What Does "-Ish" Mean and How Do You Use It?
There are lots of times when we don't want to say something in a precise or exact way. Instead, we...
Are You a 'Prima Donna'? English for People with Too Much Pride
"What Happened Next?" English Phrases for Telling Great Stories
English for Politics and the Election Season
How to Avoid Saying “I Don’t Know” Directly
From Barbie to Einstein: Names That Became Common English Words
Throughout history, there have been both real people and fictional characters who have had a big impact on society. Sometimes...
How to Use "Issue" Like a Pro
Do you know the word "issue" well? It's a surprisingly useful word that fluent English speakers may say several times...
"Few" vs. "A Few": One Letter Makes a Difference!
You probably know the word “few,” meaning "not a lot," but did you know that adding “a” before it completely...
Drop the Needle! Vocabulary for Vinyl Record Collectors
Even though many people thought vinyl records would disappear due to the rise of CDs, mp3s and streaming, their popularity...
Essential English Vocabulary for Cooking
Not only is cooking an inexpensive way to eat delicious food, it can also be a fun and relaxing hobby....
11 English Phrasal Verbs with "Make"
Phrasal verbs are combinations of verbs and other short words that form new meanings when put together. For example, using...
How to Be a Better Listener in Your English Conversations
In our busy modern world, it can feel like it is becoming harder to focus on one thing at a...
Big Apples and Big Shoulders: Nicknames for 8 US Cities
America is a very large country. Different parts have different climates, different accents and different local cultures. Sometimes, a city's...
16 Words for Describing Different Body Types
Most learners will know the common adjectives for describing body shapes; words like "tall," "fat" and "short." But these words...
The Many Ways to Use "Even"
"Even" is a sneaky word. It seems very simple at first, but if you look closer, you'll realize just how...
7 Ways to Politely Apologize for a Late Reply in English
Have you ever wanted to apologize for replying late to an email? Here are seven ways to do that in...
English Phrases to Say When Someone is Sick
Do you have a friend or coworker who’s sick, injured, or looks like they might be coming down with something? ...
10 Ways to Politely Ask for Clarification in English
Whether you're meeting with a foreign client, seeing a doctor, or taking an online English lesson, there will be times...
Caught a Cold or Flu? How to Talk About This in English
It's that time of year again when everyone seems to be catching a cold – or worse, the flu. We...
Focus on Fluency: Top 15 Textbooks To Help You Speak English
Choosing what textbook to use is a difficult decision. And if you want to improve your fluency, it gets even...
How to Wish Someone the Best Birthday Ever [Updated]
Greeting messages can be hard to write, and birthday wishes are no exception. To help English learners write the best...
"Could You" vs "Would You": What's the Difference?
As one of the largest online learning platforms, we get asked a lot of questions about English grammar. Today we’ll...
10 Polite Ways to Ask People to Repeat Themselves
Whether you’re talking to a friend, having a business meeting, or taking an online English lesson, there will be times...
How to Say “My Internet Isn’t Working!” in English
You’ve probably been in a situation where you’re talking to someone online and all of a sudden their video freezes,...
17 Ways to Respond During a Conversation Besides "Uh huh"
When you’re listening to someone in a conversation, how do you show that you’re… listening? Most often, people make some...