Perfection and grammar: not essential for ESL students, or even native speakers

Certain grammar rules unnecessary for comprehension, everyday conversation Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons “Have no fear of perfection – you’ll never reach it.” -Salvador Dalí (1904-1989) Spanish surrealist painter Is it always essential to have perfect grammar? Must we always avoid split infinitives, dangling modifiers and grocery shopping lines labeled “Ten Items or Less,” since the sign...

What Does Success Mean? What Definition Works for You?

Sometimes the simplest questions create the best conversations. What does success mean? What definition are you using? How is that definition working for you? After a hectic summer teaching English and directing a private high school English program in Vietnam, I’ve been asking myself these questions quite a bit. I learned many lessons, deepened a close friendship with two old friends, met...