How to skirt around an online job interview; or, working from home is the (better) new normal
Most people are treading their way through working from home for the first time. Under this condition, there is no shame in admitting struggle and difficulty. It is tough to make a decision to quit the physical workplace for good. It is even fearful. When asked, how to face this unconventional setup, highlight your flexibility. […]
The Good Side of Grammar Fixation
To many English language users, grammar can make or unmake good communication. Good grammar use has become an absolute measure of one’s English language proficiency. No questions asked. It has become a fixation that borders on the pathological. What gives? Good grammar is an unwritten rule in the workplace. It is thought that office workers consider […]
How Social Media Changed The Way We Communicate
Besides changing the way we traditionally communicate (that is, by word of mouth and body language), social media platforms have also bred new and often times virulent forms of sign systems. These online platforms and apps have altered the way we talk and write and engage with each other. Whether that’s for ill or good, […]
ENGLISH SKILLS AND YOUR CAREER
“Where will your English take you?” This question is based on the belief that studying English should get you somewhere. English is essentially a foreign language (others call it a second language) in the Philippines. I thought at one time there’s little use for it in the country on a daily basis. When the BPO […]
ANNOTATIONS ON MOCK TEST AND ITS IMPACT ON ACTUAL PTE SCORES
First Take PTE Test Date: October 16, 2017 Report Issue Date: October 18, 2017 Overall Score= 62 Skills Profile Listening=67 Reading=57 Writing=61 Speaking= 72 Enabling Skills Grammar=79 Oral Fluency=64 Pronunciation= 65 Spelling=66 Vocabulary=47 Written Discourse=63 Anecdotal Notes Maria took PTE the first time on October 16, 2017, in Manila. She […]
STRATEGIZING SPEAKING AND LISTENING FOR AN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEST
In Read Aloud, you should make sure you don’t leave out words nor add new ones. You need to know where to pause as well: And by this I mean pausing at clauses, verb phrases, and key words for emphasis. If you speak in a low voice (while others speak like a rock star), you […]
FILLING YOUR LINGUISTIC BAG OF TRICKS
To most second language learners, getting on with spoken and written sentences is a struggle. Using a language we learn outside of our own home has its quirks. We are caught up between what we are taught at school and what we learn on our own through exposure to friends, social media, music, and real […]
A FUNCTIONAL AND LINGUISTIC APPROACH TO A MOCK TEST ANALYSIS
Overall Score=46 Skills Profile Listening=54 Reading=39 Speaking=38 Writing=55 Enabling Skills Grammar=28 Oral Fluency=10 Pronunciation=15 Spelling=19 Vocabulary=55 Written Discourse=79 Mr. X and I brushed up on Reading Aloud and Describe Image exercises. I used the PTE Score Guide to explain how Speaking answers are scored: There are sample answers on the guide with […]
SPEAK EASY: TRICKY JOB INTERVIEW QUESTIONS AND HOW TO ANSWER THEM
If you don’t take the BPO path because there are plenty of options that lie ahead of you owing to your above average education, then bless you. But there are thousands of job applicants who claim the same in their resume, and you’ll be hard pressed to get it across to the HR head during […]
ACING YOUR FIRST JOB INTERVIEW IN THE NEW NORMAL
Under the so-called new normal it will be graduation fever to many colleges and universities in the Philippines in a three months . But as early as now, pre-employment events such as career talks and seminars have been going on. Getting a job is tough in the Philippines, but getting your dream job is tougher […]