You probably already know that "right" and "wrong" are the same as "correct" and "incorrect" respectively. These words are also used in a lot of informal expressions and idioms in English. Today I'll teach you ten of them! on the right track if you play your cards right it serves you right his/her heart is in the right place right on! wrong number get off on the wrong foot wake up on the wrong side of the bed don't get me wrong rub someone the wrong way Lesson text: http://www.espressoenglish.ne...
Jan 11, 2017•8 min
In December, I like to reflect on all the wonderful things we did during the year. How about you? How has your English improved this year? Here are some of the highlights for Espresso English in 2016. Lesson text: http://us4.campaign-archive2.com/?u=280ab49b7536a997b0d741c18&id=569a581180
Dec 28, 2016•6 min
I have a very special holiday gift for you: A FREE little e-book with 50 expressions... illustrated with short comics! You can download it, learn from it, and share it with your friends who are also learning English :-) Visit http://www.espressoenglish.net/gift to get the e-book
Dec 21, 2016•4 min
""Give"" is a common English verb - and we use it in a lot of expressions. You can give advice, give someone a hug, give priority to a project, etc. In today's lesson, I'll teach you 10 ""give"" expressions you might not know: - give way - give credence - give (someone) grief - ...and more Lesson text: http://www.espressoenglish.net/10-english-expressions-with-give
Dec 14, 2016•7 min
BE CAREFUL! Most of these words are not very complimentary. A lot of them have negative connotations, so it's not a good idea to call a person these names. But you might hear them in movies or in casual conversations between native English speakers. Lesson text: https://www.espressoenglish.net/12-slang-words-about-people/
Dec 07, 2016•6 min
A NEW English Power Pack is now available! What's the English Power Pack? It's SEVEN courses from seven different English teachers... with a huge discount. The special price is only available for one week - so don't delay! These are the courses included in this year's Power Pack: 75 Confusing English Words by Michael Travel English Expert by Gabby Advanced English Grammar Course by Shayna (me!) Feel Good English Super Pack by Kevin The Weekly English Workout by Jason - Fluency MC 180 ELLLO Liste...
Dec 01, 2016•10 min
English vocabulary in this lesson: retire downsize get rid of clutter antique heirloom knick-knack take a pass outdated junk Watch the video: https://www.espressoenglish.net/learn-english-from-the-news-unwanted-gifts/
Nov 23, 2016•14 min
Vocabulary in this lesson: stunned polls cherish setback shatter the glass ceiling reaching out second to none seek common ground Watch the video: https://www.espressoenglish.net/learn-english-vocabulary-from-the-u-s-election-results/
Nov 16, 2016•15 min
VOCABULARY IN THIS LESSON: a divisive issue burst / surge / influx a tight presidential race struck a chord with voters uneasy about the changes sizeable counties struggling in school embraced the newcomers dismissed out of hand goes by the wayside Watch the video: https://www.espressoenglish.net/learn-english-from-the-news-immigration/
Nov 09, 2016•13 min
I have a special treat for you today! This is an interview with Olly from iwillteachyoualanguage.com - he has learned many languages, and he has some great advice on how to learn English, how to speak English confidently when you might be afraid to talk to a native speaker, and more. Make sure to check out Olly's website and podcast at www.iwillteachyoualanguage.com
Nov 02, 2016•27 min
Native English speakers use a lot of slang words in casual conversations! Today you'll learn some English slang words related to the topic of money. Click here for the lesson text: https://www.espressoenglish.net/slang-words-about-money/
Oct 26, 2016•6 min
Do you want to understand conversations better, learn the expressions native English speakers use, and speak more fluently? This course has more advanced conversations that are full of common informal expressions used by native English speakers. It teaches you the phrases in context so that you'll be able to remember and use them – and become more fluent as a result. Today's lesson is a free sample from the course. Click here for the lesson text: http://www.espressoenglish.net/free-sample-lesson...
Oct 19, 2016•13 min
Do you ever feel sad and discouraged about your English-learning progress? Do you sometimes find it hard to stay motivated, because learning English takes such a long time? Are there days when you just don't feel like studying? If you've ever experienced these emotions, today's lesson is for you. Today I'm teaching you 10 practical ways to stay motivated in your English learning. Click here for the lesson text: http://www.espressoenglish.net/10-practical-ways-to-motivate-yourself-to-study-englis...
Oct 12, 2016•15 min
In today's lesson, you'll learn 10 English phrases with the word ""start"". Click here for the lesson text: https://www.espressoenglish.net/10-fresh-phrases-with-the-english-word-start/ Sometimes the hardest thing about studying English is just sitting down and starting, right? You have to make time to do it... and then you have to search the whole internet to find something interesting to study. It's hard to start! My courses are designed to make it easy for you to start studying every day. The...
Oct 05, 2016•7 min
In this lesson, you will learn how to keep a conversation going, without running out of things to say! Here's an example of how NOT to have an English conversation: "Did you have a good weekend?" "Yes, I did. And you?" "Yeah." Unfortunately, the conversation stops here because there's no natural way to continue it. This is OK if you only want to have a quick conversation (for example, if you are quickly passing a co-worker in the hallway). But how can you have a longer conversation in English? C...
Sep 28, 2016•6 min
When you watch a TV show or movie in English, have you ever heard someone described as foxy, ripped, a brat, a munchkin, or an old fart? These are all slang words for types of people. In today's lesson, you'll learn what they all mean - as well as whether each one is offensive or OK. Click here for the lesson text: http://www.espressoenglish.net/english-slang-words-for-appearance-age
Sep 21, 2016•8 min
Sometimes people ask me to explain in detail the difference between a collocation, a phrasal verb, an idiom, a slang word, a proverb, etc. To be honest, that's the wrong question. All of these types of expressions are part of the English language, but most native English speakers could NOT tell you the technical differences between them. The most important thing for an English learner is to know what they mean and how to use them. So today's lesson is a mix of idioms, phrasal verbs, and collocat...
Sep 14, 2016•10 min
Here's a fun way to study prepositions - let's learn some casual conversational expressions using IN and ON. You might hear a native speaker say things like, - ""I'm in the same boat."" - ""You're on a roll!"" - ""Do you ever feel like you're in a rut?"" - ""That car looks like it's on its last legs."" Today you'll learn what all these expressions mean... so that you won't be confused when you hear them in conversation! Click here for the lesson text: http://www.espressoenglish.net/15-conversati...
Sep 07, 2016•7 min
Do you want to understand English conversations better, learn the expressions that native speakers use, and speak English more fluently? The Everyday English Speaking Course – Level 2 will help you! This course has more advanced conversations that are full of common informal expressions used by native English speakers. It teaches you the phrases in context so that you'll be able to remember and use them – and become more fluent in English as a result. Click here to learn more and sign up: http:/...
Aug 31, 2016•5 min
Do you know what the phrasal verbs harp on, rattle off, and butt out mean? If not, you'll learn all of these and more in today's lesson. This is actually a free sample from the Phrasal Verbs in Conversation Course - if you haven't taken this course yet, I think you'll really enjoy it. According to one student, ""I definitely lost my fear of making mistakes with phrasal verbs, because the dialogues of every lesson are incredibly interesting and clear. I highly recommend this course to all student...
Aug 24, 2016•10 min
Learn English phrases for talking about travel nightmares. For example, "My Flight Was Overbooked, And I Got Bumped To A Later One." A "flight" is a trip by airplane. If the flight is "overbooked," it means that the airline sold too many tickets, and there is not enough space on the plane for all the people who have purchased tickets. This means that some people will get "bumped" to a later flight – they can't go on the flight at the original time, and have to wait for a different flight later. ...
Aug 17, 2016•6 min
"Ask" is one of the most common verbs in English, but there are a number of details to remember when you use it in a sentence. Here are 4 ways to use the English verb "ask" correctly - and one very common error to avoid. Click here for the lesson text: https://www.espressoenglish.net/how-to-use-the-english-verb-ask-correctly/
Aug 10, 2016•6 min
You probably already know some basic English expressions with the verb "make," such as "make breakfast," "make money," and "make a promise" – but here are 15 idiomatic expressions in English that might be new for you. Click here for the lesson text: https://www.espressoenglish.net/15-idiomatic-expressions-with-the-verb-make/
Aug 03, 2016•7 min
You want to express yourself better in English, right? Well, you can add more ""color"" and detail to your sentences by learning to use these 20 interesting adverbs of manner. Adverbs of manner tell us how or in what way an action was done. Here's where to use them: 1. Immediately before the main verb He quickly drank the water. 2. Immediately after the main verb I laughed nervously. 3. If the main verb has an object, then put the adverb of manner either after the object or before the main verb ...
Jul 27, 2016•12 min
Native English speakers use a LOT of informal expressions in day-to-day life! Lately, I've been paying attention to my own conversations - and today I'll teach you 10 informal English expressions I've used recently. You'll learn phrases like: ""Can we just drop it?"" ""That's not for the faint of heart."" ""You're in for a treat!"" What do these mean? Take the lesson to find out! Click here to read the lesson text: http://www.espressoenglish.net/10-informal-english-expressions-ive-used-recently/...
Jul 20, 2016•7 min
Many students get confused when there are two consecutive verbs in a sentence – what form does the second verb take? This lesson will show you five types of verb + verb combinations with example sentences. If you want to practice more, try creating your own example sentence for each verb in the tables! Click here for the lesson text: http://www.espressoenglish.net/5-types-of-english-verb-verb-combinations/
Jul 13, 2016•11 min
One verb in English can be followed by various prepositions to make many different phrasal verbs. So you might know the basic meaning of the verb play (play sports, play the piano, etc.) - but do you know what it means to play at something or play along with something? Today you'll learn 10 different phrasal verbs with the word ""play."" There are also questions to help you form your own sentences and put the phrasal verbs into practice. Click here for the lesson text: http://www.espressoenglish...
Jul 06, 2016•8 min
When you're learning a language, it's common to feel sad about your progress. You want to become fluent... but it seems like that goal is so far away! If you hear an expression that you don't know, or have difficulty understanding a fast conversation, it's easy to lose confidence in your abilities. You might think negative thoughts like "My English is so bad." You might wonder, "Will I ever become fluent in English, or is it impossible for me?" Let me tell you about my language-learning experien...
Jun 29, 2016•9 min
One of the best ways to learn English phrasal verbs is to see them in context. This lesson will teach you 15 common English phrasal verbs related to sports and health by showing each one in use in an example sentence. Click here for the lesson text: http://www.espressoenglish.net/15-english-phrasal-verbs-in-use-sports-health/...
Jun 22, 2016•9 min
In today's episode, you'll learn expressions like buckle up, give you a ride, pull over, pit stop, and slam on the brakes. Click here for the lesson text: http://www.espressoenglish.net/12-everyday-english-phrases-driving/
Jun 15, 2016•8 min
