alt="Duoling" border="0" /><br />
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Instead of the usual boring lectures and instructions, this application has lessons structured as a skill tree with “skill points” being awarded for the completing lessons. The progress of the takers of these lessons can be tracked. The users can use their knowledge to translate the real-world content which may then be rated by other users.<br />
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Download from <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.duolingo" target="_blank">Google Play</a><br />
Download from <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/duolingo-learn-languages-for/id570060128?mt=8" target="_blank">iTunes</a><br />
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<b>Memrise</b><br />
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoziUo7I-BYRjDZe3JpD2W5yY6W4pLTT2fXg2jZpRAji3Df4OatJ5n2B3dT3Ks5fNMnbmiAlF1Xy9SDgy2jV_Z2i12n0UCJZTt0R2xrxcBIDOF2IJs9TcRdAkQDzF_3jltp2dObbbQ82M/" alt="Memrise" border="0" /><br />
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This app offers a large variety of courses in different languages which are all free. This is a good learning platform which also provides an offline mode by which people can continue learning even when they are not connected to the internet. The gamified learning of this app includes a point system which makes the learning process jovial.<br />
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Download from <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.memrise.android.memrisecompanion" target="_blank">Google Play</a><br />
Download from <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/memrise-learn-chinese-spanish/id635966718?mt=8" target="_blank">iTunes</a><br />
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<b>Lingua.ly</b><br />
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkISAFBRSRVyeAbbAWe6RVFFDNqnuouf7812ngN56cTwH2pp3dttDT2psOuFNyynpH1WoBimgFA_AR1JGGgFhd4_z5VuByDG4v7915pNoiIxIOAOgnYs8flBpHlstIZjVTpeA_Anwj9l8/" alt="Lingua.ly" border="0" /><br />
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This app facilitates language learning and vocabulary building. It also uses a language-processing method by which texts will be recommended to users. Vocabulary tests which are designed as per their interests will be selected. Users can read real texts in whichever language they are learning. Such texts will enable them to improve their command in a language.<br />
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Download from <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lingualy.lingualymobile" target="_blank">Google Play</a><br />
Download from <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lingua.ly-learn-language-vocabulary/id880933022" target="_blank">iTunes</a><br />
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<b>Learn English Grammar</b><br />
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtXLEGqg6T7hss7leY2iHvertWc2s0AcLnlNzggWW3ANliFYQqBgU_Ogtglg5kO1Aj4qapBvYWkT43QwIdAfvuUhZmFgQm5sUhPKx7RBlmhztVvlM7suouVTxYfnvISi3ggUmrRNWnYQY/" alt="Learn English Grammar" border="0" /><br />
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This app was developed by the British Council. It is an interactive app which is designed to improve the grammar accuracy of the takers. There is the US and UK English versions of this app which offer questions in four levels in the increasing order of complexity. Both the editions offer easy-to-access in-app helps which make it sure that the users do not get stuck in any of the interactive tasks.<br />
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Download from <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=bc.leg&hl=en_GB" target="_blank">Google Play</a><br />
Download from <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/learnenglish-grammar-uk-edition/id488099900?mt=8" target="_blank">iTunes</a><br />
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<b>Johnny Grammar’s Word Challenge</b><br />
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9PwwcS0o2oQlOBKKVOBxNm-ahGKAQZHOxZamITK1dEhfaiOUJiQjuvz4guMLUhCjggkFjbsRkMEyUT6u6_nYVRKbZX1KPSPJ-XkPKbbtCO94TCE3uh-jqqkRVE9pCu5srFTfetpPWjOg/" alt="Johnny Grammar’s Word Challenge" border="0" /><br />
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This app is a little quiz application that test spelling, grammar and vocabulary. It requires the users to take as many questions as possible in a matter of 60 seconds. Three different levels of tasks namely easy, medium and hard are offered by this app. Users can begin with the basic levels and go on winning round after round till they reach a stage where they compete with users on a global leader board.<br />
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Download from <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ubl.spellmaster&hl=en_GB" target="_blank">Google Play</a><br />
Download from <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/learn-english-johnny-grammars/id432488501?mt=8" target="_blank">iTunes</a><br />
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<b>Speaking Pal English Tutor</b><br />
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5DpgRksZ6Jq0vXFLaJA3LdAy2JWt-f3YPMr2-cATFXCmPSycMWp2nz-UOE3Kf8Bcb9R3prVQnUDz4K00DwR4ZrXRA0TmGkEXQPsUmig3uRMYBSMWxuHhBe78qdLehkPvPHK9pq-YYO1Q/" alt="Speaking Pal" border="0" /><br />
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This app is interactive in nature which uses voice-recognition technology to simulate a voice call with a native English speaker. Spoken English and pronunciation of the users will improve very much by the help of this app. This app provides more than 100 levels of tasks, dialogues, sentences and vocabulary items. The first 16 levels come for free and the subsequent levels need to be bought by the users.<br />
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Download from <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.speakingpal.speechtrainer.sp&hl=en_GB" target="_blank">Google Play</a><br />
Download from <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/learn-english-speak-english/id437219346?mt=8" target="_blank">iTunes</a><br />
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<b>Author Bio:</b> I'm Julie Vickey, a freelance writer and academic enthusiast. I'm currently working for <a href="http://www.clazwork.com/australia-fine-quality-legal-studies-dissertation-paper-writer-cooper" target="_blank">law essay writing service</a>, an online source for getting assistance on popular topics. I write about almost all topics and always aim to give something helpful for my readers.</span>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16749436712750946995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035527175367507921.post-82084935216398704722014-04-23T21:00:00.000+01:002014-04-23T21:00:07.995+01:005 Ways to Boost Your Grammar Skills<span class="abigletter">L</span>earning English relies on mastering a complex series of definitions, principles, and rules about how everything fits together. As is the case in other languages; grammar represents the rules used to craft meaningful passages. Teachers use a variety of approaches to drive home grammatical rules, including repetitious exercises designed to cement students' understanding of English grammar. Some English language educators, on the other hand, maintain a more passive position regarding grammar, believing that other principles are more important to learning the language.<br />
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<span class="fullpost">Whether you are a stickler for grammatical details, or an English language student committed to mastering words and phrases ahead of the grammar that guides them, it is important to recognize the importance of syntax, semantics and other grammatical features of the language. Use these proven approaches to guide your grammar skills to the next level:<br />
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<b>Read English Language Books</b><br />
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Depending on your current level of understanding, reading books written in English may furnish your most comprehensive exposure to grammar. Even when you're not focused specifically on grammar, reading brings proper structure and other grammatical rules to the surface, as you read. And when language lessons relate to certain aspects of grammar, written material provides references, where you can see how authors applied grammar correctly.<br />
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<b>Practice Creating Sentences and Paragraphs using Grammar Rules</b><br />
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While grammar plays a role in conveying your intended meaning, it is not the only force at play getting your message across. Early-on learning the language, English language students struggle to use the right words and phrases, rather than striving to join their ideas in grammatically correct ways. To boost grammar skills, successful English language students flip their approaches, at times, in order to consciously think about grammar as they express themselves. <br />
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To better understand relationships between words, phrases and grammar, think of learning language as learning to type, for example. In most cases, without any keyboarding skills, you'll still be able to get your message across. But with a concerted effort, you'll eventually learn to use the keyboard as intended, without looking at the keys. In much the same way, vocabulary and a cursory understanding of how words and phrases work within a language provide enough tools for you to communicate. However, when you consciously apply grammar to your approach, it refines your expression, allowing you to share ideas more effectively.<br />
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<b>Study Punctuation</b><br />
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Grammar is a general term, encompassing several aspects of how various nuances operate within the language. Punctuation yields clues for those learning English, adding formal reinforcement to principles at play in spoken and written language.<br />
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<b>Exceptions to Grammar Rules</b><br />
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While some grammatical concepts remain consistent throughout the English language, others are subject to exceptions, which can be daunting for those learning grammar. The best approach is to apply rules you learn along the way, without holding yourself accountable for all of the grammatical exceptions within the language. Mastering English is an ongoing pursuit of perfection - even for native speakers, so exceptions need not be committed to memory in the early stages of learning the language.<br />
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<b>Set Realistic Goals</b><br />
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In some cases, learning English is tied to specific needs and responsibilities requiring you to use the language. Setting realistic goals helps you learn the language efficiently, in order to accommodate the ways you'll frequently use it. Specialized jargon and technical terms, for example, would not generally be included in your language lessons. If special vocabulary is required in your employment setting or in other parts of your life, account for them as you learn the language, setting realistic benchmarks for mastering the grammatical rules your situation requires.<br />
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Learning grammar is only one aspect of mastering English, so it shouldn't consume your effort to become proficient using the language. Setting goals and exposing yourself to diverse examples are sure-fire ways to boost your understanding of English Grammar.<br />
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<div class="highlight-text-post">This is a guest post by Sarah Brooks from <a href="http://freepeoplesearch.org/" target="_blank">Freepeoplesearch.org</a>. She is a Houston based freelance writer and blogger. Questions and comments can be sent to brooks.sarah23 @ gmail.com.</div></span>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16749436712750946995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035527175367507921.post-47276447709713452672014-03-13T21:35:00.002+00:002014-03-13T21:35:40.617+00:00How to prepare for College English Essay Writing?<span class="abigletter">P</span>reparing to write an English essay does not have to be a maddening process. You have to know what exactly you should do and then essay writing can be a cake walk for you. Do make an elaborate preparation before setting out to write an essay. Thorough research on the topic is the first thing to do before beginning to write an essay. You should become an expert in the topic you are writing an essay on. Make optimum use of the internet, the academic databases, and the library. Take notes and ponder over the words of great thinkers.<br />
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<span class="fullpost">Once you have a good knowledge base, try to make an analysis of the various essays you have just read. Do make a logical connection between the sections of each of those essays; find the arguments, the reasons and the evidences. Before learning to write essays by oneself, one has to know how to analyze essays written by others. You should have your own creative insights to write an essay. Think about the topic until you come up with some original idea.<br />
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One should have a thesis to write an essay. It is the main point around which the whole essay has to revolve. The thesis needs to be expressed in a concise sentence with a clear assertion. The readers have to know where the essay is heading towards by seeing the thesis of the essay. In essence, it is impossible to write an essay without a clear thesis. Make a sketch of the essay before starting to write it straightaway. Have sentences with bullet points at least to denote what each paragraph should contain. Plan the argument properly and present it quite intelligibly. The outline of the essay should help you to write the whole long essay with a perfect logical connection between paragraphs and sections.<br />
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In an essay the introduction should be so well written that it should grab the attention of the readers. Introduction should be building up the issue you are going to talk about in the essay sometime later. Each paragraph should contain one single idea which has to be elaborated in that same paragraph. Paragraphs should begin with the topic sentences followed by substantial evidences and supplementary information. An essay should not just read like a piece of write-up, instead it should talk things out focusing on a particular argument. The conclusion should be a grand statement ending with a logical twist or something memorable which the readers would delightfully take home.<br />
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With a diligent, focused preparation and more fine-tuned arrangement of the argument, supporting evidences, instances and anecdotes; <a href="http://www.buyessays.us/" target="_blank">writing an essay</a> at college should be fun. Students should master the skill of writing essays since they are required to write a big number of essays during their college education.</span>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16749436712750946995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035527175367507921.post-41384696746072899142014-01-12T22:50:00.003+00:002014-01-12T22:50:38.139+00:00Tool up to improve your writing!<span class="abigletter">I</span>n my work at Grammarly, I keep an eye on writers and analyze the tools they use to enhance their English and improve their work. I use this collected information to inform the product strategy team, so that they can stay on top of current trends and provide intuitive solutions for our end-users.<br />
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These days, everyone’s a writer, so it’s important to set your writing apart from everyone else's by making it as polished as you can. Luckily, there are several tools online that can help you clean things up and put your best work forward. Here are some of my tried and true solutions for editing that novel, document, or report.<br />
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<span class="fullpost"><b>Read up! A writer is a reader, first.</b><br />
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First, and most importantly, writers must read—think of it as subliminal research. You pick up on important things that will help improve your craft every time you read, so you should consider putting some time into reading about writing and grammar. This way you’re bound to improve by default. If you’re not a fan of reference books, there’s plenty of information on the web that’s incredibly easy to read. Blogs like the <a href="http://afterdeadline.blogs.nytimes.com/" target="_blank">New York Times After Deadline</a> are a great way to sneak in these bite-sized elements of style.<br />
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<b>Write-up! Pick your writing tools and get to writing.</b><br />
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A good word processing program is key for any writer. Whether you’re using Word, Scrivener, or Google Docs, these programs can point out misspelled words and sentence fragments that you might otherwise overlook. Each offers their share of pros and cons, so find something you like and stick with it—or keep looking until you find what works best for you. <br />
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While I’m not as impressed with Internet Explorer, you can find a wide variety of apps and browser extensions for Firefox and Chrome. Most of these are free and can give you that editing edge:<br />
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- <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/search/grammar" target="_blank">Grammar Apps and Extensions for Chrome</a><br />
- <a href="https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/search/?q=grammar&appver=&platform" target="_blank">Firefox Add-ons</a><br />
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<b>Buddy-Up! Another set of eyes will do you good.</b><br />
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The internet is open 24/7, so finding someone to look over your work at any hour is very likely—well, if you’re connected to the right people. Join a few writers’ groups, critique groups, or editing groups on your favorite social network—Facebook, Goodreads, and LinkedIn—all have plenty of writers eager to connect with you. By actively participating in these groups, you can almost guarantee an extra pair of eyes when you need it most. Be prepared to return the favor, though, especially when the help is given freely.<br />
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Sometimes, all you need is an hour or two away from your project, to give it those last editing touches. You can come back to it fresh and ready to look at it objectively—you’d be surprised at the number of mistakes that will jump out at you after you’ve had a break and time to clear your head.<br />
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<b>Wrap it up! Cover your assets.</b><br />
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Before you press publish, consider using a <a href="http://www.grammarly.com/" target="_blank">plagiarism checker</a> like the one at Grammarly—not because I think you’re intentionally trying to take credit for someone else’s work, but because if you’re reading (like you should be), you may have been subconsciously influenced by another writer’s words. You might have accidentally quoted something you read earlier. This last check will give you the opportunity to further edit your work or consider properly quoting the source, adding credibility to what you’ve written.<br />
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Like everything, practice makes perfect, so the more you write and use these or any other editing tools, the easier it will get. Don’t give up, there are lots of people rooting for you, and technology will always be there to ensure your success.<br />
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This is a guest post written by <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/1/109993203182988419388?rel=author" target="_blank">Nikolas Baron</a></span>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16749436712750946995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035527175367507921.post-76480503796014728462013-12-19T16:14:00.002+00:002013-12-19T16:14:20.120+00:00Learn English with Pocoyo!<span class="abigletter">I</span>f you like watching cartoons you might probably know about Pocoyo and have laughed with some of his entertaining videos. We’d like to present to you today a list of Pocoyo episodes in English with which you’ll keep the children entertained while they learn and get use to the sounds of the English language.<br />
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<span class="fullpost">Pocoyo - A Mystery Most Puzzling<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/b1eRkw_Xooo" width="480"></iframe><br />
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Pocoyo - Swept Away<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/KTdeultiqxA" width="480"></iframe><br />
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Pocoyo - Who's on the Phone?<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/gbBRgHU1XMc" width="480"></iframe><br />
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Pocoyo - Fetch Loula Fetch!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Q-xcuqn__1Q" width="480"></iframe><br />
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Pocoyo - A Little Cloud<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/-7T1__SCe9M" width="480"></iframe><br />
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Pocoyo - Table for Fun<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Fc5XhnVS6yA" width="480"></iframe><br />
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Pocoyo - Where's Pocoyo?<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/QRQA9Eu_pmY" width="480"></iframe><br />
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Pocoyo - Drummer Boy<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/k_G8x_NVNh4" width="480"></iframe><br />
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Pocoyo - The Grace Race<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/fdXwx7DS2AA" width="480"></iframe><br />
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Pocoyo - Don't touch!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/d6FXH4C3boE" width="480"></iframe><br />
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Pocoyo - Mystery Footprints<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/cdSkIqobB4U" width="480"></iframe><br />
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Pocoyo - Magical Watering Can<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/5Yj6ExVFw40" width="480"></iframe><br />
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Pocoyo - Twinkle Twinkle<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/3LsK8q7oGNU" width="480"></iframe><br />
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Pocoyo - Hiccup<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Y_yWyqs8FMU" width="480"></iframe><br />
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Pocoyo - Pato's Postal Service<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/NjEf85JmZuE" width="480"></iframe><br />
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Pocoyo - Puppy Love<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/1JWaOfLNAnc" width="480"></iframe><br />
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Pocoyo - Bat and Ball!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ZQ-CUUmZKyg" width="480"></iframe><br />
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Pocoyo - Elly Spots<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/8aHLCIi3uHg" width="480"></iframe><br />
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Pocoyo - Up, up and Away!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/reUvzEVozTw" width="480"></iframe><br />
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Pocoyo - A Surprise for Pocoyo<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/_wGp3eFVBUI" width="480"></iframe></span>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16749436712750946995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035527175367507921.post-73380870063724232612013-12-18T16:22:00.002+00:002013-12-18T16:22:31.173+00:00Don't Have Time to Learn English? No Problem!<span class="abigletter">D</span>oes this sound familiar?<br />
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Your English is...OK. As a non-native English speaker, you are able to communicate pretty well. You can go shopping or talk to someone about your favourite film. <strong>But be honest, your English isn't as good as you want it to be, is it?</strong><br />
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<span class="fullpost">You know what you have to do; you have to study more, right? Learning a language takes hours and hours of study every single week. The only way to speak a language fluently is to sit down and start studying.<br />
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So every January 1st, you pledge to finally get started and study every day. And for a few days you do it; you read English books, do free online English grammar exercises, and watch TV in English. But one day you are just too busy, and so you skip a day of studying. And the next week you skip another one. And soon all of your English things are lying under the bed, untouched for six months, and your English is worse than it was before.<br />
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That exact situation happens to far too many language learners. And unfortunately you probably blame yourself, it's just because you are too lazy or unmotivated, right? Wrong!<br />
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It simply means that you are a regular person, just like everyone else. As an adult, you have too many things to take care of already. Your job, your family, your life can't stop for an hour or two each day just because you want to learn to speak English better. <br />
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Let's dispel the biggest myth about learning English right now: <strong>You do not have to spend hours and hours each week in order to learn English.</strong><br />
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In fact, trying to learn too much at once can actually be the worst thing that you can do. It's been shown that people can only learn about seven new things at one time. So any time spent trying to learn more than that is just a waste of time. Linguists even recommend that you only spend about 10 minutes a day studying a language[1].<br />
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Yes, that's right, <strong>you can learn a language in just 10 minutes a day.</strong> All you have to do is dedicate yourself to doing 10 minutes of free English online grammar exercises or vocabulary work each day, and you really will see your English improve.<br />
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No one is so busy that they don't have 10 minutes every day. You could do your English studying while riding public transportation, eating your lunch, or even while sitting on the toilet. Whenever you have a few spare minutes, do a little studying. You should live your normal life and then do your studying in your free time, not the other way around.<br />
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<strong>Doing it for such a short time each day prevents studying English from becoming a chore.</strong> When it doesn't feel like work and you are having fun, that is when your brain is able to learn the best. That means that it isn't only important to study for short periods of time, but also to make that studying time interesting and fun.<br />
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<strong>Do something different each day to keep it interesting.</strong> One day you can practice your English using the great <a href="http://grammati.com" target="_blank">free English online grammar exercises at grammati.com</a>. This tool can also help you find out what you don’t know, so you can focus on exactly what to study and make your 10 minutes a day even more effective. <br />
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The following day you can learn new vocabulary words at <a href="http://www.vocabulary.com" target="_blank">vocabulary.com</a>. And at the weekend you can watch a short video or read a news article at <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/" target="_blank">BBC Learning English</a> and put your studying to good use.<br />
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While you can certainly study more than 10 minutes a day if you have a little time and are feeling good, <strong>make sure not to do too much too quickly</strong>. Studying for long periods of time won't really help you very much, and it will start to make English feel like work again, instead of like a fun break each day.<br />
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Lastly, remember that learning English takes time. For normal people with families, jobs, and social lives, it just isn't possible to become fluent in English overnight. But if you stick to a plan of 10 minutes a day, you will find that your English improves faster than you ever expected.<br />
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[1] <a href="http://www.mezzoguild.com/2012/03/02/short-and-sweet-study-periods" target="_blank">www.mezzoguild.com/2012/03/02/short-and-sweet-study-periods</a></span>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16749436712750946995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035527175367507921.post-1261725450860236072013-10-10T14:11:00.001+01:002013-10-10T14:11:25.656+01:00Studying Made Easier With Varsity Learning Tools<img alt="Studying Made Easier With Varsity Learning Tools" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFNQS912n8J1rOOuaiWp1kzSLsb-EBiicAoDV42mGxZZPsbu3u5usjcHUyNOOQxbbiIGVSkzwHYNAx_db_9-OWo1-xSeS9enLvcEZnma8wghJtiPpuCVtGMY1f24DgrL24mSc0_4ziou8/" /><br />
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<span class="abigletter">T</span>he recently launched Varsity Learning Tools is a massive and completely free EdTech resource full of options to help students learn and provide teachers with convenient classroom assessment solutions. The resource offers a comprehensive suite of free practice tests, digital flashcards, and questions-of-the-day for academic subjects and standardized tests of all levels. It is one of the best resources on the Internet to significantly aid students’ studying of English or any other subject/test they choose.<br />
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<span class="fullpost">All visitors to <a href="http://www.varsitytutors.com/practice-tests" target="_blank">the site</a> have easy access to the thousands of free practice questions professionally created by the Varsity Tutors team; thousands of more questions are to be added every month. Additionally, visitors have the option of creating a free account that allows them to save their results and keep track of progress over time, as well as create their own tests and invite others to use them. It is an excellent <a href="http://www.varsitytutors.com/classroom-assessment" target="_blank">classroom management tool</a> in that it allows teachers to create customized tests for their various classes and invite students via email to take them. <br />
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When users complete a test, they receive incredibly detailed results and performance statistics. These impressive analytics include percentile rankings, score vs. time distribution, recorded time spent per question, and individual answer explanations. Students who have an account are able to see their analytics change over time, reflecting the progress they have made. Teachers can use this analytical data to easily evaluate how well their students are doing and where individual students are strongest vs. weakest.<br />
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Varsity Learning Tools can be used on any device, desktop or mobile, so you can take it with you anywhere you go. The various practice options available within the resource make it convenient for you to be flexible in your study methods – sit and take a few tests, peruse a few flashcards, or simply check the Question-of-the-Day each morning before class.<br />
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Not only are there a vast amount of questions across 95+ academic subjects and all standardized tests, you can find questions for varying levels of specific subjects. Varsity Learning Tools makes it easy for students to work on any area of English they may be studying, whether it be <a href="http://www.varsitytutors.com/ap_english_language_and_composition-practice-tests" target="_blank">AP English Language and Composition</a>, <a href="http://www.varsitytutors.com/act_english-practice-tests" target="_blank">ACT English</a>, <a href="http://www.varsitytutors.com/ssat_upper_level_verbal-practice-tests" target="_blank">SSAT Verbal</a>, etc. <br />
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Visit <a href="http://www.varsitytutors.com/practice-tests" target="_blank">Varsity Learning Tools</a> today and get started!</span>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16749436712750946995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035527175367507921.post-29160036996062839702013-10-09T13:17:00.007+01:002013-10-09T13:17:44.500+01:00Survey - What are your thoughts on English speaking accents?<span class="abigletter">K</span>aplan is currently running a survey asking people who speak English as a second language about their thoughts on English speaking accents and how confident they feel when speaking.<br />
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It’s a quick 10 question survey and respondents get entered into a prize draw to win $100 Amazon vouchers.<br />
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<span class="fullpost">You can complete this survey on <a href="http://kaplan.do/speak-english" target="_blank">this link</a></span>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16749436712750946995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035527175367507921.post-6944937177332380062013-09-19T22:21:00.001+01:002013-09-19T22:22:37.362+01:00Avast! It's Talk Like A Pirate Day!<span class="abigletter">T</span>oday September 19, we celebrate the International Talk like a Pirate Day! If you wish to have good time reading and learning how to talk like a pirate, we recommend that you visit the <a href="http://www.talklikeapirate.com/piratehome.html" target="_blank">talklikeapirate website</a>.<br />
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<span class="fullpost"><img alt="Talk Like A Pirate Day" border="0" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5498/9825344514_bd933fff81.jpg" /><br />
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Be sure that more than one word or expression will make you laugh!</span>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16749436712750946995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035527175367507921.post-17725853823724914472013-06-20T21:53:00.001+01:002013-06-20T21:53:22.390+01:00Effective Use of Twitter in Learning English<span class="abigletter">T</span>oday, English is an essential language to learn and to be taught. The main reason behind this is the simplicity to learn and ease of grammatical structure. Any novice person can learn to read as well as write in English within few moths if he/she is truly determined and properly motivated.<br />
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<span class="fullpost"><b>Importance of English</b><br />
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The 21st century is the age of global communication. Though to achieve this approach we have to communicate with each other by using one common language so the majority of people can understand, share their ideas and able to learn, fortunately “English”. Nowadays, communication in the banking sector/commodity market/real estate etc. is done in English.<br />
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<b>Benefits of Social Networking websites</b><br />
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According to language experts at <a href="http://www.solidessay.com" target="_blank">SolidEssay.com</a>, which is a reputable college paper writing service, the main factors behind learning English are hidden in improving your ability in reading, writing, listening and speaking. It can be achieved by watching English movies, news channels, reading newspapers, etc.<br />
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The social networking sites have played a major role in improving English as a language. We can get lots of materials and sources for preparation from a single platform and Twitter is one of them. <br />
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<b>Twitter - The way to get inspired</b><br />
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Jack Dorsey, Noah Glass, Evan Williams, and Biz Stone founded Twitter on the 21st of March, 2006. At that time no one thought that it would revolutionize social media arena. The principle of the platform was simple; to share ideas between different people. But now there are many roles of it and one of them is learning English through entertainment.<br />
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<b>Share your ideas with the community</b><br />
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The concept of Twitter is to run the chain reaction, which means you can be followed by the number of “Followers” either your own colleagues, siblings or friends. In Twitter you can join the community, groups, celebrity pages as well as share your ideas in the form of “tweets”.<br />
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So you can tweet your acquaintances by writing in English using the set of vocabulary. When you get a reply from your friends, you’d probably find new words that you don’t know. And then again you can retweet them searching new words and meaningful phrases. So by practicing, you can write meaningful sentences as well as enjoy the conversation.<br />
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<i>Negotiate with your friends and family in English which would help you to think quick and make you responsive.</i><br />
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<b>Follow the tycoons</b><br />
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There are many people in this world who achieved success in their particular profession likewise business, media, finance, tourism, journalism etc. So whatever field you are interested in, find the right people and follow them. Visit the page created by him/her and read the tweets. If you observe the constitution of the sentence carefully, you would be able to learn how to write it and find new words which will surely enhance your vocabulary.<br />
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<i>Make it as a habit to note down at least 6-7 new words every day and also refer the previous words to nourish your memory.</i><br />
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<b>Watch the videos</b><br />
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In Twitter, you’ll find lots of video: news, documentary, song albums etc. Listen to it carefully with good quality headphones and try to catch as maximum words as you can. Pay attention to the accent and intonation of different people while they’re speaking. Catch the words by observing the lip’s movement of areporter while watching the news.<br />
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By doing this you can improve your listening ability and also evaluate how fluent you are.<br />
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<i>Try to take as less pauses as you can while you are speaking. Remember, the speed of your speech doesn’t matter but fluency and consistency of your speech matters.</i><br />
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<b>Join the news channels</b><br />
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There are several pages of news channels that one can find on Twitter like CNN, BBC, etc. So make a choice and follow one. You’ll get two benefits from the news channels. First, you can stay updated with the activity of the whole world and second, you’ll find plenty of words which people use in their day-to-day conversation. The reason why it’s a good idea to read or watch news channels is you will get updated on a regular basis and be able to remember words and set of phrases used by commentators.<br />
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Above, some of the tactics and basic ideas of improving English have been mentioned. Though it would take a lot of effort and determination, by following different dedicated people on social networking sites like Twitter, you can make it easy to learn English.<br />
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<i>Listening makes you perfect in Speaking while Reading makes you perfect in writing.</i><br />
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<div class="highlight-text-post">Author bio: Jeff speaks three different languages fluently and he is currently employed by SolidEssay.com, where he teaches students how to write different types of essays in English. There are some tips on <a href="http://www.solidessay.com/our-services/how-to-write-a-contrast-essay" target="_blank">how to write a contrast essay</a> which is just an example that can be used as a guidance.</div></span>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16749436712750946995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035527175367507921.post-4494658158930104222013-06-10T22:01:00.000+01:002013-06-10T22:01:09.619+01:00English Idioms: Shhh! - learn English the fun way using cartoons<span class="abigletter">D</span>o you know how you can tell someone to lower their voice in an informal way? In this post we introduce some cartoons and examples to understand the meaning of idioms that you can use to tell someone to be quiet, when you may not agree with what someone is saying. There are even occasions when people are being rude!<br />
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You can also check out our previous posts about idioms related to <a href="http://learnenglishfromhome.blogspot.com/2013/02/english-idioms-animals-more-fun.html">animals</a>, <a href="http://learnenglishfromhome.blogspot.com/2013/02/fun-cartoons-to-learn-english-kaplan.html">happiness</a>, <a href="http://learnenglishfromhome.blogspot.com/2013/04/english-idioms-money-more-fun-cartoons.html">money</a>, <a href="http://learnenglishfromhome.blogspot.com/2013/04/english-idioms-food-more-fun-cartoons.html">food</a> and the <a href="http://learnenglishfromhome.blogspot.com/2013/05/english-idioms-body-learn-english-fun.html">body</a>.<br />
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<span class="fullpost"><img alt="English Idioms: Shhh!" border="0" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3815/9009529095_79bcf7a119_o.png" /><br />
<img alt="English Idioms: Shhh!" border="0" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5336/9009528427_f035753866_o.png" /><br />
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See more about <a href="http://kaplaninternational.com/blog/english-idioms-shhh/" target="_blank">Kaplan idioms illustration</a></span><br />
Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16749436712750946995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035527175367507921.post-23272895449525013302013-06-02T23:18:00.001+01:002013-06-02T23:18:36.703+01:00It's never too late to study English, 80 year-old student proves age is no limit<span class="abigletter">S</span>ometimes we might think that it’s too late to do something, it certainly seems that it’s never too late to learn something new and you can learn English at any age. What do you think?<br />
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<span class="fullpost">If you ask Samuel Malheiros from Vitoria, Brazil it seems like it’s never too late to start studying English.<br />
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This year the 80 year-old lawyer, who is also the president of Vitoria’s Alliance Francaise, decided to pack his suitcase and fly across the Atlantic to study at <a href="http://www.kaplaninternational.com/schools/uk/english-courses-oxford.aspx" target="_blank">Kaplan’s English school in Oxford</a>.<br />
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Samuel Malheiros said “During my studying and while participating in the school’s social activities, I’ve made friends at Kaplan from all over the world. Being in the same school with students of different nationalities means we have to speak English with each other all the time. It’s challenging and I enjoy it.”<br />
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You can learn more about him on the below interview:<br />
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Yzxj1XXLqHQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yzxj1XXLqHQ" target="_blank">Link to the video on YouTube</a></span>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16749436712750946995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035527175367507921.post-62432579734756636832013-05-29T21:45:00.000+01:002013-05-29T21:46:14.961+01:00English Idioms: The Body - learn English the fun way using cartoons <span class="abigletter">D</span>o you know the meaning of “being all ears”, “having a sweet tooth” or “eye-catching”? They are just a sample of English idioms using parts of the body, these idioms are generally used to explain ideas. In this post we introduce some cartoons and examples to understand the meaning of idioms related to parts of the body. You can also check out our previous posts about idioms related to <a href="http://learnenglishfromhome.blogspot.com/2013/02/english-idioms-animals-more-fun.html">animals</a>, <a href="http://learnenglishfromhome.blogspot.com/2013/02/fun-cartoons-to-learn-english-kaplan.html">happiness</a>, <a href="http://learnenglishfromhome.blogspot.com/2013/04/english-idioms-money-more-fun-cartoons.html">money</a> and <a href="http://learnenglishfromhome.blogspot.com/2013/04/english-idioms-food-more-fun-cartoons.html">food</a>.<br />
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<span class="fullpost"><img alt="English Idioms: The Body" border="0" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2855/8882356873_c678d18c36_o.jpg" /><br />
<img alt="English Idioms: The Body" border="0" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3792/8882977718_2a6d1083a9_o.jpg" /><br />
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See more about <a href="http://kaplaninternational.com/blog/body-idioms-learn-english/" target="_blank">Kaplan’s body idioms illustration</a></span><br />
Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16749436712750946995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035527175367507921.post-38867820693291178952013-05-20T23:02:00.000+01:002013-05-20T23:02:02.873+01:00Béca-ME Scholarship Winners Earn the Experience of a Lifetime<span class="abigletter">W</span>e all know how important is to learn English and having the opportunity to learn it through a scholarship is even better. This is exactly what happened to five inspirational Spaniards that will soon enjoy the experience of a lifetime after winning scholarships to learn English abroad with Kaplan International Colleges.<br />
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<span class="fullpost">Kaplan International Colleges, a leading provider of English language courses and study abroad programs, have awarded <a href="http://www.kaplaninternational.com/l/beca-me/index.html" target="_blank">Béca-ME scholarships</a> to five Spanish competition winners who impressed judges and Facebook fans with their inspirational essays.<br />
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6HMnLrCrJ7I" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
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More than 1,000 people entered the Béca-ME competition, which offered 5 tuition and accommodation scholarships in Kaplan locations in the USA, Canada, the UK and Ireland, and Australia and New Zealand. Congratulations to the 5 winners: Guadalupe Sánchez Martínez, Rubén Rodriguez Montero, Ana Abad de Larriva, Sofía Villafañe Escudero and Patricia Cid Jimenez will all begin a new, exciting chapter in their lives after demonstrating that they deserved the chance to travel abroad and <a href="http://www.kaplaninternational.com/" target="_blank">learn English with Kaplan</a>.</span>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16749436712750946995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035527175367507921.post-25945407699521158422013-05-14T22:15:00.002+01:002013-05-14T22:15:40.580+01:00Are you looking for a good school to study English in London?<span class="abigletter">Y</span>ou should then now that Kaplan London Exam Centre, which is part of Kaplan International’s English language school in Leicester Square, is the only school to take home two awards at the Cambridge English Centenary CEM Meeting.<br />
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<span class="fullpost">This event took place in <a href="http://www.somersethouse.org.uk/" target="_blank">Somerset House</a> and Kaplan won the “Best performing new centre” and “Best use of Facebook for promotion” awards. Kaplan Leicester Square, a Cambridge ESOL examination centre, located in a modern building in the heart of the capital, helps students prepare for several Cambridge Exam Preparation courses including: the First Certificate (FCE), the Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) or the Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE).<br />
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Somerset House is a great place to host the awards:<br />
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<img alt="Somerset House" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6TIVIE8PIOJ65gxamzVULgtzt5_q75cjgqF3adkLSsCqHo1TOlYcAqY0X9QbZSbwEllx3UnsLQgtqGZ3wkEf4flez8yX3Q4eKEPOVBUwQvXqJs-azLFTQCiFSGkisdjHJlUpQk_E1-Fo/" /><br />
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Craig Sargent, Principal at Kaplan Leicester Square, said: “Kaplan Leicester Square School is delighted to receive such recognition at the Cambridge Centenary Awards. Being the only school to win two awards at the ceremony is a great achievement and a testament to the hard work of all our staff. We look forward to further success during this year and in the future.”<br />
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Check out how you can <a href="http://www.kaplaninternational.com/schools/uk/learn-english-london.aspx" target="_blank">learn English in London with Kaplan</a></span>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16749436712750946995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035527175367507921.post-69730692504468766972013-05-07T22:53:00.001+01:002013-05-07T22:53:32.893+01:00Do you think that text speak impacts grammar and spelling for English learners?<span class="abigletter">T</span>ext speak are acronyms used by English learners and English native speakers, some examples of text speak are LOL: Laugh out loud, THX: Thanks, OMG: Oh my God, 2MORO: Tomorrow, GR8: Great, YOLO: You only live once.<br />
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<span class="fullpost"><img alt="Text Speak" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Iv-QrQ5RvlOEx7JloPRkpyUuBh13djCtLeqg9BfCDOJYJ_N4pHCxVLplQCh5YFsjM1sf7aUzm5sPGJPVRz6LRYAnFnzS2WsZf6wakQqe8xJDTQO__bqC-lU1iQO6pldnBpRq27-0YYQ/" /><br />
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According to a recent study on English learners, 63% of English learners do not believe that using text speak is damaging their grammar or spelling despite some using it while writing essays and exams.<br />
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The survey also discovered that 71% use text speak when texting on phones, 64% use it online and 14% actually use it while speaking out loud.<br />
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Moreover, a recent study of primary and secondary school children by researchers at Coventry University found no evidence of any detrimental relationships between use of texting slang and children’s conventional literacy abilities.<br />
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Do you use text speak when you text or talk to your friends? Do you think that this is damaging your grammar or spelling? Please share your thoughts!<br />
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See more about this survey on the <a href="http://kaplaninternational.com/blog/english-for-teenagers/" target="_blank">Kaplan’s English for Teenagers Infographic</a></span><br />
Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16749436712750946995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035527175367507921.post-7995864789904163462013-05-01T22:42:00.003+01:002013-05-01T22:42:35.482+01:00Kaplan Talent Awards - Win an English Course<span class="abigletter">W</span>ould you like to win a free two week English course in a top World location like London, New York, Sydney or Singapore? Does this sound appealing to you? Keep reading then!<br />
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<span class="fullpost">You now have your chance with The Kaplan Talent Awards where Kaplan is looking to find their best student photographer. And you can also participate on these awards by being a judge and vote on a series of photographs. More than 1,000 student photos have been submitted over the past month and 30 have made the final cut.<br />
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<img alt="Kaplan Talent Awards" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-QZczH07rRs5NmUciUV_bZx9J0zmGqU8_WguxxBAIUSaZu3IR7uKSMiS-5wFNqiQuEHIeVhS4oz35nYv1rzR26pWAMZqUFhgI_JEc0ElTouAXzOaJUghO-OqcZ2blvcMNh60Jq80ne0/" /><br />
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To judge the photographs and enter the prize draw, visit <a href="http://www.facebook.com/kic" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/kic</a> where you will find the Kaplan Talent Awards Facebook App. You have until 13th May 2013 to be the judge. The winning student and one lucky judge will both win a free two week English course at any Kaplan college!<br />
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Discover more about the <a href="http://www.kaplaninternational.com/schools/english-language.aspx" target="_blank">Kaplan English language school</a></span><br />
Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16749436712750946995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035527175367507921.post-15497159516010083392013-04-24T22:24:00.002+01:002013-04-24T22:24:26.887+01:00Have you ever been taught English through Music?<span class="abigletter">T</span>here is no doubt that listening to music can help us to stay motivated, concentrate, relax or learn English! A recent study from Kaplan International reveals that ESL (English as a Second Languages) teachers use The Beatles to help students learn English.<br />
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<span class="fullpost">If you don’t know who The Beatles were (shame on you :)), The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. They became the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed act in the rock music era. The group's best-known line-up consisted of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr.<br />
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<img alt="The Beatles" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfW8JFdqBMNIb3OR5tZ8OAKBCAOxbyaqVDUK7RWb7LMlDBwXd1bjpnYMDI4B-CaurbIReq_IhFoLuE_Iqddp6131QrqbnF03pjQq-B6CpyAtYZo0IISbDCTDzU3bcYYsukwnGilqrAUBY/" /><br />
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Image and information about The Beatles from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beatles" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>.<br />
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The study that Kaplan carried out shows that 40% of surveyed ESL teachers play songs by The Beatles to help their students learn English and 86% of ESL teachers play music during class to enhance lessons.<br />
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Other survey results include:<br />
<ul><li>81% of ESL teachers have used English-speaking celebrities to engage students: Barack Obama being the most popular celebrity.</li>
<li>76% have used Movies in class: The Harry Potter series being the most popular.</li>
<li>75% have used Newspapers in class: The New York Times being the most popular.</li>
<li>60% have used TV shows in class: Mr Bean being the most popular.</li>
<li>34% have used the Radio in class: The BBC World Service being the most popular.</li>
<li>33% have used Comics in class: Spider-Man being the most popular.</li>
<li>24% have used Computer Games in class: The Sims being the most popular.</li>
</ul>See more about the <a href="http://kaplaninternational.com/blog/how-to-teach-english-kaplan-infographic/" target="_blank">Kaplan’s How to Teach English Infographic</a><br />
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You can find out more information about how to learn English through Music on the articles <a href="http://learnenglishfromhome.blogspot.com/2008/10/how-to-learn-english-from-scratch-music.html">How to learn English from scratch using Music</a>, <a href="http://learnenglishfromhome.blogspot.com/2012/06/3-great-iphone-apps-to-learn-english.html">3 Great iPhone Apps to learn English through Music</a> and <a href="http://learnenglishfromhome.blogspot.com/2013/01/whos-your-favourite-singer-to-learn.html">Who’s your favourite singer to learn English through Music</a>.</span>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16749436712750946995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035527175367507921.post-57697534856990512292013-04-18T18:52:00.002+01:002013-04-18T18:52:36.391+01:00English Idioms: Food - More fun cartoons to learn English<span class="abigletter">H</span>ave you ever been told that you are an “egg head”, “big cheese”, “bad apple” or “top banana”? Did you understand that the other person meant by that? If you were unsure then this post will definitely help. In this post we introduce some very interesting and useful idioms related to food. You can also check out our previous posts about idioms related to <a href="http://learnenglishfromhome.blogspot.com/2013/02/english-idioms-animals-more-fun.html">animals</a> and <a href="http://learnenglishfromhome.blogspot.com/2013/02/fun-cartoons-to-learn-english-kaplan.html">happiness</a> and <a href="http://learnenglishfromhome.blogspot.com/2013/04/english-idioms-money-more-fun-cartoons.html">money</a>.<br />
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<span class="fullpost"><img alt="English Idioms: Food" border="0" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8121/8661337402_25e1522971_b.jpg" /><br />
<img alt="English Idioms: Food" border="0" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8117/8660237017_b5fa21175f_b.jpg" /><br />
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To learn more English vocabulary using funny cartoons and illustrations visit <a href="http://kaplan.do/illustrations" target="_blank">Kaplan Illustrations</a></span>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16749436712750946995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035527175367507921.post-49212609628779799972013-04-15T22:14:00.001+01:002013-04-15T22:14:55.576+01:00Common expressions in English that you’re normally not taught at school<span class="abigletter">W</span>e’d like to introduce today a table containing some words and sentences commonly used by the native English speakers but that are not normally taught at school or English courses.<br />
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<span class="fullpost"><table summary="Common expressions in English" border="0" cellspacing="0"><caption>Table 1: Common expressions in English</caption><tbody><tr><th scope="col">Expression</th><th scope="col">Example</th></tr><tr><td>My tummy is upset</td><td>I couldn’t sleep well last night, my tummy was upset.</td></tr><tr><td class="alt">I don't give a flying fig</td><td class="alt">He doesn’t give a flying fig if I don’t get a new job soon.</td></tr><tr><td>I couldn’t care less</td><td>We couldn’t care less about the outcome of the match, we dislike both team.</td></tr><tr><td class="alt">I couldn’t be bothered</td><td class="alt">You couldn’t be bothered calling him, he’s shown no respect for you.</td></tr><tr><td>I’m with you</td><td>All right, I’m with you, keep reading.</td></tr><tr><td class="alt">I’m not with you</td><td class="alt">Hold on! Can you repeat please? I’m not with you.</td></tr><tr><td>Make no mistake</td><td>But make no mistake, this is not easy and you’ll have to try hard.</td></tr><tr><td class="alt">Good food for thought</td><td class="alt">Read this article, is good food for thought.</td></tr><tr><td>Social butterfly</td><td>You’re such a social butterfly; always have a good plan to go out.</td></tr><tr><td class="alt">My brain is addled</td><td class="alt">My brain is addled today, I better go to bed. </td></tr><tr><td>We’ll agree to disagree</td><td>We’ll agree to disagree on this one; our points of view are very different.</td></tr><tr><td class="alt">Kick off</td><td class="alt">You better kick this off and start working / The match just kicked off 5 minutes ago.</td></tr><tr><td>Keep the ball running</td><td>Don’t worry about that now, let’s fix this and keep the ball running!</td></tr><tr><td class="alt">Kick the can down the road</td><td class="alt">He said Obama is showing he "wants to kick the can down the road" until after the election. </td></tr><tr><td>To be on someone’s foot</td><td>Seriously, try to be on my shoes and you'll see what I mean.</td></tr><tr><td class="alt">We don’t want to shoot ourselves on the foot</td><td class="alt">We're once again sadly demonstrating to the rest of the world our self-destructive propensity- we shoot ourselves on the foot.</td></tr><tr><td>To lose your marbles</td><td>She’s spending too much time on her own; I think she’s going to lose her marbles.</td></tr><tr><td class="alt">Ta</td><td class="alt">Short form for "Thanks". Ta! -You're welcome!</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<i>Ta for reading!</i></span>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16749436712750946995noreply@blogger.com0