毎日通える英会話教室‐English Garden の英会話ブログ

Hello English Garden students! How are you doing this week?

This week, many of the Beginner students have given me great recommendations for restaurants, tourist sights, and even Japanese TV shows. I wish I had a TV so that I could watch some shows!

If you ever travel to Arizona (in the USA), I recommend visiting the Grand Canyon and eating at a Mexican restaurant. Be careful, because sometimes Mexican food is spicy!

The rainy season is almost over, but what about typhoon season... Is it starting soon? How do you prepare for typhoon season?

See you in class!  

Here is this week's blog:



Hello English Garden students!

How was your week? Do you have anything special planned for this weekend? How will the rain affect your plans?

Some students say that they like the rain. How about you? Do you like the rain? Do you think that Okinawa needs more rain this season?

I enjoy listening to the rain at night, and I even like the sound of thunder! Are you scared of thunder?

I still haven't seen lightning yet in Okinawa, but I'm sure that I will when typhoon season starts. How do you prepare for typhoons?

See you in class!

  

Hi English Garden students!

It has been very humid this week. How do you deal with the humidity? Do you use a fan or an air conditioner at home? What about a dehumidifier?

There are many synonyms (look "synonym" up in the dictionary!) for humid. For example. you can say, "It feels sticky today," or, "It sure is muggy outside!"

In the Beginner classes we are learning how to give directions. Now if you see a lost foreigner on Kokusai Street you can help them!

In the Intermediate classes we are learning about the Past Unreal Conditional. For example - "If you'd practiced English more, you would have been able to speak more in English class."

Thank you!  

Hello English Garden students!

The weather this week has been very interesting. Do you think so, too?

Here are some English expressions about the weather for you to learn.

If it is very hot, you can say, "It's hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk!"

If it is very rainy, you can say, "It's raining cats and dogs!"

If you're sweating a lot, you can say, "I'm sweating bullets!"

Do you understand these expressions?If you don't understand them, please ask me about them in class.

Have a good weekend, and let's hope that it doesn't "rain cats and dogs!"

Thank you!
  

今月より、ブログ再開します！
今後とも宜しくお願いします。

Hello English Garden students!

How are you? Do you think that Okinawa's rainy season has begun? It is very humid now! Do you have any suggestions for how to stay cool and dry during Okinawa's hot, humid summer months?

This month both the Beginner classes and the Intermediate classes are using Chapter 5 in the textbooks.

In the Beginner classes we are learning how to make comparisons. For example: Watching English movies is MORE INTERESTING THAN studying English grammar. Do you agree?

In the Intermediate classes we are leaning about making wishes. Do you have anything you want to wish for?

Thank you, and I look forward to teaching all of you this week!

  

Are you a dog-person or a cat-person?

Hey all,

It seems there is a rather large divide between cat-lovers and dog-lovers.

Many people who own dogs say cats are "selfish" and not very friends.

However, many people who have a pet cat say that cats are eaiser to take care of than dogs.

Which side of the debate do you agree with?  

Valentines Day!

Hey everyone. Happy Valentine`s Day!

So, as you may or may not know, unlike Japan, in America we Men give chocolate to Women on February 14th. We also usually give Flowers, a Valentines day card, pay for dinner, and even give Jewelry!


So, many of you might be wondering "Why didn`t I get any chocolate from Marshal?"

Well, I tend to follow the old expression "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."
(郷に入りては郷に従え)

  

Beginner Class
This week we read a little bit about gift giving, and I taught you the phrase:

It`s the thought that counts.

Here it is in Japanese:

大事なのは気持ち。



Intermediate Class

This week in our reading from page 13, we saw the phrase "not to mention". Here was the sentence:

Albert and Helen, not to mention Ashley, were extremely upset.

Basically, it means "in addition to". But the nuance is "it is so obvious that it’s practically unnecessary to say it".

Here are some more example sentences:


1. We’ve never been to Canada or Mexico, let alone Asia.

2. Japanese is so hard. I can`t remember hiragana or katakana, not to mention Kanji!

3. X-sensei is so cool. He is a great drummer, a master of Kanji, not to mention a great teacher! (who could that be, I wonder???)
  

Are you going to cook spaghetti this week?

Hey Guys!

So, Side by Side page 4, we practiced the above phrase.

Can you tell me which of the below (1 or 2) is the same meaning as "Are you going to cook spaghetti this week?" ?

1) Are you thinking to cook spaghetti this week?
2) Are you planning to cook spaghetti this week?


Tell me the answer in the next class!


Have you .....recently?

This week, in intermediate class, we practiced the above.

So please tell me in the next class, if you have done any of the below recently:

Have you....

1. .....watched a movie at the theater recently?
2. .....played a card game recently?
3. ....played basketball recently?
4. .....gone swimming recently?
5. .... tried something new recently?
6. .....cooked recently?
7. .....talked with your parents recently?
8. ......overeaten recently?
9. .....crash-dieted recently?
10. ....indulged yourself recently?
  

Hi all!!

Welcome Back! I hope everyone had a great New Year`s Vacation.

This week, I have been teaching you about New Year`s Resolutions.

For example, many people make a New Year`s Resolution to:

1. Lost weight
2. Start a new hobby
3. Get married
4. Exercise more
5. Eat healthier

and so on.


My New Year`s Resolution is to study Kanji HARDER!!

What is your New Year`s Resolution?  

Cooking in English!

Hey guys!

Here is an intersting cooking video, in English, made by some 留学生`s in Japan. (I don`t know them). It contains some pretty useful English!

http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=NjS0CuWN7Sk

-Marshal  

Homework for Next Week

Hey Guys,
Next week I am planning to do some reviews of vocabulary (Chapter 10 for beginner class, Chapter 6 for intermediate).

Using the vocabulary, try to use the following CONJUNCTIONS (you can look this word up in your dictionary).

and
but
or
so

If those are too easy, try these:

after
since
while
although
even if
because

You can bring your work to class, or post them here on the blog.
  

Do you know IKNOW?

Hey Guys,
Here is a fun site to pratice your English. Quite a few English Garden students are already using it, so don`t miss out!

http://www.iknow.co.jp/intro
  

Too, So, and Very.
(Beginner Class)

This week I taught you the difference between "Too" and "So".
For example:
1. I`m too full.
2. I`m so full.

#1 means you ate so much and you can`t eat any more.
#2 means you ate a lot, but it is possible to eat more.

OK, so what about VERY?
3. I`m very full.

#3 simply means "とても". You ate a lot of food.

So, if you go to Shakeys Pizza and have 5 pieces, you feel VERY FULL.
If you eat 8 pieces, you feel SO FULL.
And if you try to eat as much as Nagisa did (18 pieces), then you will feel TOO FULL!


Job and Work Related Idioms.
(Intermediate class)

Hey Guys,
This week we learned some work related vocabulary.

day shift
night shift
graveyard shift
full-time job
part-time job

In English, there are some great idioms related to work. For example:

"to bring home the bacon"

which simple means to earn money.

Have a look at this site for more great idioms relating to work!

http://www.learnenglish.de/vocabulary/jobsidioms.htm
  

Questions, Questions, Questions!

Hey Guys,
So on the Keijiban, a couple of students mentioned that they hesitate to ask questions in class.

You should ALWAYS ask questions if you don't understand something. Not only is it a great chance to talk but:

1-It helps the TEACHERS.

Teachers aren't always sure how much our students understand. If our students ask many questions, we are able to think more about our teaching and plan our lessons better. Plus, it makes the class more fun-there is more interaction between the students and teachers.

2-It helps the other STUDENTS.

If YOU don't understand something, then many other students don't understand. If you ask a question, then it helps all the other students who don't understand as well! This is great of course-you can help your classmates!

Here are some questions to get you started:

Excuse me Marshal, but I don't understand.
What do you mean?
What does that word mean?
Could you explain that again?
Could you explain that in a different way?
Could you give us some examples?
Could you explain that in Japanese?  

Hey Everyone!

Well, I am back from Hawaii. I had a really good time.
I told you guys that I tried Zip-Lining, which was fun!
Here is a link to the website of the Zip-Line Company.

www.adventureskauai.com

Check it out!
-Marshal  

Interesting cooking show!!

Here is a show by Anthony Bourdain, a restaurant owner who gained some popularity after he became a New York Times bestselling author.

The show is very interesting. He travels around the world looking for local, unusual, and exotic dishes.

(click on any link).

http://jp.youtube.com/results?search_query=anthony+bordain+no+reservations&page=3
  

Hi all!
So, last week I asked you to please bring old magazines which you no longer need.
If you have any old magazines (NOT manga), then please bring theｍ to class.
We will use them for a special class in the future
Any topic is ok, and magazine`s with pictures are best.
Thanks
マーシャル
  

Georgia Slang!


So, you guys know I love to teach you useless expressions from "down south".
Here are some of the more common expressions/words we use in "Good old Georgia!"
Over yonder (Over there)
Ain`t (Not)
Y`all (You all)
Do what now? (What was that? or I don`t understand)
Say what now? (Same as above or What did you say?)
Y`all come back now, ya hear? (Please come again)
Fixin` to (About to do (something)

It might seem like its not usefull to know, but if you watch any movie that takes place in the southern part of the U.S.A (Forest gump, gone with the wind, slingblade, and the green mile all come to mind), you will hear these words often.  

Hey Everyone,
(This is a blog for the classes using SBS book 2)

Here is an interesting commercial from when I was young.
The littlest old lady became a big hit, there were many t-shirts, coffee cups, hats, with her famous "catchphrase". People still make reference to the commercial today!

See if you can catch this week`s grammar point!


http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=Ug75diEyiA0