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 … Read more
GERUNDS Gerunds are usually nouns but they are different from other nouns because they are made from verbs. ∗ Changing verbs into other forms: nouns or adjectives, for example, is common in many languages. Think about how your language changes verbs into other forms as you continue reading. ♦ Gerunds are always singular: Cooking dinner … Read more
I know, I know, I know – not everybody likes grammar! In fact, even Nick hated it when he first started teaching. The problem, though, is that 25% of your score for writing and listening will be awarded based on your sentence structures. There are many places where students can make errors in the writing … Read more
These fun poetry activities will make it easy to celebrate April’s National Poetry Month at home or in the classroom. All month, students and teachers across the country (along with libraries, publishers, and poets) celebrate the art of poetry. With the FREE printable poetry resources in this article, teachers will be all set to help … 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 … Read more
First, read the earlier posts on Relative Clauses, especially #3 and #6. Advanced non-defining Relative Clauses are not as difficult as their name suggests. There are only two Relative Clause Pronouns used, whom & which, and the Relative Clause is usually at the end of the sentence. If you are studying for an IELTS or CAMBRIDGE … Read more
You can guarantee that some point during your IELTS exam, you will need to demonstrate that you can make good comparisons. Interestingly, although the language of comparison is introduced at an Elementary level in most English course books, this is something that many high-level students still struggle with. Today, Nick and describe 4 ways that … Read more
The easiest way to use the activities and games is simply as whole-class instruction, and to perhaps pick one or two to complete a day. Alternatively, teachers can set up different activities and games at several different stations and keep students rotating to make time fly and word learning fast and effective! Regardless of which … Read more
Only by swimming with sharks will we overcome our fear of them.Photo by Michael Liao on Unsplash One of the first things you learn when you start learning English is the word order in sentences. The subject comes before the verb: SUBJECT              VERByou                                       learnyou                                       … Read more
You put down your pen. The essay and report / letter are written. Yes! But there are still 3 or 4 minutes left on the exam clock What do you do in this time? The temptation may be to read through your essay from start to finish to check for errors, but is this really … Read more
