I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that "every cloud has a silver lining" when I was sad. Or that "curiosity killed the cat" when I asked too many questions. Or, my least favorite as a child, that I should "never put off until tomorrow what I can do today" when I wanted to play video games instead of finishing my homework.  These are only three of the most commonly used proverbs in English, but I swear I’ve heard these hundreds of times!  I’m sure that you’ve heard similar proverbs and sayings over and over again in your native language. These words of wisdom can give us a new perspective, reinforce good habits, and give us something to say when we’re at a loss for words. And for you, as the avid language-learner you are,... Show more

If you plan on visiting the United States, you can’t pick a more iconic location than New York City.  With a population of over 8 million people, NYC received over 65 million tourists in 2018! Compare this to other major U.S. cities such as Los Angeles, California (50 million tourists) or Seattle, Washington (40.9 million tourists).  So what makes New York City such a desirable tourist destination?  NYC is known for being welcoming to any and all visitors, and the city also has quite a diverse population. NYC is known to have the largest population of Jews outside of Israel and the largest population of native Chinese outside of Asia. In addition, roughly a quarter of all Native Americans in the U.S. reside in New York City.  ... Show more

As an individualistic country that’s home to people of numerous cultures, the United States has not one cultural identity, but many.  Learning about American culture, values, and lifestyle is a great way to immerse yourself in the English language. Whether you’re just curious about what life in the United States looks like, or you plan on moving to the country soon, the information in this article will help you better understand what to expect.  You’ll learn about a variety of topics, from religion to food, and walk away with a clearer image of the American culture basics.  Let’s get started. Table of Contents Values and Beliefs Religion in the United States What is an American Family? American Work Culture Art:... Show more

According to Reference.com, Americans eat thirteen billion hamburgers every year, about 3 billion pizzas, and 2 million tons of french fries. Holy moly.  In the United States, we really do love our American fast food (and our Mexican fast food, Chinese fast food, and all other types of fast foods...).  That said, not all typical American food is super-unhealthy or purchased at a drive-thru window. American food culture is rather versatile, including a mix of all-American classics, meals passed along from Great Britain, and even traditional foods from other cultures.  Exploring a country’s food and eating habits is a fantastic way to learn about that country and its people. In this article, I’ll introduce you to: Several popular... Show more

When I was a kid, my mom used to force me to diagram sentences, one after another. For some reason, she thought it would help me understand things like sentence structure and parts of speech better.  It didn’t. I hated it. And today, I don't even remember how sentence diagramming works. I just remember spending miserable hours of my childhood doing it at the kitchen table. That image popped into my head as soon as I started writing this article. So today, my goal is to introduce you to all of the English grammar basics in a straightforward and simple manner. No sentence diagramming and no fuss, because I’ve been there!  By the time you finish reading this article, you’ll have a better idea of how English grammar works, from word... Show more

Why are people drawn to quotes? I think it’s because a quote can do one of two things:  1) Put our existing feelings and opinions into words 2) Help us see things from new perspectives These are things that everyone needs from time to time, and the quotes that resonate with us may stay with us forever. In this article, we’ll show you the best English quotes for students of the language! These are quotes that will inspire you, make you think, or make you smile. We’ll explain each quote in detail, so you can understand their background and meaning. Enjoy! Table of Contents Quotes About Success Quotes About Creativity and Inspiration Life Quotes in English Quotes About Time Love Quotes in English Quotes... Show more

If you plan on doing business in the United States, it’s crucial that you learn the most common English business phrases and what they really mean. This information will make it possible for you to succeed in any field and form closer bonds with your coworkers!  In this article, we’ll be discussing phrases you can use in a variety of work- and business-related situations. This includes, but isn’t limited to:  Job InterviewsBusiness MeetingsBusiness Phone Etiquette & Phrases → If you don’t have time to read through this article right now, we recommend that you check out our short vocabulary lists on Phrases for Doing Business Successfully and Words for the Workplace. Table of Contents Before We Begin… Business... Show more

What a time to be alive! The age of online learning, working from home...and YouTube.  YouTube is one of the most popular social media platforms today, with at least hundreds of millions of users each month. This is the place to find music videos, news coverage, cooking tips, and advice for everyday life. In short, watching YouTube can give you pleasure and entertainment with educational value. (Well, the educational value is optional…) Did you know that when you learn English, YouTube can be a great supplemental tool? People tend to learn best when they’re able to have fun in the process, or when what they’re learning intersects with their interests. And luckily, when it comes to English language learning videos, YouTube is a gold... Show more

https://youtu.be/5IfODmxAvtY?si=1b-mHj_K7Tt8PQOA It’s important to learn how to say goodbye in English because this is a crucial conversational skill to have as a new learner. In any language, saying goodbye at the end of a conversation or when leaving a group is polite. It lets the other party know that you respect them, and it makes your leave less abrupt. In this article, we’ll go over a number of ways to say goodbye in English. We cover the most common words and phrases for a variety of situations, so you’ll never have to leave awkwardly again!  → Before you continue, we recommend that you read our articles on How to Say Hello in English and How to Confidently Introduce Yourself. Start with a bonus, and download the... Show more

English is currently the third most-spoken language in the world, after Chinese and Spanish. It's also spoken in many countries around the world, making it super-useful to know, even if only at a conversational level. Learning English can also make it easier for you to learn other languages later, if you want to!  But many people hesitate to begin learning English. This may be because English is often said to be one of the most difficult languages to learn. But is this true?  In this article, we’ll answer the question "Is English hard to learn?" We’ll also show you why you might want to learn English anyway, and how to get started. (If you’re reading this article, we bet you’ve already gotten a great start!) Table of... Show more