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Tips, insights, and updates about English learning
have to, must, should: Telling the Three English 'Must/Should' Words Apart Once and For All
Because have to, must, and should are all translated as 'must/should' in Chinese, they are very easy to mix up. This article uses a simple trick to help you tell them apart: use have to for external rules, must when you personally feel it's necessary, and should to give advice. We will also clear up a major pitfall for Chinese speakers regarding mustn't and don't have to.
may or might? Understand Speculation and Permission Once and for All
may and might look very similar, and their meanings often overlap, leaving many learners stuck. This article uses the two dimensions of 'level of probability' and 'formality/politeness' to help you build your language intuition, complete with ready-to-use tips and authentic example sentences.
can / could / can't: Your First Modal Verbs—Easily Talk About Ability, Permission, and Requests
can, could, and can't are probably the very first modal verbs you learned. This article uses a simple three-way decision trick—"ability, permission, or polite request"—to help you understand which one to use at a glance, while avoiding the two most common mistakes made by Chinese speakers: cans and can to.