Tag: ESL

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Today I’m thankful for YOU!

Today we celebrate Thanksgiving in Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday of October each year. Most families have a special dinner that consists mainly in turkey and stuffing, mashed potatoes, squash or turnips, cranberries sauce, and pumpkin pie. It’s a time to spend with family and friends.

Typical Canadian Thanksgiving dinner

Vocabulary related to Thanksgiving

Vocabulary related to Thanksgiving
Download Vocabulary with Audio

Grammar related to Thanksgiving

Canadian families have different traditions during Thanksgiving dinner. My family has a special tradition before eating dinner. First, we say grace, which is a short prayer to give thanks. Then, each person says something they are thankful for. Thanksgiving is a time to reflect and give thanks for one’s life, health, food, family, friends, work, and freedom. 

How to use the word thankful?

First let’s analyze what part of the speech is the word thankful. It’s similar to the word thank, right? The word thank is a verb, so thankful is and adjective (many adjectives have a ‘ful’ ending). Can you guess what the adverb form is? Yes, the adverb form is thankfully (many adverbs have a ‘ly’ ending). Yay! We already have made a word family.

  • thank (verb)
  • thankful (adjective)
  • thankfully (adverb)

The word thankful represents a feeling that people experience when they are happy because of someone or something. It is commonly used to express gratitude.

Thankful for someone or something

Examples:

He is thankful for his wife.

I’m so thankful for all the support I’ve received during these hard times.

Thankful to do something

Examples:

I’m so thankful to be alive.

She is thankful to have a job

Practice time

What are you are thankful for today?

Share your answer in the comments below.

For more details about word families, check this:

How to learn new words easily using word families

How to Express your Opinion in English

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Listen to the audio

Imagine that you are in a meeting where an important discussion is going on and suddenly your manager calls you out and says “What’s your opinion about this topic?

You start feeling nervous and you can’t say anything. You have a lot of great ideas but you don’t know how to express them.

It is common that when we have to share our opinion we feel insecure and nervous. The fear to speak up can be ever worse if we have to speak in a different language. Fear often prevents us to share our opinions with our classmates, colleagues, managers, and other English speakers.

It’s time you learned useful phrases that will make you feel confident enough to speak up. This in turn will allow you to grow professionally, academically and personally.

In this post I share useful phrases that you can use in your next class or meeting.

GIVING YOUR OPINION

BASIC
OPINIONS		STRONG AND PERSONAL OPINIONSWEAK OR HESITANT OPINIONS
I (don’t) think…I (don’t) really think …As far as I know,…
I (don’t ) believe …I strongly believe that …As far as I’m concerned, …
I (don’t) feel …There’s no doubt that …It seems to me that …
In my opinion/ view …I honestly think that ….I might be wrong but …
The way I see it …I’m convinced that…You probably won’t agree, but …

ASKING FOR OPINION

What’s your opinion?

What do you think?

How do you feel about …?

How do you see the situation?

What’s your view?

RESPONDING TO AN OPINION

AGREEINGDISAGREEINGREACTING
I agree.I disagree.Really?
I think so too.I don’t think so.+ That’s a great suggestion
– That doesn’t make any sense
I couldn’t agree more.I’m not quite sure.I’m not very familiar with the topic.
You might be right.That’s not true.Know what I think?
I couldn’t have said it better.I totally disagree.I see what you mean.

Practice time

What do you think about this blog?

What topics would you like to be discussed in this blog?

Essential Vocabulary for Online Meetings

How to Participate in an Online Class

How to Participate in an Online Class

Asking for Clarification

Assertive Communication for English Learners

How to Participate in an Online Class

teacherjulieta2 Comments
Listen to the audio

Class participation is important if you want to learn faster. Participating in class will allow you to use your English like you would do in the real world. When you participate you are practicing and the more you practice using the language, the faster you will improve it.

Your classes will be more fun if you participate actively and communicate with your classmates and your teacher. Nobody wants to be in a classroom where nobody speaks. It is normal to feel nervous when you have to participate or ask a question. But after you participate you will feel more energetic and alert. That in turn will help you remember what you learn and feel more confident.

Here I’m going to share with you different ways of participating during your online classes:

1. Be proactive and thoughtful
  • Turn ON your camera and keep it on during the whole class.
  • Turn ON your microphone when you participate.
  • Turn OFF your microphone when other people participate.
  • Use the chat box to ask questions or communicate with your teacher and classmates during the class.
  • Join the breakout rooms and participate in the group activities.
  • Offer to share your screen
2. Ask questions

If you have a question or if you are confused you can ask for help to your teacher or your classmates. Here there are some sentence starters that you can use during your class.

Here you have a list of useful phrases that you can use during your English classes:

  • I have a question about _________________.
  • I’m confused about _____________________.
  • I need help with _______________________.
  • I have difficulties understanding __________________.
  • I would like to know more about ___________________.
  • Can you give me an example?
  • What’s the difference between ________ and __________?.
  • What is the answer to question/ exercise ______?
  • What does _______________ mean?
  • How do you pronounce this word?
  • How do you spell _________?
  • How did you get the answer?
  • Can you repeat the last part that you just said?
3. Offer your help

If you want to help your classmates or if you know the answer you can use the following sentence starters:

  • I might know the answer to that.
  • I think I can help you with ________.
  • I’m not sure, but I think the answer is _____________.
4. Volunteer

If you want to volunteer or start the activity

  • Can I go first?
  • I’ll go first.
  • I can do it
  • Who’s next?
5. Share your gratitude
  • Thanks for helping me understand __________.
  • I appreciate your help.
  • I really liked that activity.
  • It was a really fun/ interesting activity.
  • I liked that!

Practice Time

It’s your time to participate!

How important is class participation for you? How do you feel when your classmates refuse to participate in class?

Related:

Essential Vocabulary for Online Meetings

Asking for help

Useful English Phrases for Better Communication (Asking for Clarification)

Useful English Phrases to Ask for Help

teacherjulieta3 Comments

Asking for help is an important skill that we need to develop in order to communicate effectively with our classmates and colleagues.

Note: In English “a hand” sometimes means “help“

to lend someone a hand = to help someone

Example: I was very busy with the clients, so John lent me a hand with the final report.

As you can see, in English there are different ways of asking for help. Here there is a list of useful English phrases that you can use instead of saying:

Help me, please.

  1. Could you help me, please?
Listen and Repeat

/kudju help mee pleez/

2. Could you lend me a hand?

Listen and Repeat

/kudju lenmee uh hand/

3. Would you mind lending me a hand?

Listen and Repeat

/wudju mind lenduhng mee uh hand/

4. Can I ask a favor?

Listen and Repeat

/kuhnai askuh fAyvr/

5. Can you do me a favor?

Listen and Repeat

/kuhnju doo mee uh fAyvr

6. I have a favor to ask.

Listen and Repeat

/ai havuh fAyvr tuhask/

7. I need a big favor.

Listen and Repeat

/ai needuh big fAyvr/

8. Do you have a minute?

Listen and Repeat

/duju havuh minut/

9. Could you help me _________ ? (verb in the base form)

Listen and Repeat

/kuhdju help mee ______ /

10. Could you ________ for me? (verb in the base form)

Listen and Repeat

/kuhdju _______ for mee/

Practice Time

Read each of the phrases and record yourself. Listen to your voice.

  1. For you, what sounds are difficult to pronounce?
  2. How many times can you say each of the sentences without making a mistake?

Share your answers in the comments below.

Useful English Phrases for Better Communication

teacherjulieta3 Comments
Play the Audio

If you don’t understand what other people say, it’s a good idea to ask for clarification instead of saying:

“I don’t understand” or “Sorry, my English is very bad”

Here there is a list of useful expressions for asking for clarification. These expressions will help you speak fluently and communicate better with your classmates or colleagues. It’s important that you learn how to pronounce each of the phrases correctly. There is an audio below each phrase so you can check the pronunciation that will help you learn them easily.

  1. Pardon me?
Listen and Repeat

2. Excuse me. Could you repeat that, please?

Listen and Repeat

3. Could you say that again?

Listen and Repeat

4. I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you properly.

Listen and Repeat

5. I’m sorry, I missed that.

Listen and Repeat

6. I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that.

Listen and Repeat

7. What do you mean?

Listen and Repeat

8. What does _________ mean?

Listen and Repeat

9. Could you give an example?

Listen and Repeat

10. Did you say ________? (say the word you heard)

Listen and Repeat

Practice Time

Read each of the sentences out load and record yourself using your cellphone or your computer. Listen to your voice.

  1. For you, what sounds/ words are difficult to pronounce?
  2. For you, what is the easiest phrase? How many times can you say it without making a mistake?

Share your answers in the comments below.

Related:

Essential Vocabulary for Online Meetings

Useful English Phrases to Ask for Help

Healthy Habits to Improve Your English

teacherjulieta1 Comment

Let’s Talk About Healthy Habits!

💬 Objective:
Practice speaking skills by sharing ideas about healthy habits for improving English.

Step 1: Warm-Up Questions

Start by answering these questions with a classmate or a speaking partner:

  1. Which of the healthy habits in the picture do you already practice?
  2. Do you think these habits help you improve your English? How?
  3. What other habits do you think are important for learning a language?

Step 2: Healthy Habits Discussion

🗣 Task: Work in pairs or small groups. Discuss the following habits from the picture:

  1. Sleep Well 🛌
    • How many hours do you usually sleep?
    • How do you feel when you don’t sleep enough?
  2. Drink Plenty of Water 💧
    • Why is it important to stay hydrated while studying?
    • How much water do you drink every day?
  3. Relax and Take It Easy 🧘‍♀️
    • What activities help you relax after studying?
    • Do you think relaxation improves memory?
  4. Exercise 🏋️‍♂️
    • What’s your favorite way to stay active?
    • Do you think exercise helps you focus? Why?
  5. Eat Well 🍎
    • What healthy foods give you energy to learn?
    • Do you prefer studying after a snack or a meal?
  6. Hobbies 🎨
    • What hobbies can you do in English (reading, watching movies, puzzles)?
    • How can hobbies make learning English more fun?

Step 3: Share Your Ideas!

🌟 Challenge: After your discussion, share your thoughts with the class or your teacher.

Example: “I think sleeping well is the most important habit because it helps you concentrate. I sleep 8 hours every night, and it really works for me!”

For Extra Practice

Leave a comment below! Write about the habit you think is the most important and how it helps you. 😊

Related:

Fun activities to practice English

Fun activities to practice English

teacherjulieta1 Comment

Do you need motivation to practice English outside the classroom?

Choose your favourite activity and do it in English.

Need some ideas? Here I share some fun ideas that you can do anytime.

fun activities to improve your English

What’s your favourite activity to practice English outside the classroom?

FREE FUN RESOURCES TO PRACTICE ENGLISH:

Karaoke:

https://lyricstraining.com/en/

Tongue twisters:

The Tongue Twister Challenge (Intensity Level 1)
The Tongue Twister Challenge (Intensity level 2)
The Tongue Twister Challenge (Intensity Level 3)

Lip sync:

Best Free Lip Sync Apps for Android and iOS Users

TV shows and movies:

https://gem.cbc.ca/

Doodling:

https://sketch.io/sketchpad/

Questions: Be…? Do…? Have…?

teacherjulieta4 Comments

Asking questions in English can be tricky, eh!

Sometimes we have to invert the subject and the verb to make a question.

Example:

You are my friend

Are you my friend?

Sometimes we have to use an auxiliary verb to make a question.

Example:

You like coffee.

Do you like coffee?

Is there an easy way to remember how to use auxiliary verbs correctly?

I’ve found that using charts is a great way to visualize the differences. Charts also help you remember which auxiliary to use when asking questions in English.

Verb be

Verb be is a unique verb that can change its position to change a sentence into a question.

A. Simple present

SubjectAffirmative
S V O		Question
S <-> V
(V S O)
II am late.Am I late?
YouYou are Canadian.Are you Canadian?
HeHe is your father.Is he your father?
SheShe is our teacher.Is she our teacher?
ItIt is okay to make mistakes.Is it okay to make mistakes?
WeWe are tired.Are we tired?
TheyThey are Brazilian.Are they Brazilian?

B. Simple past

SubjectAffirmative
S V O		Question
S <-> V
(V S O)
II was late.Was I late?
YouYou were sick yesterday.Were you sick yesterday?
HeHe was my best friend.Was he my best friend?
SheShe was our teacher.Was she our teacher?
ItIt was okay to make mistakes.Was it okay to make mistakes?
WeWe were tired last night.Were we tired last night?
TheyThey were very hungry.Were they very hungry?

AUXILIARIES

An auxiliary verb is not an action verb, rather it helps the action verb to convey its meaning. Therefore, it is also known as helping verb. Auxiliary verbs are used with main verbs to help express the tense.

Verb be is an auxiliary in the continuous tenses

C. Present continuous

(Aux: am/is/are)

SubjectAffirmative
Subject + Aux + verbing 		Question
Aux + Subject + verbing
II am studying English.Am I studying English?
YouYou are living in Canada.Are you living in Canada?
HeHe is traveling to France.Is he traveling to France?
SheShe is chatting with her friends.Is she chatting with her friends?
ItIt is raining.Is it raining?
WeWe are having a good time.Are we having a good time?
TheyThey are doing a great job.Are they doing a great job?

D. Past continuous

(Aux: was/ were)

SubjectAffirmative
Subject + Aux + verbing		Question
Aux + Subject + verbing
II was studying English this morning.Was I studying English this morning?
YouYou were living in Canada last year.Were you living in Canada last year?
HeHe was traveling to yesterday.Was he traveling to France yesterday?
SheShe was chatting with her friends.Was she chatting with her friends?
ItIt was raining two hours ago.Was it raining two hours ago?
WeWe were having a good time.Were we having a good time?
TheyThey were doing a great job.Were they doing a great job?

Do is an auxiliary verb (Aux) that we use when we want to ask questions in simple present.

E. Simple present

SubjectAffirmative
S V O		Question
Aux + Subject + verb
II like studying English.Do I like studying English?
YouYou live in Canada. Do you live in Canada?
HeHe travels to France once a year. Does he travel to France once a year?
SheShe chats with Mike every day. Does she chat with Mike every day?
ItIt (The dog) plays with the children. Does it (the dog) play with the children?
WeWe always have a good time in class. Do we always have a good time in class?
TheyThey always do a great job. Do they always do a great job?

Did is an auxiliary verb (Aux) that we use when we want to ask questions in simple past.

E. Simple past

SubjectAffirmative
S V O		Question
Aux + Subject + verb
II liked studying English.Did I like studying English?
YouYou lived in Canada. Did you live in Canada?
HeHe traveled to France last year.Did he travel to France last year?
SheShe chatted with Mike yesterday. Did she chat with Mike yesterday?
ItIt (The dog) played with the children yesterday.Did it (the dog) play with the children yesterday?
WeWe had a good time in class yesterday.Did we have a good time in class yesterday?
TheyThey did a great job. Did they do a great job?

Have is an auxiliary verb (Aux) that we use when we want to ask questions in present perfect and present perfect continuous.

F. Present Perfect

(Aux: have/has)

SubjectAffirmative
S + Aux + past participle		Question
Aux + Subject + verb
II have studied English for 2 years.Have I studied English for 2 years?
YouYou have lived in Canada since 2010. Have you lived in Canada since 2010?
HeHe has traveled to France twice.Has he traveled to France twice?
SheShe has done her homework. Has she done her homework?
ItIt (The dog) has run away.Has it (the dog) run away?
WeWe have finished the course.Have we we finished the course?
TheyThey have found a good job. Have they found a good job?

G. Present Perfect Continuous

(Aux: have been/has been)

SubjectAffirmative
S + Aux + verbing		Question
Aux + Subject + verb
II have been studying English for 2 years.Have I been studying English for 2 years?
YouYou have been living in Canada since 2010. Have you been living in Canada since 2010?
HeHe has been working in France for 2 years .Has he been working in France for 2 years?
SheShe has been doing her homework since 5 o’ clock. Has she been doing her homework since 5 o’clock?
ItIt (The dog) has been sleeping all day.Has it (the dog) been sleeping all day?
WeWe have been taking this course since April.Have we been taking this course since April?
TheyThey have been looking for a job since April. Have they been looking for a good job since April?

Practice time

Put the words in the correct order to make questions

Related:

Common mistakes with be do & have

Make up your mind

teacherjulietaLeave a comment

“You can’t make decisions based on fear and the possibility of what might happen.”

Michelle Obama

Curious about the meaning of the English expression make up your mind?

Do you know which verb goes with decision in Spanish, Portuguese, French and Italian?

Which one is correct: take a decision or make a decision?

In this short video I’ll explain the meaning of these phrases and how to use them correctly.

To learn more English expressions check the following posts:

Money talks

Let me sleep on it

I’m thankful for

Wanna sound like a native?

teacherjulietaLeave a comment

My apologies

There are several questions that come to my mind every time that I see ads, videos, and comments that promote nativespeakerism. I’m an advocate of critical thinking and I’m against nativespekerim and any form of discrimination.

Today I’ll start a thread of thought provoking posts with a public apology.

  • What's the difference between 'normal' and 'native'?


My dear English students,

I would encourage you to start questioning the ads of teachers and influencers who make you feel inferior, broken, unworthy, incapable and unintelligent just because of your English level or your accent.

You are capable of achieving great things. Don’t let anyone decide what you should say and how you should sound.

If I ever made you feel like that, I want to take this moment to apologize. If you have ever been humiliated or mistreated by an English or any other language teacher, I just want to say: ‘Forgive us. I’m deeply sorry for the pain you had to endure’

Don’t let anyone stop you becoming the best version of yourself.

I hope you achieve all your goals. I encourage you to speak like you and let others hear your voice.

With much love,

Julieta

P.S. You are worthy.

Do you think that speaking like a native is better than speaking normal English?/ Why? Why not?