03-26-2020

We hope everyone is staying safe from the Coronavirus. Now is the time to take advantage of our telephone lessons. If you want to continue practicing speaking English, please get in touch with us. All the best!

03-06-2020

Today is a beautiful day in Tokyo. Too bad that the Coronavirus continues to loom large. Anyway, here is our phrase for today: You're squishing me. This means that someone is pressing you against something. Example 1 Can you move over? You are squishing me against the wall. Example 2 This train is so crowded. Everyone is squishing me and I can't breathe.

03-04-2020

How is everyone today? We have an idiom for you. Firing on all cylinders. This means to be functioning or operating at the best possible level (i.e. speed, productivity, efficiency or feeling great) Example 1 Now that I have done my exercises and had my coffee, I'm firing on all cylinders. Let's get to work! Example 2 If we don't get this new software firing on all cylinders soon, everything will be pushed back.

03-02-2020

Welcome to March of 2020 everyone! Today's idiom is, "something runs in my family" Example 1 Poor eye sight runs in my family. My Mother has poor eyes, and her Mother had poor eyes, and now me. Example 2 Intelligence runs in their family. Both parents are super intelligent and so are their two kids.

02-27-2020

Hello all, we hope you are staying safe from COVID-19 and enjoying your week. Our phrase today is "in real life". This means real, not make believe like in movies or books. Example 1 In the movie he plays a really tough, mean character, but in real life he's super kind and would help anyone. Example 2 The actress looks so beautiful in movies, but in real life, she looks just average. It has to be the make-up.

02-20-2020

How is your English study coming? Are you speaking as much as possible in English? Here is another very good phrase for you to use. "Take credit for" This means to receive praise, recognition or approval for something. Sometimes deserved and sometimes not. Example 1 I really can't take credit for the success we have had. This was a team effort and everyone helped. Example 2 We did all the work and Suzanne takes all the credit for it. This isn't fair.

02-19-2020

Hello everyone. Today we have another idiom for you. "Rat Race" This means a stressful life working in the city. Example 1 I wish I could get out of the rat race. I would really like to just move to Shonan and surf all day. Example 2 I have to work so hard to pay my bills, my car loan and my mortgage. Then I have no money left at the end of the month to enjoy. This rat race is awful!

02-13-2020

Hello everyone! Today we have another idiom for you. "stiff competition" This means that the competition is tough. A lot of similar companies are competing for one thing. Example 1 Softbank wants English lessons for their employees, so they had all the English companies in Tokyo submit an estimate. It was stiff competition, but we got the contract! Example 2 There are many car companies these days, and because of the stiff competition, they have to keep lowering prices.

02-11-2020

Today we have an idiom for you. "In a jam" This means to be in a tough situation. Example 1 I double booked two of my meetings and now I'm in a jam. Do you think you could go to one of the meetings for me? Example 2 We're in a jam because I lost the keys to the rental car, and their office doesn't open till 9am.

02-10-2020

Another beautiful day in Tokyo. The sun is shining and the wind is not so strong. Today we have an idiom for you. "Out of the blue" This means completely unexpected. Example 1 I was eating at Whole Foods in Hawaii and out of the blue, I saw my high school friend from Canada. Totally unexpected and an awesome surprise! Example 2 This Coronavirus came from out of the blue and really put China into the world spotlight.