BLOG #8

 WHEN WE USE IN - ON - AT?

We use IN for long periods of time such as:

• Months: In December, In March, In July
• Years: In 2022, In 1998, In 2013
• Decades: In the '90s, In the '80s 
• Seasons of the year: In winter, In fall, In spring, In sunny
• Moments of the day: In the morning, In the afternoon

We use AT for schedules and special events or places:

• At 7 o'clock
• At night
• At the park

We use ON for more specific periods such as:

• On my birthday.
• On my graduation day
• On the 14th of September.
• On new year's eve
• On Friday, On Tuesday

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BLOG #7

 10 PHRASES YOU CAN USE TO SOUND MORE NATIVE

When communicating, fluency and pronunciation are important factors to achieve a good level of English, however, if we get used to using common phrases among native speakers, we could even go unnoticed.

Below, I will leave you a list of the 10 most common phrases used by natives, which will make you feel like a native too.

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1. Have you ever heard any of these phrases?
2. Which phrase was your favorite?
3. What other phrase to sound like a native would you recommend?

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BLOG #6

Six ways to use the phrasal verb ¨GET ¨ 

Get is used with expressions referring to states or situations.

Phrasal verbs are verbal structures composed of two particles: verb + adjective, adverb or preposition that serve to define specific actions or states.

Phrasal verbs are very commonly used in written and spoken English, thanks to their flexible structuring to create new sentences, even though they have their complications, by using them we can understand their context. 

Below you can see 6 most common phrasal verbs with ¨GET¨

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1. GET  IN: It means to enter a place, especially by use of force or trickery.

2. GET  OUT: It means to leave or to go away, we can also define it as to escape from a place.

3. GET  AWAY: To escape, to leave a place. To escape from someone or something. To leave.

4.  GET  OFF: When we want someone not to touch us or be near us. Also, if someone who has broken a law or rule gets off, they are not punished or are given a very small punishment.

5.  GET  ON: It refers to getting on a car, table, etc. Also, to continue doing something, especially work.

6. GET  UP: It refers to getting out of bed or standing up from somewhere you are sitting. to stand up.

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BLOG #5

 5 APPS TO HELP YOU LEARN / IMPROVE YOUR ENGLISH

The applications are tools with certain aspects of the language and complementary materials that include games, activities, and tools that will help you improve all the skills included in the language.

Below I will show you 5 apps that will help you with this field:

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ELEVATE

• You can improve all skills .
• It works through games.
• It is easy to use.
• Helps you prepare for exams (TOEL, Cambridge).

LINGOBEER

• Easy to use.
• Contains activities for all skills.
• Designed to be learned in 10 minutes a day.
• Contains: The Alphabet Section, The First Pair of Lessons, A Phrasebook, A Review Function.

BEELINGUA

• The application is free of charge.
• Contains interactive tools.
• Focuses on reading and reading comprehension. 

MEMRISE

• Focused on vocabulary.
• You learn based on your level.
• Earn points and compete
• Offline Availability.
• Learn Through Audio and Video Lessons.

DUOLINGO

• Easy to use.
• It is formatted into organized, progressive lessons.
• You can see how many days in a row you have studied.
• It is very balanced (focuses on the 4 skills).
• Learn through games where you earn points and compete (keeps you motivated).

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All of these apps are available on both Android and iOS devices for free and with a paid version with extra features.

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BLOG #4

 LEARN ENGLISH THROUGH MUSIC

Learning English through music is one of the most natural techniques, where you learn to improve:

 1. Vocabulary

 2. Grammar

 3. Listening comprehension

 4. Pronunciation

 5. English spelling

Generally, English songs contain a wide and varied vocabulary ranging from phrases to idiomatic expressions commonly used by native English speakers.

My advice is to start with songs with slower rhythms like ballads, Blues, Jazz, etc. And with time when you feel more confident you can add to your list a little bit faster rhythms like Pop, R&B, Rap, etc. 

Below are some steps on how to apply music to learn/improve your English.

1. Choose songs you like the most.

2. Sing it out loud, even if you don't know the lyric perfectly.

3. Look up the lyrics of the songs and read them while listening to the music.

4. If you have time, transcribe the songs.

5. Finally, when you are alone at home, don't hesitate to do Karaoke.

I will leave you a list of songs with lyrics which you can start practicing.

1. Olivia Rodrigo - Driver's Licence

2. BTS - Dynamite

3. Jason Mraz - I'm Yours

4. Harry Styles - Falling

5. Adele - Easy on me

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BLOG #3

 

DIFFERENT TYPES OF ABBREVIATION

¿What is an abbreviation?

An abbreviation is a shortened version of a word or phrase.

 

There are four different types of abbreviations in English:

• Initialism
• Acronym
• Shortening
• Contraction

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INITIALISM

An initialism is formed from the first letters of a group of words. We pronounce each letter individually.

 

EXAMPLES:

1. FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation
2. ASAP: as soon as possible
3. CD: Compact disc
4. CEO: Chief Executive Officer
5. USA: United States of America

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ACRONYM

An acronym is formed from the first letters of a group of words. We pronounce the acronym as a word.

EXAMPLES:

1. NASA: National Aeronautical and Space Administration
2. NATO: North American Treaty Organization
3. PIN: Personal identification number (code for bank card)
4. RAM: Random access memory (computer memory)
5. SIM: Subscriber identification module (card for mobile phone)

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SHORTENING

A shortening is an abbreviation in which the beginning or end of the word has been omitted. There are 2 types:

Type 1 (treated as real words)

1. app: application (software)
2. flu: influenza (an illness)
3. blog: weblog (a type of website)

Type 2 (not treated as real words)

1. Feb.: February
2. Sat.: Saturday
3. etc.: et cetera 

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 CONTRACTIONS

Contractions are abbreviations in which we omit letters from the middle of a word. We do noot write a full stop at the end of a contraction. The first letter is a capital letter only if the full word starts with a capital letter.

Type 1 (missing letters from 1 word)

1. Dr: Doctor
2. govt: government
3. Mr: Mister

Type 2 (missing letters from more than 1 word)

We use an apostrophe to represent the missing letters:

1. he‘s: he is
2. they‘d: they would
3. I‘ve: I have

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BLOG #2

THREE BENEFITS OF SETTING THE LANGUAGE OF YOUR ELECTRONIC DEVICES

You may be wondering what advantages this will bring you, and the truth is that it is a self-help tool that will help you to adapt and get used to the English language. 

It is a fact and from my own experience this tip brings you many benefits.

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It is no news that children, teenagers and adults nowadays have cell phones, tablets, laptops, TV, Play Stations, among others. And if we use them on a daily basis, why not add a plus to that routine?, such as setting the language from Spanish to English.

I will mention bellow, three benefits of setting the Language of your electronic devices. 

B E N E F I T S

1. IMPROVE READING: You will get used to reading in English due to the daily handling we give to these devices

2. THINK IN ENGLISH: You'll think in English from the first moment you use your device until you stop using it. 

3. ACQUIRE VOCABULARY:  The new words that you will see in your devices will help you to acquire more vocabulary and knowledge. 

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Due to your previous knowledge of the handling of these devices, your mind already knows the exact location of each option or internal application of the devices like: TV, cell phone, laptop, etc.  It will be that previous knowledge your greatest guide, which will make it easier for you to understand and adapt to the use of the new language in these electronic devices. 

DON'T HESITATE TO TRY IT NOW! THEN TELL ME ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE.

BLOG #1

Practice reading and pronunciation through your favorite series/movies.

Have you ever asked yourself, what would be the most fun way to learn English? 

I know, there are many ways and you may feel a little confused at first, but don't worry....

                 

Here below are some recommendations for you on how to do it through your favorite movies and series.