This video explains the meaning of the American slang term "mid".   Essentially "mid" means mediocre or average.  It can be used in reference to a song or artwork:  "Jason Mraz latest is SO mid."   It can also be used as an insult, to insult a person:  "PlayStation hustling is SO mid.   Get a real job."   

All right?   All right.   And if you are interested at all in ESL or accent reduction lessons for yourself,  give me a call or text--text is fine if you are uncomfortable speaking on the phone--at 732-807-5424.   I look forward to hearing from you.  And remember to check out my David Berlin ESL YouTube channel.  For general info on me and my services and rates, check out my ESL and Accent Reduction Training Webpage.

 

 

This video explains the American Idiom, "Break a Leg", which basically means "good luck!".

But there's another concept addressed in the video--the idea of "jinxing" someone.   A "jinx" is like what some cultures call an "evil eye".   The Italians call it "malocchio" which Italian Americans have turned into, "malooks"--bad luck.   If you "jinx" someone who give them bad luck.   Our superstition--a common one across cultures--is that if you say a good thing, it might not happen.   So you say, "Break a leg!"  its a superstion so you don't "jinx" someone--give them bad luck in whatever they're trying to accomplish.

All right?   All right.   And if you are interested at all in ESL or accent reduction lessons for yourself,  give me a call or text--text is fine if you are uncomfortable speaking on the phone--at 732-807-5424.   I look forward to hearing from you.  And remember to check out my David Berlin ESL YouTube channel.  For general info on me and my services and rates, check out my ESL and Accent Reduction Training Webpage.

 Here is a great explanation of a basic error in verb tense often made by Indian subcontinent language speakers.   Doesn't matter if you speak Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, Hindi--speakers of these languages often make this mistake with English verb tense.

Essentially Indian speakers will often say, "This escalatES into a bidding war" when what they mean is this HAS escalatED into a bidding war.    The difference is, the statement "This escalatES into a bidding war is a general statement--it happens now in general, or it might have happened in the past and continues into now.

Saying "This HAS escalatED into a bidding war" (HAS MODIFIER AND -D or -ED ending to verb as opposed to -S or -ES ending) means that it started in the past at a nonspecific time continues into the now.

(And if you use the -ING ending, this WAS escalatING into a bidding war--WAS MODIFIER AND -ING ENDING, it means it started in the past, continued and ended in the past, nonspecific time, but before right now.   So for instance you wouldn't say, "we drink orange juice for breakfast" unless you do it every morning.    You could say he WAS drinkING orange juice with breakfast--in the past, but now he drinks tea.)

(also remember subject verb agreement.   Singular subject gets singular verb HE *WAS*.   But plural subject gets plural verb--WE *WERE*.)

WHO EVER SAID ENGLISH WAS TOO SIMPLE A LANGUAGE TO EXPRESS COMPLEX THOUGHTS!

I look forward to hearing from you.  And remember to check out my David Berlin ESL YouTube channel.  For general info on me and my services and rates, check out my ESL and Accent Reduction Training Webpage.

 Here is a quick explanation of how someone without a social security number can get a bank account in the US.

Some banks are more helpful with this than others.  I know Chase used to extend itself to the immigrant community.  Wells Fargo and Capital One also used to.

Also, Capital One and American Express used to be willing to extend credit to noncitizens living in the US.   What you have to do is go into a branch and talk to someone personally---don't try to apply with a standard online application.

The video goes into more details!

If  you are interested in ESL/accent reduction lessons so you can really LEARN these words and how to use them in a sentence, give me a call for a lesson (or shoot me a text if you are uncomfortable calling) at (732) 807-5424.  or hit me up on Skype at david.berlin.esl is my Skype ID. 

I look forward to hearing from you.  And remember to check out my David Berlin ESL YouTube channel or my American Idiom of the Day Twitter Feed.  For general info on me and my services and rates, check out my ESL and Accent Reduction Training Webpage.

See ya next time!

 Well, I now have both vaccinations, on June 15th I will be fully vaccinated.  I also work as a professional musician, so this is good, I a can work in bars again.

In any case, Memorial Day weekend was cold and uncomfortable but rthe weather yesterday got progressively (progressively=greater over time) warmer and nicer, and we ended up barbecuing outside my condo, so that was nice.

For those of you interested in seeing me in my "other" life, take a look here:

Also:  here are some great intermediate level English vocabulary words and a video explaaining pronunciation.  You should LISTEN to, REPEAT, and MIMIC what you hear.

In any case if  you are interested in ESL/accent reduction lessons so you can really LEARN these words and how to use them in a sentence, give me a call for a lesson (or shoot me a text if you are uncomfortable calling) at (732) 807-5424.  or hit me up on Skype at david.berlin.esl is my Skype ID. 

I look forward to hearing from you.  And remember to check out my David Berlin ESL YouTube channel or my American Idiom of the Day Twitter Feed.  For general info on me and my services and rates, check out my ESL and Accent Reduction Training Webpage.

See ya next time!

Well, your favorite ESL and accent reduction tutor will be full strength vaccinated on June 15th--I get my second shot on June 1st--and on June 30th I will be able to do in-person lessons again for anyone relatively local to NJ.

(I have actually traveled as far as Delaware for a client willing to pay my Amtrak fare and spend a day or two working a "crash course".)

I hope everybody is getting their shots or has gotten their shots and is enjoying the return of normal life.

Here is a simple video explaining--in general--the word order in American English:  subject-verb-object.   Be aware that this does not apply in every situation or work in every situation with every sentence.  But a lot of them it will.  

(As I say to my students: American English is a mix of so many different languages with so many differed grammatical structures and so many things stolen from other languages that we don't really have hard and fast grammatical "rules" that work every time.  We have rules of thumb--general rules that work sometimes.)

Here's the video.

In any case if  you are interested in ESL/accent reduction lessons so you can more easily do business in America with Americans give me a call (or shoot me a text if you are uncomfortable calling) at (732) 807-5424.  or hit me up on Skype at david.berlin.esl is my Skype ID. 

I look forward to hearing from you.  And remember to check out my David Berlin ESL YouTube channel or my American Idiom of the Day Twitter Feed.  For general info on me and my services and rates, check out my ESL and Accent Reduction Training Webpage.

See ya next time!

 Well, it certainly has been a long year, hasn't it?  The world has changed in a BIG way.

But I'm still going, still teaching, in spite of everything.  Working virtually via ZOOM, WhatsApp, Skype, Google Meet--whatever you like.  And wherever you are  on Earth, if you want help with speaking, writing, and understanding American English or reducing your accent so Americans understand you better and you can do business in America, I am here to help, here to work with you.

In any case.  Just a quick lesson for today.  A couple of slang terms related to coronavirus.

1)  Covidiot:  general term used for someone who believes coronavirus is a hoax, or its no more serious than the seasonal flu, or it has a fatality rate no higher than the seasonal flu, someone who believes people are dying of all kinds of things but "they"--whoever "they" is--claim it was coronavirus that killed them as part of a conspiracy to pump up fatality numbers.  Someone who believes that coronavirus is being used by the government to "force people to give up their freedoms".

2)  The 'rona/the virus:  Short term for coronavirus.  For instance, on the commuter train, a conductor who was in a good mood might get on the PA and announce, "everybody, please wear your masks over your NOSE and MOUTH.  NOT JUST YOUR MOUTH and NOT as a chin strap.  Please also remember to social distance.  Let's keep everybody healthy and not go catching the 'rona."

There's other slang terms in general use, including a vulgar one used to describe people who take pride in refusing to wear masks...but I won't go into that here.  

In any case if  you are interested in ESL/accent reduction lessons so you can more easily do business in America with Americans give me a call (or shoot me a text if you are uncomfortable calling) at (732) 807-5424.  or hit me up on Skype at david.berlin.esl is my Skype ID.  I look forward to hearing from you.  And remember to check out my David Berlin ESL YouTube channel or my American Idiom of the Day Twitter Feed.  For general info on me and my services and rates, check out my ESL and Accent Reduction Training Webpage.

All right?  All right.  'til next time...

Long distance and Commuter Trains in America

Let’s talk about public transportation in America. For trains, there are two types of trains used for transportation. There are longer distance trains run by the American Passenger Rail Company, a quasi-government agency known informally as Amtrak. Amtrak runs trains, for instance, between Boston and Washington DC (its most heavily traveled run. On the Boston to DC run, there are three classes of rail: The regular train, which runs slower and makes all stops, the Metroliner, which is more luxurious, runs faster than the regular train and skips some stops, and the so-called “high speed rail”--the Acela--pronounced “a sella” which gets you from New York to DC in about three and a half hours, is the most luxurious, and makes only a few stops.

 On most trains in the Northeast, there are two classes of seat: business class and coach class. On the Acela there are two classes of seat: “business class” which is somewhat luxurious and “first class” which is the most expensive (New York to DC is $450 one way) and the most luxurious with valet service, bottle service if you drink, meals, and so on. Its quite an experience, Also on most Amtrak trains in the Northeast is a “Cafe Car” where you can purchase hot food, cold beer, wine, mixed drinks, soda, juices and other sundries. Prices vary on Amtrak trains, but you can either go to a ticket office, located at any Amtrak station during station hours, purchase tickets from a “Quick TIk” machine at major stations, or go online at www.amtrak.com.

 Prices vary depending on what specials are being run at what times for what buyers. A lot of it depends on how full a given train is. Long distance Amtrak trains are similar to commuter trains in the Northeast with an important difference: long distance trains, multi day travel trains, typically have sleeping compartments. These are private compartments for one or two people with seats that fold down into beds for sleeping. The number of these on a given train tends to be limited, but speaking from personal experience--I’ve only done it once--its the most luxurious way to sleep you can imagine. The humming off the train engine and the motion of the train is *extremely* relaxing

. Now that I think of it, Long distance Amtrak trains also have checked baggage service, like an airline. One trick for getting an inexpensive sleeping compartment is to wait until you are on the train, and if the sleeping compartments are not full on that train, you can ask the conducter to sell you one. You used to have to pay cash but I’m pretty sure you can pay by card now. Be aware that this may annoy some more cantankerous conductors who might feel that you should have booked the bunk with the original ticket rather than being chintzy or cheap (their view, not mine) and trying to get one inexpensively. On the other hand, some conductors are happy to help. Depends on who you draw. That’s Amtrak.

 Commuter trains are typically run by the state you are in, and not all states have them. The systems are pretty good in the Northeast, by contrast in the South, or anywhere south of DC or west of Pennsylvania they are almost nonexistent. Commuter trains are primarily for getting people who live in the suburbs of a large city and work in the large city into and out of the large city. They are typically crowded, loud, dirty, they don’t run on time, they break down constantly for long periods of time, the conductors are sometimes surly and rude and sometimes obnoxious (with good reason--they deal with awful people all day long). They are filled with some of the strangest and sometimes most dangerous people you could imagine.

FWIW, the conductors on a New Jersey Transit train typically have no more idea what’s going on at any trouble spot than you do. New Jersey Transit regards conductors as the low people on the totem pole and they tell them almost nothing about nothing. Try to remember that the next time you are tempted to yell at or give a conductor a hard time. THAT said, some of my best friends are conductors are New Jersey Transit conductors, and you can get into some great conversations with some awesome people if you know how to approach people and who you can approach. You have to take the point of view that everybody on the train really just wants what you want: A quiet, uninterrupted ride without a lot of trouble. If you approach any potential conversation from that perspective and remember to keep convos short, interesting, and you remember to be kind, the trains can be good.

 Useful things to have on a train of any kind are: a smartphone with working service and preferably a WiFI hotspot, a set of good noise canceling headphones, a snack or three--I usually pack a sandwich or two and a drink, a sweatshirt orr zipup, and a patient disposition/ The longest I ever had to wait on a train was two and a half hours where someone had a medical emergency and was so unstable that he coouldn’t be moved, so they evacuated the car and woked on him there. Then later on that same trip someone’s GPS told them to make a left after a crossing and it was dark without streetlights ad they turned onto the railroad tracks and got stuck. That was another hour and a half wait. During both of these delays I fell asleep. Patience is a virtue and learning to sleep when there’s nothing else to do, and to wake up to full wakefulness immediately is also a useful skill for trains.

 All right? All right!

 If you are interested in ESL or accent reduction lessons, or learning American English, or getting more confident with or improving your English, or getting your English to the point that you can have a complex conversation on a complex topic, or American business culture, or if you need interview prep, or any other English needs that you may have, give me a call at 732-807-5424 or text me at that number, or you can catch me on Skype at david.berlin.esl which is my Skype ID, or email me at david.berlin.esl@gmail.com.

 For information and help, check out my David Berlin ESL YouTube Channel or my website at David Berlin's ESL and Accent Reduction Training Website. For help with American idioms, check out my American Idiom of the Day Twitter Feed. Or just call, text or hit me up on Skype. 'Til then, this is your friendly neighborhood ESL and accent reduction tutor SIGNING OFF!

American Corporate Culture: Individualism

America is supposed to be the land where the individual can shine, where individual initiative is rewarded, and where people can rise to the top on their own skills and acumen.

a·cu·men

noun

the ability to make good judgments and quick decisions, typically in a particular domain.
"business acumen"

In truth, you really have to suss out the corporate culture of the place where you in particular work.

suss out

transitive verb

To come to understand  by thinking.
"I had him sussed out the second time I met him."

Although some corporate cultures allow individuals to shine, some supervisors prefer that everything go through them and that all ideas be presented as their idea.   It depends on the style of middle management that flourishes where you work.   Although individualism IS an important cultural value in the United States, it doesn't work out in practice that its valued everywhere in every situation. 

For instance, some middle managers are what we call "micro managers."

mi·cro·man·age

verb
to control every part, however small, of (an enterprise or activity

However some managers are interested in advancement themselves and are interested in helping their subordinates achieve.   You have to get a sense of the place where you work.

Get a sense of

transitive phrasal verb
"get ideas about [something] by observation or experience."

All right?   All right.   If you are interested in American idioms, check out my American Idiom of The Day Twitter Feed.    Also take a look at my ESL and Accent Reduction YouTube Channel. If you are interested in ESL or accent reduction lessons, check out my David Berlin's ESL/Accent Reduction Training website or call or text 732-807-5424 OR hit me up on Skype at david.berlin.esl which is my Skype ID.

All right?  ALL RIGHT!  CALL OR SKYPE TODAY!

Go to the LIBRARY!

Most towns in America--even the small towns--have a local public library, or have an agreement with another town to use their library.

In America, we value learning, we value intelligence--we strongly think of ourselves as a merit based society and in some ways--although not all ways--we are, perhaps more so than other places.   In America, you don't need to be the scion of a wealthy family or have aristocratic roots to rise to the top.

So America has libraries, funded with startup funds from wealthy philanthropists--the Carnegie-Mellons, the Rockefellers, the Getty family and others.   Right up until this day--many small town libraries in America use computers that came courtesy of the Gates Foundation.   Libraries are an American tradition.

However, what you may not be used to is that in America, if you live in the town and can prove you do with a driver's license or ID or some other form of proof of address--usually they will accept a utility bill for instance--then the library is generally free for you to use--you pay nothing except a tiny fee if you check out a book and return it late.

Libraries in the modern American age are kind of community centers, but they still absolutely lend books.   Some libraries have special collections--for instance, my small town library for many years had a special collection on the topic of baseball--and they lend DVDs.  Furthermore, if you don't have internet service at home, typically the library will.

If you get stuck on how to find something or you need a book not in the library's collection, ask the librarians--that's what they're there for.   Likewise if you are looking for a specific fact or statistic and don't know who to ask--and its not the sort of thing you could reliably Google--librarians are trained at library science, which involves the organization and cataloguing of human knowledge and information.  They live for those kinds of questions.

To find the library where you live, simply Google "[your town name]" and the words "public library" together without quotes and see what comes up.  To check out books and use the facilities to their fullest extent you'll need a library card but not usually to sit and read--often libraries have a selection of local and national newspapers and magazines.

(the magazines they stock are what their user base wants--as determined by empirical data, which is why not all libraries stock all the same magazines.)

All right?   For answers about libraries and other issues in American culture or corporate culture or to book me for an English as a Second Language or accent reduction lesson, give me a call at (732) 807-5424 or hit me up on Skype at david.berlin.esl or check out my American Idiom of the Day Twitter Feed   or check out David Berlin ESL's Accent Reduction Training website.  Okay?  Okay. 

'Til next time...

SEE YA!

American Intonation

In accent reduction, or when learning or training in a new accent, intonation refers to the rising and falling in musical pitch of the voice.   So if you've noticed, Americans speak with a rising pitch at the end of certain kinds of questions, and a falling, walking-down-the-steps intonation when we make a declarative statement.

This video explains the simple basics of American-style vocal intonation when speaking.   This is very, very important to Americans because intonation helps Americans understand what is really being said apart from simple content.

This is different from, for instance, the Chinese system of vocal intonation/pitch, in which pitch changes in a word change the *definition*, the *content* of the word.   In America, pitch changes change what is *indicated*--what is said indirectly or "said without saying".

Its also different, for instance, from the Indian/Hindi/subcontinent way of speaking--and in fact one of the greatest difficulties Americans have understanding subcontinent speakers is incorrect stresses and a completely unrecognizable (to Americans) pattern of intonation.   When I have an Indian student--whether he or she is a Malayalam speaker, a Kannada speaker, a Tamil speaker,  Gujarathi speaker or Telugu--whatever subcontinent language the person speaks natively--the very first thing I work on with them for a month or two is American style intonation because that makes the biggest change.

Anyhow.  Here is a video explaining in simple terms some parts of American intonation.

All right?  All right.  I hope you like that video, and remember, if you'd like to talk to me about lessons, about taking ESL or accent reduction lessons, if you'd like some training in making American style "small talk"--which is the seemingly unimportant (actually very important) social talk Americans make throughout the day--or American culture or corporate culture, you can give me a call at (732) 807-5424 or hit me up on Skype at david.berlin.esl is my Skype ID OR check out my David Berlin's ESL and Accent Reduction Training website or my American Idiom of the Day Twitter Feed or my David Berlin ESL YouTube channel with plenty of instructional videos and tips and tricks to improve your American accent.

Slots are opening up for the fall!

Okay? Okay.   hit me up! Would love to hear from you!

For

This video gives a good explanation of the -er vs the -ier ending for comparative adjectives.   Essentially, the -er ending modifies an adjective and makes it more so.   If you are a Spanish speaker the -er ending is the same or equivalent of the modifier mas. 

So for instance, hot in Spanish is caliente.   To make it even more so, you say mas caliente.   Translated literally, that would be "more hot".   But a better way to do this in American English is to add the -er ending and simply say hott-er

Example usage:  "Today is hott-er than yesterday."

However!  When the adjective ends in a -y then to make it more so we DROP the -y ending and add -ier. 

Example:   This piece of jewelry is heav-ier than that one, so it costs more.

Okay?  Check out the video for some good detail and exercises.

For further information, or if you are interested in one on one,private ESL or accent reduction lessons, give me a call at (732) 807-5424 or give me a buzz if you are international on Skype at david.berlin.esl which is my Skype ID.

Or check out my David Berlin's ESL and Accent Reduction Training website or subscribe to the American Idiom of the Day Twitter Feed for some American idioms and examples of usage you can use in your everyday speech.  OKAY?  Okay!  Call today!

I DO VS I DON'T

Here is a really great video on DO vs DON'T and DID vs DIDN'T.  Essentially, DON'T is short for DO NOT.   When you combine the two words and eliminate the O and add a ' -- an "apostrophe" (pronounced uh POS struh FEE) you get what is called in American English a "contraction". 

American use contractions ALL THE TIME, almost exclusively instead of saying DO NOT we say DON'T, instead of saying WOULD NOT we say WOULDN'T.   Instead of saying "COULD HAVE"  we say COULD'VE.

There is a great List of Common Contractions here.

But this video doesn't focus so much on the issue of contractions.   Instead, the goal of this video is to help you understand the difference between positive and negative statements of doing (do vs don't) and done (did vs didn't).

Check it out!

All right?  All right.  And remember, if you are interested in English as a Second Language Lessons or accent reduction lessons--private, one on one lessons--you can check out my webpage at David Berlin's ESL and Accent Reduction Training.   Or, if you are interested in learning some great (and useful!) American slang terms and idioms, check out The American Idiom of the Day Twitter Feed.

Or you can give me a call on Skype at david.berlin.esl which is my Skype ID or you can call me or text me on the phone at 732-807-5424.

all right?  all right.  next time!

Barbecuing and the Fourth of July.   The Fourth of July is this country's Independence Day--the day that the original thirteen American colonies declared that they were "free and Independent" from the British Crown--that we were a new country, "conceived in liberty" and no longer under the rule of George the Third--or any other monarch--nor part of the British Empire.

As expected, this didn't go over too well in England and they promptly sent a retinue--several retinues actually, a whole bunch of 'em--of British soldiers to remonstrate with us.   However, they quickly learned what we ourselves have not yet learned--you cannot beat an enemy engaged in guerrilla warfare on its own territory.

(they didn't really learn the lesson either.  Nobody seems to have, yet.)

In any case, five years later we signed a peace agreement that essentially granted America its independence from Great Britain.   At that point, the people who declared independence thought we ought to have some sort of founding document or set of overarching laws or legal principles that would distinguish us from other nations.

So, for instance they came up with the idea that you cannot be put in gaol for criticizing a politician.   Politicians used to love to cut opposition off at the knees by throwing their critics in prison and at times executing them.   The framers of the American Constitution decided that that was unacceptable. 

The American Constitution also guarantees the freedom of the press--reporters cannot be jailed for printing things that American politicians don't like or don't want to hear.

The American Constitution also allows us the free exercise of religion--that whatever religion you are, as long as you aren't hurting anyone, you have the right to engage in religious practice as you please.  (or not, if you please.)

Mind you, these were all concepts that were new-ish in the world at that time.  Or if not "new" per se (they were derived from the Greek democracy of classical Antiquity and the Roman Republic and other sources) they had fallen out of favor with humanity for a long, long time.   The framers of the Constitution felt that America was a kind of "experiment"--they set it in motion and let it go.

July 4th means many different things to many different people in America, but to Americans it is a kind of microcosm of America.   That's why we barbecue.   We get together with our neighbors and our communities, because in the end America *is* the small towns and the neighbors and all of us.   And while we all have our own feelings about things, beer, grilled chicken, steak, Italian sausage and things like that, hot on the grill, tend to evoke feelings of conviviality and togetherness.  Neighborliness if you will.  How can we be Americans if we do not know our neighbors?   How could we have *become* an independent nation if we hadn't known our neighbors?

if you are not from here, or if you are a New American, and you are invited to a barbecue--if you can eat meat and are not vegetarian, you want to go with a dish like biryani or something similar--hot, spicy, and kind of heavy.   If you are vegetarian--try fried, spiced chickpeas or naan and a yogurt dip.  If you are Polish or German, go with Bratwurst.   If you are Russian, a bottle of cold vodka would not be out of line unless you know that the people around you are not drinkers.  If Japanese, you cannot go wrong with a six pack of delicious, cold Sapporo beer.   If Chinese, make homemade egg rolls if you know how. 

But aren't these not American foods?  "American food" is a mishmash--a combination of the cuisines of a thousand different nations through time--all the people who have come here, passed through here, made friends here and been neighbors here.

All right? All right.  Happy Fourth!  Oh--the fireworks.  Kids may like them but the crowds are big and the noise is loud.   They may not be like fireworks you've experienced in your native land, and in New Jersey anything heavier than sparklers are not legal.  But other things are legal in other states.  Check the laws in your state to see what is legal and what is not regarding fireworks.

All right?  All right.  And remember if you are interested in American Idioms and American slang, check out my American Idiom of the Day Twitter Feed.  For information about ESL and accent reduction lessons, either by Skype or in person, take a look at David Berlin's ESL and Accent Reduction Training website.   For more tricks and tips (FREE!) on ESL and accent reduction, check out my David Berlin ESL YouTube Channel.   All right?  All right!  Happy 4th of July!

AN AMERICAN IDIOM FOR THE LATE SPRING

I live in New Jersey, and New Jersey in the Spring means the spring rains.   In America, we have an expression:  "The calm before the storm." 

"The calm before the storm" refers to that sense of eerie, otherworldly quiet and stillness before the wind begins to howl and the heavens open up.   In business it refers to a brief calm period before things get complicated, active and/or difficult.

For example: 

Joe:   "We haven't had much new business since the Vermont people found another vendor..."

Bill:  "its the calm before the storm.   There is a Korean conglomerate that wants us to work with another vendor to get something out by September.   If we can pull it off..."

Joe:   "if we can pull it off,we're in the pink."

OH!  That leads us to another American idiom.   "In the pink."   The idiom "in the pink" means in good health or strong and vital.   In the conversation  between Joe and Bill, Joe is saying that if they can get the job done (the idiom "pull it off" means "get it done") their company will be "in the pink"--in good vital health.

All right?  now you've got three idioms for the price of one (FREE!)  But seriously speaking, why not give me a call at (732) 807-5424 if you are interested in ESL/accent reduction lessons--I will work in person anywhere in NJ or Manhattan and via Skype (or any other videoconferencing software you want to use) from anywhere else in the world.   I have worked with Chinese in China, Turkish folks in Turkey, Taiwanese folks in Taiwan, Russian folks in Moscow--all kinds of folks everywhere. 

My Skype ID is david.berlin.esl so you can reach me that way if you like.

Or, for more tips on American idioms and accent reduction, check out my American Accent Reduction and ESL Training YouTube Channel.  Or, check out my American Idiom of the Day Twitter Feed.

American English and Accent Reduction Training website for details on what I do and how I do it.

All right?  All right!

Next time...

All right?  All right.

SUMMER IS STARTING!

Well, summer is starting.  I am working in New York on Saturdays, so if anyone can use my services in Manhattan on Saturday, I'm happy to meet with you.

Here is a video that better explains how to make the /l/ sound.  This is a bit different from the usual method, but you may find it helpful if you've really had trouble with the sound.

Here's another video with some /l/ word drills.   Chinese, Korean, and Japanese students often have difficulty with the /l/ sound and differentiating between the /l/ sound and the /r/ sound.   My understanding is that this has to do with these languages not really having these sounds as distinct and separate sounds.  In American English, the /l/ and the /r/ sound are very distinct separate sounds.

All right?  Check these videos out and let me know in the comments if you like them and remember, if you are interested in ESL or accent reduction lessons, or need help making American style small talk, or you just want to become more confident speaking American English, or need help with American cultural issues and misunderstandings, give me a call at (732) 807-5424 or check out the David Berlin's ESL and Accent Reduction Training website or my American Idiom of the Day Twitter Feed  or you can email me re: lessons at this email link.  Or check out my David Berlin ESL YouTube Channel.

All right?  All right.  Hope to hear from some of you over the summer!  if you have been putting off lessons, now's the time!  Call or email today!

Hi everyone!  Well, its a *sweltering* hot summer...the word "sweltering" means, "hot and sweaty" or "hot and wet" or "very hot and very humid"--the word "humid" refers to the amount of moisture in the air--as are most summers in my "neck of the woods", which is New Jersey. 

(The phrase "neck of the woods" means "area" or "region"--if you tell someone you are from New Jersey and they say, "So how are things in your neck of the woods" they are asking you how things are in New Jersey and you could talk about the Yankees or the Jets--American football teams--or our governor--Phil Murphy or our ex- Chris Christie--or whatever the case may be.   Or you could say, "the heat here is brutal, absolutely sweltering--how are things out by you?")

Anyhow.   I just want potential students to know that I am now accepting students for Fall.   My rates are reasonable and I will travel in person to your location or work via Skype.   For an example of a lesson, with a student of mine named Sergey--take a look at this video.   There is a bit of American profanity at the beginning; Sergey wanted to learn some "street talk".  I can teach that, I can teach American formal or corporate language--whatever your English needs are.   For more information, give me a call at (732) 807-5424 OR check out my Accent Reduction and English Training Website or my American Idiom of the Day Twitter Feed.

All right?  All right.  Hope to hear from you and meanwhile, stay cool!

A Break From Winter!

Well, these past couple of weeks we have had a little break in New Jersey from the cold, cold temperatures.  One day it got to 57°F in my little corner of the world!  Nice!

(You may have noticed that I often begin a blog post by commenting on the weather.   Commenting on the weather *is* a great conversation opener as long as you make the comment unique or personalize it to the person you are talking to.   So you could say, "Wow, its supposed to snow all day tomorrow.  Do you think the kids will have off school?"  

 That *personalizes* the weather comment--first of all it tells the person you're talking to that you know they have kids and second of all it tells the person you're talking to that you care about their kids.  In addition, if YOU have kids, it can lead to a conversation about what arrangements you and the person you're talking to have for your kids when they're off school--do you leave them home alone?  Do you leave them in the care of a relative?

(Most parents, unless one parent stays home or unless there is another adult at home, regard snow days from school as a minor hassle.)

In any case, I came out with a new video.  Check it out!

Its a demonstration of how to make the "ee" /ɪ/ sound as in beat vs the "i" /i/ sound as in bit.   Now remember, one thing that may help you with the short /i/ sound as in "bit" --like "a little bit"-- is that you sort of hang your jaw down a little bit but not too far.  You don't open your mouth wide--you relax your jaw and let it hang a little bit.

Try it!

BIT

SIT

MITT

versus

BEAT

SEAT

MEAT

SLEET

HEAT

and so on.   All right?  And remember, if you're interest in ESL or accent reduction lessons a consult or two to get yourself straightened out on any American cultural issues you may have, give me a call at (732) 807-5424 or check out David Berlin's ESL and Accent Reduction website.    You can also check out my ESL and Accent Reduction YouTube channel or my American Idiom of the Day Twitter Feed.  All right?   Give me a call TODAY!

A Useful American Idiom: "Second Nature"

Hi everyone!  It's BRUTALLY hot and humid out (or, "yoomid" as they say in Brooklyn)--ninety-six degrees Fahrenheit and 99% humidity!  Phhhheeeeyew!   Remember that in this country we  use "Fahrenheit" as the temperature scale and not "Celsius" or "Centigrade" which is what you probably use in your home country.

Walking down  the street in New Jersey right now--you practically have to swim down the street!  Its pretty awful.   Thank G-d for air conditioning!  I don't know what I'd do without it.   And we aren't even into the worst high heat of the summer--that won't come until the end of July or the beginning of August, where the temperatures on the Jersey Shore, where I live, will regularly break a hundred degrees.

In any case.   I made and posted a new video--this one is about a great American idiom:  "Second nature".  The idiom "second nature" as in "its second nature to him" means it comes easily, it comes naturally, he does it easily and naturally and without difficulty.  Check out the video here:

All right?  All right.  I hope you find this idiom useful in your daily speech; its a very common one that Americans use pretty constantly.

Also remember that I have an American Idiom of the Day twitter feed and David Berlin's American Accent and ESL Training webpage if you are interested in taking ESL or accent reduction lessons.   You can call me at (732) 807-5424 to discuss or hit me up on Skype at david.berlin.esl -- I am always happy to work with international students.

Okay?  okay.  Have a great summer, take it easy, this is your friendly neighborhood ESL and accent reduction tutor, David Berlin, SIGNING OFF--see ya!

And Now Its The Beginning Of Another Summer!

Wow!  And now its the beginning of another summer!  Been a long time since I updated this blog.

Things are great down here at the Jersey Shore.   Its almost Memorial Day.   Memorial Day honors American soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines who have died defending this country.   (Veteran's Day, which is November 11th, honors ALL American Veterans.)

People are starting to think about barbecuing.  I've talked about barbecuing, baseball, and American culture in previous blog posts, and as always, if you have questions about baseball and how its played, or how to best respond to an invitation  to a barbecue from an American friend, give me a call at (732) 807-5424 or hit me up on Skype at david.berlin.esl and we'll figure it out.

Now in previous posts I've talked about garage sales and lemonade stands.  Another interesting part of American culture is street festivals.  In New Jersey, we are famous for street festivals--all you have to do is google the words, "street festivals NJ" and you'll get plenty of listings.  A street festival is when a town or municipality shuts down the main streets in the town and hires food vendors and art and craft vendors and all kinds of vendors to come in---some sell novelties, t-shirts, umbrellas, all kinds of things.

The food at a street festival is not to be missed.  If you are a vegetarian, you can still get zeppole--a kind of fried dough with powdered sugar, and fried potatoes with enough salt to give you a heart attack (the only way to eat them!) and all kinds of delicious foods.  You can get a tall cold glass of lemonade made with a lemon, sugar, and ice water--my personal favorite and the only way to properly make lemonade.

And street festivals always have bands, sometimes more than one.

All right?  All right.   Remember if you have any questions about this or any other points of American culture or if you think you need some help with your accent, or you need to speak better, clearer, more confident English, give me a call at (732) 807-5424.  Also check out my American Idiom of the Day Twitter feed or my website:  David Berlin's ESL and Accent Reduction Training Website.  Also check out my ESL/Accent Reduction YouTube Channel for more video lessons on proper American English pronunciation and help navigating American culture.

All right?  'Til next time, take care.  SEE YA!