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Someone has eaten my porridge -> My porridge has been eaten!

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 13:14:13 +0000

This line from the fairy tale The Story of Three Bears is an example of the active voice changed into the passive voice. Remember that the verb 'to be' is conjugated and followed by the past participle to form the passive voice. Study how to form the passive voice and then check your ability to form passive sentences from active sentences and then active sentences from passive sentences.

Participating in Business Meetings

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 12:21:35 +0000

What I hear you saying is that you believe ....,

I see your point, but don't you think ...

Let's skip the first item and go straight to ...

These are all phrases you might commonly hear in business meetings. This guide to participating in business meetings provides key phrases to help you contribute to each phrase of the meeting. Sometimes, you'll also be expected to make presentations. Use this guide to making a business presentation to help plan each step of the way.

Native English Teachers Only?

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:13:48 +0000

It's common practice to hire only native English speakers in many private schools specializing in English instruction around the world. Many non-native English teachers rightly ask whether this practice is fair as they have gained mastery of the language, as well as have earned teaching credentials. I've presented some of the main arguments in this discussion of non-native English teachers, as well as my own opinions.

Please join the conversation at the end of the article by submitting your opinion, or add your comments to this blog post. Thank you for expressing your thoughts!

What's he like?

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:02:25 +0000

Here's a short quiz, choose the best answer to this question:

What's he like?

He's a friendly guy and very smart.
He likes playing tennis and cooking.
He's tall and very well built.

The answer: He's a friendly guy and very smart.

Questions with 'like' can be confusing because they sound similar, but ask about different things. Review these basic questions with 'like' or use this lesson plan on 'like' to help your class. Once you understand, take this quiz on questions with 'like' to test your understanding.

Sentence Structure Chart

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:46:12 +0000

Learning tenses can be difficult, but one thing remains the same: basic sentence structure. This sentence structure chart provides structure for positive and negative sentences, as well as questions. It provides an example in each of the thirteen English tenses. Studying this chart will help you understand how changes in English are minimal and help you focus on the changes that take place in the auxiliary verb.

Focus on the Prepositions At and To

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:49:42 +0000

Here are two sheets that focus on the prepositions at and to. These prepositions are used with both verbs of movement and to express place. Each explanation sheet includes explanation of various uses of these prepositions, as well as common phrases that begin with each preposition such as At any rate, to that end, to sum up, etc,

Preposition - At
Preposition - To

What would you do if you were in his shoes?

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:00:35 +0000

To be in someone's shoes is an idiom often used to express what you would do if you were that person. This is also an example of a conditional sentence. Conditionals are used to imagine situations in the future, present and past. There are also a number of similar expressions used to speak about hypothetical situations such as I'd rather be lying on the beach on vacation!

Capitalization and Punctuation

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:54:02 +0000

Capitalization and punctuation go hand in hand. Why is that? Well, The first word of every sentence or question is capitalized, and the last word of each sentence or question is followed by a punctuation mark. In other words, the first place to look for understanding in capitalization and punctuation is at the end of one sentence and the first word of the next. Of course, there are other rules which this guide to capitalization rules and this guide to basic English punctuation rules will help you learn.

Focus on the Prepositions On and In

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:34:11 +0000

Here are two sheets that focus on the prepositions on and in. Each explanation sheet includes explanation of various uses of these prepositions, as well as common phrases that begin with each preposition such as On the contrary, on the way, etc. and in any case, in conclusion, etc.

Preposition - In
Preposition - On

Improving Reading Skills

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:26:34 +0000

Ask yourself a simple question: Do I read every word of every text in my native language? My guess is that you don't. Unfortunately, when reading in English (or another foreign language) people want to understand every word. Learn how to improve your English reading skills by using the techniques you already use in your own language.

Next, you can use these reading skills in a number of ways to improve other areas of English learning such as pronunciation, grammar and increasing vocabulary.

Reading Tips to Improve Your Pronunciation
Reading Tips to Improve Your Vocabulary
Reading Tips to Improve Your Conversational Skills
Reading Tips to Improve Your Grammar
Reading Tips to Improve Your Listening Skills