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Sophisticated English for Global Souls
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27
JUL
2021

What are the 1000 most common words in English?

“Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.” –Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936), British author Sometimes students ask simple, direct questions that I can’t immediately answer. For instance, an ESL student wondered, “What are the 1000 most common...
06
NOV
2015
Firefighters with water hose

Changing Work Titles & Greater Equality

“Habits change into character.” ~Ovid (43 BCE-17 CE), Ancient Roman poet Which is correct: fireman or firefighter? The answer is both! But one has been gaining traction lately, along with many other gender-neutral terms for occupational titles. Here’s why: Many...
01
OCT
2014

Memrise: online learning tool fuses memory, fun and community

Through “mems,” students retain English vocabulary “We’ve built Memrise to embody the very best knowledge about how your brain works, and so help you learn as quickly and effortlessly as possible. We’ve turned learning facts and language into a game where you grow a...
13
AUG
2014

Biscuit: mobile app to recall, learn, explore vocabulary words

Innovative technology allows students to absorb new vocabulary “The limits of my language means the limits of my world.” -Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951) Austrian-British philosopherHave you ever found a word you don’t know, jumped to your dictionary, tried to remember the...
14
JUL
2014

How Do You Teach the Difference Between “Make” and “Do” in Your English Classrooms?

Distinguishing the difference between make and do in English classrooms “Do all you can to make your dreams come true.” ―Joel Osteen (1960- ) American preacher How do you teach the difference between “make” and “do” in your English classrooms? What do you do? What do...
04
MAR
2011

Speaking Together to Write Academic Definitions

“The beginning of wisdom is in the definition of terms.” Socrates (469 BCE–399 BCE) , Greek philosopher Getting students to speak can be a challenge, especially in ESL courses focused on academic writing. Flexibility remains essential. How does one, for instance,...
18
DEC
2009

What is your word of the year for 2009?

The New Oxford Dictionary chose "unfriend" as its word of the year, but that clever choice is not the first, only, or last word. This excellent article from Ruth Walker's outstanding...
18
JUL
2008

What is a lifequake? Is that a real word?

Earthquakes remain a concern for people living in many places, including my home in Southern California. This awareness, and fear of sudden shaking and buildings falling, enters into many conversations. I recently read a wonderful term and vocabulary word: lifequake. What does it...
15
JUN
2008

What are the 1000 most common words in English?

Importance of authentic vocabulary reflecting interests “Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.”  -Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936), British author What are the 1000 most common words in English? Wiktionary, an offshoot of the wonderful Wikipedia, offers this...