Today we are looking at phrasal verbs that inspire us to continue something . . . even when we want to stop. To do so, we are using three phrasal verbs that mean “continue”: keep on, carry on, and go on. Use these to inspire yourself or your friends to keep on when they lose...
Tag: <span>Learn English San Francisco</span>
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Celebrating Alcatraz with English “jail” expressions
This month, CISL is celebrating one of the coolest tourist attractions in San Francisco: Alcatraz! In honor of this historic locale, we have a list of some common English expressions that are associated with crime and jail. How many of these do you know? English “jail” expressions “Ball and chain” Originally the name for the...
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A Day at Golden Gate Park
Of the 220 parks and green spaces that San Francisco boasts, Golden Gate Park is perhaps the most well-known: 13 million people visit each year! Music theaters, museums, botanical gardens, lakes, tennis courts, bird watching areas . . . there is something for everyone in San Francisco’s most famous park. Following are suggestions for a...
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The Best Coffee Shops in San Francisco
Seattle may be the U.S. city most often associated with coffee (it was the birthplace of Starbucks!) but San Francisco’s laid-back coffee shops serving up delicious roasts give Seattle a run for its money.* Check out some of these excellent coffee shops while you are studying English in San Francisco. *run for its money =...
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International Student Life: Exercising in the U.S.
When you are studying English in California, there is so much to do: new cities to visit, road trips to take, restaurants to try, and a million places to shop, see, and explore. We are proud that many CISL students also take time out of their schedules to stay fit. San Diego and San Francisco...
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Relaxed pronunciation in English (and great weekend activities in SD and SF)
The English language loves contractions. “Cannot” becomes “can’t” and “will not” becomes “won’t”; “its” and “it’s” and “he’s” and “she’s” are all commonly used words that actually are two words combined. Another way of combining words is to use relaxed pronunciation. This is the combination of two words into one, and is used often in...
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Cold weather clothing vocabulary (and the coziest cafes in SD and SF)
If you have experienced a “California winter” while studying English in San Francisco or San Diego, then you have probably needed to bundle up a little. The temperatures in California are nowhere near the cold temperatures that other parts of the country, Europe, or Asia experience . . . but they are chilly enough that you...
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English Tense 8 of 12: The Future Continuous (and Taco Tuesday in PB)
We cannot think of a better day to talk about the future than January 1st. The new year is ahead of us: everyone seems to be focusing on what is to come, and forgetting about the past. To celebrate the beginning of 2014 (and to continue with our series on the 12 English tenses) we...
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How to be the perfect homestay student
When deciding to live in the United States and study English in San Francisco or San Diego, there is one big decision to make: homestay, or residence hall? Both have their advantages! In a homestay, you have the opportunity to interact with Americans constantly, and you get a glimpse into American life. It is a...
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Holiday Shopping in SD and SF (and Collocations with “Give”)
The holidays mean delicious foods, warm drinks, celebrations with friends and family . . . and shopping! There are plenty of great places to go shopping in San Francisco and San Diego, and today we will take a look at some of the best places to go shopping for Christmas gifts. But first, let’s take...