Discover a whole new world in just 60 minutes a week! 🌟

Ready to explore fun new skills and hobbies?

• Magic: Wow friends with cool magic tricks that are surprisingly easy to learn!
• Flower Power: Create beautiful Japanese-style flower arrangements—no green fingers needed!
• Juggle Like a Pro: Start juggling balls or try something daring like knives (with caution!)
• Balloon Zoo: Learn to bend and twist balloons into amazing animals and objects!
• Fancy Handwriting: Learn calligraphy and transform your scribbles into stunning scripts! 
• Moonwalk Madness: Master the iconic moonwalk dance made famous by Michael Jackson!
• Read Like a Speedster: Learn to read faster and understand more—perfect for busy bees!
• Secret Flag Language: Learn flag semaphore to send cool messages without a sound!
• Spice Up Your English: Join my weekly “Chilipepper Your English” group to tackle challenges, chat with others, and make your English sizzle! 🌶️

I’m curious, how many of these cool activities have you tried?

I’ve tried or do 5 of them —any guesses which ones? ️

Heute war ein Tag voller Aha-Momente im Englischtraining.

Christine hat uns mit einem Thema konfrontiert, das für Verwirrung und Missverständnisse sorgt: False Friends.

Falsche Freunde? Was soll das denn sein?

Christine erklärte, dass es sich dabei um Wörter handelt, die im Deutschen und Englischen zwar ähnlich aussehen oder klingen, aber unterschiedliche Bedeutungen haben. Tückische Fallen, die uns Sprachlernende gerne ein Bein stellen!

Zwei Beispiele haben es mir besonders angetan:

1. Aktuell vs. Actual:

“Aktuell” ist ein Wort, das ich oft benutze. “Der Film ist aktuell im Kino.” “Die Situation ist aktuell sehr angespannt.” Doch im Englischen bedeutet “actual” nicht “aktuell”, sondern “tatsächlich” oder “eigentlich”.

Also richtig ist: “The film is in the cinema at the moment.” “The situation is currently very tense.”

2. Bekommen vs. Become:

“Bekommen” ist ein weiteres Wort, das mich in die Irre geführt hat. Ich dachte immer, ich könnte es mit “become” übersetzen. Aber falsch gedacht! “Bekommen” bedeutet im Englischen “to get” (etwas erhalten) oder “to receive” (etwas bekommen). “Become” hingegen bedeutet “werden” (sich zu etwas entwickeln).

“Ich bekomme ein neues Auto” heißt dann richtig, “I’m getting a new car.“

Fazit: False Friends sind fiese Fallen, die uns Sprachschülern das Leben schwer machen können. Aber mit ein bisschen Übung und Aufmerksamkeit können wir sie entlarven und vermeiden.

Ab sofort werde ich noch genauer auf diese falschen Freunde achten und meine Sprachkenntnisse gezielt verbessern.

Übrigens: Christine hat uns eine Liste mit häufigen False Friends gegeben. Die werde ich mir jetzt ganz genau ansehen und verinnerlichen.

Bis zum nächsten Mal,

Deine Greta, die False-Friend-Jägerin

Pool tables, free snacks and an extra fast WiFi connection in the lounge area!  Are those “employee benefits” even cool anymore?

There once was an era (let’s call it the dark ages) when salary alone was enough to make a job attractive. 

Companies showered us with perks: gym memberships, free food and drinks … all the works!  

The idea behind it? Happy workers are productive workers.

But hey, it’s 2024!  Technology has changed almost every aspect of our lives—especially our work lives. So, are these “old-school” benefits still that useful or have they lost their shine?

What if employees crave something more modern, like flexible working hours, childcare support or training?

The truth is: Employee benefits need to keep up with the times. They need to fit what employees actually want, not some outdated perk package. 

There’s no point in continuing to offer free massages in the office if nobody’s even there anymore!

But, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. ‍What works for one company may not work for another.  That’s why it is important to regularly collect feedback from employees and to constantly evaluate and adapt. 

What do you think of the traditional “employee benefits”? Do they still work for you or would you prefer something more modern? Let’s figure out what the ultimate “perks” of the 21st century truly are!

Master these five verb tenses and communicate with confidence:

1. Simple Present

The Simple Present is your go-to tense for stating facts, expressing routines, and sharing general truths.

Example: “I work as an English Conversation Coach.”

2. Present Continuous

The Present Continuous is used for actions that are happening now or at the moment of speaking. It’s also used for actions that are temporary or ongoing.

Example: “I am currently helping clients improve their English fluency.”

3. Simple Past

We use the Simple Past to talk about completed actions and events in the past.

Example: “I started my business 23 years ago.”

4. Present Perfect

The Present Perfect is used for actions that started in the past and continue to the present. It’s also used for actions that have just happened, or for actions that have a recent result. 

Examples: “I’ve been married for many years.”
                   “I’ve always wanted to learn to dance properly.”
                   “I’ve had a lot of positive feedback so far.”

And it’s used to talk about life events and experiences that have an impact on the present:

Example: “I have worked as a PA, a translator and a Business English trainer.”

5. Simple Future

We use the Simple Future to talk about a time later than now. It’s commonly used when talking about predictions, spontaneous decisions, promises, offers and requests.

Examples: “I will continue to help clients boost their confidence in English.”
                    “The market will shift towards online services.”
                    “Let me help. I’ll carry that bag for you.”

Master these 5 key verb tenses and see how your English soars!

Happy learning! 🌟

Ever worry you’ve got to say the perfect thing?  

Nope! Speaking English isn’t about being “perfect,” it’s about connecting with others.

So relax, listen more and be yourself! Remember, being good enough is good enough!

Struggling to find words?  

Think of you throwing a party. You wouldn’t just talk, right? Ask questions, listen closely, and adjust your chat based on who’s around. Communication is a two-way street, not a solo performance!

Surprise question got you tongue-tied? Don’t panic! Think like an athlete. They practice, right? So use a simple plan like “problem-solution-benefit”  to organise your thoughts.  Explain the issue, share ideas, then end with the benefits!  Boom, you’re basically giving them a map, not a puzzle. ️

Speaking confidently “off the cuff” is about being prepared, not perfect.  Practice makes progress, just like with any skill! So next time an unexpected question comes, grab your mental game plan and deliver a clear, powerful answer! Boom, sounding smart and confident, even without being a native speaker!

So, what are your biggest English speaking challenges?