readings, tips and American culture
I’m excited to share a special guest lesson on the blog today! This lesson was created by Todd Beuckens, who has been an ESL teacher for 25 years. He created the website elllo.org to provide free audio lessons and learning materials not usually found in commercial textbooks.
Todd offers a fresh approach to listening, fluency, and pronunciation with this engaging activity, and I hope you find it useful. Enjoy the lesson (click the link below), and let me know your thoughts in the comments!
Sadly, Buddy Holly's life was cut short at age 22. On February 3, 1959, he died in a plane crash in Iowa. The crash also claimed the lives of fellow musicians Ritchie Valens and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, and this tragic event became known as "The Day the Music Died." The phrase comes from the song "American Pie" by Don McLean. In the song, McLean sings about how music and life changed after the crash.
Buddy Holly is regarded as an influential figure in the history of music who still inspires people today.
While Holly's music left a lasting mark on rock and roll, it was his bold choice in eyewear that turned him into a style icon. Holly was never seen without his thick-framed, black horn-rimmed glasses. His bold, chunky frames were unconventional at that time and became a key part of his image. Nowadays they are commonly known as "Buddy Holly glasses."
The verb "suggest" is a common word used to give advice, make recommendations, or share ideas. However, it is easy to use incorrectly, especially for English learners. One common mistake is saying, "I suggest you" or "He suggested me" instead of the correct structure.
The Correct Structure
1. "Suggest" + Gerund : Use this when recommending an action.
Example:
2. "Suggest" + "that" + Subject + Verb (base form): Use this to include the subject of the suggestion.
Example:
3. "Suggest" + Noun: Use this when recommending a thing, place, or idea.
Example:
Why "Suggest Me" Is Wrong
The verb "suggest" does not take an indirect object (e.g., me, you). If you want to specify who the suggestion is for, use "to" or rephrase the sentence.
Example:
Did you know that in the United States, you can do almost everything without leaving your car? This is called drive-thru culture, and it is very popular in America.
Most people know about drive-thru fast food, but did you know there are many other kinds of drive-thru places? For example:
Drive-thrus are popular because many Americans depend on cars for daily life. These services are fast, easy, and convenient. Also, for formal writing, you might still see the spelling "drive-through," but in informal or conversational contexts (like this blog post), "drive-thru" is more natural and authentic.
What do you think about drive-thru culture? Would you use a drive-thru library or wedding chapel? Does your country have anything similar? I prefer to not use my car so much and would rather see more pedestrian-friendly cities.
Proper nouns are special names we give to specific people, places, or things. They are different from other nouns because they always start with a capital letter.
For example:
People: If we say “girl,” it could mean any girl, but if we say Emma or John, we mean a specific person. Here, Emma and John are proper nouns.
Places: If we say “city,” it could mean any city. But if we say Paris or Tokyo, we mean specific cities. Paris and Tokyo are proper nouns.
Things: Names of companies, brands, and even days of the week are also proper nouns. For example, Nike (a brand) and Monday (a day of the week) are proper nouns.
Why Do We Use Proper Nouns? We use proper nouns to give specific names to people, places, and things so we know exactly what we’re talking about. This makes our sentences clearer.
Examples in Sentences:
Remember, if it’s a specific name, it’s a proper noun and should start with a capital letter.
According to the legend, Paul Bunyan was so big that he created mountains and rivers just by walking. He had a blue ox named Babe, who was also very large. Together, they helped clear forests, making space for people to build towns.
One myth says that Paul created the Grand Canyon by dragging his axe behind him as he walked. Another story claims that he made the Great Lakes so Babe could have drinking water.
Paul Bunyan’s tales are fun and show the adventurous spirit of early America and Canada. Even though Paul wasn’t a real person, his stories have become part of North American culture. They teach us about hard work, strength, and humor.
Many statues of Paul Bunyan can be found across the United States and Canada today, and people still enjoy hearing his larger-than-life adventures.
*artwork by James Watrous at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
The Great Migration was a movement of about 6 million African Americans from the rural Southern United States to cities in the North, Midwest, and West, mainly between 1916 and 1970.
People moved to escape racism, segregation, and limited economic opportunities in the South. They hoped to find better jobs, housing, and overall conditions in Northern cities like Chicago, Detroit, and New York.
This migration significantly changed the cultural, social, and political landscapes of the U.S., especially in urban areas where African American communities grew and thrived.
Michelle Obama, actor Denzel Washington, and jazz musician Miles Davis are descendants of those who made the Great Migration.
*map credit: priceonomics.com