Do or make: common English collocations in context
Use do for work, duties, activities, and general tasks. Use make when you produce a result, prepare something, or arrange a decision or plan.
English for work and meetings
Practice expressions used to talk about work, projects and other people. Try each recording before opening the explanation.
Sign in to save phrases and report a problem
Down-to-earth: meaning and use in English
Use down-to-earth for a person who seems practical, approachable, and free from unnecessary pride: Our new manager is down-to-earth and listens to the team. It often describes a person's manner. For one exact quality, choose a word such as practical, honest, or friendly.
English email writing: clear subject lines and messages
Write a subject line that names the topic or action. In the message, greet the reader, state your purpose early, give the needed details, make one clear request if you have one, and end with a closing that suits the relationship.
English interview tips: give clear, useful answers
Start with a direct answer, add one short example with a result, and link the example to the work you are applying for. Ask for clarification when you do not understand the question.
English interview tips: prepare concise, relevant answers
Before an interview, choose several real work, study, or volunteer examples. Practise each answer with a clear beginning, the action you took, and the result. Keep the language direct, connect each example to the role, and prepare one thoughtful question for the interviewer.
English practice: adjective and preposition pairs
Learn adjective and preposition pairs as one unit. Common examples include good at, interested in, proud of, responsible for, and worried about.
English practice: common idioms
Learn an idiom as a complete expression and use the sentence around it to work out its meaning. Break the ice means make people feel more comfortable, under the weather means slightly ill, and hit the nail on the head means describe something exactly.
English practice: emails and polite messages
Start with a suitable greeting, state your reason early, make your request with could, would, or please, and end with thanks and a closing. Keep the subject line and main request specific.
English practice: feelings and reactions
Choose a feeling word by asking what happened, what the person expected, and how strong the reaction is. Pair the word with a clear reason when that reason matters.
English practice: formal and informal English
Use formal English for professional, official, or unfamiliar relationships. Use informal English with friends and people you know well. Choose polite, complete wording when the situation needs distance or care.
English practice: future forms
Use will for a decision or offer made now and for many predictions. Use be going to for a prior intention or evidence-based prediction. Use the present continuous for a personal arrangement, and the present simple for a timetable or schedule.
English practice: useful verb-noun collocations
Learn frequent verb-noun combinations as complete phrases. Say make a decision, take notes, do research, give advice, and have a conversation.