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News Headlines in English: Vocab and Grammar Builder

2022-09-29T21:34:24+01:00

A good way to practice your growing English skills is to read news headlines and stories. That way you stay current (up-to-date) with goings on and you can always go back and look for the story in your native language if you can’t understand a certain detail. Even if you don't fully understand every word of the story, you can figure out the gist of (main idea) what happened while expanding (making larger) your English vocabulary. If this seems still challenging, why not start with just the news headlines! We're taking out the middleman this week and bringing the news [...]

News Headlines in English: Vocab and Grammar Builder2022-09-29T21:34:24+01:00

How to Say “Sorry” in English

2022-10-30T21:35:18+01:00

We all make mistakes and learning how to say sorry in English (or any language) can be extraordinarily (very) helpful. From bumping into someone accidentally on the street, to what you could say to a friend, or what you could say if you offend someone (although we hope this doesn't happen), here are some ways you can say sorry in English! I'm sorry "I'm sorry" is a good, quick way to apologize to someone if you happen to bump into them (lightly touch someone) or if you have made a mistake. It's not too serious, as in you haven't offended (insulted, hurt their [...]

How to Say “Sorry” in English2022-10-30T21:35:18+01:00

Common Abbreviations in English

2022-10-30T21:32:20+01:00

In this busy day and age (current time), there are so many expectations on our time and so many (more) things we want to do, that we take shortcuts (use a shorter/easier way) all over the place. Think about it: emails are getting shorter, text messages are bare bones (almost nothing), and sending a picture is faster than explaining a situation sometimes. We just don't have the time we need anymore...even when we speak! (How lazy can we be??) Learning common abbreviations in English can take your language fluency to a whole new level. You don't want to use these [...]

Common Abbreviations in English2022-10-30T21:32:20+01:00

UK English vs US English Words

2022-10-30T21:13:45+01:00

Over the past few weeks on the Bespeaking blog, we've discussed the differences between British and American spellings and pronunciations. To finish up with this series, we'll finally talk about UK English vs US English words. This one is particularly (very) interesting to me as I find myself using more and more British English vocabulary words the longer I’ve lived in Germany. I know that sounds strange, but as I've said before, most of my friends here in Berlin are British, so I've been picking up on (learning/using) a lot of their vocabulary over the past year. Between that and [...]

UK English vs US English Words2022-10-30T21:13:45+01:00

British vs. American English Pronunciation

2022-10-30T21:11:42+01:00

A friend of mine who was educated at Oxford told me once, “The difference between British vs. American English pronunciation is that British English is correct.” As an American, I feel it’s my duty to disagree. But accents and pronunciations aren’t right or wrong, just different. After the American Revolution and the two countries started to diverge (separate), Americans started doing some things differently from the English in an attempt to differentiate themselves. This is why the Americans, as an example, use their forks the way they do with the tines (the pointy parts of a fork) up, and not [...]

British vs. American English Pronunciation2022-10-30T21:11:42+01:00

American versus British English Spelling

2022-10-30T21:10:18+01:00

If you're someone learning English, the differences in spelling may be confusing, especially if you look at American versus British English spelling. The order of certain letters can be different depending on which variation (type) is spoken, or there can even be some extra letters (like those extra Us. I'm lookin' at you, Brits). English wasn't standardized (where something should be done the same way for everyone) until the mid to late 18th century, so for a good while there, people spelled words all sorts of ways. In the States, we have a tendency (like to) to prefer to spell [...]

American versus British English Spelling2022-10-30T21:10:18+01:00

English Idioms You Should Know: Quiz 2

2022-10-30T20:55:32+01:00

Last week's blog post was our most popular ever! Thanks for that! Here is Part Two of “The List” of English idioms you should know to help you translate your thoughts and understand what is being said to you. Good luck! Check out these ten more common German everyday phrases in English. Can you get them all right? Echt? a) Genuine? b) Real? c) Really? d) B or C While you can use echt in German to talk about the reality of something (for example, echtes Leder instead of Kunststoff), when echt is phrased as a question, the best is, [...]

English Idioms You Should Know: Quiz 22022-10-30T20:55:32+01:00

Everyday English Phrases Quiz Part 1

2022-10-30T15:30:04+01:00

No matter how good your English (or German) is, there are some things that trip up (confuse) even the best non-native speaker. This week we're bringing a bit of fun to the Bespeaking blog... can you translate these everyday English phrases correctly*? Try out this English phrases quiz, and see how many you get right! *brought to you by “The List.” If you know, you know! Mir geht's gut/ Es geht mir gut a) Me goes it good / It goes me good. b) I'm good. c) I'm doing fine / I'm alright / I’m well. d) B and C [...]

Everyday English Phrases Quiz Part 12022-10-30T15:30:04+01:00

Improve Your Business English Conversation Interview Skills

2022-10-30T15:25:00+01:00

Looking for a new job is stressful (feeling worried or anxious) enough. All the applications you need to send, cover letters you need to write, all the selling yourself while at the same time using your English conversation interview skills... it can be quite (very) tiring. And then finally, you get a reply from a company and they want to bring you in for an interview! That's great news! However, the interview can be the most stressful part of the whole process. You have to really sell yourself, while trying to stay humble (not proud) at the same time. It's [...]

Improve Your Business English Conversation Interview Skills2022-10-30T15:25:00+01:00

How to Speak Body Language

2022-09-30T03:31:16+01:00

Learning to speak a language isn't just learning vocabulary and pronunciation. It's also about learning to speak body language, learning facial expressions, and how you should react (act in response) to certain things. Learning to speak body language is an important part of any language and culture, so check out this list to get a well-rounded language learning experience! Crossed Arms If you're talking to someone with crossed arms, it could mean one of a few things. Either that position is a) super comfortable for them, b) they're thinking over something, or c) they're unhappy. This one has to do [...]

How to Speak Body Language2022-09-30T03:31:16+01:00

Saying “Hello” in English!

2022-09-30T03:32:12+01:00

As in any language, there are many ways of saying "hello" in English with different levels of familiarity (closeness) and meaning attached to them. Learning how to say hello in English is a necessary (essential) part of learning the language and will help you out immensely (a lot). Here are some of the most common ways to say hello- and when you should use them. Good morning/afternoon/evening This is a greeting that can be formal or informal, which is great because it means that it's versatile (usable in many situations). Coming into the office? Meeting someone for the first time? [...]

Saying “Hello” in English!2022-09-30T03:32:12+01:00

So You’re Traveling to the United States…

2022-09-30T00:10:51+01:00

With vacation season in full swing (at its height), it seems like a good time to talk about the United States. Whether you're traveling to the United States for business or pleasure, your tickets are booked, you've taken the time off, and your bags are just about packed. Now it's time to figure out some of the cultural differences. While it may not seem like Germany and the US are that different, there are definitely things that you should be aware of before you go. From some very small differences, to some very large ones, here are your travel must-knows. [...]

So You’re Traveling to the United States…2022-09-30T00:10:51+01:00
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