Learn English Accents British vs American

Learn English Accents British vs American Learning English Dialects: the UK vs US ChaptersThe Different Accents we get from English Classes in SchoolWhat are the Differences Between a British and American Accent?Characteristics of an American AccentHow to Speak in a British AccentBy learning English you're diving into the language of Shakespeare. But why limit yourself to knowing just a few words, when it is possible to study the language in depth?At  Superprof, we believe that learning  English properly requires an understanding of it's different dialects, cultures and accents!Whether they are international, British or American accents, they all derive from the English language!But, how do we learn these accents? What are the different characteristics of each accent?Furthermore, let’s take the word “international”, a word that you would here a lot in the US. The American’s would pronounce this world like “inernational”; the “t” is dropped. The same goes for, “interstate” and “intersection”.“The Americans drop certain words”This is not always the case. Not all Americans drop syllables when they speak.We consider US English to be a lot more nasal and linear than British English. You will notice that many American’s speak from their nose.Although it is often said that the US “drop” their words, this may seem pejorative, but it does give more of a fluid effect to their speech.The American accent is the accent that many people dream of having, it flows a lot better than the British accent.Discover the most famous English quotes used throughout the world.How to Speak in a British AccentThe British accent is sophisticated and elegant. (Source: Photo credit: LaertesCTB via Visual hunt / CC BY)The Sophisticated British AccentUnlike the American accent, then! Even if there is no familiar English or “street” accent, as in all languages, it is safe to say that the British accent is refined. Some will say that it is much more pleasant than the American accent.Follow the English and Anglo-Saxon TV channels to discove r this accent!Although the United Kingdom is only a short plane or train ride from France, Spain, and Italy, for non-native English speakers who learn the international accent, the British accent is hard to grasp and understand.The diphthongs and triphthongs of British EnglishDiphthongs are syllables where we pronounce two syllables, even if they are not written as such. For example, the word “duty” is pronounced as “dewty”. The same goes for words such as, “layer and employer”.This is also the case in American English, but the British pronounce words far more precisely. After all, they are the bearers of the history of the English language!The Brits have a tendency to add diphthongs where there aren’t any! For example, the pronunciation of words ending with a suffix, like, “pretty”, “definitely” and “shortly”.  British speakers emphasise their accent on the last syllable, so you get the impression of hearing two syllables.PlosivesAnother characteristic of the British accent that allows you to see the differences in the accents, is the plosives. Well, what about it?To put it simply, plosives represent the exaggeration of accents placed on certain consonants. You are unaware that the British English pronunciation imposes placing accents on syllables in each word, to make it linear. Sometimes these accents are found on strong consonant syllables, such as “b, t, p and d”.And as its name indicates, when there is an emphasis, these few consonants must be said in a plosive manner. In a way, they must burst from your mouth. So, the plosive “b” can sometimes be transformed into “p”.This is the case for the word “British”, which would be pronounced as “pritish”.The same goes for the word “Cambridge”, which would be pronounced as “Campridge”.To speak great British English, don’t forget your plosives!  Find out how to learn English with our Great Selection of Anglophile News Outlets.Discover the weird and wonderful world of British cuisine.

How To Add Fractions

How To Add Fractions Fractions are numbers which actually represents a part of number as a whole. They represents the part of any of the numbers given to us. We usually express the fractions like a/b where a is called as the top part or the numerator of the fraction and b is called as the bottom or the denominator of the fraction. , , 6/7 are all the fractions The following examples will show how to add the fractions. Example 1:-Jamie and Sam together ordered 2 pies. Jamie had of the first pie and 1/3 of the second pie. How much part of the 2 pies did Jamie have? Solution 1:-Jamie had of the first pie. He had 1/3 of the second pie. The total part of the two pies = + 1/3 To add these fractions, with two uncommon denominators, we find the least common denominator first. The least common denominator of 4 and 3 is 12 + 1/3 = 9 + 4/12 = 13/12 Hence Jamie had 13/12 part of the two pies. Example 2:-Solve 9/5 + 6/5 + 12 Solution 1:-9/5 + 6/5 + 12 We have two fractions and one integer here. The denominators in both the fractions are same, hence we add 9/5 + 6/5 as 9 + 6/5 which is equal to 15/5 and that can be simplified to 3. Now the equation becomes 3 + 12 which is equal to 15.

Probability help can help you to learn better mathematics with TutorPace

Probability help can help you to learn better mathematics with TutorPace Online tutoring is gaining lot of popularity with the passage of time. Students and their parents take the most advantage with the help of online tutoring. Today with the passage of internet things have become easier for everyone of us. We are able to get every kind of help in our fingertips. Internet has helped lives to become easy and faster. Online tutoring is also one of the facilities that have helped in making our lives better in respect to the education sector. Learning has become easier and smoother with online tutoring beside. Today any kind of tutoring help is possible through online tutoring. You can get the help with just a click on your mouse. Every subject is well taught and with efficiency. But all these things are then possible when you have a good institute beside you. A good and reputed institute can help you with all these facilities. Have you ever heard about the term probability? Probability is a part of mathematics subject or a topic of this subject that deals with the chances and the non chances. It is an interesting part and students are interested to solve these kinds of sums. Probability gives you a chance for the thing to happen and also there are chances that the thing will not happen. The entire process has a 50-50 chance. Probability is a term which refers to chances of happening an event with several number of times in time’t’ and with respect to external environment. For working parents the best way to help their child is through online tutoring services. This way the child can learn better and in a much advanced way. The subject that the child is most weak in can be helped by the teacher. Online tutoring institutes have various types of facilities that are impossible for any private tutoring service to provide. Today with the private tutoring services turning much competitive and professional is been carried away with demanding huge amount of charges that is not possible for many middle class family to afford. Whereas, online tutoring, good and reputed institutes provide great facilities at very affordable prices so that you can be easily getting the best for your child within your reach. Now let us know a bit more about online tutoring and how much helpful it will be for any student. There are some of the basic facilities that online tutoring provides and that should be noted down and kept in mind. The online tutoring institute is very reachable. You do not have to move about here and there in for search of any online tutoring institute. With the help of internet you can get in touch with any of the online tutoring institute. It is easy and also accessible. The online teachers who are present at these institutes have well proficiency with the subject and thus they can carry on well with the subject. The teachers are recruited after lot of research work and also after passing the tough interview process. The teachers who are recruited have good grip over the subject and have even good qualification related with the subject. It is only then that the teacher is recruited by any institute. As every institute thinks about his or her image so it is possible for every institute to get the best. The online tutoring teachers are available all round the clock. The online tutoring institute is into this business and thus they do not want to leave any stone unturned. This all round the clock service is also provided due to the fact that students can take help whenever they want and wherever they want. This helps the student in lot of ways possible. They can cater the service of online tutoring whenever they want saving their time and energy. The students have the enormous amount of time that will help them to attend the classes whenever they want. This saves their time, energy and also transportation expenses. The entire process is less time taking than the other forms of learning. It is easy for any student to fetch the online tutoring classes whenever they want at any odd time of the day. The good online tutoring institute helps the students with providing one on one service. Have you ever heard about one on one service? If no then you can know about it here. One on one service is mostly applicable for any weak or any shy student. An introvert student in not able to take up the teachings that easily from the teachers in presence of all. So they face lot of hardships due to this and also suffer poor grades. Parents scold then for this. One on one service will help them with the service to learn from an individual teacher under his or her guidance. This will help the students with lot of help as they can learn better and can also clear up their doubts whenever it appears. The comfort zone for any online tutoring service is to its highest. Students who have enrolled themselves in any of the reputed institute can easily sit at their comfort zone and avail the classes at any time of the day and for unlimited period. This saves time and energy for a student and also helps the student to concentrate more on their studies. Thus, good results follow. Today you will get many online tutoring institutes, but among many of them you have to choose any one. You can go by TutorPace. TutorPace is an online tutoring institute that will help the students with all the above facilities they want. They can easily work with the help of the teachers available there. The charges for any of the services by this institute are minimal and any middle class family can easily afford it.   Thus, Probability help is not far away from you and you can have then easily under your clutch with TutorPace.  

How To Improve SSAT Scores

How To Improve SSAT Scores Update: Some of this article's advice is now outdated due to changes in the SSAT. A more recent article on the exam can be found here.The SSAT along with the ISEE (Independent School Entrance Exam) are used for admissions into private/independent schools. Some schools favor the ISEE, others favor the SSAT and some will look at whichever you scored best on. See more from Varsity Tutors on how to improve ISEE scores. Dont add pressure: The tests can cause tons of pressure and anxiety for younger students, especially when parents pile it on. Thats why having the right mindset is just as important as the best SSAT prep. Avoid telling your child you need to do well, you must do well, or if you dont do well SSAT tutor/SSAT prep coach: You need to find a way to help your child relax and see why scoring high on the SSAT is important. A lot of students benefit from a professional SSAT tutor or prep coach who can ease the anxiety regarding the test and guide your child through the complex SSAT questions. Motivate your child: Ask yourself this: Is my child taking this test for himself/herself or for me? Be honest with yourself. You have to help your child find a reason why he/she wants to do well. That reason cannot be you. Maybe they like the facilities or computer equipment at a private school, and want to score well enough to be admitted. Whatever it is, your child needs a desire. If students dont want to do well they wont. It really is that simple. Familiarize yourself with the SSAT: Once your child has the right mindset, start reading up on the SSAT. Get a few books, read some blogs, talk to other parents with children who have taken it, etc. The SSAT is a multiple choice, aptitude test with five sections: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning (math), Mathematics Achievement, Reading Comprehension and Writing (essay). The verbal section tests vocab/verbal reasoning skills and your ability to relate ideas. The Quantitative/Mathematics Achievement tests your problem-solving, arithmetic, elementary algebra and geometry skills. Reading Comprehension tests how fast you can read and how much you can retain. The essay is not graded, and you have to respond to a given prompt. You can send your essay to schools, or leave it off your scoring report entirely. But, if you want to get into a top school, youll need to have a strong essay. The SSAT has two levels: lower for students currently in grades 5-7 and upper for grades 8-11, who are seeking admission into the next grade. Ease your child into SSAT practice tests: The first few tests might be a little rough, so dont worry about the SSAT scores, or how long your child is taking. Just try to find out where he/she struggles, and then work to improve in those areas. Target problematic areas: This is right where your SSAT tutor will help you by giving your child detailed explanations for each question they struggled with. This will ensure that they learn from their mistakes and get it right on the actual test. Mimic SSAT setting: Once youve ironed out some of your problematic areas, take a swing at a full practice test. Try to sit down once a week for 2 hours and 35 minutes (length of SSAT) and take a full practice test in the exact order of the SSAT. Then, review the questions you got wrong with your tutor sometime during the week. If you do this for 3-6 months, you will see a dramatic improvement in your score. Whats a good SSAT score: The lower level is scored 1320-2120 and the upper level is scored 1500-2400. But, most independent/private schools consider your percentile scores. If you want to be accepted into a top school, youll need to score in the top 90th percentile, above-average schools want scores in the top 75th percentile, and some average schools will accept students with scores in the top 50th percentile. Combine scores: You can take the SSAT multiple times a year and combine scores from previous tests. For example, you can use the Reading Comprehension, Mathematical Achievement from your first test and combine them with the Quantitative Reasoning and Verbal Reasoning scores of your second. Schools will only see each sections best score. So, we recommend taking the test multiple times. Prepare for the entire test the first time you take it, and if you ace a couple sections, then only prep for the other sections. But, your SSAT tutor will help you create an SSAT strategy for combining scores, maximizing your final score. Contact Varsity Tutors today about SSAT prep, and well begin forming an SSAT prep plan tailored around your childs strengths and weaknesses.

Tips for Singers What to Pack in Your Gig Bag

Tips for Singers What to Pack in Your Gig Bag Suzy S. Performing in front of a live audience is an amazing feeling! But to ensure a smooth, no-stress gig, preparation is key. If youre looking for tips for your first gig or just need a refresher check out this advice from Saint Augustine, FL voice teacher  Heather L... For the performing singer, theres nothing quite like having practiced your butt off for three weeks, spraying your throat every five minutes with that throat spray for singers, and running through your customized voice exercises, only to realize as you walk through those venue doors that you forgot your microphone at home. As the lead singer of two Saint Augustine, Florida bands, I know that Im part of a team. But I also know that I need to be responsible for my own stuff, and what exactly we need as performing singers, whether youre a solo act or in a group, can get pretty specific. Whether its your first gig or youre an experienced performer, you need to be prepared. Heres my list of what every singer needs to pack in his or her gig bag. Throat Coat Tea and Honey (single-serve packets) You might be skeptical of special teas and potions for the voice, like I once was. But trust me, after singing in a dry room for two hours, youll be thankful for the lubrication! Great Microphone My microphone is a Shure product. Its not expensive and sounds great. Whats important is having your own, especially if you ever put your mouth on it. Germs, anyone? Wind Screen This is super important for protecting the investment that is your microphone. Strong wind, a drop on the floor, or even blowing air into it can cause damage. Your wind screen can prevent this. Your Phone OK, so you might not need to pack this in the gig bag, but be sure to take it. If youre running late, youll want to let the venue know. Mic Stand Even if youre the kind of performer who runs all over the stage with a cordless mic, youll need to keep that mic in a safe spot between sets. There might even be a song youll want to try with the mic in its stand! Water Even though I personally recommend drinking tea with a thicker consistency than water during performances, water will hydrate the body before and after you sing. Potato Chips I was skeptical about this one for a long time. But a music producer recommended them, and now, I always pack them in my gig bag. The salt reduces mucus, the oil lubricates, and the crunch helps relieve stress. Your Merch If you have any merchandise for your act, like T-shirts, CDs, cards for free downloads of one of your songs, or even just business cards, youll want to pack them in your gig bag. You never know who youll meet at a show, or what fans will ask for! Extension Cord Recently, my band had to make a really stressful and last-minute run to the local hardware store 20 minutes before show time, because our cords werent long enough for the new venue. Be prepared with a 50-foot extension cord. Oh, and make it an outdoor one, in case it rains! Not There Yet? Heres How to Get Gigs Word of mouth is said to be the best way to get gigs for bands and musicians. But since the Internet is where so much is communicated nowadays, word of mouth means having a great social media presence. Make sure that you have a fresh, updated Facebook page with videos, reviews (even from teachers and fellow musicians), audio, and lots of photos of rehearsals and formal band photos, too.  Make sure that you have a YouTube channel, so that potential clients and fans can watch you perform. Even if you only post great band practices, people can still get a feel for your sound! You can also  make your own website for free at Wix.com, where you can post past and future gigs. (Heres a great post from Wix about setting up your music website.) Next, search your local paper or Google local open mics   these are a great way to get exposure and meet other musicians! You can also build a profile for free at websites like GigMasters and GigSalad. Theyll send leads for gigs right to your email and charge a small fee. Heres a great round-up of those and other websites for finding gigs. Tips for Your First Gig Gearing up for your first gig? Congrats! First, get as many details as possible from your gig contact, whos probably the person who scheduled or hired you. Make sure that you know exactly what youll need to bring, what the venue already has and is willing to share, how early youre allowed to set up your gear, how long youre expected to perform, and a number for your contact at the venue on the day of the event, just in case you get caught in traffic or tied up, and you need to call ahead. Second, if its possible, go to the venue yourself to check it out. How much room is there? (Thisll also help you feel more comfortable when you actually perform in the space.) Third, rehearse as much as your schedule allows, and try to practice in the same physical set-up that youll be in the venue. Heres a handy checklist for preparing for a gig. Fourth, relax, but not by telling yourself not to be nervous instead tell yourself that the nervousness is only excitement. It really is all about perspective and attitude. All this considered, the most important thing to bring to a performance should be so big, that you couldnt fit it into any gig bag. That thing is your amazing self-confidence. Remember that excitement you were feeling earlier? One of the best tips for your first gig is to use that excitement as extra energy. Because, lets face it, you could drink all of the finest teas in the world and own the best microphones, but if you dont believe that you belong up there, singing, youre toast. Heather L. teaches singing, piano, acting, and more in St. Augustine, FL, as well as through online lessons. She is  a graduate of the prestigious Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey, and has performed with the New York and Royal Philharmonics, the New Jersey and Virginia Symphonies, the American Boy Choir, and the internationally renowned opera star Andrea Bocelli. Learn more about Heather here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by  Anaïs

How to Help Your Student Face the ACT with Confidence

How to Help Your Student Face the ACT with Confidence How to Help Your Student Face the ACT with Confidence By todays academic standards, a strong ACT score can be just as important as a high school diploma. This rigorous exam, traditionally completed by high school students in the spring of their junior year, can determine college acceptance and eligibility for merit-based scholarships. The ACT tests students knowledge of Math, Science, English and Reading, includes an optional writing portion, and is scored on a 36-point scale. Unfortunately, the Washington Post reports that ACT scores reached their lowest national average of the past five years in 2013, with a composite average of 20.9. Worse yet, only twenty-six percent of tested students met all four of the ACTs subject benchmarks. While the specific cause of low performance is purported to be the result of many varying factors, the competition for college acceptance remains stringent. Acceptance standards are high, and a noncompetitive ACT score could spell the difference between attending the college of a students dreams and attending another university. The only strategy proven to increase a students chances of scoring high on an ACT exam is proper preparation. But what does this look like, and how can it be achieved? The Huntington Learning Center offers its top tips for successful ACT preparation. Get Familiar with Key Strategies Sometimes simply knowing how to take a test can be almost as helpful as knowing the material. For example, in the ACT reading section, your student will both save time and increase his or her chances of selecting the right answer if he or she reads questions before reading the corresponding passages. This strategy allows students to know exactly what theyre looking for while they read, a proven tactic to enhance comprehension. Its also important to know that students should answer every question on the exam, as there is no penalty for guessing. General test-taking strategies such as utilizing process of elimination for challenging multiple choice questions, memorizing the directions for each section beforehand, and always creating an outline for the writing portion of the exam, can also significantly improve your students chances for success. Take Practice Tests Encourage your student to take a full-length practice ACT exam, which can be found online, in test preparation books or from a tutoring service. Have your student take a diagnostic practice test before studying as a means to measure progress, and for an accurate score, always complete under similar test conditions (for instance, timing each section). Practice tests provide students an opportunity to determine pacing, identify potential weaknesses, and reduce test anxiety. Encourage your student to take as many practice exams as time allows. Use a Tutoring Service Instruction from the classroom may simply not be enough when it comes to thoroughly preparing for the ACT exam. Students need extra reviews to strengthen skills in certain subjects, and even if your student does well in school, supplemental studying is still both necessary and worthwhile. This is where an ACT tutoring program can help. With an ACT tutoring program, your student will receive one-to-one instruction tailored to his or her learning style, gain valuable test-taking strategies, develop stronger time management skills, and acquire thorough preparation in every aspect of the exam. There are even opportunities for full-length, proctored exams. In todays world of college admissions, in which a one-point increase in an ACT score can sometimes equal thousands in merit-based scholarships, theres no denying the value of adequate preparation. Help your student excel on the ACT exam this year with ACT tutoring from the Huntington Learning Center. The Huntington Learning Center offers three tutoring programs of varying lengths that offer proven test-taking strategies, highly-trained tutors, options for coursework and flexible scheduling. Contact the Huntington Learning Center today at 1-800-CAN-LEARN or visit us online to learn more about our services.

Alexa for Kids with ADHD

Alexa for Kids with ADHD One of the most popular gifts of this past holiday season, according to CNN Money, was Amazons Echo Dot, featuring their digital assistant, Alexa. If you are one of the millions of people who recently brought Alexa into their home, then you are now learning that Alexa can do all kinds of things, from giving you the weather forecast to turning on the lights in your home or operating any number of Internet of Things connected devices. If you have a child with ADHD, then youll be happy to know that Alexa can also help with many of the challenges that you and your child face every day. Kids with ADHD are typically slow to gain independence in their daily activities, like getting ready in the morning, completing their homework, and getting ready for bed in the evening. Parents often find themselves micromanaging their childs day, making sure that things get done well and on time, even when their child is of an age when they should be managing these activities independently. The need for constant reminders and double-checking frustrates parents, and on the flip side, kids often complain that their parents spend too much time nagging them. This is where Alexa can be helpful. Alexa can essentially serve as an independent third party that provides reminders, alarms, and lists. Kids can easily learn to use these features in Alexa, building independence and confidence, and reducing conflict and negotiations with parents. After all, when a parent says, Youre going to need to leave for soccer practice in 10 minutes, it can feel like nagging to a child, but when Alexa says t he same thing, its not emotionally loaded or the source of immediate conflict. There are many ways to incorporate Alexa into your childs daily routine. Here are a few ideas to get you started. Alarm clock. Help your child set an alarm with Alexa, and customize the alarm with his or her favorite song. For example, Alexa, please wake me up at 7am every weekday with Let it Go from Frozen. If your child is generally slow to wake up, then let him or her know that he or she will need to be out of bed by the time the wake-up song ends. By having your child tell Alexa when to wake him or her up and which song to play, he or she is taking responsibility for his or her morning alarm and gaining independence. Getting out the door on time. Alexas scheduling functions can also help your child keep track of time in the morning. In the Alerts Alarms section of your Alexa app, create custom reminders that are scheduled to repeat at the same time every morning or afternoon. For example, you can create a reminder called Ten Minute Warning and then program Alexa to remind your child at 7:50am every day that its almost time to leave the house, Dylan, I just wanted you to know the bus is coming in 10 minutes. Again, by leveraging Alexa to provide the reminder, youre helping to break the cycle of conflict that may be dominating your mornings. Homework Time. You can also use Alexas scheduling and alarm systems to help manage homework time, either by using the Timer Feature, Alexa, please set a homework timer for one hour or the Alarm Feature, Alexa, please set an alarm for 4pm when homework time is over. Your child can also ask, Alexa, please tell me how much time is left on my homework timer, without involving his or her parents in the discussion. To-Do Lists. To-Do lists may seem like an organization strategy that is geared toward adults, but they can also be very helpful for kids with ADHD. For example, if your child mentions that he or she needs to return a permission slip to school by Thursday and attend a Science Fair on Friday he or she can easily add these items to his or her to-do list. Alexa, please add permission slip to our to-do list for Wednesday or Alexa, please remind me about my science project on Thursday afternoon at 3pm. As Alexa and similar technologies begin to play a more central role in our daily lives, kids with ADHD will gain access tools that can help them gain independence, manage their ADHD symptoms more effectively, and reduce conflict at home. And one of the best features: Alexa is screen-free! These digital tools are all available without a distracting tablet or phone that can derail any childs best intentions. So, help your child get started with Alexa, and see what this technology can do for your family. ABOUT DR. MARY ROONEY Mary Rooney, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco. Dr Rooney is a researcher and clinician specializing in the evaluation and treatment of ADHD and co-occurring behavioral, anxiety, and mood disorders. A strong advocate for those with attention and behavior problems, Dr. Rooney is committed to developing and providing comprehensive, cutting edge treatments tailored to meet the unique needs of each child and adolescent. Dr. Rooney's clinical interventions and research avenues emphasize working closely with parents and teachers to create supportive, structured home and school environments that enable children and adolescents to reach their full potential. In addition, Dr. Rooney serves as a consultant and ADHD expert to Huntington Learning Centers. ABOUT HUNTINGTON Huntington Learning Center is the tutoring and test prep leader. Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students of all levels succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntington's mission is to give every student the best education possible. Call us today at 1.800.CAN LEARN to discuss how Huntington can help your child. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com. This website does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The material on this site is provided for educational purposes only.

How to Speak Many Different Languages (Without Losing Your Mind)

How to Speak Many Different Languages (Without Losing Your Mind) How to Speak Different Languages Without Getting Confused Learning languages is just half the battle.The real challenge can be maintaining the linguistic arsenal youve worked so hard to amass.One second language might be a small time commitment, but as you add a third, fourth and more, the game will change.Sometimes you have the sensation that your Arabic has totally devoured the French you used to speak, or that your Czech grammar was turned upside-down when you learned German.  Other times you might feel like you dont know how to form a reasonable sentence in any language at all.Learning languages is one thing, but living a multilingual life and speaking different languages on a regular basis is a whole other matter entirely.It changes your brain and your personality. It opens you to different social networks. It makes you better at learning languages in general, and helps you improve your native language. It can also sometimes leave you confused, frustrated and worn out.If you want to turn your life into a linguistic juggling act, youll be glad to know  that not only is your  brain designed to keep learning languages at any age  but that multilingualism is  super common  throughout the world.While your brain does most of your linguistic maintenance behind the scenes, building a few simple good habits can ensure that you enjoy all the benefits of a life full of languages down the road. How Your Brain Handles Different LanguagesHave you ever heard the myth about how only kids can really learn languages well? In case  you missed it, that ones been debunked for a while now.The human brain is almost magically capable of adapting to new languages at any point in life, and theres a lot of evidence to suggest that a new tongue is  the best brain food there is.We  know this from looking at some of the differences between the brains of monolinguals and people who speak multiple languages. For example, multilingual brains are usually bigger and have more gray matter. Theyre also a lot more resilient to strokes  and theyre c hampions at keeping dementia at bay. Part of how your brain accommodates playing host to several different live-in languages at the same time is by physically adapting itself. As you might imagine, remodeling your brain has a lot of side effects, but you should think of them all as  upgrades.Speaking different languages literally remolds your brainLearning and speaking new languages physically reshapes your brain by building new neural pathways and adding new synapses. The more different languages you learn and use, the more new pathways are created. This is actually literally  growing your brain  and making it more efficient in the process.It makes sense that your brain grows when you use multiple languages, since studies show that different languages are stored in physically different parts of the brain.It seems like storing languages in different physical compartments of the brain is efficient for more than just neural functioning, but also for living your life.  Its thought to b e the cause of polyglots increased affinity for multitasking and filtering important information out of  less important distractions and background noise.Its these skills of filtering out certain kinds of information and dividing your attention between tasks that allow people who speak multiple languages to not only switch between them when they need to but also be able to subconsciously recognize social cues that tell when its appropriate to switch languages, otherwise known as code-switching.Code-switching: The polyglots Olympic sportCode-switching is when you switch between languages or language varieties, andâ€"as you might have already guessedâ€"its a feature thats included in the standard subscription to all human brains.This is the impressive feat  the Northern European linguistic Olympians perform so casually that makes them look cool and worldly in hostels. In the middle of a conversation in their native language with their friend from home, they smoothly throw an English h ey, how are you doing your way and then proceed  to strike up a new conversation with someone else in Spanish, all without breaking a sweat.Sounds exhausting, right? Not so much. Here are a few things  most people dont understand  about switching between different languages:You already do it, even if youre monolingual.  When you speak to your university professor and suddenly find yourself clearly pronouncing your -ings at the ends of words and switching your  yeahs for  yess  thats a kind of code-switching too, only between sociolects or particular ways of speaking that relate to class, education or group identity.Its mostly a subconscious reaction  environmental factors.  When you speak different languages, social  cues will prompt you to code-switch.  Hearing or reading a familiar language can easily evoke a momentary mental switch to it, and seeing the face of a friend with whom you speak it will almost certainly do so. Having this ability to subconsciously analyze and respond t o your linguistic environment is one of the things that makes multilingual brains so efficient and saves them a lot of mental energy.Youve got linguistic veto power.  When youre back home enjoying an authentic Mexican taco with your English-speaking family, ay, qué rico! may try to climb out of your throat, but youve generally got the final say on whether you release a Spanish exclamation into the world or an English one.  Most of the time, anyways.And thats where things start to  get a little messy.Polyglot problems: The struggles of speaking different languagesLike we said, most of the time your brain will take the lead on languages. But every now and then, all those environmental and internal  signals get crossed. Weird stuff happens.Speaking different languages is natural and good for you in the way that running is natural and good for you: the more the better, but sometimes you get cramps or just wear yourself out.The source of most of those cramps for people who grew up monol ingual will be your mother tongue. Its been around the longest, youve subconsciously made a lot of your assumptions about language in general based on it and its what hard-wired you to learn languages. It will often stick its micromanaging nose in where it doesnt belong. While sometimes your other languages will stand up to it, sometimes it just plows over them.Other polyglot problems arise from lack of practice, personal differences in  learning style and the same imperfection of the learning process that leads you to say something wrong in your native language every now and then. Here are a few  of the most common problems facing polyglots on a daily basis:Interference: This is the collective term for all those times you accidentally used German grammar in Portuguese, or when you tried to say something in Thai but pronounced it like an English word and someone thought you said something rude. When the structures or conventions of one language interfere with another, youre mixing k nowledge of different languages, which normally produces something that doesnt make sense in either tongue. The struggle is real, and most peoples reactions to it will range from patient to amused.Reduced  feeling of nativeness in your first language: This one normally comes in abrupt little bursts, and its often ridiculous and hilarious when it does. You literally translate an idiom from another language, or you cant remember what that thing over there is called in English. Sometimes you may find it momentarily difficult to say whether a particular sentence is correct in your mother tongue while you struggle to think consciously about rules that you normally use subconsciously. Its par for the course, so just learn to laugh at it.Tip of the tongue moments: The more languages you speak, the more tip of the tongue events  you have. This is actually the technical term for it, and its exactly what it sounds like: when youve almost got a word, its on the tip of your tongue, but you just cant remember it. This generally happens pretty evenly across all your languages, including the native one.Getting rusty or forgetting languages: Languages take time and attention, and the more you speak, the more time you need to keep them all alive and well. Many aspiring polyglots make the mistake of taking one step forward and one step back, letting one language languish while they devote all of their attention to the new one. Thankfully, relearning a rusty language is pretty easy.Wanderlust: Call it a benefit or a drawback, but many multilinguals are drawn to use their languages in the countries they come from. Practicing Spanish on your annual vacation to Andalusia is reasonable, but how many language vacations can you fit in a year? The answer might be to just pack up and hit the road permanently!Most of the problems that come from speaking different languages are better called amusing annoyances, and I dont think I ever met a language learner who told me well Im just giving up because Im too confused all the time and travel too much.Still, there are solutions to even the pettiest of polyglot problems!How to Speak Different Languages Without Getting ConfusedHopefully you agree that polyglot problems are more something to put a hashtag on and laugh about on Twitter than something to divert you from learning more languages.You were quite literally built for this, so your brain is quietly doing 90% of the work for you behind the scenes, but there are a couple things you can do in learning, using, and maintaining your languages to deal with the other 10%.What not to do during the language learning processIt seems like there are as many ways to learn a language as there are learners out there, and different approaches work better for different learners. But, if you want to keep different languages neatly arranged inside your head, there are a couple specific approaches that you should be warned against.1. Learning two very similar languages at the same time Learning two closely related or otherwise similar languages at the same time  is generally a no-no for language learners, especially those who want to minimize their polyglot problems down the road.This is because language learning is largely a game of finding patterns of difference. Languages that share a lot of the same or similar words and word parts are different systems with the exact same kinds of rules (rules about word order, how to form a question, how verbs are conjugated) and very similar parts, so figuring out which parts belong to which set of rules is a challenge even for something as efficient at language learning as the human brain.Thats not to say you cant learn more than one language at a timeâ€"some studies suggest the more the merrierâ€"but it means you should be careful in your choice. Japanese and Russian might be okay, but Spanish and Italian maybe not so much.2. Basing words and meanings in one language on those of anotherYou always hear it: dont translate. I nstead, try to think in the language youre speaking. But what does that actually mean, and how do you do it?On the surface, this means dont just think the blue house when you read or hear  la casa azul.  But this also means something deeper: la casa azul shouldnt only not be translated in your mind as you hear it, but in fact it shouldnt have anything at all to do with the English concept of a house or the color called blue.La casa azul should be a construction with walls and a roof and windows, where people live inside and cook and watch football, with blue walls that are blue from somebody having painted it with paint, not a cartoonish color on your computers Paint program. Try as hard as you can to tie the meanings of words in a foreign language to real things in the real world.You should strive to do all your thinking about meanings in a language in that language, to keep it from ever being tied to or dependent upon your understanding of English words. Prepositions, verbs and ev en nouns cover different properties in different languages, and looking at any one from the perspective of another makes it look sideways and upside-down.Maintaining your languagesOne way you can think of languages is like muscles that need to be trained. If you only teach them one repetitive back-and-forth motion, like ordering food or asking directions, they might tone up but theyll never grow very much. And no matter how big you get them, enough time in disuse will shrink them back down to their original size.The solution here isnt  new or innovative, but tried and true: use it or lose it!There are a few different approaches to doing this, but here are four  that are easy to incorporate into your life:1. Use each of your languages to accomplish a task every day.This doesnt mean that you need  to have a half-hour Skype session every day to keep on top of your languages. What it does mean is that you should use each language to accomplish a task of some kind daily or as close to it as possible.Accomplishing something can be paying bills or filing residency paperwork in your home abroad, or it can be as simple as using the language to entertain yourself with a couple of funny YouTube videos. Reading the news, catching up with a friend or researching something in a target language instead of your mother tongue can all be easy ways of incorporating your languages into each day.2. Try to develop a special relationship with each of your languages.As you become more and more fluent in a language, think about what you use that language for the most or what it naturally lends itself to. Its easy enough to tie each language to something culturally related to itâ€"maybe you look up recipes in French since you love French cuisine, or maybe you took a semester abroad studying finance in Hong Kong and now your Cantonese is good enough to do all your budgeting and banking in that language.When I lived in the Netherlands, I worked at an NGO where I spent a lot of time readi ng and talking about international affairs and development  in Dutch. Now, with more than a year out of the country, I find it easy and practical to read the days news headlines in Dutch or to watch the Dutch nightly news to catch up on world events.Similarly, Ive most recently lived in Mexico, and all it took was one conscious decision after I left to continue making my grocery lists in Spanish. This way, I keep using both of these languages in my daily life and, rather than stopping in the middle of my day for some artificial practice, I incorporate them both into my life in a natural and unintrusive way.3. Practice code-switching.Even if you use all your languages every day, switching between them can remain challenging and confusing without practice. But practicing rapidly switching between languages doesnt only make continuing to do so easier. Its like a composite exercise that works multiple languages from multiple angles at the same time, and has extra benefits for your brain and overall general language abilities.The best way to do this is to purposely put yourself in multilingual situations. Go to language exchange meetups, hang out in hostel common rooms or, if you live in a big global city, just go for a stroll outside and eavesdrop until you hear something familiar.When you can, practice switching between different combinations of languages, and especially between two languages that arent your mother tongue.  The point is to find ways to practice your ability to switch back and forth between languages, and youll notice it getting easier and more natural the more you do it.If you hit this muscle from all angles, youll be looking like a professional linguistic athlete in no time.Languages for life: Some considerations for a life full of languagesSo weve established that you either are or want to be a high-functioning polyglot, which, by the way, we think is great. But to truly reap the benefits, make sure speaking all these different languages become s a lifestyle rather than just an exciting phase of your adventurous student years!Multilingualism carries benefits throughout your life, so youll want to make sure you continue to nurture your hard-earned languages as the years go by. One way you can do that is by living in a multicultural, multilingual world city. The streets of London and Singapore and Cape Town are absolutely crawling with representatives of that 60% of the population who understand your polyglot struggles.How  would you feel about dating someone who has a different native language than yours? Were not suggesting you swipe left or right based on what languages someone speaks, but it is immensely helpful to have a romantic partner who speaks one or more of your target languages.And dont stop at romantic partnersâ€"its even easier to fill your social circle with speakers of your languages and maintain your speaking skills while maintaining your friendships. Itll be a challenge to lose your Portuguese when your bes t friend is Brazilian, and meeting your German friends for a game of flunkyball every other weekend means youll at least retain the requisite vocabulary for knocking over beer bottles and cheering about it.You dont have to move your whole life around to make it a life full of languages. Whether you live in a great world city or remote countryside, whether your social calendar looks like the agenda at the United Nations or youd rather be on the couch with a book, the key is to speak all of your languages all the time.Enjoy the many benefits they bring to your life, and learn to laugh when they make you a little crazy!Jakob is a full-time traveler, obsessive language learner, and dedicated language teacher. He writes about language, travel, and the many places they meet on the road at his blog Globalect. And One More ThingIf youre serious about maintaining multiple languages in your life, you could use a helping hand from technology.Thats where FluentU comes in.FluentU takes real-wo rld videos like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks, and turns them into language learning experiences. Just a quick look will give you an idea of the range of content available:FluentU App Browse Screen.FluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, definition, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.Didnt catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover your mouse over the subtitles to instantly view definitions.Interactive transcript for Carlos Baute song.You can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs learn mode. Swipe left or right to see  more examples for the word you’re learning.FluentU Has Quizzes for Every VideoAnd FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It uses that vocab to give you a 100% personalized experience by recommending videos and examples.Start using FluentU on the website with your computer or tabl et  or, better yet,  download the FluentU app from  the iTunes store  or Google Play store.