Today's story is from Japan. It is the story of a young pearl diver named Tokoyo.

Folktale Friday

TOKOYO AND THE SEA MONSTER 

What if I told you there were two traits that most successful language learners have in common? And what if I told you that you could develop these traits in yourself? 

Our attitude towards ambiguity and our willingness to communicate in our target language have a big impact on our success as language learners. Join me as we chat about how to develop these traits in ourselves. :) 

Learning Strategies for Success with Tyler Teacher

Two Personality Traits of Good Language Learners

What are the difference and how can we use these techniques to engage Art of Persuasion in any area of our lives..

Lets go!

Baffling Lingo

Arguments Discussion Debating 

¿Sabías que la letra ñ no siempre existió? En este episodio de Entre tapas y eñes, descubrimos como nació esta letra tan icónica española, su importancia en nuestra lengua y las curiosidades que la rodean.
¡Prepárate para una historia de monjes, manuscritos y un pequeño trazo que hizo historia!

Entre tapas y eñes con Escudero

Episodio 5. El origen de la ñ

Czech Easily: Slow & Easy

8. Sprostá slova

News with zhe

news with zhe S2 02 

Using Spoken Discourse Markers for IELTS Speaking

Discourse markers, such as "well," "so," "you know," and "I mean," are common in everyday speech. These words and phrases help guide conversations, signal a change in thought, or give the speaker time to think. For IELTS Speaking, using discourse markers effectively can enhance your fluency and coherence, making your responses more natural and organized.

Here are some key ways to use spoken discourse markers during the IELTS Speaking exam:

Starting Your Response: Using markers like "well" or "actually" can give you a moment to collect your thoughts before answering a question. For example, if asked about your favorite hobby, you could begin with, "Well, I really enjoy painting because it's relaxing."

Organizing Ideas: Words such as "firstly," "secondly," and "finally" can help structure your response when explaining something in detail. This makes it easier for the examiner to follow your ideas.

Clarifying and Rephrasing: Discourse markers like "I mean" or "in other words" are useful for clarifying points or rephrasing if you feel your initial response wasn’t clear enough. For instance, "In other words, I think traveling teaches us valuable life skills."

Filling Pauses: Using phrases like "you know" or "let me think" can fill pauses naturally, preventing awkward silences during your speaking test.

However, it's essential not to overuse discourse markers, as it can make your speech sound unnatural. Practice using them in moderation to sound fluent and confident in your responses.

IELTS Speaking Practice

IELTS Speaking - using discourse markers

Be careful with packaging that describes food as "No Salt".
Also, an explanation of the expression "Take something with a pinch of salt".

The Social Evolutionary

What does "NO SALT" mean? No salt, right?

The Royal Family at Christmas (with transcript)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rBHxthJ-SEpcpQGezRgpPF_Ci3V2MTBN/view?usp=drivesdk