Hello Reader, This week I visited a new physiotherapist. I've been battling chronic back pain for 5+ years, and over that time I've worked with 2 chiropractors, 2 physiotherapists and have been x-rayed so many times I think I might glow in the dark - and nothing has helped me or the pros I've been working with get rid of the pain. The pain is every day, and it sucks. Well, my newest physio visit didn't do much to help either. Booo! The therapist did give me some helpful information about my...
6 days ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, To get better CELPIP scores, you need better practice. (Duh!) Jim Carrey Reaction GIF But not the kind of practice where you get lost behind a course or grammar book. Those might help...a little...but they're not near as powerful and potent for practice as...(drumroll please!) actually using your English in day-to-day situations. Excuses Reasons To Avoid Practice I've got many friends who are immigrants. Most of them, not all of them, but most of them rarely use their English...
13 days ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, I've been experimenting with using an open source podcast recording tool called Audacity. I used it before many years ago, but I've forgotten much about how it works. So it's felt like using it for the first time. When the episode went live, I noticed a constant, annoying 'hiss' in the background. It sounded unprofessional, and it frustrated the heck out of me to hear! But it was already live! To be honest, it bothered me the entire day, so when I got home after work, I spent an...
16 days ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, Many test takers that I've worked with make this mistake: not leaving enough time for a conclusion in their speaking task responses. It's a simple mistake, but it can negatively impact your score. But I've got great news! This is an easy mistake to avoid, and all you need to do is remember the sweet spot! There's a sweet spot? Yep! It's the last 10 seconds of your speaking response. Don't use the last 10 seconds to add another point, or dig a little deeper with the idea you're...
20 days ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, Next week's podcast will feature the most common mistakes I've noticed people making this year as they've practiced for the CELPIP so you hopefully won't make them. But today I wanted to share one of the best CORRECT or right things to do that I've noticed when it comes to vocabulary building. Are you ready? When you hear or learn a new word in English, immediately use it. (After, of course, you're sure what that new word means!) The best and fastest way to learn your new word,...
27 days ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, I am so sore! This past weekend I worked on building a dresser we picked up at IKEA for my kids. I must say that IKEA instruction manuals SUCK. (Sorry if you love IKEA instruction manuals..maybe my mind just doesn't understand them well.) I had to backtrack on my build progress several times because I had not correctly understood the instructions. Backtracking on an IKEA build means unscrewing and pulling apart things you had just screwed and put together. It sucks time and...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, Last Sunday afternoon I went on an hour long road trip to visit my Dad because I didn't get a chance to see him at Christmas. We had a nice time visiting and eating together. He showed me a painting he was working on restoring. Pretty cool! And, as many of you know, I'm an avid podcast listener, so I had my podcast app LOADED with shows to keep my ears and brain busy on the road. I've been looking for new shows to like so many of the episodes I downloaded were brand new. Never...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, Speaking Task 6—dealing with a difficult situation—can feel like one of the tougher speaking task questions you'll face on the CELPIP exam. The challenge? How to stay firm without sounding rude? Here are some ideas from one of my most downloaded speaking skills focused podcast episodes, with over 6,000 downloads. In it, I share how one of my clients handled a challenging speaking task question. She had to refuse a customer's request, and she nailed it by following these three...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, But first, I wanted to quickly reach out and say how much I appreciate you. Thank you for being a part of my newsletter community, and for letting me pop into your inbox each week. I pray that you are able to have some time off over the next few weeks, and that you are able to enjoy some time with your loved ones. My prayer for you is that you sense God's perfect peace, His great comfort, and joy. Being on your own or away from family during this time of year can be especially...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read