T.I.P.S – To Improve, Practice Skills

Tired of studying English through basic grammar practice? There are many other creative ways to practice and improve your language skills than just by using a textbook.

One of the most common complaints that students have is regarding the difficulty of communicating by telephone. Understandably, telephone communication is much more challenging than regular conversation, because you are missing the face-to-face element. Therefore, many people feel nervous when using the telephone in English and this makes it even more difficult.

The best way to improve your confidence and your overall telephoning skills is simple – you must use the phone as often as possible. It is only by practicing that you will gain confidence and feel better about your telephone communication skills. Try to set a goal for yourself that you will make or receive at least one phone call in English per day. If you can do more, that is even better! The more you practice, the sooner you will feel your communication by telephone improve.

If you would like more information on T.I.P.S for English, please email Doctor English with your questions at drenglish@vec.ca.

CANADIAN, EH ?

One of the challenges of learning English is that the language changes depending on the English-speaking country in which you are in. Whether you are in Canada, the United States, England, Australia, or any of the many other countries in which English is the primary language, you will find the language changes. Not only are there distinctions in vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation, but there are also many cultural differences which affect how we use the language.

In Canada, it is very common to address people by their first names or their nicknames. Nicknames are often just a shorten version of a person’s full name. For example, the name David, is often shortened to Dave. Or Michael to Mike. Other names have many nickname options such as Christina, which could be shortened to Chris, Chrissy, Christy or Tina. Be careful though, NOT to use a nickname for a person, unless they introduce themselves that way. Also, be aware that there are many names which are unisex, meaning that they can be used for both males and females. Examples of these include Tony, Alex, or Chris.

If you would like more information on CANADIAN, EH?, please email Doctor English with your questions at drenglish@vec.ca.

WORDS, WORDS, WORDS

Do you find understanding informal greetings confusing? Well, don’t worry - you are not alone. Most students struggle with the meanings and how to respond to the many informal greetings in the English language.

Here are some common confusing questions and their typical responses:

"What’s up ?" (this means what’s new/interesting or how are you doing?)
RESPONSE: Nothing, Not much or What’s up? (means simply Hi)

"What’s going on?"( this means what are you doing or what’s new)
RESPONSE : Nothing, Not much, or tell them what you are doing now.

"What are you up to?"( this means what are you doing now)
RESPONSE : Nothing, Not much, or tell them what you are doing now.

"What have you been up to?" (this means what have you been doing since the last time I saw/talked to you)
RESPONSE: Not much, Nothing exciting, or tell them what you have been doing lately.

If you would like more information on WORDS, WORDS, WORDS, please email Doctor English with your questions at drenglish@vec.ca

TIPS - To Improve Practice Skills

Tired of studying English through basic grammar practice? There are many other creative ways to practice and improve your language skills than just by using a textbook.

Many students want to find ways to improve their vocabulary. The important objective to enhancing vocabulary is not just finding new words, but actually USING them. There are many places that you can find new words. For example, through reading (not just books, but magazines or newspapers), through listening to people, through watching TV or movies, or simply by looking in your dictionary.

The key, however, to LEARNING this new vocabulary is to actually put it into practice. Therefore, try to find 3-5 new words each day and once you have figured out the meaning, USE them in your conversation throughout the day. The reality is if you do not use the new vocabulary word, you will forget it. So, LEARN it, then USE it and you will REMEMBER it !

If you would like more information on T.I.P.S for English, please email Doctor English with your questions at drenglish@vec.ca.

CANADIAN, EH ?

Monday, May 23rd – Victoria Day

Today is a special edition of Ask Doctor English, as we celebrate Victoria Day, a statutory holiday for many Canadians. As Canada is a Commonwealth country, we recognize the Queen of England as our ruling monarch. Victoria Day is a celebration of the birthday of Queen Victoria, who was born on May 24, 1819. Even after Queen Victoria’s death, we have continued to celebrate this day to show loyalty to the British Empire. In Canada, the celebration of her birthday takes place every year on the Monday prior to May 25th.

Victoria Day was established as a holiday in Canada West (now Ontario) in 1845 and became a national holiday in 1901. In the early 1900’s it was called Empire Day, and in 1947 it was renamed Commonwealth Day. The holiday is now officially referred to as Victoria Day.

Many cities in Canada hold special events on Canada Day. If you are in Victoria on May 23rd, there is a parade starting at 9:00AM in downtown Victoria on Douglas Street. This is Victoria's largest parade event, with over 150 entries including marching bands, floats, and clowns. Over 90,000 spectators watch this popular annual event. Check the local events listings in your Canadian city for other Victoria Day celebrations.

If you would like more information on Victoria Day, or CANADIAN, EH?, please email Doctor English with your questions at drenglish@vec.ca.