Being a Good Listener
- Tuesday, 22 March 2016
Use neutral expressions Such expressions as “I see,” “Go on,” “I understand” and “Yes”, help to set the speaker at ease because they indicate that you are listening and are empathising with the points being made. Nod and smile These gesture let the speaker know you are responsive to what he or she is […]
Six Interesting Ways to Say “No”
- Tuesday, 15 March 2016
You might say that “no” is ”no”, but varying the way you say no can really make your writing colourful and interesting. The origins behind expressions meaning “no” are worth the effort to get to know. Nix Originally Victorian slang, nix can be compared with the German nix, which is a colloquial shortened form of […]
Should it be “In To” or “Into”?
- Tuesday, 08 March 2016
While not important when speaking, using into or in to in writing have differences as regards to meaning and grammar.
If Only…
- Tuesday, 01 March 2016
“Only” is only a simple four-letter word, but moving it around can change the meaning of a sentence! This word can be both an adjective (a word that describes a noun), an adverb (a word that tells us how, what, why, or where a verb acts), or even as a conjunction (a linking word). As […]
All the World’s a Stage
- Tuesday, 23 February 2016
If we say someone is acting, we usually don’t mean that in a good way. We often think of acting as something deceptive, as though it’s a kind of trick, or that the person is being inauthentic. However this is not always the case, and the skills of acting and drama are very useful in […]
I will, I will, I promise I will
- Tuesday, 16 February 2016
It’s music to my ears when someone says, “It’s done.” It’s a relief to my stressed-out mind when I’ve accomplished a long-term goal, like clearing space in my overstuffed, underused bookshelves. I love it when my husband tells me that he’s arranged our entire travel plans, or when the accountant proposes a clever tax report […]
Our Own Legends
- Tuesday, 09 February 2016
Ancient peoples created legends around the geographical features of their lands. You can, too! Many ancient peoples have mythical stories about their homelands and how they were formed. Without scientific knowledge, the people looked at their land, its rivers, plants, and animals and used their imagination to create stories to explain how their land had developed […]
Being a Country Girl
- Tuesday, 02 February 2016
I am a English <> Chinese translator and interpreter, and I was born and raised in HK, one of the busiest cities in the world. It is a truly fascinating place that never sleeps, with the greatest food, most convenient transport and vibrant vibes. But the other side of the coin is that it could […]
From City Slicker to Beach Bunny
- Tuesday, 26 January 2016
I am a Dutch <> English translator. I was born in the Netherlands and mostly lived there for the first 28 years of my life. A travel bug, which still attacks me occasionally, took me to one of the most remote corners of the world, an island off New Zealand’s coast. When people meet me […]