Lessons

Latest from John Wilson

Speaking

Direct and indirect questions: how to ask politely

Learn direct vs indirect questions in English: the word-order shift, dropping do/does/did, using if/whether, polite openers, and the mistakes to avoid.

Speaking

Numbers, dates and times: saying them the natural way

Learn how native English speakers really say numbers, years, dates, times, phone numbers and prices out loud, plus the British vs American…

Grammar

Comparatives and superlatives: bigger, better, the best

Learn comparatives and superlatives in English: when to add -er/-est, when to use more/most, irregulars like good/better/best, plus "than" vs "then".

Writing

Passive voice: when to use it (and when to avoid it)

The passive voice isn't bad grammar, it's a misused tool. Learn when the passive is the right choice and how to spot…

Grammar

The four conditionals: zero, first, second and third

Zero, first, second, third conditionals made simple: the exact form of each, when to use it, and how to stop putting will…

Learning Tips

How to think in English and stop translating in your head

Stuck translating in your head before you speak? Learn why it slows you down and the simple daily habits that build real…

Learning Tips

How to learn English from films and TV shows (the right way)

Watching Netflix won't make you fluent by itself. Here's how to really learn English from films and TV: the subtitle ladder, shadowing…

Grammar

Relative clauses: who, which, that, whose and where

Master relative clauses in English: who, which, that, whose and where, plus the comma rule for defining vs non-defining clauses and when…

Grammar

Question tags: how to use “…, isn’t it?” naturally

Question tags made simple: the mirror rule (positive-negative), matching the auxiliary and tense, the tricky special cases, and the intonation twist.

Vocabulary

Prefixes and suffixes: the fastest way to grow your English vocabulary

Learn how English prefixes and suffixes let you decode and build thousands of words, plus why it's "impossible" not "unpossible". Grow vocabulary…