When I was taking ESL classes many years ago, one of my Colombian classmates asked me: “Do you know New York?” “Of course,” I replied, “who doesn’t?” But what I thought he’d asked was if I knew ABOUT New York. Later I found out that he actually wanted to ask me if I had ever […]
How to be an effective communicator
The confusing meaning of double negatives
You have probably heard that double negatives in English are not grammatically correct. A double negative is when you use two negative words in a phrase or a sentence. For example, ✘ “I don’t like nothing” is grammatically incorrect. The correct way to say this sentence in English is ✔ “I don’t like anything” or ✔ “I like nothing.” But there is another […]
Common mistakes Slavic speakers make in English
All languages have unique words and phrases that, if translated literally into English, can cause confusion and even sound comical. For example, the literal translation of “thank you upfront” from Polish to English – “thank you from the mountain” 😂 – is a common joke among Polish speakers. Although this is just a joke and […]
What does it mean to be fluent in English?
Do you consider yourself fluent in English or are you waiting to reach this “perfect” level when you will no longer make any mistakes and speaking English will feel as natural as speaking your native language? What does it mean to be fluent in another language anyway? When I started college in the US, I […]
Shitty draft – embrace fear and start writing
Have you ever written a shitty draft? You’d probably say: “Of course, I’ve written many shitty drafts” 😅. But I’m actually asking if you’ve done it on purpose. Last month I was taking a class at the university, and because summer classes are only six weeks long, the workflow is heavy, to put it mildly. […]
How to keep going when the task lasts forever
“Why should I keep going? I will never be able to learn English well. I will never feel fluent.” I’ve heard these words from many English learners who, with frustration in their voice, tell me that they’ve started learning English a long time ago, but still don’t feel confident in their abilities to speak the […]
Mistakes in English: embrace fear, start speaking
“Stop worrying about mistakes and start speaking. Be confident.” I’ve seen this advice so many times. I’ve even given it myself. But the truth is that it rarely works. Most non-native speakers that I know are afraid of making mistakes when they speak English and just telling them not to be fearful is of no help. Fear […]
Slogans with mistakes?
If correct grammar is so important, then why are some of the largest companies in the world choosing to have slogans with mistakes? Is it because it’s catchy? Or do they have to send their very expensive advertising agents to grammar school? 😅 There are certain situations where a message is more powerful when it’s […]
Late bloomer in a world of glorified prodigies
Late bloomers are underestimated. Wikipedia describes a late bloomer as a person whose talents or capabilities are not visible to others until later than usual. I often see articles about successful people who have achieved their success very early in life. You know what I mean – lists like 30 under 30 that make many […]