Image courtesy of Matthew Henry Hall

www.theenglishteacheronline.com

Here are some tips which may help you to master the English Language!

Speak without Fear

The biggest problem most people face in learning a new language is their own fear. They worry that they won’t say things correctly or that they will look stupid so they don’t talk at all. Don’t do this. The fastest way to learn anything is to do it – again and again until you get it right. Like anything, learning English requires practice. Don’t let a little fear stop you from getting what you want.

Use all of your Resources

Even if you study English at a language school it doesn’t mean you can’t learn outside of class. Using as many different sources, methods and tools as possible, will allow you to learn faster. There are many different ways you can improve your English, so don’t limit yourself to only one or two. The internet is a fantastic resource for virtually anything, but for the language learner it’s perfect.

Surround Yourself with English

The absolute best way to learn English is to surround yourself with it. Take notes in English, put English books around your room, listen to English language radio broadcasts, watch English news, movies and television. Speak English with your friends whenever you can. The more English material that you have around you, the faster you will learn and the more likely it is that you will begin “thinking in English.” .

Listen to Native Speakers as Much as Possible

There are some good English teachers that have had to learn English as a second language before they could teach it. However, there are several  reasons why many of the best schools prefer to hire native English speakers. One of the reasons is that native speakers have a natural flow to their speech that students of English should try to imitate. The closer ESL / EFL students can get to this rhythm or flow, the more convincing and comfortable they will become.

Watch English Films and Television

This is not only a fun way to learn but it is also very effective. By watching English films (especially those with English subtitles) you can expand your vocabulary and hear the flow of speech from the actors. If you listen to the news you can also hear different accents.

Listen to English Music

Music can be a very effective method of learning English. In fact, it is often used as a way of improving comprehension. The best way to learn though, is to get the lyrics (words) to the songs you are listening to and try to read them as the artist sings. There are several good internet sites where one can find the words for most songs. This way you can practice your listening and reading at the same time. And if you like to sing, fine.

Study As Often As Possible!

Only by studying things like grammar and vocabulary and doing exercises, can you really improve your knowledge of any language.

Record Yourself

Nobody likes to hear their own voice on tape but like tests, it is good to compare your tapes from time to time. You may be so impressed with the progress you are making that you may not mind the sound of your voice as much.

Listen to English

By this, we mean, speak on the phone or listen to radio broadcasts, audiobooks or CDs in English. This is different than watching the television or films because you can’t see the person that is speaking to you. Many learners of English say that speaking on the phone is one of the most difficult things that they do and the only way to improve is to practice.

p.s Learn English Online converse or chat with native speakers via social networks such as Facebook and Twitter you will enrich your vocabulary and learn new words.

Have fun!!!

English Expression 1. as easy as pie means “very easy” (same as “a piece of cake”)
Example: He said it is a difficult problem, but I don’t agree. It seems as easy as pie to me!

English Expression 2. be sick and tired of means “I hate” (also “can’t stand”)
Example: I’m sick and tired of doing nothing but work. Let’s go out tonight and have fun.

English Expression 3. bend over backwards means “try very hard” (maybe too much!)
Example: He bent over backwards to please his new wife, but she never seemed satisfied.

English Expression 4. bite off more than one can chew means “take responsibility for more than one can manage”
Example: John is so far behind in his studies. Besides classes, he plays sports and works at a part-time job. It seems he has bitten off more than he can chew.

English Expression 5. broke means “to have no money”
Example: I have to borrow some money from my Dad. Right now, I’m broke.

English Expression 6. change one’s mind means “decide to do something different from what had been decided earlier”
Example: I was planning to work late tonight, but I changed my mind. I’ll do extra work on the weekend instead.

English Expression 7. Cut it out! means “stop doing something bad”
Example: That noise is really annoying. Cut it out!

English Expression 8. drop someone a line means “send a letter or email to someone”
Example: It was good to meet you and I hope we can see each other again. Drop me a line when you have time.

English Expression 9. figure something out means “come to understand a problem”
Example: I don’t understand how to do this problem. Take a look at it. Maybe you can figure it out.

English Expression 10. fill in for someone means “do their work while they are away”
Example: While I was away from the store, my brother filled in for me.

English Expression 11. in ages means “for a very long time”
Example: Have you seen Joe recently? I haven’t seen him in ages.

English Expression 12. give someone a hand means “help”
Example: I want to move this desk to the next room. Can you give me a hand?

English Expression 13. hit the hay means “go to bed” (also “hit the sack”)
Example: It’s after 12 o’clock. I think it’s time to hit the hay.

English Expression 14. in the black means “the business is making money, it is profitable”
Example: Our business is really improving. We’ve been in the black all year.

English Expression 15. in the red means “the business is losing money, it is unprofitable”
Example: Business is really going poorly these days. We’ve been in the red for the past three months.

English Expression 16. in the nick of time means “not too late, but very close!”
Example: I got to the drugstore just in the nick of time. It’s a good thing, because I really need this medicine!

English Expression 17. keep one’s chin up means “remain brave and keep on trying”
Example: I know things have been difficult for you recently, but keep your chin up. It will get better soon.

English Expression 18. know something like the back of your hand means “know something very, very well”

Example: If you get lost, just ask me for directions. I know this part of town like the back of my hand

English Expression 19. once in a while means “sometimes, not very often”
Example: Have you been to the new cinema? No, only see films once in a while. I usually stay home and watch TV.

English Expression 20. sharp means “exactly at a that time”
Example: I’ll meet you at 9 o’clock sharp. If you’re late, we’ll be in trouble!

English Expression 21. sleep on it means “think about something before making a decision”
Example: That sounds like a good deal, but I’d like to sleep on it before I give you my final decision.

English Expression 22. take it easy means “relax”
Example: I don’t have any special plans for the summer. I think I’ll just take it easy.

English Expression 23. to get the ball rolling means “start something, especially something big”
Example: We need to get this project started as soon as possible. I’m hoping you will help me get the ball rolling.

English Expression 24. up to the minute means “the most recent information”
Example: I wish I knew more about what is happening in the capital city. We need more up to the minute news.

English Expression 25. twenty-four/seven means “every minute of every day, all the time”
Example: You can access our web site 24/7. It’s very convenient!

Crosswords are a great way of learning new English words. But some people are put off by them as they look too complicating right from the start. Choose an easy one to start with and follow these tips…

1. Go for the first letter of a word up and then down. If I can get one of the two words, then having the first letter of the other sometimes jogs my memory.
2. Paying attention to the theme of the crossword, if any, is helpful.
3. Go for the easier ones first, then more difficult.
4. Its not cheating to use Reference in fact it’s the best way to help you! Computer, crossword dictionary, thesaurus and atlas are the most handy.
5. Having someone help you. Sometimes the easiest words don’t come to mind so ask for someone’s help if you’re really stuck.
6. Going away and coming back to it later can sometimes clear the mind and help one focus better. It also helps you think of new words which you weren’t think before.
7. Enjoy what you are doing. It will help you focus better and make everything alot easier.
8. Place a checkmark next to the number of the hints you’ve gotten. It can help you focus more on the ones you haven’t gotten yet.
9. If it’s in a book or newspaper, sometimes the answers can be found in the publication that the crossword is in.
10. Sometimes the answers just come out of no where – be patient.
11. Try working on a particular section of the puzzle (upper left, right or lower left or right).
12. Think about the hint or hints with a different perspective

Source www.theieducation.com and try out these crosswords have fun!

Source www.owl.english.purdue.edu

Source www.teach-nology.com and photo from my back garden

Misspelled words.

A

• a while
• absence
• accelerate
• accomplish
• accumulate
• acknowledge
• acquaintance
• acquire
• across
• anoint
• apology
• axle
• accordion

B

• barbecue
• beginning
• broccoli
• business

C

• camouflage
• candidate
• cantaloupe
• carburetor
• Caribbean
• cartilage
• chauvinism
• chili
• coliseum
• colonel
• commemorate
• congratulations
• coolly
• criticize

D

• Dalmatian
• deceive
• defendant
• defiant
• desiccate
• desperate
• development
• disappear
• disappoint
• dissipate
• difference

E

• ecstasy
• especially
• excellent
• exercise
• explanation

F

• Fahrenheit
• finally
• flabbergast
• fourth
• fulfill

G

• generally
• genius
• government
• grammar
• gross
• guttural

H

• handkerchief
• horrific
• hypocrisy

I

• imitate
• inadvertent
• incidentally
• incredible
• ingenious
• irascible
• irresistible

K

• knowledge

L

• labeled
• led
• liaison
• lieutenant
• liquefy
• lose
• lying

M

• magically
• marshmallow
• mischief
• misogyny
• missile

N

• nauseous
• necessary
• no one

O

• occasion
• occur/occurred
• octopus
• official

P

• parallel
• parliament
• particular
• peninsula
• pharaoh
• physical
• piece
• pigeon
• pistachio
• pleasant
• plenitude
• preferable
• presumptuous
• proceed
• propagate
• pursue

R

• raspberry
• receipt
• refrigerator
• religious
• remembrance
• renowned
• ridiculous

S

• salary
• sandal
• sandwich
• savvy
• scissors
• seize
• sensible
• separate
• sheriff
• shish kebab
• siege
• similar
• special
• success
• simile

T

• tableau
• tariff
• tomorrow
• tongue
• too/to/two
• tragedy
• truly

U

• usage

V

• vicious
• village

W

• withhold

Y

• you’re/your

Source www.yourdictionary.com/

It’s this time of year when most people make a New Year’s Resolution, I’m sure you can guess mine just by looking at the image, but what’s yours?

The absolute most common New Year’s resolution has to do with losing weight or getting in shape. The details may vary from person to person, but the overall goal is to get control of eating, exercising, and/or weight.

Another very common resolution is to quit smoking cigarettes. Most people realize how unhealthy smoking is but sometimes lack the willpower to put them down. However, considering goals in terms of resolutions often make them more achievable in the perception of the person trying to quit.

Along the same lines of quitting smoking, many people resolve to stop drinking alcohol for the New Year. While drinking may not be terribly destructive in moderation, excessive drinking causes serious problems. For this reason, it is a common quest to let go of this bad habit also.

Bad habits are commonly targeted as resolutions. Spending habits and debt accumulation therefore is frequently on the list of things that need to change. With credit card debt at an outrageous level and the fact that most people live paycheck to paycheck, this is an area that usually needs attention and sometimes gets it at the beginning of a new year.

Spending more time with friends and family is also one of the top resolutions for the New Year. It seems everyone’s schedules are so hectic; no one has time to stop and catch up with each other. During the holiday season, you often see family members and friends that may be neglected during the rest of the year. Enjoying time together reminds everyone how precious that time is and how you should make it a point to do it more often. This does not only apply to extended family; time with children and spouses is also important and taken for granted.

Simply enjoying life is something often forgotten about. We are so busy running to work and back home, to school and soccer practice that we never get around to playing in the floor with the kids or taking time to read the book we bought last week. Sometimes, resolutions are not about breaking bad habits, but creating better ones.

Similar to enjoying life, some people take this time to make major life changes like returning to school or changing careers. The idea of a new beginning sometimes sparks something inside to lead people to a new destiny. While quitting smoking or losing weight are big transitions, there are sometimes even more substantial goals put into place at this time of year.

Image courtesy of Dave Walker

Happy New Year to all my friends, colleagues and readers……Personal ESL Trainer 2009

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas…from your Personal ESL Trainer