New Year’s in the US
Did you know that celebrating New Year’s on January 1st is a western concept? New Year’s in the US is very different from Japan, so you might be quite surprised at how the holiday is celebrated.
Tag: English Stripped Bare
What Everyone Gets Wrong About Christmas
Many Westerners are surprised at how Xmas is celebrated in Japan. Let’s explore the differences to see how things are different in America and Japan.
Idiom ｜ Out in the Cold
The common idiomatic phrase `to be left out in the cold` actually has nothing to do with cold temperatures. It has quite a different meaning entirely…
Asking Someone Out
Asking someone out for a date is hard. Asking someone out for a date in your second language is even harder. Even though it is hard, it’s not as difficult as you think.
There are lots of little things that will help successfully get you a date. Check out our video to help you along….
Can You Spell That?
Sometimes it’s necessary to spell words. If the listener is unfamiliar with the word, or the speakers pronunciation isn’t clear enough, mistakes are bound to happen. This is especially true when it comes to the proper spelling of family names and/or city names…
Idiom ｜ The Last Straw
An idiom dating back to the 1600s, and coming from an even older proverb, it has nothing to do with camels or straw. The interesting imagery does create a suitable backdrop for us to …
Inspirational Idioms ｜ How to Encourage Others!
Inspirational idioms are great to know when you need to encourage loved ones. In this lesson we’ll study some of the most common …
Phobias ｜ What Do You Fear?
What are phobias? In this special lesson, we explore what phobias are, where they come from, and how you can use them in English. If …
Idiom ｜ The Devil You Know
The idiom ‘better the devil you know than the devil you don’t know’ comes from an Irish proverb dating from the mid-1500s. The idiom is quite popular and it means…
Halloween in the U.S. ｜ Learn Real English
Americans, young and old, love Halloween! It’s a big part of the autumn season, but how much do you know about the customs and traditions …