New York rent is anything but cheap. Regardless of where you are living, how small the apartment is, how many roommates you have, or how far away from Manhattan it is, one thing is sure—the price will be pretty high. Some students might prefer living in a campus environment, however, that doesn’t necessarily mean it comes with cheaper rent.

There are several pros and cons to both types of housing, but in the end it depends on each individual’s preferences. Here is a list of some of the major pros and cons for choosing apartments over communal housing.

(more…)

Martin has come to PC TECH from France.  He has composed a dialogue in which two people are discussing a dream vacation.  Our school is not far from Broadway and maybe that fact inspires our students to write scripts!

 Ted is driving [his car].  He seems energetic.  Suddenly he takes out his phone.

T:  Hi Mike, it’s Ted!  How are you?

M:  Hey Ted, I wanted to call you too.

T:  Hah, very funny.  Mike, I have a question.  Do you remember your dream vacation?    The lost island?  In the Pacific?

M:  Yes, sure.  I plan to go there next summer.

T:  OK.  I have something that is going to surprise you.  But please, trust me, okay?

M:  I swear [I will].

T:  I hear you need to dive from an airplane to access the island.  There isn’t any other way.

M [incredulous]:  What did you say?

T:  You have to jump!

M:  Oh no!  I’m scared [enough] about flying in an airplane, but flying in the air…it’s too much!  I’m not a bird or something like that!

T:  Mike, come on!  It’s your dream vacation.

M:  It’s a broken dream now!

T:  Just look out the window of the airplane.  And watch the ocean.  You will forget the altitude.

M:  OK, but for the dive?

T:  Breathe peacefully, stop thinking, and let yourself fall when the airplane door opens.

M:  I’m going to panic.  No way!

T:  No, you won’t.  Just before your jump, imagine the beach, the sea, the palms, your dream…just below!

M:  So cool!

T:  You see?  You will do it, I’m sure.

M:  I hope.

T:  OK, we will finish this discussion later; there is a cop and I’m using my phone.

M:  Sure…bye!

Teacher-editor’s reminder:  Talking or texting on the phone while driving a motor vehicle is extremely dangerous and is illegal in most of the United States and in many other countries; it will cost you a very large fine.  Don’t even think about doing it!

 PC TECH: English Language School in New York City

If you are about to start learning English at the New York English Academy, it means you probably have already arrived in New York City. You must be excited about exploring Manhattan, seeing the sights, going out, making friends, and meeting your fellow students and teachers.

(more…)

Staff member Tamila, whose first language is Russian, has become fluent in English – and it has not taken her a lifetime!  Here are some of her observations:

The question about learning English faster comes to the minds of many people who travel or move to or study in the United States. How long does it take to learn it well? I cannot give you an accurate answer because every person learns new things at his or her own pace; however, I have five useful tips that will help you to learn English a little bit more quickly.

1. Listen to English songs.  People love listening to music on the streets, in parks, on trains, at work, and at school. And I am sure, you love it too. Since the American music industry is very popular around the globe, each of us has at least one favorite American song. So take advantage of it: Read the lyrics while listening to the song. The good thing about learning English with songs is that it is much easier to pronounce and memorize the words.
2. Watch movies with English subtitles.  Go to the movies or watch them from home. Choose a movie that you have already seen and watch it with English subtitles. It will help you to learn English vocabulary and see the structure of dialogues.
3. Communicate with Americans.  When I arrived here, I was very reluctant to talk a lot or to make friends among the American people. Mainly, it was because I didn’t want them to hear mistakes in my English and in my accent. However, with time I realized that if I don’t start communicating with native English speakers, I will never learn this language. So I started to talk with them everywhere: on the street, in supermarkets, offices, etc.). While I was at school, I made many American friends, who have helped me to improve my English greatly, I believe.
4. Work on your accent/pronunciation.  I had never paid attention to my accent until I came here and realized that few people could understand me. So every time I learned a new word, I would not only check its pronunciation, but also try to find it in a song or a movie to see how Americans pronounce it.
5. Use an English dictionary.  Honestly, I was skeptical about English dictionaries at the beginning. If there was an English word I didn’t understand, I would simply use a Russian translator. Please, don’t make that mistake! Using an English dictionary is much more helpful than using electronic translators of your native language. Dictionaries of the English language define words using English synonyms. The choice of English dictionaries is really broad: those accessible online;  inexpensive but comprehensive paperbacks that you can purchase in most bookstores; and those that you can find in public libraries.

 PC TECH: English Language School in New York City