To make things easier, we’ve made a list of the best 15 textbooks that will actually help you become fluent in English. And if you’re looking for something budget friendly (i.e., free), jump down to the bottom!

Textbooks With a Focus on Speaking

The first four are good English textbooks designed specifically to get you speaking.

Practice Makes Perfect: English Conversation

Published by McGraw-Hill, Practice Makes Perfect was written for intermediate students trying to improve their English conversation skills. Each chapter starts with a real-life dialogue, followed by conversation tips, expressions commonly used in American English and practice exercises. 

One advantage of this book is that it comes with recorded dialogues that can be accessed online and in its mobile app, so unlike many other options, you don’t need a CD player.

Nice Talking With You

Nice Talking With You is a Cambridge series that is designed to get beginners speaking from day one. Each lesson has learners working on conversation questions and strategies, which they then apply to the listening and speaking exercises.

Level 1 is designed for false beginners (those who have studied English before but don’t speak it) and Level 2 is for elementary and pre-intermediate students. 

Let’s Talk

Also published by Cambridge, Let’s Talk is a course that helps students become fluent in American English through a variety of communication activities, while still covering grammar, vocabulary, listening and other aspects of the language. 

This series consists of Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3.

Collins Easy Learning English

Collins Easy Learning English is a series of books produced by the company behind Collins English Dictionary. The series includes two books on conversation: English Conversation Book 1 for beginners and English Conversation Book 2 for intermediate students.

Each book has 14 units that feature how English is used in different everyday situations. There’s also some business English for beginners.

Textbooks That Start Conversations

If you just want to dive into the world of conversation and don’t need exercises or explanations, the books in this section are for you.

Discussions A-Z

Discussions A-Z is a series from Cambridge that is filled with engaging discussion activities. The intermediate and advanced books both have 26 units, each focusing on a different topic.

Compelling Conversations 

Compelling Conversations: Questions and Quotations on Timeless Topics is a book designed to encourage meaningful conversations among advanced learners. Each of the 45 chapters provides thought-provoking questions and quotations along with a list of relevant vocabulary words.

1000 Conversation Questions

Published in 2016, 1000 Conversation Questions is exactly that: 1,000 questions — no more, no less. These questions are divided into 100 topics that come up in conversation, such as aging, cleanliness, family values and more.

If you like this book, you may find another one by the same author helpful too: 500 Grammar-Based Conversation Questions. Published in 2014, this book introduces the most commonly-taught grammar patterns, followed by questions that let students practice them in conversation.

101 Conversations in English

If you want to study real-life conversations to improve your ability to communicate with locals, then 101 Conversations is the series for you. Both 101 Conversations in Simple English and 101 Conversations in Intermediate English tell a story through 101 short dialogues set in London.

Textbooks That Teach Vocabulary

To have a conversation, you need vocabulary. The textbooks below don’t just teach any words; they teach the words and expressions that you’ll definitely hear and use in conversation!

Conversational American English: The Illustrated Guide to Everyday Expressions of American English

McGraw-Hill’s Conversational American English teaches 3000 American English expressions through illustrations. It also covers 350 common themes in everyday conversation, from politely leaving an event to asking someone for their name again.

Speak English Like An American

Speak English Like An American teaches over 300 commonly-used American English idioms and uses stories to show learners when and how to use them. You can try out a chapter for free in the online course.

If you find this book helpful, you can check out the sequel, More Speak English Like An American, or other books by the same author: Speak English Around Town and Speak Business English Like An American. 

Each of these books comes with an app you can download to listen to the audio recordings.

Shortcut to English Collocations

If you enjoy learning idioms, then you might like this book as well: Shortcut to English Collocations (sample included). Published in 2017, this book introduces 2000 of the most common collocations.

Collocations are words that are often used together. For example:

• “take a shower” (instead of “do a shower”) 
• “make friends” (instead of “get friends”)
• “come to an end” (instead of “reach an end”)

Knowing collocations makes you more fluent, as they allow you to speak in chunks instead of individual words. So check out Shortcut to English Collocations if you want to give your fluency a boost.

Oxford Word Skills

While Oxford Word Skills doesn’t directly help with fluency, we think it deserved to be mentioned, as it is one of the most highly-recommended vocabulary-learning resources available.

The three books each contain 2000 words that have been carefully selected for usefulness in real-life conversations. Students who find these books helpful can also check out the two additional ones on idioms and phrasal verbs. 

The books also come with free activities that you can use to check your mastery of the words.

Other Textbooks

Finally, if you want a more comprehensive learning experience, here are some textbooks that teach all four skills (reading, writing, listening, speaking) but still have strong speaking exercises.

American English File

American English File (sample included) is another series that takes learners from A1 to C1 level in American English. In addition to teaching vocabulary and grammar, each chapter has plenty of speaking exercises and pronunciation tips to get students speaking confidently.

Cutting Edge

Cutting Edge (sample included) is a British English textbook series that has students practice new vocabulary and grammar in context. Each lesson guides students toward achieving a particular communication goal.

New Total English

New Total English (sample included) is a textbook series which helps students develop all four language skills from A1 to C1. The books use plenty of authentic texts and photographs which will bring students out of a classroom and into the real world. 

Wrap-up 

At Engoo, we’ve helped thousands of students become fluent in English with our own English “textbook.” Our lesson materials are completely free and open to the public, so anyone can use them whether they are a student with us or not.

• Our Conversation lessons will prepare you to talk about things like your favorite celebrities, countries you’d like to visit, and how often you exercise.
• Our Daily News lessons will get you talking about all sorts of topics, from health and tech to travel and environmental issues.

While our materials are great for self-study, you’ll learn much more by studying them with one of our tutors. So sign up for a lesson today and give it a try!

The post Focus on Fluency: Top 15 Textbooks To Help You Speak English appeared first on Engoo Blog.

We have easier access to games than ever before through our phones and PCs. And while it's easy to find games of all types, this article will focus on word games you can use to strengthen the English you know and enhance it with new information. 

The games we'll introduce cover many different skill levels, so be sure to pay attention to the suggested level for each.

Various games from LearnEnglish Kids

The LearnEnglish Kids site has a variety of activities that are good for younger learners. Here you can find an alphabetical list of games based on specific themes. For example, students can match words with the pictures they see for things like household chores, body parts and emotions.

Recommended level: Beginner

Scramble Words

In Scramble Words, players are given five letters and must use them to create as many words as they can. 

At the top of the game screen are spaces representing the words players must spell to win. Each word that is successfully spelled will reveal a letter in one space, providing a clue to other words left to reveal.

Players begin with four minutes and forty seconds, and time remaining in each round will carry over to the next. 

Recommended level: Intermediate

Outspell

In this game, players take turns with an AI opponent, using their letter "tiles" to spell out words on a grid. Tiles placed on special squares will result in higher scores, and so will using trickier letters like Q, Y and X. Once all of the player's and computer's letter tiles are gone, the highest score wins.

The difficulty of the computer can be adjusted, but even on easy, some of the words the AI spells can be uncommon in daily conversations. Therefore, it's a good idea to have a dictionary handy while you play. And if you have any questions about the words you see, book a lesson with one of our tutors and ask them about it.

Recommended level: Intermediate

Spell It

The rules to this game are quite simple. After you listen to a word, you then have 15 seconds to type in the correct spelling. One round consists of 10 words.

Some words are simple, but others can be quite challenging, so we recommend this game for students who are at least at the intermediate level.

Recommended level: Intermediate - Advanced

Spellbound

In Spellbound, you are given seven letters plus a minute and thirty seconds to create as many words as you can with them. Creating words with only three or four letters is not very challenging, but using most (or even all) of the letters is much more difficult and will really test your vocabulary!

If you get stuck, there is a button you can press to get a new set of letters, but this can only be done a limited number of times per game.

(By the way, the adjective "spellbound" means "amazed" or "completely fascinated.")

Recommended level: Intermediate - Advanced

Odd Word Out

This game is a great choice for students who want to test or expand their knowledge of idioms.

In each round, players are presented with four words; three of them can complete a common expression. The player must choose the "odd word out," or the word which does not fit with the others.

As an example, players may be shown the following words:

• Scenes
• Times
• Scissors
• Eight ball

"Behind the scenes," "behind the times" and "behind the eight ball" are all common phrases, but "behind the scissors" is not. Therefore, "scissors" is the correct answer.

What's especially useful is that after an answer is selected, text appears that shows you the rest of the phrase: "Scenes, times and eight ball all complete a common phrase when following 'behind the __'." This allows you to easily search for the meaning of each expression.

Recommended level: Advanced

Syl La Cros Tic

As you might guess from the name, this game is a bit unusual!

On the right side of the game screen is a list of clues. On the left side is a grid of syllables. Instead of searching for the word that matches each clue, players must use the pieces of different words to "build" the answers!

For example, if the clue is "outside the law," you would select the syllables "il," "le" and "gal" from the left side to spell "illegal," the correct answer. Some of the clues can be quite challenging, so we only recommend this game for higher-level students.

Recommended level: Advanced

Wrap-up

Games can be a fun and engaging way to enhance your learning experience. Thankfully, everything we've presented here is completely free to play and requires no registration. However, very competitive players who want to record their scores for everyone to see will need to log in.

But we need to warn you before you play — some of these games can be very addictive, so be careful!

The post Free Word Games to Test Your English Skills appeared first on Engoo Blog.

Trump to Pull US Out of Paris Climate Deal

June 2, 2017 / Level 8: Advanced

The Paris Agreement is a treaty between many of the world's countries with the goal of helping protect the Earth from more damage due to climate change. However, in 2017, then-president Donald Trump made a surprising move by withdrawing the US from the agreement.

> Read the article

Ex-Trump Lawyer Cohen Gets 3 Years in Prison

December 15, 2018 / Level 10: Proficient

Donald Trump often appears in the news lately due to the criminal court cases he is facing. However, other politicians who work or worked closely with him have also been involved in big political scandals.

> Read the article

Joe Biden Defeats Trump in US Election

November 8, 2020 / Level 8: Advanced

In the previous presidential election in 2020, Joe Biden became the 46th president after defeating Donald Trump, who was president for the previous four years. Additionally, Kamala Harris made history as the highest-ranking female member ever in the US government.

> Read the article

Jackson Confirmed as First Black Female High Court Justice

April 13, 2022 / Level 9: Proficient

Although America is a very diverse country, it has taken many years for certain groups of people to reach the highest levels of power. For example, in 2022, the Supreme Court received its very first Black female member in its 233-year history.

> Read the article

US Supreme Court Overturns Roe v. Wade

June 28, 2022 / Level 9: Proficient

In 2022, the highest court in the United States made the very controversial decision to remove the right of women to receive an abortion. This ruling has continued to result in new developments and news stories that continue today.

> Read the article

Barack Obama Wins Emmy for Netflix Documentary

September 9, 2022 /Level 6: Intermediate

Even after his presidency ended, Barack Obama has continued to be active in a variety of areas. However, the documentary he received an award for may not be about a topic you expect.

> Read the article

Republicans Win US House, Trump Announces Election Plan

November 18, 2022 / Level 9: Proficient

The House of Representatives is one of the major branches, or sections, of the US government. What kind of power does the House have, and does Trump's plan from 2022 match his election campaign in 2024? Read to find out!

> Read the article 

One for the History Books: Donald Trump's Mug Shot

August 25, 2023 / Level 9: Proficient

Do you know what a "mug shot" is? If you have one, it usually means you're in trouble. And when celebrities and other well-known people get one, it's often big news. Read the article to learn more!

> Read the article

6 in 10 US Adults Doubt Biden's Mental Capability

March 6, 2024 / Level 9: Proficient

Important issues in the 2024 US presidential election will likely include common topics like the economy, education and national security. But another issue has become extremely important to voters this time: age.

> Read the article

AI Could Mislead Voters in US 2024 Election, Experts Warn

May 16, 2024 / Level 9: Proficient

People continue to find new ways of using AI, sometimes for good and sometimes not. As the next presidential election approaches, some experts are warning people to be careful about the information they get online and in other places.

> Read the article

Wrap-up

Because of America's influence, political news in the US often becomes big news around the world. Use these past Daily News lessons to improve your English while learning the context of the upcoming election in November, which will likely have a big impact on many nations.

The post Daily News Lesson Roundup: US Politics appeared first on Engoo Blog.

This time, we're happy to announce an update to our popular category of Conversation materials. Starting on July 10, the intermediate Levels of 4, 5 and 6 will get a big enhancement!

On the Materials page for Conversation, you'll see a section called "Now You're Talking." Here you'll find 50 new lessons available for Levels 4 and 5. In addition, we've added a new section for Level 6, which also has 50 unique lessons. That brings the total to 150 new materials for students to try!

About Conversation lessons

In Conversation lessons, you start by learning vocabulary and phrases related to a specific topic. Next, you read an example dialogue that shows you how the words you've learned are used in a natural way by native speakers. 

Once you understand these ideas, the final part of the lesson is practicing what you've learned in a conversation with your tutor.

One of the great things about Conversation lessons is that they cover a variety of useful topics. For example, you can learn to discuss things like the weather, your hometown or traveling to and from work. There are also more advanced lessons on topics such as career paths, climate change and health.

Structure and features

To help make it easier to study, each set of lessons has been separated into groups of five, with the fifth being a review. However, the lessons are designed so that you can study them in any order you like. That means you can choose the topics that are most interesting to you and move at your own pace.

In addition, through the careful use of AI technology, we've been able to group lessons and dialogue examples into consistent difficulty levels. So once you find a lesson you are comfortable with, you can confidently choose others in that range and know that they will be a good match for you.

Wrap-up

If you're used to using other types of materials, such as Daily News, why not try something new? Our Conversation materials can give you the tools to discuss many common and important topics with skill and confidence. Give them a try in your next lesson!

The post Materials Update: 150 New Conversation Lessons! appeared first on Engoo Blog.

Watch unscripted videos

A script is the written text of things like films, plays and speeches. If something is "unscripted," it means nothing is written in advance, so people are speaking naturally and without preparation. Watching unscripted videos can help you learn practical and natural spoken English.

Some examples of unscripted videos include:

YouTube videos

Find YouTubers who talk about things that interest you and watch them regularly. In addition, you can use the comment section to interact with the creators or other viewers to add even more to your study experience.

Interviews

Interviews are basically unscripted since at least one person is responding questions they might not expect. That means interviews are great examples of natural communication, including speaking speed and use of casual expressions.

Talk shows

Similar to interviews, talk shows feature people discussing various topics without much preparation. Talk shows, however, may offer a higher challenge for learners since there may be more than two people in the discussion and because there are usually few or no questions prepared in advance.

Speak to yourself

As we've mentioned before, it may not always be easy to find other English speakers to chat with. So if you can't, talking to yourself can be a good way to practice on your own. You may be wondering what we mean, so here are a few examples of things to try:

Practice in front of a mirror

"Have a conversation" with yourself in front of a mirror. Practice making facial expressions and gestures for specific phrases which you may have been embarrassed to try when speaking with others. Now is your chance to do it freely!

Shadowing

This is another great study method if there is no one to speak with. Improve both your listening and pronunciation by listening to recordings of native speakers and repeating or speaking aloud with them at the same time. This can greatly improve your speaking rhythm and flow.

Record yourself

Listening to recordings of yourself speaking English will allow you to check your pronunciation and identify weak points so that you know where to focus your attention. It may feel strange to hear your own voice at first, but you will get used to it the more you do it.

Listen to podcasts

Podcasts are great sources of both entertainment and education. There are a wide variety of shows focusing on different themes, including English education. However, even shows that are not specifically about studying can still be useful since you can listen to different English accents and improve your listening comprehension.

Here are some recommended podcasts:

BBC Learning English News Review

This show offers a variety of programs for different levels of English learners. It features interesting topics to help you improve your vocabulary and language comprehension.

TED Talks Daily

TED Talks are short presentations by experts on different topics. Because of the variety available, you can choose a theme you find interesting and study English while learning about something you enjoy.

This American Life

This is a radio show that features people's real stories and experiences from everyday life. The speaking speed is a little quicker than the other suggested podcasts, but it can help you to get better at understanding the natural speaking pace.

Read aloud

Reading English text out loud can help you improve your pronunciation and intonation. Here are a few ideas for things to read:

Novels, newspapers and magazines

Just like with videos, TED Talks, etc., choosing a topic or theme that interests you will make studying more enjoyable. Be sure to spend extra time on the sentences and phrases that you find difficult.

Audiobooks

Read the text aloud together with the audiobook's narrator to strengthen your listening and reading skills at the same time.

Movie scripts

This study method is the opposite of our unscripted video suggestion, which we mentioned earlier. Read along with the script while watching a film. Try to copy the characters' intonation and feeling, which can help you get a better understanding of the emotion that certain words and phrases communicate.

Use an AI chatbot

AI, or artificial intelligence, is a powerful and valuable tool. Chatbots allow learners to study at their own pace and without fear of embarrassment or judgment from mistakes. They are also extremely convenient since you can use them anywhere whenever you have free time.

Read about some of Engoo's newest AI-powered features here: Improve Your Self-Study with Our New AI Tools

Take online English lessons

For learners who do not have the time to go to a real English conversation class, we recommend taking online lessons at home — or anywhere that is convenient for you.

Online lessons allow you to choose the date and time according to your schedule. They also add a little bit of positive pressure, since it is sometimes easy to ignore your study plans if they don't include other people!

Instead of being limited to English speakers in your area, online lessons let you connect with tutors from around the world. This means you can learn to understand and speak with specific accents depending on which countries or cultures you are interested in.

Finally, you don't need to be at home to take a lesson; as long as you have an internet connection and a comfortable place to talk, you have all that you need. Many beginner students are often nervous when taking lessons, but you can feel more relaxed in a comfortable space that you are already familiar with.

If you would like to try online English lessons, we recommend studying with us at Engoo. We offer many kinds of lessons, from business English to help with pronunciation. Additionally, you can meet with tutors from all over the world and pick from a variety of useful lesson materials. We also offer full customer support, so you can easily find help if you have any questions or concerns.

Wrap-up

There are more ways to study and improve your English than ever before. Because there are so many choices, feel free to try more than one option until you find the ones that work best for you. Also, remember that you don't need to choose only one. In fact, using a variety of study methods helps keep your learning fresh and interesting.

No matter what you choose, we hope this article has given you some great ideas and the motivation to get started today!

Written by Amy, adapted by David

The post 6 Tips for Improving English Conversation Skills at Home appeared first on Engoo Blog.

Because of their popularity, it is possible you have read one or more of them before. If not, here is a great chance to open your mind to new stories and ways of looking at the world!

The Little Prince - France (382+ languages) 

Number one on the list is The Little Prince, which was originally published in English and French in 1943.

Written by the French author, poet and pilot Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, it tells the story of a young prince from a small planet who visits many other worlds and meets the people who live there. It deals with themes such as love, friendship and human nature. The book's charming illustrations were even drawn by the author himself.

The French newspaper Le Monde named The Little Prince one of the most important and memorable books written in the 20th century regardless of language. There is even an award in Iran for writers under 15 called The Little Prince Award!

The Adventures of Pinocchio - Italy (300+ languages)

You may be more familiar with film versions of Pinocchio's story, but they are all based on an Italian novel by Carlo Collodi published in 1883. 

The Adventures of Pinocchio is the story of Geppetto, a woodcarver who makes a marionette, a type of puppet that can be controlled with strings. This marionette, which he names Pinocchio, dreams of becoming a real boy and goes on many dangerous and exciting adventures. His most famous feature is his nose, which grows longer whenever he tells a lie.

The novel has become a classic of children’s literature and has been made into films many times, with perhaps the most famous being Disney’s animated movie from 1940. More recently, it was made into a film for Netflix in 2022.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland - England (175+ languages)

The book from England with the most translations is Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, written by Lewis Carroll and published in 1865. Just like Pinocchio, it has been made into film versions many times, which may be more familiar to modern audiences.

Alice is a young girl who accidentally travels to a fantasy world filled with talking animals and other unusual characters.

The story went on to become a major influence in literature, film and other creative arts. It even inspired a song by The Beatles. Additionally, Alice remains an inspiration for fashion trends and classic Halloween costumes you can see easily today.

Andersen’s Fairy Tales - Denmark (160+ languages) 

Rather than one novel, this is a collection of stories all written by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen.

Andersen is responsible for some of the most recognizable stories and characters in the world. Many of these stories have been made into films, cartoons and theatrical plays. Some of the most famous of his stories include The Little Mermaid, The Princess and the Pea, The Emperor’s New Clothes, The Little Match Girl and The Ugly Duckling.

Testament - Ukraine (150+ languages)

The most-translated work from the Ukraine is not a novel but a poem. It was written by Taras Shevchenko, a writer, artist and political figure in the 19th century.

The poem is a strong expression of the writer’s love of his country and his wish to be buried surrounded by its natural beauty. It's about faith, freedom and wanting to be closer to God.

The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha -  Spain (140+ languages)

Don Quixote is a name that is famous in the English-speaking world, even among people who have never read this novel from 1605. It was written by novelist, poet and playwright Miguel de Cervantes.

It tells the story of a man who has a low rank in high-class society. He goes on a journey and attempts to become a heroic and legendary adventurer. However, his grand ideas do not match his actual life. The story is both tragic and comedic since it deals with ideals and fantasies that become bigger and more powerful than reality.

This story is responsible for the term “quixotic,” an adjective describing something that is very unrealistic and impractical.

The Way to Happiness - L. Ron Hubbard - The United States (112+ languages)

The next on our list is very different from the others. Rather than a poem or a story for children, The Way to Happiness is a book written to help adults achieve a better life. It was written by L. Ron Hubbard, who was both an author and the founder of the controversial organization called Scientology.

The Way to Happiness is actually a booklet, and it contains a list of precepts, or rules for behavior or thought. Included in these precepts are rules such as “Seek to Live with the Truth,” “Do Not Harm a Person of Good Will” and ”Try to Treat Others as You Would Want Them to Treat You.” 

People everywhere in the world are searching for ways to improve their lives, so perhaps it is no surprise that a book like this has been translated into so many languages.

The Adventures of Tintin - Belgium (93+ languages)

This entry on our list is actually a series of comics that was first published in French in the late 1920s. It was created by Georges Prosper Remi, who is popularly known as Hergé.

Tintin is a reporter who goes on a variety of adventures around the world with his pet dog Snowy. These works feature an iconic and influential art style, and stories that mix action, mystery and comedy with references to social issues. However, they have also been criticized for including negative stereotypes of certain ethnic groups.

The Tragedy of Man - Hungary (93+ languages)

This is another entry on the list that isn't exactly a book. The Tragedy of Man is a theatrical play written by Imre Madách that was first published in 1861. It tells the story of Adam and Eve, the first man and woman created by God. 

Adam dreams that he is traveling through time and seeing the future of humanity. As you might guess from the "tragedy" in the title, Adam does not always like what he sees. 

It’s a story about pride, temptation and the meaning of life. These are themes that people can relate to no matter where they live or what language they speak.

The Alchemist - Brazil (80+ languages)

The Alchemist is a world-famous story written in Portuguese by Paulo Cohelo and first published in 1988. “Alchemy” is a fantastical type of science and philosophy with very ambitious goals such as making gold from simple metals, creating a medicine that cures all diseases, and discovering a way for people to live forever.

The story is about a boy who has dreams of a treasure hidden somewhere near the pyramids of Egypt. On his journey to find it, he meets characters who change his life and teach him very valuable lessons.

Like others on this list, The Alchemist inspired other works such as comics, films, theatrical plays and even a symphony. The book itself is quite short compared to most novels, so English learners shouldn’t feel intimidated to read it!

Read the world!

Art that can entertain and inspire people around the world is a very special thing. Each of the items on this list started in one country and language before it gained popularity in places very far away and with very different cultures.

If you’d like to learn more about the world while also practicing your English, you have many options to choose from! Pick the story that is the most interesting to you and challenge yourself to read it in English.

The post 10 of the Most Translated Books in the World appeared first on Engoo Blog.

And it's a very good question — films and TV shows can be great ways to gain new vocabulary and boost your listening ability.

While some shows are very popular with English learners, we'd like to use this article to highlight some others that don't often get mentioned. Some of these shows are newer, so they have not had the chance to earn a reputation as being a good study tool.

It's important to know that these shows deal with a wide variety of topics, and some may not be appropriate for every learner. However, we've included a short preview of each to help you decide if it is right for you.

Television recommendations

Seinfeld (comedy)

Seinfeld is an American sitcom (short for "situation comedy") that debuted in 1989. In the 1990s, it became one of the most popular shows on American television. 

Seinfeld is famous for being a "show about nothing" — it's not about doctors, police officers or investigators in dramatic situations. Instead, each episode is about a group of four friends and their everyday experiences in New York City. This includes things like killing time while waiting for a seat in a restaurant, or losing their car in a large parking lot.

Many lines from Seinfeld have become popular expressions that can be heard in daily conversations, such as "yada yada" or "double-dipper." Watch to find out what they mean!

One Piece (adventure)

One Piece is a Netflix original series based on a Japanese manga by Eiichiro Oda, which began publication in 1997.

The show tells the story of a group called the Straw Hat Pirates, who travel the seas in many dangerous and exciting missions. The group is led by Monkey D. Luffy, a passionate young man whose goal is to become the king of the pirates and find a legendary treasure called the One Piece.

Similar to the comic and anime series it is based on, One Piece has a bright and colorful style. However, you don't need to know the original stories in order to enjoy and learn from this show.

Superstore (comedy)

Like another show on this list, Superstore is a "workplace comedy," or a series focusing on employees of a particular company. In this case, the store is called Cloud 9, and it is similar to the real-world chain Walmart, which can be found throughout America and in countries around the world.

Although the stories are exaggerated for comedy, this show can help you learn a bit about retail jobs in America, including things like office relationships and dealing with customers in normal and not-so-normal situations.

The Office (comedy)

The Office is a famous example of a "mockumentary," or a film/TV series made to look as if it were documenting real people and real situations.

The original version of this series was released in the UK in 2001, and it focused on a team of employees at a paper company. This team's manager, however, is not quite as intelligent, funny or good at his job as he believes he is.

Similar to Superstore, The Office also deals with themes such as work culture and interactions with colleagues in a funny way.

After becoming successful in the UK, an American version was released in 2005 and also became a huge hit. That means you have two different versions to choose from: British and American!

Or, you can try watching both, which will help you learn about the differences in British and American senses of humor.

WandaVision (science-fiction, drama, romance)

WandaVision is a mini-series from 2021 available on Disney+. It is connected to the popular series of Marvel films based on comic book characters.

The story focuses on a married couple with strange superhuman abilities. Although their life together looks perfect, soon it seems that something is not right in their world.

One unique point of WandaVision is that each episode matches the style, fashion and music of a different era of American television. So in addition to the story being told, you can also get a quick lesson on the history of popular American sitcoms.

If you enjoy mysteries, romance and science-fiction, you will likely enjoy this series. Although it is a part of the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe, WandaVision can be enjoyed completely on its own — although knowing the backstory does help! 

WandaVision is only one season, which consists of just nine episodes, so you can watch the entire story relatively quickly.

Related article: 10 Inspirational MCU Quotes for English Learners

Adventure Time (adventure — of course!, comedy, fantasy)

In the past, Western animated shows and films were thought to be for children only. These days, however, it is understood that animation can be for all age groups, including adults.

In the case of Adventure Time, it's for both! Debuting in 2010, this comedy series tells the story of Finn and his dog/brother, Jake, in the strange Land of Ooo.

Adventure Time has developed a big fanbase of people of all ages, and it is not difficult to find clothing, toys and games based on the series.

Each episode is only about 11 minutes long, which is useful for short study sessions when you don't have a lot of time!

The Big Bang Theory (comedy)

The Big Bang Theory is another sitcom that became one of the most popular series on American television. Its name comes from the concept that the universe began with a giant explosion millions of years ago.

The story of the series is much easier to understand, however. It's about a group of scientist and mathematician friends who live in Pasadena, California. Most of them would be considered "geeks" because of their interests and eccentric personalities.

Although The Big Bang Theory contains a lot of advanced, scientific vocabulary, it is written so that anyone can enjoy it, even if you are not a math or science genius!

Related article: Geeks and Snobs: Words for People with Big Hobbies

Glee (musical, comedy, drama)

There are not many sitcoms that are also musicals, but Glee is one of them!

This series, which began in 2009, is about a high school singing club and the lives of its members. Although it is mostly funny, the series also deals with a variety of social issues, including race, sexuality, disability and the complicated relationships of high school and family.

Because music is such an important part of this show, you can get the benefit of learning English through songs, which is a very effective way to practice listening, repetition and memorization.

Black Mirror (science-fiction, drama, thriller)

Black Mirror is best for higher-level students. 

It is an anthology series, which means each episode is a new story with new characters.

Although the episodes are independent, the theme of the series is technology and the strange and scary ways it can be used in the future — and even the present.

Be aware that some of the stories include very intense scenes and themes that some people may find disturbing. If you're not sure if this is for you, we can recommend "San Junipero," which is one of the most famous episodes and has a much lighter tone than many of the others. 

Watching this show will also introduce you to a lot of new vocabulary, especially words related to technology. However, many of the stories take place in situations in which normal, everyday English is used.

Watch and learn

Television shows are not only a source of entertainment, they also give us a look at the cultures that produce them. Through these and other shows, you will have the chance to improve your English while also learning about Western customs, attitudes and ideas about what people think is funny or scary.

From fake documentaries to spooky looks into the future, we hope you can find something interesting and educational on this list!

The post More Than 'Friends': Recommended TV for English Learners appeared first on Engoo Blog.

Many people probably have trouble spelling or even reading long words, such as "ubiquitous" or "accommodate." Yet these are still quite short compared to some other words in English. 

Did you know that the longest word in the English language actually has 45 letters in it? Unbelievable, right?

Today we'll be taking a look at the craziest, longest words in English as well as their meanings. 

Longest Words in the English Language

Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis

Don't worry — you won't be seeing this word every day. This is said to be the longest word in English, with 45 letters in total. It is a rare lung disease caused by inhaling very fine silica dust, which can be found in certain stones, sand, and clay. 

Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia

No, this has nothing to do with hippos. This word actually means "the fear of long words." Ironic, isn't it? "-phobia" is a common suffix meaning "the fear of."

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

Have you seen the Disney movie Mary Poppins? If so, you probably know this word, as it was popularized by the song with the same title. This word is used to describe something that is extraordinary or fantastic.

Antiestablishmentarianism

You might know that "establishment" is a place where people do business, like a shop or restaurant. It can also mean a powerful group, like the government or big companies.

This long word describes when people don't like how things are normally done in things like politics, religion, or society. They want to change these things and don't like the usual ways.

Floccinaucinihilipilification

Here's another word that is rarely used in the English language. "Floccinaucinihilipilification" is the act of considering something as completely worthless or unimportant. 

Honorificabilitudinitatibus

This one is interesting — it's actually a word that was used in a play written by William Shakespeare! It means "the state of being able to achieve honors," or honorableness. 

Incomprehensibilities

This next one is a word you might actually see, but still not so often. "Incomprehensibility" is the state of being very difficult, or impossible, to understand. You might know that "comprehend" means "to understand."

Sesquipedalianism

This one is funny. This word describes a situation where someone uses very long or extreme words in their writing. So if you used all the words we introduced today in your writing, you would be "sesquipedalian," which is the adjective form.

Wrap-up

What are the longest words in your native language? Are they as long as these English words we looked at today?

It should be a relief that we actually rarely use these words in daily conversation. Imagine having to spell these long words in emails or text messages, or having to pronounce them correctly when speaking!

We hope you enjoyed the list. Maybe you can show off your new knowledge in your next English lesson!

The post The Longest English Words That Actually Exist — What Do They Mean? appeared first on Engoo Blog.

When you are talking with others — in English or any other language — make sure your conversations are as good as they can be by following a few tips for better listening. Some tips may seem obvious, but it's often the simplest things that are the most important.

Check out these tips and be sure to use them in your next English chat. Hopefully you're doing at least one or two of them already!

Use body language

A very important part of conversation in any language is to not only listen but to signal to your partner that you are listening. We can do this in a variety of ways.

One is by making eye contact with your conversation partners. This makes a strong connection and lets the other person know that they have your attention.

Keep in mind that while eye contact is important, staring is rude and can make the other person uncomfortable. Therefore, be sure to keep the contact at an appropriate level.

In addition to eye contact, there are other ways that our bodies "speak" during conversations. Are you facing your partner? Listening with your body turned away signals that you are not completely interested or that you are giving some of your attention to something else.

Additionally, folding your arms shows that you are "closed" and perhaps not accepting what your partner is saying. Instead, "open" yourself by turning your body to face them, uncrossing your arms and giving a good amount of eye contact.

Finally, a big way to show that you are interested in your conversation is to put your smartphone away. Trying to speak with others while looking at your phone is disrespectful and a very common problem. Don't do it!

Use backchanneling 

Of course, we also use our voices to show that we are engaged in conversations. After all, if the person you are speaking with remains completely silent, it might mean that they are not very interested — or perhaps not listening at all!

So what do we say while the other person is still talking? Only quick words to show that we are paying attention. This is called "backchanneling," and we've written an article on it already. 

What you say will depend on what your partner has said. Most of the time, you can say things like "OK," "I see" or even "Uh huh," which is only appropriate in informal conversations.

When your partner has shared surprising news, you can say things like "Really?" or "No way!" If they are talking about something sad, you can show sympathy by saying "I'm sorry to hear that."

It's important not to overuse these, but at the appropriate times, they are very helpful in keeping a conversation strong. Pay attention to English conversations from films and TV shows to see backchanneling in action — you may be surprised at how common it is!

Ask questions

When we are interested in something, it's natural for us to want to know more about it. Therefore, great listeners ask questions to get more information about what their partners say.

Instead of using this technique randomly, only ask when you really want to know more; asking questions about unimportant details will only slow down the conversation and possibly annoy your conversation partner.

Jay

Our vacation was fantastic.

Kaye

Oh, yeah? What kinds of things did you do?

Kaye

I've been having problems at work.

Jay

I'm sorry to hear that. What's wrong?

Kaye

I just won $1000 in a contest!

Jay

Wow! What kind of contest? / How are you going to spend the money?

Pay attention

This tip should be obvious, but it's still important to mention. Great conversations require everyone to have an equal chance to speak.

No matter if the situation is formal or informal, interrupting your partner by speaking before they are finished is rude and should be avoided.

Another mistake is thinking about your response instead of listening carefully. Language learners often do this when they are nervous about their skills or need time to think of what to say.

However, you cannot give a good response if you have not heard what your partner has said. So instead of thinking about vocabulary or worrying about grammar, focus on your partner instead.

Paraphrase

Good listeners sometimes repeat parts of what their partner has said but with slightly different words. This is called "paraphrasing."

Paraphrasing helps you confirm that you understand and shows that you are giving your attention to your partner. In most conversations, paraphrasing is done in the form of a question.

Wrap-up

In many cases, listening only is not enough. Instead, the best conversations require using your words and your body to signal that you are interested in and focused on what your partners are saying. This can lead to more enjoyable discussions and deeper connections.

Remember that the tips we've shared here aren't only for people learning languages; using them well can help you have better conversations no matter what language you're speaking.

The post How to Be a Better Listener in Your English Conversations appeared first on Engoo Blog.

We hope you've been taking advantage of our AI study tools. As the power of artificial intelligence continues to grow, we'll continue to use it to improve our service.

This article will introduce some new and different AI features that can help enhance your solo English study experience. Let's take a closer look.

Feature #1: Daily News Read Aloud

The first feature is related to Daily News, our most popular type of learning materials. If you don't already know, Daily News articles allow you to learn vocabulary and expressions by reading interesting news stories from around the world.

Starting immediately, you can have Daily News lessons read aloud to you by an AI voice! Even better, this service provides two different voices, one in American English and one in British English. Now you can practice listening in high-quality, natural English as if a native speaker were reading the article to you.

Although you cannot select which of the voices you will hear, you can choose from five different audio speeds, so you can study at the pace that is just right for you.

Feature #2: Listen to audio from role-play sessions

When you use your own voice when practicing with the AI role-play tool*, you can now listen back to recordings of what you've said. To do so, just click on the speaker icon at the bottom of your word balloon.

This feature can help you practice and improve your speaking skills by learning where you are strong and the areas where you can still improve.

*This tool requires registering an account.

Feature #3: Download lesson recordings

The last feature we'd like to highlight is not directly related to AI, but it is something that has been requested by users for a long time.

Previously, lesson recordings were only available on the site, but many learners wanted the freedom to download and listen to them any time they wanted.

Now you can! Downloads will allow you to review lessons at your own pace and to study wherever and whenever you like.

Wrap-up

As technology allows us to do more tasks easily, the options you have for self-study continue to increase. We hope these new features will make your study sessions more effective and convenient.

However, remember that communicating with other people is the real goal. So we encourage you to use these features to build your skills and confidence so you're more prepared to have real conversations with our excellent tutors and with English speakers wherever you meet them.

The post Improve Your Self-Study with Our New AI Tools appeared first on Engoo Blog.