Find out if you’re really as good as you think you are with this quiz I created about the 50 most commonly misspelled English words of all time.  

Have you ever looked like the woman in this photo? I know I have. Some of the most frustrating experiences I’ve ever had in my entire life were group projects. 

That isn’t to say that I always had terrible team mates. There are just so many things that can go wrong. And everyone’s little mistakes can snowball into a giant rolling ball of doom that wipes out everything in its path.  

But it doesn’t have to be this way. Group projects don’t have to be so stressful. Over the years I learned ways to avoid the most common problems that people encounter while working as a team. And yes, Google is the answer.

Simplify with Google Docs

Most people I know just email documents back and forth to each other, which can quickly become a major hassle, especially if they come up with several different versions of the same document.

Google Docs is a great resource that seems to be overlooked by so many Filipinos. In fact, most Filipinos seem to overlook all of Google’s amazing services (except the Google search engine), even though they’re free. 

What is Google Docs?

It’s a free service that allows two or more people to edit a file in real time. That means you and your team  can use all of your personal desktops/laptops to work on the exact same file at the exact same time.

No more time wasted waiting for somebody to send something. No more time wasted trying to combine two versions of the same document into a coherent whole, either. You get to see each other’s changes as soon as you make them.

What do I need to use Google Docs?

Just sign up for a Google Account. This will enable you to access all of Google’s services, including Google Docs,  Blogger, and Gmail.

The Wonders of Gmail

Some of the skins you can choose for your Gmail inbox. Very pretty. Click the image for a larger version.

I am amazed by the number of Filipinos (young and not so young) who are still using Yahoo Mail. Life is so much easier with Gmail. With it, email becomes so much less of a hassle and so much more of a convenience.

My favorite feature is the conversation view.  Say you and Person X emailed each other about the same topic over the course of one month. Gmail will automatically group all of your emails together in chronological order, so you never lose track of another message again. 

Yes, you might have noticed that I am a bit of Google evangelist.  No, I’m not being paid to do this.  I recommend Google Docs and Gmail because they’ve become invaluable tools to me.

Hopefully these tips will prevent you from wishing or doing unspeakably cruel things to your team mates when things go wrong (and you know they will).

Do you use Google services (apart from the search engine) regularly? Why or why not?

In this post, I’ll show you how you how you can improve  your language skills (not just English) even more, without spending a cent.

So how do I learn languages for free?

Whether you just want to brush up on your English or learn a new language altogether, it’s best to practice regularly with a partner. But it’s hard to find a partner who’s fluent, who’s always available to practice and who won’t charge you anything for their time. If you’ve already got someone like this, you’re one of the rare lucky ones. But if you don’t, Livemocha is a great substitute.

What is Livemocha?

It’s a social networking site that helps people learn languages. It has tons of multimedia exercises for each of the four basic skills that you need to become fluent (reading, writing, speaking and listening).

The lessons are simple, engaging and often quite fun. Best of all, they’re completely free. All you need to get started is an Internet connection.

Huh? How is this social networking?

Other Livemocha users who are native speakers of whatever language you’re learning can comment on your work and suggest how you can improve it. You can do the same for people who are learning the languages that you speak fluently. 

My favorite Livemocha feature has got to be the speaking exercises. Using a microphone, you read out a few sentences written in the language you’re learning. Other Livemocha members can then comment on that audio clip and give you tips on how to improve your pronunciation.

As a person who’s tried to learn languages that no one else in my home city speaks, I can’t stress how valuable this type of feedback is.

What languages can I learn?

As of now, Livemocha offers lessons in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Mandarin, Japanese, Hindi and Icelandic. These lessons cover everything from basic vocabulary to intermediate-level grammar.

If you’ve tried Livemocha yourself or if you’ve heard of any other great online tools for language learning, tell me about your experiences in the comments. 

Don’t you wish you could be wittier and more memorable in a conversation?

Don’t you wish you knew an easy way to make your writing less boring?

It’s easier than you think.

If you’re sick and tired of sounding so bland and unimaginative, you might want to try A Cure for the Common Word by K.D. Sullivan. It’s a great book for people who want to increase their English vocabulary but find that a regular old thesaurus doesn’t help them very much. 

Unlike a regular thesaurus, the book tells you what each synonym really means, in ways that are easy to understand.

Why is this important?

In a regular thesaurus (whether in book form or digital form), you only get a list of synonyms. Take the word “nice,” for example:

admirable, amiable, approved, attractive, becoming, charming, commendable, considerate, copacetic, cordial, courteous, decorous, delightful, ducky, fair, favorable, fine and dandy, friendly, genial, gentle, good, gracious, helpful, ingratiating, inviting, kind, kindly, lovely, nifty, obliging, okay, peachy, seemly, simpatico, superior, swell, unpresumptuous, welcome, well-mannered, winning, winsome (from Thesaurus.com)  

It’s a big mistake to think that you can always replace the word “nice” with any of these synonyms. And it can be really, really embarrassing if you use the wrong word.

But  if you looked up “nice” in A Cure for the Common Word, you see the exact meaning of each synonym right away. This helps you always pick the right word for the right occasion. And that’s only one of the features that make the book so useful.

But why take my word for it when you can  see for yourself?  Check out this in-depth preview of A Cure for the Common Word for yourself.

Because I love the Internet so much, I know from experience what it’s like to waste entire days online–days that should have been spent working on more important projects. I’ve learned a lot since those days of blissful unproductivity. And it looks like I did it just in time. According to a recent article by Mike Elgan:

The individual, the company, the nation that is best at avoiding distractions in the future will have an enormous advantage in the competitive marketplace.

That’s because the Internet is increasingly becoming an addicting distraction instead of a useful tool for most people. So what can you do to avoid all of those online temptations?  Here are the strategies that have worked for me.

1) Write a To Do list. RIGHT NOW.

It’s amazing how often this simple activity is neglected, even though it does wonders for getting you organized. Before you even turn on your computer, jot down a list of things that need doing. 

Some people I know use virtual Post-It notes, but I don’t think they’re that useful. In fact, I find them counter-productive. All it takes to forget about that virtual To Do list is a maximized Internet browser or chat window.

I like my To Do list written on an actual piece of paper that I can put right beside my mouse or tape on a corner of my screen. That way I’m constantly reminded of all the things I need to do.

2) Step away from the gun… I mean, the computer.

I find it easier to stay focused when I am away from my computer. This is why I still prefer using pen and paper when I’m writing a report. After I finish the first draft, I type it up again on my PC.

It all sounds laborious and time-consuming, but it’s actually a lot more efficient than sitting in front of the computer, where I’m constantly tempted by Yahoo Messenger, StumbleUpon and Oh No They Didn’t. 

3) Disconnect yourself from the Internet. Literally.

If you still think writing things by hand is a waste of time, you could compromise by disabling your Internet connection. But don’t just right-click on Network Connections and click Disable. Pull the plug on your router or move away from a WiFi hotspot. It’ll go a long way towards lessening the temptation.

For more tips on how to beat procrastination in general (not just the type caused by the Internet), you can check out our post on How to Stop Being So Lazy. 

Source for first image

Ang batang masipag, pag laki… pagod. – Ai Ai de las Alas (Filipino comedienne)

Translation: A hardworking child grows up to be… a haggard adult.

I came across this hilarious quote a few days ago. It’s true, isn’t it? Hardworking kids do get burnt out. They lose all enthusiasm for work and sometimes even for life. But no matter what your age, too much stress will take all the fun out of the things you once loved to do. It’ll make you look older than you actually are, and it can eventually kill you. You may still be on holiday right now, but you know all that unfinished work’s going to catch up with you by next week. These 5 easy tips can help you avoid burning out.

1) Exercise

The next time you start feeling overwhelmed by all the work you have to do, take a break and walk around for 5 minutes. The more you exercise, the more energy you have and the more endorphins (“happy hormones”) your body produces. You can substitute walking with stretching, lifting weights (like your paperweight), or yoga. 

2) Reschedule

Writing to-do lists is enjoyable for the workaholics I know. Why not make it easier for yourself by using these free time management tools? 

• The time-honored Gmail/Gcal combo: fast, easy, lightweight and versatile. Also my personal favorite.
• Remember the Milk: a new service that’s getting great reviews. Great for people on the go.
• Hassle Me: an oldie but goodie that still gets the job done.

You can check out Mashable’s 100+ More Ways to Organize Your Life for more time management tools.

3) Delegate

Some people burn out because they’re perfectionists who believe only they can get the job done right. But honestly, is a misplaced comma here and there worth a sleepless night spent doing a group report all by yourself?

4) Sleep

This is one of the most important things people can do to avoid burn out.  There’s just no substitute for it. 

5) Disconnect 

Limit the amount of time you spend answering emails, calls and texts, then stick to those limits. You may think that being available to others 24/7 is a good quality to have, but it can take a serious toll on your well-being. Anyone who expects you to be available all the time is unrealistic and unreasonable.

Just say no.

For example, you can promise yourself you won’t answer emails beyond 7 pm. You can also turn off your cellphone before you go to bed so you don’t get woken up in the middle of the night by unimportant texts. 

Follow these tips, and you’ll be able to meet the challenges of the new year with a refreshed and enthusiastic attitude.

Don’t use words too big for the subject. Don’t say “infinitely” when you mean “very”; otherwise you’ll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite

I’ve already written about the dangers of using big words when small ones will do, but in the context of academic writing. I like this quote from C.S. Lewis because it shows how your creative writing also suffers when you exaggerate too much and too often. Exaggeration can kill a reader’s interest in a work you’ve put your heart into.

There are a few classic works that can pull off using words like “infinite,” “unspeakable,” and “unknowable” dozens of times.  Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness and H.P. Lovecraft’s short stories are among them.

However, these works are exemptions to the rule. For the most part, exaggeration is best used sparingly. People get tired of it really fast. THIS IS ALSO PART OF THE REASON WHY TYPING IN ALL CAPS IS SO ANNOYING. IN A MISGUIDED ATTEMPT TO SEEM IMPORTANT, THE WRITER SIMPLY MAKES PEOPLE STOP READING.

Think of all the times reality TV contestants exclaim “Oh my God,” “cool,” or “amazing.” Because I’ve watched a lot of reality TV shows over the years, these words don’t excite me as much as they used to. In fact, they’ve become rather annoying. 

The same principle applies to writing, whether for creative or academic purposes. If you don’t want to turn off your readers, you need to learn how to use superlatives and exaggeration properly.

I’m not saying you should ignore the rules specified in the textbook. What I’m saying is that you should know when to stick to the rules and when to break them.

It all depends on the context of your writing. You need to pay obsessive attention to spelling and grammar when you’re writing academic papers, business correspondence, legal papers and other such formal documents. When you’re doing any of the following  things, however, you have the license to break quite a few rules:

• Creative writing. The greatest novelists and poets of English literature routinely ignored proper punctuation, subject-verb agreement, and the other basic rules your English teachers told you to follow.  Think James Joyce, Salman Rushdie, Gertrude Stein and Emily Dickinson. The fascinating things they did with English wouldn’t have been possible if they stuck to the rules.
• Blogging. Popular bloggers naturally have well-written posts. However, these posts are written in an informal style that doesn’t bother with the more obscure rules. That’s because blogs aim to communicate with ordinary people in the most effective way possible.
• Speechwriting. US President-elect Barack Obama’s acceptance speech is a very good example of how to break grammatical rules in order to communicate in the most effective manner possible. Take a look at this excerpt:

It’s the answer that led those who’ve been told for so long by so many to be cynical and fearful and doubtful about what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

If you tried to write something like this in an academic paper, your professor would likely tell you to stop using “and” so much. Or to cut this long sentence up into two or three sentences.

For situations not included in this list, ask yourself these two simple questions: 

Who are you writing for? Is it your boss? Your friends? Your clients? Is your target audience highly educated or not? What socio-economic class do these people belong to?

What effect do you want to have on your readers? Do you want to entertain them? Inform them? Impress them? Do you want them to buy your product or service?

These guide questions will help you decide when to selectively employ bad grammar. That’s right, selectively. Break the textbook rules only when “errors” help your message become clearer and more effective.

While this is really flattering, it is also illegal.

Warning: Plagiarism is dangerous to your (intellectual) health.

Perhaps the poster didn’t realize that she was plagiarizing our work. Perhaps I should write a series of articles about plagiarism… on how to spot it, how to avoid it, etc. Plagiarism is a widespread practice, and most people know it’s wrong, but many people still steal other people’s work, out of laziness or ignorance.

Dear readers, if you’re going to post our articles anywhere else, kindly link back to us. We don’t ask for any monetary compensation for our blog posts. Just give credit where credit is due. It’s basic Internet etiquette.

Thank you.