English Tip · 10 — Word Stress — English Rhythm in Three Rules
English is stress-timed: stressed syllables carry meaning; unstressed ones blur. Getting stress wrong changes how you are understood.
Tag: grammar, mixed ability, A2 B1 B2 English, general English, learner tip
English Tip · 09 — Building Vocabulary — Three Strategies That Work
Three approaches consistently build vocabulary faster than lists alone: learning in context, using spaced repetition, and noticing words in natural language.
English Tip · 08 — Articles — A, An, The, or Nothing
A/an introduces something new or non-specific. The refers to something already known or unique. Zero article = general statements about uncountable or plural nouns.
English Tip · 07 — Conditionals — If, When, and Why It Matters
First conditional = real future possibility. Second = unreal present or future. Third = unreal past. The verb in the if-clause tells you which one you’re in.
English Tip · 06 — Reported Speech — What She Said
Reported speech shifts the tense back and changes pronouns and time expressions. The rule: step back one tense from what was said.
English Tip · 05 — Connectors — Join Your Ideas Clearly
Connectors signal the relationship between ideas. Without them, sentences sit side by side with no logic. With them, your argument flows.
English Tip · 04 — Prepositions of Time — At, On, In
Three prepositions handle almost all time expressions. At = precise times and fixed points. On = days and dates. In = longer periods: months, years, seasons, times of day (except night).
English Tip · 03 — Phrasal Verbs for Daily Life
Phrasal verbs combine a verb and a particle to create a new meaning. English uses them constantly — more in speech than formal writing.
English Tip · 02 — Modal Verbs — Must, Should, Can: The Difference
Modals change the strength of what you’re saying. Must = 100% obligation or certainty. Should = recommendation or expectation. Can = ability or possibility.
English Tip · 01 — The Present Perfect — One Rule, Every Use
Use the present perfect when the past connects to now: the result matters, the time is unfinished, or the experience happened ‘sometime before now.’