Here's a pangram that covers (almost) all the sounds of American English (unless someone I know fooled me). What's it for? Technically, it's for practicing American English pronunciation. But before

This is a true story I heard told by a British actor on a TV show. I might have added a few details to practice storytelling and dialogue. I was at a restaurant in Spain. It was Sunday and we'd been

Inspiration is a myth. When you sit at your desk eager to put your words on paper, something is boiling inside you. That's not inspiration. That's you wanting to tell others you have something to

I'm having trouble today stringing my ideas together. It was really early when I woke up this morning. I usually get ahold of something to write about, so my post will start by introducing the topic

I put my foot in my mouth this morning when I was talking to an old neighbor. I was really glad to run into him. Back when we were neighbors, I had a good relationship with his wife. We often shared

Here I am again, with the book Advanced Grammar in Use in front of me. It’s a very well-known book among English students. I used to follow its grammar rules to a tee until I finally took my nose out

The world of theater is one of the most superstitious I know. We rarely see what happens behind the scenes, but it's well known that actors often believe in superstitions and have peculiar ways of

Superstition says that if you tell someone your projects, they'll get jinxed. Maybe that's true , or maybe it's just the pressure we put on ourselves that makes our plans fail. Personally, I’m

One of the grammar points in English that drives us non-native speakers crazy is the use of gerunds after “to.” This is particularly tricky for Spaniards because “to” can be translated into just a

English has a very strict grammatical structure and word order. In Spanish it's different. We juggle words, swallow subjects, and sprinkle pepper and salt whenever needed. We do use commas and

— Did you find out what happened last night? — Yes. Well, kind of. — So… — So what? — Spill it. What else? — Why are you so interested? It’s no big deal. — Really? A “no big deal” situation brought

I've always been curious about Shakespeare —from his last name, “Shake-speare,” which sounds like a war cry, “Shake your spear, you idiot! The enemy is about to attack!”— to the secrets of his

Winter afternoons are ideal for procrastinating. Summertime isn't the best season for getting things done either, but there's something about the winter light that can really change your mood and

“Señora” is a term of courtesy used to address a married or widowed woman in Spanish. If you hear someone say, “Good morning, Señora So-and-so,” you'll subconsciously assume the person being

If you find it hard to book a flight or order something over the phone in an English-speaking country, imagine what it’s like to buy something at a hardware store. Even native speakers struggle

I got a disdainful look this morning that kept me thinking all day. I was walking down the street, carrying a gorgeous little plant full of flowers, when I crossed paths with an unknown woman. I was

As soon as you read the first tip, you’ll think, “She made them up.” I swear I didn’t, and the guy I heard these tips from is supposedly an editor. So let’s start with the first one. — Yeah, right.

Over the century I’ve been learning English, my approach to it has changed a hundred times. In the beginning, I took classes, did tons of drills, recorded myself (ew), recorded myself as an

I used to have four dogs. One ran away one day and never came back, so now I have one fewer. I bought each dog a leash before it left, so I have an extra leash. I feel like something is off. It's as

- Hi, bug. Already working? - Could you please announce your presence before walking in so that you don't startle me? - Did I scare you? How's that even possible? I've been whistling all the way here