Catrine Bergeron

“Are one-word answers OK?” “No.” (Haha! Just kidding…) Here’s an essential rule to remember to sound competent when speaking English —and you do want to sound competent when speaking English, don’t you? Yes, of course, you do! So, keep reading… Today’s tip is actually a follow-up to a couple of my FB posts back in October, the first of which ended…

Hot Vocabulary! So, here I am, after a week of not writing. It’s Monday morning, which could be a bit of a downer, but with the vocabulary tips I’m going to give you here, you’re going to start this week on a high note. So, a few months ago… back in September, I posted a vocabulary lesson […]

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Another Piece of Cake…and More! It’s Friday! So, to GET the weekend STARTED, we’re going to take another quick look at that lovely little expression, “A piece of cake”, and then I’m going to introduce a couple more expressions that have a similar style. In my post on Wednesday I talked about how a good English teacher has got,…

Learning English is a Piece of Cake! So, you’re interested in learning English. And you’re looking for a teacher. A good teacher. But what can a good English teacher do for you…? First, on the technical side: • Teach you new grammar and vocabulary • Give you guided opportunities to use grammar and vocabulary that you already know •…

Can video games be good for your mental health? Yes! So, to kick off the week, here’s something fascinating to listen that contradicts the standard line of thought that video games are bad for you. As a woman in her 40′s with a son in his tweens, I’ve never questioned the idea that video games are bad for you, and especially bad for kids– bad […]…

Ask Questions without Apologies! So, last week I GOT TO do something really great… You do remember, right? When you GET TO do something, it means that it’s an opportunity– not an obligation. If you’re not clear on that point go back and check out my post from January 13th. So, as I was saying– something great… I was […]

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What kind of moment is it for you? So, to get the week started, we’re going to TAKE A LOOK BACK AT (to take a look back at = review or revise) a couple of words that we learned a week or so ago, and then add a couple more words that fit in with them. So, do you remember the two expressions […]

The post What kind of moment is it…

- Catrine Bergeron Obligation or opportunity? Let’s take a quick look at “have to” and “get to”. So, one aspect of English that really drives my students crazy is how we seem to use the verb “GET” basically all the time, everywhere. How can one word mean so many different things? And it’s true– there are hundreds…

So, how did it go?! (And other key questions for your English) So, as an English teacher, I’ve got a list of my favorite tricks for my students. The idea is that you take a concept in English– grammar, or syntax, or whatever, and you turn it into a strategy to make your English sound great right away. Now, I am a big believer in hitting the […]

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It’s time to get down to work! Get the job done! Get on the ball! No more procrastinating! It’s time to get on the ball! Right…? Or maybe not. Maybe it’s just time to have another beer, change the channel, send a what’sapp and relax. Is it really so important to GET THINGS DONE? Well, today we are going to GET A FEW OF THINGS DONE, but just a few. […]

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It’s time to get on the ball! So yesterday I promised you an explanation of what the “ball” is, FIGURATIVELY SPEAKING. As with most things, it depends. It depends on the context. Here are some common idiomatic expressions that center around “the ball” or “a ball”, and their meanings. Get on the ball! This is what you say to…

Vocabulary Trick of the Day Today I’ve got a great pair of vocabulary words for you, starting with one that’s perfect for for this particular day of the year… Today–what’s special about today? Well, here in Spain today is like a second Christmas– another religious holiday celebrated with gift-giving and family get-togethers.…

Speak better English by using fillers, now! So, a couple of months ago–it was October 7th, to be exact– I introduced the very important subject of FILLERS. Fillers are the little extra words that make your English sound relaxed and fluent. This is what I wrote back then: “Today’s topic is one of my favorites—it’s something I insist on with…

Fun or funny? So, learning English– fun or funny? So, yesterday I gave you the link to a REALLY PRETTY FUNNY YouTube video. (In case you missed it–here’s the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7_VfuclQTs) I hope you YOU HAD FUN watching it. Say what? Those two words, FUNNY and FUN, so similar and yet REALLY…

Your Accent is not an Issue, but Pronunciation…! Accent not an issue, but pronunciation…! So, one thing I always tell my students not to worry about is your accent. But that doesn’t mean not to worry about how your English sounds. What it means is that the key to sounding great in English is to focus on PRONUNCIATION and INTONATION. These are…

I’ve always been a huge fan of language chunks! So, in yesterday’s I SLIPPED IN a great language chunk. Did you catch it? Go back and read it again– we’ve got time. What I had to say about that great podcast, Radiolab… You saw it this time, didn’t you? I said that I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A HUGE FAN OF the Radiolab podcast, MEANING […]

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Darkode, the Cyber-crime Forum TO KNOW ABOUT! So, you’ve got a computer? And you’ve got pictures, files, videos, that, um, are REALLY PRETTY important to you on it? Well, then you had better pay attention to this post. It’s a podcast recommendation, which sounds banal enough, but once you’ve heard it, you’ll won’t walk–you will run! to back up…

Another English Language Booster for You OK, so to kick off the weekend… Today we’re going to look at another quick way to make your English sound better. And we’re going to take a look at Marta’s great sentence using one those little language chunks that are so important for polished, elegant sentences. Here’s a quick review… A few weeks…

Here’s a useful language chunk for you! Today I have a couple of useful “language chunks” for you. Some teachers call them “language sandwiches”. LET ME START BY EXPLAINING what “language chunks” are. They’re little groups of words that fit really well together to make handy expressions that you can use in almost any conversation…

More great vocabulary! OK, so, today’s English language tip builds directly on yesterday’s vocabulary expanding bonanza. What does that mean? It means that if you haven’t had a chance to read yesterday’s tip yet, scroll down now and CHECK IT OUT. Got it? Yes, that’s right right. We talked more about those handy pairs of…

So, it’s Monday morning and I promised you that I would LIGHTEN my tone for today’s .

Vocabulary Monday - Catrine Bergeron A review of an important English vocabulary concept .

Oh, wow! Look! It’s Friday the 13th! Are you superstitious? I’m not, so let’s move on…

Today we have a quick, fun expression that builds on yesterday’s idea of Barcelona being a city that is challenging to live in, ECONOMICALLY SPEAKING. (If that doesn’t ring a bell for you, or if it sounds vaguely familiar, but it’s REALLY PRETTY HAZY, then go back and read or re-read it.)

So, as everybody knows, the price for housing (housing = ‘vivienda’) here in Barcelona is REALLY PRETTY high. And if you bought a piece of property in the early 2000’s, before 2008, well, you probably PAID AN ARM AND A LEG for it.

What?! Pay for a place to live with body parts?! Relax, it’s just an expression. It means to pay A LOT of money for something. Like paying ‘un ojo de la cara’ in Spanish.

So, for example, the food at El Bulli was magnificent, but the IT COST AN ARM AND A LEG to eat there.

And I would love to have an iPhone 6S Plus, but I’M NOT WILLING TO PAY AN ARM AND A LEG just to communicate on the run.

And most seriously, many underprivileged people in developing countries will do anything to have a chance to move to the West, including PAYING AN ARM AND A LEG to human smugglers to get here. So sadly, often they don’t make it here alive. Remember the Hungarian chicken truck found in Austria a few months ago? Filled with dead refugees? Those poor people had PAID AN ARM AND A LEG to try to get into Europe, but they ended up paying the highest price of all.

Oh, jeez, at the start of the post I actually used the word “fun” to describe today’s tip. Dead refugees are not fun. Not at all. Sorry. Monday I’ll be sure to LIGHTEN the tone.

Have a good weekend.

So, a little over a week ago (on November 3rd, to be precise) I showed how to use a nice little formula to frame a statement. It’s a quick trick to make an idea sound intelligent. It was to combine an adverb with the word, ‘speaking’, as in ARTISTICALLY SPEAKING or CULTURALLY SPEAKING, among many others. Today we’re going to take another look at it.

Here are some examples of how it works. You have an idea, and you want to make it sound sophisticated and intelligent. Try this:

1. Barcelona has some REALLY PRETTY great architecture.

>> ARCHITECTURALLY SPEAKING, Barcelona has so much to offer.

2. When my parents got divorced I cried and cried.

>> My parents’ divorce was REALLY PRETTY difficult for me, EMOTIONALLY SPEAKING.

3. This city is so expensive to live in!

>> It’s quite a challenge to live in Barcelona, ECONOMICALLY SPEAKING.

Ok, so here’s something new: you, yes, you, there reading this post, send in another example of one these sets of sentences in the comments section and I’ll feature the best one in a post next week. Come on, use your imagination—it’ll be fun!

See you!

Ok, so I promised you a quiz today. What, you don’t like quizzes? Well, as a matter of fact, tests, exams and quizzes (quiz = mini-exam) are actually a great way to consolidate learning. So think of them as a fun opportunity to solidify your knowledge, not as a pain in the neck.

Choose a word from the following list to answer the questions below. There are more words than answers, so be careful.

HUGE / TINY / CHAOTIC / GO-TO / OP-SEC / RESOURCE / LIGHTEN / RESOURCEFUL / ROM-COM / HARDEN / WIDEN / HAZY / BADMOUTH / RESOURCEFULNESS

1. What’s that funny, little word, an abbreviation, which we use to refer to all the steps you need to take to protect yourself online from hackers, stalkers, and spies? (See September 3rd’s tip)

2. There are 2 little letters that we can put on the end of some adjectives to turn them into verbs. Do you remember? Like, what’s the verb that means ‘to make something lighter’? (See October 28th’s tip)

3. What’s that funny, little word, an abbreviation, which we use to refer to a movie or TV show that’s supposed to make you laugh and that’s about 2 people who have to overcome all kinds of obstacles to be together? At the end of the story they live happily ever after? (See November 2nd’s tip)

4. So, what’s the word for very, very big? (See September 29th’s tip)

5. Next to last question (‘next to last’ = ‘penultimo’) here. What’s the adjective we use to describe something that’s always very useful? Like when a particular situation comes up, what’s the word we use for that one thing or person we always turn to help us out? (See October 21st’s tip)

6. Ok, for this one there are 3 answers. First what’s the word, a noun, for something that we all need and use? Then, what’s the adjective for a person who has lots of ideas and solutions for difficult situations? And finally, what’s the noun that we use to refer to this personal characteristic of having lots of ideas and solutions? (See September 21st’s tip)

See you tomorrow!

One of the keys to good relationships, in the both the personal and professional realms, is EMPATHY, which is the capacity to put yourself in someone else’s place and imagine how they feel.

Now then, how to empathize is outside my realm expertise. Go read a good self-help book if you need guidance in that area. But how to COMMUNICATE EMPATHY? I’ve got you covered. Here’s how:

Somebody tells you about an experience that they’ve had. You choose an adjective to describe their experience. You put the expression, “THAT MUST HAVE BEEN…” in front of the adjective. And there you have it.

Let’s take a look at an example:

Somebody: “Last year I spent hours everyday studying to take the First Certificate Exam. Then I took the exam, and I ended up doing REALLY PRETTY well on it!”

You: “Oh, wow! Great! THAT MUST HAVE BEEN so satisfying for you!”

One more:

Somebody: “When I was 16 my parents got divorced.”
You: Oh, wow! THAT MUST HAVE BEEN REALLY PRETTY hard for you, EMOTIONALLY SPEAKING.”

OK, tomorrow I’ve got a quiz lined up for you, so get plenty of sleep tonight and see you then!

So, last week REALLY PRETTY busy for me, and I didn’t have a chance to post any tips. I know THAT MUST HAVE BEEN hard for you guys, so this week I’m going to make it up to you in a big way! Here goes:

So, I want you to notice that I used the expression “REALLY PRETTY busy”. That’s a combination of 2 adverbs for one adjective, and the adjectives technically contradict each other. (REALLY meaning “muy” in this context, and PRETTY meaning “bastante”.)

You did see my tip from November 2nd on how we use PRETTY as an adverb, didn’t you? If not, go back now to check it out!

So, what’s going on here? How can we say that something is “muy, bastante ocupada”? Well, in English we can and we do. All the time. It’s a REALLY PRETTY common way to qualify things. We say REALLY because it reflects the truth. In this case my week was REALLY (very) busy. Then we add PRETTY to soften the statement. We don’t want to risk sounding dramatic, even if the situation is in fact, dramatic.

Do you have a friend who is very intelligent? Say, “She’s REALLY PRETTY smart.”
Did you see a movie that was very good? Say, “It was REALLY PRETTY good.”
Is the weather very warm for November? Say, “It’s REALLY PRETTY warm.”

You get the idea. Use this tip today! Nobody will look at you weird because you’ll sound so normal. This is how we talk!

Now I know you’re all dying to know to use the expression THAT MUST HAVE BEEN and tomorrow I’ll tell you! See you then…

So, yesterday's tip was pretty interesting, wasn't it? What's that? You haven't had a chance to read it yet? Well, it would be pretty silly of you to miss it, so just scroll right up and read it.

OK, for today I want to introduce a key concept to English learners who are native Spanish, Catalan, Italian, French and Portuguese speakers. ANALOGOUS STRUCTURES. It's a funny, fancy expression which basically translates into, "You can speak English at much higher level than you think." Why? Because STRUCTURALLY SPEAKING, English has so much in common with the aforementioned languages.

Case in point: You can frame some pretty sophisticated ideas by starting your sentences with any of the following expressions.

Politically speaking, ...
Academically speaking, ...
Architecturally speaking, ...
Artistically speaking, ...
Culturally speaking, ...
Realistically speaking, ...
Economically speaking, ...

OK, so, you get the idea. For 'homework' I want you to finish a couple of these sentence-starters in your head and tomorrow we'll look at them some more.

This post may be pretty confusing-- read on! So, what do I have against Julia Roberts? Well, I haven't been excited about one of her movies since her debut in Mystic Pizza, but that's not it. It's the title of her biggest film, that silly rom-com about a pr******te and a really handsome gray-haired guy. You know the one...

Why? Because of the way that movie title has contaminated the minds of so many hardworking English learners. PRETTY is not just an adjective! It's actually much more common like this:

"My English isn't perfect, but it's pretty good. I'm certainly able to express myself."

Yes, PRETTY is an adverb meaning 'bastante'. That's how you hear most! PRETTY is pretty much always used as an adverb, in fact. The other meaning is actually pretty secondary in mind.

OK, I'll be back with more examples and ideas soon...

So, it's already Friday again! Ahhh! A great day for a quiz, or as we like to say in teaching, a progress check (calling certain things by other names can SOFTEN their power over us, don't you think?)
1. OK, so you overhear some co-workers saying nasty (negative) things about the company. What do you do?
A. Join in on the conversation. Badmouthing the company is fun and great stress relief.
B. Report their badmouthing to the HR department. What's bad for the company is bad for you.
C. Go up to them and whisper, "Guys, you're talking too loud. When badmouthing the company, discretion has to be a top priority."
2. We just recently looked at how to create a verb from an adjective. What's the verb for the following?
A. To make something weaker: ___________
B. To make something tighter: __________
C. To make something straighter: _________
3. Now use the verbs you just formed to fill in the blanks.
A. If your teeth are crooked you can go to the orthodontist to get braces to _________ them.
B. If you're trying to loose weight by eating less,the smell of fresh baked cookies might __________ your resolve.
C. During the economic downturn (in English we don't like the word 'crisis' -- too negative) many companies and public entities have had to __________ their budgets.