Extensive Reading Books

The theme this block is "Books." We at Nomen Global love books and try to share our love of reading with the students. In our Extensive Reading curriculum, we have chosen some of our favorite books for our students to read. Learn about some of the books we have selected and the reasons they are great.

The Alchemist

Paulo Coelho

A student favorite, The Alchemist follows the life-changing adventure of a poor shepherd. On his quest, he meets danger, challenges, and even love, and discovers not the treasure he was seeking but one far more valuable. 

Holes

Louis Sachar

When sent to a juvenile correction facility, Stanley must face the injustice of undeserved punishment. He must dig holes all day, every day. However, when Stanley realizes that the warden is actually looking for something, he must figure out what it is and why.

The Giver

Lois Lowry

A classic dystopia, The Giver makes the reader understand and appreciate the value of choice. When Jonas is chosen to learn about life outside of the Community, he must decide what is most important to him. 

To Kill a Mockingbird

Harper Lee

One of the great American classic novels, To Kill a Mockingbird teaches readers about the social injustices present in the early 20th century. Two children watch as their father, a local lawyer (and modern hero), fight for racial equality in a serious trial. 

The Diary of a Young Girl

Anne Frank

Throughout her terrifying experience hiding from Nazis in the Netherlands during World War II, young Anne documents her experiences, fears, and dreams in this revealing diary. 

And Then There Were None

Agatha Christie

This novel is a classic, best-selling mystery about 10 people who are invited to an isolated island. One by one, the guests are mysteriously murdered until none are left. If you enjoy solving mysteries, thrilling plots, and surprise endings, be sure to read And Then There Were None.

To learn more about Nomen Global and our curriculum, visit us at our website or on our Facebook page!

Student Spotlight: Alvaro Aguilar

Alvaro Aguilar is originally from Bolivia. He has been studying English at Nomen Global for one semester and has just begun his second semester here. Alvaro chose to study English at Nomen Global to prepare himself for an American university. He plans to apply and study at a university after he finishes preparing for the TOEFL.

Alvaro enjoys studying at our school because he feels like the teachers and the other students are one big, extended family. In fact, the most important thing to Alvaro is his family, so we are happy to hear that he feels at home!

Alvaro's greatest success is graduating from high school. He also has plans and goals for the future: He hopes to have a good life and have everything he needs. Alvaro also enjoys playing sports, especially soccer. Since so many of our students enjoy soccer like Alvaro, they get together every week for a good soccer game. He also loves Bolivian food!

Meet Alvaro and other friendly students like him at Nomen Global! 'Like' us on Facebook for a chance to learn about what we do at our school!

Happy Labor Day!

Enjoy your day off, students! Have a great Labor Day!

If you are interested in reading more about the history of Labor Day in the United States, click here or here.

If you need to find something to do in Provo, click here.

To learn more about our English school, Nomen Global, click here!

International Appreciation

Nomen Global is lucky to have so many students from different countries. We try to kick off each semester with an International Appreciation Day. Today, students brought their favorite dishes from their countries and presented why these dishes were significant. 

To learn more about Nomen Global, visit our website or our Facebook page.

False Friends

This block at Nomen Global, we are celebrating our international diversity! We have discussed and written about some things that make our cultures unique. One favorite topic of conversation among our students is the different languages we speak. Because over 30 countries are represented by our student body, we speak many different languages! One tricky thing, however, about languages is False Friends. False Friends are words that sound similar in two languages but mean something completely different! 

Here is a list of good examples of False Friends. For example, the word gift in English means "present," whereas Gift in German means "poison." Take a look at this interesting list of false friends from English and other languages. 

To learn more about English and False Friends, visit us at Nomen Global!

Staff Spotlight: Bill Jarvis

Bill Jarvis is one of the newest members of our team here at Nomen Global. He is currently working in the International Recruiting Department with Latin American countries. He is fluent in Spanish and has years of experience with international business in Latin America. In fact, he has been to 15 different countries for business!

Bill graduated from Brigham Young University with a BA in Spanish and also received his Masters of Business Administration. He and his wife have raised bilingual children in English and Spanish. Bill was also recently featured on an BYU international radio program about raising bilingual children with two other Nomen Global employees.

Bill has been working with Nomen Global for just two months, but we already acknowledge his expertise and professionalism in the office. He strongly believes in treating everybody with respect, a skill that both our staff and our students appreciate. Bill believes that Nomen Global has the potential to grow internationally, and his goal is to help bring our philosophies to the world.

One of Bill's favorite things about English is the variety of strange and fun words in the language. For example, have you heard of the interesting collective nouns for lions, goldfish, turkeys, or crows? A group of lions is called a pride, a group of goldfish is called a charm, a group of turkeys is called a gang, and a group of crows is called a murder! Bill also gets a kick out of Winston Churchill's famous quote: "From now on, ending a sentence with a preposition is something up with which I shall not put." This quote makes fun of some of the strict rules that formal English used to have. Although we know now that ending a sentence with a preposition is perfectly acceptable, many grammar sticklers used to believe it was sinful to do so!

Some fun facts about Bill: He has finished 12 marathons, 52 triathlons, and 1 Ironman (so far!). Today is, in fact, Bill's birthday! We at Nomen Global are excited to have him here and are inspired by his great attitude and work ethic. Meet Bill and the other excellent staff members at Nomen Global!

Bowling Tournament

Bowling is a popular pastime in the United States and across the world because it is challenging and fun. Players roll the bowling ball down the lane to knock over as many pins as they can. Ten pins sit at the end of a 60-foot lane. The more pins you know down, the higher your score for that round. There are ten frames in each game, and each player has up to two chances to knock down all of the pins in each frame. Players have the up to 3 chances in the last frame. 

Last Friday, Nomen Global students went to Miracle Bowl bowling alley for an afternoon of fun. Many of our students already know how to bowl, so we hosted a bowling tournament to see who could get the highest scores! Many students enjoyed the summer discount offered--just $1 per game! We spent 2 hours at the bowling alley and had a great time competing with ourselves and each other. A perfect game earns 300 points, but most of our students were happy to earn over 100 points!

Learn more about Nomen Global and the activities we have by 'liking' us on Facebook!

Pronunciation Practice

Starting this fall semester, Nomen Global is offering an exciting new course: Pronunciation. For many students, pronunciation is very difficult. Many sounds in English do not exist in other languages; thus, it is difficult for many student to hear and produce these sounds. If you are going to study pronunciation, it will be a challenge, but not an impossible task! These 5 tips can help you on your way to more native-sounding English.

Read Aloud
When you read aloud, you are working the most important muscles involved with pronunciation--your jaw and your tongue. Even if you don't get the sounds exactly right, you are exercising those muscles that you need for new and different sounds. Remember, just as you go to the gym to exercise your arms and legs, you should take as many chances exercising the muscles in your mouth for pronunciation. Reading aloud is a great way for your to hear the flow of the language while working out at the same time.

Listen and Repeat
As you listen to TV or movie, repeat some of the things that you hear. The first step to being able to pronounce words correctly is hearing the differences in the sounds from your native language and English. Listen carefully to podcasts, articles, stories, dialogs, and other online materials and repeat some of the things you hear.

Record Yourself
Because it can be difficult to listen to yourself as you speak, record yourself to hear how you sound. Record yourself as you recite poetry or tongue twisters to see if you sound like a native English speakers. After several weeks of recording, you will be surprised how much you improve!

Use a Mirror
Using a mirror can be extremely helpful when learning new articulations. Watch what native speakers do and try to mimic their mouth in the mirror. Sometimes it is easy to hear the sound, but not so easy to make the "shape" in your mouth.

Learn to Laugh
Learning and creating new sounds can be difficult for the muscles in our mouths! Sometimes, we feel silly when we repeat certain sounds over and over. Sometimes, we look silly when we try to articulate a sound properly (think the TH sound!). But, we are all learning together! The most important rule in learning pronunciation is also learning to laugh at yourself! When you make mistakes, get over it and move on. When you feel silly, just laugh and keep practicing!

Learn more about pronunciation techniques with us at Nomen Global!

Student Spotlight: Tulio Magorga Lara

Tulio Magorga Lara is originally from Mexico. He came to Nomen Global to study English about a month ago and will stay here until late October. Tulio enjoys studying at Nomen Global because he believes that meeting people from all over the world is a great experience. Nomen Global has students from over 30 countries, so Tulio is having a great time. He also has enjoyed getting to the know the teachers. Tulio is learning English so that he can be eligible for a student exchange program at a private Mexican university. We wish you luck, Tulio!

After Tulio finished studying at Nomen Global, he plans to start a career in medicine in his country. Tulio has great plans for his future, but the journey has not been easy. Among many experiences, Tulio remembers the time he was stranded for 24 hours without money, food, water, or shelter! Luckily one of Tulio's strengths is his ability to adapt and change.

In his free time, Tulio enjoys reading books, jogging, reading the news, playing guitar, listening to music, hanging out with friends, drawing, and participating in outdoor activities. He obviously keeps his life active and busy--and will continue to do so in the future. He has goals to study medicine, graduation from medical school, travel to Europe, Australia, and other countries, and offer affordable healthcare to low-income families.

Though Tulio keeps busy, he keeps his pizza simple: pepperoni with extra cheese. Tulio is a well-rounded student who works hard to accomplish his goals. He is a social individual who has a desire to do good in society, to solve as many problems as he can, and to help those in need.

Meet Tulio and other thoughtful students like him at Nomen Global!

Capture the Flag

Today for our Monday Activity, we experienced the popular outdoor game, capture the flag. Capture the flag is a game played by two teams of people. We gathered at a nearby park and brought two flags. We separated into two teams and learned the rules of the game. Nomen Global students had a great time being stealthy, working together, and observing the other team. If you have never played capture the flag before, check out the rules below. (There are many variations of this game. You can adapt the rules how you like, but these are the basic rules).

Equipment: two flags and one large outdoor space

Players: enough people for two large teams

Object: to be the first to retrieve the enemy flag and return to safe territory

To begin playing capture the flag, find a large outdoor space. A large park or forested area works perfectly. Divide your group of friends into two teams. Usually the more people you have, the more exciting the game can be. Then divide the large park into two territories. These two territories can be divided by a tree line, a stream, a sidewalk, or an imaginary line that both teams recognize. 

Each team "owns" one side of the park. On their side, they need to hide their flag withing 200 feet of the dividing line. The flag must be visible, but it can be in an inconspicuous location. When both teams have secured their flags, they return to the dividing line. 

A signal will mark the start of the game. The object of the game is to enter enemy territory, retrieve the flag, and return to home territory. When team members cross the dividing line into enemy territory, however, they can be caught by enemy team members. If a member of the enemy team touches you, you can be taken to jail. The jail can be marked by a tree or a rock. A prisoner can be rescued by a fellow teammate if that teammate touches him or her. 

The winning team will be the first to successfully find the enemy's flag and return to safe territory. If neither team is able to capture the flag in a set amount of time, the game is won by the team with the most prisoners.

Have fun playing capture the flag! To learn more about Nomen Global and the activities we do, visit us at our Facebook page!

Olympic Games Idioms

The Olympic Games are some of the most-watched games in the world. They are currently taking place in London, England, this summer. The theme of this week's block is "Games." Do you know how many idioms come from some popular Olympic sports? Check out this list of idioms to see how they are used.

To learn more about idioms and other topics we teach, visit our website or 'like' us on Facebook.

Staff Spotlight: Kate Kelly Harline

Kate Kelly Harline is a native of Provo, Utah. Kate is one of our newest employees in the International Recruiting Department at Nomen Global. She also teaches a few English classes in the afternoon, including Idioms & Informal Usage and Extensive Reading. Kate has been with Nomen Global for only a few weeks, but she has already made a big difference to the staff and the students.

Kate has an extensive international background. She studied world religions and creative writing at Seattle Pacific University. She also lived in Southern France for a year and a half as a missionary for her church. She learned how to be competitive running cross country and track in high school and college. Kate also loves camping, hiking, reading, traveling, and meeting people. One of Kate's goals is go live in India for an extended period of time and attain Nirvana.

When asked about her greatest strength, Kate responded, "I have never met a jar that I couldn't open. I have strong hands." Kate has a great sense of humor and always makes her classes fun. Her favorite thing about English is making puns, or playing with words in a funny way. Kate's favorite quote, by Leo Tolstoy, also shows how much she loves life: "To know God and to live is the same thing. God is life."

Meet Kate and other enthusiastic teachers like her at Nomen Global!

Tubing down the Provo River

Provo, Utah, has experienced record-high temperatures this summer! We at Nomen Global are always looking for ways to cool down. This weekend, our students took to the refreshing Provo River to beat the heat. 

Tubing is a popular leisure activity to do in the summer. It involves an air-filled inner tube, a life jacket, a willingness to get a little wet, and good friends! We carpooled up Provo Canyon and received our tubes and our life jackets. We drove farther up the canyon to the spot where we would enter the river. We all made sure our life jackets were secure, then we jumped in the water! Even though it was very hot outside, the water was nice and cool. We spent the afternoon floating down the river with our good friends.

To learn more about Nomen Global and the activities we do, visit our Facebook page.

Poetry by Andrea

This block's theme is "Art." Art can take many different forms: drawing, sculpting, music, poetry, and much more. Many of you know that our teacher, Andrea, loves poetry. Last semester, Andrea entered an international poetry contest and won! Here is her winning poem. What do you think about it?

"September, beautiful month of my birth, is nigh, but I cannot feel glad."

September, drifting in with glow of moon,
you stifle Summer’s ardor. . . and she grieves.
In guise of fire, the Fall comes all too soon.

Your breath grows cool.  You’ll blow and loosen leaves.
The hills and woodlands will reflect new hues.
You stifle Summer’s ardor. . . and she grieves.

In Autumn’s chill, the colors are a ruse.
For as you pass, the trees are set ablaze.
The hills and woodlands then reflect new hues.

Though warmth may linger through your final days,
old Sun is waning, yet he still seems strong!
For as you pass, the trees are set ablaze.

September, you’re a melancholy song.
Though time be short, you paint a brilliant dusk!
Old sun is waning, yet he still seems strong.

October looms. . . Your ending will be brusque.
September, drifting in with glow of moon,
though time be short, you paint a brilliant dusk.
In guise of fire, the Fall comes all too soon.

Learn more about Andrea, her poetry, and what we teach at our website or 'like' us on our Facebook page.

Student Spotlight: Xavier Contell

Xavier Contell is originally from Barcelona, Spain. He started studying English at Nomen Global this block and will continue to study here until October. Xavier is studying in our TOEFL Preparation course. He chose to study for the TOEFL so that he can improve his English skills enough to do well on the test. One of Xavier's favorite things about Nomen Global is the excitement that everyone has to learn more English. He also enjoys getting to know people and cultures from all over the world.

After Xavier finishes studying at Nomen Global, he plans to take the TOEFL and enter one of the universities in the area: Utah Valley University or Brigham Young University. We wish Xavier the best of luck! He has already done so much to accomplish his goals, including obtaining a visa and moving across the world to study English. Xavier also aspires to have a good quality life, to be able to travel around the world, and to have a good house, car, family, job, and friends.

In his free time, Xavier enjoys hanging out and driving around. He likes music, movies, sports, video games, and having good conversations with people. Interestingly, Xavier also has a black belt in taekwondo! He is always happy and proud of the things that he has done.

Meet Xavier and other hardworking students like him at Nomen Global!

Grammar Guide: Irregular Comparative and Superlative

This block at Nomen Global, we are taking the time to appreciate the different types of art in the world. The best thing about art is that anyone can create it, anyone can look at it, and anyone can love it! 

Irregular Comparative and Superlative Forms
While most adjectives follow the simple patterns of adding -er, -est, more, and most, a few adjectives take an irregular form:

Adjective        Comparative    Superlative

bad                  worse              worst

far(distance)     farther             farthest

far(extent)        further             furthest

good                better              best

ill                     worse              worst

late                  later                 latest or last

less                  lesser               least

little(amount)    less                  least

many               more                most

much               more                most

well                 better               best

• The best art is art that you create yourself.
• Art is so much more beautiful when you understand where it came from.
• The farthest I've traveled to view artwork is on a 12-hour plane ride across the world.
• Every day Sarah gets better at painting.

Learn more about grammar at Nomen Global!

Student Spotlight: Roman Khromenko

Roman Khromenko is from Petropavlovsk, Kazakhstan. He has been studying English at Nomen Global for just one block, but will continue to study here for two semesters. He is studying English so that he is able to enter a university after he becomes even more fluent in English. Roman has enjoyed his experience so far: He likes the way the teachers teach. They explain things clearly and present the material so that everyone understands. Roman says he feels like the school is a big family for the students!

Roman has many goals for the future. He hopes to have healthy kids, a happy marriage, and a money-making job. He is also very proud of the accomplishments he has completed in the past. For Roman, obtaining a US visa was very difficult. He considers receiving his visa to study here one of his greatest successes.

In his free time, Roman enjoys playing sports. Among his favorite sports are tennis, rugby, American football, and baseball. He also enjoys eating meat (pork and chicken), fruit, fish, and seafood.

If you meet Roman, some interesting facts about him include that he believed he had brown eyes until he was 16 (they are green), that he watches fireworks every year on his birthday (May 9), and that he can't refuse someone's offer!

Meet Roman and other interesting students like him at Nomen Global!

Happy Pioneer Day!

Remember that tomorrow is Pioneer Day! It is a special holiday celebrated only in Utah to remember the pioneers who walked across the United States to build a home over 150 years ago.

To celebrate these people and all other pioneers who follow them, we have no school tomorrow! Enjoy your day off and take some time to think of pioneers that you know.

Grammar Guide: Superlatives

Ice skating usually makes people think of cold, winter outings. However, we at Nomen Global think ice skating is the perfect way to escape the summer heat! This summer has reached record-high temperatures all across the United States. While some of our students are used to hot weather, many of our students from around the world are looking for ways to cool down. Today, we will visit the Olympic 2002 site, Seven Peaks Arena, for a fun afternoon ice skating!

Superlatives
Unlike comparatives, we use superlatives to describe a relationship among three or more things. Comparatives describe that relationship between only two things. To form the superlative, you can either add -est or most. The rules for superlative are similar to the rules for comparative to decide which form to use.

In addition to adding -est or most, the superlative also usually has the word the in front of it to show that it is definite.

One-syllable adjectives
When an adjective has only one syllable, the adjective generally takes the -est form to compare three or more things. If the word ends in one vowel and one consonant, double the consonant before adding -est.

• Ice skating is the coolest way to get out of the summer heat.
• July in Provo is the hottest month of the year.

Two-syllable adjectives ending in -y When an adjective has two syllables and ends with -y, we generally drop the -y and add -est.

• Ice skating is not the easiest sport, but it is fun!
• The students at Nomen Global are the friendliest students in the United States!

Three- or more syllable adjectives When an adjective has three or more syllables, the adjective uses more to form the comparative.

• Seven Peaks is the most popular place to go in the summer months.
• Staying near ice is one of the most effective ways to stay cool in the summer.

Learn more about superlative adjectives and other grammar points at Nomen Global! Visit our Facebook page to see more from our activities.

Student Spotlight: Rawabi Alhulhim

Rawabi Alhulhim is from Saudi Arabia. She has completed one month of classes at Nomen Global and plans to remain here for one semester. Rawabi is studying English because she intends to return to Saudi Arabia to work with her family.

Rawabi enjoys studying at Nomen Global because she feels as though her teachers and the administration treat her with respect and cooperation. She feels very proud to have come to the United States; in fact, choosing to come here to study English is her greatest success! Rawabi hopes to become more fluent in English. Good luck, Rawabi!

After Rawabi studies at Nomen Global, she plans to attend a university. She hopes that her path will lead her to be as successful as her family. In her free time, Rawabi enjoys going to the movies and learning to play the guitar. She also loves eating Italian food, studying, and traveling.

Meet Rawabi and other inspiring students like her at Nomen Global!

Grammar Guide: Comparatives

A pioneer is someone who does something or goes somewhere for the first time. This block we are celebrating the pioneers that we know in our lives. Many of our students are pioneers themselves! They have come to a new country to study English and they are setting a great example to their families and their posterity. Similar to how a lighthouse guides the way for ships, pioneers guide other people to follow in their footsteps.

Comparatives
We use the comparative of adjectives when we describe the differences between two things. The comparative of the adjective can be formed in two ways: -er or more. The following rules can help you decide which form to use.

One-syllable adjectives
When an adjective has only one syllable, the adjective generally takes the -er form to compare two things. If the word ends with one vowel and one consonant, double the consonant before adding -er.

• Pioneers must be braver than followers.
• Susan became a pioneer in science because she studied harder than other students.

Two-syllable adjectives ending in -y When an adjective has two syllables and ends with -y, we generally drop the -y and add -er.

• Being a follower is easier than being a pioneer.
• Pioneers feel happier when they help other people.

Three- or more syllable adjectives

When an adjective has three or more syllables, the adjective uses more to form the comparative.

• Pioneers are more inspirational when they accomplish something that is difficult.
• Living in a new place is more difficult than living somewhere familiar.

Learn more about comparatives and other grammar topics at Nomen Global!

Teacher Spotlight: Scott Bowen

Nomen Global is pleased to welcome a new teacher to our faculty! Scott Bowen is originally from San Diego, California, but he has enjoyed traveling the world and living in Utah. He teaches Grammar Level 4 and Integrated Skills Level 3. Scott is also our new Activities Director! He will be in charge of planning and implementing all of our school outings and activities.

Scott lived in Italy for several years before he started teaching at Nomen Global. He learned Italian, taught English once a week, and did service throughout the country. Because of his love for Italy, Scott studied Italian at Brigham Young University. He uses his language-learning skills to improve his classrooms at Nomen Global. He has been teaching English here for 4 weeks, and we are excited to learn more from Scott!

Scott loves seeing the students at Nomen Global. They are from many different countries and bring a fresh outlook on life into Scott's classroom. His favorite aspect of teaching, however, is watching his students progress. His favorite aspect of English is slang and idiomatic expressions!

In the future, Scott plans to apply and be accepted to law school this fall. When he graduates, his dream is to live by the beach. Since Scott is from California, he is an expert surfer! He hopes to live by the beach so that he can continue his hobby.

Get to know more about Scott and other great teachers like him at Nomen Global!

Pioneer Village

Welcome back to school, students! We hope you enjoyed your week-long break to celebrate Independence Day! We also hope you are ready to finish off an already great semester.

Today we visited Pioneer Village, located just down the street from our campus. Pioneer Village is a special museum that shows the different types of buildings that were typical at the time that pioneers first settled in Utah. While many people think of pioneers as the families that traveled across the plains of America during the 1800s, a pioneer is anyone who does something for the first time.

It was a great experience to see how different life was before we had skyscrapers, paved roads, and airplanes. Learning about the pioneers that came to Utah helped us appreciate the lives that we have today. Even though our lives can be difficult, we admire the people who came before us.

Many of our students are also pioneers. They are learning English and living in a different country! Some of them are the first in their families to visit the United States! One day, their descendants will be grateful for the hard work they are doing now.

To learn more about Nomen Global and the activities we offer, visit our website or our Facebook page.

Grammar Guide: Infinitives

Camping is a favorite summer activity, especially for residents in Utah. Utah has some of the finest camping grounds nestled in the beautiful mountain valleys. Camping is especially popular in Utah because although the weather during the day is hot, the night brings cool, refreshing temperatures. Nomen Global students are lucky enough to experience camping in Utah--tonight! They will set up near the majestic Bridal Veil Falls to enjoy hiking, playing games, singing by the campfire, and exploring nature.

Infinitives

We have already discussed gerunds and participles; today we will focus on infinitives. Similar to gerunds (verbs that act as nouns) and participles (verbs that act as adjectives), infinitives are verbs that act as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. Infinitives are formed with the word to + simple form of the verb. The word to can be used as a preposition, so be careful that you use a verb form after it.

Nouns

Infinitives used as nouns can act as the subject, the direct object, or a predicate nominative.

• To start a fire at sunset seemed like a good idea.
• Everyone wanted to go hiking in the morning.
• The best part of camping is to be with friends.

Adjectives

Infinitives used as adjectives describe other nouns.

• Sarah did not have the strength to hike up to Bridal Veil Falls.
• Jamie did not bring any flashlight to use at night.

Adverbs

Infinitive used as adverbs usually express purpose.

• To set up a tent properly, you should read the instructions.
• Jake brought lots of food to the campsite to avoid being too hungry.

If you are interested in learning more about Nomen Global and the classes we teach, contact us on our website or on our Facebook page.

Student Spotlight: Massiel Alejandra Parra Munoz

Massiel Parra is originally from Chile (which she says is the best country in the world!). She has been studying at Nomen Global for five months and will continue to study here until September. Massiel has advanced through a couple of levels at Nomen Global, and we are impressed with her success!

Massiel chose to study English because she knows that it is important, even in South America; many good jobs require English proficiency. In addition Massiel hopes to study at a university in the United States. Massiel is happy with her experience learning English at Nomen Global. She feels that she learns new things everyday and she enjoys meeting new and friendly people.

Although Massiel has already accomplished a lot, she is most proud that she came to the United States on her own to make her dreams come true. She plans to apply to universities in the United States after she finishes studying at Nomen Global. Other goals include speaking English perfectly, being a professional, and having her own family. Good luck, Massiel!

In her free time, Massiel enjoys going to the pool, playing volleyball, or hanging out with friends. She also loves eating lasagna, her favorite Italian food. The most important thing to Massiel, however, is her family, her friends, and her studies. She always strives to feel that she is progressing as a person.

Camping Near Bridal Veil Falls

Have you hiked to Bridal Veil Falls this summer yet? Well, this weekend is your chance to not only hike to this beautiful waterfall but also to explore nature in Provo Canyon. We are going camping this Friday to start our vacation off to a great start!

Camping is an extremely popular past time in the United States, especially in the summer. Summer in Utah is very hot during the day, but it gets cold at night. The camp grounds in Provo Canyon are perfect: They sit next to Provo River and many have hiking trails to explore during the day. Campfires are popular at night because they are warm and they cast a beautiful glow on the things around you.

Take a look at some of these pictures that we took at the campout last year.

If you want to go camping with us this weekend, don't forget to contact Spencer! We will meet at Nomen Global at 4 p.m. Bring your friends, own camping gear, food, and $2.

Don't miss it! For more information about this activity or other activities at Nomen Global, 'like' us on Facebook!

Grammar Guide: Participles

We are focusing on the USA this block at Nomen Global. As we end the month of June and enter July, many Americans reflect on the beginning of our country. The 4th of July is the holiday that commemorates the independence of the United States from Britain. On this day, many Americans take a day off work, watch a patriotic parade, and barbecue outside. Fortunately for Nomen Global students, Nomen Global offers a week-long vacation for the students to experience the different festivals around the city, state, and country.

Participles

Continuing our discussion of verbals (including gerunds and infinitives), we will address participles today. Participles are, again, verbs that are used as adjectives. Participial adjectives take the form of either the present participle (the -ing form) or the past participle (regular -ed ending or irregular form). 

Present Participle

The -ing form of the verb can be used to describe nouns that perform that action.

• The flying eagle landed near the American flag.
• The patriotic parade featured the city's marching band.
• Fighting for independence, the early American citizens did not give up hope.

Notice that in each of these sentences, the participial adjective describes a noun. The noun that it describes actually performs the action expressed in the participle. The eagle flies. The band marches. The early American citizens fight for independence.

Past Participle

The past participle (the regular -ed ending or irregular form) of the verb can be used to describe nouns that receive that action.

• Students interested in history love Independence Day.
• The excited boys cheered as the parade marched by.
• Loved by their families, the soldiers in the American Revolutionary War left for battle.

Notice that in each of these sentences, the participial adjective describes a noun. The noun that it describes receives the action expressed in the participle. The students are interested. The boys are excited. The soldiers are loved by their families.

Dangling Participles

When writing, be careful that the participial phrases actually modify the intended noun. Many writers make the mistake of placing the participial phrase away from the noun it modifies. You should always place the participle next to the noun it modifies.

Incorrect:

• Relieved that the war was over, the United States was independent.
• Cheering loudly, the parade marched past the excited boys.

Better: 

• Relieved that the war was over, the citizens of the United States celebrated independence.
• Cheering loudly, the excited boys watched the parade march down the street.

Learn more about participles and other grammar principles at Nomen Global!

Student Spotlight: Akif Hamza Hashim

Akif Hamza Hashim is from Saudi Arabia. Akif started his adventure at Nomen Global just a few weeks ago and plans to study for two semesters. He hopes to become even more proficient in English than he already is. So far, Akif loves the teachers and the activities at the school; they are helping him improve his English.

After Akif finishes studying English, he will attend a university in the United States. He plans to have a great job when he returns to Saudi Arabia. However, the most important goal that Akif is working on right now is finishing his education.

In his free time, Akif enjoys watching movies and walking around town. He loves Arabian food (yum!) and his family.

Meet Akif and other dedicated students like him at Nomen Global!

Sports Innovation

Because the theme of this block is "Sports," we took class outside and invented some of our own! We love popular sports like soccer and basketball, we wanted to play something new. Groups of students were given equipment and asked to write rules for an original sport. After we wrote new rules for our sport, we presented and played them! We had a great time on a great day. Take a look at some of the pictures that we took last week.

To learn more about Nomen Global and the activities we offer, visit our website or 'like' us on Facebook.

Student Spotlight: Liset Fuentelba

Liset Fuentealba S. is from Antofagasta, Chile. Although she has been at Nomen Global for only a few weeks, she plans to study English here for a year. She is studying English simply because she loves it, but she loves all languages in general.

Liset has enjoyed her experience at Nomen Global so far. She appreciates that the teachers are qualified with proper education. Liset is proud that she was able to come to the United States without any problems. After she finishes studying English, she will study to be a professional interpreter. What a great career! Good luck, Liset!

In her free time, Liset enjoys relaxing and, yes, studying English! (She says English is her hobby!) Her favorite food is lasagna and she loves her family.

Meet Liset and other fun students like her at Nomen Global!

Seven Peaks Party

This weekend, Nomen Global students met together at the local water park, Seven Peaks. The park hosted a huge party, complete with music, a movie, and tons of water activities! Seven Peaks was voted Best Water Park in Utah. In addition to a huge wave pool, Seven Peaks offers dozens of slides, a floating river, hot tubs, and activity pools for children and adults.

We hope you enjoyed a fun weekend at one of the most popular destinations in our backyard! To learn more about the activities we offer, visit our website or 'like' us on Facebook!

Grammar Guide: Gerunds

Sports are a big part of every culture. Here in the United States, baseball is considered an American past time. This block at Nomen Global, we are learning about the different sports that are popular in the United States and around the world. Many American children start playing a sport as early as 3 or 4 years old! Some continue playing through college; others find new hobbies. No matter who you are, sports are generally a big part of life, whether it be playing them, watching them, or hearing about them.

Gerunds

We introduced verbals briefly last week; today our topic will focus on gerunds. Gerunds are -ing verbs used as nouns. That means we can use an -ing verb as the subject, direct object, indirect object, object of a preposition, or predicate nominative. In addition, some verbs in English are followed only by gerunds. Here is a list with examples:

deny                 risk                    delay                              consider

can't help          keep                  give up                           be fond of

finish                 quit                    put off                            practice

postpone           tolerate             suggest                            stop (quit)

regret                enjoy                 keep (on)                       dislike

admit                 avoid                 recall                              mind

miss                  detest                 appreciate                       recommend

get/be through get/be tired of get/be accustomed to get/be used to

Subject

• Watching football in the fall is my husband's favorite activity.
• Practicing soccer 4 hours a day is very tiring!
• Eating hotdogs and drinking Coke while watching a game is popular at the local baseball stadium. 

Direct Object

• I love playing volleyball on the beach!
• The league does not tolerate cheating in any sport.
• After I moved to the United States, I missed playing with my old basketball team.

Indirect Object

• Eric gave playing football his full attention.

Object of a Preposition

• Sarah knows nothing about watching sports.

Predicate Nominative

• Moussa's favorite hobby is playing soccer.

Learn more about gerunds and other grammar subjects at Nomen Global. Visit our website or 'like' us on Facebook!

Student Spotlight: Hussein Abdullah-al-otaibi

Hussein Abdullah-al-otaibi is one of our newest students from Saudi Arabia. Hussein is studying English for the first time and has been here for just a few weeks, but has already started improving his English! He hopes to improve enough so that he can enter a university in the future. Hussein loves the teachers at Nomen Global. It can be difficult to study a language for the first time, but he says that the teachers are always helpful and patient.

Hussein has plans to complete a bachelor's degree of public administration. In addition to earning a bachelor's degree, Hussein wants to earn a salary that is right for him in the future. He wants to have a great job and a nice house. Good luck, Hussein! In his free time, Hussein enjoys hanging out with his friends that he's met at Nomen Global, and his favorite food is chicken with rice.

Meet Hussein and other devoted students like him at Nomen Global!

Summer Hiking: Stewart Falls

Even though the sun was not shining, we had a refreshing hike to Stewart Falls last week. The trail was surrounded by beautiful greenery and lush trees; it was perfect for an early summer day! The hike was not difficult, but it was certainly rewarding. The waterfall at the end of the trail is over 200 feet tall. Some of the students even decided to test the water! It was cold! At the end of the day, we will all remember the beauty we saw at Stewart Falls. 

Take a look at some of the pictures we took from our outdoor adventure!

Upcoming Events
Seven Peaks Pool Party
Join us for the huge party that Seven Peaks puts on every summer! It costs only $5 for girls, but $8 for boys (lucky girls!). We will meet at Seven Peaks this Friday night at 9 p.m.

For more information about Nomen Global and the activities we offer, visit our website or our Facebook page.

Grammar Guide: Verbals

We have had a great time during Summer Block 3 with the theme of music. We sang karaoke, wrote about how music inspires us, and enjoyed learning about popular music in the United States. Although, what is popular in one country might not be popular in another country. We have learned that different cultures enjoy different types of music. What type of music does your country listen to the most?

Verbals
Gerunds, infinitives, and participles are all examples of verbals. A verbal is essentially a verb being used as a different part of speech. For example, run can be used to describe an action. "I run 3 miles everyday." Run can also be used to describe an activity. "Running is my favorite hobby." In the first sentence, run is used as a verb, but in the second sentence running is used as a noun.

Gerunds
Gerunds are verbs that are used as nouns. Gerunds can be used as the subject, direct object, indirect object, predicate nominative, or the object of a preposition.

• Playing guitar is my favorite hobby. (subject)
• I enjoy singing karaoke. (direct object)
• Harry doesn't know anything about reading music. (object of a preposition)

Participles

Participles are verbs used as adjectives. Participles describe nouns. A present participle has the -ing form, and a past participle is either the -ed form or the irregular past participle form.

• Playing the guitar, Spencer made the audience feel excited!
• His guitar is made of wood.
• Sally was fascinated by the playing piano.

Infinitives

Infinitives are verbs used as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. Infinitives always have to + the simple form.

• I learned to play the guitar when I was a child. (direct object)
• I have a song to write for my class. (adjective)
• Ezra is learning the piano to impress his girlfriend. (adverb)

Learn more about verbals and other aspects of grammar at Nomen Global! 'Like' us on Facebook to learn more about the school.

Student Spotlight: Anselmo Chapa Garza

Anselmo Chapa Garza is originally from Mexico. He has been studying at Nomen Global for 8 months and has improved much in his time here! Anselmo loves Nomen Global because he can meet people from around the world and from different cultures. Anselmo also works part-time for Nomen Global helping recruit local students.

In the future, Anselmo hopes to learn another language in addition to English and Spanish. He also hopes to get a job at a major company. Anselmo is a successful systems engineer; however, he has plans to study at Brigham Young University in Provo to earn his master's degree.

In addition to his success in his career, Anselmo also considers his family one of his greatest successes: He is married to a wonderful wife and they have a beautiful son together. In his free time, Anselmo also enjoys playing basketball, spending time with his family, and reading books. He loves Mexican food (of course!) and sushi.

Meet Anselmo and other friendly students like him at Nomen Global!

Happy Memorial Day!

Happy Memorial Day!

 

The reason for this holiday is to remember those who have served and given their lives in the military to defend our country.