Resources: Notes on Life and Language in the United States

Are cultural transitions challenging for you?

Do verbs in English drive you crazy??? They are one of the biggest challenges for many of our English students in Boston and New York. Why are they so challenging? A unique aspect of the English language is phrasal verbs. A phrasal verb is a verb combined with a preposition such as get through, get over or get around. Anyone who is trying to learn English will probably struggle with these. Do you feel confident about your verbs in English? If not, don't worry! In this post, you can learn some new verbs that you can use in casual, everyday conversation when you talk about feelings and emotions. We have a video lesson with 4 questions to test your knowledge. After you watch the video, try the comprehension quiz. Leave a comment below to let us know how you did!

Learning corporate English is crucial for your success in your career the United States.

As an English language tutor in Boston and New York, many of my students have asked me how they can improve their English so that they can work in the United States or get a job using English when they return home. I believe that an important key to learning English is being an active learner. What does it mean to be an active learner? It means that you actively seek out ways to practice outside of class, you ask questions in class and you are dedicated to learning English no matter how frustrating it might be at times. In this post, I will give you 6 tips about how to be an active English learner.

English immersion is the best way or perhaps the only way to learn English.

It's hot outside and you are probably thinking about your summer vacation! So in this American English lesson, you will have a chance to learn some new expressions and verbs that you can use when you travel in the United States this summer! Whether you are planning to fly across the country or to just take a short road trip for a weekend, you will be able to use these verbs when you communicate with the people that you meet on your way. When you travel in the US, it's a great idea to start conversations with local people as much as you can. If you are traveling to a different region in the US like the West or the South, you will hear different variations of American English- that's fantastic! Enjoy the variety and the challenge. So before you take your trip, watch this video and start practicing new verbs then take the quiz to check your understanding!

Today's blog topic is NYC English! What do you know about the New York City subway? If you are thinking about coming to NYC to learn English, this post is a great way for you to get an idea of what it's like to ride the subway in New York. If you are already in New York and you ride the subway every day, you can learn new vocabulary expressions and idioms that New Yorkers use every day! Do you know what it means to be "in the red" or to "get the hang of it" ? If not, listen to the conversation about the subway in New York. Don't forget to take the quiz at the end to test your listening comprehension!

Cultural intelligence is a person's ability to adjust their behavior to a new cultural environment. Is cultural intelligence common sense? Is it something that you can just "figure out" by living in a new culture? Some people think it is but then they realize that their business interactions aren't going smoothly with their new American colleagues in New York and they can't figure out why.  Cultural intelligence is not always common sense. It is knowledge and skills that many people don't realize that they need until they make a mistake. In today's post I have some suggestions about how you can improve your cultural intelligence by observing, speaking with local people and asking "why?"