Today we're going to practice pronunciation of words ending in -ow. Make sure to check out my Pronunciation and Shadowing Courses for a lot more pronunciation training, including an evaluation of your English pronunciation. I noticed a mistake that some of my students are making with this word: ALLOW. They are saying it like "alloe," but it's actually pronounced "allow." It's funny, the words low (the opposite of high) and below (which means "under") have the same "o" sound in "no" – low, below....
Jan 31, 2018•4 min
Today I want to teach you about the confusing words criticize, criticism, critique, critic, and critical. These are all similar and they come from the same roots, but they have different functions and some slightly different meanings. Lesson text: http://www.espressoenglish.net/difference-between-criticize-criticism-critique-critic-and-critical 600+ Confusing English Words E-Book: https://www.espressoenglish.net/600-confusing-english-words-explained/...
Jan 24, 2018•6 min
A "joke" is a funny comment or short story that is supposed to make people laugh. Do you know any good jokes? Today's lesson will teach you some useful English vocabulary for talking about jokes and humor! You'll learn: how to describe a funny joke vs. a bad joke what it means to be a "laughingstock" when to say "just kidding" Now you know some new vocabulary words! Improving your vocabulary is a great way to become more fluent in English. When you have a vocabulary, you can express yourself the...
Oct 04, 2017•8 min
English pronunciation and spelling are very tricky - the same letter can be pronounced in different ways, and the same sound can be spelled with different letters. Today you're going to learn about a common pronunciation mistake that students make with the letter "U," and practice words with the long and short U sounds. I first noticed this mistake when I was doing evaluations for students in my Pronunciation and Shadowing Courses. Everyone who takes one of those courses gets feedback from me on...
Sep 20, 2017•6 min
Today is my birthday! I'm now 33 years old :-) That's why today's new English lesson will teach you 30 expressions with "party." This word actually has a few different meanings in English - take the lesson to find out what they are! Do you want to get me a birthday present? The best thing you can do for me is to SHARE my lessons on Facebook , Twitter , and YouTube! Knowing that thousands of students like you all over the world are learning English from me is the best birthday gift I could receiv...
Sep 13, 2017•8 min
In American culture, people go to bars to socialize, flirt, and even to get to know business colleagues. In today's lesson, you'll learn 21 expressions about bars and drinking alcohol. Many of them are slang or informal expressions. This is a guest post by my teacher friend Ryan from EnglishForMyDream.com .
Sep 06, 2017•8 min
A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb + preposition that has a specific meaning. Sometimes the meaning of the phrasal verb is quite different from the meaning of the regular verb by itself! I often see students make mistakes by mixing up regular verbs and phrasal verbs . Here are some common verbs and phrasal verbs in English, and the situations in which each one should be used. Lesson text: https://www.espressoenglish.net/regular-verbs-vs-phrasal-verbs/ One of the best ways to learn phrasal...
Aug 30, 2017•10 min
There are a lot of words in English that seem to be the same – and in fact they are very similar – but we use them in different ways. In today's lesson, you'll learn the differences between 5 pairs of confusing words: deem / regard elder / older loyal / faithful crush / squeeze joke / prank Lesson text: https://www.espressoenglish.net/students-asked-me-about-these-confusing-english-words/ You might be wondering about the differences between other confusing words such as specially and especially,...
Aug 23, 2017•7 min
The English language has some interesting expressions with the word "business" - and not all of them have to do with companies or work. Let's learn 10 of these phrases and how to use them. Lesson text: https://www.espressoenglish.net/10-english-expressions-with-business/ If you're learning English for work, my Business English Course will teach you the phrases and vocabulary you need....
Aug 16, 2017•7 min
A student recently asked me how to pronounce English words starting with CON- such as content, contest, and conduct. My answer was - "It depends!" These three words are interesting because they each have two forms, with different pronunciation. Take today's lesson to learn how to pronounce these and 38 other English words with CON-.
Aug 09, 2017•8 min
Do you think you have a good understanding of English vocabulary? Today I'm sending you a challenging quiz to test your knowledge! Click here to take the vocabulary quiz. Choose the best word to complete each sentence, then click on "Get Results" at the end to see your score and the correct answers. If you can improve your vocabulary, you'll have a lot more ways to express yourself in English. You'll be able to say exactly what you want, instead of trying desperately to think of the right word. ...
Aug 02, 2017•9 min
If you're embarrassed, it can be almost impossible to think of the right thing to say... especially in English! In today's lesson, you'll learn useful phrases for responding to embarrassing situations . Learn these, and you'll never have to worry about saying the wrong thing during an awkward moment. You might also enjoy my Everyday English Speaking Courses , which teach you phrases and expressions for lots of situations in daily life. These conversation-based lessons are a simple, fun, and effe...
Jul 26, 2017•6 min
Students often say "I have a doubt" and then ask me something about the English language. However, native English speakers don't usually say it this way. If you want to know the answer about something, you should say "I have a question." So when can we use the word "doubt"? Click here to find out in today's lesson! English has a lot of words that seem to be the same... but native speakers actually use them in different situations. This is where a lot of English learners make mistakes. I've colle...
Jul 19, 2017•7 min
I see this problem in a lot of more experienced English learners: Their written English might be 90% fine, but there are still some small errors. These mistakes don't affect communication... but of course we still want to correct them! In today's lesson, I'll teach you 8 common English grammar mistakes with examples from real students of mine. Are you an upper-intermediate or advanced student, and do you want to make sure your written English is completely correct? If so, then you would definite...
Jul 12, 2017•10 min
We're in the middle of the month of June, and next month is July... so today let's learn 10 vocabulary words that begin with the letter "J." Don't just read the lesson... also, make sure to listen to the words and repeat them out loud to practice your pronunciation. One of the most effective things you can do to improve your English is to improve your pronunciation. If you have BAD pronunciation, then nobody will understand you (even if your grammar is perfect and you have a great vocabulary). B...
Jun 21, 2017•7 min
Today's lesson is inspired by a student question – he asked what the expression "we're spinning our wheels" means. Take the lesson to find out! You'll learn 10 interesting expressions for progress , including: run into a brick wall shift into high gear at breakneck pace ...and more. You can learn a lot more of these casual and colorful expressions in spoken English in my courses. I especially recommend: Everyday English Speaking Course Level 2 (helps you learn expressions from conversations) or ...
Jun 14, 2017•6 min
When writing a business letter or when e-mailing a business contact who we don't know well, we use slightly more formal words and expressions. Today you'll learn how to transform casual, conversational English into more appropriate business English phrases. If you're learning English for your career, make sure to check out my Business English Course , with 40 practical lessons for work. In this course, you can improve your ability to handle interviews, phone calls, meetings, and negotiations in ...
Jun 07, 2017•7 min
Let's learn some collocations - words that often go together! In today's lesson, you'll learn 30 different collocations with the word "country." At the end of the lesson, I also clarify the difference between "country" and "countryside." If you want to learn more collocations, you'll love my e-book 1000 English Collocations in 10 Minutes a Day. It has short lessons and quizzes to help you learn new expressions every day. Here are some comments from English learners who have enjoyed the 1000 coll...
May 31, 2017•7 min
What does it mean when someone asks, "Do you drive at all?" In today's lesson, you'll learn how to use the expression "at all" in negative statements and questions. Lesson text: http://www.espressoenglish.net/how-to-use-at-all-in-english
May 17, 2017•4 min
One student said she sometimes sees "police" and sometimes "the police" - which is correct? What's the difference? Today you'll learn the answer to this question, as well as find out why saying "a police" is wrong. Lesson text: http://www.espressoenglish.net/do-we-use-the-with-police
May 10, 2017•4 min
What situations would make you feel embarrassed? What situations would make you feel ashamed? Learn the difference between these confusing English words in today's lesson! Lesson text: http://www.espressoenglish.net/difference-between-embarrassed-and-ashamed
May 03, 2017•4 min
What's the difference between meet, meet with, and meet up with? You'll learn (with examples) in today's podcast! Lesson text: http://www.espressoenglish.net/meet-meet-with-or-meet-up-with
Apr 26, 2017•5 min
Today's episode is another free sample from the Business English Course. You'll learn 12 common business idioms by figuring them out from the context. One question you might be asking is, "Can we use idioms in business English?" The answer is "sometimes." In more official situations (such as writing a business report or formal letter), we avoid idioms. However, it is OK to use idioms in e-mails among co-workers as well as in conversations at work. Take today's lesson to learn expressions such as...
Apr 19, 2017•13 min
Have you ever been shy about participating in a meeting in English? It can be really hard to think of the right phrases in a professional situation, when everyone is watching you. Some English learners prefer to stay quiet. But I want to help you speak up confidently - so in today's lesson, you'll learn 82 practical English phrases to use in meetings. This is a free sample lesson from the Business English Course , which will teach you useful vocabulary and phrases for working in an English-speak...
Apr 12, 2017•14 min
It can be hard for English learners to know when to use the word "to." In today's lesson, you'll see 6 common mistakes with "to" - and learn the correct way to say these sentences. Lesson text: http://www.espressoenglish.net/common-english-mistakes-with-the-word-to
Mar 29, 2017•7 min
Sometimes students ask me about the "rules" of English pronunciation - but it's impossible to teach "rules," because there are so many exceptions. A lot of English words are pronounced differently from the way they appear to be written. In today's lesson, you'll learn about common pronunciation mistakes - and the right way to pronounce these words. I encourage you to LISTEN AND REPEAT, because the best way to remember the right pronunciation is to practice! Watch the video: http://www.espressoen...
Mar 22, 2017•10 min
Prepositions can be very challenging, even for advanced English learners! Today I'll teach you 10 of the most common mistakes students make with prepositions. Lesson text: http://www.espressoenglish.net/10-common-english-mistakes-with-prepositions
Mar 15, 2017•7 min
Can you find the mistakes in these sentences? They are all incorrect. They don't sound natural. "I bought yesterday a new t-shirt." "Please finish quickly the report." "I'll put on the table the dishes." What's wrong with these sentences? Listen to today's lesson to find out! Lesson text: https://www.espressoenglish.net/common-english-mistakes-with-direct-and-indirect-objects/
Mar 08, 2017•6 min
If you're tired of using the same basic and boring English words all the time, today's lesson will teach you some new vocabulary. You'll learn 20 very powerful adjectives , such as excruciating, destitute, miraculous, absurd, and jittery. You can practice your pronunciation by repeating these words after me, and study the example sentences to see how they are used.
Feb 01, 2017•8 min
Do you know the difference between get away with and get along with ? Do you know what sleep with really means? Can you use deal with, stick with, and mess with in a sentence? Today's lesson will teach you 10 useful phrasal verbs with "with"!
Jan 25, 2017•8 min
