Language

Language is a structured form of communication that uses words and expressions by a group of people in a particular region or country. Language is a vital part of society and connecting with others. Through language, we can share our thoughts, feelings, and ideas with others. Learning a new language is a great way to…

People often say you shouldn’t laugh or make fun of someone who speaks broken English. This simply means they are learning another language. Benjamin Batarseh said it best: “The hardest foreign language you will ever learn is your first one.” Going from beginner to intermediate, advanced and ultimately proficient takes time, effort, and patience. The…

The Alison English Vertical is a series of courses designed to be taken in order, with topics ranging from beginner to proficient.  Each course was designed with English language learners in mind and focused on specific grammar and vocabulary points while building on the information from previous courses.  This structure allows the learner to take…

Students in U.S. high schools can get free digital access to The New York Times until Sept. 1, 2021.How often do you encounter racist, sexist or otherwise discriminatory language online in posts or comments? Do you think abusive language is a serious problem that social media companies, like Twitter and Facebook, should do a better…

English is one of the world’s most widely spoken languages, with the second-highest number of native speakers and the highest number of total speakers when accounting for second language use. With such an enormous scope, it should come as no surprise that there’s an endless amount to know about this fascinating language. We’ve put together…

Everyone learns differently. I suppose being motivated to learn is the most important thing. Some learn visually, others by doing, and some by just listening or in mixed ways. I personally like listening, combined with some visual aspects. Of course for languages, practice in real life situations is super important! I design my courses using…

Saving money for college Once I got into high school, the pressure was on to find a job, work hard, and save up as much as I could so that I would be prepared for the future. But what I’m noticing now is that saving up seems to have taken precedent over other things, like…

Have you ever studied a foreign language? Do you think it’s still necessary to do so? Isn’t it easy to find people who speak English in other countries if you really need to communicate with someone? And aren’t there translation apps for your phone you can download anyway? What is the value of knowing more…

Mar 20, 2019 When it comes to language, it’s easy to make English grammar mistakes, even as native speakers. Here are the 8 most commonly made errors to watch out for. 1. The Missing Comma A comma is used after an introductory word, phrase, or clause. This gives a pause after the introductory element and…

Feb 5, 2019 By Mike Feerick, Alison CEO & Founder Just a few short months after launching Alison in April 2007, I received a curious email from China. It was from a professor at Tsinghua University, one of China’s most prestigious universities (Xi Jinping, the current Chinese leader, went there). The professor was excited by…