Posts tagged ESL
How NOT to learn English
You probably have seen blog posts with titles like “Ten Tips for Writing Emails” or “Best Sites for Vocabulary Practice.” This time I decided to write about learning English from a different perspective. I’m going to give you five good…
Unboxing Our First Collaboratively Published Storybook for English Learners
Since I don’t live in one of the “Amazon countries” at the moment, whenever I order books (including my own) there are two choices. I can either order directly from Amazon, pay a shipping price which is double the cost…
9th Innings, Closers, and Politics
Baseball Idioms In Politics Here’s an excerpt from this article on a bill to boost health compensation to “first responders” (health workers, firefighters, police officers) who responded to the World Trade Center attacks and are believed to have suffered higher…
Zen and English, Part 5: Intangibles
The Post of Intangibles The void of space represents that which is intangible. Though objects exist within this otherwise empty space, it is filled by neither water, nor air; it is for this reason that it is known popularly as…
Zen and English, Part 4: Wind
The Post of Wind Wind represents not only the flow of air, but the sky itself; that which is real, which we can feel, but which cannot be held by the hand. We know it is there, we see it…
Zen and English, Part 3: Fire
The Post of Fire Fire represents the agent of active change. Fire, originally a force for destruction, is used daily by mankind for the forging of metals, the heating of homes, and the illumination of city streets. It is a…
Zen and English, Part 2: Water
The Post of Water Water represents motion, mobility, and subtlety. Water takes many forms, from oceans, to steam, to clouds, to rain, to raging torrents, to snow, to ice bergs, to tranquil lakes. Water follows the path of least resistance….
English Comprehension: Apple’s Communication Gap
For English Language Learners We will be using the story at CNN linked below for English comprehension, with a key focus on idiomatic expressions. This is also for all the good people at the Facebook page, English Idioms, which I…
English Quiz: House-Hunting, Results
So, First, The Theme Perfect time to buy a home – but we’re too scared The theme of this article is simple enough in basic terms: people who would otherwise be expected to purchase homes are too frightened to buy….
English: Precedented vs. Unprecedented
With Precedent? Without Precedent? “Precedent” A precedent is an action that is used as a later example, or standard, by which future actions may be judged. Therefore, the precedent precedes (comes before, comes prior to) the action the precedent is…
English: Tapping People
Not A Physical Tap Obama Taps Geithner, Lew to Help Resolve Tax Cut Debate In this context, to tap (someone) does not mean physically tapping them. Historically, tapping someone on the shoulder is an action done to select someone or…
