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Learn ESL Here

Stephen Lau

Build Vocabulary

Sentence Style

Basic Grammar

Correct the Incorrect

Look at some incorrect sentences.

Understand why they are incorrect, and try to correct them.

Correct the incorrect, and learn how to write correct sentences.

Please click here.

Learn Some American Idioms Here.

Idioms are words and phrases in a language that have come into existence for a variety of reasons.

The most obvious reason is that idioms often delightfully reflect the characteristics of a race.

Learn some American idioms here.

Confusing Words and Phrases

In the English language, there are many words and phrases that look similar but they are totally different in meaning.

Click here to learn some of the common words and phrases that are frequently confused and misused by ESL learners.

Click here to learn some.

Learn Some Englisih Slang and Colloquial Expressions Here

To speak well, you must learn so English slang and colloquial expressions that are commonly expressed in everyday conversation.

Click here to learn some.

Learn Some Prepositional Words and Phrases Here

Prepositions are words that indicate relationships betweens various elements within a sentence.

Prepositional phrases always consist of the object and the prepositional.

Click here to learn some.

Learn ESL Basics

Learning English as a second language is not an easy task because there are skills in listening, speaking, and writing that you have to master.

In listening and speaking English, one has to adjust to certain phonetic sounds that are unique to the English language. In writing English, one has to learn new words and phrases, as well as idioms and colloquial expressions, in addition to the complexity of the English grammar.

Having said that, knowing the basics, and following the right pathways, you can still master ESL and speak and write as if English is your native language. Learning ESL is all about practice, practice, and more practice, with the right know-how.

Appropriate Words and Phrases

Appropriate words and phrases can make a great difference in the quality as well as the effectiveness of your writing.

Selecting words with the right connotation and denotation

Denotation is the precise meaning of a word; connotation is the association of a word, which can be positive, negative, or neutral.

e.g. slender with a positive connotation, suggesting “tall” and “thin”
e.g. thin with a neutral connotation
e.g. skinny with a negative connotation of being “too thin”

Using words in their right parts of speech

e.g. occupational hazard NOT occupation hazard (using noun for an adjective)
e.g. sleep well NOT sleep good (using an adjective for an adverb)

Well, not good, is generally used in a compound word to form a compound adjective:

e.g. A person who behaves well is well-behaved.
e.g. A person with good intentions is well-intentioned.
e.g. A person who speaks well is well-spoken.

BUT “a person with good looks is good-looking.” (NOT well-looking, possibly because well-looking may suggest “looking healthy”.

Using correct idioms

Idioms are accepted expressions in the English language. They add elegance to your writing. But incorrect idioms can make your writing look sloppy. The following are examples of incorrect use of idioms:

e.g. according to NOT according with
e.g. aptitude for NOT aptitude toward
e.g. capable of doing NOT capable to do
e.g. complain to NOT complain with
e.g. comply with NOT comply to
e.g. conclude by saying NOT conclude in saying
e.g. conform to or with NOT conform in
e.g. die of NOT die from
e.g. different from NOT different to or different than
e.g. every now and then NOT ever now and then
e.g. except for NOT excepting for
e.g. identical with NOT identical to
e.g. in accordance with NOT in accordance to
e.g. incapable of doing NOT incapable to do
e.g. in my opinion, NOT to my opinion
e.g. in search of NOT in search for
e.g. in sight into NOT in sight of
e.g. intend to do NOT intend on doing
e.g. in the year 2018 NOT in the year of 2018
e.g. on the whole NOT on a whole
e.g. outlook on life NOT outlook of life
e.g. plan to do NOT plan on doing
e.g. prior to NOT prior than
e.g. regardless of NOT regardless to
e.g. relate to NOT relate with
e.g. similar to NOT similar with
e.g. super to NOT superior than
e.g. try to see NOT try and see
e.g. type of NOT type of a
e.g. what to do about this NOT what to do with this

Stephen Lau
Copyright© 2018 by Stephen Lau