When you’re applying for a new job in an English-speaking company or country, you’re likely to need three things. All of these things can be prepared in advance, and they will help you in different ways so that you can get your dream job! Your CV A lot of people wait until they are applying… Read More
If you have a big English goal like “become a fluent English speaker”, write down all your successes and achievements.When you do this, you can see that you’re making progress. It’s motivating to see where you started, the challenges you faced, and the successes that made you feel good. Here’s how you can keep an… Read More
AI (Artificial Intelligence) is a fantastic way to improve your English quickly and easily. The advantage of AI is that it can get you information immediately, so you don’t need to spend a lot of time searching through the internet or books. Find out how you can get started with a popular AI tool, and… Read More
Why does pronunciation – and English pronunciation – make us feel anxious? Why do we feel more vulnerable when we speak, compared to when we write, for example? My story of “pronunciation shame” This is a story of my experience as an Italian learner. The company where I worked was designing an Italian course for… Read More
It’s difficult to understand discussions where there are lots of people (often from different countries) and where there’s a lot of background noise. Here are some things that can help you understand more of what you hear – so that you can take part in discussions more easily. Understanding fast English In faster discussions, words… Read More
In April 2022 I started my podcast SmartEnglishCoach especially for people at an advanced level of English. The podcast episodes are about 10 minutes long, and they’re short coaching sessions to help with English fluency and confidence. There’s a new episode every week. So far, we’ve looked at mindset, strategy and learning tips. But what… Read More
One thing that’s changed our work lives for ever is online meetings. They have some advantages (you can work from home) but also some disadvantages. It’s sometimes difficult to find the right time to speak when you can’t see everyone in the room, for example. In this post, there are a few techniques to help… Read More
Native speakers don’t always say what they mean. Sometimes this is because they want to be polite, and sometimes it’s because they don’t want to admit that they’re wrong, or that they don’t know something. Instead of using a direct phrase, they say something that seems politer. Unfortunately, these phrases can be the opposite of… Read More
If you haven’t studied English for a while, it can be difficult to start studying again. Maybe you’ve forgotten things, or it takes you longer to do something in English, because you’re “out of practice”. So here are some ways that you can activate your brain, so that you can study effectively and productively! All… Read More
Most people try to avoid phrasal verbs. They can be difficult to learn or understand, and there are so many of them! But phrasal verbs really improve your English, and when you use them, you’ll automatically sound more natural and more advanced. Here are three reasons why they’re so important for you to understand and… Read More
