Speaking - 7 Simple and Effective Ways to Be a Smooth Talker

I believe that one of the best ways to connect with people and build quality relationships is through making conversation. Although most people can hold a conversation, only a few are smooth and charismatic when they talk.  Working as a communication coach, I have explored and tested many techniques for improving conversation skills. I have discovered 7 simple and effective ways to be a smooth talker. Here they are: 1. Talk slowly Typically, good talkers don’t rush into a conversation. They take their time when...

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Writing - How to write a job application

How to write a job application You will need to apply in writing for most jobs. This usually means preparing two items, a letter of application and your resume.  If you are applying for a government job, you may need to provide responses to some selection criteria. We have developed this guide to provide you with information to prepare a letter of application.  To read the how to guide on building a resume, visit: How to build a resume For ideas on how to present your resume if you have gaps...

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Writing - Write a Cover Letter in 5 Easy Steps

Write a Cover Letter in 5 Easy Steps A well-written cover letter will help you secure an interview and get your application noticed. Take the time to personalize it so it shows the employer why you're a solid candidate for the job. Here's how to write a cover letter in five easy steps. Keep it Short Keep in mind that your cover letter doesn't need to be long - a page is plenty. Here's information on how long a cover letter should be. Cover Letter SamplesHere are cover letters examples, both written and email, that are designed...

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Writing - Job Application Letter Format

Job Application Letter Format The following application letter format lists the information you need to include in the job application letter you send with your resume. Application letters have a fairly rigid format - as hiring managers read your letter, they will expect to see certain information included in set areas. (The format of an email application letter...

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Listening - Parts of an Essay

Parts of an Essay Essays, like sandwiches or burgers, are divided into different parts. These parts are the: Introduction Body Conclusion The Introduction The introduction opens the essay. It is a short paragraph – usually about THREE sentences. In an argument essay, it usually describes or summarizes both sides of the present situation and says what you are going to do in your essay. The Body The Body is the main part of the essay. In...

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Listening - Top 10 Listening Tips for the TOEFL

Top 10 Listening Tips for the TOEFL iBT and Paper English Language Tests 1. Take past TOEFL listening tests and become familiar with the format. Quickly read the comprehension questions before the recording begins - this helps you to listen out for key points – often there is a lot of content that you will not be tested on – keep your focus and energy for the points that count! 2. Practice note taking whenever you are listening to something in English – only write down key words or phrases, use abbreviations for long words and always...

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Listening - Strategies for doing your best in the Listening Section

Strategies for doing your best in the Listening Section   http://www.tcyonline.com/toefl/str_list.php   Strategies for doing your best in the Listening Section are: The Caser Approach This approach should be followed to score maximum in this section. Concentrate Concentrate your brain. Be ready to listen to the discussions and talks that you would expect to find in a university setting. Anticipate Think ahead. What kind of discussion/talk would you expect to hear from two or more people talking on a campus? When the title of...

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Listening - TOEFL Strategies for Listening Section

TOEFL Strategies for Listening Section There are certain steps in strategies that would help in managing time in each part of listening test section (recordings). There are some basic requirements for listening skills which serves the steps in TOEFL listening strategies as detailed below: Basic Comprehension When students listen to a recorded lecture or a conversation, they should understand the central or main idea in it. Then they should skim the recording for key points, important facts, purpose and the relevant details that connects...

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Listening - Listening Practice

 You can visit this website to improve your listening comprehension :) http://www.learning-englisht-online.net/skills/listening-comprehensi...

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Reading - The Example of Descriptive Text (Place)

The Eiffel Tower          The Eiffel Tower is an iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris. Built in 1889, it has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world. The tower is the tallest building in Paris and the most-visited paid monument in the world; millions of people ascend it every year. Named for...

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Reading - The Example of Narrative Text (Fabel)

A Wolf and A Dog  Once there was a wolf who was nearly dead with hunger. He was very thin, so that the outline of his bones could be seen clearly beneath his thinning coat of hair. With hardly enough energy to walk, the wolf had little hope of finding food. As he lay beneath a large tree, a dog out for a walk noticed him. Seeing how thin and hungry-looking the wolf was, the dog felt sorry for him and said, "You are in terrible shape!...

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Reading - The Example of Narrative Text (Folklore)

Pinokio        Once upon a time, there was a puppeteer named Geppetto. He really wanted a boy but his wife has been died for a long time ago. One day, he had an idea. He wanted to make a puppet so he would never felt lonely again. He made a puppet all night without resting. In the morning, finally he finished his work. He named the puppet, Pinocchio. He played whole day with Pinocchio. However, he felt lonely again...

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Reading - The Example of Narrative Text (Fabel)

The Boy Who Cried Wolf  There was once a young shepherd boy who tended his sheep at the foot of a mountain near a dark forest. 1 It was lonely for him watching the sheep all day. No one was near, except for three farmers he could sometimes see working in the fi elds in the valley below.One day the boy thought of a plan that would help him get a little company and have some fun. 3 He ran down toward the valley crying, “Wolf! Wolf!”The...

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Speaking - Greeting (Interactive Practice)

Greeting - Interactive Practice  A: "Hi, how are you doing?"  B: "I'm doing great. How about you?"  A: "Not too bad."  B: "Do you come to this restaurant often?"  A: "I've been here a couple of times, but I don't come on a regular basis. What have you been up to?"  B: "I'm pretty busy at work these days, but otherwise, everything is great."  A: "Well, have a good evening."  B: "You too."  A: "It's nice to meet you. My name is Jack."  B: "I'm Steve. It's a pleasure to meet you."  A: "What...

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Speaking - Greeting (Basic)

Greeting - Basic There are many ways to greet someone.  We'll learn about the most common way to greet someone in this lesson.  I'll give a variety of example sentences.  Greeting someone you never met:  "Hi, my name is Steve.  It's nice to meet you."  You can respond to this by saying,  "It's a pleasure to meet you.  I'm Jack."  Another common question to ask is  "What do you do for a living?"  You can respond to this by saying,  "I work at a restaurant."  "I work at a bank."...

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Speaking - Greeting (Example Conversations)

Greeting - Example Conversations Let's look at several example conversations.  Then we can move on to the practice section.  Person A: "Hi, my name is Steve.  It's nice to meet you."  Person B: "I'm Jack.  It's a pleasure to meet you, Steve."  Person A: "What do you do for a living Jack?"  Person B: "I work at the bank."  Person A: "What is your name?"  Person B:  "Jackson."  Person A: "What was that again?"  Person A: "Hey John, how have you been?"  Person B: "What a surprise....

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Speaking - Greeting Someone you Know

Greeting Someone you Know "Hey John, how have you been?"  "Hi Bob, how are you?"  "Hi Nancy, what have you been up to?"  "Andy, it's been a long time, how are you man?"  If you meet someone unexpectedly, you can say,  "Hey Jack, it's good to see you.  What are you doing here?"  or  "What a surprise.  I haven't seen you in a long time.  How have you been?"  If you see the person at a restaurant, you can say, "Do you come to this restaurant often?"  Or at the movie theatre, "What movie...

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Listening - TOEFL Practice

You can access this website below to find about TOEFL practice and exercise. https://www.englishclub.com/esl-exams/ets-toefl-practice.ht...

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Listening - 20 TOEFL Tips

20 TOEFL Tips Familiarize yourself with the TOEFL format Most countries now offer the Internet based TOEFL (iBT). A few offer only the paper-based test (PBT). Make sure you find out which test you will be taking before you start studying for the TOEFL. You cannot choose to take the paper based test if your country offers the iBT. One reason people experience exam stress is because they don't know what to expect before a test. Prevent...

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