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  What is the difference between Idiom and Slang? • An idiom refers to a group of words established by usage and having a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words. • On the other hand, slang is words, phrases and uses that are regarded as very informal and are often restricted to special contexts or are peculiar in a specified profession, class, etc.

  1. Speak, speak, speak Let’s start right off by saying that there isn’t a magic pill for better speaking. That would be too easy, right? Basically, the best way to speak better is to, well –  speak! Commit to practicing often and with as many different people as possible. Do you already live or study overseas? Take advantage of the thousands of native speakers in your immediate community, such as your friends, their families, your coworkers, classmates, employees at the coffee shops, supermarket, post-office and other places you visit. If you’re learning in your own country, increase your practice time by meeting your classmates after class, finding an language exchange partner or joining an online community of learners. 2. Reflect on your conversations After your conversation is over, take a moment to reflect. How did it go? How much do you think you understood? How comfortable did you feel with that subject matter? Did you encounter any unknown words? The mere act of think...

  Common Mistake 1: Never Speaking English This one can be difficult. There are so many reasons not to speak English… You don’t live in an English-speaking country You don’t use English in your work You don’t know any English speakers You don’t have time for English classes There are too many people in your English class so you don’t get time to speak You feel really shy/nervous/scared to speak English You want to wait until you get really, really good before you speak English Do any of those sound familiar? Yes, there are so many reasons (excuses) but I want to tell you 2 things: It is STILL possible to speak English in your situation You MUST speak English to improve your speaking Common Mistake 2: Thinking You Don’t Have Time There are two possibilities here: Your life is REALLY busy, so you feel you have no time (but is that true?) You attend a class 1 time per week In both of these situations, the problem is time but for different reasons. The good news is both problems a...

  1. Words  and  Phrases It is important to remember that vocabulary is not just single words, e.g.  sofa, library,   discover, beautiful . Many items of vocabulary consist of more than one word, and these phrases are a key part of your vocabulary knowledge. Here is an example of a glossary from  Oxford Word Skills  containing items that are mostly made up of more than one word. 2.   Keeping records of new Vocabulary If you keep a record of vocabulary you are learning – in a notebook and/or on your phone – it can help in several ways. The act of writing down a word or phrase with a definition or translation is one stage of helping you to fix the meaning in your mind and remember it. And if you have well-organised records, you can: * find vocabulary items easily to check the meaning * add more information, e.g. that a particular adjective is often used with a noun you have written down (e.g.  a close friend ) * revise vocabulary you have learn...