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Improve English Pronunciation with Tongue Twisters, Part 3

Shana Goodwin, August 15, 2022

As I have written in previous posts in this series, one great way to practice pronunciation is to learn tongue twisters – they are fun, challenging to the brain, and can show you which sounds you have a hard time pronouncing. Two sounds that can be especially difficult for native Spanish speakers who are learning English are “b” and “v,” because in Spanish, the two letters are pronounced almost identically...

Bored or Boring: What’s the Difference?

Shana Goodwin, July 12, 2022

Fortunately, there’s a pretty simple explanation: -ed adjectives usually describe emotions, or the way someone or something is feeling. And -ing adjectives usually describe the thing that is causing that emotion or feeling...

New at Primavera: Duolingo English Test Prep Classes!

Shana Goodwin, May 16, 2022

Primavera English is now offering classes to help our students prepare for the Duolingo English Test! Accepted by thousands of universities in North America, Europe, and Australia, this is an English proficiency test that can be taken online, on demand, and takes only about an hour to complete. We have designed our personalized course to help you reach your goals as you prepare to take the test...

What Is the TOEFL, and When Should I Take It?

Shana Goodwin, February 19, 2022

If you’re planning to study or live abroad, you may need to consider preparing for and taking the TOEFL iBT test. This test is the most widely used English language proficiency test in the world, and is known to be extremely rigorous. It is important to give yourself plenty of time to prepare for this test: it’s not easy!

“Be” or “Have”?

Shana Goodwin, January 17, 2022

Which one is correct: “I have twenty-four years” or “I am twenty-four”? Native Spanish speakers who are learning English often confuse the verbs “be” and “have” when talking about age. This is because in Spanish, the verb “tener” (to have) is used (“tengo veinticuatro años”), so it’s natural to simply translate this into “I have twenty-four years.” Unfortunately, however, this is incorrect. In English, the verb “be” (ser/estar) is used when talking about age: “I am twenty-four.”

The Difference between “For” and “To”

Shana Goodwin, November 18, 2021

The simplest explanation for knowing when to use “to” or “for” when talking about a reason or function is that “for” is followed by a noun or gerund, and “to” is followed by a verb. Examples: The ciclovía is a great place for walking and biking. The ciclovía is a great place to walk and bike...

Restroom or Bathroom?

Shana Goodwin, November 8, 2021

Almost all of my students have asked me this at some point: What’s the difference between “restroom” and “bathroom”? When should I use each? The answer is very simple: in my own house, I use “bathroom,” but when I’m in other people’s houses, or in public, I say “restroom.” ...

How to Use “Since”

Shana Goodwin, October 15, 2021

In my classes with adults, or in my TOEFL prep classes, I often hear students confusing their usage of the words “since,” “from,” and “for.” “Since” is used to express the time duration for an action or state that started in the past and is still continuing in the present. It is used with the present perfect continuous or present perfect simple tenses...

The Difference between In and On

Shana Goodwin, August 26, 2021

In Spanish, the preposition “en” is used to indicate position in space or time. But in English, there are two prepositions that replace “en”: in and on. It can be difficult to know which one to use when, and although they are often interchangeable, here are a few general guidelines...

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