Study English Online

High school vocabulary test – Synonyms

2010-01-07T21:06:00.001-08:00

Of the available words in the bracket, pick one that best represents the meaning of the bold-face word.

1. Kim only plays a passive role in the organizing committee. (inactive, proactive, unimportant)

2. That food has a peculiar smell. (strange, strong, bad)

3. All the products you are selling are up-to-date. (antique, cutting-edge, unique)

4. During the party, the beverage was inadequate. (ample, scarce, sufficient)

5. I will notify you as soon as everything is definite. (inform, inquire, verify)

6. We extend our condolences on Gusdur’s death. (praises, worries, pity)

7. Megawati is the offspring of a famous Indonesian politician. (ancestor, child, heir)

8. Your computer is already obsolete. (out of date, fashionable, updated)

9. That lunatic is scaring people away. (insane, jobless, scary)

10. She had some preliminary cross-cultural training before going overseas. (main, initial, secondary)

11. A gun is a lethal weapon. (deadly, legal, dear)

12. Everybody is prone to make mistakes when s/he is fatigue. (inclined, unlikely, easy) (tired, unhappy, mad)

13. When we went to Badui, we were warmly welcome by the local inhabitants. (natives, habitats, immigrants)

Answers can be found at: http://erikurniawan.net76.net/1_12_High-School-Vocabulary-Test.html

English Grammar Tenses

2009-01-31T15:12:00.001-08:00

Are you any good at English tenses? Try getting this exercise done and let’s see how well you did it.

1. (Do/Does/Did) anyone object if I switch the TV channel?

2. I (will/have/will have) come to the conclusion that Indonesians are getting ignorant about social issues.

3. No matter what happens next I (will, would, will be) keep in touch with you.

4. They (were/had been/have been) running for a few hours when the problem came up all of a sudden.

5. I assumed you (have been/are/had been) paying for the rent until the end of this semester.

6. (Will/Did/Do) you ever feel bored of doing the same thing every day?

7. She (will be/is/has been) collecting the data by January next year.

8. I (go/went/have gone) to that village once and haven’t visited again since.

9. She (keeps/is keeping/kept) trying to persuade her professor but it never works out.

10. I (am wanting/want/have wanted) everybody to be quiet now as I try this experiment.

Send your answers to: erikurn@gmail.com and I’ll try to get back to you ASAP.

Confusable Words

2008-09-08T14:53:00.000-07:00

There are apparently many words which can confuse you as an English learner given the fact that they seem almost similar in terms of spelling. They are often confused when writing. Here are some. Pick out which one in the bracket that best fits the sentence.

1. Bali is a (greet/great) place to visit.
2. I'm not sure (weather/whether) she will come or not.
3. (Who's/Whose) going to post this letter?
4. The flood this year had a big (affect/effect/impact) to the city.
5. (There/Their/They're) are too many people in this classroom.
6. I'm completely (uninterested/disinterested) in this offer.
7. This pain has been (quit/quiet/quite) intense since this morning.
8. He's been (laying/lieing/lying) in bed almost all days.
9. I feel that he's going to (loose/lose/lost) his job.
10. Iowa is a way colder (than/then) California during winter.
11. Unfortunately, we were not (accepted/excepted).
12. The new government tries to set up (its/it's) system within a month.
13. They are out of town (rite/right/ride) now.
14. He (died/dyed/dies/dead) at the hospital after being hit by a truck.
15. You can (precede/proceed) to the next page if you are done.

Can you get the whole questions right? Try posting your answers in the comment box.

Happy Ramadhan

2008-08-31T16:03:00.000-07:00

RAMADHAN

As I look searchingly into the sky
I look for a sign from Allah the most high
People think I'm crazy sitting in this cold
But I quest for something more precious than gold

For mankind this sign represents something great
but for the rejected one, it fills him with hate
Suddenly out of the darkness the moon does appear
the whole world rejoices 'Ramadan is here'

During Ramadan the shaytan is in chains
and Allah's mercy for a month reigns
The doors of heaven are open wide
begging for mankind to enter and abide

So often in Hadith we are reminded and told
that rewards are multiplied by many a fold
In this month do good deeds and read Quran
spend your time wisely and learn Islam

After all these years I have made up my mind
the right path and salvation I wish to find
To Allah's will I will surrender at last,
enshallah, Allah will forgive my past

Forgive-all those sins too good it sounds
but Allah's mercy knows no bounds
With sins stacked like mountains so high
will be forgiven within a blink of an eye

This Ramadan my heart and soul are alive
ready to change and ready to strive,
No more will the shaytan hold me back
in the worship of my Lord nothing will lack

Together lets make the decision to change
our priorities in this life lets re-arrange
This life on Earth is short and fast
but the life in the hereafter will forever last

Ironically this life for us holds much value
when the next life is the one that's true
To make effort on the earth we never tire
but will it take us to paradise or hell fire?

This month will give a fresh perspective
on the way we ought to and the way we live
With Zikr and prayer lets increase our Iman
Join me and together lets celebrate Ramadan

With Ramadan here the changes begin,
Firstly walking away from a life of sin
The shackles of sin I have worn so long
Now caste away to the righteous I belong

The seeker finds and mercy does shower
On lail-a-tul Qadr - the night of Power
The Quran came down on this blessed night
A guidance for mankind an illuminating light

From the depth of your Soul please pray
as invocations are accepted and sins wiped away
Ask with a clean heart is all Allah requires
and ask for whatever good the soul desires

Listen to the Quran every night in Tarawih
Ah.. Allah's words what spiritual ecstasy
It cools your heart and calms your soul
So with crystal clear vision perceive your goal

For this goodness to last there is a price
For the Deen of truth you need sacrifice
To toss aside the earth you hold so dear
Nothing but Allah will you ever fear.

Tossing and turning through every night
the demon called Dunya you need to fight
the demon called nafs you need to tame
because struggling to surrender is your ultimate aim

Etikaf is a another gift that Allah sent
The Last ten days in His path spent
in the Mosque in the presence of your Lord
doing Zikr, Talawat or Salah at your own accord

These days to Allah you must also dedicate
then disbelief and ignorance your will hate
The Quran and Sunnah will be your guide
Only then faith in your heart will reside.

Beginning this Ramadan lets make amends
Study and practice until our life ends
Everything but our deeds we leave behind
this is the truth to which we were blind

Our cars, wealth and house on earth will stay
our actions are the companions on that day
when your breath expires so does hope
so hold on firmly to Allah's rope

There is great wisdom in this rhyme
It's dedicated to me before it's my time
for these changes my soul does yearn
this Ramadan Insha Allah it's my turn

Zahid bin Ghulam

Seven Secrets for English Learners

2008-08-26T10:36:00.000-07:00

Secret #1: LEARN ABOUT WORD STRESS

Word Stress is golden key number one for speaking and understanding English. Word Stress is *very important*.

You can try to learn about Word Stress. This is one of the *best* ways for you to understand spoken English - especially English spoken fast.

What is Word Stress?

Take 3 words: photograph, photographer and photographic, for example. Do they sound the same when spoken? No!

They sound different, because *one* syllable in each word is “stressed” (stronger than the others).

PHOtograph

phoTOgrapher

photoGRAPHic

This happens in ALL words with 2 or more syllables:

TEACHer, JaPAN, CHINa, aBOVE, converSAtion, INteresting, imPORtant, deMAND, etCETera, etCETera, etCETera

The syllables that are not stressed are ‘weak’ or ’small’ or ‘quiet’. Native speakers of English listen for the stressed syllables, not the weak syllables. If you use Word Stress in your speech, you will instantly and automatically improve your pronunciation and your comprehension.

If you have an English teacher, ask her to help you understand Word Stress. Try to hear the stress in words each time you listen to English - on the radio, or in films for example. Your first step is to *hear* and recognise it. After that, you can *use* it!

Secret #2: SENTENCE STRESS

Sentence Stress is golden key number two for speaking and understanding English. With Sentence Stress, some *words* in a sentence are “stressed” (loud) and other words are weak (quiet). Look at the following sentence:

We want to go.

Do we say every word with the same stress or force? No!

We make the important words *big* and the unimportant words small. What are the important words in this sentence? Yes, you’re right: WANT and GO.

We WANT to GO.

We WANT to GO to WORK.

We DON’T WANT to GO to WORK.

We DON’T WANT to GO to WORK at NIGHT.

It’s impossible to explain everything about Sentence Stress in this article. The important thing for you is that you know it exists and try to learn about it. Sentence Stress is *very important*!

Secret #3: LISTEN! LISTEN! LISTEN!

Students sometimes say: ‘I don’t listen to the BBC news on the radio because it’s too fast for me and I can’t understand it.’ That’s a pity! When it’s too fast for you, when you can’t understand it, that is exactly when you NEED to listen to it!!!

How can you improve if you don’t listen and practise?

When you were a baby, did you understand your own language? When you were 3 weeks old, or 2 months, or 1 year, did you understand everything? Of course not! But you *learned* to understand by *listening*. Think about it. You learned to understand your own language by listening, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. After that, you learned to speak. Then you learned to read. And then you learned to write. *But listening came first!*

Secret #4: DON’T LISTEN!

In Secret #3 I said LISTEN! LISTEN! LISTEN! Now I say DON’T LISTEN! What do I mean?

Do you know the difference between the verbs TO LISTEN and TO HEAR? TO LISTEN is active. TO HEAR is passive.

Sometimes you can LISTEN too hard. Sometimes you can TRY too hard. Sometimes it is better only to HEAR. Let the radio play. Let the cassette play. But DON’T listen. Just HEAR. Your subconscious will listen for you. And you will still learn. If you listen and try to understand, you may block on one word and get frustrated. Don’t worry! Just HEAR! Believe me, you will still be learning. The important thing is to let the radio or cassette or television or record PLAY. Let it play. And you - you do nothing. Your brain will HEAR, your subconscious will LISTEN and you will LEARN!

Secret #5: IMPROVE YOUR VOCABULARY WITH 5 WORDS A DAY

Vocabulary is easy! How many days in a year are there? 365, normally (on Earth).

If you learn only 5 new words a day, you will learn 5 x 365 = 1,825 new words in a year. ONE THOUSAND, EIGHT HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE WORDS. That is a lot of new words. And we are not counting all the other words you will learn in other ways - reading, conversation etc.

Buy a notebook and write in 5 new words EACH day, EVERY day. Learn them! You will soon have an excellent vocabulary.

Secret #6: 30 MINUTES A DAY BETTER THAN 3.5 HOURS A WEEK

In fact, 30 minutes of English study once a day is better than 5 *hours* once a week! Study regularly.

Study often.

LITTLE + OFTEN is better than LOT + SOMETIMES.

It’s easier, too. You can easily find 30 minutes each day. How? You can get up 30 minutes earlier. Or have a shorter lunch break. Fix a particular time every day - and keep it!

Some games and quizzes to look at every day:

Secret #7: REVISE! REVISE! REVISE!

If you revise, you’ll improve your learning by 100%.

What does “to revise” mean? It means “to look again”.

You should be systematic about this. When you learn

something, you should note it. Then you should *look at it again*, 3 times:

- after 1 day

- after 1 week

- after 1 month

Each time you revise, test yourself.

Learn, revise, test.

Revise, test.

Revise, test.

NOTE:

revise (BrE): read again to improve one’s knowledge

revise (BrE & AmE): read and correct; update

(This post is sent to us by email from Josef Essberger - England)

Free Grammar eBooks

2008-08-12T17:28:00.000-07:00

Your vigor or enthusiasm in learning English can easily slip away when you learn that it takes up lots of money to buy books. You can tell how much they would cost you just by looking around the book prices at nearby bookstores. It's real madness.

Today when internet comes into existence and gains its fame on earth, lots of people say that you can do almost anything you want or get almost anything you need, including getting free English books. All it takes is internet connection and a little bit of patience when surfing the web. It takes a bit of work though, but I'll make it much easier for you. Just click on the book title and have the book downloaded straight into your personal computer. All for FREE.

Here are several English grammar books you can download.

1. GRAMMAR WITH LAUGHTER

2. ENGLISH GRAMMAR WORKBOOK FOR DUMMIES

3. GRAMMAR PRACTICE ACTIVITIES: A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR TEACHERS

4. ENGLISH GRAMMAR IN USE: WITH ANSWERS

5. OXFORD GUIDE TO ENGLISH GRAMMAR

6. LONGMAN ENGLISH GRAMMAR: FOR ADVANCED LEARNERS

7. UNDERSTANDING AND USING ENGLISH GRAMMAR

8. BASIC ENGLISH GRAMMAR EXERCISES

9. JUST ENOUGH ENGLISH GRAMMAR: ILLUSTRATED

10. OXFORD PRACTICE GRAMMAR WITH ANSWERS

Check them out now. I'll later update you with a lot more free English books.
Good luck.

Why I Write

2008-08-07T15:57:00.000-07:00

When speaking of the function of the language, many people may wonder why should bother writing if we can simply speak to communicate. It may be true to assume so. But writing cannot be separated from speaking when it comes to communication. There is a wide range of contexts that necessitate both use of language such as business contexts, academic contexts, journalism contexts, and etc. Anyway, when you have me answer the same question, I’ll have a tough time finding some justifiable answers at first, but I could then come up with a few plausible reasons, probably not quite convincing. These are what encourages me to write.

First, I feel the urge to write because I've (unfortunately) claimed myself as a scholar (in the process of being as such anyway). I've consciously made this decision to devote my life to advancing knowledge and education. Consequently, I have to write as one of my duties and a characteristic feature of a scholar that distinguishes him from any other professionals. A scholar studies something, questions it, investigates it and in the end reports it in an acceptable academic paper, a kind of report that meets some academic writing principles.You can't imagine if scholars don't write, can you?

Second, I feel the urge to contribute to the world we are living in through writing. I must honestly say that oftentimes I don’t dare say, comment or let alone criticize anything openly through speeches. I usually prefer to be silent and express what I think and feel through writing. By writing, I feel the power to speak, to argue, to criticize, or even to confront anything that I think is improper or inappropriate based on the values and ideals I embrace. I feel that I can control the words, play with them, and make use of them as if they were guns to shoot somebody. I could even use them as a means of freezing or killing people. And I feel the joy of doing this because I think I can contribute to the betterment of the world at some point.

Now, do you have the same reasons as I do? Share your reasons.

Bright Ideas Worth Writing

2008-08-07T15:50:00.000-07:00

I flipped through some books in the department's library today and came across with a nice and informative book about a guide to writing. It's title is "Evergreen with Readings" by Fawcett (1996).

Well, I do believe if you read at glance through all these ideas, you most probably will be inspired to write. Just have a try.

Here they are:
- Write down your goals and dreams; then brainstorm the steps you can take to make them reality.
- Write about a problem you are having and creative ways in which you might solve it.
- Analyze yourself as a student. What are your strengths and weaknesses? What can you do to build on the strengths and overcome the weaknesses?
- What class at this college have you most enjoyed? Why?
- Who believes in you? Who seems not believe in you? How do their attitudes make you feel?
- Imagine five other lives you might want to live. Who would you be?
- If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? What might you do to change it?
- If you could spend time with one famous person, living or dead, who would it be? Why?
- List teh things you would love to do if they didn't seem so crazy.
- Do you have an important secret? Kept from whom? How do you feel about keeping this secret? Why do people have secrets?
- Name three people you are supposed to admire; then name three you really do admire. Do the differences teach you anything about yourself?
- If money were no object, what place in the world would you visit and why? What would you do there, whom would you take, and how long would you stay?
- Use your journal as a place to "think on a paper" about material that you have read in a textbook, newspaper, or magazine.
- What news story most upset you in the past month? Why?
- Write down facts that impress you.
- Record quotations that spark your interest.

Looks exhaustive, right? But no worries, the only important thing you have to do is read them through in case one rings your head. Let's start writing then.

How to Answer Reading Questions

2008-07-27T13:08:00.000-07:00

The answer to the question in the title may be dependent on what type of reading question it is, for what purpose (TOEFL, IELTS, SAT, exams, etc.), in what format the question is presented and many others. Reading comprehension section in TOEFL, for instance, investigates a bunch of areas like main idea, details (stated or implied), paragraph structure, vocabulary, etc. The questions in this section will be then designed in various formats depending on their objectives. Irrespective of different types of questions, formats, and etc., however, I happened to find some general (quite practical though) tips for handling questions with reading passages from http://www.eduplace.com.

First

Concentrate. Put aside your worries and distractions. Get ready to get down to business!
Don't rely too much on prior knowledge. Although you may know about the subject, the information that is presented will be the source from which your answer should come.

Second

Read the question first. Why read the question before the passage? Because it saves time to know what you are reading for!
Make sure you understand the question. What kind of information will you need to gather when you read? Will you be looking for facts? Or will you be using the passage to come up with your own answer?
Read the passage. Read the passage as quickly as you can. Look for the answer as you read. When you find it, take notice of it, but -- and this is important -- don't stop reading yet! Read to the end. That way you can be sure that your answer is the best, most complete answer possible. If you are reading the passage in order to provide a written response, read more carefully. Make sure you understand everything.
Providing the answer. Feel free to look back at the passage to double-check your answer.

If You Didn't Find the Answer

Try again. Reread the question and the passage. Be sure you know what you are being asked to think about, before you reread.
Skip the question. If you still can't find or figure out the answer, skip the question. You can come back to it after you've finished the rest of the test.

I'm hoping that you can try to apply some or even all of those and see if they work for you.
Good luck with answering reading questions.

How to Learn English

2008-07-17T12:49:00.000-07:00

You are like a new baby
This is how we should learn a new language. Learn how babies acquire the language. They learn their language slowly. You can't impossibly expect to master a foreign language within days. It takes times. So, be patient and persevere. First babies learn to listen. Then they learn to talk. Finally, they can read and write. Those are the gradual stages you have to follow through.
Listen to English every day
There are lots of resources, especially online, that can benefit you in learning how to listen to English speeches. Listen to English radio. Watch English TV. Go to English movies. Use online lessons. Visit youtube.com and watch news or any video that can help upgrade your listening skills.
Make an English/ESL friend
Since a language is a means of communication, then you need a communication partner to learn it. SO, try making up conversations. Practice dialogs. Use beginner textbooks. Use skype.cast to make friends with foreigners. Practice chatting with them.
Read English stories
To improve your reading skills and enrich your vocabulary, read any English books. Start with children's storybooks. Try ESL readers. Read advertisements, signs and labels.
Try EnglishClub.com for Young Learners. Just go online, and you can get a whole bunch of reading resources in English.
Write down new words
As an English learner, you need to be able to write, too. All you have to do to exercise this skill is write, write, and write. Start a vocabulary (new word) notebook. Write words in alphabetical order (A...B...C...). Make example sentences. Always use an English-English dictionary first. Throw away your bilingual dictionaries. They don't help you whatsoever.
Keep an English diary
You can also practice writing by keeping your personal diary IN ENGLISH. Start with one sentence like How do you feel? What did you do today? Then write another sentence tomorrow. You can also try to make a blog in English.
Visit an English speaking country
This is probably one of the most pricey ways of learning English, that is, go to an English speaking country like England, Australia, America, or many others. Stay with an English family. Hear native speakers talk. Practice your English with them. Have a fun experience.

Adapted from http://www.englishclub.com/learn-english-how.htm

Practical Tips of Taking TOEFL

2008-07-17T12:30:00.001-07:00

1. Familiarize yourself with the three TOEFL formats (Internet-based, Computer-based, Paper-based)

Make sure you find out which test you will be taking before you start studying for the TOEFL. Most of the types of questions are similar, although there are a few new questions that can only be answered on a computer. The iBT and CBT use visual stimuli and have a written portion.

2. Research TOEFL score requirements

If you take the TOEFL in order to apply to a specific school or program, find out what the requirements are for the schools you are interested in going to. Remember that the scores for the paper based test are different than the scores for the CBT and iBT. The average minimum score required is approximately 550 (paper test) or 215 (CBT) or 70 (iBT). Many universities expect you to achieve higher writing skills than speaking skills. TOEFL scores are only valid for two years.

3. Learn academic English

TOEFL is used for a different purpose than other ESL tests. The TOEFL measures your ability to succeed in an American university or college. You don't have to know about the business world as you do in the TOEIC test. Instead, you should concentrate on studying language that you would hear on campus and terms that you would hear in the classroom. You should read textbooks, encyclopaedias, journals and research articles rather than advertisements and resumes.

4. Use practice tests

The best way to prepare for the TOEFL is to practice doing the tests. Find a textbook that has exercises, vocabulary, practice tests, CDs, and explanatory answers. Work on the sections that you find most challenging. Don't just rely on one book. You might have a book that is much easier than the official TOEFL. Look for free samples on the Internet to supplement your textbook.

5. Find a mentor

A reliable native English teacher who knows a lot about the TOEFL is one of the best resources a student can have. You will have many questions that your textbook can't answer for you. If you cannot afford a teacher or a tutor, find a student who has studied for the test before.

6. Build up your stamina

The TOEFL test takes a long time to write. If you are taking the paper based test it will take you about 2.5 hours. The iBT and CBT are much longer. You can expect to be at the computer for 4 hours. Many students have an attention span of about two hours. Remind yourself that it is a long test a few days before test day. It is absolutely necessary that you get a good night's sleep before this test. You cannot afford to be tired.

7. Arrive prepared

If you arrive at the test center with all of the things you need, you will feel calm and ready. If you are writing the paper based test you should have a number of pencils, a pencil sharpener, and a few erasers that don't smudge. You will also need a pen to write the essay on the CBT if you choose not to type it. It is also important that your identification looks valid. If you have had problems with your ID before, make sure to bring a backup photo. Don't forget any paper work that ETS sends you to prove that you have registered.

8. Pace yourself

Wear a watch. This is especially important if you are taking the paper based test. Some exam rooms do not have clocks. The CBT has a clock on the screen, however, you should still wear a watch to make sure that you arrive on time! Watch your time very closely. You should never spend longer than a minute on one question. You will only have 30 minutes to write the essay at the end of the CBT. Spend at least 5 minutes planning your essay. Save at least 5 minutes to check your work.

9. Use the tutorials

On the CBT there are tutorials to help you understand how to answer the questions properly. Don't skip the tutorials. You get extra time to use them. They will help you to feel comfortable.

10. Learn about the CAT (computer adaptive testing)

The first two sections of the CBT are computer adaptive. That means that you will be given a few questions that are of medium difficulty. After you answer those questions, the computer will determine which questions to give you next. The first 10-15 questions in each part are extremely important. If you answer these correctly, your score will be much higher.

11. Answer every question

Never leave a question blank. Eliminate all of the answers you know are wrong and then make an educated guess. On the CBT, you cannot skip a question and go back to it. You have to answer a question and confirm that you are happy with your answer. You cannot change your answers, so double check to be sure. The reading section is not computer adaptive. You can skip or change questions, but only if you have extra time. You can always go back and change questions on the paper test, but students rarely have time to do this.

12. Secrets for the Listening section

Don't look back at a listening question after you have decided on an answer. You should always try to read ahead. If you know the questions before you hear the passage you will have a head start. In the TOEFL iBT you are allowed to take notes. This in not permitted for the paper and computer based TOEFL. On the real test you will only hear everything once. You have to train your ears to listen right the first time.

13. Secrets for the Structure section

This section has been eliminated for the TOEFL iBT. You do not need to study for this section unless you are taking an old version of the TOEFL. Many students say that this is the most difficult part of the TOEFL test. The important thing is that you can identify the parts of the sentence. Always make sure that every sentence has a subject and a verb. Look at the punctuation in the sentence. You should be able to recognize the structure (for example, prepositional phrase or noun clause) even if you don't understand what the sentence means.

14. Secrets for the Reading section

Just like in the structure section, it is not important that you know every word in the reading section. Concentrate on the areas that the questions pertain to. Skim through the passage, read the questions, then read for more detail. The questions usually come in the order they appear in the passage. Anticipate the type of questions you will be asked in this section. At least 60 percent of the readings will have a main idea question. You will be asked at least two vocabulary questions from each reading. You will also be asked some detailed questions and some inference questions. You will not have time to reread a whole passage.

15. Secrets for the Writing section

You will have 30 minutes to write the essay on the CBT. The paper based tests is sometimes accompanied by the TWE (Test of Written English). You will not have access to a spell check function on the CBT. The most important thing is to keep your writing simple and clear. Don't use vocabulary and punctuation that you are unsure of. You will not impress the reader. When you practice for this section, find a format that you are comfortable with. Use this format every time. Always leave time to review what you have written. Read your essay silently in your head.

16. Make your corrections clear

If you are taking the paper test, remember that a machine will be marking your test. Only one circle must be filled in. Fill it in all the way using a sharp dark pencil. If you erase something, make sure it is completely erased. Many students lose points for being sloppy with their pencils and erasers.

17. Dress in comfortable clothing

Dress in comfortable layers on test day. You never know whether or not the test room will be cold or warm. Wear your favourite shirt. When you feel comfortable you perform better! Don't wear tight clothing. You have to sit in one place for a long time.

18. Make sure to eat before the test

Four hours is a long time to go without a snack. You will not be allowed to bring any food or drinks into the test room with you. Eat a sensible meal before you take the test. Avoid too much caffeine as it will give you the shakes. Don't consume large amounts of sugar right before the test. You will get tired very quickly.

19. Refer to the official TOEFL website

The official TOEFL website ( www.toefl.com) has a number of helpful things that you can download for free. They will supply you with a list of writing topics for the essay. You can also find important information about test centers and test updates. Many of your questions can be answered here. You will also get hints about which resources are worth buying.

20. Scores

Scores for the iBT are available online 15 days after you take the test. For paper based and computer based TOEFL contact the test center and ask for a Score Report Request Form. You can choose four institutions where you want your score to be sent to free of charge. You should bring this information with you on test day. If you are taking the CBT you will know your Listening and Reading score. You won't find out your Structure/Writing score until you get this information in the mail. If you wait until after test day, you will be charged approximately 12 US dollars for each institution that you wish to receive your score.

Abridged from http://www.englishclub.com/esl-exams/ets-toefl-tips.htm

TOEFL Written Expressions

2008-07-16T17:00:00.000-07:00

Written Expressions Section is part of Paper-Based TOEFL (either institutional or international). In this section, all you have to do is locate a part of sentence (which is underlined) that is wrong. Note that all sentences below are ungrammatical. In the real TOEFL questions though, there is an alphabet like A, B, etc. below the underlined part.

1. More and 90 percent of the calcium in the human body is in the skeleton.

2. Perhaps the most popular film in movie history, Star Wars was written and direction by George Lucas.

3. Some animal activities, such as mating, migration, and hibernate have a yearly cycle.

4. Geographers were once concerned largely with exploring areas unknown to them and from describing distinctive features of individual places.

5. In his animated films, Walt Disney created animals that talk and act like people while retaining its animal traits.

6. The first city in the United States that put into effect major plan for the clustering, of government buildings was Washington, D.C.

7. In a microwave oven, radiation penetrates food and is then absorbed primarily by water molecules, caused heat to spread through the food.

8. The cultures early of the genus Homo were generally distinguished by regular use of stone tools and by a hunting and gathering economy.

9. Dolphins are sleek and powerful swimmers that found in all seas and unlike porpoises, have well defined, beaklike snouts and conical teeth.

10. The velocity of a river is river is controlled by the slope, the depth, and the tough of the riverbed.

Want to give a shot to answer them? Let me know your answers and I'll get back to you with responses.

Count & Non-Count Nouns

2008-07-12T19:51:00.001-07:00

Nouns in almost all languages fall into two categories: count and non-count noun--some grammar books call them countable and uncountable noun.

Countable nouns are individual nouns (objects) which can be counted like computer, campus, country, house, etc. They can be both singular (a computer, a campus, a country, a house, etc.) or plural (a few computers, some campuses, many countries, two houses, etc.).

Uncountable nouns are are not individual objects and cannot be counted like information, water, rice, sand, etc. They are always singular (NOT lots of informations, two waters, a lot of rices, some sands, etc.).

Some countable nouns in your language(s) are uncountable in English. They include: accommodation, advice, baggage, bread, equipment, furniture, garbage, information, knowledge, luggage, money, news, pasta, progress, research, travel, work.

Actually, you can express the plurality of certain uncountable nouns by adding some measurements, for example:

water - a glass of water
equipment - a piece of equipment
bread - a slice (loaf) of bread
accommodation - a place to stay
advice - a piece of advice
baggage - a piece of baggage
furniture - a piece of furniture
garbage - a piece of garbage
information - a piece of information
luggage - a piece of luggage,
pasta - a plate of pasta, a serving of pasta
water - a glass, a bottle, a jug of water
meat - a piece, a slice, a pound of meat
butter - a bar of butter
ketchup - a bottle of, a tube of ketchup, etc.

Now, what you have to do is decide whether each of the following words is countable or uncountable.
1. blog
2. internet
3. e-mail
4. laptop
5. intelligence
6. chatroom
7. letter
8. layout
9. setting
10. podcast

As always, send your answers to me and I'll get back to you ASAP.
Good luck.

General Vocabulary Test

2008-07-11T20:35:00.000-07:00

Let me update you with another English test that will help brush up on your English skills. It's been quite a few days I haven't updated this blog since the blogspot system considered it as a spam and needed some time to review it.
Anyway, this time, the focus of the exercise is on general vocabulary. Look at the pair of the sentences below and find a word that can fit to each fair.

1. a. You need to _____ the car's seat so that you can sit on it comfortably.
b. The administration have some problems in _____ing to the new system.

2. a. Your shirt is too tight, you need to take it back to the shop and _____ it.
b. It takes time to _____ to living in a town with the freezing winter like Iowa City.

3. a. You must _____ the voltage to avoid any damage in the system.
b. She planned to _____ her appearance to promote her career in a movie industry.

4. a. We can pay less for the electricity bill if we _____ from a furnace to a space heater.
b. I will have to _____ flights to avoid any delay.

5. a. They can't _____ the contract because it has been signed.
b. She really wants to have a plastic surgery to _____ her looks.

6. a. The government said that price of gas would _____ next month.
b. My manager refused to ______ my salary though he had promised me.

7. a. Because of the urbanization, many people move to cities to _____ the population there.
b. The sting I got this morning had caused my leg to _____ up.

8. a. The university has just received a big donation to _____ the old chairs.
b. I think we need to _____ the air conditioner because it has been too old.

As always, send your answers to me and I'll respond to you immediately.
Good luck.

Dumb Facts about English

2008-07-04T06:05:00.000-07:00

The shortest complete sentence in the English language is “I am.”

The most used letter in the English alphabet is ‘E’, and ‘Q’ is the least used!

Floccinaucinihilipilification, the declaration of an item being useless, is the longest non-medical term in the English language.

Goddessship is the only word in the English language with a triple letter.

The sentence “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.” uses every letter of the alphabet!

The sentence “Pack my box with five dozen liquor jugs” uses every letter of the alphabet and uses the least letters to do so!

The world’s longest-named lake has 45 letters (Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg).

In the U.S. there are 18 doctors called Dr. Doctor, and one called Dr. Surgeon. There is also a dermatologist named Dr. Rash, a psychiatrist called Dr. Couch and an anesthesiologist named Dr. Gass.

“Rhythm” is the longest English word without a vowel.

The longest word in the English language is ‘pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis’ which describes a lung disease caused by breathing in particles of volcanic matter or a similar fine dust.

“Jack” is the most common name in nursery rhymes.

In the English language there are only three words that have a letter that repeats six times. Degenerescence (six e’s), Indivisibility (six i’s), and nonannouncement (six n’s).

The only three words in the English language to have 2 consecutive u’s is vacuum, residuum, and continuum.

The very first dictionary “The American” took Noah Webster 20 years to put together.

The word “alphabet” is derived from the first two letters in the Greek alphabet: “alpha” and “beta”.

from http://www.dumbfacts.com/facts/directory-of-facts/just-dumb/english/

Must-Know Facts About English

2008-07-04T05:40:00.000-07:00

Did you know that English is the most widespread language in the world and is more widely spoken and written than any other language?
Did you know that over 400 million people use the English vocabulary as a mother tongue, only surpassed in numbers, but not in distribition by speakers of the many varieties of Chinese?
Did you know that over 700 million people, speak English, as a foreign language?
Did you know that of all the world's languages (over 2,700) English is arguably the richest in vocabulary; and that the Oxford English Dictionary lists about 500,000 words, and a further half-million technical and scientific terms remain uncatalogued?
Did you know that three-quarters of the world's mail, telexes and cables are in English?
Did you know that the main language used throughout the world on the internet is English?
Did you know that more than half of the world's technical and scientific periodicals are in English?
Did you know that English is the medium for 80% of the information stored in the world's computers?
Did you know that English is the language of navigation, aviation and of Christianity; it is the ecumenical language of the World Council of Churches?
Did you know that 5 of the largest broadcasting companies in the world (CBS, NBC, ABC, BBC and CBC) transmit in English, reaching millions and millions of people all over the world?

from http://www.framtak.com/english/facts.html

Most Common Areas in TOEFL Grammar

2008-07-04T03:54:00.000-07:00

You must have known what TOEFL is, right? Just google it and tons of stuff about it will pop up. Well, as you know, TOEFL has different types: paper-based, computer-based, and internet based. Each has different characteristics. But, in general, each incorporate grammar in their own way as part of the test.

Below are ten incorrect sentences, each of which represents a common area to be tested in grammar section of TOEFL. Try to identify what's going on, and then revise. After that, observe more carefully and decide what area of grammar each belongs to (for example: subject-verb agreement/concord, tenses, etc.). As always send your answers to me, I'll get back to you as soon as I possibly can.

1. The labor union they had a meeting yesterday.
What's wrong? ________________________________________
The correct one is ______________________________________
What area of grammar is this? _____________________________

2. That young man was here for the past two days.
What's wrong? ________________________________________
The correct one is ______________________________________
What area of grammar is this? _____________________________

3. Because got rained out, the football match was called off.
What's wrong? ________________________________________
The correct one is ______________________________________
What area of grammar is this? _____________________________

4. My hometown is a very fascinated place.
What's wrong? ________________________________________
The correct one is ______________________________________
What area of grammar is this? _____________________________

5. The new headmaster is him.
What's wrong? ________________________________________
The correct one is ______________________________________
What area of grammar is this? _____________________________

6. "Die Hard 4" movie will come real soon.
What's wrong? ________________________________________
The correct one is ______________________________________
What area of grammar is this? _____________________________

7. The interviewer asked me where did I go to for my masters.
What's wrong? ________________________________________
The correct one is ______________________________________
What area of grammar is this? _____________________________

8. I first arrived in London, then headed to Paris and went back to Asia.
What's wrong? ________________________________________
The correct one is ______________________________________
What area of grammar is this? _____________________________

9. She is a very diligent, hard-working student.
What's wrong? ________________________________________
The correct one is ______________________________________
What area of grammar is this? _____________________________

10. The current project is all on community development in rural areas.
What's wrong? ________________________________________
The correct one is ______________________________________
What area of grammar is this? _____________________________

How Many You Know

2008-07-01T17:27:00.000-07:00

Below are Odgon's 850 basic words in English. Read through and see how many words you're familiar with. It'll basically tell you what level of English proficiency you're at now.

OPERATIONS - 100 words
come, get, give, go, keep, let, make, put, seem, take, be, do, have, say, see, send, may, will, about, across, after, against, among, at, before, between, by, down, from, in, off, on, over, through, to, under, up, with, as, for, of, till, than, a , the, all, any, every, little, much, no, other, some, such, that, this, I , he, you, who, and, because, but, or, if, though, while, how, when, where, why, again, ever, far, forward, here, near, now, out, still, then, there, together, well, almost, enough, even, not, only, quite, so, very, tomorrow, yesterday, north, south, east, west, please, yes .

THINGS - 400 General words
account, act, addition, adjustment, advertisement, agreement, air, amount, amusement, animal, answer, apparatus, approval, argument, art, attack, attempt, attention, attraction, authority, back, balance, base, behavior, belief, birth, bit, bite, blood, blow, body, brass, bread, breath, brother, building, burn, burst, business, butter, canvas, care, cause, chalk, chance, change, cloth, coal, color, comfort, committee, company, comparison, competition, condition, connection, control, cook, copper, copy, cork, cotton, cough, country, cover, crack, credit, crime, crush, cry ,current, curve, damage, danger, daughter, day, death, debt, decision, degree, design, desire, destruction, detail, development, digestion, direction, discovery, discussion, disease, disgust, distance, distribution, division, doubt, drink, driving, dust, earth, edge, education, effect, end, error, event, example, exchange, existence, expansion, experience, expert, fact, fall, family, father, fear, feeling, fiction, field, fight, fire, flame, flight, flower, fold, food, force, form, friend, front, fruit, glass, gold, government, grain, grass, grip, group, growth, guide, harbor, harmony, hate, hearing, heat, help, history, hole, hope, hour, humor ice, idea, impulse, increase, industry, ink, insect, instrument, insurance, interest, invention, iron, jelly, join, journey, judge, jump, kick, kiss, knowledge, land, language, laugh, law, lead, learning, leather, letter, level, lift, light, limit, linen, liquid, list, look, loss, love, machine, man, manager, mark, market, mass, meal, measure, meat, meeting, memory, metal, middle, milk, mind, mine, minute, mist, money, month, morning ,mother, motion, mountain, move, music, name, nation, need, news, night, noise, note, number, observation, offer, oil, operation, opinion, order, organization, ornament, owner, page, pain, paint, paper, part, paste, payment, peace, person, place, plant, play, pleasure, point, poison, polish, porter, position, powder, power, price, print, process, produce, profit, property, prose, protest, pull, punishment, purpose, push, quality, question, rain, range, rate, ray, reaction, reading, reason, record, regret, relation, religion, representative, request, respect, rest, reward, rhythm, rice, river, road, roll, room, rub, rule, run, salt, sand, scale, science, sea seat, secretary, selection, self, sense, servant, sex, shade, shake, shame, shock, side, sign, silk, silver, sister, size, sky, sleep, slip, slope, smash, smell, smile, smoke, sneeze, snow, soap, society, son, song, sort, sound, soup, space stage start statement, steam, steel, step, stitch, stone, stop, story, stretch, structure substance sugar, suggestion, summer, support, surprise, swim, system, talk, taste, tax, teaching, tendency, test, theory, thing, thought, thunder, time, tin, top, touch, trade, transport, trick, trouble, turn, twist, unit, use, value, verse, vessel, view, voice, walk, war, wash, waste, water, wave, wax, way, weather, week, weight, wind, wine, winter, woman, wood, wool, word, work, wound, writing . year

THINGS - 200 Picturable words
angle, ant, apple, arch, arm, army, baby, bag, ball, band, basin, basket, bath, bed, bee, bell, berry, bird, blade, board, boat, bone, book, boot, bottle, box, boy, brain, brake, branch, brick, bridge, brush, bucket, bulb, button, cake, camera, card, cart, carriage, cat, chain, cheese, chest, chin, church, circle, clock, cloud, coat, collar, comb, cord, cow, cup, curtain, cushion, dog, door, drain, drawer, dress, drop, ear, egg, engine, eye, face, farm, feather, finger, fish, flag, floor, fly, foot, fork, fowl, frame garden, girl, glove, goat, gun, hair, hammer, hand, hat, head, heart, hook, horn, horse, hospital, house, island, jewel, kettle, key, knee, knife, knot, leaf, leg, library, line, lip, lock, map, match, monkey, moon, mouth, muscle, nail, neck, needle, nerve, net, nose, nut, office, orange, oven, parcel, pen, pencil, picture, pig, pin, pipe, plane, plate, plough/plow, pocket, pot, potato, prison, pump, rail, rat, receipt, ring, rod, roof, root, sail, school, scissors, screw, seed, sheep, shelf, ship, shirt, shoe, skin, skirt, snake, sock, spade, sponge, spoon, spring, square, stamp, star, station, stem, stick, stocking, stomach, store, street, sun, table, tail, thread, throat, thumb, ticket, toe, tongue, tooth, town, train, tray, tree, trousers, umbrella, wall, watch, wheel, whip, whistle, window, wing, wire, worm .

QUALITIES - 100 Generalable
acid, angry, automatic, beautiful, black, boiling, bright, broken, brown, cheap, chemical, chief, clean, clear, common, complex, conscious, cut, deep, dependent, early, elastic, electric, equal, fat, fertile, first, fixed, flat, free, frequent, full, general, good, great, grey/gray, hanging, happy, hard, healthy, high, hollow, important, kind, like, living, long, male, married, material, medical, military, natural, necessary, new, normal, open, parallel, past, physical, political, poor, possible, present, private, probable, quick, quiet, ready, red, regular, responsible, right, round, same, second, separate, serious, sharp, smooth, sticky, stiff, straight, strong, sudden, sweet, tall, thick, tight, tired, true, violent, waiting, warm, wet, wide, wise, yellow, young .

QUALITIES - 50 Opposites
awake, bad, bent, bitter, blue, certain, cold, complete, cruel, dark, dead, dear, delicate, different, dirty, dry, false, feeble, female, foolish, future, green, ill, last, late, left, loose, loud, low, mixed, narrow, old, opposite, public, rough, sad, safe, secret, short, shut, simple, slow, small, soft, solid, special, strange, thin, white, wrong .

Comprehending a Dialog

2008-07-01T09:06:00.001-07:00

Read the following dialog and answer the questions.

Interviewer: Could you tell us about an average day in your life?
Dave: Sure, I get up early - at 5 in the morning. Then I have a shower. After that, I pray and then have breakfast.

Interviewer: Are you studying or working?
Dave: I'm a student at Indonesia University of Education.

Interviewer: What major are you in?
Dave: Educational Psychology.

Interviewer: That's interesting. Anyway, what do you do in the afternoon?
Dave: First I have lunch, then I pray and study at the library with my friends afterwards.

Interviewer: Do you have lots of homework?
Dave: Not really. I just love going to the library to read newspapers.

Interviewer: Wow, that's great. What kind of newspapers do you like reading?
Dave: Local and English ones.

Interviewer: Very interesting. What do you do in the evening?
Dave: In the evening, I go home and have dinner and listen to the radio.

Interviewer: What program do you usually listen to?
Dave: English talkshows at Radio Republik Indonesia.

Interviewer: Do you go out at night?
Dave: No. There isn't much to see here at night.

Decide if each of the statements below is TRUE (T) of FALSE (F) based on the dialog above.

1. [T - F] Dave has a shower exactly at 5 in the morning.

2. [T - F] Dave prays in the morning after breakfast.

3. [T - F] Dave is not working at Indonesia University of Education.

4. [T - F] Dave prays at the library in the afternoon.

5. [T - F] Dave doesn't have much homework.

6. [T - F] Dave reads newspapers at the library.

7. [T - F] Dave reads local newspapers in English.

8. [T - F] Dave loves listening to Radio Republik Indonesia.

9. [T - F] Dave dislikes going out at night.

10. [T - F] There isn't a lot to see at night in Dave's place.

Send your answer to my email directly and I'll respond to you immediately.

Good luck.

Misspelling

2008-07-01T08:50:00.000-07:00

Below is a list of words that are misspelled. Rearrange the letters so that they make up English words. Note that all of these words belong to one category. Guess what that is.

1. RAM
2. CABK
3. SARE
4. YESE
5. CEAF
6. TEEF
7. FRINGES
8. HIAR
9. SHAND
10. DHEA
11. SNEEK
12. SLEG
13. TOUMH
14. SONE
15. CENK
16. DHOULSERS
17. MACHTOS
18. THEET
19. BHUMTS
20. NOUGET

As usual, send your answer to my email and I'll respond to you immediately.
Good luck.

Word Types

2008-06-29T19:06:00.000-07:00

Grammar is important in any language, including English though some people think of it as an obstacle. They argue that languages are all about communication, not about grammar. They, however, overlook the fact that grammar is inherent part of the language. It deals with rules or patterns of words or sentences. It helps us convey messages in an organized or patterned manner so that misunderstanding can be avoided. One of the basics of grammar in any language is word types. It is important to know this so that you will be able to understand any grammar explanations.
In English, there are eight word types (or some grammar books call them parts of speech): nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, conjunctions, prepositions and interjections. Some books add one more type, i.e. articles.
Let's define each of them.

Noun
A noun is a word that names a person, place, thing, idea, living creature, quality, or action.

Verb
A verb is a word that describes an action (doing something) or a state (being something).

Adjective
An adjective is a word that describes a noun. It tells you something about the noun.

Adverb
An adverb is a word that usually describes a verb. It tells you how something is done, when and where.

Pronoun
A pronoun is a word that replaces a noun, to avoid repeating the noun.

Conjunction
A conjunction joins two words, phrases or sentences together.

Preposition
A preposition joins the noun to some other part of the sentence. It mostly lies before nouns.

Interjection
An interjection a word that expresses emotion or surprise and is followed by exclamation marks.

Article
An article is used to introduce a noun.

Now, I want you to classify the following words into their types. One word may have more than one type.
1. Oops!
2. Time
3. Above
4. Well
5. We
6. Indonesian
7. Pretty
8. Hardly
9. Seem
10. Exercise
11. The
12. Some
13. Now
14. Or
15. Before
16. However
17. House
18. Study
19. Hi!
20. Ours

Send your answers to me and I'll get back to you right away with responses. You can find out my email in "Contact" menu above. Good luck.

A Few bugs in English writing

2008-06-27T22:20:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine, when I was student at this university, asked me, “What is your score in Writing?” I plainly replied “A”. What about yours?” My friend cynically responded, “Don’t ask me about that. It’s lame. I know why, though. I’m poor at grammar while the lecturer, you know, gets crazy about it.”

The above illustration, though it’s just fictitious (rarely did English students speak English at campus in such a situation, right?), is more likely to happen in our academic setting. Students oftentimes feel what bothers them in either writing or speaking English is Grammar, which is considered ‘a bug’. They often claim that grammar always bugs their fluency. They argue that what is apparently needed in real-life communication is not grammar. Instead, communication is all about getting across ideas. Is it true?

Well, irrespective of whether or not grammar is a necessity in communication, what strikes the students when writing or speaking in English is a few (not to mention some or in fact many) seemingly unavoidable errors. Like the earthquake in Jogjakarta or Tsunami in Aceh, those errors can be typified as a national emergency because they seem to have been fossilized or internalized by most English students in Indonesia. I am not making a generalization. Let’s suppose so truthfully. What’s more, a linguist in Indonesia once reveals that the errors are becoming typical characteristics of a possibly new emerging English variety i.e. IndoEnglish. A variety that is characterized by ‘commonly accepted errors’. Erroneous, right?

Anyhow, the concept of error is a fuzzy one. It most probably necessitates a more technical explanation from linguistics point of view. Too delicate. Forget it. What concerns me at present is any deviations from the internationally accepted standard use of English particularly in English writing. You indeed have the rights to express yourself in any way you wish, not necessarily stick to the Standard use. But, if you don’t want to be said ignorant or even less educated by sophisticated English users such as professional writers, teachers, editors, and the like, you’d better not fall into the non Standard use (the errors) because you don’t know the better one.

Let me list a few identifiable errors that frequently bug my students especially when they write a research paper.

1. Combining singular and plural forms in the same sentence.
e.g. Each respondent was asked about their opinions.
Right: Each respondent was asked about his and her opinions.

2. Using an unnecessary comma.
e.g. The data are collected, and then analyzed.
Right: The data are collected and then analyzed.’

3. Writing fragmented sentence.
e.g. For days interviewed the subjects.
Right: For days I interviewed the subjects.

4. Confusing the use of “its” and “it’s”.
e.g. It’s aim is to describe the classroom interaction.
Right: Its aim is to describe the classroom interaction.

5. Using an apostrophe to indicate a plural form of a word.
e.g. The subject’s of the research were observed for several days.
Right: The subjects of the research were observed for several days.

6. Using “he” or “she” when referring to both sexes (men and women)
e.g. Before interviewing the subject, the researcher asked him to complete a questionnaire.
Right: Before interviewing the subject, the researcher asked him or her to complete a questionnaire.
Right: Before interviewing the subject, the researcher administered a questionnaire.

Ups. I hope that’s not exhaustive. Though I have yet to conduct particular research on this matter, the above list of errors is worth considering. So, ponder upon this! Beware of the bugs!

By Eri Kurniawan

4 Easy Ways to Learn English Online

2008-06-27T20:49:00.000-07:00

When you learn a new language the only way to improve is to practice, practice and practice! However it can often be boring to keep studying from books so I’d like to recommend some interactive learning methods and resources - all using the internet.

Chat Your Way to Better English
Chatting with others, either native or non-native speakers of English, is a great way to practice your written skills in a stress-free and uninhibited environment. This is a particularly good method if you’re shy about speaking English as it will allows you to be anonymous online and will build your confidence to eventually speak the language face to face. By joining a chat room like TheChatPage.com you can discuss any special interest topic you like, or write posts in the forums. (Either that or you can go to Englishchatting.blogspot.com to practice your English with some Indonesians) Having an email pen pal can also be a fun and effective way to practice English and make friends.

Online Grammar Exercises
For a more fun and interactive approach to practicing grammar exercises, try one of the many online grammar exercise sites available on the internet. You will find varied exercises and quizzes for most grammar points where you will be given corrections to your answer and useful explanations. Joining an EFL community will also give you access to volunteer EFL teachers who are available to answer all your grammar questions. Being part of a community such as EnglishForums.com is also excellent way to meet and communicate with other English learners.

Online Radio
Understanding native speakers and their accents is often one of the hardest parts of learning English according to EFL students. A great listening exercise, particularly for advanced EFL students, is listening to English radio stations online. Radio hosts often speak quite fast which makes this exercise rather difficult; however, this will help sharpen listening skills and be very good practice for phone conversations or meetings with native speakers. It is also an excellent way to pick up new words and learn about a variety of cultural topics.

Podcasts
If you don’t have constant access to the internet, downloading podcasts is a great alternative to listening to radio. The advantage of a podcast is that you can listen to it at your leisure until you feel you have completely understood the topic. You can also pause the audio while you look up new words or take notes on the subject. There are some great sites available which offer podcasts specifically to EFL learners. The podcasts often come in manageable 15-20 audio files, complete with full transcripts, additional vocabulary, cultural explanation, general notes and sometimes comprehension questions. This additional information means podcasts are effective language learning tools even at a lower level of English.

These resources should enable you to practice your English in a more inventive way rather than relying on books and classroom time. Of course face to face interaction is really important but these are excellent alternatives and will contribute to acquiring more fluency and confidence in your skills.

by Nadia Zehni
http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Nadia_Zehni