Listen to the “Re-Starting After Taking a Break from Your Language Studies” blog audio. I’ve been studying the Italian language for a very. long. time. Unfortunately, I’ve also been taking breaks from language study for a long time. This experience, I believe, makes me a better English coach! However — I’m not fluent. I know my level of fluency is much lower than I’d like it to be. The reason for that? Taking a lot of breaks from my language study. My Inconsistent Study Habits If I had studied consistently after my very first Italian tutoring session… I’d be fluent enough to easily pass a ..read more

When people who think differently work together, we end up with better solutions – but this means you will eventually find yourself disagreeing with someone in the workplace. It might also mean you need to tell a coworker they forgot to do a task or need to try a different idea.     Before you freak out, this post lists a few great phrases you can use to prevent (most) hurt feelings. But when do you need to use these? The Difference Between Assertive and Rude When people are assertive, they’re confident and able to stand up for themselves. When people are rude, they’re impolite and ..read more

English was always my favorite subject in school. It always felt easy. And fun! Some people might say I have a natural talent for words, syntax, and grammar… But I know I became a better writer because I fell in love with reading. As a bookworm, writer, and language learner, I can feel the difference that each type of reading makes in my own work. Extensive and intensive reading both have value, but their benefits are different. Jump Straight to: Articles or Books Extensive vs. Intensive Reading Speed-reading was the only way I could get through my assigned textbook pages during school without ..read more

Idioms can be intimidating. If an idiom has been extremely common for years, will it be old fashioned by the time you feel comfortable to start using it? Luckily, Business English trends change slowly. This is one very popular Business English idiom that isn’t going away: Call it a Day. Meaning: To stop doing or working on something. Simple enough, yes? Good. Well, I’m tired. I think I’ll just call it a day and publish this post. via GIPHY I’m kidding. There are plenty of examples for ways to use this in your office life. Example Sentences for “Call it a day” “It’s time to call it a day.” “I ..read more

When English learners are preparing for their next job interview, grammar is usually one of their biggest concerns. But sometimes, worrying too much about perfecting your grammar can take up too much of your interview prep time. You should have a good grasp — or understanding — of the most important verb tenses… Then focus on telling your best stories. So, how do you keep grammar simple? Use the simplest verb tense possible to communicate the ideas you want to talk about. Don’t try to make your answers overly formal. Remember what business English is. It’s all about communicating your ideas qu ..read more

It takes time to transform your English writing skills, but the exercises are easy and simple. After all, it’s too hard to stick with difficult processes. These exercises will help you transform your skills for almost any style of writing.  I’ve always been a word nerd. In school, I was either constantly reading or constantly writing on loose pieces of paper and in half-filled notebooks. English literature and composition (writing) were always my easiest classes. Even if I didn’t enjoy the homework or required reading material, I could get great grades without really trying.  So ..read more

Listen to the “Re-Starting After Taking a Break from Your Language Studies” blog audio. I’ve been studying the Italian language for a very. long. time. Unfortunately, I’ve also been taking breaks from language study for a long time. This experience, I believe, makes me a better English coach! However — I’m not fluent. I know my level of fluency is much lower than I’d like it to be. The reason for that? Taking a lot of breaks from my language study. My Inconsistent Study Habits If I had studied consistently after my very first Italian tutoring session… I’d be fluent enough to easily pass a ..read more

When people who think differently work together, we end up with better solutions – but this means you will eventually find yourself disagreeing with someone in the workplace. It might also mean you need to tell a coworker they forgot to do a task or need to try a different idea.     Before you freak out, this post lists a few great phrases you can use to prevent (most) hurt feelings. But when do you need to use these? The Difference Between Assertive and Rude When people are assertive, they’re confident and able to stand up for themselves. When people are rude, they’re impolite and ..read more

Is your reading comprehension better than your listening comprehension? You’re not alone! It’s frustrating to think that you should be able to understand more. And it can be difficult to find resources — like podcasts — that are entertaining, understandable, and convenient for your English listening practice. Unfortunately, listening comprehension is a skill that simply takes time. I learned this the hard way. Boring memorization, I believed, was the only way to improve my target language. Why? Because that’s the traditional study advice. However, I didn’t need more flashcards. I also didn ..read more

English was always my favorite subject in school. It always felt easy. And fun! Some people might say I have a natural talent for words, syntax, and grammar… But I know I became a better writer because I fell in love with reading. As a bookworm, writer, and language learner, I can feel the difference that each type of reading makes in my own work. Extensive and intensive reading both have value, but their benefits are different. Jump Straight to: Articles or Books Extensive vs. Intensive Reading Speed-reading was the only way I could get through my assigned textbook pages during school without ..read more