When to use the Turkish accusative marker
One of the points of Turkish that can be confusing for a lot of learners (like me) is when to use the Turkish accusative marker. I am not a native, so I could not rely on my intuitive feeling of…
wait for, expect, look forward to: What is the difference?
There are a handful of English words that probably translate to similar things in your native language. I have gotten questions about this, so I hope my students' confusion can become clarity for you. How can you know whether to…
How to say “home” in German
One word that has caused me a lot of confusion in my German journey was "house" or "home." Usually, English words have similar counterparts in German. However, I always had trouble knowing how to say home in German. Zuhause? zu…
Gather vs collect: What is the difference?
If you want to use gather or collect, you may think they are interchangeable. In fact, if you as a native speaker, they won't be able to quickly tell you the difference, which tells us they are very similar. However,…
left vs leftover: what is the difference?
This pair of words can be a pain because it's hard to find good explanations online with the differences. Some people claim the difference is about formality or politeness. However, there is a deeper difference because "left" cannot be used…
Mist vs fog vs steam: What is the difference?
Several of my students have asked me about these words, and if more than one person has questions about a set of words, I know it's a bigger problem than just them. What are the difference between these words about…
delay vs postpone (vs late): what is the difference?
Choosing between "delay" or "postpone" can be tough because they are very close words. They both are about moving times. Natives use these words all the time, so you should do, too. What are the differences between delay or postpone?…
During vs for: what is the difference?
Many English learners have trouble knowing when to use during or for. Many people mix up these words because they don't know how they are different. This could be because their language does not have the same difference between words.…
How to say “feel” in German properly
"Feel" is one of those words that are hard to translate perfectly into German because English uses it so widely. Many circumstances are all combined into this general English verb that is related to "sensing" things. As such, when we…
The bare infinitive
A grammar point that is tough for a lot of English learners is the bare infinitive. English learners usually have a strong grasp on gerunds that end in -ing, and they understand a common alternative, albeit with unique situations, is…