by Sean Newman

Podcasts for Learning English

Why you should learn English with podcasts:

All podcasts, but especially podcasts for learning English , are a convenient and great way to help you improve your English. They are on-demand internet radio talks that you can download to your mobile phone or tablet. It is said that just 20 minutes per day of a listening to an English speaking podcast can have a positive impact on your learning English! You can listen to them lying in bed, on the train back home or just wandering around the city, and let’s face it, sometimes the idea of sitting down with a 300 page English book after a long day of classes isn’t always what you want to be doing! 

During your English classes here at Everest Language School you will spend a lot of time speaking, reading, listening and writing which of course is a really important part of learning English. However, you will find that out in the real world in any English speaking country you will come across lots of different accents and ‘slang’ words, and especially in Ireland people speak very fast and with many different accents, even in Dublin alone!

Podcasts for Learning English: Podcasts are a great way to improve your listening and understanding skills. This is possible whether it be an English Learning podcast or even just a regular podcast of a topic you might find interesting. Podcasts often have written transcripts (basically subtitles!) that go along with the speaking, so if you don’t understand a word or phrase that’s being spoken, you might be able to understand it in writing!

Podcasts also allow you to choose the subject that’s being spoken about, so you can learn English and also listen to a topic you are genuinely interested in.

You can also pick the level of English that’s suited to you, so if you are finding one podcast to easy or another too difficult, you can simply pick one that’s more suited to you and your level. You can also slow down podcasts to ½ the speed if you feel its too fast, or speed it up to x2 speed if you really want to challenge yourself.

Podcasts are generally free as well! Some have a small subscription fee, but even when they do they usually offer a one month free-trial, so you can decide if it’s worth parting with your money for.

You might find that listening to podcasts during your spare time will greatly improve your learning of English in the classroom!

Below you will find a list of some of what we think are the best podcasts to help you learn English, there are lots more that you can find on our school’s blog.

Podcasts for Learning English: Our favourites

The English we Speak – BBC Learning English

Like any language, English has plenty of terms and phrases that you won’t find in the dictionary! You may hear them out and about and not understand what someone is talking about! This podcast has a huge selection of 3 minute tutorials explaining in simple terms what these phrases mean! For example if somebody says ‘I’ll give them a taste of their own medicine’ this means to get revenge on somebody.

These podcasts are particularly suited to students with an intermediate level and you find them here at this link – The English We Speak – BBC Learning English

6 Minute Grammar

6 minute Grammar is another podcast produced by the BBC and is updated weekly. The clue is in the name, it’s a 6 minute podcast focusing on a key area of grammar! For many students grammar can often be the trickiest part of learning English. This podcast is great for giving you a short and simple explanation of a key area of grammar with examples of hows its used to!

Its suitable for all levels and you can find it at this link – 6 Minute Grammar

All Ears English

All Ears podcasts for learning English use conversational English focussing on vocabulary. Many of the topics are about the different difficulties people face when learning English and cultural challenges that can contribute to this. There are hundreds of podcasts, many of which also focus on American culture.

To check it out you can follow this link – All Ears English

VOA News Learn English

VOA Learn podcasts for learning English focus on current affairs and news around the world – from the World Cup to Politics! This podcast is great if you’re looking to listen to a news topic that interests you, they have sections on Arts and Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Music and many more. You can also choose the level of English you can listen to the newscast. You can even check your level of English as they have a free English assessment test as well as an ‘Everyday Grammar’ section to help you brush up your skills!

You probably listen to the news anyway so you might as well listen in English! – VOA News Learn English

Business English Pod

Business English Pod is a little different to the other podcasts as it purely focuses on business English. What this means is, it focuses on the English you would need if you were doing a job interview, speaking on the telephone at work, presentations and meetings at work. This podcast also gives you tips on how to write your CV. Business English Pod is great for students who have already got their General English to a good standard and are starting to look for employment in English speaking companies. Job interviews and new jobs can be a daunting experience even if you are a native speaker so why not check Business English pod out and give the native speaking candidates a run for their money at Business English Pod!

Splendid Speaking

Here at Everest Language School we do lots of IELTS Exam preparation courses. These podcasts are aimed at helping you prepare for IELTS Exam. The podcasts are conversational and the host Peter Travis interviews a different English learning student each time about how they did in different parts of the IELTS practice test. These podcasts are a great way to help prepare for your IELTS exam and get some first-hand advice from students who have already taken it!

Check it out at Splendid Speaking!

British Council – Learn English

These podcasts for learning English are great if you’re looking for a podcast that does everything! It’s a one-for-all stop for Grammar, Vocabulary, Business English, IELTS and is suitable for students from Elementary to Intermediate Level. You can also interact with other users and give each other tips about what podcasts you found helpful.

Check it out at Learn English – British Council

IELTSPodcast by Ben Worthington

Learn English with Everest – Our very own podcast

Did you know that Everest has its own podcast. Over the last few years our Academic Director and teachers have created an excellent podcast that will really help you improve your English. There are lots of coversations and chats with English speakers from around Ireland so that you can get used to the different Irish and Dublin accents, there are episodes to help you learn professional English for work, and lots of episodes to help you prepare for the IELTS and Cambridge exams. We are really proud of these podcasts and have done lots of blog posts to accompany them so that you can follow along and learn all the new vocabulary. Check it out today and let us know what you think!

These are just a few of the many podcasts for learning English. Alternating the different podcasts on maybe a weekly or monthly basis is a good idea to ensure you’re getting a diverse learning experience.

The post Podcasts for Learning English in 2023- Everest Language School appeared first on Everest Language School.

General Tips for the IELTS Listening Exam

Stay focused while you’re listening and then carefully transfer your answers to the answer sheet. 

Use the time when examples are being played to read ahead through the questions – if you’re familiar with the exam you know the format, you don’t need to listen to the long example at the very beginning

You have 30 second at the end of each section to read over answers but this could be better spent looking at the next section

Practice the full exam, at home, lots of times.

The IELTS is very particular about answers. If you spell a word wrong, it’s wrong. If it asks for one word, and you write two, it’s wrong. Accuracy is crucial. However, you have time at the end to transfer your answers, so worry about spelling at that point, not while you’re listening.

The sample questions we look at are taken from the IELTS website here

IELTS Listening Tips : Section 1 

Look at the question sheet we are discussing here

A conversation, two people, usually booking or organising something

Lots of names, numbers, dates

Learn the alphabet! Especially A, E, and I.

Rob’s handy tip works really well for a lot of students – e-mail, iPhone. You can’t go wrong!

Before you listen, think about what type of answer you need (noun, verb, number, etc). Can you predict any answers?

IELTS Listening Tips : Section 2 

One speaker often giving a talk (but not a lecture, that’s section 4), welcoming a group to an area, a guided tour, etc

It’s harder than section 1 because it’s not a conversation.

You may have to complete sentences, give short answers, match sections, or label a plan/map/diagram (this one can be difficult – you need to look carefully at the picture, and orient yourself)

IELTS Listening Tips : Section 3

Several speakers, some type of academic discussion, usually between a professor or tutor and two students, discussing a project, getting feedback, etc

Be careful who says what and what exactly you’re being asked

There are lots of synonyms and distractor words in this section

Similar format to section 1 but harder answers, more complex vocab and constructions

Like all the parts of the IELTS exam, synonyms are important, because they show you understand the meaning, you’re not just picking out words you don’t understand. And so building your vocabulary is a huge part of this too. 

IELTS Listening Tips : Section 4

An academic lecture

It is very long – you really need to pay attention

There are often long gaps between answers

Section 4 is not easy. But remember you can still get several questions wrong in part 4 and get a 7 or 7.5 on the exam, as long as you have got most of the other sections right. 

More Listening Practice

If you are looking for some more listening practice, you might let me recommend my other podcast. It’s called Words To That Effect and it’s not an English language podcast – it’s a show about popular culture, history, science, and fiction. If you’re interested, and you want to practice your English with a very different podcast, I’d love if you had a listen. You can get it wherever you get your podcasts or at wttepodcast.com.

Vocabulary

Flustered (adj.) – to be flustered is to be worried and agitated, a bit confused maybe. If you get flustered in the exam, maybe because you miss an answer, you need to try to keep calm and just move on to the next question.

Rob says that in the exam they might throw around a few answers before landing on one. That is, they’ll say lots of nearly correct possible answers, before making the true answer clear.

To scribble (sth) down or to (sth) jot down – to jot something down is to write it quickly and informally, maybe in shorthand (a form of writing where you use lots of abbreviations and acronyms). 

To scribble means to write or draw on a page, but in a messy or meaningless way. Young children scribble before they learn to draw, for example.

Prepare for your IELTS with us: IELTS preparation course in Dublin

Get more free IELTS resources

Learn more about the exam

The post IELTS Listening Tips – IELTS Listening Tips appeared first on Everest Language School.

Business English Courses in Everest Language School Dublin

Everest Language School has introducing a brand new 4 week business English courses for students who are looking to work in an English speaking country or need to improve their English for their job back home!

At Everest Language School, we believe that improving your general level of English including your grammar, speaking, listening and understanding should come first and foremost. However, we also understand that when applying for a job or starting a new job there is lots of specific vocabulary and skills that you might not learn in a general English course. 

So if you have been looking for business English courses in Dublin to help you with job applications, interview skills and professional writing look no further! You can even combine the business English courses with general English!

Business English Vocabulary

Let’s take a look at some of the business English vocabulary that you might need to use in an English speaking workplace in Dublin!

Start Up – A start-up is a term used to describe a brand new business, generally less than a year old. There are lots of startup tech companies that hire international students so it’s a good one to know!

HR – HR stands for human resources. Most companies will have an HR department whose job is to look after their employees welfare. It’s an important term to know as HR will most likely be your first point of contact when applying for or starting a new job!

Competency Based – Competency based questions are a common interview method used by employers when interviewing candidates. Competency based questions are specific questions that require you to describe specific tasks and responsibilities you had in previous jobs that would make you suitable for the job your applying for. Always have lots of examples ready!

Dress-code – Businesses and workplaces will all have different dress-codes for their employers. It’s important to ask your employer what the dress code is before you start your new job, to avoid showing up in dungarees when everybody else is wearing suits!

Remuneration/Salary/Wage – Any of these words can be used to describe how much money your going to be paid. 

Negotiate – To be able to negotiate is an important skill when both applying for a job and during your job too! It simply means to be able to discuss  something and come to an agreement. You might negotiate your salary with your employer or negotiate a deal with a customer or business partner. 

Bonus: A bonus is a reward system used in many businesses for employees who have worked very well – it’s usually in the form of extra money or annual leave.

Annual Leave: Annual leave is how many holidays you are allowed throughout the year. In Ireland the average annual leave in 20 days per year!

Management – Management are the people in charge of running the business. You may have one or several managers in a workplace, or you may be one yourself!

Headquarters – Headquarters are the location of the main business hub for a company. For example Google’s headquarters are based in Dublin!

Recruitment: Recruitment is the searching and finding of potential candidates for jobs. For example, you might be approached by recruitment companies on Linkedin if they think you might be good for a fit a role they have!

Meeting – A meeting is a get together of employees, managers and other staff members to discuss a certain topic or issue affecting the business, for example, marketing a new product.

Conference Call – A meeting that’s usually held between employees or partners online or through Skype. They’re very common in businesses that may have other offices overseas

‘Minutes’ – Minutes are notes taken down during a meeting in order to record what was agreed and which individual was assigned a responsibility to look after a particular task.

Marketing – Marketing is an umbrella term for the different approaches to selling, distributing and promoting a product or service.

Presentation – To show or display a project to a group of business partners or colleagues, for example a powerpoint presentation on the company profits last year

Profit – Profit is how much money the business is making after all of the expenses are paid out. 

CV – CV stands for ‘Curriculum Vitae’, in many other countries it is also referred to as a Resumé. It’s usually a one or two page document outlining your contact details skills, past work experience and education that you will send to potential employers

Cover Letter – When sending your CV to a business for a job opportunity it is also advised or requested that you include a cover letter. A cover letter is more personal than a CV and you can write more specifically why you would like a particular job and why you would be right for the role 

Entrepreneur – An entrepreneur is somebody who starts their own business, for example Steve Jobs was the entrepreneur for Apple. 

Contract – A contract is a written agreement between you and your employer regarding the terms of your employment. 

Non-Profit Organisation – A business that’s main focus is not to turn a profit – for example a charity organisation 

CEO – CEO stands for Chief Executive Officer. In other words, he/she is the boss, so always look busy when they’re around the office 😉

Competitor – A competitor is a business or organisation that has a similar or the same service or product that your business provides. For example McDonald’s biggest competitor is Burger King

Multitask – Many employers will ask if you have the ability to multitask! It means being able to do more than one task at the same time – for example send an email or process a payment whilst on the phone to a customer at the same time. 

Industry – An industry refers to a particular field of business. For example Everest Language School is in the English language industry 

Deadline – A deadline is a specific date or time you have to have a task or project completed by.

Resign – To resign is to leave your job

PR – PR stands for public relations. Public relations is the process of making sure as business is viewed in a positive light. For example a big company might sponsor a charity run or popular sporting event 

Strategy – A strategy is a plan that’s put in place to ensure a specific goal is achieved

Brand – A brand is often the company name and the slogans/logos that are attributed to that name. For example the infamous branding for Adidas is the 3 stripes.

Feedback – Feedback is advice, criticism encouragement or praise of a piece of work from your employer. For example if you did a great blog on a new product your boss might give you positive feedback 

Best practice – This refers to the best and most efficient way to do something 

Punctuality – Always being on time for work or meetings. 

Business English Idioms and Expressions

In business English there are lots of expressions and phrases used. In our business English courses you will learn these expressions so when you go to the workplace you won’t have to ask your colleagues what they mean! Below are some examples of common expressions used in the workplace. 

Knuckle-Down – To concentrate and get your work done

‘Jamie’s boss asked him to stop chatting to his colleague and knuckle down’

‘Back to the drawing board’ – To start over a plan or strategy that may not have worked initially

‘This marketing promotion didn’t help improve any of our sales, so its back to the drawing board’

‘ASAP’ – An acronym for ‘as soon as possible’

‘I need that report on my desk ASAP’

‘Playing hardball’ – refers to someone who is being difficult to negotiate it and hard to find a compromise with

‘That vendor was playing hardball when we asked him to reduce the price for us, he just wouldn’t budge’

‘Ballpark figure’ – An estimate or guess of an amount or figure

‘Michelle didn’t know the exact profit margin just yet, so she gave her boss a ballpark figure’

‘Pass the buck’ – Passing on the blame or responsibility to someone else if a project or task doesn’t go well

‘Sam missed all his deadlines, so when confronted by his boss, he passed the buck onto his colleague Mary, saying she hadn’t given him enough notice to get his work done’

‘The lion’s share’ – The majority or bulk of the work and responsibility

“Karen was really trying to get a promotion at work, so when a new project was given to her team to complete, she took on the lion’s share of it, so that she could prove herself’

‘Going the extra mile’ – To go above and beyond the normal expectations for an employer or a customer 

‘Ryan was really going the extra mile to help a customer get the lowest price on their car insurance’

To ‘give someone a pat on the back’ – To congratulate someone on doing a good job

‘At the meeting, Sarah was given a pat on the back by the rest of the team for the great job she did on her presentation’

‘Get your foot in the door’ –  To make yourself known and start of in a company or industry with the aim of progressing

‘Mark had just finished his university degree in medicine. Afterwards he applied for a junior doctor job in a small hospital so he could get his foot in the door.’

Business English Writing

Arguably, business English writing in this day and age is one of the most important aspects of learning business English. Most businesses communicate with customers and partners primarily through email. 

Business English writing tends to be more formal than how you would usually write. Below are some techniques and writing skills that will benefit you;

• Writing an Email

Emails are the most common form of communication in today’s businesses. Business emails needn’t be long and wordy – remember the person you are writing to is probably receiving hundreds of emails per week so you want to keep it short, concise and to the point!

You can do this by using bullet points and ensuring that your email has the details you want to communicate to ensure the recipient doesn’t have to come back to you with lots of question!

Example of poorly written email;

‘Hi Tom,

We have a meeting tomorrow to discuss some problems at around half 2, maybe 3. If you could make sure have some ideas and solutions to bring too. 

Thanks!

Karl

The email should be written as below;

‘Hi Tom,

I hope you’re well.

Meeting tomorrow to discuss the problems with our latest marketing campaign.

Time: 2.30pm

Place: Conference Room B

Please read over attached brief, and have 2 or 3 solutions prepared.

Kind Regards,

Karl

The second email is informative, precise and doesn’t allow for a lot of back and forth conversation. 

• Writing a business letter

Business letters are the most formal way to communicate in business English. If you are writing a business letter, you will usually do this on company headed paper. If you don’t have company headed paper, you should always write your address on the top right hand side of the letter.

The date, name of recipient and and their address should be on the top left hand side of the letter. 

If you don’t know the name of who you are writing to, which may be the case a lot of the time when you are applying for jobs and writing cover letters to employers, you can write ‘Dear Sir/Madam’ or ‘To whom it may concern’. (But do always try to do some research and find their name, if you really want the job)

In the body of the letter, keep it formal but friendly and ensure you use correct paragraphing. You should end the letter with ‘Yours sincerely,’ with your signature and also your printed name underneath.

It is also a good idea to have your phone number and email address added as a footer to the letter should the recipient have any further questions they would like to contact you about. 

Top 5 Everest Language School Recommended business English YouTube Channels

1. Anglo-Link – Suitable for students from pre-intermediate level up, this channel’s videos provides very detailed advice and instructions on different business topics. They focus on both listening and speaking 
2. Business English Pod – This is a very popular playlist that also comes in the form of a podcast too. There are over 60 videos to prepare you for the workplace including topics such as ‘talking about your career and how to keep a conversation going in English’
3. Two-Minute English – This is a great channel if your short on time! All videos are free and only two minutes long. Their playlist ‘English Conversations’ have a great example of how to talk to with a difficult customer, how to discuss your future plans with your boss and how to make small talk with your new colleagues. 
4. Boston English Centre – If longer tutorial like videos are what you are looking for this is a great channel as its almost like a class in itself. They also have videos that are suitable for beginners and elementary level students!
5. Crown Academy English – this YouTube channel is run is run by a TESOL qualified teacher named Andrew with over ten years experience. Some of the videos feature actual conversations taking place in the workplace such as meetings or making reservations. 

At Everest Language School, we have our very own podcast you can check out to learn everyday general English and business English!

Top 5 Online business English courses

1. Business English Course for ESL Students – 

If you are learning English for your job or career, then the Business English Course is for you! It will help you communicate better in everyday professional situations.

This intermediate-level English course contains 40 lessons focusing on essential vocabulary and practical phrases for the workplace.

The lessons contain video, audio, and text, and there are also plenty of exercises to help you review and practice your Business English!

2. Formal Email Writing – Business English – 

Become proficient in email etiquette

Compose properly structured emails

Learn most commonly used correspondence phrases

Master the necessary formal tone grammar

Become competent in essential punctuation rules

3. Business English Vocabulary: Learn Essential Business Words

This online Business English course will help you to understand and use over 150 words essential for doing business in English.

This course is designed for people who use Business English and want to improve their ability to speak, write, read and listen in English.

This course uses my unique language learning technique, used by thousands of students worldwide. It shows you how the words are actually used and it gives you the opportunity to use these words using quizzes and practice activities. 

4. Learn Business English (Professional Language)

In this course, you get much more than just the words about marketing and sales. You do get those, but you will also practice interview techniques, negotiating, what to say in a meeting, phone conversations, emails, and more.

Just as one learns business from experience, you also learn Business English Language from experience.

5. Business English: Easy English for Meetings

This course is specifically for non-native English speakers needing skills in planning and participating in meetings. So if you work in administration or management, for a large company or small business, and if you have lower-intermediate or intermediate English language skills then this course is for you!

If your more of a bookworm, below are some great books we recommend for business English;

‘Essential Business Grammar Builder’ by Paul Emerson

‘Essential Business Vocabulary Builder’ by Paul Emerson

‘Business Vocabulary In Use’ by Bill Mascull

‘Key Business Skills’ by Benny Tomalin

‘Business English Language Practice’ by Susan Lowe

‘Email English’ by Paul Emerson

Business English & Exam Preparation Courses at Everest Language School

At Everest language School, we offer Business English, General English and Exam Preparation courses suitable for all levels of English! Below is a list of what we have on offer!

Business English Express Course (3Hrs) – 3 classes per week that focus on a variety of business English topics in combination vocabulary you will need for finding work and communicating with your colleagues. Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday (17:15 – 18:15)

Business English Intensive (18Hrs) – You will be taking General English classes for 3 hours per day from Monday to Friday. In addition to this you will have focused business English classes from Tuesday to Thursday. Monday to Friday (13:50 – 17:00) & Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday (17:15 – 18:15)

IELTS Intensive Course (24Hrs) – This course is for students who need to improve their IELTS band score and want to develop an overall expertise in the exam structure. Your day will be divided into two parts. These classes are on every day (Monday – Friday).

Session 1: (8am – 8:50am) Focus on the exam. You will learn skills, techniques and methods to get the highest mark possible.

Session 2: (9am – 1:10pm) Focus on grammar, vocabulary, speaking, fluency, pronunciation and general English skills.

IELTS Early Bird Course (4Hrs) – Monday to Friday (8am – 8:50am) The part-time IELTS course is aimed at those with less time and those who want to focus exclusively on the techniques for the exam.

In this course you will learn skills, techniques and methods to get the highest mark possible in your IELTS exam

IELTS Evening Course (6Hrs) – Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (6:30pm – 8:30pm) The evening IELTS course is aimed at those with less time, who work during the day and want to focus exclusively on the techniques for the exam.

In this course you will learn skills, techniques and methods to get the highest mark possible in your IELTS exam. These classes are on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

If you have any questions about the above courses please contact us at info@everestlanguageschool.com or phone (01) 559 4919 and a member of our team will get back to you!

If you want to book a course please complete our online booking form!

We have Business English courses in Everest and if you cannot make it to one of our business English courses in person you can also listen to our business English podcast for free!

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13 English Idioms and Proverbs (Meanings and Examples)

List of 13 English Idioms and Proverbs

While you are talking with native speakers, they sometimes say things you don’t understand. This is not because you don’t have the vocabulary to understand them, but because the sentences just don’t make sense to you. On the other hand, it’s possible that you might understand the idiomatic expression they use, because your mother tongue has similar expressions. You can probably find these kind of expressions in nearly every language.

Here you can discover some interesting and useful English expressions with their explanation and some examples.

13 English Idioms and Expressions with their meanings

Actions speak louder than words.

It will prove more if you not only say that you’re going to do something, but you actually do it. 
“Instead of telling her I love her, I bought her 12 red roses. Actions speak louder than words.”

Two heads are better than one.

A second opinion is helpful.
“If you want I can help you come up with ideas for the essay. Two heads are better than one.”

The early bird catches the worm.

If you are early you have an advantage over others.
“My boss advised me to come in before 9am because, as we all know, the early bird catches the worm.”

Two wrongs don’t make a right.

If somebody else did something bad to you, it won’t become right again if you take revenge.
“I know he stole my pen, but I decided not to steal his. My mom always taught me that two wrongs don’t make a right.”

You can’t judge a book by its cover.

Even if something doesn’t look really appealing, it’s what’s inside that counts.
“He was dressed in rags, but he is actually a college professor. I suppose you can’t judge a book by its cover.”

Many hands make light work

If more than one person works on something it’s easier directly.
“The job was taking me such a long time, then my friends arrived and we finished everything in 10 minutes. I guess it’s true that many hands make light work.”

When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

If you’re away from home, you should respect the other culture and behave accordingly.
“When I visited Ireland I had to try the Guinness stew. You know what they say ‘When in Rome, do as the Romans do’.”

There’s no time like the present.

If you can do something immediately, don’t wait until you can’t do it anymore. Now is the best time to do whatever you want or need to do.
“I decided to start the project today because there’s no time like the present.”

Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Your love for someone/something grows when you’re away from him/her/it.
“I never realized how important my parents were until I started travelling. I suppose absence makes the heart grow fonder.”

People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.

You can’t criticize somebody for a weakness that you have as well.
“She was criticizing me for being late, but she arrives late every day! People in glasshouses shouldn’t throw stones.”

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Everything is beautiful for someone in the world, even if you can’t see it.
“That dog is so ugly, I don’t know why she loves it so much. I suppose beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

Don’t just concentrate on one way to achieve your objective.
“You should apply to more than one university, you shouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket.”

The pen is mightier than the sword.

You can achieve more with words than with force.
“I wrote an email instead starting a big fight, the pen is mightier than the sword.”

Have you already heard some of those and couldn’t understand what the person you were talking to meant? Well, hopefully now you can understand them. You can use these English expressions every time they fit in a situation. Don’t use them, when you know that it will hurt somebody, remember to be kind.

I hope you will enjoy using them and have nice Christmas holidays![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1481816962959{background-color: #f7f7f7 !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_empty_space height=”50px”][vc_icon icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-download” color=”sky” background_style=”rounded” size=”xl” align=”center”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]

Download free PDF of Idioms

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IELTS Writing

IELTS Task 2 Discuss Both Sides

and Give Your Opinion

Paragraph 1 Structure

In Task 2, you are asked to write an essay in response to a point of view, argument or problem. The issues raised are of general interest to, suitable for and easily understood by test takers entering university or seeking employment. Responses to IELTS writing Task 2 should be written in an academic, semi-formal style (similar to how you would write in university).

Example IELTS writing task 2 question:

Paragraph 1:

• A) Paraphrase/ restructure the question
• B) Overview: state how the essay will be structured

A) In all IELTS writings the first sentence(s) should attempt to express the question in another way. This can be done by using synonyms (paraphrasing) or by restructuring the grammar of the sentences.

Paraphrasing

“Some people believe that taking the IELTS is a fair way to decide who can attend a university course.”

Example of paraphrasing: Many people think that sitting the IELTS exam is a reasonable way to determine who is able to take a third-level course in Dublin.

“Others believe it is not fair to stop people from attending a university course based on their level of English.”

Example of paraphrasing: Other people are of the opinion that it is unfair to block people taking part in a university course because of their English level.

OR

Restructuring

“Some people believe that taking the IELTS is a fair way to decide who can attend a university course. Others believe it is not fair to stop people from attending a university course based on their level of English.” “Others believe it is not fair to stop people from attending a university course based on their level of English.”

Example of restructuring: It is commonly believed that taking an English exam should be used when assessing who can be accepted to university in Dublin. However, it is believed by others that it is unfair for someone to be stopped from attending university based on their level of English.

B) Example of an overview

In the following essay both sides of this argument will be examined and in the conclusion I will offer my opinion on the topic.

——-

In all writing tasks, you can structure your introduction paragraph in the same way. In the next lesson, we will move on to looking at the main body of the essay.

IELTS Main Body 1

Lesson 2: Main body One (featured on A Blog on IELTS)

Thank you to Khuu Hoang Nhat Minh for posting part 2 of this post.

Prepare for the IELTS Dublin

Book an IELTS exam in Dublin (Examination dates)

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or any other language

Matthew Youlden’s second name should be Mr. Languages. This guy from Britain speaks nine languages fluently and understands more than twelve more. Can you imagine? The world would be yours!

If you have problems learning another language, check out Matthew’s recommended tips!

1. REMEMBER YOUR REASON FOR DOING IT

You need to have a good reason to learn a new language, otherwise you won’t stay focused and you’ll find unnecessary excuses, which might put you off course.

“OK, I want to learn this and I’m therefore going to do as much as I can in this language, with this language and for this language.”

2. DO IT WITH SOMEONE ELSE (FIND A PARTNER)

Mathew learned many languages, like their first foreign language Greek, with his twin brother Michael. Giving each other motivation and positive encouragement made learning possible.

“We were very motivated, and we still are. We push each other to really go for it. So if he realizes that I’m doing more than he is he’ll get a bit jealous and then try and outdo me (maybe because he’s my twin) – and the other way round.”

Don’t worry if you don’t have a sibling, it can be anyone as long as they keep pushing you.

“I think it’s a really great way of actually going about it. You have someone with whom you can speak, and that’s the idea behind learning a language.”

3. TALK TO YOURSELF

You shouldn’t think you are weird while talking to yourself, Maria does it all the time 🙂 So don’t worry and go for it.

“It might sound really weird, but actually speaking to yourself in a language is a great way to practice if you’re not able to use it all the time.”

It helps you to remember new vocabulary and phrases and builds up your confidence for the next time you speak with someone.

4. MAKE IT RELEVANT TO YOUR LIFE

While it may help you to stay focused on textbooks as well, you should make conversation your goal and keep talking to people.

“You’re learning a language to be able to use it. You’re not going to speak it to yourself. The creative side is really being able to put the language that you’re learning into a more useful, general, everyday setting – be that through writing songs, generally wanting to speak to people, or using it when you go abroad. You don’t necessarily have to go abroad; you can go to the Greek restaurant down the road and order in Greek.”

5. ENJOY IT

How about writing or recording songs? That’s the way how the “Super Polyglot Bros” practice their new languages. You are not following step 4 if you can’t find any fun games or ways to make it more interesting.

6. BEHAVE LIKE A CHILD

Think back, how easy was it to learn something knew. You weren’t afraid of making mistakes or anything else. We learn by making mistakes. How many times have you heard an adult say “I can’t” instead of “I haven’t learned that yet”.  If you wanted a piece of chocolate in your childhood, you tried as hard as possible and as many times as necessary to get it. Do the same!

7. CHALLENGE YOURSELF

If you really want to learn a new language, get up and talk to people. For sure you can’t learn the right pronunciation from looking into your textbook or writing something 100 times in a row. You need to get up and talk to other people! I know it doesn’t feel good when someone has to ask you 3 times for one word but he had to go through the same at some stage in his life,  and if he hadn’t, don’t worry at all because you speak more languages than him. Remember step six, you have to make mistakes to learn. You will get more confident day by day.

“At the beginning you’re going to encounter difficulties: maybe the pronunciation, maybe the grammar, the syntax, or you don’t really get the sayings. But I think the most important thing is to always develop this feel. Every native speaker has a feel for his or her own language, and that’s basically what makes a native-speaker – whether you can make the language your own.”

8. LISTEN

You must listen to conversations, songs, radio or anything else where you can hear the language and the right pronunciation. Every language sounds strange at the beginning but you will get used to it after a while.

“We’re able to pronounce anything, it’s just we’re not used to doing it. For example the rolled r doesn’t exist in my form of English. When I was learning Spanish there were words with the hard r in them like perro and reunión. For me, the best way to go about mastering that is actually to hear it constantly, to listen to it and to kind of visualize or imagine how that is supposed to be pronounced, because for every sound there is a specific part of the mouth or throat that we use in order to achieve that sound.”

9. WATCH PEOPLE TALK

Your tongue, lips and throat are responsible for the right pronunciation. If you don’t have the chance to do so, watching movies or TV is a good option. Pronunciation is just as much physical as it is mental:

“One way – it might sound a bit strange – is to really look at someone while they’re saying words that use that sound, and then to try to imitate that sound as much as possible. Believe me, it might be difficult at the beginning, but you will. It’s something that is actually quite easily done; you just need to practice it.”

10. GO FOR IT

So you have accepted the challenge? Matthew recommends the 360° maximalist approach: no matter which learning tools you use, it’s crucial to practice your new language every single day:

“I tend to want to absorb as much as possible right from the start. So if I learn something I really, really go for it and try to use it throughout the day. As the week progresses I try to think in it, try to write in it, try to speak to myself even in that language. For me it’s about actually putting what you’re learning into practice – be that writing an email, speaking to yourself, listening to music, listening to the radio. Surrounding yourself, submerging yourself in the new language culture is extremely important.”

You have already made a huge step when you are able to have normal conversations! This makes it easier for you and you will have more fun and motivation to continue. You won’t annoy people by not speaking their language perfectly. If you tell them that you’re practicing and learning a new language, most of them will look up to you and be delighted to help you.

“Sure, you can travel abroad speaking your own language, but you’ll get so much more out of it being able to actually feel at ease in the place you are – being able to communicate, to understand, to interact in every situation you could possibly imagine.”

Adapted by Tom Port (source: Babble)

The post Video: How to Learn a New Language (10 Tips) appeared first on Everest Language School.

English Grammar: The Passive Voice

In English, the most important information always comes at the beginning of the sentence. The passive voice allows us to draw attention to the object of the verb rather than the agent (the “do-er” of the action). It is also a tool for when the agent is unknown, unimportant or obvious.

To construct the passive use the verb TO BE in the necessary tense and then add the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb required.

If you have any questions please ask in the comments below.

The post The Passive Voice appeared first on Everest Language School.

IELTS Task 1: Describing a Process / Flow Chart

IELTS task 1 is a more technical piece of writing than task 2. You will be allowed 1 hour to complete the two tasks in the IELTS Academic Writing test. The total time allowed for the IELTS Academic Writing test is 60 minutes. Time yourself and allow just one hour to complete both parts of the test. Task 2 contributes twice as much as task 1 to the Writing score, but it is important to practise both.

The example below is an example of writing task 1. You should spend about 20 minutes on task 1 and remember to write above 150 words in a formal style.

Remember you can prepare for IELTS with us in Dublin – IELTS Dublin

Remember if you want to try to do an IELTS task 1 writing, try it in the comments and we will give you some feedback. If you are interested in preparing for the IELTS, book an IELTS preparation course with Everest. And if you want to keep getting advice on the IELTS and other English tips, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”24631″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://everestlanguageschool.com/ielts-writing-correction”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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