Minimizing the using L1 in L2 class

Hi people,

All L2 learners want to study optimally inside and outside class in order to boost their achievement in mastering the language. But on the other side, some of them are too easy to give up when they face a problem in transmitting their ideas in L2 and directly use L1 to complete the mission instead of using the target language.
As a matter of fact, this action will halt the process of understanding the L2 because the learners put their mindset back to their mother language.
It's really necessary to keep working on using L2 in delivering the ideas, and learners still can try to explain their points by paraphrasing or expressing the same idea with different sentences.
Only by doing this way, learners can help them self to be able to reach their point, which is mastering the target language.

All the best,

Happy Eid-ul Fitr

Hello everybody,

This time, for Muslim people who celebrate Eid Mubarak, I'd like to say " Happy Eid-ul Fitr "

All the best to all

Dewi & Dono : Present perfect VS past simple

Dewi :

Dono, I'm a bit confused about my sentences below:

1. I wrote a letter.

2. I have written a letter.

What is difference between these two sentences?

I know that 1) is in simple past tense and 2) is persent perfect.

But, both as I think suggest that work has completed in past. What is the difference between present perfect and past simple, Dono?

Dono

Well, there is more than one difference between the simple past and the present perfect. The simplest difference is the grammatical difference that the simple past can be used with expressions which signify a definite, particular time in the past.

I wrote a letter yesterday.
I wrote a letter at 7 o'clock.
I wrote a letter last Monday.
I wrote a letter several weeks ago.

The present perfect cannot be used with such expressions. (After all, it IS a "present" tense!)

I have written a letter yesterday. (X)
I have written a letter at 7 o'clock. (X)
I have written a letter last Monday. (X)
I have written a letter several weeks ago. (X)

Being a "present" tense, the present perfect can be used with "now":

I have now written a letter.

Perhaps this simple explanation can help you Dewi.

How to make your blog effective ...

The good thing about blogs is that they are constantly updated with fresh information and ideas, that is, if the blog is maintained correctly by the owner. This is what makes them so popular with the search engines. Blogs usually get high ranking on the search engines because of the constant update of information. Search Engines love fresh content and if it's on your blog first then your blog will be the first to get listed and ranked.

For a blog to be effective you must remember to update your blog quite often; every day is good or every other day. It definitely needs to be updated at least once a week. It's important to update it. Your blog has to be filled with useful and interesting information that makes sense to people and they can use or learn from the information on your blog. Write about your area of expertise, topic or business area. Blogs are great, but like everything else, in order to be any good at it, you will need to learn about it. Especially if you are a complete newbie at blogging, but don't worry, it is so fast and easy to learn.

some tips which may help you to master the English Language!

Best Answer - Chosen by readers
Here are some tips which may help you to master the English Language!

Speak without Fear

The biggest problem most people face in learning a new language is their own fear. They worry that they won’t say things correctly or that they will look stupid so they don’t talk at all. Don’t do this. The fastest way to learn anything is to do it – again and again until you get it right. Like anything, learning English requires practice. Don’t let a little fear stop you from getting what you want.

Use all of your Resources

Even if you study English at a language school it doesn’t mean you can’t learn outside of class. Using as many different sources, methods and tools as possible, will allow you to learn faster. There are many different ways you can improve your English, so don’t limit yourself to only one or two. The internet is a fantastic resource for virtually anything, but for the language learner it's perfect.

Surround Yourself with English

The absolute best way to learn English is to surround yourself with it. Take notes in English, put English books around your room, listen to English language radio broadcasts, watch English news, movies and television. Speak English with your friends whenever you can. The more English material that you have around you, the faster you will learn and the more likely it is that you will begin “thinking in English.” .

Listen to Native Speakers as Much as Possible

There are some good English teachers that have had to learn English as a second language before they could teach it. However, there are several reasons why many of the best schools prefer to hire native English speakers. One of the reasons is that native speakers have a natural flow to their speech that students of English should try to imitate. The closer ESL / EFL students can get to this rhythm or flow, the more convincing and comfortable they will become. Or you can find them at the public places and try to have a conversation politely.

Watch English Films and Television

This is not only a fun way to learn but it is also very effective. By watching English films (especially those with English subtitles) you can expand your vocabulary and hear the flow of speech from the actors. If you listen to the news you can also hear different accents.

Listen to English Music

Music can be a very effective method of learning English. In fact, it is often used as a way of improving comprehension. The best way to learn though, is to get the lyrics (words) to the songs you are listening to and try to read them as the artist sings. There are several good internet sites where one can find the words for most songs. This way you can practice your listening and reading at the same time. And if you like to sing, fine.

Study As Often As Possible!

Only by studying things like grammar and vocabulary and doing exercises, can you really improve your knowledge of any language.

Do Exercises and Take Tests

Many people think that exercises and tests aren't much fun. However, by completing exercises and taking tests you can really improve your English. One of the best reasons for doing lots of exercises and tests is that they give you a benchmark to compare your future results with. Often, it is by comparing your score on a test you took yesterday with one you took a month or six months ago that you realize just how much you have learned. If you never test yourself, you will never know how much you are progressing. Start now by doing some of the many exercises and tests on this site, and return in a few days to see what you've learned. Keep doing this and you really will make some progress with English.

Record Yourself

Nobody likes to hear their own voice on tape but like tests, it is good to compare your tapes from time to time. You may be so impressed with the progress you are making that you may not mind the sound of your voice as much.

Listen to English

By this, we mean, speak on the phone or listen to radio broadcasts, audiobooks or CDs in English. This is different than watching the television or films because you can’t see the person that is speaking to you. Many learners of English say that speaking on the phone is one of the most difficult things that they do and the only way to improve is to practice.

Finally

Have fun!

Why some gardens are called ‘Botanical’ Gardens?

Private and public gardens and parks are created to make our surrounding more pleasant. The purpose of botanical garden is to provide the right setting for making a scientific study of different kinds of plants. Botanical gardens contain greenhouses which enable exotic plants to be grown. There are also laboratories for study and experiments, and libraries.
Botanical gardens are usually open to the public, so we are given the opportunity to see plants which we wouldn’t normally see in our own country. One of the most famous is Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, Australia where you can see a wide variety of plants and trees from many countries.

Where can I find an online cool picture dictionary ?

Hi there,

For English learners particularly for the one who are developing their vocabulary, it seems that much easier to understand and to memorize the meaning of a word when they can take a look at the picture which describe it. There is a website which help learners to meet this need. It is LITTLE EXPLORERS
Picture Dictionary with Links. Some of the contents require subscription only some, mostly don't though. If you need a picture to do either learning or teaching such us part of the body with labels, and more other topics, this is the place.

So, happy studying.