October is synonymous with fall, so it is the perfect month to look at the word FALL and its many uses! Today we are looking at a famous song, “I’m Falling For You” by Colbie Caillat, and then looking at five phrasal verbs with the word “fall.” Caillat was born in Malibu, so she is...
The Present Perfect is a common English tense, but do you know all of its uses? Today we are reviewing several Present Perfect uses, and then taking a look at how to use the Present Perfect with recently completed actions. Many students know to use the Present Perfect with EXPERIENCES. [has/have + past participle]...
What is your favorite YouTube video? We all have a few Internet videos that we love. Some make us laugh, others make us think . . . whatever they are, the videos are probably very popular. When a video becomes popular, we use the expression TO GO VIRAL. This means that the video’s popularity increases...
Have you been to Old Town San Diego? If you are looking for a slice of San Diego history (with a side of tasty Mexican food), then this neighborhood is for you! According to the Old Town website, “Old Town San Diego is considered to be the “birthplace” of California. San Diego is the site of...
CISL has written several articles on California slang and the California accent, American English vs. British English, and Northern California vs. Southern California slang . . . but we have never looked at one of the most well-known dialects in the U.S.: the South! Today we are looking at some Southern slang that is also...
Formalities are important in both written and spoken English. Do you know how to properly address someone in English when you meet them in person or write to them in an email? The level of formality and appropriate greeting depend on if you know the person and how well you know them. Read on to...
Students are often confused about when to use THAT and when to use WHICH in a Relative Clause. Do you know when to use each, and when to use commas with a Relative Clause? The CISL Blog is exploring this, then using Relative Clauses to help you decide between the English proficiency tests that we...
CISL is proud to offer intensive Monday-Friday classes to help our students prepare for the IELTS exam. In addition, on the CISL Blog we often look at test tips and practice questions. In this post, we are focusing on the IELTS Reading Test and one question type that is very difficult for many students: the...
Are you preparing for the IELTS test? The best way to prepare for the IELTS test is to familiarize yourself with the test format and then practice, practice, practice . . . particularly with the Reading portion of the test, which many students find difficult. Before you begin studying for the IELTS Reading test, make sure...
If you want to sound like a Californian, there are a few things you have to master: pronunciation and slang. CISL has covered California slang in several articles: check out our articles on Northern California vs. Southern California Slang, California Slang Words, Five Important California Slang Words, and the word Gnarly. These posts provide you with a...
