To Stumble Upon Something

Idioms in English

English Language Institute - College of Staten Island/CUNY

When you “stumble upon something,” you discover it accidentally.
Example: While researching his essay topic, James stumbled upon some fun history facts.

Image courtesy of dreamstime.com

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Interested in learning more idioms? Sign up in our English program: elistudy@csi.cuny.edu / www.csi.cuny.edu/eli

The English Language Institute (ELI) offers an exciting and innovative academic program for students learning English as a second language. Our course of study is designed to challenge and engage students. Students are immersed in the language, culture, and the ethnicity of New York City.

ELI offers semester and summer terms of 18 and 22 hours of class per week. Students can also join the groups that have already started the semester or summer term and study as many weeks as possible. Students have courses such as reading and writing, grammar, conversation, and TOEFL test preparation workshops with a final TOEFL ITP test, which lets students apply for any CUNY school degree.

Students in our program are entitled to use all the facilities available on campus such as the pool, tennis, basketball, racquetball courts, and fitness center. Students can also attend any lectures or workshops they feel would enhance their own learning experience. We invite you to come and see our beautiful campus. Learn English while enjoying the rich culture New York City has to offer.

Staten Island
Staten Island is about four times the size of Manhattan and has a population of approximately 473,000. It is noted for its parks and recreational areas, in addition to several notable cultural sites. Manhattan and other "boroughs" of New York City are easily accessible by public transportation.

The campus
The College is set on a large campus with woodlands and open spaces in Staten Island. Its attractive facilities include technologically advanced laboratories, a Sports and Recreation Center and a Center for the Performing and Creative Arts.

Campus location
The College is twenty-five minutes by ferry from Manhattan. Our students have easy access to the rich cultural life of the City by way of a ferry shuttle ride located on the CSI campus. The ferry shuttle travels directly to the Staten Island ferry.

ELI academic program

The ELI offers intensive, comprehensive English language instruction and cultural orientation throughout the year. The program covers all aspects of spoken and written English, including listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Classes are given at three levels of proficiency, from beginner to advanced. Course content includes the proper use of English structures, fluency and accuracy of expression with acceptable pronunciation, listening and reading comprehension, and writing for personal, academic, and professional purposes. Students communicate in English from the first lesson at the beginner level. At all levels they work on integrated skills, focusing on the active, knowledgeable use of the language, rather than mere passive comprehension.

ELI courses:

• Reading & Writing
• Grammar
• Communications (Conversation)
• TOEFL Workshop

Up One’s Alley

Idioms in English

English Language Institute - College of Staten Island/CUNY

When something is “up your alley,” it is something you would like.

Example: I think you would really like this book about pirates! It seems like t would be right up your alley. 

Image courtesy of dreamstime.com

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Interested in learning more idioms? Sign up in our English program: elistudy@csi.cuny.edu / www.csi.cuny.edu/eli

The English Language Institute (ELI) offers an exciting and innovative academic program for students learning English as a second language. Our course of study is designed to challenge and engage students. Students are immersed in the language, culture, and the ethnicity of New York City.

ELI offers semester and summer terms of 18 and 22 hours of class per week. Students can also join the groups that have already started the semester or summer term and study as many weeks as possible. Students have courses such as reading and writing, grammar, conversation, and TOEFL test preparation workshops with a final TOEFL ITP test, which lets students apply for any CUNY school degree.

Students in our program are entitled to use all the facilities available on campus such as the pool, tennis, basketball, racquetball courts, and fitness center. Students can also attend any lectures or workshops they feel would enhance their own learning experience. We invite you to come and see our beautiful campus. Learn English while enjoying the rich culture New York City has to offer.

Staten Island
Staten Island is about four times the size of Manhattan and has a population of approximately 473,000. It is noted for its parks and recreational areas, in addition to several notable cultural sites. Manhattan and other "boroughs" of New York City are easily accessible by public transportation.

The campus
The College is set on a large campus with woodlands and open spaces in Staten Island. Its attractive facilities include technologically advanced laboratories, a Sports and Recreation Center and a Center for the Performing and Creative Arts.

Campus location
The College is twenty-five minutes by ferry from Manhattan. Our students have easy access to the rich cultural life of the City by way of a ferry shuttle ride located on the CSI campus. The ferry shuttle travels directly to the Staten Island ferry.

ELI academic program

The ELI offers intensive, comprehensive English language instruction and cultural orientation throughout the year. The program covers all aspects of spoken and written English, including listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Classes are given at three levels of proficiency, from beginner to advanced. Course content includes the proper use of English structures, fluency and accuracy of expression with acceptable pronunciation, listening and reading comprehension, and writing for personal, academic, and professional purposes. Students communicate in English from the first lesson at the beginner level. At all levels they work on integrated skills, focusing on the active, knowledgeable use of the language, rather than mere passive comprehension.

ELI courses:

• Reading & Writing
• Grammar
• Communications (Conversation)
• TOEFL Workshop

 

Chuo University finished CSI Online English Classes 

The English Language Institute at the College of Staten Island offered a closing session with 36 students from Chuo University (Japan) after they joined classes with the Spring 2021 semester students. The Japanese students took English classes during three weeks with other international students.

 

March 19, 2021

Staten Island, New York

 

The English Language Institute (ELI) at the College of Staten Island/The City University of New York (CUNY) was pleased to offer a closing session to 36 students from Chuo University, located in Tokyo, Japan, after virtual classes for three weeks during the ELI Spring 2021 semester.

 

Chuo students had English classes with courses of reading, writing, grammar, conversation, and a TOEFL preparation course. One group shared classes with students from Argentina, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Colombia, China, Ecuador, Peru, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, and Vietnam.

Chuo students during closing session

Our ELI teachers, Erika Anderson, Sean Jacobsen, Wayne Kennedy, Barbara Clark, and Robert Faison, covered different topics and prepared students to take the TOEFL ITP test at the end of the program. Special mention goes to the high scores Chuo students got in the test showing the level they got at the end of the three-week program.

 

Some of the students’ comments were ‘Thank you for giving us these lessons. It was very fun for me. I want to study again with my teachers,’ ‘I’m not good at using English but teachers helped me improve my English skills,’ ‘I couldn’t go to New York and take classes, but I enjoyed the last three weeks.’ Even though classes were held very early in the morning from Japan and our evening classes from New York City, the teachers were able to motivate them and have fun classes.

 

ELI students during lecture about politics and business by the Center for Global Engagement

Students also had four different lectures during the program: ‘US political impact on business and vice versa’, given by the Executive Director at the Center for Global Engagement of CSI, Stephen Ferst; the Consulate of Japan in New York by the Consul of Economic Division, Mr. Sho Nakamura; Creativity is Everywhere by its owner Takao Umehara; and by the Client Solutions Manager and Marketing Solutions of LinkedIn, Allie Schwartz.

ELI students during lecture about innovation by Creativity is Everywhere

ELI students during lecture by the Consulate of Japan in New York

Stephen Ferst explained how politics and business work in the United States and their major features during the decades in U.S. history. The Consul of Japan, Mr. Sho Nakamura gave a presentation in Japanese explaining what the Consulate does in New York and how he promotes the culture and gastronomy of Japan in the United States. Takao Umehara manages a design and innovation consulting firm, Creativity is Everywhere, and explained Chuo students how the marketing strategies are used in his field. Finally, Allie Schwartz from LinkedIn talked about how the company is working as a professional social network and how marketing and its management work these days.

ELI students during lecture about marketing by LinkedIn

 Chuo University and the College of Staten Island are already working on the next group and ELI looks forward to having more students from Japan to learn English with these special courses and lectures.

 

English Language Institute

Center for Global Engagement

College of Staten Island

The City University of New York

 

 

 

 

 

Close but No Cigar

Idioms in English

English Language Institute - College of Staten Island/CUNY

“Close but no cigar” means you are close to completing something but you failed at the end.
Example: I got an 89% on the test, almost an A. So close but no cigar.

Image courtesy of dreamstime.com 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Interested in learning more idioms? Sign up in our English program: elistudy@csi.cuny.edu / www.csi.cuny.edu/eli

The English Language Institute (ELI) offers an exciting and innovative academic program for students learning English as a second language. Our course of study is designed to challenge and engage students. Students are immersed in the language, culture, and the ethnicity of New York City.

ELI offers semester and summer terms of 18 and 22 hours of class per week. Students can also join the groups that have already started the semester or summer term and study as many weeks as possible. Students have courses such as reading and writing, grammar, conversation, and TOEFL test preparation workshops with a final TOEFL ITP test, which lets students apply for any CUNY school degree.

Students in our program are entitled to use all the facilities available on campus such as the pool, tennis, basketball, racquetball courts, and fitness center. Students can also attend any lectures or workshops they feel would enhance their own learning experience. We invite you to come and see our beautiful campus. Learn English while enjoying the rich culture New York City has to offer.

Staten Island
Staten Island is about four times the size of Manhattan and has a population of approximately 473,000. It is noted for its parks and recreational areas, in addition to several notable cultural sites. Manhattan and other "boroughs" of New York City are easily accessible by public transportation.

The campus
The College is set on a large campus with woodlands and open spaces in Staten Island. Its attractive facilities include technologically advanced laboratories, a Sports and Recreation Center and a Center for the Performing and Creative Arts.

Campus location
The College is twenty-five minutes by ferry from Manhattan. Our students have easy access to the rich cultural life of the City by way of a ferry shuttle ride located on the CSI campus. The ferry shuttle travels directly to the Staten Island ferry.

ELI academic program

The ELI offers intensive, comprehensive English language instruction and cultural orientation throughout the year. The program covers all aspects of spoken and written English, including listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Classes are given at three levels of proficiency, from beginner to advanced. Course content includes the proper use of English structures, fluency and accuracy of expression with acceptable pronunciation, listening and reading comprehension, and writing for personal, academic, and professional purposes. Students communicate in English from the first lesson at the beginner level. At all levels they work on integrated skills, focusing on the active, knowledgeable use of the language, rather than mere passive comprehension.

ELI courses:

• Reading & Writing
• Grammar
• Communications (Conversation)
• TOEFL Workshop

To Be Stuffed

Idioms in English

English Language Institute - College of Staten Island/CUNY

When you “are stuffed,” you have eaten a lot of food and can’t eat anymore.
Example: After Thanksgiving dinner, Jackson was stuffed. He couldn’t eat another bite.

Image courtesy of dreamstime.com

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Interested in learning more idioms? Sign up in our English program: elistudy@csi.cuny.edu / www.csi.cuny.edu/eli

The English Language Institute (ELI) offers an exciting and innovative academic program for students learning English as a second language. Our course of study is designed to challenge and engage students. Students are immersed in the language, culture, and the ethnicity of New York City.

ELI offers semester and summer terms of 18 and 22 hours of class per week. Students can also join the groups that have already started the semester or summer term and study as many weeks as possible. Students have courses such as reading and writing, grammar, conversation, and TOEFL test preparation workshops with a final TOEFL ITP test, which lets students apply for any CUNY school degree.

Students in our program are entitled to use all the facilities available on campus such as the pool, tennis, basketball, racquetball courts, and fitness center. Students can also attend any lectures or workshops they feel would enhance their own learning experience. We invite you to come and see our beautiful campus. Learn English while enjoying the rich culture New York City has to offer.

Staten Island
Staten Island is about four times the size of Manhattan and has a population of approximately 473,000. It is noted for its parks and recreational areas, in addition to several notable cultural sites. Manhattan and other "boroughs" of New York City are easily accessible by public transportation.

The campus
The College is set on a large campus with woodlands and open spaces in Staten Island. Its attractive facilities include technologically advanced laboratories, a Sports and Recreation Center and a Center for the Performing and Creative Arts.

Campus location
The College is twenty-five minutes by ferry from Manhattan. Our students have easy access to the rich cultural life of the City by way of a ferry shuttle ride located on the CSI campus. The ferry shuttle travels directly to the Staten Island ferry.

ELI academic program

The ELI offers intensive, comprehensive English language instruction and cultural orientation throughout the year. The program covers all aspects of spoken and written English, including listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Classes are given at three levels of proficiency, from beginner to advanced. Course content includes the proper use of English structures, fluency and accuracy of expression with acceptable pronunciation, listening and reading comprehension, and writing for personal, academic, and professional purposes. Students communicate in English from the first lesson at the beginner level. At all levels they work on integrated skills, focusing on the active, knowledgeable use of the language, rather than mere passive comprehension.

ELI courses:

• Reading & Writing
• Grammar
• Communications (Conversation)
• TOEFL Workshop