Linguix – a profound writing assistant

Studying is studying, but sometimes you urgently need to write and send an email in English – and preferably, avoid multiple grammatical and lexical mistakes. Fortunately, AI writing assistants are here to help – they analyze your text and suggest corrections or improvements. 

For example, I’m very keen on Linguix. It warns you about mistakes, suggests corrections, synonyms, as well as definitions of words and usage examples. In addition, if the assistant sees that you often make certain mistakes (for example, you confuse articles), it will offer you a workout to practice the corresponding rule – like in LinguaLeo or Duolingo. There is a desktop version, a browser plugin and a mobile application (iOS, Android) available. Basically, it’s a very convenient service for automatic checks and improving your texts.

iTalki – study with native speakers

With this service, you can find the English teacher that is perfect for you. There are filters by country, cost, your learning objectives (speaking practice, business English, passing exams), and you can also search by your interests – each tutor has detailed information in the profile. For example, I found a tutor who is also a fan of Doctor Who, and so we discussed new seasons with him.

Also on iTalki, they have a community of English learners where you can ask questions and share your opinions on suggested topics to practice your English. By the way, besides English, you can also learn any other languages – even such rare ones as Balinese or Zulu. The service is available in the browser or in the mobile app.

Linguatrip – find language courses abroad

As you know, it is best to learn a language by completely immersing yourself into the language environment. And if you are not yet (or already not) going to receive higher education abroad, then short-term language courses are what you need to speak English fluently. For example, a few years ago, I studied in Dublin for two weeks and it was very budget-friendly.

Linguatrip helps you choose a course that suits any taste and budget – within an impressive selection of countries. For example, you can study English not only in the UK or the US, but also in Malta, Canada and even New Zealand. Apart from finding a course, the service also allows you to book it, sometimes at a discount, as well as get assistance in obtaining a visa and return money in case of a visa refusal.

Puzzle English – a self-study platform 

If you are determined to learn English on your own, then Puzzle English is a great option. This is a learning platform that has collected a huge amount of materials for different levels of language proficiency. At the same time, all training takes place in a playful way, which contributes to better memorizing and maintains an interest in learning.

For example, to better assimilate the materials you’ve studied, you can solve audio and video puzzles (hence the name of the service), as well as take various tests and grammar exercises. The service also has a cool addition, namely, a video library with films and series with subtitles. 

HelloTalk – language exchange 

The HelloTalk community has over 30 million members from around the world, so you can easily find people there to practice English. In addition to text chats, audio messages and video calls are also available in the app, so you can communicate in any format that’s convenient for you.

HelloTalk also has useful built-in tools such as machine translation, auto-corrections, transliteration, and text-to-speech. You can use the service either in a browser or in a mobile application (iOS, Android). Besides English, there are about 150 other languages available on HelloTalk.

ELSA – a pronunciation training app

Hone your pronunciation with this app – there are over 1000 lessons to choose from on a variety of topics. You speak out the suggested phrases, then the artificial intelligence evaluates how close your pronunciation is to the ideal –and what is worth working on.

Progress tracking and various challenges help you engage in the practice, and an interactive dictionary will give you the correct pronunciation of any word. The service presents one of the most common variants of the English language, which is American neutral. 

The post 6 Useful Tools for Learning English appeared first on Linguix Blog.

When we talk about the skills required for a job; multilingualism is usually considered an important skill for employment in international companies. Around 6500 languages are being spoken around the globe. Out of these 6500 spoken languages; English is considered the most important, as it is the third most widely spoken language. It is being taught in over 118 countries and is considered the most common language for trade and business. Apart from that, English is also the language of science, media, internet, international communication, diplomacy, tourism, computer, and education. Either you have personal or professional reasons; you must learn to speak and understand good English; it will provide you an open door to the world and help you to communicate with people worldwide. 

Therefore, many people focus on how to improve grammar in English speaking. Knowing English increases your chances of securing good job opportunities in overseas multinational companies around the globe. So, learning English is considered vital for socializing, work, and entertainment; as most films, TV shows, books and music are published and produced in English. Therefore, understanding the importance of English will help you out in achieving your goals. 

Learning English can be a little tricky and time-consuming but it is very valuable to open doors of opportunities. It can be a challenge to learn English; here are some great points for you to improve your English. 

1. Motivation: Motivation is the key to success. If you want to achieve something, you’ve to be highly motivated, to begin with. The same is the case for learning English; never stop and work regularly. Even if you learn just 10-15 every week, just learn it properly.
2. Be Fearless: Being confident is very necessary and an interesting thing. Don’t be worried or shy about making mistakes. You’ve to stay confident; if you want to be a good English speaker.
3. Practice: Practice makes a man perfect. Even if you aren’t so good at speaking or understanding English; continue to do it every day. This will help to eliminate the fear factor and help you to be more confident. 
4. Set new goals: Set goals for yourself, decide how many words you want to learn in a week. This will help you to do the extra study to improve your English.
5. Dictionary: Don’t hesitate to take help, if you can’t remember the word or its meaning; simply go and check your dictionary. 
6. Ask people for help: The surrounding people can help a lot in influencing you to do something. Tell your family and friends about your will to improve your English so they can push you to study more.
7. Focus the mains: The main skills in English are; reading, writing, speaking and listening. Make sure to work on all of them to improve.
8. Consistency: Stay consistent even if you’re studying only one hour per day. But stay consistent. 
9. Keep a journal: Keep a journal to determine your improvement.
10. Write a notebook: Keep a notebook to write newly learned words in it. Review your notebook twice a week.
11. Memorization: Try and memorize the words and give them a shot for a vocabulary test. It helps you to sharpen your ability.
12. Sign up for English lectures: Learning new things will never get old. The same is the case for learning English. Go and take lectures from YouTube of other platforms and engage yourself in it to improve.
13. Don’t skip: If you haven’t studied all day; busy in work or anything. study at night before sleeping. 
14. Example sentence: After learning a new word, try to memorize it along with its example sentence. It will help you to remember the word and its use more accurately.
15. Test yourself: Keep on testing yourself, time to time. You’ll get to know if there’s any improvement.
16. Go for Future: Always keep in mind, why are you learning English. What is the bigger picture? How will improving grammar in English speaking is going to help me?
17. Short-term goals: Set easy and short-term goals to learn English. Appreciate yourself after achieving and focus on the next.
18. Long-term goals: Long-term goals help to motivate and continue to strive.
19. Help yourself: Help yourself by creating a good atmosphere in which you want to learn. Study not because you’ve to. You’ll understand things better if you learn because you want to.
20. Get help: If you’re having trouble understanding anything, go for help. Ask your teacher, classmates, or the internet.
21. Review: Keep reviewing your progress report throughout. Repeat the words and review them at the end of the month.
22. Understand yourself: Try and get to know yourself, understand what works best for you. Which method or way is better for you?
23. Figure out your Pattern: Predict and work on your pattern. How you learn things more effectively.
24. Regular breaks: Just like other studies. Learning English can be stressful too. Take regular breaks and boost your will to continue.
25. Don’t hasten: Don’t move quickly to the next levels. Start from the beginning, give time to each section. From word spellings, synonyms, antonyms, and meaning to the grammar section.
26. Go for downloads: Download your favorite English TV shows, and watch them over and over again. It will help you better to catch information you might have missed in the first attempt.
27. Watching TV: You can simply stick with watching TV shows directly on air on TV. But it only allows you to hear and understand at the moment, you can’t repeat it. Therefore, this is for students of improved level in English.
28. Be a reader: If book reading is your taste, then read good English books, novels, magazine or the newspaper. 
29. Start with basic: If you’re having trouble reading high-level books, begin with the basic English books. They will have easier words.
30. Newspapers: Newspaper is a good source of information, but it can also help to improve English. Try and determine passive constructs.
31. Be smart: If there’s a new word, and you don’t know the meaning of it yet. Don’t be confused. Look at the context and other words and try to guess the meaning of the word.
32. Stick with General: Don’t worry about understanding every word in the sentence, look at general meaning first.
33. Dealing with new words: When you learn a new word, think of all its other forms as well as its meaning.
34. Continue learning: After learning new words and improving vocabulary, don’t stop there. Learn prefixes and suffixes as well.
35. Practice English: Don’t hesitate to test your English skill whenever you can.
36. Think in English: With continuous practice of English skills, try and think of statements and thoughts in English. Don’t go with thinking in your language and then translating it into English.
37. Root words: Learn root words. They help a lot in guessing the meaning of words.
38. Be Practical: Just like driving a car, you just can’t learn driving from reading books. You’ve to practice it by actually doing it.
39. Listen and talk: The basic method to engage yourself in improving grammar is simply through talking. 
40. Write blogs: Write a blog for the public, and let people read and understand. Get feedback to determine whether you conveyed your point accurately.
41. Improve your ways: Don’t get stuck in correcting grammar and spelling. If you’ve something in your mind just pour all the ideas and thoughts on paper. Then think of the structure and finally, in the end, write your piece using good grammar.
42. Punctuation: Punctuation is very important, keep a close eye on that. It can change what you’re trying to say.
43. Songs: Listening to English songs can improve your hearing skills, listen along with lyrics and understand the lyrics better.
44. Sing along: Improve your fluency and intonation, listen to English songs and sing along. 
45. Look for Alternatives: If you’re having trouble in face-to-face conversations, go with the text in chat rooms and community sites.
46. Copy the tone: To develop a good sense of English sentences, try and repeat few sentences you heard.
47. Surround yourself with English: Even when you aren’t in the mood to study, play the radio, or stuff in English. Although if you aren’t actively listening to it, you will still be training your ear to understand English.
48. Dictation: Just like childhood, listen to words through the computer, TV, or friends and try to write down what you heard.
49. Record your Voice: Almost most people try to avoid hearing their voice. Be experimental and record yourself. Point out your mistakes in pronunciation and rhythm.
50. Search for stuff: Use the internet to good effect, search English lectures and listen to them. Try reviewing their speed and intonation.
51. Use English/English dictionary: While looking for a word’s meaning, check it out in the English/English dictionary as it will help to keep you in understanding the word in English.
52. Improvise: Predict your level of progress and get help accordingly. 
53. Stay independent: You can get help from the dictionary or the internet, but it shouldn’t be your teacher. First, try yourself and guess the meaning of words rather than being dependent on the dictionary.
54. Stay positive: Being positive helps you a lot in boosting your confidence and will. Don’t give up.
55. Enjoy it: Enjoy learning, look for ways you find learning English more interesting; Movies or games.
56. Relax it’s just words: Take two deep breaths before you say something. You speak better when you’re relaxed.
57. Appreciation: Keep looking at the beginning, it will help you to determine how far you’ve come.
58. Age is just a number: You are never too late to start learning English. Don’t make yourself feel bad. Start it right away.
59. Avoid bad habits: If you’ve bad habits like laziness and procrastinating, cover them up. Don’t allow them to distract you.
60. Be patient: Don’t be disappointed if you haven’t gotten the results, you wanted yet. There may be different reasons behind it.
61. Match your Level: Stay at your level to use different resources. Don’t go with too difficult or too easy exercises.
62. The accent isn’t everything: Don’t worry about having a perfect accent. Keep your cultural identity.
63. Diversity: There are many types of English; British, American, and so on. English is English, none of these are wrong.
64. Expand your Knowledge: Even you’re good at one type of English still look for others, stay aware of the differences in American and British English.
65. Use cards: Writing words down can help a lot in the situation of need. Just like presentations, you can pinpoint the accurate words to remember the topic.
66. Label stuff: Labelling your household items can be a pretty good activity.
67. Sticky notes: Use sticky notes and stick them around your home after writing reminders on them to help yourself.
68. Intuition: Go with your common sense; first guess. Just be confident in guessing the meaning of the words.
69. Gather your thoughts: Before speaking, take a second or two and gather your thoughts. It’ll help you to go with the flow.
70. Meet new people: It happens quite often that we get confused in front of new people. Meet new people and have a conversation with them in English. Make efforts to stick around other English speakers.
71. Debate: Discussing and sharing your point of view helps a lot inactive speaking. When you’re discussing your thoughts with a group of people; a lot of people are going to judge your viewpoint. Debate sessions also help to improve communication skills.
72. Importance of grammar: Grammar has an important role in the understanding of English, only learning and getting the meaning of singular words isn’t enough. Therefore, keep practicing and improving grammar.
73. Verb tenses: Tenses are very important in processing the actual meaning of words and sentences, so continuous drill to improve is necessary.
74. Irregular verbs: English involves a lot of irregular verbs. Practicing and understanding these verbs helps in complex sentences.
75. Keep up the work: Don’t take a long break or pause while learning English, you will decrease your level. So, consistency is the key.
76. Don’t lose hope: There are bad days for everyone, don’t be put off by a bad test score. Sometimes it happens with students that they have the ability and understanding to pass the English test, which still ends up with low scores. So, you’ve to believe yourself and try again.
77. Success story: After completely achieving your goal/target, tell others about your progress; the steps, and ways that helped you more.
78. Have a partner: Learning can be easy when you have a friend involved, it’ll help a lot when you’ve someone to practice with.
79. Pronunciation: Remember the basic stuff of English; the way you write English isn’t the same as how you pronounce it. 
80. High levels: After improving your level from the beginner spot to the upper one, keep in mind that it takes more to improve at high levels to learn English.
81. Don’t be over smart: Understand and decide which situation is appropriate to use the words and phrases you have learned, it’s alright to use slang with friends but you can’t do the same in a business meeting. So, don’t be over smart.
82. Difference: Understand the difference between English in textbooks and movies. The English in the textbook is usually more formal, so to learn casual English watch movies and TV shows.
83. Idioms: Learn idioms, they are fun to use.
84. Don’t get stuck: One of the things which can put you off while learning is plenty of half-finished books/activities waiting to be learned. Simply take care of it and don’t start another one, if you haven’t finished the previous one.
85. Exams: Exams are good to put a little pressure on yourself. So, signup for an English language exam. It’ll help in determining the progress level too.
86. Make use of the internet: The Internet is a very useful source to learn anything you want. So, while learning makes full use of it. Learn new articles on how to improve your English or how to be a good English speaker.
87. Estimate yourself: Give yourself time and think about your weak and strong points. Write down the weak points and work on them to improve those weak areas.
88. Work on mistakes: After English tests, analyze the results and work on the mistakes to improve them. Try and unlearn those mistakes.
89. Article: Using the correct article is considered as the basis of English grammar, start from there.
90. Take short naps: Sleeping is a healthy activity, after short naps you’ll feel a lot fresher and can learn English in a better way.
91. Be prepared: To get more fluent, practice more. Give yourself more time on what you’re going to say. Image the other person and predict his words and actions to help yourself.
92. English courses: Take an English course to improve your flaws and weaknesses.
93. Keep reviewing: When you are on an English Course, give your 100%. Review the classwork after classes, do your homework as soon as possible. Be prepared for the class.
94. Cultural experience: Try mixing with people from different regions and countries, it’ll help you to challenge yourself in understanding different accents and pronunciation techniques.
95. Sentences: Try to find example sentences after learning every new word.
96. Move abroad: Look for a job or internship abroad, it’ll help to improve your English level and communication skills according to different regions.
97. Qualified teacher: Don’t hesitate to take help from qualified teachers. They’re there to help us in getting better, so don’t miss the opportunity.
98. Target shortcuts: Nobody can learn all of the English levels, but don’t worry about that. Keep on trying, look for shortcuts that can certainly help you in improving/learning without wasting much time.
99. Stay Focused: When you’re on your right path and going in the right direction, don’t get distracted. Eventually, one day you’re going to be a good English speaker.
100. Place matters: Look for a comfortable and quiet place to study. You need to be somewhere where no one is coming to bother or distract you.

The post 100 Things You Can Do to Improve Your English appeared first on Linguix Blog.

The problem is that too many words used when describing food just don’t really describe anything at all. Or else they are just too cliché, or in the worst-case scenario, put people right off the food that you should in fact be encouraging them to eat.

Here is a list of some of the words that just don’t cut it when talking about food, along with some alternatives that will hit the spot just that much better.

Tasty

The problem with the word ‘tasty’ is that it really tells us nothing. All food, almost without exception, has a taste of something (anyone with an imagination can, therefore, describe it), so using this word, which has really come to mean that something tastes ‘good’, really gives us no detail at all. It’s a bit like saying something tastes ‘good’!

Alternatives: Absolutely any description of the food that reveals in detail why the taste is positive.

Spicy

The problem with this word is it is now used to mean something which is laden with chili, when in fact its connotation is that it is full of spices, which of course can include anything (and perhaps no chili whatsoever).

Alternatives: Why not actually mention the spices that are prevalent in the taste, or if it is full of chili, then say that. ‘Hot’ definitely doesn’t hit the mark either, because you could just as easily be talking about the temperature.

Delicious

This word is useless because not only is it subjective (something that is delicious for one person may absolutely not be for another) but it is now so ubiquitous that it has become practically meaningless.

Alternatives: Talk about the blend of flavors, and if it really is something that you would recommend, then be specific as to why.

Moist

Did you know that the word ‘moist’ is regularly voted as one of the most hated words in the English language? The problem is the sound of the word (for some people), and also the word’s connotation (for others). You see, it has become somewhat connected to bodily fluids.

It’s not really a bad word to use if truth be told. A cake that is soft and ‘liquidy’ really should be described as ‘moist’, but for this irrational dislike that people have for the word. It’s probably best avoided, which is a shame really because for accurate descriptions it really should be a winner.

Oh, and it’s synonym ‘soggy’ should never be used! Never.

Alternatives: juicy, rich with liquid.

Moorish

This invented word has come to mean something that entices you to eat (or drink) more. That can really be applied to so many things that it again becomes a redundant term. A synonym is addictive, but this word has too many negative connotations to be considered a worthy alternative too.

Alternatives: Enchanting, bewitching, beguiling.

Organic

Where do we even start with this word? Organic has become a buzzword for anything and everything that goes against the mass-produced norm, but the irony is that organic has become so prevalent that it itself has become mass-produced.

Of course, the principle is a good one. It is the right one. The problem really is that the word has become so ubiquitous on a vast range of products that we have lost sight of what it actually means.

Alternative: Talk specifically about the food journey involved with the product so readers get a real sense of where it came from

Foodie

A foodie has come to represent some sort of special class of people who really cares about food and understands it. But really, when you think about it, with a few exceptions, we are all foodies (not least because without it, we wouldn’t last very long). The problem with a foodie is that it is exclusive like it’s a club that not everyone can be a member of, and when it comes to food, that’s just not the case.

We all have foods that we are enthusiastic about, and we have our own way of preparing and enjoying the food that we eat. We are all foodies, so the word itself is really a redundant expression.

Alternatives: Chefs, professional cooks, or just avoid the term completely.

Yummy

This word is cute when you are five years old. Anything older and it is simply a bit immature and, a bit like ‘tasty’ and ‘delicious’, not really descriptive at all. Yummy (which has also found itself attached to the word ‘mummy’ in recent times to describe something else equally as poorly, not to mention in a way that is very un PC too) is juvenile and gives no real description to the food you are applying it too. So, find something else.

Alternatives: Again, absolutely any description of the food that reveals in detail why the taste is positive.

Nosh

This is an old slang word simply meaning ‘food’. The problem is that it makes food sound really unappetizing, so it really shouldn’t be used at all. It’s a lazy term that harks back to a time when people really didn’t put the time and effort into cooking that the activity deserves. Nosh is from a bygone age, therefore, and really needs to be replaced.

Alternatives: Cuisine, food, dish.

Gastro

Gastro is a shortened version of the very scientific-sounding word ‘gastronomy’, which means the preparation and enjoyment of food. But there are two problems with the word gastro. The first is that it sounds like some sort of medical problem. The second is that it is way too scientific and clinical for something that really should be much more passionate, heartfelt, natural and accessible. Plus, for many British people, in particular, it represents a craze that has somewhat seen the demise of the classic English pub: the dreaded gastro-pub. It’s either a restaurant or a pub. Make up your mind!

Alternatives: Again, what’s wrong with ‘food’? 

The post Words to Avoid When Writing About Food appeared first on Linguix Blog.

‘Been’ is the past participle of the verb ‘to be’, and so, as such, is used in perfect tenses. Here are some examples:

‘I have been very tired recently.’

‘My car has been stolen.’

‘Gone’ is the past participle of the verb ‘to go’, and so is used in perfect tenses to represent this common verb. Again, here are some examples:

‘My brother has gone to Europe.’

‘Where have they gone?’

However, there is one situation when these two participles, which appear to be totally different, are linked. That situation is in movement.

Gone

‘Gone’, as the past participle of ‘to go’, represents when a person of thing has moved to another place, such as in the examples above. Here are some more examples:

‘My colleague Simon has gone home early today.’

‘Where have you gone? We need you back here in the office.’ (A cell phone conversation)

The emphasis in these examples is that the subject of the sentence is no longer in the place where the statement is made, or where the subject began.

‘Been’

‘Been’, as the past participle of ‘to be’, is often used to speak about states, such as emotions and feelings, or to describe a passive action (where ‘to be’ is used as an auxiliary).

However, ‘been’ is also used to speak about movement. In this case, the person or thing moved to another place, but has since returned to the original place. Here are some examples:

‘Have you ever been to Mexico?’

‘Yes, I’ve been to Mexico three times.’

In this instance, the conversation is definitely not taking place in Mexico, so represents a journey that was made and then returned from. In this case, three times.

In this way, ‘been’ is typically used in the present perfect tense to talk about experiences of travel or movement, again such as in the example above.

‘Gone’ Vs ‘Been’

There is, therefore, a fundamental difference between using ‘gone’ and ‘been’ to talk about movement. Note the contrast in these examples:

‘Where have you gone?’ (A cell phone conversation between two people who were in the same place at some stage before the conversation)

‘Where have you been?’ (A face-to-face conversation between two people who are now in the same place, but one of whom was absent for a period).

In the second example above, it would also be acceptable to say ‘Where did you go?’, particularly in the United States. In British English, the present perfect tense with ‘been’ (as in the example above) would be more common.

So, in summary, ‘gone’ is movement in one directions, whereas ‘been’ represents a movement or journey that was returned from.

If you have ‘gone to France’, you haven’t come back (you are still in France).

If you have ‘been to France’, you are definitely not in France now.

Example mistakes

These are examples of typical mistakes when using ‘gone’ and ‘been’:

‘Have you ever gone to Mexico? – ‘been’

‘Yes, I’ve gone to Mexico three times.’ – ‘been’

‘I’ve gone there before.’ – ‘been’

‘Where did you go?’ ‘I’ve just gone to the shop to buy this soda.’ – ‘been’

Generally speaking, it is much more common to make a mistake by using ‘gone’ instead of ‘been’ than vice versa.

The post How to Use the Past Participles ‘Been’ and ‘Gone’ Correctly appeared first on Linguix Blog.

You may also have noticed that putting together diverse teams consisting of a multitude of backgrounds and cultures can add incredible value to the creativity and output of an organization.

But that creates a fundamental skill gap: language.

Hiring only those people who speak English (either natively, or as a proficient second language) limits the pool from which you can recruit from, and this is never desirable. Approximately 1.5 billion of the world’s population can speak English, but that leaves an incredible 6 billion, or 80%, that don’t

Among those 1.5 billion, less than 30% are native English speakers, meaning there is potential for errors in the communication of the others (and that’s not even taking into consideration the fact that far from all native speakers produce the language without errors).

So, where does this leave us? In a situation where, in order to get the best people for the job, there may be a language barrier. An English language barrier to be precise.

In summary, upskilling your staff in English becomes a priority. Here’s how you can do it:

Provide in-house training

This may be the classic way of delivering training, but that is because it is so effective. It is, however, rarely convenient. It requires all necessary learners to be available and in the same location at the same time, which within a bust work environment can be nigh on impossible to achieve. Trainers can come onto your company’s premises, and even tailor the training to your staff’s exact needs, but you still have to provide time for your employees to be there, and that can be easier said than done.

Provide online training

If flexibility and cost-efficiency is what you require from your training intervention, then online training is a great option. Classes can be live, or delivered through webinars that your employees log into at a time that is convenient for them. There are some great online learning solutions for English, such as that delivered by AllTalk Training, where employees get a chance to have one-to-one or group training sessions with native English-speaking trainers.

There are also online courses that track progress and which employees can revert back to whenever they have time, and of course can be accessed remotely as well as in the office.

Provide access to writing tools

Web and mobile-based writing tools have been available for some time, but like pretty much everything else tech-related, they have got smarter, easier to use, and more efficient.

The great thing about using a content writing tool, such as Linguix, is that it will simultaneously help the employee to produce error-free and suitable content in English, and improve their understanding and proficiency in using the language (unlike translation apps, as we will see).

Linguix is far from a spellchecker. Not only does its editor tool assist in correcting grammatical oversights, but it helps you tailor the content to the correct audience, taking style into consideration. It’s dictionary tool offers definitions and synonyms of any word found online, and it also offers a content template library by which writers can select a suitable template to help them get started.

Linguix not only assists those who don’t speak (or write) English well, but makes better writers out of all employees, and works beautifully within the realms of remote work practices, which will continue to become more prevalent.

Provide translation tools

Tools in the area of translation arena getting better all the time, meaning that complete ideas can be converted from one language into another almost instantly, and with a pretty decent accuracy that was unattainable not so long ago. There are an eye-watering number of options available, from the well-known Google Translate and Linguee, to new, up-and-coming offerings that increasingly rely on AI and machine-learning developments in the tech sector.

But let us be clear here: translation tools almost never improve the English ability of the individual. Why would they? They are a means to an end, and this really is a example of a machine doing a job that means that the human doesn’t have to.

Translation apps might work in the short term, but are not a long-term solution to your staff’s English needs.

Train your English-speaking staff to communicate more effectively with the non-natives

Here’s another idea, and one that can be incredibly effective in the short-term. Why not train you English-speaking staff, particularly managers, to be able to communicate more effectively with staff whose English is far from proficient?

Think about it. It could take months, if not years for an employee to get up to a native level of English. However, often just a couple of training sessions with the native can equip him or her with the knowledge and skill to tailor their language in a way that the non-native employee can understand and respond to. The result is more efficient communication practices within a matter of hours.

This solution, called cross-cultural communication training, is provided by AllTalk Training.

The post How to Help Your Employees Learn English appeared first on Linguix Blog.

But learning to (effectively) speak another language still takes time and effort. It is important to acknowledge that nothing can make this task ‘easy’, just ‘easier’ Your dedication and motivation to learn is still the most important thing to bring to your language learning.

So, here are five things that, providing you have the commitment, will facilitate faster and more efficient language learning.

Full immersion works

Surrounding yourself in a language is, without a doubt, the most efficient way of learning a language. Parachuting yourself into a country that speaks with that tongue is, of course, the best way to do that, but it’s not a practical solution for all. After all, if you are learning Japanese because your partner is Japanese, but you don’t live (or won’t be living) in Japan, it’s not that easy to find a workable solution.

Or perhaps it is! Because immersion doesn’t just mean living in that country. Surround yourself with the sounds of the language, which can be facilitated easily with all of what modern technology has to offer.

So, change the language settings on your phone and computer, tune in online to radio and TV stations broadcast exclusively in your target language. Watch movies and series in that language. And if your partner speaks that language, only allow them to speak to you in that language. Soon you can have your own little oasis of Japanese (or whatever language you are trying to learn) wherever you may need that. Just a few weeks living like this will have a profound impact on your ability to learn the language effectively.

Use a writing assistant (with additional useful tools)

Utilizing the help of an AI-powered writing assistant to help shape all of your written communication in your target language serves to not only help you produce better quality written text in that language but also assists greatly in learning. Linguix adds value in the form of templates, a helpful online dictionary of definitions and synonyms, and empathy in assisting you to master grammatical considerations and style, while also gaining control over your typical mistakes. With this type of intelligent tool, you can quickly learn to deliver precise and articulate writing in a short period of time.

Study what is useful and practical for you

Language has so many grammatical elements, nuances, and vocabulary that a program that takes in the study of all of these considerations can become incredibly time-consuming. That is why you need to be practical, and you need to prioritize.

What is it that you want to be able to do in a language? This is the most important question to ask yourself, and the answer should frame the direction in which your studies move. Learn the vocabulary that is most relevant to the interactions that you most want to have (learn the 1000 most important words, for example) and then concentrate on communication, rather than always being grammatically correct (to start). If you need the language for business, then concentrate on those interactions that are most common in your role, and practice accordingly.

Too much time and energy can be wasted on those aspects of a language that are peripheral to what your ultimate aim is. Identify what it is that you need, and go for it.

Employ everyone around you to help

If you are immersed, then you can quickly engage all those people around you to help you in your mission to learn that language. And you must directly ask people to correct you, otherwise, they simply won’t.

If you are not living in a place where the target language is spoken, then seek refuge online in forums where it is, and against actively seek out those who are willing to point out your mistakes and share what is correct. Don’t be too proud, and don’t be afraid to ask. You may need to give a little something in return too (a language exchange, for example, is a place where you can teach your mother tongue in exchange for learning another language).

Produce

This is an obvious point, but quickly shake off the fear of making mistakes, and just produce whatever it is that you are capable of, seeking to learn from the mistakes you make along the way. So, speak, write, complete tests, test yourself and do whatever it takes to get you to where you want to be.

The post 5 Tricks to Help You Learn a Second Language More Painlessly appeared first on Linguix Blog.

Here we provide all the information you need to make the right choice.

The first thing to say is that these are both formal ways to finish an email or a letter (also known as salutations, which are the ways that we greet and then bid farewell to people, particularly in writing).

Getting salutations right is a necessary skill to learn quickly, particularly when you are working in English, and of course, deciding when to use ‘yours sincerely’ and ‘yours faithfully’ is a big part of this.

So, here are the important things to consider:

British English usage

As can happen with the English language, there are slight differences in opinion and habitual use when it comes to British English and American English. In general, American English would include Canada, whereas British English means every other country that speaks English. Once again, that’s a general rule.

In British English, there are particular style guides that are considered authoritative when it comes to the language, and one such guide is Henry Watson Fowler’s Dictionary of Modern English Usage. Despite being nearly a hundred years old, it is still referred to as a principle guide for writing in English. So what does Watson say exactly?

·   Use ‘Yours sincerely’ when responding to invitations and friendly, but not intimate, letters

·   Use ‘Yours faithfully’ when writing to unknown persons on business matters

Although ‘yours truly’ and ‘yours very truly’ have become somewhat archaic in modern British English terms, ‘yours sincerely’ and ‘yours faithfully’ are still the main go-to endings for business correspondence. Here Fowler is clear that ‘Yours sincerely’ is slightly more personal that ‘Yours faithfully’.

This approach is supported by advice given in the Oxford Handbook of Commercial Correspondence, which classifies the two terms as follows:

·   Use ‘Yours sincerely’ when you know the person’s name to whom you’re writing

·   Use ‘Yours faithfully’ when you begin a letter with “Dear Sir/Madam”

The Oxford Handbook of Commercial Correspondence also offers up the most informal of salutations:

·   Use “Best wishes” when writing to someone you know well

And there you have it! In British English ‘Yours faithfully’ is the most formal of all, and is used when you do not have the name of the person you are writing to.

American English usage

Across the Atlantic, there is a slight difference of opinion on these matters. Firstly, things are rather less formal in the United States, but there are still conventions of sorts.

‘Yours faithfully’ doesn’t exist as a salutation in the United States. Instead, when the recipient of the email or letter is unknown, the term ‘Yours truly’ is used.

‘Sincerely’ is therefore slightly less formal, and for when you know the name of the person you are addressing the correspondence too. But instead of ‘Yours sincerely’ the inverted ‘Sincerely yours’ is preferred.

Got it?

So, there we go. Transatlantic differences and the importance of knowing how to end your letter when you know the recipient’s name as opposed to when you don’t. That’s all you need to know.

Hint: when writing online it is always a good idea to get some AI help. Use our free grammar checker or innovative AI-based paraphrasing app to elevate your writing.

The post How To Use ‘Yours Sincerely’ and ‘Yours Faithfully’ appeared first on Linguix Blog.

One of the most commonly used expressions in English, and one of the easiest to recognize and use if you are a learner of the language.

But it’s not very original, is it? Surely there are other ways in which you can say ‘Happy Birthday’ without saying ‘Happy Birthday’ if you know what I mean?

Of course, there are, and there are also lots of little variations on the theme that can make your ‘Happy Birthday’ just that little bit more original and heartfelt. Here are some great options:

Many happy returns for the day

Quite a formal variation on them, but something less used and therefore something a little more individual.

Happy belated birthday

To be used when your wish of ‘Happy Birthday’ is late. Not ideal, but it happens, of course!

Happy B’day

For when you want to save on words!

Have a great day

Again not the most original, but slightly less used than ‘Happy Birthday’

May your birthday be filled with laughter

Now we are getting a little bit more original, and a little bit more colorful. Laughter is always good!

Happy birthday my….

Now you can use a noun (or adjective and noun) that fits the relationship you have with that person. From ‘husband’ and ‘wife’ (which is a little practical) to ‘special friend’ or ‘inspiration’ or ‘gorgeous friend’, which is a whole lot more heartfelt and full of character. Be sincere!

Happy birthday you old…

This is the perfect set up for something altogether cheekier and fun. From ‘you old derogatory term’ (such as git, or bastard!) to something a little less confrontational, such as ‘you old-yet-beautiful rascal’. Make it fun!

May your joys be as deep as the ocean

Starting to get a little more profound and semi-religious, but always a nice option.

May your beer glass always be full

If your friend likes a drink (but not too much, of course!)

May the road rise to meet you, May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, The rains fall soft upon your fields 

This is an old Irish blessing and is a warm and original way to give birthday greetings to someone you like/love.

A birthday message to one of the kindest and warmest people I have ever had the fortune to meet

And there’s nothing like getting totally sincere and adding a bit of warm cuddliness to your message.

To your name, on your birthday

This direct and very personal wish seems deep and sincere in a world that shies away from formal, old expressions. This is a particularly direct, and heartfelt message.

Saeng il chuk ha ham ni da!

And here’s ‘Happy Birthday’ in Korean, just in case you wanted to!

Tillykke med fodselsdagen!

Or Danish!

qoSlIj DatIvjaj

Or Klingon, for those Star Trek fans! (literally translated as ‘may you enjoy your birthday’)

Get stuffed!

One of the cheekiest of the lot! For a friend or relative who you just love winding up!

The post More Original and Unique Birthday Wishes appeared first on Linguix Blog.

As an English student, or someone who is actively trying to improve your English, it’s a nice challenge to check these 100 words to see how many you know (most probably all), but to then think carefully about how many you actually use. This is called your ‘active’ vocabulary, and it should be something that you are seeking to build upon all the time (more of which later).

The 50 most common words used in English

But back to those 100 most common words. They are the most common because they are the most essential in building sentences. Here are the top 50:

1.     the
2.     be
3.     to
4.     of
5.     and
6.     a
7.     in
8.     that
9.     have
10.  I
11.  it
12.  for
13.  not
14.  on
15.  with
16.  he
17.  as
18.  you
19.  do
20.  at
21.  this
22.  but
23.  his
24.  by
25.  from
26.  they
27.  we
28.  say
29.  her
30.  she
31.  or
32.  will
33.  an
34.  my
35.  one
36.  all
37.  would
38.  there
39.  their
40.  what
41.  so
42.  up
43.  out
44.  if
45.  about
46.  who
47.  get
48.  which
49.  go
50.  when

Why this list is useful

These top 50 words are so instructive because they are clearly the most useful words available to speakers of English. Much can be learned from categorizing these words to see what types of words are the most useful for students of English to learn.

Here are the categories that make up the top 50:

Prepositions (13) – to, of, in, for, on, with, as, at, by, from, up, out, about

Pronouns (10) – I, it, he, you, his, they, we, her, my, she,

Misc. (6) – one, that, their, there, this, all

Verbs (6) – be, have, do, say, get, go

Conjunctions (5) – and, but, or so, if

Question words (4) – what, which, when, who

Articles (3) – the, a, an

Modal verbs (2) – would, will

Adverb (1) – not

The list is really informative for many reasons, but what is particularly worth noticing is the fact that there are no adjectives or real nouns included.

The most useful words to us are the words that appear to do very little at all (prepositions), determine who or what we are speaking about (pronouns), simple verbs, and words that link sentences (conjunctions).

They are not always the words that we, as students, focus on when we are learning. And although most of us will know all of these words, how many of us can say that we are able to use all these words correctly every time? (and don’t forget we can use a tool such as Linguix to get definitions of any words we need in English).

Common errors

Looking again at the categories of words, it is noticeable how many of them feature words that are typically used incorrectly.

For example, prepositions are one of the most common areas of mistake in relation to non-native English speakers. Most of the time these prepositions make little logical sense at all and must be learned simply by heart. But learning the prepositions of time, for example, (in, at, on) is one of the first exercises we learn in English, and so should be something that we are able to do correctly after a relatively brief period of time. And considering all three of these prepositions feature in this list, it would seem they are a priority.

Other words that are typically used incorrectly are articles (the, a, an). The reason for this is clear: because many languages don’t even have articles and many of those that do use them differently to how they are used in English. But again, as all three of these words feature in the top-50 words spoken in English, their correct usage would appear to be a priority.

And so it is with many of the types of words that feature in this top-50 list. Pronouns are often incorrectly allocated by learners, conjunctions can cause all sorts of problems (particularly ‘if’ with conditional sentences), and questions can also be a particular weakness, despite the fact four-question words feature in this list.

What this tells us

The list of most used words in English can be used as a guide by learners to consider their weaknesses in English, and what their priorities should be. The fact is, most learners focus on the wrong kind of vocabulary (adjectives and nouns) instead of these often-overlooked words that are so integral.

The other point to make is that this is not just about building ‘passive’ vocabulary – the words that you know – but ensuring that this passive vocabulary becomes ‘active’ – words that you actually use, and use correctly.

So, although it is important to keep learning new words in English, your priority should be to use the ones you already have correctly!

The post The 50 Most Common English Words (And How to Use Them to Improve Your English) appeared first on Linguix Blog.

And one question that I am often asked, by both native English-speakers and by non-native speakers alike, is ‘how did you learn to speak English so well?’

I decided to write down the steps I followed. Hopefully, these steps will inspire you to speak English and will give you the confidence to do it.

1. I was motivated to learn

You don’t need to be a professional psychologist to understand that motivation is key to almost any activity that you decide to get involved in. In learning a new skill, such as a language, your level of motivation is really important. If you are not motivated, it will be hard to become good at anything.

I was highly motivated to learn English. I understood that to get a good job in my area of expertise (software) I needed to understand and speak English well to get a good job in the future, maybe in Europe or in the USA.

Of course, that can add pressure, but I didn’t see it like that. I saw it as an opportunity. And for that reason, I was able to successfully able to proceed through the following steps.

2. I wasn’t afraid of making mistakes

The problem with fear is that it paralyzes us: we literally cannot move at times when we are terrified. Of course, I never lost the ability to move when I was learning to speak English, but in the early days, I was nervous: nervous about making mistakes.

But one day, a very good teacher opened my eyes to the fact that mistakes are actually a good thing.

Think about when we are young. How do we know something is hot and not to touch it? Usually, because we start off by touching it…and burning ourselves!

And so it is with learning more or less anything. As long as we don’t keep repeating the same mistakes time after time, we learn how to improve from the errors we make. And this is an incredibly liberating feeling because it frees us from fear: the fear of making a mistake.

So don’t be afraid. Communicate!

3. I took the opportunity to practice as much as I could

There is an old English expression that ‘practice makes perfect’. And so it is with speaking (and reading, writing and listening to) English. And you don’t need to be perfect either!

4. I used as many different tools as I could to help me

There are some incredible tools out there to help you learn English. From grammar and pronunciation apps to vocabulary games, to listening exercises and beyond. Explore some of the options that are available to you, and use your smartphone to learn English on the go.

A writing assistant such as that provided by Linguix provides you with templates that you can use to write in English, having your mistakes corrected along the way (with explanations provided). Similarly, when reading text on the web, you can click and Linguix gives you definitions of any words you highlight, providing synonyms too.

Use the right tools and reach your end-goal quicker!

5. I did the things I liked doing but in English

Of course, you could take part in an English course, and that’s a really good idea: after all, it is important to know the grammar and particular rules that can help you improve every aspect of your English communication.

But don’t just do grammar exercises. No. Instead, look to do all those things you love to do, but in English.

Change the settings on your smartphone to English so every time you browse the internet, English is the default language. If you love football, watch games with commentary in English. Watch movies in English with English subtitles (it’s really important to be able to see and hear the language at the same time due to the differences you find in the pronunciation and spelling of English words).

Listen to singers and bands that use English (and read the lyrics), read articles on your favorite subjects in English, play computer games in English (and converse with English speakers while you do it!)

The point is, learning a language doesn’t mean sitting in a classroom. It means immersing yourself in all the things you love, but in another tongue. You will enjoy the experience, and be motivated to learn. What’s not to like?

6. I spoke to everyone!

Here are a couple of statistics for you. Approximately 350 million people speak English as their native language. Yet another 750 million speak English as their second (or third) language. That tells you two things:

1)    In being able to communicate in English, you will have access to an additional billion people at least. Only by learning Chinese could you get access to a similar amount.

2)    More than double the amount of people who speak English do so imperfectly (and how many of those 350 million native speakers can claim to never make a mistake wither?) So, in relation to point (2) above on this list, mistakes become ever less important. No one is going to judge you anyway!

The point is, having English opens up so many more possibilities to communicate, so take advantage of that fact as early as you can and start to communicate every time you get the chance. And that doesn’t just mean with native English speakers obviously, as you can now communicate with those millions of Chinese-speakers, Japanese-speakers, Spanish-speakers, German-speakers and so on who can speak English too.

You have just opened up your world, so make the most of it!

7. I enjoyed the experience

It may be a little easier said than done, but if you can enjoy the experience, it will make your time learning English all that much more productive. So have fun!

The post How I Learned English: The 7 Steps I Followed to Fluency appeared first on Linguix Blog.