Blog Archives — OTUK #1 British Online School

How To Pass The Life In The UK Test: Essential Tips & Vocabulary

In this guide, we will help you to prepare for the Life in the UK Test and to make sure that your English level is good enough. We will look at FAQs, essential test vocabulary, question types and examples from the exam. You will also find useful links to free resources to maximise your score on exam day.

How To Start A Conversation In English: Useful Tips & Phrases

Everyone loves a good chat, but how do we get the ball rolling when starting a conversation in English? We need to go beyond the usual ‘How are you? Fine, thanks!’. In this guide to English small talk, we will give you useful tips, vocabulary and examples to demonstrate how native speakers use conversation starters. Ready for a ‘chinwag’ (chat)? Let’s jump in…

60 Must-Know Words To Pass Your English Driving Test

As of 2014, you must take the UK driving theory test in English. You cannot take the theory test with a foreign language voiceover or use an interpreter during the exam. In this post, we will give you some useful study links and provide you with essential vocabulary and phrases that will get you on the road to passing your theory test first time. Let’s take a look!

Past Continuous Tense: How To Use It Correctly (With Examples)

The past continuous tense is commonly used in English to talk about actions or events that were ongoing at a time before now. This includes one action that was interrupted by another or two actions that were happening at the same time in the past. In this post, we will explore the correct uses of the past continuous and explain how you can avoid common mistakes with it. Check out the interactive quiz at the end to test your knowledge!

10 Fun Ways To Learn English In London

Whether you are living in London or just visiting as a tourist, London is a fantastic place to improve your English. In this guide, we give you 10 fun ways to practise your English while exploring the city and its vibrant culture. Check out the vocabulary for each activity so you can use it during your time in the capital. Welcome to London!

How To Pass The OET Exam: Practical Tips & Tricks

In this study guide, we examine some of the best tips and strategies to pass your OET exam first time. We consider general prep tips, before digging into specific approaches for each sub-test to maximise your score. You can also download a free pdf copy of this guide to use offline. Ready? Let’s get started!

Past Simple Tense: How To Use It Correctly (With Examples)

The past simple is one of the most commonly used tenses in English. We mostly use this tense to describe finished actions that happened in the past. However, there are other uses besides this. Let’s explore the correct uses of the past simple tense and look at some common mistakes to avoid. Check out the interactive exercises at the end to test your knowledge!

How To Find The Best Online English Tutor For Your Child

Online English tutoring is more popular than ever. It is convenient, cost-effective and gives parents a greater choice of teachers. However, there are so many online schools and tutors out there now that it can be hard to choose the right one for your child. In this guide, we discuss the key points to consider when selecting the best English tutor for your son or daughter.

Present Perfect Continuous Tense: How To Use It Correctly (With Examples)

The present perfect continuous is one of the most interesting tenses in English, but it can be rather confusing! It is used to describe something that started in the past, and is still continuing in the present moment. In this guide, you will learn about the correct way to use this tense, as well as some common mistakes to avoid with it. Check out the quiz at the end to test your knowledge.

Present Perfect Tense: How To Use It Correctly (With Examples)

The present perfect is a commonly used tense, but can cause a great deal of confusion for learners of English! In this guide, we will look at the correct way to use the present perfect tense, provide examples and go over some common mistakes to avoid. Don’t forget to check out the quiz exercises at the end to test your understanding.

OET (Occupational English Test): What You Need To Know

The Occupational English Test (or OET) is an alternative exam to IELTS for healthcare students and medical professionals who need to demonstrate their English language proficiency. This exam is becoming more popular because it focuses more on the practical language you will need in the workplace. In this guide, we will answer the most frequently asked questions about the test. Let’s take a look!

Present Continuous Tense: How To Use It Correctly (With Examples)

The present continuous is one of the most commonly used tenses in English. It is very versatile, so it can be difficult to use correctly. In this guide, we will look at the correct way to use the present continuous tense, provide examples and go over some common mistakes to avoid. Check out the quiz exercises at the end to test your understanding!

14 Most Commonly Confused Words in English (List & Examples)

In this study guide, we take a look at the most commonly confused words in English. Even native speakers make mistakes with these words because they sound the same, but have different spellings! There are also some differences between British and American English. Click on the links to see full articles on each word pair. You can also download this guide as a free pdf to study offline. Let’s jump right in…

Present Simple Tense: How To Use It Correctly (With Examples)

The present simple tense is probably the first tense that you learned when studying English at school. While most learners know that this tense is commonly used for describing actions that happen in the present moment, it also has many other usages! In this post, we will explore the correct uses of the present simple tense and explain how you can avoid common mistakes with it. Check out the interactive quiz at the end to test your knowledge!

Easter In The UK: Bunnies, Eggs & Hot Cross Buns

Easter is a popular festive day in the UK with many traditions. In this guide, we explore its history and explain how it is celebrated today. Find out all about the Easter Bunny, chocolate eggs, hot cross buns and more while learning some new vocabulary along the way (see glossary at the end)! Let’s not rabbit on, but instead hop over to the post…

English For Marketing & Sales: Essential Vocabulary (With Examples)

As in many areas of business English, marketing and sales has its own jargon (technical language). Not only are there many abbreviations (SEO, ROI, KPI), but there are also a lot of usual English words that have a different meaning in this professional niche – e.g. lead, conversion, pitch and pipeline. Knowing these industry terms prevents misunderstandings and shows your colleagues and clients that you ‘mean business’! Let’s take a look…

Valentine’s Day In The UK: Could English Become Your Language Of love?

In this series, we talk about different cultural traditions in the UK. Many of them may be similar to traditions in your own country. What differences and similarities can you find? In this article, we discuss Valentine’s Day. We have highlighted some of the trickier words. See whether you can guess their meaning from the context of the sentences and compare your answers to the definitions in the glossary below.

Difference Between: While vs. Whilst

In British English, while (hwaɪl) and whilst (hwaɪlst) mean the same thing when they are conjunctions (words that connect two ideas). As conjunctions, they can both mean ‘at the same time’ (e.g. Never do your homework while/whilst you watch TV) or ‘although/whereas’ (e.g. While/whilst it’s good to be out in the sun, we need to protect ourselves with sun cream). American English speakers never use whilst, and British English speakers only use it to be formal. In both British and American English, we can also use while as a verb or noun.