Academic Word List — Upgrade Your Vocabulary Register (C1)
Same idea, higher register — the vocabulary that examiners reward
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Articles — A, An and The: The Little Words That Change Everything (A2)
The smallest words in English — but they change everything about what you mean
Reading Headlines — What Newspapers Don’t Say
From Sourov's world: When I moved to La Réunion, I picked up my first French newspaper and read the headline. The words were French but the meaning made no sense — where were the articles?…
Fixed Expressions and Idioms of Feeling (B2)
From Sourov's world: When I moved from Sydney to Saint-Pierre in La Réunion to be with my wife Vanessa, I had to relearn how people express feelings in French. The French say "avoir le cafard"…
Listening for Gist — The First Listen
From Sourov's world: Working at Star Casino in Sydney during my first year, Australian customers spoke fast — really fast. I caught maybe 40% of what they said. Panicking made it worse. Then I discovered…
Word Families — Learn One Word, Get Four (B2)
Word families share the same root. We change the form using suffixes (endings) and prefixes (beginnings).
Second Conditional — Imagining a Different Life (B1)
Talk about imaginary situations in the present or future — and what would happen
Phrasal Verbs for the Workplace (B1)
The everyday work verbs that textbooks don't always teach you
Modals of Deduction — Must, Can’t & Might (B2)
Use must, can't and might to say how certain you are — without guessing wildly
Collocations: Verb + Noun — The Words That Travel Together (B1)
The words that always travel together — get them right, sound natural
Present Perfect vs Simple Past — ‘Have You Ever…?’ (B1)
Know when to use have done and when to use did — and never confuse them again
Collocations in English — Words That Go Together Naturally
💬 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…
Inferring Meaning from Context — A Reader’s Detective Guide
💬 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%…
The Passive Voice — When the Action Matters More Than Who Did It
💬 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…
The Third Conditional — The Grammar of ‘What If’ and Regret
Use the third conditional for hypothetical situations in the past — things that didn't happen, and imagining what would have been different.
How to Read Faster in English Without Missing the Meaning
💬 Reading as a non-native: In Australia, I had to read long contracts, lease agreements, and handbooks I hadn't asked for. Word by word was too slow. I had to learn to read like a…
English at the Doctor’s — What to Say When You’re Ill
💬 When language fails at the worst moment: My first year in Australia, I hurt my back. I sat in a medical clinic, could not explain my symptoms clearly, and left with the wrong prescription.…
Numbers 1–100 in English — Let’s Count! (Kids & Beginners)
🔢 Hello! Numbers are the first things you need in any language. Age, price, time, phone numbers — everything uses numbers. Let's count together, step by step!
Colours in English — A Rainbow of Words for Kids and Beginners
🌈 Hello, young learners and beginners! Colours are everywhere. Your pencils, your clothes, the sky, your food. Today we learn ALL the colours in English. Ready? Let's make a rainbow!
English Idioms About Money — 8 You’ll Hear Every Week
💬 The idiom that got me the tip: A regular at the bar I worked at in Sydney once said: "You really know how to make every penny count." I understood it — barely. I…