When we start learning a foreign language, we come across new unfamiliar sounds and stress and intonation patterns. Before we truly master them, we tend to cope by applying the pronunciation rules of our native language and using familiar sounds instead of foreign ones. While it is a common and natural situation, it can also…
In order to bring a little positivity into your life strictly through language, this blog post will help you to learn some great English expressions about being positive and optimistic. We have faced extremely challenging times here in Hong Kong over the last few years. The recent outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused drastic…
The English language is constantly evolving. It is said that English speakers add around 1000 new words every year. Though according to some sources the figure is actually much higher. Global Language Monitor estimates that there are approximately 5400 new English words created each year. To make it into the most commonly used English Dictionaries,…
In our previous post, we shared 12 great tips to help you improve your English pronunciation. For tip number nine, Understanding Word Stress & Sentence Stress, we explained the importance of word stress for communicating effectively in English. In this post, we delve a little deeper into the subject. What is Word Stress? The stress…
Speaking English With an Accent Speaking English as a non-native speaker generally means speaking with an accent. In some cases that accent may be so heavy that people find it difficult to understand what you are saying. This can be frustrating for them and for you. A foreign accent occurs when a person speaks one…
The first day at school as a student or a teacher can be nerve-racking. If you’re thinking about coming to study English with us, you may be interested to know what to expect from an English class at Q Language in Hong Kong. Early Days At Q Language When I first started teaching at…