Tag: English as a second language

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Podcast for English Learners

English as a Second Language Podcast

A podcast is like a downloadable radio show.

Imagine there was a show on the radio dedicated to developing your communication skills in English. That’s what ESL Podcast is.

If you are new to podcasting, check out the mobile app Podcast Republic so you can practice English with ESL Podcast while you are on your way to work (commuting to work).

Happy Holidays

 Robert Moneyhon 

ESL Trainer, Workshop Facilitator and Presentation Coach

 Contact: robert.moneyhon@gmail.com   054-550-6566

English as a second language, Business English, Learning English in Israel, Israel, Training in Israel, Tel Aviv, Professional English, Communicating in English, Executives, ESL CELTA
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Just Because

Think about this sentence: I have been here since she asked me to stay.

Does it mean from the time she asked me or because she asked me?

Answer: From the time she asked me to stay
How do we know? The sentence uses present perfect “have been here”.

Since is primarily used to mean when something has started.

  • I have been here since 2010.
  • We have been working together since the beginning of the project.

Be careful: Since is sometime used to mean because or the reason for:

  • Since we work together, I know him quite well.
    Could that sentence be confusing for a non-native English speaker? Could it be misunderstood as “from the time we have worked together”?

Here is my simple recommendation to avoid confusion:

  • Use because if you mean because/the reason for something.
    Because (not since) we work together, I know him quite well.
  • Use since only to indicate the beginning of something (usually present/progressive perfect)

Robert Moneyhon is an ESL Trainer, Workshop Facilitator and Presentation Coach

Contact: robert.moneyhon@gmail.com   054-550-6566

Learning English in Israel, Israel, Training in Israel, Executives, Business English, ESL, Tel Aviv, Professional English, Communicating in English, English as a second language
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Hiring the Right People

happy in the office

Fly In English is about how to get better at using English. I’ve got to go a little off-topic to share with you a great way to hire the right people.

A couple years ago I worked with a company here in Israel whose employees impressed me with their camaraderie and general “joy” at being at work. When I talked to the HR manager about this she said it may have to do with a unique approach they have to hiring. The process goes like this:

  1. HR screens CVs (resumes) for qualified individuals and does preliminary interviews with the team leader.
  2. When they have narrowed to 2-3 candidates they arrange for each candidate to spend half a day looking over the shoulder of each of the team members. That way the candidate and his/her future colleagues spend some time together before the first day of work.
  3. Here’s the kicker – The team members vote on who they want to join the team. It requires time on the part of the company and the future employee but I witnessed the results and it is worth it.
 

This post was inspired by: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/article/20141028151414-2459096–almost-everything-we-think-about-managing-talent-is-wrong-here-s-why

Robert Moneyhon is an ESL Trainer, Workshop Facilitator and Presentation Coach

Contact: robert.moneyhon@gmail.com   054-550-6566

Learning English in Israel, Israel, Professional English, Training in Israel, Executives, Business English, ESL, English as a second language, Tel Aviv, Communicating in English
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Warning: Very British – Mobile Apps for Learning English

bg_feature_app

You can now get LearnEnglish apps on your mobile phone and tablet! Download our Android, iPhone, iPad and Windows Phone apps to help you learn English.

http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/apps

Robert Moneyhon is an ESL Trainer, Workshop Facilitator and Presentation Coach

Contact: robert.moneyhon@gmail.com   054-550-6566

English as a second language, Learning English in Israel, Communicating in English, Israel, Professional English, Executives, Business English, ESL, Tel Aviv, Training in Israel
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Mobile Apps for Learning Business English

Apps

Let’s get one thing clear…an app on your phone will not make you a master negotiator or fluent in English business idioms just by installing them on your phone but if they are FUN, they can help you in these and other areas.

The link below is a great source of apps for developing your business English knowledge. My advice is to treat the practice exercises as a game. Your brain will remained focused and retain more if it is “playing”.

http://www.languagesuccesspress.com/apps-for-english

Robert Moneyhon is an ESL Trainer, Workshop Facilitator and Presentation Coach

Contact: robert.moneyhon@gmail.com   054-550-6566

Communicating in English, English as a second language, Learning English in Israel, Israel, Executives, Business English, ESL, Tel Aviv, Training in Israel, Professional English
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This is here and that is there

This chair is black and that chair is blue.

Why is the black chair, “this chair” and the blue one is “that chair”?

It has to do with the concept of what is “here” and what is “there”.

“Here” is the area you are in. For example I am here in this room.

  • “Here” can be quite small, “The lamp is here on my desk.”
  • Or “Here” can be quite a large area, “I live here on Earth.”

“There” is anywhere that is not “here”.

So, back to “This” and “that”…

The rule is, this is here and that is there.
  • This chair is a chair in the area the speaker thinks of as “here”: here in the room or here on the planet.
  • That chair is a chair that is not here. That chair is there.

More than one chair? These chairs are here and those chairs are there.

Robert Moneyhon is an ESL Trainer, Workshop Facilitator and Presentation Coach 

robert.moneyhon@gmail.com   054-550-6566

Communicating in English, Israel, Professional English, Training in Israel, ESL, Executives, Business English, English as a second language, Tel Aviv, Learning English in Israel
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How to stop translating and start THINKING IN ENGLISH!

Robert Moneyhon is an ESL Trainer, Workshop Facilitator and Presentation Coach
Contact: robert.moneyhon@gmail.com   054-550-6566

The FUTURE of Learning

English brainThis is every ESL students dream, and one of the most important steps in learning a new language. To think in that language means you have really ‘got it’.   But how can you start training your brain to do this?

Let’s first look at some scientific facts.  Research has shown that in fact no one ‘thinks in a language’, they ‘think in ideas’, and ideas are the same everywhere. So that means all of us are starting from the same place, no matter where in the world we come from, inside our heads, it’s all the same. Phew, that’s a relief….

Secondly what thinking in a language really means is ‘communicating your idea verbally into a spoken language’, and usually the spoken language of choice is your own native language. That’s understandable.

But the third and most important thing is to understand that when we are coming up with an…

View original post 695 more words

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Day – Month – Year : Date format by country

Date_format_by_country.svg

If you are trying to make arrangements concerning dates before the 12th of the month, be careful.

  • The former British colony currently known as the United States of America uses the format Month/Day/Year    (Belize is the only other country that uses this format exclusively)
  • Most of Europe, South East Asia, Russia, North Africa and Hong Kong use the format: Day/Month/Year
  • The other major format is Year/Month/Day used by China, Taiwan, Japan, the Koreas, and Hungary… Hungary?

This means if you are in France and you tell your friend in Los Angles that you are coming to visit him on 12/11/2014. He will think you are going to arrive in December instead of November. Imagine how amused your host will be when you show up a month early – wasn’t there a Seinfeld episode like that?

The Solution

Its not rocket science. Simply write the name of the month instead of the number of the month.

(Here is a link to a map of date formats around the world)

Robert Moneyhon is an ESL Trainer, Workshop Facilitator and Presentation Coach
Contact: robert.moneyhon@gmail.com   054-550-6566
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The Sound of C: When does “C” sound like “K” or “S”?

Koffee-Kup-Kafe-Hico-TX

Spelling and pronunciation in English can be a challenge so we are always looking for tips to help us spell and speak better.

Here’s a good one for you:

The letter “C” can sound like a

  • “K” as in “cat” or
  • “S” as in “center”

…why? What is the rule?

Simply the sound of the “C” is determined by the letter following it:

  • “S” sounds = “C” followed by “E”, “I” or “Y”
  • “K” sounds = “C” NOT followed by “E”, “I” or “Y” (“ch” is an exception)

Some examples:

  • “S” sounds – center, city and cyclone
  • “K” sounds – come, call and cyclone
Robert Moneyhon is an ESL Trainer, Workshop Facilitator and Presentation Coach
Contact: robert.moneyhon@gmail.com   054-550-6566

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