Tag: dailyprompt

Overused English Phrases My Chinese Students Can’t Quit

damionferrellLeave a comment
Daily writing prompt
What is a word you feel that too many people use?
View all responses

I don’t really know what words most people overuse—mainly because the “people” in my life are mostly students. As a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) teacher at a university in China, I’ve learned that my students have a handful of go-to phrases they rely on for speaking and writing exams:

  • “Nowadays…”
  • “With the development of [something]…”
  • “Double-edged sword”
  • “In a word…” (usually followed by many, many words)

Let’s take an example. If students are assigned an essay on the pros and cons of giving children smartphones, I can guarantee that at least a third will start with: “With the development of modern technology…”

Read More »

Alternate Universes and the Reality We Live With

damionferrellLeave a comment
Daily writing prompt
Describe your life in an alternate universe.
View all responses

Most of my dreams are stupid.

Once, I had a dream where the camera panned out to a third-person view, and I watched myself swing over a creek on a long vine, as if I were watching a movie about me. In another dream, I got into a car accident and was left upside down, staring blankly at the asphalt, shattered glass all around. That one stuck with me. It didn’t feel like my mind was inventing something. It felt like I was living something.

It’s hard to explain how dreams can feel different. Sometimes, I can sense my brain actively constructing a world — like Inception. Other times, I feel like a passenger, just experiencing whatever’s in front of me. I can’t explain the mechanics, but I know the difference when it happens. I’ve convinced myself that those “passenger” dreams are glimpses into alternate universes. I don’t know when or why I started believing that, but it helps me make sense of the strange, vivid places I go when I sleep.

Read More »