There are many tricky words in the English language – words that often change in meaning, depending on the situation or context. “Pretty” is one of these words. Many ESL or EFL speakers incorrectly use this word to emphasize an adjective, substituting the word “very.” Incorrect example: This $50 hamburger is pretty expensive. Correct example: […]
Email Endings – Informal
One of my students recently asked me how to finish an email in an informal way. There are lots of email finishers that are appropriate in different situations. When I’m speaking informally, I use the following options, depending on the subject: Thanks See you (later, tomorrow, next week, on Friday) Talk to you (later, […]
Lincoln’s Bed
Lincoln is a total sleepy-head. He likes his own doggy bed, but he loves our big bed. Every morning, we open his gate and let him spend an hour curled up between us. Lincoln sleeps nearly 16 hours a day. The other 8 hours he naps. Sometimes when he is sleeping he has dreams, probably about food. French Bulldogs […]
Phrasal Verbs – Get Part II
(This is a series on Phrasal Verbs. There are hundreds of phrasal verbs and many of them have no relation to the words that form them. When you are learning a new phrasal verb, I recommend learning it as a completely new piece of vocabulary, instead of trying to make sense of the two pieces of the […]
Lincoln’s Hat
For those of you who haven’t met Lincoln, this is our French Bulldog. He isn’t a big fan of hats, but my mother-in-law decided he was cold and brought him this knitted hat. Lincoln doesn’t understand the concept of clothing, but he loves the idea of chewing. We were able to get him to sit […]
Exchange – Michelle
-Guest post by Michelle Veloso Olá a todos que acompanham o blog TEG Idiomas ! Gostaria de deixar uma marca registrada neste blog, pois fui a piloto do intercambio organizado pela TEG Idiomas.Exato, depois de muito planejamento, conversas, organização eu fui para os USA sozinha! O intercambio, foi uma experência maravilhosa na minha vida, […]
Rachel in Brazil – A Day with the Monkeys
The large white van pulled up on the clay colored dirt road and emptied its contents of people: men and women, young and old, black, bronze and white, American and Brazilian. There was not one thing in common among the nine except their enthusiasm for life and the monkey adventure before them. They clamored out […]
Rachel in Brazil – Shopping
When I think of San Paulo, I think of people. I think of people hustling to work on Paulista Avenue or crammed onto the metro, or people shopping for treasures in Vinte Cinco de Março or Liberdade. I think of people swirling on the dance floor of the clubs, especially those at the colorful forro […]
False Friends (Falsos Cognatos) – Push/Puxe
Today’s false friend is one that really messes with my mind sometimes. It is hard for English speakers learning Portuguese as well as Portuguese speakers learning English. The worst part is that it is something very common, yet that doesn’t make it any easier. The false cognate we are talking about is “push” in […]
Phrasal Verbs – Knock
Yesterday’s expression was “knock off”, a noun that means a copy or fake version of a product. Today’s phrasal verbs are related as they all start with “knock.” The English verb knock means to hit a door (bater na porta) as a way of calling the attention of someone. It is normally used to signify […]
