English Vocabulary for Renting a Flat

Are you moving to an English-speaking country? If so, the chances are you’ll need to arrange rental accommodation. Speaking the English language on arrival may seem like enough of a challenge, but finding and negotiating a place to stay should be high up on your list of prioritie

6 slang words and expressions you will definitely hear if you visit London

When most people hear the words ‘London slang’ they associate it with cockney rhyming slang [https://englishlive.ef.com/blog/english-in-the-real-world/the-ultimate-guide-to-cockney-rhyming-slang/], a form of slang that uses rhyming words in place of the actual word you mean to sa

Introducing yourself to your seat neighbour on a plane

Phrases on a plane: Travel is a great way to learn about other cultures and meet people from other countries. Striking up a conversation with the people sat next to you on the plane can be an enjoyable way to pass the time during your flight, get some great tips for your trip, pr

Know what you eat: 10 cooking-related phrases and what they refer to

The saying goes that “You are what you eat” – but a more relevant question for those learning English as a foreign language may be “what am I eating?!” On menus written in English, in cafes, bars and restaurants, you are likely to come across certain phrases and words which seem

Why being bilingual is great

The many advantages of living a life in more than one language If you’re learning English as a second language, you’re probably already half way to being convinced that bilingualism is a great asset to any person. There are over 6,800 spoken languages in the world. And as a chi

TOEFL vs IELTS – which one is right for me?

Many students join EF English Live so that they can improve their English and hopefully take an exam to show their mastery of English. But deciding which exam to take can be tough: TOEFL [https://englishlive.ef.com/en/courses/toefl-preparation/] vs IELTS? Both the tests have 4 se

English grammar help: how to use articles

Articles are something that are very important to the English language, but for some reason many students do not use them when they are speaking. In this post I want to stress the importance of articles, as native speakers are very quick to identify that a sentence was said incor

Why are some English words harder to pronounce for some native speakers but not for others?

When it comes to learning English, we all have our pet hates. Some of us struggle with learning new vocabulary; some of us just can’t get the grammar rules that seem to change for every verb conjugation; and some of us really struggle with pronunciation. “My mouth just doesn’t w

Why it’s important to read and write in English

When it comes to people learning English, most people really want to learn how to speak. My students always want to sound like a native speaker and be understood by native speakers. However, reading and writing are just as essential to language learning as speaking is. In fact,

10 Typically American Words and their Meanings

They say that Britain and America are separated by a common language. While they are essentially the same, British and American English also differ a great deal, with some words holding completely different meanings depending on which side of the Atlantic you’re on. British Engl