Blog
Tips, insights, and updates about English learning
Zero Article: When do you not need to use the or a?
Once you have mastered a / an / the, the next level is "when to use none of the three." This article summarizes the most common situations for the zero article: plural generalizations, uncountable generalizations, meals, sports, languages, go to school, and by bus. Each point is paired with A2-level example sentences and correct/incorrect demonstrations, plus a quick tip at the end to help you decide in a second.
wish and if only: How to Express Regrets and Wishes Like "I Wish..." in English
Want to say "I wish I could speak English" or "I wish I hadn't done that" in English? The key lies in which tense to use after wish. This article uses three simple scenarios to teach you three ways to use wish and if only, plus a one-second tip to instantly determine the correct tense.
What is CEFR? Understand English Proficiency Levels and Major Exam Comparisons
CEFR divides language proficiency into six levels from A1 to C2. This article will help you understand what each level represents and compare them with major English exams like GEPT, TOEIC, and IELTS to help you find your true English proficiency level.
What are sight words? Learn these few hundred words first to instantly make your reading smoother
Words like the, of, and and are short and inconspicuous, yet they make up half of all English text. This article will introduce you to sight words: why they are the most worth learning first, why you need to practice them until you can 'recognize them at a glance,' and three actionable practice methods to instantly make your reading and listening smoother.
Just Touch Your Throat: Understand Voiced vs. Voiceless (B/P, D/T, F/V, S/Z, K/G) Once and For All
Many English consonants actually come in "pairs"—the mouth shape is exactly the same, and the only difference is whether the vocal cords vibrate. By learning a simple trick of touching your throat, you will be able to distinguish between bat and pat, fan and van, and even your word-ending pronunciation will sound much more natural.
V is Not W: Distinguish V, W, and B in One Second by Biting Your Lower Lip with Your Upper Teeth
Pronouncing very as berry, or does vine sound like wine? The problem lies in these three sounds: V, W, and B. This article teaches you how to tell them apart in a second using mouth shapes and airflow: V has friction from upper teeth biting the lower lip, W is rounded lips without touching the teeth, and B is a short plosive with tightly closed lips. Practice exercises with the most easily confused word pairs are included.
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.
The Ultimate Guide to the Third Conditional: How to Say "I Wish I Had Known" with If I had known...
"I wish I had brought an umbrella," "If I had studied that day, I would have done well on the test"—these regrets and hypotheses about the past are expressed in English using the third conditional. This article teaches you the If + had p.p., would have p.p. sentence pattern and how it links with wish structures, complete with a summary table of the three conditional types so you can understand it at a glance and start speaking it right away.
there is / there are: The First Step to Saying "There is..." in English
If you want to say "there is a cup of coffee on the table" or "there are two people in the room" in English, the first step is there is / there are. This article teaches you how to choose between singular and plural, how to form negatives and questions, plus a handy tip to "look at the noun that follows," so even A1 learners can master it right away.