Advanced Word Stress – Practice Contrast Between Stressed and Unstressed and Reduced Syllables

By now, you know the number one piece of accent advice I wish I could give every non-native speaker: stress your words clearly. Word stress helps you pronounce words accurately, and it helps other people identify and understand the word you’re saying. When we stress a word, we emphasize one syllable of this word by making the vowel sound longer, louder, and higher in pitch, with extra clear mouth movement. Stressing words consistently helps you … Read the article and watch the video lesson

Express Your Ideas Clearly – Organize Your Thoughts and Communicate Effectively in English

Let’s talk about four changes you can make to how you communicate in order to ensure that your message and your meaning are clear. These tips will encourage you to better express yourself using the language that you already have. Let’s get started! Identify Your Key Message The first thing you can do is identify your key message before every interaction. By key message, I mean the most important point, idea, or feeling you want … Read the article and watch the video lesson

Small Talk Topics and Questions 💬 Keep the Conversation Going in English

Imagine this: you’re having a casual conversation at a social gathering or networking event. You’ve introduced yourself and covered the basics. You want to keep chatting with this person, but you feel a bit stuck. What should you say next? In this video, you’ll learn how to ask better questions and keep the conversation going when making small talk in American English. We’ll talk about 17 neutral (but interesting!) topics of conversation so that you’re prepared … Read the article and watch the video lesson

Communicate Clearly and Confidently in American English – Four Ways to Use Your Voice

One of the biggest concerns I hear from my clients and students is that they want how they sound in English to reflect the quality of their ideas. In other words, they want to communicate clearly and confidently, so that other people can easily understand and follow what they’re saying. Let’s talk about four ways you can improve how you use your voice in order to speak more clearly so that you’re more easily understood. … Read the article and watch the video lesson

Show You’re Listening with Intonation – Short Questions and Responses For Better Conversations in English

Go on… What happened? I know! Seriously?! No way! Want to have better conversations in English? Then show you’re listening and interested by using short expressions and questions that reflect how you feel through your intonation. These expressions and questions are rejoinders or short responses that show you’re actively participating and engaged in the conversation. Without them, the conversation may feel a little one-sided and the other person may feel less motivated to keep talking. … Read the article and watch the video lesson

Reflecting on Racism and Its Effects on English Language Teaching and Learning

Over the past few weeks, there have been massive protests across the United States in response to the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and many, many other Black Americans. Across all 50 states, people of all races, ethnicities, and backgrounds have come together to clearly assert that Black Lives Matter. I too believe that Black Lives Matter and stand with the Black community. For centuries, the Black community has suffered violence and … Read the article and watch the video lesson