From surgeons to CEOs, we have had the pleasure of teaching students from many professional backgrounds in our CISL Intensive, Business, and Premier classes! Today on the CISL Blog we are looking at Marketing Vocabulary, which is something our business, advertising, and sales students need. As you can see, however, you don’t necessarily need to be...
Category: <span>Living & Traveling in San Francisco</span>
The 5 best San Francisco Instagram accounts
Are you an Instagram lover? With over 400 million users worldwide, who isn’t??? Instagram is an excellent way to connect with people from your community (and learn a little more about your new community while you are studying English in SF). Here are 5 accounts you should follow if you are a CISL SF student....
Useful Expressions and Vocabulary for CAE and FCE Speaking Part 1
At CISL San Diego and San Francisco, we are proud of how well we prepare our Cambridge ESOL (FCE & CAE) students: our wonderful teachers make sure that students have the language skills necessary to excel, and the numerous practice exams in our test preparation classes ensure that students completely understand the test requirements and format. Today we are looking...
Visit Santa Barbara! (And learn some Cali slang)
The road trip possibilities for a CISL San Diego or San Francisco student are endless! From crazy Las Vegas to relaxing wine tasting in Napa, there is always something fun to do in beautiful California. Today we are looking at one of the most stunning places in the state: Santa Barbara. It’s good enough for...
Business English: Making Formal Requests
Many languages have a formal and informal way of expressing oneself. Do you know how to formally and politely ask for something? People who use English in business settings must do this often. Let’s take a look at some useful phrases to help you get your way.* Making Formal Requests in Business English Would it...
Great Wine Tasting Locations in SD and SF (+ “Taste” as a Non-Action and Action Verb)
The wine tasting options for San Diego and San Francisco students are endless: from Temecula to Napa to Sonoma, students are surrounded by wine! If you don’t have the time to take a trip out of the city but still want a glass of something delicious, trust us: you will not go thirsty! Both San...
Slang from the U.S. South + Delicious Southern food in SD and SF
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...
Business English: Formally addressing someone
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...
Grammar Lesson of the Month: Defining and Non-Defining Relative Clauses (+ Choosing the right proficiency exam)
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...
IELTS Reading T/F/Not Given Tips + San Francisco’s Cartoon Art Museum
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...