Blog

Want to have more English conversations in 2021? Here are some tips.   Get Yourself in the Right Mindset! (Positive Thoughts!) Be brave! Don’t worry  

1. Be curious = ask questions

 

2. Give someone a compliment.

 

3. Find something you have in common.

Then, talk about it. For example, if you live in the same city. Ask the person questions like…

• Have you been to __________?
• What is your favorite place to eat at in __________?

 

4. Talk about current events.

Talk about what is going on in the world.  

5. Talk about yourself

You can talk about yourself, then ask the other person questions about the topic. For example, I have a dog. Do you have a dog? Have you ever had a dog? Do you like pets.  

6. Talk about TV, shows, or a series.

Have you seen anything good on TV lately? Do you have Netflix? Have you seen the show __________?    

7. DON’T WORRY ABOUT AWKWARD MOMENTS.

Snow: frozen crystallized water that comes down from the sky.  Snow is used as a noun and a verb. Future tense: snow Present tense: snowing Past tense: snowed   Sleet: ice pellets (a mixture of snow and rain) Sleet is used as a noun and a verb. Future tense: sleet Present tense: sleeting Past tense: sleeted     Hail: balls of ice (they can be very small or big) Hail is used as a noun and a verb. Future tense: hail Present tense: hailing Past tense: hailed

“On the clock”: to be working/getting paid Example: The police officer stopped to have dinner on his break. The waitress offered him a beer. He said, “No thanks, I’m on the clock.”     “Off the clock”: not at work/off duty/not being paid to work Example: Rebecca works at a grocery store. She had just finished her shift and was leaving for the day. On her way out, a coworker asked for her help. Rebecca said, “Sorry I can’t help, I’m off the clock.”

“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree”: A child does not differ from (is the same as) their parents. Examples: After meeting the student’s parents, she realized the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree; they were sarcastic too. Can you believe his behavior? Sadly, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Here are two idioms that people use when talking about things that family members have in common. “It runs in the family.” Someone that many members/people in the family have, such as a quality, skill, problem and/or disease. Examples:

1. A passion for theatre runs in the family.
2. Diabetes runs in his family.

  “In one’s blood” Something that is in-built in one’s family. Examples:

1. Teaching runs in my blood.
2. Playing soccer runs in his blood.