Word combinations, collocations, lexical sets, and vocabulary building across all CEFR levels.
In English, you do not 'make' homework — you 'do' it. You do not 'do' a mistake — you 'make' one. These are collocations: word partnerships that native speakers use automatically, without thinking. I learned…
I failed my first formal English essay assignment in Australia. The ideas were there — solid, clear. But every paragraph started with 'Also' or 'And'. My tutor wrote just two words in the margin: 'Show…
The head chef at Uccello had one rule: 'Run the kitchen. Don't manage it.' I spent three months figuring out what that meant. Run — take full responsibility, keep it moving, own it. Phrasal verbs…
In twelve years in Sydney I had many titles: waiter, barista, bartender, sommelier, floor manager, restaurant manager. Each title came with its own English vocabulary. In Australia, 'What do you do?' is often the third…
I became a sommelier at The Ivy in Sydney. My job was to describe wine to people who could not see the bottle — only taste it. That forced me to learn that food and…
At the Star Casino in Sydney, every night was a number problem. Table 17 wants two martinis. Bill for $248. Thirty-five guests on the reservation. I learned English numbers fast because I had to —…
From Sourov's world: My daughter is about 18 months old. She can only say a few words — but her face says everything. One morning she discovers a snail in our garden in Saint-Pierre, La…
From Sourov's world: On my very first shift at The Ivy in Sydney, I went up to the floor manager and told him confidently: "I did an effort to arrive early today." He looked at…
Words that look the same — but mean something completely different
From Sourov's world: When I first came across English idioms in Australia, they didn't come naturally at all. I remember sitting in the break room at Star Casino and my colleagues speaking — I could…
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Sourov Deb EI · SIRET 106 764 061 00011 · Saint-Pierre, La Réunion