English as a Second Language Blog

What is the meaning of..?

Wed, 26 Dec 2012 16:58:40 -0600

Many students arriving in US have difficulties understanding the meaning of phrases that do not fit logically into standard translations of their languages. So, if someone says, “Yes, I hear you” after listening to your problem, is it good or bad? Or what does it mean if someone says, “Let’s call it a night?” Today we are opening a new section of our blog called “What is the meaning of…?” Let us know what you think and propose the topics you are interested in. So, let’s start…

What does ‘white lie’ mean?

White lie means a lie of minor importance, mostly not harmful and said just to be polite.

Example, ‘She asked me if I liked the book that she had recommended, of course I told a white lie’.

What is the meaning of ‘Don’t pull my leg?”

It means to play a joke, tease someone.

‘Did you really see Di Caprio in our building or are you pulling my leg?’

What does it mean when someone says, “We’ll play it by ear?”

It means that you don’t plan the next step, you improvise, or you do whatever seems best in the situation.

- Do you think we should tell him about change of plans?
- I am not sure. Let’s play it by ear.

I asked my friend if he liked the book. And he said it was lame. Did he like it or not?

“Lame” means not cool, not what was expected. It looks like your friend did not like it at all.

What does "bottom line" mean?

Bottom line is the final result or main point.

You haven't been doing your homework. Bottom line, if you don't do it, you will fail class.

In business, the bottom line is a company's net income. The reason it's called a 'bottom line' is because it is the last line of a financial statement that shows the net profit or loss of a business.

My manager asked me: "Have you gone the whole nine yards?" What did he mean?

The whole nine yards means a compeltion of a quality job. Your manager is interested if you did everything you could to complete the task, i.e. nothing was missed or overlooked.

Do you know where this expression came from? According to many sources, nine is the total number of sails on a ship that can be raised at full speed, i.e. best effort completed.

Last updated on Jan. 2, 2013

Summer English

Wed, 30 May 2012 11:36:02 -0500

Summer English Program in Chicago, USA

SOLEX College invites you to study English in the USA this summer! Taught at our Chicago Downtown campus, The SOLEX Summer Program provides an exciting and fun summer school venue to learn English in the heart of Chicago, one of the United States’ most vibrant cities.

The Summer Program is open to students from all levels of English proficiency. Class schedules are flexible and meant to accommodate those seeking morning, afternoon or evening sessions. Our experienced staff will be happy to provide assistance with housing and other ancillary issues. Personnel are on hand to provide guidance in navigating the visa application process for Student (F-1) Visas and other entry questions.

Our Chicago campus allows students to fully immerse themselves in American culture and language. Opportunities to practice your language skills abound, whether you take a leisurely stroll along the beaches of Lake Michigan or see the latest trends in the stores along the Magnificent Mile. Students interested in seeing global business at work will want to visit the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, home of the largest futures exchange in the world. Sports fans and those seeking uniquely American experiences can experience the thrill of Chicago Cubs or White Sox baseball games. Multiple world class museums and galleries are just short walks away and provide a welcome opportunity to further enrich your English proficiency. Music and theater venues flourish throughout the city and showcase everything from local artists to the biggest names in global entertainment.

More information about summer school is available at our Summer English page.

Tips For College Essays

Tue, 22 May 2012 14:25:52 -0500

One of an applicant’s hardest tasks is writing an essay or other writing sample which may be required for admission to an institution of higher learning. This becomes especially true for foreign applicants who are applying to U.S. universities. Keep the following ideas from SOLEX College in mind when preparing your essay. SOLEX College is a leading institution with programs geared to English language for international students. Academic topics range from basic, conversational English to the demanding rigors of academic writing.

Grammar and Punctuation Count In most cases, your essay represents your first opportunity to personalize your application. Just as you would be well-groomed and properly dressed for an in person interview, so should your writing sample be free of grammar and punctuation errors.

Spelling Mistakes in spelling provide the most glaring examples of poor essay writing. Most applicants rely on their own knowledge of English and the function of a spell checker to correct any spelling mistakes. However, the English language contains many words that may not be picked up as errors during an automated spell check.

Editing Once you have completed your essay, a good rule of thumb is to put it away for a few days. Once you return to it, you may see that certain sections need to be cut or rewritten. Many applicants choose to let friends or family members read their essays and offer critiques of how the language flows.

Address The Topic Most admission essays ask the applicant to focus on a particular subject. While an essay is an inviting method for distinguishing your application from other applicants’, you will not impress admission boards if you fail to address the essay topic.

Avoid Controversy An admission essay should serve as a valuable corollary to whatever other material a school requires for admission. An admission essay should not be viewed as a potential forum to express your views on issues beyond the essay subject matter, especially where those views may be considered controversial.

Confidence Avoid needless humility. You have applied to an institution because you believe that you are capable of completing its coursework. Your essay should not contain language that implies your fear that you may be “in over your head.”

Ego On the opposite end, an essay is not a forum for continuously stating that you will be the best applicant ever accepted at this particular institution. As with confidence, your application indicates that you believe you have the right skills for success. Use the essay opportunity to highlight areas of strength that may not be readily apparent from your application.

This Is Not Your Resume Your application will generally contain all of the biographical and academic data that a university will require. Your essay is not an invitation to simply resubmit this information in a narrative. The best essays aim to supplement the “hard” data in the application with a personalized insight into the author’s candidacy for admission.

Length Most essay instructions provide applicants with clear instructions on parameters such as subject matter and length. Not adhering to these guidelines is an excellent method to have your essay receive poor marks.

11 Tips for Improving your English

Fri, 04 May 2012 11:36:02 -0500

Along the same vein of the previous blog entries, here are 11 additional tips for improving your English language proficiency. The tips were submitted by beginner level ESL students practicing the use of conditional sentences - clauses using “If”. The tips are great for every level of ESL student, or for any person who is learning a new language. Enjoy the pearls of wisdom!

If you read a lot of books or newspapers, you’ll increase your English vocabulary
If you speak English every day, you will speak better English.
If you watch TV and listen to the radio in English, you’ll understand more in English
If you do your homework, you’ll learn more English
If you go to the library often, you will learn a lot of things
If you go out with American people often, you’ll learn English faster
If you practice speaking English at home and at work, you’ll speak better English
If you continue to ask questions in English, you’ll never forget the answers
If you take an English class, you will learn proper English
If you bring your homework to class, you’ll get good grades
If you don’t practice your English, you will never speak English very well

Ideas to Help Improve Your English Speaking Ability

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:59:42 -0600

Students often ask what they can do on their own to help improve their English speaking skills. Here are some ideas that are fun, useful and may help you speak English more fluently.

Every day, speak to a new student you have never spoken to before.
Watch a movie. Using the remote control, stop the movie and repeat the dialogue of the actors.
Read aloud. This will help you say words out loud and practice your pronunciation and fluency.
Sing songs in English. (You can find the words of songs on lyric sites on the Internet).
Speak English on the phone with your friends, even if it is easier to speak your own language.
Speak to your dog/cat or a picture, and tell that silent listener what you did today.
Choose a picture from the newspaper or a magazine and describe the picture, aloud.
Put a movie on the tv. Turn off the sound. You can speak for the characters. This is more fun in pairs or with a group of friends.
Read an article in English. In the shower, paraphrase (give the information in your own words) aloud. Remember, no-one will hear you!!
Make yourself a weekly vocabulary list. Say the words aloud when you are cleaning your room, or doing a household chore
Before you go to sleep, speak aloud saying all the things you did that day, and what you want to do tomorrow.
Take your homework seriously. Read aloud, repeat new words, and discuss the work with other students. Remember, you won't always have a teacher at your fingertips, as you do while you are studying; now is the time to ask questions and speak to your instructors.

5 Steps to Enhance Your English

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 12:04:00 -0500

It is no secret that English is one the top most spoken languages in the world. As lists and numbers vary, English typically ranks as the third most spoken language to Mandarin Chinese (first) and Spanish (second). Ranking each of the worldly languages as to which is the most difficult to learn in not an easy task. The act of learning a language is incredibly subjective. I, however, did do a search to find out, that on a scale of one to five, with five being most difficult to learn, English scored a two. That score landed it amongst the easiest languages to learn. The article mentioned that English is a great language to add to your language repertoire because of its high use in international affairs (...like shopping). According to this article, the most difficult languages to learn where tied between Mandarin Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and Arabic. Regardless of which language you choose to learn, here are five language learning tips to help you in your language learning process.

Don't feel embarrassed. The best way to learn a language is to talk with native speakers. I'm convinced that, in my own language endeavors, the fear of mispronunciation or the wrong usage of a word is what has stopped me from practicing.

Practice, Practice, Practice. But where? In a word, bars. I kid you not. Going out to bars is a great way to meet people and to talk with them. Now don't read me wrong. I'm not suggesting you go out and get completely intoxicated. What I am saying is that bars are a great place to go out, socialize, and force yourself to use your new language.

Watch Media. By this I mean watch television shows and movies that are in the language you are trying to learn. Use subtitles in that language, as well, to practice reading and hearing what is being said. Don't recognize a word? Rewind a movie to hear it again or set the subtitles to your native language.

Surround Yourself. Do anything you possibly can in your new language. Let's say you're learning English. Set your cell phone to English so that you're forced to use it. If your friends speak English, only converse with them in English. Order pizza in English. Once you are confident enough, start paying your bills in English.

Accent. Many languages have different accents. Again, take English as an example. There are British, American, and Australian accents (and a whole bunch of accents within those). Pick one and learn it. It will make your learning process a bit simpler. It will also help you gain credibility among native speakers.

What it all comes done to is have fun! Don't lose sight of the fact that you are learning a new culture as well. The language learning experience is what you make it. Make it good.

Culture Helps to Learn Languages

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 09:06:00 -0500

In order to understand the world, one must become engulfed with it. Learning a new language falls under this category. But simply going through the motions and practicing the vocabulary might not be enough. If you ask any language expert across the world how to most easily master a language, their response will be the same. Go to the country, immerse yourself in the culture, and experience it!

This type of forward thinking is by no means new. Linguists and scholars have been putting this theory to the test for many years. As it is said, "for every new language you learn, you live a new life." So what exactly makes studying a new language abroad so appealing? Obviously leaving your home and country can be extremely intimidating, but it comes with its benefits.

For one, learning a new language is a lot easier when being taught by native speakers. Every language has its specific dialects and slang terms. Understanding the idioms of a language become increasingly easy when understanding the subtleties of a culture. Not only does this enhance the language learning experience, but it also enhances the language learning ability. Even if you don't have experience with a language, immersing yourself allows you to absorb more information. You become one with the words, one with the culture, and one with the adventure.

On top of this, many employers encourage employees to be multilingual. This is an obvious selling point in the professional world. But by studying abroad, and taking the time to learn the culture of a new language, you gain that real world experience that books can't teach. This increases a unique attractiveness in the professional world.

Learning languages should never be restricted to the classroom. As each individual culture is a dynamic hodge podge of history and progress, the learning experience should be handled as such. Many American language schools take the opportunity to educate their students in the English language. But few take the time to allow their students to swim in American culture. SOLEX College truley balances the line between teaching proper English language foundations, and letting students explore American culture first hand. Learn the English language, Explore America, and discover a whole new world.

Learning English Improves Employability

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 09:11:00 -0500

The English language is highly regarded as the language of choice for international air travel and air traffic control. But with the internet continually pressing on, English has established itself as the language of choice for professional organizations, ecommerce, and a high percentage of international businesses. Whether you want to excel in the international business world, or simply get your foot in the door, learning the English language is a good place to start.

Many companies are taking advantage of the digital age's propensity to transfer information at an alarming rate. Skype has proven to be a useful tool for executives across the globe to communicate quickly and effectively. But, without a uniformed mode of communication, the message of business is often times lost. English has gained a lot of steam in this aspect, and employers across the globe are encouraging executives to pick up some English language lessons to better market themselves and their companies.

Taking English language courses can give international learners a unique opportunity to study English in a formal setting. Learning to say and repeat words and phrases will only get someone so far. But by practicing vocabulary and learning about American culture, English language learners can master the idiosyncrasies needed to advance their speaking skills and master English.

Through this, international executives become well versed in the culture and tendencies of their English speaking counterparts. Business can succeed and excel in this manner allowing for growth and opportunity to both the individual and the international community. Taking baby steps to learn the English language is a great career choice, opening many doors throughout the international business community. But simply taking a few vocabulary lessons may not be enough to gain the full understanding of reading, writing, and speaking the English language.

The History of the English Language

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 08:38:00 -0500

The English language has a long history of change and progress. Being rooted around 450 AD in what is known as old English, today's modern English has come a long way. Scholars maintain that modern speakers would struggle to understand the basic tenants of old English. However, many of our most common words today (be, water, strong) are based on the earliest forms of the English language.

In the 1600's, the English speaking world experienced a Great Vowel Shift. Words began to be pronounced shorter and shorter, allowing for quicker conversations. This played heavily into the advent of the moveable printing press. Books slowly became a cultural mainstay, allowing more people the opportunity to read. This in turn helped create a centralized English language, while expanding its cultural boundaries. In 1604, the first English dictionary was published, creating a standardized procedure for words and speaking.

As the Americas grew and English spread, it expanded upon itself. More and more cultures were introduced into America, causing the English language to pick up new words, pronunciation, and syntax. Nouns began to replace verbs (lend vs. loan), and new words were being invented and introduced (like canyon and ranch). The affects of the language integration still echoes throughout North America. The English language is filled with words from Africa, Asia, and Europe.

Dialects are a prime example of this integration, as places like Louisiana, Texas, and many providences of Canada speak an eclectic mix of English and other inhabiting languages. English continues to be a global force as films, TV, video games, and sports have become international mainstays due to advanced technology and digitized internet. As the English language progresses, more and more countries encourage students to learn the language in tandem with their countries. It is never too late to learn English!

Language of Sports

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 11:50:00 -0500

People all over the United States and the world engage in sports on a daily basis. Whether it is running, American football, soccer, baseball, hockey, or lacrosse, people from all over the world are able to interact with each other and enjoy a healthy activity. Whether it is a professional or community league, there is a good chance that you, as an athlete, will be playing with or against somebody who speaks another language. That is part of the beauty of being involved with sports. Everybody on a team or in a specific league does not need to speak the same language in order to enjoy the game and compete with each other. It is as though sports take on individual languages of their own.

Some argue that, although it is not a problem, multiple languages in a single league aren't always the easiest thing to work with. Take Major League Soccer (MLS) for example. Soccer is a huge sport. Aside from the regular seasons, the world cup brings star players together from all around the world every year. Many professional teams have translators to streamline communication between coaches and players and between players and the rest of their teammates.

But does having a translator solve all communication issues? No. The Seattle Times did an article about a Colombian forward named Fredy Montero. He said that coming to the United States and learning English (he natively speaks Spanish) was a benefit. Knowing both languages increases his ability to interact with his coaches, teammates, and fans.

Check out The Seattle Times article for more about learning English and the benefit it has on sports.

Fictional Languages

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 12:08:00 -0500

Unfortunately, languages come and go. Some languages are very rare, and only spoken by a select few. Other languages have been forgotten over time and died out. Others are growing and expanding faster than teachers can teach. Each country has their own national language of choice. But as international business expands, so too must our vocabulary. But what about fictional languages?

One cannot deny that a language can be simply defined as the opportunity to communicate an idea in an auditory manner. A language isnt something you learn so much as something you join, says Arika Okrent, author of a book on artificial argots. To express an idea is more than just speaking. Take Klingon language for example. Because it is made up, does that limit its induction into the language world?

Granted, the language is created from an alien dialect based on the TV show Star Trek. But where is the line between fictional language and useless rambling? If a community of people can be congregated around the Klingon language, is it a fictional language? They have a sense of learning, and the ability to expand upon their community. Only language can encourage this. It isn't simply learning the words, but building a foundation.

Or think about Esperanto. With over 50,000-people able to speak Esperanto, the language has formed a suedo society. While entirely fictious, speakers are able to identify and find community with other speakers. Even Wikipedia has 150,000 entries in Esperantomore than in Hebrew. To label language has either fictious, or tangible defeats the purpose of language.

Learners must apply similar discernment while studying English. Whether taking the face value for learning a new language, or using it to launch new opportunities, learning is a process that is embraced through community. As Okrent says, it isn't just learning...it's joining.

Combining Lessons to Learn English

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 09:00:00 -0500

Getting a handle on the English language requires more than just memory work and speech recognition. In order for students to master English, they must get a hold of how the language impacts and impedes their daily lives. At SOLEX, students do more than just read over the cirriculum and learn vocabulary, they experience and grow with the language.

Part of learning English involves utilizing what you have learned, and applying it to a new lesson. The books aren't enough. Teachers should integrate arts, movies, and even physical education to expose the students to the language. They will learn new vocabulary terms, and have the golden opportunity to practice with native English speakers.

Reading and recognizing seems to assist in students retention rates of the English language. By combining skills and lessons, students see the practical affects of what they are learning. If watching a movie, they see a character on a bus, while recognizing the bus with its syntax. If playing basketball, the ball and hoop become common practice to learn new English vocabulary.

So, to be suit your needs to learn the English language, remember, practice makes perfect. There are numerous opportunities at SOLEX College to advance your skills by combining your efforts in any one of our English programs

Most Beautiful Words in the English Language

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 11:45:00 -0500

The English language is full of beautiful words, many adapted from other languages, and even more created each year. J.R.R. Tolkien claimed that "cellar door" was the most beautiful word or combination of words. So what's your favorite word?

The Huffington Post recently published an article pointing out some of their favorite words. Many of words were audibly engaging, or simply aesthetic to the ears.Others recalled fond memories, or gave thoughts of relaxation. Whatever the reason, certain English words stand out as appealing to say or hear. So what are some of yours? As you learn English, some words will stick quicker than others. Some may be confusing, but some may be breathtaking.

Having studied language for a while, these patterns emerge across all countries. So please let us know what are your favorite English words. What are your favorite from your native language?

English Accents for Native and Non Native Speakers

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 10:45:00 -0500

The English language is very complex, and often poses problems to speakers. With a myriad of different variations and regional dialects and accents to learn, non-native speakers must quickly adapt to learn the subtle differences. This leads to a third problematic issue, non-native English speakers accents.

Recently, studies have been conducted to measure the responsiveness and general understanding of English language learners, and their ability to relate language in spite of their accents. George Mason University took this opportunity to archive and study different accents from around the world. This helps English learners to phonetically recognize patterns in their own speech, and to be able to see where they are relying on their native language habits, and where they are adapting to English language patterns.

Even further, this can help teachers to better understand the struggles and pitfalls that non-native English speakers have. Whether or not the student is learning what English words mean, they must also master the ability to speak the language in a discernable manner.

National Multilanguage Spelling Bee

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 10:02:00 -0500

Language, and language learning is nowhere as cut and dry as it once was. America continues to expand into an international melting pot, and Chicago excels in the teaching and acceptance of international students. But with the first ever Spanish National Language Spelling Bee held over the weekend, the boundaries between diversity and integration have taken one step closer to being blurred.

The English Language Spelling Bee is an 86 year old American tradition. Showcasing the talents of English language speakers and their firm understanding of the language. But for the first time, the the national Spanish spelling bee tests learners at a different angle.

From a linguistics standpoint, theres been some snarking that the Spanish bee might be easier than the English one, since Spanish orthography is in general considered simpler. In Spanish, every letter has a unique associated phoneme, so with very few exceptions, words are written exactly as they sound, wrote the BBC.

This stands as a brilliant opportunity for the English language to showcase the diversity of America's population. America is a global community now, and by encouraging international students to hold strong to their heritage while pursuing the English language, will only enlighten the possibilities of diversity. The Spanish language is rich in history, and showcasing it in this manner is another sterling example of why America is a great place for English learners

How to Learn a New Language

Tue, 31 May 2011 12:39:00 -0500

I recently read an article about a lady named Christina. She wrote about her experiences trying, as a native English speaker, to learn the Spanish language. She went to a high school that required that each student take a foreign language class. Christina chose to take a Spanish class. She had a hard time learning the language because she didn't have the drive. It didn't matter how good the instructor was or how much he tried to relate the Spanish language to the things Christine was interested in. She just didn't feel a need to learn another language. After all, within the community in which she lived, she could get by just fine by speaking English.

It wasn't until later in her life, when she moved to Mexico, that she realized the importance and the beauty of learning a second language. She couldn't just get by anymore speaking only English. Living in a Spanish speaking country forced her to learn the language. Living in Mexico, it wasn't just that she learned a new language, but that she really understood the beauty of it. She had fun playing with the new words she learned and interacting with people who lived in a completely different culture from where she grew up.

I have a similar story. I, too, had to take a foreign language class in high school, and again when I went to college. I tried French first. In college I tried Spanish. To this day, I understand the principles of how each language works. But for the life of me, I can't remember much more than maybe 5 words in each language. It's not the instructors fault. They were both incredible and knew I was trying to learn. It's just that I never had a reason to actively use either language. As a result, I couldn't retain much of the vocabulary I was taught.

I have heard time and time again that the only true way to learn a new language is to surround yourself by it. If you want to learn Spanish, go to Mexico or Spain or Chile. Stay there for awhile. Find a local school and start taking classes. Practice using what you learn before and after class by interacting with the community. Experience a new culture while you expand your mind and learn a new language.

Want to develop your English skills? SOLEX College offers a fantastic English language program in both Chicago and Wheeling, Illinois. Surround yourself with the vibrant Chicagoland culture. Whether you are beginner or you already have a basic knowledge of the language, we have a class for you. Contact us today for more information.