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Showing posts from June, 2021

Common Clichés in Your Writing

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  There are many distinctive features of masterly writing, and clichés aren’t among them. Clichés are stock phrases that you read so commonly they’re almost meaningless, like “clear as a bell” or “the fact of the matter.” Such phrases bore attentive readers and can suggest laziness or even a lack of originality. So it’s wise to avoid clichés in your writing—either by striking them outright or reworking your ideas to make them more your own. Because clichés abound (they wouldn’t be clichés if they were rare, after all), you may feel so used to seeing some that you barely notice them. Spotting and remedying clichés in your writing takes practice and care, so we offer some tips below. First, what exactly is a cliché? Clichés come in several forms. Many are tired sayings and metaphors that evoke zilch. There are lifeless similes like the aforementioned “clear as a bell” or the similarly bland “clear as day,” which scarcely conjures sunshine. And the fact of the matter is some are needlessl

Keep You Motivated

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  Reading is a great way to build your vocabulary and range when learning English. Working through a whole book in a second language can be tough, though. It doesn’t need to be that way, though. Inspire yourself to stay motivated with these easy to read and motivating books. 1. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff Focus on doing the things that count. Although the author has a Ph.D, this is easy to read and full of practical advice for people who feel like they have too much to do. Ideal to help you focus on the important things in life – like learning English. It was the number-one best-selling book in the United States for two years in a row. 2. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Another best-selling self-help book, while many people see the principles in this book as a way to get ahead in their careers, it can equally apply to learning a language. There are several reasons this book is popular – it’s practical, easy to read, and it works. 3. The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari The story of a

Succeed Your English Journal

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  Writing a journal in English is a great way to practise your skills, reflect on your learning, and motivate yourself to keep learning more. It seem like a lot of work, though. If you’re struggling with your English journal, try these tips to help you succeed. Find a good time Most people think of a journal as something you write in the evening. It doesn’t have to be that way, though. Write your journal at a time that suits you – maybe when your house is nice and quiet, or maybe during your morning or evening commute. Make sure you write at a time when you can think clearly and reflect on the day. Get into a routine Writing a journal is most effective when it becomes a habit. Once you’ve found a good time to write your journal, stick to it and do it every day for a month. It’s OK to catch up if you don’t have a chance to write one day but try not to miss a day too often or the habit won’t stick. Don’t try and write too much A blank page can be intimidating so start with a smaller spac

Sad Truth of Modern Life

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  Marco Melgrati, an Italian freelance illustrator from Milan, takes a critical look at various subjects that are a part of modern society. He creates thought-provoking illustrations and questions the world that we live in. Shadow Games The Magic Carpet Beautiful Life On Social Media Social Media Confessions Political Corruption Ego The zoo Weak Spot

Put a Smile on Your Face

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  Whether you catch these wonderful animals trying to steal a snack or just loafing around like a piece of bread, dogs can put a smile on your face and make your day by just being dogs. They constantly overwhelm our hearts with pure happiness and make sure we know just how much they appreciate us. He wanted me to go outside and play fetch. When you leave your dogs alone for just a few minutes. Cooperation is the key! Ball toy. Leave me alone, Human! I told you I hate baths… All hail the new king. If you can’t hide a crime scene, just pretend you are a victim.

Presentation Slides in English

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  Even if you’re a great public speaker, there’s more to a great presentation than just being able to speak well. Nowadays, people expect presentations to look as good as they sound and most of us have to prepare slides for any presentation we are giving. Use these five simple rules to make sure you wow the audience at your next presentation. 1. Keep It Simple Make sure the slides aren’t too complicated. If they are difficult to understand, the audience will pay more attention to trying to understand the slides than listening to you. Even if you have a massive screen to display your presentation on, it’s still difficult to read text on a screen if there’s too much of it. Also, if people are busy reading the screen, they’re not going to be listening to you. Cut out all unnecessary information from your slides and use bullet points to introduce it a step at a time. If there’s anything you need to show in more detail, split it into separate slides or try to explain it with a chart or imag

Fiction in Verse

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  A verse novel (fiction in verse) is a type of narrative poetry in which a novel-length narrative is told through the medium of poetry rather than prose. Either simple or complex stanzaic verse-forms may be used, but there will usually be a large cast, multiple voices, dialogue, narration, description, and action in a novelistic manner. The word verse is derived from the Latin  versus  meaning row, specifically a line of writing which turns to begin another line. Versus comes originally from the Latin  vertere  which means to turn. Verse now means a line of words written according to the recognized rules of prose to form a complete metered line, or poetry. This meaning has been in usage since c900. The word novel comes from the Latin  novella  which means the new shoot of a plant. As a young plant grows and adds girth, so has the meaning of the word novel. By 1450 the word came to mean something “new”, or “the news.” By the 1500s, novel meant a larger collection of “news” in the manne

Criticize Gently in English

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  Criticism can hurt when used badly. However, when used in the correct way it can be a useful learning tool. Use these tips to make your criticism constructive and turn something negative into a positive experience for you and your colleagues. 1. Avoid direct accusations Phrases like “ You’re wrong! ” and “ Your presentation was terrible! ” are personal attacks and make people feel defensive. When people feel defensive they are unlikely to accept criticism and will gain nothing from your feedback. Avoid direct accusations to make people more open to criticism. 2. Soften with compliments Before starting with the criticism, warm the person up with compliments. If you are discussing their work, find several things you truly like about what they have done. For example, “ I enjoyed your presentation today. You presented a lot of good and helpful information in it, and I can tell you put a lot of effort into it. I appreciate your hard work. ” This will lower their defenses and make them fee

The Little Prince (1)

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  The Little Prince (French: Le Petit Prince, pronounced [lə p(ə)ti pʁɛ̃s]) is a novella by French aristocrat, writer, and aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. It was first published in English and French in the US by Reynal & Hitchcock in April 1943, and posthumously in France following the liberation of France as Saint-Exupéry’s works had been banned by the Vichy Regime. The story follows a young prince who visits various planets in space, including Earth, and addresses themes of loneliness, friendship, love, and loss. Despite its style as a children’s book, The Little Prince makes observations about life, adults and human nature. The Little Prince became Saint-Exupéry’s most successful work, selling an estimated 140 million copies worldwide, which makes it one of the best-selling and most translated books ever published. It has been translated into 301 languages and dialects. The Little Prince has been adapted to numerous art forms and media, including audio recordings, radio plays

Signing Off a Business Email

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  During my time as an EF English Live teacher I have helped a lot of people write business emails. Getting the right balance between a friendly and professional tone can be quite tricky, especially when it comes to finishing your email. Here are five ways of signing off a business email in English. Best regards  – This is a common phrase, particularly in the UK. Notice the ‘s’ at the end of ‘regards’ – it can never be ‘regard’. With regards  – Again, another phrase commonly used in the UK. You could also write “With best wishes”. Sincerely  – This is a safe option that applies to most business practices. Thank you  – This is one that I use often, and it is very common in the US. If your email is asking a question or requests that something to be done, this is an appropriate closing phrase. You could even add, “Thank you for your assistance regarding this matter” to sound even more professional. I hope to hear from you soon  – Now, you have to be a little bit careful with this one. Thi

The Worst Fashion Fails

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  Ah, fashion! It’s that wonderful thing that we used to care a lot about before the pandemic. Now that mass vaccination programs are continuing with great success in some countries, we can once again open up our wardrobes and take a peek at what we could potentially replace our overused sweatpants with. We’re going to have some people to impress pretty soon as lockdown regulations keep getting relaxed and summer is starting to hit its stride. However, even if you feel lost in the stylish world of clothing and don’t know the difference between ‘Armani’ and ‘armadillo,’ you really shouldn’t worry all that much. Whatever you dress like, it really can’t be as bad as the photos below… Balenciaga’s $2,145 Bag That Looks Exactly Like IKEA’s 99-Cent Tote Bag The Pockets on Women’s Trousers Red Nail Stockings Maison Margiela Pre-Destroyed Sneakers For $1425 – I can have my dogs do that for free This Clothing Brand for Kids Girls is Can What? – Stop reading before you lose more brain cells… Fin