Cafetalk Tutor's Column

My Top 5 English Corrections (From a Guy Who Once Complimented Someone’s “Fur”)

  Before we begin, I have a confession to make. A few years ago when one of my wife's friends visit...

What Teaching English Taught Me

 Why Did I Became a Teacher? Motivation / Career / Learning The simple answer is...   I became ...

Speak Better English: Embarrassing Stories #001

Speak Better English: Embarrassing Stories #001 Work / Communication / New beginnings “Please t...

☆ Grammar Challenge ☆ January Grammar Clinic Quiz ☆

It’s already February, which means the January Grammar clinic has closed.  I’d like to thank everyo...

SHOWREEL

Hello everyone, and welcome back to the cafe! I’m still pinching myself. As many of you know, I’ve...

Confidence: The Unstudied Rule of English

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

10 Grammar Conflicts That Can Cause Confusion

Misunderstandings often happen as a result of a breakdown in communication: what the speaker said v...

It is Time For Tea!

Did you know that 'it is teatime' , can mean different things, depending on where you live in the U...

Not Cold, Just Considerate: Japan’s Silent Rules for Language Learners

Japan can feel incredibly welcoming—and sometimes strangely hard to read.   You didn’t do anything ...

Short BBC documentary videos with subtitles - 短いBBCのドキュメンタリービデオ

https://www.bbc.com/reel/ BBC Reel is a collection of short documentary videos from the BBC about v...

The dimension of my spot in the land of resurrection

The Crowd's Collective-yet-individual Consciousness in the Land of Resurrection How the collective...

The Fresh Cilantro and Basil Story

The Fresh Cilantro and Basil Story (Vocabulary list at the end) Chapter 1: Cilantro Cilantro, in pa...

From Words to Confidence: Your English Journey Starts Here

English is more than grammar and vocabulary — it’s a bridge to people, opportunities, and confidenc...

Filming March 6th to 14th in the UK: Working on "Little Bits of Me

Hello from the set! The energy here is incredible. As I mentioned in my previous "Cafe talk" posts,...

French the language of love

  I've always loved languages, and French is a favorite. I decided to become a French tutor during ...

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 an Alphabet Reform Shaped Modern Turkish

When people start learning Turkish, they are often surprised by how phonetic it is. What you see is...

The Director of Your Own Life

Pull up a chair, grab a coffee, and let’s get real for a minute. After the whirlwind of filming my...

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 ...

When and why did you decide to become a teacher?

Rather than simply becoming an instructor, my wish to teach on CafeTalk stemmed from a desire to pr...

New Business English lesson: Making Small Talk and Networking

Great business relationships start with small talk.   If your small talk is smooth and natural, it ...

Asian Food in Africa

When I first started watching Asian dramas on TV, I was slowly introduced to Asian food. I had neve...

Inner Alchemy #03: Transforming Your Deepest Sorrow into Life Energy—Beyond Emotional Turmoil: The Secret Process of Self-Awakening

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Hannya Within the human heart, there exists a force we call the “Oni” (unawak...

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...

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 #009: Micro-Pattern — “What I mean is…”

Great when you want to clarify (and sound calm). Pattern: What I mean is + (clarification). Example...

Travel Japanese You Can Use Today (within 60 seconds)

If you’ve ever traveled in Japan and thought, “I studied… so why can’t I reply fast enough?”—you’re...

Speak Better English: Embarrassing Stories #002

Speak Better English: Embarrassing Stories #002 Work / Meetings / Appreciation “You must be tir...

How Do You Like Your Coffee? The Ethics of Coffee.

Does coffee help you get to the other end of the day? I must admit, that when I am really busy, it ...

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...