MicroEnglish

Lots of B1 learners pause over “Monday or mondays”. This short practice page helps you choose accurately between Monday, Mondays: one quick question and the slip to watch for. Try it Select the sentence that refers to a single upcoming event. We inspect the fire alarms on Mondays. We inspect the fire alarms on Monday. We inspect the fire alarms on Monday's. Show the answer B. We inspect the fire alarms on Monday. — The singular noun without an apostrophe identifies one specific day on the calendar. Want more like this? Try the full lesson free . Common slip A common slip is choosing “We inspect the fire alarms on Mondays”. It sounds close, but the better answer is “We inspect the fire alarms on Monday”. Read the question again and ask what it is really testing. Practise it free Listen, type what you hear and test yourself in the full lesson: Monday or Mondays: Choose the Right Form on MicroEnglish . Originally on microenglish.com · Lesson 1603 · All MicroEnglish channel...

Lots of B1 learners pause over stative verbs. This short practice page helps you decide whether a verb expresses a state or an action so you select the correct simple or continuous form in conversation and writing: one quick question and the slip to watch for. Try it Which sentence describes an established condition rather than an active process? The regional manager understands the updated safety protocol. The regional manager is printing the updated safety protocol. The regional manager is explaining the updated safety protocol. Show the answer A. The regional manager understands the updated safety protocol. — Understand describes an ongoing state of knowledge, so it remains in the simple present. Want more like this? Try the full lesson free . Common slip A common slip is choosing “The regional manager is explaining the updated safety protocol”. It sounds close, but the better answer is “The regional manager understands the updated safety protocol”. Read the question again a...

Lots of B1 learners pause over “In or within”. This short practice page helps you choose in or within accurately when setting deadlines, describing physical boundaries, or specifying distance and amounts: one quick question and the slip to watch for. Try it Choose the sentence that describes a simple location without drawing attention to borders. The extra monitors are in room 402. The extra monitors must remain within room 402. The extra monitors were delivered within room 402. Show the answer A. The extra monitors are in room 402. — In indicates where the monitors are stored without emphasizing physical borders or rules. Want more like this? Try the full lesson free . Common slip A common slip is choosing “The extra monitors must remain within room 402”. It sounds close, but the better answer is “The extra monitors are in room 402”. Read the question again and ask what it is really testing. Practise it free Listen, type what you hear and test yourself in the full lesson: In...

Lots of B1 learners pause over material nouns. This short practice page helps you identify material nouns in everyday contexts and decide whether to use noncount grammar, measurement words, or count forms: one quick question and the slip to watch for. Try it Which sentence treats the noun as a raw material rather than a counted object? She bought a new iron to press her business shirts. The heavy gate is forged from iron to prevent rust. He picked up three smooth irons from the tool rack. Show the answer B. The heavy gate is forged from iron to prevent rust. — In this sentence, iron refers to the metal substance itself, so it acts as a noncount material noun without an article. Want more like this? Try the full lesson free . Common slip A common slip is choosing “She bought a new iron to press her business shirts”. It sounds close, but the better answer is “The heavy gate is forged from iron to prevent rust”. Read the question again and ask what it is really testing. Practise ...

Lots of B2 learners pause over relative adverbs. This short practice page helps you choose accurately between where, when: one quick question and the slip to watch for. Try it Which relative adverb correctly completes: 'Do you remember the day ___ we signed the lease?' when where why Show the answer A. when — The noun 'day' specifies a point on the calendar, which requires 'when' to connect the action. Want more like this? Try the full lesson free . Common slip A common slip is saying “Do you remember the day where we signed the lease?” when you mean “Do you remember the day when we signed the lease?”. Say both versions out loud once: the second is the one to keep. Practise it free Listen, type what you hear and test yourself in the full lesson: Relative adverbs: choose with confidence on MicroEnglish . Originally on microenglish.com · Lesson 1509 · All MicroEnglish channels

Lots of A2 learners pause over “I or me”. This short practice page helps you choose accurately between I and me in speech and writing, especially when pairing yourself with another person: one quick question and the slip to watch for. Try it Which sentence correctly uses the subject pronoun to describe who is ready? Me am ready to welcome our guests. I am ready to welcome our guests. Me is ready to welcome our guests. Show the answer B. I am ready to welcome our guests. — The speaker is the subject describing a state, so the correct pronoun is I. Want more like this? Try the full lesson free . Common slip A common slip is saying “Me am ready to welcome our guests” when you mean “I am ready to welcome our guests”. Say both versions out loud once: the second is the one to keep. Practise it free Listen, type what you hear and test yourself in the full lesson: I or me: Choose the Right Pronoun on MicroEnglish . Originally on microenglish.com · Lesson 1485 · All MicroEnglish cha...

Lots of B1 learners pause over possessive determiners. This short practice page helps you identify who owns or connects to a person, place, or object: three worked examples, one quick question and the slip to watch for. Three worked examples Marcus left his laptop charger on our conference table. Why: Marcus is one man, so his shows the charger is his; our shows the table belongs to the speaker's team. The twins packed their lunches before the school bus arrived. Why: Their matches a plural owner, the twins, and comes straight before the noun lunches. The company updated its holiday policy in March. Why: Its is the possessive for a thing or organisation, with no apostrophe. Try it You want to mention a laptop that belongs to your manager, Elena. Which sentence is correct? Elena forgot her laptop in the conference room. Elena forgot their laptop in the conference room. Elena forgot its laptop in the conference room. Show the answer A. Elena forgot her laptop in the conference...

Use me after contact when another person is asked to contact you, and use myself only when it refers back to I or adds personal emphasis. Example Please contact me if you need directions to our community center. Watch the lesson ▶️ Watch “Please contact me or myself: Which is correct?” on YouTube Quick check You are writing a flyer for a neighborhood repair event. Which sentence correctly asks visitors to reach you? Please contact me with questions about broken appliances. Please contact myself with questions about broken appliances. Please contact to me with questions about broken appliances. Check your answer in the lesson. Practise it free Listen, type what you hear and test yourself in the full lesson: Please contact me or myself: Which is correct? on MicroEnglish . A new short English lesson every day — follow MicroEnglish: all our channels · YouTube . Originally published at https://microenglish.com/micro-listenings/please-contact-me-or-myself-which-is-correct-listening-pr...

Short sentences are easy. Joining them is where English starts to sound natural, and where many learners stop and guess. Four small words do most of the work: and , but , because and so . The trick is to ask one question: what is the second idea doing? Ask what the second idea does And adds another fact that goes in the same direction. But shows a contrast or a surprise. Because gives the reason for the first idea. So shows the result of the first idea. Four examples I bought some bread and I made sandwiches for lunch. (addition) I was tired, but I finished my homework. (contrast) She stayed at home because it was raining. (reason) It was raining, so she stayed at home. (result) Look at examples 3 and 4. They describe the same situation. Because comes just before the reason; so comes just before the result. If you can swap the two halves and switch the word, you chose the right one. Two quick tips Put a comma before but and so when they join two full sentences. You...

This is a companion article for the MicroEnglish lesson on What above board means in business English . What above board means When you do business, you want to know that other people are telling the truth. The English idiom above board describes an action, process, or agreement that is completely honest and open. When something is above board, there are no secret tricks, hidden charges, or deceptive plans. Everyone involved knows the facts they need to know. You often hear this phrase with the verb be or keep. For instance, people say that a deal is above board, or they promise to keep a process above board. The grammar is fixed. You should never add the word the between above and board. Saying above the board only describes physical position in a room, not honesty. Notice also that people often say an agreement seems above board. This word choice is helpful when you have good evidence of honesty, but you do not want to make an absolute guarantee. It keeps your judgment balanced and c...