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The Primavera English Blog

Cause and Effect transition words

Janean Fischli, August 18, 2025

In academic writing, transition words can improve the style and flow of your writing […]

When Life gives you Lemons

Hela Goodwin, July 18, 2025

Since the lemons on our tree started ripening a few weeks ago, I’ve been […]

Confusing Words: Also, Either

Janean Fischli, May 1, 2025

Often English language learners confuse the words also and either, when used as adverbs […]

SAT classes at Primavera English

Hela Goodwin, March 12, 2025

Hoping to study in the United States after high school? If so, you are […]

Pulling someone’s leg

Evelyn Koppschall, February 10, 2025

The expression “to pull someone’s leg” is a common expression you’re sure to hear […]

Turning over a New Leaf

Hela Goodwin, January 9, 2025

New Year’s Resolutions are hard to hold to, but how about ‘turning over a […]

Until the Cows Come Home

Jeanette Boller, August 16, 2024

Every language has its sayings and idioms, which cannot always be understood by knowing the meanings of the individual words...

Hard and Hardly

Evelyn Koppschall, May 28, 2024

What’s wrong with the use of the word hardly in this sentence? Fiorella was trying to show the contrast between a hard (or strong or fierce) wind and gently falling rain. However...

Riddles

Janean Fischli, October 11, 2023

With young learners, riddles are a great/fun way to practice comparatives and superlatives, as well as English vocabulary. The theme of the riddles can be adapted to any vocabulary topic and students love the challenge of figuring out clues, ...

Actually or Currently?

Janean Fischli, September 12, 2023

Don’t get confused! The word actually does not mean currently, as it does in Spanish. Native Spanish speakers are tempted to say a sentence like, “I am actually living in an apartment.” In English we would use the word currently or right now in this sentence: I am currently living in an apartment...

Live or Leave?

Janean Fischli, July 27, 2023

Say these words: hill, heel, slip, sleep, ship, sheep. Did you make a different sound for the vowels in each pair of words? In English, we have 26 letters in the alphabet, but many of the letters can make more than one sound and other letters make sounds that might seem very similar to a non-native speaker...

Shoot the Breeze

Yolanda Wegner, July 12, 2023

Remember last month’s post? Well, if you drop in on someone, you often stay for a while and shoot the breeze or have a casual conversation with that person...

Dropping In

Evelyn Koppschall, June 12, 2023

On weekends I enjoy dropping in on old friends. If a friend wants to chat with me, I hope they feel free to drop in, too. If you’re walking down our street and want to find out more about Primavera English, ring the doorbell and drop in for a visit...

Monarch Butterflies

Janean Fischli, May 18, 2023

Many students study with us with the long or short term goal of taking the TOEFL or a similar test. Perhaps the most challenging part of these tests is the writing section. Why is this?...

Idiom: Walking on Thin Ice

Yolanda Wegner, April 21, 2023

This expression describes a situation in which someone is doing something risky or dangerous that could have unpleasant or serious consequences...

Sensitive or Sensible?

Jeanette Bazeley, February 1, 2023

In English, there are many words that sound similar to words in Spanish but cannot be directly translated. These words are known as false cognates or false friends. It’s important to learn these words because you could save yourself some embarrassment in the future!...

Private Class or Group Class: Which Is Best for You?

Shana Goodwin, November 22, 2022

If you are thinking about starting to take English classes, one important choice to make is whether to take private classes or group classes. Here at Primavera English, we offer both, and in this post I’ll outline some of the benefits of each...

How to Improve Your English for the Duolingo English Test

Shana Goodwin, October 24, 2022

An increasing number of international ESL learners are taking the Duolingo English Test (DET) in preparation for studying in universities in North America, Europe, or Australia. Below we have outlined the most important language skills to master before you take the Duolingo English Test, as well as where to find resources so you can improve those skills...

Improve English Pronunciation with Tongue Twisters, Part 3

Shana Goodwin, August 15, 2022

As I have written in previous posts in this series, one great way to practice pronunciation is to learn tongue twisters – they are fun, challenging to the brain, and can show you which sounds you have a hard time pronouncing. Two sounds that can be especially difficult for native Spanish speakers who are learning English are “b” and “v,” because in Spanish, the two letters are pronounced almost identically...

Bored or Boring: What’s the Difference?

Shana Goodwin, July 12, 2022

Fortunately, there’s a pretty simple explanation: -ed adjectives usually describe emotions, or the way someone or something is feeling. And -ing adjectives usually describe the thing that is causing that emotion or feeling...

New at Primavera: Duolingo English Test Prep Classes!

Shana Goodwin, May 16, 2022

Primavera English is now offering classes to help our students prepare for the Duolingo English Test! Accepted by thousands of universities in North America, Europe, and Australia, this is an English proficiency test that can be taken online, on demand, and takes only about an hour to complete. We have designed our personalized course to help you reach your goals as you prepare to take the test...

What Is the TOEFL, and When Should I Take It?

Shana Goodwin, February 19, 2022

If you’re planning to study or live abroad, you may need to consider preparing for and taking the TOEFL iBT test. This test is the most widely used English language proficiency test in the world, and is known to be extremely rigorous. It is important to give yourself plenty of time to prepare for this test: it’s not easy!

“Be” or “Have”?

Shana Goodwin, January 17, 2022

Which one is correct: “I have twenty-four years” or “I am twenty-four”? Native Spanish speakers who are learning English often confuse the verbs “be” and “have” when talking about age. This is because in Spanish, the verb “tener” (to have) is used (“tengo veinticuatro años”), so it’s natural to simply translate this into “I have twenty-four years.” Unfortunately, however, this is incorrect. In English, the verb “be” (ser/estar) is used when talking about age: “I am twenty-four.”

The Difference between “For” and “To”

Shana Goodwin, November 18, 2021

The simplest explanation for knowing when to use “to” or “for” when talking about a reason or function is that “for” is followed by a noun or gerund, and “to” is followed by a verb. Examples: The ciclovía is a great place for walking and biking. The ciclovía is a great place to walk and bike...

Restroom or Bathroom?

Shana Goodwin, November 8, 2021

Almost all of my students have asked me this at some point: What’s the difference between “restroom” and “bathroom”? When should I use each? The answer is very simple: in my own house, I use “bathroom,” but when I’m in other people’s houses, or in public, I say “restroom.” ...

How to Use “Since”

Shana Goodwin, October 15, 2021

In my classes with adults, or in my TOEFL prep classes, I often hear students confusing their usage of the words “since,” “from,” and “for.” “Since” is used to express the time duration for an action or state that started in the past and is still continuing in the present. It is used with the present perfect continuous or present perfect simple tenses...

The Difference between In and On

Shana Goodwin, August 26, 2021

In Spanish, the preposition “en” is used to indicate position in space or time. But in English, there are two prepositions that replace “en”: in and on. It can be difficult to know which one to use when, and although they are often interchangeable, here are a few general guidelines...

The Difference between Make and Do

Shana Goodwin, July 14, 2021

Use “make” when talking about creating, building, or producing something. Use “do” when talking about work or tasks...

The Difference Between Later and After

Shana Goodwin, June 18, 2021

After you read this article, you’ll be a pro on how to use these two words. Both “later” and “after” mean “at a time in the future.” But the words are used differently...

The Difference Between Say and Tell

Jeanette Bazeley, June 8, 2021

The simple way to think of the differences between say and tell is: You say something. You tell someone something...

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