Do you know when to use "high"? How about "tall"? 

In this lesson, you will learn what the difference is between these two adjectives and how to use them accurately. There are two short exercises for you to practise at the end of the lesson. 

* Sometimes these adjectives can be used interchangeably. 


HIGH  

🔸 We use "high" to measure the distance from the bottom to the top. 

🔸 We use it to describe: mountains, statues, towers, walls, fence, buildings, etc. 

🔸 We use "high" to describe things that are a long way above the ground. 

🔸 Buildings can be "high" or "tall". (Both are correct.) 


Examples: 
​

• The window has a great view, but it's too high on the wall. 
• The room has a high ceiling. Why don't you hang the plant on the wall? 
• On average, the Great Wall of China is 7.8 meters high. 
• The highest tides occur when the Moon is full. 
• I always use a ladder to reach the high shelves. ​
• Most dining tables are around 70-75 cm high. 
• The door handle is too high. 

❗️ Don't use "high" to talk about people. Use "tall". 



TALL 

🔸 We use "tall" when a person, building, tree, etc. has a greater than average height. 

🔸 We use it to describe: people, trees, plants, grass, buildings and parts of buildings. 

🔸 We use "tall" to describe things that are high and thin. 

🔸 Buildings can be "high" or "tall". (Both are correct.) 


Examples: 

• He's as tall as his sister. 
• He's (a little) taller than his sister. 
• He's a tall man in his late twenties with dark hair and brown eyes. (Intermediate level) 
• There are so many places to visit in Toronto. For example, you can go up the CN Tower, which is one of the tallest buildings in the world. There, you'll be able to see the whole of the city. 
• Do you know how tall the Eiffel Tower is? 
• How tall should models be? 
• This plant can grow as tall as one meter. 
• Most dining tables are around 70-75 cm tall. 

❗️ Don't use "tall" to talk about mountains or walls. Use "high". 

​
​

Exercise 1 

Is it high or is it tall? 

1. a ............... door 
2. a ............... window  
3. a ............... shelf 
4. a ............... bookcase 
5. a ............... office chair 
6. a ............... rose 
7. a ............... fence 
8. a ............... building 
9. a ............... glass of wine 
10. a ............... box 

Answers: 
1; tall; 2. high/tall; 3. high; 4. tall; 5. tall; 6. tall. 7. high; 8. high/tall; 9. tall; 10. tall; 



Exercise 2 

Complete the sentences with high or tall. Use the comparative or superlative form of each adjective where necessary. 

1. The apartment has spacious rooms with ............... ceilings. 
2. I'm not ............... enough to reach the top shelf. 
3. The house was surrounded by ............... walls. 
4. These trees grow hundreds of feet ............... . 
5. The Burj Khalifa of Dubai is by far the ............... building in the world. 
6. Mount Everest, located in Nepal and Tibet, is said to be the ............... mountain in the world. 
7. These plants grow ............... in warmer regions. 
8. Grandiflora roses tend to grow from 6 to 8 feet ............... . 
9. The windows are so ............... that you'll probably need a ladder if you want to clean them. 
10. The ............... palm trees can grow up to a height of 60 meters. 

Answers: 
1. high; 2. tall; 3. high; 4. tall; 5. highest/tallest; 6. highest; 7. taller; 8. tall; 9. high; 10. tallest; 



Other lessons: 
Confusing words: Come vs. Go 
Confusing words: Bring vs. Take 
Confusing words in English: Famous vs. Popular 
Confusing words in English: Fast, Quick or Quickly 
Confusing words in English: Slow vs. Slowly 
​

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You can ask someone about their job in many different ways. 

Let’s look at the most common questions you might be asked and how to answer them. 

To find out what someone's job is you can ask: 


🔸 What do you do? – This is the most commonly asked question. 
🔸 I'm a/an ... What about you? 

Sample answers: 

• I’m in the fashion business. | I work in the fashion industry. 
• I work in sales/education, etc. 
• I work in marketing. | I work in the marketing field. 
• I’m a marketing assistant at SAP. 
• I’m a market research analyst and I work for PHD. 
• I work as a sales manager. 

​
* market research analyst = marketing analyst 


​🔸 Where do you work? 

Sample answers: 

• I work in London. 
• I work at home near London. 
• I work for PwC in Toronto. I’m an IT consultant. And you? 
• I work in a hospital. 
• I work at a local coffee shop. 

🔸 And what do you do at SAP? 

Sample answers: 

• I’m a software developer. 
• I work there as a market analyst. 
• I’m doing an internship in the HR department. 

🔸 Who do you work for? 

​Sample answers: 

• I work for an HR agency. 
• I work for a small hair care company. 
• I work for a company that produces skin care products. 
• I work for an Italian wine producer. 
• I don’t work for a company. I’m self-employed. 

🔸 What do you do for a living? 

​Sample answers: 

• I help companies decide which products and services to sell, to which customers, and at what price. (market research analyst / marketing analyst) 
• I help shoppers find the goods and products they are looking for. (sales assistant) 

This questions basically means "What do you do as a job?” 

* for a living – someone's job or profession 
* living (noun) (B2) (= money) – the way that you earn money 


Instead of mentioning your company name or position, you can mention the benefits of your job. 


Other lessons: 
Collocations with Job (Part 1) 
Collocations with Job (Part 2) 
English Lesson: Jobs and Skills 
Business English: Working in an office 
Business English: Prepositions with WORK 
​Business English: How to Talk about Your Job Responsibilities 
​

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In this lesson, you are going to learn how to talk about your job role, job responsibilities, as well as what you like or dislike about your job. 

Read the other related lessons to learn collocations and phrases to talk about work and jobs. 

While reading this lesson, pay attention to what tenses, prepositions, linking words, phrases and collocations have been used. 


Chelsea 

• I'm a Client Manager at .............................. (company name) 
• What I'm in change of doing is essentially managing communication between the client and the company. 
• What I love most about my job is communicating with people – just being able to interact with a bunch of people on a daily basis as well as understanding what my clients' goals are, and working with my team to deliver a product that they are truly excited about. 
• One of the most difficult parts of my job is keeping everyone on schedule because within this company everyone has million different clients and projects that they are working on at any given time. 
• One of the main responsibilities is being super detail-oriented. Everything that we send out be it a digital ad, a report, be it a direct mail piece has to be meticulously proofed.
• Going along with being detail-oriented, it's important to remember that mistakes happen, so you have to be resilient and be a problem-solver. So, if something does go wrong, you have to own your mistakes and be prepared to make things right. 

VOCABULARY 

• meticulously (adverb) /məˈtɪkjələsli/ – in a way that pays careful attention to every detail 
• resilient (adjective) /rɪˈzɪliənt/ – able to become strong, happy, or successful again after a difficult situation or event | SYNONYM: tough 

Melissa 

• Once I graduated, I applied to a bunch of different jobs within the marketing, advertising, and public relations field and I landed a job as a PR specialist at a content marketing firm. 
• My responsibilities there started off as just communicating with journalists and editors at online publications like Huffington Post and BuzzFeed. 
• We would take content that we'd created for our clients that was relevant to those journalists and ask them to write a story about it.  
• I excelled in that role and within nine months I was actually promoted to a manager of the department. 

Sarah 

• I ended up doing a year-long program that was education-related. 
• I had some of the skills that actually really helped me in that job. Some of them were the ability to communicate differently with different types of people, different types of learners, as well as the ability to be flexible and think on my feet. 
• After that, I did a year as a coordinator at a non-profit that's related to health research, and I like that too, but I found myself a bit frustrated with feeling a bit limited. 
• My organization was great, but it was only six people big, and I realized there weren't a ton of ways for me to grow. 
• Consulting was a really lucky opportunity for me and I got out of it exactly what I was hoping to, which was the opportunity to gain some real discipline and specific skills that would prepare me for leadership. 
• Through the consulting firm, I was also able to get a certification in project management.  

VOCABULARY 

• end up doing something 
• think on one's feet (phrase) – to make a quick decision or give an answer quickly 
• frustrated at/with something ​

TIPS 

• study for a 4-year degree - It will set you up for success. 
• pursue internships – both paid or unpaid 
• seek out companies that you can help – even if it's just filing paperwork or doing secretarial work 
• offer your services to gain work experience so that you can build your resume 
• gain experience working with others and collaborating with others 
• having certifications in Microsoft Office is also very helpful 

TASK: 
Write down a comment with information about your job role, your responsibilities, and what you like and/or dislike about your job. 


Other lessons: 
Collocations with Job (Part 1) 
Collocations with Job (Part 2) 
English Lessons: Jobs and Skills 
Business English: Working in an office 
Business English: How to Talk about Your Job Responsibilities 


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In this lesson, we are going to look at different ways you can use to talk about transport and how you get from one place to another. 

In English, you can ask transport related questions such as: 

• How do you travel to work? 
• How do you commute to work? 
• What kind of transport do you use to get to work? 
• How did you commute to school when you were a child? 

You can use: 

• travel (verb) 
• a means / mode / form / kind / method of transport (collocations) 
• commute (verb) ; (noun) 

Let's analyse how you can use "commute" as a verb and also as a noun. 


"Commute" as a verb means to travel a long distance to get to and from work and it is something you do on a regular basis. 

Examples: 

• I normally spend two hours a day commuting to and from work. 
• I live in Incheon but I work in Seoul, which means I have to commute long distance to get to and from my place of work. 
• I commute to work by bike every day. It normally takes me around 30 minutes one way. 
• I have to commute one hour to and then from my job every day. That's two hours of travel without even factoring my actual work day. 
• Luckily, I work close to home, so I don't have to commute long distance every day. 
• I live closer to my job, so I don't have to commute long distance. 

"Commute" as a noun is the journey that a person makes to and from work every day. 

Examples: 

• My morning commute to work takes an hour. 
• I have a short commute to work. It takes me around 15 minutes on foot. 
• I have a pretty long commute to work. I get in my car and drive to the train station, look for parking and then get on a train for an hour and a half. 
• The average American commute is nearly 30 minutes one way. 
• My daily commute is nearly an hour round trip. 
• If you have a longer commute, you can catch up on reading, listen to podcasts, get some work done and take advantage of your alone time. 

Can you ask: 
What other modes of commute do you have available to travel to your place of work? 

In this case, you cannot use "commute" because there isn't such a collocation "modes of commute". 

You can say: 

• modes of transport 
• forms of transport 
• means of transport 
• methods of transport, etc. 

​
COLLOCATIONS 

​within travelling/commuting/driving distance of something - near enough to make travel to or from a place possible 

• My job isn't within travelling distance of my home. 

long-distance travel/journey/flight/commuting, etc. 

• My new job involves long-distance commuting. 

Business English lessons: 
Business English: Working in an office 
Business English: Phrasal Verbs for Work 
Business English: Prepositions with WORK 
Business English: How to Talk about Money 
Business English: Collocations with Business 
Business English: How to Talk about Your Job Responsibilities 

IELTS related lessons: 
IELTS Speaking Test: Home and Living in the City 
IELTS Speaking Test: How to Concentrate at Work 
Causes and Effects of Migration from Rural Areas to Cities 


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In this lesson, you will read four Part 1 questions about photographs and sample answers to talk about this topic. You will also learn useful vocabulary to help you answer these questions. 
​
There are answers to other questions included in the IELTS Speaking Exam Preparation Course. 


What type of photos do you like taking? [Why?] 
​
Well, I love taking landscape photographs with my phone as well as pictures of food. Most of the time, though, I take pictures of myself, and then I keep the ones I like the most. 

• a landscape photo - When you take a picture of nature, the environment, river, trees, etc. 
• most of the time – very often or almost always 

Do you prefer taking photographs of people or of places? 

I mostly take photos of my family and friends, so those moments will remain in my memory, and will remind me of the people I love the most. 

• remind someone of something 

How do you store your photographs? 

I always transfer photos from my phone to my computer and store them in folders. That’s the easiest way for me to find them later. 

• transfer something (from something) to something 

When you visit other places, do you take photos or buy postcards? [Why?] 

Well, I usually do both. I love taking photographs with my phone, but I also enjoy buying postcards to show the places I've visited when I go back to my country. Postcards are definitely one of the things I collect every time I go on a trip. 

• collect (formal) - to buy or find things of a particular type and keep them as a hobby 
• go on a trip (collocation) 

IELTS Speaking Part 2: 
Describe your perfect holiday 
Describe a city you have visited 
Describe an area of your country that is well known for its natural beauty 

IELTS Speaking Part 3: 
IELTS Speaking Test: Home and Living in the City 
IELTS Speaking Test: How to Concentrate at Work 
IELTS Speaking Test: Arriving Early and Being Patient 
​

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In this lesson, you will read three Part 1 questions about pets and sample answers to talk about this topic. You will also learn useful vocabulary to help you answer these questions. 
​
This topic was commonly given in May and June 2019. It is not common in 2020.
​There are answers to other questions included in the IELTS Speaking Exam Preparation Course. 


Do you have any pets? 
​
Yes, I do. I have a pet cat, which I think is an excellent companion. I've had it for about two years now.  

• have a cat | a pet cat (collocations) 
• companion – especially someone you spend a lot of time with 
• a good/perfect companion (collocations) 

What do you enjoy about having a pet? 

Well, having a domestic pet gives me a lot of pleasure. Besides, my pets keep me company even when I’m studying. 

• a domestic pet | a household pet (collocations) 
• keep someone company (collocation) – be with someone so that they do not feel lonely 

Which animals are most popular as pets in your country? 

Well, I think that in my country there is a preference for dogs, or to be more precise, for puppies or small dogs. 
​

• to be precise = to be exact 

What pet would you like to get if you could choose any? 

Well, I've always been a cat person. I’d love to have a cat because they’re so lovable and fluffy. 

• fluffy – very soft to touch (e.g. a fluffy little kitten) 

IELTS Speaking Part 2: 
Describe your perfect holiday 
Describe a city you have visited 
Describe a website you like to visit a lot 
Describe one of your possessions you couldn’t live without 

IELTS Speaking Part 3: 
IELTS Speaking Test: Home and Living in the City 
IELTS Speaking Test: How to Concentrate at Work 
IELTS Speaking Test: Arriving Early and Being Patient 


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Get access to 97+ Part 2 topics given between January and December 2019. Click here. 

In this lesson, you will read five recent Part 1 questions about perfume and sample answers to talk about this topic. You will also learn useful vocabulary to help you answer these questions. 
​
This topic a very common Part 1 topic that has been given repeatedly since May 2019.
​There are answers to other questions included in the IELTS Speaking Exam Preparation Course. 

​
Do you like perfumes? 
​
Yes, I do. I’m definitely a perfume junkie. I have different fragrances for different occasions. I also have favourite scents for each and every season. 

In general, I love buying perfumes and having a collection of different day and night scents. The only thing I don’t like is that most perfumes don’t last very long and I need to reapply them. 

• a perfume junkie (informal) 
• junkie – someone who likes something so much that they seem to be dependent on it – used humorously (e.g. a TV / sports, etc. junkie) 
• a collection of – a set of similar things 
• scent – a pleasant smell that something has | SYN: fragrance 
• reapply – to put a substance on again 

What kind of perfumes do you like? 

My go-to scents are usually floral and I don’t tend to go towards the fruit side because I don’t want to smell like a fruit basket. I normally want to smell more flowery like walking through a field of flowers, but in a good way. ​

• flowery – a flowery smell or taste is strong and sweet, like flowers 
• floral – made of flowers 

Do you usually wear perfume? [Why? / Why not?] 

Yes, I do. I normally wear light fragrances, which are eau de toilettes. I always have a mini perfume bottle in my handbag to reapply it when the scent fades away. ​

• a perfume bottle (collocation) 
• a bottle of perfume (phrase) 
• eau de toilette /ˌəʊ də twɑːˈlet/ – a liquid containing a small amount of perfume 
• fade away (phrasal verb) – to gradually disappear 

What is your favourite perfume? 

To be honest, I don’t have a signature perfume. I prefer to switch it up depending on my mood and occasion. 

• a signature scent | a signature perfume - A signature scent is a fragrance you always wear and you wear it so much that it comes to represent you. 

How do you choose the right perfume for you? 

I normally spray fragrances on tester sticks and take a whiff to get a better impression of each scent. It’s much easier to keep track of my choices instead of trying to remember which fragrance I sprayed on which body part. I tend to narrow down the scents I like the most and do a skin test before making a choice. 
​

• get an impression | a good impression (collocations) 
• narrow something ↔ down (phrasal verb) – to reduce the number of things 
• make a choice (collocation) – choose something 

IELTS Speaking Part 2: 
Describe a city you have visited 
Describe a website you like to visit a lot 
Describe a friend you have known for a long time 
Describe an area of your country that is well known for its natural beauty 

IELTS Speaking Part 3: 
IELTS Speaking Test: Means of Transport 
IELTS Speaking Test: Home and Living in the City 
IELTS Speaking Test: Places That Tourists Visit and Being a Tourist 


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In this lesson, you will learn how to use six English verbs to talk about change. 


VARY 

If something varies, it changes depending on the situation. 

• Prices vary widely from store to store. 
• The language I speak varies a lot depending on who I'm talking to. 
• The seasons in Sweden vary a lot from north to south. 
• The weather in my country varies a lot throughout the year. It's difficult to say with city has the most unpredictable weather. 
• My taste in music varies greatly, but I usually prefer listening to mainstream music. 

SHIFT 

To change attention or a situation  

• When students have a good knowledge of grammar, they should shift their attention towards conversational English. 
• Retailers like Zara and H&M have shifted their focus towards fast response to changing fashion trends and consumer demand. 

ADAPT 

To change your behaviour in order to deal more successfully with a new situation. 

• I found it hard to adapt to my new school. 
• When I moved to Korea, I could easily adapt to the culture because I've been exposed to it previously and I have a few Korean friends, too. 

To change something to make it suitable for a different purpose.  

• These recipes can easily be adapted to suit vegans and vegetarians. 
• The lesson materials can easily be adapted for use with lower level students. [adapt something for someone] 

SWITCH 

When you change from doing or using one thing to doing or using another. 

• I speak more than one language so I switch from one to the next depending on who I talk to. 
• I can switch easily from Chinese to English. [switch from something to something] 
• I worked as a banking consultant before switching to marketing. [switch to something] ​

To replace one thing with another, or exchange things. 

• It took me a long time to switch to a bigger car. 
• We must have switched our notebooks by mistake. 

​

ALTER 

To change, or to make someone or something change 

• Her new hairstyle has altered her appearance, making her look younger. 
• You can alter the whole appearance of a room by painting the walls in lighter colours. 
• We need to alter the way we see English as either British or American, as it's obviously an international language. 

BECOME 

To change and to start to be something different 

• The weather is becoming warmer. (= is getting) 
• English has become the most important language in the world. 
• She became more confident when her spoken English started to improve. 
• I think customer service has become more important than the product itself. 

Exercise 

Complete the gaps with the correct form of the verbs below. One of the verbs can be used twice. 

vary - shift - adapt - switch - alter - become (2x) 

1. U.S. fast food chains typically have different menus in other countries because they try to .............................. to local tastes. 
2. German .............................. increasingly popular in South America. 
3. You can always .............................. your clothes so that they aren't too big. 
4. I try to .............................. my attention towards learning vocabulary that I will actually need in conversations. 
5. The weather can be quite changeable and it can .............................. between sunshine and rain. 
6. I .............................. from coffee to green tea only for a week. 
7. I .............................. dependent on caffeine. 

Answers:  

1. adapt; 2. is becoming / has become; 3. alter; 4. shift; 5. vary; 6. switched; 7. have become; 



Other lessons: 
Confusing words: Come vs. Go 
Confusing words: Bring vs. Take 
Confusing words in English: Famous vs. Popular 
Confusing words in English: Crowded vs. Congested 

Lessons with English collocations: 
English Lesson: Collocations for Leisure 
English Lesson: Collocations for Feelings 
English Lesson: Collocations for Describing a Conversation 

​
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Have you ever thought about living and studying in the UK? Which city would you choose? 

UK universities rank highest in global university ranking and have good reputations. That's probably the reason why so many international students want to study in the UK. 

Leah is currently a student in Newcastle. Read the conversation below to find out how she decided to study there, what she is studying and what she is planning to do in the future. 


Leah: I'm studying in the UK now. I got here in January this year. 
Reni: Oh, that's great. Which city are you staying in? 
Leah: I'm in Newcastle now, but a few months ago I went to Manchester to do a short course. Then, I went back home and applied for university in the UK. 
Reni: I see. What are you studying? 
Leah: My major is Cross-Cultural Communication, but now I'm taking the pre-master's courses. If I pass the exams, I'll progress to a master's degree. 
Reni: And how long is this programme? 
Leah: It's from January till September. It's not that long. We have three semesters in total. 
Reni: Sounds good. What do you think about your subjects? Do you like what you're studying? 
Leah: I'm taking the compulsory courses to prepare myself for studying at postgraduate level. We have five modules: International Business and Management, EAP (English for Academic Purposes), social and cultural studies, and a few more. It's really academic and the way we study here is totally different from China. I mean, I'm still getting used to everything. 
Reni: I see. What made you choose Newcastle? 
Leah: Well, even though I was accepted in other universities, I really wanted to study at Newcastle University. I checked their website to see what courses they offer, and came across Cross-Cultural Communication. 
Reni: What did you study before that? 
Leah: Well, I didn't major in this field. I studied Financial Management, but that major was chosen by my parents. I didn't like it, actually, and I don't feel like I have taken away much from it. 
Reni: Where in China are you from? 
Leah: I'm from a city called Ningbo. I'm not sure if you've heard it before. It's south of Shanghai. 
Reni: Yes, sounds familiar. Did you study there? 
Leah: Yeah, I studied in my city. I didn't go to college in another city. 
Reni: How old are you? 
Leah: I'm 24 years old now. 
Reni: Well, I think you have a lot of time to explore your interests and to decide what you want to do in the future. 
Leah: Yes, I think so. I feel like it's a really amazing experience for me to come here because it's a very different country and I'm still getting used to everything, especially the food, the transport and the teaching style as well. You know, culture shock. Anyway, I'm glad I can experience what living in the UK is like.
Reni: But you've already been there for about three weeks, so I think that's enough to get used to it. 
Leah: Yes. And I think the experience that I had in Manchester a few months ago helped me a lot as I've been to the UK before. To be honest, my situation was a bit complicated when I was applying for university. I arrived in Newcastle later than anyone else and I missed the orientation week. Basically, when I got here, it took me some time to catch up and I had to deal with everything by myself. That was a little bit frustrating. 
Reni: Was your visa delayed? Was that the reason? 
Leah: The main reason why I was late was because I got my graduate certificate later than others and I registered for my course later. 
Reni: Are there any other Chinese students in your university? 
Leah: Sure. Actually, there are a lot of international Chinese students nowadays. In fact, the UK is a very popular country for Chinese students who want to study abroad. 
Reni: I suppose so. And what are your goals after you finish your education? Are you planning to look for a job in the UK or go back to China? 
Leah: I will definitely go back to China because my friends and parents are there and I'm here just to study something different. I'm not planning on working here – at least not right now. 
Reni: Well, I think that's a great place to be where you can use English every day. 
Leah: Yes, and everybody is really friendly and polite in the UK. They always say 'Thank you', 'Excuse me', 'Sorry'. In my country, we don't say 'Sorry' all the time. We say 'Thank you', but we don't say 'Sorry' a lot unless you make a mistake or something, and you apologise.
Reni: What is your impression of Newcastle and if you compare it with Manchester, which city do you like most? 
Leah: Newcastle is smaller, I think, and it's convenient for me. When I was in Manchester, I lived in a homestay and it would normally take me about 20 minutes to go to university by bus and the transport fee there is quite high. It cost me like £15 per week. In Newcastle, I don't really have to pay for that because I'm living in the city centre and the school is in close proximity. There are also supermarkets around where I go and buy food.
Reni: Do you live on campus? 
Leah: Yes, it's a dormitory, I think. 
Reni: Yes, dormitories are located on campus. 
Leah: Well, the reason why I love living in Newcastle is because it's a very walkable city. I mean, you can get anywhere you want on foot. 
Reni: That's great because you can save money on transport. 
Leah: Yeah, definitely. Before coming here, I was worried about the transport cost but now I know that there's nothing to worry about as it takes me two minutes to get to university and there's no need to pay for transport. 
Reni: How about Ningbo? 
Leah: My city... Well, I mean, in China, the price of transport is not very high. I think, in comparison with the transport fee in the UK, it's much cheaper. And in my city the transport is actually really convenient, but China is really big, so if you travel somewhere, it takes a long time. It's much longer than here in the UK. Everything is in the neighbourhood, so it's convenient here. 
Reni: Yes, everything is withing walking distance. 
Leah: Exactly! 
Reni: How about food prices? 
Leah: The prices of eggs, milk, bread, or chicken are relatively low compared with prices in China, but fruit and vegetables are more expensive. 


VOCABULARY 

• have a good / bad reputation (collocations) 
• ​apply for university (collocation) 
• pre-master's courses - Preparation courses designed for international students which help them prepare academically and make the transition to the British education system, improve their English skills, and progress to their chosen degree. 
• compulsory courses - courses within your programme that you must pass in order to meet the regulations to be eligible to graduate 
• postgraduate level - studying for a master's degree 
• totally different | completely different (collocations) 
• come across (phrasal verb) - discover something by chance 
• take something away from something (phrasal verb) - to learn something from an experience or activity 
• catch up (phrasal verb) - to find out about things that have happened 
• live in a homestay - live with a host family 
• in close proximity - near something 
• campus - the buildings of a university or college and the land around them 
• on campus - Most students live on campus. 
• dormitory - a building for university or college students to live in 
• save on something - to use less money 
• nothing to worry about (spoken) - used to tell someone that something is not as serious or difficult as they think 
• pay for something - I'll pay for the tickets. 
• within walking distance (phrase) - near enough to walk to easily 
• food prices (collocation) 
• compared to/with something - When you consider the size, quality, or amount of something in relation to something similar. 

Other lessons:
Story Time: Travelling in Spain 
Story Time: Travelling in France 
Travel Tips: How to Ask for Information and Make Recommendations 
English Lesson: How to talk about your higher education 

English conversation lessons: 
English Conversation: Travel opinions 
English Conversation: Travel experience 
English Conversation: Travelling in Europe and Asia 
English Conversation: Buying sunscreen products at a store 
English Conversation: Socialising with people and working in coffee shops 


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In this lesson, we give you common expressions to talk about your higher education, educational background, student life and university. Read the expressions below and complete them to make them true for you. This lesson will also be suitable for students preparing for the IELTS speaking test. 

Note: You don't have to remember every single expression. Learn the ones that you relate to. 

If you are taking the IELTS exam or any other speaking test where you might be asked to talk about your education and it will be better for you to extend your answers. 

Example: I majored in Financial Management, but that wasn't a course I was interested in. I decided to study something different, so I sent applications to UK universities and registered for a course at Newcastle University. 

​EXPRESSIONS TO TALK ABOUT YOUR UNIVERSITY AND HIGHER EDUCATION 
​

• I went to college in another city. 
• I didn't go to college in another city. 
• I wanted to study at  .................... (university: Newcastle University) 
• My major is .................... (course: Linguistics with Chinese) 
• I majored in .................... (course: Business Accounting and Finance) 
• I majored in Business Management. 
• I majored in economics at the University of Bristol. 
• I'm studying in .................... (place: city, country) 
• I'm a third year media student at Newcastle University. 
• I'm studying part time. | I'm studying full time. 
• I'm a part-time student. | I'm a full-time student. 
• I'm studying an undergraduate course part time. | I'm studying an undergraduate course full time. 
• My first degree is in International Marketing. (= Bachelor's degree) 
• I did English as my undergraduate degree, but I really wanted to change my career path because I didn't want to be an English teacher, so therefore I applied for a master's degree in something completely different. 
• I'm a postgraduate student at .................... (university) 
• I'm doing a PhD in Journalism and Public Relations. 
• Before I enter the lecture, I have to scan my student card on the reader, so that the university can keep a record of my attendance. 
• My attendance on campus is quite flexible. 
• At my university, we have seminars on .................... (subject: Public Relations) 
• I particularly enjoy the Public Relations seminars because they're a lot more practical than other modules. 
• My course has a great variety of modules. 
• .................... is probably my favourite module on the course. (subject: Marketing) 
• 'What modules do you do?' -- 'I do PR and Marketing, so it's a really good mix of practical and theoretical. PR is more practical.' 
• I'm taking a course in marketing. 
• I'm taking German and economics next semester. 
• I didn't major in this field. 
• You can get a job in a field you didn't study. 
• For many jobs you need to have a university degree. 
• For many jobs you need to have a college degree. 
• Students can take advantage of distance learning and study online at their own pace. 
• The location of the university is fantastic. It's right in the centre of town which means you can go anywhere you want fairly quickly. You're five minutes away from everything. 
• Newcastle is a great student city. 
• The annual tuition fee is .................... 
• My tuition fee is not fixed for the duration of my studies. 
• The scholarship pays the tuition fees but students still need to find money for meals, books and accommodation. 
• The university offers a huge variety of postgraduate courses. 
• I graduated from .................... in .................... (university; year) 

VOCABULARY 

• distance learning (also long-distance learning) - when the student is not present at university 
• tuition fee - the money that you pay to be taught, especially in a college or university 
• a university degree | a college degree 
• first degree - an academic qualification given by a university or college, for example a BA or BSc, that is given to somebody who does not already have a degree in that subject 
• bachelor's degree - the first degree that you get when you study at a university. Bachelor's degrees include Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Bachelor of Science (BSc) 
• an undergraduate degree (a Bachelor's degree) 
• a postgraduate degree (a Master's degree) 
• a PhD - the abbreviation for ‘Doctor of Philosophy’ (a university degree of a very high level that is given to somebody who has done research in a particular subject) 
• do a PhD | have a PhD 

​TASK: 

1. What did you study at university? | What are you studying at university? 
2. What do you think about your course? 
3. What is your student experience? ​

(Leave a comment below.) 

​
Other lessons: 
City Life – Going out 
Cities – Talk about your area 
Business English: How to Talk about Your Job Responsibilities 

Lessons with English collocations: 
English Lesson: Collocations for Leisure 
English Lesson: Collocations for Success 
English Lesson: Collocations for Making Decisions 

Click below to read some of our IELTS related lessons: 
IELTS Speaking Test: Home and Living in the City 
IELTS Speaking Test: How to Concentrate at Work 
Causes and Effects of Migration from Rural Areas to Cities 

​
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In this lesson, you will learn 10 common idioms with DAY that are often used in conversations. 


ONE DAY | SOME DAY 
When you talk about some time in the future. 

Examples: 

• I'd like to visit Sydney one day. 
• One day I'd like to have my own apartment and live there by myself. 
• I lived in Germany for two years and I'll definitely go back there some day. 

​DAY AND NIGHT 
All the time 

Examples: 

• You can hear the traffic noise day and night. 
• The baby has been crying day and night. 
• The store is open day and night so you can go any time. 
• Every member of the team has worked day and night on the new product launch. 

​

DAY IN, DAY OUT 
When you talk about something that you do every day for a long period of time. 

Examples: 

• I have to do the same boring tasks day in, day out. 
• I used to drink coffee day in, day out, but I rarely do now. 
• I don't like eating the same food day in, day out. 

Note: Something that you do every day for a long time, especially in a way that is boring. 


FROM ONE DAY TO THE NEXT 
If something changes from one day to the next, it changes suddenly. 

Examples: 

• In my job, I never know what to expect from one day to the next. 
• I really don't like it when my boss tells me to complete tasks from one day to the next. 
• I never know what my schedule will be. My shift may change from one day to the next. 

AT THE END OF THE DAY (informal) 
After you have taken everything into consideration. 

Examples: ​

• At the end of the day you will decide for yourself where you want to live. 
• You may ask other people for advice, but at the end of the day, it's up to you. 
• I got a great job offer in China, but at the end of the day, I decided to stay in my country. 

THE OTHER DAY 
At some point in the recent past, a few days ago. 

Examples: 

• We met for a coffee the other day. 
• I met an old friend of mine in the mall the other day. 
• I forgot to tell you that I got an email from him the other day. He's coming back from the States in the summer. 

​
IN THIS DAY AND AGE 
At the present time, nowadays, these days, in the modern world 

Examples: 

• Healthy eating should be one of your main priorities in this day and age. 
• 'Food prices keep going up and up.' -- 'What do you expect in this day and age?' 
• The Internet is the most important source of information in this day and age. 

MAKE SOMEONE'S DAY 
To make someone very happy 

Examples: 

• Just seeing the smile on her face made my day. 
• Thank you all for the birthday wishes. You really made my day. 
• Getting compliments on my appearance always makes my day. 

CALL IT A DAY (informal) 
If you 'call it a day', you stop an activity for the rest of the day. (e.g. work, study) 

Examples: 

• I can't call it a day. I need to work a couple more hours. 
• I have one last question for you and then we can call it a day. 
• Can we call it a day and continue next time? (= to stop a lesson or something else) 

(AS) CLEAR AS DAY | (AS) PLAIN AS DAY 
When something is easy to see or understand. 

Examples: 

• It's as clear as day who's going to win the competition. 
• It's plain as day that they like each other. (= it's obvious) 
• Their furniture is easy to assemble and the instructions are as clear as day, so don't worry.  

Other lessons: 
Phrases with HAVE and TAKE 
10 Ways to Say that Something is Bad 
10 Ways to Say that Something is Good 
6 Ways to Say that Something is Cheap 
6 Ways to Say that Something is Expensive 
Commonly Used Phrases in Spoken English 


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In this lesson, you will learn 10 common idioms with TIME that are often used in conversations. 


​AT TIMES 
Sometimes, but not often 

Examples: 

• Being a parent can be hard at times. (= sometimes) 
• At times even A students lose their motivation. (= students who always get A's for their work) 
• You're likely to feel stressed at times, especially in a job like this. 
• I love hanging out with friends, but at times, I just need to be by myself. (= alone) 

​AT ONE TIME 
When you talk about something related to a time in the past, but not now. 

Examples: 

• At one time, I wanted to study law, but now I'm not so sure. 
• At one time, my sister wanted to be a pharmacist, but it's a bit late now. 
• I was a teacher at one time, but then I decided to become a flight attendant, so I could travel the world for a few years before settling down. (settle down - to live a quieter way of life by getting married or living permanently in one place) 

​ALL THE TIME | THE WHOLE TIME 
When something happens continuously or very often.  

Examples: 

• My mum leaves the TV on all the time. 
• Stop complaining all the time - it's really annoying! 
• When my friend was sick, I was worried about her the whole time. 
• I keep practising speaking English and I'm improving all the time. 

When something happens during the whole of a particular period of time. 

• I was trying to find my library card in my wallet while it had been in my handbag all the time. 

AHEAD OF TIME 
Earlier than expected 

Examples: 

• I always prepare my lessons ahead of time. (= before teaching) 
• Sometimes our classes finish ahead of time. (= earlier than expected) 
• My flight landed fifty minutes ahead of time, so I had to wait for my mum to pick me up. 

Note: 'Ahead of time' is mainly used in American English. 


BEHIND TIME 
Later than expected 

Examples: ​

• The train left twenty minutes behind time. (= after it should have left) 
• The plane took off thirty minutes behind time. (= after it should have taken off) 

BEFORE MY TIME 
When something happened before you were born or before you started living somewhere. 

Examples: 

• This type of music was popular before my time. 
• They say he was a great singer but that was before my time. 
• I don't remember the fall of the Berlin Wall - it was before my time. 

BEHIND THE TIMES 
If someone or something is behind the times, they are old-fashioned. 

Examples: 

• My parents are a bit behind the times. (= old-fashioned in ideas and habits) 
• My grandparents are really behind the times - they don't even have a colour television. 
• When my friend got a new smartphone, mine was a bit behind the times. (mine = my phone) 
• I know my camera is behind the times but I can't afford a new one. 

​
TAKE TIME OUT 
To take a break from something; To spend time away from studying or working 

Examples: 

• You look tired. Why don't you take some time out? (= take a break) 
• I took time out after quitting my job to think about the next chapter of my life. 
• Some young adults prefer to take time out between high school and university. 
• I'm taking time out from my job to travel and live abroad for a year. 

​
IN NEXT TO NO TIME | IN NO TIME 
When you do something extremely quickly. 

Examples: 

• We fixed the problem in next to no time. 
• The holiday will be over in next to no time. 
• The test was so easy, I was done in next to no time. 
• The test was so easy, I was done in no time. 

FOR THE TIME BEING 
For a limited period or at this time 

Examples: 

• I'm quite happy at school for the time being. (= at the moment, but not permanently) 
• They've just moved to London and they're renting a flat for the time being. 
• They went on holiday and we're looking after their cat for the time being. (= at the moment, but this will change) 

Other lessons: 
6 Ways to Say that Something is Cheap 
6 Ways to Say that Something is Expensive 
Common Phrases in Spoken English (Part 1) 
Common Phrases in Spoken English (Part 2) 
Discourse Markers for IELTS Speaking and Everyday English 


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In this lesson, you will learn 10 common idioms with MIND that are often used in conversations. 


​ON YOUR MIND 
If someone or something is on your mind, you keep thinking or worrying about it. 

Examples: 

• You've been on my mind all day. (= I've been thinking about you.) 
• It's difficult to study if you have something on your mind. 
• I can't bother my mum right now - she's got a lot on her mind. 
• Sorry I forgot to call you last night. I've got a lot on my mind these days. (= a lot of problems to worry about) 

​COME TO MIND | SPRING TO MIND 
If something comes to mind or springs to mind, it is the first thing you think of. 

Examples: 

• He asked for my opinion, but nothing came to mind. 
• I was thinking about who might be suitable for this position, and your name came to mind. 
• When talking about famous businessmen, three names immediately spring to mind. 

Note: Do not say that something ‘comes to your mind’ or ‘springs to your mind’. Say that it comes to mind or springs to mind. 


SLIP YOUR MIND 
If something slips your mind, you forget it. 

Examples: 

• 'I told you about the event two weeks ago. How could you forget something so important?' -- 'I'm sorry, it just slipped my mind.' 
• I'm sorry I didn't call you back earlier. It completely slipped my mind. 
• I sometimes have so much to do that the most important tasks slip my mind. 
• Her birthday completely slipped my mind. 

CROSS SOMEONE'S MIND 
If something crosses your mind, you think about it for a short time. 

Examples: 

• The idea crossed my mind as you were speaking.
• It never crossed my mind that he might be married. (= I never thought about that.) 
• What was the first thing that crossed your mind when you won the competition? 

KEEP (SOMETHING) IN MIND | BEAR (SOMETHING) IN MIND 
When you remember something, especially something that will be important in the future. 

Examples: 

• Thanks for your advice – I’ll keep it in mind. 
• Keep that in mind when you make your decision. 
• Bear in mind that the price doesn't include flights. 
• Don't spend all your money at once. Keep in mind that it has to last you all week. 

MAKE UP YOUR MIND 
When something makes you stop thinking or worrying about something. 

Examples: 

• I like them both - I can't make up my mind. (= I can't decide which one to buy.) 
• I can't make up my mind which universities to apply to. 
• I can't make up my mind what to study. 

​
CHANGE YOUR MIND | CHANGE SOMEONE'S MIND 
It is used when you change a decision you have made or an opinion that you had. 

Examples: 

• Nothing will make me change my mind. 
• We've changed our minds about selling the car. 
• We changed our minds and decided to go camping instead of skiing. 
• He's already decided to live abroad. It would be impossible to change his mind. 
• She's still very young. She might change her mind about what she wants to do in the future. 

Note: You may change your mind or someone else may change your mind. 

​
TAKE YOUR MIND OFF SOMETHING | TAKE SOMEONE'S MIND OFF SOMETHING 
When something makes you stop thinking or worrying about something. 

Examples: 

• Going back to work helped take my mind off things. 
• I often go for a walk to take my mind off my studies. 
• Why don't you go out for a few hours? It will take your mind off exams. 
• I was upset about my exam results, but I went out with some friends to take my mind off it. 

AT THE BACK OF YOUR MIND | IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND 
If a thought is at the back of your mind, you are aware of it, though it is not the main thing you are thinking about. 

Examples: 

• It's been at the back of my mind to call you for several days now. 
• At the back of my mind, I knew she was lying. 

SOMEONE'S MIND GOES BLANK (informal) 
If you mind goes blank, you suddenly cannot remember something. 

Examples: 

• When he asked me for my number, my mind went completely blank. 
• Even though I studied hard, my mind went blank on the exam day. 

Other lessons: 
English Conversation: Saying Goodbye 
Common Phrases in Spoken English (Part 1) 
Common Phrases in Spoken English (Part 2) 
Spoken English: How to Agree and Show Interest 
Discourse Markers for IELTS Speaking and Everyday English 


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We usually use the adjective 'cheap' to say that something costs less money than we expected. 
Cheap can suggest that something is poor quality. To avoid the negative connotation of this word, we can use other adjectives when we talk about products and services that cost little money. 

In this lesson, you will learn how to use 6 different adjectives that can replace the word 'cheap'. 

Let's look at the example sentences below. 

LOW (meaning: not costing a lot of money) 
We use 'low' to talk about prices, rents, and fees.  

• Walmart is able to keep prices low. 
• January is always a good month to travel because prices are low. 
• A great way to save money on airline tickets is to use a low-cost carrier. 
• Some airlines offer lower fares and make travelling easier. 

REASONABLE (meaning: not too expensive) 
When a price is 'reasonable', it seems fair – neither cheap nor expensive. 

• I would definitely go to that restaurant again. They offer good food at a reasonable price. 
• Vegetables are very reasonable at this time of year. (= not too expensive) 
• They sell quality products at reasonable prices. 

​
INEXPENSIVE (rather formal) (meaning: cheap; doesn't cost a lot of money) 
When we say that something is 'inexpensive', we actually mean it's good value for its price. 

• It's a simple, inexpensive meal. 
• Can you recommend a relatively inexpensive hotel? 
• I'd rather have an inexpensive cup of coffee. (= prefer to have) 

• What is the best store where I can find inexpensive furniture? 

AFFORDABLE (meaning: not expensive) 
When something is 'affordable', it is cheap enough for most people to be able to buy. 

• The restaurant is fancy, yet very affordable. 
• I love shopping for new clothes but I try to save money at the same time -- that's why I always shop online at affordable prices. 
• Public transport fares in Singapore are more affordable than those in Tokyo, Beijing, Hong Kong and Taipei. 
• Many governments are struggling with providing high quality affordable housing. 

COMPETITIVE (meaning: not expensive to make, buy, or use) 
Competitive prices and rates are as low as those charged by other shops and companies. 

• The store sells a large range of kitchen appliances at very competitive prices. 
• Their exchange rates are very competitive if you compare them with other banks. 

ECONOMICAL (meaning: cheap because you do not need to use a lot of money) 
We use 'economical' when something doesn't cost much money. 

• The big packet is more economical than the small one -- it's only 80 cents more. 
• It's more economical to buy a bike rather than renting one every time. 
• It wasn't very economical to get my washing machine repaired, so I bought a new one. 

Other lessons: 
10 Ways to Say that Something is Bad 
10 Ways to Say that Something is Good 
6 Ways to Say that Something is Expensive 
Common Phrases in Spoken English (Part 1) 
Common Phrases in Spoken English (Part 2) 


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We usually use the adjective 'expensive' to say that something costs a lot of money. We can also use other adjectives with the same meaning. 

In this lesson, you will learn how to use 6 different adjectives that can replace the word 'expensive', which can make you sound like a better English speaker. 

Let's look at the example sentences below. 

HIGH (meaning: too expensive and not worth the price) 
We use 'high' to talk about a rent, fee, price, tax, etc. 

• Rent prices in major cities around the world are higher than previous years. 
• Housing shortage and rental demand are the main reasons for high rent prices. 
• The cost of accommodation is extremely high in some neighbourhoods.
• Some countries like the UK and Germany have a progressive income tax, which means that the more money you earn, the higher taxes you pay. ​
• Overseas students entering Dutch universities pay higher tuition fees than EU nationals. 
• The cost of living in Denmark is high even by European standards. 
• Salaries in Denmark are relatively high. 

Note: We can also use high to talk wage, salary, pay, income. 

PRICEY (informal) (meaning: expensive) 
We use 'pricey' when something costs more than we want to pay for it. 

• Everything on the menu is very pricey. 
• The food there is a bit pricey but it's absolutely delicious. 
• Eating out and utility bills in Denmark are especially pricey. 

​
OVERPRICED (meaning: too expensive and not worth the price) 
Something that is overpriced is more expensive than it should be. 
​

• I think the food there is a bit overpriced. 
• The shop sells overpriced clothes. 
• The shoes are nice, but they're really overpriced. 

COSTLY (meaning: costing a lot of money) 
When you say that something is costly, you mean that the price is more than you want to pay. 

• Buying a new car can be costly, so why not look for a used one? 
• We gave up buying a new fridge because it was too costly. 
• It's extremely costly to purchase all the necessary equipment for the business. 

EXORBITANT (meaning: much too expensive; much more than is reasonable) 
We use 'exorbitant' to talk about an amount of money that is much higher than it should be. 

• Some dentists charge exorbitant fees. 
• The company charges exorbitant prices for everything.  
• I decided to cancel my credit card because of the exorbitant interest rate. 

​
ASTRONOMICAL (meaning: extremely high) 
We use 'astronomical' to talk about prices, costs, rates, and fees that are extremely high. 

• The house was sold for an astronomical price. 
• Tuition fees at private universities are astronomical. 
• I can't take out a loan because the interest rate is astronomical. 

​
Other lessons:
​English Lesson: 5 Types of Lifestyle 
10 Ways to Say that Something is Bad 
10 Ways to Say that Something is Good 

English collocations: 
English Lesson: Collocations for Leisure 
English Lesson: Collocations for Rural Life 
English Lesson: Collocations for Urban Life 
English Lesson: Collocations for Saving Money 

​
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