Category: Learning English

Learning English

Conversation Is Not An Act Of War

Click for Audio Version Let’s get this out of the way: the following is strictly my personal opinion as Jeremiah Bourque. In a conversation, anything that is not a fact is, by extension, the opinion of the speaker. It is my opinion that conversation need not be an act of conquest of the other person….

Learning English

How To Greet People In 3 Easy Steps

How To Greet People In 3 Easy Steps by Jeremiah Bourque (Click on link for audio version) Hello, how do you do? My name is Jeremiah Bourque. It’s a pleasure to meet you. In three sentences, I have just given you a lesson on how to make a greeting. #1: Breaking the Ice Figuratively speaking,…

Learning English

English Essays: Three Simple Steps

Keeping it simple makes it easy.

Learning English

I Am…

An Essay by Jeremiah Bourque Listen to this Article as a Podcast Your browser does not support the audio element. The English language really begins with two words: I am. English verb phrases are defined by two things: what is definite, and what is indefinite. Put differently, English verb phrases are defined by what is…

Learning English

A Language Carries An Entire Culture On Its Back

I like to say, language begins from personal experience. As little children, we learn from others how to identify objects around us. Repetition of words occurs in the context of what things in the family home are called. Language, however, does not end at our personal experiences. Through allegory, comparison, and, as we get older,…

Learning English

The Present Perfect, and Present Perfect Continuous

This is my attempt to explain the present perfect tense, and the present perfect continuous tense (a.k.a. the progressive tense), without causing your head to explode. Wish me luck. The present perfect uses this structure: You have grown since the last time I saw you. My French has improved since I moved to Paris. I…

Learning English

Figurative Meaning: Explanations & Examples

Literal vs. Figurative Meanings https://learnoutlive.com/wp-content/audio/Literal-vs-Figurative.mp3 When discussing American English idioms, or expressions, or sayings, it is very important to understand the difference between the “literal” and “figurative” meanings of a word or phrase. “Literal” has the same root as “literary,” which means “related to a book.” A “literal” meaning is a meaning that is “by…