Run up, run off, run after, run over, and more phrasal verbs with RUN!

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-.

9 Aug 20178min

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. Sometimes students ask me for lists of the "most common words" in English... but I don't think memorizing lists is the best way to study. Instead, you should learn words in context, in "families" (topics), and with visual aids (pictures). What's even more important is to practice the new words so that you don't forget them! In my Vocabulary Builder Courses, you'll learn hundreds of useful English words. Each lesson also includes a quiz and short-answer exercises to help these words stay in your memory. I hope to see you in one of the courses!

2 Aug 20178min

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 effective way to learn new expressions and improve your ability to speak in English.

26 Juli 20175min

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 collected 600 of the most common words that students tend to confuse, and I'll teach you how to use them correctly in my e-book 600+ Confusing English Words Explained! It has simple, clear lessons explaining each of these words with examples - so that you can use them more confidently.

19 Juli 20176min

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 definitely benefit from my Advanced English Grammar Course. It has 45 lessons that cover many aspects of English grammar in depth, with plenty of examples. But what really makes it special is the writing task in each lesson, where you have the opportunity to send me your writing for correction and feedback. You can click here to learn more about the course, see the lesson list, and take some free samples.

12 Juli 201710min

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). But if you have clear and correct pronunciation, then you'll be able to speak English with everyone! I have two courses to help you get better at pronunciation: the American English Pronunciation Course and Shadowing with Shayna. In both of these courses, you'll do a lot of listen-and-repeat exercises, and at the end of each one there's an opportunity to get an evaluation of your pronunciation. I hope to see you inside!

21 Juni 20176min

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 my English Idioms Course (in which you will figure out idioms through quizzes). Click on each link to learn more and try some free sample lessons from each course.

14 Juni 20176min

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 English. You'll also learn useful vocabulary for networking, managing people, talking about projects, marketing, helping customers, and much more!

7 Juni 20176min