ESL: Educational Vocabulary

ESL: Educational Vocabulary

This blog entry is about learning new words in English that are important in educational and academic environments. The words will be listed with a pronunciation (how to say it), part of speech (e.g., verb or noun), definition, and examples of the word in sentences. We hope this blog will be useful for learners of English as a second language (ESL learners).

Education-related vocabulary:

Attend (ah-tendd) [verb] : To go to, show up or interact with a classroom, teacher, class, event or group.
Example sentences:
John attends his distance learning program by watching lectures,
completing assignments and talking with his instructor.
I attend class every Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings at 11 a.m.

Bachelor’s degree (Baa-chlurs duh-gree) [noun]: An education degree earned after studying beyond the secondary or high-school level. The bachelor’s degree is also called the undergraduate degree.
Example sentences:
You can earn a bachelor’s degree in English by enrolling at this university.
I will earn my bachelor’s degree after I finish this semester.

Credits (cred-itz) [plural noun]: Amount of academic work by a student acknowledged by his or her university.
Example sentences:
This class is worth three credits towards your degree.
I need twelve more credits to earn my degree.

Cram (kram) [verb]: This is a word students use for studying very hard for a test or assignment in a short amount of time.
Example sentences:
I have a test tomorrow, so I will cram for it by studying several hours tonight.
It is better to study on a regular basis than to cram at the last moment.


Distance learning (diss-tins luhrn-ing) [noun]: Formal education which takes place through long distance by mail or email rather than in a local classroom.
Example sentences:
I prefer distance learning because it is more convenient, interactive
and modern than traditional modes of education.
Does this school offer distance learning programs?

Enroll (in-rowl) [verb]: To join a class, university or a specific learning program.
Example sentences:
How do I enroll in this class?
I am glad I enrolled at Kingston University. I really learned a lot!

Instruct (in-strukt ) [verb]: To teach, tell or show someone how to do something, what certain information means or how to develop a certain skill.
Example sentences:
Can you instruct me how to use this new computer program?
The professor instructed the classroom of students on the proper
application of mathematics in chemistry.

Major (may-jur) [noun]: The focus of someone’s study for an undergraduate, masters, or doctoral degree. Examples of majors include physics, business administration and education.
Example sentences:
What is your major?
My major is business administration with a concentration in business ethics.

Master’s degree (mah-stirs duh-gree) [noun]: An education degree earned after studying beyond the undergraduate level.
Examples sentences:
Do you have a master’s degree?
I earned a master’s degree in business administration two years ago.

Semester (Sah-mess-tur) [noun] The period of time it takes to complete a course at university. This is similar to a school term.
Example sentences:
How long does this semester last?
This semester begins in January and ends in May.
This class was very engaging; the semester flew by!

Have you come across any other educational terms? Would you like to know more about education terms? Do you have any questions, comments or curiosities about the English language? What are your challenges in education as an ESL learner? Please leave a comment here and tell us about it!

Nothing can improve ESL and general language skills more than practice with specialized instructors. Contact Kingston University USA to find out more about enrolling in an English language course or receiving ESL tutoring. You will discover that you can live locally and learn globally no matter what your current English abilities are!

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Language Immersion at Kingston University (USA)

Language Immersion is a uniquely developed system by Kingston University (USA) you will be learning English like you learned your first language.  Your first language was easy to learn because you learned from someone who spoke the language.  The method was effortless because the teacher knew the language as a native speaker.

Instruction in English is effortless and will not only teach grammar, but also conversational English so you will be a natural speaker.You will have confidence in your diction and English skills because they will be taught with state-of-the-art technologies. Instructors are credentialed and experienced in education and other content related areas. Opportunity for students to speak conversationally with native speakers, in addition to instruction time, allows for a more natural language immersion. This one on one time is part of the curriculum and is invaluable in speaking naturally.

The Language Immersion program at Kingston University USA Inc. has proven program effectiveness. Student input is encouraged in the Question and Answer session that the Teachers utilize at the end of a scheduled session.  An experienced curriculum developer reviews all comments with the instructor. Learning from a native speaker is the same way that as a child you learned to speak in your native tongue--all cognitive aspects are the same--it worked to teach you your native language and it will work to teach you English which saves the time and effort of learning on your own.

The Language Immersion program at Kingston University USA Inc. believes that it is important to learn the language from native speakers because all dialects have regional and social connotations. It is quite hard to learn them if you haven't lived in those areas of if you don't belong to these communities. Americans speak with other Americans constantly and our goal is to help you do the same. Everyone learns differently and has different needs for the English language-because of the high credentials of our educators -they are flexible enough to provide English learning skills that are designed for individual needs. The student will get the best return on their investment by using the most qualified native speakers. Native speakers are not hindered by their own problems with the language, especially accent reduction instruction. 


Improve your English abilities and avoid the roadblocks to fluency and immersion. Contact Kingston University (USA) to enter the Language Immersion program and receive personalized and professional assistance in immersing yourself in English speaking today! 

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ESL Lesson: Punctuation Marks

Punctuation Marks

Welcome ESL learners. This blog entry offers some of the basics of punctuation marks for beginner-level learners. What are these symbols and when and why are they used in English?

To first understand the punctuation marks, let us first take a look at the different kind of sentences.

Declarative sentence:
The declarative sentence makes a statement. It starts with a word that is capitalized (begins with a big letter). In fact, the first word for every sentence is spelled with a capitalized first letter. The declarative sentence ends with a period. A period is a dot like this (.).
Example sentences:
Omar is going to work today.

Timothy ran three miles this afternoon at the park.

Interrogative sentence:
The interrogative sentence asks a question. The interrogative sentence ends with a question mark. They are questions, which people ask when they want to know something. The question mark is shaped like this:
?
Example sentences:

How much is this cup of iced coffee?

Why did you select this novel as your favorite book?

What is your favorite sport to play?

Exclamatory sentence:
The exclamatory sentence is a statement that shows strong emotion. The exclamatory sentence ends with an exclamation point. The exclamation point is shaped like this:
!
Example sentences:

I am feeling sick and need to see a doctor!

I am so happy to see you!
The streets are flooding from the storm!

*There are other punctuation marks that do not deal with the ending of a sentence. They include the semicolon. The semicolon links together two similar ideas or sentences together. It is shaped like this:
;
Consider these examples of a semicolon in English. 

The following two sentences are connected ideas. I am hungry. I will make a sandwich to eat. A semicolon can link them together.
I am hungry; I will make a sandwich to eat.
The following two sentences are connected ideas. The cat is afraid of the dog. He runs away whenever he sees it. A semicolon can link them together.
The cat is afraid of the dog; he runs away whenever he sees it.


*The colon is another punctuation mark. It is shaped like this:
:
The colon can be used to mark the start of a sentence or the explanation of a previous clause or “set-up.” Here is an example.
She had only one goal in mind: to succeed at school.
Notice how the colon does not end the sentence but shows you that what follows is what her goal was. Does that make sense? See another example below.
Bill Gates said of leaders of the future: leaders will be those who empower others.

You can also use a colon to start a list. Here is an example.
The leaders set to speak tomorrow at the town meeting include the following people: 
the mayor
the chief of police
the fire chief
the chair of the town council
Does that make sense? Can you write a few lists or other sentences that use a colon?


*Another common punctuation mark are quotation marks. Quotation marks are used for quotes and are shaped like this
“ ”
Quotation marks come in pairs for one at each end of a quote. A quote is a direct repeating of what someone else said or wrote. Quotation marks allow readers to know when a quote begins and ends. This is important because it separates what the author says and what the people the author is writing about said. Whatever punctuation mark ends the sentence is put in right before the last quotation mark. 

Here are two examples.
Mahatma Gandhi famously said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.”
Robert asked Miriam, “Where are you going to this weekend?”

*The final punctuation mark is the comma. The comma never ends a sentence, but it is used for several basic purposes in grammar. The comma is shaped like this.
,
The following list will show you six common uses of the comma in English writing.

1. Use commas to separate three or more words or phrases in a series.
Example sentences:
The salad has lettuce, onions, tomatoes, and croutons in it.
I cleaned, organized, and decorated the bedroom.

2. Use commas to indicate that a person is being addressed by name.
Example sentences:
I would like to talk with you, Alex.
Juan, can you lend me the newspaper?
Can I borrow your computer, Lisa?

3. Use a comma when noting dates and addresses.
Example sentence:
Today’s date is January 28, 2012.

4. Use commas after phrases, clauses, or small words that introduce the main idea of your sentence.
Example sentences:
No, Bob did not go to the park with us.
Because Janet studied for her test, she improved her grades and learned new skills and knowledge.
After dinner, we went to the movie theater to see a comedy.

5. Use commas to set off words, phrases or clauses that comment on or give additional information about the main part of the sentence, or otherwise interrupt the natural flow of the sentence.
Example sentences:
Jonas Salk, the famous scientist, was from New York City.
Pierre, after studying at dental school, became a dentist.

6. Use commas before coordinating conjunctions such as "and," "or,", "but" that join two complete sentences, or when the comma is needed for clarity, emphasis, or contrast.
Example sentences:
Buffalo may be cold, but it is home to me.
Jane used the Academic Muse program, and he is performing better in class as a result.

I hope this is helpfully for ESL learners who are just beginning to write in English. Grammar and punctuation marks are important for being clear and effective in writing. Do you have any questions? Can you use these punctuation marks in your writing? Share any question or comment with us here on this blog. Stay tuned for more blog entries on improving your English skills. If you wish to really improve your skills with personalized and attentive help, contact Kingston University USA for more information! 

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ESL Practice: The Basics of English Words

Here are some pictures that can help demonstrate some of the fundamentals of English. You will see the pictures, followed by a sentence that describe them, and then we will explain to you what category each word fits in English.

"She is using the computer at her desk."

She is a pronoun  in this sentence.

Using is a verb in this sentence.

Computer is a noun  in this sentence.

At is a preposition  in this sentence.

Desk is a noun  in this sentence.

"Ling is drinking coffee while listening to her co-worker."

Ling is a proper noun in this sentence.

Is is a verb in this sentence.

Drinking is a verb in this sentence.

Coffee is a noun in this sentence.

While is a conjunction in this sentence.

Listening is a verb in this sentence.

To is a preposition in this sentence.

Co-worker is a noun in this sentence.

"The workers discuss business ethics in the office."

Workers is a noun in this sentence.

Discuss is a verb in this sentence.

Business ethics is a noun  in this sentence.

In is a preposition in this sentence.

Office is a noun in this sentence.

"Ling answers the telephone call and she listens to her boss' instructions."

Ling is a proper noun in this sentence.

Answers is a verb in this sentence.

Telephone call is a noun in this sentence.

And is a conjuction in this sentence.

She is a pronoun in this sentence.

Listens is a verb in this sentence.

To is a preposition in this sentence.

Instructions is a noun in this sentence.

"Michelle is typing an email to send on her computer."

Michelle is a proper noun in this sentence.

Is is a verb in this sentence.

Typing is a verb in this sentence.

Email is a noun in this sentence.

To is a preposition in this sentence.

Send is a verb in this sentence.

On is a preposition in this sentence.

Computer is a noun in this sentence.

I hope these examples show ESL learners how English vocabulary, grammar and sentence structure works in practice. Can you form different sentences that describe the actions and images in these pictures? Do you have any questions? What are some things you wish to learn about the English language and how to write, speak and understand it? Stay tuned for more blog entries on advice and opportunities to learn through Kingston University USA.

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ESL: The Basics of English Words

This blog entry is about the very basics of the English language for non-native speakers. These concepts are very important when learning English as a Second Language. They are the foundation of writing and speaking correctly. Let us begin with the different types of words.

Nouns

What is a noun? A noun is a person, place, thing, animal, idea or event. Words such as doctor, house, chair, cat, victory and lunch are all nouns because they fit into one of these categories. When a noun is very specific to a particular a person, place, thing, animal, idea or event, it is called a proper noun. The first letter in each word of a proper noun is always capitalized. This is why people’s names, cities, countries, and holidays are always capitalized. For example, John Smith is spelled with capital letters J and S rather than being spelled john smith.

Pronouns

What is a pronoun? A pronoun is a word that takes place of a noun previously mentioned by a speaker or writer. Pronouns include he, she, you, we, it and I. For any male person, the pronoun he is used. For any female person, the pronoun she is used. When referring directly to another person or group of people, the pronoun you is used. When referring to oneself and other person(s), the pronoun we is used. When referring to objects or things, the pronoun it is used. When referring to oneself, the pronoun I is used. Here are some examples of pronouns in use in English writing:

“John and I were walking down the street. We were both heading to the restaurant to have lunch together.”

“The final exam is coming up soon for our class at university. Studying for it is something we have to do.”

“Jane loves to play the piano. She is very creative and talented in creating music.”

“Ian works at a bakery. He helps make bread and other baked goods for customers.”

“I turned to the other students and asked, ‘What are you going to do?’”

Did you notice how the words I, we, he, she, it and you were used to replace nouns? This is what pronouns are used for in English.

Verbs

What is a verb? Simply, verbs are words that describe action. These actions include working, thinking, moving, feeling, and anything else anything or anyone can do. Verbs have many different possible conjugations based on the particular tense, subject, person and numbers involved. For instance, the word run is conjugated to running when it refers to a single man in the present tense, “He is running right now.”

Adjectives

Adjectives are words that provide descriptions for nouns. They tell you what the nouns are like. Some examples include,

The tall man is talented in basketball.

The black cat is small.

The lemonade is sweet.

She is smart and clever.

The tree is brown.

The comedian is funny.

In these sentences, tall, talented, black, small, sweet, smart, clever, brown and funny are all instances of adjectives. Notice how adjectives come before the noun when they are “attached” to one another. In English, it is always ordered “the tall man” rather than “the man tall” or “man tall.”

For example,

Correct: The happy dog wagged his tail.

Incorrect: The dog happy wagged his tail.

Adverbs

Like adjectives, adverbs are words that describe. Adverbs describe verbs; they describe in what manner someone or something does an action. Adverbs often, but not always, end with the letters “-ly.” For example, gently, quickly, slowly, constantly, and forcibly are all adverbs.

Prepositions

Prepositions are words that modify or compliment nouns or verbs in between different “thoughts” within a sentence. Words such as beneath, under, to, from, for, on, at, with, in and until are used as preposition to give necessary information to make a sentence make sense. Consider the following incorrect sentence:

The man sits the table.

Without a preposition, there is not enough information to make sense of the verb (“sits”) that is right next to the object (“the table”). Consider the preposition “at” being added to the sentence:

The man sits at the table.

This is correct. It makes the sentence far more understandable.

These six categories are just the most common of types of words, but they are the necessary tools to begin to master the English language. See if you can use this information to express your own ideas in English sentences. If you are interested in receiving help for school projects that are in the English language or you simply want to improve on your English skills, contact Kingston University USA. We hope to hear from you and will post more blog posts in the near future. 

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Welcome to Our Blog

Hello and welcome to our first blog entry. Kingston University USA offers many different distance learning programs and services for students across the world to meet their educational and learning goals. This blog will offer background information on many of the subjects and courses our instructors teach such as business management, S.A.T. preparation and E.S.L. (English as a Second Language). Additionally, you can be the first to discover promotions through our official Facebook page as well as giving your ideas, questions, concerns and opinions directly to us! Stay tuned for more information, knowledge and services that will allow you to live locally and learn globally.

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