Have you ever heard the expression “as American as apple pie?” This expression is an example of a phrase in English that compares two things. It uses the following formula: noun + be verb + as + adjective + as +  noun Here are some more examples: My dog is as old as my cat. Have you tried skateboarding?...
Many people live by the motto “No regrets,” but sometimes we need to express at least a minor regret or mistake in English. How do we do so? There are two phrases in English to express regret: “I wish” and “If only.” Both of these phrases are followed by the Past Perfect, which uses the...
One of the best things you can do to improve your English skills is to read in English; however, during the reading process, there are many times that you encounter words you do not know. CISL is proud to offer a new tool to help improve your English reading skills while reading: an app called...
The warm weather months are here, and that means summer clothes! Before you go shopping at one of the great malls or shopping centers in San Diego or San Francisco, make sure that you know your summer clothing vocabulary in English. The following list includes some of the clothing items you might wear this summer....
California. There is not enough to say about this great state and how much fun it is to live here! From the beautiful beaches, the food, the wine, and the museums to the outdoors, the nightlife, and parks . . . there are just too many fun things to list as reasons we love the Golden State....
It’s or its? You’re or your? They’re or their or there? Today on the CISL Blog, we are looking at commonly misused words in English. Many of these words are misused by both native and non-native speakers! Commonly confused words in English It’s and its It’s is a contraction and means “it is,” while its is a...
Taking a test on your English skills can be very intimidating. Even after our CISL students prepare for their IELTS, TOEFL, CAE, or FCE classes, there is always the chance that something “horrible” can happen the day of the test: the student doesn’t understand the question. Oh no! Do not worry: we have the tips to...
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...
It is time for the Grammar Lesson of the Month! This May, CISL is focusing on Tag Questions, beginning with today’s post on two of the more common Tag Questions: those using the “be” and “do” verbs. Before we talk about Tag Questions . . . . what does tag mean? “Tag” Definitions “Tag” is...
When preparing for your upcoming Cambridge CAE or FCE test, you should of course try to prepare for everything. Test format? Check. Comfortable talking about yourself, your hobbies, and your experiences? Check. Practice writing thesis statements and great topic sentences for the writing section? Check and check! There is one thing, however, that you may...
