English Topics and Tips

Grammar Lesson: a lot of / lots of

A lot of / lots of mean the same, and are the informal versions of much and many.

They can be used:

• with uncountable nouns to represent the idea of much

• with countable nouns to represent the idea of many

“We have lots of time to help Jane move house.” (much)

“A lot of Australians travel to Bali.” (many)

Expressions with EYES

a sight for sore eyes = messy/unkept

“John’s bedroom is a sight for sore eyes.  He never cleans up”

the eyes are the window to the soul = you can learn about a person through their eyes.

If the eyes are the window to the soul, I had better break up with Allan! His eyes always look empty and lost.”

an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth = revenge

Keeping a vocabulary book

Keep a vocabulary notebook and review the words as much as possible - on the bus, while cooking dinner…

When you write a new word in the notebook, also write the different variations for the word noun, verb, adverb, adjective (ie. happy, happiness, happily, unhappy)…and use each of them them in a sentence. Now you have learned 5 words, not just 1!

Overcoming being nervous when speaking

This is a very common problem for many people.

Practice, Practice, practice! This is the best way to become more confident.

If you make a mistake while you are speaking, correct it.

The person you are speaking to wants to understand you, so explain you are learning English, and the person will instantly become more patient…and even help you!

Grammar: what is a COMPLEMENT?

A complement is the part of the sentence that gives you more information about the subject or the object of the sentence.

Here are some examples with a subject:

• He is French.
• She became a doctor.
• That man looks like my cousin James.

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Here are some examples with an object:

• They painted the car green.
• She called her lazy and irresponsible.

IELTS Information

IELTS = International English Language Testing System

The IELTS exam is used by universities to assess English language skills. IELTS is used in the UK, New Zealand, and Australia, but is becoming popular with Canadian schools.

TOEFL Information

TOEFL = Test of English as a Foreign Language

TOEFL is an exam used to measure English skills which is popular with Canadian and American universities.

The test measures listening, reading, speaking and writing ability on academic tasks. It takes about 4.5 hours to complete the test. Reading and listening each take 60–100 minutes, speaking takes 20 minutes, and writing takes 55 minutes.

Vocabulary Lesson: lay v. lie

lay (v) = set something down/place something

“I need to lay the baby in the crib before she starts crying again.”

“The movers laid the art pieces carefully on the floor.”

lie (v) = recline

“I’m going to lie on the sofa and relax.”

“Be careful! If you lie down you might fall asleep.”

Vocabulary Lesson: less v. fewer

less (adj) = a small amount of something that you cannot count

“I have less time to go to the gym than I used to since starting my new job.”

“Jim has less stress in his life now than he did last year.”

fewer (adj) = a small number of something you can count

“I go to fewer parties today than when I was younger.”

Vocabulary Lesson: odor v. scent

scent (n) = a distinctive, and usually nice, smell

“I love the scent of this perfume.  I’m going to buy it.”

“Cherry blossoms leave a beautiful scent in the air in the spring time.”

odor (n) = a smell in general - can be good or bad

“The odor of dirty feet makes me feel sick.”

“There is a nice odor in this room….like roses.”