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Tips, insights, and updates about English learning
Don't Be Too Casual in Emails to Teachers: Overly Informal Words Learners Most Frequently Misuse
Textbooks often teach just one word for a single concept, but spoken and formal English are actually two different versions. When writing emails, interviewing, or messaging teachers, many learners easily bring overly casual words like wanna, gonna, ASAP, and guy into formal settings, making them sound inappropriate. This article uses a "✗ Chinglish → ✓ Authentic Expressions" approach to help you adjust your level of formality, useful for both professional and academic success.
World Cup Finals Pub Party! How to Order Draft Beer and Snacks in English? Super Practical "Sports Bar" Social Conversations
The World Cup finals are almost here—want to go to a sports bar and party with foreign fans? This article teaches you the most authentic English for draft beer and finger foods, as well as super practical social power phrases like "Put it on my tab," helping you order food with confidence and make friends effortlessly!
travel, trip, journey, tour: Figure Out These Four English Words Before You Talk About 'Traveling'
While a single Chinese phrase covers 'traveling to Japan,' in English you must choose the right word among travel, trip, journey, and tour. By comparing common Chinglish mistakes with authentic expressions, this article teaches you how to distinguish these four words before you head abroad, helping you speak naturally and fluently.
Stop Confusing spend, take, and cost: Master English Collocations for "Spending Time and Money" Once and for All
In Chinese, the single word "花" covers both time and money, but in English, you must choose the verb based on the subject: people use spend, situations/actions use take for time, and things use cost for price. Learn these collocations once and for all by comparing them with the most common Chinglish errors.
Stop Misusing senior/junior: How to Say 'School Senior,' 'Senior,' and 'Senior Colleague' in English
The Chinese concepts of 'school senior,' 'predecessor,' and 'senior colleague' do not map directly to the single word senior. When Taiwanese people use it directly to address classmates or colleagues, native speakers often find it confusing or mistake it to mean 'elderly person.' This article uses a side-by-side comparison of ✗ Chinglish → ✓ Idiomatic Phrasing to help you learn the correct terms to use on campus and in the workplace.
see, look, watch, hear, listen: Are you using these 'eye' and 'ear' English words correctly?
In Chinese, a single word for 'looking' or 'hearing' does it all, but English distinguishes between 'accidental' and 'intentional.' Group these five words into two rows and compare them with the sentences Taiwanese learners make mistakes on most often to memorize them once and for all. Easily master these high-frequency A2 basic words.
Master say, tell, speak, and talk once and for all: Choose the right word with just three questions
A single Chinese word for 'to speak' corresponds to four different English words, which learners often mix up. In fact, by asking yourself just three simple questions, you can choose the right one among say, tell, speak, and talk instantly. This article uses a '✗ Chinglish → ✓ Authentic English' comparison to help you learn the key differences between these four verbs once and for all.
price, cost, fee, or fare? Stop mixing up these four English words for 'how much'
In Chinese, a single phrase 'how much' can get you anywhere, but English divides it into four words: use price for price tags, cost for expenses, fee for service charges, and fare for transit fares. Mixing them up won't lead to misunderstandings, but it immediately sounds like Chinglish. This article uses common mistakes made by Taiwanese learners to help you tell them apart once and for all.
"according to my opinion" is Wrong: Natural Ways to Say "I Think" and "In My Opinion"
Many Taiwanese people blurt out according to my opinion when they want to say "I think," but unfortunately, this sounds like a broken sentence to native speakers. Through a series of "✗ Chinglish → ✓ Natural expression" comparisons, this article will help you understand the division of labor between according to and in my opinion once and for all, so you'll never mix them up again in writing or speaking.