Cafetalk Tutor's Column

Confidence: The Unstudied Rule of English

There is a persistent illusion among many learners of English that confidence must wait for correct...

I didn’t adopt a cat… A cat adopted me.

I recently got a cat, but it happened in a very unexpected way. I have always loved cats and when I...

Inspirational podcast on 'Haiku'

I am a big fan of 'Luke's English Podcast' and think it's a great resource for upper intermediate &...

How to Feel More Confident in Online Language Classes

Many language learners think confidence is something you either have or don’t have. If you are shy,...

Daily English Upgrade #012: Tone Control — Polite disagreement (“I see your point, but…”)

Disagreeing politely is a real skill. Soft disagreement: I see your point, but… That makes sense, b...

28 Years in the Sky: Lessons from the Cabin Manager’s Seat

When you spend 28 years traveling the world at 35,000 feet, you see it all. I started my career as ...

How to Feel More Confident in Online Classes

Remember how tricky it was to learn how to ride a bicycle? After a few weeks of unsteady riding , s...

Daily English Upgrade #013: Mini-Conversation — Asking for recommendations

A natural flow: ask + follow up. Ask: Do you have any recommendations? What would you recommend? Fo...