Some members here may not care so much whether other members are interested in reading what they write or not. Some do care, though. If you care, you should try to make your writing readable, enjoyable, wonderful or interesting. 

Some members may enjoy what is written with often-used or commonly used words while some may want to read what is written with unfamiliar words or even rarely used words. 

Some members here are really good at remembering unfamiliar or hard-to-learn words. Many my find it hopeless to memorize those hard words. You may find that you just keep forgetting, no matter how hard you try to memorize them. So, it's hard for you to write something with so many hard words, even harder to use them correctly. 

Only too often, though, you may not be able to write something which is grammatically correct. If so, what's the point of writing something with so many hard words. 

You may risk reducing the readability of your writing if other members find it so hard to read something full of hard words. So, it may not be a good idea to use too many unfamiliar words in a blog. 

Don't get me wrong - vocabulary really matters. Some members here find it bored to read something written with commonly used words, even though they are perfectly written. 

Try to write something that is writen with both familiar or unfamiliar words - using those words which is unfamilar but not too hard. 

Sometimes you may not be so sure if the sentence you just made or made by others is correct or natural. Or you may be so puzzled about a sentence. If that was the case, what would you do?

Ask for help or consult someone

Some members may want to make sure if a sentence is grammatically correct or natural. They'd send a message to an English teacher or an advanced member here or just leave a comment on their page to ask for help. Hopefully, you'll get the answer. 

Find the answer yourself

You'd try to consult a book or dictionary instead. It's the sentence that makes you learn harder and learn more. In fact, that is the most recommended way to deal with the problem. Teach yourself.

Do nothing and remain puzzled

You'd wait until one day you read a similar sentence and you know the answer. 

If I were you, I'd consult someone or a book or a dictionary instead of doing nothing or just waiting. How about this sentence 'It's time you published a blog'? Or how about this one  'It's time you went home'?

I guess you've already been learning English for a long time, and you probably enjoyed reading all the blogs here. You may feel like writing your own blog. If that's the case, then it's time for you to publish a blog here. 

What's prevented you from writing a blog?

Are you afraid of making mistakes? Not so sure if you really want to write one? Nothing to share? Not interested in writing blogs? Don't feel like expressing yourself? Whatever reason it may be, if you still hesitate to write, you're missing an opportunity to improve your writing skills. 

It's not advised to wait until you think your English is good enough

Some members who never wrote a blog may think their English is not good enough to write one. It doesn't make sense, though. Only when you start to write can you know how good your English is, how weak your writing is, how well you've understanded all the basic English rules, how surprised you're when you find you can even write something so nice. Your English can't be good enough if you don't practice - just watching doesn't work. 

So, it's time or high time you published a blog. Did you notice so many blogs by beginners or newbies were featured? Why not try to write your own blog instead of watching others write? It sure takes a lot of time and effort to sharpen your writing skills, but it's worth it. 

By the way, your blog doesn't need to be long, but too short isn't a good idea, either. 

It's not uncommon that a blog consists of a very long paragraph. I usually suggest the blogger to paragraph the long paragraph whenever I come across one. Here's some tips:

A blog with short paragraphs is more readable than a blog with a long one

A long paragraph isn't so reader-friendly, which means it's hard to read. It can be so tiring to read such a long paragraph. Your readers deserve your consideration - they need the space and the pause. Make it a pleasant experience to read your blog. 

The length of a paragraph can vary

It doesn't need to be the same length - a blog with same length paragraphs can be so boring. Just try to avoid writing a paragraph which is too long or too short. The problem is learners aren't always so sure where they should stop to start a new paragraph. 

So, it's not a good idea to write a very long paragraph. Don't get me wrong - I'm talking about long paragraphs, not long blogs. But, incidentally, a very short blog isn't a good idea, either. 

Note:

The word 'paragraph' can be used as a verb or a noun. 

Big deal? Maybe not. Some members here may find it confusing, though.

'An English teacher' usually means someone who teachs English, but it may sound like someone who's from Britain, or the UK.  And, it can also refer to someone who teachs English and is from Britain. English is now such an important widely-used language, which's really something the British should be proud of. Some Britons or Brits (whatever you call British citizens), however, may not feel anything special when they hear you using the word 'English'. 

So, some people may think it safer to say 'a teacher of English' instead of 'An English teacher'. Another alternative is 'An English language teacher'. An English language teacher can be anybody who teachs English or English language, no matter what nationality they have. You can say 'an English language teacher from Britain' if the teacher happens to be a Brit, whose first language or mother tongue is English. 

That said, we can always make it simple just by saying 'An English teacher' since 'English' also means 'English language'. Also, we can say 'an English learner' instead of 'an English language learner' or 'a learner of English'. 

I hope I didn't make it even more confusing. 

Yes, if we want to reach the goal more than 460 posts for this month June, we need to publish at least 15 posts per day. 

The record is 460 posts a month

Did you ever wonder which month in history we set the record? Why so many posts were published in that month? I don't really know, either. I think it must have happened in a month when so many members here couldn't help blogging. Now, we're even trying to break the record. 

The real goal is to improve our writing skills

I know the number we're trying to reach may not make much sense for some members here. The number 460 itself is meaningless, but, more writing practice seems to be the most effective way to sharpen our writing skills. That's why every month our admin Tara comes up with a writing challenge for us. 

Is it possible for us to reach the goal?

460 posts a month many not seem to be such a big number for some of our active members - just a piece of cake for them. In fact, an active member has already published more than four blogs since the first day of this month. I hope other members will follow suit to publish their own blogs. Every member here can be the one who publishes most blogs this month. 

Don't forget to read and comment on blogs by others

Do you want other members to comment on your blog? If so, you have a lot of company. We need to encourage each other to write more - your comments may make a difference. Keep commenting!

So, let's just get used to so many blogs a day. Enjoy! 

Some members here often have a picture or some pictures included in their blogs.

A blog with a picture can be so vivid or clourful, but too many pictures/photos in a blog isn't a good idea, and you should make sure you're allowed to use those pictures. Here's some tips in case you want to use pictures in your blog:

Do not use a lot of pictures in a blog

It can be so distracting if you use so many pictures in a blog, and it can also hamper the reading. Using one or a couple of pictures a time if you really want to use some in your blog. 

Use pictures which you have a right to use

It's advised to use pictures or photos of your own or you took. Sometimes it may seem you can download or copy some pictures freely from the Internet, but it doesn't mean you can use them freely -  you should make sure you don't use them illegally. Don't plagiarize. When I read a blog with pictures, I'll make sure the blogger is allowed to use the pictures. 

Here's a link to EC stickers where you could copy or download all the stickers.

Members here do re-publish old blogs as new. Maybe they just want to share their old blogs again. Sometimes they may have re-edited a blog and re-pulished it again. Here's my two cents:

We need more writing practice to sharpen our writing skills - the more you write, the better. Only when you write can you realize where you're weak or where you need to improve, even though you've learned all the basic rules. That's why I encourage our members here to keep writing new blogs instead of re-publishing old ones. Seize every opportunity to write a new blog and you'll agree it's worth it. 

I do re-edit my old blogs, but, after re-editing one, I'll choose the date it was first published rather than 'Now'. I assume you have noticed the option 'What date would you like for your post?'  It's a good idea to keep re-editing and improving your old blogs, but it's not if you keep re-publish them 'Now' instead of the original date. 

By the way, we're trying to reach our goal - more than 460 posts in this month. Are you sure you really want old blogs (re-published as new) to be counted in June? Then, what's the point of reaching that goal? So, do not try to re-publish old blogs as new - try to write a new blog instead. 

Some members here may find it so confusing. Then, what's the difference between a blog and a post? You just published a blog or a post, you may ask yourself. And, what's a blog post?

If you look up 'blog' in a dictionary, you'll find it refers to 'diary', 'journal' or 'log'. Does it mean you need to write here every day or daily? You definitely don't really want to do that. Then, how about the word 'post', which exactly means 'a piece of writing'? You just keep posting/publishing posts here in MyEC's Blogs section. Does that make sense for you? 

Yes, it may be safer to use 'a blog post' instead of 'a blog' or 'a post'. Neverthless, members here may want to refer to the piece of writing they just wrote or are writing or will write as 'a blog' instead of 'a post' or 'a blog post'.

So, it's quite acceptable to say 'I just published a blog', 'Your blog was just featured', 'Excellent blog', or 'Try to write a blog about it'. Yes, you got it - 'a blog' can mean 'a post' or 'a blog post'. 

You may have posted a blog, and found that Expector failed to leave a comment on it. You may have wanted to ask 'How come Expector failed to add a comment on my blog?'.

Yes, Expector is the blog mod here, and he's supposed to keep an eye on the 'Blogs', but it doesn't necessarily mean he'll read and leave a comment on every blog, even though he dose try to do so. Then, what if he failed to leave a comment on your blog?

Try to let him know if you really want him to comment on your blog

He may be too busy right now, which means he noticed your blog but failed to read or comment on it, or he just missed your blog. Sometimes he has trouble accessing MyEC - he may not be online. And, he may not be so sure he really understand what you're trying to say. When that's the case, you could always leave a message on his page. He'll see the message, and most likely he'll reply to it immediately when he sees it. 

Bear in mind that he doesn't read or comment on every blog

There are so many blogs, and sometimes it's impossible for him to read and comment on all of them. He may hope he can have more time to do so, but he's a busy doctor and a volunteer mod here on MyEC. So, no matter how hard he tries, chances are he'll fail to read and comment on some of the blogs. 

You can always count on other active members to comment on or even correct your blog

We've got plenty of such active members here, who are so willing to read and comment on your blog. And, if you really want to be corrected, they'll try to correct you. You should know they may not really be native English teachers, so the corrections they made might not be correct. Also, our admin Tara will help read and comment on your blogs. 

Yes, you got it! It's an idiom meaning 'now is a good time to do something'.

Some members here, including me, were having trouble accessing MyEC the other day. Some of them may have taken an easily accessible MyEC for granted until they experienced the connecting problem. Now, thankfully, everything seems to have been back to normal here on MyEC. It feels so wonderful that we can get in to and enjoy MyEC again.

What I'm saying is we should make good use of MyEC. You could post a blog, leave a comment on a blog you just read, or join in a fun discussion. In fact, I just read a couple of blogs and managed to leave some comments on them - I really enjoyed reading them.  I guess you know our commitment 'no blog is left unanswered'. I'm glad so many members here are trying to write their own blogs, and add comments on blogs by other members. 

'Strike while the iron is hot.'  Try to share something here with the world - it could be a blog, a picture, or a comment. 

Note:

MyEC = MyEnglishClub. Yes, it exactly refers to this site,  which's related to the famous original website 'www. englishclub.com'. 

This writing challenge reminds me of my mother who lives far from where I live. While I was trying to write something about my mother, this question came to my mind: Do all mothers deserve a hug? Don't get me wrong - I love my mother, and in fact, I just phoned her to see if she's happy about the May Day celebration. I'm not crazy or insane, either. While everybody seems to love their mother, there are people who don't think much of their mother. If the son/daughter is:

one of the multiple children in a poor family

It's hard for a mother to raise so many children in the old days when feeding children was such a problem here in China. Unfairness or preference did occur - the youngest child usually got more attention from the mother. Nowdays there's only one child in a family here. so things are changed - parents can't wait to spoil their child with plenty of food, new clothes, smart toys, etc. 

the one who Lacks love from their mother

Their mother only gave birth to them or failed to raise them. Some mothers are not good at raising children or not so caring. Some mothers may have gotten a divorce, and their kids may have gotten hurt. 

shamed of their mother

Some mothers may not be so decent, and some mothers may even try to torture their kids. 

So, it's true some people may not love their mother so much or even hate her, but I think all mothers deserve a hug because she's at least given birth to you - just imagine how hard or painful it can be for a mother to live with a baby in her body (10 months of pregnency). We should be grateful, but only too often people take their mother's pain or love for granted. Try to write to your mother or phone her, and if possible, give your mother a hug before it's too late, no matter how busy you may be. 

Writing Prompt ~ Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Chief: Thanks for applying for the vacant position as a resident here. How long have you been applying for a job like this?

Resident: Thank you for choosing me as a suitable candidate for the job. I really appreciate this interview opportunity. I've been applying for this job for nearly two years. 

Chief:  I can tell from your resume that you've worked in several hospitals, and you're board certified in surgery and a capable doctor. How long have you been working as a surgeon?

Resident: I've been working as a surgeon for five years. It will be such an honour to work here under you - I've been focusing on this hospital and you since I graduated from the med school. 

Chief: That's music to my ears. In fact, we're looking for someone like you for a long time. Welcome to join us. 

Resident: Thank you so much for the wonderful interview. It's a dream come true - I've been dreaming of being a surgeon here since my first day as a resident. You really made my day, Chief. I can't wait to work here. 

Note: 

-- resident: doctor in a hospital

You must have noticed that Luci, one of our most popular active members, has just left MyEC. Sorry, but MyEC members keep coming and going. I agree that MyEC wouldn't be the same without popular active members like Luci. Then, here comes my question: Who'll make a popular active member here on MyEC?

A popular active member should be:

So eager to read and write blog posts

They are so interested in what others write, and so curious to know what others are doing or thinking about. Whenever it's possible, they write their own blogs or blog posts, which usually are so fun and interesting to read. They'll respond or reply to any comment on their blog. 

So willing to help

They usually try to leave a comment on what they just read. Their comments are so encourgaging - they're actually inspiring other members to write more. They even try to make corrections for those who really want to be corrected. It sure takes time for them to do this, but they think it's worth doing. 

So good at English

It's easy for them to understand what others write in English. They can communicate with others in English without any difficulty. They know what you're trying to say, and can express themselves so effectively. 

So, you can be our next popular active member. Try to be such an active member here - you can make a difference by doing this and you'll agree it's so rewarding. 

You might also like to read this blog: You can be our next active member.  

Writing Prompt ~ Abbreviations

Student: I'm not sure when to use "the" in front of an initialism.  Are there any rules?

Teacher: Good question. You can use "the" in front of an initialism that is the name of a famous organization, e.g. the BBC, the UN, the WTO. But you don't use "the" in front of CNN, ABC, GE - name of company. I'm afraid there may not be any strict rules.

Student: It'd seem to be so informal to use abbr. in written English, right?

Teacher: It's true if you use abbr. in formal or business letters, in which you use such words or expressions as "congratulations", "thank you", "what is" or "it will" instead of "congrats", "thx", "what's" or "it'll". Some abbreviations, however, are quite acceptable - you can use "phone", "plane", "photo", "exam", "math(s)", "fridge", "flu", "lab", etc. 

Student: Any more tips on abbr.?

Teacher: Don't use too many abbreviations in a short paragraph unless you're trying to practice using abbr. You can use "full stop", e.g. "the U.S." - this use is more popular in American English. In British English, you usually omit the periods, e.g. "the US". You can even add an "s" to make an abbreviation plural, e.g. hrs (hours). 

Do you still have difficulty understanding what other people say in English on the radio or TV or in a movie?  Do you think that you're still unable to express yourself effectively in an English conversation? If your answer is yes, you're not alone, and you sure need more listening or speaking skills.

You may argue that you've spent so much time reading and writing blogs here on MyEC instead of watching English TV programs or movies. Then, my question is, can your English reading or writing improve your listening or speaking skills? My answer is yes. Here's my two cents:

You need to get familiar with English (vocabulary, grammar, etc)

To be good at any of the four skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) requires you to be familiar with English. If you're good at reading or writing, chances are you'll be good at listening or speaking. When you're watching and trying to understand an English movie, you may want to read the subtitles at the same time. What if you even have trouble understanding the subtitles?

Writing dialogues may do the trick

We can write a dialogue to mimic a real conversation – imagining yourself talking with somebody else. With more such writing practice, your speaking skills will improve, too. Check out my blog "Write a dialogue to Improve Your Speaking", or Bob’s "Dialogue Challenge". 

When reading, make sure you know how to pronounce the words 

If you’re not sure how to pronounce a word, you should look the word up in a dictionary. It’s impossible for you to understand what other poeple are saying unless you’re familiar with the pronunciation of the words.

So, your English reading or writing can improve your listening or speaking skills. Being good at one of the skills will enhance the other three ones. It sure takes a lot of time and effort to be good at the four skills, though - unfortunately, there are no shortcuts in English learning. It may be a good idea to spend more time reading and writing blogs or comments here on MyEC.  Do you agree?

Writing Prompt ~ Subjunctive Mood

Hi Carol,

I'm not sure if this is bad news or good news. This morning I went to see a doctor and it turned out there was nothing seriously wrong with my health - I caught a cold. The doctor suggested I get some rest, take some medication, and drink more water.  So, it seems to be neccessary that I take one or two days off. Thankfully, I'm feeling better now. I've learned my lesson, though  - it's vital that I keep working out or keep fit, especially when I'm studying or working in another city by myself. I should have taken your advice and taken good care of myself.  I wish I were home with you! Oh, it's high time I exercised, but I don't think it's a good idea to exercise when I feel uncomfortable - I had better go to bed early.

Miss you so much!

Tom

Note:

1. Do not confuse "subjunctive" with "subjective".

2. Don't forget to add the corrections tag if you really want to be corrected. Corrections are usually made in writing challenges. 

Modal verbs or modal auxiliary verbs or modals can be so tricky or confusing. If used correctly, though, modals can make our writing more vivid. Do you think you can correctly use such words as can, could, may, might, will, would, shall, should, must, ought to, need, dare, used to? If not, let's try to learn how to use them. So, here comes this writing challenge.  

English tips on modals

1. Possibility: can, could, may, might

2. Probability or certainty: should, ought to, must, will, cannot or can't (as the negative of "must")

3. Ability: can, could, be able to

4. Suggestions: could, may, might, shall

5. Requests: can, could, will, would

6. Offers: can, could, shall, will, would

7. Obligation: must, have to

8. Permission: can, could, may

9. Requests: can, could, will, would

Your task

Try to use the modals to writing a short paragraph or a dialogue.  You have to use one or more of them in each sentence, though. 

An example by Expector

"Would you like to join us in the jogging?" I asked Carol, who might heve been waiting for somebody there. The track in the woods was still a bit wet - it must have rained the night before.

"I would love to, but I‘m waiting for Jack," said Carol, who was a little anxious. I thought there might be something wrong, or they might be quarrelling with each other. They were such a happy couple, though - so I must have guessed wrong. Then what could have been the reason for Carol's anxiety?

Note: The negative form of "can" is "cannot" or "can't", not "can not". 

expectorsmither

Meaning: a blog or blogger 

Example sentences:

1. Try to write more expectorsmithers to sharpen your writing skills. 

2. Expectorsmithers should be creative - don't try to copy things from the Internet. 

Oringin: Expector Smith is the blog moderator on MyEC. He's not really an English teacher or a native English speaker, though. He loves English so much that he's been a volunteer mod with MyEC for such a long time. He's been trying to write more blogs, and read blogs by other members as much as possible. Whenever it's possible or necessary, he leaves a comment on the blog he just read, and almost always with some English tips or corrections. So, here comes the new word expectorsmither, which is named after him. 

Quick Quiz

What does the new word expectorsmither mean?

A. a native English speaker

B. an author's name

C. a blog or blogger

D. an English grammar guru

Yes, we're celebrating the Lunar New Year. The Lunar New Year is also called Spring Festival or Chinese New Year. Chinese are not the only ones who celebrate it, though - people in Korea, Vietnam, Japan or some other countries around the world celebrate it, too.

We just celebrated the Lunar New Year's Eve without setting off or lighting any firecrackers in the city where I live. Firecrackers used to be a must in celebration of the Lunar New Year - the tradition dates back to the ancient China (thousands of years ago). This New Year, however, firecrackers are banned in some of the big cities in China. 

Air pollution

Air pollution is one of the major concerns here in China. Beijing, the capital of China, has been mocked for its notorious smog, and being under tremendous pressure. People here have been trying to improve the air quality. So here comes the firecracker ban. The deafening firecrackers are no longer part of the New Year celebrations. Anyway, you don't need to frighten off the man-eating beast Nian or evict bad luck by setting off firecrackers. 

Fire or injury concerns

It's not uncommon that people die or get injured or buildings get damaged in a fire caused by firecrackers here during the New Year celebrations. Firecrackers can explode in a plant or warehouse or on the way to your city. These disasters did happen here in China. 

Tradition to change

Things have changed so much since the remote ancient China. People now live in tall buildings, not just in cottages. Young people are no longer so interested in such things as firecrackers, lion dances, family reunions, delicious dishes or even watching TV together with family members, which are all the traditions related to the Lunar New Year celebrations. There's already plenty of fun to amuse them. Some of the traditions are not a must any more, even though the young people may still be so happy to get red envelops (lucky money) from their parents or aunts or uncles. And recently, more and more people tend to choose to spend the New Year holiday abroad instead of home. 

You may argue that no Lunar New Year celebration is complete without such things as firecrackers, fireworks, family reunions, delicious food, new clothes, couplets (Chinese calligraphy on the door), lion/dragon dances, or Spring Festival TV gala. Anyway, that's what a Lunar New Year looks like in your memory.

Nevertheless, I think it's a good idea to ban firecrackers in cities. 

Note:

If you want to write an argumentative blog/essay like this, you might like to read this blog: Expector's writing challenge: Argumentative Essay.