It started with the goal: explain English grammar with no exceptions. I’m a native English speaker and an English teacher in Japan. When I started teaching, I went along with what was printed in the textbooks. Grammar textbooks for ESL and EFL learners typically present a grammar point, then some examples that support this point. […]
MORE25 Typical British Slang Words that Every English Learner Should Know
Every country has its own slang, and Britain is no different. Of all the English-language slang in the world, I find British slang to be some of the most creative and interesting. But then, I’m biased because I’m British! Just a word of warning before you continue: although these slang terms are relatively mild, there […]
MOREIrishisms: An A-Z Hibero-English Dictionary with Usage Examples
“They’re ferocious rough out here altogether”; “The three of us are in ribbons, laughing”; “I went through him for a short cut”; “Northern Ireland is falling down with mountains, isn’t it?” “It doesn’t knock a fidget out of him”; “Will you pour the tea there, love? The cat has me handicapped”. A Proposal for a […]
MORE101+ German Animal Names (with English Translations)
If your childhood was anything like mine animals played a huge role in your language development. You’d read brightly coloured books with vivid pictures of farmyard animals. You’d watch shows like Sesame Street that took you on constant “trips” to the zoo. And you’d even sing songs about animals people owned. (Old Macdonald had a […]
MOREHow to Learn English Fast: The Language Hacker’s Method
If you want to get fluent in English, you’re in luck. It’s the second most spoken language in the world. So you won’t have to look very hard to find lots of English resources and lots of chances to practise both spoken and written English. What if you want to learn English fast? Then there […]
MOREPassion Power! How I Learned English (and Spanish) by Sharing My Art With the World
During my first year at my Italian university, I dropped my language degree course in English and Spanish after just three months. Back then, in addition to studying English and Spanish at university, I was also studying at an art academy in Rome to become a professional cartoonist (cool, right?). As you may imagine, doing […]
MORE28 Beautiful Words for Love from Around the World – and Their Literal Translations into English
There are so many different ways to say “I love you” and to share the love. In fact, there are more words for “love” than there are languages in the world. Let me explain with an example: The Japanese language has dozens of ways to say “you”. There are polite forms, very polite forms, impolite […]
MOREOld English Writing: A History of the Old English Alphabet
Can you read Old English writing? Here’s a sample: Nu scylun hergan hefaenricaes uard metudæs maecti end his modgidanc uerc uuldurfadur sue he uundra gihuaes eci dryctin or astelidæ Those are the first few lines of Cædmon’s Hymn, a 7th-Century poem generally considered to be the oldest surviving work of English literature. Any idea what […]
MORE25 Perfect French Idioms that Sound Weird in English
Like all languages, French is rich in idioms – expressions that mean something other than their literal meaning. Spend enough time in France and you may hear people talking about having mustard up their nose, a hair in the hand, a wooden mouth, or a hand in the bag. What does this all mean? Below […]
MOREHow to Improve Your Spanish Accent: A Spanish Pronunciation Guide for Native English Speakers
Would you like to lose your Spanish accent and be mistaken for a native Spanish speaker? That’s the “holy grail” of language learning, after all. Yet people can spend decades living in a foreign country and speaking the local language without ever completely losing the twang of their native tongue. Clearly, a convincing accent isn’t […]
MORENerves, Tears and a Breakthrough: 2 Weeks Without Speaking English [Mission Update]
What’s it really like giving up your mother tongue? If you’ve read my last update you’ll know that I gave up speaking English for 30 days to focus on only speaking German. My goal was to reach the B2 level by the time the Cologne Carnival came around. As I write this, I’m in the […]
MORENew Mission: One Month Without English!
Have you ever reached a plateau in your language learning that you just couldn’t break through? I did. It didn’t matter how many German lessons I took. How many Skype calls I made. Or, how many grammar books I read. I just couldn’t get to the next stage. I kept making the same mistakes and […]
MOREHow to Speak English Like the English
Two of my favourite articles on Fluent in 3 Months are Benny’s classics How to Speak English Like the Irish and its sequel Advanced Hiberno English. So, being from England, I’d like to share some thoughts on how to speak English like the English. Let’s start with a story you might hear from a mate down the pub […]
MORE10+ Free Online English Language Lessons
So you want to improve your English and you’re looking for English language lessons online? Good call! By number of speakers (either native or as a second language), English is by far the most widely spoken language in the world. That’s why the English language is so popular with language learners. Speaking English opens up […]
MORE13 Badass German Words We Really Need in English
You know that moment when you can’t find the word to describe what’s happening. Or how you feel. It can be a pretty frustrating, right? Learning a new language opens the doors of communication in more ways than one. The word that describes the emotion you’re feeling may actually exist – you’re just searching for […]
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