Author: Sourov

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B1 · 5 min The Second Conditional Talk about imaginary situations in the present or future — and what would happen From Sourov’s world: I sometimes catch myself thinking: if I didn’t leave Chittagong, where would I be now? I wouldn’t have spent 18 years in Sydney hospitality. I wouldn’t have become a sommelier, or…

Phrasal Verbs for the Workplace (B1)

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B1 · 5 min Phrasal Verbs for the Workplace The everyday work verbs that textbooks don’t always teach you From Sourov’s world: Working at Star Casino in Sydney, my supervisor spoke in a language I didn’t expect. She’d say: “Sourov, can you look into that complaint from table nine? And follow up with the VIP…

Modals of Deduction — Must, Can’t & Might (B2)

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B2 · 5 min Modals of Deduction Use must, can’t and might to say how certain you are — without guessing wildly From Sourov’s world: As a sommelier at Sydney’s finest restaurants, I was trained to read a wine before the label was revealed. I’d lift the glass to the light: deep garnet, barely any…

Collocations: Verb + Noun — The Words That Travel Together (B1)

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B1 · 5 min Collocations: Verb + Noun The words that always travel together — get them right, sound natural From Sourov’s world: In hospitality, you MAKE a reservation, TAKE an order, and SET the table. My first week at The Ivy in Sydney, I kept getting these wrong — I’d say “do a reservation”…

Present Perfect vs Simple Past — ‘Have You Ever…?’ (B1)

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B1 · 5 min Present Perfect vs Simple Past Know when to use have done and when to use did — and never confuse them again From Sourov’s world: In 2005 I flew from Chittagong to Sydney. My English was, in my own words, horrible. After landing I sat on the kerb outside the airport…

Collocations in English — Words That Go Together Naturally

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🎯 B1–B2 ⏱️ 5 min 💬 Why your English sometimes sounds “off”: A student once told me she “did a mistake.” She knew the vocabulary. She knew the grammar. But native speakers “make” mistakes — they don’t “do” them. This is about collocations: words that live together. Collocations — Words That Go Together A collocation…

Inferring Meaning from Context — A Reader’s Detective Guide 🔍

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🎯 B2 ⏱️ 5 min 💬 The detective approach: I learned this skill when reading French — I didn’t look up every unknown word. I asked: what must this word mean, given everything around it? I was right about 80% of the time. In Cambridge exams, this skill separates B1 from B2. Inferring Meaning from…

The Passive Voice — When the Action Matters More Than Who Did It

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🎯 B1–B2 ⏱️ 5 min 💬 The passive voice saved me once: After a mistake at the restaurant — a wrong order, an unhappy guest — I reported it to my manager. I said: “A mistake was made.” Not “I made a mistake.” In professional English, the passive voice can be diplomatically useful. But you…

The Third Conditional — The Grammar of ‘What If’ and Regret

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🎯 B2–C1 ⏱️ 5 min 💬 The grammar of regret: I once said to a student at C1 level: “Use the third conditional for everything you wish had been different.” She looked at me and said: “So it’s the grammar of regret?” I said: “Exactly. And also the grammar of relief — If I hadn’t…

How to Read Faster in English Without Missing the Meaning

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