Learn tips on how to teach grammar and usage from our editors and grammar experts. 

Grammar & Usage

These posts are written for learners of English themselves. Find learning tips and ideas for learning English.

For Students

I invite you to read the following sentence aloud: The chef added cherries to the Christmas pudding.

Did you notice that all the bolded words begin with &ldquo;ch,&rdquo; yet each makes a different sound?

When two letters represent one sound, the combination of letters is called a digraph. The digraph &ldquo;ch&rdquo; makes three different sounds in English.

This can be confusing for language learners since there are no spelling or pronunciation rules to follow. The origin of these words, however, can be a guide.

<h2>CH = /TCH/</h2>

The digraph &ldquo;ch&rdquo; is most commonly pronounced as /⁠tch⁠/ (written as /⁠tʃ⁠/ in the International Phonectic Alphabet, or IPA). Most of the words with this sound come from Old English and are Germanic in origin. Examples include child, church, and each.

Some words of French origin, like challenge and chance, also use the /⁠tch⁠/ sound. This is because in Old French, words with &ldquo;ch&rdquo; were pronounced /tch/.

<h2>CH = /K/</h2>

In words of Greek origin, &ldquo;ch&rdquo; is usually pronounced as /⁠k⁠/. The word character, for example, comes from the classical Greek kharaktēr (meaning&nbsp;&ldquo;engraved mark&rdquo;).

More examples of words with the /⁠k⁠/ sound are anchor, chaos, echo, mechanic, orchestra, psychology, school, and stomach.

<h2>CH = /SH/</h2>

In words of French origin, &ldquo;ch&rdquo; can be&nbsp;pronounced as /⁠tch⁠/ or /⁠sh⁠/ (IPA: /⁠tʃ⁠/ or /⁠ʃ⁠/).&nbsp;

The city name &quot;Chicago,&quot; for example, is thought to have come from the French-Canadian form of the Miami-Illinois word &ldquo;shikaakwa,&rdquo; or &ldquo;smelly onion.&rdquo; Algonquin people are known to have named natural landmarks after plants that grew in the surrounding area.

Other examples of words from French with the /⁠sh⁠/ sound include brochure, champagne, chef, fuchsia, machine, mustache, parachute, and quiche.

<h2>Related</h2>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="resource"><a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/103/resources/3173">Pronunciation Rules: Hard &amp; Soft C</a></li>
	<li class="resource"><a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/103/resources/3170">Pronunciation Rules: Hard &amp; Soft G</a></li>
	<li class="resource"><a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/103/resources/3180">Hard &amp; Soft C Word Cards</a></li>
	<li class="resource"><a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/103/resources/3137">Hard &amp; Soft G Word Cards</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/hard-soft-g-c">How to Pronounce Hard &amp; Soft G &amp; C</a></li>
</ul>

Pronouncing the Three "CH" Sounds

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What do you do when you see or hear a new word in English?&nbsp;Your English teacher probably&nbsp;encourages&nbsp;you to write the new word down or use it in a sentence. I urge you to go a few steps further.

The word&nbsp;URGE can be used as a mnemonic&nbsp;device (memory trick). Each letter in this word&nbsp;can help you remember new vocabulary.

<h2>U Is for Understand</h2>

The more you understand about a word, the more likely you are to remember it.&nbsp;To really get to know a word, you need to study it and record your findings. Here are some good things to learn about a word:

<ul>
	<li>spelling</li>
	<li>part(s) of speech</li>
	<li>pronunciation&nbsp;</li>
	<li>collocations (words that often go together)</li>
	<li>synonyms / antonyms</li>
	<li>formality</li>
	<li>prefix / root / suffix</li>
	<li>meaning(s)</li>
	<li>origin</li>
</ul>

I urge you to create your own <a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/104/resources/2966">vocabulary cards</a> to help you really get to know new words.&nbsp;Ask your teacher for a copy of the <a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/103/resources/2151/print">Basic IPA Chart</a>&nbsp;to help you add&nbsp;the pronunciation note. Here is an example of a vocabulary record for a new word.

<blockquote>
<h2>urge&nbsp;\&#39;ərdʒ\</h2>

The word &quot;urge&quot; can be a noun (n.) or a verb (v.).&nbsp;

As a verb, it means to strongly persuade someone.

<ul>
	<li>I urge you to try this method for learning new vocabulary.</li>
</ul>

As a noun,&nbsp;it means a strong&nbsp;need or desire.&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>My student from France has an urge to move to Canada.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Synonyms of the verb&nbsp;are persuade or encourage. Antonyms are deter or discourage.

Synonyms of the noun are need, longing, or craving.

Some related words are urgent&nbsp;(adj.) and urgency (n.). These words relate to things that require immediate attention.
</blockquote>

<h2>R&nbsp;Is for Relearn</h2>

According to science,&nbsp;it is very easy to forget&nbsp;new words! You need to relearn a word&nbsp;soon after you first learn it if you don&#39;t want to forget it. Relearning information in a slightly different way each&nbsp;time also helps you remember it. Here are some ideas:

<ul>
	<li>review new vocabulary cards daily (then&nbsp;weekly/monthly after you think you know the&nbsp;words&nbsp;well)</li>
	<li>write&nbsp;an additional example sentence&nbsp;or synonym&nbsp;each time you review a word</li>
	<li>look up your new word in a different dictionary each time you review it</li>
</ul>

<div class="whiteBox">Related Resource

<a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/128/resources/3675"><img src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/emails/monthly-newsletter/thumbs/128_Study-Skills.png" /></a>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/128/resources/3675">Study Skills</a></h2>

Learn about The Forgetting Curve in this&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/128/resources/3675">Real-World Reading </a>resource. Ask your teacher to assign this lesson!
</div>

<h2>G&nbsp;Is for Google</h2>

Google your new word and&nbsp;look at the results in different filters (Images, News, Videos).&nbsp;Try to&nbsp;find the word in news headlines.

<img alt="" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/1606/content_Screen_Shot_2021-07-02_at_2.12.12_PM.png" />

Warning: You may find adult content. I urge you NOT to filter to Google images with kids nearby.&nbsp;

<h2>E&nbsp;Is for Everywhere (and Everyone)</h2>

If appropriate, use&nbsp;your new word everywhere you can.&nbsp;Tell everyone you learned a new word and teach it to anyone who is unfamiliar with it. Don&#39;t be surprised if you start to see and hear your new word everywhere you go.&nbsp;

<h3>Leave a Comment</h3>

I urge you to invent a&nbsp;mnemonic device every time you&#39;re trying to remember something.&nbsp;In fact, you can even&nbsp;use the URGE method to&nbsp;learn and remember the word mnemonic. Please use the comments to share a word you recently learned. What tricks did you use to remember it?&nbsp;

&nbsp;

How to Remember Vocabulary

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<h1>The Sound of Thunder</h1>

While sitting on the tour bus traveling the 70-kilometer (43.5-mile) distance from El Calafate, the nearest town to Los Glaciares National Park, I was full of expectation, wonder, and anticipation. Leonardo, our amazing tour guide, did not help very much with those feelings since listening to him so lovingly describe the Perito Moreno Glacier made me want to get there even faster! Luckily, time flew by, thanks to the beautiful views streaming by my window and Leonardo&rsquo;s comforting and steady voice relating interesting information and fun&nbsp;facts.

The Perito Moreno Glacier stands in the glacial lake named Lago Argentino, and from the surface of these waters the glacier&#39;s walls can reach up to 70 meters (230 feet) high. Like me, you might not be able to grasp this scale while appreciating it from the walkways, which always happens when facing a panoramic view. But if you get closer on a boat cruise, you&rsquo;ll feel very much like an&nbsp;ant!

<img alt="View of the Perito Moreno Glacier" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/1599/content_Lucia_Sound-of-Thunder_01.jpg" />

View of the Perito Moreno Glacier, taken from the walkways. Photo by Lucia Padilla, April 2021

Another fun fact about the glacier is that the water in Lago Argentino looks blue or turquoise from far away, but when you get close enough, you will be surprised to see that it actually has a milky color. This is due to the mineral particles that are so tiny they cannot settle on the bottom, and consequently they remain suspended in the&nbsp;water.

Also, if you like adventure, there are incredible trekking tours where you can walk on top of the glacier (which I highly recommend). And if you think this experience couldn&rsquo;t be any cooler, just wait! Did you know that you can bring along your empty bottle or canteen and fill it up with glacier water? Yep, it is completely safe to drink and is delicious&nbsp;too!

<img alt="View of the Perito Moreno Glacier and Lago Argentino" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/1600/content_Lucia_Sound-of-Thunder_02.jpg" />

Right side view of the Perito Moreno Glacier, when the sun reflects on Lago Argentino, making the water look turquoise. Photo by Lucia Padilla, April 2021

There are a lot of things that I&rsquo;ll take away from this trip&mdash;one being how lucky we are to have such beauty in our world and how much more appreciative we should be. But maybe the most important thing is what Leonardo reminded us of before we got off the tour bus.

Right when we were about to see the glacier in all its glory for the first time, he told us of the importance of taking mental pictures before digital ones. And, funnily enough, while he was saying that, I was in the middle of taking my phone out of my pocket in preparation. I was about to see this wonder through the lens of my camera first without even thinking about it! And then the bizarreness of it hit me&mdash;that someone has to remind us to not just see nature, but experience&nbsp;it.

<img alt="View of the Perito Moreno Glacier from the coast" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/1601/content_Lucia_Sound-of-Thunder_03.jpg" />

Left side view of the Perito Moreno Glacier, taken from the coast. Photo by Lucia Padilla, April 2021

So, when I stepped off that bus, I made a new resolution that I hope to keep from now on for all my trips: I will experience nature with my own eyes first before looking through a lens. And to tell you the truth, at least on this trip, it was so easy to do! Such powerful immensity in front of my eyes demanded that I be present and connect with my surroundings. It was at that time, in that moment, that I closed my eyes and heard the sound of&nbsp;thunder.

What does this sound mean? Was a storm coming?

This constant sound of thunder in the air is a friendly reminder of how this glacier is very much alive. There are always large chunks of ice breaking away from the glacier. This is called ice calving. If you are lucky enough to see ice calving, you will witness the most incredible show the glacier has to offer. So keep your ears open for this sound of thunder because it means ice calving is probably about to occur!

<img alt="View of the Perito Moreno Glacier from a boat" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/1602/content_Lucia_Sound-of-Thunder_04.jpg" />

Left side view of the Perito Moreno Glacier, taken from the boat cruise while crossing Lago Argentino. Photo by Lucia Padilla, April 2021

This magical glacier is the only one in the world that keeps growing every day (approximately two meters, or 6.6 feet, per day). So regardless of how many ice chunks it loses, it will recuperate the same amount of mass&nbsp;lost.

As the Perito Moreno Glacier advances, every three&nbsp;to four&nbsp;years it will reach its maximum growth, and thousands of tourists will flood the walkways of the Los Glaciares National Park to witness the most incredible ice calving&nbsp;of all, known as la ruptura (the Rupture). I have never seen it in person, but there is always a lot of media coverage from Argentina&rsquo;s local news, and we can almost always watch it live from our homes. And I can tell you it&#39;s an amazing&nbsp;spectacle!

<h2>Related</h2>

<div class="whiteBox">New

<a href="https://ellii.com/courses/117/lessons/3696"><img src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/emails/monthly-newsletter/thumbs/117_Glaciers.png" /></a>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/117/lessons/3696">Glaciers</a></h2>

We have a new <a href="https://ellii.com/courses/117/lessons/3696">Glaciers</a> lesson in our Discovery section!
</div>

<h2>References</h2>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="external-link"><a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/perito-moreno-glacier-collapse-video-argentina-patagonia-spd" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">National Geographic &ndash; Why This Massive Glacial Arch Collapses Like Clockwork</a></li>
	<li class="external-link"><a href="https://www.patagonia.com.ar/El+Calafate/524_Glaciar+Perito+Moreno+datos+t%C3%A9cnicos.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Patagonia &ndash; Glaciar Perito Moreno, datos t&eacute;cnicos</a></li>
	<li class="external-link"><a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-argentina-glacier-idUSTRE51259Y20090203" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Reuters &ndash; Defiant Argentine glacier thrives despite warming</a></li>
	<li class="external-link"><a href="https://elpais.com/internacional/2018/03/12/solo_en_argentina/1520859059_206125.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">El Pa&iacute;s &ndash; La rotura del Perito Moreno, uno de los mayores espect&aacute;culos del mundo, fue de noche y sin p&uacute;blico</a></li>
</ul>

A Trip to the Perito Moreno Glacier

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The word miss,&nbsp;meaning&nbsp;&quot;to feel sadness about the absence or loss of something or someone,&quot;&nbsp;has been commonly used during the pandemic. Most of us miss our pre-pandemic lifestyle. We all missed a lot of people, things, and events in order to have a better future.&nbsp;Many of us feel like we (or the people we loved) missed out on&nbsp;something important.&nbsp;

The verb miss&nbsp;can be used before a noun:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>I miss concerts.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>I miss my grandparents.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>I miss restaurant food.</li>
</ul>

The verb miss&nbsp;can also be used before an -ing verb (gerund).&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>I miss seeing my friends.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>I miss going to the movies.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>I miss swimming.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

In some areas, life is starting to get back to normal (or at least&nbsp;a new normal). For the rest of our lives, we will use the verb miss&nbsp;to reflect on this historic&nbsp;period using the past form.

<ul>
	<li>I missed ninth grade.</li>
	<li>I missed going to hockey.</li>
	<li>I missed traveling.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Many people feel they missed&nbsp;out on something important during the pandemic. To miss out on something means &quot;to not have the experience one expected or deserved.&quot; This multiword verb can be interchanged with missed,&nbsp;but it has a stronger meaning. The experience may never come along again.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>My son missed out on eighth grade graduation.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Her parents missed out on the birth of their grandchild.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>She missed out on her first year of college.</li>
</ul>

Note: The acronymn FOMO stands for &quot;fear of missing out&quot; and is commonly used in social media posts.

We can also use miss in a negative form:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>I don&#39;t miss crowds.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>I don&#39;t miss in-person meetings.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>I don&#39;t miss commuting.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<h2>Leave a Comment</h2>

<ul>
	<li>What do you miss about pre-pandemic life?&nbsp;</li>
	<li>What did you miss out on during the pandemic?</li>
	<li>What do you NOT miss about pre-pandemic life?</li>
</ul>

What Do You Miss about Pre-Pandemic Life?

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Have you ever gone AWOL? The acronym, which stands for Absent Without Leave, denotes being absent from a job or event without having given notice or gotten permission.

The abbreviation comes from the military; AWOL is the status given to soldiers who are not where they are supposed to be. If a soldier remains AWOL for more than 30 days, it&rsquo;s considered a desertion.

&ldquo;Going AWOL&rdquo; is just one example of the many words and phrases in common use in English that originate from wartime. In this post, we&rsquo;ll explore a few more.

<h2>To Bite the Bullet</h2>

<blockquote>
Fauci: Not ready for sports, leagues must &#39;bite bullet,&#39; cancel
&mdash;Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-sports-fauci-coronavirus-sports/fauci-not-ready-for-sports-leagues-must-bite-bullet-cancel-idUSKBN22B30N" target="_blank">headline</a>, April 29, 2020
</blockquote>

Before anesthetics, soldiers endured the agony of medical procedures by biting down on a bullet to distract themselves from the pain.

The phrase&nbsp;&ldquo;bite the bullet&rdquo;&nbsp;now denotes forcing&nbsp;yourself to do something difficult or unpleasant, or to be brave in a difficult situation. It was first recorded in Rudyard Kipling&#39;s&nbsp;The Light That Failed.

&quot;Bite the bullet&quot; is similar to the phrase&nbsp;&ldquo;dodge the bullet,&rdquo; which means to avoid a difficult or unpleasant situation.

<h2>Blockbuster</h2>

<blockquote>
&#39;F9&#39; could be the blockbuster Hollywood needs to kick-start moviegoing
&mdash;New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/24/business/f9-fast-furious.html" target="_blank">headline</a>, May 24, 2021
</blockquote>

The term&nbsp;&ldquo;blockbuster&rdquo; is often used today to describe a movie, book, or other form of entertainment media that&nbsp;is widely popular and financially successful.

The term was first used in 1942, however, to describe a new, large, highly explosive bomb&mdash;big enough to destroy an entire city block.

<h2>To Catch&nbsp;Flak</h2>

<blockquote>
LILLEY: Ford catches flak for doing what so many begged him to do
&mdash;Toronto Sun <a href="https://torontosun.com/opinion/columnists/lilley-ford-catches-flack-for-doing-what-so-many-begged-him-to-do" target="_blank">headline</a>, April 22, 2021
</blockquote>

In modern times, &quot;to catch flak&quot; is to receive criticism&nbsp;for something you say or do. This meaning was popularized in the 1960s.

During World War II, &quot;flak&quot; was an abbreviation for the German, &quot;fliegerabwehrkanonen,&quot; or&nbsp;&quot;flyer defense cannons.&quot; If a soldier &quot;caught flak,&quot; it meant that they were wounded by gunshots.&nbsp;

<h2>Cup of Joe</h2>

<blockquote>
Coffee without beans? Seattle startup brews a new cup of joe
&mdash;Seattle Times <a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/business/coffee-without-beans-seattle-startup-brews-a-new-cup-of-joe/" target="_blank">headline</a>, May 14, 2021
</blockquote>

When someone asks for a &ldquo;cup of Joe,&rdquo; they are asking for a cup of <a href="https://ellii.com/courses/82/lessons/1452" target="_blank">coffee</a>, but where did this phrase come from?&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rd.com/article/reason-coffee-called-cup-of-joe/" target="_blank">One theory</a> is that the phrase originated when Josephus Daniels became Secretary of the US Navy in 1913 under <a href="https://ellii.com/courses/84/lessons/1531" target="_blank">Woodrow Wilson</a> and abolished the serving of alcohol aboard ships.

From then on, coffee was the strongest drink available to the disgruntled sailors, who began calling the drink&nbsp;&ldquo;a cup of Joe&quot; out of spite.

<h2>Loose Cannon</h2>

<blockquote>
Clinton calls Trump a &#39;loose cannon,&#39; risky choice for president
&mdash;Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-clinton/clinton-calls-trump-a-loose-cannon-risky-choice-for-president-idUSKCN0XV2CT" target="_blank">headline</a>, May 4, 2016
</blockquote>

<a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/origin-of-the-phrase-loose-cannon" target="_blank">According to Merriam-Webster</a>, we have <a href="https://ellii.com/courses/84/lessons/1529" target="_blank">Teddy Roosevelt</a> to thank for the phrase&nbsp;&quot;loose cannon&quot; entering the zeitgeist. The phrase describes someone (or something) that is dangerously uncontrollable.

Before war ships had fixed-turret guns, cannons on wheels were rolled back and forth between the gunports. A cannon not properly secured could break loose and present a real hazard to sailors.

Roosevelt used this image when describing his legacy to journalist William Allan White, saying, &quot;I don&#39;t want to be the old cannon loose on the deck in the storm.&quot;

<h2>More Examples</h2>

<ul>
	<li>
	&quot;Deadline&quot; &ndash; a date or time when something must be finished&nbsp; 
	(From the lines drawn around war prisoners that were not allowed to be passed)
	</li>
	<li>
	&quot;Flying colors&quot; &ndash; complete success 
	(From the tradition of victorious navy ships returning home with their&nbsp;flags&nbsp;flying)
	</li>
	<li>
	&quot;No man&#39;s land&quot; &ndash; an ambiguous or uncertain situation 
	(From the WWII term used to describe land between the German trenches and the allied troops)
	</li>
	<li>
	&quot;On the double&rdquo; &ndash; quickly, as fast as possible 
	(From the quickened marching pace for troops)
	</li>
	<li>
	&quot;Roger&quot; &ndash; an acknowledgement,&nbsp;yes 
	(From the old NATO phonetic alphabet, where &quot;R&quot; was pronounced &quot;Roger&quot; on the radio)
	</li>
</ul>

Military Language in Everyday Use

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In English, we often use the nouns &ldquo;home&rdquo; and &ldquo;house&rdquo; interchangeably to mean the same thing.

For example, you might hear someone say, &ldquo;I&rsquo;m going to my friend&rsquo;s home this weekend.&rdquo; But if they had said, &ldquo;I&#39;m going to my friend&#39;s house this weekend,&rdquo; it would be correct too.

However, in some instances, it would be incorrect to use &ldquo;house&rdquo; when meaning &ldquo;home,&rdquo; and vice versa. So what is the difference, then, between &ldquo;home&rdquo; and &ldquo;house&rdquo; and how they&rsquo;re used?

<h2>Using &quot;Home&quot;</h2>

The noun &ldquo;home&rdquo; is used to refer to one&rsquo;s place of residence.

Example: Junko has been away from home for three months.

It is also used to describe:

<ul>
	<li>The social unit formed by a family or group of people living together. 
	Example: Rita works hard to make a good home for her children.</li>
	 
	<li>An animal&rsquo;s habitat. 
	Example: Australia is home to the koala bear.</li>
	 
	<li>A place of origin or headquarters. 
	Example: Migrating birds fly home after the winter.</li>
	 
	<li>An establishment providing residence and care to people. 
	Example: Judy works part-time at a nursing home.</li>
	 
	<li>The objective of certain games. 
	Example: Baseball players must touch the home plate to score.</li>
</ul>

<h2>Expressions with &quot;Home&quot;</h2>

The noun&nbsp;&quot;home&quot; is also used in various idioms and expressions. Here are three examples:

<ul>
	<li>To make yourself at home =&nbsp;to do what makes you feel most comfortable. 
	Example: When Kaya arrived at the apartment, Maria showed her the sofa and said, &quot;Make yourself at home.&quot;</li>
	 
	<li>Close to home =&nbsp;affecting someone personally, often in an uncomfortable or unsettling way. 
	Example: Luke was trying to enjoy the film, but its message hit too close to home.</li>
	 
	<li>To bring home =&nbsp;to&nbsp;make something perfectly clear. 
	Example: Watching the TV footage really brought home how devastating the earthquake was.</li>
</ul>

<div class="whiteBox">Related Resource

<a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/105/resources/2183"><img src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/emails/monthly-newsletter/thumbs/105_Warm-Ups-and-Fillers.png" /></a>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/105/resources/2183">Home Sweet Home</a></h2>

In this <a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/105/resources">Warm-Ups &amp; Fillers</a> pair-work activity for all levels, students take turns describing and drawing each other&#39;s homes.
</div>

<h2>Using &quot;House&quot;</h2>

The noun &ldquo;house&rdquo; is used to refer to the physical building in which a person, family, or group of people resides.

Example: I&rsquo;m going to meet Nick at Junko&rsquo;s house.

It is also used to describe:

<ul>
	<li>A building in which something is sheltered or stored. 
	Example: In Cobble Hill, there is a renovated carriage house for sale.</li>
	 
	<li>A student or religious residence/community. 
	Example: Sigma Alpha Epsilon is the largest fraternity house in the US.</li>
	 
	<li>A place of business or entertainment. 
	Example: Harper Collins is a well-known publishing house.</li>
	 
	<li>The audience in a theater or concert hall. 
	Example: Hamilton opened to a full house on its first night on Broadway.</li>
	 
	<li>A type of dance music. 
	Example: Disco is one of the main influences of house.</li>
</ul>

<h2>Expressions with &quot;House&quot;</h2>

The noun&nbsp;&quot;house&quot; is also used in various idioms and expressions. Here are three examples:

<ul>
	<li>On the house =&nbsp;for free; at the expense of management. 
	Example: The first round of drinks is on the house.</li>
	 
	<li>To clean house =&nbsp;to eliminate corruption, inefficiency, or undesirable conditions. 
	Example: After the scandal broke, the owner cleaned&nbsp;house, firing the team&#39;s&nbsp;general manager and support staff.</li>
	 
	<li>To get on like a house on fire =&nbsp;to progress rapidly and successfully. 
	Example: Jasmine and Ali&nbsp;get on like a house on fire.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<div class="whiteBox">Related Lesson

<a href="https://ellii.com/courses/113/lessons/3606"><img src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/emails/monthly-newsletter/thumbs/113_Alis-House.png" /></a>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/113/lessons/3606">Ali&#39;s House</a></h2>

Students read a simple story about a house and answer comprehension questions in this new <a href="https://ellii.com/courses/113/lessons">Word Bank</a> lesson for beginners.
 </div>

Home Vs. House

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Learn how to make the most of your Ellii subscription with tips from our publishing team.

Teaching with Ellii

In January of 2020, Doris moved to Thailand from China with her two young daughters, Candy and Cherry. Even though all she knew was one Thai word and very little English, she found a house to rent, bought a car, and registered her daughters for school.

Later that year, she enrolled in an English class. According to her teacher, Myriam, she was a good writer and understood basic grammar.

<img alt="Doris and Myriam" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/1460/content_125202364_5193540807352955_7074738393205264499_o.jpg" />

Here, Doris (left) is pictured with Myriam (right).

Since she began learning English, Doris has been a studious student. She reads self-study books, attends an extra weekly conversation class, and always completes her homework assignments.

Doris is very motivated and makes learning English a priority,&rdquo; Myriam says.

Recently, Myriam used the <a href="https://ellii.com/courses/129/lessons">True Grammar Stories</a> lesson as inspiration for an incredible activity. After reading the friendship story about <a href="https://ellii.com/courses/129/lessons/3358">Dan and Norah</a>, Myriam had Doris write her own story. Doris wrote about her daughter, Candy. Listen to Doris read the story she wrote and follow along with the transcript as she speaks.

<div class="ckeditor-html5-audio" style="text-align: center;">
<audio controls="controls" controlslist="nodownload" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/attachments/1461/Big_coach_.mp3">&nbsp;</audio>
</div>

<blockquote>
Transcript:

Candy is my seven-year-old daughter.

A few days ago, at Candy&rsquo;s tennis class, I saw her talking with an old person. He is from Australia. I don&rsquo;t know his name but he told Candy that his name is Big Coach!

Candy thought that he was lonely because he was sitting alone. She went up to him and said, &ldquo;Hi, what&rsquo;s your name?&rdquo;

The old man said, &ldquo;You need to call me Big Coach!&rdquo;

Candy said, &ldquo;No, that young man is my coach!&rdquo;

But he replied, &ldquo;No&hellip; he is small coach. I am Big Coach!&rdquo;

So, whenever Candy sees him, she shouts, &ldquo;Hello, Big Coach!&rdquo; and she told me, &ldquo;This is his name!&rdquo;
</blockquote>

<img alt="Candy and Big Coach" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/1462/content_image__1_.png" />

Here, Candy (right) is pictured with Big Coach (left).

We hope you enjoyed learning about Doris and Myriam, and that Doris&rsquo;s story inspires you! Teachers, do you have a fun student project to share? Tell us about it in the comments below for a chance to have it featured on our blog!

Student Spotlight: Doris

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<div class="ckeditor-html5-audio" style="text-align: center;">
<audio controls="controls" controlslist="nodownload" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/attachments/1504/making-small-talk.mp3">&nbsp;</audio>
</div>

<h2>How many people do you talk to as you move throughout your day?</h2>

<a href="https://ellii.com/courses/92/lessons/1749">Making small talk</a> is an important part of the culture here in Canada as well as in the United States&nbsp;and in many other countries around the world.&nbsp;We make small talk with&nbsp;friends, acquaintances, and even people we&#39;ve never met before (and may never see again).&nbsp;

Small talk is short, informal conversation.&nbsp;It may end after a few pleasant exchanges,&nbsp;or it may act as a bridge into&nbsp;a more serious discussion.

Making&nbsp;small talk is <a href="https://thewalrus.ca/blah-blah-blah-the-lack-of-small-talk-is-breaking-our-brains/">more difficult during a pandemic</a>, but it is not impossible. You can make small talk in a virtual setting, on the phone, or even in person from a safe distance.&nbsp;

<blockquote>
&ldquo;I never thought I&rsquo;d say this, but I miss small talk. I miss those 15-second exchanges with strangers at the gym. I miss asking acquaintances about their significant others or dropping an &lsquo;I like your shoes&rsquo; to a woman in the elevator before hopping off.&rdquo;

&mdash;Hannah Seo
</blockquote>

<h1>Small Talk Challenge</h1>

According to psychologist Susan Pinker, social interaction (including small talk) is the #1 secret to living a longer life. (Watch the video below.)

Try counting how many people you talk to on an average day. Then see if you can slowly increase the number of social interactions you have, even if it starts with one extra hello!

<h2>5 Types of People&nbsp;to Chat with</h2>

<ul>
	<li>postal workers / delivery people</li>
	<li>cashiers / customer service reps</li>
	<li>neighbors / dog walkers</li>
	<li>transit workers</li>
	<li>coworkers / classmates</li>
</ul>

<h2>5 Places to Make Small Talk</h2>

<ul>
	<li>at a bus stop</li>
	<li>at a playground or park</li>
	<li>before a live or virtual meeting or class</li>
	<li>in a waiting room or lineup</li>
	<li>in (or while waiting for)&nbsp;an elevator</li>
</ul>

<h2>5 Safe Subjects for Small Talk</h2>

<ul>
	<li>the weather</li>
	<li>sports and entertainment</li>
	<li>scenery or surroundings</li>
	<li>food and beverages</li>
	<li>weekend or holiday plans</li>
</ul>

<h2>5 Small Talk Questions</h2>

<ul>
	<li>How are you? / How are things? / How have you been?</li>
	<li>Do you have any plans for the weekend?</li>
	<li>Have you been waiting long?&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Have you seen any good movies lately? / Did you catch the game last night?</li>
	<li>Nice day, huh? / Is this winter ever going to end?</li>
</ul>

<h2>5 Reasons to Make Small Talk</h2>

<ul>
	<li>to be polite</li>
	<li>to practice your English</li>
	<li>to fill an uncomfortable silence</li>
	<li>to help people feel comfortable around you</li>
	<li>to live longer (watch the video clip from&nbsp;7:12&ndash;9:27)</li>
</ul>

<div class="videoWrapper"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ptIecdCZ3dg?start=432" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div>

<h2>Leave a Comment</h2>

Will this &quot;secret&quot; to a longer life convince you to take this challenge and step out of your comfort zone? Will you turn your microphone on in your online class and ask your teacher about her weekend? Will you strike up a conversation with your neighbor as he&#39;s walking the dog? How about talking about the weather with your friendly postal worker?&nbsp;

<h2>Vocabulary</h2>

<ul>
	<li>acquaintance: a person you&#39;ve met but&nbsp;don&#39;t know well</li>
	<li>pleasant: light and happy&nbsp;</li>
	<li>exchange: a short conversation (often between two people)</li>
	<li>significant other: a romantic partner (e.g., wife or boyfriend)</li>
	<li>drop: to quickly say something</li>
	<li>hop off: to exit quickly</li>
	<li>catch the game: watch a&nbsp;sporting event</li>
	<li>step out of one&#39;s comfort zone: to take a risk or do something that makes you feel uncomfortable</li>
	<li>strike up: to start</li>
</ul>

<div class="whiteBox">Related Lesson

<a href="https://ellii.com/courses/92/lessons/1749"><img src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/emails/monthly-newsletter/thumbs/Tara_Making-Small-Talks_Thumb.png" /></a>
In this <a href="https://ellii.com/courses/92/lessons/1749">Functional English</a> lesson, students listen to a number of short dialogues and practice making small talk. The digital version of this lesson includes a speaking assessment task (video coming soon).</div>

Can Making Small Talk Help You Live Longer?

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You can now practice your speaking using ESL Library tasks! Your teacher will assign you a speaking task for homework. You will see this task on your student dashboard. A speaking task may be one question or a few questions. You always have 2 minutes to answer each question.&nbsp;

<h2>Here are 5 Speaking Tips&nbsp;</h2>

<h3>1. Read and Reread the Instructions</h3>

Read the intructions carefully. Did you already start the task? You can review the instructions by clicking on the i&nbsp;in the top right corner.&nbsp;

<img alt="instructions modal" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/1406/content_Screen_Shot_2021-04-14_at_2.23.55_PM.png" style="height: 266px; width: 400px;" />

<h3>2. Study the Prompt</h3>

Every speaking task is different. The prompt might be a question, a picture, or a listening task.&nbsp;Study the prompt before you speak.

<img alt="speaking task example" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/1404/content_Screen_Shot_2021-04-14_at_2.16.15_PM.png" style="height: 437px; width: 400px;" />

Note: There may also be a reference that you need to look at. Click the&nbsp;View Reference button if you see one. Some text or a video will appear. This will help you answer the question.

<img alt="" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/1409/content_Screen_Shot_2021-04-14_at_2.32.20_PM.png" style="border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; width: 400px; height: 157px;" />

<h3>3. Make a Plan</h3>

Take a bit of time to plan what you want to say. There is no time limit. Take some notes. Your&nbsp;teacher will be able to see how long you spent on the task (not just the recording time).

<img alt="speaking plan example" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/1407/content_Image_from_iOS.jpg" style="height: 533px; width: 400px;" />

<h3>4. Practice</h3>

Practice before you submit your final recording. Record your answer and listen to it. Did you speak loudly and clearly? Did you say everything you wanted to say?&nbsp;If you want to try again, delete the audio&nbsp;and re-record it.&nbsp;

<blockquote>
Check that there is no background noise in your room. Make sure you are close to your microphone. Do not cover&nbsp;your microphone with your hand.
</blockquote>

<img alt="Review Answer" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/1408/content_Screen_Shot_2021-04-14_at_2.28.35_PM.png" style="width: 400px; height: 127px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid;" />

If you are happy with your recordings, submit your responses to your teacher!

<img alt="Submit" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/1410/content_Screen_Shot_2021-04-14_at_2.50.29_PM.png" style="border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; width: 400px; height: 161px;" />

<h3>5. Review the Feedback</h3>

Your teacher can leave you feedback about your speaking activity. After your teacher leaves you feedback, you will see a speech bubble on your dashboard beside the speaking task. Review your teacher&#39;s feedback or rating. You can try&nbsp;again&nbsp;if you want to improve!

<img alt="Teacher Feedback" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/1405/content_Screen_Shot_2021-04-14_at_2.19.13_PM.png" style="width: 400px; height: 145px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid;" />

Vocabulary

<ul>
	<li>instructions (noun): information about what to do</li>
	<li>prompt (noun): the&nbsp;text, audio, or&nbsp;picture you are going to speak about</li>
	<li>reference (noun): an extra prompt to help you answer the question</li>
	<li>plan (verb): to&nbsp;think about what you want to say</li>
	<li>delete (verb): to erase your response</li>
	<li>re-record (verb): to record your response again</li>
	<li>submit (verb): to send the file to your teacher</li>
	<li>feedback (noun): your teacher&#39;s notes and rating</li>
	<li>speech bubble (noun): a comic&nbsp;icon that you write spoken words in&nbsp;(see image at the top of this blog post)</li>
	<li>dashboard (noun): the place you go to find digital assignments from your teacher&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Waiting for speaking assignments? Ask your teacher to assign you some tasks from our Speak Up resources (<a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/105/resources/3608">Beg&ndash;Low Int</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/105/resources/3594">Low Int&ndash;In</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/105/resources/3611">High Int&ndash;Adv</a>). Your teacher can also assign a task called Pronounce Your Name from the digital version of this&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/courses/72/lessons/1211">Discussion Starters</a> lesson.&nbsp;

<h2>Video Demo for Teachers</h2>

<div class="videoWrapper"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JP6GbZ2Lxvs?si=KTI_x_Azcz4Lsebk" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

Teachers: Please take our short&nbsp;<a href="https://esllibrarysurvey.typeform.com/to/X8N9ng5N">Speaking Task Survey</a> to help us improve this task type. Thank you!

Speak Up! 5 Recording Tips for Students

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Listen to this post.

<div class="ckeditor-html5-audio" style="text-align: center;">
<audio controls="controls" controlslist="nodownload" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/attachments/1160/Word-of-the-Year.mp3">&nbsp;</audio>
</div>

<blockquote>
&quot;The way you do great things is by setting great&nbsp;goals.&quot;

&mdash;Bill de Blasio, New York City Mayor (New Year&#39;s Eve, 2020)
</blockquote>

Dear students,&nbsp;

Happy New Year! Do you like to make New Year&#39;s resolutions? Instead of deciding what not&nbsp;to do at the beginning of a new year, I always choose a Word of the Year.&nbsp;

My Word of the Year for 2021 is &quot;zeal.&quot; Here is the definition from <a href="https://www.lexico.com/definition/zeal">Lexico</a> dictionary.

<blockquote>
zeal (noun): great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an&nbsp;objective
</blockquote>

I chose the&nbsp;word &quot;zeal&quot; because I think it will inspire&nbsp;me to bring enthusiasm to lots of different goals, including work goals, family goals, and personal goals. In 2021, I&#39;ll&nbsp;do my best to bring energy and enthusiasm into every space I&#39;m in. 
 
My new office wall offers a strong&nbsp;visual for my Word of the Year! It&#39;s a fun backdrop for virtual meetings&nbsp;and&nbsp;a useful conversation starter. The connected names symbolize&nbsp;the importance of teamwork (and my own love of words).&nbsp;

<img alt="Tara Benwell's Office Wall" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/1158/content_IMG-3019.jpg" />

I have about 15 more ESL Library staff names to add (waiting on&nbsp;more wooden tiles to arrive)! My pup Rootbeer is also full of energy and keeps my family moving, even during lockdown. (He&#39;s hoping I&#39;ll add his name to the wall!)

What&#39;s your Word of the Year for 2021? Ask your teacher to assign the ESL Library lesson <a href="https://ellii.com/courses/74/lessons/2563">How to Write a Basic Paragraph</a>. In this lesson, you will practice writing a short paragraph about your Word of the Year. If you want to share your writing, please copy your paragraph in the comments below for all of us to see! 
 
You don&#39;t have to be an ESL Library student to share your Word of the Year. Anyone (teachers and ESL Library staff) can participate by sharing their word in the comments below.&nbsp;Please tell us why you chose your word.&nbsp;

Best of luck with your language learning throughout 2021!

XOXO

Tara &amp; the ESL Library Team

Word of the Year for 2021

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<h1>Let&#39;s Follow the Instructions</h1>

It&#39;s time to join&nbsp;ESL Library as a student. Did your teacher send you an email invitation to join ESL Library?&nbsp;

<ol>
	<li>Go to your email inbox.</li>
	<li>Find the invitation from your teacher to join ESL Library.</li>
	<li>Click the blue Join Now button.</li>
	<li>Choose the green box. Create an Account. (It&#39;s your first time using ESL Library.)&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Fill out the form. Start by adding&nbsp;your first name and last name.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Add your email address.</li>
	<li>Add a password.</li>
	<li>Click Create an Account.</li>
	<li>Choose an avatar (a picture for your profile page).</li>
	<li>Click Start Learning.</li>
</ol>

You are now on your Student Dashboard! This is where you will see your&nbsp;ESL Library assignments.

<h3>Important!</h3>

Next time you come to ESL Library, go to <a href="http://ellii.com/students">ellii.com/students</a> and go to the Log In form. Use the same email and password.

<h1>Reminders</h1>

<ul>
	<li>You only use the email invitation one time.</li>
	<li>Next time, go to <a href="http://ellii.com/students">ellii.com/students</a> and&nbsp;Log In. Use the same email address and password each time you log in.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<h1>Questions</h1>

<ul>
	<li>Do you have a problem or&nbsp;question? Visit this post: <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/student-faq">FAQs for Students Using ESL Library</a>.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Did you forget your password?&nbsp;Ask your teacher to reset it for you. Here is a <a href="https://help.ellii.com/article/193-how-to-reset-your-students-passwords">video for your teacher</a>&nbsp;on how to reset your password.</li>
</ul>

Sign Up as a Student with an Email Invitation

https://esllibrary-staging.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/post/title_image/1822/Tara_Sign-Up-with-an-Email-Invitation_Banner.png

<h1>Let&#39;s Follow the Instructions&nbsp;</h1>

It&#39;s time to join&nbsp;Ellii as a student. Follow the instructions.

<ol>
	<li>Go to <a href="http://ellii.com/students">ellii.com/students</a>.</li>
	<li>In the top right corner, choose Create an Account.&nbsp;(It&#39;s your first time here.)</li>
	<li>Type the Invitation Code. (Your teacher gave you this.)</li>
	<li>Type your first name and last name.</li>
	<li>Add your email (If you don&#39;t have an email, type a username. Don&#39;t forget it.)</li>
	<li>Add a password. (Don&#39;t forget it.)</li>
	<li>Agree to the Terms of Use. (Check the box.)</li>
	<li>Click Create Student Account.</li>
	<li>Choose an avatar. (This is a picture for your profile page.)</li>
	<li>Click Start Learning.</li>
</ol>

You are now on your Student Dashboard! This is where you will see your&nbsp;Ellii homework. Do you have assignments&nbsp;already? See <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/student-faq">Questions 5 and 6</a>&nbsp;from our post on&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/blog/student-faq">FAQs for Students</a>.

<h1>Reminders</h1>

<ul>
	<li>You only use the invitation code one time.</li>
	<li>Next time you come to <a href="http://ellii.com/students/">Ellii</a>&nbsp;remember to&nbsp;Log In instead. Go to ellii.com/students and Log In with your email (or username) and password.</li>
	<li>If you forget your password, ask your teacher for help.</li>
</ul>

<h1>Questions</h1>

Do you have a problem or&nbsp;question? Visit this post: <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/student-faq">FAQs for Students Using Ellii</a>.&nbsp;