Author: Joanna Kawrow

Modals of obligation and prohibition

Modals of obligation and prohibition

There are many rules in our lives, at work, at school, at home, in the public places, on the roads, etc., which have been established to ensure order and safety. We use modal verbs to express obligations and prohibitions, or lack of obligation. Modal verbs have the following grammatical structure: Subject + Modal Verb + Basic Verb Example:”I must go to bed early tonight”.   And this is how we express prohibition and lack of obligation: Be careful: there is a big difference in the meaning between ”mustn’t” and ”don’t have to”

10 tips on how to sound like a native English speaker

10 tips on how to sound like a native English speaker

Do you think that to have good English pronunciation you need to say every word per-fect-ly? Have you been told that you need to say each syllable in exactly the same way that it is written? There are no shortcuts to perfect pronunciation, however there are some ways you can practise more effectively and improve your skills faster. Follow our 10 top tips, start improving your pronunciation today and take a step closer towards your goal of perfect English pronunciation.   Listen to yourself Record yourself, play it back and see how it sounds. Slow down! You don’t need to speak fast, just be clear Picture it… Imagine how each […]

Most common collocations with verbs DO and MAKE

Most common collocations with verbs DO and MAKE

The English verbs do and make are frequently confused, so pay attention to the expressions below. It is best to learn these expressions by heart. The best approach is to practise……and then practise again!   Cambridge online dictionary will make your learning easier. You can check here pronunciation, have example sentences, and even find translation to your native langugae, chosing your mother languge from the list https://dictionary.cambridge.org/ Time for a practice:) Watch the video every day and try to remember at least 5 collocations each day. Remember to revise before you learn new words. This method really works! If you’re not a member of our site yet, join us either […]

Different ways of talking about the future

Different ways of talking about the future

One very good way to prepare for your IELTS speaking is to practise different ways of talking about the future. This is because the examiner listens for the way you vary your grammar, not just if you make mistakes. This is a skill you need mostly in part 1 and 3 parts of the Speaking test.   In fact, there are loads of more ways of talking about the future. It’s not all about verbs and tenses, see these examples: 1)We often use verbs like ”would like”, “plan”, “want”, “mean”, “hope”, “expect” to talk about the future: What are you going to do next year? I’d like to go to […]

How to Write a Successful CV

How to Write a Successful CV

Have you ever had to write a Curriculum Vitae? Did you find it difficult? This article will tell what effective techniques and language to use to make your CV stand out of the crowd and get you the dream job! A CV is a document which you give to an employer when you apply for a job. It is a summary of your education, skills and work that you have done. In the UK we call it a CV,or Curriculum Vitae, in the USA resume. CVs are often a little longer, and more like a list of jobs, duties, educational qualifications and hobbies; a resume is usually only one page […]

American vs British English

American vs British English

These two varieties of English may sometimes cause confusion and be a source of misunderstandings or funny situations, even to native-speakers themselves! For instance, if someone says pants in the USA, they mean trousers, whereas in the UK, pants is actually short for underpants – which I have no doubt could lead to some delightful misunderstandings.Imagine a situation at work, when your colleague pays you a complement and says: ” I like your pants!”. You might be wondering which ”pants’ does he or she mean? George Bernard Shaw once said: America and England are two countries seperated by a common language’ WHAT IS DIFFERENT? A few differences of grammar and […]

Conditionals – Type 0 and I

Conditionals – Type 0 and I

Can you use these conditionals? More examples: Flowers die, if they are not watered. If you have a big car, you pay a lot for petrol. Don’t forget to switch off the light, when /if you leave. If/ When it snows, the roads get slippery and dangerous. Felix is always in good mood, when his team wins.   Formula: If/When clause- Present Simple, Main Clause- Present Simple ( CONDITION– RESULT)   MORE EXAMPLES: We may/might go on a picnic, if the weather is good. If we go on a picnic, we should invite Josh. If they don’t leave right now, they will miss the train. NOTE:In the First Conditional ( […]

Days of the week and their origins

Days of the week and their origins

Do you find it difficult to get up on Monday mornings? What is your favourite day of the week? Where do the names of the days of the week come from? In English, we call our days of the week after Saxon gods, apart from Saturday. For instance, the French call their days of the week after Roman gods. But the Saxon and Roman gods who look after the same day are the same type of god. The English ‘Saturday’ is called after a Roman god, not a Saxon one. In Scandinavia, the word for Saturday is Lördag or Lørdag. It is an ancient word meaning “bath”. Apparently the Vikings […]

A Quick Guide on How to Talk About the Weekend

A Quick Guide on How to Talk About the Weekend

I guess everyone loves the weekend. Weekends are a huge topic of conversation. Starting on Wednesday or Thursday, people will ask you about your weekend plans. When you return to work or school, you’ll be asked how your weekend went. So it’s helpful to have a nice range of phrases to use for these conversations. The upcoming weekend If you want to ask someone about the upcoming weekend in English, here are some common questions: What are you doing this weekend? Do you have anything going on this weekend? Do you have any big plans for the weekend? Do you have anything planned for this weekend? If you have plans, […]

Never desert your dessert in the desert!

Never desert your dessert in the desert!

Desert the dessert in the desert! Desert can be a verb and a noun though with two completely different meanings. To Desert means to leave without intending to return. It can also mean to abandon. A Desert is a dry place which receives very little rainfall. The verb is pronounced with the stress on ‘sert’- desert The noun is pronounced with the emphasis on ‘de’- desert. To make things more complicated there is a word dessert, which is a noun with another meaning. Dessert is a synonym of pudding, or a sweet meal eaten after dinner. It’s pronounced the same as the verb To Desert! Dessert and To Desert are […]