A bystander is someone who, by chance, is present at some event, and sees what happened.
"After the crash, the police asked the bystanders what they saw"
Learn more English online at SmartLanguageSolutions.com
Showing posts with label English. Show all posts
Showing posts with label English. Show all posts
Tuesday, 18 May 2010
Friday, 19 March 2010
Business English - Churn Rate
In business English there are many phrases that you simple just don't find in normal everyday English.
In this lesson I would like to explain the phrase, churn rate.
As more an more people work in the service sector, the higher the chance that they will come across the phrase, churn rate.
This phrase is used to describe situations related to customers and employees.
When we use churn rate in connection to customers, we are describing the percentage of contracted customers who leave a company over a given period of time.
For example: "I work in the call centre of a mobile phone company and the churn rate of our customers is really big"
In this example the speaker is telling us that the mobile phone company they work for has a large percentage of customers leaving the company at the end of their contract.
When we use churn rate in connection to employees, then we are describing the high turnover rate of employees in a company.
For example: "When I worked in the fast food restaurant, there was a high rate of employee churn"
In this example the speaker is describing their time working in a fast food restaurant, and how they noticed that most employees did not stay long in the job.
Learn English correctly @ the online language school, SmartLanguageSolutions.com
In this lesson I would like to explain the phrase, churn rate.
As more an more people work in the service sector, the higher the chance that they will come across the phrase, churn rate.
This phrase is used to describe situations related to customers and employees.
When we use churn rate in connection to customers, we are describing the percentage of contracted customers who leave a company over a given period of time.
For example: "I work in the call centre of a mobile phone company and the churn rate of our customers is really big"
In this example the speaker is telling us that the mobile phone company they work for has a large percentage of customers leaving the company at the end of their contract.
When we use churn rate in connection to employees, then we are describing the high turnover rate of employees in a company.
For example: "When I worked in the fast food restaurant, there was a high rate of employee churn"
In this example the speaker is describing their time working in a fast food restaurant, and how they noticed that most employees did not stay long in the job.
Learn English correctly @ the online language school, SmartLanguageSolutions.com
Wednesday, 3 March 2010
Packed in like Sardines
The other night I was teaching a client in Moscow and he asked me to explain the phrase, "packed in like sardines" which he had heard was a good way to describe rush hour on the Moscow Metro, however he was a little unsure if it was an offensive phrase or not.
The phrase is not offensive and in fact comes from the business of food processing.
Sardines, as you know are a type of fish, and we normally buy our sardines in small tins. When we open a tin of sardines, its normal that there are a lot fish in the tin and there no free space.
Therefore the phrase packed in like sardines is used to describe a situation where people are in an area or space with little room to move.
So it is not offensive and in fact a very good way to describe the Moscow Metro during rush hour.
"Every morning I take the Metro to work, it is always full and there is no room to move because everyone is packed in like sardines."
Packed in Like sardines = No space to move
Learn more English online- SmartLanguageSolutions.com
The phrase is not offensive and in fact comes from the business of food processing.
Sardines, as you know are a type of fish, and we normally buy our sardines in small tins. When we open a tin of sardines, its normal that there are a lot fish in the tin and there no free space.
Therefore the phrase packed in like sardines is used to describe a situation where people are in an area or space with little room to move.
So it is not offensive and in fact a very good way to describe the Moscow Metro during rush hour.
"Every morning I take the Metro to work, it is always full and there is no room to move because everyone is packed in like sardines."
Packed in Like sardines = No space to move
Learn more English online- SmartLanguageSolutions.com
Tuesday, 9 February 2010
Have to
In English when we want to express an obligation, we combine "have" and "to" with an infinitive (first from of the verb).
For example, "I have to be in work at 9AM"
Here you can see the construction "Have" + "to"+ "be"
Remember an obligation is something that comes from "outside" such as a rule or a law we obey.
"You have to drive at 30KM in the city centre"
"Do you have to wear a uniform?"
The past tense of "have to" is "had to" + infinitive.
When we use the past tense we express and obligation that we no longer do.
"When I was a child I had to make my bed in the morning"
The future of "have to" is "will + have + to" + infinitive.
We use the future tense to express a future obligation that we don't have at the moment.
"When I get to the airport tonight I will have to show my passport"
We hope this helps you.
If you have any questions please let us know.
Why not have a free interactive lesson with us! Go to www.smartlanguagesolutions.com and book a free trial lesson with us.
For example, "I have to be in work at 9AM"
Here you can see the construction "Have" + "to"+ "be"
Remember an obligation is something that comes from "outside" such as a rule or a law we obey.
"You have to drive at 30KM in the city centre"
"Do you have to wear a uniform?"
The past tense of "have to" is "had to" + infinitive.
When we use the past tense we express and obligation that we no longer do.
"When I was a child I had to make my bed in the morning"
The future of "have to" is "will + have + to" + infinitive.
We use the future tense to express a future obligation that we don't have at the moment.
"When I get to the airport tonight I will have to show my passport"
We hope this helps you.
If you have any questions please let us know.
Why not have a free interactive lesson with us! Go to www.smartlanguagesolutions.com and book a free trial lesson with us.
Wednesday, 16 September 2009
English Idiom – Packed in Like Sardines
This idiom is used across the English speaking world.
Packed in like sardines, is used to describe the situation when a place is very crowded.
“The night club was so full everyone was packed in like sardines.”
The idiom is sometimes spoken as “packed like sardines”
“The night club was so full everyone was packed like sardines”
Learn more English online and interactive with our professional teachers at www.SmartLanguageSolutions.com we look forward to meeting you soon.
Packed in like sardines, is used to describe the situation when a place is very crowded.
“The night club was so full everyone was packed in like sardines.”
The idiom is sometimes spoken as “packed like sardines”
“The night club was so full everyone was packed like sardines”
Learn more English online and interactive with our professional teachers at www.SmartLanguageSolutions.com we look forward to meeting you soon.
Friday, 21 August 2009
Slang of the week – Sloth Cloth
A sloth cloth is a slang word used to an old tee-shirt worn while hanging around your home.
It is also a tongue twister! Try saying repeatedly and fast.
“I knocked on my friends door and when he answered it I was shocked to see him wearing a food stained sloth cloth”
Be careful when studding English slang, using slang incorrectly can cause a lot of problems, always check slang with your native speaking professional English teacher at www.SmartLanguageSolutions.com
It is also a tongue twister! Try saying repeatedly and fast.
“I knocked on my friends door and when he answered it I was shocked to see him wearing a food stained sloth cloth”
Be careful when studding English slang, using slang incorrectly can cause a lot of problems, always check slang with your native speaking professional English teacher at www.SmartLanguageSolutions.com
Tuesday, 18 August 2009
Word – Ahead
Ahead is an adverb, and has a number of meanings.
In English we use ahead to describe the position of being in the front:
John is ahead in the race at the moment (John is leading the race)
Move something to a different time in the future:
We need to move the start time ahead by a day from Monday to Tuesday.
To move in a forward direction:
The queue moved ahead slowly
When learning a new word it’s important to check all the meanings of the word. Above are just a few of the meanings of “ahead”!
Learning English is fun, but it is best to learn with professional native English speaking teachers.
You can learn English online at www.smartlanguagesolutions.com
In English we use ahead to describe the position of being in the front:
John is ahead in the race at the moment (John is leading the race)
Move something to a different time in the future:
We need to move the start time ahead by a day from Monday to Tuesday.
To move in a forward direction:
The queue moved ahead slowly
When learning a new word it’s important to check all the meanings of the word. Above are just a few of the meanings of “ahead”!
Learning English is fun, but it is best to learn with professional native English speaking teachers.
You can learn English online at www.smartlanguagesolutions.com
Friday, 7 August 2009
IELTS Listening section
If you are taking the IELTS, the first task of the day is the 30 minute listening test.
There are four parts to the listening test.
Part One: this will be a conversation between two people, the theme of the conversation will either be a social or semi official format.
Part Two: this will be a talk by a single speaker and it will be a non academic situation.
Part Three: this will be a conversation between a number of people, the theme will be academic or course related.
Part Four: this will be a university type lecture.
Before the recordings you will have a chance to see the ten questions for each recording, each recording is then played one time only.
So the key to passing the listening test is:
Read the questions and understand them.
As you listen to the recording make notes on the answer sheet about each question.
Then take the full ten minutes after the listening to transfer your notes onto the answer sheet!
As practice try listening to UK, US, and Irish talk radio online, these are great sources to “tune” your ear to native speakers.
Here are some stations:
BBC: http://bit.ly/jyJte
RTE: http://bit.ly/hjEQN
Newstalk: http://bit.ly/GaMAt
Air America: http://bit.ly/2WIK2
KUDO: http://bit.ly/hDX48
Of course its very important to work with a professional English teacher who will support you in your learning.
That’s why we suggest you contact us at www.smartlanguagesolutions.com and we will support you in your learning.
There are four parts to the listening test.
Part One: this will be a conversation between two people, the theme of the conversation will either be a social or semi official format.
Part Two: this will be a talk by a single speaker and it will be a non academic situation.
Part Three: this will be a conversation between a number of people, the theme will be academic or course related.
Part Four: this will be a university type lecture.
Before the recordings you will have a chance to see the ten questions for each recording, each recording is then played one time only.
So the key to passing the listening test is:
Read the questions and understand them.
As you listen to the recording make notes on the answer sheet about each question.
Then take the full ten minutes after the listening to transfer your notes onto the answer sheet!
As practice try listening to UK, US, and Irish talk radio online, these are great sources to “tune” your ear to native speakers.
Here are some stations:
BBC: http://bit.ly/jyJte
RTE: http://bit.ly/hjEQN
Newstalk: http://bit.ly/GaMAt
Air America: http://bit.ly/2WIK2
KUDO: http://bit.ly/hDX48
Of course its very important to work with a professional English teacher who will support you in your learning.
That’s why we suggest you contact us at www.smartlanguagesolutions.com and we will support you in your learning.
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