Artículos escritos por profesores particulares de Inglés nativos

You may already be familiar with the European language levels (CEFR): But which exam is right for you? Today, I will look at the First Certicate of Cambridge, level B2. This is what many employers and universities will require as a minimum. What are the pros and cons? Pros: Internationally recognised by employers and universities Highly regarded (Cambridge quality) Tests all 5 skills: use of English, reading, writing, listening, speaking In th...

What's up students! How you doing? En primer lugar, me presento: me llamo Irene y tengo 24 años. Soy de una pequeña ciudad de España llamada Cuenca y me dedico a enseñar y transmitir mi forma de ver el inglés. Ahora que ya me conoces un poco más, vamos al grano... ¿quieres aprender inglés? ¿llevas toda la vida estudiando inglés en el colegio, instituto, etc. pero no consigues tener una conversación normal en inglés? ¿te da miedo o vergüenza habl...

Do you want to learn new ways to say “angry”?  Then, this article is for you. You can expand your vocabulary with new expressions for your B2 course. 1.       To get cross You probably know this word as a verb that means to go to the other side of the street: “I cross the street.” But this word is also associated with the idea of being “angry”. For example, if you say: “When he ignored me, I got really cross”, ...

It may sound basic, but many people struggle with irregular plural forms in English even when they have reached a high level of fluency. After all, you normally add an “s” at the end of a word and, magically, you have a plural form. That’s true with most words, but not all. So, let’s review some of these confusing plural forms. SINGULAR Pronunciation of the vowel PLURAL Pronunciation of the vowel Man Same vowel as “bad” Men S...

The typical questions you find very hard in a job interview are about your strengths and weaknesses. Your strengths may be easier to explain, but your weaknesses? Why would you tell a prospective employer about your bad points? The answer is that your “weaknesses” must actually be strengths. Let’s look at one example. Imagine that you tell your interviewer that determination is one of your strengths. You set yourself goals and deadlines that you...

No two countries are the same. No society behaves exactly the same as another. And that is the beauty of the world; its diversity, differences, individuality.   All those things mean well. However, one might feel uneasy when put into a different social and cultural setting. You might not know how to act, or react to things that happen in the classroom.  That is how I felt when I started teaching in Spain.   Let me p...

COVID-19 happened... then schools closed and teaching had to move onto online platforms. I had to adapt my teaching and the way that I presented tasks to my students.   I thought to myself, ok, it’s time to make PowerPoints and find online games for my students. I began to carry out my usual procedure, but there was a little doubting feeling in me. A feeling telling me that I should try something different.  ...

Boredom is natural. Boredom is healthy. In fact, when we are bored, our brain is forced to start thinking for itself, instead of constantly being exposed to all the information that we get through TV screens, our phones etc.   Some of my favourite things that I love doing when I’m bored is:   1. Cooking. Or baking. A good chocolate chip cookie can brighten my mood, and make me feel a whole lot better. It's even bett...

COVID-19 has changed education forever. We know that now. Technology is also taking over our way of teaching, but it's not a particularly bad thing. There has been a widely discussed debate, for a really long time, around the use of modern technology in teaching children and adults. Whether the effects of these teaching methods are beneficial, we do not know. However, there are some claims that by moving teaching online, students increase their...

I am certain I am not the only English teacher who has just ventured into the massive market of online teaching. I too am certain that I am not the only one who has found the whole situation very daunting. One moment you´re in the classroom, buzzing around, moving from room to room, lesson plans all over the place, and the next, you´re at home with just you, your living room and webcam. A few taps into google, and here we are! Having worked in s...

Hi, this is one of my lesson plans for my B1 Cambridge Pet classes. They are a great group so I decided not to spend too much time on the grammar. Instead, I wanted to get straight in to practising using the passive and active as to avoid them thinking too much about the rules and structure: Main aim: Cover the essential grammar linked with the Active and Passive voice and to have the class all up to speed with why it’s used and how to form it. ...

Learning English is usually functional at the beginning. It has an expressed purpose, which is often commercial. English is the accepted business language of Europe. If you have a colleague or customer in Italy or France, it is expected that you will converse in English, not that you need to become an expert in their language. This is helpful, but it also means that learning English can feel forced, or aimed toward some limited goal. This can be...

There is no key method for teaching. No magic. Everything is related to and depends on the development of us as teachers who are constantly learning how to teach. The more we are open and experiment new, and why not, old ways of teaching, the more we can get from this wonderful calling of teaching a second language. In my opinion, there are as many theories and methodologies as learners. I believe there is not even one learner in the world whose...

                The current health crisis has put in check a huge number of business operations, forcing head business leaders to face a list of challenges ever imagined, from the drop in sales, the breakdown of their supply chains, the decision to stop activities, etc.. Challenges are not really easy to deal with not even are few.   So then, What is next? The good next side of the coin here comes......