I will teach you to become a confident English speaker without schools and rules
I never talk about grammar rules, but I read some good advice last night.
If you’re new to these emails, I am one of the few English teachers on Earth who is anti-grammar.
But this week my bedtime reading is a book by Scott Adams, the creator of the Dilbert comic, called How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big, and he makes an interesting point about grammar.
Yesterday I told you about my niece.
I told you she studied Spanish in school for 12 years, passed all her tests, probably got all As, yet still can’t win an argument with a taco.
I then asked you how many years you studied English in school.
“I took Spanish my whole life.”
That was what my niece said yesterday.
She came over to the house for lunch, I told her about my progress with Italian and we got on the subject of languages.
“Goals are for losers.”
That’s a direct quote from Scott Adams, the creator of the Dilbert comic.
I was reading his book this weekend, “How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big.”
This is Little Albert.
If speaking English makes your heart beat fast, your hands sweat, and your head ache, maybe Albert can help you.
Let me explain.
I first met the hippopotamus when I was in college.
The task was simple: talk in front of the class.
No big deal, right?
It was late.
I was in bed.
The book I was reading was a biography on Richard Burton. Not the famous actor who married the famous actress. This Richard Burton was an Englishman who lived in the 19th century. He was many things: a soldier, an adventurer, a translator and a spy. But I’m reading about him because of the interesting fact that he spoke 29 languages.
Petr’s email said he needed help.
He had problem.
The problem was called “English.”
Cost or investment.
What’s the difference?
A cost is my new Ford F-150. I’m going to drive it around town to pick up chicks. (meet women)
I used to go to a yoga class in Prague.
I liked it, but it took a big chunk of time out of my day.
The class was from 6 to 7 in the evening. Already an hour gone.