American English Language School

The Test of English as a Foreign Language, otherwise known as the TOEFL, is a test many international students must take to apply to universities, colleges, and some other organizations. The TOEFL tests a non-native speaker’s reading, listening, writing, and speaking proficiency. If you are preparing to take the TOEFL, it is important to study some common vocabulary words to help you feel more confident to take the test. Keep reading to find 10 common words you may find when taking the TOEFL.   1.       Comprehensive: complete; including all or nearly all elements or aspects of something 2.       Acquire: buy or obtain for oneself 3.       Proficient: competent or skilled in doing or using something 4.       Concise: giving a lot of information clearly and in a few words 5.       Elaborate: develop or present (a theory, policy, or system) in det...

With many language schools in the world offering online classes, many students are able to learn and improve their English from the comfort of their homes. While online classes have the benefits of comfort and flexibility, there are more advantages of in-person classes than online classes. At American English Language School in Los Angeles, our mission is to provide the highest quality English-language learning experience for students who want either conversational or academic proficiency in order to live, work, or study in an English-speaking environment. That is why we offer in-person classes only. Keep reading to learn why in-person classes are more beneficial than online classes to improve your English.   First, being in the physical classroom with a teacher allows teachers to be able to provide more personal attention to each of their students. Furthermore, since our ESL classes are smaller classes (average 4-5 students), you will be able to ask questions, get immediate feed...

Millions of people travel to the United States every year. They wish to learn more about American culture and see various landmarks. However, what happens when you travel to the U.S. just to visit, but later decide you would like to study to help improve your English? While on a tourist visa, you are able to study part time (less than 18 hours). However, tourist visa holders are only able to stay and study part time in the U.S. for a short amount of time. With only a short amount of time, many are not able to reach their English reading, listening, writing, or speaking goals, so they wish to extend their stay and study for a longer period of time. Students who wish to change their status will first need to see if they are valid to change their status. In general, you may apply to change your nonimmigrant status while remaining in the United States if:   ●       You were lawfully admitted to the United States in a nonimmigrant status; ●   ...

As an international student studying in the United States, understanding the F-1 transfer process can be a daunting task. One of the most critical components of the transfer process is the grace period, which is the time an F-1 student has to transfer to another school or leave the United States after completing their program of study. In this blog, we will explore the F-1 transfer student grace period and how to transfer to another school. The F-1 transfer student grace period is a 60-day period that begins after a student completes their program of study or optional practical training (OPT). During this grace period, the student is permitted to remain in the United States to prepare for their transfer to another school, leave the country, or apply for OPT. F-1 students can leave the United States during the grace period, but they should be aware that they cannot re-enter the country on their F-1 visa once they leave during the grace period. It is essential to note that if a student l...

  Occasionally when international students first contact us, they do not know where to begin. Prospective students know that they wish to study in a language school in the United States, but they do not know how. The process is fairly simple but can take some time to understand. To help students to better understand the F-1 visa application process, here are the steps to enrolling in American English Language School.   First, you will need to fill out an AELS application form with your information. Along with filling out our AELS application form, you will need to provide copies of your passport, proof of your highest level of education, and a recent bank statement. The proof of your highest level of education can be your high school diploma or college transcripts. As for the bank statement, it needs to be dated within six months of the date you are applying and show the total amount of your balance. It should also show your name and have the bank’s signature. The amount...

  As we have previously mentioned, the TOEFL is a test that many dread. Many test takers also need to achieve a certain score which can lead to more stress about the test. The TOEFL may be challenging and is not a test you can prepare for overnight. The earlier you can start preparing and studying, the better. However, some may not know how to prepare for the test. To help you to get started, here are a few tips to help you to improve your TOEFL score.   1.       Read every day, as much as possible. The TOEFL will have reading passages with some difficult vocabulary. The more you read, the more you can build your reading comprehension skills, and it will expose you to new vocabulary. It will also help you to learn about new subjects and concepts. 2.       Practice taking notes. The TOEFL listening and writing section will have audio clips of lectures and conversations between students. You will only be able to listen to...

  I want a sandwich with the best peanut butter in the world and an apple. What can you find in this sentence? Articles! What are articles? Articles are words that define specific or unspecific nouns. The articles we use are “a,” “an,” and “the,” and there are specific rules we use to know which article we need to use in a sentence.   First off, there are indefinite and definite articles. Articles A and An are indefinite articles. Indefinite articles refer to a general idea of something rather than a specific noun. For example, if you ask someone, “Can you go to a new restaurant with me?” They will not know which restaurant you are talking about. It can be any! Another rule you must consider when using articles an and a is the noun you are using it with. You use the article “a” when it precedes a word that begins with a consonant. For example, the sentence: “I saw a cat.” The article comes before the word cat, and cat starts with a consonant. You use the article “an” wh...