2019-04-13 Using Either, Or and Neither, Nor
Today on Ask a Teacher, we answer a question from Mehdi in Iran. He writes: Question: Please explain about either/or and neither/nor. – Mehdi, Iran Answer: Dear Mehdi, The words…
2019-04-06 Are You Laughing or Smiling?
Today on Ask a Teacher, we answer an email from a reader. He writes: Question: I would like to know the difference between the verbs laugh and smile. They look…
2019-03-30 All About the Word ‘All’
Today’s Ask a Teacher is all about the word “all,” thanks to a question from our reader Ibrahim O. He asks: Question: What is the proper use of is and…
2019-03-23 Over and Above
Hi, everyone! I hope you like prepositions because I am going to talk about them again today. The question today comes from our reader Francesca in Rome, Italy. Here it…
2019-03-16 The Words In and Into
Welcome back, everyone! Last week, I answered a question from a reader about the prepositions on and onto. The other part of the question was about two more prepositions: in…
2019-03-09 The Difference Between On and Onto
Welcome back to Ask a Teacher! Many English prepositions can be close in meaning. So, sometimes knowing which to choose is hard. But, today’s program can help. Here is the…
2019-03-02 Maybe and May Be Are ‘Driving Me Crazy’
Hello and welcome to Ask a Teacher! In today’s program, we compare two things that sound and look the same but are used a little differently. Listen to our reader’s…
2019-02-23 Travel, Trip or Journey?
In today’s Ask a Teacher, our reader Leopoldo asks about three commonly confused travel words. Here is the question: Question: Hi! Can you explain when it is correct to use…
2019-02-16 Also, Too and As Well
Today on Ask a Teacher, a reader from Brazil asks about two common adverbs. Here is his question: Question: Hello from Brazil! Teacher, could you explain to us how and…
2019-02-09 The Rules of Word Stress, Part 2
You may remember last week’s program, in which I talked about rules of English word stress for two-syllable words. If you missed that program, take a few minutes to read…
2019-02-02 The Rules of Word Stress, Part 1
In English, syllable stress is hugely important for communication. The word “stress” here means saying part of a word louder and holding the sound a little longer than other parts.…
2019-01-26 House or Home – Which Is It?
A house or a home? That is the question. How do we know when to use one or the other? In today’s Ask a Teacher, we answer this question from…
2019-01-19 How to Use the Word ‘Ever’
Have you ever noticed the number of times that a native English speaker uses the word “ever”? Ever is an adverb that we Americans say a lot. Here’s today’s question,…
2019-01-12 How to Count Syllables
In the English language, spelling and pronunciation have a funny relationship. How we write a word and how we say it often do not agree. There always seem to be…
2019-01-05 Can and Be Able To
Modal verbs are helping verbs. We use them with main verbs to help us express ability, possibility, necessity and permission. Today’s question is about a modal that is commonly confused…