Category Archives: Upper Intermediate (Level 5)

Exciting News I’d Like to Share

Posted on January 3, 2026 by mhardy3222

I’ve been working on something behind the scenes … An ebook for learners who want English to make sense Many of my students over the years have said the same thing: “No one ever explained it like this before.” That … Continue reading →

Posted in Advanced (Level 6+), Cambridge, ESL Teachers, Grammar, IELTS, Intermediate (Level 4), Pre-Intermediate (Level 3), Relative Clauses, TOEFL, TOEIC, Upper Intermediate (Level 5), Writing | 1 Comment

Happy Christmas!

Posted on December 23, 2025 by mhardy3222

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to my dear English Students! It’s that time of year when we look back on the year that was, prepare for Christmas or holiday celebrations, look forward to bringing in the New Year, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Advanced (Level 6+), Beginner (Level 1), Elementary (Level 2), Intermediate (Level 4), Listening, Pre-Intermediate (Level 3), Speaking & Pronunciation, Upper Intermediate (Level 5), Videos | 1 Comment

How to Describe a Painting using ‘Wh…?’ questions

Posted on December 3, 2025 by mhardy3222

‘The family of Darius before Alexander’ by Paolo Veronese 1565-1570 ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦  Greetings English learners! How would … Continue reading →

Posted in Advanced (Level 6+), Cambridge, Grammar, IELTS, Intermediate (Level 4), Listening, Pre-Intermediate (Level 3), Upper Intermediate (Level 5) | Leave a comment

A song with (mostly) Present Tenses

Posted on November 13, 2025 by mhardy3222

Have you heard the latest song by RAYE – Where is my husband? I just love it! It’s fun, clever, and addictive. Watch the Official Music Video on YouTube. The subtitles are very helpful especially for English learners. Rachel, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Advanced (Level 6+), Grammar, Intermediate (Level 4), Listening, Songs, Upper Intermediate (Level 5) | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Sensational, Skilful Semicolons!

Posted on November 3, 2025 by mhardy3222

What the ….. !!    Not another SEMICOLON !! What is a  Semicolon? Let’s have a look. ; a) Spiderman is my favourite Super Hero; he’s my favourite person! b) Spiderman is my favourite Super Hero; actually, I still really like Superman.   What … Continue reading →

Posted in Advanced (Level 6+), Cambridge, Grammar, IELTS, Intermediate (Level 4), TOEFL, TOEIC, Upper Intermediate (Level 5), Writing | 1 Comment

Silent English Letters

Posted on October 25, 2025 by mhardy3222

Greetings English Learners! It’s time for some silliness! The English Language does seem to have an unfair number of silent letters. How can you remember them all? Well, it takes time and familiarity, and a generous dose of humour helps! … Continue reading →

Posted in Advanced (Level 6+), Cambridge, ESL Teachers, IELTS, Intermediate (Level 4), Listening, Pre-Intermediate (Level 3), Pronunciation Videos, Speaking & Pronunciation, Upper Intermediate (Level 5), Vocabulary | 2 Comments

Advanced Reading – Improve your English & your Knowledge!

Posted on August 6, 2025 by mhardy3222

Is it possible to become a successful English writer when English is your second language?                  Imagine being taught English at school but not hearing it spoken outside of  the classroom. This is an … Continue reading →

Posted in Advanced (Level 6+), Cambridge, IELTS, Reading, Upper Intermediate (Level 5), Writing | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The Crocodile and The Monkey : a Poem by Vikram Seth

Posted on June 30, 2025 by mhardy3222

Greetings English Students! It’s Story Time! Who doesn’t love a great story? Today, I’m going to share a fabulous story with you: The Crocodile and The Monkey by Vikram Seth. It may look like a children’s story, but it has … Continue reading →

Posted in Advanced (Level 6+), Cambridge, Listening, Reading, Speaking & Pronunciation, Upper Intermediate (Level 5), Videos, Vocabulary | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Spelling Mistakes that Ruin your Writing

Posted on March 6, 2025 by mhardy3222

English spelling is not easy for anyone learning English as a second language. It may surprise you to learn that many native English speakers are not good at spelling in their native language. They know that spelling is very important … Continue reading →

Posted in Advanced (Level 6+), IELTS, Intermediate (Level 4), Pre-Intermediate (Level 3), Upper Intermediate (Level 5), Writing | Tagged , | 3 Comments

A Song with Present Simple & Past Simple

Posted on January 22, 2025 by mhardy3222

Did you know that the Present Simple is the most commonly used tense in spoken and written English? It accounts for between *50-60% of English communication. The second most commonly used tense is the Past Simple with nearly *20% usage.  … Continue reading →

Posted in Beginner (Level 1), Elementary (Level 2), Grammar, Intermediate (Level 4), Listening, Pre-Intermediate (Level 3), Songs, Upper Intermediate (Level 5), Vocabulary | Tagged | 1 Comment