Breaking News! ESL Students prefer playing games to studying grammar. Thanks, Captain Obvious. Now, let's really drive it home: Hello, students! Raise your hand if you want to study grammar. (crickets.) Raise your hand if you want to play a game. (48 hands are up in a class of 24.) What have we learned from… Continue reading Variations on 4 Card Games ESL Students Will Flip Over
It's easy to confuse these two terms. They are used when we give or take something that will be returned (Well, we hope it will!) LEND = Give To lend is to give someone something for a short time. Lend requires a direct pronoun (money, a phone, a sweater, etc.) and an indirect object pronoun (me,… Continue reading Borrow or Lend: What’s the difference?
Ordering drinks can be intimidating for a non-native speaker. Everything is moving fast, so you quickly blurt out your order. "I'll have 3 beers and...um...uh...a mojito." There. You feel pretty good. You said it right. He understands you and starts to make the drinks, but suddenly he asks a second question...
History: The study of past events or people History is a subject that we study in school. We study the history of civilizations, important people, or topics, like the history of art. We only use the word history when referring to major events or people from the past. HIS-tuh-ree I studied art history in college.… Continue reading History vs. Story: What’s the Difference?
Have you ever been robbed? It's a terrible feeling! What did they steal? STEAL and ROB are two words related to crime, but it's good to know which one to use. STEAL A thief steals things. It is an irregular verb. (STEAL<< STOLE>>STOLEN) A thief might steal your cell phone, your wallet, or even your… Continue reading Steal vs. Rob: Crime Vocabulary
When talking about travel, it's easy to confuse the phrasal verbs go back and come back. They both mean to return. So what's the difference? It's actually very simple. It all depends on where you are at the time of speaking. For example, if you are from Italy, but you are in California right now, you would say: I'm going… Continue reading Go Back or Come Back: What’s the Difference?
Use GO with another -ING verb when you talk about activities and sports. Do you want to go surfing in California?There are some beautiful places to go sightseeing here, too!Have you ever gone wine tasting in Italy? Team sports (soccer, basketball) typically use the verb to play. Sports that are done individually usually use to go. For more information about the verbs go, play, and… Continue reading Expressions with the Verb TO GO
The verb TO DO is very useful when talking about general actions. We use it to ask about activities, as in: What do you want to do tonight? (However, a different verb is used to answer the question.) I want to watch the sunset. I want to spend time with my friends. I want to walk on the beach. Do is also… Continue reading Expressions with the Verb TO DO
The verb TO MAKE has several different uses. The literal meaning is to create something. Here are some expressions, or collocations that use make, organized by category. Make = To Cook or Prepare make breakfast, lunch or dinnermake a sandwich, pasta, or other meal If you don't feel like cooking, you can make a reservation at a restaurant! Make =… Continue reading Expressions with the Verb TO MAKE
SAY and TELL are similar - they are used to communicate information. So what's the difference? The major difference is TELL can include the listener. SAY typically does not include the listener, only what is being said. (Incorrect) She said me to call her. (Correct) She told me to call her. TELL TELL is… Continue reading Say vs. Tell: What’s the Difference?
Take a few minutes to think about the verb TO TAKE. To Take literally means "to bring something with you." Take an umbrella, or take a book to read, for example. However, many other activities use this verb, even though you are not really "taking" anything. Here are some of the more commons expressions that are formed with take. Take… Continue reading Visual Vocabulary – Common English Expressions with TAKE
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