[Kerin]

Glad that you’re finding remote meetings a mostly positive experience and an effective use of time @eleonora.rossi

I think you make a good point there; they can certainly feel more structured. I do find I lose less time than meetings in person.

I would also have to agree with about the ‘cold’ aspect. I’m currently doing an Italian course by Zoom and I sometimes find it embarrassing because we are all fairly shy and there can be many awkward silences!

Note:

Strong grammar structures and nice vocabulary Eleonora, well done. Just a question: in this phrase: Moreover, you can take forward your business if the meeting is boring what do you mean exactly? Do you mean skip something? Or go quicker? Thanks!

[Kerin]

Quite true. My neighbour (British, around 18) used the word ‘yeet’ the other day and I had to ask her what it meant. She just laughed at me and said I was so old! Charming.

Note: stake > stick

[Kerin]

Fabulous use of these British slang terms. Well done @tatiana.aguilar

> It will sound more natural if you use ‘go in’ instead of ‘entered’ > we went in and we said Alright?

> arrived at: Some mates arrived at the restaurant ….

> ask for some nosh

[Kerin]

@olatz thank you so much for sharing this with us. I read it a few times (one, because your English is impeccable and I’m so impressed by how you can express yourself and two, because your story about what happened at uni resonates so much with me and I feel fury towards people with this attitude, especially from educators who should know better!) I agree that if this were to happen to you now, you wouldn’t stand for it.

I’m also fascinated by what you told us about that period of history. I admit, I don’t know so much about it, but it reminds me of what happened in Scotland (a lot longer ago!) when they banned Gaelic and also wearing tartan and such things.

Poor Emma! Unfortunately, I guess your summation is fairly accurate: People who complain about accents will probably also complain about the amount of foreigners in their cities or villages What a world we live in!

ps.

> the verb research: to research ‘something’. We don’t need a preposition after the verb: I had spent so many hours researching about the book > I had spent so many hours researching the book

You can use it as a noun as well and in this case, we can use a preposition:

I had spent so many hours doing research about/on/into the book

> hang – hung

Hung is the past tense of to hang when it means “to suspend or be suspended.”

Hanged is the past tense of to hang when it means “to kill someone by tying a rope attached from above and removing the support from beneath.”

…. there was an unbelievably rude man who rang her and hung up on her while she tried to help him.

[Kerin]

Woop woop!!!! @tatiana.aguilar

100% correct 💪

[Kerin]

Thank you for this task @najara.carvalho I can see you studied a lot!

Let’s have a look-

1. This is a good opener. However it is slightly wordy (we mostly want to be as brief as possible in email) Here are some suggestions you can use:

Hope this email finds you well.
I hope you enjoyed your weekend.
I hope you’re doing well.

2. This is correct! I want to give you some alternatives

Seeing as the deadline is tomorrow,

Given that the deadline is tomorrow / Given that we are meeting the deadline tomorrow

3. (RW= rewrite) suggestion: I’m afraid I won’t have enough time ….

4. This is too wordy. I suggest: I would like to propose a meeting on Zoom …..

If you want to be a bit more forceful you can replace ‘propose’ with ‘set’ (because propose gives the other person more chance to say no to you!)

5. vocabulary error – no preposition after the verb ‘discuss’

I hope this is useful. Please let me know if you need any clarification on these points. 🙌

[Kerin]

Agree!

ps. to depend on

[Kerin]

Well written @tatiana.aguilar

To make your writing stronger and more ‘natural’, I suggest that you make your sentences a bit shorter. In languages like Spanish and Italian, it is common to have whole paragraphs that are sometimes one sentence long. In English, we don’t tend to do that.

Have a look at the changes I’ve made and let me know if it makes sense to you.

I believe English has become a need AND I agree with the statement “English gives opportunities” because it is a fact. (NEW SENTENCE) You CAN get a better job, a better salary, a better promotion. (NEW SENTENCE) It depends ON how strong your English skills are.

English opens doors and it allows you to communicate with more people around the world. (NEW SENTENCE) I consider that it changes your mind and it can cause to wash AWAY other languages (CONNECTOR) AND as A result (COMMA), you start thinking in English and slowly you become part of other culture. (NEW SENTENCE) Sometimes YOU even forget words in your native language.

I agree with the phrase ” English is becoming the language of problem solving”. (NEW SENTENCE) Inevitably all around the world the most important meetings are handled in English, (CONNECTOR) FOR EXAMPLE, if we talk about climate change OR international trade commerce, those meetings are going to be in English as THE common language.

[Kerin]

@enrica I’m so glad you’ve got a solid support system to help get you through this period. I know I would be in a bad place without my pals to have a giggle and a natter with! Friendship is a blessing!

This is a great piece of writing, well done. I’m very happy to see you utilising the new vocab in this way.

Just a few notes:

spelling: Mars > March

> We talk and talk again …. > We talk and talk, over and over

🤗

[Kerin]

Sensitive piece @Lu_Corde 🥰

Have a look and see if you can correct the errors

[Kerin]

As always @Lu_Corde , what a pleasure to read. (Yes, 24 … you are ancient 😜)

I want to just point out these things

> for choice = BY choice

I’m curious, do you mean this: I am a lonely person but I am not alone

or do you mean: I am a solitary person but I am not lonely ???

[Kerin]

Hi @rubina

Good work;

I see what you mean here ‘ on the bounce’ – we usually use it in reference to sport. It would be better to say: We travelled 12 hours straight

> had spent- got some trouble > the collocation is “to have trouble” (or get into trouble) Therefore you can say: had had some trouble or had got into some trouble

> ten (?? I’m not sure) of 14 meters long female whales … tonnes of? You mean, a lot of, right?

[Kerin]

Marvellous job @enrica 👏

Just watch out for this expression:

taking the piss out of (5 words)

> John and my other friends started TAKING THE PISS insults about Pete.❌

> John and my other friends started TAKING THE PISS OUT OF Pete. ✅

> they started TAKING THE PISS about us and we almost had a fight. ❌

> they started TAKING THE PISS OUT OF us and we almost had a fight. ✅

🤗🤗

[Kerin]

Perfect @Lu_Corde 🙌

[Kerin]

mmm… so, we definitely say “hundreds of” or “thousands of” but not really “tens of”

This is a nice article 32 Alternatives to ‘A Lot’ : https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/240041