‘Each’ and ‘every’ are two similar words with almost identical meanings and very similar uses.  This makes the difference in meanings of these words unclear and stumps a lot of English native speakers when they try to explain the differences. 

This is because ‘each’ and ‘every’ appear to be the same when we first look at them.  Both words are used to talk about individuals in a group; which makes understanding when to use ‘each’ and when to use ‘every’ challenging.  

We can usually change one for the other without changing the meaning of the sentence, but there are times when we must use one or the other.  

Below is an example of when using ‘each’ or ‘every’ doesn’t affect the meaning of the sentences:

“Each boy grows up to be a man” and “Every boy grows up to be a man”.

These sentences...

The meaning of the question “How have you been”

Native English speakers often replace “how are you?” with “how have you been?”. They do this when asking how someone’s life has been going in general since a point in time (usually when you last spoke to each other). This question acknowledges that it’s been a long time since you last spoke and you need to catch up.  It means “how has life been for you since we last spoke?” instead of “how are you right now?”

When should you use this question? 

We use “how have you been?” when a lot of time has passed since we last saw or spoke to someone.  We cannot ask this if we saw the person yesterday or even a few days ago.  The inferred meaning is that “we need to catch up! Tell me what is going on in your life.”. This makes the question inappropriate to ask someone who we see regularly.

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In...

What is a Native Speaker of English

These days, the ‘definition’ of a Native Speaker is debatable. Is it someone who was born in an English-speaking country? Or a country where English is an official language? Or maybe they acquired it during their childhood? Whatever may be the case, the good news is that English can be spoken in many different ways by diverse people in various places! Speaking like a Native Speaker, however, can have many benefits such as being able to understand a variety of accents (this will improve your Listening skills too!), increasing your confidence, and opening up your world to new possibilities as you discover new culture and experiences as a Native-level speaker.

 Why Learn to Speak English Like a Native Speaker?

But! If you do wish to sound like a “Native Speaker,” then you need to understand that it comes with A LOT of hard work.

Moreover, I have identified THREE main things you need in order to be...

Preeti Lamba

Are you a non-native English learner aspiring for native-like fluency? If the answer is yes, here are some suggestions that can get you closer to your goal.

Before we begin, I would like to point out that native English speakers from around the world do not sound the same, there are many regional variations. However, today we will focus on commonalities as opposed to differences.

Popular phrases to Sound Like a Native Speaker

Let us start with the ‘Magic Words’ that will help you sound polite. 

• Please - when you are making a request.

Compare – ‘Wait / ‘Please wait’ 

• Thank you - to express your gratitude for something given to you (a gift, compliment, etc.) or service is done for you. 

You also use this expression to accept or refuse an offer.

Now how would you respond and accept someone’s thanks:

You are welcome / My pleasure / Please don’t mention it/ Anytime / No worries / That’s...

Hi! I'm Kris Amerikos and I help people use the English language to achieve their goals and make their dreams come true.

A few years ago people from nearly every country in the world started contacting me and asking me how they could most effectively use the next 30 days to maximize their results. Some people think of me as an expert in this area. Millions of people have participated in my seminars and have learned my system. Now I'm sharing this with you.

I want to show you how people from around the world practice English, improve their pronunciation and speaking skills, learn new words and grammar, and speak English every day with confidence. I want to teach you some basic information that you need to know, so that you can speak with anyone in the world, understand what they say, express your ideas, and effectively communicate in English.

To succeed, you will need to read this article from the beginning to the end, follow my instructions, write notes, and...

Have you become a competent English reader and writer but struggling with fluency while speaking? You struggle to organize your ideas in a logical order and run out of vocabulary when putting your thoughts into words. But be prepared, English learning and language learning is not that easy, and remember speaking English is something very important to our daily life. Don't be confused when came to the language exchange because your conversation partner lives for example in the United States and you live in a different country. 

What strategies have you used thus far?

You watch English movies, shows, news, etc. listen to podcasts, read English texts regularly.

These tools may have helped your listening skills but to become a fluent speaker you will need to use the language in your daily routine and make it part of your lifestyle.

 Do You Need English Speaking Partner?

You have tried the local language centers but find it hard to commit to a consistent...

Minimal Pairs - /ɪ/ and /i:/                                                             Preeti Lamba

As you may be aware, minimal pairs are two words that differ by a single sound and can be confusing for non-native learners of the English language.

Today we are going to focus on the vowel Minimal Pair - /ɪ/ and /i:/. 

Difference between i and i:

/i:/ is a longer sound like EE - try saying ‘seem’:  did you notice the front tip of the tongue rising higher towards the tooth ridge?

/ɪ/ is a short sound - try saying ‘sim’, the front tip of the tongue lowers a little bit.

Let’s practice:

Bin and...

Minimal Pairs - As you know minimal pairs are words that differ by only one sound. This sound can be a vowel or a consonant (English alphabet has 26 letters - 5 are vowels and rest consonants)

Difference between /æ/ and /e/

Let’s talk about minimal pairs /æ/ and /e/ - what’s the difference-?

Try saying ‘bed’ – when you make the /e/ sound, your tongue is in the front part of your mouth and raised a little towards your palate. 

Now say ‘bad’ – when you make the /æ/ sound, your tongue is low, and your mouth opens wide.

Focus on the pronunciation, listen to the sounds and repeat.

Words examples with sentences

• Bet / Bat

• Bet - a wager / Bat - a specially shaped wooden piece to hit a ball

• I bet he will bat better this time around.

• Beg / Bag

• Beg - to make a strong request / Bag – a container with handles made of leather, plastic, paper, or cloth

•  Please do not beg, I...

Synonyms are an awesome part of language learning. They’re a FUN-tastic way to spruce up your writing and sound more like a native speaker! However, this is only possible if you use English grammar correctly. Some words may have synonyms that do not mean the same (please refer to the table above). In fact, depending on the context, they could have an entirely different meaning! So you have to be careful when using synonyms. For instance, if you use the wrong word that is unsuitable for the context, it can change the meaning of your whole message.

But the good news is that there is nothing complicated about these terms! So let’s see what’s the difference between suggest, offer, and propose, and how they are commonly misused and mistaken for each other.

Please see below for a conversation by three native speakers. It is a short discussion between three roommates about their dinner plans.

Alice: Hey guys, I’m starving. Any ideas?

Brian: Yeah...

It can be difficult to strike up a conversation and we all want to avoid awkward silence. Personal meetings and business meetings in English are more successful when we have a conversation strategy. Here are some fun ways and tips to use English in conversation, even if you don't know everyone in the room, don't know English grammar, don't know English vocabulary, and are still learning English:

Icebreakers

One of the most nerve-wracking situations is when you don't know a person and you're not sure if you should speak and what you should say. When we are afraid to talk with strangers in English it's usually because we are afraid that people will think we aren't intelligent. I feel this way when I speak foreign languages too. It's completely natural. But when the conversation has already begun, I feel more comfortable joining it.

Icebreakers are phrases that are designed to help kick off conversations. So, if you're wondering what to say...