Catrine Bergeron

“Are one-word answers OK?” “No.” (Haha! Just kidding…) Here’s an essential rule to remember to sound competent when speaking English —and you do want to sound competent when speaking English, don’t you? Yes, of course, you do! So, keep reading… Today’s tip is actually a follow-up to a couple of my FB posts back in October, the first of which ended…

Hot Vocabulary! So, here I am, after a week of not writing. It’s Monday morning, which could be a bit of a downer, but with the vocabulary tips I’m going to give you here, you’re going to start this week on a high note. So, a few months ago… back in September, I posted a vocabulary lesson […]

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Another Piece of Cake…and More! It’s Friday! So, to GET the weekend STARTED, we’re going to take another quick look at that lovely little expression, “A piece of cake”, and then I’m going to introduce a couple more expressions that have a similar style. In my post on Wednesday I talked about how a good English teacher has got,…

Learning English is a Piece of Cake! So, you’re interested in learning English. And you’re looking for a teacher. A good teacher. But what can a good English teacher do for you…? First, on the technical side: • Teach you new grammar and vocabulary • Give you guided opportunities to use grammar and vocabulary that you already know •…

Can video games be good for your mental health? Yes! So, to kick off the week, here’s something fascinating to listen that contradicts the standard line of thought that video games are bad for you. As a woman in her 40′s with a son in his tweens, I’ve never questioned the idea that video games are bad for you, and especially bad for kids– bad […]…

Ask Questions without Apologies! So, last week I GOT TO do something really great… You do remember, right? When you GET TO do something, it means that it’s an opportunity– not an obligation. If you’re not clear on that point go back and check out my post from January 13th. So, as I was saying– something great… I was […]

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What kind of moment is it for you? So, to get the week started, we’re going to TAKE A LOOK BACK AT (to take a look back at = review or revise) a couple of words that we learned a week or so ago, and then add a couple more words that fit in with them. So, do you remember the two expressions […]

The post What kind of moment is it…

- Catrine Bergeron Obligation or opportunity? Let’s take a quick look at “have to” and “get to”. So, one aspect of English that really drives my students crazy is how we seem to use the verb “GET” basically all the time, everywhere. How can one word mean so many different things? And it’s true– there are hundreds…

So, how did it go?! (And other key questions for your English) So, as an English teacher, I’ve got a list of my favorite tricks for my students. The idea is that you take a concept in English– grammar, or syntax, or whatever, and you turn it into a strategy to make your English sound great right away. Now, I am a big believer in hitting the […]

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It’s time to get down to work! Get the job done! Get on the ball! No more procrastinating! It’s time to get on the ball! Right…? Or maybe not. Maybe it’s just time to have another beer, change the channel, send a what’sapp and relax. Is it really so important to GET THINGS DONE? Well, today we are going to GET A FEW OF THINGS DONE, but just a few. […]

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It’s time to get on the ball! So yesterday I promised you an explanation of what the “ball” is, FIGURATIVELY SPEAKING. As with most things, it depends. It depends on the context. Here are some common idiomatic expressions that center around “the ball” or “a ball”, and their meanings. Get on the ball! This is what you say to…

Vocabulary Trick of the Day Today I’ve got a great pair of vocabulary words for you, starting with one that’s perfect for for this particular day of the year… Today–what’s special about today? Well, here in Spain today is like a second Christmas– another religious holiday celebrated with gift-giving and family get-togethers.…