Index of Free ESL Lessons

This blog post features an index of free lessons and advice posts about learning English as a second language. Look through them and consider improving your English language skills so much more by signing up for Kingston University USA courses for any skill set.

The Basics of English Words


Practice: The Basics of English Words


Punctuation Marks


Educational Vocabulary


Singular and Plural


Practice: Singular and Plural Nouns


Pictures: Singular and Plural Nouns


Possessive Nouns


Introduction to Symbols


Possessive Pronouns


Symbols w/ Pictures


Possessive Adjectives


Pictures: Signs


Contractions


More Contractions

Even More Contractions

Asterisk


Formal English and Informal English


ESL Lesson: Tenses (Part 1)


ESL Lesson: Tenses (Part 2)


Practice with Pictures: Tenses


Writing Letters


Casual Letter Writing


Writing Business Letters


Internet Part I


Internet Part II

Do you have any questions or comments about any ESL subject? Leave them in the comment section and we will answer them. Stay tuned for more free advice on this and other subjects as well as promotions and news! If you want individual tutoring and help in learning English, contact Kingston University USA today!!

If you want individual tutoring and help in learning English, contact Kingston University USA today!!

Kingston University USA
Live Locally. Learn Globally.
Official Website
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Twitter
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News: Online Education Industry in Australia is Riding the Digital Revolution

PRWeb published an article on the rising prominence of online education in Australia and how the online model for learning is helping people learn in the 21st century. Here is a snippet:

The Online Education industry in Australia is riding the digital revolution. Supporting this growth is the uptake of broadband internet services, technological developments, the trend of re-skilling, growing cultural acceptance of education delivered via the internet and a new approach to distance education. There is a strong market for courses that can be undertaken in addition to full-time or part-time employment, or scheduled around other commitments.

Read the rest at this link http://news.yahoo.com/online-education-australia-industry-market-research-report-now-200119752.html: 

News: How Competition Is Killing Higher Education

Mark C. Taylor of Bloomberg Views gives his opinions on how competition is detrimental to higher education. Here is a snippet of his article:

But in higher education, competition often discourages risk taking, leads to overly cautious short-term decisions, produces a mediocre product for the price, and promotes excessive spending on physical plants and bureaucracies. 

The construction arms race on campus is the most visible example of competition run amok. To become more attractive to potential consumers, many colleges and universities undertake overly ambitious expansions. In some cases, new facilities contribute to educational programs, but too often they are tangential and trap institutions in a costly cycle: The new athletic center, dorm or student center starts to look faded when competing schools open theirs, and it never ends.

You can read the rest of Taylor's writing here:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-05-17/competition-is-killing-higher-education-part-1-.html

Education News: Russia's University Mergers Pit the Old School Against the New

Anna Nemtsova of the Chronicle for Higher Learning writes about how "bringing together Soviet-style instructors and Western-influenced researchers has led to impasse, not improvement." You can read more about how societal and cultural influences affects education by clicking the link below. 

http://chronicle.com/article/Russias-University-Mergers/131844/

MIT Names Its Provost, Who Led Online-Education Efforts, as New President

Jack Stripling of The Chronicle for Higher Learning wrote this article about the promotion of a new president at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.) who happens to be an innovator of online learning. You can read more at the link below:

http://chronicle.com/article/article-content/131896/

Education News: Students Learning With Online Textbooks

Nicole Winters of Keloland Television wrote this news report about schools using online textbooks as tools for learning. You can read more about this educational tool at the link below. Here is a brief preview:

"We don't really use the textbook anymore," Harrisburg High School sophomore Taylor Mouw said.

Instead, the students log on to Math Excel. 

"I like this because you can see how to do it and you can see if you get the answer right, right away," Harrisburg High School sophomore Sommer Williams said. 

"It gives them that engagement. They like having their computer and being able to use those things," Harrisburg High School Math Teacher John Stearns said.

Stearns uses the program in two of his math classes. Besides engaging the students, it also makes teaching and learning more efficient.

"It grades it instantly for the students and instantly for me as well," Stearns said

http://www.keloland.com/NewsDetail6162.cfm/Students_Learning_With_Online_Textbooks_/?Id=131484

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News Column: Online Courses Could Lead to Big Changes

Peter Cohan wrote this article on the educational phenomenon of online learning. Here is a brief preview:

Online education is getting a sudden burst of media attention. That’s because the two biggest brands in the business — Harvard and MIT — announced a multimillion-dollar program to deliver some courses online. And since these schools are widely admired, other colleges and universities are asking questions about what they should be doing with online learning. But this leads to a fundamental question: Why do people go to college?

What’s all the online-education fuss about? On May 4, Harvard and MIT announced a $60 million online-classroom venture, called edX, that will launch in the fall. It’s a nonprofit enterprise that will deliver free courses in different academic disciplines to anyone who can get online. And edX goes beyond passive viewing of videos — it includes discussions, labs, quizzes and other so-called interactive learning techniques. Moreover, people who take the online courses and fulfill their requirements get a certificate of completion.

What do you think of online learning? If you are interested in learning opportunities and educational services, visit Kingston University USA at http://www.kingstonuniversityusa.com/

Online learning: Districts find strong interest from students

This article from MSNBC discusses the interest students in school districts such as East Valley prefer a hybrid of traditional schooling and online learning. You can read the article at the link below and share your thoughts in the comment section of the blog.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47356038/ns/local_news-phoenix_az/t/online-learning-districts-find-strong-interest-students/#.T7Vad-uCqSo

Are universities scared of the online learning movement?

Peter G. Klein of The Christian Science Monitor wrote this article about online learning and how traditional universities are reacting to it. You can read a preview of it here:

As Morgan Brown wrote earlier this year, universities are guilds, and it’s this organizational structure, not bad leadership or the wrong ideology, that underlies the universities’ hostility to markets. If there is fundamental reform, it will surely come from outside the guild system, not within it. It’s great that Harvard and MIT and other elite universities are offering some classes online. But look instead to bolder experiments like the Mises Academy — not a duplicate of the standard degree program, but a modular, flexible, focused approach to teaching Austrian economics and related subjects. Call it guerrilla teaching. Let’s see where this new movement can go!

News: Creating a Genuinely Sustainable Higher Education System

This article from The Guardian by Matt Grist discusses the future of higher education in the United Kingdom and some possibilities for improvement. Follow the link below to read more about some of the opportunities that are being proposed for students and future students at universities in the United Kingdom.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/higher-education-network/blog/2012/may/16/financial-sustainability-universties

Education News: Reform in Washington

This special opinion article by Rosemary McAuliffe of the Seattle Times discusses the educational reforms in Washington state. Here is a brief preview:

Gov. Chris Gregoire recently said Washington cannot fulfill its education responsibilities without new revenue. I couldn't agree more. No amount of shifting state dollars or slashing health and human services will free up the kind of money needed to fully fund the reforms our kids deserve.

 Unfortunately, our state has a chronic history of passing reforms, without funding them. With education as our paramount duty, we need the public's support of new funding to achieve full implementation.

Education News: The Presidential Campaign And Latino Education

This article by Gabriel Sanchez Zinny of the Huffington Post discusses the relation of education, politics and demographics in the USA. It is entitled "The Presidential Campaign And Latino Education." Here is a brief preview of his reporting:

The achievement gap between Hispanics and other ethnic groups in standardized testing and overall education is significant. The U.S. Department of Education found that the average SAT scores of Latinos lag behind the U.S. average by 100 points. Additionally, 13.9 percent of the Latino population holds a bachelor's degree, whereas 29.9 percent of the total U.S. population does.

The reasons for this are related not only to lackluster education policies, but also to other factors such as poverty, language skills and school attendance. The 2010 Census found that 35 percent of Latinos were living in poverty, compared to 12.4 percent of Caucasians; Latinos typically attend schools where a higher percentage of students speak English as a second language, making instruction more cumbersome. In addition, Latinos drop out of high school at a 17.6 percent rate, compared to the 8.1 percent rate of the entire U.S. population.

Education News: Education Protests in Chile

This article by the Associated Press discusses the Chilean education crisis and the protests in response to it. Here is a brief preview:

The march, organized by the Confederation of University Students of Chile, was the second of its kind this year.

Thousands of protests were held last year by high school and college students demanding an end to for-profit education and the implementation of free higher education.

The Santiago Times said President Sebastian Pinera has proposed ending reliance on student loans from private banks, which made an estimated $500 million last year off of government-backed student aid.

Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2012/05/17/Chile-Students-protest-education-system/UPI-43161337270383/#ixzz1v9QlyGJU

Education News: Course Era Offers New Opportunities

This article by Thomas Friedman of The New York Times discusses new developments in online education. Here is a short preview:

Andrew Ng is an associate professor of computer science at Stanford, and he has a rather charming way of explaining how the new interactive online education company that he cofounded, Coursera, hopes to revolutionize higher education by allowing students from all over the world to not only hear his lectures, but to do homework assignments, be graded, receive a certificate for completing the course and use that to get a better job or gain admission to a better school.

"I normally teach 400 students," Ng explained, but last semester he taught 100,000 in an online course on machine learning. "To reach that many students before," he said, "I would have had to teach my normal Stanford class for 250 years."

Education News: ESL Conference

Alleen Brown of TC Daily Planet discusses a recent ESL Conference in Minnesota. Here is a preview:

The winner of this year’s ESL Advocate Award, Denise Harlos, described an experience many of the ESL teachers attending last week’s Minnesota ESL, Bilingual and Migrant Education Conference seemed to relate to.
She recalled starting as an ESL teacher in Shakopee 12 years ago, when she said there were 75 EL students speaking 10 languages. There was no English learning program. The schools couldn’t communicate with non-English-speaking parents, and they couldn’t find licensed ESL teachers...

Educational News: ESL Students Using I-Pods

This article by Brittany Cooper of KMVT of Idaho discusses the use of Ipods by ESL students to improve their English language skills. It is very interesting. Here is a brief preview:

Currently there are I–Pods in a couple of specialty classrooms and one general class in the school, But the overall goal is to expand this technology.

"Today we're doing Hot Timing and they've practiced that. And they'll chart it," says ESL Teacher Loretta Crockett.

These ESL students are recording passages into individual I–Pods.

Crockett tells the students, "you're the teacher...Now listen to yourself."

The use of I–Pods in the ESL classroom provides a way to improve fluency among english language learners. They can read, record their passage quickly And then check themselves again.

Principal Matt Seely says, "it helps them self–correct so the teacher isn't always correcting them and I think it's a powerful tool."

Educational News: Horry Adult Education Director Tapped for National Board

This article by Myrtle Beach Online is about updates to educational boards. A sample can be read here:

Virginia Simmons, director of Horry County Schools Adult and Community Education, was recently elected board member at large for the Adult Education Interest Section (AEIS) of TESOL, the global education association for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages and has been accepted into the TESOL certification program, according to a news release from Adult Education.

As a voting board member, Simmons will serve with the AEIS to develop an awareness of the needs and role of adult education, address current priority topics, advocate on adult education issues, collaborate with other TESOL groups to serve common needs of students and their families, and expand knowledge and understanding of adult education and ESL through research and intercommunication.

Read more here: http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2012/05/14/2827001/horry-adult-education-director.html#storylink=cpy

News: 2012 International TESOL Convention in Philadelphia

This article by PR Web services through Yahoo! News discusses an international convention in Philadelphia, PA, U.S.A. on TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). Here is an excerpt:

In support of participants in this year’s International TESOL Convention and English Language Expotaking place in Philadelphia March 28 -31, ESL Shop is offering extended conference pricing on all online orders. With a database of over 20,000 titles, it is the hope of ESL Shop to connect English language teachers worldwide with the materials they need to best serve their learners.

The rest of the article can be read here:

http://news.yahoo.com/esl-shop-shows-support-teachers-participating-2012-international-070402879.html

Language Learning Expands Platform to Support ESL Education in Libraries and Workplaces

This article from PR News Wire discusses the use of games in education and learning, specifically language learning and ESL. Here is an excerpt from the article:

The Learning Games Network, a non-profit spin-off of the MIT Education Arcade that bridges the gap between research and practice in game-based education, today announced a $1.99 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to expand Xenos, its flagship integrated social learning environment gaming platform, for Hispanic adults learning English (ESL) in libraries and workplaces. The goal of the Play Games-Learn English Project is to provide self-directed ESL instructional resources to adults in informal learning and vocational training settings. Pilot sites include the Boston and San Francisco Public Libraries and BJ's Wholesale Clubs.

News: ESL Now Free For Canadian Citizens

This article by Julie Larsen discusses a change in tuition for ESL (English as a second language) students in Canada. Here is an excerpt:

English as a Second Language courses are now tuition-free for everyone at 17 public post-secondary institutions in B.C., including the College of New Caledonia.

Dean of Community and International Education, Barbara Old, says while the course was free for non-citizens, that has now been expanded.

News Commentary: No Child Left Behind Increases Gap in Arts Education

This article by Laura Sauer at Yahoo! discusses the effects of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) in American education. Here is a brief excerpt:

A recent report by the National Center for Education Statistics comparing changes in arts education in public schools from 1999-2000 to 2009-2010 shows that since the start of No Child Left Behind, our public schools have seen a reduction in the arts education offered to students. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, commented on the results, stating it is imperative that "we continue to elevate, enrich, and expand arts education in our nation's schools", according to the U.S. Department of Education.

Among the most disturbing findings in the report is that economically disadvantaged students, many of whom do not have access to arts education anywhere but in public schools, have suffered a 20 percent reduction in arts education offerings, from 100 percent of schools offering such programs in 1999-2000 to only 80 percent in 2009-2010.

News: ESL college students could get tuition break

This article from the Richmond Review discusses a new opportunity for college students who are English as a second language learners. Here is an excerpt:

Some applicants to Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s English as a Second Language programs may be eligible to receive their ESL instruction tuition-free.


A joint initiative between the Canadian federal government, the ministries of Advanced Education and Jobs, Tourism and Innovation are making funding available to cover the costs of ESL tuition for some ESL students at Kwantlen.

"SAT and ACT to Change Tests' Rules After Cheating Scandal"

This article by Jennie Anderson of the New York Times discusses the changes for the ACT and SAT, American university entrance tests, after recent cheating scandals. Here is an excerpt:

The SAT and ACT college entrance exams will now require students to provide a photograph when they sign up for the exams, and officials will check those images against the identification the students present when they take the test.

The new rules were part of a broad set of changes announced on Tuesday in the aftermath of the cheating cases, in which high-scoring students used fake IDs to take the SAT or ACT for other students. The revelations had proved embarrassing for the testing services, on which virtually every American college relies in making admissions decisions.

ESL News: Teachers Uses New Method to Teach ESL

This article by Alla O. Schlate in the Tribuna Connecticut is about the use of recordings to help students to start to think, speak and express themselves in English. Here is an excerpt from the article:

Since I believe that language is more than just “plugging in the words of one language into the English slots” (J. McWhorter 2000) and that students must share ownership of the second language acquisition, I require that my students keep journals, starting with their reflections on my classes and then proceeding to insightful observations of their learning process. 

One example is a grammar course, “Recording Your Inner Voice: Think and Dream in English” for ESL students, in which I complement a learning centered syllabus based on the readings from S. Pinker and P. Bloom with interpretive dance, Kundalini meditations and other non-orthodox techniques. Students are required to think and “speak inside themselves” in English while outside the classroom and to reflect upon the process of their learning in the form of journals documenting every obstacle they came across when expressing themselves in English. (A major benchmark of success has been the moment the students begin dreaming in English, hence, the title.)

The rest of the article can be read here.

ESL News: ESL Class Incorporates Slang

This article by David Britto of the Daily Pennsylvanian discusses a  learning strategy used in an English as a Second Language (ESL) class. This class embraces informal English with slang, idiom and other overlooked components of English. Here is an excerpt of the article:

While most would easily call the presidential election a ‘big deal,’ foreign students may be stumped by these kinds of idioms.

Thankfully, one English as a Second Language program, that is celebrating its 15th anniversary at Penn, helps internationals cross the language barrier.

‘SLANGuage,’ a free ESL class hosted by The Christian Association at Penn, aims to educate students about idioms and slang language that they might not learn in a more formal English language course.

According to William Kelly, the founder of SLANGuage and the Coordinator of International Programs at the Christian Association, the ESL course is designed to allow foreigners to interact more successfully with Americans.

The full article can be read here.

ESL News: Professor Articulates the Need for ESL Teachers

This article by Christine Metz at JL World discusses Professor Hyesun Cho's speaking on the importance of ESL (English as a Second Language) teachers. Here is a brief excerpt:

“Every teacher will have an ESL (English as Second Language) student at some time. If not now, in the future. That is pretty much guaranteed. Unfortunately, these teachers aren’t being prepared to utilize the student’s background,” said Hyesun Cho, an assistant professor of curriculum and teaching at KU. 

Cho has co-authored an article with Terri Rodriguez of Duquesne University that examines the experiences of bi- and multilingual student teachers and the insight it could provide in developing more effective teaching practices. 

The article, published in the journal Teaching and Teacher Education, studied the experiences of Latino teaching candidates in the Midwest and a group of bilingual student teachers in Hawaii. Those in the study described what it was like to be a bi- or multilingual student and how their backgrounds influenced their teaching styles.

The rest of the article is available here.

ESL News Article: Schools on Shoestring Budgets

This article by Manny Fernandez of the New York Times discusses what schools in the USA are like after heavy budget cuts. You can read an excerpt here:

For Hutto and the 1,264 other public school districts in Texas, this has been the year of doing without. Texas lawmakers cut public education financing by roughly $5.4 billion to balance the state’s two-year budget during the last legislative session, with the cuts taking effect this school year and next.
The budget reductions that districts large and small have had to make have transformed school life in a host of ways — increasing class sizes, reducing services and supplies and thinning the ranks of teachers, custodians, librarians and others, school administrators said.

The rest of the article is available here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/09/us/for-texas-schools-a-year-of-doing-without.html?_r=1&ref=education

ESL Lesson: Internet Part II

This blog entry is about helping you better navigate the internet in the English language. Here are some more terms to help you know more about internet web browsing:

URL: This stands for "uniform resource locator." In other words, this is where you type in the "address" of the website you wish to visit. Normally businesses', clubs', individuals', etc. websites feature .com, .net, .uk, etc...while schools might feature .edu and governments might feature .gov

Attachment: This is a file that you can send along as part of an email. The message of the email will appear as will a chance to view/listen and/or download the file, which might be a word document, excel document, image, video or audio file.

SPAM: This is unsolicited emails sent to a mass number of email addresses. SPAM is the internet equivalent to junk mail. Some email servers offer users spamblockers to counteract and remove these annoying spam emails.

CC: This stands for carbon copy. Select this option when drafting an email if you wish to send the email to multiple recipients. Recipients can see other recipients email addresses in carbon copy emails.

BCC: This stands for blind carbon copy. A blind carbon copy is used to send a message to a large number of recipients without them being able to see each other's addresses.

Email List: This is a subscription you can sign up for including announcement lists, discussion lists, ezines, email newsletters, etc. For instance, your favorite website to shop at can send you notifications for sales and coupon codes or your favorite newspaper can send you periodical updates with headlines and links to articles.

Emoticon: This is an internet cultural phenomenon that uses punctuation marks like the colon, semicolon and parentheses to represent facial expressions like a smiling face.

For instance, combine the colon and the right parenthesis (control + 0) and you get this smile :)

Combine the colon and the right parenthesis (control + 9) and you get this frown :( 

Combine the colon and a capitalized letter D and you get a big grinning smile :D


Filter: A search or filtering function within your email collection. Find emails with certain subjects or keywords using your filter.

Signature: A promotional device used at the bottom of email posts submitted by senders to recipients automatically showing things like contact information, title, an inspirational quote, etc.

ESL Lesson: Internet Part I

This blog entry is all about writing English on the internet. Now, the English language has a lot of different rules and usage, but the English language on websites and messages over the internet takes some unique characteristics. There are slang terms, abbreviations (or acronyms) and cultural idioms born from internet use and popular culture. Perhaps you have seen some of the following terms while using the internet. Keep in mind that these are all very informal instances or writing

AFK: Away from keyboard....announcing that you are taking a break and stepping away from your computer
ATM: At the moment 
OR 
At this moment
B/C: Because
Blog: Web log; a site like this one to read posts by writers.
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions...a part of a website where pre-written questions and answers are displayed for web browsers. 
FB: Facebook
FWIW: For what its worth
FYI: For your information
GTG OR G2G: Got to go 
IIRC: If I recall correctly
IM: Instant messaging...a communication service for real time chatting with other users. This is like email, except very fast since it is instant.
ISWYM: I see what you mean
LOL: Laughing out loud...to find something funny or humorous.
TTYL: Talk to you later
TTYS: Talk to you soon
W/: With

ESL Lesson: Writing Business Letters

This blog entry is all about writing business letters. Our previous blog post discussed writing letters in general, but business letters are a bit special. Business letters are letters used by professionals to communicate with colleagues, bosses and clients as well as potential ones. A business letter might be a cover letter, which a job-seeker sends to a potential employer stating his or her case for candidacy for employment. Business letters also include company memos, inquiries to other businesspersons and responses to clients’ or customers’ complaints. Business letters should use formal English rather than informal English. Words should be spelled out, contractions should be avoided, slang should be eliminated, and proper titles and a respectful tone should be used. Write out your name, company, address, city, state/province and mailing code in order at the top left-hand side as shown below. Do this in every mailed letter, but especially in every business letters. For business emails, use a signature that reads like a business card(name, title, contact information).  Here is an example:

Tomas Servo
Universal Exports
1111 Main Street,
Hartford, CT
10101

Dear Mr. Henry Johnson,

It is my distinct pleasure of inviting you to our open house at the Ritz Carlton next Wednesday, April 4th, at 1pm. We were very impressed by the cover letter and resume you sent us last week, and I think you would be very interested in the positions open at Universal Exports. I believe it will be a wonderful opportunity for me to learn more about what you bring to the table and to discuss what employment at our company is like.

Please tell me whether you are able to come by calling me at 555-123-4567.

Sincerely,

Tomas Servo

Have you ever written business letters before? Do you have any questions or comments about this or any other ESL subject? Leave them in the comment section and we will answer them. Stay tuned for more free advice on this and other subjects as well as promotions and news! If you want individual tutoring and help in learning English, contact Kingston University USA today!!


Kingston University USA
Live Locally. Learn Globally.
Official Website
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ESL Lesson: Casual Letter Writing

This blog entry is all about casual letter writing. Casual or informal letters are letters sent to friends, family members or acquaintances for friendly or fun purposes. A casual letter might be a thank you note, an invitation to an event, a question, a request, or a friendly reminder or update. The form of a casual letter is similar to a business letter but the tone is different.



Consider the casual letter below:

Jack O’Brien

82 2^nd Street, Apt. 7

Whosville, IA 10001

Hey Sarah,

What's up? I was so happy to hear you moved back into town and wanted to extend an invitation to you. We're throwing a dinner party next week at Tim's house and we would love for you to come. Stop by around 7 p.m., and feel free to bring other guests (the more, the merrier!).

Cheers,

Jack

Notice the use of informal English with slang words or contractions. That is OK in casual letters to friends, whether by hand and in the mail or through typing and sent by email.

Have you written a letter before? Do you have any questions or comments about this or any other ESL subject? Leave them in the comment section and we will answer them. Stay tuned for more free advice on this and other subjects as well as promotions and news!

If you want individual tutoring and help in learning English, contact Kingston University USA today!!

Kingston University USA 

Live Locally. Learn Globally.
Official Website
Facebook Page
Twitter
Youtube

Free ESL Lesson: Writing Letters

This blog entry is about writing letters in English. Writing letters is a very common mode of communication across the world and a very important step in becoming literate and an engaging communicator in the English language. 

Whether by paper (or snail mail, as it is often called) or email (internet mail), letters are used both formally and informally to pass on information or make requests. Students use letters to communicate instructors and administrators. Workers use letters to request information from colleagues and bosses or to inquire about their job or new opportunities. People use letters to inform, ask for help or catch up with family, friends and acquaintances, usually in an informal fashion. Here are the basics of writing letters:

Salutation

A salutation is a greeting. In letters, the word “Dear” is the most commonly used and appropriate salutation. For instance, a salutation for a letter might be “Dear Mr. Chen” or “Dear Debra.” For letters to friends or family members, just the first name is used while business letters feature titles such as Mr. (Mister), Dr. (Doctor), Prof. (Professor), etc. The salutation takes up an entire line.

Body

The body is the message of the letter. While the other parts feature greetings, formalities and contact information, the body features sentences or paragraphs about informing, asking or requesting information or action from the recipient. Sometimes people refer to the body as the letter itself. In cases of informal letters to someone you know well (like an email to a friend), the body might be the entire composition of the letter itself.

Valediction

The valediction is a sign-off or goodbye to end the letter. It follows the body, and is then followed by the written name and/or signature of the sender. The most common valedictions are sincerely or regards. So, a valediction might look like

Sincerely,

John Smith

OR

Regards,

Jane Doe

OR

Kind regards,

Jason

Other valedictions are more informal, intimate or friendly such as your friend, your sister/brother, xoxo(very casual shorthand for hugs and kisses), love, and take care.

So, combining these different elements, let us look at a sample of a simple letter written in English.

Dear Professor Watson,

I would like to thank you for writing the letter of recommendation in my favor for graduate school. Your positive recommendation helped me get accepted, and I am very grateful for this. I know you did this despite having a busy schedule. Your dedication to your students past and present is a testament to your character and professionalism. I hope we can keep in touch. Thanks again.

Sincerely,

John Smith

A friendly letter, perhaps through email, might look like this…

Dear Bob,

I was writing to see what your upcoming weekend plans were. Tammy and I were planning a camping trip for this Friday, and we were curious if you wanted to join us. Let us know and we will pass along all the details.

Love,

Jane


Have you written a letter before? Do you have any questions or comments about this or any other ESL subject? Leave them in the comment section and we will answer them. Stay tuned for more free advice on this and other subjects as well as promotions and news!

If you want individual tutoring and help in learning English, contact Kingston University USA today!!

Kingston University USA 
Live Locally. Learn Globally.
Official Website
Facebook Page
Twitter
Youtube

Benefits of Online Education Emphasize Accessibility of Higher Learning amidst Threats of Global Economic Crisis

This article is from PR Web

The recent global economic struggle has crippled many countries in one important aspect necessary for their recovery – education. It is one of the most important building blocks of society and its loss would be profound. For this reason, Learnstream.com, an education-oriented website, has put effort in helping more and more people realize the great potentials of online learning. With various articles relating to different online courses currently featured on its homepage, visitors are given a more concrete view of how learning through the internet could help land them a great job in the future or simply further their education.

For many people, learning usually takes place in a classroom or any place that could serve the same purpose. Recent technological advancements have opened up doors for more unique means of acquiring education. “The ever expanding world of the internet has become a medium for people to do all sorts of things,including online learning. The public accessibility and convenience of online communication makes long distance interaction so simple that teachers have the chance to educate a wider range of students, from different places, all at once,” points out Greg Wells of Learnstream.com

Students should explore online learning style

This article is from tcu 360

Many college students seek online classes because they need a more flexible academic schedule. I have done a great amount of schooling online and, although there are tremendous difficulties that go along with it, I have to say it is pretty rewarding.

Students who cannot afford to go to school and simultaneously work a full-time job often seek classes that will fit around their busy lives. My first year of college I worked 40 hours a week in a factory, headed home to do my schoolwork, then went to sleep and repeated this process for two semesters.

Bay Area Graduate Studies School, Lincoln University, Celebrates Staff, Faculty and Students

This article is from the San Francisco Chronicle

Bay Area Graduate Studies School, Lincoln University, a private, nonprofit, nonsectarian university, recently held an appreciation event on Feb. 22 to celebrate staff, faculty and students.

"We've never had this kind of event before, but we decided it was necessary to do something new to show appreciation to all our staff, faculty and students," Annique Dalley of Lincoln University said.

The event gave staff, faculty and students access to great deals across many industries. For example, everyone had access to discounted tickets for restaurants, movies, wellness centers, etc. The event and idea was a success.

Sales Performance International Announces Solution Selling(R) Online Sales Training Program

This article is from Market Watch The Wall Street Journal

Sales Performance International (SPI), a global sales training and performance improvement firm, announced today the launch of its Solution Selling(R) Online Sales Training Program. The comprehensive online program provides sales organizations with everything they need to successfully implement a world-class training program and integrate best practices into their business -- without having to retain outside services. In addition to comprehensive online training for sales and management roles, the program provides the necessary resources for sales leaders to effectively implement a complete "sales system" for their organization.

According to Keith Eades, CEO of SPI, "While eLearning provides a cost effective approach for distributed learning and mid-enterprise companies, training alone is not enough for improved sales performance. We've created this program for organizations that want world-class sales training, but who also want to completely integrate the new skills and methods into their business -- at their own pace and with their own resources."

PLATO Learning Launches Robust Online Electives Offering

This article is from Virtual Strategy Magazine

PLATO Learning, a leading provider of online education solutions for pre-kindergarten through adult learners, has partnered with Calgary-based eDynamic Learning to deliver an expanded offering of online electives courses. Together, they provide schools and districts with the curriculum needed for core and elective courses to effectively prepare students for college and career.

The Secondary Electives Library includes 24 semester-long courses for students in grades 9-12 including psychology, sociology, forensic science, music appreciation, and photography. This diverse offering of electives keeps students motivated and engaged in the learning process and gives them the opportunity to pursue their choice of a broad range of interests.

Florida Tech Launches Master's Degree in Supply Chain Management 100% Online

This article is from Market Watch The Wall Street Journal

 Florida Tech University Online today announced the addition of a master's degree in Supply Chain Management to its highly regarded offering of graduate and undergraduate degree programs. Since the degree is delivered 100% online, working professionals are able to earn this prestigious distinction without having to put their career on hold.

With a reputation of academic excellence since 1958, Florida Tech is ranked a Tier 1 Best National University and recognized within the Top Online Education honor roll by U.S. News & World Report. An established leader in the field of supply chain management, Florida Tech has been offering the degree on campus and military bases for decades. This is the first time the quality curriculum will be available online for students across the globe.

AIU academy to mix online learning with work

This article is from Post Gazette 

Next fall, students who are interested in attending a cyber charter school will have a new option -- one that combines online learning with workplace experiences.

The Allegheny Intermediate Unit this week announced the formation of the STREAM Academy, a K-12 cyber school that will focus on science, technology, research, engineering, arts and mathematics, during an event at its Homestead headquarters. The event was attended by education and business leaders along with academy and AIU staff.

The new school is an offshoot of the Pennsylvania Learners Online, the online cyber charter school the AIU operates.

U.S. News-Ranked Jacksonville University to Support Nurses With Complimentary Continuing Education at Nurse.com

This article is from Market Watch The Wall Street Journal

 Jacksonville University, a leader in nursing education online, is proud to announce that it will once again be sponsoring a free nurse CEU (continuing education unit) course through Nurse.com. For 60 days beginning April 1, 2012, registered nurses will be able to complete Resumes: The Recruiter's Perspective - a $10 value - at no cost on Nurse.com.

Resumes: The Recruiter's Perspective helps RNs build the skills to craft resumes and cover letters that will make prospective employers take notice. The course can be taken conveniently online, and enables nurses to meet part of their recurring state continuing education requirements.

University of Illinois Law School falls 12 spots in U.S. News ranking

The admissions scandal at the University of Illinois Law School cost the well-regarded program in an influential ranking.

The law school fell 12 spots to No. 35 in the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings published this week, which are a measure of a school's reputation. U. of. I. suffered the biggest drop from last year's rankings of any school in the top 50.

Cisco and University of Phoenix Team Up to Deliver New Network Programs for Students

This article is from Market Watch The Wall Street Journal

 University of Phoenix today announced an agreement with Cisco that will create new programs dedicated to providing the body of knowledge needed to attain the Cisco CCNA(R) certification. Cisco is an industry leader in network support, and the associate-level CCNA certification is vital to those seeking to enter or advance in the high-growth field of system networking and support.

Job growth for network administrators, network support specialists and computer network architects is projected to grow by more than 20 percent by 2018 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. With this opportunity comes a need for highly trained workers familiar with the latest networking technology and systems.