MK's English

25/08/2026

Book of the Week
Travel Tales: Short Stories for ESL Learners — Volume 1
Improve your English through stories.
Travel Tales: Short Stories for ESL Learners combines engaging travel stories with practical English activities designed to help learners improve their vocabulary, grammar, reading comprehension, and overall confidence.
Inside, you'll find:
• Engaging travel stories
• Useful everyday vocabulary
• Grammar practice
• Reading comprehension activities
• Questions to check your understanding
• Practical English for real-life situations
If you enjoy travel, storytelling, and learning English, this book gives you a fun way to practice while exploring different places and situations.
Get your copy here:

Travel Tales: Short Stories for English Learners (Book 1)

25/08/2026

24/08/2026

Free Trial English Lesson

Ready to improve your English?

If you want to speak more confidently, improve your pronunciation, prepare for TOEIC or EIKEN, or use English more effectively at work, I can help.

I offer personalized one-to-one online English lessons for learners of all levels.

Lessons can focus on:

• Conversation English
• Business English
• TOEIC preparation
• EIKEN preparation
• Grammar and vocabulary
• Pronunciation
• Speaking fluency and confidence

With over 30 years of teaching experience, I focus on practical English that you can use in real-life situations.

Your first trial lesson is free. Try a lesson, see how I teach, and decide if it's right for you.

Visit [www.MKsEnglish.com](http://www.MKsEnglish.com) to book your free trial lesson.

Start improving your English today.

22/08/2026

Writing Saturday

Make Your Writing More Interesting with Adjectives

Adjectives help you give your reader more information and create a clearer picture.

Compare these sentences:

I stayed in a hotel.

I stayed in a small, comfortable hotel near the beach.

The second sentence gives us a much better picture.

Here are some useful adjectives:

beautiful
comfortable
expensive
crowded
quiet
interesting
delicious
friendly

Try combining adjectives with nouns:

a quiet neighborhood
a delicious meal
an interesting book
a friendly teacher
a comfortable hotel

Your challenge:

Write two or three sentences about a place you know. Use at least three adjectives to describe it.

Share your sentences in the comments!

21/08/2026

Listening Friday

Don't Translate Every Word in Your Head

One common problem for English learners is trying to translate everything into their first language while listening.

This can make listening slow and difficult.

Instead, try to understand the meaning of the whole sentence.

For example:

"I've been working here for three years."

You don't need to translate every word individually. Focus on the meaning:

The person started working here three years ago and still works here now.

The more you practice understanding English directly, the faster and more natural your listening will become.

Try this today:

Listen to a short English video or podcast without translating every word. Focus on the main idea.

Question:

Do you usually translate English in your head when you listen?

Share your experience in the comments!

20/08/2026

Speaking Thursday

Sound More Natural with "A Little"

In everyday English, "a little" is a useful way to talk about a small amount or a small degree of something.

Examples:

I'm a little tired.

Could you speak a little more slowly?

It's a little cold today.

I'm a little nervous about the interview.

I understand, but I need a little more time.

You can also use "a little" before comparative adjectives:

Can you speak a little more slowly?

This book is a little easier than the last one.

Adding "a little" can make your English sound softer and more natural.

Your turn:

Complete this sentence:

"I'm a little ______ today because ______."

Share your sentence in the comments!

18/08/2026

Book of the Week

NEXT LEVEL ENGLISH: Upper Intermediate ESL Workbook and Confidence Builder — Book 2

Ready to continue building your English confidence?

Book 2 of NEXT LEVEL ENGLISH is designed for upper-intermediate learners who want to develop stronger communication skills and use English more naturally in real-life situations.

This workbook gives you practical opportunities to practice speaking, listening, reading, and writing while exploring useful topics such as:

• Everyday conversations
• Workplace communication
• Travel
• Technology
• Emotions and relationships
• Practical speaking situations
• Grammar and vocabulary

If you're ready to move beyond textbook English and develop the confidence to communicate in real-world situations, NEXT LEVEL ENGLISH — Book 2 is a great next step.

Get your copy here:
https://www.amazon.co.jp/Next-Level-English-Step-Step/dp/B0GG7BLGDZ

Question:

Which topic would you most like to practice in English: travel, work, technology, or everyday conversation?

Share your answer in the comments!

17/08/2026

Podcast Tuesday

Everyday English Listening with Mark

Want to improve your English listening skills?

Everyday English Listening with Mark is a short, engaging podcast created specifically for ESL learners.

Each episode is only 5–10 minutes long and focuses on a specific topic, including animals, books, travel, everyday life, business English, and more.

The episodes use clear, natural English, making them perfect for learners who want to practice listening every day and build confidence understanding real-world English.

You don't need to spend an hour studying.

Just listen for a few minutes every day.

Listen on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/5bXovxFKdfW9nSxx0rb10o

Listen on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/jp/podcast/everyday-english-listening-with-mark/id1798382037

言語学習ポッドキャスト · アップデート：毎日 · Everyday English Listening is a short and engaging podcast designed to help ESL learners improve their listening skills. Each 5-10 minute episode explores a specific topic—such as animals, books, trav...