Over the past ten years, I have said this to a lot of people. It began as just a statement about cycling. Getting over the mental hurdle and just starting your journey is difficult. With cycling, I need to put on my cycling clothes, oil my bike, fill up water bottles, put on sunscreen, plan … Read More
If you describe something as spot on, you are saying that it is an extremely accurate description or representation of something else. Your analysis can be spot on. Your impersonation could be spot on. That tiger growl was spot on. Example: I really loved your presentation. It was a spot on analysis of the Napoleonic … Read More
I recently reached a milestone on the Duolingo app. I completed 1,000 days of studying consecutively. I must admit that I have been cheating a little bit lately. When I am tired from work, I go back and do the introductory lessons just to keep my streak alive. Is it cheating? A milestone is an … Read More
A spring chicken is simply a chicken born in the spring. So, “not a spring chicken” is a chicken NOT born in the spring. In particular, this phrase is referring to chickens born in the winter. Farmers in the early 18th century found that people were more willing to buy the younger spring chickens. If … Read More
The phrase beyond the pale should only be used in extreme situations. It means that something is beyond what is normal and decent. You are telling the other person that their behavior is unacceptable. Example: You can’t say that fascism is good. That is beyond the pale. Debate me, Bro! Recently, I learned about a … Read More
Have you ever argued with someone that you care about? Even though you don’t agree, you still want to remain friends with the person. A good phrase to use is agree to disagree. It means that the only thing you CAN agree on is that you CAN’T agree. It is a way of ending an … Read More
Off the hook means to be removed from danger, difficulty, or responsibility. It has been around since at least the early 1800s. The phrase is an allusion to fishing. Think about a worm on a hook. If the worm can get itself off the hook, it will be out of danger and can get away. … Read More
In the first half of this lesson we will study English proverbs. We will look at the difference between teaching and telling and then put that into action. Each person will get an English proverb to teach to the other trainees. In the second half of the lesson, we will use the proverbs in a … Read More
In this lesson we take a look at some phone-based games that can be used to teach English. We will use Jackbox games (Drawful, Quiplash, Fibbage), Use Your Words, and SpaceTeam ESL. I am also posting some other ideas of apps and websites that you might use. Web-based Games Smartphones
In this game, you will create a new product to sell to some odd customers. You will need to use creative language to sell your products to the other customers (players in the game). Snake Oil History 13 Most Powerful Words in Advertising
