Connected Speech: How English Really Sounds
💬 From my own experience: When I moved to La Réunion, French people told me my English was 'too clear' — meaning I spoke like a textbook, not a human. Connected speech is what happens…
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What Did You Do Yesterday? Past Tense Fun for Kids
💬 From my own experience: Children learn past tense faster when it connects to THEIR day. I always start with: 'Yesterday, I woke up and... I made coffee and... I played with...' Then I pass…
Animals in English: A Colourful Cambridge Starters Lesson
💬 From my own experience: My daughter is still small, but I already point at animals in books and say their names in English. Research is clear: early exposure to vocabulary — even before formal…
PPP vs TBL: Choosing the Right Framework for Your Lesson
💬 From my own experience: My CELTA tutor told me: 'A hammer is not better than a screwdriver. They solve different problems.' I had been using PPP for every lesson, even when the aim was…
ICQs That Work: Giving Instructions Learners Actually Follow
💬 From my own experience: My first solo teaching hour at The ELT Hub in Landerneau: I gave a pair-work instruction and half the class worked individually, half discussed in groups of four. I had…
The Art of the CCQ: Check Meaning Without Asking ‘Do You Understand?’
💬 From my own experience: During my 120 supervised teaching hours, my tutor wrote this on my feedback form: 'Good use of ICQs, but your CCQs are too close to the meaning.' That note taught…
Word Stress: Where to Put the BEAT
💬 From my own experience: In my sommelier training in Sydney, I once said 'deSERT' instead of 'DEssert' — ordering what I thought was a sweet and getting a sand dune. Stress changes meaning. That…
The Schwa: English’s Most Common Sound
💬 From my own experience: When I was learning French to C1, the nasal vowels were my nemesis. But when I turned to teaching English, I discovered most learners have the opposite problem: they pronounce…
Present Perfect vs Past Simple: Connecting Past and Present
choose correctly between the present perfect and past simple by understanding the connection to the present.
Job Interview English: Answering the 5 Key Questions
💬 From my own experience: I've been on both sides of the interview table. At Merivale in Sydney, I interviewed dozens of candidates. The ones who stood out weren't necessarily the most fluent — they…
Future Forms: Plans, Predictions and Arrangements
💬 From my own experience: When I decided to leave Sydney and move to La Réunion, three different future forms described my situation: 'I'm going to resign' (plan), 'I'm leaving next month' (arrangement), and 'I…
Writing Formal Emails in English: Structure and Tone
💬 From my own experience: I've written hundreds of professional emails in English — to suppliers, VIP guests, head office. The one rule I wish someone had told me earlier: your email's first and last…
Agreeing, Disagreeing and Partly Agreeing: Professional Debate Language
💬 From my own experience: Running pre-service briefings at Popolo in Sydney with a team of twelve, I had to manage disagreements without losing anyone's commitment. The phrase 'I see your point, however...' saved more…
Reading Skills: Gist First, Detail Second
💬 From my own experience: When hotel menus arrived from new suppliers at The Ivy, I had thirty seconds to scan them before service began. Skimming for key information under pressure is a skill —…
Hedging Language: How to Sound Academic and Confident
💬 From my own experience: When I was writing up my teaching observations during the CELTA course — 120 hours of closely supervised practice — I noticed that the most credible feedback always hedged: 'This…
Reported Speech: What the Guest Said
💬 From my own experience: At team briefings at Establishment in Sydney, I'd report what guests had complained about the night before. 'The guest said the table was too small' — not 'the table is…
Giving Advice: Should, Ought To and If I Were You…
💬 From my own experience: New teachers often ask me: 'What should I do when a student doesn't understand?' I always say: 'If I were you, I'd try a different example before explaining again —…
Telling Stories: Past Simple for Narrative
💬 From my own experience: When I talk about my move from Sydney to La Réunion, I naturally shift into past simple: I packed, I left, we flew, she waited at arrivals in the snow…
I’d Like to Order: Polite Requests in English
💬 From my own experience: At Morrison restaurant in Sydney, the difference between 'Give me a water' and 'Could I have a water, please?' was the difference between rude and professional. In hospitality, polite requests…
Describing People: Adjectives for Appearance and Personality
💬 From my own experience: Managing a front-of-house team at The Ivy in Sydney meant I needed to brief staff on VIP guests before they arrived. 'She's tall, well-dressed and very direct' — three adjectives…