I recently had a very special experience because I attended my Coming of Age Ceremony, which is an important event in Japan that celebrates turning twenty years old. On that day, I wore a beautiful furisode, which is a traditional Japanese kimono with long sleeves. It was colorful, elegant, and very meaningful, because wearing a furisode symbolizes that a person has become an adult. Many people told me that I looked wonderful, and hearing so many kind words made me feel extremely happy and grateful. I realized how much support and encouragement I receive from others, and that made the day even more memorable. During the ceremony, I felt proud and excited to be entering a new stage of life. It was not only about celebrating age, but also about recognizing responsibility, independence, and dreams for the future. After the ceremony ended, I went to a reunion with my old classmates from junior high school. We had not all been together for a long time, so it was amazing to see familiar faces again. We ate delicious food, talked about our memories, and played bingo together. Everyone was laughing, and the atmosphere was warm and joyful. Later in the evening, we continued talking for hours, even until late at night. We shared stories about our lives, our goals, and how much we have changed since middle school. Even though time has passed, the friendships still felt strong. I was reminded of how important these connections are. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I am very thankful that I was able to create such precious memories.

Who wants to sound like a native English speaker from the United States? Maybe you're wanting to visit the United States. Maybe you're wanting to move to the United States. Maybe you got a job in the United States and you want to be able to communicate with people in your new neighborhood. Or maybe you already live in the United States but were born in another country, but you want to learn how to sound more like you live here. You want to talk to people in the grocery store, book store and more! But your accent is bothering you. Have you ever had someone from the United States really judge your pronunciation? Really listen to all the sounds you make when you speak? Then let you know what letter sounds that you say wrong in American English? Then actually teach you how to say American English letter sounds clearly and correctly. So your nouns, vowels etc sound really clear and understandable. Not like.. 'Sort of like American English' but really American English. That way your listener knows exactly what you're saying without confusion, hesitation, assumptions, mis understanding. Wouldn't your listener appreciate that? Wouldn't that make the conversation more free flowing and more enjoyable? Check out my tutor profile and book a lesson of mine. I've been tutoring students around the world since 2018 to sound more American.

Bienvenido al lugar donde exploramos dichos y proverbios curiosos. El día de hoy un dicho en Inglés: Do not grieve that Rose‐Trees have thorns, rather rejoice that thorny bushes bear roses Traducción aproximada: No te pongas triste porque las Rosas tienen espinas, más bien ponte contento al saber que los arbustos espinosos dan Rosas Explicación: Todo depende de ti ¿Ves el vaso medio vacío o medio lleno? Si quieres seguir aprendiendo más dichos curiosos sigue este post

SLANG--SHOULD I USE IT? One of the things that makes learning another language fun and such a rewarding adventure is the connections you make with people. Human beings are social creatures, and the quickest way to build a connection with people is to REALLY learn their language. Regional speech is a part of that experience. The other day, one of my students called me "Bro." I'm not sure where he picked that up, but I liked it because it showed me that he's not just learning English as an academic exercise, but because he wants to be able to connect- he wants to be a part of our world. But here's the caveat: There are certain subtleties that go along with slang expressions--there is often a fine line between being funny and "one of the guys" and being crass or offensive. If a same-age friend of yours makes a dumb mistake and is laughing at himself, saying something like, "That's some elite goofballing, right there!" will come off as laughing with him, whereas saying "you goofball!" is probably going to be offensive. It takes time to develop sensitivity to those nuances. Also, some expressions may be associated with a certain part of the speech community that you don't want to be associated with. You may think you're being trendy and "native sounding" when you're using expressions associated with drug culture, prison slang, etc. So what's the verdict? ASK! When you get to the level where this is becoming a consideration, that's the perfect time to ask your tutor, "Can I use this expression--and if so, when it is appropriate?" Any native speaker of English should be able to answer that question, so you can safely enjoy your ability to use regional English while avoiding being offensive or creating a wrong impression.

I was stressed out because of my job. Some students got bad marks but I couldn't figure out the reasons. I lost self confidence for a while and douted my own ability. At last today, I felt more comfortable with the situaton even though I haven't found the thorough solution yet. I just found some keys to solve it temporarily first and I believe I can do it well somehow. Thank myself for not giving up easily.

Are both sentences OK? (something to eat or drink) Can I have one more of the same, please? Can I have another one of the same, please?

English students try this!