About Hilary Miller

Posts by Hilary Miller:

Words we use for words

I am not a linguist (a person who studies languages).

But during my English lessons, my students and I often discuss what “kind” of English they want to learn. Colloquial? Informal? Idiomatic? Slang? Dialect? What do all those terms actually mean?

In this article, I will try to explain what we English teachers mean when we throw these terms around. As I said, I’m not a linguist, so please take my information “with a grain of salt.”

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Register. Basically, linguists use register to define a language’s degree of formality. In academic writing and social situations such as job interviews and committee meetings, people tend to use formal register: higher-level vocabulary words and less slang, with more attention to proper grammar and precise wording. On the other hand, casual or informal register is more conversational, more colloquial, more idiomatic, and more “natural.” In general, English writing is more formal in register, speaking is less so. But for both, there’s still lots of variation between formal and casual register, and English learners need to pay attention to identifying which people and situations require what degree of register.

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Vernacular. This is a broad, rather “catch-all” phrase used to describe “the language of a people or a national language.” The term can also be used as a synonym for colloquial or informal. It includes both spoken and written English.

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Colloquialism. Colloquial. In contrast to formal language, colloquialism (general parlance) is simply the everyday language people use when they are casual, relaxed, and not trying to impress people. This general term includes slang, abbreviations (like LOL), and idioms. When English learners want to sound “real,” native-like, and authentic, they want to learn this kind of English. Colloquialism is more common in spoken English, although written texts that try to replicate human speech often use colloquial expressions. Colloquial language can generally be understood by people of different ages and socioeconomic classes in a broad geographical area, but some expressions are more limited.

For example, many Americans, when they tell someone that they’re going out for a drink with a friend, might say, “We’re gonna go grab a …” “Gonna” is a widely used colloquialism for “going to.” Your English textbook may tell you that Americans say, “I am going to walk to the store.” In fact, nine times out of ten, you will hear them say, “I’m gonna walk to the store.’  And although “to grab” generally means to catch or seize something, Americans will understand that this simply means to go get something right away, and relatively quickly. However, in different regions, the name for that drink may vary. For example, in the Northeast, people usually say a “soda,” in the South, a “Coke” (even when the drink is a different brand), and in the Midwest, a “pop.” So, there are colloquialisms that are more generally used throughout the US, and others that are more regional.

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Idiom. Idiomatic. I have already written two articles on idioms so I won’t repeat myself too much here; my general definition is:

  • They are a group (or pair) of words in a specific order that doesn’t change. The speaker will include the idiom as one fixed “chunk” of language into their speech or text.
  • Their meaning is different from the individual words that form the phrase. In other words, you won’t be able to figure out the meaning of the idiom from the meaning of the individual words.
  • They are usually specific to a certain language and can’t be translated word-by-word to another language.

While colloquialisms include any informal, everyday expressions, idioms are limited to those phrases that are both fixed and figurative. Most idioms are colloquial; we wouldn’t use them in formal speech, but not all colloquial language is idiomatic

Remember … fixed and figurative. The word order will generally stay the same, and a literal (word-for-word) meaning won’t help you catch the meaning, although it can result in some funny images. If your children are “glued to the TV set,” they aren’t (fortunately!) literally and physically attached to the screen. If you take my advice with “a grain of salt,” you aren’t going to be eating salt … you’re just going to be a little skeptical. If you’re “beating a dead horse,” you’re not committing animal cruelty … you’re simply wasting your time on something that’s already over and done with.

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Slang. Slang is casual spoken language that’s very informal. While colloquialisms can be understood by most Americans, slang is specific to a particular group, age, region, or profession. Slang can become a group identity … so that if you know the slang, you “belong” to the group; if not, you’re an outsider. Slang generally goes in and out of fashion. Words like groovy and sweet (to describe something pleasing) now seem very outdated. Some slang expressions are perfectly acceptable in any conversation (cool or brilliant or yikes). Others are more vulgar (offensive and rude) and should be used with caution! Urban Dictionary is a wonderful resource for learning American slang (but it’s definitely X-rated, so readers beware!).

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Jargon. Jargon is a language that’s specific to a particular activity or profession. Lawyers use legal jargon (appeal, motion, bench); golfers use golf jargon (birdie, boogey, par).

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Dialect. Dialect is a particular form of a language spoken by a certain group of people, such as southern English, Black English, even standard English. When it’s in the form of writing that shows the accent and way people talk in a particular region, dialect can be a huge obstacle for readers of English literature. Here are some examples:

Dialect in Huckleberry Finn (Mark Twain):

Jim (a Black man in what the author describes as “Missouri negro dialect”): I didn’ know dey was so many un um. I hain’t hearn ‘bout non un um, skasely, but old Sollermun, onless you counts dem kings dat’s in a pack er k’yards. How much do a king git?

In Standard American English: I didn’t know there were so many of them. I have scarcely heard of any of them, except old Solomon, unless you count the kings that are in a pack of cards. How much does a king earn?

Dialect in The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett):

Dickon (a country boy in Yorkshire, England): It’s rare good for thee. There’s naught as nice as th’ smell o’ fresh growin’ things when th’ rain falls on ‘em. I get out on th’ moor many a day when it’s rainin’ an’ I lie under a bush an’ listen to th’ soft swish o’ drops on th’ heather an’ I just sniff an’ sniff … I never ketched cold since I was born. I wasn’t brought up nesh enough.

In Standard American English: It’s really good for you. There’s nothing as nice as the smell of freshly growing things when the rain falls on them. I get out on the moor many days when it’s raining and lie under a bush and listen to the soft swish of drops on the heather and I just sniff and sniff … I’ve never caught a cold since I was born. I wasn’t brought up nicely enough.

Although literature written in dialect closely mirrors the speech patterns of the characters and thus makes them sound more genuine, it can be exceedingly difficult for even native English speakers to read. In the same way, a movie in which actors speak dialect can be almost inaccessible. If this happens to you, try not to feel frustrated! Many American high schoolers have given up (or wanted to) on Huckleberry Finn, even though it’s considered a classic in American literature.

 

Building a five-paragraph essay

The “classic” five-paragraph essay consists of several parts: the introduction, three body paragraphs, and the conclusion. This format should be used in the TOEFL independent essay as I describe in this article. Although your academic work will probably be longer than five paragraphs, essays like this give you excellent practice in organizing your ideas and perfecting your writing style. Think of them as the scales that pianists run through many times before tackling a more challenging piece of music.

You might think of your essay as a classic Roman construction … like this facade of the Temple of Castor and Pollux in Rome, Italy. Given that it was built over 2,500 years ago, it certainly has a solid structure! Your essay should have the same.

Let’s discuss the elements in your well-built essay and then we’ll look at more specific details on its construction in the following article [to be written].

First, you need a solid foundation.

Your introduction lays the foundation of your essay. And to set a foundation, you must have, at the very center, a thesis. The thesis sums up your central idea; everything built on top of it, your three body paragraphs and your conclusion, must rest on it, must be attached and connected.

One of the biggest problems my writing students encounter stems from not beginning with this foundation stone. They begin writing their essay with a vague idea of what they’re going to say, and jump from point to point so that nothing connects to a center. If your essay structure is not built solidly on a central thesis, the essay will fall apart. It will lack coherence and cohesion, which are essential to a good essay.

When I read essays like this, I ask my students to tell me what their thesis is. In one sentence, what is this essay saying? If they can’t do this, then we know that there’s a problem with the thesis; and with a shaky, wobbly foundation, it can never stand on its own.

Let’s also consider what your foundation looks like to the outsider, the reader. Is it inviting … does the reader want to enter your essay and see what’s inside? Or is the foundation boring, overly general, uninviting? An attractive “hook” to interest the reader and a clearly stated thesis statement are like a set of wide, shallow stairs that help usher the reader into your essay.

Next, you need three strong columns in the form of three body paragraphs. Each column rests on the foundation, your thesis. If a column is resting outside the foundation, dangling in space so to speak, the essay is going to fall apart or, at the very least, seem unbalanced and poorly constructed.

Although your columns, your paragraphs, aren’t going to look exactly the same … each will be expressing a different point … they should have a sense of being coordinated and similar. For example, you won’t have one paragraph twice as big as the other two. You won’t start two paragraphs with a topic sentence, and then end the third with the topic sentence. Your three body paragraphs, like three visually pleasing columns, will give your reader a sense of logical order and well-planned structure.

Finally, you cap off your essay with a conclusion. Notice that the Temple of Castor and Pollux has a rather ornate top that embellishes the whole construction. Your conclusion doesn’t need to be so fancy! You mainly need to focus on constructing a conclusion that reflects the ideas and style of the introduction. Just like you wouldn’t place a thatched roof on top of a Roman temple, you don’t want a conclusion that introduces completely new elements or distracts from the rest of the essay. Like the foundation, the roof should be well connected to the three columns. The ideas expressed in your conclusion should rest solidly on the material in your three body paragraphs.

In the next article, we’ll discuss some ways to build a real five-paragraph essay, putting all these elements into practice.

Using reporting verbs

In my previous article on reporting verbs, I discussed a number of different verbs that you can use to describe what something or someone says or thinks.

Now I’d like to talk about the grammar you should use for reporting verbs.

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There are two basic models used with reporting verbs. Some reporting verbs follow one model, some reporting verbs follow another, and some can follow both.

The first model is verb + noun (or noun phrase). For example:

The author affirms the existence of life on the sea floor.

The text discusses the possibility of life on Mars.

The lecturer proposes alternative theories to those stated in the text.

The second model is verb + that + clause (subject/verb)

The author observes that many animals have evolved to adapt to the extreme environment.

The text states that no life could exist on Mars.

The lecturer suggests that other theories might better explain this phenomenon.

As a writer, you will need to know whether each reporting verb you use follows the first model, the second model, or both.

First model only:

The author refutes the theory that life exists on Mars.

NEVER:   The author refutes that life exists on Mars.

Second model only:

The lecturer concludes that several theories are equally valid.

NEVER:   The lecturer concludes the equal validity of several theories.

Fortunately, most reporting verbs can follow both models:

First model:  The researchers acknowledge the lack of convincing data yielded by recent studies.

Second model:  The researchers acknowledge that recent studies have yielded little convincing data.

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The second issue regards tense. For relatively simple tasks like the TOEFL integrated essay, I would ALWAYS recommend using the simple present tense for your reporting verbs. This is especially true if the reporting verb is followed by a clause describing something that happened in the past.

For example, this is a relatively easy sentence to write with the reporting verbs in the simple present tense. Note the verbs in the subsequent clauses.

The professor points out that the use of toxic chemicals in the 1960s damaged vegetation and caused many animal species to disappear. She notes that many fertilizers were used without knowledge of their harmful effects.

But if we put the reporting verbs in the simple past tense and want to stay consistent in our use of tense in the subsequent clauses, we have to write:

The professor pointed out that the use of toxic chemicals in the 1960s had damaged vegetation and had caused many animal species to disappear. She noted that many fertilizers had been used without knowledge of their harmful effects.

Or in another example:

Simple present: The professor states that the fire gave new opportunities for small animals and actually strengthened the food chain.

Simple past: The professor stated that the fire had given new opportunities for small animals and had actually strengthened the food chain.

Finally, if you are stating general facts and not referring to previous events or situations, I suggest you keep everything in the simple present tense.

The professor rejects the belief that dogs are more intelligent than cats. She points out that most research studies are deeply flawed.  Pointing out that cats are more independent and less willing to please than dogs, she believes that cats are equally capable of performing tasks that researchers present to them.

Why language learning is like working out

As someone who’s worked out almost every day for the past 20 years, I think a lot about exercise. And it seems to me that the advice I give to language learners is a lot like that I give to people who are trying to get in better physical shape. (Yes, that’s me in the photo above, after a workout while on vacation … I literally never take a break from exercise because “if you don’t use it, you lose it,” and that goes for fluency as well!) So what do I tell people? First …

You need to find something to motivate you

When people decide to lead a fitter lifestyle, they usually have something that inspires them to begin … whether it’s a warning from their doctor, the desire to keep up with their kids, or simply a good long look in the mirror. Language learners should find something that motivates them as well. Maybe it’s a TOEFL score that will be your ticket to a prestigious university or a better job. Maybe it’s an opportunity to live in an English-speaking country. Maybe it’s just a deep-seated desire to speak English better. Whatever it is, keep this motivation in mind because …

You need to accept that this is a long-term endeavor

You don’t become fit overnight, and you won’t learn better English overnight either. Furthermore, just like exercising, you need to keep at it to stay at whatever level you’ve achieved. There are no magic potions or shortcuts to attaining fitness or fluency. You have to make up your mind to stick with it over the long haul. In this case …

You probably need someone to help you

When you’re developing a fitness routine, you may choose to use a personal trainer or enroll in exercise classes. When you’re developing fluency, you may want to find a teacher or an English class. But if these don’t suit your personality or your circumstances, think outside the box. When I started exercising, I became very active on an online forum for people who work out at home. You may be able to find an online community of English learners, or just one learning partner. The goal here is to find an individual or a community who can help answer questions, give you advice, sympathize with your struggles, and provide motivation and support. Language learning is more fun when you make connections, which brings me to another piece of advice …

You should pick language learning activities you enjoy and that suit your learning style

I would never have continued working out for so long if I weren’t doing workouts I enjoyed. When I started 20 years ago, I was homeschooling my three children and couldn’t get to a gym regularly. Well, home workouts turned out to be perfect for me, and I still look forward to my morning exercise routine every single day. If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, it’s going to be hard to keep doing it for any length of time. There are soooo many options for learning English, even for (relatively) boring stuff like grammar. Sure, you can get a grammar textbook, but you can also study with a teacher, or go to my favorite grammar website, or listen to YouTube videos or other online materials. And when it comes to reading and listening, the sky’s the limit! However, while you definitely need to choose activities you enjoy, you also need to realize that …

You have to push yourself to make progress

Language learning, like exercising, isn’t all fun and games. I absolutely love my workouts, but they’re hard work! At the end of a cardio session, I’m usually dripping sweat. When it comes to weight lifting, that last repetition is a killer! Same with language learning. Stephen Krashen, one of the biggest names in second language acquisition, theorizes that learners acquire language through input + 1. Input is the stuff coming in … whether it’s an episode of your favorite English series, a podcast, or a news article. +1 means that it’s just a little bit more advanced than your current level. It’s the same principle with fitness. If I always do bicep curls with a 10-pound dumbbell, when it no longer challenges me, my muscles won’t get any stronger. If I switch to 12-pound dumbbells, I’ll continue making progress. Same thing with language learning. You always need to be pushing yourself a little bit … not too hard or you might get discouraged, not so challenging that it’s no longer fun, but hard enough so that you keep getting better. You can speak a bit more confidently, you can understand more of what you hear, you can read more challenging material, you can write more quickly, with fewer mistakes. With a bit of effort, made consistently, you’ll be amazed at what you can achieve!

 

Two languages

This may be a discouraging thought but the fact is, when you learn English (or most other languages), you’re dealing with not one but two languages … spoken English and written English.

In his lectures on the history of human language, Professor John McWhorter points out a couple of striking differences between spoken and written English:

  • Spoken English uses a much more limited vocabulary than written English. First, there are the “big” words that you are likely to encounter only in written English, and often in more formal or academic writing. Even native English speakers may have to look these up in a dictionary: words like adumbrate, derisory, and hyperbolic. English speakers will rarely use these in speech and, if they do, they will tend to sound a bit pretentious (like they’re trying to show off and impress people). But spoken English also limits more ordinary words; for example, we are likely to use a lot of rather than numerous, a great many, or a multitude of.
  • Spoken English has no punctuation. In spoken English, we don’t worry about whether we’re using complete or incomplete sentences; there are, in fact, no sentences. Instead, English speakers tend to put together “word packets” that, if written down, would not necessarily follow the rules of syntax that are expected in written English. Spoken English also uses shorter and simpler structures than written English. Professor McWhorter gives an example of this in a transcription of an academic conversation:

On a tree. Carbon isn’t going to do much for a tree really. Really. The only thing it can do is collect moisture. Which may be good for it. In other words in the desert you have the carbon granules which would absorb, collect moisture on top of them. Yeah. It doesn’t help the tree but it protects, keeps the moisture in. Uh huh. Because then it just soaks up moisture. It works by the water molecules adhere to the carbon moleh, molecules that are in the ashes. It holds it on. And the plant takes it away from there.

I have students who prepare for tests of speaking ability by writing down transcripts of what they want to say. But this hardly ever sounds natural. Here’s an example of a prepared, written response to a typical TOEFL question compared to a natural, spoken one:

Question: Some students prefer to work on class assignments by themselves. Others believe it is better to work in a group. Which do you prefer? Explain why.

“Prepared” written response:

Considering various aspects of this situation, I believe that it’s preferable for me to work on class assignments by myself. This is due to the fact that I’m a fairly solitary individual who profits more by working in isolation and by concentrating and focusing more fully and deeply on my assignments. As a true introvert, I feel more anxious and apprehensive when I have to interact with my peer group. Therefore, I believe that engaging in various academic tasks by myself results in a better performance and hence higher grades.

Natural spoken response:

Well, I guess I’d rather work by myself on my class assignments. I don’t know … I guess I’m kind of an introvert … I’m used to working by myself … you know, I listen to music and sort of tune out what’s going on around me and … actually, I get a lot of work done that way. You know, when I’m in a group, I get kinda stressed out … like, I’m more worried about saying something stupid or what people think about my clothes, or whatever … and seriously, my grades are actually better when I just do the work by myself.

What does this mean for you as an English learner?

Think about how you’re going to be using English in the future.

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If you are more interested in conversing with English speakers and listening to shows, movies, and lectures in English, then focus on spoken English.

  • Listen to as much “natural” English as you can. Flood yourself with English! I suggest some good listening resources in this article. My experience from learning French this way is that when you concentrate on understanding as much as you can and focus on “noticing” certain structures, phrases, and words, you eventually absorb them, make them “your own,” and use them in your own speaking.
  • Remember that even academic lectures and news broadcasts are still delivered in spoken English. The speakers may use less slang and colloquialisms like I’m gonna or you hafta, but their vocabulary will still be more limited and their structures will be simpler.
  • Rely less on textbooks, and more on “authentic” English – the way it’s spoken in real life. Even the best textbooks tend to provide conversations which sound unnatural and “written.” For example, in one textbook I read the following:

A: What about you? What did you do on Saturday?

B: I did not do anything special. I stayed home and worked around the house. Oh, but I saw a really good movie on TV. And then I made dinner with my mother.

In “real life,” the conversation would probably sound more like this:

A. Whadda ’bout y’all? How’d your Saturday go?

B. Ah, nuthin’ to write home about. Mostly just hung out. Got some stuff done around the house, I guess … and oh yeah, I streamed an awesome chick flick. Plus me and mom fixed something for dinner.

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If you want to study in an English-speaking country, reading academic texts and submitting essays, reports, or papers, or to work in an international company where you’ll be communicating in writing with English-speaking colleagues, then you’ll need to work on both spoken and written English skills.

  • Good English writing is an art. Mastering this art requires years, not months or weeks. As a case in point, the law school where my husband teaches employs two full-time writing instructors for 400 students — almost all of whom are native-English-speaking, American college graduates.
  • Just as lots of attentive, focused listening helps develop speaking skills, so lots of reading helps develop writing skills. What should you read? One good rule of thumb is to focus on reading material that you need to write. If you need to write engineering reports, read engineering reports. If you need to write general academic essays, read general academic essays. When in doubt, just keep reading. A great textbook that integrates academic reading and writing is From Inquiry to Academic Writing by Greene & Lidinsky.
  • Grammar and syntax, as well as vocabulary, are more important in written English, so you’ll need to focus more on these areas. There are a million and one English grammar books. I prefer Cambridge grammar for British English and the Azar series for American English, but you will find plenty of teachers who prefer others 🙂 My favorite online website for studying grammar is Teacher Paul’s Learn American English Online.
  • There are many, many books about becoming a better writer of English. Here are a few different articles listing some “best books about writing.”

10 Books to Help You Polish Your Writing & English Skills

Three Books That Will Immediately Improve Your Writing (Forbes Magazine)

The Best Books for Improving Academic Writing

My personal favorites are The Elements of Style by Strunk & White and The Sense of Style by Steven Pinker.

I also recommend the Purdue OWL Online Writing Lab for lots of practical advice on issues like citations, formatting, subject-specific writing, applications to college and graduate school, etc.

 

 

 

Let’s say …

One of my long-time students, who is extremely fluent in English, has recently started to pepper her conversation with the phrase let’s say. This just didn’t sound quite right to me, but why? I did some thinking about three common conversational phrases that can sometimes be confusing.

First of all, let’s say, by itself, has a fairly narrow meaning. We use it to introduce a suggestion or a hypothetical situation.

It’s a beautiful day. Let’s say we go to the park and have a picnic.

Let’s say you had a million dollars … would you spend it on a trip around the world or a new house?

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Then there’s let’s just say. Because English speakers tend to run these words together, you might think you’re hearing let’s say. Here’s what let’s just say usually sounds like.

 

This common phrase let’s just say can be used to convey different meanings.

You can use it to provide a sort of summary of what you’ve just said, where you aren’t providing all the details.

The traffic to the airport was so heavy I missed my flight. Then I found out I’d left my phone charger at home and couldn’t call to cancel my hotel reservation. Let’s just say the trip was a complete disaster.

Speaker 1: How was your first date with Vincent last night?

Speaker 2: Let’s just say it was also my last date with Vincent.

You may also use let’s just say after a discussion, especially one during which you’ve been arguing.

Let’s just say we agree to disagree.

Let’s just say we’re never going to come to a consensus about this.

Or you can use it to question an assumption that you might disagree with.

Let’s just say that we do end up getting to the movies late. Does it matter? They always show lots of previews before the film starts anyway.

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Another helpful conversational phrase is I mean. This is a common discourse marker that we use to clarify, correct,  repeat, or add additional information to something we’ve just said. It can also be used to justify or explain your previous statement.

I’m not sure why I don’t like the new teacher. I mean, it seems like she tries to explain things … but I just don’t think she’s very clear.

I don’t think we should bother going to the movies. I mean, it’s getting so late we’ll miss the first half.

I really don’t like my boss. I mean, she seems to criticize everyone without any good reason.

Don’t confuse I mean with I mean it. I mean it emphasizes the truth of what you just said. (Parents seem to use this phrase a lot.)

To a child: If you don’t clean up your room right now, we aren’t going to the zoo. I mean it!!

Or if someone doesn’t believe what you said, especially if it’s a compliment …

Man: That dress looks beautiful on you.

Woman: Seriously? It doesn’t. It makes me look fat.

Man: No, you look gorgeous. I mean it!

 

Relax is not a noun

If I had a dollar for every time I heard an English learner say to have a relax or a relax time, I’d be rich!

The key point is that relax can never be used as a noun.

To relax is a verb.

I relaxed by taking a hot shower.

Students relax by playing video games.

We can relax after we finish studying.

Relaxing and relaxed are participial adjectives.

We had a relaxing time on vacation.

We felt so relaxed on vacation.

You can use the verbals, to relax and relaxing, as the subject or direct object in most cases.

I like to relax in the evening.

Relaxing is my favorite activity.

Relaxation is the noun form of relax.

Everyone needs some form of relaxation in their life.

Relaxation is as important as medication in treating high blood pressure.

But there are lots more fun and interesting ways to talk about relaxing.

For example, you can say that students need a little R & R (rest and relaxation).

You might also need to unwind, kick back, take a break, take it easy, have some downtime, and chill out.

And how to describe those situations that make us want to relax?

We can say that our lives are hectic, stressful, exhausting, draining, and nerve-wracking.

In these situations, we may feel stressed out, wiped out, pressured, frazzled, and wound-up.

Finally, how about some idioms that we can use to describe feeling stressed and feeling relaxed?

You can say that you feel tired as a dog, or dog-tired.

At the end of a long day, you might feel beat. Or bushed. Your work day was a real pressure cooker!

You might feel you need to take a chill pill. Or chillax. Or put your feet up.

It feels good to mellow out, let your hair down, and find your happy place.

 

Three points, not three reasons

It’s time to write the TOEFL independent essay. Last section of the test … I’m almost done! I take a deep breath, look at the question, and …. blank out! What in the world can I say? I don’t have any ideas!

This is a common complaint of my students. And with only 30 minutes to complete the entire essay, you simply can’t waste time struggling to come up with ideas.

I advise my students to think about generating three points about the topic. Although the topic is usually an opinion question, that doesn’t mean that you have to come up with three reasons to agree or disagree with a given idea or to choose one option over another.

Remember that in real life, it’s very unlikely that we’ll feel 100% one way or the other. If someone asks us whether we liked a particular movie, we may say that we liked the plot, or the scenery, or a certain actor, but that we didn’t like something else, maybe the ending, the music, or the special effects.

My article on “it depends” approaches offers a variety of ways to answer opinion questions. In this article, I want to expand on that idea, and stress that you only need to come up with three points.

They don’t have to be profound.

They don’t have to be complex.

They don’t have to be especially intelligent.

Actually, the simpler they are, the better.

They just need to relate to the topic.

You should provide a few details to support each point.

And you should arrange them in a coherent order.

Let’s see how this can be done with some real-life topics.

I’ll be using two independent writing questions (TPOs 48 and 49). What points can I quickly come up with to answer these questions, and how can I elaborate on them?

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Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?

The ability to maintain friendships with a small number of people over a long period of time is more important for happiness than the ability to make many new friends easily.

The best place to start is always, always, always with your own personal experiences, opinions, and ideas. When you talk about what you think or know to be true, or about what has been true for you, your essay will sound authentic and genuine. It will express your unique voice. You will have more ideas, because the ideas are already there in your head.

So, immediately, I start thinking about friendships that I have. I quickly realize that I have a mix of both kinds of friends, and that they both offer different benefits and play different roles in my life, as I suspect they do in everyone else’s lives. A little tune I learned as a child comes into my head and … I’m off!

I quickly jot down my points as follows:

Now, here’s my essay which, as you can see, does not contain three reasons for agreeing or disagreeing with the statement but nonetheless fully addresses the topic.

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My Essay

When I think about friendships, the words to a little song I learned as a Brownie Girl Scout come to mind: Make new friends, but keep the old; one is silver and the other, gold. Although a bit simplistic, I believe these lyrics truly reflect a wise and balanced approach to friendship.

Having the ability to make lots of friends quickly and easily can certainly provide us with advantages in many different settings. For example, university students engaged in a group project may not know their team members to begin with, but quickly establishing a sense of friendship and rapport can help the group to work more effectively. Business people who can strike up friendships at a work conference may find these connections valuable during a later job search. Even while traveling, making friends with some local residents can give tourists insights into the culture of the place they are visiting. Thus, although introverts might find it a challenge, easily making new friends definitely provides some pluses.

Maintaining deeper friendships also offers advantages. With our old friends, we can revisit long-lost memories … places and people that we might otherwise forget. Our long-time friends really KNOW us, inside and out; we can be honest and open about our challenges and struggles. For this reason, when we are suffering physically or emotionally, these are the friends we are more likely to turn to. However, in today’s mobile society, many of us have trouble maintaining these ties as we move from place to place, even country to country.

Because both types of friendships provide important benefits, I believe that the best strategy is to find a balance of both kinds. We should definitely make the effort to maintain long-term friendships whenever possible. In these days of email and social media, distance should not necessarily present an insurmountable obstacle to staying in touch. On the other hand, we should also overcome any natural shyness and work hard to make connections with those we encounter in everyday life … from our workplace to our gym, from our place of worship to our neighborhood.

As I learned when I was a Brownie Scout, old friendships are golden. Nothing can ever replace those friends who are there for us no matter what the circumstances. But “silver” friends, the ones who pass through our life more easily, are still valuable and make the world a happier place for us all.

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Now let’s proceed to the second question.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?

Because modern life is very complex, it is essential for young people to have the ability to plan and organize.

Again, three points pop fairly quickly into my mind. Based on my own experience, I know that everyone, not just young people, benefits from organization. But thinking about my own children, I also know that young people face particular challenges. However, I also believe that people should take time to relax.

Here are my notes:

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My Essay

When I consider the number of half-used planners, checklists, and to-do lists cluttering my house, I realize that although I’m certainly not young, I definitely want and need to organize my life. And although young people, like older adults, have specific needs and goals to plan for, it’s also important that everyone takes some time to relax and live spontaneously as well.

Compared to a hundred years ago, modern life is indeed complex and fast-paced. With agendas filled with appointments, emails bombarding us constantly, and work hours that stretch from sunrise to sunset, just about everyone needs to plan and organize. Young people will need to cultivate these skills, and it is definitely the responsibility of parents and teachers to help them succeed. From toddlers who are given simple tasks like putting away their toys to high school students with full class schedules and part-time jobs, young people must begin learning these life lessons.

In addition, young people face particular challenges that adults do not, and they need to plan and organize for these. High school students, with the help of guidance counselors, must schedule their classes to ensure a well-rounded college prep curriculum. They often need to prepare multiple college applications that require much planning and organization. And especially in the US, they may also have to juggle schoolwork with the responsibility of part-time jobs. Young people living in a simpler time and place rarely had to deal with these complex challenges.

However, whether a person is young or elderly, and no matter what their position or responsibilities, planning and organizing should not be a full-time occupation. The modern world is both complex and stressful, sometimes unhealthily so. Therefore, young people as well as adults should be encouraged to take occasional breaks when they throw their schedules to the wind and enjoy spontaneous, unplanned, unpressured FUN. Without these periodic opportunities to relax, life would become unbearably tense and unhealthy to both mind and body.

As a mother of three, I encouraged my own children to plan and organize. From household chores to applying to colleges, they honed those abilities so that they could face adult responsibilities more successfully. But we never hesitated to enjoy times when we broke free of the stress and pressure – whether to walk to the ice cream store or go to the swimming pool. Hopefully they learned that a happy, successful life in this modern world requires both planning and spontaneity.

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I hope these essays encourage you to think outside the “three reasons box” … because confining yourself to that type of response limits your ability to generate ideas and express what you really think.

 

 

 

Too … !

Too, spelled with two o’s, is a very common word in English, but one that is sometimes used incorrectly.

Using too as an adverb modifying a verb is pretty straightforward and easy. We can use it instead of also or as well.

Are you going to the movies? I’m going too.

Do you like scary movies? I like them as well.

Did you take TOEFL last week? I also took it.

Me too is frequently used to express agreement.

Speaker A: I thought that test was really hard.

Speaker B: Me too!

Using too as an adverb modifying an adjective or adverb is a bit trickier.

First of all, don’t confuse too with so. So can be used to mean really, very, or extremely.

That movie was so good! It was really amazing.

Too, on the other hand, has a negative meaning. It means to an excess.

That movie was too scary. I couldn’t even watch some of it.

That soup is too hot. I can’t drink it.

He’s driving too fast. He’s going to get stopped by the police.

She’s talking too fast. It’s hard to understand her.

We often use the phrases too much and too many. Remember that as adjectives (determiners), much is used with singular non-count nouns and many with plural nouns.

I ate too much dinner. It’s unhealthy to eat too much sugar. Those shoes cost too much money.

I had too many cookies. Fast food has too many calories. She has too many shoes.

We can also use too much as an adverb.

He slept too much. She talks too much. We have to study too much.

We can also use too much in a general, unspecific way.

Life was just too much for her. She needed a break.

Things have just been too much lately. I’m really depressed.

Way too is an informal way to intensify too.

I ate way too many chips. Our teacher gives us way too much homework. I was working way too hard.

Then, there’s too too, sometimes spelled too-too. It means going beyond the edge (over the edge, overboard) in terms of convention, acceptability, good taste, or common sense. We can use it as an adjective by itself or as an adverb modifying an adjective.

Her house is just too too. (Meaning that it might be over-decorated, too showy, too pretentious, too ornate, or over-the-top)

Her children are simply too too precious. (Depending on the tone of voice, this could mean that the speaker really thinks the children are precious (adorable, lovely, wonderful) or it could imply that although the parents think they are precious, the speaker doesn’t.)

In general, too as an adjective is a relatively weak word to use in more formal business or academic writing, so be careful not to overuse it. Good synonyms that specifically mean being to a higher degree than is desirable, permissible, or possible include:

excessively

overly

unduly

inordinately

disproportionately

How to improve your listening skills

When I listen to an English broadcast, or to my colleagues talking in English, I can’t understand half of what I hear! Maybe if they slowed down a little … or used easier words … or avoided all that slang. It’s so frustrating! So how can I improve my English listening skills?

Ah, the million-dollar question!

Obviously, the only way you can improve is to listen more. Your ideal listening material, like your reading material, should be just slightly above your current level, so that you are able to understand almost all of what you hear (or read) but are still challenged to keep acquiring new vocabulary words, phrases, and structures. I definitely don’t recommend a steady diet of TOEFL lectures! They are fine for studying for the test itself, but if your goal is to gain English fluency in general (and I hope that is your goal!), listen to material that you actually enjoy.

Almost everyone knows about TED talks, American TV series and movies, podcasts, Voice of America, and YouTube. Here are some other resources you might consider.

News in Levels

Lots of current events topics. Can be adjusted to beginner, intermediate, and more advanced levels along with the original newscasts. Also offers opportunities for reading, writing, and speaking practice. Both British and American accents. Available as an app for both iPhone and Android.

StoryCorps

Series of dialogues (conversations) recorded by a wide variety of Americans about compelling true stories from their lives. Transcripts are provided. Lots of different accents (not just “TOEFL English”), so excellent practice for understanding “real” Americans. Conversations are generally quite short (around five minutes) so easy to incorporate into daily study time. Also available as a podcast.

Fresh Air

Long-running American public radio program featuring interviewer Terry Gross and an enormous variety of interviewees. Excellent preparation for TOEFL Listening conversations. Interviews are around 30 minutes long, with no transcript, so appropriate for more advanced levels. Also available as a podcast.

Coursera

edX

Both of these platforms offer MOOCs (massive open online courses) in a huge variety of subjects. Both are free although you will be offered the chance to buy a “certificate” for your participation. Most courses have limited availability, and there’s usually a six- to nine-week window when the course is open. You can leave the course at any time, or pick and choose what materials to focus on. Lots of material for both reading and listening, and transcripts and/or subtitles are usually provided. Also available as apps, but some features will not work in the app format. I have taken courses with both platforms and I don’t notice any significant differences between them; choose the class that interests you the most!

Great Courses Plus

I’ve already covered my favorite listening platform in another blog post. You can receive a one-month free trial; after that, there’s a monthly fee. The variety of (educational but not always “academic”) topics, the outstanding professors, and the plethora of helpful graphics are the main drawing points for this platform. The Great Courses app works really well and allows you to watch or listen to lectures on your phone or tablet. Subscription is available world-wide, though European Union residents must subscribe through the app rather than the website.

If you are preparing for TOEFL Listening, check this article for more tips.

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Hilary Miller @ 2016
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