Chicxs! The ease of gender-neutral language in English compared to Spanish
Disclaimer: I am not a gender specialist – I am an English teacher who was asked by some students to address this popular issue. So here I go. The first thing that comes...
Category: Language acquisition
“Alfajores de dulce de leche” and other untranslatable words
Somewhere in Western India, I bought some fried food from a man on the street. He spoke enough English to have a basic conversation. As I was going to pay him, he said...
Spain, Thailand, India and Argentina: Differences in teaching English in 4 countries
I have to admit that my analysis is not completely impartial. In Spain and Thailand I taught in primary schools, in India in a secondary school and in Argentina, various ages in various...
Essential 21st Century Travel Lingo
Learning expressions to use when travelling has always been one of the first things to learn in another language. But the times have changed! Today, suitcases have wheels, postcards have been replaced by...
8 English words with native American origins
The English language has a very long history. Like most European languages, it is part of the huge Indo-European language family, which began thousands of years ago in central Asia. Around the 16th...
Subtle differences in meaning
Some differences in word-choice are very small and subtle. Why do we say that we use an ‘electric oven‘, but power comes from an ‘electrical power station‘? Why do we say that London...
Adults and Kids: Relaxing and fun ways to practice English during the holidays
The winter holidays are here in South America. This is the perfect time to relax and forget about studying. But, as you know, the best way to learn languages is to keep contact with...
How to start with Adult Beginners
It can be daunting for adults to learn a new language. Perhaps they are learning for the first time in their lives, or for the first time in thirty years. Perhaps they are...
Should I learn British or American English?
As an English teacher, one question I often hear is “Should I learn British English or American English?” This question is very common, despite there being many other types of English that exist...
World Cup Trivia Questions!
Whether you like it or not, the next month is going to be full of one thing: football. For British people it will be nice to hear about something other than Brexit...
