Resources: Notes on Life and Language in the United States

What kind of person tends to get the most from their private lessons and learns to communicate in English naturally? I have worked with many different adult English students over the past five years and I have noticed that those who learn quickly and learn the language well tend to have certain character traits and skills.  In this article, I will tell you what these traits are. If you don't have these traits, don't worry! It doesn't mean that you can't learn English. It just means that you will now know what you can work on. So keep reading to find out what the six character traits and skills are that help you learn to communicate in English.

How can you learn the most for your time and money in your private English class?

Moving to the United States, starting a new life and finding a community in a city like Boston or New York can be a challenging task! You are probably eager to learn the English language and culture and to meet new people outside of your own cultural group. But in the big cities, it can be hard to connect with new people to make friends and practice your English so a lot of international students and professionals only socialize within their own cultural groups. In today's post, I would like to share a way for you to get out and meet new people in your city and start speaking more English with local people. If you are young, eager to learn English and ready for the adventure of exploring New York or Boston with a local person, keep reading for some great ideas!

How often do you practice your English outside of your English class? If you rarely have a chance to practice, it's time to change that! For a fun and free way to get some extra English conversation practice during your free time, why not try an English language exchange? A language exchange is different from an English lesson because you don't work with a professional teacher. Instead, you meet with a native English speaker who is trying to learn your native language and you split the time between English and your native language. The main goal of a language exchange is not to learn the structure of a language. The goal is to take the skills you learn with your English tutor and use them in conversation practice with your language exchange partner. Doing this is  absolutely crucial if you want to improve your English. Does this sound like it could work for you? Keep reading to learn how to find your language exchange partner.

Where in New York can you practice your English with native English speakers, get free drinks and snacks and view amazing works of art by some of the world's newest and most up-and-coming artists? I'm not talking about the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) or the Metropolitan Museum of Art (the Met). I am talking about the Chelsea art openings. A lot of our English students say that it is difficult to meet native English speakers and hard to get an opportunity to practice speaking English in New York. Indeed, it can be more of a challenge in New York than in other cities, but if you follow your interests, you will be more likely to connect with people who are interested in the same thing. So if you are interested in art and want to practice your English, keep reading for more details!

If you are taking a private English course in a large city like Boston or New York, you probably don't have much time or many opportunities outside of class to practice the new vocabulary words, expressions or grammar points that you learn in class every week. One of my students here in Boston is a busy researcher and while she uses some English at work, she mostly speaks in her native language at home.

Do you make a lot of the same mistakes again and again in English?

In my experience as an English tutor and an ESL classroom teacher, I have seen English language learners ask a lot of questions.

Almost all of my students have asked me how they can improve their English outside of class and speak English more often in their daily lives.

They also have common questions about confusing grammar points such as the difference between "will" and "going to" or how to pronounce confusing words like "quit", "quiet" and "quite". 

Sometimes students ask what they should know when they do business with American people and how culture affects business interactions.

These are all great questions so today we have the 10 most common questions about English grammar, pronunciation and how to learn English.

 If you are an international professional, working and living in the United States, English and Culture are the tools you need to succeed. Anyone from another country who has ever tried to complete a business deal, apply for a job or even strike up a conversation with an American will tell you that just being able to speak English is not enough to be successful in the United States. However, a lot of international professionals come to the US and reach a high level of English but then realize that they are still not succeeding at work. What's missing? It might be culture!  In this post, I will offer 4 reasons culture is more important than you think. 

Are cultural transitions challenging for you?

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.