What is a CCQ? — Teacher Training Micro-Lesson
I was corrected sharply during a teaching practice for asking 'Do you understand?' Here's the better question — and why it matters.
Blog
Every lesson, essay and journal entry, newest first. 726 published posts.
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- Resources 20
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Cambridge B2 Reading Exam — 3-Pass Strategy Guide
I prepared for language exams myself, without a tutor, in three languages. Here's the strategy that actually works for reading under time pressure.
Classroom Language — What Does Your Teacher Say? (A1 Kids)
In every classroom I've ever been in — from Chittagong to Sydney to Réunion — these are the words every student needs to know.
Third Conditional — Regret, Relief & Imagination (C1 Grammar)
If I had not left Chittagong, I would not have learned four languages. Third conditional is the grammar of turning points.
How to Write a Paragraph — The PEEL Method (B1 Writing)
Every essay, every formal email, every job application I've written follows one structure. PEEL. Let me show you.
Future Tenses: Will vs Going To (B1 Grammar)
In 2017, I said 'I'm going to move to France.' In 2026, I said 'I will build something lasting here.' Both are future — but they're not the same.
Describing Places — Vocabulary & Adjectives (A2)
Réunion has a volcano, a lagoon, and a rainforest. Three completely different landscapes on one island. I'll teach you how to describe any place in English.
Collocations: Make vs Do — Never Mix Them Up Again (B1)
As a barista, you make coffee. As a manager, you make decisions. But you do the cleaning, not make it. This distinction cost me in my first English job.
The Alphabet & Spelling in English — A1 Young Learner Lesson
My name — Sourov — is impossible for people in France. I spell it out loud every single day. Here's how to master spelling in English.
Expressing Opinions in English — Beyond ‘I Think’ (B2)
Spending years in French and English debates taught me that HOW you say what you think matters as much as WHAT you say.
Prepositions: At, In, On — Time & Place (A1/A2)
Moving from Bangladesh to Australia to France to Réunion taught me that prepositions change everything — especially the difference between 'in Paris' and 'at the airport'.
Writing a Formal Email in English — B1 Writing Lesson
I have written hundreds of formal emails — complaints, appeals, job applications. Here's what I wish someone had taught me first.
Numbers, Dates & Time — English for Young Learners (A1)
My daughter is learning to count. Every number she says makes me think about how I learned to count in three different languages!
Comparatives & Superlatives — Better, Best! (A2/B1)
Sydney is bigger than Chittagong. Réunion is smaller than both. But which is more beautiful? Let's find out — and learn how to compare in English.
Body & Health Vocabulary — A2 English Lesson
When I became a father in Réunion, suddenly health vocabulary mattered more than any wine list.
Reported Speech: What Did They Say? (B2 Grammar)
Working at the Star Casino, I relayed guest complaints to managers all night. Reported speech was survival English.
Present Perfect: Connecting Past to Now (B1 Grammar)
I have lived in four countries. That one sentence — present perfect — tells you something about who I am right now.
Animals of the World — English for Young Learners (A1)
Réunion island has dolphins, sea turtles, and giant lizards. Let's learn animal words in English!
The Passive Voice — B2 Grammar with Real-Life Examples
In four years of French bureaucracy, I learned one truth: passive voice is the language of people who don't want to be blamed.
Giving Directions in English — A2 Speaking Lesson
I got lost in Paris on my first day. Learning direction vocabulary fast is a survival skill.