Speak Up in English: How to Share Your Contributions Without Bragging
Doing excellent work is essential, but it’s only half the story. If no one hears about your contribution, they may never realise the value you bring. In today’s hybrid, multicultural teams, visibility often depends on what you say just as much as what you do. This article breaks down why speaking up in English matters, […]
Mastering Synonym Pairs: Close/Shut, Start/Begin, Big/Large, End/Finish
In English, synonym pairs often seem interchangeable, but subtle differences exist. Let’s explore some common pairs. Close vs Shut Start vs Begin Big vs Large End vs Finish Download the worksheet here
Mastering Job, Work, and Career Collocations
Collocations are words that commonly appear together, making your English sound natural and fluent. Understanding the correct collocations for “job,” “work,” and “career” is particularly important if you want to communicate professionally and effectively. Job Collocations Work Collocations Career Collocations Please download the practice exercise here
Want to Sound More Like a Native Speaker? Stop Apologising!
Have you ever noticed how often non-native English speakers apologise during conversations? They apologise for grammar mistakes, for forgetting words, or even for their accents. Ironically, native speakers rarely do this. So, if you’re aiming to sound more natural and confident when speaking English, the first step is simple: stop apologising. Let’s dive into common […]
Which Tense Should You Use in an English Interview?
If you’re preparing for an interview in English, one of the trickiest things is knowing which grammar tense to use. Do you say ‘I’ve worked with Docker’ or ‘I worked with Docker’? Here’s a breakdown of the key tenses you should use, and when to use them, in both technical and behavioural interviews. 1. Past […]
Real English in Tech: Phrasal Verbs You’ll Actually Hear
Ever wonder why native English speakers say “figure it out” instead of “determine the cause”? It’s because phrasal verbs are how people actually speak, especially in the world of software development.But here’s the tricky part: they’re not just slang; they follow very real grammar rules. Let’s take a closer look 👇 🔍 Grammatically Speaking…A phrasal […]
Learning again: exciting, fulfilling, and slightly terrifying!
Recently, I realised just how much I missed learning and learning something purely for myself. Don’t get me wrong, having your first child teaches you something new every single day (and it never stops!). But there’s something incredibly rewarding about choosing to improve yourself for no other reason than personal growth. This was my biggest […]
Stop Saying “It Depends”: How to Sound More Professional in English Meetings (for Developers & Team Leads)
If you work in software development or lead a technical team, you’ve probably said “It depends” more times than you can count. And yes.. in tech, everything depends on something. But here’s the problem:Saying just “It depends” makes you sound vague, uncertain, or even unprepared, especially in meetings with non-technical stakeholders. In this article, we’ll […]
Can we fix it? Explaining clearly to your stakeholders in English
“Bob the Builder! Can we fix it?Bob the Builder! Yes, we can!” (I’m not sure if the lyrics are different in your language, but you get the idea!) Now, let’s talk about your software projects and stakeholder communication: When stakeholders ask, “Can you do XYZ?”, your first instinct is probably a quick “Yes, we can!” […]
Beyond LGTM
We’ve all done it, written “LGTM” (Looks Good To Me) or “+1” in a code review when we’re in a hurry. And sure, sometimes the code really looks good. But is that brief comment in a code review enough to encourage your team to improve their skills and reduce technical debt? Let’s explore why clear, […]