Idioms of the week: clothes

September 22, 2016September 20, 2016Leave a comment

In this blog series, we’re breaking down common English expressions that are used in everyday conversation, so you’ll be able to expand your language skills and have fun with new English phrases. This week, we’re keeping to the theme of clothes.

1. old-fashioned (noun phrase): of or relating to the past
Ex: Vintage clothes are making a come-back: I saw a young girl wearing a white, old-fashioned dress in the street this morning.

2. dressed to the nines (verb phrase): to be dressed elegantly, to be dressed very well
Ex: It was a beautiful wedding, everybody was dressed to the nines.

3. put oneself in somebody else’s shoes (verb phrase): imagine what it would be like to be in someone else’s situation
Ex: Stop complaining and try to put yourself in my shoes for once!

4. hit someone below the belt (verb phrase): to do something in an unfair or cowardly way
Ex: Mike is usually a nice guy, but his last comment on John’s questionable work ethics really hit below the belt.

5. do (something) like it is going out of fashion (verb phrase): enthusiastically, to an extensive degree
Ex: Tom is eating his burger like it’s going out of fashion—he is going to get sick!

6. fit like a glove (verb phrase): fit perfectly
Ex: This dress fits you like a glove, you should buy it!

7. fall apart at the seams (verb phrase): in a very bad condition, likely to fail
Ex: I quit my old company because it was falling apart at the seams.

8. hot under the collar (noun phrase): very angry
Ex: He got very hot under the collar when the waiter spilled a drink on him.

9. roll up one’s sleeves (verb phrase): prepare for hard work
Ex: Everyone had to roll up their sleeves to meet the client’s demanding request.

10. cut from the same cloth (verb phrase): of the same nature, similar
Ex: She and her mother are cut from the same cloth, their personalities are so similar.

Try using these idioms the next time you practice your English skills. You’ll find yourself using them more naturally in conversation in no time!

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The Best and Worst Ways to Provide Feedback to Learners

September 20, 2016September 15, 2016Leave a comment

Today we bring you the latest segment in a video series by Voxy’s Chief Education Officer, Dr. Katharine Nielson, who’s answering all your nitty-gritty questions about how people learn languages.

As a language instructor, when and how should you be offering your learners corrective feedback? And what’s the worst thing you can do when a learner is in the middle of completing a task, answering a question or telling a story? In this video, Dr. Nielson explains the difference between implicit and explicit instruction and feedback, talks about the most effective kind of corrective feedback (and when to use it) and some common pitfalls to avoid.

Dr. Katharine B. Neilson, PhD, is Voxy’s Chief Education Officer.

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Voxy Launches Popular Digital Marketing Course from General Assembly

September 13, 2016September 12, 2016Leave a comment

Voxy is proud to be working with General Assembly (GA), a global education company specializing in 21st-century skills, to deliver its Digital Marketing course on the Voxy platform.

This collaboration will bring GA’s popular Digital Marketing course to the Voxy platform for English language learners around the world. The professional-level foundation course has been taken by more than 10,000 employees at large companies and uses exclusive content from GA’s online curriculum. The online course covers functional and relevant topics including: social media, UX (user experience), mobile strategy and content marketing.

GA addresses the skills gap in today’s tech- and data-focused workforce and provides professional development and training in areas like marketing, data science and visual design. This new offering will allow Voxy’s learners to access applicable skills to further their comprehension of the English language.

“Voxy’s partnership with GA is 100 percent aligned with our unique task-based approach to language learning, which takes authentic materials and converts them into language lessons that address real-life goals,” said Mari Nazary, Voxy’s VP of Pedagogy & Curriculum. “Thanks to GA’s rich and effective Digital Marketing course, we’re continuing to address our learners’ needs for improving their professional development skills while also practicing the English they need to advance their careers.”

Want to check it out? Visit the Voxy Unit Catalog and choose Courses from the dropdown menu at the top of the page.

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Coffee Break: 10 Expressions About… NYFW

September 8, 2016September 8, 2016Leave a comment

Today is the first day of New York Fashion Week (NYFW). This week, top fashion designers from all over the world will show their 2017 Spring/Summer collections to buyers, the press and the general public. This semi-annual event kicks off the fashion season, with shows in London, Milan and Paris that follow shortly after. Come discover the fashion world with these 10 new words to add to your vocabulary:

1. runway (noun): a raised aisle extending into the audience from a stage, especially as used for fashion shows
Ex: Models will walk down the runway wearing fashion designers’ latest collections this week.

2. sartorial (adjective): of or relating to tailoring, clothes or style of dress
Ex: The wide range of designers present during the week usually offers something for every sartorial inclination.

3. must-have (noun): an essential or highly desirable item
Ex: The bomber jacket is definitely a must-have item in 2016.

4. trend (noun): something that is currently popular or fashionable
Ex: This week will determine what some of the fashion trends for 2017 will be, which will influence what people wear next summer.

5. fashionista (noun): someone who is very interested in fashion or who works in the fashion industry
Ex: Social media and blogs offer a platform for fashionistas to follow and write about fashion trends and shows.

6. apparel (noun): refers to any men’s, women’s or children’s clothing
Ex: In 2013, Eden Miller was the first designer ever to show plus-size apparel at New York Fashion Week.

7. garment (noun): a particular article of apparel
Ex: High-tech garments, such as 3D-printed dresses or glowing sportswear, have also started to make an appearance on the runway.

8. craftsmanship (noun): the quality of design and work shown in something made by hand; artistry
Ex: Attending fashion shows gives you the chance to see how the clothes appear from a 360-degree viewpoint and to appreciate their craftsmanship up close.

9. ready-to-wear: clothes made for the general market and sold through stores rather than made to order for an individual customer; off the rack
Ex: Some luxury brands such as Chanel, Prada and Gucci also produce a ready-to-wear line, which returns a greater profit.

10. fashion icon (noun): a person or thing that is very well known as being highly fashionable
Ex: Brigitte Bardot, Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly are considered some of the biggest fashion icons of all time.

Even if you’re not a fashionista, these words are definitely must-haves in your sartorial English vocabulary and will help you follow any apparel-related conversation you may have. If you want to learn more, log in to your English course now!

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Coffee Break: 10 Expressions About… the 2016 G20 Hangzhou Summit

September 1, 2016September 1, 2016Leave a comment

Next week, leaders from the 20 most powerful countries in the world will gather in Hangzhou, China, to take part in the eleventh G20 summit. If you’re interested in politics, international affairs or just want to expand your vocabulary list, here are 10 words and expressions related to this international forum that may be useful to know:

1. policy (noun): course or principle of action adopted or proposed by a government, party, business or individual
Ex: For this year’s G20 Summit, there is great anticipation for policies that can support economic growth.

2. agenda (noun): a list of items to be discussed at a formal meeting
Ex: Themes such as innovation, sustainable development and anti-corruption policies are all on the official agenda of the G20 summit.

3. globalization (noun): the development of closer economic, cultural and political relations among all the countries of the world as a result of travel and communication becoming easy
Ex: Because of globalization, there’s an increased need for international cooperation among countries.

4. guidelines (plural noun): rules or instructions that show or tell how something should be done
Ex: At the end of the summit, new international economic guidelines should be put into place and followed by every participating country.

5. endorsement (noun): the act of making a public statement of your support for something or someone
Ex: Before being officially released, some international standards need to receive an endorsement from the G20 leaders.

6. to issue a statement (phrase): to publicly say something, especially formally and officially
Ex: The Chinese government issued a statement declaring that all Hangzhou markets will stay open during the two-day G20 summit.

7. framework (noun): the ideas, information and principles that form the structure of an organization or plan
Ex: The relationship between Russia and China is based on a framework of mutual cooperation that has proven to be effective for both countries.

8. green finance (noun): refers to finding a balance between environmental protection, investment and financing
Ex: Since the mayor decided to invest part of the budget in the protection of biodiversity and landscapes in the city, the counsel really started to embrace the concept of green finance.

9. sustainable development (noun): economic development that is conducted without depletion of natural resources
Ex: Solar energy, wind energy and crop rotation are all examples of sustainable development.

10. consensus (noun): general agreement
Ex: The G20 is large enough to capture a wide range of interests from all systemic economies, and small enough to forge a consensus on critical issues for the world economy.

The expressions and examples we chose to write about in this article are a bit harder than usual! Take your time and maybe even read the article two or three times to make sure you understand each word. Then, try using them in a sentence on your own. Good luck!

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