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word of the day
Listless | Meaning + Examples
listless having no energy or enthusiasm Two Example Dialogues Using 'Listless' 😊: How is Sancho doing? 😟: He's been...
Well-Heeled | Meaning + Examples
well-heeled (informal) having a lot of money Two Example Dialogues Using 'Well-Heeled' 🙂: Everyone gives me a lot of...
Cloak-and-Dagger | Meaning + Examples
cloak-and-dagger (almost always before noun) cloak-and-dagger activities are secret and mysterious, sometimes in a way that people think is...
Kibitz | Meaning + Examples
kibitz (informal) (usually either disapproving or humorous) to watch other people doing something and make comments or give advice about it,...
Mouser | Meaning + Examples
mouser a cat that catches mice Two Example Dialogues Using 'Mouser' 😉: Pincy isn't just a pretty face, by the way. She...
General Vocabulary words
Fall Words: 17 Vocabulary Words to Describe Autumn
Fall words, here we come! In the northern hemisphere, autumn is upon us. And here in Virginia, our vast deciduous forests are casting aside their...
Love Words in English, Part 10: Romantic Adjectives for Memorable Compliments
Welcome back to our 14-part series designed to make you a master of advanced love vocabulary in English! In Part 7, we looked at vocabulary...
14 Purr-Worthy Summer Words from Pincy Cat
Guest post by Pincy Cat Hello! I'm Pincy and I'm a cat. I could say I'm an awesome cat, but that's redundant because all cats are awesome.*...
Love Words in English, Part 7: Advanced English Vocab for Romantic Valentine’s Day Ideas
I bet you already know the words for some popular Valentine's Day gifts. A dozen roses, chocolates, a love letter. That's great! This post is...
English Idioms
Mouse + Rat Idioms: 9 Great Idioms with Meanings and Examples
Help! Rodents are swarming Next Step English! 🐁😱🐁 (We may need Pincy Cat to return to ward them off, and soon! As we say in English, when the cat's...
9 Father Idioms + Infographic and Dad Idioms Quiz!
Today's post is all about fathers! From founding fathers to sugar daddies, we're going to explore 9 dad idioms in English, complete with example...
Money Idioms: 12 Popular Idioms with Sentences (+ Practice Quiz!)
With tax day right around the corner, money seems to be on everybody's minds here in the U.S. And heck, we don't need tax day in order to think...
11 English Face Idioms and Their Meanings (+ Practice Quiz!)
I will never forget the first time I saw my husband's face. I nearly fell over. I get the giggles every time I kiss my nephews on their chubby...
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Phrasal Verbs
5 Fun Phrasal Verbs with ‘Jump’ + Infographic and Practice Quiz!
It's time for more phrasal verbs practice, my friend! Phrasal verbs are your favorite thing ever, right? 😘 I know they can be frustrating,...
Phrasal Verbs with Hang: 9 Commonly Used Phrasal Verbs + Practice Quiz
There are thousands of phrasal verbs in English, and they drive even the most advanced students crazy. You hang back when you want to be alone, but...
Phrasal Verbs with Take: 20 Phrasal Verbs with Sentences (with Quiz!)
Today, you're going to learn 20 phrasal verbs with take. Phrasal verbs are notoriously difficult for English learners, so instead of simply giving...
Learn 5 Phrasal Verbs with Drop
Drop has a lot of meanings in English! Has anyone ever told you to drop dead after you dropped the ball on a project? Did you drop a bombshell on...
Synonyms
10 Dumb Synonyms: Different Words for Stupid Ideas
Have you ever wanted to throttle someone because their idea was so stupid? Well, while I don't recommend strangulation, it can be gratifying to tell...
Evil Synonyms: 18 Words to Describe Bad People (…inspired by Game of Thrones! 👑🖤)
My hubby and I have been watching Game of Thrones again, and it's struck me just how many evil characters there are in the show. It would get old to...
Looking for Another Way to Say GO AWAY? Check Out These 10 GO AWAY Synonyms!
Wouldn't it be nice if we lived in a world where we were always happy to see the people around us? Alas, that's not my life, and I doubt it's yours...
Your ‘Celebrate’ Thesaurus: 6 Joyful ‘Celebrate’ Synonyms for Advanced English Learners
Are you looking for another word for 'celebrate'? If you're tired of the beginner-level 'celebrate' synonyms that you've been using for ages—words...
vocab jams
Vocab Jam: Grow Your Vocabulary with “The Lusty Month of May”
My favorite holiday is May 1, and that is for one reason, and one reason only: "The Lusty Month of May". 🌼 To me, this tongue-in-cheek song from the...
Vocab Jam: Learn 15 New Words with “Everybody Wants to Be a Cat”
Cats were revered in ancient Egypt—harming one could even be punishable by death!—and today, funny cat videos dominate the internet. I'd wager that...
Vocab Jam: Learn 10 New Words with the Classic Song “Ol’ Man River”
If you're a fan of learning English with music, buckle up, because I've got a great song for you this week. Learn 10 new vocabulary words with the...
Vocab Jam: Learn 29 Advanced Vocabulary Words with “The Bells of Notre Dame” 🔔
When you study English, it can be tempting to compartmentalize the different aspects of language learning. Your vocabulary lists are separate from...
English Listening skills
Spooky English Listening Practice: 10 Eerie Dictations + Heaps of Halloween Words
As Halloween approaches, ghouls and goblins haunt the alleyways, and spooky words keep cropping up in conversation. Practice your English listening...
10 Mini Dictations Featuring 10 Synonyms for GO AWAY!
You've now learned 10 synonyms for 'go away', but will you remember them if you hear them in conversation? Rock star English listening is about...
English Dictation Exercises: 20 Mini-Dictations Featuring Phrasal Verbs with Take
Phrasal verbs are difficult enough, but phrasal verbs with take are particularly hard because, well, there are so many of them! In another post, we...
English Numbers Listening Quiz, Part 3
Hey there, English learner! You've made it through two days of grueling English numbers listening practice, and now you're in the home...
English tips
Getting in Shape and Staying that Way (+ Bonus Audio! 🎧💙)
Guest post by Alberto Alonso UPDATE! Alberto really cares about helping people learn English, so he's gone the extra mile...
Are You in a Learning Motivation Slump? 3 Tools to Help You Remember that Learning English is Fun!
Even if you love learning English, sometimes we all need a little boost to stay motivated. Sometimes, that motivational boost comes from reading...
How to Remember Hard Vocabulary Words in English
Improving your vocabulary is one of the best things you can do to keep moving forward in a language, but do you ever have a rough time remembering...
VIDEO: 6 Tips for English Speaking Exams
If you're like most English students, speaking exams are the stuff of nightmares! When I was learning French in school, speaking exams filled me...
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creative writing prompts
ESL Writing Prompts Inspired by Game of Thrones
Are you worried that your Game of Thrones addiction will hinder your English learning? Are you concerned that your daydreams about riding dragons...
Bird Writing Prompts 🐥: 10 Creative Writing Ideas for English Learners
The imagination is one of the most underused tools in language learning, but it can help you progress in your English journey by leaps and bounds....
Looking for Topics to Write About? 7 Creative Writing Prompts for ESL Students Inspired by America’s National Parks
If you're like me, one of your favorite ways to build vocabulary is to practice creative writing. Sometimes, though, it's hard to think of topics to...
English word origins
Olé! 8 Spanish Words Used in English
It's not surprising that a lot of English words originated in Spanish. There were a number of political marriages between the English and Spanish...
Fun with Loanwords: 8 Fabulous French Words Used in English
It's no secret that French is responsible for a huge number of words in English. Roughly one-third of all English words can trace their origins back...
Why is English so Crazy?! A Brief History of the English Language
Have you ever wondered why the English language is so inconsistent with its spelling and pronunciation? Learning about the history of the...
english grammar + spelling
Transitive and Intransitive Verbs
Guest post by Rob of Ginseng English What are transitive and intransitive verbs? When you are learning a new verb, one of the most...
Funny Spelling Mistakes! Test Your English with These 13 Hilarious Spelling Errors
Any student of the English language can tell you that English spelling is, well, awful. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to it. Comb rhymes with...
The Ultimate Guide to the Preposition Chez in English (with Quiz!)
About a third of all English words come from French as a result of the Norman Conquest in 1066. But English has adopted many French words since...
This That These Those: The Ultimate Guide to Demonstratives in English
This That These Those. They're called demonstratives, and they're some of the most common words in the English language. Do you know how to use...
history + culture for english learners
“The Star-Spangled Banner”: History + Vocabulary for ESL Students
A couple of my in-person students asked me the other day about the U.S. national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner". They go to a lot of soccer...
PIG LATIN 101: What is Pig Latin? + How to Speak Pig Latin
Many of you have told me that you're learning English with your children. What a great experience! Some of you have also told me that you teach...
Hey! What’s So…Punny?
Guest post by Sheila MacKechnie Murtha, co-author of the English the American Way ESL series Okay, raise your hand if you like to...
Mother’s Day Special 💐: 15 Famous Literary Characters Who Will Make You Realize How Wonderful Your Mom Is (+ Bonus Vocab and Quiz!)
Is your mother a "monstrous hell-bride"? If not, then you're one step ahead of Grendel. (see #4) With Mother's Day just around the corner, it's that...
personal + misc.
More Stepper Questions… More Answers! Mwah! 💙
This isn't our first rodeo, so you know the deal... You guys asked me some personal questions, and I'm here with answers plus 70 new...
Here We Go! More Stepper Questions Answered 🤗 (+ 45 Bonus Vocab Words!)
I love getting to know you guys, and I love letting you get to know me, too! A few of you asked me some personal questions recently on...
Advanced English Vocabulary at the Blessing of the Animals
When people think of Washington, they often think of politics and imposing marble monuments, a place of history and intrigue. However, on the...
VIDEO: How to Pronounce SCH- at the Beginnings of English Words: SK or SH?
One of you recently commented on our Twitter page about the tricky pronunciation of the word scheme. Did you know that there are two possible...
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