Resources: Notes on Life and Language in the United States

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

Today we have a New York English lesson. In this lesson, you can practice your listening and learn how to find an apartment in New York.  Finding an apartment in New York can be daunting! There are many things to think about! Which neighborhood is right for you? What kind of apartment do you want? And most importantly, what is your budget? I remember apartment hunting during the summer of 2006. After viewing twelve different apartments, I finally found the perfect place and I had an hour to get to the broker's office to sign the lease before someone else took the apartment. Apartment hunting is done a little bit differently in New York than in other cities. There is a lot of competition and prices are high so if you are learning English, you need to be prepared and know the correct phrases and vocabulary words to use when you start your search. In this New York English lesson series, we will give you some ideas about great neighborhoods to check out and the vocabulary words and phrases that you need to get the apartment you want.

If you are a busy professional and you can't spend hours in a classroom improving your English, I have good news for you. You don't have to spend hours in an English class. If you are living in the United States, you can practice English anywhere and at anytime.  In an earlier post, I talked about how to improve your English by taking risks. But today I will talk about another strategy that a lot of students and English tutors don't consider. Engaging in English conversation is important but sometimes it's just not possible. In that case, you can improve your English just by listening! Through listening, you can practice English on your way to work, during your lunch break or even while waiting at the hair salon. Your life is busy but you can still improve your English every day!  Keep reading to learn more.

How do you find the right English tutor in Boston? Boston is a wonderful place to learn English. It is a city of universities, students, new and innovative ideas and it has a vibrant atmosphere. It is an American city with a slightly European feeling. If you have chosen to study English in Boston, you have made an excellent decision. However, there are many options for learning English in Boston and it is important to know how to make the right choice based on your needs. Although you will have more opportunities to speak English with American people in Boston than you would have in New York, you still need to make an effort to get out into the city and practice your English with native speakers. If you have a limited amount of time to learn English or if you need to improve your English for your career, you might want to consider working with an English tutor in Boston. In this article, I will give you some tips for choosing the right tutor.

Today I will offer a unique piece of advice on how to improve your English. Many private English tutors will tell you that it is important to practice speaking as much as possible and that means taking risks.  How comfortable are you in new or different situations? To be a language learner, you must be a risk taker. Risk taking is a great way to gradually build confidence in your English skills. Keep reading for more ideas about how to take risks while learning English and some risks that you might consider taking this year.

Your American English tutoring classes are a good opportunity to learn more than just English speaking skills. You can also learn about daily life in the United States with your native English speaking tutor. One of the questions that a lot of my students have asked during our English tutoring sessions is about tipping in the United States. When and where should you leave a tip? How much money should you leave? If you are an international professional working in the United States for a few years or if you are a short term traveler visiting New York or Boston for a few days, this listening activity will tell you what you need to know about tipping.

I have been teaching private English language lessons in New York and Boston for the past 5 years and I have noticed that there are two types of English learners. The two types are complete opposites. This week, my English student in Boston and I talked about the problem that many students have with perfectionism. They will not speak English until they feel that their skills are perfect. On the other hand, some English learners prefer to be spontaneous with their English and they believe that the world is their classroom. To them, every encounter with a native English speaker is a chance to improve. Which type of English learner are you? Keep reading to find out.

Welcome to today's lesson on American culture and business!

If you are learning English in the United States and working at an American company, there are some aspects of American culture that you might want to know more about.

One important thing to know if you are working, interviewing or just meeting new people in the United States, is the handshake. Why is the handshake so important?

People often make judgments about your character based on your handshake.

So if you want to make a good first impression, you need to know how to shake hands correctly and confidently in the United States.

In this post, you will learn 4 things to remember about shaking hands in the United States.

Why should you work with an English tutor in New York?

As an international professional or an international student living in New York, there are so many ways to improve your English.

You can choose a large language school, you can do a language exchange or you can work with an English tutor.

But your life in New York will be different from your life in any other city.

With so many things to do, a career that keeps you busy, meetings to attend and people to meet, you will have a busy life!

That is one of the reasons why I believe that working with an English tutor in New York is the best way to improve your English quickly.

Keep reading for more hints about the best way to improve your English.