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English has become a global language. In the minds of many worldwide, it guarantees a better life through enhanced social and economic opportunities. As a result, English teachers are in high demand. Some claim that English is attractive because as it has spread throughout the world, it has severed its ties from any specific culture, making it easily malleable to fit the needs of those who adopt it. Grammar rules and vocabulary can simply be taught to eager learners so they can use English for social and economic advancement. However, learning English is more than mastering a certain number of words and memorizing a set of grammar rules. Although plugging words into scientific formulas might be the key to success in chemistry or physics, it is less effective for language learners. Language acquisition studies have discovered that both native and non-native speakers learn English best not by being taught rules but by interacting with other users of the language, either orally or through print. This interaction introduces a social element to grammar that brings with it hidden social messages. For example, suppose a language learner has been taught that English has a very simple way to make requests: simply say the verb with no subject being expressed, as in “Open the door.” After class, the student is carrying a pile of books and comes to a closed door. What would be the reaction of other English speakers if the student were to shout out to someone passing nearby, “Open the door”? The student would probably be considered rude. “Could you please open the door?” which has the form of a question rather than a command, would probably be considered politer. Suppose an English teacher sees one of her students writing with a crayon rather than a pencil. She helpfully asks, “Don’t you have a pencil?” If the student answers “yes,” does that mean that the student does or does not have a pencil? The answer depends on which part of the world the student is from.The systematic way