Canada a country of maple syrup and hockey: An intro in English for ESL students Posted by Gabriele on Oct 2, 2014
I’m going to begin a short series on this Transparent Language blog about Canada, the country American’s fondly refer to as “our neighbor to the north.” Part of what is spurring this series is Canada’s upcoming Thanksgiving holiday (on November 13th this year), but I will write more on that topic in a future post…
Great Smoky Mountains NP and Blue Ridge Parkway Posted by sasha on Sep 29, 2014
It’s been a “smokey” month here on the English blog, from the post about the Great Smoky Mountains to the recent one about Smokey the Bear. Well, here’s one more for you! The most visited national park in the entire United States, the Great Smoky Mountains can be visited in two states – Tennessee and…
English letters that are also words Posted by Gabriele on Sep 28, 2014
I saw this sign (pictured above) while hiking recently and it got me thinking…do you have any idea what this sign might means? I will tell you at the end of this post, but first I have to introduce you to some unique words in English related to this sign. As I am sure you…
Smokey the Bear an important American figure Posted by Gabriele on Sep 25, 2014
“Only you can prevent forest fires.” That is a saying most Americans know. Do you know who is famous for saying this? It is a warning from the famous Smokey the Bear. Smokey the Bear is an American character with a very interesting story that I am going to share here today. Most Americans know…
An English recipe for chili and an American chili cook-off Posted by Gabriele on Sep 24, 2014
If you are looking to try a new recipe and cook an easy authentic American meal, look no further. Today’s post is all about the all-American classic food “chili.” Chili is a spicy stew (i.e. a thick soup) made of beans, meat, and vegetables (including tomatoes, onions, and peppers). There are actually two types of…
Money, money, money: English expressions related to $ Posted by Gabriele on Sep 18, 2014
Money, we all have it and we all want more of it! Money is a big part of our lives whether we like it or not; and we all have different ways of approaching our use and saving money. These common English expressions, idioms, and phrases all about money prove this – some people are…
Polite ways to say “no” in English. Posted by Gabriele on Sep 16, 2014
Here is a good rule to keep in mind about English; it is often better to be polite than it is to be direct. English speakers often use more words than are necessary to say ‘yes’ and ‘no’ because they are adding polite words to the simple messages they are trying to get across. If…