Arsenio’s ESL Podcast: Season 4 – Episode 30 – Grammar – Using Can for Universal Truths

Can is used to talk about things that are often true or that are possible. (Be able to cannot) be used as a synonym for can in the sense.) Handmade items are very beautiful. Writers often hedge their use of can with adverbs such as sometimes, often, usually, and phrases such as in some cases, …

Arsenio’s ESL Podcast: International Guest Speaker – Dessi of Bulgaria

Had the super special privilege to bring Dessi on last weekend and boy, she talked about some very interesting things! Coming from communist Bulgaria, she was labeled as “lazy” and a “rebel.” When she finally ventured off to the Americas, she finally saw positive reinforcement in a society and realized that speaking English would bring …

TOEIC Reading: Agendas and Letters + YouTube

Welcome back to another TOEIC, everyone! So the target today is to go over this on the YouTube down below. So, what you can do is of course figure out what the answers are first and then watch my YouTube video, or you can go straight to the YouTube. The choice is yours. IELTS – …

Arsenio’s ESL Podcast: Season 3 – Episode 55 – Pronunciation – Emphatic Stress

We, Americans, LOVEEEEEE using Emphatic Stress (did you see it?). Guys, sometimes when you speak, you can draw attention to certain words by giving them extra emphasis. These could be adjectives (huge, crazy, tiny) and adverbs (extremely, totally, slowly). Notice the change in emphasis in the second of each pair of the sentences down below. …

Arsenio’s ESL Podcast: Special – TOEFL Idioms Part V

Welcome back, everyone! I’m bringing to you today another special — TOEFL IDIOMS! I haven’t done this in some time, but here’s the next round! Cut corners To do something badly or to savesome time The architect cut corners on the bridge’s construction, which is why it eventually collapsed. Cut someonesome slack To go easy …

Arsenio’s ESL Podcast: Additional Relative Clauses Exercise

Hello, everyone! As promised, here’s the second installment of the podcast/blog I did WAYYYY earlier today. I wanted to go more in-depth with clauses because I know a few of you may have not understood. Extreme ironing is an unusual sport which was invented in 1997 by an Englishman whose name is Phil Shaw. He …

Arsenio’s ESL Podcast: Season 3 – Episode 52 – Grammar – Defining Relative Clauses

Defining relative clauses are finally here! These types of sentence variations are my absolute favorite, so I wanted to take some time uploading it to ensure you understand fully. Read the sentences. The words in bold are relative pronouns. Use them to complete the rules 1-5. A. He’s the player who has the world record …

Arsenio’s ESL Podcast: Season 3 – Episode 51 – Pronunciation/Speaking Skills – Content Words

“Content” words carry the most meaning in a sentence so receive more stress. They include questions words, nouns, most verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and negative auxiliary verbs (don’t, won’t, hasn’t, etc). “Function” words give a sentence its grammatically correct form. They carry little meaning so are unstressed. They include articles, pronouns, prepositions, conjunctions, the verb be, …

Arsenio’s ESL Podcast: Special – TOEIC – Part III (Listening) Mini-Test

Welcome back to some live coaching, everyone! I’m Arsenio, as always, and I’m bringing to you today another mini-test — this time from Part III. Now practice what you have learnt at the actual test speed 1.      What does the man want the woman to do? (A) Visit some customers (B) Send some packages (C) …

Arsenio’s ESL Podcast: Weekend Special – IELTS – Speaking Part I

We’ve got IELTS speaking back! Since these were some great podcasts/blogs, I decided to bring them back on weekends that I don’t have a special. Super excited about going over some of these questions and giving you a couple sentences that follow, but it’s really up to you to write your feedback and examples. Post …