English Toolbox: Five Weird Phrasal Verbs
Ah, phrasal verbs— nothing can be more important when it comes to communicating in English. Imagine asking someone to turn on the lights if you don’t know the proper phrasal verb. You’d end up saying something like this: “Can you please move the switch on the wall upwards so the electrical circuit can be closed, […]
Business English Toolbox: Important Idioms
Idioms are common phrases that might not be easy to understand just by looking at the words. According to some estimates, there could be as many as 25,000 idioms in the English language! This makes mastering them all a pretty tough challenge. Despite the huge number of idioms, they are very commonly used in a […]
FYI: You Need Abbreviations, ASAP
I’ll be honest— English speakers are addicted to abbreviations. It’s enough to make you get frustrated and scream “OMG”, especially when using text messages or Slack. Although there are a lot of these, we’re going to explore six of the most common abbreviations you’ll see in business English, and give you some guidance on when […]
Empathy is the Secret to Persuading Others
If you mention the word “persuasion,” you might typically think of a pushy salesperson trying to sell you something you don’t need. Although these experiences still happen, there’s a revolution happening when it comes to persuading others to act— and empathy is in the middle of it. Even infamous salespeople like Jordan Belfort (of The […]
Are You Working in a Fear-Based Culture?
If Covid has caused one good thing, it’s that people have become much more open about toxic company cultures. They’re definitely easier to identify now that companies are scrambling to fill open positions, but somehow aren’t interested in changing their broken, inhuman hiring practices. There’s a big disconnect between workers and companies, and although Covid […]
“So, Tell Me About Yourself!” Now What?
If you’re one of our advanced business English students, you’ve probably already spent some time thinking about applying for jobs with English-speaking companies. After all, that’s pretty much what we’re all about. But even if your English is outstanding, you may be pretty anxious about the idea of sitting across from a native English speaker— […]
Believe It, Boss: Remote Work Is Better!
In 2019, millions of tech workers were doing their jobs from an office, knowing full well they could have done their jobs from home. Then in 2020— well, you know what happened. Covid changed everything, and suddenly, tech workers weren’t just doing their jobs from home— they were doing them well. Big tech companies, most […]
No Plan B: How to Pursue a Job Overseas
If you’re not fulfilled in your current job, maybe the problem isn’t your company: maybe it’s your country you’re living in! As a person who has lived abroad for four years (and counting,) I know full well how exciting moving abroad can be. I also know how scary it can be. Making the decision to […]
How to Avoid Toxic Startups
There’s been a lot of talk about toxic work cultures over the last few years, and for good reason. Professionals of all kinds are beginning to place more value in a healthy, happy, inclusive work culture. Covid has fundamentally changed the game for professionals, and companies will either need to adapt to an increasingly remote […]
Hands On: Meet the Kinesthetic Learner
Do you feel that? It’s the final entry in our blog series about VARK learning styles. The kinesthetic (or tactile) learner is a hands-on type who learns by doing. This is not to say that they can’t enjoy reading, writing, or listening! All it means is that their ideal class environment is one where inquiry-based […]
