Author Archives: Dr. Jeff McQuillan

60 Second English: Using “A Bit” and “As Well”

Posted on Wednesday - July 11, 2018 by Dr. Jeff McQuillan

Two of the most common expressions in spoken English are “a bit” and “as well.” Learn how to use both in this 60 second video. ~Jeff Want to comment on this blog post? You can now do that on our … Continue reading →

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Re-Reading Books When You’re Older

Posted on Wednesday - June 27, 2018 by Dr. Jeff McQuillan

The following comes from a recent essay in the British magazine Literary Review. It says that as we get older, books that meant one thing to us when we were young may mean something very different when we get older. … Continue reading →

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What Do I Say When Someone Has Died?

Posted on Wednesday - June 20, 2018 by Dr. Jeff McQuillan

None of us will live forever. Death (end of life) is the eventual (someday) destination (where you are going) of all of us. If you have a friend, co-worker, or someone you know who has lost (had someone die) a … Continue reading →

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How Do You Use the Verb “Stand By”?

Posted on Wednesday - June 13, 2018 by Dr. Jeff McQuillan

There are a couple of different ways to use the phrasal verb to stand by, and it can get very confusing. Here’s a quick guide to this common English verb. One meaning of stand by is “wait.” For example, if … Continue reading →

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60-Second Video: How to Ask Someone to Repeat Something in English

Posted on Tuesday - June 5, 2018 by Dr. Jeff McQuillan

If you’re confused about how exactly to ask someone to repeat what they said to you in English, watch this quick 60-second video: Want to comment on this blog post? You can now do that on our Facebook page – … Continue reading →

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English With Your Coffee: Technology Edition

Posted on Wednesday - May 30, 2018 by Dr. Jeff McQuillan

Learn some vocabulary about technology in this short video. Want to comment on this blog post? You can now do that on our Facebook page – click here to comment on this post! WAIT! Before You Go . . . … Continue reading →

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What is the Secret to Remembering New Words?

Posted on Wednesday - May 23, 2018 by Dr. Jeff McQuillan

How can you remember all the new words you read and listen to in English? I have the answer. And it will surprise you. Keep reading . . . My answer has two parts. #1: We’ll start with the wrong … Continue reading →

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What’s the Difference Between “Sleep” and “Asleep”?

Posted on Thursday - May 17, 2018 by Dr. Jeff McQuillan

I’ve been feeling rather lazy this week. So it’s a good time to talk about a few confusing words in English related to sleeping. Sleep is both a noun and a verb. As a noun, it means that time when … Continue reading →

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What does “I can’t be bothered” mean?

Posted on Wednesday - May 9, 2018 by Dr. Jeff McQuillan

“I can’t be bothered” means “I don’t want to make the effort (work) to do something.” For example: Elisa is too busy watching TV and can’t be bothered to answer the phone. “I can’t be bothered” (or, if in the … Continue reading →

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What’s the Difference Between “Accountability” and “Responsibility”?

Posted on Wednesday - May 2, 2018 by Dr. Jeff McQuillan

Learn how we use accountability and responsibility in English by watching this short video. Want to comment on this blog post? You can now do that on our Facebook page – click here to comment on this post! WAIT! Before … Continue reading →

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